Al-qaida Plan to Seize Control of Iraq

Osama bin Laden's deputy has sent a letter to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the militant leader in Iraq, setting out a blueprint for taking control of the country when American troops leave, according to US intelligence officials.

The plans are set out in a 6,000-word letter dated July 9 this year from Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian-born doctor who is regarded as al-Qaida's second-in-command.

The existence of the letter to Zarqawi was disclosed by the US last week but its full contents have only now been made public. The office of the director of national intelligence in Washington, which posted the letter on its website, has given no details of how it fell into American hands beyond saying it was "obtained during counterterrorism operations in Iraq".

"This lengthy document provides a comprehensive view of al-Qaida's strategy in Iraq and globally," the director's office said. "The document has not been edited in any way and is released in its entirety in both the Arabic and English translated forms. The United States government has the highest confidence in the letter's authenticity."

The letter sets out a four-step plan beginning with the expulsion of US forces from Iraq, followed by the establishment of "an Islamic authority or amirate" covering as much Iraqi territory as possible.

The third stage would "extend the jihad wave to the secular countries neighbouring Iraq". Finally, would come "the clash with Israel, because Israel was established only to challenge any new Islamic entity," the letter says.

Although the tone of the letter is polite and respectful, it hints at disagreements on tactics between Zarqawi and the original al-Qaida leadership, and might be interpreted as a gentle reprimand.

The writer warns Zarqawi that he risks alienating Muslim opinion with gruesome killings of fellow-believers at a time when al-Qaida in Iraq should be seeking popular support for a new religious state.

"It is imperative that, in addition to force, there be an appeasement of Muslims and a sharing with them in governance," al-Zawahiri says.

He also argues that alongside armed struggle Zarqawi should establish a political movement capable of attracting not only Islamic fighters but tribal elders, scientists, merchants and "all the distinguished ones who are not sullied by appeasing the occupation".

"We don't want to repeat the mistake of the Taliban, who restricted participation in governance," the letter says. "They did not have any representation for the Afghan people in their ruling regime, so the result was that the Afghan people disengaged themselves from them."

Zawahiri is also highly critical of attacks on ordinary Shia Muslims in Iraq. His letter repeats the ultra-orthodox Sunni view that Shia Islam is based on "falsehood", but questions the need to pursue this conflict in Iraq.

Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper, who has met bin Laden and Zawahiri, said the Arabic version of the letter is well-written and has "the same style" as Zawahiri.

"I think it is fairly authentic but I can't tell 100%," he said, adding that the ideas it contains are "typical Zawahiri".

Neil Quilliam, an analyst at security consultants Control Risks, thought the letter should be treated with caution. "It's a very interesting time for it to be released," he said, referring to concerns about Sunni participation in Iraq's constitutional referendum on Saturday. The letter seemed to be urging Sunni militants to engage politically with other elements in Iraq.

"At a time when people are trying to get the Sunnis to buy into the political process, the letter suggests a coincidence of interest between Zawahiri and the ongoing political process."

In continuing violence yesterday, a suicide bomber killed 30 Iraqis at an army recruiting centre in Tal Afar, the Iraqi army said. Three Iraqis were killed and 28 wounded in Baghdad and the north-western city of Baquba in suicide car bombs, two roadside blasts and two drive-by shootings, police said.

Saad Naif al-Hardan, Iraq's minister of provincial affairs, escaped an apparent assassination attempt when a convoy of cars preparing to pick him up at his office was hit by a suicide car bomb. Police said five bodyguards and five bystanders were injured.