Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - August 2006

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1693629/posts


"Iran intent on nuclear weapons, says US"
Irish Examiner ^ | 01SEP06 | George Jahn

Posted on 09/01/2006 12:58:17 AM PDT by familyop

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...


http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=75
http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=165


http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=152
http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=166
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://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=jihad&ID=SP127606

Special Dispatch Series - No. 1276
September 1, 2006 No.1276

"Egyptian Weekly on Hizbullah's Armed Children's Militias"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In its August 18, 2006 edition, the Egyptian weekly Roz Al-Yusuf featured an investigative article by Mirfat Al-Hakim titled "Hizbullah's Children's Militias." The article reveals that Hizbullah has recruited over 2,000 children aged 10-15 to serve in armed militias, and that the Hizbullah-affiliated Mahdi Scouts youth organization is training them to become martyrs. [1]

The following are excerpts from the article:

Hizbullah Recruits Children Barely 10 Years Old

According to Roz Al-Yusuf, "Hizbullah has recruited over 2,000 innocent children aged 10-15 to form armed militias. Before the recent war with Israel, these children appeared only in the annual Jerusalem Day celebrations, and were referred to as the 'December 14 Units,' but today they are called istishhadiyun ['martyrs']..."

"Hizbullah has customarily recruited youths and children and trained them to fight from a very early age. These are children barely 10 years old, who wear camouflage uniforms, cover their faces with black [camouflage] paint, swear to wage jihad, and join the Mahdi Scouts [youth organization]...

"The children are selected by Hizbullah recruitment [officers] based on one criterion only: They must be willing to become martyrs."

The Children Train to Become Martyrs"

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:
---

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=650

Coalition Forces in Iraq Free Kidnap Victim

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2006 – Bastogne soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, freed a kidnap victim and captured three of the terrorists who had taken him hostage just outside Kirkuk, Iraq, yesterday, military officials reported.
An aerial reconnaissance team flying missions near Kirkuk spotted four men wearing black robes and wielding AK-47 rifles. The men stopped their sedan several times along one of the area’s main roads and set up illegal checkpoints at each stop.

As coalition ground forces moved into the area, the group made their last stop, holding 10 passengers in a van at gunpoint before pulling one of the men out of the vehicle. The four then forced the man into the trunk of their car and sped away.

As Bastogne soldiers on the ground were moving in on the vehicle, the sedan stopped, allowing one of the terrorists to get out of the vehicle. The remaining group continued to a nearby building where they jumped out of their car and ran into the building, taking their victim with them.

A team of Bastogne soldiers deployed by helicopter to the area and quickly moved into the building, capturing the three assailants and freeing the hostage. A careful search of the building revealed three AK-47 rifles and several magazines, as well as a barrel filled with ammunition.

The freed hostage is the third Iraqi citizen rescued from the hands of kidnappers by Task Force Band of Brothers soldiers this month, officials said.

(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iran
http://www.memri.org/iran.html
http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=148

===
===

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=24199

"Symposium: Ahmadinejad’s Armageddon"
By Jamie Glazov
FrontPageMagazine.com | September 1, 2006

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=SPAIN

http://www.casadellibro.com/fichas/fichabiblio/0,1094,2900001086733,00.html?codigo=2900001086733

===
===

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=24141

"A Fatwa in Spain"
By Aaron Hanscom
FrontPageMagazine.com | September 1, 2006

ARTICLE/INTERVIEW SNIPPET: "Police protection and armored cars have been regular features in Gustavo de Arístegui’s life for the past decade. This is because the author and Foreign Affairs Spokesman for Spain’s conservative Partido Popular has devoted a large part of his 25 year career denouncing radical Islam. After the publication of Arístegui’s latest book The Jihad in Spain: The obsession to reconquer Al-Ándalus, Yusuf Fernandez, the spokesman for the Spanish Federation of Islamic Religious Entities, branded him an “enemy of Islam.” Then last week came the discovery of death threats against the Spanish politician on encrypted Jihadist websites based in Saudi Arabia. I spoke with Mr. Arístegui by phone on Monday about the threats facing his country and himself.
Q: Why are radical Islamists obsessed with reconquering Spain and why should this obsession be a concern for all Westerners?

A: It’s very much about the objectives and goals that they have and that to a large extent the West has not understood. They want to: A) Overthrow governments that they consider anti-Islamic, corrupt, and above all apostate. Therefore, in considering governments and regimes apostate they are entitled, even obliged, to overthrow them and destroy their leaders. B) Reconquer any kind of country or territory that has at any time in its history been under the domain of Islam. C) Reestablish the caliphate. D) Extend their domain and power over the whole world.

So, yes, the symbolism of Spain is extremely important to them. Spain was under the domain of Islam for 800 years. It’s not just Andalucía as some people say. It is almost all of Spain. And if we are to consider the whole of Europe, then it would be 4/5 of the Iberian Peninsula, some parts of the South of France, half of Italy, all the Balkans, and definitely all the islands of the Mediterranean. We are facing a very serious threat."

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1693642/posts?page=3#3
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1693642/posts?page=4#4

===
===

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1693642/posts


Syria President: To Implement Hezbollah Arms Embargo - Annan
Associated Press (excerpt) ^ | September 1, 2006

Posted on 09/01/2006 2:41:00 AM PDT by HAL9000

Excerpt -


DAMASCUS (AP)--U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday Syria has promised to "take all necessary measures" to implement an arms embargo on Hezbollah.
Syria will increase its patrols along the Lebanon-Syria border, and establish joint patrols with the Lebanese army "when possible," Annan said after meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus.

~ snip ~


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

[Cindy]

PROPAGANDA On The Net...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22azzam+the+American%22&search=Search

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwtFtPCTx9g

---

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22zawahiri%22&search=Search

[Velveeta]

There's the "2005 Terrorism Risk Map" located at this Aon link:
http://www.aon.com/about/publications/pdf/issues/2005-TerrorismRiskMap.pdf

You do have to register - but there's some interesting data on the map.

For example between Feb 2004 and Feb 2005 - it states 27 bombings in the U.S.

[Velveeta]

Incendiary device found at Metra station (Illinois)

An incendiary device was discovered this morning at a commuter train station in west suburban Hinsdale, according to a Metra spokeswoman.

The device was found either in or out of the Stough Street and Hinsdale Avenue Station, 21 E. Hinsdale Ave., possibly in a trash receptacle, shortly after 7 a.m.

Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile did not know how the device was spotted or if it exploded, but no injuries were reported.

She said train service along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line, where the station is located, was not affected. Representatives from the Hinsdale police and fire departments could not provide further details.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060901hinsdale-metra,1,2644744.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[Velveeta]

Man gets 28 years to life in slavery case (CO)

CENTENNIAL (AP) - A man convicted of sexually assaulting an Indonesian housekeeper and keeping her as a virtual slave was sentenced Thursday to 28 years to life in prison.

Homaidan Al-Turki, 37, denied the charges and blamed anti-Muslim prejudice for the case against him. He said prosecutors persuaded the housekeeper to accuse him after they failed to build a case that he was a terrorist. (snip)
http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=657690f9-0abe-421a-01b4-a9a4ccd77b30&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

Auf wiedersehen, Turki.

[Velveeta]

Update:

Pipe Bomb Detonated In Metra Station Garbage Can
Suspect Detained By Police (Illinois)

A pipe bomb exploded in the Hinsdale train depot, and a suspect was Metra police custody at Union Station in Chicago, according to Hinsdale police. Police do not suspect terrorism.(snip)
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_244112456.html

Just planting pipe bombs at 2 train stations - nothing to see here - no terrorism - move along, please.


http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&q=bomb+squad&btnG=Search+News

[Velveeta]

Security Beefed Up For Annual Mackinac Bridge Walk (MI)


The annual labor day walk across the Mackinac Bridge will see extra security this year. The captain at Port Sault Sainte Marie has established a security zone stretching one quarter mile on each side of the bridge for the annual labor day Mackinac Bridge walk. The security zone will be enforced on Monday from 6am until 3 pm. All vessels planning go under the Mackinac Bridge will be restricted to 12 miles an hour or less. All recreational vessels must contact the Coast Guard station for an escort through the area.
http://www.tv7-4.com/Global/story.asp?S=5354141&nav=1vrj

[Velveeta]

Stepping back in time:


Officials: Mackinac Bridge not in danger



Wednesday, August 16, 2006 11:01 AM EDT

LANSING - The recent news of the detainment of three out of state individuals about a potential attack on the Mackinac Bridge should not alarm travelers as the FBI determined there was no imminent threat to the bridge, according to Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, and Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer, R-Bellaire.

http://www.nilesstar.com/articles/2006/08/16/news/ndnews4.txt

[FairOpinion]

Not to get paranoid or anything, but...

CA: Infections close San Jose fountain (diarrhea induced by cryptosporidiosis)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1693904/posts


At least seven children suffered diarrhea after playing in a popular downtown fountain, and city health officials worry the water may have infected many more.

The fountain at Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park has not flowed since late last week, when tests confirmed the presence of the microscopic parasite that causes cryptosporidiosis, a diarrhea-inducing virus.

The health department continued investigating Thursday whether 13 more cases of cryptosporidiosis and 15 cases of salmonella in children since mid-July were linked to the tainted fountain.

=====

This most likely is "an accident", but it shows another area of vulnerability. Nobody is policing people going near the fountains in our cities, are they.

[nwctwx]

The new TM will be up this evening (probably between 8 and 11pm eastern time). I was hoping to get it up earlier, but I've been busy!

[JustPiper]

War on Terror

Muslims keep watch for terror threats

http://www.suntimes.com/output/terror/cst-nws-mus01.html#

Islamic convention focuses on balance

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-islamic01.html

[Cindy]

A bit Off Topic.

Thanks to Grampa Dave for the ping to this thread.

---


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1693595/posts


"End of an Affair [Plame]"
Washington Post ^ | September 1, 2006

Posted on 08/31/2006 10:08:00 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Edited on 09/01/2006 5:56:51 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]


WASHINGTON POST - ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Nevertheless, it now appears that the person most responsible for the end of Ms. Plame's CIA career is Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson chose to go public with an explosive charge, claiming -- falsely, as it turned out -- that he had debunked reports of Iraqi uranium-shopping in Niger and that his report had circulated to senior administration officials. He ought to have expected that both those officials and journalists such as Mr. Novak would ask why a retired ambassador would have been sent on such a mission and that the answer would point to his wife. He diverted responsibility from himself and his false charges by claiming that President Bush's closest aides had engaged in an illegal conspiracy. It's unfortunate that so many people took him seriously."

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=GLOBALJIHAD
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=jihad

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=philippines

---

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2006/09/012948print.html

September 01, 2006

Peace efforts stall between Philippines gov't, Muslim rebels over demands for more land

Once again, land concessions to jihadists prove fruitless: Anything short of everything is simply not enough.
From Reuters: "Manila says no new deadline for Muslim peace deal"


MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine government declined on Tuesday to give a new deadline for a peace agreement with Muslim rebels as differences over territory junked hopes for a deal next month. The mainly Catholic country has been trying for 30 years to end an insurgency that has killed more than 120,000 people but negotiations with the largest Muslim rebel group have stalled over the size of their proposed homeland in the south.

"Everybody is on guard as far as territory is concerned, not only the Muslims but also the indigenous peoples and the Christian population," Professor Rudy Rodil, a member of the government's negotiating panel, told a foreign press briefing.

"Before May, we were optimistic. At the rate we were going, we thought that maybe September would be a good date," said Rodil. "We realised that we were probably a bit too optimistic."

The government has offered to add 613 villages to an existing five-province Muslim autonomous region but the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Philippines' largest Islamic rebel group, wants to include more than 1,000.
The Muslim minority in the southern Philippines is largely located on the western side of the island of Mindanao, where there are also large Christian cities. About 20 percent of the region's 18 million people are believed to be Muslim.

Many of the villages earmarked for membership of a Muslim homeland lie far from the existing five-province autonomous region and Rodil said the question of how to govern them had yet to be addressed.

The two sides, in talks since 1997, have also side-stepped the question of how to share ownership of Mindanao's mineral wealth, some of which is claimed by indigenous tribes as well as Muslims and the central government.
A peace agreement with another Muslim rebel group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), sealed 10 years ago this week, has failed to bring peace or jobs to the local population.

Jesus Dureza, the president's peace adviser, said talks with the MILF, brokered by Malaysia since 2001, would begin shortly without any public deadline.

"I do not think we should raise expectations in the public's mind," said Dureza, declining to give further details.

[...]
On Monday, a MILF insurgent along with two suspected members of Abu Sayyaf, a smaller Muslim rebel group which the government has vowed to destroy, were arrested allegedly trying to board a Manila-bound ferry with homemade bombs.

Posted at September 1, 2006 01:51 AM

[JustPiper]

I would think it is more the scenario of someone disgruntled or prankster for if they wanted to hit only one metra station, this would be small time

I also heard on the scanner a few days ago an EMS One at O'Hare runway 9 but it was struck out, makes you wonder how many there are?

[JustPiper]

Interceptor downs missile in test over Pacific...[PDF]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military shot down a target ballistic missile over the Pacific on Friday in the widest test of its emerging antimissile shield in 18 months, the Defense Department announced.

The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said it had successfully completed an important exercise involving the launch of an improved ground-based interceptor missile designed to protect the United States against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack.

Interceptor downs missile in test over Pacific