ABU DHABI — Iran may pose a greater security threat to the strategic Persian Gulf than does Al Qaida, warned the U.S. Fifth Fleet commander at a news conference in Bahrain.
"We consider this moment in time unprecedented in terms of the amount of insecurity and instability that is in the region," U.S. Fifth Fleet commander Vice Adm. Patrick Walsh said. "Although our presence in the Arabian Gulf is for defensive and not offensive purposes, the U.S. will take military action if ships are attacked or if countries in the region are targeted or U.S. troops come under direct attack," Walsh added.
At a news conference on Feb. 19 in Manama, Walsh said Iran could pose a greater threat to Gulf security than Al Qaida, Middle East Newsline reported. The naval commander said Iran's frequent military exercises were meant to provoke tension in the region and threaten the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, which contains about 40 percent of global oil shipping.
"When you look at the recent Iranian exercises, in the last nine months, you see the open display and the implication of the use of mines," Walsh said. "You also see and hear concerns and threats about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz." "What is different today to a year ago has been the number of exercises and the proximity of those exercises to the Strait of Hormuz," Walsh said.
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http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/07/front2454153.0444444446.html
Indonesia: Radical Muslim Group Slams Anti-Terrorism Initiative
Jakarta, 21 Feb. 2007 - The Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) a hardline group led by controversial Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir - alleged by some to be the spiritual leader of the terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) - has condemned an anti-terrorism initiative sponsored by several Islamic nations including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan. The plan, which tries to promote moderate Islam among the youth of those countries, is "part of an American project aimed at associating terrorism with Islam," MMI spokesperson Fauzan al-Anshori told Adnkronos International (AKI).
"What do they know about Jihad?" he added. "We should see the big picture (within which the initiative has been formulated). "This is part of a wider scenario that sees America scared of the rising power of Islam and implementing a carrot-and-stick strategy to fight Muslims." The MMI's objective is to promote the implementation in Indonesia.
The four nations involved in the initiative will promote a series of publications, organise conferences and share information aimed at promoting moderate Islam according to the director of Jarkarta's anti-terrorism bureau, Ansyaad Mbai. "The programme has been devised to improve the comprehension people have of true Islam," Mbai was quoted as saying by the Antara news agency. "At the moment, the terrorists are misinterpreting Islamic doctrine, for example, Jihad," he added.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.388705880&par=0
HOUSTON - A U.S. judge on Wednesday ordered a suspected American "jihadist," accused of training with al Qaeda and conspiring to make and use bombs in Somalia, jailed without bail.
U.S. Magistrate Calvin Botley ruled prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence to support the charges against Daniel Joseph Maldonado, also known as Daniel Aljughaifi.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070221/ts_nm/crime_somalia_texan_dc