Free Republic

The three ambassadors who died violent deaths were Cleo Noel Jr.,killed in March 1973 when Palestinian terrorists struck an embassy in Sudan; Adolph Dubs, killed in 1973 when Afghan police stormed a hotel room where he was being held by terrorists; and Arnold Raphel, who died in 1988 when a plane crashed. Receiving waivers as longtime diplomats with military service were William Rivkin and Philip Crowe. Rivkin, who died in 1967, served as ambassador to Senegal, Gambia and Luxembourg and spent five years of in the Army during World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Crowe, who...

A veteran State Department diplomat and longtime Pakistan expert is under federal investigation as part of a counterintelligence probe and has had her security clearances withdrawn, according to U.S. officials. The FBI searched the Northwest Washington home of Robin L. Raphel last month, and her State Department office was also examined and sealed, officials said. Raphel, a fixture in Washington’s diplomatic and think-tank circles, was placed on administrative leave last month, and her contract with the State Department was allowed to expire this week. Two U.S. officials described the investigation as a counterintelligence matter, which typically involves allegations of spying...

A GANG of British terror suspects has been charged with plotting to launch a "dirty bomb" or mini nuclear blast on London. The attacks, on targets such as Heathrow and the Parliament, were planned to coincide with similar strikes on major buildings in the US. The leader of the group is believed to be Osama bin Laden's UK general, Dhiren Barot. Born into a respected family of Kenyan expatriates, Barot, 32, was raised a Hindu before being converted to radical Islamism in his 20s and becoming one of al-Qaida's European linchpins. Barot and seven other members of the suspected al-Qaida...