Threat Matrix: February 2007

Previous Thread ^

[nwctwx]

How al-Qaida Fared in 2006
-Full Story-

In 2006, agents of al-Qaida, as well as those inspired by its ideology, continued their attacks. Violence in Iraq intensified, and Afghanistan saw its bloodiest year since 2001.

Despite worsening chaos on those fronts, counterterrorist forces arrested and killed high-profile terrorists and kept the West free from attack. But these actions don't appear to have weakened the appeal of al-Qaida's agenda. "Home-grown" militants around the world joined its jihad, as regional fighting heightened perceptions of a global war on Islam.

Here's an assessment of some of the most significant gains and losses for al-Qaida last year: Read more..

	Azzam the American: The Making of an al Qaida Homegrown
	Islamic Cells of Revenge Joins the al Qaida Movement
	Most Dangerous Destinations 2007

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[Cindy]

NOTE: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=3108

Accident Wreckage Destroyed; Afghan, Coalition Forces Target Taliban

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2007 – In operations throughout Afghanistan in the past two days, coalition forces destroyed the wreckage from a helicopter crash, Afghan and coalition forces conducted an air strike against the Taliban, and a suicide bomber injured seven NATO troops.
Coalition forces completed crash site inspections and recovery and have destroyed the remnants of a helicopter that crashed Feb. 18 in northern Zabul province, near the border with neighboring Ghazni province in eastern Afghanistan, military officials said.

The U.S. Army Chinook helicopter was damaged beyond repair and could not be moved from the crash site, near Highway 1, the main road from Kabul to Kandahar, officials said. Coalition forces destroyed the wreckage late last night to clear the area of large debris and to prevent possible exploitation of the site by terrorist groups.

An investigation based on photographs and other findings collected during clean-up and recovery operations over the last 24 hours will be used to verify the cause of the crash, officials said.

In another operation, Taliban insurgents in western Uruzgan province today engaged Afghan and coalition forces clearing an improvised explosive device. The combined force engaged the insurgents with heavy-weapons fire, causing the Taliban to retreat into a cave. Coalition forces dropped one 2,000-pound bomb on the cave, sealing it off. Due to the precision of the air strike, no damage or injuries to civilians were reported during the operation, officials said.

In the city of Khowst, seven International Security Assistance Force soldiers were wounded today when a suicide bomber detonated his device during the opening ceremony of a new emergency section of the Khost City Hospital.

As the ceremony was about to begin, Afghan national police stopped the bomber, dressed as a medical professional, inside the compound. As he was being questioned, he took off running toward the ceremony.

As police forces chased the suspect, ISAF forces verbally instructed him to stop. When he did not, they engaged with small-arms fire, hitting him several times. An ISAF soldier wrestled him to the ground, restraining him long enough to allow the crowd of people to move safely away. He was able to break free from the bomber prior to the explosion. He sustained only minor injuries from the blast.

Two of the seven injured soldiers have been medically evacuated to Forward Operating Base Salerno, where they are listed in stable condition.

Elsewhere, Afghan National Army and coalition forces discovered a large munitions cache 20 kilometers south of Shindad, in Herat province, yesterday while conducting a combat patrol in the area.

The combined Afghan and coalition patrol discovered the cache, consisting of more than 50 various artillery munitions and fuses that had been set aside for future use. Additionally, several anti-personnel mines were discovered. Afghan and coalition forces destroyed these munitions on site through a controlled detonation.

(Compiled from Combined Joint Task Force 76 and International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iraq
http://www.memri.org/iraq.html
http://www.billroggio.com/cgi-bin/cms/mt-search.cgi?tag=Iraq&blog_id=1

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

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

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1788381/posts

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http://ia311511.us.archive.org/2/items/mashanjabory/mashaan.wmv

http://billroggio.com/archives/2007/02/alzawraa_vs_alqaeda.php

"Al-Zawraa vs al-Qaeda
Mishan al-Jabouri goes on al-Zawraa and attacks al-Qaeda"
(February 20, 2007)

[Cindy]

Note: The following post is a quote:

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

===
===

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1788389/posts


Iranian Arabs: Mahdi Army in Iran
IraqSlogger ^ | February 20 2007

Posted on 02/20/2007 10:49:45 PM PST by jmc1969

Sources in the “Ahwazian Revolution Information Center” have alleged the presence of Sadrist elements and cadres in the Ahwaz region of southwest Iran, which has a large ethnic Arab population.

In a statement, the center says its sources have observed some of the leadership of the Mahdi Army and its elements in the two border cities of Muhamra and Abadan, with the escort of Iranian guards, and under the auspices of the administrative area (qa’im maqama) of Abadan.

The Sadrists arrived in “not insignificant” numbers, the statement says, and their appearance was noticed on Sunday in these two cities on the border near Basra.

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

[Cindy]

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

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

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1788370/posts

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http://www.spacewar.com/images/north-korea-nuclear-reactor-yongbyon-afp-bg.jpg

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/South_Korean_Spy_Agency_Says_North_Korea_Has_Secret_Nuke_Program_999.html

"South Korean Spy Agency Says North Korea Has Secret Nuke Program"

PHOTO CAPTION: "North Korea needs to shut down and seal its Yongbyon plutonium-producing reactor (pictured) within 60 days, and admit UN nuclear inspectors. Only then will it receive 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent assistance in return.

by Staff Writers
Seoul (AFP) Feb 20, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "South Korea's intelligence chief was quoted as saying Tuesday that he believes North Korea has a secret uranium enrichment programme, in addition to its plutonium-based nuclear weapons project. "We believe (the programme) exists," Kim Man-Bok, the head of the National Intelligence Service, told a closed-door parliamentary committee, according to lawmakers who attended the meeting.
Kim was answering a question on whether the North is operating a highly-enriched uranium (HEU) programme, the lawmakers told Yonhap news agency on condition of anonymity.

US claims that the North has such a programme led to the collapse in 2002 of a previous deal to dismantle its nuclear facilities. A new agreement reached last week in Beijing did not directly address the HEU issue.

Under the February 13 deal reached during six-party talks the North, which conducted its first nuclear test last October, agreed to disable its nuclear facilities in exchange for badly-needed energy aid.

As a first step it will shut down and seal its Yongbyon plutonium-producing reactor within 60 days, admit UN nuclear inspectors and receive 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent assistance in return.

Action to permanently disable the nuclear facilities would be rewarded with up to 950,000 tons of heavy oil or other aid.

Critics say the deal does not immediately address either the North's existing nuclear weapons and plutonium stockpile, or its suspected uranium-based programme, which the communist state has never publicly admitted.

Estimates vary but most experts believe the North has produced enough plutonium to make six to eight nuclear bombs.

The White House said Sunday the Beijing agreement is just the first step "in a long series that includes the complete renunciation of nuclear weaponry and facilities within North Korea.""

[Cindy]

http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/1516/Calling_All_Bloggers_So_You_Want_To_Go_To_Iraq

"Calling All Bloggers: So You Want To Go To Iraq?
Here is What it Takes To Be Embedded With A US Military Unit"
By ANNA SHEN Posted 11 hr. 49 min. ago

[Cindy]

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005923.html


20 February 2007
"YOU *HAVE* TO HIT THEM"

SNIPPET: "Who do you have to hit?
Why the children, of course."

[Cindy]

http://internet-haganah.com/harchives/005915.html

15 February 2007
"Islamist terrorism, from clearguidance.com to islamicnetwork.com"

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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4558373.html

Feb. 16, 2007, 4:55PM

"Terrorist suspect's unexpected journey to Houston jail
Man known for outspokenness, not violence, lost wife amid alleged al-Qaida training"

By CINDY GEORGE and RACHEL GRAVES
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005922.html


20 February 2007

TAMEKIA: NOT EVEN A STATISTIC...

...because no one is counting the fallen women of the global jihad. To the jihadis the women don't hardly count for anything, and the rest of us are too busy worrying about the menfolk.

Some kids get into trouble, and learn to avoid that in the future. Others seem to have as their ambition graduating from one form of bad behavior to another until they finally make the news in relation to something heinous.

Daniel Maldonado graduated.

Tamekia Cunningham died, and died as a direct consequence of her relationship with Daniel.

She was his wife, mother of their three children. She apparently succumbed to malaria whilst in Somalia with Daniel. The children, who were also taken along for the ride are now with his parents in New Hampshire. It's entirely possible that Tamekia, AKA Umm Mohammed, went on jihad with Daniel quite willingly, but it's hard not to see a certain tragedy in this all the same.

Posted on 20 February 2007 @ 22:33

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22islamicnetwork.com%22&btnG=Google+Search

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005921.html

[Cindy]

Note: Read it all please. Thank you.

---

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005920.html


20 February 2007
"Some kind of weird PIJ/AQ convergence"

[Cindy]

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005919.html


20 February 2007
"Jihadis happy with US House of Representatives"

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hamas
http://www.jihadwatch.org/cgi-bin/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&search=hamas
http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=157

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http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005918.html


20 February 2007
"tanfithya.com: official website of the Hamas 'Executive Force'"

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1788287/posts

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/828457.html

Last update - 09:49 21/02/2007

"IDF worried Hamas may have advanced anti-tank missiles"
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "There are grave concerns among the defense establishment about the possibility that Hamas' military wing in the Gaza Strip is now in possession of Sagger anti-tank missiles.

Recently, Hamas and other Palestinian paramilitary groups have stepped up their efforts to acquire more advanced anti-tank weaponry. This stems, in part, from the relative success of Hezbollah guerrillas armed with anti-tank missiles against infantry and armored units of the Israel Defense Forces during last summer's second Lebanon war.

The IDF fears Hamas has succeeded in its efforts to smuggle Sagger-type missiles from Sinai to the Gaza Strip. It appears that the number of missiles is especially large. However, the mere fact that such a weapon may be in Hamas' hands will affect the way IDF vehicles operate in the Gaza Strip, if it is decided to embark on an extensive offensive operation."

[Cindy]

On The Net...

http://internet-haganah.org/hmedia/13feb07/13feb07-salafy_forums.html
http://www.sofir.org/sarchives/005736.php

---

http://www.internet-haganah.com/harchives/005917.html


20 February 2007

"From the "We love death more than you love life" department...
The brothers at the Ana al-Muslm forum are positively delighted to have made our latest "Top Ten" list."

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp271.htm

February 20, 2007
HP-271

Treasury Designates Hizballah’s Construction Arm

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Jihad al-Bina, a Lebanon-based construction company formed and operated by Hizballah. Jihad al-Bina receives direct funding from Iran, is run by Hizballah members, and is overseen by Hizballah's Shura Council, at the head of which sits Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

"Hizballah operates Jihad al-Bina for its own construction needs as well as to attract popular support through the provision of civilian construction services," said Stuart Levey, Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI). "We will take action against all facets of this deadly terror group."

Jihad al-Bina has used deceptive means to seek funding for projects from international development organizations. In cases when intended solicitation targets were thought to object to the group's relationship with Hizballah and the Iranian government, the organization employed deceptive practices, applying in the name of proxies not publicly linked to Hizballah. Following the summer 2006 conflict with Israel, Hizballah used Jihad al-Bina to raise funds for the terrorist organization and to bolster the group's standing by providing construction services in Southern Lebanon.

"At the same time that we are targeting Hizballah's construction company, the U.S. Government is also working to ensure that legitimate reconstruction efforts, led by the Lebanese Government, succeed," Levey continued.

In addition to the $230 million in humanitarian reconstruction and security assistance pledged by President Bush in August 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced an additional $770 million in aid to Lebanon at the January 25, 2007 Lebanon Donors' Conference in Paris, France. The aim of this assistance is to help all the Lebanese people rebuild their lives and country, while strengthening Lebanon's sovereign, democratic government and helping to ensure lasting peace.

Today's action prohibits transactions between U.S persons and the designated entities and also freezes any assets those entities may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

Identifying Information

Jihad al-Bina
AKAs: Jihad al-Binaa'
Jihadu-I-Binaa
Construction for the sake of the holy struggle
Construction Jihad
Struggle for Reconstruction
Jihad Construction Institution
Jihad Construction Foundation
Jihad al Binaa Association
Holy Construction Foundation
Jihad Construction
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Southern Lebanon

Background on Hizballah
Hizballah is a Lebanon-based terrorist group, which, until September 11, 2001, was responsible for more American deaths than any other terrorist organization. Hizballah is closely allied with Iran and often acts at its behest, but it also can and does act independently. Though Hizballah does not share the Syrian regime's secular orientation, the group has been a strong ally in helping Syria advance its political objectives in the region.

Iran and Syria provide significant support to Hizballah, giving money, weapons and training to the terrorist organization. In turn, Hizballah is closely allied with and has an allegiance to these states. Iran is Hizballah's main source of weapons and uses its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to train Hizballah operatives in Lebanon and Iran. Iran provides hundreds of millions of dollars per year to Hizballah.

The Majlis al-Shura, or Consultative Council, is the group's highest governing body and has been led by Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah since 1992. Hizballah is known or suspected to have been involved in numerous terrorist attacks throughout the world, including the suicide truck bombings of the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut in September 1984. Hizballah also perpetrated the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847 en route from Athens to Rome, and has been implicated in the attacks on the Israeli Embassy in Argentina in 1992 and a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires in 1994. The U.S. Government has indicted a member of Hizballah for his participation in the June 1996 truck bomb attack of the U.S. Air Force dormitory at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia. Most recently, in July 2006 Hizballah terrorists kidnapped two Israeli soldiers, triggering a violent conflict that resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties in Lebanon and Israel.

On January 25, 1995, the Annex to the Executive Order 12947 listed Hizballah as a Specially Designated Terrorist (SDT). The Department of State designated Hizballah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 1997. Additionally, on October 31, 2001, Hizballah was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224.

Please visit the following links for more information on the Treasury's efforts to stem the flow of support to Hizballah.

Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay (December 2006)
http://www.treasury.gov/press/releases/hp190.htm

Treasury Cuts Iran's Bank Saderat Off From U.S. Financial System (September 2006)
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp87.htm

Treasury Designation Targets Hizballah's Bank (September 2006)
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp83.htm

Treasury Designates Key Hizballah Fundraising Organization (August 2006)
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp73.htm


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

http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/actions/20070220.shtml

Office of Foreign Assets Control
Recent OFAC Actions

Full List | Previous | Next

To view or print the PDF content on this page, download the free Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®.

02/20/2007

The following entities have been added to OFAC's SDN list:

JIHAD AL-BINA (a.k.a. CONSTRUCTION FOR THE SAKE OF THE HOLY STRUGGLE; a.k.a. CONSTRUCTION JIHAD; a.k.a. HOLY CONSTRUCTION FOUNDATION; a.k.a. JIHAD AL BINAA; a.k.a. JIHAD CONSTRUCTION; a.k.a. JIHAD CONSTRUCTION FOUNDATION; a.k.a. JIHAD CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTION; a.k.a. JIHAD-AL-BINAA ASSOCIATION; a.k.a. JIHADU-I-BINAA; a.k.a. STRUGGLE FOR RECONSTRUCTION), Bekaa Valley, Lebanon; Southern Lebanon, Lebanon; Beirut, Lebanon [SDGT]

[Cindy]

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

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http://osint.internet-haganah.com/archives/000853.html

http://www.thelocal.se/6465/20070220/

"Iranian spy 'still on the loose'"

Published: 20th February 2007 10:12 CET


ARTICLE SNIPPET: "One Iranian refugee who was taken in by his countryman has spoken about his encounter with the spy, who passed himself off as a representative for UN refugee agency UNHCR.

"I grassed on my friends and myself without realising it," Alireza told Metro.

Having fallen out of favour with the authorities in his home town after an organised protest at a factory, Alireza says he came to Sweden illegally three years ago. Two of his friends were arrested and another disappeared.

Upon arrival in Sweden he applied for a residence permit. Twice his applications were turned down.

It was then he came into contact with the spy, who claimed to be a UNHCR doctor.

Alireza was asked to tell the story of why he fled Iran. If he handed over his asylum documents and 50,000 kronor the doctor would see to it that he received a residence permit.

"I have revealed opposition activity, which may have led to one of my friends disappearing. And the two others who were already arrested are completely exposed now," said Alireza.

Having spoken to other asylum seekers, Alireza discovered that the UNHCR man was a fraud. He did not hand over the 50,000 kronor. Instead he reported the man to the police."

[Cindy]

Thanks to Calpernia for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1788281/posts

"FDA Widens Peanut Butter Warning"
ConsumerAffairs.Com ^ | February 18, 2007 | Truman Lewis

Posted on 02/20/2007 5:37:21 PM PST by xcamel

[Cindy]

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

---

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/015351.php

February 20, 2007

"Mortar blasts rock Mogadishu"
(REUTERS):

[Cindy]

Thanks for the ping cgk.
I appreciate it.

[Cindy]

PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

===
===

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07020115.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com


Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Muslim Convert to Christianity Needs Your Support

OPEN DOORS USA
Jerry Dykstra, Media Relations Director
Phone: 616-915-4117
Email: JerryD@odusa.org
Website: www.OpenDoorsUsa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA ANA, CA (ANS) -- Open Doors USA has launched a fax campaign on behalf of jailed Egyptian Christian Bahaa el –Din Ahmed Hussien El-Akkad.

The Case
El-Akkad was arrested on April 6, 2005, by the Egyptian State Security Investigations and remains incarcerated. Although no official charges have been filed, El-Akkad has declared from his prison cell that he is under arrest for “insulting Islam” by becoming a Christian.

El-Akkad became a sheikh (Muslim religious leader) during the many years he was a member of Tablighi and Da’wah, a fundamentalist Islamic group. Although the group is active in teaching and spreading Islam to non-Muslims, it is strictly opposed to violence.

In a series of handwritten notes smuggled out of prison in recent months, El-Akkad declared that he had “chosen the Christian faith” after years of research on Islam. Within two months, word of El-Akkad’s conversion to Christianity had reached the State Security Intelligence, and secret police picked him up without warning from his private trade office.

El-Akkad remains incarcerated in the maximum security Wadi el-Natroun Prison, located in the desert and notorious for its harsh conditions. The prison facility houses its prisoners in small cells. According to his lawyer, El-Akkad “is locked in a place where he may die because his age, body and mind cannot tolerate this cruelty and stubbornness of the state security authorities.” His client is suffering from high blood pressure as well as skin diseases caused by extreme temperatures, unsanitary cell conditions and bites from insects and small reptiles.

El-Akkad was released on paper in August 2005 and in July 2006. He was rearrested at the same time, however.

The Egyptian law has been violated several times during El-Akkad’s time in prison. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Egyptian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The reported conversion of El-Akkad to Christianity, therefore, can never be legal grounds for his arrest.

The Campaign

Please join the Open Doors campaign by faxing the Egyptian embassy today, asking authorities to release El-Akkad and correct this injustice. A fax can be sent automatically from the Open Doors website. A sample letter is provided. You do not need to print and send the fax on your own machine. To send a fax, go to http://members.opendoorsusa.org/EgyptFax.

“The case of El-Akkad is particularly disturbing because his arrest has violated Egyptian law,” says Open Doors USA Advocacy Coordinator Lindsay Vessey. “Despite the court’s decision for him to be released, he remains in prison. We need concerned Christians to fax the Egyptian ambassador to let the Egyptian government know that we are aware of El-Akkad’s illegal arrest and detention and that we will follow his case until he has been released.”

An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400 million facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world's most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (888-524-2535) or go to our USA website at www.OpenDoorsUsa.org.

(For more information or to set up an interview, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117 or email jerryd@odusa.org).

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

===
===

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07020117.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com


Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Pakistan court acquits six Christian prisoners

By Sheraz Khurram Khan
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service in Pakistan

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Six Christian prisoners who are said to have been falsely implicated in a murder case some 10 years ago have been acquitted by Lahore High Court on Feb 16, 2007.

ANS learnt about the acquittal of the Christian prisoners through an email sent to it by Sharing Life Ministry’s Chief Coordinator, Sohail Johnson on Saturday, Feb 18.
Slamming the delay in justice reaching to the prisoners the SLMP in its news release said: "Poor prisoners awaited 10 years for justice."

Six Christian men named Akram, Sooba, Rakha, Samuel, Jan and Nazar are relatives to each other, it said.

It went on to say that the men were implicated in a murder case registered vide Police First Information Report (FIR) No. 608 on December 3, 1997 offence under section 302/395 PPC with police station Ferozewala District Sheikhupura.

The session judge concluded the case and awarded death sentence to Rakha son Bark while rests of the accused were handed down life imprisonment, it said.

Rakha was detained in District Jail Sheikhupura, Samuel and Akram were detained in Central Jail Lahore. It maintained that Nazar, Sooba and Jan were detained in Central Jail Faisalabad.

The Ministry in its news released claimed they have been extending financial assistance to the families of the six men implicated in the case.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Pakistan.
** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

[Cindy]

UPDATE:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3367591,00.html

"Suicide bomber arrested near Tel Aviv"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "(VIDEO) Would-be bomber ditches explosives in Rishon LeZion dumpster, unclear if bomb was faulty or if he changed his mind. Bomber arrested with several other Palestinians in Bat Yam apartment
Avi Cohen
Latest Update: 02.20.07, 20:39 / Israel News
VIDEO - A suicide bombing in central Israel was narrowly avoided on Tuesday say security forces after the Palestinian man and his accomplices were arrested and the explosives uncovered.

Police and security forces operated extensively to thwart the attack throughout Tuesday afternoon and evening following intelligence information of a terrorist who had already infiltrated into Israel and was planning to carry out a bombing in Israel's coastal plain.


Police forces searching for bomber (Video: Yaron Brener)

The Tel Aviv District Police declared a heightened state of alert and roadblocks were set up in and around the cities in the region. Detailed Shin-Bet intelligence information led forces to an apartment in the city of Bat Yam, located south of Tel Aviv, where the cell was hiding.

Forces raided the apartment, capturing the bomber and several accomplices. While the men were being questioned the building was evacuated and police sappers combed the apartment for explosives but none were found.

The would-be bomber told interrogators that he had arrived in Rishon LeZion in the early afternoon with the explosive device concealed in a backpack – which he says he intended to detonate inside Tel Aviv - but for reasons that still remain unclear he decided to dump the backpack into a garbage dumpster and head back to Bat Yam, where his accomplices were waiting in the apartment.

Investigators are now trying to determine whether he changed his mind about committing suicide at the last second or if the bomb was faulty."

[Cindy]

UPDATE:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/121629

"Undercover Forces Eliminate Mastermind of Foiled Terror Attack"
by Hana Levi Julian

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "(IsraelNN.com) Undercover security officers disguised as a Border Guard patrol unit on Wednesday killed the senior Islamic Jihad terrorist who masterminded a plot to blow up the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night.


Information from the would-be bomber led to the elimination of senior terrorist commander Mahmoud Abu Ubayed, who prepared the bomb that was to be used for the operation.

Abu Ubayed has been high on the wanted list for more than two years. According to IDF sources, he was involved in dozens of bombing attacks against army units and was known for producing high-quality explosives.

Undercover forces caught the Islamic Jihad commander as he was driving a white Subaru in the Palestinian Authority city of Jenin. They killed him during the attempted arrest after he pulled out a semi-automatic M-16 rifle and fired at the officers."