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UP FRONTTuesday 1 March 2016

UN chief: US: Cyberattacks
can expose Islamic
Syria cease-fire holding despite growing breaches State data stream

ZEINA KARAM Portraits of Syrian President Bashar Assad are displayed at a souvenir shop in Damascus, Syria, LOLITA BALDOR
JAMEY KEATEN Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that a shaky cease-fire Associated Press
Associated Press in Syria is holding “by and large” on its third day despite sporadic fighting and growing accusa- WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S.
BEIRUT (AP) — U.N. Secre- tions of violations. cyberattacks to disrupt the
tary-General Ban Ki-moon Islamic State’s communi-
said Monday that a shaky (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) cations and overload their
cease-fire in Syria is holding networks could force the
“by and large” on its third government and its Russian some respite to civilians, sieged locations inside Syr- militant group to use older
day despite sporadic fight- and Iranian backers. particularly from airstrikes. ia over the next five days. technologies that are eas-
ing and growing accusa- The letter sent Sunday But accusations of breach- A briefing note sent out ier for the U.S. to intercept,
tions of violations. urged the U.N. to help es by both sides threaten by OCHA on Monday said Defense Secretary Ash
A war of words between “specify the territory cov- to undermine the deal, the assistance will include Carter said Monday.
the Syrian government ered by the truce to pre- which aims to bring the Syr- food, water and sanitation Carter and Gen. Joseph
and Saudi Arabia, a key vent hostilities.” ian government and the supplies, as well as non- Dunford, chairman of the
backer of the opposition, The Russian and U.S.-bro- opposition back to peace food items and medicine. Joint Chiefs of Staff, pro-
has meanwhile added to kered cease-fire that went talks in Geneva next week. An official with the Syrian vided details about how
the rising tensions. into effect Saturday ex- Ban told reporters he want- Arab Red Crescent said the Pentagon is using its
The Syrian Foreign Ministry cludes the Islamic State ed the cease-fire extended dozens of trucks carrying new, aggressive cyber
said recent statements by group as well as al-Qai- beyond the planned dura- aid started entering a be- campaign as part of mili-
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel da’s branch in Syria, the tion of two weeks. sieged rebel-held suburb of tary operations against the
al-Jubeir were “lies meant Nusra Front. The cease-fire The U.N. also said it plans to the Syrian capital, Damas- Islamic State in Syria and
to boost the morale” of mil- has significantly reduced deliver life-saving humani- cus, for the first time since Iraq.
itants who have suffered violence across the war- tarian assistance to about the cease-fire went into “As we disrupt the ISIL com-
setbacks in Syria in recent ravaged country, bringing 154,000 people living in be- effect.q munications via cyber or
weeks and demonstrate other methods, sometimes
the kingdom’s “destructive we do drive them to other
role” in Syria. means,” Carter told Penta-
Al-Jubeir had reiterated gon reporters. “Sometimes,
Saudi Arabia’s longstand- those other means are eas-
ing position that Syr- ier for us to listen to.”
ian President Bashar Assad U.S. officials told The Asso-
must leave power, either ciated Press last week that
peacefully or through mili- the military had increased
tary means. The foreign cyber operations against
minister also accused Syr- the group. The operations
ian forces of violating the include efforts by U.S. Cy-
cease-fire. ber Command to prevent
Speaking to reporters Mon- the group from using the
day in Geneva, Ban con- Internet and social media
firmed receiving a letter to communicate and dis-
from the High Negotiations tribute propaganda aimed
Committee, the main um- at attracting and inspiring
brella opposition group, recruits. The efforts could
complaining of continu- also force IS back to tech-
ing violations by the Syrian nologies like cell phones to
communicate.

Dunford said that using

Australian cardinal says he has ‘full backing’ of pope the computer-based at-
tacks alongside bombings

ROD McGUIRK vate audience was a long- mon knowledge in Ingle- said he had not known that and other military actions

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) scheduled appointment wood. the frequent moves were allows the U.S. to “both

— One of Pope Francis’ top related to Pell’s duties as “I didn’t know whether it because of complaints of physically and virtually iso-

advisers has told reporters Holy See finance minister, was common knowledge child abuse. late” the group and limits

he has the pope’s backing and had nothing to do with or whether it wasn’t. Pell conceded on his first its ability to command and

as he prepared to testify for the abuse hearings. It’s a sad story and it wasn’t day of evidence that the control its fighters.

a second day at an Austra- Australia’s most senior of much interest to me,” Catholic Church “has That type of coordinated

lian inquiry into child abuse. Catholic later told the Royal Pell said, bringing audible made enormous mistakes” offensive, he said, will be

Australian Cardinal George Commission into Institution- gasps from the public gal- in allowing thousands of used to support Iraqi se-

Pell met with the pope on al Responses to Child Sex- lery. children to be raped and curity forces as they try to

Monday hours after he ual Abuse on Tuesday that “The suffering, of course, molested by priests. retake the northern city of

gave evidence via vide- he had not known notori- was real and I very much Two dozen Australian Mosul.

olink from Rome to the Roy- ous pedophile priest Ger- regret that, but I had no abuse survivors and their The surge of computer-

al Commission in Sydney on ald Ridsdale had abused reason to turn my mind to companions traveled based military operations

Tuesday Australian time. children in the Australian the extent of the evils that across the globe to witness by U.S. Cyber Command

“I’ve got the full backing of country town of Inglewood Ridsdale had perpetrat- Pell’s testimony in a Rome began shortly after Carter

the pope,” Pell told report- in the 1970s until the former ed,” he added. hotel’s conference room, prodded commanders last

ers late Monday Rome time parish priest was convicted Pell said it was “somewhat a significant show of ac- month to accelerate the

as he arrived at a Rome ho- of those offenses in 1993. unusual” that Ridsdale was countability in the church’s fight against the Islamic

tel to resume his testimony. Pell said he had not known frequently transferred from long-running abuse saga. State group on the cyber
front.q
The Vatican said the pri- the sexual abuse was com- parish to parish. But Pell q