Five US troops die ahead of Iraq poll

INSURGENTS killed five US soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad yesterday and bombed more polling stations across the country, sending a message that if Iraqis suffer on election day, "you have only yourselves to blame."

A US Army helicopter also crashed last night in south-western Baghdad, US officials said. There was no word on the fate of the crew. Four Iraqi police were killed in a car bombing in the capital.

With crucial national elections tomorrow, Iraqi officials announced the arrests of three more purported lieutenants of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, including the Jordanian terror mastermind's military advisor and chief of operations in Baghdad.

Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh told reporters that US and Iraqi authorities were closing in on al-Zarqawi, head of al-Qaida's affiliate in Iraq, who is believed to be responsible for many of the car bombings, kidnappings and decapitations of foreigners.

Despite Mr Saleh's assurances, al-Zarqawi's group posted a new web message yesterday warning Iraqis they could get hit by shelling or other attacks if they approach polling stations, which it called "the centres of atheism and of vice."

Sunni Arab extremists have vowed to disrupt Sunday's national elections, in which Iraqis will choose a 275-member National Assembly and provincial councils in the country's 18 provinces. Iraqis in the Kurdish-ruled north will chose a new regional parliament.

Officials fear a low turnout in Sunday's vote - particularly among Sunni Arabs - could tarnish the legitimacy of the new government.

Expatriate Iraqis began casting ballots amid tight security in early voting in 14 countries from Australia to Sweden to the US.

In Baghdad, US ambassador John Negroponte insisted some Sunnis will turn out to vote. "Sunnis don't only live in some of these beleaguered provinces, they live here in Baghdad, they live in other parts of the country," Mr Negroponte said.

Nevertheless, opposition to the election appears strong in Sunni areas. In the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, residents said the rebels decapitated six Iraqis from the majority Shi'ite community yesterday.

Shi'ites, who comprise 60% of Iraq's 26 million people, are expected to turn out in large numbers for the election in hopes of gaining power after generations of suppression by minority Sunnis.

US soldiers have fanned out from their base at the western edge of the capital to take up positions at smaller garrisons throughout the city so they can respond quickly to major attacks on election day.

Insurgents, meanwhile, stepped up their own attacks, killing the five US soldiers in three separate strikes in northern, western and southern Baghdad, according to the US command. More than 1,411 US troops have been killed in Iraq since fighting began in March 2003.

Troops and insurgents exchanged fire on a major Baghdad thoroughfare. The crackle of gunfire could be heard over the noon call to prayer.

A suicide car bomber exploded his vehicle yesterday in Baghdad's Doura neighbourhood, killing four Iraqi policemen. Hours later, another car bomb exploded on the neighbourhood's main road, damaging a school where voters are to cast ballots tomorrow. No one was hurt.

Elsewhere, insurgents hit designated polling centres in at least six major cities across the country. Gunmen attacked a school to be used as a polling station in Kirkuk, killing one policeman, officials said.