IRAQ: Shia militiamen loyal to the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq have begun deploying around strategic towns in the south of the country and are disrupting communications and Iraqi military supply routes, according to the head of the Supreme Council, Ayatollah al-Baqir Hakim. From Jack Fairweather, in Kuwait
Speaking on a fund-raising mission in Kuwait, the ayatollah said: "It is high time military preparations on the ground began. War is inevitable. Now it is up to America to stop delaying."
The ayatollah, who heads the main Iraqi Shia opposition group based in Iran, has an estimated 10,000 troops ready to assist in a military campaign against Iraq.
In addition, there is a huge international following from among the hundreds of thousands of Shias who have fled Saddam's rule.
Until now the ayatollah has been cautious of advocating military support after brutal reprisals by Iraqi forces following an unsuccessful uprising in the aftermath of the first Gulf War.
But his challenging words reveal the new-found confidence among Shia groups both inside and outside Iraq that military action to remove President Saddam Hussein is imminent.
There has already been speculation that against a backdrop of increased bombing raids by American and British coalition aircraft in the southern no-fly zone, Shia forces in the south of the country have been contacted by American special forces.
According to one American military source plans have been long established to use a Shia uprising in the south, along with Kurdish attacks in the north as "background noise" while a small US-led invasion moves on to Baghdad.
Last month Iran, which has been the main sponsor of the ayatollah and his forces, also gave the all-important signal that it was prepared to allow the Badr Brigade, the military arm of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, to cross its borders in support of an American-led campaign.
But Washington has so far been reluctant to publicly voice support for Hakim and his group.
The ayatollah is known to be committed to the establishment of an Islamic society in a post-war Iraq and to harbour ambitions to rule Iraq with Saddam gone, a prospect greeted with alarm by most American planners.
One defence analyst said: "That would be disaster for Iraq and might well lead to the break-up of the country. America must assure a balanced polity,"
But the ayatollah's words seem as much designed as a message of readiness to Washington as a declaration of strength to other exile Iraqi opposition groups.
Talks are due to be held in London among Iraqi opposition groups to decide on the possible make-up of a new government for a post-war Iraq.
The SCIRI is expected to be one of the factions which will dominate proceedings.
"There's a lot of manoeuvring for support at the moment among Kurdish, Shia and other Iraqi opposition groups.
"Everyone wants to get forces on the ground to make sure they are heard should Saddam be removed and a power vacuum emerge," said a Western diplomat.