World

U.S. Forces Poised For Violence In Iraq

December 30, 2006 / 3:39 AM EST / CBS/AP

The Pentagon said that U.S. fighting forces in Iraq are ready for any escalation of violence there in the wake of Saddam Hussein's execution in Iraq.

"U.S. forces in Iraq are obviously at a high state of alert anytime because of the environment that they operate in and because of the current security situation," said spokesman Bryan Whitman.

Whitman said U.S. forces will "obviously take into account social dimensions that could potentially led to an increase in violence which certainly would include carrying out the sentence of Saddam Hussein."

For its part, the White House declined Friday to talk about the timing of Saddam's execution.

Deputy White House press secretary Scott Stanzel, talking to reporters Friday from Crawford, Texas, where President Bush was vacationing, said the hanging of Saddam was a matter for the sovereign Iraqi government. Earlier, the White House said the appeals court decision to uphold the sentence marked an important milestone for the Iraqi people's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law.

Meanwhile, government officials said that people should be vigilant about the possibility of a terror attack associated with Saddam's execution.

But an advisory that the FBI and the Homeland Security Department sent to local law enforcement agencies and intelligence community figures was routine and did not cite any specific threat.

Intelligence and security officials in Europe, where several terror plots were thwarted earlier this year, have cited a high risk of a terror attack by Islamic militants during the holiday travel season.

"We currently have no credible, specific intelligence indicating any imminent threat against the Homeland or corroborating that individuals in the Ba'ath party or others loyal to Saddam are prepared to carry out any activities in the United States," said FBI spokesman Richard Kolke.

"As we have in the past, DHS and the FBI will continue to share our intelligence assessments with our federal, state, local, and private sector partners to keep them informed of relevant information that we receive."

The bulletin also went to state homeland security advisers, federal departments and agencies, state emergency managers and state and local law enforcement agencies.

At the Pentagon, Whitman said U.S. military forces "stay at a constant state of high readiness in Iraq and I would expect through this period they would do the same."

He wouldn't comment further on any potential troop movements to strengthen security for the execution, but said the commanders in Iraq have the ability to move forces as they deem appropriate based on conditions on the ground.

Whitman also said he wouldn't comment on anything that President Bush might be contemplating in terms of changing U.S. war policy in Iraq or in connection with the intensive administration review now under way on American strategy there.

In related developments:

Dozens of Iraqi-Americans gathered at a Detroit-area mosque to celebrate reports that Saddam Hussein had been executed. Meanwhile, some local Arab-American leaders warned that Saddam's execution would increase violence in Iraq.

December was shaping up to be one of the worst months for Iraqi civilian deaths since The Associated Press began keeping track in May 2005. Through Thursday, at least 2,139 Iraqis have been killed in war-related or sectarian violence, an average rate of about 76 people a day, according to an AP count.

The U.S. military says three more Marines have been killed in battle in Iraq. With at least 106 deaths, that makes December the deadliest month this year for American troops.

A suicide bomber killed at least nine people near a Shiite mosque north of Baghdad, and 32 tortured bodies were found across the country Friday.

American troops killed six people and destroyed a weapons cache in separate raids in Baghdad and northwest of the Iraqi capital, the U.S. military said.

Iraqi forces backed by U.S. troops entered a mosque southeast of Baghdad, capturing 13 suspects and confiscating weapons, the U.S. military also said.

A suicide bomber wearing an explosives belt detonated himself near a Shiite mosque in Khalis, 50 miles north of Baghdad, killing nine people and wounding about a dozen, police said.

Twenty-two bodies showing signs of torture were found dumped on the streets of the Iraqi capital Friday, and 10 more were found in Baqouba northeast of Baghdad, police and morgue officials said.