BAGHDAD - A blanket 36-hour curfew imposed on the Iraqi capital Baghdad from Friday evening was in response to an information leak concerning a possible coup attempt, according to an Iraqi Shiite MP.

Iraqi press reports on Sunday quoted Bahaa al-Araji of the United Iraqi Alliance as saying that the alleged coup plot had been masterminded by supporters of ex-dictator Saddam Hussein and of the former ruling Baath party.

Security officials had according to Araji told several MPs that a coup attempt had been uncovered.

‘It was not a serious attempt though,’ said al-Araji. ‘It was more like a message from the Takfiris (Islamic extremists) and Saddamis telling us that they are still there, have power, and that they can do whatever they want.’

A total curfew was imposed on Baghdad Friday evening and ran until Sunday morning.

The curfew was linked to the detainment of Sunni Iraqi MP Adnan al-Dulaimi’s bodyguard on suspicion that he was plotting to carry out bomb attacks inside Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone. However, it was not clear whether the two incidents were connected.

Source: Monsters and Critics