Text 16673, 83 rader
Skriven 2005-11-21 08:20:40 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
     Kommentar till en text av FRANK SCHEIDT
Ärende: Re: Terrorist Groups
============================
>> MVDV> It also means "Rote Armee Fraction". A German terrorist Group.
>> MVDV> AKA Baader Meinhoff Gruppe.
 
>> OK, I've heard of that group but don't recall reading it ever
>> designated as "RAF"
 
> WD> How dumb can you be?
 
> What do you mean by that?  I suppose you're not familiar with the
> Royal Air Force ... [sigh] ...
 
Very familiar, having lived close all the time to one of the airports which
were used every autumn for operation REFORGER when we were crowded by British
and US service personnel the latter being famous for destroying every year all
the rooms and facilities (toilets, showers, ...) which they got free to use at
the airport.
 
Someone such as you claiming to be well informed about the world news should be
able to make the link RAF --> Rote Armee Fraktion --> Bader-Meinhoff Gruppe.
They were "the" terrorists in those days, it was world news.
 
But I understand how it comes. Having been in the US quite a lot ever since
1972 I recall the international news section of the newspapers as well as TV
was rather thin if it did not exactly involve American interests. This has
changed dramatically since that one broadcast by Peter Arnett live from Bagdad
on CNN in 1991 when the city was bombed and the Gulf War started.
 
>>> and "ETA" means Estimated Time of Arrival ... >> MVDV> Euskadi ta
Askatasuna. Meaning "Bask land and Freedom". It is
> the
>> MVDV> Bask liberation movement. Over 800 people were killed by their
>> MVDV> terrorist attacks.
 
>> I've never heard the Basque movement being given that designation
>> either.
 
> WD> How dumb can you be?
 
> Explain that please ... thanx ...
 
There is the ETA which is a world reknowned group fighting for the liberation
of the Basque-homeland as a free and independant country. This goes way back I
think in the Franco-era where they were persecuted for not having belonged to
the correct ideology. In the second part of the previous century they started
using terrorism to support their demands and that caused a heap of bodies on
both sides. Magistrates involved in trials against Basque-militants knew they
would die violent and premature. Basque-militants knew there was no mercy when
they were caught. The death-penalty survived for a long time in Spain and the
method was strangulation.
 
This has been world news for decades, Frank. Hence probably our astonishment
that you seem not to have heard of it.
 
Same as with the IRA in Ireland there is with the modern governments in Spain
now more attention for the plight of the Basque-people and they attempt to
continue their struggle politically through the political party 'Herri
Batasuna' which means 'Unity of the People'. Its operation is largely
obstructed still though there are no links with ETA which can be demonstrated.
But because Batasuna refuses to condemn ETA as a terrorist group they have been
prevented for the duration of 3 years to take part in political life, no
participation in municipalities, nor in the parliament, nor in any type of
election.
 
Batasuna (not the only party in Basque-country, mind you, and not the largest
either "but" the most prominent) in the meantime has made the "terrorist lists"
in both Spain and the US and finally also the European-one though they cannot
be linked with a single act of terrorism. Its leadership is known and public,
they are free to roam the streets and travel without being arrested, at least
in the "Schengen"-countries.
 
This, Frank, is and was world-news. A person claiming to be informed ought to
know this. More so because after the Madrid bomb-attacks the former Spanish
Prime Minister, the US lover-boy, within minutes went on worldwide TV accusing
ETA of the bombings. He was so wrong it lost him the next elections and as a
result Spanish troops were withdrawn from Iraq ... this certainly was a
headline in any US media-format.
 
Take care,
 
 \%/@rd

--- In-a-gadda-da-vida
 * Origin: "Leonard will be free" - http://www.leonardpeltier.org (2:292/854)