Reports: Syrian town under assault

Syrian mourners at a funeral service of an anti-regime protester on the Syrian side of the Syria-Turkey border, on June 11, 2011.NEW: Report: Authorities find decapitated and mutilated bodies in a mass graveNEW: Syrian state television says a soldier is killed in the clashesBritish foreign secretary: Many have fled the Syrian "military offensive" in Jisr al-ShugurU.N. chief: "The use of military force against civilians is unacceptable"

(CNN) -- At least three people were killed in clashes as Syrian forces surged into a northwestern city Sunday, state media reported.

Jisr al-Shugur was under heavy shelling as hundreds of military vehicles entered the city and helicopters hovered in the sky, said the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of human rights activists.

One Syrian soldier was killed and four other soldiers injured the fighting, Syrian state television reported Sunday. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said two gunmen were killed and "many others" were arrested.

State television said Sunday that military units had entered Jisr al-Shugur to "cleanse the national hospital from the elements of the armed gangs after disabling the explosives and the various TNT devices that these gangs planted on the bridges and roads."

Accounts from the Syrian government have sharply contrasted with reports from residents, who say there are no "armed gangs" in Jisr al-Shugur.

State TV also said Sunday that authorities in the town had found a mass grave containing decapitated and mutilated bodies of members of security forces killed by "armed gangs."

President Bashar al-Assad's regime has consistently blamed armed gangs for the bloodshed. But activists and protesters say security forces have caused the violence.

In a statement released Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned Syria's force against civilians and expressed particular concern about violence in Jisr al-Shugur.

"The Syrian authorities have an obligation to protect their people and respect their rights. The use of military force against civilians is unacceptable," the U.N. statement said.

Many have fled "the Syrian government's military offensive" in Jisr al-Shugur, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement condemning the violence Sunday. In an earlier interview, he called on the U.N. Security Council to take a stand.

"I do believe it is time for the Security Council to make a clear statement of the kind that we're advocating calling on the Syrian Government to respond to legitimate grievances, to release prisoners of conscience, to open up access to the Internet and to cooperate with the U.N. high commissioner on human rights," he told Sky News Sunday.

He said he had been trying to garner support from countries represented on the council, but noted that the prospects of passing a resolution were "on a knife edge" -- particularly since U.N. Security Council member Lebanon is a close ally of Syria.

"Close interconnections between the Lebanese government and the Syrian government have made it impossible for Lebanon to take a clear position on this," he told Sky News.

CNN has been unable to independently confirm accounts of the unrest in Syria, as it has not been granted access to the country by the Syrian government.

On Friday, Syrian troops came to the entrances of Jisr al-Shugur in an operation "to restore security and tranquility to the area which was being terrorized by armed terrorist groups," SANA reported.

The Syrian government announced it would punish Jisr al-Shugur after it accused "armed groups" of killing at least 120 security forces there several days ago.

SANA on Sunday also reported that one police officer was killed and another was injured in clashes with "an armed terrorist group" in Idlib province Friday. The government news agency said Syria's army arrested "terrorist groups and snipers" there Saturday.

Police and gunmen also clashed Friday in Homs province, SANA said.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah denied media reports that it had been involved in clashes in Syria, saying such accounts were lies, rumors and "sectarian incitement."

Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey have said some Syrian soldiers rebelled after being ordered to fire on unarmed protesters and instead started fighting among themselves.

The number of Syrians escaping to Turkey has escalated to 4,300, a Turkish official news agency reported Saturday.

A fourth refugee camp was set up Sunday in Hamza Cisligi, about 100 meters (109 yards) from the Syrian border in Turkey, to take in Syrians who have fled the regime's crackdown.

Halit Cevik, the Turkish Foreign Ministry's deputy-undersecretary for the Middle East, told the Anadolu news agency Saturday that Turkey has made preparations for more refugees.

"Turkey had welcomed great many numbers of guests in the past in their most dire times of need. We can do that again," Cevik said, according to Anadolu.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 25 people were killed Friday in various locations, including 11 in town of Maaret al-Nouman.

Amnesty International said last week it believes more than 1,100 people -- including 82 children -- have been killed in Syria since the crackdown started in mid-March.

CNN's Arwa Damon, Salma Abdelaziz and Saad Abedine contributed to this report.

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Audit: Sexual assault incidents within VA system underreported

A new report claims nearly two-thirds of the 67 rape allegations were not reported, as required by VA regulations.GAO report says many incidents not properly handledUnderstaffing, fuzzy expectations, poor oversight are blamedHouse committee chairman says report left him "aghast"House to hold hearing Monday

Washington (CNN) -- Sexual assault incidents within the Veterans Affairs system are not being reported up the chain, a new government audit released Tuesday found.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, reported that of nearly 300 sexual assault incidents reported to VA Police from January 2007 through July 2010, "many" were not reported to VA leadership officials and the VA Inspector General's Office.

The GAO report uses the term sexual assault incident to refer to "suspected, alleged, attempted, or confirmed cases of sexual assault."

The 284 cases of sexual assault included rape, inappropriate touching, forceful medical examinations, forced or inappropriate oral sex, and other types of sexual assault incidents.

"When I first read this report, I was aghast," said Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. "It reminded me of a 1950s prison system -- lawlessness, lack of security and reporting, and outright disregard for human dignity."

The House committee has scheduled a hearing on the matter for Monday.

The GAO says the VA agreed with most of its findings.

Nearly two-thirds of the 67 rape allegations in VA facilities were not reported to the VA Inspector General's Office, as required by VA regulation, according to the report.

Both men and women were victims of the assaults. The victims and attackers ranged from employees to patients to those without affiliation to the VA.

"Not all sexual assault incidents reported to VA Police are substantiated," the GAO report said, citing reasons such as an assault did not actually take place, the victim chose not to pursue the case or there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the case.

The investigators say underreporting is due to a lack of guidance on what constitutes a sexual assault, unclear expectations on what incidents should be reported and insufficient oversight by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which oversees VA health facilities.

The VHA does not have a system to track and trend sexual assaults over time, according to the report, and therefore "cannot identify and make changes to serious problems that jeopardize the safety of veterans in their medical facilities."

The report also found that the VA has not taken the proper precautions to prevent sexual assaults in its medical facilities. Among the findings: Investigators report "poor monitoring of surveillance cameras, alarm system malfunctions, and the failure of alarms to alert both VA police and clinical staff when triggered." Officials at many of the locations the GAO visited said the VA Police were also understaffed.

"Patient and employee safety and security are paramount at the VA," said VA press secretary Josh Taylor. "We take all allegations seriously and investigate them thoroughly."

The VA says it's in process of reviewing the GAO's recommendations and taking steps to improve reporting of allegations and to provide more secure facilities.

"The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to protect those veterans in our care, as they have protected our nation, and we will continue to strengthen our facilities to ensure that our veterans receive high-quality medical care in safe, secure facilities," Taylor said.

The investigation was launched at the request of the House Veterans Affairs Committee due to changing demographics of patients treated by the VA.

The VA has developed initiatives to attract specific veteran populations to use its services, including women, young veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, and veterans facing legal issues or those already incarcerated, the report said.

The VA operates the largest integrated health care system in the country, with 153 hospitals and about 700 community-based clinics.

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Ex-IMF chief denies sex assault charges

New York (CNN) -- Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former chief of the International Monetary Fund, pleaded not guilty Monday to seven charges involving a May 14 incident in which a housekeeping employee at New York's Sofitel hotel accused him of sexual assault.

Strauss-Kahn, who was considered a front-runner in France's next presidential race before his arrest, faces charges including criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse.

His attorney, Ben Brafman, declined to comment on details of the case in a brief statement to reporters outside the courtroom following the plea.

"We intend to defend this case and defend it vigorously, but we are going to do so in the courtroom," Brafman said, renewing earlier statements that evidence in the case will reveal his client is innocent.

According to New York police, the alleged attack happened soon after the housekeeper entered Strauss-Kahn's suite to clean it.

Strauss-Kahn allegedly emerged naked from a room, ran down a hallway, shut a door to prevent the woman from leaving and attacked her, according to police and prosecutors.

According to court documents and prosecutors, Strauss-Kahn grabbed the woman's chest, tried to take off her pantyhose and forcibly grabbed her between her legs.

The criminal complaint against Strauss-Kahn alleges that he forced the woman to engage "in oral sexual conduct and anal sexual conduct" and tried to force her to engage in sexual intercourse.

The next court date for Strauss-Kahn is July 18, according to Erin Duggan of the district attorney's office. No date for a trial has been set, Duggan said.

The alleged victim, who has not returned to work, intends to testify against Strauss-Kahn, said her attorney, Ken Thompson.

"She is going to come into this courthouse, get on that witness stand and tell the world what Dominique Strauss did to her," Thompson said.

He declined to discuss specifics of any possible settlement negotiations with Strauss-Kahn, saying his focus is preserving the good name of his client.

She was described by a former attorney as a 32-year-old single mother living in the New York borough of the Bronx who moved to the United States from the West African country of Guinea.

At the hearing, defense lawyers formally requested that Manhattan prosecutors provide discovery materials -- copies of scientific reports as well as police reports and formal statements made by the hotel employee.

Prosecutors have not yet turned over the information to defense attorneys, Duggan said.

The defense has said that some of that information has already been leaked to the media.

"Our client's right to a fair trial is being compromised by the public disclosure of prejudicial material even before these materials have been disclosed to counsel," Strauss-Kahn's attorneys wrote prior to the hearing in a letter to the judge presiding over the case.

They said if they chose to, they could "release substantial information that in our view would seriously undermine the quality of this prosecution and also gravely undermine the credibility of the complainant in this case."

In response, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon wrote in a letter that the request for the materials would be addressed if the request was made in writing.

Illuzzi-Orbon told the defense she agreed with the need to safeguard information from leaks, but was "troubled that you chose to inject into the public record your claim that you possess information that might negatively impact the case and 'gravely' undermine the credibility of the victim."

If the defense does possess such information, it should be forwarded to prosecutors, she said.

Strauss-Kahn was released from jail on bond, but is under house arrest in a luxury townhouse in New York's Tribeca neighborhood, according to a source with knowledge of his whereabouts.

He is under court-ordered watch as part of the terms of his $6 million bail agreement, and must pay for 24-hour armed guards posted at the door, as well as electronic surveillance.

CNN's Adam Reiss, Ross Levitt and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.

CNN

Egyptian exec accused of hotel sexual assault is arraigned

New York (CNN) -- An Egyptian executive accused of sexually abusing an employee at a luxury hotel in New York was arraigned late Tuesday night.

A judge set bail for Mahmoud Abdel-Salam Omar at $50,000 and the defendant was ordered to surrender all travel documents.

The case has been adjourned until Friday to give Omar time to hire a private lawyer, the New York County District Attorney's Office said.

Omar was represented by a court-appointed lawyer at the arraignment. CNN was unable to reach her afterward for comment.

Omar, the chairman of a salt company who once headed an Egyptian bank, is charged with sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment, forcible touching and harassment, police said.

The alleged incident took place at the Pierre Hotel on May 29 -- two weeks and a day after Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the International Monetary Fund, was accused of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a housekeeping employee at another swank New York hotel.

Strauss-Kahn's attorneys deny the allegations, and he has since stepped down from the IMF to focus on his defense.

Omar, 74, did not immediately make a public statement.

The accuser told police the alleged attack took place when she went to Omar's room to drop off tissues he had requested. Authorities did not release additional details.

Omar is chairman of El-Mex Salines Company.

On its website, the company describes itself as a subsidiary of Chemical Industries Holding Company, a chemical production company. It is "one of the oldest international companies in (the) salt industry," the website says.

A spokesman for El-Mex Salines said Omar was head of the Bank of Alexandria 15 years ago.

El-Mex Salines had no immediate comment on the arrest.

The Bank of Alexandria was established in 1957 as an Egyptian joint stock company, according to its website. It was privatized in 2006.

CNN's Jason Kessler and Mary Snow contributed to this report.

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NYPD: Another financial figure accused of hotel sexual assault

New York (CNN) -- The chairman of a salt company who once headed an Egyptian bank was arrested Monday in New York, accused of sexually abusing an employee at a luxury hotel.

Mahmoud Abdel-Salam Omar is charged with sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment, forcible touching and harassment, according to the New York Police Department.

The alleged incident took place Sunday -- a little more than two weeks after Dominique Strauss-Kahn, then chief of the International Monetary Fund, was accused of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a housekeeping employee at another swank New York hotel. Strauss-Kahn's attorneys deny the allegations, and he has since stepped down from the IMF to focus on his defense.

Attorneys for ex-IMF chief say police leaks have tainted trial

Omar, 74, did not immediately make a public statement.

The New York Police Department said it was informed Monday of an incident at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan. Police came to the hotel, where the alleged victim told them that at about 6 p.m. Sunday she went to Omar's room to drop off tissues he had requested. "Once inside the room the victim was sexually abused," police said.

A spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said prosecutors would not release any information until after Omar's arraignment, which could take place Tuesday.

The Pierre Hotel released a statement saying, "The Pierre's priority is the safety of our guests and staff. We take all complaints very seriously and investigate thoroughly. This incident has been formally reported to the New York Police Department and is under investigation. And we will fully comply with the investigation as requested."

Omar is chairman of El-Mex Salines Co. On its website, the firm describes itself as a subsidiary of Chemical Industries Holding Co., a chemical production company. It is "one of the oldest international companies in (the) salt industry," the website says.

A spokesman for El-Mex Salines said that Omar was head of the Bank of Alexandria 15 years ago.

El-Mex Salines had no immediate comment on the arrest.

The Bank of Alexandria was established in 1957 as an Egyptian joint stock company, according to its website. It was privatized in 2006.

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2 Chicago police officers face sexual assault investigation

Two Chicago police officers are accused of playing strip poker and sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman. STORY HIGHLIGHTSChicago police suspend officers pending investigationChicago TV station WLS reports officers assaulted a 22-year-old womanThe station cites a police report that states woman initially agreed to sex and strip pokerThe woman later ran from her apartment screaming for help, WLS reportsRELATED TOPICSChicagoCriminal InvestigationsRead more about this story from CNN affiliate WLS.

(CNN) -- Two Chicago police officers are under investigation for alleged sexual assault and have been "relieved of their police powers," according to a statement released Thursday by the city's police department.

Chicago's top law enforcement officer on Thursday called their actions "inappropriate."

"You can't justify it," Chicago Police Superintendent Terry Hillard said Thursday. "What they did, allegedly have done, was inappropriate and was against the law."

Investigators refused to provide further details about the incident. However, CNN affiliate WLS-TV reported Thursday that the alleged attack on a 22-year-old woman took place Wednesday morning after she accepted a ride home from the on-duty officers.

WLS attributed the information to a police report on the incident.

According to the report cited by WLS, the woman initially did not reject sexual advances from the officers. The report stated that the woman had sex with one of the officers in the passenger seat of a department SUV.

The three later played strip poker at her apartment, according to the report cited by WLS. The woman told investigators she was too afraid at first to refuse sex with the officers, but later ran out of the apartment screaming for help, according to the report cited by WLS.

Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Tom Byrne told reporters that neither officer has been charged.

"At this point in time it is an active ongoing criminal investigation, but we also need to have the evidence worked up prior to any charging," Byrne said.

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