Opposition: Saddam organising Iraqi resistance

Saddam Hussein is alive and co-ordinating terror attacks inside Iraq, but a wide-scale resistance movement against coalition forces does not exist, a leading opposition figure claimed today.

Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the influential Iraqi National Congress, also ruled out any role for himself in Iraq’s new government.

“I have been saying I am not a candidate for political position in Iraq and I do not really understand why this is such an issue,” Chalabi said.

“I think the Iraqi people are very capable of producing leaders,” he added without identifying any potential candidates.

Iraqi exile Chalabi, 58, has been mentioned widely as a future leader, but he also has many critics who are opposed to anyone ruling the country after spending so many years abroad.

Chalabi said the ousted Iraqi leader, Saddam, was ”renewing his activities” inside Iraq and his supporters had been distributing leaflets in recent days “to foment discontent among Iraqi people by trying to start sectarian fighting.”

“They are also trying to capitalise on the issues of occupation and presence of foreign troops,” he said.

Attacks and ambushes against coalition forces have increased in recent days. Nine American soldiers – including one today – have died in the past week. Ensuring security in Iraq has been a post-war priority of coalition forces.

Saddam had prepared a “serious post-defeat plan” carried out by little known former Baath Party members who had previously avoided the media limelight, Chalabi claimed.

When asked how strong was the level of popular Iraqi resistance to the occupying US and British forces, Chalabi said: “There is no resistance, there are acts of terrorism conducted by Saddam and his associates against the coalition and against other Iraqis.”