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New York: As the violent incidents, including bomb blasts, shot up in Iraq, the United States officials has said former Iraqi president Saddam Hussain may be playing a significant role in co-ordinating and directing attacks by his loyalists against US forces in the country.

Senior US officials, the 'New York Times' cited recent intelligence reports indicating that Hussain is acting as a catalyst or even a leader in the armed Opposition, probably from a base of operations near Tikrit, his hometown and stronghold.

A leadership role by Hussain would go far beyond anything previously acknowledged by the Bush administration, which has sought in its public remarks to portray the former leader as being on the run and irrelevant, the Times said.

Officials, the paper said, acknowledged that the reports of a significant role by Hussain could not be corroborated, and one senior official cautioned that recent intelligence reports contained conflicting assessments.

Nonetheless, three senior officials described reports of a larger role by Hussain as credible, and a Defence Department official said the information had given a fresh sense of urgency to the US-led manhunt for him, Times said.

PTI