Free Republic

BOSTON (AP) — The men came from different walks of life on two continents: a children's puppeteer in Florida, a hotel manager in Massachusetts, an emergency medical technician in Kansas, a day care worker in the Netherlands. In all, 43 men have been arrested over the past two years in a horrific, far-flung child porn network that unraveled like a sweater with a single loose thread. Investigators made one arrest after another of men accused of sexually abusing children, exchanging explicit photos of the attacks and even chatting online about abducting, cooking and eating youngsters. "This isn't just a child...

Missouri Lifts Restrictions On Gay Foster Parents Judge Ruled In February State Could Not Reject Applications JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Following a court mandate, Missouri officials said Tuesday that they have lifted regulations that automatically prevented homosexuals from becoming foster parents. But while the decision clears the way for gays to get licensed to care for foster children, officials with the Department of Social Services said it might still be difficult for a gay person to become a foster parent. "We're considering the biological parents' preferences, and we're also considering the abuse and neglect that occurred to the child and...

The state Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday passed a bill that would allow child-abuse victims to testify on a closed-circuit TV outside the presence of a defendant. State Sen. Abel Maldonado authored the bill -- dubbed Cole's Law -- after a local molestation charge was dropped because a 4-year-old San Luis Obispo County boy was too scared to testify in front of the female defendant. "I've always said early on I want to help the voiceless and vulnerable," said Maldonado, R-Santa Maria. "This young individual, who is now 8 years old, inspired me to move this bill forward." In...

Islamic leader hails Chechen attack Says similar operation would be justified in UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: September 8, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern By Aaron Klein © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com A UK-based Islamic extremist movement said that last week's abduction of Russian children by Chechen terrorists should be repeated in Britain. Al-Muhajiroun spiritual leader Omar Bakri hailed last week's attack on a school in southern Russia in which close to 400 people, including many children, were killed, and said that holding women and children hostages would be reasonable for a Muslim who has suffered under British rule. Bakri told The Sunday Telegraph, "If...