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Anwar al-Awlaki, the US-born Islamic cleric killed in a US drone attack in Yemen last year, had been in American custody at least twice but was released, according to a human rights group. Judicial Watch, an accountability watchdog group, said it had learned this through Freedom of Information lawsuits it filed with the US government. It said documents from the US embassy in Yemen indicate Awlaki was held for at least eight months between late 2006 and mid 2007. But the documents do not say how long he was held or why he was he was freed. Back in October...

For good or bad, from 1980-2010, North America lost some of its oil production edge. .....North America was the only region in the world that had a net production decrease over these three decades.

A Saudi linguist convicted of sexually assaulting a housekeeper and keeping her a virtual slave for four years won a 20-year reduction in his prison sentence Friday, and his defence attorneys hope it means he'll be released from prison soon. District Judge J. Mark Hannen sentenced Homaidan al-Turki to between eight years and life in prison during a hearing Friday in Centennial. Hannen cited al-Turki's good behaviour in prison in cutting the sentence from its original 28 years to life. ... Al-Turki insists he is innocent and a victim of anti-Muslim sentiment. His case has angered Saudi authorities — several...

Not yet a year after the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, Republicans are renewing efforts to drill for oil and gas in a fiercely contested Alaskan wildlife refuge. Moving one day after President Barack Obama's unveiled a plan to cut U.S. oil imports by a third over 10 years, Republicans will unveil a bill to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The bill would also force the Interior Department to hold lease sales for offshore areas, a Republican aide said.

SNIPPET - quote: October 11, 2010 North Carolina Muslim Admits Working with al Qaeda: "Proud to be an American Traitor" [Full text] ****Jawa Report Exclusive**** I think we can quit with the speculation about where he went and why Update by Rusty: The full text of Khan's story can be found at the end of this post. (Excerpt) Read more at mypetjawa.mu.nu ...

A federal law is needed to cover threats against free-speech rights. Across media and geographies, Islamic extremists are increasingly using intimidation to stifle free expression. Earlier this year, after Comedy Central altered an episode of "South Park" that had prompted threats because of the way it depicted Islam's prophet Muhammad, Seattle cartoonist Molly Norris proposed an "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day." The idea was, as she put it, to stand up for the 1st Amendment and "water down the pool of targets" for extremists. The proposal got Norris targeted for assassination by radical Yemeni American cleric Anwar Awlaki, who has been...

US Rep. Gregory Meeks scolded immigration officials for questioning a Muslim scholar whose nonprofits have been linked to financing terrorism. The Queens Democrat contacted federal agencies -- finally appealing to then-Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff -- asking why Anwar Hajjaj faced "unwarranted scrutiny" when he returned to the United States from trips abroad through JFK Airport. Meeks described Hajjaj as a "highly regarded" professor of Islamic studies who leads Friday Muslim prayers at the Capitol. Meeks said Hajjaj was "a pioneer in distance-based learning of Islam" through the American Open University in Virginia, according to a copy of the Sept....

Periodical Review June 2010 – No. 1 This report summarizes the most prominent events brought up in the Jihadi online forums in the second half of May 2010. Following are the main subjects brought up in this report: • Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s media institute publishes an interview with Anwar Al-Awlaki, calling to the Muslims in the U.S. Army to kill their friends. • Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula publishes a video calling the Yemenite tribes to join the Jihad campaign against the U.S. and the Yemenite government. • Ayman Al-Zawahiri publishes an obituary for the death of the...

It appears that the story is being mischaracterized. We've heard that what Governor Palin is pitching to television executives is not a "reality show" but rather more of a "Planet Earth" style documentary showcasing Alaska's resources, people, history, and splendor. If the project comes to fruition, it will not be an Alaskan version of the Osbournes. The show will be more "PBS/Ken Burns" instead of "MTV/The Osbournes". This sounds like it's another opportunity for Governor Palin to promote Alaska -- which is, of course, one of the promises she made when she stepped down from the governorship. The star of...

31 December 2009 “LIKE DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN” SNIPPET: “There is overlap in space if not in time between NW 253 bomber Abdulmutallab and various unsavory characters and websites. Perhaps it’s just a case of like-minded people moving through similar places at similar times in their lives, but then again, maybe Abdulmutallab came into contact with some of these people, particularly in what appears to be his critical period of radicalization in London circa 2005-2007. At this point all I have are suspicions and some interesting data points to share.”

The Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner had his suicide mission personally blessed in Yemen by Anwar al-Awlaki, the same Muslim imam suspected of radicalizing the Fort Hood shooting suspect, a U.S. intelligence source has told The Washington Times. The intelligence official, who is familiar with the FBI's interrogation of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, said the bombing suspect has boasted of his jihad training during interrogation by the FBI and has said it included final exhortations by Mr. al-Awlaki. "It was Awlaki who indoctrinated him," the official said. "He was told, 'You are going to be the...

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. -- Remember back to September, when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was a newly minted vice-presidential candidate and she was asked by ABC's Charlie Gibson about drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and her split with her running mate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.? At the time, she told Gibson: "We'll agree to disagree, but I'm gonna keep pushing that, and I think, eventually, we're all gonna come together on that one." Apparently Palin wasn't persuasive enough

This link leads to an amazing Al-Jezeera interview with author Anwar Malek who asserts that Arab society has failed by every measure (militarily, economicaly, moraly etc.). The author vigorously disputes another guest on the show by arguing thatArabs do not have a single military victory in modern history - they have only defeats dressed up as victories. He mocks the assertion that the Arabs created the number zero by asking "What did the Arabs every do with it?" He is a stone cold realist and he states the painful facts so boldly that I fear for his life.

NICE audio interview Lars has posted at his website. Worth the listen. Two quotes: "Alaskans want to see Anwar developed" "What we [Alaska] need if for congress to unlock our lands!"

Leadership: When it comes to giving relief at the pump by drilling for more oil, this is truly a "do-nothing" Democratic Congress. President Bush should give 'em hell like Harry Truman did. Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution states that the president "may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both houses" of Congress. On more than two dozen occasions in our history, presidents have done just that, forcing the Senate and House of Representatives to meet on extraordinary matters of defense or economic peril. Sixty years ago this month, President Truman called such a special session to shame into action what...

There's a reason Republican Sen. John McCain, President Bush and even Republican Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida all abruptly endorsed plans to expand offshore drilling last week - and it's not just $4-a-gallon gasoline. In an election year when Republicans are bracing to lose seats in Congress and major issues from Iraq to the economy appear to favor the Democrats, the GOP is betting that an aggressive push to drill for new domestic energy will be their ticket to success in November."Energy is actually a huge opportunity for Republicans," said Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who chairs the Senate Republicans' re-election...

Video of McCain, then Palin. John McCain says he opposes drilling in ANWAR, but supports states' right to drill where they want. He is going to have to contend with future Republican heavyweight, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. She want to drill in her state. What say you Johnny Mac?

Sen. John McCain said this week he would not drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for the same reason he "would not drill in the Grand Canyon ... I believe this area should be kept pristine." Pristine means unspoiled, virginal, in an original state. One wonders how pristine the Grand Canyon can be if it has roughly 5 million visitors every year, rafting, hiking, picnicking and riding mules up one side and down the other. Campfires, RVs and motels that do not conjure the word "virginal" ring around large swaths of it. This isn't to say that the Grand...

TO: John McCain and the RNC, Your latest solicitation for our money has a lot of “I want…” statements in it. Merely saying “I want…” does NOT impress me and won’t get the job done! I would like to hear some “I WILL…” AND MEAN IT ! If you want our money, and our vote, then “WE WANT” some ACTION from the RNC and John McCain! GET YOU HEAD OUT AND PAY ATTENTION…. WE ARE SERIOUS AMERICAN CITIZENS THAT VOTE! We WANT an absolute, unequivocal, commitment that we WILL DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW, AND PAY LESS! The stupidity of sitting...