Threat Matrix: April 2007

Thanks to a Special Freepmailer for pointing to this lockdown today:

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/NEWS/70418002

“Threat made against North Brunswick High School; school in lockdown”
Home News Tribune Online 04/18/07

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “NORTH BRUNSWICK: Township police have searched North Brunswick High School and found nothing dangerous after a man claiming to be a student at North Brunswick High School left a threatening message on principal’s voice mail this morning.

The caller said he was recently in an argument with a girl and threatened to do harm to students today at school.

Local authorities were at the high school this morning searching students with metal detectors as they entered the school. The school did not allow students to bring backpacks into the classroom, said Vincent DeLucia, a spokesman for the North Brunswick Board of Education.

The school was on lockdown after about 7:30 a.m. today. Parents are being notified and told they may pick up their children at 11 a.m. today. “

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32835

“Gates to Meet With Mubarak in Delayed Trip to Egypt”

By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

CAIRO, Egypt, April 18, 2007

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32846

“Egypt Vital to Peace in Middle East, Gates Says”

By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

CAIRO, Egypt, April 18, 2007

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32844

Coalition, Afghan Forces Counter Taliban Offensive

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – Coalition and Afghan National Army operations have blunted the Taliban spring offensive in eastern Afghanistan, Army Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel said at a Pentagon news conference today.
Votel, the deputy commanding general for operations for Combined Joint Task Force 82, spoke to reporters via a video hook-up.

Votel said coalition operations seem to have countered the long-anticipated Taliban spring offensive.

“We have been more offensive than I think they have in our posturing and in our ability to dominate areas on the battlefield,” Votel said. “As a result of that, I think we’ve seen a decrease in activities along the border. And our ability to be in more places, along with our Afghan national security force partners, has enabled us to address a broader area across Regional Command East.”

Coalition and Afghan leaders began preparing to counter the Taliban offensive over the winter. More NATO and U.S. troops are in the country, there is closer cooperation with Pakistani forces, and more Afghan forces moved to the border area to stop Taliban infiltration. This seems to have paid off, Votel said.

“So I would not necessarily characterize it as any kind of offensive,” he said. “We certainly haven’t seen it manifest itself to any great degree.”

There have been attacks, the general said, “but we have not seen what I would describe as a spring offensive by the Taliban.”

Regional Command East is part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. U.S., NATO and Afghan forces continue to hunt Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists. The command helps train Afghan soldiers, police and border patrol personnel. It also helps extend the influence and control of the central and provincial governments.

The command is in the midst of Operation Eagle Teamwork, which builds on the counterinsurgency strategy of clear, hold and build.

“In the clear phase, we are focusing on separating the insurgents from the population,” Votel said. “This requires the Afghan national security forces’ participation at all levels to kill or capture the enemy and disrupt his command and control capability. To this end, we are conducting military operations in the interior of the country and along the border area with Pakistan.”

In the hold phase, the command helps the Afghan government establish a permanent presence in the region. In the build phase, the command invests in developing and expanding government capabilities into these provincial and district areas, the general said.

“We are working very closely with the U.S. Agency for International Development and other national and international non-governmental organizations to ensure our military operations are quickly followed by reconstruction and development activities that extend the reach and influence of the district, provincial and national governments,” he said.

Regional Command East has spent more than $125 million of the Commanders Emergency Response Program funds to make a difference in the lives of Afghans in the region, Votel said.

“Our top development efforts are focused on provincial coordination centers, district coordination centers, the development and capacity building within the Afghan national security forces, roads, agriculture, border security, education and health care,” he said.

In the past three months, the command has funded 14 agricultural projects, more than 60 educational projects, about 20 electricity projects and more than 40 health care projects. “Water is a key aspect here in Afghanistan, and as a result, we’ve worked 25 irrigation projects, repairing dams, water systems, flood walls and canals,” Votel said.

Roads are key in the landlocked country. The command has nearly 65 transportation projects — roads, bridges, and retaining walls — under way, the general said.

U.S. soldiers have taken the news that they must serve 15-month tours in Afghanistan in stride, Votel said. “Nobody wants to stay any longer than they’re required to stay here in Afghanistan,” he said. “But that said, you know, we are relatively early on in our deployment here. It was not unexpected completely that we might be extended.

“I think in talking to most soldiers out there – and I do have a pretty good opportunity to get around and visit with them and talk to them – they are glad to be here participating in this mission,” he continued. “They believe in it. And I think they’re committed to stay and accomplish the mission. And we will trust that our leaders will be taking care of our families and get us back as soon as we can and when we’ve completed our portion of the mission.”

Cho sent photos and rambling letter to NBC.

Posted on 04/18/2007 1:29:40 PM PDT by harwood

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819538/posts?q=1&;page=1

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=iraq
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=alsadr
http://www.jihadwatch.org/cgi-bin/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&search=al-sadr
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=sadr
http://www.jihadwatch.org/cgi-bin/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&search=sadr

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http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20070409-122616-9954r.htm

“Al-Sadr leads anti-U.S. push”
By Sharon Behn
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
April 9, 2007

BAGHDAD

http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20070409-122616-9954r_page2.htm

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “One American observer said the crowds appeared disciplined, contradicting the ragtag reputation that the Mahdi’s Army has earned over the past four years.

Iraqis close to the militia say its members have been to Iran for training, acquiring better weapons and better techniques.

Sheik al-Sadr reportedly has told his followers to wear civilian clothing rather than their signature black clothes, and to carry the Iraqi flag rather than the Shi’ite black banner. By Saturday, along one street in northeast Mansour known to be a Mahdi’s Army stronghold, Iraqi flags were waving from every other lamppost.

“[Al-Sadr] is changing his strategy now. He is trying to turn the Mahdi militia into a true people’s militia,” said Hassan, a secular Shi’ite who lives in a mixed neighborhood. He said until now the only power the Mahdi’s Army has had is the power to kill and intimidate.”

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32853

Fallon: Radical Islamic Leader’s Aims Remain a Puzzle

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – The intentions of radical Islamic cleric Muqtada al-Sadr largely remain cloudy amid the shifting sands of power politics in the new Iraq, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified at a Congressional hearing today.

“This is a guy that’s pretty difficult to understand for us,” Navy Adm. William J. Fallon told House Armed Services Committee members. “He holds, clearly, a large amount of influence within segments of the Iraqi population, but of late he has been absent.”

Sadr is a Baghdad-based Shiite religious leader who commands the Mahdi Army militia, which has fought U.S. and Iraqi troops on many occasions.

The fiery cleric advocates an immediate withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq. But, he has mostly disappeared from public view since the mid-February start of the surge of U.S. and Iraqi forces into Baghdad and parts of western Iraq, Fallon noted.

“By all accounts he appears to be in Iran,” Fallon commented on reports of Sadr’s whereabouts. Yet, the cleric’s “particularly nasty” militia members, he said, remain a nuisance to U.S. and coalition troops in the Baghdad area.

News reports attribute the recent resignation of six Sadr loyalists in the Iraqi Cabinet as a stunt arranged by the cleric to protest the lack of a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday during a visit to Amman, Jordan, that the cabinet resignations may prove to be advantageous to the Iraqi government. The secretary acknowledged that Sadr’s motives are unclear at this point and remain, for now, “a mystery.”

Fallon said not one of Sadr’s many public proclamations issued since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime have been helpful to the coalition or the new Iraqi government.

Yet, Sadr’s militia hasn’t tried to stop the movement of U.S. and Iraqi security forces into Baghdad as the surge continues, the admiral noted.

However, the cleric’s followers “are attacking our forces sporadically,” Fallon said. There is currently no indication of a Mahdi Army-staged mass uprising against U.S. troops, he added.

Fallon told the House committee that most Iraqi citizens are weary of sectarian strife and bloodshed and are likely not interested in Sadr’s overtures for continued violence. It’s therefore important, he said, that Iraqi leaders publicly denounce the extremists at every opportunity.

The admiral took over as CENTCOM’s commander March 16. Since then, he told the committee, he’s traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries that come under his command’s purview.

After discussions with key U.S. and Iraqi military and civilian leaders and sifting through reams of data, Fallon said he sees significant signs of a reduction in the number of murders and other kinds of sectarian violence in Iraq.

Thank you freeperfromnj for this update.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819538/posts?q=1&;page=1

Thanks to Just Piper for more her post and links regarding the Virginia Tech shooter:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1818131/posts?page=4941#4941

Thanks to a Special Freepmailer for pointing to this blog which also contains blog posts regarding the shooter:

http://unrestintheforest.blogspot.com/

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

In California:

http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwestarea/stories/PE_News_Local_D_web_threat.15ea8ad.html

“Threatening graffiti found at school”
11:30 AM PDT on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

By TAMMY McCOY
The Press-Enterprise

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “MURRIETA - Graffiti threatening that “Everyone at VMHS will die on 4/20” and that “the bombs are already planted” was found this morning at Vista Murrieta High School.

The message comes a day after police say they found gang-related graffiti at the school and days after Monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech.

Campus security is being beefed up to include security guards posted at the school 24 hours a day throughout this week, according to a news release from the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

April 20 is Hitler’s birthday and the eighth anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “On Tuesday, at least two men spray-painted exterior campus walls, windows and poles, the police news release stated. The graffiti appears to be linked to a gang from the San Marcos area, according to police.”

http://www.persecution.org

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=turkey
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819556/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819447/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819418/posts
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/04/bible-distributor-attacked-in-turkey-3.html
(Note: Photos included in the above link.)
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/007333.htm
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016106.php

#

April 18, 2007

Note: Photo included:

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=108716

“Three killed in attack on Bible publisher”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Attackers on Wednesday slit the throats of three people, including a German citizen, and caused one other to jump off a building which houses a Turkish publishing house which printed bibles, security officials said.

The injured person, who is fighting for survival in a Malatya hospital, apparently jumped off the building to escape the attackers.

Security officials said four people had been detained in connection with the attack in the southeastern city of Malatya. Televised images showed police wrestling one man to the ground and leading several young men out of the building, apparently in handcuffs”

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32860

Iraqi, Coalition Forces Kill, Detain Terrorists

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – Iraqi and coalition forces killed seven terrorists, detained 79 suspected terrorists, and found numerous weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

Five terrorists were killed, four suspected terrorists were wounded, and 26 more were detained this morning during an operation near Karmah, a rural area northeast of Fallujah.

Coalition forces raided a group of buildings known to be used by terrorists and found explosive materials in one of the buildings. A helicopter used precision-guided munitions to strike the contents of the building. Secondary explosions at the site confirmed the material inside was explosive.

During the operation, coalition forces were engaged by a group of armed men and returned fire in self-defense, killing five and wounding four. The wounded were taken to military medical facilities for treatment.

Twenty-six additional suspected terrorists were detained during the operation. Women and children were present, but no civilians were injured in the operation.

In another operation, one terrorist was killed and eight suspected terrorists linked to al Qaeda foreign fighters and improvised explosive device networks were detained today in two separate coalition force raids.

One armed terrorist was killed and coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists west of Taji. The suspected terrorists are believed to be tied to al Qaeda in Iraq and a car bomb network known to use chlorine in its attacks. They are also allegedly involved in facilitating foreign terrorist movements.

“This capture disrupts a threat to the people of Iraq as well as coalition forces,” Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said. “Terrorists continue to disregard the safety of all Iraqis, and we will persist in dismantling their networks that undermine the security of the Iraqi people.”

In Mosul, three suspected terrorists with ties to the al Qaeda in Iraq network were detained.

Elsewhere, Iraqi special operations forces conducted several early morning raids in eastern Baghdad yesterday, detaining a target believed to be responsible for the kidnapping and murder of an interpreter working for coalition forces. In another raid, they detained four individuals suspected of being involved in death squad activities along with attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces.

With coalition advisors present for support, Iraqi special forces raided a residence in the al Kamalaya neighborhood in eastern Baghdad and captured the targeted individual.

The primary target of this operation is believed to be personally responsible for the kidnapping and murder of a female Iraqi interpreter who worked with coalition forces and is believed to be linked with extremist elements of the Jaysh al-Madhi, officials said. One automatic weapon was confiscated.

In the second raid in Sadr City, Iraqi special forces also detained four individuals believed to be involved in death squad activities as well as attacks on coalition and Iraqi security forces. They also seized one automatic weapon.

In other developments, coalition and Iraqi forces detained 33 suspected terrorists and discovered six weapons caches and five IEDs during a combat operation in the Shaka area, just south of Baghdad, April 16.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, participated in the operation, dubbed Operation Eagle Lightning, as part of an effort to disrupt insurgents within the Shaka area and to deny enemy forces safe haven within that area.

The six caches consisted of a 14.5 mm anti-aircraft gun, 250 14.5 mm rounds, a sniper rifle, five empty artillery canisters, an artillery round, a canister with homemade explosives, five IEDs, eight rocket propelled grenade launchers, 200 loose rifle rounds, an RPG launcher, three ski masks, three magazine racks, two AK-47s, two flak vests, 12 AK-47 magazines, a grenade, a large caliber weapon with ammunition and an insurgent propaganda videotape.

During the operation, a total of 33 suspected terrorists were detained. The contents of the cache were destroyed during a controlled detonation conducted by the explosive ordnance team. The detainees were held for further questioning.

Iraqi security and coalition forces continued operations in Buhriz, Iraq, April 16, clearing the Baqubah neighborhood of terrorist cells responsible for murders, kidnappings and emplacing IEDs.

Soldiers from the Iraqi Police Emergency Reaction Force Two, 2nd Battalion, 5th Iraqi Army Division, and the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted an early-morning air assault into Buhriz, resulting in five caches being seized, seven detainees captured and one terrorist killed.

The caches included items such as hand grenades, small-arms munitions, artillery rounds and IED-making material.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Something to keep eyes on - part of the 'manifesto' of the VT killer contained the following (summarized by NBC).

There was also an 1,800-word diatribe laced with profanities, NBC said. Cho said he was "forced into a corner," and railed against Christians and hedonists.

This sounds very much like a standard islamofacist tirade and attitude. Wonder what the real macoy has to say?

I understand.

I hope when the manifesto is posted; that someone will post it here on TM so we can look at it.

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32861

Multiple Car Bombs in Baghdad Kill 131 Iraqi Civilians

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – Four separate car bombs detonated today in the Iraqi capital, killing 131 Iraqi civilians and wounding about 164, military officials reported.
Iraqi security forces responded quickly to the first car bomb attack that occurred in the electronics district of the Karadah Peninsula at about 12:50 p.m. A patrol from 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, arrived on the scene with Iraqi emergency services and reported five people had been killed and nine wounded. The casualties were sent to a local hospital for medical care.

A second car bomb detonated near the Sadr City District Joint Security Station at 3 p.m., on a bridge just south of their location. Iraqi security forces and emergency services quickly responded to the site, reporting 10 locals killed, 15 wounded and 11 vehicles damaged.

At about 4:15 p.m., a third car bomb detonated in a parking lot near the al-Sadriyah market area in central Baghdad, killing 115 local Iraqis and wounding about 137 more. The blast damaged 40 vehicles.

Iraqi police and Iraqi army troops have secured the area and are working with Iraqi emergency services to transport all casualties to nearby hospitals. The vehicle bomb targeting the al-Sadriyah market area did not penetrate the emplaced barriers surrounding the restaurant-laden market area.

A fourth attack, a suicide car bomb, detonated as it targeted the Kaizaran Iraqi national police checkpoint in Baghdad’s West Rashid district at about 7 p.m., killing the suicide bomber and one Iraqi national policeman, while wounding another Iraqi policeman and two Iraqi civilians.

Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st National Police Division, responded with Iraqi firefighters to extinguish burning vehicles and provide aid to those injured in the attack.

These incidents are under investigation.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

looked at the posted photos released by msnbc. postage lable has A. Ismail on it, a continuation of that item. Secondly, some of the pictures show a reddish circular area on his forehead - Dr. A Zarihiri has one - sign of devotion (carpet burn).
Reports also say that this was done in response to what was done to his ‘brothers and sisters’, which could be an oblique reference to palistinians or iraqis (in general). Also reportedly shaved his hair off. Isn’t something similar a jihadic ritual?

Tentative - Speculative OPINION: Yes.

That said, this guy seems to be all over the place.

I really would like to read an unedited copy of his “manifesto” aka “long rambling note” before coming to any conclusion.

A line from that old movie...”Here’s looking at you, kid.”

#

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://off-topic.internet-haganah.com/archives/001015.html

April 14, 2007

U.S., Israeli Firms to Tap Need for Small Satellites

Jim Wolf (Reuters)

Northrop Grumman Corp. said on Wednesday it had teamed with Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. to pitch small surveillance satellites to the U.S. government.
The satellites weigh less than 800 pounds and cost $175-200 million, including launch costs.

Designed for 24-hour surveillance in all weather conditions from a low earth orbit, they could deliver critical new capabilities to U.S. military and intelligence customers.

Posted on 14 April 2007 @ 21:50 GMT

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http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1819707/posts

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?blobcol=urlimage&blobheader=image%2Fjpeg&blobheadername1=Cache-Control&blobheadervalue1=max-age%3D300&blobkey=id&blobtable=JPImage&blobwhere=1171894568270&cachecontrol=never&ssbinary=true

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1176152828140

Apr. 18, 2007 21:33 | Updated Apr. 18, 2007 23:40
“Former Mossad chief: Kill Ahmadinejad”
By JPOST STAFF AND AP

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Meanwhile, Iran has started enriching small amounts of uranium gas at its underground plant and is already running more than 1,300 of the machines used in the enrichment process, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency document obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

The confidential document - a letter to Iranian officials from a senior IAEA staff member - also protests an Iranian decision to prevent agency inspectors to visit the country’s heavy water facility that, when built, will produce plutonium. Enriched uranium and plutonium can both be used for the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

The letter, signed by IAEA Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen and dated April 18 - Thursday - said the agency wanted to “take note of the information provided by Iran ... that Iran has put into operation” 1,312 centrifuges - the machines used to spin the gas into enriched uranium.

The letter also cited Iranian information to the agency that “some UF6 is being fed” into the centrifuges, referring to the uranium gas that can be enriched to levels potent enough to be used for nuclear arms.”

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

#

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007/04/brazilian_counterterrorism_eff.php

“Brazilian Counterterrorism Efforts”
By Matthew Levitt
(April 18, 2007)

ADDING to post no. 941

http://www.officer.com/article/index.jsp?siteSection=25

http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=25&id=35756

“Threats Rattle Schools in 10 States After Shootings”

Updated: April 18th, 2007 10:12 AM PDT
The Associated Press

TO VIEW THIS CLIP: http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=1425

~

http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=1425

4/16/2007 Clip No. 1425

“Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah, Sheik Naim Qassem: We Received Jurisprudent Permission to Carry Out “Martyrdom” Operations and to Fire Misilles at Israeli Civilians from Iran”

SNIPPET: “Following are excerpts from an interview with Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Al-Kawthar TV on April 16, 2007.”

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/016110.php

April 18, 2007

Hizballah official: Ayatollah Khomeini, Islamic religious law give us permission to kill Israeli civilians

“Even with regard to the firing of missiles on Israeli citizens, when they were bombing citizens on our side... This was done in order to put pressure on them. Even that required general permission based on Islamic law.”

Where are the reformers challenging the Islamic legal provisions upon which such rulings were based?

“Hizbullah Deputy Sec-Gen Sheikh Naim Qassem: We Have Jurisprudent Permission to Carry Out ‘Martyrdom’ Operations, Fire Missiles on Israeli Civilians From Ayatollah Khomeini,” from MEMRI:

The following are excerpts from an interview with Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, which aired on Al-Kawthar TV on April 16, 2007.
TO VIEW THIS CLIP: http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=1425 .

“Martyrdom is Valuable, Sacred, Respectable, and Great – Not Something That Can Be Used as an Accusation; It is an Honor For Us to Be Accused of Believing in the Culture of Martyrdom”

Naim Qassem: “As for the issue of the culture of death, the culture of martyrdom, the culture of life – with all its different names... It is no secret that the materialistic West, and the atheists in general, and all those who see that the power of Islam is on the rise, and that it is gaining influence – and especially with regard to the philosophy of martyrdom-seeking... They all take a negative position and exert pressure, in order to make the believers abandon the culture of martyrdom.

[...]

“So they challenge us, or provoke us, by saying that we have a culture of death. They call martyrdom ‘death,’ in order to make us renounce martyrdom. If we renounce martyrdom, we will only have the strength of our weapons and our numbers, and then they will be able to overcome us. The enemies will be able to overcome us.”

[...]

“Do we really believe in a culture of death? Absolutely not. We believe in the culture of martyrdom. Martyrdom is valuable, sacred, respectable, and great, not something that can be used as an accusation. It is an honor for us to be accused of believing in the culture of martyrdom.

“What is martyrdom? It is death for the sake of Allah, and in defense of what is just. Can martyrdom change the fact that a person dies when his time has come? ‘When their time comes, they shall not remain another hour, nor go before it.’ We say that, one way or the other, a person dies at a specific time. Brother, instead of dying – when your time is up – in your bed, die – when your time is up – on the battlefront, through martyrdom.”

Interviewer: “It’s the same moment anyway. You will live the same number of years.”

“With Regard to Martyrdom Operations – A Person Cannot Kill Himself Unless He Has Jurisprudent Permission”

Naim Qassem: “You benefit from this, and, at the same time, you end your life in a glorious manner, which is accepted by Allah.

[...]

“Hizbullah, when it comes to matters of jurisprudence pertaining to its general direction, as well as to its jihad direction, based itself on the decisions of the Jurisprudent. It is the Jurisprudent who permits, and it is the Jurisprudent who forbids. When the resistance of Hizbullah was launched in 1982, it was based on the jurisprudent position and decision of Imam Khomeini, who deemed fighting Israel to be an obligation, and therefore we adhered to this opinion. How Israel should be fought, what equipment you should prepare, when you should or shouldn’t attack – these questions are guided by principles in Islamic religious law, and you can act in this direction, according to your abilities. Therefore, we covered our jihad position with regard to fighting Israel with the decision of the Jurisprudent. “With regard to all the other details – whenever we need jurisprudent clarifications regarding what is permitted and what is forbidden on the jihad front, we ask, receive general answers, and implement then. Even with regard to martyrdom operations – a person cannot kill himself unless he has jurisprudent permission.

[...]

“Even with regard to the firing of missiles on Israeli citizens, when they were bombing citizens on our side... This was done in order to put pressure on them. Even that required general permission based on Islamic law. As for Hizbullah, it receives general permission from the Jurisprudent, and if we have questions regarding the religious law, there are channels through which we can learn what is permitted and what is forbidden, what is our obligation, and what is the extent of our freedom of choice.”

Posted by Robert at April 18, 2007 11:33 AM

Not only is April 20 the 8th anniversary of Columbine ... but ...

April 19 (tomorrow) is the anniversaries of ...

1993 - The 51-day siege of the Branch Davidian building outside Waco, Texas, USA, ends when a fire breaks out. Eighty-one people die.

1995 - Oklahoma City bombing: The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, is bombed, killing 168.