US Air Force image of a Predator drone Photo: REUTERS Terror Watchdog Warns Of Wave Of Compensation Claims Over Drone Strikes — The Telegraph Britain is facing a wave of compensation claims for allegedly helping the US target drones strikes abroad, the terror watchdog warned yesterday. David Anderson QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said there are already signs of a stream of civil cases surrounding potential complicity in the targeting of terror suspects in countries such as Pakistan. The Foreign Office is already facing legal action over the alleged involvement of UK intelligence agencies in helping identify drone targets. Read more …. Update : Drone strikes: activists seek to lift lid on open secret of targeted killings — The Guardian My Comment : I doubt that that these activists and lawyers will succeed in the U.S. …. as for Britain …. the system there is very different and anything is possible.
Two photos put out today, both allegedly depicting damage in Gaza from yesterday’s Israeli air strikes–one of them retweeted over 300 times on Twitter–were proven false. 1 . A photo put out by the tweeter Nablussi
ACLU Sues To Force Release Of Drone Attack Records — Washington Post The American Civil Liberties Union asked a federal court Wednesday to force the Obama administration to release legal and intelligence records related to the killing of three U.S. citizens in drone attacks in Yemen last year. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charged the Justice and Defense departments and the CIA with illegally failing to respond to requests made in October under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It cited public comments made by President Obama, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and other officials in arguing that the government cannot credibly claim a secrecy defense. Read more …. More News On The ACLU Seeking Release Of Records On America’s Drone War Program ACLU Sues U.S. for Information on Targeted Killing Program — ACLU ACLU sues Obama administration to release records on drone strikes — The Hill US rights group sues for drone strike information — AFP Rights group sues U.S. for ‘targeted killing’ memos — Reuters ACLU Seeks White House Docs Justifying Awlaki Drone Strikes — FDL ACLU sues Obama administration over assassination secrecy — Salon
Bin Laden ‘Informer’ Shikal Afridi. Al Arabya News Panetta Concerned About Doctor Who Helped In Bin Laden Raid — CNN Washington (CNN) — U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is acknowledging publicly the key role a Pakistani doctor who assisted the United States ahead of the strike on Osama bin Laden’s compound last May that killed the terrorism mastermind. The doctor who provided key information ought to be released, Panetta told CBS’s “60 Minutes” in a segment set to air Sunday. “I’m very concerned about what the Pakistanis did with this individual,” Panetta told CBS. “This was an individual who in fact helped provide intelligence that was very helpful with regards to this operation. And he was not in any way treasonous towards Pakistan.” Read more …. More News On Bin Laden ‘Informer’ Shikal Afridi Leon Panetta concern over Bin Laden ‘informer’ Shikal Afridi — BBC US Defense Chief Concerned About Pakistan’s Treatment of Doctor — Voice of America Panetta: Pakistan doctor gave US key bin Laden intel — MSNBC U.S. concerned as Osama bin Laden informant faces treason charges — Digital Journal Pakistani medic assists U.S. bin Laden capture. A treasonous crime? — Al Arabya News Shakil Afridi, Pakistani Doctor, Provided Key Information To U.S. In Advance Of Bin Laden Raid: Defense Secretary — Huffington Post My Comment: Bin Laden’s allies or sympathizers would ill this doctor immediately if they had the chance. Pakistan’s treatment of this hero is contemptible, and kudos to Panetta for making his concerns public.
A street in Sadr City was strewn with debris after a bomb attack on Tuesday. Kareem Raheem/Reuters Spate Of Attacks Leave At Least 15 Dead In Baghdad — Washington Post BAGHDAD — Violence erupted in and around Baghdad on Tuesday, as a series of bombs detonated in Shiite areas over a 30-minute stretch and gunmen stormed a police captain’s house, killing him, his wife and three children, according to security officials. Insurgents also opened fire at police station in the heavily Sunni province of Anbar, to the west of the Iraqi capital. At least 15 people were killed and 79 injured in the attacks, security officials said. Read more …. More News On Today’s Bomb Attacks In Baghdad Baghdad hit by wave of deadly car bombings — CBS/AP Car bombs kill 14, wound 75 in Iraq capital — Reuters Iraq unrest: Car bombs rock Baghdad Shia districts — BBC Car bombs targeted at Shi’ites kills 13, wounds 75 in Baghdad — National Post/Reuters Shi’ites killed in Baghdad bomb blasts — Euronews Deadly Explosions Rattle Baghdad — New York Times 9 dead, 72 wounded after bombings in Iraq, police say — CNN