National News

U.S. transfers sovereignty to Iraq two days early to avert terrorists

BAGHDAD (AP) - The U.S.-led coalition transferred sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government two days early June 28 in a surprise move that apparently caught insurgents off guard, averting a feared campaign of attacks to sabotage the highly symbolic step toward self-rule.

Legal documents transferring sovereignty were handed over by the U.S. administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, to Chief Justice Midhat al-Mahmood in a small ceremony attended by about a dozen Iraqi and coalition officials in the heavily guarded Green Zone. Bremer took charge in Iraq about a year ago.

"This is a historical day ... a day that all Iraqis have been looking forward to," said Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer. "This is a day we are going to take our country back into the international forum."

Militants had conducted a campaign of car bombings, kidnappings and other violence that killed hundreds of Iraqis in recent weeks and was designed to disrupt the transfer, announced last year by U.S. President George W. Bush's administration.

Iraq's government took over legal custody of ousted President Saddam Hussein and 11 other top officials of the former regime, but the U.S. military will retain physical custody, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said.

Hussein was formally charged July 1, the first steps in a process that is expected to take months, even years. The trial itself will not start until 2005.

Shukan ST: July 9, 2004

(C) All rights reserved