Report: Region may be a hotbed for terrorist recruiting (Police: White Veterans, Black Colleges)

A new report produced by a branch of the Virginia State Police portrays the state's colleges and universities as potential breeding grounds for terrorism.

The 200-page report, intended for distribution to law enforcement, intelligence and military organizations, says "a wide variety of terror or extremist groups" have links to Hampton Roads and singles out the area's two historically black universities for special mention.

It also cites the region's "diverse population due to the strong military presence." In addition, it mentions Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach, and a Chesapeake-based anti-abortion group.

The report acknowledges that none of the Virginia groups it singles out has engaged in any violent activity and says there is no intelligence indicating that terrorists are planning attacks in the state.

Nevertheless, it adds: "In order to detect and deter terrorist attacks, it is essential that information regarding suspected terrorists and suspicious activity in Virginia be closely monitored and reported in a timely manner."

The report drew critical attention across the political spectrum as it began circulating around the Internet.

The American Civil Liberties Union has gone on the offensive, saying the report makes unwarranted assumptions based on race, religion and other demographic data and could have a chilling effect on Virginians' First Amendment rights.

Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU's Washington legislative office, cited the Virginia report in testimony last week before a Senate subcommittee in which she urged more congressional oversight of terrorism-related information gathering by law enforcement agencies.

Such bulletins "would be laughable except that they come with the imprimatur of a federally backed intelligence operation, and they encourage law enforcement officers to monitor the activities of political activists and racial and religious minorities," Fredrickson said.

"What is clear is that these abusive intelligence reports do nothing to improve security. Sharing misleading information about the ideologies and activities of nonviolent groups only undermines public support for law enforcement."

The report contains little or no explanation of its methodology - for instance, why it singles out Regent and the historically black schools.

Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the State Police, said that because the report was not intended for public release, she couldn't comment on its contents.

In a prepared statement, the State Police said the report "inadvertently made its way onto the Internet and it is likely some will view this information and misinterpret the 2009 Virginia Terrorism Threat Assessment in a false manner."

The purpose of the report is to convey "potential terrorism threats," the statement said, underlining the word "potential."

The 2009 threat assessment is a product of the Virginia Fusion Center, a multi-agency intelligence clearinghouse that opened in the basement of State Police headquarters in Chesterfield County in 2005.

Funded in part with grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the center shares information with a variety of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, private industry and the military.

At least 58 such centers have sprung up around the country since the terrorist attacks of 2001, supported by more than $250 million in federal money.

The Virginia center has operated largely under the public radar. Its records are exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act, and disseminating information received from the center is a misdemeanor.

The new report calls attention to the ethnic diversity of Hampton Roads and the state's other urban centers, especially the presence of people with cultural ties to the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, Southeast Asia "and other areas heavily impacted by terrorist activities."

"While the vast majority of these individuals are law-abiding, this ethnic diversity also affords terrorist operatives the opportunity to assimilate easily into society, without arousing suspicion," the report says.

"Virginia's network of colleges and universities also represent a potential avenue of entry for terrorist operatives and a possible forum for recruitment of sympathizers."

In a regional breakdown of potential terrorist threats, the report notes that Hampton Roads and the Richmond area each have two historically black universities. Although it doesn't cite them by name, the apparent reference is to Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University in Petersburg and Virginia Union University in Richmond.

University-based student groups "are recognized as a radicalization node for almost every type of extremist group," the report says.

"Richmond's history as the capital city of the Confederacy, combined with the city's current demographic concentration of African-American residents, contributes to the continued presence of race-based extremist groups," the report adds.

Sharon Hoggard, a spokeswoman at Norfolk State, said the report contains "several glaring over-generalizations."

"It is true that colleges and universities attract diverse populations of people," Hoggard said. "But for the most part, those diverse groups share a common interest, and that is a passion for learning and teaching, which is our core business."

Carol Pretlow, an associate professor of political science at Norfolk State, said she was "baffled" by the report's singling out of historically black schools.

Perhaps it was prompted by memories of radical groups such as the Black Panthers that were active in the 1960s, she said.

"But the reality is that the global scene has changed," Pretlow said. "When you look at the students of today, whether it's at Old Dominion or Norfolk State or Tidewater Community College, they're pretty much 'Show me the money, people. This political ideology stuff is good, but what's in it for me?'... They want to be part of the mainstream.

"So this assessment that these are breeding grounds for terrorism - I don't see it."

At Regent, the Christian university founded by televangelist Pat Robertson, the reaction was similar.

"We appreciate the Virginia Fusion Center's diligence in identifying potential threats," said Carlos Campo, vice president of academic affairs at Regent. "However, we believe that specifically naming Christian universities and associating them with radical extremists is overreaching."

Robert Stacey, an associate professor of government at Regent, said he is generally a supporter of fusion centers but he found the Virginia report largely unhelpful in the fight against terrorism.

"In terms of actually assessing threats, it does not do that very well," he said. "And it casts such a broad net.... In some of the categories, they don't produce evidence of a serious threat and yet throw it in the report anyway."

"I know the fusion center does more than this report reflects," Stacey said. "But if this were it, if this were all the work they were ever going to do, they wouldn't be doing much for us."

A Department of Homeland Security report issued earlier this month on right-wing extremism drew widespread outrage in conservative circles, including a blast from Robertson on his daily TV show "The 700 Club."

"Somebody who doesn't think we should have abortion on demand is suddenly labeled a terrorist," Robertson said, urging viewers to call the DHS and complain. "It's outrageous.... This is stigmatizing a vast swath of our people."

A February report from a Missouri-based fusion center on the militia movement stirred similar resentment on the right.

- Two anti-abortion groups, including the Chesapeake-based Army of God and Life.

- White nationalist groups, said to be recruiting "military veterans skilled in weapons and tactics."

- "Anarchist extremists" at Virginia Military Institute and the College of William and Mary.

- The state prison system, said to be "an attractive venue for recruitment and radicalization relating to terror organizations and hate groups."

- "The size, courses of study, and significant population of international students" at Virginia Tech.

- The Virginia Commonwealth University chapter of the Muslim Student Association, said to be "possibly involved with terrorism financing and recruitment" as a front organization for the Mideast-based organization Muslim Brotherhood.

- "Suspicious photography" of military aircraft, bridges and tunnels in Hampton Roads.

Incidents that might seem mundane to some are chronicled in the report as potentially terrorism-related.

For instance, an employee of the marine container terminal in Portsmouth "noted that two males approached him and asked to come inside and look around. The subjects were told they could not come inside the facility at which point they left the area."

At the Martinsville Speedway, "a temporary employee called in a bomb threat during a Sprint Cup race in March 2008 because he was tired of picking up trash and wanted to go home."

A very small sample of what I have look at recently ON THE INTERNET:

WASHINGTON TIMES.com - Editorial: "A DISASTER FOR DEFENSE It's like making Jane Fonda senior adviser on Vietnam" (SNIPPET: "President Obama is surrendering national security with a radical appointment at the Defense Department. Rosa Brooks, this month made adviser to Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michelle Flournoy, will be in a position to do significant damage to U.S. security.") (April 24, 2009) (Read More...)

WorldNetDaily.com: "JUDICIARY COMMITTEE GREENLIGHTS 'HATE CRIMES' Members refuse to protect Christian pastors from charges" by Bob Unruh (April 23, 2009) (Read More...)

OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Bulletins - Report: "WARDEN MESSAGE: GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR TAXICAB WARNING" (April 24, 2009) (Read More...)

WorldNetDaily.com: "TALIBAN EXECUTES 2 CHRISTIANS Believers were protesting demand they accept Islam" (April 25, 2009) (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (ASIA NEWS.it, April 23, 2009): Karachi - "PAKISTAN: KARACHI CHURCHES VANDALIZED WITH 'LONG LIVE THE TALIBAN,' 'LONG LIVE ISLAM,' AND 'CHRISTIANS, CONVERT OT ISLAM'" (April 24, 2009) (Read More...)

ASSIST NEWS SERVICE: Pakistan - "PAKISTANI ARCHBISHOP CONCERNED BY SHARIA DEAL" by Jeremy Reynalds (SNIPPET: "The Archbishop of Lahore, Lawrence John Saldanha, has written to the prime minister and president of Pakistan over concerns at the implementation of sharia (Islamic) law in the country's northwest.") (April 24, 2009) (Read More...)

SOUTH ASIA ANALYSIS.org - Paper no. 3161: "PAK TALIBAN: FROM A BUNCH OF SUICIDE BOMBERS TO A CONVENTIONAL ARMY - International Terrorism Monitor - Paper No. 520" by B. Raman (April 24, 2009) (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (DAILY TIMES.com.pk): "TALIBAN TURN CHILDREN INTO LIVE BOMBS" (April 23, 2009) (Read More...)

LosAngeles.FBI.gov - Press Release: "MULTI-AGENCY JOINT TERRORISM TASK FORCE Reward Offered in Latest Attack Targeting UCLA Professor and Update to Outstanding Rewards for Similar Attacks Claimed by Animal Rights Extremists Since 2006" (April 22, 2009) (Read More...)

OSAC.gov: "WARDEN MESSAGE: KABUL SERENA HOTEL AND VICTORY DAY THREATS" (April 22, 2009) (Read More...)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "THE DANGER OF APPEASEMENT" by Ryan Mauro (April 23, 2009) (Read More...)

NEWS MAX.com: "CHENEY: OBAMA DOESN'T RECOGNIZE TERRORISM THREAT" (April 21, 2009, 9:08 pm) (Read More...)

FBI.gov: "FIRST DOMESTIC FUGITIVE ADDED TO LIST" (SNIPPET: "Daniel San Diego...") (April 21, 2009) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org: "Deputy Commander of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Speaking after Key Defection: We Will Never Give Up Jihad; Urges Attacks in Gulf of Aden and Djibouti" (Posted April 21, 2009) (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (ISLAM IN EUROPE): "ISLAM-CRITIC RECEIVES DEATH THREATS, CANCELS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS" (April 21, 2009) (Read More...)

Link (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "Wordpress,YouTube Execs in Iraq. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" (SNIPPET: "Good News: Executives from Twitter, Google, YouTube, and Wordpress are "in Iraq to help country use new media." Bad News: Wordpress still most popular blogging platform and free hosting service for terrorists and their supporters. In fact, Wordpress is now the platform of choice for al Qaeda's Somali affiliate, the al-Shabaab (no link on purpose.) And the Google owned YouTube continues to be a major distribution node for terrorist produced media.") (April 21, 2009) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: IRNA, Iran, April 20, 2009; ISNA, April 19, 2009"): "IRAN: WE'LL DEMAND A HIGH PRICE FOR EXPORTING OUR NUCLEAR KNOWHOW" (SNIPPET: "Senior Iranian official said that at the Bushehr plant, the loading stage of dummy fuel had ended and the plant had entered cold test stage.") (Posted April 21, 2009) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Khorasan, Iran, April 19, 2009"): "AHMADINEJAD: THANKS TO ITS ARMED FORCES, IRAN'S READY TO RUN THE WORLD" (SNIPPET: "During an April 18 Iranian Army Day ceremony at the tomb of the founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, "Thanks to the dedication of the armed forces, Iran is ready to participate extensively in running the world and in establishing security and justice in various parts of the world.") (Posted April 21, 2009) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Tehran Times, Iran, April 20, 2009"): "IRANIAN VP: ASIAN CURRENCY FOR WAR AGAINST CAPITALISM" (Posted April 22, 2009) (Read More...)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WANTS JUDGE TO TOSS EMBASSY HOSTAGE SUIT" (April 22, 2009) (Read More...)

Link (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (JERUSALEM POST): "AHMADINEJAD CALLS FOR ERADICATION OF ISRAEL AT RACIST UN 'ANTI-RACISM' CONFERENCE -- AND 23 EU DELEGATES WALK OUT!" (April 20, 2009) (Read More...)

HOT AIR.com: "VIDEO: AHMADINEJAD PROMPTS WALKOUT AT UN CONFERENCE" by Ed Morrissey (April 20, 2009) (Read More...)

TERRORISM-INFO.org.il - INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER (IICC): "Iran increases its political and economic presence in Latin America, defying the United States and attempting to undermine American hegemony. It also foments radical Shi'ite Islamization and exports Iran's revolutionary ideology, using Hezbollah to establish intelligence, terrorism and crime networks, liable to be exploited against the United States and Israel." (April 19, 2009) (Read More...)

TRUTHUSA.com: A Look at Iran (Read More...)

CNS NEWS.com: "STATE DEPARTMENT OFFERS NO SPECIFICS ON HOW JUSTICE HAS BEEN PURSUED FOR 134 AMERICANS MURDERED IN MEXICO" (April 20, 2009) (Read More...)

Travel.State.Gov - TRAVEL ALERT: "MEXICO" (February 20, 2009) (Read More...)

CNS NEWS.com: "NUCLEAR-BOMB MATERIALS STOCKPILED IN SUBURB WERE NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECTED AGAINST TERRORISTS, SAYS GOVERNMENT REPORT" by Matt Cover (April 20, 2009) (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (PALESTINIAN MEDIA WATCH): "ISLAMIC CLERIC WHO PARTICIPATED IN 'CONGRESS OF IMAMS AND RABBIS FOR PEACE' CALLS FOR EXTERMINATION OF JEWS" (April 19, 2009) (Read More...)

Video: "HAMAS CALLS TO KILL JEWS" (April 16, 2009) (Watch Video.)

JIHAD WATCH.org (TELEGRAPH.co.uk): "HIZB UT-TAHRIR, WHOM TONY BLAIR PROMISED TO BAN, CALLS FOR JIHAD AND ELIMINATION OF ISRAEL AT LONDON RALLY" (SNIPPET: "Critics say that the group, which has thrived on university campuses, is a gateway to more extremist groups, something which it also vehemently denies.") (April 18, 2009) (Read More...)

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STAR TRIBUNE.com: Columbus, Ohio - "SOMALIS, FBI IN OTHER U.S. CITIES ON ALERT FOR TERRORIST RECRUITING" (SNIPPET: "The Twin Cities area has been at the center of the federal investigation ever since a 27-year-old from Minneapolis blew himself up in a suicide attack in Somalia last fall. But other cities with large Somali populations are being scrutinized, too: Boston, Seattle, San Diego and Columbus, which has the second-largest population of Somali refugees in the United States behind Minneapolis -- an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 people.") (Last updated April 18, 2009, 10:11 pm) (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "Respect Our Prophet Or We Kill You" (April 17, 2009) (Read More...)

GREELEY TRIBUNE.com: "SHERIFF'S OFFICE PROBES BOMB THREAT" (SNIPPET: "The threat was a handwritten letter in Spanish threatening judicial and law enforcement officers with the bombs with the "intent to kill the most number of Americans," according to a press release. Currently, there are 58 inmates with immigration holds being held in the Weld County Jail. In the letter, the writer threatened to place bombs in and around Greeley after April 20 unless the immigration holds are released.") (April 16, 2009) (Read More...)

THE TIMES OF INDIA: "CHINESE SPIES MAY HAVE PUT CHIPS IN U.S. PLANES" (April 17, 2009, 0041 IST, PTI) (Read More...)

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THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Fars, Iran, April 14, 2009"): "AHMADINEJAD: IRAN DEVELOPING NEW ROCKET" (Posted April 16, 2009) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: Fars, Iran, April 17, 2009"): "IRAN OFFERS JOINT PRODUCTION OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT WITH FRIENDLY STATES" (Posted April 17, 2009) (Read More...)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch - No. 2317: "AHMADINEJAD TO WEST: You Are Weak, Your Hands Are Empty, And You Can't Force Us to Do Anything; Nearly 7,000 Centrifuges Are Spinning Today at Natanz, Mocking You" (April 17, 2009) (Read More...)

LONG WAR JOURNAL.org - blog: "RED MOSQUE LEADER PREACHES JIHAD AFTER RELEASE" by Bill Roggio (April 17, 2009, 4:57 am) (Read More...)

LONG WAR JOURNAL.org: "MAULANA AZIZ RETURNS TO ISLAMABAD IN TRIUMPH" by Bill Roggio (April 16, 2009) (Read More...)

LONG WAR JOURNAL.org: "PAKISTAN RELEASES RED MOSQUE LEADER WHO LED INSURRECTION IN CAPITAL" by Bill Roggio (April 15, 2009) (Read More...)

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WEEKLY STANDARD.com: "PREENING & POSTURING Throwing those who guard us while we sleep to the wolves." by William Kristol (SNIPPET: "The dark and painful chapter we have to fear is rather the one President Obama may be ushering in. This would be a chapter in which politicians preen moralistically as they throw patriotic officials, who helped keep this country safe, to the wolves, and in which national leaders posture politically while endangering the nation's security. The preening is ridiculous, even by the standards of contemporary American politics and American liberalism. Obama fatuously asserts there are no real choices in the real world, just "false choices" that he can magically resolve. He foolishly suggests that even in war we would never have to do anything disagreeable for the sake of our security. He talks baby talk to intelligence officers: "Don't be discouraged that we have to acknowledge potentially we've made some mistakes. That’s how we learn."") (May 4, 2009 Issue) (Read More...)

WEEKLY STANDARD.com - blog: "GOSS: OBAMA DECISION "CROSSED A RED LINE"" -Posted by Stephen F. Hayes (SNIPPET: "Porter Goss, former CIA Director and past chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, blasted the Obama administration for releasing Justice Department memos on harsh interrogation techniques. "For the first time in my experience we've crossed the red line of properly protecting our national security in order to gain partisan political advantage," Goss said in an interview.") (April 23, 2009, 1:53 pm) (Read More...)

CNN.com: Washington - "EX-CIA CHIEF: OBAMA RISKS NATIONAL SECURITY" (SNIPPET: "A former head of the CIA slammed President Obama on Sunday for releasing four Bush-era memos, saying the new president has compromised national security.") (Updated April 19, 2009, 7:44 p.m. EDT) (Read More...)

FOX NEWS.com: "EX-CIA CHIEF CRITICIZES RELEASE OF INTERROGATION MEMOS Former CIA Director Michael Hayden says release of the memos will give terrorists a precise guide for what to expect in a CIA interrogation if those methods are ever approved for use again" (April 16, 2009) (Read More...)

FOX NEWS.com: "OBAMA MAY RELEASE DETAILS OF CIA's INTERROGATION METHODS USED ON TERROR SUSPECTS" by Brit Hume (SNIPPET: "The president's decision will tell us much about him.") (April 15, 2009) (Read More...)

PAJAMAS MEDIA.com - blog: "WHAT PIRACY? THIS IS THE SAME OLD JIHAD The Somali pirates are simply acting on centuries-old doctrines of Islamic warfare." by Raymond Ibrahim (April 17, 2009) (Read More...)

HUMAN EVENTS.com: "THE SOMALI PIRATES ARE JIHADISTS" by Robert Spencer (April 15, 2009) (Read More...)

CBS5.com: Mombasa, Kenya - "PIRATES VOW TO 'SLAUGHTER' AMERICANS" (SNIPPET: "Somali pirates vowed ot hunt down American ships and kill their sailors...") (April 15, 2009, 4:00 pm) (Read More...)

RADIO NETHERLANDS.nl - RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: "SALE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL FOILED IN UKRAINE" by NRC Handelsblad in Partnership with RNW (SNIPPET: "The three men say the material they were trying to sell for 10 million US dollars was plutonium 239, which can be used to create a nuclear explosion. However, further investigation by the Ukrainian authorities has shown that the material is probably americium, an element which cannot cause a nuclear explosion as such, but can be used to manufacture a conventional bomb which would produce radioactive fallout. A bomb of this type is relatively simple to make and would be an ideal weapon for terrorists.") (April 15, 2009) (Read More...)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (AP via SFGATE.com): "MEXICAN DETAINED WITH ANTI-AIRCRAFT MACHINE GUN" (April 14, 2009) (Read More...)

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FT.com - FINANCIAL TIMES: "REAL IRA WARNS OF MAINLAND ATTACKS" by John Murray Brown (SNIPPET: "The Real IRA, the anti-peace agreement Irish terrorist group that killed two British soldiers last month, says it intends to extend its campaign to mainland Britain when it is "opportune."") (Last updated April 14, 2009) (Read More...)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (MIRROR.co.uk, April 12, 2009): "TERROR POLICE IN HUNT FOR BRIT BOMB CELL NUMBER 2" (UPDATE from MIRROR co.uk - "POLICE HUNT 40-MAN AL-QAIDA TERROR CELL" (SNIPPETS: "... 40 extremists, mainly from Pakistan." ... "'Soft targets' would include football grounds, shopping malls or tourist attractions..." ... "Meanwhile the Real IRA...") (Posted April 13, 2009; Updated April 14, 2009) (Read More...)

LONG WAR JOURNAL.org - blog: "AL QAEDA OPERATIVE RASHID RAUF SURVIVED U.S. STRIKE" by Bill Roggio (April 12, 2009) (Read More...)

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YNET NEWS.com: "PALESTINIAN FISHING BOAT EXPLODES NEAR ISRAEL COAST" by Hanan Greenberg (SNIPPET: "IDF sources estimated that the booby-trapped boat was activated by remote control and meant to explode near an Israeli Navy vessel or a coastal community.") (April 13, 2009, 09:24/Israel News) (Read More...)

stepping back in time...CQ.com - CQ Homeland Security: "MINES, SMALL BOATS MAY POSE THREAT TO U.S. PORTS" by Eleanor Stables (May 14, 2007) (Read More...)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "THE INROADS OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION" by Douglas Farah (April 13, 2009) (Read More...)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com (WASHINGTON TIMES): "THE OBAMA-MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD POLICY" by Frank J. Gaffney Jr. (March 18, 2009) (Read More...)

DHS.gov - News Release: "STATEMENT BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY JANET NAPOLITANO ON THE THREAT OF RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM" (Release Date: April 15, 2009) (Read More...)

MICHELLE MALKIN.com - blog: "CONFIRMED: The Obama DHS Hit Job On Conservatives Is Real" by Michelle Malkin (April 14, 2009) (Read More...)

WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "FEDERAL AGENCY WARNS OF RADICALS ON RIGHT 9-page report sent to police" by Audrey Hudson and Eli Lake (SNIPPET: ""It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the warning says." SNIPPET: "Congressional debates about immigration and gun control also make extremist groups suspicious and give them a rallying cry, the report says.") (April 14, 2009) (Read More...)

WorldNetDaily.com: Washington - "HOMELAND SECURITY ON GUARD FOR 'RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS'" (April 12, 2009) (Read More...)

Document - Link (pdf) (April 7, 2009) (Read More...)

SOUTH ASIA ANALYSIS.org - Paper no. 3147: "CHINA'S SILENT WARFARE" by Bhaskar Roy (April 13, 2009) (Read More...)

Link (Read More...)

WASHINGTON POST.com: "THE FREE WORLD BARS FREE SPEECH" by Johnathan Turley (April 12, 2009)

TRUTHUSA.com: A Look at More Than Cartoons (Read More...)

WASHINGTON POST.com: "OBAMA TEAM MULLS AIMS OF SOMALI EXTREMISTS Seeing Potential Terror Threat, Officials Debate Their Options" by Greg Jaffe and Karen DeYoung (April 11, 2009) (Read More...)

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JIHAD WATCH.org (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, April 10, 2009): "U.S. NATIONALS AMONG SOMALIA JIHADISTS: "If you can encourage more of your children and more of your neighbors and anyone around to send people like him to this jihad, it would be great asset for us"" (April 10, 2009) (Read More...)

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THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "... AL QAEDA SUPPORTER TO ADDRESS LONDON AUDIENCE" (April 10, 2009) (Read More...)

HURRY UP HARRY.org - HARRY'S PLACE - blog: "JIHADI PREACHING IN TOWER HAMLETS" (April 9, 2009, 1:04 pm) (Read More...)

stepping back in time...COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "AL-QAIDA LINKED U.S. CITIZEN ADDRESS SHABAAB AL-MUJAHIDEEN; SHABAAB RESPONDS" by Evan Kohlmann (December 29, 2008) (Read More...)

stepping back in time...JIHAD WATCH.org (TELEGRAPH.co.uk): "U.K.: MOSQUE 'COMMITTED TO PEACE, DIVERSITY AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE' HOSTS CONFERENCE FEATURING 'SPIRITUAL ADVISOR' TO 9/11 JIHADISTS" (December 27, 2008) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org: "JIHADIST WEBSITE PROMOTES 'ABADALLAH AL-NAFISI's ANTHRAX ATTACK CONCEPT" (Posted April 10, 2009) (Read More...)

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THE MEMRI BLOG.org: "On Al-Jazeera TV, Kuwaiti Prof Suggests a Biological Attack on White House, Prays for Bombing of Nuclear Plan on Lake Michigan" (SNIPPET: Following are excerpts from a speech by Kuwaiti Professor Abdallah Al-Nafisi, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on February 2, 2009") (Posted February 16, 2009) (Read More...)
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FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "THE MULLAHS' SATELLITE PROGRAM" by Jamie glazov (April 13, 2009) (Read More...)

JPOST.com - THE JERUSALEM POST: "IRAN: 'We control entire nuclear fuel cycle'" (Updated April 12, 2009, 7:56) (Read More...)

YNET NEWS.com (AP): "RUSSIA: We won't press Iran" (Published April 11, 2009, 17:39) (Read More...)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Sources: ISNA, Mehr, IRNA, Iran, April 9, 2009"): "AHMADINEJAD: IRAN'S ENTERED FINAL PHASE IN NUCLEAR FUEL PRODUCTION" (April 10, 2009) (Read More...)

CNS NEWS.com: "U.S. MADE NUCLEAR DEAL WITH UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DESPITE ITS RECORD AS TRANSSHIPMENT POINT FOR WEAPONS-RELATED MATERIAL TO IRAN" by Fred Lucas (April 10, 2009) (Read More...)

GLOBAL SECURITY.org (IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency): Isfahan - "PRESIDENT OUTLINES COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR ACHIEVEMENTS" (SNIPPET: "Addressing the audience, the president declared two significant achievements as nuclear fuel packaging and its preparation for use in reactors to produce electricity. The president cited the second achievement as trial of a new generation of centrifuges which multiplies the capacity of existing centrifuges.") (April 9, 2009) (Read More...)
YNET NEWS.com: "U.S. TO ATTEND GROUP NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN" (Published Aprl 9, 2009, 07:47) (Read More...)

YNET NEWS.com (AFP): "BIDEN: ISRAEL WOULD BE 'ILL-ADVISED' TO ATTACK IRAN" (Published April 8, 2009, 07:38) (Read More...)

A Look at Iran (Read More...)

COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "NEFA FOUNDATION: JIHAD WEBSITE FINANCING 101" by Evan Kohlmann (SNIPPET: "The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new post from online jihadi discussion forums about how to finance jihad-related websites without being "ensnared" in a trap by law enforcement...") (April 9, 2009, 1:10 pm) (Read More...)

OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Bulletin - Report: "WARDEN MESSAGE: ISLAMABAD HEIGHTENED SECURITY" (April 9, 2009) (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "WE GET MORE DEATH THREATS" (April 8, 2009) (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "READER LOVE MAIL: We dim Witted Savages Edition" (April 7, 2009) (Read More...)

DOUGLAS FARAH.com - blog: "AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT WHY THE FBI AND OTHERS SHOULD CUT CONTACT WITH MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD GROUPS" (April 8, 2009, 12:00) (Read More...)

SFGATE.com - SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: San Jose - "SABOTAGE ATTACKS KNOCK OUT PHONE SERVICE" (SNIPPET: "Vandals cut fiber-optic cable lines belonging to AT&T at two locations early today, knocking out phones and access to 911 emergency services to thousands of residential customers and businesses in southern Santa Clara County, in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties and along the Peninsula, authorities said." SNIPPET: "Landlines, cell phones and the Internet were all affected. The outage knocked out 911 service...") (April 9, 2009, 16:37 PDT) (Read More...)
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WSJ.com - WALL STREETJOURNAL: "ELECTRICITY GRID IN U.S. PENETRATED BY SPIES" (April 8, 2009) (Read More...)

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REWARDS FOR JUSTICE.net: "WANTED USAMA BIN LADIN Up to $25 Million Reward" (Read More...)

REWARDS FOR JUSTICE.net: "WANTED ADAM YAHIYE GADAHN Up to $1 Million Reward" (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "VIDEO: AMERICAN TRAITOR ADAM GADAHN 3/12/09 Video" (SNIPPET: "Video ends with Osama bin Laden begging for money. Serious.") (April 13, 2009) (Read More...)
THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "...Traitor Adam Gadahn in New Video" (April 7, 2009) (Read More...)

POWERLINE BLOG: "WATCH OUT FOR THOSE CRAZY RIGHT WINGERS!" Posted by John (April 14, 2009, 12:38 pm) (READ MORE...)

MICHELLE MALKIN.com - blog: "CONFIRMED: The Obama DHS Hit Job On Conservatives Is Real" by Michelle Malkin (April 14, 2009)

WorldNetDaily.com: Washington - "HOMELAND SECURITY ON GUARD FOR 'RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS'" (April 12, 2009) (Read More...)

Document - Link (pdf) (April 7, 2009) (Read More...)

USFA.DHS.gov - Infogram 10-09 - Snippet: "Hate Groups: A Growing Threat?" (March 12, 2009) (pdf) (Read More...)

Link (March 12, 2009) (Read More...)

CNS NEWS.com (AP): "U.S. FIGHTS SUBMARINE-LIKE BOATS HAULING COCAINE" by Frank Bajak (SNIPPET: "Though semi-submersibles aren't new to cocaine transport, a bigger, sleeker, more sophisticated variety that average about 60 feet (18 meters) in length began emerging three years ago. Earlier versions, christened "floating coffins," couldn't compete with fishing trawlers and speed boats known as "go-fasts" for maritime transport of drugs. But drug agents started policing trawlers better, leading traffickers to new methods." SNIPPET: "Law enforcement officials say they already have unconfirmed reports of robotic semi-subs in action.") (April 6, 2009) (Read More...)

THE TIMES OF INDIA: "'QAIDA-TALIBAN COMBO HAS CHEMICAL WEAPON FORMULA'" (April 6, 2009, 0051 hrs IST, TNN) (Read More...)

Link (Read More...)

STATE OF ALASKA - Governor: Juneau, Alaska - "GOVERNOR PALIN STRESSES NEED FOR STRONG MISSILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY" (April 6, 2009) (Read More..)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Sources: ISNA, Iran, April 5, 2009; IRNA, Iran, April 4, 2009"): "CHAVEZ TO AHMADINEJAD: Iran and Venezuela Are Global Powers" (Posted April 5, 2009)

A Look at Iran (Read More...)

STATE OF ALASKA - Governor: Juneau, Alaska - "GOVERNOR PALIN STRESSES NEED FOR STRONG MISSILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY" (April 6, 2009) (Read More...)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (THE POST & COURIER, Charleston, SC): "SEPTEMBER 10 MINDSET RAISES U.S. VULNERABILITY TO TERROR [says DeMint]" (April 4, 2009) (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (GEO TV): "PAKISTAN: ANONYMOUS 'MISCREANTS' BLOW UP GIRLS' SCHOOL" (April 5, 2009) (Read More...)

Link (Read More...)

OSAC.gov - Consular Affairs Bulletin - Report: "Warden Message: PAKISTAN TERROR THREAT" (April 3, 2009) (Read More...)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com (WEEKLY STANDARD): "CHINA'S NAVAL GAMBIT" by Michael Mazza (April 10, 2009) (Read More...)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "OBAMA: IGNORING CHINA'S MILITARY BUILDUP" by William R. Hawkins (April 3, 2009) (Read More...)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch - No. 2305: "AHMADINEJAD IN RESPONSE TO OBAMA: "Any Hand Outstretched to Attack Us Will Be Cut Off"" (April 2, 2009) (Read More...)

A Look at Iran (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "ISLAMIST VIDEO: FIRST WE CONQUER SOMALIA, THEN ON TO CONQUER SPAIN!" (April 3, 2009) (Read More...)

THE JAWA REPORT - blog: "SHABAAB: NEW HQ VIDEO SHOWS AMERICAN LEADING AL QAEDA IN SOMALIA ATTACKS [Who is Abu Mansoor al-Amriki?]" (April 1, 2009) (Read More...)

JIHAD WATCH.org (THE AGE): "AN AMERICAN JIHADIST IN SOMALIA" (April 1, 2009) (Read More...)

FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE.com: "TERRORIST ALERT: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES" by Jamie Glazov (April 3, 2009) (Read More...)

WPXI.com: Mount Washington, Pa. - "'SUICIDE BOMBER-TYPE' VEST FOUND IN MT. WASHINGTON" (SNIPPET: "The device was found outside 559 Southern Avenue...") (Updated April 2, 2009, 5:14 pm EDT) (Read More...)

DEFENSElink.mil (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "FINANCIAL CRISIS PUTS NEW URGENCY ON SECURITY, CHAIRMAN SAYS" by Jim Garamone (April 2, 2009) (Read More...)

FreeRepublic.com - Discussion Forum (UPI): "OFFICIAL: NORTH KOREA FUELING MISSILE" (April 1, 2009) (Read More...)

WHITEHOUSE.gov: "Briefing Room" (Read More...)

WHITEHOUSE.gov: "Agenda" (Read More...)

WHITEHOUSE.gov: "Presidential Actions" (Read More...)

WHITEHOUSE.gov: "Executive Orders" (Read More...)

WHITEHOUSE.gov: "Proclamations" (Read More...)

I wonder if we might learn some things from Alinsky's (quite obvious) "rules".

Rule 1: Power is not only what you have, but what an opponent thinks you have. If your organization is small, hide your numbers in the dark and raise a din that will make everyone think you have many more people than you do.

Rule 2: Never go outside the experience of your people.
The result is confusion, fear, and retreat.

Rule 3: Whenever possible, go outside the experience of an opponent. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat.

Rule 4: Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. “You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.”

Rule 5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.

Rule 6: A good tactic is one your people enjoy. “If your people aren’t having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic.”

Rule 7: A tactic that drags on for too long becomes a drag. Commitment may become ritualistic as people turn to other issues.

Rule 8: Keep the pressure on. Use different tactics and actions and use all events of the period for your purpose. “The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition. It is this that will cause the opposition to react to your advantage.”

Rule 9: The threat is more terrifying than the thing itself. When Alinsky leaked word that large numbers of poor people were going to tie up the washrooms of O’Hare Airport, Chicago city authorities quickly agreed to act on a longstanding commitment to a ghetto organization. They imagined the mayhem as thousands of passengers poured off airplanes to discover every washroom occupied. Then they imagined the international embarrassment and the damage to the city’s reputation.

Rule 10: The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative. Avoid being trapped by an opponent or an interviewer who says, “Okay, what would you do?”

Rule 11: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it. Don’t try to attack abstract corporations or bureaucracies. Identify a responsible individual. Ignore attempts to shift or spread the blame.

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