The imam of a Syrian mosque who repeatedly called for holy war against US forces was shot dead after Friday prayers, witnesses and medical sources said. Mahmud Gul Aghassi, also known as Abu Al-Qaaqaa, was killed by a gunman who stepped from a car and opened fire with an automatic weapon outside his mosque in the northern city of Aleppo, witnesses said.
The preacher was hit in the head and stomach and died some hours later in Aleppo's al Shaaba hospital, according to a medical source at the hospital. Three people with him were wounded in the attack. Witnesses said one of his attackers was detained by the imam's followers.
Al-Qaaqaa was known for his anti-American views and recordings calling for holy war against US forces, and had set up a group which recruited young men to fight coalition forces in Iraq. He had recently fallen foul of fellow jihadists, however, for allegedly colluding with the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and several extremist websites had called for his assassination.
http://www.terra.net.lb/wp/Articles/DesktopArticle.aspx?ArticleID=362890&ChannelId=4
Pakistan shuts private news channels
Sept 29, 2007
Authorities in Pakistan on Saturday temporarily suspended transmission of independent news TV channels to stop coverage of opposition rallies against President's bid for re-elections, private TV channels and subscribers said.
Police fired tear gas shells and beat protesting lawyers and political activists who staged demonstrations in Islamabad to protest against President Musharraf. Protest rallies were planned outside the office of the Chief Election Commissioner, who held scrutiny of the nomination papers of President Musharraf and his rival candidates. Major private TV channels were showing live pictures of injured lawyers with blood on their heads and faces.
Police severely beating and arresting senior lawyers and opposition activists and firing tear gas shells were also aired live on TV channels. Only those people could watch TV channels who had facility of satellite dish receiver. Three major TV channels Geo, ARY and Aaj TV said their transmissions went off the air in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and most parts of the country. The state-run Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMA) had warned all TV channels not to air programs, talk shows and interviews in which comments are offered on courts matters.
Excerpted
http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0709296536141911.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890027/posts?page=2274#2274
I'm a bit confused. Geo News has been (temporarily) silenced. Is it due to the pre-elections rallies as claimed above or due to the reporting of possible attacks as reported below.
‘Terrorists may attack twin cities’ (Pakistan)
Sunday, September 30, 2007
LAHORE: The Interior Ministry has directed all law enforcement agencies to remain alert as there is a possibility of terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi during the coming few days, a private TV channel reported on Saturday.
According to Geo News, the National Crisis Management Cell suspects that terrorists might attack Islamabad Club, Islamabad Police Lines, Rawalpindi Police Lines and other law enforcement agencies’ offices.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007/09/30/story_30-9-2007_pg7_50