The Senate Foreign Relations Committee endorsed legislation permitting the United States to offer military training and education to Cambodia in the context of the US campaign against terrorism.

But it has attached strong conditions: requiring Secretary of State Colin Powell to provide a list of those alleged to have ordered or carried out a string of politically-motivated attacks and killings.

"Under Prime Minister Hun Sen's lawless rule, Cambodia has become the Zimbabwe of Southeast Asia," leading Republican Senator Mitch McConnell charged in a floor statement on Thursday.

He argued that human rights abuses were rife, and development was stymied by corruption in a country choked by a "climate of fear."

Another congressional source said: "Cambodia is a swamp, which allows terror and extremism to breed," arguing that as a strongman, leader Hun Sen has the power but not the motive to tackle the country's culture of "impunity."

Many of Hun Sen's critics in Congress argue that he orchestrated assaults and poll-related violence dating back to the late 1990s, making it unlikely Cambodia would ever satisfy the conditions of the bill.

The text of the bill permits the extension of International Military and Education Training (IMET) to Cambodia only if Powell provides a list of "those individuals who have been credibly alleged to have ordered or carried out extrajudicial and political killings."

Individual incidents mentioned in the legislation include a March 30, 1997 grenade attack on a Khmer Nation Party (KNP) demonstration in Phnom Penh.

Up to 20 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the attack, which was apparently aimed at then-KNP leader and prominent opposition MP Sam Rainsy, who leads an eponymous political party into Sunday's election.

Various independent probes have implicated Hun Sen's bodyguards in the attack.

The legislation, part of the 2004 Foreign Operations Bill, also mentions the 1997 military ouster of Hun Sen's main political rival, Prince Norodom Ranariddh who had served as co-premier. After that, Hun Sen became sole prime minister.

It also notes more recent killings, including that of former member of parliament Om Radsady, who was killed on February 18 as well as violence linked to elections in 1998, 2002, and this year.

State Department officials declined to say if they were seeking IMET for Cambodia.

"We will of course consult with Congress on the Foreign Operations Bill, but we are not in a position now to say whether we might have something to say to them on this particular item," one department official said privately.

No IMET has been offered to Cambodia since 1997 because of Prince Ranariddh's ouster, although the State Department has tentatively requested 200,000 dollars in such aid for 2004 in case the earlier restrictions are lifted.

The 2004 Foreign Operations bill also extends restrictions on US funding to any Khmer Rouge tribunal established by Cambodia, unless there is a similar accounting for victims of political attacks.

Hun Sen's opponents argue that Cambodian justice is woefully inadequate and any trial of surviving members of the genocidal movement would be tainted.

The State Department meanwhile on Friday withheld comment on conditions for Cambodia's legislative polls on Sunday.

"We believe the mechanisms are in place for a credible election process that includes the campaign period, voting day and ballot counting," said Tara Rigler, a State Department spokeswoman.

"Our assessment and candidate registration earlier this year indicated that, though flawed, it did not by itself fatally compromise the overall electoral process."

"We do not want to pre-judge the campaign process and therefore possibly cloud the outcome," she said.

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