Posted on 12/17/2006 4:03:30 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
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'The Iranians do not expect to be attacked'
Tovah Lazaroff and David Horovitz, THE JERUSALEM POST Jan. 31, 2007
Seating himself in the center of The Jerusalem Post's conference room,
Prof.
Bernard Lewis preferred to eschew any kind of opening remarks, and
instead
simply invited our questions. Arguably the preeminent Islamic historian
and
scholar of his age, Lewis, who turned 90 last May, handled the
resulting
avalanche with absolute equanimity.
His English accent undimmed by recent decades spent living in America,
Lewis,
who was born in London into a middle-class Jewish family, sketched out
a vision
of extremist Islamic ambition at chilling odds with his placid,
soft-spoken
delivery.
For President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Iran, he noted dryly, the notion of
mutual
assured destruction, of certain devastation so immense as to have kept
the
United States and the Soviet Union from firing their missiles at each
other
through the Cold War, was "not a deterrent," but rather "an
inducement." Given
the apocalyptic messianism of Ahmadinejad and his supporters, "if they
kill
large numbers of their own people, they are doing them a favor. They
are giving
them a quick free pass to heaven and all its delights, the divine
brothel in the
skies."
He dismissed Europe in a few sentences, a continent doomed to Islamist
domination by dint of its own "self-abasement... in the name of
political
correctness and multiculturalism." What did this mean for Europe's
Jews? The
future, he said without hesitation, was dim.
Nonetheless, Lewis, whose recent bestsellers have included What Went
Wrong? The
Clash between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East and the post-9/11
The
Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror, was not unremittingly
bleak in
outlook. He argued that Iran's goals could yet be thwarted, by
encouraging the
Iranian people to turn against their regime. "There is a level of
discontent at
home, which could be exploited," he said strikingly. "I do not think it
would be
too difficult to bring it to the point when the regime could be
overthrown."
An Iranian-wrought holocaust was not impossible, he acknowledged. But
more
likely, he said, was that "sooner or later," we and our leaders would
"awake
from our slumbers."
How will the Iranians be stopped? Do you think they are going to be
stopped?
I do not know what Washington intends to do, or what Israel intends to
do. My
own preference would be to deal with the Iranian regime by means of the
Iranian
people.
All the evidence is that the regime is extremely unpopular with their
own
people. I am told that the Israeli daily [radio] program in Persian is
widely
listened to all over Iran with rapt attention and it is the only one
that they
believe.
Iranians were furious over the Lebanese war, feeling that they had been
dragged
into it and their resources were being squandered on promoting this
dubious
cause when things are deteriorating from bad to worse at home.
I think there is a level of discontent at home, which could be
exploited. I do
not think it would be too difficult to bring it to the point when the
regime
could be overthrown.
What should Israel be doing, therefore?
Israel should be doing everything that it can to change the regime in
Iran. That
is the only answer.
Overtly?
Yes, I think so. What the [discontented Iranians] are asking for is not
a
military invasion. My Iranian friends and various groups are unanimous
on that
point. They feel a military invasion would be counterproductive.
What do the Iranians think of their nuclear program?
That is a delicate issue because the nuclear program has become a
matter of
national pride. Look at it from the Iranian point of view: The Russians
in the
north have it, the Chinese in the east have it, the Pakistanis in the
south have
it, and the Israelis in the west have it. "Who is to tell us that we
must not
have it?"
I think one should try to make it clear at all stages that the
objection is not
to Iran having [a nuclear capacity] but to the regime that governs Iran
having
it. I am told now that in Iran most recently, support has virtually
disappeared
for the nuclear program. Previously it had some support, but it is now
increasingly being realized that this is a method of strengthening the
regime,
which means that it is bad.
What would the Iranian regime do with a nuclear bomb if it got one?
That depends entirely on the balance of forces within the regime. There
are
people in Iran who know that using nuclear weapons, even threatening to
use
nuclear weapons, could bring terrible retribution upon them. On the
other hand
there are people with an apocalyptic mindset, and their supporters...
Do you have a sense of how far Arab states are willing to go to change
things in
Iran? Will they cooperate with the Israelis and the Americans?
The Arab states are very concerned about the Shia revolution. They see
a
militant, expansionist Shia movement which already seems to be
spreading from
Iran to Iraq, through Syria to Lebanon, all the way across to the
Mediterranean
and eastward to Afghanistan and Pakistan and so on.
One has to bear in mind that there are significant Shia minorities in
Saudi
Arabia and all around the Gulf, all the Gulf States. Yemen is in a
sense a Shia
state, though not of the same branch. From the Saudi point of view, the
Shia
revolution really constitutes a major menace. That is why they were so
quietly
supportive of Israel in the Lebanon war, and I think they would take
that line
again if there is a further clash. Or, should I say, when there is a
further
clash.
Does the Iranian regime believe that a military attack on its nuclear
sites
would strengthen it? Do they think that it can be avoided - that they
can manage
to keep the West from attacking them?
My guess is that they do not expect to be attacked. Remember, they have
no
experience of the functioning of a free society. The sort of
self-criticism and
mutual criticism that we see as normal is beyond their understanding
and totally
outside their experience. What we see as free debate, they see as
weakness and
division and fear.
Therefore I think they have a very low estimate of the forces that
oppose them,
whether in the US or Israel or elsewhere. They expect to have it their
way,
whatever way they choose.
Does that attitude stem from something inherent in Islam?
No, it is not inherent in Islam. It is inherent in the kind of
government under
which they have lived for the last 200 years or so. In the earliest
stages of
Islam, the government was more open. Traditional Islamic governments
devoted
great importance to consultation, to content, to limited authority, to
government under law; all these things are part of the traditional
Islamic
background.
That all ended a couple of hundred years ago. Nothing remains of it. It
ended in
two phases. Phase one, modernization, mainly in the 19th and early 20th
century
- modernization which strengthened the power of the state and either
weakened or
eliminated all those intermediary powers which had previously acted as
constraints on government.
The second phase, the crucial one, is Vichy, when the French government
surrendered in Syria and in Lebanon, a crucial Arab country, and half
of the
Middle East came under German control. They were able to extend from
there into
Iraq, which is where the Ba'ath Party's foundations were laid. The
Ba'ath Party
has no roots in the Arab or Islamic past. It is the Nazi party.
Later, when the Germans left and the Russians came, it wasn't too
difficult to
switch from the Nazi model to the Soviet model. It only needed minor
retouching.
How do you see the Arab-on-Arab violence in Iraq, Lebanon and the
Palestinian
territories being resolved?
The developments in the Middle East are both alarming and encouraging,
depending
on the angle of vision. The bad news on the general situation now is
the
increasing violence, the increasing support which the various extremist
and
terrorist movements seem to be getting. Most alarming of all is the
steady
increase in the area [in which] they have influence or dominate, which
before
long will probably include Europe.
A Syrian philosopher published an article not long ago in which he said
the only
question about the future of Europe is: "Will it be an Islamized Europe
or
Europeanized Islam?" And I am inclined to agree with him about that. In
that
respect, it is discouraging. Particularly alarming is the apocalyptic
mood,
which we see in Iran now.
This is something which Jews in particular should be able to understand
very
well. The messiah is coming. There is a well-known scenario of the
course of
events, the battle of Gog and Magog and so on and so forth. There is a
final
struggle ending with the final victory. Muslims generally believe that
one can
somehow expedite the process.
I have no doubt at all, and my Iranian friends and informants are
unanimous on
this, that Ahmadinejad means what he says, and that this is not, as
some people
have suggested, a trick or device. He really means it, he really
believes it and
that makes him all the more dangerous.
MAD, mutual assured destruction, [was effective] right through the Cold
War.
Both sides had nuclear weapons. Neither side used them, because both
sides knew
the other would retaliate in kind. This will not work with a religious
fanatic.
For him, mutual assured destruction is not a deterrent, it is an
inducement. We
know already that they do not give a damn about killing their own
people in
great numbers. We have seen it again and again.
In the final scenario, and this applies all the more strongly if they
kill large
numbers of their own people, they are doing them a favor. They are
giving them a
quick free pass to heaven and all its delights, the divine brothel in
the skies.
I find all that very alarming.
We turn now to the encouraging signs, the good news, such as it is. I
would put
it at two levels. One is that a number of Arab governments are coming
to the
conclusion that Israel is not their most serious problem and not their
greatest
danger.
This is very similar to what happened with [former Egyptian president
Anwar]
Sadat. If you go back to the Egyptian peace process, Sadat didn't
decide to make
peace because he was suddenly convinced of the merits of the Zionist
case. Sadat
decided to make peace because he realized that Egypt was becoming a
Soviet
colony.
The process was very visible. There were whole areas of Soviet bases
and no
Egyptian was admitted. Sadat, I think, realized that on the best
estimate of
Israel's power and the worst estimate of Israel's intentions, Israel
was not a
threat to Egypt in the way that the Soviet Union was.
So he took the very courageous step of ordering the Soviet specialists
out of
Egypt, facing the danger they might do what they did in Czechoslovakia
or
Hungary. They didn't, fortunately. Then he hoped that Washington would
help him,
instead of which Washington produced the Vance-Gromyko Agreement, a
sort of
diplomatic carve up, in effect giving Egypt back to the Soviets. That
was
[former president Jimmy] Carter's real contribution to the peace
process. All
the rest of it is imaginary; imaginary is the polite word.
That persuaded Sadat that he had to go to the Israelis.
I think that a number of the governments in the region have been
through a
similar process of reevaluation. During the recent war in Lebanon, it
was quite
clear that several Arab governments were quietly hoping that the
Israelis would
go in and finish the job. They were very disappointed that they didn't.
That
disappointment was certainly not a help, but that mood is still there.
There is
a willingness to reach some sort of a compromise to enable them to deal
with
what they see as the more pressing and more dangerous problem. That
could be a
short-term advantage. It might even lead to some sort of a peace
process.
But as the Egyptian example I spoke of shows, that doesn't lead to any
real
cordiality. There is a peace process with Egypt, there is an exchange
of
diplomatic representatives and so on, but one would hardly talk about
relations
between Israel and Egypt, at the present time, as a model that one
wants to
extend to the rest of the Arab world. So it can bring some benefits,
which might
be quite substantial in the short range, but one should have no
illusions about
the long range.
The other encouraging sign, very faint and very distant, is of a
genuine change
of mood among people in some Arab countries. Talking to people in Arab
countries
in the last few years, some of those people express attitudes which I
have never
met before. I do not know how deep this goes and how strong it is, but
it is
there and it never was before. That is a good sign.
Can you elaborate? And does this include people in Syria?
No, it doesn't include Syria. It does include Syrians. There is a
Syrian migr
group called the Syrian Reform Party, headed by a man called Farid
Ghadry. He
publishes a journal and also has a Web site. He makes no secret of his
admiration for Israel and his very positive attitude toward Israel. He
lives in
Washington, D.C.
The fact that a man who has ambitions, [who] hopes to lead a
revolution, makes
no attempt to pursue an anti-Israel, anti-Zionist line, but on the
contrary he
has a friendly one, that in itself is quite remarkable.
Another example on a very different level is the people in Jordan. In
Jordan,
Israel television is widely watched and they get the message of how a
free
society works. I have heard that the same thing happens elsewhere but
for
technical reasons it is more difficult.
As one fellow put it, it is amazing to watch these great and famous
people
banging the table and screaming at each other. They are used to people
banging
the table and screaming, but not at each other. They can get different
points of
view, but they have to tune in to different stations.
The sort of free debate on Israel television and, even more striking,
the fact
that Arabs can denounce the Israeli government on Israeli television,
that has
an impact. I have heard people mention this again and again. It doesn't
go
unnoticed.
Is there a perception in the Arab world that Hizbullah won the war in
the
summer?
The feelings about Hizbullah are very mixed, but always very strong,
either for
them or against them. Some see them as Arab heroes, the people who won
a great
victory for the Arab cause, and others see them as a major danger. In a
sense
both are right.
I had a telephone conversation with a Christian friend in Beirut not
long after
the Lebanon war. I asked his views on this. He said, "Israel has lost
the war,
but Hizbullah has not won." I asked him what he meant by that. He said
that
there was a swelling tide of anger against Hizbullah in Lebanon for
having
brought all this misfortune on the country, which is even gaining
ground among
the Shia population. That was a couple of days after the end of the
war. Whether
that is still true, I do not know. I am inclined to think that
Hizbullah has
gained some ground since then.
Given the civil unrest between Hizbullah and the Lebanese government,
can Israel
strengthen the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora without
undermining it?
As things are now, Israeli support is the kiss of death. For Israel it
is much
better to refrain from expressing any support for anyone, except for
certain
causes like freedom and democracy, and so on.
In your writings you have spoken of the feelings of humiliation and
rage in the
Muslim world. When will their rage subside, if at all?
One way [for them] to alleviate their rage is to win some large
victories. Which
could happen. They seem to be about to take over Europe.
"About to take over Europe?" Do you have a time frame for that? It
sounds pretty
dramatic.
No, I can't give you the time frame, but I can give you the stages of
the
process: Immigration and democracy on their side, and a mood of what I
can only
call self-abasement on the European side - in the name of political
correctness
and multiculturalism, to surrender on any and every issue.
I was talking only the other day at the Herzliya conference with a
German
journalist. We were chatting informally over a cup of coffee. He was
expressing
his profound alarm at the mood of what he called self-abasement among
the
Germans at the present time. "We mustn't do anything to offend them. We
must be
nice to them. We must let them do things their way," and so on and so
on and so
on.
What does that mean for the Jewish communities of Europe, even in the
short
term?
The outlook for the Jewish communities of Europe is dim.
How do you explain the strength of the Islamic cultural psyche? There
are
third-generation Muslims in England who play cricket but whose
loyalties to
Muslim values are far stronger than anything they have picked up in
England.
That is true. The loyalty is very strong, in Europe particularly. One
sees a
difference here between Europe and the US. One difference is that
Europe has
very little to offer. Europeans are losing their own loyalties and
their own
self-confidence. They have no respect for their own culture. It has
become a
culture of self-abasement. The diplomacy of what David Kelly called the
"preemptive cringe." Naturally that is only going to encourage them in
the worst
aspects of their own.
If you look at the US, it is apparently somewhat different. There is
much more,
I hesitate to use the word assimilation, which in Jewish context has a
negative
connotation, [so] let us say acculturation.
There is also the fact that it is much easier to become American than
to become
European. To become American is a change of political allegiance. To
become a
Frenchman or a German is a change of ethnic identity. That is much more
difficult for those who come and those who receive them.
Do you think that Arab nationalism will make a comeback? Is there any
chance of
achieving democratization when you talk about religion dictating
trends?
I do not think that Arab nationalism is faring very well now. It has
failed
monumentally in every country. It has brought them greater tyranny,
worse
government and in many places lowered standards of living.
What I hope might be a more positive development is not nationalism but
patriotism. It is a very different thing, which is much more compatible
with the
development of democratic institutions and liberal values.
Wouldn't there be a much greater chance of achieving liberalism and
democracy
through nationalism rather than religion?
No. That is why patriotism would give a better chance.
Though you are soft-spoken and eloquently spoken, you have given an
utterly
apocalyptic outlook. Are you of the view that Iran will get the bomb,
that
extremists will prevail, that they will use it, that the West in its
self-abasement will allow this domination to succeed? Should we just go
home now
and hide under the covers, or is there a strategic process that, if
followed,
has a reasonable chance of thwarting this?
There is a real danger that these things will go the way of Benny
Morris [the
Israeli historian who chillingly described an Iranian-wrought holocaust
in the
January 19 Jerusalem Post], but that is less likely.
What is more likely is that sooner or later we will awake from our
slumbers, and
our leaders will find time to devote themselves to issues other than
their own
province. And then, as I said, there are things that can be done in
Iran.
This article can also be read at
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1167467860507&pagename=JPost%2FJPArti
cle%2FShowFull
Copyright 1995-2007 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/
My last post was too long to send as a ping. Iran/Israel.
I have several to post and will not send them as pings, so suggest you keep checking the WT thread.
Thank you for reading them.
February 2, 2007 PM Anti-Terrorism News
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phillyburbs.com - Feb 02 5:14 AM
Warminster police will be stationed outside Log College Middle School when students arrive this morning in response to a bomb threat found at the school Thursday.
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The Ascension Citizen - 2 hours, 11 minutes ago
A man arrested by Gonzales Police for allegedly calling in a bomb threat to Gonzales Middle School Jan. 22 later confessed to being behind a recent string of prank phone calls involving a local hospital, Sheriff Jeff Wiley said Wednesday.
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3. Bomb scare at Woodward Open this result in new window
Bainbridge Island Review - Feb 01 6:07 PM
Students and staff at Woodward Middle School were evacuated Thursday morning following a bomb threat. The threat came on the heels of a similar incident last week at Bainbridge High School that canceled class there. No explosives were found during a search of either school.
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The Grand Rapids Press - Jan 30 8:00 AM
WEST OTTAWA -- Grandville's freshman boys basketball game at West Ottawa High School was canceled Friday while an Ottawa County sheriff's dog sniffed the locked-down North building for two hours in response to an after-school bomb threat. No explosives were found.
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5. Breaking News: School receives second bomb threat Open this result in new window
Sidney Herald-Leader - Jan 31 8:56 AM
For the second straight Tuesday, a bomb threat occurred at Sidney High School. "Another message was received on a high school printer," Sidney Superintendent of Schools Doug Sullivan said.
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6. Another school receives bomb threat Open this result in new window
Eden Daily News - Jan 30 7:09 PM
A bomb threat has disrupted another county high school. Students at Rockingham County High School near Wentworth were evacuated to a neighboring middle school Tuesday morning, where they waited about 90 minutes as authorities searched the high school.
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7. MAN FACES 10 YEARS FOR BOMB THREAT AT SCHOOL Open this result in new window
Tyler Morning Telegraph - Jan 30 8:28 PM
Rodney John Brown faces up to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Tuesday to making bomb threats at a Tyler elementary school.
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8. Chemical, bomb scares strike town Open this result in new window
Sentinel & Enterprise - Feb 01 8:08 AM
ASHBURNHAM -- The state bomb squad responded to a Dunn Road residence Wednesday after a real estate agent selling the house found chemicals in the basement, Firefighter Paul Rekos said.
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9. Woodland Park High School search completed Open this result in new window
Colorado Springs Gazette - Feb 01 10:21 AM
Woodland Park High School is back on a regular class schedule after being under shelter in place procedures this morning because a bomb threat was called in.
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10. Plymouth Christian students evacuated during bomb scare Open this result in new window
Plymouth Observer - Feb 01 4:01 AM
The superintendent of Plymouth Christian Academy is hailing the Canton Police Department for their handling of a bomb threat at the school Monday morning.
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Oh! Oh! PIngs are so much easier to follow and choose.
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_5143308
Police Briefs
Sentinel & Enterprise
Sentinel & Enterprise
Article Launched:02/02/2007 10:54:08 AM EST
FITCHBURG -- North Central Charter Essential School officials found a live, .38-caliber round outside the front entrance of the school Wednesday, Sgt. Glenn C. Fossa said Thursday.
Fossa said the round was found near a trash barrel in the school's outer lobby area.
NCCES Principal Tricia May said the outer lobby is shared by several other businesses.
"From that lobby you have to pass secure, locked doors to access the school," May said Thursday.
May said after discussing the matter with police, "we had no sense of risk for (students') safety."
FITCHBURG -- Vandals caused about $2,000 in damage to four vans belonging to the ARC Community Services Inc., Sgt. Glenn C. Fossa said Thursday.
The vandals spray painted phrases like "PJ," and "PIZ," on four of the group's vans while they were parked in a rear parking lot, Fossa said.
The Main Street non-profit group, which helps support special needs residents, reported the incident at about 7:20 p.m., Wednesday, Fossa said.
FITCHBURG -- Someone stole 200 feet of copper drain spouts off the side of Main Street's Christ Church Tuesday night, Capt. Philip J. Kearns said Wednesday.
"Somebody yanked the drain spouts from the corner of the building," Kearns said.
Kearns said police have noticed three or four incidents of copper theft in the past few weeks, such as the theft of copper pipes from abandoned buildings.
Thieves often sell the copper to recycling places to get cash, Kearns said.
[What is the meaning of the slogans in #2?]
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_5143309
Assault on FSC student was not a random act, police say
By Jonathan Graham
Sentinel & Enterprise
Article Launched:02/02/2007 10:54:09 AM EST
FITCHBURG -- Police are not viewing Tuesday evening's assault of a 19-year-old Fitchburg State College student as a random act, Sgt. Glenn C. Fossa said Thursday.
"(The victim) knows somebody who (the assailants) wanted to reach with regard to a prior incident between them," Fossa said.
Fossa said the victim had done nothing wrong, but happened to know someone who the assailants were looking for.
"There is no evidence that this fellow has any culpability," Fossa said.
Several men attacked the student at the intersection of North and Pearl streets as he walked back from a basketball game at about 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, police say.
The victim suffered cuts, bruises and a broken nose in the attack, and the assailants took his cell phone and wallet, police said.
FSC spokesman Michael Shanley said Wednesday that the school will be increasing patrols by college police officers and state police troopers because of Tuesday's incident.
Four FSC students were also mugged in separate incidents on Jan. 25 near Myrtle Avenue. Police have arrested three men in connection with those assaults.
Fossa said Thursday that there appears to be no links between the Jan. 25 robberies and Tuesday's attack.
"We have determined that it is not related to the other defendants that were allegedly responsible in this other incident," Fossa said.
Police will be looking into "why that particular area seems to be the focus of this most-recent acts of violence," Fossa said.
http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=6025647
Shots fired in Tacoma neighborhood being visited by Governor Gregoire
Feb 1, 2007 03:48 PM
TACOMA, Wash. - Shots were fired in the vicinity of Governor Gregoire while she was visiting a Tacoma neighborhood. Spokeswoman Kristin Jacobsen in the governor's office says the governor was in no danger.
A spokesman who was with the governor at the time, Lars Erickson, says Gregoire was visiting the Salishan public housing development when her State Patrol security advised her to leave early. He says she did not hear the shots about 1:45 from a nearby wooded area.
Police responded to a report of a man with a gun in Swan Creek Park. They have blocked off the wooded area in an attempt to isolate the man. Two nearby schools were locked down as a precaution -- Lister Elementary and McIlvaigh Middle School.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=6024440
Health Alert
Feeling sick in Spokane; Area seeing invasion of Norovirus
What is Norovirus? (Centers for Disease Control)
SPOKANE, Wash. - In case you're wondering, it's not just you. There are a lot of people in the Spokane area who have come down with a nasty virus.
The Spokane Regional Health District said Thursday that they are seeing a lot of cases of Norovirus. Norovirus is a small, easily transmitted virus that feels like the flu. Those who have it report symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea.
Controlling the norovirus is not easy. The health district says it's most often found in high-traffic areas like bathrooms and kitchens. It's hard to avoid, even with frequent hand washing.
The only good thing about the sickness is that the recovery time is relatively quick.
[this is all the report]
http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=5931194&nav=menu438_2_10
Plane Bomb Threat UPDATE
An American Eagle spokeswoman says there was no bomb on a plane in Toledo, Ohio. No one was arrested or hurt.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
I could not open the link, so went to google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Jury+acquits+men+of+serious+charges+in+Hamas+conspiracy+trial&client=netscape-pp&rls=com.netscape:en-US
http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=6014453&nav=menu438_2_10
Doctor loses argument in terror case
NEW YORK A doctor who prosecutors say vows to treat al-Qaida members has lost a round in court.
Doctor Rafiq Sabir was arrested at his South Florida home in 2005 and has been behind bars ever since.
Federal prosecutors accuse Sabir of providing medical support to wounded terrorists. He pleaded not guilty, and filed motions to dismiss the indictment, arguing it's unconstitutional to prosecute a doctor for providing medical services.
But in a new ruling, a judge says under federal law, medical care counts as material support to terrorists. And the judge says charges are being brought against Sabir not just for performing those services, but for essentially volunteering "as a medic for the al-Qaida military."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6031316
Heavy Rescue Underway at The Orleans
Feb 2, 2007 04:05 PM
Eyewitness News has learned that three people are trapped in a manhole at the Orleans Hotel and Casino. Two of the men are unconscious and one is semi-conscious. Eyewitness News is following this developing story and will have the latest at 4 and on www.LasVegasNOW.com.
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6029094
Adrian Arambulo, Reporter
Theft Ring Busted in Rhodes Ranch
Feb 2, 2007 03:58 PM
Lt. Ted Snodgrass of Metro's robbery division spoke with Channel 8 about the bust.
Lt. Ted Snodgrass of Metro's robbery division spoke with Channel 8 about the bust.
Metro police believe they have busted a major theft ring in one of the Las Vegas Valley's more affluent neighborhoods.
Officers raided a home in Rhodes Ranch on Thursday. They served search warrants and detained suspects.
Police believe they have closed in on suspects who are responsible for a home invasion robbery, nine burglaries, and three auto thefts in the gated neighborhood.
Metro robbery and property crimes detectives served a search warrant about around 9 p.m. on Thursday. They believe one or possibly more of the suspects stay in a Rhodes Ranch home and that they have been stashing tens of thousands of dollars of stolen merchandise there.
Among the stolen items are expensive jewelry, collectible pieces, and state-of-the-art electronics. Police believe the suspects may also be responsible for some auto thefts involving Mercedes and Hummers. Police say some neighbors were even terrorized by the suspects.
http://rdu.news14.com/shared/print/default.asp?ArID=99511
www.news14.com
Students demand justice in alleged hate crime
Updated: 2/2/2007 4:47:31 PM
By: Ashley Smith
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- A group of UNC-Chapel Hill students held a solidarity vigil to support three Palestinian students involved in a campus brawl that happened January 20th at Guilford College. Six of the school's football players were charged with assault.
The UNC-Chapel Hill student group is called “Solidarity with Palestine through Education and Action at Carolina” and the student organization formed just one week after the Palestinian students on Guilford college's campus say they were attacked. Freshman international studies student Haley Koch helped organize Friday's rally at The Pitt at UNC.
"No other universities have come out and supported these students and this has been a very difficult time for them and so we want to express that support to them," explained Koch.
The goal of the rally was to respond to the violence at Guilford College by showing support for the three accusers. Earlier this week, Greensboro authorities said there was not enough evidence to continue an investigation. Although there have been conflicting accounts of the January 20th fight, students at UNC believe an assault did take place and that it was racially motivated.
"Granted, it is an alleged hate crime currently but whenever something like this happens, it’s important for people to stand up and speak out about it," said UNC senior Stephen Lassiter.
They're also encouraging other UNC students to get involved by signing a petition. The petition is asking Guilford College to fully investigate and recognize the incident as a hate crime. It’s also calling for changes to the college’s Code of Conduct.
“Because right now there is nothing about hate crimes in their code of conduct,” Koch continued. “So even if it was determined that the event was a hate crime, there would be nothing they could do in their judicial proceeding."
That's troubling for students who think more should be done to ensure all minority students feel safe on their campus.
Meanwhile, Guilford College says it’s reviewing all of the evidence to see if the incident can be classified as a hate crime. The college also says it will make changes to current judicial polices and procedures if appropriate. Prosecutors say they are waiting for the college to complete its investigation before deciding how to proceed.
Copyright © 2007 TWEAN d.b.a. News 14 Carolina
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0%2C2545%2CTCP_16736_5320967%2C00.html
Seven nabbed in baby formula trafficking ring
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Oscar Geovanny Milla Cortagena
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Elsa Rivera-Hernandez
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Rosa Padilla Valladeres
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Luis Rolando Flores-Valles
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Photo VIEW AFFIDAVITS FROM THURSDAY ARRESTS
By GABRIEL MARGASAK
gabriel.margasak@scripps.com
February 2, 2007
STUART — State agents and local deputies captured members of a baby formula trafficking ring that may be part of a much larger operation, according to officials and reports released Thursday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, along with the Martin County Sheriff's Office, arrested seven people Wednesday and Thursday, seizing about $48,000 worth of powdered formula mix in 1,700 cans, according to FDLE spokeswoman Susie Murphy.
One trafficker hauling an additional 1,450 cans of formula worth $40,600 had slipped away with the goods, reports said.
"It's apparently a nationwide thing, and really that's all I can say because it's an active investigation, not (just) here but everywhere," she said.
Continues.................
Authorities had yet to determine whether the seven people arrested were in the U.S. legally.
Arrested on a felony charge of trafficking in stolen property were Hilda Hernandez, 26, Miguel Angel Aguilar, 26, Luis Valle-Flores, 30, Oscar Geovanny Milla Cortagena, 29, Elsa Rivera-Hernandez, 21, and Rosa Padilla Valladeres, 45, all of Wallace, N.C. Maria Vargas, 36, address unknown, was also charged with trafficking.
The bust came after a tip from a confidential source on Wednesday, according to FDLE reports.
continues..............
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5322389,00.html
Answers elusive in student illnesses
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By MARGOT SUSCA
margot.susca@scripps.com
February 2, 2007
FORT PIERCE — Since more than two dozen children were taken to area hospitals from St. Anastasia Catholic Church pews last week, parents have been looking for answers and hoped a Thursday night meeting would deliver them.
They were wrong.
"At this point in time the information isn't conclusive," Larry Lee, St. Lucie County Health Department administrator, told the group gathered in the church school's media center.
It wasn't carbon monoxide or bio-terrorism materials or propane that made them ill, officials reported. It wasn't mold or paint, and had nothing to do with a duck pond nearby. Tests for illicit drugs showed nothing.
It could have been the flu, and it may have been stress seeing classmates weak with nausea, said Maureen Dohoney, a Health Department nurse.
After two days of testing the sanctuary, then further review of medical records and individual follow-up interviews, the Health Department doesn't know why 28 students required transportation to three area hospitals Jan. 25.
One father, who would not give his name, told the three-person panel there to answer questions about his child's hospital records showing "possible toxic gas exposure."
continues..................
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/news/article/0,1651,TCP_997_5318863,00.html
Florida lawmakers briefed on federal preparedness for Cuban leader's passing
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By AMIE PARNES
parnesa@shns.com
February 1, 2007
WASHINGTON — Even as Fidel Castro declared his ailing health "far from a lost battle" early this week, lawmakers met Wednesday to discuss how the federal government would respond to possible political instability on the island after the Cuban leader's death and how the U.S. would handle a mass migration to its shores.
In an hourlong closed-door meeting, Reps. John Mica, R-Winter Park, and Mario Diaz-Balart and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, both Miami Republicans, received an updated readiness report from the Coast Guard.
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The lawmakers also spoke with officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Naturalization Service and the coast guard about their preparedness.
In the last couple of months, lawmakers have met with government agencies more than a dozen times to ensure the country is prepared for Castro's death. State and federal agencies have also conducted regular rehearsals and exercises to prepare themselves for the event.
continued.............
The Coast Guard is prepared to deal with a possible mass migration of Cubans trying to reach American shores.
"The policy of this administration is to not lose control of the borders," Diaz-Balart said. "It's just not an option and that was made very clear today to all of us."
[the end of the article]
To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54048
Thursday, February 1, 2007
FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
Hamas: We seized American weapons
Claims arms meant for Abbas forces taken by terrorists in Gaza ambush
Posted: February 1, 2007
10:36 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
JERUSALEM – Hamas today carried out an ambush in which it obtained an American weapons shipment transferred last night to militias in the Gaza Strip associated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, top Hamas officials told WND.
Fatah at first told reporters the shipment contained medical equipment and tents and then claimed the shipment consisted of engineering equipment.
The U.S. weapons were provided to Abbas purportedly to bolster Fatah forces against Hamas, according to defense sources. The two factions have engaged in nearly two months of deadly clashes after Abbas called for new Palestinian elections in a move widely seen as an attempt to dismantle the Hamas-led PA.
Palestinian officials and sources in the Israeli Defense Forces told WND four trucks filled with U.S. weapons were transported last night from Egypt through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Israel and from there delivered by an IDF convoy to Fatah security officials.
The American weapons shipment, the sources said, contained rocket-propelled grenades, more than 1 million rounds of ammunition and bullet-proof vests.
(Story continues below)
Officials from Force 17, Abbas' security detail which also serves as de facto police units in Gaza, told WND the U.S. weapons were received last night and were brought for distribution to the Ansar compound, a complex in northern Gaza housing headquarters of Fatah militias.
Today, while Force 17 were transporting the American weapons shipment for distribution to militias, Hamas ambushed the convoy and obtained the shipment, Hamas officials said.
A battle raged between Hamas gunmen and Force 17 guards accompanying the convoy, according to residents in the area who said a civilian was killed.
Hospital officials said 17 people, including two children, were wounded in the clash, the fiercest since violence this weekend in which 33 Palestinians were killed.
"We are in possession of American rocket-propelled grenades," a leader of Hamas' so-called military wing told WND.
"This will prove to the Americans their conspiracy of toppling our government will be used against them."
Fatah spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa told reporters the attacked convoy was carrying generators, tents and medical equipment.
"There are no weapons at all," said Abu Khoussa, adding the ambush "represented a grave danger to the continuation of the (cease-fire) agreement."
Abu Khoussa did not explain why Fatah would transport tents and medical supplies in protected convoys.
Fatah sources confirmed to WND prior to the ambush that the U.S. weapons were received last night and were being transported today for distribution.
Hamas leaders told WND they will "prove to the world we obtained weapons."
Hamas and Fatah are now engaged in heated going battles surrounding the Ansar Fatah military complex, with Hamas leaders vowing to take over the complex.
The U.S. has been reportedly providing Abbas' forces with aid and weapons.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice earlier this month told reporters the U.S. is working with Fatah to create a unified Palestinian security force. The Bush administration reportedly will grant $86.4 million to strengthen the Fatah forces, including Force 17, Abbas' security detail, which also serves as de facto police units in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
WND reported the U.S. in recent weeks transferred 7,000 assault rifles and more than 1 million rounds of ammunition to Fatah militias.
The last confirmed American arms shipment to Fatah took place in May. At first, the shipment, consisting of 3,000 rifles, was denied by the U.S. and Israel, but Olmert in June admitted the transfer took place, telling reporters, "I needed to approve the shipment to help bolster Abbas."
At the time, Abu Yousuf, a Fatah militant from Abba's Force 17 security forces, told WND while some of the weapons may be used in confrontations against Hamas, the bulk of the American arms would be utilized to "hit the Zionists."
He said if there is a major conflict with Israel, U.S. weapons provided to Fatah may be shared with other "Palestinian resistance organizations."
"The first place of these U.S. weapons will be to defend the Palestinian national project, which is reflected by the foundation of the Palestinian Authority. If Hamas or any other group under the influence of Iran and Syria wants to make a coup de tat against our institution, these weapons are there to defend the PA," said Abu Yousuf.
"We don't want to go to civil war with Hamas, because this is what both the U.S. and Israel want. This is our last option. We hope our brothers in Hamas won't oblige us to find ourselves in confrontation," Abu Yousuf said.
But the Fatah militant said the new American weapons may also be used to target Israelis. He admitted previous American arms supplied to Fatah were used in "resistance operations" against the Jewish state.
"If Israel will deliver what it promised to Abu Mazen (Abbas), [meaning a] withdrawal from Palestinian lands, including east Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, remove all the checkpoints in the West Bank, release our prisoners, and find a clear solution for our refugees, we'll control our forces and the distribution of weapons.
"But if Israel doesn't deliver, and we find ourselves manipulated by Israel, we cannot guarantee members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Force 17 will not use these weapons against Israel. Our goal is to change the occupation," said Abu Yousuf.
"Its unnatural to think these American weapons won't be used against the Israelis," he said.
Like some other Force 17 members, Abu Yousuf is openly also a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
All Brigades leaders are also members of Fatah. Abbas last June appointed senior Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades leader Mahmoud Damra as commander of Force 17. Damra, who was arrested by Israel in November, was on the Jewish state's most-wanted list of terrorists.
Abu Yousuf said the American weapons shipments may be shared with other Palestinian terror groups. He said that during large confrontations with Israel, such as the Jewish state's 2002 anti-terror raid in Jenin, Fatah distributed weapons to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
"We don't look where this piece or that piece of weapon came from when fighting the Israelis," Abu Yousuf said.
He also pointed to what he said was Hamas' infiltration of some of Fatah's security forces as a possible mechanism Hamas can use to obtain Fatah's American-supplied weapons.
A senior Fatah security official, speaking last week to WND on condition his name be withheld, says Fatah has a "significant problem" of its militia members in Gaza joining Hamas.
Sources close to Hamas said the Fatah militants, including members of Force 17, worked with Hamas after receiving larger paychecks from the terror group.
"When they join Hamas, they bring along their new weapons," said a Hamas source.
During a WND interview last week, Hamas spokesman Abu Oubaida told WND his terror group will obtain any American weapons transferred to Fatah militias or purchased by Fatah using the incoming $86.4 million in U.S. aid.
"I am sure that like in the past, this $86 million from America will find its way to the Hamas resistance via the honorable persons in the Fatah security organizations, including in Force 17. I can confirm 100 percent that this money and purchased weapons will find its way to Hamas," said Abu Oubaida.
To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54064
Friday, February 2, 2007
ON CAPITOL HILL
Protesters at U.S. Capitol facing arrest
Anti-war radicals spray-painted slogans on steps
Posted: February 2, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
At least a dozen disruptive anti-war protesters have been arrested in congressional office buildings this week, and authorities say an investigation continues into the spray-paint vandalism done to the U.S. Capitol at last weekend's anti-war rally, and more arrests are possible.
The attack on the treasure that is the U.S. Capitol itself last weekend, when anti-war slogans were painted on the steps leading up to the entrance, went under-reported among major media outlets.
WND asked about it at a press briefing at the White House as soon as it happened, but about the only other media outlet to report on the damage was The Hill.
(Story continues below)
Brian Fitzpatrick, of the Culture and Media Institute, said the vandals – "black-clad radicals, many wearing masks" did the damage.
"Here's what ABC, NBC, CBS, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, USA Today and other major outlets did not find newsworthy:" he wrote in a commentary on the problem.
"Waving red and black flags, and carrying riot shields emblazoned with 'America out of everywhere,' 300 protesters spray-painted 'anarchist symbols,' political taunts and curses on the west front steps of the Capitol building. The western side is the portion of the Capitol facing the Mall, which was in full view of every reporter and cameraman covering the march."
Now Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., is reporting that he was so distraught by the assault on the national symbol, he met with U.S. Capitol Police Chief Phillip Morse and U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer.
"The U.S. Constitution does protect the freedom of speech, but it also protects property," he said. "I was outraged that the Capitol was defaced. The entire Capitol campus is a national treasure and should never be harmed as part of any protest or demonstration. I needed to personally share my thoughts with Chief Morse and I was pleased that he shared my sentiments and explained the situation from this past weekend."
Allard reported that a "small number of demonstrators" engaged in the vandalism by using "premeditated shielding methods to hide themselves from the view of officers as they defaced the capitol grounds."
"The Capitol is an important symbol of our democracy and I am pleased that the Capitol Police did their best this weekend under trying circumstances," said Allard. "I expect that we will use this as an opportunity to improve on crowd control measures in the future. I was pleased that Chief Morse intends to place a renewed emphasis on planning, staffing, and preparation for future demonstrations.
Fitzpatrick reported that police had been ordered to stand aside and allow "the anarchists, many of whom were members of Students for a Democratic Society," to do their vandalism unmolested, but Allard said Capitol police assured him that they are reviewing all available videotapes of the weekend and will arrest those who can be identified.
Allard said he was assured by Morse that the vandalism was not "allowed," but happened despite officers' efforts to protect the building and its grounds.
"I was absolutely dismayed by the vandalism and the blatant disregard for respect of property that occurred at our Nation's Capitol," Allard said. "On a day when thousands came to Washington, D.C., to exercise their First Amendment rights, the actions of a select few have tarnished their efforts by defacing the United States Capitol and several other government buildings. I am disgusted by these actions…," he said.
"An Associated Press story reprinted by The Washington Post briefly mentioned the rush on the Capitol. A writer for CounterPunch, a leftwing newsletter, bemoaned the failure of more protestors to join the charge up the Capitol steps, so 'it would have been hard for the men in blue to do much.' Apart from The Hill's story, that’s all the coverage of the assault on and defacement of the Capitol that I could find," Fitzpatrick wrote.
"Apparently the media don’t want Americans to know that some of the people protesting the Iraq war are filled with hate not only for the war, or even President Bush, but for America itself."
WND had, at its first opportunity, asked presidential spokesman Tony Snow about the situation.
"This Hill newspaper on Capitol Hill reports that Jane Fonda's fellow anti-war protesters were allowed to spray paint on the part of the west front steps of the U.S. Capitol building on Saturday after U.S. Capitol Police were ordered by Chief Phillip Morse to fall back, after which 300 protesters spray painted, 'Our Capitol Building' and 'You can't stop us,'" said Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House.
"And my question, does the executive branch believe the legislative branch should have allowed this treatment of the Capitol building of the United States?" he asked.
"I would encourage you, or all others interested, to call the Capitol Police and find out how this came to pass. I just – I can't answer it," said Snow.
"Yes, one wonders what does the president – he must have an opinion on this? Doesn't he?" continued Kinsolving.
But Snow already had gone on to the next question.
If you would like to sound off on this issue, participate in today's WND Poll.
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