Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1970134/posts
Officials: Arroyo target of plot
AP via Yahoo News ^ | OLIVER TEVES
Posted on 02/14/2008 2:25:52 AM PST by kingu
MANILA, Philippines - Authorities have uncovered alleged plots by al-Qaida-linked militants to assassinate the Philippine president and bomb foreign embassies, officials said Thursday.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, head of the Presidential Security Group, said police uncovered the plot last week. “It’s not only the president who is the target, but also other people ... and embassies,” he said without offering specifics.
The officials did not specify when the attacks were expected to occur. But Prestoza said Arroyo’s attendance at an alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy on Saturday in northern Baguio city has been canceled and the rest of her schedule was “under assessment.”
Opposition groups dismissed the allegation as government scare tactics to prevent people from joining protests Friday to demand President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s resignation over corruption charges.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1970141/posts
Magnitude 7.3 Earthquake in Greece
AFP via translation | February 14, 2008
Posted on 02/14/2008 2:49:14 AM PST by HAL9000
via translation -
ALERT - Magnitude 7.3 Earthquake in Greece
WASHINGTON - An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck Thursday southern Greece and its epicentre was about 61 km southwest of the city of Kalamata, announced the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS).
ADDING to post no. 612:
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_2190.html
Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today, Thu Feb 14 2008 04:05:45 GMT-0800 (PST).
PHILIPPINES
February 13, 2008
This Travel Warning updates information on the security situation and reminds Americans of the risks of travel in the Philippines . This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for the Philippines issued April 27, 2007.
U.S. citizens contemplating travel to the Philippines should carefully consider the risks to their safety and security while there, including those due to terrorism. While travelers may encounter such threats anywhere in the Philippines , the southern island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago are of particular concern. Travelers should exercise extreme caution in both central and western Mindanao as well as in the Sulu Archipelago.
Kidnap for ransom gangs operate in the Philippines . In October 2007, one such gang abducted a visiting U.S. citizen whose whereabouts are unknown at this time. Several other foreigners were also kidnapped for ransom in 2007. The New People’s Army (NPA), a terrorist organization, operates in many rural areas of the Philippines , including in the northern island of Luzon . While it has not targeted foreigners in several years, the NPA could threaten U.S. citizens engaged in business or property management activities, and it often demands “revolutionary taxes.”
Terrorist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Jema’ah Islamiyah, and groups that have broken away from the more mainstream Moro Islamic Liberation Front or Moro National Liberation Front, have carried out bombings resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. On January 3, 2008, a bomb exploded at a Cotabato City disco pub, killing one and injuring eight. The central and western areas of Mindanao have also experienced bombings targeting bus terminals and public buildings. While those responsible do not appear to have targeted foreigners, travelers should remain vigilant and avoid congregating in public areas; a recent bombing outside the House of Representatives in Metro Manila resulted in a number of deaths and injuries to bystanders.
U.S. Government employees must seek special permission for travel to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. When traveling in Mindanao , U.S. official travelers attempt to lower their profile, limit their length of stay, and exercise extreme caution. Some foreigners who reside in or visit western and central Mindanao hire their own security.
The Department strongly encourages Americans in the Philippines to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Manila through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. The U.S. Embassy is located at: 1201 Roxas Boulevard , Manila , Philippines , tel. 63-2-301-2000. The American Citizen Services (ACS) section’s fax number is 63-2-301-2017 and the ACS web page is at http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwh3004.html.
For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for the Philippines and the Worldwide Caution, located at http://travel.state.gov/. American citizens may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 from the United States and Canada , or 202-501-4444 from overseas.