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Al-Maliki poised to become next Iraqi prime minister
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
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Afghanistan
4 Canadian Soldiers Killed in Afghan Roadside Bomb
Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden || 04/22/2006 11:41 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Thinking of their families and friends. Bad business.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 13:16 Comments || Top||

#2  God bless them.
Posted by: anonymous5089 || 04/22/2006 13:33 Comments || Top||

#3  In life they were a shield. In death may their memory be a blessing.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/22/2006 18:54 Comments || Top||

#4  Gonna remember that TW.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 19:28 Comments || Top||


Taliban mounting assassination campaign against Afghan mullahs
A Taliban campaign to intimidate moderate Islamic leaders in Afghanistan appears to be working.

A week ago, suspected Taliban insurgents gunned down a pro-government mullah on the steps of his mosque in a village 20 kilometres west of Kandahar City. It was only the latest in a series of assassinations of moderate religious leaders.

Many mullahs say they have lost faith in the ability of Hamid Karzai's government or the coalition forces to protect them.

The respected leader of Kandahar's Shura Council, Mullah Gulam Mohamed, is so concerned for his safety that he doesn't even go to his own mosque anymore. "Yes, we are afraid of the Taliban," he says. "We support the government but the Taliban say the coalition troops are infidels who are occupying Afghanistan and they have threatened to kill everyone who speaks well of them."

Twelve mullahs belonging to Kandahar's 175-member Shura Council have been assassinated in the past four years.

Canadian troops have recently taken over responsibility for Kandahar. But far from bringing improvement, Mohamed says the level of fear is growing. This week alone, four mullahs on the council telephoned Mohamed asking his permission to resign. He says they had lost faith in the ability and the commitment of the government and the coalition to protect them. "The government didn't even send a representative to the funeral of Mullah Mulavi last week," he says. "And if we are killed the government will not take care of our families. So for what reason should we risk getting killed?"

The district police chief says Mullah Mulavi was killed as an example. "The Taliban did not kill Mullah Mulavi because of his religious views, or even his tribe," says police chief Major Zamani. "They killed him to show people that the coalition is not strong enough to protect them."

The Taliban say the coalition forces are infidels and is urging people to rise up against them because they are occupying Afghanistan.

Zamani says this is now a holy war and the coalition troops have to get a lot more aggressive in hunting down Taliban suspects and then get out. "They have to fight harder and finish up quickly," he says.

The Taliban's increasingly successful campaign to silence the moderate mullahs is a worrying sign for the Canadian troops in Kandahar. Support from respected religious leaders is a key element in giving Karzai's Western-backed government credibility.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 01:59 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The solution for this are quick trials, followed by mass public hangings of Taliban.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 04/22/2006 8:56 Comments || Top||

#2  In both Afghanistan and Iraq the definition of the battle is this: if they kill innocent civilians on purpose they 'win' because you failed to protect, if you kill innocent civilians as collateral damage they win, and since they can look like innocent civilians they win even if you kill them.
This strikes me as too asymmetric to win. Their weakness has to be in how they are able to motivate their 'fighters' to shoot schoolteachers, doctors, etc. and blow up markets of women and children shopping etc. That is such 'unnatural' behavior that it has to take time to create the mindset. It has to be happening in certain mosques and religious schools. These need to be infiltrated, identified and destroyed.
Posted by: Glenmore || 04/22/2006 10:22 Comments || Top||

#3  That is such 'unnatural' behavior that it has to take time to create the mindset.

Not for a muzzie, it's 2nd 1st nature.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 12:58 Comments || Top||

#4  In both Afghanistan and Iraq the definition of the battle is this: if they kill innocent civilians on purpose they 'win' because you failed to protect, if you kill innocent civilians as collateral damage they win, and since they can look like innocent civilians they win even if you kill them.
This strikes me as too asymmetric to win.


Glenmore: One very key exponent [power] in the asymmetric expression missing.

It's algebraic, to whit.

asymmetrically the fruits of terrorism are recognized [defined]and reported™ ad nauseum as a win by the opponents of America's war on terrorism. [WOT]
Posted by: RD || 04/22/2006 15:27 Comments || Top||

#5  "Their weakness has to be in how they are able to motivate their 'fighters' to shoot schoolteachers, doctors, etc. and blow up markets of women and children shopping etc. That is such 'unnatural' behavior that it has to take time to create the mindset."

It IS their weakness. They destroy all that is not "pure." Now define "pure." In this world it just doesn't exist, so these are just mindless killing machines incapable of compromise: hence the name terror-bot. Redirected, that mindlessness will destroy itself. See Zman and Al Queda's reputation in Iraq.
Posted by: Spinemp Thrimp5747 || 04/22/2006 20:18 Comments || Top||


Afghans held for al-Qaeda, Taliban links
Pakistani security agencies have arrested two Afghan nationals from Bajaur Agency for their alleged links with al-Qaeda and Taliban. Separately, the militants have killed two people, one of them an Afghan national, for allegedly spying for the security forces.

The two alleged militants were nabbed during a raid on a house in the Shandi Mor village of the Khar tehsil late night. The house was jointly raided by military commandos and personnel of secret agencies late Monday night, officials said. Residents said officials from the local political administration were also accompanied the raiding team. The two had been shifted to Peshawar for investigations.

Meanwhile, Taliban militants on Wednesday killed two more people on suspicion of spying for the security forces in South and North Waziristan agencies. With the latest incidents, the number of people killed by Taliban rose to four over the week. The body of one slain was recovered in Sheera Talla area, 30 kilometres north of Mir Ali. A note "spies will meet the same fate" was found with the body.

Another body was recovered from Shah Alam area in South Waziristan. The slain was identified as Ismail, an Afghan national. The note found with his body says: "This man was suspected of visiting the US military base across the border."
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:25 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Australian soldier killed in Iraq
An Australian soldier has died in Iraq. It is the first death of a member of the Australian armed forces in Iraq since the US led invasion in 2003. The Defence Department says the soldier was shot yesterday and taken to a US military hospital in Baghdad, where he later died.

The Department will not say exactly what happened to the man, but that his death was not combat related and no-one else was hurt. The soldier was serving with the Operation Catalyst Security Detachment in Baghdad, which is working on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Iraq. His family has been notified but the soldier's identity has not been released. The Defence Department says no other details of his death will be revealed until a full investigation is completed.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  He died in the barracks while he was 'cleaning his gun'.

RIP, and thank you for your service to freedom.
Posted by: Seafarious || 04/22/2006 15:48 Comments || Top||


US soldier among seven killed in Taliban attack
Taliban in southern Afghanistan killed one US soldier and six Afghan policemen in two separate attacks on Friday, officials said. The six policemen, the latest blow to government forces in a week time, were killed when a group of Taliban stormed a police post in the country's troubled Kandahar province this morning.

Police officials in the Maiwand area, where the attack was carried out, said about a dozen Taliban attacked the police post in the wee hours on Friday. They also fired rockets at the post. The exchange of fire continued for about half an hour. As a result, six policemen were killed. There are no reports about casualties among Taliban. Spokesman for the Taliban claimed seven cops had been gunned down in the early morning attack.

In a separate attack in the same region, a US soldier was killed when their convoy was attacked by Taliban. The attack was carried out in another volatile province Urozgan. The US military admitted loss of one of their soldiers in Taliban attack. A statement released here on Friday, the US soldiers were searching a weapon cache in Urozgan when they came under small-arms fire. "We will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemy and help the Afghan National Army bring security to the people of Afghanistan," said the military statement. It said an Afghan soldier was injured in
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  clusterbomb season in Pakland? Time to get medieval on the Talib, their ISI masters, and the assholes that shelter and supply them - ON THE PAK side. Take the fight into Pakland - they are doing us no favors, f*&k em. I'm almost ready to seethe!
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 0:18 Comments || Top||

#2  God bless the troop and his family.

As for what to do about it: What Frank said!
Posted by: 49 Pan || 04/22/2006 11:20 Comments || Top||

#3  Thank you, Soldier. I've no doubt his escort of enemy dead will be following shortly.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/22/2006 18:59 Comments || Top||


Africa Horn
Mogadishu tensions soar as Islamists declare jihad on warlords
Tension soared in the capital of lawless Somalia as Mogadishu's powerful Islamic courts declared holy war on a militia alliance widely believed to be backed by the United States.

With many city residents already convinced new hostilities are imminent between the rival factions, Muslim clerics urged the destruction of the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT).

At a demonstration attended by hundreds in southern Mogadishu after Friday prayers, Sheikh Nur Ollow, an imam and senior Islamic court figure, told the crowd it was time to fight the warlords whose militias make up the alliance.

"It is time to fight the unholy elements that are sabotaging peace efforts and serving the interests of non-Somalis who could not care less about our well-being, culture and religion," he said.

"It is time to help those who want peace and harmony among Somalis and the teachings of the commands of Allah and the words of the Prophet," Ollow said. "We will not be governed by a few warlords financed by the enemy of Islam."

A second cleric affiliated with the courts, Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Sulley, echoed those comments and went further, informing the crowd that battling the warlords was a religious obligation.

"As it says in the Koran, the fight against those who are promoting hostility and fighting against Islam is a holy war," he said. "Any war against the warlords is a holy war and a sacrifice in the name of Allah.

"Let us eliminate these warlords and set up a peaceful administration supported by the vast majority of people in Mogadishu," Sulley said, prompting the crowd to chant angry slogans denouncing the warlords.

"Down with the agents of America and down with agents promoting Satanic teaching," they yelled, according to an AFP correspondent on the scene.

The bellicose comments were clearly directed at the ARPCT, which was founded in February by Mogadishu warlords opposed to the growing influence of the courts that they accuse of hosting Islamic extremists and training terrorists.

An official in the alliance, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the crowd that cheered the imams' call for holy war was "misguided" and unaware of his group's policies, which he claimed had huge backing.

"They are misguided and misinformed," the official said. "The alliance is supported by most people in Mogadishu."

At least 52 people were killed and hundreds displaced in Mohgadishu in March when the two sides squared off in the bloodiest clashes since the country collapsed into anarchy with the 1991 ousting of strongman Mohamed Siad Barre.

The alliance is seen by many here as a Washington-backed, anti-Muslim instrument of the US led war on terrorism and fears of new pitched battles between it and gunmen loyal to the courts have skyrocketed in recent days.

The two sides have been re-positioning their forces and stockpiling weapons as they gird for renewed conflict and thousands of terrified Mogadishu residents have fled their homes to avoid the expected violence.

Underscoring those fears, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) on Friday called on both sides not to target civilians, particularly reporters, if and when they do battle.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 09:30 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  this should be good.
Posted by: Greamp Elmavinter1163 || 04/22/2006 12:53 Comments || Top||

#2  Durka, Durka! Islamic Jihad!
Posted by: DarthVader || 04/22/2006 14:12 Comments || Top||

#3  Isn't it sort of pro forma to target civillians, especially journalists?
Posted by: Anonymoose || 04/22/2006 16:20 Comments || Top||

#4  nope - the journos are agents
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 16:22 Comments || Top||

#5  Once again a perfect graphic.

(Golf clap)
Posted by: Danking70 || 04/22/2006 16:41 Comments || Top||

#6  To whom should we send Aideed's address?
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 04/22/2006 20:36 Comments || Top||


Africa North
Egypt reports foiling of al-Qaeda group
Egypt has reported the dismantling of what appears to be a group aligned with Al Qaida.

The Interior Ministry said Egyptian authorities have arrested members of what was described as an underground terrorist group. The ministry said the Islamic insurgency cell sought to attack Egypt's natural gas pipeline as well as Western and Christian targets.

"Information, documents and interviews confirmed they had examined conducting terrorist operations," the ministry said on April 19.

This was the first time Egypt has reported the foiling of an Islamic insurgency cell. In March, Islamic sources reported the arrest of an Al Qaida cell that sought to bomb Egypt's gas pipeline.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 01:34 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Bangladesh
Two killed, four injured in bomb explosions
Apr 20: Two persons were killed and four others injured in bomb explosion incidents in Jibannagar upazila of the district on April 13. Police said, some activists of Purba Bangla Communist Party (Janajoddha) hurled a bomb at a shop where the local BNP leader Sanwar Hossain, 45, and others were chatting. After a few minutes, the hoodlums hurled another bomb at the house of Piyari Begum, a member of Baka Union Parishad.

The explosions killed Lal Chand, 35, and Fatema Begum, 85 of village Baka in Jibannagar upazila on the spot. While Sanwar Hossain, Mohidul Islam, 40, Afzal Hossain, 40, and Lutfur Rahman of the same village received grievous injuries.

Badal Roy, leader of the armed cadre, claimed to have their involvement in the incident. Police recovered the bodies and sent those to Chuadanga General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Cases were filed with Jibannagar thana in this connection.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


26 grenades, 1600 bullets seized in Comilla
Police seized 26 hand grenades and 1600 bullets from a house at Jelepara in the town yesterday evening. Acting on a tip-off, the law enforcers raided the house of Mintu Saha and seized the arms and ammunition. However, there was no arrest.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Comatose in Comilla.

the local Kickapoo juice >>yikes
Posted by: RD || 04/22/2006 15:33 Comments || Top||


Bomb attack on Rab patrol in Khulna
Three people, including a Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) member, were injured in a bomb attack on a Rab patrol vehicle at Sonadanga Bus Terminal in Khulna city last night. The injured are Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kamal and transport workers Benu and Masud. According to witnesses, an unidentified youth hurled the bomb at the vehicle from a speeding motorcycle at around 9:10pm. The bomb exploded a few feet away from the patrol vehicle. Rab and the police cordoned off the bus terminal area.
Here's hoping they catch the unidentified youth and take him and his motorcycle to retrieve arms at the abandoned warehouse at 3 a.m.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I wouldn't be bombing the RAB - worser than the MOSSAD. BTW anyone seen the MOSSAD recently? Hasn't checked in for awhile.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 6:50 Comments || Top||

#2  Somebody's going to be busy at 3 am tomorrow.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 04/22/2006 7:47 Comments || Top||


US citizen of Bangladesh origin handed over to FBI
A US citizen of Bangladeshi origin was picked up from the capital by a joint team of government intelligence agents, handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and sent back to the US, according to a CNN report. CNN reports that on Monday, Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, was arrested in Dhaka, according to his sisters. He was handed over to FBI and put on a plane to New York on Thursday, the US federal sources said. He is expected to face charges in the eastern district of New York, the report said.

CNN also reports that Sadequee's sisters said they were shocked by the news and that their brother has no ties to terrorism. His sister, Sharmin Sadequee, said her brother works for an Atlanta-based non-profit group, Raksha. The organisation's web site states that Raksha, founded in 1995, "addresses social issues within our South Asian community such as family violence and divorce, as well as issues concerning children, senior citizens and new immigrants."

"We are very shocked and startled and hurt," said Sharmin Sadequee, who lives in Michigan. "We still don't know why he was taken by the Bangladeshi government and the FBI," she said, according to the report.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  No nookie for Islam. At least not female nookie.
Posted by: ed || 04/22/2006 0:25 Comments || Top||


Caribbean-Latin America
FARC kills 16
At least six soldiers and 10 state security agents were killed in an ambush by leftist guerrillas in northeast Colombia on Thursday, as fighting increases ahead of May's presidential election.

One of three soldiers wounded in the attack said the rebels began the assault by opening fire as the soldiers and security agents drove through mountains near the Venezuelan border.

"We were on the road when we saw the guerrillas on the hillside above us. They had the ambush ready," the soldier said.

The rebels, who have been fighting the government for four decades, then blew up the vehicle, said the army and Colombia's security agency in a statement.

The ambush occurred near the town of Hacari in Norte de Santander province, the statement said. Initial media reports said the attack happened early on Friday but army officials later told reporters it happened on Thursday.

Violence has increased ahead of the May 28 vote, in which President Alvaro Uribe, popular for cutting crime as part of his U.S.-backed crackdown on the rebels, is expected to win re-election.

Seven guerrillas were killed in clashes with the army in other parts of the country on Friday, adding to 22 rebels gunned down last week in the southern jungle province of Caqueta.

Security analysts say the 17,000-strong Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, is increasing attacks to discredit Uribe's security program and to scare people away from voting in order to rob him of electoral legitimacy.

Human Rights Watch accused the FARC of "massacring" dozens of civilians, including children, in an effort to intimidate voters ahead of March legislative elections.

The FARC, which funds itself through drug smuggling, says it is fighting for socialism in a country with deep divisions between rich and poor, but even mainstream leftist politicians say the group has scant popular support.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 01:58 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Kazakh National Security Council exterminates terrorist group
Arrests were made in early April, but Kazakh state security seems unsure even now gunmen of what international terrorist organization have been bagged. According to Sergei Minenkov, Chief of the International Terrorism Department of the National Security Committee, this is what they have courts for.

Officers of Arystan (special forces of the National Security Committee) were arrested for involvement in abduction and murder of opposition leader Altynbek Sarsenbayev earlier this year. Ever since, Kazakh secret services have been regularly reporting their own successes in the war on crime and terrorism in the hope to at least repair the damage done to their repute. An arrest was made in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, the other day. Secret services detained a young man who kept "subversive literature" under his mattress at home. The detainee was immediately branded as an activist of the banned Hizb-ut-Takhrir, international structure active in Uzbekistan nearby.

Elimination of a whole gang set up by a foreign terrorist organization was proclaimed at the briefing in Astana yesterday. Almost 120 officers of the National Security Committee and Interior Ministry were involved the operation labelled as "unprecedented". Searches at 18 locations and arrests were made in the course of the operation. Success is ascribed to interaction with foreign police forces and intelligence communities. "Some foreign terrorist organizations even now regard Kazakhstan as a place where they can recruit our citizens and train them at special camps and where they can establish their bases and structures," Minenkov said.

Searches produced blueprints and some elements of explosive devices, plans of the future targets (crowded locations and objects of life-support infrastructure), weapons, munitions, "and a great deal of literature, audio- and videotapes promoting religious extremism." According to Minenkov, the arrestees had intended to overrun security structures (the police, financial police, and National Security Committee) and proclaim a caliphate on the territory of Kazakhstan.

All ten arrestees are citizens of Kazakhstan, facing charges of organization of and participation in a gang, inflammation of religious hatred, and illegal possession of weapons and munitions. The National Security Committee is convinced that at least three of them were trained abroad (combat training and ideological indoctrination). Minenkov announced that four arrestees had already confessed. Twelve other people are involved as witnesses, prepared to testify before a court that the arrestees attempted to recruit them into the organization. Along with organization of terrorist acts, the gang had orders from its leaders abroad (these instructions were discovered in the course of the searches) to "compile information on the situation with ethnic relations in the republic and on activities of the opposition". Foreign ringleaders were also interested in the sociopolitical situation in Kazakhstan and its relations with neighboring states. "Proliferation of radical religious ideology in Kazakhstan was one of the gang's priorities," Minenkov said.

So extensively informed of the arrestees' plans and intentions, the National Security Committee nevertheless failed to expose their contacts with any known international terrorist organization. "It's hard to say at this point what international terrorist organization they belong to," Minenkov admitted. "Let the court decide it."

Kazakh secret services reported detention of the so called Zhamoat of Central Asian Mujaheddin last year. Vladimir Bozhko, the then Deputy Chairman of the National Security Committee, called it a structural division of Al-Qaeda. Arrests were made and extolled for a time - with nothing at all to show for it. Things quieted down. Russian media outlets regularly report existence of Chechen gunmen's camps in Kazakhstan but the National Security Committee has never bagged a single Chechen extremist. The Uzbek authorities announced in the wake of explosions in Tashkent last year that there was a shakhid training center in Southern Kazakhstan (the kamikaze in Tashkent were identified as citizens of Kazakhstan) but Kazakh secret services denounced the information. A major incident involving armed gunmen (just passing Kazakhstan en route somewhere else) took place in Alma-Ata several years ago.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:50 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Al-Qaeda involved in attack on Ingush president
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office says it has evidence pointing to the involvement of Al Qaeda emissaries in the terrorist act perpetrated against Ingush President Murat Zyazikov in April 2004.

A CD recording of the terrorist act was found in the home of the father-in-law of Al-Qaeda emissary Abu Dzeit in the village of Tsotsin Yurt in Chechnya's Kurchaloi district, Deputy Prosecutor General Nikolai Shepel told Interfax.

"Investigators verified the information and confirmed that they were dealing with a recording of the terrorist act against Zyazikov. The CD caption (blasting Zyazik) was another proof that they were right," Shepel said.

Notorious warlord Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility for the terrorist act. "Obviously, Abu Dzeit, who was killed last year, took part in the planning of the terrorist act," he said.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:33 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


China-Japan-Koreas
Sen. Di-Fi: US Won't Defend Taiwan
Di-Fi joins the Reid comment that the US doesn't have the resources to attack Iran --

In a sharp break with official U.S. policy towards the two Chinas, Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced on Thursday that America is under no obligation to defend Taiwan if the tiny island democracy is attacked by Communist China.

"It is important to point out a common misconception," Feinstein told a gathering of Chinese-American business leaders in San Francisco, in quotes picked up by the San Jose Mercury News.

"Nowhere does the [Taiwan Relations Act] explicitly require the U.S. to go to war with the mainland over Taiwan," she insisted.
Posted by: Captain America || 04/22/2006 17:57 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Actually it does and has been the cornerstone of 40 years of policy towards Tiawan and China.

Dumb bitch. Shut up before you empower the enemy more and kill millions.
Posted by: DarthVader || 04/22/2006 18:01 Comments || Top||

#2  Good thing there aren't many voters sympathetic with Taiwan in Caliphornia.

Wotta dope.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 04/22/2006 18:10 Comments || Top||

#3  I wonder where in the depths of hell Apple thinks they're going to buy laptops to relabel now.
Posted by: Phil || 04/22/2006 18:21 Comments || Top||

#4  her husband has rich and multiple financial ties to the mainland...unwise announcement DiFi... that spotlight can get hot
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 18:21 Comments || Top||

#5  Di Fi is vulnreble on lots of issues if California conservates could/would break the deth grip that Orange County has on the Republican leadership and direction of the State.

This is just one, energy and immigration are otehrs.

This is totally stupid and the ChiComs should not think she speaks for the US Government, she doesn't. She is just one Senator a law maker and ratifier not the management or court system.
Posted by: SPoD || 04/22/2006 18:35 Comments || Top||

#6  Who is this nutcase and who are the nutbags who elected here. Time to let the leves break. You are a foolish state California.
Posted by: newc || 04/22/2006 18:57 Comments || Top||

#7  We're not all foolish newc. SpoD is right, the True Believers have had a death grip on the party here for a while. Seems they would rather be at total peace with themselves than win elections.

I used to think DiFi was tolerable and reliable in a pinch. But I guess she's just decided to be Barbara Boxer's twin. A shame really, she used to have some spine.
Posted by: SLO Jim || 04/22/2006 19:19 Comments || Top||

#8  nor is San Diego County or Imperial County, Dem central. The state' ssplit upper (read SF/LA) coat vs the rest of the state. Too many conservative republicans (I consider myself one, with some libertarian ideals) would rather remain pure, and in the minority, than win statewide with some moderate positions in the plank. Those dinosaurs will become our future fuel oil for change
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 19:35 Comments || Top||

#9  I think she probably has a point, simply through current observation and extension. Apparently, we are "under no obligation to defend" ...... California, Arizona, or Texas.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/22/2006 20:00 Comments || Top||

#10 
Di-Fi is up for re-election this year. Is there anyone running against her? She has to go.

I hated her when she Mayor of SanFran, I was appalled when she was elected to the Senate.

Posted by: Manolo || 04/22/2006 20:41 Comments || Top||

#11  Translation: you Chicoms gave dough to Clinton / Gore, I want some too.
Posted by: DMFD || 04/22/2006 21:34 Comments || Top||

#12  This isn't dumb, this is dangerously dumb. The Korean War started after a Truman administration official left South Korea out of a map that indicated what we would and wouldn't defend.
Posted by: Steve White || 04/22/2006 22:01 Comments || Top||

#13  CHicoms > iff Clintonian SOCIALIST Amerika doesn't have the gonads to defend TAIWAN, why should it defend any of its Allies in East Asia, from Australia to Japan. Why should Americans defend Amerika - AND NOW YOU KNOW WHY INTERFAX, ru > RUSSIAN BOMBERS BUZZED AND PENETRATED CANADIAN AIRSPACE. Good Clintonians demand to be saved by the Commie Airborne, so that they can rewarded by being those special seats on the future CPUSA's Plitburo and Presidium which Russia-China never promised to give them. The Chicom white paper may had alluded to Amer Holocaust but there is no holocaust becuz, ala CLINTONISM, Socialist Amerikans demanded to be destroyed anyway, to be ruled by anyone except an American or even any American Socialist. ALL TOGETHER, BOYZ, LIKE BRITNEY - OOOOOOOOPPPSSSIES, and say it wid feeling. Now make the Commmies, your parents, and American Socialism proud by getting out there and enthusiastically reporting to your local death camp for extermination, to the best best Best BEST B-E-S-T, D *** YOU, of your ability. There are Commies and Absolutists out there starving, dying, and cannibalizin' becuz of Amerikan Rightist Socialists selfishdesire to stay alive and live a prosperous life without universal dependence on Government or even "proper/true Socialism. We Amerikan Rightist Socialists are despicable, selfish, mongrel. arrogant Male Brute lot, aren't we!?
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/22/2006 22:22 Comments || Top||


Europe
Turkey organizing troops, tanks to fight the PKK
Turkey has sent thousands of soldiers backed by tanks to its overwhelmingly Kurdish southeast and the Iraqi border following stepped-up attacks by Turkish Kurdish guerrillas, officials and reports said Friday.

Fighting between soldiers and the guerrillas, who are based in northern Iraq, often intensifies in the spring, when the snows melt, clearing mountain passes along the border.

Turkey already has some 2,000 soldiers, backed by tanks in northern Iraq to guard against cross border attacks.

But a military officer and an intelligence officer said that force was not being increased and Turkey was not considering any incursion into the neighboring country.

The Aksam newspaper reported Friday that Turkey has moved some 10,000 soldiers to the border regions, increasing its troop strength to some 50,000.

The officers, both speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information, confirmed the deployment but would not say how many troops were involved.

In the past few months, some 40 rebels, 14 soldiers and four police officers have been killed in clashes in southeastern Turkey.

Some 37,000 people have been killed since rebels of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, took up arms in 1984.

Turkey has called on the United States to crack down on rebel bases in northern Iraq, but U.S. commanders, struggling to battle Iraqi insurgents elsewhere, have been extremely reticent to fight the rebels who are based in the remote mountain areas — one of the few stable parts of the country.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 01:55 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  They will cross the border into Iraq...
Posted by: Glemp Glique4136 || 04/22/2006 8:08 Comments || Top||

#2  Hopefully then we will call in air strikes on the Turks.
Posted by: DarthVader || 04/22/2006 9:07 Comments || Top||

#3 
During the years that the Northern no fly zone operated in Iraq, American planes protecting the Kurds from Saddam would be sometimes recalled back to their bases in Turkey because of Turkish operations.

The pilots would see fully armed Turkish planes take off and return with their hard points empty.

Back on patrol, the pilots would see newly bombed out Kurdish villages.
Posted by: john || 04/22/2006 9:22 Comments || Top||

#4  The Kurds are sitting on some oil wells in Iraq
Posted by: Croling Spomp1127 || 04/22/2006 9:37 Comments || Top||

#5  The people in charge in Turkey right now are and have been doing the most mind boggling, stupid things. The government functions like teens working out a basment garage with "big ideas" and a half-assed plan to make them millions - millions don't ya see? Time to for the Turks to put some adults in charge.
Posted by: 2b || 04/22/2006 10:00 Comments || Top||

#6  The Kurds are sitting on some oil wells in Iraq

The difference now is that they aren't going to just be taking those oil fields from the Kurds - but from the country of Iraq, with a trained army and the support of the US.

No matter how they feel about their Kurd countrymen, the Iraq Shia and Sunni won't will be willing to just give up those oil fields any more than the Iraq Kurds will.
Posted by: 2b || 04/22/2006 10:08 Comments || Top||

#7  A vicious skirmish with the US will help the Turks in their EU ambitions.
/Grom
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 13:01 Comments || Top||

#8  Check out Michael Totten's recent series for a great description of the differences between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkish Kurdistan.
http://www.michaeltotten.com/
Posted by: Glenmore || 04/22/2006 16:32 Comments || Top||


Home Front: WoT
Airline Passenger Subdued After Bomb Threat
Lucky to be alive (especially Jose)
As Professor Reynolds says, a pack, not a herd.
DENVER — A passenger who claimed to have a bomb aboard a United Airlines flight was subdued by passengers as the California-bound plane was diverted to Denver International Airport, airport officials said.

Two F-16 fighter jets from Buckley Air Force Base scrambled to escort the plane as it flew into Denver Friday, according to Lt. Commander Sean Kelly, a spokesman for NORAD. "They followed to make sure nothing untoward was going to happen," he said.

Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega was arrested after the plane landed around 4:30 p.m., FBI spokeswoman Monique Kelso said. Three Secret Service agents traveling between assignments who happened to be on the plane helped detain the passenger, said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren.
That was handy, and lucky for Jose -- the agents had to protect him from the passengers.
After the A-320 Airbus landed, it taxied to a remote part of the airport where the passengers got off and were bused to the terminal. None of the 138 passengers or six crew members was injured, airport spokesman Chuck Cannon said. The flight was headed to Sacramento, Calif., from Chicago.

Authorities searched the aircraft for explosives and re-screened luggage and passengers before they reboarded the plane, which took off for its original destination around 7:30 p.m., Kelso said.
Posted by: Glenmore || 04/22/2006 16:25 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega

Lemme guess his citizenship status...
Posted by: Raj || 04/22/2006 16:39 Comments || Top||

#2  Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega

three hot and a cot till the demoCraps give him a voter ID.
Posted by: RD || 04/22/2006 16:55 Comments || Top||

#3  could be another Jose Padilla
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 17:39 Comments || Top||

#4  He should have been shot on sight. One, just in case he had a bomb not to set it off. Two, he is a freaken moron.
Posted by: DarthVader || 04/22/2006 17:46 Comments || Top||

#5  Frank, what would you do to this guy if you were on board?
Posted by: TRANZI crowd || 04/22/2006 18:02 Comments || Top||

#6  I would've jumped his ass and gotten myself shot by the three secret service agents actually onboard. Bad flight choice to f*&k around
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 18:19 Comments || Top||

#7  A pack, not a herd, ANYMORE
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 18:20 Comments || Top||

#8  I tellya, it makes ya proud.

Maybe we should tell DiFi we'll just send over a pack of ordinary Americans if Taiwan is attacked.
Posted by: SLO Jim || 04/22/2006 19:13 Comments || Top||

#9  Something's wrong with our doctrine. He left the plane alive.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 19:35 Comments || Top||

#10  That reminds me of a scene in a film where 2 thieves got in a bar full of cops (I forgot the title)
Posted by: Phereque Cliter9051 || 04/22/2006 19:58 Comments || Top||

#11  Darth,

Shooting someone on a pressurized aircraft? Oh well, that is what Darth Vader would do.
Posted by: Eric Jablow || 04/22/2006 23:54 Comments || Top||


FBI sez 2 Georgians plotted terrorist attacks
A 21-year-old Georgia Tech student and another man traveled to Canada to meet with Islamic extremists to discuss "strategic locations in the United States suitable for a terrorist strike," according to an affidavit made public Friday.

Syed Haris Ahmed and Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, both U.S. citizens who grew up in the Atlanta area, met with at least three other targets of ongoing FBI terrorism investigations during a trip to Canada in March 2005, an FBI agent's affidavit said.

The affidavit said the men discussed attacks against oil refineries and military bases and planned to travel to Pakistan to get military training at a terrorist camp, which authorities said Ahmed then tried to do.

Ahmed, who was indicted on suspicion of giving material support of terrorism, was being held at an undisclosed location. He waived his right to arraignment and pleaded not guilty.

Ahmed was arrested March 23 when the indictment was returned under seal. It was unsealed by the court Thursday. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Ahmed's court-appointed attorney, Jack Martin, did not return messages seeking comment.

Sadequee, 19, who is accused of making materially false statements in connection with an ongoing federal terrorism investigation, was arrested in Bangladesh and was en route to New York City to be arraigned.

Several phone messages left with his sister were not immediately returned.

"There is no imminent threat," said FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko, a spokesman in Washington.

Authorities said the two men spent several days in Canada, where they met with others being investigated by the terrorism task force.

Sadequee is accused of lying about the trip when he was interviewed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in August as he was about to leave for Bangladesh. The affidavit said Sadequee had said he traveled alone in January to visit an aunt.

When Sadequee's suitcase was searched at JFK, agents found a CD-ROM containing encrypted files that the FBI has been unable to decode and a map of the Washington area hidden in the lining, the affidavit said.

One day later, federal agents interviewed Ahmed, who was coming back from a monthlong trip to Pakistan, at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. He said he had gone to Toronto with Sadequee, according to the affidavit.

Federal agents found that money for both men's 2005 bus trip from Atlanta to Toronto was withdrawn from Sadequee's account.

Last month, Ahmed told agents they had met with extremists and plotted how to disrupt military and commercial communications and traffic by disabling the Global Positioning System, the affidavit said.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 02:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Sooo.... did they hang with those who knew Eric Rudolph? It seems to me that this gives the Extremist/Islamist argument one more piece of wood for the fire - though I don't doubt that it could well be a coincidence.
Posted by: 2b || 04/22/2006 9:52 Comments || Top||

#2  For a moment where I was confused. Why would Georgians (from Caucasus) plot terrorism in USA? But Syed Haris Ahmed and Ehsanul Islam Sadequee are self explanatory.
Posted by: gromgoru || 04/22/2006 9:59 Comments || Top||

#3  Journalist and writer Richard Miniter has pointed out that not one terrorist has come across our southern border while a number of them have from the northern one.

The real border insecurity issue as far as Islamo nutters are concerned is with Canada, not Mexico.
Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden || 04/22/2006 12:36 Comments || Top||

#4  ...and they want to attack the US government for what we did to Atlanta in the Civil War?

I think it's time we Northern Yankees ask ourselves...
Posted by: JDB || 04/22/2006 17:28 Comments || Top||

#5  agents found a CD-ROM containing encrypted files that the FBI has been unable to decode and a map of the Washington

And their sponsor is....?
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/22/2006 17:54 Comments || Top||

#6  If the FBI really wanted to know what is on the drive they could get the answer in about an hour by calling (410) 854-6226
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 04/22/2006 18:33 Comments || Top||

#7  not one terrorist has come across our southern border

I recall reports that the Border Patrol had caught Iranians/Iraqis sneaking across the border pretending to be Mexican...I don't remember whether they didn't speak Spanish...
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/22/2006 19:09 Comments || Top||

#8  Canada's new Conservative government is fully engaged in the War on Terror. The previous Liberal goverment could never be trusted to engage in anything except staying in power at any price.
Posted by: john || 04/22/2006 19:29 Comments || Top||

#9  "CD-ROM containing encrypted files that the FBI has been unable to decode"

The Saudis found data encrypted within the photos on some pornography they found several months ago. FOX News reported two CD's recovered, one with hardcore pornography. Maybe they are Jihadi Jigolos?
Posted by: Danielle || 04/22/2006 22:35 Comments || Top||

#10  it'll last about an hour under real scrutinity
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 22:55 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
35 detained in Miranshah
Political administration detained 35 tribesmen in Miranshah under “territorial responsibility” clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulations and imposed Rs 10.13 million fine on three major tribes on Friday.

North Waziristan Chief Administrator Zaheerul Islam told Daily Times that the detained tribesmen would remain in jail as long as the tribes did not hand over militants involved in Thursday’s attack on paramilitary convoy killing around eight soldiers and wounding 22 others near Razmak.

He said that three major tribes – Darpakhel, Burakhel and Miranshah Kalay – were collectively fined Rs 10.13 million for failing to meet territorial responsibility by not defending Miranshah against militants’ attacks.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao confirmed on Friday the death of wanted Al Qaeda explosive expert Abu Marwan Al Suri, calling it major “achievement” in the war on terror.

“It is confirmed that he is killed,” the interior minister told reporters after a function during which former provincial minister Haji Ehsanullah Khan joined the Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao.

Sherpao said Suri’s killing was a “breakthrough” since he was “explosive expert of Al Qaeda.” He neither confirmed nor did he deny a report that Egyptian-born another Al Qaeda explosive expert Abdul Rehman Al Muhajir was killed in April 13 military operation near Miranshah.

Inter Service Public Relations Director General Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan said on Friday that no timeframe could be given for the ongoing operation against miscreants “however if foreign terrorists lay down their arms and get themselves registered, we can offer them amnesty”, Online reported.

Taking to reporters at the ISPR Headquarters, Sultan said the government could not give timeframe on how long the operation against terrorists would last in Waziristan however it could offer them conditional amnesty if they lay down arms, register and live as peaceful citizens.

Later, NNI reported that the Bajaur Agency Political Administration held a grand tribal Jirga at Civil Colony Khar and discussed ways to maintain law and order and prevent foreigners’ infiltration here.

Bajaur Political Agent Muhammad Fahim Wazir asked tribal elders to strictly monitor foreigners. “Elders have to play a role to avoid creating a Waziristan and Balochistan-like situation in the agency,” he said. Elders should also hold jirgas at tehsil level to identify foreigners and hand them over to the government, he added.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:40 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


40 killed in Waziristan fighting
Authorities in the tribal belt of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan claim to have detained over 40 persons on Friday following an incident in which at least seven personnel of Pakistan paramilitary forces were killed and 26 others injured as militants ambushed a convoy of vehicles.

The ambush occurred in a village near Miranshah town on Thursday in the troubled North Waziristan tribal agency.

The military said six militants were killed and several injured after helicopter gun ships and paramilitary personnel launched a counter attack.

Reports from the area said the authorities had detained some tribal elders to force the people in the area to hand over the miscreants responsible for the ambush.

Waziristan tribal belt has been the scene of intense fighting between Pakistani forces and suspected Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces and their local patrons for nearly three years now.

In recent months operations have been launched in the region by the Pakistan forces either in retaliatory attacks or in search of foreign militants sheltered there.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:38 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Al-Suri got cash from Gulf donors
Documents found on an operative for Al Qaeda who was killed by Pakistani forces showed that he was an explosives expert and a money carrier who appeared to be distributing cash to the families of Qaeda members, including Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the organization's leader in Iraq, a senior Pakistani intelligence official said Friday.

The operative, Marwan Hadid al-Suri, 38, also known as Abu Marwan, was shot to death on Thursday during a gunfight outside Khaar, a tribal area close to the Afghan border, said Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao.

A notebook found on Mr. Suri contained details and diagrams of bomb circuits and chemicals used to manufacture explosives, including TNT and C-4, said the intelligence official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media. "This is a big achievement because he was Al Qaeda's explosives expert," Mr. Sherpao said.

A diary written in Arabic contained a list of families of senior Qaeda operatives who received regular cash payments from the organization, including relatives of Mr. Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq. The list did not give the whereabouts of the families, but it described paying $2,500 per family every three months. According to the list, each family was also paid $500 per child every three months.

"This is quite a substantial amount," the intelligence official said. "I reckon the period was stretched out to avoid frequent contacts for security reasons and keep track of families who constantly change their locations to avoid detection."

Security officials in Peshawar say they believe that Al Qaeda continues to receive financing from abroad and from private Arab donors in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf.

Many Al Qaeda members who had come from around the Arab world to fight in Afghanistan in the 1980's and 1990's, married Afghan or Pakistani women and had children with them. The families, hunted by security agencies, move from house to house to avoid detection.

The Syrian-born Mr. Suri, the intelligence official said, married a woman in Afghanistan, but moved his family to the Bajaur region, in Pakistan's tribal areas, from where he organized operations against United States forces in Afghanistan.

Villages in Bajaur were hit by American missiles in January in an attempt to kill Al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Four members of Al Qaeda are believed to have been killed in the strike.

Mr. Suri had trained in explosives in Khost, Afghanistan, and was recently believed to be training other militants in Bajaur, the intelligence official said. Four hand grenades and a pistol were found with his body.

Mr. Suri was killed after his bus was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint. He shot one of the soldiers and was fired upon as he tried to flee.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:37 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Mr. Suri was killed after his bus was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint. He shot one of the soldiers and was fired upon as he tried to flee.

Does it count as crossfire if they are aiming for him?
Posted by: 2b || 04/22/2006 13:56 Comments || Top||

#2  Does it count as crossfire if they are aiming for him?

Given my understanding of their target-hitting ability, 2b, I suspect crossfire was the only way actual bullet impact could be achieved. ;-)
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/22/2006 19:12 Comments || Top||


More on Marwan al-Suri
Marwan Hadid Al-Suri, killed in an encounter with law-enforcers in the Bajaur tribal region on Thursday, was Al Qaeda’s bagman who looked after families of his senior colleagues fighting against the US-led forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, a senior security official said.

A diary with Arabic noting recovered from the possession of 38-year-old Al-Suri contained a list of families of senior Al Qaeda operatives who received regular cash handouts.

Amongst the recipients of cash handouts were families of Abu Musab Zarqawi, Al Qaeda’s head in Iraq, Hadi al-Iraqi and Abu Ikhlas.

The list did not give their locations but it did mention paying $2,500 per family on a three-month basis. In addition, according to the list, each family was paid $500 per kid per three months.

“This is quite a substantial amount. I reckon the period was so stretched to avoid frequent contacts for security reason and keep track of family who constantly change their locations to avoid detection,” a security official said.

Jordanian militant Abu Musab Zarqawi is known to have stayed in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the 1980s and 2001. Security officials believe that Zarqawi had remained in the restive Waziristan region before moving to Iraq.

Many Al Qaeda operatives, who had come to take part in the so-called Afghan Jihad, had married Afghan or Pakistani women and have children from them. The families, hunted by security agencies for ties to Al Qaeda, are also on the run and keep shifting their abodes.

Marwan, the security official said, had married a girl in Jalalabad, Afghanistan’s eastern town, but had moved his family to Bajaur on the orders of his seniors to carry out operations against US-led allied forces in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province.

The Syrian-born Hadid, who carried the nom de guerre of Abu Marwan, had trained in explosives at Al-Farooq camp in Khost and was lately believed to be operating as an instructor/trainer for other militants in Bajaur. He was also believed to have dealt in chemical weapons.

Another diary recovered from Marwan’s possession contained details and diagrams of bomb circuits and chemicals used to manufacture explosives, including TNT and plastic C-4 explosives. There were four hand grenades and a pistol with him, the official said.

Also recovered from him was an audio tape of the funerals of Damadola (Bajaur) victims, killed in a US air strike in early January.

Marwan’s body had been brought to Peshawar and a DNA test was being done to confirm his identity, one official said.

In Peshawar, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao confirmed Marwan’s death and termed it a big achievement. “This is a big achievement because he was an Al-Qaeda’s explosives’ expert,” he told journalists.

Marwan’s death comes at the heel of the reported killing of Mohsin Musa Mutawali Atwah alias Abdur Rehman Al-Suri in an air raid in North Waziristan last week.

The minister, however, refused to confirm or deny Atwah’s death. “I can neither confirm nor deny it,” he said.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:34 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Nuggets from the Urdu press
Why Qazi linked Osama to Nawaz Sharif
Columnist Nazeer Naji wrote in Jang that Qazi Husain Ahmad of Jamaat Islami had stated that Osama bin Laden had offered to fund Nawaz Sharif for bribing MNAs against Ms Benazir Bhutto, but Nawaz Sharif had never accepted the story as true. Now Qazi Sahib was confessing to having met Osama a number of times but not accepting any deal with him. Ms Bhutto had protested that Osama had made the offer but at present she was in the process of coordinating policy with Nawaz Sharif and had not repeated the accusation. Why was Qazi Sahib so interested in maligning Nawaz Sharif who had never met Osama? Quoted in Khabrain Jamaat Islami’s leader Amirul Azim said that Qazi Sahib’s interview was three months old and had been taken out of context and published at the behest of the government.

America will not favour Qazi’s beard
Sarerahe in Nawa-e-Waqt wrote that Qazi Hussain Ahmad’s charge that Osama bin Laden had offered to help Nawaz Sharif defeat Ms Bhutto was perhaps meant to create a gulf between PPP and PMLN or to seek favour with the Americans. But Qazi Sahib was not playing his political cards with great wisdom. America may not care too much for his beard after all.

Burqa-clad boys in ladies’ meeting
According to Khabrain two boys, thinking they would get a nice time, entered a Majlis of Shia ladies on the chehlum of Imam Husain in Dera Ghazi Khan. Misled by hostile sectarian myths, the two boys took burqas and entered the Majlis but were quickly identified as boys. The guards opened fire whereupon one got killed. The other boy was caught by the men who broke his arms and legs.

‘A fish in America’s pitcher’
As reported in Nawa-e-Waqt Dr Israr Ahmad of the Tanzim Islami said that Pakistan was no longer a free country after 9/11. It was in fact a fish swimming about in the pitcher of American domination while it was thinking it was swimming in the ocean. He said Pakistan was neither Islamic, nor a welfare state, nor democratic; and that Muslim League after Jinnah was grabbed by self-seeking people.

May God save Nawaz Sharif!
Writing in Jang Nazeer Naji stated that when he read that an ex-ISI officer had accused Nawaz Sharif of having contacts with Al Qaeda he was greatly worried about his survival. In Pakistan its first premier Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated, General Ayub died tortured by the thought of his friends’ betrayal, Bhutto was hanged and General Zia died through terrorism. Nawaz Sharif, he thought, was lucky to escape death in 1999 when he was deposed.

Beard in the air force?
Daily Nawa-e-Waqt editorialised that an officer of the Pakistan air force had been penalised because he broke the regulation against keeping a beard. The MMA had protested in parliament against the punishment. The paper thought that the said officer had the right to keep the beard as his religious duty. After all Pakistan was created on the basis of Islam and a beard was an Islamic duty. Weren’t the Sikhs able to keep their hair in the Indian air force?

Indian Muslims should be wise!
Columnist Zafar Agha wrote in Khabrain from New Delhi that after the bomb attacks in Lucknow and Varanasi it was feared that the Hindus would take to the streets and start killing the Muslims. But the chief of the grand Hindu temple in Varanasi (Sankat Mochan Mandir) got on the loudspeaker and announced that no Hindu should be provoked. The routine in India is that the Muslims are first provoked by the extremist Hindu elements like the BJP to start coming to the streets in large numbers, after which the Hindu crowds attack them. But Indian Muslims can’t understand this and continue to be ruled by emotion.

Imran Khan most popular in Held Kashmir
Columnist Javed Chaudhry wrote in Jang that leader of Held Kashmir Yaseen Malik who was recently in Pakistan asked his audience, ‘Do you know who is the most popular Pakistani leader in Held Kashmir?’ He himself answered that it was Imran Khan. The columnist wrote that Yaseen Malik was the foremost leader from across the LoC who was doing backdoor diplomacy for uniting the two Kashmirs. He was invited by the Indian prime minister and enjoyed old relations with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and had the confidence of President Musharraf whom he called ‘our president sahib.’

Poverty and custom
Sarerahe wrote in Nawa-e-Waqt that, according to a survey, poverty in Pakistan had increased while customs around marriages had intensified. This had resulted in the marriageable young men and women not getting married at the right time. Because of poverty and because of rising prices most families were scared off wedding customs which had actually become more widespread.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'm worried. Where's the Jinn in the tree stories? Cross-species weddings? Monkeymen? Are these real nuggets or some westernized pap?
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 6:56 Comments || Top||

#2  "Burqa-clad boys..."
Sounds like the f@#king they get for f#$king they didn't get.(excuse the lanquage,please)

"Indian Muslims should be wise!"
That damn"cause and effect"thingy will getya every time.

Posted by: raptor || 04/22/2006 8:01 Comments || Top||


Pakistani Taliban chief wants volunteers for Afghan jihad
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A self-proclaimed Pakistani Taliban leader Friday invited people to come to Afghanistan to fight a holy war against US-led forces, local officials said. "We are leaving for Afghanistan tomorrow, those who want to participate in Jihad can join us," Asmatullah Shaheen told a gathering of more than 300 people in Jandola town, near the restive tribal region of South Waziristan, they said.
How nice. He's calling for volunteers to invade a neighboring country.
Shaheen, 30, also announced a three-month extension on an Islamic edict he handed down last month stating that men in the conservative region should all grow beards. "The extension has been allowed on the request from local people," he was quoted as telling the gathering, held in the compound of a local school. Those who failed to comply would face a "social boycott" under which local hospitals run by tribesmen would not help them and their children would be barred from school, he said. He also announced a series of other Islamic laws, without saying how they would be enforced. Shaheen's fiery speech comes after recent claims by military and security sources that so-called Pakistani Taliban have taken virtual control of some parts of the tribal areas and neighbouring NWFP.
So it would seem, wouldn't it?
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Perhaps Mr. Shaheen's family will be visited by Mr. JDAM.
Posted by: ed || 04/22/2006 0:22 Comments || Top||

#2  Road Trip!
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 0:24 Comments || Top||

#3  BYOB(eards)
Posted by: Captain America || 04/22/2006 0:32 Comments || Top||

#4  Me! Me! Me! Pick meeeeeee!!!
Posted by: Seafarious || 04/22/2006 2:06 Comments || Top||

#5  Hope there is an AC-130 orbiting on the other side of the border just waiting for this freak to pass that line..
Posted by: 3dc || 04/22/2006 2:19 Comments || Top||

#6  If that's what he looks like at age 30, I'm not surprised he wants his raisins early (delivered courtesy of USAF).

"Come join our Jihad, one way tickets provided FoC!!"

Berk.
Posted by: Tony (UK) || 04/22/2006 8:40 Comments || Top||

#7  THey have their priority list all wrong

1. buy washing machine and wash clothes
2. have a frikkin shave already
3. Find gainful employment
4. love thy neighbour

and then finally ... JIHAD !
Posted by: MacNails || 04/22/2006 8:54 Comments || Top||

#8  Jihad...... it's like the 12th Step Man. Gotta make sure you're there. :>
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 13:04 Comments || Top||


Al-Suri dead for sure this time. Really.
Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao confirmed on Friday the death of wanted Al Qaeda explosive expert Abu Marwan Al Suri, calling it major "achievement" in the war on terror. "It is confirmed that he is killed," the interior minister told reporters after a function during which former provincial minister Haji Ehsanullah Khan joined the Pakistan People's Party-Sherpao.

Sherpao said Suri's killing was a "breakthrough" since he was "explosive expert of Al Qaeda." He neither confirmed nor did he deny a report that Egyptian-born another Al Qaeda explosive expert Abdul Rehman Al Muhajir was killed in April 13 military operation near Miranshah.
If he was an Egyptian, why'd they call him al-Suri (the Syrian)?
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  al-Suri = the child of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes...go figure
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 0:09 Comments || Top||

#2  *ahem*

al-Suri = the placenta of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes..

/thanks for the tee
Posted by: RD || 04/22/2006 15:40 Comments || Top||

#3  :-)
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 16:16 Comments || Top||


Two arrested in Pakistan for killing 3 Chinese engineers
The police Friday arrested two militants, suspected of killing three Chinese engineers in February near Southern Karachi port city, said police. The militants, Wali Mohammad and Mohammad Hussian, were arrested in Karachi while they were traveling to Southwestern Baluchistan province, said Chaudhry Amir, a deputy superintendent of police. He told newsmen that police also recovered a laptop, hand grenade and a pistol from them. He alleged that the two are members of outlawed Baluch Liberation Army (BLA), a shadowy group involved in insurgency to seek greater provincial autonomy.

The government listed BLA as a terrorist organization earlier this month. Three Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a drive-by shooting in industrial area of Hub in Baluchistan province.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq
NY Slimes: Young Officers Join the Rumsfeld Debate
In defensive mode (leaker investigation), the Slimes surveys unknown sources to advance a dying story. The war on Bush-Rumsfeld continues, look for much more.

The revolt by retired generals who publicly criticized Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has opened an extraordinary debate among younger officers, in military academies, in the armed services' staff colleges and even in command posts and mess halls in Iraq.

Mr. Rumsfeld at the 2004 graduation ceremony of the United States Military Academy. Many young officers have expressed concerns about the quality of the relationship between the military and civilian leaders.

Junior and midlevel officers are discussing whether the war plans for Iraq reflected unvarnished military advice, whether the retired generals should have spoken out, whether active-duty generals will feel free to state their views in private sessions with the civilian leaders and, most divisive of all, whether Mr. Rumsfeld should resign.

In recent weeks, military correspondents of The Times discussed these issues with dozens of younger officers and cadets in classrooms and with combat units in the field, as well as in informal conversations at the Pentagon and in e-mail exchanges and telephone calls.

To protect their careers, the officers were granted anonymity so they could speak frankly about the debates they have had and have heard. The stances that emerged are anything but uniform, although all seem colored by deep concern over the quality of civil-military relations, and the way ahead in Iraq.

The discussions often flare with anger, particularly among many midlevel officers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and face the prospect of additional tours of duty.

Posted by: Captain America || 04/22/2006 19:32 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Junior officers and kadets would do well to avoid the night-soil press, stick to their studies, duties, and leadership of the men in the ranks.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/22/2006 19:45 Comments || Top||

#2  Revolt? by nine out of how many hundreds of retired generals?

How many young officers? 2? 3? Nine? What were the questions - were they leading? Did you stop beating your wife yet?
Posted by: CrazyFool || 04/22/2006 19:46 Comments || Top||

#3  oh I'm sure they found some people who are mad at Rummy. he stepped on a lot of army toes.

question is whether he was right nor not.
Posted by: anon || 04/22/2006 19:57 Comments || Top||

#4  Gerald Ford Troubled by former generals' Rumsfeld bitching and moaningcomplaints.

"Allowing retired generals to dictate our country's policies and its leadership would be a dangerous precedent that would severely undermine our country's long tradition of civilian control of the military," Ford said.
Posted by: doc || 04/22/2006 20:00 Comments || Top||

#5  FYI to "Revolting Officers" - You weren't drafted!
Posted by: FeralCat || 04/22/2006 20:26 Comments || Top||

#6  anonymous sources...speaking against W and Rummy...how convenient?
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 20:38 Comments || Top||

#7  Any officer who speaks to a reporter from the NY Times ought to have his/her security clearance yanked immediately. Followed by a really long tour inventorying messkits at Fort Godknowswhere, Arizona.
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) || 04/22/2006 22:04 Comments || Top||

#8  Digressing a bit - to some trivia:

What sort of stake do you guess that West Point graduates have in the ogoing war(s)?

I mean - it has been more than 35 years since a General Officer was killed in battle. But - what about West Point junior officers?

Think for a minute about:

1) West Point graduates are what percentage of all presently serving Army officers?

2) West Point graduates are what percentage of all presently serving US Army personnel?

3) West Point graduates are what percentage of all US Military personnel - including all branches?

4) West Point graduates are what percentage of all coalition forces - of all nations - that have served in Iraq or Afghanistan?

All right, have you got those numbers in mind?

Now - if I told you that 1.15% of all coalition deaths in all theaters of the global war have been active duty West Point graduates, would you believe me?

You can check the numbers yourself: 34 active West Point officers killed http://www.aogusma.org/as/admin/remembrance.htm (I did not count the one who died as a civilian at the WTC, nor the one who died as a retired LTC, working as a contractor in Iraq).

For coalition deaths (2,947 as of today), I used:
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/ , including the link to Afghanistan data.

If any group has a stake in the matter, it is West Point cadets and graduates.

Posted by: Lone Ranger || 04/22/2006 22:36 Comments || Top||


Debka: 35,000 Palestinians expelled from Baghdad
The last evictions were carried out by the Shiite Wolves Brigade (picture) Thursday, April 20. According to DEBKA’s sources most of the Palestinians fled to Sunni Muslim sanctuaries in northern Iraq including Samarra and Falujja. For some weeks, 2,000-3,000 Palestinians have been stranded in tents set up in the desert on the Iraqi side of the Jordanian border. Jordan refuses to let them enter.

DEBKAfile adds: The Wolves Brigade is regarded as the most effective and savage of Iraqi militias. Formally it is part of the interior ministry’s security forces, but in actually fact it is an armed branch of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq –SCIRI, one of the two major Shiite parties which is led by Abdel Aziz al Hakim. Its commander goes under the nom de guerre of Abu Walid.

Our Iraqi sources add that the expulsion of the Palestinians is part of the Shiite campaign to purge Baghdad of Sunni Muslims without official Iraqi or American interference. The Wolves have now moved to the southern Baghdad’s Dora to carry on driving out Sunni residents. This campaign has finally put paid to the four-month effort to establish a national government shared by Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis.
Posted by: 3dc || 04/22/2006 01:56 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  IMO, Israel can learn things from Shia.
Posted by: gromgoru || 04/22/2006 9:37 Comments || Top||

#2  As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

Sounds like the paleos and the Sunnis are (finally) getting reaped.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 04/22/2006 12:02 Comments || Top||

#3  "As ye sow, so shall ye reap"

But they'll never get a clue as to what hits them. Too far gone, these Baalestinians.
Posted by: Duh! || 04/22/2006 13:09 Comments || Top||

#4  As ye sow
so shall ye reap
Now leave Iraq
With nary a peep
A Paleo's life
Is just like a boozer's
He makes some bad choices
and always backs losers



Burma Shave
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 04/22/2006 13:35 Comments || Top||

#5  gawd, no wonder I can issue fatwas.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 15:06 Comments || Top||

#6  Insh'Allah!!!
Posted by: borgboy || 04/22/2006 16:43 Comments || Top||


Sunnis endorse al-Maliki
IRAQ'S top Sunni-led parliamentary bloc, the National Concord Front, has endorsed the Shiite alliance's choice of Jawad al-Maliki for prime minister.

"We welcome the choice of Maliki and believe that we can now form a national unity government in Iraq which will be non-sectarian," Mr Zhafer al-Ani, spokesman of the National Concord Front said.

"We hope that Maliki will be a better leader than his predecessor Ibrahim al-Jaafari."

Mr Jaafari had insisted on retaining his post until he bowed to national and international pressure on Thursday, clearing the way for Mr Maliki, his loyal lieutenant in the Shiite fundamentalist Dawa party, to come forward.

The National Concord Front, with 44 seats in the 275-member parliament, and Kurdish parties had strongly opposed Mr Jaafari's candidacy, stalling the political process after December's national election.

The two groups blamed Mr Jaafari for failing to curb the raging sectarian violence that has engulfed Iraq in the last two months.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 01:49 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:


Al-Maliki poised to become next Iraqi prime minister
An outspoken Shiite lawmaker secured his coalition's support and appeared to win over a broader political spectrum as well Friday, all but assuring he will become prime minister in a new government that must confront a growing sense of drift and chaos on the streets.

Jawad al-Maliki is a close ally of the incumbent prime minister, Ibrahaim al-Jaafari, but Iraqi politicians said his tough, direct manner and the perception that he's a competent enforcer makes him more acceptable to Sunnis and Kurds.

Al-Maliki, 56, who played a key role in drafting Iraq's constitution last year, said in a brief telephone interview that he was humbled by the tasks before him as leader of Iraq's first permanent government since 2003.

"It's going to be a lot of responsibility if it happens," he said. "I just want to serve my country and help the helpless people."

Failed efforts to form a government more than four months after Dec. 15 parliamentary elections have stalled reconstruction projects, delayed legislation aimed at curbing the grown of armed groups, and fed a growing sense of lawlessness.

Relieved U.S. and Iraqi officials, exhausted after weeks of negotiations over the government, hailed al-Maliki's elevation as a significant breakthrough, even though fractious discussions over the leadership of the security services remain.

"A major step has been taken with regard to the formation of a government of national unity, which already has a program agreement on a process for decision-making and new institutions," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview. "It's a significant step ... in the right direction, but there will be difficult days ahead."

Al-Jaafari's bid to retain his post collapsed amid opposition by Kurds, Sunnis and a secular list led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, as well as skepticism by U.S. and international community. Opposition by Shiite leaders and clergy finally persuaded him to halt his efforts to remain in power. He agreed Thursday to reopen talks within his Shiite coalition, the United Iraqi Alliance.

In a televised news conference, Humam Hamoudi, one of the alliance leaders, said al-Maliki received the nomination after securing the votes from the leaders of six out of seven blocs within the coalition, which holds 130 of the 275 seats in the National Assembly.

The Parliament is scheduled to convene Saturday to discuss the formation of a government. Hamoudi said Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis would meet beforehand to discuss other key posts, including the re-nomination of Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, as president and the probable naming of Sunni Arab legislator Mahmoud Mashadani as speaker of Parliament.

Hamoudi said Shiite leaders had canvassed Sunnis and Kurds in recent days about al-Maliki and won their acceptance. Al-Maliki himself said he'd spoken to leaders of other blocs, who told him he had their support.

"The Kurds called me and they say and they have no objection," he told the Los Angeles Times. "I called the Sunnis and they said they have no objection and they will fully cooperate. Allawi's list also supports me."

Al-Jaafari, who has served as prime minister since last year, narrowly defeated a rival in a February vote to be renamed the Shiite nominee for premier, but failed to gain broader support.

Al-Jaafari's opponents accused him of being too weak in his management ability and too sectarian in his outlook to lead a country plagued by an explosion of inter-communal violence and an ongoing Sunni Arab insurgency.

"We know Jawad Maliki well," said Iyad Samarai, a leader of the main Sunni political bloc. "We know his opinions and views well, and we think that he can do the job in a better way (than al-Jaafari)."

Saadi Barzanchi, a member of the Kurdish coalition, called al-Maliki more "open" in his public demeanor and a stricter administrator. "We think Jaafari was not successful in his performance as a prime minister in the last year and during the period after December's election," he said. "Security, economy and services are deteriorating."

Khalilzad, who said he has had long chats with al-Maliki, said he'd been "encouraged" by a softening on issues such as keeping former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party out of the government, which many people criticize as a cover for purging Sunnis.

Al-Jaafari, a physician and theologian, only agreed to step down after he was confronted with intense domestic and international pressure. Among several preconditions, Jafari demanded that his successor be a member of his Dawa Party.

"Jaafari's agreement wasn't without a price," said the aide to one high-level Shiite legislator. "Otherwise the floor might have been opened and another candidate might have been chosen."

Iraq's violence continued. In the far northeastern corner of Iraq, Iranian planes and rockets targeted rebel Kurdish positions, Kurdish officials said. The Kurdish Firat news agency reported the death of three guerrillas.

Mostafa Said Qader, a Kurdish official in Sulaymaniyah, said Iranian forces massed at the border had launched Katyusha missiles and air strikes on an outpost of one of the Kurdish groups.

In the capital, police found seven bodies of men shot in the head, in the execution style associated with Shiite militias. Roadside bombs near the city's Yarmouk hospital injured 11 people. Two roadside bombs targeting police and army patrols in Mosul killed five Iraqis and injuring four, said an Iraqi police officer in Mosul.

The U.S. military reported the death of a Marine in fighting in Anbar province.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 01:08 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In the far northeastern corner of Iraq, Iranian planes and rockets targeted rebel Kurdish positions, Kurdish officials said.

Turks to the left of me Iranians to the right , here I am stuck in the middle with you!
Posted by: 2b || 04/22/2006 10:28 Comments || Top||

#2  [Al Maliki]...secured his coalition's support and...., he will become prime minister in a new government that must confront a growing sense of drift and chaos on the streets.

Am I the only one who thinks this reporter deserves two awards for using this in the opening paragraph?

One for the best use of squeezing in editor approved buzz phrases and one for the most ridiculous use of a buzz phrase?
Posted by: 2b || 04/22/2006 10:32 Comments || Top||

#3  that must confront a growing sense of drift and chaos on the streets.

heh 2B. Points off for no surgin violence tho.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 13:23 Comments || Top||

#4  And where the hell is, "mounting casualties"?
Posted by: JDB || 04/22/2006 13:50 Comments || Top||

#5  mounting casualties ie falling off the horse.
Posted by: john || 04/22/2006 19:37 Comments || Top||

#6  Mounting casualties is taking the week off and being relieved by increasing chaos.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 19:40 Comments || Top||


Zarqawi letter to Abu Hamam
A letter composed by “Abu Hamam the Palestinian,” who was allegedly held in a Jordanian prison cell with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and addressing the Emir of al-Qaeda in Iraq, was posted yesterday, April 20, 2006, to a password-protected al-Qaeda-affiliated forum. The message contains several laudatory greetings to Zarqawi, praising him as the “master of Tawhid” and “mountain of Tawhid,” and reminiscing about their period in prison and circumstances since that time. He states: “I still remember when the cowards bombed us from planes and shelled us from tanks You did not weaken, Abu Musab. Allah has granted you success, oh, lion of Tawhid.”
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:45 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  F*CK zarqawi
Posted by: bgrebel || 04/22/2006 2:31 Comments || Top||


Mujahideen Shura Council claims responsibility for Beiji, Mosul attacks
Amongst several communiqués the Mujahideen Shura Council recently issued, in three, the group claims responsibility for detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and a car bomb on “Crusader” and Iraqi forces in Beiji and al-Mosul between Monday, April 17, 2006, and Wednesday, April 19. According to the messages, a car bomb detonated by a remote control in Beiji killed an alleged six “Crusaders” and injuring three others, and an IED on Iraqi police in al-Mosul allegedly killing four of the “converters”.

The Mujahideen Shura Council is composed of eight insurgency groups in Iraq: al-Qaeda in Iraq, Victorious Army Group, the Army of al-Sunnah Wal Jama’a, Jama’a al-Murabiteen, Ansar al-Tawhid Brigades, Islamic Jihad Brigades, the Strangers Brigades, and the Horrors Brigades, collaborating to meet the “unbelievers gathering with different sides” and defend Islam.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:44 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Gen. Rick Lynch: Good News From Iraq
I want to talk about four specific indicators on operations here in Iraq, and I don't want to talk about what happened yesterday. I want to talk over a period of time to give you a sense of the trend lines that we see.

And these are four that I've talked to you about before, but allow me to give you an update.

We believe that 90 percent of the suicide attacks in Iraq are conducted by foreign fighters -- al Qaeda, Zarqawi commissioning foreign fighters to conduct these suicide attacks. Last year this time, across Iraq, we were averaging about 75 suicide attacks a day. Now we're averaging about 24 a day.

One of the reasons for that drawdown is not that Zarqawi and al Qaeda doesn't want to do it anymore, but effective border operations have been capturing foreign nationals at the border.

So if you look closely at what's happened, just before the first of the year, we were averaging about 44 captured foreign nationals per month, and now we're down to less than half of that. The effect of that is reduction in the number of suicide attacks in Iraq: over 70 a year ago, 24 now.

I talked about IEDs and IEDs that are found and cleared. We have reached the point where almost 50 percent of the IEDs are found and cleared before they detonate. And people say, "Well, why is that?" A reason why that is, is the number of sophisticated bomb-makers we've been able to take off the battlefield here in Iraq.

There are indeed with -- people with talent and capability that can build a reliable IED, one that will function as designed. What we've been doing is a conscious effort with the Iraqi security forces to take those guys off the battlefield and either kill or capture them. And you can see that we took over -- took out 115 in the year 2005. And since the first of the year, we've taken out an additional 26.

I talk every Thursday about the weapons caches and weapons finds. And if you looked over the years 2005, we came across 2,880 weapons caches and since the first of the year almost 900 weapons caches. Again, this goes to the effectiveness of the insurgents. In order to be able to create effective IEDs, he's got to have technical expertise, and he's got to have the proper munitions. A lot of these weapons caches we found had old munitions, but a lot of them had relatively new munitions that could build an effective bomb.

But I believe that the most important indicator on these charts, on this quad chart, is this one. And that's the number of tips, actionable tips, that we are receiving from the people of Iraq. They have indeed reached the point where they're tired of the insurgency, and they realize that they are indeed the target of attacks by the insurgency. The numbers of attacks against civilians, as I told you before, has doubled in the last four months, is up by 86 percent just in the last nine weeks.

So the people of Iraq are tired of the insurgency.

And what they're doing is calling in actionable tips or providing tips to the 250,000 members of the Iraqi security force that are patrolling the streets of Iraq.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  averaging about 75 suicide attacks a day. Now we're averaging about 24 a day.

That would be per month.
Posted by: ed || 04/22/2006 0:43 Comments || Top||

#2  Thanks ed, that part had me worried.
Posted by: 6 || 04/22/2006 7:02 Comments || Top||


Iraqi Army kills armed man trying to plant explosive
The Multi-National Forces in Iraq announced in a statement Friday that Iraqi soldiers have killed an armed man while he was trying to plant an explosive bomb north of the Iraqi capital. The statement said the Iraqi soldiers opened fire at him which led the bomb to explode and kill him. The statement added that none of the Iraqi soldiers were injured and the Iraqi army was conducting investigations about the incident.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "didjya get any onya? Ewwwwww"
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 0:10 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Hamas 'weapons cache' found
PALESTINIAN leader Mahmud Abbas overnight called "dangerous and surprising" Jordan's discovery of a cache of weapons attributed to Hamas. "The information I received from Jordan's prime minister and intelligence chief is dangerous and surprising at the same time," Mr Abbas said after meeting Jordan's Prime Minister Maarouf Bakhit.

A high-level Palestinian political and security delegation was going to visit Jordan to study the affair "which has serious repercussions for the security and stability of Jordan," Mr Abbas said.

For his part, Mr Bakhit said he welcomed the visit by a fact-finding Palestinian delegation and described as positive his talks with Mr Abbas about the weapons seizure.

Jordan said Tuesday it had indefinitely postponed a visit from Palestinian foreign minister and Hamas leader Mahmud al-Zahar after finding a weapons stash belonging to the Islamic radical group. Jordan had found explosives and rockets in the hands of a Hamas cell, which had been surveying strategic spots in Amman, a government spokesman said. Jordan believes the weapons were smuggled into the country from neighbouring Syria.
They didn't come via Iraq ...
Hamas on Wednesday condemned Jordan's decision to cancel Mr Zahar's visit, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, and denied the group had hidden weapons in Jordan.

Jordan, which has sought to play a mediating role between Israel and the Palestinians, in November 1999 expelled Hamas members including the now Damascus-based supremo Khaled Meshaal and closed its offices. King Abdullah's move marked a break with his late father's policy of tolerating Hamas's presence in the desert kingdom.
Posted by: Oztralian || 04/22/2006 16:24 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Sounds to me like Jordan has all the facts it needs. Time for some action.
Posted by: Captain America || 04/22/2006 18:27 Comments || Top||

#2  Black September, Black ...May?
Posted by: Frank G || 04/22/2006 19:16 Comments || Top||

#3  1970 King Hussein's Bedouin troops cleaned up a few paleo encampments.

a nice way to put this would be..

Paleos = degenerate gamblers

Posted by: RD || 04/22/2006 19:39 Comments || Top||

#4  Why, it's almost like they were tipped off...
Posted by: mojo || 04/22/2006 23:01 Comments || Top||


Debka: Sema Dana named Security Chief
Hamas names notorious terror operative, Jemal Abu Sema Dana, to high office with responsibility for Palestinian security services. Palestinian interior minister Said Siam announced Thursday that he had selected as director-general of his ministry the founder of the Palestinian Resistance Committees, manager of the Palestinian arms smuggling tunnels and Middle East gunrunner.

DEBKAfile adds: Sema Dana tops the list of wanted terrorists for engineering the murder of three American security contractors in the Gaza Strip three years ago, a long line terrorist attacks that claimed Israeli lives and more recently running the Qassam missile offensive.
Posted by: 3dc || 04/22/2006 02:03 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Remember those were the contractors providing security to the FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP TEAM.
Posted by: Seafarious || 04/22/2006 2:26 Comments || Top||

#2  I would say a game of whack-a-pali(mole) is in order.
Posted by: raptor || 04/22/2006 8:10 Comments || Top||

#3  Good.
Posted by: gromgoru || 04/22/2006 9:56 Comments || Top||

#4  ALBRIGHT and FULBRIGHT aren't so bright it seems.
Posted by: Duh! || 04/22/2006 10:04 Comments || Top||


Grad missile re-hits the occupied Palestinian Majdal town
A Palestinian faction admitted on Friday responsibility for refiring the occupied Palestinian Majdal town with one Russian-made "Grad" missile. Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad organization, said one of its groups fired the missile at Majdal town within the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1948, close to north Gaza Strip.

This is the second time in a month al-Quds brigades declare responsibility for firing a Grad missile at the same town, after using locally-made missiles. The statement stressed that this is the only proper and optimum option to regain the occupied territories and eject the occupation forces.
Posted by: Fred || 04/22/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  So its fiting and proper to shoot at fellow Palestinians?

OK.
Posted by: 3dc || 04/22/2006 0:16 Comments || Top||

#2  occupied Palestinian Majdal town

I think that's just the quaint Quwaiti qustom of saying Thar Be Jews.
Posted by: ed || 04/22/2006 0:31 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Singaporean linked to Top arrested in Indonesia
Indonesian police confirmed yesterday that it is holding a Singaporean national suspected of ties with wanted Malaysian terrorist Noordin Moh Top. The police anti-terror squad captured Abdul Rosyid, aka Hamdan, on April 18 on Sumbawa, a largely Muslim island in West Nusa Tenggara province.

Deputy police spokesman in Jakarta Anton Bachrul Alam said that “police detectives in the province are still interrogating the man to shed light on his alleged involvement in terrorist activities in the area. They are still investigating whether Hamdan is tied to Noordin Moh Top or not”. He was arrested for breaking Indonesia’s immigration law.

After meeting top public security and intelligence officials, police chief General Sutanto said that his office was in contact with Interpol to determine the detainee’s status.

“We’ll send him back to his country of origin only if we are certain that he is not involved in any terrorist activities,” he explained.

In recent days, Indonesian police has raised the level of alert following reports that Noordin M Top had recruited suicide bombers for possible attacks in Poso, in Central Sulawesi. The Malaysian terrorist is still on the run and thought to be hiding in Java.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:54 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


100 JI members, 400 trainees in Mindanao - Gunaratna
A noted regional security analyst said here yesterday the regional Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror network has 100 foreign militants in Mindanao who have trained 400 to 500 fighters for new attacks.

Dr. Rohan Gunaratna, head of the Singapore-based International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, told reporters on the sidelines of a three-day international experts’ conference on counterterrorism here that nearly 100 JI militants were being given refuge by rogue guerrilla leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"The JI is very patient, very cunning, very clever and it takes its time planning its attack," Gunaratna said, adding that "it is just a matter of time" before another attack takes place in the region.

"The JI believes in doing a few attacks but makes sure that it makes a huge impact," he said.

Gunaratna urged Southeast Asian governments to launch joint military and intelligence operations against the JI to head off new attacks.

He said the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia should develop a "new platform" in its fight against the JI, and deploy joint forces to track down the extremists in their jungle bases.

"Because we see that the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia enjoy a common sea border, it is important for the militaries and navies of these countries to conduct joint operations."

Gunaratna warned the JI militants are the most "deadly and lethal."

"Although the numbers are very small, JI is a very deadly and a very lethal organization so the government of the Philippines… and other governments that are fighting JI must work together to track JI leaders and kill them or to put them in prison," he said.

Gunaratna said the JI continues to operate jungle camps in Indonesia and in Mindanao, where they are training the extremist Abu Sayyaf and the MILF.

"JI is a very patient organization, it is like al-Qaeda. It is a very cunning and clever organization. It will take its time to plan, prepare and execute large-scale attacks," Gunaratna warned.

He claimed the JI has a small number of camps operating in Southeast Asia.

"It is important to dismantle those camps and capture or kill those members who are operating those camps and those individuals who are leading the JI network in the Philippines and Indonesia," Gunaratna said.

He warned the JI is now making efforts to "develop capabilities" like those of their counterparts in the Middle East in staging suicide attacks.

"In the future, we could have suicide attacks in the Philippines… it’s a question of time and how they could convince people to do it," Gunaratna said.

"Filipino Muslims are very tolerant compared to others in the region but we’re seeing more radicalization," he said.

During the summit here, Gunaratna urged the Indonesian government to "criminalize" the JI as an organization and keep behind bars its spiritual founder Abu Bakar Bashir, who reportedly expects to walk free in June after serving only 29 months in prison for his role in the 2002 bombings.

Gunaratna also revealed a faction led by JI’s most wanted leader Malaysian Noordin Mohammad Top is closely working with the Abu Sayyaf, while another led by Indonesians Umar Patek and Dulmatin is being sheltered by the MILF.

The three JI leaders are all accused of playing key roles in the Bali bombings.

While the MILF is engaged in peace talks with the Philippine government, Gunaratna said the Muslim group continues to shelter the JI militants.

He said the MILF should be held "accountable" for their presence.

Gunaratna also urged governments to check if millions of dollars in private funds from the Middle East intended for poor Muslim regions were reaching the rightful beneficiaries.

He said the funds were being diverted to the hands of extremists.

Noting the efforts of the Philippine government to retain terrorism as a capital crime despite the abolition of the death penalty, Gunaratna said no country "has fought terrorism effectively without appropriate anti-terrorism legislation."

"It is important to have the death penalty but it also important to exercise discretion when it comes to sentencing someone to death," he said.

"But the death penalty is a very important instrument in the fight against terrorism."

On Easter Sunday, President Arroyo announced her decision to commute all death sentences to life imprisonment. Among those who would reportedly benefit from the commutation are convicted terrorists.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, however, told reporters Mrs. Arroyo might make an exception to her order in the case of convicted terrorists.

Ermita said there were ongoing efforts to reconcile proposals to abolish the death penalty with the pending anti-terrorism bill in Congress.

Both measures have been certified as urgent by the President, he said. The proposed anti-terrorism bill imposes the death penalty for some offenses.

Ermita noted that abolishing the death penalty for convicted terrorists might send a weak signal to the international community on its global effort against terrorism.

Gunaratna, an acknowledged expert on the terror organizations in the region, said the Philippines’ "biggest weakness" in dealing with terrorism is that it does not have an anti-terrorism law as he urged Filipinos to "put to task" their political leaders for their inaction on the measure.

He noted many suspected terrorists arrested in the country have been allowed to post bail, thus giving them the opportunity to stage more deadly bombing attacks.

"This is a huge mistake," Gunaratna said. "Philippine law enforcement authorities can be effective on the ground only if they have legal coverage.

"This is huge failure on part of political leadership and the political opposition in the Philippines," he added.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:48 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I hope noone's sleeping on this
Posted by: Sholung Hupomoque1398 || 04/22/2006 14:10 Comments || Top||

#2  Heck, Dad already liberated Mindanao once !
He would be upset.
Posted by: jim#6 || 04/22/2006 14:21 Comments || Top||


Terror Networks
Saif al-Adel's plan for world domination resurfaces online
Al-Qaeda’s 2020 plan, a seven-stage strategy for the coming two decades, published in Fouad Hussein’s book and allegedly written by an al-Qaeda leader, possibly Seif al-Adl, is a popular document amongst primary jihadist forums, given permanent status atop other postings. According to the plan, based on “developing jihadi Islamic activity both in quantity and in quality,” broadening its scope to encompass the entire world, the enemy will release its grasp of the Muslim people’s resources and treasures. At this point, power will return to the Muslim Nation and Islamic law will gain authority, rendering all problems, internal and external, resolved.

The document explicates each of the seven stages, beginning with a “stage of arousal,” which entails motivating the Islamic Nation out of its “lethargy” and expose the purported truths about the West. For this purpose, the September 11th attacks were executed, and fro the point of view of al-Qaeda leadership, U.S. President George W. Bush’s launching of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq are considered a success of the first stage, “aiming to lure Washington to attack the Islamic Ummah, in order to waken it up from its sleep and lethargy. The Al-Qaeda leaders believe that the US’s responsiveness to provocation was a strategic mistake made by the Jewish-Anglo-Saxon pact lead by the Americans”. This particular stages is written to have begun in 2000 with the preparations for 9/11, and ended with the start of the War in Iraq in 2003.

The following stages, “opening the eyes,” “standing up and rising on two feet,” and recuperation and acquiring power for change are to extend through 2013. Occupation of Baghdad is seen to last for three years, until the end of 2006, and by this time, the Nation will realize the truth. Burning oil, direct confrontation with Israel, electronic jihad via the Internet and Iraq as a training ground for mujahideen are each steps within the second stage. By 2010, fighting will broadened from Iraq to the areas of al-Sham (Syria, Lebanon, northern Jordan), and direct confrontation with the Jewish people will ensue, not only in Israel, but to Muslim states where the Jews have “heavy influence,” namely, Turkey.

Regime change via “direct and forceful confrontation,” in addition to devaluing of the U.S. dollar, disengagement politically between Muslim states and America and a weaker American force embroiled in constant battle with the mujahideen are intended to be attained by 2013, followed by the declaration of an Islamic state in 2016. By this time, war will ensue between the “powers of belief” and the “powers of global infidelity,” and the final stage, by 2020, will end in the victory of al-Qaeda and Islam. The document summarizes: “This is the final stage in the plan designed by Al-Qaeda, this plan that has given Al-Qaeda credibility and reality as have not been enjoyed by any other contemporary Islamic movement”.
Posted by: Dan Darling || 04/22/2006 00:23 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  2016-2020 > so democratic America, aka Clintonian Rightist Socialist = Half-A-Commie/Pseudo-Communist Amerika, and Western Democracy's TWO choices is either to be defeated and destroyed by God-based Lefties/Socialists/Anarchists
aka Radical Islam; OR by Motherly, genteel, Secular Socialists aka Marxists-Communists-Maoists!?
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 04/22/2006 22:38 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Sat 2006-04-22
  Al-Maliki poised to become next Iraqi prime minister
Fri 2006-04-21
  CIA Officer Fired for Leaking Classified Info to Media
Thu 2006-04-20
  Egypt seizes group that planned attacks on tourist sites
Wed 2006-04-19
  Israeli aircraft strike suspected rockets factory
Tue 2006-04-18
  Four cross-dressing Afghans arrested for suspected links to Taliban
Mon 2006-04-17
  At least 7 dead in Islamic Jihad boom in Tel Aviv
Sun 2006-04-16
  Aftab Ansari killed in J&K
Sat 2006-04-15
  Chad breaks diplo relations with Sudan
Fri 2006-04-14
  Sami Al-Arian To Be Deported
Thu 2006-04-13
  Chad fights off rebels in capital
Wed 2006-04-12
  29 indicted in connection with 3/11
Tue 2006-04-11
  Sunni Tehrik leadership wiped out in suicide boom
Mon 2006-04-10
  Pakistan brands Baluch rebel group terror outfit
Sun 2006-04-09
  IAEA inspectors in Iran to visit facilities
Sat 2006-04-08
  US 'plans nuclear strikes against Iran'

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