Posted on 11/17/2003 2:00:53 PM PST by areafiftyone
A group of Italian anti-war militants is raising funds to support the armed Iraqi resistance, the BBC has learned.
The discovery comes as Italy mourns 19 men killed in a suicide attack in Iraq last week.
The "Antiimperialista" organisation's internet campaign asks people to send "10 Euros to the Iraqi resistance".
Nineteen Italians were killed in last week's suicide attack in Nasiriya
They say they have collected 12,000 euros ($14,165) in the past eight weeks and admit the money used could be used to buy weapons.
The Antiimperialistas are a group of European anti-war and anti-globalisation supporters.
They are currently organising an anti-war demonstration in Italy next month, and it remains to be seen whether news of the fund-raising activities will deter more moderate anti-war activists from attending.
The organisation's Italian branch says the money will be given to an Iraqi resistance group known as the Iraqi Patriotic Opposition.
Independent Iraqi sources in London say the leaders of this group have a long history of association with the Baath party and are now back in Iraq supporting the armed resistance.
To think there are people in Italy collecting money in order to kill our heroes is really a shame
The Italian spokesman of the antiimperialistas, Moreno Pasquinelli, says the money collected so far is in an Italian bank account.
Mr Pasquinelli said it would be taken to Iraq in January. He was candid when asked about raising money for the Iraqi Patriotic Opposition which says it actively supports military resistance.
"Its not our affair how they use this money. If they want to use it to print papers for example, or to buy weapons in order to fight for the Iraqi independence," he said.
"We support the armed struggle in Iraq. our money is to help them, it doesn't matter to us if they use it buy weapons, Kalashnikovs, or medicines for people."
When asked to confirm if the money raised could be used to buy weapons he admitted: "Yes they could, and why not?"
Shame
The Italian Interior Ministry refused to comment, saying the matter was with the security services.
The campaign contrasts with the mood of mourning in Italy Lucio Malan, a senator from the governing Forza Italia Party, was shocked to hear about the campaign.
"The first word that comes to my mind is shame and horror," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.
"They are raising money against people (Italian troops) who are defending the peace, the security of the people of that country. They have not killed or wounded anyone in that country they are helping to take away unexploded bombs."
He said the group's activities "collecting money to give it outspokenly to terrorist groups" was certainly illegal in Italy.
I suspect a driver who had been a tank crewman during his military service. We were very much taught to use the tank itself as a weapon, and it appears a Landy makes an acceptable if slightly less impressive substitute.
-archy-/-
Maybe they can use the money to buy a few woodchippers to throw people into. What a bunch of jerks! They should be arrested for supporting terrorists.
BTW, why aren't those nutjobs that wanted to be human shields out there protecting the Red Cross and the UN? Could it be that they were counting on the accuracy of the US military and know the terrorists don't bother to discriminate on their targets?
You're right. It's clear from their website that they are communists. Here's one of their pet projects...
Free Slobodan Milosevic Nov 8, 2003: Demo againt the NATO "Tribunal" Our demonstrations held on June 28 at The Hague delivered our demands to the “tribunal” and to UN, under which formal auspices this institution acts. It is not only that our main demands have not been fulfilled, but also the human rights violation record of the “tribunal” became even worse. For that reason SLOBODA/Freedom Association endorses the call of the Serbian-International Organizational Committee to hold new DEMONSTRATION at The Hague, on November 8, 2003 «By the terror and tyranny they try to prevent, or at least minimize, the obvious fiasco of the false tribunal, which is serving as the weapon of war against our country and our people. Nothing new! As Montesquieu wrote in 1742: “There is no crueler tyranny than one perpetrated under the shield of law, and in the name of justice.” » Slobodan Milosevic, 17 August 2003 · The “tribunal” at The Hague is not an instrument of justice, but of aggression and war; · The “tribunal” at The Hague attempts to falsify Serbian history, to retaliate against the freedom fighters and to protect the perpetrators of the policies of war and colonization, condemned by the whole World; · The “tribunal” at The Hague, by its terror against Serbian people and President Milosevic and by the persecution of his family and associates, attempts to silence the truth; · A court which violates human rights in the way the “tribunal” does, should not exist in any democratic and civilized country; · For the existence of such a “tribunal” most responsible are the governments of the USA and UK, but also of the other UN Security Council permanent member states; · In Autumn 70 years ago, “The Third Reich” “tried” Dimitrov. On November 8, 65 years ago, one of the biggest Nazi crimes was committed – the “Crystal Night” of pogrom. Killing nations – never again! Therefore: Free Europe and World from false “tribunals”! FREEDOM FOR SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC! Freedom for Serbia and Yugoslavia! WE CALL UPON ALL PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS IN EUROPE AND WORLD WIDE TO JOIN US! The demos and the struggle for these goals need financial assistance. Send a check to “Sloboda”, Rajiceva 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, Yugoslavia. For a bank transfer, see the information at: www.sloboda.org.yu
Wait a minute. One could argue the same of an American "group" -- They're called "DEMOCRATS."
From the position of the fire extinguisher, it looks like they backed up overr him, possibly trying to get clearance enough to turn to clear the wall and curb. I bet a search for *G8* and *carabinieri* would turn up some of the threads from the time it happened, maybe even some of the old FR posts.
-archy-/-
Stay Safe !
So how's that Dixie Chicks tour going now?
Sometimes we can't score a major point or accomplishment. So we work from the other end of the scale and go instead for a local or state victory, or one that may only be symbolic, but is a victory, nevertheless. And we keep chipping away at the big mountainous projects, and work to have the two approaches meet in the middle.
Yeah, there are traitors and Quislings running their mouths. But they're by definition not particularly demonstrative of personal courage or perseverence when there's personal sacrifice required. They too can be worked on from either end until whittled down to size, whereupon they can whine about the *chilling effect* on their free speech. Actually, we'll just subject them to the same restrictions they'd thought were just dandy when applied to Second Amendment rights.
-archy-/-
Hey, you! Long time no see, how ya been?
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