Sunni leader warns of nationwide uprising if Fallujah is hit

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BAGHDAD (AFP) - A Sunni Muslim leader warned that the US-led coalition would face an uprising throughout Iraq (news - web sites) if its forces attack the flashpoint city of Fallujah, which has been besieged by US marines since April 5.


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"I have an urgent message for US forces. You have overstepped the red line. Make sure you do not strike Fallujah again," Sheikh Ahmad Abdel Ghafur Samarrai said during Friday prayers at a Baghdad mosque.


"We will not allow the shedding of Iraqi blood. If you strike again, the whole of Iraq, from north to south, from east to west, will become Fallujah," the Sunni cleric said.


Located 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Baghdad, the Sunni city has been the scene of fierce fighting between coalition troops and insurgents in recent days.


Official figures show that a total of 271 Iraqis and dozens of US marines have been killed in Fallujah since the troops lay siege to the city on April 5 following the slaying of four American contractors.


An uneasy ceasefire is in effect, but US forces indicated they may take military action in the flashpoint city if insurgents do not hand over their heavy weapons within days.


"Occupation forces claim that negotiations have reached an impasse. This means that they are preparing a new offensive on Fallujah," Sheikh Samarrai said during his sermon.


"I warn you against a new massacre of the population in Fallujah or against any other Iraqi city," he added, noting that Iraqis "can no longer tolerate more bloodshed."


"Iraqi Muslims, Sunnis or Shiites, will not remain passive and silent in the face of a new massacre. Sunnis and Shiites are united in Fallujah and in Najaf," he added.


He blamed the occupation forces for seeking an escalation.


During the sermon, several people from Fallujah began shouting: "We want acts not words."


Thursday a Marines general warned that the Fallujah insurgents had only days to turn in their heavy weapons under the terms of the ceasefire deal, complaining that what was handed over so far was a load of "junk".


"We were not pleased at all with the turning-in that we saw yesterday, the volume that probably amounted to a pickup-truckful," said Lieutenant-General James Conway, commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Corps.


He said he believed there were at least 200 foreign fighters inside Fallujah. "We think they are the hard core and have been the catalyst for the vast majority of the troubles in Al-Anbar province."