Insurgents team up for new threat
From correspondents in Dubai
October 4, 2004
AN apparent coalition of insurgents has warned the interim Iraqi Government that it will attack oil facilities and other infrastructure unless US troops pull out of flashpoint cities.
The threat was made in a website statement from a group calling itself the "unified command of the mujahideen". Its authenticity could not be verified today.
It demanded that US troops withdraw by Saturday from the Sunni Muslim bastions of Fallujah and Samarra to the west and north of Baghdad, and from Shiite areas such as the holy city of Najaf and Sadr City in the capital.
The statement also cited the towns of Latifiya south of Baghdad, Tall Afar in the north of Iraq, and Saada village in Qa'im, near the border with Syria.
"If this does not happen, we will strike at US targets across the country," said the statement, dated October 2.
The group threatened to "destroy oil and gas export pipelines in all provinces", target railways and roads, and close the borders with Jordan, Turkey and Syria to all traffic except food supplies.
It said the demand was being put to the interim government of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, "given your avowed quest to establish security and safeguard the lives of Iraqi citizens and .. your constant professing to be the decision-makers in Iraq".
A separate statement also posted on the Internet today said the "unified command of the mujahideen" was an umbrella for 10 groups, and listed the names of the 10 shadowy Islamist factions.
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10963605%255E1702,00.html
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