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Preparing for Jihad in Alabama - Islamic Militant Training Camp Allegedly Operating in Alabama
ABCnews.com | 7/25/02 | Brian Ross

Posted on 07/25/2002 4:38:02 PM PDT by freeperfromnj

July 25 — A training camp linked to Islamic militants has been operating in Alabama, and European law enforcement officials believe Muslim extremists were using it to prepare for a holy war.

British authorities also thought that militants from overseas were training in the United States to take advantage of America's gun laws, sources told ABCNEWS. The looming question for law enforcement is whether there is a connection between the camp and the al Qaeda terror network.

An investigation by Britain's Scotland Yard led to the discovery of the camp in Marion, Ala. The facility is called "Ground Zero USA."

Bullet-riddled police cars and a school bus with mannequin targets are scattered around the property. Inside a huge shed is an equally macabre scene — shot-up mannequins, male and female, in domestic settings, some with red, blood-like stains on them.

Ground Zero's operators promised state-of-the-art, world-class training in automatic weapons, urban warfare, SWAT tactics and martial arts, supposedly to fight terror attacks.

Marion Police Chief Tony Buford said he became suspicious of the use of police cars and buses as targets.

"It was rumored that the camp here was used as training site for possible people that were sent here to do bodily harm to Americans," Buford told ABCNEWS.

Web Site Provides Terror Link

The suspected terror ties of the Alabama camp were unknown until after Sept. 11, when officials in London arrested an accused al Qaeda supporter, Zain-ul-Albidin

He is charged with operation of a Web site, under the name of Sakina Security, allegedly recruiting Muslims for an Islamic jihad or holy war. He is now on trial in London.

The site, since taken down by British authorities, described what seemed to be the Alabama camp, including live-fire exercises at a state-of-the-art shooting range in the United States — something that would not be legal in Britain.

"In the United States, it is not illegal for anyone to receive military training, high-grade military training," said Rohan Gunaratna, author of Inside Al Qaeda.

The actual owners of camp, who are also British, say it was used primarily to train law enforcement personnel. Officials consider them unwitting accomplices. The camp owners declined to talk to ABCNEWS.

Scale of Secret Camps Unknown

It is not known how many holy war recruits came through the camp or when. But the FBI is now investigating a number of suspected training camps around the country.

"We know of a number of cases where Islamic terrorists came and training in this country in the early 1990s. It is likely that this scale of training is still continuing," Gunaratna said.

The most radical and belligerent of London's Islamic clerics, Abu Hamza, told ABCNEWS in a phone call that America's laws make such paramilitary training easy, "like a picnic."

British intelligence officials told ABCNEWS they are closely examining alleged ties between Hamza, who is said to have recruited alleged "20th hijacker" Zacarias Moussaoui, and Zain-ul-Albidin.


TOPICS: Front Page News; US: Alabama; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: alabama; albidin; trainingcamp; ulalbidin; zainulalbidin
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To: freeperfromnj
Smells like an ABC anti-gun rap... our laws are so scary... ooh register guns
21 posted on 07/25/2002 5:30:42 PM PDT by Lexington Green
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To: the_right_way
I'm to the North of you " I got your back "
22 posted on 07/25/2002 5:32:01 PM PDT by Sir Beowolf
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To: Lexington Green
Guns don't kill people... Arabs do...
23 posted on 07/25/2002 5:33:13 PM PDT by 1bigdictator
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To: freeperfromnj
THIS is why the government tried to enlist the eyes and ears of all Americans in its laughed-off-the-table TIPS idea.
24 posted on 07/25/2002 5:36:25 PM PDT by aculeus
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To: Lexington Green
Smells like an ABC anti-gun rap

That does seem to be the main focus of the article. That could just be their typical biased way of reporting the story. There were reports a couple of weeks ago about alleged training camps in either Seattle or Oregon - I can't remember which. If these radical muslims have set up shop and are training here in rural America I think we the people deserve some answers.

25 posted on 07/25/2002 5:36:28 PM PDT by freeperfromnj
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To: tessalu
The mohammedans who are here are entitled to constitutional rights, but the rest of them aren't, and we will be better off as a country and society if we just nuke the beallah out of them, considering that they seem intent on our undoing.
26 posted on 07/25/2002 5:37:44 PM PDT by mathurine
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To: freeperfromnj
And meanwhile, Bill Clinton's FBI was hunting down middle-aged white guys who wear camoflage.
27 posted on 07/25/2002 5:39:16 PM PDT by ffrancone
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To: blam; doug from upland
Ping...

Doug, remember the lake I was telling you about?

It's right on the border with Alabama.

28 posted on 07/25/2002 5:43:56 PM PDT by Vigilantcitizen
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To: da_toolman; phasma proeliator
PING
29 posted on 07/25/2002 5:44:45 PM PDT by jdogbearhunter
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To: IronJack
Another transparent attempt to link guns and terrorists.

Haven't they heard. Its drugs linked with the terrorists, not guns. These guys need to get with the program.

30 posted on 07/25/2002 5:45:48 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
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To: IronJack
Don't try and confuse them(abcnews)with pertinent facts and/or common sense.
31 posted on 07/25/2002 5:46:49 PM PDT by porte des morts
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To: jdogbearhunter
bump
32 posted on 07/25/2002 5:46:53 PM PDT by USA21
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To: mathurine
"The mohammedans who are here are entitled to constitutional rights"

Mohamma yo momma. Citizens? These ppl are not citizens... they are entitled to a boot in the @ss right out of our country.

33 posted on 07/25/2002 5:49:22 PM PDT by 1bigdictator
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To: tessalu; Travis McGee; harpseal; Squantos; dennisw; knighthawk
A member of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission said in Detroit on Friday he could foresee a scenario in which the public would demand internment camps for ArabAmericans if Arab terrorists strike again in this country.

I can foresee a situation in which Arab Americans beg to be placed in internment camps.

On this story in general, I can't imagine the locals in rural AL putting up with this, post 9/11.

Pings all around.

34 posted on 07/25/2002 5:51:49 PM PDT by FreedomPoster
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To: freeperfromnj
On another thread there is a story about former CIA director Woosley, he states that the FAA knew for years about weak cockpit doors and the terrorist also knew. Terrorist knew you could board with boxcutters and sat back and consider all these things.

Woolsey said we must think about what now would be like the flimsy cockpit door. Someone said the INS. After reading this story I'm inclined to think it is our anti-gun laws. They believe a lot of us are unarmed, they probably know where you can carry and where you can't.

Stay safe. Stay armed.
35 posted on 07/25/2002 5:52:30 PM PDT by snippy_about_it
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To: FreedomPoster
"On this story in general, I can't imagine the locals in rural AL putting up with this, post 9/11."

Big bump....How are ya', neighbor?

36 posted on 07/25/2002 5:55:14 PM PDT by Vigilantcitizen
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To: freeperfromnj
An investigation by Britain's Scotland Yard led to the discovery of the camp in Marion, Ala.

Where is our FBI? -Tom

37 posted on 07/25/2002 5:55:28 PM PDT by Capt. Tom
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To: IronJack
Just across the Gulf of Aden from Saudi Arabia lies Somalia. The Bakara Market in Mogadishu is little more than a bargain bazaar for every kind of small arms in the world. You can buy an AK-47 -- fully select-fire -- for as little as $75.

And they want us to believe that terrorists are buying semi-auto AK-47s at gun shows. The ones I have seen at gun shows were selling for five to seven hundred.

38 posted on 07/25/2002 6:01:00 PM PDT by c-b 1
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To: freeperfromnj
The new Islama-Bama Flag

Designed by Glorious Rebelious
Islamic Terrorist Society
(GRITS)

39 posted on 07/25/2002 6:06:20 PM PDT by Consort
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To: c-b 1
McCainiac was on Savage this afternoon, and was talking about "supporting the 2nd Amendment" in one breath, then about "terrorists and criminals getting guns without background checks at gun shows" in the next. Major Bravo Sierra.
40 posted on 07/25/2002 6:06:35 PM PDT by FreedomPoster
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