WASHINGTON (AFP) - Iraq's top Shiite politician Abdul Aziz al-Hakim said Tuesday in a published interview that Iraqis must arm themselves to protect their homes and that the shrine in Samarra destroyed by bombs in February should be rebuilt.

The leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution, leading group in a coalition of Shiite parties governing Iraq, outlined for The Washington Post a four-step process that would restore law and order in Iraq.

His comments came on the eve of a meeting here Tuesday between U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki focusing on how to strengthen security in Iraq after the failure of a six-week crackdown on sectarian violence in Baghdad.

Hakim said his plan was not meant to supplant efforts by Maliki to quell the violence, especially the prime minister's program to promote dialogue between Iraq's various factions, which Hakim said coincided with his first step to restore security. The second step of his plan, he said, was to "strengthen the government and its agenda for fighting terrorism."

Third, was rebuilding the Muslim shrine in the northern city of Samarra, revered by both Sunnis and Shiites, that was destroyed on February 22 by Al-Qaeda bombs, according to the Iraqi government. "The (sectarian) violence started mounting after this," Hakim said, adding that Maliki's administration "should rebuild the shrine and protect visitors there ... from all sects."

Finally, Hakim said Iraqis should arm themselves and form their own defense committees to protect their home and neighborhoods from violent groups.

In response to prevailing fears that private armed groups would worsen militia violence in the country, Hakim blamed the ongoing attacks on forces loyal to deposed dictator Saddam Hussein and Islamic radicals, both of whom, he said, have preyed on Sunnis and Shiites alike.

He said the defense committees would benefit everybody in Iraq since they would be formed to protect neighborhoods, not beliefs.

"In Shiite neighborhoods, they would be protected by young Shiites, because they live there. And the same thing for Sunni neighborhoods: They will be protected by young Sunnis. "And if it is a mixed neighborhood," Hakim added, "it would be protected by Sunni and Shiite people. It is something normal."