Seven Iraqi police recruits died today as explosives packed into a utility pole near a police station went off during the graduation ceremony for the first American-trained class for a new police force. It was the latest in a series of attacks that initially focused on American and British forces in Iraq and that appear to be escalating to include Iraqi security forces cooperating with occupation forces. The blast followed by one day the release of an audio message that claimed to be from Saddam Hussein, calling on Iraqis to resist the occupation by the Americans and the British and to punish any Iraqis who cooperate with them. Iraqis on Friday had warned reporters that they had heard that a large attack was being planned for this weekend. Military officials also confirmed tonight that a freelance British journalist who had previously worked for the British television network ITN had been killed in Baghdad. A spokesman said that the body had been turned over to soldiers and that no details were available about his death. Other reports said the journalist had been shot while in a crowd outside the Iraq Museum. Full Story
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