TRI VALLEY HERALD.com: Oakland - "HOMEMADE BOMBS DISCOVERED ON BOAT" by Harry Harris (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Except for being a bit "weathered," nothing seemed out of the ordinary about the 28-foot cabin cruiser docked along the Oakland Estuary across from Coast Guard Island. But the Alameda County Narcotics Task Force said Monday the nameless boat was the packaging and distribution center for a methamphetamine dealer. Among its cargo were two homemade bombs, authorities said. The boat's owner, Eugene Sarha, 48, of Pleasanton was charged Monday in Alameda County Superior Court with possession of methamphetamine for sale and two counts of possession of a destructive device. He had been working as an emergency room nurse at Alameda Hospital before his arrest.") (March 9, 2004) (Read More...)
WHITEHOUSE.gov - News: "REMARKS BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE AT THE MCCONNELL CENTER FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP" (March 8, 2004) (Read More...)
HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN.com: Hilo - "BIG ISLE FENCE VANDALS SOUGHT" by Rod Thompson (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The vandalism was discovered in mid-January when department staff returned to finish fencing a 9.6-acre site in the Puu O Umi Natural Area Reserve. The reserve covers 10,182 acres from the 5,260-foot Puu O Umi summit to the cliff-faced seashore. Department personnel found that vandals had carefully cut hogwire at every second post supporting the fencing, then rolled the fencing back and secured it by crimping. The wire was cut at 142 different locations with a total of about 1,500 individual cuts in the wire. The effort would have taken a full day's work, the department said. Unused fencing lying on the ground was also cut into 10-foot pieces. In an area where the fence bordered a pasture, it was not damaged, the department said. The rainy Puu O Umi reserve contains highland bogs that are used by the endangered native koloa duck. The enclosed area contains an endangered lobeliad plant species called oha wai. Additional endangered species were being planted there by the department") (March 7, 2004) (Read More...)
NY POST.com: "CANDY-KID RAPIST" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: " Station owner Frank Sadigi said Garcia, a native of El Salvador, was "a regular customer" who often came in with his common-law wife, Maria Ventura, and their three kids. Garcia was charged with attempted murder, aggravated sexual abuse and other charges. He's being held without bail. Officials said he has a long record that includes menacing and DWI busts. A neighbor of Garcia's, who asked not to be identified said, "I never liked him. He's a strange guy. He was always around - he never worked.") (March 4, 2004) (Read More...)
BORDERLAND NEWS.com - EL PASO TIMES.com - Times Wire Reports: "MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGES" (NEWS BRIEF SNIPPET: " LAS CRUCES -- A Las Cruces man has pleaded guilty to federal charges after being accused of bribing an employee of the Social Security Administration's Las Cruces office to get Social Security cards for undocumented immigrants from China. Fa Shun Ou, 46, also known as Uncle Ou, pleaded this week to charges of conspiring to transfer false identification documents, encouraging undocumented immigrants to reside illegally in the United States and bribery, the U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday." (March 6, 2004) (Read More...)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "AU RESEARCHER GETS 7 MONTHS FOR SELLING TO CHINA" by Jerry Seper (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A former American University researcher who was once convicted of espionage in China was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to seven months in prison for illegally exporting computer equipment with military applications to China. Gao Zhan, who pleaded guilty in November to charges of illegal arms export and tax fraud, also was ordered to pay a fine of $2,500, U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty said. Gao's husband, Dongua Xue, also pleaded guilty in November to filing a false tax return, a misdemeanor, Mr. McNulty said.") (March 6, 2004) (Read More...)
PHILLYBURBS.com (AP): "EXAMINER ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL DRIVER'S LICENSE SCHEMES" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Hundreds of people obtained such licenses, typically paying $700 or $800, in twin scams that went on from 1999 through 2003 with the help of former Pennsylvania Department of Transportation examiner Tillie Green, state Attorney General Jerry Pappert's office said. Green, 33, of Philadelphia, was to surrender to authorities on Friday to face charges of forgery and tampering with public records. A man who helped immigrants in New York get the Pennsylvania licenses under a reciprocity agreement by submitting counterfeit French drivers' licenses to Green also was in custody, said Kevin Harley, a spokesman for Pappert.") (March 5, 2004) (Read More...)
MIAMI.com - THE MIAMI HERALD: "STOWAWAY FOUND ON PLANE AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Authorities at Miami International Airport on Wednesday morning detained a man who stowed away in the landing gear of a plane that arrived from the Dominican Republic. An airline employee noticed the man as he climbed from a wheel of American Airlines flight 680 shortly after it touched down from Santo Domingo, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The man, whose name or age was not released, was in good condition, having braved below-zero temperatures during the one hour, 40 minutes flight, said Zach Mann, a DHS spokesman.") (March 5, 2004) (Read More...)
GUARDIAN.co.uk (AP): "ALGERIAN GROUP FORGING TIES WITH AL-QAIDA" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Nabil Sahraoui, after becoming the Salafist leader last year, declared the group's allegiance with al-Qaida in September. Sahraoui ousted longtime leader Hassan Hattab, who reportedly was viewed within Salafist ranks as too moderate. Under Hattab, the Salafists distrusted outsiders and kept al-Qaida at arms length, focusing instead on a domestic agenda. Sahraoui's declaration confirms authorities' thinking that some regional terrorist groups are going international, joining the broader conflict of Islam versus the West, a French intelligence official told AP.") (March 9, 2004) (Read More...)
stepping back in time...US INFO.state.gov: "STATE DEPARTMENT ADDS THREE GROUPS TO FOREIGN TERRORIST LIST" (SNIPPET: ""The Salafist Group for Call and Combat is an Algerian armed group dedicated to the overthrow of the Algerian government and the imposition of fundamentalist Muslim theocracy," he said during the regular State Department briefing. "It's an offshoot of the Groupe Islamique Armee -- the GIA, or Armed Islamic Group, which has conducted a terrorist campaign in Algeria for over a decade and which was already on our terrorist list."") (March 27, 2002) (Read More...)
ASSIST NEWS SERVICE: Yelwa, Nigeria - "CHRISTIANS AXED TO DEATH IN CHURCH MEETING BY MUSLIM WARRIORS" by Michael Ireland (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Forty-eight people have been hacked to death in Yelwa, Nigeria, by armed Muslims, many during a church meeting, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). A recent upsurge in violence in southern Plateau State in Nigeria has claimed at least 100 lives and in the worst single incident so far, at least 48 people were murdered, many during an early morning prayer service on February 24, CSW reported. Armed Muslims invaded the service, ordered the congregation to lie face down and proceeded "to machete and axe them to death in their house of worship" according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The victims included women and children. The Yelwa incident was preceded by an attack on Tunka in Shendam Local Government Area (LGA) during which 18 people were killed, including four mobile policemen who were murdered in an ambush. The deaths of the policemen, who were assigned to the area to maintain peace, caused many to flee their homes, CSW said. A local source told CSW the attacks were being carried out by as many as 400 heavily armed Muslims who shouted "Allah u Akhbar" (God is great), wore red and black uniforms and moved with military precision.") (March 8, 2004) (Read More...)
THE SUN.co.uk: "FANATIC: 'KILL TONY BLAIR'" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A BRITISH-based crony of Osama Bin Laden yesterday urged followers to assassinate Tony Blair. Mohammed al-Massari said it would be justified because of the Iraq war.") (March 7, 2004) (Read More...)
OBSERVER.GUARDIAN.co.uk - UK News: "ISLAMIC RAPPERS' MESSAGE OF TERROR" by Antony Barnett (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The rap song is called 'Dirty Kuffar' - Arabic for dirty non-believer - and it praises Osama bin Laden and the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York. The video has recently been posted on the British website run by the Islamic extremist Mohammed al-Massari, the UK-based Saudi Arabian dissident who has lived in Britain since 1994. Al-Massari claims that the video has been selling in large quantities at mosques to the younger generation and is in heavy demand overseas. The rapper fronting the video calls himself Sheikh Terra and the Soul Salah Crew - a take on the rap group So Solid Crew. 'Salah' is Arabic for faith.") (February 8, 2004) (Read More...)
Dubai GULF NEWS.com: Muscat - "OMANI SCHOLAR: US MUST STOP PUSHING FOR DEMOCRACY" (ARTICLE NOTE: The "Omani scholar" is identified as "Dr Isam Ali Ahmed Al Rawas, Dean, College of Arts and Social Sciences at the Sultan Qaboos University") (March 7, 2004)) (Read More...)
AFTENPOSTEN.no - News From Norway: "SABOTAGE HITS OSLO TRANSIT SYSTEM" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Trams operated by Oslo's rapid transit system (Oslo Sporveier) have been hit by at least six incidents that transit officials claim are sabotage during the past half-year. Police are investigating.") (Updated Mark 4, 2004) (Read More...)
TRI VALLEY HERALD.com: Oakland - "HOMEMADE BOMBS DISCOVERED ON BOAT" by Harry Harris (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Except for being a bit "weathered," nothing seemed out of the ordinary about the 28-foot cabin cruiser docked along the Oakland Estuary across from Coast Guard Island. But the Alameda County Narcotics Task Force said Monday the nameless boat was the packaging and distribution center for a methamphetamine dealer. Among its cargo were two homemade bombs, authorities said. The boat's owner, Eugene Sarha, 48, of Pleasanton was charged Monday in Alameda County Superior Court with possession of methamphetamine for sale and two counts of possession of a destructive device. He had been working as an emergency room nurse at Alameda Hospital before his arrest.") (March 9, 2004) (Read More...)
WHITEHOUSE.gov - News: "REMARKS BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE AT THE MCCONNELL CENTER FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP" (March 8, 2004) (Read More...)
HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN.com: Hilo - "BIG ISLE FENCE VANDALS SOUGHT" by Rod Thompson (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The vandalism was discovered in mid-January when department staff returned to finish fencing a 9.6-acre site in the Puu O Umi Natural Area Reserve. The reserve covers 10,182 acres from the 5,260-foot Puu O Umi summit to the cliff-faced seashore. Department personnel found that vandals had carefully cut hogwire at every second post supporting the fencing, then rolled the fencing back and secured it by crimping. The wire was cut at 142 different locations with a total of about 1,500 individual cuts in the wire. The effort would have taken a full day's work, the department said. Unused fencing lying on the ground was also cut into 10-foot pieces. In an area where the fence bordered a pasture, it was not damaged, the department said. The rainy Puu O Umi reserve contains highland bogs that are used by the endangered native koloa duck. The enclosed area contains an endangered lobeliad plant species called oha wai. Additional endangered species were being planted there by the department") (March 7, 2004) (Read More...)
NY POST.com: "CANDY-KID RAPIST" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: " Station owner Frank Sadigi said Garcia, a native of El Salvador, was "a regular customer" who often came in with his common-law wife, Maria Ventura, and their three kids. Garcia was charged with attempted murder, aggravated sexual abuse and other charges. He's being held without bail. Officials said he has a long record that includes menacing and DWI busts. A neighbor of Garcia's, who asked not to be identified said, "I never liked him. He's a strange guy. He was always around - he never worked.") (March 4, 2004) (Read More...)
BORDERLAND NEWS.com - EL PASO TIMES.com - Times Wire Reports: "MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGES" (NEWS BRIEF SNIPPET: " LAS CRUCES -- A Las Cruces man has pleaded guilty to federal charges after being accused of bribing an employee of the Social Security Administration's Las Cruces office to get Social Security cards for undocumented immigrants from China. Fa Shun Ou, 46, also known as Uncle Ou, pleaded this week to charges of conspiring to transfer false identification documents, encouraging undocumented immigrants to reside illegally in the United States and bribery, the U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday." (March 6, 2004) (Read More...)
WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "AU RESEARCHER GETS 7 MONTHS FOR SELLING TO CHINA" by Jerry Seper (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A former American University researcher who was once convicted of espionage in China was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to seven months in prison for illegally exporting computer equipment with military applications to China. Gao Zhan, who pleaded guilty in November to charges of illegal arms export and tax fraud, also was ordered to pay a fine of $2,500, U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty said. Gao's husband, Dongua Xue, also pleaded guilty in November to filing a false tax return, a misdemeanor, Mr. McNulty said.") (March 6, 2004) (Read More...)
PHILLYBURBS.com (AP): "EXAMINER ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL DRIVER'S LICENSE SCHEMES" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Hundreds of people obtained such licenses, typically paying $700 or $800, in twin scams that went on from 1999 through 2003 with the help of former Pennsylvania Department of Transportation examiner Tillie Green, state Attorney General Jerry Pappert's office said. Green, 33, of Philadelphia, was to surrender to authorities on Friday to face charges of forgery and tampering with public records. A man who helped immigrants in New York get the Pennsylvania licenses under a reciprocity agreement by submitting counterfeit French drivers' licenses to Green also was in custody, said Kevin Harley, a spokesman for Pappert.") (March 5, 2004) (Read More...)
MIAMI.com - THE MIAMI HERALD: "STOWAWAY FOUND ON PLANE AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Authorities at Miami International Airport on Wednesday morning detained a man who stowed away in the landing gear of a plane that arrived from the Dominican Republic. An airline employee noticed the man as he climbed from a wheel of American Airlines flight 680 shortly after it touched down from Santo Domingo, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The man, whose name or age was not released, was in good condition, having braved below-zero temperatures during the one hour, 40 minutes flight, said Zach Mann, a DHS spokesman.") (March 5, 2004) (Read More...)
FAZ.net - Weekly (English Version): "RETRIAL ORDERED IN TERROR CASE Lower Court Did Not Consider All Evidence in Reaching Its Verdict, Court Says" by Elizabeth Goetze (March 9, 2004) (Read More...)
GUARDIAN.co.uk (AP): "ALGERIAN GROUP FORGING TIES WITH AL-QAIDA" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Nabil Sahraoui, after becoming the Salafist leader last year, declared the group's allegiance with al-Qaida in September. Sahraoui ousted longtime leader Hassan Hattab, who reportedly was viewed within Salafist ranks as too moderate. Under Hattab, the Salafists distrusted outsiders and kept al-Qaida at arms length, focusing instead on a domestic agenda. Sahraoui's declaration confirms authorities' thinking that some regional terrorist groups are going international, joining the broader conflict of Islam versus the West, a French intelligence official told AP.") (March 9, 2004) (Read More...)
stepping back in time...US INFO.state.gov: "STATE DEPARTMENT ADDS THREE GROUPS TO FOREIGN TERRORIST LIST" (SNIPPET: ""The Salafist Group for Call and Combat is an Algerian armed group dedicated to the overthrow of the Algerian government and the imposition of fundamentalist Muslim theocracy," he said during the regular State Department briefing. "It's an offshoot of the Groupe Islamique Armee -- the GIA, or Armed Islamic Group, which has conducted a terrorist campaign in Algeria for over a decade and which was already on our terrorist list."") (March 27, 2002) (Read More...)