País - Carlos Cruz diz que há nomes ligados a partidos no processo Casa Pia que não foram investigados - RTP Noticias, Vídeo

País - Carlos Cruz diz que há nomes ligados a partidos no processo Casa Pia que não foram investigados - RTP Noticias, Vídeo

Maddie - E SE PARTISSEMOS DE OUTRA PERMISSA

Uma pessoa minha amiga chamou-me a atenção para um detalhe que nunca me tinha passado pela cabeça.
Passei uns dias a digerir o que me disse.
Li e reli tudo o que há sobre a Maddie no meu arquivo.
Mas antes vou fazer perguntas que sei que nunca terão resposta:
1-Se aquele grupo de amigos eram pessoas de posses,porque não contraataram nannies enquanto se divertiam à noite e só lá iam de vez em quando?
Eu nunca deixaria bébés a dormir sozinhos e ir divertir-me.
Isso além de perigoso é ir contranatura do sentimento de quaisquer pais,e é punivel por lei,inglesa e portuguesa.
2-O que fazia naquela precisa altura o MI5 numa aldeola de caca perdida em Portugal?
3-Que segredo têm os Mccann para obrigar Gordon Brown a criar um incidente diplomatico e colocar o seu acessor de imprensa a coordenar a intoxicação dos media?
4-Porque será que o primeiro telefonema a ser feito é para uma cadeia de TV?
A minha primeira reação seria ligar o 112 ou ir à recepção do resort.
4-Porque será que a PJ no mínimo,não os indiciou por negligência e os deixou sair de Portugal?
Se fosse eu,era o mínimo que me acontecia.
5-A queda do processo de Maddie foi a troco da Grã Bretanha assinar o tratado de Lisboa?

E SE MADDIE NUNCA ESTEVE NO ALGARVE?
OS GÉMEOS FORAM VISTOS ANTES E DEPOIS DO DESAPARECIMENTO DE MADDIE.
E SE A MADDIE,UMA MIUDA LOIRA IGUAL A TANTAS,NÃO FOSSE A VERDADEIRA MADDIE?
Penso ter deixado material suficiente para meditarem.
Limitação de responsabilidade (disclaimer): As personalidades e entidades, objecto de notícias dos media, que comento, não são suspeitas ou arguidas do cometimento de qualquer irregularidade ou ilegalidade, e quando arguidas, gozam do direito constitucional à presunção de inocência até ao trânsito em julgado de eventual sentença condenatória.

Felicia...Felicia

Para a maioria a heroina da Casa Pia,para mim não.
-Porque ficaram de fora tantos pedofilos que vc bem conhece?
-Que ligações obscuras tem com a PJ?

Maddie-Nunca saberemos a verdade

Anatomia de uma história mal contada


“Há ainda muito para descobrir dentro do processo”, disse-me há dias o ex-coordenador da PJ, Gonçalo Amaral, quando, juntamente com o João Vasco Almeida, o entrevistei para a “Focus” – ver edição de amanhã, dia 13. O autor do livro “Maddie – A Verdade da Mentira” (140 mil exemplares já vendidos e com traduções previstas para Espanha e Alemanha) deu-nos aquela que terá sido a primeira entrevista já com o caso fora da alçada do segredo de justiça. Assim, o ex-coordenador aceitou olhar para o computador onde tínhamos o DVD com o processo aberto e apontou-nos com o dedo o momento onde está registada a contradição fatal dos testemunhos de alguns dos principais intervenientes da noite em que foi dado o alerta do desaparecimento da menina inglesa na Praia da Luz: “Nunca qualquer órgão de Comunicação Social fez um cruzamento desses depoimentos”, desabafou-nos então Gonçalo Amaral.
Está tudo no primeiro volume dos 17, que perfazem 4713 páginas. Foi a contradição entre o depoimento inicial de Janne Tanner, gerente de marketing, e o do seu companheiro, o médico Russel O’Brian, que levantou as suspeitas de que a gerente de marketing poderia estar a mentir quando disse ter visto um alegado raptor com uma criança ao colo. Tudo isto logo no dia 4 de Maio, nas primeiras horas após o desaparecimento.
Russel O’Brian, médico e marido de Jane Tanner, trabalhou seis meses directamente com o pai de Madeleine, Gerry McCann. Foram pais sensivelmente na mesma altura, sendo que a filha mais velha de Russel tem apenas um mês a mais do que Madeleine. Ao cruzarem os testemunhos de Gerry, Jane e Russel, os investigadores da PJ perceberam que “a história estava mal contada”.
De acordo com o depoimento testemunhal de Gerry McCann, registado nas instalações da PJ às 11h15 do dia 4 de Maio de 2007, catorze horas após os factos ocorridos, verifica-se que o pai de Madeleine ausentou-se do restaurante “Tapas” cerca de meia-hora depois de ter chegado àquele local. Antes de si, já um outro membro do grupo de veraneantes, Matthew Oldfield, fora ver as janelas e confirmara que as mesmas estavam fechadas e que todas as crianças do grupo deveriam estar a dormir. Quando Matthew regressou ao seio do grupo, comunicou isso aos presentes. Nesse mesmo momento, Gerry levantou-se e foi fazer uma nova verificação. Seriam as 21h05. O pai de Madeleine entrou no apartamento munido da respectiva chave, dirigiu-se ao quarto dos filhos, verificou que os gémeos estavam bem, assim como a filha mais velha. Gerry foi então ao WC, onde, disse, manteve-se alguns instantes. Saiu e cruzou-se com um amigo britânico, Jez, que conhecera nas férias e com o qual costumava jogar ténis. O amigo andava a passear o seu bebé, pois este estava com dificuldades em dormir. Estiveram ambos numa pequena conversa até que Gerry regressou ao restaurante.
O depoimento da testemunha Jane Tanner, recolhido às 11h30 de sexta-feira, 4 de Maio, regista o facto de esta ter-se ausentado do restaurante pelas 21h10, cerca de cinco minutos depois de Gerry. Jane deslocou-se ao seu apartamento para verificar se estava tudo bem com as filhas. Nessa altura, a caminho do apartamento, garante ter-se cruzado com Gerry no momento em que este falava com o amigo do ténis. À PJ frisou que passou por ambos sabendo que Gerry já tinha estado no apartamento a ver os filhos.
A contradição surge depois quando se cruza este depoimento com o do marido, Russel O’Brian. Este último, só falou com a PJ na noite de 4 de Maio, às 21h50, quase 24 horas após os factos. Russel confirmou que Gerry e Jane saíram quase em simultâneo. No entanto, disse que a mulher deve ter voltado primeiro porque teria encontrado Gerry a falar com o amigo do ténis. Aqui nasceu uma dúvida muito importante para que se percebesse o momento-chave do desaparecimento de Madeleine McCann. As perguntas assaltaram a mente dos investigadores da PJ: Afinal, Jane Tanner viu Gerry a falar com amigo quando ela regressva do apartamento, como sugeriu o marido, ou à ida?
Afinal, se Gerry e Jane saíram quase em simultâneo, com apenas cinco minutos de intervalo entre si, então como foi possível que Gerry tivesse ido ao quarto ver os filhos, fosse depois ao WC - onde se demorou algum tempo -, voltasse ao restaurante e parasse ainda para falar com o amigo do ténis em apenas cinco minutos, ao ponto de Jane garantir que, quando passou por ambos, a caminho do seu apartamento, Gerry já estava de regresso? Será que Gerry, afinal, conversava com Jez quando ainda ia a caminho do seu apartamento? E, como explicar ainda o facto de que nem Gerry nem o amigo – interrogado mais tarde em Inglaterra – se recordam alguma vez de ter visto Jane, apesar de esta ter afirmado que quando passou por eles estavam todos no mesmo lado do passeio?
Toda esta contradição é relevante para o caso quando se constata que, de acordo com o testemunho de Jane Tanner – comprovado com um esquema por si elaborado sobre estes movimentos -, ela afirma que foi depois de ter passado por Gerry e Jez, quando caminhava em direcção ao seu apartamento, que viu, uns metros mais acima, na esquina, um indivíduo com uma criança ao colo. Nunca no regresso. Seria esse testemunho a base que sustenta toda a tese de rapto que ainda hoje permanece na mente de muita gente. E o suspeito seguia no sentido da vivenda de Robert Murat. Foi, portanto, o testemunho de Jane, apesar de contraditório, que passou a sustentar toda a tese do rapto que apontava para Robert Murat.
A primeira descrição desta amiga do casal apontava para um homem na casa dos 35 e 40 anos, magro, 1,70m de altura, cabelo muito escuro, espesso, curto mas longo até ao pescoço. Como só o vira de costas, não conseguiu dar detalhes do rosto. Mas, isso não a impediu de mais trade garantir que vira, de facto, Robert Murat.
Jane contou ainda que regressou ao restaurante após ter visto os seus filhos e garantiu à PJ que Gerry já não estava na rua a falar com o amigo, pois foi encontrá-lo no “Taps” na companhia da mulher, Kate. Passado cerca de 15 a 20 minutos, foi a vez do marido de Jane, Russel O’Brian, ir ver as filhas, na companhia de Matthew Oldfield. Este último terá depois passado pelo apartamento dos McCann, mas não viu se Madeleine estava ou não na cama, pois admite que apenas estava interessado em ouvir algum barulho vindo do seu interior. Russel, no entanto, terá ficado no seu quarto a cuidar da filha, pelo que Jane comeu rapidamente e foi ter com o marido ao quarto para o render. Russel regressou ao restaurante e foi nesse momento que Kate se levantou para ir verificar o sono do três filhos. Seriam as 22h00 ou 22h15, e estava Jane Tanner no seu apartamento quando ouviu Kate McCann e uma outra amiga do grupo, Fiona Payne, a gritarem que Madeleine tinha desaparecido. A partir dali, seria a confusão total que nos levou a uma situação que se arrastou durante meses e, finalmente, terminou por enquanto com o caso a ser arquivado sem que alguma vez tivesse aparecido um corpo ou um raptor.
Se alguém raptou ou ocultou o cadáver de Madeleine McCann, isso foi, até ao momento, o crime perfeito.

Picado daqui:http://paramimtantofaz.blogspot.com/search/label/Luz

ESTOU FARTO

Cada vez me sinto mais enojado e cansado deste Portugal que já não é um País,adiram á minha causa pk temos de mudar esta situação.
Estou farto de ameaças veladas,de saber e não poder postar,de crianças abusadas todos os dias e de abusadores que não têm penas dignas desse nome.
De uma Lei que protege os grandes e condena os pequeninos.
Que algema o pilha galinhas e dá ao Ritto uma condecoração.
ESTA NÃO É UMA CAUSA POLITICA DO PARTIDO A CONTRA O B.
QUERO CRIANÇAS PROTEGIDAS E VIOLADORES CONDENADOS A DURAS PENAS,SEM HIPOTESE DE REDUÇÃO DE PENA E/OU PRECÁRIAS.
ALEI DEVIA CONDENAR TODOS,PRIMÁRIOS OU NÃO A 25 ANOS DE CADEIA.
PK INFELIZMENTE É O MÁXIMO PREVISTO.

EM PORTUGAL A JUSTIÇA PELOS SEUS ACTOS DIZ

To parents: you can do whatever you want with your children, no reason to be afraid to be punished.
To pedophile rings: kidnapp as many children as you want, there is nothing to fear from the police.
To sheep: accept increasing number of missing children.
-Aos pais e parentes das vitimas de pedofilia:façam aquilo que entenderem aos vossos filhos,não tenham medo porque não serão punidos severamente .

-A redes pedofilas:raptem as crianças que entenderem e abusem delas á vontade,nada há que temer da polícia.

-Ao rebanho:aceitem estes casos como parte da vida.

Voltei a abrir os comentários

Reconsiderei e penso que por um não devem pagar todos.
D. Marisa já pode postar.

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/posts/530038?m=c19625b7

Acordão do Tribunal,que ordena a libertação de Paulo Pedroso

Acordão Tribunal Relação que liberta P Pedroso
Acordão do Tribunal da Relação que liberta Paulo Pedroso em Outubro de 2003

Depoimentos da 1ª testemunha (nascida em 1985)

9 - Com datas anteriores à do despacho recorrido, foram juntos a este apenso 4 autos contendo depoimentos seus prestados entre 6 de Janeiro e 21 de Maio de 2003, transparecendo do primeiro deles que essa pessoa já tinha sido anteriormente ouvida no processo.

Nas declarações prestadas a 6 de Janeiro (fls. 278 a 280), diz nomeadamente:

- «o S. tinha uma série de pessoas com quem se dava muito bem. Tinha muitos amigos. Um dos amigos dele foi um dos antigos ministros do Partido X de nome P. Sabe que ele substituiu o F. Diz que este indivíduo ia muitas vezes à Provedoria e contactava com o provedor de então, o L., também muito amigos. Diz que tinham muitas conversas. Quando tal acontecia reuniam-se também o M., B., também amigo. Quando tal acontecia o Dr. R. chamava sempre o S. para participar na conversa».

- «Deseja acrescentar que também este indivíduo, P., o político que sucedeu a F., também se envolvia frequentemente com rapazes da ...».

- «O P. costumava também contactar com o S. para que este lhe "arranjasse" rapazes para a prática de actos sexuais».

- «Nunca o próprio P. compareceu no local do encontro. Era um outro indivíduo, calculando o depoente que seria um motorista e sempre o mesmo. Conduzia sempre uma carrinha Ford Transit, de cor branca».

- «Estas solicitações de encontros aconteciam duas e três vezes por mês».

- «Perguntado, diz já não se lembrar dos nomes dos rapazes que "estiveram" com P.».

Não refere ter sido ele próprio vítima de qualquer prática sexual com o arguido, parecendo até deste depoimento que nunca o teria visto.

Quando foi ouvido, a 4 de Fevereiro (fls. 305 e 306), no que a este arguido respeita, limitou-se a confirmar «as referências por si feitas a todos os nomes que já indicou, constantes dos autos. Nomeadamente, reafirma que o S. lhe contou que também, "fornecia" crianças ao... e ao P., não tendo, contudo, o depoente alguma vez visto qualquer deles».

Apesar disso, de forma surpreendente, no dia 6 de Fevereiro, sob a forma de nova inquirição, colocam essa pessoa a fazer um reconhecimento fotográfico, apresentando-lhe para o efeito 3 páginas de fotografias (com 17 fotografias), de entre as quais ele identificou cinco pessoas, entre os quais o arguido.

Acrescenta, de forma algo enigmática, «que conhece o nome de todos eles, sem precisar de qualquer legendagem e afirma que os conheceu muito bem, sendo que essa relação implicava até o tratamento com eles "por tu"».

Nada sobre este arguido foi acrescentado no seu depoimento de 21 de Maio.

Não se pondo em causa que, numa primeira fase da sua permanência na Casa Pia, esta pessoa tenha sido abusada sexualmente, tal como parece resultar da perícia de fls. 352 a 360, e que identifique uma casa como tendo sido um dos locais a que conduziu crianças, não se pode deixar de considerar que tais depoimentos, no que respeita a este arguido, não têm qualquer valor. Em primeiro lugar porque se trata de depoimentos indirectos não corroborados pela pessoa que indicou como fonte da informação (artigo 129º do Código de Processo Penal). Depois porque, pelo seu próprio conteúdo, parecem não ter consistência.

Também por isso, não pode ser tomada em consideração a "abonação" que a Drª C. [Dr.ª Catalina Pestana] faz do depoimento dessa testemunha e das dúvidas que as conversas com ela lhe provocaram quanto à inocência do arguido.

Depoimentos da 2ª testemunha (nascida em 1986)

10 - Esta testemunha foi ouvida 5 vezes, entre 16 de Janeiro e 24 de Abril de 2003.

No seu 1º depoimento relata que, no ano de 2000, quando ainda tinha 13 anos, foi com o S., juntamente com outros rapazes, a uma casa, que localiza, no interior da qual se encontravam «sete ou oito homens adultos». «Alguns vestiam fato e outros vestiam camisa e colete». Depois de indicar vários dos presentes disse que «reconheceu também um indivíduo de óculos, mas não sabe o nome (acrescentando quem tomou as declarações que se sabe chamar P.).

Perguntado sobre o que sabe sobre a vida profissional deste indivíduo responde "... é político, acho eu ..."». Acrescenta a seguir que «reparou que o indivíduo de óculos, mas o mais novo (voltou a acrescentar quem redigiu o acto, que indicou e identificou e que dá pelo nome de P.) conversava com um outro indivíduo, um dos que vestia camisa» ... «de seguida, o indivíduo que falava com o outro de óculos (idem P., pela sua indicação na foto) dirigiu-se ao depoente e disse-lhe: tu vens comigo», relatando depois as práticas sexuais que mantiveram (fls. 293 a 295).

No final da inquirição, para esclarecer dúvidas, disse que «"acompanhou" sempre os indivíduos que não conhecia e não os que indicou nas fotos».

Cerca de dois meses depois, em 10 de Março, depois de confirmar na íntegra o seu depoimento anterior, diz ter mais alguns elementos a acrescentar. Parece motivado pelo facto de ter tido conhecimento de que iria ser submetido a perícia médico-legal. Reconheceu então que, para além das relações orais antes referidas, praticou também relações anais, «desempenhando sempre o papel passivo».

«Perguntado se estes actos também ocorreram na casa ..., responde que sim. Confirma que teve também um contacto sexual com ..., duas vezes com o indivíduo de óculos, que reconheceu nas fotos que lhe foram exibidas (idem de nome P.) e a quarta vez com um indivíduo que deveria ser amigo dele. Novamente são exibidas fotos de diversos indivíduos ao que o depoente aponta sem dúvida a foto desse indivíduo (idem P., foto com o nº 8)».

Não lhe foi assinalada a contradição com o anterior depoimento, nem se estranhou que, constando desse álbum de fotografias duas fotos deste arguido, sendo a outra muito maior e bem mais nítida, essa não tenha sido reconhecida.

No depoimento prestado em 9 de Abril, volta a confirmar o reconhecimento da mesma fotografia do arguido (e só esta), localizando as duas vezes que esteve com o arguido naquela casa em Abril/Maio de 2001 e em Julho/Agosto do mesmo ano.

Nas declarações seguintes, prestadas em 24 de Abril, rectifica o ano dos referidos contactos sexuais com o arguido, dizendo ter sido em 2000 e não em 2001, rectificando também outros pontos que, para o caso, não parecem relevantes.

A forma como foram feitos os reconhecimentos, que mais adiante se abordará, o facto de apenas ter sido indicada uma das fotografias (a mais pequena e menos clara) e as contradições assinaladas fragilizam o valor indiciário destes depoimentos, isto sem pôr minimamente em causa que o mesmo tenha sido vítima prolongada de abusos (perícia de fls. 407 e segs.) e que tenha estado na casa onde ocorreram os factos que narra (fls. 309).

Depoimentos da 3ª testemunha (nascida em 1984)

11 - Esta testemunha foi ouvida duas vezes. Logo em 3 de Janeiro e, posteriormente, em 13 de Fevereiro.

No primeiro depoimento, constante de fls. 261 a 266, não faz qualquer referência a este arguido.

No segundo depoimento, ao voltar a indicar as pessoas presentes na única vez que foi à já mencionada casa, disse encontrar-se aí um «indivíduo de óculos (que sabe chamar-se P.) que já reconheceu em fotografias que lhe foram exibidas e outras pessoas que não reconheceu na altura».

Sem, mais uma vez, pôr em causa que a testemunha tenha sido vítima de abusos sexuais continuados e que tenha estado uma vez na casa que indicou, o que narra sobre o arguido, surgido inopinadamente, num segundo depoimento, sem qualquer localização temporal e depois de declarações idênticas prestadas por seus conhecidos, não pode deixar de ser, em termos indiciários, muito frágil.

Depoimentos da 4ª testemunha (com 16 anos em 28 de Abril de 2003)

12 - Apenas se encontra junto a este apenso um segundo (?) depoimento desta testemunha, prestado na data acima indicada.

Também ele, confrontado com o álbum de fotografias, aponta «de forma inequívoca o indivíduo constante na fotografia nº 8, o qual desconhece o nome, bem como qual a sua profissão» (fls. 390).

Declara que nos últimos meses de 1999, um bom bocado antes do Natal, já tinha feito 13 anos, numa casa a que já se fez referência, de que, apesar do enorme esforço, não conseguiu precisar pormenores, encontravam-se 5 adultos, sendo um deles «o indivíduo constante da foto nº 8». Esse indivíduo «abordou o depoente dizendo-lhe para este o acompanhar até um dos quartos, o que o depoente fez». Descreve depois os actos praticados, entre os quais se encontram as relações orais e anais.

Disse que voltou uma segunda vez a essa casa, «cerca de uma semana depois das férias do Natal, situando tais factos em início de Janeiro de 2000». Voltou a acompanhar o arguido, tudo se passando em termos semelhantes aos anteriormente relatados.

Uma terceira vez, em meados de Fevereiro de 2000, tudo se passou de modo semelhante.

O valor indiciário deste depoimento, no que respeita à indicação do arguido como sendo uma das pessoas que praticou com ele actos sexuais, será analisado quando, mais à frente, se abordar a questão do valor dos reconhecimentos fotográficos, feitos nas condições em que estes ocorreram neste processo.

Depoimentos da 5ª testemunha (nascida em 1981?)

13 - Já depois da prisão preventiva do arguido consta um outro depoimento, que parece surgir no seguimento de outros já anteriormente prestados e que não se encontram juntos a este apenso (fls. 475 a 482, identificadas no despacho como fls. 6152 a 6158).

A sua inverosimilhança, quanto ao arguido e a outras figuras públicas, nomeadamente pessoas que desempenham ou desempenharam cargos políticos, é tão notória que não merece outra qualquer referência.

Depoimentos da 6ª testemunha (nascido em 1987)

14 - A última testemunha a referir o arguido nas suas declarações, prestadas em 24 de Junho (fls. 483 a 485, referenciadas no despacho como fls. 6184 a 6186), limita-se a dizer ter ouvido o S. a perguntar a um outro arguido deste processo «pelo arguido P.».

O contexto em que esta afirmação surge, a estranheza que suscita a conservação em memória deste facto e a ausência de qualquer outro esteio a que se apoie suscitam-nos as maiores reservas.

(...)

Relativamente a uma delas, salvo se, na data, ainda não tivesse completado os 16 anos de idade, seria de dar cumprimento ao disposto no artigo 59º, nº 1, do Código de Processo Penal uma vez que confessou a co-autoria de um crime de lenocínio de menores, crime público p. e p. pelo artigo 176º, nº 1, do Código Penal, um crime de tráfico de menores, crime público p. e p. pelo artigo 176º, nº 2, do mesmo diploma, e um crime de falsificação de documentos autênticos, crime público p. e p. pelo artigo 256º, nº 1, alínea a), e nº 3, desse código.
Picado daqui:http://www.processocarloscruz.com/index.php?pag=content&link=acordao_tribunal

Processo Casa Pia-Conclusões e lacunas

O Escândalo Casa Pia rebentou a 23 de Setembro de 2002,quando um antigo aluno da Casa Pia em entrevista à jornalista Felícia Cabrita, alega ter sofrido de abusos sexuais, enquanto jovem. Os principais responsáveis desses abusos eram figuras públicas e um ex-funcionário da Casa Pia, Carlos Silvino, mais conhecido como Bibi.
Pelo demonstrado neste blog já era do conhecimento de altas individualidades deste País este facto,pelo menos desde 1980.

A 29 de dezembro de 2003,o Procurador-geral da República, José Souto Moura, acusa formalmente várias personalidade de abusos sexuais a menores:
-Herman José e Carlos Cruz, duas estrelas da televisão portuguesa.
-O arqueólogo Francisco Alves e o antigo médico da Casa Pia, Ferreira Diniz.
-O ex-Ministro da Segurança Social do governo de António Guterres e actual deputado do Partido Socialista, Paulo Pedroso.
-O embaixador Jorge Ritto.

A 1 de Fevereiro de 2003 é detido o apresentador de televisão Carlos Cruz (sendo posteriormente libertado a 4 de Maio de 2004 ficando em prisão domiciliaria),o advogado Hugo Marçal e o médico Ferreira Diniz, por "fortes indícios" da prática dos crimes de abuso sexual de menores e lenocínio (incentivo à prostituição). Hugo Marçal é libertado mediante o pagamento de uma caução de 10 mil euros.

A 1 de Abril de 2003 é detido o ex-provedor adjunto da Casa Pia de Lisboa Manuel Abrantes ( sendo posteriormente libertado a 7 de Maio de 2004 ficando em prisão domiciliaria)[1].

A 20 de Maio de 2003 é detido o embaixador Jorge Ritto (posteriormente libertado a 2 de Abril de 2004 mas obrigado á apresentação semanal às autoridades policiais e a não se ausentar do concelho onde reside.

O julgamento iniciou-se em 25 de Novembro de 2004, com sete arguidos: Carlos Silvino, Carlos Cruz, Jorge Ritto, Ferreira Diniz, Manuel Abrantes, Hugo Marçal e Gertrudes Nunes. O caso arrastou-se durante anos, com audiências públicas e não públicas para auscultar as alegadas vítimas.

Estava marcada a leitura da sentença para o dia 5 de Agosto de 2010, mas sofreu um adiamento para o dia 3 de Setembro de 2010.
Estes são os factos.

Poderemos dizer sem erro que este escândalo aparece para decapitar a subida de Ferro Rodrigues ao topo socialista.

De fora ficam:
-Ferro Rodrigues,nunca foi indiciado por qualquer crime embora,e segundo noticia no Expresso de 2003/05/25,4 crianças violadas o tenham situado em locais onde ocorreram violações.
O mesmo jornal afirmava não haver provas do seu envolvimento em actos de pedofilia e o Procurador Geral Souto Moura afirma,na altura, que Ferro Rodrigues não é suspeito.
-Herman José,não foi provado ter tido actos pedófilos com menores.
-Paulo Pedroso
Braço direito de Ferro Rodrigues foi Secretário de Estado do Ministério do Trabalho de 1999 a 2001,responsável pela Casa Pia.
É acusado e preso em 2003/05/23,mas mais tarde o MP deixa cair a acusação e ordena a sua libertação.
Paulo Pedroso intenta 2 acções em Tribunal,contra o Estado e contra os seus acusadores.
Acaba por perder ambos os processos.

Façamos uma pausa.

ATÉ Á SENTENÇA FINAL DESTE JULGAMENTO DEVEMOS E TEMOS A OBRIGAÇÃO MORAL DE NÃO FAZER JUIZOS SOBRE A IDONIEDADE MORAL DE NENHUM DOS ACUSADOS,no entanto os media já os crucificaram em praça pública.
A imprensa enfoca o caso com uma publicidade sensacionalista mais baseada em boatos do que em pesquisas, o que dificulta sobremaneira que a maioria das pessoas e até os organismos judiciais, cheguem a conclusões e ajam de acordo com elas.
Provávelmente alguns dos acusados estão inocentes e ESSES SÃO TÃO VITIMAS QUANTO AS CRIANÇAS ABUSADAS.

Aguardemos pela sentença,que prevejo não ser final,já que o processo pode ser impugnado.

Abuso sexual de menores-Afinal o que é?

O abuso sexual de menores corresponde a qualquer ato sexual abusivo praticado contra uma criança ou adolescente. É uma forma de abuso infantil. Embora geralmente o abusador seja uma pessoa adulta, pode acontecer também de um adolescente abusar sexualmente de uma criança.

Num sentido estrito, o termo "abuso sexual" corresponde ao ato sexual obtido por meio de violência, coação irresistível, chantagem, ou como resultado de alguma condição debilitante ou que prejudique razoavelmente a consciência e o discernimento, tal como o estado de sono, de excessiva sonolência ou torpeza, ou o uso bebidas alcoólicas e/ou de outras drogas, anestesia, hipnose, etc. No caso de sexo com crianças pré-púberes ou com adolescentes abaixo da idade de consentimento (a qual varia conforme a legislação de cada país), o abuso sexual é legalmente presumido, independentemente se houve ou não violência real.

Num sentido mais amplo, embora de menor exatidão, o termo "abuso sexual de menores" pode designar, também, qualquer forma de exploração sexual de crianças e adolescentes, incluindo o incentivo à prostituição, a escravidão sexual, a migração forçada para fins sexuais, o turismo sexual, o rufianismo e a pornografia infantil.

Índice
1 Formas de abuso
1.1 Com contato físico
1.2 Sem contato físico
2 Consequências
2.1 Físicas
2.2 Psicológicas
2.3 Comportamento
3 Pessoas que cometem violência sexual
4 Ver também


Formas de abuso
Existem duas formas de abuso sexual que os adultos podem praticar contra as crianças e os adolescentes: com contato físico ou sem contato físico. Nos dois casos, o adulto abusa do jovem para conseguir algum tipo de prazer ou satisfação interior.
Com contato físico
Violência sexual: forçar relações sexuais, usando violência física ou fazendo ameaças verbais.
Exploração sexual de menores: pedir ou obrigar a criança ou o jovem a participar de atos sexuais em troca de dinheiro ou outra forma de pagamento.
[editar] Sem contato físico
Assédio: falar sobre sexo de forma exageradamente vulgar.
Exibicionismo (ato obsceno): mostrar as partes sexuais com intenção erótica.
Constrangimento: ficar de longe observando jovens ou crianças sem roupa ou ficar olhando de maneira intimidatória.
Pornografia infantil: tirar fotos ou filmar poses pornográficas ou de sexo explícito.
[editar] Consequências
As consequências de uma violência sexual praticada contra crianças e adolescentes podem ser físicas, psicológicas ou de comportamento, todas igualmente prejudiciais para quem sofre a violência.
Físicas
Dor constante na vagina ou no ânus.
Corrimento vaginal.
Inflamações e hemorragias.
Gravidez precoce, colocando em risco a vida da criança ou adolescente.
Doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, como AIDS, hepatite B, etc.

Psicológicas
Sentimento de culpa
Sentimento de isolamento de ser diferente.
Sentimento de estar "marcado" para o resto da vida.
Depressão.
Falta de amor próprio (baixa autoestima).
Medo indefinido permanente.
Tentativa de suicídio.
Medo de sair na rua.
Baixo rendimento escolar.

Comportamento
Dificuldade de expressar o sentimento de raiva.
Queda no rendimento escolar
Atitudes autodestrutivas: uso excessivo de álcool, de drogas, etc.
Aumento do grau de provocação erótica.
Tendência ao abuso das relações sexuais.
Regressão da linguagem e do comportamento.
Agressividade contra a família.
Quanto maior é o tempo em que o jovem fica calado, maiores são as consequências negativas.

Então se alguém que você conhece ter comportamento estranho procure saber o que está acontecendo,pois ela pode ter sido abusada.

Pessoas que cometem violência sexual
Na maioria das vezes que acontece um abuso sexual, o abusador é uma pessoa que a criança confia, conhece e muitas vezes ama. Existe uma tendência das pessoas acharem que o molestador se enquadra na descrição de alguém que sofre de distúrbios psicológicos (será pedófilo somente se possuir uma preferência sexual por crianças pré-púberes), um psicótico portanto, ou então num homossexual em geral; nada mais enganoso. Pesquisas demostram que o perfil da grande maioria dos abusadores são homens heterossexuais e as vítimas são meninas. Segundo AZEVEDO e GUERRA (2000) os agressores sexuais de crianças e adolescentes que sofrem distúrbios psiquiátricos são uma minoria. São pessoas aparentemente "normais", com laços estreitos com a vítima. Pode ser uma pessoa da família, como pai, padrasto, avô, primos, tios, alguém conhecido e supostamente de confiança, como vizinhos, amigos dos pais, ou mesmo alguém com estatuto de confiança social (educadores, padres, pastores, etc.)

Ainda em relação ao perfil do abusador, é interessante citar dados coletados na ong brasileira CECOVI (www.cecovi.org.br):

Segundo análise feita em 1 169 casos de violência doméstica atendidos no SOS Criança da ABRAPIA, entre janeiro de 1998 e junho de 1999, foram diagnosticados: 65% de violência física, 51% de violência psicológica, 49% de casos de negligência e 13% de abuso sexual. Em 93,5% dos casos os agressores eram parentes da vítima (52% - mãe, 27% - pai, 8% -padrasto/madrasta, 13% - outros parentes) e em 6,5% os abusadores não são parentes (3% - vizinhos, 2% - babás e outros responsáveis, 1,5% - instituições.

Dos 13% de casos envolvendo abuso sexual a pesquisa demonstrou que: a) A idade da vítima: 2 a 5 anos - 49%, 6 a 10 anos - 33% b) 80% das vítimas tinham sexo feminino c) 90% dos agressores eram do sexo masculino

O adulto que comete violência sexual sempre pede para a criança guardar segredo sobre o que aconteceu usando diversas formas de pressão. É muito comum a criança se sentir culpada e até merecedora da violência em si, haja vista ela não ter estrutura mental suficiente para explicar tal ato cometido contra si. Aliado ao sentimento de culpa, a pressão psicológica exercida pelo perpetrador, o próprio laço de afeição entre estes (não se esqueçam que normalmente o abuso ocorre entre familiares).
Picado daqui:http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abuso_sexual_de_menor

É triste mas tem de ser

A prtir de hoje os comentários neste blog têem moderação.
Por causa de um idiota que nem cabeça tem vejo-me obrigado a censurar os comentários.

Escorrem-me as lágrimas

PORQUE FOI QUE TODOS SABIAM E NINGUEM FEZ NADA TODOS ESTES ANOS?

Clearnet-Para uma net mais sã

Veja este video:

Jorge Ritto-Pedofilo assumido

O que leva um homem a destruir o corpo e os sonhos de uma criança?
Jorge Ritto é expulso da Alemanha,Marrocos e Africa do Sul,sempre pelo mesmo motivo-PEDOFILIA
O seu grande amigo Jaime Gama nunca o deixa cair e vai sempre arranjando maneira de encobrir os escândalos.
Em 1982,3 menores fugidos da Casa Pia são encontrados em casa de Jorge Ritto.
Num caixote a Policia Judiciária encontra fotos pedófilas.
Aberto um inquérito no Tribunal de Cascais,é encerrado meses mais tarde sem investigação,as fotos desaparecem.

A Procuradora que mandou arquivar o processo é muito clara na entrevista que deu ao Correio da Manhã em 29.11.2002:



"Maria do Carmo Peralta foi a magistrada que, em 1987, arquivou o processo contra Jorge Ritto. Na quarta-feira disse ao 'CM' que não se lembrava de ter tomado essa decisão. Mas ontem, após se ter deslocado à PGR, "descobriu" que tinha sido ela quem fez o "despacho de arquivamento"

CM -Por que razão é que, em 1987, arquivou o processo de um alegado caso de pedofilia que envolvia crianças da Casa Pia e o embaixador Jorge Ritto?

MCP -Por falta de provas. Segundo o que apurei, do despacho que fiz, o único arguido no processo, dr. Jorge Ritto, nunca foi ouvido.

CM -Não é estranho?

MCP -Acho que sim."
Ver aqui:http://www.processocarloscruz.com/popup.php?link=82

Teresa Costa Macedo disse que recebeu uma caixa amarela com fotografias, apreendida em casa de Jorge Ritto, onde foram encontrados três menores que tinham desaparecido da instituição em 1982.

A ex-governante contou que só viu a primeira e a segunda fotografia porque ficou "chocada" com o seu conteúdo.

Numa dessas fotografias, Teresa Costa Macedo disse que viu um adulto do sexo masculino em práticas sexuais com uma criança, mas não identificou os protagonistas.

Apercebendo-se de que as restantes fotografias "eram do mesmo género", e confessando-se "chocada com a situação", referiu ter enviado no mesmo dia a caixa para a Polícia Judiciária, que já estava a investigar outras denúncias e queixas apresentadas sobre alegados abusos sexuais.

Jaime Gama questionou "perseguição" a Jorge Ritto

Ainda sobre Jorge Ritto, a ex-secretária de Estado relatou que no início de 1984 — já no Governo do Bloco Central (PS/CDS) — recebeu um telefonema do então ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros, Jaime Gama, actual presidente da Assembleia da República, que a questionou sobre a razão de estar "a perseguir o diplomata Jorge Ritto".
Terá sido nessa ocasião — em que o Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros preparava a candidatura de Teresa Costa Macedo a um cargo directivo na União Internacional dos Organismos da Família — que Jaime Gama terá trocado impressões sobre o que se estava a passar na Casa Pia.

Macedo disse ter ficado com o pressentimento de que Jaime Gama lhe tinha falado de Jorge Ritto porque o diplomata se teria queixado de si numa altura em que decorriam as investigações da PJ sobre os menores encontrados na sua casa de Cascais.

Abusos eram conhecidos por todos

A ex-governante disse também que quando assumiu funções, em 1980, era do conhecimento geral da instituição (provedoria, directores, educadores e outros funcionários) que havia alunos da Casa Pia que se prostituíam no jardins de Belém.

A antiga secretária de Estado disse que quando tomou posse foi confrontada com uma carta enviada para o gabinete do então ministro Morais Leitão a dar conta das situações em que alunos mais velhos abusavam dos mais novos.

Tais factos chegaram a ser relatados à actual testemunha e ao antigo Presidente da República Ramalho Eanes aquando das comemorações dos 200 anos da instituição, quando quatro jovens da Casa Pia comunicaram uma série de abusos, carências e indisciplina.

A antiga governante explicou ainda as razões que levaram à exoneração do então provedor da Casa Pia Peixeiro Simões e à sua substituição por Batista Comprido, alegando que o primeiro "não tinha força e não estava a cumprir as suas orientações".

Papel de Carlos Silvino é conhecido desde a década de 80

Durante o seu depoimento, Teresa Costa Macedo, referiu ainda que no início da década de 80 era do conhecimento geral na instituição que um dos funcionários que aliciava os menores para práticas sexuais era Carlos Silvino ("Bibi"), que é hoje, passados mais de 20 anos, o principal arguido deste julgamento.

Confrontada com o teor das notícias no jornal semanário "Expresso", em Novembro de 2002, quando o escândalo rebentou, Teresa Costa Macedo disse que foram os provedores da instituição, nomeadamente Batista Comprido, que lhe falaram do envolvimento de personalidades da vida pública portuguesa no abuso de menores, mas sem revelar as suas identidades.
Ver aqui:http://www.publico.pt/Sociedade/casa-pia-exsecretaria-de-estado-viu-fotografias-mas-nao-identificou-ninguem_1282131


Em 16/02/2007 Jorge Ritto é detido no âmbito do processo Casa Pia.
Dois crimes de abuso sexual e um de fomento de prostituição (lenocínio) alegadamente praticados pelo diplomata foram dados como provados pelo procurador João Aibéo.
Libertado mais tarde,é apresentado o argumento de não oferecer perigo publico porque a própria população seria a melhor vigilante.
Ver aqui:http://aeiou.expresso.pt/ministerio-publico-imputa-crimes-a-jorge-ritto=f474138

Não estou a rir.
-SE QUEM TEM O PODER SABIA DO DESVIO DE JORGE RITTO DESDE 1982 PORQUE SERÁ QUE NG FÊZ NADA PARA O DETER?
-PORQUE PROTEGE JAIME GAMA ESTE PERSONAGEM?

I'm back-Voltei

Now here-Agora aki
http://www.causes.com/causes/480243?recruiter_id=133429864

Hope is all they have

To keep lighted the hope, 12 years later,where he works for many years, in Lousada, Manuel Mendonça has in his shop-window the photograph of Rui Pedro , disappeared 12 years ago.
He has photos of eight more children, also disappeared.
" Missing people, but not forgotten" remembers the pics, with some numbers of telephone.
The hope to see him again remains alive.
Manuel Mendonça and Filomena Teixeira believe that their son, missing person with 11 years, is alive.
And believes until the youngster, with 23 years made in the past day 28 of January, will go one day return home.
Rui Pedro disappeared the 4 of March of 1998.
He left home with the bicycle, after the lunch, and was to give a return in lands next to house and never more returned.
The deceptive tracks and notice had been succeeded.
The mother is more fragile as time goes by and seems not to obtain to surpass so great pain.
The father try taking the life with tranquility, dissimulating to deceive the steel nerves that are necessary to keep the hope. For now, he does not have new features from Rui Pedro.

IS THERE ANY HOPE?

http://dn.sapo.pt/inicio/portugal/interior.aspx?content_id=1471136

Back again

My blog was closed by Google for some weeks cause they said it was a spamblog.
But justice was made and i am here again

The men who changes the world-VII

FTW - Money connections between Bush Republicans and Osama bin Laden go way back and the political and economic connections have remained unbroken for 20 years. And what appears to be a "new" alliance with Pakistan is merely a new manifestation of a decades-long partnership in the heroin trade.

Conveniently ignored in all of the press coverage since the tragic events of Sept. 11 is the fact that on May 17 Secretary of State Colin Powell announced a gift of $43 million to the Taliban as a purported reward for its eradication of Afghanistan's opium crop this February. That, in effect, made the U.S. the Taliban's largest financial benefactor according to syndicated columnist Robert Scheer writing in The Los Angeles times on May 22. But -- as we described in FTW's March 2001 issue -- the Taliban's destruction of that crop was apparently the single most important act of economic warfare against U.S. economic interests that the Taliban had ever committed. So why the gift?

Critics of the Gulf War well recall how, just prior to Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, President Bush (Sr.) dispatched Ambassador April Glaspie to visit Saddam with a letter and a "wink and a nod" telling the Iraqi leader that it was OK to invade his smaller neighbor. The May gift from Uncle Sam could well have been sending the same kind of message, along with necessary funds to complete the attacks. Drugs and terrorism go hand in hand.

Until February, Afghanistan had been the world's largest producer of opium/heroin, claiming close to 70% of the world's total production. That opium, consumed largely in Western Europe and smuggled through the Balkans, was a direct source of cash deposits in Western financial institutions and markets.

I specifically commented on this at an economic crisis conference in Moscow, Russia on March 7. In my formal statement to the Russian conference I said,

"Just before coming to this conference I read in the Associated Press, Agence France Press and other reliable sources that the Taliban has recently eradicated most of its 3000 ton opium crop in Afghanistan. If true, I view this as a form of economic warfare against Russia [and the U.S.] because it would drive opium production more into Southeast Asia and Colombia. However, I now suspect that this will result in a shift of opium production to the Caucasus under the Kurds which will see an increase in smuggling through Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. I should note that both Vice President Richard Cheney and the designated Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage are members of the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce. Such a move would have the effect of drastically shortening smuggling routes and costs into Western Europe and of bypassing unstable areas of the Balkans.

I have received additional reports that Uzbekistan is now awash in the opium poppy and, as in the US with the CIA, that Russian military and intelligence agencies facilitate the trade as a means of protecting access to hard currency. The point here is not that the US it totally evil or the only country doing these things. But the US is far and away the most advanced nation when it comes to the use of such methods to achieve superiority. As [Russian economist Michael] Khazin has noted, the US and Britain and Germany started the conflict in Kosovo in 1999 to stave off a collapse of western markets following the Asian collapse of 1997-8. Now Colombia is a last-ditch effort to protect the US markets and European opposition is jeopardizing that plan."

The Taliban's actions this year severed the ruling military junta in Pakistan from its primary source of foreign revenues and made bin Laden and the Taliban completely expendable in the eyes of the Pakistani government. It also cut off billions of dollars in revenues that had been previously laundered through western banks and Russian financial institutions connected to them.

Now as US military action will replace the Taliban government and fresh crops will be planted in Afghanistan, the slack in cash flow will assuredly be replaced by dramatically increased opium production in Colombia; the revenues from that effort being needed to maintain the revenue streams into Wall Street. Prior to the WTC attacks, credible sources, including the U.S. government, the IMF, Le Monde and the U.S. Senate placed the amount of drug cash flowing into Wall Street and U.S. banks at around $250-$300 billion a year.

In that context, the real history of Osama bin Laden, as America's useful terrorist-du-jour reveals a long and continuous history, interwoven with the drug trade and the Bush family, of supporting conflicts that have benefited U.S. military and economic interests.

bin Laden

There are direct historical links between Osama bin Laden's business interests and those of the Bush family. On September 15 I received the following message from FTW subscriber, Professor John Metzger of Michigan State University:

"We should revisit the history of BCCI, a bank used by the legendary Palestinian terrorist known as Abu Nidal. BCCI was closely tied to American and Pakistan intelligence. Its clients included the Afghan rebels, and the brother of Osama bin Laden, Salem. Salem bin Laden named Houston investment broker James R. Bath as his business representative in Texas, right after George W. BushÕs father became CIA director in 1976. By 1977, Bath invested $50,000 into juniorÕs first business, Arbusto Energy, while Osama bin Laden would soon become a CIA asset. George W. BushÕs FBI director Robert Mueller was part of the Justice DepartmentÕs questionable investigation of BCCI. (On BCCI, the bin Ladens, and the Bushes, see the books, The Outlaw Bank, A Full Service Bank, and Fortunate Son)." Further details of the business and financial relationships between the Bush and bin Laden family are found in Peter Brewton's 1992 book The Mafia, CIA and George Bush. BCCI, incidentally, was founded by a Pakistani.

Economics Professor Michel Chossudovsky of the University of Ottawa has just completed a detailed history of bin Laden's career detailing his secret funding and logistical support to terrorist organizations beginning from his early CIA-supported roots in the 1980s as a "freedom fighter" through to the present day. Chossudovsky's compelling and well documented article, Who Is Osama Bin Laden? dated Sept 12, 2001 can be found on the Internet at: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO109C.html.

Bin Laden's role has not just been as a practitioner of terrorist acts but as a trainer and supplier of terrorist organizations around the world. Included in bin Laden's coterie are terrorist groups linked to the Balkans, Albania, the KLA (a U.S. ally), and rebel groups leading the insurrection against Russia in Chechnya.

As FTW described in 1998, and as confirmed by Chossudovsky, the key to understanding U.S. support of bin Laden is to grasp that he has always been controlled by a cutout, the Pakistani government and its intelligence service the ISI. In this manner there has been virtually no direct contact between bin Laden and the CIA. This has served the dual purpose of maintaining his apparent "purity" with his followers and providing plausible deniability for the CIA. The whole underlying pretext for this relationship evaporated with the Taliban's destruction of the opium crop in February.

Chossudovsky writes:

"The history of the drug trade in Central Asia is intimately related to the CIA's covert operations. Prior to the Soviet-Afghan war, opium production in Afghanistan and Pakistan was directed to small regional markets. There was no local production of heroin. In this regard [Professor] Alfred McCoy's study confirms that within two years of the onslaught of the CIA operation in Afghanistan, 'the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderlands became the world's top heroin producer, supplying 60 per sent of the U.S. demandÉ

"With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a new surge in opium production has unfolded. (According to UN estimates, the production of opium in Afghanistan in 1998-99 -- coinciding with the build up of armed insurgencies in the former Soviet republics -- reached a record high of 4600 metric tons. Powerful business syndicates in the former Soviet Union allied with organized crime are competing for the strategic control over the heroin routes.

"The ISI's extensive intelligence military-network was not dismantled in the wake of the Cold War. The CIA continued to support the Islamic "jihad" out of PakistanÉ"

"É The Golden Crescent drug trade was also being used to finance and equip the Bosnian Muslim Army (starting in the early 1990s) and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In the last few months there is evidence that Mujhideen mercenaries are fighting in the ranks of the KLA-NLA terrorists in their assaults into MacedoniaÉ

"É With regard to Chechnya, the main rebel leaders Shamil Basayev and Al Khattab were trained and indoctrinated in CIA sponsored camps in Afghanistan and PakistanÉ In this regard, the involvement of Pakistan's ISI and its radical Islamic proxies are actually calling the shots in this war.

"Russia's main pipeline route transits through Chechnya and Dagestan. Despite Washington's perfunctory condemnation of Islamic terrorism, the indirect beneficiaries of the Chechen war are the Anglo-American oil conglomerates which are vying for control over oil resources and pipeline corridors out of the Caspian Sea basin."

The oil and drug connections were the subject of FTW's story, The Bush-Cheney drug Empire in October, 2000. That story is online at http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ciadrugs/bush-cheney-drugs.html. Both Bush and Cheney are oil men.

George Bush, Sr. was Vice President and, by virtue of executive Order 12333, in charge of all U.S. intelligence and narcotics operations from 1981 through 1989. As President from 1989 through 1993, he continued and expanded his control in these areas. Thus, it was Bush (the elder) who directly nourished and nurtured bin Laden's evolution.

Dramatic Confirmation From Indian Government

The web site of the Indian Embassy in Washington contains dramatic confirmation for these positions. On September 4, 2000, B. Raman, Director of India's Institute for Topical Studies wrote an open letter to the U.S. Congress entitled Pakistan's Noriega's. That eight-page article exposed the depth of Pakistani government involvement in the drug trade. It may be viewed at:

www.indianembassy.org/int_media/
saag_september_04_2000.html.

The letter said, in part:

"For more than a decade, the people of India have been living in a state of half-war and half-peace due to the depredations of a large number of terrorists, outrageously called jehadists, who have been trained, armed and funded and infiltrated into the State of Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of India by Pakistan in order to make the people of India and its security forces bleed in the name of religion.

"More people belonging to different religions -- Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and others -- have been killed in India by these mercenary-terrorists sponsored by the State of Pakistan than by any other terrorist groups anywhere else in the worldÉ"

"ÉMany other States have suffered and have been suffering due to the depredations of terrorists, made in and exported from Pakistan and the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan -- [these include] Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Central Asian Republics, the Chechnya and Dagestan areas of Russia, the Xinjiang province of China, Bangladesh, the Arakan area of Burma and the southern Philippines..."

"After his [1993] removal, [as official head of Pakistani intelligence, trusted advisor to Pakistani leader Gen. Pervez Musharraf] Lt. Gen. Nasir traveled to Somalia, Chechnya, Dagestan, the Central Asian Republics, ÉChina, and the Southern Philippines as a preacherÉ and helped Islamic organizations, including the group which killed U.S. troopsÉ in Somalia."

"ÉIt was he, who, during his tenure as the DG [Director General] of the ISIÉ has entered into an agreement with the LTTE of Sri Lanka [which secured] LTTE's assistance in smuggling Afghanistan produced heroin in its ships to West Europe, the USA and CanadaÉ"

"ÉAnother reason for the ISI's helping the LTTE, despite its anti-Muslim policies, was to use it for smuggling heroin to West Europe, the U.S. and Canada. During Zia-ul-Haq's regime in the 1980s, heroin had become a major source of extra revenue not only for the State of Pakistan, especially the ISI and Pakistan's nuclear and missile establishment, but also to many senior officers of the Pakistan Army, including [Musharraf et al]É"

"The way Mr. Sharif before October 1999 and Gen. Musharraf since then have been using the heroin money to prevent the Pakistani economy from collapsing has not received due attention in the U.S. ..."

"If one goes purely by economic indicators, Pakistan's must be in as bad a shape as that of Russia, or even worse, since Russia has been in receipt of Western and IMF assistanceÉ"

"Where does the money come from? From the smuggling of heroin to West Europe, the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. Government might have stopped economic assistanceÉ from the taxpayers' money. But why should the Noriegas of Pakistan be worried when they get billions of dollars from the heroin sale in the U.S.?É "

Vice President Dick Cheney's recent comment that the CIA needs to get in bed with "unsavory characters" is a joke. That's a bed that the CIA has never left. And it's a marriage vow that President Bush has just reaffirmed for all the world to see.

The men who changes the world-VI

James Petras - Professor of Sociology, Binghamton University

-- There is a consensus among U.S. Congressional Investigators, former bankers and international banking experts that U.S. and European banks launder between $500 billion and $1 trillion of dirty money each year, half of which is laundered by U.S. banks alone. As Senator Carl Levin summarizes the record: "Estimates are that $500 billion to $1 trillion of international criminal proceeds are moved internationally and deposited into bank accounts annually. It is estimated that half of that money comes to the United States".

Over a decade then, between $2.5 and $5 trillion criminal proceeds have been laundered by U.S. banks and circulated in the U.S. financial circuits. Senator Levin's statement however, only covers criminal proceeds, according to U.S. laws. It does not include illegal transfers and capital flows from corrupt political leaders, or tax evasion by overseas businesses. A leading U.S. scholar who is an expert on international finance associated with the prestigious Brookings Institute estimates "the flow of corrupt money out of developing (Third World) and transitional (ex-Communist) economies into Western coffers at $20 to $40 billion a year and the flow stemming from mis-priced trade at $80 billion a year or more. My lowest estimate is $100 billion per year by these two means by which we facilitated a trillion dollars in the decade, at least half to the United States. Including the other elements of illegal flight capital would produce much higher figures. The Brookings expert also did not include illegal shifts of real estate and securities titles, wire fraud, etc.

In other words, an incomplete figure of dirty money (laundered criminal and corrupt money) flowing into U.S. coffers during the 1990s amounted to $3-$5.5 trillion. This is not the complete picture but it gives us a basis to estimate the significance of the "dirty money factor" in evaluating the U.S. economy. In the first place, it is clear that the combined laundered and dirty money flows cover part of the U.S. deficit in its balance of merchandise trade which ranges in the hundreds of billions annually. As it stands, the U.S. trade deficit is close to $300 billion. Without the "dirty money" the U.S. economy external accounts would be totally unsustainable, living standards would plummet, the dollar would weaken, the available investment and loan capital would shrink and Washington would not be able to sustain its global empire. And the importance of laundered money is forecast to increase. Former private banker Antonio Geraldi, in testimony before the Senate Subcommittee projects significant growth in U.S. bank laundering. "The forecasters also predict the amounts laundered in the trillions of dollars and growing disproportionately to legitimate funds." The $500 billion of criminal and dirty money flowing into and through the major U.S. banks far exceeds the net revenues of all the IT companies in the U.S., not to speak of their profits. These yearly inflows surpass all the net transfers by the major U.S. oil producers, military industries and airplane manufacturers. The biggest U.S. banks, particularly Citibank, derive a high percentage of their banking profits from serving these criminal and dirty money accounts. The big U.S. banks and key institutions sustain U.S. global power via their money laundering and managing of illegally obtained overseas funds.

U.S. Banks and The Dirty Money Empire

Washington and the mass media have portrayed the U.S. as being in the forefront of the struggle against narco trafficking, drug laundering and political corruption: the image is of clean white hands fighting dirty money. The truth is exactly the opposite. U.S. banks have developed a highly elaborate set of policies for transferring illicit funds to the U.S., investing those funds in legitimate businesses or U.S. government bonds and legitimating them. The U.S. Congress has held numerous hearings, provided detailed exposés of the illicit practices of the banks, passed several laws and called for stiffer enforcement by any number of public regulators and private bankers. Yet the biggest banks continue their practices, the sum of dirty money grows exponentially, because both the State and the banks have neither the will nor the interest to put an end to the practices that provide high profits and buttress an otherwise fragile empire.

First thing to note about the money laundering business, whether criminal or corrupt, is that it is carried out by the most important banks in the USA. Secondly, the practices of bank officials involved in money laundering have the backing and encouragement of the highest levels of the banking institutions - these are not isolated cases by loose cannons. This is clear in the case of Citibank's laundering of Raul Salinas (brother of Mexico's ex-President) $200 million account. When Salinas was arrested and his large scale theft of government funds was exposed, his private bank manager at Citibank, Amy Elliott told her colleagues that "this goes in the very, very top of the corporation, this was known...on the very top. We are little pawns in this whole thing" (p.35).

Citibank, the biggest money launderer, is the biggest bank in the U.S., with 180,000 employees world-wide operating in 100 countries, with $700 billion in known assets and over $100 billion in client assets in private bank (secret accounts) operating private banking offices in 30 countries, which is the largest global presence of any U.S. private bank. It is important to clarify what is meant by "private bank."

Private Banking is a sector of a bank which caters to extremely wealthy clients ($1 million deposits and up). The big banks charge customers a fee for managing their assets and for providing the specialized services of the private banks. Private Bank services go beyond the routine banking services and include investment guidance, estate planning, tax assistance, off-shore accounts, and complicated schemes designed to secure the confidentiality of financial transactions. The attractiveness of the "Private Banks" (PB) for money laundering is that they sell secrecy to the dirty money clients. There are two methods that big Banks use to launder money: via private banks and via correspondent banking. PB routinely use code names for accounts, concentration accounts (concentration accounts co-mingles bank funds with client funds which cut off paper trails for billions of dollars of wire transfers) that disguise the movement of client funds, and offshore private investment corporations (PIC) located in countries with strict secrecy laws (Cayman Island, Bahamas, etc.)

For example, in the case of Raul Salinas, PB personnel at Citibank helped Salinas transfer $90 to $100 million out of Mexico in a manner that effectively disguised the funds' sources and destination thus breaking the funds' paper trail. In routine fashion, Citibank set up a dummy offshore corporation, provided Salinas with a secret code name, provided an alias for a third party intermediary who deposited the money in a Citibank account in Mexico and transferred the money in a concentration account to New York where it was then moved to Switzerland and London.

The PICs are designed by the big banks for the purpose of holding and hiding a person's assets. The nominal officers, trustees and shareholder of these shell corporations are themselves shell corporations controlled by the PB. The PIC then becomes the holder of the various bank and investment accounts and the ownership of the private bank clients is buried in the records of so-called jurisdiction such as the Cayman Islands. Private bankers of the big banks like Citibank keep pre-packaged PICs on the shelf awaiting activation when a private bank client wants one. The system works like Russian Matryoshka dolls, shells within shells within shells, which in the end can be impenetrable to a legal process.

The complicity of the state in big bank money laundering is evident when one reviews the historic record. Big bank money laundering has been investigated, audited, criticized and subject to legislation; the banks have written procedures to comply. Yet banks like Citibank and the other big ten banks ignore the procedures and laws and the government ignores the non-compliance.

Over the last 20 years, big bank laundering of criminal funds and looted funds has increased geometrically, dwarfing in size and rates of profit the activities in the formal economy. Estimates by experts place the rate of return in the PB market between 20-25% annually. Congressional investigations revealed that Citibank provided "services" for 4 political swindlers moving $380 million: Raul Salinas - $80-$100 million, Asif Ali Zardari (husband of former Prime Minister of Pakistan) in excess of $40 million, El Hadj Omar Bongo (dictator of Gabon since 1967) in excess of $130 million, the Abacha sons of General Abacha ex-dictator of Nigeria - in excess of $110 million. In all cases Citibank violated all of its own procedures and government guidelines: there was no client profile (review of client background), determination of the source of the funds, nor of any violations of country laws from which the money accrued. On the contrary, the bank facilitated the outflow in its prepackaged format: shell corporations were established, code names were provided, funds were moved through concentration accounts, the funds were invested in legitimate businesses or in U.S. bonds, etc. In none of these cases - or thousands of others - was due diligence practiced by the banks (under due diligence a private bank is obligated by law to take steps to ensure that it does not facilitate money laundering). In none of these cases were the top banking officials brought to court and tried. Even after arrest of their clients, Citibank continued to provide services, including the movement of funds to secret accounts and the provision of loans.

Correspondent Banks: The Second Track

The second and related route which the big banks use to launder hundreds of billions of dirty money is through "correspondent banking" (CB). CB is the provision of banking services by one bank to another bank. It is a highly profitable and significant sector of big banking. It enables overseas banks to conduct business and provide services for their customers - including drug dealers and others engaged in criminal activity - in jurisdictions like the U.S. where the banks have no physical presence. A bank that is licensed in a foreign country and has no office in the United States for its customers attracts and retains wealthy criminal clients interested in laundering money in the U.S. Instead of exposing itself to U.S. controls and incurring the high costs of locating in the U.S., the bank will open a correspondent account with an existing U.S. bank. By establishing such a relationship, the foreign bank (called a respondent) and through it, its criminal customers, receive many or all of the services offered by the U.S. big banks called the correspondent.

Today, all the big U.S. banks have established multiple correspondent relationships throughout the world so they may engage in international financial transactions for themselves and their clients in places where they do have a physical presence. Many of the largest U.S. and European banks located in the financial centers of the world serve as correspondents for thousands of other banks. Most of the offshore banks laundering billions for criminal clients have accounts in the U.S. All the big banks specializing in international fund transfer are called money center banks, some of the biggest process up to $1 trillion in wire transfers a day. For the billionaire criminals an important feature of correspondent relationships is that they provide access to international transfer systems - that facilitate the rapid transfer of funds across international boundaries and within countries. The most recent estimates (1998) are that 60 offshore jurisdictions around the world licensed about 4,000 offshore banks which control approximately $5 trillion in assets.

One of the major sources of impoverishment and crises in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Russia and the other countries of the ex-U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe, is the pillage of the economy and the hundreds of billions of dollars which are transferred out of the country via the corresponding banking system and the Private Banking system linked to the biggest banks in the U.S. and Europe. Russia alone has seen over $200 billion illegally transferred in the course of the 1990s. The massive shift of capital from these countries to the U.S. and European banks has generated mass impoverishment and economic instability and crises. This in turn has created increased vulnerability to pressure from the IMF and World Bank to liberalize their banking and financial systems leading to further flight and deregulation which spawns greater corruption and overseas transfers via private banks as the Senate reports demonstrate.

The increasing polarization of the world is embedded in this organized system of criminal and corrupt financial transactions. While speculation and foreign debt payments play a role in undermining living standards in the crisis regions, the multi-trillion dollar money laundering and bank servicing of corrupt officials is a much more significant factor, sustaining Western prosperity, U.S. empire building and financial stability. The scale, scope and time frame of transfers and money laundering, the centrality of the biggest banking enterprises and the complicity of the governments, strongly suggests that the dynamics of growth and stagnation, empire and re-colonization are intimately related to a new form of capitalism built around pillage, criminality, corruption and complicity.

"This Goes Straight to the Top"

-- James Petras is a Professor of Sociology at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York. He is the author of 57 books. His latest, Globalization Unmasked: Imperialism in the New Millenium

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/economy/053101_banks.html

The men who changes the world V

BLACKWATER USA

Blackwater USA is a private military company and security firm founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark. It is based in the U.S. state of North Carolina, where it operates a tactical training facility that it claims is the world's largest. The company trains more than 40,000 people a year, from all the military services and a variety of other agencies. The company markets itself as being "The most comprehensive professional military, law enforcement, security, peacekeeping, and stability operations company in the world". At least 90% of its revenue comes from government contracts, two-thirds of which are no-bid contracts.

Ownership status: Privately held
Number of employees worldwide: 10,000
Website: http://www.blackwaterusa.com/
Tel: 214-748-3647
Fax: 252-435-6388 Corporate accountability
Accountability overview:
Cofer Black, the company's current vice chairman, was the Bush administration's top counter terrorism official when 9/11 occurred. In 2002, he famously stated: "There was before 9/11 and after 9/11. After 9/11, the gloves come off." Blackwater has become home to a significant number of former senior CIA and Pentagon officials. Robert Richer became the firm's Vice President of Intelligence immediately after he resigned his position as Associate Deputy Director of Operations in fall 2005. He is formerly the head of the CIA's Near East Division.

Blackwater's training facility, located on 7,000 acres in North Carolina, comprises several ranges, indoor, outdoor, urban reproductions, a man-made lake, and a driving track in Camden and Currituck counties. It is one of the largest firearms training facilities in the world. Company literature claims that the company runs "the largest privately owned firearms training facility in the world."

In November 2006 Blackwater USA announced it recently acquired an 80-acre (30 ha) facility 150 miles (240 km) west of Chicago, in Mount Carroll, Illinois to be called Blackwater North. That facility has been operational since April, 2007 and serves law enforcement agencies throughout the midwest.

Blackwater is also trying to open a facility in California for military and law enforcement training, in Potrero, San Diego County.

In 2003, Blackwater landed its first truly high-profile contract: guarding civilian Administrator L. Paul Bremer in Iraq, at the cost of $21 million for 11 months. Since June 2004, Blackwater has been paid more than $320 million out of a $1 billion, five-year State Department budget for the Worldwide Personal Protective Service, which protects U.S. officials and some foreign officials in conflict zones. In 2006, Blackwater won the remunerative contract to protect the U.S. embassy in Iraq, which is the largest American embassy in the world.

For work in Iraq, Blackwater has drawn contractors from their international pool of professionals, a database containing "21,000 former Special Forces troops, soldiers, and retired law enforcement agents," overall. For instance, Gary Jackson, the firm's president, has confirmed that Bosnians, Filipinos, and Chileans, "have been hired for tasks ranging from airport security to protecting Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority."

On March 31, 2004, Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah attacked a convoy containing four American private military contractors from Blackwater USA who were conducting delivery for food caterers ESS. The four armed contractors Scott Helvenston, Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague, were attacked and killed with grenades and small arms fire. Their bodies were hung over a bridge crossing the Euphrates. In the fall of 2007, a congressional report found that Blackwater intentionally "delayed and impeded" investigations into the contractors' deaths.

Photos of the event were released to news agencies worldwide. The event led to a failed U.S. operation to occupy the city in the First Battle of Fallujah, and the later successful attempt seven months later in the Second Battle of Fallujah.

In April 2005 six Blackwater independent contractors were killed in Iraq when their Mi-8 helicopter was shot down. Also killed were three Bulgarian crewmembers and two Fijian gunners. Initial reports indicate the helicopter was shot down by rocket propelled grenades.

On January 23, 2007, five Blackwater contractors were killed in Iraq when their Hughes H-6 helicopter was shot down. The incident happened in Baghdad, Haifa Street. The crash site was secured by a Personal Security Detail Platoon, callsign "Jester" from 1/26 Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Three Iraqi insurgent groups claimed responsibility for shooting down the helicopter, however, this has not been confirmed by the US. A US defense official has confirmed that four of the five killed were shot execution style in the back of the head, but did not know whether the four had survived the crash.

According to the State Department, on December 24, 2006, a Blackwater employee shot and killed a security guard working for the Iraqi vice-president. In late May 2007, Blackwater contractors, "opened fire on the streets of Baghdad twice in two days... and one of the incidents provoked a standoff between the security contractors and Iraqi Interior Ministry commandos, U.S. and Iraqi officials said." And on May 30, 2007, Blackwater employees shot an Iraqi civilian deemed to have been "driving too close" to a State Department convoy being escorted by Blackwater contractors.

On September 17, 2007, a Blackwater team was escorting a convoy of US State Department vehicles en route to a meeting in western Baghdad with United States Agency for International Development officials.

According to an Iraqi investigation into the events at Nissor Square, as the convoy drew close to Nissor Square, a car, driving very slowly, on the wrong side of the road, ignored a police officer's whistle to clear a path for the convoy. Shortly after this, the security team fired warning shots, and then lethal fire. Sound bombs were also fired. Iraqi Army soldiers, mistaking the sound-bombs for explosions, opened fire at the Blackwater team, to which the Blackwater team responded.

On September 19, the United States suspended all land travel by U.S. diplomats and other civilian officials in Iraq outside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone as a result of public outrage over the alleged killing of civilians by Blackwater employees. The order confines most Americans to a 3.5-square-mile area in the center of the city so that they are unable to visit other areas without travelling in a helicopter. The order did not say when the suspension would expire.

Unlike many deaths blamed on foreign contractors, this shooting took place in downtown Baghdad, an area with dozens of witnesses. "We see the security firms ... doing whatever they want in the streets. They beat citizens and scorn them," Baghdad resident Halim Mashkoor claimed to AP Television News. He asked, "if such a thing happened in America or Britain, would the American president or American citizens accept it?" Hasan Jaber Salman, one of the wounded and an Iraqi lawyer, charged that "no one did anything to provoke Blackwater" and that "as we turned back they opened fire at all cars from behind" After a group of Iraqi ministers backed the Iraqi Interior Ministry's decision to shut down Blackwater USA's operations in Iraq, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on the U.S. government to end its contract with Blackwater USA as well.

On September 21, CNN reported that Blackwater would resume normal operations the following day. The State Department has announced an American-Iraqi joint commission to investigate both the shooting and the use of private security contractors as a broader issue. The committee will be co-chaired by Abd al Qadir, the Iraqi Minister of Defense and Patricia A. Butenis, the Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

On September 22, Iraqi investigators announded that they have a videotape that shows Blackwater USA contractors opening fire against civilians without provocation. Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said Iraqi authorities had completed their investigation into the shooting and concluded that Blackwater guards were responsible for the deaths. Khalaf said the report had been "sent to the judiciary". Under Iraqi law, an investigating judge decides whether there is enough evidence for a trial. Khalaf also said the ministry was looking into six other fatal shootings involving Blackwater.

On September 24, the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior announced it would file criminal charges against the Blackwater staff involved in the shooting, although it is unclear how some of them will be brought to trial. “The murder of citizens in cold blood in al-Nissour area by the Blackwater is considered a terrorist action against the civilians just like any other terrorist operations,” a preliminary report of the findings says. A senior aide to al-Maliki said that three of the Blackwater guards were Iraqis and could be subject to prosecution. The aide also said that the Iraqi government was pushing for an apology, compensation for victims or their families and for the guards involved in the shooting to be held "accountable." US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates testified before Congress that the Pentagon has sufficient legal authority to control its contractors, but that commanders lack sufficient "means and resources" to exercise adequate oversight.



IRAQ: Ex-Blackwater Workers May Return to Iraq Jobs
by Rod Nordland, New York Times
April 3rd, 2009

Late last month Blackwater Worldwide lost its billion-dollar contract to protect American diplomats in Iraq, but by next month many of its private security guards will be back on the job here. The same individuals will just be wearing new uniforms, working for Triple Canopy, the firm that won the State Department’s new contract.

US: Plea by Blackwater Guard Helps Indict Others
by GINGER THOMPSON and JAMES RISEN, New York Times
December 9th, 2008

On Monday, the Justice Department unsealed its case against five Blackwater private security guards, built largely around testimony from a sixth guard about the 2007 shootings that left 17 unsuspecting Iraqi civilians dead at a busy Baghdad traffic circle.

Over the Counter Intelligence
by Philip Mattera
June 13th, 2008


GERMANY: German Arms Firm Ends Blackwater Deal After TV Report
by DW staff (ncy), Deutsche Welle
February 19th, 2008

Weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch said it would end its relationship with Blackwater after German media reported that the controversial US-run military firm was using its guns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

US: Limbo for U.S. Women Reporting Iraq Assaults
by JAMES RISEN, The New York Times
February 13th, 2008

Ms. Kineston is among a number of American women who have reported that they were sexually assaulted by co-workers while working as contractors in Iraq but now find themselves in legal limbo, unable to seek justice or even significant compensation.

US: CIA Likely Let Contractors Perform Waterboarding
by SIOBHAN GORMAN, The Wall Street Journal
February 8th, 2008

The CIA's secret interrogation program has made extensive use of outside contractors, whose role likely included the waterboarding of terrorist suspects, according to testimony yesterday from the CIA director and two other people familiar with the program.

US: Contractor Abuses Rarely Punished, Groups Say
by Ali Gharib, IPS
January 21st, 2008

Out of the dozens upon dozens of reports of abuses by private contractors as part of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, only one prosecution of a contractor has taken place.

IRAQ: 2005 Use of Gas by Blackwater Leaves Questions
by JAMES RISEN, New York Times
January 10th, 2008

In 2005 Blackwater accidentally dropped teargas on US soldiers, which has raised significant new questions about the role of private security contractors in Iraq, and whether they operate under the same rules of engagement and international treaty obligations that the American military observes.

US: Disputed in Iraq, Blackwater Now Splits California Town
by Salomon Moore, New York Times
December 11th, 2007

A small community in southern California is upset at the prospect of a Blackwater training camp moving into town.

US: Blackwater Probe Stifled by Conflicts
by Richard Lardner, Associated Press
November 26th, 2007

A Blackwater weapons probe continues to be bogged down after months of strained relations between Bush administration officials.

US: Blackwater Mounts a Defense With Top Talent
by John M. Broder and James Risen, NY Times
November 5th, 2007

lackwater Worldwide, its reputation in tatters and its lucrative government contracts in jeopardy, is mounting an aggressive legal, political and public relations counterstrike.

US: Blackwater's Owner Has Spies for Hire
by Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post
November 3rd, 2007

The Prince Group, the holding company that owns Blackwater Worldwide, has been building an operation that will sniff out intelligence about natural disasters, business-friendly governments, overseas regulations and global political developments for clients in industry and government.

US: Democrats Criticize Immunity Offers to Guards
by David Johnston, NY Times
October 30th, 2007

Prominent Democrats in Congress reacted angrily today to disclosures that State Department investigators made apparently unauthorized offers of immunity to Blackwater security guards.

US: Rice Says ‘Hole’ in U.S. Law Shields Contractors in Iraq
by John M. Broder, NY Times
October 26th, 2007

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice conceded on Thursday that there was a “hole” in United States law that had allowed Blackwater USA employees and other armed contractors in Iraq to escape legal jeopardy for crimes possibly committed there.

US: Blackwater vies for jobs beyond security
by August Cole, Wall Street Journal
October 15th, 2007

Even as Blackwater USA works to recover from criticism of its private-security forces in Iraq, the company plans for an expansion into other areas.

IRAQ:2 Women Killed in Security Shooting Are Buried in Iraq
by Andrew E. Kramer and James Glanz, NY Times
October 11th, 2007

Two women killed Tuesday by a barrage of gunfire from private security guards in central Baghdad are buried there.

Outsourcing Fear
by Robert Young Pelton
October 2nd, 2007

Robert Young Pelton is the author of "Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror " and the "Guide to the World's Most Dangerous Places." He is also co-founder of http://www.iraqslogger.com/ . This blog item is about his experiences attending the Congressional hearing into the Blackwater shootings in Iraq written on October 2nd, 2007.

US: Chief of Blackwater Defends His Employees
by John M. Broder, New York Times
October 2nd, 2007

Erik D. Prince, chief executive of Blackwater USA, told a Congressional committee on Tuesday that his company’s nearly 1,000 armed guards in Iraq were not trigger-happy mercenaries, but rather loyal Americans doing a necessary job in hostile territory.


http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?list=type&type=210

The men who changes the world-IV

"Our company was founded in Chicago in 2003 by U.S. Army Special Forces veterans. We established operations in Iraq in 2004 following the first of multiple contract awards in the region. In 2005, our corporate headquarters relocated to Herndon, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. ..."

Two former employees of an American private military contracting firm have claimed in a Virginia court that they saw their supervisor deliberately shoot at Iraqi vehicles and civilians this summer, and that the firm fired them for reporting the incidents
No, that's not Blackwater. That's a November 2006 article about Triple Canopy. This comes after CNN's April announcement that the Triple Canopy would be taking over the Blackwater/Xe contracts, due to Iraq refusing to renew their operating license due to a September 2007 shooting incident involving five of their then-employees.

Triple Canopy CEO Ignacio "Iggy" Balderas

"Iggy has over two decades of experience in Special Forces units, including service with the U.S. Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force). As Command Sergeant Major for Delta Force, Iggy was responsible to the National Command Authority for leadership, training, mentorship and implementation of policies and procedures for the U.S. military's most elite unit. He served as the subject matter expert on operational matters and command representative on military policy boards. He was responsible for hiring and firing every enlisted member in the unit. He conducted briefings for the U.S. President, Secretary of Defense and other four-stTriple Canopy Chief Operating Officer Kelvin Kai

Triple Canopy Chief Operating Officer Kelvin Kai

A U.S. Army veteran with over 20 years of service, Kelvin spent his entire career within the Special Operations Community assigned to the US Army Rangers, US Army Special Forces and 11 years assigned to the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force), where he acquired an exceptional level of expertise across the entire spectrum of special operation missions. Kelvin was awarded a Legion of Merit for his service.

Following his retirement, Kelvin served as the regional security manager in the Balkans for KBR and was a security advisor for Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold in Indonesia

Strategic Advisory Board

Dan Bannister (former Chairman and CEO of DynCorp)
David Binney (former Deputy Director of the FBI and former Director of Security for IBM)
BGEN Stephen A. Cheney, USMC (Ret.) (currently the Chief Operating Officer for Business Executives for National Security (BENS))
Catherine Lotrionte Yoran (former Assistant General Counsel with the Central Intelligence Agency and an Adjunct Professor and Senior Fellow at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Law Center)

... Triple Canopy Inc. Wins New Security Contract from State Department of US ; Expands Global Presence by Opening Offices in Abu Dhabi and Nigeria

04/1/2009 The State Department announced it has awarded a contract to Triple Canopy Inc. to protect US diplomats on the ground in Baghdad after dropping the controversial Blackwater Worldwide, renamed Xe. The department awarded the contract to Triple Canopy, which will start the transition immediately even if Xe will fill gaps until its contract ends in May. Triple Canopy said it has expanded its global presence by opening offices in Abu Dhabi and Nigeria.

Triple Canopy Inc. Wins $3,795,682.99 Federal Contract from the U.S. Army's Joint Contracting Command 01/10/2009 Triple Canopy Inc. announced that, it has won a $3,795,682.99 federal contract from the U.S. Army's Joint Contracting Command, Baghdad, Iraq, for personal security detail services.

Triple Canopy Inc. Wins $6.8 Million Contract 09/10/2007 Triple Canopy Inc. has won another contract to provide security services in Iraq. The new contract is for $6.8 million over the next year. ...

Sport shooting

Triple Canopy is currently the defendent in a lawsuit filed by three former employees who worked for Triple Canopy under a contract for KBR. Former Army Ranger Shane Schmidt and former Marine Charles L. Sheppard III claim in the lawsuit that on July 8, 2004, while en route to the Baghdad airport, their shift leader declared he was "going to kill someone today" and shortly afterwards stepped out of the vehicle and fired rounds of his M4 rifle through the windshield of a stopped truck.

The suit goes on to claim the shift leader said, "This didn't happen, understand?" Soon after, the shift leader stated he had "never shot anyone with my handgun before" and then fired his handgun through the windshield of a parked taxi, killing the driver.

When Schmidt and Sheppard reported the incident, they were fired by Triple Canopy. The shift leader was sent back to the United States. Triple Canopy has not denied the incident occurred, rather they argue that no violation of Virginia law occurred and that Schmidt and Sheppard were "at-will" employees and could be fired for any reason. [5]

Recruitment

Recently, Triple Canopy has stopped recruiting from the Philippines and started in war-experienced rich El Salvador. Company spokesman, Joe Mayo, says, "They've got the right background for the type of work we are doing." After training in Jordan, the troops will head to Iraq for site security. --(inactive link)

Triple Canopy has been engaged in recruiting counter-insurgency military around Latin America, mostly from Peru, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador. --October 31, 2005.

It has been reported that Triple Canopy has contracted with the Peruvian Army to set up training exercises at the base in Huachipa. The Peruvian newspaper El Comercio reported in October, 2005 that the Peruvian Army has trained a total of 678 soldiers for Triple Canopy already.

Triply Canopy has also been linked to training exercises in Honduras at facilities set up in the 1980s by the CIA. The Honduran government expelled 105 Chilean soldiers who had been recruited by a Triple Canopy subsidiary, Your Solutions. The Honduran newspaper, La Tribuna, reported that Your Solutions has shipped over a couple hundred soldiers from Honduras to Iraq. [6]

Growth

On June 15th, 2007, Triple Canopy announced their acquisition of Clayton Consultants, Inc., a crisis management security consultancy offering incident response services and security consulting for threats like kidnappings, ransoms and extortion against their clients. The addition of Clayton under the Triple Canopy umbrella will expand their range of available services.

http://alexconstantine.blogspot.com/2009/12/about-triple-canopy-from-triple-canopy.html
http://www.triplecanopy.com/

The men who changes the world-III

Jerry Keller recently retired after 36 years as a Spokane police officer. For 20 of those years, he was a detective in the sexual assault unit.

He interviewed hundreds of suspects and hundreds of their young victims. He has come to understand pedophilia as a form of evil. Yet Keller did not end his career a cynical man.

"He worked on the most horrifying cases, where you turned over a rock and thought you had one victim and you had generations of children," said Spokane District Court Judge Patti Walker, who worked with Keller when she was a deputy prosecutor. "He saved many children."

Keller said adults who abuse children fall into two categories: sex offenders and pedophiles.

Sex offenders are opportunists, coercing a child because it's easy; they usually don't have multiple victims. Pedophiles can have hundreds of victims and are nearly impossible to rehabilitate.

Keller explained: "Say it was against the law to be heterosexual. So you go 10 years to prison. You go through counseling. You are still going to be a heterosexual. Same thing with a pedophile. No matter how much counseling, children are still their choice."

Of the 900 registered sex offenders in the city of Spokane, about 30 qualify as pedophiles, Keller said. Their re-offense rate is about 90 percent, compared with 14 percent for sex offenders. But adults in both categories share similar excuses.

"I think there's a book that tells them if you're questioned by police, tell them. 'I was drunk. I was on drugs. She's the one who started it. I was a victim, too.' "

Pedophiles construct elaborate schemes. One man, who was eventually arrested in Spokane, posed as the Easter Bunny and walked though a California mall greeting children, naked beneath his costume. One childless predator built an elaborate train set in his backyard.

Many befriended lonely women with children.

One day, Keller checked up on a registered sex offender and found "two kids in the house, a Barbie Jeep and a heavyset mother. The woman told me: 'I found it funny he never had sex with me.' It was the little girl he was having sex with."

Others alter their appearance to look like child-friendly characters. Keller thinks most Santas are safe, but he's leery of men who purposely look like Santa year-round to attract children.




Only 2 percent of sexual predators are women, but they can be equally conniving. One sweet-looking 16-year-old girl walked door-to-door offering baby-sitting services, Keller said, and another women offered to hold babies on the bus.

"What causes pedophilia? I don't know if anyone knows," Keller said. "But molesting children is not normal. It has to be an evil."

Gregory McCrea told children to call him "Papa Smurf" - like the cheery animated character he purposefully resembled.

Of all the cases Keller worked on, the Papa Smurf case is the one that haunts him.

Six of McCrea's victims were Spokane girls, ages 6 to 11. Keller spent hours with them, listening to their horror. One drew a rose for him.

"It was a perfect rose," he said. "I hope she's an artist now."

Walker remembers the case, too. There were hours of sexually violent videotapes to review, and Keller needed help from others in law enforcement. The material was so disturbing that the others were able to watch for two hours, Walker remembers, and "then they were done."

In 1999, McCrea was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Carla Stamatoplos, who worked as an administrative assistant for the sexual assault unit for 10 years, said Keller put children at ease immediately.

"When the children came through, he would stop and show them the police dog (photos) on the wall."

Jim Nicks, the department's assistant chief, said Keller dedicated himself to educating people, in community meetings and at national trainings, about the true nature of sex crimes against children.

"He saw the victimization of children. It tugged at his heart. So he became an expert," Nicks said.

Keller ended his career in awe of the all the abused children he met.

"Most of them are a lot smarter than the predator gives them credit for," he said. "The kids are very intelligent, even if they come from bad backgrounds."

Many were manipulated into sexual contact, believing in the honesty of adults and unable to put dangerous requests in perspective because, as Keller noted with sadness, "some have only been on Earth six or seven years."

Keller handed in his badge, his cell phone, his uniform and his ID the same week the unit's sergeant, Jim Faddis, retired, too. Keller credits his sexual assault unit co-workers with keeping him sane because he could talk with them about things no one else could bear to hear.

Keller has been a police officer more than half his life. He's anticipating some "who am I now?" moments. But he has plans. He'll spend even more time with his two grown daughters and four grandchildren. He'll climb more mountains.

"The outdoors saved me," he said. "I've been with the Spokane Mountaineers since 2001. My ultimate goal is Denali, the highest spot in North America."

It might be harder to retire his vigilance.

"You see a child in a car who looks somewhat scared. You see a guy walking a 6-year-old girl and think, 'Is this OK?' Most people probably wouldn't think anything of it."

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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com