Weekly Security Report Weekly Report week 29 week 29
PORT HARCOURT AND ENVIRONS
Abducted Journalists Regain Freedom
Kidnappers who abducted four journalists in Abia state a week ago released them on Sunday without any ransom paid, according to the head of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Usman Leman. The Abia State police spokesman, Ali Okechukwu, also confirmed the release. The kidnappers had initially demanded a ransom of N250 million, but they later reduced it to N30 million. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ogbonna Onovo, had on Tuesday given the kidnappers 24 hours ultimate to release them or face dire consequences. The Journalists were abducted on their way back from a meeting in Uyo. The victims include the Lagos State NUJ Chairman, Alhaji Wahab Oba, the Secretary Zone G, Adolphus Okonkwo, Assistant Secretary of the Lagos Council, Sylva Okereke, Sola Oyeyipo and the driver.
Probe Indicts PHCN in Electrocution of 16
A Federal Government panel that investigated the electrocution of about 16 persons in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in February has indicted the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) for negligence. About 16 people were killed following the fall of a 33 KVA high tension cable on two buses loaded with passengers. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had set up a panel to investigate the incident. The panel found out that PHCN breached safety standards because the wiring system, which was supposed to trip off as soon as the cable fell on the vehicles, was not properly done. It also discovered that not only did the power current fail to trip off, even when the metre at the transmission station signified danger; the workers on duty ignored the danger signals for a while.
Man, 45, Nabbed over Rape Attempt on 2-Year-Old
Police in Abakaliki have arrested a 45-year-old man, Chibuike Onwu, over alleged attempted rape of a two-year-old girl. According to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ayeni, the mother of the girl, had left the girl at a store to buy food stuff, but on her return the girl had disappeared. The mother raised alarm and neighbours organized a search party during which Chibuike Onwu was seen with the girl in an uncompleted building with her underwear in his hands. Onwu was said to have taken to his heels on sighting the search party, but was later nabbed by detectives. Also in police net is one Paul Ibina, 27, over the probe into the murder of his mother in a farm.
BENIN/WARRI/ESCRAVOS
Dismissed Soldiers Nabbed for Carjacking
Men of the Delta State Police Command said they have arrested two dismissed army officers, who specialize in camouflaging in army uniform to rob innocent citizens on the highways. They were nabbed at Oghara after dispossessing a woman of her car. State Police Public Relations Officer, Charles Muka, confirmed the arrest, adding that the car was recovered same day. He added that the two suspects confessed to robbing the car while in army uniform and that they were dismissed for deserting the Army.
JTF Destroys Illegal Refineries in Delta, Impounds Eight Barges
The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has arrested eight suspected crude oil thieves, destroyed about 1,000 illegal crude oil refining plants and impounded eight barges in the creeks of Delta State in the past six months. The barges used for the alleged oil deals were seized during patrols of the creeks and waterways. Meanwhile, six suspects have been apprehended by JTF in connection with the continuing crisis in Ekpan, Uvwie LGA. The suspects include a prominent chief in the community. JTF’s Sector One Commander, Col. Jamil Sarham, who made the disclosure, said the JTF was irrevocably committed to eliminating the operations of the oil thieves in the Niger Delta.
Kidnappers Abduct Septuagenarian, Cleric and Son in Delta
Kidnappers struck again in Delta state on Tuesday with the abduction of a 70- year-old woman, Madam Queen, at Oria-Abraka. Another victim, Evangelist Johnbull Ejovi, 56 and his son, Mudiaga, were kidnapped on Wednesday night along the Airport Road and the kidnappers are asking for N100 million. It was gathered that the septuagenarian, Madam Queen, was kidnapped by a five-man armed gang from her home, but luck ran out on the kidnappers as they were arrested in the process of trying to collect the ransom money, which was negotiated down to N200, 000 from N2m. The state Police spokesman, Charles Muka, said five persons were arrested in connection with the kidnap of Madam Queen, who has since regain her freedom, while efforts are on to secure the release of Ejovi and his son.
Delta Police Arrest Nine Suspected Kidnappers
The police in Delta State have arrested nine suspected kidnappers in Okpara Inland, Ethiope West LGA and also freed two hostages after a gun duel. The victims, two women, were separately abducted from their homes in Umukwata Community in Ukwuani LGA on July 8 by a 12-man gang of kidnappers. Two members of the gang, who were initially arrested by the police, had given the names of other members of the criminal group. Consequently, seven others were apprehended by the police, and a search is on for the arrest of the fleeing three members, including their leader. The Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, Mr. Charles Muka, said that the police achieved the feat through cooperation of the public.
Ex-militants Commend FG for Peace in N’Delta
The Federal Government has been commended by some ex-militants for its efforts at restoring peace to the Niger Delta. The ex-militants, under the aegis of Ilaje Dynamic Patriots, said the orientation organized by the Federal Government would equip them mentally to contribute their quota to the development of the country. They urged the Government not to renege on any of the agreements, adding that the hardship being faced by the people in the oil producing areas should be ameliorated so that there would be no reason for anybody to go back to the creeks again.
LAGOS AND ENVIRONS
10-Year-Old Commits Suicide in Oyo
Men of the Oyo State Police Command are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged suicide of a 10-year-old-girl, Kudirat Raji. The girl, who resided with her sister at Ibadan, was said to have taken her life on June 26. The command’s Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Okuwobi, who confirmed the incident in Ibadan, on Friday, said that the girl’s brother-in-law reported the incident to the police. He said that the deceased was sent on an errand within the house, but when they could not see her, she was searched for before she was seen where she hanged herself. The 10-year-old girl was said to have hanged herself with a rope tied on the window burglary proof.
Four Policemen Shot Dead in Ogun
Suspected armed robbers shot dead four policemen from the Ogun State Command, penultimate Sunday, on the Ijesa Ijebu-Ilishan Road. It was gathered that the armed bandits also made away with the rifles of the fallen policemen. The driver of the vehicle, a Sergeant, however escaped with serious injuries. The four policemen met their untimely death while returning to their station after patrol at a road block. Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the killing, and tasked the public on useful information that would enable the force apprehend the perpetrators.
40 Burnt to Death in Ibadan Road Accident
About 40 people were burnt to death in a road accident involving eight vehicles and a tanker in Asejire, Ibadan, on Monday. An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the incident. The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Bello Adejare, members of his family, as well as others in his convoy, on Monday, escaped death by the whiskers in the accident. The accident occurred when the tanker veered off its lane, ramming into other vehicles. The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Mr Lasisi Olagunju, who also confirmed the accident, said the speaker thanked God for saving his life and those of others.
Robbers Attack Man at NUJ Press Centre
Six armed robbers, Tuesday, stormed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Ogun State and attempted to rob a man of the money that he had withdrawn from a bank. The robbers shot at the man and into the air to scare people. The robbers forced the car open with bullets, but could not trace the money, which was kept under the driver's seat. In their frustration, they took a lady's handbag and escaped. Meanwhile, a 25-year-old man, Emeka Sunday, has been arraigned at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, for allegedly stabbing his brother’s wife, Toyin, to death in March 2008. According to the police, Toyin was stabbed in the neck in her room, which she shared with her children and found dead in the morning. The suspect was remanded in prison custody until September 7, 2010.
Robbers Kill 1, Abduct 2 in Ekiti
Armed robbers, on Thursday in Ise-Ekiti, Ekiti State killed one person and abducted two others, while valuables worth several millions of naira were carted away. This comes as the state police arrested about 17 persons over their alleged roles in the violent protest at Ikere-Ekiti on Tuesday over the alleged relocation of the College of Education from Ikere-Ekiti to Efon-Alaaye. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mohammed Jimoh, who confirmed the robbery incident, also said that that those arrested over the protest would soon be arraigned in court for breach of public peace. Security was beefed up in Ado-Ekiti to prevent a spill over of the protest, while banks refused to accept cash from customers.
Landlady Murders Tenant in Lagos
Detectives are investigating alleged murder of a middle-aged man by his landlady in Alagbado area of Lagos, during a scuffle. The deceased, Ekpi Ekpo, was allegedly hit with a hard object by his landlady. He was said to have slumped and died while being rushed to the hospital. In a related incident, a landlord, Mr. Ogunniran Raheem, and his son, Kazeem, have been arraigned before a high court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, over an allegation that they murdered the wife of a tenant, Mrs. Adijat Ifatunmibi during a scuffle on December 30, 2003. The plaintiff stressed that the injury inflicted on his wife by the landlord and his son led to her death after childbirth on January 9, 2005.
Undergraduate, 6 Others Arrested for Alleged Robbery
A 200 level student of the Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU), Ondo State has been arrested along with six others who allegedly robbed the residence of a member of the House of Representatives and killed two of his guards. The Police spokesperson, Aremu Adeniran said the six suspects were arrested at different locations. Items recovered from them include one pump action rifle, a damaged barrel gun, barrel gun, one giant cutter, sword, imported cutlass, life cartridge, and UTC axe. This comes as about 20 armed robbers invaded a commercial bank in Akoko North East LGA of the State and carted away an unspecified amount of money. About six persons, including bank officers were wounded during a shoot out between the hoodlums and the police.
Telecom Manager, 4 Others Arrested for Drug Trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a Lagos-based telecommunications manager, Ms Igbokwe Ifunanya and four others over illegal drug trafficking at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. Ifunanya, 29, confessed to have ingested 70 wraps of cocaine in a desperate bid to save her sick mother from death. She is believed to be working for a drug syndicate and using her job as a cover.
GENERAL
Nine Murdered in Sleep as Jos Boils Again
At least nine persons were murdered in their sleep in Maza Village, Jos South LGA of Plateau State in the early hours of Saturday by suspected Fulanis. The assailants, armed with guns, cutlasses, bows and arrows, sneaked into the village around 1:00 am and descended on the people. In the attack, a pastor of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN), Reverend Nuhu Dawat, lost his wife and two children while his church was also burnt. The District Head of the Area, Mr. Abamu Kaiwa, said that security men were contacted while the raid was going on, but they could not get to the scene on time because of the bad road. The youth in the village were still combing bushes to recover more bodies as some villagers were reported missing.
Man Nabbed for Attempt on Emir’s Life
Two persons that allegedly tried to kill the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, have been arrested by the police. The emir escaped assassination, penultimate Friday, by a lone gunman. The first suspect, Usman Abubakar, 19, was apprehended before carrying out the act. Also arrested is one Alhaji Abubakar Batakaye who allegedly asked Abubakar to kill the emir. Meanwhile, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, has alleged that Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala is planning to kill him, in collaboration with a prominent businessman and a senior police officer in the state, but the plot failed because the police officer backed out and reported the plot to him. But the governor denied the allegation, saying it should be discountenanced, while the police distanced itself from the allegation and called on the monarch to prove his case.
Self-Confessed Robber Surrenders Voluntarily
A self-confessed notorious bandit voluntarily surrendered himself to the Sokoto State Police Command. Sani Dan-Hankaka was popularly known for his criminal and anti-social activities for the past 40 years in the state. He was never arrested until he surrendered himself. The reason for his repentance, according to Sani, was that his criminal activities did not yield any positive results. Sani also said he possessed several charms now in police custody, adding that all the charms assisted and prevented security agents and his victims from arresting or killing him.
Military, Police get Pay Rise
President Goodluck Jonathan has extended the new salary package to the military, para-military, police and intelligence community, who were not always covered by similar salary reviews in the past. President Jonathan had on May 1, 2010 promised to implement a new salary package for workers. The new wage bill, which is said to be effective from July 1, 2010, shows an increase of N233,034,129,947 from the present N34,388,156,375, which the FG spends on core civil servants annually. The wage bill is contained in a letter sent to the Minister of Finance and Head of Service by President Jonathan.
Businessman Abducted in Kano
…Children of Victim Shot
Kidnappers of millionaire businessman, Alhaji Salisu Mataba, in Kano State have demanded for ransom to be paid in dollars. Mataba was abducted, penultimate Sunday at his residence after three of his children were shot while trying to protect their father. The wounded children are currently being treated at a hospital in Kano. Some members of the family of the abducted man have quietly asked the police to stay away, saying they preferred to pay the ransom to the kidnappers than risk the life of their father. Police Public Relations Officer, Baba Mohammed Azare, confirmed the incident and said that the police were working to ensure Mataba’s safety and arrest the hoodlums.
NIPOST Pensioners Die Awaiting Pension
About 179 pensioners of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) in Bauchi and members of their families have died while waiting for their entitlements. This was disclosed as over 100 NIPOST pensioners, Monday, embarked on a peaceful demonstration over non-payment of their pension for the last four years. Commercial activities were disrupted in Bauchi as the pensioners, most of whom looked emaciated and dejected, called on the management of the organization to do something to save them from further sufferings. Leader of the pensioners, Mukaila Adeyemi said that some of them were even surcharged during the payment of the gratuity and lamented that up till the time of the protest, the anomalies had not been corrected.
NDLEA Rehabilitates 75 Drug Addicts
At least 16 drug barons have been convicted by a federal high court in Dutse, Jigawa State. Just as operatives of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were marking the conviction of the 16 drug barons, it was further revealed that 105 kilograms of illicit drugs had been seized, in the state, in the first and second quarter of the year. The NDLEA state commandant, Justice Okechukwu Arinze disclosed this in commemoration of this year’s United Nation’s international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Arinze added that 75 drug addicts were counseled and rehabilitated. He further lamented that the high rate of drug addictions and peddling, if not controlled, could get out of hand.
16 Killed In Taraba Religious Crisis
About 16 persons were feared dead on Tuesday and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in Wukari town, Wukari LGA of Taraba State as violent protest erupted over the building of a mosque within the premises of the Police Area Command in Wukari. Some youth, suspected to be Christians had stormed the place to pull down the mosque, which they claimed was built on a public land, but the Muslims did not take this lightly and in retaliation, destroyed a number of churches. The chairman of the Taraba State Traditional Council, Dr. Shakaru Angyu, had reportedly warned the Police Area Commander against the building of the mosque. Residents say the crisis was unprecedented as they had never witnessed religious clashes in the area. The Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Yusuf, said the situation was under control. Normalcy has returned to the area as businesses resumed as usual.
IG Vows to Abolish Roadblocks in Nigeria
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, on Thursday vowed to abolish roadblocks nationwide. Onovo, who spoke during a visit to the Enugu State Police Command in Enugu, lamented the illegal activities of policemen at roadblocks, which include extortion, high-handedness and killing of persons for failing to pay bribes. He said that policemen in the country no longer had genuine reasons to engage in corrupt practices as the Federal Government had released N79bn for reforms in the force. He said that other contributions were being expected from the states and local governments.
Lawmakers Amend Nigeria’s Constitution
For the first time since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the legislative arm of government has given the country a new constitution in the form of the first amendment to the 1999 Constitution. By global tradition, the amended sections have already become law the day a minimum of 24 state houses of assembly passed a resolution in support. As at Thursday, 30 state assemblies had already sent their resolutions to the National Assembly with 19 of the proposed 50 changes having secured the 24-state benchmark.
500 Nigerians Convicted in Switzerland for Drug Trafficking
About 500 Nigerian have been convicted of drug-related offences in Switzerland. This confirmation came as the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met those of the Swiss Federal Immigration Office, on Monday in Abuja, over the death of a 29-year-old Nigerian asylum seeker in March, at Zurich Airport, shortly before he was due to be repatriated. The Nigerian, a convicted drug dealer, had refused to leave Switzerland despite expulsion orders, and was said to have been on a hunger strike in protest at his extradition. He later fell ill shortly after he was forcibly restrained and attempts to resuscitate him failed, following which he died on the tarmac. The leader of the Swiss delegation, Alard du Bois-Reymond, disclosed that there were currently about 1,700 Nigerians seeking asylum in Switzerland.
Army Trains to Meet Global Trends
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Abdullrahaman Dambazzau, has said the Nigerian Army will continue to provide training for its personnel in order for them to meet global threats and trends in warfare. The Army chief, who said this at the opening of the week long Combat Support Arms Training Week (COSAT 2010), at Makurdi, on Wednesday, however, said the Force is facing serious constraints in the bid to achieve certain height, listing such factors to include "lack of modern equipment and poor funding”. Dambazzau added that COSAT affords the Combat Support Arms the opportunity to train together in order to achieve cohesion in discharging their combat roles.
Kidnappers Demand N200m for Mother of Ex-NFF Boss
Kidnappers of the mother of the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) former boss, Alhaji Abdullahi Sani Lulu, Hajia Abdulahi Laraba, have demanded a ransom of N200m before releasing the woman, insisting it must be N200m or nothing. However, it appears that all the efforts of the family have for now not yielded any cause for joy. The kidnap saga came just as anti –graft body, EFCC, is investigating the embattled NFF’s former boss over N1.3bn World Cup fund.
Brazilian Navy Visits Nigeria
Nigerian Navy and its Brazilian counterpart have embarked on capacity building to boost military ties between the two countries. The Brazilian war ship, BNS Baroso and Gastao Motti touched the Nigerian waters on Wednesday. The ship and officers on board were hosted to a reception by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sanni Ibrahim. Command of the Ship, Captain Luiz Roberto Valicente, said the visit was aimed at boosting military cooperation between the two countries.
INTERNATIONAL
74 Killed in Terror Attack in Uganda
A Somali Islamist militant movement, Al-Shabaab, on Monday, claimed responsibility for three bomb blasts that killed at least 76 people penultimate Sunday at two venues in the Uganda, where crowds had gathered to watch the FIFA World Cup final. Al-Shabaab’s spokesman, Ali Mohamoud Rage, said they attacked because they are at war with the African Union peacekeepers in Somalia. Ugandan Police Chief, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, said that they have made some arrests in connection with the bombings. The group battling Somalia's transitional government had threatened attacks on Uganda and Burundi, because they contribute troops to the peacekeeping effort in Somalia. Ugandan officials recovered what they described as an explosives-laden belt in a trashcan at a nightclub in a suburb of Kampala. Kayihura said the device was similar to those found at the blast sites. var currExpandable = "expand16"; if(typeof CNN.expandableMap === 'object') { CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable); } var currExpandableHeight = 436;</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;">17 Dead in China Landslides</p> <p class="style1" style="text-align: justify;">At least 17 people were dead and 44 missing Tuesday from rain-triggered landslides in southwest China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. In Yunnan, four people died and 42 were missing, according to reports. More than 50 people were injured. In neighboring Sichuan Province, a landslide killed 13 people. Over 4,200 people in eastern China were evacuated when levees broke during torrential rains, penultimate Sunday, after rising floodwaters breached levees along the Bainian River. Nearly 15 million people in 10 provinces and regions along China's longest river, the Yangtze, have had their lives disrupted after heavy rains began July 8, according to the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief.
Scientists Discover Drug to Prevent HIV
Two powerful antibodies that neutralise more than 90 percent of all known strains of the HIV virus have been discovered by US researchers, Peter Kwong, John Mascola, and Gary Nabel. The NIH-led scientists discovered the antibodies, known as VRCO1 and VRCO2 that prevent most HIV strains from infecting human cells. The team of virologists found that the two antibodies were produced naturally and are found in the blood of HIV-positive people. They were able to isolate these antibodies using a new molecular device they developed. The device is an HIV protein which scientists modified to react only with antibodies specific to the site where the virus binds to the cells it infects.
Gunman Shoots Girlfriend, Kills 2 Other at Plant
A rampaging gunman in a New Mexico manufacturing plant, wounded his girlfriend during a confrontation, and fatally shot two of her colleagues then himself. Three others were wounded. Police say the rampage capped a bitter child custody dispute between the man and his girlfriend. Authorities identified the gunman as Robert Reza, 37, a former employee at the Albuquerque plant. Police Chief, Ray Schultz, said the girlfriend had told co-workers she planned to report domestic violence to authorities. He said Reza acted alone.
British Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
Three British soldiers have been killed by an Afghan soldier in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. The incident was believed to have been deliberate. Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, has apologised to the UK after the incident on Tuesday. An investigation is under way and no further details have been released. An Afghan defence ministry spokesman said the attack was carried out with a rocket-propelled grenade, and that four other British soldiers were also injured in the attack. He said an Afghan soldier was being sought following the incident.
Al-Bashir Faces Genocide Charge
The International Criminal Court, Monday, issued a second arrest warrant for Sudan President, Omar al-Bashir, on three counts of genocide for his role in a five-year campaign of violence in Darfur. Al-Bashir is wanted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The new charges are in addition to the earlier ones, the court said. The first arrest warrant, issued last year, was the first arrest warrant the court had issued against a sitting head of state. Al-Bashir has dismissed the charges, while his information minister dismissed the ICC as a "white man's tribunal." The African Union, earlier this year, urged the court to delay proceedings against Al-Bashir, saying a decision allowing genocide charges harms peace efforts.
2 Killed in Yemen Attacks
Two security officials were killed and two wounded when gunmen launched coordinated attacks on separate security buildings in southern Yemen on Wednesday. The attacks took place in the Abyan province as security forces were queuing for morning marches, local officials said. One of the buildings is used by Yemeni intelligence agency; the other by police. It was not immediately known who carried out the attacks, but suspicion fell on insurgents tied to al-Qaeda. The government is fighting a four-month battle against a Shiite Muslim uprising in its northwest and faces increasing pressure from a separatist movement in its south. Foreign Minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, acknowledged earlier this year that those insurgencies gave al-Qaeda space to gain ground within its borders.
Afghan Villagers Repel Talibans
Villagers in eastern Afghanistan repelled an insurgent attack Tuesday, in a battle that left an Afghan civilian and "numerous" Taliban dead, the NATO-led command said. Taliban fighters tried to attack the village of Aalai Shahea, but after unsuccessful attempts to overpower the village, they quickly left the scene, NATO sources said. The event is one in a series of examples of villagers withstanding and repelling insurgent attacks. The insurgents traveled from neighboring Uruzgan province to conduct Tuesday's attack on the village, which is largely populated by Afghan security forces and their families, ISAF said.
US Completes Transfer of Prison to Iraq
The United States handed over the last detention facility under its control to Iraqi authorities on Thursday. Iraq's assumption of control over the base at outskirts of Baghdad also marks the end of a troubling chapter in the US presence in the country. With the handover, Iraq has now assumed control of the last of three such prisons controlled by U.S. forces. Inmates in Iraqi detention facilities have repeatedly complained about torture and beatings by the police, as well as overcrowding and poor conditions behind bars. Prisoners in U.S. custody, meanwhile, have benefited from reforms in the wake of photographs showing mistreatment of inmates by US soldiers at Abu Ghraib in 2004.
Journalist Detained for Comparing Kagame to Hitler
Police in Rwanda have arrested an independent journalist for comparing President Paul Kagame with the Nazi German leader. Adolf Hitler. Police spokesman, Eric Kayiranga, said Saidati Mukakibibi, a journalist who works for an independent newspaper, Umurabyo, was arrested for defamation, inciting public disorder and ethnic “divisionism.” Kagame’s administration says free speech must be tempered by concerns about stoking ethnic enmity which led to the 1994 genocide. Umurabyo’s editor was also detained recently. But authorities deny charges by rights groups that the government is clamping down on opposition and journalists before presidential elections in August.
Israeli Soldiers Convicted in Palestinian's Shooting
An Israeli lieutenant colonel and one of his soldiers were convicted Thursday in the shooting of a bound and blindfolded Palestinian demonstrator. The Palestinian had been detained in July 2008 at a violent protest against Israel's West Bank separation barrier. Video taken by a local resident showed the soldier firing a rubber-coated bullet from close range at the feet of the Palestinian man, whose hands were tied behind his back. The Palestinian's toe was bruised. He was one of several dozen Palestinians who hurled stones at soldiers during a protest against the barrier near the village of Naalin in the West Bank. A military court convicted the officer for ordering the soldier to shoot.
Typhoon Hits Philippines, 26 Killed, 38 Missing
The first typhoon to lash the Philippines this year flooded parts of the capital, toppled power lines and killed at least 26 people on Wednesday. Thirty-eight people were missing, mostly fishermen who were caught in the storm at sea. Similarly, heavy rains, unrelated to the typhoon, have also wreaked havoc in China and Japan. The death toll from rain-triggered landslides rose to 41 in western China, and workers raced to drain overflowing reservoirs in the southeast. Sea levels are rising unevenly in the Indian Ocean, placing millions at risk along low-lying coastlines in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, scientists say in a study. Researchers say the rising sea levels are caused in part by climate change and are triggered by warming seas and changes to atmospheric circulation patterns.
Saudi Resumes Flights to Iraq after 20 Years
Saudi airline, Alwafeer, Thursday, commenced regular flights to Iraq, about 20 years after it stopped flights following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. The airline’s marketing director, Saleh Bogary, said that in addition to the four flights a week planned now, the company hopes to add a weekly flight to Suleimaniya in a few weeks. For years, travellers from war-ravaged Iraq have been forced to travel overland to other countries to get flights to Jeddah, or take buses.
India Accuses Pakistan’s Spy Agency in Mumbai Attacks
India has accused Pakistani spy agency of planning and executing the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. This accusation is the strongest and most specific allegation of Pakistan’s involvement in the assault from a top official. The allegation appears to be an attempt to ratchet up the pressure on Pakistan to prosecute people whom India says were deeply involved in the assault. Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, accused Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence of playing a key role in the attacks. Pillai said that new information emerged from the interrogation of David Coleman Headley, an American who pleaded guilty to being in on the planning of the attacks.
Blast Kills 5, Injures 58 in Pakistan's Swat Valley
An apparent suicide bombing near a bus terminal in Pakistan's Swat Valley killed five people and wounded at least 58 on Thursday, officials said. The explosion went off around noon in Mingora, the main town in the one-time tourist haven that was overrun by the Taliban in 2007. The area struck was crowded, so the death toll could rise significantly. Senior police official Qazi Ghulam Farooq said five people died, including two women, and that officials believed a suicide bomber was involved. At least 58 people were wounded, he said. Another blast at a bazaar killed eight people and wounded 14 other in Pakistan's tribal region of Khyber on the Afghan border on Friday. Rehan Khattak, a government official in the region, said 14 people were wounded in the blast. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Drug Gang Attacks Police in Mexico, 3 Killed
Members of a northern Mexico drug gang, Thursday, rammed a car that may have been packed with explosives or inflammable material into two police patrol trucks in Ciudad Juarez, killing two officers and a medical technician, and wounding nine people. Police claim that the attack was in retaliation for the arrest of a top leader of the La Linea drug gang, Jesus Acosta Guerrero, earlier in the day. Police said Guerrero was responsible for at least 25 executions, mainly of rival gang members, and also ordered attacks on police.
Airstrike Kills Taliban Commander in Afghanistan
A NATO airstrike killed a Taliban commander responsible for a suicide attack on a U.S. aid program in northern Afghanistan, police said, while a raid killed another insurgent who smuggled in foreign fighters through Iran, officials said Friday. International troops working with Afghan forces say they have killed or captured dozens of senior insurgent figures since April as they aggressively step up operations against the Taliban leadership. In the northern province of Kunduz, a precision airstrike killed a local Taliban commander who uses the alias Qari Latif, the provincial police chief said. Latif died along with 12 other insurgents.
27 Policemen Injured in Ireland
At least 27 police officers were injured in clashes on Monday in Belfast, Northern Ireland, police spokesman, John Anderson, said. The violence took place in two different parts of the city on the eve of a holiday often marked by tension between Catholics and Protestants. The disruption began minutes before the start of "Orangeman's Day" celebrated by Protestants in Northern Ireland to commemorate the Battle of Boyne in 1690, when the Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic James in a struggle over the British throne. On Saturday, police in Northern Ireland said a roadside bomb that exploded in a border caused significant damage to both a road and a nearby bridge. District Cmdr. Chief Alasdair Robinson said he believed that police officers were the target.
Iran Halts Execution of Woman for Adultery
Iran's judiciary chief has temporarily halted the execution of a woman convicted of adultery, although the verdict still stands and is definite, according to Malek Ajdar Sharifi, a judiciary official said. The woman, Sakineh Mohammedie Ashtiani, faces possible execution by stoning after being convicted in 2006 of adultery. Her lawyer, Mohommad Mostafaei, said that she had confessed to the crime after being subjected to 99 lashes, but she later recanted that confession and has denied wrongdoing. Ashtiani's case has drawn international attention and many human rights activists have called for the sentence to be changed and calls for the end of hanging and stoning executions. Ashtiani's lawyer has said his client's conviction was based not on evidence but on the determination of three out of five judges.
Domestic Violence Claims 10 Women Daily in Brazil –Study
Every day, 10 women are killed in domestic violence cases in Brazil, according to a new study report, the Women's Affairs Minister, Nilcea Freire, said. The study found that 41,532 women were murdered in Brazil between 1997 and 2007 by men they knew well. This report follows the case against a Brazilian goalkeeper who is the prime suspect in the disappearance and murder of a woman. Flamengo FC goalkeeper, Bruno Fernandes Das Dores de Souza, is accused of overseeing the kidnapping and dismembering of his ex-lover, Eliza Samudio, with whom he had a child, although her body remains missing. Samudio had claimed recently, that Fernandes threatened to make her disappear and refused to acknowledge the paternity of their son.
Qaeda Extends Deadline on French Captive
Al-Qaeda’s North African branch, penultimate Sunday, issued a message granting France an “extension” on a deadline it had set to kill a Frenchman kidnapped in Niger, US monitors reported. The group warned that the extension will not be repeated and will not exceed 15 days, starting on Monday. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, said it captured the man, who identified himself as 78-year-old Michel Germaneau, in northern Niger in April. AQIM had demanded a prisoner exchange in May 13 and warned that unless its demands were met, France will have sentenced its citizen to death. AQIM killed British tourist, Edwin Dyer, in June 2009, after holding him captive for six months, when Britain refused to yield to their demands.