LRA responsible for massacre of 34 in Ugandan villages

Ugandan rebels in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) are believed to have massacred 34 people when they attacked the villages of Awolo and Latugitugi in the northern part of Uganda, according to the BBC. The Ugandan army officials report that the LRA was "boiling body parts" and that the villagers were either killed with machetes or clubs-the killing was apparently indiscriminate, including women and children, according to Agence France-Presse. The LRA has been fighting the government for 16 years and says it is seeking to rule Uganda according to the Biblical Ten Commandments. A week ago, at least 52 people were killed in a similar attack in the same area. Earlier this year, the Ugandan army pursued LRA forces into Sudan, which had previously backed the rebels, and vowed to crush them once and for all. But this offensive only pushed the rebels deeper into Ugandan territory. The LRA frequently abduct civilians, using the boys as fighters and the girls as sex slaves for rebel commanders. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni recently said the rebels would be defeated but warned it may take until March of 2003, according to the BBC.

National: Silver Spring, Maryland

Authorities investigate possible sniper-related shooting

A shooting occurred yesterday morning in Silver Spring, Md. that may be related to the string of 12 sniper shootings in the D.C. area. The victim, a bus driver, was shot in the chest. Nine deaths have been linked to the sniper as of yesterday, according to CNN. The string of shootings began on Oct. 2 and has since paralyzed the Washington, D.C. area including parts of Maryland and Virginia. Authorities also released information describing a note that the sniper left at the scene of a shooting Saturday that warned, "Your children are not safe anywhere, at any time," according to CNN. The authorities have also said that they have made further contact with the sniper, the details of which they have not released. The sniper is making use of a high-powered hunting rifle capable of precision from more than 730 yards, according to CNN. Furthermore, the sniper seems to attack near major roadways and wooded areas allowing for a faster getaway. The investigation involves local, state and federal officials, including civilian and military personnel. Although everything is still being headed by local personnel, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld did not rule out the possibility of the FBI taking over the case if progress isn't made.

Local: Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Cape is possible location for homeland security department

Congress allocated $1 million dollars Monday in order to determine whether the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod should be the site of the nation's first regional homeland security center, according to the Associated Press. Such a center is part of the Bush Administration and the Pentagon's defensive plan against terrorism in the post-9/11 world, according to the AP. The funding is part of a larger defense-spending bill and is awaiting President George Bush's signature. "This starts a new chapter in the history of the base," said Representative William Delahunt, who represents Cape Cod and who proposed the study. The base currently houses the Coast Guard, Army and Air National Guard and hosts exercises by various local law enforcement and public safety organizations. It would potentially house the new operation on the southern third of its 22,000 acres, according to the AP. Congress has also approved, in a separate 2003 military construction bill, $1.6 million for a new fire station and aircraft control tower on the base grounds, replacing one built in 1956. Bush is also expected to sign that bill into law this week.