Escalating threat from Shi'ite extremists: Bush

Washington, Jan 24: President George W Bush warned of an''escalating danger'' from Shi'ite extremists that he said was as big athreat to the United States as al Qaeda.

In his annual State of the Union speech to Congress yesterday,Bush said there was a much clearer view of the nature of the enemy inthe years since the September 11 attacks on US targets by al Qaeda.

He said al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who has not yet beenfound by US forces, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraqwho was killed by US forces, and their Sunni extremist followers werejust one camp in the Islamist radical movement.

''In recent times, it has also become clear that we face anescalating danger from Shia (Shi'ite) extremists who are just ashostile to America, and are also determined to dominate West Assua,''Bush said in a prepared text of his remarks.

''Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, whichis funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah -- a group second onlyto al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken,'' Bush said.

''The Shia (Shi'ite) and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat,'' he said.

Bush and his administration have accused Iran of fueling instability in Iraq and have vowed to stop any such activity.

Reuters>