Panamanian Coup Leaders Arrested

PANAMA CITY, Panama--Security forces arrested three members of Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega's general staff and about 35 other soldiers after a failed coup, according to a "war communique" read over national radio yesterday.

Panamanian officials also said rebel troops held Noriega for several hours during the attempted coup Tuesday but that the coup's leader was killed during the fighting.

The communique did not give any reason for the arrests of Col. Guiller Wong, the head of state security, and two other members of the 20-member High Command, the Panamanian equivalent of a general staff.

If members of the High Command were implicated in the coup, however, it would mean the plotting against Noriega extended much higher than the lowerlevel officers involved in the rebellion.

In those clashes, rebel soldiers captured the headquarters in Panama City, but troops loyal to Noriegarecaptured the compound several hours later.

Yersterday's government communique said 10 rebels were killed in the fighting and 26 people were wounded. There were 18 wounded in forces loyal to Defense Forces chief Noriega, three from the rebel forces and five civilians, it said.

The communique also said five coup leaders had taken refuge at Fort Clayton, a U.S. base a few miles from Panama City. U.S. officials have refused comment on that report.

The other two arrested members of the High Command were Col. Julio Ow Young and Col. Armando Palacios Gondola. Both had recently served as Defense Forces representatives when the Noriega-controlled government held talks with the civil opposition in August.

In addition, Palacios was a member of the combined staff of U.S. and Panamanian officers that deals with Panama Canal security and defense issues.

Defense Forces spokespeople were not available for comment on the arrests, according to those who answered phones at headquarters.

The communique read by an announcer did nothing more than list the names and ranks of those arrested, wounded or killed.

Earlier, Maj. Edguardo Lopez, a Defense Forces spokesperson, said at least 60 soldiers and four or five officers had been arrested shortly after the fighting.

The arrest of Ow Young was puzzling because the officers who mounted Tuesday's coup effort had named him as an officer to be forcibly retired.

One report said the lower-level officers who rebelled were disgruntled over not being promoted. In their only communique, the rebels said they were discarding the entire high command. That communique was signed by a major and two captains.

The other 20 officers arrested ranged in rank from second lieutenant to captain. About 15 sergeants, corporals and enlisted men were also under arrest, the communique said.

The communique also said 10 rebels, including nine officers, died in the shooting Tuesday. It said the dead included Maj. Moises Giroldi Vega, commander of the Urraca company, which was blamed for the revolt. The unit is in charge of security at defense headquarters.

Around Panama City, government troops patrolled lightly traveled streets yesterday while U.S. helicopters watched from overhead.

In Washington, Congressional leaders are criticizing President Bush for his inaction during the coup attempt, while top administration officials claim a lack of reliable intelligence made intervention too risky.