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Several thousand people took to the streets of Madrid yesterday in a demonstration that saw banners unfurled that placed the United States, the Nazi State and the Jews into one basket. As the march continued, such cries as “The Zionist State is a terrorist state”, whilst in declarations to the press, one of the organizers, Pedro Zerolo used some very abusive terms when describing United States President George W. Bush. Prior to the demonstration taking place, Jorge Moragas, a spokesman for the conservative Partido Popular demanded that the Socialist party officially disassociate itself from the march. However, not only was any statement from the party seriously lacking, senior Socialist directors such as Ruth Porta took part in the March. Victor Harel, the Israeli Ambassador to Madrid, deplored the march stating that the Socialist Government had already received a message of thanks for its stance over the Middle East from terror group Hezbollah, ‘and with this march, the terrorists win another prize’.
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The second trail of the Eta member known as ‘Txapote’ - Francisco Javier Garcia Gaztelu - took place in Madrid yesterday, as with his previous trial when he was accused of killing Miguel Angel Blanco nine years ago, Txapote remained defiant as he entered the courtroom stating that the Madrid proceedings ‘are not capable of passing a judgment on Basque fighters’. The second trial took place as he stands accused of assassinating Socialist Director Fernando Mugica in 1996. In statements after the trial proceedings, Mr. Mugica’s sons told the press: “We are now called radicals as we both want this man to remain in jail for the rest of his life for what he has done.” The prosecution has demanded a 72-year jail term for the terrorist.
Hassan Nazrallah, the head of the Hezbollah terrorist group, appeared in an interview aired on Al Jazeera TV last night in which he stated that he was prepared to undertake negotiations ‘with third parties’ to ensure the release of the two captured Israeli soldiers. Also in the interview, Mr. Nasrallah showed his hands to prove that he had not been injured in the Israeli attack on his former bunker in southern Beirut. Meanwhile Israeli sources stated that at least 50% of the military capacity of Hezbollah had been decimated, and after an initial lull – presumably to allow the evacuations of foreigners to take place, the Israeli bombardments continued.
Meanwhile Kofi Annan the United Nations Secretary General, called for an immediate ceasefire ‘in order to save the lives of the innocent and to give diplomacy a chance’. However, the Israeli ambassador to the UN stated that it was somewhat too late and that Israel was merely defending itself.
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Three women waiting for a bus in Glasgow narrowly escaped after a window fell out of the Thistle Hotel, and landed on the roof of their bus shelter, scattering glass over a wide area. All three were in their seventies, and escaped any sort of injury, other than some shock. It is not known whether the window was being opened by an employee of the hotel or a guest when it fell 30 feet onto the street below, but a senior manager at the Thistle Hotel stated that a full investigation was already under way.
The Maltese authorities last night finally decided that they would not allow the Santa Pola-based fishing craft with 48 illegal immigrants on board to dock in Valetta harbor, telling the craft to moor some twelve nautical miles off the Port. This was the latest about-face from the Maltese who had previously stated that they were allowing the craft to enter harbor and discharge its load of immigrants that were rescued by the Francisco y Catalina when the crew noted that the raft with the immigrants on board was sinking. This marks the seventh day that the fishing craft that only has a capacity for a crew of ten, has had to become the forced home of the immigrants. In a brief statement yesterday, Juan Cotino, the Valencian Conseller for Agriculture and Fisheries stated that he blamed the Socialist Government for their lack of action in this incident.
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