International15 FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 American charged over bombing attack on US base in Afghanistan NEW YORK: A US citizen already accused of unidentified suicide bombers that were in Texas, “allegedly turned his back on our round-trip tickets in March 2007 after selling going to Pakistan to train with Al-Qaeda was rigged with explosives, the new indictment country and tried to kill US soldiers in the their belongings, disconnecting their charged Wednesday with helping build says. Only one of the bombs detonated. Al course of executing their sworn duty to phones and buying mountain boots com- explosives for a 2009 suicide attack on an Farekh’s fingerprints were later found on keep us safe,” Brooklyn US Attorney Robert monly worn by Al-Qaeda fighters in Pakistan American military base in Afghanistan. A packing tape used on the second explosive, Capers said in a statement. Al Farekh was and Afghanistan, authorities said. revised indictment charges Muhanad the indictment says. The court papers didn’t brought from Pakistan to the United States Prosecutors said one of Al Farekh’s co-con- Mahmoud Al Farekh with conspiracy to mur- identify the base or detail the damage. News in April to face initial charges of providing spirators trained three men on how to use der US nationals, conspiracy to use weapons accounts from the same 2009 date cited in material support to terrorists. Federal AK-47s and other weapons at an Al-Qaeda of mass destruction and other crimes. He is court papers described a dual-car bomb authorities alleged he and two other stu- training camp in 2008, the complaint says. to appear in federal court in Brooklyn later; attack at Forward Operating Base Chapman dents at the University of Manitoba in The three - Najibullah Zazi, Zarein Ahmedzay there was no immediate comment by his in Khost City, near the border with Pakistan, Winnipeg, Canada, started watching Al- and Adis Medunjanin - were later convicted lawyer. which killed one Afghan and wounded sev- Qaeda propaganda and hatching a plan to of plotting to bomb New York City’s subway The charges stem from an attack on Jan eral others, but harmed no Americans. become martyrs abroad. system and are cooperating with federal 19, 2009, involving two vehicles driven by The 30-year-old Al Farekh, who was born The three flew to Karachi, Pakistan, on authorities. — AP A look at the ‘affluenza’ Trump confronts teen’s Mexico strategy FORT WORTH: A teenage fugitive who’s known for using an “affluen- rising rival Cruz za” defense at his trial for causing a deadly drunken car crash has won an injunction to stay in Mexico, but ‘I’d love to win Iowa, to me, Iowa is very important’ legal experts say any argument that his human rights have been WASHINGTON: The US presidential infringed upon likely won’t hold up. nominations battle kicks off February 1 Ethan Couch, 18, and his mother, in Iowa. Donald Trump leads the Tonya Couch, were taken into cus- Republican race nationally, but in the tody last week in the Pacific resort heartland state, he risks being eclipsed city of Puerto Vallarta, where by Senator Ted Cruz, whose rise is authorities believe they fled in bedeviling the billionaire. Gone is the November as Texas prosecutors conviviality between the two candidates investigated whether he had violat- atop the Republican field vying to take ed the terms of his probation. the White House in the 2016 election. Ethan Couch was driving drunk MEXICO: This Dec 28, 2015 Trump has dug deep into his file on the and speeding near Fort Worth in file photo, released by Texas senator to wield his latest political June 2013 when he crashed into a Mexico’s Jalisco state prose- weapon: Cruz’s birth in Canada 45 years disabled SUV, killing four people cutor’s office shows authori- ago, and questions about his rival’s eligi- and injuring several others, includ- ties identify as Ethan Couch, bility for the presidency. ing passengers in his pickup truck. after he was taken into cus- In an interview Tuesday with the He pleaded guilty in juvenile court tody in Puerto Vallarta, Washington Post, Trump appeared to to four counts of intoxication Mexico. — AP jump at the chance to revive the issue- manslaughter and two counts of and perhaps throw Cruz off his game. intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury and was sentenced “Republicans are going to have to ask to 10 years’ probation. The Couches fled shortly after a video surfaced themselves the question: ‘Do we want a in November that appears to show Ethan Couch at a party where peo- candidate who could be tied up in court ple were drinking. Couch is being held at an immigration detention for two years?’ That’d be a big problem,” center in Mexico City. His mother, meanwhile, awaits transfer to Texas said the 69-year-old Trump. “I’d hate to NEW YORK: Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump interviewed by from Los Angeles, where on Tuesday she waived her right to an extra- see something like that get in his way. journalist Wolf Blitzer for The Situation Room on CNN. — AFP dition hearing. But a lot of people are talking about it,” he added. Cruz declined to take the bait. establishment. Cruz, elected in 2012 with Rick Santorum in 2012, ultimately fell by Why would Couch flee? Pressed on the matter Wednesday on the support from the grass-roots Tea Party the wayside. For Trump, a defeat in Iowa Because human rights are protected in the Mexican constitution, campaign trail, he expressed confidence movement, leads Congress’s rebellious would dent his image as the undisputed American felons fleeing capital punishment or lengthy prison terms that the legal matter has been settled. wing, perpetually accusing his own par- Republican leader. “I’d love to win Iowa. have treated Mexico as a refuge, said Washington, DC-based attorney “People will continue to make political ty’s leaders of being too accommodating To me, Iowa is very important,” he told Bruce Zagaris. In 2005, though, the Mexican Supreme Court broke with noise about it, but as a legal matter it’s to President Barack Obama. To date, The Hill. Twelve Republicans remain in legal tradition by agreeing to allow the extradition of criminal suspects quite straightforward,” he told reporters. Cruz has hesitated to clash with Trump, the race. Behind Trump and Cruz are who face life sentences abroad. Judges have refused extradition The US Constitution establishes three even when the real estate tycoon faced a Senator Marco Rubio; retired neurosur- requests from the US when the suspect faces cruel and unusual punish- criteria for presidential eligibility: he or barrage of criticism from many in his par- geon Ben Carson; New Jersey Governor ment, including the death penalty. Zagaris said it’s unlikely that such she must be age 35 or older, have ty for his anti-Muslim remarks. In return, Chris Christie; and Jeb Bush, son and protections would be offered to Ethan Couch, though. “Because of his resided in the United States for at least during a party debate in December, brother of two presidents. money and power, it’s hard for Ethan Couch to allege, as you normally 14 years, and be a “natural born citizen.” Trump praised the senator’s “wonderful The Democratic race is effectively would if you were a potential victim of human rights violations, that he’s That last clause was left ambiguous, temperament.” between favorite Hillary Clinton, 68, and going to be subject to unusual and cruel treatment,” he said. It is unclear although it excludes naturalized independent Senator Bernie Sanders, 74. whether Mexico was the Couches’ final destination, or what punish- Americans. Several experts believe that Iowa: First test Former Maryland governor Martin ment they anticipated Ethan Couch would receive for violating his pro- Cruz, born in Calgary to an American Cruz has nudged ahead in Iowa O’Malley trails in third and is seeking an bation. mother and Cuban father, meets the among Republican voters, earning 31 Iowa miracle. Clinton finished third in standard of a natural born US citizen. percent support versus Trump’s 27 per- Iowa in 2008, behind Obama and John What could Couch gain? Cruz cited the precedent of 2008 cent, according to the RealClearPolitics Edwards. Today she stands at 50 percent A federal judge could rule that he stays in Mexico on a permanent Republican nominee John McCain, who poll average. It is far from a decisive lead, in Iowa polls, 13 points ahead of basis under court protection, but such a judgment is unlikely, legal was born in the Panama Canal Zone, and but enough to trigger Trump’s exaspera- Sanders. Her campaign is nonetheless experts said. While the judge considers his appeal, Couch will remain in 1964 standard-bearer Barry Goldwater, tion. Cruz, a steadfast advocate of reli- investing considerable time and funds in the immigration detention center, which “buys time to prepare his born in Arizona before it became a US gious freedom, is a better logical fit for the Hawkeye State, aware that a poor defense” in the US, said Javier Lopez de Obeso, a San Antonio attorney state. Anticipating possible controversy, many evangelical conservatives in Iowa. showing there would mark a terrible licensed to practice in Mexico who is not involved with the case. Most Cruz renounced his Canadian citizenship The results of the Iowa caucuses are start to the year. She has barnstormed likely, Lopez says, Couch will be deported back to Texas. Even if the in 2014. famously unpredictable. Participation is Iowa, hosting 69 events over 35 days judge rules in his favor, Mexican authorities are not likely to reject an Trump and Cruz have sized each oth- low, about 20 percent, and most voters there, the Des Moines Register said.