Sunni leader warns of all-out war if Shiite forces are sent

A powerful Sunni tribal chief in Saddam Hussian's birthplace has threatened open warfare with the Iraqi government, if it sends Shiite security forces north to battle insurgents.

Shaikh Mahmoud Al Needa, the most powerful man in Owja a restive town of 20,000 residents just south of Tikrit vowed to fight if Shiite military units were deployed to the area from Baghdad.

In an exclusive interview with Gulf News at his home, Shaikh Mahmoud insisted his people would not submit to such direct military control of the new Iraqi authorities.

He said: "We fear from the Shiites. If the Wolf Brigade or Badr forces come here we will fight them. We won't fight the Americans but we will fight Badr or the Wolves. I've told the Americans, 'don't be angry if this happens'. We will have no other choice."

Sunni Arabs have accused the notorious Wolf Brigade commandos, an official government force, and the Badr Organisation, an unofficial army, of leading an underground war against them, assassinating Sunnis and former Baath Party members in Baghdad allegations that are denied by the government.

Owja, right in the heart of the Sunni Triangle, is home to Saddam's Al Naseri tribe. Shaikh Mahmoud was chosen by a tribal council to lead them after the previous head personally selected by Saddam was killed.

The town has been relatively unscathed by violence in recent months. Although a heartland of support for the ousted leader walls in the area are frequently daubed with pro-Saddam, anti-American graffiti tribal leaders have struck an uneasy peace with the US military here.

Although US forces rarely come under direct attack, officials suspect local figures are involved in the insurgency, bankrolling operations and providing weapons for assaults in other parts of Iraq, including the capital, Baiji, Samara and Baquba.

American commanders on the ground admit they have had limited success in disrupting such activity. But they say locals have the power to stop it if they really wanted to undermine the insurgents.

Despite recent improvements, official Sunni forces in the region the fledgling police and army have been unwilling or unable to take the necessary steps.

With public pressure growing on the government to combat an increasingly deadly insurgency, it has indicated it will do whatever is necessary to win, including deployment of Shiite dominated security forces in sensitive Sunni areas.

However, Shaikh Mahmoud threatened civil war if Kurdish or Shiite forces were used, even to counter militants. And he demanded American forces remain in large bases close to Owja and Tikrit to protect locals from sectarian bloodletting.

He said: "I don't have a problem with the Americans. If they tried to leave now I would hold their arms to make them stay. They can protect us from the Shiites. That is the main threat. I have asked the Americans openly to protect us. If they do not, we will protect ourselves."

The comments reflect strong underlying tension between Iraq's main ethnic groups, the Shiites, Sunni Arabs and Kurds. Although officials dismiss suggestions the country could descend into open civil war, elements of the communities are already fighting one another. The insurgency is Sunni-led and has deliberately targeted Shiites.

In turn, Shiites have been accused of using militias to settle old scores with Sunnis, who for years propped up the Baath Party's brutal rule. Kurdish forces in the mixed cities of Kirkuk and Mosul are also pushing to be let loose on Arab residents who they say are behind a spate of murderous attacks.