From LegitGov.org.
Iraq dossier drawn up to make case for war—intelligence officer
—Newly released evidence to Chilcot inquiry directly contradicts Blair government’s claims about dossier
May 12, 2011—A top military intelligence official has said the discredited dossier on Iraq’s weapons program was drawn up “to make the case for war,” flatly contradicting persistent claims to the contrary by the Blair government, and in particular by Alastair Campbell, the former prime minister’s chief spin doctor. In hitherto secret evidence to the Chilcot inquiry, Major General Michael Laurie said: “We knew at the time that the purpose of the dossier was precisely to make a case for war, rather than setting out the available intelligence, and that to make the best out of sparse and inconclusive intelligence the wording was developed with care.”
7/7 bombers ’were innocent patsies’
May 10, 2011—A man sent a DVD to bereaved families from the July 7 attacks claiming the four London suicide bombers were “innocent patsies,” a court has been told. One of the packages included a letter to John Hyman telling him his daughter Miriam did not die in the Tavistock Square bus blast but was murdered by the security services at Canary Wharf in London, Southwark Crown Court was told. Annabel Darlow, prosecuting, told the jury: “The video which you will watch as part of the evidence in this case was one which stated that the bombings which took place in London on July 7 2005 were in fact the product of a government conspiracy.”
Fukushima reactor has a hole, leading to leakage
—Water leaking from No. 1 reactor, complicating shutdown —Uncertain where radioactive water leaking-utility
—Melted, collapsed fuel being cooled by water pumps
May 12, 2011—One of the reactors at Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant has a hole in its main vessel following a meltdown of fuel rods, leading to a leakage of radioactive water, its operator said on Thursday. The disclosure by Tokyo Electric Power Co is the latest indication that the disaster was worse than previously disclosed, making it more difficult to stabilize the plant. The battle to bring Fukushima under control has been complicated by repeated leaks of radioactive water, threatening both the Pacific Ocean and nearby groundwater.
Exxon Mobil trolling for more oil: “Libya rebels” seek funds in White House meeting
May 12, 2011—“Libyan rebels” will meet senior White House officials in Washington Friday, seeking both cash and diplomatic legitimacy in their war to topple Muammar Gaddafi. The head of the rebel National Transitional Council’s executive bureau, Mahmoud Jebril, will meet President Barack Obama’s national security adviser, Tom Donilon, and other senior officials, the White House said in a statement. Jebril, a U.S.-educated technocrat [LOL] who has become the public face of the rebel council, made a plea for Washington to free some $180 million in frozen Gaddafi funds to fund the rebels fighting to end his rule.
Exxon Mobil CEO Says Big Oil Needs $21 Billion in U.S. Aid
[Gee, wasn’t it enough that they directed the Bush regime to invade and occupy Iraq and kill a million-plus civilians?]
May 12, 2011—Exxon Mobil Corp. Chief Executive Officer [and chairman] Rex W. Tillerson led oil industry executives in defending $21 billion in U.S. tax breaks that Democrats say should be eliminated to help reduce the federal deficit. Executives from Exxon, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips and BP Plc said production costs may rise and gasoline prices increase if Democrats succeed in stripping the benefits. The plan is “counterproductive,” Tillerson told the Senate Finance Committee at a hearing today in Washington.
WikiLeaks: grand jury hearing opens in U.S.
—Journalists not allowed to attend grand jury hearings
May 12, 2011—The FBI has ordered a resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts to testify at a grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange, who faces the possibility of being charged with espionage in the United States. The jury, which will decide if an indictment is brought, met in secret in Alexandria, Virginia. The subpoena, which was leaked to the news website Salon.com, indicated that the Department of Justice is seriously examining possible violations of the draconian 1917 Espionage Act.
Afghan officer shoots dead US soldier
May 12, 2011—An Afghan policeman has shot dead an American soldier and wounded three others in the southern province of Helmand. A member of the Afghan national police opened fire on the Americans on Thursday during a full-scale scuffle in the provincial capital city of Lashkar Gah, located about 555 kilometers (344 miles) south of Kabul, a Press TV correspondent reported. The shooting marks the second incident of its kind in less than a month.
“U.S. training Iran separatists in Iraq”
May 12, 2011—The U.S. military forces in Iraq are actively involved in training members of an anti-Iranian secessionist terror group, Press TV has learned. The American soldiers are reportedly training the Khalq-e Arab separatists in the Taji military base in Baghdad governorate on how to carry out bombing and other terror operations, a Press TV correspondent reported. Iran has arrested five members of the terrorist group in the past month over involvement in the assassination of Iranian police forces.
GOP Sen. raps Democrats for hitting oil company CEOs
May 12, 2011—Sen. Orrin Hatch isn’t wasting words on what he thinks of harsh criticism that oil company CEOs are taking on Capitol Hill. He’s letting a portrait of a dog sitting on a pony tell part of the story. At a hearing on gas prices, the Utah Republican said that Senate Democrats are conducting a dramatic hearing to “make some political hay at the expense of our witnesses today.” The committee called the heads of the five largest oil companies to testify Thursday about proposals to repeal tax breaks for the five companies. The companies are ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Royal Dutch Shell and ConocoPhillips.
States Urge Residents to Prepare for Flood
May 12, 2011—Residents of Louisiana and Mississippi should be ready for flooding along tributaries, bayous and spillways as the swollen Mississippi River pushes record amounts of water south to the Gulf of Mexico, the states’ governors said. While Louisiana monitors the river’s volume to decide if it must take pressure off the cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Mississippi is watching water rise in the historic Delta region, considered the birthplace of the blues.
Honduran journalist critical of contractors, wealthy ranchers, killed outside his home
May 11, 2011—Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed a journalist outside his home in a city in northern Honduras, officials said Wednesday. Francisco Medina, a 35-year-old television reporter, was ambushed Tuesday night in the city of Morazan, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Honduras’ capital, said Santos Galvez, a member of Honduras’ College of Journalists press group. Galvez called Medina’s slaying work-related and said he had received death threats. In his reporting, Medina was critical of the Honduran national police and of private security firms mercenaries contracted by ranchers in the area. [Blackwater is a busy little bee!]
2 charged with terrorism in alleged NY plot
—At a roadside meeting Wednesday on Manhattan’s West Side, one of the undercover officers handed Ferhani a bag holding three handguns, three boxes of ammo and the inert grenade.
May 12, 2011—Two U.S. residents, including one who complained that the world was treating Muslims “like dogs,” bought guns and a grenade and wanted to carry out a terror plot against a New York synagogue, officials said Thursday. One of the alleged homegrown terrorists also expressed interest in bombing the Empire State Building, police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Ahmed Ferhani, a 26-year-old of Algerian descent, and Mohamed Mamdouh, a 20-year-old of Moroccan descent, plotted to bomb a “major synagogue” in Manhattan and bought several weapons and an inert hand grenade from an undercover officer, city officials said in announcing the arrests.
Israeli forces, tanks cross into Gaza
May 11, 2011—Israeli forces backed by tanks and bulldozers have crossed into the Gaza Strip, destroying Palestinian farmlands in north of the enclave. Israeli soldiers apparently entered the Palestinian territory from Karni crossing on Wednesday and advanced hundreds of meters toward the east of Gaza City. According to Press TV’s correspondent in Gaza, Israeli soldiers dug a series of holes in the area and filled them with explosives. Israeli soldiers then blew up the explosives, causing loud explosions in the area, our correspondent added.
U.S. drone strike kills 5 in Pakistan
May 12, 2011—A non-UN-sanctioned US drone strike has claimed the lives of at least five people and left four others wounded in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal area of North Waziristan, local security forces reported. The incident occurred on Thursday morning when a U.S. drone aircraft fired missiles at a vehicle in the Datta Khel area, near the border with Afghanistan, a Press TV correspondent reported.
Two NATO tankers torched in Pakistan
May 12, 2011—Unidentified gunmen in southwestern Pakistan have destroyed two NATO tankers carrying fuel for U.S.-led foreign troops in war-torn Afghanistan. The assailants opened fire at two NATO oil tankers and then set them on fire in Balochistan province of Pakistan on Wednesday morning, a Press TV correspondent reported. The NATO tankers were going to Karachi from Quetta when militants attacked and completely destroyed them near Ghanja Dori area of Mastung town.
Four explosions heard in Libyan capital
May 12, 2011—Four explosions in quick succession have rocked the Libyan capital, Tripoli, as NATO jets flew over the city, a report says. The early morning blasts came from the direction of the Bab al-Aziziya area where Gaddafi’s compound is located, AFP reported. Minutes after the last explosion, wailing ambulances were heard along with the thundering sound of military aircraft. Two plumes of white smoke could be seen rising above the city following the blasts.
Copyright 2011 Citizens For Legitimate Government
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This link roundup originally appeared at LegitGov.org.
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