Al-Qaida denounced Sunday's election in Iraq as an "American game" and vowed to pursue "holy war" there on Monday.

The al-Qaida group in Iraq, headed by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said it would pursue war against US-led forces and Iraqis working with them.

"We in the al-Qaida Organization for Holy War in Iraq will continue the jihad until the banner of Islam flutters over Iraq," said the statement posted on an Islamist Web site.

Insurgent groups, including the jihad faction led by al-Zarqawi, had vowed to bomb "infidel" polling stations and kill anyone who dares to vote.

Meanwhile, interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has warned in a televised speech to the Iraqis that violence had not ended just because the election had exceeded expectations and he urged rival factions to forge unity.

Also on Monday, an Arabic TV channel released a videotape purportedly showing insurgents downing a British military transport plane with a missile near Baghdad on Sunday, in which 10 people were killed.

The tape was issued by the 1920 Revolution Brigades.