BAGHDAD – Iraqi insurgents are trying to capitalize on the rage of anti-government protesters and the instability caused by rising civil unrest, complicating the government's efforts to stamp out a resurgent Al-Qaeda and other militants. Organizers of the protests insist they have no links to terrorist groups. Yet Iraqi and US officials have expressed concern that violent extremists could benefit from the demonstrators' feelings of alienation. And tensions are rising. At least five protesters were killed and more than 20 were wounded Friday when soldiers opened fire at stone-hurling demonstrators near Fallujah, a former Al-Qaeda stronghold where tens of thousands took to the streets. They were the first deaths at opposition rallies that have been raging around the country for more than a month. Two soldiers were later killed in an apparent retaliatory attack. Protesters also have staged demonstrations in other areas. Their list of demands includes the release of detainees and an end to policies they believe unfairly target their sect. For now, the American Embassy has no indication that Al-Qaeda is gaining support from the demonstrations. But the fear remains, particularly as the security situation deteriorates in neighboring Syria. An embassy official said the US had expressed concern that the protesters' peaceful expression of their viewpoints must not be usurped by extremists trying to provoke violence. Sectarian violence that once pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war has ebbed significantly, though violent attacks still happen frequently. Insurgents have managed to mount large, mass-casualty bombings of the type favored by Al-Qaeda on at least five days this month. In another attack, a suicide bomber killed a total of seven when he assassinated a prominent politician who played a leading role in the fight against Al-Qaeda. The extremist group later claimed responsibility for the latter bombing and other unspecified attacks. At least 170 people have been killed in insurgent violence since the start of the year, making January already the deadliest month since September. Protest organizers and the politicians who support them are eager to distance themselves from extremist rhetoric. Sunni lawmaker Ahmed Al-Alawani recently urged Iraq President Nouri Al-Maliki to meet demonstrators' demands so Al-Qaeda and other militant groups could not exploit their frustration. — AP\
