Pentagon charges six in Sept. 11 terror attacks

Pentagon charges six
in Sept. 11 terror attacks

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday charged six Guantanamo Bay detainees with murder and war crimes for the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Officials sought the death penalty in the unprecedented military tribunal case that has been clouded by revelations that the key suspect suffered interrogation tactics that critics call torture.

The son of a Sept. 11 victim said he was relieved by the development and hoped it would bring justice. Critics said the trial would be a sham.

Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Hartmann, the legal adviser to the tribunal system, announced that 169 charges had been sworn against six men “alleged to be responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks” in 2001 that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Hamas leaders hiding
from Israeli attacks

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas leaders in Gaza turned off their cell phones, avoided public appearances and were sleeping in safe houses after Israel threatened Monday to assassinate those responsible for Palestinian rocket attacks on border towns.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that Israel could bring down the Hamas regime, and he ordered plans for a large ground invasion of Gaza. But he said troops would not move soon, all but admitting that Israel has no quick answer for the rocket barrages and leaving his threats as mostly verbal pressure on Hamas.

It was the first time a senior official hinted so strongly that Israel was prepared to overthrow Hamas if the Palestinians didn’t do it themselves.

Barak told parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Israel’s long-term plan was to weaken Hamas and “under certain circumstances even taking down Hamas,” a meeting participant said.

Astronauts attach
lab to space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Europe’s shiny new $2 billion science lab, Columbus, was anchored to the international space station Monday by a team of astronauts laboring inside and out.

“A great day for Europe,” said the European Space Agency’s station program manager, Alan Thirkettle. “She looks just beautiful.”

French astronaut Leopold Eyharts announced Columbus’ arrival after an exhausting daylong installation that took more time than expected.

The grand finale — the actual attachment of the 23-foot, 14-ton lab that was ferried up by Atlantis — took place at the end of an extra-long spacewalk by Rex Walheim and Stanley Love. The astronauts shouted and cheered when the lab reached its destination; so did flight controllers.

Germany’s recovering astronaut, Hans Schlegel, was stuck inside the whole time. He was supposed to float outside with Walheim to help with Columbus’ hookup but got sick after last week’s liftoff and was replaced by Love.

Student shot at school

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A high school sophomore arguing with another student shot him during a gym class Monday, saying “It’s over now” before handing the gun to a coach, authorities said.

The victim, a 19-year-old senior, suffered at least two gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, police spokeswoman Monique Martin said. The suspected shooter, a 17-year-old, was in custody.

The shooting stemmed from an argument the two students had “in the community” over the weekend, Mitchell High School Principal John Ware said.

“He walked up to him, shot him and made a statement to the coach that ‘It’s over now,’” Ware said. The student handed the gun to the coach and made no attempt to flee, he said.

The class was held in the cafeteria, and about 75 other students were in the room at the time of the shooting.

The school was placed on lockdown, and parents of students were notified by the district’s automated phone alert system, school district spokeswoman Rita Cooper said.

Quake strikes Mexico,
near the U.S. border

TIJUANA, Mexico — A moderate earthquake struck northwestern Mexico near the U.S. border Monday, prompting authorities to evacuate schools and resulting in at least one minor gas leak.

No major damage or injuries were reported from the temblor, which an expert said was likely an aftershock from a magnitude-5.4 quake three days ago.

The magnitude-5.1 quake hit around 10:30 a.m. local time (1:30 p.m. EST). It was centered about 20 miles southeast of the border city of Mexicali, and 24 miles southeast of the U.S. border city of Calexico, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Associated Press