[Telegraph] Terror fear over stolen passports used on missing plane MH370
Air safety experts investigate whether terrorism was behind the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight which vanished over the South China Sea
Air safety experts are investigating whether an airliner that mysteriously vanished in the Far East could have been the target of a terrorist attack.
Twenty-four hours after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared over the South China Sea, the only clue to the fate of its 239 passengers and crew was the revelation that at least two people on board were using stolen passports.
The disclosure raised fears that terrorists could have used the passport to board the craft, which vanished with no prior signals of trouble to air traffic controllers.
Officials stressed that it was too early to say whether terrorism was a likely cause of the Malaysia airlines crash. But US officials said they were checking into passenger manifests and going back through intelligence.
"We are aware of the reporting on the two stolen passports," one senior official told NBC news. "We have not determined a nexus to terrorism yet, although it's still very early, and that's by no means definitive."
A leading aviation safety expert also said that it was "extraordinary" that the pilots of the jetliner did not have time to make a distress call.
David Learmount, of the specialist aviation magazine Flight Global, said that as the plane was cruising at about 35,000 feet when it lost contact over the South China sea, the pilots would normally have had "plenty of time" to radio in any technical problems before the plane hit the water.
Chris Yates, another aviation expert, said: "There will be two areas for the investigation: the maintenance of the aircraft and also possible terrorism."
Malaysia Airlines released the passenger list for Flight MH370, a red-eye between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing.
After checking the names of passengers 63 and 101, Christian Kozel and Luigi Maraldi, the Austrian and Italian governments said that neither man was on board. Both had their passports stolen in Thailand over the last two years, and Mr Maraldi had been issued a new one according to the Italian media.
An unnamed senior American intelligence official told the New York Times that "at this time, we have not identified this as an act of terrorism. While the stolen passports are interesting, they don't necessarily say to us that this was a terrorism act".
[MAGHAREBIA] unisia lifted the state of emergency in force since the 2011 revolution, Tunisie Numérique reported on Thursday (March 6th).
The move on Wednesday "does not limit the capacity of the security services to implement the law and does not preclude any request for military support should it be needed", President Moncef Marzouki's office said.
The special military zones established on the borders with Algeria and Libya will remain in place, the presidency added.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Militants blockading the Libyan oil terminal of Al-Sidra tried Saturday to load crude aboard a North Korean-flagged ship, in the latest challenge to government control of exports, a politician said.
A member of the energy committee in Libya's interim parliament, the General National Congress, said "the oil tanker, bearing the name Morning Glory, anchored on Saturday at 4:00 am (0200 GMT) at the port of Al-Sidra."
The gunnies, who are seeking autonomy for Libya's east, were trying to load a shipment of petroleum "outside the framework of the state," said the GNC member, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Acting Oil Minister Omar Shakmak denounced the move as an "act of piracy."
"This is a violation of national illusory sovereignty. It is up to the defense ministry to deal with this ship," he told Agence La Belle France Presse, without elaborating.
The latest crisis erupted in July, when security guards at key oil terminals shut them down, accusing the authorities of corruption and demanding a more equitable distribution of oil revenues.
The situation has become more complicated as self-rule activists in the east have insisted on the right to export.
Saturday's incident was the latest in a standoff between the government and hard boyz over exports, which are the principal source of revenue for the North African country.
In January, the navy prevented two tankers docking in Al-Sidra to take on crude. The government even threatened to bomb any ships attempting to dock without permission from the National Oil Co.
Following the blockade, production plunged to around 250,000 barrels per day from 1.5 million bpd, and the economy ministry estimated the treasury has lost more than $9 billion (6.6 billion euros) in revenue.
Production has since recovered to 546,000 bpd, but the crisis has taken its toll.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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Libya threatened Saturday to bomb a North Korean-flagged tanker if it tried to ship oil from a rebel-controlled port, in a major escalation of a standoff over the country's petroleum wealth, Alarabiya reported.
Libyan rebels blockading the terminal in eastern Libya had been trying to load crude aboard the ship. They seized three major Libyan ports since August to press their demands for more autonomy, and warned Tripoli against staging an attack to halt the oil sale after the tanker docked at Es Sider export terminal, one of the country's biggest.
A local television station controlled by protesters showed footage of pro-autonomy rebels holding a lengthy ceremony and slaughtering a camel to celebrate their first oil shipment. In the distance stood a tanker.
Prime Minister Ali Zeidan appeared hours later on television to warn the tanker's crew. "The tanker will be bombed if it doesn't follow orders when leaving (the port). This will be an environmental disaster," Zeidan said.
"They are now trying to load oil," he said, denouncing it as a criminal act. Authorities have ordered the arrest of the tanker's crew.
There was no immediate sign of the country's armed forces moving towards the port. Analysts say the military, still in training, would struggle to overcome rebels battle-hardened from the eight-month uprising against Muammar Qaddafi.
Deputy Defence Minister Khaled al-Sherif told AFP a "crisis committee" made up of government officials and lawmakers had issued an ultimatum for the ship to leave Libyan territorial waters.
"If the ship doesn't comply, it will be bombed by the air force or intercepted at sea by the navy," Sherif said.
An MP and committee member said the deadline 2:00 pm (1200 GMT) deadline had expired without any action being taken.
The latest crisis erupted in July, when security guards at key oil terminals shut them down, accusing the authorities of corruption and demanding a more equitable distribution of oil revenues. The situation has become more complicated as self-rule activists in the east have insisted on the right to export.
Saturday's incident was the latest in a standoff between the government and militants over exports, which are the principal source of revenue for the North African country.
In January, the navy prevented two tankers docking in Al-Sidra to take on crude. The government even threatened to bomb any ships attempting to dock without permission from the National Oil Corporation.
Following the blockade, production plunged to around 250,000 barrels per day from 1.5 million bpd, and the economy ministry estimated the treasury has lost more than $9 billion (6.5 billion euros) in revenue. Production has since recovered to 546,000 bpd, but the crisis has taken its toll.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] The Central African Republic's interim president on Saturday denounced atrocities being carried out against "Moslem sisters" across the country due to the brutal sectarian violence, in a speech to mark International Women's Day.
"It is deeply sad that on this special day our Moslem sisters cannot be with us, simply because they were attacked yesterday and they fear for their safety," said Catherine Samba Panza, the first woman ever to lead Central African Republic.
Her speech, at the palace of the National Assembly, covered "the role of women in the Central African search for peace".
Samba Panza added: "We cannot continue to promote intolerance, xenophobia and vile acts against our Moslem brothers and sisters who have always lived in perfect harmony with us.
"Images of those brothers and sisters, forced to live in certain places like prisoners, or to flee our country in their thousands because some people do not accept them and make their lives impossible, are intolerable and do us dishonor."
Security in the capital Bangui is "gradually and significantly deteriorating", said Panza, blaming "agitators" for exploiting the country's youth.
Her comments came after four Moslems were killed and their bodies savagely mutilated in two separate attacks in Bangui on Friday, according to a source in the security services.
In the attacks, the body of one Moslem was chopped up by machete-wielding assailants in the Malimaka district of Bangui.
"Certain parts of his body, including his hands, were paraded around the neighborhood by local youths," said the security source.
Another three Moslems were attacked by armed fighters in the Combattant district on their way to Bangui's M'poko airport Friday.
They were shot after their car was rammed by fighters and their bodies were left mutilated, the source told Agence La Belle France Presse on condition of anonymity.
The Central African Republic has been torn apart by bloody sectarian festivities since the mostly Moslem Seleka rebels ousted president Francois Bozize in March 2013 and replaced him with their leader Michel Djotodia, who was himself forced out last month.
Violence has continued unabated since then, as mostly Christian anti-balaka vigilantes have taken their Dire Revenge™.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
"...vile acts against our Moslem brothers and sisters who have always lived in perfect harmony with us."
"Always, until recently, I mean." And ignoring all that historical strife and slave-trading and stuff.
[Pak Daily Times] Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has sacked his interior minister and an intelligence chief after a rise in unrest in the country, official news agency Saba reported on Saturday.
Al Qaeda-linked faceless myrmidons took advantage of the weakening of the central government during a popular uprising in 2011 to reinforce their strongholds and step up attacks on security forces.
In February, Hadi had criticised the "below-par" performance of Yemen's security services in tackling the growing unrest.
Saba reported on Saturday that Hadi named Abdo Tareb to replace interior minister Abdelqader Qahtan and General Jalal al-Rweshan to take over from Ghalib al-Qamesh as head of the political intelligence department.
He also appointed Khaled Bahhah to replace outgoing Oil Minister Ahmad Dares, the agency said.
Hadi had decided on the changes amid public anger over the mounting unrest in the country, political sources said.
Militants across Yemen launch near-daily attacks on the security forces.
On Saturday morning, five Al-Qaeda faceless myrmidons launched an attack on an army base in the southern town of Loder, killing two soldiers, a military source told AFP.
One of the attackers, a Saudi national, was killed in the ensuing shootout, and three others were maimed and captured, the source said.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, considered by Washington to be the most dangerous franchise of the global jihadist network, has launched large-scale operations in addition to attacks on troops and police.
In February, a raid on the Sanaa central prison allowed 29 prisoners to escape, among them 19 suspected Al-Qaeda turbans, and left 11 members of the security forces dead.
Hadi had "pointed out that terrorist acts couldn't have been at this level if it weren't for the below-par performance of the security services" on a visit to the prison shortly after the jailbreak, Saba reported.
Despite the military's operations against turbans, Al-Qaeda gunnies have kept up their activities in south and southeastern Yemen.
In December, al Qaeda gunnies wearing military fatigues launched a brazen daylight assault on the defence ministry in Sanaa that killed 56 people.
Yemen is also grappling with an increasingly violent separatist movement in the south, which was independent between the end of British colonial rule in 1967 and union with the north in 1990.
And in the north of the country, Shiite Houthis have been advancing from their strongholds, regularly clashing with Sunni Islamist fighters and government troops.
Branches of the security apparatus are still controlled by officials loyal to former president President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it... who was ousted in 2011 following the uprising against his 33 years in power.
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China declared a "red line" on North Korea on Saturday, saying that China will not permit chaos or war on the Korean peninsula, and that peace can only come through denuclearization.
You feel better already, don't you...
China is North Korea's most important diplomatic and economic supporter, though Beijing's patience with Pyongyang has been severely tested following three nuclear tests and numerous bouts of saber rattling, including missile launches.
"The Korean peninsula is right on China's doorstep. We have a red line, that is, we will not allow war or instability on the Korean peninsula," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters on the sidelines of China's annual largely rubber-stamp parliament.
Wang called upon all parties to "exercise restraint", adding that "genuine and lasting peace" on the peninsula was only possible with denuclearization.
That of course should mean that the North gives up theirs -- good luck with that one...
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited China last month and said after talks in Beijing that China and the United States were discussing specific ways to press North Korea to give up its nuclear program.
Western countries and independent experts have accused China of failing to implement properly U.N. sanctions on North Korea, including punitive measures adopted after Pyongyang's third nuclear test in February last year.
North Korea has forged ahead with its nuclear development after declaring the so-called six-party talks dead in 2008, overturning its commitments made under a 2005 disarmament deal aimed at rewarding it with economic incentives.
Wang reiterated China's calls for a resumption of the talks between North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and host China.
"Confrontation can only bring tension, and war can only cause disaster," Wang said. "Some dialogue is better than none, and better early than later."
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged world powers last month to refer North Korea to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court following a U.N. report documenting crimes against humanity comparable to Nazi-era atrocities.
Nice of the Special Rapper to notice the atrocities but an ICC hearing isn't going to persuade Pudgy to change his ways...
China has rejected what it said was "unreasonable criticism" of Beijing in the U.N. report, but has not said directly whether it would veto any proceedings in the Security Council to bring Pyongyang to book.
The team also recommended targeted U.N. sanctions against civil officials and military commanders suspected of the worst crimes. North Korea is already subject to U.N. sanctions for refusing to give up its atomic bomb program.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
I bet their "red line" will be enforced a little stronger than Oblahblahs
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/09/2014 17:23 Comments ||
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#2
Isn't this news from late January?
Better late than never I guess.
ION CHINA this AM ... ...
* PRESS TRUST INDIA [PTI = Times of India] WILL DEFEND EVERY INCH OF ITS TERRITORY, CHINA WARNS NEIGHBORS.
FM Wang Yi.
* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [Want China Times] DPP: CHINA CAN WIN TAIWAN "WIDOUT A FIGHT" BY 2020.
Econ + Miltech superiority, iff not outright dominance.
[Pak Daily Times] A corps commanders' conference, held at the General Headquarters on Friday, took a comprehensive review of the prevalent internal and external security situation of the country and weighed options in the peace talks with the Taliban.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif chaired the meeting, which was part of routine monthly meetings. According to ISPR, the participants also dwelt at length on various professional matters. The meeting decided that air strikes would continue on bully boy hideouts in the event of attacks on military installations in the future. The meeting was briefed on the goals achieved by the surgical strikes against bully boy hideouts in North Wazoo.
The military top brass expressed satisfaction over the successful air strikes on the hideouts in retaliation to a spate of deadly terrorist attacks in the country. According to military sources, the meeting also focused on the country's internal security issues as well as on professional matters relating to the military. The meeting also discussed the selection of military representatives for negotiations with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), sources added. Gen Sharif took the corps commanders into confidence over his visit to the United Arab Emirates. However, we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by... an official blurb by ISPR said, "The conference was part of routine monthly meetings."
"The forum dwelt at length on various professional matters. The participants also undertook a comprehensive review of prevalent internal and external security situation of the country," it added. The meeting was called at a time when the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... has decided to continue with grinding of the peace processor that it started with Pak Talibs last month.
Meanwhile, ...back at the game, the Babe headed for second base. He almost made it. Then Sheila slapped him.... coordinator of the government's negotiating committee, Irfan Siddique has said the committee has suggested to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to include a representative of the Pakistain Army in talks with the TTP. Talking to the BBC, Siddique said that the proposal was submitted during the meeting of the committee members with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that the talks have now entered the decisive phase in which final decision would be taken, and in this connection army is a key stakeholder. Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid said on Friday that the inclusion of army in the peace team is a must. He also said the premier and army chief must have constant contact.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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[Pak Daily Times] The federal government is considering barring all ministers from giving statements during the dialogue process with the Taliban following the recent interview of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to a foreign news agency. According to sources, the recent statements of Khawaja Asif have made the issue complex, adding that the Nawaz still believed that a political solution could only resolve the sensitive issue. Efforts are underway to make the dialogue process more effective, the sources added. Earlier on Friday, Khawaja Asif said that a military operation against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) in the tribal areas might be launched in March. "It will not take months now. We'll have to march in the month of March," the minister said in an interview to Rooters. He had said that the government would not hesitate bombing bully boy hideouts or sending forces into the tribal areas if the Taliban did not abide by the ceasefire announced last weekend.
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[Pak Daily Times] The politicians in Upper House of parliament on Friday questioned the claim of Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan that late judge Rafaqat Awam fell prey to the bullets of his own security guards in the F8 suicide kaboom.
There was long discussion between the interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan and opposition politicians over the death of a judge in F-8 attack. The senators said that the statement of the minister is beyond comprehension as the joint investigation team (JIT) is yet to submit its report, adding the entry and exit points suggest it was either Kalashnikov or SNG.
Senator Raza Rabbani of Pakistain People's Party (PPP) said that the way the incumbent government portrays the terrorist activities gives an impression as it is defending the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). He continued that the government is confused to the extent that the prime minister comes up with a different statement while his interior minister narrates something else. "The prime minister blamed Indian spy agency RAW for the F8 suicide attack and his interior minister could be seen defending the Taliban," he lamented.
Rabbani also severely criticized the federal government for declaring Taliban as patriotic. The interior minister should know that people who defy the constitution, he added, in no way deserve to be treated the way they are being projected. He called upon the government to convene a joint-sitting of the parliament, adding the secret talk rhetoric being pursued by government for striking a peace deal with the hard boyz must be shared with the parliamentarians.
Zahid Khan, a senator of Awami National Party (ANP) dubbed the statement of the minister as 'pack of lies and joke of the day'. "There were four other people in the room of the judge at the time of the attack and how did it possible that all the three bullets hit the judge", he questioned. Another ANP politician Afrasiab Khattak also came down on the minister for declaring majority of Taliban as patriotic, adding how come you say that the mindset hell-bent to destroy the people turned out to be patriotic all of a sudden. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of Pakistain Mohammedan League-Quaid (PML-Q) expressed similar reservations like his other colleagues with a demand to hold a judicial inquiry into the matter to ascertain the fact.
In the aftermath of the incident, he said there came three different statements -- the prime minister blamed RAW for the F-8 suicide attack; the interior minister has created a new controversy and the medical report is totally opposite.
In the aftermath of the incident, he said there came three different statements -- the prime minister blamed RAW for the F-8 suicide attack; the interior minister has created a new controversy and the medical report is totally opposite. Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokari went berserk over the remarks of ANP politician Abdul Nabi Bangesh after he blamed him of giving special favours to PPP senator Syeda Sughra Imam for asking supplementary questions. "All the time you allow more than four supplementary questions for Sughra Imam while we're not allowed to ask even one supplementary, this is not justified", the ANP backbencher lamented.
The senators kept seeking permission to speak on point of orders without paying any heed to the rules and putting all the blame on the chair at the end of the day like fellow senator Abdul Nabi Bangesh. "I've been quite fair to each and every member here in this house but you never acknowledged it", he said, adding, "You must have patience now and follow the rules. But the rumpus continued to win the race in getting a point of order for speaking against the interior minister.
However, a lie repeated often enough remains a lie... the environment of the upper house of parliament somewhat turned into a junior class, forcing the chair to spring into action, who was already annoyed at Abdul Nabi Bangesh, adjourned the house till Monday at 30:00pm. ANP Senator Farah Aqil moved a calling attention notice to draw the attention of government towards anti-women practices and victimization of maidens of tender years and women by tribal jirgas for acts committed by the men folk. The lady senator flayed the government for its lukewarm response in taking action against the decisions of the tribal jirgas which often goes against women.
Meanwhile, ...back at the pie fight, Bella grabbed the cocoanut cream... the house also condemned India for filing sedition charges against 67 Kashmiri students after some of them cheered for the Pak cricket team during a televised match with India on Sunday last. The senators severely criticized suspension of Kashmiri students from the university by Indian authorities, saying it speaks volume of its double standards and exposed the so-called largest democracy of the world. The Senate witnessed introduction of two bills seeking amendment to the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997. State Minister for Interior introduced the bills which were referred to the relevant committees. These include the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and Anti-terrorism (Second Amendment) Bill, 2014.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] About two dozen Iraqi women demonstrated on Saturday in Storied Baghdad against a draft law approved by the Iraqi cabinet that would permit the marriage of nine-year-old girls and automatically give child custody to fathers.
The group's protest was on International Women's Day and a week after the cabinet voted for the legislation, based on Shi'ite Islamic jurisprudence, allowing clergy to preside over marriages, divorces and inheritances. The draft now goes to parliament.
"On this day of women, women of Iraq are in mourning," the protesters shouted.
"We believe that this is a crime against humanity," said Hanaa Eduar, a prominent Iraqi human rights ...which often include carefully measured allowances of freedom at the convenience of the state... activist. "It would deprive a girl of her right to live a normal childhood."
The UN's representative to Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov, also condemned the legislation. Mladenov wrote on Twitter the bill "risks constitutionally protected rights for women and international commitment ".
The legislation goes to the heart of the divisions in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, as Shi'ite Islamists have come to lead the government and look to impose their religious values on society on the lam.
It describes girls as reaching puberty at nine, making them fit for marriage, makes the father sole guardian of his children at two and condones a husband's right to insist on sexual intercourse with his wife whenever he wishes.
The legislation is referred to as the Ja'afari Law, named after the sixth Shi'ite imam Ja'afar al-Sadiq, who founded his own school of jurisprudence.
The draft was put forward by Justice Minister Hassan al-Shimari, a member of the Shi'ite Islamist Fadila party, and approved by the cabinet on February 25.
It must now be reviewed by parliament, but the draft could very well languish, with national elections scheduled for April 30, and vocal opposition among secularists.
Shi'ite religious parties first attempted to pass a version of the law in 2003 under U.S. occupation, angering secular Iraqis and promptng protests. Since then, amid Iraq's turmoil, the tug-of-war has continued between Iraq's secularists and Islamists.
Iraq's current personal status law enshrines women's rights regarding marriage, inheritance, and child custody, and has often been held up as the most progressive in the Middle East.
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03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
And this is the reason the I was against the way the Iraq War was fought.
When dealing with barbarians the only way is the shampoo method. Wash, rinse, reapeat as necessary.
Don't waste blood and treasure on trying to civilize them.
One alternative is the Japan method. Squash them totally, throw out all institutions and start from scratch.
[An Nahar] Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... and Qatar are supporting bad boy groups in Iraq and have effectively declared war on the country, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said as nationwide violence left 15 dead Saturday.
The rare direct attack on the Sunni Gulf powers, with Maliki also accusing Riyadh of supporting global terrorism, comes with Iraq embroiled in its worst prolonged period of bloodshed since 2008, with more than 1,800 people killed already this year, ahead of parliamentary elections due next month.
The bloodletting in Iraq, which shares a long border with Saudi Arabia, has been driven principally by widespread discontent among the country's Sunni Arab minority and by the civil war in neighboring Syria.
Maliki, a Shiite, has in the past blamed unnamed regional countries and neighbors for destabilizing Iraq.
But in an interview with La Belle France 24 broadcast on Saturday, Maliki said allegations he was marginalizing Sunnis were being pushed by "sectarians with ties to foreign agendas, with Saudi and Qatari incitement."
Referring to the two countries, he said: "They are attacking Iraq, through Syria and in a direct way, and they announced war on Iraq, as they announced it on Syria, and unfortunately it is on a sectarian and political basis."
"These two countries are primarily responsible for the sectarian and terrorist and security crisis of Iraq."
He said Riyadh and Doha were providing political, financial and media support to bad boy groups and accused them of "buying weapons for the benefit of these terrorist organizations."
In the interview, Maliki also accused Saudi Arabia of supporting global terrorism, both inside the Arab world and in other countries.
He slammed "the dangerous Saudi stance" of supporting "terrorism in the world -- it supports it in Syria and Iraq and Leb and Egypt and Libya and even in countries outside" the Arab world.
Maliki in January blamed "diabolical" and "treacherous" Arab countries but has consistently refused to point directly at particular states.
But as violence has worsened markedly in Iraq -- the corpse count from violence last month was more than double that of February 2013 -- and with elections due on April 30, Maliki has taken a hard line, pushing security operations against bad boys.
He has also called for greater coordination against militancy, with Storied Baghdad due to host an international counter-terrorism conference on March 12.
On Saturday, violence nationwide killed at least 15 people, including a parliamentary election candidate and four children, security and medical sources said.
In Sharqat, north of Storied Baghdad, gunniesrubbed out Mohammed Hussein Hamid, who was standing in next month's parliamentary elections on Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlak's list.
Hamid was the second parliamentary candidate to be killed this year, after gunnies murdered Hamza al-Shammari last month.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Uh, uh, MALIKI - THE LEADER OF THE EVIL/DARK TROLLS IN "THOR 2"???
gut nuthin.
-------------
* OTOH TOPIX > [HuffPo] SAUDI ARABIA THREATENS TO LAY SIEGE TO QATAR: COOPERATION OR CONFRONTATION?
Unless Base-too-far-QATAR immediately + most hastily cuts off any + all ties + support, etc. to the Muslim Brotherhood.
IMO the KSA must walk a fine line wid Qatar - it may be at odds wid Qatar at the moment, but Qatar has also been fervently anti-Iran. IFF THE KSA ISN'T CAREFUL, IT MAY TURN ANTI-IRAN QATAR INTO IRAN'S LATEST ANTI-SAUDI BFF IN THE GCC = PERSIAN GULF.
[WAPO] EIN AL-HILWA, West Bank Mahmoud Mohammed Kaabneh is at a loss. Israeli soldiers arrived with bulldozers last month and demolished his home. With little recourse, financial support or option to rebuild, he and his wife and 10 children are living with relatives for the foreseeable future.
I have no idea what we will do. They destroyed six of our buildings, three where my family lived and three where my animals lived, said Kaabneh, 43, a Palestinian herder who has spent most of his life here on this desolate hillside in the West Banks Jordan Valley. Notice he's not asking why it happened.
#2
Why do bad things happen to good people? /sarcasm
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
03/09/2014 15:11 Comments ||
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#3
homes were destroyed in the first six weeks of this year by Israeli authorities, who control most of the valley and deemed the structures illegal because they lacked proper permits.
[Times of Israel] Israels demand to be recognized as a Jewish State by the Palestinian Authority may be a secondary issue in the eyes of the Obama Administration.
In an interview with Jerusalem-based daily Al-Quds Saturday, State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki suggested that within the context of any final agreement between the two parties, Palestinian recognition of Israel will not play a critical role.
She did reiterate, however, Americas position that Israel is Jewish state.
Psakis comments come in advance of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbass meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House on March 17, as part of US efforts to press both sides on peace talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Obama earlier this week. Incredulous, and a diplomatic marker that may never be moved. Perhaps a pre-condition of the Abbas visit.
#2
Incredulous doesn't begin to describe it. Has the desire for a piece of paper with the word 'Agreement' on it trumped sense and reason? Let's just give everyone involved a trophy and a t-shirt and call it a day.
#8
Netanyahu to Abbas....
If you don't recognize my right to exist then I don't recognize your right to exist and when we next meet I will be shooting.
Have a nice day.
[An Nahar] A ship allegedly carrying advanced rockets from Iran to Gazoo that was intercepted by the Israeli navy arrived Saturday in the Red Sea port of Eilat, an Agence La Belle France Presse photographer said.
Israeli naval commandos seized the vessel on Wednesday in the Red Sea between Eritrea ...is run by the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), with about the amounts of democracy and justice you'd expect from a party with that name. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; none have ever been held in the country. The president, Isaias Afewerki, has been in office since independence in 1993 and will probably die there of old age... and Sudan, with the military saying it was carrying an Iranian shipment of M-302 rockets destined for the Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason,-run Gazoo Strip.
The Panamanian-flagged Klos-C was escorted into Eilat port by two Israeli warships.
Thousands of Israelis gathered on a hill overlooking the port broke into applause when the ship came into view.
"We will dismantle all the containers to verify if they contain other weapons," an army front man said, adding that a news conference will be held at the end of operations late on Monday.
Israeli radio said that ambassadors and military attaches posted to Israel as well as "prominent Israeli figures" would be invited to view the weapons seized by the army.
This, the radio said, "will prove to the world that Iran is providing weapons to forces of Evil active in the Gazoo Strip".
Iran has flatly denied any involvement with the shipment, which the Israeli army said was carrying missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel.
At the time of the vessel's capture on Wednesday, military front man Brigadier General Motti Almoz told army radio that dozens of the M-302 long-range missiles were on board.
"From what we understand, it was carrying dozens of M-302 long-range missiles which can reach 150 to 200 kilometers (90-125 miles). It may be carrying other weapons as well, but we can only know this when it reaches Eilat.
"There is clear and unequivocal information that this (shipment) came from Iran," Almoz said, without elaborating.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israel of lying and noted that the announcement of its capture coincided with a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the AIPAC pro-Israeli lobby in the United States.
"An Iranian ship carrying arms for Gazoo. Captured just in time for annual AIPAC anti Iran campaign. Amazing Coincidence! Or same failed lies," Zarif wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
Netanyahu has been pressing the international community to maintain crippling economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear drive, and used last week's visit to the U.S. to push his case.
World powers have eased the sanctions as part of a landmark deal struck in November, under which Iran undertook to curb its nuclear activities for six month.
The United States, other Western powers and Israel have long suspected Iran of using its nuclear energy program as a cover for developing atomic weapons, a charge denied by Tehran.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Israel needs to expedite delivery of those rockets to Gaza. Fastest way possible, please (point & launch.)
[Pak Daily Times] Iranian President Hassan Rouhani defended on Saturday what he called "freedom of the press with responsibility" and criticised the practice of shutting down offending newspapers.
"The government is in favour of freedom of expression with responsibility," he said in a vigorously applauded speech to media figures broadcast live on television. "If we break the pens and shut the mouths, public trust will be deeply harmed." There is a long-standing practice in Iran of temporarily shutting down newspapers as punishment for publishing articles deemed offensive to the values of the Islamic republic. But Rouhani said "shutting down a newspaper should be the last resort not the first. If one violates the law we should deal with him or the managing director of the daily."
"Why should we shut down the whole newspaper and make a lot of people unemployed," he asked. As recently as last month, the judiciary banned a newly launched reformist daily Aseman (Sky) and jugged Youse'll never take me alive coppers!... [BANG!]... Ow!... I quit! its managing director over an article deemed insulting to Islamic law. The editor was later freed on bail. In October, reformist daily Bahar (Spring) was ordered closed over an article seen by critics as questioning the beliefs of Shiite Islam.
Iran's judiciary system is controlled by conservatives who frequently clash with the government over policies they deem to be too liberal.
Culture Minister Ali Janati recently urged an end to the ban on social media, including Facebook. That and his move to allow the publication of previously banned books has sparked a furore among conservatives. "Critics and opponents of this government are free and they will remain free, but let the supporters of the government enjoy the same freedom and security," Rouhani said. Rouhani, who has the support of reformists and moderates, pledged to work for more social freedom during his election campaign.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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[Pak Daily Times] A Sunni Lebanese bad boy group linked to al Qaeda has apologised for the civilian casualties of a suicide kaboom last month and said its fight was against Iran and its ally Hezbollah, not Shias in general. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades ... Leb's current al-Qaeda affiliate, named after a guy whose car the current head of al-Qaeda had boomed... took credit for a Feb 19 attack on Shia Iran's cultural centre in Beirut that killed eight people in an area where support for the Shia political and military movement Hezbollah runs strong. But in an unusual statement published on Islamist websites and on the group's Twitter feed, the group said it had intended the kabooms to go off in an area where shrapnel would not reach the main street, so as to spare civilian lives. "The Abdullah Azzam Brigades' operations do not target Shias in general, or any other sect, and we always stress to our martydom-seekers to be cautious and abort an operation if they think it could kill others than those targeted," it said. It blamed an "unintended defect" for the error.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/09/2014 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Pak Daily Times] Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has sacked his interior minister and an intelligence chief after a rise in unrest in the country, official news agency Saba reported on Saturday.
China declared a "red line" on North Korea on Saturday, saying that China will not permit chaos or war on the Korean peninsula, and that peace can only come through denuclearization.
Wazoo
