Baghdad, Iraq, Sept 1, SPA -- Iraq's 100-member National Council, which is supposed to act as a watchdog on the interim government until January elections, was formally sworn inWednesday at a ceremony in a Baghdad convention center amida barrage of mortar attacks, officials said. A U.S. military spokesman said at least two mortar roundslanded inside the heavily fortified Green Zone that housesthe convention center along with government offices and theU.S. Embassy. Earlier, three to five mortar rounds hit anearby checkpoint, injuring one Iraqi civilian, thespokesman said. Despite the attacks, the swearing in event for 81 peoplepicked by a recent national conference and 19 formermembers of the disbanded Governing Council went ahead asplanned. The National Council "is an important and positive steptoward achieving and realizing the dreams of the Iraqipeople," said Ibrahim Mohammed Bahr al-Uloum, who chairedthe event. Delegates were later expected to nominate oversightcommittees and draw up an agenda for the coming months. Atotal of seven committees will be established: security,political, foreign relations, economy, culture andeducation and family and women affairs. The body has been given the power to veto some governmentdecisions with a two thirds majority vote.--SPA1315 Local Time 1015 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/197043