U.S. troops withdraw from Fallujah mayor's office and disputed police station

FALLUJAH, Iraq — For the first time since U.S. forces captured Fallujah three months ago, American soldiers withdrew from the mayor's office today, the mayor said. U.S. troops also left a police station in this tense western town after Iraqi officers complained the American presence was putting them at risk.

Also today, U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer scheduled a weekend news conference where he was expected to announce the makeup of a new governing council of 25-30 prominent Iraqis. The council would be the first national Iraqi political body since the fall of Saddam Hussein, and would hopefully lead to the selection of a constitutional congress, and later elections.

A senior Western diplomat told The Associated Press earlier this month that the council would have a Shiite Muslim majority, to reflect the demographics of the country, and would also favor internal Iraqi politicians to those who returned to Iraq from exile. Women are also expected to get a prominent role.

The rearrangement of troops in Fallujah apparently aimed to lower the Americans' profile in the city where many residents have sharply opposed U.S. occupation. Mayor Taha Bedewi told the AP he hoped the reduced American troop presence around his office would help ease attacks on both Iraqi police and U.S. military personnel.

"The Americans were inside the mayor's office building to protect us, but now we have told them that the Iraqi police can handle the issue," he said. "We asked them to leave and they did so. ... I hope the attacks will stop in this city. Let us wait and see."

Attacks by pro-Saddam insurgents in recent weeks have threatened to drag Iraq's American and British occupiers into a military and political quagmire. Most of the attacks have taken place in an area north and west of Baghdad called the "Sunni Triangle," which includes Fallujah.

This afternoon there was no sign of U.S. troops anywhere in the troubled city that has been the scene of many attacks on American forces. Some residents who were out in the blistering midday sun said the city would be safer if American forces were not there.

Police Lt. Jamal Ahmed said the Americans had withdrawn from the mayor's office shortly before noon.

"We feel happy. We will do our best to protect the building," Ahmed said.

A U.S. military official in Baghdad said he had no information on American forces leaving the mayor's office.