Posted on 07/02/2008 7:02:59 PM PDT by nwctwx
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Israel makes arrests in alleged plot against Bush
Fri Jul 18, 2008
Israel accused six Arabs on Friday of trying to set up an al Qaeda cell in Israel and said one of them had proposed attacking helicopters used during a visit by President George W. Bush.
Israel's Shin Bet counter-intelligence agency said one of the suspects had used his mobile phone to film helicopters at a sports stadium in Jerusalem that was used as a landing site for Bush's delegation.
The suspect then posted queries on Web sites frequented by al Qaeda operatives, asking for guidance on how to shoot down the helicopters, the agency said in a statement.
Excerpted
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN9173242220080718
Quote (from another thread):
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2048162/posts?page=3#3
OPINION:
I don’t believe the terrorists.
If Jason is dead; the terrorists are responsible.
Period.
3 posted on July 19, 2008 3:37:07 PM PDT by Cindy
You’re first sorry, should have scrolled up.
RECAP:
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_932.html
Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today, Sat Jul 19 2008 19:14:52 GMT-0700 (PDT).
SAUDI ARABIA
July 09, 2008
This Travel Warning updates information on the security situation in Saudi Arabia and reminds U.S. citizens of recommended security precautions. It supersedes the Travel Warning issued December 19, 2007.
The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to consider carefully the risks of traveling to Saudi Arabia. There is an ongoing security threat due to the continued presence of terrorist groups, some affiliated with al Qaida, who may target Western interests, housing compounds, and other facilities where Westerners congregate. These terrorist groups may also target Saudi Government facilities and economic/commercial targets within the Kingdom.
In February 2007, four French tourists were killed in a terrorist incident on a desert track north of Medina. A gunman fired shots at the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah in May 2006. In February 2006, an attack was attempted on Saudi oil facilities in Abqaiq in the Eastern Province. An armed attack on the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah on December 6, 2004, resulted in five deaths and eleven serious injuries among non-U.S. staff members.
Although terrorists have not conducted a successful attack against Westerners since February 2007, the United States Mission in Saudi Arabia remains an unaccompanied post as a result of continued security concerns. The Department of State has approved a family visitation program, in part because of the significant progress Saudi security forces have made in counteracting the terrorist threat within Saudi Arabia as they continue to arrest and break up terrorist cells.
From time to time, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia may restrict travel of official Americans or suspend public services for security reasons. In those instances, the Embassy and Consulates will keep the local American citizen community apprised through the Warden system and make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. Warden messages can be found on the U.S. Embassy Riyadh website: http://riyadh.usembassy.gov.
American citizens who choose to visit Saudi Arabia are strongly urged to avoid staying in hotels or housing compounds that do not apply stringent security measures and are also advised to maintain good situational awareness when visiting commercial establishments frequented by Westerners. American citizens also are advised to keep a low profile; vary times and routes of travel; exercise caution while driving, entering or exiting vehicles; and ensure that travel documents and visas are current and valid.
The Department of State advises that under Saudi law, married women need the permission of their husbands to leave Saudi Arabia and their children will require their father’s permission to exit the country. This is true regardless of nationality. The U.S. Embassy has very limited ability to facilitate exit permission.
On February 20, 2008, a new regulation took effect. It requires Saudi men seeking the mandatory permission from their government to marry a foreign woman to sign a binding document granting irrevocable permission for their foreign-born spouse, and children born to them and that spouse, to travel freely and unhindered in and out of Saudi Arabia. However, this regulation is not retroactive. Under Saudi law, women married to Saudi males prior to the effective date of these new regulations still need the permission of their husbands to leave Saudi Arabia, and their children require the permission of their fathers to leave the country.
Updated information on travel and security in Saudi Arabia may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 from within the U.S. or Canada or, from outside the U.S. or Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays.) For additional information, consult the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Saudi Arabia, and the Worldwide Caution at http://travel.state.gov.
U.S. citizens who require emergency services may telephone the Embassy in Riyadh at (966) (1) 488-3800, the Consulate in Jeddah at (966) (2) 667-0080, or the Consulate in Dhahran at (966) (3) 330-3200.
http://turkey.usembassy.gov/warden_information.html
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http://www.memri.org/turkey.html
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http://open-source-intelligence.org/osint-itrr-warns-of-possible-large-scale-terror-attack-2.htm
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Please read Oorang’s post no. 672 ASAP.
Thank you.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2040058/posts?page=672#672
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html
Worldwide Caution
July 16, 2008
This Worldwide Caution updates information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against Americans and interests throughout the world. In some countries, the rise in oil and food prices has caused political and economic instability and social unrest. American citizens are reminded to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This supersedes the Worldwide Caution dated January 17, 2008.
The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings and bombings.
Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons, and target both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas and locales where Americans gather in large numbers, including during holidays. A July 9, 2008 terrorist attack on Turkish police guarding the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul killed three police officers and wounded other police personnel. On March 15, a bomb was detonated at an Italian restaurant in Islamabad, killing two and injuring twelve, including five Americans. Also on March 15, two bombs exploded at the CS Pattani Hotel in southern Thailand killing two and injuring thirteen. In January, a bomb in a disco pub in the Philippines killed one and injured eight.
Americans are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems. Recent examples include multiple anti-personnel mine detonations on passenger buses in June 2008 in Sri Lanka, multiple terrorist attacks on trains in India in 2006, the July 2005 London Underground bombings, and the March 2004 train attacks in Madrid. Extremists may also select aviation and maritime services as possible targets, such as the August 2006 plot against aircraft in London, or the December 2006 bomb at Madrid’s Barajas International Airport. In June 2007, a vehicle was driven into the main terminal at Glasgow International Airport and burst into flames, but the bomb failed to detonate.
The Middle East and North Africa
Credible information indicates terrorist groups seek to continue attacks against U.S. interests in the Middle East and North Africa. Terrorist actions may include bombings, hijackings, hostage taking, kidnappings, and assassinations. While conventional weapons such as explosive devices are a more immediate threat in many areas, use of non-conventional weapons, including chemical or biological agents, must be considered a possible threat. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. Increased security at official U.S. facilities has led terrorists and their sympathizers to seek softer targets such as public transportation, residential areas, and public areas where people congregate, including restaurants, hotels, clubs, and shopping areas.
On March 18, 2008, a mortar attack on the U.S. Embassy in Yemen injured several Yemeni citizens in the vicinity. On January 15, a roadside explosion in Beirut, Lebanon damaged a U.S. Embassy vehicle, killing three Lebanese and injuring an American citizen. On December 11, 2007, two vehicle-borne explosive devices were detonated at the UN headquarters in Algiers and the Algerian Constitutional Council. Three suicide bomb attacks in July and September of 2007 in Algeria killed more than 80 people. In July 2007, suspected al-Qaida operatives carried out a vehicle-borne explosive device attack on tourists at the Bilquis Temple in Yemen, killing eight Spanish tourists and their two Yemeni drivers. There was a series of bombings in Morocco in March and April 2007, two of which occurred simultaneously outside the U.S. Consulate General and the private American Language Center in Casablanca. Additionally, an attack took place on the American International School in Gaza in April 2007. These events underscore the intent of terrorist entities to target facilities perceived to cater to Westerners. The September 2006 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Syria and the March 2006 bombing near the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan illustrate the continuing desire of extremists to strike American targets.
Potential targets are not limited to those companies or establishments with overt U.S. ties. For instance, terrorists may target movie theaters, liquor stores, bars, casinos, or any similar type of establishment, regardless of whether they are owned and operated by host country nationals. Due to varying degrees of security at all such locations, Americans should be particularly vigilant when visiting these establishments.
The violence in Iraq, clashes between Palestinians and Israelis, and clashes between terrorist extremists and the Lebanese Armed Forces have the potential to produce demonstrations and unrest throughout the region. Americans are reminded that demonstrations and rioting can occur with little or no warning. In addition, the Department of State continues to warn of the possibility for violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests in the region. Anti-American violence could include possible terrorist actions against aviation, ground transportation, and maritime interests, specifically in the Middle East, including the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa.
The Department is concerned that extremists may be planning to carry out attacks against Westerners and oil workers on the Arabian Peninsula. Armed attacks targeting foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia that resulted in many deaths and injuries, including U.S. citizens, appear to have been preceded by extensive surveillance. Tourist destinations in Egypt that are frequented by Westerners were attacked in April 2006 resulting in many deaths and injuries, including Americans. Extremists may be surveilling Westerners, particularly at hotels, housing areas, and rental car facilities. Potential targets may include U.S. contractors, particularly those related to military interests. Financial or economic venues of value also could be considered as possible targets; the failed attack on the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia in late February 2006 and the September 2006 attack on oil facilities in Yemen are examples.
East Africa
A number of al-Qaida operatives and other extremists are believed to be operating in and around East Africa. As a result of the conflict in Somalia, some of these individuals may seek to relocate elsewhere in the region. Americans considering travel to the region and those already there should review their plans carefully, remain vigilant with regard to their personal security, and exercise caution. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, kidnappings or targeting maritime vessels. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. Increased security at official U.S. facilities has led terrorists to seek softer targets such as hotels, beach resorts, prominent public places, and landmarks. In particular, terrorists and likeminded extremists may target international aid workers, civil aviation and seaports in various locations throughout East Africa, including Somalia. Americans in remote areas or border regions where military or police authority is limited or non-existent could also become targets.
Americans considering travel by sea near the Horn of Africa or in the southern Red Sea should exercise extreme caution, as there have been several incidents of armed attacks, robberies, and kidnappings for ransom at sea by pirates during the past several years. Merchant vessels continue to be hijacked in Somali territorial waters, while others have been hijacked as far as 300 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia in international waters.
The U.S. Government maritime authorities advise mariners to avoid the port of Mogadishu, and to remain at least 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. In addition, when transiting around the Horn of Africa or in the Red Sea, it is strongly recommended that vessels travel in convoys, and maintain good communications contact at all times.
South and Central Asia
The U.S. Government continues to receive information that terrorist groups in South and Central Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against U.S. Government facilities, American citizens, or American interests. The presence of al-Qaida, Taliban elements, indigenous sectarian groups, and other terror organizations, many of which are on the U.S. Government’s list of foreign terror organizations, poses a potential danger to American citizens in the region. Continuing tensions in the Middle East may also increase the threat of anti-Western or anti-American violence in the region.
Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness and capability to attack targets where Americans or Westerners are known to congregate or visit. Their actions may include, but are not limited to, vehicle-born explosives, improvised explosive devices, assassinations, carjackings, rocket attacks, assaults or kidnappings. On June 2, 2008, a large bomb exploded in front of the Danish Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan killing at least six people and wounding nearly 20. In May 2008, a series of coordinated bombings occurred in market and temple areas of the tourist city of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India. In Afghanistan, kidnappings and terrorist attacks on international organizations, international aid workers, and foreign interests continue. In Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and other groups have conducted suicide bombings at political rallies, government buildings, and major economic targets, and in recent months have increasingly targeted public transportation. Although there is no indication that American citizens were targeted in these attacks, and none were injured, there is a heightened risk of American citizens being victims of violence by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Previous terrorist attacks conducted in Central Asia have involved improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers and have targeted public areas, such as markets, local government facilities, and, in 2004, the U.S. and Israeli Embassies in Uzbekistan. In addition, hostage-takings and skirmishes have occurred near the Uzbek-Tajik-Kyrgyz border areas.
Before You Go
U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/ so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” found at http://travel.state.gov.
U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. Americans abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays.)
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/syria
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RECAP:
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP197608
Special Dispatch Series - No. 1976
July 7, 2008 No. 1976
“Former Syrian Minister: We Have Forfeited the Wisdom of the Desert Nomads – But Have Failed to Adopt Modern Western Ways”
SNIPPET: “In an article in the Syrian government daily Teshreen, [1] former Syrian information minister Dr. Mahdi Dakhlallah pondered the fact that the “small” Gulf states had developed and modernized, while the countries that had been in the forefront of the Arab world in the 1960s, such as Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq, had stayed behind.
The following are excerpts from the article:”
Christianity is being stomped on by those whose goal it is to squelch it. I wrote much more, but deleted it, to avoid being banned. I sense your frustration and share it.
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048217/posts
Skip to comments.
Muslims Kill Christian Teenager For Courting Muslim Girl (BosNewsLife Investigation)
bosnewslife.com ^ | July 18, 2008 | Jawad Mazhar
Posted on July 19, 2008 6:20:05 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)— The body of a Christian teenager has been hauled out of a canal in Pakistan’s second largest city Lahore after he was beaten to death there for courting a Muslim girl, BosNewsLife learned Friday, July 18.
The 19-year-old boy, whose name was changed into Peter for security reasons, was murdered by the girl’s father and two uncles in what they described as an ‘honour killing’, Christian family members and investigators said.
Peter and the 19-year-old girl apparently began their relationship through mobile phone chatting, an increasingly popular way of communicating among youngsters across Asia.
Interfaith contacts and marriages between Christians and Muslims are allowed under Islamic law, but such relationships are often opposed by Islamic clerics and hard-line Muslims, according to religious rights investigators.
The troubles for Peter apparently began when the girl’s family forced her to call him and invite the boy to a secluded location. Peter reportedly immediately hired a motorbike to reach the area, but he would not find his girlfriend. Instead, her father and two uncles awaited the boy and allegedly beat him to death.
PETER BY FORCE
“They took Peter by force. They trussed him and tortured him for almost two days. Peter could not bear the severity of the torture and died eventually,” said Joseph Francis, who leads rights group Center for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), which gives legal support to reportedly persecuted Christians in Pakistan. The Muslim family could not be reached for comment.
CLAAS lawyers say police have so far rejected to register the case as murder and are describing it as suicide. “The police were prejudiced, because it was a matter of religion,” Francis added. CLAAS made clear it would try to seek justice for Peter’s family in a local court.
(Excerpt) Read more at bosnewslife.com ...
Russia's highest Muslim council on Saturday issued a protest against a ban on some Islamic publications considered by the authorities to be "extremist."
Sister called bad Muslim after stabbling
A Henrietta man accused of stabbing his sister in May called his sister a "bad Muslim," according to court papers.
Waheed Mohammed was in court Friday. Monroe County Sheriff's deputies arrested Mohammad at a Henrietta intersection in May. He and his sister Fauzia were driving themselves to the hospital after police say he stabbed her at their Linhome Dr. house.
"I won't characterize the motivations underlying what happened or what allegedly happened,” said prosecutor Joe Walford. “Ultimately those will all come out at the appropriate time."
Attorneys say Mohammad stabbed his sister more than 10 times. In court papers, investigators write that Mohammad told them he was angry when Fauzia said she was leaving for New York City.
The statement goes on to say, "He described her as a 'bad Muslim girl' and that he did not approve of her clothing. They argued and he got angry. Waheed retrieved a knife from his car, stabbed Fauzia inside and outside the house."
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048233/posts
All State Pupils May Be Taught Islamic Traditions As Part Of Compulsory Citizenship Lessons
dailymail.co.uk ^ | July 19, 2008 | Matthew Hickley
Posted on July 19, 2008 7:33:46 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
State school pupils are set to be taught Islamic traditions and values in compulsory citizenship lessons.
The move - part of a package of initiatives announced by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears yesterday - is designed to curb extremism.
Education campaigners warned however against giving Islam a privileged position over other faiths.
Other plans announced by Miss Blears also drew criticism - including a state-funded panel of Islamic scholars and theologians to provide community leadership.
Prominent Muslims said this scheme was naive because Government endorsement would erode the credibility of those taking part, especially among the young and disaffected.
Another measure will see Muslim children being taught citizenship lessons by imams in mosque schools - in the hope that they will be better equipped to resist extremist messages.
Many Muslim youngsters in the UK attend evening classes at madrassah schools attached to mosques, where imams give instruction in the Koran and Islamic history.
Ministers want imams to stress that the Koran places a duty on all Muslims to be good neighbours, carry out voluntary work and play an active part in civic society.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Thanks for your background research. I seriously hope they are wrong. Obama and company are in the region targeted. Though they would find him sympathetic, any big headline after 7 years of getting their tails kicked would be a boost to their status.
I hope Waheed goes to jail for some time. Perhaps Fauzia should reconsider the ROP.
You’re welcome Godzilla. I too hope they are wrong. There have been many false alarms in the past, hopefully this is another.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048250/posts
“New Gaza Terror Group Makes Hamas Seem Moderate”
Arutz 7 ^ | 7-20-08 | Hana Levi Julian
Posted on July 19, 2008 9:20:22 PM PDT by Nachum
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/hamas
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Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048251/posts
Dead Terrorist Identified as Head of Hamas Funding Source
Arutz 7 ^ | 7-20-08 | Hana Levi Julian
Posted on July 19, 2008 9:22:47 PM PDT by Nachum
(IsraelNN.com) The IDF announced Saturday night that a terrorist who was killed following an attack on an Israeli civilian on July 7 was the head of a Hamas foundation. The terrorist’s identity was released after a delay of nearly two weeks.
According to a statement issued by the IDF, 48-year-old Mahmoud O’ttaman Mahmoud A’azi was the head of the Islamic Charity Foundation in his village, Qarawaat Bani Hassan. The organization was a local source of funding for Hamas terrorist activities.
A’azi had in the past also been among the heads of Hamas in the Samaria region.
He was shot and killed by IDF soldiers after he and other terrorists ambushed an Israeli civilian as he drove by the group on a road in northern Samaria.
IDF Soldiers Kill Syrian Drug Smuggler A Syrian drug smuggler was killed and another was wounded by IDF soldiers early Saturday morning after they were spotted infiltrating through the Syrian border into the Golan Heights. Two Israeli citizens from the village of Majdal Shams were also arrested in connection with the incident a short time later.
The soldiers were on routine patrol when they spotted the smugglers, according to an IDF spokesman. The troops discovered a large quantity of drugs, including cocaine and heroin, after the arrests. The wounded man was taken to a nearby Israeli hospital.
Ditto here.
If we do not put ourselves in the front of the defense of the USA, what use is the training we have provided to more than 500 Government agencies?", continues Bradman, " If groups like this are allowed to get away with being a Fifth Column in the USA our First Responders will be weakened; we will fight this strategy of using the laws of the freest democratic country on Earth and exploiting our own freedoms to help terrorists."
The Council for American Islamic Relations claims to speak for US Muslims but not everyone thinks this is the real nature of the organization. Daniel Pipes, the Harvard professor, quoted the following people with a wholly different opinion: The late Seifeldin Ashmawy, publisher of the New Jersey-based Voice of Peace, called CAIR the champion of "extremists whose views do not represent Islam," Jamal Hasan of the Council for Democracy and Tolerance explains that CAIR's goal is to spread "Islamic hegemony the world over by hook or by crook."
Kamal Nawash, head of Free Muslims Against Terrorism, finds that CAIR and similar groups condemn terrorism on the surface while endorsing an ideology that helps foster extremism, adding that "almost all of their members are theocratic Muslims who reject secularism and want to establish Islamic states," Tashbih Sayyed of the Council for Democracy and Tolerance calls CAIR "the most accomplished fifth column" in the United States. Bradman points out: "Instead of forcibly blocking the training of US Law Enforcement professionals who must stop terrorists, these people should be cleaning house if they are, as the claim, not a terrorist organization.
Apart from Randall Royer who worked for CAIR and was sentenced for terrorist activities and helping al-Qaeda, they have had quite a few others like Bassem Khafagi who was their director of community relations, and pleaded guilty to immigration and bad check convictions and bank fraud and Ghassan Elashi who was charged with dealing with the property of a terrorist conspiracy.
Cellphone records expose terrorist-neta nexus in J&K
The arrest and interrogation of a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist has exposed a nexus between Pakistan-based terror groups operating in the Valley and Kashmir's politicians and other high-profile people.
Quoting the interrogation report of the Hizb terrorist — identified as Farooq Ahmad Naik alias Imran Ladoo, an intelligence officer said terrorist commanders have been using cellphones of 51 people, including a former MLA, to communicate with their Pakistan-based headquarters and other commanders.....
Second thoughts on Waheed. He deserves a fair trial (this is the USA after all. The best witness of all will be his sister and she’ll no doubt be scarred from the stab wounds she endured.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2048270/posts
“‘Harassed for being a Christian’- policeman who objected to gay ribbons is turning to a tribunal”
The Evening Standard (U.K.) ^ | July 20, 2008
Posted on July 19, 2008 10:36:25 PM PDT by Stoat
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