MONDAY Jan. 7, 2002 Vol. 102 No. 97 24 pages Karzai assures arrest Taliban leader Omar avoided capture a few days ago in Baghran. By Kathy Gannon ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER KANDAHAR, Afghanistan The highest-ranking member of the Tal iban under U.S. custody was being held aboard a warship yesterday, and Afghanistan's interim leader prom ised that fugitive Taliban leader Mul lah Mohammed Omar will be tracked down and arrested. Prime Minister Hamid Karzai spoke after other Afghan officials said Omar appeared to have eluded capture in Baghran, a mountainous region in central Afghanistan where officials claimed a few days ago that he was surrounded by anti-Taliban forces negotiating his surrender. Visiting an orphanage in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Karzai said Omar, a one-eyed cleric who is Amer ica's most wanted man after Osama bin Laden, would be taken into cus tody if found by Afghan authorities. "We are looking for him, and we will arrest him," he told the Associated Press. The United States hopes a pair of high-profile prisoners will provide valuable intelligence about bin Laden's al-Qaida network, blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks, and about the Taliban movement that sheltered the terrorist organization in Afghanistan. Marine Lt. James Jarvis told a news briefing that the former Tal iban ambassador to Pakistan, Abdul Salam Zaftf, was in U.S. custody on a naval ship in the Arabian Sea. The other prisoner, Ibn Al-Shayk al-Libi, who ran al-Qaida terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, was transferred yesterday from anti-Tal iban forces to U.S. authorities at Kandahar airport, which is con trolled by the Marines. "The big question, of course, is: Will they talk?" former Central Intel ligence Agency terrorism analyst Stan Beddington said Saturday in the United States. "If they are able to talk, I have no doubt whatsoever they will give a lot of information, particu larly in the search for bin Laden." Jarvis said 25 new prisoners arrived Saturday night in Kandahar from Pakistan, where they were intercepted trying to flee Afghanistan, bringing the total num ber of inmates at the U.S. base to about 300. They were being interro gated for information on al-Qaida in the area. "We are looking for things we can act upon," Jarvis said. "We remain active in our quest to (uncover) al- Qaida and Taliban" warriors. Last week, Marines scoured a for mer al-Qaida training camp about 60 miles west of Kandahar. They found documents on weapons systems, chemical formulas for explosions, and examination papers on how to destroy aircraft. ■ President Bush is asking for $2 tril lion to fight terrorism in 2003. I OPER ATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Page 6 Inside U.S. envoy may cement peace U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni met Israeli and Palestinian security commanders yesterday in an effort to cement a cease-fire, while Palestinian police arrested a top militant wanted by Israel. Zinni has expressed optimism, encouraged by the reduction in vio lence between the groups in recent weeks. I FOREIGN, Page 7 Teen pilot supports bin Laden Yesterday workers pulled in the crumpled remains of a small airplane that had been dangling from a sky scraper after a 15-year-old student pilot crashed. Officials said the boy was flying without permission. I NATIONAL, Page 9 Lions continue to struggle Penn State fell to 0-2 in the confer ence despite a strong effort against Indiana on Saturday. The Hoosiers overcame a 14-point deficit and hit key baskets down the stretch to ice the Lions. I SPORTS, Page 13 THE DIIL 1 1 ) COLLE6I \N iga/Collegian Chris MegHato (freshmarmnechanical engineering) pulls his luggage to the Loop stop on Atherton Street after getting off a bus at the Greyhound terminal. Magliato's bus, coming from Stroudsburg, arrived late as a result of the onslaught of snow. Students by excessive snow By Matt Hymowitz COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER I writematt@psu.edu Whether by ground or by air, stu dents attempting to return to Penn State yesterday faced the first winter torrn of the new year. 11 At University Park Airport, 2535 Fox Hill Road, passengers arriving from Pittsburgh yesterday afternoon said they had to wait on the ground for their plane to be de-iced but the flight itself went smoothly. A few hours later, no flights would be taking off or landing at the small airport. Megan Barr (freshman-kinesiology) flew from Fort Myers, Fla., to Pitts burgh before landing about 45 minutes late in State College. Upon arrival, she was surprised by the intensity of the snow. "I just didn't think it was snowing as hard in State College," Barr said. "I was just told light snow it's not snowing lightly anymore." Shortly after 5 p.m, United Express supervisor Patty Christoff said the air line had cancelled all remaining flights with the exception' of one inbound flight. Northwest Airlink and U.S. Air ways Express, the airport's main carri er, cancelled flights into State College as well. Christoff said nobody was stranded in the airport, and many people were choosing on their own not to take flights before the planes stopped flying. At the State College bus terminal on North Atherton Street, employee Ben TABLE OF CONTENTS Calendar •3 Nallonal Classifieds .20& 21 Opinions Comics 23 Scoreboard .....15 Crossword 23 Sports 13 Horoscope 20 TV Listings international.. 7& 8 Weather CONTACT US Newsroom: (814) 865-1828 Ads/Business: (814) 865-2531 ON THE WEB www.colleglan.psu.edu PUBUSHED INDEPENDENTLY BY STUDENTS AT PENN STATE surprised Budd reported no delays as of yester day afternoon. However, he said some passengers could find themselves stranded in Greyhound terminals. "If they're already on the road, it just may take a little longer," Budd said. "But if they're at the station, they may not leave for awhile until the roads are cleared, maybe even not until the next day!, The storm caused several major roadways into State College, including U.S. Route 322, to back up with traffic last night. State College Borough Manager Peter Marshall declared a snow emer gency at 5 p.m. yesterday. This occurs when three or more inches of snow have fallen. Residents must move their vehicles off borough streets until they have been cleared or the cars may be towed Sgt. John Gardner of the State Col lege Police Department advised people to stay off the roads during the storm unless absolutely necessary "It's always these little ones, 3 or 4 inches, that cause problems for us," Gardner said. Pennsylvania State Police at Rock view reported several accidents and many roads being closed and slippery, but there were no fatalities as of 8 p.m. The clinical coordinator at Centre Community Hospital said several peo ple came to the emergency room due to weather-related accidents. There also were reported power See SNOW, Page 4. Municipal building moves on up By Cate Salmi:hie COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER I ces9so@psu.edu As many return from winter break, those needing to pay parking tickets, seek police help or attend a State Col lege Borough Council meeting will need to walk a few more blocks. The new municipal building, located on the 200 block of South Allen Street, opened while students were away. The new 10,000 square-foot facility provides increased office space, stor age area and conference rooms. Coun cil members want the building to be used by the community 10 & 11 "There are four to five conference rooms that are available free of charge for borough users," council member Elizabeth Goreham said, adding that there is a large multi-purpose room with a hard wood floor that can be used for dance recitals or large group meet ings. The building also is home to the State College Police Department. A general consensus from officers is that they are very pleased with the new structure. Police consider abduction search for Two months after the student's disappearance, investigators are still looking for new leads. By Adam Fabian COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER I amf2ll@psu.edu After nine weeks of investigation into the disappearance of Penn State student Cindy Song, investigators still have no significant leads of her where abouts. Det. Brian Sprinkle of the Ferguson Township Police Department said he will meet with an FBI agent late this afternoon to prepare a statement on the latest information regarding her disappearance. During winter break, there were no new leads found in the case, however, police are now approaching the case as a possible abduction. "I think that is what people feared," Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said. "It is the kind of thing you read about elsewhere but do not think about happening here." In the two months since Song's Hal loween disappearance not much has changed. Investigators have considered the possibility that Song traveled to one of College awards degree to bus accident victim By Renee Petrlna COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER I burgundy@psu.edu When Penn State student Shellie Smarowsky lost her life as she was struck by a bus crossing a street Dec. 3, her parents lost the chance to see their only child complete her degree. But with the backing of faculty in the College of Commu- nications, Smarow- sky was awarded a posthumous bache lor's degree during the fall commence ment ceremonies, less than two weeks after her death. When the de grees are printed, Smarowsky's will be sent to her family in West Chester. "She worked very hard to get good grades, and she was determined to do well. As a parent, you can't be any more proud than that," Smarowsky's mother, Eft Read, said. "She's getting what she worked for." Penn State spokesman - Bill Mahon said a posthumous degree is rare, and said it was awarded because Smarowsky, who at age 21 only needed a few more credits to graduate, would have completed her major if not for the accident. "The faculty were very supportive of it, and we felt that it also would be an appropriate gesture for the family," Mahon said. Smarowsky's stepfather, Jack Read, who helped Elfi raise her, said she had completed everything but her elective requirements. • Mike Bencivenga/Collegian The new location of the State College Municipal Building, 234 S. Allen St "It's like dying and going to heaven," Sgt. John Gardner said. "The space and the newness has made people ecstatic." Gardner said there was insufficient space in the former municipal building, 118 S. Fraser St. "There are about 60 officers as well 30 cents off campus 02002 Collegian Inc. the 24-hour establishments near her apartment on West Clinton Avenue. As a result businesses such as Wal-Mart and Giant have become targets of their investigation. But despite the efforts of police, Kiho Song, Cindy Song's brother, is still unsatisfied. In an e-mail distributed to numerous list serves including the American Civil Liberty Union's, Kiho criticized the police and offered suggestions. Kiho Song said in the e-mail that his main complaint is the investigation is moving too slowly. "Please under stand that the time does not wait but keeps going," he said in the e-mail. As time has passed, Cindy Song's disappearance has transformed from a local into almost a global story due to increased media coverage. See SONG; Page 4. "The reason why they gave her her degree was because she had complet ed all the course requirements," he said. "I feel that it's the proper thing for them to do." Dean Douglas Anderson of the Col lege of Communications and other fac ulty recommended that a bachelor of arts in advertising and public relations be conferred. Penn State President Graham Spanier gave his approval, making it possible for Smarowsky's family to receive the degree that she would have completed. "I spoke with a number of faculty . who had Shellie in class and found out that she was really a remarkable stu dent," said Robert Richards, associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Communications. "We thought that would be a fitting tribute for her since she worked so well in school." Nick Bartilomo, a friend of Smarowsky who visited her family dur ing winter break, said he was pleased that his late friend was able to receive a posthumous degree and not just an honorary one. "She was very motivated," he said. "She worked really hard in school, and she deserved it." Bartilomo said his friend would have had straight A's last semester and she would have graduated in May. He said Smarowsky's friends and family are holding up and being as strong about the loss as they can. "You have good days and you have bad days," he said. "It's still hard." State College Police Department Sgt. John Gardner said the accident is under ongoing investigation. as 30 staff members who were tripping over each other," he said. The overall reaction to the new loca tion is positive, but it might cause some confusion for students returning to State College after their winter break See BUILDING, Page 4. WEATHER Page 2 TODAY: Light snow Song
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