Hamas urges Iraq to act against US military

A leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas has urged Iraq to use suicide bombers to confront any US military attack.

A leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas has urged Iraq to use suicide bombers to confront any US military attack.

"I call on Iraq to prepare an army of would-be martyrs and prepare tens of thousands of explosive belts," Mr Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi told 3,000 Hamas supporters at a pro-Iraq rally in the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Friday.

"Blow yourselves up against the American army. Bomb them in Baghdad," said Mr al-Rantissi, whose Islamic fundamentalist organisation has carried out dozens of suicide attacks in Israel before and during a Palestinian uprising for statehood.

"I call on all Arab nations to burn the ground underneath the feet of the Americans in all capitals," he added.

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The rally was held against the backdrop of US preparations for possible war against Iraq over its alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Shouting "Death to America" and "Victory from Jerusalem to Baghdad", the demonstrators burned US, Israeli and British flags.

Iraq has paid millions of dollars to families of Palestinians, including those of suicide bombers, killed by Israeli forces since the start of the uprising in September 2000.