Posted on 02/26/2007 4:18:14 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
No one to counter Chavez In a region where the leading ideology is Bolivarianism, there is not one leader positioned to offer a better idea for a brighter future.
Commentary by Sam Logan for ISN Security Watch (23/02/2007)
For over two decades, the prevailing ideology in Latin America was neo-liberalism, a Washington-born idea that claimed the power of open markets would lift the region’s poor from misery. It did not, and corruption ran rampant.
While democracy still remains strong, resentful voters ushered in a new generation of neo-populist leaders touting a new idea: a form of socialism, called Bolivarianism, that has slowly but surely become the loudest and most prevalent ideology.
Bolivarianism is anti-capitalist, supports nationalization, regional trade with like-minded countries and above all, suggests that a country should rely on itself or fellow socialist states, not imperialist powers, as a source of the economic growth that will lift all from poverty. It is a sort of refurbished socialism that is not a guiding light for the future.
Latin America cannot readily absorb the economic shock of open markets, nor can it get bogged down in the trappings of old socialist ideas. A blended ideology must be promoted, but the problem is that no one is strong enough to counter Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the leader of Bolivarianism.
Chavez calls it Socialism for the 21st Century. Cuba's Fidel Castro passed him the torch. Leaders around the region pay homage to their own past as socialist upstarts through hugging and laughing with Chavez on the international stage while taking care of often pro-capitalist, neo-liberal business at home.
Brazilian President Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva is a perfect example. He has the leftist background and eye for fiscal conservatism to become a great ideological counterweight to Chavez. His politics represent an ideal blend for the region. But his politically weak position at home and strong voices from his own left deter any would be shouting match with Chavez.
Within a week after winning his second term in office, Lula visited Chavez for a photo opportunity on a bridge linking both countries. That was in November, and it looks like Lula’s administration will remain bogged down until March as he struggles to get past his party’s sordid past and form a working cabinet willing to share the same table.
Argentina of the past could have been a counter weight to the Bolivarian ideology. But since Nestor Kirchner has come to power, Argentina has become a Venezuelan puppet.
Chavez has literally bought the support of his southern neighbor with over US$3 billion in purchases of Argentine debt. The most recent purchase occurred on 16 February, when Venezuela dumped another US$750 million into Argentine government coffers.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has the politics to promote an ideological battle with Chavez. Colombia has been a model of economic growth through a mixture of neo-liberal policies and social programs. But Uribe has serious problems.
Political allies are falling like dominos due to links with former paramilitary leaders. And if Uribe took the time to speak out for neo-liberalism and against Chavez, he would be dismissed as another of Washington's puppets. Colombia is a top recipient of US aid.
The only other leader who could take up an ideological fight with Chavez is Mexican President Felipe Calderon. He has the right politics and his country has a history of not blindly supporting the US. Voting against the US invasion of Iraq at the UN is a clear indication. But Calderon won on the thinnest possible mandate. His opposition controls enough seats in the Mexican Congress to block any unwanted initiative, and his focus is on Mexican organized crime, not on verbal sword play with Chavez.
Finally, the US has launched a diplomatic offensive in the region. This is to be a year of engagement, but the US president is clearly obsessed with the war in Iraq, not with putting a muzzle on Venezuela’s leader for the sake of the region’s future. Washington is doubly discredited, first for promoting an ideology that clearly did not work, and second for doing nothing about it.
Latin America needs an independent leader willing to stand up to Chavez, but that leader does not exist on the region’s geopolitical map. Bolivarianism will continue to seep into the minds and hearts of millions across Latin America. Chavez and his pool of allies will control the headlines until the next round of presidential elections tell the world how the region has embraced this new ideology.
As Chavez puts it, Socialism for the 21st Century is just getting started. If that is true, then he will continue to trumpet his ideology until Latin Americans learn, the hard way, that Bolivarianism did not carry them much farther from poverty than neo-liberalism. Disillusionment with reality may then spread faster than hope for the future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Logan is an investigative journalist who has reported on security, energy, politics, economics, organized crime, terrorism and black markets in Latin America since 1999. He is a senior writer for ISN Security Watch based in Brazil.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author only, not the International Relations and Security Network (ISN).
My eyes are watery from that old poem :-(
‘Sleeper Cell’ Agent Trial Under Way (back)April 3, 2007
CHICAGO - The trial of an alleged ‘sleeper agent’ for Saddam Hussein’s intelligence service began Tuesday with a federal prosecutor accusing him of spying on Iraqi dissidents in the United States.
Sami Latchin, a 59-year-old Iraqi-born U.S. citizen, is accused of spying on U.S.-based critics of the deposed Iraqi dictator, who was hanged Dec. 30.
‘There is a spy in this room,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Conway told jurors in the courtroom of U.S. District.
Latchin is not accused of espionage _ an offense that involves obtaining U.S. military secrets. Prosecutors say his spying was aimed only at Iraqi civilians in the United States .
The former airline employee was arrested in August 2004, when prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with making false statements to immigration authorities on a U.S. citizenship application.
Authorities claim he failed to disclose that he had been a member of the Baath Party and had served in Iraq ‘s intelligence service. If convicted on all counts, Latchin could face a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Three former Iraqi intelligence officers are expected to testify against him. Defense attorney Mary Higgins Judge called them ‘professional, career, trained liars.’
‘By definition their job involves trickery, deceit and pretending,’ she said. ‘It is what they have done all their lives.’
Two of the three former Iraqi intelligence officers are planning to testify under pseudonyms _ ‘Mr. Khalil and Mr. Ali’ _ and in disguise out of concern about reprisals.
The third, Muhammad Al-Dani, used his real name during testimony later Tuesday but appeared in disguise. He wore thick glasses, a mustache and a mop of black hair that looked suspiciously like a toupee.
Al-Dani testified that he was once the Washington station chief of the intelligence service.
Conway led Al-Dani through a series of letters in which an Athens-based Iraqi agent named Sami Khoshaba recruited ‘collaborators’ who would go from there to the United States and Canada and become informants.
Prosecutors claim that after his stint in Greece , Latchin moved to the United States , where he continued his work as an intelligence operative.
Khoshaba is Latchin’s middle name and he once lived in Athens . Prosecutors say he is the person named in the letters. Defense attorneys admit the name similarity without agreeing to the rest of the allegation.
Latchin’s attorney said Al-Dani had been paid ‘close to a million dollars’ as a government witness and suggested he had to come up with testimony to justify the money. She called it his ‘million-dollar story.’ Conway said the amount was closer to $700,000 or $800,000.
Al-Dani testified that he was not required by his deal with the government when he defected from Iraq to testify at a criminal trial.
Source: http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat= DOMESTIC&fn=/2007/04/03/627352.html
Ex-FBI Still Missing in Iran (back)
April 3, 2007
The State Department and the FBI seem to be spinning the story of Bob Levinson’s disappearance in Iran .
A story by Robin Wright in today’s Washington Post characterizes Levinson’s background this way:
The ex-agent, whose name is not being disclosed by the State Department for privacy reasons, had a long career in investigating organized crime in the United States . A middle-aged man who retired from the FBI more than a decade ago, the American worked in private investigations for corporate clients, according to FBI spokesman John Miller. As an FBI agent, he was not assigned to terrorism or Middle East issues, officials said.
Here’s a press release about him that appeared in 2006 on the website of SafirRosetti LLC:
Seasoned Investigator Robert Levinson to Head New Office
Robert A. Levinson, formerly the CEO of his own investigative firm, will head the division, which is located at 4530 Conference Way South , Boca Raton . The new office will significantly enhance SafirRosetti’s accessibility to industries in Latin America and enable the firm, with a strong presence already in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to help companies secure their facilities, fight counterfeiting, conduct due diligence and other investigations on a global scale.
Mr. Safir said, ‘The addition of Bob Levinson to our team gives us the ability to build a successful Latin American operation able to reach new markets, offering the skill and experience of an extremely seasoned professional.’
Mr. Levinson said, ‘I am proud to join the SafirRosetti team and be part of what is becoming the most important sector of modern business - physical and intellectual security and protection.’
Prior to joining SafirRosetti, Mr. Levinson was both the principal of R.A. Levinson & Associates, an investigative security firm, and also the Managing Director in charge of the Miami Office of Decision Strategies. In each of these capacities, Mr. Levinson directed worldwide investigations involving litigation support, the collection of business intelligence, due-diligence, product piracy, and threats to legitimate businesses.
Mr. Levinson was employed by the U.S. Department of Justice for 28 years, serving for six years as a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in its New York and Denver field offices and also at DEA Headquarters. Subsequently, Mr. Levinson transferred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and served that agency as a Special Agent in Los Angeles , New York and Miami .
While with the government, Mr. Levinson specialized in the investigation of international organized crime, international fraud, and money laundering activities. He served as a representative of the U.S. on a number of international organized crime task forces attacking such problems as the Colombian drug cartels and the criminal groups operating in the former Soviet Union .
During his government service, Mr. Levinson taught as a guest lecturer at the FBI Academy in Quantico , Virginia , the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Academy in Ottawa , Canada , the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington , Virginia and the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Budapest , Hungary .
Here’s another bio of Levinson from the website of Business Integrity International LLC, for whom he seems to have been working at the time of his disappearance:
Bob Levinson is a twenty-eight year veteran of both the DEA & FBI. He offers extensive international experience and has focused on criminal activities, business intelligence projects, asset location and recoveries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Russia and Europe . He has represented the USA while serving on international Task Forces dealing with organized criminal and money laundering activities in Europe , Russia/Eastern Block countries.
Previously he was the Managing Director for an international investigative firm and was responsible for consulting and directing investigations in the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Russia and the former Soviet republics. Bob is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of CCNY, and a member of numerous organizations. Bob is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Russian.
Levinson also has his own private security business, R. A. Levinson & Associates. (His email account at BII still seems to be functioning, however.) Levinson’s emphasis in recent years has been money laundering cases, especially ones connected to Russia . (He was a witness in the trial of Russian mob boss Sergei Mikhailov.)
Here are some Levinson quotes from a 2003 article published on moneylaundering.com:
As of late 2003, Western law enforcement and security/intelligence agencies have been directed by their governments to afford the highest priority to counter-terrorism matters,” says Robert Levinson, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation agent with extensive experience combating Russian organized crime. “This has left a large gap in the detection of traditional money laundering organizations which service organized crime groups, drug trafficking networks, arms dealers and other international criminals, particularly from the former Soviet Union, ‘
Levinson, now with the investigative firm SafirRosetti, warns, “It has now become incumbent on financial institutions, multinationals, and other business organizations dealing on an international scale to insure that an adequate defense is mounted against those criminal groups seeking to exploit the fact that law enforcement is focused elsewhere. Russian organized crime and corrupt financial operatives are continuing efforts, begun in the 1990s, to penetrate Western business. The Bank of New York scandal was, for all intents and purposes, just a beginning.”
Levinson is extensively quoted as a source (p. 274: ‘the ex-FBI agent based in Miami who specialized in the Russian mafia’) in Robert Friedman’s 2000 book, Red Mafiya: How the Russian Mob Has Invaded America.
He was also interviewed extensively for the PBS Frontline documentary, Mafia Power Play: An investigation into the connections between Russian NHL players and Russian organized crime.
The production was directed by Neil Docherty of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, who has done a number of other Frontline documentaries for PBS, including Canada: The Cell Next Door (2007) Al Qaeda’s New Front (2005) and, interestingly, Terror and Teheran (2002).
According to the Washington Post article:
The State Department said the missing man was going to meet someone to set up an interview or interviews for a project involving a book and a documentary by an independent producer and author believed to be from Canada , U.S. officials said.
Anyone want to wager that the ‘independent producer and author’ was Neil Docherty?
And does anyone still believe Levinson’s disappearance had nothing to do with Iran’s ties to terrorism and international money laundering—or that it’s just a another missing person case?
Source: http://writingcompany.blogs.com/this_isnt_writing_its_typ/ 2007/04/mo re_on_robert_.html
A Former Islamic Terrorist Criticizes Western Progressives (back)
April 4, 2007
Tawfik Hamid, a onetime member of Jemaah Islamiya, an Islamist terrorist group, is now a medical doctor and Muslim reformer living in the West. In today’s OpinionJournal he writes that “the non-Muslim priests of enlightenment in the West have come, actively and passively, to the Islamists’ defense”:
These “progressives” frequently cite the need to examine “root causes.” In this they are correct: Terrorism is only the manifestation of a disease and not the disease itself. But the root-causes are quite different from what they think. As a former member of Jemaah Islamiya, a group led by al Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, I know firsthand that the inhumane teaching in Islamist ideology can transform a young, benevolent mind into that of a terrorist . . . While there are many ideological “rootlets” of Islamism, the main tap root has a name–Salafism, or Salafi Islam, a violent, ultra-conservative version of the religion.
The grave predicament we face in the Islamic world is the virtual lack of approved, theologically rigorous interpretations of Islam that clearly challenge the abusive aspects of Shariah. Unlike Salafism, more liberal branches of Islam, such as Sufism, typically do not provide the essential theological base to nullify the cruel proclamations of their Salafist counterparts . . . . it is ironic and discouraging that many non-Muslim, Western intellectuals–who unceasingly claim to support human rights–have become obstacles to reforming Islam. Political correctness among Westerners obstructs unambiguous criticism of Shariah’s inhumanity. They find socioeconomic or political excuses for Islamist terrorism such as poverty, colonialism, discrimination or the existence of Israel . What incentive is there for Muslims to demand reform when Western “progressives” pave the way for Islamist barbarity? Indeed, if the problem is not one of religious beliefs, it leaves one to wonder why Christians who live among Muslims under identical circumstances refrain from contributing to wide-scale, systematic campaigns of terror [emphasis added].
The tendency of many Westerners to restrict themselves to self-criticism further obstructs reformation in Islam. Americans demonstrate against the war in Iraq , yet decline to demonstrate against the terrorists who kidnap innocent people and behead them. Similarly, after the Madrid train bombings, millions of Spanish citizens demonstrated against their separatist organization, ETA. But once the demonstrators realized that Muslims were behind the terror attacks they suspended the demonstrations. This example sent a message to radical Islamists to continue their violent methods.
Western appeasement of their Muslim communities has exacerbated the problem. During the four-month period after the publication of the Muhammad cartoons in a Danish magazine, there were comparatively few violent demonstrations by Muslims. Within a few days of the Danish magazine’s formal apology, riots erupted throughout the world. The apology had been perceived by Islamists as weakness and concession.
Worst of all, perhaps, is the anti-Americanism among many Westerners. It is a resentment so strong, so deep-seated, so rooted in personal identity, that it has led many, consciously or unconsciously, to morally support America ’s enemies.
Progressives need to realize that radical Islam is based on an antiliberal system. They need to awaken to the inhumane policies and practices of Islamists around the world. They need to realize that Islamism spells the death of liberal values. And they must not take for granted the respect for human rights and dignity that we experience in America , and indeed, the West, today.
Well-meaning interfaith dialogues with Muslims have largely been fruitless. Participants must demand–but so far haven’t–that Muslim organizations and scholars specifically and unambiguously denounce violent Salafi components in their mosques and in the media. Muslims who do not vocally oppose brutal Shariah decrees should not be considered “moderates.”
All of this makes the efforts of Muslim reformers more difficult. When Westerners make politically-correct excuses for Islamism, it actually endangers the lives of reformers and in many cases has the effect of suppressing their voices.
Tolerance does not mean toleration of atrocities under the umbrella of relativism. It is time for all of us in the free world to face the reality of Salafi Islam or the reality of radical Islam will continue to face us.
Source: http://themoderatevoice.com:80/ religion/islam/11957/a-former-islamic- terrorist-criticizes-western-progressives/
Muslim Reformer on Radical Salafism (back)
April 3, 2007
Not many years ago the brilliant Orientalist, Bernard Lewis, published a short history of the Islamic world’s decline, entitled “What Went Wrong?” Astonishingly, there was, among many Western “progressives,” a vocal dislike for the title. It is a false premise, these critics protested. They ignored Mr. Lewis’s implicit statement that things have been, or could be, right.
But indeed, there is much that is clearly wrong with the Islamic world. Women are stoned to death and undergo clitorectomies. Gays hang from the gallows under the approving eyes of the proponents of Shariah, the legal code of Islam. Sunni and Shia massacre each other daily in Iraq . Palestinian mothers teach 3-year-old boys and girls the ideal of martyrdom. One would expect the orthodox Islamic establishment to evade or dismiss these complaints, but less happily, the non-Muslim priests of enlightenment in the West have come, actively and passively, to the Islamists’ defense.
These “progressives” frequently cite the need to examine “root causes.” In this they are correct: Terrorism is only the manifestation of a disease and not the disease itself. But the root-causes are quite different from what they think. As a former member of Jemaah Islamiya, a group led by al Qaeda’s second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, I know firsthand that the inhumane teaching in Islamist ideology can transform a young, benevolent mind into that of a terrorist. Without confronting the ideological roots of radical Islam it will be impossible to combat it. While there are many ideological “rootlets” of Islamism, the main tap root has a name–Salafism, or Salafi Islam, a violent, ultra-conservative version of the religion.
It is vital to grasp that traditional and even mainstream Islamic teaching accepts and promotes violence. Shariah, for example, allows apostates to be killed, permits beating women to discipline them, seeks to subjugate non-Muslims to Islam as dhimmis and justifies declaring war to do so. It exhorts good Muslims to exterminate the Jews before the “end of days.” The near deafening silence of the Muslim majority against these barbaric practices is evidence enough that there is something fundamentally wrong.
The grave predicament we face in the Islamic world is the virtual lack of approved, theologically rigorous interpretations of Islam that clearly challenge the abusive aspects of Shariah. Unlike Salafism, more liberal branches of Islam, such as Sufism, typically do not provide the essential theological base to nullify the cruel proclamations of their Salafist counterparts. And so, for more than 20 years I have been developing and working to establish a theologically-rigorous Islam that teaches peace.
Yet it is ironic and discouraging that many non-Muslim, Western intellectuals–who unceasingly claim to support human rights–have become obstacles to reforming Islam. Political correctness among Westerners obstructs unambiguous criticism of Shariah’s inhumanity. They find socioeconomic or political excuses for Islamist terrorism such as poverty, colonialism, discrimination or the existence of Israel. What incentive is there for Muslims to demand reform when Western “progressives” pave the way for Islamist barbarity? Indeed, if the problem is not one of religious beliefs, it leaves one to wonder why Christians who live among Muslims under identical circumstances refrain from contributing to wide-scale, systematic campaigns of terror.
Politicians and scholars in the West have taken up the chant that Islamic extremism is caused by the Arab-Israeli conflict. This analysis cannot convince any rational person that the Islamist murder of over 150,000 innocent people in Algeria–which happened in the last few decades–or their slaying of hundreds of Buddhists in Thailand, or the brutal violence between Sunni and Shia in Iraq could have anything to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Western feminists duly fight in their home countries for equal pay and opportunity, but seemingly ignore, under a façade of cultural relativism, that large numbers of women in the Islamic world live under threat of beating, execution and genital mutilation, or cannot vote, drive cars and dress as they please.
The tendency of many Westerners to restrict themselves to self-criticism further obstructs reformation in Islam. Americans demonstrate against the war in Iraq, yet decline to demonstrate against the terrorists who kidnap innocent people and behead them. Similarly, after the Madrid train bombings, millions of Spanish citizens demonstrated against their separatist organization, ETA. But once the demonstrators realized that Muslims were behind the terror attacks they suspended the demonstrations. This example sent a message to radical Islamists to continue their violent methods.
Western appeasement of their Muslim communities has exacerbated the problem. During the four-month period after the publication of the Muhammad cartoons in a Danish magazine, there were comparatively few violent demonstrations by Muslims. Within a few days of the Danish magazine’s formal apology, riots erupted throughout the world. The apology had been perceived by Islamists as weakness and concession.
Worst of all, perhaps, is the anti-Americanism among many Westerners. It is a resentment so strong, so deep-seated, so rooted in personal identity, that it has led many, consciously or unconsciously, to morally support America’s enemies.
Progressives need to realize that radical Islam is based on an antiliberal system. They need to awaken to the inhumane policies and practices of Islamists around the world. They need to realize that Islamism spells the death of liberal values. And they must not take for granted the respect for human rights and dignity that we experience in America, and indeed, the West, today.
Well-meaning interfaith dialogues with Muslims have largely been fruitless. Participants must demand–but so far haven’t–that Muslim organizations and scholars specifically and unambiguously denounce violent Salafi components in their mosques and in the media. Muslims who do not vocally oppose brutal Shariah decrees should not be considered “moderates.”
All of this makes the efforts of Muslim reformers more difficult. When Westerners make politically-correct excuses for Islamism, it actually endangers the lives of reformers and in many cases has the effect of suppressing their voices.
Tolerance does not mean toleration of atrocities under the umbrella of relativism. It is time for all of us in the free world to face the reality of Salafi Islam or the reality of radical Islam will continue to face us.
Dr. Hamid, a onetime member of Jemaah Islamiya, an Islamist terrorist group, is a medical doctor and Muslim reformer living in the West.
You know what - the whole article deserves to be in Bold.
Source: http://bloodthirstyliberal.com/?p=2469
That poem and the Hungarina folk tale, that says if you find a penny on the street, look up and thank your Angel who is dropping them, to let you know they are on duty.
I can imagine my husband with a gang of kids hanging on, attempting to teach them how to hit me on the head with the pennies............LOL “now you must flip it just so, none of that Angel like “dropping of them”..........
The spice in the ‘tale’ is when someone has just died and you start finding pennies, yes, it happens.
True tale? who cares? I like it.....
The Sparrow poem, hit me when I found it in 2000, so you will need to be double careful [and glad that I won’t comeback as a seagul.........] Your poor head, pennies and sparrow........well it will act as glue for the penny’s.....
The company left and from the strange paths I seem to be following, maybe I do need a nap........laughing.....
Trunov believes that the key point in the North Osetian parliament’s appeal is the one covering the payment of compensation. He holds the same opinion as the Osetian MPs, that a federal law must determine the amounts. Moreover, Trunov indicated, the government must take upon itself the responsibility for paying for moral (psychological) damage of the victims. According to his data, judges closely examined 62 lawsuits brought by victims of the ‘Nord-Ost’ case. All demands for payment of moral damages were refused. Article 18 of the law titled “Countering Terrorism” states that moral damages must be extracted from fines taken from the terrorists. “But this is absurd!” declared the attorney. “They don’t remain alive as a rule, and if they do, what can they pay with? How much can Nurpasha Kulaev earn in prison?”<<<
Wild, let the ‘nanny state ‘ care for everyone.
I did not know that we paid the victims, until 9-11.
No, I don’t have a strong opinion on it, other than it makes me nervous, when the state takes over.
It appears that the ‘situation is normal’..........
Great.
thanks thanks.
Thanks to Milford421 for this report, it has lots of leads in it, if you have not read the ‘rest of the story’....granny
Illegal Immigrant Kills Univ. of Washington Employee - Interpol Trying to Find
Killer eluded police with fake names
By CHRISTINE FREY AND CASEY MCNERTHNEY
P-I REPORTERS
The man who killed a 26-year-old University of Washington employee
Monday remained as hard to pin down in death as he was in life.
Rowan
Police are still trying to determine who Jonathan Rowan — a man who
eluded police looking to serve him with a restraining order for
harassing his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Griego and who failed to show up
for an earlier drunken-driving sentencing — really was.
The 41-year-old had three aliases and two passports under different
names. Police are trying to confirm his identity with Interpol in
the United Kingdom, where it is believed Rowan was from.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/310226_uwmurder04.html
continued..............
Syrian Reformists: The Damage from Pelosi’s Visit Will Be Felt for Years
Syrian Reformists: The Damage from Pelosi’s Visit Will Be Felt for
Years
A statement from the Reform Party of Syria about House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi’s disgraceful visit to the Baathist regime, and what it means to
women struggling for rights in the Islamic world: Has Pelosi Gone
Bonkers?
(Hat tip: seekeroftruth.)
As a Muslim, I fully understand respect of our religion by visiting US
officials and I applaud that respect. Had Speaker Pelosi worn the Hijab
inside a Mosque, this would have indicated respect but for Pelosi to
wear it
on the streets of Damascus all the while she is sitting with the
self-imposed Baschar al-Assad who has come to symbolize oppression and
one
of the reasons why women are forced to wear the Hijab as they turn to
religion to express their freedom is a statement of submittal not only
to
oppression but also to lack of women’s rights in the Middle East.
Pelosi
just reversed the work of the Syrian civil society and those who aspire
for
women’s freedom in the Muslim countries many years back with her visual
statement. Her lack of experience of the Middle East is showing.
Assad could not have been happier because Syrian women, seeing a US
official
confirming what their husbands, the Imams in the Mosques tell them, and
the
society at large imposes on them through peer pressure will see in her
wearing a Hijab as a confirmation of the societal pressures they are
constantly under. No one will ever know how many women took the Hijab
on
after seeing Pelosi wearing it. The damage Speaker Pelosi is causing
with
her visit to Syria will be felt for many years to come.
Taliban Take Two French Aid Workers Hostages (UPDATE: One Hostage a Blogger)
UPDATE: Because one of the hostages is a blogger, his capture by the Taliban has special significance for me and possibly for many others. Please pass the word on to other bloggers about this. Keep them in your prayers and join me in demanding their immediate and unconditional release.
The hostages are a) French and b) aid workers, but I’m sure that many will find some reason or another to blame America.
The communique only said that the man’s name was “Eric” and the woman was named “Salma”. I am nearly certain that the man is Eric Damfreville, who runs the NGO. The picture on the right comes from their website. Salma?
[UPDATE: Oh my Lord. One of the hostages is a blogger. Here is Eric Damfreville’s photo-blog. Last entry is April 2nd. If you look around the blog you’ll see lots of photos of the kind of great work Eric and his NGO were doing.
I hate to be the one first mentioning Eric Damfreville’s name in public, but my experience with hostage families has been that they would much rather have the news out there and have your prayers and well wishes on their behalf than the normal diplomatic secrecy.]
The group they work for, Terre d’Enfance (A World of Children), runs the Kôdakân e-Zamîn Children’s Center. I’m not sure if this is an “interesting” fact or not, but Zarandj, the city where they work, sits on the border with Iran. Attacks from Taliban positions in Pakistan seem to be way down.
The two French hostages, and the 3 Afghans, were in the region trying to help educate children. Especially, girls.
They say this about the work they do:
By implementing solidarity programs for the development of popular education and by supportting vulnerable children, TERRE D’ENFANCE aims at improving the acknowledge and the respect of the Children’s Rights, and at contributing to the building process of an active, respected and emancipated Youth.
Maybe it was that part about ‘emancipating’ youth that made them the enemies of the Taliban? Especially girls:
providing girls with preferential access to education and culture
Then again, the Taliban may just be looking for leverage in releasing more of their comrades. Last month the Italians pressured the Afghan to release 5 Taliban officials from prison in exchange for the release of reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo. It’s not rocket science. Whenever you exchange prisoners for hostages, more hostages will be taken.
UPDATE: Howie reminds me that the Taliban are holding, at a minimum, 6 other hostages. These five Aghans (a doctor, 3 nurses, and their driver), and Mastrogiacomo’s Afghan driver—looks like the Italian hostage’s driver was murdered. But the translator is still hostage (thanks Vicki). His name is Adjmal Nakshbandi.
Read More “Taliban Take Two French Aid Workers Hostages (UPDATE: One Hostage a Blogger)”
RTE:
Afghanistan’s Taliban rebels claimed responsibility today for the kidnapping of two French aid workers and three Afghans guides in the southwest part of the country.
In an Arabic-language statement posted on the Internet, the militant group said: ‘The mujahideen of the Islamic state detained on Wednesday, April 4, 2007, two French nationals — a man called Eric and a woman called Salma with three Afghans.’...
The French man and woman, who work for the French aid agency Terre d’Enfance, went missing with their local driver and two others in an area of Nimroz province where there has been a rash of Taliban attacks....
Hat tip:Thalja
« Hide “Taliban Take Two French Aid Workers Hostages (UPDATE: One Hostage a Blogger)”
By Dr. Rusty “John Doe” Shackleford at 02:54 PM |
Bin Ladens Eurofighter
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,druck-475706,00.html
Bin Ladens Eurofighter
242 Jihadis, 31 acts of terror, 28 networks. Researchers examined
militant
Islamism in Europe. Their results: Bin Ladens Eurofighters recruit
themselves - and there is not such a thing as a standard-terrorist.
The researchers formulated their goal: “We must know who are the
Jihadis,
from where they come and how they look.” They were not able to fullfill
this
claim completely. But still their study “Jihadi terror in Europe”
nevertheless delivers exciting results.
242 individuals have been investigated, who were between 2001 to 2006
organized in 28 networks, which either planned or carried out 31 acts
of
terror. Some are regarded as suspected terrorists only, since their
court
cases are not yet closed. The list includes little known plots like an
2004
attempt to attack the Spanish supreme court, but also prominent plots
like
for example the assassination of Theo van Gogh in
2004 or bombing the London subway 2005.
One of the most important results: There is no such thing as a
standard-Jihadi. The 28 identified networks show huge differences.
Sometimes, the authorities had to deal with lone operators, in the case
of
the Madrid suburb-train bombings more then 30 people were involved.
Also regarding age: the youngest was 16yrs, the eldest 59 - therefore
it’s
of little significance that the average is about 27,3 years.
In the inside, however, the cells are surprisingly homogeneous:
Pakistanis find to Pakistanis mostly, Moroccans to Moroccans and, in
the
case of the trunk-bombers in Germany, Lebanese to Lebanese. Most
Jihadis are
men. Only five women appear amongst the 242.
Goals and methods don’t differ that much. Mostly traffic-systems were
tageted, mostly some kind of explosives were used. Choice of targets
was
rather perfidious: only civilians and civilian infrastructur was
targeted.
11 suicide bombers were amongst the 242 - causing most damage.
The UK and The Netherlands were most endangered: 12 networks in the UK,
7 in NL, 4 in France and each 3 in Spain and Belgium were spotted.
But most interesting in this paper is the evidence, which was found
leading
to origin and ways of radicalization of the assassins.
Altogether, 29 nationalities are represented - and there are clear
majorities. Almost 25% (55 people) were Algerians, together with others
originating from Northern Africa they make up to 50%. And they become
active
mostly in countries, where their fellow countrymen settled in Europe,
which
is France, Spain and Belgium.
The second accumulation: 24 Pakistanis, planning, accordingly to the
Pakistani population there, acts of terror in the UK.
The data develops significance when compared to a study of the US
researcher
Marc Sageman, who submitted a similar paper dealing with international
terrorists among the al-Qaeda network in 2004. The new paper points out
that
the Euro-Jihadis belong already to another generation as Sageman’s
sample.
Almost all of his fighters were Arabs, above all Saudis and Egyptians.
70% of them radicalized outside the country, in which they had lived
before.
With al-Qaedas Eurofighters, it’s exactly the other way around:
More than 80% of them found Jihad in the European country, in which
they
lived.
In these numbers the evidence is hidden, that the loss of Afghan
training-camps is compensated largely in the meaning for
radicalization.
The paper reads: This group of Jihadis differs “fundamentally from the
global Mujahedeen.” This finding is supported otherwise - for example
through the cognition, that European Jihadis radicalize with little
influence from the outside... in fact often together with friends and
family-members.”
In other words: The Euro-terrorists recruit themselves. The internet
plays a
special role here. Because many of the investigated Jihadis searched
for
al-Qaeda propagand aon the net - remarkable more getting closer to the
attack.
That confirmes, what security-authorities fear: The phase of
radicalization
gets shorter and shorter.
Another difference to Sagemann’s paper gives to think: 58 Jihadis
became
known to police before the offence - almost one quarter and much more
than
in Sagemann’s paper. Small-time criminals find today and in Europe
apparently more frequently their way to al-Qaeda & Co as earlier and
elsewhere.
Comparing to Sagemann also a higher number of converts (14 altogether -
13 ex-Christians and 1 ex-Hindu) were confirmed having found their way
into
Jihad.
Although a lot of interesting details were found, there’s no clear
profiling
possible. The assassins are too diverse. Most usable for profiling
seems to
be the result that many suspects were small-time criminals before
[wasn’t
the shoe-bomer recruited in prison? dm+].
The authors of the study believe that a kind of “Homegrown Terrorism”
can be seen as a new mega-trend amongst Europes Jihadis. However, the
debate
amongst terror-experts moves away again from this concept - since
evidence
from the assassinations in London of July 2005 revealed links to
Pakistan
and al-Qaeda which also thwarts the finding that the Jihadis acted all
by
themselves.
The actual value of the paper can be found elsewhere: in the simple
interpretation of what already happened. Shown trends like in the filed
of
choosing a targed are helpful in planing for preventive measures.
Equally important is the finding that there is a correlation between
propaganda in the internet and quick radicalization.
Above all however it can now be regarded as proved that most European
Jihadis developed in Europe within our society - meanwhile in most
cases
completely without gunsmoke-experience and terror-camp-residence.
The “new generation” of Jihadis in Europe - it’s reality.
NYPD Scuba Team Takes On Security Role In Wake Of 9/11
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=68378
NYPD Scuba Team Takes On Security Role In Wake Of 9/11
April 05, 2007
Since 9/11 nearly every unit in the NYPD has taken over
counterterrorism
duties, and the NYPD scuba team has taken on more than most. Criminal
Justice Reporter Solana Pyne looks at how their job has changed in the
following report.
It’s about the size of a basketball and weighs less than ten pounds,
but
it’s the latest high-tech addition to the NYPD scuba team’s
counter-terrorism arsenal.
“It enables us to get a virtual image of any devices before we send a
diver
down,” says NYPD Sergeant John Harkins.
It’s called a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV. It takes images with
video
and sonar, particularly important in New York’s murky waterways.
It’s been routinely used by law enforcement to look under ships for
illegal
cargo, particularly drugs.
The NYPD also is using it to look for things that could do more damage.
This
is a fake bomb tied to a pier for training purposes.
“What the ROV would do is, we’d go to an area and we’d go down piling
by
piling looking for anything out of the ordinary, anything big sticking
out,”
says Harkins.
That’s something the divers themselves do daily. During their training,
they
inspect the Brooklyn Bridge piling. They also do systematic searches of
the
bottoms of incoming ships, using a rope as a pattern line.
Before 9/11 the team’s main responsibilities were rescues and recovery
operations, for people or wreckage, as well as underwater searches for
evidence.
“[Police] Commissioner [Ray] Kelly has made our counterterrorism
efforts at
the NYPD department-wide and the harbor unit is no small part of that,”
says
NYPD Deputy Inspector David Driscol.
To join the scuba team, officers must have at least three years on the
force. Then they have to pass a physical exam they say is more rigorous
than
what’s required to join the navy seals.
Members of the scuba team wear 90 pounds worth of equipment, including
a dry
suit that’s resistant to pollution and a mask that allows them to talk
to
each other. They can get into the water from a boat, or even from a
helicopter hovering above.
A team of divers is posted with an NYPD chopper 24 hours a day for air
sea
rescues. They’re trained to jump out in full gear.
“They only have a matter of minutes to get suited up. So the divers
have to
be really familiar with their equipment,” says Harkins.
Easier said than done. The team loaned me gear and let me take a test
swim.
It took at least ten minutes to get suited up, with lots of help. And I
could barely pull myself out of the water.
Prayers to you and yours Davey. I hope you find strength to carry you through.
AL-ZAWAHIRI SHUNS PHONES AND INTERNET, REPORT SAYS
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.402160135&par=
AL-ZAWAHIRI SHUNS PHONES AND INTERNET, REPORT SAYS
Cairo, 5 April (AKI) - The number two of al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri
according to a report in Arab newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat on Thursday,
has
not used the internet or a telephone of any sort since 2003 for fear of
being traced. The leader of the Egyptian Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya,
Muhammad Khalil Hasan al-Hakayma, told the paper that al-Zawahiri “has
not
used the Internet or a telephone, either mobile or fixed-line, for more
than
four years.”
“He does not use modern means of communications, neither telephones nor
email for fear of being intercepted by Western secret services involved
in
the war against terrorism” said al-Hakayma.
Al-Hakayma had contacted the Arab newspaper to defend the Egyptian
lawyer
Mamdouh Ismayl, arrested by the Egyptian authorities on suspicion of
financing the al-Qaeda terrorist network. The Egyptian judiciary last
week
asked for the arrest of Ismayl on charges he financed al-Qaeda in
Egypt,
Yemen and Algeria, on the indications of al-Zawahiri.
“If al-Qaeda decides to receive funding from someone it does not use
already
known individuals for its contacts with Islamist extremists already
arrested
in the past” explained the Jamaa al-Islamiya.
April 5, 2007 PM Anti-Terrorism News
New York martial arts expert and musician Tarik Shah pleads guilty to
conspiring to help al-Qaida
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/05/america/NA-GEN-US-Terrorism-Arrests.php
(USA) Padilla Trial: Terror defendant objects to CIA witness’ disguise
http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/64645.html
(Canada) Khawaja to face terror charges - Supreme Court denies
dismissal of 7 charges against Mohammad Momin Khawaja
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/04/05/khawaja-court.html?ref=rss
(Iraq) Bombs, gunmen kill 18 Iraqi and foreign troops and Eye on Iraq:
The side-effects of surge - Insurgents’ strategy has changed,
insecurity remains
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070405/wl_nm/iraq_dc;_ylt=Aoh_WPg59IDwq7BXLDbtTzHMWM0F
http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20070404-063805-6668r
(Iraq) Radio Free Iraq Reporter Found Dead In Baghdad - Khamail Khalaf
shot in head & wounds on her body
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/4/6AE4594F-A299-4617-AFA0-6B979BB091D0.html
(Iraq) No plans to release Iranians accused of supporting Iraqi
insurgents: US
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21513729-1702,00.html
Pakistan Denounces ABC News Report on Backing Iran Radicals
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/04/pakistan_denoun.html
(Pakistan) 220 Foreign Militants Killed in South Waziristan, Says
Official
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.402401884&par=0
Iran rejects uranium suspension
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21513722-1702,00.html
(Iran) US accuses Iran of ‘hostage diplomacy’
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879258190&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Iran) Rice may meeting Iranian counterpart
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21513713-1702,00.html
(UK/Iran) Sailors Were ‘Intelligence Gathering’ - Captain in charge
said they were gathering intel on Iranians
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2855690&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.4.1
France steps up terrorism alert for election
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=25&story_id=38486
(Germany) Third man with Qaeda links said to prompt train plot in
Germany - new details about attempt last year to blow up 2 German trains
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/48306.html
Germans propose Taliban peace talks
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=26&story_id=38464
(India) Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) training women militants
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/LeT_training_women_militants/articleshow/1862696.cms
(Lebanon) U.N. says Saudis asked to broker Lebanon deal - Lebanon’s
parliament speaker invited Saudis to broker deal over Hariri tribunal
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=528082007
Moroccan Columnist Criticizes Islamists Who Denounce Terrorism Against
Muslims But Not All Terrorist Acts
http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD153407
Australian army officer charged over rocket-launcher sales
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070405/wl_asia_afp/australiaattacks_070405142056;_ylt=AiLmyDrn_89IRsNWnoT1CVATv5UB
(USA) Singapore man pleads guilty to plot to arm Tamil Tigers - Sixth
person charged over alleged arms deal for Tamil Tigers - DOJ press
release
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070405/pl_afp/usattackssingapore_070405184222
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20070405/pl_usnw/singapore_man_pleads_guilty_to_conspiracy_to_provide_material_support_to_a_foreign_terrorist_organization_and_money_laundering
(Spain) Basque terrorist group’s future remains uncertain - ETA at
crossroads between peaceful path or violence
http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/NEWS10/704050348/1016/NEWS
(Ireland) Report: Evidence lost in Ireland blasts
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070405/ap_on_re_us/ireland1974_bombings_2;_ylt=Ang6X3x_layj_OxFxHmOS.4Tv5UB
(Detroit) CAIR Attacks Ex-Terrorist Speaking Out Against Jihad
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25028&only&rss
Commentary: Islam’s War Against Buddhism
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=27700
Other News:
(Spain) Muslims play part in Easter parade for first time
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=81&story_id=38484
Accused Nazi likely to remain in U.S.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/04/05/accused_nazi_likely_to_remain_in_us/
Fw: Former Iraqi Minister says Hussein’s regime used jihadist groups to counter Shi’ites
From: Mark Eichenlaub (ikez78@gmail.com)
Former Iraqi Minister says Hussein’s regime used jihadist groups to
counter Shi’ites
A former Defense and Finance Minister of post-invasion Iraq, Ali A.
Allawi has completed and just released a book titled “The Occupation of
Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace” that talks about the inner
workings of many things that took place in post-invasion Iraqi government.
Amir Taheri’s review of the book for Asharq al Alawsat reveals that
Allawi’s points to some of the roots of today’s violence in Iraq going
back over a decade to when Saddam Hussein used violent groups for his own
domestic purposes.
One of the most interesting revelations in this book is Allawi’s
account of the emergence of Arab Sunni radicalism in Iraq. He (Allawi)
shows that the first Jihadi groups were patronized by Saddam to
counter-balance Shi’ite influence from Iran. Saddam may not have entered into a
formal alliance with Al Qaeda. However, as Allawi shows, he was in league
with Al Qaeda-style Jihadis, such as Jund al-Islam (Army of Islam) and
Ansar al-Islam (Victors of Islam), for a decade before he was toppled.
Kurdish officials have also testified that Ansar al Islam was also
employed by Hussein’s regime to counter their leadership.
Allawi’s book is now available for order through Amazon.com and, based
on the reviews, the book appears to be a fascinating read.
Itar-Tass: Russia businessmen say suffered from polonium, want indemnity
Lugovoi and Kovtun Will Ask for Aid
The Associated Press Apr.04, 2007
Two businessmen who met with Alexander Litvinenko in London the day he
fell ill said Thursday that they would seek compensation from the
charity created by his friends and widow.
Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun were questioned by Scotland Yard
investigators in connection with the Nov. 23 death of Litvinenko, who
died of poisoning with a rare radioactive substance, polonium-210,
after meeting with them in a London bar. Both men deny any involvement
in Litvinenko’s death.
Lugovoi and Kovtun, who have been diagnosed with radiation poisoning,
said Thursday that they would seek compensation from the Litvinenko
Justice Foundation, created this week by self-exiled businessman Boris
Berezovsky; Litvinenko’s widow, Marina; and his friend Alex Goldfarb.
“We are going to ask for the foundation’s assistance, because we have
suffered serious damage from polonium and the issue in general,”
Lugovoi said in a statement, Interfax reported.
“We hope that Berezovsky’s statement on the assistance to those
stricken by polonium is a real move, not a populist gesture,” Kovtun
was quoted as saying.
Lugovoi and Kovtun were hospitalized with suspected radiation
poisoning in December, and German authorities said they found traces
of polonium-210 in locations in Hamburg visited by Kovtun just before
he flew to London for the Nov. 1 meeting with Litvinenko.
Litvinenko, a critic of the Kremlin who had been granted asylum in
Britain, blamed President Vladimir Putin for his poisoning in a
deathbed statement.
The Kremlin has denied the accusations.
Marina Litvinenko said her husband’s death resulted from
“state-sponsored terrorism” carried out on the orders of Putin.
She vowed that the new foundation would pressure investigators in
Britain and Russia to bring those responsible to justice.
[unknown url]
[unknown url]
Chechen Widow Awarded $87,000
Widow Awarded $87,000
The Associated Press, Apr 04, 2007
STRASBOURG, France — The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday
blamed the Russian government for the disappearance and presumed
killing of a Chechen man during a military sweep in Grozny in 2000.
The court ruled that Russia failed to investigate the incident
properly and awarded the man’s widow 52,000 euros ($69,400) in damages
and almost 13,000 euros ($17,400) in court costs.
It was the court’s fourth ruling in nine months against Russia in
cases concerning hostilities in Chechnya.
Shakhid Baysayev disappeared on March 2, 2000, on his way to work near
Grozny. Government forces conducted a sweep in the area that day to
identify members of illegal armed groups.
Several months later, Baysayev’s widow was sold a videotape by an
unknown man showing Baysayev lying on the ground and being kicked by a
soldier before being taken away. She was also given a sketched map
purportedly showing where her husband was buried, and later found a
piece of cloth at the burial site resembling his coat.
The investigation into Baysayev’s abduction was adjourned and reopened
more than a dozen times by authorities, but no one was charged with
the crime and the perpetrator was never identified, the court said.
n Also on Thursday, the Strasbourg court ruled that Moscow city
authorities had infringed on the rights of the Church of Scientology
by repeatedly refusing to register it as a religious organization.
The church operated in Moscow legally from 1994 to 1997, when a change
in the law required all religious groups to register anew. Those that
failed to do so faced the threat of dissolution by a court order.
The Moscow Justice Department has rejected the Scientologists’
application 11 times, each time on different grounds. As a result, the
church was “restricted in exercising the full range of its religious
activities,” the court said.
The court found that city authorities were biased and did not act in
good faith, and awarded the church 10,000 euros ($13,400) in damages
and 15,000 euros ($20,000) in court expenses.
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