Sunni Arabs tasked with writing Iraq's permanent constitution warned of a massive walkout and slashed the government for lack of protection on Wednesday, one day after three of their co-writers were murdered.

Adnan al-Janabi, a Sunni Arab and deputy head of the constitution committee, told reporters that Sunni Arab members have suspended their memberships in the after math of the assassination of their colleagues.

The Sunni bloc also held the Iraqi government, the National Assembly and the United Nations, responsible for failing to protect those who took high-risk jobs.

"Despite these parties announced they would back the process of writing the constitution, they did not provide security for Sunni members," Janabi lashed out at the worsening security in the violence-ravaged capital.

"That's why we decided to withdraw from the committee," he said, adding "As Sunni Arabs, we participated because we see the constitution is for all Iraqis."

Janabi revealed that there were several disputes among members over identity of an Iraqi and role of Islamic law.

On Tuesday, Salih al-Mutlak, spokesman of the Sunni National Dialogue Council, warned that the 17 Sunni Arab members of the constitutional committee would withdraw from the drafting constitution process after three of the panelists were assassinated.

Mejbil al-Sheikh Issa, Aziz Ibrahim and Dhamin Hassan al-Ubaidi, who represent the Sunni Arab among others, were gunned down before passers-by and police patrol near a restaurant in central Baghdad.

Issa and Ubaidi were picked by the council for the constitutional committee, which earlier brought 15 Sunni members and 10 advisors on board as required by the Sunni community. 

Ubaidi had said that several members from both Sunni Arabs and Kurds had asked to move the committee to a safe place in northern Iraq for fear that the constitution would be shrouded with possible assassinations.

Ubaidi, a member of the constitutional committee and a representative of the Sunni Arabs, also confirmed to Xinhua one day before the killing that considerable disputes broke out among committee members.

"Major disputes are facing constitution writers over the role of Islamic law in the legal code," said Ubaidi, 49, who was dean of the College of Law in Tikrit since 1999.

Ubaidi said Shiite members were also seeking a term in the constitution, stating that decrees of their Marjiyah (Shiite leadership in Najaf) are sacred, but Sunni Arabs and Kurds frowned on the suggestion.

Sunni Arabs and Kurds threaten not to sign the article and consequently to reject the constitution in the coming referendum if Shiite members insist. The Shiites were then forced to back off, Ubaidi said.

"Several complicated issues like federalism, the role of Islamic law as basis for the legal code, identity of Iraq and distribution of wealth are the sticking points," he said.

The bloodshed and suspension have cast doubts that the committee can complete its work by the end of July, as hoped by President Jalal Talabani on Tuesday.

A draft constitution should be put up for approval by the National Assembly by Aug. 15, and submitted to a national referendum on Oct.15, with general elections to choose a fully mandated government slated for Dec.15.

Article 61 of the interim constitution says, "If necessary, and by the approval of the majority of lawmakers, the speaker may confirm, to the presidential council no later than the 1st of August, that there is a need for further time to accomplish the writing of the constitution. Thereupon, the presidential council shall extend the time needed for writing the draft only for six months."

"If the date of Aug. 1 passes with no submission of an extension, the National Assembly shall be committed to the date of August 15," lawyer Muhammed Salih al-Aswad said.

As the permanent constitution is seen as the key step in the political transition after ouster of former President Saddam Hussein in April 2003 by US-led invasion forces, Washington has pressured Baghdad officials to meet the deadline.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2005)