The role of Central Asia in the war against terrorism will be the focus of an Oct. 30 panel discussion at the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg.

The panel includes Thomas Smith, an assistant professor of government and international relations, and Daanish Mustafa, an assistant professor of geography and a native of Pakistan.

It does not include Sami Al-Arian, a computer engineering professor who was scheduled to speak earlier this month at a USF panel discussion on terrorism and the Middle East.

That event was postponed after Al-Arian, who once ran a USF think tank linked to suspected terrorists, was put on paid leave. University officials said his appearance on a network TV show had generated threats that raised concerns about campus safety.

The panel on Central Asia will examine Pakistan's support for the Taliban and its chances of being dominated by a fundamentalist ideology. It also will look at whether law and ethics should apply in the current campaign against terrorism. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Campus Activities Center at Second Street and Sixth Avenue S.

Two more settle TECO discrimination suit

TAMPA -- Two plaintiffs who filed a discrimination suit against Tampa Electric Co. in 1998 have settled before going to trial.

Rebecca Freeman, whose trial was to begin this week, and Lionel Ballard had alleged that they were denied advancement in the company because they are African-American. They were two of nine black employees who sued for damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, back pay and attorneys' fees. Terms of the settlements were not released. Six of the plaintiffs had already settled. Last week, a federal judge dismissed the case of another TECO employee who went to trial. The judge said the evidence did not meet minimum legal requirements for the trial to continue.

Man faces multiple charges of bank robbery

TAMPA -- A 23-year-old Zephyrhills man was charged Tuesday with robbing five Hillsborough County banks, authorities said.

Jeromee Greenough of 35235 Price Drive was arrested by Sumter County sheriff's deputies on Friday after robbing a bank in that county, authorities say.

Officials said Greenough admitted to robbing five other banks in the Tampa area:

June 13, Bank of Tampa, 13868 N Dale Mabry Highway.

July 17, Mercantile Bank, 10821 N Dale Mabry Highway.

Aug. 8, First Union Bank, 8900 Regent Park Drive.

Sept. 9, Terrace Bank, 19001 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

Oct. 9, Huntington Bank, 9601 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Hillsborough deputies said Greenough robbed all five banks at gunpoint, and during four of the robberies, he wore a blue bandanna over his face.

No one was injured, and officials aren't saying how much money he took during the robberies.

Greenough was charged with five counts of armed bank robbery. He is being held in the Sumter County jail.

Former prosecutor named a county judge

TAMPA -- Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday made former prosecutor Nick Nazaretian a county judge, fulfilling the lawyer's two-year quest to get on the bench.

Nazaretian ran against County Judge Joelle Ann Ober in 2000 but lost in a runoff. He applied for several judicial vacancies and was planning to run again in 2002 for a judicial seat.

Nazaretian served as an assistant state attorney for 10 years before he resigned to run for judge in 2000. Born in Alabama, he attended the University of Alabama and Nova University Law School, and holds marketing and criminal justice degrees from the University of South Florida.

He will replace Judge Frank Gomez, who was appointed to the circuit bench by Bush this year.

Man sought in series of bank robberies

TAMPA -- The Hillsborough Sheriff's Office is investigating 10 bank robberies since February that appear to have been committed by the same man.

During the robberies, a suspect walked into the bank armed with a silver or chrome revolver under his clothing, authorities said. He approached a teller, showed his weapon and demanded the teller put the cash into a large bag.

The man has robbed banks in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Lakeland, Brandon and Pinellas Park between Feb. 15 and Oct. 9.

On Tuesday, the Florida Banker's Association announced that it would offer a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Crime Stoppers of West Central Florida is offering a $1,000 reward.

The robber usually wears a ball cap, sunglasses, and an untucked shirt or jacket. He has been seen fleeing from two robberies in a late-model Mercury Sable, either gray or silver, deputies said.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.

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