THE READER at Mallorca Online Nr.456

at Mallorca Online Issue No. 456

Headlines of June 13th to 26th, 1998

ASYLUM IN IBIZA

An Algerian army officer landed a military helicopter in Ibiza and requested political asylum from the Spanish Government.

Alili Messaoud, 28, was apparently taking part in military manoeuvres when he decided to fly his aircraft towards the Balearic Islands. Algerian authorities denied this claim commenting that the pilot was carrying out a routine flight over the north of the country when he deserted. After an hour's flying time Messaoud landed the MI-8 Russian made helicopter on a medical emergency helipad in Formentera. However, a few minutes later and apparently without having left his aircraft or having spoken to anyone, the helicopter headed for Ibiza where it was given permission to land at the airport.
On landing, the pilot was taken to police headquarters at the airport where he requested political asylum and a security cordon was placed around the helicopter although it was not carrying arms or ammunition of any kind.
This is not the first time that the Balearics has been used as an "escape route" for Algerian citizens. On 13 November 1994, three young Algerians hijacked an Air Algérie plane on a domestic fight. The pilot of the aircraft was threatened with a "bomb" if he did not fly to a northern European country but a shortage of fuel forced the pilot to land at Son San Juan airport. After three hours of negotiations, the three hijackers left the plane on the condition that they would not be returned to Algeria.
Later in the week, Alili Messaoud was interviewed by local Spanish newspaper El Día del Mundo. Messaoud, who is currently being cared for at the Red Cross in Ibiza, is free to go where he pleases although he has a police guard for his own safety. Asked if he realised the risks he was taking when he decided to fly to Ibiza, he replied that this was the first time he had ever flown over the sea and had to fly low to avoid being detected by radar. I knew that the Algerians, Spanish and US Navy could all shoot me out of the air". Messaoud said that he was aware of a US destroyer anchored in Ibiza Bay.
The Algerian refugee said he chose Ibiza because it was nearest and the sooner he landed the better for himself. But, as already stated, the helicopter first landed in Formentera before continuing on to Ibiza. When asked why he did not remain in Formentera he replied that he intended to give himself up and ask for political asylum and it was therefore more convenient to land at an airport (Formentera has no airport, only a helipad).

FREE PARKING IN MANACOR

Manacor's PP mayor, Catalina Sureda, has been forced to cancel the ORA parking restrictions, as from last Saturday, until October or November meaning that residents in both Manacor and Porto Cristo will be able to park free of charge.
The decision was caused by a crisis within the council between the PP mayor and CM councillor Eduardo Puche. According to Puche, in charge of the ORA matters on the council, said that he informed the mayor last that the contract was up in June. He also claimed that he had given the mayor two proposals for new contacts but these had been ignored. Last week, Mayor Sureda asked the council to approve an extension of the ORA parking contract to allow time for a new tender to be prepared. However, council judicial services ruled that this was illegal and the mayor had no option but to cancel the parking restrictions.
Aparcamientos Isle$os, the company involved, have held the concession for eight years. Company employees have already removed the electric batteries, money and tickets from the machines.
In Porto Cristo, the free parking is doing more harm than good. Both the Commercial and Professional Association and the Residents Association have announced that they will take action against the council's decision. As a first move, both associations have asked their members to act as if the ORA parking system were still functioning. Residents have been asked to continue to park their vehicles in streets further back from the front line, leaving the ORA blue zone for tourists and visitors. Business owners are keen to see tourists parking to shop, have a drink or eat in the area as they usually do. They fear that with the return of traffic chaos to the town and no parking spaces available, tourists will drive straight to the caves and on to somewhere else rather than stop in Porto Cristo.

READER CHAMP GOES FOR SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP

The final race of the Grand Karting Competition before the summer break took place Sunday 14 June at Magaluf. In the cadet category only five pilots took part, this is due to the fact that the majority of the cadets that once raced in Magaluf have now moved into the Catalunya and Murcia Championships which unfortunately coincide with some of the races here. It was a clear victory for Miguel Julia in this category who won all three heats.
The Senior category saw more excitement. A relatively newcomer to this event is a young man called Guillermo Bauza, 16 years old. This pilot recently took part in the Inter A Spanish Championship here in Mallorca, considering he has never driven outside Mallorca and was competing with the best in Spain, he achieved an incredible result by finishing fourth in the final. However, this weekend he was up against some stiff competition and had to work for every position he took. A strong British contingency took part again, but the most impressive this weekend was Andy Hardporne-Webster. Andy achieved some great results this weekend and it looked like he was going to get a podium finish in the final, but unfortunately he failed to obtain this after becoming involved in a battle for first position with Fernando Palazuelo where both of them ended up leaving the track. Bill White, sponsored by Drake, gained some valuable points towards the championship and I believe he could have finished far higher up the field if he had been blinkered so he couldn't keep looking behind. He'll hate me for saying this, but it's true, ask Team Boss, Helen! Have a good summer lads and we all look forward to seeing you race again in October.

DEATH ROW

Manuel Jóan Palacios, Senator for the Balearics pointed out during the week that there were nine Balearic citizens, seven men and two women in foreign prisons.
Two prisoners are being held in Germany; two in Venezuela and the remainder in Argentina, Belgium, France, Peru, Portugal and the UK.
Recently, the Senator, who is from Menorca, wrote a letter to a 54-year-old man from Alaior (Menorca) who was in prison in La Plata, Argentina, accused of murder and arson. JaÇn Palacios showed interest in the man's state of health and well being and was informed that the man received a monthly allowance, as well as clean clothing and sheets from the Consul General in Buenos Aires. The prisoner also received visits from the honorary vice-consul in La Plata.
The Senator announced that he would request the Spanish Government to ask for the death sentence to be commuted for all Spanish citizens awaiting the maximum penalty in foreign prisons. In January of this year, the Senator visited Joaquon Martonez in Starke prison in Florida. Martonez is the only Spanish national on death row in the US. "For humanitarian reasons, it is essential that the government asks for the transfer of Spaniards in prisons abroad who are either terminally ill or are advanced in years", the Senator added.


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