Allawi calls for handing over al-Zarqawi

At a time when negotiations between the Interim Iraqi government and the people of Falluja achieved big strides, the prime minister of the interim Iraqi government Eyad Allawi threatened to launch a military operation against the city if it will not hand over Musab al-Zarqawi and his group.

In a speech before members of the Iraqi national council, Allawi accused al-Zarqawi -- whom the Americans and Allawi government say he is hiding in al-Falluja -- of provoking sectarianism in Iraq.

Meantime, and for the third running day, weapons have been handed over by followers of al-Sader group to the Iraqi army according to the understanding maintained by the two sides to hand over the weapons for getting financial compensations.

Concerning the elections, the chairman of the elections committee in Iraq Fred Ayar expressed his confidence of making elections at their due time in January 2005, despite continued deterioration of the security conditions in all parts of the country. However, he admitted that certain basic arrangements needed to make these elections are not completed yet.