Iraq opposition says it is ignored

Weapons inspectors at a juice factory on Saturday

By Jim Muir BBC correspondent in Tehran

A leading Iraqi opposition group says it has been unsuccessful in trying to pass information on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations.

The Tehran-based Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) says it is regrettable the UN is only dealing with the Baghdad government and ignoring the opposition.

The military leader of the Supreme Council - which claims to represent the bulk of Iraq's majority Shia population - said his movement has information that Saddam Hussein is still trying to develop chemical and biological weapons.

Abdelaziz al-Hakim says he has crucial information

Abdulaziz al-Hakim said it has specific details on some of the sites involved and the government's plans to hide the weapons.

Mr Hakim said his movement wants to share this information with the UN, but was unable to do so since it was dealing only with the Baghdad government and does not recognise or talk to the opposition.

The SCIRI commander, who attended the recent opposition meeting in London, said there was a big chance the Iraqi government would resort to weapons of mass destruction in the event of a US attack.

He feared there would be heavy casualties among civilians if they were caught between the two, being used as a human shield by the regime.

Government change

Mr Hakim said the Iraqi opposition wanted regime change to be brought about by the Iraqi people with international support.

It rejected both the entry of US troops and their remaining on Iraqi soil, though he admitted there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

Mr Hakim made it clear that Iraqi opposition forces would not simply be used as ground troops for an American operation.

They had their own plans, he said, and he doubted that the Americans would be able to succeed on their own.

A dialogue was currently underway with the Americans though, but nothing had yet been agreed in terms of cooperation or joint action.