Free Republic

Four men were sentenced to prison in Berlin on Wednesday for operating a covert Hamas weapons-stockpiling network across Europe in preparation for potential terrorist attacks — a landmark ruling marking the first time a German court convicted members of the Palestinian terrorist group under the country’s terrorism laws. The Berlin State Protection Senate — a special national-security chamber within the Berlin Court of Appeal — convicted the defendants of stockpiling weapons for future attacks in Europe, including possible targets in Germany, sentencing them to four and a half to six years in prison for membership in a foreign terrorist organization...

They are preparing for large-scale violent jihad in Europe against Jewish targets. And there are likely to be more attempts, as Stephan Weh, Berlin police union chief, suggested when he said: “As a Western metropolis, Berlin remains a focal point for radical Islamist networks, which today primarily recruit new members and supporters via social media.” Nonetheless, Weh states that this Berlin court ruling was important, given the precedent it establishes, and especially since Hamas is not a designated terror group under German law. As Western authorities become more knowledgeable about organized jihad groups, they still lag too far behind. They...

SNIPPET: "There was an unexpected twist in Germany's high-profile terror trial when the four men accused of planning massive car bombs on US targets in Germany took a time out for several hours. When they returned, their lawyers said they wanted to make full confessions." SNIPPET: "Adem Yilmaz was the first to show a change of attitude, asking the court for permission to talk things over with his three co-defendants. The judge was happy to oblige." SNIPPET: "Yilmaz told the court on Tuesday that he wanted to meet with the other alleged members of the so-called "Sauerland Cell" -- Fritz...

<p>FALLUJAH, Iraq — The U.S. military grounded all daytime operations by CH-47 Chinook helicopters Monday after Iraqi insurgents downed one the day before, killing 16 soldiers and wounding 20 others.</p> <p>Fox News has confirmed that Chinook operations will be limited to night flights only.</p>