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Scene of an Iraq bombing - Source: Reuters -
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Members of Iraqi security forces have been involved in attacks in Baghdad and will be punished if found out, says Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a week after deadly bombings killed 112 in Baghdad.
There is widespread suspicion in Iraq that the police and armed forces have been infiltrated by militants, take bribes to allow insurgents to mount attacks, or may be colluding with militants to undermine Maliki before a March 7 general election.
A series of high-profile attacks on supposedly secure government targets has killed hundreds in recent months and eroded Maliki's ability to present himself as the man who turned around Iraqi security, a key plank of his election campaign.
Maliki vowed he would not let ongoing insurgent attacks influence the polls. He said members of the security forces have been involved in attacks.
"I stress to our security services ... we will correct and punish those who facilitate (crimes), trespass or act negligently. Strong punishment will be taken," he said at a news conference.
Maliki promised a reward of around $85,500 ($NZ120,390) to anyone who alerts the government to car bombs before they detonate. The reward would "get citizens involved in supporting the security service and remedy its deficiencies", he said.
Large financial rewards have been offered in the past by the US military for information on insurgent leaders.
US combat troops pulled out of urban areas in June, leaving Iraqi forces to take the lead, but bombings have raised renewed questions about the competence of Iraqi security forces as US troops prepare to fully withdraw by the end of 2011.
No US Drawdown delay
Still, Maliki said the attacks would not delay the US drawdown, echoing assurances from the US administration that it will not alter plans to end combat operations by August 31, 2010 and bring troop levels to 50,000 by then.
"As for the effect of these operations on the withdrawal, not at all. The withdrawal has been completely finalised with a defined timetable," he said.
Maliki's comments came days after the interior and defence ministers got a lengthy grilling from lawmakers angry about the spate of high-profile bombings.
In October, bombs near the Justice Ministry and Baghdad governor's offices killed 155 people, and blasts near the Foreign and Finance Ministries in August killed 95.
On Tuesday, more bombings close to Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone government complex killed four people.
Maliki's comments add a new dimension to investigations into the Dec. 8 attacks, which the Shi'ite Muslim-led government initially blamed on Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and members of Saddam Hussein's banned Sunni-dominated Baath party.
Some believe political jockeying between Iraq's fractious ethnic and sectarian groups ahead of the March polls has given insurgents an opportunity to stage more high-impact attacks.
Overall violence in Iraq has fallen sharply since the worst of the sectarian bloodshed unleashed after the 2003 US invasion.
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