ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <!-- saved from url=(0130)http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/article1ba9.html?cu_no=1&item_no=1017&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258 --> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Al Jazeera - objective and balanced global news coverage and analysis- Features</TITLE><!-- Mirrored from english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=1017&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2003], Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:11:59 GMT --> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-16"> <META http-equiv=Content-Type><LINK href="article-civilian-bus_files/style.css" type=text/css rel=stylesheet> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2722.900" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY leftMargin=0 topMargin=10 rightMargin=0> <DIV align=center xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <CENTER> <TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" align=left><IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/banner.gif"></TD></TR> <TR> <TD><IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/mainheader.jpg"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV> <DIV align=center> <CENTER> <TABLE id=AutoNumber2 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#999999 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=770 border=1> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE id=AutoNumber3 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=dates id=hDate dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" width="80%" bgColor=#cccccc></TD> <TD dir=ltr width="20%" bgColor=#cccccc></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE id=AutoNumber4 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=768 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width=565> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colSpan=2 height=5></TD></TR> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" colSpan=2> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=indicationLink2 vAlign=top><A class=indicationLink href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/index.html">Homepage<IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=2 border=0></A><IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0><IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0>/ <IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=2 border=0><A class=indicationLink href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/index8eb6.html?cu_no=1&amp;template_id=277&amp;temp_type=42">Features<IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0></A>/ </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=6></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD><INPUT id=item_cu_no type=hidden value=1 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=item_no type=hidden value=1017 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=version type=hidden value=1 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=date1 type=hidden value=25/03/2003 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=dateTime type=hidden value=" 6:42PM" xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=articalText type=hidden value="<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = &quot;urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office&quot; /><o:p>The United States has admitted responsibility for striking a civilian bus inside Western Iraq but added that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s government bears ultimate responsibility for the episode because of its non-compliance&amp;nbsp;with UN resolutions, according to a military spokesman at US Central Command in Doha, Qatar.</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Five Syrians were killed and 10 were hurt when a US missile struck the bus in Rutba, western Iraq, as it was returning to neighboring Syria on Sunday morning, the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA reported. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>The bus was carrying 37 Syrians when it was struck as it drove through Rutba, 160 kilometres (100 miles) from the border, it said. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;Unfortunately yesterday (Sunday) coalition forces destroyed a civilian bus during targeting of a bridge on the Iraqi side of the Syrian border,&quot; a US military spokesman said in a statement at the coalition's forward command headquarters in Qatar. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;The bridge was in the process of being hit by munitions when the civilian bus attempted to cross. The bus stopped on the bridge and was hit by munitions already released prior to the bus approaching the bridge,&quot; he said. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>But accounts by survivors of the attack who were interviewed by Syrian television conflict with this explanation. They claimed that the attack did not occur as the bus was crossing the bridge but while it was stationary and passengers were disembarking. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>One of the wounded said they were surprised by the coalition air attack which occurred at a rest stop. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;Suddenly, we heard an enormous explosion and then the noise of a plane, but we could not see it,&quot; he said. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>The Syrian foreign ministry reacted by summoning the US and British ambassadors Monday to lodge an official protest over the incident. The ministry had delivered an &quot;official protest&quot; to the two diplomats over &quot;this terrible aggression,&quot; the Syrian news agency SANA said. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>It also &quot;reserved the right to claim damages and warned against the danger of targeting innocent civilians&quot; in line with international law. SANA called the action ‘criminal’ and accused the US of contravening the “Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians in war.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Syrian Information Minister Adnan Omran said Sunday's air attack indicated that shelling was being focused on civilian cars and targets.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>&quot;This is a dangerous matter and refutes claims that they only hit military targets,&quot; Omran said. &quot;I don't know how a bus carrying people returning home and escaping bombardment and destruction can be mistaken as a military target. This is a civilian target. This is an example. There are many other targets such as houses, restaurants, gas stations and schools on the border that were damaged or destroyed.&quot;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between Syria and the United States over the US-led invasion of Iraq. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>US forces threw all hope of winning support from the Iraqi people ”out of the window” by placing the American flag on Umm Qasr “even before they controlled it,” a Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told the BBC’s Radio 4, adding that it was a horrible reminder of an occupying power.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>" xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TABLE id=AutoNumber5 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE id=AutoNumber5 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD dir=ltr width="100%"><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/xml/topics/printarticle1ba9.xml?cu_no=1&amp;item_no=1017&amp;version=1&amp;template_id=277&amp;parent_id=258"><IMG hspace=5 src="article-civilian-bus_files/print.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></A><IMG onmouseover="this.style.cursor = 'hand' ;" onclick=SendByEmail(); onmouseout="this.style.cursor = '' ;" hspace=5 src="article-civilian-bus_files/email.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=5></TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=articalTitle>US 'precision' bomb destroys civilian bus</TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=15></TD></TR> <TR> <TD id=artical vAlign=top></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=12></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width="100%" background=article-civilian-bus_files/h-dotedline-bg.gif><IMG height=1 src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=1></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD dir=ltr width="100%"><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/xml/topics/printarticle1ba9.xml?cu_no=1&amp;item_no=1017&amp;version=1&amp;template_id=277&amp;parent_id=258"><IMG hspace=5 src="article-civilian-bus_files/print.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></A><IMG onmouseover="this.style.cursor = 'hand' ;" onclick=SendByEmail(); onmouseout="this.style.cursor = '' ;" hspace=5 src="article-civilian-bus_files/email.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=5></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> if(document.all.artical) document.all.artical.innerHTML = document.all.articalText.value ; </SCRIPT> </TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD> <TD dir=ltr width=1 bgColor=#cccccc><IMG height=1 src="article-civilian-bus_files/spacer.gif" width=1 border=0></TD> <TD vAlign=top width=202> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/index.html"><IMG src="article-civilian-bus_files/homepage.gif" border=0></A></TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=8></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD></TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV><!-- Mirrored from english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=1017&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2003], Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:11:59 GMT --> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2> if( document.all.date1 ) { docDate = document.all.date1.value ; } </SCRIPT> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="article-civilian-bus_files/HomeMenu.js"></SCRIPT> </BODY></HTML>