State of emergency in Iraq

2004-11-07 16:35

Baghdad - Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi declared a 60-day state of emergency across most of Iraq on Sunday amid expectations of an imminent assault on the rebel hub of Fallujah.

"We have decided to declare a state of emergency throughout Iraq except for Kurdistan in the north, for 60 days," his spokesperson Thaer Naqib told a news conference in Baghdad.

Under a state of emergency, Iraqi authorities have sweeping powers allowing them to impose curfews, ban meetings and bug communications, in moves which echo the authoritarian rule of toppled president Saddam Hussein's regime.

The decision was made after all peaceful channels to stop a scourge of deadly bombings and killings in the country had failed, Naqib said.

"These crimes are being committed by criminals and terrorists trying to derail the efforts of the government."

The rebels were intent on wrecking Iraq's infrastructure and derailing the government's plans to hold national elections by January, Naqib charged pointing the finger on "terrorists that have come from outside Iraq."

It was not immediately clear how the 60-day state of emergency, which is set to expire in the first week of January, would affect preparations due to be held towards the end of that month.

"The government has tried all peaceful solutions and carried out all possible communication to establish a peaceful solution," Naqib said.

"They (terrorists) have gone too far with their mean practices to bring the government to a halt."

Allawi issued the order, which would apply to all affected areas from Sunday, according to article one of Iraq's emergency law.

According to the law, during a state of emergency the government has greater powers to search people's homes and workplaces, demand arrest warrants and restrict the movement of Iraqis and foreigners on the mere suspicion of being involved in a crime, or simply if someone is behaving in a suspect manner.

The government also has the power to impose a curfew on an area if there is a particular danger or security threat and can cordon off suspected hotspots.

In addition, it is able to intercept and monitor letters, electronic communications and telephone calls.

A curfew has already been imposed on the restive city of Samarra, north of Baghdad, following a scourge of car bombings and clashes against police stations and local government targets on Saturday that left 36 people dead and scores injured.

Naqib said Allawi will hold a media conference on Monday to provide more details on how the law would go into practice in Baghdad and other parts of the country.

- AFP