MIDDLE EAST RELATED NEWS REPORTS

Explosive Vest Discovered In Mosque

February 7, 2003 - Thrusday night a vest full of explosives was found in a mosque in the Israeli-Arab city of Taibe. This vest was to be used for a suicide bombing terror attack. Two Islamic Jihad terrorists were caught on their way to perform the homicide. The device was found in a bathroom of the mosque where over 1,500 people gather for Friday night services. Local officals took several hours to safetly remove the pack and denote it outside without incident.

A Spokesman from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Office said that concealing bombs in a Mosque is an "extremely grave development" and that this shows "the extraordinary lengths the Palestinian terrorists are ready to go to in order to kill as many Israelis whenever and wherever possible."


Al-Queda Member Sentenced In Gaza

February 6, 2003 - An Israeli military court in Gaza has sentenced Nabil Muhammad Abu Okal, a Hamas terrorist who trained in an Al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan, to 27 years in prison. His crime: laying the groundwork enabling terrorists to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel. Okal dispatched many Arabs of the PA to carry out terror attacks in Israel, and even recruited Israeli Arabs for the same purpose. He received thousands of dollars for his terrorist activities from Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Hamas' spiritual leader.

He was sent on his mission by Al Qaeda in June 2000, with the aim of setting up an Al Qaeda network in the Palestinian Authority.


French Anti-Semitism On The Rise

February 6, 2003 - French Education Minister Luc Ferry, a former professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne, is concerned about the increasing manifestations of anti-Semitism in French schools. Ferry told his Cabinet colleagues yesterday that strong action must be taken, and an information campaign must be initiated, especially in universities. Ferry also condemned the decision by the reknowned French University Paris VI to stop all collaboration with Israeli universities and its request of the European Union to do the same. Minister Ferry also told Le Monde that there are "three types of anti-Semitism in France today: traditional anti-Semitism, Hitlerian anti-Semitism, and that which is connected to the Middle East conflict."


Cleric Claims Allah Killed The Columbia's Crew

February 5, 2003 - An Islamic Cleric in London England gloated over the shuttle disaster and rejoiced in the deaths of the seven astronauts who he called "thugs in space who deserved to die." The Muslim leader said that Allah, the Islamic god, punished the "trinity of evil" referring to the shuttle crew made up of Americans, an Indian born Hindu, and a Jewish Israeli. The Cleric called the astronauts "criminals" claiming their mission was to boost military satellite technology so that America and Israel could dominate the world. The Muslim leader said that it was a sign from Allah that the shuttle debris rained down on a Texas town named Palestine.


U.S. And Israel To Discuss Weapons Of Mass Destruction

February 4, 2003 - United States Under-Secretary of State John Bolton is in Jerusalem to discuss with top Israeli officials the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Libya as well as to brief Israelis on North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs. Bolton, the State Department's man on arms control and international security will also discuss with Israel it's assertion that Damascus is hiding weapons of mass destruction transported transported there from Iraq. The Under Secretary of State said that much of the discussion will focus on how to deal with weapons of mass destruction in the region after Saddam Hussein. Israeli officials feel that either Iran of Libya could be the first to use weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, even before Iraq.


European Leaders Oppose Action Against Iraq

February 3, 2003 - Although Great Britain seems to be in lockstep with America on how to deal with Iraq and Saddam Hussein, other European nations are telling the United States that this is not the time to invade Iraq. France and Germany are leading the opposition to any military action against Iraq until the weapons inspectors have more time to look for Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. At the present time, Greece holds the Presidency of the European Union and Greek Foreign Minister G.Papandreou is on a Middle East trip to try and avert any war in the region. Meanwhile, Iraq continues to claim that they have no weapons of mass destruction.

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