The centers of the US-based church were all in the southern suburbs of Santiago and were all attacked at about the same time around midnight Thursday. Three were hit with bags full of paint and one with a petrol bomb.

Police said there were no injuries and only slight damage but that they had found leaflets at the scene carrying slogans such as "We Are All Iraqis" or "Yankees Out Of Iraq".

Most of the 300 Mormon churches in Chile are run by Americans.

Since the US-British invasion of Iraq started there have been a number of attacks against US interests.

Explosives have been left outside two Santiago branches of Bank Boston and stones have been thrown at a McDonald's fast food restaurant in the capital.

In the southern city of Concepion, bombs were left at two offices of the US telephone company Bellsouth and the Spanish firm Telefonica. Spain is supporting the US-led war.

Two packages containing a suspicious substance and pro-Iraqi slogans were sent to the US embassy in Santiago and the Chilean foreign ministry.

Chile was a member of the UN Security Council when the United States was pressing for UN approval of the use of force.

SPACE.WIRE