The US military arrested more than 140 people, including 35 suspects, in last month's attack on the Rashid hotel, as the coalition turned up the heat this weekend on a lethal insurgency.
US forces stormed areas around Baghdad and north and west of the capital as it looked to crush the combatants who have grown more dangerous in the last month, shooting down choppers and blowing up heavy armour.
US overseer Paul Bremer gave a nudge to the 24-member interim governing council to hurry up and decide on a plan for drafting a constitution, considered essential by Washington for the handing of sovereignty to Iraqis.
Two loud blasts were heard around the capital, in what has become a routine event in Baghdad as combatants almost nightly try to shell the coalition's citadel-like compound.
In a major break for the coalition, the US military detained 35 people in connection with the October 26th rocket attack on Baghdad's Rashid hotel, which killed a US colonel and wounded 17 others, a senior US officer told AFP.
"We detained a total of 35," he said, identifying them all as "former regime loyalists".
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http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/10/1068329455153.htmlArrest 140 people INCLUDING 35 suspects?????? WTF>
And geez dropping 500 pound bombs on a place to arrest suspects???? Guess it beats the shot out a warrant in a peaceful femocratic society.