Hundreds of ex-Baathists off the hook
(Addustour) The Debaathification Committee has excluded more than 600 people formerly included in the resolutions regarding debaathification, bringing the total of those left out to 9,000. The committee said former Baathist officials could apply to be excluded by obtaining a letter from a respected organisation attesting to their good character. The ex-Baathists would then be reassigned to their old jobs.
(Addustour is an independent daily published by former journalist Basim al-Sheikh.)

Referendum and elections will be held on time
(Al-Adala) Iraq's electoral commission has denied that the referendum on the country's new constitution or the next round of elections will be delayed. Farid Ayar, a commission official, said preparations are already underway for an October referendum with the elections still on schedule for the end of the year.
(Al-Adala is issued daily by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.)

Cartoon of the Day

New laws to fight terrorism
(Al-Mashriq) The Iraqi government will pass new laws threatening imprisonment and property confiscation for people who help terrorists. Laith Kubba, a government spokesman, denied the proposed legislation violates human rights, saying it is necessary to safeguard the security of both the country and its people. Kubba blamed Saddam loyalists for feeding the recent violence that has swept Iraq.
(Al-Mashriq is published daily by the Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments.)

Hospital director assassinated
(Al-Mutamar) The director of al-Numan hospital in Baghdad has been killed. Doctor Abdullah Sahib Younis was shot in his head and died in hospital shortly after. The Iraqi scientific and medical community has been targeted by armed gangs with around 130 doctors kidnapped and killed in the last two years.
(Al-Mutamar is issued daily by the Iraqi National Congress.)

PM says Iraqis will resist sectarian war
(Al-Bayan) Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari said the latest wave of assassinations is aimed at igniting a sectarian war between Shia and Sunnis. He believes Iraqis will resist and talked about establishing a special unit to confront the terrorists, adding his government is willing to hold talks with armed groups not involved in the recent bloodshed. Meanwhile, Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called for restraint and denounced the targeting of civilians, saying the Sunni and Shia are brothers.
(Al-Bayan is issued four times a week by the Islamic Dawa Party, chaired by Ibrahim al-Jafari.)

Car Bomb Expert Arrested
(Baghdad) Iraqi security forces have captured alleged car bombing expert Ali Saleem Yousif in Mosul. He is reported to be close to the leader of the Abu Talha terrorist network, connected to Abu Musaab al-Zarqawi. Yousif is said to have provided the car bombs used in suicide attacks on Mosul.
(Baghdad is a daily newspaper issued by the Iraqi National Accord.)