Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

(Al-Mutamar, Baghdad, weekly by the Iraqi National Congress, 04July 2004) - Carries on page 6 a 1,000-word article by Mahdi Qasim criticizing the Iraqi government and security forces for not managing to arrest Al-Zarqawi who threatened to kill Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and attacked the interior minister's house, accusing them of only being able to make strong statements about ending terrorism in Iraq.

II.      Humanitarian and public services

(Al-Mada, Baghdad, a daily issued by Al-Mada institution for Media, Culture, and Arts, 04July 2004) - Runs a 100-word front-page report citing sources close to the Iraqi cabinet as saying that the Iraqi cabinet intends to form a supreme committee to supervise the oil sector including SOMO (State Organization for Marketing Oil) Company. The source says the board will comprise several ministers and Prime Minister Allawi himself.

(London-based Azzaman, Political and independent daily, issued by Saad al-Bazaz, 04July 2004) - Runs a 200-word front-page unattributed article on the oil minister's decision to change the director general of the SOMO company. The article says that the minister needs to provide clarifications to the Iraqi people about this issue, because this company is a "gold mine" for those who want to make a quick fortune. The article wonders if this process is included in the anti-corruption campaign.

(Al-Iraq al-Yawm, Baghdad, issued by "a group of Iraqi journalists", politically unaffiliated, 04July 2004) - Publishes on its front page a 100-word report citing an official source at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs as saying that his ministry will give priority to providing new jobs for the staff of the dissolved Information Ministry.

 (Al-Adala, Baghdad, twice-weekly by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq SCIRI, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 2 a 70-word report citing a health source as saying that the number of hepatitis cases has increased recently in Iraq. The source added that 1,059 cases were recorded by the end of last month due to water pollution.

(Al-Mutamar, Baghdad, weekly by the Iraqi National Congress, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 2 a 100-word report citing a health official urging people to donate blood due to the severe shortage of blood supplies in the hospitals and the large number of patients requiring blood transfusions.

 
(Al-Furat, comprehensive & political daily, by Al-Furat Establishment for Press, 04July 2004) - Runs a 300-word front-page report on a statement by Iraqi official sources regarding the ration card. The officials say that items on the ration cards cause great harm to Iraqis. The officials add that many items have a negative effect on people's health, such as cooking oil and ghee.

(Al-Furat, comprehensive & political daily, by Al-Furat Establishment for Press, 04July 2004) - Runs an 80-word front-page report on a statement by Ahmad al-Juburi, head of the Iraqi Tourism Board, saying that tourism in Iraq will witness progress after finalizing the rehabilitation of tourist sites. The official calls for handing over the presidential palaces to be used as tourist sites for Iraqis.

(Al-Adala, Baghdad, twice-weekly by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq SCIRI, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 2 a 50-word report citing an official source as saying that 22 million dollars was allocated to renew the drinking water network in Al-Sadr City in Baghdad.

III.     Security and military developments

(Al-Manar Al-Yawm, Baghdad, independent daily, 04July 2004) - Publishes on its front page a 200-word report on the US forces statement yesterday, 3 July, that they had located and raided a workshop where a group of terrorists was preparing booby-trapped cars as well as an arms warehouse in the south of Baghdad. The statement said that 51 persons were arrested in the raid.


 (Al-Adala, Baghdad, twice-weekly by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq SCIRI, 04July 2004) - Publishes on its front page a 100-word report citing General Muhammad Abdallah al-Shahwani, director of the Iraqi Intelligence Agency, as saying that his agency has and will contribute effectively to imposing security in Iraq. Al-Shahwani urged "a number of groups to show wisdom" and "to give themselves a chance to contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq."

(Al-Adala, Baghdad, twice-weekly by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq SCIRI, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 2 a 70-word report citing an official source in the Defence Ministry as saying that his ministry will reinstate a number of high-ranking officers from the dissolved Iraqi army to boost the capabilities of the new Iraqi Army. The source added that all former Iraqi army members of ranks lower than major can now enroll in the new Iraqi Army.

(Al-Mashriq, Baghdad, by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments, 04July 2004) - Publishes on its front page a 60-word report citing a security source as saying that six Iraqi National Guards were killed and four others were wounded in the south of Baghdad yesterday, 3 July. A health source in Al-Mahmudiyah, 30 km south of Baghdad, said their injuries were caused by a bomb explosion. The guards were responsible for guarding an oil pipeline in the region.

(Al-Mashriq, Baghdad, by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 4 a 1,200-word report discussing the role of Iraqi police in maintaining security in Iraq. The report cites a number of policemen explaining their positions and saying that the Iraqi police alone can impose law and order in the country. An official source in the Interior Ministry told the newspaper that Iraqi police played a major role in maintaining peace before and during the power handover to Iraqis last week.

(Al-Mashriq, Baghdad, by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 4 a 100-word report citing eyewitnesses as saying that a US patrol came under attack by unidentified gunmen near a presidential palace in Al-Rasafah district in Baghdad on Friday evening. The eyewitnesses added that following the explosion of two roadside bombs, a child was killed and 13 other civilians including women and children were wounded in clashes that took place between US forces and the attackers, who managed to escape.

(Al-Mashriq, Baghdad, by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 4 a 100-word report citing an eyewitness as saying that the US forces arrested a man who they suspected of being Abu Mu'sab al-Zarqawi, but who was later released, in Al-Amiriyah district in Baghdad yesterday, 3 July.

(Al-Dustur, Baghdad, by Movement for the Hashimite Constitutional Royal Union, 04July 2004) - Carries on its front page a 200-word report citing eyewitnesses as saying that five Iraqis were killed when a US tank fired at them in Al-Khaldiyah District near Al-Fallujah on Saturday morning, 3 July.

(Al-Dustur, Baghdad, by Movement for the Hashimite Constitutional Royal Union, 04July 2004) - Carries on its front page a 70-word report citing an official source as saying that gunmen attacked an oil pipeline in the south of Iraq despite the intensive security measures on Saturday, 3 July.

(Al-Dustur, Baghdad, by Movement for the Hashimite Constitutional Royal Union, 04July 2004) - Carries on page 2 a 50-word report citing Al-Najaf Police Chief General Ghalib al-Jaza'iri as saying that his forces managed to arrest two persons driving a booby-trapped car in Al-Kufah. The report did not mention the date of the incident.

(Al-Furat, comprehensive & political daily, by Al-Furat Establishment for Press, 04July 2004) - Publishes a 40-word front-page report on an attack targeting a pipeline in Al-Faw city. The report says that unknown gunmen attacked the pipeline despite the intensive security measures. The report adds that the attack led to a fire in the 42-inch diameter pipeline.

(Al-Bayyna is a weekly paper issued by the Hezbollah movement in Iraq, 04July 2004) - Runs a 90-word front-page report on a statement by Hamid al-Kafa'i, official of the Public Relations of the Iraqi cabinet, saying that Al-Zarqawi has been arrested and the Iraqi Government will issue a statement on this issue. Al-Kafa'i adds that the US General Mark Kimmitt, who denied the reports about the arrest of Al-Zarqawi, has nothing to do with this issue and speaks only in the name of the US forces. The report says that between Kimmitt and Al-Kafa'i, the Iraqis will find no one to tell them the truth.

(Al-Nahdhah, Baghdad, by Independent Democrats Movement, 04July 2004) - Publishes an 80-word front-page report stating that the Iraqi police have started to equip its members with new machine guns. The report says that this will allow the police to react quickly in the case of emergency.

(Al-Dustur, Baghdad, by Movement for the Hashimite Constitutional Royal Union, 04July 2004) - Carries page 2 a 40-word report citing a police source in Baghdad as saying that Al-Ma'mun Police Station in Baghdad came under mortar attack on Friday, 2 July, causing no casualties.

(Al-Dustur, Baghdad, by Movement for the Hashimite Constitutional Royal Union, 04July 2004) - Carries on page 2 a 120-word report stating that during the last two days, Baghdad witnessed a number of rocket attacks and roadside bomb explosions in various districts in the city.

(Al-Mutamar, Baghdad, weekly by the Iraqi National Congress, 04July 2004) - Publishes on page 2 a 60-word report stating that the Iraqi police managed to arrest 40 Iranians in Karbala recently who had entered Iraq illegally.


(London-based Azzaman, Political and independent daily, issued by Saad al-Bazaz,) - Publishes a 100-word front-page report on a statement by Iraqi and British oil officials saying that a hole in a pipeline led to a decrease in oil exports from Basra. The officials add that the cause of this hole has not yet known.