lots of people taken from their beds in Bagdhad last night.

international | crime and justice | other press Monday September 06, 2004 07:30 by iosaf

In raids which focussed no the southern suburb of the city

Iraqi authorities assisted by the US arrested close to 500 people.

Meanwhile, a bunch of clerics have passed a fatwa on terrorist actions in the name of Islam relating to the two french journalists who are missing.

And another armed group have asked for Islamic clerics to pass judgement on whether or not hostage taking is allowable under Jihad.

you can read all this in english on the BBC:-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3629322.stm

The French press have contrasted the attitude of the Elysée to the Russian Hostage crises noting that French diplomacy has fallen short of the criticism and calls for clarification of the Russian response by amongst others the EU under it's current Nederlander presidency.