Turkey: 14 year old Ceylan Önkol was allegedly struck and killed by a morter round as she tended the family sheep. A poorly conducted investigations has the family, Local media and NGO's demanding an explanation and justiceTurkey: 14 year old Ceylan Önkol was allegedly struck and killed by a morter round as... more
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — Turkey on Tuesday hailed the "surrender" of Kurdish rebels in support of plans to end a 25-year conflict as thousands greeted militants released after more than 24 hours of questioning.
Rebel commanders insisted that they were not giving up arms yet and would fight on to achieve their rights a day after a 34-strong "peace group" of militants and sympathizers came in from Iraq carrying a list of proposals to end the violence.
Prosecutors initially released 25 of the group -- most of them Turkish Kurdish refugees -- pending trial on charges of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and asked a court to put five others under formal arrest on similar charges, Muharrem Erbey, a lawyer following the proceedings, said.
The judge, however, also released them pending trial, he told AFP, adding that the four children who came with the group were not questioned.
"Welcome peace ambassadors! Kurdistan is proud of you!" chanted thousands of Kurdish demonstrators waiting outside the border area as the group, including rebels dressed in combat fatigues, climbed aboard a bus to travel to Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast.
The rebels made V-signs for victory as people lined along the road applauded them.
Speaking earlier in the day, Interior Minister Besir Atalay welcomed the group's arrival as a boost to Ankara's two-pronged plan to expand Kurdish freedoms and keep the PKK under military pressure.
"We expect these (surrenders) to continue. Let me underline that the (PKK) fighters in the mountains see that their way is a dead-end," Atalay was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying.DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — Turkey on Tuesday hailed the "surrender" of Kurdish rebels in... more
An 18-year Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Manager for the FBI has called for a Special Counsel to be appointed to investigate the allegations of FBI translator-turned-whistleblower Sibel Edmonds. John M. Cole, who now works as an intelligence contractor for the Air Force, made his comments during an audio interview released late last week with radio journalist Peter B. Collins.
He also offered a detailed insider's look at the concerns among high-level officials inside the Bureau as Edmonds' disturbing allegations began coming to light back in 2002, before they would be quashed for seven long years by the Bush Administration's unprecedented use of the so-called "State Secrets Privilege" to gag her.
Earlier last week, following the publication of a remarkable American Conservative magazine cover story interview with Edmonds --- detailing a broad bribery, blackmail, and espionage conspiracy said to have been carried out between current and former members of the U.S. Congress, high-ranking State and Defense Department officials and covert operatives from Turkey and Israel, resulting in the theft and sale of nuclear weapons technology on the foreign black market --- Cole had been quoted by the magazine confirming one of Edmonds' key allegations.
"I am fully aware of the FBI's decade-long investigation of" Marc Grossman, he said in response to the AmCon article/interview. Grossman had served as the third-highest ranking official in the Bush State Department and was alleged by Edmonds in the interview, and in a sworn, video-taped deposition a month earlier, to have been the U.S. ringleader for a massive Turkish espionage scandal reaching through the halls of power and into top-secret nuclear facilities around the country to the benefit of allies and enemies alike. Cole said that the FBI's counterintelligence probe "ultimately was buried and covered up," and that he believes it is "long past time" for an investigation of the case to "bring about accountability."
In his subsequent interview with Collins last week (audio and text excerpts posted below) Cole elaborated on those comments in much greater detail, noting that Edmonds has been "one hundred percent right on the money, on the mark" and confirming the existence of an "ongoing and detailed effort by Turkey to develop influence in the United States" through various illegal activities.
"Yes, I can confirm that," Cole told Collins, "That's true."
The FBI veteran executive also offered an insider's account of the panic that ensued inside the highest echelons of the bureau following Edmonds' first disclosure of information in 2002, recounting how an executive assistant director admitted to him at the time, just after the story first broke, "Well, all I know is that everything that Sibel is stating is true. I read her file. Everything she stated is, in fact, accurate."
Cole further describes how the concerns about Edmonds ultimately led to the Bush Administration's two-time use of the Draconian "State Secrets Privilege" in hopes of keeping her extraordinary information from becoming public. "Everybody at headquarters level at the bureau knew that what she was saying was extremely accurate."
"I know they didn't want her to go out and speak about it at all," Cole revealed, "and I know they were trying to figure out ways of keeping this whole thing quiet, because they didn't want Sibel to come out."
He also offered information which directly counters one of the criticisms of Edmonds' allegations as frequently offered by skeptics. Namely, that as a short time FBI contract translator --- even though she was tasked to review some seven years of counterintelligence wiretaps made from 1996 to 2002 --- she couldn't have had enough understanding of the full scope of the investigations to understand what was really going on.
More...An 18-year Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Manager for the FBI has called for... more
Turkey and Armenia have been bitter enemies for nearly a century. But despite the dispute over the genocide of Armenians, the two are poised to sign an agreement to open their borders, indicating their desire to move on.
Closed for more than 15 years, the frontier between Armenia and Turkey may finally be reopening.
The century-old feud stems from the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the First World War. But now Armenia and Turkey are putting the past aside for the future’s sake, making the first binding steps to re-establishing ties.
----------More at linkTurkey and Armenia have been bitter enemies for nearly a century. But despite the... more
ZURICH (Reuters) - Turkey and Armenia signed a landmark peace accord on Saturday to restore ties and open their joint border after a century of hostility stemming from the World War One mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces.
But in an indication of the many pitfalls that lie ahead of its implementation, the ceremony was delayed for more than three hours after it hit a snag over last-minute disagreements with statements, forcing U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to engage in intense discussions with the two sides.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian signed the Swiss-mediated deal in Zurich at a ceremony attended by Clinton, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
The Turkish and Armenian parliaments must now approve the deal in the face of opposition from nationalists on both sides and a Armenian diaspora which insists Turkey acknowledge the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.
...More...ZURICH (Reuters) - Turkey and Armenia signed a landmark peace accord on Saturday to... more
Turkey would like to enter in Europe but it's not able to heal the past wounds. So, it comes a new sentence for Orhan Pamuk: he could be forced to pay reparations for thousands of turkish.
Everything starts in 2005 when in an interview with a Swiss magazine, Pamuk said: "We, Turks, have killed thirty thousand Kurds and one million Armenians and nobody, but me, dares talking about it in Turkey. "Turkey would like to enter in Europe but it's not able to heal the past wounds. So, it... more
After nearly a century of bitter rivalry Turkey and Armenia are set to sign an agreement to normalize relations, despite protests from many Armenian people.After nearly a century of bitter rivalry Turkey and Armenia are set to sign an... more
A mass anti-Israel rally was held in Istanbul Monday. The demonstrators, who rallied in support of the riots in east Jerusalem, carried Palestinian Authority flags and posters of the al-Aqsa Mosque, and set Israeli flags on fire.
"Turkey has two facets - the modern European one, which is rational and tolerant, and the Islamist one, which is sometimes hostile to Israel," a Foreign Ministry source told Ynet.Islamic Antisemitism in 'modern', 'enlightened','secular' Turkey: "Turkey: Protestors... more
Even though it's one of the world's 20 wealthiest economies, in Turkey nearly one in five people live below the poverty line. Sevket Sahintas, a night-time taxi driver, set out to capture these contradictions through art. The response was inadvertent.Even though it's one of the world's 20 wealthiest economies, in Turkey nearly one in... more
Turkish police used water cannons and pepper spray on Tuesday to disperse protesters demonstrating at the annual International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Istanbul.
Riot police clashed with protesters in a square close to where thousands of finance ministers, central bankers, and economists from around the world are meeting to discuss the global economy. Police followed some protesters as they fled onto nearby streets.
The demonstrators were seen breaking the windows of some banks and shops. Some were seen throwing Molotov cocktails.
Dozens of people were detained during the protests, which were organized by several Turkish unions.
Last week, a student was detained after throwing a shoe at International Monetary Fund Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn during an appearance at an Istanbul university. The shoe missed the IMF leader.Turkish police used water cannons and pepper spray on Tuesday to disperse protesters... more
Turkish police have fired tear gas to break up hundreds of protesters outside a meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Istanbul.Turkish police have fired tear gas to break up hundreds of protesters outside a... more
A teenager died and more than 20 people were injured when swarms of bees escaped from their hives after the van transporting them crashed into a lorry and overturned on a motorway near the resort of Marmaris, in southern Turkey.
Rescue workers, police, medics and beekeepers tried for more than an hour to release two people trapped inside the vehicle, their faces carpeted with angry bees.
One of the pair, aged 18, died in hospital from the combined effect of injuries sustained in the crash and multiple bee stings.
Three others were in intensive care at the Mugla state hospital. About twenty people needed treatment after they were stung as they tried to help.
“There were hundreds and hundreds of bees covering the van — they swarmed to wherever they saw a living being move. I was stung several times myself,” said Kenan Gurbuz, the local bureau chief of the Anatolia news agency, who was among the first on the scene.
“When I arrived there was a man on the ground — he had been undressed and needed treatment but the medics could not get to him for the bees. They had filled the ambulance and also stung one of the nurses.”
Rest of article on link.A teenager died and more than 20 people were injured when swarms of bees escaped from... more
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini says that governments accusing his country of aiming to develop nuclear weapons under a covert program are lying. This past week he insisted Iran bans such activity.Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini says that governments accusing his... more
This story takes us to the ancient city of Troy, where the remains of a man and women believed to have died in 1.200 B.C., have been found. A German professor said their time of death matched the dates of the legendary war chronicled by Homer.
According to a professor who was leading the excavation, the bodies were found near a defense line within the city built in the late Bronze age.
"If the remains are confirmed to be from 1,200 B.C. it would coincide with the Trojan war period. These people were buried near a mote. We are conducting radiocarbon testing, but the finding is electrifying," Pernicka told Reuters in a telephone interview.
BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Well, the discovery could add to evidence that Troy's lower area was bigger in the late Bronze Age than previously thought.This story takes us to the ancient city of Troy, where the remains of a man and women... more
The Duchess of York (yeah, that Fergie!) is facing the possibility of being arrested by Turkish police. It has been claimed that she broke the law by taking part in a television expose on the treatment of orphans in the EU-wannabe country.
The duchess, along with one of her daughters, Eugenie (who happens to also be the Queen of England's granddaughter) - wore disguises as the visited Turkish orphanages for the ITV documentary.The Duchess of York (yeah, that Fergie!) is facing the possibility of being arrested... more
It's a great tragedy that the initial dramatic effects of global warming are felt more at the poles and in the tropics rather than in the temperate area of the rich, greedy and polluter West. If the environmental disaster began to hit us too the Western public and politicians would understand that the danger is real and imminent and it's essential to do something before it's too late. The next important opportunity to wake up is the UN climate conference scheduled for December in Copenhagen.It's a great tragedy that the initial dramatic effects of global warming are felt more... more
Captives tricked into believing they were reality TV show contestants and filmed naked, say reports.
Turkish military police said today that they had stormed an Istanbul villa to rescue nine women held captive after being tricked into believing they were reality TV show contestants.Captives tricked into believing they were reality TV show contestants and filmed... more
Dennis Hastert, Stephen Solarz, Bob Livingston, Tom Lantos, Roy Blunt, Dan Burton and an Unnamed Congresswoman ~ All Named IN MAJOR WASHINGTON DC SCANDAL
A long tale of massive corruption that has been hidden throughout the eight years of the Bush administration is finally surfacing. After years of Federal Gag Orders issued by the Department of Justice , the Obama White House has refused to continue the coverup and has opened the doors to criminal investigation.
What has surfaced, is a scandal that like no other. Showing clearly the selling of American influence and nuclear defense secrets to the highest bidder. The names that have floated to the surface are some of the most trusted highest ranking US government officials. Starting with The Ex-Speaker of the House; Republican, Dennis Hastert, then on to Stephen Solarz, Bob Livingston, Tom Lantos, Roy Blunt, Dan Burton and an (Unnamed Congresswoman) ~ All whom were named (Under Oath) as what appears to be the largest US Scandal of all time.
More will be surfacing as Pandora's box has just begun to open...
Gérartd Angé
------------------------------ Begin Quoted Text: ------------------------------
In this first break-down article, we'll look at the answers given by Edmonds during her deposition in regard to bribery and blackmail of current and former members of the U.S. Congress, including Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Bob Livingston (R-LA), Dan Burton (R-IN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Stephen Solarz (D-NY), Tom Lantos (D-CA, deceased) and an unnamed, currently-serving, married Democratic Congresswoman said to have been video-taped in a Lesbian affair by Turkish agents for blackmail purposes.
Though Edmonds was careful to not "discuss the intelligence gathering method by the FBI," she notes in her deposition that her claims are "Based on documented and provable, tracked files and based on...100 percent, documented facts."
In further breakdown articles, we'll look at her disclosures concerning top State and Defense Department officials including Douglas Feith, Paul Wolfowitz and, perhaps most notably, the former Deputy Undersecretary of State, Marc Grossman, the third-highest ranking official in the State Department. Also, details on the theft of nuclear weapons technology; disclosures on Valerie Plame Wilson's CIA front company Brewster-Jennings; items related to U.S. knowledge of 9/11 and al-Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001; infiltration of the FBI translation department and more.
---------------------------------------------------------
Brad Friedman: Investigative journalist, broadcaster,
BradBlog.com creator,
Commonweal Institute Fellow.
Posted: September 5, 2009 03:14 PM
Nine young females, aged from 16-24, who thought they were starring in a new Big Brother-esque reality TV show, were actually victims of a weird bloke who sold naked pictures (and possibly videos) of them on the internet.
After answering an advert on the net, the girls were told they were taking part in a new show called Somebody's Watching You, set in an impressive Turkish villa.
They grew suspicious when nobody was evicted and they weren't given any tasks to do.
When they asked if they could leave, the Turkish gang behind the scheme told them they'd have to pay £20,000.
Police ended up intervening after the girls' parents realised their daughters antics weren't being screened on an TV channel or TV show website. A man's been arrested and charged with kidnap and extortion.Nine young females, aged from 16-24, who thought they were starring in a new Big... more
Turkey suffers from damaged caused from the heaviest rains in 80 years. The damage they are totaling are around $70 to $80 million.Turkey suffers from damaged caused from the heaviest rains in 80 years. The damage... more
