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USA freezes assets of 15 Al-Qaida
members Terrorism at sea emerging
as big threat Indian warships impress
Chinese
Indians among 32 detained in USA |
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Pakistan detains 13 Indian fishermen
LTTE committed
to peace process,
says Prabhakaran
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USA freezes assets of 15 Al-Qaida
members Washington, November 13 All 15 people are believed to be involved in Al-Qaida cells in Milan, Cremon and Parma. Most of them are already in custody with the Italian authorities. The Treasury order blocks their financial assets in the USA. It also prohibits them from conducting any financial transactions in the USA and with Americans. All 15 members are charged with plotting to commit terrorist activities, providing cell members with weapons and explosives, recruiting individuals and fabricating travel documents to help them reach military camps mainly in Iraq, collecting money for terrorist-related activities and sharing religious and extremist ideals, the department factsheet said. They have also been charged with maintaining contacts throughout Europe and parts of Asia, including Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Malaysia. The US Treasury Department’s action announced yesterday follows Italy’s request that all 15 of them should be added to the UN list of suspected terrorists whose assets should be frozen, the department said. According to information provided by the Italian government, the 15 individuals have helped illegal immigration to Italy and provided financial and material means for terrorist activities in Italy and Europe. Some of the 15 have also recruited volunteers for military camps in Iraq, organised by the Ansar al Islam group. With the action, the USA and its international partners have designated 342 individuals and organisations as terrorists and terrorist supporters, have frozen over $136.8 million and seized more than $60 million in terrorist-related assets. —
PTI |
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Terrorism at sea emerging as big
threat Shanghai, November 13 The incidents of piracy have been increasing, especially in the South China Sea and Malacca Straits, on the east and west coast of India, and Bangladesh, the Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Command of the Indian Navy, Vice-Adm O.P. Bansal, told reporters here on board “INS Ranjit”, guided-missile destroyer. “If you look at the statistics at the International Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, you will find that there is a 200 per cent increase in the incidents of piracy and there are ‘hot spots’ of piracy,” Vice-Admiral Bansal, who is here heading the fleet of three Indian warships to China for the first-ever joint naval exercise, said. He noted that the search and rescue drill planned between the Indian and Chinese navies on November 14 assumed added significance as navigation in the South China Sea and the neighbouring Malacca Straits had been plagued by sea piracy, a serious issue confronting commercial liners. While acknowledging that 99.9 per cent of the piracy incidents were only “petty theft”, he warned that the remaining 0.1 per cent was itself a cause of concern if they were committed by a determined group of terrorists who wanted to threaten or blackmail a country. “If you do small theft and small time piracy, it is bad, but not that bad. But there is a piracy of a different angle. If someone is to hijack a super tanker which has only up to 10 crew and some 300,000 tonnes of fuel on board, you can do a lot with it, terrorism basically,” Vice-Admiral Bansal said. —
PTI |
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Indian warships impress Chinese Shanghai, November 13 Zhang was not the only one who was impressed by the might of “INS Ranjit” and “INS Kulish”, which were opened to visits by local public as part of the efforts by India and China to enhance mutual trust and understanding. Li Renjie, a teacher, whose hobby is to take photographs of warships that visit the Shanghai port, said the Indian ships were “photogenic” and the weaponry on board looked menacing. “I have been to many foreign warships. But this is one of the best,” Li said. —
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Indians among 32 detained in USA Washington, November 13 The 32 persons were detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials during raids last Wednesday at 67 sites around Northern California, including the business premises and home of Ashraf “Mike” Ali, but eight of them were later released, San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday, quoting a spokeswoman of the department. Besides the Enforcement Department, the FBI and three other agencies were also involved in the raids. The 50-year-old Ali, who owns 30-odd convenience stores and restaurants, denied that he had knowingly employed people without proper documents and alleged that he was being victimised because of his Pakistani roots. Ali, who moved to the USA 30 years ago and built his business empire from scratch, admitted that some of his employees may not have proper immigration statues. —
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Pakistan detains 13 Indian fishermen Islamabad, November 13 Reports from Karachi said the 13 Indians were detained along with two of their boats, “Mamta” and “Murgh Nayani” before dawn about 100 km southeast off Karachi. With today’s arrests the number of Indian fishermen in Pakistan custody goes up to 28. Pakistan in the recent months released 343 Indian fishermen in two batches, while India released 93 Pakistani fishermen. —
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LTTE committed to peace process, says Prabhakaran Colombo, November 13 At a meeting with the visiting Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen and his high-level delegation at the LTTE's peace secretariat in the rebel-held Kilinochchi district today, the rebel leader told the envoys that the "LTTE will remain committed to the peace process and to the ceasefire agreement while closely watching the political crisis in the South". The meeting lasted more than two hours. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the LTTE's political wing head S.P. Thamilselvan said Mr Helgesen had assured that the existing truce agreement would remain and that the Tigers could continue to engage in political activities in the government-held areas in the North-East. Mr Thamilselvan said the rebel leader had also emphasised the "inevitability and importance" of "political stability in Colombo" for the successful continuation of peace talks to find a lasting political solution to the crisis. He, however, refrained from commenting on the present political uncertainty and power struggle between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. —
UNI |
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Islamabad, November 13
