Fed: Iraq vulnerable to more deadly attacks
By Sharon Labi
CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - Terrorists are slipping into Iraq through open borders, leavingthe newly liberated nation vulnerable to more deadly attacks.
A leading member of the new Iraqi Governing Council, Jalal Talabani, today warned Islamicfundamentalists opposed to democracy were preparing to unleash further terror on Iraq.
The first Iraqi political leader to visit Australia since the fall of Saddam Hussein'sregime, Mr Talabani also said the UN envoy to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, killed thisweek in a bomb blast was targeted for his role in East Timor's independence.
Mr Talabani said most of Iraq was secure and calm, and terrorists were focusing activitiesin a triangle between Samarra, the west of Baghdad and western border of Iraq.
"They can benefit from the open border south and to the west of Iraq," he said.
"They are against this new democratic climate and government which followed the collapseof the dictatorship."
Terrorists targeted the UN headquarters in Baghdad this week, killing 24 people includingMr Vieira de Mello and injuring scores of others.
Mr Talabani said evidence pointed the finger at Muslim fundamentalists rather thanSaddam loyalists.
He believed Mr Vieira de Mello was hated by the fundamentalists for his role in EastTimor which resulted in the one time Indonesian state come under the control of Christians.
"Mr de Mello was, in the eyes of Muslim fundamentalists, responsible for the independenceof East Timor," he said.
"Also he was very much hated because they think Mr de Mello was against their principles."
The Iraqi Governing Council offered Mr Vieira de Mello extra security but he neverthought he would be targeted.
It was time for Iraqis to take over localised policing but the coalition forces werevery much needed to stop civil war erupting, Mr Talabani said.
"One day we want to see the coalition forces going back home, but when?
"We think now if they leave it will be chaos and will be civil war and the possibilityof our neighbours interfering is existing.
"When the democratic Iraq will be established, when we have our government ... willbe the day we ask coalition forces to go back home."
Mr Talabani has met with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and thanked him for Australia'sinvolvement in ending Saddam's dictatorship.
He will meet other federal and state ministers in Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Perthin coming days.
AAP sal/sb/cjh/de
KEYWORD: IRAQ COUNCIL
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