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Friends, A few points in rebuttal to the response below (I engage in this discussion because there is a lot at stake here, not to score points off Daniel O'H or anyone else.) 1) I clearly heard on National Public Radio yesterday an interview with David Blair, who said he picked up two boxes and took them to a translator, different from the version of events in the Daily Telegraph article, in which he examined the boxes with his translator there and then. 2) It would be the height of stupidity for George Galloway to ask for money from the Iraqi government. Anyone who has been involved in anti-sanctions work over the last decade, knows this would be the kiss of death to human rights work on behalf of the people of Iraq. 3) A court case would not accept vague "intelligence" reports as valid evidence, especially given the discrediting of US/UK intelligence in the run-up to the war. Sincerely, Philippa Winkler ===== Original Message From "Daniel O'Huiginn" <do227@hermes.cam.ac.uk> ===== >According to the original telegraph articles >[www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/22/ngall122.xml] he >went through piles of documents with a translator in situ, which seems >like the obvious way to go about it. >There may be different accounts in other media - I'd put this down to >journalistic incompetence; there are plenty of journalist who can't copy a >story without introducing mistakes > >I don't find it too likely that the documents were planted - I'm sure if >US generals wanted to discredit Galloway they could just announce >'intelligence information' and 90% of the USA would believe them. So why >go to the trouble of forging documents, planting them, and hoping they >will be found? I've become far more willing to believe conspiracy theories >over the past few months, but I've not yet seen any convincing evidence >that this is one of them. It seems far more likely that Galloway, or >somebody acting on his behalf, was being an idiot. > > >Dan > >On Wed, 23 Apr 2003, pjw8 wrote: > >> Friends, this is getting weirder and weirder. Thanks for >> the sleuthing, Cathy A. I heard on NPR Radio in the States >> that the 2 boxes that the Daily Telegraph reporter found, were marked >> BRITAIN or some such title that was recognizable to him, >> (he says he doesn't speak Arabic) . Why would the boxes among >> many stand out to this reporter, given he doesn't speak >> Arabic? Did he go into the Ministry with an Arabic >> speaking person, if he was looking for documentary evidence >> that would be in Arabic? He says he picked up the >> boxes and took them to an interpreter elsewhere. >> Here's a scenario to work off: the memo re: oil and the Mariam >> Appeal was written as part of a deal with one of the generals >> that was made with the US via cell phone just before the invasion, >> Philippa Winkler >> >> >> >> >===== Original Message From Cathy Aitchison <cathy@twiza.demon.co.uk> ===== >> >Dear Jonathan >> >Sorry, I can't contribute information about Mariam herself. >> > >> >However, regarding the loss of the domain name marianappeal.com for the >> >Mariam Appeal: according to OnlineNIC's WHOIS database, the >> >mariamappeal.com name was registered on 20 Sept 2002 to Wang Chuan >> >Sheng, at an address in Taipei, Taiwan >> > >> >This is possibly an alias for Li Yen Chun, who lost against Fortum >> >Corporation in June 2002 (he registered fortum.net and set up a portal >> >site on it). Quote from the WIPO administrative panel decision: >> >"(c) The Respondent has registered at least 345 different domain names, >> >some of which are in the name of different registrants, such as Domain >> >Seller, Domain Reseller, IA Consulting, Inc and Wang Chuan Sheng;" >> >see: >> >http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2002/d2002-0324.html >> > >> >As I'm sure you know, the mariamappeal.com website is listed widely in >> >directories (including CASI) and linked from articles in online >> >magazines. >> >eg.: http://www.orientmagazine.com/mariamappeal/news_13.htm >> > >> >The change of registrant means that any emails addressed directly to the >> >Mariam Appeal (eg. info@mariamappeal.com, as quoted in the Orient >> >Magazine news item) now go to/via 'Wang Chuan Sheng' in Taiwan. >> > >> >How did 'our man in Taiwan' spot this opportunity, among the thousands >> >of domain names which must lapse all the time - did he perhaps have a >> >list of names to watch out for? >> > >> >Cathy >> > >> >In message <Pine.SOL.4.44.0304221746230.2944-100000@orange.csi.cam.ac.uk >> >>, Jonathan Stevenson <jjs32@hermes.cam.ac.uk> writes >> >> >> >>Hello all, >> >> >> >>I've been contacted by a journalist covering the Ali Ismaael Abbas story >> >>who is looking for information on what happened to Mariam, on whose behalf >> >>the Mariam Appeal was launched. Does anyone have any information on this? >> >>The webite now appears to be advertising for a casino. >> >> >> >>Thanks, >> >>Jonathan >> >> >> >>------- >> >> >> >>Jonathan Stevenson >> >>Gonville and Caius College | Cambridge | CB2 1TA >> >>tel 01223 521914 | mob 07818 651124 >> >> >> >>"Miss Carridge's method of entering a private apartment was to knock >> >>timidly on the door on the outside some time after she had closed it >> >>behind her on the inside. Not even a nice hot cup of tea in her hand >> >>could make her subject to the usual conditions of time and space in >> >>this matter." >> >>- Murphy >> >> >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >> >>Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >> >>To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >> >>To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >> >>All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk >> > >> >-- >> >Cathy Aitchison >> > >> >_______________________________________________ >> >Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >> >To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >> >To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >> >All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >> To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >> To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >> All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk >> > >------------ >Daniel O'Huiginn >do227@cam.ac.uk >07789 260207 01223 564613 >O9, Queens College >------------ > >"While it's still early, Iraqi revolution seems to have succeeded. It is >almost certainly a net gain for our side" > White House memo, 8th February 1963 > > "We cannot base our military strategy on the basis that Saddam is weak > and at the same time justify pre-emptive action on the claim that he is > a serious threat" > Robin Cook > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk