Weekly Security Report Weekly Report week 21 week 21
PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS
Kidnapper Kills 2-Year-Old in Imo
The body of two-year old baby, kidnapped at the weekend was on Monday recovered in a bush at Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State by the police, shortly after arresting a 28-yr-old man, Uchenna Uhegbu who allegedly abducted her. Uhegbu was said to have strangulated the girl when her parents could not pay the N300, 000 he had demanded as ransom. Some youths in the village in collaboration with the police were said to have mounted a search for him following the revelation of his identity. Uhegbu confessed that he killed the girl in obedience to a voice asking him to kill her if he wants to become rich.
Vission 2020 Committee Chairman Resigns
The Chairman of the Federal Government's Vision 2020 Sub-Committee on the Niger Delta, Prince Tonye TJT Princewill, has resigned his participation in the committee after a critical review of the on-going war in the Niger Delta and the alleged decimation of some riverside communities in Rivers State by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF). Princewill said that his resignation was a way of expressing his deep concern for the future direction of our country.
Suspected Kidnappers Mobbed in Onitsha
Two people suspected to be kidnappers were killed on Tuesday morning on Oguta Road in Onitsha, Anambra State. The suspects were said to have waylaid a woman with the intention to either rob or kidnap her, but luck ran out on them as she raised the alarm, which attracted passers-by who swooped on them. The killings came as the Anambra State Police Command claimed victories over kidnappers and armed robbers in the state. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Amusan, said on Tuesday that four suspected kidnappers had been killed in the, while five others were arrested.
Mines Discovered 40yrs after Civil War
Forty years after the Nigerian civil war, local mines have been discovered in some states in the eastern part of Nigeria, Mr Etim Eno of the Department of Research and Development, Ministry of Defence, disclosed this on Wednesday. Eno said the Federal Government had set up an inter-ministerial committee to help monitor the activities of the consultant to ensure security and clearance of the affected areas.
Aide to Rivers Governor Abducted
The Police in Rivers have confirmed the abduction of the Special Adviser to Gov. Chibuike Amaechi on Budget, Mr Ngor Augustine. The spokesperson of the Police, Mrs Rita Abbey, said that that Ngor was abducted on May 15 in Port-Harcourt. Abbey said the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the command had commenced investigations on the incident.
BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS
Military Onslaught Against Militants in Delta Continues
The Defence Headquarters said on Monday that the Joint Task Force military operations in the Niger Delta would continue until the militants were routed. It also denied allegations of genocide levelled against the JTF, stressing that no community was razed down by the soldiers. The Director of Defence Information, Col. Chris Jemitola, said he could not confirm the number of causalities so far recorded in the ongoing military/militants’ clash, but an unspecified number of militants were reportedly killed on Monday when the JTF ransacked Iroko Camp in Oporoza, Warri South LGA.
JTF Raids Delta Communities
The JTF continued its attacks on Gbaramutu communities in Delta State, following an intelligence report that a wanted militant leader, Government Ekpomukpolo, alias Tompolo, and his lieutenants, were in some the communities. The Presidency had ordered that they be apprehended dead or alive following penultimate Wednesday’s alleged killing of 12 soldiers by the militants in the area. The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has appealed to the Federal Government to end the assault on the citizens. Meanwhile, claims and counter claims by JTF and MEND have continued as the JTF put the number of hostages released so far at 17 with a claim that the outfit had totally destroyed Camp five while the militants claimed that some of the expatriates were killed in the aerial bombardments.
18 Die as Bus Plunges in River
A road accident along the Benin-Ore road, penultimate Sunday, claimed the lives of 18 passengers. The incident occurred when a bus in which the deceased were travelling plunged into the Ovia River just after the Okada junction. Efforts made by motorists and others to rescue them were unsuccessful as all occupants of the bus drowned as the bus was submerged in the river. The Benin Zonal Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Zakari Nda, confirmed the accident.
Delta Crisis Cuts Gas Supplies
The Nigerian Gas Company is recording a daily loss of 200 million standard cubic feet of gas daily due to the recent destruction of the Escravos/Warri Gas Pipeline, by militants in Delta State. The pipeline conveyed gas from the various fields of Chevron Nigeria Limited. A major facility belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company, was also blown up, penultimate Sunday, by the militants. The militants have vowed to cripple Nigerian exports as a result of the military onslaught in the area.
Senate Probes Military Offensive in Delta
The Senate, Wednesday, aborted a motion seeking the stoppage of the current military operation launched against militants in Warri South- West LGA of Delta State and directed its Committee on Defence to begin a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the military action in the area following a motion by Senator James Manager (Delta South).
INC Laments Military Action in Delta
The National Secretary of the Ijaw National Congress, Mr. Robinson Esitei, has criticised the ongoing bombardment of Ijaw communities in Delta State by soldiers, describing it as “not only regrettable but also unfortunate.” He called on those involved in the crisis to embrace dialogue, stressing that the use of force, artillery bombardment and destruction of communities was condemnable. Esitei said that the INC was worried by the heavy presence of soldiers in other Ijaw communities which had nothing to do with the situation in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Policeman Arrested with 17 Cartons of Ammunition for Militants
The arrest of a police Sergeant for allegedly planning to supply ammunition to militants in the Niger Delta on Wednesday triggered heavy shooting in Warri, Delta State. The Joint Task Force, acting on a tip off, had stormed Makaiva Jetty, in Warri South LGA and apprehended the policeman and about 20 others. It was gathered that 17 cartons of ammunition were recovered from the Sergeant said to be serving with Mopol 31, Asaba, Delta State capital. The shooting, which lasted for over 30 minutes, shattered the prevailing peace in the oil community as panic-stricken residents scampered for safety.
Militants Vow Retaliation on Soldiers’ Families
Militant groups have vowed to attack the families of soldiers at military barracks in the Niger Delta. The Joint Revolutionary Council, an umbrella body of militant groups in the Niger Delta, issued the threat in an online message. The spokesperson for the JRC, Ms. Cynthia Whyte, who accused the Joint Task Force of attacking civilian settlements, including the palace of the Agadagba of Gbaramatu, schools and other public places, vowed that the soldiers would be made to pay for the “desecration of Ijawland.”
Nigeria Loses One Million Barrels of Oil Daily to Niger Delta Crisis
The Federal Government on Wednesday bemoaned the effects of the violence in the Niger Delta, saying that Nigeria’s oil production capacity had dropped by more than a million barrels per day. Oil sold for about $60 per barrel in the international market on Wednesday, and going by that figure, Nigeria is recording a loss of about N8.7bn daily. The Federal Government also expressed regrets over the rising casualty figures being recorded in the campaign by the Joint Task Force to dislodge militants in the Niger Delta.
Reps Gives Nod to Military Operation in N’Delta
The House of Representatives on Thursday backed the military operation in Delta state. The House asked the Federal Government to give the JTF the necessary support to maintain the law and order in the oil-rich region, and extend the action to suspected militant bases in Rivers and Bayelsa states, but urged the JTF to avoid civilian casualties. The House also advised the militants to surrender their arms to the JTF in exchange for amnesty. It appealed to the Federal Government to direct the National Emergency Management Agency to send relief materials to the victims. But many lawmakers from the Niger Delta had vehemently opposed the decision to sustain the operations as against finding a peaceful approach to the situation. The JTF has allegedly extended its onslaught to Rivers state with the alleged killing of a Militant leader at Abonnema on Sunday.
Groups Drag YRD, JTF to ICC
Sixteen foreign-based civil society organisations have dragged the Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander, Gen. Sarkin Yarkin-Bello, before the International Criminal Court over the killing of civilians in Gbaramatu, Delta State, and alleged crimes against humanity. The groups also requested a probe into the role played by President Umaru Yar’Adua in the incident. This comes as Amnesty International called on the JTF to use force only in a way that would not result in human rights abuses in its assault against militants in the region, as against forcibly displacing people and ensure free access to those in need of medical care. Amnesty International spoke against the backdrop of the military assault in Delta state.
Drug Baron Kills Two NDLEA Officers in Delta
Two officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency were on Thursday killed in an attack by suspected drug barons in Abbi town, Kwale LGA of Delta State. Three officers of the NDLEA were also hospitalised from the attack which occurred during an assignment in the area. The Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, said this was the first major incident since 2004 when five officers were killed in Kano by drug dealers.
Intelligence Report Indicts N’Delta Leaders over Militancy
Indications have emerged that the Federal Government’s rebuff of pleas to stop further military onslaught against militants in the Niger Delta communities may have been caused by negative intelligence reports on some leaders of the region. A security source said that some prominent leaders in the region, including state governors, had been found to be fraternising with militant groups before the ongoing operation.
US Seeks Peaceful Resolution of Niger Delta Crisis
United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Renée Sanders, and the US Senate have called on stakeholders in Niger Delta to resolve the crisis peacefully to avoid endangering the country’s democracy. Sanders, stressing that democracy should protect the lives of civilians, insisted that the actions of all parties involved in this conflict are contributing to civilian casualties. Meanwhile, condemnations continue to trail the rising death toll among civilians, especially women and children, in the military assault on militants. Leader of Pro National Conference Organization (PRONACO), Chief Anthony Enahoro has called for immediate and unconditional stoppage of the military action while Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has condemned the situation as "unconscionable and unacceptable,", while Ijaws in the Diaspora have also warned that President Yar'Adua and members of his administration may be dragged before the International Criminal Court. The Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) described the military action as a "provocative lack of sensitivity to minority stakeholders' interest in the Nigerian project."
Criminologist Okays Military Operation in Delta
A criminologist, Dr. Aniekan Brown, has said that the current onslaught on militants in the Niger Delta creeks by the military is not misplaced, noting that the activities of Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) were more confrontational than fighting for the betterment and emancipation of the region from neglect. Meanwhile, the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi has said that the militants were forced into carrying arms against the state by long years of marginalisation, injustice and lack of implementation of government’s policies on the region. According to him, the Federal Government complicated the problem of Niger Delta by giving ransom to kidnappers at the initial stage, making it a new way of making money for the criminals.
LAGOS AND ENVIRONS
Mutiny: Falana Urges a Quash of Court Martial’s Decision, as Groups Condemn Sentence
The President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana, has urged the Nigerian Military Council to quash the decision of a court martial, which recently sentenced 27 soldiers to life imprisonment. The convicts were among the 28 soldiers tried in Akure, Ondo State, by a general court martial on allegation of mutiny and unlawful conduct. Falana argued that they were wrongly charged with mutiny when, going by the testimony of the principal witness, they allegedly engaged in insubordination. Falana further accused the head of the court martial of being biased. He argued that the military authorities were unable to prove their allegation of mutiny. A coalition of civil societies groups has described the trial and convictions as unjust.
Fashola Warns of Flood in Lagos
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday alerted the public to the possibility of experiencing flood during the rain this year and asked the residents not to panic. He said the rain would engender an unprecedented flood in some areas within the state, a situation which he attributed to the recent rise in sea level. He explained that as a result of the rise in sea level, the drainages available might not be able to work effectively until the water level was able to abate.
Man, 27, Ingests cocaine worth N13m
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have arrested a Togo-based Nigerian trader, Mr. Nweke Francis, over alleged cocaine ingestion of about N13m. Francis, 27, was said to have been apprehended on Thursday at about 21:45 hours during the screening of KLM passengers to Amsterdam. He was subsequently detained and placed under observation where he tested positive to drug ingestion at the centre screening point.
Monarch, 14 Chiefs Detained over Violence in Ekiti Town
The Ekiti State Police Command on Monday detained the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Ajiboye, and 14 others over the burning of the house of a former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Bade Gboyega, on May 9. It was learnt that they were invited by the police on the strength of a petition by Gboyega alleging that they collaborated with those that burnt his house during the crisis that attended the rerun governorship election. Violence had erupted in Isan-Ekiti, the country home of the governorship candidate of Action Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on May 9 following the disputed declaration of Mr. Segun Oni of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner.
One Killed as Robbers Invade Telecoms Firm
A three-man gang of armed robbers stormed a telecoms firm in Lagos on Tuesday and held its staff and customers hostage. But the robbers were not lucky as a prompt intervention of police foiled their attempt. It was learnt that there was a shootout between the robbers and the policemen, leading to the killing of one of the suspects. Other members of the gang escaped on a motorcycle. Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the incident, and said the police recovered two pump action guns and 14 pieces of ammunition from the scene.
Two Brothers Arrested for Robbery
Men of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested 29-year-old Kingsley Kajero and his brother, Henry (22), for allegedly belonging to an armed robbery gang. The suspects, alongside their friend, Ramoni Jimoh were arrested after they allegedly dispossessed some people of their valuables. The suspects claimed to be commercial motorcyclists, and robbed a man at Idi-Araba, using machetes because they needed money to attend a naming ceremony.
Police Detain Five Suspects over NURTW Crisis in Ogun
Five suspects are currently being interrogated at the Ogun State Police Command headquarters in Abeokuta over the crisis in the Ijebu North LG chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers. The arrest, it was gathered, followed the planned disruption of public peace and breakdown of law and order in the area following a leadership tussle in which a member of the union was stabbed to death. The police spokesman, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the development.
Dismissed Soldiers Nabbed for Impersonation
Three dismissed soldiers were arrested recently by the military authorities for allegedly using army uniform to carry out illegal duties and are being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department from (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos. The state police spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, has commended the military for assisting the police in the area of crime fighting, adding that the dismissed soldiers were arrested by the military and handed over to the police.
Robbers, Suspected Murderers Arrested
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested some persons, suspected to be armed robbers. Arms, ammunition, a locally made gun and live cartridges, stolen vehicles seven laptops and 48 handsets were allegedly recovered from the suspects. Also in the police net were three men, who allegedly stabbed a man to death. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hashiru Argungu, said the suspects would appear in court soon.
GENERAL
Recruits into Police to Undergo Psychiatric Test
Police Affairs Minister, Ibrahim Lame, has said that anyone seeking to join the Nigerian Police will have to undergo psychiatric test before recruitment. This is to stem the tide of fatal incidents resulting from alleged accidental discharge of firearms by police officers. Lame said such test would go a long way in standardising the recruitment policy of the force and was also a way of solving the perceived ills in police recruitment.
EFCC Tightens Security around Staff
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tightened security around its staff following the kidnap of the Executive Director of Operations with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), John Ayodele by kidnappers, who demanded the release of House of Representatives Committee on Power, Ndudi Elumelu, who has been in EFCC custody since Monday last week, as a condition for his release, along with N30 million. The source added that while the EFCC is not ready to negotiate, the safety of its staff is important. Elumelu and other accused have been remanded in prison custody.
FG Vows to Prevent Profiteering on Deregulation
The Federal Government has said it will take adequate measures to prevent any group of petroleum marketers from controlling prices after the implementation of the deregulation policy. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, reiterated that government would continue to pay subsidy on petrol until it begins the implementation of the deregulation policy. Ajumogobia stressed that deregulation would unleash the potential of the private sector by boosting the downstream sub-sector.
NUPENG Explains Persistent Fuel Scarcity
There are strong indications that the prevailing fuel scarcity might not be over as envisaged, as supply is still less than 50 per cent of the market requirement. President Umaru Yar’Adua had said that the shortage would be over next week, but industry players do not feel the crisis would be over that soon. Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Lagos Zone, Mr. Nojeem Korodo, told our correspondent that truck loading at the key depots in Lagos was still slow, putting it at less than 50 per cent of the normal situation.
FG Bans The Use Of Sirens
Apparently to restore sanity on the highways, the Federal Government day banned the use of sirens by unauthorised persons. The decision was taken at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting which took place in Abuja. The council also encouraged governors to disabuse the use of siren when it can be helped. Also, governors have been encouraged to implement and enforce all laws relating to traffic regulations. This is aimed at curbing motorists driving against traffic.
ECOWAS List Fresh Terms for Free Trade with EU
Forty days to the June 30, 2009 signing of the free trade agreement between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union (EU), the sub-Saharan bloc has raised fresh issues that need to be resolved before the pact is sealed. The ECOWAS officials demanded a financing plan for development projects from the EU before signing the agreement. President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas and chairman of the MMC and Nigeria's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Achike Udenwa, said matters arising from the negative consequences on developing economies from the bailout plans against the global meltdown need to be addressed.
Yar’Adua Cautions Employers Against Job Cuts
President Yar'Adua, Tuesday, appealed to employers of labour in the country to refrain from sacking workers due to the current global financial crisis. President Yar'Adua, said sacking of workers may become counter-productive, as he urged employers to consider other ways of cutting cost rather than making job cuts. He also tasked employers on the issue of alleged unfair labour practices, curtailment of workers' freedom of association and collective bargaining, which he said, in the past resulted in breach of industrial peace in some organisations.
EFCC Apprehends Fraudsters
Three persons plotting to defraud an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja of N3m have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Spokesman for the EFCC, Femi Babafemi, said that the trio claimed that they were from the Director of Operations of the EFCC, and they had a petition written against the NURTW official, but would destroy it if he paid the sum of N3million. But the official alerted EFCC which led to their arrest. Some other suspects were arrested by operatives of EFCC from Gombe Zonal office for collecting money from members of the public by impersonating officials of the commission.
Army to Pay N100m for Assault on SAN
A Federal High Court in Lagos, Wednesday, awarded a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Igbokwe and one Joseph Ito, a business man, who were assaulted and battered along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in 2005 by two soldiers, N100m for damages. Igbokwe and Ito had dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army and the soldiers before the court for the infringement of their rights to human dignity. Justice Tijani Abubakar also ordered that the defendants offer public apology to the plaintiffs which must be published in two national newspapers.
$450m Abacha Loot ‘Can Not Be Traced’
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Wednesday declared that about $450 million out of the over $3 billion alleged to have been stolen by the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha could not be traced. Tim Daniel, a legal expert brought in by UNODC stressed that even though there is proof that the missing loot was stashed somewhere, it could not be traced. He disclosed that $300 million was still to be repatriated to Nigeria from Luxembourg where it was stashed away, saying the letters of request by the Nigerian government were yet to yield fruit.
Electricity Workers Say Deadline for 6,000mw is Unrealistic
Workers in Nigeria's power sector have expressed reservation over the Federal Government's plan to generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity by December this year. Through the Secretary-General of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Mr. Joe Ajaero, the workers said on Thursday in that the situation on ground did not make the attainment of the goal realistic.
FG Maintains Plan on Oil Reform
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Mohammed Barkindo, has reiterated Government's determination to proceed with the oil sector reform. An official of the Office of African and Middle Eastern Affairs of the US Department of Energy, Mr. George Person, said that despite the global economic recession, oil consumption would continue to grow. He said although the international community was placing increased importance on low-carbon energy sources, oil and gas would continue to play a significant role in energy markets while alternative energy use expands. He stressed that Biofuels will not supplant the need for hydro-carbons in the US, and will likely not make significant inroads into the transportation sector demand in the near term.
INTERNATIONAL
Somali Militants Capture Major Town
Hardline Islamist militants have captured a strategically important town north of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, eyewitnesses have said. Members of al-Shabab, a group fighting government forces in Somalia, seized the town of Jowhar on Sunday morning, BBC reported. Jowhar was in 2005 chosen as the temporary location for the country‘s transitional government. The Somali government has been losing ground in recent weeks and now controls little more than the centre of the capital, with the support of African Union troops. Clashes between moderate Islamists and the hardline al Shabaab have killed more than 100 civilians and left about 30,000 people homeless, according to pro-government forces and a rights group.
Darfur Rebel Subjects Self to Trial Before ICC
A Darfur rebel charged with war crimes, Bahr Idris Abu Garda, on Monday voluntarily appeared before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but denied the charges. Abu Garda is charged with taking part in an attack in north Darfur in 2007, during which 12 African Union peacekeepers were killed. The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have died in a six-year conflict in Sudan‘s Darfur region and more than two million more have been displaced.
Sri Lankan Troops kill Rebel Leader, Ends Two Decade War
Sri Lankan forces, Monday, declared an end to the country's over two decades war with the Tamil Tiger rebels. The troops claimed that the militia leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, had been killed and announced an end to the war against the Tamils' quest for an independent homeland. Army Chief, Lt-Gen. Sarath Fonseka, declared the entire country rid of terrorism. The announcement sparked mass celebrations around the country, while hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the High Commission in Colombo denouncing Britain's alleged support for the rebels.
Red Cross Seeks Aid for Displaced People in Congo
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is increasing its humanitarian efforts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the humanitarian situation has deteriorated since last fall. The agency said Sunday that a lack of security resulting from clashes and military operations has worsened conditions for the more than 300,000 people estimated to have been displaced, and for their host communities in North Kivu. In response, the Red Cross is asking donors for an additional $8 million, bringing this year's budget for the area's humanitarian needs to more than $55 million.
98 killed as Indonesian Military Plane Crashes
At least 98 people are dead following the crash of a military plane on the Indonesian island of Java. Troops and their families were on board. Dozens were injured and the death toll could climb. Soldiers were seen carrying badly burned bodies on stretchers to waiting ambulances. Military spokesman Sagom Tamboen said 109 passengers and crew were on board the aging C-130 Hercules, which crashed into a row of houses near an air force base in East Java province early Wednesday.
UN Raises Alarm over Violence in Congo as Killings, Rapes Increase
The United Nations has raised the alarm over killings and rapes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo over the past month. Elisabeth Byrs of the UN humanitarian coordination office reported a "dramatic" resurgence in rapes and attacks in Sud-Kivu province, with civilians burnt alive in their homes. OCHA said that civilians were "increasingly the victims of lootings, extortion, killings and rapes" committed by the Congolese army, and armed groups such as the Rwandan Hutu rebel FDLR and Mai-Mai militia. About 1,128 homes were burned down in three villages during attacks, while 77 people were killed with machetes, knives and burnt alive," in an attack by the FDLR on the village of Busurungi on the border with Nord-Kivu, according to Byrs.
Suspected Somali Pirate Arraigned in U.S. Court
A Somali suspect in the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama last April has pleaded not guilty to the 10 counts charges against him, including piracy, hostage-taking, and firearms, at the U.S. District Court in New York. var CNN_ArticleChanger = new CNN_imageChanger('cnnImgChngr','/2009/CRIME/05/21/ny.somali.pirate.arraigned/imgChng/p1-0.init.exclude.html',1,1); //CNN.imageChanger.load('cnnImgChngr','imgChng/p1-0.exclude.html'); Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse faces life in prison if convicted in any of eight of the 10 counts. The U.S. Navy took Muse into custody April 12 after the hijacking in the Indian Ocean. Defense attorney Phil Weinstein asked the court for time for the defense to conduct its own investigation into the case, and the judge agreed, setting the next hearing date for September 17.
40 Die as Violence Rocks Iraq
A day after a massive blast devastated a Baghdad Shiite neighbourhood slaughtering 40 civilians, Iraq again, was Thursday engulfed by a wave of violence, with suicide and bomb attacks killing 23 people. The continued bombings add pressure on the Iraqi government to demonstrate that it can meet security challenges ahead of a June 30 deadline for the U.S. to remove all combat forces from Baghdad and other Iraqi cities.
Conflict, Disaster Displace 11m in Central, East Africa -UN
More than 11 million people have been displaced by conflict and natural disaster in Central and East Africa, according to the United Nations (UN). The UN's office for humanitarian affairs (OCHA) said the numbers had grown recently due to attacks on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by the Lord's Resistance Army rebel fighters, and by ongoing hostilities in Somalia. The figure of 11 million totals the number of refugees and internally displaced people across 16 countries in Central and East Africa. Sudan accounts for the largest proportion, with over four million displaced, while the DRC and Somalia both have more than 1.3 million displaced people each. Other countries with displaced people include Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
Ethiopian Forces Return to Somalia as Fighting Rages
Following a fresh offensive by rebels to topple the fledgling government in Somalia, Ethiopian forces that pulled out in January, have again been seen in the war-torn country. Although Ethiopia denied the reports, Somali residents and media confirmed that 12 military vehicles crossed into Somalia. Ethiopian troops originally entered the country in 2006 to restore the UN-backed government to power in Mogadishu, which Islamist fighters had seized along with much of southern Somalia. The Islamists were outgunned by Ethiopian firepower but began an Iraq-style insurgency.
Iran Announces New Missile Test
Iran, Wednesday, announced that it had successfully tested another Sajil missile, a new surface to surface missile. According to reports, the missile was launched Wednesday morning from the northern Iranian city of Semnan and reached its target, which was not disclosed. Defense officials say the missiles have a range of almost 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers), which brings Moscow, Athens and southern Italy within striking distance from Iran.
U.S Airstrike Killed Dozens of Civilians -Report
American airstrikes in early May during a western Afghanistan battle with Taliban militants killed up to 30 civilians, an interim U.S. military report said on Wednesday. The report is part of an ongoing investigation into a fight in Farah province, where villagers reported civilian casualties as a result of U.S. bombing runs on May 4. The report was released amid widespread dismay and anger in Afghanistan over several incidents of civilians caught in the crossfire of the war between international and Afghan forces, and Taliban militants. As the report was released, NATO's command reported that a Tuesday airstrike caused casualties among civilians it says were held as human shields by insurgents in Helmand, a southern Afghanistan province.