The Quadrangle

Issue date: 10/6/04 Section: News

Death Sentences for U.S.S. Cole Attackers

In a decision made by a Yemeni high court, two suspects in the 2001 bombing of the American warship U.S.S. Cole received death sentences. The attack was the last al-Qaeda sponsored attack on American establishments before September 11, 2001.

The Saudi-born associate to Osama bin Laden Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, and his co-conspirator Jamal al-Badawi, received death sentences for masterminding the attack on the battleship that led to the death of 17 Navy sailors. Intelligence officials feel that al-Nashiri was responsible for most of the planning behind the suicide bombing that occurred off the coast of Yemen, the last of several overseas attacks on American installments before September 11, 2001. Officials alluded to al-Nashiri's involvements in those attacks also, mentioning possible ties to the 1998 bombing of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

"God is great!" shouted supporters and family members of al-Nashiri and al-Badawi that were vocal about their disapproval of a sentence viewed as American influenced. Since the court that tried the men was established especially for the terrorist attack, the lawyers arguing on their behalf viewed the proceedings as incongruous with Yemeni law.

"The procedures that took place completely breached the right to a fair defense," said Mohammed Naji Allaw, the defense lawyer for al-Nashiri and al-Badawi.

Amid Heckling, Blair Offers Apology over British Role in Iraq

As British Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed his New Labour party late last week, several hecklers made their way into the audience and disrupted the annual discussions on their political agenda and upcoming elections - a time that could challenge Blair's term in office.

"The evidence about Saddam having actual biological and chemical weapons as opposed to the capability to develop them has turned out to be wrong," stated Blair after the hecklers were forcefully removed from the hall. "The problem is, I can apologize for the information that turned out to be wrong, but I can't, sincerely at least, apologize for removing Saddam. The world is a better place with Saddam in prison, not in power."

Faced with decreasing popularity stemming from what many view as a departure from domestic concerns for Britain, Blair and the New Labour party are on the horizon of a critical election cycle. After years of political domination by their leading opponents, the Conservative Party, the New Labour party hopes Blair will serve an unprecedented third term in spite of British involvement in an unpopular war, coupled with various domestic concerns over the economy and hunting legislation.

"Caring in politics isn't really about 'caring.' It's about doing what you think is right and sticking to it," stated Blair.


Independent Study Alludes to a Thriving Insurgency in Iraq

In a study created by a private security company working in Iraq, the insurgency responsible for many of over 1,000 deaths of American soldiers in the nation grew since it began during the summer of 2003.

According to the study, there have been 2,368 attacks in cities, on highways, and within military bases within Iraq in the past thirty days alone. Time bombs, car bombs, and other myriad explosives have been used against Coalition soldiers and Iraqi civilians; although American Military commanders assert that no terrorist organization has won a significant "battle" within the country.

One ranking American military official stated, "We have had zero tactical losses; we have lost no battles, the insurgency has had zero tactical victories. But that is not what this is about."

Many analysts and government officials in the Middle East are skeptical about the planned Iraqi elections, set to take place in January by the American-installed interim government. Despite the increasing violence in the nation, the White House and Pentagon assert that progress is being made in Iraq, and that the violence in insurgent-controlled cities like Falluja will not affect the burgeoning electoral process in the nation.

Recent Deaths from "Bird -Flu" Virus Cause Concern in Asia

The deaths of a mother and her child are from what doctors in Thailand diagnosed as another case of avian influenza, commonly known as the Bird Flu Virus, that resulted in 29 deaths throughout Asia.

In this most recent case, doctors feel that the two died resulting in the first human-to-human transmission of the virus on record. Previous deaths were only the result of direct contact to infected birds, and the recent transmission of the virus worries not only Asian health officials, but also the World Health Organization that is faced with an outbreak of the incredibly lethal virus.

"We are concerned, however, because the occurrence of such a cluster could also indicate the beginning of more widespread transmission, a so-called sustained transmission of an influenza virus in humans which could lead to the global spread of this virus," said Dr. Klaus Stöhr, the World Health Organization's coordinator of their global influenza program.

Many in the world health community worry about the spread of this new virus because of the relative lack of immunological resistance to the strain. In earlier years, the Spanish Flu caused the deaths of over 100 million people - a virus that was also transmitted from poultry to humans.

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