Threat Matrix: May 2007

U.S. Seeks Closing of Visa Loophole for Britons
-Full Story-

Omar Khyam, the ringleader of the thwarted London bomb plot who was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, showed the potential for disaffected young men to be lured as terrorists, a threat that British officials said they would have to contend with for a generation.

But the 25-year-old Mr. Khyam, a Briton of Pakistani descent, also personifies a larger and more immediate concern: as a British citizen, he could have entered the United States without a visa, like many of an estimated 800,000 other Britons of Pakistani origin.

American officials, citing the number of terror plots in Britain involving Britons with ties to Pakistan, expressed concern over the visa loophole. In recent months, the homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, has opened talks with the government here on how to curb the access of British citizens of Pakistani origin to the United States.

	How the Plot Came Together
	Briefing on Release of 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism
	Iran to Tell Coalition Forces to Leave Iraq at Summit in Egypt

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PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07050129.htm

Saturday, May 19, 2007

“Iraqi Christians call for end to persecution
Orthodox and Catholic prelates call for an end to violence in Iraq and denounce persecution of Christians in the name of Islam”

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07050127.htm

Friday, May 18, 2007

“86 year old Christian woman forcibly converted to Islam
Conversion comes after her husband is accused of blasphemy

By Sheraz Khurram Khan
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service in Pakistan”

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS

http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=2&id=36179

“Two Texas Deputies Killed in Shooting”

Updated: May 18th, 2007 03:05 PM EDT

Courtesy of Jaime R. Carrero/ The Tyler Morning Telegraph

Officers converge on the scene of the shooting that left two Henderson County deputies dead, May 17.

Courtesy of Amy Peterson/ The Tyler Morning Telegraph

Henderson County Lt. Pat McWilliams mirrors the grief of the entire department as he releases the names of three veteran deputies shot.

By KENNETH DEAN and MALENA OGLES
Courtesy of The Tyler Morning Telegraph

Watch KXAS-TV Video

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “ATHENS, Texas — Flags are flying at half-staff above the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office in Athens this morning following a shootout yesterday that left two of their own dead and one injured.

The mood at the department was somber.

“You want to pinch yourself, wake up and find that this just didn’t happen,” Lt. Pat McWilliams, the department’s information officer, said.

The injured deputy, Kevin Harris, 40, of Athens, is expected to make a full recovery, McWilliams said. Harris was shot in the leg. He is being treated at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.

A memorial fund has been set up at First State Bank of Athens in the names of the fallen deputies — Paul Steven Habelt, 63, a 13-year-veteran from Eustace, and Tony Price Ogburn, 61, Log Cabin, a five-year-veteran. Donations are being accepted at any of the bank’s branches, McWilliams said.”

http://www.internet-haganah.com/haganah/internet.html
http://internet-haganah.org/hmedia/27apr07/27apr07-salafy_forums.html

The following text (minus the poll-graphic) is a quote:

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/006062.html
20 May 2007
“Kill the Kafr Now!”

The fate of the BBC’s Alan Johnston, held hostage in Gaza by the jihadist “Jaish al-Islam” group, was put to a vote today on the Palestinian forum al-Ommh.

It was the opinion of the vast majority of participants that Johnston should be killed, and the sooner the better.

“Kill Alan Johnston Now!”

In the discussion following the poll, comments ranged from “do the killing in coordination with al-Qaida in Iraq who have hostages of their own who need to die - the combined effect will be very good”, to “mmmm, Roman [i.e. Crusader] blood is good!”. One guy tried to argue that they needed a fatwa, and not just people’s personal opinions - to no avail.

It is not known to us if the person who asked the question, or any of the respondents, is connected to the Jaish al-Islam in Gaza, though this is not unlikely.

Posted on 20 May 2007 @ 11:18

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&9D4794F0E220F53CC22572E0004B8BEA

Note: The following text is a quote:
http://osint.internet-haganah.com/archives/001150.html

Terrorist financing the old-fashioned way...

...by bank robbery.

Gunmen Hit Bank in North Lebanon

Beirut, 19 May 07, 15:47 - Four masked gunmen robbed around 120.000 dollars from the Mediterranean Bank branch in the northern town of Amioun Saturday, police reported. A Police communiqué said the four, who have not been identified, escapade in a beige-colored car to an unknown destination.
However, a security source told Naharnet the gunmen’s escape car has been identified as one of the vehicles used by the Syrian-sponsored Fatah-Islam terrorist group in north Lebanon’s Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that members of the Group had robbed two banks in the northern town of Tripoli and the southern coastal village of Gaziyeh earlier this year to finance terrorist attacks in Lebanon.

Police had arrested a number of Fatah-Islam members in connection with the twin bus bombings in the town of Ein Alaq on Feb. 13 which killed and wounded at least 20 people.

The police communiqué said a man hunt was underway for the four gunmen who robbed the Bank in Amioun.

Posted on 20 May 2007 @ 16:13 GMT

http://osint.internet-haganah.com/archives/001153.html

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA052007.01A.SIA_Main_PartOne.359e190.html

“Breaching America: War refugees or threats?”

Web Posted: 05/20/2007 12:51 AM CDT

Todd Bensman
San Antonio Express-News
First part of a four-part series
DAMASCUS, Syria

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/nation/stories/MYSA052007.01A.SIA_Main_PartOne_Jump1.8761b17c.html

“Breaching America: Continued, part 2”

Web Posted: 05/20/2007 12:01 AM CDT

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Steve McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Homeland Security and a former assistant director of the FBI, said the nation’s vulnerability from this human traffic is unassailable — even if not a single terrorist has ever been caught.

“This isn’t a partisan issue,” McCraw said. “If the good guys can come, you know, then so can the bad guys. We are at risk.”

Though most who cross America’s borders are economic migrants, the government has labeled some terrorists. Their ranks include:

Mahmoud Kourani, convicted in Detroit as a leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah. Using a visa obtained by bribing a Mexican official in Beirut, the Lebanese national sneaked over the Mexican border in 2001 in the trunk of a car.

Nabel Al-Marahb, a reputed al-Qaida operative who was No. 27 on the FBI’s most wanted terrorist list in the months after 9-11, crossed the Canadian border in the sleeper cab of a long-haul truck.

Express-News Special Report

Interactives: Audio slide shows and graphics

COMING UP
Monday: The Latin Connection
Guatemala, where U.S. counterterrorism clashes with smuggling, is an easy bridge to America. Iraq war refugee Aamr Bahnan Boles was happy to be on the same continent as the United States.

Tuesday: Stuck in the Middle
Wedged between a skittish United States and the bridges to America traversed by migrants from Islamic countries, Mexico seeks to stop illicit northbound traffic. Aamr Bahnan Boles was undeterred.

Wednesday: ‘I’ve made it to America’
When Iraq war refugee Aamr Bahnan Boles crossed the Rio Grande, authorities assumed the worst about him. In the current climate of uncertainty and fear, they had little choice. For Boles, it was literally a test of faith.

Farida Goolam Mahammed, a South African woman captured in 2004 as she carried into the McAllen airport cash and clothes still wet from the Rio Grande. Though the government characterized her merely as a border jumper, U.S. sources now say she was a smuggler who ferried people with terrorist connections. One report credits her arrest with spurring a major international terror investigation that stopped an al-Qaida attack on New York.

The government has accused other border jumpers of connections to outlawed terrorist organizations, some that help al-Qaida, including reputed members of the deadly Tamil Tigers caught in California after crossing the Mexican border in 2005 on their way to Canada.

One U.S.-bound Pakistani apparently captured in Mexico drew such suspicion that he ended up in front of a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay.

“They are not all economic migrants,” said attorney Janice Kephart, who served as legal counsel for the 9-11 Commission and co-wrote its final staff report. “I do get frustrated when people who live in Washington or Illinois say we don’t have any evidence that terrorists are coming across. But there is evidence.”

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehension numbers, agents along both borders have caught more than 5,700 special-interest immigrants since 2001. But as many as 20,000 to 60,000 others are presumed to have slipped through, based on rule-of-thumb estimates typically used by homeland security agencies.”

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/nation/stories/MYSA052007.01A.SIA_Main_PartOne_Jump2.8766bac8.html

“Breaching America: Continued, part 3”

Web Posted: 05/20/2007 12:00 AM CDT

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1836752/posts

The Al Qaeda Most Valuable Player Award Goes Too….
MensNewsDaily.Com ^ | 05/20/2007 | Ze’ev Haas

Posted on 05/20/2007 9:50:54 AM PDT by roguejew1965

The Al Qaeda Most Valuable Player Award Goes Too….Every single politician in Washington, Democrat and Republican who voted to grant amnesty to over 12 million criminals who have entered the United States illegally. Never am I more nervous, as I am when Democrats and Republicans agree on something. This is one of those times!

The September 11th, 2001 Islamic Terror Attacks on America were orchestrated by people who were in the country illegally! Now we’re making it easier for bin Laden and everyother anti-American putz who wants destroy America! Amnesty for illegals…Terrorist win, America loses….Big Time!

Granting amnesty is nothing more then rewarding bad behavior. Something most Democrats like Senator Ted Kennedy are quite accustomed too, but as a former Law Enforcement Officer, I am not!

The United States Senate have given a group of criminals benefits like Free Education, Free Health Care, and Free Back Tax Evasion. These are the most offensive and self destructive gestures I have ever seen happen in our nation. What’s next, the ability to burn thousands of cars with no criminal penalty?

(Excerpt) Read more at theroguejew.mensnewsdaily.com ...

PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

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

http://www.memri.org/jihad.html
http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=9
http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=75

http://www.jihadwatch.org/cgi-bin/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&search=jihad

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016522.php

May 20, 2007

“Palestinian diplomat raps attempt to link terrorism to Islam
From the Muslim World News”
VIENNA, AUSTRIA

###
###

Note: The follwoing text is a quote:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016534.php

May 20, 2007

One woman killed, 12 injured in an explosion in Christian Beirut neighborhood
Jihad activity against Christians in Lebanon. From The Associated Press, with thanks to Sr. Soph:

BEIRUT, Lebanon: An explosion late Sunday across the street from a busy shopping mall killed a 63-year-old woman and injured 12 other people, sending black smoke billowing in the Christian sector of the Lebanese capital, police and witnesses said....

Beirut and surrounding suburbs has been a series of explosions in the last two years, particularly targeting Christian areas in which the U.S.-backed majority coalition has blamed on Syria. The blast came after daylong battles between the Lebanese army and a suspected al-Qaeda-linked militant group in the northern port town of Tripoli that killed 22 soldiers and 17 militants.

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corp., a major Christian TV station, said the woman was killed in the Beirut blast when the wall in her apartment collapsed on her from the impact of the explosion. Most of the casualties were in nearby buildings.

The explosion occurred across the street from the major ABC shopping center shortly before midnight (2100GMT) in Ashrafieh, an upscale neighborhood of the Christian sector of the Lebanese capital. The mall also has restaurants and movie theaters that operated late, particularly on Sunday, a weekend here....

The mall’s owner, Robert Abu Fadil, said on television early Monday that crews will work all night to clean up the damage, the broken glass and gutted vehicles to open for business in the morning.

“We were expecting this kind of thing,” he said on LBC TV from the scene, pointing to extra security measures the mall and other businesses have taken in recent months.

“For sure this will affect us in part, but we’ve been through more difficult times,” he said. “But God is the Almighty. We will rebuild.”

The most prominent recent deadly attack in Beirut was the near simultaneously bombings of commuter buses in the Christian heartland that killed three people on Feb. 13.

The same militant group in Sunday’s Tripoli clashes, Fatah Islam, was blamed by authorities for the bus bombings, an accusation they have denied.

Posted by Robert at May 20, 2007 07:26 PM

####
####

Of course we know, it’s not just Christians being persecuted...

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708644900&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

May. 20, 2007 14:31
Florida family donates secure building to Sderot
By REBECCA ANNA STOIL

Shortly after a rocket landed early Sunday afternoon in the yard of a Sderot synagogue and school, a large crane set to work unloading a prefab secure building donated to the residents of Sderot by the Weissman family of Florida.

The building is currently situated near the Kalanit park, next to the house of Chana Ben-Yaish, whose children barely missed being hit by a Kassam on their way to kindergarten 10 days ago.

###

...and Israel is doing something about it.

Note: Video included.

http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?sl=EN&id=7&docid=63181.EN

“IDF attacks terrorist sites in response to Qassam rocket attacks”
Sunday 20/05/2007 01:15

UPDATE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1836936/posts

http://www.bakersfield.com/119/story/146185.html

“FBI: agent was investigating vehicle when confronted by student”
Shared | Sunday, May 20 2007 4:46 PM

Last Updated: Sunday, May 20 2007 4:46 PM

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “An FBI agent confronted by a Muslim student at the University of California, Irvine, earlier this month was trying to get a closer look at a “suspicious” truck at the time, federal authorities said Sunday.

The agent had followed the truck to the campus from a separate location as part of an investigation that was unrelated to the school or student activities, bureau spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

“The investigation the agents were engaged in had nothing to do with the UCI campus or student activities there,” she said.”

###

Previously:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016513.php

May 19, 2007

“UC-Irvine Muslim student throws cinderblock at FBI agent; FBI being questioned”

SNIPPET: “LGF has several stories about the vile antisemitic hatefest that the Muslim Students Union of UC-Irvine is conducting this week, including this one about a very strange incident:

“FBI actions at UCI questioned: Muslim student says he feared agent was going to run him over; bureau says cinderblock was thrown at car,” by Marla Jo Fisher for The Orange County Register”

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

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25560_French_Pro-US_Festival_Canceled_After_Al_Qaeda_Threats&only

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070520210650.xm31ntnx&show_article=1

“Paris festival called off after anti-American threats”
May 20 05:07 PM US/Eastern

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A Paris festival celebrating US music and culture has been called off following a series of anti-American threats, organisers said on Sunday.
Called “Three Days in America”, the festival featuring country and gospel concerts, line-dancing, sales of US paraphernalia and a tribute to Elvis Presley was to take place from May 26 to 28 in Saint Cloud, southwest of Paris.

Organisers issued a statement saying they were forced to postpone the event following “persistent pressure and threats of an anti-American nature”.

“At first we thought it was a joke when we received a letter with a mixture of threats, mentioning Al-Qaeda and full of spelling mistakes,” said Chantal Tenot, the festival’s press officer.

But after several threatening phone calls the organisers decided Friday to file a police complaint and call off the event.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=denmark
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=cartoonjihad
http://www.truthusa.com/MoreThanCartoons.html

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1836950/posts

“Denmark’s Mermaid statue draped in Muslim dress”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070520/ap_on_re_eu/denmark_little_mermaid ^

Posted on 05/20/2007 7:12:32 PM PDT by World_Events

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1836821/posts

May 10, 2007

“Prosecutors say jihadists planned to set off bomb in Copenhagen because of Muhammad cartoons”

SNIPPET: “Cartoon Rage still smolders. “Cartoons possible terror motive,” from the Copenhagen Post, with thanks to Fjordman”

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016374.php

May 10, 2007

Prosecutors say jihadists planned to set off bomb in Copenhagen because of Muhammad cartoons

Cartoon Rage still smolders. “Cartoons possible terror motive,” from the Copenhagen Post, with thanks to Fjordman:

Retribution for a Danish newspaper’s publication of the now-infamous Mohammed cartoons was one of the motives behind four men’s alleged plans to detonate a bomb in Copenhagen, according to the assistant crown prosecutor in the Vollsmose terror trial.
Charlotte Alsing Juul accused three of the men of using the cartoons and Denmark’s participation in the Iraq war as justification for planning to bomb ‘a place where political decisions are made’, such as parliament’s address at Christiansborg Palace.

The Eastern High Court in Copenhagen subsequently extended custody for the three men as Juul argued that two of them were the leaders of a terror cell based in an Odense mosque. Prosecutors said they have evidence obtained from a mole working for domestic intelligence agency PET, which included bomb-making substances found in the suspect’s flats and corresponding bomb making instructions downloaded from the internet.

Posted by Robert at May 10, 2007 10:52 AM

NOTE: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46093

Coalition Forces Detain Nine in Search for Missing Soldiers

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2007 – Coalition forces detained 11 people during operations yesterday, including nine suspected of involvement in the May 12 kidnapping of three U.S. soldiers.

Coalition forces continued to follow tips and information leads in the disappearance of three soldiers, raiding a building near Amiriyah yesterday morning, officials reported. During the raid, coalition forces detained nine suspects.

May 18 intelligence reports led coalition forces to a site in Baqubah, where they detained two people allegedly associated with the al Qaeda in Iraq command network.

In other operations yesterday morning, coalition forces discovered two weapons caches. One cache south of Baghdad contained weapons, magazines and assault vests, and another northeast of Habbiniyah housed eight rockets. The weapons were safely destroyed on site.

“We will not stop searching until we find our soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “We’re using all available assets and continuing to assault the al Qaeda in Iraq network.”

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46094

Operation Harris Ba’sil Knocks Enemy Off Balance

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2007 – Operation Harris Ba’sil has wrapped up after helping knock enemy forces in Iraq’s western Anbar province off balance, officials involved in the operation reported today.

Regimental Combat Team 2 and elements of the Iraqi army’s 7th Division completed the operation after eight weeks of interdicting and disrupting enemy routes and safe havens outside major cities along the Euphrates River valley, the team’s operations officer said.

The operation, dubbed “Valiant Guardian,” involved nearly 4,000 Marines, soldiers and sailors covering most of the 30,000 square miles of RCT 2’s operating area.

“We uncovered over 250 caches, arrested over 250 suspected insurgents and discovered over 100 improvised explosive devices,” said Lt. Col. Michael Manning, RCT 2’s operations officer. “We clearly surprised them. The number of caches and detainees attest to that, but more importantly, we let the enemy know that they can’t hide from us.”

The effort marked the first large scale operation for RCT 2 this year, supporting Multinational Force Iraq’s Operation Farhd al Qanoon and using the surge battalions sent to Anbar province. RCT 2’s operating area stretches from the Syrian border city of Qa’im to Hit, northwest of Ramadi.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46098

Multiple Terror Suspects Killed, Captured in Iraq; Safe House Destroyed

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2007 – Coalition forces killed eight terrorists and detained 34 suspected terrorists during two operations today to disrupt the al Qaeda command network, Defense Department officials said.

Northeast of Karmah, coalition forces advanced toward a targeted building, officials said. Six terrorists emerged from a nearby vehicle, armed with automatic weapons and military-style assault vests. Coalition forces, perceiving a hostile threat from an organized force, engaged the six men with an air strike, killing them, officials said.

Coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists within the targeted building for their alleged ties to senior al Qaeda leaders.

Meanwhile, coalition forces approached a target southwest of Baghdad and were blocked by two armed men in tactical positions near the objective. Coalition forces perceived a hostile threat, engaged the two terrorists, and killed them, officials said.

Ground forces proceeded to secure the building and detained 14 people suspected of having ties to al Qaeda. At two other locations southeast of Fallujah, coalition forces detained 16 people with suspected ties to the same network.

“We’re continuing to target the al Qaeda network and the terrorists responsible for attacks on Iraqis and the country’s forward progress,” said Lt. Col. Christopher, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

Yesterday, Multinational Division Baghdad forces launched a precision strike against an abandoned building being used by terrorist forces as a safe house and weapons cache site in southern Baghdad, officials said.

The house, in Radwaniyah, was destroyed by aircraft-delivered precision munitions. Coalition and Iraqi forces cordoned off the area to prevent any casualties from occurring as the result of collateral damage, officials said.

In recent weeks, multiple caches of munitions and bomb-making materials have been found on the premises, officials said. In addition, coalition troops had obtained information from local nationals that al Qaeda of Iraq was using the building as a safe house for operatives.

Additionally, a tanker truck that had been rigged as a vehicular bomb was discovered parked outside the house and was disposed of before it could be used against the populace or coalition forces, officials said.

On May 18, troopers from the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment on a mounted patrol engaged three members of an insurgent mortar team near the village of Sab Al Bor.

According to officials, the insurgent mortar team fired a mortar round from the bed of a truck toward a U.S. outpost. The soldiers engaged the enemy mortar men with counter-fire, and three terrorists fled their vehicle. The soldiers pursued the three and later found one of the men dead as a result of wounds received during the engagement.

The other two terrorists were not found. No U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded during the engagement, officials said.

Elsewhere May 18, Iraqi forces along with coalition advisors detained the alleged leader of an al Qaeda affiliate group in Salah Din province. Iraqi forces also detained eight other suspects during the operation.

The troops seized weapons and materials used to make IEDs during the operation, officials said.

No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during the operation.

(Compiled from MNF-I and MNC-I news releases.)

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