Gunmen in Yemen opened fired Sunday, November 3, at a helicopter belonging to Hunt Oil Company, shortly after its takeoff from Sanaa airport, injuring one American. The helicopter, hit by one bullet, immediately returned to Sanaa where it landed safely. An American Hunt employee on board was slightly injured and taken to hospital in a state of shock, they said, unable to confirm whether the man had been shot. Bullet hits heli. Man injured. Usually there's a relation between the two, unless he bumped his head...
Security services began a search of the tribal area, three kilometers (two miles) east of the airport, from where the shots were fired. "Hey! Did one of you guys shoot at a heli?"
"Nope. Wudn't us."
"Well, don't do it again!"
Dutch airline KLM and Lufthansa of Germany both cancelled their flights to Yemen. I doubt it was a permanent cancellation, but there's much to be said for the thought of not having anything at all to do with uncivilized countries.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:13 pm ||
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Saudi Arabia's foreign minister pledged his country's allegiance with the United States in its fight against the al Qaeda terrorist group, but said Saudi Arabia would not allow its bases and airspace to be used in any U.S.-led military strike against Iraq. "We will cooperate with the [U.N.] Security Council, but as to entering the conflict or using the facilities as part of the conflict, that's something else," Prince Saud al-Faisal told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in a recent interview, when asked about allowing overflights by U.S. forces. "So that's a 'no'?" Amanpour asked. "No," al-Faisal said. Thanks to Steve for the reminder...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 07:37 pm ||
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Wouldn't it have been a "no" if he had said "yes"?
Posted by: Jack ||
11/04/2002 5:02 Comments ||
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Iranian security forces have detained at least one of Osama bin Laden's sons along with several hundred people suspected of having links to the al-Qaeda organisation. The captures happened on Iranian territory as the group fled Afghanistan, according to an Iranian official. The official, who asked not to be identified, said Mr bin Laden's son was handed over to either the Saudi or Pakistani authorities. He declined to give any details of the son's identity and said he could not confirm reports that one of Mr bin Laden's wives had also been detained in Iran. Previous reports of detentions in Iran have proven to be pretty insubstantial — for instance, Zawahiri was reported jugged in February, but he appeared to evaporate from the calaboose without comment. If there's anything to this, and he wasn't dumped to Soddy Arabia, then I'll ululate, but until there are further details, I'll put it in the same category as Ayman's "drunk and disorderly" time...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:06 pm ||
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U.S. peace activists vowed here Sunday, November 3, they would stay in Baghdad even if their country declared war on Iraq. "We will study Arabic, do volunteer work, keep on sending diaries back home about our interaction with the Iraqi people," Kathy Kelly, spokesperson of Chicago-based Voices in the Wilderness, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Kelly, from Chicago, said there were now 11 members of the group in Baghdad, and that at least 70 other volunteers were ready to come. "We have requested visas for them," she said. She dismissed the idea that they would provide Iraq with a U.S. human shield, pointing out that members of the group stayed in Baghdad during the December 1998 U.S.-British bombing blitz. Have a nice stay, Kathy. If you eat one, don't come complaining to us...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:18 pm ||
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Well, well, overt treason.
Posted by: Michael Lonie ||
11/03/2002 16:16 Comments ||
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I hope the Iraqis won't catch on to our UNDERCOVER AGENTS working in Iraq as PEACE PROTESTERS.I'm not confident they won't crack under BRUTAL INTERROGATION by the Mukhabarat.
France took centre stage in the Iraq crisis amid reports it had been secretly negotiating with the regime for reform from within. Paris "categorically" denied the report by the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that a French envoy had been shuttling to Baghdad for months in a bid to remove any pretext for US-led military action to oust Saddam Hussein. "No French envoy tasked with such a mission to Saddam Hussein has gone to Iraq," the foreign ministry said Saturday. "Non, non! Would La Belle France go behind your back?"
The envoy "has been regularly visiting Iraq for some time" to lobby for a change of "internal and foreign" policies and consequently avert US military action against Saddam's regime, the paper said, quoting "authorized French sources." If they were "authorized," why'd they deny it?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:42 pm ||
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Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has instructed agents to kill Iraqi opposition leaders based in Britain to prevent them from forming an alternative government if he is overthrown. British and American intelligence officials have received information in the past week that Saddam has issued a presidential decree authorising the murder of leading members of the Iraqi opposition "by any means necessary," The Sunday Telegraph said. Doesn't sound like that French diplomacy's working like it should...
He is also said to have approached Libyan leader Muammar Kadhafi — who is known to have a network of "sleeper" agents in Britain and Europe — to help him to target Iraqi dissidents, the paper said. That won't work real well if Muammar's busy cavorting with scantily clad maidens outside the Arab League...
Details of the decree, which were sent from Saddam's base in Baghdad to Iraqi security officials in Europe and the West Asia last week, were intercepted by British officials at a listening complex in Cheltenham, central England, according to the report. Saddam's instructions have also been picked up by CIA spy satellites and by agents in the West Asia, the paper added. If that's where the info came from, it certainly shouldn't have gotten out. I suspect it may not have and that this is a rumor...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:49 pm ||
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Another 16 felons — a cadre of drug dealers, forgers and thieves — have requested and sometimes cast absentee ballots illegally in Duval County for Tuesday's election, a Times-Union review has found. They join 11 other felons who were registered to vote and requested absentee ballots, despite a Florida law prohibiting them from doing so. A local NAACP registration drive in early October at the county jail and work release site produced 16 of the registrations, election officials said. The others were convicted beforehand or afterward and not expunged. Felons cannot vote in Florida unless they successfully petition the state to restore their rights. Is it just me or is the odor of this election akin to rare, aged mackerel?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:06 pm ||
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I belive there is also smoke (screen) involved.
dorf
Posted by: dorf ||
11/04/2002 7:11 Comments ||
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On Saturday,Indian security forces intercepted "suspected militants" trying to cross from Pakistani-controlled Kashmir into the Indian-controlled side of the Line of Control, killing at least 12. The sources said the gun battle was still going on near the town of Saujian in the Poonch district, about 130 miles northwest of Jammu. Sounds like those suspicions were correct, doesn't it?
Earlier Saturday evening, a police housing colony came under fire from four rocket grenades, but no one was injured. Good Islamic tactics: hit the women and kiddies...
Still earlier, "suspected militants" gunned down a local Kashmiri politician, Mohammad Sikandar, killing him and two of his security guards in Batmaloo outside Srinagar, according to police sources. Sikandar ran and lost in last month's elections, representing the ruling Congress Party. Normally, we give 'em jobs on Blue Ribbon panels, instead of killing them when they lose...
In a separate attack Saturday afternoon, "suspected militants" shot and killed a Kashmiri police officer in Srinagar's city center, the sources said. Those suspecions seems correct, too...
Earlier in the day, "suspected militants" fired two rocket grenades at the home of Jammu and Kashmir's new Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, hours before he was sworn into office. The attack injured a police officer, but did not hurt Sayeed, who was later sworn into office. Sayeed's party came to power campaigning for a softer stand on suspected militants in Kashmir, saying the party wants to apply a healing touch to the disputed region. In the 1980s, Sayeed's daughter was kidnapped by "suspected militants" while he served as India's home minister in charge of internal security. He bargained with the kidnappers to release jailed militants in exchange for his daughter, a move criticized by some who said that the decision led to an upsurge of violence in Kashmir. "This is what we think of your 'softer stand,' Mr Mufti! Fire!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:34 pm ||
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The Palestinian journalist's bloc has rejected the attempt by certain individuals in the journalists syndicate to politicize an accident in a bid to tarnish the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. The bloc said that the syndicate's decision to boycott all Hamas activities did not represent the bloc nor reflect the opinion of Palestinian pressmen. In a statement yesterday, the bloc said, "We were at pains over what happened to some of our colleagues the journalists yesterday Thursday 31/10/2002 namely the assault against them while covering the tragic explosion that killed three Palestinian Mujahideen. We also appreciate the quick condemnation of that incident by Hamas". The statement pointed out, however, that the bloc was angered over the attempt by certain individuals in the syndicate to exploit and politicize that event. Sounds like they had a visit from Big Mahmoud and Crazy Abdullah to shove them back into line...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 02:19 pm ||
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The government has amended the Jordanian legislation to give women "equal rights" in keeping with the kingdom's constitution, Queen Rania announced. The queen made the announcement Sunday during the opening day in Amman of a two-day summit of Arab first ladies, dedicated to improving the conditions of women in the male-dominated Arab world. "I am pleased to announce that the council of ministers has adopted amendments on the laws concerning passports, nationality and retirement," a beaming Queen Rania told the Arab Women's Summit. These amendments "will give the Jordanian woman equal rights as granted by the constitution," she added, without spelling out the changes or specifying when they go into effect. I doubt this will avert any honor killings, but I guess each and every little step, no matter how tiny, on the way to personal liberty is to be treasured...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 04:45 pm ||
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Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed Sunday to accept an offer from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to become his foreign minister, on the condition that Sharon calls for early elections. "I said to the prime minister that I would agree to serve as foreign minister in a goverment that would go to early elections," Netanyahu said. "If we don't go to early elections, this government would barely survive. It would not be able to implement the economic reforms that I believe are necessary. I hope the prime minister will accept this; he said he'd consider this. And I think if he does, then Israel will benefit and the citizens of Israel will benefit." I don't know if this will lessen or exacerbate the rivalry between the two men. Replacing Peres can only be a good thing, seems to me...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 07:47 pm ||
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You mean "FM"
Posted by: Pete S. ||
11/04/2002 2:16 Comments ||
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Duh. Yup... Somebody else musta typed that...
Posted by: Fred ||
11/04/2002 8:14 Comments ||
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No, Fred's just prescient ;-)
Posted by: Brian ||
11/04/2002 11:19 Comments ||
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Dr. Freud, your one oclock session is here.
Posted by: Frank Martin ||
11/04/2002 13:21 Comments ||
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A Palestinian man arrested by the IDF on Sunday confessed while interrogated to have had his life threatened by a Palestinian terror organization if he didn't carry out a suicide attack, security sources told Israel Radio. The man, Imman Sharfa, was arrested at the IDF's Geffen roadblock, in the Gaza Strip, a radio report said. Next time you think your life is tough, think of this poor guy... "If you don't commit suicide, we're gonna kill you..."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 09:09 pm ||
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Women from around the world gathered in Libya this week for the nation's first international beauty pageant, where contestants ditched swimsuits and sequins for T-shirts and dresses adorned with pictures of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Libya hosted the pageant and Internet users from all over the world chose the new "Miss Net World.'' Britain's Lucy Layton won the title on Saturday. Layton and 22 other women from around the world met Gadhafi and toured the north African country's beaches, desert and monuments for a week. Photographs on the pageant Web site, www.missnetworld.tv., show the young women laughing with Gadhafi. Maybe he left the Arab League so he could have a little fun...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
11/03/2002 01:06 pm ||
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Gadhafi (or however it's being spelled this week) is ugly and his mama dresses him funny. I saw the pics over at Little Green Footballs and that outfit he's wearing brings new meaning to the word "garish".
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.
