Al-Qaeda group denies US talks
2005-06-26 16:52
Dubai - The al-Qaeda linked extremist group Ansar al-Sunna on Sunday denied that any of its members had met US representatives over the violence in Iraq and vowed to pursue its jihad or holy war, according to an Internet statement.
US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld said on US television on Sunday that Pentagon officials had taken part in negotiations with Iraqi insurgents.
In answer to a question on Fox News television about a London Sunday Times report that US officials met with insurgents in a bid of split off the homegrown insurgents from foreign fighters, Rumsfeld said: "Sure, my goodness, yeah.
The Sunday Times reported that a US team, including senior military and intelligence officers, had held face-to-face talks with insurgent leaders, including representatives of the al-Qaeda-linked Ansar al-Sunna group.
A civilian staffer from congress and a representative of the US embassy in Baghdad also attended the two meetings on June 3 and 13, the paper reported, citing Iraqi sources.
- SAPA