August 9
IRAQ:
Iraq brings back death penalty as Allawi calls on militants to disarm
Iraq's United States-backed interim government yesterday reinstated the
death penalty - suspended since the fall of Saddam Hussein - as Iyad
Allawi, the Prime Minister, visited Najaf amid heavy security and called
on Shia insurgents in the city to lay down their arms.
The reimposition of the death penalty for capital crimes, including murder
and kidnapping, was announced a day after Mr Allawi's government unveiled
an amnesty for lesser crimes in the hope of containing an insurgency which
last week spread once again to gunmen loyal to the radical Shia cleric
Muqtada Sadr.
Ministers said the death penalty would last until security stabilised. It
is intended to apply immediately, but it remained unclear last night
whether it could be imposed retrospectively or apply to Saddam Hussein at
the end of his trial.
Protected by a 100-strong contingent of American and Iraqi troops, police
and foreign security contractors, Mr Allawi declared on his hour-long
visit to the volatile Shia holy city that "those armed should leave the
holy sites ... as well as leave their weapons and abide by the law."
Within hearing distance of gunfire and explosions from continuing
engagements between police and gunmen, Mr Allawi and two of his ministers
met Adnan al-Zurufi, the Governor of Najaf, who on Friday set a
still-unfulfilled 24 hour deadline for the insurgents to withdraw.
Although there were no detailed casualty figures, Iraqi government
officials said more than 40 Iraqis were killed in overnight fighting in
Najaf and the mainly Shia Baghdad suburb of Sadr City.
Members of Sadr's Mehdi Army, which was in control of the compound
surrounding the sacred Shrine of Imam Ali, carried automatic rifles and
rocket-propelled launchers as they searched cars at improvised checkpoints
in the old city.
Mr Allawi said in Najaf that there were no plans to arrest Sadr but
insisted there would be no negotiations until the militia laid down their
arms. He added: "There are some elements who have broken the law and hurt
this city. The situation will be defused soon." An Iraqi National Guard
Officer, Lt Aqil Khalil, said yesterday that national guard troops had on
Saturday chased Sadr militiamen to the cleric's house after a police
patrol had come under fire. The troops had arrested the gunmen at the
house but Sadr had not been there.
After Mr Allwai's visit, two US helicopter gunships attacked Shia militia
positions close to Najaf's ancient cemetery where Mehdi Army militants
have been hiding. And the television station al-Arabiya said one of its
editors, Mou'yad Mousa, had been slightly wounded in yesterday's fighting.
In Sadr City, 3 US soldiers were reportedly wounded and an American
observation helicopter made an emergency landing near the suburb after
coming under fire, but without injuries to the crew. Jubilant armed men
brandished the helmet of one of the crew. And there were at least six
explosions in central Baghdad last night, including one which wounded at
least 3 people close to the Baghdad Hotel, which is used by foreigners.
In Amarah, 110 miles south-east of Baghdad, which has been the scene of
frequent clashes between insurgents and British troops, the Health
Ministry said that four Iraqis had been killed in fighting between police
and militants. And in Basra, police said that 2 insurgents had been killed
in a battle with Danish troops in the southern town of Qurnah.
The restoration of the death penalty was announced yesterday by Adnan
al-Janabi, a Minister of State, and Bakhtiar Amin, the Human Rights
Minister, hitherto an opponent of the death penalty. Mr Amin said: "This
is the most difficult day of my life." While the new list of capital
offences will include drug-running, Mr Amin said it would be applied only
in "exceptional cases".
Mr Janabi said the death penalty would remain in force until security was
deemed more stable. "The law is to protect the Iraqi people in the face of
... indiscriminate murder. I think it may help," he said.
The Allawi government's 30-day ban on the Arab satellite television
network al-Jazeera was criticised yesterday by Adnan Pachachi, the former
member of the Iraqi Governing Council who in June turned down the interim
presidency. In an interview with The Independent, Dr Pachachi recognised
concern about the network transmitting film of hostage takers, but he
added: "As a matter of principle I don't think we should try to intimidate
or punish any news media."
Dr Pachachi also said he was "very upset" by the death toll in Najaf -
estimated by US Marine officers on Friday at a contested and
uncorroborated figure of 300 insurgents - and welcomed an offer by Kofi
Annan, the UN secretary general, of mediation.
Iraq has issued an arrest warrant for Ahmed Chalabi, a former governing
council member, on money laundering charges and another for Salem Chalabi,
the head of Iraq's special tribunal, on murder charges.
(source: The Independent)
