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REUTERS
www.reuters.com
May 15, 2003

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's new U.S. civil administrator said on Thursday U.S.-led forces would put thousands of criminals released by Saddam Hussein back in jail and break the grip of lawlessness on Baghdad.

Paul Bremer, at his debut news conference, also said he would shortly issue orders to remove Saddam's Baath party officials who have crept back into power and eradicate their ideology from Iraq -- a demand advocated by other Iraqi political groups.

"There is a serious law and order problem, we will continue to address it," Bremer told reporters.

"Let us put things in perspective, this is not a country in anarchy, people are going about their business, they are going about their lives."

Iraqis say they lack security and order in their country following the ousting of Saddam in a U.S.-led war launched in March. Many are suspicious of the U.S. soldiers, whom they accuse of not doing enough to stop looters and criminals.

Bremer said thousands of Iraqi police officers, backed and trained by U.S. forces, were back on the streets and had detained 300 suspects over the past 48 hours, 92 of them on Wednesday night.

The release of 100,000 prisoners by Saddam in October had sent thousands of "violent criminals" back onto Iraqi streets, he added.

"It is time these people were put back in jail and that is where we will put them," Bremer said.

Bremer said U.S. troops had mounted new patrols in the capital Baghdad and awaited reinforcements of up to 4,000 military police and thousands of other troops.

"Saddam Hussein has been in power for 20 years, his instruments and use of power and repression run deep into society.

"We have an obligation now to build the new Iraq without those instruments."

Bremer said he would hold a meeting on Friday with Iraqi leaders to discuss the establishment of an Iraqi interim government.

He said he would shortly issue an order designed to remove all Baath party officials from positions of authority and issue the guidelines under which Iraqis would be vetted to ensure they had no close ties to Saddam's former government.

"We are determined that Baathists and Saddam Hussein will not come back to Iraq. Iraq must remain free and independent, a stable and representative country," Bremer said.

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