Iranian Troops 'training Iraqi Insurgents'

Fresh details of alleged Iranian help for insurgents attacking British troops in southern Iraq emerged today.

Defence sources in Basra said they believed troops from the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard were training Iraqi militants in bomb-making. Eight British soldiers have been killed by roadside bombs in the Basra area since May.

The prime minister, Tony Blair, last week alleged that "Iranian elements" had provided new and more sophisticated explosives to insurgents attacking British forces.

The latest briefing by defence officials, given to the Sun newspaper, reveals fears that Iran is training bomb-makers as opposed to just providing devices.

"There is evidence the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is running training packages for insurgents," the source in Basra told the newspaper.

"They are in the form of 'train the trainer'. Up to 10 people at a time are being taught how to make these new devices. They return to Iraq and pass it on to another 50."

Officials are concerned that militants are being trained in Iran before crossing the border back into Iraq to carry out attacks. Insurgents are also believed to be receiving help in terror camps set up in Lebanon and Syria.

It has emerged that devices being used by militants in Iraq are triggered by infra-red technology. The Sun said intact devices had been discovered for the first time.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the two devices would be brought back to the UK to be studied. One was attached to a charge found on a hidden bomb on a main road in the Basra area.

Mr Blair spoke publicly about the Iran allegations after a senior British official had voiced suspicions that bombs had come from Hizbullah, the Tehran-backed guerrilla group based in Lebanon.

The prime minister issued a strongly-worded warning to Tehran following Downing Street talks with the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, saying the UK would "not be intimidated" into giving up its demand that Iran abandon its nuclear programme.

He said while British authorities had information appearing to link the devices to Iran, he could not be sure of that connection.

"The particular nature of these devices leads us either to Iranian elements or to Hizbullah, because they are similar to the devices used by Hizbullah, which is funded and supported by Iran," he added. "However, we cannot be sure of this at the present time."

Iran has dismissed Britain's allegations as "baseless", demanding that Downing Street produce evidence to back up the claims.

British forces last week arrested 12 Iraqis, including police officers, suspected of involvement in attacks against troops. A house used by members of a Shia militia group was raided, and a number of weapons recovered.

The operation underlined a new policy of confronting militias. The Mahdi Army group, loyal to the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, is believed to have been involved in attacks on British forces.