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Posted on 03/09/2006 10:08:04 PM PST by nwctwx
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http://www.airportbusiness.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=5&id=5888
Updated: March 23rd, 2006 11:42 AM EDT
Home > Airline and Airport Security News
"Key Chain Resembling Hand Grenade Disrupts LAX Screening Operations"
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The key chain was apparently found in a traveler's carry-on luggage.
"Airport, airline and law enforcement officials continually remind passengers not to bring prohibited items to passenger screening or to pack prohibited items in their checked luggage," Castles said.
"These types of items, while legal to have in the United States, are prohibited in an airport environment, and they will be confiscated," she added."
Note: Photos included in the original article.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602189/posts
"Stores Report Baby Food Thefts (Possible terrorist links)"
The Mountain Times ^ | March 23, 2006 | Fawn Roark
Posted on 03/24/2006 12:26:23 AM PST by beaversmom
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Police are currently searching for a Nissan Maxima, either green or gold in color, with a left front black fender. Wal-Mart and Ingles of Boone also had a lot of formula stolen last week with an estimated value of between $3,000 and $4,000, according to Craig.
The West Jefferson Police Department learned in 2004 that a woman they arrested in November, 2003, was allegedly linked to a baby food formula smuggling ring that is believed to be part of an organization that has funneled money to a terrorist group.
Craig said that an article in the Winston Salem Journal explained that different groups were stealing the formula and taking it to a Middle Eastern man in Raleigh. The man then repackaged the formula and sold it to various buyers.
The article explained how the baby formula thefts over a seven year period resulted in about $11 million to be funneled to a terrorist group, Craig said. Incidents of theft of baby food formula have happened in the area numerous times over the past several years.
Immigration officials have been contacted regarding these suspects that have been arrested in Mocksville. Law enforcement officers are on the look out for these suspects and ask that anyone with information about their whereabouts to call the West Jefferson Police Department at 336-246-9410 or Crimestoppers at 336-246-4188. Stores noticing suspicious activity are encouraged to call and report this as well."
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602190/posts
In which of the following countries are certain types of political free speech a crime?
The American Conservative Union ^ | J. William Lauderback, Executive Vice President
Posted on 03/24/2006 12:30:09 AM PST by Jim Robinson
In which of the following countries are certain types of political free speech a crime?
A) China
B) The United States
The answer may shock you -- because if you answered both "A" and "B," you're very close to being correct!
(And you could be 100% correct in a matter of days!)
Here's what happened:
In 2002, the Senate and House passed what is known as "McCain-Feingold" -- a constitutionally questionable law that severely restricts the ability of ACU (and other not-for-profit organizations) to give YOU non-partisan information on candidates for federal public office prior to an election.
McCain-Feingold essentially regulates -- almost to the point of impossibility -- political "advertising" 60 days prior to a federal election that appears on "any broadcast, cable or satellite communication, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, mass mailing or telephone bank to the general public, or any other form of general public political advertising."
However, when McCain and Feingold initially proposed this legislation, they could not foresee the massive power and influence that average citizens would eventually come to wield through the Internet and for that reason --"McCain-Feingold" did not explicitly mention communications over the Internet.
So McCain, Feingold, and others of their mindset – when they realized they had overlooked the Internet in their efforts to regulate political speech -- went to court.
And -- big surprise -- a U.S. District Court Judge (Colleen Kollar-Kotelly) appointed by Bill Clinton, ruled that Internet communications were also covered under "McCain-Feingold!"
Fortunately, the House of Representatives has put forth the Online Freedom of Speech Act (H.R. 1606) and a companion bill (S. 678) is under consideration in the Senate.
Both are designed specifically to exempt the Internet from the draconian "McCain-Feingold Act."
But we have to ACT NOW because a vote on H.R. 1606 -- to preserve free speech on the Internet -- may come any day now!
And the vote may be very close!
Use the hyperlink below to send your URGENT Blast Fax messages to President George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Senate and the leadership of the United States House of Representatives.
Tell them that you are outraged that a federal judge up-held McCain-Feingold and has taken away your freedom to speak out on the Internet.
Demand that they reaffirm the First Amendment by voting “yes” on H.R. 1606 and S. 678.
http://www.acuactionnet.net/hr1606.html
AOL Members Use This Hyperlink
If the above hyperlink does not function, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.
H.R. 1606 Affects You Too
I wonder what some of our elected officials think our Founding Fathers meant when they wrote: “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech….”
Because it would appear they want to abridge it and abridge it and abridge it again – until people like you and me are bound and gagged and helpless.
Addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference in February this year, conservative thinker and columnist George Will said, “And we are right now well into the most concerted and most dangerous attack on freedom of expression in this country since the Alien and Sedition Acts, which themselves were unsettled and therefore not designed to be permanent as the McCain-Feingold regimen of speech-rationing by the federal government is.”
Let's read what "McCain Feingold" says one more time and add the "Internet" to the legislation as McCain and Feingold intended:
"ANY [Emphasis Mine] broadcast, cable or satellite communication, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, mass mailing or telephone bank [or Internet transmission] to the general public, or any other form of general public political advertising."
Think of the implications:
Do you post a lot of opinions in forums or bulletin boards?
Do you frequently pontificate or express opinions in Internet chat rooms?
Do you maintain a blog that is available to the general public?
If any of these situations applies to you -- then guess what -- "McCain-Feingold" may apply to you too!
Use the hyperlink below to send your URGENT Blast Fax messages to President George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Senate and the leadership of the United States House of Representatives.
Tell them that you are outraged that a federal judge up-held McCain-Feingold and has taken away your freedom to speak out on the Internet.
Demand that they reaffirm the First Amendment by voting “yes” on H.R. 1606 and S. 678.
http://www.acuactionnet.net/hr1606.html
AOL Members Use This Hyperlink
If the above hyperlink does not function, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.
Do You Remember Rather-Gate?
Why is the Left so rabid, so hysterical in its opposition to H.R. 1606?
The answer should be obvious:
They weep for the good old days when the only major sources of news were ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and newspapers like the New York Times.
They can’t get rid of Rush and Fox News, but they can still crush the political websites. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has made that a tantalizing possibility.
But they can beat down H.R. 1606 and when that happens, ACU and other activist websites (and possibly even your blog) will be effectively silenced – their mouths stuffed with reams of government regulations and miles and miles of red tape.
Or to put it another way:
We all remember what happened just before the 2004 presidential election. Dan Rather and some producers at CBS -- in a blatant attempt to influence the outcome of the election -- published a FRAUDULENT story about President Bush's National Guard service.
Fortunately, bloggers (private citizens) were able to spread the truth and expose the fraud behind this story!
Would that have happened if "McCain-Feingold" applied to the Internet?
That's a good question!
And maybe that's why the New York Times came out AGAINST H.R. 1606; claiming that allowing free speech to go unregulated on the Internet would cause "a cornucopia of political corruption."
Use the hyperlink below to send your URGENT Blast Fax messages to President George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Senate and the leadership of the United States House of Representatives.
Tell them that you are outraged that a federal judge up-held McCain-Feingold and has taken away your freedom to speak out on the Internet.
Demand that they reaffirm the First Amendment by voting “yes” on H.R. 1606 and S. 678.
http://www.acuactionnet.net/hr1606.html
AOL Members Use This Hyperlink
If the above hyperlink does not function, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.
The Internet Is A Powerful Weapon
Don’t think that John McCain and his liberal cronies aren’t aware of the power of the Internet. They know you are making a difference in Washington.
Every time you jam their fax machines and shine the light of day on their plots, they are reminded of the power that you -- as average citizens -- are wielding.
And they don't always like it. In fact, some actually fear it. The power of the average citizens threatens their incumbency... it threatens the back-room deals they make with special interests... in essence, it threatens business as usual in Washington.
The Internet is the last vestige of free and effective political speech in America. It's what’s left of the Voice of the People.
Let's keep it that way!
Don’t let Congress take away your First Amendment rights!
And please ACT NOW -- because a vote -- to preserve free speech on the Internet -- may come any day!
Use the hyperlink below to send your URGENT Blast Fax messages to President George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Senate and the leadership of the United States House of Representatives.
Tell them that you are outraged that a federal judge up-held McCain-Feingold and has taken away your freedom to speak out on the Internet.
Demand that they reaffirm the First Amendment by voting “yes” on H.R. 1606 and S. 678.
http://www.acuactionnet.net/hr1606.html
AOL Members Use This Hyperlink
If the above hyperlink does not function, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.
J. William Lauderback
Executive Vice President
American Conservative Union
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION
1007 Cameron Street | Alexandria, VA 22314 | 703-836-8602 | Fax 703-836-8606
Powered By GrassTopsUSA
Note: The following text is a quote:
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http://terrortracker.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=224&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
Bin Laden secure, analysts conclude
Posted by: Neil on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 01:18 PM
Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is safer than has ever been and there is little chance of him being killed or captured in the foreseeable future, according to experts.
The al-Qaeda chief is now widely believed to be based in the Waziristan area in Pakistan, in the tribal belt running along the border with Afghanistan.
Reports this week suggest that a new militia, dubbed the "Pakistani Tablian", now controls most of the area, despite repeated anti-insurgency operations mounted by government security forces.
Dr Rohan Gunaratna, of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies in Singapore, said bin Laden is in touch with senior colleagues and continues to lead the network.
"I believe that Iraq has been a huge distraction and if the US hadn't have gone to Iraq they may have by now killed bin Laden and the al-Qaeda leadership," said Dr Gunaratna.
He believes the US and its allies have not yet come even close to capturing or killing bin Laden.
"Pakistan has done its best and its involvement in the war on terror has been tremendous, but there is still a lot more to be done," says Dr Gunaratna.
Vincent Cannistraro, a former head of counter-terrorism at the US Central Intelligence Agency, said: "He has taken extraordinary security precautions to avoid detection, including the use of a complicated courier system to communicate with others. All the available data points to his presence in Waziristan, inside Pakistan, but separate from [al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman] al-Zawahiri," he added.
Michael Scheuer, head of the CIA's bin Laden unit until 2004, said the chances of getting to bin Laden are currently slim.
He suspects bin Laden may be moving between the Kunar province in Afghanistan and the Pakistan town of Chitral in the Hindu Kush mountain range.
Neil Doyle
ON THE NET...
http://www.satp.org
http://www.saag.org
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http://www.saag.org/papers18/paper1746.html
Paper no. 1746
22. 03. 2006
"THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM MONITOR: PAPER NO. 36
IRAQ -- PART II & LAST"
by B. Raman
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http://www.saag.org/papers18/paper1744.html
Paper no. 1744
21. 03. 2006
"THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM MONITOR -- PAPER No. 35
IRAQ & THE JIHADI SCORPIONS --- PART I"
by B. Raman
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http://www.saag.org/papers18/paper1743.html
Paper no. 1743
20. 03. 2006
"INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM MONITOR -- PAPER NO. 34
AL QAEDA, THE IIF & INDIAN MUSLIMS"
by B. Raman
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602199/posts
U.S. Hiring Hong Kong Co. to Scan Nukes
My Way News ^ | Mar 23, 8:32 PM (ET) | TED BRIDIS and JOHN SOLOMON
Posted on 03/24/2006 1:52:26 AM PST by AnimalLover
In the aftermath of the Dubai ports dispute, the Bush administration is hiring a Hong Kong conglomerate to help detect nuclear materials inside cargo passing through the Bahamas to the United States and elsewhere.
The administration acknowledges the no-bid contract with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. represents the first time a foreign company will be involved in running a sophisticated U.S. radiation detector at an overseas port without American customs agents present.
Freeport in the Bahamas is 65 miles from the U.S. coast, where cargo would be likely to be inspected again. The contract is currently being finalized.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
Adding to posts no. 1572 and 1574.
Note: The following text is a quote:
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http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/March/06_crm_163.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
CRM
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888
United States Charges 50 Leaders of Narco-Terrorist FARC in Colombia with Supplying More Than Half of the World's Cocaine
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Fifty leaders of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) in Colombia have been indicted on charges of importing more than $25 billion worth of cocaine into the United States and other countries, the Department of Justice announced today.
The one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on March 1, 2006, and unsealed today, names as defendants 50 leaders of the FARC, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Three of the charged FARC leaders are currently in custody in Colombia, and the United States is seeking their extradition on the charges unsealed today. In addition, the U.S. Department of State announced more than $75 million worth of rewards for information that leads to the capture of the remaining FARC leaders.
“This indictment strikes at the very heart of the FARC narcotics operation that has flooded our communities with cocaine,” said Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. “Because of unprecedented cooperation between United States and Colombian authorities, we are closer than ever before to reaching our goal of bringing the leaders of this narco-terrorist group to justice in the United States.”
“We will continue our relentless pursuit of narco-terrorists wherever they may be found, in order to protect our citizens from the scourge of cocaine and other dangerous narcotics,” said Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division.
“The FARC is a designated foreign terrorist organization that funds its activities through a massive distribution network. By terrorizing local farmers in Colombia and attacking all those who threaten their operations, the FARC has built a cocaine empire that is the largest supplier in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia of the Southern District of New York. “Today’s indictment signals our intention to seek extradition of the three leaders in custody and to relentlessly pursue the 47 other named narco-terrorists.”
“From their jungle hideaway, the FARC uses the drug trade to bankroll terrorism in Colombia, finance attacks on innocent citizens, and poison Americans,” said DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy. “Today’s indictment challenges that lawlessness, and the FARC leadership should prepare to face the justice that they have long denied to so many.”
According to the indictment, the FARC currently supplies more than 50 percent of the world’s cocaine and more than 60 percent of the cocaine that enters the United States. The FARC initially taxed other narcotics traffickers involved in the manufacture and distribution of cocaine in areas the FARC controlled, the indictment charges. Recognizing the increased profits available from the 1990s to the present, the FARC moved to become directly involved in the production and distribution of cocaine by, among other criminal activities, setting the prices to be paid to farmers across Colombia for cocaine paste—the raw material used to produce cocaine—and transporting cocaine paste to jungle laboratories under FARC control where it was converted into ton quantities of finished cocaine and then shipped out of Colombia to the United States and other countries. Recognizing that cocaine was the “lifeblood” of the FARC, the charged FARC leaders collected millions of dollars in cocaine proceeds and used the money to purchase weapons for the FARC’s terrorist activities against the government and people of Colombia, according to the indictment.
According to the indictment, the charged FARC leaders used terrorism and violence to further the FARC’s cocaine-trafficking activities and ordered that Colombian farmers who sold cocaine paste to non-FARC buyers or otherwise violated the FARC’s strict cocaine policies be murdered. Colombian farmers who violated FARC rules were allegedly shot, stabbed or dismembered alive, and the bodies of murdered farmers were cut open, filled with rocks and sunk in nearby rivers. The defendants also allegedly ordered FARC members to kidnap and murder U.S. citizens to discourage the U.S. government from disrupting the FARC’s cocaine-trafficking activities. According to the indictment, the charged FARC leaders authorized their members to shoot down U.S. fumigation planes, and plotted to retaliate against U.S. law enforcement officers who were conducting the investigation into the FARC’s narcotics activities.
United States Seeks to Extradite Three FARC Leaders Currently In Colombian Custody
Attorney General Gonzales also announced today that the United States will immediately seek to extradite three of the charged FARC leaders who are currently in custody in Colombia. Jorge Enrique Rodriguez Mendieta, a.k.a "Ivan Vargas," Erminso Cuevas Cabrera, a.k.a "Mincho," and Juan Jose Martinez Vega, a.k.a "Gentil Alvis Patino,” or "Chiguiro,” will each be served with a United States provisional arrest warrant based on the indictment unsealed today–the first step in the extradition process. These three defendants led the FARC cocaine-trafficking activities in various ways, as described below:
-Jorge Enrique Rodriguez Mendieta, a.k.a “Ivan Vargas,” served as a member of the FARC’s Estado Mayor or operational leadership council and as the Front Commander for the FARC’s 24th Front. Rodriguez Mendieta allegedly directed the purchase of hundreds of thousands of kilograms of cocaine paste and transmitted billions of Colombian pesos in cocaine proceeds to other FARC officials. Rodriguez Mendieta is also alleged to have ordered the murder of at least eight farmers, including several whom he personally dismembered alive, and to have plotted to retaliate against United States law enforcement officers who were conducting the narcotics-trafficking investigation that led to the charges announced today. Rodriguez Mendieta was arrested by Colombian authorities in late 2004, and is in custody in Colombia.
-Erminso Cuevas Cabrera, a.k.a "Mincho," was a FARC associate who managed cocaine laboratories for the FARC’s 14th Front. Cuevas Cabrera allegedly supervised the production and distribution of hundreds of thousands of kilograms of cocaine. He is also alleged to be the brother of charged Estado Mayor member Jose Benito Cabrera Cuevas, a.k.a "Fabian Ramirez." Cuevas Cabrera was arrested by Colombian authorities in late 2004, and is in custody in Colombia.
-Juan Jose Martinez Vega, a.k.a "Gentil Alvis Patino,” a.k.a "Chiguiro," was a FARC associate who provided large quantities of arms and ammunition to the FARC in exchange for thousands of kilograms of cocaine. Martinez Vega was arrested in Venezuela in early 2005 during the rescue mission of former Detroit Tigers pitcher Ugueth Urbina’s mother. At the time of his arrest in Venezuela, Martinez Vega was allegedly in possession of approximately 700 kilograms of cocaine. Martinez Vega is currently in custody in Colombia.
State Department Offers More Than $75 Million In Rewards For Fugitive FARC Leaders
The United States Department of State announced today rewards of more than $75 million for information leading to the capture of 24 of the FARC leaders charged today. Specifically, the State Department is offering rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of the seven members of the FARC Secretariat, the ultimate policy and decision-making body of the criminal enterprise. The State Department also is offering rewards of up to $2.5 million for information leading to the arrest of 17 additional charged FARC leaders who are members of the FARC’s “Estado Mayor,” or governing council.
Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Anne Patterson, in announcing the rewards for the FARC leaders, said:
“The Department of State's Narcotics Rewards Program has successfully targeted the Cali, Medillin and Norte del Valle Cartels in Colombia, bringing many of their top leaders to justice. The FARC, responsible for much of the cocaine trafficked to the United States, is now in our sights, and I am pleased to announce these reward offers for its top leadership.”
The investigation culminating in the indictment announced today was led by the International Narcotics Trafficking Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice, along with law enforcement officers from the DEA, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Internal Revenue Service, working together as part of the New York OCDETF Strike Force, or “New York Strike Force.” The New York Strike Force is composed of law enforcement officers from the DEA; ICE; the IRS; the FBI; the New York City Police Department; the New York State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Marshals Service. The investigation and prosecution are supported by trial attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colombia. The indictment announced today resulted from unprecedented cooperation between U.S. law enforcement officers and Colombian law enforcement authorities.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless convicted in a court of law.
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06-163
MensNewsDaily.com - blog: "TERRORISTS PLANNED ATTACK ON UK LINKED TO AMERICAN" by Jim Kouri, CPP (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "One member of the terrorist cell, Waheed Mahmood, had been working for National Grid Transco a company that operates the high voltage electricity system in England and Wales and the high pressure gas system in Britain. The aim of the plot was to destroy a strategic plant within Britain or to kill and injure citizens of the UK as possible, the Daily Mail reported.") (March 22, 2006)
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200603\NAT20060324a.html
"Japan to Move Ahead With Iran Oil Deal Despite Nuclear Concerns"
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
March 24, 2006
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "(CNSNews.com) - As wrangling continues in the United Nations Security Council over how to tackle Iran's nuclear programs, Japan has confirmed that it is pressing ahead with a multi-billion-dollar oil deal with Iran that is opposed by the United States.
Japan's biggest oil developer plans to work the Azadegan oil fields in southwestern Iran close to the border with Iraq, a contract that will give Japan access to one of the world's largest untapped oil reserves.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. had raised concerns about Japan's investment in Iran's petroleum sector in the past, although he denied a Japanese media report saying Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and Undersecretary of State for Arms Control Robert Joseph had raised the matter with Japan at this time.
The Sankei Shimbun daily said the U.S. request to Tokyo was based on the view that going ahead with the project could help finance Iran's nuclear activities and undermine international efforts to maintain a united front against Tehran.
Japan's vice trade minister, Hideji Sugiyama, was quoted Thursday as saying Japan was going ahead with Azadegan, while foreign ministry spokesman Tomohiko Taniguchi told a press briefing the Japanese and U.S. governments were not talking about the future of the project.
The deal involves a Japanese consortium headed by Inpex Corp., a company whose largest shareholder is the Japanese government.
Following years of talks and despite U.S. reservations -- the State Department cited the nuclear issue and Iran's "harboring and support of terrorists" -- Inpex signed the Azadegan contract in early 2004."
Thanks to abu afak for the ping to this thread:
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602202/posts
"Harvard's Paper on Israel Drew From Neo-Nazi Sites"
New York Sun ^ | 3/24/06 | MEGHAN CLYNE
Posted on 03/24/2006 2:18:56 AM PST by abu afak
PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org
===
Note: The following text is a quote:
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http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s06030137.htm
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com
Thursday, March 23, 2006
CLERICS CALL FOR CHRISTIAN CONVERT'S DEATH DESPITE WESTERN OUTRAGE; PRESSURE MOUNTS FOR WAY OUT ON CHRISTIAN CONVERT IN AFGHANISTAN
U.S. Backs Afghan Man Who Converted to Christianity, Christian Convert in Afghanistan Could be Unfit to Stand Trial
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (ANS) -- Senior Muslim clerics said Thursday that an Afghan man who converted from Islam to Christianity must be executed and if the government caves into Western pressure and frees him they will incite people to "pull him into pieces."
Meanwhile pressure is mounting on President Bush to intervene from Conservative Christians in the United States concerned about the man's fate, and the convert may undergo psychological testing to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
According to an Associated Press (AP) story running on Fox News, the trial of Abdul Rahman has fired passions in the conservative Muslim nation and highlighted a conflict of values between Afghanistan and its Western backers.
"Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die," said cleric Abdul Raoulf, who is considered a moderate and was jailed three times for opposing the Taliban before the hardline regime was ousted in 2001.
Fox News, running the AP story, says Rahman, a 41-year old former medical aid worker, faces the death penalty under Afghanistan's Islamic laws for becoming a Christian. His trial, which began last week, has caused an international outcry. U.S. President George W. Bush has said he is "deeply troubled" by the case and expects the country to "honor the universal principle of freedom."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that she received assurances from Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a telephone call that Rahman would not be sentenced to death.
"I have the impression that he (Karzai) has a firm willingness" to abide by the human rights requirements and "I hope we will be able to resolve this," Merkel said going into pre-EU summit talks.
Fox News says diplomats have said the Afghan government was searching for a way to drop the case, and on Wednesday authorities said Rahman is suspected of being mentally ill and would undergo psychological examinations to see whether he is fit to stand trial.
But three Sunni preachers and a Shiite one interviewed by The Associated Press in four of Kabul's most popular mosques said they don't believe Rahman is insane.
"He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian," said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.
"The government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed."
Raoulf, who is a member of the country's main Islamic organization, the Afghan Ulama Council, agreed, saying, "The government are playing games. The people will not be fooled."
"Cut off his head!" he exclaimed, sitting in a courtyard outside Herati Mosque. "We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there's nothing left."
He said the only way for Rahman to survive would be for him to go into exile outside Afghanistan. But Said Mirhossain Nasri, the top cleric at Hossainia Mosque, one of the largest Shiite places of worship in Kabul, said Rahman must not be allowed to leave the country.
"If he is allowed to live in the West then others will claim to be Christian so they can too," he said. "We must set an example...He must be hanged."
The clerics said they were angry with the United States and other countries for pushing for Rahman's freedom. "We are a small country and we welcome the help the outside world is giving us, but please don't interfere in this issue," Nasri said. "We are Muslims and these are our beliefs. This is much more important to us than all the aid the world has given us."
The AP story explains that Afghanistan's constitution is based on Shariah law, which is interpreted by many Muslims to require that any Muslim who rejects Islam be sentenced to death.
Hamidullah warned that if the government frees Rahman, "There will be an uprising" like one against Soviet occupying forces in the 1980s.
"The government will lose the support of the people," he said. "What sort of democracy would it be if the government ignored the will of all the people."
Meanwhile, human rights group Amnesty International issued a statement, saying that if Rahman has been detained solely for his religious beliefs, he would be a "prisoner of conscience."
"The charges against him should be dropped and if necessary he should be protected against any abuses within the community," the London-based group said.
It was not immediately clear when Rahman's trial will resume. Authorities have barred attempts by the AP to see him and he is not believed to have a lawyer.
PRESSURE MOUNTS FOR WAY OUT ON CHRISTIAN CONVERT IN AFGHANISTAN
Fox News reports that initially, the case of convert Abdul Rahman attracted the attention of Christian groups, then it reached the radar of the State Department. Now, President Bush has weighed in on the case, saying he is "deeply troubled" that the Afghan man could face death for his religious decision.
Rahman, 41, a medical worker, converted from Islam to Christianity 16 years ago, a fact that came out publicly during a civil custody case between him and his wife in front of local authorities. The authorities charged him with rejecting Islam, a crime under the country's Shar'ia-based law. The penalty, if guilty, is death.
Fox News says that this is a penalty that concerns Bush, who said in a speech Wednesday that the young democracy in Afghanistan shouldn't be limiting the ability of its citizens to worship.
"We expect them to honor the universal principle of freedom," Bush said during a town hall meeting in Wheeling, West Virginia. "It is deeply troubling that a country we helped liberate would hold a person to account because they chose a particular religion over another.
"I'm troubled when I hear, deeply troubled when I hear, the fact that a person who converted away from Islam may be held to account. That's not the universal application of the values that I talked about. I look forward to working with the government of that country to make sure that people are protected in their capacity to worship," he continued.
Fox News also reported that in n a statement to the press on Wednesday, the Embassy of Afghanistan said it "greatly appreciates public concern" about Rahman, and the government is looking into the best way to resolve the case through the judiciary.
"It is too early to draw any conclusion about the punishment, and we appreciate public understanding of the sensitivity of religious issues...The constitution of Afghanistan provides protection for freedom of religion. The government of Afghanistan will ensure that the constitutional rights of its citizens, international principles, and the due judicial process are respected and implemented," the embassy statement said.
Rahman's trial started last week. On Wednesday, a state prosecutor developed the unique position of asserting insanity in Rahman's defense.
An official said Rahman may be "mad," and "he doesn't talk like a normal person."
Moayuddin Baluch, a religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, said Rahman would undergo a psychological examination and if he's found mentally unfit, he will have to be let go. However, in a recent court appearance, the defendant appeared entirely cogent as he thumbed through his translated Bible and testified once more to his faith.
"I believe in Christianity. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I am a Christian," Rahman said.
The AP report carried on Fox News states that at the State Department on Tuesday, Afghanistan's outgoing Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said in a press conference that the Afghan government has "nothing to do with" the prosecution. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, who also participated in the news conference, underscored that people should be free to choose their own religion without penalty.
The continued prosecution of Rahman could cause major problems for Afghanistan. Both Germany and Italy, which have a combined force of 4,500 NATO troops patrolling Afghanistan, have expressed concern about Rahman's fate.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday that even if the case were dismissed, that doesn't resolve the issue. McCormack said the fundamental problem is that an individual could be tried in the first place for converting.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil liberties advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., said on Wednesday that Afghanistan needs to release Rahman. The group cited verses in the Quran to explain how it's wrong to persecute someone for choosing a different religion than Islam.
"Religious decisions should be matters of personal choice, not a cause for state intervention. Faith imposed by force is not true belief, but coercion. Islam has no need to compel belief in its divine truth. As the Quran states: 'Truth stands out clear from error. Therefore, whoever rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks,' " according to a statement released by the group.
On Wednesday, an early champion of Rahman lamented that his predicament is hardly unique.
"This happens in Saudi Arabia, this happens in Pakistan — a number of Islamic countries. And, you know, this needs to be spoken against," said Jeff King, president of the International Christian Concern.
U.S. BACKS AFGHAN CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY
In Washington, the Bush administration issued a subdued appeal Tuesday to Afghanistan to permit Rahman to practice his faith in the predominantly Muslim country.
The State Department, however, did not urge the U.S. ally in the war against terrorism to terminate the trial. Officials said the Bush administration did not want to interfere with Afghanistan's sovereignty.
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and department spokesman Sean McCormack asked Afghanistan to conduct the trial "in a transparent way." Burns said he told Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, with whom he held talks at the department, that "we would follow the case closely."
At a joint news conference, pressed by reporters, Abdullah said he hoped "through our constitutional process there will be a satisfactory result." He did not say whether the defendant, Abdul Rahman, 41, would be found innocent.
Abdullah said officials of his government "know that it is a very sensitive issue and we know the concerns of the American people." He said the Afghan Embassy in Washington had received hundreds of messages of concern.
CONVERT COULD BE RULED UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL
Questions have arisen, however, about whether Rahman may be mentally unfit to stand trial, a state prosecutor said Wednesday. Prosecutor Sarinwal Zamari said questions have been raised about his mental fitness.
"We think he could be mad. He is not a normal person. He doesn't talk like a normal person," he told The Associated Press.
Moayuddin Baluch, a religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, said Rahman would undergo a psychological examination.
"Doctors must examine him," he said. "If he is mentally unfit, definitely Islam has no claim to punish him. He must be forgiven. The case must be dropped."
Fox News said it was not immediately clear when he would be examined or when the trial would resume. Authorities have barred attempts by the AP to see Rahman and he is not believed to have a lawyer.
A Western diplomat in Kabul and a human rights advocate -- both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter -- said the government was desperately searching for a way to drop the case because of the reaction it has caused.
The United States, Britain and other countries that have troops in Afghanistan have voiced concern about Rahman's fate.
The Bush administration's subdued appeal to Kabul to let Rahman practice his faith in safety was also supported by German Roman Catholic Cardinal Karl Lehmann who said the trial sent an "alarming signal" about freedom of worship in Afghanistan.
The case is believed to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what shape Islam should take there four years after the ouster of the fundamentalist Taliban regime.
Afghanistan's constitution is based on Shariah law, which is interpreted by many Muslims to require that any Muslim who rejects Islam be sentenced to death. The state-sponsored Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has called for Rahman to be punished, arguing he clearly violated Islamic law.
The case has received widespread attention in Afghanistan where many people are demanding Rahman be severely punished.
"For 30 years, we have fought religious wars in this country and there is no way we are going to allow an Afghan to insult us by becoming Christian," said Mohammed Jan, 38, who lives opposite Rahman's father, Abdul Manan, in Kabul. "This has brought so much shame."
Rahman is believed to have converted from Islam to Christianity while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. He then moved to Germany for nine years before returning to Kabul in 2002, after the ouster of the hard-line Taliban regime.
Police arrested him last month after discovering him in possession of a Bible during questioning over a dispute for custody of his two daughters. Prosecutors have offered to drop the charges if Rahman converts back to Islam, but he has refused.
** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.
** You may republish this story with proper attribution.
>> Senior Muslim clerics said Thursday that an Afghan man who converted from Islam to Christianity must be executed <<
islam - the religion of peace (and they will kill you to prove it)
No other 'religion' (and I use the term loosely) is so damned afraid of the truth. The death cult known as islam is a lie whose founder was a war-mongering, lying, murdering pedophile. That's the truth and the truth scares the hell out of muslims.
/rant off/
Sorry for the rant folks, 6 slices of salt cured bacon, 3 eggs and 6 cups of coffee have me a bit wired this morning. LOL!
I understand the iussue about it being their port. But, Hutchison Whampoa is closely affiliated with the PLA, and IMHO, is a front organization for them. Of course, in their communist government you could (and probably should) consider the same thing for almost any major commercial player.
I believe it is a mistake to give them any level of access to our sophisticated detection equipment. Armed with any significant data or information, they would be in a better position to defeat it at some point in the future.
Particularly given the Pentagons's assessment of China in its last annual report, this is not a good move at all. China should be treated in the same manner that Reagan treated the Societ Union. They are the evil empire of our day, and given their economic position, they have the potential of being a much greater threat, IMHO, than the Soviets were.
It's no religion - it's a movement of people determined to kill everyone on the planet who is not one of them. The world fought Hitler, but since these people call themselves a "religion," they're free to go and spread their word - and, in fact, the US has a VISA (for religious people) to invite them here (to spread their message of intolerance and hatred).
If they execute this Afghan man, it would be fair justice for our country to consider banning their clerics from entering our country on VISAs from that point forward.
ROFL!
How on earth would we know if the sheep were offended?
Wow, interesting story Cindy, thanks for pinging me. I'm glad I'll be breatfeeding when the time comes. LOL. Still it makes you wonder if the terrorists are just using it as money making or setting up for other, deadlier, reasons.
BTW, I still lurk here and when I can stand the news try to keep up but it is much healthier for me now to try to avoid the negative and stay positive for the baby. Things are going really well, got ultra sound pics (I cried like never before that day, just couldn't believe it, a little one inside me!) and feel great now that I've hit 2nd trimester.
I'm extremely proud of the work you all do here on TM, keep up the great work!
peace all
neosgirl
Doesn't Karzai have any say in this?
Noted and thanks for the article.
We had a spate of gang shootings here in Chicago last night, a few different districts, one sarg called a plan one
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