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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Obama Hits the AIG Spot: Supernews

US offers cash rewards for Baitullah Mehsud

Abu Yahya al-Libi, Libyan Islamic scholar and a prominent member of al Qaeda.—File Photo

WASHINGTON The United States on Wednesday offered $ 5 million each for information leading to Baitullah Mehsud and for Sirajuddin Haqqani and $1 million for Abu Yahya al-Libi.The offer, announced two days before the unveiling of the new US strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, indicates hardening of Washington’s stance against the militants hiding along the Pak-Afghan border.But reports attributed to senior US officials also indicate a willingness to include ‘reconcilable’ militants in the new peace process to be announced by President Barak Obama on Friday.While the United States has previously offered large cash rewards for terrorism suspects in the past as well, until recently they regarded Mehsud mainly as a threat to Pakistan.Previous US drone attacks had avoided targeting Mehsud’s hideouts but this changed earlier this month when US drones also began to target Mehsud and his men.The change reflects a US desire to work closely with Pakistan for eradicating all extremists, whether they target Pakistan or the United States.On Wednesday afternoon, the US Department of State issued three brief statements, saying that it’s offering lucrative cash awards for information about the three suspects under its Rewards for Justice Programme. The programme offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest, and/or conviction of dangerous criminals.The State Department identified Baitullah Mehsud as the senior leader of the Taliban Movement of Pakistan. The statement noted that Mehsud is regarded as a key al Qaeda facilitator in South Waziristan. ‘Pakistani authorities believe that the January 2007 suicide attack against the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad was staged by militants loyal to Mehsud,’ the statement said.‘Press reports also have linked Mehsud to the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the deaths of other innocent civilians,’ the State Department noted.The US government pointed out that Mehsud has also stated his intention to attack the United States. He has conducted cross-border attacks against US forces in Afghanistan, and poses a clear threat to American persons and interests in the region.‘The United States is determined to bring Baitullah Mehsud to justice.  We encourage anyone with information on Mehsud’s location to contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, any US military commander, or the Rewards for Justice staff,’ the department said.Another statement, announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location, arrest, and/or conviction of Sirajuddin Haqqani. Sirajuddin Haqqani is a senior leader of ‘the Haqqani terrorist network’ founded by his father Jalaladin Haqqani. He maintains close ties to al Qaeda.During an interview with an American news organisation, Haqqani admitted planning the Jan. 14, 2008 attack against the Serena Hotel in Kabul that killed six people, including American citizen Thor David Hesla.Haqqani also admitted planning the April 2008 assassination attempt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai.  He has coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against US and Coalition forces in Afghanistan.‘Sirajuddin Haqqani is believed to be located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan,’ the State Department said.The US government also authorised a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Abu Yahya al-Libi, a prominent member of al Qaeda.The State Department identified al-Libi as an Islamic scholar and a Libyan citizen who was captured by authorities in 2002 and imprisoned at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.Al-Libi escaped in July 2005, and has since appeared in a number of propaganda videos, using his religious training to influence people and legitimise the actions of al Qaeda.The State Department noted that al-Libi was a key motivator in the global jihadi movement and his messages ‘convey a clear threat to US persons or property worldwide.’ Al-Libi is believed to be in hiding in Afghanistan or Pakistan.Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice Programme has paid more than $80 million to more than 50 persons who provided credible information that has resulted in the capture or death of terrorists or prevented acts of international terrorism.

YouTube blocked in China

BEIJING, China has blocked the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube but did not offer a reason for the ban.Google, which owns YouTube, said it began noticing a decline in traffic from China about noon Monday.By early Wednesday, site users insider China continued to encounter an error message: "Network Timeout. The server at youtube.com is taking too long to respond.""We do not know the reason for the blockage and we are working as quickly as possible to restore access to our users," said Scott Rubin, a spokesman for Google, which owns YouTube. It's not the first time users in China have been unable to access the site. In March 2008, China blocked YouTube during riots in Tibet. 

Suspected US drone strike kills seven in South Waziristan

‘Two missiles killed at least six militants, including Uzbeks and Arabs,’ 
a tribal security official told AFP. 

WANA A suspected US missile strike killed seven militants, including al-Qaeda fighters, in northwest Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday, security officials said.A senior official said the strike hit a compound in the Makeen area, where suspected Afghan and Pakistani Taliban militants are holed up, but local residents said two vehicles were targeted. Security officials said seven militants were killed. 'A predator strike was carried out in Makeen area, 12 kilometres northwest of Ladha,' one security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.The official said the dead were 'foreigners' — a term used to describe al-Qaeda fighters.'Two missiles killed at least six militants, including Uzbeks and Arabs,' a tribal security official, Haq Nawaz, told AFP.More than 35 such strikes have killed over 340 people since August 2008, shortly before President Asif Ali Zardari was elected.Wednesday's attack was the seventh missile strike blamed in Pakistan on unmanned US aircraft since President Barack Obama came to power.

Civilians flee Sri Lanka fighting

More than 1,500 civilians have fled the fighting in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, the government says.Tens of thousands of civilians have been trapped in a narrow stretch of land along the island's northeast coast where government troops are fighting rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).A government statement said that 1,515 people, including about 650 children, had crossed into military-controlled areas late on Tuesday near Puthkkudiyirippu, where fighting has been raging for weeks.Tamilnet, the pro-Tamil website, said the Sri Lankan army had shelled areas within the so-called safety zone early on Tuesday morning, killing 62 civilians and causing many injuires.The Tamilnet report said more than 250 civilians have been admitted to a makeshift hospital in Puthkkudiyirippu.The government said Puthkkudiyirippu is one of the last areas held by the LTTE, who have been fighting since 1983 for a separate homeland for ethnic Tamils in the island's north and east.

COAS meets Miliband in London

LONDON General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) who is on an official visit to UK held in depth discussion yesterday with David Milliband, Secretary of state for foreign affairs.Later David Miliband hosted an official dinner in honour of General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.COAS had an extensive meetings / consultations with senior government and military officials in London on Wednesday. He called on Mr John Hutton, Secretary of State for Defence and discussed with him issues of mutual interest including overall security situation in the region.COAS also called on separately General Richard Dannatt, Chief of General Staff UK army and Air Marshal Jock Stirrup, Chief of Defence staff UK and discussed issues of professional interest during the meetings.Earlier, on arrival at Ministry of Defence, UK an impressive guard of honour ceremony was held in honour of General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. He was also given detailed briefing at Ministry of Defence on current level of Pak-UK military relations.

Netanyahu hits back at critics, commits to further peace talks

A day after Israel's Labour Party voted to join Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud in a coalition, the Prime Minister-designate said on Wednesday that he intended to continue peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.Prime Minister-designate and Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu struck back on Wednesday at critics of his political agenda, a day after he reached a coalition deal with Labor party leader Ehud Barak."Peace is not the last goal. It is a common and enduring goal for all Israelis and Israeli governments, mine included. This means I will negotiate with the Palestinian Authority for peace," he told a Jerusalem conference.The statement was directed primarily at US President Barack Obama, who on Tuesday both reaffirmed his determination to strive for the creation of a Palestinian state and warned that it would not be easy to work out a compromise with a Likud-led administration known for its opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state.

Israeli use of phosphorus a 'crime'

A report by an international rights group has said that Israel's use of white phosphorus during its recent offensive on the Gaza Strip is evidence of war crimes.Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday that the munitions were fired indiscriminately and over densely populated areas during the 23-day war, leading to many casualties."In Gaza, the Israeli military didn't just use white phosphorus in open areas as a screen for its troops," Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher at HRW and co-author of the report, said."It fired white phosphorus repeatedly over densely populated areas, even when its troops weren't in the area and safer smoke shells were available. As a result, civilians needlessly suffered and died."