AL-MALIKI TIGHTENING SECURITY IN IRAQ

The Iraq PM imposes night curfew, arms ban, ensures safe return for refugees

BAGHDAD, Feb 13 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi authorities decided Tuesday to impose night curfew from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am on individuals and vehicles in Baghdad operations area.The exact starting time of the curfew will be announced soon, Baghdad Military Commander General Abbod Kanbar quoted Iraqi Prime Minister and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Nouri Al-Maliki as saying in a statement here Tuesday....

The act provides for tough punishment for criminal and terrorist acts such as murder, stealth, rape, abduction, ravage of public or private properties, bombing, and possession of military arms or explosives.Al-Maliki's decree reasserted respect for the sanctity of all places of worship. However, it did not rule out possibility of breaking into them by security forces when necessary.

Meanwhile, the new security plan included a program ensuring safe return of Iraqi refugees and displaced persons and punishing occupants of their houses.Occupants of the houses of refugees and displaced persons have 15 days to evacuate the houses as from now and return them to their original owners, otherwise they will face tough penalties under the Iraqi Terrorism Act, Al-Maliki warned.

Ad hoc committees will be set up soon to verify the ownership documents of houses and properties of refugees and displaced persons.In his decree, Al-Maliki urged the Iraqi military and police forces to take into account the human rights while implementing the new security plan and asked the Baghdad Operations Commander to brief him weekly on the new developments.