Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed 10 extremists yesterday in a raid on a Taliban compound belonging to a known weapons and bomb distributor, U.S. military officials reported.
No injuries to civilians were observed during the operation, which was conducted in Uruzgan province, officials said. "We will continue to intensify our pursuit of extremists hiding in southern Afghanistan," said Army Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, a Combined Joint Task Force 76 spokesman. "We call on the extremists to reconcile with the government of Afghanistan. Our efforts are to improve security, economic development and stable governance for the Afghan people."
Also, Afghan National Police discovered an unarmed bomb June 23 in Khowst province. Immediately after finding the device, the police notified coalition forces, according to coalition reports. Task Force Wolf Pack, which consists of the 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment from Fort Drum, N.Y., as well as attached personnel, arrived shortly after the Afghan police reported their find and discovered the area was already secure. "It's significant that the Afghan National Police were able to spot the device and secure the perimeter before coalition forces arrived," Army Maj. Eric Zenk, a U.S. military spokesman, said. "This shows that the security forces of Afghanistan are making progress and their training is paying off."
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 12:19 ||
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You mean they didn't kill 10 guerrillas? Or 10 insurgents? Or 10 militants?
"Extremists" seems harsh and judgmental. *weep* *sniff*
At least 22 Taliban fighters were killed in separate operations by the US-led coalition forces in southern Afghanistan, locqal media reported Tuesday.
Provincial officials said at least 20 guerillas were killed in a pre-dawn operation in the Sangin and Musa Qala district of Helmand province on Tuesday, the Pajhwok news agency reported. The Afghan and coalition forces were supported by the air force, spokesman for the provincial governor Mohyuddin told the agency. Police added that the operations were continuing.
In another operation in the south-eastern Ghazni province, security forces killed two Taliban rebels on Monday night.
Coalition forces have been conducting 'Operation Mountain Thrust' against the Taliban fighters in the southern Afghan provinces since April. Scores of Taliban rebels have been killed since the beginning of the operation, regarded as the largest such offensive since the 2001 toppling of the Taliban regime.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 12:16 ||
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Now that's better! "Fighters" not extremists! We must show proper respect to the Lions. *snicker*
"WE WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS WITH 1000 AL QAEDA TERRORISTS THAN WITH ONE SINGLE AMERICAN"
This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in Philadelphia. You are probably outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory statement. One would think that anti-hate groups from all across the country would be marching on this business . . and that the National Guard might have to be called to keep the angry crowds back.
But, perhaps in these stressful times one might be tempted to let the proprietors simply make their statement .
We are a society which holds Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty. And after all, it is just a sign.
You may ask what kind of business would dare post such a sign?
Answer: A Funeral Home
(Who said morticians had no sense of humor?)
TWO British soldiers were killed in fighting today in southern Afghanistan, where US-led forces are mounting their biggest offensive against Taliban militia since 2002. A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman in London said they were killed in action in the Sangin valley of Helmand province, in the southwest of the country, in the early hours of the morning. "Two members of the UK armed forces have been killed in action in Afghanistan," she said. "The next of kin are being informed but there are no further details." The deaths are the second and third British military fatalities since UK forces were deployed to the volatile area of Helmand in recent months.
A spokesman for the Taliban said its fighters had killed a large number of foreign and Afghan troops in Helmand and destroyed three trucks carrying supplies for foreign forces. The spokesman, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, said the fighting went on for four hours. Residents in the area reported heavy fighting including airstrikes by foreign forces. Helmand police chief Nabi Mullahkhail said 13 Taliban had been killed in the fighting early today. He said no Afghan troops were killed.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
06/27/2006 8:20 Comments ||
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Having heard little or nothing about the massive Taliban casuality figures over the last week I expect the UK press to be all over this like a rash. My thoughts are with the men's families - thanks for helping to make the world a safer place. Sleep well.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
06/27/2006 8:22 Comments ||
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At this point, the US military is a firm believer in underestimating enemy KIA. Since the enemy have no other way of telling how they are doing in the field than public reports of casualties, it really screws them up.
They don't know what their damage is, if their men were killed, captured or deserted, how weak or how strong their field units are, or where they have had anything, no matter how incremental, that was a success.
Almost as soon as their men cross the border, they disappear.
#7
I'm all for building an international monument to all who have died in the war against islamist extremism. It should be a circle of gray granite, broken in twelve places, with a "unisphere" type monument in the center. Across the top of each slab of curved granite would read the words, "That others may breathe free". The names of every person that has died fighting terrorism should be engraved on the outside, and every person that has been a victim of terrorism should be engraved on the inside (I.E., "Cpl. James Edward Jones - Iraq - 5/14/2004" or "Helen Smith - WTC, NY - 9/11/2001"). Begin with the palestinian attack on the Israeli athletes at Munich. We should never forget either the heros or the victims of this insane war against tyranny.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
06/27/2006 15:58 Comments ||
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"That others may breathe free".
What a stunning design, Old Patriot. Let's place it in front of the UN building, on the American side of the street. Why is the circle to be broken in twelve places, though?
Howard, check through the last two weeks of Rantburg posts -- they've been stacking Taliban bodies like cordwood.
#9
Like my landlord said to me, "The Taliban are taking one helluva beating". He is in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
06/27/2006 19:46 Comments ||
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OP that was great but I have to disagree with our beloved TW. She is being too nice, we should bulldoze down the UN and build the memorial in its place.LOL
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
06/27/2006 22:45 Comments ||
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(KUNA) -- A car bomb occurred Monday targeting a coalition forces' convoy north of Kabul Monday morning, where officials claimed there are no casualties. The explosion took place near the US Bagram base, situated about 35 kilometers north of Kabul. According to officials, the explosion was a suicide attack during which two unidentified pedestrians were wounded, while the bomber was killed and his car fully destroyed. Interior Ministry's spokesman Yousuf Stanikzai told reporters that two bystanders were wounded in the explosion. Neither the coalition forces nor Taliban issued any statement on the blast.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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Wile E. Coyote LOL!! That's about right. This is the Looney Tunes War.
Eritrea has flatly rejected arch-foe Ethiopia's claim that it had sent rebels to the north of its Horn of Africa neighbor to destabilize the country. Yemane Gebremeskel, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki's cabinet director, said the charge, levelled by the Ethiopian defense ministry, was "baseless" and accused Addis Ababa of blaming Asmara for its internal problems. "Eritrea is not involved in any way," he told AFP, maintaining that Ethiopia regularly falsely accuses Eritrea of fomenting unrest on its soil. "It is a routine accusation, nothing new," Yemane said. "Whenever Ethiopia has actions by their opposition, they attribute it to Eritrea. This accusation is baseless."
Earlier Tuesday, Addis Ababa claimed to have killed 111, wounded 18 and captured 107 rebels in northern Ethiopia allegedly sent there by Eritrea to disturb the peace and create instability. The announcement appeared certain to ratchet up already heightened tensions between the rivals, who are still feuding over a peace deal that ended their bloody two-year border war in 2000.
The countries regularly trade allegations the other is attempting to destabilize it, but tensions have risen in recent months with Ethiopia stepping up accusations that Eritrea is trying to foment unrest on its soil following disputed elections last year. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has accused Eritrea of providing material for a series of mystery blasts that have rocked Addis Ababa and provincial towns since January, killing at least 11 people and wounding dozens. Eritrea has angrily denied those claims.
The two countries fought a bitter war over their border between 1998 and 2000 in which some 80,000 people were killed and tensions between them have run high since over the peace agreement, which has yet to be fully implemented.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 09:03 ||
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Riyadh, 27 June (AKI) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has announced an amnesty for Islamist terrorists, Saudi newspaper reports said on Tuesday.The monarch revealed his plan for a new amnesty during a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Monday, the daily Arab News reported. The announcement comes amid a crackdown on extremism in the kingdom. Forty suspected terrorists have been arrested in the last two months. Last Friday, six suspects and one policeman were killed in a gun battle between the police and extremists.
A similar amnesty two years ago encouraged six extremists within al-Qaeda cells in Saudi Arabia to give themselves up to police within the space of one month. They were released after five months.
"Go forth and sin no more!"
Since the al-Qaeda terrorist network launched a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia three years ago, 150 people - including foreigners and police officers - have been killed in bomb attacks and shootings. More than 130 suspected terrorists have also been killed.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 08:41 ||
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Sheikh Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, acting director of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the Makkah region, said that it gives these deviant men a chance to seek redemption. It offers a chance for these people to return to God, he said.
Police arrested 1,311 persons and recovered six firearms along with four rounds of bullet during its countrywide special drives in the last 24 hours ending at 6 am on Monday, reports BSS. The recovered firearms include; one revolver, three shutter-guns and two pistols, a police headquarters Press release said.
Of the arrested, one was identified terrorists, 904 were under warrants for arrest and 401 accused in under investigation cases. Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Jhenaidah, Madaripur, Narail, Barisal district police and RAB-3 Dhaka conducted the drives. The number of pending cases in the country was 1,24,460 till today.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 13:35 ||
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Six firearms and only 4 bullets!
That's not even one round apiece!
#5
The mythical "Shutter-Gun" only exists in the misty memories of Bangla folklore and the RAB evidence locker, in its own special tungsten-shelled, velvet-lined case. There is only one, and when Rab-7 has it out on a crossfire call, Rab-9 has to make do with a "country-made" weapon.
Two people were arrested under the Terrorism Act earlier today during a series of raids in Bolton. Greater Manchester police said around 250 officers were involved in the operation overall, with around 50 officers directly taking part in the arrests of the two, who are believed to be men. The suspects are believed to have gathered information that could be useful to terrorists. Police said the operation was not linked to other anti-terror investigations around the country.
A total of seven addresses in the Tonge Moor and Great Lever areas of Bolton were raided this morning, including the homes of the men, which police entered at around 6.30am. Officers from the force's anti-terror unit were involved in the operation. None of the officers involved in the arrests and searches were armed, police said.
Greater Manchester police's acting assistant chief constable, David Jones, said: "Today's operation was to target individuals suspected of possession of information which could be used in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism," the Manchester Evening News reported. Mr Jones went on: "This action was taken after careful consideration of a possible threat against national security." Police said officers had liaised with members of the local community to minimise the operation's impact on local people.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 12:02 ||
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Oh. I thought from the headline that now John Bolton was doing terrorist raids.
London, 27 June (AKI) - A 21-year-old male from the northern British city of Bradford and a 28-year-old man from London are to appear in court on charges under Britain's Terrorism 2000 Act. The 21-year-old is accused of conspiracy to murder and to cause public nuisance by use of poisons and/or explosives to cause disruption, fear or injury. The unspecified charges against the 28-year-old, also arrested during the same international terrorism investigation, relate to a separate matter, Britain's West Yorkshire police stressed, quoted by the Guardian newspaper.
Both men were arrested on 6 June in an operation linked to the detention of a man at Manchester Airport in northern Britain. The arrests were not related to the controversial 2 June police raid on a house in Forest Gate, east London during which a young Muslim man, Abdul Kahar was accidentally shot in a struggle with armed police as they searched for a suspected chemical bomb last Friday. There was also no connection to last year's coordinated 7 July suicide bombings of central London's transport system, police said.
Also on Tuesday, two people were arrested by anti-terrorism police during a series of dawn raids on several properties in the northern British town of Bolton, police said, adding that the operation was not linked to any other recent anti-terrorism raids. Police did not release any further details of the arrests, but the suspects are believed to be male, the Independent newspaper reported.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 08:44 ||
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I'd bet a great deal of money that they are all followers of the paedophile prophet.
(KUNA) -- Washington is considering deploying the Navy's Aegis cruiser Shiloh, which is equipped with an advanced missile defense system, to areas around Japan as part of efforts to deal with North Korea's preparations to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile, Japanese media reported Monday. The deployment would move up the US government's original schedule of stationing the Shiloh in August at the US naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, Kyodo News Agency said, citing US government sources.
Japan has already mobilized an Aegis-equipped destroyer of the Maritime Self-Defense Force amid growing worries about North Korea's preparations to test fire a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile. The Shiloh would be deployed in two weeks at the earliest, according to the report. In an interceptor test last Thursday off Hawaii, a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor fired by the Shiloh successfully shot down a warhead separated from a ballistic missile outside the earth's atmosphere. US President George W. Bush will make a final decision on the early deployment of the Shiloh and on whether to intercept the Taepodong-2, the report said.
Japan and the US are jointly developing an upgraded version of the SM-3 interceptor to make it capable of shooting down long-range intercontinental missiles. The joint project began after North Korea launched a Taepodong-1 missile in 1998, part of which flew over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. Pyongyang agreed on a missile-test moratorium a year later in 1999 -- a commitment it has upheld to date although it maintains the 1998 launch was a satellite-delivering multistage rocket.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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Don't fergit the USAF flyboyz - China is reportedly sending submarines and its newest destroyers to the area, likely to protect = watch North Korea from the USA. NORTH KOREA can't lose by keeping silent - can claim yet another decadent American "mistake", proof of Amer-specific arrogance and bellicosity, one mistake of many Amer "mistakes" around the world post 9-11; vs de facto "act of war" against North Korea by destroying NK = anti-Chinese Chinese property.
#3
Not ready apperently. I know I saw a test firing on TV a while back and it works. It's a chemical Laser mounted in a 747 or 767 airframe. It only takes a tiny hole and your missle is scattered scrap metal.
#4
Better git movin. These boys don't fool around. When they decide to do something, they move fast. Remember when they busted the UN seals off the doors to the reprocessing facilities or whatever?
Posted by: grb ||
06/27/2006 3:15 Comments ||
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#6
I would just laugh my ass off if we shot down the Nork missle. That would be the ultimate diplomacy move while showing force.
"We took away your toy 'cus you been bad. Now go sit in time out!"
#7
Darth, I completly agree. The only worrisome thing is that our antimissile system is "still in beta" and stands a good chance of missing. That would make us a laughingstock.
That said, hell yes it would be enjoyable to see the launch, arc, oops 'boom'! Then a pic of an old grandma wagging her finger and saying "naughty boys"...
#11
lol, Kelly & LOD. Very good points. Actually, I prefer to kill it before it even gets off the ground and that way we don't have to worry about it (our defenses) missing.
Posted by: BA ||
06/27/2006 13:20 Comments ||
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Attacking it pre-launce would be an act of war. Once it's in boost phase and over open ocean, it's fair game.
More details from the Brussel's Journal.
From the desk of Paul Belien on Mon, 2006-06-26 21:38 The Belgian state is no longer able to guarantee the security of its citizens. On Saturday afternoon Guido Demoor, a 54-year old Flemish train conductor on his way to work, was kicked to death by six youths on a crowded bus near Antwerps Central Station. The incident recalls the rush-hour murder ten weeks ago of Joe Van Holsbeeck, 17 years of age, in a crowded Brussels Central Station on 12 April.
Guido Demoor, a father of two, intervened when six youths got on bus 23 in Antwerp and began to intimidate passengers. There were some forty people on the bus. Demoor asked the youths to calm down, whereupon they turned on him, savagely beating and kicking the man. At the next stop thirty passengers fled the bus. The thugs kept beating Demoor. They then pulled the emergency brake and jumped from the bus leaving their victim to die.
Three Moroccans, two of whom are minors, were arrested today. The website of the Dutch paper De Stentor reports tonight that a fourth suspect, believed to be the ringleader, fled into a shop as the police were poised to arrest him. He managed to escape from the shop when dozens of youths came to his rescue. Witnesses had described the culprits as immigrant youths of between 18 and 21 years of age. During the weekend the police had called for witnesses as only four people had come forward. The police offered the witnesses absolute confidentiality and promised not to reveal their identities. Obviously people fear reprisals, Gazet van Antwerpen wrote today.
Belgians do not have a constitutional or legal right to bear arms, not even purely defensive arms such as peppersprays. With the police and the government failing to protect law-abiding citizens the latter are, however, totally unprotected. Saturdays murder has shocked bus drivers and train conductors, but they stress that they are not in the least surprised. Violence on public transport has become a fact of life.
You see what happens if you intervene, one of Guido Demoors colleagues at Belgian Rail is quoted in the newspaper De Morgen today. If Guido had not opened his mouth he would still be alive. [...] He was a good man. I would not have dared to do what Guido did. I was beaten up once and since then I have become very careful.
Another colleague told the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: After the Van Holsbeeck murder some whined that no-one had intervened. Guido did intervene and paid with his life. After the assassination of Joe Van Holsbeeck Belgiums Cardinal Danneels had said that Joe was a victim of the indifference in Belgian society because no-one had come to his rescue when two youths stabbed him to death for not handing over his MP3 player.
Today the Cardinal issued a statement saying: Guido Demoor acted very bravely. The fact that he paid with his life does not mean that he acted wrongly. In contemporary Belgium it is heroic for an unarmed adult to tell immigrant youths to calm down.
An Antwerp bus driver told De Morgen: These youths can be very aggressive. If you say one wrong word they throw themselves on you. I do not dare to say anything. I keep my mouth shut. Public transport passengers declared: They call you names in a language you do not understand, shouting and abusing you. What can you do? Who can you call for help? I do not know.
A train conductor told Het Nieuwsblad: This incident happened on a bus, but it could also have happened on a train. To be honest, I have been working in Brussels Midi Station [where the international trains from Paris and London arrive] for 27 years and I am happy to be still alive. I have been eye to eye with aggressive pickpockets on many occasions. These men have no qualms about hurting people. I am not sure that I would intervene if I witness an incident. I do not want to risk my life.
The unrest among railroad employees after the Demoor murder is huge. Some want to go on strike to pressure the government to give them protection. The Independent Union of Train Personnel (OVS), however, has asked its members not to strike. Laying down our work would only harm the passengers and make them the victims of incidents for which they are not to blame, OVS spokesman Hugo De Rycke said. He stressed, however, that the authorities have to do something. De Rycke explained that bus 23 on which Demoor was murdered is known to be dangerous. Because [bus 23] is so dangerous Belgian Rail at one point provided taxis to take employees to work [in Antwerps Central Station]. However, the taxi service was abolished because it proved too expensive, he said.
Problems occur not only in major Belgian cities, such as Antwerp and Brussels, but also in provincial towns, such as Sint-Niklaas. Last week bus drivers in Sint-Niklaas refused to drive out in protest against the aggressive behaviour of immigrant youths on the buses. In todays De Morgen drivers, who have all asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, relate experiences of buses being demolished while en route and of youths harassing girls, who beg the driver to protect them. One of the drivers said: If they refuse to buy a ticket I leave it. I do not want to be beaten up for one and a half euros.
Another driver said: Last week an old man was beaten up on my bus. The youths were angry because he did not put away his luggage fast enough. They hit him on the eye and threw the luggage on his lap. [...] A bus drive lasts forty minutes. Sometimes they pester and provoke you for a full forty minutes. I remain calm, but some of my colleagues are not able to do so and get into trouble. If I ever get into trouble, I will do as one colleague did recently. He left his vehicle at the bus station and got off, never to return to this job. Guido Demoor never even got off the bus.
#2
Now I accept the European, and particularly Belgian, assertion that they are far more evolved than Americans. The presumption that this is a good thing is what's most pathetic.
#5
Every conductor, bus driver, and anyone else in the "public" sector (school teachers, police officers, social services workers, etc.) should receive MANDATORY karate training to the brown or black belt level, and be given a license to use their skills to "quell" "youth violence". If a few (hundred) heads get broken, tough bananas. Also give every non-muslim person with a clean record equal training. This sh$$ would stop the second time the muzzies pulled something like this.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
06/27/2006 16:13 Comments ||
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#6
One more reason to be thankful for the Second Amendment. If the Europeans don't wake up they'll be the next 'race' to meekly board the cattle cars to the 'showers'.
#7
I think it's weird that Europeans say Americans are too individualistic. The reality is that Europeans are far more individualistic. None of them came forward, as a group, to rescue the conductor. This is not simply European individualism, it is narcissism - it is every man for himself.
All six suspects in the bashing death of a 54-year-old man on an Antwerp bus on Saturday night have been arrested, the city's prosecution office said on Tuesday. Five suspects were arrested on Monday night and it was confirmed on Tuesday morning the sixth suspect had also been detained. The suspects have been identified as three youths aged 16 and three adults aged 18, 20 and 22. Five suspects are Belgian citizens and one is a Spaniard. All suspects are of Moroccan ancestry, leading to renewed talk about ethnic crime.
All six suspects live in Antwerp, three of whom are known to justice authorities. The three minors will appear before a juvenile court judge later on Tuesday and the adults will appear before an investigating judge. They are currently suspected of manslaughter. ...
Posted by: ed ||
06/27/2006 11:01 ||
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Well, what a surprise. All the "youths" are Moroccan Muzzies. Can't be guilty of murder. Must have been humiliated and provoked into a rage.
#2
Yep. those bits of information were apparently deemed "inconvenient" yesterday. The title linky thing was empty, unfortunately, so we don't know if it was AP or Rooters or AFP who "cleaned" the story.
Oh my, did the sensitive Euros goof here big time! You're never to discuss "ethnic" issues unless of course when one is condenming white European oppressors, preferrably males.
(KUNA) -- An explosion in the popular Turkish costal resort of Antalya killed three people, two Turkish nationals and one Norwegian, and wounded about 25 others Sunday, a local official said. The blast occurred near a waterfall in the tourist area of Manavgat, said Fikret Dayioglu, deputy mayor of Antalya. The cause of the explosion is not known yet. Dayioglu said security forces were called in the area and casualties were identified.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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The cause of the explosion is not known yet. Gosh, let me guess!
#2
Probably Rapid Climate-Change Induced Spontaneous Humobustion. Norweegies and other frozen yokels on vacation go boom all the time. I've heard alGore is on the case.
#4
Likely the Gas Canister Liberation Front, they get blamed for these all the time.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 11:58 Comments ||
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Norwegian suicide bombers?
What the heck the Norwegians got their panties in a wad about?
Do you suppose the herring lobby is at it again?
Or was it some of that Norwegian moonshine 180 proof white lightning stuff going up spontaneously?
ISLAMABAD: A security official was killed and another injured in two separate blasts in Pakistan on Tuesday, a news agency reported. A security official was killed when he stepped on a landmine near the southwestern Pakistani town of Dera Bugti in Balochistan. The landmine went off when the security man was on a routine patrol.
A police official received serious injuries when three-story building crashed to the ground due after a blast at the weapon's depot of the police lines at Pibi in Nowshera district of Pakistani Punjab. The blast occurred at 6:15 am injuring the official, identified as Manzoor. The deafening boom triggered panic among the locals. Soon after the blast, senior army, air force and police officials and a fire brigade team of rushed to the scene.
Police officials immediately removed ammunition, rockets launchers, explosive materials and others weapons from the depot and shifted them to a safer place.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 12:08 ||
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SRINAGAR: Eight people were killed in Indian-held Kashmir, including four Islamic militants shot dead in a gunbattle while trying to cross over from Azad Kashmir, police said Monday. They said 14 militants were trying to sneak across the Line of Control when the gunbattle took place Sunday around 150 kilometres from Srinagar. "The gunbattle continued for several hours and the bodies of four militants were later found at the scene," a police spokesman said. The others were believed to have fled into dense forests nearby. A fifth militant was killed elsewhere in a bid to flush out militants from a village, he said.
Meanwhile a former militant who was helping Indian security personnel in anti-insurgency operations was shot dead by suspected Islamic rebels at Bandipora, 60 kilometres from Srinagar, he said. Two other people, one a police constable, were found in other locations with their throats slit after separate incidents, the spokesman said.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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QUETTA: Two personnel of the Taftan Levies were kidnapped in an attack by a criminal gang at a checkpoint in Noshki on Monday morning, and were later rescued by security forces after a clash which left one gang-member dead. "More than 10 men on six motorcycles attacked Gilangoor Check Post at 4am. They surrounded the checkpoint and injured two soldiers, Ghulam Rabbani and Ghulam Nabi, before kidnapping levies risaldars Haji Safar Khan and Ghulam Mustafa and leaving," one levies official said. "Local administration officials and personnel of the Frontier Corps soon arrived at the scene." He said that the security forces chased the attackers and caught up with them in Sarband. One of the attackers was killed in the ensuing clash while another was captured, he said. The security forces also rescued the kidnapped personnel, he said. "The killed militant, Safar Khan, was wanted in more than 50 cases," said Pasand Khan Buledi, the Noshki district administrative officer.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
What about the Kohanim? *ducks*
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
06/27/2006 0:06 Comments ||
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QUETTA: The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on Monday claimed responsibility for Sunday night's rocket attacks in Quetta and warned of similar attacks in the future. A man calling himself Azad Baloch and claiming to be a spokesman for the banned organisation told reporters at the Quetta Press Club on telephone that the BLA had fired the rockets, one of which landed near the Combined Military Hospital in the cantonment. He said that the BLA was "at war with the state of Pakistan for the rights of the Baloch". "Military installations were the actual target of the assault. More attacks will be carried out unless the Baloch people are granted their just rights," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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Terrific photo! ;)
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
06/27/2006 1:46 Comments ||
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MIRANSHAH: Unidentified men attacked five members of a criminal gang and killed its ringleader in Shawal in North Waziristan on Monday morning. The ringleader, Guldar, was killed in the attack. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Taliban had warned the group against criminal activities, residents said. The Associated Press reported that four of Guldar's relatives had also been killed in the attack.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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(KUNA) -- A suicide attack Monday on a military checkpost in Pakistani tribal agency of North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, killed seven including six soldiers and the suicide attacker, said officials. The attack occurred when a suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden jeep into a military checkpost near Miramshah, the regional headquarters, military spokesman, Shaukat Sultan said while talking to KUNA. He said the suicide attack, second in less than two months, killed six soldiers and the suicide attacker. He added that ten soldiers were also wounded.
The attack comes a day after local Taliban militants announced to hold ceasefire in the agency to find a peaceful solution of unrest in the agency through grand tribal Jirga on the conditions that the military wraps up all checkposts and release arrested tribesmen. Last month, Taliban militants warned the military of suicide attacks if they did not end all newly established checkposts in the region and also did not stop searching women. A suicide attack in the same area last month killed three soldiers and wounded four others.
Among the Mohammedans, the purpose of a ceasefire is to get the other party to let his guard down so he can be devastated in a cunning surprise attack.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
I s'pose it's all right, so long as they have a cunning plan.
#2
You're right Fred. These assholes always sneak off or arrange some truce so that they can reload and come back at night and kill you when you aren't suspecting any action. Never a direct confrontation. By the way, I thought some Pakland Gen Fartblossom just announced he had complete control of Wazzoo areas.
via Hotair.com and this Reuters,
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military will not punish a Marine who performed an obscenity-laced song to a laughing and cheering crowd of fellow troops in Iraq making light of killing Iraqis, the Marine Corps said on Tuesday.
The Marines two weeks ago launched a preliminary inquiry into whether Cpl. Joshua Belile, who returned home from Iraq in March, violated military law or rules in singing the song, a four-minute video of which was posted on the Internet.
In the song, titled "hadji girl," Belile sang to fellow troops at a base in Iraq about encountering an Iraqi woman and her family.
"I grabbed her little sister and put her in front of me. As the bullets began to fly, the blood sprayed from between her eyes, and then I laughed maniacally," he sang. Laughing, clapping and cheers can be heard in the background.
"The preliminary inquiry has been concluded. No punitive action will be taken against Corporal Belile. And there will be no further investigation," said Maj. Shawn Haney, a spokeswoman at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina.
Haney said the inquiry ruled out any violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Another Marine Corps official, who asked not to be named because details of the inquiry are private, said poor taste, poor judgment and poor timing, not to mention offensive lyrics, do not necessarily amount to criminal conduct.
Belile, who is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina and is a member of a band called the Sweater Kittenz, this month apologized if the song hurt anyone's feelings.
He told the Daily News in Jacksonville, North Carolina, the song was "supposed to be funny," with lyrics based on lines from the 2004 satirical movie "Team America: World Police."
The video's existence came to light at a time when the military is investigating the role of Marines in the deaths of 24 civilians in the city of Haditha in November. Last week, the military charged seven Marines and a Navy medic with premeditated murder in the killing of an Iraqi civilian in April.
#2
An update from Cpl Belile -- at Hotair.com sent to Michelle:
Update: A Malkin exclusive Cpl. Belile speaks.
I want everyone to know that Ive read every e-mail, and every message that came my way, and out of nearly 1300 messages, I had one single message that was negative
I am planning on recording and releasing a professionally produced and engineered version of Hadji Girl which will be aired on the Mike Church show, and will be available for sale through their web site within the coming weeks. I have decided to take this step to show that I am in full support of every Americans right his or her own freedom of speech, military or civilian to include my own. As long as I am representing only myself and my thoughts and opinions I am within my legal rights as an American.
If you dont want to listen to my music, Im sure your volume knob works as well as mine.
Posted by: Matt ||
06/27/2006 15:20 Comments ||
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#4
Since the lad is unlikely to have a 'successful' career in the MC, he now has the opportunity to exercise his right under Article 137 of the Uniform Code of Miitary Justice -
Any member of the armed forces who believes himself wronged by his commanding officer, and who, upon due application to that commanding officer, is refused redress, may complain to any superior commissioned officer, who shall forward the complaint to the officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction over the officer against whom it is made. The officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction shall examine into the complaint and take proper measures for redressing the wrong complained of; and he shall, as soon as possible, send to the Secretary concerned a true statement of that complaint, with the proceedings had thereon.
It's a nuke handgrenade. It'll take out the officers who pursue this crap to the level they did. Congress put it in the UCMJ to protect Americans from those who abuse their authority. When you have less than a minute to review personnel files for promotion, future commadn selection, or advanced military schooling, a little piece of paper in one's official personnel military record can become a big discriminator. Go for it Cpl Belile!
#6
This is too funny. My buddies up at Al Asad used to listen to this guy's band play once in a while. They said he was pretty good. Obviously CAIR & Al'Reuters did not read all the lyrics or listened to the song in its proper context - amongst hard working Marines in Iraq! If so, there would be no story. Further, some other guy posted the video to my space - Belile didn't even know about it until the investigation hit.
The song is about a jarhead who falls in love w/an iraqi broad. She brings him home to "meet the family" which is really an ambush her dad and brother have planned for him. The Marine in question uses the younger sister as a human shield when the dad and brother's pull their AK's on him. The Marine then uses their t.v. set for cover, pulls out his M-16 and kills them. Brilliant. Makes more sense to me then that shit coming out of most car speakers today.
God I hate the f*cking msm & the politicians in uniform.
#9
No problem. The msm seems to think that anyone w/a computer will not double check them. Fortunately those of us in the mil have access to military newspapers. For me, it's the Marine Corps Times who dedicated about two good pages to Cpl Belile's investigation, they had the whole song in it. Just good gallows humor; much adoo about nothing as they say. Personally, I really wish he hadn't apologized.
#11
I also wonder how much the thousands of irate phone calls that the Marine Corps fielded over this had to do with the non-issue decision. LGF published the contact information for the Marines' Public Affairs Office, and LOTS of people took the time to give the Marine brasshats a piece of their mind. I know that I did : invoked Judas and Dante's Inferno in my polite but angry rant.
#13
He -- I even sent an email to SGTMAJ Estrada (Blackfive site) and even got an answer back!
Sherry,
I appreciate you taking the time to express your feelings concerning some recent allegations about the treatment of our Marines involved. Obviously there is an ungoing investigation into the allegations which I cannot comment on right now, but don't believe everything you read in the press or hear/see on TV. I assure you that everyone involved with the recent events are being treated in accordance with our Laws, which is innocent until proven guilty as you have mentioned.
Know this, the Commandant and I love and care about all of our Marines, which is why we have consistently visited with them over the past three years every where in the world. They have been doing a magnificient job for our Nation and Corps. I thank you for your support of them and their families.
JLE
--------------------------
Sent from my HQMC Wireless Handheld
#15
Will Dunham is the guy at Reuters who wrote this up. The funny thing is that he reminds me of some whackjob college journalists in his selective use of facts to distort the truth. I guess he was one of those guys back in college.
This a good news article. Iraqi forces are there in numbers, and are working effectively. The locals respect the Iraqi forces. The op is working, and shows promise of finally holding Ramadi.
Im surprised anyone from the Times other than John Burns would write something this positive.
Im not quite sure whats got y'alls knickers in a twist. That he indicates that much of Ramadi is out of coalition control? Hell, thats a fact. That he indicates the locals dont like Americans much? This is Ramadi folks, not Kirkuk or Najaf - its also a fact. That he leaves out the context that other parts of Anbar are in better shape - well he actually is IN Ramadi, though i can see where it COULD be deliberate spin.
Or that he leads with US casualties? Which, though real, hardly would seem to be the most newsworthy thing about whats going in Ramadi - if id written it, Id certainly have included that, but not opened the article with it.
But look, he had to get it past the editors in NY. And the lead may just get some folks who are skeptics of what we're doing to actually read the article - when they read down and see how the Iraqi army is actually effective they will be in for a shock. Maybe this is MORE effective for us than something on Fox, that only the already converted actually watch.
(KUNA) -- Member of the Riyadh Municipality Council Habis Naji Ali survived assassination by unknown gunmen on Sunday in southwestern Kirkuk. Iraqi police sources told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that Ali was shot in the head and was transported alive to a nearby hospital in Riyadh area for treatment.
In a similar incident, an Iraqi civilian was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Askari neighborhood in Hwaijah district, west of Kirkuk Meanwhile, the Iraqi police found and dismantled nine mortar rounds, two rocket-propelled grenades, and two artillery shells in Daqoq district in Kirkuk.
An explosive device went off targeting an Iraqi Army patrol near the Agricultural Department in Hwaijah district, while another bomb targeted a military patrol on a road between Riyadh and Abbasi, but no damages or injuries were reported in the attacks. Two other explosive devices were also detonated targeting Multi-National Force units on a road between Kirkuk and Riyadh and on a road between Kirkuk and Baghdad, but no damages or injuries were reported in the attacks.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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(KUNA) -- Iraqi forces arrested eight members of a terrorist cell specialized in making bombs in Baghdad's northern and southern suburbs, said a Multi-National Force (MNF) statement Monday. According to the statement, three safe-houses were raided by coalition forces in Baghdad. These raids were part of a security crackdown called "Operation Forward Together" which started earlier this month. The detainees are suspected of being involved in making improvised explosive devices that killed and injured MNF soldiers last March and in a rocket attack at Baghdad's airport in April.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
There sure are a lot of bomb makers in Baghdad; just think how productive the country could be if all that work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit was directed into something useful.
(KUNA) -- Three people, including an Iraqi soldier, were killed in seperate incidents of violence in Diyala province northeast of the capital Baghdad on Monday, Iraqi police said. A statement by the joint coordination center said an Iraqi soldier was shot dead by gunmen in Muqdadiya north of Baaquba in Diyala.
Meanwhile, gunmen killed a civilian in Baaquba market which also witnessed the killing of another civilian in a separate incident today, the statement added. Earlier in the day, Iraqi forces arrested eight members of a terrorist cell specialized in making bombs in Baghdad's northern and southern suburbs, said a Multi-National Force (MNF) statement today. According to the statement, three safe houses were raided by coalition forces in Baghdad. These raids were part of a security crackdown called "Operation Forward Together" which started earlier this month. The detainees are suspected of being involved in making improvised explosive devices that killed and injured MNF soldiers last March and in a rocket attack at Baghdad's airport in April.(
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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(KUNA) -- At least 10 Iraqis were killed and some 40 injured in a huge explosion in the city of Hilla south of Baghdad, police at Babel said. Captain Muthanna Abul Hareth, police spokesman at Babel, told KUNA that at least 10 civilians were killed when a huge bomb blast took place in the Libraries street in the middle of the market in Hilla. The explosion injured 40 others. Abul Hareth said the number of deaths was likely to increase because there were many people trapped under the rubble. The reasons of the blast are not known yet nor those behind it.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Zarqawi may be gone but his spirit lives on. I guess coalition forces are still needed there, regardless of what Murtha et al say.
(KUNA) -- Two Iraqi civilians were killed and five were injured when an improvised bomb exploded beneath a building on the Qanat street south of the capital. An Iraqi security source said the attack aimed at an Iraqi patrol vehicle, while a similar attack killed a civilian and injured five in the Amin district. Four civilians were however killed including them a teacher after armed clashes occurred in Baqouba.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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(KUNA) -- Three Iraqi civilians were killed on Monday in two separate attacks in Hwaijah district in northern Iraq. An Iraqi police source told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that unknown gunmen opened fire on a commercial store in Hwaijah district, west of Kirkuk, killing two civilians instantly. A third Iraqi civilian was killed by gunmen in a separate attack.
In another incident, the Iraqi police in Mosul was able to foil the abduction of an Iraqi citizen in Aljazaer neighborhood in western Mosul. The police force clashed with the gunmen, who were wounded and arrested by the security forces.
Meanwhile, a suicide bomber blew himself up targeting an on-foot Iraqi commandos patrol in Doura neighborhood in southern Baghdad. An Iraqi Interior Ministry source told KUNA that two members of the patrol were killed and four others were wounded, while nearby commercial stores suffered property damages.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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But it's not at all clear what it really is committing to.
A dramatic change in policy by the militant Palestinian group could lead to a national coalition and the start of negotiations with Israel
AS ISRAELI tanks massed on Gazas borders last night, Hamas executed a dramatic shift in policy to reach an agreement that implicitly recognises Israel.
The militant Palestinian groups surprise move could see the Hamas-led Government anathema to Israel and the West replaced within weeks by a national unity coalition.
Details of the agreement remained unclear, but Palestinians hoped that the prospect of the secular Fatah party and other factions joining the Government might end international sanctions, and make it possible for Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate President, to restart negotiations with Israel.
But those hopes depend on the immediate military crisis being resolved. Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, promised a comprehensive and protracted military operation unless Gilad Shalit, the 19-year-old soldier captured on Sunday, were freed. He later spoke of a limited operation in southern Gaza, targeting terrorist infrastructure.
Last night Israeli missiles struck three bridges along Gazas main north-south highway, in what the military said was an effort to impair the Palestinians ability to move the captive soldier.
As convoys of Israeli tanks took up position just north of Gaza and armoured bulldozers constructed sand berms along the border, Palestinians hastily built defences against attack.
In northern Gaza, from where Palestinian militants have regularly fired rockets into Israeli towns, fighters put up barricades in Jabalya refugee camp, while Islamic Jihad fighters further south posed with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, AK47s, bomb belts made of ball bearings and explosives packed into disinfectant bottles.
The men conceded that they had nothing to match Israels F16 fighters and Merkava tanks. But, one said: We have exploding bodies.
Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, pleaded for restraint. Egypt moved 2,500 troops to Gazas southern border to prevent a mass exodus of Palestinians, and urged Hamas to release Corporal Shalit.
The Popular Resistance Committees, a militant group with close ties to Hamas, said that the soldier was being held in a safe place that the Zionists cannot reach. The PCC was one of the three groups who seized Corporal Shalit in a daring tunnel raid on Kerem Shalom military base, and are now demanding the release of Palestinian women and child prisoners.
As Hamass military wing took joint responsibility for the attack, its political wing was ending its power struggle with Mr Abbas by apparently accepting a national unity plan that the President had threatened to put to a referendum.
Hamas has long advocated the destruction of Israel, but the plan calls for a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza territories captured by Israel in 1967 implicitly recognising Israels existence in the rest of historic Palestine.
However, the original document, drawn up by Palestinian prisoners from all factions, does not mention a two-state solution or Israels right to exist. Its already ambiguous language may also have been watered down in recent talks.
Walid Awad, a spokesman for Mr Abbas, said that Mr Abbas would insist on any new government accepting the three international demands that have been made of Hamas: recognising Israel, renouncing violence and abiding by previous agreements.
This is the basic point on which the President and Fatah have concentrated that its programme has to be acceptable to the international community, Mr Awad said.
Mushir al-Masri, a rising star in Hamas, again made clear that while his group acknowledged the reality of Israels existence it did not recognise the Jewish states legitimacy. He also said that it had agreed only to focus future attacks in the West Bank and Gaza, not to confine them to the occupied territories.
Israel, meanwhile, dismissed the agreement as an irrelevance as long as an Israeli soldier remained captive. Mark Regev, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, said:
Its a tragedy that the responsible Palestinian leadership was not giving its full attention to the release of our soldier. We really are at the edge of a cliff. If he is not released we will be forced to take actionto bring about his release.
#1
I'm not sure how much you can trust a dramatic change of heart that comes only when tanks are massed at the border. My guess is when the tanks are withdrawn, Hamas will change its mind again.
#7
This is just a ploy by Hamas when faced with a massive assault by the IDF. It is too late. Their missile attacks and kidnap ops were done. They are acts of war. Clean out Hamas, then talk all you want with the Paleos to your heart's content, Israel.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
06/27/2006 20:45 Comments ||
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#8
I am troubled that Israel is talking limited action in southern gaza.
#11
3dc and spod are spot on. The reason we are still f*&king with Hamas is because of the UN and EU wanting moderation and a soft approach. Crush them, thats what they understand and more importantly that is what they will respect. When they know they will be destroyed for their actions they will not act.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
06/27/2006 22:26 Comments ||
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ISRAEL has carried out an air strike on the main power station in the Gaza Strip, triggering a fire and plunging Gaza City into darkness, witnesses said.
The attack follows similar raids that hit two bridges in the centre of the territory.
Israeli tanks and troops have closed in on the area following the capture of an Israeli soldier in a Palestinian militant attack on Sunda
#1
So now they're sitting in the dark -- no antisemitic cartoons for the children, no hate-filled rants for the adults, no news of the brave Lions of Islam heroically beating back the Zionist invaders... and the refrigerator won't remain cold for more than a few hours, even if the children don't keep opening the door to get a drink, and they haven't been able to get petrol to fuel the back-up generator for simply ages! Nonetheless, this isn't the threat to life that cutting off the water would be, which should keep the EU, Muslims, and other sympathizers quiet for a while...
#6
Have they taken the power out before? This seems like a more serious event than any I can remember. Goodness knows how long it will take the Paleos to get it back on...
#13
Laurence, Fox indicated that the three "functioning" turbines and a gasoline reservoir were completely engulfed in flames; whatever passes for firefighters in paleo-land are unable to do anything but watch it all burn.
#14
Scooter - Excellent... I need to turn on the TV and have a virtual marshmellow roast. :)
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats ||
06/27/2006 20:42 Comments ||
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#15
#1 & #4. Without electricity to pump water, I bet it's already cut off. And if they have sewer systems at all and if they use lift stations, things might get a whole lot smellier.
#1
Israel Attacks Gaza Bridge, Brings In Troops
UPI)
Israel has been pushing troops into the territory since Sunday, when Palestinian militants killed two Israel soldiers and abducted a third.
A missile fired by Israeli planes struck a bridge in the Gaza Strip Tuesday, according to the BBC.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/27/2006 18:02 Comments ||
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Israeli planes attacked a bridge in central Gaza late Tuesday, Israel Radio reported, and Israeli tanks were said to be on the move, possibly signaling the start of a military operation.
Palestinian security forces said Israeli tanks were moving near the Israeli village of Nahal Oz, a main Israeli staging area just outside Gaza, but that they had not yet entered Gaza.
In the Shajaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City, not far from the border fence, armed militants took up positions across from the blaring headlights of Israeli vehicles, and Israeli attack helicopters hovered overhead. The militants told residents to leave the area.
Israeli military officials said a limited operation has been authorized for southern Gaza, aimed at "terrorist infrastructure." The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.
Israel has been massing troops and armor around Gaza since Sunday, when Palestinian militants tunneled under the border and attacked an Israeli army post at a Gaza crossing, killing two soldiers and abducting a third.
Anticipating an invasion, Palestinian militants piled up sand on roads near the border and in Gaza City. "We are ready to confront any stupid act that the Zionists might commit," said Abu Obeida, spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Palestinian parliament.
The group also claimed that militants from various factions had taken up positions throughout northern Gaza.
Egyptian officials said the government asked Hamas to release the soldier and has deployed 2,500 extra troops along the border with Gaza to prevent an influx of Palestinians if Israel invades. Egypt also imposed a nighttime curfew on residents along the border.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/27/2006 18:04 Comments ||
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#5
Haaretz:
An Israel Air Force aircraft attacked the main bridge between Gaza City and Khan Yunis on Monday, in an effort to prevent miltants from transporting kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit within Gaza.
According to information gleaned by the Palestinian Authority, Shalit is being held in the Khan Younis refugee camp and are trying to prevent his captors from moving him elsewhere, possibly to the Jabalya refugee camp.
The sources told Haaretz that according to intelligence information that had reached Egypt, the leaders of Hamas' military wing who are holding Shalit considered smuggling him into the Egyptian part of Rafah through Palestinian tunnels in the area. The idea is to increase the freedom of movement for the abductors who fear that Palestinians in Gaza might disclose information about his whereabouts.
A senior IDF Military Intelligence officer said Tuesday that the Israel Defense Forces is working on the assumption that the soldier kidnapped in an attack on an IDF position Sunday is being held in southern Gaza.
A member of one of the militant groups that claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack said Tuesday that the abducted soldier is being held in a "secure place."
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/27/2006 18:09 Comments ||
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#6
"Conan, what is the best thing in life?"
"To defeat your enemy, burn their village and to hear the lamentations of the women"
#9
"We are ready to confront any stupid act that the Zionists might commit," said Abu Obeida, spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Palestinian parliament......
Alas for the poor boo boos the Zionists will not be committing any stupid acts.
This is going to hurt.
Posted by: kelly ||
06/27/2006 18:55 Comments ||
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#10
They need to roll the Palis to the sea and be done with it. They had their chance game over.
#11
I've sent out for the extra deluxe vegetable platter, and I'm baking brownies. Coffee and tea for those who need it, and a few bottles of the hard stuff for the gentlemen who can't drink beer at such times. It's going to be a long night (I hope!). Go Israel -- break lots of things and kill those who need killing!
Nb: this is the first time I ever heard of the Palestinians suggesting that civilians get out of the way since April, 1948. And I find it fascinating that Egypt is guarding its border against refugees. "Not our problem, guys!"
#15
Mike Tobin on Fox just noted that Arafat would publicly give an order for peace and privately give the order for violence. In answer to a question about whether we are seeing a split between the military and political wings of Hamas.
#18
"We are ready to confront any stupid act that the Zionists might commit," said Abu Obeida, spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Palestinian parliament.
I'd like to see how Obeida confronts the single greatest stupid act of the Israelis. Namely, letting all of these slimeballs waste oxygen for the last few decades. Explain that one.
#21
Praying for the hard-boys to try and stop them. Watch them keel over with bullet-holes
Posted by: Charles ||
06/27/2006 20:03 Comments ||
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#22
Israel needs to take out the leadership of Hamas now. They have had their chance. This is not just the issue with the kidnapped IDF soldier. A message needs to be sent to the West Bank terrorists, as well as those in Southern Lebanon (Hizb'allah et al).
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
06/27/2006 20:11 Comments ||
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#23
Alaska Paul, agree competely. I hope IDF does not hold back. I personally belive trooper is dead. Paleos are savages. Israel, this is an opportunity; don't blow it!
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
06/27/2006 20:42 Comments ||
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#24
Mohammad Nazal, a Damascus-based member of the Hamas politburo, said the militant group would not agree to free the Israeli soldier "without a deal."
"No release without something in return," he told AP. "This is the popular demand and we cannot let down our people."
I don't think this is the "something in return" he had in mind...
#26
...and evvvvverybody loves the Palis
. Egyptian officials said their government asked Hamas to release the soldier and deployed 2,500 extra soldiers along the border with Gaza to prevent an influx of Palestinians if Israel invaded. Egypt also imposed a nighttime curfew on residents along the border.
#29
kinda like Sammi's sand trench and sand berm defenses in GW1. Sand's good for burying the dumb f*ckers hiding behind or in the defenses. "Vroom vroom Clank Clank", I think, is the operative phrase
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/27/2006 22:47 Comments ||
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#30
Israel had better finish the mission quickly, before Bush succumbs to demands that he 'demand' Israel withdraw.
(IsraelNN.com) According to Arab sources, an explosive device that was detonated in Gaza City earlier this afternoon killed Hamza Muharab, a senior member of the operative wing of the Hamas terrorist organization. The explosion occurred near the offices of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Palestinian Authority government.
This may be the earlier reported "car boom".
Arab sources have blamed Israel for the killing. Security sources deny Israeli involvement and say that the explosion was likely a terrorist "work accident".
Earlier report here: Deadly Explosion in Gaza Was Likely a "Work Accident"
(IsraelNN.com) Arab sources report that several people were killed in a large explosion in Gaza City earlier this afternoon. The explosion took place in an area known as gathering area for members of the Gaza-based Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) terrorist group. The PRC claims to hold kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Security sources deny that the explosion was the result of an air force targeted strike. Rather, the sources suggest that several terrorists were likely killed while preparing explosives, commonly referred to as a "work accident".
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 12:23 ||
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#1
Steve: You are correct. And it appears to be a work-related or work-place accident.
Work-place accident appears often on Charles Johnson's Little Green Footballs' site whenever the Pals have one of their, well, you know, work-related BOOMS.
#8
regular attacks on experienced bombmakers mean a lot of guys who make bombs are amateurs. Add that to the intrinsic dangers, its really not that surprising there are so many work accidents.
#12
The political one. They're trying to absolve the elected officials and foreign leaders of responsibility for recent attacks, i.e. to say Israel has no right to go after them.
#13
The ONLY surprising thing here to me is that it was a "senior" member of hamas. Don't they relegate bombings and such to the cannon fodder 72 virgin rank and file?
Maybe he was simply examining the troops and asked "Hey..what does this button do....?" **BOOM**
#15
Indeed, Xbalanke. We get them promoted because it's safest for everyone. (That was how Daddy went from lab technician to PhD professor... it was the insurance payoff after he thoroughly blew up the lab.)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - A massive explosion on Tuesday demolished a car traveling near the residence of President Mahmoud Abbas, killing an unknown number of people inside. The blast scattered debris and baby ducks body parts up to 200 yards away. It was not known who was traveling in the vehicle or how many people were inside.
Count the number of ears and divide by two
The car was traveling on a road between Abbas' residence and the offices of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
Helizap or premature car boomer?
Israel has been threatening tough military action in Gaza since a soldier was abducted by Palestinian militants on Sunday. The Israeli army, which routinely claims responsibility for airstrikes in Gaza, said it was not involved in Tuesday's blast.
"Wazn't us. You'll know when it's us."
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 11:34 ||
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#1
Ummm ... either this is an IAF airstrike, a Mossad "hit," or a bunch of Islamo-nutters suffered a "work-related" accident.
Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to a document backing a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel, officials say. The initiative, which implicitly recognises Israel, was devised by prisoners from Palestinian factions.
Prisoners?
Hamas's charter currently calls for Israel's destruction by force and rules out peace negotiations with it. Officials said the agreement will be unveiled later on Tuesday by Hamas and the leader of its main rival Fatah.
Denounced on Tuesday night, redefined Wednesday morning, rejected Wednesday night, dead on Thursday...
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, of Fatah, proposed holding a referendum on the plan unless Hamas accepted it. The two factions have been locked in an intense power struggle since Hamas gained control of the Palestinian parliament in elections in January.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 08:50 ||
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#1
One for Hamas. One for Fatah.
Posted by: ed ||
06/27/2006 9:03 Comments ||
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#2
In the past they've as much as said that they would agree to conditions now in order to achieve their ultimate goals later. They can't be trusted. So it doesn't matter what they "agree to." What have they ever done to demonstrate integrity (other than adherence to islamic rule domestically)?
After all, Israel pulls out of Gaza, Gaza becomes a staging ground for missle attacks.
#3
Yup, same old same old. Better count your fingers after shaking hands with them. They have shown nothing but duplicity and bad faith towards any agreement. Why would anyone believe Hamas or any of the Islamofacists. They have their own agenda and it is not ours.
Yup - guys like Bargouti, sitting in Israeli jails. Whose imprisonment makes them more immune to charges of treason. Also protects them from getting killed.
The position is of course an opener only, and so far from the mainstream of whats realistic that the Israelis probably wont recognize it as even an opening negotiating position.
The significance is that it represents the beginning of a climbdown from Hamas position on Israel, and a concession made in response to the sanctions on Hamas. On the one hand this shows that sanctions can work, and will encourage the West to use sanctions against the Pals again when needed in the future. OTOH it really undercuts the current sanctions, which the euros will now urgently want to drop. Israel will probably cooperate with dropping them, to a degree, to keep up its improved relations with the Euros (and US govt will want that too) but will probably hold for more to start negotiations, and will retain right to strike back. Meanwhile the issue of the kidnapped soldier remains.
#5
A Fatah/Hamas agreement, between themselves, won't mean diddly in the end.
Both parties believe that the minute they get their internal agreement on recognition and whatever conditions go with that, their decisions are immediately implemented. All the land back, Jeruselum back, right of return for everyone, all prisoners released, yada yada yada.
Israel will not accept their conditions, nor will US (or Canada) and the Pallies will explode with fury at the "duplicity of the devils and thier democracy" and reverse the "recognition"
Back at square one. Rinse and repeat ad infinitum.
#9
Let's explore a real solution. One state. Israel. Right after the whole West Bank/Gaza shithole is decimated and cleaned out. All camel jockeys who survive can relocate to which ever sand trap that will take them.
#11
Me thinks we should drag out a solution we came up with in another war, another time. Only this time substitute Palestinian instead of Vietnamese.
So Israel goes into Palestine and loads all the "good" Palestinians onto to a raft floating off the coast. Then they go back into the land and bomb, blast, and kill everything that is left. Then a final carpet laying of nukes by B-52s to turn the sand into glass. Finally, go out and sink the raft.
#14
Hamas legislator Salah al-Bardaweel told Reuters: "We said we accept a state (in territory occupied) in 1967 -- but we did not say we accept two states."
#16
no i didnt, but thats why they said implicit recognition. Which I agree is not adequate from my POV - i dont think Hamas should be let off the hook cheaper than Fatah was - they should have to sign on to the Oslo accords in full. But the reality right now is that implicit recognition would be enough to force at least loosening the boycott.
Though it seems that Hamas, or at least parts of it, are denying even that. Which I think means there is no such pressure to loosen the boycott. What I hope, is that this means Hamas may be on the point of increasingly bitter internal struggles of its own.
#17
Hamas is going to try to play a version of the same game that Arafat played, namely, say one thing to the westerners, a different thing to the parliment, a different thing yet to the street.
Its not going to be as easy for them as it was for Arafat. There are plenty of Hamas biggies who will say what they actually mean to Westerners.
even if Hamas doesn't break into a 'war of nuance', it is going to make it more difficult (but maybe not impossible) for the EU to pretend that the Paleos have recognized Israel.
The many acts of war committed by the Paleos have also made the situation difficult for the EU because EU biggies bragged about the Hamas truce and the attack showed that the truce didn't exist.
A leader of the Hamas Islamic group today said he believed Israel would give in to the demands of Palestinian militants who kidnapped an Israeli soldier.
Yehieh Mussa also called for international mediation between the sides in the affair that began when Palestinian militants attacked an Israeli army base near the Gaza Strip on Sunday and kidnapped a soldier.
Israel believes the Hamas military wing is holding the soldier, although the group has not confirmed this.
They are going to surrender, they are going to give in, Mussa said in an interview with a website affiliated with Hamas.
International mediation is necessary to help solve the kidnapping crisis, Mussa said. He said international mediators were preferable to Arab interlocutors, including Egypt, because all Arabs should be firmly on the Palestinian side.
Israel believes that Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, is involved in contact with the militants to win the release of the soldier.
#4
These dudes are spun.
Israel is going to come rumbling through there with a heavy armor division and level the entire strip if they don't give that kid back.
I get the feeling that he is already dead and they are trying to buy some time before they find out.
#6
The Euros have some economic influence over Israel. The Arabs have little or no influence of any kind. He's hoping the Euros put a leash on the Israelis.
Good luck. The Israelis are not in a leash-accepting mood, I suspect. And the Euros almost certainly realize that since it is a wing of Hamas that is responsible, this really is a legal grounds for war - or at least sufficiently close that they might want to keep their vaunted moral superiority and adherance to international "law" clean on this one.
#8
What interesting is these yahoos dont understand that they are not on the winning side of this argument. What I mean is they believe the threats, kidnapping, killings, and lies are accepted ways to govern. If I were king for a day I would turn the capital into rubble and then ask for my soldier back. If within 24 no word from the leadership I would move to the next biggest city and so on. After a while the terrorists would either cease to exists or become a lot more complacent. As for the public suffering well they elected Hamas so they can suffer under them.
#9
I agree Cyber Sarge. Israel needs to call the shots. "If you don't return our soldier unharmed, we will take you out." does not cut it. Give them a free introductory offer and then demand the soldier in 6 hours. After that, take out Hamas. Period. I am amazed that the Israelis put up with this. The Euros are Paleo lite. You cannot appease a$$holes and be successful. Same applies to the US vs. a$$holes.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
06/27/2006 11:56 Comments ||
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#10
ok, it could be theyre just bloodthirsty crazies.
But before we assume thats the case, lets think if theres any other explanation for a kidnapping that makes them look bad before the world, and justifies an Israeli incursion.
1. Do we know that Hamas is united? Haniyeh is the PM. That means a nice salary, limo, perks, influence. He has plenty of reason to want to stay in power, and to want to get the money thing settled so he can actually get the perks. Which is presumably why hes talking to Abbas, and maybe really would cut some kind of deal ('we do recognize the EEVIL Zionist entity, and pledge not to destroy it for 20 years, and make that 30 years if we get a pony") On the other hand if the Hamasniks on the ground get more power, that makes Meshal relatively less influential. And any deal that relieves the pressure on Abbas weakens Syria. So maybe this is a group in Gaza thats loyal to Meshal and Syria, and is doing this precisely to provoke an incursion, in order to make it impossible for Haniyeh to make a deal with Abbas.
2. Similar to above, expect Hamas is united, and no part of it is serious about a deal with Abbas. But they are backed into a corner by Abbas proffer of the prisoners plan, and are beginning to lose the battle on the street. In particular, while the dominate Gaza, Fatah is stronger in the West Bank. What we see as an opportunity for popcorn, is to them, a desperate struggle for power and survival. They see themselves as outmaneuvered by Abbas and Dahlan, and they are trying to the one thing that completely undercuts Abbas and Dahlan - provoke an Israeli incursion.
#11
"he believed Israel would give in to the demands of Palestinian militants"
Well now, after one car explosion, one power plant explosion, two bridge explosions... He wouldn't even make a good carnival fortune teller. He will be dead within 24 hours -- that's my prediction.
A LARGE-SCALE military clash loomed in Gaza last night as Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, rejected demands to negotiate for the release of a captive soldier and his army prepared an operation to free the man. Gaza militants who seized Corporal Gilad Shalit after a raid on Sunday had demanded the release of Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails in return for information about his whereabouts. Mr Olmert quickly responded: The question of freeing prisoners is in no way on the Israeli government agenda. There will be no negotiations, no bargaining, no agreements. He was speaking as Israel massed tanks on the border and said that the country was prepared to assassinate senior Palestinians, including the leaders of Hamas, the ruling party. An incursion to free the soldier would be by far the largest move into Gaza since the Israeli withdrawal a year ago.
The military wing of Hamas was one of three armed groups that claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn raid on Sunday, in which the 19-year-old dual French-Israeli citizen was captured. The raid was carried out by armed men who tunnelled from Rafah to Kerem Shalom, a military base just across the border. Two Israeli soldiers were killed as well as two militants.
Mr Olmert put the army on alert for a comprehensive and protracted operation unless the 19-year-old corporal was freed unconditionally. Mr Olmerts government urged Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, to secure the soldiers freedom, holding him and the rest of the Palestinian Authority accountable. I gave the orders to our military commanders to prepare the army for a broad and ongoing military operation to strike the terrorist leaders and all those involved, Mr Olmert said. Let it be clear: we will reach everyone, no matter where they are, and they know it. There will be immunity for no one.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
The military wing of Hamas was one of three armed groups that claimed responsibility
That makes it an act of war. Since Hamas is the government now.
The paleo's never miss out on a chance to fuck-up any hope for peace. Dumbasses.
#14
You'd think the Ghaza Pals would be getting a little nervous about now. Egypt will not let them across the border if Israel rolls in. Troops on the border and a curfew for border residents in effect.
Fish in a barrel. And they don't see it. How stupid can a collective people be?
#17
Part of me hopes that Shalit is not released. Israel deserves a gold-plated reason to drop in and get medieval all over their sorry Palestinian @sses.
Hamas has been begging for it so long, why should they be denied the serious @ss-kicking they so richly deserve?
#18
Yes Zenster, but have you read Caroline Glick's column? Seems like the Israelis are sending mixed messages.
I hope Cpl. Shalit is alive, but considering the morlocks that have captured him, what's the likelihood of that?
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
06/27/2006 15:44 Comments ||
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#19
I hope Cpl. Shalit is alive, but considering the morlocks that have captured him, what's the likelihood of that?
Even if these psychos could trade Shalit for a living Arafat again, they probably could not restrain themselves from slaying the young Israeli. The stupidity of these morons knows no bounds.
Go in, get your soldier, and crush every piece of Hamas, Fatah, Al-Aqsa, etc and any other bit of resistance you can find while you're there. Then level and remove averything within 1,000 yards of the wall, and build another one. Make it a 1,000 yard "no mans' land", expect for Israeli soldiers checking for tunnels with sonar, bombs, or whatever method Israel prefers.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
06/27/2006 16:14 Comments ||
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#21
I wonder if this young man didn't die soon after being abducted. IIRC the original reports were that he sustained multiple gunshots to the chest and stomach.
#22
Yes lotp, that sounds reasonable. Although I do hope he's alive, it's entirely possible he died *after* they'd started bragging that they'd got him and before it became obvious that the Israelis were very serious about getting him back.
They're left with a corpse, and a large number of very angry guys in tanks looking at them saying "where's our lad?"
Could be a big 'Oh shit' moment for Hamas now...
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
06/27/2006 17:24 Comments ||
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Any idea what the next UN resolution will say about this?
On second thought, pass me a Bud, this is going to be fun to watch.
you know, these fundamentalists, while very crazy are not the sharpest tool in the box.....I think terrorism as a growth industry in the middle east might be in for a down turn.
(KUNA) -- Israeli security was put on maximum alert Monday following the Palestinian operation that was carried out on Sunday on an Israeli army site in east Gaza. The Israeli media reported that Israeli police fortified its presence across Israel and placed barricades in various locations.
The Israeli Haaretz daily indicated that staff of Israeli prisons was also put on alert to confront any reactions among the Palestinian prisoners in light of the recent developments in Gaza and the kidnap of the Israeli soldier yesterday. Israel has decided to ban visits of families of Palestinian prisoners as a retaliation over the Karem Shalom operation, during which two Israeli soldiers were killed and a third was kidnapped.
Meanwhile, the newspaper reported that the Israeli Internal Security Service (Shin Bet) has provided the Israeli army with information on a plot by Palestinian fighters to kidnap Israeli soldiers using a tunnel in south Gaza.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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(KUNA) -- Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of Islamic Jihad, claimed on Monday responsibility for firing a missile on Israeli crossing of Kerem Shalom south of the city of Rafah. The brigades said in a statement the attack came in response to the "Israeli crimes". The statement added military operations against Jewish settlements will continue despite calls for ceasefire. Israeli military spokesman confirmed the attack on a settlement, saying that the missile exploded in an open area near the town of Sderot south of Israel. No damages or casualties were reported said the spokesman.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
They really are clueless, aren't they?
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
06/27/2006 17:40 Comments ||
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#2
Hey, lookit me!! I'm a Playa too, ya know!!
Whoooo hooo!!! We did it - we fired a missile!!
Lookit us!!! ..... um .... no, not You guys. No, don't look, don't look .....
(KUNA) -- Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli army forces south of occupied Jerusalem, Palestinian sources said. The sources told KUNA the Israeli army kept hundreds of Palestinian workers at the Sheikh Saad check point for several hours, forcing two of them to sneak in sideways and the Israeli forces opened fire at them causing them serious injuries. Eyewitnesses said one of the workers was shot in the head and the other in the chest. They died of their wounds at one of the Israeli hospitals.
Meanwhile, the popular resistance committees claimed they kidnapped a Jewish settler in the West Bank. A source at the committees told media in phone calls that people from the committees abducted the settler. He did not mention further details, and the Israelis did not confirm the abduction.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/27/2006 00:00 ||
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Yep, I'd say being "shot in the head" would result in a fairly "serious injury." Recommendation, mind the quue and quit shuffling about.
Five security officers have been killed by a roadside bomb in Thailand's south.
They were attacked by a group of suspected insurgents, who ambushed them as they were guarding teachers on their way to a school in Yala province.
In Tuesday's attack, a bomb exploded under a military truck guarding the teachers, immediately killing a Buddhist soldier. Militants waiting nearby then shot four security officers in the head, before leaving the scene with their weapons, police said.
In a separate incident, also on Tuesday, at least one person was killed in a drive-by shooting in Narathiwat province. Militants also launched two bomb attacks on convoys of security forces in Narathiwat, but nobody was hurt, police said. The latest attacks come just over a week after scores of co-ordinated blasts rocked the three southern provinces. At least 17 people have been arrested in connection with those attacks.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 08:57 ||
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#1
Kill or drive off the teachers so the Thais can't educate their kids. The Thais then move away to where their kids can get an education. Ethnic cleansing accomplished.
Posted by: ed ||
06/27/2006 9:12 Comments ||
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#2
Scorched earth to the Malaysian border works too.
#4
Fred - This is at least the third story today which carefully, and intentionally of course, avoids saying the obvious - Islam / "Muzzies". SOP35/Rat is nailing them, one by one, LOL. *applause*
Maybe it would be interesting to keep a count of such stories - the mysterious militant attacks, work accidents, etc, LOL - and see how absurd it gets over time...
Maybe call it the AFPAPooters Euphemism Hit Parade...
I'm sure this crowd could do justice snarking the farce. :^)
#5
"Kill or drive off the teachers so the Thais can't educate their kids. The Thais then move away to where their kids can get an education. Ethnic cleansing accomplished."
No, no, no, Ed. You're missing the larger picture. It's kill off Thai teachers to make way for Wahhabi-trained, Islamo-fascist Muzzies (most likely from next door Malaysia) as they go about setting up a Madrassas system that will instill the correct education.
COLOMBO - Four Tamil Tiger rebels were killed in an attack by a breakaway faction in fresh violence in Sri Lanka and a soldier was shot dead overnight, police said. The attack in an area controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the restive east came a day after a suspected Tiger suicide bomber assassinated the army deputy chief of staff, stoking fears of a return to civil war.
There was an attack in Vakarai in Batticaloa, said Nihal Karunaratne, deputy inspector of police for the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Ampara. Four Tiger cadres were killed. He blamed the attack on a breakaway group led by a former rebel commander called Karuna who is locked in a bitter, deadly feud with the mainstream group. The LTTE accuses the army of helping Karuna.
The LTTE confirmed an attack had taken place, but blamed the army. They had no comment on the death toll. A military spokesman said a soldier was shot dead by suspected Tigers in a separate incident
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 09:35 ||
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Singapore, 27 June (AKI) - A Singaporean man has pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle 20,000 assault rifles from Bulgaria to Syria last year, a local newspaper reported Tuesday. Colin Mak Yew Loong, 30, admitted to a Singapore court on Monday to conspiring to move the AKMS assault rifles, valued at 3.4 million US dollars to Syria, the Straits Times daily said. His co-accused, B.R. Chaandrran, 45, denied the charges.
Prosecutors allege that Chaandrran, an employee of Dannhauser, a company specialising in weapons and ammunition, tried to clinch a deal for himself and Mak after the company refused to supply a Syrian arms dealer with the rifles.
Mak, the managing director of a Swiss-based firm specialising in computer software, according to the charges helped broker the deal between a Bulgarian seller and the Syrian buyer and hid the transaction with false documents.
Note that this was a sale to a Syrian arms dealer, not the government of Syria. Governments not under arms embargo don't need to buy small arms on the black market. These guns would have been going to some terrorist organization.
Acting on a tip-off, Singapore customs officers moved in and found incriminating e-mail messages, exchanged between May and September last year, in Mak's computer. They also found that he had acted as broker for the cargo without having first registered with the customs service. Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Cheow Han said that there was enough evidence to incriminate the two defendants even if the guns had not passed through Singapore and even though the delivery was not made. The act of brokering the deal without registering strategic goods was an offence, the prosecutor said.
The AKMS belongs to the originally Russian-made AK47 family of assault rifles.
Two other Singaporeans have recently been caught abroad for illegal arms dealing. Ronald Chia Kia Cheng, 60, a retired senior Singaporean air force was arrested in San Diego, United States for allegedly trying to buy American assault rifles, also for potential buyers in Syria. He faces charges of contravening an US arms embargo on Syria.
That's for US arms, wouldn't apply to Bulgaria
The other case, in Hawaii in April, Singaporean Ibrahim Amran, 26, and three Indonesian men were arrested for allegedy trying to illegally buy weapons, including aircraft missiles and Heckler Koch sub-machine guns, for a total value of 3.3 million US dollars.
Posted by: Steve ||
06/27/2006 08:27 ||
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"These guns would have been going to some terrorist organization."
Maybe. The fact that a group living in an authoritarian state, wants small arms, unapproved by the govt, does NOT ipso facto make them terrorists.
Note that Hamas, Hezbollah, etc dont need to smuggle arms into Syria, since they get suppport from the regime.
Ergo this was either for AQ, for the muslim brotherhood, for Syrian Kurds, or for other enemies of the Syrian regime.
Only org on that list that is clearly terrorist is AQ, and 20,000 assault rifles isnt really their MO for action in a hostile country. (Pashtunistan not being a hostile country, from their POV)
#2
I for one, really appreciate Fred's latest contribution although it is difficult to get past the pics to read the headlines of the morning. Maybe you could post Madeline Albright's photo occasionally to remedy this.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/27/2006 15:45 Comments ||
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#6
Please, Fred, NO! Not Madeline half-bright, or "sistah" Sheehan, or Cynthia McKinney, or ... well, you get the message. Besides, I only read the articles anyway (after drooling for a few minutes).
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
06/27/2006 15:47 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed 10 extremists yesterday in a raid on a Taliban compound belonging to a known weapons and bomb distributor, U.S. military officials reported. 
TWO British soldiers were killed in fighting today in southern Afghanistan, where US-led forces are mounting their biggest offensive against Taliban militia since 2002. A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman in London said they were killed in action in the Sangin valley of Helmand province, in the southwest of the country, in the early hours of the morning. "Two members of the UK armed forces have been killed in action in Afghanistan," she said. "The next of kin are being informed but there are no further details." The deaths are the second and third British military fatalities since UK forces were deployed to the volatile area of Helmand in recent months. 
(KUNA) -- A car bomb occurred Monday targeting a coalition forces' convoy north of Kabul Monday morning, where officials claimed there are no casualties. The explosion took place near the US Bagram base, situated about 35 kilometers north of Kabul. According to officials, the explosion was a suicide attack during which two unidentified pedestrians were wounded, while the bomber was killed and his car fully destroyed. Interior Ministry's spokesman Yousuf Stanikzai told reporters that two bystanders were wounded in the explosion. Neither the coalition forces nor Taliban issued any statement on the blast.
Riyadh, 27 June (AKI) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has announced an amnesty for Islamist terrorists, Saudi newspaper reports said on Tuesday.The monarch revealed his plan for a new amnesty during a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Monday, the daily Arab News reported. The announcement comes amid a crackdown on extremism in the kingdom. Forty suspected terrorists have been arrested in the last two months. Last Friday, six suspects and one policeman were killed in a gun battle between the police and extremists. 
Police arrested 1,311 persons and recovered six firearms along with four rounds of bullet during its countrywide special drives in the last 24 hours ending at 6 am on Monday, reports BSS. The recovered firearms include; one revolver, three shutter-guns and two pistols, a police headquarters Press release said.
(KUNA) -- Washington is considering deploying the Navy's Aegis cruiser Shiloh, which is equipped with an advanced missile defense system, to areas around Japan as part of efforts to deal with North Korea's preparations to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile, Japanese media reported Monday. The deployment would move up the US government's original schedule of stationing the Shiloh in August at the US naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, Kyodo News Agency said, citing US government sources.
The Belgian state is no longer able to guarantee the security of its citizens. On Saturday afternoon Guido Demoor, a 54-year old Flemish train conductor on his way to work, was kicked to death by six youths on a crowded bus near Antwerps Central Station. The incident recalls the rush-hour murder ten weeks ago of Joe Van Holsbeeck, 17 years of age, in a crowded Brussels Central Station on 12 April.
(KUNA) -- An explosion in the popular Turkish costal resort of Antalya killed three people, two Turkish nationals and one Norwegian, and wounded about 25 others Sunday, a local official said. The blast occurred near a waterfall in the tourist area of Manavgat, said Fikret Dayioglu, deputy mayor of Antalya. The cause of the explosion is not known yet. Dayioglu said security forces were called in the area and casualties were identified.
SRINAGAR: Eight people were killed in Indian-held Kashmir, including four Islamic militants shot dead in a gunbattle while trying to cross over from Azad Kashmir, police said Monday. They said 14 militants were trying to sneak across the Line of Control when the gunbattle took place Sunday around 150 kilometres from Srinagar. "The gunbattle continued for several hours and the bodies of four militants were later found at the scene," a police spokesman said. The others were believed to have fled into dense forests nearby. A fifth militant was killed elsewhere in a bid to flush out militants from a village, he said.
QUETTA: Two personnel of the Taftan Levies were kidnapped in an attack by a criminal gang at a checkpoint in Noshki on Monday morning, and were later rescued by security forces after a clash which left one gang-member dead. "More than 10 men on six motorcycles attacked Gilangoor Check Post at 4am. They surrounded the checkpoint and injured two soldiers, Ghulam Rabbani and Ghulam Nabi, before kidnapping levies risaldars Haji Safar Khan and Ghulam Mustafa and leaving," one levies official said. "Local administration officials and personnel of the Frontier Corps soon arrived at the scene." He said that the security forces chased the attackers and caught up with them in Sarband. One of the attackers was killed in the ensuing clash while another was captured, he said. The security forces also rescued the kidnapped personnel, he said. "The killed militant, Safar Khan, was wanted in more than 50 cases," said Pasand Khan Buledi, the Noshki district administrative officer.
QUETTA: The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on Monday claimed responsibility for Sunday night's rocket attacks in Quetta and warned of similar attacks in the future. A man calling himself Azad Baloch and claiming to be a spokesman for the banned organisation told reporters at the Quetta Press Club on telephone that the BLA had fired the rockets, one of which landed near the Combined Military Hospital in the cantonment. He said that the BLA was "at war with the state of Pakistan for the rights of the Baloch". "Military installations were the actual target of the assault. More attacks will be carried out unless the Baloch people are granted their just rights," he said.
MIRANSHAH: Unidentified men attacked five members of a criminal gang and killed its ringleader in Shawal in North Waziristan on Monday morning. The ringleader, Guldar, was killed in the attack. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Taliban had warned the group against criminal activities, residents said. The Associated Press reported that four of Guldar's relatives had also been killed in the attack.
(KUNA) -- A suicide attack Monday on a military checkpost in Pakistani tribal agency of North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, killed seven including six soldiers and the suicide attacker, said officials. The attack occurred when a suicide attacker rammed an explosive-laden jeep into a military checkpost near Miramshah, the regional headquarters, military spokesman, Shaukat Sultan said while talking to KUNA. He said the suicide attack, second in less than two months, killed six soldiers and the suicide attacker. He added that ten soldiers were also wounded.
(KUNA) -- Member of the Riyadh Municipality Council Habis Naji Ali survived assassination by unknown gunmen on Sunday in southwestern Kirkuk. Iraqi police sources told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that Ali was shot in the head and was transported alive to a nearby hospital in Riyadh area for treatment.
(KUNA) -- Iraqi forces arrested eight members of a terrorist cell specialized in making bombs in Baghdad's northern and southern suburbs, said a Multi-National Force (MNF) statement Monday. According to the statement, three safe-houses were raided by coalition forces in Baghdad. These raids were part of a security crackdown called "Operation Forward Together" which started earlier this month. The detainees are suspected of being involved in making improvised explosive devices that killed and injured MNF soldiers last March and in a rocket attack at Baghdad's airport in April.
(KUNA) -- Three people, including an Iraqi soldier, were killed in seperate incidents of violence in Diyala province northeast of the capital Baghdad on Monday, Iraqi police said. A statement by the joint coordination center said an Iraqi soldier was shot dead by gunmen in Muqdadiya north of Baaquba in Diyala.
(KUNA) -- At least 10 Iraqis were killed and some 40 injured in a huge explosion in the city of Hilla south of Baghdad, police at Babel said. Captain Muthanna Abul Hareth, police spokesman at Babel, told KUNA that at least 10 civilians were killed when a huge bomb blast took place in the Libraries street in the middle of the market in Hilla. The explosion injured 40 others. Abul Hareth said the number of deaths was likely to increase because there were many people trapped under the rubble. The reasons of the blast are not known yet nor those behind it.
(IsraelNN.com) According to Arab sources, an explosive device that was detonated in Gaza City earlier this afternoon killed 
X 36 
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - A massive explosion on Tuesday demolished a car traveling near the residence of President Mahmoud Abbas, killing an unknown number of people inside. The blast scattered debris and 
Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to a document backing a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel, officials say. The initiative, which implicitly recognises Israel, was devised by prisoners from Palestinian factions. 
A LARGE-SCALE military clash loomed in Gaza last night as Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, rejected demands to negotiate for the release of a captive soldier and his army prepared an operation to free the man. Gaza militants who seized Corporal Gilad Shalit after a raid on Sunday had demanded the release of Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails in return for information about his whereabouts. Mr Olmert quickly responded: The question of freeing prisoners is in no way on the Israeli government agenda. There will be no negotiations, no bargaining, no agreements. He was speaking as Israel massed tanks on the border and said that the country was prepared to assassinate senior Palestinians, including the leaders of Hamas, the ruling party. An incursion to free the soldier would be by far the largest move into Gaza since the Israeli withdrawal a year ago. 
(KUNA) -- Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of Islamic Jihad, claimed on Monday responsibility for firing a missile on Israeli crossing of Kerem Shalom south of the city of Rafah. The brigades said in a statement the attack came in response to the "Israeli crimes". The statement added military operations against Jewish settlements will continue despite calls for ceasefire. Israeli military spokesman confirmed the attack on a settlement, saying that the missile exploded in an open area near the town of Sderot south of Israel. No damages or casualties were reported said the spokesman.
(KUNA) -- Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli army forces south of occupied Jerusalem, Palestinian sources said. The sources told KUNA the Israeli army kept hundreds of Palestinian workers at the Sheikh Saad check point for several hours, forcing two of them to sneak in sideways and the Israeli forces opened fire at them causing them serious injuries. Eyewitnesses said one of the workers was shot in the head and the other in the chest. They died of their wounds at one of the Israeli hospitals.
