Threat Matrix: March 2008

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[nwctwx]

Petraeus: Al Qaida Trying to 'Come Back In'

U.S. military officials said there will be no significant reduction in coalition troops in the Baghdad area as part of an effort to stop the Al Qaida offensive in northern Iraq.

They said Al Qaida was trying to reenter Baghdad and reverse its losses in 2007.

"Al Qaida is trying to come back in," U.S. military commander Gen. David Petraeus said. "We can feel it and see it, and what we're trying to do is rip out any roots before they can get deeply into the ground." Read More

	Militants Assert Themselves in Pakistan
	U.S. Optimistic about Afghanistan Reinforcements
	‘You Have to Rethink War’

Threat Matrix:
March 2008

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[Cindy]

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

#

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7313870.stm

Last Updated: Wednesday, 26 March 2008, 00:42 GMT

“Scholar denounces Muslim baptism”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A Muslim scholar involved in high-level dialogue with the Vatican has denounced the Pope’s baptism on Saturday of a prominent Italian Muslim convert.

Aref Ali Nayed, the head of Jordan’s Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, called the baptism of journalist Magdi Allam a deliberate and provocative act.

The Vatican has not yet commented, but its official newspaper said the gesture aimed to promote religious freedom.

The Pope traditionally baptises adult converts to Catholicism on Easter eve.

Mr Allam’s invitation to the ceremony, which took place in St Peter’s Basilica, was however kept secret by the Vatican, until just before the Easter vigil mass.

The Egyptian-born Italian TV and newspaper commentator has been an outspoken critic of Islamist militancy and a strong supporter of Israel.”

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44514000/jpg/_44514858_nayedap203b.jpg

“Mr Nayed has called for greater inter-faith dialogue and good will”

[Cindy]

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=B11384D9-F451-4086-9D6B-B042F9B4D751

“The Middle East’s Gathering Storm”
By P. David Hornik
FrontPageMagazine.com | Wednesday, March 26, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “U.S. vice-president Richard Cheney and Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert met twice in Jerusalem this week in talks described as “shrouded in mystery.” The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office didn’t even issue a statement; Olmert’s spokesman only said that Cheney and Olmert “discussed a range of issues, including the peace process, terrorism and threats to regional security.””

[Cindy]

http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2374051
TERRORISM MONITOR

“Britain’s Prison Dilemma: Issues and Concerns in Islamic Radicalization”
By Raffaello Pantucci
(March 24, 2008)

[Cindy]

http://www.satp.org
http://www.saag.org

#

http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers27/paper2643.html

Paper no. 2643
26-Mar.-2008

“India’s Strategic Thrust in S. E. Asia-—Before & After 9/11”
By B. Raman

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/zimbabwe/

#

Thanks to Clive for the ping to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991256/posts

“Zimbabwe’s Ahab — Robert Mugabe, poised to steal another election, has led his nation to ruin.”

LA Times ^ | Zimbabwe’s Ahab
Posted on 03/25/2008 7:24:38 AM PDT by no nau

[Cindy]

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=bb27478a-2e63-4788-ae9c-3d87d5bf9259&k=4639

“’Toronto 18’ terror trial begins in Ontario”
Melissa Leong , Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
BRAMPTON, Ont. -

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The youth, who was 18 when he was arrested, is accused of attending the 12-day camp from Dec. 18 to Dec. 31, 2005, during which he was “present for terrorist indoctrination, wore hooded camouflage and participated in various military-style exercises including marching, obstacle course training and firearms training,” according to the Crown’s factum.

The Crown also alleges the group members engaged in “Jihadist discussions” and “viewed videos of an extremist and violent nature.”

A copy of a videotape showing a member giving a sermon was recovered during a covert search of the home of one of the accused.

“So although our bodies will be with the non-believers, roaming around, going to work, trying to get money . . . our hearts are with the people of (heaven), our hearts are with this group,” he allegedly said. “This is what the Covenant is all about . . . We will do it. (God willing) we will get the victory.
“If we don’t (get) a victory . . . our kids will get it. If not them, their kids will get it . . . This is the promise of Allah.””

[Cindy]

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

[Cindy]

https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=81695

OU ARE HERE: Home > Reports > Consular Affairs Bulletins > Report
Travel Alert: China
CONSULAR AFFAIRS BULLETINS
East Asia / Pacific - China
24 Mar 2008

[Cindy]

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_2876.html

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

This information is current as of today, Wed Mar 26 2008 03:46:27 GMT-0700 (PDT).

CHAD

March 25, 2008

[Cindy]

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_940.html

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

This information is current as of today, Wed Mar 26 2008 03:47:24 GMT-0700 (PDT).

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

March 25, 2008

[Cindy]

Thanks to Jet Jaguar for the ping to this thread and situation.

Note: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991710/posts

(False Claim of) Mahdi Army militia capturing 17 American soldiers
wasitonline ^ | 25 Mar 2008 | unknown
Posted on 03/26/2008 3:16:29 AM PDT by DJ Elliott

Mahdi Army militia capturing 17 American Soldiers Center Tuesday, 25 March 2008 Tuesday, 25 March 2008

Said center correspondent in Basra that the Mahdi Army militia had captured 17 American soldiers in Basra, as they were surrounded seven coaches of the type Another delegation said

The Government has requested to enter into negotiations with the Mahdi Army militia result of these developments on the ground, but Muqtada al-Sadr announced his refusal to negotiate

TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror; Click to Add Topic
KEYWORDS: iraq; military; wot; Click to Add Keyword
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Per MNF-I MOC: All Coalition personnel are accounted for. Best, Scott
And the MNF-I PAO boss: Thanks. We’ve been pushing back on this with mainstream press, but it’s hard to pull back once it’s in the internet space. R, GjS

Pass the word that this claim of 17 US captured is pure BS...

1 posted on 03/26/2008 3:16:30 AM PDT by DJ Elliott

[Cindy]

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3523856,00.html

Islamic Jihad claims rocket fire on Sderot
Published: 03.26.08, 11:55 / Israel News

The Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades claimed responsibility for the Qassam fire on Sderot, earlier Monday.

Two rockets were fired at the city; No injuries or damage were reported. (Ali Waked)

#

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3523845,00.html

Qassams fired at Sderot; no injuries reported
Published: 03.26.08, 11:36 / Israel News

Palestinian gunmen fired two Qassam rockets at Sderot Wednesday noon. A mortar shell fired from Gaza landed near the Gaza border fence.

No injuries or damage were reported in both incidents. (Shmulik Hadad)

[Cindy]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1205420769249&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Mar 25, 2008 8:58 | Updated Mar 26, 2008 8:02
“Barak mulls weapons transfer to Fatah”
By YAAKOV KATZ

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering approving a US plan to allow the transfer of weapons, protective gear and night-vision goggles for Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The American request, which is expected to be officially submitted to the Defense Ministry by Lt.-Gen. Keith Dayton - the US security coordinator to Israel and the PA - in the coming days, will be one of the issues topping the agenda of Barak’s meeting with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad on Wednesday.

Defense officials in Jerusalem said it was likely that Israel would approve the request, noting that it had allowed the transfer of weapons to the PA in the West Bank since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June.”

[Cindy]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_922.html

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

This information is current as of today, Wed Mar 26 2008 04:00:22 GMT-0700 (PDT).

ISRAEL, THE WEST BANK AND GAZA

March 19, 2008

[Unrepentant VN Vet]

bttt

[Godzilla]

placemark

[drymans wife]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,341811,00.html

U.S. Based Revolution Muslim Website Spreading Messages of Hate

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y. — On any given day, log on to RevolutionMuslim.com and a host of startling images appear:

— The Statue of Liberty, with an ax blade cutting through her side;

— Video mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, entitled “Daniel Pearl I am Happy Your Dead :) “;

— Video of a puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq;

— The latest speech from Sheikh Abdullah Faisal, an extremist Muslim cleric convicted in the UK and later deported for soliciting the murder of non-Muslims.

Even more surprising is that RevolutionMuslim.com isn’t being maintained in some remote safe house in Pakistan. Instead, Yousef al-Khattab, the Web site creator, runs it from his home in the New York City Borough of Queens.

And, because al-Khattab enjoys the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, all the authorities can do is watch.

Formerly known as Joseph Cohen, al-Khattab is an American-born Jew who converted to Islam after attending an Orthodox Rabbinical school, which he later described as a “racist cult.”

The 39-year-old New York taxi driver launched RevolutionMuslim.com with the mission of “preserving Islamic culture,” “calling people to the oneness of God” and asking them to “support the beloved Sheik Abdullah Faisal, who’s preaching the religion of Islam and serving as a spiritual guide.”

snip..

[Oorang]

And the plot thickens :-). Thanks for the update MamaD. It will be interesting to see how the judge rules.

[Oorang]

Thanks for those links Cindy. IMO, this is a dangerous slippery slope. Currently individuals can turn guns into LE if they choose to. But, for LE to be going door to door reminds me too much of Europe in the 1930’s.