Show V-- - A6 — The Her&ld Journal Logan Utah Monday April 21 Nigerian) pirez 2003 DeacOs ' odd LAGOS Nigeria (AP) — President Olusegun Obasanjo easily led his main challenger in early returns Sunday from presidential elections maned by scattered violence and allegations of fraud With more than 9 million votes counted in 16 of Nigeria’s 36 states and the federal capital territory Obasanjo had 75 percent of the votes compared to 21 percent for Muhammadu Buhari a former ally Opposition leaders accused the government of rigging the ballot and threatened mass protests “This is a massive rigging The masses are going to react They will fight" Francis Erube an official in Buhari’s ' eHeeMpn Bush nrf officials” Opposition supporters celebrate following unconfirmed voting reeults hi Ward Nigeria on Sunday er sibility of fraud during the The West African country the continent’s most populous is one of the world’s largest oil exporters but is desperately poor and has a history of coups and unrest Nineteen candidates — including three former generals — are challenging Obasanjo ’a former military count “The trouble is not the voting process which has been peaceful” said Festus Okoye leader of the Transitional Monitoring Group which has 10000 election observers “It is the counting of votes that concerns us” During voting Saturday soldiers opened fire at a polling booth in the Niger Delta killing six people In the Niger Delta oil port of Warn police and soldiers ' in armored vehicles and pickup trucks fired automatic weapons in the air to disperse thousands of raucous youths who claimed their opposition former junta leader and former ally whose relationship with Obasanjo began souring following Obasanjo’s election Election observers said they were concerned about the pos- - r - v v ' Vi 4 AP photos an 5 V--Y CRAWFORD Tfexas(AP) —President Bush applauded signs Sunday that Syria is beginning to heed American demands for cooperation against Saddam Hussein’s defunct regime Lowering US rhetoric that had led to speculation that Syria could become Bush’s next military taiget the president focused on diplomacy as a way to contain Syria “here’s some positive signs” Bush said after attending Easter services at tiie Army’s Fort Hood not far from his ranch outride this central Tbxas town “They’re getting the message that they should not harbor Baath Party officials high ranking Iraqi that” whose election four years ago brought 15 years of brutal military rule to an end Buhari his main rival is a hx 'getting message party told The Associated Press “Obasanjo’s people want to mess up this country But the people will are not going to allow them to do Nigeria has never had a successful transition from one civilian government to anoth- 'v' tv’ ‘s ‘ In the NigetfMta area of Tensions betweeh the United States and Syria escalated after reports surfaced that members of Saddam’s deposed government had crossed the border to flee the d war US officials have netted UJS-le- there be no haven in Syria Saddam loyalists and telling Damascus that diplomatic or economic sanctions could result unless Syria cooperated S yria has denied taking in senior Iraqis or providing other aid Two senators agreed Sunday there have ben positive developments but said the jury remains out on Syria “I think the military success in Iraq has had a profound effect everywhere" Sen Arlen Specter R-told CNN’s “Late Edition” I Olusegun Obasanjo candidate for state governor was ahead “We are happy because we are winning” said a celebrant named Ogene punching the air and drinking from a whiskey bottle Fearing violent protests sol- - Pa “Whether at this point Syria will take the next step really remains to be seen But it’s the best climate the best opportunity in modern times” Sen Dick Durbin credited Syria with helping in the war against in the aftermath of the D-I- ll anti-terr- or Sept 11 2001 attacks- - “There’s been some evidence that they’re moving toward a more cooperative position with die United States” Durbin said “But you look at the history of Syria its history of harboring international terrorist organizations in Damascus of sending its army to occupy southern Lebanon and harass Israel It’s really not die load of conduct which we can countenance as part of a peaceful future for the Middle East” Bush used the past tense Sunday when asked for details on Iraqi leaders believed to be in Syria “We felt some were there otherwise we wouldn’t have spoken out” he said Syrian President Bashar Assad told two US congressmen Sunday that the country will not give asylum to war crimes suspects from Iraq and will expel any Iraqi who should cross the border Reps Nick RahaU and Darrell Issa visiting Damascus described die Syrian president as eager to deal with US concerns Bush said other countries which he did not name have helped press die US message with die Syrians D-W- lif Yemeni says he killed Americans Bedrooms Sets Office & computerEurniture f JIBLA Yemen ( AP) — A Yemeni man with suspected links told a court Sunday that he killed three American missionaries to defend Islam believing they were sterilizing Muslim women and trying to convert Muslims to Christianity ' Abed Abdul Razak Kamel 30 said he moved from the capital of San’a to this city 125 miles south after he heard about missionaries working in Jibla at a Southern Baptist-ru- n hospital “I acted out of a religious and in revenge from duty those who converted Muslims from their religion and made them unbelievers” the bearded Kamel said as his trial opened under tight security “They were also committing another corruption" he said claiming he had learned that women were visiting the hospital to get sterilized “This is a violation of Islam" he told the court Kathleen A Gariety of Wauwatosa Wis Martha C Myers of Montgomery Ala and William E Koehn of Kansas were killed in the Dec 30 shooting Donald W Caswell of Levelland Texas was wounded Prosecutor Ibrahim asked for the death penalty Kamel who was arrested the day of the shooting told the court he coordinated the attack with Ali another suspected Muslim extremist accused of gunning down a Yemeni leftist politician two days before the Jibla hospital attack Kamel said he had planned his attack for 18 months and often consullddwith He even sebufed his target visiting the1 hospital often and asking questions about its da : ' activities' : Best mowers Best Warranty-B- est be getting one Pcnnul Face pubyou iacoatrd 299 99 65 hp Tore GTS ai ImM on Aw fim or resort poll fcr 2 yoon or Tore fare it FREE On the day of tte shooting he walked into the hospital with a semiautomatic rifle hidden under his clothes add opened fire on a staff meeting He said he fired two shots at BOM VaioMeoodftNloM Elreih Srivoto 14 lip Briggs and Stnuton OHV engine ftoyeior ciMi fyaba witi Aloniic Mads retdchreirea bawd Ad town 2 gallon gas lank a h) 38- - mowing deck standard tiAHAA 99 IMS 519 FULL warranty I waVAHmi9)ljBrit 0 fat Zero turning radius drive system each target 6 uagm o i VIM Syria 65 hp Tore GTS nine punobod tonbit M A fir or mond pull fer S yam or Tare fare it TREE Sup IteyefcfQciatffy synmoMltiMi (lire to kcootiU batty Inn ‘y “We agreed would kill seculars and I would target Christians" Kamel said Kamel’s next court appearance was set for April 30 ol o im uagm Man o 8 ilUBll 43BUXS tB&mgram V Mi |