Threat Matrix: April 2008

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[nwctwx]

Afghanistan to Ask NATO for Bigger Army

Afghan officials will go to the NATO summit in Romania Thursday with a request: pay to increase our national Army by 40 percent. A bigger Army, Afghan officials argue, will allow the US and other coalition members to scale back in the coming years.

This appeal comes amid pleas from the US and Canada for other NATO members to commit more to the Afghanistan mission, which many analysts say has floundered over the past year for lack of resources and a coherent strategy. France is expected to contribute another 1,000 forces and Germany is likely to make a bigger commitment.

But American and Afghan government sources with knowledge of the expected Afghan proposal say that an increase from the current authorization of 86,000 Afghan Army soldiers to 120,000 is the only way to create an enduring defense against a resurgent Taliban and elusive Al Qaeda operatives. Read More

	France May Send More Troops to Afghanistan
	Special Operations Increase Possible for Iraq
	Al-Qaeda Grooming Militants Who 'Look Western': CIA Chief

Threat Matrix:
April 2008

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[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18582&Itemid=21

*UPDATED* Press Release A080419b
April 19, 2008

Coalition forces detain 22 suspected terrorists

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces targeted associates of al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders during operations in northern Iraq Saturday and detained 22 suspected terrorists.

In Bayji, Coalition forces coordinated three operations targeting individuals believed to conspire with an AQI leader in the area who is known for coordinating bombing attacks. One suspect who attempted to evade the ground force was injured in the operation and was taken to a military medical facility. Coalition forces captured two wanted men and detained 12 additional suspected terrorists.

During two operations in Mosul targeting associates of AQI senior leaders, Coalition forces detained seven suspected terrorists, including one who was believed to have hidden a senior terrorist leader in his house.

“While Al-Qaeda in Iraq remains a determined and dangerous enemy, we are making progress in disrupting their networks and capturing key operatives,” said Cmdr. Scott Rye, MNF-I spokesman.

- 30 -

[Cindy]

blog:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/iraqi_troops_advance.php

“Iraqi troops advance against Mahdi Army in Basrah”
By BILL ROGGIO
April 19, 2008 10:38 AM

[Cindy]

http://www.terrorisminfo.mipt.org/murrahfinalrpt.asp

“Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building Bombing, April 19, 1995: Final Report”

SNIPPET: “”This report documents the City of Oklahoma City’s control and coordination of the Murrah rescue and recovery effort” including after action reports/lessons learned from the Fire Department, Police Department, Emergency Medical Services Authority, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams among others.”

[Cindy]

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=977

April 19, 1995
“The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building explodes”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/waco

(WACO - April 19, 1993)

#

http://www.click2houston.com/investigates/15927902/detail.html

RELATED TO STORY

“Video: Waco Siege Survivors Remember 15 Years Later:
Robert Arnold Reports”

“Survivors Remember Waco 15 Years Later”
By Robert Arnold
POSTED: 6:25 pm CDT April 18, 2008
UPDATED: 12:02 pm CDT April 19, 2008

[Cindy]

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/192360.php

#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3GtOlrfYO0

“More Insurgent Deaths, Apache 30mm and UAV Airstrikes”
(Added April 14, 2008)

Higher resolution version here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3GtOlrfYO0&fmt=18

“More Insurgent Deaths, Apache 30mm and UAV Airstrikes”
(Added April 14, 2008)

[Cindy]

Note: Video and Hypertexed links included in this article:

blog:
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/192362.php

April 19, 2008
“Video: Terror Supporters as Baggage Screeners”

#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22r0UerVQ60

“air-port worker”

VIDEO - DESCRIPTION - QUOTE:

Added: April 19, 2008 (Less info)
al-qaeda air-port worker
Category: News & Politics
Tags: al-qaeda airport worker london

###
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BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0974670170/qid=1133393692/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-6558286-1611305

“War of the Web: Fighting the Online Jihad”
by Jeremy Reynalds

[Cindy]

memriiwmp.org/content/en/more_islamist_web_status.htm?param=IStatus

#

www.sawtaljihad.org

“The Voice of Jihad ( Sawt Al-Jihad )”

www.sawtaljihad.org/11-steps-to-survival/

“11 Steps to Survival
Canada Emergency Measures Organization
Department of National Defence
Blueprint for Survival No. 4”

[Cindy]

http://www.theaviationnation.com/2008/04/18/homeless-man-finds-confidential-ground-zero-plans/

#

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D904C1PO0&show_article=1

“Report: NYC Freedom Tower plans found in trash”

Apr 18 11:37 AM US/Eastern
Write a Comment

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “NEW YORK (AP) - A homeless man has come forward with two sets of confidential ground zero blueprints that he says were dumped in a Lower Manhattan trash can.

The man brought the Freedom Tower plans to the New York Post, which says the 150-page schematic is marked: “Secure Document—Confidential.”

The documents are dated Oct. 5, 2007. They contain plans for each floor, the thickness of the concrete-core wall, and the location of air ducts, elevators, electrical systems and support columns.

The agency that owns the World Trade Center site, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, calls it a serious security lapse.”

[Cindy]

April 19, 1775: “Patriots’ Day”

http://threatswatch.org/rapidrecon/2008/04/happy-patriots-day/

“Happy Patriots Day”

[Cindy]

ON THE INTERNET:

youtube.com/user/Zakariyya400

[Cindy]

youtube.com/user/Hamsawiy3

http://youtube.com/user/Hamsawiy2
“This account is suspended.”

http://youtube.com/user/Hamsawiy
“This account is suspended.”

[Cindy]

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3533689,00.html

Sri Lanka: Air force jets destroy 3 Tamil rebel gunboats
Published: 04.19.08, 21:09 / Israel News

Air force jets bombed and destroyed three Tamil Tiger rebel gunboats Saturday off northern Sri Lanka after a day of ground fighting killed 28 insurgents and a soldier, the military said.

Fighter jets struck the boats near the northern rebel stronghold, a military official said without giving further details. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing government rules, and did not say if there were any casualties. (AP)

[Cindy]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208422642263&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

JPost.com » Israel » Article

Apr 19, 2008 23:14 | Updated Apr 19, 2008 23:15
“IAF strike kills two Kassam cell members, wounds three”
By JPOST.COM STAFF

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “IAF aircraft targeted a Kassam launch cell in the Gaza Strip late Saturday evening, the IDF reported.

Palestinian sources reported that two terrorists were killed and three wounded in the attack. The army did not confirm the reported number of casualties.

Earlier Saturday, an armed Hamas member was killed in another IAF strike in the Gaza City area, Palestinian security sources said. The Palestinians claimed that the man, 22-year-old Aimed Abu-Amar, was killed by a missile fired from an IAF helicopter.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Saturday that he saw Hamas and its leaders as directly responsible for Saturday morning’s attack at the Kerem Shalom crossing, which wounded 13 IDF soldiers

RELATED
13 soldiers hurt in Kerem Shalom attack
‘Most ambitious attack since pullout’”

[Cindy]

Off Topic, but interesting.

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/indonesia

#

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7350775.stm

Page last updated at 23:32 GMT, Saturday, 19 April 2008 00:32 UK
“Jakarta classmates recall ‘Barry’ Obama”

By Lucy Williamson
BBC News, Jakarta

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Primary School 1 in Jakarta’s Menteng district is an unlikely place to look for an American presidential hopeful.

Hidden down a narrow street in the Indonesian capital, overlooked by the big houses of the city’s elite, it is easily missed, except for the bubbling noise of schoolchildren drifting over the fence.

But this is where Barack Obama - the man aiming to be America’s Democratic nominee for president - spent some of his childhood.
He’s made much of his varied upbringing during the course of his campaign, and the qualities and vision it gave him.

A new book about his time here has just been launched by an Indonesian publisher - and there’s also a lot of interest in what he might do for US-Indonesia relations should he reach the White House.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “After years of a foreign policy that many Indonesians viewed as anti-Muslim, who better to have in the most powerful job in the world, they say, than someone who’s lived among Muslims, and seen their world from the inside.”

[Cindy]

Fyi Only.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/19/london.stink/

April 19, 2008 — Updated 2017 GMT (0417 HKT)

“Stinky manure smell engulfs London”

SNIPPET: “STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Agricultural odor is inescapable in central London
Winds bringing smell of manure from farms in France, Belgium, Netherlands
Smell is expected to last for two days, until wind pattern changes”

LONDON, England (CNN) —

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The National Farmers’ Union blamed the smell on the muck-spreading by Dutch farmers, who it said are banned from the practice in the winter and are now spreading it “en masse.”

Although the smell may be unusual, the phenomenon of European air spilling its contents over England is not, forecasters have said.”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/yemen
http://www.yementimes.com

#

Note: Photos included on the links below.

#

blog:

http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/6916.htm
(”Source: Yemen Times (Yemen), April 17, 2008”)

“8-year-old girl’s divorce is finalized while a law to prevent early marriage stalls”

(Posted April 18, 2008)

#

blog:

http://www.thememriblog.org/arabculture/blog_personal/en/6870.htm
(”Source: Yemen Times (Yemen), April 14, 2008”)

“Yemen: Parliament refuses to legislate minimum age for marriage”

(Posted April 16, 2008)

#

blog:

http://www.thememriblog.org/arabculture/blog_personal/en/6778.htm
(”Source: Yemen Times (Yemen), April 10, 2008”)

“Yemen: 8-year-old girl asks for divorce in court”

(Posted April 13, 2008)

[Cindy]

Thanks to Clive for the ping to this thread and posts:

Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2004212/posts

Zimbabwe arms shipped by China spark an uproar
iht ^ | : April 19, 2008 | by Celia W. Dugger
Posted on April 19, 2008 8:31:25 PM PDT by Flavius

JOHANNESBURG: A Chinese ship loaded with armaments for Zimbabwe steamed into the port of Durban this week and set off a political firefight, putting newfound pressure on South Africa — and now China — to reduce support for Zimbabwe’s government as it cracks down on its rivals after a disputed election.

Dock workers at the port, backed by South Africa’s powerful unions, refused to unload the ammunition and weapons on Friday, vowing protests and threatening violence if the government tried to do it without them.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...

#

Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2004212/posts?page=5#5

Article: “Next port, Maputo,”
I would also keep an eye on Biera. There is a direct rail link from Biera to Zimbabwe, a distance of about 200 klicks between the port and the Zim border.

5 posted on April 19, 2008 9:45:42 PM PDT by Clive

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2004220/posts

“Pope speaks out about Nazi youth (growing up under the “monster” of Nazism)”
BBC News ^ | April 20, 2008
Posted on April 19, 2008 8:39:15 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

[Cindy]

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/boot/3381
“
Do Radicals Dominate Islam?”
MAX BOOT - 04.16.2008 - 12:06 PM