Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Al-Diyar TV 8 Dec 04: Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih has accused neighbouring countries of doing little to stop the infiltration of foreign fighters into Iraq, Iraqi Al-Diyar TV reported on 8 December. Addressing the Iraqi National Assembly, Salih added that the failure of those countries to take real, tangible steps "might force Iraq to take a decisive position". ()

National Security minister says elections date "sacred"- Al-Sharqiyah

Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, 8 Dec 04: Qasim Dawud, state minister for national security affairs said on 8 December that the elections would be held on the scheduled date in January and described the date as "sacred". He was speaking during a meeting with representatives of the Iraqi community in the United Arab Emirates.

Talabani urges Kurds to take part in elections- Al-Sharqiyah

Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, 8 Dec 04: Jalal Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, has called for extensive campaigns urging Kurds to take part in the general elections in order to obtain a good percentage of votes, Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah TV reported on 8 December. Addressing a group of his supporters, Talabani said that since Kurds constituted the second largest ethnic group in Iraq, it was not possible to run the country or maintain its territorial integrity without them.

Hoon says Basra troops to stay in Iraq as long as needed- Al-Sharqiyah
Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, 8 Dec 04:: British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said on 8 December that British forces in Basra would continue their duties there so long as Iraqis wanted them to remain in the country, Al-Sharqiyah TV reported. He was speaking at a news conference after meeting the governor of Basra, Hasan al-Rashim, at the British consulate in Basra.

Weapons search in Baghdad neighbourhood- Al-Sharqiyah

Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, 8 Dec 04: : A 100-soldier US force, accompanied by tanks and armoured vehicles, raided Al-Qadisiyah neighbourhood in western Baghdad on 8 December, Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah TV reported. Eyewitnesses said the US troops searched citizens' houses and shops, looking for weapons. This area had earlier witnessed armed attacks using booby-trapped cars against US Army convoys and cars of US and Iraqi officials that caused casualties and led to the destruction of many vehicles, the TV said.

Iraqi paper criticizes Interior Ministry over 3 Dec attack on police station

Al-Nahdah, Baghdad, in Arabic 6 Dec 04: Iraqi newspaper Al-Nahdah on 6 December published a report highly critical of the lack of support that policemen received at a Baghdad police station on 3 December, when it was besieged by "more than 50" gunmen. The report quoted an eyewitness who was apparently near to one of the leaders of the gunmen as he communicated with his "leadership". He said that at first the assailants appeared to be suffering heavy losses due to police resistance, but the policemen eventually ran out of ammunition, enabling the gunmen to storm the station. Another witness told the paper that the lieutenant in charge had called for back-up support, when he realized that his men would not have enough ammunition, but received no help. The report criticized the Interior Ministry and held it responsible for the absence of support from the Iraqi National Guard, other police or US forces. It concluded: "They must submit a clarification about the negligence in providing supplies to rescue the policemen at the right time."

Three Iraqi civilians killed in Al-Ramadi clashes - Al-Sharqiyah

Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, 8 Dec 04:: Three Iraqis were killed and a fourth wounded in clashes that took place between gunmen and a US Army patrol in the districts of Al-Sina'i and Al-Mal'ab in the centre of Al-Ramadi, Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah TV reported on 8 December. Reports coming from Al-Ramadi said that gunmen at 0400 gmt clashed for 90 minutes with a US Army patrol in the districts of Al-Sina'i and Al-Mal'ab, leading to the injury of one and the death of three citizens, all of whom were civilians.

Iraqis in Yemen reportedly excluded from vote- Al-Diyar TV,

Al-Diyar TV, Baghdad, in Arabic ,7 Dec 04: An Iraqi diplomatic source in Sanaa said on 6 December that the Iraqi Higher Electoral Commission had excluded Iraqis living in Yemen from participation in the elections, scheduled for 30 January, Iraqi Al-Diyar TV reported the next day. In a statement, the diplomat, who asked not to be identified, said the commission officially told the Iraqi embassy in Sanaa that it had identified 14 Arab and non-Arab countries where Iraqis abroad could vote. It had excluded Yemen from the list without giving any explanation, the TV said. The Iraqi diplomat expressed astonishment at the commission's decision, its motives and the criteria that were used in making it. He noted that the number of Iraqis in Yemen was much larger than the number of Iraqis in most of the 14 countries on the list.

Iraqi factory manager said abducted by gunmen in Mosul

Al-Sharqiyah Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic, 8 Dec 04::: Al-Sharqiyah TV's correspondent in Ninawa reported on 8 December that gunmen had kidnapped Dr Nayif Rahman Ahmad, manager of an intravenous solutions factory in Mosul. The correspondent said Dr Nayif Rahman Ahmad was abducted on his way home in the Al-Hadba neighbourhood in the centre of Mosul.