Kabul, June 17: Afghan leader Hamid Karzai pledged on Monday to probe reports that members of the intelligence service had intimidated Loya Jirga delegates, admitting his job would be on the line if he failed to take action. "I have had reports that security people have threatened Loya Jirga members," he told the grand assembly. "We called the Loya Jirga in order to finish oppression and threats to Afghans. No people should be threatened inside the Loya Jirga. "If anybody has been threatened I am available for him to come to me directly or contact me through friends.

"If I do not take any measures in this connection you can remove me again," he added. Claims of threats and intimidation have been heard throughout the Loya Jirga, called to select a new transitional government for Afghanistan, which is now in its seventh day. One delegate was forced to flee the country after he was threatened by a leading warlord following a speech from the floor and the wife of another member was raped and killed on Friday, a diplomatic source said on Sunday.

The European Union's special representative to Afghanistan Klaus-Peter Klaiber has condemned what he called "unacceptable pressures" placed on delegates. Foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah dismissed the claims of threats as no more than "rumours", at a press conference on Sunday. Bureau Report