Threat Matrix: February 2008

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[nwctwx]

Is the U.S. Failing in Afghanistan?

It was malice in wonderland at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday as Bush Administration envoys insisted things are getting better in Afghanistan, while angry lawmakers from both parties cited facts and figures showing just the opposite. Even the senior Republican on the panel, Senator Richard Lugar, found the Administration's claims wanting. "I'm not sure that we have a plan for Afghanistan," he said.

Long seen as the "forgotten war" eclipsed by Iraq in U.S. priorities, Afghanistan is in the Washington spotlight this week with the release of three independent reports concluding that without a change in U.S. policy there, the erstwhile sanctuary of Osama bin Laden would remain a failed state. Read More

	Why the Taliban Feel Confident
	Top US Officer Lauds al-Qaida Death
	US Air Strike Signals al-Qaida Onslaught

Threat Matrix:
February 2008

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[Cindy]

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1203019392122&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Feb 16, 2008 9:42 | Updated Feb 16, 2008 10:00
3 Kassam rockets fired at Sderot
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Two Kassam rockets were fired early Saturday at Sderot.

The rockets landed in open fields near the southern city.

No one was reportedly wounded in the attack.

[Oorang]

10 men plotting to kill, bomb, destruct arrested (Pakistan)
Saturday, February 16, 2008

KARACHI: Ten members of the newly formed Tehreek Islami Lashkar-e-Mohammadi were arrested Friday with weapons, explosives, chemicals and poison, Jihadi literature, and hit lists of high-profile people, politicians, international and national NGOs and police officials. The organization is anti-Semitic.

The police held a press conference with IG Azhar Ali Farooqui, DIG South Javaid Ali Shah Bukhari, DIG CID Saud Ahmed Mirza, SSP Raja Umer Khattab and SP Lyari Town Fayyaz Khan to disclose the findings. The IGP said that the alleged militants had passed a message to the government, political parties, intelligence agencies, the police, NGOs, welfare associations, judges, lawyers, international financers and businessmen, clerics and scholars of religious parties: “We announce the promulgation of the Islamic Shariah Emirate Islamia Pakistan on behalf of Lashkar-e-Mohammadi. Following the promulgation, any act contrary to the provisions of the Shariah will not be tolerated anywhere in Pakistan.” They did not contact the media and the IG said he could not say why.

Excerpted

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008/02/16/story_16-2-2008_pg12_2

Report: 2 men suspected of involvement in 2006 ETA airport bombing in French custody
February 16, 2008

PARIS: Two men suspected of involvement in the deadly 2006 ETA bombing at Madrid's airport have been taken into custody in France, a news report said Friday. Spain's El Pais newspaper said the men were arrested at a house in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in southwestern France on Friday. A third man was also detained on suspicion of involvement with the armed group, the paper said.

The massive truck bombing on Dec. 30, 2006, at Terminal 4 of Madrid's airport destroyed a multi-story parking garage and killed two Ecuadorean immigrants who were sleeping in cars inside the building. El Pais named the two bombing suspects in custody in France as Joseba Iturbide and Mikel San Sebastian, and it named the third man as Jose Martinez Mur. According to the report, France's elite RAID force detained the three.

Excerpted

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/15/europe/EU-GEN-France-Spain-ETA.php

[Oorang]

University Of Miami Alerts Students To Suspicious Man
Alert Says Man With 'Thick Accent' Not A Student

February 15, 2008

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- The University of Miami issued an alert to students and faculty about a suspicious man who has been walking around campus. The alert said: "A suspicious Caucasian male (5 feet, 10 inches, to 6 feet, 2 inches) has been coming into the offices on the third floor of the Wolfson Building and has been spotted in other buildings around campus."

The alert said that the man is not a student and will not identify himself when asked. "He carries a large dark green bag with leather straps on his shoulder. He has a very thick accent that reportedly sounds Russian. When asked if he can be helped, he typically responds that he is looking to buy used books, but quickly leaves. He also is always on a cell phone, speaking in another language," according to the alert.

http://www.local10.com/news/15315724/detail.html

[Cindy]

Thank you Oorang.
I’ll watch for updates.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1682087/posts

#

RECAP:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1682087/posts?page=371#371

Thanks to Freeper Oorang.

POST SNIPPET - QUOTE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963607/posts?page=521#521

Police check out reports of suspicious purchases (Ohio)
2/12/08
PORTAGE TOWNSHIP — The sheriff’s office questioned two Russian men Sunday who told a deputy they bought more than 200 prepaid cell phones over the weekend from area stores.

Neither was charged with a crime, but the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Cleveland of the incident, according to a sheriff’s office report. The men, who have lived in the United States for at least five years, told the deputy they bought the Tracfones from stores in the Port Clinton and Sandusky areas to resell to a businessman, according to the report. The businessman, whose name or location they did not provide, then would sell the phones on eBay, they told Deputy George Byington.

Prepaid cell phones have been linked to terrorist activity in the past, causing store officials to consider the men’s behavior suspicious. Some stores have limits on the number of prepaid cell phones customers can buy at one time.

Excerpted

http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/BC/20080212/NEWS01/802120303/1002

521 posted on 02/12/2008 2:53:48 PM PST by Oorang (Tyranny thrives best where government need not fear the wrath of an armed people - Alex Kozinski)

371 posted on 02/12/2008 3:31:40 PM PST by Cindy

[Oorang]

Over 1,000 arrested in Peshawar (Pakistan)
February 15 2008

PESHAWAR - Police continued its crackdown on suspected trouble-makers for the third day on Friday and arrested more than 1,000 people, most of them Afghan nationals. SSP operations Mohammad Tahir Khan told Dawn that the crackdown would continue till elections, being part of a plan to maintain peace in the city.

He said hotels and some other places were being searched for suspects. Security, he said, had been beefed up and people were being checked at all entry and exits points of the city. Officials have been asked to check suspected people.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/16/top4.htm

Suicide bombers planning attacks, provinces warned (Pakistan)
Feb 15 2008

RAWALPINDI - The federal government is reported to have warned the police chiefs of the provinces and Islamabad to step up security around the diplomatic missions of some Arab countries in Pakistan and also for PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif following intelligence report that suicide bombers may strike ‘within next 72 hours’ to sabotage the Feb 18 elections.

Sources said that high-level talks were being held to review plans for the protection of sensitive installations and important political figures. A letter to the provincial police chiefs and the IGP Islamabad says that terrorists are planning suicide attacks on public rallies in various cities. The sources said that another letter sent to the Punjab and the NWFP governments by the federal government informed them that four suicide bombers were planning simultaneous attacks somewhere in the country.

The federal government has also indicated threats of attacks on some Arab diplomatic missions and directed the security agencies to take extra security measures. The Arab missions have been identified as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/16/top5.htm

[Oorang]

Thanks Cindy, I appreciate it.

[Cindy]

No problem. I just emailed it around and posted it on LGF.

I’ll hit a couple more sites.

[Oorang]

Jews worldwide urged to be alert
Feb 15, 2008

More than 50 Hizbullah terror cells believed to be spread across the globe could be activated and used to strike at Israeli or Jewish targets in retaliation for Tuesday's assassination of Hizbullah arch-terrorist and operations officer Imad Mughniyeh in Syria, a senior defense official said Thursday.

As Hassan Nasrallah vowed "open war" to avenge Mughniyeh's death, the Israeli Counterterrorism Bureau issued a travel advisory on Thursday that made plain the seriousness with which it is taking the Hizbullah leader's threats. But Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said "Israel is a strong country" and that there was no need to panic. FBI anti-terror units raised their alerts for fear of attacks on synagogues and other Jewish targets.

Sources in the US administration reiterated that there were no specific warnings of a terrorist attack; nonetheless, an FBI source said that the raised alertness of the Anti-Terrorism Unit, which operates in about 100 cities around the US, is not a routine step.

The counterterrorism bureau recommended that citizens abroad avoid staying in areas where there is a large concentration of Israelis. It advised Israelis overseas to strictly avoid visiting Arab and Muslim states where existing travel warnings are in force; to reject any tempting suggestions, unexpected gifts and offers of free travel from suspicious people or unknown elements; to reject proposals for unscheduled meetings, and to travel to meetings accompanied by someone known and trusted.

The bureau also reiterated previous warnings about the risk of Israelis abroad being kidnapped, including businessmen - particularly those involved in deals with Arabs or Muslims. El Al has also beefed up security, and additional safety measures are being employed at Israeli embassies and institutions abroad.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1203019387469&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Cindy]

Yes.

[Oorang]

Lebanese official: Hezbollah has appointed successor to slain Mughniyeh
February 16, 2008

BEIRUT, Lebanon: The militant Hezbollah group has appointed a successor to its slain top commander Imad Mughniyeh, killed in a car bomb blast this week in Syria, a Lebanese security official said. The official did not identify Mughniyeh's successor but said the heir was selected shortly after the shadowy fugitive's death. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

"The Hezbollah command appointed a successor to Mughniyeh shortly after news of his assassination broke," the official in southern Lebanon told The Associated Press. The successor was expected to take charge of Hezbollah's well-trained and armed guerrilla, the official also said.

Excerpted

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/16/africa/ME-GEN-Lebanon-Mughniyeh.php

[Godzilla]

placemark

[Oorang]

Adding to post #709:

FEAR OVER HEZ CELLS
February 16, 2008

SNIP:The Jerusalem Post reported that Hezbollah has a major network of cells abroad, mainly in South America and Africa, that could hit targets like Israeli embassies and Jewish institutions.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02162008/news/worldnews/fear_over_hez_cells_97861.htm

[Oorang]

Excitement as Kosovo independence confirmed for Sunday
2/15/08

PRISTINA, Serbia — Kosovo will declare independence on Sunday amid growing excitement among its ethnic Albanians, anger from its Serbs, and the launch of an EU mission to ease the birth of the world's newest state. "Tomorrow will be a day of calm, of understanding and of state engagements for the implementation of the will of the citizens of Kosovo," Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said Saturday in reference to the breakaway ethnic Albanian majority.

Expectations of a Sunday declaration of independence have been running high for several days -- but Thaci's comments marked the first top-level confirmation that the long-awaited break with Serbia would come this weekend. By nightfall Saturday, tens of thousands of cheering Kosovars poured into downtown Pristina, filled with anticipation, as convoys of vehicles zipped through the streets, cheerfully honking their horns and waving Albanian, British, German, NATO and US flags.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with religious leaders, Thaci appealed for celebrations to unfold with "dignity ... on the day of the declaration of independence, on the big day, on the historic day ... a day of thanksgiving for a sovereign and independent Kosovo." Serbia, which sees Kosovo as the cradle of Serb culture and religion, and Russia, Belgrade's main ally on the world stage, has vowed never to recognize an independent Kosovo.

Excerpted

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iwZvo3itxw3QnyFlgFAxol-BIyag

Islamic separatists begin celebration of self-recognition
February 15, 2008

PRISTINA - Serbia-Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo took to streets to celebrate the declaration of independence from Serbia expected to come this weekend. People gathered in groups in the outskirts of the province's capital, Pristina, late Friday, dancing in circles to the rhythm of drums and other traditional instruments.

"We are very, very happy, this is really happening," said Ahmet Jashari, an ethnic Albanian in the town of Lipljane who was draped in an American flag. "We have been waiting for this for a long time, for a century." The jubilant crowds honked car horns and waved flags as they drove by NATO peacekeepers in charge of security. On Friday, the NATO force, known as KFOR, increased its visibility in an effort to prevent any violence.

Excerpted

http://www.serbianna.com/news/2008/01354.shtml

[Oorang]

Vladimir Putin's nuclear threat to the West
15/02/2008

Vladimir Putin has delivered perhaps his most menacing tirade against the West yet, repeating threats to train nuclear missiles on Europe and warning of unspecified retaliation if Kosovo declared independence.

SNIP:
In a vintage performance, the former KGB spy laced almost five hours of invective with crude insults, threats and admonitions often expressed in the argot of the Russian street.

SNIP:
Asked what had made him such a great leader, Mr Putin suggested that he had been anointed by God to make Russia a great state and boasted that he had made no mistakes during his eight years in power.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/15/wputin115.xml

[Oorang]

I've wondered what Mugneyah looked like post supposed plastic surgery. Now we know.

A child carries a poster of Emad Mughnieh during the funeral procession on Thursday.

http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10189973.html

[Oorang]

Reputed leader of Islamic terror group running in Pakistan elections
February 16, 2008

JHANG, Pakistan - The reputed leader of a banned Islamic militant group that has worked closely with the Afghan Taliban - and by extension with al-Qaida - is running for parliament in Pakistan's general election on Monday, despite the country's key role as an ally in the U.S. ''war on terror.''

Mohammad Ahmad Ludhianvi is running as an independent in the central town of Jhang in Pakistan's populous Punjab province, but he's widely regarded as the head of the proscribed extremist organization Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.

The bearded cleric stands a very good chance of winning Monday, according to local officials. Sipah-e-Sahaba was founded in 1985 in Jhang, where it still enjoys its strongest following. Its rise to influence has been built on the economic divide between the richer landowning inhabitants of the area, who come from the minority Shiite sect of Islam, and the poorer Sunni population.

In the past, Sipah-e-Sahaba was widely reported to have operated with the support of the Pakistan military's Inter-services Intelligence Directorate, or ISID. ''This is (an) al-Qaida constituency,'' said Sheikh Waqas, Ludhianvi's main opponent, referring to the strength of support for Sipah-e-Sahaba. In 2002, the former leader of the group, Azam Tariq was freed from jail in order to run for parliament, and he won. He was later assassinated.

Excerpted

http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=565246081862336628

Pakistan Deploys 80,000 Soldiers to Ensure Election Security
Feb. 16 2008

President Pervez Musharraf's government deployed more than 80,000 soldiers and police to provide security for next week's parliamentary elections and said the ballot would be free and fair.

Ninety-five army battalions have been sent to ``sensitive'' parts of the South Asian nation to maintain law and order, said Major General Athar Abbas, director-general of public relations for the armed forces. ``The army will not interfere or have any role in the conduct of the election, which is the sole responsibility of the Election Commission,'' the official Associated Press of Pakistan cited Abbas as saying yesterday.

Excerpted

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ala0Vd4sI7nc&refer=worldwide

[Cindy]

QUOTE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1971588/posts?page=4#4

To: All
Article snippet: “Democrats accused U.S. President Bush on Saturday of fanning terrorism fears shamelessly...”

Obviously, the Democrats win THE STUCK ON STUPID award.

#

ON THE INTERNET:

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

http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
http://www.memritv.org/subject/en/353.htm

http://www.memritv.org/subject/en/89.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hezbollah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hizballah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hizbullah

http://www.truthusa.com/911news.html
http://www.truthusa.com/911.html

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=threatmatrix
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963607/posts?page=4#4

There’s more, that enough for now.

###

Previous STUCK ON STUPID award winner:

http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1683.htm

“Title of Video: Omar, Son of Al-Qaeda Leader Osama Bin Laden: If My Father Is a Terrorist, Bush Is a Terrorist Too”

Clip #1683 Broadcast: January 28, 2008

4 posted on 02/16/2008 3:38:18 PM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
To: All
Article snippet: “Democrats accused U.S. President Bush on Saturday of fanning terrorism fears shamelessly...”

Obviously, the Democrats win THE STUCK ON STUPID award.

###

And today’s BIG QUESTION is “Where are they now?”

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=bin+laden&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=hamza+bin+laden&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=saad+bin+laden&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn

5 posted on 02/16/2008 3:41:51 PM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
To: All
Article snippet: “Democrats accused U.S. President Bush on Saturday of fanning terrorism fears shamelessly...”

Obviously, the Democrats win THE STUCK ON STUPID award.

###

Mugniyeh is dead, but the global jihad and other terrorism keeps on going. So, how is the war on terror going? Who supports the war on terror? Who doesn’t. The answer should be obvious by now. -Cindy

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1969529/posts

QUOTE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1969529/posts?page=318#318

Note: I encourage everyone to read the entire 2 page column. -Cindy

#

Thanks to a special freepmailer for pointing to this link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1970914/posts

#

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1203019385676&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “In the 1990s, Mughniyeh and Iran took their show on the road. Not only did they reenact their car bombings in South America, they also expanded their terror nexus to the then nascent Sunni Wahabist al-Qaida organization. As Thomas Joscelyn documents in his short book Iran’s Proxy War Against America, Iran through Mughniyeh has been instrumental in training, arming and sheltering al-Qaida since the early 1990s.

As an Iranian agent, in the early 1990s, Mughniyeh built operational alliances with Osama bin Laden, Ayman Zawahiri and al-Qaida’s military chief Saif al-Adel when al-Qaida was based in Sudan. Adel, along with several hundred other al-Qaida operatives, travelled to Lebanon to undergo training at Hizbullah camps. Hizbullah trainers also worked at al-Qaida camps in Sudan and al-Qaida operatives also trained at Revolutionary Guard camps in Iran. From 1996 through 1998, 10 percent of bin Laden’s satellite phone calls were to Iran.”

Feb 14, 2008 22:54 | Updated Feb 15, 2008 23:09
Column One: Mughniyeh’s true legacy
By CAROLINE GLICK -Page 1

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=2&cid=1203019385676&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Feb 14, 2008 22:54 | Updated Feb 15, 2008 23:09
Column One: Mughniyeh’s true legacy
By CAROLINE GLICK -Page 2

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “As Joscelyn recalls, the 9/11 Commission called for further investigation of Iran’s role in the September 11, 2001, attacks on America. Adel, a veteran of Hizbullah camps, was intimately aware of the bombing plans before it took place. Ramzi Binalshibh, the plot’s mastermind, travelled in and out of Iran several times in the months before the bombings. Then, too, eight to 10 of the September 11 bombers transited Iran assisted by Hizbullah and Revolutionary Guard officials in late 2000. The Iranians did not stamp their passports. Several of the bombers transited Iran en route to Lebanon. Mughniyeh himself flew to Beirut from Teheran aboard the same flight as September 11 hijacker Ahmad al-Ghamdi.

Although Iran and the Taliban nearly went to war against one another in 2000, in the wake of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, according to jailed Taliban leaders, Iran pledged to assist the Taliban in their war against the US. Teheran opened its doors to fleeing Taliban leaders and senior al-Qaida commanders - including Adel and bin Laden’s son and heir apparent, Saad and Abu Musab Zarkawi. From Iran, Adel and bin Laden Jr. planned and ordered attacks in Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, from Iran, Adel and bin Laden worked with Zarkawi in planning the group’s insurgency in Iraq. Citing an extensive report from the German Cicero magazine, Joscelyn describes how Zarkawi set up his terror network under the protection of the Revolutionary Guards. Zarkawi had no problem operating in Iran in spite of his avowed hatred of Shi’ites who, after entering Iraq, he massacred at every opportunity.”

318 posted on 02/16/2008 3:50:35 PM PST by Cindy

6 posted on 02/16/2008 3:54:10 PM PST by Cindy

[Cindy]

QUOTE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1969529/posts?page=319#319

To: All
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1971609/posts?page=3#3

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1971609/posts

“ANALYSIS: What Hezbollah could lose in avenging Mughniyah”
Haaretz ^ | 2/17/8 | Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel
Posted on 02/16/2008 4:02:48 PM PST by SmithL

319 posted on 02/16/2008 4:12:49 PM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 318 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
To: All
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=ahmadinejad

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1970812/posts

#

VIDEO:
http://players.mediazone.co.il/media/authors/34/playlists/180795/180795_static.asx

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3506856,00.html

“Ahmadinejad: We have a million more Mugniyahs”

SNIPPET: “(Video) Iranian leader sends letter of condolence to Nasrallah, says assassination of top Hizbullah commander ‘casts more shame on the Zionists and their supporters’; adds: Occupiers of Jerusalem must know these crimes will not compensate for their humiliating defeat during in Lebanon”

Dudi Cohen
Published: 02.14.08, 15:07 / Israel News

320 posted on 02/16/2008 4:17:44 PM PST by Cindy

[Quix]

I have a question for any willing researchers . . .

What’s the evidence that the power brokers have been leaving the USA?

Have heard rumors . . . like rats leaving a ship taking on water . . . that a number of them have up and moved house over seas.

I haven’t heard any numbers and I don’t know how true what I’ve heard is.

Thx in advance.