The Index-Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina • Page 5

Wednesday, February 18, 2004 The Index-Journal, Greenwood, S.C. 5A Lawmakers say ayatollah trampled' on basic rights TEHRAN, Iran (AP) In a daring protest described Tuesday as a "cry of agony," more than 100 reformist lawmakers accused Iran's supreme leader of allowing freedoms to be "trampled" and rigging upcoming parliament elections in favor of hard-line backers. The attack in a letter sent to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei raised political dissent to levels unimaginable just a few weeks ago and shattered taboos about public criticism of Iran's unchallenged political and spiritual authority. The letter struck right at a core complaint: that Khamenei's regime has corrupted the spirit of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled a Western-backed monarchy. His supporters believe he is incapable of error and answerable only to God.

The popular (1979) revolution brought freedom arid independence for the country in the name of Islam. But now you lead a system in which legitimate freedoms and the rights of the people are being trampled in the name of Islam," the legislators said in the letter, made public Tuesday a (lay after being sent to Khamenei The missive also underlined a new and aggressive form of defiance by liberals booted from the political process. "It is a cry of agony for hat's happening to our country," said Reza Yousefian, a parliament member who has joined appeals for a mass boycott of the balloting. "We may see a strong social backlash." Hard-line candidates are expected to sweep the elections and retake control of the 290-seat parliament the main bat tleground between the Islamic establishment and liberals since a pro-reform landslide four years ago. "Institutions under your supervision after four years of humiliating the elected parliament and thwarting (reform) bills have now, on the verge of the parliamentary elections, deprived the people of the most basic right: the right to choose and be chosen," the letter said.

Speculation abounds about future of Cheney on GOP ticket in 2004 NATIONAL DIGEST By The Associated Press Cheney or not, speculation abounds President Bush strongly backs Vice President Dick Cheney but some Republicans are quietly asking whether Cheney will help or hinder the ticket in November. That and his own political baggage have raised talk about some possible replacements. 0 i Rudolph Gov. George Giuliani PatakJ Rep. Rob Portman Ohio congressman Gov.

Bill Owens Colorado governor Sen. Bill Frist Senate majority leader Tom Ridge Homeland security secretary New York governor Former New York mayor uneasy about Bush's deficit spending and immigration-liberalization plans. But if the president's approval ratings continue to slide, and criticism of Cheney intensifies, it could lead to some GOP soul-searching. Cheney, who has had four heart attacks, could always step aside on his own, perhaps citing health concerns, analysts suggest. That gives him a potential graceful out if he wants one.

Cheney spokesman Kevin Kellems said the vice president's health is "fine," with no recent medical developments that would affect his status. If not Cheney, who? Privately, some Republicans suggest a well-established Republican from a populous state, preferably a potential swing state. Wyoming is dependably Republican and offers just three electoral votes. Portman, actively involved in the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, said such speculation "is not based on proper analysis of whara vice president brings to the ticket." WASHINGTON (AP) Dick Cheney is only six years older than President Bush, but his long government resume and graying presence helped offset the Texas governor's lack of seasoning and foreign policy experience in 2000. Those same avuncular qualities seem less politically reinforcing now, with Bush facing a difficult re-election battle and Cheney, 63, burdened by political baggage of his own.

Allegations of profiteering in Iraq by oil services giant Halliburton, which Cheney once headed, and his frequent claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction have become standard Democratic targets. Bush strongly backs the former Wyoming congressman, who served as his father's defense secretary and President Gerald Ford's chief Of staff. But some Republicans are quietly asking whether Cheney will help or hinder the ticket among voters this November. That has raised speculation about possible Cheney replacements. Among those mentioned: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist Motorist charged with killing 2 police officers DETROIT A motorist pulled over in the middle of the night for a seemingly routine traffic stop was charged Tuesday with murder in the shooting deaths of two police officers who stopped him.

Eric Marshall kept his head down as he was led into a courtroom for an arraignment hearing. He fell to his knees as the charges were read and had to be pulled up by officers holding him. Bishop convicted in hit-and-run trial PHOENIX Bishop Thomas O'Brien was convicted of hit-and-run Tuesday for leaving the scene after killing a jaywalking pedestrian with his car, a crash that ended his career as head of the Roman Catholic diocese. O'Brien is believed to be the first Roman Catholic bishop in U.S. history to be convicted of a felony.

Construction accident kills worker at bridge STRATFORD, Conn. Two cranes collapsed Tuesday at the site of a highway bridge that is being replaced, killing a crane operator. The accident involved cranes on barges in the Housatonic River at the site of the new Sikorsky Memorial Bridge, which opened in November to replace an older bridge of the same name. It was the second fatal accident involving construction cranes in as many days. Prosecutor sues Ashcroft in terrorism case WASHINGTON A federal prosecutor in a major terrorism case in Detroit has taken the rare step of suing Attorney General John Ashcroft, alleging the Justice Department interfered with the case, compromised a confidential informant and exaggerated results in the war on terrorism.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino of Detroit accused the Justice Department of "gross mismanagement" of the war on terrorism in a lawsuit filed late Friday in federal court in Washington. Tracking evidence allowed in Peterson case REDWOOD CITY, Calif. Evidence police gathered using electronic devices that tracked Scott Peterson's movements in the weeks after his pregnant wife disappeared will be allowed in his murder trial, a judge ruled Tuesday. SOURCE: Associated Press of Tennessee; Rep.

Rob Portman of Ohio; Colorado Gov. Bill Owens; former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, now Bush's homeland security secretary; and two New Yorkers: former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Gov. George Pataki. A recent Time MagazineCNN poll showed nearly as many Americans think Cheney should be replaced as kept.

Other polls show his popularity trailing Bush's by about AP 10 percentage points. "Let's put it this way, I'd love to see Giuliani as vice president," said Jerry Roe, a Michigan historian and former state Republican party executive director. "I think Cheney's health could be a factor. And then add up all the negatives on the Halliburton thing." Few expect a midcourse ticket correction. Cheney remains popular with the GOP rank and file and with social and economic conservatives who are increasingly Arafat, Qureia in dispute over financial reforms increasingly impatient with what they see as Palestinian foot-dragging on reform, and are scaling back aid.

Financial reform is one of the Palestinian obligations under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. The road map has been stalled for months, with both Israel and the Palestinians failing to carry out the first steps. The Arafat-Qureia dispute is perhaps their most serious since the prime minister took office late last year. WORLD DIGEST By The Associated Press 5alak AP photo Maternity Children's Wear JERUSALEM (AP) A disagreement over financial reform erupted into a major dispute between Yasser Arafat and his prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, and threatens to hold up vital foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority, officials said Tuesday. The confrontation, which centered on salary payments to Palestinian security forces, is seen as a key test of Qureia's ability to clean up his government's finances.

International donor countries are becoming Afghan official: Better security needed for vote KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) A top Afghan official warned on Tuesday that security must improve in lawless regions of the south and east of the country before elections can proceed in June as planned. The comments by Foreign Minister Abdullah came as visiting Pentagon budget chief Dov Zakheim conceded that up to 1,500 soldiers had left the Afghan army. But Zakheim said the desertions had been exaggerated and that there were now more recruits than capacity to train them. Violence rages largely unabated in some regions of the country more than two years after the ouster of the hard-line Taliban regime by U.S.-led forces. U.S.

military vehicles block a highway as a U.S. soldier collects evidence Tuesday at the scene of a roadside bombing in Baghdad. There were no reports of casualties from the attack. Across Iraq roadside bombs claimed more American lives, killing three U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad and Sunni Muslim areas to the north of the capital.

U.S. announces rewards for list of key figures leading Iraq insurgency Easter Spring Wear is Arriving Daily Come in and see what the Easter Bunny brought. Gninuiood. SC 942-9700 Judge drops illegal abortion charges LISBON, Portugal A judge dropped charges Tuesday against seven women who had abortions deemed illegal in Portugal where the laws are among the strictist in Europe. Ten "accomplices" including their husbands, boyfriends, and the doctor who performed the abortions in 1997, also were cleared.

Ukraine pulls U.S.-funded Radio Liberty KIEV, Ukraine A radio station Tuesday pulled U.S.-funded Radio Liberty from its airwaves beamed across Ukraine, following through on a threat to cancel the program unless it changed its format. Last week, privately owned Radio Dovira sent a letter threatening to deny the Radio Liberty FM aktime unless it made format changes. Radio Dovira had rebroadcast the Radio Liberty's shortwave programming onto more accessible FM frequencies for five years. Gambian president: Oil found in his nation DAKAR, Senegal The Gambian president announced the discovery of "large quantities" of oil in his tiny West African nation, saying the offshore find would eliminate poverty and hunger, Gambian media reported. Latest fighting in Chechnya kills at least 10 VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia Chechen fighters clashed with federal troops and shelled a military convoy, killing at least 10 soldiers and wounding 10 others in the latest fighting in the war-battered region, an official in the Krerrilin-supported Chechen adrninistration said Tuesday.

Haitian PM says country in throes of coup PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Haiti's prime minister said Tuesday the country was in the throes of a coup and needed international help to contend with a bloody uprising that has claimed 57 lives. But the United States and France expressed reluctance to send troops to put down the rebellion. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday "there is frankly no enthusiasm right now for sending in military or police forces to put down the violence." India, Pakistan agree on timetable for talks ISLAMABAD, Pakistan r- India and Pakistan agreed Tuesday to a timetable for peace talks both sides hope will end a bitter history of enmity and mistrust, striking the deal at a closed-door meeting of diplomats at a mountain retreat not far from their disputed border region. Neither side would reveal the specifics of the timetable. (0) Thaiiks4ovpting us 1 175 S.

MXnWa JEST'S BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) The U.S. military on Tuesday issued for the first time a wanted list of dozens of key figures suspected of leading the insurgency in Iraq, including a $1 million reward for a senior Baath Party figure believed to be running guerrilla cells. In Tikrit, three Iraqis, including a 10-year-old, were killed Tuesday when a 120 mm mortar fired by U.S. soldiers landed on their house. The U.S.

base at Tikrit has been receiving fire from insurgents over the past few nights, the military said. The list of 32 wanted people included suspected cell leaders, former members of Saddam Hussein's military and regional Baath leaders thought to be helping the insurgency, said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations chief. At the top of the list, with a $1 million reward, is Mohammed Yunis al-Ahmad, a former top Baath Party official.

Rewards between $50,000 and $200,000 were offered for the others. "He is one of the former (regime) personnel we suspect of significant anti-coalition activities," Kimmitt said of al-Ahmad. "We have reason to believe he has been running cells in certain parts of this country." The military has been compiling the list as it built up a better understanding of the insurgency, Kimmitt told reporters. "Some names keep popping up," he said. Soon after Saddam's ouster in April, the military published a list of 55 most-wanted members of his regime.

All but 10 of them have been captured or killed. Not all were believed to have played major roles in the insurgency. Until now, U.S. officials have not made public a list of suspected leaders of the insurgency that erupted after the regime's collapse and has killed more American soldiers than did the invasion that toppled Saddam. The violence, blamed on Saddam loyalists and foreign Islamic militants, has persisted despite the Iraqi leader's capture in December.

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