Former Saddam Regime, Foreign Terrorists Responsible for Latest Iraq Attacks, says White House Paula Wolfson White House 18 Aug 2003, 20:42 UTC
The White House says a series of attacks on oil pipelines and water facilities in Iraq is the work of remnants of the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein. Administration officials say foreign terrorists are also involved. White House Spokesman Scott McClellan says these remnants of the former regime want to prevent the Iraqi people from having a brighter future. Mr. McClellan says they will not succeed, that coalition forces in Iraq are on the offensive. "We will continue to aggressively pursue those killers," he said. Speaking to reporters near the president's Texas ranch, Mr. McClellan said recent sabotage attacks in Iraq are the work of both Saddam Hussein loyalists and foreign terrorists. He did not go into specifics, but vowed they will be defeated. Recent days have seen a series of attacks on civilian and military facilities in Iraq. A large water main in Baghdad was hit by a bomb on Sunday. Last Friday, Iraq's main oil export pipeline was the target. It was severely damaged just days after it resumed sending oil to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.