August
1-15
Coalition
Plans Wireless System in Iraq
WASHINGTON,
Aug. 1, 2003 – A DoD official spoke today about coalition
plans to let contracts for a cellular phone system and to reconstruct
the telecommunications system in Iraq.
Linton Wells II, principal deputy
assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration,
told Pentagon reporters that the cell phone system could be up
and running by November. (Full
Story)
‘Afghan
Hounds’ Protect Coalition Forces
BAGRAM AIR
FIELD, Afghanistan – They travel all over the world, from
the United States to Egypt to Kosovo, working side by side with
troops, searching trucks, buildings and people for narcotics and
explosives. These canines – lifelines for military safety
– are here protecting the coalition forces and the surrounding
area from threats of terrorism.
Each day, working dogs at the gate
carry out their mission of keeping explosive devices from entering
base. These dogs are called on to engage in a wide spectrum of
missions, said Army Sgt. Jon Lockhart, explosive-detection dog
handler and former kennel master. At one point, for example, the
dogs searched the bags of personnel in the newly established Afghan
National Army during health and welfare missions, said Lockhart.
(Full
Story)
Myers
Meets With Pakistani Counterpart
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan – Joint Chiefs chairman Air Force Gen. Richard
B. Myers continued consultations in South Asia with meetings with
his Pakistani counterparts last week.
Myers arrived from the Indian capital
of New Delhi and immediately began a series of talks with Pakistani
leaders.
He discussed strategies and tactics
in the ongoing global war on terrorism, continuing Pakistani support
for Operation Enduring Freedom and other military-to-military
initiatives. (Full
Story)
‘Tip
of the Spear’ in Iraq
BALAD, Iraq
— The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited the "pointy
end of the spear" in Iraq July 27.
Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers spoke with the infantrymen of
the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
Balad is ground zero for Baath Party
sentiment in Iraq. About 80 percent of the attacks against coalition
forces occur in this triangle area formed by Baghdad, Tikrit and
Ar Ramadi. For example, three 4th Infantry soldiers were killed
and four were wounded as they guarded a children’s hospital in
Baqubah July 26, about 40 miles northeast of Baghdad. (Full
Story)
In
Beijing Talks on North Korea & China’s Arms Sales
In
Beijing last week the second session of U.S. China security talks
were underway, covering sensitive topics such as North Korea’s
nuclear threats and reports that China had been selling weapons
to Iraq and is selling arms to Iran. U.S. Undersecretary Bolton
was in China primarily to discuss the North Korea nuclear weapons
program since he has been working on the North Korea issue, but
this week North Korea announced they didn’t want him back there
for talks after Bolton publicly referred to life in North Korea
as a ‘hellish nightmare." (Full
Story)
CIA
Adviser Kay Amasses Evidence of Saddam’s WMD
Thursday, July
31, Dr. Kay reported to the US Senate Intelligence Committee that
his 1,400-strong team of American, British and Australian researchers
had found in just over a month’s operation physical evidence
of Iraqi activity on weapons of mass destruction. Without going
into detail, Kay told the senators that the most progress had
been made on biological weapons.
He was responding to the concern
voiced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (Dem.-West Virginia) that the
searches were being diverted away from finding the actual weapons.
“Signs of a weapons program are very different from the
stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons that were a certainty
before the war,” said Rockefeller. “We did not go
to war to disrupt Saddam’s weapons program, we went to war
to disarm him.” (Full
Story)
Security
in IRAQ
BAGHDAD,
Iraq – Possible attacks were foiled and prevented as Coalition
forces disrupted a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a fuel convoy
and located a large weapons cache in northern Iraq last week.
A rocket-propelled grenade ambush
attack in northwest Iraq was foiled by soldiers from the 101st
Airborne Division (Air Assault) at approximately 5 p.m. on July
31 by engaging and wounding an individual before he could fire
the RPG accurately. The individual was captured and received medical
care for leg wounds at a Coalition medical facility. (Full
Story)
Iran
Supporting Hamas, Hizbullah
Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon raised the issue of Iran’s nuclear weapons
program during his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush
last Tuesday. Sharon told Bush that Iran was stepping up support
for Palestinian terrorists following the war in Iraq, and was
accelerating efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Israeli officials
indicated that new intelligence pointed to Iran filling the void
left by Iraq in supporting groups like Hamas and Hizbullah. Officials
explained that Iran was attempting to undercut the month-old ceasefire
and undermine Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas by encouraging
terrorism. Bush warned last week that Iran and Syria would be
held accountable if they continued their support of terrorism.
(Full
Story)
Establishing
"One China" Policy Could Be Peaceful or Forceful
WASHINGTON,
Aug. 1, 2003 — The People’s Republic of China would prefer
to resolve the issue of Taiwan’s independence peacefully, even
as leaders of the communist country seek military options to enforce
its policy of "One China," cites a Defense Department
report.
The Annual Report on the Military
Power of the People’s Republic of China released to Congress July
30 states that both mainland and island seek a peaceful resolution
to the unification issue. But China continues spending billions
to modernize its military, which "casts a cloud" over
resolving differences with Taiwan through peaceful means. (Full
Story)
Terrorist
Attack at Hospital in Mozdok, Russia
A middle-aged
male terrorist drove a heavy KAMAZ truck loaded with explosives
through hospital security gates in Mozdok at about 7 p.m on Friday
August 1. The homicide bomber drove past medical tents that were
filled with patients and pulled up to the reception office and
then detonated the explosives, killing the people in the tents
and many other innocent people being cared for in the hospital
along with family visitors and hospital workers. The truck bomb
terrorist left a large crater ‘26 feet across and 10 feet
deep,’ said Maj. Gen. Nikolai Lityuk, deputy chief of the
Russian emergency ministry. One official said the force of the
explosion was equal to at least a ton of TNT. The terrorist attack
is believed to have been executed by Islamic Chechens that are
aligned with the international terrorist group Al-Qaeda. (Full
Story)
Iraqi
Local Leaders Support Coalition
BAGHDAD,
Iraq – The Karbala city council members publicly expressed
their support for Coalition forces actions during recent demonstrations
in the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force area of operation on July
29. The Karbala city council said the Coalition is handling the
security situation in Karbala properly.
At a Husaybah border-crossing checkpoint,
an attempted improvised explosive device attack was prevented
when 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers discovered it. The
IED consisted of a propane cylinder connected to electrical wires
and had wires connected that ran into an alley nearby. The local
Iraqi Police dismantled and removed the IED.
During the last 24 hours, coalition
forces conducted 44 raids, 1011 day patrols and 817 night patrols
and conducted 136 day patrols and 136 night patrols jointly with
Iraqi police. Iraqi Police conducted 16 day patrols and nine night
patrols.
The total raids and patrols resulted
in 161 arrests including 16 for murder, one for kidnapping, 10
for carjacking, eight for aggravated assault, four for burglary
and eight for looting.
Fast-Acting
Ebola Vaccine Protects Monkeys
A
single shot of a fast-acting, experimental Ebola vaccine successfully
protects monkeys from the deadly virus after only one month. If
this vaccine proves similarly effective in humans, it may one
day allow scientists to quickly contain Ebola outbreaks with ring
vaccination — the same strategy successfully used in the past
against smallpox, according to a study published in this week’s
issue of "Nature".
This finding is the result of collaboration
between scientists at the Dale and Betty Bumpers Vaccine Research
Center (VRC), part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID), and scientists at the United States Army Medical
Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick,
MD. (Full
Story)
Three
Militants From the Umarov Gang Arrested
GROZNY, 9 August,
2003 /RIA Novosti correspondent/. The Chechen Ministry of the
Interior (a north Caucasus republic within Russia) has reported
that three militants from the Doku Umarov band were arrested.
The source reported that "the
bandits were arrested in the settlement of Gekhi-Chu (Urus -Martan
district) by officers of the Interior Ministry and servicemen
of the interior troops in the course of special operations. Presently,
the detained militants were being checked for involvement in the
crimes committed against federal forces, operative information
they provided is also being verified." According to the Chechen
ministry of the Interior, the day before officers of the operative
group of the Russian Interior Ministry eliminated 2 active participants
of bandit formations in the settlement of Chechen-Aul in the Grozny
district. The ministry reported that the militants, local residents
Isayev and Agayev, were killed when they put up armed resistance;
there were no casualties among the troops.
Iran
Claims Wants Peaceful Use of Atom
TEHERAN
– RIA Novosti – Nikolai Terekhov. According to Iranian radio with
reference to a reliable source reported Saturday that experts
of the International Atomic Energy agency (IAEA) had completed
their negotiations with legal experts of the Atomic Energy Organisation
of Iran, and had left Teheran.
According to the source, IAEA specialists
positively assessed the results of the negotiations held since
Monday in the course of which at the request of the Iranian side
explanations were provided regarding "uncertainties"
in the additional protocol to the Treaty on non-proliferation
of nuclear weapons." In the near future, IAEA experts on
technical matters are expected to arrive in Iran.
According to the earlier plans,
Iranian legal experts will prepare a report with explanations
received in the course of their work with IAEA counterparts. By
the results of the report, the Iranian government will consider
the expediency of signing the additional protocol to the Treaty.
In the opinion of official Teheran,
the fulfilment of the document, which introduces additional liabilities
for a state, must meet national interests of the state. Iran believes
the IAEA and member states of the "nuclear club" are
to provide nuclear technologies to the Islamic Republic of Iran
to develop Iranian programmes on the peaceful use of atom.
Azov
Coast Guard Protect Southern Maritime Borders
STAVROPOL
— In the past year and a half, coast guards of Azov (a port city
located at the place where the Don flows into the northern part
of the Azov Sea separated from the Black Sea by Kerch Strait)
seized smuggled goods worth over USD$3 mln and arrested over 180
people for violations of border crossing regulations. (Full
Story)
Far
East Celebrates Soviet Army’s Victory on Lake Khasan
VLADIVOSTOK
— The celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Soviet Army’s
victory on Lake Khasan began Saturday in the village of the same
name in Primorye, the southern part of the Far Eastern region
on the western coast of the Sea of Japan. (Full
Story)
New
Iraqi Army to Add Kalashnikovs to Its Arsenal?
CAIRO,
August 9 /from RIA Novosti’s Igor Markov/ – The US administration
in Iraq is contemplating arming the new Iraqi army with Kalashnikov
assault rifles, a weapon that has long become the symbol of reliability
and quality in all kinds of conditions, reported Egypt’s MENA
news agency.
The idea is all the more sensible
since Iraqi soldiers are well accustomed to this type of weapon.
According to MENA, Poland, a country
that has a military contingent in Iraq, has already proposed a
deal to the US, saying one of its companies specializing in weapon
exports was ready to provide Iraq with 43,000 AK-47C assault rifles.
Iraqis
and Coalition Work to Make Iraq Secure
BAGHDAD,
Iraq – Weapons and information turned over to Coalition
forces enabled the successful detaining of former regime loyalists
and confiscation of weapons in August.
Iraqi police confiscated a weapons
cache consisting of three rocket-propelled grenade launchers,
six rocket-propelled rounds, three AK-47s with ammunition, one
60 mm mortar tube with five mortar rounds. The police turned the
cache over to 4th Infantry Division troops at a base in the Ba’qubah
area. An Iraqi who was afraid to turn them into Coalition forces
directly for fear of arrest turned the weapons into the Iraqi
Police. The Iraqi claimed the weapons belonged to former regime
loyalists who no longer wished to participate in anti-Coalition
activities. (Full
Story)
‘Screaming
Eagles’
WASHINGTON
— Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade are "doing
a better than great" job providing security across northern
and western Iraq, the brigade’s commander said.
Speaking to reporters from Iraq
via a video teleconference hookup at the Pentagon, Army Col. Michael
Linnington said his soldiers understand their mission and their
morale is high as they carry out stabilization operations in and
around Mosul and along the Turkish and Syrian borders. (Full
Story)
Raids,
Patrols in Iraq More Focused, Sophisticated
WASHINGTON
– Improvements in the security situation in Iraq have allowed
local commanders to become more focused and more sophisticated
in their actions against the remnants of the former regime, Pentagon
officials said.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Norton Schwartz,
the Joint Staff operations director, and Pentagon spokesman Larry
Di Rita expressed condolences to the families of two 1st Armored
Division soldiers killed in a firefight in Baghdad and the Iraqi
policemen killed in a terrorist bombing of the Jordanian embassy.
(Full
Story)
Powell:
‘World Must Come Together to Defeat’ Terrorism
WASHINGTON
— Recent terrorist bombings of a major hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia,
and at the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad underline the need for
nations to unite to fight global terrorism, the senior U.S. diplomat
said here.
These, and other terrorist acts
conducted around the globe serve as a reminder that "the
civilized world must come together to defeat this scourge of terrorism
in whatever manner it manifests itself," U.S. Secretary of
State Colin L. Powell told reporters gathered at the Foreign Press
Center. (Full
Story)
Chechen
Terrorism: A Link in the International Terrorist Chain
LONDON, August
9 /from RIA Novosti’s Alexander Smotrov/ – Great Britain links
terrorism in Chechnya to international terrorism, Catherine MacKenzie,
First Secretary of the United Kingdom Mission to the UN, told
RIA Novosti in a telephone interview.
She confirmed that Britain, Russia
and the US had joined forces on Friday to make an inquiry about
the possibility of adding Basayev’s name into the list of the
UN Security Council’s Committee on Sanctions against Taliban,
Al-Qaeda and affiliated persons and organizations falling under
corresponding resolutions.
Asked about Britain’s attitude towards
terrorism in Russia in general and in Chechnya in particular,
Ms. MacKenzie stressed: We don’t have any special views on terrorism
in this or that country. Our attitude to terrorism in general
does not vary. We think terrorism is inadmissible no matter what
circumstances and cannot be justified, she added.
Chechen
Terrorist No. 1 Blacklisted
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW
— Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev has been included
in the antiterrorist list of the UN Security Council, while the
US government pronounced him a highly dangerous terrorist and
brought up state sanctions against him.
According to a US State Department
statement circulated in Washington, the US also charged Basayev
with having connections with the international terrorist organization
Al-Qaeda and engineering terrorist acts in Moscow and Grozny.
(Full
Story)
Coalition
Efforts Aid In Rebuilding Iraq
BAGHDAD,
IRAQ – Coalition forces improved Iraqis’ lives by
renovating an Olympic swimming pool in Mosul and refurbishing
the Agriculture Ministry Building in Tikrit.
With the help of soldiers from the
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) the Olympic Pool in Mosul
opened to the public on Aug. 8. Prior to the war, the two-million
gallon pool was a training facility for the Mosul Dive and Swim
team. (Full
Story)
Evidence
of Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction
Gas
masks were left throughout Iraq by Saddam’s fleeing forces when
British, Australian, Polish, and US forces decided to disarm Saddam’s
regime from being a terror threat to innocent people around the
world. Saddam has a long record of using weapons of mass destruction
against his enemies; thousands of innocent people were murdered
by Saddam’s gases and photos appeared in national magazines. U.
N. inspectors sought to slow down his escalation of terror plots
around the world after 9-11, but efforts reportedly only gave
clever Saddam more time to hide his weapons of mass destruction.
The now famous "Baghdad Bob," who denied the fact that
Coalition forces had defeated Saddam’s regime even as they were
in Baghdad and in Saddam’s palaces, is only a small example of
the denial and deception Saddam fed to the Iraqi people and the
world. (Full
Story)
Iraq
Coalition Forces Find Weapons Caches
WASHINGTON
– Coalition forces uncovered arms caches and more Iraqi
civilians are beginning to work with forces to create stability
in the country, said a Combined Joint Task Force 7 spokesman in
Baghdad.
Coalition forces continue offensive
operations throughout Iraq to identify, locate and kill or detain
Saddam Fedayeen, former regime loyalists, Baathists and their
supporters. In a 24-hour period ending Aug. 6, coalition forces
conducted 18 raids, 2,038 patrols and detained 130 people, Army
Col. Guy Shields said. (Full
Story)
Israel
Suffers More Losses to Terrorists
The
fiery explosions from mortar shells shocked a quiet town in northern
Israel when Hezbollah terrorists struck Sunday. The explosives
wounded a 9 month old baby, several teenagers, and killed a 16-year-old
boy. Israeli media also reported that at least one of the mortar
shells exploded in a baby’s nursery. Tuesday, at least 10 shoppers
were wounded by a Palestinian bomber who attack at a crowded supermarket
near Tel Aviv.
U.S. Ambassador Dore Gold told reporters
that in terms of the road map, the new escalation on Israel’s
northern border is very troubling and the terrorist attacks killing
innocent civilians is an "intolerable situation". Israel
has been trying to protect its people for years from several extremist
Islamic terror groups by surrounding Arabized nations. Egyptian
born Arafat has led the Al Aqsa Martyrs, and the terror group
Hezbollah is known to be supported by Lebanon and Syria on the
north borders. (Full
Story)
August
16-31
U.S.
Committed to Full Partnership With Colombia
BOGOTA,
Colombia – "The air of optimism here is palpable –
you can really feel it," said Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force
Gen. Richard B. Myers at a press conference here Aug. 12.
This
was Myers’ first visit to Colombia since 2000 when he headed U.S.
Space Command. He said he was struck by the determination of all
the leaders he met.
The
chairman met with President Alvaro Uribe, Defense Minister Martha
Lucia Ramirez, Foreign Minister Carolina Barca and his counterpart,
Gen. Jorge Mora. (Full
Story)
China’s
PLA Sees Value in Pre-emptive Strike Strategy
WASHINGTON,
Aug. 11, 2003 — The military strategy of "shock and
awe" used to stun the Iraqi military in the opening campaign
of Operation Iraqi Freedom might be used by the Chinese if military
force is needed to bring Taiwan back under communist control.
According to the released recently
The Annual Report on the Military Power of the People’s Republic
of China, the country’s military doctrine now stresses elements
such as "surprise, deception and pre- emption." Furthermore,
the report states that Beijing believes that "surprise is
crucial" for the success of any military campaign. (Full
Story)
NATO
Assumes Command of the Peacekeeping Force in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON
— During a change of command ceremony in Kabul, NATO assumed
strategic command, control and coordination of the International
Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. The force had been under
the leadership of Germany and the Netherlands.
A NATO press release stated this important event underscores the
long- term commitment of all NATO allies to stability and security
for the Afghan people. (Full
Story)
Canada
and U.S. form Joint Task Force to Address North America Power
Outage
The 29 hour
massive power outage that effected over 50 million people in New
York, Ohio, Massachusetts:, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania:,
New Jersey and parts of Canada, in Toronto and Ontario is still
being investigated. Several task forces from different levels
of government are working to determine what went wrong and are
continuing to help people that had problems due to the huge blackout.
On Friday, the White House announced
that the U.S. and Canada have "agreed to form a joint task
force to identify the causes of the recent power outage that affected
North America and to seek solutions to help prevent future outages."
"The Task Force will be jointly chaired by United States
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Canadian Minister of Natural
Resources Herb Dhaliwal. Federal, state, provincial, and local
authorities, as well as private sector electricity providers,
will be invited to contribute to the work of the Task Force.”
(Full
Story)
Central
America in Fight Against Terror
SANTO
DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Aug. 14, 2003 -After visiting
Central America last week, the U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Air
Force Gen. Richard B. Myers expressed his profound gratitude to
the people of the Dominican Republic for their contribution in
fighting terror especially in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Soldiers from El Salvador, Nicaragua,
Honduras and the Dominican Republic left their countries last
Tuesday. They will meet up with members of the Spanish brigade
in Spain, where they will train with that group and then deploy
to Kuwait for more training as part of the Polish-led division.
On Sept. 1, the division is expected to cross into Iraq.
The division will be based around
Najaf, Iraq, and will replace the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
The Central American countries are just four of about 40 countries
that have committed to deploy troops to Iraq or to provide other
military assets. Still other countries are providing economic
or humanitarian help to the effort, Myers said. (Full
Story)
Israel
Remains Committed to Peace Process Despite Recent Terrorist Attacks
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz,
along with senior Israel Defense Forces officers and the Israeli
Security Service have made a decision to remain committed to the
peace process, despite Tuesday’s twin homicide bombings. The Israeli
officials decided that the IDF would continue pinpointed actions
against specific terrorist enclaves – particularly in Nablus and
Jenin – but that efforts would be made to open up traffic routes
in the West Bank and Gaza and make humanitarian gestures toward
the Palestinian population. On the other hand, Israel will not
hand over security control in other West Bank towns to the Palestinian
Authority until the latter is dealing with the terrorist infrastructure
in towns already under its jurisdiction.
Israel also plans to step up pressure,
both directly and through American channels, for the PA to start
acting against terrorist organizations. Sharon has made it clear
to the Americans that Israel will not move ahead with the road
map as long as the PA does not fulfill its obligations and fails
to disband the terror groups. (Full
Store)
Global
Terrorists ‘Are Meeting the Fate They Chose for Themselves’
WASHINGTON
– The Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on America inaugurated
the first conflict of the new century, President George Bush told
U.S. sailors and Marines at a southern California military base.
"Now you have been called …
to serve in the first war of the 21st century," Bush declared
during his visit to the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar, Calif.
The 9-11 assaults – which
killed thousands of innocent American citizens – awakened
the country "to new dangers," Bush pointed out. (Full
Story)
China
Modernizes Its Air, Sea and Land Military Capabilities
WASHINGTON,
When the People’s Republic of China announced a 17.5 percent or
$3 billion increase in spending for defense modernization in March
of 2002, it brought the publicly reported total to $20 billion
according to a Pentagon report.
However, Pentagon officials estimate
that total spending for the county’s military modernization ranges
from $45 billion to $65 billion. And they say that China’s annual
military spending could increase "four-fold" by 2020.
(Full
Story)
Fighting
Terror and Crime in Iraq
WASHINGTON,
In a series of raids to prevent more terrorist attacks by foreign
infiltrators and Saddam regime loyalists against young Coalition
soldiers and Iraqis, many powerful weapons were located and confiscated.
In one weapons cache find soldiers discovered the explosive C4.
C4 has been reportedly used by terrorists
in several attacks against peacekeepers and in acts to try and
create chaos by sabotaging the Iraqi nation’s oil and water
supply.
Over the weekend, Iraqi witnesses
saw two men ride up on motorcycles to a large city water pipeline.
After getting off their motorbikes, they quickly wrapped an item
around a key city water pipeline, then fled. Moments later the
large water pipe exploded, the damage has left several hundred
Iraqi families without water in extremely hot weather conditions.
(Full
Story)
Two
U.S. Service Members Killed in Separate Incidents
in Iraq
WASHINGTON
– One American soldier was killed and six were injured in
Iraq Aug. 21 during a fire at a Baghdad small-arms shooting range,
according to a U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM also reported that a gunman
shot and killed a U.S. Marine the same day in Al Hillah.
The victims of the fire in Baghdad
were members of the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division. The injured
soldiers were evacuated to local military medical facilities for
treatment. One soldier died due to burns and smoke inhalation.
(Full
Story)
153
Forest Fires Raging in Russia
MOSCOW,
August 25, 2003 /RIA Novosti/ — 153 forest fires are raging in
Russia. Fire has covered 956 hectares in the past 24 hours, the
Ministry of Natural Resources was quoted by RIA Novosti on Monday.
The ministry sources specified
that among the areas ablaze, the most dangerous are the Siberian
/110 fires/, the Far Eastern /28 fires/ and the Urals /14 fires/
Federal Districts. The disaster has been caused mainly by thunderstorms
and people’s carelessness.
Over the past 24 hours, officers
of the State Forest Service of the Russian Ministry of Natural
Resources managed to extinguish 31 forest fires on the same day
they spotted them. A total of 1,700 people, 30 aircraft and 185
pieces of machinery were involved in fire quenching.
Since the fire hazardous season
began, 23,407 fires have emerged, the Ministry of Natural Resources
reported. Almost 1.892 mln hectares were burnt in flames.
Iraq
Mission Represents High Stakes in Anti-Terror War
WASHINGTON,
– The outcome of U.S-coalition efforts to resuscitate Iraq’s
economy and help its citizens establish a representative government
may mark a turning point in the war against global terrorism,
senior U.S. officials said Aug. 24 on Sunday talk shows.
The senior U.S. civilian in Iraq,
Ambassador Paul L. Bremer III, and Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers,
the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both said continuing
U.S. and coalition casualties in Iraq, including recent Baghdad
bombings of the Jordanian embassy and U.N. headquarters, point
to terrorists’ determination to create chaos and sabotage rebuilding
efforts in Iraq. (Full
Story)
Russia
Denounces Terror Acts in Mumbai
MOSCOW,
August 25, 2003 RIA Novosti — Russia roundly denounces terror
acts in Mumbai and hopes that the perpetrators and masterminds
will be exposed and severely punished," the Russian Foreign
Ministry was quoted by RIA Novosti.
"The terrorists’ ways strikingly
remind of those of the criminals who recently carried out terror
acts in Mozdok and Baghdad, with explosive laden taxis blowing
up in Mumbai," the Russian foreign office underlined.
"Once again the terror acts
in Mumbai stress the necessity for a close consolidation among
all members of the world community to fight the global evil –
international terrorism," the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.
Colombia
Moving Forward in Fight Against Narcoterrorists
BOGOTA, Colombia,
The Colombian government and its military have made great progress
in fighting narcoterrorists in the past year, announced U.S. Defense
Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld while in route to Colombia.
As his plane jetted toward Colombia’s
capital city last week, Rumsfeld said that President Alvaro Uribe
and his country’s military "have done an excellent job and
they are making very good progress" in fighting narcoterrorists
who are funding anti-government groups, such as the leftist Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish acronym FARC. (Full
Story)
Greece
Holds Controversial Tycoon on Russian Warrant
BELGRADE,
RIA Novosti. – Vladimir Gusinsky, controversial Russian media
tycoon, was arrested in Greece on a Russian warrant, in compliance
with a bilateral legal assistance agreement, Christos Protopapas,
Greek government spokesman, said to the media today, as reported
by the Macedonian news agency. When asked about extradition prospects,
he replied it was up to the independent court of law to decide.
Gusinsky was detained at Athens
international airport during a passport check Thursday, August
21.
The tycoon was held on a warrant
of the Russian Interpol office, Lieutenant-General Fotis Nassiakos,
chief of Greek police, said to Novosti. (Full
Story)
U.S.
Treasury to Thwart Hamas Money Flow
President Bush announced that the U.S. Treasury
is designating five Hamas related charities and six senior Hamas
leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), freezing
any assets in the U.S. and prohibiting transactions with U.S.
nationals. “By claiming responsibility for the despicable
act of terror on August 19, Hamas has reaffirmed that it is a
terrorist organization committed to violence against Israelis
and to undermining progress toward peace between Israel and the
Palestinian people,” President Bush stated. (Full
Story)
Soldiers
Die in Iraq; Counterfeit Materials Found
WASHINGTON,
Aug. 25, 2003 – Two 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers
died Aug. 23 in separate incidents according to U.S. Central Command
news releases.
One was evacuated to the 28th Combat
Support Hospital after receiving injuries from a non-hostile gunshot
wound. The other drowned in the Euphrates River near the Hadithah
Dam, west of Ar Ramadi.
Names are being withheld pending
notification of next of kin. (Full
Story)
The
Capture of ‘Chemical Ali’
WASHINGTON
– Iraq’s Gen. Ali Hassan al- Majid, the infamous "Chemical
Ali," has been captured and is in the custody of coalition
forces, according to a U.S. Central Command news release.
Al-Majid, No. 5 on CENTCOM’s "Iraqi
Top 55" list, was captured in Iraq and has been in custody
for a "couple of days," a defense official in the Pentagon
said. No other details were available. (Full
Story)
Terrorist
Bomb Attack in Russia
Updated
– August 25, 2003. RIA Novosti -Three powerful explosive devices
believed to be planted by terrorists went off in Krasnodar on
Monday, striking civilians. Officials say the impact was equivalent
to about 200 g of trotyl.
Planted at city bus stops, the explosions
took place at about 7:40 p.m. Moscow time. According to the preliminary
data, the explosive devices were filled with screws and bolts
and were rigged with timing mechanisms. It is being reported that
the explosive devices had from 200 to 400 grams of TNT.
"Gunpowder was used as an explosive
substance in these bombs, though terrorists usually use trotyl
or plastid," officials pointed out.
The three explosions wounded 20
people and killed three, 20-year-old Svetlana Shilyayeva, 30-year-old
Yelena Zamokhina and 61-year-old Kim Kapatsky.
Four people who suffered in the
terrorist attacks on Krasnodar are still in grave condition. As
chief of the press service of the city’s interior department,
Oleg Maigurov told RIA Novosti, it is mostly elderly people with
fragmentation wounds of the breast and abdomen whose state is
still critical. No children or teenagers have been reported among
the victims.
A criminal case has been opened
in connection with the explosions in accordance with Article 205
(terrorism) and Article 105 (murder) of the Criminal Code of the
Russian Federation.
U.N.
Bombing in Baghdad Investigation Under Way
Reports are
emerging that al-Qaeda is claiming responsibility for the deadly
terrorist attack on innocent U.N. workers and officials last week.
However, no matter who was responsible, former NYPD top cop Bernard
Kerick, now head police official organizing the Iraqi police forces
in Baghdad, told a Newscorp reporter that a thorough investigation
was underway to determine who was responsible for the terrorist
attack and that they would be hunted down.
The terrorist attack that killed
20 and severely wounded many others, including innocent Iraqis,
was the work of professionals said Kerick. 1,500 pounds of high
grade explosives were used, and the terrorists seemed to know
exactly where the Chief UN Envoy in Baghdad, Sergio Vieira,
was when the bomb was detonated, indicating there was someone
inside assisting in the attack. Kerick added that the explosive
may have been detonated by remote device, despite the fact there
was an assigned terrorist suicider. (Full
Story)
Coalition
Offers Iraqis Help With Water,
Jobs and Public Safety
BAGHDAD,
Iraq – Life gets a little better in Iraqi towns due to Coalition
assistance. Coalition forces are helping Iraqis by installing
a generator at a water lift station, by providing jobs for Iraqis
who have technical and mechanical skills and by providing a local
law enforcement agency with hand-held radios.
Navy
Seabees helped install a 1.3-megawatt generator at the Kish Water
Lift Station that provides water to about 50,000 hectares of farmland
in south central Iraq. The station was supposed to be reworked
three years ago but the parts ordered didn’t fit. As a result,
the project was abandoned. (Full
Story)
Putin
Appreciates Significance of Russian Navy Ships’ Visit to Italy
PORTO-ROTONDO
/SARDINIA/, 30 August, 2003.RIA Novosti President Vladimir Putin
has spoken highly of the significance of Russian warships’ ongoing
visit to Italy.
This is the first visit by Russian
navy ships to the Apennines over the past 20 years, the Russian
leader reminded the audience. Vladimir Putin pointed out that,
among other things, the current mission is of great use for the
Russian Navy. Furthermore, this is the first visit by Russian
warships to Sardinia in the entire contemporary history, he added.
Russian President emphasized that
Russian navy ships had visited Italy on several missions before.
For example, Russian warships took part in rescue operations during
the devastating 1909 earthquake.
President Vladimir Putin and Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi visited the Moskva missile cruiser
where they met with the vessel’s crew, involving officers and
seamen of all ranks. Then, from the cruiser’s deck, the two leaders
watched an exhibition flight of the Russian `Amphibia BE-200`
plane. During its flight, the plane, also known for its successful
performance in forest fire fighting operations, dumped into the
sea loads of water successively coloured green, white and red
to symbolize the colours of Italy’s national flag. After that,
the BE-200 made a circle above the cruiser and demonstrated its
seawater lift capacity.
As
a keepsake, the captain of the Moskva cruiser presented Russian
President and Italian Prime Minister with two similar paintings
made by one of the crew embers.
Rescue
at Sea Vital Global Cause
LA
MADDALENA NAVAL BASE, ITALY, AUGUST 30, RIA NOVOSTI – Russia’s
President Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister
of Italy, addressed a joint news conference at a major base of
the Italian Navy.
President Putin highlighted an essential
importance of international teamwork for rescue at sea. The topic
acquired a dramatic edge with this morning’s Barents Sea tragedy.
Earlier on the day, Messrs. Putin
and Berlusconi discussed a forthcoming Russian-Italian naval exercise
to drill team rescue efforts, among other tasks, said the President.
Today’s tragedy moves rescue at sea into the foreground, he emphatically
added.
A discarded Russian nuclear submarine
sank in the Barents Sea this morning while towed by pontoons to
the wharf where it was to be dissembled.
Putin
Calls on EU to Import Russian Plane Unsurpassed in Fire Fighting
LA
MADDALENA NAVAL BASE, ITALY, AUGUST 30, RIA NOVOSTI – Russia’s
President Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister
of Italy, addressed a joint news conference at a major base of
the Italian Navy.
It would be reasonable for the European
Union to acquire an Air Force unit of many-purpose Be-200 jets
of Russian design and manufacture, said the President.
Be-200s have no analogue throughout
the world in its class. The amphibious craft is unsurpassed in
fire extinguishing. "To use it will cost less than fire damage,"
he remarked, quoting media reports of a billion euro damage from
current Portuguese forest conflagrations. "Other European
countries, and Russia, for that matter, would benefit from Be-200s,
too — that goes without saying. It would be wise and expedient
for the European Union to establish a group of those planes. They
may be rented." It takes a Be-200 several instants to pump
twelve tonnes of water into its fire tanks. Its capacity exceeds
that of available analogues two- or even three-fold. "I don’t
mean to advertise the new craft. We mean to come at such partnership
patterns that would equally benefit Russia, Italy and the European
Union," said President Putin.
Italy’s Civil Defence Department
intends to evaluate opportunities of using Be-200s. "The
plane will surely come in handy," Silvio Berlusconi said,
in his turn.
Soldier
Killed, 3 Wounded in Attack on Convoy
By John D. Banusiewicz, AFPS
WASHINGTON
– A 4th Infantry Division soldier was killed and three others
were wounded last Friday when their convoy was hit in a rocket-
propelled grenade and small-arms attack north of As Suaydat in
Iraq.
U.S. Central Command officials said
the wounded soldiers were taken to the 21st Combat Support hospital
for treatment.
Also, CENTCOM reported Aug. 28 that
an off-duty soldier from the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade died
of undetermined causes the morning of Aug. 27 in Kuwait. A news
release said fellow soldiers found him unresponsive in his Camp
Arifjan living quarters and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Further attempts to revive him failed at a nearby medical clinic,
according to the news release. The cause of the soldier’s death
is under investigation.
Names of the soldiers are being
withheld until their families are notified.
101st-Sponsored
Clinic Opens in Zumar
MOSUL,
IRAQ – With a traditional “snip” of a ribbon,
the village of Zumar opened it’s newly refurbished clinic
Aug. 26.
Before its restoration, the Zumar
Primary Health Clinic was in disrepair, according to 1st Lt. Michael
Lefler, Executive Officer, B. Battery, 3-320th Field Artillery,
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and project officer for
the clinic refurbishment.
“The clinic was falling apart,”
Lefler said. “The walls were cracked, the foundation was
separating from the rest of the building, and there was very little
workable space inside.” (Full
Story)
U.S.
Troops, Aircraft a Hit at Moscow Air Show
MOSCOW –
Air Force Staff Sgt. Nancy Primm now knows what it’s like to be
famous.
The KC-135 boom operator from the
Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall, England, was part of a team
of about 100 people representing the U.S. military at the 6th
Moscow Aviation and Space Show here Aug. 19-24. The show marked
the first time American aircraft have been on public display on
Russian soil.
"People are coming up to us
(asking), ‘Can we take your picture? Autograph? Autograph?’ It’s
been quite an experience," Primm said. (Full
Story)
New
York Mayor Bloomberg Makes Solidarity Trip to Jerusalem
New
York Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited Jerusalem last week in a
show of solidarity with the Israeli people. Arriving by his private
jet, Bloomberg said the visit was not political, but rather, an
opportunity to meet "the man in the street." Bloomberg
said that his objective is to show Israelis that New Yorkers are
not afraid to visit Israel. The visit was Bloomberg’s third to
Israel. He was accompanied by former New York mayor Ed Koch and
New York City Councilman Simcha Felder.
Bloomberg
began his day in Jerusalem at Hadassah hospital in Ein Kerem where
he visited New York victims of last week’s homicide bus bombing.
Afterwards the Mayor made his way to the Western Wall where he
boarded the No. 2 bus – the bus that was bombed in a terrorist
attack on Aug. 19, killing 21. "We from New York, we from
America, want to say that all Americans have our hearts open to
the Israeli people and to freedom-loving peoples around the world,"
the mayor said on the street to hundreds listening at the scene
of the attack.
Death
Toll Rises in Jerusalem Terror Attack
3-month-old
baby Shmuel and his mom Goldie Taubenfeld from New York and 11-month-old
Shmuel Zargari from Jerusalem were murdered by a Palestinian terrorist
last week when the bomber detonated high explosives he was wearing
on a bus filled mostly by children, their parents and grandparents.
The bomber was disguised as a religious Jew, yet he was a Palestinian
school teacher who grew out his beard in preparation for his role
in the terror attack. Under his religious disguise, he wore powerful
explosives filled with screws and other shrapnel designed to inflict
the most pain on any child or passenger that survived the attack.
Doctors say that in some cases with these type of attacks, screws
and nails are lodged in organs or are laced with rat poison and
victims that initially survive later die a painful death.
Over the weekend a grandmother,
Fruma Rachel Weitz, 73, of Jerusalem, died of her wounds, becoming
the 21st fatality of the attack.
"Every time Israel has made
a gesture of peace to the Palestinians over the past ten years
the response has been the murder of our men, women and children,
"said Danny Seaman, the Senior advisor to the Prime Minister’s
office. (Full
Story)
Iraqis
Enjoying Return to Normalcy
SOUTHERN IRAQ
– Helping Iraqis re-establish normalcy in cities that have survived
two wars in 12 years isn’t something that happens overnight.
Col.
Lawrence Larsen, commander of the Army Reserve’s 171st Area Support
Group here, says he is beginning to see gradual improvements in
the town of An Nasiryah. (Full
Story)
"Blaster"
Computer Virus Programmer Arrested After Joint FBI and U.S. Secret
Service Efforts
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – On Friday, August 29, on a federal warrant issued
from the Western District of Washington, the United States Secret
Service, working together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
arrested an individual in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is charged
with creating a variant of the “Blaster” computer
virus which inundated both public and private computer systems
earlier in August.
“As
a key investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security,
the Secret Service has shown with its participation in today’s
arrest that it is prepared to protect not only the leaders of
this nation, but to investigate attacks on the critical infrastructures
that are so vital to this nation.” Secretary Tom Ridge said.
(Full
Story)
U.S.
Soldiers Die Following Action Near Shkin, Afghanistan
(update)
Bagram
Air Base, Afghanistan – Two soldiers died of wounds received
during initial contact with enemy fighters northwest of Shkin,
in Paktika province last week. Officials have learned that several
foreign infiltrators have been attacking Coalition soldiers.
A third soldier is in stable condition,
pending medical evacuation to Bagram Air Base from a treatment
facility at Salerno north of Shkin. (Full
Story)
Israeli
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom Meets with Japanese Foreign Minister
Yoriko Kawaguchi
Israeli Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met last week
in Tokyo with the Foreign Minister of Japan, Yoriko Kawaguchi.
Ms. Kawaguchi expressed her profound
sorrow over the recent terrorist attack in Jerusalem, and extended
her wishes for a speedy recovery to the families of the victims.
The Japanese minister informed Mr. Shalom that she had spoken
about this issue with PA Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, telling
him that the Palestinians must fight terrorism. She added that
she views the Road Map as crucial, and that it must not be allowed
to fail. (Full
Story)
Sabotage
Still Hampers Infrastructure Progress in Iraq
WASHINGTON
– Sabotage continues to hurt efforts to improve Iraq’s infrastructure,
but coalition forces are working to secure oil and electric lines
so progress can be made, said Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez from
his headquarters in Baghdad.
Sanchez,
commander of Combined Joint Task Force – 7, said sabotage
of a pipeline south of the Hadditha Dam on Aug. 15 caused an oil
spill into the Euphrates River. The spill traveled to the town
of Hit.
Coalition
engineers, Iraqi Oil Ministry officials and local Iraqis contained
the damage and are fixing the oil line. Other engineers are working
to contain the spill. "Clearly, this is not good for the
country, not good for the people," Sanchez said. (Full
Story)
Putin
and Berlusconi Call For Prompt
Implementation of Partnership Program for Non-Proliferation
of Weapons of Mass Destruction
LA MADDALENA
/ITALY’S NAVY BASE/, 30 August, 2003. /RIA Novosti special correspondent/.
—Vladimir
Putin and Silvio Berlusconi expressed
their intention to initiate prompt implementation of appropriate
projects within the global partnership program for non-proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
"The President of the Russian
Federation and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Italy have
confirmed the importance of cooperation established within the
framework of "the global partnership programme for the prevention
of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction" initiated
at the G-8 summit in Kananaskis, as well as their intention to
start the implementation of the appropriate cooperation projects
as soon as possible," the joint statement issued on Saturday
by Putin and Berlusconi says.
Al
Qaeda in Iraq
Senior
Iraqi investigators are reporting that they have made 19 arrests
in the two car bombings outside the Imam Ali in Najef that killed
Ayatollah Baqer Al-Hakim and over 80 people and left several others
seriously wounded.
The Ayatollah had just given a talk
after prayers when the car bombs exploded. The Iraqi government
council declared three days of national mourning.
All of the 19 terror suspects told
Iraqi investigators that they belonged to al Qaeda and claimed
the attack was part of their plot to create mass instability and
chaos in Iraq. Now thousands of enraged Shiites are calling for
revenge over their loss. Those being held and questioned are 6
Palestinians with Jordanian passports, 2 Kuwaitis, Iraqis, Saudis,
Syrians and other foreigners. (Full
Story)