Mystery over missing Iran scientist

Mottaki, above, has accused the US of involvement in Amiri's disappearance [File, EPA] The mystery surrounding the disappearance of an Iranian scientist, said to be involved in Tehran's nuclear programme, has deepened with speculation that he may have defected to the US. Washington has denied any involvement, with reports on Thursday quoting Ian Kelly, the US state department spokesman, as saying the US had no information on Shahram Amiri. "We saw that wire story, and we looked into it. We just basically don't have any information on this individual," he said. Amiri, who is said to be a researcher at Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, disappeared after he went on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June. His family in Tehran said he was closely questioned by Saudi police at the airport and later called his wife from Medina, in Saudi Arabia, before apparently vanishing. 'US interference' In video Many in Tehran suspect that the nuclear scientist may have defected In a sign of the sensitivities surrounding Amiri, Iranian officials have not publicly identified him as a nuclear scientist, referring to him only as an Iranian citizen. Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister, on Wednesday accused the US of involvement in Amiri's disappearance. "We have found documents that prove US interference in the disappearance of the Iranian pilgrim Shahram Amiri in Saudi Arabia," he told reporters, according to the website of state Press TV. The report did not give details, but quoted Mottaki as saying Iran held Saudi Arabia responsible for failing to protect Amiri. Iran's ISNA news agency referred to "some rumours" that Amiri was an employee of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation and wanted to seek asylum abroad. Possible defection Meir Javedanfar, an Iran analyst based in Tel Aviv, said the most likely scenario was that Amiri had defected. "If he went to Saudi Arabia of his own initiative ... we can't rule out that he perhaps walked in himself with the information in order to give himself up and work with the Americans" Meir Javedanfar, Iran analyst "It's very difficult to say whether he defected voluntarily or whether he was kidnapped, but if you go back and look at the precedents, it is possible he is what some people call a 'walk-in'," he told Al Jazeera. "If he went to Saudi Arabia of his own initiative and he disappeared like that, I think - based on what happened to General Reza Asgari - we can't rule out that he perhaps walked in himself with the information in order to give himself up and work with the Americans." Ali Reza Asgari, a former deputy defence minister, disappeared in Turkey in 2007. Turkish, Arabic and Israeli media suggested he defected to the West, but his family has dismissed that. Saudi plans Javedanfar also said Amiri's disappearance in Saudi Arabia would be of particular concern to Tehran. "There is concern about Saudi Arabia because the Saudi government has been trying to reduce Iran's hand in the region," he told Al Jazeera. "They scored a victory in the Lebanese elections where Hezbollah [which is backed by Iran] lost, and now we see the Saudi king in Damascus. The Iranian press see that as an effort by Riyadh to reduce Iran's hand. "If you put all these together, I think the Iranian government is particularly worried that this happened on Saudi soil." Nuclear row Iran is involved in a stand-off with the West over its nuclear energy programme, with the US and its allies saying Tehran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge. Malek Ashtar University, where Amiri reportedly worked, is involved in the implementation of "special national research projects" and has faculties in aerospace, electrical engineering and other topics, according to the university's website. Amiri disappeared more than three months before the disclosure of a second uranium enrichment facility that Iran has been building near the city of Qom. The underground plant was kept secret until Iran disclosed its existence last month. Diplomats say it did so only after learning that Western intelligence agencies had discovered the site.

Vanni doctors back at work

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	Doctors say they are happy to rejoin the Health Service

Four doctors who served in the Tiger held territory in Vanni and Mullaitivu districts were reinstated in the government health service.

A fifth doctor, Dr Sivabalan, who the government claimed was working for the rebels, was also detained. He has not been released.

“I am appointed as the additional provincial director for the North and this office deliver medical supplies to five districts” Dr T. Sathiyamoorty told BBC Sandeshaya.

Dr T. Sathiyamoorty was the Killinochchi Regional Director of Health Services (RDSH) when the area was under the LTTE.

He along with Mullaitivu RDHS Dr Thurairaja Varatharajan, Dr Ilancheliyan Pallavan, Dr K, Shanmugarajah were detained by the military and have been released on bail since end of August.

“Other three doctors have been appointed as planning Medical Officers at the provincial level” Dr. Sathiyamoorty said.

Happy to rejoin

“Dr Varatharajan has been appointed as a planning medical officer of the provincial office, Dr Shanmugarajah has been appointed as a Medical Officer for Vauniya and Dr Illncheliyan has gone to the University of Colombo to continue his higher studies.

“We are happy to rejoin the service” Dr Sathiyamoorty added.

He is of the view that the court case against him and the other doctors will continue and said “the next hearing is on the 9th November”.

Dr Sathiyamoorty said all of them have to report to the Criminal Investigation Department every month, and is hopeful that they will be released soon.

Japan on alert as typhoon nears

Forecasters have been tracking Typhoon Melor as it heads towards the Japanese coast [AFP] Forecasters in Japan have warned residents on the country's main island of Honshu to prepare for the arrival of what could be the country's most powerful storm in a decade. Typhoon Melor, which has been moving slowly towards Japan, has been packing sustained winds of 160kmh and could strengthen yet further as it nears landfall. The storm could hit by early Thursday forecasters have said, but is already causing high winds and heavy rains in parts of Japan. According to the government meteorological agency, up to 40cm of rain is expected forecast over the next 24 hours in the Tokai region, which includes the industrial centre of Nagoya. See also Typhoons: Asia's mega-storms The agency has also warned of high winds, gales and flooding across central and southern Japan. "Rain will be very heavy and winds will also be fairly strong on land. It is likely to make landfall with a violent force," the agency said. In some parts of Tokyo, local authorities have made sandbags available to residents who wanted to protect their homes against flooding from rivers and canals. People living in the expected path of the storm have been told to put shields on windows, fill their bathtubs in case of cuts in the water supply, and to gather daily necessities for a possible evacuation. According to some projections, Melor could follow a course similar to Typhoon Vera in 1959 which tore through Honshu, causing widespread flooding and leaving more than 5,000 dead and tens of thousands homeless in one of Japan's worst natural disasters.

Pakistan jets 'bomb S Waziristan'

Two months ago, a drone attack in Waziristan killed Pakistan's Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud [AFP] Pakistani fighter jets have bombed the northwest tribal region of South Waziristan, killing six suspected Taliban fighters and wounding three others, according to a military spokesman. Major-General Athar Abbas said on Tuesday that raids were launched on Makeen and Nawaz Kot to "purge the region" of those responsible for a wave of bomb attacks over the past two years. "According to our analysis, the root of the terror is in South Waziristan where this group is present. It is a must to root out this terror and curse, and for this purpose an operation in this area is inevitable," he said. "If we do not launch this operation, then terrorism will become strong and would spread in other areas." A security official based in neighbouring Dera Ismail Khan district - that has witnessed numerous air raids over previous months - confirmed the toll and said three Taliban members were also wounded. The bombing follows a Taliban attack on a UN office in Islamabad on Monday. Islamabad attack Four Pakistanis and one Iraqi were killed at the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) building when a man disguised in military uniform walked into the lobby and detonated his explosives. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, with Azam Tariq, the spokesman, vowing more raids against local and foreign targets. "We proudly claim responsibility for the suicide attack at the UN office in Islamabad. We will send more bombers for such attacks," he told The Associated Press news agency by telephone from an undisclosed location. "The UN and other foreign [aid groups] are not working in the interest of Muslims. We are watching their activities. They are infidels." Tariq said the Taliban would not attack Muslim relief groups, but that future targets would also include Pakistani security officials, government offices and American installations. 'Back broken' Earlier Rehman Malik, the interior minister, said the Islamabad bombing was the action of a wounded animal striking out after the military had "broken their back". But some analysts said the attack was expected after the assassination of Baitullah Mehsud, the Pakistani Taliban leader, who was killed by a CIA drone attack in August. Mehmood Shah, a retired brigadier and former security chief of tribal areas, said he thought the Islamabad blasts bore the hallmarks of al-Qaeda involvement, and urged the government to prepare for more attacks. "Al-Qaeda has jumped in to give respite to the Taliban and let them reorganise," he said. "We should be ready for even more deadly attacks in future because al-Qaeda is a very powerful organisation." Washington alleges that both Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters are based in the mountainous tribal zone, plotting attacks on the West and slipping across the border to target foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Desperation grows in India floods

Relief workers and troops have been trying to deliver aid where they can [AFP] Anger and desperation are growing in southern India as villages continue to be swamped by floodwaters that have left 2.5 million people homeless and left more than 250 dead. Thousands of soldiers and relief workers have been trying to get much-needed aid to survivors, distributing food, water and medical supplies where they can. Millions of people are crammed in overwhelmed temporary government shelters after heavy rains last week triggered what some officials have called the worst floods to hit the area in a century. In video With vast tracts of agricultural land, including sugarcane and paddy fields, under water, the authorities estimate the damage across the three sprawling states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra to cost billions of dollars. Just weeks ago, most parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were suffering from severe drought but an area of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal caused the sudden, torrential rains. Reporting from Beechpally in Andhra Pradesh, Al Jazeera's Prerna Suri, said the rainfall had eased but the situation remained grim and there was now the extremely challenging task of helping the people who had been displaced. Our correspondent said there was an acute lack of food, water and sanitation in the more than 1,000 temporary shelters. Many survivors were saying better facilities could have been provided by the government, she added. Hundreds of thousands of other victims have sought shelter in the homes of friends and relatives. Officials said damage to roads was making the delivery of relief supplies difficult and rescue teams and aid workers now fear the spread of water-borne diseases. The flood waters have been receding after a 48-hour halt in the rain, officials said, but more rain is forecast for the area over the next 24 hours.

Hillary's claim withdrawn

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	Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe

The United State says it has no recent evidence of women being raped while in Sri Lankan government custody.

Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that the US State Department has issued a clarification on this issue.

The State Department said in a letter that there were no sexual abuse by the Sri Lanka Army during 2006 and 2009 as had happened in other conflict areas, he said.

"The State Department has clarified its position and it is over", Minister Mahinda Samasinghe added.

A letter addressed to Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, the State Department said that the international human rights bodies have recorded various cases of violence against women detained by the authorities including rape and sexual harassment.

No reports

However, Melanne Verveer, ambassador at large for global women’s issues at the State Department, who signed the letter, said that “we (the US) have not received reports that rape and sexual abuse were used as a tool of war”

The US is responding to the protests from Sri Lanka against the recent remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

It was reported that during a resolution calling for an end to sexual violence in armed conflict at the United Nations, US Secretary of State Clinton mentioned Sri Lanka as a country which used rape as a war tactic.