Threat Matrix: July 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Al-Qaeda in Iraq is on the run...”

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13031&Itemid=21

July 26, 2007
Release A070726a

36 suspected al-Qaeda terrorists detained

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 36 suspected terrorists during operations Thursday targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network in central and northern Iraq.

During two synchronized raids near Tarmiyah, Coalition Forces captured a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq cell leader allegedly responsible for coordinating vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks. The ground forces also destroyed a vehicle used to transport terrorist weapons and personnel, and detained 18 other individuals allegedly linked to the VBIED cell.

Coalition Forces detained 11 suspected terrorists west of Taji during a raid targeting a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq figure there. The targeted individual is suspected of coordinating VBIED and suicide bombing operations, as well as attacks on Coalition Forces.

In Mosul, Coalition Forces captured two suspected terrorists. One individual is allegedly the primary weapons facilitator for al-Qaeda in Iraq in the Mosul area and has experienced a steady rise in power because of the degradation of the terrorist leadership network in the city. The other targeted individual was captured with four other suspected terrorists, and was found with fake documents and materials for counterfeiting identification.

“Al-Qaeda in Iraq is on the run, and placing less qualified operatives into leadership positions to make up for vacancies left when Coalition Forces cripple their network,” said Maj. Marc Young, an MNF-I spokesperson. “We will continue our operations to keep pressure on the terrorists and diminish their ability to attack the people of Iraq.”

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http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/25/air.force.threat.ap/

updated 9:50 p.m. EDT, Wed July 25, 2007

“FBI: Mechanic threatened to blow up Air Force base, kill hostages”

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — An aircraft mechanic sent e-mails claiming he would detonate explosives at a Utah air force base and kill six hostages if the United States did not remove all troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, authorities said Wednesday.

Five buildings at Hill Air Force Base were evacuated Tuesday after the e-mails began surfacing, but the threat turned out to be unfounded and no hostages were taken, FBI agent Tim Fuhrman said.

William Stiffler, 39, was unarmed when he was arrested Tuesday in Malad, Idaho, as he prepared to board an employee shuttle to the base, Fuhrman said.

Stiffler has worked on C-130 planes at Hill since 2001. He was charged with threatening to kill and injure people. He appeared Wednesday in federal court in Salt Lake City and was returned to jail to await a detention hearing Friday.”

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July 24, 2007

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://saltlakecity.fbi.gov/pressrel/2007/threats072407.htm

For Immediate Release
Date: July 24, 2007

Special Agent In Charge (SAC) Timothy J. Fuhrman of the Salt Lake City Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 75th Air Base Wing Commander Colonel Scott D. Chambers announced today the arrest of 39 year old William Jeffrey Stiffler for Making Threatening Communications via the Internet.

The FBI became aware of the threat on the morning of July 24, 2007 and thereafter immediately contacted the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Hill Air Force Base. AFOSI, the FBI, the Oneida County Idaho Sheriff’s Office and the Caribou County Idaho Sheriff’s Office jointly investigated this threat and participated in the eventual arrest.

SAC Fuhrman stated, “In this day of increased awareness of threats, including to military installations, the FBI will expend all resources necessary to ensure the safety of those targeted by the threat and to identify the perpetrators of such threats.”

“We are proud of the relationship we have forged with our counterparts, “Col. Chambers said. “These relationships not only protect us at Hill, but the surrounding community as well.”

William Stiffler, a resident of Idaho, was arrested in Malad, Idaho without incident. It is anticipated he will be afforded an initial appearance before a federal magistrate tomorrow in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A joint press briefing will be held tomorrow at 9am at Hill Air Force Base.

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July 25, 2007

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel07/terroristsupport072507.pdf

MARYLAND MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR PROVIDING
MATERIAL SUPPORT TO TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, announced that MAHMUD FARUQ BRENT,
also known as “Mahmud Almutazzim,” was sentenced this morning to 15
years’ imprisonment, the statutory maximum sentence, on charges
that he conspired to provide material support to a foreign
terrorist organization, Lashkar-e-Taiba (roughly translated as
“Army of the Pure”) which is committed to violent jihad against the
United States and its allies.

In imposing the statutory maximum sentence, United States
District Judge LORETTA A. PRESKA stated that without foot-soldiers
willing to offer themselves as fighters, like BRENT, Lashkar-e-
Taiba could not carry out violent terrorist acts and that BRENT’s
willingness to travel and train at Lashkar-e-Taiba’s terrorist
training camp in Pakistan was a critical component of putting
Lashkar-e-Taiba’s murderous views into action. Judge PRESKA also
noted that after completing his terrorist military training in
Pakistan, BRENT returned to the United States to wait for the
opportunity to put his training into action.

BRENT had previously pleaded guilty to the charges on
April 2, 2007. According to charging and sentencing documents
filed in the case and statements made during BRENT’s guilty plea
proceeding, BRENT, working with others, traveled to Pakistan in
2002 and attended a terrorist training camp operated by the
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist organization. BRENT thereafter returned
to the United States and was living in the Baltimore, Maryland,
area at the time of his arrest in August 2005. As part of the
conspiracy to provide material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, BRENT
received martial arts training from TARIK SHAH, a co-defendant who
pleaded guilty to charges that he conspired to provide material
support to al Qaeda. SHAH’s address book had contained a telephone
number for “Mahmud Almutazzim” that was subscribed to by BRENT’s
wife at their home in Gwynn Oak, Maryland. SHAH’s address book also
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contained a telephone number for “Sayfullah” that was used by
SEIFULLAH CHAPMAN, who has been convicted in the Eastern District
of Virginia of multiple terrorism and firearms charges as part of
the Virginia Jihad Network prosecutions. In a recorded conversation
with an undercover FBI agent, SHAH mentioned the names of several
students, including “Mahmud Almutazzim,” whom he had trained in the
martial arts and who had gone overseas to training camps in
Afghanistan and Yemen. Among other things, SHAH said BRENT had
told him how “difficult” it was to be back in the United States and
not to be in training. SHAH said that BRENT could be trusted
because he was a longtime student of his who, after leaving school,
started “seeking the way to become Mujahideen.” SHAH also told the
undercover agent that he intended to call BRENT to enlist his help
in preparing a demonstration video to be used for martial arts
training of jihadists. Phone records reveal a subsequent 16-minute
telephone call between phones used by SHAH and BRENT.

SHAH was arrested in May 2005. Thereafter, he agreed to
meet with BRENT and to allow the FBI to secretly monitor the
encounter. SHAH and BRENT met at a hotel in the vicinity of
Columbia, Maryland. During that meeting, when SHAH indicated that
he wanted to “travel,” BRENT replied that his “connections” were
“kinda gone,” in light of what had been happening in the community
and that his only connection was “doing time now.” BRENT explained
that he never really “knew names” since that was the “way that they
had it set up” over there and that, at the time he went to the
camps, everything was “really organized.” BRENT described the
difficulties he encountered in reaching the “camps” and the process
by which he was able to find a connection to get into the camps,
although he told SHAH that he would not “mention” his connection’s
name to SHAH. BRENT encouraged SHAH to travel overseas to the
camps and told SHAH that it was a question of “how much” SHAH was
willing to “sacrifice” and whether SHAH was willing to “take a
risk.” BRENT explained how difficult it was to make the trip since
it was difficult to “trust” people in the current climate and noted
that “we don’t know who is who,” and that “we were not in a
position to make new friends.” When BRENT indicated that he had
traveled to Pakistan, SHAH inquired whether or not BRENT had stayed
in the city. BRENT responded that he had not been in the cities
but had been up in the “mountains” training “and stuff” with “the
mujahideen, the fighters.” BRENT stated that because of “treaties
with Bush,” it became dangerous for “foreigners,” like BRENT, to
stay in the camps, and so they moved him around from place to
place. BRENT stated that he had agreed to provide whatever
“assistance” he could over there and expressed his hope that Allah
would bless him for his efforts. BRENT stated that he would never
“go back” on his decision to go to the camps and that it was “one
of the better decisions in [his] life.”

At the time of BRENT’s arrest in August 2005, the FBI
conducted a court-authorized search of his residence. The agents
recovered, among other things, a jihadist recruiting video called
“The Martyrs of Bosnia,” and multiple recordings by radical
clerics. In addition, agents also recovered BRENT’s computer,
which was subsequently analyzed at the FBI’s computer laboratory.
This analysis revealed some of the websites that BRENT visited
during the relevant time frame in the months leading up to BRENT’s
travel to the Lashkar-e-Taiba camp. One such website for “Jihaad
Training Camps” listed the address, e-mail address, and telephone
number for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s office in Lahore, Pakistan. This web
page also told its visitors that “If you have exhausted the above
resources to no avail and you still desire to fight the enemies of
Allah, please e-mail us and we will make arrangements for you at a
training camp, insha-allah.” BRENT also visited Lashkar-e-Taiba’s
website on multiple occasions. After visiting the Lashkar-e-Taiba
website, BRENT visited websites advertising Navy SEALs conditioning
training and made inquiries about accommodations in Lahore,
Pakistan, the location of the Lashkar-e-Taiba office.

SHAH is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge PRESKA on
September 7, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. BRENT’s co-defendant, RAFIQ
SABIR, a medical doctor who was found guilty by a jury in May 2007
of conspiring to provide, and attempting to provide, material
support to al Qaeda, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge PRESKA
on September 10, 2007. The fourth defendant ABDULRAHMAN FARHANE,
who was charged along with BRENT, SHAH, and SABIR, pleaded guilty
to related charges and was sentenced by Judge PRESKA in April 2007,
to 13 years’ imprisonment.

Mr. GARCIA also praised the work of the New York Joint
Terrorism Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation
and the New York City Police Department, in this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys JENNIFER G. RODGERS,
KARL METZNER, and VICTOR L. HOU are in charge of the prosecution.
07-193 ###

Thanks. We all need a break from time to time. That is funny.

Smiling at you...yep.

I wonder if SAC Fuhrman and Mark Fuhrman (author, investigative reporter and detective from OJ Simpson case) are related. I think they come from the same part of the country.

July 24, 2007

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel07/smuggling072407.pdf

ARMS TRAFFICKERS FOUND GUILTY IN PLOTS TO SMUGGLE
SHOULDER-FIRED SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES, ROCKET-
PROPELLED GRENADES, AND OTHER MILITARY WEAPONS

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, announced that ARTUR SOLOMONYAN,
CHRISTIAAN DEWET SPIES, and IOSEB KHARABADZE, were found guilty
by jury verdict rendered today of plotting to smuggle shoulder-
fired surface-to-air missiles (“SAMs”), rocket-propelled grenades
(“RPGs”), anti-tank guided missiles, and other high-powered
military weapons into the United States for sale. SOLOMONYAN and
SPIES, as well as three other defendants, DMITRIY VOROBEYCHIK,
NIKOLAI NADIRASHVILI and LEVAN CHVELIDZE, were also found guilty
of illegally trafficking in machine guns and other assault
weapons. As shown by the evidence at trial:

From December 2003 to March 15, 2005, SOLOMONYAN,
SPIES, and KHARABADZE brokered a deal to import RPGs, SAMs, anti-
tank missile systems, and other military weapons from Eastern
Europe into the United States, for sale to a confidential
informant (“CI”) posing as an arms trafficker. SOLOMONYAN and
SPIES met with the CI in New York City on several occasions to
discuss the details of their weapons deal, including in-depth
review of the specifications and prices of various weapons that
the defendants could ship. In June 2004, at a meeting in New
York City, SOLOMONYAN and SPIES provided the CI with a price list
of weapons provided earlier that day by KHARABADZE – a list that
included RPGs, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, AK-47s, and
claymore mines. In February 2005, SOLOMONYAN and SPIES provided
the CI with digital photographs of military weapons in Armenia
that they proposed to import into the United States for the CI.
These photographs, which Federal Bureau of Investigation
forensics determined were taken in late February 2005, included
such weapons as: Surface-to-Air Heat Seeking Anti-Aircraft
Missiles, an Anti-Tank Guided Missile and Launcher, a mortar
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launcher, recoilless anti-tank guns, and fully automatic AK-74
and AK-47 assault rifles.

The FBI arrested the defendants before any of them
could travel outside of the United States to obtain these
weapons.

In addition, while SOLOMONYAN and SPIES were arranging
to import the military weapons from Eastern Europe, they, along
with VOROBEYCHIK, NADIRASHVILI, and CHVELIDZE, also sold the CI
one machine gun and seven other assault weapons. The assault
weapons included a Norinco Model NHM91 semi-automatic assault
rifle, an Israel Military Industries Model A Uzi, an Interdynamic
Model KG-9 or “TEC-9” semi-automatic assault pistol, a Norinco
MAC-90 Sporter semi-automatic assault rifle, three AK-47s, and
two conversion kits intended to convert AK-47s into fully-
automatic machine guns. The defendants delivered the weapons to
various storage facilities rented by the FBI in New York City,
Los Angeles, and Fort Lauderdale.

SOLOMONYAN and SPIES each face a maximum penalty of 50
years in prison. KHARABADZE faces a maximum penalty of 15 years
in prison, and VOROBEYCHIK, NADIRASHVILI, and CHVELIDZE each face
a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. NADIRASHVILI was
acquitted of interstate travel in furtherance of unlicensed
firearms dealing, but convicted of two other firearm trafficking
counts.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S.
District Judge RICHARD J. HOLWELL on December 14, 2007.
Prior to today’s verdicts, twelve other related
defendants were convicted of firearms trafficking offenses in
connection with this investigation.

Mr. GARCIA praised the work of the FBI and the NYPD in
their handling of this investigation. Mr. GARCIA also expressed
his thanks to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their efforts.
Assistant United States Attorneys CHRISTOPHER P.
CONNIFF, MARC P. BERGER, and DAVID B. MASSEY are in charge of the
prosecution.
07-192 ###

I don’t know.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1741897/posts?page=338#338

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

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http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/017533.php

July 26, 2007
“CAIR’s Ibrahim Hooper likens ‘John Doe’ passengers to KKK”

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQMyN2KbLY8
“CAIR Rep Discusses ‘Good Faith’ Provision of Security Bill”
(Added July 26, 2007)

338 posted on 07/26/2007 3:48:35 PM PDT by Cindy

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/017530.php

July 26, 2007

“Former Sydney imam who produced DVDs calling for jihad martyrdom, calling Jews pigs, “phones home for sermons” while studying in Malaysia”
(THE AUSTRALIAN)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2147956.ece

July 27, 2007

“I’m off to join soldiers of Islam – meet you in paradise, schoolboy told parents”
Russell Jenkins

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A schoolboy who left his parents a farewell letter telling them that he was going to fight as a soldier of Islam and would meet them again in the “garden of paradise” was jailed yesterday for two years.

Mohammed Irfan Raja ran away from his home in Ilford, East London, in February last year hoping to join four Bradford University students determined to train as terrorists in Pakistan to fight British soldiers and die as martyrs.

Raja, who was then 17, urged his parents in the letter not to blame each other for failing to stop him but his resolve was weakened by a tearful telephone conversation in which his parents begged him to come home. He was arrested on his return after three days away and the rest of the members in the would-be terrorist cell were rounded up.

Yesterday he was ordered at the Old Bailey to serve two years in a young offender institution.

Four others – Aitzaz Zafar, 20, Usman Malik, 21, Akbar Butt, 20, and Awaab Iqbal, also 20, who had amassed a small library glorifying Islamic terrorism to persuade others to fight the holy war – were sentenced to serve between twenty-seven months and three years. All had been found guilty this week of possessing articles that could be used for terrorism.

Judge Peter Beaumont, the Recorder of London, said that they should be punished for being prepared to train in Pakistan and then fight in Afghanistan against British soldiers.”

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=mojave+%2B+airport&btnG=Search+News

http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/ViewPost/26187

“Breaking News: Two dead in explosion at Mojave Airport”
By: Carin Enovijas, Tehachapi News Editor

Posted by editor Thu Jul 26, 2007 15:48:19 PDT

Excellent :)

Thanks to Editor Surveyor for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1871356/posts

“Flight 93 memorial: ‘Giant mosque’ (Pictures don’t lie)”
World Net Daily ^ | 7-25-07

Posted on 07/25/2007 8:14:17 AM PDT by Bladerunnuh

Yep.

This thing will not die.

How can a memorial to our heros be turned into an icon for our enemies?

Note: Video included.

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/07/26/new-jihad-watch-watching-the-polls/

“New Jihad Watch: Watching the Polls”
posted at 8:00 am on July 26, 2007 by Bryan

There is nothing better than a group work. The more people call the Internet Service Providers that host terrorist websites and forums the more we succeed in shutting them down.

UPDATE:

http://www.foxnews.com

Fox News is heading to the scene of the Mojave Airport explosion.

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

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,291023,00.html
(AP)

“NASA: Worker Tried to Sabotage Shuttle-Bound Computer By Cutting Wires”
Thursday, July 26, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A space program worker deliberately damaged a computer that is supposed to fly aboard shuttle Endeavour in less than two weeks, an act of sabotage that was caught before the equipment was loaded onto the spaceship, NASA said Thursday.

The unidentified employee, who works for a NASA subcontractor, cut wires inside the computer that is supposed to be delivered to the international space station by Endeavour, officials said.

The space agency declined to speculate on a motive.”