Iraq to sue US, Britain over depleted uranium bombs

Mon, 01 Feb 2010

Iraq's Ministry for Human Rights will file a lawsuit against Britain and the US over their use of depleted uranium bombs in Iraq, an Iraqi minister says.

Iraq's Minister of Human Rights, Wijdan Mikhail Salim, told Assabah newspaper that the lawsuit will be launched based on reports from the Iraqi ministries of science and the environment.

According to the reports, during the first year of the US and British invasion of Iraq, both countries had repeatedly used bombs containing depleted uranium.

According to Iraqi military experts, the US and Britain bombed the country with nearly 2,000 tons of depleted uranium bombs during the early years of the Iraq war.

Atomic radiation has increased the number of babies born with defects in the southern provinces of Iraq.

Iraqi doctors say they' have been struggling to cope with the rise in the number of cancer cases —especially in cities subjected to heavy U-S and British bombardment.

The high rate of birth defects and cancer cases will move in the coming years to the central and northern provinces of Iraq since the radiation may penetrate the soil and water by air.

The ministry will seek compensation for the victims of these bombs.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117557§ionid=351020201.

US hostile policy blamed for N. Korean nukes

North Korea says it will not abandon its nuclear weapons unless the United States ends its hostile policy in the troubled peninsula.

The official Korean Central News Agency said on Friday that Pyongyang will keep its nuclear arsenal unless the US changes its hostile policies.

"Unless (the US) terminates its hostile policy and nuclear threats towards our Republic, our abandonment of nuclear weapons will not happen even if the earth breaks," the declaration read.

It went on to add that the country will not give up its nuclear program in return for economic aid.

The declaration also emphasized that the country has developed atomic bombs for its own defense and not for economic favors.

This declaration comes after the communist country announced plans to launch live-fire exercises near its sea border with South Korea.

North Korean forces will open fire from four spots on the country's west coast and from two spots on its east coast.

The drills will take place from Saturday to Monday.

Pyongyang has declared the affected areas as no-sailing zones.

North Korea is under international pressure to return to the six-party talks on its nuclear disarmament.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118987§ionid=351020405.

Iran launches advanced Jamaran destroyer

Iran's Navy on Friday took the delivery of the first indigenously designed and developed guided missile destroyer Jamaran in the presence of the leader of the Islamic Revelation Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The Mowdge Class vessel has a displacement of around 14,000 tonnes and is equipped with modern radars and electronic warfare capabilities.

Jamaran, a multi-mission destroyer, can carry 120-140 personnel on board and is armed with a variety of anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles.

It has a top speed of up to 30 knots and has a helipad.

The vessel has also been equipped with torpedoes and modern naval cannons. The destroyer's launch marks a major technological leap for Iran's naval industries.

More ships in its class are under construction.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118982§ionid=351020101.

Secret CIA-Mossad meeting, preparation for new war?

Mon, 01 Feb 2010

A secret meeting between the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Leon Panetta and Israeli officials has reportedly centered on Iran's nuclear program.

In a secret flying visit to Israel on Thursday, the head of the CIA reportedly discussed Iran's nuclear issue in a sit-down with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Mossad Chief Meir Dagan.

The trip, which was originally scheduled to take place in May, follows a recent wave of developments in the Middle East that strongly imply preparations for a possible new military conflict in the region.

Israel has allegedly increased the scope of its undercover operations in the region, particularly against Lebanon, Iran, Syria and the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas.

The extent of this could be seen in recent remarks by Israeli cabinet minister Yossi Peled, in which the former army general explicitly said that another confrontation with Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah was almost inevitable.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri responded to the claims on Thursday, saying that Israel's threats against Hezbollah are perceived as threats against Lebanon.

"We consider the Israeli threats on Lebanon to be a threat to the Lebanese government as a whole, rather than to one particular person," said Hariri during a joint news conference with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Hamas officials say they have concrete evidence that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, staged the recent assassination of a senior Hamas commander, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in Dubai on January 20.

Their claims have been somewhat supported by Dubai Police Chief Dhahi Khalfan.

"It could be Mossad," AFP quoted police Chief Dhahi Khalfan as saying on Sunday.

To add to the controversy, sources in Turkey's ruling party told Russia's Mignews on Saturday that Israeli spy agents ran an advanced electronic monitoring station from the Ankara military headquarters to keep tabs on communication networks in Iran and Syria.

According to the sources who were speaking on condition of anonymity, the Signals Intelligence station was solely managed by Israeli intelligence personnel and had become off-limits for members of the Turkish government.

For years Israeli politicians have masterminded a wave of undercover operations and terror plots in numerous countries, including Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Switzerland, and the US.

However, much of Israel's espionage operations have lately been focused on the Tehran government, largely because of Iran's uranium enrichment activities, which Tel Aviv has been seeking to portray as a mortal threat.

Tel Aviv, which is reported to have an arsenal of 200 nuclear warheads itself, accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons and routinely threatens to reduce the country's enrichment sites to rubble.

This is while Iran, unlike Israel, is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has opened its enrichment facilities to UN inspection.

On Saturday, US presidential aid James Jones rejected prospects of an Israeli attack against Iran.

Although US officials normally deny having any plans to stage new war in the region, there have recently been strong hints to the contrary.

The New York Times reported Saturday that Washington will further increase its military presence in the Persian Gulf — allegedly to soup up its defense against possible Iranian missile attacks.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has approved the deployment of new combat equipments, including advanced missile systems and special warships, to the region.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117579§ionid=351020202.

Turkey's IHH Prepares To Break Gaza Siege With 20 Aid Ships

ANKARA, Feb 18 (Bernama)-- Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and the United Kingdom's Free Gaza Movement are preparing to send 20 ships in April to the Gaza strip through the Mediterranean Sea as part of a large aid campaign, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported, citing the Turkish media.

Along with Free Gaza Movement in the UK and IHH in Turkey, organizations from the United States, France, Germany, Italy and Malaysia are expected to join the campaign bys sending boats, the Turkish media reported.

The campaign that is expected to start on April 20 is named "last port is freedom".

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=476370.

Dubai police chief wants Mossad head arrested

The Dubai police chief wants the head of Mossad arrested if it's proven that the Israeli intelligence agency was behind the assassination of the senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

Interpol should issue a Red Notice for Meir Dagan if Mossad is proven to be behind the murder of Mabhuh, Dahi Khalfan Tamim said on Thursday.

According to Tamim, investigations have revealed that the Israeli spy agency Mossad was behind the murder of Mabhouh.

“It is 99 percent, if not 100 percent certain that Mossad is behind the murder," he told the UAE newspaper The National.

Tamim further pointed out that Dubai police can prove the European passports used by the suspected assassins were genuine.

Mabhouh, a senior commander in the armed wing of the Islamic movement, was killed in his hotel room on January 19 in Dubai by a hit squad of at least 11 people carrying forged European passports, according to the Dubai police.

Dubai police said the 11 suspects had European passports: one French, three Irish, six British, and one German. A French national, identified as Peter Elvinger allegedly acted as the logistical mastermind in the Dubai hit.

Interpol issued arrest warrants on Thursday for 11 suspects accused of killing the senior Hamas official in Dubai last month.

Dubai police are still searching for six more people who are believed to be part of the hit-squad.

The British, French, German and Irish governments have summoned Israel's ambassadors in relation to the alleged use of fake passports by the assassins.

Meanwhile, Britain has urged Israel to fully cooperate in the investigation. Germany has also demanded an explanation from Israel over the assassination.

Hamas political Bureau said Thursday that the Islamic Hamas movement has set up a committee to investigate the assassination of Mabhouh by Israel.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118973§ionid=351020205.

Hamas to give response to Mabhouh assassination

Hamas has said it will give a response to the assassination of its senior official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh widely believed at the hands of an Israeli hit-squad.

Hamas has set up a committee in order to investigate the assassination of al-Mabhouh by Israel, according to the member of Hamas political Bureau, Ezzat al-Rashq.

The Hamas member further expressed hope that the movement and the UAE would cooperate to bring the criminals to justice.

The European countries whose passports were used by the assassins should be held accountable, he also noted.

Mabhouh, a senior commander in the armed wing of the Islamic movement, was killed in his hotel room on January 19 in Dubai by a hit squad of at least 11 people carrying forged European passports, according to the Dubai police.

On Thursday, Interpol issued arrest warrants for the 11 suspects, 10 men and a woman, after Dubai Police Chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim called on Interpol to issue "a red notice against the head of Mossad… as a killer in case Mossad is proved to be behind the crime, which is likely now."

Tamim further said that investigations have revealed that the Israeli spy agency Mossad was behind the murder of Mabhouh.

“It is 99 percent, if not 100 percent certain that Mossad is behind the murder," he told the UAE newspaper The National.

According to Dubai police, the 11 suspects had European passports: one French, three Irish, six British, and one German. A French national, identified as Peter Elvinger allegedly acted as the logistical mastermind in the Dubai hit.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118972§ionid=351020202.