1 August 2008

What do we make of this? ...

Anthrax scientist commits suicide as FBI closes in
Lara Jakes Jordan and David Dishneau, Associated Press, Yahoo News

'WASHINGTON — A top U.S. biodefense researcher apparently committed suicide just as the Justice Department was about to file criminal charges against him in the anthrax mailings that traumatized the nation in the weeks following Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to a published report.

'The scientist, Bruce E. Ivins, 62, who worked for the past 18 years at the government's biodefense labs at Fort Detrick, Md. [Maryland], had been told abut the impending prosecution, the Los Angeles Times reported for Friday [today]. The laboratory has been at the center of the FBI's investigation of the anthrax attacks, which killed five people. ...

'Just last month, the government exonerated another scientist at the Fort Detrick lab, Steven Hatfill [link], who had been identified by the FBI [by then attorney general John Ashcroft] as a "person of interest" in the anthrax attacks. ...

'In the months following the anthrax mailings, Ivins conducted unauthorized testing for anthrax spore outside containment areas at USAMRIID — the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick — and found some, according to an internal report by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, which oversees the lab.

'In December 2001, after conducting tests triggered by a technician's fears that she had been exposed, Ivins found evidence of anthrax and decontaminated the woman's desk, computer, keypad and monitor, but didn't notify his superiors, according to the report.

'The report says Ivins performed more unauthorized sampling on April 15, 2002, and found anthrax spores in his office, in a passbox used for moving materials in and out of labs, and in a room where male workers changed from civilian clothing into laboratory garb.

'Ivins told Army investigators he conducted unauthorized tests because he was worried that the powdered anthrax in letters that had been sent to USAMRIID for analysis might not have been adequately contained. ...'

No details in this article of how Ivins was alleged to have carried out anthrax attacks.

10 August 08

This UK Mail report needs cross-checking ...

'MAIL ON SUNDAY[:] The war in Georgia escalated dangerously after Russian jets reportedly bombed a vital pipeline that supplies oil to the west.'

(ITV Teletext, reviews of British papers)

This may refer to the "Caspian oil pipeline" that crosses the Transcaucasian states and Turkey to the Mediterranean. The report could be a propaganda ploy to inflame tensions between Russia and the West. I haven't yet cross-checked it.

A BP spokesman said the company was not aware of the alleged bombing, and "I think we probably would be" if the report were true. The report came from Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze (who nevertheless said the bombing had done no damage).

The BP spokesman said the pipeline had been out of action since Wednesday (6 Aug. 08) due to a fire caused by an explosion in eastern Turkey, for which Kurdish separatists claimed responsibility.

(Agence France Presse (as hosted by Google ), BP unaware of pipeline bombing in Georgia [9 Aug. 08]

The Georgian PM's claim may well have been a ploy to strengthen US (oil-thirsting) support for the Georgian regime.

'PALESTINIAN "NATIONAL POET" DIES

'Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish has died after surgery at the age of 67, hospital and Palestinian officials say.

"He suffered complications after undergoing surgery in Houston, Texas, said a spokesman.

"Mr Darwish was the most recognised Palestinian poet in the world, using his words to try to draw attention to the Palestinian cause.

"He also delivered harsh criticism of the infighting by Palestinian factions."

(BBC Ceefax, 10 August 08)

A few years ago Palestinian leader Arafat died in France after becoming ill and flying to France for medical treatment. Some believe he had been poisoned.

Perhaps George Bush's home territory was not the best place for a leading proponent of the Palestinian cause to undergo surgery - !

15 August 08

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — "the world's most powerful woman" — is in Tbilisi for talks with Georgian president Mikhael Shakashvili. Russian troops have recently stopped their advance in Georgia.

Rice reportedly wants Shakashvili to accept a French-sponsored "compromise" peace deal, in which Russian forces will stay as "peacekeepers" in breakaway regions Abkhazia and southern Ossetia, but will leave the rest of Georgia.

16 August 08

Russia has reportedly threatened a nuclear strike against Poland if it accepts a US anti-missile shield on its territory.

Such reporting, as headlined in the UK's right-wing Telegraph and right-rag Sun (as summarized in the BBC Ceefax and ITV Teletext papers reviews), is somethng else I need to look more deeply into.

18 August 08

Pakistan's President Musharraf has resigned and will be impeached for gross misconduct.

26 August 08

"HERALD[:] Iraq's PM said agreement had been reached with the US to withdraw all American troops by 2011."

(ITV Teletext, p.321, reviews of British papers)

I'll believe it when I see it. And where will the troops go to ...?

'GUARDIAN[:] a Whitehall counter-terrorism unit is targeting the media in a global propaganda push designed to "taint the al-Qaeda brand", says a secret paper.'

(Ibid)

'The Guardian looks at the work of a government office which it claims is trying to promote the global message that al-Qaeda is a spent force.

"It says the unit asks volunteers to spread what the paper calls "propaganda" through internet forums, and tries to get it into the UK media.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.148, reviews of UK papers)

Petro-imperialism's propaganda front a "spent force"? That sounds like propaganda (Inadvertently?) spread by the Guardian. But ...

Are the flunkies of (?)moribund petro-imperialism now attempting to pave the way for the "disappearance" of this "false flag"?

The UN says it has found convincing evidence that a US airstrike (in eastern Afghanistan last Friday, 22 Aug. 08) killed 90 civilians.

(British Channel 4 News at 7pm)

28 August 08

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband says Britain does not want to launch an all-out war with Russia, after Russia recognized (the independence of) the two breakaway regions of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

(ITV Teletext, p.305/1)

'The foreign secretary has said Russia's invasion of Georgia makes "a clear end to the relative calm" in Europe since the Soviet Union's collapse.

"David Miliband told the BBC there was no western "plot" to "encircle" Russia and said there was "no question of launching an all-out war". ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 28 Aug. 08, p.106)

The BBC's quotations make Miliband's utterances look less — I emphasize less — lunatic than ITV Teletext's take.

Pentagon computer-hacker Gary McKinnon is said to be "distraught" after learning he will finally be extradited to the US. He has admitted that, about 6 years ago (2001?), he hacked into the US military's computers, but says he was looking for evidence of UFOs.

29 August 08

'"PM TERROR THREAT" THREE IN COURT

'Three men questioned over a threat to assassinate [UK] PM Gordon Brown are due to appear in court later [today, presum.] charged with terror offences.

'Ishaq Kanmi, 22, is accused of soliciting murder and of belonging or professing to belong [my emphasis; a glimmer of reality here] to al-Qaeda.

'Abbas Iqbal, 23, and Ilyas Iqbal, 21, each face charges of possessing terrorist material.

'The men, all from Blackburn, are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.114)

30 August 08

'MAIL[:] [In the UK, local] Councils are recruiting "citizen snoopers" to report litter louts, dog foulers and even people who fail to sort out their rubbish properly.'

(ITV Teletext, p.321, reviews of British papers)

31 August 08

'FIRE WRECKS MOSQUE PLAN CHURCH

'A Lincoln church which was going to be turned into a mosque has been severely damaged by fire.

'Crews from across the county tackled the blaze at St Matthews, on Boultham Park Road, in the early hours.

'The timber and corrugated iron building, which dates from 1912, has been severely damaged and nearby houses had to be evacuated.

'Police and fire officers are looking into the cause. Permission to convert the church was given last month.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.141/4)

British PM Gordon Brown says Russia must not threaten oil and gas supplies to Europe (over Georgia).