Stories from 2002-07-24

"They thought they were making routine purchasesóthe innocent, everyday pickups of charcoal and hummus, bleach and sandwich bags, that keep the modern household running. Regulars at a national grocery chain, these thousands and thousands of shoppers used the store's preferred-customer cards, in the process putting years of their lives on file. Perhaps they expected their records would be used by marketers trying to better target consumers. Instead, says the company's privacy consultant, the data was used by government agents hunting for potential terrorists." [more]

"The 100-kilowatt infrared laser, which is being developed for the F35 Joint Strike Fighter by defence companies Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, is far more powerful than any laser ever used in war. But because it is designed to attack targets such as other fighter aircraft, ground vehicles and anti-aircraft batteries, it is exempt from the Geneva Convention's ban on blinding weapons." [more]

"Karzai and his allies describe the secret service — once again controlled by Fahim — as a vast, corrupt and highly politicized apparatus that operates outside the president's authority. According to a source close to Karzai, the agency has 30,000 employees and its departments are run by ethnic Tajiks from the Northern Alliance who answer only to Fahim." [more]

"I can understand the deep anger and anguish of the Israeli people...I can understand the deep anger and despair of the Palestinian people." [more]

"A text identified as the planned cease-fire announcement that was published today in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot, promised an end by Tanzim to 'all attacks on innocent men, women, and children who are noncombatants.' It is unlikely that any unilateral cease-fire would have applied to Israeli soldiers and or to settlers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which Israel occupied during the 1967 war. The announcement said, however, that Tanzim would continue to oppose 'the occupation of the Israeli Army of the West Bank.' " [more]