The Times from Munster, Indiana • 23

AT FLASHBACK: 13 YEARS AGO TODAY In 1989, confessed serial killer Theodore Bundy was put to death in Florida's electric chair. SS3 a Questions or comments? Call Times Wire Editor Kathleen O'Malley, (219) 9334051 or email, komalleyhowpubs.com RGP THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2002 jji nn BRIEF c)(0) Wire reports from around the globe CALCUTTA, INDIA American accused of fighting alongside al-Qaida faces conspiracy murder charges r. By The Associated1 Press WASHINGTON John Walker Lindh, the young Muslim convert accused of joining al-Qaida soldiers in Afghanistan, returned to the United States on Wednesday under FBI custody to face criminal charges that he conspired to kill fellow Americans. Lindh flew back aboard a military cargo plane amid ex traordinary secrecy and security, two years after he left the United States for Yemen to study Arabic and Islam. He was captured in Afghanistan after a November uprising by Taliban prisoners in which a CIA of ficer was killed.

The cargo plane landed at Dulles International Airport, just outside Washington, said a law enforcement official, speaking on the grounds of anonymity. Reporters were not allowed near the area. An attorney, James Brosna-han, said Lindh has a four-member defense team including himself. Brosnahan said in a statement that Lindh's parents received a letter from their son Wednesday that was dated Jan. 8 and "penned by a member of the U.S.

military." The lawyer quotes Lindh as I ''r- I happening. The FBI alleges in court papers that Lindh in June became a foot soldier for Osama bin Laden, who thanked him personally for "taking part in jihad," or holy war. Lindh, 20, will make his first courtroom appearance at 9 a.m. today in federal court in Alexandria, Va. If convicted, Lindh could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Fired auditor won't testify Embattled Enron chief to resign from bankrupt Texas energy company. By The Associated Press WASHINGTON Enron's lead outside auditor will refuse to testify before Congress tnAav Vim it Vi ic re 1 1 a in tVi a Ac struction of financial docu ment, rus lawver saia stating, "It is comforting to know that you have found a lawyer." The letter then refers to Brosnahan. Another member of the defense team, William Cum-mings, told ABC News he wants to get interviews Lindh gave the FBI thrown out, because no lawyer was present and Lindh who was wounded was in no physical condition to understand what was ASSOCIATED PRESS y-i j-. fr A fx 1 I 1 1 I St, With a House panel nonetheless compelling the Arthur Andersen auditor, David Duncan, to show up at its hearing, Congress' public inquiry into the shredding of documents headed for a dra- made opening. Enron's own alleged shred- I ding, meanwhile, is being in- vestigated by FBI agents.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee served a subpoena on Duncan Wednesday. But one of Dun- can's attorneys, Robert Giuf- fra, told the committee in a letter that "he will rely on his constitutional right not to tes- tify" unless the panel grants him immunity. Also Wednesday, Kenneth A Palestinian man rushes Wednesday to a nearby ambulance with a Palestinian child wounded by a rubber bullet during clashes following the funeral procession of Hamas activist Kareem Mafarjeh In the West Bank town of Ramallah. Palestinians: Cease-fire can't be enforced because of Israeli raids ilf 1 I ASSOCIATED PRESS A heavily armed policeman stands guard Wednesday In front of the American Center In Calcutta, India. Indian police arrest six suspects in attack Indian police charged three Bangladeshis and three teachers from an Islamic school with murder Wednesday for an attack at an American cultural center that killed four police officers.

Police said they were trying to determine the motive for the attack, and the Indian government said it was too soon to say if the shooting was conducted by Islamic militants sponsored by its chief rival, Pakistan apparently backing down from earlier claims. Calcutta police superintendent Shivaji Ghosh said 55 other people had been detained for questioning about the attack Tuesday on the American Center in Calcutta, which also wounded 20 people. The three Islamic teachers and three Bangladeshis were arrested Tuesday night near the border with Bangladesh, about 40 miles north of Calcutta, said Sourin Roy, chief secretary of the West Bengal state government. The six have been charged with murder and waging war against the state and face life imprisonment if convicted, Ghosh said. WASHINGTON Poll: One-third believe terror likely at Olympics One-third of the public in an Associated Press poll believes a terrorist attack is likely at the Winter Olympics next month in Salt Lake City.

The number concerned about terrorism at the Olympics at a site protected by a $300 million security effort was about half the amount in recent polls who fear an attack is likely somewhere in the United States in the near future. Women were twice as likely as men to think terrorist attacks on the Games were likely, according to the poll, conducted for The AP by ICR of Media, Pa'. Only one in 20 people overall thought a terrorist attack on the Olympics was very likely. U.S. officials have declared the Olympics will be the safest sporting event ever and have said there will be no safer place in the world than Salt Lake City during the Games that start Feb.

8 and run just more than two weeks. SAN FRANCISCO Judge places Napster suit on hold for month The recording industry's lawsuit against the Internet music swapping service Napster was put on hold Wednesday, indicating a settlement might be imminent in the 3-year-old copyright infringement case. Federal Judge Marilyn Hall Patel agreed to a one-month delay in the lawsuit brought by major record labels, which accuse Napster of violating copyright laws by allowing millions of people to share unauthorized digital copies of popular music over the Internet. Napster's chief executive, Konrad Hilbers, said ongoing negotiations would likely lead to a settlement and allow Napster to launch a pay-for-play service. displayed the range of explosives and timing devices found in the Nablus apartment.

More than 15,000 people marched in the funeral, led by activists from Hamas and the Al Aqsa Brigades, a militia linked to Arafat's Fatah movement. Hamas pledged an "all-out war" against Israel in retaliation, and Palestinian Cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdel Rahman said the Palestinian Authority could not enforce a cease-fire under the circumstances. By The Associated Press JERUSALEM Islamic militants threatened "all-out war" Wednesday to avenge the killing of a Hamas commander in the West Bank, and Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority said it can no longer be expected to enforce a truce with Israel With tensions and violence rising, Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Arafat on Wednesday to urge him to curb attacks on Israel. The U.S. ambassador to Israel called on Israelis and Palestinians to urge their governments to work for peace.

Palestinian militants and mainstream activists marched together in a funeral procession in Nablus, burying the dead from Israel's raid on a bomb factory a day earlier. Four Hamas activists were killed, including West Bank militant leader Yousef Soragji, 42, mastermind of several suicide bombings. The Israeli army commander in the West Bank said it was the biggest bomb factory ever uncovered, and the military Identity theft on the rise Stealing someone's personal identity information is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States. It was the leading consumer fraud complaint reported last year. Population of illegal immigrants doubled in census says By The Associated Press gy fijg numbers Identity thefts by state in 2001 86,168 victims reporting Victims per 100,000 I I Less than 17 EZ3 17-30 E2 More than 30 The rate in Alaska and Hawaii was 17-30 victims per 100,000 people.

Li. Lay, tne emDatuea cnair- man and chief executive offi- cer of Enron, said he is resign- ing from the energy company. "This was a decision the board and I reached in cooper- ation with our creditors' com- mittee," Lay said in a state- ment. "I want to see Enron sur- vive, and for that to happen we need someone at the helm who can focus 100 percent The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States in 2000, from the Middle East, according to preliminary estimates from the Census Bureau. Totals include "quasi-legal" immigrants, such as refugees or people seeking political asylum.

Middle East Iran Israel Other 114,818 30,823 24,372 59,623 about 113,000 people from Middle Eastern countries live in the United States illegally! or in "quasi-legal" status -refugees or people seeking political asylum. While the majority of Middle Eastern immigrants are not terrorists, "the fact that tens of thousands of people from that region and mUlions more from the rest of the world can settle in the United States illegally means that terrorists who wish to (enter the United states) face few obstacles," said Steven Camarota, of the Center for Immigration Studies. Identify theft top consumer complaint By The Associated Press WASHINGTON Identity bandits victimized thousands of people last year, stealing their financial information and branding some with criminal records. This fast-growing crime accounts for more than 40 percent of consumer-fraud complaints. The Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday identity theft complaints far exceeded other areas of fraud such as deceptive Internet auctions and lotteries.

The figures come from a government database of more than 200,000 complaints collected in 2001 from more than 50 law enforcement and consumer groups. Privacy advocates say the number of people victimized by identity theft may be as high as 750,000 a year. "We've seen an explosion in this crime and it's not going away," said Beth Givens, director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a San Diego-based consumer group. How the stolen information was used Percent of 86,168 victims reporting in 2001 Victim has a relationship with suspect Average amount per victim obtained by suspect from financial institutions $6,767 Average out-of-pocket expense for victim $1,173 Telephone or utility fraud 20 Employment-related fraud i 9 To obtain driver's license, social i 6 security card, fraudulent tax returns or government benefits ASSOCIATED PRESS and printed Social Security numbers. However, she cautioned: "You could take all the preventative steps and still become a victim." 90 WASHINGTON The number of illegal immigrants in the United States more than doubled during the 1990s, Census Bureau estimates show.

Nearly half of these immigrants arrived from Mexico, lured by a then-strong economy and plentiful jobs. But since the 2000 census was taken, much has changed for many of the roughly 8.7 million undocumented immigrants living in America. And after the Sept. 11 attacks, the focus has shifted even more to closing immigration loopholes and tightening border patrols amid greater suspicion of foreigners. For instance, the Justice Department has targeted for deportation thousands of men known to be from countries where Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network operates.

The men, thought to be in the country illegally, have ignored orders to leave, officials have said. Many of those targeted are of Middle Eastern descent Preliminary estimates from the 2000 census show that To access credit card accounts 02 42 To access bank accounts To make loans such as car or real estate loans 13 i 7 SOURCE: federal Trade Commission, Identity Theft Clearinghouse Givens said consumers should look at their credit reports twice a year, shred personal documents before throwing them away and cleanse wallets of old receipts.