Sign InRegister

Iraq tightens security ahead of referendum

Suicide bomber targeting police kills 7 people in Baghdad

• Subway threat started in Iraq

• UK: Basra police detained

SPECIAL REPORT

• Interactive: Who's who in Iraq

• Interactive: Sectarian divide

• Timeline: Bloodiest days for civilians

• Coalition Casualties

• Special Report

YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's government announced a four-day national holiday, curfews, the closing of borders and other heightened security measures Saturday, as the nation prepared for the historic October 15 referendum on a draft constitution.

The steps are designed to counter the threat posed by the insurgent attacks that have been plaguing Iraq for more than two years.

Interior Minister Bayan Jabr said at a news briefing that more than 70,000 local police and Iraqi soldiers will provide security for the referendum across the country.

Violence continued ahead of the poll. On Saturday evening, a suicide car bomb killed seven people and wounded 16 others in Baghdad, police said.

The suicide bomber detonated his explosives as he drove into a police patrol that was investigating a car accident on the western Baghdad highway between al-Adil and the Ghazaliya neighborhood.

The dead included a mother and her two children in a vehicle, as well as a police officer. Of the wounded, 10 were police officers and six were civilians.

Also, two U.S. soldiers fighting in Operation River Gate near the western Iraqi town of Haqlaniya died in combat Friday, the U.S. military said. They were assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division.

And five people, including four Iraqi army soldiers, were wounded Saturday in two separate roadside bombings in Baghdad, police told CNN.

Task Force Baghdad soldiers on Friday detained four terror suspects during raids in southern Baghdad and found munitions, the U.S. military said Saturday.

And to the west, in Haditha late Friday, coalition and Iraqi forces found a bomb-making facility and a house with "sophisticated propaganda production equipment," according to the Coalition Press Information Center in Iraq.

"The seizure included numerous prepared al Qaeda in Iraq compact discs and audio tapes, three computers, several printers, banner makers, multidisc copiers and thousands of blank discs and tapes," the press center said.

Security measures outlined

Iraqi authorities hope the constitutional referendum will help lead to the establishment of law and stability in the country, where a largely Sunni insurgency has been targeting the Kurdish and Shiite-dominated government, the U.S.-led coalition forces, and civilians regarded as their supporters and abettors.

The government hopes millions will feel safe enough to go to the polls as they had in January, when more than 8 million people voted in the election for a transitional national assembly.

Here are some of the details announced at the news conference:

The four days from Thursday through Sunday, October 16, have been declared national holidays.

There will be curfews from Thursday through Monday, October 17, but Jabr did not specify times.

Borders and provincial lines will be closed starting Friday night, a move to restrict vehicle travel. There will be airport closures.

Polling centers will be searched ahead of the referendum and will have three rings of security. Local police will be closest to the polls; Iraqi soldiers will form the second ring; and coalition forces will serve on the perimeter.

Added police and security have been deployed along the borders.

Only security services will be allowed to carry weapons.

Militia groups will not be able to participate in security measures

The Defense Ministry will handle security in Ramadi. There are some 6,500 police officers employed in the city, but fewer than 1,000 report to work.

CNN's Ingrid Formanek, Jennifer Eccleston and Enes Dulami contributed to this report.

Story Tools

Subscribe to Time for $1.99

Home Page

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN

CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

Home Page

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN

CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.