Israel May Be Next al-Qaida Battleground

Breitbart.com ^ | 03/22/06 | STEVEN GUTKIN

[MikeA]

Signs are mounting that al-Qaida terrorists are setting their sights on Israel and the Palestinian territories as their next jihad battleground.

Israel has indicted two West Bank militants for al-Qaida membership, Egypt arrested operatives trying to cross into Israel and a Palestinian security official has acknowledged al-Qaida is "organizing cells and gathering supporters."

Al-Qaida's inroads are still preliminary, but officials fear a doomsday scenario if it takes root.

Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon have established contacts with al-Qaida followers linked to Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, according to two Israeli officials.

Al-Zarqawi has established footholds in the countries neighboring Israel _ Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan _ and is interested in bringing his fight to Israel, too, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Israel does not want to identify those involved in the issue.

Tuesday's indictment of two militants on charges of belonging to al- Qaida and receiving funds from the group for a planned double-bombing in Jerusalem was Israel's most concrete allegation to date linking al- Qaida to West Bank Palestinians.

The indictment described in detail how the two, Azzam Abu Aladas and Balal Hafnai, met with al-Qaida operatives in Jordan, arranged for secret e-mail exchanges and received thousands of dollars from al- Qaida to carry out the attack. The indictment came just three weeks after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the London-based Al Hayat newspaper that al-Qaida had infiltrated the West Bank and Gaza.

Still, Mideast watchers warned against overstating the al-Qaida presence because the issue is easily manipulated for political ends.

Israel has a lot to gain by portraying its local conflict with the Palestinians as part of the global war on terror, and Abbas, badly damaged by the recent political rise of Hamas militants, wants "to show that he is needed by the West," said Israeli security analyst Dan Schueftan.

Both Israeli and Palestinian security officials described al-Qaida's activities here as incipient, involving a handful of local militants who reached out to al-Qaida _ often via the Internet _ rather than the other way around. A senior Israeli military intelligence official said he believed there were no more than 20 al-Qaida-linked activists in the Palestinian territories.

Most of them are unhappy with a year-old decision by mainstream Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, to enforce a cease- fire with Israel, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

Hamas, struggling to avert an international aid boycott in the wake of its Jan. 25 victory in parliamentary elections, is particularly sensitive about being associated with al-Qaida, despite sharing core beliefs such as the rejection of a Jewish state in the Middle East.

When Ayman-al-Zawahri, al-Qaida's No. 2 leader, appeared in a video earlier this month urging Hamas not to renounce its violent struggle, a Hamas official in Gaza shrugged him off.

The Hamas official said the group had no links to any outside group. He spoke on condition of anonymity, saying the movement did not want to respond formally to al-Zawahri.

By all accounts, Hamas, set to form the next Palestinian government, is not likely to further harm its international standing by joining forces with al-Qaida.

But al-Qaida itself is making an effort "to operate both in the Palestinian territories and inside Israel proper," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev. A Palestinian security official in Gaza agreed that al-Qaida "is in the process of organizing cells and gathering supporters."

If the group succeeds in establishing a full-blown presence, predicted the Israeli military intelligence official, Israel can expect far larger terror attacks than it has seen in the past.

Another Israeli official said a major concern is al-Qaida's activities in Israel's neighbors, especially Jordan, where al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the November 2005 bombings of three hotels that killed 60 people.

Al-Zarqawi also claimed responsibility for a Dec. 27 barrage of rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel, provoking Israeli airstrikes on a Palestinian base in central Lebanon.

The Israeli official praised Egyptian security forces for their performance following two bombing sprees in Egypt's Sinai peninsula _ one in October 2004 and another in July 2005 _ that some have blamed on al-Qaida.

He said Egyptian forces arrested two sets of suspected al-Qaida operatives _ one a month ago and another three months ago _ who were trying to enter Israel through Sinai "most probably carrying explosives."

An Egyptian police official at the Egypt-Gaza border would not confirm or deny the Israeli's account, saying, "It's our job to halt any security violations, that's what we've been always doing, nothing less or more."

Some Israeli officials have expressed concern that al-Qaida operatives from Egypt may have entered Gaza after Israel withdrew from the coastal strip last summer.

But Assem Rashed, a former teacher at a Gaza university, said he doubts al-Qaida could find many backers in Gaza.

"People here are against the attacks in Iraq, Jordan and Egypt. I don't think they will survive, or find much support from the public," he said.

___

[Cindy]

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49380

FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
"Palestinians charged with membership in al-Qaida
Indictment stokes fears jihad group infiltrated Israel, poised to attack"
Posted: March 21, 2006
2:45 p.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "JERUSALEM – For the first time ever, two West Bank Palestinians today were charged with membership in al-Qaida, stoking fears here the global jihad group has infiltrated the Jewish state.

The indictment follows months of warnings by Israeli intelligence officials al-Qaida was able to make it to the area after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last summer.



Two Palestinians from the West Bank town of Nablus were charged in a north Samaria military court with recruiting suicide bombers and seeking financing to carry out a large-scale al-Qaida attack inside Israel.

Azzam abu-al-Adas and Balal Hafnawi, both in their 20s, are accused of traveling to Jordan to meet an al-Qaida operative about their planned attack, which included the use of car bombs. They received funding from al-Qaida's Jordan branch, according to a court indictment, and were planning to recruit Palestinians in the West Bank to set up an al-Qaida cell in the territory."

[Mike Darancette]

Signs are mounting that al-Qaida terrorists are setting their sights on Israel and the Palestinian territories as their next jihad battleground.

Going against the country with the best security force in the world, the best small unit ability in the world and the best intelligence operation in the world. Good luck on this al-Qaida.

[Liberal Classic]

'Next' battleground? Israel has been fighting the war on terror longer than anyone else.

[Publius6961]

Israel May Be Next al-Qaida Battleground

That is hilarious!
Hamas will fare no better than every loser group which has tried it so far...

Whether they be from Ocuppied Israel West (Gaza), Occupied Israel East (West Bank), or adjacent muslim areas.

Israel will make ruthlessly short work of them.
Not entirely a bad thing...

[ImpBill]

And also here is the text from the speech given by Ms. Fiorina on September 6th, 2001. You might include it prior to posting the letter in response.

" I’ll end by telling a story.

There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world.

It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.

One of its languages became the universal language of much of the world, the bridge between the peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies were made up of people of many nationalities, and its military protection allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that had never been known. The reach of this civilization’s commerce extended from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between.

And this civilization was driven more than anything, by invention. Its architects designed buildings that defied gravity. Its mathematicians created the algebra and algorithms that would enable the building of computers, and the creation of encryption. Its doctors examined the human body, and found new cures for disease. Its astronomers looked into the heavens, named the stars, and paved the way for space travel and exploration.

Its writers created thousands of stories. Stories of courage, romance and magic. Its poets wrote of love, when others before them were too steeped in fear to think of such things.

When other nations were afraid of ideas, this civilization thrived on them, and kept them alive. When censors threatened to wipe out knowledge from past civilizations, this civilization kept the knowledge alive, and passed it on to others.

While modern Western civilization shares many of these traits, the civilization I’m talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and enlightened rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent.

Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage. The technology industry would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians. Sufi poet-philosophers like Rumi challenged our notions of self and truth. Leaders like Suleiman contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.

And perhaps we can learn a lesson from his example: It was leadership based on meritocracy, not inheritance. It was leadership that harnessed the full capabilities of a very diverse population–that included Christianity, Islamic, and Jewish traditions.

This kind of enlightened leadership — leadership that nurtured culture, sustainability, diversity and courage — led to 800 years of invention and prosperity.

In dark and serious times like this, we must affirm our commitment to building societies and institutions that aspire to this kind of greatness. More than ever, we must focus on the importance of leadership– bold acts of leadership and decidedly personal acts of leadership.

With that, I’d like to open up the conversation and see what we, collectively, believe about the role of leadership."

[conservativehusker]

how much snow did you get?



Here just south of Omaha...9 inches...a little west 14-19...all gone off the streets..most are dry...overall not too bad..thanks for asking...

[the anti-liberal]

Well, here's the 'bloggers and personal' thread What Arab Civilization?.

:^)

[the anti-liberal]

"You might include it prior to posting the letter in response."

Thanks, and I've just done just that.

[petercooper]

bttt

[Sabramerican]

That's a politically incorrect opinion.

The politically correct opinion is that when Jewish kids get blown up in pizza parlors, and when Jews of all ages are blown up in buses, it's not terror nor a result of the Arab/Islamic hatred for infidels and for any manifestation of a Western culture. The Jews had it coming to them for subjugating the poor "Palestinians" who otherwise would lead the World in the Arts and Sciences and would discover cures for the good of all mankind.

When Islamics kill other then Israelis and Jews, then and only then, it's terror.

[backhoe]

"In fact your article should have a thread of it's own if I might suggest so." Thanks for the suggestion. I have only posted news items so I'm not sure what the best way to go about posting this as a thread would be - as a 'vanity' perhaps?

I agree. If you need a hand, drop me a note- but be advised I'm about to become a homemaker in a few minutes and may not be able to respond promptly until I'm free again.

[ImpBill]

Posted Here - bring as many as you can http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1601183/posts

[backhoe]

Cool- thanks!

[Para-Ord.45]

referance ping

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "AL QAEDA'S MASTER PLAN" -Posted by Olivier Guitta (April 3, 2006)

WorldNetDaily.com: "PALESTINIANS CHARGED WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AL-QAIDA Indictments stokes fears jihad group infiltrated Israel, poised to attack" by Aaron Klein (March 21, 2006)

"www.internet-haganah.com/jihadi"

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

FreeRepublic.com - Keyword: "IRAN" (Read More...)

MEMRI.org: "IRAN" (Read More...)

"www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1593657/posts?page=2920#2920" (Note: Re Iran) (Read More...)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): Tehran, Iran: "IRAN PRESIDENT: ISRAEL WILL BE ANNIHILATED" (April 14, 2006)

OSINT.INTERNET-HAGANAH.com (WASHINGTON POST/AP): "AL-QAEDA: 'ELIMINATING ISRAEL IS THE DUTY OF EVERY BELIEVER'" (April 14, 2006)

JPOST.com - JERUSALEM POST: "MASHAAL MEETS WITH AL-QAIDA LEADER" (Updaed April 14, 2006)

BBC NEWS: "MUSLIM WORLD URGED TO FUND HAMAS" (Updated April 14, 2006)

"www.internet-haganah.com/jihadi/hamas.html"

YNETnews.com (AP): "AL-QAEDA NO. 2: WE MUST ELIMINATE ISRAEL" (April 13, 2006)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 1133: "RENOWNED KING FAHD UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ACTIVE IN THE U.S.: AMERICA WILL BE DISSIPATED TO NOTHING; ISRAEL MUST BE DESTROYED" (April 5, 2006)

A Discussion on FREEREPUBLIC.com regarding an AP article via BREITBART.com: "ISRAEL MAY BE NEXT AL-AQAIDA BATTLEGROUND" by Steven Gutkin (March 22, 2006) (Read More...)

WorldNetDaily.com: "PALESTINIANS CHARGED WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AL-QAIDA Indictments stokes fears jihad group infiltrated Israel, poised to attack" by Aaron Klein (March 21, 2006) (Read More...)

[Salem]

---

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please FR mail me ~
    
MikeFromFR ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)
Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~

"The West has given more significance to the myth of the genocide of the Jews, even more significant than God, religion, and the prophets...."—Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Holocaust Chronicle ~



"Palestine is the wrong name for their State. It should be called Anarchy."—FReeper sgtbono2002
"Then let's wait and see what the Arabs do after they take Gaza. There's nothing like Arab reality to break up a Jewish fantasy."—FReeper Noachian
A student told his professor he was going to "Palestine" to "fight for freedom, peace and justice,"—Orwellian leftist code words that mean "murder Jews."
The Nature Of Bruce ~

[Thumper1960]

BTTTFLR

[Nachum]

I can't see how Al Qaeda will be any better than the millions of Arabs that are taught to kill Jews in the Madrassas and Mosques surrounding Israel now. Iran has already been caught sending weapons to them now.

Great letter though.

[SunkenCiv]

From March of this year, very interesting in retrospect.