Threat Matrix: May 2008

Previous Thread ^

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/zimbabwe/index

Thanks to Clive for the ping the these threads:

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2011017/posts

“Zim crisis divides S Africa (SADC divisions)”
News24 (SA) ^ | 2008-05-04 | Dickson Jere
Posted on May 4, 2008 6:49:07 AM PDT by Clive

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010999/posts

“Cathy Buckle: Never the same again (Zimbabwe)”
Letters Written by Cathy Buckle ^ | 2008-05-03 | Cathy Buckle
Posted on May 4, 2008 5:51:22 AM PDT by Clive

[Cindy]

Fyi Only.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010845424

“Man Killed At Mississippi Paper Mill When Boiler Explodes”
May 4, 2008 9:02 a.m. EST

Amy Beeman - AHN
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Redwood, MS (AHN) — A contract mill worker was killed Saturday and 17 more were injured when a boiler exploded at a Mississippi paper mill.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Reports say at least 400 people were working when the boiler exploded. Authorities say it’s too soon to estimate damages. They are still looking into the cause of the explosion.”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/usscole/
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/yemen

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blog:

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/192577.php

May 04, 2008
“All the USS Cole Bombers Free in Yemen, Journalist on Trial for Terrorism”

[Cindy]

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/29830_The_Media_Are_the_Enemy

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blog:

“The Media Are the Enemy”
Sat, May 3, 2008 at 6:32:24 pm PST

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19063&Itemid=21

Press Release 04MAY16-165
May 04, 2008

Eleven al-Qaeda terrorists killed, 23 suspects detained

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed 11 terrorists and detained 23 suspects while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq in central and northern Iraq Saturday and today.

This morning near Lake Thar Thar, 80 miles northwest of Baghdad, Coalition forces used information compiled since Jan. 22 to target the foreign terrorist facilitation network. As they arrived at the target area, Coalition forces received small-arms fire, returned fire in self-defense and called for supporting aircraft. Nine terrorists were killed in the engagement, three of whom were wearing suicide vests. Coalition forces found grenades, rifles, ammunition and false identification documents on the scene. They safely destroyed the weapons and explosives, and detained nine suspected terrorists.

Coalition forces used intelligence gained from an operation April 4 to identify a suspected AQI terrorist in a vehicle near Samarra, 70 miles northwest of Baghdad, Saturday. When the driver failed to follow verbal commands to stop the vehicle or heed warning shots, Coalition forces engaged, killing two terrorists.

Today in Baghdad, Coalition forces used information from an operation Mar. 30 to capture a suspected associate of AQI senior leaders and one additional suspected terrorist.

Two related operations this morning near Bayji, 100 miles south of Mosul, targeted an AQI bombing network in Salah ad-Din province. Coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists, including a wanted man believed to be a weapons facilitator for the group.

In Mosul, Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists today while targeting senior leaders in the area.

“Coalition forces will continue to hunt down al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists who seek to undermine the Iraqi government and threaten a future of peace and security for the Iraqi people,” said Lt. Col. Maura Gillen, MNF-I spokeswoman.

- 30 -

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19071&Itemid=21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080504-13
May 4, 2008

MND-B Soldiers kill five criminals in Sadr City in separate operations

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers killed five criminals in the Sadr City district of Baghdad during night operations May 3 and 4.

At approximately 11:45 p.m. May 3, MND-B Soldiers operating an unmanned aerial vehicle positively identified two criminals preparing for a potential attack on soldiers conducting a barrier mission. The criminals had been seen earlier conducting similar operations. The UAV engaged the criminals with one Hellfire missile at approximately 12:05 a.m. May 4, killing both men. The engagement also destroyed their observation post position.

At approximately 12:15 a.m. May 4, an MND-B aerial weapons team positively identified armed criminals with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. The AWT engaged the men with two Hellfire missiles, killing three criminals.

“Criminal elements continue to put innocent Iraqis in harm’s way by attacking Iraqi Security Forces and. Coalition soldiers from rooftops, alleyways and residential buildings,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman for MND-B and the 4th Infantry Division. “These criminals know what they are doing, and their actions prove they don’t care for the lives of innocent civilians.”

-30-

[Cindy]

Fyi Only.

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1397852

“DC fire investigators look into possible explosion at home”
May 3, 2008 - 7:20pm
WASHINGTON (AP)

[Cindy]

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3539324,00.html

2 Qassams land in western Negev; no injuries
Published: 05.04.08, 15:52 / Israel News

Two Qassam rockets fired from Gaza Sunday landed in open areas in the Sha’ar Hanegev and Sdot Negev the regional councils limits.

No injuries or damage reported. (Shmulik Hadad)

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Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3539315,00.html

Qassam hits Sderot house; no injuries
Published: 05.04.08, 15:36 / Israel News

A Qassam rocket fired from northern Gaza Sunday hit the wall of a house in Sderot. No injuries reported as of yet.

Four Qassam rockets were fired towards Israel throughout Sunday, three landing in the city. One of the rockets landed on a mini-market roof at the city’s center; a few people suffered shock. (Shmulik Hadad)

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010759/posts

“FBI To Address Attacks (On Military Recruiting Offices, REsponse to MAF “Sedition Report”)”
Move America Forward ^ | May 2, 2008 | Melanie Morgan
Posted on May 3, 2008 10:50:09 AM PDT by Syncro

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

May 4, 2008

http://sandiego.fbi.gov/pressrel/2008/sd050408.htm

Joint Terrorism Task Force Responds to Explosion at Federal Courthouse

At approximately 1:40 a.m. the Metro Arson Strike Team responded to a call at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse located at 940 Front Street, San Diego, California. It was quickly determined that an explosion had occurred, at which point the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) was notified.

The explosive device caused damage to the front entrance and lobby area of the Federal Courthouse. After securing the area the crime scene was turned over to the FBI’s Evidence Response Team at approximately 4:45 a.m. An investigation is being conducted by the JTTF.

Agencies responding to the incident included the San Diego Fire Department Metro Arson Strike Team, the San Diego Police Department, the FBI, ATF, and Federal Protective Services.

Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact the JTTF at (858) 565-1255 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS (8477).

[Cindy]

http://www.govexec.com/features/0508-01/0508-01s1.htm

“FEATURES Hybrid Wars
By Greg Grant
Government ExecutiveMay 1, 2008

SNIPPET: “What if the battles of the future are neither conventional nor irregular, but a combination of both?”

[Cindy]

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3539530,00.html

Two Qassams fall south of Ashkelon, no injuries
Published: 05.04.08, 23:15 / Israel News

Two Qassam rockets were fired from the northern Gaza Strip and fell in open areas south of Ashkelon. There were no injuries and no damage was caused. (Shmulik Hadad)

###

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3539472,00.html

Bomb goes off near Gaza border, no injuries
Published: 05.04.08, 20:25 / Israel News

An explosive device planted near the security fence along Gaza’s southern border was detonated Sunday evening.

No injuries were reported but damage was caused to the fence infrastructure. (Hanan Greenberg)

[Cindy]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1209627005868&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

May 4, 2008 12:41 | Updated May 4, 2008 21:00
“Kassam rocket hits Sderot mini-market”
By JPOST.COM STAFF

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A Kassam rocked fired from the northern Gaza Strip hit a mini-market in central Sderot Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, the rocket did not break through the roof of the building, though five people at the scene suffered shock.

A second rocket slammed into a Sderot home and another hit a cemetery in the western Negev town, damaging a number of gravestones.

Throughout Sunday, seven rockets were fired by Palestinian terrorists into Israel. The remaining four rockets hit open areas in the Sha’ar Hanegev and Sdot Negev regions.”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/ricin

#

UPDATE:

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=104&sid=1359369

“Man pleads not guilty to federal charges in Vegas ricin case
May 2, 2008 - 2:42pm”
By KEN RITTER
Associated Press Writer

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “LAS VEGAS (AP) - A man authorities suspect was poisoned by ricin found in his motel room pleaded not guilty Friday to possession of a biological toxin and weapons charges.

A June 17 trial was scheduled for Roger Bergendorff, who has been in federal custody since his April 16 arrest. The charges carry a possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.

Authorities say about 4 grams of “crude” powdered ricin were found Feb. 28 in Bergendorff’s extended-stay motel room several blocks off the Las Vegas Strip, along with illegal silencers for .22-caliber weapons.

Ricin can be lethal in amounts the size of the head of a pin. Federal prosecutor Gregory Damm has said he believes Bergendorff had enough of the substance to kill more than 500 people.”

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49773

Coalition, Iraqi Forces Kill, Capture Insurgents

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2008 – Coalition and Iraqi forces killed and captured dozens of enemy fighters and terrorists during operatrions conducted throughout Iraq over the past three days.

Coalition forces captured two suspected Iranian-trained insurgents early this morning in the Rashid district in Baghdad.

Intelligence information led coalition forces to the location of an individual suspected of smuggling Iranian weapons. He is also suspected of providing information to other insurgent leaders that led to rocket attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces. The terrorist surrendered without incident.

Coalition forces conducted a follow-on mission to capture another suspect. There, they detained an individual identified as an insurgent.

Also in Baghdad, Multinational Division soldiers used an unmanned aerial vehicle to kill five insurgents in Sadr City during operations last night and early this morning.

“Criminal elements continue to put innocent Iraqis in harm’s way by attacking Iraqi Security Forces and. Coalition soldiers from rooftops, alleyways and residential buildings,” said Army Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman for MND-B and the 4th Infantry Division. “These criminals know what they are doing, and their actions prove they don’t care for the lives of innocent civilians.”

Yesterday, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed six insurgents after they were attacked during night operations.

Soldiers of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment were attacked with an improvised explosive device. As they secured their vehicles, the soldiers were attacked by criminals using small-arms fire. The soldiers returned fire and killed two criminals. No soldiers were injured in the IED attack or subsequent engagement.

In other combined operations yesterday, Iraqi and coalition forces destroyed an enemy command and control center with precision-guided munitions in northeastern Baghdad.

In southern Iraq on May 2, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics team arrested two suspected members of a criminal group and four of their associates during an overnight operation near the city of al-Jabella, approximately 55 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Also on May 2, Iraqi Special Operations Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, captured a suspected mid-level insurgent leader and detained a member of his group in Baghdad.

In another May 2 operation in Warij, coalition forces found a weapons cache of explosively formed penetrators. Soldiers discovered four EFPs hidden in a closet shelf in a factory office. A brand-new 107 mm rocket was also discovered. The cache also included 40 pounds of unknown bulk explosives, a rocket sled and blasting caps.

In the Jazeera Desert in northern Iraq on May 1, U.S. special forces soldiers killed four and detained seven insurgents during a reconnaissance patrol about 237 miles north of Baghdad.

Also on May 1, other Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed five criminals, detained 24, found two caches and two explosively formed penetrators throughout a 24-hour period in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.

The soldiers worked with Iraqi policemen to accomplish the mission.

(From Multinational Forces Iraq releases.)

[Godzilla]

Been reading on the advances Coalition forces have made in the Bagdad suburb of Sadr City - a hell hole that has/had been a stronghold for Mookie’s army. though pressure on the civilians is great, the forces are pushing the shia terrorists back. Unable to rely upon terror, the locals are becoming increasingly more cooperative in getting info to the good guys. The desperation of of the Mahdi army is apparent in its recent attempt to basically co-locate with a medical facility.

[Oorang]

...The State Department is not keeping good records of its inventory...

Always the understated State Department. Thanks for the info and ping MamaD.

[Oorang]

Egyptian security forces find explosives in central Sinai Peninsula
May 3, 2008

Egyptian security forces found hundreds of kilograms of explosive material in the central Sinai Peninsula, reported Israel Radio Saturday afternoon.

Egyptian sources believed that the explosives were intended for transfer to the Gaza strip.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1209626998541&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Satellite Pictures Reveal Massive Chinese Nuclear Submarine Base, says Pentagon
May 4, 2008

The pictures, obtained by respected military magazine Jane’s Intelligence Review, have raised concerns that the Chinese have carved out a secret base straight out of the plot of a James Bond thriller. They show vast tunnel entrances that are thought to lead to huge caverns capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines from spy satellites.

Sanya is a fast-developing holiday resort that has hosted the Miss World competition since 2003. It is on Hainan Island, which is about 160 miles from the coast of Vietnam.

Jane’s Intelligence Review says the base has implications “for China’s control of the South China Sea and the strategically vital straits in the area, and underlines Beijing’s desire to assert tighter control over this region”.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/05/04/satellite-pictures-reveal-massive-chinese-nuclear-submarine-base-says-pentagon/

[Cindy]

Thanks to epow for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2009149/posts

“TEAM Sends Plane For Hostage Steve Godbold (Kidnapped Missionary)”
Liberté sans frontières ^ | 4/30/08 | unknown
Posted on April 30, 2008 7:41:59 AM PDT by epow