2 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 19, 2005 NATION/WORLD Terror suspects kept in Cuban prison NEws IN BRIEF 40 High court refuses to say if military trials will deny basic legal rights WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court prolonged the legal limbo of hundreds of terror suspects in a U.S. military prison in Cuba, refus- ing yesterday to consider whether the government's plan for military trials unfairly denies them basic legal rights. So far only a handful of the 550 detainees from about 40 countries have been charged with war crimes. More are expected once courts sort out how they may be tried. The legal uncertainty surrounding the men, many of whom were captured during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan in 2001, has prompted international criti- cism and spawned multiple court fights. The court had been asked to use an appeal by Osama bin Laden's former driver to decide whether the Bush admin- istration is trying to shortcut defendants' rights by holding a type of military trial last used during World War IL. A federal judge ruled last fall that Salim Ahmed Hamdan and others put on trial at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base should be allowed to confront witnesses and see evidence against them, which are standard under military justice rules but are not guaranteed to detainees. The court rejected the case yester- day, which was not surprising because an appeals court also is considering the issue and has scheduled arguments March 8. In addition, the court heard three significant terrorism cases last year and was not expected to take on another big one so soon. It was a minor victory for the govern- ment, which was ordered by the court last year to give detainees in the United States and Cuba more legal rights. Since those landmark decisions, law- suits have been filed in Washington on behalf of dozens of detainees claiming they are being wrongly held. The gov- ernment has also been sued for millions of dollars in damages by inmates claim- ing mistreatment. Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen suspected of terrorism, who is being held without charge in Charleston, S.C., is trying to win his freedom in a South Carolina court. Separately, a court appeal was filed this month on behalf of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only defendant charged in U.S. courts in an alleged al-Qaida conspiracy that included the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Moussaoui, a French citi- zen, wants access to al-Qaida witnesses during his trial. Meanwhile, three years have passed since some of the Guantanamo Bay detainees were arrested and Moussaoui was indicted. Legal wrangling is expect- ed to continue for another year or more. "It's pretty messy," said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Rich- mond. He said international leaders have been watching the Hamdan case closely and are eager for a speedy resolution. Human rights groups and hundreds of members of the British and European par- liaments encouraged the court to make a special exception to hear the appeal. "The entire commission process, and all pending challenges to it, have ground to a halt," justices were told by Neal Katyal, one of Hamdan's attorneys. Hamdan, a Yemeni, is charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes, murder and terrorism. He contends he is innocent. Bush administration lawyer Paul Clem- ent had urged justices to avoid jumping into a case "where the military proceed- ings involve enforcement of the law of war in the midst of an ongoing armed conflict against an enemy force that is targeting civilians for mass death." Rice refuses to give timetable on troop pullout GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Abbas calls for cease-fire in Israel Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas summoned militant leaders to cease-fire talks in the Gaza Strip yesterday and said he is hopeful he can persuade them to halt attacks on Israel. Abbas, whose political survival may depend on the success of the negotiations, said in an interview that Israel must do its part by halting military operations - a guarantee Israel has been unwilling to give. "I am going to Gaza with the hopes of reaching an agreement," he said in an interview in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The militants have sent mixed messages on whether they would suspend attacks, with some signaling a truce is possible if Israel stops arrest raids and targeted kill- ings of wanted Palestinians. Abbas has ruled out using force against the militants, despite Israel's insistence that he crack down. On Monday, Abbas instructed the Palestinian security forces to try to prevent attacks against Israel and to investigate a shooting at a Gaza border crossing last week that killed six Israeli civilians. BAGHDAD, Iraq Suicide bomber kills 3 Iraqi candidates A suicide bomber struck the Baghdad headquarters of Iraq's biggest Shiite political party yesterday, killing three people, as the government announced plans to close borders and restrict movements to bolster security in the national election. Three candidates were slain as insurgents intensified their campaign to subvert the ballot. The Cabinet member responsible for internal security urged fellow Sunni Arabs to disregard threats by Sunni extremists and vote in the Jan. 30 election, in which Iraqis will choose a 275-member National Assembly and regional legislatures. Otherwise, the minister warned, the country will slide into civil war. In a positive development, a Catholic archbishop kidnapped in northern Iraq was released yesterday without payment of ransom, the Vatican said. Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa, an Iraqi, said he believes he was kidnapped by mistake. TOULOUSE, France Airbus unviels world's largest passenger pline Airbus showed off its giant A380, a double-decked behemoth that could revo- lutionize long-haul flying, at a lavish ceremony yesterday with European leaders gathered for the first official look at the world's largest passenger plane. Airbus is betting its newfound status as the world's leading jet maker on the "superjumbo" that has a 262-foot wingspan, a tail as tall as a seven-story building and which cost $13 billion to develop. French President Jacques Chirac, as well as the leaders of Britain, Germany and Spain and CEOs from the 14 airlines and freight transporters that have so far ordered the A380 attended the elaborate ceremony at company headquarters in Toulouse, southern France. BUCHAREST, Romania 66-year-old woman is oldest to give birth A 66-year-old professor who writes children's books claims to have become the world's oldest woman to give birth, and doctors said Monday she and her day-old baby daughter were in good condition in intensive care. Doctors at the Giulesti Maternity Hospital in Bucharest said Adriana Iliescu became pregnant through in vitro fertilization using sperm and egg from anony- mous donors. They said she delivered her first child, Eliza Maria, by Caesarean section on Sunday and that a twin sister was stillborn. "The child is eating a bit of glucose," Mirela Ranga, a hospital spokes- woman, said Monday. "Mrs. Iliescu is still in intensive care, but she is mov- ing around. She is expected to go see her daughter a bit later." - Compiled from Daily wire reports MARKET UPDATE TUES. CLOSE CHANGE DOW JONES 10,628.79 +70.79 NASDAQ 2,106.04 +18.13 S&P 500 1,195.98 +11.46 0 0 0 WASHINGTON (AP) - Sec- retary of State nominee Condo- leezza Rice gave no ground in Senate confirmation questioning yesterday, insisting the United States was fully prepared for the Iraq war and its aftermath and refusing to give a timetable for U.S. troops to come home. An American exit strategy depends on Iraq's ability to defend itself against terrorists after this month's elections, she said. Rice seemed headed for easy con- firmation by the Senate as President Bush's choice to be the country's top diplomat. She did have a tense exchange with Sen. Barbara Boxer, (D-Calif.) - Rice repeatedly asked the senator not to question her truth- fulness - but former presidential nominee John Kerry (D-Mass.) was the only member of the Foreign Relations Committee who told her she might not win his vote. "This was never going to be easy," Rice said of the war and its aftermath during a confirmation hearing in which she painted an optimistic picture of the future in Iraq - and for resolution of the long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as well. "It was always going to have ups and downs. I'm sure that we have made many decisions, some of which were good, some of which might not have been good," but the ouster of Saddam Hussein was worth the price, Rice said. "I think we made the right decision to over- throw him." Rice said the administration's actions after the Sept. 11, 2001, ter- ror attacks - including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq -were "dif- ficult and necessary and right." Asked whether, with hindsight, the United States should have com- mitted more troops to Iraq, Rice said that despite "some unforeseen circumstances" she was satisfied with the numbers. As for U.S. troops leaving, she said in response to forceful ques- tioning from Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, "Our role is directly proportional ... to how capable the Iraqis are." "I am really reluctant to try to put a timetable on that, because I think the goal is to get the mis- sion accomplished and that means that the Iraqis have to be capable of some things before we lessen our own responsibility," she said. She pledged to work to improve ties with some allies frayed by U.S. pol- icy. A committee vote is expected today, and the full Senate could act later in the week. If confirmed Rice, 50, would be the first black woman to lead the State Department. She would replace the popular Colin Powell as America's most visible face abroad. 0 6 AP PHOTO National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice testifies on Capitol Hill yesterday before r. the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on her nomination. Man pleads guilty to oil-for-food scandal 411 IN www.michigandaily.com Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter nts at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. es may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in U.S. mail are $105. Winter term (January through April) is $110, yearlong (September s $190. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus or fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of d Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard Michigan 48109-1327. E-mail letters to the editor to letters@michigandaily.com. WASHINGTON (AP) - An Iraqi- American businessman, accused of pock- eting millions of dollars through the U.N. oil-for-food program with Iraq, pleaded guilty yesterday to acting as an illegal agent of Saddam Hussein's government. Samir Vincent, 64, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Annandale, Va., is the first person to be charged in the Justice Department's investigation of the pro- gram, which U.N. audits have shown was badly mismanaged. The United Nations operated the pro- gram from 1996 to 2003 as a way for Iraq's oil riches to benefit its people, who were suffering from years of depriva- tion brought on by economic sanctions imposed on Saddam's regime following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Under the program, proceeds from the sale of oil from Iraq was placed into an account overseen by the United Nations. Money was to be withdrawn by Iraq only to purchase food, medicine and other humanitarian necessities. The program produced an estimated $67 billion for humanitarian needs in Iraq but was used by Saddam to generate ille- gal kickbacks that totaled another $1.7 bil- lion, according to a CIA report by special weapons inspector Charles Duelfer. Vincent was among dozens of people and companies in the United States and elsewhere to receive vouchers from Sad- dam's government for allocations of Iraqi oil as well as the right to keep profits they made selling or trading the oil. Vincent received the rights to some 9 million barrels of oil and cash payments from Saddam's government in return The program produced an estimated $67 billion for humanitarian needs in Iraq, but was used by Saddam to generate illegal kickbacks that totaled another $1.7 billion The Michigan D terms by stude Additional copi September, via through April)i subscriptions f The Associated St., Ann Arbor. for lobbying U.S. and U.N. officials on issues such as weakening of economic sanctions, the admission of arms inspec- tors and the oil-for-food program itself, prosecutors said. Attorney General John Ashcroft said Vincent was one of Saddam's "accomplic- es" in a broad effort by Iraq to turn the oil- for-food program into a vehicle for Iraq to sell influence and fatten its treasury. "We know that from the moment the oil-for-food program was introduced, Saddam Hussein and his agents attempt- ed to subvert it, working the system so that profits were diverted to fund a brutal regime rather than to feed the people of Iraq," Ashcroft said. President Bush's choice to be the next secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during her confirmation hearing yester- day that the oil-for-food program became a "scandal" that allowed Saddam access to huge sums of money. 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