MADRID—Spain and Venezuela headed toward a potential diplomatic face-off after a Spanish judge on Monday accused Caracas of collaborating with rebel groups to assassinate Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and other top political figures.
Spanish National Court Judge Eloy Velasco alleged Monday that the Venezuelan government had collaborated with Basque separatist group ETA and Colombia's main guerrilla group in a plot against leaders living in or traveling to Spain that began in late 2003.
VANCOUVER - A mentally unstable man was reportedly able to get within a few metres of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden last Friday during opening ceremonies for the Vancouver Olympics.
Bud Mercer, the RCMP assistant commissioner who is leading the security unit at the Games, told CTV the man was using a fake pass when he was intercepted by security unit officers before he got near Biden.
But earlier, the man managed to fool the civilian screeners checking tickets and passes at an entrance to B.C. Place Stadium, where more than 60,000 people were watching the ceremonies.
The main security concern had been a demonstration by more than 1,500 anti-Olympic protesters, which was confronting police outside the stadium.VANCOUVER - A mentally unstable man was reportedly able to get within a few metres of... more
A few weeks ago we asked if Israel assassinated a senior member of Hamas in Dubai. Authorities in Dubai had blamed the death by electrocution of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior military operative of Hamas on assassins who then fled the country. Well this week the plot, it seems, has thickened. Dubai investigators released this video from CCTV cameras they say show the 17 member hit squad.
Eleven of the suspects names have been released as well as their passport photos. They were (unsurprisingly) traveling under fake names - the names of Israeli EU passport holders who deny any involvement in the affair. Here are the photos.
Israel for its part denies having anything to do with the killing, though no one expects the Mossad to come out and claim responsibility anyway. The best backgrounder on this thus far comes from True/Slant's Neal Ungerleider (love that guy!) who writes:
The Israeli intelligence agency certainly has the motives and the means. The modus operandi also fits prior Mossad operations. However, certain facts don’t add up. Mossad agents have had a long presence in the United Arab Emirates, which Israel has long held discrete economic and trade relations with. Presumably, had the Mossad been responsible, agents who had staked out the hotel prior would have been aware of the locations of both public and hidden CCTV cameras. The agents caught on camera, while highly professional, engaged in some odd behavior. The donning of fake beards and glasses in view of security cameras is one. Using the names of Israeli citizens for fake passports is another — what security agency would implicate their own citizens? Additionally, there is always the possibility of a false flag operation — where a foreign intelligence agency killed al-Mabhouh for their own purposes, while making it look like a Mossad killing.
But who could possibly want to implicate Israel in an assassination? (I kid.) Who do you think is responsible? Take a wild guess? Sloppy Mossad operatives? False flag flying Iranian Revolutionary Guardsmen? Give us your best Dubai assassination theory in the comments.A few weeks ago we asked if Israel assassinated a senior member of Hamas in Dubai.... more
Six British men and a blonde Irish woman are among an alleged hit squad wanted in Dubai for the assassination of a Hamas commander in his luxury hotel room.
Gail Folliard is said to be part of an 11-strong gang - some wearing fake beards and wigs - who disguised themselves with tennis clothes and rackets in a highly orchestrated murder.
They arrived on separate flights and spent less than a day in the emirate, tracking their victim to his five-star residence near the airport before ambushing and suffocating him.
It was earlier alleged he was electrocuted before being murdered.
Dubai's chief of police, Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, last night named six British and three Irish nationals among the killers.
The other members of the gang were French and German. Within 19 hours of the attack on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh on January 20, the assassins fled Dubai, heading to airports in Europe and Asia.
It is believed a request has been placed with Interpol for arrest warrants for the gang.
The Foreign Office last night said it was 'seeking further information', while the Irish government said it was 'awaiting clarification'.
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement, denied al-Mabhouh - one of the founders of the group's military wing - was en route to Iran, one of the group's major backers.
They paid for all expenses in cash and used different mobile phone cards to avoid traces, he added.
At least two suspected members of the hit squad watched al-Mabhouh check in at his hotel and later booked a room across from the Hamas commander, Tamim said.
He added that there was ‘serious penetration into al-Mabhouh's security prior to his arrival’ in Dubai, but that it appeared al-Mabhouh was travelling alone.
Other reports suggested he was in Dubai to buy weapons for the organisation.
Top Hamas figures have accused Israeli agents of killing him.
Al-Mabhouh, who was found without injuries to his body, according to initial reports from Palestinian sources, barricaded the door of his room with chairs.
Lt Gen Tamin did not name Israel, but said it was possible that 'leaders of certain countries gave orders to their intelligence agents to kill' al-Mabhouh.
He said the attackers had advance knowledge of the victim's movements.
CCTV footage shows the female member of the gang wearing a wig, big hat and sunglasses to blend in with tourists after arriving in Dubai the day before al-Mabhouh was found dead.
Others in the hit squad were also seen dressed as holidaymakers, wearing tennis clothes and carrying rackets.
The footage also showed them gathering in groups at the hotel. All of the gang paid for their expenses in cash and used different mobile phone cards to avoid being traced.
Several followed al-Mabhouh to his room before checking in across the hall, investigators said.
Four assassins then entered his room while he was out, using an electronic device to open the door and then locking it from the inside, police said.
In a statement released last month, Hamas acknowledged that al-Mabhouh was involved in the kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers in 1989.
They added that he had played a 'continuous role in supporting his brothers in the resistance inside the occupied homeland'.
The British suspects are Melvyn Mildiner, Stephen Hodes, Paul Keeley, Jonathan Graham, James Clarke and Michael Barney.
Folliard, Evan Dennings and Kevin Daveron are the alleged Irish assassins.
US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said on Wednesday that government agencies have a policy of assassinating Americans overseas as required by the “war on terror.”
Such killings are illegal under international law, but they have become standard procedure for the American military and intelligence agencies, under the euphemism of “targeted killings.” They are now common as part of the full-scale military occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as in other countries targeted by the US, including Pakistan and Yemen.
Now, the US government openly asserts the right to kill US citizens abroad without protest from either of the corporate political parties.US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said on Wednesday that government... more
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior military operative of Hamas, was found dead in a hotel room in Dubai last week. Authorities said he'd been electrocuted.
Authorities in Dubai confirmed al-Mabhouh was found dead in a hotel room a day after entering the emirate. Dubai's government said in a statement that initial investigations show the crime was likely committed by a "professional criminal gang," and that the suspects left the country before the body was discovered.
His compatriots blame Israeli assassins. Israel has not yet responded to the accusation.
The Washington Post's Dana Priest today reports that "U.S. military teams and intelligence agencies are deeply involved in secret joint operations with Yemeni troops who in the past six weeks have killed scores of people." That's no surprise, of course, as Yemen is now another predominantly Muslim country (along with Somalia and Pakistan) in which our military is secretly involved to some unknown degree in combat operations without any declaration of war, without any public debate, and arguably (though not clearly) without any Congressional authorization. The exact role played by the U.S. in the late-December missile attacks in Yemen, which killed numerous civilians, is still unknown.
But buried in Priest's article is her revelation that American citizens are now being placed on a secret "hit list" of people whom the President has personally authorized to be killed:
After the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush gave the CIA, and later the military, authority to kill U.S. citizens abroad if strong evidence existed that an American was involved in organizing or carrying out terrorist actions against the United States or U.S. interests, military and intelligence officials said. . . .
The Obama administration has adopted the same stance. If a U.S. citizen joins al-Qaeda, "it doesn't really change anything from the standpoint of whether we can target them," a senior administration official said. "They are then part of the enemy."
Both the CIA and the JSOC maintain lists of individuals, called "High Value Targets" and "High Value Individuals," whom they seek to kill or capture. The JSOC list includes three Americans, including [New Mexico-born Islamic cleric Anwar] Aulaqi, whose name was added late last year. As of several months ago, the CIA list included three U.S. citizens, and an intelligence official said that Aulaqi's name has now been added.
Indeed, Aulaqi was clearly one of the prime targets of the late-December missile strikes in Yemen, as anonymous officials excitedly announced -- falsely, as it turns out -- that he was killed in one of those strikes.
Just think about this for a minute. Barack Obama, like George Bush before him, has claimed the authority to order American citizens murdered based solely on the unverified, uncharged, unchecked claim that they are associated with Terrorism and pose "a continuing and imminent threat to U.S. persons and interests." They're entitled to no charges, no trial, no ability to contest the accusations. Amazingly, the Bush administration's policy of merely imprisoning foreign nationals (along with a couple of American citizens) without charges -- based solely on the President's claim that they were Terrorists -- produced intense controversy for years. That, one will recall, was a grave assault on the Constitution. Shouldn't Obama's policy of ordering American citizens assassinated without any due process or checks of any kind -- not imprisoned, but killed -- produce at least as much controversy?
Obviously, if U.S. forces are fighting on an actual battlefield, then they (like everyone else) have the right to kill combatants actively fighting against them, including American citizens. That's just the essence of war. That's why it's permissible to kill a combatant engaged on a real battlefield in a war zone but not, say, torture them once they're captured and helplessly detained. But combat is not what we're talking about here. The people on this "hit list" are likely to be killed while at home, sleeping in their bed, driving in a car with friends or family, or engaged in a whole array of other activities.
More at the link:The Washington Post's Dana Priest today reports that "U.S. military teams... more
In recent weeks Israel has escalated its practice of assassinations in the West Bank and Gaza. At the end of December, Israeli special forces broke into the Nablus homes of Anan Subih, Raed Surkaji, and Ghassan Abu Sharekh and killed them. Official Israeli sources linked the three to the killing of Israeli settler Meir Avshalom Hai who was killed while driving to the illegal outpost in which he lived. The killings are the latest in Israel's long-time practice of assassinations, illegal under international law. Many contradictory reports have surfaced over the December 26 assassinations. The Real News' Lia Tarachansky spoke to the families of two of the killed.In recent weeks Israel has escalated its practice of assassinations in the West Bank... more
MEHMET Ali Agca, the Turk who tried to kill Pope John Paul II in 1981, is set to walk free on Monday after almost three decades behind bars, planning to cash in on his turbulent past with million-dollar media projects, and to get married.
An Iranian nuclear scientist and university lecturer has been killed by a remote-controlled bomb in Tehran, and the Iranian state broadcaster has immediately implicated the U.S. and Israel as behind it. Though at first I suspected this was normal anti-west rhetoric from the Iranian government, supposedly bombs in the capital are quite rare, and one that only killed one person who looks as no interest to anyone who isn't wanting Iran to gain nuclear weapons was the only casualty?
What do others think?An Iranian nuclear scientist and university lecturer has been killed by a... more
This will be the first official visit of Lebanon's majority leader of Lebanon since the assassination of Rafik Hariri in February 2005.
A five-hour meeting is planned between Hariri and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, during which the two men are anticipated to discuss relations between their two countries. Since the assassination of his father, Rafik Hariri in February 2005 during a bombing that had killed a total of 22, the son of the former prime minister had no contact with the government nor the Syrian administration.
The former prime minister Hariri advocated the withdrawal of Syria from Lebanon, and his assassination in 2005 put Syria in the hot seat, despite official denials of involvement from Syria. U.S. officials at the time condemned Syria for destabilizing the region.~y2009m12d19-Lebanons-Hariri-to-make-first-official-visit-to-Syria--slide-show
This... more
Odd Ways to Die,....er,....Dye?
......and the ground shall run red with...
Tomatina is a town-wide tomato fight, held in Buñol, Spain. It’s held on the last Wednesday of every August. The brawl begins and ends with the firing of a cannon; it lasts between one and two hours, depending on the quantity of tomatoes available. Safety rules demand that you squish the tomato in your hand before you whip it at someone.
In WWII, the U.S. was looking for a way to attack Japan. The idea was the bats would carry small incendiary devices; as the bats went to roost in attics or barns, these devices would detach from the bat and would set fire to paper, hay, wood or fabric. With enough bats, entire cities could be toasted. The bat bombs were tested and were found to work, but the plans were scraped in favour of the atomic bombs.
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is concerned that President Obama's trip abroad has served to bring out "the unhinged among the president's critics."
Not only have the Wall Street Journal and the hosts of Fox News been issuing their usual dark mutterings, but a new slogan has began appearing on bumper stickers, tshirts, and even teddy bears: "Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8."
That psalm reads, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
(more at link)MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is concerned that President Obama's trip abroad has... more
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is concerned that President Obama's trip abroad has served to bring out "the unhinged among the president's critics."
Not only have the Wall Street Journal and the hosts of Fox News been issuing their usual dark mutterings, but a new slogan has began appearing on bumper stickers, tshirts, and even teddy bears: "Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8."
That psalm reads, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
Maddow seemed mainly amused by the teddy bears, but when she turned for comment to former right-wing evangelical leader Frank Schaeffer, he emphasized that in a religious context "it means something more threatening."
"The situation that I find genuinely frightening right now," Schaeffer explained, "is that you have a ramping up of biblical language ... and what it's coalescing into is branding Obama ... as 'not us.' ... Now he joins the ranks of the unjust kings of ancient Israel ... who should be slaughtered, if not by God then by just men."
"Really, this is trawling for assassins," continued Schaeffer, "and this is serious business. It's un-American, it's unpatriotic, and it goes to show that the religious right, the Republican far right, have coalesced into a group that truly want American revolution. ... They cannot be dismissed as just crazies on the fringe. ... This bumper sticker simply says to them, 'It's open season.'"
Appearing increasingly agitated, Schaeffer went on to say, "This is the American version of the Taliban. The Taliban quotes the Koran, and Al Qaeda quotes certain verses in the Koran, in or out of context, calling for jihad and bloody war and the curse of Allah on infidels. This is the Old Testament biblical equivalent of calling for holy war. ... And what surprises me is that responsible -- if you can put it that way -- Republican leadership, and the editors at some of these Christian magazines .... do not stand up in holy horror and denounce this."
"I would just say to them, 'Where the hell are you?'" Schaeffer concluded. "'This is not funny any more, and be it on your head if something happens to our president.' ... There are not many steps left on this insane path."
Target Women is a recurring segment on Current TV's weekly television show, infoMania. In each episode of Target Women, Sarah Haskins takes a look at the often-ridiculous way the media reaches out to women.
infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media. Hosted by Conor Knighton and co-starring Brett Erlich, Sarah Haskins, Ben Hoffman, Bryan Safi and Sergio Cilli, the show airs on Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific Times and can be found online at http://current.com/infomania/ or on Current TV. And make sure to check out our facebook profile for special features at http://infomaniafacebook.com.Dear Women: You are never safe. Seriously. We mean it. Hugs n' kisses, Broadview... more
another good man assassinated while the tyrants walk the earth
Aushev worked to publicize human rights abuses and organize rallies against Ingushetia's (Russian province) unpopular former president, Murat Zyazikov
this is the third assassination of a human rights activist in as many months
Aushev fought the unpopular former perisdent in the volitale North Caucasus, an action which made him powerfull enemies.
Aushev died when the car he was driving in was sprayed with automatic gun fire, a woman driving with him was also badly injured..
Aushev's assassination follows the killing in July of Natalya Estemirova, a prominent human rights activist who was found shot in Ingushetia after being kidnapped in Chechnya.
Aushev said that agents had tried to abduct him last month when his vehicle was stopped for an ID check at a police checkpoint outside the provincial capital...RIP Maksharip Aushev
another good man assassinated while the tyrants walk the earth... more
On Friday night's "Law & Order," the abortion debate was represented by two separate, yet equally important, groups: The anti-choicers, who believe fetuses' rights trump women's, and the pseudo-pro-choicers, who are conveniently persuaded to agree with them by the end of the episode.
The episode was blatantly "ripped from the headlines" about Dr. George Tiller's assassination by an anti-choice activist in May. Our fictional victim, Dr. Bening, is a late-term abortion provider who's already survived one attempt on his life and is shot to death at his church, just as Dr. Tiller was. But in an episode titled "Dignity," Tiller's memory, remaining late-term abortion providers, and women who choose to terminate pregnancies are afforded none. The writers made a weak pretense of "balance" by having two of the series regulars -- Detective Lupo and Assistant D.A. Rubirosa -- espouse pro-choice views, but both are ultimately shamed into thinking they just might be wrong. See how even-handed?
More @ linkOn Friday night's "Law & Order," the abortion debate was... more
The U.S. Secret Service has launched an investigation into a Facebook poll asking if President Barack Obama should be killed, agency spokesman James Mackin told CNN late Monday.
“As is usually the case, our vigilant users reported it to us first,” Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt told CNN. “The USSS [Secret Service] sent us an e-mail late this morning PDT asking us to take it down. At that point, it had already been removed, and we let them know.”
Schnitt told the network the application “was immediately suspended while the inappropriate content could be removed by the developer and until such time as the developer institutes better procedures to monitor their user-generated content.”The U.S. Secret Service has launched an investigation into a Facebook poll asking if... more
Facebook has removed an online poll that asked users, “Should Obama be killed?”
The poll, which drew the ire of numerous Facebook users since news of it began to circulate Sunday evening, is now no longer accessible, and the entire Facebook app, known simply as “Polls,” has been disabled.
As of press time, Facebook had not responded to RAW STORY’s inquiries, and there was no mention of the poll on Facebook’s own Facebook page, or on its press releases page.Facebook has removed an online poll that asked users, “Should Obama be... more
