1.   Iraq was holding foreigners, he said, to give all parties concerned time to think and to allow time for dialogue.

2.   Among other things, Ashcroft wants to be able to hold indefinitely foreigners who are suspected of terrorist activity.

3.   Ashcroft had asked for authority to hold indefinitely foreigners suspected of terrorism, without the need to press charges against them.

4.   It also would allow the Immigration and Naturalization Service to hold foreigners for a full week without filing charges.

5.   Part of the discrepancy may come from the possibility that Pakistanis are releasing Afghan and Pakistani fighters and holding only foreigners.

6.   The bill would increase surveillance authority for federal law enforcement, and allow immigration officials to hold foreigners for up to seven days without charging them with a crime.

7.   Most of the hostages are Russian servicemen, although more than a dozen foreigners have been held at various times.

8.   Taubmann said the gunmen were stunned to find foreigners held in the jail.

9.   The army did not mention the kidnapped Americans, but did say it was engaged in combat with the same rebel batallion holding the foreigners.

10.   The group is known to be holding several foreigners, including a Japanese businessman and two Germans.