Indonesia calls for organic D8 fertilizer

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Member countries in the Developing Eight should begin using organic fertilizers instead of chemical goods to save funds, an Indonesian official said Thursday.

Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said at the D8 Ministers' Meeting on Food Security conference that the fertilizer switch could save member countries funds that could be applied to infrastructure development, the Malaysian News Agency, Bernama, reported.

Apriyantono also said at the conference in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lampur that by improving fertilizer use efficiency, D8 member countries could limit related waste or excessive usage.

Indonesia was taking part in the conference along with Malaysia, Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey.

Bernama said the conference is oriented toward discussing the production of such agricultural goods as fertilizers, animal feed and high quality seeds.

Iranian Deputy Agriculture Minister Jafar Khalghani used the conference to suggest the formation of a food security research group by the eight D8 countries.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/26/Indonesia_calls_for_organic_D8_fertilizer/UPI-79141235671609/.

Officials: Obama says Iraq pullout by Aug 2010

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama told lawmakers on Thursday he plans to withdraw most American troops from Iraq by August 2010 but leave tens of thousands behind to advise Iraqi forces and protect U.S. interests, congressional officials said.

Obama is expected to announce the new strategy on Friday during a trip to the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

In a closed-door meeting with Republican and Democratic leaders, Obama and his top advisers estimated that 35,000 to 50,000 troops would remain in Iraq after the bulk of troops are withdrawn.

Obama campaigned on ending the Iraq war and pledged to do so in 16 months. The withdrawal timetable he is expected to approve stretches over 19 months from his inauguration in January. That means some 100,000 troops would leave over the coming 18 months.

Rep. John McHugh, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said Obama promised him to reconsider the new strategy if violence rises. McHugh said he was worried the situation in Iraq remained fragile, especially as it approaches elections in December.

"Our commanders must have the flexibility they need in order to respond to these challenges, and President Obama assured me that there is a 'Plan B,'" McHugh, R-N.Y., said in a statement.

According to one congressional official, lawmakers were told that Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Ray Odierno, the top commander in Baghdad, believed the plan presented moderate risk but supported the 50,000 figure.

Some Democrats are skeptical but because they say it would leave too many troops behind.

"I have been one for a long time that's called for significant cutbacks in Iraq, and I am happy to listen to the secretary of defense and the president," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters before the briefing. "But when they talk about 50,000, that's a little higher number than I had anticipated."

In addition to Reid, congressional leaders attending the meeting included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had also been expected to attend as well.

Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the U.N.'s Security Council on Thursday that the U.S. would move "responsibly and safely" to reduce the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

She said the process of redeploying American combat troops will be carried out in consultation with the Iraqi government "and with its support."

An existing U.S-Iraq agreement, negotiated under President George W. Bush, calls for U.S. combat troops to withdraw from Baghdad and other cities by the end of June, with all American forces out of the country by the end of 2011.

Afghanistan: U.S. Escalates the Illegal Drug Industry

John W. Warnock

Feb 25, 2009

It is common knowledge that Afghanistan remains the primary source of the world’s supply of opium and heroin. A recent United Nations’ report claims that three quarters of the world’s heroin comes from the provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. But there is also recognition that poppies are grown in almost all of the country’s 34 provinces.

The western media argues that most of the production of illegal drugs is being done by the Taliban or that the Taliban is protecting the farmers. The fact that there are well known drug lords in the government of President Hamid Karzai, and many are members of the parliament, is usually ignored. Yet the Asian press carries photos of "narco palaces" in Kabul and describes the local "narcotecture." The Afghan population is well aware of the close ties between the drug lords and the government.

Of course this is quite embarrassing to the U.S. government, which put Karzai in office and created the present Afghan constitution and system of government. Thus Hillary Clinton, nominated for Secretary of State, created quite a shock when she referred to Afghanistan as a "narco state" in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.

Forgotten in all this is the key role that the U.S. government played in the development and expansion of the illegal drug industry in Afghanistan. It goes back to the decision made in July 1978 by the administration of Jimmy Carter to give aid and assistance to the radical Islamists in their rebellion against the leftist government of the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan.

The CIA and the Afghan Drug Trade

The U.S. government devoted billions of dollars to the proxy war in Afghanistan. Most of this was funneled through the Pentagon’s infamous Black Budget, secret funds for secret operations. In 1981 this budget was estimated at $9 billion but rose to $36 billion by 1990. The CIA obtained cash to buy weapons and other equipment which was then channeled to the Islamist rebels.

In the Afghan operation the CIA provided cash to the Pakistan government, primarily through its accounts with the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), best known for laundering illegal drug money. As John Cooley notes, "The CIA already had a history of using corrupt or criminal banks for its overseas operations." In the 1980s the CIA and the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency were using the BCCI for covert operations. First American, in Washington, D.C., was one of the CIA banks of choice, and it had been acquired by BCCI.

BCCI had close links to the Pakistan government. During the Afghan jihad BCCI officials actually took control of the customs house at the port of Karachi where shipments of arms were sent by the CIA to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI). They made cash payments to the ISI, part of which were payoffs, but large sums were also needed to finance the transportation of armaments to the Afghan border and beyond. As Brigadier Mohammad Yousaf reports, much of the CIA aid came in the form of cash. This was used to purchase hundreds of trucks and thousands of horses, mules and camels, in addition to the materials needed to build the training bases for the mujahideen fighters.

The CIA would inform the Pakistan government about the shipments. When the armaments and supplies were landed in Karachi they came under the control of the National Logistics Cell of the Pakistan army and the ISI. They trucked the materials north to the various bases. On the way back the trucks carried opium and heroin for export from Karachi, mainly to the United States. Some of the heroin factories were directly under the control of the ISI, and the whole operation had the support of Pakistan General Fazle Haq, the protector of the industry. President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq had appointed him the military commander of the Northwest Frontier Province. He was also directly involved in the heroin trade and laundering money through the BCCI.

The Islamist Drug Lords

Many of the key Islamist commanders and warlords were heavily involved in the illegal drug industry. One was Yunas Khalis, a brutal commander who boasted of the slaughter of prisoners of war as well as defectors from the PDPA government. Based in Helmand province, he spent much of his time fighting with other commanders over the control of the poppy crop and the roads and passes from the poppy fields to his seven heroin laboratories at his headquarters in Ribat al Ali. As Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair point out, at this time around 60% of the crop was produced under irrigation in the Helmand Valley, developed with a grant from USAID. This is still largely true today.

The biggest producer of heroin was Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the primary recipient of CIA funds, who maintained six heroin factories at Koh-i-Soltan. He was in competition with another favourite commander of the U.S. government, Mullah Nassim Akhundzada, for control of the poppy crop produced in the Helmand Valley. The cash from the sale of the opium and heroin was channeled through accounts in the BCCI.

In the north, poppy cultivation and heroin production were primarily under the control of commanders Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ahmad Shah Massoud, both of whom were key allies of the U.S. government, particularly after the fall of the Marxist government in 1992. The fruits of this industry were exported through the Central Asian Republics via Kosovo and Albania and into Europe. It was estimated that this source accounted for around 60% of the European market. To this day commanders in the North, now in the Karzai government and the parliament, engage in production and trade. But this is overlooked by the North American media.

It was not only the U.S.-backed radical Islamists who were in the drug business. One of the key players was Sayad Ahmed Gaylani of the moderate National Islamic Front, who was very close to the exiled King Zahir Shah. The Soviets argued that Gaylani produced and exported more illegal drugs than Hekmatyar.

Afghan poppy production tripled between 1979-82, and according to figures from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, came to dominate the heroin market in the United States and Europe. The DEA reported that by 1984 51% of the heroin supply in the United States came from the operations of the U.S. allies on the Pakistan border. The situation remains the same today. It is estimated that the illegal drug industry presently accounts for around 50% of Afghanistan’s gross domestic product.

CIA’s secret Operations worldwide and drug money

Farzana Shah

Feb 25, 2009

In Afghanistan US/NATO put blame on Taliban for the poppy cultivation in Afghanistan for financing their resistance to allied forces. Ironically, it was only in Taliban era when the world had seen a sharp decline in opium crop in Afghanistan. Taliban banned opium cultivation nationwide. A more important question is how and when this business of drug production and trafficking started in region? CIA has been using drug money since long to generate money to support its operations all over the world. It did not start in Afghanistan it was brought here after experimenting somewhere else.

This is something which is not a lead story in international media for obvious reasons despite the fact it is harming millions of lives around the globe.

1. CIA’s secret Operations

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on of the most active and dynamic intelligence setups in the world needs massive amount of money to carry on its clandestine operations all over the world. It has happened when CIA used local sources to conduct a coups, assassinations, regime change, etc. As US has a long history to support democracy by hook and crook measures, until and unless a dictator is ready to serve US interests to prolong its rule.

Operations like the one completed in Iran in 1953 to remove Prime Minister Mussadaq and backing Shah’s regime by using assets in civil society, or in Iraq in 1975 to arm Iraqi Kurds to destabilize Pre-Saddam in Iraq or more recently using its assets in Pakistan to pave the way of direct US intervention in Pakistan under pretext of hunting Al-Qaeda.

These kinds of operations need a lot of financial input. Usually CIA arranges revenue from its own means for this kind of operations where expenses can’t be predicted by any measure. Funds from Whitehouse always need a complete audit and detailed reports about usage of these funds. There are numerous occasions when CIA never shared details of operations with its own analytical wing nor with any other public office in Washington. Most of the time it is drug money that compensates these expenses.

CIA operations are not only single expenditure fulfilled by drugs there are also other deficiencies which are compensated with this money like financial institutes and banks in current financial crisis. UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa based in Vienna revealed that drug money often became the only available capital when the crisis spiraled out of control last year.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had found evidence that "inter bank loans were funded by money that originated from drug trade and other illegal activities," Costa was quoted as saying. There were "signs that some banks were rescued in that way."

It is not only CIA anymore in trade for using it as gold mine to finance its illegal operations all over the world but US economy also need some liquidity in its banks, it doesn’t matter if it is coming by drug trade.

2. Drug Production & Consumption

Afghanistan is the largest producer of heroin’s main ingredient; opium and opium is nothing new in this part of the world. In Afghanistan and FATA, Pakistan it is being produced since centuries; used as remedy for various diseases. Commercial production of opium began just during the Russian invasion in Afghanistan where it is estimated to produce some 8250 metric tons (Source: AmericanFreePress.net, November 24, 2008) of opium per year which makes 85% to 90% of the world's supply of opium. This also contributes towards Afghan warlords’ wealth directly. This is what CIA brought to the region: Opium production without a brand name obviously.

Demand and trafficking of drugs globally. US is one of very high concentration drug trafficking territory thanks to Regan’s National Security Council who turned a blind eye towards South American cocaine socking into US in 1980 when CIA was backing all the drug traffickers of Contra movements in Nicaragua.

Markets for these drugs stretched world over from Western Europe to Far East, From Canada to Latin America and From China to Morocco, Africa. Profits related to this business also vary along with market’s location.

This business enriches not only the United States-friendly Afghan warlords but also elements of the Northern Alliance, the US key ally in the country. More disturbing is fact that this money also contributes in CIA’s operations against Pakistan as well.

3. Contra Movements (1980)

In Asia demand for heroin is more than any other drug but it is not the case world over. Cocaine is favorite drug which is consumed the most. Cocaine was nothing new in South American countries but it was only during Nicaraguan contra movements against the then dictator it got shoot up. It was again CIA’s regime change operation to bring "democracy" in Nicaragua. It was during this period when the whole region saw an unprecedented surge in cocaine trafficking in 1980. This has been investigated none other than but by CIA’s inspector general in later years.

Was CIA a part of this?

Answer is not only CIA was aiding these cocaine traffickers and money-launderers but Ronald Reagon’s National Security Council also turned a blind eye towards these drug trades despite the fact that later these very drug traffickers brought cocaine to mainland US. According to CIA’s inspector general report, published in online magazine The Consortium magazine, Oct. 15, 1998, it was Reagan’s National Security Council which cleared proven drug traffickers and CIA inspector general Frederick Hitz confirmed long standing.

Allegations of cocaine traffickers.

The NSC’s covert airline was the main transportation mean to do this trade in safest possible way.

Most stunning part of all this contra movements and CIA involvement is methods these movements used to dismantle the then Nicaraguan government including bombing and killing of civilians and CIA withheld all evidence of contra crimes from Justice Department, the Congress and even its own analytical division just to conceal its connection with drug traffickers.

4.Afghanistan

As it is mentioned earlier that Afghanistan was not a hub of drug supply to world before Russian invasion in 1979. It was CIA once again to implement what it successfully implemented in Nicaragua in 1980. Now, Afghanistan is biggest contributor in drug production with its massive opium production.

Russian Afghan War (1979-1989)

CIA was not fully done with contra movements when Russia invaded Afghanistan in 1979 threatening the region with her expansionist design to gain control over Afghanistan and Baluchistan province of Pakistan to reach Arabian Sea. Pakistan decided to confront Russia inside Afghanistan to thwart communist designs. CIA found an opportunity in Afghanistan to settle its long standing duel with Russian for global dominion, after initial successes by Afghan fighters. CIA once again brought tested formula of drug to finance this war which it used in South America with only difference in prescription where cocaine was replaced with heroin. Poppy cultivation was nothing new to Afghan but it was level of production and demand created by international traffickers in the world which shocked many in vicinity of these poppy fields.

Profit gained by these drugs was main driving force behind all this trade and with heroin it was much more than what it was with cocaine. Ironically US and Europe became biggest markets of heroin prepared produced in Afghanistan.

Regan’s administration is also a common factor in both Afghan heroin trade and contra cocaine traffickers. Role of CIA in first Afghan war was not overt as it could provoke Russians in more direct retaliation albeit Cuban missile crisis of 1960s. To avoid that kind of hostility it was more suitable for CIA to have silent links with Afghan warlords and providing sources to grow poppy. "By the end of Russian invasion in 1989 Afghanistan was second largest opium production spot with 1350 Metric ton after notorious Golden Triangle including countries like Laos, Thailand, Burma and Vietnam which was producing 2645 Metric ton at that time leaving Latin America way behind with just 112 Metric ton", as per US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Pre and Post Taliban Era (1994-2001)

In 1994 unrest and lawlessness in Afghanistan gave rise to Taliban. Motivated with their strict religious background and education they put ban on all kinds of drugs in territory under their control but this was not the cure for chronically infected Afghan economy and society. Non availability of any job market and strong hold of Northern Alliance of Northern part of country remained biggest challenge to these efforts to cut down poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. But despite all the challenges Talibans were able to put a serious cut on opium.

Recent Afghan Conflict (2002 – To date)

Afghanistan is leading opium production in world today but after the invasion of US in 2002 Afghanistan is also attributed to have largest heroin production in the world as well.

Without active support of Pentagon and CIA it is not possible to export drug prepared with more than 8000 metric tons of opium. US relations with Northern Alliance in Afghanistan after Taliban have given a free license to drug producers, traffickers. CIA and Pentagon both have their links to all these criminals in order to get supplies of the drugs and export it in US Army planes. It has been reported that CIA used US Army planes leaving Afghanistan carrying coffins which were filled with drugs instead of bodies.

To make sure undisturbed trade US appointed all Northern Alliance drug lords at key posts in Afghanistan and most prominent appointment was none other than President Hamid Karzai. Karzai’s brother, head of Kandahar's provincial council is proven drug trafficker facilitating the transportation of heroin from Kandahar eastward through Helmand and out across the Iranian border.
There is no reason to believe that CIA is not aware of this but as it is all one big enterprise where Karzai is also a partner so no danger to his brother.

Bush administration pushed the level of poppy cultivation to next level in Afghanistan just to keep Wall Streets alive in crisis. Many top Bush administration’s officials were worried about growing influence of countries in Golden Triangle (Loas, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma) in Russian and Chinese drug markets. Like Oil in Iraq this was just another opportunity for the Bush administration to have some quick bucks.

Blames for using drugs to fight with NATO and US forces is always put on Taliban. But looking at areas of Taliban’s active zones one can easily understand where all this poppy cultivation is taking place. Taliban put ban on poppy when they were in charge of majority of Afghan territories and Kabul, the capital. Afghanistan was suffering worst economic crisis at that time but Taliban never went to build their economy with heroin trade. Now it is just ridiculous to blame Taliban to have vast fields of poppy and having enough peace and time to grow and process it into heroin and then trade it in Pakistan and Iran to dens it to destinations in Eastern Europe.

Ahmed Wali Karzai, appointed by his brother, President Hamid Karzai, to represent Kandahar province in Kabul.

According to media reports he is main player in exporting heroin and opium to European countries through Turkmenistan.

Provinces like Kunar, Pektika,Paktya has low poppy cultivation and other provinces where all US/CIA supported warlords are holding key positions are growing most of opium crop. It was only after US invasion there was a 4400% increase in opium production.

US role in Afghan social debacle will go in history as described The Huffington Post on October 15, 2008 "When the history of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan is written, Washington's sordid involvement in the heroin trade and its alliance with drug lords and war criminals of the Afghan Communist Party will be one of the most shameful chapters."

5. Pakistan: Indirect Victim of the CIA’s Drug business

Almost the whole world is affected by this drug trade but countries which lie in routes of drug traffickers are worst effected after the original drug markets. Countries like Pakistan are paying a very high price for US/CIA drug trade as there is a constant increase in drug addiction in Pakistan. Iran is another country which happens to be in route of international drug traffickers so it is also facing problem of smuggling of heroin and morphine from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Turkey and Europe. After US invasion of Afghanistan this route has become active manifold then it was previously.

Effects of this trade are not limited to drug usage only but it destroys the social fabric in a society and gives rise to street crimes in order to get some cash to buy drugs from street market. A more horrible outcome is spread of HIV virus among addicted persons when they share the injection syringes. This threat is increasing with each passing day as number of HIV positive is increasing.

Another disastrous effect it brought to Pakistan and Afghanistan other neighbors is serious law and order situation in bordering area of each country with Afghanistan. Combating this evil trade is not possible until a holistic effort is made by international community in this regards but its chances are bleak as this trade is needed by global imperialism (Israel, US, UK) more than ever before to give some support to their dying economies.

Pakistan has become main artery in heroin trafficking route and it has a lot of implication on Pakistani security. Level of drug addicted also increased over the year due to high availability of drugs in street market. Afghanistan is main producer but Pakistan us where most of drugs are seized.

6. Conclusion

Under current situation it is very important for countries like Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Russia to think about how to put jinni of drug back to the bottle before international drug mafia takes over these countries by destroying their social norms and values.

CIA not only has a long history of having links with traffickers but also encouraging the drug trade to get its own interests served. CIA always encourages this trade even if it affected its own citizens like in Contra movements of 1980.

Afghanistan became leader in opium production and main hub for providing heroin and its main ingredient to whole world. All this happened under the control of champion of human rights US and its intelligence setup mainly CIA.

Situation is becoming more and bleaker unless Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran and Afghanistan governments start thinking about this trade and its far reaching affects on US economy and CIA’s funding. It is time when the whole region should become equivocal against this trade and ask US to leave the region for greater good of the billions of people in region.

Gaza convoy volunteers safe after being arrested in Tunisia

26-02-2009

London, The Muslim News OnLine:

Two volunteers traveling with the Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza have safely arrived in Libya after being arrested in Tunisia, The Muslim News has exclusively learnt.

The two British women, including Mahnaz Bahaji, 53, were believed to have been arrested in the central mining region of Gafsa by Tunisian police on Thursday but were released the same day.

“We have been kidnapped by the police. We don’t know where we are going. Pray for us please,” Mahnaz said a text message alert sent to Ahmed J Versi, Editor of The Muslim News.

A spokesperson for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office was not aware of the arrests, but said the British consulate in Tunisia will try to find out more information about them.

The Tunisian Embassy in the UK was also unaware of the arrests. An embassy spokesman told The Muslim News that Viva Palestina officials had not lodged an official complaint.

The 110 vehicle convoy, which sent off from London on February 14, is carrying £1 million worth of aid to Gaza. It has already traveled through France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria and were hoping to journey on through Libya and Egypt before arriving at Rafah crossing in Gaza early next month.

Earlier this month, the Tunisian human rights watchdog, Observatoire pour la liberté de presse, d'édition et de création (OLPEC), denounced Tunisian police in Ghafsa the harassment and unexplained arrests of journalists and humanitarian workers in the region.

Iraq's Talabani arrives in Tehran

Feb 27, 2009

Tehran (Earth Times - dpa) - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani arrived in Tehran Friday for talks with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Talabani is also due to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during this three-day visit.

Expansion of bilateral ties with regards to the new US administration of President Barack Obama will top the summit's agenda.

Tehran is also expected to reiterate its demand from Talabani to expel the Iranian opposition group, the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI), from Iraq.

Northern Ireland man detained in Tunisia as Gaza convoy is halted

By Emily Moulton
Friday, 27 February 2009

A Co Tyrone man who is driving a lorry to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid as part of the ‘Viva Palestina’ convoy has been detained in Tunisia.

John Hurson (39), from Dungannon, entered the north African country on Wednesday after traveling from Algeria but was stopped by Tunisian police, along with the rest of the convoy, and herded into a football stadium in the province of Gabes, more than 300kms away from the capital city of Tunis.

Yesterday, the Tunisian authorities said they would allow the convoy to continue on its journey to Gaza. However, last night the convoy remained in the country and all 120 vehicles were being kept under lock and key in the stadium.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph from the stadium in Gabes, Mr Hurson explained he had spent all day trying to get out of the sporting facility but had been repeatedly told they were being kept inside for their “own safety”.

“It’s just crazy,” he said.

“The Tunisian Government are keeping everyone under wraps. They are telling us we are not under arrest but they are not letting us out of the stadium.

“Their excuse is that it’s for our safety.

“There is some sort of civil unrest near the border at the moment. They are afraid we might spark some sort of uprising.

“Some people have managed to get away to a hostel to get showered and rest but we are all still stuck in here.

“We have been told that they might take us to a hotel tonight but our vehicles will stay in the stadium.

“It looks as if we won’t be able to leave here until Saturday.”

Before the convoy was taken to Gabes, Mr Hurson’s lorry broke down in the province of Gafsa.

He explained the Tunisian authorities had ordered the convoy to keep moving but because they were stuck on the side of the road he claimed they became a bit hostile.

Once they were able to get moving, the entire convoy met up in Gabes.

According to Press TV, two human rights activists traveling with the convoy were arrested by Tunisian police on Wednesday night.

A reporter, Yvonne Ridley, who is accompanying the convoy, told the news agency the activists were pushed into a van and taken to an undisclosed destination and that their fate remained unknown.

Mr Hurson said many in the convoy were still confused about when they would be able to re-start their trek but acknowledged the Tunisian Government had allowed mechanics into the stadium to help with repairs.

“I just have a wheel bearing that needs to be fixed, which is no problem,” he said last night.

“They have let mechanics in to fix things but in terms of the way they have handled this whole situation, it’s been a big mistake.”

The ‘Viva Palestina’ convoy was organized by Respect MP George Galloway in response to the humanitarian crisis which is currently affecting thousands of Palestinians following Israel’s military assault last month.

More than 100 vehicles, including a fire engine, ambulance and even a boat gathered outside Parliament buildings in London on Valentine’s Day and plan to travel more than 5,000 miles through cities such as Bordeaux, Madrid, Tangier, Fez, Ras Jdeir (Libyan border), Tripoli, Cairo and finally ending up at the border crossing of Rafah — sealed by Cairo despite the humanitarian crisis — in Palestine on March 9.

Afghans protest alleged NATO gunshots in mosque

By HEIDI VOGT and AMIR SHAH

KABUL (AP) — About 500 protesters blocked roads and clashed with police in southern Afghanistan on Friday, alleging international forces fired gunshots in a village mosque.

A spokesman for NATO forces said they had no reports of international troops in the area where Thursday's incident allegedly occurred.

Afghanistan's southern provinces continue to be Taliban strongholds wracked by violence, years after a U.S.-led invasion ousted the hard-line Islamists from the central government in 2001. It is often difficult in the turbulent region to separate actual incidents from Taliban propaganda, but a government delegation said the mosque door was damaged by bullets and some protesters said they had witnessed the mosque raid.

A protester reached by phone said he saw Polish forces fire their guns in a mosque in the village of Dhi Khodaidad in Ghazni province.

Abdulrahman, who only gave one name, said he was in the mosque when the troops raided. He said the bullets hit a wall but did not injure anyone.

Robert Rochowicz, spokesman for Poland's Defense Ministry, said he had "no information at all about any kind of incident concerning Polish troops in Afghanistan." He said he would have been informed if anything had happened.

A number of incidents in recent months in which NATO or U.S. strikes killed civilians have increased anger against international troops in Afghanistan, threatening the effort to drive back the Taliban. President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly called on international forces to do more to respect the local population and prevent civilian deaths.

The Ghazni protest turned violent as the crowd threw rocks at police and at least three demonstrators were wounded by gunfire before the melee calmed down, Ghazni police Chief Mohammad Zaman said.

"We don't know if the Polish forces entered a mosque or not, but the protesters are claiming that," Zaman said.

At least two bullets hit the door of the mosque, said Deputy Gov. Kazim Allayar, who led a delegation that visited the building Friday. He said he did not have further information but that government officials would meet with Polish forces Saturday to find out if they were involved.

NATO forces said an initial query turned up no reports of troops in Dhi Khodaidad, but they were continuing to investigate.

"We don't believe there were any forces in the area yesterday," said Lt. Commander Chris Hall, a NATO spokesman in Afghanistan.

Separately Friday, NATO forces said one of their troops was killed in a bomb attack in neighboring Zabul province.

The service member died in an explosion Thursday, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said. A spokesman declined to provide further details.

NATO forces typically do not release the nationalities of killed or wounded troops. A number of countries have troops in Zabul, including Romania, Canada and Britain.

President Barack Obama has ordered another 17,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to try to fight back the strengthening insurgency. They will augment 38,000 American troops already in the country.

Amnesty urges prosecution of troops for Afghan abuses

As the U.S. and its allies increase the numbers of troops in Afghanistan, they have to ensure that soldiers who cause civilian deaths or violate laws while hunting the Taliban are prosecuted, Amnesty International said.

Civilian casualties and raids on Afghan houses by foreign forces during anti-militant raids are a sensitive issue and have been a main source of tension between foreign troops and the Afghan government.

The issue has sapped support for the government and for the presence of foreign forces, more than seven years on since U.S.-led troops overthrew the Taliban in an invasion.

"Millions of Afghans face violence and insecurity worse than at any period since 2001," Amnesty said in a report, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters on Friday.

"...Some 40 percent (795) civilian casualties (in 2008) were due to operations by international and Afghan security forces - a 30 percent increase from 559 reported in 2007," it said.

Most of the casualties were caused by foreign forces' air strikes or raids on Afghan homes by international and national troops, it said.

Amnesty said the international military forces' lack of accountability and their ad hoc investigation and compensation programmes had aggravated the situation.

It said with the increase in troop numbers, which will bring the size of foreign forces from 74,000 to over 90,000 this year, the United States and its allies needed to ensure that civilian casualties and property damage due to raids were investigated promptly and impartially.

It said personnel found to have violated laws of war or international human rights laws had to be brought to justice.

Beshir pledges 'free' elections

Khartoum - President Omar al-Beshir, who faces a possible arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Darfur, said on Thursday he wanted to hold "free" elections soon to guarantee stability in Sudan.

"I am looking forward to holding free elections in the near future and I ask all parties to prepare themselves for the next elections," Beshir told opposition party leaders.

"There is no security and economic stability without political stability," said Beshir, who was speaking at the congress of the key opposition Umma Party, also attended by diplomats.

Bashir, who came to power in a 1989 military coup, won a presidential election in 2000 with nearly 90% of all votes cast, in a ballot slammed as a sham by the opposition.

ICC to decide on arrest

He said on Thursday that no-one could prevent him from holding elections, a veiled reference to the International Criminal Court which is set to rule on March 4 on whether to issue a warrant for his arrest.

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked the court in July for an arrest warrant for Beshir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur.

If the warrant is granted and an arrest carried out, Beshir would become the first sitting head of state to be hauled before the ICC.

"Some are trying to undermine this democratization process but any attempt, from any party, will be ignored," Beshir said.