Shi’ites warn of revolt over elections delay

SUPPORTERS of Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said yesterday an assessment by UN officials that elections are not possible before June 30 could stir revolt against their American occupiers.

The UN sent a team to Iraq to gauge differences between the US, which wants to hand over power to Iraqis by mid-year without holding polls first, and the country’s majority Shi’ites, led by Mr Sistani, who insist on a democratic election.

UN officials in Iraq said yesterday it would not be possible to organise polls before June 30, though they stressed it was important to hold elections as soon as security and technical arrangements permitted.