Wednesday, October 27, 2010

** Canadian man pleads guilty to killing Delta Force medic during 2002 firefight in Afghanistan

** Edmonton medics and police mount publicity campaign instructing drivers how to deal with emergency vehicles

CUBA NEWS

** A Canadian man accused of murdering a US Delta Force medic in Afghanistan has pleaded guilty at Guantanamo Bay to the charges. That is the word from The Star (Michelle Shepherd/October 26) which said Omar Khadr, who was 15 at the time of the July 2002 killing of Sgt. Christopher Speer, will reportedly serve 8 years in jail under a plea deal. Khadr signed off on a 50 page statement of agreed upon facts to secure the sentence. Among the items he stipulated was the location of IEDs he planted, admission of his father’s involvement in Al Qaeda, and acknowledgement of his basic training as a terrorist in Afghanistan. In addition to killing Speer, he stands convicted of spying, conspiracy, providing material support to terrorism, and attempted murder. A resident of Toronto at the time of his crime, he will serve one year in the US before transfer to Canada.

CANADA NEWS

** Edmonton medics and police in Alberta are mounting a publicity campaign to inform drivers how to act around emergency vehicles. iNews 880 (October 26) said the effort, which includes a web site for instructions, has come about since drivers increasingly seem unaware of what to do when a lit up unit approaches. Quoting paramedic Matthew Wright, the news site said many drivers just execute a complete stop in front of responding ambulances, fire trucks, or police cars. EPS Traffic Unit Staff Sgt. Barry Moran concurred, adding drivers also assume only one emergency vehicle is nearing when, in fact, several, may have been dispatched. To view the website, see http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/news/see-the-lights-hear-the-sound.aspx