World briefs 10/08/02

Illegal immigrant smuggling ring busted

TORONTO -- A joint Canadian-U.S. police operation arrested 15 people for smuggling illegal immigrants from south Asia through Canada to the United States, police said Monday.

The "large-scale" smuggling schemes involved people with forged passports and posing as large tour groups who entered Canada in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, British Columbia, then made their way into the United States, officials said.

Charges include membership in a criminal organization and conspiracy to violate U.S. immigration laws.

Police said the illegal migrants included men, women, young families and the elderly from India and Pakistan who paid up to $40,000 each to be smuggled into North America.

Extinction threatens three new species

GENEVA -- The nomadic Saiga antelope could soon be taking its last leap, the wild Bactrian camel its last drink and the Ethiopian water mouse its last dip. All are on the brink of extinction, conservationists said Tuesday.

The freshwater gastropod mollusk has already made its salty tearful goodbyes in the last two years, joining the long-departed Dodo bird among the ranks of vanished creatures.

There are 11,167 other plants and animals threatened with extinction, according to the World Conservation Union's 2002 Red List of Threatened Species.

The Red List is produced by a network of some 7,000 species experts working in almost every country in the world.

Colombian military kills alleged kidnapper

BOGOTA, Colombia -- A rebel commander responsible for kidnapping presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt was killed by Colombian army troops, officials said Monday.

Jose Arroyave, a regional commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, was among seven rebels killed Sunday in a military offensive, Gen. Roberto Pizarro said.

Pizarro told RCN radio Arroyave was responsible for the kidnapping of Betancourt and her campaign manager, Clara Rojas. They were taken hostage in February when they drove into a former rebel safe haven ahead of army troops retaking control of the area.

Neither Betancourt nor Rojas have been heard from since rebels released a video in July in which Betancourt urged the government to reopen peace talks in Colombia's 38-year civil war.

Afghanistan introduces new national currency

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Unruly crowds were beaten back with wooden clubs and sprayed with a water hose Monday as they rushed to exchange old banknotes for Afghanistan's new currency.

The issuance of new bills was part of the government's attempt to regain control of chaotic monetary policies that have allowed the use -- until now -- of three different Afghan currencies.

Residents will be able to exchange old bills for new at 47 licensed exchange centers across Afghanistan until Dec. 7.

One new afghani will be worth 1,000 old ones. The redenominated currency will include 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 afghani bills.

Malaysian leader:Terror suspect 'disappeared'

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Malaysia issued an arrest warrant Monday for a suspected American militant believed to be hiding here after U.S. authorities charged him for conspiring to support al-Qaida.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad suggested the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries could make it difficult for Malaysia to send Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal to the United States if the alleged militant is caught.

-- From wire reports