INCREASED VIGILANCE

Coalition military sources said Wednesday that they have received specific threats against hotels housing Westerners in the Iraqi capital.

Coalition helicopters have been circling one hotel -- the Palestine Hotel in central Baghdad since --about 7 a.m. (midnight EDT).

Bradley fighting vehicles and U.S. troops also are positioned at the checkpoint in front of the hotel.

Coalition contractors, diplomats, international journalists, staff from relief agencies and U.S. soldiers guarding the complex are among the guests at the hotel.

Authorities received similar warnings last week about a possible attack on the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad, where a suicide car bomb detonated Tuesday afternoon. U.S. and Turkish officials said that the bomber was killed in the attack, the second such bombing this week.