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Iraq Kurds deny training by Israeli ex-soldiers

ARBIL, Iraq, Sept 21, 2006 (AFP) - The Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq on Thursday denied a BBC report that peshmerga militiamen had received training from Israeli former commandos.

"This information is baseless," said the government's chief secretary, Fuad Hassan.

"If the peshmerga need training, they can do it publicly with the American army. They do not need to do it in secrecy."

On Tuesday the BBC reported that Israeli former commandos had been training Kurdish security personnel in northern Iraq. It screened video footage of the alleged training camp.

According to the broadcaster, the former commandos provided the training from 2004 until 2005 when they were tipped off by the Kurds that word of their presence in northern Iraq had leaked out.

Israel apparently provided the training, along with quad bikes, communications equipment and security fencing through security companies.

The training covered airport security, the use of long rifles and pistols, shooting from behind doors and barricades, and how to identify a terrorist in a crowd, the broadcaster reported.

The BBC said the value of the training and associated equipment might have been as high as 150 million dollars (118 million euros).