[Egypt Independent] Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat has referred 20 defendants, including an Australian, a Briton and a Dutch national, to the Cairo Criminal Court on charges of establishing a media network in a hotel to broadcast "false news" via the Al Jazeera channel in a case known as the "Marriott Cell."
Investigations revealed that the defendants stayed in a hotel suite and equipped it with transmission units to compile and broadcast what prosecutors have called "false information" about a "civil war" in Egypt.
A committee of the Radio and Television Union and Interior Ministry forensic experts found out that the material contained re-edited video clips of what prosecutors are calling "false scenes" that were allegedly a threat to national security.
Barakat ordered the detention of eight defendants and the arrest of the other runaways pending investigation.
The accused denied the charges, saying they were filming real events that occurred on the streets without falsification.
Concerning notes that had been found during investigations allegedly containing Morsy's trial date and how to deal with the police in the street, the defendants said they had written down notes as reminders to cover the news just like all Egyptian journalists who carry notebooks with remarks.
Regarding the tear gas protectors, they said they took them from their colleagues in Egyptian newspapers to use while covering events.
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01/30/2014 00:00 ||
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Good thing they didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express
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[Egypt Independent] Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat referred Mohammed Badie, supreme guide of the Moslem Brüderbund, and 13 other Brotherhood leaders to the Criminal Court on charges of inciting the killing of demonstrators in the Istiqama Mosque events in Giza Square, during which 29 people were killed and maimed.
The other referred leaders were: Mohammed al-Beltagy, Essam al-Erian, Safwat Higazi, Husseini Antar, Bassem Ouda, Mohammed Gomaa Hassan, and Essam Ragab Rashwan, all of whom are locked up. Fugitive leaders Assem Abdel Magid, Ezzat Gouda, Anwar Shaltout, Azab Mostafa, Abdel Razzaq Mahmoud and Mohammed Ali Talha were also referred.
Prosecutors claim that the first eight defendants had criminal masterminded riots on 22 July with the purpose of committing crimes of murder, sabotage and destruction, while the others took part in the riots and killed 10 people in alleged premeditated murder.
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[An Nahar] U.S. Secretary of State John F. I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat, conqueror of Cambodia, and current Secretary of State... Wednesday urged Tunisia's new government of independents to organize elections swiftly as the next step in the country's democratic transition.
The new leadership, which replaces the Islamist-led administration, took the oath of office Wednesday and is tasked with steering the country towards democracy.
Kerry said the new government and the adoption of a new constitution were a "historic milestone in Tunisia's democratic transition" three years after the Arab Spring revolution.
"While Tunisia's transition to democracy is not yet complete, these are very important steps. They are positive proof that Tunisia's democratic transition can succeed," the top U.S. diplomat said in a statement.
Kerry said he looked forward to working with the new Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa during "this critical period."
Washington also welcomed the creation of an independent elections commission "and we encourage the new government to move quickly to set a date for early elections so that Tunisian citizens can choose their new leaders and determine the country's future," Kerry said.
"Just as men and women made their voices heard on the streets of Tunis, their voices must also be heard in the halls of government."
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01/30/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
His patented look: Blue Steel. Kerry....so hot right now...Kerry.
[MAGHAREBIA] Tunisia's parliament on Wednesday (January 29th) approved a technocratic caretaker government tasked with leading the country out of a bruising political crisis and into fresh elections, AFP reported.
The line-up proposed by Prime Minister-designate Mehdi Jomaa was approved by 149 politicians, with 20 voting against and 24 abstaining.
Addressing parliament before the vote on his cabinet, Jomaa reiterated that his top priority was overseeing free elections.
He said that in the coming months his cabinet would also tackle the threat posed by the growth of jihadi groups and the social tension caused by unemployment.
Jomaa said his government would give special attention to the security file by combating terrorism and allocating necessary capabilities to curb violence, impose the law and prevent incitement for violence and hatred.
He added he would work on enhancing co-operation with neighbouring countries to secure border areas by security and army units.
Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou, who served in Prime Minister Ali Larayedh's government and was re-appointed in the new administration, said combating terrorism and organised crime would be one of his ministry's priorities.
Meanwhile, ...back at the alley, Slats Chumbaloni was staring into a hole that was just .45 inch in diameter and was less than three feet from his face ...
Tunisians are expressing their readiness to work alongside the government and support the security forces in their efforts to combat terrorism and crack down on terrorists.
"Terrorists move among us and we're closer to discovering them than the security forces," said Ahmed Gharbi, a 38-year-old trader. "Therefore, it's our duty to report any suspicious behaviour, and this a national duty on everyone as the state alone can't shoulder the responsibility in this."
Radhia Haddad, a housewife, said, "We're prepared to take part in combating terrorism and helping the security agencies in tracking down the faceless myrmidons and smugglers, cracking down on them, informing the authorities about them and helping the authorities in any attempt to undermine our homeland's security and stability."
Citizens' co-operation is one of the most important pillars of security work, noting that this would help establish trust between coppers and citizens, said Khaled Ben Mohammed, a secondary school teacher.
In his turn, Abdel Aziz Rtibi, and engineer, said that collaboration with the security forces was the least that could be done to "show our rejection of all forms of terrorism".
"A proactive and positive citizen is the one who rises to the occasion in his or her society and whose hands are always stretched out to push his or her country forward," he added.
Meanwhile, ...back at the fist fight, Jake ducked another roundhouse, then parried with his left, then with his right, finally with his chin... the interior ministry is depending on citizens' co-operation in its efforts to curb terrorism. It has recently involved them in security operations by issuing communiqués urging them to report any suspicious movements or activities or strange objects and provide information on dangerous terrorist elements.
The last of these communiqués was issued on January 22nd, where the interior ministry urged all citizens to provide whatever information they may have on dangerous terrorists.
Makrem Boukhriss, a security agent, confirmed that the authorities were depending on citizens. He said the goal behind publishing photos of wanted faceless myrmidons was to expose the jihadists to the public and encourage citizens to report them to authorities, thereby limiting the movements of myrmidons.
"The war on terrorism can only be won through the co-operation and vigilance of society," he concluded. "Everyone has a role to play to curb violence and bolster security, and the government is not alone responsible for dealing with the security file."
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01/30/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] Eleven politicians from Nigeria's ruling party on Wednesday gave formal notice of their intention to defect to the main opposition, in a fresh blow to President Goodluck Jonathan ... 14th President of Nigeria. He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). He is a lover of nifty hats, which makes him easily recognizable unless someone else in the room is wearing a neat chapeau...
The members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) -- all of them senators in the upper chamber of parliament -- announced their decision in a letter to the Senate leader, David Mark.
"We the undersigned Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria elected under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) wish to notify you that we have severally and jointly joined the All Progressives Congress (APC)," the letter stated.
"This action and decision is as a result of the division and factionalization" in the ruling party.
The letter, a copy of which was emailed to Agence La Belle France Presse by the opposition, features the names of 16 senators in total but only carries 11 signatures.
All but two of the 11 senators are Mohammedan politicians from northern states.
The exceptions are Christians from the oil-producing Rivers state in the south, whose high-profile governor, Rotimi Amaechi, is locked in a tense stand-off with Jonathan.
One of the signatories, Rivers Southeast senator Magnus Abe, has claimed he was shot as police broke up a recent pro-Amaechi rally.
APC front man Lai Mohammed said the letter, dated January 20, was delivered to Mark on Wednesday afternoon and was due to have been read on the floor of the Senate.
That is now expected to happen when the legislature resumes on Thursday morning.
"This is only the first installment of many other Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party expected to defect to the All Progressives Congress soon," added Mohammed.
Once confirmed, the new configuration will cut the ruling party's majority in the 109-seat Senate by 26 seats, with the PDP down from 73 to 62 and the APC up from 33 to 44.
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[Bangla Daily Star] Though entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring country's security, brass hats of two security agencies, along with the then state minister for home and a civil servant, used their influence to supply weapons to an Indian separatist outfit in 2004.
Law enforcers had seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition on April 2 that year at the jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL). The consignment was being loaded on trucks.
Top officials of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) were involved in smuggling weapons for the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), a separatist group fighting for a sovereign Assam, according to confessional statements of the accused in the 10-truck arms haul cases.
The officials allegedly rented a house in the capital for the most-wanted Ulfa military commander Paresh Barua and gave him protection to operate his outfit from inside Bangladesh during the BNP-Jamaat rule. They met frequently in Dhaka.
Just two days before the arms haul, the then director (security) of NSI wing commander Shahabuddin Ahmed and DGFI director (Counter Intelligence Bureau) Brig Gen Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury held a meeting with Barua at the Combined Military Hospital to discuss the arrival of weapons and its off-loading. Shahabuddin was under treatment at the hospital.
On April 1, 2004, NSI field officer Md Akbar Hossain went to Chittagong and hired trucks for carrying arms on instructions of Shahabuddin. Former NSI deputy director (technical) Maj Liakat Hossain was also in the port city to oversee the off-loading of arms and ensure security.
Upon instructions of former director general of NSI Brig Gen Abdur Rahim, Liakat was present during the off-loading of the arms consignment. He took the pseudo-name Abul Hossain and was locked into a debate with police sergeant Alauddin over the nature of goods and its clearance, according to Liakat's statement before a magistrate.
Rahim kept close contact with those who were supervising the off-loading of the consignment. Liakat called him over the phone and sought his help when cops obstructed the off-loading.
Lutfozzaman Babar, who was running the home ministry, allegedly played a key role facilitating the off-loading and smuggling of the arms.
When the smuggling was exposed, Babar tried to cover up the culprits by forming a probe committee that included Rezzakul Haider. Babar ignored resistance by the then DGFI DG Sadiq Hasan Rumi, who believed Haider had a role and wanted that another official replace Haider in the probe body.
The committee led by former home secretary Omar Faruk found the involvement of some NSI officials in the incident. But when he wanted to mention this in the probe report, Babar asked him not to disclose the fact.
Besides, two whistle-blower coppers Alauddin and Helaluddin were implicated in a false arms case, placed in durance vile Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! and tortured by the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in 2005.
Alauddin, a key witness in the arms haul cases, later came to know that all these were done on instructions of Babar.
The involvement of former additional secretary of the industries ministry Md Nurul Amin, who is now absconding, became clear after further investigation. He was at the CUFL guest house when the arms consignment was being off-loaded.
Assistant security official of CUFL Mobin Hossain Khan in his testimony said he along with CUFL managing director Mohsin Uddin Talukder had received Nurul Amin at Chittagong Railway Station on the night of the arms haul.
Several top CUFL officials, including its MD and general manager (admin) KM Enamul Haq, were also allegedly involved in the incident. Both were aware of the off-loading of arms at the jetty, but did not take any action.
They even did not visit the scene or the factory the following day when the entire nation was stunned by the recovery of the largest-ever arms cache. Neither did they take any administrative action against the on-duty security staff.
Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... Ameer and the then industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami ...During the liberation war of 1971, Nizami formed the Al-Badr Force and acted as its supreme commander. The Al-Badr militia took active part in rape, extortion, looting and killing of Bangladeshis who supported the liberation, including a pre-planned massacre on December 14, 1971, when the Al-Badr militia along with Pakistan Army rounded up hundreds of doctors, professors, writers, and other Bengali intellectuals, and executed them... played a dubious role over using the CUFL jetty for off-loading arms and investigating the incident.
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[Bangla Daily Star] Though earlier probes into the 10-truck arms haul cases found only some local smugglers and ordinary labourers involved in the smuggling of arms, further investigations in 2009 revealed that local and foreign intelligence agencies and an Indian separatist group had executed the smuggling plan.
The names of some top politicians of the then BNP-led four-party alliance government, bureaucrats, Pak intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Indian separatist group United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) came up during further probe into the cases.
Several meetings were held at home and abroad before April 2, 2004, when a huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized at the jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL).
Some accused in the two cases disclosed this during interrogation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and making confessional statements in court, said Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, the latest investigation officer (IO) of the cases.
Former National Security Intelligence (NSI) director wing commander Shahab Uddin, who is now behind bars, alleged that former NSI director general Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim had held several meetings with officials of ARY Group and the ISI at home and abroad.
Though Shahab Uddin during interrogation at the TFI cell in Dhaka in early May in 2009 had spoken about the arms smuggling plan, in a confessional statement on May 15 that year, he tactfully avoided many facts. In the statement he did not mention the name of the ISI or any of its officials. Rather, he only referred to meetings with "foreigners".
Rahim in his statement on May 27 in 2009 had mentioned the names of the ARY and ISI and spoken about holding meetings with the officials of the two organizations. He even admitted that he met ISI director general Lt Gen Ehsanul Hoque in London. But he did not give any hint about planning the smuggling in those meetings. Rather, he alleged that Shahab held a meeting with ISI officials to facilitate the arms smuggling.
ISI, ULFA LINKS
Shahab in his statement stated that the ISI had provided mobile monitoring equipment to the NSI as a gift. NSI DG Rahim had been to London to meet ISI officials to discuss the handing over of the device.
In February 2004, the DG had given a briefcase to Shahab and told him to have it reach his residence. In it was the mobile monitoring equipment, mentioned Shahab.
The DG earlier had received dollars from foreigners in such a briefcase, he added.
On March 27 or 28, DG Rahim called some NSI directors, including Shahab, Didar and Enam. The DG told them that consignments for different embassies would arrive at different times and they needed to monitor it.
According to Shahab, Rahim called him on March 30 and told him that some goods would be transported from Anwara to Haluaghat and it would be better if someone from the NSI accompanied it.
On the other hand, Rahim in his statement complained that Shahab had developed close relations with ISI officials Brig Sapir Uddin and Col Shahed Mahmud, who had been serving at the Pakistain High Commission in Dhaka.
The NSI had a fund of Tk2.50 crore for procuring mobile monitoring equipment in 2002. Shahab suggested purchasing the device from the ISI and talked to its officials in July 2002, claimed Rahim.
In early 2003, the ISI handed over the device to the NSI and Rahim went to London to discuss the payment with ISI DG Lt Gen Ehsanul Hoque. At the meeting the ISI chief told Rahim that the device was a gift for the NSI from Pakistain.
Rahim further alleged that in March 2004, Shahab tried to talk with him about ULFA leader Anup Chetia. As Rahim was indifferent to Shahab, he dropped the issue and told Rahim that they should help the ULFA. Infuriated at this proposal, Rahim questioned, "Shall we hand over Bangladesh to the ULFA?"
Shahab in his statement said one Pak national named Amir bhai, who was later known to him as ULFA leader Paresh Barua, met him at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka at 7:00pm on March 30, 2004. Amir told Shahab that he had a meeting with the NSI DG.
While seeing off Amir, Shahab could see from his cabin former DGFI director Brig Gen (retd) Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury standing near the staircase.
IO Moniruzzaman said though the two tried to accuse each other, many things became clear from their statements and it helped him in probing the cases.
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#1
And in other news, expensive motorcars are now secretly being assembled at RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk.
[Huffpoo] NEW YORK --- Director of National Intelligence James 'Unwitting' Clapper urged former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and his "accomplices" to return leaked documents during a hearing on Wednesday. Might be safer to assume all electronic media was compromised and take the appropriate actions.
"Snowden claims that he's won and that his mission is accomplished," Clapper said, according to a transcript from the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, posted by the Washington Post. "If that is so, I call on him and his accomplices to facilitate the return of the remaining stolen documents that have not yet been exposed, to prevent even more damage to U.S. security."
So who, exactly, are Snowden's "accomplices?" I dunno, could be Fox News, Rush, Tea Party, NRA.
Guardian national security editor Spencer Ackerman, among others, questioned on Twitter whether Clapper was referring to journalists. HuffPoo put the question to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which didn't rule out that journalists could be considered "accomplices."
The office's public affairs director Shawn Turner said in an email that "director Clapper was referring to anyone who is assisting Snowden to further threaten our national security through the unauthorized disclosure of stolen documents related to lawful foreign intelligence collection programs." No mention made of lawful domestic programs.
The suggestion that Snowden is conspiring with journalists, rather than acting as their source, has come up ever since the National Security Agency surveillance story broke last spring. Blaming external, named or unnamed third parties. A proven administration strategy.
#1
"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are."
William Tecumseh Sherman
[DAWN] In his fifth State of the Union address, US President Barack Obama I am not a dictator!... has declared that he has imposed "prudent limits" on the use of drones that target gunnies in Pakistain's tribal areas.
He also outlined his plan to wind down the war in Afghanistan by removing most troops and completing the mission by the end of this year.
Mr Obama linked the use of drones to America's efforts to "actively and aggressively pursue terrorist networks" but said that the time had come for reviewing the policies that began after the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US soil.
"America must move off a permanent war footing," he said, earning a standing ovation from the audience. "That's why I've imposed prudent limits on the use of drones," he added, reminding his nation that "we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence".
He also emphasised the need for negotiating a security agreement with Afghanistan to keep a small force there to train Afghan troops and pursue Al Qaeda.
Mr Obama took credit for halting Iran's nuclear programme through diplomacy and pledged to veto any move in the US Congress for imposing new sanctions on Tehran.
In Syria, he pledged to back the rebels but only those who reject terrorism and promised the Syrian people that they would get the future they deserve.
Mr Obama also promised to overhaul US surveillance programmes to restore public confidence and renewed his call for Congress to help close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
Reports in the US media had indicated that the president would use his annual address to lay out his foreign policies but he devoted the first 60 minutes of the 80-minute speech to domestic issues. Even the last 20 minutes were not entirely about foreign policies as Mr Obama kept referring to domestic issues.
There were just two paragraphs on Afghanistan, where the United States still has tens of thousands of troops and is trying to negotiate a deal with the Afghan government for deploying a small force after 2014.
Critics said this showed the growing disinterest in the Afghan war, which became America's longest when it entered its 13th year in September 2013. Recent opinion surveys show that an overwhelming majority in America wants the administration to end the war.
Mr Obama recalled that when he took office in 2008, nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Today, all our troops are out of Iraq. More than 60,000 of our troops have already come home from Afghanistan," he said.
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#1
58% of those polled say that using drones to watch the TEA Party is "prudent".
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/30/2014 12:56 Comments ||
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Here's Your Complete Guide To Drones, In One Picture <LINK>
[DAWN] Opposition leader in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... Assembly Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi on Wednesday warned that the province could face a big disaster after the withdrawal of NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... forces from Afghanistan.
Speaking during a news conference here at the assembly secretariat along with parliamentary leaders and MPAs of Awami National Party, Qaumi Watan Party, Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... -Fazl and Pakistain People's Party, Mr Abbasi portrayed a very bleak picture of the region, especially Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, once NATO pulled its forces out of Afghanistan.
He said the federal and provincial governments should prepare themselves for facing any eventuality in the province.
"I can't explain this specifically, but it will be disastrous for the province and therefore, the centre and the provincial government should work out a joint strategy on a war footing otherwise everyone will be the loser," he said.
The joint opposition has decided to requisition the assembly session in the coming days.
Mr Abbasi said the US and its NATO allies had planned to pull their troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year and since Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had become a flashpoint, pressure on it would increase in the coming months due to the NATO troops' exit from Afghanistan.
He asked the provincial government not to opt for confrontation with the federal government on 'irrelevant and minor' issues.
"The province should prepare itself for the terrible situation that will arise after the withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan," he said.
The opposition leader said Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... and its allies should review its protest against NATO supplies and allow foreign troops to ship their equipment out of Afghanistan as soon as possible.
He termed the seven months performance of the PTI-led coalition government very pathetic and said the government had disappointed the people of the province.
Mr Abbasi declared bad governance, law and order situation and un-utilised funds of the current annual development programme three major issues confronting the provincial government.
"We can't see the government (exist) in this province although the opposition gave it full support and did not create hurdle to its functioning," he said.
The opposition leader said surprisingly, the government didn't utilise ADP so far and that it would impossible to spend such huge amount in the next four months of the current fiscal.
He said opposition parties in the House gave sufficient time to the government to show its performance but the latter failed to deliver.
Asked about the possibility of in-house change in the province, Mr Abbasi said the opposition would not destabilise the government, but it could use its democratic right in this respect anytime.
He said the opposition was very strong in the House and would continue giving tough time to the government to expose its wrongdoings.
The opposition leader complained that the government was ignoring the opposition during the distribution of resources despite the fact that the opposition was very strong in the provincial assembly for the first time in history.
"Like treasury members, opposition benches have an equal right to the resources," he said.
Mr Abbasi said the provincial government did not highlight serious issues that could be discussed during a meeting of the Council of Common Interest, the highest constitutional body.
He said non-payment of net hydel profit was an old issue, which had become a bone of contention between the centre and the province.
The opposition leader said CCI was an effective forum and the provincial government should take serious issues facing the province to the body for resolution.
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[DAWN] 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... announced Wednesday that his government would pursue peace talks with Talibs despite a recent spate of attacks, naming a four-member committee to facilitate the talks.
Addressing a session of the National Assembly after a span of six months, Sharif said the government wanted to give peace another chance.
The premier announced the constitution of a four-member team -- comprising his Advisor on National Affairs Irfan Siddique, veteran journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai, former ambassador and expert on Afghanistan affairs Rustam Shah Mohmand and former ISI official Major (Retd) Amir Shah -- to holds talks with the bad boys.
He said that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would assist the committee.
Sharif also called on the turbans to observe a ceasefire in the televised speech. He said that he would personally supervise the performance of the committee, adding that he was sincerely trying to restore peace in the country and expressed his hope that the other side would reciprocate in a similar manner.
The announcement came the same day Talibs targeted paramilitary soldiers, killing at least three Rangers personnel in separate kabooms in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... .
Speaking to Dawn.com from some holy man's guesthouse an undisclosed location via telephone, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) front man Shahidullah Shahid grabbed credit for the attacks.
Shahid said the Taliban have convened a meeting of the Shura (council) to "assess the committee formed by the federal government for peace talks."
"Taliban are united under Fazlullah and rumours about rifts are baseless," he said.
Sharif long has supported talks as the best way to end the years of fighting with the Pak Taliban. But after a spate of attacks in January, he has been under pressure to take steps to bring the country's violence under control.
His speech came amid speculation that the government would soon authorise a large-scale military operation against bad boys.
Speaking to parliamentarians on Wednesday, Sharif said the entire nation -- including all state institutions -- stand united if the government decides to react to terrorism with full force.
"Since the other side has shown intent to negotiate, we also wish to give peace yet another chance," he said, adding that bitter experiences of the past propelled the government to hold peace talks to bear fruit.
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[DAWN] A police investigation team probing into the deadly kaboom on SP CID Mohammad Aslam Khan's convoy has declared the case 'solved', making it the ninth such case out of 23 suicide kabooms carried out across Sindh since 2002 that police Sherlocks pursued to its logical end, it emerged on Tuesday.
The Sherlocks, however, said that the arrest of key suspects, including the chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain and his close aides, was yet to be made for the final closure of one of the high-profile terrorism cases that Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... witnessed in recent years.
"In this particular case, every crucial fact has been traced and verified including the attacker, motive and the planners. Now only the arrest of the suspects nominated in the FIR is awaited," said SP Niaz Ahmed Khosa of the CID, one of the DIG Zafar Abbas Bukhari-led team members tasked with the SP Aslam attack investigation.
SP Aslam, better known as Chaudary Aslam, was killed with his two guards in a kaboom on his convoy when it was passing through the Lyari ...one of the eighteen constituent towns of the city of Karachi. It is the smallest town by area in the city but also the most densely populated. Lyari has few schools, substandard hospitals, a poor water system, limited infrastructure, and broken roads. It is a stronghold of ruling Pakistan Peoples Party. Ubiquitous gang activity and a thriving narcotics industry make Lyari one of the most disturbed places in Karachi, which is really saying a lot.... Expressway near Essa Nagri on Jan 9.
The police initially suspected that the kaboom had been carried out with a remote-controlled device, but later they claimed to have found the remains of an unidentified person at the crime-scene.
A day later, the investigation team arrived at the conclusion that a jacket wallah rammed his explosives-laden pick-up truck into the bulletproof SUV of the police officer just after it hit the Lyari Expressway.
The officials claimed to have identified the suspected bomber as 26-year-old Naeemullah, a resident of the Pirabad area, in Orangi Town. The authorities then took no time to trace his link with the TTP and nominate the banned ...the word banned seems to have a different meaning in Pakistain than it does in most other places. Or maybe it simply lacks any meaning at all...
organization's chief Fazalullah and his close aide Shahidullah Shahid in the FIR for the fatal attack.
Findings
"There are also some interesting findings which emerged during the SP Aslam case investigation," said another official, wishing not to be named while citing facts about the explosive and bomb used for the attack.
"The attack was carried out in an extremely skilled manner to hit the bull's eye without a slight difference of inches... neither left nor right. The job was done in a very proficient way meeting international standard and trend of these kinds of assaults."
To assert his findings, he shared a few facts mentioned by the bomb disposal unit in its report. It showed that the attack had a range of 51 metres for 'lethal air blast' with 'building evocation distance' of 195 metres.
"Similarly, the attack caused falling glass hazard within a range of 838 metres and outdoor evocation distance was 838 metres. If one goes through the findings of major kabooms across the globe more or less the same damage was reported with key features of bombing remain the same," added the official.
'14 cases yet to be solved'
"Since 2002, there have been 23 suicide attacks in Sindh and among them 20 were carried out in Karachi alone," said SP Khosa.
"Other three attacks were carried out in Sukkur and Nawabshah. As far as the attack on SP Aslam is concerned that case has been marked as solved and with this total number of solved suicide attack cases in Sindh now stands at nine."
"Some 14 cases still remain unsolved," he added.
When asked about the key differences between the 'solved' and 'unsolved' cases, he cited a few findings or in some cases several untraced crucial facts, which helped Sherlocks to categorise each case. The identification of suicide bomber, he said, was recognised as one the most vital facts that could lead the investigation to 'solved case' category.
"Similarly, a case can be called solved if motive, forces behind an attack and definitely its planner and handler are traced and recognised during the course of investigation," the SP added.
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01/30/2014 00:00 ||
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[An Nahar] The Iraqi interior ministry Wednesday published a photograph purportedly of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ... the current version of al-Qaeda in Iraq, just as blood-thirsty and well-beloved as the original... , an al-Qaeda-linked group fighting in Iraq and Syria.
The photograph, the first of its kind published by an official source, provides a rare glimpse of the man leading a myrmidon group blamed for killing countless Iraqis, as well as fighting the regime of Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Lord of the Baath...
The black-and-white picture shows a balding man with a beard wearing a suit and tie.
"Intelligence forces have obtained a recent portrait of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and they also got three handwritten letters," said the statement accompanying the photograph, published on the ministry's website.
"The security forces call on the people to provide any information that helps lead to the arrest of this criminal."
Storied Baghdad ...located along the Tigris River, founded in the 8th century, home of the Abbasid Caliphate... i's group has been blamed for a litany of attacks across Iraq in recent months, and ISIL has been involved in a deadly standoff with government forces in western Iraq's Anbar province.
In Syria, ISIL has also been fighting not only forces loyal to Assad but also fellow rebel groups. The ISIL leader has, however, reached out to other rebel groups in a bid to curb the infighting.
ISIL, which was previously the Islamic State of Iraq, was formed in April 2013 when Storied Baghdadi sought to merge his group with Al-Nusra Front, but they rejected the alliance and pledged allegiance directly to al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri ... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
Since then, the two groups have functioned separately.
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[An Nahar] Syria's tolerated domestic opposition Every regime needs a domesticated opposition...
on Wednesday criticized a document presented by the regime at peace talks in Geneva, saying it failed to address the issue of political transition.
Syria's government delegation to the talks has presented a statement of principles, calling for Syria's illusory sovereignty to be respected, rejecting "foreign interference" and "terrorism."
But the opposition delegation at the conference rejected the document because it made no mention of a transition of power.
Speaking at a presser in Damascus on Wednesday, the tolerated opposition National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change also rejected discussion of the statement of principles.
"The principles advanced by the Syrian regime delegation are general principles accepted by the majority of the Syrian people, but are not for (discussion at) Geneva," NCCDC member Ahmed Esraoui said.
The goal of Geneva II is "the application of the decisions taken at Geneva I and therefore the discussion of the question of a transitional government with full powers," he added.
The current round of talks is based on the Geneva communique reached in June 2012, which called for a political transition in Syria without making mention of Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Oppressor of the Syrians and the Lebs... 's future.
The tolerated opposition is not part of the opposition National Coalition body that is negotiating with the regime at Geneva, and refused to take part in the talks under the Coalition's umbrella.
In a statement handed out at the presser, the NCCDC criticized its absence from the talks.
"This absence will lead to the failure of the Geneva conference... which would reflect negatively on the entire world and could mean the loss of this historic chance to save the country," the statement said.
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[An Nahar] Syria's opposition plans to hold talks with Russia, a long-time ally of their nation's regime, a spokeswoman said Wednesday amid UN-brokered peace talks between the warring sides.
"There is a plan to meet with officials in Moscow, but we have not confirmed the dates," Rafif Jouejati, spokeswoman for the Local Coordination Committees activist network told Agence La Belle France Presse in Geneva, where Syrian government and opposition negotiators were into their fifth day of closed-door talks.
Russia was already a key ally of the regime of Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Despoiler of Deraa... before Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, with strong trade ties and a key Mediterranean naval base in the country.
With the opposition backed strongly by the United States, an agreement between Washington and Moscow last year paved the way for the peace talks in Geneva.
"Members of the opposition for the past almost three years have been speaking to Russian officials both formally and informally," said Jouejati.
"I think certainly there has been an easing in the Russian position on Syria. Russian officials have repeatedly said that they are not wedded to Assad," she added.
The goal of the current Geneva talks is to finally implement calls for a political transition in Syria, made at an international summit in the Swiss city in 2012.
"I think going forward as we do move with transition -- if we can move with transition -- certainly Russia's going to be a key player and so that dialogue will be kept open," said Jouejati.
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[An Nahar] The ice is slowly breaking in peace talks between Syria's warring sides, U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said Wednesday, warning though that no substantive results were expected during this round.
"The ice is breaking, slowly, but it is breaking," Brahimi told news hounds after a fifth day of talks in Geneva, which both sides described as "positive."
He acknowledged he did not expect "anything substantive" to come out of the initial round, which is set to conclude Friday.
But he stressed that simply getting the parties talking for the first time since the conflict erupted in March 2011 was an important step forward.
"These people have not sat together for three years. They do not expect that there'll be a magic wand," Brahimi said, insisting he was "not disappointed."
The delegations from Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Despoiler of Deraa... 's regime and the opposition National Coalition are set to determine Friday when they will return to Geneva, likely after a week, Brahimi said.
"I hope that the second session will be more structured and hopefully more productive than the first session," he said.
Opposition delegation front man Louay Safi told news hounds the future talks would need to show "substantial progress."
"We're not going to stay here month after month just talking without progress," he said.
Yet after days of total deadlock, both sides voiced a grain of optimism Wednesday, saying the talks had been "positive."
The discussions had finally focused on the Geneva I communique -- the never-implemented roadmap to peace put out by global powers during talks here in 2012 -- but the two sides disagree sharply on what part of the text the talks should focus on.
"Today we had a positive step forward because for the first time now we are talking about the transitional governing body," Safi said.
The opposition says creating the transitional government called for in the Geneva I communique must be the first step towards a political solution, and insists this will require Assad to leave power.
The regime denies the text requires Assad to step down and says his role is not up for debate at this conference.
Regime delegation member Buthaina Shaaban also said talks Wednesday had been "positive", but said this was "because they spoke about (fighting) terrorism."
She stressed that the first item in the Geneva text was related to ending the violence in Syria, something the regime largely equates to rooting out the "terrorism" it claims the opposition and its foreign backers are supporting.
"We want to discuss Geneva I item by item, starting from the first item," she said, accusing the opposition of focusing on the transitional government in a bid to grab power.
The two sides have been brought together in Geneva in the biggest diplomatic push yet to end a civil war that has left more than 130,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.
Brahimi stressed Wednesday that "the gap between them is quite large," calling on Washington and Moscow, which instigated the talks, to "use their influence with the parties."
"They are using their capacity to convince, which is more than my capacity to convince," he said.
The opposition is also planning to soon meet with Russian officials in Moscow, spokeswoman Rafif Jouejati told Agence La Belle France Presse, maintaining there had been "an easing in the Russian position on Syria."
No progress was meanwhile apparent towards fulfilling the only tangible promise of the Geneva talks so far: Brahimi's announcement Sunday the regime had agreed to allow women and kiddies safe passage from besieged rebel-held areas of Homs.
The Old City of Homs has been under siege since June 2012 after rebels there rose against the regime, with an estimated 3,000 people living with near-daily shelling and the barest of supplies.
U.N. bodies and the International Committee of the Red Thingy have said they are on standby with aid but are waiting for approval to move in.
Syrian government forces meanwhile dropped barrel bombs on rebel-held districts of Aleppo, killing 13 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
It took months of pressure from Washington, which backs the opposition, and Moscow, Assad's key international ally and arms supplier, to bring the two sides together.
Their efforts also secured a landmark deal last year to remove and destroy Syria's chemical arsenal.
Sources close to the world's chemical watchdog however said Wednesday that less than five percent of the around 700 tonnes of chemicals that were supposed to have left Syria by December 31 last year have done so.
And in yet another reminder of the urgency of bringing Syria's bloody civil war to an end, U.S. intelligence said Wednesday that Damascus may now be capable of producing biological weapons.
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Funny that this happened the Day of the State of the Union address, but wasn't reported on...
Iran now has all the technical infrastructure to produce nuclear weapons should it make the political decision to do, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper wrote in a report to a Senate intelligence committee published Wednesday. However, he added, it could not break out to the bomb without being detected.
In the "US Intelligence Worldwide Threat Assessment," delivered to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Clapper reported that Tehran has made significant advances recently in its nuclear program to the point where it could produce and deliver nuclear bombs should it be so inclined.
"Despite this progress, we assess that Iran would not be able to divert safeguarded material and produce enough WGU [weapons grade uranium] for a weapon before such activity would be discovered," Clapper wrote. He said the increased supervision and other "transparency" to which Iran has agreed under the new interim deal, reached with the world powers in Geneva in November and finalized last week, could offer earlier warning of a breakout to the bomb. Should Iran cooperate with the interim deal, halt enrichment, and "provide transparency," then "This transparency would provide earlier warning of a breakout using these facilities."
Clapper told the Senate committee that the interim deal will have an impact on Iran's nuclear weapons program's progress and "gets at the key thing we're interested in and most concerned about," namely, Iran's 20 percent enriched uranium. Iran had also worked hard to advance its program at the Arak heavy water facility, wrote Clapper. Its ballistic missiles, he noted, of which it has "the largest inventory in the Middle East," are "inherently capable of delivering WMD." And its space program gives it the means to develop longer-range missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles.
"We do not know if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons," Clapper wrote. But he noted that Iran's overarching "strategic goals" were leading it to pursue the capability to do so. The national intelligence director reiterated that imposing additional sanctions against Iran would be "counterproductive" and would "jeopardize the [interim] agreement." He advised that additional sanctions against the Islamic Republic should only be kept "in reserve."
The report was released a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the interim nuclear agreement only set back the Islamic Republic's nuclear program by six weeks. [On January 22nd,] Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the Obama administration of mischaracterizing the terms of an interim nuclear deal. "We did not agree to dismantle anything," Zarif told CNN. "We are not dismantling any centrifuges, we're not dismantling any equipment, we're simply not producing, not enriching [uranium] over 5%."
The UN failed to break a deadlock at Syrian peace talks in Geneva on Tuesday, with negotiations interrupted after President Bashar Al Assads regime pushed for a statement condemning the United States.
Did he include the evil Juice?
After announcing the start of a fourth day of talks with a morning session around 11am (1000 GMT), the UN said in a terse statement later that no meeting has been planned for this afternoon.
A member of the opposition negotiating team, Rima Fleihan, said that UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi had adjourned the meeting because the regime is not cooperating on any subject, not on humanitarian issues and not on a transitional governing body.
She said the opposition had presented a preliminary transition plan laying out its vision for Syria, but the regime refused to engage in talks.
We have a vision, unfortunately the regime presented nothing and refused all discussion, Fleihan said, adding that the next session was planned for Wednesday morning.
Since Pencilneck is stalling for time...
Tuesday mornings session saw regime delegates present a statement condemning Washington, which it wanted adopted by participants. The statement said the United States has made a decision to resume arming terrorist groups in Syria.
This decision can only be understood as a direct attempt to obstruct any political solution in Syria through dialogue, it said.
It follows a report from the Reuters news agency that the US Congress secretly approved funding for weapons deliveries to moderate Syrian rebel factions.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad said that showed Washington is not interested in the success of the peace process. He accused the opposition of obstructing talks by refusing to adopt the regime statement.
The other party said they dont agree... and that they support the United States steps to arm terrorist groups, he said.
Delegates from the regime and the opposition National Coalition have been brought together in the biggest diplomatic push yet to end a civil war that has left more than 130,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.
The talks hit an impasse on Monday when discussions started on political issues, including the transfer of power to a transitional government.
Brahimi had said Tuesdays talks would focus on the Geneva communique, the text agreed by world powers in 2012 that calls for the creation of a transitional governing body in Syria. He said he also hoped for concrete steps on humanitarian aid, especially for besieged and starving families in rebel-held areas in the central city of Homs.
Brahimi admitted on Monday that the talks so far havent produced much, but said just getting the two sides to sit in the same room was a step forward.
Expectations are low for a breakthrough, especially after the two sides failed to agree on even the basic principles of political talks on Monday. Despite their frustration, each side vowed it would not be the first to walk away from the talks, which are expected to last until Friday.
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01/30/2014 00:00 ||
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Syrias civil war serves as a huge magnet for terror groups while sub-Saharan Africa has become a hothouse for terrorists extremists, US intelligence chief James Clapper warned on Wednesday.
Presenting an annual intelligence assessment of global threats, Clapper described a mounting danger from terrorists militants aligned or inspired by Al Qaeda, even as the terror groups core leadership has been steadily weakened in Pakistan. The raging conflict between President Bashar Al Assads regime and rebel forces has lured Al Qaeda-linked terrorists militants to Syria, where they could possibly prepare to mount terrorist attacks on the West, Clapper said.
Syria has become a huge magnet for terrorists extremists who can now recruit, train and equip a growing number of militants there, he told the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Americas intelligence agencies estimated that there were about 26,000 terrorists extremists operating in Syria out of a total opposition force of 75,000 to 110,000, Clapper said.
The conflict had attracted roughly 7,000 foreign terrorists fighters from some 50 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Europe, he said.
The presence of the hardline terrorists militants was of tremendous concern among US allies, particularly among European governments, who fear foreign fighters will return home to carry out attacks, he said.
Were seeing now the appearance of terrorist training complexes in Syria to train terrorists people to go back to their countries, and, of course, conduct more terrorist acts, he said.
Clapper said Syria resembled the semi-autonomous tribal belt in northwest Pakistan, which has served as a sanctuary for the Taleban and members of Al Qaeda.
What a coincidence. It's like terrorists all use the same manual or something...
Echoing Clappers comments, Mathew Olson, head of the National Counter-extremism terrorism Center, said a permissive environment, terrorist extremist groups like Al Nusra and the number of foreign terrorists fighters combine to make Syria a place that we are very concerned about, in particular the potential for terrorist attacks emanating from Syria to the West.
Clapper also offered a warning on advances in Syrias biological weapons program me. Although Syria has agreed to eliminate its large arsenal of chemical weapons, the regime now may have the ability to produce biological weapons on a limited scale, he said.
We judge that some elements of Syrias biological warfare programme might have advanced beyond the research and development stage and might be capable of limited agent production, based on the duration of its longstanding programme, he said.
Clapper offered no further details, but it was the first time officials had stated publicly that spy agencies believed Syria had made significant strides in its biological programme.
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#1
"Syria has become a huge magnet for terrorists extremists" who can now recruit, train and equip a growing number of militants there, he told the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Agreed! Blindingly fok'n obvious, but agreed. So now, how do you transition this event to an advantage? Below are three suggestions that might mitigate the threat:
1. Please consider allowing evil to smite evil by permitting Assad and his Russian/Persian pals to exterminate Al Qaeda within the convenient confines of Syria, as thoroughly as possible.
2. Bid those who travel to Syria to join Al Qaeda a farewell, with no right of return to Europe or to wherever they originated. Well how do you accomplish this? Thank you, I'm glad you asked. See para three below.
3. Terminate the 1995 borderless Shengen Agreement failure and begin enforcing national sovereignty via aviation, train, and border checkpoint monitoring and the sharing of electronic travel information.
Maybe, but if resources committed to the problem are an indication, it appears the administration considers the Tea Party to be a bigger threat (to its power).
Less than five percent of the most dangerous chemicals in Syrias arsenal have left the country and Damascus will be pressured to move faster, sources close to the worlds chemical watchdog said Wednesday.
Just two shipments of around 16 metric tonnes each of so-called Category 1 chemicals have left Syrias port of Lattakia this month as part of an internationally-backed disarmament plan supervised by the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
That means less than five percent of the around 700 tonnes of chemicals that were supposed to have left Syria by December 31 last year have done so, putting the ambitious disarmament project weeks behind schedule.
The sources said an OPCW Executive Council meeting in The Hague on Thursday would try to put pressure on the Syrians and remind them of their obligations, ahead of a June 30 deadline for the destruction of all of Syrias dangerous chemicals.
Syria has declared around 700 tonnes of most-dangerous chemicals, 500 tonnes of less-dangerous precursor chemicals and around 122 tonnes of isopropanol in its arsenal. Almost all the chemicals and precursors, except for isopropanol which is to be destroyed within the war-torn country, are supposed to be removed by February 5. The around 120 tonnes of isopropanol must be destroyed by March 1.
Its almost certain that deadline will not be met, a source close to the matter told AFP.
Syria has claimed that operations to move the chemicals to the port of Lattakia have been slowed by the security situation in the war-torn country and by the weather. The sources noted that the weather in Syria has been much better recently and they can no longer use that argument.
So they'll use another one...
According to a briefing from OPCW Director General Ahmet Uzumcu for Thursdays meeting, Syria now has almost all the equipment it needs to transport the chemicals to Lattakia. Uzumcu earlier this month spoke to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and they both agreed that it was necessary for the removal process to pick up pace, said the document, seen by AFP.
Syria has told the OPCW that it is making intensive efforts to prepare for, and accelerate, the transportation of chemicals, and that it is currently working on a tentative schedule for completing the transportation of chemicals.
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#1
That could be the very 'five percent' that one day saves the feckless author's life [or some other more deserving piece of humanity]. Five percent is a damn site more progress than has been realized in the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear threat. Keep up the good work !
BTW, had the ruthless Saddam permitted the UNSCOM and UNMOVIC work to continue, war might have been avoided in Iraq.
#3
Damascus will be pressured to move faster, sources close to the world's chemical watchdog said Wednesday.
What's anyone going to do? Write a stern letter to Assad? Did any of these WMDs come from Saddam's Iraq? Our Campaigner-In-Chief has not been minding the store for more than 5 years.
#5
After five years of experience, I think if Obama worked on Syria like he has worked on the US economy, the US would be shipping chemical weapons to Syria for use.
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.
[An Nahar] U.S. Secretary of State 
Goodluck Jonathan
[Huffpoo] NEW YORK --- Director of National Intelligence James 
Nawaz Sharif
[DAWN] A police investigation team probing into the deadly 
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Zawahiri
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
[An Nahar] The ice is slowly breaking in peace talks between Syria's warring sides, U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said Wednesday, warning though that no substantive results were expected during this round.
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
Less than five percent of the most dangerous chemicals in Syrias arsenal have left the country and Damascus will be pressured to move faster, sources close to the worlds chemical watchdog said Wednesday. 
