World Terrorism: News, History and Research Of A Changing World #7 Security Watch

Nasrallah Says US, Israel Trying To Divide Muslims

Persian Press: Lebanese Hizballah Head Says US, Israel Trying To Divide Muslims

Unattributed report: "Hamshahri's Interview With Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah"

Originally published on 3/11/2007 by Hamshahri in Persian

In an interview with Hamshahri, Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah, the secretary general of the Lebanese Hizballah, said: "We should not forget that the youths are responsible for our nation's fate nowadays. This is a very heavy responsibility for them. I should tell those youths who are emotional that the present conditions demand that we use logic as we proceed."

He referred to the danger of Zionism and emphasized the efforts by the White House and the Zionists to destroy the unity of the Arab and Muslim people. He stressed: "The US and Israel are trying to create divisions among the Muslims and even the Christians by using the religious differences between Shiites, Sunnis, and the other Muslim groups. We should do all we can to either destroy this weapon or remove it from the enemies' hands." He was asked: "Some Iranian youths see the behavior or the methods of the Hizballah, and they ask: Why do such things happen in Lebanon and not Iran?" He answered: "There are times when there is a certain criterion in one country and not in the other. But the positive point of the Hizballah is that it pays attention to the remarks and ideology of the late Imam [Khomeyni], may god's benedictions be upon him, and acts according to these ideas. I believe that this ideology can be studied everywhere in the world."

Later during this interview, Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah answered questions about the current situation in Lebanon and the war with the Zionist regime.

The complete report on the interview with the secretary general of Hizballah can be read in the Wednesday [ 14 March] holiday special magazine.

: Tehran Hamshahri in Persian -- reformist Tehran Municipality daily close to the Servants of Construction Party

ISI's Baghdadi: US, Saudi Strengthen Hizbullah As Pretext To Iran Attack
Al-Qaeda: US strike on Iran inevitable

'Hizbullah being strengthened as pretext for attack,' says al-Qaeda leader on internet recording
Yaakov Lappin
YNet News

A US strike on Iran is "inevitable," a top al-Qaeda leader in Iraq said in an internet recording made available last week on a jihad forum.

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi is the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq, an al-Qaeda organization which seeks to create a Taliban-like Islamic republic in Iraq's Sunni triangle.

In the recording, released on the al-Hanein jihadi forum, Baghdadi claimed that the US, together with its Saudi ally, was working to strengthen Hizbullah , in order to create a pretext for an attack on Iran.

"It is inevitable the Americans will launch a military strike against Iran," Baghdadi said. "This is what led their (military) machine to strengthen and aid Hizbullah, with Saudi Arabia's help, and the knowledge of the Saudi's priests," he added.

Referring to Shiites as the "envious sect," Baghdadi declared: "There is the real jihad, and then there is the jihad by the infidels. If you follow the interpretation of the infidels (reference to Shiites â€“ Y.L.), you will end up in a house of infidelity."

'A warning to all countries'

Baghdadi also issued a warning to all of Iraq's neighbors, telling them in no uncertain terms to refrain from interfering in the country.

"This is warning to all countries â€“ be it distant or a neighbor â€“ even if it has an Arabic or Islamic name, not to interfere in Iraq, and not to help the Crusader enemy out of its troubles," he said.

He also urged the Iraqi government not to sign any agreements with the US, and to repeal all secular legislation.

Baghdadi added that the US had failed in Iraq, stating: "All America wants to do now is return home with its dignity."

Baghdadi also threatened to attack oil installations in Iraq if they were used by "the occupiers" as a base.

Joseph Nasr contributed to this report

AP: '28% of Israel's Arabs deny Holocaust'

'28% of Israel's Arabs deny Holocaust'

JPost.com » Israel » Article
Mar. 18, 2007 18:29 | Updated Mar. 18, 2007 22:23
'28% of Israel's Arabs deny Holocaust'
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

More than a quarter of Israel's Arab citizens believe the Holocaust never happened, and nearly two thirds of Israeli Jews avoid entering Arab towns, a poll by an Israeli university showed Sunday, demonstrating the poor state of relations between the two communities.

The poll, conducted by Sami Smoocha, a prominent sociologist at the University of Haifa, showed a wide gap of mistrust, anger and fear between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens.

In its most dramatic finding, the poll showed that 28 percent of Israeli Arabs did not believe the Holocaust happened, and that among high school and college graduates the figure was even higher - 33 percent.

According to Smoocha's analysis, radicals in the Arab world believe the Holocaust to be a political event, and many feel that by denying it they are expressing opposition to Israel.

Among Israeli Jews, 63 percent said they avoid entering Arab towns and cities, and 68 percent fear the possibility of civil unrest among Israeli Arabs.

Pollsters interviewed 721 Arabs and 702 Jews. The margin of error was 3.7 percentage points.

Asked about the war with Hizbullah guerrillas in Lebanon last summer, nearly half of the Israeli Arabs polled - 48 percent - said they believed that Hizbullah's rocket attacks on northern Israel during that war were justified, even though numerous Arabs were killed and wounded in those attacks.

While 89 percent said they viewed the IDF's bombing of Lebanon as a war crime, only 44 percent said they saw Hizbullah's attacks on Israel as such. Hizbullah pelted northern Israel with nearly 4,000 rockets.

Half of Israeli Arab respondents said Hizbullah's capture of IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in a cross-border raid was justified. That incident sparked the 34-day conflict.

In a press release accompanying the poll's publication, Smoocha expressed surprise at the results.

"One would have expected more pro-Israeli results among Israeli Arabs due to the uniqueness of the most recent war: a war with no involvement of the Palestinians, a war in which the lives and belongings of Israelis were endangered, a war against an Islamic fundamentalist group that most of them don't support," Smoocha said.

Israeli-Arab MK Ahmed Tibi (UAL) said he doubted some of the findings.

Tibi said he "cannot explain" the numbers indicating support for Hizbullah, but noted that "usually there is no empathy for the aggressor," which Tibi said was Israel.

Tibi also said he doubted that the statistics on Holocaust denial "reflect the situation in the Arab elite." Tibi called the Holocaust "the worst crime ever against humanity" and said Holocaust denial is "immoral."

But some of the sentiments, he said, might stem from "reservations about the way the Holocaust is used as a political tool" by Israel, said Tibi.

The poll also found that Israeli Arabs had fears about their future in Israel: 62 percent worry that Israel could transfer their communities to the jurisdiction of a future Palestinian state, an idea supported by one of the parties in Israel's current governing coalition. Sixty percent said they are concerned about a possible mass expulsion.

Among the Arab respondents, 76 percent described Zionism as racist.

But more than two thirds said they would be content to live in the Jewish state, if it existed alongside a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879113692&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Sunday, March 18, 2007
This won't be on PBS,CBS,NBC and ABC news
From The Sunday Times
March 18, 2007

Iraqis: life is getting better
Marie Colvin
MOST Iraqis believe life is better for them now than it was under Saddam Hussein, according to a British opinion poll published today.

The survey of more than 5,000 Iraqis found the majority optimistic despite their suffering in sectarian violence since the American-led invasion four years ago this week.

One in four Iraqis has had a family member murdered, says the poll by Opinion Research Business. In Baghdad, the capital, one in four has had a relative kidnapped and one in three said members of their family had fled abroad. But when asked whether they preferred life under Saddam, the dictator who was executed last December, or under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, most replied that things were better for them today.

Only 27% think there is a civil war in Iraq, compared with 61% who do not, according to the survey carried out last month.

By a majority of two to one, Iraqis believe military operations now under way will disarm all militias. More than half say security will improve after a withdrawal of multinational forces.

Margaret Beckett, the foreign secretary, said the findings pointed to progress. “There is no widespread violence in the four southern provinces and the fact that the picture is more complex than the stereotype usually portrayed is reflected in today’s poll,” she said

http://rexdarteskimospy.blogspot.com/2007/03/this-wont-be-on-pbscbsnbc-and-abc-news.html

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=22329

What to Expect When Going to Jail: The Booking Process

Jeanne Sparks-Carreker

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

JEFFERSON COUNTY JAIL-From Mayberry's local wino who took up residence
in a
cell especially kept for him to cable television's OZ, the "free world"
is
shown a side of life that is happily unknown to many people. Because it
is
natural to fear what is unknown to us as humans, there are different
things
with which the average citizen should make himself aware in the event
that
they ever find they are going to jail. County and city jails across the
nation differ in great extremes, however, leaving one to integrate this
knowledge into their own "jailhouse rules," respectively.

The first thing to remember if you ever find yourself in a circumstance
resulting in you going to jail is to remain calm. If the arresting
officers
are serving an outstanding warrant, it is not up to them whether you
can or
cannot be arrested. A judge decides the results of the charge,
ultimately,
but the arresting officers are only doing their job. Bearing this in
mind,
do not become agitated, do not curse, raise cain, nor, God forbid, lash
out
when being arrested. Do exactly what the officers request of you,
within
reason, of course, but do not think that obedience to their commands
will
result in you not having to go to jail.

Therefore, the only way to effectively abide by the above suggestion
and, as
a result, cause no harm to your upcoming case or to yourself, is to
accept
that you are indeed about to go to jail. If you have had no prior
experience
in going to jail, this can be somewhat disturbing. Many first - time
inmates
succumb to the stress of the whole ordeal, and some even break with
reality
temporarily. This is usually the norm when a "first - timer" is on
either
drugs or alcohol, but stress can be a fickle thing to us all.
Therefore, it
is vitally important to be aware of what to expect when going to jail.

Upon arrival to whichever jail is in the city or county of your alleged
crime, you can expect to be "booked in," or "processed in." This, as
does
every single course of action in any jailhouse, takes time. Though the
routine itself does not take very long at all, sometimes there are
waiting
periods between each step.

Upon going to jail, one begins with the "booked in" procedures. In many
jails, this involves simply obeying orders. Normally, you will be
un-cuffed
and directed to stand on two neon-painted shoeprints on the floor and
then
told to "look up." Upon your obedience, you will find yourself looking
into
something high up on the wall that could only be a retinal scanning
device.
If you guess this to be the case, then you are smart enough to handle
the
rest of the "going to jail" journey.

If you are of the inquisitive type, as am I, and find that you simply
must
inquire about the equipment in the booking department, do so
respectively,
quietly, and absolutely do not seem as if you are "casing the joint,"
or
asking too many questions.

If you ever find that you are going to jail, the next step will
actually be
completed by standing before an officer who will take down all of your
information on a hand-written form. He will also load this information
via
keyboard and mouse into a computer. Answer him to the best of your
knowledge
and do not have an attitude with the officer, as he has the power of
time on
his side.

Also, this officer will give you two pieces of paper: one is an
explanation
of your charges and the amount of your bond, if any is permitted; the
other
will have a number that the officer writes down on the paper by hand,
explaining the way to make a phone call on the inmate phones located
within
each cell block. As the officer will tell you at that time, do not lose
that
piece of paper, nor let any other inmate have it or see it, as they can
use
your Phone Call ID Number to input their own list of phone numbers into
the
five "spaces" allocated to your number. Normally the number is a
combination
of your Inmate ID number and an intake number. If ever you find
yourself
going to jail and then losing the number or being the victim of
possible
theft of your number, report the problem to a deputy immediately by
explaining that you need your "phone calling number rolled back." This
takes
time, but they will do this for you, and you will not be classified a
"snitch" when the request is done in that manner.

Following the dictation of your personal information is a visit with an
officer who doubles as a professional photographer. This officer will
direct
you to look to a large camera lens, facing first to the front, and then
to
either side. Listen closely to the directions, lest you hear the
horribly
embarrassing phrase, "No, dummy, you're other right."

Also, if you are one of the happy types, as am I, who believe that
tension
and awkward moments may be alleviated with the expression of a smile or
a
humorous comment, take into consideration the mood of the
officer/photographer immediately. If he/she does not seem to be
receptive to
a booking inmate smiling for their mug shot, consider instead a
nonchalant
or content approach. The reason for this is important: if ever you find
you
are going to jail, the last thing you want a deputy to surmise is that
you
have the attitude of a "smart-ass," this being the very term which will
be
used by them to express their disdain with you.

After your portrait is made when going to jail, you will be told to
approach
the fingerprinting counter. Advanced systems now involve having your
fingers
sprayed with a water-based solution followed by each finger being
pressed in
a rolling fashion from left to right (or vice-versa) on a computerized
pad
which inputs your fingerprint information into the computer. Each
finger and
thumb of each hand is "printed," then the four fingers of each hand are
grouped together in one print each. There is no clean up of messy black
dye
with this method.

Finally, when going to jail, the last procedure of the booking process
is
with a nurse who asks questions concerning your medical history,
possible
pregnancy for females, known diseases, drug usage in the event that
withdrawal medication is to be ordered, and current medications which
may
need to be administered during "pill call" by a nurse during your stay.
All
of the information indeed does find its way into your "file" and sits
in
front of your judge upon your illustrious court date, but I recommend
honesty with the nurse.

After the medical interrogation, the nurse will ask you if you have had
a TB
(Tuberculosis) test recently, and no matter your answer, she will give
you
the needle-prick test anyhow. She will also draw a small tube of blood
for
testing of certain diseases that will decide on your placement in
either
general population or medical segregation. Most jails do not test for
drugs,
and I am certain that this decision is based on the many tax dollars
that
would be required to carry out such massive testing, especially the
accumulated dollars spent on "repeat returnees."

Finally, booked and processed into the system, if ever you find you are
going to jail, you have the right to one free phone call. If you are
going
to jail for the first time, you may find yourself standing in front of
the
phone with a blank expression on your face because you do not remember
anyone's phone number immediately. Take a deep breath and relax. There
is a
time limit, but the officers will work with you if a ridiculous amount
of
time is not required. Stress creates circumstances we cannot always
control,
but we can control our reactions to it. Close your eyes and think
harder and
the numbers will arrive soon enough.

You normally have 15 minutes for your one free call, and if at first
you
call a number that does not answer, you may try another, until someone
answers. Of course, the allotted 15 minutes may depend on whether you
were
considered a "smart-ass" by the mug shot photographer/officer, so bear
in
mind that your attitude when going to jail can have a domino effect on
the
rest of your stay.

The important thing to remember when making your free phone call is
that
anyone with a phone can be contacted from the booking department phone,
even
though it is identical to a payphone in appearance. Later, when you are
using the phone on a cellblock which requires the special number that
you
were suppose to keep up with, some phone service subscribers may have a
"block" on their phones, even if they are not aware of such a block.
Also,
make sure the person you are calling from a cellblock phone can receive
collect calls to their number. If you encounter a number which does not
accept the call, or which has a "block" from calls from a correctional
billing service, this number does not take up any of your five
allocated
spaces you are given. Only numbers in which your call was accepted
takes the
space of "1," "2," and so forth.

After your free phone call, you will be asked to lean against the wall
with
your hands and legs spread, padded down, then placed in a holding cell
for
an undetermined amount of time. If you are not bonded out or have no
bond,
you are then more thoroughly searched and directed to change into a
standard
inmate uniform. When going to jail, you will be given flip-flops to
wear for
shoes (as they lessen the likelihood of quick movement in flight,
fighting,
or threat to the guards). Many jails allow you to keep your socks on
and
slide your foot into the flip-flop with the sock still in place. You
should
do this if allowed to, even though your attire now looks like a striped
Charlie-Chan. The cell and adjoining blocks are usually kept at a cold
temperature to prevent the spread of germs, mainly, but also because a
colder climate controls anger (i.e. people get ill when they are too
warm).
If allowed, keep your socks on.

When going to jail, the thing to remember is that you should relax.
There is
no getting out of the mess you have allowed in whatever circumstance
resulted in you going to jail unless you listen to orders and know that
they
will not keep you forever. The tax payers just would not allow that,
and you
can only be sentenced to serve a year and a day in a county or city
jail.
Any sentence requiring more time than that is served under the state's
jurisdiction, in prison. So, smile, knowing you are actually that much
closer to being released, and as always, that you will be able to tell
an
interesting story about going to jail.

Fatah al-Islam: new Islamist group denies al-Qaeda link

Fatah al-Islam: new Islamist group denies al-Qaeda link

By Weedah Hamzah Mar 17, 2007, 14:22 GMT

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/features/article_1278830.php/F
atah_al-Islam_new_Islamist_group_denies_al-Qaeda_link

Tripoli, Lebanon - Wrapped in a black-and-white-chequered Arab
headdress,
the leader of a new Palestinian Islamist group Fatah al-Islam Friday
denied
the group had links to al-Qaeda or any other organizations and vowed
that
the group would defend itself.

Chaker al Abssi, the leader of the new group that was fingered earlier
this
week by the government for responsibility in a lethal bombing, said his
group would respond 'harshly and violently to any attacks against them.

Abssi has variously been linked by security officials to Syrian
militant
groups, to the 2002 assassination of an American diplomat, to al-Qaeda
in
Iraq and to Sunni militants who have fought in Iraq, but al Abssi
dismissed
the connections in an interview in a Palestinian refugee camp in
northern
Lebanon.

Surrounded by five masked gunmen, al Abssi told Deutsche Presse-
Agentur dpa
that allegations against his group by the Lebanese government and other
officials were 'all baseless and false.'

'My group does not have any links with al-Qaeda, but whoever fights the
enemies of Allah and the occupiers of our land is our brother in
Jihad,' al
Abssi said.

Al Abssi came to public notice on Tuesday when Lebanese authorities
charged
that members of his group had admitted to carrying out the February 13
twin-bus bombings in an area northeast of Beirut. Three people were
killed
and 20 were wounded.

Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa said that four people had been arrested
in
connection with the bombing, and that they were Syrian nationals who
belonged to a group called Fatah al-Islam. He said the group was
connected
to the Syrian-based Palestinian group Fatah Uprising and charged it was
controlled by Syrian intelligence.

Al Abssi disputed the charges, saying that the suspects were not
connected
to his group and insisting that his group was not connected to any
other
groups 'on earth.'

'Fatah-al Islam is not part of any other Islamist group or party and is
completely independent,' al Abssi said in his office inside the
Palestinian
camp Naher al Bard.

Only his eyes and eyeglasses were visible.

'The security forces knew about us since we announced our movement in
November, so they can check if these members are from our group, they
have
our files,' he said.

The 51-year-old leader also denied any connection to the bombings.

'Our Moslem ideology forbids us from targeting civilians ... We only
confront civilians if they attack us,' he said.

The emergence of the new group inside the refugee camps has stirred
concern
among Palestinian groups in Lebanon, who said the group was not
affiliated
with any Palestinian organizations.

Abu al Anian, a Palestinian official and Fatah spokesman in Lebanon,
said
there is fear that the presence of such a group inside the Palestinian
camps
could present 'a real danger.'

He said the different Palestinian factions were meeting to discuss ways
'to
deal with such a new group.'

'I can almost confirm that this group has nothing to do with Palestine
or
the Palestinians. It is most probably part of the planning of regional
parties,' al Anian said. 'We are ready to commit ourselves to any
understanding reached between us and our Lebanese brothers on how to
deal
with this new group inside one of our camps.'

According to Palestinian sources inside the Naher al-Bard camp, Abssi's
group includes 150 to 200 armed men who have been holed up inside the
camp
near the northern port city of Triploi since November 2006.

The sources said al Abssi's men include Saudi Nationals, Moroccans,
Tunisians, Palestinians and Syrians.

They said that Fatah al-Islam had also been establishing contacts with
some
Islamist groups in northern Lebanon, mostly Sunni fundamentalists from
Northern Lebanon, to increase their numbers.

According to Lebanese security sources, Al Abssi was born in Palestine
and
is wanted by the Jordanian authorities for the 2002 assassination of
American diplomat Laurence Foley.

The sources said that he has links in Syria and used to be a close
associate
of the late leader of Al Qaeda of Mesopotania, Abu Musab al Zarqawi,
who was
killed in a US raid in Iraq last year.

Abssi strongly denied accusations by Syria that he was jailed in
Damascus
because of links with Al Qaeda.

'I was jailed because I was accused of having planned to carry an
operation'
in the Syrian Golan Heights, a territory occupied by Israel, the
Islamist
leader said.

Lebanese security sources charged that members of Fatah al-Islam
entered
Lebanon across the Syrian border and settled in the camp.

According to the sources, the group includes Sunni insurgents who
fought
against the US occupation in Iraq.

The worrying factor for the Lebanese authorities is that the group has
emerged as Lebanon is going through its worst political crisis since
the end
of the Lebanese civil war in 1990, and when political divisions
continued to
deepen between a western-backed government and the opposition which is
headed by the Lebanese Shiite Movement Hezbollah.

C 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Subject: FW: Chief of Chaplains @ Walter Reed AMC: Can't be Quiet Any
Longer
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:12:58 +0000

This is an e-mail from the Chief of Chaplains at Walter Reed
AMC. He provides quite a different perspective on the Walter Reed
issue.

From: John Kallerson
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 9:03 PM

Subject: Can't be quiet any longer

I have had enough and am going to give my perspective on the
news about Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Please understand that I am
speaking for myself and I am responsible for my thoughts alone. The
news
media and politicians are making it sound like Walter Reed is a
terrible
place and the staff here has been abusing our brave wounded soldiers;
what a bunch of bull!

I am completing my 24th year of service in the Army next month
so you decide for yourself if I have the experience to write about this
topic. I have been the senior clinical chaplain at Walter Reed for four
years and will leave to go back to the infantry this summer. I
supervise
the chaplain staff inside Walter Reed that cares for the 200
inpatients,
the 650+ daily outpatients from the war who come to us for medical
care,
the 4000+ staff, and over 3000 soldiers and their families that come
for
clinical appointments daily. Walter Reed has cared for over 5500
wounded
from the war. I cannot count the number of sick and non-battle injured
that have come through over that timeframe. The staff at this facility
has done an incredible job at the largest US military medical center
with the worst injured of the war. We have cared for over 400 amputees
and their families. I am privileged to serve the wounded, their
families, and our staff.

When the news about building 18 broke I was on leave. I was in
shock when the news broke. We in the chaplains office in Walter Reed,
as
well as the majority of people at Walter Reed, did not know anyone was
in building 18. I didn't even know we had a building 18. How can that
happen? Walter Reed is over 100 acres of 66 buildings on two
installations. Building 18 is not on the installation of Walter Reed
and
was believed to be closed years ago by our department. The fact that
some leaders in the medical brigade that is in charge of the
outpatients
put soldiers in there is terrible. That is why the company commander,
first sergeant, and a group of platoon leaders and platoon sergeants
were relieved immediately. They failed their soldiers and the Army. The
commanding general was later relieved (more about this) and his
sergeant
major has been told to move on--if he gets to. The brigade sergeant
major was relieved and more relief's are sure to come and need to. As
any leader knows, if you do not take care of soldiers, lie, and then
try
to cover it up, you are not worthy of the commission you hold and
should
be sent packing. I have no issue, and am actually proud, that they did
relieve the leaders they found who knew of the terrible conditions some
of our outpatients were enduring. The media is making it sound like
these conditions are rampant at Walter Reed and nothing could be
further
from the truth. We need improvements and will now get them. I hate it
that it took this to make it happen.

The Army and the media made MG Weightman, our CG, out to be the
problem and fired him. This was a great injustice. He was only here for
six months, is responsible for military medical care in the 20
Northeast
states, wears four "hats" of responsibilities, and relies on his
subordinate leaders to know what is happening in their areas of
responsibilities. He has a colonel that runs the hospital (my hospital
commander), a colonel that runs the medical brigade (where the
outpatient wounded are assigned and supposedly cared for), and a
colonel
that is responsible to run the garrison and installation. What people
don't know is that he was making many changes as he became aware of
them
and had requested money to fix other places on the installation. The
Army did not come through until four months after he asked for the
money, remember that he was here only six months, which was only days
before they relieved him. His leaders responsible for outpatient care
did not tell him about conditions in building 18. He has been an
incredible leader who really cares about the wounded, their families,
and our staff. I cannot say the same about a former commander, who was
my first commander here at Walter Reed, and definitely knew about many
problems and is in the position to fix them and he did not. MG
Weightman
also should not be held responsible for the military's unjust and
inefficient medical board system and the problems in the VA system. We
lost a great leader and passionate man who showed he had the guts to
make changes and was doing so when he was made the scapegoat for
others.

What I am furious about is that the media is making it sound
like all of Walter Reed is like building 18. Nothing could be further
from the truth. No system is perfect but the medical staff provides
great care in this hospital. What needs to be addressed, and finally
will, is the bureaucratic garbage that all soldiers are put through
going into medical boards and medical retirements. Congress is finally
giving the money that people have asked for at Walter Reed for years to
fix places on the installations and address shortcomings. What they
don't want you to know is Congress caused many problems by the BRAC
process saying they were closing Walter Reed. We cannot keep nor
attract
all the quality people we need at Walter Reed when they know this place
will close in several years and they are not promised a job at the new
hospital. Then they did this thing call A76 where they fired many of
the
workers here for a company of contractors, IAP, to get a contract to
provide care outside the hospital proper. The company, which is
responsible for maintenance, only hired half the number of people as
there were originally assigned to maintenance areas to save money.
Walter Reed leadership fought the A76 and BRAC process for years but
lost. Congress instituted the BRAC and A76 process; not the leadership
of Walter Reed.

What I wish everyone would also hear is that for every horror
story we are now hearing about in the media that truly needs to be
addressed, you are not hearing about the hundreds of other wounded and
injured soldiers who tell a story of great care they received. You are
not hearing about the incredibly high morale of our troops and the fact
that most of them want to go back, be with their teammates, and finish
the job properly. You should be very proud of the wounded troopers we
have at Walter Reed. They make me so proud to be in the Army and I will
fight to get their story out.

I want you to hear the whole story because our wounded, their
families, our Army, and the nation need to know that many in the media
and select politicians have an agenda. Forget agendas and make the
changes that have been needed for years to fix problems in every
military hospital and the VA system. The poor leaders will be
identified
and sent packing and good riddance to them. I wish the same could be
said for the politicians and media personalities who are also
responsible but now want it to look like they are very concerned. Where
have they been for the last four years? I am ashamed of what they all
did and the pain it has caused many to think that everyone is like
that.
Please know that you are not hearing the whole story. Please know that
there are thousands of dedicated soldiers and civilian medical staff
caring for your soldiers and their families. When I leave here I will
end up deploying. When soldiers in my division have to go to Walter
Reed
from the battlefield, I know they will get great medical care. I pray
that you know the same thing. God bless all our troops and their
families wherever they may be. God bless you all,

+Chaplain John L. Kallerson

Senior Chaplain Clinician

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

http://www.navyseals.com/community/articles/article.cfm?id=10750

Terror closes in on 2 Iraq booksellers

Associated Press

Sunday, March 18, 2007

By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer

In the beginning, with Saddam Hussein gone, the two booksellers dreamed
of expanding their business and vacationing abroad.

Then the insurgency took hold, and for Atallah Zeidan and Mohammed
Hanash Abbas, things started to unravel. Abbas' childhood friend was killed
in 2005, and the following April, Zeidan lost his brother in a bombing.

Two weeks ago the shadows crept even closer to the two men when a
suicide bombing in Baghdad's book market killed at least 38 people and
wounded 105. Their bookstore survived, but their shop window was blown out
and the book market, a favorite haunt of the Baghdad intelligentsia, was
wrecked.

And yet, even as their daily existence has grown steadily harder in the
four years that The Associated Press has been following their lives,
these two Shiite Muslims in their early 40s cling to a stubborn belief
that somehow, things will get better.

They say that their spirits were lifted by the execution Dec. 30 of
Saddam, the arch-oppressor of Shiites, and that the U.S.-Iraqi military
crackdown now under way in Baghdad has made them feel safer.

But the book market bombing appears to have touched them in a way that
goes beyond personal grief.

Their bookstore, called Iqra'a, the Arabic imperative for "read," is on
the second floor of a dusty, garbage-strewn and mostly empty mall. It
sells secondhand books and lends poor students volumes in English,
French and German for a small fee.

The books survived and Iqra'a remains open for business. But days after
the bomber in a minibus detonated his explosives on a narrow street at
11:30 a.m. on March 5, workers were still recovering bodies from under
the blackened debris, and authorities were expecting the final death
toll to be well over 38.

The place still smelled of burned flesh. Books on law, philosophy and
religion, some torn or stained by soot, were scattered on the ground. On
the walls were black banners announcing victims' names and funeral
dates. One listed five members of the same family.

American paratroopers discussed with storekeepers how to prevent future
attacks. As they spoke, a crane began unloading concrete barriers to
close the market's main street to traffic.

On the morning of the bombing, Zeidan had taken his infant son Ali for
a vaccination. Abbas, who is getting a degree in English, was in class
at a Baghdad University campus not far away. When he heard the blast,
he ran the half-mile to the bookstore.

"The market is dead," said Zeidan, a philosophy graduate, drawing hard
on a cigarette. He wonders whether his old clientele will ever return.
"They can replace the books and rebuild the shops but where are they
going to find people who know about books?"

Abbas, always the more optimistic of the two, said the market has been
swallowed by grief, but "it will bounce back, God willing."

The new security effort is vital to the book market's survival. It lies
close to some of Baghdad's hottest spots, where bombings, clashes and
sectarian killings are common.

Like most Baghdad residents, Zeidan and Abbas are especially afraid of
being kidnapped. So they close their store at 1:30 p.m. instead of 3
p.m. These days, the earlier you get home, the less likely you are to be
a target.

Abbas says only 15 to 20 of the 80 students registered in his English
class attend lessons because they fear kidnapping or suicide bombings.

For him and Zeidan, the book market bombing is the latest blow.

Abbas said he lost a close friend killed in Fallujah in 2005. The
following April the violence first touched Zeidan's life when Inad, his
53-year-old brother and father of 10, was killed by a bomb in the minibus
he was riding in. Three months later a cousin was shot dead in a town
northeast of Baghdad.

Not particularly religious, Zeidan has taken to saying a prayer before
leaving home every morning. He is nervous when riding on the minibuses
used as communal taxis. His mother's health has rapidly worsened since
Inad's death.

"Before my brother died, we sensed the danger in the city. Now that
danger entered our life," said Zeidan.

Just getting safely home at the end of the day is a small triumph. And
violence is not the only threat to an ordinary bookseller's well-being.

One day last summer, when temperatures hovered around 110 degrees, the
power went out for 13 1/2 hours and the neighbor's generator from which
they bought power ran out of fuel. His daughter, Fatima, was a toddler
and his wife, Mona Jassim, was pregnant.

"We opened the windows in the hope of making a draft. We covered the
floors of the balconies with water. We filled the bath tub with water and
made Fatima sit there. Then we took her out and took turns fanning
her," Zeidan said.

"What can we say or do except resign ourselves to the mercy of God?"

Meanwhile, business in Iqra'a has been bad for months, hampered by the
security, low attendance at universities and a ban on vehicles on
Friday mornings - traditionally the book market's busiest day - to avert
suicide bombings against Muslims gathered for prayer.

"We are still staying afloat, barely," Zeidan said in November. "July
was not good, August was worse and September was miserable."

Still, Abbas wasn't giving up hope. In a voice barely audible over the
clatter of low-flying helicopters, he said: "We may be hurt but we are
not defeated."

Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

LAX

2 held for pretending to be officers
Lupita's Restaurant

An armed woman and a man were arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of impersonating peace officers, a Los Angeles Airport police spokesperson said Saturday.

A man and woman in plain clothes claiming to have peace officer authority to transport a prisoner out of state entered the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening area in Terminal 3 at about 8 a.m. Friday, said Los Angeles Airport police spokesperson Belinda Nettles.

The woman said that she was carrying a firearm. Prior to a verification check, the suspects had written documents implying that they were authorized to carry firearms onto an aircraft, Nettles said.

Shortly after, law enforcement authorities were notified. A credential verification check was made that determined the woman was not a police officer and did not have a permit to carry a firearm, Nettles said.

Both suspects were arrested on suspicion of impersonating an peace officer, with the woman also being charged with carrying a concealed firearm, she said.

Their names were being withheld. The FBI was notified and is assisting in the investigation.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/6559132.html

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/6513132.html

Deputy shoots knife-wielding man in Carson

Authorities say the 49-year-old started smashing cars during a rampage and later tried to attack them with knives in both fists in his bedroom.

By Sandy Mazza
Staff Writer

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy shot and critically injured a man who went on a driving rampage Thursday in Carson and then lunged at deputies with knives in both fists, officials said.

The man smashed several cars with his vehicle in the 22700 block of Neptune Avenue at about 9:30 a.m., said sheriff’s homicide Lt. Dave Smith.
Tony's on The Pier

“He started ramming cars,” Smith said. “A man who was outside washing his car yelled at him, 'What are you doing?’ He rammed his car and then drove onto his lawn and smashed into his porch.”

The man then parked his car across the street and went into a house where police believe he lived.

Deputies from the Carson station arrived at the scene and went into the house. Inside, the man was alone in a bedroom, Smith said. When he saw the deputies, he threw knives at them.

Then he came out of the bedroom with knives in both hands pointed at the deputies, Smith said. A deputy, whom he did not identify, fired one shot at the man. He was hit in the upper torso.

The man was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he was in critical condition.

Police said the man is a 49-year-old Filipino, but did not give his name because they believed he might die and his family members had not been notified Thursday afternoon, Smith said.

“We are surmising he has mental issues based on some medication in the bedroom,” Smith said. “We have no clue why he did what he did.”

sandy.mazza@dailybreeze.com

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/6531207.html?showAll=y&c=y

Gang units arrest 5 men in arson of Carson house
Home was burned out on fourth try in retaliation for man's death in a gunfight there, officials say. Authorities say the fiery attacks were ordered by imprisoned members of the Mexican Mafia.
By Sandy Mazza
Staff Writer

Five men were arrested Thursday morning during a massive police search for arsonists responsible for burning down a Carson home on orders from the Mexican Mafia.

Gang investigators from several Los Angeles County sheriff's stations assisted the Carson station's Operation Safe Streets anti-gang unit in the searches. Seven residences in Cerritos, Long Beach and San Bernardino County were searched.

The five men, who are expected to be charged with felony arson, were not identified.

Arsonists tried to torch the same home in the 400 block of 229th Street three times in November and December 2006, officials said. They did not successfully destroy the house until the fourth try, on Jan. 20, said sheriff's Sgt. Fred Reynolds, who is based at the Carson sheriff's station.

Reynolds said the attacks were ordered by imprisoned members of the Mexican Mafia, also known as "La Eme." The prison gang controls and demands a percentage of drug-sale profits from all Latino street gangs in Southern California.

"La Eme" members ordered the house burned down after a man was shot and killed during a gunfight at the home on Nov. 20, 2006, Reynolds said.

He identified the victim as Anthony Gurule, 29, a member of a Carson street gang. Gurule had a criminal history that stretched back to 1998, and included illegal gun possession and driving without a license. He was about to stand trial for murder when he was killed, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records. He was out of jail on $6 million bail, according to county records.

Gurule allegedly went to the home on 229th Street with other members from his gang to intimidate the residents, who were also Latino street gang members, Reynolds said. Gurule told them to pay "taxes," or a cut of their profits from drug sales, to "La Eme." A gunfight broke out, and Gurule was killed.

"There was a shootout," Reynolds said. "Gurule went over there with other members of his gang to get money. Higher members of ("La Eme") didn't approve of the way they killed him. They burned the house down."

Police determined that his killer was justified in shooting Gurule, and did not charge him with murder, Reynolds said.

The residents, whom police did not identify, vacated the house after the shooting.

Five days later, on Nov. 25, arsonists attempted to burn down the home, which is on a quiet residential street.

Arsonists again attempted to burn down the home on Nov. 30 and Dec. 19, Reynolds said. On Jan. 20, they set a fire shortly before 1 a.m. that caused about $200,000 in damage, according to officials at the time.

Sheriff's arson investigators found a gas container, spout and crowbar at the scene.

The home was still boarded up Thursday. Charred newspapers from the week of the fire littered the front lawn, along with wall insulation and shattered glass. In the backyard, burned furniture and other household items remained.

Reynolds did not say what led investigators to the five men arrested Thursday.

He said they expect to file charges of felony arson against the men on Monday.

sandy.mazza@dailybreeze.com
USER COMMENTS ( 5 of 7 total | view all )

Anthony Gurule destroyed our lives by killing someone we loved. He was going to stand trial for killing my friend and I'm just sorry that he got an easy way out of the punishment that he deserved for that murder.
posted: Saturday, March 17th at 22:52 PM

"About time"
About time the government cracks down on gangsters, they terrorized neighborhood after neighborhood and shot unarmed innocent people because they think there hard or though. these people are cowards!!!!
- Andrew C
posted: Friday, March 16th at 15:36 PM

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/6506282.html

L.A. police dismantle Fifth and Hill Gang
More than 30 people were arrested over several months as investigators worked to cripple sophisticated drug-dealing network.
By Rachel Uranga
Staff Writer

A sophisticated drug-dealing operation -- started by day laborers in the early 1970s and eventually dominating the Skid Row heroin trade -- has been dismantled after a 10-month undercover investigation, Los Angeles police said Wednesday.

Using an intricate network of children, street vendors, immigrant women and criminal thugs to serve as lookouts, packagers and dealers, the Fifth and Hill Gang built up a multimillion-dollar heroin business on Skid Row.
Hollywood Park Casino

At a morning news conference, police announced the arrest of 31 people, many of whom operated out of suburban homes in the San Fernando Valley, Fontana and South Los Angeles.

"We really believe we have taken the head off the Fifth and Hill Gang. What's left is the youngsters you will see running around out there, writing on walls and whatnot," said Capt. Andrew Smith, head of the LAPD's Central Division. "This is a gang of cowards. They hide behind undocumented workers, undocumented Mexican nationals and children who they hire to do their drug dealing for them."

The 31 men and women arrested, mostly in their 30s and 40s, were described as top-ranking members of the gang. Mostly Mexican nationals, more than half are wanted for immigration violations. They were arrested over several months as LAPD investigators gathered leads from addicts, surveillance cameras downtown and undercover work.

Pedro Sanchez-Limon, 43, a Mexican national who was once deported, was named as the mastermind and main supplier. Alberto "El Morro" Blanco, 36, ran the drugs, and Jaime Chacon Diaz, 36, or "Archie," kept the books, police said. Both are also Mexican nationals. All are in custody and face sentences of 10 to 15 years.

Along with the arrests, police seized 85 pounds of heroin worth about $1.5 million, $25,000 in cash, 10 guns, 3 pounds of methamphetamine and 5 pounds of cocaine.

The enterprise started in the early 1970s at Fifth and Hill streets, where day laborers gathered at the time to find work. After a number of the laborers were mugged, the group banded together for protection, police said. Starting with minor drugs, the Fifth and Hill Gang expanded into the heroin trade in the 1980s and later distributed cocaine and methamphetamine, officials said.

Police said the gang used immigrant women who worked long hours in suburban homes in factorylike conditions, stuffing heroin in balloons and packaging them for transport downtown, where addicts from throughout the region would come to buy drugs.

Also on the gang's payroll were street vendors who could hide the drugs in food stands, and children as young as 12 who would sell drugs and alert dealers to approaching police, officials said.

"As Chief Bratton mentioned, 2007 is the year of the gang and for us in downtown Los Angeles, Fifth and Hill is the gang of the year," Smith said.

rachel.uranga@dailynews.com

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/6506252.html

Torrance drug sweep leads to weapons, five arrests
Officials say four grabbed in a neighborhood on the city's east side are members of a local gang. Move comes after a weeklong investigation.
By Sandy Mazza
Staff Writer

Following a weekslong investigation of drug activity in east Torrance, police arrested five people and turned up a cache of guns, along with narcotics, gang paraphernalia, daggers and ammunition in a sweep of homes in the neighborhood Wednesday morning.

Officers searched four locations after they spent several weeks investigating an apparent increase in narcotics sales on Sartori Avenue, said Torrance Police Department Lt. Rod Irvine.

Four men and one 17-year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of possession of weapons and narcotics. Four of the five were members of a local gang, Irvine said.

"The initial thrust was to target local narcotic dealers, and then that rolled into some gang involvement," Irvine said. The gang is involved in localized drug sales and gang activity across Southern California, he said.

While it has ties to Latino street gangs, it is not directly involved in the recent gang violence in Harbor Gateway, police said.

"We believe the older members are shot-callers," Irvine said. "Based on the weapons we found today, it's possible they were supplying guns for gang members outside Torrance."

The searches were a result of the department's new policing model, which divides the city into four sections. Under this model, officers work smaller sections of the city to become more familiar with their areas.

Recently, department officials noticed that patrol officers were increasingly finding narcotics during routine traffic stops in the eastern part of the city, Irvine said.

Detectives along with Torrance SWAT officers and state parole officials searched three residences in the 2100-2300 block of Del Amo Boulevard, and one house in the 700 block of Sartori Avenue, Irvine said.

Arrested were Ricky Sam Sisneros, 45, Ricky Orlando Sisneros Jr., 23, Terry William Gasset, 57, Sergio Luis Diaz, 19, and a 17-year-old male whom police did not identify.

Police confiscated nine rifles, two handguns, various types of knives, narcotics needles and scales, and small amounts of methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana. Pictures depicting gang affiliations and activity also were seized.

"The intent was to focus on narcotic dealers, to prevent other crimes," Irvine said. "We got a small amount of narcotics, but a lot of weapons that are now out of the hands of gang members."

sandy.mazza@dailybreeze.com

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/regstate/articles/6550397.html

Area Iranians celebrate NoRooz new year fest
From news services

Southern California's Iranian community kicked off its new year, NoRooz, during a celebration at Los Angeles City Hall on Friday.

NoRooz, meaning "New Day" in Persian, is celebrated in hopes of bringing hope, peace and prosperity to the world.

NoRooz officially begins on the first day of spring, March 20.

"It is a time to cleanse the body and soul from the ills of the past and put a new emphasis on friendship, family, health and nature," said Andrew Adelman, who is of Persian descent and works as general manager of the city's Building and Safety Department.

Beverly Hills Councilman Jimmy Delshad, who is about to become the city's first Iranian mayor, was among those at the downtown celebration.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/regstate/articles/6506277.html?showAll=y&c=y

Activists link immigration, war
Latinos have suffered high Iraq casualties, and leaders hope to aid their cause by raising opposition.
By Peter Prengaman
The Associated Press

Pro-immigrant activists, frustrated by lack of progress in Congress toward overhauling immigration laws to provide a citizenship path for illegal immigrants, are looking to tap mounting anti-war sentiment to reinvigorate their effort.

Many believe debate over the war has overshadowed immigration reform, which drew enormous attention last spring with large protests in Los Angeles and other cities that saw thousands of immigrants and their backers take to the streets.
PCH Helicopters

Dozens of rallies planned for this spring will combine protests against the Iraq war with calls for immigration reform. By linking the issues, activists believe they'll generate more attention and highlight the U.S. military contribution made by foreign-born troops. They also say the decision reflects growing concern in their communities about the war as casualties mount, which inevitably includes immigrant soldiers.

For Juan Jose Gutierrez, who is helping organize the protests, the issue is personal. His nephew, Marine Cpl. Carlos Arrellano, a 22-year-old Mexican immigrant who while serving became a U.S. citizen, was killed in Iraq last year.

"The war is something that affects immigrants dramatically right now," said Gutierrez, president of Los Angeles-based Latino Movement USA. "It's important people understand that the anti-war and immigration movements are connected."

In Los Angeles on Saturday, Latino Movement USA and a handful of immigrant groups will participate in an anti-war rally being organized nationwide by the Answer (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition.

Also Saturday, several immigration groups will hold a rally in San Bernardino that combines a demand for amnesty and a call to bring American troops home.

The decision to link the issues underscores that many pro-immigrant groups don't feel they've capitalized on the momentum created by last spring's protests.

Ian Thompson, a Los Angeles organizer with the Answer Coalition, believes getting American troops out of Iraq and getting citizenship for illegal immigrants working in America are connected social justice movements.

"Some people say combining them confuses the issue, but that's not the case," said Thompson, a Los Angeles organizer with the Answer Coalition.

Not all pro-immigrant groups want to see the issues linked.

Jorge Mario Cabrera, associate director of Carecen, a Latino advocacy group in Los Angeles, said it's better to focus limited resources on one issue, and that being associated with anti-war efforts could backfire.

"The risk is that immigration reform is still very political" without adding the divisive war issue, said Cabrera.

Angelica Salas, director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said her organization is staying neutral for the sake of members with loved ones in the war, though other members have pushed to include the war in rallies.

"Many organizers who have children in the war are uncomfortable," Salas said. "We want to keep the focus on immigration reform for the sake of solidarity."

About 35,000 foreign-born troops serve in the U.S. military and about 8,000 enlist each year, according to a 2005 study by the CNA Corp., a research firm in Alexandria, Va.

After whites, Latino soldiers have suffered the most causalities of any ethnic group in the Iraq war, with 332 since the beginning of the war in 2003 through Feb. 3, according to Department of Defense data.

Immigration activists say the November elections, which gave control of Congress to Democrats, made them realize they couldn't ignore Iraq.

The debate on the war has so consumed Congress in recent months that many immigration activists fear lawmakers may not even get to immigration reform bills this year.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/nationworld/articles/6550372.html?showAll=y&c=y

Officials: 13 more fires tied to suspect
Amended complaint adds counts against man charged in deadly Esperanza blaze.

By Gillian Flaccus
The Associated Press

RIVERSIDE -- The man accused of setting a blaze that killed five firefighters last fall is being charged with additional counts linking him to 13 other fires, authorities said Friday.

The amended complaint, which was filed late Wednesday, charges Raymond Lee Oyler with 19 additional counts of arson and using an incendiary device in setting the other fires, district attorney spokeswoman Ingrid Wyatt said.

The 36-year-old auto mechanic is expected in court Monday for a preliminary hearing on five counts of first-degree murder, 11 counts of arson and 10 counts of use of an incendiary device in connection with the deadly wildfire and the other blazes that were ignited in the same area.

He is now charged with 22 arsons in addition to the deadly Esperanza Fire and 17 counts of use of an incendiary device.

Oyler was originally charged in a string of fires that began in June, but the amended complaint adds charges for multiple fires in May and June, and one new fire apiece in July and September.

An evidence log obtained by The Associated Press shows investigators recovered pieces of a cigarette-and-matches incendiary device from at least four of the new blazes. The log also shows 62 suspected arsons in the Banning area between May 16 and Oct. 27.

Oyler was arrested Oct. 31 after a wind-whipped fire raced through the foothills near Banning. He has pleaded not guilty to the original arson and murder charges.

A sheriff's report obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday said Oyler's cousin told investigators the suspect spent an entire night one week before the deadly blaze "casing the area" for a good arson location. Oyler's girlfriend also told investigators Oyler wanted to start a fire as "a diversion" so he could get his pit bull out of the Banning Animal Shelter.

In an interview Thursday, attorney McDonald said the cousin was not a credible witness because she had a feud with Oyler and his closest relatives. McDonald said Oyler's girlfriend was badgered by investigators and she now denies telling them any of the information in the report.

Oyler's cousin, Jill Frame, told investigators that she was at Oyler's house on Oct. 22 when he and his girlfriend began arguing because he hadn't come home the night before, according to the report.

Oyler told his cousin he had slept in his car outside Banning High School because he was searching for a good place to start a fire on a nearby mountain, the report said.

Firefighters Jason McKay, 27; Jess McLean, 27; Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20; Mark Loutzenhiser, 43; and Pablo Cerda, 23, were overrun by flames on Oct. 26 while protecting a home. McKay, McLean and Hoover-Najera died at the scene. Loutzenhiser died several hours later and Cerda died several days later.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHINA_SHIP_COLLISION?SITE=CATOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

8 Killed in China Sea Ship Collision
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Activists Challenge Status Quo in China

Premier Says World Should Not Fear China

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Chinese Legislature Passes Landmark Laws

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BEIJING (AP) -- Two cargo ships collided in the East China Sea, killing at least eight people, state media reported Monday.

Twelve sailors were rescued while another nine were still missing from the weekend collision, which sank one of the ships, Xinhua News Agency said. Eight bodies were recovered.

The collision occurred off Zhejiang province between a cargo ship from China and a Hong Kong-registered vessel. The Hong Kong ship, with 29 crew aboard, sank immediately.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DARFUR_ARABS_VS_AFRICANS?SITE=CATOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Mar 18, 7:13 PM EDT

Some Arabs Join Rebels in Darfur Fight

By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU
Associated Press Writer
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Latest Africa News
Darfur Gunmen Kill 2 AU Peacekeepers

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Some Arabs Join Rebels in Darfur Fight

Nobel Winner Warns U.N. on Darfur

Rebel Leader Relays Darfur Tribes' Woes

Muslim Bloc Backs Sudan on Darfur Report

U.S. Prepares to Sanction Sudanese Firms

WADI ANKA, Sudan (AP) -- Ahmad Salaheddin is an Arab who has crossed the ethnic divide in Darfur's bloody war to fight alongside ethnic African rebels. His fellow rebels jokingly call him a "janjaweed" - one of the Arab militiamen who are their fiercest enemy.

His presence, along with several other Arabs in a unit of the main rebel group in Darfur, the Sudan Liberation Army, is a sign of the complexity of the ethnic bloodshed in the western Sudanese region.

The fight in Darfur is usually defined as between Arabs and ethnic Africans: the ethnic Africans launched a rebellion in 2003 and the Arab-led Sudanese government is accused of arming Arab tribesmen in Darfur to help put it down.

continued...

Those Six Imams ...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1746321/posts

December 01, 2006

Those Six Imams Are All Terrorists

Korea Herald, 03-19-2007, U.S.-N.K. row over BDA 'fully resolved'

U.S.-N.K. row over BDA 'fully resolved'

Pyongyang readying nuclear shutdown: envoys

The Korea Herald

Monday, March 19, 2007

Copyright 2001 ~ 2007 Herald Media INC. All rights reserved.

https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2007/03/19/200703190005.asp

From news reports

BEIJING - The row between North Korea and the United States over North
Korea's frozen funds at a Macau bank has been "fully resolved," setting
the stage for progress in international talks aimed at denuclearizing
the communist nation, a South Korean official close to the talks said
Sunday.

Early last week, Washington took steps aimed at releasing all of North
Korea's $25 million frozen at Banco Delta Asia (BDA), but the North has
been refusing to acknowledge that the U.S. measures will allow
Pyongyang to regain access to the funds.

The South Korean negotiator, speaking on condition of anonymity,
however, said there is "little possibility the North will object" to the
proposed outcome of the U.S. measures.

Earlier reports said all of the frozen funds are likely to be released
before the end of the next round of the nuclear disarmament talks, set
to begin here Monday. Christopher Hill, the top U.S. nuclear
negotiator, said he was confident lingering questions about North Korean funds
frozen in Macau would not derail six-nation talks on ending Pyongyang's
nuclear programs.

"I think we have a pretty reasonable position that I think that meets
everyone's interest, so I'm pretty confident we can resolve that," the
U.S. assistant secretary of state told reporters.

Hill, on his way to a second day of meetings with other envoys, said
the United States will explain its ideas on a final resolution to the
issue of the frozen funds amounting to about $25 million, but offered no
details.

"The BDA issue has been a tough issue for the last 18 months, but I am
pretty confident that it is not going to be a problem as we go
forward," Hill said as he left for the Diaoyutai state guesthouse.

The real issue, he said, "is to get to this next stage of
denuclearization ... to get to the next stage of disablement and declaration. Those
will be the real focus of what we'll be doing today."

The remark came after North Korea said Saturday that it had begun
preparations to shutdown and seal its key Yongbyon atomic reactor in a step
toward honoring a landmark nuclear disarmament deal.

Pyongyang was also willing to start moving towards disabling its
nuclear facilities but this would depend on how quickly it was rewarded for
such actions, South Korean nuclear envoy Chun Yung-woo told reporters in
Beijing.

Hill hailed the statement from the North Koreans, saying it was
"balanced and constructive and indicated that they are under way and
fulfilling their obligations."

"I think they referred to starting the preparations," he told reporters
here. "I don't think they have started to shut down the facilities."

On Saturday Hill said that North Korea will soon be able to withdraw
all of its frozen assets from a Macau bank under U.S. restrictions,
clearing the way for the communist country to take its first steps toward
nuclear disarmament.

North Korea had warned that it would not keep its promise unless all of
its assets frozen at Macau-based Banco Delta Asia - about $24 million -
is released.

"We would expect (North Korea's) money to be moving very quickly," Hill
told reporters, adding that the measures his country took recently to
unfreeze the North Korean funds at the bank "should meet their needs."

Ahead of a fresh round of six-party nuclear disarmament talks Monday,
negotiators met on Sunday individually or as a group to assess the
progress of a February deal in which the communist country promised to take
steps to disarm in return for aid.

The Feb. 13 agreement binds North Korea to take initial steps to shut
down and seal its key nuclear facilities and let in outside inspectors
in return for 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil.

The North then should "disable" those closed facilities in exchange for
an additional 950,000 tons of heavy fuel oil, or equivalent assistance
and declare all of its nuclear weapons programs.

Hill added they would like to set up a committee to look at the thorny
issue of highly enriched uranium.

The United States asserts North Korea has been trying to enrich uranium
to make nuclear weapons.

The Bush administration's allegations about the program in 2002 caused
a 1994 U.S.-North Korea nuclear agreement to unravel.

After that, Pyongyang produced enough plutonium for several atomic
weapons and conducted its first nuclear test.

"The HEU issue is not just our issue. Other delegations have also been
very concerned about it," Hill said.

The North's Kim on Saturday said Pyongyang was willing to cooperate.
"If they present evidence, we will explain it to them," Kim said, without
elaborating.

After reaching the nuclear deal in February, the United States has
acknowledged gaps in its intelligence about whether the North had the
technology and material needed to produce highly enriched uranium for
weapons.

The U.S. envoy said the next round of formal negotiations involving the
two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia and host China, would
last two days.

2007.03.19