Posted in: World
Pakistan court stalls on US terror suspects: lawyers - Mar 10, 2010 - 2:27:59 PM

SARGODHA, Pakistan - An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan again failed Wednesday to frame charges against five young Americans accused of plotting attacks with Al-Qaeda-linked groups, lawyers said.
The US citizens facing trial in the eastern city of Sargodha were arrested in December 2009. Judge Anwar Nazeer has rejected a plea by defence lawyers for them to be released on bail because of lack of evidence.
The judge has adjourned the hearing until March 17, public prosecutor, Naveed Akram Cheema said.

Posted in: World
Spain: Aid worker in Africa released by militants - Mar 10, 2010 - 1:06:17 PM

MADRID - A Spanish aid worker kidnapped late last year in Mauritania by suspected Islamic militants was freed Wednesday, but two colleagues remained in captivity, the Spanish government said.
Alicia Gamez, 35, was on a plane to Barcelona after spending more than three months as a hostage, Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega told a hastily called news conference. She said she had spoken to the volunteer aid worker, whose full-time job is as a court clerk in Barcelona.

Posted in: World
Irish arrest 7 over threat to kill Swedish artist - Mar 10, 2010 - 8:31:05 AM

BELFAST, Northern Ireland - Irish police arrested seven people Tuesday over an alleged plot to kill a Swedish artist who depicted the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.
Police said four men and three women were detained in morning raids in the counties of Cork and Waterford on Ireland's south coast. Under Irish anti-terrorist law they could be interrogated for up to a week before being charged or released.
Two police officers close to the investigation said those arrested were foreign-born Irish residents, mostly from Yemen and Morocco. The officers said the suspects had been under surveillance since November and were identified based on intelligence intercepts of e-mails and telephone calls monitored with help from anti-terrorist officials in the United States, Interpol and Sweden.

Posted in: World
Gunmen storm US charity in Pakistan, kill five - Mar 10, 2010 - 4:33:38 AM

Militants armed with guns and grenades stormed the offices of a US-based Christian charity in Pakistan on Wednesday, killing five aid workers in an attack blamed on Islamist insurgents.
The gunmen besieged the World Vision building near Oghi town in Mansehra district of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), where Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants have been waging a deadly campaign of attacks.

Posted in: World
Five held ‘days before terror attack in Britain’ - Mar 10, 2010 - 4:25:44 AM

AFP

Two Pakistani men apparently discussing girls online were really planning a massive Al Qaeda terror attack on Britain, a senior British intelligence officer has testified in court.
The officer gave his testimony to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission as part of a deportation hearing following the arrest of five Pakistani men in anti-terror raids in Manchester and Liverpool in April last year.
Three of the men have been deported to Pakistan and are appealing to be allowed to return to Britain. The two others are fighting their deportation order - apparently backed by Pakistani government ministers.