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Show Friday, September 17. 2004, DAILY HE1AL0 A10 Jeanne almost a hurricane as it crashes into Dominican Republic Kidnappings in Iraq on the rise as pool of Peter Prengaman THE possible victi ms grows ASSOCIATED PRESS VC5 fir- SAMANA, Dominican Republic Tropical Storm Jeanne hovered near hurricane - strength as ft plowed through the north-- , eastern Dominican Republic on Thursday, prompting thousands to flee their homes a day after pounding Puerto Rico and killing at least two people. Jeahnetwas forecast to regain hurricane strength and move toward the Bahamas devastated earlier this month by Hurricane Frances. It could then move toward the southeast United Sf ates, anywhere from Florida to the Carolinas. Eastern Cuba might also be hit, said forecasters. At least eight Dominicans were injured as trees were toppled and floods struck parts of the east and northeast, emergency officials said. Powerful waves pounded the north coast, along with high winds and driving rain. Phone services and electricity were knocked out in some areas. More than 8,200 people were evacuated in the Dominican Republic, staying in shelters set up in schools and churches, officials said. "I'm worried because I don't know what's going to happen. Normally hurricanes don't come here," said Franklin Frenchman from Paris a who had boarded up his small waterfront cafe and pulled chairs and tables off his terrace facing the ocean. Jeanne became a hurricane early Thurs- -' day as winds increased to near 80 mph before hitting land at the eastern village of Cabo Engano. Winds later dropped to 70 mph over the northeastern Dominican Republic. Tropical storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph. Jeanne's winds were near 70 mph when it raged across Puerto Rico on Wednesday, J: r ' TfH ijV- j"r'Y1 A -' ' ' ' -- ' V tute in Phfladetohia. Using hostages, kidnappers have driven muppine troops and an untold number of for eign corporations out of Iraq. TTieyvereoavea ransoms, . nuuiv ih iiicmi juBcua. uiu. w with their brazen abductions 'i and willingness to kill, they've sown fear throughout the country, reminding residents and foreigners alike how weak Iraq's new government , remains. J Kidnapping and security ex- perts said it was a familiar pat tern that had played out before in such countries as Colombia, ; Mexico and Brazil, where hostage taking is even more . Z common than in Iraq. "The first victims are promi-. J 1 - nu wen, nera, very based on that catalyst of pub Ucity, the crime flourishes," said David Lattin, a former J hostage negotiator who's now the kidnap and ransom experts at the St. Paul Travelers Com- panies. That kind of copycat growth is operating on several" levels in Iraq. Foreigners con- tinue to be targeted largely for political purposes, while affluent Iraqis are most at risk from criminals seeking ransoms, Lattin said. Both types of kidnappings are likely to continue and even grow worse, experts and Iraqi officials said, until the tactic stops producing results. Thus far, however, all signs point to more kidnappings. "It's being used as an easy, strategic level tool to put a lot of pressure on governments," Noonan said 'Even when they know their demands arent going to be met, it builds support for their movement.'' Patrick Kerkstra and Nancy A. Youssef KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS There's BAGHDAD, Iraq a simple explanation for the kidnapping epidemic in Iraq, whichgrows worse day by day: The tactic works. Whether their aim is political, financial or simply to terhere n rorize, hostage-taker-s get what they want, Iraqi officials and security experts said Thursday. So what began with the kid-- , napping and televised beheading of U.S. citizen Nicholas Berg has evolved into an everyday crime, embraced by groups that run the gamut from common criminals to homegrown religious extremists to former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party and foreign terrorists. The pool of targets has widened as well, to include Women, journalists, wealthy and middle-clas- s Iraqis and anyone foreign or native- -' born whom the hostage-taker- s deem as someone who co operates with U.S. forces or the interim government. "Nothing sells like success," said Michael P. Noonan, a national security fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Insti- - t P of-te- ANDRES Palm trees resist the winds of Tropical Storm Jeanne Press LEHIHTONAssociated at Escambron Beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday. Jeanne neared hurricane strength as it approached Puerto and frantic residents fled to shelters. Rico, where rivers rose, fields flooded dumping up to 2 feet of rain on the U.S. territory, downing trees and power lines. "A sudden storm hit us in an unexpected way and with a strength much greater than we had expected," Puerto Rican Gov. Sila Calderon said Thursday before touring flooded areas of north-coaToa Baja. "It left a wake of destruction that we now have to face." She asked President Bush to declare a disaster and free up federal aid to "address the urgent and unforeseen needs." Puerto Rico could expect another 0 inches of rain Thursday, threatening flash-- Bus-son- e, st floods and mudslides, said Hector Guerrero, a meteorologist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. About 3,600 Puerto Ricans remained in shelters, most of the 4 million islanders were without electricity and some 600,000 without running water, Calderon said. One woman was killed in the southeastern town of Yabucoa when winds flung her from a hammock and smashed her into a neighbor's house, officials said. In north-coaVega Baja, a man putting up storm shutters fell from a roof and died, police , in st said. J mgn-proiu- ri OHI1 CHASERS : j e. n Jury finds two V V i M )Px ( 1 men guilty of election fraud Atf Roger Alford THE J' A " ASSOCIATED PRESS A Kentucky LONDON, Ky. businessman was found guilty Thursday of election fraud for orchestrating a scheme to buy votes from impoverished mountain residents in two races in J 2002. M?, p ' (59 I'PP' I'jpjisK Fauxsilk jacket in black. Ladies', 59 ' ;"f 'Mjp I '"Mfpi ffi 'A M Dillard's Woman sizes. J A.f'i J Petites'and . 7 ..piif. S4 I f I Ji Washed twill bultqr jp front barn4" Jacket J Available l YM f ' v ' 7 ' . " ' J0Ly dark taupe. Ladies' sizes. I in The jury deliberated about four hours before returning the verdict against Ross Harris, a Pikeville coal operator whom, prosecutors portrayed as the kingpin of the election fraud conspiracy. An associate was also convicted, and both men face about two years in prison. The verdicts came after a al in which various witnesses told of voters gapiering in a church parking tot in an Appalachian county collect $10 bills after leaving the polls in the 2003 election. Others testified about large contributions to some candidates before the election to be used to buy votes. In Closing arguments Wednes- -' day, federalprosecutor Ken Taylor described Harris as a political player who "secretly funds campaigns with illegal contributions." ' Defense .attorney Larry Mack-e- y said the depiction was false. He said his client was being cantreated for cer during the period in question and would not have taken time from his hospital bed to help buy votes in the elections. "We appreciate the jury's throughout the trial, but at the end of the day we're disappointed with the verdict," said Mackey, who vowed to appeal Harris was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and to buy votes, three counts of mail fraud and onecountof structuring withdrawals from a bank account to avoid federal reporting requirements. Glen Turner, an executive in Harris' mining company, was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and two counts of mail fraud. The mail fraud counts involve the sending of bogus campaign finance reports to the state. : .;Prosecutors claimed Harris contributed some $40,000 to a former state sena-- , tor's unsuccessful judicial race, and that Harris and Turner gave an additional $25,000 to the campaign of a judge. They said the money was used in a scheme disguised as a "get out the. vote" effort. The two men showed no reaction as the verdict was read. 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