Harry

London, April 22 (PTI): Iraqi militia groups have drawn up detailed plans to seize Britain’s Prince Harry as a hostage or even try and assassinate him when he arrives in the strife-torn country next month, a report said here today.

Some of the most notorious paramilitary factions in southern Iraq claim they have informants placed inside British military barracks in Iraq to track the third in line to the British throne, The Observer stated, citing interviews with Shia and Sunni insurgent leaders.

Despite the threats, officials ruled out the possibility that the prince, who is a 2nd lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment, might not be sent to Maysan, the most volatile province in southern Iraq, where British casualties are mounting.

“We have not concealed the fact that he (Harry) is going out there and the bad guys know that he’s coming, and we expect that they will consider him as a high-profile scalp,” said a spokesman for the UK ministry of defence.

Harry will serve with the Blues and Royals for a six-month tour of duty. He is trained as a troop leader to take command of 4 Scimitars and will be deployed in Iraq alongside 11 men who will serve under him.