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Posted on 12/01/2006 8:36:14 PM PST by nwctwx
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10 Taliban Militants Die in Afghan Clash
Friday, December 29, 2006 KABUL, Afghanistan
Fugitive Taliban chief Mullah Omar pledged in a statement released Friday to drive foreign troops out of Afghanistan, as NATO and Afghan forces killed more than 10 of his fighters in the volatile south.
The message from Omar — the authenticity of which couldn't be immediately confirmed and which was received by The Associated Press in an e-mail from purported Taliban spokesman Mohammed Hanif — urged the Taliban to "sacrifice" their lives and "never submit or accept defeat." I am confident that blood of innocent people and mujahedeen will yield results," said the statement, timed for the Muslim religious festival of Eid al-Adha. "The enemy will have to quit the region with humiliation and disgrace." Afghans have a history of "expelling their enemies as no enemy and invader has quit Afghanistan willingly," the e-mail continued.
The message was sent in the Pashto language with an accompanying English translation. Statements from the Taliban leader — whose whereabouts are a mystery — are periodically issued through Hanif, who claims to speak for the hardline militia.
The latest message comes amid stepped-up attacks this year by the Taliban, particularly in southern Afghanistan, where they have been waging fierce battles with Western and Afghan forces.
About 4,000 people, mostly militants, have died in 2006, the bloodiest period in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001.
Suspected Taliban militants attacked a police post late Thursday night using machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, said Khost provincial police commander Mohammad Ayub. The ensuing battle lasted more than an hour. NATO forces called in a helicopter to attack the Taliban, Ayub said, adding that after the clash ended, the bodies of more than 10 militants were recovered.
NATO spokesman Maj. Dominic Whyte said there were no injuries among NATO troops. Ayub said there were also no casualties among Afghan forces.
In the statement, the Taliban leader accused foreign forces of "ruthless bombing" that had killed and displaced thousands of Afghans including women and children. "It has now become a permanent cruel practice and barbaric habit of our enemy. We must stand by the people to fight against the enemy and to take revenge of their blood," it said.
Hundreds of civilians have died in this year's fighting, some in U.S. and NATO bombing of suspected Taliban hide-outs, others caught in Taliban suicide attacks.
Omar went into hiding after a U.S.-led invasion toppled his Taliban regime in Afghanistan five years ago. Afghan officials say he is hiding in the Pakistani city of Quetta, while Pakistan says he is in Afghanistan.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/12/29/international/i024149S66.DTL
Yes he did - I'm translating it now.
Zawahiri released ANOTHER one today too - an Eid message. Video is at my website.
>> Thanks, to both of you, for the reminder and input. <<
You are very welcome O! Thanks for the well wishes for 2007. I have a lot of rebuilding to do and it's looking like it will happen.
A safe and Happy New Year to you and yours as well.
AD
TEHRAN, Iran - Two Iranians detained by American troops in Iraq and suspected of transferring weapons technology to insurgents in that country were released early Friday, Iran's state-run television and news agency reported.
The U.S. military had no immediate comment. There was also no immediate response from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Iranian state TV referred to the Iranians as diplomats and said the release happened Friday. The two were handed over to Iranian officials in the presence of Iraq's National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie, said Iran's state-run news agency, IRNA.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, said the arrest of the two diplomats was against internationally accepted regulations, IRNA said. "Fortunately with the effort exerted by the Iraqi officials, the U.S. forces, who first denied their arrest, were obliged to admit it and under pressure from the Iraqi government to release them," IRNA quoted Qomi as saying.
The White House said earlier this week that U.S. troops had detained at least two Iranians and released two others who had diplomatic immunity. A White House spokesman said the Iranians were taken into custody during a raid on suspected insurgents.
On Thursday, a Pentagon official said U.S. forces had found "indications and evidence that all of the people rounded up, including the two Iranians, are involved in the transfer of IED technologies from Iran to Iraq." IED stands for improvised explosive devices, or small bombs that are commonly used in attacks in Iraq.
Excerpted
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061229/D8MAH5RG0.html
Islamist support from Oslo
29 Dec 2006
Many of the Somalians living in Oslo strongly support the Islamist regime now on the run in their homeland.
"If the Ethiopians continue to occupy Somalia, we won't sit here. We will go back to Somalia and fight as one!" says Zakharia Ahmed, banging his fist on the table.
The scene is the Café Bolsho in Oslo's downtown immigrant district Grønland. Dozens of compatriots are gathered round in the noisy café, and Ahmed clearly has full support. "Yes, we will go back and fight," the others shout.
Aftenposten has chosen this Somali café at random. The conversation is animated, takes place in Somali, English and Norwegian, and here there is total agreement.
Excerpted
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1584017.ece
In 2007, Expect Palestinian Arab Factions To Wage War
December 29, 2006
This year has been momentous for the Middle East, but 2007 is going to be dramatic. In the Gaza Strip and West Bank, a full-scale factional war will erupt among the Palestinian Arabs, with unpredictable consequences.
This time around, the "brotherhood" is over. Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other assorted mafias will participate, while outside sponsors such as Iran, Syria, and Jordan will supply the bullets, rockets, money, and ill-will.
Excerpted
Thank you for your efforts, they are appreciated.
LOL, sounds pretty good, actually.
Nice to see you , Hipshot ole friend.
Happy New Year to you.
PESHAWAR: A 45-member tribal jirga has warned pro-Taliban militant commanders against attacks on government officials and killings in North Waziristan.
The warning was sounded at a meeting between the jirga members and militant commanders two days ago at an undisclosed location in North Waziristan, a jirga member told Daily Times on Thursday. He said the government had taken serious notice of an attack on an official’s vehicle near Miranshah on December 22 and various killings.
Excerpted
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006/12/29/story_29-12-2006_pg7_2
Signing off for the weekend.
Dear FRiends,
Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Stay safe and God bless you all.
Love,
Vel
A peaceful New Year sounds good AD.
Pat Clyde on his doggy head for me.
Ditto that and always keeping the troops in my prayers.
In Jesus' Holy name.
Amen.
You're welcome.
Being observant and acting on one's observations is a key survival skill.
Kabul, 29 Dec. (AKI) - By Syed Saleem Shahzad - Foreign troops will be forced to leave Afghanistan by the Taliban, the hardline Islamist group's fugitive leader said in a rare, signed statement to the press on Friday."They came to Afghanistan readily but will be fleeing against their will... It is the history of Afghanistan that all foreign invaders are eventually defeated with much humiliation," Mullah Mohammad Omar allegedly said in the message.
The signed missive issued to the press by the Taliban’s spokesperson Mohammed Hanif to mark the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha is a political statement on the Taliban's upcoming strategy which opposes any political mediation and is solely aimed at forcing foreign troops out of the country and ousting from power the Western-backed administration of president Hamid Karzai.
The statement coincides with the intensification of fighting in the volatile southern Helmand province after a brief lull during the winter season. Fighting could reach Kandahar as part of a Taliban strategy to conquer the city before they start what they hope will be an armed uprising across Afghanistan in the spring of 2007.
Over 4,000 people have been killed in Afghanistan in 2006, the bloodiest year since US-led troops invaded the country in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks ousting the fundamentalist Taliban regime in late 2001. Omar, who has a 10 million dollar bounty on his head imposed by the US government, disappeared shortly after the toppling of the Taliban.
In his statement, Omar rejected a plan to hold Loya Jirgas - tribal councils proposed as a solution by Washington to end the violence in Afghanistan, which are backed by Pakistan and Afghanistan. He slammed the proposal as an evil attempt to hamper the Taliban-led struggle against foreign troops.
"Those who attacked Afghanistan want to trap us in the game of Loya Jirgas but no Muslim would agree to that…The Jirga has no representative status as all members would be nominated by the aggressors," Mullah Omar said in the statement.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are currently considering how to organise the Jirgas and deciding who will participate. Politicians in both countries want the Taliban to be included in the talks.
The commander also praised Taliban fighters on their success in their deadly 2006 campaign, warning them also to "take care of the fact that during their operations, the Afghan masses should not be harmed or affected."
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.372092593&par=0
The message with the alleged signature of Taliban commander Mullah Mohammad Omar
Updates appreciated on the National Guard Armory incident.
THANKS Oorang.
A blessed New Year to you Velveeta.
I was looking at al Zawahiri's message in the wee hours this morning and then there's Mullah Omar. They remind me of paper tigers and a dying breed at that.
THANKS for this post Oorang.
You're welcome Cindy.
Brussels, 29 Dec. 2006 - The European Union has placed the Dutch 'Hofstad Group' and its nine members on the bloc's terrorism black list meaning all their financial assets are frozen and the group can no longer gain access to bank accounts or insurance in EU countries, Radio Netherlands reported on Friday. The move follows a request by the Dutch finance minister Gerrit Zalm.
The group’s financial assets were frozen in the Netherlands earlier this year when its nine members were jailed on terrorism charges. Mohammed Bouyeri, a Dutch Moroccan considered to be the Hofstadt group's leader, is serving a life-sentence for the November 2004 murder of Dutch film director Theo Van Gogh, who offended many Muslims with a short film that suggested Islam condoned violence against women.
The EU's list includes another Dutch organisation, the al-Aqsa Foundation, which is suspected of channelling money to terrorist groups.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.372218238&par=0
Imam Khomeini Poems in Bosnian Language
Dec. 30, 2006
A collection of poems by the founder of Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini (RA) was published in Bosnian language by the Cultural Department of Iranian Embassy in Bosnia-Herzegovina, IRNA wrote.
Public Relations Office of Culture and Islamic Communications Organization reported that the book was translated into Bosnian by Ms. Mobina Muker, who holds a doctorate in Persian language. It was published in 2,000 copies.
The book contains a preface written by Fatemeh Tabatabaei, a close aide of Imam Khomeini, and Rasid Hafizovic, a Sarajevo University professor. It is hoped that the book would provide Bosnian readers with a new insight into the spiritual life of the founder of the Islamic Revolution.
http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2746/html/panorama.htm#s199038
West Promoting Muslim Discord
TEHRAN, Dec. 29--Tehran’s interim Friday prayers leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani warned Muslims against the plots of the West to sow discord between the Shiites and Sunnis.
Addressing worshipers at Tehran University campus, Emami-Kashani said, “The enemy is preparing a massive plan for the Islamic world and the entire region.“
Excerpted
http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2746/html/national.htm#s199569
And keep gas tanks at least 1/2 full at all times!!!!
My tank very rarely goes below 3/4.
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