Pakistani's protest impending US execution of CIA murderer
Protests against the impending execution in the US of Pakistani Mir Aimal
Kasi continued in Pakistan Thursday, with around 100 protestors taking to
the streets in the central city of Multan.
Kasi, who belongs to a powerful tribe from south-western Pakistan, is due
to be executed in the United States at 1:00pm AEDT Friday for the 1993
shooting murders of two Central Intelligence Agency employees.
Bearing placards emblazoned with slogans "Bush is the enemy of Muslims" and
"Stop interference into Pakistan's internal affairs", protestors in Multan
chanted criticisms against former Pakistani president Farooq Ahmed Khan
Leghari for his involvement in Kasi's arrest.
The protest took place amid heavy security and police were also deployed to
churches, missions and main squares.
After the murders Kasi slipped back into Pakistan and became the most
wanted man on the FBI list, before being nabbed by FBI agents in 1997 in
the town of Dera Ghazi Khan, nearby here, and taken back to the US for
trial without undergoing formal extradition.
Kasi has appealed for a review of his case by the US Supreme Court, which
has not yet decided if it will hear the appeal, and has also applied for
clemency from Virginia Governor Mark Warner.
His case has led to boosted security in Pakistan and has sparked protests
across the country, including a demonstration in Multan Wednesday where
more than 500 students called for Kasi's extradition back to Pakistan.
In Quetta, Kasi's hometown lying some 680 kilometres south-west of
Islamabad, around 80 lawyers staged a protest Wednesday condemning Kasi's
planned execution.
"The US should review its policies that are creating anti-US feelings among
the oppressed nations in the world," Ali Ahmed Kurd, president of the
Baluchistan Bar Association, told the rally.
"Executions or use of force against people will further fuel anti-US
feelings."
Members of Kasi's tribe in Baluchistan province were planning a protest in
Quetta later Thursday.
"We want to express our sentiments against this injustice," tribal member
Abdul Kudoos told AFP.
Kasi's brother Naseebullah warned that more protests were likely to erupt
in Pakistan, although Kasi had issued public appeals for peace from prison.
"The tribe, which is among the most educated in Baluchistan, will accept
his death with a heavy heart, but religious parties and other sections of
society have decided to protest over his death," Naseebullah told AFP.
The impending execution has put Washington on alert against possible
revenge attacks by Islamist groups, especially overseas, with the State
Department issuing a warning November 6
http://abc.net.au/news/justin/nat/newsnat-14nov2002-94.htm
I actually have to wonder sometimes if the Bushit coup mob are not on our
side in their own evil way.Like our own maniac cop,Michael
Costa...Inspector Harrison says it is yet to be determined whether mounted
police were involved in the injury of a newspaper journalist, who is now
being treated in hospital.
"[Police] were on standby at that particular stage, just the same as all
the other police there, they were there in case there was a violent
protest," he said.
"Now, unfortunately one of your journalists has been injured by something
at that stage, we're still investigating that at the present moment."
One of the protesters at yesterday's rally says the action was a success
but he has criticised police for heavy-handed tactics.
Damien Lawson from the refugee group "No one is Illegal" says officers used
excessive force.
"The police have a right to arrest people ... who are doing the wrong
thing, they don't have a right to use excessive and unlawful force, such as
police horses, to wade through a crowd of people to get to one individual,"
he said.
Costa clash
New South Wales Police Minister Michael Costa and Greens MP Ian Cohen have
clashed in the state's Parliament over the use of police horses.
"Will the Minister give a directive to stop using police horses as weapons
in peace protests?" Mr Cohen, who attended the protest march, said.
Mr Costa said he asked for a police report into the incident, but also
referred to new reports that suggested the protesters were slapping the
horses before the incident occurred.
He also said Mr Cohen should not have been involved in what was considered
an illegal demonstration.
"Now the people that are responsible are the people that are running wild
in the streets of Sydney, they are 100 per cent responsible for the
problems that are occurring in the city today," he said.EXTRACT.
http://abc.net.au/news/2002/11/item20021115013505_1.htm
Reporter trampled wrote about P.I.Gs
http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=22799&group=webcast
