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Posted on 04/01/2007 6:46:34 PM PDT by nwctwx
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32810
Coalition Kills, Detains Extremists in Afghanistan, Rescues Civilians
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2007 – Coalition forces killed and captured several extremists in Afghanistan over the past few days, U.S. military officials reported.
Coalition forces detained an extremist and discovered makeshift bomb-making material in a compound in Afghanistan’s Paktika province today.
The compound consisted of multiple safe houses that use natural terrain to facilitate the movement of fighters from Pakistan. The bomb-making materials were destroyed in place. No shots were fired and no one was injured during the operation, officials said.
Meanwhile, Afghan National Army and coalition troops operating in Afghanistan’s Helmand province received rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire from an unknown number of Taliban fighters yesterday.
Afghan and coalition troops returned fire and maneuvered to the enemy observation site. After pinning down the Taliban fighters, coalition close-air support was requested and destroyed the enemy observation site.
Six Taliban fighters were killed, and there were no Afghan civilian injuries reported, officials said.
“The Taliban are fighting a losing battle,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. “The Afghan people demand peace in the Sangin District area; and the Afghan National Army and Coalition forces will attain it.”
In addition, members of the Afghan National Police, advised by U.S. Special Forces soldiers, and U.S. paratroopers rescued five civilian contractors from a mechanically disabled helicopter April 12 in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, U.S. military officials reported.
.
Five civilian contractors on a helicopter made a precautionary landing near the village of Oaleh-e Ghafur due to mechanical problems, just before the hours of darkness.
Coalition forces operating near Ghazni were notified of the distress call and immediately began making their way to the helicopter site. The civilian contractors began receiving small-arms fire from Taliban extremists, shortly after the helicopter landed. The civilian contractors evaded the Taliban fighters until coalition close air support arrived and engaged the pursuing enemy fighters. Three extremists were killed in the engagement, officials said.
Coalition soldiers secured the helicopter site, conducted a link-up with the civilian contractors and transported them to a nearby coalition base. The civilian contractors were treated for minor injuries and released.
No Afghan civilian injuries were reported during the rescue mission, officials said.
Also on April 12, 1st Kandak, 209th Afghan National Army Corps, and coalition forces operating in Afghanistan’s Helmand province positively identified and engaged several groups of Taliban fighters with close-air support, direct and indirect fire.
During the engagement, Afghan and coalition forces pursued fleeing Taliban fighters northward, near the village of Kaj Gerd, as they were attempting to break contact. More than 35 Taliban fighters were killed by Afghan and coalition forces during the 5-hour afternoon battle, officials said.
“Afghan National Army and coalition soldiers have dealt the Taliban fighters a severe blow in the Sangin District,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesperson. “The small remnants of Taliban fighters that remain have two choices; reconcile with the Afghan government or face elimination.”
(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)
OFF TOPIC:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/04/perspectives_jim_stafford_bran.php
“Perspectives: Jim Stafford, Branson’s best — Laughter is serious business”
Randall Murphree - Guest Columnist OneNewsNow.comApril 14, 2007
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “”My doctor asked me if I’m sufferin’ from old age and I told him, ‘Why, no, I’m enjoyin’ it!’” Jim Stafford says. “When I find myself sitting in the car in my driveway and can’t remember if I’m comin’ or goin’, I’ve got a sure-fire way to figure it out. Just get out and grab ahold of the tailpipe! If it burns the skin off your hand, you just got home!””
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
UPDATE:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6557679.stm
Last Updated: Sunday, 15 April 2007, 16:16 GMT 17:16 UK
“Group cleared over Iran murders”
By Frances Harrison
BBC News, Tehran
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The accused men believed they were allowed to kill immoral people
Iran’s Supreme Court has acquitted a group of men charged over a series of gruesome killings in 2002, according to lawyers for the victims’ families.
The vigilantes were not guilty because their victims were involved in un-Islamic activities, the court found.”
placemark
http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=50764&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs
“Iran cement production to increase: MP”
Sunday, April 08, 2007
LONDON, April 8 (IranMania)
QUOTE:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1817881/posts
Receipts & Pledges to-date: $52,019
74%
Woo hoo!! Less than $18k to go!! Thank you all very much!!
Rock Tribute to the American Soldier - live stream
Radio Harbor Country ^ | 4-15-07 | WRHC-LP FM
Posted on 04/15/2007 4:09:00 PM PDT by guinness4strength
Rock music intersered with historic audio footage of past presidents who sent troops to war, the snarly vopice of osmama bin laden, and first-person accounts from real soldiers and their heroic efforts are the theme of tonight’s Sonic Moodswing profiling: the Soldier
show begins with classic from George C. Scott as Patton
Playing now until 9 eastern tonight:
Winamp or iTunes: Listen
Windows Media: Listen
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=cair
#
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/203338
“Quebec martial arts team protests hijab ban”
Apr 15, 2007 06:36 PM
Jonathan Montpetit
Canadian Press
LONGUEUIL, Que. –
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A Montreal Muslim woman recently complained that she was forced to chose between her hijab and a job as a prison guard. Authorities also cited safety concerns in that case.”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The Canadian Council of American-Islamic Relations said the decision won’t encourage Muslim women to participate in sports.
“This recent fixation on the hijab is only serving to marginalize Muslim women who wish to participate in athletic activity,” the Ottawa-based organization said.”
Wow, quite a bit of truck and trailer nonsense going on. Thanks for finding and posting all of this Cindy.
The link “Mapping Sharia in America - knowing the enemy” is very interesting; thanks MamaD.
You’re welcome Oorang.
OPINION: Yep, it’s a good thing Highway Watch is in operation.
A lot to look out for (maybe more than even we read
on the news site).
#
http://www.highwaywatch.com
http://www.highwaywatch.com/youcanhelp.html
http://training.highwaywatch.com
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hospitals
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hospital
#
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1817924/posts
“Study: Hospitals would be ‘overloaded’ by nuclear attack on U.S. (SHOCKER!)”
USA Today | 4/15/07
Posted on 04/15/2007 6:36:23 PM PDT by Mr. Brightside
“Link Only. Read only if you have to.”
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1817933/posts
Islamic Pro-Terrorism Hate Film Gets PG Rating (Film Vilifies Jewish as ‘Army of Pigs’)
Herald Sun ^ | April 15, 2007 | Liam Houlihan
Posted on 04/15/2007 7:06:53 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Islamic Pro-Terrorism Hate Film Gets PG Rating (Film vilifies Jewish as ‘army of pigs’)
By Liam Houlihan
April 15, 2007
A PRO-TERROR hate film that urges children to martyr themselves in Islam’s war on the West and calls Jews “pigs” has been rated PG by Australia’s censors.
Sheik Feiz Mohammed’s DVD box set, which also calls for the murder of non-believers, was initially seized by Federal anti-terror police.
But the Office of Film and Literature Classification has ruled that The Death Series is suitable to be bought and watched by children.
The shock decision has seen the nation’s peak censorship body slammed as weak and out of touch by family groups and the Jewish community.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
KUWAIT: The Call for Jihad, which was released by ’Al-Qaeda shells’ media department, called upon the youth from GCC countries to join it and get ready for a war in the area. This call as seen by a political activist, is warmly welcomed and accepted by many people, such acceptance was not available five years ago.
The invitation appeared in the internet and contained the following, "For those who want to perform jihad and to be one of God’s soldiers, for those who wish to sacrifice themselves in the name of God, for whoever wants to join in and be with the beloved Mohammad and his friends, for those who are honest in wanting martyrdom for everyone who felt pain for what is happening in the Muslim world, for those who saw the Muslim children cut into pieces, to all Muslims in general, for the heroes of this nation, we start a full programme for training and educating the heroes to fight the Jews and crusaders and to become the protective shield of Islam."
Mubarak Al-Bathali, the Islamist activist said that there is a huge response from the youths in GCC states for the call, and this acceptance was not there five years back. He added that these people are getting ready for a possible war in the area. Al-Bathali said those who join these courses keep it a secret to avoid getting punished by their government. Some of these courses lasts for three weeks and some for several months.
http://www.judeoscope.ca/breve.php3?id_breve=3485
Spain monitoring over 200 Islamist suspects
Sunday 15 April 2007
Spain’s security services are monitoring more than 200 suspected Islamist radicals following Al Qaeda’s threats against the country, a Spanish daily reported yesterday.
“The security forces have more than 200 radical Islamist ‘objectives’ under surveillance at the moment,” said the conservative ABC newspaper, citing sources working in the anti-terrorism field. “We are talking about people who, in the short- or medium-term could join terrorist cells or take part in support activities, financing, proselytism, or both,” said the daily.
The surveillance, which has included phone taps and the tailing of individuals, has been directed in particular toward people from north Africa, the Sahel region and some members of the Pakistani community, said the paper.
http://www.judeoscope.ca/breve.php3?id_breve=3494
U.S. Shuts Morocco Consulate After Bomb
Apr 15, 2007 7:49 PM EDT
RABAT, Morocco (AP) -- The U.S. closed its consulate in Casablanca indefinitely on Sunday to review security a day after a suicide bombing beside the building, the U.S. Embassy said.
Excerpted
WASHINGTON: President General Pervez Musharraf has rejected “absolutely and totally” the prospect of joint US-Pakistan military operations to pursue retreating insurgents inside Pakistan. “The whole population of Pakistan will rise against it,” he told CBS news channel in an interview.
“Pakistan is being maligned by the West unfairly” in criticism that it is not doing enough to root out terrorists on its soil and to help crush the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, he said. He blamed the criticism on a “total lack of understanding of the environment and reality by President Hamid Karzai himself”. Asked if he was “angry” with Karzai, he replied: “Yes, indeed. Very angry.”
Musharraf dismissed as “absolute nonsense” a claim by Karzai that Taliban leader Mullah Omar was hiding in Pakistan. “He is in south Afghanistan somewhere. He is not in Pakistan, although President Karzai and everyone keeps saying he is in Quetta - absolute nonsense, absolute total nonsense- he has never been in Pakistan.”
Excerpted
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007/04/15/story_15-4-2007_pg1_1
Al Qaeda's Maritime Threat
April 15, 2007
I. Introduction
II. Definition of Maritime Terrorism
III. Historical overview
IV. Al Qaeda Background
V. Wake-up calls
VI. Analyzing the USS Cole Incident
A. Abdul al-Rahim al-Nashiri
B. Planning Cycle – Recruitment
C. Planning Cycle – Preparation
D. Planning Cycle – Procurement
E. Planning Cycle – Conclusion
VII. Post USS Cole Attack Skims
VIII. Global Maritime Trade Links
A. Weaknesses – Vessels
B. Weaknesses – Ports
C. Weaknesses – Containers
IX. Response
X. Conclusion
XI. Bibliography
Excerpted
NOTE: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1817910/posts
Egypt’s Al-Azhar: The University of Terrorism
islam-watch ^ | 17 April 2007 | Kareem Amer [Jailed Blogger]
Posted on 04/15/2007 5:49:55 PM PDT by Islamwatch
I was not surprised when some security bureaus announced that one of those who executed the recent Sinai Peninsula bombings was an Al-Azhar University student from the Faculty of The Fundamentals of Religion. I am well aware that this university is one of Egypt’s important producers of terrorism through its academic curricula, with which it strongly fills students’ minds, and so turns them into human monsters that do not hesitate to harm whoever announces his disagreement with them. This is because their curricula have taught them – in all simplicity – that those who differ from them do not have a place in this life....
Al-Azhar University does not move a muscle when one of its students blows himself up, or heads off to kill the defenseless innocents. Yet, it raises hell when one of its students has an independent, bold, and free opinion!
(Excerpt) Read more at islam-watch.org ...
GAZA CITY -- Three explosions that shook the Gaza Strip over the weekend are being seen as a sign of growing strength of al-Qaida-inspired Islamic extremists in the area. The explosions damaged two Internet cafes and an American Protestant bookstore, YNetNews reported. No injuries were reported, but authorities were warning Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that dangerous groups were proliferating. Attacks on businesses, internet cafes and music stores have become regular occurrences in Gaza, YNetNews said.
Authorities attribute the trend the growing population of young Palestinians in the Strip and the changes they are undergoing. In recent years, young people in the area have reportedly been finding camaraderie in ideological groups, many of which are funded by al-Qaida. These groups see Western influence as a threat to Islam and are committed to a violent struggle to preserve their ideals, YNetNews said.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/04/15/radical_islamic_groups_growing_in_gaza/
Islam’s rapid rise in Russia
Monday, April 16, 2007
Mosques once almost empty now overflow at Friday prayers, from Makhachkala to the courtyard of Moscow’s central Cathedral Mosque, where hundreds of men denied spaces inside kneel on prayer rugs and newspapers
Excerpted
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\16\story_16-4-2007_pg4_13
Philippine Troops Kill 8 Muslim Rebels, Capture 2 Camps
15 April 2007
The Philippine military says government troops have captured two camps belonging to the Islamist Moro National Liberation Front, killing eight Muslim rebels.
Excerpted
(UAE) The suicide bomber who blew himself up in central Algiers on April 11, killing 33 people and wounding over 2,000, and ripping apart the façade of the 8-storey seat of government, has set alarm-bells ringing furiously across southern Europe and North Africa.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by a radical group, which merged with Al Qaida last September and now calls itself Al Qaida pour le Maghreb Islamique (AQMI). It is said to be headed by a certain Abu Moussab, an engineer and explosive expert, who learned his trade in Afghanistan. The group, formerly known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), is said to comprise about 1,000 fighters, but to have affiliates abroad which provide recruits, finance and logistics. It has declared that its enemies are the Algerian authorities and the West. France in particular is a prime target, judged too supportive of the Algerian government of President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika.
With barely a week to the first round of the presidential elections which will bring to an end President Jacques Chirac's 12-year rule, France is on full alert. Thousands of extra police have been sent to guard sensitive sites such as nuclear power stations, transport links and water reservoirs, as well as political meetings in all the major towns. Spain and Italy are also taking extra security precautions.
Algiers is reeling from the shock of the attack because it has brought back nightmarish memories of the savage war of the 1990s, waged between the army and the Islamists, when more than 100,000 people died and 17,000 disappeared. Tens of thousands of Algeria's professional middle class - the best and brightest - emigrated. Some tentative conclusions may be drawn from the latest attacks which, as well as hitting the main government building - which was formerly the headquarters of the French colonial administration - also demolished a police station on the road to the new international airport.
Suicide bombings are an Al Qaida trademark, and seem to have been imported from Iraq. They had only been used once before in Algeria in the mid-1990s. They are alarming evidence of what are believed to be Al Qaida's ambitions to set up bases in North and Sub-Saharan Africa and to unify jihadist forces in a vast region stretching from Mauritania to the Horn of Africa. The Algerian bombings came a day after three suicide bombers blew themselves up in Morocco to evade capture by the police.
Driven to despair
The bombers seem to be young men, inflamed by television pictures of the wars in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Afghanistan, and driven to hopelessness and despair by unemployment, injustice and humiliation in a country where Islamists are excluded from political life and the ruling party and the army have a stranglehold on power.
Their heroes are said to be Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaida's iconic figurehead, and Hassan Nasrallah, the charismatic leader of Hezbollah, who alone are credited with standing up to the West, to Israel and to US President George W. Bush. Many of these deeply alienated youths try to find their way across the Mediterranean to Europe - often risking their lives in unsafe boats - but this just at a time when most European countries are flaunting defences against illegal immigration.
The terrorist attacks are a sharp personal setback for Bouteflika who, in 2005, initiated a policy of national reconciliation. Its centre piece was a general amnesty for Islamist militants who gave up the struggle, 'repented', and rejoined civil society. Some 300 fighters surrendered and a further 3,000 were released from jail. This policy is now being criticised as too lenient. Hardliners, especially among the Algerian military, are advocating a return to the former policy of 'eradication.' Algeria's war against militants is not yet over. Earlier this month the army launched a vast mopping up operation in Kabylia and other areas close to the capital. Seven soldiers died in an ambush on April 7.
The United States has been deeply involved in the struggle against Islamist groups in North and Sub-Saharan Africa. Robert Gates, the new US Defence Secretary, has announced the creation of a new African command - AFCOM - to develop military cooperation with countries of the region and to mount operations when necessary. US Special Forces are already training African forces in several countries. In 2005, the Trans-Saharan Counter-Terrorism Initiative (TSCTI) was launched to extend military cooperation to countries of the Maghreb and West Africa.
Its main objectives are to root out Al Qaida from safe-havens in the region and to protect oil fields and offshore platforms in such oil producers as Nigeria, Gabon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea - and Algeria itself. The problem is that militant Islamic groups across the world are unlikely to be defeated by military action alone. To dry up recruits to their cause, real progress would need to be made in ending US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and in ending Israel's siege and occupation of Palestinian territories, which is a major source of bitterness and rage among Muslims everywhere.
http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/columns/region/10118528.html
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