Turkish prosecutor requests Khashoggi murder case be transferred to Riyadh

ByNews Desk- The Cradle 

Turkey has been reaching out to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in hopes of strengthening its economy amid rising inflation

A Turkish prosecutor has asked a court to stop the trial in absentia of 26 Saudis implicated in the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and called on Istanbul to transfer the case over to Riyadh.

On 31 March, the court said it would postpone the trial until 7 April while it consults with the ministry of justice regarding the prosecutor’s request.

The prosecutor was quoted as saying that the case “has been dragging because court orders cannot be executed on the grounds that the suspects are foreign nationals,” Turkish media reported.

The request comes as Turkey, currently facing severe economic inflation, attempts to repair its relations with the kingdom, which deteriorated after Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi officials have maintained that the killing was carried out by intelligence agents who had gone “rogue.” In 2019, a Saudi court tried 11 people implicated in the murder in a hearing that critics have said did not meet international standards.

Five of the agents were convicted and given death sentences while three were given prison sentences ranging between seven and 10 years. Three others were acquitted due to what the judge said was a “lack of sufficient evidence.”

The death sentences given to the five convicts were later commuted to 20-year prison sentences.

According to an investigative report by The Guardian last year, the three suspects who were acquitted are living and working in a luxury complex owned by the Saudi state intelligence agency.

The Turkish prosecutor said that the kingdom has asked for the case to be transferred back to them, and has promised to review the accusations against the 26 defendants tried in absentia in Turkey.

He added that Saudi Arabia must accept the request because the defendants are foreign citizens, therefore arrest warrants cannot be executed, and statements by suspects cannot be taken.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in January that he is planning a visit to Riyadh, a move which suggests that Turkey is mending ties with its Gulf rival in an attempt to bolster its economy.

FM Amirabdollahian highlights need for inclusive government in Afghanistan

Tehran, IRNA – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in the meeting of Taliban's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in China highlighted the need for an inclusive government in Afghanistan with the participation of all parties and groups.

 Iranian Foreign Minister on the sideline of the third meeting of Afghanistan's neighbors in China, said in the meeting of Amir Khan Muttaqi that the inclusive government in Afghanistan is the key to sustainable security.

Iranian Foreign Minister in the meeting, emphasized the observance of women's rights, which is emphasized by Islam and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), and regarded education at all levels and women's social participation as important issues.

Taliban's acting foreign minister for his part in the meeting, assured that Afghanistan's territory will not be a source of any threat against neighboring countries and stressed the fight against terrorism.

He also stressed the need to implement the water treaty.

Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian, on Tuesday heading a delegation left Iran for China to participate in meeting of Afghanistan neighbors.

The third meeting of Afghanistan's neighbors is being hosted by China. The second round of the event was held on October 27 in Iran; and Pakistan hosted the first meeting of Afghanistan neighboring countries, online.

As in Ukraine, so Too in Taiwan

 Brian Berletic

Just as the the United States and its allies created an existential threat to Russia through the transformation of Ukraine into a highly militarized proxy of Western military power – so too is such a threat being deliberately and systematically created on the island of Taiwan vis-a-vis Beijing.

From 2014 onward, the United State had installed into power regimes in both Ukraine and Taiwan disrupting the status quo both territories had with Russia and China respectively.

While much attention in 2014 was focused on Nazi militants seizing power in Kiev, the US-sponsored “Sunflower movement” likewise paved the way for a US-backed political order to take power in Teipei.

Since then, the US has poured additional billions of dollars into interfering and overwriting the political structures of both Ukraine and Taiwan as well as pouring in billions in weapons. In addition to this, both Ukraine and Taiwan have hosted US forces to train the military in both territories.

While US military training in Ukraine was done more or less openly, US forces placed in Taiwan, a territory the US acknowledges is Chinese or acknowledges is perceived as being Chinese by Beijing, was done relatively quietly.

By the end of 2021 however, Voice of America in an article titled, “US Nearly Doubled Military Personnel Stationed in Taiwan This Year,” would admit:

The United States has doubled its unofficial military presence in Taiwan over the past year in what specialists describe as the latest signal to China that Taiwan’s future remains a priority.

The increase from 20 personnel to 39 between December 31 and September 30 came with little fanfare, but it did coincide with a rare public acknowledgement by President Tsai Ing-wen in October that the US military maintains a small presence in Taiwan.

Active-duty deployments now include 29 Marines as well as two service members from the Army, three from the Navy and five from the Air Force, according to the Pentagon’s Defense Manpower Data Center. 

The United States, like virtually all other nations on Earth, recognizes Beijing’s “One China Policy.” The US State Department’s own official website under a statement titled, “US Relations With Taiwan,” explains:

The United States and Taiwan enjoy a robust unofficial relationship. The 1979 US-PRC Joint Communique switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. In the Joint Communique, the United States recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.

Illustrating that the United States does not recognize Taiwan as any sort of nation, the US maintains no embassy on the island and instead maintains unofficial relations with the administration there through what is called the “American Institute in Taiwan” (AIT).

The US State Department also claims:

The United States does not support Taiwan independence.

And that:

The United States insists on the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences, opposes unilateral changes to the status quo by either side, and encourages both sides to continue their constructive dialogue on the basis of dignity and respect.

Despite these claims and the US government being fully aware of how sensitive Taiwan is to Beijing, it is deliberately provoking a crisis between the Chinese mainland and its island territory of Taiwan. While the US does not officially promote Taiwan “independence,” it is creating the conditions through which it will be pursued.

Another Deliberate Provocation

Just as the US did regarding Ukraine, crossing over red lines the US and its allies had for decades recognized and were fully aware of, the US is once again planning to fully cross Beijing’s red lines over Taiwan. The US will do so, knowing it will precipitate yet another deadly conflict, but is utterly confident in its ability to manipulate public perception so that if and when China reacts, Beijing will be depicted in a similar or worse light as Russia is now regarding Ukraine.

Toward this end, the number and variety of weapons the US is sending to Taiwan not only pose a direct threat to China’s national security, but fit into a wider strategy of military encirclement threatening Chinese territory created by the US throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Bloomberg in mid-2021 in its article, “First Taiwan Arms Sale in Biden Administration Is Approved,” would note:

The Biden administration has approved its first arms sale to the island democracy of Taiwan, a potential $750 million deal, amid rising tensions with China.

It calls for selling Taiwan 40 new M109 self-propelled howitzers and almost 1,700 kits to convert projectiles into more precise GPS-guided munitions, according to a State Department notification to Congress on Wednesday.

The article would also remind readers of other relatively recent US arms sales to Taiwan:

The new package follows high-profile sales to Taiwan approved in the last year of the Trump administration, including 66 new model F-16 Block 70 aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corp. and a potential $2.4 billion sale of Boeing Co. Harpoon antiship missiles for coastal defense. 

Another package late in the Trump administration includes 135 SLAM-extended-range land attack missiles from Boeing valued at $1 billion if the entire sale goes through, $436 million for Himars mobile artillery rocket systems made by Lockheed and $367 million in surveillance and reconnaissance sensors from Raytheon Technologies Corp. to be mounted on aircraft. Since 2010, the US has announced more than $23 billion in arms sales to Taiwan.

More recently, Reuters in its 2022 article, “US approves $100 million sale for Taiwan missile upgrades,” would report:

The United States has approved a possible $100 million sale of equipment and services to Taiwan to “sustain, maintain, and improve” its Patriot missile defense system, the Pentagon said on Monday, drawing an angry threat of retaliation from Beijing.

While these arms sales are presented as “defensive,” they are part of Washington’s wider militarization of the region and, more specifically, the military encirclement of China itself.

US State Department-funded outlet Radio Free Asia (RFA) in a 2021 article titled, “US Indo-Pacific Command Proposes New Missile Capabilities to Deter China,” would admit:

The US military has advised the US Congress that it needs new precision-strike, air missile defense, and other capabilities to counter China in the Indo-Pacific, a sign of deepening military competition between the two rival nations. 

The article would go on to explain:

The assessment calls for “the fielding of an Integrated Joint Force with precision-strike networks” along the so-called first island chain — referring to missile strike capabilities — and integrated air missile defense in the second island chain, USNI News reported. The document also calls for “a distributed force posture that provides the ability to preserve stability, and if needed, dispense and sustain combat operations for extended periods.” 

The first island chain is a term used to describe land features in the western Pacific stretching from Japan, to Taiwan, and through states lining the South China Sea like the Philippines and Indonesia. The second island chain extends further to the east, starting in Japan and running through Guam.

Thus, US arms sales to Taiwan have nothing to do with Taiwan’s actual defense. If Beijing desired to reunify Taiwan by force, there would be nothing Taiwan could do to prevent it militarily. However, Taiwan as part of a larger US-controlled integrated precision-strike network is an open admission by Washington about not only its desire to threaten Chinese territory with an immediate positioning of offensive weapons across the region, but an all but open admission to use Taiwan as part of these preparations.

While the US officially recognizes the “One China Policy” and denies officially that it supports Taiwan “independence,”  its continued militarization of Taiwan is all but a declaration otherwise.

Compounding the seriousness of this immediate threat to Chinese national security created by the US through its arming of and political control over Taiwan, is the political, economic, and even covert military campaign by the US to attack and rollback China’s Belt and Road Initiative, leaving Chinese trade highly dependent on maritime routes America’s military encirclement of China in the Indo-Pacific could threaten and potentially cut off.

US policy papers like a 2016 RAND Corporation paper titled, “War with China,” would lay out how a conventional military conflict focused on disrupting Chinese shipping including through a maritime blockade is one of America’s few options in preventing China’s surpassing the US economically and in turn, militarily and politically.  The 2016 paper noted that the window of opportunity to do so closed in 2025. It may be closing even sooner than that – which helps explain increasingly provocative moves by Washington regarding Taiwan.

The recent visit by former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo to Taiwan helps illustrate the increasingly aggressive posture of US policy and the urgency with which Washington seeks to provoke Beijing.

Taiwan News in an article titled, “Pompeo urges US to help Taiwanese prepare to defend themselves now,” would actually cite the crisis in Ukraine, linking it to US relations with Taiwan, and how a similar process may play out.

The article claims:

 Pompeo criticized the Biden administration for being “too late, too slow, too small at every turn” in regard to Ukraine’s defense. He described Biden’s apparent weakness and slowness to respond as “provocative.” 

He then turned to Taiwan, reasserting his belief that the US ought to recognize Taiwan’s independence. “Everybody knows they have never been part of mainland China, communist China. They don’t want to be,” he added. 

Pompeo argued the US must not make the same mistake of delaying support for Taiwan. “We ought to be doing the things that we failed to do last summer for the Ukrainian people.”

While many are content to tell themselves that Pompeo’s visit was “personal” and does not reflect US foreign policy, it is clear that Pompeo is testing the waters by announcing publicly a policy the US has obviously pursued for decades regarding Taiwan, spanning multiple presidencies, including those of Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and now of Joe Biden.

The resolution of Ukraine’s crisis will greatly determine Washington’s next move regarding Taiwan. Washington may – at some point if it believes time is not on its side – act against China via Taiwan in the same way it did against Russia via Ukraine as the current crisis continues to play out. It is no secret that US planners in the Pentagon have maintained US military capabilities to manage multiple crises across the planet at one time. Though it may seem like an extreme proposition for Washington, the notion of China surpassing the West and the center of global power shifting indefinitely to the East is viewed by Washington as not only extreme, but unacceptable.

Analysts, policymakers, and ordinary people dismiss this threat at their own folly. While Washington wonders what it can do differently when it provokes Beijing over Taiwan, the rest of the world should be thinking about what they did wrong in preventing Washington from provoking Russia over Ukraine to prevent a repeat of this process in Asia.

Brian Berletic is a Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.

Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, Naomi Klein Join Over 100 Academics Denouncing The Israel lobby’s Attempt To Cancel Lowkey

The worldwide campaign of support for hip hop artist and political campaigner Lowkey is growing. Following the publication of Monday’s open letter backing the British-Iraqi rapper’s right to freedom of speech, more than 100 academics, journalists and other public figures have signed a letter of public support, denouncing what they see as a “coordinated smear campaign to demonize, defame and deplatform him.”

Among the most notable signatories include Princess Dana of Jordan, a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, American linguist and political scientist Noam Chomsky and philosopher and political activist Cornel West.

In recent weeks Lowkey – a tireless campaigner for Palestinian human rights – has been the target of a disingenuous attempt to destroy his career, led by pro-Israeli groups, many of whom are either directly funded or staffed by individuals from the Israeli Embassy in London. Following their pressure campaign, his talks and performances at universities have been postponed or canceled. Meanwhile, the lobbying group “We Believe In Israel” is trying to remove his music from streaming platform Spotify. Even British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has involved himself in the affair, seemingly fully supporting the witch hunt against him and signaling this could be the first of many similar efforts to silence pro-Palestinian voices.

In addition to Chomsky, dozens of prominent Jewish voices have rejected the Israel lobby’s attempts to silence Lowkey and signed the letter. These include writer and activist Naomi Klein, Professor Peter Beinart, editor-at-large of Jewish Currents magazine, and journalist and lawyer Glenn Greenwald. A number of prominent Israelis have also endorsed Lowkey, including historians Avi Shlaim and Ilan Pappé, as well as activist Miko Peled.

Since its publication on Monday, more musicians and entertainers, such as electronic music legend Brian Eno, comedian Frankie Boyle, and rappers Akala and Immortal Technique, have also asked to have their names added to the letter.

After MintPress exposed last week the yearslong campaign of spying and intimidation launched against Lowkey, messages of support have been pouring in from around the world. “The Zionist led campaign to get Lowkey’s music removed from Spotify uses the same cynical tactics as sites like Canary Mission — intimidate and silence those who express solidarity with Palestine by threatening to make their careers suffer,” wrote human rights group, Jewish Voice For Peace.

“Solidarity with Lowkey,” tweeted musician Maverick Sabre, adding;

“His music is his message, and his message has never been hatred or division, only education and discussion. He fights for what he believes in, you don’t have to agree with him but his voice should be allowed to be heard not silenced.”

The letter of support for Lowkey is now open for members of the public to sign at Change.Org.

The full text, along with a selection of the more prominent individuals to have signed it, is as follows:

 

Spotify: Do not buckle to pressure to deplatform Lowkey

We artists, musicians and other public figures and organizations are deeply concerned by the coordinated campaign against rapper and campaigner Lowkey.

Lowkey has become the target of a coordinated smear campaign to demonize, defame and deplatform him. Earlier this month, organized groups forced the University of Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Society to postpone his lecture and were able to stop his appearance at the National Union of Students in Liverpool.

Now, a campaign by lobby group “We Believe in Israel” is demanding that his content be removed from music streaming service Spotify. This is unacceptable censorship.

The campaign against Lowkey is designed to silence Palestinians and their supporters. Anti-Palestinian censorship is now reaching into the artistic realm. Today Lowkey; tomorrow, who is next?

Lowkey’s music has inspired and energized millions around the world and ignited an interest in many about the issues he raises in his work. As a relentless advocate for Palestinian human rights, he is a target for many who would rather his message not be heard.

This is precisely the reason for the recent campaign against him. We hereby call on Spotify and all other platforms not to buckle to pressure groups who would rather see his music removed than grapple with the issues he highlights in his music.

Signed below:

 

Journalists, Politicians, Academics and Media Figures

Noam Chomsky, Laureate Professor of Linguistics, University of Arizona

HRH Princess Dana Firas of Jordan, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

Cornel West, philosopher, social critic

John Pilger, filmmaker and journalist

Glenn Greenwald, journalist

Naomi Klein, author and activist

Peter Beinart, professor, editor-at-Large, Jewish Currents

Mohammed el-Kurd, journalist and activist

Muna el-Kurd, journalist and activist

Andrew Feinstein, former South African ANC politician and anti-Apartheid activist

Ronnie Kasrils former minister, South African government

Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, member of the Parliament of South Africa.

Vijay Prashad, writer and activist

Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, University of Oxford

Ilan Pappé, Professor of History, Exeter University

Jill Stein, politician, Green Party nominee for U.S. President, 2012, 2016

Chris Hedges, journalist

Abby Martin, journalist and filmmaker

Mike Prysner, journalist and filmmaker

Aaron Maté, journalist

Yasha Levine, journalist

Ben Norton, journalist

Mark Ames, journalist

Max Blumenthal, journalist

Katie Halper, journalist

Leilani Farha, Human Rights Advocate and former UN Special Rapporteur

Sut Jhally, Professor of Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Miko Peled, Israeli activist and author

Mark Seddon, Director for the Centre of UN Studies, former speechwriter for the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon

Zeina Ashrawi Hutchinson, human rights activist

Medea Benjamin, peace campaigner, CODEPINK

Mnar Adley, journalist

Asa Winstanley, journalist

Alan MacLeod, journalist

Alexander Rubinstein, journalist

Dima Khatib, journalist

Hoda Katebi, writer and activist

Nora Barrows-Friedman, journalist

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, Journalist

Hussain Manawer, Poet, Writer, Mental Health Advocate,

Leanne Mohamad, British Palestinian Student Activist

Huda Ammori, activist, Palestine Action

Majed Abusalama, researcher and activist

Catherine Chiniara, senior lecturer, University of Westminster

Doug Henwood, journalist

Ahdaf Soueif, writer

Noura Erakat, Human Rights Attorney and author

Huwaida Arraf, Civil/human rights attorney and activist

Mira Bar-Hillel, journalist

Yara Hawari, AlShabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network

David Miller, Spinwatch

Hanan Ashrawi – Palestinian political and civil society leader

Loubna Qutami, Assistant Professor, Department of Asian American Studies, UCLA

Karim Mussilhy, Vice Chair of Grenfell United

Susan Abulhawa, novelist

David Mivasair, rabbi

Mickey Huff, professor of social science, history and journalism at Diablo Valley College, Director, Project Censored

International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network

DoubleDownNews

Africa4Palestine, Johannesburg

CODEPINK

Bob Jeffery, President of Sheffield TUC.

Jennine Khalik, journalist

Alya Mooro, author

Alfreda Benge, artist

Richard Kuper – Labour Party, Jewish Voice for Labour

Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, poet and activist

María Emilia Tijoux, University of Chile

Dr Brooke Maddux psychiatrist

Dr Hilary Lester, psychoanalyst

Dr Teresa Bailey, consultant child and adolescent psychotherapist

Dr Carolyn Austin, analytical psychologist

Dr Pamela Blakelock, group analytic psychotherapist

Mostafa Salameh, Polar adventurer and writer

Salman Abu Sitta, Founder Palestine Land Society

Victoria Brittain, Journalist

Carol Churchill, Playwright

Dr Ghada Karmi, Academic and Writer

Professor Nur Masalha, academic

Betty Hunter, Honorary President, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

 

Music, Entertainment and Sports

 

Roger Waters, Grammy Award nominated and BAFTA winning musician

Michael Malarkey, actor

Anwar Hadid, model

Farah Nabulsi, Academy Award nominated and BAFTA winning filmmaker

Frankie Boyle, comedian and writer

FredWreck, Grammy Award-winning music artist and record producer for Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg

Wretch 32, musician

Brian Eno, musician

Charlie Sloth, DJ

Akala, musician

Immortal Technique, musician

Mark Ruffalo, actor

Guz Khan, comedian and actor

Aymen Hamdouchi, actor

Billy Dib, former IBF featherweight champion

Mim Shaikh, broadcaster and actor

Chirolles Khalil, UK Music Video Awards nominated director

Ken Loach, director

Ana Tijoux, Grammy Award nominated and Latin Grammy Award winning singer

Ghetts, musician

Avelino, musician

Bu Kolthoum, music producer, hip-hop & soul artist

Maverick Sabre, musician

Yassin Alsalman (Narcy), music artist

Khxled Siddiq, musician

Dexplicit, record producer

Mr Hudson, musician

K Koke, musician

Styles P, musician

Blay Vision, musician

Tamar Nafar, musician

Zekaria al-Bostani (Zek Snaps), photographer

Elliot Hensford, creative director, photographer

Charlie Sarsfield, director

Robert Wyatt – Musician

K Salaam – musician

French Spy Chief Loses Job Over Ukraine

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

The French government has decided to replace the head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence [DRM], national media reported on Wednesday citing sources. General Eric Vidaud was fired just seven months after getting the job, allegedly for being blindsided by Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

Vidaud was appointed military intelligence chief last summer. He previously headed the French Special Operations Command [COS] and was credited with the killing of the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM] in June 2020.

According to French media, the general’s short tenure at the helm of military intelligence was ended by the mismanagement of the Ukraine crisis and the government’s intention to drastically reorganize the agency in the wake of Russia’s attack on the country, last month.

The termination was first reported by the newspaper L’Opinion and later covered by other outlets, including state-backed Agence France-Presse [AFP]. They cited sources familiar with the situation.

According to AFP, rumors about Vidaud’s imminent resignation were circulating in the French military for several days. Some expected him to receive another high-ranking position, but apparently the general will not have that option.

Earlier this month, the chief of staff of the French Army, General Thierry Burkhard, told Le Monde that French intelligence failed to predict Russia’s military operation, unlike their American counterparts.

One source cited by AFP suggested that sacking the DRM chief over Ukraine was not particularly reasonable, because the agency’s job is to assess military capabilities, not the intentions of foreign governments – and the agency correctly said Russia had the means to attack Ukraine.

“We can’t boil this change of leadership down to the Ukrainian situation alone. It is also about reorganizing the service,” the source said.

The news agency said the Ukraine crisis is making the French government rethink how it treats military intelligence. It will likely have a more prominent role as a geopolitical tool in the future, so relevant reforms are required in the agency supplying it, according to an expert cited by AFP.

Isfahan beauties and its tourists in Iranian New Year

Nowadays, during Iranian New Year's holidays, Isfahan as one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Iran, hosts domestic and foreign tourists, who have come to the central Iranian city. Isfahan, Iran. IRNA/Zahra Baghban.

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