Slain Iraqi cleric slammed U.S. security policy

CAIRO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Speaking a day before he was killed by a car bomb in Iraq last week, an Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric criticised U.S. forces for failing to prevent another bombing in the holy city of Najaf, an Egyptian paper reported.

In an interview published in Egypt's semi-official al-Ahram newspaper on Sunday, Ayatollah Mohammed Baqer al-Hakim said Iraq's U.S.-led administration had failed to heed warnings of an attack on Ayatollah Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, another Shi'ite cleric, who was hurt in a bomb attack on August 24.

"They (the Americans) carry a large part of the responsibility because of their shortcomings in the realm of security and in protecting the holy places," Hakim said, blaming supporters of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein for the attack.

"We told the Americans that their policy in Iraq was wrong and their dealing with the situation illogical," Hakim said in response to a question on the security situation in Iraq.

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