Colonel Chris Vernon, spokesman for the British forces occupying Basra, told reporters here that British officers met Tuesday with a local "sheikh" to ask him to set up an interim committee to run the city following the downfall of the Baath party.

"He will form, at present, the leadership within the Basra province and we have asked him to form from the local community a committee that he thinks is representative of local people," Vernonwas quoted as saying.

The move was aimed at filling the power vacumm created by the downfall of the Baath party. British officers have been criticized for failing to prevent widespread looting in Basra after British forces captured the second largest Iraqi city after two weeks of fighting.

Armed thieves broke into deserted government buildings, homes, shops, and hotels, taking away everything from furniture to kerosene, local residents said.

British forces, who were patrolling the streets, did not intervene in the looting spree as looters passed by using cars, donkeys, bicycles and any other means to carry away their booty.

Several government buildings were also set ablaze by looters who vented their anger at the demised government by Baath party.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2003)