Iraq to ask UN to declare war illegal

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iraq said Thursday it will ask the UN Security Council to respond to the US-led war against the country, calling it an illegal act of aggression by a “terrorist  state.”

Iraq also demanded that the United States be held accountable before international tribunals — including the International Criminal Court which the Bush administration vehemently opposes — for trying to assassinate Saddam Hussein in the first hours of the war. “Yesterday, the United States acted as a terrorist state by attempting to assassinate the leadership of a member state of the United Nations,” it said. In its first statement since military action began Wednesday night, Iraq’s UN Mission urged all countries to strongly condemn the war and people around the world to  demonstrate in the coming days against “colonialism, domination and imperialism.” Iraq accused US President George W Bush of using “a bunch of lies” in his declaration of war, saying he wants to free the Iraqi people “while it has been clear to all the world that he wants to free the Iraqi oil wells.”

Iraq’s UN Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri said he doesn’t know when he will ask for a Security Council meeting because he wants to discuss next steps with the government, the Arab League, the Non-Aligned Movement of 115 mainly developing countries, and other colleagues. He said his communications with Baghdad “are disturbed completely” and he is still waiting for a letter from Foreign Minister Naji Sabri to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He said it will brand the onset of US — led military action “a violation of international law.”