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Posted on 03/05/2005 5:06:15 PM PST by nwctwx
Edited on 03/29/2005 8:49:43 PM PST by Jim Robinson. [history]
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Trust Islam>Showcase>Knowledge Links: "abu hajaar Mar 17 2005, 10:26 AM asalamu Alalikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh some you may remembers this site. its back online now Taliban Online Wa 'Alaikums Salam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh" (http://taliban-online.info)
LONDON: The typical recruit to al-Qa'ida is Western-educated and has a wealthy, professional background, according to a new study.
The analysis of 500 members of Osama bin Laden's organisation has turned Western experts' presumptions about al-Qa'ida upside down.
Marc Sageman, a forensic psychiatrist who conducted the study, said he assumed it would find that most recruits were poor and ill-educated.
"The common stereotype is that terrorism is a product of poor, desperate, naive, single young men from Third World countries, vulnerable to brainwashing and recruitment into terror," he said.
However, his study showed 75 per cent of the al-Qa'ida members were from upper-middle-class homes and that many were married with children; 60 were college-educated, often in Europe or the US.
Some, such as British-born terrorist Omar Sheikh, were educated at fee-paying schools before heading for Afghanistan, Bosnia or Chechnya.
Sheikh, who has been sentenced to death in Pakistan for his role in the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, attended Aitchison College in Lahore, Pakistan, and the fee-paying Forest school in east London.
Dr Sageman said most of the terrorists came from a small number of wealthy Arab countries, from immigrant communities in the West or from Southeast Asia. Few were from poor Islamic countries such as Afghanistan.
"Al-Qa'ida was very selective at first in terms of who it recruited," said Dr Sageman, a former CIA officer who once worked with anti-Soviet mujaheddin fighters while based in Islamabad.
"If you look at the Saudis who have been killed while fighting for the organisation, you find the majority come from Riyadh, the capital, rather than poor rural provinces."
He said most grew up in caring families concerned about their communities.
The men in Dr Sageman's sample joined al-Qa'ida at an average age of 26. About half grew up as religious children, but only 13 – mostly from Southeast Asia – attended Islamic schools.
The study is backed by Abdullah Anas, a former senior mujaheddin commander in Afghanistan who now lives in London.
"There is no question (but) that most of those who came to Afghanistan in the 1980s were from middle-class backgrounds – teachers, doctors, accountants or imams," he said. "Most came with their families."
But Dr Sageman and Mr Anas agree that more recent al-Qa'ida recruits are likely to come from less privileged backgrounds.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12742245%255E2703,00.html
These words above summarizing the recent call by the State Department are measured, as was the actual State Department communication. I believe Israel is again serving as a scarecrow; to push the other 2 nations and maybe even NK and Iran into caution.
I think this whole deal with including Israel in this is for public consumption only, ie, mostly for verbally appeasing the Muslim/Arab world, especially some of the vocal ME nations that think the U.S. is not playing fair. What we say behind closed doors may be a tad different... I am focusing only on Israel for my comments.
The U.S. keeps taking heat for putting pressure on the Muslim/Arab nations to stay away from nukes yet these nations complain we say nothing about Israel. Of course, we know Israel plays with all its marbles and the nutty anti-Western ME nations do not and that is why we do not mind Israel having nukes....but they don't get that!
So I am not concerned about this. The caveat is that -- in our strange world at present -- I could change my opinion based on further developments such as an actual timetable or sanctions slapped on Israel or some withholding of U.S. financial aid. But even then, I would wonder what is REALLY taking place that we do not know about. For example, is aid being slipped to them under a different guise than usual?
I would, however, especially be concerned if we were to ask for third party confirmation by say, the dreaded IAEA. In fact, that would enrage me.
I love that picture, JP; thanks for posting it here. :)
Thanks Donna.
That's an insightful opinion and I appreciate it.
I should add that I still don't like when Isreal is used for these reasons just the same. But...diplomacy...politics...
ACKK!
ISRAEL.. I meant to write ISRAEL.
I agree with you Donna. Your thoughts on what is possibly going on behind the scene makes sense. "Good cop/bad cop" scenario?
6400 police deployed for Pope's funeral
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12748053%255E1702,00.html
What's for the farmers and contractors and restaurants to lose hiring these people? Minimum wage and no benefits seals the deal and keeps these illegals here living 20-30 per dwelling in some instances.
Exactly the reason I will miss winter! Never taking off my gloves while touching those shopping carts, then getting home and washing them in hot bleachy water. Although the idea of carrying garden gloves in my purse for spring and summer shopping is not out of the question.... How many shoppers will ever cross my path again anyway? You're not alone with this paranoia. Not to mention the women who change their infant's diapers and never wash their hands afterwards.
JP, I'm playing catch-up and want to comment that you've been posting some exceptional links - thank you!
Went to one of those this past week, and was pleasantly surprised to see hand sanitizer freely available and posted signs asking people to please use it, even prior to touching the animals.
KARACHI: Arms found in JI office: adviser
KARACHI, April 2: The Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information and Archives, Salahuddin Haider, has said the police in a raid early Saturday morning recovered arms, 37 petrol- and chemical-filled one litre plastic bottles , and four bags of explosives weighing 250 grams each from the Idara Noor-i-Haq, the headquarters of the Jamaat-i-Islami.
Excerpted
http://www.dawn.com/2005/04/03/local5.htm
For some, there is no shame, embarrassment, or apology. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. They justify everything they do and no matter how wrong it is, they will never concede wrongdoing.
My foot they are!
ON THE NET...
http://www.truthusa.com/cindy.html#LIFE
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1376672/posts
"A chilling rationale: killing children for their own good"
The Virginian Pilot ^ | 4/3/05 | MARK P. MOSTERT
Posted on 04/03/2005 1:56:31 PM PDT by wagglebee
Have you tried pushing a shopping cart with your forearms; it works quite well with jackets or long sleeved shirts.
Hi MD, I too hope you have having an enjoyable time w/ family.
.....place mark.....
Awesome summary Godzilla! Anyone thinking the jihadis are finished tweaking our air travel industry into bankruptcy and our nation's citizens into total paranoia of flying is out of touch with reality IMHO. How many motels at airports have rooftops fairly easily accessible for just such a scenario? With almost constant construction work at our nation's airports, a covered missile wouldn't be that noticeable.
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