In a statement, the dissident Grand Ayatollah, who is under semi-house arrest condition, said siding with the American and British invaders was a sacrilege and "forbidden" (by the religion), but at the same time he said Saddam Hoseyn, whom he described as "one of the oldest and most brutal and dreadful dictators of modern times" should be arrested, treated as a war criminal and tried in an international tribunal for crimes against humanity.

"The countries that have granted use of their territory or airspace like Kuwait and Turkey have committed a grave error, and the people of the region will never forget that they served the cause of world oppression," Montazeri said in a statement.

"In these critical situation, I once again warn the leaders of the Islamic Republic and all officials to learn from the tragic experience of the Iraqi dictator and hear the cry of the Iranian people fro democracy and justice, realise that one can not stand up to the possible aggression by the American hegemony by repeating anti-American and anti Zionist slogans", he stated.

He also reserved harsh words for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, But that does not "justify the ceaseless bombardments on Iraqi cities, massacres of civilians and the human and material losses suffered by the Muslim people of Iraq," he added.

Ayatollah Montazeri was to succeed Grand Ayatollah Roohollah Khomeini, but was dismissed by him month before his death on August 1989 after sharp disagreement with the leader of the Islamic revolution over mass execution of political prisoners and the regime’s anti-Islamic drive.

Here are excerpts of the statement published Saturday 30 March

Not only he has oppressed and extortionate the Iraqi people, but also aggressed his neighbours, like Iran, that was attacked months only after the establishment of the Islamic Republic and imposed, with the collusion of Britain and the United States, a war that lasted eight years and in which he used chemical bombs, then on Kuwait, thus opening the region to the Americans.

Saddam has no political or religious legitimacy. Not being accepted by the majority of the Iraqi Muslim people, his regime is not legal and due to the crimes he committed against both the Iraqi people and his neighbours, the massacres, destruction of Iranian, Iraqi and Kuwaiti cities and other crimes, he and his Ba’th Party are condemned by the international public opinion and considered as war criminal.

Ayatollah Montazeri then defends the concept of "humanitarian interference" by observing that it is the "duty of the United Nations and international organisations to remove from power a government that has ignored the human rights of its citizen, violated international laws and conventions and try and punish the regime and culprits in legal international courts".

An international action, based on the verdict delivered by the Judge of the international tribunal for war crimes and crimes against humanity is acceptable as a last resort, but any other action outside the legal framework is rejected as it would lead to anarchy, supremacy of force and the rule of the stronger. In that respect, the joint American-British attack on Iraq, having not gone through this process, and having bypassed the United Nations and ignored international principles, is therefore considered as an illegal and immoral act.

After explaining the "illegitimacy" of the "Shock and Awe" operations, reminding that as possessor of weapons of mass destruction, the United States was the first country to use them in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that in the region, Israel has such weapons – what are the differences between Saddam the Iraqi and Sharon the Israeli for disarming one and arming the other? – the dissident Grand Ayatollah adds:

"If the unpopularity of Saddam is a crime, then which one of the American and the British allies in the region are genuinely popular, in tune with the concept of freedom and democracy? Moreover, how is it possible to implement democracy and respect of human rights and stop violations of the rights of the people in a society through the means of war?"

The criminality of Saddam and his acolytes cannot be a justification to bomb Iraqi cities and kill innocent civilians. The war against Iraq by the American, the British and their allies is not a struggle between the right (haqq) against the wrong (batel). It is not even removing the most corrupt by the lesser one, but a war between tyrants and between corrupts. Any collaboration with America and with Britain in this aggression is sacrilege and assisting the criminal. Countries that have offered base to the Americans or have become a launching pas for America’s aggression, like Kuwait, or have opened their air space to the aggressors, like Turkey, have committed a terrible mistake and are associated in the massacre of innocent Iraqi people.

The destiny of Iraq must be decided by its own people, who are entitled to choose their future government under the supervision of the United Nations and through a free referendum, not by the Americans or the British.

Mr. Montazeri then calls on all peace-loving people, on the Muslims and on the Organisation of Islamic Conference, on the United Nations and on the very person of its General Secretary, Kofi Annan, to do "every thing possible" to stop this war, condemn the aggression and defend the Muslim nation of Iraq.

In his view, the Anglo-American plans for the region are to strengthen the position of Israel, destroying the arms that could be used against Israel and also full control of Middle East and Iraq’s oilfields.

"One must bear in mind that we are not against the brave people of the United States nor we are at war with the American government, our sole aim is to defend the rights of the oppressed and innocents. Our protest is addressed to American aggressions and its policy of hegemony.

On this solemn and dangerous occasion, I warn leaders and officials of the Islamic Republic to learn from the sad experience of the Iraqi dictator and hear the cry of the Iranian people for democracy, justice and democracy, refrain from monopolization, bow to the righteous aspiration of this noble nation and be certain that by imposing dictatorship, not tolerating criticism, reverting to arrests, detentions, routine political trials, mismanagement in the governance of the nation and repeating anti-American, anti-Zionist propaganda, one cannot stand up to possible aggression from the hegemonist America.

Unfortunately, abusive conduct of the leaders has led to a situation in which many people, though aware of Americans aggressions and crimes, yet look forward for them to come, oblivion of the fact that once the avalanche starts, it would carry away everyone. ENDS IRAQ MONTAZERI 31303

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