— File Photo: AP

`U'-TURN: Britain's Prince Harry (centre) marches during The Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England, on the completion of his training. — File Photo: AP

LONDON: Prince Harry will, after all, not go to Iraq in view of reported threats from militant groups to harm him, it was officially announced on Wednesday ending weeks of speculation.

Chief of the British Army General Sir Richard Dannatt said the decision was taken in the light of the "risks" involved in sending Prince Harry to Iraq. Some of these "risks," he said, had not been reported.

"Following a visit to Iraq last week I discovered a number of threats relating directly to Prince Harry and those around him and I am not prepared to export those risks," Sir Richard said in a statement.

He said he knew the Prince would be "extremely disappointed and his soldiers will miss his presence in Iraq." He praised the Prince saying he had proved himself as an officer of "determination and undoubted talent."

Clarence House, the office of Prince of Wales , said Prince Harry was indeed "very disappointed" but would not leave the army as a result.

Previously, he had been reported as saying that he would quit the army if he was not sent to Iraq and treated differently from his fellow soldiers. The 22-year-old Prince has always insisted that he wants to serve as an active army officer and does not want to be accorded special treatment because of his status.

A statement from Clarence House said:

"Prince Harry is very disappointed that he will not be able to go to Iraq with his troop on this deployment as he had hoped. He fully understands and accepts General Dannatt's difficult decision and remains committed to his Army career."

The BBC described the decision as a "u-turn" by the army which had insisted until now that the Prince would go to Iraq as a troop commander.

Plans to deploy Prince Harry in Iraq were first announced in February this year but as the level of violence there escalated, with British forces coming under growing attacks from militant groups, the army said it was "reviewing" the decision.

Until recently, the official line from the army was: "It is still our intent that Prince Harry will deploy as a troop leader."

Observers said what appeared to have weighed with the army in changing its mind were direct threats by militants to "kidnap" the prince. A commander of the Mehdi army had been reported as saying that his men were "awaiting the arrival of the young handsome, spoilt prince with bated breath."

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