Iran agents 'sabotaging' anti-al-Qaeda groups

Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Baghdad

IRANIAN secret service agents are working to "sabotage" the operations of groups fighting Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Baghdad's intelligence chief said overnight.

Mohammed Abdullah Shahwani issued the statement shortly before a landmark visit to Baghdad on Sunday by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"We have information confirming that Iranian secret services have sent agents to sabotage the Sahwa experience in Iraq," he said, referring to mostly Sunni groups fighting al-Qaeda in Iraq alongside the US military.

Mr Shahwani "stressed the need for the Iraqi people to be vigilant in facing these activities".

He also urged Iraqis "to consolidate the security gains that have been achieved in Iraq and that all citizens are benefiting from".

There are about 90,000 members of the Sahwa, or "Awakening" forces across Iraq, according to the US military which pays them about $US300 ($321.72) a month. The bulk of the fighters are Sunni Arabs, but a good 20 per cent of them are Shiite.