News In Brief
| Santiago, Chile
Chile reimposes a curfew after Santiago bombings
Chile's military government reimposed a nighttime traffic curfew in the capital and widened police powers Wednesday. Gen. Rene Vidal, commander of the Santiago military zone, said motor vehicle traffic would be barred from 1 to 5 a.m. for an indefinite period starting Friday. He said the restriction was a response to the bombings of 11 banks, five electricity pylons, a municipal building, a factory, and the Exxon mining subsidiary offices Tuesday night.
The ruling military junta approved legislation Wednesday empowering the secret police, the National Information Agency, to detain suspected terrorists for up to 15 days without warrants. The law was a response to an appeals court ruling last November that the secret police agency lacked detention powers.