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Poison warfare suits found in mosque raid
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Europe
Poison warfare suits found in mosque raid
Thanks to Paul for the tip!
BRITISH police investigating a terror plot by Islamic saboteurs have found chemical warfare protection suits in a north London mosque. The discovery has shocked detectives, who believe the find confirms supporters of Osama bin Laden were planning a poison attack on civilian targets in Britain. Scotland Yard and MI5 detectives had kept the discovery of the nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) suits secret. They feared disclosing it would spark panic.
They were afraid the Manchester Union fans might start lynching turbans, maybe?
Government ministers have warned any suggestion that the Finsbury Park mosque had been involved would have worrying racist overtones.
Oh, dear! Couldn't have that, no matter how many citizens are in danger of being slaughtered like dogs...
Police initially revealed they had seized a cache of weapons, including a stun gun, an imitation rifle and a gas canister. Detectives last night confirmed that the protective suits were being tested to establish if there was any trace of ricin or any other poison.
They weren't there for lounging in while watching terriblevision...
The Finsbury Park mosque has a notorious reputation because of its use by radical Muslim clerical Abu Hamza to preach holy war against Britain and the US.
So, Tony. Where's he being deported to?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 07:32 pm || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Arrests trigger Italy terror alert
Italy's National Security Committee is reviewing security at sensitive sites, amid fears that five Moroccans arrested this week were planning terrorist attacks. The men, detained for illegal possession of explosives, are suspected of having links to extremist groups elsewhere in Europe. Police found maps with Nato bases in northern Italy and a plan of central London during the arrests south of Venice. Italian authorities are now considering how best to secure their military sites, as well as prominent historical sites such as the leaning tower of Pisa.
And all those cathedrals. They were erected to celebrate the glory of God, after all. That makes them legitimate targets for Islamists...
The arrest of the five suspects was approved by the investigating judge and they have now been remanded in custody, say reports. The BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner, says if the men had been plotting an attack, it is more likely that it would have taken place in Italy than in London. The map of central London did not have any targets marked but other maps showed a Nato base in Verona where targets had been ringed. Officers found a kilogram (2.2 lb) of explosives in the building where the men were staying in the northern city of Rovigo, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south-west of Venice.
"Mahmoud, these Italians have some really funny tasting cheese..."
Our correspondent says the powerful C4 explosive discovered is the same type as that used in the Bali bombing in October and could only be accessed through military sources. But, he says, if the men were indeed planning any attack, it would not be particularly sophisticated and certainly nothing on the level of the 11 September operation.
Either that, or the kilo of C4 was only a sample, or to be used as the detonator for a truckload of fertilizer...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 10:24 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I think you got it, anonymous. While we're certainly not out of their sights, it would be a lot easier, and smarter, to hit Europe. The Euros wouldn't retaliate the way we would, there are plenty of 5th columnists there, and the Left is much more powerful. Europe is a logical choice right now...
Posted by: R. McLeod || 01/27/2003 4:48 Comments || Top||


'We must deal with asylum', says PM
Prime Minister Tony Blair said he may have to re-examine the UK's commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights if his government's policies to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country failed. Mr Blair said there was "absolutely no doubt at all we have to deal with this issue", describing the present situation as "unacceptable". He said the government would push through new measures to stem the flow of illegal immigrants in the UK if they were needed. But Mr Blair said the key to solving the problem was to "substantially" reduce the number of applicants because under the convention asylum seekers cannot be removed to a country where they might be subjected to torture.
If they come to your country and they commit crimes of violence, seems like they should be dumped back where they came from. What's wrong with making them guarantee their own good behavior? Think of it as a "social contract." If you claim asylum, it's because you're unfairly persecuted. If you're being fairly persecuted, what's your beef? And why would you deserve asylum?
He said: "The present situation is unacceptable, and we have to deal with it. I'm under no doubt about that at all, which is why in the past few months we have been working very closely, myself and the home secretary, to take a whole series of new measures. We passed the legislation last November, that legislation is coming into effect now. It, for example, takes away the automatic right to benefits for asylum seekers..."
Having to work for a living should cut the numbers somewhat. And having them gainfully employed should take some of that time off their hands that the Devil seems to find ways to fill.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 10:15 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Sounds like the whole place is an asylum. I say, first sedate everyone, then calmly sort the whole thing out....
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 01/27/2003 0:06 Comments || Top||


Anti-war stand 'won't save Schröder again'
The 1,000-strong crowd of party faithful packed into the Odeon theatre in Goslar rose in unison and burst into rapturous applause as Chancellor Gerhard Schröder reopened Germany's political battle with Britain and America over war against Iraq. "Don't count on Germany voting in favour of a resolution that would legitimise a war. Never again will there be a Germany of aggression," Mr Schröder told the election rally of Social Democrats (SPD) in his home state of Lower Saxony ahead of a ballot next Sunday.
I think that's the sort of sentiment Mike had in mind when he chose the graphic for his site. I think it's also the attitude he had in mind when he named his site "Cold Fury." My personal opinion is that we stood by the Germans, putting our troops forward against the Soviets. We guaranteed their freedom and did everything we could to foster it. And now they're peeing on our national leg...
The message delighted the rank and file who, sporting red party badges, had been bused in from across the region to see their leader in action. Their standing ovation turned into rhythmic applause that was only brought to a halt by a wave of the Chancellor's hand. Above him on stage the banner declared: "Politics for reality".
The "reality" is that the Germans are infidels just like we are, but they've never quite caught on to the idea of defending themselves. They went to one extreme under Kaiser Bill and then under Adolph, and now they've gone to the other extreme...
The depressing reality for the German leader is that the true reflection of public opinion came outside the hall, where hecklers gave vent to their anger by driving up in a van whose roof was mounted with a dummy in a Schröder rubber mask. Loudspeakers blasted out Germany's number one hit, The Tax Song, which satirises the Chancellor, before police moved them on. Indeed, if Mr Schröder was hoping to repeat the trick of last September, when his vehement anti-war line helped him to secure an unexpected second term, he seems set for disappointment in two key state elections. His policy on Iraq strikes a chord with the public: the latest polls show that 69 per cent of Germans favour his anti-war stance. They also predict, however, a humiliating defeat for Mr Schröder in elections in Lower Saxony, normally a Social Democrat stronghold, and neighbouring Hesse.
I guess you could say, "It's the economy, dummkopf!" That's until there's a crater where Branderburger Tor used to be, or downtown Frankfurt's heaped with gassed corpses...
At national level, Mr Schröder's party is trailing the opposition Christian Democrats by a remarkable 30 per cent, a poll said yesterday. His electoral woes mirror the country's economic plight: figures leaked to Bild newspaper show that unemployment rose this month to more than 4.5 million, the highest level for five years. Defeat in Lower Saxony would be particularly ignominious for Mr Schröder, as he has campaigned hard in the state that he ruled for eight years and where he still spends weekends. The unemployment rate of 10 per cent, the highest in western Germany, has hit his popularity hard.
Golly. That's too bad. Maybe he should spend more time on economics and leave the international relations to the grown ups...
"It looks dreadful for us," admitted a veteran Social Democrat supporter. "Voters are out to punish the government for raising taxes and failing to tackle unemployment." Defeat in both states would give the Christian Democrats the decisive say in all the main legislation presented to the upper house, the Bundesrat. That may force the Chancellor to form a grand coalition government with the conservatives or to call a new election.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 09:06 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Hunt for 1,200 Britons who trained with al-Qa'eda
Almost 1,200 British Muslims trained with Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terrorist network in Afghanistan, The Telegraph has learnt. The names, addresses and other details of the Britons were found by British military intelligence during searches of bin Laden's cave complex at Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan.
Oh, inconvenient, that...
Many of the Britons, all of whom trained at al-Qa'eda camps in Afghanistan, are now thought to have returned to Britain while others are believed to have died in combat. The location of some is known, but others have still to be traced. In all, the names of 1,192 Britons have been found. A senior Whitehall official confirmed the discovery, saying: "It was shocking to realise that so many young Britons had travelled to train with Osama bin Laden, al-Qa'eda and the Taliban."
Al Muhajiroun bragged that they'd recruited 1000 of them. Guess they weren't exaggerating. They also threatened jihad on Britain, but nobody seemed to take them seriously at the time...
Last night there were calls for the men to be prosecuted for terrorism offences, or even treason, and warnings that some of those who had returned to Britain might have formed terrorist cells here. Geoffrey Bindman, QC, a leading authority on terrorism legislation, said that the men could be tried in Britain if they had trained with al-Qa'eda after the passing of the Terrorism Act 2000, which came into force in February 2001. He said: "It is an offence under the Terrorism Act to incite terrorism abroad, so it is arguable that a person working with al-Qa'eda in Afghanistan could be tried in Britain for that offence. Other offences under the Terrorism Act such as terrorist bombing can also be tried in Britain regardless of where the bombing took place."
Now all they've got to do is round them up, jug them, prosecute them, and withstand the flak from the "human rights" wienerheads. Didja ever wonder why we don't have a "human right" not to be slaughtered like dogs by the turban and automatic weapons set?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 08:45 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Fred --- Re: the human right not to be slaughtered like dogs by the turban and automatic weapons set... I'm sure that was just an innocent oversight when the legislation was drafted. I'm sure that a commission will look into it eventually when a time slot can be found, and some productive discourse will result.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 01/26/2003 14:02 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
US wants to repeat as it did in Afghanistan: Hafiz Saeed
Syntax is courtesy of NNI. I don't talk like that...
Chief of Jama't Al-Daw'a Pakistan Prof. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has said that after invasion of Afghanistan, US, as a unilateral power wanted to repeat the story to teach the Jehadis in Pakistan, urging all the religious parties to unite themselves against the western powers. In a statement issued here on Saturday, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed said that western powers would never tolerate the religious powers to flourish in Asian countries urging the Muslim Ummah to be united setting aside their differences.
Hafiz, lest we forget, is the head of Jamaat ad-Dawa, the front organization for Lashkar e-Taiba. He "stepped down" as head of Lashkar in December, 2001, installing a nonentity to keep the chair warm...
Commenting on the attack in Afghanistan to root out Taleban and Al-Qaeda hideouts, he said that the presence of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar and Usama Bin Laden is the victory of Taliban and defeat of US led allied forces.
Mullah Omar agreed to a surrender, then ran away. Binny's a fine layer of carbon. The Taliban has an interesting description of "victory."
"The only reason, US wanted to attack Iraq is to control the oil rich states of Gulf to boost its deteriorating economy but Arabs understand the tricks played by the US policymakers is just only paradox what he is trying to be-fool the world", he added. West misinterpret the word 'Jehad' by terming it terrorism is only to defame the liberation movements as in several parts of the world it is being carried out by Muslims but we never become the victim of this intrigue, Hafiz Saeed concluded.
I still say cutting people's heads off and throwing acid in women's faces is terrorism. Most people who aren't jihadis or members of the Berkeley City Council say the same thing.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 11:35 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  When the 'Mericans use the term crusade the islamic world goes bannanas. Hey, we 'Mericans use crusade for all sorts of things that don't mean we're gonna done armor and go jousting in jerusalem but the Islamists refused to recognize other definitions.

Guess one man's Jihad is another man's crusade and they are just gonna have to learn to deal with it.
Posted by: Yank || 01/26/2003 12:17 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Thailand Muslims declare US-product free zones
Kazi Mahmood for Islam Online
Muslims in the southern province of Yala decided to boycott all U.S. products, erecting sign boards and bill boards calling the province "U.S. product free zones" news agencies said Saturday January 25. The boycott is organized by the National Association of Muslim Youth (NAMY), together with Muslim communities and schools across southern Thailand the Oana/TNA news agency reported.
Without knowing anything about it, I'd guess that the NAMY is either affiliated with or modeled on the World Association of Muslim Youth — a Soddy organization.
Muslims are boycotting U.S. products in protest of the looming U.S.-led war on Iraq just as they did at the time of the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan. The concerted effort by Muslims was made necessary in order to curb the influence of U.S. based products. They called on shops in the province to cooperate in refusing to sell U.S. goods, particularly soft drinks.
"You ain't gonna sell Merkin products, are you? It'd be a real shame if your shop burnt down, wouldn't it?"
NAMY deputy president Wisit Tadein said Friday, January 24, that the boycott would begin in the Yala districts of Talaat Kao, Talaat Seri and Marakas Yala, where signs had already been erected. In the meantime, the locals involved had signed documents declaring their intention to cooperate in refusing to stock U.S. goods.
"Put the bludgeon down. I'll sign..."
Over 150 grocery stores in the three areas would also post signs saying that they would not stock Coca-Cola in particular.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 08:31 am || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Nambla NAMY would do well to boycott all US made or designed or invented products...then they can go back to scratching their edicts on palm fronds with sharpened bones. Welcome to hypocrisy land Soddy style
Posted by: Frank G || 01/26/2003 9:05 Comments || Top||

#2  Do you think they'll boycott the HIV medications? I man Thailand is leading the world in infection rates after all.
Posted by: Yank || 01/26/2003 12:19 Comments || Top||

#3  This ex-Catholic priest is a media hero in the North-West, even though he is a WAMY chaplain: www.islamtomorrow.com
Posted by: Anonymous || 01/26/2003 14:33 Comments || Top||

#4  I can see it now. This will be the beginning of a whole new cottage industry:

Relabeling imported products from Infedilia with brands with locally catchy logos.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 01/26/2003 16:55 Comments || Top||


Rebuild is mostly done...
I think most of the redesign/rebuild is done and debugged now, except for the Weekly page. That'll take another day or so to redesign. The backends are more complicated, and I've probably slowed the page loading time down, but I think once things are stable I'll be able to smooth those problems out.

The "new look" is partly courtesy of The Little Woman's advice — I think the colors are too bright. The screamer was my idea. It just turned out to be more finicky than I expected.

Let me know when something doesn't work right — I've only tested on Explorer and Mozilla on Windoze. We were pretty close to bug-free before, and I'd like to get there again.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 10:30 pm || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front
Fresh warnings of Monday Cyber Attack
Attn Fred:
Sunday, 26 January, 2003, 16:21 GMT
Fresh warning over cyber attack

The attack targeted Microsoft database software

Experts are warning that a malicious computer code which disrupted the internet may resume its attacks on Monday.
In South Korea, which was badly affected by the attack, systems engineers are racing to repair internet networks amid fears Monday would bring new outbreaks as businesses switch on their computers for the new working week.

The problem is not completely resolved and we will have to have more of a sense of the importance of security

The South Korean Information Minister, Lee Sang-Chul, said he believed the problem was hiding, rather than fully resolved.

Computer experts said the code, known as a worm, had affected nearly a quarter of a million computers worldwide on Saturday.

The attack, which targets internet servers and does not infect home computers, slowed systems for several hours, affecting web browsing and e-mail delivery.

The attack was detected by the FBI shortly after it was launched on Saturday, limiting the damage.

Asian slowdown

Computer experts said the effect was similar to that of the "Code Red" virus, which brought internet traffic to a halt in the summer of 2001.

Companies need to take applying patches against new security threats seriously

Expert at anti-virus company Sophos
At least five of the internet's 13 major hubs were targeted in Saturday's attack.

Internet surfing in Asia was particularly slow.

In South Korea, the world's most wired country where almost three-quarters of the population have internet access, services shut down nationwide for hours on Saturday.

Users and news media also reported outages or slowdowns in Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and India.

In the US, Bank of America customers were unable to withdraw money from the company's 13,000 ATM machines, while the attack also disabled some trans-Atlantic internet and phone service.

Not a virus
The worm known as SQL ("sequel") Slammer targeted a known weakness in Microsoft's software to shut down powerful server computers around the world and can knock websites off-line.

Unlike viruses, the worm exists only in memory, so it cannot be detected by traditional anti-virus scanners.

The Microsoft website has a fix for the vulnerability, which companies can download.

"Companies need to take applying patches against new security threats seriously," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at the anti-virus company Sophos.

"If you don't, then stopping new worms and viruses is as easy as catching smoke in a butterfly net."

Posted by: Frank G || 01/26/2003 07:09 pm || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  At least I'll know what's going on this time...
Posted by: Fred || 01/26/2003 19:48 Comments || Top||


Axis of Evil
Be Patient With North, Seoul's Kim Urges the U.S.
Amid a flurry of diplomatic maneuvers over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, President Kim Dae Jung, the retiring lion of South Korean politics, advised the United States today to try patience and respect in dealing with the North. "President Reagan talked with the Soviet Union, which his government deemed the empire of evil," Mr. Kim, 76, recalled in a farewell news conference before he steps down next month. "Sometimes you need to talk with the other party, even if you dislike the other party.
Even if they don't make any sense and threaten to destroy the world...
"I definitely think North Korea should give up its nuclear development," Mr. Kim continued. But he added, "There is no other way but dialogue to settle this issue."
Other than by killing them all, of course. Or by causing their government to collapse. Or by walling them off from the rest of the world and letting them eat each other...
Asked if he was disappointed that North Korea's Communist leader, Kim Jong Il, never kept his promise to visit South Korea, the president responded evenly: "When we look at past leaders of North Korea, Chairman Kim Jong Il is the most intelligent person. Many leaders of the West who have met Kim Jong Il also share this opinion."
That could also be taken as a statement that Kim Il Sung was dumb as a post and Dear Leader's a little brighter, but not much. It also doesn't answer the question, does it?
Such glowing praise may open doors for two South Korean envoys who are to arrive in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, on Monday carrying a personal letter from President Kim.
Yeah. Yeah. Good idea. Fix 'em up with some hookers, too. Just keep them occupied until we're done with Iraq...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 11:56 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I still think that the key to North Korea is China. It seems that they just keep NKors alive with what they need for the "Il" lieaders to keep going. I don't know how but the world must put the monkey back on China.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 01/26/2003 12:53 Comments || Top||

#2  Echoing Paul, more and more I think that this is China's problem, not ours, and the best response is to delay, delay, delay. And then tell China very quietly that damn, it'd be a shame if the Japanese got nervous enough about the NKors that they decided that THEY needed a nuclear program.

The NKors have a weak hand and a losing game. Their impatience speaks volumes.
Posted by: Steve White || 01/26/2003 15:05 Comments || Top||


East/Subsaharan Africa
Ivory Coast leader appeals for calm
Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has appealed for calm after protests erupted over a deal to end the four-month civil war. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the main city of Abidjan, accusing the French of imposing the agreement on its former colony.
"Yeah! We ain't hardly got started yet!"
He said he would return home on Sunday from a peace summit in Paris, where French President Jacques Chirac has also urged Mr Gbagbo to take control of the situation. Many among Mr Gbagbo's power base in southern Ivory Coast were outraged by the deal - which brings rebel groups from the north and west into a new government of national unity. Protesters put up barricades on some main roads and set fire to the fence around the French embassy. French soldiers are also reported to have fired stun grenades to disperse the crowds.
"Cheeze! Mbago's really stunned by that grenade!"
"Yeah. Tore most of his head off, didn't it?"

A French school in the city was reportedly ransacked, while protesters targeted a military base outside the city and cars which they suspected were carrying French nationals.
"Damn Frenchies, interferin' in our internal festivities affairs! We should steal all their stuff!"
The BBC's Tom McKinley in Abidjan says that there has been some sporadic gunfire.
"No, you won't, suckers!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 10:01 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  As far as I can tell, we don't have a dog in the fight. I have a figurative large popcorn and box of Milk Duds. I'm leaning toward the Frenchies, myself, but that's only because I'm an admirer of the Legion and think the world has more than enough Charles Taylors or Prince Johnsons. If a turban shows up, I'll holler "boo!" and throw popcorn at the screen, but other than that, they're on their own.
Posted by: Fred || 01/26/2003 16:22 Comments || Top||


Axis of Evil
The Eve of Destruction
Next week will be downright exciting. Hans Blix reports to the United Nations Monday, George Bush delivers his State of the Union speech, Tuesday evening. The U.S. may or may not suddenly unload a lot of information upon the U.N. Something dramatic is likely, for the U.S. President is going to war in Iraq, and must take as much of the world with him as he can.

At the least, I know the Americans are sitting on copies of Saddam Hussein's actual orders to prepare nerve gas attacks against U.S. troops, complete with atropine and chemical suit inventories -- only three weeks old. (The BBC now has these, too.) They also have Saddam's instructions for attacking U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf. They have satellite photographs showing Iraqi ground movements at locations before and after U.N. inspections. They have logged information they gave to Mr. Blix's inspection teams, and which they failed to act upon. They have intercepts of conversations between Kofi Annan and Tariq Aziz. And this is only what I know about, I'm sure there is much, much more...[see article]
Posted by: Anonymous || 01/26/2003 09:57 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


''Gimme a drink,'' said the corpse...
A Sicilian man who had been pronounced dead by doctors startled relatives by sitting up just before he was to be put into his coffin and demanding a glass of water. Minutes later 79-year-old Roberto De Simone, from Palermo, was rushed back to the Vincenzo Cervello hospital in the Sicilian capital, where 12 hours earlier doctors said he had died. His wife and children, who had been praying over what they believed to be his corpse, declared his recovery to be a miracle.
Water? He wanted a glass of water? In Italy? In Sicily? They made this story up, didn't they?
Hospital staff admit that they are baffled by his revival. Mr De Simone himself was more enigmatic. "Old Uncle Giuseppe hasn't got me yet. Both he and paradise can wait," he is said to have declared in a quavering voice on his re-admission to hospital.
He went back to the hospital after they'd pronounced him dead and he'd been laid out for the undertaker? I hope it wasn't the same hospital...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 09:13 am || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  That's what socialized health care gets you, doctors too lazy to check for a pulse.
Posted by: paj || 01/26/2003 11:09 Comments || Top||

#2  *shakes head* Although I believe in the miraculous, I'm with you in being incredulous that a Sicilian would ask for WATER.
Posted by: Ptah || 01/26/2003 11:11 Comments || Top||

#3  Okay, whos gonna go to that doctor from this point on?

Guess they didn't prepare the body yet, or they do it differently over there because there is no way you're getting up after fill you with some of those preservatives.
Posted by: Anonymous || 01/26/2003 12:07 Comments || Top||

#4  I think when I go, I'll ask to be pickled in gin. Just to be on the safe side...
Posted by: Fred || 01/26/2003 12:26 Comments || Top||

#5  I always pictured you for a single-malt guy Fred (with an occasional red wine....)
Posted by: Frank G || 01/26/2003 13:38 Comments || Top||


North Africa
Trial of terrorist suspects resumes in Morocco
I used to love that Moroccan love song. Remember? "The first time, ever I saw your fez..."
Middle East Online
The trial of three Saudis and seven Moroccans accused of plotting attacks against US and NATO shipping resumed in Casablanca on Friday, a week after the defense asked for the case to be thrown out. The 10 suspects, who were arrested in May last year, are accused of planning to use Zodiac boats - fast motorised rubber dinghies - to blow up Western naval shipping in the Straits of Gibraltar, and to attack western tourist spots in Morocco, including Jemaa El Fna Square in Marrakesh.
Same operations as Yemen and Bali. Not very original at all...
The court rejected a request made last Friday by defense lawyer Khalil Idrissi for the case to be dropped because of what he called irregularities and procedural errors which "seriously compromised" the trial. Idrissi said that a change to the presiding judge and one of the legal assessors hearing the case contravened Morocco's criminal procedures code.
The old "get 'em off on a technicality" trick didn't work...
The families of the accused, charged with criminal association, attempted voluntary premeditated homicide, attempted sabotage and forgery, have expressed concern over the changes, which they said reflected the desire of the authorities to take a tough stance against suspected terrorists in the courts.
As opposed to an indulgent stance, which would make things all peaches and cream...
Last month, Idrissi rejected the charges against his clients and said they had been "held in a secret place and tortured," a claim he reiterated last week when he called for the statements given by the accused to the police to be declared null and void because they had been made under extreme duress.
"Ummm... That's a very fine set of moustachios you have there, sir..."
"Mahmoud, rip his beard off!"
"Ow! Ow! Ow! I'll talk!"

The charges brought against the accused had been based on the statements, which were "not backed up by material evidence," Idrissi said.
Didja ever notice that these guys plot hair-raising atrocities, and then bitch and moan when the cops don't handle them with kid gloves?
The defense has been denied access to vital pieces of evidence, he added, including a suitcase allegedly containing explosives which was said to belong to the suspects.
"Well, y'see, we wuz examining the evidence and it, ummm... exploded."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 10:46 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


East/Subsaharan Africa
Sore heinies in Zim: Sitting on land audit...
The ministry of state responsible for Land Reform has produced a damning land audit report which highlights the systematic looting of prime farms by senior government officials and Zanu PF cronies, The Standard has learnt. The explosive report is a culmination of a land audit exercise carried out by the ministry to assess the status and ownership of farms acquired under the controversial land reform programme. Highly placed government sources told The Standard yesterday that Flora Buka, the minister of state for Land Reform, was sitting on the damning report, which should have been presented to President Mugabe by now. They said senior government officials and politburo members were among several influential people implicated in the looting of prime farms by Zanu PF cronies, at the expense of the landless people.
Not to mention at the expense of the legitimate owners...
"The report authenticates reports that government officials and Zanu PF cronies have corruptly awarded themselves more than one farm in various provinces. Names of several top government officials, army, police and CIO officers and many others are appearing in several provinces. In short, the report paints a classic picture of looting that has characterised the affairs of the party over the years," said the source.
No surprise there, and nothing's going to change until Bob's gone. That'll be a couple weeks after Doomsday, by my calculations...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt || 01/26/2003 08:31 am || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Yet, our friends, the morally superior French, are defying an EU travel ban and allowing comrade Bob to travel to France. Guess
it's how you say "unilateral" in French, non?
Posted by: Frank G || 01/26/2003 8:54 Comments || Top||



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On Sale now!


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.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Sun 2003-01-26
  Poison warfare suits found in mosque raid
Sat 2003-01-25
  Shots fired at convoy in Kuwait...
Fri 2003-01-24
  Japan urges citizens to evacuate Iraq
Thu 2003-01-23
  IDF arrests Palestinian gunman disguised as woman
Wed 2003-01-22
  Human Shields to Head for Iraq
Tue 2003-01-21
  Ambush Kills American, Wounds Another in Kuwait
Mon 2003-01-20
  Iran to be named in 1994 Argentinian Bombing
Sun 2003-01-19
  Finsbury mosque raided -- finally!
Sat 2003-01-18
  Protestors flood Arab, Islamic Capitals, Slam U.S. War Plans
Fri 2003-01-17
  10,000 Palestinians take to streets of Gaza in support of Saddam
Thu 2003-01-16
  Ricin Plotters Linked to al-Qaida Network
Wed 2003-01-15
  Germany bans Hizb-ut-Tahrir
Tue 2003-01-14
  U.S. Sending Huge Armadas to Persian Gulf
Mon 2003-01-13
  Ivorian rebels sign ceasefire
Sun 2003-01-12
  One dead in Israeli missile attack on car in Gaza

Better than the average link...



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