The U.S. Navy has replaced two ships it sent off the coast of Lebanon last week amid political deadlock there to send a signal to Syria, officials said on Tuesday. The cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the destroyer USS Ross replaced the destroyer USS Cole and a refueling ship over the past day, U.S. Navy officials said.
Another refueling ship remained in place, meaning the United States continued to have three warships in the area, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. The ships are not visible from the Lebanese coast but their presence is intended as a signal to Syria and other countries in the Middle East of U.S. commitment to the region, U.S. officials have said.
Excerpted
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N04509233.htm
Former USF professor al-Arian subpoenaed again in Va.
March 4, 2008
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A former University of South Florida professor is being subpoenaed for a third time in a case investigating Muslim charities and businesses.
That's according to his lawyer, Jonathan Turley, who wrote about the development on his blog. Turley says the subpoena puts Sami al-Arian at risk for another contempt of court sanction that threatens to extend his jail time yet again.
Excerpted
http://www.mysuncoast.com/Global/story.asp?S=7961089&nav=menu577_2_1
Some Israeli forces enter south Gaza
Tue Mar 4, 2008
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip - About 25 Israeli armored vehicles rumbled into southern Gaza and clashed with militants after nightfall Tuesday. A 1-month-old baby was killed in the crossfire, a medical official said.
The Israeli tanks fired shells and attack helicopters fired missiles during the clashes, Palestinian witnesses said. The baby girl was killed by a ricocheting bullet, Palestinian Health Ministry official Moaiya Hassanain said. Eight militants and three civilians were wounded, none of then seriously, he said.
Israeli defense officials said it was a "pinpoint" operation aimed at Gaza militants. It came just a day after Israel ended a destructive and bloody ground operation in northern Gaza against Palestinian rocket squads. The armored column entered Gaza through the Kissufim crossing, which was the main crossing point for Israeli settlers in Gaza before Israel's 2005 pullout, witnesses said.
The soldiers arrested two Islamic Jihad militants and were pulling out two hours after the incursion, witnesses said. The Israeli military confirmed that the operation was over.
Excerpted
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080304/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians
The Montrose County Sheriff's Office is investigating a report of explosives found on S17 Road on the West End yesterday. According to the MCSO substation in Nucla, a deputy responded to the report Monday afternoon and then dispatched the bomb squad from Grand Junction to take care of the explosives.
It was not immediately known what the explosives were, or whether they were live. A follow-up investigation was conducted Monday evening; further information is pending contact with the sheriff.
http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2008/03/04/breaking_news/doc47cd92f28019e555888225.txt
Government warns of terror threat to trains
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
In a bulletin released Friday to U.S. law enforcement officials, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is warning of “continued strong terrorist interest” in targeting mass transit systems in the U.S.
The 10-page threat assessment, labeled “Unclassified/For Official Use Only” and obtained by NBC News, cautions that the “U.S. mass transit and passenger rail systems are vulnerable to terrorist attacks because they are accessible to large numbers of the public and are notoriously difficult to secure.”
Previous rail attacks in Madrid, London and Mumbai “could inspire terrorists to conduct similar attacks in the United States,” the report adds. However, the authors of the intelligence analysis make clear that there are no known, immediate dangers. “At this time, there is no credible intelligence regarding specific plans by any extremist groups or individuals to perpetrate an act of terrorism against the U.S. mass transit system,” they write.
Excerpted
http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/04/729103.aspx