Saturday 26 February 2005, 11:30 Makka Time, 8:30 GMT
The blast occoured on Friday night discoteque of Tel Aviv made four victims and wounded at least 50 people.
According to the police chief David Tzur, a suicide bomber blew himself between the crowd waiting in line in front of the entrance.
The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz wrote that the Islamic Jihad group claimed responsability for the bomb but the Palestinian authorities quickly indicated the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade under suggestion of the Hezbollah Lebanese movement.
As reported by al-Jazeera, however all the extremist movements that are part of the Fatha, Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa and Hamas denied their involvement.
Meanwhile Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazin) claimed in a statement, after a meeting with security officials pf his country, that the attack of Friday in Tel Aviv was aiming at Israeli and Palestinians at the mean time and that his government will do whatever is in its power to hunt down and accordingly punishing those responsible for the suicide attack.
The spokesman for the Palestinian Authority Nabil Abu Rudaina claimed in another statement,
"The Palestinian Authority will not be silent about this sabotage and it will pursue whoever stands behind this act and will inflict the required punishment." and,
"We are against any operation which harms civilians, Israeli and Palestinian. This was part of our truce agreement with Israel at Sharm al-Shaikh."
Meanwhile the Chief Palestinian neogiator Saib Uraiqat was worried about a possible counter-attack from the Israeli government,
"We are asking the international community to move immediately to ensure that Israel does not use this kind of operation as an excuse for aggressions against the Palestinian people."
[we were] "fully observing the period of quiet as we told Abu Mazin (Mahmud Abbas) at our last meeting in Gaza", said a spokesman for the resistance group Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, adding that,
"But the responsibility for this operation lies with the Israeli enemy because even though we are observing this period of quiet, the Israeli aggressions and crimes are continuing."
Nafidh Azzam is a important leader of the Islamic Jihad (Palestinian resistance organization) he reported that,
"Islamic Jihad is committed to calm in accordance with the understanding it has reached with President Abu Mazin. The Islamic Jihad has no knowledge of the attack in Tel Aviv."
Secretary of the US, Condoleeza Rice said that the responsible are going to be punished.
Il Romanaccio at 9:52 AM
Friday 25 February 2005, 14:34 Makka Time, 11:34 GMT
According to a military statement another US marine died, in the province of al-Anbar during "security and stability operations".
This is desert territory in western Iraq, known to be on eof the most dangerous areas because of its lack of authority and soldiers.
The American forces started a new wave of attacks using jets and low-flying operational planes such as the enourmous Ac-130, a deadly war plane that carries two 60 mm machine-guns and lots of Air-to-Ground missiles.
These attacks began in the town of Haqlaniya, (about 240 km northwest of the capital) the US forces apparently captured the leader of an al-Qaida-affiliated group tought to be responsable for many beheadings, Muhammad Najam Ibrahim.
The killer has relations with al-Zarqawi as an Iraqi military statement reports, "The two beheaded a number of citizens in addition to launching attacks against Iraqi security forces."
He was arrested by Iraqi forces on Thursday in the city of Bakuba (north of Baghdad).
Another Al-Zarqawi helper was arrested by Iraqi forces in the same city a week ago, his name is
Haidar Abu Bawari.
Policemen are now interrogating Najam Ibrahim in an effort to discover something useful, maybe other insurgents and criminals.
Il Romanaccio at 2:22 PM
Thursday 24 February 2005, 14:10 Makka Time, 11:19 GMT
The US military offence continues in Samarra and Ramadi, the death toll of the American army now reached 1128, a number increased after the death of two sons of this country on Thursday.
One of them lost his life when a roadside bomb exploded near the district of Qaryat, (northeast of the capital), the other one in a blast close to Samarra (north of Baghdad), two other soldiers were also wounded in this blast.
All of the soldiers belonged to the Task Force Liberty.
Meanwhile US war operations were continuing, helicopters and planes (including Ac-130) were used to bomb the anti-US stronghold of Haqlaniya.
According to a military statement, "US jets delivered two 500-pound bombs on insurgent fighting positions after insurgents ambushed a US marine patrol with small arms and heavy machine gun fire."
Us forces were also able to arrest 29 insurgents and to seize weapons caches in the al-Anbar province.
Il Romanaccio at 1:07 PM
Thursday 24 February 2005, 14:10 Makka Time, 11:15 GMT
Three police officers were unfortunately killed, on Thursday, in the city of Kirkuk (north of the country) by a group of armed men aiming to the Colonel Khattab Umar Arif, who was able to save his life.
According to the Colonel a bomb exploded on the way of his convoy just after they passed by,
"Two vehicles in my escort were destroyed," he said.
Apparently they were just a few miles away from his house.
All the guards were killed in the attack.
Police forces came immediately to seal off the area wich is close to the US military base located in the Airport of Kirkuk.
Al-Jazeera also learned about the death of two others Iraqi policemen in a blast occoured in the al-Iskandariya neighbourhood( south of the capital).
Seven people were wounded too in the car-bomb attack.
Il Romanaccio at 12:55 PM
Thursday 24 February 2005, 14:10 Makka Time, 11:10 GMT
According to Al-Jazeera, a police station in Tikrit ( north of Baghdad) was attacked today at 9.30am (0630 GMT) by a suicide bomber, ten people died and many others were wounded.
Captain Husam Mussayif of the local police said that a bomber tried to reach the police station with his car and when challenged, he detonated his vehicle as close as possible to the building.
"It was a suicide car bomb. A man claiming to be police showed up at the entrance and was allowed into the compound. Then he detonated," a witness referred.
"Eight cars are in flames and the building is severely damaged," he added.
Imad Juburi, Tikrit's hospital director, said they received ten dead and at least 35 wounded, including captain Mussayif who has an injured leg.
As Juburi claims, "detonated his vehicle in the middle of policemen who had gathered for the morning parade."
Il Romanaccio at 12:40 PM
Wednesday 23 February 2005, 11:15 Makka Time, 8:15 GMT
Syria's expatriate affairs minister Buthaina Shaban expressed his worries about a certain political pressure received from the United States.
"What has happened in Lebanon is an inseparable part of the plan to restructure the Middle East. This causes real worries to the people of this region," he said.
In his trip over Europe the American president is, in fact, convincing every U.E. politician to join the "plot" against Syria's policy in Lebanon.
Bush is calling Syria an "oppressive neighbourhood" to Lebanon, moreover he is calling for a pull-back of the Syrian troops in that country.
During the "Gulf War" in 1991 about 15,000 soldiers from Damascus occupied Lebanon and they still are more or less all there.
European Foreign Ministers said they were all going to endorse G.W. Bush in his advice to Damascus, "End its occupation".
Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday that the UN wants the ONU resolution number 1559 to be effective soon (the resolution calls for the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon) reading this text,
"We spoke about the Middle East and especially Lebanon ... to vigorously condemn against the attack which claimed the life of former prime minister [Rafiq al-Hariri], to demand respect for the [UN] Security Council resolution and its immediate application."
While in England talks about the "lawless war" perpetrated against Saddam Hussein are becoming louder and Ibrahim al-Jaafari (the leader of Dawa islamist Party) is going to be Prime Minister of Iraq, Bush is heading toward Germany right now, to talk with the Canchellor Gerhard Schroeder and they said to have a good work relationship, maybe the Syrian Minister is right to be worried?
Il Romanaccio at 10:40 AM
Tuesday 22 February 2005, 12:40 Makka Time, 9:40 GMT
An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck central Iran on Tuesday, killing so far 190 people, wounding at least 1000 and destroying buildings and entire towns, as reported by the Iranian Tv.
As we are writing people are digging the ground in a desperate attempt to save some life.
According to the seismological unit of Tehran University's Geophysics Institute, the quake hit at 5:55 am , nearby a town called Zarand wich is situated not far from the city of Kerman (the capital of the same province).
A quote from the interior Ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani reported, "The death toll has increased to 190, and more than 1,000 people have been injured."
The Tv added, "All hospitals in Zarand are filled to capacity with the injured. Hospitals in the town cannot receive any more of the injured," while showing images of the crowded Hospital.
The Kermal provincial governor, Mohammad Ali Karimi, reported a list of the most damaged towns, the villages of Hotkan, Khanook, Motaharabad and Islamabad.
Il Romanaccio at 10:47 AM
Monday 21 February 2005, 8:21 Makka Time, 5:21 GMT
The biggest prisoners-release operation ever made in ten years by Israel started today from the Ketziot jail in Israel's Negev desert where 500 Palestinians were freed by the authorities to follow the deal reached by Abbas and Sharon in the February 8 meeting.
Also the liberation of the prisoners comes after the historical decision made by Israel of a pull-back from the Gaza Strip.
Abbas needed as many Palestinians prisoners to come back in their country as a condition expressed by the fighters in the Gaza Strip to stop violence.
Sharon apperently understood that there was no other way to start talking with Hamas and others revolutionary groups in Palestine and decided to start with the liberation of arrested Palestinians.
There are no prisoners found guilty of attacks against Israel in this first 500 people freeing operation as decided in the agreement between Israel and Palestine.
All of them will reach freedom after 5am (0800 GMT) on crossing points at the border of the two countries.
There still are about 8000 Palestinians being held in Israeli jails.
Il Romanaccio at 12:08 PM
Monday 21 February 2005, 4:01 Makka Time, 1:01 GMT
As reported by Time some US agents and diplomats are trying to estabilish a relationship with the insurgents in Iraq.
Sources of this confidential information are probably coming from the Pentagon but it is clear that the US government is using unconventional channels to convincing the fighters to stop violence and declare their interests.
However, President Bush and his cabinet firmly denied any form of dialogue with the insurgents.
As reported by James Glanz, on "The New York Times" yesterday, fighters recently attacked oil pipelines and important general supplies for Baghdad such as electricity, gasoline and potable water points in a professional way that shows how well they know vital parts of the capital.
But Time magazine explained how there was a secret meeting between two members of the US army and a former Saddam Hussein official plus another Iraqi, representing the insurgents.
Apparently, the Iraqi representative was complaining about the fact that a Shia-dominated government could easily be under the influence of Iran.
Plus they declared themselves ready to talk with the USA for possible common intents.
The Iraqi negotiator said, as referred by the Time magazine, "We are ready to work with you."
and they also revealed the fact that some group of fighters decided to start a negotiation with the US government in order to reach their goals of being politically represented in the country.
Even if the White House did not immediately comment on the fact, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, said in an interview with CNN,
"We've got a very complicated and dangerous situation over there and you are going to have to reach out, you are going to have to develop some relationships and networks."
Il Romanaccio at 11:27 AM
Sunday 20 February 2005, 5:30 Makka Time, 2:30 GMT
The US military announced that an American soldier was killed while doing his job in Baghdad on Saturday, when a suicide bomber blew himself up, an Iraqi citizen died in the blast too.
Another Marine was also killed in the al-Anbar province.
According to al-Jazeera a mortar shell hit an Ashura procession in the Silaykh district in northern Baghdad, killing and wounding 25 Iraqis, another eight people were killed and 10 wounded in a car bomb attack to a Shia mosque in Iskandariya town, yesterday.
In the Sunni area of al- Adhamiya two Iraqis lost their life and 20 were wounded in another mortar attack to the al-Nida mosque, as referred by medical sources.
Accordin gto police sources, Shaikh Muhammad Rustum Abd al-Rahman, an important Kurdish religious figure was assassinated by a group of fighters in his car with his wife, near Kirkuk.
In the northern Samarra district of Baghdad a gunbattle involving Iraqi and American police forces against a group of armed men ended with two dead and five wounded.
Il Romanaccio at 11:08 AM
Sunday 20 February 2005, 5:30 Makka Time, 2:30 GMT
Suicide bombers, mortar attacks and many deaths (24 according to the Associated Press) marked the commemoration day of the Ashoura in Iraq.
The entire country seemed to go back in the time when Hussein the martyr was killed by the Shiite army of Alì in the Karbala field by the Omeyyades (Sunnis) fourtheen centuries ago.
Baghdad was literrally shattered on Saturday, "official reports" talk about at least eight bombers and an indefinite number of wounded, plus about 24 deaths.
According to the police, an explosion in the Shia neighbourhood of al-Khadamiya killed 17 people and wounded 41.
Witnesses said a man wearing a "suicide-belt" got in a bus and blew himself in there.
Earlier in the day a mosque is been attacked by another bomber riding a motorbike.
Four mourners, attending to a woman's funeral, died in the blast and 37 were injured.
In Latifiya, south of the capital, a car bomber aimed a checkpoint and killed nine Iraqi soldiers, as reffered by official sources.
The count for these attacks is anyway not precise as witnesses said that many other detonations were heard in Baghdad yesterday.
Il Romanaccio at 10:36 AM
