Protests in Tikrit over detention of Baiji refinery official

SALAH AL-DIN / IraqiNews.com: Dozens took to the streets in the city of Tikrit on Thursday to protest the detention of the Baiji refinery distribution director for three days now without apparent reasons, march organizer said. “The police detained chief engineer Taha Mahmoud Ahmed, the director of oil products distribution in Baiji, three days ago without any apparent reasons for the second time in two months,” Salah Khattab told Iraqi News. “The director’s integrity and dedicated work were the main reasons that prompted us to demonstrate and appeal to the prime minister and local officials in Salah al-Din province to intervene for his immediate release,” he added. Baiji lies 35 km north of Tikrit. Several tribal chiefs in the cities of Tirkit and Baiji took part in the march, which proceeded on Thursday afternoon on the main street in central Tikrit heading for the city hall. Tikrit, the capital city of Salah al-Din province, lies 175 km north of Baghdad. AmR (P) 1