Posted on 07/28/2008 8:37:15 AM PDT by DAVEY CROCKETT
Is U.S. Bioterror Attack Just A Matter of Time?
The overriding question is whether the U.S. is “ready” for a bioterror attack. The answer could well rely on the “other” question of what bio-agent and what’s the source? In 1991, 40,000 Russian scientists dispersed throughout the World, with knowledge of what the U.S.S.R. was doing in chemical and biological weapons. The question is to whom did they sell their knowledge? Some believe former Soviet scientists sold technology to countries like Iran, Syria, and North Korea. Lurking is the spectre of al-Qaeda, a group that the Pentagon says continues to pursue biological weapons.
Another scenario is an outbreak of a pandemic. How would the U.S. deal with an infectious disease outbreak? The picture, despite reassurances, is not pretty. Until now, the U.S. has experienced two major biological attacks.
In 1984, the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers attempted to take over the town of the Dalles, Oregon by contaminating salad bars in the town. In 2001, there was the as yet unsolved mystery of the anthrax letters that killed five people.
But the question of bioterrorism extends to potential threats against our food supply and our clean water resources. It also extends to the threat of outbreaks of diseases in our animals populations. Here, the concern are diseases that attack animals but that can jump to humans. These are referred to as zoonotic diseases. The World Health Organization defines zonnotic diseases as:
Read More
Subject: Magnitude-5.4 Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles Area/USGS News Release
Date: Jul 29, 2008 7:07 PM
News Release
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Release Date: July 29, 2008
Contacts: Stephanie Hanna, shanna@usgs.gov, 206-220-4573
Clarice Nassif Ransom, cransom@usgs.gov, 703-648-4299
Heidi Koontz, hkoontz@usgs.gov, 303-202-4763
Magnitude-5.4 Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles Area
Note to editors: Listen to a podcast interview about the Los Angeles earthquake
at: http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ID=88
A magnitude-5.4 earthquake rattled Los Angeles today, causing strong shaking,
minor damage and was felt from Arizona to Nevada.
Nearly 50 aftershocks have been recorded so far, most of them small, many of
them felt, the largest being a magnitude-3.8.
The last notable earthquakes causing significant damage in the area were the
Jan. 17, 1994, magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake and the Oct. 1, 1987,
magnitude-5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake. In 1999, the magnitude-7.1 Hector
Mine earthquake in a remote part of the Mojave Desert was widely felt through
the greater Los Angeles region, but caused no damage.
Citizens who felt the earthquake can go online and report their observations
on the USGS Did You Feel It? website, http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/ .
So far, about 35,000 people have reported feeling the Los Angeles earthquake.
Earthquakes cannot be predicted. But earthquake-prone areas such as Los Angeles
can be prepared for earthquakes.
The Great Southern California ShakeOut, a weeklong series of special events
featuring a massive earthquake drill at 10 AM on November 13, 2008, in Los
Angeles, is one way for the public to get prepared for the next big earthquake.
It is being sponsored by the Earthquake Country Alliance, of which the USGS is
a founding member.
The ShakeOut drill centers on the ShakeOut Scenario, a realistic portrayal of
what could happen in a major earthquake on the southern end of the San Andreas
Fault. Created by over 300 experts led by Dr. Lucy Jones of USGS, the scenario
outlines a hypothetical 7.8 magnitude earthquake originating near the Salton
Sea, which would have the potential to devastate the region.
With a goal of at least 5 million participants, the ShakeOut drill will be
the largest in U.S. history. Southern Californians are signing up at
www.shakeout.org/register, to pledge their family, business, or organization’s
participation in the drill. Registered participants receive information on how
to prepare and drill, connect with other participants, and encourage a dialogue
within the community about earthquake preparedness. In the first 6 weeks of
registration, over 1.9 million people are registered to be part of the drill.
USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.
Subscribe to USGS News Releases via our electronic mailing list or RSS feed.
**** www.usgs.gov ****
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiasearthquakeforum/
National Terror Alert Newsletter
http://www.nationalterroralert.com
This Week’s Homeland Security Headlines
* New York Jihad Birthday Invitations Warn of Terror Threat In Lower Manhattan
* High-Profile Events Put U.S. in Period of Heightened Alert ‘POHA’ for Terrorism
* U.S. Intel: Iran Planning Nuclear Strike on U.S.?
* CIA Cites Pakistan Spy Agency’s Ties to Militant Groups
* India - 12 Bombs In Diamond Hub, 6 Elsewhere, Shut Down Surat
* Three Thousand Blank British Passports Stolen In Raid Could Be Used In Terrorism
* Two Apparent Pipe Bombs Found at Separate Post Offices in Ohio
* US Senator Says China Plans To Spy On Olympic Hotel Guests
* Al-Qaeda Weapons and Poison Expert Killed - Pakistan
* al Qaeda Wants Saudi King killed Over Interfaith Call
* Grenade Found In Car Crossing Bridge From Canada
* Is U.S. Bioterror Attack Just A Matter of Time?
* India Goes on High Terror Alert
* Terror Bombing In Istanbul Turkey Shopping Center Kills Several Injures Over 150
* Food Tampering A Very Real Terror Threat
* Stopping A Biological Weapon - Scientists Hope For Tularemia Vaccine
* Terror Attacks Threatened During Beijing Olympics - Turkestan Islamic Party ‘ETIM’
* Democrats Urge Suspension Of New Terror Threat Alert System
* Chief Homeland Security Medical Officer Stresses Threat of Anthrax Terror Attack
* China Thwarts Terrorist Plot At Olympic Football Stadium
* Minot - Air Force Says Officers Fell Asleep With Nuclear Launch Codes
* Hackers Exploit Critical Internet Flaw
* UK - Internal Terrorist Threat To Airports Due To Lax Staff Security
* UK Police Disrupt 13 Terror Networks During Past Year
* Intelligence Agencies Warn Threat From Global Jihad Substantial
* Man Stole Miami-Dade Buses, Drove Them On Routes
* Live Grenade Brings Out Kansas City Kansas Bomb Squad
* Chinese Citizens Get Tips To Fight Terrorism
* Hayward Police Officer Charged In Terrorist Data Probe
* Jamaat-e-Islami Youth Leader: Washington, D.C. Will Not Be Safe
* Man Held After Demanding Y20 Mil In Shopping Mall Bomb Plot - Japan
* ATF Offers $5,000 Reward for Info On Wal-Mart Explosive Device
Add This “Live Alert” To Your Website
Announcements:
If you spot suspicious activity report it immediately.
FBI Tips
Contact DHS
AlertsUSA Terror Alert / Incident Notification Service
Homeland Security National Terror Alert Copyright 2001-2008 NationalTerrorAlert.com
TERROR THREAT IS IN THE CARDS, EERIE MAILINGS PREDICT NYC BOMBINGS TO FOX NEWS PRODUCER
From your link.
Benny boy said we would watch the next one on TV.
From your searches...good read..Who is the Knights of the Cross?
...Internal al-Qa’ida documents reinforce this hypothesis. The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point recently released a series of al-Qa’ida documents captured in Afghanistan by US forcesunder the title Harmony and Disharmony.
Amongst these documents is a letter written in 1993 by an al-Qa’ida member in Somalia to the leadership in Sudan. The author complained that Somalifighters were caught up in tribal squabbles and could not be convinced to adopt the al-Qa’ida ideological worldview; thus, the author argued, al-Qa’ida’s objective was not being achieved in Somalia.
Al-Qa’ida leaders responded to this complaint as follows,
When you entered Somalia, the Somali arena was barren and futile. The situation changed,however, after the intervention by America and the Knights of the Cross. You most resembled a hunter aiming his rifle at the dead branch of a tree, with no leaves or birds onit. Suddenly, a bald eagle lands on the branch of the tree, directly in line with the rifle. Shouldn’t the hunter pull the trigger to kill the eagle or at least bloody it? The American bald eagle has landed within range of our rifles. You can kill it or leaveit permanently disfigured.
If you do that, you will have saved Sudan, Yemen, Bab al-Mandab, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf and the waters of the Nile. Could you want more magnificent objectives of war than those?
86Fawaz A. Gerges, The Far Enemy: Why Jihad Went Global (New York: Cambridge UniversityPress, 2005). 7Letters from bin Laden, al-Qa’ida Advice and Reform Committee, US military document number AFGP-2002-003345, available in Harmony and Disharmony: Exploiting al-Qa’ida’s
Organizational Vulnerabilities, (New York: West Point Combating Terrorism Center, 2006).8Five Letters to the Africa Corps, September 1993 - May 1994, US military document number AFGP-2002-600053, available in Harmony and Disharmony.
Indeed, theconfluence of all three appeals laid the foundation for al-Qa’ida’s war against ‘Jews andCrusaders,’ declared in 1998.
In a post 9/11 world, al-Qa’ida leaders have attempted to position themselves at the forefront of the violent Salafi jihadi movement. This approach can be seen in statements issued over the past six years by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, as well as other ideologues.
WhileAbdullah Azzam mobilized the youth for jihad in the 1980s with leaflets distributed throughout the Muslim world, al-Qa’ida leaders and likeminded ideologues have used the internet, and to a certain extent mainstream media, to articulate their ideas. An examination of jihadi websites reveals some emerging trends in the Salafi jihadi movement.
For example, a new generation of strategic thinkers and ideologues has emerged in this movement, including Abu Musab al-Suri, Abu Bakr Naji, Yusuf al-Ayyiri, Saif al-Adl and Louis Atiyatallah. Indeed, Will McCants, from the West Point Combating Terrorism Center, recently published a report entitled Militant Ideology Atlas.
In this study, McCants observed that thesethinkers are cited and referred to more often in jihadi chatrooms and on websites than Osama binLaden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. These thinkers appear more willing now than was evidenced in thepast to make tactical concessions on the issues of local Muslim practices, tribal politics and even nationalism to win over the ‘hearts and minds’ of local communities.
It’s worth noting, however, that hardcore al-Qa’ida leaders, such as al-Zawahiri, still evidence reticence to make tactical concessions. Moreover, it is possible that they feel threatened by thelegitimacy garnered by other ideologues and terrorist groups. As an illustration of this point, al-Qa’ida leaders have criticized the leaders of other terrorist groups in their bid to remain at theforefront of this wider ideological movement.
A recent example is the ongoing debate between al-Qa’ida and Hamas. Immediately following the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006, al-Zawahiri rebuked Hams for participating in these elections, stating, 9Bruce Lawrence, ed., A Declaration of Jihad against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, Messages to the World” the Statements of Osama bin Laden (New York: Verso, 2005), 23-30.
Still from your searches GREAT STUFF Granny..
Up to this point, I have focused on the evolution of al-Qa’ida’s ideological arguments, as well as how it has appealed to potential recruits and sympathizers. But the most important question for US national security, in my opinion, is how have audiences responded to al-Qa’ida’s appeal? And, for the purposes of this hearing, to what degree has ideology contributed to the audiences’ responses? To answer these questions, it is useful to explore the radicalization processes thatindividuals and clusters of individuals have gone through as they progressed from being sympathetic to the al-Qa’ida worldview to being willing to ‘pick up a gun’. Note that most research suggests that one single pathway to terrorism does not exist.
14And my comments should be taken in that context. Thus, when I discuss ‘radicalization processes’ I meanto imply multiple processes with variation along the way. These processes can be understood as having three separate and distinct phases.
In the first phase, termed ‘availability,’ environment factors make certain individuals susceptible to appeals from terrorist groups.15Of course, these factors are likely to vary according to location, but they might include being brought up in a family that articulates a violent Salafi worldview, frustration with local government policies, peer group influences, or frustration with foreign policies. For example, in his research on suicide bombers in the Palestinian territories, Ami Pedahzur has noted that one particular cell played soccer together prior to their recruitment into Hamas.
16Shazhad Tanweer, one of the 7 July 2005 London bombers, apparently had expressed frustration with UK foreign policy, particularly the conflict in Iraq.17Of course, that is not to say that all soccer players or individuals frustration with the conflict in Iraq are potential terrorist recruits, but rather, at the “availability” stage multiple factors can make al-Qa’ida’s appeal attractive.
The second phase, termed ‘recruitment and indoctrination,’ occurs after initial contact betweenindividuals and the clandestine groups. In examining the recruitment phase, it is useful to focus on
13Kim Cragin and Scott Gerwehr, Dissuading Terror: Strategic Influence and the Struggle Against Terrorism, Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, MG-184, 2005. 14Andrew Silke, ed., Terrorists, Victims, and Society: Psychological Perspectives on Terrorism and its Consequences (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2003) 15Kim Cragin and Peter Chalk, Terrorism and Development, Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2002.16Ami Pedahzur, “The Culture of Death: Terrorist Organizations and Suicide Bombings,” presented at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC as part of the Eisenhower Speaker Series, 17 February 2005. 17Paul Temelty, “An In-Depth Look at the London Bombers,” Terrorism Monitor, Vol. 3, No. 15, July28, 2005.
According to a WhitePaper released by that government, some of the arrested individuals had been recruited through religious study groups in Singapore.19Importantly, these nodes vary according to country and community. So it is difficult to identify a laundry list of potential recruitment nodes worldwide.
If any commonalities exist in recruitment nodes, they appear to be best grouped into ‘diaspora communities’ versus ‘majority Muslim communities.’20But al-Qa’ida and its affiliates have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt todifferent recruiting environments, adjusting both message and method of recruitment. The third phase of the radicalization process yields a commitment to action on the part of certain individuals.
To be honest, this final step has been the most difficult to isolate during the course of our research, because it seems to vary the most individual by individual. In some instances, aspecific grievance appears to have acted as a final trigger.
So, for example, Galib Andang akaCommander Robot, a former member of the now defunct Moro Nationalist Liberation Front in the Philippines, was motivated in part by the death of his grandmother and the hands of the FilipinoArmy.
21Another common factor, at least for diaspora communities, appears to be participation in aforeign jihad.
22Somehow the process of fighting overseas seems to make individuals more willingto engage in terrorism back home as well.
18This concept also was used by Javed Ali, Senior Intelligence Office, Department of Homeland Security, in his testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs entitled, “Prison Radicalization: Are Terrorist Cells Forming in US Cell Blocks?”, 19 September 2006.
19“White Paper: The Jemaah Islamiyya Arrests and the Threat of Terrorism,” Singapore Government, 7 January 2003.
20For more information on recruitment trends in diaspora communities in Europe, see Michael Taarnby, Recruitment of Islamist Terrorists in Europe: Trends and Perspectives, Denmark: Centre for Cultural Research, January 2005; see also Petter Nesser, Jihad in Europe: A Survey of the Motivations for Sunni Islamist Terrorism in the Post-millennium Europe, Norway: Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, 2004. 21MNLF leaders negotiated a peace agreement with the Philippines as part of the Davao Accords in 1996. 22Ibid, “White Paper;” for more information on recruitment trends in diaspora communities in Europe, see Michael Taarnby, Recruitment of Islamist Terrorists in Europe: Trends and Perspectives, Denmark: Centre for Cultural Research, January 2005; see also Petter Nesser, Jihad in Europe: A Survey of the Motivations for Sunni Islamist Terrorism in the Post-millennium Europe, Norway: Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, 2004.
23But I find it a useful construct to understanding all the various factors that motivate individuals to ‘pick up a gun.’ So, I am often asked, ‘what motivates terrorism? Is it ideology, politics, or poverty?’ And my answer is, ‘yes, all three, at least to varying degrees.’ The key analytical question then becomes what role does ideology play in motivating terrorism, given that politics and poverty also play apart?
I am not certain that we truly have the answer to that question. Preliminary research suggests that extremist ideology shapes how individuals and communities view problems in the world that need to be resolved, be that corruption or injustice or poor governance. But political and economic grievances justify the use of violence to resolve theseproblems.
That is, individuals and communities understand the problems in their world through anideological lens. But this disgruntlement does not, on its own, motivate violence. That motivationmost often emerges in an environment of political and/or economic grievances, which thentranslate that worldview into action, be it picking up a gun or providing financial and other forms ofsupport. Which brings me back to the initial question posed in this hearing: do we have an accurateunderstanding of the ideological dimensions of the global war on terrorism? I would have to say,‘probably not.’
But I believe that we have come a long way, especially as researchers have begun to account for debates within the wider Salafi movement, as well as how those debates gettranslated and applied on a local level.
As we move forward, I would encourage you not to divorce the ideological dimensions of theconflict from the political and economic. Just like it is impossible to divorce military from non-military activities in the GWOT, it is impossible to truly divorce ideological from political and economic motivations. In fact, doing so only addresses part of the problem.
23Philip Zimbardo and C. Hartley, “Cults Go to High School: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of the Initial Stage in the Recruitment Process,” Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1, 1985, pp. 91—147.
Today in History:
July 30, 1980 - Vanuatu
Independence Day
No information provided.
Upcoming Significant Events:
July 31, 1556 - Spain
St. Ignatius Day
St. Ignatius is the patron saint of the Basques.
July 31, 1969 - Spain
ETA Terrorist Group Founded
The terrorist group Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) was founded.
July 31, 1978 - France, Iraq
Terrorist Seizes Iraqi Embassy
An Al-Fatah terrorist seized the Iraqi embassy in Paris. As the man surrendered to police, Iraqi security guards opened fire, killing a French policeman and wounding the terrorist. French police returned the fire, killing one Iraqi.
August 1, (year unknown) - Angola
Armed Forces Day
No information provided.
August 1, 1291 - Switzerland
Independence Day
No information provided.
August 1, 1927 - China (People’s Republic of)
Army Day
Celebrates the first uprising by the Chinese Communist Party in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, against the nationalist government of Chiang Kai Shek.
August 1, 1960 - Benin
Independence Day
#
August 1, 1987 - Saudi Arabia
Iranians Riot In Mecca
Iranian pilgrims rioted in Mecca, resulting in more than four hundred deaths.
August 1, (year unknown) - Asia and Pacific
Ashura (10th of Muharam)
Marks the martydom of Ali Hussein, the tenth Imam of Islam. Significant to Shi’a Moslems. Marked by emotional processions (involving self-flagellation) in Shi’a areas.
August 2, 1964 - Vietnam
Tonkin Gulf Incident
No information provided.
August 2, 1980 - Italy
Bologna Train Station Bombing
Neo-Fascists bombed a train station in Bologna.
August 2, 1990 - Iraq, Kuwait
Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait
Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and seized control of the country.
August 3, (year unknown) - Cyprus
Makarios Memorial Day
No information provided.
August 3, (year unknown) - Malaysia
Malaysian National Day
No information provided.
August 3, 1960 - Niger
Independence Day
No information provided.
August 3, 1978 - Equatorial Guinea
Military Junta Takes Power
No information provided.
August 3, 2005 - Mauritania
Military Coup Ends Reign of President Taya
A group of former presidential guards led a military coup against President Maaouta Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya while he was attending the funeral of Saudi King Fahd in Saudi Arabia. The group calling itself the ?Military Council for Justice and Democracy? ended the 11-year reign of President Taya that was marked by closer ties to both Washington and Israel as well as a strict no tolerance policy against Islamist militants. The council has promised to rule the country for a maximum of two years and ?create favorable circumstances for an open and transparent democracy.?
Car blast kills at least 2 in Russia’s Ingushetia
NAZRAN, Russia, July 30 (Reuters) - At least two people were killed and five wounded when a car exploded outside a police station in the southern Russian region of Ingushetia on Wednesday, police sources said.
Police said an explosive device equivalent to 3-4 kg (6.6-8.8 lbs) of TNT blew up under a vehicle in a parking lot full of service cars outside police headquarters in Nazran, the region’s main city.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKL02844820080730
this is just funny....
Sorted by relevance Sort by date Sort by date with duplicates included
Seattle Post Intelligencer Avon’s Profit Rises on Higher Sales in Russia, Brazil (Update1)
Bloomberg - 3 hours ago
Sales rose more than 30 percent in Russia and Brazil and 20 percent in China. Chief Executive Officer Andrea Jung has cut jobs to raise money for more ...
Avon profit doubles, lifted by emerging markets MarketWatch
UPDATE 2-Avon 2nd-qtr profit more than doubles; stock soars Reuters
Avon 2Q Net Doubles Amid Strong International Results CNNMoney.com
Dividend.com - Bloomberg
July 30, 2008 Anti-Terrorism News - UnitedStatesAction.com
Iraq nabs 35 in Al Qaeda crackdown - in Diyala
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080730/wl_afp/iraqunrestdiyalaqaeda_080730121023;_ylt=AskVenYok_W6vWtpvSpIHdtX6GMA
(Iraq) 50,000 Iraqi troops in Diyala operation
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_51;_ylt=Ah0CMk7qWM4svcQjYfAtX81X6GMA
(Iraq) Al Qaeda front group denies attacking Shias
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2008/July/middleeast_July740.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
(Iraq) US: Iraqi fighters extort, kidnap to raise funds
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_go_ot/al_qaida_in_iraq_6;_ylt=AiNwktl0Jl43a.pWE7bUxTRX6GMA
(Iraq) Love, blackmail and rape – how al-Qaeda grooms women as ‘perfect weapons’
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article4426139.ece
(Afghanistan) British soldier killed in Afghanistan — in Helmand province
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080730/wl_uk_afp/afghanistanunrestnatobritain_080730082351;_ylt=AgjcLXWeCK3sXfon8o5AO0TOVooA
(Afghanistan) Rivalry to Taliban ‘not welcome’
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/30/rivalry-to-taliban-not-welcome/
(Afghanistan) More foreign fighters join Taliban in Afghanistan — increasingly cross Pakistan border into Afghanistan
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080730/wl_nm/afghan_security_dc_1;_ylt=AhbKig5ATDYkkLin0R4y2U3OVooA
(Afghanistan) NATO troops advance towards Pakistan border
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_9
(Pakistan) CIA outlines Pakistan links with militants
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/30/asia/30pstan.php
(Pakistan) PM Gilani: US being impatient in war on terror
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg1_1
— ‘Gilani govt too weak to act’
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_10
— Pakistan’s Accidental Prime Minister
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1826982,00.html
(Pakistan) US wants Pakistan to also protect neighbors
http://www.dawn.com/2008/07/30/top1.htm
— U.S. Wary of Pakistani Appeal for More Cooperation
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/29/AR2008072902482.html?sub=AR
(Pakistan) US Senate body approves $15 billion aid - to Pakistan
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg1_4
(Pakistan) NWFP: Jirga to mediate between govt and Taliban - in Hangu
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_58
(Pakistan) NWFP: Taliban continue breaching Swat deal — NWFP govt not fulfilling its part of agreement by releasing militants
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_15
(Pakistan) NWFP: Taliban militants killed in fresh conflict — 30 killed in Swat valley clash after police station attack in Matta
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=1.0.2378372592
— Swat operation re-launched
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg1_8
(Pakistan) NWFP: Curfew declared in Pakistan’s violence-hit Swat Valley
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2008/July/subcontinent_July979.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
(Pakistan) NWFP: Militants kill govt official in NW Pakistan, three wounded - in Dera Ismail Khan district
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1928236&Language=en
(Pakistan) FATA: Taliban murder female ‘spy’ and dump body in sewer — in Miranshah, North Waziristan province
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1039829/Taliban-murder-female-spy-dump-body-sewer.html
(Pakistan) FATA: TTTP denies differences in Taliban ranks
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_16
(Pakistan) FATA: Shelling ends Taliban control of Pakistan television booster in Bajaur
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg1_9
(Pakistan) Ten militants arrested in Dera Bugti - in Balochistan
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_5
Pakistan dares India, fires along LoC again
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pak_dares_India_fires_along_LoC_again/articleshow/3305809.cms
— India reports shooting on Kashmir frontier
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/30/asia/AS-India-Pakistan-Kashmir.php
(India) Police defuse another bomb in western India - in Surat on Wednesday - bringing total to 19 bombs found in past 2 days
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2008/July/subcontinent_July984.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
India offers reward in Surat blast probe
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2008/July/subcontinent_July985.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
(India) Explosives seized in Bharatpur
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Explosives_seized_in_Bharatpur/articleshow/3303963.cms
(India) Delhi: Gaping holes in city security
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Gaping_holes_in_Delhi_security/articleshow/3303681.cms
(India) Bangalore: Terror tremors: City on alert
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Terror_tremors_City_on_alert/articleshow/3304328.cms
(India) Borsad on alert after serial blast threat
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Borsad_on_alert_after_serial_blast_threat_/articleshow/3304297.cms
(India) Bangalore investigation: Terror line better than intel network
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Terror_line_better_than_intel_network_/articleshow/3304193.cms
(India) Two Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives held in West Bengal
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Top_Headlines/Two_LeT_operatives_held_in_West_Bengal/articleshow/3303032.cms
(India) Police probe car thief-terror link
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Police_probe_car_thief-terror_link_/articleshow/3304191.cms
(India) Mastermind of Tamil Nadu terror module held
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mastermind_of_Tamil_Nadu_terror_module_held/articleshow/3307109.cms
(U.S.) Guantanamo Bay: Osama Bin Laden sought U.S. fame in ABC TV interview: Salim Hamdan trial
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080729/ts_nm/guantanamo_hearings_hamdan_dc_1;_ylt=Al.ePGp4rIwr7S4Vl81jM54Tv5UB
— John Miller 1998 interview with OBL: “Allah... orders us to carry out the holy struggle jihad”
http://wasearch.loc.gov/sep11/20010927224718/http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/miller_binladen_980609.html
(U.S.) Guantanamo prosecution doesn’t rest in Salim Hamdan case
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-hamdan30-2008jul30,0,7102188.story
— Hamdan’s admissions thrown out at Guantanamo terrorism trial
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/07/29/hamdan-trial.html
(U.S.) Rep. Peter King Calls on NY Transit Authority to Pull Subway Ads
http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/156.pdf
(UK) 3,000 Blank British Passports Stolen with Delivery Van
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,393581,00.html
— Thousands of blank passports stolen in raid could be used in fraud or terrorism
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/30/ukcrime.uksecurity
Lebanese solider killed in attack on northern army checkpoint — northern Harmel district on Wednesday
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1928189&Language=en
(Iran) Khamenei: Iran will continue its nuclear path
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/30/africa/ME-Iran-Nuclear.php
(Lebanon) Hezbollah accuses Israel over airspace violations
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2008/July/middleeast_July741.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
(Gaza) Explosion in S. Gaza injures six Hamas activists
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1928166&Language=en
(Gaza) Hamas operative dies of wounds sustained in clash with Army of Islam
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331144219&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Hamas threatens to toughen demands in Schalit release deal
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331141454&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(West Bank) IDF troops arrest 10 terror suspects in the West Bank overnight Tuesday
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331140475&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(West Bank) Israel Backtracks on Charity Raids
http://www.metimes.com/International/2008/07/29/israel_backtracks_on_charity_raids/3507/
Yemen: Arrests and warrants issued for suicide attack on police station
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=1.0.2378268130
(Yemen) Guardian: “Yemen terrorism: Soft approach to jihadists starts to backfire as poverty fuels extremism”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/30/yemen.alqaida
(Ethiopia) Muslim Mob Stones Christians in Eastern Ethiopia
http://www.worthynews.com/christian/muslim-mob-stones-christians-in-eastern-ethiopia/
(Russia) Car bombing in Russian republic kills 2 police — in Ingushetia
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_re_eu/russia_restive_south_1;_ylt=ArquQsScblEWqbtsquNICw9_5GIA
(Turkey) No leniency with assault plotters — Turkish president
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1928239&Language=en
Spain says no Andalusian ETA cell despite blast
http://www.expatica.com/es/articles/news/Spanish-ministry-says-no-Andalusian-ETA-cell-despite-blast.html
(Northern Ireland) Real IRA leader McKevitt loses terrorism appeal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7533325.stm
Malaysia ‘aware’ Thai insurgents hiding out — using Malaysia as refuge
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/previousdetail.php?id=129159
— Malaysia province have many residents sympathetic to terrorists
— Suspected Thai bombers believed hiding in Malaysia
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/2306127/Article
— Keeping tabs on Thai suspects
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2307238/Article
(Philippines) Muslim militants in Philippines slain in firefight with military — Abu Sayyaf
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/S-E+Asia/STIStory_262801.html
Sri Lankan jets bomb rebel base, fighting kills 24
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2008/July/subcontinent_July987.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
(Sri Lanka) Security issues may cloud trade agenda at SAARC summit
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2008/July/subcontinent_July981.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
China accused of inflating terrorism threat
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a6837f82-5dce-11dd-8129-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
Colombia says rebels bombed power pylons for cash
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2008/July/theworld_July1619.xml§ion=theworld&col=
Other News:
(U.S.) Wachovia and other corporations submit to sharia
http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/wachovia-and-other-corps-submit-to-sharia/
(Pakistan) NWFP and federal govt committee proposes amendments on imposition on Sharia law in Malakland Division and Swat (my title)
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_2
— Body for amendments to Nizam-e-Adl Regulation
Shariah-compliant credit cards become more common
http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/shariah-compliant-credit-cards-1273.php
Deutsche Bank lists 3 Shariah ETFs on LSE
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/business/2008/July/business_July1100.xml§ion=business&col=
FTSE/JSE Launches Shariah Top 40 Index
http://www.huliq.com/65176/ftsejse-launches-shariah-top-40-index
Standard Chartered Bank announces Islamic Online Treasury (OLT) proprietary foreign exchange (FX) trading and hedging platform
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Business_News&subsection=Local+Business&month=July2008&file=Business_News2008073004817.xml
(UK) Britain tightens visa rules for overseas students
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/30/europe/EU-Britain-Foreign-Students.php
(UK) British hacker loses extradition appeal
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/30/British_hacker_loses_extradition_appeal/UPI-28871217422750/
Indonesia: Muslims leaders to discuss global conflict in Jakarta
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=1.0.2375313690
Syria puts 12 on trial over call for democracy
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2008/July/middleeast_July742.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
Iran: Sixteen Christian converts arrested
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=1.0.2376172927
(Malaysia) Call to teach journalism students proper reporting of Islam
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/NewsBreak/20080730170222/Article/index_html
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/022000.php
Saudi Arabia: Police arrest 55 at ‘gay’ party
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=1.0.2378425197
(Pakistan) Two more polio cases confirmed
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\07\30\story_30-7-2008_pg7_13
(U.S.) Anarchists offer DNC deal to Denver — funds cannot be used for convention security
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/28/anarchists-offer-dnc-deal-to-denver/
(Australia) Oxygen tank exploded on Qantas jet, investigators say
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/2473171/Oxygen-tank-exploded-on-Qantas-jet%2C-investigators-say.html
(Computer Security) Exploit Prods Software Firms to Update Their Updaters
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/07/holes_in_software_autoupdate_f_1.html?hpid=sec-tech
Commentaries:
India’s Counterterrorism Failings — by Sadanand Dhume
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121727252464290655.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
— “the country tends to exercise a hands-off approach to its 140-million-strong Muslim community. Unlike in Europe or America, Muslims
in India are governed by Shariah law in matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. This parallel legal system slows integration into
the national mainstream”
Against Nazi News:
(Croatia) Jewish group condemns burial of World War II concentration camp commander
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/29/europe/EU-Croatia-Nazi-Commander.php
(U.S.) Woman with Ties to KKK Represents for School for Blacks and Hispanics
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,394362,00.html
— Chloe Black, the ex-wife of former KKK leader David Duke, is now married to Don Black, the creator of the white-power hate site Stormfront
__._,_.___
If reposting elsewhere, please credit source of this research as UnitedStatesAction.com
Medvedev names Iran pointman as U.S. ambassador
Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:21am MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has appointed Sergei Kislyak, a deputy Foreign Minister who represents Moscow in nuclear talks with Iran, as Russia’s new ambassador to the United States.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSL917581020080729
http://www.ic3.gov/media/2008/080730.aspx
[An FBI department]
Storm Worm Virus
Be on the lookout for spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software (malware) which mention “F.B.I. vs. facebook”. The e-mail directs the recipient to click on a link to view an article about the FBI and Facebook. Once the user clicks on the link, malware is downloaded to the Internet connected device and causes it to become infected and become part of the Storm Worm botnet. A botnet is a network of compromised machines under the control of a single user. Botnets are typically set up to facilitate criminal activity such as spam e-mail, identity theft, denial of service attacks, and spreading malware to other machines on the Internet.
The Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays and fictitious world events in the last year by sending millions of e-mails advertising an e-card link within the text of the spam e-mail.
Be wary of any e-mail received from an unknown sender. Do not open any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any links provided.
If you have received this, or a similar e-mail, please file a complaint at www.IC3.gov.
After strategic Mt. Sannine, Hizballah seizes Lebanese Mt. Barukh
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5476
Hizballah has moved on since its seizure of the towering Mount Sannine, the
highest point of the Mount Lebanon range - which was first revealed by
DEBKAfile.
As Iranian and Syrian radar and anti-air weapons officers settled on the
strategic peak, our military sources report the Lebanese terrorist group
proceeded to grab positions on the Western ridge of Jebel Barukh, east of
Jezzine, a move which brings it closer to the Israel border.
http://www.debka.com/pictures/nahar_shabab_map.jpg
(Click on the map
accompanying this article).
Perched atop Lebanon’s two tallest mountain peaks, Hizballah, Syria and Iran
are able to control most of Israel’s air space to the south and the
heartlands of Lebanon’s Christian centers, as well as Mediterranean coastal
waters.
Contrary to the picture presented by Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert to
the Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee Monday, July 28
(”Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah is losing his self-confidence”),
Hizballah is back in strength in the military enclaves circled in the
accompanying map, where its war preparations proceed apace.
These enclaves are off-limits to civilians.
Scores of military bases have arisen around three main centers close to the
Israeli border at Marjayun, Nabatiya and Hasbaya. Marked on the map are two
lines of fortifications and large-scale concentrations of fighting strength:
1. One line is arrayed northwest of the Zahrani River to obstruct Israeli
forces attempting to break through to Jebel Barukh and Mt. Sannine, as well
as shielding the 10th and 14th Syrian armored divisions straddling the
Syrian-Lebanese border opposite the Israeli positions on Mt. Hermon and Mt.
Dov.
2. North-west of the first line, a long chain of positions is ranged across
the breadth of South Lebanon, from Mt. Hermon in the east, up to Sidon on
the Mediterranean coast to the west. It is there to block an Israeli advance
on Hizballah-ruled Shiite centers.
A real threat: Terrorists tampering with food
Saturday, July 26, 2008
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/jul/26/a-real-threat-terrorists-tampering-with-food/
The deliberate contamination of the nation’s food supply is a serious
threat.
http://jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2374323
Was Alleged al-Qaeda Attack a Failed Attempt to Occupy the U.S. Consulate in
Istanbul?
continued.
snipped.....this is the end of the article:
The Turkish interior minister’s hasty press release declaring the incident a
suicide attack suggests that the authorities may be aware of the aim of the
attack. It might indeed have been an attempt to occupy the consulate to take
hostages, but authorities probably did not reveal these aspects because it
might have inspired other terrorists around the world to plan similar
attacks. If it was not an attempt to occupy the consulate, it needs to be
explained why an individual trained in terrorist methods in Afghanistan
would lead such a high-risk but ultimately ineffectual operation.
Assuming that it was an attempt to occupy the strongly defended U.S.
consulate, the attack would have been a grave embarrassment for U.S. and
Turkish security institutions if successful. A Turkish counter-terrorism
expert specializing in al-Qaeda suggests that “as long as there is an
American consulate it is a target to al-Qaeda.” Since there is no way to
drive a truck loaded with explosives into the consulate, it seems likely
that the leader of the cell, Erkan Kargin, planned to occupy the consulate
in order to humiliate the United States and Turkey. Thanks to random police
officers who happened to be at the scene and had the courage to join the gun
battle, the attackers failed to carry out their assault. Although it failed,
the attack at least has the potential to inspire al-Qaeda operatives or home
grown terrorists to attempt the occupation of foreign embassies and
consulates around the world.
http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD200608
Special Dispatch—Iran
July 29, 2008
No. 2006
Kuwaiti Daily Reveals: Iran Building Secret Nuclear Reactor
Below are recent excerpts from the IRIS Blog. For the
full stories and links to other articles as well please
visit:
http://www.iris.org.il/blog.html
* Olmert Steps Down *
Exactly as predicted we predicted, Ehud Olmert has
announced the inevitable, that he will not run in the
Kadima primaries that he is forecast to lose anyway.
This will enable him to delay the inevitable as long
possible and remain Prime Minister until the bitter
end.
Ironically, he is preening that he is doing this for
the good of the country.
For updates to this story as they come in please visit
the IRIS blog at http://www.iris.org.il/blog.html .
* Barak: US Will Provide Missile
Defense; Obama: I’ll Kill It *
Defense Minister Ehud Barak has today announced that
Israel’s greatest security vulnerability will soon be
fixed, courtesy of new agreements with America. The
Lebanon War provided shocking proof that Israel (and
all democracies) are completely vulnerable from
missiles that rained down on the country.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, has vowed to cut off
funding for missile defense, because it’s “unproven.”
Every Israeli worries that much of Israel will turn
into Sderot with the re-opening of hostilities with
Hizballah and its estimated 40,000 missiles, not to
mention a rapidly arming Hamas.
Leaving considerations of Israel aside, should
Americans not care that Obama does not understand that
the job of the military is to develop new (i.e.
unproven) technologies for defending against new forms
of attack?
continues with more info on Israel.
Benny boy said we would watch the next one on TV.<<<
And we will........
He has made sure of all the free advertising that he wants.
Why they’re dangerous: The Mungiki are just one of Kenya’s many machete-wielding ethnic gangs—some of which sport names like the “Kosovo Boys” or the “Taliban” (an entirely Christian gang that apparently just thought the name sounded tough).
Is this Obamas kind of Christian?<<<<
I fear that it might be, read my post on Israel, just a couple above this post, it talks about his plans for their defense.
Cancel the weapons they need for protection.
Who is the Knights of the Cross?<<<
Christian Soldiers?
I think so.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
