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2 ISIS 'Beatles' transferred from Syrian prison to US military custody
Today's Headlines
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Page 1: WoT Operations
4 20:18 Phaick Uneretle6310 [6] 
3 18:41 Frank G [14] 
2 16:48 swksvolFF [2] 
1 08:19 lord garth [7] 
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1 11:29 M. Murcek [7] 
13 15:12 European Conservative [11] 
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Page 2: WoT Background
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Page 3: Non-WoT
10 23:04 Lex [7]
3 21:05 Lex [5]
9 13:01 Raj [2]
4 11:00 M. Murcek [3]
1 11:08 M. Murcek [3]
2 10:08 Procopius2k [3]
1 05:49 Dron66046 [4]
5 10:36 Frank G []
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10 22:03 chris [6]
3 09:39 Cesare [3]
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Page 4: Opinion
7 23:13 49 Pan [10]
2 11:01 M. Murcek [1]
8 12:03 SteveS [6]
3 21:39 trailing wife [2]
7 17:06 rjschwarz [3]
13 12:38 Abu Uluque []
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1 10:34 Lex [7]
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Page 6: Politix
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12 18:46 Lex [3]
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8 16:57 swksvolFF [2]
7 10:03 JohnQC [5]
7 15:49 Rambler in Virginia [3]
14 15:23 JohnQC [2]
9 14:49 Lex [4]
Good belated morning
Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 16:20 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Better late than never.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike || 10/10/2019 16:48 Comments || Top||

#2  She only types three words per minute. Not a problem, she's hired.
Posted by: Besoeker || 10/10/2019 17:06 Comments || Top||

#3  She seems nice
Posted by: Frank G || 10/10/2019 18:42 Comments || Top||

#4  Fred is being fashionably late again.
Posted by: Phaick Uneretle6310 || 10/10/2019 20:18 Comments || Top||


Africa North
Libyan Army downs warplane for Haftar's forces in southern Tripoli
[Libya Observer] The Libyan Army's Volcano of Rage Operation under the command of the Presidential Council's government has shut down a warplane for Khalifa Haftar
...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all...
's forces in western Sabratha.

The media office of Volcano of Rage Operation said Wednesday that the warplane tried to land in al-Watiya airbase but fell down before that.

According to sources, the warplane downed by Libyan Army was a Russian Sukhoi that was targeting the Libyan Army forces in al-Aziziya but got shot down by antiaircraft missiles and fell between Sabratha and al-Ajilat.

The commander of Volcano of Rage operations room Ahmed Abu Shahma told news hounds that their forces had repelled attacks by Russian mercenaries from Wagner Group on al-Aziziya frontline, targeting one of their snipers, without confirming any deaths or injuries among them.

Abu Shahma added that they targeted Haftar's forces on al-Tawaisha and Qasir Benghashir frontlines, destroying two armored vehicles for Haftar's forces on al-Aziziya frontline.

Heavy festivities erupted since early Wednesday hours after Libyan Army forces attacked Haftar's forces on al-Sabea and al-Tawaisha as well as Wadi Rabea and Airport Road frontlines, advancing on new positions and capturing several fighters from Haftar's forces.

Meanwhile,
...back at the Council of Boskone, Helmuth ordered the entire 614th quadrant searched. The Green Lensman must be found!...
the media office of Volcano of Rage Operation said AFP photojournalist Hamza Turkia and Aljazeera Channel photojournalist Nasser Jebril were targeted by sniper shots on al-Tawaisha frontline in southern Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
while covering festivities on Wednesday.

Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Arab Spring

#1  Russian and US military sales wet dream...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 10/10/2019 11:29 Comments || Top||


Europe
Gunman livestreamed German synagogue shooting on Twitch
More on this story from yesterday.
[NYPOST] A hate-filled gunman livestreamed his Yom Kippur attack on a synagogue and kebab joint in the German city of Halle on Wednesday ‐ railing against Jews and denying the Holocaust ever happened in the video he published online.

The 35-minute video was livestreamed on Amazon’s video gaming platform, Twitch, according to a Twitch spokeswoman, and showed the gunman murdering one woman outside a synagogue before opening fire in a kebab store.

The unidentified gunman
...the Wall Street Journal identified him as Stephan Balliet, 27, a German citizen from Saxony-Anhalt who had no police record. German news sites, of course, call him Stephan B. ...
introduces himself in the graphic video before roaming the streets of Halle in a car, the front seat loaded with explosives and ammunition.

"Hi, my name is Anon and I think the Holocaust never happened," the gunman claimed before continuing an inaudible tirade about feminism and immigration.

"And the root of all these problems is the Jew. Would you like to be friends?" he said.

Two people were killed in the shooting, which officials described as an anti-Semitic attack on Yom Kippur ‐ the holiest day in Judaism.

Twitch spokeswoman Brielle Villablanca told Rooters the platform had a "zero-tolerance policy against hateful conduct."

"We worked with urgency to remove this content and will permanently suspend any accounts found to be posting or reposting content of this abhorrent act," Villablanca said.

Twitch ‐ a site where gamers can livestream and chat to others ‐ claims it has 15 million daily users.

One suspect was arrested but two other alleged button men fled in a hijacked car after leaving two other people seriously maimed, authorities said.

The news magazine Der Spiegel reported that the suspected assailant is a 27-year-old man from the state of Saxony-Anhalt, where Halle is located. His name was not released.

The video appears inspired by the Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque shootings in March, where the gunman shared his deadly rampage on Facebook Live.

Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [11 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Real men go after muslims.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 10/10/2019 5:43 Comments || Top||

#2  Real men do nothing of that sort.
Posted by: European Conservative || 10/10/2019 9:19 Comments || Top||

#3  I agree with EC, Dron66. Real men defend women & children. What's the biggest threat to women & children right now? It's not Muslims, it's the "educational" system.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 10/10/2019 9:36 Comments || Top||

#4  Herr Balliet went after a nearby kebab shop after he couldn’t get into the synagogue, hating both equally. Let’s go after those who feel entitled not to be good citizens.
Posted by: trailing wife || 10/10/2019 9:37 Comments || Top||

#5  hating both equally

Why go to synagogue first?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 10/10/2019 9:40 Comments || Top||

#6  Why go to synagogue first?

The expectation of significantly more victims, the expectation that they would not fight back, probably.
Posted by: trailing wife || 10/10/2019 9:50 Comments || Top||

#7  Come on TW, be serious.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 10/10/2019 9:52 Comments || Top||

#8  Of course. I stand corrected.

I meant to convey that I don't see many 'shooter' types having the balls to do this to muslims, because there is not just a loathing of the tribe but a real fear of their reprisal. All communities everywhere are cowed by the muslim hordes living amongst them.

Jews are easier targets, christians even more so; and these video-gamer rage boys are pansies for going after easy prey. Of all the crazy shooters from our recent news posts, I actually felt a little bit for the Christchurch terminator. Just a little.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 10/10/2019 10:01 Comments || Top||

#9  I don't understand what #8 adds to this conversation or why it should remain in this thread.
Posted by: Crusader || 10/10/2019 10:22 Comments || Top||

#10  Why go to synagogue first?

The expectation of significantly more victims,


g(r)omgoru, the following appeared on The Times of Israel’s blog an hour ago:

German prosecutor says synagogue shooter planned Yom Kippur ‘massacre’

A German prosecutor says the suspect in the attack in the German city of Halle wanted to carry out a “massacre” in a synagogue and had about four kilograms (nearly nine pounds) of explosives in his car.

Germany’s chief federal prosecutor Peter Frank says that many questions remain about the suspect who is now in custody, a German citizen identified by media as Stephan Balliet.

Investigators still have to determine how he got hold of the material to build homemade weapons and explosives and whether anyone knew of his plans.

Frank told reporters in Karlsruhe that “what we experienced yesterday was terror.” He says that the suspect wanted to create a “worldwide effect” by livestreaming his attack, in which two people were killed outside the synagogue. He wanted to encourage others to imitate him.

Balliet is suspected of two counts of murder and nine of attempted murder.
Posted by: trailing wife || 10/10/2019 10:41 Comments || Top||

#11  ^It's always "why bicycle riders?".
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 10/10/2019 10:45 Comments || Top||

#12  Synagogue had good security cameras and some sort of manned guards, although probably unarmed
Posted by: Lord garth || 10/10/2019 14:59 Comments || Top||

#13  and sturdy doors.
Posted by: European Conservative || 10/10/2019 15:12 Comments || Top||


Home Front: WoT
Intelligence analyst arrested for spilling secrets to journalists
Snip. Duplicate from yesterday.

Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Is there really any distinction anymore between our spooks, the people who call themselves "journalists," and Democratic Party operatives and activists?

Aren't they all engaged in the same effort, aligned to the same goal, pulling for the same cause?

It's not really a coup. More like a putsch.
Posted by: Lex || 10/10/2019 0:28 Comments || Top||

#2  Living proof that the small head had more influence than the large head with Democrats.
Posted by: Clyde Dribble8052 || 10/10/2019 6:19 Comments || Top||

#3  The free agent problem must be solved. The solution(s) will not be pretty.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 10/10/2019 9:33 Comments || Top||

#4  no they should not be pretty but they will be light
Posted by: chris || 10/10/2019 11:55 Comments || Top||

#5  Chopped up and thrown into a well makes a good point.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 10/10/2019 12:03 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
2 ISIS 'Beatles' transferred from Syrian prison to US military custody
See also here.
[ABCNews] The U.S. military has taken custody of two notorious British Islamic State fighters nicknamed "The Beatles," who were responsible for the executions of western hostages.

They were moved on Wednesday from a Kurdish-run prison in Syria to a safe location, officials said. The move of the two detainees occurred as Turkey's military forces pushed into Syria targeting the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that helped defeat ISIS in Syria.

Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh are British nationals who were part of a four-person ISIS cell behind the video executions of western hostages, including American journalist James Foley.

Not exactly Ringo Starr...

Mohammed Emwazi, a member of the group who earned notoriety as "Jihadi John" was killed in a 2015 U.S. drone strike, Aine Davis, another member of the terror cell is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

A U.S. official told ABC News that the two detainees had been transferred from SDF control to an undisclosed "safe location."

Later, a U.S defense official confirmed that the U.S. military had taken control of two high value individuals from the SDF, but did not confirm their identities.

"They are being held in U.S. military custody pursuant to the law of war," said the official. "They have been moved out of Syria and are in a secure location."

The official said that the transfer occurred on Wednesday and that it had been negotiated by the United States.

The transfer of the two detainees was first reported by The Washington Post, which also reported that the pair had been taken to Iraq.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 10/10/2019 05:10 || Comments || Link || [14 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  oh great now we get too pay for them the rest of their life
Posted by: chris || 10/10/2019 11:54 Comments || Top||

#2  If somebody ought to be tortured for info, it should be these guys. Of course if you do it right, not some pansy counseling and 'talk to me' approach.

The 'icebox' (cold cell) and the syrian chair come to mind. And of course the magic box. Or the Syrian box. I'm not big a fan of wasting water or electricity.
Posted by: Dron66046 || 10/10/2019 16:27 Comments || Top||

#3  Cage O' Fire seems appropriate
Posted by: Frank G || 10/10/2019 18:41 Comments || Top||


Kurds Vow to Defend Themselves By Any Means
[SPUTNIKNEWS] Syria's Kurds are prepared to defend themselves by any means after The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...Qatar's satrapy in Asia Minor...
launched a military operation in the northern part of the country, according to the Syrian Democratic Council’s (SDC) US Representative and Member of Presidential Committee Bassam Saker.

"We will defend ourselves by any way [...] I don’t know what to say. It has started. The people are really in panic now, and it really has started, they started bombing", Saker said.

The Ottoman Turkish military operation in Syria may, however, hamper the SDF fight against the ISIS
...embracing their inner Islamic Brute...
terror group.

"The Pentagon did not say that they will withdraw, that there is a green light, they support us to defeat, to continue fighting ISIS [ISIS]", Saker said, adding that "but in this case I don’t know if it will happen because our forces will defend themselves".

Saker said he has read in the news that the United States is still supporting the Syrian Kurds by providing weapons, but not in the border area in the north of Syria.

Asked about receiving potential support from the United States, Saker said that they did not promise to defend [...] We know that they will never be involved in this battle".

Saker noted that SDC is in contact with US officials and met with State Department representatives on Tuesday.

"There is no green light for Turkey to attack", Saker said. "If they attack, there will be some decisions [made] against Turkey, as I understood it".

The SDC, the political arm of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), welcomes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov encouragement for establishing a dialogue between the Kurds and Damascus, and believes such talks could be helpful amid Turkey’s military offensive, Saker noted.

"We are welcoming what Mr. Lavrov said - that we are encouraging talks between the Syrian government and the self-administration", Saker said.

Saker said Lavrov has encouraged conducting such talks, and he believes signals have been given for the talks to take place, but added that he is not sure if they would materialize.

Saker also said such talks should be helpful given that the Syrian government should defend its border, noting that "This border belongs to Syria, it’s not only for us, it is part of Syria."
Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:33 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  Depends on how generous Russia with Kornets and Iglas?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 10/10/2019 4:34 Comments || Top||

#2  Sounds right to me. Perhaps some unmarked flights over Georgia.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 10/10/2019 16:48 Comments || Top||


Heavy Clashes ongoing between SDF and the Turkish Army/TFSA at the points of incursion
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Tal Abyad is now under assault by the Turkish army and jihadists
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Kurdish-led SDF repells Turkish ground attack in Syrian town - spokesman

[Jpost] The Kurdish-led force in northeast Syria said it confronted a ground attack by Ottoman Turkish troops who launched a cross-border operation against it on Wednesday.

"Ground attack by Ottoman Turkish forces has been repelled by SDF fighters in (Tel Abyad town)...No advance as of now," Mustafa Bali, front man for the Syrian Democratic Forces, said on Twitter.
More:
The Turkish army shelled the town of Kobani in northern Syria, SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said in a tweet.
Still more:
The Kurdish-led force in northeast Syria said Turkish bombing of the border region killed five civilians and injured dozens more on Wednesday. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also said three of its fighters were killed.
Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [7 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  there is a good chance that this incursion (or invasion) will not only result in a bloody nose for Turkey and many deaths for Turkey's mercenaries (who are ill paid and ill led) but it may even result in a surge of support for internationally backed Kurdish autonomy (probably not independence though, that is quite a ways away)

See Belmont analysis here
Posted by: lord garth || 10/10/2019 8:19 Comments || Top||


Thousands flee Turkish bombardment on Syria border: Monitor
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Thousands of civilians have fled Turkish bombardment on Syria’s northern border, a war monitor said on Wednesday.

“Thousands have fled the Ras al-Ain area ... and Tal Abyad’s countryside,” to areas that have not yet been hit by Ankara’s warplanes, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

In a related development, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has called for an emergency Arab League meeting to discuss Turkey's attack in northeast Syria, while accusing Turkey of launching a blatant aggression and exploiting the circumstances that Syria is going through, in a statement issued on Wednesday.



Al Arabiya: International community condemns Turkish offensive in Syria




Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte


Two of the British ISIS transferred from SDF
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
The four so-called ISIS Beatles came from England and were in charge of at least 27 hostages during their tenure, to whom they were notoriously unkind while badgering their families for ransoms.
  • The emir of the group, Jihadi John (Mohammed Emwazi) kissed a missile in 2015, betrayed by spies in Raqqa.
  • Aine Davis (Paul) was jailed in Turkey in 2017.
  • Alexanda Kotey (the half-Ghanaian, half-Greek Cypriot who is also in our archives as Alexanda Amon Kotey; Ringo), 35, and Sudan-born El Shafee Elsheikh (George), 30, were captured by the SDF in January 2018. The British government has stripped them of their citizenship.
  • Posted by: Fred || 10/10/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [6 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State



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    Two weeks of WOT
    Thu 2019-10-10
      2 ISIS 'Beatles' transferred from Syrian prison to US military custody
    Wed 2019-10-09
      Possible terror attack with automatic guns in Halle (Germany)
    Tue 2019-10-08
      Turkey starts bombing Kurds
    Mon 2019-10-07
      Iraqi premier rejects resignation of seven ministers, Baghdad governor steps down
    Sun 2019-10-06
      91 protesters killed by Iraqi police over week of demonstrations
    Sat 2019-10-05
      Masked gunmen attack TV stations reporting the protests in Iraq
    Fri 2019-10-04
      At least 35 Russian mercenaries killed fighting for Haftar in Libya
    Thu 2019-10-03
      Breaking: Paris knife attacker kills 4 people at police headquarters
    Wed 2019-10-02
      Soleimani claims he and Nasrallah barely escaped Israeli air raid in 2006
    Tue 2019-10-01
      Uzbekistani militant among 64 killed, wounded in Faryab clashes
    Mon 2019-09-30
      Yemeni army captured over '2000 troops', inflicted heavy casualties on Saudi army
    Sun 2019-09-29
      Susan Rice: Obama Put Call Transcripts On Top Secret Server, Too
    Sat 2019-09-28
      Egypt Armed Forces kills 118 takfiris in anti-terrorism operations in north, central Sinai; 10 army personnel killed, injured: Statement
    Fri 2019-09-27
      US deploys air defense systems, troops to Saudi Arabia
    Thu 2019-09-26
      Israeli woman stabbed near Modiin; 14-year-old Palestinian arrested


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