US accuses Hizbullah of attacks in Iraq

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield, has accused Hizbullah of involvement in attacks against coalition troops in Iraq and warned that Syria remains "a main crossing point for suicide bombers" into the war-torn country. In an interview with the London-based Al-Hayat daily, Satterfield said Syria's own stability could be affected by the deadly insurgency in Iraq.

Satterfield, who is US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's senior adviser on Iraq, said that while Tehran officially claims that it wants a "stable, peaceful and prosperous" Iraq, it continues to support acts of violence carried out in its neighboring country.

"Iran is involved in a certain behavior in Iraq, that to a certain extent involves Hizbullah which is actively taking part in acts of violence that are causing the deaths of Iraqi, American, British as well as other members of the coalition forces," Satterfield said in the comments published Wednesday.

The official, who previously was the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Baghdad, said Iran was involved in planting road-side bombs but refused to give further details.

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