October 12, 2005

World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BuzzFlash Note: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR OCTOBER 12, 2005

1//The Independent, UK--BRITAIN ACCUSES IRAN OF RUNNING TRAINING CAMPS FOR BOMBERS (Iran is running international "training camps" for bombers who carry out attacks on British troops in Iraq, according to senior British officials. Last week Britain accused Iran of direct complicity in the killings of British soldiers through the use of sophisticated explosive devices. Yesterday's claims went much further by accusing the Revolutionary Guard, which has close links to the Tehran government, of teaching Shia fighters to make the bombs in Iran. The charges came after British and Iraqi forces found two unexploded devices for the first time. A forensic examination of the bombs was being made in Baghdad which officials believe will help them devise counter measures and may also yield evidence of an "Iranian signature".)

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon--SYRIA WARNS 'GATES OF HELL WILL OPEN' IF U.S. ATTACKS (In the latest official Syrian comment on the increasing pressure on Damascus, Premier Naji Otari said "all the gates of hell will open on the U.S. if it attempts to attack Syria." Otari was replying to a report this week in Newsweek magazine revealing that Washington had debated launching military strikes inside Syria against camps used by insurgents operating in Iraq. … . Otari also accused Lebanese officials of being unable to make an independent decision, saying they were answerable to the French and U.S. ambassadors to Lebanon. Addressing his Lebanese counterpart Fouad Siniora, the Syrian premier said: "Apparently Siniora forgot all of what we have discussed when he visited Damascus after his recent return from a visit to the U.S." … . Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported yesterday Otari had refused to answer repeated phone calls from Siniora on Monday. The paper quoted unidentified "informed Syrian sources in Damascus" as saying the Assad regime believes Siniora has reneged on promises he made to the Syrian president during a visit on July 31. The regime is particularly outraged over Siniora's allegation in a recent interview with The Washington Post that all of Lebanon is convinced that Syria engineered the Hariri murder. In other related media responses to the mounting pressure on Damascus, Syrian daily Tishrin said in an editorial yesterday that Washington is criticizing Syria to cover its own policy failures in the Middle East.)

3//Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates--YEMEN DENIES SMUGGLING ARMS TO SOMALIA (The Yemeni government yesterday dismissed as "untrue and baseless" reports about smuggling weapons from Yemen to Somalia. "The Republic of Yemen, in the framework of its cooperation and support for the elected Somali leadership represented by Abdullah Yousuf, has handed over personal weapons to the legitimate government in Somalia," the Defence Ministry website quoted an unidentified official as saying. The official pointed out the weapons were given as assistance for the legitimate government. "It was meant to help the legitimate government maintain security and stability, and spread the legitimacy of the state. It was also aimed against Somali territories becoming a haven for terrorists and extremists who threaten the security and stability of African Horn region as a whole," he said. … . Earlier this week, a report issued by a UN panel of experts said, "Arms flowing into lawless Somalia have increased dramatically over the last eight months through smuggling and shipments from Yemen, Ethiopia and Eritrea in violation of a UN weapons embargo.")

4//The Times, UK--A MIDDLE-AGED MAN IN A BIG HURRY TO CHANGE THE WORLD (Tony Blair is a middle-aged man in a hurry: not in a hurry to depart, but to be active and busy. At his news conference yesterday, he was impatient, dismissive of criticism. Long gone was the cautious, focus-group politician of his first term. Instead, it was the "change maker", as he said in Brighton a fortnight ago. Woe betide any minister who says, "Hold on, Prime Minister, are you sure?" He is not only sure. He is driven. … . Yet his tone can be deliberately confrontational. There is a real danger not just of bad feeling and hard words between the senior judiciary and the Government, but also of conflict over rulings. … . But underlying this impatience is Mr Blair's personal timetable. He has said he wants to serve a full third term, but not fight the next election. The latest Populus poll for The Times, undertaken last weekend, shows that 45 per cent of all voters, including 30 per cent of Labour supporters [up 6 points since July], now want Mr Blair to stand down either now or by the end of next year. … . This pressure is more likely to increase, rather than diminish. There has been a drop in the numbers wanting him to reconsider his decision to stand down and stay on longer: 24 per cent of all voters [down 6 points since July], but still 41 per cent of Labour voters [down 7 points].)

5//The Toronto Star, Canada--BIG BROTHER BILL WON'T TRAMPLE CIVIL RIGHTS: PM (New legislation to expand the ability of authorities to monitor e-mails and telephone calls won't trample on civil rights, says Prime Minister Paul Martin. "In every instance when the government brings forth this kind of legislation, obviously the question of civil rights is first and foremost in our minds and they will be protected," Martin said today during a visit to Toronto. The Lawful Access bill, along with accompanying regulations to be introduced in the House of Commons next month, would require telecommunications service providers to install high-tech equipment that is "intercept capable." … . The new technology would give police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canada's spy agency, the ability to intercept the e-mail, Internet chat, telephone and cell phone conversations of thousands of people at a time. The United States has already adopted similar legislation. In May, federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart raised concerns about the proposed legislation with Justice Minister Irwin Cotler. … . "We remain skeptical about the need for these potentially intrusive and far-reaching measures."
MP Peter MacKay, the Tory justice critic, echoed that concern today.)

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1//The Independent, UK Published: 12 October 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article318843.ece

BRITAIN ACCUSES IRAN OF RUNNING TRAINING CAMPS FOR BOMBERS
By Kim Sengupta in Basra

Iran is running international "training camps" for bombers who carry out attacks on British troops in Iraq, according to senior British officials.

Last week Britain accused Iran of direct complicity in the killings of British soldiers through the use of sophisticated explosive devices. Yesterday's claims went much further by accusing the Revolutionary Guard, which has close links to the Tehran government, of teaching Shia fighters to make the bombs in Iran.

The charges came after British and Iraqi forces found two unexploded devices for the first time. A forensic examination of the bombs was being made in Baghdad which officials believe will help them devise counter measures and may also yield evidence of an "Iranian signature". The armour-piercing, infra-red bombs have killed eight British soldiers since March.

British officials had claimed that the alleged Iranian involvement in Iraq was in response to what Tehran perceives as "bullying" over the nuclear issue by the West, and also to keep US and British forces tied down in Iraq to avert a possible attack on Iran. Iran has vehemently denied the accusations and has claimed instead that Britain is pressuring Iran over its nuclear programme by publicising the bombing claims.

The account of the alleged Iranian involvement made by defence and diplomatic sources in Iraq yesterday was extraordinarily detailed. One source said: "We are trying to counter the bomb threat by training the trainers and they are doing the same. People are being trained abroad and then slip back into Iraq, 10 at a time, to train others maybe 50 at a time."

The source claimed that camps were being run in Iran and Lebanon, and that there was "some evidence" that there are camps in Syria. The source said that the technology had been "proliferating", leading to a sharp rise in attacks on British troops which are running at three a week. Several large arms caches, believed to be for attacks during the impending referendum, have been found in southern Iraq. In the past eight days British, US and Iraqi forces have found more than 50 rockets, 10 mortars and 64 landmines, as well as the infra-red devices. The devices were found on Route Tampa, the main feeder route for British and American troops to Meysan, a province where coalition forces have faced periodic bouts of intense attacks.

(MORE)

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, October 12, 2005
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?....

SYRIA WARNS 'GATES OF HELL WILL OPEN' IF U.S. ATTACKS
By Leila Hatoum, Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: In the latest official Syrian comment on the increasing pressure on Damascus, Premier Naji Otari said "all the gates of hell will open on the U.S. if it attempts to attack Syria." Otari was replying to a report this week in Newsweek magazine revealing that Washington had debated launching military strikes inside Syria against camps used by insurgents operating in Iraq.

(SNIP)

Otari also accused Lebanese officials of being unable to make an independent decision, saying they were answerable to the French and U.S. ambassadors to Lebanon.

Addressing his Lebanese counterpart Fouad Siniora, the Syrian premier said: "Apparently Siniora forgot all of what we have discussed when he visited Damascus after his recent return from a visit to the U.S."

Siniora had held talks with several officials in Damascus to resolve a border dispute between the two countries in June.

Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported yesterday Otari had refused to answer repeated phone calls from Siniora on Monday.

The paper quoted unidentified "informed Syrian sources in Damascus" as saying the Assad regime believes Siniora has reneged on promises he made to the Syrian president during a visit on July 31.

The regime is particularly outraged over Siniora's allegation in a recent interview with The Washington Post that all of Lebanon is convinced that Syria engineered the Hariri murder.
In other related media responses to the mounting pressure on Damascus, Syrian daily Tishrin said in an editorial yesterday that Washington is criticizing Syria to cover its own policy failures in the Middle East.

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State David Welch had warned the Assad regime Sunday that it was not heeding calls to change its behavior in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

Welch has been touring the Middle East, meeting with leaders in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He is expected to hold talks with Lebanese officials today.

"Barely a day passes without such accusations as if Syria has become an excuse for the U.S. faults in the region," the editorial said.

Separately, Detlev Mehlis, the German prosecutor heading the international investigation into Hariri's murder, was expected to reach Beirut late last night from Larnaca, where he is placing the final touches on his report according to sources close to the Lebanese judiciary.

Mehlis moved his base of operations to the Cypriot port town early in the day citing security concerns.

But the source said: "Some experts from Mehlis' team are still in Lebanon, and Mehlis will join them for further discussions with Lebanese officials before presenting his report."

The nature of Mehlis' report has spurred mounting speculations, fears and an ongoing public row between Lebanese and Syrian officials.

(MORE)

3//Gulf News Online, United Arab Emirates Published: 11/10/2005, 00:00 (UAE)
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=186114

YEMEN DENIES SMUGGLING ARMS TO SOMALIA
By Nasser Arrabyee, Gulf News Report

Sanaa: The Yemeni government yesterday dismissed as "untrue and baseless" reports about smuggling weapons from Yemen to Somalia.

It admitted giving personal weapons to the legitimate Somali government with the knowledge of the concerned international bodies.

"The Republic of Yemen, in the framework of its cooperation and support for the elected Somali leadership represented by Abdullah Yousuf, has handed over personal weapons to the legitimate government in Somalia," the Defence Ministry website quoted an unidentified official as saying. The official pointed out the weapons were given as assistance for the legitimate government.

"It was meant to help the legitimate government maintain security and stability, and spread the legitimacy of the state. It was also aimed against Somali territories becoming a haven for terrorists and extremists who threaten the security and stability of African Horn region as a whole," he said.

(SNIP)

Earlier this week, a report issued by a UN panel of experts said, "Arms flowing into lawless Somalia have increased dramatically over the last eight months through smuggling and shipments from Yemen, Ethiopia and Eritrea in violation of a UN weapons embargo."

The report also said that the Yemeni government admitted it had sent at least 5,000 "personal weapons" to what it called the legitimate government of Somalia so it could disarm bandits.

4//The Times, UK October 12, 2005
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,17129-1821909,00.html

A MIDDLE-AGED MAN IN A BIG HURRY TO CHANGE THE WORLD
By Peter Riddell, Political Briefing

Tony Blair is a middle-aged man in a hurry: not in a hurry to depart, but to be active and busy.

At his news conference yesterday, he was impatient, dismissive of criticism. Long gone was the cautious, focus-group politician of his first term. Instead, it was the "change maker", as he said in Brighton a fortnight ago. Woe betide any minister who says, "Hold on, Prime Minister, are you sure?" He is not only sure. He is driven.

On terrorism, Mr Blair was uncompromising, even firmer than Charles Clarke earlier in the morning at the Home Affairs Committee about the proposed new powers to hold suspected terrorists for three months (subject to weekly review by a judge).

Similarly, he promised new powers for the police to combat antisocial behaviour and to reclaim communities from hooliganism, thuggery and drug dealing.

"I want us to give a clear signal. This is what I have said to the police, 'You tell me what you need in terms of antisocial behaviour, and I will deliver it for you'." He also pledged proposals on organised crime which some will find "rather difficult".

Mr Blair is right to highlight these problems, which are genuine and real. Civil libertarians are sometimes not sufficiently concerned with the threat from terrorism or, for that matter, thuggery, and what Mr Blair called "the one basic civil liberty, which is the right to live of our citizens and freedom from terrorism".

Yet his tone can be deliberately confrontational. There is a real danger not just of bad feeling and hard words between the senior judiciary and the Government, but also of conflict over rulings.

Mr Blair was also impatient over public services. Before next week's schools White Paper, he said: "We can either soft-pedal these changes and hope to see some further improvement, but incrementally. Or we can seize the moment and drive through lasting, radical, reform, that will cement the renewal or our state education system." So he talked of "accelerating" change towards independent, non-fee-paying state schools.

So it is going to be a potentially controversial as well as a busy session.

But underlying this impatience is Mr Blair's personal timetable. He has said he wants to serve a full third term, but not fight the next election.

The latest Populus poll for The Times, undertaken last weekend, shows that 45 per cent of all voters, including 30 per cent of Labour supporters (up 6 points since July), now want Mr Blair to stand down either now or by the end of next year.

That is the view of nearly a half of men and of professionals and managers. Less than a quarter of all voters (23 per cent), and 27 per cent of Labour ones, back his stated aim of standing down shortly before the next election.

This pressure is more likely to increase, rather than diminish. There has been a drop in the numbers wanting him to reconsider his decision to stand down and stay on longer: 24 per cent of all voters (down 6 points since July), but still 41 per cent of Labour voters (down 7 points).

(MORE)

5//The Toronto Star, Canada Oct. 11, 2005. 06:37 PM
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1...

BIG BROTHER BILL WON'T TRAMPLE CIVIL RIGHTS: PM
Canadian Press

OTTAWA - New legislation to expand the ability of authorities to monitor e-mails and telephone calls won't trample on civil rights, says Prime Minister Paul Martin.

"In every instance when the government brings forth this kind of legislation, obviously the question of civil rights is first and foremost in our minds and they will be protected," Martin said today during a visit to Toronto.

The Lawful Access bill, along with accompanying regulations to be introduced in the House of Commons next month, would require telecommunications service providers to install high-tech equipment that is "intercept capable."

The government wants to give police the tools to keep up with organized criminals and others deemed threats to Canada's security, who are using high-tech to get around wiretaps.

"The idea is to essentially ensure that when companies build new technologies, they build in the capability for police to do what they've always done on the previous technologies," said Alex Swann, a spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan.

"Have the physical, literal ability to intercept communications if they have a warrant."

The new technology would give police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canada's spy agency, the ability to intercept the e-mail, Internet chat, telephone and cell phone conversations of thousands of people at a time.

The United States has already adopted similar legislation.

In May, federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart raised concerns about the proposed legislation with Justice Minister Irwin Cotler.

"Law enforcement agencies will not only have a greater ability to obtain communications data there is also much more data available and, as discussed above, they now have far more sophisticated means of analyzing this data," Stoddart wrote in her submission to Cotler.

"This combination could result in law enforcement agencies being able to gain access to far more information about our personal lives than they have in the past.

"We remain skeptical about the need for these potentially intrusive and far-reaching measures."
MP Peter MacKay, the Tory justice critic, echoed that concern today.

"Before the government moves ahead with this legislation, Parliament needs to ensure that any new surveillance powers are complemented with adequate judicial oversight," MacKay said.

"There needs to be a balance between privacy rights and security issues. The government wants more ability to cover up its own activities but expand their ability to intrude into the lives of Canadians. It is perverse logic and a double standard."

Despite higher perceived security alert levels since the 9-11 terrorist attacks, applications for judicial wiretap orders in Canada have declined over the last three years, from a high of 180 in 2002, to just 127 last year.

However, police agencies have lobbied extensively for greater technological capabilities to eavesdrop on Canadians, and the federal government wants to give them the tools, said Swann.

(MORE)

Copyright 2005, Gloria R. Lalumia