Article originally published by Voice of America (May 4, 2011)

A former prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone says investigations by the International Criminal Court show war crimes have been committed in Libya by forces loyal to embattled leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Syracuse University Law professor David Crane says the investigations demonstrate pro-Gadhafi forces engaged “intentional firing into the civilian population.” He said, “International humanitarian law strictures require that civilians be protected and not targeted intentionally.”

Crane denies claims that the Hague-based court only targets African leaders for human rights violations and war crimes.

The former prosecutor’s made the remarks as ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo briefed the Security Council Wednesday, on his plans to seek three arrest warrants for crimes against humanity committed in Libya.

Moreno-Ocampo said during a recent trip to Libya, he had uncovered “strong evidence” suggesting violations had occurred since anti-government unrest erupted in February.

David Crane says the International Criminal Court will ensure that perpetrators of war crimes in Libya are prosecuted, despite political challenges and considerations.

“There is politics involved in the removal or indictments of heads of state and their henchmen,” said Crane. “The political aspect comes up with the peace versus justice issue, but there won’t be a permanent general amnesty,” he said.

Crane cited the prosecution of former Liberian President Charles Taylor as an example of international laws not recognizing guarantees to protect heads of state accused of committing war crimes.

The former prosecutor said he is confident the ICC will also look into allegations that anti-Gadhafi forces are responsible for some of the atrocities committed in the Libyan conflict.

He rejected criticisms that the Hague-based court primarily targets African leaders for human rights violations.

“The prosecutor himself or the ICC itself is not focused on Africa. Almost all of the cases the ICC is working in Africa are referred to it either by the Security Council or African state parties,” said Crane.

Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon v Department of Interior Second Amended Complaint 4-18-2011

Case summary originally posted on Scribd.com

A Native American tribe in California has filed it’s Second Amended Complaint (SAC), in a lawsuit opposing the environmental document for a luxury resort development near Los Angeles. The Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon is requesting a preliminary and permanent injunction stopping the Tejon Mountain Village project in Kern County. The Southern California resort development is being sued alleging Unlawful Possession, violations of NAGPRA, Civil Rights and CEQA. County of Kern, California, Tejon Ranch Corporation, Tejon Mountain Village, LLC (TMV) and the Department of Interior are Defendant’s in the Eastern District of California court action.

The EIR for the project lists more than 50 Native American villages and cemetery sites within the project study area and states that the resort corporation, TMV, “own the remains” of the Kawaiisu, and artifacts found in and around the graves, not requiring repatriation to the Tribe as contemplated by NAGPRA. The SAC addresses numerous cases of sacred cultural resource destruction that have been so far identified in conjunction with the proposed development. Plaintiff’s Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon and Chairman David Laughing Horse Robinson filed the Second Amended Complaint on April 18, 2011.

The Kawaiisu are one of the ancient Great Basin Shoshone Paiute tribes whose pre-European territory extended from Utah to the Pacific Ocean and have continually inhabited the area from time immemorial. The Tribe descends from signatories to the 1849 Treaty with the Utahs, signed on December 30, 1849 and ratified on September 9, 1850. This treaty was the first tribal treaty signed by the United States after the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty. The Indian Non-Intercourse Act, 25 USC § 177 is incorporated in Article 4 of the 1849 Treaty and the legal proceeding.

The land, in controversy, was purchased by United States Indian Superintendent Edward F. Beale to establish the Tejon Sebastian Indian Reservation; it was the first Indian reservation in California. The reservation was established by Executive Order in 1853, 10 Stat. 226, 238.

Al-Qaeda statement calls the day “a historic day of the days of the great Islamic umma (nation) and in a noble stand of one of its great men and heroes across its blessed age and on the path taken by the will of all the mighty predecessors and those who will follow them, the Sheikh, the Mujahid & the Commander, the pious migrant fighter, Abu Abdullah Osama bin Muhammad bin Laden, may God have mercy on him was killed in a place where truth shines and where sincerity for good deeds and the call for truthfulness exist. Bin Laden was killed so he can follow the mighty caravan of the umma (the nation) with the great leaders, the loyal soldiers, and the honest knights who refused to abandon their faith for the mundane lives and to hand over the command to those who will be humiliate them and be humiliated and that’s why they confronted the weaponry with weaponry, force with force and accepted to challenge the arrogant masses that came out to fight with their killing machines, equipments, aircrafts and forces boastfully so they can be seen as men, and still this didn’t weaken their resolve and didn’t drain their strength, but instead he stood up for them face to face, a mighty mountain, a proud mountain and he was still in the midst of the battle that many got used to and his eyes were used to its sceneries but after that, he was yet to be excused and delivered his message and then he was shot bullets of betrayal and blasphemy delivering his soul to its maker while repeating: ‘Who sacrifice the blessed soul for his Lord to fight off the falsehood CANNOT ever be blamed’.”

“Congratulations to the Islamic Nation on the martyrdom of their devoted son Osama,

Even when the Americans managed to kill Osama, they managed to do ONLY that by disgrace and betrayal. Men and heroes only should be confronted in the battlefields but at the end, that’s God’s fate. Still we ask, will the Americans be able thru their media outlets, their agents, their instruments, soldiers, intelligence services and their might be able to kill what Sheikh Osama lived for and was killed for? How far! How impossible! Sheikh Osama didn’t build an organization that will vanish with his death or fades away with his departure.

In this context, we in al Qaeda Jihad organization promise God Almighty and we ask Him for help, support and steadfastness to continue on the path of jihad that our leaders, led by Sheikh Osama chose, and that we will not be reluctant, and will not deviate from that honorable path until God be the final judge between us and our enemy.

We also stress that the blood of the mujahid sheikh Osama bin Laden, may God have mercy on him is VERY dear to us and more precious to us and to every Muslim from being shed in vain and this blood (OBL’s blood) will be a curse that will chase the Americans and their agents, a curse that will pursue them inside and outside their country, and soon – with God’s help – we pray that their happiness turns into sorrow and may their bloods mix with their tears and let Sheikh Osama’s resonate again that “America will neither enjoy nor live in security until our people in Palestine live it and enjoy it. The soldiers of Islam in groups and as individuals will continue to plan and plot without any fatigue, boredom, despair, surrender or indifference until you receive from them a cunning misfortune that will gray the hair of the child even before he gets old.

We call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan where our dear Sheikh Osama was killed on their soil to rise up and revolt so they can cleanse this disgrace that was brought upon them by a handful of traitors and thieves who have sold everything to the enemies of the Muslim nation, and disregarded the feelings of this great Muajhid (Pakistani) people and let them rise up and start a massive public uprising to cleanse their country (Pakistan) from the filth of the Americans who have wreaked havoc in the land”.

“The sheikh (OBL) didn’t leave this world before taking part in sharing the joy with his Muslim Umma (nation) regarding its revolutions when the nation has risen in the face of injustice and the tyrants and may God have mercy on him, the sheikh recorded an audio message one week before his killing that we will release soon, God willing and his audio message included a congratulation greeting, advices and a guidance. He ended his audio message with the following verses:

Saying the righteousness to the tyrants is the splendor & the gospel.

This is the path leading to the mundane life, this is the path leading to the hereafter.

You can die a slave if you wish or die a free man, this is your choice.

Moreover, we warn the Americans of any injustice to be made to the corpse of Sheikh Osama, God’s mercy be upon him or that he will be mistreated in any despicable manner and this warning includes the mistreatment of any member of the sheikh’s honorable family whether they are dead or alive and that the bodies must be handed over to the families because any inappropriate treatment will open the doors of double evil and you will only be blaming yourselves for your own deeds. We call upon all Muslims to do their duty in enforcing this right.”

By Kylie M Tsudama

Special Features Editor

United States President Barack Obama has announced that Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden is dead.

In a speech late Sunday night, President Obama addressed the nation to confirm reports that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  Appearing from the White House, the President announced that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a firefight at a mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he was hiding.  This confirmation came only after DNA tests confirmed that the United States did have the body of Osama Bin Laden.

Osama Bin Laden was at the top of the United States “most wanted” list.

The announcement comes just months from the ten-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Al-Qaeda Leader Osama Bin Laden Dead – 01 May 2011

LA Times – Obama Announces Osama Bin Laden Killed by U.S. – 01 May 2011

VOA News – Obama Announces Death of Osama Bin Laden – 01 May 2011