News Archive: September 2003

September 1- 15

Italians, Dutch Provide Security in Iraq
TALLI, Iraq, Troops from the 28 countries that have committed forces to support the international coalition in Iraq have begun assuming more and more duties. Dutch and Italian forces are working together to provide internal security at a key air base at Talli in southern Iraq.
     The Dutch conduct roving patrols, while the Italians man checkpoints and provide a quick-reaction force.
     "Although we have different responsibilities, our area of responsibility is the same," said Italian Master Sgt. Gianni Pitzalis, who works in force security. The quick-reaction force responds to immediate calls, while the roving patrols conduct regular sweeps of the area. "We share the same areas, but we don’t patrol together because of the language barrier," Pitzalis said.
     Dutch Air Force Capt. Wim Verschragen, officer in charge of the Dutch security force, said, "Even though both the Italians and our forces speak some English, during training for emergency response the soldiers immediately began working in their own language." (Full Story)

Georgian Police Say Blast was Act of Terror
TBILISI, SEPTEMBER 6, 2003, /RIA NOVOSTI/ — The Georgian Interior Ministry is referring to the September 5 explosion inside the Akhaltsikha administrative building as a terrorist act.
     Talking to RIA NOVOSTI on Saturday, officials at the Georgian Interior Ministry’s press centre noted that TNT was used to make a time bomb, which went off in Akhaltsikha.
     Deputy Interior Minister Ruben Asanidze talked to reporters, noting that this terrorist act was spearheaded against the newly-appointed regional governor Gela Kvaratskhelia.
     A powerful explosion reverberated through the Samtskhe-Dzhavakhetia administrative building in Akhaltsikha at about 7.50 p.m. Moscow time on September 5, seriously damaging the building. Several people were injured as a result. Meanwhile Gela Kvaratskhelia, who serves as presidential plenipotentiary in that region, left the building only a few minutes before the explosion.

Soldiers on Patrol Constantly Reminded of Danger
MOSUL, Iraq “..yeah I get scared,” said Pfc. Jaorge Cabrera, mortarman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, on the way out to an evening patrol here last weekend. “Every night when we go out there in the open I think, ‘Wow, this is real’.”
Cabrera, a tall, brawny Florida native, spent his Labor Day weekend manning a 50-caliber machine gun attached to a Humvee as his squad patrolled the streets of Mosul. Soldiers on patrol know they face the danger of rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices, car bombs and anything else former regime loyalists and anti-Americans can conjure up. They act as policemen, enforcing laws and ensuring peace. (Full Story)

New Zealand Forces Prepare to Take Over in Afghanistan
BAMIAN, Afghanistan – Loud hammering and drilling is heard throughout the Bamian Provincial Reconstruction Team site as the small outpost is progressively ripped apart and put back together to make room for the New Zealand team scheduled to take over Sept. 23 from the U.S. team currently in command. The U.S. Army has had a presence at the Bamian PRT since its official opening in March.
The New Zealand Defense Forces are signed up to take over the Bamian PRT for the next 12 months because “the New Zealand government saw it as a role that the NZDF could get involved in as part of the coalition forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” said Maj. Sid McKissock, the New Zealand Army operations officer for the incoming team. (Full Story)

Rumsfeld Visits Multinational Division in Iraq
AL HILLAH, Iraq – An assortment of uniforms greeted Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld as he arrived at the headquarters of the Multinational Division South-Central here today.
Polish Maj. Gen. Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, the division commander, greeted the secretary. With the general were staff officers from Hungary, Spain, Ukraine and the other nations that have contributed forces to the division. U.S. Marines are still at the base, but they will leave soon, officials said. (Full Story)

Italy Study Sees Al Qaeda Link to Human Trafficking
ROME – (Reuters) Italy’s secret services say they see increasing evidence militant groups such as al Qaeda are moving into the smuggling of illegal immigrants, a billion dollar trade they can use to fund other activities.
An intelligence report released at the weekend says "terror networks" and groups who traffic in illegal immigrants share a natural overlap, often relying on false documents and intricate logistics, transport and communication setups. (Full Story)

Catching Up With Terror
Suspected terrorists, also known as dangerous sleeper agents of al Qaeda, are believed to be living in the U.S. or in countries that have frequent visitor travel into the U.S and are waiting to carry out a plot of terror. Therefore, officials from Homeland Security and the F.B.I. have encouraged the public to be aware of their surroundings and report unusual activities in order to provide needed information that may help in saving lives. (Full Story)

Britain Sends Support to Iraq After UN Rejects the U.S.’s Newest Proposal
"To the boys in Basra, hope you are all well and you are coping with the heat, you are the rocks of Britain, so keep it up good luck take care," writes fellow Briton Steve Sutton. The Ministry of Defence message board is warming up with good tidings to the troops in Iraq as more soldiers are being deployed to the former fascist state.120 soldiers flew in to southern Iraq on Sunday from Cyprus and it is being reported that the UK is planning on sending over a thousand more after a governmental review of troop levels.
On Thursday, UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon requested a review of forces and resources needed to sustain operations in Iraq. Currently, over 10,000 British troops are serving in Iraq, and according to The Daily Telegraph, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called for Prime Minister Blair to send an extra 5,000 troops to Iraq to avoid "strategic failure". (Full Story)

Dual Terror Attacks Strike Israel
15 innocent young people were killed as they went about their daily lives and over 80 were wounded when two Palestinian terrorist bombings struck within the space of six hours on Tuesday.
Eight IDF soldiers, five of them between the ages of 19 and 21, were killed and 30 people were wounded in a homicide bombing at 5:40 p.m. at a hitchhiking post for soldiers outside a main entrance to the Tzrifin army base and Assaf Harofeh Hospital, near Rishon Lezion. The Hamas bomber wore civilian clothes and carried a leather bag containing a 3-4 kilogram bomb. He got out of a car at the bus stop, and almost immediately blew himself up. (Full Story)

Putin on Russia’s, Bulgaria’s Tasks in Trade and Economic Sphere
SOCHI, September 6, 2003. (RIA Novosti) – Russian president Vladimir Putin believes the main task of his interaction with the Bulgarian president is "to transform political revival into contacts in the trade and economic sphere," he announced opening a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart.
In Vladimir Putin’s words, there are certain changes in bilateral relations, for example, a trade turnover of 1.4 billion dollars, which is not bad. "There remain some problems with the content and structure of this turnover," Putin stressed. He noted that though its Russian element is way more substantial, "on the part of Bulgaria it is more civilised." The president stressed the two countries "have joint projects in the fields of power and mechanical engineering, as well as light industry." Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that Russia is expecting Georgi Purvanov once again in late September, when he is supposed to take part in the ceremony of opening the Days of Bulgarian Culture in Russia. "This is another important trend of our relations," the head of state emphasised. Putin also invited Georgi Purvanov to pay a routine visit to Russia in 2004.

Japanese Orthodox Church Delegation to Attend Kremlin Divine Service
MOSCOW, SEPTEMBER 6, 2003 — Metropolitan Daniel (Nushiro) of Tokyo and All Japan is to attend a patriarchic divine service in the Kremlin, as well as yet another service near a monument to prince St. Daniel of Moscow, here today.
A Japanese Orthodox Church delegation headed by Metropolitan Daniel arrived in Moscow on September 4, the Moscow patriarchy told RIA Novosti. Metropolitan Daniel visited the cathedral of Christ the Saviour on September 5. (Full Story)

We Will Never Forget
To honor the memory of the heroes and all the innocents that lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 we remember the first 12 days. Actual video shot on a work day like any other, but in an instant everything dramatically changed… A camera man working with New York firefighters on a documentary captured first the sounds of a low flying passenger jet and then the images of the first terrorist attack on U.S. soil, as the passenger jet plunged into the tower at 8:46am on 9-11.. (A Tribute)

Russia Backs Lifting of Sanctions From Libya
MOSCOW, September 12, 2003. (RIA Novosti correspondent Alexei Bogdanovski) – Russia has backed the lifting of sanctions from Libya, a statement of the Press and Information Board of the Russian Foreign Ministry says.
     "Our position is that sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council should be lifted when the reason for their imposition disappears," the Foreign Ministry says.
     "We hope that the lifting of sanctions against Libya will promote the restoration of Libya’s status as a full-fledged members of the international community," says the ministry.
     Russia will continue to carry out a constructive policy in the UN Security Council in favour of a further perfection of international sanction regimes, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Erie, Pennsylvania, Murder-Bombing Mystery: Information Sought
On August 28, pizza delivery man Brian Douglas Wells was allegedly locked into a bombing device by a stranger and ordered to rob a bank branch just outside Erie, Pennsylvania. When he was detained by state police following the robbery, the bomb exploded, killing him instantly.
Following a preliminary investigation of the case by a multi-agency law enforcement task force, many questions remain. Specifically, information is sought about any aspect of the triple-banded metal collar that was locked around Wells’ neck and about the lock that kept it in place.
On behalf of the task force, the FBI requests the public to carefully scrutinize the pictured photographs of these objects. By clicking on the photos, they can be enlarged to see fine details. If you have any information at all about the devices, please immediately call the toll-free number 1-866-219-2008.

Iraqi Civil Defense Forces Graduates in Tikrit
TIKRIT, Iraq – Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division graduated their first class of Iraqi Civil Defense Corps trainees early last week in Tikrit.
     The Iraqi Civil Defense trainees experienced three weeks of extensive training, which consisted of instruction in manning traffic control points, conducting raids and working to keep Tikrit safe from insurgents.
     The graduating class consisted of 32 Iraqi men who will work with Coalition forces to provide security in Iraqi communities.
     The ICDC will have officers and non-commissioned officers. The trainees earned their ranks during the training.

George Bush Sr. Visits Memorial to Leningrad’s Defenders
ST PETERSBURG, September 12, 2003 – George Bush Sr. and his spouse have visited the memorial to Heroic Defenders of Leningrad (the name of St Petersburg under the Soviets).
The 41st U.S. President was accompanied by French ex-President Giscard d’Estaing, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and prominent Sovietologist Zbigniew Brzezinski. (Full Story)

Two Years After 9-11, Officials Cite Progress in
War on Terror
WASHINGTON – Two years after terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Defense leaders said America has heeded "that wake-up call to the real threat of international terrorism," and is making solid progress in the war on terrorism.
"We’ve had great success in the last two years," Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told morning show reporters on the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. (Full Story)

Death Toll Still Rising From Palestinian Terrorist Attack on Bus
23 people were killed and over 130 wounded when a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a five-kilogram device packed with ball-bearings on a crowded city bus in Jerusalem’s Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood. The youngest victims were still infants, some were from the U.S. and the most recent victims are a 27 year old that died last week and a 37 year woman that died over the weekend.
Many of the passengers were returning from prayers at the Western Wall when they were killed. Hamas claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack. (Full Story)

New York City Firefighter, Now Guard Soldier in Kuwait, Remembers 9-11
CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT, Sept. 11, 2003 – A New York Army National Guard soldier, who is also a New York City firefighter, helped American soldiers engaged in Operation Iraqi Freedom observe the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks against America during a memorial service here today. (Full Story)

Bin Laden Tape Surfaces; Proves Threat Continues
WASHINGTON — While emphasizing that its authenticity still remains in question, top Defense officials said last week a newly released videotape depicting al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden reinforces the threat the terrorist organization continues to pose. (Full Story)

Bush: FBI ‘Fully Engaged’ in Anti-Terror War
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2003 – America has been on the offensive at home and overseas against global terrorists in the two years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, President Bush told FBI employees today at the agency’s crime laboratory at Quantico, Va.
In his address, the president praised the FBI, noting the agency "is fully engaged" in the war on terror, helping the nation make progress against would- be terrorists.
Efforts by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security on the home front, he added, also are helping to protect Americans from terrorists. (Full Story)

Russia-Iran Nuclear Cooperation Meets International Regulations, Says Ivanov
LJUBLJANA, September 12, 2003. (RIA Novosti correspondent Yuri Nikolayev) – Russia’s nuclear cooperation with Iran follows accepted international rules and regulations, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov pointed out at a Friday press conference in the Slovene capital of Ljubljana.
"The facilities now being constructed in Iran in association with Russia are under IAEA supervision," Mr. Ivanov said, referring to the nuclear power station at Busher. According to him, the Russian side has received no reprimands from the International Atomic Energy Agency in connection with this project.
Russia is going to continue nuclear cooperation with Iran and other countries in full compliance with effective regulatory norms and in close cooperation with the IAEA, the minister said.

First Lady Visits Wounded Troops at Walter Reed
WASHINGTON – President Bush and his wife, Laura, paid a visit to troops being treated here for wounds received in the global war against terrorism.
Bush presented Purple Heart medals to wounded service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Afterward, he declared to reporters that those service members are "people who are willing to sacrifice in order to make sure that attacks like Sept. 11 don’t happen again." (Full Story)

Al Qaeda ‘Under Pressure,’ Yet ‘Still Dangerous’
WASHINGTON – U.S. and coalition efforts against al Qaeda since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America have put that terror network under "enormous pressure," DoD’s top civilian said here.
A "good many" Al Qaeda operatives have been captured or killed and the terror network’s "ability to function has been significantly affected," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told television host Jim Lehrer on "The News Hour" show. (Full Story)

Friendship and Cooperation between India and Israel
At the invitation of the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, paid a State visit to India from September 8-10 2003, the first-ever by an Israeli Prime Minister. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to cut short his state visit to India though when twin terror attacks hit Israel.
Prime Minister Sharon was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Yosef Lapid, Minister of Culture, Education and Sport, Limor Livnat (-together with a cultural delegation) and Minister of Agriculture, Israel Katz. The large accompanying business delegation underscored the importance the two countries attach to expanding their economic relations. (Full Story)

Checkpoint Runners Lead to Odd Weapons Cache
MOSUL, IRAQ – Six Iraqis were detained after they attempted to run a checkpoint near the towns of Saff At Tuth Isfia and Talul An Nasir in the 101st Airborne Division’s area last Wednesday. After questioning the detainees Subsequent operations resulted in the discovery of a large weapons cache in one of their homes.
Warning shots were fired by soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat team when a van and motorcycle refused to slow down and began speeding through the checkpoint. The van stopped and the motorcycle crashed into concertina wire. No one was hurt. During a search of the van soldiers found an AK-47 in the van, at that point soldiers knew they had to take them in for questioning. (Full Story)

Steps to Stop Weapons of Mass Destruction Traffickers
WASHINGTON — A Japanese-flagged commercial merchant vessel is suspected of carrying items related to weapons of mass destruction. Military and law enforcement assets from Australia, France, Japan and the United States trail the vessel. The Japan coast guard, working with its French, U.S. and Australian law enforcement counterparts, boards the vessel on the high seas and conducts a search.. (Full Story)

Powell Seeking Broader International Effort in Iraq
Halabja, Iraq — Powell visited a mass grave in Halabja Monday, a city where Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons to murder thousands on March 16, 1988. The secretary arrived from Baghdad to participate in the dedication of a museum and memorial to remember those murdered in the city. Iraqi Kurds called the attack "Bloody Friday." At least 5,000 Iraqi Kurds died from a lethal mixture of mustard gas and the nerve agents Sarin, Tabun and VX. Another 10,000 were reported injured. Saddam’s cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", ordered the gas attack against the Kurds. Ali was captured in August by coalition troops and Iraqi Kurds had stressed he should go on trial in Halabja and pay for his crimes against the innocent civilians attacked in an anti-Kurd campaign during the Iran-Iraq war. (Full Story)

September 16-30

Abortion Pill May Be Cause of Teen’s Death
(Oakland Tribune) An 18-year-old Livermore woman died this week due to possible complications from taking the RU-486 abortion pill, and her family is urging parents to talk with their children.
The Alameda County Coroner’s Office said it is conducting toxicology tests on Holly Marie Patterson and will not have an official cause of death for at least three weeks.
"We hope with Holly’s passing that other families can come together and take care of issues," said Patterson’s mother, Deborah Patterson, 51, of Cathedral City. "We want to save other girls from the same demise and heartbreak. It was so needless, so needless." (Full Story)

Spanish Police Make More Al-Qaida Arrests
(AP) MADRID, Spain – Police have arrested several suspects on orders of a Spanish judge who is investigating al-Qaida links, the government said Thursday, a day after he issued the first known indictment against Osama bin Laden in the Sept. 11 attacks.
The Interior Ministry said the arrests were made in the southern region of Andalusia and elsewhere in Spain, but it gave no details. (Full Story)

Powell’s Remarks at Halabja Mass Grave Site
Last week in Halabja, Iraq U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited a mass grave site that had been filled with innocent people that Saddam and his regime had slaughtered.
With Powell at the site were Mr. Masud Barzani, Mr. Jalal Talabani, Mr. Barham Salih and Ambassador Bremer.
Powell was deeply moved by the loss of innocent lives and gave these remarks at the memorial ceremony: ":Thank you so much, Mr. Barzani, for your words and for that kind introduction. It’s a great honor for me to be here today and to see the assembled citizens of this town that is now marked in history forever, and to see this beautiful monument. (Full Story)

Coalition Engineers Work on Baghdad’s Sewer System
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Soldiers from the 1st Armored Division took to the streets Sept. 18 to fix the city sewage system in the Baghdad neighborhood of Berea.
Although the engineers are playing a major role in the reconstruction of Berea’s sewage system, the Coalition’s effort is focused on support. The Coalition’s role is one of oversight, to help the Iraqis help themselves. (Full Story)

New Iraqi Army to Finish Training
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2003 — The first battalion of the new Iraqi army should finish training the first week of October, according to the senior adviser for security sector and defense affairs to the Coalition Provisional Authority for Iraq.
There should be four operational battalions by early next year, continued Walt Slocombe during a Pentagon briefing here today. The goal, he added, is to have 27 battalions "trained up" in about a year. (Full Story)

Kisik Refinery on the Road to Recovery
MOSUL, Iraq – Coalition forces have hired approximately 70 Iraqi citizens to begin cleaning the Kisik Oil Refinery under the supervision of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), while employees of the Bayji Oil Company fix the facility’s equipment. (Full Story)

1st Armored Division Soldiers Help Clean Up Iraqi Schools
BAGHDAD, Iraq—Soldiers from 1st Armored Division’s 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment are working to help improve the quality of life from Iraqi children.
Led by Squadron commander Lt. Col. Charles E. Williams, the soldiers have focused their efforts on 25 schools around the rim of Baghdad. The schools, neglected by the former Iraqi regime, were in a sad state when 1AD forces arrived in Baghdad four months ago. (Full Story)

Goal: Zero Troops in Iraq, Rumsfeld Says
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld reiterated that the goal or the "end state is to have no U.S. and no international forces in Iraq … because it is their country" in a briefing with Pentagon reporters.
Rumsfeld, joined by Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iraqis will have to "ultimately" take over the responsibility for securing their country. (Full Story)

Polish Forces Key Aid to War on Terror
WARSAW, Poland, -The Polish-led Multinational Division in Iraq has impressed U.S. military officials by its leadership, professionalism and competence, Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said in Warsaw last Friday.
Myers and Gen. Czeslaw Piatas, chief of the Polish General Staff, held a press conference following a series of meetings here. Myers used the occasion to thank the Polish government and military for their contributions to the global war on terror. (Full Story)

Iraqis and Coalition Forces Provide Legal Due Process to Oil Smugglers at Sea
MANAMA, Bahrain – The chaos of war sometimes creates openings for opportunists in search of quick riches. In the case of Iraq, the opportunists are smugglers who are trying to illegally smuggle oil – oil that belongs to the Iraqi people. Coalition efforts since the end of major combat operations have been directed at intercepting the smugglers, then detaining them and the oil until Iraqi authorities can pass down judgement.
Coalition naval forces have conducted maritime intercept operations in the Arabian Gulf since 1990. Prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom, MIO was focused on enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. More recently, those intercept operations have been focused on stemming the flow of contraband goods, including smuggled Iraqi oil. (Full Story)

U.S. and French Foreign Legion Join Forces
ARTA PLAGE, Djibouti — Marines of Task Force Rawhide, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-terrorism), participated in training with the French Foreign Legion, 13th Half Brigade, at the French Commando Training Center this month.
The Maries were deployed to provide Marine Central Command at Camp Lemonier with antiterrorism security. The camp is the headquarters for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, whose mission is to detect, deter and defeat terrorists in the Horn of Africa region. (Full Story)

FM Shalom Meets with Norwegian FM Jan Petersen
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom met with his Norwegian counterpart Jan Petersen mid-week in Tel Aviv. The two ministers discussed bilateral relations, the war on terror and the Middle East peace process.
Shalom thanked his counterpart for the historic role that Norway has played in the quest for peace, and for his personal, continued willingness to contribute to peace and security in Israel. (Full Story)

Bosnia Stable, but Peace Still ‘Brittle’
EAGLE BASE, Bosnia – The military jobs mandated by 1995’s Dayton Accords are just about completed, but stability in Bosnia is "brittle" and still requires the Stabilization Force, military officials here said.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers toured Eagle Base and Camp McGovern Sept. 18. He met with Stabilization Force commander Army Lt. Gen. William Ward and with the American contingent commander, Army Brig. Gen. Ron Mason. (Full Story)

Russia is Expected to Produce More than 400 Mln Tons of Oil This Year
MOSCOW, September 20, 2003.RIA Novosti. The estimated volume of oil production in Russia this year is 415-418 million tons, which is higher than last year, Russian Vice-Premier Victor Khristenko told journalists at the end of the meeting of governmental committee on the use of trunk pipelines.
     According to Mr. Khristenko, the volume of oil exports this year will reach 216-217 million tons.
     In the 4th quarter of 2003, the export of Russian oil is estimated at 56-57 million tons. Approximately 33.5 mln tons will be exported to foreign countries and 11.8 million tons to former Soviet republics.
     Mr. Khristenko pointed out that in the 4th quarter Russia would introduce a new route for its oil exports – through the seaport Yuzhny in the Ukraine. Estimated 750,000 tons of oil will be exported through this port.

U S Seeking Assistance as Terror Attacks Continue
"One of the problems with Iraqi security is that the borders have been essentially open," Walt Slocombe of the Coalition Provisional Authority with Di Rita told the press during questioning on the situation in Iraq. Iraqi police, leaders and Coalition soldiers have been targeted by terrorist type tactics since the end of major combat in Iraq and the U.S. is seeking assistance from other nations, most importantly from Russia, who has been hit with several terrorist attacks this year.
On Monday, in Baghdad a homicide bomber with 50 pounds of TNT in his car struck at an Iraqi police security checkpoint outside the UN building, killing an Iraqi police officer who tried to stop him, and wounded 19 others.
Saturday, two soldiers from the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade were killed at 9:46p.m. when mortars struck the Abu Ghraib prison, 12 miles away from Baghdad. Though no prisoners were injured, thirteen additional soldiers were wounded in the shelling. The prison itself has been a frequent target of such attacks, being hit with mortars, small arms and/or rocket-propelled grenades about 16 times a month. Being converted into a model prison, equipped with new medical supplies and machinery, the jail house used to be a house of horrors where Saddam utilized it as a torture and execution center. (Full Story)

Earthquake Brings No Casualties in Krasnoyarsk
KRASNOYARSK, September 27 (RIA Novosti-Siberia correspondent Boris Ivanov) – The earthquake that shook Krasnoyarsk (an administrative center in Siberia) on Saturday brought no casualties. A duty officer in the regional civil defense and emergencies service didn’t report any damage inflicted on the city.
According to him, no emergencies occurred either in the Krasnoyarsk energy system, or at such a significant facility as the dam of the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station.Evidently the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Altai mountains; the underground tremors in the epicenter were equal to a 7 magnitude on the Richter scale, 4-5 in Novosibirsk, and over 3.4 – in the republic of Khakassia.
Strong tremors were felt in Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Barnaul, Tomsk and a number of other Siberian cities.

Winning the Peace in Iraq Vital to Winning War on Terror
WASHINGTON — Brave young Americans who liberated Iraq from the clutches of one of the bloodiest, most sadistic tyrants in modern history created the possibility of a major victory in the war on terrorism, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz told the House Armed Services Committee here today.
Completing this victory, he added, requires "winning the peace" as well. This is the "best way to honor the memories of the heroes who have sacrificed to bring us and the Iraqi people to this point. (We’re) here today to ask Congress to give us the tools so we can finish the job." (Full Story)

MPs Get Iraqi Canine Unit Underway
BAGHDAD, Iraq – U.S. Army Military Police soldiers renovated an abandoned torture chamber, and the cells are now air conditioned, clean and filled with dogs.
Reservist Sgt. Emily Frasca, a police academy instructor with the 382nd Military Police Battalion, from San Diego, Calif., helped kick start the new Iraqi canine unit. Along with other soldiers in her unit, Frasca teaches classes at the police academy in Baghdad. When someone asked her to help with the canine unit, she jumped at the opportunity. (Full Story)

Iran is Eager to Develop Scientific Cooperation with Russia
TEHRAN, September 27 (RIA Novosti correspondent Nikolai Terekhov) – Mohammad Aref, vice-president of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated at the meeting with Nikolai Dobretsov, chairman of the Association of Asian Academies of Sciences who attended a scientific conference in Tehran that Russia occupied a particular place in the Iranian foreign policy.
The statement of Aref published on Saturday declared that "in its foreign policy strategy Tehran considers Moscow to be a good cooperation partner and companion in various spheres." The Iranian vice-president specially stressed Russian-Iranian scientific interaction and stated that "Russian-Iranian scientific relations are the basic component of all areas of bilateral relations." In the opinion of Aref, presently countries of the East were as technologically developed as Western countries and the East started to intensively study scientific technologies then in the future it would not be inferior to Western states.
The vice-premier of the Islamic Republic of Iran also stated that Iran was prepared to cooperate with Russian scientific and research institutes and academies to increase its scientific potential.

Soldiers Aid Koreans After Typhoon
WASHINGTON — At almost the same time Hurricane Isabel was causing havoc on the East Coast, U.S. Soldiers were aiding Korean citizens who had been devastated by a typhoon.
"We’ve lost everything," sobbed South Korean Kim Keah-weol, as she pointed to the devastation that Typhoon Maemi caused when it swept through her village in September.
This is the second year a typhoon has hit Kim’s home and other villagers of Bongjung-Ri in Kangwon Province. (Full Story)

Russian Peacekeeper Kidnapped in Western Georgia
TBILISI, September 27 (RIA Novosti correspondent Marina Kvaratskhelia) – A Russian serviceman from the peacekeeping contingent in the area of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict was kidnapped in downtown Zugdidi (Western Georgia) under unknown circumstances at noon today.
Mamuka Shonia, head of the municipal police of Zugdidi stated with reference to witnesses that a peacekeepers’ car was approached by a Zhiguli car with no numberplates; four armed people got out and forced the Russian peacekeeper to get in their car. After that the Zhiguli car left the site and disappeared.
Shonia said: "At the moment the police are unable to definitely state that the peacekeeper was kidnapped. We are carrying out a search operation and gathering operative information."

UN Urges Russia to Ratify Kyoto Protocol
MOSCOW, September 29, 2003 /RIA Novosti correspondent/ – Russia’s ratification of the Kyoto protocol will make it possible "to launch the mechanism of its fulfillment", Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, UNEP, said on Monday at the opening of the World Conference on Climate Change currently held in Moscow.
"Russia is one of the major states that play a leading role in the world climate policy," he emphasised. Thus, the world community is looking forward to Russia’s ratification of the Kyoto protocol, Toepfer added.
The UNEP executive director believes that politicians, businessmen and industrialists should, without awaiting the completion of the ratification process, "reduce emissions of polluting substances to the atmosphere to avoid a global catastrophe".

Bremer Highlights Successes in Iraq
WASHINGTON – Thanks to efforts by U.S. and coalition forces, electrical services in Iraq will be at prewar levels within a month, Ambassador L. Paul Bremer told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee Sept. 22.
Bremer, who was on Capitol Hill urging Congress to support the president’s $87 billion supplemental budget request, spoke about the success America and its coalition partners are seeing in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq. (Full Story)

Oil Refineries Running as Iraqi Leaders Survey Industry Power Facilities
MOSUL, Iraq — The Army’s 101st Airborne Division escorted the civilian leadership of the northern Nineveh province Sept. 22 on a survey of the region’s industrial and power facilities, helping to broaden the Mosul- based interim government’s influence here.
The tour began when Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, the division’s commander, flew with Gov. Ghanim Al Basso and other members of the Mosul City Council aboard Black Hawk helicopters to the town of Sinjar for the reopening of the largest cement factory in Iraq. (Full Story)

Engineers Teach Iraqis Construction, Build `Village of Hope’
MOSUL, Iraq — National Guard engineers are building the first of five "House of Hope" projects. Along the way, they’re teaching former Iraqi soldiers construction skills they can use to find new jobs.
Soldiers of the 52nd Engineer Company — an Oregon Army National Guard unit attached to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) — believe in the adage "It’s better to teach a man to fish and feed him for life," or in this case teach him to build a home and house him for life.
Under the House of Hope project, the former soldiers initially planned to build a house for a family of displaced locals. (Full Story)

Iraqi Public Works Minister Seeks Continued Support
WASHINGTON – Nasreen M. S. Berwari is thankful the United States led the effort to free her country from one of the most brutal governments in history.
Berwari is Iraq’s newly appointed public works minister. The only female member of Iraq’s new cabinet of 25 ministers heads a department of about 45,000 people.
The graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University with a degree in public policy and management has a Herculean task ahead of her: helping her homeland recover from what she describes as "35 years of neglect and bad management." (Full Story)

Freedom and Tyranny is Light and Dark in Korea
WASHINGTON — A satellite picture in Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’s office starkly illustrates the difference between North and South Korea.
The nighttime picture shows no lights north of the Demilitarized Zone except for the area around the capital, Pyongyang. In the south, the land is ablaze. "What a difference between freedom and oppression, in one the light of liberty outshines everything and in the other, the darkness of the dictatorship is so obvious even from so many miles in outer space," Rumsfeld said at the U.S./Korean Business Council luncheon here yesterday.
The secretary said the Republic of Korea illustrates the connection between security and prosperity. Keeping the Korean peninsula secure will require change, he said. "Together we’ve undertaken an important joint review of our military posture with an eye toward how best to take advantage of the new technologies and capabilities and strengthen our deterrence for the 21st century security environment," he said. (Full Story)

Khabarovsk to Organize Amur Tiger Preservation
KHABAROVSK, September 27 (RIA Novosti correspondent Yevgeny Bugayenko) – Participants in the international ecological conference, over in Khabarovsk (administrative center in Russia’s Far East) on Saturday, took a decision to establish standing working groups for preserving the Amur tiger population.
     A representative of the conference organizational committee Alexander Kulikov, chairman of the Khabarovsk Public Wildlife Fund, said that such public organizations are for the first time appearing simultaneously on three levels – international, federal and regional. Besides, an agreement was reached to set up standing working groups on the same problem in Russia’s Khabarovsk and Maritime territories, where the main groups of the extremely rare animal species live in taiga forests.
     The three-day conference considered problems of preservation of the Amur tiger population. Specialists from Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands and other countries participated in plenary sessions and section sittings.
     Specialists see as one of the main goals the preservation of the habitat and the forage reserve of the rare animal species. They have advised the local authorities to engage in environment-friendly nature management in places where the Amur tiger lives. Conferees have also noted the need of completing laws on the protection of the environment, particularly as regards the tiger.

Rules of Engagement ‘Well In Place’ In Iraq, Sanchez Says
WASHINGTON — U.S. combat troops in Iraq are trained to obey established rules of engagement designed to protect their lives as well as those of Iraqi noncombatants, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said Sept. 25 at a Baghdad news conference.
"My soldiers on the ground every day (in Iraq) are making decisions to engage or not engage, and to capture or kill people," Sanchez pointed out to reporters, noting that commanders and other leaders make those decisions "based on the circumstances." (Full Story)

Operation Iraqi Freedom Troops Return for R&R
WASHINGTON — Some came wanting little more than those creature comforts they said they took for granted before deploying to Iraq: long, hot baths, fast food restaurants and shopping malls.
For Pfc. Lindsay Clark it boiled down to basics like "flushing toilets, taking a shower every day, and knowing that you’re not going to have sand pelting your face." From the Dexheim, Germany-based 123rd Main Support Battalion, she’s one of the first 270 U.S. service members to receive 15 days of rest and recuperation leave under a U.S. Central Command program that began this week.
But for many of the Operation Iraqi Freedom troops who arrived this morning in Frankfurt, Germany, and Baltimore to begin 15 days of R&R, the return home had a deeper significance. (Full Story)

Spanish Firm Signs Navy Deal
WINTER PARK — The U.S. Navy signed a $3 billion contract Wednesday with a Spanish information technology firm that will provide equipment for aircraft and helicopter training simulators for U.S. pilots.
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of Spain witnessed the signing of the agreement between Indra Systems and the Naval Air Systems Command. Indra’s slice of the contract should amount to between $100 million and $150 million over eight years, said Robert Fink, president and CEO of Indra’s Orlando-based subsidiary.
The contract could create 62 new jobs, allowing Indra to increase its work force in Central Florida to 120 over two years.
"You are helping us become the company we want to be," Javier Monzon, the company’s president, said at a signing ceremony. (Full Story)

The World’s Task Is to Help Rebuild Iraq, Says Powell
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2003 — With 28 nations involved in support efforts for Iraq now, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell talked to CBS’ David Letterman ( Late Show ) after his meetings at the UN (Sept. 25) about the need for various world leaders to put aside past differences to help the Iraqi people.
"Every leader that the president spoke to this week said, ‘Let’s move forward, let’s not worry about the debate we had earlier. That’s over. Let’s come together. Let’s show what the international community can do to help this country, help these people,’" Powell said during a Sept. 25 interview on the CBS "Late Show With David Letterman." (Full Story)

U.S. Military Investigates Espionage and Syrian Link
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is continuing its investigations into two cases associated with the confinement facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in which an Air Force translator is charged with espionage and an Army chaplain is being held pending charges.
Raul Duany, spokesman for U.S. Southern Command, said the military has no information at this time that the two cases are connected.
Both cases involve service members assigned to Camp Delta on U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, where the United States is detaining suspected al Qaeda and Taliban members. (Full Story)

New Zealand Takes Reins in Bamian Reconstruction
BAMIAN, Afghanistan – "Old Glory" came down to make room for the New Zealand flag, which will fly over the Bamian Provincial Reconstruction Team compound in Afghanistan.
     The mission was transferred last week to about 100 service members from New Zealand.
     "Today is a day the people of Bamian will never forget," said Gov. Muhammad Rahim Aliyar, the Afghanistan Transitional Government’s leader in the province and one of the many guest speakers at the ceremony. "We are sad the U.S. is leaving, but we’re happy to have our new friends."
     The "Kiwis," as the New Zealand troops are affectionately called due to the kiwi bird on their hats and unit patches.. (Full Story)

Israel to the UN, Arafat Prefers "Israeli Pain Over Palestinian Gain."
Even as news that Egyptian-born Palestinian leader Arafat funneled 900 Million dollars into accounts and interests in other countries such as Jordan and Algeria–a report in Forbes states he controls 300 million dollars and evidence reveals that over the years Arafat has purchased weapons to use against Israel, some members of the UN seem to be surprised when Israel told them that Arafat prefers "Israeli pain over Palestinian gain."
"As the UN denounces terror and wants to be known as a beacon of peace they jumped back into blind support of Arafat who Israel says is ‘one of the world’s icons of terror,’" Deputy PM Silvan Shalom said. "In the ten years since Arafat declared his commitment to Israel – and the world – that he would no longer use terror" there have been 19,000 separate Palestinian terrorist attacks, that have wounded thousands and killed 1,126 Israeli citizens.
And Deputy PM Silvan Shalom clarified that a "vote for Arafat – like we saw in this Assembly just last week – is to vote against the Palestinian people. When Arafat wins – terrorism wins, and we all lose". (Full UN Address)

Iraqi Police Force and US Net Weapons
After helpful tips from Iraqis the Iraqi police and U.S. troops were able to carry out successful arrests and weapons cache finds in their joint effort to stop the terrorist attacks against Iraqis and the Coalition.
A weapons cache found Saturday near Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit included 23 Russian-made surface-to-air missiles, 1,000 pounds of plastic explosives, grenades, grenade launchers, rockets, a mortar and mortar rounds. It was among the largest caches found since American troops arrived in April, Maj. Mike Rauhut of the 4th Infantry Division told the Associated Press. (Full Story)