Florinda Bolkan aka Joni Adamo in "Machine Gun McCain" aka Carol Hammond in "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" aka Maciara in "Don't Torture a Duckling" (age 70)
False information that Linda Norgrove was killed by an Afghan insurgent was issued because the team leader in the rescue operation assumed the captor had blown himself up, an inquest has heard.
The aid worker was helping the Afghan people rebuild their war-torn country when she was taken hostage and then died during a rescue attempt.
The resumed inquest into her death heard that the visibility was so poor during the disastrous mission that her would-be rescuers could not see her.
It was initially said she had been killed by one of the insurgents who had abducted her, but it later emerged her death was caused by a grenade thrown by US special forces attempting to free her.
Giving evidence at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court in Trowbridge, Brigadier Robert Nitsch, who helped investigate the tragic incident, said: "The team leader, in a previous tour of Afghanistan, has witnessed an insurgent blowing himself up in front of him. In his mind, that is what has happened here.
"(This was) one of the contributing factors why it wasn't confirmed until later that Linda was killed by this grenade rather than by a suicide vest."
The team leader's mistaken belief contributed to the "false information given to the family and put in the public domain", he said.
British Brigadier Nitsch said a US soldier, named as team member five (TM5), had thrown the grenade as he feared his comrades were in danger and had been "thinking at a million miles a minute at this time".
The US force member was part of a team that ventured on to the hostile, mountainous terrain where Ms Norgrove, from the Western Isles, was being held, following some intelligence that she had been taken there.
The hearing was told that Ms Norgrove was killed just 59 seconds into the action amid very poor visibility after one of the team members "felt significantly under threat" and made a decision to throw a grenade. Sounds like the Taliban were using her as a human shield. In any case, except in cases of gross negligence or murder, I feel the blame for her death falls squarely on them given their history of treatment of captives and the fact that they kidnapped her.
Sounds like the Taliban were using her as a human shield. In any case, except in cases of gross negligence or murder, I feel the blame for her death falls squarely on them given their history of treatment of captives and the fact that they kidnapped her.
that pretty much sums it up.
Posted by: abu do you love ||
02/15/2011 17:58 Comments ||
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#2
In a hostage situation, the default assumption is that the hostages will die, not that they will be saved. That is why a better outcome is just that, better, not expected.
#3
In any hostage situation any deaths on the hostage's part lies squarely on the hostage-takers shoulders. It was *they* who took the hostage and *they* were responsible.
Same as if an terrorist insurgent hides behind a human shield and the human shield is killed in an assult on the terrorist insurgent - its on their head. Not the attacker.
#4
Her eyes were as open as they are in this haunting photo when she walked into that trap by going to A-stan in the first place. Linda, RIP, you learned the hard way.
Posted by: Fire and Ice ||
02/15/2011 18:45 Comments ||
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#5
Absolutely her death lays squarely on her kidnappers.
[Bangla Daily Star] A Taliban jacket wallah targeted a popular shopping mall in the heart of the Afghan capital Kabul yesterday, killing two guards and wounding at least two other people, officials said.
Interior ministry front man Zemarai Bashary told AFP that the attacker went kaboom!" after he was stopped at the gates of the Kabul City Centre, Afghanistan's first modern-style indoor shopping complex that opened in 2005.
The blast is the second serious attack within three weeks against shops frequented by Westerners in the Afghan capital, highlighting the precarious state of security.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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[Tolo News] Most gunnies in southern Afghanistan are financially supported by drug trafficking to Iran, Isaf said at a news conference on Monday.
In a joint presser with Nato's senior civilian representative's spokesperson, Isaf Spokesperson General Josef Blotz warned of a tough spring ahead of the forces.
Nato's senior civilian representative's spokesperson Dominic Medley highlighted that all Afghan neighbours in particular Iran and Pakistain could play an effective role in bringing stability in Afghanistan.
"Nato as always says all neighbours, Iran and Pakistain should play a positive and hopeful role in all their relationships with Afghanistan and that is what Nato looks for," Dominic Medley said.
"A safer Afghanistan is a safer region and vice-versa of course," he further said.
While this has turned into a plain reality that gunnies have their main havens and sanctuaries outside Afghan borders, the Isaf says its anti-terrorism mission is set on Afghan soil and that a beyond border campaign is out of its mandate.
"Coalition forces have taken advantage of relatively mild winter while senior leaders in the Taliban and Haqqani networks remain safe across the border," Gen. Blotz said "Lower level fighters have taken the brand of losses due to a relentless pursuit by Afghan and coalition forces."
The comments came, as a couple of days ago Helmand governor accused Pakistain and Iran of provoking insurgency in the southern Helmand province, a stronghold of the Taliban.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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Posted by: American Delight ||
02/15/2011 6:45 Comments ||
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#2
While this has turned into a plain reality that gunnies have their main havens and sanctuaries outside Afghan borders, the Isaf says its anti-terrorism mission is set on Afghan soil and that a beyond border campaign is out of its mandate.
But, but, but esteemed NATO (paid) Coalition Partners, if we build you fancy, new brick office like those at Kandahar, give you Toyota NTV's to drive around the FOB, and pay your people 4 times their base salary for 90-120 day tours....... will you leave the FOB's and assist in the cross-border sancuary effort?
#3
I can't help thinking that if NATO really wanted to do something about drugs in Afghanistan they could damn well do it. I don't want to hear any more about how bad the Taliban and the Iranians are for selling drugs until NATO does something about the growers and their crops. The whole thing smells kinda fishy.
[Maghrebia] Algerian prosecutors on Sunday announced the arrest of 12 alleged members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, El Watan reported on Monday (February 14th). The accused terrorists, aged between 27 and 41, were captured near Batna in late January. Three of the suspects are Mauritanian nationals, while nine are Algerians from Tebessa, Batna, Constantine and Guelma. Security forces seized weapons, ammunition, rocket launchers and detonators, along with ammonium nitrate and other bomb-making chemicals, during the recent operations in Taghda. The suspects reportedly provided detailed information on 211 foreign AQIM faceless myrmidons in Algeria, from Mali, Libya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and Burkina Faso.
In a separate operation, security forces dismantled a kidnapping ring in Kabylie, Liberte reported on Monday (February 14th). The alleged bandidos reportedly pretended to be AQIM faceless myrmidons to further their criminal acts. They are charged with seven kidnappings in less than a year, including the deadly Aghribs abduction.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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[Ennahar] A network of criminals responsible for several kidnappings for ransom in Kabylia and posing as members of a terrorist group, was disbanded late January, said the Algerian police quoted Monday by the press.
Seven people were nabbed and three are actively hunted, according to the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the police who reported the seizure of several weapons on this occasion.
These men, who claimed to belong to the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat ... now known as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb... (the forerunner of Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb-AQIM), made many false checkpoints in the area of Aghrib in the province of Tizi Ouzou, about a hundred kilometers east of Algiers.
They are accused for at least seven crimes in less than a year, including the recent liquidation of a entrepreneur, kidnapping of the latter's cousin and an attack against a cop shoppe in the region, said the gendarmerie.
Extorted funds to free their hostages were used to purchase weapons from smugglers in southern Algeria.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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[Ennahar] ANP forces have managed to eliminate four dangerous forces of Evil and arresting others. A large quantity of weapons was recovered during a raid on the border between Algeria and Niger.
According to reliable sources of Ennahar, forces of the People's National Army (ANP) in coordination with combined security services, have conducted an operation against a group of forces of Evil belonging to the group led by Ghadir Mohamed, alias Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, who was trying to infiltrate in the Algerian Sahara in the border area between Algeria and Niger.
According to information received by Ennahar, the group of forces of Evil moving in two all terrain vehicles brand "Toyota Station". An ambush was then stretched to the terrorists, who allegedly detain the Italian hostage Maria Sandra Mariani, delivered to them by smugglers who kidnapped her in the region of Djanet.
The same sources added that the PNA forces, assisted by helicopters dispatched from the air base of Ouargla, blew up a vehicle for forces of Evil while the second was able to escape during the clash in the region of Azouana , 345 km south of Djanet.
Four forces of Evil were killed during the clash, three Algerians and a Mauritanian. A terrorist, a Mauritanian, was nabbed and four Kalashnikovs were recovered along with ammunition.
The bodies of the forces of Evil were then deposited at the hospital morgue of Ouargla for identification, while the terrorist nabbed, he was taken to a barracks of the Fourth Military Region for interrogation.
The same sources also reported a high-level coordination between the Algerian and Nigerian security services to try to free the Italian hostage.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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[The Nation (Nairobi)] Rocks and batons flew in central Sanaa today as pro-democracy protesters clashed violently with police and supporters of President President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh, ... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, after serving as a lieutenant colonel in the army. He had been part of the conspiracy that bumped off his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, in the usual tiresome military coup, and he has maintained power by keeping Yemen's many tribes fighting with each other, rather than uniting to string him up. ... witnesses said.
Clashes between police and protesters also broke out today in the city of Taez, south of Sanaa, where thousands of people joined demonstrations against Saleh, witnesses there said.
In Sanaa, around 3,000 protesters marched from Sanaa University towards Al-Tahrir square in the centre of the capital demanding that Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years, step down, an AFP news hound said.
City streets around the square echoed to chants of "After Mubarak, Ali," referring to the ouster of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak who quit after 18 days of protests by hundreds of thousands of Egyptians centered on Cairo's main square, also named Tahrir.
Shouts of "No corruption after today," reverberated through the narrow streets, while some demonstrators brandished banners reading: "The people want to oust the regime" -- slogans used by protesters in Egypt.
As the protesters got near the square, baton-wielding riot police moved in and festivities broke out, witnesses said.
Despite razor wire erected by security forces around the square, supporters of Saleh who have been camped at the square for days to thwart anti-regime demonstrations waded in to the demonstrators with batons, witnesses said.
The protesters responded by hurling stones at Saleh's supporters.
Witnesses said some of the demonstrators were slightly injured. A BBC journalist, Abdullah Ghorab, whose face was covered with blood, told AFP he was beaten "by men from the ruling party."
In the Taez festivities, witnesses said that at least eight demonstrators were hurt.
Sanaa has been the scene of near-daily protests since January and last week supporters of the president took over Tahrir square, erecting tents to try to thwart the protesters.
Protests have becoming increasingly violent and on Sunday, riot police used batons to disperse a demonstration by an estimated 2,000 demonstrators in Sanaa, injuring a woman and making 10 arrests, according to witnesses.
Elected to a seven-year term in September 2006, Saleh has urged the opposition to resume dialogue aimed at forging a government of national unity.
The parliamentary opposition, grouped in an alliance known as the Common Forum which has previously led the protests, has suspended its participation in demonstrations after deciding to enter talks with the government.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
James,
You know there are times when I wished we had a president that looked like Saleh. That's one tough looking SOB. I bet he clears a room with his glare.
Karl,
Neither of us approve of his methods but he definitely has a personae that commands respect...and scares the bejeebers out of someone on the other side of the table.
For a map, click here. For a map of Durango click here Definitely Sinaloa drug gang and probably Los Zetas were the combatants.
Seven individuals were killed in an apparent intergang firefight in a remote community in far southwestern Durango, say Mexican news reports.
Reports say the gunfight took place in the village of San Manuel in the El Mezquital municipality.
The gunfight takes place almost two months after an armed group burned the village of Tierra Colorada to the ground after residents refused to turn their land over for the growing of drugs. Tierra Colorada is also in the El Mezquital municipality.
See here for the archived report of the Tierra Colorada attack. Click here for a report of the Otaezx intergang shootout last October which killed 14.
San Manuel is about 25 kilometers from Tierra Colorada.
This appears to be terrorism since a private vehicle and a bus were attacked with small arms. No indications of any involvement with rival gangs. For a map, click here. For a map of Tamaulipas, click here
Armed suspects travelling in a convoy near Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas attacked a passenger bus last Wednesday, according to Mexican news accounts.
The attack took place Wednesday night when an armed suspects attacked a passenger bus on the Matamoros-Ciudad Victoria highway near Padilla, Tamaulipas. Reports suggest at least eight people died in the assault including two children and two women.
Another attack took place near Padilla where a family aboard a private vehicle were shot, killing two parents, presumably by the same group that assaulted the bus last Wednesday.
A total of seven more unidentified individuals were dumped in the town square of Padilla, Tamaulipas, victims of another shooting.
English language reports on the incident are unclear as to the sequence of events.
Spanish language reports two attacks on buses took place last Wednesday, but fail to indicate if the attacks were on two different buses or the same vehicle.
Armed suspects also attacked court facilities and the town hall in Padilla Monday, using grenades and small arms fire. It is likely people were killed in these attacks as well, but reports make unclear the death toll.
#1
See also TOPIX > MEXICO'S DRUG WAR AN "INSURGENCY": US OFFICIAL'S GAFFE SPARKS US-MEXICO [diplomatic]ROW.
OTOH FREEREPUBLIC POSTER > opined that IHO POTUS OBAMA"S failure to secure the US SouthWest borders from Mexican cartel violence + consequent Mexican diasporas, possible Islamist MilTerr infiltration into CONUS oer Cartel-controlled, covert US smuggling routes may be a PDeniable INTENTIONAL ploy by the Bammer Admin to justify CANCELLING the US 2012 US ELEX - IOW, POTUS BAMMER + ADMIN WANT MAJOR TERRSTRIKES [Nukes-WMDS] TO OCCUR + SUCCEED INSIDE THE US???
The USA just a-skip-n-a-hop away from becom the OWG USSA???
A total of 21 individuals were murdered in ongoing drug and gang related violence in northern Mexican states including a female Tijuana police officer shot at her home in Tijuana Sunday. For a map click here
An unidentified man in his 20s was found shot to death in Chihuahua, Chihuahua early Saturday morning. The victim was found tortured on avenida De las Industrias. Reports say he was shot with a .45 caliber weapon.
An unidentified woman was shot to death and her male companion was seriously wounded in Juarez Satruday. The victim's were aboard the male victim's Ford Explorer on avenida Norzagaray near the US border when they were shot. Reports say unidentified immigration agents witnessed the shooting.
A teenager was shot to death in Juarez Saturday night. The victim was shot near the intersection of calles Jesus Najera and Ramon Aranda in the La Chaveña colony. The victim had been involved in a beating of another individual earlier in the day, and it is suspected the shooting was a response.
Four unidentified men were shot to death and three others were wounded in a shooting in Juarez Sunday morning. The shooting took place at a residence on calle Valle de Juarez ion the San Lorenzo colony where armed suspects aboard a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV shot all seven men riding in a Ford Explorer, which subsequently crashed into a residence. All but one of the dead died in the vehicle while the fourth died attempting to flee the assault.
An unidentified woman was shot to death in Chihuahua, Chihuahua Sunday. The victim was outside of her residence near the corner of calles Guerrero and Junta de los Rios in the Industrial de Chihuahua colony when armed suspects fired on her. The victim was caught by gunfire in the middle of the street attempting to find shelter from the attack.
Two unidentified men were found shot to death in Juarez early Monday morning. The victim's were found dumped near the intersection of calles Gomez MorÃn and Riveras del Bravo. About 60 spent shell casings were found at the scene.
One unidentified male was shot to death and another was wounded in an apparent abduction in Chihuahua, Chihuahua Monday morning. The attack took place in the Industrial colony near the railroad tracks where the victims were riding aboard a Nissan sedan. The victims were shot by armed suspects riding aboard a vehicle which fled the scene with his kidnapping victim aboard.
An unidentified man was shot to death in Juarez Monday. The victim was aboard his Dodge Intrepid near the intersection of calles Miguel de la Madrid and Zafra in the Heroes de la Revolucion colony when armed suspects intercepted the victim and shot him more that 15 times.
An unidentified man was found shot to death in Juarez Monday. A detachment of Mexican soldiers found the victim dumped in an arroyo in San Agustin colony, along with cowboy attire including boots.
A jeweller has died from his wounds sustained in an armed robbery of his store in Empalme, Sonora Saturday. Miguel Angel Sandoval Barborin, 54, died Monday in Empalme. Reports say an armed suspect entered Yolanda's Jewellry Saturday carrying a suitcase and demanding jewellery. Before the suspect left with his loot he shot the victim.
An unidentified couple was shot to death and a third victim was wounded in an attack in a restaurant in Nogales, Sonora Sunday. The victims were sitting in a Japanese restaurant on Calle Hermosillo when armed suspects with AK-47 assault rifles entered the eatery and started firing. The third victim was at a table adjacent to the pair who were shot, and was shot several times.
A Tijuana, Baja California police officer was shot to death Sunday in Tijuana. Tafolla Ema Carrillo was preparing to leave for work at her home in the Sanchez Taboada delegation when she was shot by armed suspects using AK-47 assault rifles. The officer was a single mother with two minor children.
A man was shot to death Sunday in Tijuana, Baja California. Leoncio Senovio Robles was walking alone on calle Cofradias in the Terrazas del Valle colony when armed suspects aboard a sedan shot him six times in the chest. .40 caliber spent shell casings were found at the scene.
A man was shot and seriously wounded in Gomez Palacio, Durango Friday. Manuel Arias Javier Martinez, 28, was shot by unidentified armed suspects in the Zona Industrial of Gomez Palacio.
A man was shot and wounded near Torreon, Coahuila Friday night. Alejandro Arellano Menchaca, 24, was shot as he was having dfrinks with friends at the plaza of the Santo Tomas ejido in the Matamoros municipality. The victim was shot by armed suspects who were aboard a pickup truck.
An unidentified man was shot to death inn Torreon, Coahuila Sunday morning. The victim was found beneath the Puente Plateado bridge in the Plan de Ayala de Torreon shot twice with a .223 caliber rifle.
A gunfight between Mexican security forces and armed suspects has left one suspect dead and two others wounded in Torreon, Coahuila. The battle took place Monday afternoon in the La Dalia and Las Luisas colonies where armed suepcts fought with security forces using small arms and grenade fire.
[An Nahar] Police in Greece have nabbed a young Paleostinian identified in reports as an alleged member of Fatah al-Islam, A Syrian-incubated al-Qaeda work-alike that they think can be turned off if no longer needed to keep the Leb pot stirred. a police source said Sunday.
Ghaleb Taleb was nabbed in Athens and will be deported for illegal entry into the country following questioning by police, the source told Agence La Belle France Presse.
Taleb was said by Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Saturday to be a member of Fatah al-Islam.
The daily said he had secretly arrived in Greece months ago and was planning attacks in Europe.
Another alleged Fatah al-Islam Islamic exemplar cited in the report, Mohammed Musa, has been in Greek police custody for months and will also be deported for illegal entry, the police source said.
It was not immediately clear if the jugged were to be deported to territories controlled by the Paleostinian Authority or to Leb.
Send 'em to the West Bank, where they don't much like upstarts. Maybe they could have as much fun as the Bethlehem Church violators are having in Gaza these days.
The Lebanese army battled an uprising by Fatah al-Islam in the northern Paleostinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in the summer of 2007. The fighting killed some 400 people, including 168 soldiers.
The group is also accused of being behind twin bus bombings in Ain Alaq, a suburb northeast of Beirut which left three dead and close to 20 maimed in 2007.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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[Arab News] A Pak anti-terrorism court on Monday charged Malik Mumtaz Qadri with the murder of Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer. Qadri, a guard in Taseer's security detail, bumped off the governor in Islamabad on Jan. 4. The court adjourned the hearing till Feb. 26.
According to The News Agency that Dare Not be Named Qadri told the court he didn't regret gunning the politician down because he killed "an apostate," lawyers said.
Qadri has told authorities he killed Taseer because the governor spoke out against Pak blasphemy laws that impose the death sentence for insulting Islam.
The liquidation horrified many in the population but those in the religious establishment and some legal circles have praised Qadri.
The court indicted Qadri on a murder charge in a closed session in the city of Rawalpindi, defense lawyer Shujaur Rehman Raja said.
When the judge asked Qadri if he'd intentionally killed Taseer, the 26-year-old said what he did wasn't illegal.
"I treated an apostate as he was supposed to be under Islamic laws," Qadri replied, according to his lawyer.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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if only it was a gazan, if they would launch Hamassholes to an altitude of a couple thousand feet, then let them impact the nagev at terminal velocity... ah, now THAT would advance the peace process. and it would put a whole new spin on the Saheed(sp?) missile
Posted by: abu do you love ||
02/15/2011 18:09 Comments ||
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[Iran Press TV] Small groups of anti-government protesters have disrupted order in the Iranian capital Tehran, prompting citizens to hold counter-demonstrations.
The protesters, mostly supporters of defeated presidential candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, set fire to trashcans and rolled their eyes, jumped up and down, and hollered poorly rhymed slogans real loud against the government.
This is while the opposition had asked for permission to hold a public "in support of the people in Tunisia and Egypt." The Iranian government, however, refused to give permission and declared all such rallies illegal.
Meanwhile, ...back at the ranch... counter-demonstrations were held to denounce the move by the opposition to disrupt public order, and condemn the riots by the supporters of Mousavi and Karroubi.
Iran says American NGOs and organizations have provided financial support for post-election unrest in order to topple the Islamic establishment.
"There are confessions confirming that the US intelligence agency, CIA, has provided some influential figures at the sedition trend headquarters with money," Iran's Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said in September 2010.
Moslehi said that Americans had provided the "leaders of sedition" with one billion dollars through Saudi channels.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/15/2011 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
False information that Linda Norgrove was killed by an Afghan insurgent was issued because the team leader in the rescue operation assumed the captor had blown himself up, an inquest has heard.
President-for-Life Ali Abdullah Saleh,
