Turkish parliament OKs Iraq, Syria strikes
ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s parliament gave the government new powers Thursday to launch military incursions into Syria and Iraq, and to allow foreign forces to use its territory for possible operations against the Islamic State group.
The move opens the way for Turkey, a NATO member with a large and modern military, to play a more robust role in the U.S-led coalition against the Sunni militants. However, Turkey has yet to define what that role might be.
The vote came as the extremists pressed their offensive against a beleaguered Kurdish town along Syria’s border with Turkey.
The assault, which has forced some 160,000 Syrians to flee across the frontier in recent days, left the Kurdish militiamen scrambling to repel the militants’ advance into the outskirts of Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab.
Greek police foil planned bombing
ATHENS, Greece – Greek police said Thursday they foiled a planned weekend bomb attack by a far-left militant group against the headquarters of the country’s ruling center-right New Democracy party, on the day it plans to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Public Order Minister Vassilis Kikilias said plans for Saturday’s attack were found in a police raid in Athens, where a suspect was arrested and held on terror-related charges.
“This was a strike that was aimed at weakening the country’s institutions and our economy, at a time when we are struggling to emerge from (financial) crisis,” Kikilias said Thursday.
The suspect was identified as a Greek man who was refusing to cooperate with police inquiries, but no further details were given.
Palestinians push UN to demand withdrawal
UNITED NATIONS – The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations says his government will join the International Criminal Court if the U.N. Security Council refuses to set a deadline for Israel to withdraw from all Palestinian territory.
Joining the court would enable the Palestinians to pursue war crimes charges against key Israelis.
Riyad Mansour also said in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press that if the council shuts the “door to peace,” the Palestinians will keep seeking new doors, including holding an international conference leading to Palestinian independence.
Associated Press
