Threat Matrix: July 2007

ON THE ‘NET

###

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/07/yet_another_group_of_british_h.php

“Yet Another Group of British Homegrown Jihadists Sentenced to Jail”
By Evan Kohlmann

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “In yet another landmark legal case in the United Kingdom regarding Internet-based terrorism, a judge in London has sentenced a group of five British-born youngsters to a total of 13 years in prison for conspiring to use the web in order to accumulate vast amounts of terrorist propaganda in hopes of eventually traveling to Pakistan and joining Al-Qaida’s forces there. The convicted defendants—Mohammed Irfan Raja, Usman Malik, Aitzaz Zafar, Awaab Iqbal, and Akbar Butt—were all between the ages of 17-21 and had made contact with each other through an Internet chatroom. In explaining his decision, Judge Peter Beaumont admonished the defendants: “Each of you is British. You were born here, your families lived here, you went to school and university here, you hold British passports. You live under the protection of its laws, which give you freedom of speech and religious observance, yet each of you were prepared to break its laws. Why? Because in my judgment you were intoxicated by the extremist nature of the material each one of you collected - the songs, images and the language of violent jihad - and so carried away by that material were you that each of you crossed the line. That is exactly what the people that peddle this material want to achieve and exactly what you did... To stop them and you and to protect this country and its citizens abroad, a message has to be sent.””

(July 29, 2007 11:34 AM)

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46864

Forces Kill 8 Terrorists, Detain 22 Suspects Today During Operations

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2007 – Coalition forces killed eight terrorists and detained 22 suspected terrorists during operations today targeting al Qaeda members in central Iraq and the Tigris River valley, officials reported.

While targeting an al Qaeda leader in the Yusifiyah area, who was also suspected of helping foreign terrorists to enter into Iraq, coalition forces were engaged by terrorists with small arms fire. Coalition forces employed close air support killing five of the terrorists.

The assault force then followed fleeing suspects into a building, where they detained armed individuals and uncovered fortified fighting positions and a large cache of weapons. One boy was injured during the operation. He was treated on site and accompanied by his father to a military medical facility.

“Terrorists continue to endanger innocent Iraqis and show their disregard for human life each time they surround themselves with civilians during their criminal operations,” said Army Maj. Marc Young, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

Also today, insurgent mortar fire wounded 10 Iraqi civilians working at a Baghdad oil refinery. U.S. troops from Joint Security Station Raider responded immediately to assist in the evacuation of the wounded. The impact of the four 120 mm rounds did not damage the facility or affect refinery operations.

“Targeting this nation’s infrastructure is a prime example of how far Iraq’s enemies will go to disrupt the peoples’ lives,” said Army Col. Ricky Gibbs, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander.

In other operations today in Iraq:

— Coalition forces south of Tarmiyah, targeted an al Qaeda cell leader and used aircraft to patrol the area. As the operation began, armed terrorists engaged the aircraft with small arms fire. The aircraft, returning fire in self-defense, engaged the terrorists on the ground, killing three and wounding one suspect. The assault force on the ground detained three additional suspected terrorists.

— South of Baghdad, coalition forces used air assets to contain a suspected enemy force while targeting key players in the city’s car bomb network. As coalition forces raided the target building, several suspected terrorists attempted to evade the assault force. With the help of close air support, the ground force detained seven suspected terrorists.

— Coalition forces raided a building in Samarra looking for a suspected foreign terrorist facilitator and financier tied to an individual detained during an operation July 14. The ground forces detained two suspects on scene and discovered weapons and a mortar round in the building.

— Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists during an operation south of Tikrit targeting an al Qaeda military emir.

In operations yesterday:

— Two synchronized raids in Tarmiyah targeted senior terrorist leaders from the area. Coalition forces captured a suspected al Qaeda judge and his alleged advisor. Forces also detained three more suspected terrorists from the location.

— In Samarra, coalition forces raided four buildings in search of an alleged key terrorist leader and close associate of the local al Qaeda emir. The ground forces captured the targeted individual, who is also an alleged bomb-maker and involved in kidnappings, assassinations and extortion operations. Four other suspected terrorists were detained with him.

— Coalition forces conducted two coordinated raids south of Tarmiyah targeting associates of high-level al Qaeda leaders. The ground forces detained six suspected terrorists for their ties to al Qaeda operations.

— U.S. soldiers and Iraqi security forces captured three suspected insurgents during Operation Burkan IV in eastern Baghdad. Raids were conducted in the Karada District in the hopes of shutting down and disrupting a cell believed responsible for training snipers and improvised explosive device attacks.

— With U.S. Special Operations Forces present as advisers, Iraqi police detained two known al Qaeda cell members suspected of numerous crimes, including murdering and intimidating Iraqi citizens and improvised explosive device attacks against coalition forces, during a helicopter assault in a remote area northwest of Taji.

“The capture and detainment of these two individuals will further inhibit al Qaeda activities in Western Iraq and reduce attacks in Ramadi and Qaryat al Majarrah areas,” a U.S. Special Operations Forces commander said following the mission. “It also shows that the government of Iraq will not allow anti-Iraqi forces to interfere with the Iraqi government and their plans to stabilize the al Anbar area.”

In operations July 27:

— Apache helicopter crews assigned to Multinational Division Baghdad disrupted a small arms attack on a coalition outpost in southern Baghdad. The aircraft crew observed tracer rounds fired by five to seven men on the roof of a mosque in the area. The Apaches fired into a nearby field instead of engaging the insurgents on the mosque. The small arms fire ceased and the insurgents fled the area.

— Four suspected insurgents were captured during a raid in Baghdad led by Iraqi army and security forces. With U.S. Special Forces advising, forces confiscated documents indentifying one of the men as a battalion commander for enemy forces. The alleged insurgents are responsible for placing explosively-formed penetrators around Baghdad. They are also believed to be responsible for attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces.

— With U.S. Special Operations Forces present as advisers, Iraqi soldiers conducted a series of raids detaining two suspected insurgents believed to be responsible of numerous attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi citizens in the town of Husaybah. Rifles, ammunition and false identification cards were also seized during the operation.

One individual is allegedly responsible for the coordination and execution of multiple improvised explosive device, indirect fire and small arms attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi citizens. He is also suspected of financing and providing intelligence support for insurgent activities. Another detained individual is believed to be responsible for a series of bomb attacks. He is also allegedly involved in the kidnapping of Iraqi citizens.

“The capture and detainment of these individuals will greatly inhibit al Qaeda in Iraq activities in Western Iraq and reduce attacks in Habbaniyah and surrounding areas,” a U.S. Special Operations Forces commander said following the mission.

In operations July 26:

— During Operation Marne Avalanche, paratroopers discovered three weapons caches and captured one insurgent from a cell responsible for attacks against citizens and security forces in North Babil. The caches contained two heavy machine guns with 575 rounds, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with seven rounds, three assault rifles, an ammunition vest and a can of 7.62 mm ammunition.

“Going into areas like this, where insurgents have been running around freely really makes them think twice,” said Army Staff Sgt. John Panowich, a squad leader with the 25th Infantry Division. “No coalition or Iraqi security forces have been in that area for quite some time. So, for us to just pop up in his own backyard one night is going to keep him laying low and watching over his shoulder for a while.”

— While conducting patrols as part of Operation Iron Blitz, U.S. soldiers located multiple weapons and munitions caches consisting of mortars, anti-aircraft guns with ammunition, containers filled with high explosives and other bomb-making materials.

Troops also discovered a car bomb factory containing several vehicles in different stages of completion. Aviation units later dropped a 500-pound bomb, destroying the facility.

While searching the building, troops found a kidnapping victim who had been taken while visiting relatives near Abu Ghraib. He claims to have been tortured and held for almost four days. Troops reunited the man with his family.

— Iraqi and coalition forces killed 11 terrorists and detained 13 suspected terrorists in an effort to secure a village in the Diyala province during Operation Woodshed. The combined security forces, with assistance from attack helicopters, close-air support and field artillery assets, observed and killed several elements of enemy forces attempting to maneuver on their elements.

“The coalition and Iraqi forces will continue to conduct aggressive, intelligence-driven operations to target those organizations that have offered nothing but hatred and destruction to the citizens of Diyala,” said Army Col. David Sutherland, commander of coalition forces in the province. “The terrorists’ actions will not be tolerated, and in the end, they will be brought to justice.”

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Arabian Peninsula news releases.)

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=46865

Afghan, Coalition Troops Conduct Successful Missions Against Taliban

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2007 – Afghan National Security Forces, supported by coalition partners, successfully conducted an operation against Taliban fighters in Helmand province this week, military officials reported.

Several Taliban fighters were killed during a precise operation July 27, according to reports, and there were no reported civilian casualties or damage.

“This operation follows a series of … blows against the Taliban command over the last few weeks,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, International Security Assistance Force spokesman. “They are aimed at impacting the ability of the Taliban to plan and coordinate its attacks.”

In other operations this week, Afghan National Police thwarted the attempts of insurgents trying to hijack a United Nations food shipment in Farah province July 27. The shipment, part of the World Food Program, was headed to Herat where more than 100,000 Afghans rely upon it for survival.

The failed attack resulted in one Afghan National Police officer killed and six wounded.
Attacks by the Taliban earlier in the summer along the road linking Kandahar to Herat caused the suspension of the food shipments until July 11. An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 tons of food was shipped weekly during normal operations.

“Once again, the Taliban have proven that their propaganda about caring about the lives of innocent Afghans is a lie,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman. “Their actions speak louder than their words as they strike at the food deliveries bound for the poorest of this country.”

On July 26, Afghan National Police detained three suspects in connection with bombings in Nangahar province. The police initially responded to a call over a land dispute when they were tipped off to the suspicious activities of an individual. Afghan forces discovered 25 bags of explosives, 20 rolls of fusing and more than 11,000 blasting caps while searching the suspect’s house.

Afghan forces took three individuals into custody and asked for coalition force assistance in the questioning process. While being questioned, one suspect admitted to illegally purchasing and smuggling all the items from a major supplier in Pakistan to sell within Afghanistan.

“By discovering this bomb-making material, the (Afghan National Police) has made the streets of Nangahar safer for everyone,” Belcher said. “The material found could have been used to make up to 11,000 (improvised explosive devices).”

(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=471352

“Arab princesses kicked off British Airways plane to jeers and whistles after refusing to sit next to male strangers”

By RAY MASSEY - More by this author »Last updated at 11:45am on 28th July 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Three Arab princesses were thrown off a packed British Airways flight after refusing to sit next to male passengers they didn’t know.

The dispute - in which the three princesses from the ultra-conservative Qatar royal family demanded segregated seating - left the London-bound plane delayed on a baking Italian runway for nearly three hours.

Furious passengers whistled and clapped as the row intensified before the captain eventually ordered the women to be escorted off the plane.

The princesses, wearing traditional Arab dress, were returning from a day’s shopping in Milan. They arrived at the city’s Linate airport and boarded Heathrow-bound flight BA 563, which was due to take off at 4pm on Thursday.

The women, all relatives of the oil-rich emir of Qatar, Bader Bin Khalifa Al Thani, were booked into business class in a party of eight which included the emir and an entourage of cooks, servants and other staff.

After passengers had fastened their seat-belts and the plane had taxied on to the runway, two male passengers in the entourage got up to protest about where the women were sitting.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Cabin crew tried to rearrange the seats but passengers travelling together refused to give up their allotted places. The captain tried to mediate but after more than two and a half hours of wrangling he ordered the bulk of their royal party off the plane.”

Thousands stuck as BC Ferries cancels 21 sailings due to bomb threat
July 29, 2007 - 10:10 pm

DELTA, B.C. - Thousands of summer travellers were stuck for hours Saturday when B.C. Ferries was forced to cancel sailings after receiving a bomb threat that police considered credible. David Hahn, chief operating officer of B.C. Ferries, said the threat came in a 911 call to police at about 3:30 in the afternoon from a mall in suburban Coquitlam from a man with a Middle Eastern accent.

"Whether it was a Middle Eastern caller is a different issue, but that was the accent they were using," Hahn said. Twenty-one sailings were cancelled and travellers were forced to wait in terminals near Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo.

Police and three sniffer dogs searched the ships, cars, campers and buses and no one was allowed to leave the terminal until their vehicle had been inspected, said Hahn. Passengers were confined to the terminal cafeteria before police gave them the go-ahead to leave.

One ferry had already left the terminal and had to be turned back. Another ferry that was ready to depart for Schwartz Bay in Victoria was halted. All the passengers on both ships were evacuated and their vehicles searched. As well, all the vehicles clogging the parking lot at the Tsawwassen terminal south of Vancouver had to be searched. Once inspected, the owners were asked to leave.

Excerpted

http://www.securenet.bc.ca/NewsCentral/News%20Library/News%20Releases/nl072807.htm

Terrorists Hunker Down and Issue Threats
July 29, 2007

The United States has publicly pointed out the location of nine terrorist training camps in the North Waziristan area of the Pakistani tribal areas.

It's in this area that senior al Qaeda leaders are believed to be hiding, and the U.S. is trying to persuade Pakistan to make a major move into the area to shut down the camps and round up al Qaeda and Taliban members. The United States also refuted reports that they would bomb targets in Pakistan without permission from the Pakistani government.

The Pakistani government is now at war with al Qaeda and the Taliban. The Islamic terrorists from both organizations threaten to launch a major suicide bombing campaign, but, so far, this is off to a slow start. Over the past six years of terrorist activity in the area, the terrorists have made themselves very unpopular. So the Islamic radicals have to be careful, as most Pakistanis are inclined to turn them in.

The government is also installing a network of video cameras in the capital, apparently inspired by British security advisors, who have been working with Pakistani counter-security forces to trade information and experiences.

http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/india/articles/20070729.aspx

Bosnia: High Representative demands expulsion of Islamic radicals
Sarajevo, 27 July 2007

Miroslav Lajcak, the high representative of the international community in Bosnia, has called for the extradition of foreigners with suspected links to Islamic terrorist organizations, including Syrian-born Imad al-Husseini, known as Abu Hamza.

Bosnian daily Nezavisne novine said on Friday that Lajcak, who took office of high representative (OHR) on July 1 warned Bosnian security chief Tarik Sadovic he would be fired if his ministry was too slow in extraditing foreigners, including Abu Hamza, whose citizenships have been revoked.

Thousands of mujahadeen from Islamic countries flocked to Bosnia to fight for local Muslims in 1992-1995 civil war, and many remained in the country after the war even taking Bosnian citizenship. After intelligence reports suggested they were indoctrinating local youths to radical Islam and operating terrorist training camps, the authorities revoked the citizenship of close to 400 individuals, but failed to extradite them to their home countries as prescribed by law.

Excerpted

http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=1.0.1150259371

Militants occupy Mosque in Mohmand Agency of NW Pakistan
July 29, 2007

MOHMAND AGENCY: Pro-Taliban militants have occupied a mosque in a Pakistani tribal area and named it after the radical Red Mosque where more than 100 people died in clashes between militants and security forces, residents said Sunday.

Around 150 armed masked men have taken control of Turangzai Sahib Mosque in Lakaro village in the lawless Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan, some 60 kilometres (37 miles) northwest of Peshawar, and renamed it the Red Mosque, they said. The move came after a suicide bombing which killed 14 people during protests Friday at Islamabad's Red Mosque. It was the 13th suicide blast to hit the country since the bloody army raid on the mosque on July 10.

A militant who identified himself as Khalid told local journalists that the group had renamed the mosque Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) and a female madrassa like Islamabad's Jamia Hafsa would be set up shortly. Residents said militants had taken positions on the roof of the mosque and in the surrounding area.

A local administration official confirmed the occupation of the mosque, but gave no further details.

http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/07/30/top14.htm#mma

Ummah.com: Is It OK to Kill Children and Rape Women?
July 28, 2007

At the UK-based Islamic discussion forum Ummah.com, they’re discussing whether it’s all right to kill children while waging jihad: Impermissible to kill women and children in All circumstances?

The verdict, according to a spiritual leader? No problem killing them. But you can only rape the women if you capture them first and make them slaves. Then it’s OK, because it’s no longer rape at that point.

Excerpted

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=26441_Ummah.com-_Is_It_OK_to_Kill_Children_and_Rape_Women&only

Proposed mosque draws neighbors' objections (Michigan)
Sunday, July 29, 2007

A hearing on a proposed mosque along Ellsworth Road in Ypsilanti Township drew more than 150 people last week, with most of them opposing the project. "This is the wrong location for it,'' said Peter Williamson, who objected to the size of the project. "I would want the Muslim community to enjoy it, but it does not fit in the neighborhood.''

The Hidaya Muslim Community Association is proposing an 85,770-square-foot community center on seven acres along Ellsworth Road between Golfside and Hewitt roads. The project includes a mosque, a recreation facility, an educational center and 264 parking spaces, said Khaled Nehlawi, who is in charge of construction and lives in the neighborhood.

The project would cost about $6 million and would be built in phases, Nehlawi said. The first phase includes a 27,000-square-foot mosque, and the rest would follow as funding becomes available several years from now, he said.

Excerpted

http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1185692313237380.xml&coll=2

US to announce $20bn Middle East arms deal
30/07/2007

The US is expected to announce a $20 billion (£10 billion) arms deal with allies in the Middle East aimed at countering the perceived threat from Iran. A defence official said the Bush administration is to announce the package of deals ahead of a trip to the region next week by Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state and Robert Gates, the defence secretary.

The official, who did not want to be named, confirmed information contained in reports of the planned deals in the New York Times and Washington Post. The administration is apparently hoping to present the package to Congress for approval in the autumn.

Washington is attempting to reassure allies in the Gulf that are worried by the growing strength of Iran and increasing instability in Iraq that the US is committed to the region, the officials said. The Saudi package would upgrade the country's missile defences and air force and increase its naval capabilities, the official said. The official also said Washington was planning a hike in Israel's military assistance deal in order to allay the Jewish state's concerns about the expected deal.

Excerpted

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/29/warms129.xml

Chemical plants alerted after suspicious calls
July 28, 2007

NEWARK, N.J. — Chemical plants are being warned not to divulge security and safety procedures to a caller claiming to be conducting a survey for an industry trade group. The caller gave a false phone number and the group is not conducting a survey.

At least three such calls were made this month to plants in the Midwest, but no information was divulged, according to the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), an industry group based in New York that sent an alert. "There is concern, in light of recent terrorist activity, that this may be an attempt to determine security vulnerabilities in the chemical process," said the letter sent Tuesday to 31,000 members of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the parent group of CCPS.

The calls raised concern in New Jersey, which has many chemical plants, said Elvin Montero, a spokesman for the Chemistry Council of New Jersey. "It's taken seriously. Companies know the procedures to take," Mr. Montero said yesterday. "Companies do not discuss their process safety or security measures over the phone, especially to someone they don't know."

Mr. Montero declined to speculate on why such calls were made, but said the FBI and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness were informed. FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in Washington said the agency is aware of the report and is looking into it. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Russ Knocke, said the matter had not yet been brought to his agency. The bogus calls to chemical plants were reported in yesterday's editions of the Record of Bergen County.

Excerpted

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070728/NATION/107280056/1002

Shut down by September 27 or else...: Islamist threatens to bomb Rainbow Centre (Pakistan)
Monday, July 30, 2007

KARACHI: A pamphlet from a man threatening to blow up Rainbow Centre unless it shut down by September 27 was distributed Saturday night, sparking panic in the ground-floor business owners and people who live in the flats above. “If the video business does not shut down in two months, there will be an explosion so big that the entire world will remember it,” said the A4 size open letter, written in crude Urdu handwriting and signed by ‘Fatah’. “Even if I do not remain, the voice of Islamic Shariat will never die.”

The open letter also issued a warning to the city’s cinemas, cable operators and public bus drivers who play loud music. “All of Karachi’s cinema hall owners are requested to shut down otherwise after July 27 any one of them could be blown up with a bomb at any time,” the letter said.

“Cable operators should only air Islamic channels and if any vulgar programmes are broadcast in any locality of Karachi, the cable operator’s office will be blown up,” it added. The letter’s writer said that vulgarity and obscenity had become exceedingly common and that the various forms of the media were showing dancing and singing. He appealed to people to shun these forms of entertainment and for those he threatened to desist from their work.

The pamphlet was reportedly distributed to all the shops on the ground floor of Rainbow Centre by two children, aged seven and nine, said Waqas Khalid who works at shop No. G-39 and Nadim of shop No. G-112. The children did not know what was written in the letter, added Waqas of shop No. G-111. As the salesmen read it and the news spread, shopkeepers grabbed the children and questioned them.

The children, who are from the neighbourhood, said that they were given Rs 100 each by a tall man with a big beard. He was wearing a shalwar kameez and skull cap. He gave them the pamphlets and told them to just throw it into each shop. The Rainbow Centre union got together to discuss the problem and when this report was filed they were drafting a letter to the law enforcement agencies that they planned to dispatch Monday (today).

Excerpted

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C07%5C30%5Cstory_30-7-2007_pg12_2

Note: The following text is a quote:

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=71440

you are here: Home > Reports > Consular Affairs Bulletins > Report
Warden Message: Sanaa Caution Upheld
Consular Affairs Bulletins
Middle East / N. Africa - Yemen
28 Jul 2007

Printer Friendly Email Article
Related Reports
14 Jul 2007
Warden Message: Yemen Travel Restrictions Upheld
9 Jul 2007
Warden Message: Sana’a Flooding
9 Jul 2007
Warden Message: Two Explosive Devices Discovered in Aden
7 Jul 2007
Warden Message: Yemen Demonstration
3 Jul 2007
Warden Message: U.S. Embassy Sana’a Restricts Travel
U.S. Embassy Sanaa released the following Warden Message on July 28:

The U.S. Embassy has instructed official Americans and their families to continue to maintain a low profile in Sanaa, avoiding stores, hotels and restaurants where large groups of Westerners have gathered or that do not have vehicle inspection programs and secure parking and dining areas. Official travel outside Sanaa will be limited to mission essential activities. The US Embassy will continue to monitor the security situation in Yemen and ensure American citizens are informed of any developments.

The U.S. Embassy is located at Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, P.O. Box 22347. The telephone number of the Consular Section is (967)(1) 755-2000, extension 2153 or 2266. The fax number is (967)(1) 303-175. The after hours emergency number is (967)(1)755-2000 (press zero for extension). In case of an emergency, if these regular numbers do not work, please call 967-733213509.

Current information on travel and security in Yemen may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or, from outside the United States and Canada, 1-202-501-4444. U.S. citizens should consult the Travel Warning for Yemen, the Consular Information Sheet for Yemen, the Middle East and North Africa Public Announcement, and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement on the Department’s Internet site at http://travel.state.gov .

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.