A Milan prosecutor is making the CIA nervous. Despite the opposition of his own government he wants to indict 26 US agents and five Italian secret agents for the kidnapping of a terror suspect. Rome and Washington would prefer that the embarrassing trial would just go away. The proceedings in Milan's historic Palace of Justice on Tuesday morning were kept under tight wraps. Judge Caterina Interlandi was holding court on the seventh floor, behind closed doors -- and only lawyers directly involved with the case were allowed to enter. The governments in Rome and Washington would have preferred if the hearing had not taken place at all. However they had not reckoned with Armando Spataro. Without the lively Milan prosecutor, who is balding and has a moustache, things would never have got quite so far. The case being heard behind the court's doors could turn out to be highly unpleasant for Washington and Rome. Judge Interlandi must determine whether 26 CIA agents and five Italian secret service agents are to be indicted for one of the boldest kidnappings of a terror suspect to happen yet. If the court takes the case, it would be the first time anyone has been tried in connection with the CIA's controversial "extraordinary renditions" program. Under the secret renditions program, suspected terrorists were kidnapped and interrogated at secret "black" sites. There was no immediate result after the hearing on Tuesday, except the announcement that the case was adjourned until the end of January. The statements afterwards were nevertheless revealing. For example, Daria Pesce, the lawyer representing former Milan CIA bureau chief Robert Seldon Lady said she was withdrawing from the case. "Robert Seldon Lady said that a political and not legal solution should be found." Her client, she said, would prefer "an agreement between Italy and the US" to a trial. Pesce described her client as "disappointed" by the Italian officers because they revealed details of the operation they had sworn to keep secret. "He feels betrayed because he is still convinced he did the right thing for the US and all the other countries fighting international Islamism," she said.
The proceedings in Milan's historic Palace of Justice on Tuesday morning were kept under tight wraps. Judge Caterina Interlandi was holding court on the seventh floor, behind closed doors -- and only lawyers directly involved with the case were allowed to enter. The governments in Rome and Washington would have preferred if the hearing had not taken place at all.
However they had not reckoned with Armando Spataro. Without the lively Milan prosecutor, who is balding and has a moustache, things would never have got quite so far.
The case being heard behind the court's doors could turn out to be highly unpleasant for Washington and Rome. Judge Interlandi must determine whether 26 CIA agents and five Italian secret service agents are to be indicted for one of the boldest kidnappings of a terror suspect to happen yet. If the court takes the case, it would be the first time anyone has been tried in connection with the CIA's controversial "extraordinary renditions" program. Under the secret renditions program, suspected terrorists were kidnapped and interrogated at secret "black" sites. There was no immediate result after the hearing on Tuesday, except the announcement that the case was adjourned until the end of January.
The statements afterwards were nevertheless revealing. For example, Daria Pesce, the lawyer representing former Milan CIA bureau chief Robert Seldon Lady said she was withdrawing from the case. "Robert Seldon Lady said that a political and not legal solution should be found." Her client, she said, would prefer "an agreement between Italy and the US" to a trial.
Pesce described her client as "disappointed" by the Italian officers because they revealed details of the operation they had sworn to keep secret. "He feels betrayed because he is still convinced he did the right thing for the US and all the other countries fighting international Islamism," she said.
The Oliver North defence.
North tells Poindexter that Noriega can assist with sabotage against the Sandinistas, and suggests paying Noriega a million dollars cash; from "Project Democracy" funds raised from the sale of U.S. arms to Iran - for the Panamanian leader's help in destroying Nicaraguan economic installations (see [1]).
North's mugshot, after his arrest
(I love that! It's the caption that goes with the pic in the wikipedia article.)
In November 1986 as the sale of weapons was made public, North was "fired" by President Reagan, and in July 1987 he was summoned to testify before televised hearings of a joint Congressional committee formed to investigate Iran-Contra.
During the hearings, North admitted that he had lied to Congress, for which he was later charged among other things.
He defended his illegal actions by stating that he believed in the goal of aiding the Contras, whom he saw as freedom fighters, and said that he viewed the Iran-Contra scheme as a "neat idea"
From further down the page.
Pesce described her client as "disappointed" by the Italian officers because they revealed details of the operation they had sworn to keep secret. "He feels betrayed because he is still convinced h
With the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the European Union, there's cause for celebration in the streets of Bucharest and the courtyards of Sofia. For two of Europe's poorer countries, inclusion in the EU brings innumerable benefits, not least roads, recognition, grants, travel access and a sundering with the Soviet past. Yet for other members of the EU -- in Paris, Dublin, Brussels and perhaps even in Bucharest and Sofia -- it also spells the inclusion of what they see as 3 million potential problems: the Gypsies. The word still holds freight, even among those to whom it applies -- the Roma. Newspaper editors are still stumped by how they should address the largest minority on the European continent. Town mayors in the former Soviet satellites still talk of "whitening out" their inner cities. Skinheads are happy to call for flamethrowers in rock songs on the radio. If a society recognizes itself, and ultimately critiques itself, on how it treats its most downtrodden, then surely the acid test for the Union is its ongoing treatment of the Roma.
For two of Europe's poorer countries, inclusion in the EU brings innumerable benefits, not least roads, recognition, grants, travel access and a sundering with the Soviet past.
Yet for other members of the EU -- in Paris, Dublin, Brussels and perhaps even in Bucharest and Sofia -- it also spells the inclusion of what they see as 3 million potential problems: the Gypsies.
The word still holds freight, even among those to whom it applies -- the Roma.
Newspaper editors are still stumped by how they should address the largest minority on the European continent. Town mayors in the former Soviet satellites still talk of "whitening out" their inner cities. Skinheads are happy to call for flamethrowers in rock songs on the radio.
If a society recognizes itself, and ultimately critiques itself, on how it treats its most downtrodden, then surely the acid test for the Union is its ongoing treatment of the Roma.
ROME (Reuters) - It looks like a guidebook, with its glossy pages, fold-out map, and tips on where to eat and sleep in Rome. The only difference is that its readers are homeless. The new edition of what its authors have dubbed a "Michelin Guide for the Poor" was presented on Wednesday as promoters warned that the ranks of the have-nots in Italy's capital were growing. The guide, created by the Sant' Egidio Catholic peace organization, is divided into sections covering the basic needs of the homeless or poor -- "Where to Eat", "Where to Sleep", "Where to Wash Up". According to Sant' Egidio, which has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize for its charity work and international peace negotiations, there are some 7,000 homeless people in Rome. Some 2,000 sleep on the street, not far from luxury hotels and world renowned monuments like the Forum and the Colosseum. Some 3,000 sleep in charity shelters and 2,000 others in dilapidated abandoned buildings.
The new edition of what its authors have dubbed a "Michelin Guide for the Poor" was presented on Wednesday as promoters warned that the ranks of the have-nots in Italy's capital were growing.
The guide, created by the Sant' Egidio Catholic peace organization, is divided into sections covering the basic needs of the homeless or poor -- "Where to Eat", "Where to Sleep", "Where to Wash Up".
According to Sant' Egidio, which has been nominated several times for the Nobel Peace Prize for its charity work and international peace negotiations, there are some 7,000 homeless people in Rome.
Some 2,000 sleep on the street, not far from luxury hotels and world renowned monuments like the Forum and the Colosseum. Some 3,000 sleep in charity shelters and 2,000 others in dilapidated abandoned buildings.
ROME (AP) - The U.S. ambassador to Italy faced loud protests when he traveled to Vicenza to discuss a planned expansion of the American military base there, police said Wednesday. ---- ``We had to lift them and carry them out of the way,'' said Eduardo Cuozzo, a deputy police chief in Vicenza. The planned expansion at a nearby civilian and military airport has fueled several protests. Last month, thousands of people marched through Vicenza. Advertiser links
---- ``We had to lift them and carry them out of the way,'' said Eduardo Cuozzo, a deputy police chief in Vicenza.
The planned expansion at a nearby civilian and military airport has fueled several protests. Last month, thousands of people marched through Vicenza. Advertiser links
BRUSSELS, Belgium: Airstrikes in Somalia may earn the United States results in its war on terrorism. But they were raising concerns around the globe about future prospects for peace in the troubled Horn of Africa nation. In Europe, the Somali crisis highlighted again that British Prime Minister Tony Blair is often at odds with the rest of the 27-nation European Union when it comes to U.S. foreign policy. EU nations led the way Wednesday in criticizing the U.S. action, saying efforts first and foremost needed to be targeted at facilitating the deployment of an international force to stabilize the strategic Horn of Africa nation. The U.S. attacks "complicate the situation in Somalia and could increase the tensions that are already strong in the country," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said. The EU's executive Commission and Italy also joined in the criticism.
In Europe, the Somali crisis highlighted again that British Prime Minister Tony Blair is often at odds with the rest of the 27-nation European Union when it comes to U.S. foreign policy.
EU nations led the way Wednesday in criticizing the U.S. action, saying efforts first and foremost needed to be targeted at facilitating the deployment of an international force to stabilize the strategic Horn of Africa nation.
The U.S. attacks "complicate the situation in Somalia and could increase the tensions that are already strong in the country," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said.
The EU's executive Commission and Italy also joined in the criticism.
The European Union continued to be the largest source of imported technology for China last year, accounting for one third of the total technologies valued at $8.66 billion. The EU is followed by Japan, which exported technologies valued at $5.24 billion, while the United States, with a contract value of $4.23 billion, ranks third. Half of the technologies were imported by foreign-invested enterprises, with a total value of $11.3 billion, an increase of 36.7 per cent year-on-year. State-owned enterprises imported technologies valued at $8.9 billion, 40.8 percent of the total and a slight decrease from the previous year. The electronic and telecommunication equipment manufacturing industry replaced the rail transport sector to become the leader in technology imports. They were worth $4.15 billion, nearly double the previous year's amount. The contract value of patented technology is $7.28 billion, about one-third of the total value of technology imported. This is followed by technology consultancy and technology services, valued at $5.18 billion.
The EU is followed by Japan, which exported technologies valued at $5.24 billion, while the United States, with a contract value of $4.23 billion, ranks third.
Half of the technologies were imported by foreign-invested enterprises, with a total value of $11.3 billion, an increase of 36.7 per cent year-on-year.
State-owned enterprises imported technologies valued at $8.9 billion, 40.8 percent of the total and a slight decrease from the previous year.
The electronic and telecommunication equipment manufacturing industry replaced the rail transport sector to become the leader in technology imports. They were worth $4.15 billion, nearly double the previous year's amount.
The contract value of patented technology is $7.28 billion, about one-third of the total value of technology imported. This is followed by technology consultancy and technology services, valued at $5.18 billion.
This is a fundamental number. It flags that China is still, to a large extent, an "offshore manufacturing base", cut to a large extent form the rest of its economy, and used by Western (including rich Asia) manufacturers to offshore some of their facilities (to service Asian markets, and to keep pressure on their home labor).
Only a tiny slice of Chinese, and international shareholders profit. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
http://www.eurotrib.com/comments/2007/1/10/153033/975/9#9 keep to the Fen Causeway
