SHAME OF ABUSE BY BRITISH TROOPS
Rogue British troops batter Iraqis in mockery of bid to win over people

Iraq(UK Mirror)- A HOODED Iraqi captive is beaten by British soldiers before being thrown from a moving truck and left to die.

The prisoner, aged 18-20, begged for mercy as he was battered with rifle butts and batons in the head and groin, was kicked, stamped and urinated on, and had a gun barrel forced into his mouth.

After an EIGHT-HOUR ordeal, he was left barely conscious and close to death. Bleeding and vomiting and with a broken jaw and missing teeth, he was driven from a Basra camp and hurled off the truck. No one knows if he lived or died.


URINATED ON: A British soldier urinates on an Iraqi prisoner in a vile display of abuse.

The captive was beaten and hurled from a moving truck. Army chiefs are investigating.

Chief of the General Staff General Sir Michael Jackson said: "If this is proven, the perpetrators are not fit to wear the Queen's uniform. They have besmirched the good name of the Army and its honour."

No 10 said: "The Prime Minister fully endorses the general's statement."

The outrage, which emerged the day after US troops were pictured torturing Iraqi prisoners of war, makes a mockery of the Army's attempts to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people.


GUN TO HEAD: The terrified suspect cowers as a gun is placed at his head - then the rifle barrel was forced into his mouth

Army chiefs believe it was an isolated incident involving a few rogue troops. But, it is claimed, officers turned a blind eye. One of the soldiers said: "Basically this guy was dying as he couldn't take any more. An officer came down. It was 'Get rid of him - I haven't seen him'. The paperwork gets ripped. So they threw him out, still with a bag on his head."

Weeks after the pictures were taken, a captive was allegedly beaten to death in custody by men from the same Queen's Lancashire Regiment. It is also alleged a video was found of prisoners being thrown off a bridge.

Soldier A told how the young victim was hauled in suspected of stealing from the docks.

He said: "You pick on a man and go for him. Straightaway he gets a beating, a couple of punches and kicks to put him down. Then he was dragged to the back of the vehicle."

Immediately a sandbag was placed over the man's head and his hands tied behind his back.

Soldier A said:

As we took him back he was getting a beating. He was hit with batons on the knees, fingers, toes, elbows, and head.

You normally try to leave off the face until you're in camp. If you pull up with black eyes and bleeding faces you could be in s**t.

"So it's body shots - scaring him, saying 'We're going to kill you'. A lot of them cry and p*** themselves.

Because it was so hot we put him in the back of a four- tonner truck which has a canopy over it. That's where the photos were taken. Lads were taking turns giving him a right going over, smashing him in the face with weapons and stamping on him. We had him for about eight hours.

You could see blood coming out early from the first 'digs'. He was p****d on and there was spew.

"We took his mask off to give him some water and let him have a rest for 10 minutes. He could only speak a few words, pleading 'No, mister' . No, mister'.

I did less than the others. But I joined in. Me and my mate calmed down. Then two lads come on and it starts again.

"He was missing teeth. All his mouth was bleeding and his nose was all over the place. He couldn't talk, his jaw was out. He's had a good few hours of a kicking. He was on his way to being killed. There's only so much you can take.

After the officer allegedly told the attackers to get rid of the suspect he was driven off.

Soldier A said: "The lads said they took him back to the dock and threw him off the back of a moving vehicle. They'd have freed his hands, but he'd still be hooded. He'd done nothing, really. I felt sorry for him. I'm not emotional about it, but I knew it was wrong."

Referring to the second alleged beating in custody - said to have taken place in September - Soldier B said: "It was only a matter of time.


BUTT IN GROIN: A rifle is cruelly jabbed in the young man's groin as his eight-hour nightmare goes on

"We had one who fought back. I thought 'Don't do that', it's the worst thing you can do. He got such a kicking. You could hear your mate's boots hitting this lad's spine.

"One of the lads broke his wrist on a prisoner's head. Another nearly broke his foot, kicking him. We're not helping ourselves out here. We're never going to get the Iraqis on our side. We're fighting a losing war."

Soldier B claimed after the alleged September beating troops were told to destroy incriminating evidence.

He said: "We got a warning, saying the Military Police had found a video of people throwing prisoners off a bridge. It wasn't 'Don't do it' or 'Stop it'. It was 'Get rid of it.' "

The death is being probed. At least one soldier is expected to be charged with manslaughter.

The two infantrymen claim abuse has started because Iraqi police are powerless to process suspects.

Soldier B said: "There's no point taking them to the police station because they're released within 20 minutes. The coppers don't want any comeback and let them go. All we do is teach them a lesson our way.

"You're knackered and you don't want to be going to a police station and doing statements, just for them to be released. Give them a kicking, then it's done and dusted.

"A lot of the younger ones are worse. It's as though they've something to prove. You've got a gun and you're the law. You can make people do whatever you want."

Both men fear the situation is worsening , with UK troops now seen as the enemy, rather than liberators.

One said: "I can't believe it has taken the Iraqis so long to fight back. If it had been me or my family, I'd have retaliated straightaway.

"They've just got f****d around so much. You can't go in now, and say 'Right, let's forget about what has happened and start again'.

"We're struggling now. There are too many people against us."

The MoD confirmed eight cases of alleged mistreatment of Iraqis by British personnel are being investigated by the army's Special Investigations Branch. A spokesman said: "All allegations will be investigated - and every soldier knows it."

Philadelphia International Airport goes smoke-free

PHILADELPHIA(AP) - Philadelphia International Airport banned smoking in all areas of its terminals shortly after midnight Saturday, becoming the 12th of the nation's 20 busiest airports to go entirely smoke free.

The ban will have its greatest impact in 13 bars and restaurants where smoking had previously been allowed.

Most other areas of the airport banned smoking five years ago.

Airport Chief of Staff Jeff Shull said the bars and restaurants are likely to lose some business from customers who like to light up while they eat and drink, but may attract nonsmokers who had stayed away.

Passengers who now wish to smoke while waiting for a flight have to do it outside the terminal.

Airport officials planned to notify passengers of the change in rules through public address announcements and flight information displays.

John Kerry To Speak In Philadelphia Today

PHILADELPHIA -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is scheduled to speak Thursday in Philadelphia at the convention of the National Conference of Black Mayors.

Kerry -- who is accusing the Bush administration of failing to protect chemical plants from terrorist attacks -- is expected to outline his plan for chemical plant security in the speech.

Kerry says he would require chemical plants to assess their risks of catastrophic attack and use less dangerous chemicals when possible.

The plan closely mirrors legislation he co-sponsored in early 2003 several other Democrats. It stalled in the Senate over opposition from Republicans, who said it sought to micromanage the nation's chemical industry.

President Bush has emphasized voluntary efforts by chemical plants to improve security.

Corruption Probe keeps Probing along...

PHILADELPHIA(AP) - A top political adviser to Mayor John F. Street testified Tuesday before a federal grand jury investigating possible City Hall corruption, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

George Burell, the city's secretary for external affairs, spent nearly six hours at the federal courthouse in Philadelphia.

As he entered the building Tuesday morning, Burrell declined to comment on whether he had been subpoenaed to testify or would appear voluntarily, or on whether he knows if he is a focus of the investigation.

"I'm not going to talk about the probe," Burrell said.

Several other officials in the Street administration have previously been summoned to testify, including Joyce Wilkerson, the mayor's chief of staff, and John Christmas, a deputy chief of staff in the mayor's office.

Burrell, who joined Street's administration at the start of his term in 2000, is widely seen as Street's chief decision-maker, with input into two activities that appear central to the investigation: the awarding of city contracts and the use of minority firms.

Mayor John Street sues Gov. Ed Rendell........?
Let's burn some more bridges, shall we

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mayor John F. Street is suing his predecessor, Gov. Ed Rendell, saying Rendell wrongly gave up local control of on-street parking for the next decade.

The suit, which also names the Philadelphia Parking Authority, charges that Rendell backed recent legislation that strips the city of home rule.

The state law — a compromise between Rendell and state House Speaker John Perzel, a Philadelphia Republican — cedes power over parking to the Republican-controlled Philadelphia Parking Authority.

A Rendell spokeswoman said Monday that the suit, filed April 19 in Commonwealth Court, was being referred to the state Attorney General's Office. Parking Authority officials declined comment.

Street's anger over the deal led him to break with Rendell, a longtime political ally, refusing even to attend the governor's recent fund-raiser for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.


John Street and Ed Rendell in happier times

NJ Governor McGreevey fails to steal CIGNA from the city, CIGNA to Maintain Corporate Headquarters in Philadelphia; 1,500 People Work at Company's Liberty Place Location

PHILADELPHIA, -- CIGNA Corporation announced today that it will maintain its corporate headquarters at Liberty Place in Philadelphia through 2016.
Approximately 1,500 people currently work in CIGNA's offices at One and Two Liberty Place in the company's group disability, life and accident insurance and international businesses, its health care utilization management operations and various corporate units. When the new lease agreement takes effect in 2006, CIGNA will consolidate all of its central Philadelphia workers in offices in Two Liberty Place.

"This was an important decision for us," said H. Edward Hanway, CIGNA's chairman and chief executive officer. "We were fortunate to be presented with a number of compelling and very attractive relocation offers."

Hanway expressed appreciation for the cooperation and leadership of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and the Governor's Action Team.

He also thanked Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street and Peter S. Longstreth, president of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation; state legislative leadership, including Rep. John Perzel and Sen. Vincent Fumo; Mark S. Schweiker, CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; and Select Greater Philadelphia, a division of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

"CIGNA is a strong and vital member of the Philadelphia business community and I'm very pleased the company will be maintaining its headquarters at Two Liberty Place," said Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. "As a major employer doing business across the country and in many parts of the world, CIGNA's presence reaffirms Philadelphia's status as a vibrant place to do business."

Hanway also expressed appreciation to New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey and other state and local officials, including State Treasurer John McCormac, New Jersey Economic Development Authority Director Caren Franzini and the Cooper's Ferry Development Association.

"New Jersey officials made a strong case for moving to the Camden waterfront - an area clearly at the hub of Camden's revitalization as a prime location for business development and growth," said Hanway.

Big Bird is Villanova University's Keynote Speaker for the class of 2004

PHILADELPHIA - Villanova University seniors, who spent up to $112,000 on tuition in their four years, are underwhelmed by news the actor who plays Big Bird will be this year's commencement speaker.

Caroll Spinney, who has portrayed the tall yellow-feathered bird for more than 30 years on "Sesame Street," will address the class on May 16.

"Everyone I've talked to says it's crazy," said senior Joe Mordini, a columnist for the Villanovan, the student newspaper.

"I also think there are other people who also embody truth and loyalty and love and other values of the university without also being iconic to the pre- school class," Mordini said.

Spinney, who published a book last year called "The Wisdom of Big Bird," has a positive message for students - and won't show up in costume - school officials say.

Spinney, who will receive an honorary degree, was chosen by a committee that includes the student government president, said spokeswoman Barbara Clement.

The Rev. Edmund Dobbin, university president, called Spinney a "world-class educator."

Beyonce sits in court for Sigel case

Philadelphia | Pop diva Beyonce and her rap-star boyfriend, Jay-Z, brought glamour and glitz to a Philadelphia courtroom.

The famous couple was in town Friday for the trial of Beanie Sigel, a rapper and protege of Jay-Z. Sigel faces attempted murder charges related to the shooting of Terrence Speller outside a West Philadelphia bar last summer.

Beyonce, a singer and actor, drew plenty of stares from jurors and others when she appeared in the courtroom.

She and Jay-Z giggled and chatted in a row of seats also occupied by Sigel's mother and fiancee and Roc-A-Fella Records executive Damon Dash.

After the jury was released for the weekend, Beyonce was swiftly escorted out a back door.

Strike Update from Ron Wilson, President, The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company

PHILADELPHIA -- The following is a statement issued today by Ron Wilson, President of the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company:
As this strike heads into its second week, we want to reassure our customers, and everyone who wants our Coca-Cola products, that we will keep our company functioning and do everything necessary to keep them supplied regardless of how long the union decides to stay on strike.

Following a new round of negotiations on Thursday (April 22), the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company was surprised and disappointed to learn that Local 830 rejected our enhanced offer through a membership vote on Friday (April 23).

We are at a loss to understand the union's conduct in connection with the April 23 vote. Many of our union employees, perhaps as many as 100 of the 450 on strike, were not informed of the contract vote held on Friday and therefore did not have a chance to vote on the offer.

The latest offer made even richer the richest offer in the company's history. The offer includes a 20% increase in pensions, wage increases of $1.65 over four years, and maintenance of our Blue Cross/Blue Shield health plan. Sales representatives would get increases in commissions, a $13.20 base increase over four years, and an increase in their car allowance (to $475 a month). The overall offer is virtually identical to a contract recently approved by this same union with our largest competitor.

Throughout this process we have negotiated in good faith, while the union has attempted to introduce issues that have nothing to do with the employees who are on strike, but rather are aimed at organizing other workers in the company. We urge the union to reconsider our offer and allow all of its members to have a voice in the final decision.