NATION/WORLD
The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 25, 2002-- 5
Increased border
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Customs
Service says it's considering changing its inspec-
tion procedures at the Canadian border so that
terrorists would be stopped before they cross
bridges and tunnels into the United States.
People entering the United States from Cana-
da are not stopped by U.S. Customs agents until
after they cross the northern border and are on
U.S. soil.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) says that could
leave those bridges and tunnels vulnerable to a
terrorist attack. .4
Levin has been pushing the U.S. Customs Ser-
vice and its Canadian counterparts to conduct
"reverse inspections," where the two countries
would set up stations on opposite sides of the
border.
In a letter sent to Levi
Commissioner Robert Bon
dian Customs Commissi
have created a working gr
border security, includir
reverse inspections.
"The Customs Servic
potential option to alleviat
tion and increased securi
border," Bonner wrote.
Customs spokesman Jim
clear whether a reverse ins
only be implemented at br
ings or at all 129 points of
dian border.
securi typossible
Forms of the system are found at a few Cana-
n this week, Customs . dian airports, but Bonner wrote that expanding it
ner said he and Cana- to other points would probably require a change
oner Robert Wright in U.S. and Canadian law so the foreign officials
oup to study northern would have the authority to operate in each
ng the possibility of other's country.
Levin and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
e supports this as a sent Bonner a follow-up letter asking for more
e cross border conges- details about what changes to the law would be
ty along the northern required. The senators said they would work to
pass legislation that is necessary.
Mitchie said it is not "If we are going to provide the kind of securi-
spection system would ty that most Americans expect, it only makes
idge and tunnel cross- sense to inspect vehicles before they enter the
entry along the Cana- tunnel or get onto one of our bridges," Stabenow
said.
AP PHOTO
Abu Bakar Bashir, leader of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council, arrived for
questioning yesterday at the national police headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Cleric praises bin
Laden as 'a true
Decision to shut down
embassy up for debate
MUS1m
Los Angeles Times
JAKARTA, Indonesia - A Mus-
lim cleric accused of heading a
Southeast Asian terrorist network
was called in to police headquarters
here yesterday to explain his activi-
ties and used the occasion to
applaud Osama bin Laden.
Mobbed by reporters as he
arrived at the police station, the
white-robed Abu Bakar Bashir
denied allegations that he is affili-
ated with bin Laden's al-Qaida net-
work and accused the United States
of being the world's real terrorist.
In a statement to the media, the 63-
year-old Indonesian called bin Laden
"a true Muslim fighter" and said al-
Qaida had been active in promoting
Muslims' rights.
"I am not a member of al-Qaida," he
said. "However, I really praise the fight
of Osama bin Laden, who has dared to
represent the Islamic world to combat
the arrogance of the United States ter-
rorists and its allies."
Bashir, who spent four years in cus-
tody in the early 1980s for alleged
anti-government activity, has been
named by Singapore and Malaysia as a
top leader of a regional terrorist net-
work Jemaah Islamiah that allegedly
planned to attack American targets in
Singapore, including the U.S. Embassy
and sailors on leave.
fighter'
arrested 13 alleged members of the
group while Malaysia has detained
23 and the Philippines five. During
interrogation, some of the Singa-
pore detainees identified Bashir as
the overall leader of the group,
authorities said. Two other Indone-
sian clerics also have been named as
leaders.
The Indonesian government has
moved cautiously, however, apparently
fearful of a backlash if it arrested hard-
line Muslims in the politically volatile
country, which has the world's largest
Muslim population.
The government's strongest action
against Jemaah Islamiah has been to
ask Bashir to come to Jakarta, the capi-
tal, from his home in Central Java
province and meet with federal police
investigators. He spent much of yester-
day answering questions.
Bashir is a prominent cleric in
the Islamist heartland of Central
Java. He founded an Islamic school
in the mid-1970s and was later tar-
geted by the government of former
dictator Suharto. After his release
from custody, Bashir lived in self-
imposed exile in Malaysia for 14
years, returning to Indonesia after
Suharto was ousted in 1998.
Bashir is represented by 20 attor-
neys, although only half a dozen
went with him to the police station
yesterday.
}I
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush under-
stands Israel's confinement of Yasser Arafat to a
West Bank compound and wants the Palestinian
leader to take charge of eliminating terrorism as a
threat to Israel and to him, White House
spokesman Ari Fleischer said yesterday.
Bush discussed the volatile Middle East with his
senior security advisers at the White House.
Reports promptly surfaced that closing the
Palestinian office in Washington was a live
option, but no decision was taken.
A decision depends largely on what Arafat
does about combatting terrorism, a senior U.S.
official said.
No option, including closing the Washington
office, is being ruled out, said the official, speaking
on condition of anonymity.
At the White House, when asked about Arafat's
confinement, Fleischer said, "The president under-
stands the reason that Israel has taken the action
that it takes, and it is up to Chairman Arafat to
demonstrate the leadership to combat terrorism."
Terrorism, the spokesman said, "is a threat not
only to Israel, but also to Arafat."
Arafat has been under virtual house arrest on the
West Bank for nearly two months. This prevents
him from barnstorming the Middle East and
Europe in search of support for the Palestinians and
their territorial and statehood aspirations.
From his office window in Ramallah, Arafat
can peer out at Israeli soldiers who are posted
down the street.
In the town, a member of the Palestinian intelli-
gence service, Riyad Sadi, 26, was killed in a clash
with Israeli forces. In response to a Palestinian
shooting attack, Israeli tanks tightened their cordon
around Arafat's headquarters.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher
said, "We've always been against incursions. We
feel they aren't helpful."
AP PHOTO
A Palestinian soldier watches demonstrators as they protest
outside of Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Gaza yesterday,
demanding that Arafat be given his freedom to travel.
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Sexual Assault Sexual Assault
Prevention and Prevention
Awareness and Awareness
Center (SAPAC) Center (SAPAC)
University of Michigan
All Students, Faculty and
Staff welcome!
Providing specialized support-
ive and educational services
for the UM Community related
to sexual assault, dating/
domestic violence, stalking
and sexual harassment.
In celebration of U-M
MLK Jr. Symposium 2002
SAPAC Presents:
Dr. Michael Fowlin
You Don't Know Me Until You
Know Me
A Dance with Diversity
Saturday, January 26th
7-9:00pm
Angell Hall, Auditorium B
Co-sponsored by the Institute
for Research on Women and
Gender, the Center for African-
American Studies, Students
Against Violence Everywhere
(SAVE), Arts on the Hill, African
Students Association, Sister 2
Sister, The Graduate Employ-
ees Organization, and the
Office of Multi-Ethnic Student
Affairs.
Individual and Group
Counseling Services
Professional, Free and Confiden-
tial counseling services for sur-
vivors and friends, family and
partners of survivors.
Outreach Services
SAPAC Provides immediate in-
person crisis intervention, sup-
port and information to survivors
at hospitals, police stations, resi-
dence halls and campus offices.
Education services
SAPAC provides educational and
training services to the entire UM
community. Workshops are
available for students as well as
professional staff and faculty.
Volunteer
Programs/
Opportunities
Peer Education Program
Trained Peer Educator volun-
teers facilitate workshops on
issues of sexual assault, dating
domestic violence, and sexual
harassment.
Networking, Publicity and
Activism Program
NPA volunteers participate in
a wide range of activities includ-
ing publicizing and organizing
SAPAC sponsored events, pub-
In an emergency, call 911
CRISIS LINE NUMBERS
Call for help or more information:
UM Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Center - 936-3333
Assault Crisis Center (Sexual Assault) - 971-3696
SAPAC is here
for you.
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