Crackdown on 'Baath' police

Iraqi police are meant to work with the occupying forces

American forces in Iraq have raided the country's main police academy and arrested 15 senior officers accused of holding secret weekly meetings in support of Saddam Hussein's Baath party.

The head of American policing in Iraq, Bernard Kerik, told reporters in Baghdad that five brigadier generals and a major-general had been arrested, and the detainees included the dean of the academy.

Mr Kerik, who is the former New York City police chief, said a crowd of more than 100 Iraqi police officers gathered outside had cheered when the men were led out in handcuffs.

The Baath Party was officially outlawed by the American-led interim Iraqi administration in the middle of May and an investigation has been launched to discover how the officers had retained their jobs.

"Members of my office received information that there was Baath party activity and Baath party meetings by several members of the Iraqi police service," Mr Kerik told reporters.

"An investigation was conducted over the next few days during which we found documents in the police academy on Baath party stationery identifying the people who were taking part," he said.

"It was very clear at that stage that there were meetings being held every week on Saturdays in the police academy, including this week."

Continuing investigation

Mr Kerik blamed intimidation by those concerned for the coalition's failure to uncover the underground sleeper cell sooner, despite the tough crackdown on the party.

Kerik: Ordinary police cheered the arrests

"I think (other police officers) knew this was going on but were afraid to come forward."

He said he could not give details of what activities the detainees had been planning, but that the investigation was continuing.

Iraqi policemen have been required to sign a denunciation form distributed by US Military Police in which the signatories agree to disavow Baath Party affiliation before being given new police uniforms.

The new uniforms represent a U-turn by the coalition after it initially said only minor changes to the old police uniforms were necessary - a position rejected by Iraqis who viewed the uniforms as too closely linked to the old regime.

Representatives of the occupying powers in Iraq say it will take a long time to root out former Baath party members.

"A lot of people are concealing their membership of the Baath party to stay in their jobs or to maintain their jobs for purposes of keeping the Baath party alive," one spokesman is quoted as saying.