U.S. citizens to evacuate Bahrain
AL-MANAMAH, Bahrain, July 3 (UPI) -- The United States said Saturday more than 500 American citizens in Bahrain will be evacuated due to the threat of terrorism.
The Pentagon approved plans for the "temporary relocation" of family members and non-emergency personnel amongst the U.S. military staff stationed there, the BBC reported. The tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain hosts about 5,000 Americans and the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.
The U.S. claims it has "credible" news of planned attacks in Bahrain and earlier urged its citizens to consider leaving. The evacuation order comes days after Bahrain released six men arrested on suspicion of links to al-Qaida network.
The order was approved by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Kidnapped Marine reportedly beheaded
BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 3 (UPI) -- U.S. officials said Saturday they were checking reports that a kidnapped marine in Iraq was beheaded by a group believed to be linked to al-Qaida.
The announcement of the alleged death of Wassef Ali Hassoun, an American citizen of Lebanese descent, was posted on an Islamic website Saturday, the BBC reported. The group, Ansar al-Sunna, said there would be a video showing the beheading.
Hassoun's captors threatened in a videotape broadcast to kill him unless all Iraqi prisoners held by the Coalition were released. If Hassoun's death is confirmed, he would be the third hostage to have been beheaded by militants in Iraq.
Last month, a South Korean translator, Kim Sun-il, was executed by his captors after Seoul rejected their demands for the withdrawal of South Korean troops from Iraq. American national Nick Berg was beheaded in May by militants who said they were avenging the prisoners abused by U.S. forces in Iraq.
Car bomb 'factory' found in Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 3 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials in Iraq said troops searching for illegal weapons discovered a car-bomb "factory" in southern Baghdad.
The Voice of America reported Saturday that soldiers took more than 50 people in custody and found four vehicles being equipped with explosives.
The U.S. Army said it believed that several of the detainees were members of an insurgent cell responsible for some of the 20 car bombs that exploded in Iraq in June.
These discoveries deal a blow to anti-Iraqi forces," Lt. Col. James Hutton said in a statement.
"Soldiers from the 1st Battalion 8th Cavalry Regiment discovered four potential VBIED vehicles in various stages of completion and three safes containing more than $8,750 and various documents and ledgers."
Also recovered were: five AK-47 rifles, ammunition, timers, computer boards, wires and a sight for a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, the BBC reported.
Three Palestinians killed
GAZA, July 3 (UPI) -- Three Palestinians, one a 9-year-old boy, were reportedly killed in Gaza Saturday when Israeli troops allegedly opened fire on stonethrowers.
The victims were shot in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, in what the Israeli army said was a bid to stop militants from using the area as a launching pad for firing Qassam rockets at Israel, Channel News Asia reported.
The Ha'aretz News Service said Hamas claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks on Israel. Those attacks this week claimed the lives of a 3-year-old boy and a 49-year-old man.
