SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2017 INTERNATIONAL Singaporean teen dissident granted US asylum : A Singaporean teenager in Singapore,” the judge said in the deci- regards as essential for stability in a who was jailed twice after insulting the sion, a copy of which was seen by AFP. volatile region. island’s late leader and reli- The judge said evidence presented Several government critics have gious groups has been granted political during the hearing “demonstrates sought refuge overseas, including in the asylum in the , his US lawyer Singapore’s persecution of Yee was a pre- United States and Britain, among them said yesterday. Amos Yee, 18, shocked text to silence his political opinions criti- Gopalan Nair who was granted US asy- in March 2015 after posting cal of the Singapore government”. The lum for political persecution in the 1990s an expletive-laden video attacking Lee as US Department of Homeland Security and now holds American citizenship. Yee, the founding prime minister’s death trig- had opposed Yee’s asylum application, a filmmaker-turned-activist, was gered a massive outpouring of grief in the saying he was legally prosecuted by the detained by US authorities after he city-state. He was jailed for four weeks for Singapore government. It now has 30 arrived in in December. hurting the religious feelings of days to appeal the judge’s decision. In a Speaking by telephone from Maryland, and posting an obscene image as part of statement yesterday, Singapore’s home lawyer Grossman, who has represented his attacks on Lee-whose son Lee Hsien affairs ministry, which looks after internal Yee for free, said the US government “has Loong is now the prime minister-but security, said Yee had engaged in “hate the right to appeal this decision” within served 50 days including penalties for vio- speech” but noted that such rhetoric is the next 30 days. “The law agrees that he lating bail conditions. allowed in the United States. is eligible for immediate release,” He was jailed again in 2016 for six “It is the prerogative of the US to take Grossman said. SINGAPORE: This file photo shows Amos Yee leaving the state court in weeks for insulting Muslims and in such people who engage in hate Singapore. Yee, a Singaporean teenager who was jailed twice after insulting the Christians in a series of videos posted speech. There are many more such peo- ‘Political dissident’ island’s late leader Lee Kuan Yew and religious groups, has been granted politi- online, but critics claim the real reason ple, around the world, who deliberately The lawyer said she was told by the cal asylum in the United States, his US lawyer said yesterday. — AFP was to silence him. Yee’s lawyer Sandra engage in hate speech, and who may be US Immigrations and Customs tessential political dissident, escaping much relief”. In Yee’s video attacking Lee, Grossman of Maryland-based Grossman prosecuted,” the statement said. “Some Enforcement (ICE) office that Yee will be from the sort of a pressure cooker envi- he compared the late leader, who was Law LLC told AFP by telephone that US of them, will no doubt take note of the transferred to an ICE detention facility in ronment that city-state Singapore excels prime minister from 1959 to 1990, to immigration judge Samuel B. Cole had US approach, and consider applying for Chicago on Monday and will be consid- in devising for dissidents who challenge Jesus, saying “they are both power-hun- granted her client’s application for asy- asylum in the US” it added. Singapore, a ered for release. Phil Robertson, cam- its prerogatives,” Robertson said. gry and malicious but deceive others lum. “Yee has met his burden of showing prosperous island republic of 5.6 million paign group Human Rights Watch’s Activist Shelley Thio, of the rights into thinking they are compassionate that he suffered past persecution on which has long been criticized for strict deputy Asia director, lauded the US group Community Action Network and kind”. It was watched hundreds of account of his political opinion and has a controls on dissent, takes pride in its judge’s asylum decision. “There was nev- Singapore, said Yee’s mother, Mary, thousands of times before being taken well-founded fear of future persecution racial and social cohesion, which it er any doubt that Amos Yee is the quin- received the news of the decision “with down from Yee’s YouTube page. — AFP Vehicle attacks: Easy success for IS, a challenge for police Car and knife attacks aggressively promoted by IS BASEL: In the battlefields of Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State group became infamous for its spectacular variations on explosive vehicles. For attacks in the West, it has advocated the use of the same tool but suggested a simpler method, encouraging its followers to use regular vehicles to achieve bloodshed. Experts say that vehicle attacks - whether IS-inspired or coordinated - present a unique challenge for law enforcement officials as they are nearly impossible to predict and easy to pull off. They require no advanced training, no specialized materials. Almost anyone can own or rent a vehicle. Some feel that these low-tech, lone wolf opera- WASHINGTON: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif (right) and Democratic tions can have the same psychological impact as Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md react at a joke from Rep Eric Swalwell, D-Calif (center) on larger, more sensational attacks. Four people Capitol Hill. Republican leaders have abruptly pulled their troubled health care over- were killed in London on Wednesday with this haul bill off the House floor, short of votes and eager to avoid a humiliating defeat tactic in what was the worst attack on British soil for President Donald Trump and GOP leaders.— AP since the transport network bombings on July 7, 2005. Charlie Winter, a senior research fellow at The House divided: Republican the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, rift threatens Trump agenda says what makes such attacks so frightening is the relatively low barriers to entry. WASHINGTON: The Republican Party’s blamed on conservatives like Senator Ted The method was embraced by Al-Qaeda longstanding ideological divisions were laid Cruz. Getting Republicans to line up on before being revitalized by IS. “It makes for a bare in very public fashion this week, sink- issues has often been like herding cats. One very effective unsophisticated high impact, very ing US President Donald Trump’s Obamacare need only look back to 2015, when the far- frightening form of an operation,” he said. “You repeal plan and threatening other elements right managed to drive House speaker John don’t need to know someone who can make you of his agenda. The health care bill fell victim Boehner into retirement after he tried to a bomb or buy you a gun in order to carry out an to bickering between two competing drag them into line on multiple fronts. attack. It’s a very difficult thing to fight against. groups in Trump’s party: a band of grass Many conservatives openly celebrated There is no quick fix.” British authorities on roots conservatives, centered around the Boehner’s departure-he once called Cruz a Thursday identified Khalid Masood as the man NICE: In this July 14, 2016 file photo, authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through House Freedom Caucus, who routinely buck “jackass.” But Boehner was replaced by the who mowed down pedestrians with an SUV and Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France, killing 86 people. In Britain, a leadership; and establishment-leaning mod- wonkish, rising young star Paul Ryan, a con- stabbed a policeman to death outside man drove a car into pedestrians in London on March 22, 2017, in an attack claimed by the erates who are more likely to seek consen- sumate establishment Republican and for- Parliament. Islamic State group. The extremist group is encouraging its followers to use vehicles to sus over confrontation. mer vice presidential candidate. While he The British national wasn’t on a terrorism achieve bloodshed. — AP The president’s failure to get them faced criticism from far-right legislators, watch list although he was once investigated for together and bring the American Health Ryan managed to tamp down the uproar by their widespread use throughout the world. “ after the US-led coalition launched airstrikes on extremism. IS claimed the attack. Rita Katz, Care Act across the finish line highlighted conservatives-until the 2016 presidential Two weeks later, an Ohio State University stu- the group. The message then evolved to spell director of the SITE Intelligence group, says it is how the internal fracturing has yet to heal. race and the emergence of Trump, the pop- dent rammed his car into a group of pedestrians out the best ways to use a knife or inflict the almost impossible for law enforcement agencies That could spell trouble for the party in ulist candidate. on campus and then got out and started stab- most damage possible with a car. IS may provide to stop IS-inspired attacks, especially vehicular- power, as Washington gears up for several bing people with a butcher knife before being “very detailed tactical information that helps the style ones like the one in London. Since 2014, legislative battles in the months ahead. “Like Dealing with divides gunned down by a police officer. IS claimed the attackers to create more damage but there is a this simple but effective method has been laid Southern California, the GOP has many fault Trump’s November election victory has attack, which left 11 people wounded. The dev- ceiling to that. out repeatedly and in detail in IS propaganda lines,” John Pitney, a professor of American clearly emboldened core conservatives and astating potential of such violence was dramati- They could not do as much damage as material which continues to circulate online. politics at Claremont McKenna College said. far-right ideologues, leaving some middle- cally illustrated last summer in the French beach firearms or bombs would do. The capacity to “It’s not a style of attack that you can monitor “They run in multiple directions and any one of-the-road Republicans in political purgato- town of Nice when a cargo truck took to the execute largish, more complex operations is by increasing security and intel on who has of them could cause an earthquake.” ry on issues like health care and immigra- crowds celebrating Bastille Day in an attack that extremely limited,” says Ashour, a lecturer in weapons or other attention-grabbing variables,” Tremors are already being felt. tion. Republicans would most likely need to left 86 people dead and hundreds of others security studies at the University of Exeter. Katz told The . “Every car sud- Congress must pass a spending bill by be far more united than Friday’s debacle if wounded. A truck was also used in last year’s Anne Giudicelli, director of the security risk denly turns into a possible weapon, so it’s really April 28 that funds federal operations, or the party is to successfully tackle the coming Christmas market attack in Berlin that killed 12 consultancy firm Terrorisc, says that such attacks very difficult to stop.” Vehicle attacks, like knife government could tumble into a shutdown. legislative laundry list. people, including the driver of the truck that was are becoming a signature approach for IS in attacks, are aggressively promoted by IS and its It will also begin debate in coming months Immediately after Friday’s health bill col- commandeered. Europe. While not much more can be done to online supporters. In its November issue of its on raising the US debt ceiling. The factions lapse Trump declared that “now we’re going In the London attack on Wednesday, the boost security on the ground, more can be done online magazine Rumiyah, IS extolled the virtues are often far apart on such issues, with con- to go for tax reform,” an issue as complex and weapon of choice was an SUV. Katz sees the sim- to fight the spread of IS ideology online, and of the car as a weapon of attack and offered servatives balking at debt ceiling hikes and thorny as health care reform-and to date ilarities between these attacks as evidence that cooperation between European countries con- guidance to its followers, suggesting the Macy’s moderates far more willing to consider com- more elusive. Mo Brooks, a Freedom Caucus IS propaganda is taking hold and that more fronting this threat can be tightened. “At the lev- Thanksgiving Day Parade as a possible target. promise on social issues when it comes to congressman, downplayed the divisions as needs to be done to counter it. Winter says that el of strict security, the maximum is done,” she the budget. Disputes between the two fac- he looked ahead. “I see no impact whatsoev- “Vehicles are like knives, as they are extreme- the impact of propaganda is overplayed and a said. “The authorities are confronted to the fact tions is nothing new. In 2010, ecstatic grass- er from the failure of this bill today with ly easy to acquire,” points out the online maga- copycat effect is also a factor. Omar Ashour says that all the outward signs, what we call indica- roots Tea Party candidates rode into respect to what the prognosis may be for tax zine issue. “But unlike knives, which if found in these attacks are gaining traction precisely tors, the criteria for surveillance, are today very Congress on a wave of anti-establishment reform, border security or any of those other one’s possession can be a cause for suspicion, because authorities have their defenses up. The volatile because individuals adapt, they know fervor, as Republicans seized control of the issues. They’re entirely different,” he said. But vehicles arouse absolutely no doubts due to IS leadership began urging attacks on the West what will get them detected.”— AP House of Representatives. The following sniping within the ranks was spilling into the year, bitter Republican battles over raising open Friday. “The House Freedom Caucus the debt ceiling nearly drove the United just single-handedly saved #Obamacare,” States into a calamitous default. In October tweeted Adam Kinzinger, a moderate House Britain’s UKIP loses only MP 2013, rancorous fights over spending led to Republican, blaming intransigent conserva- a 17-day government shutdown, largely tives for the health bill’s failure. — AFP LONDON: The anti-EU, anti-immi- only MP announced yesterday he no longer necessary following last 2014 to stand again as a member of gration UK Independence Party was quitting to become an inde- year’s referendum vote to leave the UKIP in the south-eastern English (UKIP) will no longer be represent- pendent lawmaker. Douglas EU, saying: “I will leave UKIP amica- seat of Clacton. “Like many of you, I Sewol ferry lifted ed in the British parliament after its Carswell said his membership was bly, cheerfully and in the knowl- switched to UKIP because I desper- edge that we won.” ately wanted us to leave the EU.” he onto salvage ship The announcement comes just wrote in a posting yesterday, days before Prime Minister Theresa entitled “Job Done”. JINDO: South Korea’s sunken Sewol ferry flotilla of powerful tugs towed the wreck May is due to formally notify the “Now we can be certain that that has been successfully hauled onto a giant towards the semi-submersible. It was European Union of Britain’s inten- is going to happen, I have decided heavy lifting ship, officials said yesterday, a placed over the deck of the semi-sub- tion to leave the bloc, starting a that I will be leaving UKIP. “I will not step towards returning the vessel to port. mersible, which will then rise throughout two-year countdown to Brexit. be switching parties, nor crossing Nearly three years after it went down the day to expose the hull of the Sewol Carswell’s ties had long been the floor to the Conservatives, so do killing more than 300 people, the wreck completely. “It will take three to five days strained with the rest of the party, not need to call a by-election, as I was safely placed onto a semi-submersible to prepare the Sewol to be towed to in particular its founder Nigel did when switching from the ship that will finally bring it to shore. Mokpo”, a large port on the southern Farage, who has repeatedly tried Conservatives to UKIP. “I will simply Almost all the victims were schoolchildren coast, some 87 kilometers, Lee said. Once and failed to win election to the be the member of parliament for and it is thought that nine bodies still secured on the vessel, it will take a day to 650-seat House of Commons. Clacton, sitting as an independent.” unaccounted for may be trapped inside. reach port. The Sewol is likely to be Farage, one of UKIP’s 20 members He paid tribute to UKIP’s efforts, “The vessel was successfully loaded docked at Mokpo early April, where the of the European Parliament, last saying that despite their failure to onto the semi-submersible as of 4:10 am,” wreck will be searched for bodies. After month publicly asked Carswell to win more MPs, “in a way we are the completing one of the most delicate the ferry safely leaves the accident site, leave the party, saying he “actively most successful political party in stages of the salvage operation, said Lee the ministry said divers will search the and transparently seeks to damage Britain ever”. “We have achieved Cheol-Jo, a Ministry of Oceans and waters and seabed for any remains. us”. But his resignation is a blow what we were established to do- Fisheries official in charge of the salvage. Underwater fences have been installed after months of infighting in the and in doing so we have changed The 145-metre ship was brought to the surrounding the area where the Sewol party, which is struggling to find a the course of our country’s history surface in a complex salvage operation sank. The salvage came as the third winning platform beyond its core for the better,” he said. “Make no believed to be among the largest recov- anniversary approached of one of the LONDON: In this file photo, newly-elected UK Independence Party message of euroscepticism and mistake; we would not be leaving eries ever of a wreck in one piece. country’s worst-ever maritime disasters, member of Parliament Douglas Carswell gives a double thumbs-up as opposition to mass immigration. the EU if it was not for UKIP, and for After being pulled up to the surface by which dealt a crushing blow to now-ousted he poses for the media upon his arrival to take his seat at the Houses Carswell was first elected to parlia- those remarkable people who wires lowered from two large barges, a president Park Geun-Hye. — AFP of Parliament in London. Carswell said yesterday that he’s leaving ment in 2005 as a member of May’s founded, supported and sustained UKIP and will serve in Parliament as an independent. — AP Conservative party, but resigned in our party over that period.” — AFP