Daily Says Torture Photos Involve German Soldiers in Kosovo

[Seismic Anamoly]

HAD to post this before I depart....what goes around, comes around.....

Quote:

---

The German Defense Ministry is investigating rumors about the existence of torture photos involving German peacekeepers in Kosovo.



German mass-selling daily Bild reported on Thursday that photographs depicting torture scenes were circulating in the international KFOR peacekeeping force and that German soldiers were allegedly involved.



The newspaper, however, doesn't have the aforementioned photographs. The defense ministry has refused to comment on the allegations.



Defense expert for the opposition Christian Social Union, Christian Schmidt, demanded "a full explanation of the affair without any cover-up" in the Bild.



"We owe it to our soldiers and citizens," he said. On Thursday the German parliament is expected to make a decision on extending the German army's deployment in Kosovo. At present, there are 3,900 soldiers among the 17,500-strong KFOR contingent in the region.

---

Don't Touch That Dial!!!







www.dw-world.de/english/0..._A,00.html

[MIKE BURN]

"Rumors".... and the rumors have been already identified as a bad joke of a frustrated ex-officer seeking for significance.





Back to the more important facts:

Quote:

---

Wednesday, 26 May, 2004, 18:34 GMT 19:34 UK



A court in Germany has ruled that a radical Muslim leader can be extradited to Turkey to face treason charges.

Metin Kaplan is accused of planning to crash a plane loaded with explosives into the mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern, secular Turkey.



The decision overturns a previous ruling that he was unlikely to receive a fair trial in Turkey.



Mr Kaplan, the self-styled 'Caliph of Cologne' can appeal against the decision to a federal court.



The extradition announcement is a victory for the German government, which has been seeking to deport Mr Kaplan since he was released from jail last year after a four year sentence for inciting the killing of a rival cleric in Berlin in 1997.



Group banned



Mr Kaplan's group Caliphate State, which seeks to overthrow the secular government in Turkey, was banned in Germany after the 11 September attacks in the US.



"This is a decision to be applauded," said German Interior Minister Otto Schily in a statement.



"Today's verdict is an important signal: for foreigners who represent a danger to the security and order of our nation, there is no place in Germany."



Previously German courts have noted claims that some militant suspects have been tortured in Turkey.



But on Wednesday the court said that it had seen assurances by the Turkish government, and that Mr Kaplan "is not faced with a significant probability of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment in Turkey, and so is not entitled to protection from extradition".

---