| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 04/02/2004 3:41:28 PM PST by Sidebar Moderator, reason:
Thread Six: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1109459/posts |
Posted on 03/12/2004 8:23:06 PM PST by thecabal
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- This week's deadly train bombings in Spain will not lead to a rise in the U.S. color-coded terror threat alert system, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman said Friday.
"Based on the current intelligence, we have no specific indicators that terrorist groups are considering such an attack in the U.S. in the near term," said department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
U.S. Army soldiers from left; Jacob Burgoyne, Alberto Martinez Mario Navarrete and Douglas Woodcoff are shown in undated police booking photos. All four men are charged in connection with the stabbing death of Spc. Richard R. Davis, 24, of St. Charles, Mo., shortly after the five returned to Fort Benning, Ga., after serving in Iraq. Lawyers for the four young soldiers charged in the death of Davis say the soldiers may have acted irrationally because of their battlefield experiences. (AP Photo/Columbus Police Department, File)
G.I. May Blame Iraq Trauma for Killing
Mon Mar 22, 4:25 PM ET By ELLIOTT MINOR, Associated Press Writer
COLUMBUS, Ga. - At least one of four soldiers accused in the killing of a buddy in Georgia after their return home from Iraq may argue in court that they were unhinged by the horrors they had seen on the battlefield.
Attorney David S. West said he plans to have his client, Pfc. Alberto Martinez, examined for post-traumatic stress disorder.
"The most amazing thing to me is to hear the harrowing descriptions of what these kids went through," West said. "They were one of the first units into Baghdad. All along the way, they were under fire. They were sleeping in their armored vehicles for fear they were going to get shot dead. They had people around them who were getting shot."
Martinez is accused of stabbing Spc. Richard Davis, 25, of St. Charles, Mo., at least 30 times a few days after their unit returned from Iraq in July.
Davis had insulted a dancer during their drunken homecoming celebration and had gotten the group thrown out of a strip club in Columbus, not far from Fort Benning, where all the soldiers were based.
Two other soldiers are accused of assisting Martinez, while the fourth is accused of helping conceal Davis' slaying. All four soldiers remain in jail. No trial date has been set.
They all were members of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, which sent 16,500 soldiers to Iraq from Fort Benning and Fort Stewart and spearheaded the drive on Baghdad.
"It became clear to me that that certainly had to have influenced these guys," West said. "Certainly, it had to affect them from the psychological standpoint."
He and another lawyer for the soldiers suggested the Army is not adequately screening veterans for psychological problems on their return from Iraq.
"They basically say, `Turn in your gun, report back whenever and have a nice time,'" West said.
Army officials said soldiers are screened for psychological problems upon their return, and they noted that crimes such as Davis' slaying are rare among the thousands of soldiers who fought in Iraq. They have otherwise refused to comment on the crime.
District Attorney John Gray Conger, whose office brought the charges, also declined to comment Friday.
Martinez, 23, of Oceanside, Calif., Pvt. Jacob Burgoyne, 24, of Middleburg, Fla., and Pfc. Mario Navarrete, 24, of San Juan, Texas, are charged with murder and other offenses. Pfc. Douglas Woodcoff, 24, of San Antonio, is charged with concealing a death.
After Davis was stabbed, some of the soldiers took his dog tags, tried to burn the body with lighter fluid and left it in the woods, police said. A few days later they allegedly returned and moved it to another spot.
Woodcoff's attorney, J. Mark Shelnutt, said he does not plan to use combat stress as a defense because there is no evidence Woodcoff "had any contact with Davis dead or alive." But he said he believes the soldiers' experiences in the war turned what would normally be a minor setback — getting kicked out of a club — into a tragedy.
"These men saw anything and everything you can imagine," Shelnutt said. "They describe the smell of death. They experienced everything horrible about war without their own deaths."
Naverette's attorney, Bobby Peters, said he believes post-traumatic stress disorder is a valid issue, but he does not plan to use it, arguing instead that his client tried to prevent the killing.
Burgoyne's attorney did not return repeated calls. But earlier this month he asked for a psychological evaluation of Burgoyne.
Burgoyne's parents have said their son displayed violent tendencies and had been taking antidepressants after serving in Kosovo, before his assignment to Iraq.
Jaime Cavazos, a spokesman for the Army Medical Command in San Antonio, said soldiers are given a checkup before they are deployed, and have access to combat-stress teams while in a combat zone.
When they return, they are checked again and fill out detailed a questionnaire that asks if they witnessed deaths or wounds and if they want help for stress or alcohol or family problems, Cavazos said.
I think this time will be different. The thousands in the street protesting and the Al Qaeda backup signify omminous times ahead IMHO.
I just happened to have a library book that details money saving tips. Among them the following: certain hospitals and other health care facilties provide free or low-cost medical care to patients who cannot afford to pay. Eligibility requirements are at Hill-Burton Hotline, Health Resources and Services Administration - 1-800-638-0742 (I hope the number is still accurate).
I'm pullng at straws here, but she shouldn't have to worry about the financial end when there is so much more on her mind. Again, prayers are offered for both of you.
"The sixth issue of Al Battar is no exception. This particular edition contains detailed articles on cell organization and management, weapons training, physical fitness, and even wilderness survival training.": Also includes the teepee thing.........
It is important that members of this group are proficient in one or more of the following skills:
Computer use, in order to enter data into the system in the proper format (photographs, documents, maps, data, or written reports), as well as the ability to send and receive information through the internet
Art/photography. Digital photography is preferred to standard film photography because no lab is needed. Each individual within the organization will have a digital camera, but one individual is to be primarily responsible for photography of various operations
Report writing. The ability to compile the information into coherent reports, and transmit the information over the internet.
Training all group members in photography using digital cameras and video cameras. It is important that they place emphasis on covert use of the equipment, so as not to undermine the surveillance.
Telecommunications is an area that requires special care from the militants. It is important that they utilize the existing telecommunications vendors for wireless and wired telephones, so that their security is not compromised.
Preparation Team
The Preparation Team, according to the guidelines, is to consist of two to four individuals. Al Battar recommends that the individuals have experience in mission preparation, and that that have contacts or experience in smuggling or with the mafia.
This group is tasked with preparing all of the resources that the other groups have determined are essential to the success of the mission. This group will be the one procuring weapons, tools, equipment, documents, ammunition, safe houses, and cars, among other things. Members of the Preparation Team will need advanced training, and a special course has been established for these individuals. The specialized training includes: Purchase of cars. Cars are not to be stolen, but are to be purchased or leased legally.
Purchase of marine and sailboats. Like cars, boats are not to be stolen, but are to be purchased or leased legally. How to avoid detection at checkpoints
Purchase of weapons and ammunition, and how to store them safely
Forgery and other techniques by which to obtain the necessary legal documents.
Selecting, establishing, and using various “cover” identities during the mission. Covers may be transitory in nature; for example, with smugglers and contract workers the militants are advised not to reveal that they are Islamists. In the event that a cover is broken it may become necessary to eliminate the individual who breached security. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Could these smugglers be the coyotes that bring the illegals across? There are instructions on using cameras and video, two or three man teams as we've seen in the news. Most recently two released by Feds.
ricylc I don't understand where you are coming from with this. They are over there fighting now as we type and have been pratically all day.
Terrorist don't know when to quit. Life means nothing to them (theirs or anyone elses), they consider death while in the process of killing others as a reward.
I'm sure some (probably by the scores)are coming through in that manner. It is not so easy for them to take a plane flight in any longer. I don't know about security on trains, but a few years back (prior to 9/11) I had to take someone to the local greyhound bus station and I got out to help them with their bags and I was shocked at the number of what appeared to be Mexicans that come in by the bus loads to work here. I imagine that once they get to Laredo, Tx and surrounding areas they can catch a greyhound (no security surveillance whatsoever)and go anywhere in the US (undetected)that they desire.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.