European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10the stabs and stripes Friday May 1,1992 t r up in r Ich i r bandits prey on Sahara tourists algerian bandits arc systematically attacking and robbing tourists who Brave the Sahara in Overland vehicles diplomats and tourists say. A we heard the gunshots just after we d crossed into Matt. Suddenly we were surrounded by bandits in eight land cruisers shooting at our trucks and into the air Quot said Sarah Spear a 23-year-old marketing executive from Quot diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity said the Region to Rife with bandits. They said tourists have been attacked in a Triangle of desert where Mali niger and Algeria share Borders. The . State department and other countries have advised their citizens not to travel there. Spear recounted an eight hour ordeal in which the bandits fought among themselves attempted to rape one woman body searched the party of about 80 tourists and ransacked their trucks. Quot they took Over 100,000 pounds $182,000 Worth of Cash and belongings As Well As a truck two cars and a land Rover she said. Police and other sources later told her party that not a single traveler on the route from Algeria to Mali had escaped the bandits in the past two months and that some 400 vehicles had been stolen. Yet Border police and customs officials at Babdj Moctar on the algerian Side of the Border had assured them the route was Safe Spear said. She said her party of 26 knew tourists had been attacked in the desert and therefore had joined with others in forming a Convoy of about 80 people travelling in four trucks a land Cruiser and two cars. They had planned to Cross the Sahara from Algeria to niger when they set out on their seven month safari across Africa. But niger closed its Border with Algeria last month because of such attacks. The Bow of Qew crammed at sea Moth v my in Boom i of of shr it  if inf.  mfr 4m  and 3m of san Fem had Jahaf to tag knig i vow Ivy by in morny a a Bop Bobbi Ion bbb Oman halts Island visits visitors to Japan Sot Mark Oman is closing off the nine Dayma Tynt Briandi to Lou risks for six months to protect the endangered Turtle population and sea Birds during their nesting and hatching season. The ban which begins today a is essential until a proper management mechanism can be established for the area Quot said Rod Salm of the world conservation Union. Salm 44, a Marine biologist from Baltimore is on assignment in Muscat the capital of the Middle Eastern country. He is leading a government sponsored conservation project along the coast. Eight tribesmen will live on the tiny islands 38 Miles Northwest of Muscat to prevent intruders from approaching the beaches where about 300 Hawks Bill turtles Bury their eggs during the night. Coast guard patrols will Back up the rangers and scan the Waters. A record number of foreign travellers More than 3.8 million visited Japan in 1991, and the government linked the increase in part to an influx of South american workers of japanese ancestry. In an annual report released wednesday the Justice ministry said 3,855,952 foreign visitors entered Japan last year up 10 percent from 1990. A total of 43,649 migrant workers of japanese ancestry came from South american countries under a 1990 amendment to the immigration Law. The immigration Law in principle bans unskilled foreign workers from employment in Japan. But the amendment allowed exceptional issuance of training visas to migrant workers of japanese ancestry. The report said japanese who travelled overseas in 1991 totalled 10,633,777, Down 3 percent from the previous year. The decline was attributed to the psychological effects of the persian Gulf War which Steffi scares japanese travellers from visiting to the Mofle East the report  strike ended ships officers an wednesday ended a strike that paralysed coastal be Rwy for almost three Days. After unions agreed to settlement proposals in state led talks hundreds of ferries coastal steamers and High Speed passenger boats that bind the country together prepared to travel again. State arbitrator Svein Husby said that the norwegian ships mates association accepted a new contract about 4 pal wednesday and that the machinists Union agreed to return to work few hours later. Harald Thomasco director of the National ship owners association said the unions accepted annual raises of around 6�00 Kroner $1,000 for their  found innocent in wife s Shotgun death by Randy Pruitt staff writer Hanau Germany a an officer charged with the Shotgun slaying of his wife last year was found innocent thursday by a Tive Man court martial panel. The panel s verdict came after about 3t? hours of deliberation that brought to an end a court martial that lasted More than a week. First it. Christopher Strain had been charged with premeditated murder in the death of Caitlyn Brewer Strain on aug. 26. Strain had told investigators he walked in on his wife while she was trying to kill herself in the bathroom of their Neuberg apartment. Strain said he found her cutting her neck and Abdomen with a knife. He said he saw his Shotgun lying nearby. When he attempted to remove the gun Strain said she grabbed the barrel and put it to her Chest causing it to discharge. When judge it. Col Buris Dale read the verdict Strain threw Back his head and emitted an audible sigh. His Mother Marge Strain began crying loudly. Strain first hugged his two attorneys Dan Hyatt a civilian from Portland ore., and capt. Karl Protil a military attorney. When Strain embraced his Mother he broke into tears. A a in a glad its Over. Its been a Long eight months a he said a Alt kind of restored my Faith in the system. I loved my wife very much. In a sorry she had to be dragged through this  chief prosecutor capt. E. Allen Chandler would not comment on the verdict. In closing arguments thursday morning Chandler told the panel that Strain was anything but a peaceful a Teddy Bear Quot As defense witnesses some times characterized him. A she Brewer Strain was not greeted by a Teddy Bear. She was greeted by a Bear with tangs a he later referred to Strain As a Quot grizzly Bear a peaceable person like most who can be pushed to  citing Brewer strains drinking problems her belligerent attitude and her habit of ignoring housed Aning Chandler argued that she had pushed her Hus band Over the Brink. A a he a angry. He a tolerated a lot for a Long time Quot Chandler said. Chandler said that the couple had argued the evening prior to Brewer strains death about separation and divorce during which the woman mentioned returning to the United states. Brewer Strain later went out alone to a nearby pizzeria. Chandler told the panel an angry Strain had waited up for his wife when she returned he charged that Strain beat her then took her into the bathroom and shot her. After pulling the trigger Chandler said that Strain attempted to cover up the crime Fay of caring the bathroom and changing clothes. Chandler argued that under die circumstances it would have been Dimpna Rihr for the woman to grab the gun and pull it to her Chest. Hyatt in his rioting arguments said the charges brought against Strain were unwarranted. Hyatt cited testimony from it. Col Ronnie fair doth strains former commander of the 3rd in 20th Field arty. Fair doth testified that when the unit was in saudi Arabia he privately wondered if Strain a chemical officer were capable of killing in a combat situation. Regarding the murder charge Hyatt remarked a Why would you Lull someone in the process of killing themselves a Hyatt said a tape recording made by Brewer Strain while her husband was in the persian Gulf proved the couple Lowed each other very much. The defense attorney said the government foiled to prove Strain was guilty. Quot Thor proved beyond a reasonable doubt this Man is innocent a he said. Hyatt described Brewer Strain As a Quot very fragile human  evidence is  while a teen Ager she had been inched up in a Hoostal mental Ward la a letter her Mother told the court Brewer Strain was reluctant to seek Praia Roaal help for fear of being locked at the rime of her death her blood alcohol Content tested 1.7. Strain s blood tested Zero alcohol the trial began april 21 and involved a trip by attorneys to los Angeles where a dip onion was taken from Edwin Schneider a noted authority on suicide