U.S. official: Syria undermining stability

Iraq's prime minister has asked neighbors to stop letting foreign fighters into the country.
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BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A top State Department official in Baghdad expressed concern Thursday that Iraq's neighbors, particularly Syria, are attempting to "undermine stability" by sending foreign fighters into the country.
"We and others are watching how Syria behaves itself," Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said during his one-day visit with Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minster Ibrahim al-Jaafari.
Al-Jaafari also pleaded with his neighboring countries to stop foreign fighters from entering Iraq.
The remarks came one day after a U.S. military officer said Iraq's most wanted criminal, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and his terrorist group met secretly in Syria last month to plot the latest surge of attacks.
Zoellick said he was unable to confirm that the meeting took place, although he discussed reports about the meeting with al-Jaafari. Anonymous U.S. military officials disclosed the reports Wednesday to reporters in Baghdad.
Raw intelligence
One U.S. official in Washington said the report of the meeting in Syria was "unconfirmed intelligence," apparently based on a single human source. That doesn't mean it was incorrect, cautioned the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because intelligence matters are involved.
However, such unconfirmed "raw" intelligence isn't considered reliable, and this official and a senior State Department official, who also agreed to speak only anonymously, said the heightened U.S. rhetoric toward Damascus doesn't foreshadow any immediate new action toward the Syrian government.
U.S. efforts remain focused on pressuring Syria to withdraw its remaining intelligence and security personnel from Lebanon, the senior official said.
But a decision could come next month, when the Bush administration will have to report on Damascus' compliance with the Syria Accountability Act and determine whether to impose further sanctions.
Another 10 die
More than 500 people have been killed since Iraqi authorities named their new government on April 28, including at least 10 more on Thursday.
U.S. officials estimate Iraq has up to 20,000 inveterate insurgents, but neither they nor Iraqi officials have an estimate of how many are foreign fighters. Many officials said they believe the foreign fighters comprise a tiny minority.
Of increased concern in Baghdad is the rise in sectarian killings between Iraq's Sunni Arab minority and the Shiite majority. The killings are undermining hopes for a stable democratic political system.
In Baghdad, residents carried the casket and mourned the assassination of a religious cleric who was killed earlier Thursday. The death of Sayed Mohammed al-Allaf was the second time a Shiite cleric has been killed this week.
Also in Baghdad, an oil ministry official, Ali Hamid Alwan al-Dulaimy, was fatally shot outside his home as he headed to work.