Zarqawi vows war on democracy

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By

BAGHDAD -- Terrorist leader Abu Musab Zarqawi yesterday declared war on democracy in Iraq "and all those who seek to enact it," in what was seen as an attempt to intimidate voters from participating in nationwide elections on Sunday.

Polls have shown that most Iraqis plan to vote despite such threats and unremitting violence, but the fear is palpable in conversations with Iraqis, many of whom refuse to be photographed or even to talk to Westerners.

"Please, please, you cannot come here, it is too dangerous for us, you must understand," pleaded the wife of an Iraqi who previously had agreed to be interviewed by The Washington Times. "Please, my husband cannot go to meet with you. Please, I am afraid."

It is commonly assumed that insurgents have placed spies in all hotels and other places where Westerners gather. Any Iraqi seen talking to or working with foreigners risks being kidnapped and forced to give information, held for ransom or killed. The capture of a Westerner can earn an Iraqi up to $5,000 and twice that for an American.

In an apparent bid to elevate the fear level, an audiotape attributed to Zarqawi appeared on two Islamist Web sites yesterday, threatening anyone who dares to vote.

"We have declared a bitter war against the principle of democracy and all those who seek to enact it," said the speaker, whose identity was not confirmed.

"Those who vote ... are infidels. And with God as my witness, I have informed them [of our intentions]," he said.

It was not clear whether the threat would deter Iraqis from taking part in the election, which is expected to hand power to the nation's Shi'ite majority after decades of rule by a Sunni elite led by ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.

Recent polling by the International Republican Institute found that more than 80 percent of potential voters are planning to turn out, including more than half of those in the insurgency-troubled Sunni heartland.

Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said yesterday that his government would do everything in its power to secure about 5,000 polling places, one of which was blown up yesterday by terrorists in Hilla, south of Baghdad.