Iraq government fighters being lured back to al-Qaeda

Members of Iraq's Awakening Councils have left or been dismissed from their positions in significant numbers in recent months, prey to an intensive recruitment campaign by the al- Qaeda-backed Sunni insurgency.

Although there are no firm figures, security and political officials say hundreds of the well-disciplined fighters appear to have rejoined al-Qaeda. Beyond that, officials say that even many of the Awakening fighters still on the Iraqi government payroll, possibly thousands of them, covertly aid the insurgency.

The defections have been driven in part by frustration with the Shiite-led government, which Awakening members say is intent on destroying them, as well as by pressure from al-Qaeda. The exodus has accelerated since Iraq's inconclusive parliamentary elections in March, which have left Sunnis uncertain of retaining what little political influence they have and which appear to have provided al-Qaeda new opportunities to lure back fighters.

The Awakening members' switch in loyalties poses a new threat to Iraq's tenuous social and political balance during the country's ongoing political crisis and as the United States military prepares to withdraw next year.

"The Awakening doesn't know what the future holds because it is not clear what the government intends for them," said Nathum al-Jubouri, a former Awakening Council leader in Salahuddin Province who recently quit the organisation.

"At this point, Awakening members have two options: Stay with the government, which would be a threat to their lives, or help al-Qaeda by being a double agent," he said.

The Awakening began in 2006, when Sunni insurgents and tribal leaders began turning against al-Qaeda and other extremists – a change that played a major role in pulling Iraq back from sectarian warfare. The former insurgents were initially paid by the American military, with promises that they would eventually get jobs with the government.

But Awakening leaders and security officials say that since the spring, as many as several thousand Awakening fighters have left, been fired or simply stopped showing up for duty.

During the past four months, the atmosphere has become particularly charged as the Awakening members find themselves squeezed between Iraqi security forces, who have arrested hundreds of current and former members accused of acts of recent terrorism, and al-Qaeda's brutal recruitment techniques.

As part of the militants' unusual, though often convincing strategy, Awakening members that al-Qaeda fails to kill are then sought out to rejoin the insurgency. They are offered more money than their $300 a month government pay and told that they would be far safer.

The government, which says it is trying to integrate the Awakening into broader Iraqi society, has further angered the group recently by confiscating its weapons, saying Awakening fighters lack proper permits.

As of July, less than half – 41,000 of 94,000 – of the Awakening's fighters had been offered jobs by the government, according to the United States Defence Department.

Al-Qaeda's carrot-or-stick strategy with the Awakening was on display during a recent phone call received by Hussam al-Majmaei, the Awakening leader in Diyala Province.

The caller was Jihad Ibrahim Halim, who had been an al Qaeda commander before his arrest last year. He was calling from prison.

Mr Halim, who is Mr Majmaei's cousin, told him that for his own good he should rejoin the insurgency because al-Qaeda would slaughter those who had opposed them, Mr Majmaei included.