Letter: Iraqi opposition denies bombings

Sir: We refer to Patrick Cockburn's article "Clinton backed Baghdad bombers" (26 March). Before offering this reply, we had to review the two versions of the video film on which Mr Cockburn based his article.

The story is a cheap attempt by those who produced the video and passed additional misinformation to Mr Cockburn to defame the Iraqi National Accord and its leadership. We wonder if Mr Cockburn has any additional evidence, apart from a video made by an unidentified person who goes under the pseudonym of Abu Amneh al-Khadami. The harsh living conditions in Iraqi Kurdistan push many people to desperate measures to survive. The production of this video is one such example.

Most of the video is taken up by innuendoes about who paid whom and how much is owed to him for his imaginary services. Those who understand Iraqi dialect would notice that Mr Khadami states that Al-Wifaq (Iraqi National Accord) has no capability of making bombs and have not been involved in any operation inside Iraq. He claims that he and his team alone are capable of perpetrating such acts.

Mr Khadami has never been a member of INA, and we have not at any time, neither do we intend now to enter into any bombing campaign or activities that might endanger the life of innocent civilian Iraqis. If Mr Kadhami was involved in a bombing campaign in Baghdad or Mosul, then it must have been on behalf of other organisations.

Who produced hundreds of copies of the video for distribution in Iraq Kurdistan, and who produced over 2,000 copies in Holland and posted them to Iraqis in the UK, Europe and USA? We believe this is a well-orchestrated campaign against the INA and its leaders.

S A Shaikhly

Iraqi National Accord

London SW2