NKOREA-DETAINED AMERICANS-REACTION
Family worries about detained missionary’s health
SEATTLE (AP) β The sister of an American missionary held nearly two years in North Korea says she’s worried about Kenneth Bae’s health and wellbeing.
In a statement released Monday after Bae gave a brief news conference in North Korea with other detained Americans, Terri Chung of Edmonds, Washington, said it’s clear that her 46-year-old brother is in a lot of pain. Chung added that the once cheerful man is now isolated in a North Korean labor camp, with little human contact.
Bae and fellow American detainees Jeffrey Fowle and Mathew Miller told reporters Monday that they believe their only hope is for a U.S. representative to go to North Korea to make a direct appeal for their release. Fowle and Miller said they expect to face trial within a month. Bae is serving a 15-year term.
Fowle arrived in North Korea on April 29. He is suspected of leaving a Bible in a nightclub. Christian proselytizing is considered a crime in North Korea.
North Korea says Miller entered the country on April 10 with a tourist visa, but tore it up at the airport and shouted that he wanted to seek asylum.
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255-a-11-(Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, in AP interview)-“of both nations”-Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, says her brother needs prayer. (1 Sep 2014)
< 253-a-17-(Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, in AP interview)-“the labor camp”-Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, says her brother was able to phone home about three weeks ago. (1 Sep 2014) < 251-w-34-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae)–The sister of an American missionary held nearly two years in North Korea says she is worried about Kenneth Bae’s health and wellbeing. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports (1 Sep 2014) < 252-a-08-(Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, in AP interview)-“opening for dialogue”-Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, says she’s cautiously optimistic about the interviews her brother and fellow American detainees were able to have with reporters. (1 Sep 2014) < 254-a-11-(Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, in AP interview)-“past two years”-Terri Chung, sister of Kenneth Bae, says her brother is suffering from back pain amid hard labor and isolation. (1 Sep 2014) < CHURCHES VANDALIZED-COLUMBUS Indiana Muslims condemn graffiti on churches COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) β Police in Columbus, Indiana, are investigating apparently Islamic graffiti that was spray painted on three churches over the weekend. Police say the vandals defaced St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, East Columbus Christian Church and Lakeview Church of Christ with messages like “INFIDELS!” and “Quran 3:151.” The cited Quran verse threatens to cast terror into the hearts of non-Muslims and condemn them to fire. A priest at St. Bartholomew wondered if the vandals were radical Muslims or pranksters trying to incite hatred against Muslims. Members of the Islamic Society of Columbus condemned the graffiti, offered to clean it up and said the Quran verse was taken out of context. Sound: 210-v-33-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–Police in Columbus, Indiana are investigating apparently Islamic graffiti that was spray painted on three churches over the weekend. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (1 Sep 2014) < VATICAN PEACE MATCH Pope meets soccer players participating in Match for Peace VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis has met with international soccer stars gathered in Rome for a match aimed at promoting peace and raising money for at-risk children. Athletes at the papal audience included Argentina’s Diego Maradona (mah-rah-DOHN’-yah), who later presented Pope Francis with an Argentine football jersey. Francis told the soccer stars that young people admire them for their athletic ability, and he urged them to provide a good example both on and off the field. The Match for Peace in Rome’s Olympic stadium was organized in response to an appeal by Pope Francis and former Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti. The organizers put together teams featuring Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist players. But former Egyptian soccer player Mohamed Aboutrika refused to take part in the event, citing the presence of Israeli players. Sound: 222-r-15-(Pope Francis, addressing soccer stars at the Vatican in Italian)–Pope Francis, speaking Italian, tells the soccer stars that young people admire them for their athletic ability, so they should provide a good example both on and off the field. (1 Sep 2014) < 221-a-12-(Sulley Muntari, a soccer player from Ghana, in AP interview)-“are having problems”-Sulley Muntari, a soccer player from Ghana, says the international and interfaith Match for Peace was organized to promote peace and raise funds for at-risk children. ((Note audio quality)) (1 Sep 2014) < CARNIVAL RIDE-TEENS INJURED 2 teens injured after falling out of carnival ride EL PASO, Texas (AP) β Two teenagers are recovering after being injured when they fell out of a carnival ride at a West Texas church bazaar. Police in El Paso say the “Sidewinder” β a swinging pendulum ride with two gondolas at each end β was in motion Sunday night at the Saint Anthony’s Bazaar when a door came open and the teenagers fell to the ground. The male and female, both 13 years old, were taken to University Medical Center in El Paso. Police said their injuries were not believed to be life threatening. Authorities say no charges have been filed and the incident remains under investigation. UNITED NATIONS-IRAQ UN diplomats examine Islamic State alleged crimes GENEVA (AP) β The U.N.’s top human rights body has approved the Iraqi government’s request for an investigation into alleged crimes against civilians committed by the Islamic State group in its rampage across northeastern Syria and Iraq. Its aim is to provide the Human Rights Council with a report and evidence that could be used as part of any international war crimes prosecution. Flavia Pansieri, the U.N. deputy high commissioner for human rights, said the Islamic State’s widespread, systematic persecution of ethnic and religious groups likely amounts to a crime against humanity. She said Iraqi government forces’ execution of detainees and its shelling of civilian areas may also amount to war crimes. Keith Harper, the U.S. ambassador for human rights in Geneva, told the council that as a co-sponsor of the Iraq resolution the U.S. is appalled at the Islamic State’s “heinous acts” that include extrajudicial killings, enslavement, deliberate targeting of civilians, sexual assault, and religious persecution. Sound: 189-a-18-(Flavia Pansieri, U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees, at U.N. Human Rights Council session)-“or sectarian affiliation”-Flavia Pansieri, the U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees, says religious minorities are being persecuted by Islamic State militants. ((note length of cut)) (1 Sep 2014) < 188-a-11-(Flavia Pansieri, U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees, at U.N. Human Rights Council session)-“particularly brutal persecution”-Flavia Pansieri, the U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees, says Islamic State militants have brutally attacked religious minorities. (1 Sep 2014) < 190-a-10-(Flavia Pansieri, U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees, at U.N. Human Rights Council session)-“been deliberately destroyed”-Flavia Pansieri, the U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees, says the Islamic State group is violating the human rights of religious minorities. (1 Sep 2014) < BRITAIN-TERROR UK: Passports could be seized to fight terrorism LONDON (AP) β Prime Minister David Cameron is proposing new laws that would give police the power to seize the passports of Britons suspected of having traveled abroad to fight with terrorist groups. Speaking to Parliament Monday, Cameron said his government is also working on plans to block suspected British jihadis from re-entering the U.K. and strengthen the power of police to monitor suspects who are already in Britain. The plans to widen Britain’s anti-terror laws are likely to be approved. Intelligence and security services suspect that around 500 Britons have gone to fight in Syria and potentially Iraq. Cameron has described the extremism posed by the Islamic State group as the biggest security threat of modern times β surpassing that of al-Qaida β and said it poses a direct threat to Europe. Sound: 170-c-21-(Kyle McKinnon, correspondent, with British Prime Minister David Cameron)-“on their watch-lists”-Correspondent Kyle McKinnon reports the British prime minister is pushing for legal grounds to keep British nationals from returning home if they’re suspected of working alongside terrorists overseas. (1 Sep 2014) < 169-w-35-(Kyle McKinnon, correspondent, with British Prime Minister David Cameron)–Britain’s prime minister is proposing laws to give law enforcement more power to confront the threat of Islamist militants at home. Correspondent Kyle McKinnon reports. (1 Sep 2014) < 149-a-17-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in statement to, and questioning by, House of Commons in video provided by the Parliamentary Recording Unit)-“the Netherlands and Australia”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says new legislation is required to prevent home-grown and would-be terrorists from either leaving the country to fight or train in the Middle East, or returning home with terrorist intent. ((note cut length)) (1 Sep 2014) < 151-a-16-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in statement to, and questioning by, House of Commons in video provided by the Parliamentary Recording Unit)-“in these islands”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says the United Kingdom is a free and tolerant country that can’t allow radical militancy. ((note cut length)) (1 Sep 2014) < 150-a-15-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in statement to, and questioning by, House of Commons in video provided by the Parliamentary Recording Unit)-“from the U.K.”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says the country must prevent from returning home those would-be terrorists who’ve left to train with the likes of the Islamic State militant group. (1 Sep 2014) < 152-a-15-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in statement to, and questioning by, House of Commons in video provided by the Parliamentary Recording Unit)-“through relocation powers”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says the government will expand its domestic anti-terrorist efforts. (1 Sep 2014) < ISLAMIC STATE-SATIRE Islamic State group becomes target of Arab satire BAGHDAD (AP) β The bumbling young militant in an Arabic cartoon first drops the rocket launcher on the toes of his boss before taking aim and firing toward a military checkpoint in Iraqi β not realizing he’s fired it backward at his leader. The “Looney Tunes”-style cartoon targeting the Islamic State group comes after its militants have swept across large swaths of Syria and Iraq, declaring their own self-styled caliphate while conducting mass shootings of their prisoners. The group cheers its advances and beheadings in Internet videos. In response, television networks across the Middle East have started airing cartoons and comedy shows using satire to criticize the group and its claim to represent Islam. And while not directly confronting the Islamic militants’ battlefield gains, the shows challenge the legitimacy of their claims and reduce fears that the group is unstoppable. Sound: 179-c-20-(Vivian Salama (sah-LAH’-mah), AP correspondent)-“so as well”-AP correspondent Vivian Salama reports Arab comedy writers who ridicule the group Islamic State risk not only harsh criticism but even execution for supposed blasphemy — but they’re doing it anyway. (1 Sep 2014) < 181-c-18-(Vivian Salama (sah-LAH’-mah), AP correspondent)-“be taken seriously”-AP correspondent Vivian Salama reports some Arab satirists are embracing the risk that goes with taking on the religious beliefs of Islamic State militants. (1 Sep 2014) < 180-c-20-(Vivian Salama (sah-LAH’-mah), AP correspondent)-“interpretation of Islam”-AP correspondent Vivian Salama reports that supporters of comedy programs that spoof the Islamic State argue it’s important to mock the militants’ distorted version of Islam. (1 Sep 2014) < 178-c-18-(Vivian Salama (sah-LAH’-mah), AP correspondent)-“slapstick comedy shows”-AP correspondent Vivian Salama reports there’s a new crop of comedy programming in the Arab world focused on the Islamic State militant group. (1 Sep 2014) < NIGERIA-VIOLENCE Nigerian forces clash with Boko Haram fighters BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) β Nigerian military officials say they killed about 70 Boko Haram fighters when the Muslim extremists attacked the town of Bama Monday. The officials, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, said the Islamic militants arrived in armored tanks and trucks and tried to take over the town in Nigeria’s northeast. Mohammed Bunu Ahmed, a witness to the attack, said he thanks God that soldiers were able to repel them. Boko Haram has been fighting in Nigeria since 2009 but became internationally known in mid-April when its militants kidnapped more than 300 schoolgirls, of whom more than 200 still remain captive.
