A Prominent Iraqi Scientist Involved in Weapons of Mass Destruction Production Arrested

A prominent Iraqi scientist believed to be involved in Iraq's efforts to produce weapons of mass destruction has been arrested by U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq. The official stated that Huda Saleh Mahdi Ammash was detained in Baghdad. She was the fifty-third person on the list of the most wanted officials of the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein. Meanwhile, today representatives from several ethnic groups in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul elected members of the city council. This was the first election in a major Iraqi city following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Two hundred and fifty representatives cast their votes today under strict security measures imposed by U.S. forces. U.S. General David Petraeus congratulated the representatives of the ethnic groups in Mosul after the voting, stating that they took a significant step forward for Mosul and for Iraq. On the other hand, retired U.S. General Jay Garner, who is responsible for the reconstruction operations in Iraq, predicts that in the coming months, a committee composed of about nine Iraqis will take over the affairs of the country's interim government. Mr. Garner mentioned that Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress, and leaders of two major Kurdish groups are likely to be members of this committee.