VOL 5 2014 The New York Times NEW YORK, THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 $3.

50
When the dust
settles the truth
prevails
Late Edition
Today, morning sleet,
strong winds, heavy snow,
low 18 Tomorrow, light
snow, heavy winds, low 26
The NewYork Times
Western Blood on
Eastern Hands.
By Rachel Ferrett
& Emma Ryan
Three American citizens are among
those dead following an Al-Qaeda
(AQAP) attack in Saudi Arabia last
night.
A tour bus headed for the
newly heritage listed Madan Saleh
site was the target of the unanticipat-
ed attack.
Two French nationals were also
killed in the blast, and a further 12
people were critically injured.
Te radical Islamic group saw
this as an opportunity to retaliate, follow-
ing the United States drone attack earlier
this week on an Al-Qaeda militant camp
in Southern Yemen.
Te operation was covert and
the explosive device was installed under
the tour bus before it lef the hotel for the
sunrise site tour, Al-Qaeda revealed.
Al-Qaeda have stated that a key motiva-
tor of the attack was Saudi Arabias
recent generosity toward America,
particularly by allowing the U.S. gov-
ernment to launch the drone strike
from their bases.
Tis is a disgraceful act
of allegiance by the Saudis and a
betrayal of Islam.
Te Kingdom should be
ashamed of itself, AQAP said.
Te group declared Allah would be
proud of what they have achieved.
We are well resourced and
ready to take the U.S. and its allies, like
Saudi Arabia and Israel on, they warned.
Nobody should ever under-
estimate the power that we hold in the
Al-Qaeda camp.
Meanwhile in Syria, the nights
bloodshed continued with another unre-
lated bombing that killed two people and
injured a further three.
Continued on Page 2...
Devastation marks a traumatic 24 hours in the Middle East (Incet: Witness footage of bomb explosion)
2 News
Friday, 9th May 2014 Times York New The


Its a Bird? Its a Plane?
No... Its Putin?
By Rachel Ferrett
and Emma Ryan
Russian leader Vladimir Putin stopped the
clock on the countdown to Hezbollahs hostage
threat overnight.
President Putin released a statement
late Tursday night announcing that had es-
tablished negotiations with Hezbollah over the
four hostages and had reached an agreement.
Te agreement between the two par-
ties will see Hezbollah not kill or mistreat the
hostages for the remainder of the time they are
in their care.
Hezbollah will also issue updates on
the wellbeing of the four men to Russia every
second day, as part of the agreement.
Tis shows that Hezbollah as an
organisation is ready to begin negotiations with
the western powers, Putin said.
Te British and French governments
were issued a warning by the terrorist organ-
isation yesterday afernoon that harm would
come to the hostages if they didnt make contact
within 24 hours.
Negotiations with Russia have now
seen this period of time extend to 48 hours with
Hezbollah requesting for the individual govern-
ments to make direct contact to them and not
through a third party.
My party is not asking for Britain or
France to ofer a deal to transfer the hostages
within these 24 hours, we only want to see that
the Westerners truly want their people home
safely!
A government not willing to fght
for their own people is not a party that deserve
their citizens, Hezbollah said.
Tis shock development in the
hostage situation has seen mixed reactions from
the global community.
Germany has thanked Russia for the
crucial role theyve played in securing the safety
of the hostages, however they are disappointed
in the approach that they chose to do so.
Germany is concerned that Russia has chosen
again to ignore calls from the international
community to ignore Hezbollah, Chancellor
Angela Merkel said.
Despite Hezbollahs seemingly simple request,
the European governments remain adamant
they will not be directly contacting the organi-
sation, and instead will continue to advocate for
mediation through Lebanon.
Asking us to talk to them directly
is just shifing the goal posts and asking us to
meet an arbitrary demand. If we give into this
demand, they will shif the goal posts again
to require that we meet some other irrelevant
demand, and if we meet that demand they will
again shif the goal posts to require that we
meet some other arbitrary demand, Merkel
said.
Germany will not negotiate directly
with Hezbollah. Period. Germany will not give
in to Hezbollahs demands. Period.
Tere is no word yet on when a safe
return of the hostages will occur.
Te Free Syrian Army (FSA) claimed respon-
sibility for the attack, and said it was motivated by Rus-
sian President, Vladimir Putins, support for the Assad
regime.
Te fatalities are two Russian citizens, and the
injured are of Syrian decent.
Commander of the FSA, Riad al-Assad, stated
President Putins public endorsement for the recent
bombings on Allepo has made him an enemy of Syrias
people.
In the eyes of the Free Syrian Army, Vladimir
Putin is an enemy and has no concern with the afairs of
our county, Commander Riad said.
Te commander has slammed Putin for call-
ing the innocent civilians killed by a Napalm in Aleppo
vile and heinous.
...Continued from Page 1.
Unexpected hero; Putin deals blow to U.S. diplomacy