Free Republic

Summary Norwegian authorities are dropping charges against Mullah Krekar, the founder of Ansar al-Islam, who had been charged with conspiracy to murder his political foes in Iraq. He is to be deported to Iraq after the government is handed over to the Iraqis on June 30. Analysis A Norwegian court threw out charges against Mullah Krekar, the founder of militant Islamist group Ansar al-Islam, on June 15, citing insufficient evidence. Krekar had faced charges of conspiring to murder political rivals in Iraq. He has lived in Norway since 2003, despite an expulsion order. Now that he no longer faces trial,...

Dutch police have arrested a man carrying a gun in his hand luggage as he checked in for departure at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, a police spokeswoman said. The weapon was found during standard safety checks on Wednesday, the spokeswoman said, adding Schiphol's police had started an investigation and questioned the man. The spokeswoman would not comment on a statement by airline Air Malta, which said the detainee was a Maltese man who was due to board a flight to Malta. "At this moment we won't give further details," she said. Air Malta said that after the discovery of the revolver,...