2 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, April 14, 2006 NATION/WORLD Protesters suffer for attending marches Some workers, students have lost jobs for skipping work and school to go to immigration rallies CHICAGO (AP) - Six employees at a seafood restaurant in Houston were fired this week after skip- ping work to take part in a pro-immigration march. In Detroit, 21 immigrants lost their jobs as meat cutters after attending a similar protest last month. And several students at a high school near Tampa, Fla., were suspended this week for walking out of class to go to a demonstration. Across the country, workers and students have paid a price for attending the immigration rallies that have recently swept the nation. They have lost jobs or been cited for truancy for joining the hundreds of thousands who have protested proposed federal legislation that would crack down on illegal immigrants. In one case, the family of a 14-year-old Los Ange- les-area boy said he committed suicide because he was threatened by a school official for participating in immigration protests. School officials disputed that. Now, some rally organizers are telling people not to risk their jobs or education to attend the demon- strations and are considering rescheduling protests to weekends and evenings. "This is a concern because this is a demographic of people who have historically not come out into the streets to raise an issue:' said Germonique Jones, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based Center for Community Change, an umbrella group behind the rallies. "Obviously businesses have to be run, and it's only right for people to tell their employers that they will be out beforehand. ... We don't want people losing their jobs over this." But many others say marchers want to make the sac- rifice to show the importance of immigration reform. In some cases, fired workers have been offered their jobs back after advocacy groups have gotten involved, including the 21 Detroit meatpacking company Work- ers. The company said Thursday that it would rehire them, but only if the staffing company they were hired through can confirm they are legal immigrarts. Pedro Ortega, 30, was fired along with nine co- workers from an automotive parts factory in a suburb south of Chicago after attending a March 10 immigra- tion march that drew more than 100,000 people. A workers-rights organization got involved and negotiated with Cobra Metal Works Corp., which rehired the employees about a month later, he said. The company said in a statement it supports immigration reform and will allow workers to speak out as long as they follow company procedures for taking time off. Ortega, who has worked at the factory for eight years, said attending the march was worth the reper- cussions, and he plans to attend another rally in Chi- cago scheduled for May 1. "We have to change the way the American people think about us," Ortega said. "We are here to work and to make our lives better." But in Phoenix, one of the organizers of a city's immigration march earlier this week, former state Sen. Alfredo Gutierrez, said a planned May 1 work and school boycott is generating little interest from many advocacy groups. He said participants are tired and have to return to work. In Chicago, Rafael Pulido, a deejay on WOJO-FM who was instrumental in getting the word out about the city's huge March 10 rally, said he tells his listeners not to skip school. AP PHOTO This artist's rendering shows Zacarias Moussaoui In U.S. District Court on the witness stand in Alexandria, Va. yesterday. Moussaojui Says hehas no regret, no re morse TEHRAN, Iran Iran won't retreat 'one iota' on enrichment Iran's president insisted yesterday his country will not retreat "one iota" on its uranium enrichment, and his negotiator made no such concession in talks the U.N. hoped would head off a confrontation with the Security Council over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The U.N. nuclear agency chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, said that in four hours of discussions yesterday with Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, he put for- ward the U.N. request for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment until questions over its nuclear program are resolved. But Larijani indicated suspension was not an option. "Such proposals are not very important ones," he told reporters matter-of-factly while standing next to ElBaradei at a joint news conference after the talks. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Paistani forces kill Egyptian al-Qaida terrorist An al-Qaida member wanted for his suspected role in the bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa was killed by Pakistani forces in a raid near the Afghan border, a Pakistani Cabinet minister said yesterday. Egyptian Mohsin Musa Matawalli Atwah, 45, who was on the FBI's list of most-wanted terrorists, was killed along with at least six other militants in a raid led by helicopter gunships late Wednesday in the remote North Waziristan vil- lage of Naghar Kalai, near the Afghan border, the minister said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. BER LIN Pictures of Venus's south pole released European scientists released new photos of Venus' south pole yesterday, reveal- ing a swirling mass of sulfuric acid clouds powered by 220 mph winds. The clouds, 13 miles deep, completely enclose Venus. The new images of the plan- et's south pole, which is turned away from Earth, closely resemble those of its more familiar north pole. The images, taken from the European Space Agency's orbiting Venus Express spacecraft from a distance of roughly 124,000 miles, show pale clouds turning around a dark vortex. N'DJAMENA, Chad Gov't forces battle rebels in oil-producing Chad Government forces used attack helicopters, tanks and heavy weapons yes. terday to beat back rebels who charged 600 miles in pickup trucks from the Darfur border to reach the capital of this volatile, oil-producing nation ir the center of Africa. The assault underscored concerns that the civil war in Darfur, part of western Sudan, has undermined Chad President Idriss Deby's authority anc destabilized the entire region. It also showed how little control Deby wields in the countryside, where rebels cruise the desert at will. - Compiled from Daily wire reports CORRECTIONS A letter to the editor on page 4A of Wednesday's paper (Distinct lack of a Buddha mars the Buddha Machine) incorrectly identified the letter's author as Michael Owens. His name is Matthew Owens. A sidebar on yesterday's front page (Spanish major vs. minor) incorrectly stated the requirements to acquire a Spanish major or minor. The requirements listed were for acquiring a Spanish teaching certificate. An article in Wednesday's B-Side (The sun also rises) incorrectly listed "X-Men: The Last Stand" as "X-Men 3: The Last Stand." The same article also incorrectly listed the release date for "World Trade Center" as Aug. 11. The film will be released Aug. 9. The Detroit Electronic Music Festival was also mis- identified as Fuse-in. The caption accompanying a photograph on page 2B of this week's Sports- Monday misidentified the pictured golfer as Brandon Duff. The golfer was Matt McLaughlin. Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@michigandaily.com. 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com On witness stand, suspected terrorist tells court hearing 9/11 victims' suffering made his day ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Confessed al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui said yesterday it made his day to hear accounts of Americans' suf- fering from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and he would like to see similar attacks "every day." Taking the witness stand for the second time in his death-penalty trial yesterday, Moussaoui mocked a Navy sailor who wept on the stand as she described the death of two of her subordinates. "I think it was disgusting for a military person" to cry, Moussaoui said of the testimony of Navy Lt. Nancy McKeown. "She is military, she should expect people at war with her to want to kill her." Asked if he was happy to hear her sobbing, he said, "Make my day." Moussaoui said he had "no regret, no remorse" about the 9/11 attacks. Asked by prosecutor Rob Spencer if he would like to see it happen again, Moussaoui responded: "Every day until we get you." Moussaoui also said on cross-examination that he is convinced President Bush will free him before the end of his term and that he will return to London. Spencer tried several times to get Moussaoui to say he didn't really believe that, but Moussaoui was insistent. "I haven't doubted it for one single second," said Moussaoui, adding that the vision came to him in a dream just like his dream of flying a plane into the White House. He also argued that he could not get a fair trial so close to the Pentagon and he criticized U.S. support for Israel. Moussaoui testified that he believes his court- appointed lawyers are working against him and that if he'd had control over his defense, he would have argued that he should escape the death penalty and be available for a prisoner swap if American troops are captured overseas. Moussaoui, as defiant on the witness stand as he has been at the defendant's table throughout the trial, testified against the advice of his court-appointed lawyers and attacked them before the jury that must decide whether to sentence him to death or to spend life in prison. Offering a lengthy explanation of why he hates Americans, Moussaoui criticized the United States's support for Israel. He said Muslims have been at war with Christians and Jews for centuries. Israel, he said, is "just a missing star in the American flag." Moussaoui told jurors that Islam requires Muslims to be the world's superpower as he flipped through a copy of the Koran searching for verses to support his assertions. One he cited requires non-Muslim nations to pay a tribute to Muslim countries. "We have to be the superpower. You have to be subdued. We have to be above you," Moussaoui said. "Because Americans, you are the superpower, you want to eradicate us." At one point, defense lawyer Gerald Zerkin asked Moussaoui if he thought he was helping his case when he testified earlier that he planned to pilot a plane into the White House on Sept. 11. "I was putting my trust in God, so from an Islamic point of view, yes," Moussaoui responded, acknowl- edging that non-Muslims might view his testimony as harmful to his case. At several points during his afternoon testimony, Moussaoui acknowledged that he has lied when it has suited his interests throughout the course of his four-year case. Defense lawyers have said Moussaoui is lying about his role in Sept. 11 - the worst terrorism attack ever on U.S. soil - in the hopes of achieving martyrdom through execution. 0 -I Can Rumsfeld withstand backtalk? Increasing number of former commanders openly call for defense secretary's firing WASHINGTON (AP) - Crusty and unapologetic, Donald H. Rumsfeld is the public face of an unpopular war and a target of unrelenting criticism. A growing number of commanders who served under him say he has botched the Iraq operation, ignored the advice of his generals and should be replaced. The White House insists the defense secretary retains President Bush's con- fidence. Few close to the administra- tion expect him to be shown the door. "The president believes Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a very fine job dur- ing a challenging period in our nation's history," Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said yesterday as the admin- istration circled its wagons around the embattled Pentagon chief. Two more retired generals called for Rumsfeld's resignation on Thursday, bringing the number this month to six. Retired Army Major Gen. John Riggs told National Public Radio that Rumsfeld fostered an "atmosphere of arrogance." Retired Gen. Charles Swannack told CNN that Rumsfeld micromanaged the war. "We need a new secretary of defense,"he said. Military experts say the parade of recently retired military brass calling for Rumsfeld's resignation is troubling and threatens to undermine strong sup- port Bush has enjoyed among the offi- cer corps and troops. With public anti-war sentiment increasing, "the president and his team cannot afford to lose that support," said Kurt Campbell, a former deputy assis- tant secretary of defense. Yet for Bush to try to distance him- self from Rumsfeld "would call into question everything about the last three years' strategy in ways the White House worries would send a very nega- tive message," said Campbell, now with the Center for Strategic and Inter- national Studies. Joining the criticism earlier this week was retired Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste, who served as an infantry division com- mander in Iraq until last November. He called for a "fresh start at the Pentagon:' accusing Rumsfeld of ignoring sound military decision-making and seeking to intimidate those in uniform. Earlier calls for Rumsfeld's replace- ment came from retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, retired Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold and retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton. The most nettlesome member of Bush's Cabinet, Rumsfeld has been a lightning rod since the war began in March 2003. He was blamed for committing too few U.S. troops and for underestimating the strength of the insurgency. He took heat in 2004 over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the U.S. Army-run Abu Ghraib prison, and for a brusque response he gave to an Army National Guard soldier in Kuwait who questioned him on inadequate armor. Republicans in Congress have offered Rumsfeld little in the way of public support. Pentagon spokesman Eric Ruff said yesterday that Rumsfeld has not talked to the White House about resigning - and is not considering it. As to the latest general to call for Rumsfeld's resignation, "I don't know how many generals there are. There are a couple thousand at least, and they're going to have opinions," Ruff said. "It's not surprising, we're in a war." But it is surprising, especially because it's a time of war, said P.J. Crowley, a retired Air Force colonel who served as a Pentagon spokesman in both Republican and Democratic administrations and was a national security aide to former President Clinton. DoNN M. FRESARD Editor in Chief fresard@michigandaily.com 647-3336 Sun.-Thurs. 5 p.m. - 2 a.m. CONTACT INFORMATION News Tips Corrections Letters to the Editor Photography Department Arts Section Editorial Page Sports Section Display Sales Classified Sales Online Sales Finance JONATHAN DOBBERSTEIN Business Manager business@michigandaily.com 764-0558 Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Newsroom: 763-2459 Office hours: Sun.-Thurs. I a m. -2 a m, news@michigandaily.com corrections@michigandaily.com tothedaily@michigandaily.com photo@michigandaily.com 764-0563 artspage@michigandaily.com 763-0379 opinion@michigandaily.com 763-0379 sports@michigandaily.com 764-8585 display@michigandaily.com 764-0554 classified@michigandaily.com 764-0557 onlineads@michigandaily.com 615-0135 finance@michigandaily.com 763-3246 EDITORIAL STAFF Ashley Dinges Managing Editor dinges@michigandaily.com Karl Stampfl Managing News Editor stampfl@michigandaily.com NEWS EDITORS: Jeremy Davidson, Christina Hildreth, Anne Joling, Anne VanderMey Emily Beam Editorial Page Editor beam@michigandaily.com Christopher Zbrozek Editorial Page Editor zbrozek@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Theresa Kennelly, Imran Syed ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: David Russell Jack Herman Managing Sports Editor herman@michigandaily.com SNIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Scott Bell, Gabe Edelson, Matt Singer, Kevin Wright, Stephanie Wright SPORTS NIGHT EDITORS: H.Jose Bosch, Dan Bromwich, MaRk Giannotto,Ian Robinson, Nate Sandals, Dan Levy Jeffrey Bloomer Managing Arts Editor bloomer@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITORS: Evan McGarvey, Bernie Nguyen ARTS SUBEDITORS: Amanda Andrade, Lloyd C go, CaitlinCowan, Andrew Klein,PanitMattao Alex Dziadosz Managing Photo Editor dziadosz@michigandaily.com Mike Hulsebus Managing Photo Editor hulsebus@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITORS: Forest Casey, Trevor Campbell, David Tunan ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS: Shubra Ohn, Peter Schottenfel Lindsey Ungar Assistant Managing Editor, Design ungar@michigandaily.com ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR: Bridget O'Donnell Eston Bond Managing Online Editor eston@michigandaity.com ASSOCIATE ONLINE EDITORS: Angela Cesere, Phil Dokas James V. Dowd Magazine Editor dowd@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE MAGAZINE EDITOR: Chris Gaerig 0 ru 11 ~y' All services held at First United Methodist Church Ann Arbor 120 S. State St. (at Huron) BUSINESS STAFF Christine Hua Display Sales Manager ASSOCIATE DISPLAY SALES MANAGER: Alexis Floyd