New York, Apr 20: Iraq's pro-US opposition leader Ahmad Chalabi said today that he does not envisage an Islamic theocracy in Baghdad, but religious groups would likely play a role in governing the Muslim nation of 24 million people. "There is a role for Islamic religious parties, for they have some constituencies," Chalabi told a television network. "But they are not going to be forcing any agenda or forcing a theocracy on the Iraqi people. They are committed to being part of the electoral process," he said. Chalabi, who is from a prominent southern Iraqi Shiite family and has consistently opposed Saddam Hussein, said: "The Shiite population in Iraq has been repressed by Saddam Hussein, along with everyone else. They've been prevented particularly from expressing their religious views." Shiites, 60 per cent of Iraq's people, were repressed under Saddam's regime, which was dominated by Sunni Muslims.
Chalabi said Iraq needs a constitution that would deter religious parties from trying to establish a permanent Islamic state. "There will be a constitution and that constitution, I believe, will be a liberal democratic constitution and I think elections will be held under that constitution."
However, a longtime exile and Chalabi's no 2, who has proclaimed himself in charge of Baghdad, said today that Iraq's new constitution would be derived from Islamic law and promised to try anyone whose "hands are stained with the blood of the Iraqi people."
Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi made his comments at a news conference in Baghdad, although it remained unclear where his authority came from or if it existed at all; No US officials attended his news conference.

Bureau Report