Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday October 2 2003 — A9 I Q Iraq occupation Iraqis resort Dcraop tosabotage BAGHDAD Iraq (AP) — Iraqi police opened fire : Wednesday in the heart of Baghdad and in northern Iraq to disperse protesters complaining of corruption in the distribution of scarce jobs A female US soldier was killed in a roadside bombing near the main US base in Saddam Hussein’s hometown Also Wednesday American soldiers fired warning shots over the heads of Shiite Muslims outside a mosque in Baghdad The Suites were angry over the brief detention of their preacher who they said was questioned about allegedly inflammatory sermons The Shiites warned if they did not receive a written apology from the Americans and Iraqi police within three days they would turn against the US occupation Gunfire rattled through the streets of downtown Baghdad on Wednesday morning after about 1000 protesters stormed a police station near the Palestine Hotel where many West- era journalists are based to of towers to keep power BAGHDAD Iraq (AP) — Saboteurs who toppled 500 electric transmission towers across Iraq are not just looters or insurgents but apparently also utility workers or others in outlying regions who want to deny power to Baghdad and keep it for themselves US and Iraqi engineers and officials report Provincial cities are turning the tables after years under Saddam Hussein when they were starved of power so the capital could burn watts around the dock these sources say “I know that Karbala and Hillah toppled the towers so as not to share with others” said a leading Iraqi electrical engineer Baghdad University’s Nihad Mohammed referring to two southern cities An Army Corps of Engineers task force from the United States is gathering this week in Baghdad to begin righting the downed pylons among other urgent jobs in the campaign to restore Iraq’s electrical system to what it was before the invasion in March The power shortages crippling Baghdad since the US military seized the city in April are feeding can feeling among its S million people as the occupiers struggle to resurrect an outdat- cd power grid damaged by war and by the sabotage that US-Briti- pirMesters es said two people were injured Police CpI llashim Habib Mohsen said some of the demonstrators fired on ! AP photo Iraqi men hurl stones and bum cars as a group of unemployed men demonstrating for jobs stormed a police station in downtown Baghdad on Wednesday Iraqi police opened fire to disperse the crowd and at least one demonstrator was injured Demonstrators say that the police were demanding bribes in return for hiring them for promised police jobs demand jobs with the Iraqi police force Many said they paid kibes to have their names added to the recruit list but had not been hired After protesters set fire to two cars police opened fire sending demonstrators motorists and pedestrians scur- tying for cover At least one policeman was seen firing his pistol into the crowd Witness Lt Mothana Ali said police told the crowd they were not hiring new officers but provo- -' cateurs incited them to storm the building The chief of the east Baghdad police Brig Khadum Abide arrived to talk with the demonstrators and told them appointments to the force would be announced in three days “All these policemen are corrupt” protester Ali Hamid 21 complained “We gave them money to register our names as candidates and when we returned they said we have no business being here They are all corrupt from officers to regular policemen” Ali Aboud a unemployed builder said police asked him to pay $100 for a job “They promised us they would give us jobs in July We have come every week but still we get no answer?” Aboud said sh anli-Ame- ri- : '’followed-- ' Restoring electricity curies the biggest price tag — $57' billion — of any program in President Bush’s request to ' Congress for $203 billion next year for Iraq reconstruc-- ’ lion - National power output slowly improving was : " : s : - believed to have hit 4000 " megawatts this week approaching the prewar peak of 4400 said Andy Bearpark director of Operations and infrastructure fen the occupa- tion agency the Coalition Pro-- : visional Authority But ' engineers say Iraq needs at least 6000 megawatts and Baghdad itself is meeting barely half its need Resolution by US gives no timetable for power switch UNITED NATIONS (AP) —A new US resolution calls for a strengthened UN role in rebuilding Iraq and a step-bstep transfer of authority to Iraqis but gives no timetable according to a draft of the document obtained Wednes- day by The Associated Press The new measure circulated by US Ambassador John Negroponte to key Security Council members underscores that the American-le- d occupation is temporary and urges Iraqis to determine a date for a yr transfer of power “The day when Iraqis ' gov- ern themselves must come quickly” the resolution says The United States wasted no time after it took over the presidency of the UN Securi- -' ty Council on Wednesday in calling a meeting to distribute the revised text to the other four council nations — Russia China France and Britain “As far as time is con- cemed we would like to move expeditiously on it” Negro- ponte said “We'd also like to see the resolution in place if possible well in advance of the upcoming donors conference in Madrid on Oct 24” for Iraq' The US presidency was a stroke of good timing as Washington campaigns for approval of the new resolution aimed at getting more countries to contribute troops and money to Iraq veto-wieldi- ? f - '' rj 'i i ’ "e 5"I i W ' police- stone-throwi- wi ' f poDnce ©pemi Sire ©mi i r'T- - Vrifc M k Ml 14a a 4 MHMilMDMiMlCMnirmap MDmCMMnMMMrtWrtnitaMCM IMMI |