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PAGE 2: Iraq ready to drop its claim to Kuwait
COVERING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA SINCE 1901 VOL. 94 NO. 38
FBI probe
won’t be
released —
By Brian Sharp
Senior Reporter
Any information gathered in a
U S. Justice Department investigation
into the death of Francisco Renteria
will not be released, federal officials
said Thursday.
John Campbell, FBI assistant spe
cial agent investigating the case, said
he couldn't say much more other than
that the investigation, which began
Thursday, was proceeding.
Renteria, 29, was involved in a
struggle with city and University of
Ncbraska-Lincoln police on Sept. 30.
He died on Oct. 1 while in police cus
tody.
U S. Attorney Tom Monaghan
said Wednesday that the Justice De
partment would investigate the pos
sibility of civil rights violations.
Mike Wellman, first assistant U.S.
attorney, said the department became
involved after receiving requests from
State Sen. Ernie Chambers of
Omaha: Cecilia Huerta, interim ex
ecutive director of the Mexican
American Committee: Donna Polk of
Lincoln: and Gov. Ben Nelson.
Federal investigations don't hap
pen often, Wellman said.
“It’s not automatic,” he said. “It
happened in this case because there
was such a wcllspring of feeling from
the Hispanic community and other
communities in Lincoln.
That seemed to indicate that there
was absolutely no confidence in the
local folks to run an investigation."
Wellman said he didn't know
whether that feeling was merited. He
always had faith in local law enforce
ment in the past, Wellman said.
Wellman said the FBI would run
the investigation locally. The case
will be pursued separately from local
or state investigations, he said. The
federal investigation will examine the
actions of Renteria and Lincoln and
UNL police.
Wellman said information frpm
the federal investigation would be
given to the U.S. Attorney’s office
and the Civil Rights Division of the
U.S. Justice Department in Washing
ton, D.C.
Campbell said the information
would be turned over as soon as the
probe was completed, regardless of
the progress of local investigations.
He would not comment on how many
investigators were involved in the
case or what was being done
Wellman said any decision in the
case would come from Washington.
j Image upgrade |
Photos by Michollo Paulman/DN
Sheridan sixth-grader Shanna Hunsucker hears classmate Emily Hergert, right, amplified through a model of bat’s ears
at “Masters of the Night,” a display at Folsom Children’s Zoo on the secret lives of bats. _
Zoo presentation
brings bats to light
By Paula L«vl<W
Senior Reporter
As Halloween approaches, hun
dreds of black-winged, furry bats
can be seen casting shadows on the
Capitol dome under the light of a
full moon.
Popularized by “Dracula” mov
ies and Halloween lore, bats have
been stereotyped as dangerous,
blood-sucking vampires.
But “Masters of the Night,” a
touring exhibit at Folsom
Children's Zoo, is trying to change
that negative image by bringing
bats out of the dark.
The exhibit features informa
tional, multi-sensory, interactive
and ecological displays and videos.
Adam West, from the “Batman”
TV series, will appear at the Lin
coln exhibit in November.
An upside-down Gothic castle
greets visitors as they enter. A se
ries of informational stations lead
to a video presentation. A special
exhibit describes a bat's sonar. The
self-guided tour ends with a bat
cave and ecological rain forest.
Todd Kirshenbaum, zoo mar
keting director, said the exhibit
was designed to educate people on
the importance and wonder of the
bat world.
“They’re very valuable,” he
See BATS on 6
Students peer Into a mock-up of a bat cave. The dis
play also Includes an educational video on bats and
hands-on bat activities.
Storm soldiers not surprised by Hussein’s actions
By Paula Lav I gn«
Senior Reporter
Soldiers involved in Operation Desert Storm
expressed amusement rather than shock at the
recent military developments in the Middle
East.
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein stationed
80,000 soldiers at the Kuwaiti border Oct. 8.
The soldiers retreated Thursday after thousands
of allied and U S. forces moved into the vicin
ity.
Officers and cadets in the Reserve Officer
Training Corps Army division at the Univer
sity of Nebraska-Lincoln said they didn’t fore
see a Desert Storm repeat.
Maj. Greg Dibella was stationed in Saudi
Arabia in 1992-93 during cease-fire operations.
He was at the headquarters in charge of de
ploying forces.
“This is what we were always waiting for.
We knew he would try something. It didn’t
surprise me much,” Dibclla said. “1 don't think
he really understood or was aware of what our
response would be.”
Dibclla said he thought Hussein's troops
were merely a “tactic to get our attention.”
“He brought his troops down there to see
what would happen,” he said, “and he found
out we wouldn't take this sitting down.”
He said the Iraqi retreat didn't surprise him
either. But the area still has to be watched, he
said.
“We’ll just have to wait and sec what de
velops,” he said. “The soldiers over there are
going in with a lot of confidence. They have a
lot of support.”
Dibella said the troops were ready for what
ever confronted them.
“We’ll take out anything he can muster.”
Capt. Michael Dittamo was with the Field
Artillery Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division
at Fort Riley from December 1990 through
June 1991. Dittamo spent much of his time in
Safwain, Iraq. “I
Dittamo said he was amused with Hussein’s U
recent actions.
“I find it sort of funny. I can’t believe he ^
actually intended to have us nuke him again,”
Dittamo said. “His army cannot face ours. It’s
not possible to do that unless his intention is si
to die in place.
“I don't believe for a minute he intends to
invade and start another war.” tx
Iraq is hurting, Dittamo said. He said he
thought Hussein’s actions were designed to get
the United Nations to lift its economic sane
lions.
“All he did was reaffirm our resolve,” jr
Dittamo said. He said if Hussein were to abide
by the U N. decisions, he would definitely lose
power. ai
Dittamo said the chance of escalating the hi
situation was slim. tl
“I don’t see us fighting anybody over there.
If we did, it’d be a very quick air war,” he said.
d just hate to be on the receiving end of the
S. Air Force. I pity those guys, the Iraqis.”
Staff Sgt. Gary Barnes, a junior exercise
iencc major, said Hussein was “crazy.”
“This is a guy that shouldn't be in a leader
tip position, he said.
Barnes said he thought Hussein should have
:cn eliminated in previous operations.
“Now we’re going to have to go back and
) something about it.”
Barnes offered advice for troops stationed
the Middle East.
“Pack your undergarments in Ziploc bags,
id I would say donYt be afraid to pack alco
>1,” he said, laughing. “Don’t get caught with
c alcohol, though.
“Be prepared for anything.”