IRAQ U.S. raids residence of ex-ally

Americans deny that a deadly airstrike was meant for a wedding party.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- U.S. soldiers raided the home of America's one-time ally Ahmad Chalabi today and seized documents and computers. U.S. officials, meanwhile, disputed Iraqi claims that American aircraft bombed a wedding party, killing more than 40 people.
Both the raid on Chalabi's home and the airstrike near Syria's border occurred at a time of rising public anger over the U.S. occupation, which an increasing number of Iraqis consider oppressive. The Americans plan to install an interim Iraqi government June 30 and formally end the occupation but retain significant military forces and influence over Iraqi affairs.
Quelling uprising
At the same time, the Americans are trying to quell an uprising in Shiite regions south of Baghdad by a militia loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, sought in the April 2003 killing of a rival cleric in Najaf.
On Wednesday, American soldiers clashed with Shiite militiamen in Karbala and Najaf, killing at least eight, U.S. officials said. No American casualties were reported during the engagements, but assailants with hand grenades killed a U.S. soldier and wounded three in central Baghdad early today, the military said.
A total of 790 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq last year. Of those, 576 died as a result of hostile action and 214 died of nonhostile causes.
Compound surrounded
During the raid on Chalabi's home in Baghdad's Mansour district, American soldiers surrounded the compound and armed Americans in civilian clothes and flak jackets were seen milling about.
A Chalabi aide, Haidar Musawi, said a U.S.-Iraqi force surrounded the compound about 10:30 a.m., while Chalabi, a member of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, was inside. They told Chalabi's aides they wanted to search the house for wanted officials in Chalabi's party, the Iraqi National Congress.
A senior coalition official said on condition of anonymity that an Iraqi judge issued several warrants and would make details public later.
Iraqi police were seen loading boxes into vehicles, and neighbors said some members of Chalabi's entourage were taken away. Police took documents and a computer belonging to Chalabi, according to an American witness.
A portrait of Chalabi hanging on the wall had a bullet hole in the forehead.
Chalabi said at a news conference that American soldiers burst into his bedroom carrying pistols.
"I am America's best friend in Iraq," Chalabi said. "If the CPA finds it necessary to direct an armed attack against my home, you can see the state of relations between the CPA and the Iraqi people."
The Americans also raided other offices of the INC, Musawi said.
No public comment
U.S. officials declined to comment on the raid targeting a longtime ally of the Pentagon. Privately, however, American authorities have complained that Chalabi is interfering with a U.S. investigation into allegations that Saddam Hussein's regime skimmed millions of dollars in oil revenues during the U.N.-run oil-for-food program.
A U.S.-backed investigation has collected more than 20,000 files from Saddam's old regime and hired the American accounting firm of Ernst & amp; Young to review them.
Chalabi has launched his own investigation with a different auditing firm and wants the Americans to pay the bill from an Iraqi oil fund that Washington controls.
Chalabi complained recently about U.S. plans to retain control of Iraqi security forces and maintain widespread influence over political institutions after the June 30 transfer of power from the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority to an Iraqi interim administration.
"It's a provocative operation, designed to force Dr. Chalabi to change his political stance," said Chalabi aide Qaisar Wotwot.
Attack near border
The U.S. military said Wednesday's pre-dawn attack near the Syrian border targeted a suspected safe house for foreign fighters from Syria about 15 miles from the Syrian border.
The desolate region is populated only by shepherds but is popular with smugglers and the U.S. military suspects militants use it as an entry route. It is under constant American surveillance.
But Iraqis said the Americans attacked a wedding party, and the bride and groom were killed.
Lt. Col. Ziyad al-Jbouri, deputy police chief of Ramadi, said the attack happened about 2:45 a.m. in a desert region near the border with Syria and Jordan. He said between 42 and 45 people were killed, including 15 children and 10 women.
Dr. Salah al-Ani, who works at a hospital in Ramadi, 250 miles east of the scene, put the death toll at 45.
"This was a wedding, and the [U.S.] planes came and attacked the people at a house. Is this the democracy and freedom that [President] Bush has brought us?" said a man on the videotape, Dahham Harraj. "There was no reason."
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said the attack was launched about 15 miles from the Syrian border after U.S. forces received "specific intelligence" about foreign fighters slipping into the country.
"We sent a ground force in to the location," Kimmitt told Associated Press Television News. "They were shot at. We returned fire."
U.S. soldiers recovered satellite communications gear, foreign passports and a large amount of Iraqi cash at the site, he said.
Military officials in Washington refused to say whether anyone from a wedding party was among the people killed.