National News U.S. appoints new Iraq overseer, accuses Hussein of bank robbery

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The United States on May 6 appointed a new top administrator to spearhead the rebuilding of war-ravaged Iraq, and accused deposed leader Saddam Hussein's relatives and henchmen of taking almost 1 billion dollars (¥118 billion) from Iraq's Central Bank shortly before the U.S. invasion.

Career diplomat and counterterrorism expert Paul Bremer will head civilian efforts to rebuild Iraq and set it on course for democracy, according to an announcement by U.S. President George W. Bush.

"He is the senior coalition civilian official in Iraq," said a senior official, with Gen. Tommy Franks retaining overall military control.

Bremer will outrank the current civil administrator, retired Gen. Jay Garner, and Zalmay Khalilzad, who will still lead reconstruction efforts and coordinate political reforms with Iraqis.

Bremer, 61, will report directly to U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, through whom he will advise Bush "on policies designed to achieve American and coalition goals in Iraq," said a senior official.

Britain named its ambassador to Egypt, John Sawers, as its point man for Iraq, to help the United States set up an interim Iraqi government.

"It is crucial that, following Saddam's overthrow, Iraq should be returned to Iraqi rule as soon as possible," Sawers said. "I hope that, as the British government's special representative, I will be able to play a part in achieving that."

Meanwhile, the United States has accused Hussein of ordering 900 million dollars (¥106.2 billion) to be taken from Iraq's Central Bank shortly before the U.S. attack on Baghdad in March.

Qusai, Hussein's younger son, and one of Hussein's personal assistants organized the removal of the cash, an Iraqi banking official said on condition of anonymity.

The operation took place at 4 a.m. on March 18, and the amount of cash was so large that it required three tractor-trailers to remove

In related news, the United States announced May 5 the capture of a top female biological weapons scientist in Hussein's regime. Hudah Salih Mahdi Ammash, 49, dubbed "Mrs. Anthrax," was ranked 53 on the U.S. list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqis.

イラク復興に文民行政官任命

ブッシュ米大統領は6日、イラク復興を指揮する文民行政官に、国務省出身のポール・ブレマー氏を任命した。

Shukan ST: May 16, 2003

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