8. oktober 2004

Threat against US schools uncovered in Iraq The US military in Baghdad uncovered floor plans and security information about elementary and high schools in six US states when they investigated the computer of an Iraqi insurgent. School officials in Fort Myers, Fla.; Salem, Ore.; Gray, Ga.; Birch Run, Mich.; two towns in New Jersey; and two towns in California have been told to increase security in light of the discovery. Law enforcement officials say information on both elementary schools and high schools was included on the insurgent's disc, and that some of the schools involved were under construction this summer. The ongoing construction was of particular interest to law enforcement officials. The terrorists who attacked the school in Beslan, Russia — where nearly 340 people were killed, many of them children — are thought to have hidden weapons in that school while it was under construction this summer. In fact, these plans were discovered back in July, but only after the Beslan atrocities did this information lead to an urgent security warning. Now security is being stepped up, in particular on these schools. The connection between anti-coalition insurgents in Iraq and international terrorist groups with potential capabilities to attack US targets is apparently not well understood. Especially since this information was discovered long before the Beslan terror, it indicates that the Islamofascists have a strategy of targeting school children. It is beginning to be hard to imagine what evil the Islamic terrorists are able to come up with next. Update: CNN has some additional details that may change the plot: The Homeland Security official said the material was associated with a specific individual in Iraq, and it could not be established that this man had any ties to terrorism. He did have a connection to civic groups doing planning for schools in Iraq, the official said. Still, the FBI is examining the materials carefully. While officials say there has been no specific threat related to the recovered material, they say they are taking the matter seriously out of an abundance of caution. Obviously, in such cases it is better to be safe than sorry. 6:06:19 PM    comment []  trackback []

The Nobel Committee plays it safe The Nobel Peace Prize 2004 went to Wangari Maathai from Kenya. It says a lot about the standing of the prize that it's a relief whenever it goes to a person most of us hadn't heard about. I had this fear it would go to ElBaradei or Blix this year, and luckily that was wrong. Maathaiis is Kenya's deputy environment minister, and she is described as an ecologist and human rights campaigner. In the late 1970s Mrs Maathai led a campaign called the "Green Belt Movement" to plant tens of millions of trees across Africa to slow deforestation. The movement grew to include projects to preserve biodiversity, educate people about their environment and promote the rights of women and girls. I hope there are no skeletons in her closet. With that disclaimer, I can only say it sounds like a great recognition of a woman who works hard to solve local environmental problems. We sure have enough "environmentalists" who use ecology as a cover for anti-western, anti-capitalism propaganda aiming at bringing us back to the good old stone age. 4:24:21 PM    comment []  trackback []

At least 30 killed in Egypt explosions At least 30 people have been killed in three explosions in Egyptian holiday resorts close to the Israeli border. The main target was the Hilton hotel in Taba, which is said to have been devastated by a possible car bomb. Two more explosions happened shortly thereafter in the nearby towns of Ras al-Shitan and Nuweiba. These are popular destinations for Israeli tourists, and many of the victims are believed to be Israelis. Israel's deputy defence minister Zeev Boim, who is in Taba, said it was too early to say who carried out the attacks. But he told reporters: "In my personal opinion it seems that it is more fitted to the international terror groups like al-Qaeda or some branches of al-Qaeda." According to Israeli media, 10 floors of the Hilton Hotel collapsed, trapping many people. The Egyptian authorities say there is no evidence of terrorism. Simultanous explosions no evidence of terrorism? Yikes. 7:31:22 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2004 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.11.2004; 14:35:20.