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(Basra, May 6, 2003) - Civilians are being wounded by abandoned ordnance in Basra, Iraq, because British forces have failed to secure weapons caches, Human Rights Watch said today.Full Report

Lebanon: Torture and unfair trial of the Dhinniyyah detainees

56-year-old man jailed in Malaysia for raping daughter

Kuala Lumpur, May 7 A 56-year old man who has four wives and 50 children was sentenced to 18 years in jail in Malaysia for raping his 11-year old daughter, the New Straits Times reported today. Judge Azman Abdullah of the session court in the predominantly Muslim city of Kota Baru in northern Malaysia said Tengku Ismail Tengku Ibrahim had failed to raise a reasonable doubt to the prosecution case.

Seven witnesses, including the victim, her elder brother and mother, gave evidence during the three-day trial which started on Sunday, said the daily. In passing the sentence, Judge Azman said the court had to take into consideration that the case involved the daughter of the offender.

''It should not have taken place because physically, the offender looks like a religious and pious man. Furthermore, he has four wives to satisfy his desires,'' the daily quoted the Judge as saying. Ismail, who was spared caning for being above 50 years, told the court the victim, her brother and mother had conspired against him.

''The victim was against me because I used to beat her for spending a lot of time with her friends outside the house, while her brother was against me because I beat him, too, for being involved in theft and for telling lies,'' he said. Ismail said the children's mother, who is his fourth wife, was not happy with him over unfair distribution of money derived from the 1998 accident compensation.

Defending himself in the court without a lawyer, Ismail pleaded for leniency and a shorter jail term, saying he was not healthy after the 1998 road accident. Ismail said his children, many of who were still schooling, were dependent on him. But the prosecution called for a longer jail term, saying it would enable the offender to improve himself. ''The case has generated wide publicity an