Coalition needed even after transfer of power says minister
(Al-Taakhi) – Minister of Interior Sameer al-Sumaidaee yesterday said the Iraqi police will need the help of the Coalition forces during the first phase of the transfer of sovereignty. “In the first phase, we will be in great need of Coalition support,” he said, adding, “we dare say that on June 30, we will not be able to provide the required security among the challenges we face, especially the terrorist one.” He also said reinforcement of the police will take time and work is underway to hasten it. “It is me who is going to give orders to the security forces, but the US-led coalition forces might intervene in collaboration with Iraqi forces in case of a big threat.” Sumaidaee said the police are still short of the necessary equipment and ammunition.
(Al-Taakhi is issued daily by the Kurdistan Democratic Party.)

‘Chaos’ leads to 20% reduction in municipal salaries
(Al-Adala) – Baghdad municipality has deducted 20% from its employees' salaries in an unprecedented measure due to the so-called “chaos” involved in the distribution of the payments. An informed source in the municipality said the deduction is due to the shortage of the municipality's budget due to poor tax resources and the pilferage of some 800 million Iraqi dinars in one office alone – where the director general of that office along with some employees are under suspicion. The deductions angered municipality employees who rejected the responsibility for a crime committed by others.
(Al-Adala is issued thrice weekly by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.)

Cartoon of the Day

No Iraqi forces in Fallujah military operations
(Al-Nahdhah) – The Governing Council (GC) has denied any participation by forces attached to the known political parties in the recent military operations in Fallujah, describing as false reports about the participation of Kurdish Peshmerga and other Iraqi forces. Some media outlets reported declarations, supposedly on behalf of Iraqi politicians, saying Iraqi forces had been involved in the military operations in Fallujah.
(Al-Nahdhah is a daily newspaper issued by Adnan al-Pachachi, GC member and head of Independent Democrats Movement.)

Sunnis protest US assault on mosque
(Al-Sabah) – The Sunni Endowment has issued a protest to US military forces and appointed bodies of Iraqi security for the US assault on al-Imama al-Adham mosque. Adnan Mohamed Salman al-Dulaimi, Head of the Endowment, told al-Sabah the protest demands an apology and compensation for damage to the mosque and the school attached to it. "We have previously informed the military officials in Baghdad to avoid assaulting the mosques and places of worship and to refer to us to help in solving any problem with the mosques and their preachers,” Dulaimi said. He expressed sorrow for the events of April 11, when US forces assaulted the mosque with heavy vehicles that broke down the gates and upset people. Dulaimi did not wish to entertain rumours that led to the assault of the al-Farouk and al-Hussein Bin Ali mosques in Palestine Street, considering those acts against religious and humanitarian regulations
(Al-Sabah is issued daily by the Iraqi Media Network on behalf of the Coalition Provisional Authority.)

Truce continues in Fallujah
(Addustour) – Part of the special agreement to hand over heavy weapons to Iraqi police and allow the residents of Fallujah to return home has been completed, according to Muthanna Harith al-Dhari, a member of the Muslim Clerics Board. He also referred to developments that took place yesterday when the Occupying forces violated the truce and entered al-Goolan district with their heavy vehicles which caused the insurgents to return fire. The Board is still investigating the reasons for the violation by contacting other negotiators. He did not think the violations would lead to a break dowjn of the truce. Meanwhile, he said 700 Fallujah residents were killed in the fighting and that US troops diverted aid convoys to the city for their own use.
(Addustour is an independent daily published by former journalist Basim al-Sheikh.)

Muqtada rejects claim by al-Khoei family
(Al-Mashriq) – Shia leader Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr has refused the tribal solution of compensating the al-Khoei family in connection with the assassination of Sayyid Abdul Majid al-Khoei last April. A source in Sadr’s Karbala office said compensation would imply that Muqtada had been involved in the al-Khoei murder and would provide a justification to Coaltion forces to adopt different means of weakening Muqtada’s political and social stances since they are incapable of confronting him militarily. Muqtada’s refusal follows an initiative by mediators who attempted to settle the crisis between Muqtada and Coalition forces. Meanwhile, the Advisory Council in Karbala asked for an end of any militarisation in the city, and of efforts to change mosques and other places of worship into military, party, or sectarian headquarters. Observers understood this as a message to followers of Muqtada al-Sadr who gather in mosques.
(Al-Mashriq is published daily by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments.)

Palestinian seeks continuation of refuge in Iraq
(Azzaman) – Anwar al-Sheikh, a member of the Palestinian National Assembly, hopes that any coming Iraqi government will treat Palestinians in Iraq as refugees as their lands remain occupied by Israel. He said such refugees consider Iraq their second home, having been there since 1948. He condemned the declarations of US President Geroge W. Bush during his meeting with Israeli leader Ariel Sharon for dropping the Palestinians' right to return home. Omar al-Shibli, Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Front, described Bush as biased toward Israel when denying the Palestinians' rights. This, he added, reveals that we must not count on the Americans who have ignored the "Road Map". Shibli asked for a single unified Palestinian stance based on the fundamental right of return.
(London-based Azzaman is issued daily by Saad al-Bazaz.)