The students, in their 20s and from the U.S. state of Virginia, were detained in December in the town of Sargodha, 190 km (120 miles) southeast of Islamabad, and accused of contacting militants over the Internet and plotting attacks.
They have not been formally charged, but police on Tuesday submitted a charge sheet in an anti-terrorist court in Sargodha, said defense lawyer Hassan Dastagir.
It is the first “national strike” of foreigners, called to bring “visibility” to the immigrants living and working in Italy. In 60 towns and cities across the country tens of thousands, many of them immigrants, but also Italians, took to the streets.
In squares across the country demonstrations marked by the color yellow were held to highlight the importance of immigration for the socio-economic and cultural fabric of the country, as announced by the organizers, The Day Without Us Committee.
And it get’s even worse. A little reminder of what has already happened.
This one has certainly been interesting to watch.
No matter where you stand on Fred Armisen’s Obama impression, there’s no debate that his David Paterson is pure gold. Portraying him as somewhat of an insult comic, last night he rattled off jabs at the expense of Albany, The New York Times, and his favorite target: New Jersey. On the Times’ expose` on his supposed unethical activity: “Finding something wrong with my administration is like finding a needle in a needle store…You found out I was a bad governor? Who tipped you off? Everyone?”
Probably wise not to get on the wrong side of this administration.
At a vote in the UN General Assembly - where Australia has been one of Israel’s strongest supporters - the government abstained from a resolution demanding that Israel and the Palestinians investigate possible war crimes during the assault on Gaza that Israel began in December 2008.
Three months ago, Australia voted against a similar resolution which sought to endorse the Goldstone report - a UN-sponsored paper which accused Israel and Hamas of war crimes.
Video at the link.
Controversial Islamic preacher Dr. Ahmad Gummi is being held by the Saudi Arabian secret police over unspecified accusations, the Nigerian mission in Riyadh and family sources in Abuja confirmed to Daily Trust yesterday.
Dr. Ahmad, scion of the famous scholar the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gummi, was arrested five days ago at his home in Makkah, the Nigerian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Abdullahi Garba Aminci said.
... Terrorism analyst Sidney Jones, however, said Saturday the suspects arrested in Aceh, were not necessarily terrorists as claimed by police.
“It is too early to say they are terrorists. I believe the chances are small that they are connected to Jamaah Islamiyah,” Jones was quoted as saying by news portal detik.com.
Meanwhile, Chichakli, who is already facing money laundering charges and has been a fugitive from federal authorities since 2005, hit back at prosecutors with an angry YouTube video posted from an unknown location. Chichakli, who has a history of issuing defiant on-line statements in his battle with the U.S. government, promised many more on-line updates in the future.
CDOT is reporting it still closed. Could be a long trip home.
Boulder Time
