BANGKOK, Thailand (AP):

Thailand's new military leaders tightened their grip yesterday, restricting political activities and assuming legislative powers, while purging some of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's allies from their jobs and detaining others.

Thaksin, in London, indicated in his first public statement since the Tuesday night coup that he wanted to take a rest from politics, and did not challenge the military takeover.

A spokesman for the coup group - which yesterday released the official English translation of its name, the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy _ confirmed that four of Thaksin's close associates were being kept in custody.