Iraqi Cleric Vacates City Hall in Kut

[thedrifter]

Apr 26, 7:21 AM EDT

Iraqi Cleric Vacates City Hall in Kut

By BURT HERMAN
Associated Press Writer





BLAIR FIELD, Iraq (AP) -- The peaceful departure of a Shiite Muslim cleric who had occupied Kut's city hall should bring greater stability to the city, a top U.S. Marine officer said Saturday.

Said Abbas left Friday night after Marines delivered a letter "demanding his departure," according to a statement from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

The letter listed 10 conditions, including that his followers not loot the building when he left. U.S. Marines had threatened to arrest him on charges of theft and destruction of Iraqi property if he failed to comply.

The people of Kut "can feel a bit more secure knowing Abbas is not trying to take charge of the town, where he never had authority to do so," Col. Ron Johnson, operations officer for Task Force Tarawa, said at this airfield outside Kut. The airport was renamed after Lance Cpl. Thomas Blair, 24, of Broken Arrow, Okla., who died in fighting on the bridges of Nasiriyah.

However, Johnson acknowledged that Iranian and Shiite Muslim groups sympathetic to Abbas will remain active in the region.

"I don't think we can ever discount the Iranian influence," Johnson said.

Marines say Abbas is a member of the Iran-based Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution - the largest Shiite Muslim opposition group. The council's leaders have called for an end to the U.S. presence in Iraq and are lobbying for an Islamic government. Marines say they are in talks with the group.

"They have their agendas and we recognize that," Johnson said. "But we recognize the agendas of a lot of other people as well. It's not always the most vocal that have the majority."

Backed by dozens of lightly armed bodyguards, Abbas took over the city hall and claimed control of Kut more than a week ago, when U.S. Marines entered the southeastern Iraqi city. His followers had been protesting the presence of U.S. troops.

Abbas initially responded to the Marine's ultimatum saying he would vacate the city hall in three days. But he surprised U.S. troops by leaving Friday.

Looters attempted to move into the vacated building, but Abbas' own supporters intervened to stop them, Marines said. Armed Iraqi police will help guard the building in coming days, Johnson said.

In another sign of returning normalcy in Kut, 100 schools reopened Saturday for the first time since the war, Johnson said. U.S. Marines had earlier cleared weapons from the schools, where they had been hidden by fighters loyal to Saddam Hussein.

Electricity still has not been restored, but Johnson said he hoped the power would be turned on "soon."

"Each day will get better," he said.


Sempers,

Roger