Coalition forces captured six wanted men and detained 14 additional suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda elements around Iraq.
Three wanted men who are allegedly part of an al-Qaeda in Iraq bombing network in Bayji are in Coalition forces custody after two operations Wednesday and Thursday. The force detained five additional suspects in the operations, which were near Tikrit, about 160 kilometers north of Baghdad.
During a precision operation in Mosul on Thursday, Coalition forces captured a wanted man who is allegedly part of a kidnapping cell in the city. Another Thursday raid targeting associates of AQI leaders there netted six suspected terrorists.
Using information from an operation July 18, Coalition forces captured a wanted man and one additional suspect Wednesday in Mosul. The wanted man is believed to have ties to AQI leaders in the city.
Coalition forces in al-Jadidah, about 240 kilometers southwest of Baghdad, targeted a suspected smuggler who allegedly brings foreign terrorists into Iraq. When the force arrived, the wanted man identified himself to them and was subsequently detained.
In Suwayrah, about 55 kilometers south of Baghdad, Coalition forces targeted an AQI recruiter with ties to senior terrorist leaders and detained two suspects.
“Bombing and kidnapping cells will continue to be targeted by Iraqi and Coalition Forces until these terrorists are defeated,” said Maj. John Hall, MNF-I spokesman.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Mullen Discusses Iraq, Afghanistan, Election in Interview
WASHINGTON, July 23, 2008 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke out on the need for additional troops in Afghanistan, potential troop reductions in Iraq, and the upcoming U.S. presidential election during a wide-ranging “Newsmakers” interview on PBS’s “NewsHour With Jim Lehrer” last night.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen noted recent progress in Iraq, saying “the security has improved remarkably.” But when asked about the possibility of lower troop levels there and sending more troops to Afghanistan, he said it’s too soon to make any decisions. Military leaders in Washington and Iraq will continue evaluating improvements based on conditions on the ground, he said.
“If we are able to sustain this kind of improvement in security, I'd have expectations that this fall I'd be able to make recommendations to President Bush that we can [draw down troops in Iraq],” Mullen said. “It would depend on how conditions continue to evolve.”
If security continues to improve, more troops will be available for missions in Afghanistan, where coalition forces are seeing “more sophisticated attacks more often by terrorists,” the admiral said. He said he hopes eventually to increase troop levels there by three brigades, or 10,000 troops. Two brigades would focus on counterinsurgency operations, while another brigade-size element would train Afghan police, he said.
Coalition forces in Afghanistan now are challenged with a recent spike in violence and an underdeveloped police force and government. Also, terrorists have found safe havens along the Pakistani border, and because of a lack of border security by the new Pakistani government, they are able to flow more freely in and out of Afghanistan, Mullen said.
Coalition commanders in Afghanistan have noted success in many areas, however, but still feel the need for more troops, the chairman said. Currently, only two U.S. Marine battalions -- about 2,500 Marines -- are filling that void. One is training Afghan police, and the other is conducting combat operations.
“Clearly, we are watching [insurgent activities in Afghanistan] very closely,” Mullen said. “We are concerned about the increase, the improvements, in the sophisticated attacks. And until we get to a point [in Iraq] where we can reduce [military] commitment, we won’t have significant additional troops to add in Afghanistan.”
Additional troops in Afghanistan may have a similar outcome to the same strategy that has proven successful in Iraq, the chairman said. He credited the troop surge in Iraq for being the foundation in a combination of efforts that led the country to its current state.
“The five brigades that were the additional surge brigades made a huge difference, and I would argue that they put us in a position now that not many of us would have imagined we could be 12 months ago,” he said.
Mullen said the additional troops provided security for political actions to take place and for the economy to move in the right direction while giving Iraqi security forces the opportunity to train and mature.
“[Progress in Iraq] has been a number of things,” he said, “but more than anything else, I think the underpinning of that has been the surge and the security provided for the opportunities that are there now.”
However, as Mullen and the U.S. military focus on the current happenings in Middle East, Lehrer observed the possibility of their mission shifting as early as next year. The two leading candidates for the upcoming presidential election differ greatly in their opinions concerning the U.S. military’s stance in the Middle East.
“I think it's really important for the military to remain neutral in this political season,” Mullen said. “And in maintaining that position, we carry out the mission that we have right now.”
Current priorities put the focus on Iraq first, Afghanistan second and then on building “dwell time” for troops at their home stations between deployments, Mullen said.
“My mission is to continue to evaluate conditions and to give my best advice to President Bush, and I’ll continue to do that,” he said.
Mullen said he’d have no issues serving under any president. “Clearly, we’re going to have a new president in January. I’ll get my mission from whoever that president may be, and I’ll give him my best military advice,” the admiral said. “I’ll get my direction from him, and I’ll carry that out.”
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen noted recent progress in Iraq, saying “the security has improved remarkably.” But when asked about the possibility of lower troop levels there and sending more troops to Afghanistan, he said it’s too soon to make any decisions. Military leaders in Washington and Iraq will continue evaluating improvements based on conditions on the ground, he said.
“If we are able to sustain this kind of improvement in security, I'd have expectations that this fall I'd be able to make recommendations to President Bush that we can [draw down troops in Iraq],” Mullen said. “It would depend on how conditions continue to evolve.”
If security continues to improve, more troops will be available for missions in Afghanistan, where coalition forces are seeing “more sophisticated attacks more often by terrorists,” the admiral said. He said he hopes eventually to increase troop levels there by three brigades, or 10,000 troops. Two brigades would focus on counterinsurgency operations, while another brigade-size element would train Afghan police, he said.
Coalition forces in Afghanistan now are challenged with a recent spike in violence and an underdeveloped police force and government. Also, terrorists have found safe havens along the Pakistani border, and because of a lack of border security by the new Pakistani government, they are able to flow more freely in and out of Afghanistan, Mullen said.
Coalition commanders in Afghanistan have noted success in many areas, however, but still feel the need for more troops, the chairman said. Currently, only two U.S. Marine battalions -- about 2,500 Marines -- are filling that void. One is training Afghan police, and the other is conducting combat operations.
“Clearly, we are watching [insurgent activities in Afghanistan] very closely,” Mullen said. “We are concerned about the increase, the improvements, in the sophisticated attacks. And until we get to a point [in Iraq] where we can reduce [military] commitment, we won’t have significant additional troops to add in Afghanistan.”
Additional troops in Afghanistan may have a similar outcome to the same strategy that has proven successful in Iraq, the chairman said. He credited the troop surge in Iraq for being the foundation in a combination of efforts that led the country to its current state.
“The five brigades that were the additional surge brigades made a huge difference, and I would argue that they put us in a position now that not many of us would have imagined we could be 12 months ago,” he said.
Mullen said the additional troops provided security for political actions to take place and for the economy to move in the right direction while giving Iraqi security forces the opportunity to train and mature.
“[Progress in Iraq] has been a number of things,” he said, “but more than anything else, I think the underpinning of that has been the surge and the security provided for the opportunities that are there now.”
However, as Mullen and the U.S. military focus on the current happenings in Middle East, Lehrer observed the possibility of their mission shifting as early as next year. The two leading candidates for the upcoming presidential election differ greatly in their opinions concerning the U.S. military’s stance in the Middle East.
“I think it's really important for the military to remain neutral in this political season,” Mullen said. “And in maintaining that position, we carry out the mission that we have right now.”
Current priorities put the focus on Iraq first, Afghanistan second and then on building “dwell time” for troops at their home stations between deployments, Mullen said.
“My mission is to continue to evaluate conditions and to give my best advice to President Bush, and I’ll continue to do that,” he said.
Mullen said he’d have no issues serving under any president. “Clearly, we’re going to have a new president in January. I’ll get my mission from whoever that president may be, and I’ll give him my best military advice,” the admiral said. “I’ll get my direction from him, and I’ll carry that out.”
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
MND-B Soldiers detain known Special Groups criminal in Abu T’shir
Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers detained a known Special Groups criminal July 21 in the Abu T’shir community of Baghdad’s Rashid district.
Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained the criminal leader at approximately 11:45 p.m. He is considered to be a roadside bomb expert.
“Anytime our soldiers detain a known, high-level criminal, we are reducing violence onthe streets ofBaghdad,” said Maj. Dave Olson, a 1st Brigade Combat Team spokesman. “Our efforts are focused on providing a safe and secure environment for the 1.5 million citizens of southern Baghdad.”
Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, detained the criminal leader at approximately 11:45 p.m. He is considered to be a roadside bomb expert.
“Anytime our soldiers detain a known, high-level criminal, we are reducing violence onthe streets ofBaghdad,” said Maj. Dave Olson, a 1st Brigade Combat Team spokesman. “Our efforts are focused on providing a safe and secure environment for the 1.5 million citizens of southern Baghdad.”
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Pakistani Network Broadcasts Rare Interview of Al-Qaida Commander in Afghanistan
A Pakistani television network has broadcast a rare interview with the top al-Qaida commander in Afghanistan. From Islamabad, Barry Newhouse reports Geo News says its interview with Mustafa Abu Yazid, an Egyptian, took place a few days ago in Afghanistan's eastern Khost Province.
Abu Mustafa al-Yazid is believed to be al-Qaida's third highest ranking leader, behind Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden. The official U.S. government investigation of the September 11 terrorist attacks named Yazid as the terrorist group's chief financial manager at the time of the attacks.
Last year, he was named head of al-Qaida's operations in Afghanistan and since then has claimed credit for a wave of deadly attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In an exclusive interview with a Geo reporter that was broadcast late Monday, al-Yazid said the group gets support from tribal areas of Pakistan. His remarks in Arabic were dubbed into Urdu in the broadcast.
He gave thanks that the group is receiving assistance from the tribal areas. He then urged all Pakistanis to support the effort as part of their religious duty.
Afghan officials and U.S. commanders have long argued that Pakistan's tribal areas along the Afghan border are a haven for al-Qaida and Taliban militants as well as a support base for the insurgency in Afghanistan.
Afghan officials have also accused parts of Pakistan's army and intelligence agencies of secretly supporting the insurgency in Afghanistan. Al-Yazid says no country supports the group and in fact the Pakistani government has caused more damage to al-Qaida than any other.
He said the government of Pervez Musharraf betrayed the Islamist fighters in Afghanistan when it sided with the United States.
Al-Yazid also repeated claims that al-Qaida was behind the June bombing of the Danish Embassy in Islamabad. He claimed the bomber was from Mecca and originally wanted to fight in Afghanistan or Kashmir, but later decided to attack the Danish Embassy to retaliate for Danish cartoons satirizing the Prophet Muhammed.
Abu Mustafa al-Yazid is believed to be al-Qaida's third highest ranking leader, behind Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden. The official U.S. government investigation of the September 11 terrorist attacks named Yazid as the terrorist group's chief financial manager at the time of the attacks.
Last year, he was named head of al-Qaida's operations in Afghanistan and since then has claimed credit for a wave of deadly attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In an exclusive interview with a Geo reporter that was broadcast late Monday, al-Yazid said the group gets support from tribal areas of Pakistan. His remarks in Arabic were dubbed into Urdu in the broadcast.
He gave thanks that the group is receiving assistance from the tribal areas. He then urged all Pakistanis to support the effort as part of their religious duty.
Afghan officials and U.S. commanders have long argued that Pakistan's tribal areas along the Afghan border are a haven for al-Qaida and Taliban militants as well as a support base for the insurgency in Afghanistan.
Afghan officials have also accused parts of Pakistan's army and intelligence agencies of secretly supporting the insurgency in Afghanistan. Al-Yazid says no country supports the group and in fact the Pakistani government has caused more damage to al-Qaida than any other.
He said the government of Pervez Musharraf betrayed the Islamist fighters in Afghanistan when it sided with the United States.
Al-Yazid also repeated claims that al-Qaida was behind the June bombing of the Danish Embassy in Islamabad. He claimed the bomber was from Mecca and originally wanted to fight in Afghanistan or Kashmir, but later decided to attack the Danish Embassy to retaliate for Danish cartoons satirizing the Prophet Muhammed.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Iraqi National Police Takes the Lead, Enforces Weapons-free Zone
National Policeman and their U.S. National Police Transition Team partners took to the streets of eastern Baghdad to enforce a weapons-free zone in and around Al Amin, July 13.
Policemen from 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division, led a clearing operation of the Al Amin power station and the surrounding area. Capt. Arthur Benson, an intelligence advisor with the 1st Bn., 4th Bde. 1st NP Div. NPTT explained that the Government of Iraq declared Al Amin an area where no weapons are allowed.
“Any household that had an AK-47 now does not,” said Benson, a Mount Hope, Kan. native assigned to 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, which is attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division- Baghdad.
U.S. Forces working with National Policemen gathered the intelligence that prompted the mission. Their intelligence indicated possible caches and Special Groups leaders living in the area, said Benson.
In a continuing positive trend, National Policemen took the lead as U.S. Soldiers supported them through coaching, teaching and mentoring during the mission, explained Benson. In addition, the NPTT Soldiers were there to provide backup and a little more firepower if mission conditions called for it, he said, commenting that the National Police performed superbly.
“They’ve got great officers and (are) also developing a great non-commissioned officer corps,” said Benson.
Hakeem Jabar, an intelligence official with 1st Bn., 4th Bde., 1st NP Div., said he is proud of the work the National Police are doing as they improve the overall security for the people of Iraq.
The National Police has come a long way since Benson arrived as the NPTT intelligence advisor, he said. They have formed individual companies, 1st through 4th, and a Special Weapons and Tactics platoon, he cited as examples.
“They (National Police) got the mission late last night, prepared quite well and did their pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections,” explained Benson. Once NPTT Soldiers met with their National Police counterparts that morning, the policemen were ready to roll out and conduct the mission without any problems, he said.
Overall, National Police intelligence has improved from the very basic alerting of an improvised explosive device to now knowing specific information about the names and locations of IED makers, explained Benson.
Policemen from 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st National Police Division, led a clearing operation of the Al Amin power station and the surrounding area. Capt. Arthur Benson, an intelligence advisor with the 1st Bn., 4th Bde. 1st NP Div. NPTT explained that the Government of Iraq declared Al Amin an area where no weapons are allowed.
“Any household that had an AK-47 now does not,” said Benson, a Mount Hope, Kan. native assigned to 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, which is attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division- Baghdad.
U.S. Forces working with National Policemen gathered the intelligence that prompted the mission. Their intelligence indicated possible caches and Special Groups leaders living in the area, said Benson.
In a continuing positive trend, National Policemen took the lead as U.S. Soldiers supported them through coaching, teaching and mentoring during the mission, explained Benson. In addition, the NPTT Soldiers were there to provide backup and a little more firepower if mission conditions called for it, he said, commenting that the National Police performed superbly.
“They’ve got great officers and (are) also developing a great non-commissioned officer corps,” said Benson.
Hakeem Jabar, an intelligence official with 1st Bn., 4th Bde., 1st NP Div., said he is proud of the work the National Police are doing as they improve the overall security for the people of Iraq.
The National Police has come a long way since Benson arrived as the NPTT intelligence advisor, he said. They have formed individual companies, 1st through 4th, and a Special Weapons and Tactics platoon, he cited as examples.
“They (National Police) got the mission late last night, prepared quite well and did their pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections,” explained Benson. Once NPTT Soldiers met with their National Police counterparts that morning, the policemen were ready to roll out and conduct the mission without any problems, he said.
Overall, National Police intelligence has improved from the very basic alerting of an improvised explosive device to now knowing specific information about the names and locations of IED makers, explained Benson.
Zimbabwe Leaders Sign Agreement on Formal Talks
President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, the founding president of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have signed an agreement on the framework for formal talks. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg.
The agreement was signed in the presence of the mediator, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and was sealed with a handshake between President Robert Mugabe and MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai. It is the first time the two have met in 10 years.
Mr. Mbeki said that the agreement commits the parties to an intense program to finalize negotiations as soon as possible.
Mr. Mbeki said all the parties recognize the urgency of the issues they will negotiate and are committed to completing the process as soon as possible.
An African diplomat close to the process earlier told VOA the MDC was anxious to set deadlines for conclusion of negotiations within two weeks; and also time frames for implementation of any agreements reached in the talks.
During talks last year between the parties, adoption of a new constitution was agreed to, but no time frames were set. Mr. Mugabe reneged on an agreement that the constitution would be implemented in time for elections held earlier this year.
After signing the agreement, Mr. Mugabe said that he and the opposition leaders have agreed to various amendments to the constitution.
The talks will focus on the formation of a government of national unity and the cessation of violence.
It is expected that reaching agreement on a unity government will be very difficult. Mr. Mugabe has made it clear he wants to head that government and wants the opposition to recognize him as the legitimate president of the country.
Mr. Tsvangirai holds that to be untrue, given the findings of all observer groups in last month's widely discredited presidential runoff election that it was not free, not fair and failed to reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people.
Mr. Mugabe was the only candidate in that runoff after Mr. Tsvangirai withdrew because of widespread violence targeting his supporters and officials of his party.
It is widely expected the Zimbabwe talks will get under way within days.
The agreement was signed in the presence of the mediator, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and was sealed with a handshake between President Robert Mugabe and MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai. It is the first time the two have met in 10 years.
Mr. Mbeki said that the agreement commits the parties to an intense program to finalize negotiations as soon as possible.
Mr. Mbeki said all the parties recognize the urgency of the issues they will negotiate and are committed to completing the process as soon as possible.
An African diplomat close to the process earlier told VOA the MDC was anxious to set deadlines for conclusion of negotiations within two weeks; and also time frames for implementation of any agreements reached in the talks.
During talks last year between the parties, adoption of a new constitution was agreed to, but no time frames were set. Mr. Mugabe reneged on an agreement that the constitution would be implemented in time for elections held earlier this year.
After signing the agreement, Mr. Mugabe said that he and the opposition leaders have agreed to various amendments to the constitution.
The talks will focus on the formation of a government of national unity and the cessation of violence.
It is expected that reaching agreement on a unity government will be very difficult. Mr. Mugabe has made it clear he wants to head that government and wants the opposition to recognize him as the legitimate president of the country.
Mr. Tsvangirai holds that to be untrue, given the findings of all observer groups in last month's widely discredited presidential runoff election that it was not free, not fair and failed to reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people.
Mr. Mugabe was the only candidate in that runoff after Mr. Tsvangirai withdrew because of widespread violence targeting his supporters and officials of his party.
It is widely expected the Zimbabwe talks will get under way within days.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Spain's Supreme Court Clears 4 in Madrid Train Bombing Case
Spain's supreme court has overturned the convictions of four of the 21 people found guilty of involvement in the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people.
The four men had been convicted of charges ranging from membership of a terrorist group to supplying explosives.
The court also upheld a lower court's acquittal of one of the alleged masterminds of the al-Qaida inspired attacks, Rabei Ousmane Sayed Ahmed, also known as Mohammed the Egyptian.
The Supreme court said Thursday there was not enough evidence to condemn him as an organizer of the attack.
The early morning bombing of four packed commuter trains was the deadliest terror attack in the west since the September 11 attacks in the US in 2001.
The four men had been convicted of charges ranging from membership of a terrorist group to supplying explosives.
The court also upheld a lower court's acquittal of one of the alleged masterminds of the al-Qaida inspired attacks, Rabei Ousmane Sayed Ahmed, also known as Mohammed the Egyptian.
The Supreme court said Thursday there was not enough evidence to condemn him as an organizer of the attack.
The early morning bombing of four packed commuter trains was the deadliest terror attack in the west since the September 11 attacks in the US in 2001.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Israel, Hezbollah Swap Prisoners
Israel and the Lebanese Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah carried out a prisoner exchange Wednesday - swapping five Lebanese prisoners for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. VOA's Jim Teeple has details from our Jerusalem bureau.
Two years after they were abducted in a cross-border raid by Hezbollah guerillas, the remains of Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were brought to the Israeli border in plain black coffins.
Israel is handing over five Lebanese prisoners, including Samir Kantar who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a deadly terrorist attack in 1979. Israel is also releasing the bodies of 199 Lebanese and Palestinians killed in fighting with Israel, over the years.
The prisoner exchange is extremely controversial in Israel because Kantar was found guilty of killing an Israeli man, Danny Haran, and his four-year-old daughter as well as a policeman in the 1979 attack. Israel says Kantar killed the young girl by crushing her head with his rifle butt, something he denies. Another child in the family died after being accidentally smothered by her mother who was hiding from Kantar. Speaking before the prisoner exchange took place, Nina Keren, Danny Haran's mother criticized the deal.
"How can a government give freedom to such a man who did not show mercy to a small four-year-old girl," she said. "I think the government made a big mistake."
Relatives of the policeman killed in the 1979 attack lost a last-minute court appeal to block the prisoner exchange, which was approved by a cabinet vote of 22 to three, Tuesday.
Israel's military strongly argued for the prisoner exchange saying there can be no higher goal that getting Israeli prisoners back home - dead or alive. The widow of Danny Haran also supported the swap, as did the families of the two Israeli soldiers abducted two years ago. Yuli Tamir, Israel's minister of education, says the government did what it had to do.
"Kantar is a very cruel murderer. He murdered a whole family -- two little children and a father," he added. "Nevertheless, we felt we had the responsibility to bring our soldiers back home and the correct responsibility is for the families."
What happened to Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regav remains unclear. At least one of the two men was reported to be alive when they were seized, although both men were said to be badly wounded in the attack that led to their capture.
Israelis are also expressing disappointment that their government could not get more information from Hezbollah about the fate of Ron Arad, the Israeli airman who went missing in Lebanon in 1986.
Hours after Goldwasser and Regav were seized, Israel launched a massive bombing campaign in Lebanon and Hezbollah responded with thousands of rocket attacks against targets in northern Israel. More than one-thousand Lebanese and more than 150 Israelis were killed in the month-long conflict, before a United Nations-mediated ceasefire went into effect.
Two years after they were abducted in a cross-border raid by Hezbollah guerillas, the remains of Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were brought to the Israeli border in plain black coffins.
Israel is handing over five Lebanese prisoners, including Samir Kantar who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a deadly terrorist attack in 1979. Israel is also releasing the bodies of 199 Lebanese and Palestinians killed in fighting with Israel, over the years.
The prisoner exchange is extremely controversial in Israel because Kantar was found guilty of killing an Israeli man, Danny Haran, and his four-year-old daughter as well as a policeman in the 1979 attack. Israel says Kantar killed the young girl by crushing her head with his rifle butt, something he denies. Another child in the family died after being accidentally smothered by her mother who was hiding from Kantar. Speaking before the prisoner exchange took place, Nina Keren, Danny Haran's mother criticized the deal.
"How can a government give freedom to such a man who did not show mercy to a small four-year-old girl," she said. "I think the government made a big mistake."
Relatives of the policeman killed in the 1979 attack lost a last-minute court appeal to block the prisoner exchange, which was approved by a cabinet vote of 22 to three, Tuesday.
Israel's military strongly argued for the prisoner exchange saying there can be no higher goal that getting Israeli prisoners back home - dead or alive. The widow of Danny Haran also supported the swap, as did the families of the two Israeli soldiers abducted two years ago. Yuli Tamir, Israel's minister of education, says the government did what it had to do.
"Kantar is a very cruel murderer. He murdered a whole family -- two little children and a father," he added. "Nevertheless, we felt we had the responsibility to bring our soldiers back home and the correct responsibility is for the families."
What happened to Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regav remains unclear. At least one of the two men was reported to be alive when they were seized, although both men were said to be badly wounded in the attack that led to their capture.
Israelis are also expressing disappointment that their government could not get more information from Hezbollah about the fate of Ron Arad, the Israeli airman who went missing in Lebanon in 1986.
Hours after Goldwasser and Regav were seized, Israel launched a massive bombing campaign in Lebanon and Hezbollah responded with thousands of rocket attacks against targets in northern Israel. More than one-thousand Lebanese and more than 150 Israelis were killed in the month-long conflict, before a United Nations-mediated ceasefire went into effect.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Afghan President Directly Accuses Pakistani Agents of Violence
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has directly accused Pakistani agents for the first time of planning the deadly bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul last week.
Mr. Karzai said Monday that the bombing was among a series of recent attacks planned by Pakistani intelligence and military agents. The embassy attack killed more than 40 people last Monday.
Among the other violence he blamed on Pakistan was a suicide bombing that killed 24 people in Uruzgan province Sunday and the killing of two Afghan women in Gazni province.
Mr. Karzai did not offer any evidence to support his accusations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has denied Pakistan's involvement in the embassy bombing. He says his country is not interested in destabilizing Afghanistan.
President Karzai raised alarm in Pakistan last month when he threatened to send troops into Pakistan to fight militants there. He said Afghanistan would take action if Islamabad failed to address cross-border attacks.
Pakistan's new government has tried low-level talks with militant leaders to try to ease the violence in its border regions. After Mr. Karzai's threat, Pakistani officials said they also would use military force.
Mr. Karzai said Monday that the bombing was among a series of recent attacks planned by Pakistani intelligence and military agents. The embassy attack killed more than 40 people last Monday.
Among the other violence he blamed on Pakistan was a suicide bombing that killed 24 people in Uruzgan province Sunday and the killing of two Afghan women in Gazni province.
Mr. Karzai did not offer any evidence to support his accusations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has denied Pakistan's involvement in the embassy bombing. He says his country is not interested in destabilizing Afghanistan.
President Karzai raised alarm in Pakistan last month when he threatened to send troops into Pakistan to fight militants there. He said Afghanistan would take action if Islamabad failed to address cross-border attacks.
Pakistan's new government has tried low-level talks with militant leaders to try to ease the violence in its border regions. After Mr. Karzai's threat, Pakistani officials said they also would use military force.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Somali Insurgents Attack Military Base Near Baidoa
Officials in Somalia say insurgents have killed two people and wounded two others in an attack on an army camp near Baidoa, the home of the transitional parliament.
The Islamist insurgent group Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on the Daynunay military base.
Two days ago, Shabab insurgents fired mortars at the presidential palace and airport in Baidoa, killing at least two soldiers and wounding seven.
Somali's government dismissed that attack as a publicity stunt for the insurgent group, and said that Baidoa is functioning and safe.
Insurgents have briefly overrun more a dozen towns in Somalia in recent months in their fight against the interim government and its Ethiopian military allies.
Ethiopian troops entered Somalia two years ago to help the interim government fight an Islamist movement that was threatening to take over the country.
Somalia has been continuously torn by conflict since the fall of the last stable government in 1991.
U.S., Iraqi Forces Quell Violence Throughout Iraq
If you asked Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin in April which cities in Iraq were the hot spots and would be the focus of his forces’ efforts, he would have replied quickly: Basra, Mosul, Diyala and Baghdad’s Sadr City district.
But when reporters asked the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq about those same cities today during a media roundtable at Al Faw Palace here, his reply was quite different.
Today, the Iraqi government is “firmly in control of Baghdad, Basra and Mosul,” Austin said. “We’ve made some significant gains here in terms of security, and we hope that we can continue to build upon those.”
Coalition forces in Anbar province are in the process of handing over full control to the central government as well, he added.
A major reason for this change is the progression of Iraqi security forces, the general said. Since late March, when major operations began in northern, central and southern Iraq, violence and attack levels in the country have dipped to the lowest point in four years.
Attack levels are down more than 90 percent during the past year. And as Iraqi army and police units continue to mature, the coalition and Iraqi government have been able to shift more focus toward central services and other issues affecting Iraqis, according to military officials in Baghdad.
“Our efforts in conjunction with the efforts of the Iraqi security forces have been significant in reducing the number of attacks throughout the country,” Austin said. “[Iraqi security forces] have collected up a number of caches, and they’ve also conducted operations in Basra and Amarah. And as we watch that unfold, we see them take out a tremendous amount of lethal accelerants off the battlefield.”
Austin said he’s pleased with his force’s hard work, but continues to focus against finishing the fight with al-Qaida in the north and efforts against Iranian-backed “special groups criminals” in the south.
“We know that al-Qaida is a very resilient enemy, and I think we have to continue to keep the pressure on the remnants of its organization,” he said. “We also know that special groups criminal elements have left the country and have gone to Iran and other places with the intent to come back at some point. There is work to be done yet.”
Since Austin took the reins of Multinational Corps Iraq in February, the coalition’s “footprint has decreased over time,” he said. The last of the five surge brigades – the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team – goes home at the end of this month, and more than 300 troops scheduled to deploy less than a month ago were turned around. Their deployment was canceled due to the recent improvements here, Austin said.
Ground commanders now are working in expanded battle spaces with fewer troops than they had a year ago. Austin said his force has been able to operate in this capacity because of the way leaders have directed their assets and manpower, including Iraqi forces improvements.
As security maintains progress, coalition forces have the opportunity to shift more of their efforts toward central services for the Iraqi people, the general said.
“We have a long way to go, but we’re here to help ensure the Iraqi security forces provide sustainable security that’s going to allow the government to continue to grow and allow the economy to flourish,” he said.
But when reporters asked the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq about those same cities today during a media roundtable at Al Faw Palace here, his reply was quite different.
Today, the Iraqi government is “firmly in control of Baghdad, Basra and Mosul,” Austin said. “We’ve made some significant gains here in terms of security, and we hope that we can continue to build upon those.”
Coalition forces in Anbar province are in the process of handing over full control to the central government as well, he added.
A major reason for this change is the progression of Iraqi security forces, the general said. Since late March, when major operations began in northern, central and southern Iraq, violence and attack levels in the country have dipped to the lowest point in four years.
Attack levels are down more than 90 percent during the past year. And as Iraqi army and police units continue to mature, the coalition and Iraqi government have been able to shift more focus toward central services and other issues affecting Iraqis, according to military officials in Baghdad.
“Our efforts in conjunction with the efforts of the Iraqi security forces have been significant in reducing the number of attacks throughout the country,” Austin said. “[Iraqi security forces] have collected up a number of caches, and they’ve also conducted operations in Basra and Amarah. And as we watch that unfold, we see them take out a tremendous amount of lethal accelerants off the battlefield.”
Austin said he’s pleased with his force’s hard work, but continues to focus against finishing the fight with al-Qaida in the north and efforts against Iranian-backed “special groups criminals” in the south.
“We know that al-Qaida is a very resilient enemy, and I think we have to continue to keep the pressure on the remnants of its organization,” he said. “We also know that special groups criminal elements have left the country and have gone to Iran and other places with the intent to come back at some point. There is work to be done yet.”
Since Austin took the reins of Multinational Corps Iraq in February, the coalition’s “footprint has decreased over time,” he said. The last of the five surge brigades – the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team – goes home at the end of this month, and more than 300 troops scheduled to deploy less than a month ago were turned around. Their deployment was canceled due to the recent improvements here, Austin said.
Ground commanders now are working in expanded battle spaces with fewer troops than they had a year ago. Austin said his force has been able to operate in this capacity because of the way leaders have directed their assets and manpower, including Iraqi forces improvements.
As security maintains progress, coalition forces have the opportunity to shift more of their efforts toward central services for the Iraqi people, the general said.
“We have a long way to go, but we’re here to help ensure the Iraqi security forces provide sustainable security that’s going to allow the government to continue to grow and allow the economy to flourish,” he said.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Betancourt Calls for Softer Tone With Colombian Rebels
The former Colombian presidential candidate who was held captive by Marxist rebels for six years is calling for a softer tone in dealing with her former captors.
During an interview with Radio France International on Monday, Ingrid Betancourt called for an end to "radical, extremist vocabulary of hate and strong words that intimately wound the human being."
Betancourt was freed along with 14 other hostages during a dramatic rescue by the Colombian military last week.
The captors, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, are believed to be holding more than 700 other hostages in the Colombian jungles.
The government has said it is looking into opening direct contact with the rebels in an effort to win release of the hostages.
Betancourt told the El Tiempo newspaper on Monday that the FARC's high command is crumbling and rebels are finding it increasingly difficult to get food and supplies.
One of three Americans rescued along with Betancourt on Monday denounced the rebels as "terrorists."
Marc Gonzalves said the guerrillas refuse to acknowledge human rights and are lying when they claim to be fighting for Colombia's poor.
During an interview with Radio France International on Monday, Ingrid Betancourt called for an end to "radical, extremist vocabulary of hate and strong words that intimately wound the human being."
Betancourt was freed along with 14 other hostages during a dramatic rescue by the Colombian military last week.
The captors, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, are believed to be holding more than 700 other hostages in the Colombian jungles.
The government has said it is looking into opening direct contact with the rebels in an effort to win release of the hostages.
Betancourt told the El Tiempo newspaper on Monday that the FARC's high command is crumbling and rebels are finding it increasingly difficult to get food and supplies.
One of three Americans rescued along with Betancourt on Monday denounced the rebels as "terrorists."
Marc Gonzalves said the guerrillas refuse to acknowledge human rights and are lying when they claim to be fighting for Colombia's poor.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Betancourt to Return to Colombia 'In a Few Days'
Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt says she plans to return in a few days to Colombia, where she was held by FARC rebels for six years before her rescue last week.
Betancourt, a citizen of both France and Colombia, discussed her future plans in an interview published Sunday in France by the weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche. She said she wants to write a play about her experiences while in captivity.
She also sent a radio message from Paris to hostages still in rebel hands, urging them not to lose hope. Radio France International said Betancourt would send another message to the hostages on Monday.
A report in Chile in La Nacion newspaper says that country's president, Michelle Bachelet, plans to nominate Betancourt for the Nobel Peace Prize. Betancourt is a former Colombian presidential candidate.
On Friday, the U.S. national Independence Day holiday, three American men freed at the same time as Betancourt issued a statement of thanks to the Colombian and American governments.
The former hostages called Colombia's 40-year struggle with the FARC rebels a shining testament to the great spirit of the Colombian people.
Colombian military officials discovered a ton of explosives Saturday at a residence in a rural area outside the capital, Bogota. Military authorities say the explosives were hidden there by the FARC, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Officials in Bogota said Saturday the rebels may have been planning a massive bombing as a reprisal attack following Wednesday's rescue of 15 hostages - 11 Colombians as well as Betancourt and the three Americans.
The FARC, listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Colombia and the European Union, is believed to be holding more than 700 additional hostages in jungle locations.
Betancourt, a citizen of both France and Colombia, discussed her future plans in an interview published Sunday in France by the weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche. She said she wants to write a play about her experiences while in captivity.
She also sent a radio message from Paris to hostages still in rebel hands, urging them not to lose hope. Radio France International said Betancourt would send another message to the hostages on Monday.
A report in Chile in La Nacion newspaper says that country's president, Michelle Bachelet, plans to nominate Betancourt for the Nobel Peace Prize. Betancourt is a former Colombian presidential candidate.
On Friday, the U.S. national Independence Day holiday, three American men freed at the same time as Betancourt issued a statement of thanks to the Colombian and American governments.
The former hostages called Colombia's 40-year struggle with the FARC rebels a shining testament to the great spirit of the Colombian people.
Colombian military officials discovered a ton of explosives Saturday at a residence in a rural area outside the capital, Bogota. Military authorities say the explosives were hidden there by the FARC, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Officials in Bogota said Saturday the rebels may have been planning a massive bombing as a reprisal attack following Wednesday's rescue of 15 hostages - 11 Colombians as well as Betancourt and the three Americans.
The FARC, listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Colombia and the European Union, is believed to be holding more than 700 additional hostages in jungle locations.
Series of Explosions Hit Karachi, Pakistan
Pakistani police say at least one person has died after a string of bombs exploded Monday in the southern city of Karachi.
At least 25 others were injured when six small bombs were detonated within an hour of each other in neighborhoods dominated by ethnic Pashtuns.
Babar Khattak, Sindh province police chief, said the bombings were probably carried out to create panic and unrest.
Last month peace negotiations between the government and Pakistani Taliban militants broke down, after leader Baitullah Mehsud announced he was suspending talks. Mehsud vowed to retaliate after government forces launched an attack and captured a militant area in the Khyber tribal region.
Meanwhile in the capital, police investigating Sunday's suicide attack near the radical Red Mosque said they found the severed head of the suicide bomber responsible for the blast.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for that attack, which killed 18 people.
It happened just after several thousand Islamists had rallied nearby to mark the first anniversary of an army siege and raid on the Red Mosque. Officials said most of the victims were police.
President Pervez Musharraf condemned the bombing as a terrorist act.
More than 100 people were killed during fighting at the mosque in early July last year. Pakistan security forces stormed the compound after an eight-day siege. The mosque's hard-line clerics and supporters had waged a violent campaign to impose strict Taliban-style law in Pakistan.
At least 25 others were injured when six small bombs were detonated within an hour of each other in neighborhoods dominated by ethnic Pashtuns.
Babar Khattak, Sindh province police chief, said the bombings were probably carried out to create panic and unrest.
Last month peace negotiations between the government and Pakistani Taliban militants broke down, after leader Baitullah Mehsud announced he was suspending talks. Mehsud vowed to retaliate after government forces launched an attack and captured a militant area in the Khyber tribal region.
Meanwhile in the capital, police investigating Sunday's suicide attack near the radical Red Mosque said they found the severed head of the suicide bomber responsible for the blast.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for that attack, which killed 18 people.
It happened just after several thousand Islamists had rallied nearby to mark the first anniversary of an army siege and raid on the Red Mosque. Officials said most of the victims were police.
President Pervez Musharraf condemned the bombing as a terrorist act.
More than 100 people were killed during fighting at the mosque in early July last year. Pakistan security forces stormed the compound after an eight-day siege. The mosque's hard-line clerics and supporters had waged a violent campaign to impose strict Taliban-style law in Pakistan.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
3 contractors rescued in Colombia, return to U.S.
Three military contractors held captive by the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia were rescued by the Colombian military and returned to the U.S. July 2.
Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, all employees of the Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp., spent five years in captivity, making them the longest-held American hostages in the world at the time.
They were captured in February of 2003 after their drug-surveillance plane went down in the jungles of southern Colombia.
The men were flown directly to the U.S. aboard a C-17 Globemaster III, which landed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, shortly before midnight. From there, they were taken by helicopter to Brooke Army Medical Center to undergo tests and treatment.
Twelve others were rescued along with the Americans, including 11 Colombian police and soldiers and Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate.
Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, all employees of the Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp., spent five years in captivity, making them the longest-held American hostages in the world at the time.
They were captured in February of 2003 after their drug-surveillance plane went down in the jungles of southern Colombia.
The men were flown directly to the U.S. aboard a C-17 Globemaster III, which landed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, shortly before midnight. From there, they were taken by helicopter to Brooke Army Medical Center to undergo tests and treatment.
Twelve others were rescued along with the Americans, including 11 Colombian police and soldiers and Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate.
Former Hostage Betancourt Reunited With Children After Stunning Rescue
Former Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt has been reunited with her children, less than a day after a daring rescue in which she was freed after more than six years in rebel captivity.
Betancourt embraced and kissed her son and daughter Thursday in Bogota, in their first meeting since she was taken hostage in 2002. Her children traveled from France with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
Betancourt, who is to return to France with her children, spoke to reporters after the emotional reunion. She described her children as beautiful and also called for increased international efforts to help free those still being held captive by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a decades-old insurgency in the South American nation.
The French-Colombian politician and 14 other hostages - including three American defense contractors held for five years - were freed Wednesday.
Authorities say Colombian intelligence officials tricked the rebels into handing over their most prominent hostages for transport by helicopter to another location. Colombian officials say the hostages boarded what turned out to be a government helicopter that flew them to safety.
The White House says U.S. President George Bush was very excited about the release. Spokeswoman Dana Perino says the White House was aware of the operation in its planning stages, but it was conceived and executed by Colombians.
The three American U.S. government contractors: Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell were flown to a U.S Air Force base in Texas, where they are being reunited with their loved ones. They were captured in 2003 when their plane crashed during a counter-drug operation.
Betancourt was seized in 2002 while campaigning for the Colombian presidency.
The United States, Colombia and European Union have designated the FARC as a terrorist organization. The group is still believed to be holding more than 700 hostages in jungle locations.
Betancourt embraced and kissed her son and daughter Thursday in Bogota, in their first meeting since she was taken hostage in 2002. Her children traveled from France with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
Betancourt, who is to return to France with her children, spoke to reporters after the emotional reunion. She described her children as beautiful and also called for increased international efforts to help free those still being held captive by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a decades-old insurgency in the South American nation.
The French-Colombian politician and 14 other hostages - including three American defense contractors held for five years - were freed Wednesday.
Authorities say Colombian intelligence officials tricked the rebels into handing over their most prominent hostages for transport by helicopter to another location. Colombian officials say the hostages boarded what turned out to be a government helicopter that flew them to safety.
The White House says U.S. President George Bush was very excited about the release. Spokeswoman Dana Perino says the White House was aware of the operation in its planning stages, but it was conceived and executed by Colombians.
The three American U.S. government contractors: Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell were flown to a U.S Air Force base in Texas, where they are being reunited with their loved ones. They were captured in 2003 when their plane crashed during a counter-drug operation.
Betancourt was seized in 2002 while campaigning for the Colombian presidency.
The United States, Colombia and European Union have designated the FARC as a terrorist organization. The group is still believed to be holding more than 700 hostages in jungle locations.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Britain Announces Plans to Ban Hezbollah's Military Wing
The British government says it plans to place the entire military wing of the Lebanese Shi'ite Hezbollah movement on its list of banned terrorist organizations.
Britain's Home Office Wednesday accused the Shi'ite group of supporting terrorism in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.
It said that the new listing will make it a criminal offense to belong to, raise funds for and encourage support for Hezbollah's military wing.
The ban will not take affect until the British parliament approves it. Hezbollah's external security organization is already included on the terrorist list.
British officials say Hezbollah's political, social and humanitarian activities will remain unaffected.
Britain lists more than 40 groups as international terrorist organizations.
Last month, British lawmakers removed an Iranian opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, from its terrorist blacklist.
The decision came after a British court ruled the group had renounced violence in 2001 and should not longer be considered a terrorist organization.
Britain's Home Office Wednesday accused the Shi'ite group of supporting terrorism in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.
It said that the new listing will make it a criminal offense to belong to, raise funds for and encourage support for Hezbollah's military wing.
The ban will not take affect until the British parliament approves it. Hezbollah's external security organization is already included on the terrorist list.
British officials say Hezbollah's political, social and humanitarian activities will remain unaffected.
Britain lists more than 40 groups as international terrorist organizations.
Last month, British lawmakers removed an Iranian opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, from its terrorist blacklist.
The decision came after a British court ruled the group had renounced violence in 2001 and should not longer be considered a terrorist organization.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Aid Worker Killed, at Least 4 Kidnapped Near Somali Capital
Officials say one aid worker has been killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu, while at least four others have been kidnapped in a nearby town.
Somali officials say gunmen shot and killed the chairman of the Asal aid agency Monday in Mogadishu's Bakara market.
Also Monday, at least four other aid workers, with the Italian charity Water For Life, were kidnapped from the town of Afgooye.
Local officials say they were abducted from their car while traveling to Mogadishu.
Kidnappings have been on the rise in Somalia, which has not had a stable central government in 17 years.
Last week, pirates seized four foreign tourists in the Puntland region, while gunmen south of Mogadishu seized the head of local operations for the U.N. refugee agency.
Hostages in Somalia are generally released alive in exchange for large ransoms.
Suspicion for the kidnappings often falls on clan militias or Islamist insurgents who are fighting the Somali government and its Ethiopian military allies.
Somali officials say gunmen shot and killed the chairman of the Asal aid agency Monday in Mogadishu's Bakara market.
Also Monday, at least four other aid workers, with the Italian charity Water For Life, were kidnapped from the town of Afgooye.
Local officials say they were abducted from their car while traveling to Mogadishu.
Kidnappings have been on the rise in Somalia, which has not had a stable central government in 17 years.
Last week, pirates seized four foreign tourists in the Puntland region, while gunmen south of Mogadishu seized the head of local operations for the U.N. refugee agency.
Hostages in Somalia are generally released alive in exchange for large ransoms.
Suspicion for the kidnappings often falls on clan militias or Islamist insurgents who are fighting the Somali government and its Ethiopian military allies.
Guantanamo Detainee Charged for Role in USS Cole Attack
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2008 – A Saudi Arabian national being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been charged with planning and preparing for the attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 U.S. sailors and wounded 47 others, the Defense Department announced today.
Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was charged today in connection with the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the vessel as it awaited refueling in the Port of Aden in Yemen, Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann, legal advisor to the convening authority in the Office of Military Commissions, told Pentagon reporters today.
The chief prosecutor has recommended that the case be tried as a death-penalty case.
Susan J. Crawford, the convening authority, will review the case and determine which, if any, of the charges should be referred for trial by a military commission, Hartmann said. If she refers the case for trial, Crawford must also decide if she will refer it as a capital case.
The Nashiri swearing brings to 20 the number of detainees at Guantanamo Bay involved in the military commissions process, Hartmann said.
He noted that the military commissions process provides the accused several protections, including representation by a military counsel and a civilian counsel of his own choosing at no expense to the government. The protections, guaranteed by the Military Commissions Act, ensure that Nashiri “receives a fair trial consistent with American standards of justice,” Hartmann said.
Nashiri was charged today with conspiracy to violate the law of war, murder in violation of the law of war, treachery or perfidy, terrorism, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, providing material support to terrorism and attempted murder.
Charges brought against Nashiri today claim he rented apartments and facilities near the Port of Aden to prepare for an attack, bought the boat and explosives used in the attack and arranged for two co-conspirators to launch the attack.
During the attack, two men dressed as civilians are alleged to have piloted what looked like a small, civilian garbage barge up to the ship. The two men allegedly made friendly gestures to crewmembers aboard the ship before detonating explosives hidden in their boat that blasted a 40-foot hole in the side of Cole.
Nashiri also was charged with participating in the unsuccessful attack on the USS The Sullivans as it refueled in the Port of Aden on Jan. 3, 2000, and for helping attack the French supertanker SS Limburg in the Gulf of Aden on Oct. 6, 2002. That attack left one crewmember dead and spilled about 90,000 gallons of oil into the gulf.
Nashiri was arrested in October 2002 in the United Arab Emirates and was under CIA custody before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006.
Hartmann said the charges issued today result from an extensive investigation that brought together the intelligence and law enforcement communities. “We’d rather do it right. We’d rather do it thoroughly. We’d rather do it fairly than quickly,” he said.
If the Nashiri case goes to trial, Hartmann said the defense counsel will have the opportunity to argue points before the military judge, including allegations that Nashiri was subjected to the “waterboarding” interrogation technique by the CIA. “The judge, just as in any matter of law, will make a final decision as to the validity of any piece of evidence,” he said.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman emphasized the Defense Department’s commitment to “ensuring that both the process and the military commissions proceedings themselves are as transparent as possible, within the bounds of security and safety.”
The United States has used military commissions for war crime trials since the Revolutionary War, he noted.
|
Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was charged today in connection with the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the vessel as it awaited refueling in the Port of Aden in Yemen, Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann, legal advisor to the convening authority in the Office of Military Commissions, told Pentagon reporters today.
The chief prosecutor has recommended that the case be tried as a death-penalty case.
Susan J. Crawford, the convening authority, will review the case and determine which, if any, of the charges should be referred for trial by a military commission, Hartmann said. If she refers the case for trial, Crawford must also decide if she will refer it as a capital case.
The Nashiri swearing brings to 20 the number of detainees at Guantanamo Bay involved in the military commissions process, Hartmann said.
He noted that the military commissions process provides the accused several protections, including representation by a military counsel and a civilian counsel of his own choosing at no expense to the government. The protections, guaranteed by the Military Commissions Act, ensure that Nashiri “receives a fair trial consistent with American standards of justice,” Hartmann said.
Nashiri was charged today with conspiracy to violate the law of war, murder in violation of the law of war, treachery or perfidy, terrorism, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, providing material support to terrorism and attempted murder.
Charges brought against Nashiri today claim he rented apartments and facilities near the Port of Aden to prepare for an attack, bought the boat and explosives used in the attack and arranged for two co-conspirators to launch the attack.
During the attack, two men dressed as civilians are alleged to have piloted what looked like a small, civilian garbage barge up to the ship. The two men allegedly made friendly gestures to crewmembers aboard the ship before detonating explosives hidden in their boat that blasted a 40-foot hole in the side of Cole.
Nashiri also was charged with participating in the unsuccessful attack on the USS The Sullivans as it refueled in the Port of Aden on Jan. 3, 2000, and for helping attack the French supertanker SS Limburg in the Gulf of Aden on Oct. 6, 2002. That attack left one crewmember dead and spilled about 90,000 gallons of oil into the gulf.
Nashiri was arrested in October 2002 in the United Arab Emirates and was under CIA custody before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006.
Hartmann said the charges issued today result from an extensive investigation that brought together the intelligence and law enforcement communities. “We’d rather do it right. We’d rather do it thoroughly. We’d rather do it fairly than quickly,” he said.
If the Nashiri case goes to trial, Hartmann said the defense counsel will have the opportunity to argue points before the military judge, including allegations that Nashiri was subjected to the “waterboarding” interrogation technique by the CIA. “The judge, just as in any matter of law, will make a final decision as to the validity of any piece of evidence,” he said.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman emphasized the Defense Department’s commitment to “ensuring that both the process and the military commissions proceedings themselves are as transparent as possible, within the bounds of security and safety.”
The United States has used military commissions for war crime trials since the Revolutionary War, he noted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)