Threat Matrix: August 2007

Previous Thread ^

[Cindy]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/NATION/108210054/1002

Page 1 of 2 next >>

“Blasting coalitions new al Qaeda goal”
By Sara A. Carter
August 21, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “”This is an act of ethnic cleansing, if you will — almost genocide,” said Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq.

Four massive truck bombs took the lives of nearly 500 Yazidi Kurdish villagers in an act that some officials think is part of al Qaeda’s attempt to cleanse the region of non-Muslim groups.

The bombing “may not have only been an act of opportunity but a calculated maneuver by al Qaeda insurgents intent on destroying coalition efforts to stabilize the nation; made up mainly of Shi’ite, Sunni and Kurdish people,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a spokesman for U.S. forces in Iraq.”

[Cindy]

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13454&Itemid=21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070821-05
August 21, 2007

Citizen sacrifices life to thwart suicide bomber
Multi-National Division – Center PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – An Iraqi man saved the lives of four U.S. Soldiers and eight civilians when he intercepted a suicide bomber during a Concerned Citizens meeting in the town of al-Arafia Aug. 18.

The incident occurred while Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, were talking with members of the al-Arafia Concerned Citizens, a volunteer community group, at a member’s house.

“I was about 12 feet away when the bomber came around the corner,” said Staff Sgt. Sean Kane, of Los Altos, Calif., acting platoon sergeant of Troop B, 3-1 Cav. “I was about to engage when he jumped in front of us and intercepted the bomber as he ran toward us. As he pushed him away, the bomb went off.”

The citizen’s actions saved the lives of four U.S. Soldiers and eight civilians.

Kane felt the loss personally because he had met and interacted with his rescuer many times before the incident.

“He was high-spirited and really believed what the group (Concerned Citizens) was doing,” Kane said. “I have no doubt the bomber was trying to kill American Soldiers. It was very calculated the way the bomber tried to do it. If he hadn’t intercepted him, there is no telling how bad it could have been.”

Kane believes the citizen is a hero.

“He could have run behind us or away from us, but he made the decision to sacrifice himself to protect everyone. Having talked with his father, I was told that even if he would have known the outcome before hand, he wouldn’t have acted differently.”

Capt. Brian Gilbert, of Boise, Idaho, the commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, currently attached to 3-1 Cavalry, echoed Kane’s sentiment.

“I spoke with the father,” Gilbert said. “He said he has no remorse in his son’s death because he died saving American Soldiers.”

Later that night, the Concerned Citizens group contacted the local National Police director, Lt. Col. Samir, with the location of the al-Qaeda cell believed to be responsible for the attack. The National Police immediately conducted a raid that resulted in four arrests.

Despite the citizen’s death, Gilbert is encouraged by the cooperation between citizens and the Iraqi National Police.

“The effort of the Concerned Citizens group has made the area much safer,” he said. “They are proud of who they are and their area, and want to get rid of the terrorists in their area.”

Gilbert also praised the Iraqi National Police’s role in eliminating insurgents in the area.

“The cooperation between them and the Concerned Citizens has been key,” Gilbert said. “The NP has done a great job of responding to the tips they have been given by the group.”

Gilbert said he believes the area is improving because of the efforts of local citizens. The death, while unfortunate, demonstrated how close many in the area have become with the American Soldiers operating there.

“I consider many in the town friends, and I know they feel the same,” Gilbert said. “This is a tough situation, but we’ll move on and try to prevent things like this from happening again. I’ve talked with his family and told them how brave their son was. This is a huge loss for everyone involved.”

-30-

[Cindy]

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13453&Itemid=21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070821-04
August 21, 2007

“10 detained after RPG attack from mosque”
Multi-National Division – Center PAO

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=globaljihad
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=jihad
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=jihadpropaganda
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=jihadmedia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=internet

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Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13451&Itemid=21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070821-02
August 21, 2007

Four caches discovered in the Diyala River Valley during Operation Lightning Hammer
Multi-National Division – North PAO

BAQOUBA, Iraq – Soldiers assigned to 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered four weapons caches in Qubbah and Mukeisha villages, in the Diyala River Valley, Iraq, during Operation Lightning Hammer, Aug 18.

While conducting a clearance operation in the village of Qubbah, Soldiers discovered two caches consisting of small-arms ammunition and magazines, 20 sticks of dynamite, detonation cord, 78 blasting caps, one pistol, a suicide vest carrier, six DVDs of suicide bombers, land contracts to rent land to members of the Islamic State of Iraq, propaganda encouraging extremists to kill Coalition Forces and a Wahabbist handbook.

Two other caches were discovered in the village of Mukeisha, which contained 14 Katusha rockets, 10 rocket-propelled grenades, 20-60mm mortar rounds, five 60mm mortar tubes, eight sticks of dynamite, and a DSHKA anti-aircraft weapon system.

“The discovery of these caches will significantly degrade al-Qaida’s ability to conduct operations in the Diyala River Valley,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division commander.

“Taking away their weapons systems further allows the local and provincial government to begin rebuilding the systems that provide essential services like food, water, and electricity to the citizens in this area.”

-30-

[Cindy]

QUOTE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1884089/posts?page=87#87

A few more details UPDATE:

Note: Video included.

http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_082007WAB_suspicious_ferry_passengers_TP.53aaa2a3.html

“FBI searching for two suspicious ferry passengers”
10:29 PM PDT on Monday, August 20, 2007
By CHRIS INGALLS / KING 5 News

SEATTLE –

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “”They had more than the average interest in the working parts of the ferry, the layout of the ferry, the size of it — more than you would see in normal passenger,” said FBI spokesperson Robbie Burroughs.

The FBI says the men were seen on more then one ferry and more than one run over the past several weeks. They were also taking photos of parts of the boat, which the agents won’t reveal, but that apparently aroused the suspicions of passengers and crew alike.

FBI

The FBI says the men had an unusual interest in the layout and workings of the ferries.

“We got several different reports of this, these same gentlemen,” said Burroughs. “We’ve attempted through law enforcement means to identify and locate them and we’ve been unsuccessful.””

87 posted on 08/21/2007 3:25:42 AM PDT by Cindy

[Cindy]

RECAP:

REWARDS FOR JUSTICE.NET
http://www.rewardsforjustice.net

[Cindy]

THE WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT - REPORT SNIPPET - QUOTE:

http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Weekly Piracy Report
15-21 August 2007

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 15 to 21 August 2007.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
Fifty two incidents have been reported since 28.01.2006. Pirates are targeting ships preparing to anchor. Ships are advised to take extra precautions.

The 2006 Annual IMB Report on Piracy and Armed Attacks against Ships is now published. Please see the end of this page to order.

Suspicious crafts

16.07.2007: 2000 UTC: Off Somalia
Inspite of rough weather, one suspicious boat tried to approach a ship underway. The boat stopped altered course and moved away when she noticed alert crew on board

Recently reported incidents

15.08.2007: 0130 UTC: Posn 05:51S – 013:24E, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Eight robbers armed with knives boarded a refrigerated cargo ship at anchor. They stole cargo and ship’s stores and escaped. No injuries to crew. Attempt to contact local agents via VHF were futile.

21.07.2007: 0115 LT: Posn 10:12.6N - 107:07.1E, Ho Chi Min City Outer anchorage, Vietnam.
Five robbers armed with knives in a small boat boarded a container ship at anchor. Duty crew raised alarm and crew mustered. Robbers stole ship’s stores and escaped.

18.08.2007: 0135 LT: Tuticorin anchorage, India.
Robbers boarded a container ship at anchor. They stole ship’s stores and escaped in a boat. Duty AB raised alarm and crew mustered. Coast guard informed.

13.08.2007: 0355 LT: Posn 03:55.5N - 098:46.5E, Belawan Outer roads, Indonesia.
Four robbers armed with wooden sticks boarded a chemical tanker at anchor. They broke into the forward locker and tried to steal ship’s stores. Duty crew raised the alarm and sounded ship’s whistle. Crew mustered and activated fire hoses. Robbers jumped overboard and escaped, in a waiting boat, with a life raft.

13.08.2007: 1915 LT: Posn 04:14.3N – 099:04.7E, Malacca Straits.
Ten pirates armed with fire arms boarded a tug towing a barge laden with steel billets. The pirates damaged all communication equipments and stole crew personal belongings and ship’s documents. The master and chief engineer were kidnapped and taken ashore. The tug and barge have anchored at the destination port. The whereabouts of the master and chief engineer still unknown. Pirates have contacted owners to demand a ransom. Negotiations are underway.

13.08.2007: River Mooring No. 3, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Robbers, in country boats approached, a chemical tanker at anchor. The boats were noticed to go under the hull near the stern. The robbers were cutting off and stealing the zinc anodes. The incident was reported to the coast guard who sent a patrol boat. On seeing the patrol boats, the robbers left their boats and escaped. The coast guard seized the boat and boarded the ship for investigations.

[Cindy]

UPDATE:

http://www3.turkishpress.com/i-i/SGE.MNS72.210807085246.photo00.quicklook.default-245x171.jpg

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=190356&s=&i=&t=Indian_’terror’_doctor_wins_Australian_visa_case

“Indian ‘terror’ doctor wins Australian visa case”

08-21-2007, 08h52
BRISBANE, Australia (AFP)

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “An Australian court ruled Tuesday that authorities were wrong to revoke the visa of an Indian doctor linked to failed British terror attacks, but the government said it was still suspicious of him.

The Federal Court in Brisbane said it would restore Mohamed Haneef’s visa in 21 days, clearing the way for him to return to Australia if he wishes.

Haneef’s family in Bangalore, southern India, welcomed the ruling, but the Australian government immediately said it would appeal.”

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=CE7E847F-1454-4009-BA9F-24506D02FF43

“Funding Terror”
By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook
Palestinian Media Watch | 8/21/2007

[Cindy]

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

#

Thanks to Clive for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1884134/posts

“Starving In Zimbabwe ‘Amounts To Genocide’”
The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8-21-2007 | Sebastien Berger

Posted on 08/20/2007 8:29:12 PM PDT by blam

[Cindy]

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

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/site/html/search.asp?isSearch=yes&isT8=yes&searchText=T86&pid=104&sid=13&preview=

http://memritv.org/subject/en/95.htm

#

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/123446

“Hamas Threatens to Use ‘More Dangerous Weapons’”

by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “(IsraelNN.com) Hamas threatened Israel with far more dangerous weapons than the Kassam rocket. IDF sources confirmed that Palestinian Authority terrorists have longer-range rockets, smuggled from Egypt.”

#

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1187502417353&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Aug 19, 2007 20:35 | Updated Aug 19, 2007 20:35
“’Hamas has formed West Bank cells’”
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
RAMALLAH

[WestCoastGal]

Thanks for the ping, was there any followup?

I’m very glad I don’t have to fly anywhere these days.

[Cindy]

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

#

ttp://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ujaama&search=Search

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqSkGI_a5J4
“Ujaama Spews Typical Islamic Hate”
(Added August 15, 2007)

#

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=ujaama&ie=UTF-8&scoring=n

#

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/08/19/2003486061.jpg

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003844507_ujaama20m.html

Monday, August 20, 2007 - Page updated at 02:05 AM

“Ujaama’s words may help U.S. win extradition”
By David Bowermaster
Seattle Times staff reporter

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “James Ujaama’s testimony in U.S. District Court in New York City last week could bolster U.S. efforts to bring three suspected al-Qaida operatives to this country for trial on terrorism charges, legal experts say.

Ujaama, who grew up in Seattle, told Judge John Keenan under oath that he sought to establish a jihad training camp in Bly, Ore., in 1999 after conferring with radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri and two of his alleged henchmen, Haroon Rashid Aswat and Oussama Kassir.

“The U.S. has more information now that [it] can use to supplement the extradition requests,” said Douglas McNabb, an expert in international extradition law with the law firm McNabb Associates in Washington, D.C. McNabb has no connection to the Ujaama case.

Since 2004, the U.S. has been trying to persuade the United Kingdom to send al-Masri to the U.S. to stand trial on an 11-count indictment related to the planned development of the Bly site and a 1998 attack in Yemen on 16 tourists, including two Americans.”

#

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/327547_ujaama15.html

Last updated August 14, 2007 11:22 p.m. PT

“Ujaama faces more prison time”
By COLIN McDONALD
P-I REPORTER

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “James Ujaama, the Seattle man who escaped a long prison term on terrorism charges four years ago by agreeing to cooperate with investigators, now may face exactly what he once evaded.

Ujaama, 41, pleaded guilty Monday in New York to three terrorism-related charges and one of fleeing the U.S. to avoid testifying in terrorism cases, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office there. If given the maximum sentence on all charges, he would be sentenced to 30 years in prison.

It was that last charge that proved to be Ujaama’s undoing. He was arrested in December in Belize, where he had been using a fake Mexican passport. He had only four months left on his supervised release, which was imposed after he struck a plea deal in 2003.

In February, he was sentenced to two years in prison for violating terms of the plea deal. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein in Seattle signed an order revoking the 2003 plea agreement.”

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/017851.php
(SYDNEY MORNING HERALD)

August 21, 2007
“Philippines jihadists turn to YouTube”

[Cindy]

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

[Cindy]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Tue Aug 21 2007 06:35:10 GMT-0700.

Worldwide Caution

April 10, 2007

[Godzilla]

placemark

[callmejoe]

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/TyphoonLaunchesOperationallyForTheFirstTime.htm

(pics of most recent incident)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6866358,00.html

British Jets Shadow Russian Plane

Tuesday August 21, 2007 7:46 PM

By THOMAS WAGNER

Associated Press Writer

LONDON (AP) - (excerpted)

Two Royal Air Force jets shadowed a Russian strategic bomber that approached British air space last week, the Ministry of Defense said Tuesday. The incident occurred Friday, the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin flexed his military’s muscle by placing strategic bombers back on long-range patrol for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union. . .

In Russia on Friday, Putin announced that 20 strategic bombers had been sent far over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans - showing off Moscow’s muscular new posture. . .

Eleven Russian military planes - including strategic bombers and fighter jets - carried out maneuvers west of NATO member Norway on Friday, a military official said. Norway sent F-16 fighter jets to observe and photograph the Russian planes, which rounded the northern tip of Norway and flew south over the Norwegian Sea toward the Faeroe Islands before turning back, said Brig. Gen. Ole Asak, chief of the Norwegian Joint Air Operations Center. . .

---

On the Net:

Ministry of Defense Web site: http://www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/home

[Oorang]

I have not come across any followup article. If I do I’ll be sure to ping you.

[celtic-cat]

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2138226720070821?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews

NY police investigating white powder reports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York police said on Tuesday they were investigating suspicious mailings of white powdery substances received by several financial companies in New York City, a police spokesman said.