Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 5, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba A8 Canada / world Winnipeg free press monday july 5, 2004 rebels backers to be revealed London ? Iraq a interim government will pub Lish evidence this week that neighbouring countries have provided help to anti occupation insurgents a senior minister was quoted As saying yesterday. In an interview with the London based sunday Telegraph newspaper foreign minister Hishyar Zebari said Iraq had intelligence showing that for eign nations had provided financial support Logis tical assistance and training to militants who have waged a Campaign of bombings shootings and kidnappings since the fall of Saddam Hussein. He did not name the countries but the newspaper said iraqi officials had pointed the Finger at Iraq a Neighbours Syria and Iran. Since we started to look at the Security Situa Tion we have seen How foreign governments have been helping terrorists Zebari was quoted As say ing. Why they Are doing it we cannot say but we know where the support is coming from. We have plans to put this before the Public within Days and it will have a substantial Impact. Foreign support for terrorists is ongoing he added. But it will backfire on those governments. A stable and peaceful Iraq is a better Neighbour for there was no immediate syrian government reaction to the accusation. However a syrian political analyst rejected Zebari a claim saying the accusations were not a Good Way to Start a relationship. Its not in Iraq a interest to Start forming a new Type of state with a serious breaching of ties with neighbouring countries Imad Fawzi Al Shoeibi said. ? associated press win your Purchase free Khalid Mohammed / associated press see store for details for details we build i ground pools spas Many More unadvertised natural therapy for specials your lifestyle do not pay Manitoba s largest 1 year Mac indoor display of see store for details pools & spas Many ready to plug a play go portable spa $2995 see store for details Patio & Rattan up 50% off Mlp furniture to Kravco will not knowingly be undersold acrylic Ware & accessories off 30% Mlp Over 30,000 so. It. 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We pledge to the iraqi people and the world to continue resisting oppression and occupation to our last drop of blood Al Sadr said. Resistance is a legitimate right and not a crime to be previously Al Sadr had made conciliatory state ments to the new government of prime minister Iyad Allawin a fellow shiite and members of his movement had suggested they might transform the Al Mahdi army into a political party. Also Al Mahdi fighters accepted ceasefires in most shiite areas after suffering huge losses at the hands of the americans. However in his statement yesterday the Young cleric said there is no truce with the occupier and those who co operate with we announce that the current government is illegitimate and illegal Al Sadr said. Its generally following the occupation. We demand Complete sovereignty and Independence by holding honest on june 12, Al Sadr issued a statement saying he was ready for a dialogue with the new government if it worked to end the . Presence. Apparent reversal it was unclear what prompted his apparent rever Sal although Al Sadr has made contradictory state ments in the past. Earlier sunday Allawin told abcs this week that he had met with Al Sadr representatives who want to try and the position of the government is very Clear Allawin said. There is no room for any militias to operate inside Iraq. Anything outside Law and order is not tolerated cannot be tolerated. The Rule of Law should prevail. ? Al Sadr launched his rebellion after the .-led coalition administration closed his newspaper arrested a top aide and announced a warrant charging him in the april 2003 murder of a rival cleric. After nearly eight weeks of fighting the Ameri cans announced that they would leave it to the iraqi government to Deal with Al Sadr including serving the arrest warrant. The statement yesterday suggested the govern ment May be taking a hard line with Al Sadr insist ing he abolish his militia and submit to the warrant. Meanwhile violence continued throughout Iraq yesterday As iraqi troops thwarted a car bombing outside their regional Headquarters Northeast of Baghdad killing an attacker before he could Deto Nate his vehicle. Two bystanders also died in the assault in bad Cuba the scene of fierce fighting last week Between american soldiers and insurgents who tried to seize government buildings and police stations. Blamed foreign fighters iraqi officials have blamed foreign fighters and religious extremists for a wave of vehicle bomb Ings in recent months. The attacks have led to fears that religious fanatics and loyalists of former pres ident Saddam Hussein May be joining forces to fight both the multinational Force and the new iraqi government. Saboteurs also blew up part of a strategic crude Oil pipeline that runs from the country a Northern oilfields to the South police officials said. Fire Crews and police from at least three nearby cities worked into the night to extinguish the Blaze near Musaye in about 80 Kilometres Southwest of Baghdad. Pipelines in that area have been hit several times in the past few weeks. Between Baghdad and the restive City of fal Lujah insurgents fired rocket propelled grenades and other weapons at a . Convoy of 20 gasoline tankers. There were no reports of casualties. In Kirkuk . And iraqi forces detained six members of a militant group suspected of a string of assassinations in the North. The men were believed to be members of Ansar Al islam a Kur dish group believed linked to Al Aida said iraqi police col. Sarhat Qader. The Fate of Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun a kidnapped . Marine of lebanese origin remained unclear. A website statement saturday attributed to the Ansar Al Sunna army said he had been beheaded. Yesterday the group issued a statement on its own website saying the earlier declaration was false. ? associated press ;