19 June 2004	Saturday	30 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

BAGHDAD, June 18: Iraq's caretaker government on Friday weighed imposing emergency powers to counter a wave of violence and sabotage that has killed more than 180 people this month and halted oil exports for at least five days.

Justice minister Malik Dohan al Hassan said the government may resort to "exceptional" laws imposed by Saddam Hussein after it takes power on June 30. The idea of imposing exceptional laws is under study," he said, adding that there were no legal hurdles.

"From the old regime, there was a statute, which foresees exceptional measures, which do not violate rights of the citizens, that has never been abrogated," he said. Interior minister Falah al Naqib also warned he may impose "martial law" to control "terrorist acts" after 41 people were killed in two car bombings on Thursday.

Thirty-five people were killed in a suicide attack on a crowded army recruitment centre, leaving the road littered with bloodied and tangled bodies. Another six Iraqis were killed north of the capital three hours later.

OIL EXPORTS: An official of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) said oil exports from southern Iraq would resume on Sunday after being halted by sabotage attacks.

"We currently expect oil exports from the 42-inch line to resume on Sunday, and ships may pre-position at the offshore oil terminals before then," the official said.

The violence also claimed a diplomatic victim with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan announcing that Iraq was too dangerous for the world body to make an early return. The United Nations pulled out of Iraq last September after two bombings, including one in August that killed 22 people, among them Mr Annan's envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

A bitter row also continued to divide the holy city of Najaf with supporters of Moqtada Sadr halting on Friday prayers for the second week running. Sadr's supporters said they would stop anyone preaching without permission from the grand ayatollahs.

"We will stop anyone who does not have authorization, even oral, from the Marjaiya (Iraq's top Shia authority), from preaching Friday prayers," Ahmed al Shaibani, a Sadr spokesman, said. The move blocked leading Sadr critic, Sheikh Saddredin al Kubbanji, from preaching.

Sadr, whose militia was engaged in a fierce fighting against coalition forces, also raged against prime minister Sheikh Gazi al-Yawar's meeting with US President George W. Bush in Georgia this month.

"My heart was filled with deep wrath when I saw the so-called president of the Iraqi interim government shaking hands with US President Bush", Sadr said in remarks made on his behalf during a Friday sermon in Kufa.

Violent attacks continued on Friday with two guerillas killed by US troops after firing rocket-propelled grenades near Baquba. Three civilians were wounded in a roadside bombing in the northern city of Mosul and three police officials hurt in Nasiriyah. -AFP