'Saddam letter' urges resistance

There is no proof of Saddam Hussein's fate

A letter attributed to deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein calls on his people to boycott any US-appointed regime and may give credence to claims of organised resistance inside Iraq.

The message published in the London-based al-Quds newspaper also calls on Iraqis to expel from Iraq anyone who supported the US-led invasion.

It is the third letter attributed to Saddam Hussein published by the Arabic-language al-Quds which has taken a pro-Saddam editorial line and blamed the Iraqi people for his toppling.

In the past, the letters have been met with scepticism, in part because the handwriting did not appear to match that of Saddam Hussein.

Long live the army men who are fighting an honourable guerrilla war

'Saddam Hussein'

Full transcript

"While we fight and hunt the cowardly American and British enemy, we call on you to activate your political role by boycotting everyone that the criminal invading forces install to manage any of the Iraqi governmental and popular departments," the letter states.

It is published in the wake of a series of attacks on US soldiers in Iraq.

On Tuesday, gunmen fired rocket-propelled grenades and shot at a US army unit in Falluja, north-west of Baghdad, killing two soldiers and wounding nine others.

Authenticity questions

BBC Arab affairs analyst Magdi Abdelhadi says the timing of the letter's publication might give credence to those who claim there is organised resistance to the US in Iraq.

Al-Quds has published three letters signed 'Saddam Hussein' (courtesy al-Quds)

But he cautions that the letter may not be genuine, saying it was in a lighter style to previous "Saddam" letters, and contained no specific references to attacks of recent days.

However al-Quds editor Abdel Bari Atwan told BBC News Online he was convinced the letter - which arrived by fax from an unknown location - was written by Saddam Hussein.

"The signature is genuine. We have already published two previous letters from Saddam Hussein, all three bear the same handwriting.

"I think this shows Saddam is still in hiding, directing resistance. He predicted in speeches before the war, that Iraq would be occupied and there would be a guerrilla war."

Syria call

The letter also praises those fighting the US occupation.

"Long live the courageous sons of Iraq who are resisting the occupier. Long live the al-Faruq Brigades and al-Hussein units. Long live the army men who are fighting an honourable guerrilla war."

It also calls on Syria to resist pressure from the United States.

"We tell our brothers in the Syria of Arabism do not become weak as this will only increase their transgression against you.

"Demonstrate a defiant true Arab and Islamic spirit and do not be like the other regimes that are preventing assistance to their resistance brothers after having handed over a number of them."