A round-up of the world news of the day in brief...
Anti-communist priest beatified
WARSAW – Thousands of worshippers attended an open-air mass in Warsaw yesterday for the beatification of a Polish priest and anti-communist activist murdered by the secret police in 1984.
The mass, conducted by papal delegate Archbishop Angelo Amato brought Fr Jerzy Popieluszko, a key figure in the anti-communist Solidarity movement, a step closer to sainthood.
“[Popieluszko]) epitomised truth, honesty, love and freedom of conscience, but the system of evil did not accept such values, so he was harassed, tormented, tortured and killed,” Archbishop Amato said.
– (Reuters)
Afghan head of intelligence resigns
KABUL – Afghanistan’s interior minister and head of intelligence has resigned over lapses that led to an insurgent attack on last week’s peace conference addressed by President Hamid Karzai, his office has said.
Insurgents fired at least four rockets at a giant tent holding a jirga (gathering) of 1,600 Afghan elders and notables on Wednesday. They fell short, but the attack was followed up by a commando raid by three insurgents wearing suicide vests.
“The president lost confidence in our capability to provide security for the jirga and my explanation . . . was not convincing enough,” intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh said. – (Reuters)
Two arrested on way to meet militant groups
NEW YORK – Two New Jersey men were arrested late on Saturday at a New York airport trying to catch flights for meetings with militant groups in Somalia with the intent to kill people, authorities said yesterday.
Mohamed Mahmood Alessa (20), North Bergen, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte (24), Elmwood Park, were arrested at John F Kennedy International Airport as they tried to board separate flights to Egypt on their way to Somalia, the US attorney for New Jersey said.
They were charged with conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism by waging “violent jihad” through Al Shabaab, a youth movement tied to al Qaeda. – (Reuters)