Oil minister and spouse of 'Dr Germ' surrenders

BAGHDAD - United States forces said yesterday that they were holding Saddam Hussein's veteran Oil Minister, Amir Muhammed Rasheed, whose wife is bio-weapons scientist Rihab Taha, widely known "Dr Germ".

Rasheed surrendered yesterday, said US Central Command in Qatar. It gave no details.

He was number 47 on the US list of 55 most-wanted members of Saddam's Administration and the six of spades in a deck of cards issued to US troops hunting Iraqi leaders.

Rasheed, who ran Iraq's military industries until becoming Oil Minister in 1995, is the 14th arrest from the cards.

Taha is not in the deck but US forces are keen to interview her about her role in Saddam's alleged attempts to develop biological warfare systems.

Rasheed was last seen by journalists at Doura oil refinery on March 25, surrounded by burning pits of oil as bombs fell on nearby Baghdad.

In other developments:

* Arab television channel al-Jazeera said last night that 10 people had been killed and 70 wounded when US troops fired on a crowd in the town of Falluja, 50km west of Baghdad.

The report could not be confirmed. US Central Command said it had no information.

* US Major General Glenn Webster said military reinforcements were being moved to Baghdad to boost security.

Some 3000 to 4000 infantry and military policemen would be sent in over the next seven to 10 days.

The US already has 12,000 troops in Baghdad, with 150,000 more in other parts of Iraq.

"The coalition command is the single authority in Iraq at this time and our purpose is to provide security and stability in the country so the people of Iraq can elect their own leaders and get the country running again," said Webster.

US forces in Baghdad have reported pockets of resistance from Saddam loyalists, but Webster said the reinforcement was not connected to any specific incidents.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq