Animal Paranoia

Times in Iraq are tough:

A 2m shark has been caught in a river in southern Iraq more than 200km from the sea - prompting locals to accuse American troops of dumping it there.

Karim Hasan Thamir said he was fishing with his sons last week when they spotted a large fish thrashing about in his net.

"I recognised the fish as a shark because I have seen one on a television programme," he said.

...Dr Mohamed Ajah, assistant dean of the college of science at Thi Qar University in Nassiriya, said barriers in river estuaries usually prevented sharks swimming upstream.

"In this case, I think this animal was there for a long time but no one had managed to see it," he said.

Locals blamed the US military for the shark's presence.

Tahseen Ali, a teacher, said there was a "75 per cent chance" Americans had put the shark in the water.

"This is very frightening for us. Our children always swim in the river and I believe that there are more sharks. I believe that America is behind this matter," Mr Ali said.

British forces in Iraq were blamed for the alleged discovery of killer badgers who preyed on Iraqis - although the British have denied any such treachery and doubt that such creatures even exist.

And Iran's so-called intelligence service claimed allied forces in the Gulf were fitting surveillance devices to squirrels to act as miniature spies.