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By Daren Butler
Source: Reuters AlertNet
http://www.alertnet.org/
Thu May 22, 2003

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KIRKUK, Iraq, May 22 (Reuters) - U.S. military forces in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk have detained two Arab candidates for the provincial council days ahead of elections to the body, an army spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Lawyer Mijbil al-Sheikh Isa is being held following allegations he was from the upper echelons of Saddam Hussein's once all-powerful Baath Party.

The second of the six Arab candidates, Burhan Muzher al-Asi, was detained after U.S. forces received intelligence which alleged he was involved in supplying weapons ahead of a fierce clash between U.S. troops and Arab gunmen on Sunday. He was later released without charge.

"Colonel (William) Mayville had a squad of troops take them away yesterday after a meeting of the Arab delegation. It was quiet and orderly," spokeswoman Major Josslyn Aberle said.

Neither of the two will take part in Saturday's election in which 300 delegates will chose 24 council members for an interim local government. There will be six representatives each from Kirkuk's diverse mix of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens and Assyrians.

It was still unclear who would replace the two candidates. The U.S. military will choose six further "independent" council members.

Al-Asi belongs to the Obeid tribe which lives in the Hawija region, southwest of Kirkuk, where the firefight between Arab gunmen and U.S. troops took place.

Al-Asi's elder brother, Sheikh Ghassan, is head of the tribe and has stayed away from Kirkuk ahead of the ballot to show his dissatisfaction with the political process.

"If I had to choose now between the occupying American forces and Saddam Hussein, I would choose Saddam. Even though I hate him," the sheikh told Reuters this week

U.S. officials say they sent forces to the Hawija region after reports that pro-Saddam elements were in the area and had been involved in weekend clashes between Arabs and Kurds. Arab villagers in the area who fought the Americans said they believed they were being attacked by Kurds.

The latest clash in Hawija has added to broad unease in Kirkuk where simmering tensions have plagued the city since troops loyal to Saddam fled six weeks ago.

Many Arabs say U.S. forces are biased in favour of the city's Kurds and other groups have made similar complaints but U.S. officials insist they do not favour one group over another.

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Direct Link:
--http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L22540473.htm

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