"You have to help us with those people who are saying they have authority when they do not," Garner

BAGHDAD, April 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The U.S. administration running post-war Iraq said Tuesday, April 29, it was beefing up military patrols in Baghdad to increase security in the chaotic Iraqi capital.

The announcement came as Jay Garner, the retired U.S. general in charge of the country, began talks with dozens of Iraqi officials in Baghdad after delegates at a political conference Monday, April 28, said security was a top priority, Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"In the next two weeks an additional three to four thousand soldiers will move in to protect the city," Major General Glenn Webster said at a press conference with Garner before the meeting.

"We have over 12,000 soldiers serving now but, as you know better than me, this is a large and bustling city and 12,000 soldiers can be easily lost in a city this size."

He said U.S. occupation forces would be making patrols of the capital, which continues to be plagued by sporadic violence and looting three weeks after Saddam Hussein was toppled, and insisted the U.S.-led forces was the sole power in Iraq.

"All others who pretend to be authority are false," he said.

On Sunday, U.S. Central Command announced that coalition troops had arrested Mohammad Mohsen Zubeidi, a former exile who had proclaimed himself "governor" of Baghdad, because he "exercised authority he did not have".

Garner stressed that his team would be focusing on security and basic services, and asked for help from the local population to weed out would-be powers trying to stake a claim to control in the capital.

"You have to help us with those people who are saying they have authority when they do not," Garner said.

"The police have to be acceptable to you and the people of Baghdad. But that's something you, the people, have to help us with."

Early on Tuesday, 15 Iraqis were shot dead and about 50 wounded overnight when U.S. occupation forces opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators against the U.S. military presence in the town of Falluja, 30 miles west of Baghdad, only hours after U.S. President George W. Bush pledged to promote democracy in the Arab country.

The protestors also called on the U.S. forces to leave a school they stationed into in order for students to resume their studies. The capital was also saw several demonstrations over the last few days, with masses calling for the end of occupation as Saddam is now overthrown.

Ironically, Garner told the press conference that "we need all the public services back to normal. Turn on the lights, turn on the water, get the children back to school."

Gun Raid

In another related development, two U.S. infantry companies raided a huge arms market in northeastern Iraq early Tuesday, taking some nine prisoners and dozens of weapons looted from a military garrison, officers said.

Troops from the 2-8 Infantry Battalion, Fourth Infantry Division, stormed the market in central Baqubah, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Baghdad after they were tipped off by residents.
The seized weapons included mortars and assault rifles left behind when Iraqi regime troops fled their barracks in the town following the U.S.-led capture of Baghdad earlier this month.

Residents said that Baqubah witnessed three days of anarchy after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, with a sharp increase in theft and murder.

Rival Shiite Muslim paramilitaries are believed to be operating in the area, vying for control of the town and surrounding Diyala province, which has an even mix of Shiites and Sunnis.

It was the first time US regular forces had established a foothold in the province, which borders Iran.

Most of the Iraqis accused the U.S. forces did not seriously move to save the country of large waves of looting and anarchy when they drove into the capital on April 9 and only protected the Oil Ministry headquarters.

The occupation soldiers turned down the appeals of local residents calling for help against the looters, saying they have no orders, raising concerns here that  they came to the country for claiming a hand on the largest oil reserves estimated at more that 300 billion barrels a day.