GET READYFOR OSCARSGet everythingyou need toknow about theAcademyAwards to prepfor tonight’sshow. 1F

MARCH MADNESSThe No. 1-seeded ArizonaWildcats squeak byGonzaga with a 96-95 winin double overtime;CU’s women cruise pastBYU and will face NorthCarolina on Monday.Sports, Section C

BLIZZARD OF 2003Stories of the stranded — and moredamage — from last week’s storm:The town of Rollinsville curses andshrugs at its 87.5 inches. In Denver,many assess what could top $25million in damage after roofs and wallsbuckled under the snow.Denver & The West, 1B

3 TEENS DIEIN CRASHThree 16-year-olds fromLongmont arekilled when theircar goes outof control onInterstate 25. 1B

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Staff and wire reports

Anti-war activists throughoutthe nation and around the worldreturned to the streets Saturdayto protest the U.S.-led war in Iraq,with demonstrations underway ina number of U.S. cities, includingNew York, where a 3-mile-longmass of marchers paraded downBroadway.

New York’s rally was the larg-est, but there were other demon-strations and acts of civil disobedi-ence across the country. In Wash-ington, a few thousand peoplemarched near the White House,

chanting, “This is what democra-cy looks like.” Then, gesturing to-ward the president’s residence,they shouted, “That is what hypoc-risy looks like.”

In Salt Lake City, demonstra-tors held a “Funeral for Democra-cy,” carrying coffins they said rep-resented the death of the UnitedNations, civil liberties, and civil-ians and soldiers in Iraq.

In Chicago, about 500 war pro-testers faced 3,000 people whogathered in Federal Plaza in sup-

Please see PROTESTS on 20A

By Doug MellgrenThe Associated Press

SOUTHERN IRAQ — LanceCpl. Joseph Willems was approach-ing one of many bunkers dug intoIraq’s desert when he saw the muz-zle fire.

“I looked down and saw shots be-ing fired, and I just went ‘ooooh,’and jumped back,” said the 19-year-old Marine from Kenosha,Wis. “Saw a guy in a blue sweatshirt, and took a hip shot with mysaw.”

With his “saw” — slang for ma-chine gun — Willems killed the Ira-

qi soldier in the first action byEcho Company’s 1st Platoon of the15th Marine Expeditionary Unit af-ter it entered Iraq from northernKuwait on Friday.

“The only time I freaked waswhen I saw his eyes, and my weap-on jammed. I kept backing up andit kept jamming,” Willems said.

It was early morning. By theend of the day, Echo Company hadlost one Marine, killed five Iraqisand taken 400 prisoners.

The Marines were clearing anarea of bunkers in southern Iraq,near the port of Umm Qasr, after

scores of Iraqi soldiers surren-dered, many walking toward theAmericans in strict military for-mation under a white flag.

But there were still a few hold-outs. The Marines, covering eachother, stopped and scrambled overthe ground, repeating the move-ments as they approached eachbunker. There were bursts of gun-fire, often from machine guns, andthe heavy thud of hand grenades.

“It was very eerie,” said Lt. Will-iam Todd Jacobs, 24, of Cincin-nati. “There was smoke every-where. It’s our first time in Iraq,

and you see these four guys walk-ing toward you with their handsup. We knew they were surrender-ing.”

“But then somebody shouts,‘There’s two in the hole! There’stwo in the hole!’ ” said Jacobs, wholeads the 1st Platoon.

The Marines reacted immediate-ly, and shot both, then threw in agrenade that blew a plume of sandand black smoke out of the bunker.

“I didn’t want to get shot, so Ishot him first,” Cpl. Juan B.

Please see FRONT on 9A

GRENADE ATTACK

Blasts kill one,hurt up to 16;U.S. soldieris held. 4AHONORING THE FALLEN

Profiles ofsoldiers whohave died. 8AHEADING OUT

Fort Carsontroops prepareto depart. 18ASEEKING SOLACE

In anxioustimes, a turntoward thefamiliar. 24A

Associated Press / Franck Prevel

Activists in Paris wave an Iraqi flag, left, and a partially burned U.S.flag while protesting the U.S.-led war on Iraq. WORLD PROTESTS, 21A

Associated Press / Takanori Sekine

An Iraqi soldier is detained by Army 3rd Infantry Division troops after he surrendered Saturday at An Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. Up to 2,000 Iraqi soldiers have surrendered.

Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire

EXPANDED COVERAGEBEGINS ON PAGE 4A Marine platoon deals with death

Comrade killed during first combat that also took lives of five Iraqi soldiers

By Michael Boothand Karen AugéDenver Post Staff Writers

U.S. and British forces rolledacross the Euphrates River andpushed more than halfway to Bagh-dad on Saturday, securing southernIraqi cities and key oil facilitieswithout major bloodshed, althougha fierce tank battle and huge explo-sions from 500 cruise missileswarned of bleaker scenes ahead.

American tanks and troop carri-ers raced 200 miles north of Ku-wait, leapfrogging at least oneproblem area in Basra by sur-rounding it and moving on. Bagh-dad suffered most of the continu-ing “shock and awe” aerial cam-paign, with a new round of furiousexplosions from Tomahawk cruisemissiles and guided bombs hittingthe capital just after sunset.

Invading forces captured andcrossed an important bridgeacross the Euphrates, opening theway for a parallel race up anotherhighway toward Baghdad.

Iraqis lit pools of oil afire southof the capital city, reportedly tomake U.S. bombing runs more diffi-cult.

In Kuwait, a soldier from the101st Airborne Division was killedand 16 were wounded Sundaymorning local time when two handgrenades were thrown into the 1stBrigade technical operations cen-ter at Camp Pennsylvania, U.S.Army officials said.

An American soldier was held asa suspect, an Army spokesmansaid. The soldier, who was not iden-tified, is a member of the 101st Air-borne and was found hiding in abunker after the attack.

Max Blumenfeld, an Armyspokesman, said the soldier’s mo-tive “most likely was resentment.”

Accidental deaths continued todominate the casualty reports, astwo British navy helicopters collid-ed over the Persian Gulf, killingthe seven on board, including oneU.S. Navy officer. On Thursday,eight British and four U.S. Marinesdied when their helicopter crashedsouth of the port Umm Qasr, againwithout enemy fire anywhere inthe area.

Two U.S. Marines have died incombat: one battling Iraqi infantryin southern areas to secure an oil-pumping station, the second fight-ing near Umm Qasr.

Iraqi pronouncements said morethan 200 civilians were injured inthe waves of missile strikes onBaghdad. The Arab-language net-work al-Jazeera showed gruesomeimages of children and other al-leged casualties from bombing asforces surrounded Basra.

An apparent car bomb killed anAustralian journalist and four Ira-qis in Kurdish areas of northernIraq, where a radical Kurdishgroup with ties to al-Qaeda prom-ised terrorist strikes. Three Britishjournalists traveling on their ownwere missing in southern Iraq.

U.S. forces chief Gen. TommyFranks offered the first local brief-ing of the invasion’s progress fromCentral Command headquarters inQatar, promising the fightingwould be “unlike any other in histo-ry.” Franks described both the suc-cess of seeing hundreds of Iraqis ata time heeding U.S. leaflets to sur-render in mass formation, and thegrief from even limited casualtiesas pockets of Iraqi forces put up afight.

“There may be tough timesahead,” Franks said.

President Bush, in his weekly ra-

Please see WAR on 4A

Allies take cities, oil sites;troops halfway to Baghdad

Forces racetoward capital,but tank clashcauses concern

Tens of thousands in U.S.hit streets, decry attacks

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Academyhauntedby cultureof distrustRape victims’ treatment leadsto calls for fundamental change

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Friends of teen victimsgather at scene of crash

Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire

LETTING SAFETY SLIDEWhat makes skiers and snow-boarders risk injury or death inavalanche areas? Often, just thethrill of the ride. 1B

BRICKLAYING NBAThe struggling Denver Nuggets’anemic scoring illustrates how faroffense has plunged in the NationalBasketball Association. 1C

A BOLD VISIONWith his dramatic plans forrebuilding the Twin Towers,architect Daniel Libeskind capturedthe international spotlight. 8A

The Denver Post / Craig F. Walker

A young jockey prods his camel toward the finish line at the third annual Kuwait Championship. Most jockeys are from outside Kuwait.

By Bill BriggsDenver Post Sports Writer

COLORADO SPRINGS — LloydWard resigned Saturday as head ofthe U.S. Olympic Committee, end-ing a scandal-torn, 16-month reignmarked by a staff mutiny and re-lentless criticism from everyonefrom senators to sponsors.

At least three of Ward’s lieuten-ants also were asked to step downSaturday by Sen. Ben NighthorseCampbell, who wants “a cleanslate” at the top of the embattledUSOC.

“Lloyd Ward did the right thing,”said Campbell, a Colorado Republi-can and one of three senators leading a congressionaloverhaul of the organization. “It seems to me whoev-er he brought in on his management team shouldfollow suit.”

Ward will receive no compensation package, unlike16 former USOC officials who were paid a total of$4.5 million in severance over the past two years,records show. Ward will get one year of medical bene-fits and a laptop computer.

Since January, Ward has been dogged by six ethics

Please see USOC on 10A

By Amy Herdy, Erin Emery and Miles MoffeitDenver Post Staff Writers

AIR FORCE ACADEMY — At the academy, fe-male cadets who have been raped face a culture thatcommonly neglects and even vilifies them for report-ing the crime.

The academy itself has described an environmentthat can be “offensive, intimidating or threatening towomen.” That was a decade ago, in a survey of ca-dets.

More than two dozen interviews with current andformer cadets, military officials including the secre-tary of the Air Force, parents, counselors and expertsindicate little has changed.

Women are offered little counsel or support if theyare attacked. They live in a realm in which upper-classmen wield great power. Their complaints oftenare sidetracked, or their own behavior is used againstthem. They sometimes remain in close quarters withthe men who raped them.

The atmosphere is so bad, said former cadet LibbySaum, “they need to prepare freshman female cadetsfor being raped, if not physically, then mentally.”

And the leadership of the academy, while express-ing concern about sexual assault, rarely takes strongenforcement action against attackers, and is so dis-trusted that many women seek outside, civilian help.

“Clearly, we’ve got a problem, and we need to fixit,” said Lt. Gen. John Dallager, superintendent of theacademy. “The entire military atmosphere and theatmosphere within the Air Force and at the Air ForceAcademy is built upon trust and confidence. And, inmy view, that is a character issue.”

Please see ACADEMY on 6A

By John IngoldDenver Post Staff Writer

A day after three Chatfield HighSchool students died in a devastat-ing car accident, their friends,neighbors and families trudgedthrough a biting wind and snow tolay flowers, teddy bears and otherremembrances at the crash site.

Some came alone Saturday, hold-ing single bouquets of flowers. Oth-ers came in groups, in large vansand caravans of cars.

All came with questions.“They were just the nicest guys,”

14-year-old Bailey Parker said ofthe two boys who died in the crash.“And it’s, like, why did this have tohappen to them?”

The three teenagers — a

15-year-old boy, a 15-year-old girland a 14-year-old boy — all diedat the scene of the crash, on KenCaryl Avenue just west of Conti-nental Divide Road. It was the sec-ond fatal crash involving Chatfieldstudents this year.

Among those killed in Friday’saccident was 15-year-old MichaelHeykoop, an avid basketball play-er and a ready learner, his familysaid.

“I think the biggest thing aboutMichael, he was contagious,” saidHeykoop’s sister, Virginia. “He hada contagious smile, a contagiouslaugh. When Michael was aroundand you were having a bad day,

Please see DEATHS on 16A

By Erik EckholmThe New York Times

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — KhalidShaikh Mohammed, suspected of plan-ning the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on NewYork and Washington and one of theFBI’s most wanted terrorists, was ar-rested by Pakistani authorities on Satur-day morning, officials here said.

After he was interrogated by Paki-stani officials, Mohammed was handed

over to the United States and taken toan undisclosed location out of the coun-try, a senior Pakistani official told TheAssociated Press today.

The arrest represents a major victo-ry in the U.S.-led global search for piv-otal leaders of al-Qaeda — the menwho planned the suicide hijacking at-tacks on the World Trade Center andPentagon, and other terrorist acts.

It was also the most prominent ar-rest yet in Pakistan, where more than

400 al-Qaeda suspects have been de-tained in a cooperative effort that hasopened President Pervez Musharraf tocriticism from Islamic political forcesat home.

“We have finally apprehended KhalidShaikh Mohammed,” Musharraf spokes-man Rashid Qureshi said late Saturday.“He is the kingpin of al-Qaeda.”

In Washington on Saturday, the WhiteHouse issued a statement praising Paki-stani and U.S. officials for what it

called a joint operation in capturing Mo-hammed.

“Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is one ofOsama bin Laden’s most senior and sig-nificant lieutenants, a key al-Qaedaplanner and the mastermind of theSept. 11 attacks,” said the statement,issued by Ari Fleischer, the WhiteHouse press secretary.

Officials suspect that Mohammed

Please see ARREST on 27A

Saddled with a risky rideChild jockeys key to sport of camel racing in the Kuwaiti desert

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‘If they are above 10 years old, they will not take them. Once they turn 12, they send them home.’

M.D. Zahuruislam, trainer in Kuwait camel racing stables, on the child jockeys

By Jim HughesDenver Post Staff Writer

SULAIBIYA, Kuwait — When they are notworking, the little Sudanese boys crouch in thesand outside the gates of the Kuwait Camel Rac-ing Club, playing at their work.

Most of them are barefoot. Some wear socks.Each has a thin white leash on his right wrist,dragging the attached riding switch through thesand. When they argue, the boys brandish thesesticks like swords. They make toys from trash,which is strewn among the sand. Some pick upplastic grocery bags, hold them open and releasethem to the wind — kites without strings. Or turn

cardboard boxes into trucks They also take turnssitting astride milk crates.

They bounce and bounce, whipping their plasticmounts until they crack. They move around onthe sand, making the appropriate noises withtheir mouths.

“Hit it with the stick! Hit it with the stick!” oneexcited boy yells from atop the dune.

Usually, it is the men yelling, hoping one oftheir expensive racing camels will carry a smallboy around the club’s track fast enough to winthem a sterling silver sword, cash or, best of all, acar.

These boys are professional camel jockeys.

The Kuwaitis for whom these Sudanese boysrace refer to them in Arabic as “chicks.” They arethe subjects of complaints from human rights ad-vocates, who say young children should not be putastride large animals for sport. They allege thatsome camel jockeys essentially are slaves, soldinto the sport from poor countries like Sudan and,more often, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Men involved in the sport here say camel rac-ing allows these boys to keep in touch with a richpart of their history and culture.

A sprawling neighborhood of white canvas tents

Please see RACING on 24A

WAR WATCHMissiles destroyed: Iraq beginsdestroying its Al Samoud 2missiles, as ordered by the UnitedNations. 27AU.S. troops rejected: Turkey’sparliament deals a blow to U.S.war plans by refusing to letAmerican troops begin preparationsto open a northern front. 27AArab summit: The United ArabEmirates calls for Saddam Husseinto go into exile. 22A

Ward: Head ofUSOC had beendogged by sixethics scandals.

EmbattledUSOC chiefWard resigns

‘Kingpin of al-Qaeda’ arrestedPakistan turns over suspected planner of 9/11 attacks to U.S.

Mohammed:One of threeterror suspectsarrested Satur-day in Pakistan.

The Denver Post / Karl Gehring

Students from Deer Creek Middle School gather Saturday at the scene of anaccident on Ken Caryl Avenue that killed three Chatfield High students.

Sunday, March 2, 2003 · News updates at DenverPost.com 66 $1.00 — May vary outside metro Denver

THE DENVER POST

By Michael Booth and Kevin SimpsonDenver Post Staff Writers

addam Alwan Jabar was liberated by American troops justin time to help clean up the lawlessness that Saddam Hus-sein’s overthrow created in the streets of Baghdad.

“We want two things,” said Jabar, 55, a garbage man whowas making his rounds voluntarily, with his young sons asassistants, because he could no longer stand the stench fromthe trash piling up in his neighborhood. “We want Americato get back our (everyday) security. And we want a new

government run only by the Iraqi people.”Thank you.Now get out.It is a concise, sharply worded conclusion to an American invasion that

signaled a revolution in U.S. foreign policy and ousted the Middle East’smost brutal dictatorship.

But those who sacrificed to make it so refuse to grow cynical quite thatquickly.

Sharon Hoffstetter of Colorado Springs has been married to a militaryman for 12 years and has been with him for only four. Lt. John Hoffstet-ter, an Army flight surgeon, is lucky to call home from Iraq once a week.

Don’t sully the sacrifices of her husband, or the good intentions of theUnited States, with petty second-guessing, Sharon Hoffstetter said. Johnhas missed precious years with his 10-year-old daughter, Ashley, to givefreedom to 10-year-old girls half a world away.

“If a nation of little girls can now be educated and grow up without

fear, then it is worth it,” she said. “How can you put a value on that? Isthat worth one life? Two? A hundred? If my husband had died, it wouldstill have been worth it.”

The takeover of Iraq reflected all this: American idealism, worldwidewariness, Arab apprehensions.

America’s unmatched military forces put muscle to a bold new policy ofpreventive warfare, smashing through punchless Iraqi troops, dishearten-ing many on the streets from Cairo to Tehran and boosting Pentagonadvisers who argue the best U.S. defense is a swift, wide-ranging offense.

President Bush removed Hussein from power without the painful mili-tary morass, domestic terrorist strikes or Middle East uprising predictedby many critics. Armed forces transformed by precision air strikes tookall of Iraq at the cost of far fewer American lives than the 1991 Gulf War.Bush declared an end to the fighting last week.

Twenty-four million Iraqis appeared grateful for the largely accurateand lightning-fast use of American force to liberate them but quicklyturned sour about chaotic looting and the heavy hand of what some calledan imperial occupation.

Now comes the challenge of Americans finding an attention span longenough to make lasting changes in the Middle East. U.S. aid officialsstarted planning the reconstruction of Iraq before their colleagues in themilitary had even begun deconstructing it. But the wilting U.S. economydemands attention, even as troops continue to search Iraq’s deserts andpalaces for the weapons of mass destruction that Bush used to justify his

Associated Press / Laurent Rebours

Marine Cpl. Edward Chin of New York drapes a U.S. flag over a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad’s Firdos Square on April 9. The flag was removed before the statue was toppled.

M O N D A Y , M A Y 5 , 2 0 0 3 S E C T I O N E

S

A regime removed,a promise to keep

After ousting Hussein, the U.S. shapes Iraq’s futureunder pressure to tread lightly and leave quickly

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

S P E C I A L R E P O R T

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U.S. soldiers pull Saddam Hussein from hole in ground

SnowHigh 32, low 14Complete weather, 8B

By John Aloysius FarrellDenver Post Staff Writer

U.S. forces hauled Saddam Hussein outof a crude underground hiding placenear Tikrit and took him into custodyover the weekend, announcing his cap-ture as many Americans awoke earlySunday morning to televised proclama-tions of “We got him.”

Widely broadcast video of an unkemptand wild-haired Hussein meekly submit-ting to physical examinations by his cap-tors was expected to boost the spirits ofcoalition forces, reinforce respect forAmerican power in the region and reas-sure the uncertain Iraqi people, many ofwhom feared that the dictator mightsomeday return to power.

“I have a message for the Iraqi peo-ple,” President Bush said in a televisedaddress at midday Sunday from theWhite House. “You will not have to fearthe rule of Saddam Hussein ever again.… In the history of Iraq, a dark and pain-ful era is over.”

Some 600 soldiers tracked Hussein toa dirt hole 8 feet deep outside a farm-house near his hometown, capturing theelusive dictator without firing a shot.The 66-year-old former Iraqi leader wastaken captive after 8 p.m. Baghdad timeon Saturday by members of the Army’s4th Infantry Division, acting on informa-tion gleaned during U.S. questioning ofmembers of a family “close to him,”Army Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, command-er of the division, said during a briefing.

The small compound near the villageof Adwar is about 10 miles southeast ofHussein’s hometown of Tikrit, generallyconsidered the seat of resistance in thecountry. The immediate area containedtwo farmhouses, a farmer’s field, asheep pen and a hut in the middle whereHussein was hiding. It was close to theTigris River, and soldiers found boatsnearby, Odierno said.

The bedroom of the two-room hut con-tained one chair, one bed and “lots ofclothes strewn all over the place,” Odier-no said. A rudimentary kitchen had asink with running water and an area tocook in. The hole where Hussein wasfound was outside the structure. Odiernosaid a Styrofoam insert and a rug cov-ered the opening, which were then cov-

SEE HUSSEIN ON 20A

By Beth PotterSpecial to The Denver Post

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Many Iraqis took to the streetsSunday after the announcement that U.S. forces hadcaptured Saddam Hussein.

Bursts of gunfire heralded the news from morningthrough the lunch hour as word spread like wildfire.Some children and young people danced. Drivershonked their horns.

But most were not out to celebrate. Instead, asevening fell, hundreds of drivers waiting in miles-longlines to buy gas gathered in small groups to discussthe previously unthinkable situation.

For many, news of the capture was bittersweet.Because Hussein’s Baath Party ruled with an iron fistfor 35 years, it was shocking to hear he had beenhiding in a hole. Some people said they were sur-prised he had not committed suicide or come outshooting.

“Saddam now seems like a normal person,” saidKhalid Issa, 48, a construction foreman. “I’m not surehow to feel.”

Others questioned whether the disheveled man theysaw on television with the long beard really was Hus-sein.

“How long does it take to do a DNA test?” asked

SEE IRAQIS ON 27A

‘WE GOT HIM’‘A dark and painful erais over,’ Bush tells Iraqis

Tyrant faces interrogationand war-crimes prosecution

Capture unlikely to endinsurgency, experts caution

By John Aloysius Farrelland Mike SoraghanDenver Post Staff Writers

WASHINGTON — President Bush, whoplayed the capture of Saddam Husseinstraight and somber Sunday, appeared toget a short-term political boost from theweekend’s events.

But political experts cautioned thatBush’s gain could be only temporary. Iraqstill holds dangers for American soldiersand foreign policy. And others, not Hus-sein, threaten the United States with terror-ism.

Several of Bush’s Democratic rivals,meanwhile, immediately attacked one oftheir own, front-runner Howard Dean, whoopposed the war in Iraq.

The president, who offered brief, earnestremarks Sunday, could let the nonstop tele-vision coverage of the developments in Iraqspeak for him.

“In talking to the president this morning”Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.,said on “Fox News Sunday,” “he made itvery clear … that politics has nothing, noth-ing, nothing to do with today … that todayis a celebration for the Iraqi people.”

As Bush himself found out this year,events can turn quickly. In May, theflight-suited president landed on an aircraftcarrier off the California coast, a prominentbanner declaring “mission accomplished.”

Seen as a public relations coup then, itincreasingly looked boorish and self-promot-ing as the American death toll in Iraqclimbed.

“Unlike the gloating flyboy” of May, Bushacted with restraint this weekend, Demo-cratic pollster Peter Hart said. “I think he

SEE BUSH ON 23A

By Eric SchmittThe New York Times

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The hunt for Sadd-am Hussein had become a maddeningchallenge.

Eleven times in the past severalmonths, members of a brigade combatteam from the Army’s 4th Infantry Divi-sion thought they had a bead on Husseinand launched raids to kill or capturehim, only to come up emp-ty, sometimes missingtheir man by only a mat-ter of hours, military offi-cials in Baghdad said.

But at 8:26 p.m. Iraqtime on Saturday, lessthan 10 hours after receiving a decisivetip from a member of his tribal clan, 600U.S. soldiers and special-operations forc-es backed by tanks, artillery and Apachehelicopter gunships surrounded two ru-ral farmhouses and near one of themfound Hussein hiding alone at the bottomof an 8-foot hole. He surrendered with-out a shot.

“He could have been hiding in a hun-dred different places, a thousand differ-ent places like this all around Iraq. Itjust takes finding the right person whowill give you a good idea where he mightbe,” Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno, com-mander of the 4th Infantry Division, toldreporters at his headquarters in Tikriton Sunday.

In recent weeks, U.S. officials hadstarted a new analytical effort to drawup a list of people likely to be hidingHussein. The list included bodyguards,former palace functionaries, tribal lead-ers and others not prominent on previ-

SEE CAPTURE ON 20A

Associated Press

Deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is shown on television Sunday after his capture near Tikrit. Hussein was said to be disoriented when U.S. forces found him.

Boost for Bush could prove fleeting How theyfound him:Tip was key

INSIDEAnatomy ofthe capture.21A

Iraqis react with mix of cheers and questions

Los Angeles Times / Carolyn Cole

Eight-year-old Hiba Ahmen Qusai celebrates with her family Sunday night infront of the Iraqi Communist Party headquarters in Baghdad. Most Iraqis weremore subdued in their reaction to the news of Saddam Hussein’s capture.

RISE AND FALLHUSSEIN’S RULEChronicling Saddam Hus-sein’s ruthless rule of Iraq,from his rise to power fromthe nation’s Cabinet in1968 to his unceremoniousfall this year during a U.S.-led war. 22A

REACTIONJOY AND CAUTIONHow the world is reactingto the capture of SaddamHussein — from Baghdadto Colorado. 25A, 27A-29A

INSURGENCEWHAT’S AHEADFormer dictator may hold avaluable key to stemmingthe tide of opposition to theIraq reconstruction. 26A

VIOLENCEBOMBING KILLS 17Suicide car bombing out-side a Baghdad policestation kills 17; anotherblast strikes early today inBaghdad. 30A

COMPLETE COVERAGE20A-30A

MONDAY

December 15, 2003 66 50¢ — May vary outside metro Denver

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PERFECTLY AGEDRANDY JOHNSON OLDESTTO PITCH PERFECT GAME> SPORTS, SECTION D

Commission prescribes “profound changes” for CU athletics

Reportpinsblameat topTharp, Byynyharshly scoldedLeaders from Hoffman ondown are faulted for nothalting the use of sex andalcohol to lure recruits.

Dry and sunny: Mild state-wide with thunderstormsin the mountains. > 8B

What the investigative panel said about Hoffman, Byyny, Tharp and BarnettFrom the Independent Investigative Commission’s report on top officials at the University of Colorado:

Betsy HoffmanUniversity president

“Regents … should evalu-ate whether Hoffman canprovide the leadership andvision needed to restorethe University’s integrityand reputation. As the Uni-versity’s chief administra-tor, Hoffman failed to exer-cise sufficient oversight un-til pressured by the gover-nor and lawmakers.”

Richard ByynyCU-Boulder chancellor

“Byyny failed to followthrough on his directivesto increase controls and su-pervision of recruits first in1997 and again in 2001. Heallowed the Athletic De-partment to operate autono-mously for years, and con-sequently failed to imple-ment the University’s stat-ed goal of putting academ-ics above winning on theplaying field.”

Dick TharpAthletic director

“Tharp evaded and ig-nored repeated directivesto implement policy chang-es and failed to place appro-priate boundaries aroundthe football coach. (He) es-poused a philosophy of‘plausible deniability’ whenfaced with accusations ofmisconduct by student-ath-letes and employees; isolat-ed himself from his staffand has not given his full at-tention to his responsibili-ties. …”

Gary BarnettHead football coach

“Barnett has been widelypraised for being a strongleader and a firm discipli-narian. He continues, how-ever, to resist some recruit-ing changes and demon-strates an unproductive de-fensive attitude. He and hiscoaching staff provided in-sufficient supervision of re-cruits, and he did not fol-low proper protocols re-garding sexual assault andsexual harassment on atleast two occasions.”

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Brutal interrogation in IraqFive detainees’deaths probed

“VERY TROUBLING”

Pentagon records providethe clearest view yet of theU.S. tactics used at AbuGhraib and elsewhere tocoax secrets from Iraqis.

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Panel makes case for national reformsBig money and a recruiting“arms race” are cited asdamaging to college sports.

HIGH LOW

Catholics vote with walletson bishop’s Communion banOne prominent donor says he willwithhold $100,000, but othersdouble their contributions.

John Leyba The Denver Post

Ric Kethcart leads efforts to revoke big gifts to the Colorado Springs dio-cese after its bishop linked Communion access to voting decisions.

By Alicia CaldwellDenver Post Staff Writer

The panel investigating the Uni-versity ofColorado’s recruiting prac-tices did more than criticize a cul-ture of easy sex and alcohol: Itoffered a broad blueprint for theretooling of college athletics across

the country.The CU report asserts that inter-

collegiate athletics is a troubled uni-verse, driven by a recruiting “armsrace” and compromised by big mon-ey. And while it offered little evi-dence to buttress those claims, thereport recommends that the NCAAbe encouraged to adopt nationwidereforms.Those reforms include the return

to a rule prohibiting freshmen fromplaying on varsity squads, eliminat-ing financial incentives for coaches

who win, making coaches account-able for off-the-field player behaviorand possible NCAA sanctions if un-derage student athletes are caughtdrinking alcohol.Wally Renfro, senior adviser to

theNCAA president, discounted thepanel’s recommendations as lackingrelevance to the NCAA’s mission.“To some degree, they reflected

the lack of understanding of the roleof the NCAA,” Renfro said. “You

> See NCAA on 21A

ByMiles MoffeitDenver Post Staff Writer

Brutal interrogation tech-niques by U.S. military person-nel are being investigated inconnectionwith the deaths of atleast five Iraqi prisoners inwar-zonedetention camps, Pen-tagon documents obtained byThe Denver Post show.The deaths include the killing

inNovember of a high-level Ira-qi general who was shoved intoa sleeping bag and suffocated,according to the Pentagon re-port. The documents contradictan earlier Defense Departmentstatement that said the generaldied “of natural causes” duringan interrogation. Pentagon offi-cials declined to comment onthe new disclosure.Another Iraqimilitary officer,

records show, was asphyxiatedafter being gagged, his handstied to the top of his cell door.Another detainee died “whileundergoing stress technique in-terrogation,” involving smother-ing and “chest compressions,”according to the documents.Details of the death investiga-

tions, involving at least four dif-ferent detention facilities includ-ing the Abu Ghraib prison, pro-vide the clearest view yet intowar-zone interrogation rooms,where intelligence soldiers andother personnel have some-times used lethal tactics to try tocoax secrets from prisoners, in-cluding choking off detainees’

> See PRISONERS on 19A

Insurgency: Shiite cleric urgesradical militia and U.S. troops towithdraw from holy cities. > 15A

Plan: Iraq “underestimated.” > 17A

By Jim HughesDenver Post Staff Writer

There is “no clear evidence”University of Colorado officialsendorsed theuseof sex andalco-hol to recruit football players,the independent commission in-vestigating CU’s football scan-dal has found.But university leaders at sev-

eral levels failed to stop playersassigned as hosts for visitinghigh school recruits from using“sex, alcohol anddrugs…as foot-ball recruiting tools,” the com-mission says in its final report.The report, given to the CU

Board of Regents on Mondayand released publicly Tuesday,sharply criticizes athletic direc-tor Dick Tharp, CU-Boulderchancellor Richard Byyny, CUpresident Betsy Hoffman andfootball coach Gary Barnett.“The university’s leadership

must be held accountable forsystemic failings that jeopar-dized students’ safety and al-lowed for ongoing misconductin the football recruiting pro-gram,” the report says.But one regent said he did not

think the case was made for thedismissal of any CU officials.With some exceptions, the re-

port mostly certifies previouslyreported facts and allegations.It goes on to offer broad recom-mendations for increasing theoversight of athletics and formaking officials throughout theuniversity more responsive toallegations of sexual assault andsexual harassment.

> See CU on 21A

Big change:Former CUpresidentblendsVanderbilt’sathletics intothe rest of theuniversity.> 20A

Woody Paige:It’s time for CUto clean houseat the top. > 1D

By Eric GorskiDenver Post Staff Writer

A prominent donor to the ColoradoSprings Roman Catholic Diocese is lead-ing a charge to revoke large gifts to thedio-cese unless the bishop reverses his Com-munion clampdown on Catholic voters.In a scathing “open letter” to Bishop

Michael Sheridan, Parker lawyer and busi-nessman Ric Kethcart says Sheridan’sstance hearkens back to McCarthyismand threatens his flockmore than the cler-

gy abuse scandal.Kethcart, a central figure in the dio-

cese’s Douglas County fundraising, isthreatening to revoke a $100,000 pledge tohis Highlands Ranch parish’s buildingproject and is enlisting others to take simi-lar steps.“We don’t penalize people for standing

back and letting other people seriouslymake their own judgments on moral is-sues as long as they properly consider allelements,” said Kethcart, a longtime sup-porter of Colorado Democrats. He sharedthe letterwith other prominent lay Catho-lics and some clergy.Peter Howard, Sheridan’s executive as-

> See CATHOLICS on 10A

By Jeffrey LeibDenver Post Staff Writer

The team investigating Satur-day’s fatal girder collapse askedTuesday for additional techni-cal help from the U.S. Occupa-tional Safety andHealthAdmin-istration as members continuedto sort through possible causesof the tragedy.“We’ve been requested by

(the National TransportationSafety Board) to give themsome technical assistance in theinvestigation,” said John Healy,OSHAarea director in the agen-cy’s Englewood office.A local OSHA representative

joined accident task forcemem-bers in Tuesday’smeetings, andan engineering specialist fromOSHA’s Washington, D.C.,headquarterswill arrive inDen-ver later this week to help withthe investigation, Healy said.Today, investigators were ex-

pected to begin in-depth inter-

> See GIRDER on 19A

Investigatorsseek OSHA’shelp in probeof girder fall

Findings: Complete summary ofthe investigation into athleticrecruiting practices at theUniversity of Colorado. > 20A

W E D N E S D A Y , M A Y 1 9 , 2 0 0 4

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BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPSDU hammers North Dakota 4-1 for national hockey title > 1B

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ReportsconcealschoolfightsRecord-keeping quirkshide violence, injuriesSchool Accountability Reports formany districts list few “fights/assaults,”but police records tell a different story.So do the parents of injured students.

Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire

Back to winter: Cold, withup to a foot of snow in themetro area. > 7C

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South of Baghdad, Iraq

Hot gravel crunching be-neath their boots, Pfc.NicholasSauceda and sev-en fellow soldiers gath-eredaround thebrokenen-

gine of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle onThursdayafternoon.Theyran their fin-gers over themetal searching for an oilleak.Their eyelids hung heavy after a

nighttime mission that had themgrinding along roads in gun-mounted Humvees outsidetheir camp here, in an area military commanders say hasexperienced increased attacks on U.S. troops by insur-gents — up to 72 a day.Sauceda and crew are among up to 5,200 Colorado-

based troops in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment start-ing their second stint in Iraq. As they gathered around theBradley, they could have been catching up on sleep, butthe soldiers — scouts trained for a variety of duties, in-cluding providing security for regimental commanderCol. H.R.McMaster— prefer just about anything, includ-

ing engine repair, to sitting behindsandbags on their rickety green cots.“I just want to get it through

with,” said Sauceda, 21, of Phoenix.“And the busier we are, the faster itgoes by.”With the possibility of running

across improvised explosive devic-es, or IEDs, never far from theirminds, and with occasional burstsof small-arms fire and mortar thudsin the distance, some of the troops

have modest goals for this tour in Iraq.Spec. Arturo Lopez, 20, of Mission, Texas, said: “Just

hope I don’t get blown up.”Here for about a month, Sauceda has already written

five letters, used up eight 550-minute phone cards, andmailed a Kuwaiti blanket and ring to his fiancée, MeganBlanton, 19, a first-year student at theUniversity of Colo-rado at Boulder.“It’s not likewedon’twant to think about home,” Sauce-

> See IRAQ on 10A

Move “drivesstake into”Qwest’s heartVerizon buys out MCI’s leadingshareholder in a quick counterstrike.Qwest refuses to concede defeat.

DISPATCHES FROM IRAQ | On the ground with the Fort Carson-based 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

Working, waiting, worrying

How to reach us:Switchboard: 303-820-1010Directory on Page 7C

3RD ARMOREDCAVALRY REGIMENT

BY THE NUMBERS

5,200troops

5.5%are women

60%have been in Iraq before

400had three-week coursesin Arabic to help them

communicate with Iraqis

John Paul’s legacy takespriority, cardinal saysDenver’s archbishop-turned-cardinal James Stafford saysage and nationality aresecondary in choosing a pope.

HIGH LOW

Sgt. Erik Houghton, left, examines the engine of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle that broke downwith an oil leak. Up to 5,200 Fort Carson-based

troops in the 3rd Armored Cavalry are on their second Iraq tour; they say their work is difficult and dangerous, but it beats sitting around.

Toby Melville The Associated Press

Britain’s Prince Charles and his new wife, Duchess Cam-

illa, leave St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

By Ross WehnerDenver Post Staff Writer

Verizon slammed Qwest with a surprisepunch Saturday, buying out MCI’s largestshareholder, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim,for $1.1 billion.The move was a quick counteroffensive to

Qwest’s announcement Friday that sharehold-ers holding a majority of MCI stock preferredits bid for MCI over Verizon’s.“This drives a stake into the heart of Qwest,”

said Pat Comack, an analyst with Zachary In-vestment Research in Miami. “Verizon wantsthis war to stop now, and they are willing topay for it.”SomeofMCI’s largest shareholderswho sup-

ported Qwest on Friday are now on the fence.“I would have to seriously consider Veri-

zon’s offer,” said Bruce Berkowitz, whoseFairholme Capital Management controls 3.4percent of MCI. “We’re in an auction, and thenext move is Qwest’s.”Denver-based Qwest isn’t conceding defeat.Sources close to the company said that it

may file a proxy statement for a hostile take-over early this week and that Qwest has thecash, financial backing and willpower to in-crease its offer to $9.75 billion, or $30 a share.

> See QWEST on 10A

By David OlingerDenver Post Staff Writer

Five girls ambushed Monica Nealy outsideher high school in themiddle of the afternoon.One asked if she liked pain — and knocked

her to the groundwith a blow to her head. Theothers held her down, pulled up her sweaterand burned her with a cigarette.Then they told the terrified 10th-grader that

they knew where she lived and when shewould be alone.Monica never returned to Aurora Central

High School. “They burned me on my handand on my stomach,” she said, leaving scarsshe can still see. “I was kind of scared to evenwalk outside.”Aurora police considered the attack onMon-

ica an aggravated assault. But in its yearly re-port to parents, Aurora Central said therewere no assaults or fights during the 2003-04school year.Parents got the same report from every oth-

er high school in Aurora: There were no as-saults or fights last year.Colorado requires that schools provide to

all parents a yearly report — called a SchoolAccountability Report — that is supposed to

> See ASSAULTS on 6A

Story by Bruce Finley, Denver Post Staff Writer | Photos by Craig F. Walker, Denver Post Staff Photographer

Prince Charles’ mistress becomeshis wife in simple civil ceremony

By Eric GorskiDenver Post Staff Writer

Rome — Cardinal James FrancisStafford will carry much with himeight days from now when he andhis colleagues file into the SistineChapel and begin secret delibera-tions to choose the next pope of theRoman Catholic Church.He will carry the memory of an

elderly blackwoman from theBalti-more projects whom hemet duringhis time as archbishop there. Eachmorning she would wake to thesound of a rooster crowing in aneighbor’s yard, and she wouldpray. The cardinal calls the womanone of the great human beings hehas met and “a pillar for my life.”He says he will carry “the rock ’n’

roll of Elvis Presley” from his expe-rience as bishop in Memphis.Andhewill carrywith himButter-

fly Hill in Cherry Creek State Parkoutside Denver, the site of theWorld Youth Day Mass celebratedby Pope John Paul II in 1993 andStafford’s crowning achievementin his 10 years as Denver archbish-op.In a two-hour interviewwith The

Denver Post at his Vatican resi-dence Friday night, Stafford said hefeels the weight of expectations ofthe world’s Catholics as he pre-pares for the historic task beforehim and 114 other cardinal electors.“We need to know the people of

the church are praying for us,”Stafford said. “And knowing that,we experience the church as a de-mocracy. Hundreds and hundredsof people in the lastweek have indi-cated, ‘We’re praying for you.’ Thatgivesme a sense of further responsi-

> See STAFFORD on 4A

S Y R I A

J O R D A N

S A U D I A R A B I A

K U W A I T

I R A N

T U R K E Y

Baghdad

I R A Q

By Glenn FrankelThe Washington Post

Windsor, England — PrinceCharlesmarried his longtime lover,Camilla Parker Bowles, on Satur-day in a relatively simple civil cere-mony at the 17th-century Guildhallhere, surrounded by about 30 closerelatives and friends.Thousands of spectators, many

waving Union Jacks, lined thestreet and cheered as the couple ar-rived and again when they cameout of the hall’s double red doors atabout 12:50 p.m. (5:50 a.m. MDT).However, a smattering of boos

was heard, too.The wedding came more than

seven years after the death of

> See WEDDING on 11A

S U N D A Y , A P R I L 1 0 , 2 0 0 5

S DENVERPOST.COM | © THE DENVER POST | | $1.00 may vary outside metro denver | ÁÁ

DISPATCHES FROM IRAQAn occasional series

Denver Post photographerCraig F.Walker and reporter Bruce Finley ar-rived in Iraq last week to report onthe men and women of the Fort Car-son-based 3rdArmoredCavalryReg-iment as they begin their second de-ployment to Iraq.The troops of the 3rd ACR trained

at Fort Carson; some areColoradans.Finley and Walker will bring theirIraq experiences and individual sto-ries to readers, starting today.

Bruce Finley, 43, international af-fairs writer for The Post, has report-ed from 30 countries and has madethree trips to Iraq. He filed dispatch-es from seven Arab countries afterthe Sept. 11 attacks, and has reportedfrom the Pakistan-Afghanistan bor-derlands, Uzbekistan and Turkey.Finley grew up in Colorado Springs

andbeganhis careerwithTheAssoci-ated Press in Denver. He and his wife,Claire Martin, also a writer at ThePost, have two children.

As a photographer for The Post,Craig F. Walker has covered some ofthe most critical events followingthe Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Hechronicled the attacks’ aftermath inNew York City, the war in Afghani-stan, the inauguration of AfghanPresident Hamid Karzai and the de-ployment of American troops in Ku-wait. His photograph of a child rac-ing camels in the Kuwaiti desert wasawarded first place last year by theNational Press Photographers Asso-ciation.Before coming to The Post, Walk-

er worked as a photographer for thePittsfield, Mass., Berkshire Eagle,where he chronicled the final sixmonths in the life of a woman withAIDS. He began his career at theMarlborough Enterprise in Marlbor-ough, Mass. Among his honors, aportfolio of his work was awarded afirst-place National HeadlinersAward in 2002.Walker, 38, grewup inYork, Pa. He

is married to MaryBeth and has a19-year-old stepson.

FROM THE FRONT

da said. “But itmakes the timepass hard-er when you’re always thinking abouthome.”So theyworked. It was hot. Theywore

T-shirts, no flak vests, as they pickedover the Bradley’s engine. About half-way between northern Kuwait andBaghdad, the vehicle broke down atnight. At dawn, Pfc. ReedMonson, 20, ofBoise, Idaho, noticed a shiny black poolbeneath it and, when he checked the oillevel, found the engine was dry. A truckhauled the Bradley into camp here.NowCapt. DavidRozelle, 32, the com-

pany commander, wanted it fixed. Ro-zelle stood in the shade of a shippingcontainer, watching. He lost his lowerright leg when a Humvee he was ridingin set off a land mine his first time inIraq, in June 2003 in the western Anbarprovince.After a few months back at Fort Car-

son with his wife and toddler, Rozellebecame the first amputee to return for asecond tour in Iraq. When his war isover, he’s slated to go to work atWalterReedArmyMedicalCenter inWashing-ton, D.C.That’s the future. Today, he needs his

soldiers to find the leak.Sgt. Erik Houghton, 34, of Massillon,

Ohio, spotted the tear. “In the hose, sir,to the oil filter,” Houghton called to Ro-

zelle.Rozelle: “That’s easy!”Houghton: “Can you find me one,

sir?”Rozelle sent him to base aviation me-

chanics. “Take them this hose. They canmake a new one.”“Crescent wrench,” said Staff Sgt. Jeff

Marjerrison, 28, of Widefield, south ofColorado Springs, moving to discon-nect it from the engine.Marjerrison and Monson muscled

bolts loose, then sliced open an emptydrinking water bottle and caught moreblack oil.The aviation mechanics couldn’t

make a new hose right away. Thatmeant one less Bradley Fighting Vehi-cle for now. The 3rd Armored Cavalryhas about 125 Bradleys, alongwith 120 orso main battle tanks and more than 40helicopters.Meanwhile, the troops turned to gear-

ing up Humvees for another convoythrough a hot zone known as “the mix-ing bowl.”Gunner Pvt. 2 Martin Gaymon, 19, of

Brooklyn, N.Y., welcomed the upcomingmission even as he reread a prayer card.He’d be out front on this one.“As long as you are doing something,

you feel like, the reason you are outhere, it’s worth it,” he said as they head-ed out Friday morning. “I’d rather beout on a convoy.”Sauceda would be driving a hardened

Humvee behind him.“I just want to get it done,” he said.

“Get back in here with everybodyalive.”

< CONTINUED FROM 1A

Pvt. 2 Martin Gaymon, center, helps prepare a Humvee for a mission. Troops from Fort Carson are in the midst of their second deployment to Iraq.

By Dexter FilkinsThe New York Times

Baghdad, Iraq — Tens of thousandsof Iraqis marked the second anniversa-ry of the fall of President Saddam Hus-seinon Saturdaybymarching in the cap-ital to demand thewithdrawal ofAmeri-can forces.Meanwhile, one of the most lethal in-

surgent groups threatened Iraqis if theyjoin the country’s army and policeforce.Most of the protesters were followers

ofMuqtada al-Sadr, the rebel Shiite cler-ic who has led several armed uprisingsagainstAmerican forces butwhohas re-

cently begun to participate in democrat-ic politics.The demonstrators gathered at Fir-

dos Square in central Baghdad, whereAmerican troops and Iraqis pulleddown a huge statue of Hussein on April9, 2003, in a moment that defined thefall of Baghdad.Despite the symbolism of the day, the

rest of Baghdad was mostly quiet. Thedemonstration was peaceful, and farsmaller than the 1 million peopleal-Sadr’s aides had predicted wouldturn out.Representatives of the Association of

Muslim Scholars, a leading Sunni groupthat has expressed sympathy for theguerrilla insurgency, said its followershad taken part in the march.Themarchers echoed the demands by

al-Sadr and the Sunni clerics: a timeta-ble for thewithdrawal ofAmerican forc-es and the release of Iraqi detainees

from American-controlled prisons.Banners held aloft during the march

also called for a rapid trial for Husseinand the elevation of Islam as the officialreligion of Iraq.Demonstrators held up large photo-

graphs of Hussein that were taken afterhis capture, showing the former dicta-tor looking shaggy and old. The march-ers also burned large photos of Presi-dent Bush and Prime Minister TonyBlair of Britain.“We are asking that the occupier

leave our country,” said Amer Shihab, auniversity student who had come fromKut in southern Iraq. “Iraq now hasenough competent forces to maintainsecurity by itself.”The demonstration illustrated the

ability of al-Sadr to mobilize his follow-ers peacefully, with thousands of dem-onstrators traveling by bus from south-ern cities and staying overnight in the

homes of their allies in SadrCity, the im-poverished district that is named foral-Sadr’s father and that forms the heartof his support.Last year, al-Sadr’s armed followers,

called the Mahdi Army, were routed byAmerican forces after they rose up incities across the south.Themauling of his army is believed to

be one of the chief factors behindal-Sadr’s entry into the political main-stream.On Saturday, insurgent sympathizers

passed out leaflets atmosques inMosul,the Sunni-majority city, threateningSunnis if they join the police and armedforces.The leaflets were labeled “al-Qaeda

of Mesopotamia,” the group led by AbuMusab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian mili-tantwho has pledged support to al-Qae-da and is believed responsible for thedeaths of hundreds of Iraqi civilians.

IRAQ: GIs work, wait, worry in second stint

Sgt. Jeff Marjerrison of Widefield

rests against a Bradley Fighting

Vehicle that needs engine work.

Pfc. Nicholas Sauceda, 21, of Phoenix secures his helmet before leaving on a mission outside Camp Striker south of

Baghdad. Troops on their second deployment to Iraq prefer to stay occupied: “The busier we are, the faster it goes by.”

Qwest said it will continuefighting for MCI, which hasmore than $5 billion in cash, a na-tional fiber-optic network and alucrative roster of governmentand corporate clients.The battle for MCI has gone

back and forth since early Feb-ruary, with Qwest bidding ashigh as $8.9 billion. But lastweek, Ashburn, Va.-based MCIspurned a higher Qwest offerfor a third time, saying it wouldmerge with industry giant Veri-zon for $7.5 billion.Verizon, by taking over Slim’s

13.4 percent stake, becomesMCI’s largest shareholder andremoves the biggest wild cardin the bidding war for MCI.Verizon chief executive Ivan

Seidenberg hinted at the possi-bility of offeringmoremoney toMCI shareholders in a state-ment Saturday.“While thiswas an opportuni-

ty for us to purchase a block ofshares under unique circum-stances and is an important stepforward in our acquisition ofMCI, we will continue to assessthe situation as we move to-ward a vote by the MCI share-holders,” he said.If Verizon buys more stock, it

could triggerMCI’s “poison pill”provision,which releases a floodof new stock whenever any sin-gle stockholder acquires morethan 15 percent of the company.The provision, however, can bevoted down by MCI’s board.New York-based Verizon’s

$7.5 billion merger agreementwith MCI comes to $23.10 perMCI share in stock and cash.That is less than the $25.72 in

cash per share being paid toSlim, who had criticized Veri-zon’s bid as insufficient. Thedeal also allows Slim to benefitif Verizon’s share price risesabove $35.52.Qwest’s $8.9 billion offer

amounts to $27.50 per share incash and stock.In a statement, Qwest criti-

cized Verizon for creating “twoclasses of shareholders,” thosegetting $23.10 a share and Slim.It affirmed its position that itsbid remains superior.Qwest continues its cam-

paign to raise $2 billion in cashfrom large investors, whichcould be pumped into a sweet-ened bid forMCI. Denver finan-cier Philip Anschutz, who con-trols 16.5 percent of Qwest, saidThursday through a spokesmanthat he will not participate.Verizonalsowill file proxypa-

pers this week for a specialMCIshareholder meeting in lateJune or July to approve itsmerg-er with MCI.But after the Slim deal, ex-

perts say Verizon will have tomake a similar offer to the hedgefunds and sophisticated WallStreet investors that control anestimated 70 percent of MCI.“TheSlimdeal buys them(Ve-

rizon) a lot of ire from the share-holder community,” said TimGilbert, an analyst with Princi-pal Global Investors of DesMoines, Iowa.Berkowitz said Verizon’s per-

share offer to Slim and Qwest’sper-share offer are roughlyequivalent, because Slim’s dealallows him to benefit if Veri-zon’s share price rises.The deal with Slim also re-

flects how much Verizon needsMCI to competewith an aggres-sive SBC Communications,which is gaining regulatory ap-proval for its $16 billion mergerwith AT&T.“MCI is a valuable asset,”

Berkowitz said. “You could giveVerizon $10 billion and fiveyears, and I don’t think theycould re-create the enterprise(corporate and government)business that MCI has now.”Verizon has the resources to

win a bidding war, with $4.5 bil-lion in cash and revenues of $71billion.Qwest, the smallest of the re-

gional Bell operating compa-nies, has $1.8 billion in cash andrevenues of $14 billion. It’s alsosaddled with $17 billion in debt.

Staff writer Ross Wehner canbe reached at 303-820-1503 orrwehner@denverpost.com.

< CONTINUED FROM 1A

QWEST:Verizon’sstock buybolsters itsMCI bid

The battle for MCI: BeforeVerizon’s stock purchase, Qwesttouted a survey showing that theholders of a majority of MCI stockpreferred its bid. > Business, 14K

Iraqis mark Hussein’s fall in ’03 with call for U.S. pulloutIn a peaceful protest in Baghdad,thousands of followers of a rebelShiite cleric demand a timetablefor the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

10A The Denver Post g Sunday, April 10, 2005

Progress, one raid at a time

Sweeps near Baghdad put dent in insurgency, with Iraqi troops’ help

CIA haseye onFederalCenterBeauprez IDs sitefor division’s moveIntelligence experts say the agency’sdomestic unit may be headed for theDenver area to be more centrallylocated and to spread out operations.

Ar Ridwaniyah, Iraq

O na recentmorning here south of Baghdad, insur-gents detonated a remote-controlled bomb. Itblew a crater in a hard-packed rural road sec-

onds before a U.S. armored vehicle passed.Within hours, Iraqi troops backed by the Colorado-

based 3rd Armored Cavalry stormed into a farm com-pound half a mile away. They’d planned to hit it thenight before, when Iraqi Lt. Col. JassimAbbas receiveda tip from a vegetable-warehouse caretaker that thiswas where killers hung out.Now U.S. Capt. Andy Watson was inside the home,

looking over items found around the farm. A bundle ofbatterieswrapped in black tapewithwires sticking out.Switches andplugs disconnected fromappliances. Cell-phone chargers and boxes, minus the phones. Bulletsswept under plush rugs. A pencil sketch showing mainU.S. military routes through Iraq. Downloaded propa-ganda printouts urging Iraqis to join the Islamic Armyand “do anything you can to resist the Americans.”Watson and 1st Lt. Carlos Montalvan, liaisons work-

ing with the Iraqi troops, smiled.“This guy makes bombs,” Montalvan said.Nodding, Watson spoke into his radio headset to

Capt.Michael Davis in aHumvee outside, coordinatingthis raid with others.“Definitely a good hit,” Watson said. “Good info”

gleaned by the Iraqis, he added.Now they needed the triggerman who set off the

bomb that blew that morning.Three women sat silently in their kitchen as a dozen

or so U.S. and Iraqi soldiers combed their home. A blueflame burned beneath a pot on the stove.

> See IRAQ on 6A

THE ROCKS ROCKLegendary venue draws 500,000in the “offseason” > Business, 1K

By JeremyMeyerDenver Post Staff Writer

Aurora — A man dangles off acar’s trunk, shielding the licenseplate from a camera at an E-470 tollbooth.In another photo of scofflaws, a

person holds what appears to be achild out of an SUV’s rear windowto block the plate from the camera.And a truck with strategically

placedmud over the license plate ap-pears in six photos takenon separatedays. But the cameras also catch abusiness name and phone numberprinted on the truck, giving authori-ties an easy opportunity to catch theculprit.Officials at the E-470 Public High-

way Authority have seen it all andheard it all from people trying to getaround paying tolls on the 47-milehighway east of Denver.

Officials estimate that 300 to 500times a month, people tamper withtheir license plates to obscure them—which has been illegal since 2004.The evidence is in photos that showplates hidden with cardboard, mudor plastic covers.Jo Snell, spokeswoman for the au-

thority, keeps copies of the strangestphotos taken by the cameras.

> See E-470 on 17A

“We’regenuinelytrying to

let the Iraqistake over.

It’ll help usin the long

run, becausewe are the‘infidel.’ ”

Capt.Michael Davis

“How can people be so desperate to avoid paying 75 cents?”

Toll-evaders on E-470 stop at nothing

Clouds, wind, rain: Breezywith a chance of showers inthe afternoon. > 7C

64˚ 39˚

T-REX pacta drive downwrong laneThose involved cite good intentions,but a deal steering work to a minorityfirm was found to be a “pass-through.”

Books .......... 9-12FClassified .... 1-38GConsejos ............ 8L

Crosswords ..... 15FEditorials .......... 6EJohn Farrell ..... 25A

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Real Estate ....... 4KScience ........... 28AYour Money .... 11K

By Bruce Finley, Denver Post Staff Writer Photos by Craig F. Walker, Denver Post Staff Photographer

DISPATCHES FROM IRAQ | On the ground with the Fort Carson-based 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

&8 DENVERPOST.COM © THE DENVER POST ��$1.00 MAY VARY OUTSIDE METRO DENVER

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DARK HORSE50-1 longshot Giacomo surges at the wirefor second-largest payoff in Derby history > 1B

By David MigoyaDenver Post Staff Writer

The main T-REX builder asked concrete gi-ant Aggregate Industries to share its workwith a minority-owned company in order tosatisfy a large chunk of the $1.7 billion project’shiring goals.DavidArmendariz saw it as a shot at the con-

struction-industry big time for his tiny Deltacompany.But the three-year partnership of Aggregate

andArmendariz—one that both sides saywasborn of good intentions — is dissolving amidallegations it became a sham.A government audit determined that the $39

millionarrangementbetweenAggregateandAr-mendariz was really a “pass-through” in whichArmendariz’s two-employee company servedas a Latino-owned front that padded theproject’s state-mandated minority-hiring goals.For a time, the setup allowed T-REX prime

contractor Southeast Corridor Constructors tocount the money Armendariz was paid towardtheproject’s $177milliongoal incontracts formi-nority- and women-owned businesses, known

> See T-REX on 17A

HIGH LOW

By Eric LiptonThe New York Times

Washington — After spend-ing more than $4.5 billion onscreening devices to monitorthe nation’s ports, borders, air-ports, mail and air, the federalgovernment plans to replace oraltermuch of the anti-terrorismequipment, after concludingthat it is ineffective, unreliableor too expensive to operate.Many of the monitoring tools

— intended to detect guns, ex-plosives, and nuclear and bio-logicalweapons—were boughtduring the blitz in securityspending after the attacks ofSept. 11, 2001.In its effort to create a virtual

shield around America, the De-

> See SECURITY on 20A

Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire

ByMike Soraghan, John Aloysius Farrelland Alicia CaldwellDenver Post Staff Writers

Washington — The CIA plans to move itsdomestic operations division to Colorado andis eyeing the Denver Federal Center, U.S. Rep.Bob Beauprez told The Denver Post.Beauprez, a Republican from Arvada, said

he learnedwithin the past twoweeks that CIAofficials plan to move a chunk of their Wash-ington operations to Denver and are lookingat the Federal Center, which is on West SixthAvenue surrounded by Lakewood.“The CIA is looking to increase staffing and

mission (inColorado),” Beauprez said in an in-terview with The Post on Friday.He said he wasn’t told how many people

would be involved, but “I got that it’s a signifi-cant responsibility and a significant number ofjobs.”The Washington Post reported Friday that

the intelligence agency was eyeing Denver. ACIA spokeswoman, who refused to provideher name, declined to comment.“That story we are not commenting on,” she

said. “I can understand your interest.”The unit, officially called the National Re-

sources Division, consults with academicsand debriefs American business travelers whogo abroad. It also collects intelligence on for-eign nationals in the United States and re-cruits them to work for the CIA when they re-

> See CIA on 20A

Up to his chin in cover, Sgt. Yassar Alem Khashan al-Bedri, of the Iraqi Intervention Force, signals his position in a field south ofBaghdad. Iraqi troops are taking ever-increasing roles in raids on insurgents. “They can get intelligence we can’t,” a U.S. soldier said.

Iraqi army Sgt. 1st Class Salah Saluka questions 25-year-old detainee Rahman Hamzi Mohammed.

Photos courtesy of the E-470 Public Highway Authority

Cameras snap photos when E-470 tolls aren’t paid. Often, license plates are deliberately obscured.

Feds: Hastemade waste inU.S. security

S U N D A Y , M A Y 8 , 2 0 0 5

S DENVERPOST.COM | © THE DENVER POST | | $1.00 may vary outside metro denver | ÁÁ

SECOND A SECTION

Sharing the risks

Commander eschews safety of base camp to join his troops

“The way youwin this is byhelping the

Iraqiswin it.”

Col. H.R. McMaster

Washington

E vangelical Catholicismhas arrived as a new andpolitically potent voice

here in the nation’s capital.On Friday, in just its second

year of existence, the NationalCatholic Prayer Breakfast luredPresident Bush to downtown’sbiggest hotel ballroom.Two U.S. senators, 11 repre-

sentatives, White House politi-cal adviser Karl Rove and some1,600 others braved a down-pour of near-biblical proportionfor early morning Mass and pan-cakes.The keynote address was giv-

en by one of the movement’s he-roes, the archbishop of Denver,the Rev. Charles J. Chaput.They love the guy.“Someday: Chaput for pope!”

said Austin Ruse, the master ofceremonies, after the archbish-op had spoken.They love Bush too. He was

greeted by an exceptionallywarm and lasting ovation. If hehad not done so well with suchconservative and moderateCatholics in last fall’s campaign,the president might not be presi-dent.Joseph Cella, the founder of

the breakfast, says he and otherevangelical Catholics take theirinspiration from John Paul theGreat, as the late pope is nowknown, who called for “a NewEvangelization … in ardor, meth-ods and expression.”Catholics spent America’s

first two centuries trying to “beaccepted,” Chaput said. Butnow it is time for Catholics toexamine “the cost of fitting in.”“Since the 1960s, many Ameri-

can Catholics have been actinglike we’re lucky just to be toler-ated … in other words, we’d bet-ter not be too Catholic or some-body will be offended,” Chaputsaid.“That’s a mistake,” he said. “If

we don’t conform our lives towhat we claim to believe, thenwe’re living a lie.”Once Catholics have con-

formed, Chaput said, they aremorally bound to try to turn

their beliefs into law.After all, “all law is the impo-

sition of somebody’s beliefs onsomebody else,” he said.Cella’s group is nonpartisan

but leans Republican. On a daywhen the headlines announcednew advances in stem-cell tech-nology and the Senate was inknots over judicial nominationsand abortion, there were contin-ual references, from Bush andother speakers, to the “cultureof life.” Later that morning,Bush would threaten to veto leg-islation to expand federallyfunded embryonic stem-cell re-search.Give Cella credit. He re-

served as much time on the pro-gram for Sister Margaret Mary,of the Little Sisters of the Poor,as he did for the archbishop ofDenver or the president of theUnited States.The holy sisters devote their

lives to caring for impoverishedsenior citizens and conductingother acts of Christian charityin near anonymity in Denverand 29 other American cities.I’ve come to believe that

Christians can be divided, nomatter their denomination, intotwo camps. There’s the Sermonon the Mount Christians, whoaspire to be blessed as mercifulseekers of justice and peace,and the Ten CommandmentChristians, who place more em-phasis on obeying the “ThouShalt Nots.”For the former, the sisters are

like rock stars. Chaput is knownas a social conservative, but he

> See FARRELL on 28A

Catholics flexingmuscles in D.C.

Tigris Valley, Iraq

F lying 150 feet above the jadewaters of theTi-gris River in an open BlackHawk helicopterrecently, U.S. Army Col. H.R. McMaster

looked out and studied riverside villas with satel-lite dishes on top.Displaced honchos from the Saddam Hussein

era live here. And as commander of the Colo-rado-based 3rd Armored Cavalry, McMaster washeaded to check on some 150 ground troops hehad sent to work with Iraqi troops sweepingthrough the area.Soldiers say it means the world when a com-

mander joins them in the field, rolling down thesame risky roads, quizzing Iraqis frustrated andambivalent as the war rages on.A few days before, insurgents had shot down a

helicopter north of Baghdad and then butchered

a crash survivor. A few days before that, insur-gents attacked a Humvee ground convoy carry-ingMcMaster by detonating a remote-controlledbomb. The blast killed gunner Pfc. Joseph Knott,atop aHumvee in front ofMcMaster, and critical-ly wounded Command Sgt. Maj. John Caldwell.McMaster directed counterfire and radioed forair support and medevac.“There is some risk” in leaving base camps,Mc-

Master said now as the Black Hawk swoopedsouth.But he and other commanders speak confident-

ly about U.S. operations around Iraq. “We cansee the way ahead, we can see it clear as a bell,”McMaster said. Commanders are convinced thatbyworking patiently with Iraqi soldiers to win “a

> See COMMANDER on 30A

DISPATCHES FROM IRAQ | On the ground with the Fort Carson-based 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

COLORADO VOTES IN CONGRESS > 30A

THE NATIONJohn Aloysius Farrell, Denver Post

Washington Bureau Chief

By Bruce Finley, Denver Post Staff Writer Photos by Craig F. Walker, Denver Post Staff Photographer

Army Col. H.R. McMaster, center, commander of the Colorado-based 3rd Armored Cavalry, leads a platoon on a re-connaissance mission south of Baghdad. Soldiers say it means the world when a commander joins them in the field.

Sunday, May 22, 2005 gg The Denver Post 25A