61 People Died When Two Trains Crashed in India
CALCUTTA, INDIA – An extremely fast express train hit another stationary public train in Calcutta, India earlier today, instantly killing 61 passengers in the crash. The collision was so powerful that it sent one of the train’s roof flying on top of an overpass. Officials investigating the accident states that they are considering sabotage in the incident.The residents in the nearby area struggled, and went over the crash site trying to free all the passengers who have survived, even before the rescue team of the country arrived together with their heavy equipments to cut the metal body of the trains.
Mamata Banerjee, the Railway Minister rushed into the accident site and has stated that there is a high possibility of sabotage in the event. It can be recalled two months before this incident that Maoist rebels were accused of derailing the same line which cost 145 lives. Officials say that they have doubts in their mind about whether the event that took place was really an accident. The accident happened early this morning (2 a.m.) when the train Uttarbanga Express hit the stationary train Vanachal Express when it departed the station at Sainthia which is about 200 kilometers (125 miles) of northern Calcutta.
The incident destroyed two of the passenger cars and also the luggage car which turned into something like a twisted metal. The impact of the collision was so strong that it made the roof of one train fly and land on the overpass on top of the tracks.It has been noted that the railways in India are very susceptible to accidents because of the country’s poor maintenance on these tracks.
Deaths in Iraq Now at 43 Due to Suicide Bombing
BAGHDAD – Officials of Iraq recently stated that the number of deaths due to the suicide bombing incident is now up to 43. Reports say that the suicide bomber sacrificed his life to blow up the security personnel near the southwest district of Baghdad last Sunday morning. The incident happened in Radwaniya, killing most of the security forces of the anti-Al-Qaida group known as the Sons of Iraq or the Sahwa who were in line to get their paychecks.
This incident has led the officials of the Yarmouk hospital to speak with the condition that their identities kept anonymous because of their lack of authority to speak to the people of the press. Back in 2006, the Sahwa fighters broke ties with their former allies the Al-Qaida and have joined the United States and the government of Iraq to fight against these terrorists. Since then, the Sahwa fighters became the key element to the lessening of terror and violence in the country.In earlier news, it was stated that 11 were killed in the bombing, and 9 of them are Sahwa fighters while the two were Iraqi soldiers based on the statement of an official of the Yarmouk hospital in Baghdad.
This has been the worst incident that has happened in two years since the violence in Iraq has significantly dropped due to the alliance of the Sahwa fighters with the Iraqi soldiers and the United States. But despite the decrease in violence, the Sahwa fighters and the Iraqi soldiers have always been the target of terrorism and surprise attacks from the Al-Qaida.
Drug Gang Steps Up Hostilities
Drug Gang Steps Up HostilitiesThe drug war in Mexico took a new twist yesterday. Members of the La Linea drug gang blew up a car bomb in Ciudad Juarez, in what is seen as retaliation to the steps that police have taken to shut them down.The planning that went in was more elaborate than simply exploding the bomb. An unnamed wounded man was used a decoy and dressed up in a police officer’s uniform. The gang then called in a false report about an officer being shot and detonated the bomb when a help arrived.
The 22 pound explosive instantly killed the decoy, a police officer and a rescue worker who responded to the call. Police suspect that a cell phone could have been used to detonate the device, as charred batteries connected to a cell phone were recovered from the scene.The attack is seen as retaliation for the arrest of one the gang leaders, Jesus Acosta Guerrero, which occurred earlier that day. Guerrero was in charge of operations and is suspected of being involved in more than 25 murders and attacks on police officers.
In the last 4 years, over 25,000 people have died in the drug wars.Local residents of Ciudad Juarez were traumatized by the incident and are extremely apprehensive of events which could unfold in the days ahead. Their fears are well founded as the gang promised more violence by painting graffiti on wall of a prominent mall which read “What happened is going to keep happening against all the authorities, we have more car bombs.”.
More al-Qaida Arrests
Three men were arrested in Norway in connection with a planned terrorist attack. The three men were suspected members of al-Qaida and therefore had been under surveillance for almost a year. Officials claim that the unnamed men were planning an attack with powerful portable bombs. Similar bombs were used in the failed suicide attack last year on the New York Subway system.
The man who planned that attack is also said to be behind the Norway plan as well. Salah al-Somali was al-Qaida’s chief of external operations, a title which meant that he was in charge of planning attacks worldwide. Al-Somali perished last year, thanks to an airstrike by a CIA drone. So far police have not been able identify the intended targets of the Norwegian bombers. They only know that the three men were engaged in making Peroxide bombs. The same bombs were also used in the New York attack.
Al-Qaida’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri, has put Norway on the list of counties to be attacked. But so far no clear reason has emerged for Norway to be a target for al-Qaida. A terrorism expert from the Swedish Defense Research Agency, Magnus Norell, stated that the presence of Norwegian troops in Afghanistan could be one of the reasons. He also said that the controversy caused by a Danish newspaper in 2006 could be another reason. In that incident 12 cartoons were published depicting the Prophet Muhammed in ways that were offensive to the Islamic world. The cartoons were also reproduced in Norwegian newspapers.
Friendly Fire Adds to Losses in Afghanistan
The Afghan war has thus far claimed thousands of lives and the latest avoidable event has only added to the death toll. Five Afghan soldiers were killed yesterday, not by terrorists, but by NATO forces.
It was a case of mistaken identity, but it remains an incident which is embarrassing and tragic. Afghan troops were on the verge of launching an ambush on a group of insurgents, when they were fired upon. NATO aircraft took out five of the soldiers and injured two, in an attack that came without any warning. The friendly fire incident is certainly not the first of its kind, but hopefully will be the last. No details have been revealed as to why the airstrike was launched; instead the incident has been labeled a “Co-ordination issue” and left at that.
Co-ordination is a key word these days in the Afghan war. NATO forces are in the process of handing over more and more responsibility to Afghan security forces, which makes understanding and co-ordination vital for the continued success of all operations. As part of the Counterinsurgency Strategy, NATO wants to limit Afghan casualties to a minimum and hand over control of reclaimed areas to local security forces. However, yesterday’s attack has done nothing to help that plan.
The five Afghan troop deaths come on the back of NATO’s worst ever month since the war began. 103 troops lost their lives last month and 60 of them were U.S. soldiers.
Death Toll Mounts in Bangladesh
A transformer explosion in Najirabazar, Old Dhaka started a domino effect which ended in the deaths of 116 people. Over 100 people were also injured in what is being called the worst fire in recent Bangladeshi history.
The cause for the explosion has been traced back to the rainstorm that hit the city on Thursday night. The explosion triggered a fire in a nearby shop which stored flammable chemicals. The flames rapidly spread from there to more than six apartment buildings as well to almost 15 shops. Several of those shops are said to have been storage areas for old newspapers that were being sold for scrap. The blaze spread so rapidly and intensely that those living in that are found escape almost impossible. The problem was further compounded by the area being plunged into darkness due to the transformer explosion.
Firefighters could not get to the scene in time, as the roads in and around the area are extremely small. Because of this the fire trucks could not be brought close to the site. Further complications arose when the firemen could not find any viable water sources nearby to help them in their efforts to contain the blaze.
The Dhaka Medical College Hospital also found it difficult to handle the volume of patients being brought in. According to Shamanta Lal Sen, the Burn Unit chief, this was the worst disaster he had witnessed in his 40 year career.
The death toll could rise as more bodies are unearthed from the rubble.
Postal Worker Goes on a Rampage
A postal worker went on a shooting spree in China killing three people before he shot himself. The man had forced himself into a court office and proceeded to shoot and kill three judges as well as wounding three others.
The killer was identified as 46 year old Zhu Jun, who function as the head of security at a post office in the Lingling district. On the day of the shooting, he had informed a co-worker that was taking some firearms (an automatic and two pistols) to be inspected by City authorities. He then proceeded to the District People’s court where he carried out the heinous act.
According to a Communist Party propaganda department spokesman, the case under discussion by the judges had no connection to the shooter. The only theory that has emerged is that this revenge on court officials for an unfavorable ruling he received three years ago. Apparently Zhu Jun was not satisfied with the way the courts settled the property division in his divorce. The three Judges who were murdered were not connected to that case in any way, making this incident even more unfortunate.
Although privately owning a gun is not allowed in China, violent crimes have been on the rise in recent years. This has been mostly attributed to a slackening in social controls. Over the last few months schoolchildren have been the focus of attacks and stabbings, mainly by middle aged men. Women are not exempt to the madness either. On Monday, a 40 year old woman stabbed several passengers on an overnight train that was headed to the Hebei province.
The war in Jamaica?
Of all the places in the world, Jamaica would be the least likely choice on anyone’s list to have civil unrest. Yet, the announcement made by Prime Minister Bruce Golding earlier this week has led to just that.
Golding’s announcement that he would support the extradition of drug lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke, has turned the capital city of Kingston into a warzone. Supporters of the drug lord are running amok, refusing to let the authorities anywhere near him. Already one police station has been set on fire and another two have been fired upon. Barricades have also been put up by the supporters and they have vowed to protect Coke at any cost.
As a result, parts of Kingston city have been placed under a state of emergency. This has allowed police and troops to move in and conduct searches without a warrant. The restriction of movement in those areas has also helped authorities bring some semblance of control to the once peaceful city.
There are two main reasons for this revolt to take place. One is that, Coke is seen by many residents as being a benefactor; he is often known to donate money to families to help their children. The other is the about face of Golding this week. For nine months now, Golding has resisted all moves to extradite Coke out of the country. But with public discontent and accusation of connections with the drug lord growing, the Prime Minister made a U-turn and decided to give up on Coke. He has since apologized to the public and admitted that he could have handled the issue better.
Police are yet to penetrate the barriers around Coke’s area and make the arrest.
Deadly Blast in Pakistan
The death toll stood at 12 after a roadside bomb exploded in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday. The bomb was believed to have targeted a police patrol. A senior police officer, his guard and his driver were among the dead. Two schoolchildren were also among the eight civilians who died in the blast. The death toll could rise as fifteen people were wounded as well.
The bomb exploded in an area known as Dera Ismail Khan. This is a region that thousands of people have fled to in recent months, in the face of the ground that offensive the government launched against the Taliban. The offensive, one of the biggest in recent years, launched in mid-October targeting a Taliban’s stronghold located in the South Waziristan region.
Along with the civilians, many terrorists have also made the long trek to Dera Ismail Khan and set up camp there.
The terrorists have been making sporadic attacks in many areas of the northwest and the military has been trying to counter them as best as possible. An operation in mid-March is estimated to have killed hundreds or terrorists. However, that has not stopped the attacks from continuing. The military seems to be reluctant to do a big push in the North Waziristan region for some reason. The U.S. has been pressuring Pakistan to take control of the area. North Waziristan is in close proximity to Afghanistan and is used by Al-Qaida as well the Taliban as a base to instigate strikes on U.S. and Nato troops.
Times Square Scare
Thousands of people were spared their lives due to the alertness of two individuals on Saturday. Rallis Gialaboukis and Duane Jackson, both street vendors, noticed a suspicious looking Pathfinder parked in Times Square.
The duo alerted a mounted police officer moments before the detonation process started on the bomb. The bomb was constructed of fireworks, 10 gallons of gasoline in two containers and three propane tanks. The detonator was crudely constructed using two battery operated clocks, wires and other parts. Fortunately for everyone the deadly device failed to explode properly and it appears that only the fireworks ignited.
The streets were cleared for over 10 hours as police worked to disarm the bomb. A police robot was used to remove the dangerous components. No one has been arrested so far in connection with the incident. The Connecticut license plates on the vehicle didn’t lead to any arrests either, as they didn’t match up. When questioned by the police, the owner of the car said that he had sent the plates to a junkyard.
The incident is being treated like a terrorist attack, according to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. However, no motive has been identified so far nor has any organization or individual come forward to claim responsibility. The components used appear to point the finger at Islamic terrorists, as they have been known to use propane and other compressed gasses to boost the power of bombs. So far, forensic tests on the vehicle have yielded a few fingerprints but police are not revealing anything further yet.