Threat Matrix: November 2007

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[nwctwx]

U.S. to Offer Turkey Help on PKK

The U.S. is to offer Turkey a package of measures to dissuade Ankara from mounting a large-scale military incursion into Iraq to attack PKK Kurdish guerrillas, who have killed scores of Turkish soldiers in recent weeks.

Ahead of a meeting in Washington on Monday between President George W. Bush and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, U.S. officials said Ankara would have to get concrete American help to combat the PKK, which has bases in northern Iraq from where it frequently launches attacks into Turkey.

“Erdogan has to go back with the belief that for whatever reason, the U.S. is serious” about tackling Turkey’s concerns regarding the PKK, said Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. state department responsible for Turkey policy. Full story...

	Turkey Imposes Sanctions on Iraqi Kurdistan in Bid to Halt PKK
	Ambassador Ryan Crocker to Turkey: Stay Out of Iraq
	Deaths in Baghdad Hit Yearly Low

Threat Matrix:
November 2007

October 2007

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Preparedness

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15211&Itemid=128

Press Release A071112b
November 12, 2007

Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda media networks; six killed, 15 detained

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed six terrorists and detained 15 suspects, including two wanted individuals Sunday and Monday during operations to disrupt al-Qaeda propaganda operations in central Iraq.

During an operation southwest of Baqubah Sunday, Coalition forces targeted the alleged media emir of the Diyala province. Coalition forces observed four armed men in the target area, and, perceiving hostile intent, fired warning shots in an attempt to get the men to drop their weapons. When the suspects failed to comply, the ground force engaged the armed men. A vehicle associated with the men caught on fire from the engagement, and Coalition forces observed secondary explosions, indicating bomb-making materials were likely inside. As the ground force secured the area, they assessed four terrorists were killed from the explosions during the operation.

Coalition forces conducted a separate operation targeting a suspected terrorist associated with the four terrorists killed southwest of Baqubah. As the ground force approached the target building, they called for the building’s occupants to come out. One man came out of the building, but ignoring their instructions he continued to move toward them and ignored warning shots. Perceiving hostile intent, Coalition forces engaged and killed the terrorist. As the ground force secured the area, they found two large weapons caches of rockets, mortars and improvised explosive devices, which the ground force safely destroyed to prevent further use by terrorists. The ground force detained two suspects on site.

Coalition forces captured a wanted individual west of Baqubah during operations targeting an associate of al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders, including the suspected Diyala media emir and an associate. Coalition forces secured the target building, finding a media cache, believed to be used for al-Qaeda in Iraq propaganda. The wanted individual was subsequently detained.

In an operation east of Samarra, Coalition forces targeted an al-Qaeda media headquarters and safe house, also believed to be used by foreign terrorists. As Coalition forces secured the target building and entered a room, a man reached for a suicide vest. Responding in self-defense, Coalition forces engaged and killed the terrorist before the vest detonated. The ground force detained seven suspects on site.

Coalition forces captured a wanted individual during operations in southern Tikrit targeting foreign terrorist facilitators and associates of al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders. The wanted individual was believed to be an associate helping with the movement of senior terrorist leaders in the Haditha region. Coalition forces detained four suspects in addition to the wanted individual.

“Many operations lead us to other targets,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. “These operations, with the help of Iraqi citizens and security forces, get us closer to a peaceful Iraq.”

- 30 -

[Cindy]

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15212&Itemid=128

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20071112-05
November 12, 2007

“Iraqi National Police capture terrorist suspect”

4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div., PAO
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD

[Cindy]

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15213&Itemid=128

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20071112-07
November 12, 2007

“Tip leads to 7th cache in 3 weeks for Iraqi Forces”
2nd IBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. PAO
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

PRESS RELEASE SNIPPET: “FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – During a cordon-and-knock operation Nov. 11, Iraqi National Police officers, along with Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, joined forces for the seventh time in three weeks to uncover a weapons cache in eastern Baghdad. This time, the cache was discovered inside the grounds of the Imam Al Madhi Husseniyah Mosque.

Officers of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi National Police Division found the cache during a search of the mosque following a tip from a concerned resident.

While the officers searched, Soldiers with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, based out of Fort Riley, Kan., pulled security outside the mosque.”

[Cindy]

“...striking small blows...”

OPINION:

Kind of like that adage “death by a thousand cuts.”

[Cindy]

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2007/11/operation_iron_hamme_1.php

“Operation Iron Hammer targets al Qaeda in Iraq’s north”
By Bill RoggioNovember 12, 2007 2:51 PM

[Cindy]

http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=1062.0

#

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/11/20071111-1.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 11, 2007

President Bush Marks Veterans Day at National Fallen Soldiers Memorial Ceremony
American Legion Post 121
Waco, Texas

White House News
Photos
In Focus: Veterans

2:52 P.M. CST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Clayton, thanks inviting me. I’m really honored to be here with you. Congressman Edwards, thank you for your eloquence and your very moving remarks. Members of the Texas State Legislature, it’s good to see you again. Distinguished mayors, thank you all for being here. Proud veterans and families of the fallen: It is a privilege to spend this Veterans Day with you, and to join you in honoring four sons of the great state of Texas who gave their lives in freedom’s cause.

The young men we remember today did not live to be called veterans. They died in a distant land fighting terror, spreading freedom, and protecting their fellow citizens from danger. The valor and selfless devotion of these men fills their families with immeasurable pride. Yet this pride cannot fill the hole in their loved ones’ aching hearts, or relieve the burden of grief that will remain for a lifetime. In their sorrow, these families need to know, and families all across the nation of the fallen need to know that your loved ones served a cause that is good, and just, and noble. And as their Commander-in-Chief, I make you this promise: their sacrifice will not be in vain.

I know all the veterans gathered here and across the nation feel a special bond with our fallen soldiers and their families. Many experienced the heartbreak and tragic losses of war. Our veterans know that — what it’s like to lose a brother on the field of battle. And many of them recall the determination they felt when a beloved comrade fell, the determination to pick up the mantle, to carry on the fight, and to complete the mission.

That’s precisely what today’s generation of soldiers is doing in the war on terror. Since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001, more than 2 million Americans have stepped forward to put on our nation’s uniform — and during that same period, 1.5 million American troops have made the courageous decision to re-enlist and to stay in the fight. These men and women saw the future the terrorists intend for our country, and they said with clear voices: “Not on my watch.” America is blessed to have such brave defenders. They are tomorrow’s veterans — and they’re bringing pride to our country.

Their service is noble, and it is necessary. The enemies who attacked us six years ago want to strike our country again — and next time, they hope to kill Americans on a scale that will make 9/11 pale by comparison. By fighting this enemy in foreign lands, the men and women of our Armed Forces are helping to ensure we do not have to face them in our own land. And by spreading the hope of liberty to nations that have not known it, our troops are helping to defeat the ideology of the terrorists — and secure a future of peace for generations to come.

As veterans, you have confidence in freedom’s cause — because you have seen with your own eyes the power of liberty to transform nations and secure the peace. The men and women gathered before me took an oath to defend America — and you upheld that oath with honor, and decency, and valor. You humbled tyrants, liberated continents, and freed millions from unspeakable oppression. And because of your service and sacrifice, the world has been transformed in once unimaginable ways. Today, across Europe and Asia, former adversaries in war have become allies in the cause of peace. And in towns and villages on both continents, there are still men and women who talk of the day when the Americans arrived to free them from tyranny.

I thank our nation’s veterans for the fine example that you have set for our country. I thank you for your courage and your patriotism and your devotion to duty. I thank you for standing up for the men and women of our Armed Forces — and I thank you for all you do to support the families they leave behind during this time of war.

May God bless and keep all who have made the ultimate sacrifice. May God bless and keep our brave and honored veterans. May God bless those who are in harm’s way. And may God continue to bless our nation. Thank you. (Applause.)

END 2:58 P.M. CST

---

[Cindy]

blog:

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=27895_Emerson-_Jerseys_Counterterror_Farce&only

“Emerson: Jersey’s Counterterror Farce”
Mon, Nov 12, 2007 at 12:50:11 pm PST

#

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11122007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/jerseys_counterterror_farce_382583.htm

“JERSEY’S COUNTERTERROR FARCE
MAKING PROBLEM PART OF ITS ‘SOLUTION’”
By STEVEN EMERSON & STEPHEN M. FLATOW

November 12, 2007

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/11/12/sources_nigeria_al-qaida_attack_foiled/6979/

“Sources: Nigeria al-Qaida attack foiled”

Published: Nov. 12, 2007 at 5:43 PM
ABUJA, Nigeria, Nov. 12 (UPI) —

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The suspects were in possession of firearms and explosive-making devices, including bags of fertilizer, at the time of their arrests, the sources said. One of the SSS sources said the suspects may have been preparing for an attack against Western interests in the country.”

#

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924460/posts

Al Qaeda suspects arrested in Nigeria: police (Al Qaida in Africa)
Reuters via Yahoo! News ^ | 2007 Nov 11

Posted on 11/12/2007 2:55:13 AM PST by Wiz

LAGOS (Reuters) - A group of Islamist militants with suspected links to al Qaeda have been arrested in three states in northern Nigeria and explosives were seized from them, a spokesman for the State Security Services (SSS) said on Monday.

ADVERTISEMENT

The U.S. embassy warned in September that Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, was at risk of “terrorist attack,” and Osama bin Laden once named the country as ripe for jihad, but Nigeria has yet to see any major attack in the style of al Qaeda.

“The service arrested some persons in Kaduna, Kano and Yobe states. Explosive-making devices were found,” said SSS spokesman Ado Muazu. He could not say how many people were detained.

“Investigations have revealed that the suspects have links with the al Qaeda network and the Nigerian Taliban,” he said.

He was referring to a group of radical Islamists who launched a brief spate of attacks in late 2003 on police stations and government offices in the predominantly Muslim northeast, prompting a fierce security crackdown. The group has no known connection to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Nigerian police and the secretive SSS have made sporadic arrests of suspected jihadists for some years and trials have been launched, but there has been no conviction and no conclusive evidence of al Qaeda’s presence in Nigeria has been made public.

This Day newspaper published a photograph of three bags of fertilizer and a few sticks of dynamite which it said were seized from the detained group. Muazu said the photograph was genuine and further investigations were under way.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...

[Cindy]

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_928.html

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520

This information is current as of today, Mon Nov 12 2007 16:46:46 GMT-0800.

NIGERIA

October 30, 2007

[Cindy]

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

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924794/posts

#

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7090901.stm

Last Updated: Monday, 12 November 2007, 14:40 GMT

“Iran president attacks ‘traitors’”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has denounced as “traitors” those in Iran who have criticised its nuclear programme, state media have reported.”

[Godzilla]

If Syria is that stupid, then there will be plenty of parking spaces in Damascas shortly there after.

[Godzilla]

The Truth Behind Al Qaeda’s Holiday Terrorism Threat

Shopping/market place bombings have been the bread and butter attacks around the world. With AQ taking it on the chin with the surge, this kind of an attack can generate a great deal of terror due to the news coverage it would generate alone, even if casualities are not great. They may be desperate enough to make this low-tech attack, making the probability higher than in the past.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924837/posts

#

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vggyq-cyNZU

“Don’t Mess with the Wild West”
(Added November 12, 2007)

[Oorang]

I agree. Syria could have a parking garage in its future.

[Oorang]

D.C. imam declares Muslim takeover-plan
Washington-based cleric working toward 'Islamic State of North America' by 2050
Posted: November 10, 2007

A Washington, D.C., imam states explicitly on the website for his organization that he is part of a movement working toward replacement of the U.S. government with "the Islamic State of North America" by 2050.

With branches in Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Philadelphia, the group As-Sabiqun – or the Vanguard – is under the leadership of Abdul Alim Musa in the nation's capital.

Musa's declaration of his intention to help lead a takeover of America was highlighted by noted Islam observer Robert Spencer on his website Jihad Watch. Spencer told WND that figures such as Musa should not be ignored, "Not because they have the power to succeed, but because they may commit acts of violence to achieve their purpose." Musa's website declares: "Those who engage in this great effort require a high level of commitment and determination. We are sending out a call to the believers: Join with us in this great struggle to change the world!"

Musa launched the group in the early 1990s at the Al-Islam mosque in Philadelphia. His group says it is influenced by the writings and life work of Muslim thinkers and leaders such as Muslim Brotherhood founder Hasan al-Banna, Sayyid Qutb and Iranian revolutionary Ayatollah Khomenei.

Excerpted

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58616

Foiled Gas Terror Attack Brings City Standstill (U.K.)
2007-11-10

A suburb of Birmingham was brought to a standstill yesterday by what sources say was a foiled terrorist attack, after a suspect package was found in a hole dug onto a major gas pipe.

An unofficial source said the package had been discovered near to an uncovered mains gas pipe in Small Heath, where a 30ft hole had mysteriously appeared. The source went on to say that if the gas pipe had been destroyed then it would have cut off the gas supply to the whole of Birmingham. Officers were deployed to Small Heath, close to the A45 Coventry Road which links the city centre with Birmingham International Airport. A stretch of Small Heath Highway and the nearby Small Heath Industrial Estate were sealed off for about 12 hours.

There were further unofficial reports that two ladders were found in the hole, which was said to be 30ft deep and 10ft wide, next to a gas main near the Ackers Trust dry ski slope site at about 10pm on Thursday. Drivers were trapped in long queues while hundreds of staff were unable to reach firms on the estate as a result of the cordons. Hundreds of employees lined the roads as they were stopped from entering businesses. The Small Heath Highway and the industrial estate finally reopened at about 10am. Police and forensic teams remained at the scene last night. Police said they could not comment on operational details.

The police were called to the scene just before 5pm on Thursday after a concerned member of the public phoned them. But a spokeswoman said the incident was being treated as suspicious, but that it was too early to say what had happened. National Grid, which owns and operates the gas distribution network in the area, referred all calls about the incident to West Midlands Police. Gary Smith, national officer of the GMB union, said: "GMB has been warning that the regulator, in proposing cuts of 18 per cent in the costs of maintaining the gas distribution system, is sending the wrong message regarding the security and dangers of this industry."

http://my.telegraph.co.uk/cheech/november_2007/do_you_have_gas_.htm

[Oorang]

Pakistan warns against nuclear weapons grab
2007-11-12

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan warned on Monday it had sufficient ‘retaliatory capacity’ to defend its nuclear weapons, after a report the United States had made contingency plans to stop them falling into the wrong hands.

Denouncing "irresponsible conjecture," the foreign ministry said Pakistan was ready and able to defend its nuclear arsenal and there was no risk of the arms being taken.

The comment followed a Washington Post report that with Pakistan in the midst of a political crisis, the United States had drawn up contingency plans in case the Pakistani military was in danger of losing control of the weapons.

http://news.aaj.tv/news.php?pg=3&show=detail&nid=85222

[Cindy]

Opinion: Takes digging and maybe tunnelling to a new low level.

#

Article snippet: “There were further unofficial reports that two ladders were found in the hole, which was said to be 30ft deep and 10ft wide, next to a gas main near the Ackers Trust dry ski slope site at about 10pm on Thursday.”

Thanks Oorang.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1919875/posts?page=595#595

Gas pipe/gas supply ping.

[RDTF]

yikes! First I’ve heard of that

[Cindy]

Yep, Oorang caught that article.

Wouldn’t be the first time terrorists have shown interest in gas/gas pipelines.