Category: Foreign Affairs

Chicago businessman found guilty of link to Pakistani militant group

by Ted Regencia, posted in Foreign Affairs, Politics

Xinhua English
June 10, 2011

By Ted Regencia

CHICAGO — A Canadian-Pakistani citizen who owns several businesses in Chicago was found guilty Thursday of helping a terror plot in Denmark and supporting a militant group in Pakistan.

However, he was acquitted of the more serious charge of conspiracy “to provide material support” to the attackers of Mumbai, India in 2008.

The federal court in Chicago said Tahawwur Rana supported a terror plot against a Danish newspaper, which printed controversial cartoons against the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The plot was not carried out.

To read the full story, please visit Xinhua English

U.S. envoy to India warns vs. another Mumbai-style attack

by Ted Regencia, posted in Foreign Affairs

Web Exclusive
May 20, 2011

Text and photo by Ted Regencia

CHICAGO — The outgoing U.S. ambassador to India warned Friday against another terrorist attack in the world’s largest democracy, saying it could spark serious conflict with its neighbor and fellow nuclear state of Pakistan.

Speaking before members of Chicago’s foreign affairs establishment, Timothy J. Roemer said that while “great progress” has been made in terms of counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Pakistan, a single violent event could alter that tenuous relationship.

“If another Mumbai attack takes place in India, if we are not able to work with India to deflect that attack, it very well could lead to increased tensions and possibly some kind of exchange between these two nuclear nations,” Roemer said.

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Former Iraq minister: Corruption, foreign intervention fester country

by Ted Regencia, posted in Foreign Affairs, Politics

Web Exclusive
April 01, 2011

Text and photo by Ted Regencia

CHICAGO — Addressing a crowd of foreign policy experts, former Iraqi finance minister Ali Allawi warned corruption and overt meddling by neighboring countries threaten his Iraq’s young democracy.

Allawi told members of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs that “the continuous involvement of foreign powers in the internal affairs” of Iraq “is a very dangerous phenomenon,” pointing to Turkey, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States as the culprits.

He said the “weakness” of Iraq’s political leaders created a vacuum for foreign interference.

“Everybody, in one way or another, got involved in the Iraqi political scene mainly because, I think, of the weakness, to some extent cowardice, of the Iraqi politicians,” said Allawi, who now serves as a fellow at Harvard University’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy.

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