Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

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The Threat Matrix

The title refers to a daily report given to the president of the United States detailing the most serious terrorist threats against the country. To tackle those threats, the government has formed a top-notch task force to infiltrate the terror cells and cut off the danger.

"Every morning, the president receives a list of the top ten terrorist threats - this list is known as the threat matrix."

We here at FR are trying to be in conjunction with the daily reports around the world that involve threats. We try to provide a storehouse of information that takes hours of research.

YOU Be The Judge and Get Informed!

Ramadan terror concerns?
Full Story

ATLANTA (CNN) -- As more than one billion Muslims prepare to celebrate Ramadan, terror experts are mixed about whether the holy month is a tool for recruiting terrorists.

Some terrorism experts and Islamic scholars say Ramadan gives extremists an opportunity to enlist new recruits.

"It's a time which can be exploited by radical clerics to motivate individuals into taking action on the basis they are somehow serving their religion," says terror expert M.J. Gohel.

And analysts see another temptation for terrorists: exploiting the Battle of Badr, a symbolic date in Muslim history, which falls near the U.S. presidential election.

"I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat."

Link to Thread Nineteen

Terror-Alert.com

"Code Red Implications:
Code Red - Stay Home and Await Word."
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Yes, the start should be on the 15/16, depending on when the moon is first spotted (I believe the official spotting occurs in Saudi Arabia).

The Islamic Calendar has it starting the 16th:
http://moonsighting.com/1425.html

---
Science 'eclipsing moon watch'
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=93898&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=27207

A DEBATE is raging over which day Ramadan should officially start this year.

Traditional Islamic scholars say the Muslim Holy Month, which is based on the lunar calendar, should start with a confirmed sighting of the new moon.

Sharia judges will sit from today to wait for the first sighting, which could occur tonight.

If that is confirmed and supported by sightings elsewhere Ramadan will start tomorrow.

However, astronomers argue that the first sighting of the new moon can only happen tomorrow night, which means Ramadan should start on Friday.

This is based on scientific calculations that plot the course of the moon and even pinpoint its exact location in the sky.

They argue any moon sightings tonight will be misleading because people will not be seeing the new moon, but a last glimpse of the moon from the previous lunar month - known in Arabic as Sha'aban.

This argument is based on criteria set at the Eighth Meeting of the Unified Hijiri Calendar, which took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in November 1998.

Recommendations from that meeting stated that Ramadan should only start when the sun, earth and moon are in one line. This is known as a conjunction, or the "birth" of the new moon and must occur before sunset.

It also stated that the moon should set after the sun.

In addition, the above calculations should be based on the latitude and longitude of Mecca.

Supporters of this theory say those requirements will only be met tomorrow night and not today.

"Yesterday the Islamic courts said they will sit today," said Bahrain University Professor of Physics Dr Waheeb Essa Alnaser.

"This is a bit strange for us. That is the controversy.

"Astronomers ask how can that be if you can't see the new moon? It hasn't been born yet.

"This is the problem. It will only be born tomorrow night."

According to Dr Alnaser, the new moon should be visible in Bahrain to people with very good eyesight tomorrow between 5.10pm and 5.26pm.

Muslims are supposed to fast the day after the first sighting, which in that case would be Friday.

Dr Alnaser says anyone fasting tomorrow will be doing so a day too early.

"How can you fast on the day of the new moon? Usually we fast after the birth of the moon," he said.

"No calendar at all says the new lunar month starts tomorrow. All the calendars, whether Jewish or Chinese, say it starts on Friday.

"If Ramadan starts tomorrow, the implications are that we have a wrong lunar month."

He predicts that could have implications for the hijiri calendar because it will be thrown off track.

However, problems exist because the recommendations of the meeting in 1998 have not been implemented by all countries.

Meanwhile, some of those that have done so also take into account two additional conditions, which means Ramadan in those countries may not start until Saturday.

"Some countries may fast tomorrow, some on Friday and some on Saturday," said Dr Alnaser.

"Some, such as Jordan, use science and astronomy - but they add more conditions.

"They say the new moon must be sighted for a minimum of 20 minutes and should be within eight degrees to the right or left of the sun.

"This condition will be met on Friday night, which means Saturday will be the first day of Ramadan.

"There will be a conflict. The same thing happened five or six years ago when there was a difference of four days between some countries.

"Nigeria started Ramadan on Monday, Egypt on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and Iran on Thursday."

Dr Alnaser would like to see all Muslim countries adopt the 1998 recommendations, which were made by an official committee of Sharia scholars and astronomers.

"How do we solve it? Astronomy gives us the calculation and there is no mistake," said Dr Alnaser.

"But the Muslim school relies on sight.

"At least we should adhere to the recommendations of the meeting in 1998, which was highly official.

"In the old days it was different. Any Bedouin could go to Prophet Mohammed and say they saw the moon.

"Once that happened they would declare Ramadan.

"There is a lot of debate about whether they should take astronomical calculations or do it the primitive way.

"Muslim countries in East Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia use the scientific calculations as recommended in 1998.

"They know when Ramadan and Eid will be. Things are going very smooth. There is no fuss.

"But here we depend on the Islamic school, which means people can't do things like plan a flight if they don't know when Ramadan will start."

However, traditionalists dismiss such theories and are adamant that the first day of Ramadan should depend on the actual sighting of the moon.

They say this should take place on the 29th or 30th of Sha'aban, which is today and tomorrow.

If it is not seen tonight Ramadan will automatically start on Friday anyway.

"It depends on the sighting of the moon," said Farahat Al Kindy, senior preacher at the Al Fateh Grand Mosque.

"Anyone that sees the moon can contact a special committee set up by the Islamic Affairs Ministry.

"If they get one or two calls it is official. As long as they are trusted and respected members of the community."

South Nigeria Fasts Friday, North Awaits Moon Sighting
http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2004-10/13/article06.shtml

LAGOS, October 13 (IslamOnline.net) – Muslims in south Nigeria will start the holy fasting month of Ramadan Friday, October 15, according to astrological calculations while their fellow Muslims in the north insist to start fasting only after the sighting of the new moon.

The League of the Yorubaland's Scholars and Imams, the highest Islamic authority in south Nigeria, announced that Friday will mark the beginning of Ramadan.

In a statement following the meeting of its members, the league said they all agreed to follow the astrological calculations which concluded that the first day of fasting will fall Friday.

The body appealed to all Muslims in the region to start observing the dust-to-dawn fasting on that day.

Moon Sighting

However, the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said it will, as always, only accept the sighting of the new moon.

“The Fatwa Committee will convene later Wednesday, October 13, on the sighting of Ramadan crescent,” NSCIA Secretary General Dr. Abdul Lateef Adegbite told IslamOnline.net.

He said the council published a list with the names and phone numbers of 47 Muslim leaders who can be reached by any person who sights the crescent.

“In case the new moon was seen, the committee would immediately announce that Thursday, October 14, is the first day of Ramadan and Tarawih prayers will be performed later Wednesday.

“If not then Thursday will be the last day of Sha`ban and we will start fasting as of Friday,” Adegbite said.

He added that the NSCIA always depends on the sighting of the crescent in determining the beginning and end of the holy fasting month, admitting that not all Nigerian scholars are on board.

Adegbite said Muslim leaders and NSCIA members “particularly in the northern parts of the country do not favor astrological calculations or welcome calls to depend on them.”

Contention

He admitted, however, that the inability to agree on the start of Ramadan remains a point of contention in Nigeria.

Adegbite said the NSCIA has been “exerting painstaking efforts for a compromise between the different viewpoints through brain-storming sessions.”

He added that such differences are a cause of embarrassment in a country such as Nigeria where “Islam and Muslims are facing enemies.”

Muslims make up around 50 percent of Nigeria’s more than 137 million population, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Forty percent of Nigerians believe in Christianity. The state does not recognize atheism, who make up the remaining 10 percent of the population.

Observers blame the inability to agree on the start of Ramadan on the absence of the state’s support for the religious authority, the ministry of Islamic affairs.

Nigerian authorities usually depend on the NSCIA’s decisions and statements in making decisions about Muslim-related days off.

A source at the Council of Muftis of Russia told IOL that Russian Muslims will start the fasting Friday.

According to astrological calculations, Ramadan will also start Friday in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.

Vandals go on crime spree targeting cell towers in two counties ABC13 Eyewitness News

(10/13/04 - HOUSTON) — Because of vandals you may have had trouble getting a signal on your cell phone or heard static on your favorite radio station Tuesday. Eleven communication towers in Harris County were broken into and vandalized over the past few weeks. The culprits also targeted four towers in Montgomery County this past weekend. Investigators say the intruders target the electronic equipment inside, causing thousands of dollars in damages. "It seems pretty much every time they go in there they unplug something and they start damaging them until the lights go off and flickering," said Sgt. Jeffrey Stauber with the Harris County Sheriff's Department. "They know they caused enough damage and then they leave" Because of the damage, some cell phone customers lost service and two radio stations were knocked off the air. Investigators are asking anyone with information about these break-ins to call Crime Stoppers at 713 222-TIPS. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/101304_local_celltowers.html

Vandals go on crime spree targeting cell towers in two counties ABC13 Eyewitness News

(10/13/04 - HOUSTON) — Because of vandals you may have had trouble getting a signal on your cell phone or heard static on your favorite radio station Tuesday.

Eleven communication towers in Harris County were broken into and vandalized over the past few weeks. The culprits also targeted four towers in Montgomery County this past weekend.

Investigators say the intruders target the electronic equipment inside, causing thousands of dollars in damages.

"It seems pretty much every time they go in there they unplug something and they start damaging them until the lights go off and flickering," said Sgt. Jeffrey Stauber with the Harris County Sheriff's Department. "They know they caused enough damage and then they leave"

Because of the damage, some cell phone customers lost service and two radio stations were knocked off the air.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about these break-ins to call Crime Stoppers at 713 222-TIPS.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/101304_local_celltowers.html

Vandals Target Transmission Towers Property Damage Climbs To $100,000 HOUSTON -- A bizarre string of crimes targeting local transmission towers could leave residents unable to hear a radio or use a cell phone, Local 2 reported Tuesday.

Investigators said vandals have broken into more than a dozen cell phone and radio towers in northern Harris and southern Montgomery counties and have damaged more than $100,000 of property.

Authorities said the vandals broke in late at night or during the early morning hours by cutting through locks and barbed wire. Once inside, they reportedly broke light bulbs and flipped breakers, causing service problems.

"They're just basically going in there and damaging the equipment and in some cases unplugging the service, which is shutting it down," Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Stauber said.

The FBI has been called to help out with the investigation. Agents believe the crimes are connected, but the motive remains unknown.

Investigators said they do not suspect terrorism. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS. link includes video. http://www.click2houston.com/news/3805234/detail.html

Heavenly Father, we return to give You thanks that You are Sovereign ... nations rise and fall at Your command. We are exceedingly humble at the blessings You have showered upon our beloved country ... there is none like it in all the world. From its beginning, You have been central in the ways in which our Founding Fathers established this nation, and our blessings are proportionate to our adherence to Your admonition:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.

Forgive our waywardness, O God, for we have walked in ways contrary to Your Word. Justice has become a personal agenda ... mercy is an accumulation to self ... You have been banished from the public arena. We are fit for the ash heap of history, yet Your love still calls us to humble prayer and repentance, for then You will listen and heal our land.

Hear our cry, O God, for the enemy has come into our land ... we have enticed false gods to take Your place. The enemy seeks our ruin, yet for the sake of Your remnant, let him not in any way succeed. Stir up the people to pray ... to again stand watch on the walls ... to sound the alarm that the enemy approaches. Give victory as we go out to battle him, O Lord, as You did for David against Goliath. And as You did for Daniel, deliver us out of the mouths of the lions, else we will be ripped apart and devoured.

Turn not Your hand from us, Creator God, else we perish. May our cries of repentance overflow the Throne of Grace, such is our contrite heart. In the Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen ...

"He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.

Turn not Your hand from us, Creator God, else we perish. May our cries of repentance overflow the Throne of Grace, such is our contrite heart. In the Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen ...

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