The Iraqi government decided on Saturday to provide protection for Sunni Arab members of the constitutional committee in a bid to maintain teamwork in the process while al-Qaida's wing in Iraq claimed responsibility for the abduction of top Algerian envoy to Baghdad.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari told reporters that his government had decided to provide security for the constitutional committee members at the same level as the members of parliament.

Earlier, Sunni Arabs in the constitutional committee suspended their memberships after the killing of three colleagues.

On Tuesday, three Sunni constitution writers were shot dead in broad daylight in central Baghdad when gunmen opened fire at them at close range.

The three were among 17 Sunni members in the 71-member committee tasked with drafting a permanent constitution by Aug. 15.

Adnan al-Janabi, a Sunni Arab and deputy head of the committee,blamed the government for not taking enough measures to protect Sunni members, holding the government, the National Assembly and the United Nations accountable for the brutal murder.

The Sunnis staged a walkout to protest the killing.

Casting uncertainties as the deadline nears, Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of the committee, said the panel put off discussions during Saturday's meeting on such key issues as federalism, self-determination, dual nationality and the identity of Iraq.

"We have decided to postpone some points until our Sunni brothers participate," Othman said.

Another Shiite member Qassim Dawoud said he expected the Sunnisto return within a few days. However, he said some of their conditions, such as an international investigation, are very difficult to meet.

"I wonder if the United Nations is ready to send investigators here," Dawoud said.

A draft constitution is scheduled to be submitted to Iraq's National Assembly for approval by Aug. 15, and put to a national referendum by Oct. 15. A general election is due to be held under the new constitution by Dec.15.

In the latest attempt to discourage Arab countries from upgrading their diplomatic missions in Iraq, Iraq's al-Qaida groupclaimed responsibility for the abduction of the Algerian charge d'affaires in Baghdad.

"Algeria rushed to obey the crusaders by sending its envoy to Iraq," said a web statement issued by the Al-Qaida Organization inthe Land of Two Rivers led by the most wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

The statement blamed Algeria for drawing no lesson from the fate of a top Egyptian envoy claimed to be executed by the group.

"The head of the Algerian delegation was taken from the most secure region under the protection of the Crusader (US)," the statement added.

The authenticity of the statement could not be verified.

On Thursday, gunmen abducted Algeria's top envoy, Ali Bila'aroussi, and the embassy diplomatic attache, Azzedine bin Fadi, along with their driver in Baghdad's Mansur district.

Earlier this month, Egyptian ambassador-designate Ihab al-Sharif was killed several days after being kidnapped by a groupof gunmen in western Baghdad.

Iraq's al-Qaida wing claimed saying of Sharif, but it provided no evidence on his killing.

Source: Xinhua