Threat Matrix: January 2008

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[nwctwx]

Still in Control

Pervez Musharraf was calm, confident and—despite a flurry of rumors—not about to announce his resignation. Instead, the Pakistani president's "concession" to his troubled nation was an announcement that he would allow Britain's Scotland Yard to help local law enforcement agencies with their investigation into last week's assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Speaking in a nationally televised address two hours after Pakistan's election commission announced the postponement of the ballot to Feb. 18, six weeks later than had been scheduled, Musharraf was notably deferential in his remarks about Bhutto, often invoking her "martyrdom" and extolling her liberal democratic credentials. "May she go to heaven," he said. "I stand for the same things she said." Read More

	Pakistan's Frayed Politics
	Musharraf's Dangerous Liaisons
	Pakistan after Bhutto

Threat Matrix:
January 2008

December 2007

Threat Matrix Index

Theat Matrix Handbook

Theat Matrix 'BOLO'

Invaluable Tips

Preparedness

[nwctwx]

The Global Terror Threat in 2008

(AFP/INTELCENTER)

Numerous plots have been stopped, leaders arrested and networks disrupted.

But al-Qaeda's violent worldview still has many followers and plenty of recruits for new attacks.

So what should we expect in the coming year?

In this, the seventh year following the attacks of 9/11, al-Qaeda's fortunes are mixed. Read More

'If it Was Jihad Then, it's Jihad Now' | Soaring Oil Prices Reshape the World

Threat Matrix: Since November 3, 2003
																			56	55	54	53	52	51
50	49	48	47	46	45	44	43	42	41	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26
25	24	23	22	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	09	08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01

"No matter where you live in the world, this is a message that bears repeating: Your assistance is needed to prevent terrorist acts." From TM'er and Freeper ~appalachian_dweller~
Submit Information Online: FBI Tips & Public Leads
CDC ::::: CIA ::::: DHS ::::: DOJ ::::: DOD ::::: FBI ::::: NSA
Government Web Sites			Homeland Security Weekly		Nuclear Threat Initiative
	Most Wanted Terrorists		Terror-Alert.com		NCI: Nuclear Terrorism
	FBI: Seeking Information		Global Crisis Watch		IR and Security Network
	Are you Ready?: Ready.Gov		SOFIR		World Policy Institute
	CDC: Preparedness/Response		Little Green Footballs	Threat Matrix Related
	Defense Dept. War on Terror		Terror Base UK		Terrorism Knowledge Base
	U.S. Immigration & Customs		The Blotter		Terror Information Bank
	DOJ: Combating Terrorism		Middle East Live Daily Thread		South Asia Terrorism Portal
	US-Cert: Current Activity	Think Tanks			Terrorist Scorecard
News & Information			The Terrorism Research Center		Iraq Pipeline Watch
	IPN - Fire & Police Paging		The Jamestown Foundation		National Security Archive
	MEMRI | MEMRI TV		The Brookings Institution		Islamic Dictionary
	The Counterterrorism Blog		Council on Foreign Relations		IACSP Terrorism/Antiterrorism
	Jihad Watch		SITE Institute	Maps
	GlobalTerrorAlert.com		CSIS		Terrorist Network in U.S. Map
	LauraMansfield.com		RAND Corporation		Recent Disasters: Worldwide
	Internet Haganah		International Crisis Group		Nuclear Weapon Effects Calc.
	Topix.net: Terrorism News		The Heritage Foundation		Nuclear Terrorism: Blast Maps
	Faith Freedom International		Foreign Policy Institute		FEMA Nuclear Fallout Map
	TrackingTerrorism.com		Center for Defense Information		U.S. Nuclear Targets Map
	DEBKAfile		The Cato Institute		Global Incident Map
	TerroristWarning.com		Hudson Institute	Pay Sites
	HomelandSecurityUS.net		Homeland Security Institute		Strategic Forecasting
New Links in Italics

"America Supports You" spotlights what Americans are doing in support of the military all across the land, encourages others to thank the troops and allows all to tell their stories by giving voice and visibility to their efforts.

Threat Matrix: Recommended Reading

January 2008

The Idea of Pakistan
Stephen P. Cohen

Being prepared is a good thing, no matter where one lives; no matter what alert level we are on.
From TM'er and Freeper ~Cindy~

Intelligence is the best weapon against terrorism.
National Commission on Terrorism: 1999

Ian Livingston

[nwctwx]

Ping to January 08 TM (slightly delayed).

[null and void]

Here!

[Cindy]

Thank you very much nw and a blessed New Year to you.

[Cindy]

http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=1521.15

“THIS YEAR IN 2007/Coming in 2008...”

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=frwn
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=gwot
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=wot
http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/index.cfm?page=Captured

#

http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/index.cfm?page=Wanted_Terrorist
http://www.rewardsforjustice.net

#

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

#

http://www.jihadwatch.org
http://www.threatswatch.org

#

http://www.memri.org/jihad.html
http://www.memriiwmp.org/
http://www.memritv.org
http://www.thememriblog.org/

#

http://truthusa.com/a/index.php

#

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001: Before, During and After
http://www.truthusa.com/911news.html
http://www.truthusa.com/911news2.html
http://www.truthusa.com/911news3.html
http://www.truthusa.com/911.html

#

http://www.sofir.org
http://sfir-arabicsource.blogspot.com/
http://www.internet-haganah.com

#

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il

#

http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=672.0
http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=1296.0
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

#

http://www.persecution.org
http://www.memri.org/antisemitism.html

[Velveeta]

Wishing all TMers a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

[kimmie7]

ty for the ping....I still read, just don’t have as much time to comment or research.

Blessings on all for a wonderful, safe new year.

[SlowBoat407]

A safe and peaceful new year to all.

[Cindy]

http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=672.0
http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=1296.0
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

###

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_920.html

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520

This information is current as of today, Wed Jan 02 2008 22:25:39 GMT-0800 (PST).

IRAN

January 03, 2008

The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of travel to Iran. Dual national Iranian-American citizens may encounter difficulty in departing Iran. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Iran issued May 31, 2007.

Some elements of the Iranian regime and the population remain hostile to the United States. As a result, American citizens may be subject to harassment or arrest while traveling or residing in Iran. Recently, Iranian authorities prevented a number of Iranian-American citizen academics, journalists, and others who traveled to Iran for personal reasons from leaving for several months, and in some cases detained and imprisoned them on various charges, including espionage and posing a threat to national security. Americans of Iranian origin should consider the risk of being targeted by authorities before planning travel to Iran. Iranian authorities may deny dual nationals access to the United States Interests Section in Tehran, because they are considered to be solely Iranian citizens.
The Iranian regime continues to repress its minority religious and ethnic groups, including Bahai, Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, and others. Consequently, some areas within the country where these minorities reside, including the Baluchistan border area near Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Kurdish northwest of the country, and areas near the Iraqi border, remain unsafe. Armed attacks on the road between Bam and Kerman in May 2007 also render this area unsafe.

Large-scale demonstrations have taken place in various regions throughout Iran over the past several years as a result of a sometimes volatile political climate. U.S. citizens who travel to Iran despite this Travel Warning should exercise caution.

The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to American citizens in Iran. The Swiss government, acting through its Embassy in Tehran, serves as protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran. Neither U.S. passports nor visas to the United States are issued in Tehran. The Iranian Government does not recognize dual citizenship and generally does not permit the Swiss to provide protective services for U.S. citizens who are also Iranian nationals. U.S. citizens of Iranian origin who are considered by Iran to be Iranian citizens have been detained and harassed by Iranian authorities. Former Muslims who have converted to other religions, as well as persons who encourage Muslims to convert, are subject to arrest and prosecution.

Americans who travel or reside in Iran despite this Travel Warning are strongly encouraged to register through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. If they are in Tehran, American citizens may also register in person at the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy at Africa Avenue, West Farzan Street, no. 59, Tehran. The local telephone numbers are 021-8878-2964 and 021-8879-2364, fax 021-8877-3265, e-mail: tie.vertretung@eda.admin.ch.

U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet for Iran, and the current Worldwide Caution and Middle East and North Africa Public Announcements, which are located on the Department’s Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov. American citizens may also obtain updated information on travel and security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States or Canada, or, from overseas, 1-202-501-4444.

[Cindy]

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=77748

YOU ARE HERE: Home > Reports > Consular Affairs Bulletins > Report
“Warden Message: Paraguay Safety Concerns”
CONSULAR AFFAIRS BULLETINS
Americas - Paraguay
2 Jan 2008

[Cindy]

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3489800,00.html

Qassam rocket lands in Ashkelon; no injuries reported

Published: 01.03.08, 08:22 / Israel News

A Qassam rocket fired from northern Gaza landed in the town of Ashkelon Thursday morning.

No injuries or damage were reported. (Shmulik Hadad)

[Cindy]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1198517278654&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Jan 2, 2008 23:24 | Updated Jan 3, 2008 3:19
“J’lem to stress to Bush PA’s terror ties”
By HERB KEINON

[Cindy]

FBI.gov: “Weapons of Mass Destruction”
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/nsb/wmd/wmd_home.htm

[FocusNexus]

Happy New Year to you and everyone on this thread.

Wow! I didn’t realize the “Threat Matrix” has been going on for over 4 years.

I think THIS is another major obstacle in the War on Terror, trying to hamstring the CIA again, as they were before 9-11, keeping them from efficiently fighting against the terrorists. The CIA agents will have to focus more on being “PC”, than on obtaining information from terrorists, that may keep us safe.

Justice Dept. Sets Criminal Inquiry Into C.I.A. Tapes

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/washington/03intel.html?hp

Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said Wednesday that the Justice Department had elevated its inquiry into the destruction of Central Intelligence Agency interrogation videotapes to a formal criminal investigation headed by a career federal prosecutor.

The announcement is the first indication that investigators have concluded on a preliminary basis that C.I.A. officers, possibly along with other government officials, may have committed criminal acts in their handling of the tapes, which recorded the interrogations in 2002 of two operatives with Al Qaeda and were destroyed in 2005.

C.I.A. officials have for years feared becoming entangled in a criminal investigation involving alleged improprieties in secret counterterrorism programs. Now, the investigation and a probable grand jury inquiry will scrutinize the actions of some of the highest-ranking current and former officials at the agency.

[Cindy]

OPINION:

The Democrat-led Congress (with assistance from certain RINOs) have demonstrated admirably that they do not understand and/or do not want to
understand who are enemies are.

Our enemies are enjoying this and find great propaganda value in the
anti-American talking points spewed forth on an almost daily basis
via anti-Americans in various media formats.

I thank God everyday for our troops who do understand who are enemies
are.

[Cindy]

A blessed New Year to you FocusNexus.

[FocusNexus]

"The Democrat-led Congress (with assistance from certain RINOs) have demonstrated admirably that they do not understand and/or do not want to understand who are enemies are."

You are absolutely right, especially the part I bolded, because I consider that the key characterization of the Democrats -- nobody can be that naive, the do NOT want to understand the magnitude of the danger and who our real enemies are, which emboldens our enemies.

[Cindy]

Yes.

[Cindy]

http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4363.htm
(”Source: Al-Hayat, London, January 1, 2008”)

“’Awakening’ Forces In Iraq: We Will Fight Al-Qaeda Until It Is Expelled From The Country”

Posted at: 2008-01-02

#

Previously...

http://memriiwmp.org/content/en/blog_personal.htm?id=336

“New Osama bin Laden Audio Message”

SNIPPET: “On December 29, 2007, Al-Qaeda’s media production company Al-Sahab posted an audio message by Osama bin Laden on various Islamist websites, among them Al-Ikhlaas (http://ek-ls.org ).”

Posted at : 2007-12-30