Kuwaiti man abducted in Lebanon released

48 Pages·2016·4.26 MB·English

N
O
TI
P
RI
C
S
B
U
S
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016 RABI ALTHANI 27,1437 AH No: 16778
Ahmadi launches 37 dead after Local swimming
4 9 47
national bus plunges into academy trains
celebrations river in India future champions
Kuwaiti man abducted
s in Lebanon released
l
i
F

0
Min 03º
5
1
Interior minister thanks Lebanese security forces Max 25º
KUWAIT:Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh
Amir meets Queen Elizabeth
Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah yesterday
expressed deep gratitude to Lebanese security authorities for
their efforts that led to unconditional release of Kuwaiti citizen
LONDON: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Mohsen Barrak Falah Majed. Releasing the Kuwaiti national
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah yesterday was the fruit of constructive
paid a visit to Queen Elizabeth, hold- and continuing coopera-
ing a meeting with her attended by tion between the Kuwaiti
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at and Lebanese security
Sandringham House. The Amir had authorities, he said, stress-
taken part in co-chairing the Fourth ing that he was set free
International Donors Conference on without conditions.
Necessary measures are
Syria, hosted by the British capital on
being taken to bring him
Thursday.
home, said Sheikh
The Kuwaiti and British sides held
Mohammad in a ministry
cordial conversations on the deeply-
statement, indicating that
rooted historic friendship between
the Kuwaiti authorities
Kuwait and the United Kingdom. The
have been involved in mak-
discussions also dealt with means for
ing arrangements for his
strengthening these ties for service of
return. Majed, born in 1967,
joint interests, realizing greater was taken hostage in east- Mohsen Majed
progress and prosperity for the two ern Lebanon on Jan 17. Abdulaal Al-Ginaee, Kuwait’s
countries and the friendly peoples of Ambassador to Lebanon, said that he had been abducted by
Kuwait and the UK. Later, Queen unidentified gunmen in the eastern Bekaa Valley. The Kuwaiti
Elizabeth held a luncheon at the diplomatic mission in Beirut had been in constant contact
palace on the occasion of HH the with the local authorities to try to pinpoint his whereabouts
Amir’s visit to the friendly United NORFOLK: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets and free him. Official Lebanese media had reported that
Kingdom. — KUNA Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip at Sandringham Majed was snatched at gunpoint from his farm in the town of
House yesterday. — KUNA Qebb Elias in the Bekaa. — KUNA
Assange hails ‘victory’ from embassy balcony
LONDON:WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange hailed a Assange claimed that he was under an “illegal,
UN panel opinion on his confinement yesterday as a immoral, unethical detention” after British police said
“victory” in an emotional speech from the balcony of they would arrest him as soon as he sets foot outside
Ecuador’s embassy in London where he has been holed the embassy onto British soil to extradite him to
up since 2012. “How sweet it is! This is a victory that can- Sweden.
not be denied. It is a victory of historical importance,” he In a statement, the UN panel said it had adopted an
told a scrum of journalists and supporters outside. opinion that considered Assange “arbitrarily detained
Referring to his children, the 44-year-old Australian by the governments of Sweden and the United
campaigner said: “It’s time that they had their father Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” It
back. That will happen one way or the other.” added: “The working group also considered that the
It was one of only a handful of times that he has detention should be brought to an end and that Mr
appeared in public in three-and-a-half years of self- Assange should be afforded the right to compensa-
imposed confinement in a cramped office. Assange tion.” Assange’s legal representative Baltasar Garzon
has said he fears for his personal safety if he comes out called it “one of the strongest judgements” ever issued
on to the balcony, citing unspecified threats. by the body.
Brandishing a hard copy of the panel’s opinion, he was But Britain and Sweden sharply condemned the
dressed in a charcoal suit and tie and squinted in the panel’s findings and said they would change nothing.
daylight as he spoke. Hammond called Assange “a fugitive from justice”.
He paused frequently, apparently overwhelmed. “This is frankly a ridiculous finding by the working
“I’m tough, I’m hardened by this process and I can take group and we reject it,” the foreign secretary added.
it. However, what right does this government or the Sweden’s foreign ministry said that it “does not agree”
US government or the Swedish government have to with the assessment. “Mr Assange is free to leave the LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange addresses the media hold-
deny my children their right to their father for five embassy at any point and Swedish authorities have no ing a printed report of the judgement of the UN’s Working Group on
years?” he said, referring to the first time he was arrest- control over his decision to stay at the embassy,” the Arbitrary Detention on his case from the balcony of the Ecuadorian
ed in 2010 due to a rape accusation in Sweden. ministry added. — Agenices embassy yesterday. — AFP
L O C A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY6, 2016
UN chief visits
Kuwait’s pavilion
at conference
LONDON: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded Kuwait’s
“unmatched” efforts in supporting those affected by the
ongoing Syrian crisis. Ki-moon made those remarks on
Thursday during a special visit to Kuwait’s Ministry of
Information’s pavilion at an exhibition organized on the side-
lines of Syria Donors Conference in London.
The UN chief expressed his appreciation to Kuwaiti civil
societies, NGOs, and humanitarian groups for extending a
helping hand to the Syrians in their critical situation, head of
the media delegation to the exhibit Sara Al-Diyein told KUNA.
She added that Ban took a walk down memory lane when he
looked at the photographs that formed a panoramic scene of
Kuwait’s “successful” endeavors in helping the Syrians since
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-
their misfortune started five years ago. —KUNA
Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets UN Secretary- Jaber Al-Sabah meets UN special envoy to Syria
General Ban Ki-moon in London, where His Highness Staffan de Mistura.
participated in the Fourth International Donors
Conference on Syria. —KUNA
Amir thanks British
PM for hospitality
LONDON: His Highness the Amir Sheikh the State of Kuwait and the friendly UK. achievements that were done in Kuwait’s
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has three donors’ conferences, he added.
expressed gratitude to British Prime Positive initiatives
Minister David Cameron for the elabo- Meanwhile, Norway’s Prime Minister Int’l participation
rate reception of His Highness and his Erna Solberg lauded Kuwait’s “positive” Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister
accompanying delegation at the Fourth initiatives carried out by His Highness and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah
International Donors Conference on the Amir to alleviate the ongoing suffer- Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meanwhile
Syria, hosted by the British capital on ing of the Syrian people. Solberg told lauded international participation in
Thursday. KUNA on Thursday that without His raising more than $10 billion in LONDON: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits
In a cable addressed to Cameron, His Highness the Amir’s support and response to Syria’s humanitarian crisis. Kuwait’s Ministry of Information’s pavilion at an
Highness the Amir expressed deep admi- Kuwait’s three donors conference, giv- Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled made this exhibition organized on the sidelines of Syria
ration and utmost satisfaction for the ing assistance to the Syrians would have remark on Thursday during a joint press
Donors Conference in London. —KUNA
generous and glamorous hospitality been difficult. conference with UK Prime Minister
accorded to His Highness and his delega- She added that raising funds alone is David Cameron, UN chief Ban Ki-moon,
$300m pledge not out of
tion of senior officials. His Highness not enough to help the Syrians; there Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel,
Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad also noted that should be a political solution to end this Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg,
budget: Minister Saleh
he was greatly pleased for co-chairing the crisis and the bloodshed that has been Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Tammam
conference with Prime Minister Cameron, happening for more than five years. Salam, Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Norway pledged $1.17 billion, to be paid Davutoglu and Jordan’s Foreign LONDON: Kuwait’s pledge of $300 million over the next three
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. over four years, to aid the Syrians in Minister Nasser Judeh. years to support the Syrian people will come out of independ-
He appreciated the friendly UK’s hosting their plight. The Kuwaiti top diplomat praised the ent institutes, not out of the country’s general budget, Deputy
of this significant conference, praising its The International Organization of success of London’s conference in pro- Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
good results, namely pledged generous Migration’s (IOM) Director General viding the right to education and jobs Anas Al-Saleh said Thursday.
contributions, declared for aiding the William Lacy Swing also expressed creation in Jordan and Turkey, noting Saleh, who is also Acting Oil Minister,
brotherly Syrian people. appreciation to His Highness the Amir’s that this success only builds on previous told KUNA and Kuwait TV that despite
Moreover, His Highness the Amir, in efforts in encouraging world leaders to achievements made in Kuwait’s three rough financial times due to continuing
the cable to Cameron, expressed con- raise funding essential to provide life- donors meetings, where similar deci- fall of oil prices, Kuwait made it a top pri-
tent for results of their bilateral meeting saving aid to the Syrian people affected sions were made for the benefit of ority to participate in the fourth edition
on the sidelines of the event, during by the instability of their country. Swing Syrian refugees in Iraq and Egypt. of Syrian donors’ conference, held in
which they exchanged views on various told KUNA that Kuwait’s co-chairman- “[Thursday’s] conference was success- London, to help Syrian refugees and
issues concerning the two friendly coun- ship of London donors’ conference was ful in meeting the immediate life-saving those internally displaced.
tries, namely bilateral relations and evident of His Highness’s influential needs for the Syrians,” hoping that soon During previous conferences, Kuwait
means of cementing mutual coopera- leading role in humanitarian action. there will be “a political solution” to this Anas Al-Saleh was committed to honor its pledges,
tion in diverse sectors. The UN honoring of naming His ongoing crisis, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled which were paid through independent
His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al- Highness the Amir as a Humanitarian said. Co-host countries agreed to follow- and charity venues, such as Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic
Ahmad, in conclusion, expressed good Leader and Kuwait as Humanitarian cen- up, with a number of UN agencies, on and Development. Kuwait’s pledge stemmed out of “sheer”
wishes to Cameron and his nation. He ter was only befitting, he pointed out. the outcome of the meeting in the desire to help the unfortunate, the Kuwait minister stressed.
also hoped to see further promotion of The conference’s final pledge of $10 bil- future, specifically in a meeting that will Saleh hoped for the Syrian crisis to end soon and for no other
the historic bilateral relations between lion will only build up on previous be held in Istanbul next May. —KUNA donor conference to take place next year. —KUNA
GCC naval operations center achieves military coordination: Official
MANAMA: Kuwait’s Deputy Chief of Sheikh Abdullah made the statement “We were briefed on military prepara- the GCC countries’ navies, analyze data,
Staff Lieutenant General Sheikh on sidelines of the center’s inaugura- tions and operations of the center which exchange information and provide legal
Abdullah Al-Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah tion. He said the center is considered a reflected its developed level to be in consultations. The center was inaugurat-
stressed on Thursday that inauguration developed military one in the region favor of GCC countries,” he said, ed under the auspices of Bahrain’s King
of the GCC joint naval operations center and plays a key and effective role in fac- expressing his hope that the center Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, and attended
contributes to achieving further military ing challenges, adding that the center is would achieve the desired goals. by some chiefs of staff of GCC countries
cooperation among GCC member established upon directives of the top The center will monitor regional and Secretary General Abdullatif Al-
states. GCC leaders. naval activities, coordinate tasks among Zayani. —KUNA
L O C A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY6, 2016
Sheikha hopes for more job
opportunities for disabled
9th Kuwaiti Project for the Disabled held
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: The 9th Kuwaiti Project for the Disabled
Children perform on stage during the event. was held at the Sheraton Hotel on Thursday, with
the attendance of many disabled children. The
project is being held in cooperation with the high-
er committee of UNESCO and the Kuwait
Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences.
Honorary President of the Kuwait Sports Club
for the Disabled Sheikha Sheikha Al-Abdullah Al-
Sabah noted that the Kuwaiti government is keen KUWAIT: Sheikha Sheikha Al-Abdullah
to provide special care for the disabled. “This is a
Al-Sabah speaks at the inauguration
useful project that aims to integrate the disabled
of the 9th Kuwaiti Project for the
in the community. Disabled persons in Kuwait
Disabled. —Photos by Joseph Shagra
have made many achievements, and I hope they
find good job opportunities at all institutions. I also
hope the employment quota of the disabled is supports this project, as the Kuwaiti government
Sheikha Sheikha Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah respected so they get employed. I wish even more supports such projects as part of the national part-
inaugurates the 9th Kuwaiti Project for success for the organizers of this project,” she said nership between the nongovernmental organiza-
the Disabled. during the launch ceremony. Rafat Subhi, execu- tions, the private sector and public institutions.
tive director of the organizing committee, said the “This is the goal of the PAH as part of its strategy to
project aims to help the disabled from all cate- expand its services for the disabled,” he stated.
gories. “We aim to bring the disabled together and He also said that the integration of the disabled
communicate with them and help them integrate in the community is one of the most important
in the society. Furthermore, we work on rehabili- projects for the disabled. “PAH is keen to be pres-
tating them and their family members in addition ent in all national celebrations to strengthen the
to providing their daily needs,” he pointed out. sense of belonging of the disabled. We are always
National partnership cooperating with the ministry of education to
Head of the education department at the improve the curriculum. Inspectors of PAH fre-
Public Authority for the Handicapped (PAH) Dr quently check schools to make sure there are no
Badr Al-Barrak noted that the authority strongly violations,” added Barrak.
L O C A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al-Sabah participates in an ‘Ardha’ A man takes a picture using his phone for a portrait of His Highness the Amir Sheikh
traditional during the governorate’s National Holiday’s celebrations. Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. — Photos by Joseph Shagra
Ahmadi inaugurates
National Celebrations
KUWAIT: The Ahmadi Governorate launched
National Holidays’ celebrations during a cere-
mony held last Thursday at Kuwait Oil
Company’s November 6th Park. Ahmadi
Governor Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al-Hamad
Al-Sabah attended the inauguration of the
two-day event, which featured several dis-
plays and activities.
In a statement to reporters, Sheikh Fawaz KUWAIT:
greeted His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Ahmadi
Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Governor
Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Sheikh Fawaz
Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al- Al-Khaled
Mubarak Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti people on Al-Sabah
the 55th Independence, 25th Liberation and participates in
10th anniversary of His Highness the Amir’s the
assumption of power. The Governor also governorate’s
expressed gratitude to public and private sec- National
tor institutions which contributed to make Holiday’s
Ahmadi’s celebrations a success. — KUNA celebrations.
L O C A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Scenes from Ahmadi Governorate’s National Holidays’ celebrations.
LOCAL
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Crime
R e p o r t
Ex-con arrested for mugging
KUWAIT:Mubarak Al-Kabeer police arrested a Kuwaiti ex-con-
vict after he beat a man and robbed KD 500 from him in front
of a bank. A security source said the Syrian man told Mubarak
Al-Kabeer police that he went to the bank and withdrew KD
600, and when he returned to his car, he was surprised by the
man who attacked him and took the money before fleeing on
foot. The suspect was arrested in Adan. In a separate case, a
Bangladeshi funds collector sustained a broken nose and
bruised eye when he was attacked by four men, who took the
money he collected for his company. The victim took a med-
ical report to Qairawan police station where he filed a com-
plaint, telling them the suspects stole KD 2,387.
A tanker truck whose driver was arrested for dumb- Liquids described as ‘hazardous material’ dumbed
ing hazardous material near Kabd stables. near Kabd stables. Fatal accident
Interior Ministry employee A 41-year-old Indian man was killed when he lost control
over his sponsor’s all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and it flipped
over. Criminal evidence took his body to the coroner.
arrested on forgery charges
Body found
The coroner recovered the body of a 28-year-old Filipina
Officer helped company issue permits illegally
woman who was found dead in her Khaitan apartment.
Authorities are investigating the cause of death.
By Hanan Al-Saadoun mits for the company in exchange of KD cial forces camp to the environment
80,000. The mandoub’s role was limited police, who took the necessary measures
KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry’s rela- to coordinating with a social affairs and based on instructions by Lt Gen Suleiman Missing sisters found in camp
tions and security information depart- labor ministry employee to increase the Al-Fahd to deport them due to the crime Farwaniya detectives arrested two sisters inside a camp in
ment said residency detectives in coop- number of workers, and succeeded in they committed and repeated warnings south Jahra who were reported missing a year ago. A
eration with the Manpower Public increasing the number of from 39 to not to violate the environment law. security source said detectives received information from
Authority (MPA) arrested two forgers, a 200. Their action was discovered when an undercover agent about the whereabouts of the sis-
citizen and an expat. The department they were able to obtain 60 work per- Liquor factory ters, so police obtained a warrant and arrested them.
learned about the forgery in the estima- mits and the company owner received Ahmadi security team, headed by Brig
tion of the number of workers a compa- KD 1,500 for each in two installments. Abdullah Al-Mulla, raided a liquor factory
ny needs. The forgers accessed the All involved were sent to concerned in Sabah Al-Ahmad where they found 113 Woman presses charges against husband
MPA’s database and altered the maxi- authorities. full drums and four distillation drums. A citizen accused her husband of stealing KD 4,000 from her
mum number that the company is account without her knowledge. The woman was abroad with
allowed to hire, and increased it in order Hazardous material U-turn bridge her mother for treatment, and when she returned, her hus-
to obtain visas that they can sell to Environment police arrested the driver Traffic department announced the band told her he needed the money and withdrew it. Police
workers illegally. Investigations uncov- of a tanker truck who dumped haz- opening of a two-lane U-turn bridge on are investigating.
ered the forgery on the computer, ardous industrial material near Kabd sta- the 87th kilometer mark of King Fahd
which led to the arrest of a citizen who bles, while another driver did the same Road starting from Sunday. The depart-
works in an interior ministry depart- and escaped. ment said that all vehicles can pass Drug possession
ment, and an Arab mandoub (company through except trucks that are 10-m A fight between two persons led to the discovery of 58
representative). The citizen confessed Duo deported long and weigh 50 tons, unless they illicit tablets with one of them. Both were arrested and
that he made an agreement with the Najda police referred two Asians who have a special permit from the traffic sent to concerned authorities. Interior Ministry operations
company owner to issue residency per- were caught cutting plants near the spe- department. received a call about a bloody fight in Jahra, so police
responded and arrested the two, and the drugs were
Aid won’t be delivered for 650 found during a precautionary search. Separately, Capital
Campaigns instrumental to
detectives arrested a citizen in her forties with heroin and
people as of February: Minister
diminish crime: Minister drug paraphernalia near a park. She was sent to the Drugs
Control General Department. The arrest was made when
KUWAIT: Social aid will not the woman was noticed acting abnormally while driving.
be delivered for 650 people KUWAIT: Snap security campaigns were instrumental to She was also found wanted on a breach of trust case.
a diminish crime rate and bringing lawbreakers to jus-
as of February in accordance
tice, Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-
with initial results of revealed
Hamad Al-Sabah said on Thursday, noting that such Fugitive caught
by concerned committees to
make sure that aid is given to campaigns will persist. Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled, A man wanted for attempted murder resisted arrest on the
needy people, said Minister who is also Deputy Prime Minister, made the comments southern roads and attempted to escape, but policemen
of Social Affairs and Labor in a press statement issued by the Ministry of Interior arrested him and sent him to the criminal detectives depart-
Hind Al-Subaih. (MoI). ment. A security source said the patrols got suspicious about
Subaih, also Minister of The Interior Minister said that recent MoI accomplish- the man who seemed nervous, so his ID was checked and data
State for Planning Affairs and ments are a source of great pride, and “any decline in revealed he was wanted.
performance levels will not be accepted, in order to
Development, made the
ensure continued progress.” Moreover, Sheikh
statement during a press
Mohammad Al-Khaled raved about MoI plans of inaugu- Car theft
statement on Thursday,
Hind Al-Subaih rating modern facilities that aim to safeguard citizens An Indian deliveryman insisted on receiving two dinars;
adding that the results
and expatriates alike, underscoring the need of further the price of a meal he delivered, but lost his car to a thief
showed that these people earn about KD 300,000 monthly
developing the services provided by these facilities, the when he ran after the man who took the meal without
and about 590 of them get social aid although they have
statement said. The Interior Minister also singled out paying. A security source said the driver arrived at the
commercial licenses.
retirees as amongst a segment of society that “will address where two persons appeared - one snatched the
This runs counter to the terms of social aid, she said,
always remain in our hearts and minds.” “We owe them a meal and ran away, so the deliveryman ran after him.
adding that about 60 persons with disabilities get social aid
debt of gratitude for their service,” he added. Meanwhile, the other person got in the delivery car and
from two government bodies. A panel will be formed to
MoI Undersecretary Sulaiman Al-Fahad assured that drove off. Hadiya detectives are investigating.
uncover the causes of granting social aid for un-needy peo-
the security apparatus will spare no effort to uphold
ple and punish officials for illegal acts, she noted.
peace and security in the country, saying that recent
A survey is being conducted on these cases in order to
security developments are part of an encompassing, Bootleggers arrested
review data whether the assistance was delivered illegally so
strategic plan. A number of senior MoI officials expressed Ahmadi security arrested several expats for brewing local
as to take necessary legal measures against people responsi-
support of ongoing efforts to curb crime and preserve liquor in Sabah Al-Ahmad. Police found 200 full bottles, six
ble for the illegal act, she stressed. The illegal sum should be
security in the country, the statement noted. — KUNA bags of yeast, 46 bags of sugar and a large number of drums.
retrieved as it is part of the public funds, she said. — KUNA
— Al-Rai and Al-Anbaa
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY6, 2016
Thousands flee as Russian 37 perish in India as Cameron woos Poland as
8 9 10
offensive threatens Aleppo bus plunges into river ‘Brexit’ deal draws closer
JAKARTA: Indonesian bomb squad police clear the area as they examine a suspicious box which turned out to contain a cake, on a main road sidewalk, in Jakarta yesterday. Indonesian
extremist groups received international financing from Australia and Syria, the country’s security minister said, adding to fears that jihadists are targeting the world’s most populous
Muslim nation. —AFP
Indonesian trio vie for IS glory
Terror attacks, violence loom
JAKARTA: A power struggle among three said. “Once they get it, they will be endorsed for the region claimed by the brutal militant group and three other militants and four civilians dead.
Indonesian-born Islamic State militants in Syria IS leadership for Indonesia, and with that comes proved there were fighters willing to unleash vio- One cell busted south of Jakarta had recruited
could have a violent ripple effect in Southeast Asia, money and power.” Competition among the Syria- lent jihad in the world’s fourth-most populous an inmate trusted by jail wardens to steal guns
senior police warn, as a deadly game of one- based trio has kept police very busy in Indonesia, country. The ensuing police sweep has seen and ammunition from the police armoury behind
upmanship threatens to cause more Jakarta-style with militant activity spiking dramatically in recent about 20 suspected militants arrested, and bars. A police source said his girlfriend hid the
attacks. A crackdown in the wake of January’s gun months. exposed a tangled web of splinter cells, some weapons in an insulated lunchbox and smuggled
and suicide assault on the Indonesian capital has Police attention has shifted away from Naim to operating alone but many with complex and at them to militants on the outside. This group, a
uncovered a complex web of small militant cells Aman Abdurrahman, a jailed ideologue linked to times competing allegiances to armed insurgent counter-terror police source told AFP, was on the
working at the behest of competing ringleaders in one of Naim’s competitors in Syria, and one of the groups, jailed radicals and influential leaders in brink of launching an attack, with targets identi-
Syria, shedding light on the nature of IS infiltration first Indonesians to pledge allegiance to IS. Syria. fied in Jakarta and Bali, a popular resort island fre-
far from its Middle East heartland. The trio in Syria- Abdurrahman’s success at home has increased quented by foreigners. Strikes against embassies
Bahrumsyah, Abu Jandal and Bahrun Naim-were all pressure on his rivals to carry out attacks “as soon as Law too weak of nations fighting against IS in Syria and Iraq
suspected of plotting attacks throughout 2015. possible”, the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict Many of these groups had been actively plot- were also being assessed.
Police initially fingered Naim-a high-profile extrem- (IPAC) said in a February report. One of the trio even ting attacks for years, police said, with some com- Monitoring outside prison is tricky too. In 2014,
ist from Central Java known for his online radical- rang an associate in Indonesia shortly after the mitting robberies to bankroll operations and oth- before Bahrumsyah-one of the Indonesian ring-
ism-as the mastermind of last month’s outrage. Jakarta assault demanding a similar attack be car- ers identifying police targets as far back as 2010. leaders in Syria-left for the Middle East, he led
Each of these influential figureheads has been ried out immediately, according to the report. Others had deep links inside prisons, fertile 1,000 followers in a mass pledge of allegiance to
encouraging their Indonesian cells to independent- “More terrorist attacks in Indonesia are likely as local ground for indoctrinating and recruiting new IS leader Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi. Counter-terror
ly wage jihad back home, providing cash and guid- ISIS leaders compete at home and abroad to estab- footsoldiers. Prisons pose a unique challenge as officials complain the law is too weak and allows
ance in the hope of impressing IS with a spectacu- lish their supremacy,” the report concluded. jailed extremists are using their time inside to radicals returning home to slip through the cracks,
lar operation. “These three are competing to win recruit hardened criminals and hatch new plans, something the government is seeking to amend
praise from IS central command by undertaking IS eyes Southeast Asia Karnavian said. Afif, one of the Jakarta attackers with new legislation. “History will be repeated
attacks,” Jakarta police chief Tito Karnavian, a sea- Top policeman Karnavian said IS would “turn who, like many Indonesians goes by one name, when those militants return from Syria,” Ansyaad
soned frontline officer who helped dismantle to Indonesia” as it sought to establish a Southeast had pledged allegiance to IS while behind bars, Mbai, the former head of the National Terrorism
Indonesian militant networks during the 2000s Asia branch-the Jakarta attack was the first in the before launching the deadly assault that left him, Mitigation Agency said. —AFP
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Shebab fighters capture Somali port
MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Shebab insur- known by its acronym AMISOM, or govern- was killed, apparently sucked out through Car bomb kills three
gents yesterday retook their stronghold of ment officials. Residents confirmed the the ragged hole ripped in the metal. The Last month they stormed a Kenyan army
Merka from African Union troops who had takeover, saying heavily armed Shebab Shebab have not claimed responsibility so base at El-Adde in southwest Somalia, in the
held the key port since 2012, in one of the fighters swept into the town with Islamist far and Minister for Transport Ali Jama latest incident of an AMISOM base being
biggest setbacks for the multi-national black flags, before addressing residents. Jangeli has called on people to await the overrun, before retreating. In September,
force. The loss of Merka, the state capital of “AMISOM forces moved out at midday and results of the investigation. Shebab fighters stormed a Ugandan AMI-
Lower Shabelle, is one of the most dramatic the local administration and all other But the seizure of Merka, as well as SOM base in Janale district, southwest of
reverses for the AU force in its nearly Somali security forces left a few minutes lat- recent high profile Shebab attacks on AU Mogadishu in the Lower Shabelle region.
decade-long battle against the Shebab. er - and then heavily armed Shebab mili- bases, appears part of an offensive after Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking
“The AU troops pulled out of the town and tants entered the town,” said Ibrahim months of apparent retreat, amid reported at an AU summit last month, called for more
Shebab militants entered-and have secured Mumin, a local. “They have been address- splits between factions allied to Al-Qaeda “resources for the forces in Somalia so that
control without fighting,” Ibrahim Adam, ing residents at the district headquarters.” and some splinter groups favoring Islamic AMISOM can have robust power on land, air
governor of the Lower Shabelle region told State. The Shebab are fighting to over- and the sea.” AU troops have been ham-
reporters. The historic port, some 100 kilo- Fears jet blast was bomb throw the internationally-backed govern- pered by a lack of air power-including attack
meters south of the capital Mogadishu, was The loss of Merka comes as foreign ment in Mogadishu, which is protected by helicopters-leaving their bases often isolat-
captured in August 2012 by African Union investigators probe a blast on a commercial 22,000 AU troops. The insurgents have lost ed and supply lines vulnerable to attack by
troops. airliner that ripped a hole in its fuselage, 15 ground since being routed from Shehab gunmen controlling surrounding
It is one of the first major towns the minutes after take-off from Mogadishu on Mogadishu in 2011 but continue to stage rural areas. A car bomb also exploded in
Shebab have seized back and it gives them Tuesday, which the pilot and experts fear regular shooting and suicide attacks, and in Mogadishu yesterday, killing three people,
access to a sea port again. There was no was a bomb. One passenger, named by the recent months have staged a series of although the airport official it was apparent-
immediate response from the AU force, government as Abdulahi Abdisalam Borle, brazen raids on AU bases. ly targeting escaped unharmed. — AFP
Lone Gaza travel agency
recalls the ‘golden’ 50s
GAZA: Nabil Shurafa’s travel agency in Gaza was once packed with
clients booking flights to London, Paris, New York or cities across the
Arab world. These days, he’s lucky if anyone comes in, as so few peo-
ple can get out. The posters of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty
and a map of the world look out of place on the walls, given the sense
of isolation that pervades Gaza, a narrow strip of land hemmed in by
Israel on two sides, Egypt to the south and the blockaded
Mediterranean to the west.
“Once borders are closed, things switch off,” said Shurafa with a
sense of resignation. A plastic model of a passenger plane stands on
his desk, next to the silent phones. When Shurafa’s father opened the
bureau in 1952, it quickly earned a reputation as a helpful and reliable
agency. Back then, Gaza was governed by Egypt and there was not
much of a border to speak of. Gazans could book a plane ticket and
take a four-hour bus or train to Cairo to catch their flight.
The agency had a close relationship with BOAC, the forerunner of
British Airways, and Air France and is general sale agent for each. It
AZAZ: Syrians fleeing the northern embattled city of Aleppo wait in a field in the town of Iqda, next to the city of remains a member of IATA, the International Air Transport
Azaz in northern Syria yesterday. — AFP Association. “The era from 1952 to 1967 was a golden one,” Shurafa,
Thousands flee as Russian-backed 53, told Reuters. People used to travel to Gaza as well, at least until the
1967 Middle East war, when Israel captured Gaza from Egypt and the
West Bank from Jordan.
offensive threatens besiege Aleppo
“Gaza was like a duty-free zone, with Egyptians coming to buy
goods brought by merchants from Lebanon,” he recalled. There was
also a boom in the late 1990s, after the Oslo peace accords between
Iranian general killed on front line
Israel and the Palestinians, and Gaza opened Yasser Arafat
International Airport in 1998.
BEIRUT: Tens of thousands of Syrians fled an Video footage showed thousands of peo- difficult,” he said. Syrian state TV and a moni- But the years since have seen a steady decline in business as Gaza
intensifying Russian assault around Aleppo ple, mostly women, children and the elderly, toring group said the army and its allies had has become more and more cut off from the world. When the second
yesterday, and aid workers said they feared massing at the Bab al-Salam border crossing. seized the town of Ratyan north of Aleppo, Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000, the airport’s runway and control
the city which once held two million people Men carried luggage on top of their heads, building on gains made earlier in the week. tower were bombed by Israel and it remains in ruins. Since 2007,
could soon fall under a full government and the elderly and those unable to walk Haj Ali said the town had not yet fallen, but when the Islamist group Hamas seized control of the territory follow-
siege. Iran reported one of its generals was were brought in wheelchairs. Some women that there were “very heavy battles”. The ing a brief civil war with the Western-backed Fatah movement, entry
killed on the front line assisting government sat on the side of the road holding babies Syrian army and its allies broke a three-year to and exit from Gaza have become even more restricted, both by
forces, direct confirmation of the role Tehran and awaited to be allowed into Turkey. “It rebel siege of two Shiite towns in Aleppo Egypt and by Israel.
is playing along with Moscow in what feels like a siege of Aleppo is about to begin,” province on Wednesday, cutting off a major Links to the world
appears to be one of the most ambitious said David Evans, Middle East program direc- supply line from Turkey to Aleppo. Aleppo, Israel does allow around 1,000 Gazans to cross into its territory
offensives in five years of civil war. tor for the US aid agency Mercy Corps, which Syria’s commercial hub, has been divided for every day, for work, medical treatment or other humanitarian reasons.
The government assault around Aleppo, said the most direct humanitarian route to years between a section under government But it is a far cry from the thousands that could pass through the vast
and advances in the south of the country, Aleppo had been severed. The leader of a control and areas that are in the grip of border terminal Israel built in the mid-2000s, before Hamas took over.
helped to torpedo peace talks this week in prominent rebel group active in northwest- rebels. Much of Aleppo, including a UNESCO Egypt meanwhile has kept its crossing with Gaza mostly closed over
Geneva. President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces ern Syria confirmed that government-allied heritage old city, is largely in ruins. the past five years, citing security concerns and to put the squeeze on
and their allies are making a new bid to forces were tightening their grip on the Haj Ali said most of the fighters on the Hamas. Human rights groups say 95 percent of Gaza’s 1.95 million
achieve victory on the battlefield after northern Aleppo countryside, and that heavy government side were “Iranian and from people cannot get out of the enclave. Even those that are able to
Russia’s intervention ended months of stale- Russian bombing carried on unabated. Hezbollah, or Afghan”. Iran’s semi-official cross into Israel cannot easily travel from there.
mate. The last 24 hours saw government Tasnim news agency said Revolutionary They need special dispensation to fly out of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion
troops and their Lebanese and Iranian allies Non-stop Russian strikes Guard Corps Brigadier-General Mohsen airport or to travel to the West Bank and on to Jordan to catch a flight.
fully encircle the countryside north of Aleppo “The Russian (air) cover continues night Ghajarian has been killed in Aleppo province, Jordan, too, has started restricting visas for Palestinians from Gaza.
and cut off the main supply route linking the and day, there were more than 250 air strikes as had six Iranian volunteer militiamen. The Every few months, Egypt lets around 3,000 Gazans leave via Rafah,
city - Syria’s largest before the war - to on this area in one day,” Hassan Haj Ali, head five-year civil war pits a government led by but the arrangements are a lottery.
Turkey. Ankara said it suspected the aim was of Liwa Suqour Al-Jabal, a group that fights Assad, a member of the Alawite sect derived The crossing stays open only for two or three days, so no one can
to starve the population into submission. under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army from Shiite Islam, against a range of insur- be sure they will get across. They call Shurafa once they are over the
Aleppo would be the biggest strategic prize said. “The regime is now trying to expand the gents who are mainly Sunni Muslims, backed border and the agency then scrambles to book them flights or hotels.
in years for Assad’s government in a conflict area it has taken control of ... Now the north- by Saudi Arabia, other Arab states and There are currently 15,000 Gazans who have registered requests to
that has killed at least 250,000 people and ern countryside (of Aleppo) is totally encir- Turkey. Western countries have also lined up travel across Rafah, Palestinian officials say, including 3,000 who say
driven 11 million from their homes. cled, and the humanitarian situation is very in opposition to Assad. — Reuters they need medical treatment. — Reuters
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
37 perish in India as bus plunges into river
AHMEDABAD: A packed passenger administrative official Remya Mohan three children, were killed when a percent of traffic deaths around the
bus plunged off a bridge into a river in Navsari said. vehicle they were travelling in collid- world, according to the World Bank.
in western India yesterday killing at Television images showed locals ed with a bus in southern India. In Campaigners say commercial drivers
least 37 people, an official said, in and rescuers in the water, using their 2013, a speeding bus exploded in a are largely unregulated, meaning
one of the deadliest road accidents bare hands to carry people to ambu- ball of flames after crashing into the many work long hours overnight
in recent years. The incident hap- lances in bedsheets and remove central reservation of a southern which raises the danger of falling
pened when the driver lost control parts of the mangled bus wreckage. Indian highway, killing 45 passengers asleep at the wheel. Transport ana-
and veered off the road into Purna The Gujarat government announced as they slept. The number of deaths lysts attribute the huge number of
river in Navsari district, some 285 400,000 rupees ($5,900) in compen- on Indian roads-more than 231,000 accidents to poor roads, badly main-
kilometers (180 miles) from sation for the families of those killed. every year, according to a World tained vehicles and reckless driving.
Ahmedabad, the main city of Gujarat Fatal traffic accidents are common in Health Organization in 2013 — is dis- The government has put forward
state. “The death toll has risen to 37. India, which has some of the world’s proportionately high. proposals for new legislation to make
At least 24 others are admitted to deadliest roads. In October, 15 mem- India owns only one percent of roads safer by stiffening lax traffic
hospital for treatment,” senior bers of a wedding party, including global vehicles but accounts for 15 regulations. — AFP
Top Iraq Shiite cleric to
end political messages
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s top Shiite cleric will no longer provide
weekly Friday political messages that have had a major
impact on politics and security, an apparent sign of frustra-
tion with the government. Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, who
is revered by millions, has used messages delivered by his
representatives at Friday prayers to call Iraqis to arms against
the Islamic State group, push for anti-corruption reforms, and
urge unity in a deeply divided country.
Each Friday, “we would read, in the second sermon, a writ-
ten text representing the perspectives and opinions of the
supreme religious authority on Iraqi affairs,” Sistani’s repre-
sentative Ahmed al-Safi said in the Shiite shrine city Karbala.
But it has been “decided that this will not happen every week
at this time,” and rather only as circumstances require, said
Safi, who did not give a reason for the decision.
Hayder Al-Khoei, an associate fellow at the Chatham
House think-tank, said the end of the regular messages is a
sign of Sistani’s frustration with Prime Minister Haider Al-
Abadi and his government. “Sistani is clearly still livid with the
USTKA: An air-cushion vehicle goes toward the beach as NATO troops participate in the NATO sea exercises government over the abysmal failure of its reform program,”
BALTOPS 2015 that are to reassure the Baltic Sea region allies in the face of a resurgent Russia, in Ustka, Khoei said.
Poland. — AP “His decision to not continue with a weekly political ser-
Armed with new US money, NATO mon indicates obvious frustration that his constant and con-
sistent messages pushing for reform are not being listened
to,” he said. Sistani has repeatedly called for the Iraqi govern-
to strengthen Russia’s deterrence ment to implement measures aimed at fighting the rampant
corruption plaguing the country, and warned politicians not
to undercut them. But while Sistani’s calls gave Abadi the
Germany, France, UK against new NATO bases in east political cover needed to pursue reforms, opposition from
across the political spectrum remained a major challenge and
little in the way of deep, lasting change has been effected.
BRUSSELS:Backed by an increase in US will mean “more troops in the eastern part powers’ relations with Russia have deterio-
military spending, NATO is planning its of the alliance ... the pre-positioning of rated over the almost two-year-old conflict
‘Half-closing the door’
biggest build-up in eastern Europe since equipment, tanks, armored vehicles ... in Ukraine but the West also need Russia’s
Khoei said a cleric from Najaf told him that with this deci-
the Cold War to deter Russia but will reject more exercises and more investment in help in dealing with terrorism and the bat-
sion, “Sistani is half-closing the door in Abadi’s face.” Sistani is
Polish demands for permanent bases. infrastructure.” tle against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
a follower of the “quietist” tradition of Shiite Islam that
Worried since Russia’s seizure of Crimea Such moves will reinforce the message
eschews involvement in politics, as opposed to the much
that Moscow could rapidly invade Poland from US President Barack Obama, in a Persistent, not permanent
more active role advocated by clerics such as Iran’s revolu-
or the Baltic states, the Western military speech he delivered in Estonia in 2014, that If approved by Congress, Washington
tionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who directly led
alliance wants to bolster defenses on its NATO will help ensure the independence says one US armoured brigade combat
the state. But Sistani has had a major impact at key moments
eastern flank without provoking the of the three Baltic states, which for decades team’s vehicles and equipment will be
in Iraqi history in the years since the 2003 US-led overthrow of
Kremlin by stationing large forces perma- were part of the Soviet Union. Lithuanian stored in warehouses in Germany and the
Saddam Hussein.
nently. NATO defense ministers will next Defense Minister Juozas Olekas openly east, from Bulgaria to Estonia. Moving
His timely return to Najaf in August 2004 from London,
week begin outlining plans for a complex described Russia as a threat in comments equipment nearer a potential front is seen
where he had been undergoing medical treatment, settled a
web of small eastern outposts, forces on to Reuters last June, but many European as crucial to be able to combat quickly
deadly confrontation between the US military and Moqtada
rotation, regular war games and ware- countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Russia’s surface-to-air missile batteries and
Al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army. Sistani also pressured the US to expe-
housed equipment ready for a rapid Organization are wary of upsetting the anti-ship missiles in its Kaliningrad exclave
dite the path to democratic elections, and has repeatedly
response force. That force includes air, mar- continent’s biggest energy supplier. With that can prevent forces from entering or
urged people to vote.
itime and special operations units of up to such concerns paramount, diplomats and moving across air, land and sea.
And both at the height of the Sunni-Shiite sectarian con-
40,000 personnel. officials say NATO will not back requests for A study by the RAND Corporation, a US
flict in Iraq and in later years, Sistani has urged unity among
The allies are also expected to offer permanent bases by Poland, which has a defense think tank, found tat Russia could
both Iraqi citizens and politicians. The ageing cleric’s most
Moscow a renewed dialogue in the NATO- history of fraught relations with Russia. overrun the Baltics states of Estonia, Latvia
influential pronouncement of recent years was a call for all
Russia Council, which has not met since “I am a great proponent of strong deter- and Lithuania within three days, leaving
able-bodied Iraqis to take up arms as part of the security
2014, about improved military transparen- rents and to improve our resilience, but I NATO and the United States no good
forces to combat IS, which overran large parts of the country
cy to avoid surprise events and misunder- do think that the best way to do it is to do it options to respond. While avoiding a
in 2014.
standings, a senior NATO diplomat said. US on a rotational basis,” Dutch Defense return to the Cold War when 300,000 US
That call led to the formation of the Hashed Al-Shaabi, or
plans for a four-fold increase in military Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said. service personnel were stationed in
Popular Mobilization units, which played a major role in halt-
spending in Europe to $3.4 billion in 2017 Stoltenberg has also said he will not be Europe, NATO generals describe it as a
ing and later pushing back the jihadists’ advance. But while
are central to the strategy, which has been “dragged into an arms race.” Russia has “persistent” but not a “permanent” pres-
these forces are ostensibly under state control, they are domi-
shaped in response to Russia’s annexation made clear it would regard any moves to ence, and want to adhere to a 1997 agree-
nated by Iran-backed Shiite militias that operate with a great
of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The plans bring NATO infrastructure closer to its bor- ment with Moscow not to station substan-
deal of autonomy, and have been repeatedly accused of
are welcomed by NATO whose chief, ders a threat and the Kremlin has warned it tial combat forces on the NATO-Russia bor-
human rights abuses. — AFP
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, says it would take “reciprocal steps.” Western der. — Reuters
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY6, 2016
French purists vexed at demise of circumflex
PARIS: French linguistic purists voiced online anger documents in the past few years. And the 2015 official cumflex), a nod to the Je Suis Charlie phrase which
Thursday at the loss of one of their favorite accents- “bulletin on new school teaching curricula” refers to swept social media after a jihadist attack in January
the pointy little “circumflex” hat that sits on top of cer- the 1990 changes as the gold standard for teaching last year, went viral in France. In other changes, “week-
tain vowels. A change in the spelling of some 2,000 spelling. “What is new is a more explicit reference” to end”, becomes “weekend” as in English, but the word
French words will come into effect in new primary the reformed spelling in official material, said Sylvie “leader” takes on a more French spelling of “leadeur”
school textbooks being released for the start of the Marce of the textbook publisher Belin. Some publish- in the recommended spelling.
school year in September, the education ministry and ers had already made the changes. The changes were “This has been the official spelling in the Republic
publishers announced. The circumflex accent will made to fix spelling anomalies and inconsistencies, for 25 years. What is surprising is that we are sur-
become optional for many words, as will other according to a website devoted to the recommended prised,” said Michel Lussault, president of the school
spelling changes which have purists rubbing their spelling, www.orthographe-recommandee.info. curriculum board. “There were strange spelling anom-
eyes-much like the effect of peeling an onion, which It adds hyphens, takes them away, tweaks spellings alies linked to historic shifts so the Academie really
can now be spelled “ognon” as well as the traditional and removes the circumflex from the ‘i’ and the ‘u’ made sure these changes were understandable,” he
“oignon”. However the changes, which have caused where the accent makes no change to accent or said. It was not an upheaval, he added, more a “clean-
uproar on French Twitter, were first approved by the meaning. The circumflex is “one of the main causes of up”. When making the new spelling recommendations
prestigious guardians of the French language, the errors and its usage is random,” said the website. But in 1990, the then “perpetual secretary” of the
Academie Francaise, in 1990. many are not convinced. “I will continue to use the cir- Academie Francais Maurice Druon wrote that “lan-
Since then both versions have been accepted, but cumflex, and to judge those who don’t,” wrote one guage is a living thing,” adding: “Work should begin
the new spellings only began appearing in official Twitter user. The hashtag #JeSuisCircumflex (I am cir- again in 30 years, if not earlier.” —AFP
Rescued from Boko
Haram, 16-year-old
hankers for life with
militant husband
ABUJA: Almost a year after she was rescued from Boko Haram
captivity by the Nigerian army, 16-year-old Zara John is still in love
with one of the Islamic militants who abducted her. She was
delighted to discover that she was pregnant with his child follow-
ing a urine and blood test carried out by a doctor in the refugee
camp to which she was taken after her rescue. “I wanted to give
birth to my child so that I can have someone to replace his father
since I cannot reconnect with him again,” said Zara, one of hun-
dreds of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram militants during a seven-
year insurgency in northeast Nigeria.
But any decision over the baby was taken out of her hands. Her
father drowned during flooding in 2010 so her uncles intervened.
Some were adamant they did not want a Boko Haram offspring in
their family and insisted on an abortion. Others felt the child should
not be blamed for its father’s crimes. In the end, the majority carried
MAIDUGURI: Soldiers look at a burnt vehicle during a visit to the village of Dalori village, some 12 kilometers
the vote and Zara was allowed to keep her child, a son she named
from Borno state capital Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria, after an attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the vil-
Usman who is now about seven months old. “Everybody in the fam-
lage left at least 85 people dead. —AFP
ily has embraced the child,” Zara told the Thomson Reuters
Foundation in a telephone interview, asking that her location
Cameron woos Polish leaders remain undisclosed. “My uncle just bought him tins of Cerelac
(instant cereal) and milk.” Zara was aged 14 when Boko Haram mili-
tants fighting to establish an Islamist state raided her village of Izge,
as ‘Brexit’ deal draws closer in northeast Nigeria, in February 2014. They razed homes in the vil-
lage, slaughtered men, and loaded women, girls and children into
trucks. Two of Zara’s brothers were out of town when the militants
Poles living in Britain will enjoy ‘full protection’ struck in one of a wave of hit-and-run attacks on villages as well as
suicide bombings on places of worship or markets. Zara’s mother
fell off one of the overloaded trucks but tried to chase after the vehi-
WARSAW: British Prime Minister David high-stakes diplomacy aimed at reaching a deal Thursday that so far no European leaders are cle that was ferrying away her only daughter and her four-year-old
Cameron yesterday appeared to have come a to avert a “Brexit.” He must convince his fellow satisfied with a draft agreement for a deal to son but was unable to keep up as the truck headed 22 km road jour-
step closer to sealing a contentious EU-wide 27 European Union leaders to back controversial avoid a “Brexit.” ney to Bita.
deal on reforms to prevent a “Brexit”, as a key reform proposals at a leaders’ summit in The so-called Visegrad Four-the central
Polish leader said he was “very pleased” with the Brussels on February 18-19. The risks were European states of Poland, the Czech Republic, Enslaved by militants
outcome of bilateral talks. Poland’s influential underlined yesterday by a new poll showing 45 Hungary and Slovakia-say they will not accept At the time, Bita and other surrounding towns close to the
governing party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said percent of Britons now want to leave the EU-up any plan that discriminates against hundreds of Sambisa forest, were in Boko Haram control. “As soon as we arrived,
“we’ve gained a great deal” after talks with three percentage points from a week earlier- thousands of their citizens working in Britain. they told us that we were now their slaves,” Zara recalled. Her days
Cameron tackling a controversial proposal to with only 36 percent who want Britain to remain Central Europeans have flocked to Britain in were spent doing chores and learning the tenets of her new reli-
curb benefits to European Union migrants in in the 28-member club. search of jobs and a better life since their poorer gion, Islam, until, two months later, she was given away in marriage
Britain. Kaczynski told reporters that Poles living Ahead of talks with Cameron in Warsaw, ex-communist countries joined the EU in 2004. to Ali, a Boko Haram commander, and moved into from a shared
in Britain will enjoy “full protection” of their Szydlo told Britain’s The Times that the benefits While many are gainfully employed, the influx house to his accommodation. “After I became a commander’s wife,
rights to benefits, including a controversial proposal “doesn’t make me happy”. Her tone has nonetheless prompted criticism that the I had freedom. I slept anytime I wanted, I woke up anytime I want-
“allowance for children living in Poland.” mellowed at a press conference with the British migrants are draining Britain’s generous welfare ed,” she said. “He bought me food and clothes and gave me every-
He is widely seen as the real deal-maker in leader who stressed their countries’ “shared system. thing that a woman needs from a man,” adding that he also gave
Prime Minister Beata Szydlo’s right-wing pop- interests” and “strategic partnership,” in both A draft agreement unveiled on Monday by her a mobile phone with his number plugged in and tattooed his
ulist Law and Justice (PiS) government that took the EU and NATO. But while saying it was “very EU president Donald Tusk-a former Polish pre- name on her stomach to mark her as a Boko Haram wife.
office after winning an unprecedented majority important” to Poland for Britain to stay in the EU, mier-includes a four-year “emergency brake” Ali assured her that the fight would soon be over and they
in October’s election. Kaczynski also hailed she added: “There are always topics that need to limiting welfare payments to migrants, as well as would return to his home town of Baga where he intended his
Britain’s “readiness for wide-ranging coopera- be ironed out.” a “red card” system for national parliaments to new wife to join his fishing business. He told her that he had aban-
tion on security.” Rattled by Russia’s 2014 overrule draft EU laws. Initial reactions from doned his fisherman trade and joined the militant group after his
annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, ‘Red card system’ European capitals show that “nobody’s happy” father and elder brother, both fishermen like himself, were killed
Warsaw is lobbying NATO allies like Britain to “Over a million Poles live and work in Britain. with it, one European source said on Thursday. If by Nigerian soldiers. In a June 2015 report based on years on
boost troop numbers along the alliance’s vul- Their work is growing Britain’s GDP and we want Cameron gets an agreement by the EU summit, research and analysis of evidence, Amnesty International said the
nerable eastern flank at a July summit in the them to enjoy the same kind of opportunities he will campaign for Britain to remain in the EU Nigerian army was guilty of gross human rights abuse and extra
Polish capital. for development as Britons,” Szydlo said. in an in-out referendum that is likely to be held judicial killing of civilians in parts of northeast Nigeria, calling for
Cameron yesterday launched two weeks of Sources close to the negotiations told AFP on in June. —AFP an investigation into war crimes. —Reuters