BAGHDAD, Nov 1: Terrified by rumours of a “day of resistance” against the US-led occupation on Saturday, schoolchildren across Iraq remained home, some businesses shut and the capital’s choking traffic was reduced to a trickle.

Much to the dismay of the US-led administration struggling to rule Iraq, the rumours swept across Baghdad, prompting a heavy police deployment amid fears of more bloodshed in the spiralling wave of blind violence.

There was no clear evidence for the source of the rumours, but US authorities asked citizens to take extra precautions on Nov 1 and 2, which mark six months since Washington announced the end of major combat in Iraq. As a result the city was semi-paralysed.

Many Baghdadis blamed the success of the rumours on leaflets they had heard about, but which reporters have failed to find, or some alleged messages that many residents thought ousted president Saddam Hussein had recently made.

“People are very tense, very jumpy, especially since the attacks are killing civilians and military, Iraqis, Americans and foreigners alike. Bomb scares are even reported in schools and mosques,” said businessman Omar Ahmad.

“Saddam Hussein or others may want to hurt Iraq with bombings and rumours, but today’s paralysis proves that the Americans are so far failing to protect and rebuild Iraq,” he added.

Following a spate of deadly bombings since the April 9 fall of the Saddam Hussein government, the United Nations has followed the International Committee of the Red Cross by temporary pulling out foreign staff.

Across the capital, schools were virtually empty, universities lacked half their students and usually congested traffic was easier on commercial streets.

Some shops remained shut, others kept their iron shutters half-closed and those that opened had little custom.

Groups of shopkeepers gathered outside their empty premises, mostly discussing the rumours of the day and debating whether to remain open.

“Out of our 707 students, less than 20 showed up today. And we are trying to see how to get them home,” Layla Saleh, principal of the Al Budur primary school in central Baghdad, said.

At the Al Jumhuriya school for girls, which has been newly painted to remove Saddam-era leaflets, out of more than 900 students, just 10 were sitting quietly in the playground.

“This is getting too much. As if we needed more trauma in Iraq. The children are becoming terrified. They are very distressed. They don’t concentrate and it is showing in their performances,” said principal Maha Saber al Alwan.

“We need to face these attempts to kill life in Iraq. I am telling parents to send students, whatever the conditions are, but the situation is not helping,” she said.

Outside the schools, groups of men stood guard, armed with assault rifles and guns. They searched thoroughly every person entering, including the principal, teachers and students.

“We have deployed 70 more guards at the five schools in this neighbourhood,” said Talal Iskandar, the deputy president of the municipal council, who himself volunteered to take part in the security deployment.

Police General Munim Said Abdel Kader said police forces “have been on a state of alert since Monday’s bombings. We have at least 15 bomb scares a day in Baghdad.

“We are beefing up security with guards at schools, places of worship, vital installations such as electricity and water plants, government buildings, banks, commercial centres and car parks,” he said.

Khalil al Hadithi, deputy director general of the trade ministry, was glad the rumours had not affected government institutions yet.

“The employees are here, but if you brought a drum and beat it, everyone would run away.” —AFP