Hello, we missed you.
I do hope that good things have been happening to/for you while you were missing.
It does not bother me at all, that the thread hasn't changed.
Laughing: I tried hard to fill it up, now you want to move on......
Have a very Merry Christmas.
`Shift Israel to Alaska'
Tehran, Dec. 14: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on
Wednesday the
Holocaust is a "myth" that Europeans have used to create a Jewish state
in
the heart of the Islamic world.
Speaking to thousands of people in the southeastern city of Zahedan, Mr
Ahmadinejad said, "Today, they have created a myth in the name of
Holocaust
and consider it to be above God, religion and the prophets."
Mr Ahmadinejad provoked an international outcry in October when he
called
for Israel to be "wiped off the map." Previously he expressed doubt
about
the Nazi destruction of European Jewry during the World War II, but on
Wednesday was the first occasion when he said in public that it was a
myth.
The comments came after Mr Ahmadinejad said in a speech that "they have
invented a myth that Jews were massacred" and said the Jewish state
should
be moved as far away as Alaska. Touring southeast Iran, Mr Ahmadinejad
said
that if Europeans insist the Holocaust did happen, then it was they who
were
responsible and they should pay the price.
"If you committed this big crime, then why should the oppressed
Palestinian
nation pay the price?" Mr Ahmadinejad asked rhetorically.
"This is our proposal: If you committed the crime, then give a part of
your
own land in Europe, the United States, Canada or Alaska to them
(Jews) so that the Jews can establish their country," he said,
developing a
theme he raised in Saudi Arabia last week.
Mr Ahmadinejad said the West had harmed Muslims, invaded their
countries and
plundered their wealth. "If your civilisation consists of aggression,
making
oppressed people homeless, suffocating the voices of justice and
bringing
poverty to a majority of the world's people, we say loudly that we hate
your
hollow civilisation," he said.
The President's views sharply conflict with those of his predecessor
Mohammad Khatami, a moderate who used to call for dialogue among
civilisations and promoted a low-key understanding with the United
States
that stopped short of diplomatic relations.
Inside Iran, Mr Ahmadinejad's remarks have been criticised by some of
his
Conservative allies who fear he is hurting the country's image.
http://www.deccan.com/World/WorldNews.asp#%E2%80%98Shift%20Israel%20to%20Ala
ska%E2%80%99
From the Spotlight on Terror at Jamestown.org, todays issue.
New Security Realities and al-Qaeda's Changing Tactics: An
Interview with Saad al-Faqih
Dr. Saad al-Faqih heads the Saudi opposition group, Movement for Islamic Reform in
Arabia (MIRA), and is a widely acknowledged expert on al-Qaeda. Terrorism Monitor
Editor Mahan Abedin conducted this interview December 12, 2005 in London.
Mahan Abedin: What is the latest information on terrorism in Saudi Arabia?
Saad al-Faqih: The latest general trend is that the jihadis have abandoned their previous
tactics of targeting Westerners and the security forces. The jihadis are now focusing all
their attention on the royal family. Two factors have driven this change. Firstly, the
jihadis had previously avoided targeting the royals for fear of offending Muslim
sensibilities. But now they believe that the prevailing opinion in Saudi Arabia—and
probably in the wider Muslim world—is that the royal family is infidel and deserves harsh
treatment. Secondly, the jihadis have finally overcome their fear of a secular takeover in
the event of the sudden downfall of the House of Saud. Somebody told me that in the
late 1990s bin Laden used to say that if the House of Saud is removed, the country will
fall into the hands of secular forces. But now al-Qaeda believes that the regime is
behaving far worse than a would-be secular system, because it is gradually destroying
Islam under the banner of a false Islam. Al-Qaeda has reached the conclusion that the
sudden collapse of the regime will either invite foreign interference or chaos. Both
scenarios are now favored by the jihadis, who have learned great lessons in the Iraq
theater over the past 33 months. In fact the jihadis would welcome an American
invasion, knowing full well that it will provide a massive recruitment opportunity for
them and hence they will be the ultimate winners, as they think they are proving to be
in Iraq.
MA: How has the political transition (i.e. death of King Fahd) affected the struggle
between the regime and al-Qaeda?
SF: The transition has little to do with al-Qaeda; in fact al-Qaeda is not in the least bit
interested in these developments. The only way al-Qaeda would become interested is if a
very serious and open dispute between the leading royals broke out. But this has not
happened, not yet anyways. Moreover, there is no division in the regime when it comes
to al-Qaeda; all the top figures of the regime, namely Abdullah, Sultan and Nayef, are
determined to eradicate al-Qaeda. They are also in favor of maintaining the regime's
dependence on America.
MA: But presumably al-Qaeda is monitoring developments inside the regime very closely
and the decision on the timing of any assassination attempt against a leading figure
would surely be determined by these internal developments.
SF: Al-Qaeda will certainly exploit any open divisions in the regime. In fact Abdullah's
ascension will most likely result in open disputes, and this will benefit the jihadis. But in
terms of target selection, at the very highest levels of al-Qaeda, targets are discussed
and selected very carefully. But at the local leadership level, quite a few clumsy
decisions have been made in the recent past. And of course at the operational level there
is now a very tenuous link between bin Laden and his advisers and the local al-Qaeda
leadership in Saudi Arabia.
MA: When is an attack likely to take place?
SF: If you read Zarqawi's statement after the incidents at Dammam a few months ago,
you get the impression that something is going to happen very soon. Zarqawi is clearly
after revenge after what happened to his brothers in Dammam.
MA: I have a couple of questions on the Internet. Firstly do you think that the jihadis
now see the Internet as the most important battle space?
SF: Only the jihadis in Iraq.
MA: Why?
SF: Because the only place on earth where the jihadis feel safe is Iraq. The Internet used
to be awash with jihadi material but this is becoming less so for two reasons. Firstly,
Western intelligence services are now aggressively targeting jihadi websites and are
showing a greater determination to close them down completely. In the past they would
allow some of the more interesting ones to remain in operation so that they could
covertly gather intelligence on the webmasters and the contributors. Dozens of websites
have been closed in recent months. Secondly, Western governments have provided
software and other expertise to the Saudi regime to trace individual contributors to web
forums. But the jihadis in Iraq feel safe and secure because they have satellite Internet
connections and they can set up temporary websites and upload files very easily. The
invasion of Iraq has boosted the fortunes of jihadis in many respects, and the Internet is
no exception.
MA: Are you saying the Americans are providing the Saudi authorities with the requisite
technology to trace contributors to jihadi websites?
SF: Precisely! The problem is that the Saudis are using the technology to trace and
detain non-jihadi authors and contributors as well. In fact several people connected to
our organization have been detained in recent months as a result of the transfer of
technological expertise.
MA: What happens to these people after they are detained?
SF: Firstly they conduct a thorough search of their computers to trace all their
communications and contacts. The detainees are then subjected to prolonged and tough
interrogations.
MA: Are they subsequently released?
SF: No, they remain in detention because the Saudis now consider a wide-range of
people as critical security threats.
MA: How many forum users have been arrested?
SF: The figures are no less then 2,000, but this includes both jihadi and non-jihadi
forum contributors.
MA: Do you think the jihadis are trying to consolidate their assets on the Internet? I
refer specifically to the emergence of the "Global Islamic Media Front".
SF: I think this Global Islamic Media Front is just a name. The jihadis have used
over-arching and inclusive names like this before. In any case the jihadis do not need to
consolidate their resources, because the existing set-up works quite well.
MA: I have a few questions on Afghanistan. Do you believe the Taliban insurgency is
intensifying?
SF: Yes it is. The spread
Continued at Jamestown.org, all this article should be read, cut short for copyrite laws...........
I clipped off the part that said it had been a year since we had a tape from OBL.......copyrite met.........LOL
Afghan News Site Claims Bin Laden Tape
Thursday, December 15, 2005
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178845,00.html
WASHINGTON -- U.S. officials are treating skeptically a report on an
Afghan news site about a new video showing Usama bin Laden.
The story from Pajhwok Afghan News, dated Tuesday, describes a new
30-minute tape with a message from Taliban commander Mullah Dodallah and
the Al Qaeda leader, according to the IntelCenter, a U.S. government
contractor that does work for intelligence agencies.
A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke only on condition of
anonymity in compliance with office policy, said the government could not
confirm the tape's existence but said officials are aware of the media
report. U.S. authorities are viewing it skeptically, the official said.
snipped........................
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1541304/posts
Man bit off ear in cashcard queue row [Defense: Not
me, I was fasting for Ramadan]
Sheffield Today.net ^ | 14 December 2005 | Vincent van Gogh
Posted on 12/15/2005 3:33:22 PM PST by aculeus
A MUSLIM man who bit off part of a security guard's ear told police he
couldn't have deliberately carried out the attack - because he was
fasting for Ramadan.
Mohammed Sarfraz, of Cliffe Field Road, Meersbrook, said he was
fasting for Ramadan at the time of the incident, and it was forbidden
for him to eat or drink during daylight hours.
When interviewed after his arrest, he said: "I don't know why I've
done this. I'm a Muslim, I was fasting, the last thing I should ever
have done is eat something."
The 31-year-old is accused of attacking James Thorpe, aged 55, who
works at Sheffield Family Court, in revenge for jumping the queue at
the Lloyds TSB cash machine in High Street, city centre, at about
8.50am on October 12.
Sarfraz admits biting Mr Thorpe but claims he attacked him to get free
after being held in a bear hug. The defendant, who is married with two
young children and works as a chef at his family's restaurant in the
Wicker, claimed the trouble was initiated by Mr Thorpe. Sarfraz told
the jury sitting at Doncaster Crown Court: "I went forward to put my
bank card into one of the machines and this gentleman came and tried
to snatch my card out of my hand. I thought I was going to be robbed.
"My arm smashed into the cash machine. The card dropped on the
floor, and I picked it up, then the man started to kick me."
Sarfraz said there was a pause in the incident, but he didn't run away
because he was "scared" he would be chased by a crowd which had
gathered.
He continued: "The man then got me in a bear hug. There was nothing
I could do to get away.
"I saw his ear and I bit it. At the time I didn't think - I just thought it
would be enough to make him let go of me."
Continued........at link.