Threat Matrix: February 2007

Previous Thread ^

[nwctwx]

How al-Qaida Fared in 2006
-Full Story-

In 2006, agents of al-Qaida, as well as those inspired by its ideology, continued their attacks. Violence in Iraq intensified, and Afghanistan saw its bloodiest year since 2001.

Despite worsening chaos on those fronts, counterterrorist forces arrested and killed high-profile terrorists and kept the West free from attack. But these actions don't appear to have weakened the appeal of al-Qaida's agenda. "Home-grown" militants around the world joined its jihad, as regional fighting heightened perceptions of a global war on Islam.

Here's an assessment of some of the most significant gains and losses for al-Qaida last year: Read more..

	Azzam the American: The Making of an al Qaida Homegrown
	Islamic Cells of Revenge Joins the al Qaida Movement
	Most Dangerous Destinations 2007

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[Oorang]

Hope you two are feeling better soon. Enough with the virus bugs!

From "Europe: Muslim "aliens" appear":
The US leadership is trying to work with European leaders to integrate immigrant Muslims there. What they must understand as the bottom line is that when extremist Muslims move in, they dictate, not dialogue. Have not European leaders heard that message yet? Some have. Others have not.

I am known amongst my friends and family as always trying to look on the bright side. Lately though, regarding the attempted islamic takeover, I'm really leaning toward the "too little too late" philosophy. I don't want to think we've gone past the point of no return but the continued PC think is causing me to lose hope. *sigh*

[Oorang]

Thanks nw. Yep, looks like they are regrouping for the spring offensive.

[Cindy]

Event:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787634/posts

[Cindy]

http://osint.internet-haganah.com/archives/000839.html

February 19, 2007
"Maldonado grew up in New Hampshire..."

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http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=52860

"Texas Terror Suspect Has New England Ties"

Web Editor: Katie Krupnik,
Created: 2/18/2007 8:08:45 AM
Updated: 2/19/2007 7:58:50 PM

War On Terror

A man accused of training with al-Qaida and planning to overthrow the government in Somalia grew up in Pelham, New Hampshire, and converted to Islam at a mosque in Methuen, Massachusetts.

Now 28-year-old Daniel Maldonado is facing federal terrorism charges in Houston, Texas, that could earn him a life sentence in prison.

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http://internet-haganah.com/harchives/005915.html


15 February 2007
"Islamist terrorism, from clearguidance.com to islamicnetwork.com"

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=nasrallah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hezbollah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hizballah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hizbullah

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http://off-topic.internet-haganah.com/archives/000844.html

February 19, 2007
"Does somebody need a hug?"

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http://off-topic.internet-haganah.com/archives/000843.html
February 19, 2007

"Who are you going to believe, the Defense Minister or the head of the Intelligence Division?"

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=3104

61 Terrorists Captured, Weapons Seized

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces captured 61 suspected terrorists, destroyed five improvised explosive devices and seized several weapons caches during operations across Iraq in the past four days.

Today, special Iraqi army forces, along with coalition forces, destroyed a car rigged with an explosive device and captured seven suspected terrorists during a raid targeting foreign fighters east of Tikrit.

Forces found the car bomb during a search for a suspected terrorist with ties to the foreign fighter facilitator network, officials said. During a raid of the targeted area, coalition forces detained the individual along with six other suspected terrorists.

Further searching the area, ground forces discovered a vehicle on the property was rigged with an IED. After clearing the area of civilians, ground forces destroyed the vehicle.

More searching by ground forces led them to numerous AK-47s, a sniper rifle, two machine guns, a pistol and a footlocker filled with ammunition.

During an operation in southern Baghdad yesterday, special Iraqi army forces, along with coalition advisors, captured two suspected members of a rogue Jaysh Al-Mahdi militia cell.

The Iraqi-led operation was targeting a cell believed responsible for attacks against civilians in the area, officials said. The cell is also suspected of participating in the kidnapping, torture and murder of an Iraqi army officer in December 2006.

Elsewhere in Iraq yesterday, soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment "Golden Dragons," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), found a weapons cache during a routine combat patrol 30 miles southwest of the capital near Radwaniyah. The cache, which was destroyed during a controlled detonation, consisted of four 2.5-inch rockets and four 60 mm mortar rounds.

The Golden Dragon troops also detained a suspected terrorist in the same area after they discovered IED-making materials.

Meanwhile, soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army, seized an anti-aircraft heavy machine gun and ammunition during a combat patrol in Mahmudiyah, 20 miles southwest of Baghdad.


The cache consisted of a ZPU-1 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, 20 30 mm rounds, a tripod and three spare barrels. The weapon was in firing condition and configured for use. The ammunition was destroyed during a controlled detonation conducted by an explosive ordnance team; the weapon was seized.

A two-day operation that began Feb. 16 in Quarghuli Village, southwest of Baghdad, let to the detention of 49 suspected terrorists and the discovery of three IEDs.

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment "Polar Bears," 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment and the 4th
Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted the clearing operation coined "Operation Polar Iron."

The two-day operation, which consisted of air and ground assaults, was conducted in order to disrupt insurgents believed to be operating in and around Quarghuli Village, long known as a terrorist safe haven, officials said.

During the operation, the soldiers received small-arms fire, but no one was hurt. The suspects were detained for further questioning. The explosive devices were detonated during a controlled detonation by an explosive ordnance team.

Another IED was detonated by a coalition explosive ordnance team after it was spotted by a patrol southwest of Baghdad Feb. 16.

Soldiers of Company A, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, “Wolverines,” 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), spotted the roadside bomb under an overpass while patrolling the major Iraqi highway known as Route Tampa.

The patrol stopped to cordon off the area and a civilian vehicle crossed the cordon.

Soldiers stopped the vehicle and conducted a search, uncovering two locked-and-loaded AK-47s, a 9 mm pistol, a hand grenade and a forged weapons permit. The two men were detained for questioning and the weapons seized.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=somalia

Thanks to RDTF for the ping to the following thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787707/posts

"Somalia Forms Anti-Terror Military Force"
WJLA ^ | February 19, 2007 | AP

Posted on 02/19/2007 8:20:41 PM PST by RDTF

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Monday February 19, 2007 10:28 pm

[Oorang]

Disturbing reality buried (Canada)
Sun, February 18, 2007

SNIP:Fully 12% of Muslim Canadians polled by Environics said the alleged terrorist plot -- that included kidnapping and beheading the prime minister and blowing up Parliament and the CBC -- was justified.

Predictably, the CBC managed to find a talking head -- in this case York University sociology professor Haideh Moghissi -- who dismissed this disturbing revelation.

"It's really negligible that 12 percent feel that the attacks would be justified," said Moghissi. "I don't think it even warrants attention." Clearly, other news agencies and those who put the poll results on the CBC website agree with Moghissi. But just how "negligible" is 12% of 700,000 people.

Well, if Moghissi knew arithmetic like she knows denial, she'd know if this poll is accurate, 84,000 Canadian Muslims think it's justifiable to behead our democratically elected prime minister and blow up the very symbol and centre of our democracy!

Excerpted

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Corbella_Licia/2007/02/18/3642930-sun.html

Speaking Arabic, other Eastern languages, is high on FBI's wish list (Pennsylvania)
Monday, February 19, 2007

Standing in the main prayer room of the ornate Pittsburgh Sikh Gurdwara in Monroeville, the FBI's special agent looked out at a sea of turban-wearing worshippers with dark beards. The clean-cut agent, armed with brochures and a short video extolling the virtues of Sikhs to the worshippers gathered for prayer services, was playing an increasingly important post-Sept. 11, 2001, role -- that of recruiter.

The FBI is mounting such recruiting efforts at a time when the need among its ranks for speakers of languages such as Punjabi, spoken by Sikhs, as well as Arabic, Urdu and Farsi, is high and the supply is low. Just a fraction of 1 percent of the 12,000 FBI field agents have limited working proficiency in Arabic, for example -- a total of 40, up from 33 in October.

Turning places of worship into the front lines of recruitment in the global War on Terror means the FBI and other government agencies in charge of protecting U.S. citizens are now venturing into mosques, temples and community meetings in search of the next expert linguist, analyst or field agent.

Excerpted

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07050/763270-85.stm

Portland adds container security system (Oregon)
Feb. 19, 2007

GE Security has installed a new system in Portland, Ore., that protects against tampering with cargo containers. The company said the CommerceGaurd System alerts officials whenever a container is opened without authorization, helping protect against theft or attempts to plant terrorist bombs inside.

Excerpted

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20070219-010953-4961r

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=prewardocs
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iraq

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=intelligence


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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787697/posts?page=7#7


https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/290fenpf.asp

"Abusing Intelligence
Difficult though it may be, we need to de-politicize intelligence. "
by Michael Tanji
02/16/2007 12:00:00 AM

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http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/692uuaxc.asp


"It's Not Academic
We can sort through the mountain of pre-war electronic Iraqi data--if we want to."
by Michael Tanji
02/08/2006 9:30:00 AM

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787190/posts

"The Misuses of Intelligence (Michael Barone)"
Townhall.com ^ | February 19, 2007 | Michael Barone

Posted on 02/18/2007 9:53:35 PM PST by neverdem

[Cindy]

Thanks for posting the Canada snippet and link. That is horribly disturbing.

Fanfan;GMMAC...See post no. 1008.

Thanks fanfan for the ping to the following post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787548/posts


"Dion's politics shift with wind (9/10 Liberal leader pandering to Muslims)"
Calgary Sun - Canada ^ | Monday, February 19, 2007 | Ezra Levant

Posted on 02/19/2007 2:49:46 PM PST by GMMAC

"Dion's politics shift with wind"

By EZRA LEVANT Calgary Sun
Monday, February 19, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Stephane Dion, the new Liberal leader, says he's against renewing the provisions of Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act. Because the Conservatives don't have a majority, and the Bloc and NDP are notoriously soft on the war on terror, Dion holds the balance.

And he's voting not to renew our security laws.

He's pretending it's still Sept. 10.

This is the same Stephane Dion, of course, who was part of the Liberal cabinet that brought in the Anti-Terrorism Act, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

There has been no legitimate criticism of the law -- it has not abridged anyone's civil liberties.

In fact, it really hasn't even been used in Canada, including in the arrest and charges against 18 Muslim radicals in Toronto last spring who were allegedly plotting to blow up the CN Tower and the CBC, and behead the prime minister.

There is only one reason why Dion wants to scrap this law: Because the increasingly powerful Muslim wing of his party demands it. "

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=tetouan

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iraq

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787742/posts

"Terrorist Networks Lure Young Moroccans to War in Far-Off Iraq"
The Washington Post ^ | Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | Craig Whitlock

Posted on 02/19/2007 10:41:33 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1743749/posts


"Town that breeds suicide bombers"
The Daily Telegraph ^ | November 25, 2006 | Fiona Govan

Posted on 11/25/2006 4:24:33 AM PST by MadIvan

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Their destination may be almost 3,000 miles away, but the draw of martyrdom in Iraq is proving irresistable for the young men of Tetouan."

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1743897/posts


"City said to be terrorist breeding ground"
UPI ^ | 11/25/06

Posted on 11/25/2006 1:46:30 PM PST by TexKat

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "TETOUAN, Morocco, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- A Moroccan seaport 3,000 miles from Iraq has become one of the world's most fertile recruiting grounds for jihadists, U.S. officials say.

In the past eight months a group of young men, all worshippers at the same mosque, have left their homes in Tetouan, a few miles from the Strait of Gibraltar, to become suicide bombers in Iraq, The Daily Telegraph of London reports."

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787745/posts


"Infidel; Murder In Amsterdam; In The Name of Honour; Shame"
SMH ^ | 02, 16, 07

Posted on 02/19/2007 10:52:04 PM PST by Posting

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787751/posts

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http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=272432007&format=print

"Police 'should pursue terror suspects into mosques'"
JAMES KIRKUPPOLITICAL EDITOR

ARTICLE SNIPPET - QUOTE:
Government's terror-law watchdog urges further communication
Moves comes after man under control order escapes police in mosque
Lord Carlile also questions entire system of control orders

Key quote
"Anyone knowingly giving shelter from legal obligations has a clear civic duty to facilitate compliance with the law. If they do not do so, they will have little cause for complaint if police enter their premises." - LORD CARLILE

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=tanzim

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3367148,00.html

IDF arrests Tanzim member planning shooting attack

Published: 02.19.07, 21:38 / Israel News

It has now been released for publication that security forces have arrested Muhammad Daud, in the village of Walja, located northwest of Bethlehem earlier on Monday.

The arrest was a joint IDF and Shin-Bet operation, and officials say that Daud, a member of a Tanzim cell, had been planning to carry out a shooting attack in the area. (Efrat Weiss)

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stepping back in time...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1753603/posts


"Israel Security Forces Prevent Massacre - Tanzim Terrorist Killed"
Israel News Agency ^ | December 14, 2006 | Israel News Agency Staff

Posted on 12/14/2006 1:13:15 PM PST by IsraelBeach

Israel Security Forces Prevent Massacre - Tanzim Terrorist Killed


By Israel News Agency Staff


Jerusalem ---- December 14

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=nuclear
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iran

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787760/posts


"Iran's Elite Guards to Hold War Games"
AP via WP ^ | Feb. 18, 2007 | Staff

Posted on 02/19/2007 11:55:49 PM PST by Schnucki

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards will launch their second war games in a month on Monday, just days ahead of a U.N. deadline regarding Iran's nuclear program.

The Revolutionary Guards will begin three days of ground maneuvers, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Sunday

"The guards will practice various kinds of fighting tactics including tactics of asymmetrical warfare," the report said without elaborating.

The exercises are to take place in 16 of Iran's 30 provinces, IRNA reported. Some 60,000 troops were expected to participate _ in line with past exercises. The games were planned before the United Nations Security Council approved economic sanctions against Iran on Dec. 23."

[Cindy]

http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370252

TERRORISM MONITOR
"Islamist Infiltration of the Moroccan Armed Forces"
By Matthew Chebatoris


(February 15, 2007)

[Cindy]

Off Topic:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=mexico

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Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787761/posts


Mexico Walmex sees up to 60 bank branches by 2008[Wal-mart Banks in Mexico]
Reuters ^ | 13 Feb 2007 | Reuters

Posted on 02/19/2007 11:57:56 PM PST by FLOutdoorsman

Mexican top retailer Wal-Mart de Mexico (Walmex) plans to open up to 12 in-store bank branches this year, and grow that number five times through 2008.

Julio Bosco, head of the Walmex's (WALMEXV.MX: Quote, Profile , Research) bank operations, said during a conference call the company will gradually expand in this new business.

Walmex will try to capture an underserved portion of customers who can't access to credit with traditional banks.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787617/posts


"Agents discover 2 tons of pot in camouflaged trucks"
Arizona Daily Star ^ | 19 Feb 2007 | Brady McCombs

Posted on 02/19/2007 5:16:53 PM PST by FLOutdoorsman

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "U.S. Border Patrol agents found more than two tons of marijuana inside two camouflaged trucks Sunday morning west of Casa Grande that a Bureau of Land Management Ranger had been pursuing.

At approximately 6:45 a.m. Sunday, Border Patrol agents responded to near the town of Stanfield to provide assistance to the ranger who was pursuing two trucks covered in camouflage tarps on Stanfield Road near Interstate 8, said Rob Daniels, Border Patrol Tucson Sector spokesman.

The ranger began the pursuit after seeing one truck suspiciously towing the other, Daniels said. When the ranger approached the trucks, one of them rammed the ranger's vehicle.

The drivers of the camouflaged trucks tried to get away and eventually bailed out, escaping into the desert in the area, Daniels said. The ranger wasn't injured, he said.

Agents found 253 bundles of marijuana weighing 4,660 pounds and a loaded .45 pistol inside the abandoned trucks, he said. The first truck, a 2006 GMC truck reported stolen out of San Diego was turned over to the Department of Public Safety and the second truck, a 2004 Chevy, is being processed for forfeiture by the Border Patrol.

The marijuana, which has an estimated value of $4.6 million according to figures from the National Drug Intelligence Center, was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Agents turned the pistol over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Agents didn't make any arrests in connection with the case."

[Cindy]

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txs/releases/February%202007/070214-Huang.htm

February 14, 2007

"IMMIGRATION LAWYER AND HER ASSISTANT FOUND GUILTY OF VISA FRAUD"

(HOUSTON, TX)

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=chlorine

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1787764/posts


Baghdad wakes up with an explosion (Clorine Gas Truck)
Reuters ^ | February 20 2007

Posted on 02/20/2007 12:19:53 AM PST by jmc1969

A truck carrying gas exploded near a restaurant just north of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing five people and injuring over a hundred, including many women and children poisoned by gas released in the blast, police said.

They initially said the truck was carrying liquid natural gas but later said it was chlorine gas. Five people were killed by the blast and around 138 hurt, many of them poisoned by the gas being transported on the truck, police said.

(Excerpt) Read more at english.sabah.com.tr ...