02-14) 04:00 PST Baghdad -- The Iraqi government Tuesday launched a plan to secure a capital descending deeper into chaos, even as violence claimed the lives of more Iraqis, including people waiting in line for food handouts.
Lt. Gen. Abboud Gambar, the former naval officer appointed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to oversee the much-vaunted Baghdad security plan, announced a 72-hour closure of some border crossings along the Iranian and Syrian frontiers, restrictions on civil liberties and the suspension of weapons licenses except for permits issued to authorized security officials and contractors.
"Legal procedures will be taken and strict penalties will be imposed against all those who violate the rules," said Gambar, reading from a statement broadcast over Iraqi state television
~snip~
The plan includes a tightening of the few remaining liberties left for Iraqis in the capital, including an earlier nighttime curfew and closer scrutiny of packages, mail and electronic communications. It imposes unspecified restrictions on gatherings in public places, clubs, companies and organizations "in order to protect citizens and those working in these places."
The plan's supporters defended those restrictive elements as necessary to meet the needs of the Iraqi people.
more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/14/MNG9MO46EU1.DTL&feed=rss.news