APRIL 8th PREDICTION

[rollinTHUNDER]

Luxembourg says yes to EU constitution

10.07.2005 - 17:33 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Luxembourg said yes to the European constitution on Sunday (10 July), with 56.52 percent of its citizens voting in favour of the treaty, and 43.48 percent against, according to the Luxembourg government's figures.

The exact question Luxembourgers had to answer during the compulsory referendum was "Are you in favour of the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004?"

Despite the fact that Luxembourgers had the same fears as the Dutch and French voters

[rollinTHUNDER]

War on terror cannot be won, says Iran ambassador

11.07.2005 - 11:16 CET | By Filipe Rufino

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS

[other one]

Thunder, I wonder how much they will make the French and Dutch pay for their voting the way they did????

[rollinTHUNDER]

London to push for surveillance plan

11.07.2005 - 09:55 CET | By Filipe Rufino

The UK interior ministry is set to introduce a proposal for the monitoring and retention of telephone calls, text messages and emails, aimed at stopping future terrorist attacks.

Under the proposal, dubbed the communications surveillance plan, telephone and internet companies would retain records of all private telephone calls, text messages and e-mails for a period of one to three years from all UK citizens, according to The Guardian.

Critics say such a scheme will generate so much data that that it would take the security services 50 years to run one search, according to the paper.

The UK interior minister Charles Clarke is set to table the proposal to his EU counter parts at Wednesday

[rollinTHUNDER]

Thunder,  I wonder how much they will make the French and Dutch pay for their voting the way they did????

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi other one,

I don't believe they will even try to make them pay. And as I"ve been saying from the very beginning, I didn't think they would be able to pull it off. And here is why I believe this:

Daniel 11:21, KJV - "And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peacably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries."

Daniel 11:21, NIV - "He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue."

Recomendation 666 is a very powerful document that will undoubtedly give power to a single man, and without the necessity of a vote by the people. All we need now is a major crisis, or a few more terror attacks to strike fear into the European people. The little horn will be less than a king or one of the current rotating presidents, however, when his day comes, a much more powerful authority will belong to him.

[rollinTHUNDER]

UK seeks to fast-track EU anti-terror data law

12.07.2005 - 15:50 CET | By Lucia Kubosova

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU ministers are gathering for an emergency meeting on Wednesday (13 July) to debate anti-terrorist measures as a reaction to last week's attacks, which killed at least 52 people and injured some 700 in London's underground and a London bus.

The UK presidency wants to push forward a plan to secure data retention from phone calls and emails, in order to assist investigators of criminal and terrorist acts.

London originally tabled the proposal with three other countries - Ireland, France and Sweden - after the Madrid bomb explosions in March 2004.

But the European Parliament rejected the move, arguing it was too expensive and technically complicated for telecommunication companies and internet providers to store the data.

Several organisations campaigning for privacy issues also opposed the idea, pointing out there should be more balance between the effort to facilitate judicial and police cooperation and data protection.

Faster or more transparent way forward?

British interior minister Charles Clarke is expected to press his EU counterparts to move quickly and adopt the data retention draft measures, suggesting it would help with the investigations of the latest terrorist acts.

An agreement among member states would enable a fast procedure, with legislation undergoing less scrutiny in Brussels and its implementation monitored only at national level.

The original proposal suggests data from phone and mobile calls, text messages and emails should be stored by providers of these services for a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years.

The stored information should only include the date, time and location of the communication by phone or internet, including numbers dialled - also in the case of unsuccessful calls, but not the content of the conversation.

Critics of the idea suggest such a scheme would generate so much data that it would take the security services 50 years to run one search and the information would also be at great risk for abuse.

At the same time, it is felt that terrorists would find ways to by-pass similar measures and communicate without leaving an electronic trail.

The European Commision is currently preparing a similar proposal on data retention, but its draft would have to be approved by both member states and MEPs, taking up to three years to come into force.

Brussels will table its draft shortly after the summer, and it will then be up to the EU to "choose the instrument it goes for. The commission's document will be based on the impact assessment of the proposed measures, mainly regarding the length of period during which the data should be stored", said a commission spokesman.

Social integration under the spotlight

The British presidency will also press member states to implement the anti-terrorist legislation already adopted at EU level, while finance minister Gordon Brown urged his colleagues on Tuesday (12 July) to secure means for freezing assets used for terrorist funding.

According to one expert on terrorism, Daniel Keohane from the London-based Center for European Reform, the EU has done a lot to fight terrorism, but it lacks strategy.

"The measures coming from Brussels are too complex and cover a whole range of activities which are often disjointed. They need to be simplified and streamlined, so that it is bureaucratically easier for authorities to cooperate", said Mr Keohane.

He also indicated that the EU can take a leading role in the debate about social integration, which might be highlighted if the investigation of the London attacks proves that they were carried out by European citizens.

The idea also features among the commission's proposals to be introduced on Wednesday - in a paper about how to prevent radicalisation among young Europeans and their involvement in terrorist activities.

http://euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=19549

[rollinTHUNDER]

EU agrees anti-terror data scheme

14.07.2005 - 09:59 CET | By Lucia Kubosova

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU ministers hammered out a faster timetable for anti-terrorist measures including data storage of phone calls, emails and text messages at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (13 July)

The bloc secured political agreement to push ahead with the move, designed to help law enforcement agencies, following a heated debate on costs and civil liberties.

Member states will vote on the plan in October, choosing between two methods to take the mesaures forward - a swift intergovernmental decision or a new European law, which would take longer to adopt but has a stronger legal basis and is open to public scrutiny.

Ministers adopted four sets of measures to fight terrorism in areas such as cross-border investigations, prevention of terrorist recruitment in Europe, protection of crucial infrastructure, and management of terrorist attack fallout.

Most of the provisions relate to existing EU legislation that needs to be implemented at national level.

The European Commision also suggested that member states should be "named and shamed" for failing to do their homework on the issue.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, British interior minister Charles Clarke said "All of us across the EU are absolutely determined to accelerate work to make terrorism more difficult", although admitting he knew of "no such measure that will stop terrorism completely".

The summit was held in response to the London bomb attacks carried out last week, in which at least 52 people were killed and around 700 injured.

People across the EU will observe a two-minute silence for the victims on Thursday at 13:00 CET.

France stands out

Despite the show of unity among European security chiefs, French interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy's statements on the UK investigations sparked bitter reaction from his British counterpart.

Mr Sarkozy suggested the UK police are dealing with suspects that had already been arrested after the 9/11 attacks four years ago, but who were later freed.

Mr Clarke denied these allegations as "completely and utterly untrue" and having "no foundation".

Paris also announced plans to reintroduce EU border controls, activating a clause within the Schengen agreement that allows for the reinstatement of border checks.

The country has already used the provision in the past, mainly for major sporting events.

Radicalisation of young Europeans

Mr Clarke indicated that Europe can do two things to fight terrorism: launch a strong intelligence sharing campaign to see how the terrorist network functions and understand as well as isolate potential terrorist recruits.

British authorities' discovery that last week's attacks were carried out by UK citizens of Pakistani origin has highlighted the need for a cultural dimension to the anti-terror struggle.

France's Mr Sarkozy suggested that member states should cooperate in the exchange of information on radical religious leaders, videos that promote violence and cultural centres that give out similar messages.

The EU executive is currently preparing a paper on the radicalisation of European youth and steps to overcome the trend, such as communication efforts with religious communities and enhanced cooperation with third countries linked to terrorist training.

http://euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=19575

[rollinTHUNDER]

EU offers to serve as Gaza 3rd party

Hilary Leila Krieger, THE JERUSALEM POST / Jul. 13, 2005

The European Union is willing to serve as a third-party presence at the Rafah crossing after Israel leaves the Gaza Strip, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told The Jerusalem Post Tuesday.

In such a capacity, the EU would be responsible for customs control. Solana was less definitive when it came to possibly assuming security responsibilities, but said, "We are very open to cooperation."

Israel, however, seems to be less open to the prospect.

According to a source familiar with the security cabinet meeting held Wednesday night, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz stated his opposition to the idea. Without a peace agreement, he said, he didn't want any third parties in Gaza.

However, Prime Minister's Office spokesman Ra'anan Gissin said the government would need to discuss the matter.

Who would control customs once Israel leaves the Gaza Strip is an open question.

Israel is examining whether the Rafah crossing from Egypt to Gaza could be moved to an area that abuts Israel in order to maintain authority over the flow of goods, but Palestinians would prefer an international body posted at Rafah.

American political observers have maintained that the area will need a third party there if the pullout is to work. Former US Middle East envoy Dennis Ross told the Post last week that he sees no alternative to such a presence.

The EU has already dispatched a small number of security experts to train the Palestinian police ahead of the withdrawal, and Solana indicated he is willing to send more if asked.

On Lebanon, Solana indicated that the EU would be taking a more laid-back approach to the disarming of Hizbullah.

Solana pointed to the significant developments in Lebanon of the Syrian withdrawal and recent elections in the context of implementing the Security Council resolution calling for the disarming of militias.

"We are in contact with leaders who have won the elections to see how this can be done in a manner which is not destabilizing," he said.

"The leaders who have been elected... are asking the international community to apply the resolution in a more relaxed manner. And I think that we feel we have to listen to them."

He said that in these circumstances, he does not expect Hizbullah to be added to the EU's terror list any time soon, as Israeli and American parties have pushed for.

Gissin sharply criticized Solana's statements.

"Relax?" he asked rhetorically, completely rejecting the notion.

"You can't deal with terrorists," he said. The result, he said, is that, "You get terrorist attacks. This is true in Netanya. This is true in London."

Asked about possible connections between last week's bombings in London and the Middle East conflict, which Prime Minister Tony Blair suggested do exist, Solana responded: "Any terrorist act has no justification whatsoever."

He continued, "What we saw in London has no justification," though he added, "There are sometimes conditions that may lead some people to be manipulated."

Solana said the EU wouldn't accede to a request from some Palestinian quarters to impose punitive sanctions on Israel over the security fence despite the bloc's objections to the route. On Monday, Solana condemned the Jerusalem route approved by the cabinet Sunday, which will cut 55,000 Arabs with Israeli ID cards off from the city but incorporate Ma'aleh Adumim, as not "legally proper" and as posing "humanitarian problems."

The Palestinians have urged the UN to hold a special General Assembly meeting on the issue.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pag...p=1078113566627

[rollinTHUNDER]

Cocaine use regular in MEPs' toilets

15.07.2005 - 09:44 CET | By Lisbeth Kirk

Systematic controls of 46 toilets in the European Parliament have revealed traces of cocaine, according to German TV magazine AKTE 05 - five years after the same reporters found cocaine traces in the German parliament.

The quantities found in MEPs' toilets imply regular use, according to the German TV show revealing the findings last night (14 July).

"Some of the quantities found there would have caused a police drug dog to respond", said pharmacologist Professor Fritz Sorgel from the Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research in Nuremberg (IBMP), who analysed the samples.

In total, 41 of the 46 surface swabs taken at European Parliament buildings A to H in Brussels contained traces of the highly-addictive drug.

In one room the concentration was so high that there was only one possible explanation - cocaine had been consumed there just before the sample was taken.

"I

[rollinTHUNDER]

Seven EU presidents 'united for Europe'

15.07.2005 - 09:55 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva

The presidents of Germany, Austria, Italy, Finland, Poland, Portugal and Latvia have written a common article, discussing the future of Europe and stressing the need not to give up on the European project.

"Now, the most important task is to increase trust in European policy.... There is no reason to doubt the European project", reads the article.

It comes one month after EU leaders agreed on a pause of reflection as regards the ratification of the European Constitution.

"The aims of the Constitutional Treaty - closeness to the citizens, transparency, democratisation and efficiency - remain valid", write the presidents.

"Now we really have to use the period of reflection. We must not lose heart, rather show tenacity and ingenuity", they add.

They also point to prosperity and growth, peace, freedom of movement, economic strength, as some of the main achievements of the EU, underlining that what has been built up should not be wasted.

They acknowledge that "these are difficult times for Europe", and that the French and Dutch rejection of the EU Constitution have shown that EU citizens feel deceived in some aspects.

That is why, "we need a more democratic, more transparent and more efficient EU", and also "procedures to involve the citizens more in the European project and make them part of its implementation and further development", reads the article.

The presidents also tackle the theme of enlargement, as it is one that has been very much discussed lately.

"The EU