Jewish group slams 'solidarity' with Gadhafi (AP)

By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER, Associated Press Christopher Toothaker, Associated Press – 1 hr 16 mins ago

CARACAS, Venezuela – Moammar Gadhafi's allies in Latin America should follow Peru's example and suspend diplomatic relations with the North African nation's regime, the representative of a leading Jewish organization said Friday.

Sergio Widder, the Latin American representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, strongly criticized the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela for failing to condemn Gadhafi's violent crackdown on a popular uprising.

"Solidarity with a dictator who has been in power for more than four decades and is massacring his own people is shameful and criminal," Widder said in a statement. "We welcome the decision by Peru's president, Alan Garcia, to break off relations with the Libyan regime."

"It's an offense for the victims of Latin American dictatorships," Widder added.

Peru's government announced this week that it was suspending diplomatic relations with Libya to protest the violence unleashed by Gadhafi.

Peru's government announced in a statement that it would also ask the U.N. Security Council to establish an exclusion zone in Libyan airspace "to prevent the use of that country's warplanes against (its) population."

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega offered support for Gadhafi, saying he had telephoned to express solidarity. Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said the unrest may be a pretext for an invasion of Libya by members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization — a step that NATO has ruled out.

Ortega on Friday reaffirmed his position, saying he "firmly maintained" his support for Gadhafi, who he said has been the victim of "a ferocious media attack." The former guerrilla leader-turned-president called the situation in Libya "tough and difficult," adding that he hoped for peace.

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has neither condemned nor defended Gadhafi's crackdown, but his failure to take a stand has prompted strong criticism from his political opponents at home.

The opposition-sided Tal Cual newspaper said in an editorial published on Friday that Chavez brought shame on his fellow citizens by forging close ties to Gadhafi, noting that last year he gave the Libyan leader a replica of the sword that once belonged to 19th-century independence hero Simon Bolivar.

"It's shameful for Venezuela that he has the sword ... of our 'Liberator'," it said.

In a Twitter message Thursday, Chavez said: "Viva Libya and its independence! Gadhafi is facing a civil war."

It was the first time that Chavez has publicly referred to the violence in Libya. He referred to the issue again late Friday, calling himself "a friend of Gadhafi" and warning against "the possibility of civil war" in Libya.

"I cannot say that I'm in favor" of what's happening in Libya, Chavez said. The self-proclaimed revolutionary said he has "maintained silence" regarding the situation in Libya because of muddled media reports.

"We've been prudent," he said.

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Associated Press writer Filadelfo Aleman contributed to this report from Managua, Nicaragua.

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Father of music group members pleads guilty (AP)

PROVO, Utah – His voice barely audible, the patriarch of the acclaimed 5 Browns classical music group said "guilty" to each charge of sexually abusing his three daughters when they were children.

Thursday's admission in a Provo courtroom means that Keith Brown, 55, will go to prison for at least 10 years.

None of the sisters were in court, but a statement issued to The Associated Press by group spokesman Kimball Thomson said they were satisfied with the plea agreement.

"While clearly the current events surrounding the family are painful, the sisters were well prepared for this day, and are relieved and grateful to close this chapter in their lives," Kimball said.

Brown's three daughters and two sons are part of the classical piano group The 5 Browns, whose albums have topped the classical music charts and who have appeared on "Oprah" and other shows. The group also has been profiled by "60 Minutes."

Brown appeared in Fourth District Count with scratches and bruises on his face but with few other signs of the horrific crash three days earlier in which his Porsche plunged 300 feet into a canyon, also injuring his wife.

"He is terribly remorseful for what has happened and for what he has put his family through," defense attorney Steven Shapiro said after the hearing. "He recognizes that this is the next step in the long road to trying to accept responsibility for something terrible that he did a long time ago."

Brown did not speak further during the hearing and declined to answer questions from reporters afterward. He remained free until his sentencing on March 31, after prosecutors said they do not consider him a threat.

Brown chose to enter the plea to bring a quick resolution to the case and did not want to "exacerbate the harm" by dragging out the proceedings, Shapiro said.

Utah County prosecutors charged Brown with one first-degree felony count of sodomy on a child and two second-degree felony counts of sexual abuse of a child.

He could face a sentence of up to life in prison on the first-degree felony and up to 15 years each on the second-degree felonies. Under the plea deal with prosecutors, he will serve at least a decade in prison.

The records filed Feb. 10 in the abuse case don't identify any victim by name or indicate the relationship between Keith Brown and the alleged victims.

However, Thomson said the charges involve Brown's daughters and group members Desirae, 32, Deondra, 30, and Melody, 26. He declined to release further information on the women.

The Associated Press does not generally identify people who say they were sexually abused, but the Brown women have chosen to be identified and are cooperating with police, Thomson said.

Kimball said the Brown sisters appreciate the respect shown to them by police and prosecutors, who sought their input at each stage of the case. He said none of the Brown siblings want to talk publicly at this time.

Thomson said the Brown children severed their professional relationship with Keith Brown in October of 2008. He was once the manager of The 5 Browns but now has no connection, Thomson said.

Court documents state the allegations stem from separate occasions between November 1990 and October 1992, November 1990 and November 1992, and March 1997 and March 1998 in Utah County.

There are no statutes of limitation in Utah that prevent prosecutors from filing such sex crime charges.

Utah County prosecutor David Sturgill said Lone Peak police brought the case to his office last year.

Police were first contacted by Brown's daughters.

"I think this deal was good for both sides," Sturgill said. "This is something the victims wanted resolved, and I think the plea bargain is going to satisfy their needs."

Brown and Lisa Brown, 54, the mother of the group members, were hospitalized after the Valentine's Day crash that left the Porsche mangled and unrecognizable in Little Cottonwood Canyon on the east side of the Salt Lake valley.

The Browns were initially knocked unconscious, but Keith Brown woke and was able to call 911 from a cell phone.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation, although Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal said speed appeared to be a factor in the accident.

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