U.S. slams North Korea over ship sinking

Sanctions are sought against Pyongyang, which Seoul says launched a torpedo attack.

By John M. Glionna and Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times

May 20, 2010

Reporting from Seoul and Washington

Obama administration officials Thursday condemned North Korea for a torpedo attack they believe sank a South Korean naval patrol ship in March, and began a diplomatic effort through the United Nations to crack down on Pyongyang.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to signal strong U.S. support for a new round of U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea when she visits Seoul on Monday, officials said.

She also will urge support of the proposed sanctions while in China, which has more leverage over North Korea than any other country, officials said.

Officials said they were weighing new country-to-country punishments, possibly including restoring North Korea to the U.S. list of nations that sponsor terrorism. North Korea was removed from the list in 2008 after Pyongyang agreed to dismantle some of its nuclear facilities.

"We will be looking at a range of tools that will be available to us … to make clear to North Korea that these kinds of provocative actions will not be tolerated," said Philip J. Crowley, the chief State Department spokesman.

The unusually aggressive tone toward North Korea by the U.S. and other countries followed South Korea's accusation Thursday that North Korea fired the torpedo that sank the ship, killing 46 crewmen and significantly raising the security stakes on an already tense Korean peninsula.

Citing what it called overwhelming evidence, a joint civilian-military multinational team determined that fragments and markings from a torpedo found amid the wreckage of the vessel matched that of a North Korean-made weapon already in the South's possession.

The team's report concluded that "there is no other plausible explanation" than the North's involvement.

North Korea called the probe's findings a "fabrication" and warned that retaliation would lead to "all-out war."

The government said it would send its own inspection team to the South to consider the evidence, according to a statement released through the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency. It wasn't clear whether the South would allow such a trip.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has vowed to take "stern action," including severing most or all economic aid to the North. Lee called an emergency security meeting for Friday, pledging to augment naval forces and sensors along the disputed maritime boundary between North and South where the sinking occurred.

South Korea said it would also ask the U.N. Security Council to issue a strong rebuke and impose financial penalties against Pyongyang.

Although North Korea has been hit by a variety of sanctions, the South Koreans and United Nations still can take steps that will hurt, said Victor D. Cha, who served as White House advisor on North Korea to former President George W. Bush.

The United Nations can tighten financial sanctions on North Korean front companies and other organizations that will "make it harder for them to do business" abroad. Pyongyang was furious when the United States and allies froze North Korean money in foreign banks, and might react strongly to similar steps.

The North Koreans "won't like it," said Cha, who is now with Georgetown University. "The problem is, you can't not respond to what they've done, because it's such a serious provocation."

He emphasized the importance of Clinton's appeal to the Chinese, who are by far the biggest economic partner of the North. "She's really got to press the Chinese hard on this issue," he said.

At the same time, the Obama administration is also urging China to collaborate on proposed U.N. sanctions against Iran, which is an even higher priority for the United States. The U.S. may not want to press the Chinese on North Korea if it makes them less inclined to go along on Iran, analysts said.

Analysts said the growing diplomatic pressure poses a predicament for China. Yet the wide diplomatic support for South Korea has made it difficult for China not to join the collective action.

Cui Tiankai, China's vice minister of foreign affairs, on Thursday called the Cheonan sinking "unfortunate," but stopped short of backing Seoul in the dispute. He instead reiterated the need to maintain peace on the Korean peninsula.

Some U.S. analysts predicted that China would resist taking the issue to the United Nations, and that Beijing would attempt to water down any proposed action.

U.S. officials were careful to portray the anticipated moves as a collective action, with the South Koreans in the lead, rather than an American-designed plan.

"The key thing to remember here is that this was an attack on a South Korean ship. And the South Koreans need to be in the lead in terms of proposing ways forward," U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at a Pentagon news conference.

U.S. officials concur with the findings of the investigation of the incident by the South Korean government, he said.

The U.S. has sufficient forces to intervene in the Korea peninsula, if necessary, Gates said, noting that any military response would rely heavily on air and naval forces, because American ground troops are heavily engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But U.S. officials continued to play down the prospect of a military confrontation.

Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces had not changed their state of alert, despite the heightened tensions.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-korea-ship-sink-20100521,0,294430,print.story

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Guatemalan immigrant gives life to stop home invasion in Washington, D.C.

In the bitter debate over immigration reform in the United States, the everyday people who live and work at the crossroads of the issue are often overlooked or forgotten. Which is why the story of Jose Rosales, an immigrant from Guatemala, is so deserving of our attention.

Gunmen shot and killed Rosales on Monday during a home invasion attempt at the residence where he worked as a handyman in a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Washington Post reports that as two men entered the garage of the Brar family home, Rosales stood between the attackers and his employers and said: "Get away from my brother and my mom."

Rosales wrestled a weapon away from one of the attackers, and when the other turned his gun on the Brar matriarch, Rosales released the gun he had nabbed. The attackers then killed him and fled the scene.

"He is a hero," said a police officer in Fairfax County, Va. Speaking to a local newscast , a family member said: "The world needs more people like Jose Rosales."

Rosales, 39, was a devout Christian and accomplished guitar player. He sent money regularly to Guatemala to help his two sons and ailing mother, and told friends that he one day wished to return to Guatemala to build a home and resume his family's tradition of farming.

Jose Rosales, who lived in the U.S. for eight years, will now be returned to Guatemala for burial.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2010/05/guatemalan-handyman.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LaPlaza+%28La+Plaza%29

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AP-Univision Poll: Discrimination against Hispanics high

An Associated Press-Univision Poll found that 61% of people overall said Hispanics faced significant discrimination, compared with 52% who said blacks do and 50% who said women.

The survey also underscored how perceptions of prejudice can vary by ethnicity. Although 81% of Hispanics said the ethnic group confronted a lot or some discrimination, a smaller but still substantial 59% of non-Hispanics agreed.

It is not unusual for members of a group to feel they face more prejudice. In this survey, that was especially true when people were asked about “a lot” of discrimination. Fifty-five percent of Hispanics said the group faced "a lot." Only 24% of non-Hispanics were in agreement.

Attention to whether Hispanics were singled out for unfair treatment intensified after last month, when Arizona enacted a law requiring local police to ascertain the citizenship of people they suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.

President Obama called the statute “misdirected” Wednesday at a joint news conference with Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and he said the Justice Department would soon complete a review of whether the law violated civil-rights laws. But others have rallied behind the statute as a needed step with an estimated 12-million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

About 40% of the Hispanics in the survey said they had experienced much discrimination personally — including 13% who said they had dealt with it a lot.

“I was discriminated against, ‘You're just a dumb Mexican,' " said Ric J. Romero, 56, a retiree in Albuquerque, N.M., who said he traced his family's origins to Spain, not Mexico. “Yes, there is still very heavy discrimination.”

Hispanics in the poll perceived discrimination against other groups a bit more often than non-Hispanics did.

Fifty-seven percent of Hispanics and 50% of non-Hispanics said blacks were discriminated against. Fifty-eight percent of Hispanics and 48% of others said they had observed discrimination against women.

The AP-Univision Poll was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media from May 7 to 12. It involved land-line and cellphone interviews with 901 Hispanic adults and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5.3 percentage points.

EDITORIAL

North Korea: No good answers

In sinking a South Korean naval vessel -- an action to which Seoul cannot respond militarily -- North Korea has again proved how dangerous it is.

May 20, 2010

When one country fires on and sinks another country's naval vessel, it's usually regarded as an act of war. But when the attack is carried out by North Korea against South Korea, two nations bristling with weapons pointed at each other that must not be fired lest they spark a cataclysmic global conflict, the only practical response is to take extreme umbrage.

That's what Seoul did Thursday when investigators formally charged Pyongyang with the March sinking of the Cheonan, a patrol vessel that went down March 26 in the Yellow Sea, killing 46 crew members. A multinational team of experts turned up overwhelming evidence, including torpedo parts that clearly came from a North Korean model. In response, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has been trying to drum up support for tighter United Nations sanctions and is expected to sever trade and aid ties with the North.

The conundrum for Lee is that he can't respond militarily because absolutely no one wants to resume the Korean War. Meanwhile, attempts over half a century to change the behavior of North Korea's regime, involving every diplomatic carrot and stick that could be devised, have been fruitless. So what do you do when shooting back is unthinkable and diplomacy is ineffective? You call for tighter U.N. sanctions — a fairly empty gesture because China, a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, is wary of approving tough penalties lest they destabilize the North's government and create a refugee problem for Beijing.

The Obama administration, distracted by its attempts to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, seems to have largely given up on Pyongyang's. The administration's North Korea policy is mainly geared towardmaintaining the status quo. By waiting out dictator Kim Jong Il, who is thought to have health problems, Obama may be hoping that his successor will be easier to deal with. Yet ignoring Kim is no more effective than plying him with carrots and sticks; there's reason to believe the Cheonan sinking was an effort by Kim to attract attention in hopes of winning economic concessions. In the past, provocative behavior by the North has produced precisely such benefits.

With no good answers, there is at least a bad one: Giving Kim what he wants. For now, the toughest possible approach is warranted, including measures to strengthen the South's defenses against Kim's arsenal of submarines, missiles and unconventional weapons. Although it's important to continue delivering food aid to the North's starving people, the Obama administration should also consider returning North Korea to the list of state sponsors of terrorism, from which it was removed in 2008 in an effort to spur nuclear concessions. The six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program should eventually be restarted — but not now.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-korea-20100522,0,7944986,print.story

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From the New York Post

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Long arm of Allah

By ANDREA PEYSER

May 20, 2010

The mosque at Ground Zero has company.

As far from Manhattan as one can get before hitting ocean, the people who live in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, have long prided themselves on peace, quiet and exceptional pizza. But now, they've been tarred as bigots, racists and worse. And that's by their friends.

A four-story mosque and community center is planned to tower over a narrow, residential strip, just as a 13-story monstrosity is set to cast a shadow over Ground Zero. The mosque, to be planted on Voorhies Avenue, is flanked on all sides by private houses, and sits across the street from an elementary school. It is planned to serve about 1,500 Muslims.

Some neighbors are scared. Some are suspicious of the organization with which the mosque is affiliated -- the "mainstream" Muslim American Society, a group with historical ties to the radical Muslim Brotherhood.

"A lot of people are afraid," said Victor Benari, 57, a member of Bay People Inc., a grass-roots organization formed to fight the mosque.

"Please understand," he said, "we are not Islamophobes. We are not bigots! We have nothing against Muslim residents. But you know what's going on today. What happened in the World Trade Center. What happened in Times Square. A lot of people are very concerned that a radical organization may be coming into the neighborhood."

Unlike better-organized residents of lower Manhattan, who cry, "Hell no!" to the Ground Zero mosque, those who defy the one in Sheepshead Bay have been crucified in local papers for making entirely defensible statements. Such as, "Mosques and Muslim schools preach hatred."

Public officials have not responded to their cries. And so, this small corner of Brooklyn, home to families and old folks, has turned into a mini-Gaza Strip, where neighbors don't speak, and people who just want to live in peace are transformed into militants.

How did it get to this?

Last year, a house that for years was occupied by an elderly couple was purchased by laundry owner Allowey Ahmed, a native of Yemen. Neighbors said they found out about plans for the property after a construction worker spilled the beans last fall.

Ahmed, 60, said he bought the plot with an unspecified "group of people sponsoring the project," and plans to start a nonprofit organization. He said he's floored by the uproar.

"We need a place of worship," he told me. "We like to have good, neighborly relations. I am shocked that some of the neighbors are saying we're terrorists!"

Ahmed said the Muslim-American Society is independent of the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the Anti-Defamation League warns that the society was founded as an offshoot of the brotherhood. And the ADL reported that a society convention in Chicago just last year devolved into a hate rally, as religious scholars and political activists railed against Jews and called for the eradication of Israel.

"We understand their concerns," said Ahmed. "We want to be good neighbors."

As a peace gesture, calls to prayer, typically made from loudspeakers, will be done quietly "most of the time," he said, adding that classes at the community center will be open to everyone.

This has not quelled critics.

"To build it on a little residential property -- it's unheard of!" said Joan Bonfonte.

"I don't want it here. It's basically 30 feet from my bedroom window," said Alex Tenenbaum, 40.

Bay People, which estimates its members at 1,000, is taking comfort from anti-mosque protesters at Ground Zero. Members are now raising money to hire a lawyer.

Why stick a mosque in a residential neighborhood?

Why build these megastructures at all?

Good people of New York won't stand for it.

http://www.nypost.com/f/print/news/national/long_arm_of_allah_inFW0gvP3L3YHKraSORkHN

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Suspicious device at Liberty Bell Pavilion tests positive for biological agent

May 20, 2010

A field test on the suspicious device that forced the evacuation of Independence Mall in Philadelphia Thursday came back positive for biological materials, but was not radioactive or explosive, myFOXphilly.com reported.

Further testing was being conducted to determine whether the device was a threat, but the FBI said it was unlikely the powder was dangerous, WPVI reported.

FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver described the device as "some type of balloon that had a powdery substance inside of it," according to WPVI.

National Park Service rangers reported the item to police before 3:00pm local time inside the visitors' entrance to the Liberty Bell, myFOXphilly.com reported.

The Department of Homeland Security and FBI joined police and fire crews at the scene.

Police say a walkway, an indoor pedestrian hall and nearby streets have been closed off during the investigation.

A guard who had handled the balloon and a fire department official who came in contact with the item were decontaminated by the fire department hazardous materials unit as a precaution, according to WPVI.

The balloon was being prepared to be taken to a lab for further testing, and officials said the substance should be identified within the next 24 hours. Officials said the substance could be something as basic as flour.

Streets near Independence Mall were expected to be closed until approximately 6:30pm local time, WPVI reported.

http://www.nypost.com/f/print/news/national/liberty_bell_pavilion_shut_down_sExmeTRQDv6gNHVkWDlLUM

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From the New York Times

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Clinton Condemns Attack on South Korean Ship

TOKYO — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton harshly condemned North Korea on Friday for a deadly torpedo attack on a South Korean Navy warship last March, and promised to marshal an international response in the coming week with Japan, China and other countries.

“I think it is important to send a clear message to North Korea that provocative actions have consequences,” she said after meeting here with the Japanese foreign minister, Katsuya Okada. “We cannot allow this attack on South Korea to go unanswered by the international community.”

Mrs. Clinton declined to lay out the potential options for a response, saying that would be premature. But she left little doubt that the United States would undertake an intensive diplomatic effort to craft a response to the sinking of the Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors and was one of the biggest military provocations on the Korean Peninsula since the Korean War.

Among the options being considered by South Korean and American officials is a United Nations Security Council resolution, and joint naval exercises with South Korea that could include anti-submarine warfare operations. South Korea may also cut off its remaining trade with the North.

“Let me be clear: this will not, and cannot be, business as usual,” Mrs. Clinton said, speaking in solemn tones. “There must be an international, not just a regional, but an international response.”

The mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula have roiled what had been planned as three days of economic and security talks between China and the United States next week in Beijing.

Now, those discussions are likely to be dominated by how far the United States can push China to support an international move against North Korea. The Chinese government reacted to the reports of Pyongyang's involvement with extreme skepticism, angering many people in South Korea.

But Mrs. Clinton said South Korea's investigation, which was aided by the United States and other countries, was thorough, scientific, and the evidence was “overwhelming and condemning.”

Both she and Mr. Okada said the tension underlined the importance of the American-Japanese alliance, and the presence of American troops on Japanese soil. But the two governments have not yet resolved a lengthy dispute over the relocation of a Marine base on the island of Okinawa.

Negotiations were continuing, Mr. Okada said, and the Japanese government was sticking to its timetable of resolving the matter by the end of the month. Mrs. Clinton said the United States sought a solution that was “operationally viable and politically sustainable.”

On Sunday, Mrs. Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner are jointly leading a delegation which will number nearly 200 policy-makers and advisers, one of the largest groups of American officials ever to travel to a foreign capital for a single set of meetings.

On the agenda: trying to balance the economic relationship between China and the United States, breaking down trade and investment barriers, and moving China toward a market-driven exchange rate.

But despite rising political pressure at home, administration officials said that at these meetings, the United States does not plan to push Beijing strenuously to loosen its policy of pegging its currency to the dollar. And it does not expect China to take any action on the currency until at least next month, because Beijing is loath at appearing to yield to outside pressure.

The administration sought to put a good face on Europe's troubles, suggesting they played into one of the key American themes for the meeting: encouraging the Chinese to ramp up domestic consumption, so that they did not rely so heavily on exports to either Europe or the United States.

“The Greek crisis underlines the U.S. argument about the need for more balanced global growth,” Mr. Geithner said in an interview. “It makes the case very strongly because it is about Europe as well as China. It makes our interests in balanced growth even more aligned.”

The Greek crisis has dragged down the euro, which complicates a related American priority: prodding China to loosen its peg, which economists say keeps its currency, the renminbi , at an artificially depressed level. The United States wants China to allow the currency to rise closer to market levels, calculating that this would make American goods more competitive.

The renminbi has already risen sharply against the beleaguered euro, however, making Chinese goods more costly in Europe. And this, analysts say, could make Chinese officials more resistant to taking any steps that would allow it to rise against the dollar.

Moreover, if the Greek crisis spreads to Spain, Portugal, or other European countries, it could slow Europe's overall economic growth and further dampen demand for Chinese exports.

The Obama administration delayed filing a report with Congress, scheduled for mid-April, which could have labeled China as a country that manipulates its currency. The administration's policy, officials said, is to give Beijing the space it needs to make the decision by itself.

Beijing has signaled privately to Washington that it may begin loosen its currency policy in the run-up to a meeting in June of the Group of 20 industrialized and major emerging economies, officials said.

“While we don't know when China is going to move, we remain confident that they're going to determine that it's in their interest to move to a more market-determined exchange rate,” said David Loevinger, the senior coordinator for China affairs at the Treasury Department.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/22/world/asia/22diplo.html?ref=world&pagewanted=print

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U.S. Hikers Held in Iran Describe Captivity

TEHRAN — In an emotional, carefully staged reunion, the mothers of three Americans jailed in Iran were allowed to visit Thursday with their adult children, who were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan when they were arrested by Iranian border guards and accused of crossing illegally into Iran .

In their first public appearance, the three — Sarah E. Shourd , 31; her companion, Shane M. Bauer , 27; and their friend Joshua F. Fattal , 27 — described their nearly 10 months in the notorious Evin Prison and expressed hope that they would be freed soon on “humanitarian grounds.”

They said they had not been allowed to see a lawyer. Mr. Bauer denied that they had walked into Iran, as they were accused of doing, before stopping himself and saying, “We can't really talk about that.”

Ms. Shourd expressed the greatest despair because while the two men share a “room,” she is alone for 23 hours a day and is allowed only two 30-minute visits with her friends each day.

“We don't understand why we've been kept here,” Ms. Shourd said. “We thought we'd be kept here for a matter of days, and it's been nine and a half months. In my wildest dreams I never thought I would still be in prison.”

The three were hiking in a scenic region of northern Iraq in July when they were arrested and taken to Tehran. Friends and family concede that they may have inadvertently crossed the border , but Iran has accused them of spying. The case, like others involving Americans who have been held in Iran, has become linked with the sour diplomatic relations between the countries.

But with recent developments, it was not at all clear if the nuclear standoff between Iran and the United States would undermine prospects of the three going free or perhaps enhance their prospects as Iran tries to present a positive face to the world as it is being threatened with new sanctions by the United Nations Security Council .

This week, Iran announced that it had accepted a deal to ship part of its nuclear fuel to Turkey, a proposition it said proved its good intentions. Washington dismissed the deal, noting that Iran was still refusing to stop enriching uranium, but the measure allowed Iran — for a time — to present itself as reasonable.

In this case, Iran may be looking to generate sympathy by seeming to allay the fears of the hikers' mothers, Nora Shourd, Cindy Hickey and Laura Fattal.

The women had been pressing the Iranian government for months to release their children, and then later they asked for visas to visit them. On Wednesday night, they landed in Tehran wearing full-length black chadors, carrying roses and emphasizing the humanitarian nature of their mission.

“Our plea would be to please, please release our children,” Ms. Fattal said later, as she sat with her son's arm around her shoulders, having shed the chador in favor of a head scarf.

There were strict ground rules for the reunion. A representative of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told reporters gathered at the Esteghlal Hotel, in north Tehran, where the reunion took place, not to ask any questions about politics. After state-run television recorded the hugs and kisses, the six were seated on a soft red couch, where they huddled shoulder to shoulder, arms around each other, behind a table piled with fruit, juices and other treats. The women and their children repeatedly used the phrase “humanitarian gesture,” as if they had been so instructed, and thanked the Iranians for making the visit possible.

“This humanitarian gesture and the use of the word ‘humanitarian' has been so important to us, and we have said from July 31 that this is a humanitarian case and we know our children need to come and we want them to come home so this humanitarian gesture we are grateful for,” Ms. Fattal said.

Iran clearly hoped to remind the public that there are Iranian prisoners in American prisons. In February, Mr. Ahmadinejad said that Iran might be willing to negotiate a prisoner exchange, something the Obama administration quickly rejected.

Responding to a reporter's question, Nora Shourd said she felt “great sympathy for any Iranian prisoner, any prisoner anywhere in the world.”

Then in the same breath, fighting back tears, she revealed either a glimmer of optimism or a shadow of wishful thinking. “All we can do is ask the Iranian government, ‘Please, please, listen to us, we love our children so much and they haven't harmed anyone, and we just really want this to happen.' ”

The news conference lasted 20 minutes, during which the three described their days. They said they were well fed, given access to health care, and allowed to watch television, read books and receive mail from their families.

But Sarah Shourd, who had been living with Mr. Bauer in Syria before their arrest, spoke the most of her loneliness.

“The hour a day I have with Shane and Josh, I try to make the most of it,” she said. “We sing together and tell each other stories about our lives. We know everything about each other. We try to just give each other love and support in the little time we have together.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/world/middleeast/21hikers.html?ref=world&pagewanted=print

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U.S. Outlines Moves After Bomb Suspect's Arrest

In the days after a naturalized United States citizen from Pakistan was arrested on charges he left a car bomb near Times Square, hundreds of federal agents were deployed in different cities to prevent future attacks, prosecutors said in a letter that was unsealed on Thursday.

The May 12 letter, which was partially redacted and addressed to Loretta A. Preska , the chief judge of United States District Court in Manhattan, and George A. Yanthis, the magistrate judge assigned to the case, sheds new light on the actions of the federal authorities after the May 3 arrest at Kennedy Airport of the Pakistani immigrant, Faisal Shahzad . And while it suggests a greater sense of urgency to the potential threats than has previously been publicly disclosed, it contains few details.

“Since his arrest,” the letter says, “the defendant has been questioned — and continues to be questioned — by federal agents on a number of sensitive national security and law enforcement matters for the purpose of preventing potential future attacks, identifying associates of the defendant and possible facilitators of the attempted attack, as well as gathering other actionable intelligence.”

The next section of the letter, which appears to detail some of the information Mr. Shahzad had provided to the agents questioning him, was redacted.

The prosecutors — Brendan R. McGuire, Jeffrey A. Brown, John P. Cronan and Randall W. Jackson, who are assistant United States attorneys — then wrote: “Federal law enforcement agents are vigorously and expeditiously pursuing leads relating to this and other information provided by the defendant, a process which has required the participation of hundreds of agents in different cities working around the clock since the defendant's arrest.”

The Obama administration has said the failed attack was aided and directed by the Pakistani Taliban; several people have been detained in Pakistan in connection with the case. But it was unclear whether the letter was referring only to cities in the United States, or to cities in Pakistan and perhaps elsewhere.

While reports suggested that some of the information provided by Mr. Shahzad was being met with skepticism by the federal authorities, the letter suggests that at least some of it was credible enough for them to take quick action.

Also on Thursday, in Boston, a government lawyer told an immigration judge that federal agents found Mr. Shahzad's phone number in the Watertown, Mass., home of two men who were detained by immigration authorities as part of the investigation into the attempted bombing. The men have denied knowing Mr. Shahzad.

In the letter unsealed in federal court in Manhattan, the prosecutors said they were writing to advise the judges about “the status of the proceedings” against Mr. Shahzad.

They said that they saw “no legal requirement to report to the court on the status of the defendant's detention,” but that “under the unusual circumstances of this case, and in deference to the court's ultimate supervisory authority, a report on the status of the case serves the interest of justice.”

The prosecutors said that on May 4 — he was arrested about 11 p.m. the day before — Mr. Shahzad, without a lawyer, knowingly waived his Miranda rights and his right to a speedy appearance before a judge. He continued to do so, they wrote, on each subsequent day, signing a written waiver in each instance.

“These procedures,” the prosecutors wrote, “exceed those required by law.” The prosecutors suggested that they continued to seek such waivers and to question him in order to prevent future possible attacks and identify his associates.

“Uninterrupted access to the defendant has been, and continues to be, critical to this process, which requires, among other things, an ability to promptly verify with him the accuracy of information developed in the investigation,” they said.

Mr. Shahzad's lawyer, Julia L. Gatto, did not respond to a telephone message and an e-mail message seeking comment.

In the Boston immigration hearing, the government lawyer, Richard Neville of United States Customs and Immigration Enforcement, said Mr. Shahzad's phone number and the name “Faisal” were written on an envelope. The name and number were also programmed into a cellphone believed to belong to one of the men, Aftab Ali Khan. Mr. Khan and two other men were arrested on immigration charges on May 13 as part of the investigation into the attempted bombing.

Mr. Khan's lawyer, Saher J. Macarius, said after the hearing that his client “insisted he has no connection with that gentleman, he never talked with him and he's never seen him.” The government, Mr. Macarius said, did not provide a copy of a phone bill or fingerprints from the envelope to prove that the notation was from Mr. Khan.

A number of people lived in the apartment, the lawyer said, and the notation could have been someone else's. Mr. Macarius also represents Pir Khan, Aftab Khan's roommate and cousin, who was also arrested on May 13. Pir Khan also denies knowing Mr. Shahzad, Mr. Macarius said.

A third man was arrested in Maine. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said last week that the three men might have provided money to Mr. Shahzad but that it was unclear whether they knew the funds were to be used for terrorism.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/nyregion/21terror.html?ref=us&pagewanted=print

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Pay-What-You-Want Has Patrons Perplexed

CLAYTON, Mo. — The country's latest experiment in pay-what-you-want eating started last weekend when a cafe run by Panera Bread , one of the fastest-growing chain restaurants in the country, began refusing payments from customers in this affluent St. Louis suburb and politely asked them instead to “take what you need, leave your fair share” in wood-and-plexiglass lockboxes.

There was a line out the door at the peak of the lunch rush — a crew of government workers, area professionals and the merely curious who seemed enthusiastic, if a little bewildered, about the enterprise. Was this a high-class soup kitchen? A newfangled charity?

Neither, it turned out. It is one of about a dozen operations around the country providing free or low-cost food to those who need it and trying to sustain themselves off the money their paying customers decide to toss in the box.

Some will call it a hot trend, others a pipe dream, but the notion of letting diners choose what they pay for their meals has been gaining traction over the last decade as an outgrowth of the organic food movement and the advent of social entrepreneurs — those who believe that making a profit and doing good are not mutually exclusive.

The intention is that these restaurants will take in enough cash to cover their expenses. If money is left over, restaurants embracing the concept say they plan to use it to help needy people by feeding them or giving them jobs.

Such restaurants are not charities in the traditional sense, though many rely on support from nonprofit groups. Panera, for example, will offer financial and other support, like donated food, to its new concept store here.

Ron Shaich, the chairman of Panera and a co-founder of the chain, says that if “we see people are gaming the system, we're going to say, ‘Why don't you come in and volunteer?' ”

“It's a test of human nature,” Mr. Shaich added. “The real question is whether the community can sustain it.”

At the restaurant Wednesday, some customers paid nothing and signed up to volunteer later, though everyone was hazy about what they would be doing.

Lynn Richardson, 30, who works for a music promoter, paid roughly 50 cents more than the $5.48 “suggested funding level” for her potato soup and diet soda.

David Eisenbraun and Melanie Holland, two college students taking a break from yard work to buy lunch with her mother, dropped $15 into the box for their meals — though the suggested price was $24.95. They also wondered just how “charitable” the entire enterprise really was.

“I don't have the foggiest idea of where the money's going,” said Mr. Eisenbraun, who also wondered about the company's motivation: “Are they in it for the good press?”

Such skepticism, coupled with a fair amount of freeloading, has all but killed the concept in other places. The phone at the Java Street Cafe in Kettering, Ohio, which last year embraced the pay-what-you-want strategy, has been disconnected, and it appears to have closed.

And Tierra Sana in Queens folded — though it offered customers a pay-what-you-want option only one day a week.

The Terra Bite Lounge, a cafe in Kirkland, Wash., operated as a pay-what-you-want restaurant for a year or so. But Ervin Peretz, its owner and a lead technical designer at Google , said the cafe now charges for its meals. He said he dropped the model in part because of issues particular to its location — it is in a neighborhood popular with teenagers.

Founded in 2003, One World Everybody Eats in Salt Lake City is one of the oldest pay-what-you-want restaurants, and like Mr. Peretz, its operators have found the concept a bit challenging. It is now owned by a nonprofit group and suggests customers pay a small amount, say, $4 for a meat or fish entree.

“I used to let people put their money in a basket and make their own change, but then I went to a lockbox,” said Denise Cerreta, the cafe's founder. “You learn how to cut down on the people who will take advantage of the concept.”

About 15 to 20 of the roughly 60 meals it serves each day are given away to needy customers, some of whom wash windows, sweep or break down boxes for an hour or so in return. “They leave here with a full stomach and feeling like they earned their meal, which is the idea,” said Giovanni Bouderbala, the head chef and director.

The One World Everybody Eats charity has helped restaurant owners in Denver, Spokane, Wash., Highland Park, N.J., and Arlington, Tex., incorporate the pay-what-you-want concept, and Ms. Cerreta advised Panera on its cafe here.

Daniel Honkomp, 21, and Andrew Eason, 20, both unemployed, came by the cafe to volunteer. “If I had anything to donate, I would, but what I can donate is my labor,” Mr. Eason said.

He added, “You don't have to pay, but if you have a good heart and you make the money, you're going to try to pay your fair share.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/us/21free.html?ref=us&pagewanted=print

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The Sinking of the Cheonan

Nearly 60 years ago, the Korean War concluded with an armistice. North Korea's attack on a South Korean navy ship, which killed 46 sailors, is a reminder of the continued fragility and danger of that less-than-peace.

The two Koreas have more than one million troops on their border and the North has thousands of artillery tubes pointed at Seoul. With an erratic (that's generous) leader like Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang, the risk of miscalculation is very high. The fact that Mr. Kim also has nuclear weapons makes it all the more frightening.

South Korea deserves credit for its prudent response to the late March sinking of the Cheonan, which was sailing in disputed waters. Instead of lashing back, it assembled an international team of experts to determine the cause. On Thursday, the government produced forensic evidence that a torpedo sank the ship, including part of a torpedo propeller with what the investigative team says is a North Korean serial number.

The North's rejection of the findings as a fabrication “orchestrated by the group of traitors” was predictable.

There can be no excuse for this act of aggression. We understand South Korea's grief and anger. But military retaliation would be disastrous for both countries.

The international community — and most importantly, China — must move quickly to stop things from spinning out of control.

It is impossible to know what will change North Korea's behavior. It has already shrugged off two rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions since it first detonated a nuclear device in 2006. Still, the Security Council must quickly condemn this barbarism.

The North is not invulnerable. It is hugely dependent on China for fuel and food imports. Beijing needs to immediately condemn the attack and have even tougher private talks with Mr. Kim and his cronies — making clear that its patience and patronage are running out.

China wants to be a world leader but is refusing to act like one. On Thursday, it urged both Koreas to exercise restraint but failed to blame the North. On her visit to Beijing this weekend, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton needs to leave no doubt that China's goal of a stable Korean peninsula will never be realized this way.

The United States and South Korea are also considering imposing new bilateral sanctions on the North. Washington may reinstate North Korea on its “terrorism” list. That may quiet some of the fury in Seoul (and Washington), but we're doubtful it will have much impact in Pyongyang, especially when China is so determined to offset any losses.

The United States must ensure that South Korea has the capability and training to deter future attacks. That means more joint naval exercises and a full investigation of how a modern ship — configured for antisubmarine warfare — was caught off-guard and sunk.

Washington and Seoul must not close the door on six-party negotiations, which have not met for more than a year. China will have to use its leverage — we suggest a suspension of oil deliveries — to get Pyongyang back to the table.

We know the talks are a very long shot. They are probably the only chance to peacefully curb North Korea's nuclear program and finally end the Korean war.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/opinion/21fri2.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

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From ICE

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Families of fallen officers from ICE share poignant memories

After National Police Week ceremonies, services, tributes and events in honor of officers who died in the line of duty, most mindsets become readjusted to our present tasks at hand. Not so for family members of fallen officers. Contemplation of their lost loved ones who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to law enforcement continues year round.

Family members of David Gray Wilhelm, Lorenzo Roberto Gomez, Gary Friedli and Manuel Zurita VII - all fallen officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and legacy agency U.S. Customs Service - gifted ICE with glimpses into the lives of their loved ones. The memories of these mothers, fathers, wives, brothers, sisters and daughters are boundless and vivid. They serve to remind us of the sacrifice that family members also make by lending their loved ones to law enforcement.

The depictions below are but a sampling of the recollections that remain in the hearts and minds of the families of those who lived and died protecting our communities and our homeland.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Gray Wilhelm.

Agent Wilhelm had been assigned to the Office of Investigations SAC Office in Atlanta when he was ambushed at his residence by a fugitive who escaped from police custody after this criminal had shot and killed a Fulton County Superior Court Judge. David died on March 11, 2005, after 18 years of government service.

Patrick Wilhelm, David's brother who also serves ICE as a special agent, said,

Criminal investigations became, in a positive and constructive way, a passion for David. He enjoyed developing leads, deploying the technology and articulating the facts. He enjoyed the long tedious hours spent with colleagues, from grizzled detectives to polished attorneys. He even enjoyed his defendants, and was often able to connect with them in a way that would better their lives, as well as the case. In fact, David enjoyed interacting with all the various personalities found in this line of work.

I have heard that some defendants wept in prison upon hearing of his death. Others called or visited my parents. The satisfaction David got from his work was inspiring to younger officers and agents, as well as to a younger brother.

Candee Wilhelm says of her late husband, "David had a magnetic personality that drew folks to him. He gained respect by giving respect to others around him." She continued as follows:

David could speak on anyone's level in any situation to make them feel comfortable and gain their complete trust. He was a natural leader due to his strong, confident nature. He made others laugh and liked to pull pranks. Sometimes he called voice mails, disguising his voice and left anonymous silly messages. It wasn't until David's funeral service when one of his "victims" realized it was David, the ultimate prankster, who left the messages.

David was the most well-rounded, well-loved, down to earth person I have ever known. His hobbies didn't include sports. In fact, I had to fill him in on the scores of the big games so he would have a sliver of knowledge just in case he was put on the spot by the guys at work. Outside of work he had a passion for creating and building things with his hands, more often than not, for others. David was that man you would be proud to call your brother your son, your friend, and coworker. He was the guy I adored being married to. He is missed every single day.

Immigration Enforcement Agent Lorenzo Roberto Gomez.

Agent Gomez had been assigned to the Field Office in El Paso, Texas. Agent Gomez succumbed to injuries sustained while participating in a Special Response Team training session in El Paso. He died on Nov. 8, 2003, after eight years of government service.

Christina Gomez says of her late husband, Lorenzo,

He was dedicated to the job. He never even wanted to call in sick because he was afraid to disappoint anyone. He was so proud to wear the uniform, and he was buried in it. He was an amazing person and would have gone far in the agency if he was still alive. He was a very likeable guy who was never in a bad mood.

Savannah Gomez, 13-years-old, says of her father,

My dad was a happy and joking person. He was there when you needed him. He loved to be around family and friends. I remember when he took us out for ice cream. I miss my dad very much and he is with me in my heart. I am very proud of my dad, who is my hero and I will make him proud. My dad taught me to live life to the fullest. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of him. Even when I go to sleep I dream about him.

U.S. Customs Service Special Agent Gary Friedli.

Agent Friedli was assigned to the Resident Agent in Charge in Douglas, Ariz. Agent Friedli had been en route to investigate a drug smuggling activity when he was involved in a fatal traffic accident. He died on March 4, 1998, after eight and half years of government service.

Parents Jack and Ruth Friedli, brother Roger, sister Juli and other family members remember Gary as "energetic, goal centered and well liked by everyone." Gary's mother Ruth Friedli spoke for the family, saying,

In elementary school, Gary insisted on finishing his homework right after school so he could have the rest of the time to play. After graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, he worked and saved for a nine-week trip to Europe.

He completed his master's degree in international studies at the University of Denver. He travelled to Washington, D.C., knowing only one person with whom he could live temporarily while he hunted for a job in federal government. He worked first with the Treasury Department, then the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as an intelligence analyst. But Gary wanted a job with some action. When he began working for the U.S. Customs Service, he liked what he was doing. We have many special memories of our Gary. He was our middle child. He was mild mannered and shy. He liked to hike, go camping and read. His favorite subject was history.

One of his favorite things to do was to play with his nephews and nieces. While rolling on the floor with his nephews he would ask: 'Who is the King?' They would say, 'Uncle Gary is the King.' Gary brought a great deal of joy and happiness to our family, and we all miss him so very much.

Dorene Kulpa Friedli, the wife Gary left behind, says that although it's been 12 years since Gary was killed in the line of duty, "It seems like only yesterday that I last saw Gary's smile and felt his large, but gentle presence." She went on to say,

Gary was the epitome of strength, honor and trust. He loved his family and his friends. It was an honor to be his wife. He helped to make every day special for me and my daughter, Alexa, who became his daughter.

Gary's dream of becoming a police officer, combined with his love of history, especially World War II, led him to his career as a federal law enforcement agent serving his country.

My favorite picture of Gary is of him sitting on a gigantic rock during a nature hike looking outward. To me, it looks like he is looking out across time-and looking for the next adventure for us to go on.

U.S. Customs Service Senior Special Agent Manuel Zurita VII.

Agent Zurita was assisting the U.S. Secret Service on a presidential protection detail while President William J. Clinton was in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Agent Zurita's vessel struck a coral reef, and he was severely injured. Agent Zurita died from his injuries on January 6, 1998. He had 12 years of government service.

Maria Zurita, Manuel's sister, still meets many people who knew her brother. She said,

When I worked as a supervisory customs officer at the Miami International Airport, agents would see my name tag and say 'Zurita? I knew Zurita.'

When they found out I was his sister, they would hug me. It was so emotional. Manuel knew so many people who all spoke so highly of him. It made me feel so proud. Twelve years after his death, not a day goes by that somebody doesn't mention his name.

Denisse Zurita describes her father as "very happy…a social butterfly." She continued saying,

Wherever he'd go he met people he knew. He loved his job. He always looked forward to the next day…the next case. He was passionate about his work. He was another person out there helping with drug enforcement and fighting crime. He was always looking for a way to help people. He wasn't selfish. There's no room for that in law enforcement.

My dad was family oriented. On Saturdays we would either clean the house together or go on family outings. My father had so many interests-from computers to woodworking to amateur radios. My dad could do anything. He was my super hero.

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1005/100520washingtondc.htm

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ICE gets physical in honoring fallen law enforcement officers

ICE employees were up and moving from May 9 to May 15, 2010. They were running in relay races, bicycling, waving blue ribbons and roaring by on motorcycles through the Washington, D.C., area, all in support of 2010 National Police Week (NPW). They also participated in solemn ceremonies and gatherings. ICE honored law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty through the following NPW events.

15th Annual LawRide. On Sunday, May 9, about 1,000 riders participated in the 15th Annual LawRide, including five ICE employees as follows: Senior Special Agent Sylvia Robertson, Supervisory Special Agent Mario Bellamy, Headquarters Staff Officer John Miskei, Systems Administrator Michael Carter and Senior Watch Officer Abdul Moses. The Federal Protective Service led the group, motorcade style, to RFK stadium for the gathering of Law Riders. At 11 a.m. it was "kick-stands up" and the official Law Ride got rolling. They rode from RFK down East Capitol Street to Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue to 6th Street, where they turned north toward the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The ride was followed by an opportunity for the riders to pay their respects at the memorial, which was then followed by a service and wreath laying ceremony. The motto of the law ride is: If we don't remember them, who will? Click on http://www.lawride.com/ for more information.

31st Annual Washington, D.C., Area Memorial Service. On Monday, May 10, ICE Deputy Assistant Secretary Alonzo Peña spoke at the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Headquarters where he addressed the MPD, the Fraternal Order of Police (DC Lodge #1) and the D.C. Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors. Peña said at the event, "You put yourselves in harm's way each and every day in order to make our streets safer and communities and country more secure. The recent failed bombing attempt in New York City's Times Square underscores how crucial it is for local, state and federal forces to continue working together and taking a proactive stance to thwart terrorism. Post-9/11 attempted terrorist attacks like this remind us the stakes have never been higher."

ICE Honor and Remembrance Memorial Ceremony. ICE leadership, ICE employees, special dignitaries and family members of fallen officers attended the ICE Honor and Remembrance Memorial Ceremony, which included the unveiling of the ICE Wall of Honor.  The Honor Guard from ICE Offices of Investigations and Detention and Removal Operations added a stately presence while Program Property Manager Karen McMillan and Special Agent Patrick Wilhelm (and brother of fallen officer, ICE Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Wilhelm) both gave outstanding singing performances. ICE Assistant Secretary Morton said of the fallen officers, "These officers did not die in vain. You have only to look at the great work this agency does every day to know that these men are still with us. We all build on the work of those that go before us." Go to http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1005/100511washingtondc.htm for more details.

Police Unity Tour Arrival. On Friday, April 30, Senior Special Agent (SSA) Ellen Pierson began bicycling from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., as part of the long ride to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOM) in Washington, D.C. SSA Jay Ferreria and ICE Resident Agent in Charge Kirk Lockwood joined SSA Pierson and were also "long riders" in the tour. SSA Stephen Lewis joined the group in Portsmouth, Va. The four agents stopped at several memorials and met survivors of fallen officers along their arduous trip. The tour ended at the NLEOM on Wednesday, May 12. Go to http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1005/100518washingtondc.htm for more details.

National Police Challenge 50-Kilometer Relay Race. On Friday, May 14, ICE runners from ICE Offices of Investigations, International Affairs, Detention and Removal Operations, Public Affairs, Professional Responsibility, Chief Information Officer and Congressional Affairs participated in the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)-sponsored 50-K Race at the USSS training academy in Laurel, Md. For results of the race go to http://www.lin mark.com/results/resnpc2010.htm .

29th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Day Service. On Saturday, May 15, on the west front of the U.S. Capitol, ICE leadership, ICE Office of Investigations Honor Guard and ICE employees joined thousands of law enforcement officers and citizen supporters from across the country to pay tribute to officers killed in the line of duty. President Barack Obama opened the ceremony saying that a "sense of security doesn't come on its own. What makes it possible -- what makes freedom possible -- are the law enforcement officers that we honor today. It's men and women like so many of you. It's anyone who's ever put on a uniform or worn a badge in the name of law, in the name of order, in the name of protecting and defending the United States of America."  For complete remarks, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-national-peace-officers-memorial .

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1005/100520washingtondc2.htm

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From the FBI

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Our task force helped put 10 members of the West Side Street Mobb gang behind bars.

Sex Trafficking Convictions Seattle Gang Dismantled 05/20/10 A young woman who was severely beaten by a Seattle gang member in his efforts to control her and to keep her making money for him through prostitution finally had enough—she reported the crime to local authorities. That's how our Pacific Northwest Innocence Lost Task Force got involved. From that initial complaint late in 2008, some 20 victims of sex trafficking—five of them juveniles—were rescued, and 10 members of the West Side Street Mobb gang are now behind bars.

“As a result of this case,” said Special Agent Colleen Sanders, “the gang has basically been dismantled.” And recently, 19-year-old pimp DeShawn “Cash Money” Clark—responsible for the brutal beating that sparked the larger investigation—received a 17-year sentence and was the first person to be convicted in Washington state of a relatively new human trafficking law.

“This case illustrates the ongoing national problem of sex trafficking of juveniles,” said Sanders, the task force coordinator who works out of our Seattle office. “It also illustrates the success of the task force approach in bringing local, state, and federal agencies together to help get these young victims off the street.”

The Innocence Lost National Initiative was established in 2003 by the FBI, in conjunction with the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Its goal is to address the increasing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the U.S.

Gang members' tattoos showed that they were all about making money.

Since then, some 34 task forces and working groups like the Pacific Northwest organization have been formed around the country, and nearly 900 children have been rescued. In addition, more than 500 pimps like “Cash Money” Clark have been convicted. Sex trafficking cases—especially those involving juveniles—can be difficult to investigate, Sanders explained. Many of the young victims don't immediately recognize themselves as such. Often the girls consent to prostitution because they think they are in love with their pimps and consider them family—sometimes the only “family” the girls have, despite the beatings and abuse common in those types of relationships. Agent Sanders, who joined the Bureau in 2002, has been working Innocence Lost cases for the last two years. And although Seattle has a reputation for attracting runaway juveniles who are susceptible to being trafficked, she noted, “The more I worked this case, the more I learned that every major city in the United States has this very same problem.” In Seattle, as in other U.S. cities, girls use the Internet to advertise themselves, or they work the street—known as the “track”—walking in seedy areas near low-budget hotels and parks deserted at night except for drug dealers and pimps. After juveniles are recovered, specialists from our Victim Assistance Program work with them, providing help that could range from setting up a place to live to helping them enroll in school or just being available to talk.

“Some of the victims we can reach and help them get out of the game,” Sanders said. “But we have to catch them early, while they can still escape from that lifestyle.”

That's why successes like shutting down the West Side Street Mobb pimps are encouraging. “The task force did a great job on this investigation,” Sanders said. “It was truly a team effort, and all of us are committed to keeping young girls from being trafficked.”

Resources:
- Innocence Lost National Initiative
- Office for Victim Assistance

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/may10/trafficking_052010.html

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