Category: International

Lady’s Man: Italian Court Convicts Twenty-Three Americans in Kidnapping Case of Abu Omar

240px-Hassan_Mustafa_Osama_Nasr_CIATwenty-three suspects, including the former CIA station chief in Milan Robert Lady, were convicted of kidnapping by an Italian court for the CIA’s “extraordinary renditions.” It is the first such trial on the controversial practice.

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Saudi Court Upholds Planned Beheading and Crucifixion of Convicted Rapist

Saudi Arabia flagA Saudi court has reviewed and upheld the sentence of a 22-year-old man to be beheaded and crucified for the raping of five children. It is the latest medieval measure from the Saudi Sharia courts.
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Obama Administration Finally Investigates Torture! . . . Oh Wait, It’s In Sri Lanka

225px-official_portrait_of_barack_obamatorture -abu ghraibIt appears that there is no limit to our hypocrisy on torture. While blocking any criminal investigation or prosecution of American officials for our torture program, the Obama Administration is demanding to question the Sri Lanken Army Chief Sarath Fonseka over allegations of the torture in Sri Lanka.
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The Abused Devout Woman Defense? New York Muslim Woman Tries to Kill Husband For Forcing Her To Eat Pork and Wear Short Skirts

150px-muslim_woman_in_yemenNew York prosecutors are dealing with an attempted honor killing of a different sort. We have been following such cases on this blog, but Rabia Sarwar, 37, may be category unto herself after she allegedly slit her husband’s throat after he forced by her to eat pork, wear short skirts and drink alcohol slashed.
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Eight Years For Al-Marri: Sleeper Agent Given Low Sentence by Judge Outraged by Abuses of the United States

220px-Ali_Saleh_Kahlah_Al_MarriIn a potentially important ruling for detainees held by the United States, Illinois U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm rejected prosecution demands and sentenced Qatar native Ali al-Marri to just eight years in jail — with a possible release in less than six years. The reduction from 15 years was expressly tied to the abusive conditions and treatment of al-Marri by the United States while held as an enemy combatant in South Carolina.
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Somali Man Marries Sixth Wife — He is 112 and She is 17

180px-Father_time_7765Ahmed Muhamed Dore is 112 and has 18 children by five wives. However, this week he added a sixth wife, Safia Abdulleh, 17. The marriage was blessed under the Islamic traditions of the area. It is part of a disturbing trend of cases where young girls are married off to older men under Sharia law.

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Nanny State Bans Nannies: English Town Bars Parents and Nannies from Playgrounds

250px-Cassatt_Mary_Nurse_and_Child_1896-97We previously discussed whether England was becoming a “Nanny State.” Now, it turns out that even the nanny is not welcomed. The city fathers (and mothers) of Watford has solved the danger of strangers bothering children by banning parents from playground areas. Mayor Dorothy Thornhill observes simply, “Sadly, in today’s climate, you can’t have adults walking around unchecked in a children’s playground.”

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Woman in Australia Succeeds in Killing Two Men in the Identical Way at the Same Intersection — Seven Years Apart

base_mediaA woman in South Australia has achieved a certain infamy among drivers: she has succeeded in killing two people seven years apart in the same intersection in the same way. Michelle Thiele’s driving skills (or the lack thereof) are the subject of a rather understated response by the coroner.
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Perils of the Press VI: BBC Reporter Attacked By Thugs on Video

We have previously followed the perils of the press (here), but this videotape shows how reporters can be attacked for simply walking around with a cameraman. Paresh Patel was attacked by drunken thugs in Manchester. What is astonishing is that neither John Nugent, 22, nor David Neville McKenna, 27, will spend time in jail for the unprovoked attack.
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Church of Scientology Accused of Hampering Criminal Inquiry in Australia

488px-scientology_symbolsvgIn light of today’s conviction of the Church of Scientology in France, this story from Australia may be of interest. The Church is being accused of actively subverting an investigation into the death of Australian private Edward Alexander McBride. The Church allegedly ordered that McBride’s “auditing file” be sent to the United States before the arrival of a warrant from coroner John Lock.

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Church of Scientology and Six Leaders Found Guilty of Fraud in France

488px-scientology_symbolsvgGiven the recent refusal of a Scientology spokesman to discuss the basis of Church’s beliefs, we are unlikely to get much of a response on the conviction this week of the Church for fraud in Paris. The court convicted the Church and fined it more than 600,000 euros ($900,000). However, the court stopped short in banning the group entirely as demanded by the government.

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Snakes on a Ferry: Norwegian Man Found with Tarantula, 14 Pythons, and 10 Lizards Taped to His Body

180px-Python_molurus_molurus_2180px-Phelsuma_l._laticaudaNorwegian police had a bit of a surprise when they noticed something moving on the body of a 22-year-old man getting off a ferry. They found a tarantula in a bag during a routine stop and then in a strip search discovered 14 royal pythons and 10 albino leopard geckos taped to his body. This was without the use of baggy pants, here.
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