Police detain seven people on Vieques in rock-throwing incident

<br>SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) _ Police detained seven people on Vieques in a rock-throwing incident near U.S. Navy land at the end of a first week of bombing exercises, authorities said. <br><br>One of

Sunday, September 8th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) _ Police detained seven people on Vieques in a rock-throwing incident near U.S. Navy land at the end of a first week of bombing exercises, authorities said.

One of the people detained late Saturday is a brother of leading pro-statehood politician Carlos Pesquera, said Col. Cesar Gracia, the police official in charge on Vieques.

No charges had been filed.

Gracia said two police officers were slightly injured in the clash.

Navy security officers fired tear gas at demonstrators who were allegedly throwing rocks over a Navy fence line, he said.

The detentions came at the end of a first week of bombing exercises, which began Sept. 3 and are expected to last some three weeks. No exercises were scheduled for Sunday.

President Bush has promised the Navy will withdraw from Vieques by May 2003, but as the United States moves closer to a conflict with Iraq, there are doubts whether the Navy departure will be stalled.

The latest exercises in the U.S. territory _ the third since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks _ involve 10 ships, two attack submarines and some 80 planes in the USS Harry S. Truman Battle Group.

The military has used the bombing range for more than six decades. Opposition grew when a civilian guard was killed by two bombs dropped off-target in 1999. Since then, only inert bombs have been used.

Opponents say the exercises harm the environment and health of Vieques' 9,100 residents. The Navy denies the claim.

Hundreds of people have tried to thwart the exercises by invading the range and have been arrested, jailed and fined.

Protests have weakened since Sept. 11, with activists saying they fear stiffer jail sentences and fines.