Regime 'ready to bomb Shi'ites and blame Allies'

Saddam Hussein's regime is planning to launch a bombing campaign against the Shia population and blame the allied forces, military officials said today.

US and British military sources said they had intelligence that the campaign was about to start against Shiites in Baghdad.

An official at Central Command in Qatar said: "We have reliable information that the Iraqi regime may be planning to begin anonymous bombing campaigns in several Shiite neighbourhoods in an attempt to falsely accuse the coalition of this destruction for propaganda purposes.

"This action would represent just the latest chapter in a long history of aggression against innocent Iraqis by a regime that uses violence, torture, murder and hunger as a tool of terror and control."