If you haven't noticed already, the aggravation's gotten to the guys/gals at Samizdata. They've pulled up stakes and moved to http://www.samizdata.net/blog, Movable Type, and a Sekimori-designed site. Very nize!
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:20 am ||
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Following a visit Monday from a key U.S. defense official, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's Cabinet issued an order to disband all private armies, according to a presidential spokesman. "Armed sections of all parties are proclaimed illegal and ordered disbanded," Syed Fazl Akbar told The Associated Press. "A high-level commission was formed to oversee the disarming." Hand Ismael Khan a tissue, wouldja? He just squirted coffee out his nose...
Akbar's statement came after Karzai met with U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, who told key northern warlords to stop their feuding and encouraged efforts to build a multiethnic Afghan national army. Wolfowitz, who paid a one-day visit to Afghanistan, flew Monday to the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, telling Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum and Shiite leader Mohammed Mohaqeq that they must curb violence in the north. Armed clashes involving Uzbek, Shiite and Tajik militias have raised tensions in the north and prompted warnings by international aid agencies that they may cease operations in the region. "It is very important to try to control the level of violence in northern Afghanistan because it is causing some serious problems and is getting in the way of delivering the kind of aid and assistance that we have been delivering," Wolfowitz told the warlords. "Besides which, there's enough lunacy going on in the southeast, and you wouldn't want people to think you were that sort of riff-raff..."
The fighters of the disbanded armies must come under the central command of the Afghan Defense Ministry, state television said. Good idea. They should be nice, too.
The order to disband includes all prominent warlords and their groups, including Jamiat-e-Islami, led by former president Burhannudin Rabbani; Dostum's Uzbek militia and armed groups led by Vice President Karim Khalili and Agriculture Minister Hussain Anwari. It was not clear how Karzai's government would enforce the order. One day it'll happen. Not yet, but someday. If they don't kill him first.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:20 am ||
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U.S. soldiers equipped with gas masks detained a man Tuesday in an eastern Afghan village where four days earlier they had detained three men suspected of having links to al-Qaida or the Taliban. About 150 troops swooped into Hesarak in helicopters loaded with medical supplies. Two medics distributed bandages and aspirin to villagers, while the remaining U.S. forces stood guard around the village or patrolled the area. Three people were detained Tuesday, and two were later released. "We have reason to believe that there's al-Qaida, Taliban presence in this compound,'' said Lt. Col. Patrick Fetterman. "We have reasonably good intelligence that something is going on here.'' Apparently not too wholesome, either, if they needed gas masks...
Troops watched carefully as two tanks and personnel moved along a mountain near Hesarak, 60 miles southwest of the Afghan capital of Kabul in the Nangarhar province. They called in two FA-18 fighter jets for backup when the tanks starting moving. No shots were fired. Wonder whose tanks they were? The local warlord's?
Villagers said they were happy the Americans were there. But some villagers complained the three men detained last week were not guilty of anything and had no links to al-Qaida or the Taliban. Oh, they never do, do they?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:20 am ||
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Iranian police on Tuesday used tear gas to disperse a crowd of protesting workers in central Tehran after they tried to storm the labour ministry, witnesses told AFP. Hundreds of workers, protesting against low wages, pushed their way through the ministry's entrance in the centre of the city, witnesses said. Police managed to force them back out and disperse the workers by using tear gas. No injuries were reported. Protests by workers have multiplied in recent months amid a worsening economic crisis and rising unemployment. Well, that should make the country a lot quieter and more content...
Iran's Economy Minister Tahmasb Mazaheri recently expressed concern over forecasts for the country's unemployment figures. According to the latest official studies, Iran will count some five million jobless by 2005, 16.6 percent more than in 2002. "They don't need jobs! They need religion! If they were devout, by Allah, they wouldn't worry about their families starving! Ardeshir, flog them!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 09:24 am ||
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Scratching my head here. What do the mullahs have against gas workers? CNG not halal?
Posted by: Dan Hartung ||
07/16/2002 21:00 Comments ||
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A car exploded about 200 yards from a synagogue in downtown Helsinki early on Tuesday, killing the driver, injuring a passerby and blowing out windows, police said. "Glass was scattered on the pavement, bits of debris were all over the place," a Reuters correspondent said. "One car was totally destroyed and another was badly damaged." Gideon Bolotowsky, president of Helsinki's small Jewish community, told Reuters he had no information yet to indicate the blast was an attack on the synagogue. "I think we will have to wait and not jump to any hasty conclusions about what could have been," he said. "There is a chance there could be a link with what is going on in the Middle East, but that is pretty remote I would think." A senior Helsinki police detective said he believed it was a one-off incident without political ramifications. "I believe this is a single case in Helsinki without any connection to other things in the world," Detective Chief Inspector Olli Toyras said. How 'bout that? I'm clairvoyant! Wonder if he was a Lapp?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:37 pm ||
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Spanish police arrested three suspected members of al Qaeda on Tuesday, one of whom had videotaped key buildings in the United States, Interior Minister Angel Acebes said. One of the men, all of whom are of Syrian origin, had video tapes from an apparent tourist trip to the United States during which he had recorded footage of installations and monuments. Two tapes showed mostly images of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York from all angles and distances and were recorded before the Sept. 11 suicide attacks which killed about 3,000 people. The video "was obviously not what a tourist would make," the minister added. The suspect had also filmed bridges, focusing especially on the supports, while another two videos showed violent Mujahideen "terrorist training," fighting and suicide bombers, he said. Spain is putting together a pretty impressive record in rounding these goobers up. Hope they don't stop... FOLLOWUP: Charles Johnson at LGF has more details...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 09:24 pm ||
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Thirteen people were wounded Tuesday when suspected Muslim militants hurled a grenade in a crowded marketplace near Srinagar. Police said the Bad Guys threw a grenade at a police patrol at an intersection in Anantnag town. The grenade exploded on the road and three Central Reserve Police Force personnel and 10 civilians were injured. The attack came three days after Islamic militants killed 28 Hindu slum dwellers. Tuesday's attack came hours before the Hindu nationalist-led government was to give its response to the slum massacre. Probably that's why the attack came. Not that the Bad Guys aren't always looking for an opportunity to throw a few grenades, 'cuz they're, like, into blasts...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:20 am ||
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The Indian army has withdrawn three strike divisions from the Pakistan frontier, reducing its war readiness on the border as militant infiltrations decline, high-ranking army and government officials said Tuesday. The army withdrew the three strike divisions a week ago, officials told The Associated Press. That simply won't do. Look for an increase in the bombing, shootings, beheadings, and especially grenade attacks, the more corpses the better. The fundos are determined to bring on a war between the two powers.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:21 am ||
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Muzaffargarh police on Monday arrested last of the absconding accused in the Shakoor sodomy case related to the Meerwala gang-rape. Working on a tip-off, police raided a hide-out in Rahim Yar Khan district and nabbed Manzoor Husain. He, along with Jamil and Punnu, was accused of assaulting 12-year-old Shakoor Tattla, who was later blamed by the Mastois for having 'illicit' relations with one of their girls. Mastois convened a Panchayat of their clan and ordered gang-rape of Shakoor's sister to avenge the 'insult'. The Tattla family said the Mastois had staged the drama of holding the Panchayat to cover up sodomy. Their assertion was later also confirmed by the governor's inspection team in its findings. Police have so far arrested 18 people, including an ASI, in the gang-rape episode. Commendable effort by the Pak coppers. Looks like this episode was too gamey for anyone outside NWFP...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 07:31 pm ||
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Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh, who was awarded death sentence in the Daniel Pearl case, said on Monday he would see who would die first - he or those who wanted to kill him. This was stated by him in a message that was delivered to newsmen by defence counsel Rai Bashir Ahmed on his behalf after he met Omer Shaikh. "I had told my lawyers that it was an exercise in futility. It was only due to my father that I had contested this case. A war between Islam and Kufr is going on," Sheikh Omer was quoted as saying. The psychopath's right. There is every chance that some of those who want to see him dead will be dead before he is. Probably quite a few innocents who don't care one way or the other will be dead, too. That's because there is a war between Wahhabi Islam and the infidels. It was started and it's guided by men very much like Omar Saeed Sheikh: men with deep religious convictions, abiding xenophobia, and an utter lack of conscience. The world will be a better place, very literally, when he and his henchmen are decomposing.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 07:42 pm ||
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Saudi investors are likely to lose close to 601 billion Saudi riyals ($160 billion) as a result of the stock price fall on international securities markets. Arab investments in foreign markets are estimated at $1.3 trillion, with Saudi investors owning half of the total, reported Al-Watan. Losses by Saudis and other Arab investors have been climbing as world stock markets fell over the past two weeks after the disclosure of possible account manipulation by American companies. Moreover, Arab investors have been investing less on foreign markets following the US Treasury Department compiled details of Arab and Muslim businessmen blacklisted on suspicion of financing terrorism after the September 11 attacks. Arab economists have ruled out the possibility of a major Arab fund repatriation to follow recent developments, insisting that investors are unlikely to sell off their stocks at the moment since losses have only been recorded preliminarily. Presently, only a few million worth of funds have been brought back while the majority have undergone restructuring and redistribution to different investment portfolios in other countries. Far be it from me to larf at someone else's misfortune... But... Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hand me a tissue, please...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 09:11 am ||
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I recommend that the Soddies buy Israeli War Bonds.
A mine that was set in a vehicle near Dar al-Hadeeth Center in Saadah was disabled after it was discovered by a number of people in the area. The mine was found in a Suzuki car that belongs to Ameen al-Khrafi, who is one of the centerâs active students. Sources close to the center mentioned that the mine may have been put in al-Khrafiâs car as a threat for he is suspected in helping the political security forces four month ago arrest Abu Khalifa, a Kuwaiti citizen under the pretext of having links to Islamic extremist groups. "Honey, why don't we holiday in Yemen? The exploding cars are so pretty this time of year! Maybe someone will even shell the village where we're staying..."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:25 pm ||
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Fighting between Al-Mothana and al-Musaid tribes in Bani Awn area, al-Mekhlaf-Sharaab in Taiz governorate revived and resulted in two deaths of young men; Ammar Abdu Mosaid, 18 and Saeed Bin Saeed Hatem, 29. Sheikh Awn al-Mekhlafi said this fight is the latest of a sequence of battles dating back five years for old revenges between the two families. Security sources revealed that the cause of the fighting was a simple dispute that erupted between the two sides and developed to a fight that resulted in five deaths and a large number of wounded from both sides. Army forces from Taiz were sent to the area following the fighting and arrested a number of people in an attempt to stop the fighting but in vain. The people of the area had asked the Ministry of Interior and the Anti Revenge Committee of the Shoura Council to interfere and put an end to this problem before it is too late. Tell me the benefits of anarchy again? I keep forgetting...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:32 pm ||
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Palestinians wearing Israeli army uniforms detonated a roadside bomb near an armored bus Tuesday and then sprayed automatic fire at Israeli civilians as they fled near a West Bank settlement, authorities and witnesses said. Seven people were killed and more than a dozen wounded. The gunmen fled the scene and were being pursued by army helicopters. Disguising yourself using the other side's uniform is grounds for being shot, if you're one of those into the intricacies of military custom and international law.
It was the first deadly attack on Israeli civilians since June 20 and came hours before representatives of the so-called ''Quartet'' committee - including the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations - met in New York to discuss ways of ending more than 21 months of violence. It's not the first deadly attack for want of trying on the part of the Paleostinians, of course. The Quartet meeting is the reason they had to bring something off...
Medics who rushed to the entrance of the Emmanuel settlement in the northern West Bank quoted the wounded as saying that after the initial explosion, several smaller ones went off, followed by shooting, Israel Radio said. The witnesses said the attackers, about three in all, were dressed in Israel army uniforms and opened fire as the bus passengers tried to escape. The gunmen fled in the direction of Nablus, the report said. So first they blew a mine at a civilian bus, then shot the passengers as they tried to get to safety. Not being a liberal, the words "war crime" seldom pass my lips, er... fingers, but in this case... FOLLOWUP:
"Basically we see that nothing has changed. Anytime that the Palestinians see that there is some chance for progress in the peace process, this is what they do," said Arye Mekel, another government spokesman. Is there an echo in here? Is there an echo in here?
In separate statements, the military wings of Fatah and Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Tuesday's attack was similar to an ambush, placed by a Hamas member, on a bus outside Emmanuel last December in which 10 Israelis were killed.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:28 am ||
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The Palestinian arrested in Jenin Monday night for plotting to carry out a suicide attack is a woman, Israeli media reports said. She was questioned by the Shin Bet, Israel's General Security Agency, the report added. Israeli sources, however, said it does not appear the woman was caught in action, but rather was still planning the attack. It was interesting the first time. Now it's boring.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:45 am ||
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Talks between Arab states and the international diplomatic "quartet" in New York on Tuesday are to focus on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's future role, analysts and diplomats said. Foreign ministers Ahmed Maher of Egypt and Marwan Moasher of Jordan, along with a representative of Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal, will attend the New York meeting with top officials from the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia. The three Arab ministers will then meet Wednesday in Washington with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and later with President George W. Bush. Powell will try to convince the Arab side to accept a US strategy aimed at marginalizing Arafat, without discarding him completely. The U.S. Secretary of State reiterated on Monday that the Bush administration would like to see a new Palestinian leadership, but said he would be willing to consider a plan whereby Arafat would be "kicked up upstairs" to another position. They'd better hurry the hell up and set up his sinecure position, because after this morning's bus bombing Netanyahu was talking about kicking him out again...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 09:29 pm ||
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Chairman "Babywipes" promoted upstairs? To what? Godhead? El Supremo? geez...the semantics they have to go through...how about a bullet in teh back of the head instead - the Chinese call it "eating the peanut" and charge the family for the bullet...god knows Suha can afford to pay for it with all the millions that a-hole has siphoned off
An Islamic militant wanted for killing three Lebanese army intelligence agents was handed over to the Lebanese army, a Palestinian sources said. They said Lebanese Islamic leaders had handed the militant, Badih Hamade, to Lebanese soldiers early Tuesday at the northern entrance of Ein Helwe camp, on the outskirts of the port city of Saida. Earlier, a mediator said he struck an 11th-hour deal for the surrender of an Islamic militant wanted for killing three Lebanese army intelligence agents and holed up in this Palestinian refugee camp. These guys do an awful lot of negotiating with the government. Whatever happened to "You've got a killer in there! Send him out with his hands up!"... "Hokay! Don't shoot!"
"After difficult negotiations, we have reached an agreement in principle to hand over the murderer to the concerned parties," Palestinian Islamic mediator Abu Sharif, spokesman for the group Usbat al-Ansar, told reporters. Abu Sharif said he participated in long negotiations with Sheikh Abdullah Shreidi, leader of a rival group, Usbat al-Nur, which is alleged to be hiding the wanted militant in the Ain Helwe camp of southern Lebanon. "We need some time" to organize the hand-over, he said after the talks in an Ain Helwe mosque. "We want to spare the camp from problems." Lebanese Interior Minister Elias Murr, meanwhile, warned: "There is no solution but to hand over the murderer. Otherwise, the army will gradually take harsh measures that could lead to closing all the camp's entrances." Yeah. And then that'd be the occasion for "bloody revenge," etc., etc.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 09:06 am ||
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The State Security Court on Monday sentenced three men to death in the trial of 12 Jordanians and an Egyptian national accused of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in Jordan. But the presiding judge of the military tribunal reduced the death sentence against Jordanian nationals Bilal Khreissat, Jaafar Awad and Jamal Moghrabi to 15 years of hard labour. Three other Jordanian men were given each a 15-year jail sentence with hard labour while the rest, including Egyptian national Wasser Saleh, were acquitted. The trial of the group known as Al Khalaya (the cells) opened on July 10 of last year, five months after the men were arrested allegedly before carrying out attacks on Israeli and Western targets in Jordan. The military prosecutor accused them at the time of planning terrorist attacks, possessing and manufacturing explosives. Probably the reason Jordan seems so reasonable next to most other Arab states is that it doesn't screw around with wild-eyed killers.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 09:02 pm ||
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Five students were stabbed and two buildings torched in Makassar, South Sulawesi, when two Muslim student groups clashed over an initiation program for new students, The Jakarta Post reported. All academic activities were suspended following the incident. "Islam is a religion of peace..."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 07:51 pm ||
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A Canadian warship patrolling the north Arabian Sea captured two suspected al-Qaida terrorists after a dramatic nighttime chase, Canadian Forces officials said Monday. The two men, who were among about 25 people travelling in one of three small boats in the Gulf of Oman, were identified as having suspected terrorist links and ordered into custody late Saturday. However, when the HMCS Algonquin attempted to close in, the three smaller boats scattered, said Commodore Eric Lerhe, commander of Canada's naval task group in the north Arabian Sea. The Algonquin gave chase through the darkened waters along with several other coalition warships and eventually tracked down the eight-metre, motorized boat with the two suspects aboard. Capt. Gary Paulson said the two men appeared "agitated" when his ship's boarding party finally went out to meet them. One of the suspects was trying to get the boat's pilot to speed off again. Hurrah for the Great White North! Let us toast the captain and crew of the Algonquin in Molson!
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
07/16/2002 08:46 pm ||
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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.
