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Showing posts from January 13, 2013

Fight after Turkish politician threatened on stage with gun

The leader of Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish party escaped unharmed after a man jumped on stage at the party's national conference and pointed a gun at his head. Ahmet Doğan was giving a speech on stage when the man rushed up to his podium and aimed the gun. Footage appears to show the attacker attempting to fire at Doğan before the politican pushed the gun away. The unidentified attacker was then wrestled to the ground by delegates and repeatedly punched and kicked in the face. Police later confirmed in a statement that the 25-year-old attacker was armed with a gas pistol and two knifes. The gun appears to jam inches from the face of Ahmet Doğan, head of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms Party in Bulgaria, whow as speaking at the party's conference. Doğan pushed the gun away and the unidentified suspect was thrown to the ground by members of the party and repeatedly punched and kicked in the face. Police have confirmed that the 25-year-old suspect, who was detain

Algeria hostage crisis: latest as 10 Britons remain missing in desert

16.37 Philip Hammond has said that there are further British casualties, althought did not confirm the number. Meanwhile, Bob Dudley, BP's chief executive, said 14 out of 18 BP staff who were at the compound are safe. 16.25 El-Watan, the independent French-language newspaper in Algeria quoting official sources, is saying that the hostage-takers had given up hope of escaping and started killing foreigners, which then triggered the special forces' assault. Survivor Stephen McFaul told how he had Semtex strapped to his neck, which his kidnappers had threatened to detonate if there was any rescue attempts (Photo:Reuters) 16.17 According to the state news agency, the current death toll for hostages is 19, while 29 Islamist militants have been killed by Algerian special forces. 15.33 The hostage crisis has now "been brought to an end", according to Philip Hammond, the defence secretary. "The hostage situation has been brought to an end by a further assault

Updated: Bloody end to Algeria kidnap crisis

Algeria's four-day hostage stand-off came to a bloody end today when the country's special forces stormed the remote desert gas plant and killed 11 militants, but not before they in turn executed seven hostages, the state news agency reported. The report, quoting a security source, did not specify if any hostages or militants remained alive or give the nationalities of the dead. Algerian authorities estimated that around 30 militants occupied the In Amenas facility on Wednesday and, with 18 already reported dead, it appears the hostage crisis involving hundreds of plant workers is finally over. There was no official count of how many hostages were still being held by the final group of militants holed up in the gas refinery today, but the militants themselves had reported they were still holding three Belgians, two Americans, a Japanese and a Briton. The plant is jointly run by BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's state-owned oil company. An international outcr

Syria troops, rebels fight near bases in northeast

Syrian activists report intense fighting between government troops and rebels trying to tighten their siege of two military bases in the northeast. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees say rebels destroyed at least one tank near the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province on Saturday. Rebels have been attacking the nearby bases of Wadi Deif and Hamdiyeh for weeks. The Observatory said the rebels are trying to cut roads that supply the two bases. Besieged government bases are a recent focus of fighting in Syria’s conflict, which according to the U.N. has killed more than 60,000 people since March 2011. Last week rebels captured the nearby airbase of Taftanaz, dealing a significant blow to President Bashar Assad’s regime. Source http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/syria-troops-rebels-fight-near-bases-in-northeast/article4323208.ece

Syria Timeline: (1920 - 1961 - 2012) — French mandate to merger with Egypt and Ba’ath takeover to the uprising

Syria Timeline: (1920-1960) — From French mandate to merger with Egypt The Syrian Arab Republic (Al-Jumhūriyyah Al-‘Arabīyah As-Sūriyyah in Arabic) is the official name of modern day Syria, the land which could be as old as history itself. Its capital Damascus is arguably the oldest continuously inhabited in the world. Syria or Sham in Arabic is the seat of the Eblan civilisation of the third millennium B.C. Syria came into being after the World War I as a French mandate. The new landmass was the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled areas. 1920 Kingdom of Syria established by the Hashemite family’s Faisal I, who later became King of Iraq. Faisal I’s rule ends in few months as French troops defeat his forces at the Battle of Maysalun. Syria Put under a French mandate by the League of Nations 1925 Revolt against French rule led by Sultan al-Atrash breaks out in the Druze Mountain, spreads to whole of Syria and even parts of Lebanon. In August 23,

Algeria hostage crisis: 18 killed in final assault

Algeria’s special forces stormed a natural gas complex in the middle of the Sahara desert in a final assault on Saturday, killing 11 militants, but not before they in turn killed seven hostages, the state news agency reported. The report, quoting a security source, didn’t specify if any hostages or militants remained alive or give the nationalities of the dead. Algerian authorities estimated that around 30 militants occupied the Ain Amenas site on Wednesday and with 18 already reported dead, it appears the hostage crisis involving hundreds of plant workers is finally over. There was no official count of how many hostages were still being held by the final group of militants holed up in the gas refinery on Saturday, but the militants themselves had reported they were still holding three Belgian, two Americans, a Japanese and a Briton. The plant is jointly run by BP, Norway’s Statoil and Algeria’s state-owned oil company. An international outcry mounted over the Algerians’ hand

Far-right UVF behind Northern Ireland “flag protests”

Northern Ireland’s “flag protests” are being manipulated by allies of the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The right-wing terrorist organisation has a decades-long record of sectarian murder, intimidation and drug dealing and is responsible for the some of the most notorious massacres of “The Troubles”. Significant numbers of young people have been drawn into the protests, many of which are being organised through Facebook pages. The protests began last December following a vote by Belfast City Council to fly both the British union flag and the Irish tricolour for 17 days each year over Belfast City Hall. Some 1,500 people, many waving union flags and shouting loyalist slogans, protested the decision and threatened to invade the council meeting. Previously, the union flag was on display 365 days a year. The move, initiated by Sinn Fein, now the largest party on the city council, was opposed by both the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Par

Turkey raids target Marxist group

Friday, 18 January 2013 Dozens of people, including 15 lawyers, with suspected links to a banned Marxist group have been arrested in raids by police across Turkey. Helicopters were used in some of the early morning raids in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and other cities. They were targeting members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKP-C), a group blamed for a number of attacks in Turkey since the 1970s. It is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, Europe and the United States. The group opposes Turkey's membership of Nato and what it describes as Western imperialism. At least 85 people were arrested in the raids, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reports. Among them are said to be 15 lawyers working for a firm in Istanbul that is known to defend left-wing activists. One newspaper said they were accused of "transferring instructions" from the group's imprisoned leaders to "militants". But a Turkish lawyers' association, CHD,

Burma ceasefire 'holds' in Kachin

Saturday, 19 January 2013 A ceasefire announced by the Burmese military fighting rebels in northern Kachin state appears to be holding. Rebels have told the BBC there was some sporadic shelling, and reports of fighting, in the hours after the truce, which has since died down. But rebel soldiers on the frontline remain wary and nervous, the BBC's Jonathan Head reports from Kachin. The military said on Friday it would end offensive attacks "except in self defence" from 06:00 on Saturday. A spokesman for the rebels told the BBC Burmese service that there was shelling at Lajaryan, some six miles (10km) south of their stronghold Laiza, between 09:00 and 13:00 on Saturday but it has been quiet since. Fighting has also been reported in the areas of Pha Kant and Moe Mate, he said without giving further details. The BBC's Jonathan Head, in Kachin, says none of the rebels are prepared to believe that the army they have been fighting for the last 18 months is ready

How independent is the reporting in Mali?

Normally, neither side in a conflict is interested in a neutral coverage of events on the battlefield. Mali is no exception. A journalist wanting to report from the warzone has a tough time of it there. As Marc Dugge, a radio correspondent for the ARD (Germany's public broadcaster) headed for the warzone, he was stopped 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the front. "We have orders not to let reporters through," a soldier in uniform explained, adding "especially, no whites." Julien Sauvaget, a journalist at news channel France24, has reported similar obstacles. "The colleagues from Al Jazeera and Reuters had their cameras taken away for several hours in the capital Bamako," he said. "That is an indication that they want to restrict free reporting." Limited movement Reporters Without Borders (RWB) actively supports efforts around the world for media and information freedom. "The situation for journalists is one of very restricted

Tens of thousands march for rights of Basque prisoners

Tens of thousands have marched in Spain to demand rights for imprisoned members of the Basque separatist organization ETA. Several French politicians and members of the Irish Republican party Sinn Fein participated. The event, in the Basque capital of Bilbao, was attended by several high-ranking regional politicians and celebrities such as Pilar Bardem, mother of the Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem, and former UNESCO Secretary-General Federico Mayor Zaragoza. No violence was reported. Organized by a nonviolent civil initiative for prisoners known as Herrira, the protest carried the slogan "Human rights, resolution, peace. Basque prisoners back home." Some protesters waved Catalan flags in solidarity with the northeastern Spanish region that often, too, entertains the idea of independence. As part of an amendment to a 1975 anti-terrorism law, Basque separatists are dispersed to prisons across Spain and France to make it more difficult for them to communicate with one

'ELN' kidnaps 3 foreigners, 2 Colombians in northern Colombia

FRIDAY, 18 JANUARY 2013 10:29 OLLE OHLSEN PETTERSSON Colombia's second largest rebel group, ELN, allegedly kidnapped three foreigners and two Colombians in northern Colombia. Caracol Radio initially reported that the foreigners, employees of an oil or mining company active in the area, were Dutch and Canadian. However, later on the radio station retracted this claim and said the victims were Peruvian and Canadian. This was confirmed by Armed Forces Commander General Alejandro Navas. "Around 05:00 Friday morning a group of 25 ELN bandits kidnapped five people, a Candadian, two Peruvians and two Colombians," said Navas in a statement. According to CBC News, the kidnapped group worked for the Toronto-based Braeval Mining company. The alleged kidnapping took place in the southern part of the Caribbean Bolivar department. Military sources said the kidnapping was carried out by members of the ELN's "Simon Bolivar" Column, which is active in the area

1,600 members of criminal armed groups captured in 2012: Police

FRIDAY, 18 JANUARY 2013 14:44 OLLE OHLSEN PETTERSSON Colombian police claimed to have captured over 1,600 members of illegal armed groups during 2012, local media reported on Friday. Police said that out of more than 1,600 arrests, 684 members of these groups had been tried and sentenced in court during the course of the year, according to newspaper El Tiempo. The gangs, known by the government-imposed term “Bacrim,” or emergent criminal groups, are thought to have a presence in large portions of Colombia. Most of the captured belonged to the drug gang ''Los Rastrojos'' (683), followed by the neo-paramilitary group ''Los Urabeños'' (483), ''ERPAC'' (239) and ''Los Paisas'' with 173. The rest of the captured belonged to other criminal groups, reported newspaper El Heraldo. The largest of the them, Los Urabeños, is considered the heir of the notorious disbanded paramilitary group AUC, although the organization is

Venezuela Will Continue To Support Colombia Peace Talks With FARC Rebels, Foreign Minister Says

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela's vice president and foreign minister assured Colombia's top diplomat on Friday that their government is willing to keep backing peace talks between the Colombian government and leftist rebels. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has expressed support for the talks in Havana, and newly appointed Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said that policy would continue. "Vice President Nicolas Maduro and I reiterated all our willingness to accompany the Colombian people's effort for peace," Jaua said after meeting with Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin. Maduro was present during part of their meeting, which came several days after talks between representatives of the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia resumed in Cuba following a holiday break. Delegates from Venezuela and Chile have been designated as facilitators for the talks between the rebel group known as the FARC and Colombia's governm

FARC planned to bomb police, military targets in Bogota

Friday, 18 January 2013 08:12 Narayan Buckley Colombia's National Police on Friday claimed that FARC, the country's largest left-wing rebel group, planned to attack police and military academies in Bogota. The National Police uncovered a weapons cache in the town of Palma, near Bogota, which reportedly contained more than 550 pounds of exposives, six grenades, over 49 feet of detonating cord and, the most crucial piece of evidence, maps of three military and police academies. Colombia's National Police director, Jose Roberto Leon Riaño, confirmed the amounts of the contraband found during the operation. "We found a load that contains 250 kilos (550 pounds) of anfo -- explosives of high destructive power, 6 grenades, a few maps of the terrorist targets," said Riano. Police suspect that Luz Yenny Hernandez, alias "La Caponera," was responsible for planning the attack. It is alleged that Hernandez had been trying to reestablish FARC's '2

Review: Latin America needs more Uribes

By Raul Gallegos Latin America needs more leaders like Alvaro Uribe. “No Lost Causes,” the former Colombian president’s account of his administration, may at times be self-serving. But it shows how he helped turn a war-torn Colombia from a near-failed state to a top investment destination. Uribe’s security gains remain frail, but his successes dwarf those of his leftist peers in Latin America. Uribe’s story is as remarkable as it is unlikely. When he took office in 2002, a weak government was quickly losing a war against right-wing militias and one-time Marxist rebels, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The insurgents were financed by extortion, kidnappings and a flourishing drug trade. At its worst, the drug business accounted for more than 6 percent of GDP and Colombians paid as much as $350 million in ransom to criminals annually. The economy was in shambles. GDP grew a mere 1.9 percent in 2002 and foreign direct investment inflows, at a four-year average of

Colombian gov’t seeks faster pace in FARC talks

The Associated Press Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013 | 3:09 a.m. Colombia's delegation to peace talks with FARC rebels is heading back to Cuba to resume negotiations, and its chief says it's time to accelerate the pace and get some measurable results toward ending the half-century-old conflict. Humberto de la Calle told reporters Sunday after the team met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos that a "faster pace" is needed. He asked society and the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia for help. The talks formally began in Havana in November and paused for a holiday break. They have been focusing on agricultural reform, the thorniest topic on a five-point agenda. Analysts say Santos will need to show results sooner than later if he wishes to win re-election next year. A FARC unilateral cease-fire is set to end Jan. 20. Source http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jan/19/lt-colombia-peace-talks/

Poorly Secured Remote Energy Facilities Invite Terrorist Attacks

BY KEITH JOHNSON AND DANIEL GILBERT The terrorist attack on a remote gas field in Algeria has underscored security risks facing energy installations in unstable parts of the world, and analysts say the Algerian attack could be just the beginning of a wave of similar strikes at other potentially vulnerable facilities. The rise in al Qaeda-linked activity in Mali and Algeria is a complication for international oil and gas companies still navigating the fallout from the Arab Spring, the Libyan civil war, unrest and domestic terrorism in Nigeria, and continued maritime piracy off the coasts of Africa. It also adds pressure on regional governments to boost investment on security Source http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323783704578250121106462696.html

‘NPA Rebels kill informant’

BY GILBERT BAYORAN A civilian suspected to be a military informant was shot dead in Barangay Riverside, Isabela, Negros Occidental, by two alleged members of the New People’s Army, Wednesday, the day after the ceasefire ended. Capt. Ariel Quirog, 11th Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations officer, yesterday said the victim, Dennis Belando de la Paz, was shot by the two rebels, who were armed with an M-16 assault rifle and .45 caliber pistol, at his residence in the place on Wednesday. He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Quirog said the NPA got angry with civilians who tipped the Army about the presence of a rebel camp in Barangay San Agustin, Isabela, that led to an encounter and its seizure on Dec. 13, 2012. The killing of de la Paz, 28, also took place as members of the fact-finding team of the Commission on Human Rights were investigating the outcome of the Barangay San Agustin encounter. Investigation by the Isabela police showed that the two armed men were

Tens of thousands gather in Turkey for Kurd activists' funeral

Tens of thousands gathered Thursday for the funeral ceremony of three Kurdish activists who were shot dead in Paris in an attack many believe was an attempt to derail peace talks. Kurdish legislators, meanwhile, vowed to support peace efforts to end the decades-long conflict between Turkey and autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels. The three female activists, including Sakine Cansiz, a founding member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, were slain last week at a time when Turkey is engaged in talks with the rebels’ jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to persuade his group to disarm. Up to 50,000 mourners assembled behind the victims’ coffins draped in the flags of the PKK at a square in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir for a funeral ceremony before separate burials set to take place in the victims’ hometowns Friday. The chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, Selahattin Demirtas, told the crowd that the killings would not deter Kurds from seeking peace.

NDF calls Oplan Bayanihan a failure

If the National Democratic Front is to be believed, the Oplan Bayanihan and similar campaign plans implemented by the Armed Forces Central Command and Army’s 3rd Infantry Division in Negros, a priority area for clearing of local insurgents since 2008, ended as a failure. Frank Fernandez, the NDF-Negros spokesman, said that contrary to military claims that the number of New People’s Army rebels is fast dwindling and the revolutionary movement continues to weaken, “the truth speaks otherwise because every year the revolutionary forces accumulate strength.” Military records show that the number of armed NPA members significantly dropped from its peak of about 1,200 in the late 1980’s to about 200 this year. Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, also reported the surrender of 77 rebels, who have availed of livelihood and financial assistance from the provincial government of Negros, as well as from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process. NDF-Negros a

Nepal, Maoist Prime Minister accused of hiding war massacres

- Asia News Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - For the first time in the history of Nepal, a Court of Appeal has summoned Prime Minister Baburan Bhattarai and the Attorney General Mukti Narayan Pradhan. They are accused of "contempt of court" for the detention of the trials against former Maoist cadres accused of crimes against humanity, ordered by the Prime Minister without the approval of the judges. Bhattarai and Narayan Pradhan must appear within one week of notification. The two risk a year in prison. The case exploded on January 9 after the arrest of Lachhiram Gharti, formerly part of the Maoist militia. He is the alleged murderer of Dekendra Raj Thapa, a journalist killed by Maoist militias in Dailekh (northern Nepal) in 2004 during the civil war (1995 - 2006). According to police, the man had confessed his responsibility for the murder, involving at least nine former Maoist cadres close to the Prime Minister. To avoid a scandal, Bhattarai and Narayan Pradhan suspended the he

US Air Force finds pornography, 'offensive' material in inspections

San Antonio: The U.S. Air Force, reeling from a scandal over sexual abuse of female recruits, said on Friday a search of its facilities across the globe turned up tens of thousands of items it considered to be "offensive, inappropriate or pornographic." The inspections of public areas on Air Force facilities over 12 days in December were aimed at heightening awareness among personnel about sexual violence and professionalism in the workplace, said Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh. "I talked with airmen across the force and believe that some units were not meeting those standards," he said. "Every airman deserves to be treated with respect. They also deserve to work in a professional environment." The Air Force was rocked last year by revelations that female recruits were sexually abused at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. 11 instructors at the base, the home of all Air Force basic military training, have been charged with of

Mysterious Pakistani cleric calls off mass anti-govt sit-in

17 jan 2013 A Muslim cleric with a history of ties to the military who has been calling for the Pakistani government to resign reached a deal with the administration on Thursday that will give him a say in the electoral process ahead of elections. Muhammad Tahirul Qadri triggered a political crisis by launching mass protests in the capital four days ago. He has been calling for the military to play a role in the formation of the caretaker administration that takes over in the run-up to scheduled elections. "We have reached an agreement," Qadri, who supported an army coup in 1999, told supporters camped out near parliament. "Allah granted us a victory and now you can go home." Qadri persuaded the government to dissolve parliament before a scheduled date of March 16 so that elections, due in May, can take place within 90 days, and also to discuss electoral reforms, according to a copy of the agreement released by his spokesman. A government source and offici

Expert: Islamists' Algeria raid could inspire copycat attacks

This satellite image provide by DigitalGlobe from Oct. 8, 2012 shows the In Amenas gas field in Algeria, which is jointly operated by BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's Sonatrach. By Michelle Kosinski, Correspondent, NBC News The audacious assault by Islamist militants on a gas plant in Algeria that led to the capture of scores of hostages could spark copycat attacks, a terrorism expert warned Friday. Terrorism analyst Evan Kohlmann, an NBC News contributor who has worked for the FBI, said that other groups would almost certainly be watching closely as the militant fighters led by Mokhtar bel Mokhtar seized the giant facility near In Amenas — and might be inspired. "(Militant groups) are all vying for attention — for fighters, for financing. They see this, they see the attention it gets," said Kohlmann, who has written about the enigmatic bel Mokhtar in the past. Bel Mokhtar has been called "The Uncatchable" by French intelligence, along with &quo

Paul Russell: Canadians voice surprising support for the NRA

The issue of gun control is often a source of lively debate on the National Post’s Letters page. A new twist was added to that discussion this week — the views of the National Rifle Association (NRA). While that group is often portrayed in the media as nothing more than a lobby group for gun owners and manufacturers, we heard from at least a dozen Canadian letter writers who claim the NRA is more of a civil rights organization — with a mission to ensure that a vital part of the U.S. Constitution is adhered to. “The Second Amendment is not about hunting, target shooting, or even self defence,” wrote Bryan Moir. “It is about the tyranny of government. It was born from a profound first-hand experience of how loyal British subjects were betrayed on April 19, 1775 by their government, which sent soldiers to seize guns and ammunition. This is why Americans, and in particular the NRA, are adamant in defending and preserving the Second Amendment. They know the tyranny of government.” Mr. M

Pakistan suffers unprecedented winter of attacks as militants seek 'piece of the pie'

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- In Pakistan's complicated and multiple insurgencies, killing is cyclical. The onset of winter traditionally marks the end of the militants' "fighting season" and heralds a lull in attacks. But this year is different. Pakistan is facing an extraordinary surge in terrorist activity. The country is reeling from an intense spate of organized militancy that has crossed international borders and morphed from an anti-Western jihad in Afghanistan to an anti-state and sectarian movement deep inside Pakistan. The increasingly sophisticated and high-profile attacks have killed scores. They include at least 114 people who were slain in a series of attacks on Jan. 10, a day which was later dubbed "Black Thursday." This uptick in violence in Pakistan comes as Islamabad is trying to improve its relationship with Kabul and Washington. It is seen as a message from insurgents: They are not going anywhere. "With the end in sight, and the

Diplomats bite tongues over Algerian operation

For the moment, most nations with citizens seized by the Islamist kidnappers in Algeria are choosing their words diplomatically about the ill-fated attempt to rescue the hostages. But when the smoke clears, and the full extent of the casualties is known, they will be blunter in their criticism of the tactics adopted by the Algerians in their rescue mission – not least because they shunned offers of help and advice on how to handle a siege. There was dismay and horror within the British Government on Thursday night when it emerged that the Algerians had deployed helicopter gunships to attack vehicles packed with passengers, including hostages. According to one account, the instinctive reaction of one senior figure was: "Please, God, what are they doing?" One fear will be that the Algerians were so determined to strike at the terrorists that they placed too little emphasis on the need to protect the lives of hostages. The episode will also bring home to the Government its