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Locked on 12/15/2005 5:50:57 PM PST by Admin Moderator, reason:
See the new thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1541389/posts |
Posted on 11/01/2005 6:57:01 PM PST by nwctwx
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Note: The following text is an exact quote:
---
http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/News_Release.asp?NewsRelease=20051135.txt
NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
November 6, 2005
Release Number: 05-11-35
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEAPONS CACHE FOUND
TIKRIT, Iraq – A Task Force Band of Brothers patrol near Forward Operating Base Anaconda discovered two weapons caches containing timers, watches and other items commonly used in constructing IEDs early Nov. 5.
The seizure also yielded nearly 30 large caliber artillery shells, more than a dozen rockets, five rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a mortar tube, a machine gun and small arms ammunition.
An explosive ordinance disposal team collected the weapons and conducted a controlled detonation of the shells and rockets.
-30-
PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org
===
===
Note: The following text is an exact quote:
---
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05110032.htm
ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com
Friday, November 4, 2005
NEWLY LEAKED DOCUMENT SHOWS LOCAL VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY ADOPTS GOVERNMENT STRATEGY TO FIGHT RELIGION AND ERADICATE PLACES OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS) -- In a leaked document obtained by a Christian religious rights organization, government officials in tribal areas of Vietnam are vowing to "fight religion" and "eradicate" places of Christian worship.
According to its website, the Center for Religious Freedom, based at Freedom House (www.freedomhouse.org ), a secret document issued earlier this year by a local Vietnamese communist party branch obtained by the Center, reveals an official policy of forcing Hmong Christians to give up their faith and of "eradicating" Christian meeting places.
Freedom House says the document, from the Muong Nhe District Party Office (Task force 184, No. 30-KH/184, in Dien Bien Province) dated February 25, 2005, "describes a comprehensive campaign by Party and government officials, in partnership with the police and military, that was scheduled to have been waged from March 2 through June 30, 2005."
Because of the remoteness of the rural district, Freedom House says it has not yet been confirmed whether the campaign was implemented.
The document calls for "mobilizing the masses to fight and resist religion and religious belief, and eradicate places complicating public security." These "places" are an obvious reference to Christian house churches. Cadres will "get the people to give up their religion and return to their traditional beliefs and customs…. and inspect the areas not yet infiltrated with the Vang Chu [the Hmong term for God] religion so it does not "infect other places."
The Freedom House report says village leaders would be required "to develop regulations and pledge forms" to be signed by those pressured to give up their faith. As the Center has reported previously, dozens of Hmong Christians have been summoned to "re-education" where they have been told to give up their faith and have been harassed, beaten, forced to drink wine until intoxicated, and to sign pledges renouncing their faith (see:[i] below).
"This document indicates that the situation in Vietnam can be summed up as repression as usual," said Center Director Nina Shea.
The organization says this local campaign appears to be intended to carry out Plan 184, first revealed in its November 2000 publication Directions for Stopping Religion. It began three months after Vietnam's "Ordinance on Religion" effective November 15, 2005, and three weeks after the Prime Minister issued the "Special Instructions Regarding Protestantism" decree on February 4, 2005, both of which were touted by Hanoi as liberalization of state control over religion.
Freedom House says: "The document gives no consideration to the fact that Hmong Christians are identified with the legally-recognized Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), and that the church had issued certificates of acceptances to 981, mostly Hmong, ethnic minority congregations as of September 30, 2005. It indicates that despite Vietnam's public propaganda claiming that it has changed its policy, it continues its religious repression."
In May, John Hanford, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, announced an agreement that Vietnam would release twelve prisoners of conscience, fully implement Vietnam's November 15 legislation on religious freedom and its February 4 "Special Instruction Concerning Protestantism," and ensure that local authorities "strictly and completely adhere to the new legislation," especially with respect to the practice of forcing prisoners to recant their faith.
However, Vietnam's repression of Protestantism has continued since the agreement. Leaders of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) continue to be harassed and detained, and there is no legal framework for the UBCV, the Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, and others to register with the government and operate independently with leaders of their own choosing. There are an estimated 100 religious prisoners in jail or under some form of house arrest for religious activity and hundreds of churches, home worship centers, and meeting places remain closed.
"While the State Department placed Vietnam on its 2004 list of 'Countries of Particular Concern' under the International Religious Freedom Act, it has not recommended any sanctions against it," said Ms. Shea. "Instead, it has tried positive inducements for Vietnam to change its repressive ways. It is now time to implement the Act’s sanction provisions."
[i] For previous reports, see Nina Shea's 6/20/05 Congressional Testimony, Paul Marshall’s Remember Hanoi and the Center’s 4/29/05 Press Release, all of which are available on the Center's website: www.freedomhouse.org/religion
Contact: Melinda Haring,
Program Director
202-747-7062
** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.
** You may republish this story with proper attribution.
ON THE NET...
http://www.infovlad.net
Whew, what a weekend.
We had so much fun.
I will FReepmail you later, after I get caught up.
Hi Cindy. :)
Thank you for the ping.
TERRORISM: AL-QAEDA THREATENS CHRISTMAS ATTACK IN ITALY
Rome, 7 Nov. (AKI) - A new message threatening Italy with attacks involving surface-to-air missiles or poisonous substances has appeared on Islamic internet forums linked to the al-Qaeda terror network. The threat is made under the name of Sayf al-Adel, one of al-Qaeda's main leaders, who disappeared after the US invasion of Afghanistan and who, experts believe, is currently in hiding or in prison in Iran.
Both the title and the content of the message make reference to a news story reported a couple of weeks ago, about rumours that Osama bin Laden had been killed in the earthquake which struck Pakistani Kashmir last month.
The title of the message talks of "good news which, God willing, will arrive soon from the land of the Romans". This comes "from your brother Sayf al-Adel to all those who have said that Sheikh Osama bin Laden died in the Pakistan earthquake, was arrested or fell ill," the statement says.
The militant then states that "these reports are only the fruit of a media war. Sheikh Osama bin Laden is well and in a safe place, and we will soon see him during the Christmas holidays in the land of the Romans, after the next attack in Europe, which will primarily regard Italy."
The message suggests that Italy or another European country is due to be attacked around Christmas and that such an attack will be immediately followed by a message from Osama bin Laden. It has been almost a year since the last audio message attributed to the al-Qaeda leader appeared, and more than a year since he made his last video message.
The message on the forum goes on to provide details of what form the attack on Italy might take. In particular it talks of the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigade as the operative cell due to 'take care of' Italy.
"You will see the attacks of the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades at the heart of the country," the message continues. "The brothers who are there have assured us that the Brigades have managed to get hold of surface-to-air missiles from Chechnya and these missiles were used last year in the attacks against airports in Great Britain. They have also managed to obtain a quantity of poisonous material to create bombs. God willing, there will be no security in the land of the Romans and the war will be long."
No attacks are known to have been successfully carried out on any airport in Britain, but a month ago, US president George W. Bush said in a speech that the US and "several partners" had disrupted a plot to attack London's Heathrow airport, using a commercial airliner hijacked from a country where security levels were not so high which would be flown into an airport terminal. British newspaper The Sunday Times said the British security services had "detailed intelligence" in February 2003 about a two-pronged plan which also involved a "mortar attack" on a departing plane.
The latest message on the Internet forum then goes on to announce that there will be "news in the next few days and for this we bless our brothers and our Sheikh Suleyman Abu Ghaith for the new birth." The reference to Abu Gheith, a former al-Qaeda spokesman who also disappeared in 2002 (believed to have been arrested in Iran together with al-Adel and one of bin Laden's sons) may not be a casual one. In congratulating Abu Gheith, possibly over the birth of a new son, the author could be trying prove that he really is Sayf al-Adel.
Italy has the fourth largest contingent of troops in Iraq after the US, Britain and South Korea, though in September three hundred of the 3,000 soldiers were withdrawn. Islamic militants have issued several threats against Italy over the past two years. The Italian authorities have stepped up security around the country's main landmarks and in recent months have carried out simulations of terror attacks Milan and Rome.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.226282628&par=0
Indeed. It appears that the violence in France is going to spread to Germany and Italy. I hope they are better equipped to deal with it than Chirac.
EUROPE FEARS VIOLENCE SIMILAR TO FRANCE'S
11/7/2005, 9:06 a.m. ET
By VICTOR L. SIMPSON
The Associated Press
ROME (AP) — Europeans expressed fears Monday of copycat outbreaks of violence among their immigrant communities as rioting and arson attacks spread in France.
Cars were set ablaze outside Brussels' main train station and in a working class district of Berlin, although officials in Belgium and Germany sought to play down the risk of the kind of violence that France has experienced since Oct. 27......
http://www.nj.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-15/1131372842134082.xml&storylist=international
They have to be licking their chops. I'm guessing they're going to sit on the sidelines and see how far the Arab "street" can get before the French actually crack down.
I think this episode just goes to show how much fear the French have of a full Arab revolt. That's most disturbing.
Glad you're back. Can't wait to hear about your wonderful weekend.
Wow!
al-Adel is just full of information...........for the sake of Italy, I hope he is full of B.S. as well.
Two workers killed at Valero refinery
11/7/2005, 12:01 a.m. ET
By RANDALL CHASE
The Associated Press
DELAWARE CITY, Del. (AP) — Officials at the Valero oil refinery are investigating why two workers — including a New Jersey man — went inside a silo where they couldn't breathe, leading to their deaths.
The two workers died early Sunday while working on a unit at the refinery, which has a reputation as a dangerous workplace. In 2001, an explosion killed one man and injured eight others.
Cpl. Jeff Oldham, a state police spokesman, said the men appeared to have succumbed to nitrogen fumes.
"A witness said that when he saw them up there it looked like they were trying to retrieve something from inside the silo," Oldham said.......
http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-17/1131331441199461.xml&storylist=jersey
Well, well, well...
What exactly is going on at OU?
The timeline here is very interesting.
Campus
Under Scrutiny
Members of the collective report several encounters with the FBI.
http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/11/06/436edf66f0070
No huevos yet!
My jaw just hit the floor when I saw that the rioting in France has spread to 274 towns!
Update - they continue to call it "urban unrest by youths".
French riots hit 274 towns, spread abroad
‘Shock wave’ has moved beyond Paris, police chief says
Updated: 10:56 a.m. ET Nov. 7, 2005
PARIS - Rioting by French youths spread to 274 towns overnight and a man hurt in the violence died of his wounds, the first fatality in 11 days of unrest that has shocked the country, police said Monday.
As urban unrest spread to neighboring Belgium and possibly Germany, the French government faced growing criticism for its inability to stop the violence, despite massive police deployment and continued calls for calm......
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9891709/
Until they call it what it really is an islamic uprising - they will continue to mishandle it. And unless they crack down soon it will continue to escalate out of control.
I was doing some searches this morning and found the following article on the official website of Cat Stevens aka Yusef Islam. He has some rather ummm interesting thoughts regarding a caliphate... Interesting to see the role he has in the Islamic schools in London as well.
http://catstevens.com/articles/00141/
Call for Islamic charity and a united ummah
By Zakiah Koya
New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur
December 12th, 1997
Courtesy of Kirby
FORMERLY known as the singer Cat Stevens (Bio), Yusuf Islam (Bio) made headlines when he embraced Islam years ago.
Today, he is singing quite a different tune in Britain, making headlines for the work he is doing for charity.
Involved in a number of major Islamic charities such as the Muslim Aid and the Islamia schools, it is his belief that acts of charity are inseparable from the Muslim way of life.
Yusuf is of the opinion that the charitable attitude of the present generation of the Muslim has reached a state in which the function of collecting and distributing charity is entirely left to either governments or a few individuals.
"The present Muslim world has reached such an awkward situation where in the absence of the organised structure of the khilafah (caliphate), you have a vacuum in the distribution of the basic treasury, in which of course zakat (tithe) essentially makes up the first level of the public treasury.
"So, without that structure, the function is now left to governments and individuals," states Yusuf, who goes on to explain that this is the main reason why in today's political terminology, charity is linked with terms such as "government projects", "collective assistance" and "aid".
The non-existence of the caliphate structure has also contributed to the reluctance of Muslim countries to help fellow Muslims in other countries, leaving the responsibility to other bodies such as the United Nations.
"It is here that we find that priority for other things is much higher than that of helping their own brothers and of needy Muslim nations," he stresses.
He also attributed the non-existence of the unity of the ummah (Muslim community) to the miserable state of Muslim charity today.
He says that the Islamic consciousness - that of Muslims being one people - should be impressed and ingrained into the ummah. This is important.
Yusuf says that as religion comprises establishing one's relationship with the Creator and establishing one's relationship with society on the basis of service, it is important to fully understand the importance of charity in Islam and practise it.
"There are so many verses in the Quran, where when it talks about instituting the connection of the abd (servant) with his lord through solat (prayers), we also read about the instituting of care and social awareness through giving of zakat."
Yusuf specifically refers to the verse which says:
"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah sincerely making religion for him and to establish prayer and to give charity and that is the everlasting religion."
"This goes on to show that prayer and zakat were already considered two basic pillars of Islam even before these two were instituted formally," adds Yusuf.
Yusuf, who chaired the Muslim Aid in Britain for eight years until 1992, says that from his experience, he finds that to some people, wealth is so dear that they would actually think twice before losing it.
"They would not think twice about losing their lives because to them wealth is perpetuity.
"Even in the Quran, it was stated that there are those who add up their wealth thinking that it would add to their perpetuity," says Yusuf, who adds that these people have been in existence even during the time of Prophet Muhammad.
Being a part of the overall "non-governmental organisation", as he sees it, which forms the main body of the large amount of charity that goes on in the world today, Yusuf says it is important that Muslim aid agencies play a vital role in this movement.
Yusuf says that Muslim charity is much far behind that of the non-Muslim charity groups which dominate the field.
"Indeed, they (non-Muslim charities) manipulate this field with their ideals and perpetuate them through this field," states Yusuf referring to the missionaries who have been successful in propagating Christianity in Africa through charity.
Claiming that what Muslim aid agencies do is fulfilling the obligations of Muslims for zakat, Yusuf says that the few Muslim aid agencies in the world have become "a very convenient channel for Muslims to direct their zakat because the charities work on the basis of syariah (Islamic law) in the spending of the zakat through the allowances which are given in the Quran (the needy and the impoverished)".
Yusuf also mentions another part of Islamic charity which many Muslims seem to have forgotten.
"Besides the obligatory zakat, there is sadaqah (voluntary donation) which is giving more than what is required," says Yusuf, explaining that interestingly the word sadaqah carries the meaning of confirmation.
"Thus, when you give sadaqah it means confirming one's faith that Allah will enrich you by means of your giving.
"You will not lose and that is the opposite of the satanic suggestions that when you give, you are losing, diminishing your wealth. That is the opposite.
"There is no gravity equal to this in existence where one perpetually gives and it increases," Yusuf stresses.
Yusuf says the Western idea of getting something when giving has influenced so many people that when they give, they expect something in return.
"It has become a lottery situation in the Western countries that most of them are gambling with the idea that they are doing charity," says Yusuf.
"Then there is the Live Aid with the mega stars performing and people buying the tickets, thinking that they are doing charity," Yusuf says that this is another example of what people expect when they give.
Yusuf says that in Islam, the reward is not in this world but it is sought with God. This is one concept of charity which Yusuf says many Muslims seem to have forgotten.
Yusuf does not believe in preaching charity but involves himself fully in what he says.
At present, Yusuf is running the Islamia primary and secondary schools in London, catering for Muslims in Britain. It is one of the few British Islamic educational establishments in Britain, which has a steadily growing Muslim population.
Having been denied financial support by the Britain's Department of Education, Yusuf says that the school is entirely dependent on the Muslims to fund its operations.
Thus Yusuf is now reviving another form of Islamic charity, the waqf - a type of charity in the form of an investment.
He says the idea of reviving this form of charity came about due to the financial constraints of the school and the fact that they had to go back to donors with the some problems every year.
In this case, Yusuf says that not only will the waqf benefit the school, but it would also offer an opportunity of charitable investment for Muslims.
The waqf has now launched a unique business opportunity, the Brondesbury Park Hotel - a "Muslim-friendly" hotel close to the heart of London. It is one good example of how charity could be used to generate funds for charitable causes.
Yusuf calls upon Muslims worldwide to unite.
"We must realise that ultimately, we have to support one another," says Yusuf, stating that there is no better way in moving towards unity of the ummah than giving each other when in need.
He ends the interview with a hadith which states:
"When one dies, there are only three things left: charity which continues to benefit people; knowledge which continues to enlighten, and the child which continues to pray for you."
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