Thousands of Iraqi Executions Alleged

The State Department said it has received credible reports that Iraq may have ordered the summary execution of “hundreds, if not thousands,” of political detainees in recent weeks. According to these reports, many of those killed were serving sentences of 15 to 20 years for such crimes as insulting the regime or membership in an opposition political party, department spokesman James Foley said. He said the U.N. special envoy to Iraq on human rights is looking into the situation. Iraq routinely prevents the envoy from visiting the country and does not permit independent inspection of the prisons where the executions are alleged to have taken place, he said.