Sunnis quit Iraq constitution body

The Sunni spokesman said the withdrawal was temporary

The Sunni Muslim representatives on Iraq's constitution committee have temporarily withdrawn from the body.

A spokesman for the National Dialogue Council, a Sunni group, said they were calling for an investigation into the killing of three Sunni politicians.

On Tuesday, the men were shot dead as they left a restaurant in Baghdad.

One was a full member of the committee, another was an expert being consulted by the committee and the third was a prominent Sunni Muslim politician.

On Wednesday, four members of the drafting committee quit in protest at the murders, expressing security concerns.

POLITICAL TIMETABLE New constitution to be completed by 15 August National referendum on constitution by mid-October Full government elections by mid-December

The committee for drafting the constitution was enlarged in July to include more people from the Sunni Muslim minority, as a means of bringing Sunni Muslims into the political process.

"We also call on the committee chairman to withdraw his remarks to the effect that the drafting of the constitution was nearly complete, because Sunnis disagree on a number of points," said Salah al-Mutlaq, spokesman for the National Dialogue Council, on Thursday.

Reports say that Sunni leaders have said they will return to the committee if their demands are met.

On Wednesday, Iraqi officials sought to calm fears that the new constitution would be delayed by the killings.

But the head of the drafting team said the document would be presented to the national assembly in the first week of August, well before the deadline.

Insurgents have warned they will kill any Sunni Muslims working on the new constitution.