War against terror

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]Found this quite humorous:

How did Moore embrassed Goss? He admitted that he cannot be a case officer in today's world. Furthermore, the role of CIA director is completely different from a case officer. Past CIA directors were either ex-military, or bureaucrats (i.e. Tenet)

[walker 0]

Hi billybob2002

In the video he says he does not understand Arab Culture (you ever hear the phrase know thy enemy?)

He goes on to say he does not know how to use a computer.

Quote[/b] ]It is true I was in CIA from approximately the late 50's to approximately the early 70's. And it's true I was a case officer, clandestine services office and yes I do understand the core mission of the business. I couldn't get a job with CIA today. I am not qualified. I don't have the language skills. I, you know, my language skills were romance languages and stuff. We're looking for Arabists today. I don't have the cultural background probably. And I certainly don't have the technical skills, uh, as my children remind me every day, "Dad you got to get better on your computer." Uh, so, the things that you need to have, I don't have.

My use of bold

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=128

The man is another dumb choice for the Job by that Miserable Failure George Bush Jnr.

Kind Regards Walker

[Pathy 0]

Well at least hes an honest guy.

[ran 0]

Well at least hes an honest guy.

Honesty and Intelligence Agencies rarely mix well

[Pathy 0]

Not neccessarily. Too often the only reason why people need to not be honest is to cover thier own ass.

[theavonlady 2]

The man is another dumb choice for the Job

Absolutely. I'd like to see this come up at Goss' Senate confirmation hearings next month.

[denoir 0]

The greatest security show on Earth [bBC]

Quote[/b] ]

When the Olympic Games open in Athens on Friday, they will be more than just a test of athletes.

One of the biggest challenges is whether the first Games since the 9/11 attacks can pass off safely, despite the threat of international terrorism.

The Greek government has thrown everything into securing the city, spending more than $1.2bn on security - three times what was spent on Sydney 2000.

A Nato force is on standby, Patriot missile batteries stand ready to down rogue aircraft while a network of cameras co-ordinate the efforts of 70,000 police, soldiers and emergency workers.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has declared the Athens Games will be safe from terrorism - or as safe as is "humanly possible". Even critics of the government's massive security operation are declaring Athens "one of the safest places on Earth".

In the centre of the city, there is a highly visible security presence, with armed police on street corners, at subway stations and outside luxury hotels. At Piraeus port - where thousands are staying on cruise ships in the harbour - special security measures are also in place under the auspices of Athens' specially created Olympic Games Security Division.

Underwater sensors have been deployed to detect divers in the harbour; coastguards in high-speed boats with infra-red and CCTV cameras are patrolling the waters. On the bustling road along the harbour's edge a gated security fence deters those without tickets from trying to board any vessel.

The Olympic venues themselves have been swept for bombs and are locked down. Athletes from high-risk nations like the United States, Israel and Britain have been afforded armed guards. Security searches for spectators will be rigorous, officials say.

Court action

In the run-up to the Games, intelligence officials say there have been no indications that the world's largest sporting event will be a target for terrorism. Nevertheless, there have been a number of minor incidents, quickly blamed on domestic left-wing extremists, or anarchists. Less than a fortnight ago, a petrol bomb was thrown at the interior ministry in what was thought to be a protest at the security crackdown.

Indeed, there has been some disquiet at some of the measures, particularly the airship that is now hovering above the city for up to 16 hours per day. The Democratic Rally rights group has gone to court to get the blimp banned, saying it could be used to eavesdrop on private phone conversations and even record details of people's everyday lives.

The police strongly deny this - and say security measures have been put in with full respect for human rights. But the surveillance network does give them extraordinary abilities to track suspect vehicles and individuals.

The main goal is to "conduct the Olympic Games in an absolutely secure environment", the ministry of public order says. But Mary Bosi, professor of international terrorism at Athens' Panteion University, says Greece has overspent: "We have done too much - more than is necessary. The government have panicked because of international pressure.

"Greece right now is the safest place on Earth. But for international terrorists, I don't think the Games are a target. Unpredictability has been their hallmark. Where is the surprise in attacking Athens?"

Athens is taking no chances. As Prime Minister Karamanlis was quoted as saying in a recent interview with Time magazine: "One might say that some of the things said or done may border on excessive, exaggeration or sometimes hysteria.

"But one cannot dismiss a legitimate concern. So the only answer is: Try it. It's secure. All that had to be done has been done."

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

1 - Nato Awacs surveillance planes patrolling the skies listening for intelligence chatter

2 - Ships from the Greek navy, Nato and the US 6th fleet patrolling the sea

3 - Helicopters on constant surveillance over the city

4 - Gunboats sweeping harbour areas, especially around the VIP accommodation in Piraeus

5 - Greek special forces, backed by thousands of regular troops, placed in and around Olympic venues

6 - 70,000 police and security officers on duty

7 - Sensors to detect a chemical, biological or radiological attack placed around the city

8 - Surveillance airship patrolling the skies

The Security Blimp

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">

Nickname: Phoebus

59m (200 feet) long

Contains 6,000 cubic feet of helium

Flies at 1,200m (4,000 feet) and carries 13 people

Carries high-resolution cameras that can work at night

Detects unexpected changes in image patterns

Sniffs air to detect chemical attack

Will float for hours even after punctured by bullets

[bn880 5]

Maybe it's the Security Measures Olympic Games?

[theavonlady 2]

Quote[/b] ]GREEK SECURITY TEAM FAILS TO NOTICE GIANT HORSE

Mysterious Wooden Structure Causing Pre-Olympic Jitters

Olympic security officials in Athens, Greece conceded today that they had failed to notice a giant wooden horse that had been wheeled to within meters of the Olympic stadium sometime late last week.

The sudden appearance of the gigantic horse, which was said to measure over one hundred cubits in width, has raised fresh concerns that the security around the Olympic complex might be more porous than originally thought.

“When you’re spending over $1.5 billion in security, quite frankly, somebody shouldn’t be able to wheel a giant wooden horse right up to your stadium,†said one U.S. official today.

But Thanasis Kyriakou, who is coordinating the security efforts for the 2004 Olympics, said that the horse, while of unknown origin, posed no serious security threat to the Games, which are set to begin in three days.

“If anything, this gigantic horse is only bringing more attention to the Olympics,†he said. “I see this horse as a tremendous gift.â€

Sharply disagreeing with Mr. Kyriakou is NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol, who said that the unplanned presence of a gigantic horse could ruin his network’s coverage of the Games.

“It’s wrecking all of our camera angles,†Mr. Ebersol said. “Everywhere you look, there’s that dopey horse in the background.â€

For his part, Mr. Kyriakou believes that the enormous horse could enhance viewership of the Olympics and has even recommended wheeling the mysterious wooden structure into the stadium itself.

“I say let the horse in,†he said. “What’s the worst that could happen?â€

[Pathy 0]

Hahaha good one

[billybob2002 0]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm....tary_dc

Quote[/b] ]U.S. to Pull 70,000 Troops from Europe, Asia

Sat Aug 14, 9:22 AM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!

By Charles Aldinger

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States plans to withdraw about 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia in a major realignment of American military presence prompted by the end of the Cold War and the beginning of the war on terrorism, U.S. officials said on Saturday.

President Bush (news - web sites) will unveil the move to make the high-tech military much more mobile in a speech on Monday to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Cincinnati, Ohio, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"The president is going to make an announcement about a major initiative to reduce the burden on our forces overseas," said one of the U.S. officials.

They confirmed a report in the Financial Times of a total shift of at least 70,000 troops from overseas to home bases. The British newspaper, citing people briefed on the plan, said two-thirds of the reductions would be made in Europe, mostly in Germany.

"Germany is definitely a place where there will be a major rearrangement," one U.S. official told Reuters of plans to bring two big armored units back to the United States from there.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday that as many as 100,000 U.S. troops could eventually be returned to the United States as the realignment evolved in years ahead.

Pentagon (news - web sites) officials have been carefully studying U.S. commitments overseas to rearrange the ponderous global deployments of U.S. forces adopted in the Cold War and make the American military more mobile in the new war on terrorism declared by Bush after the 2001 attacks on America.

MAJOR CURRENT PRESENCE IN EUROPE, ASIA

There are currently more than 100,000 American troops in Europe, including about 70,000 in Germany, and another 100,000 in the Asia-Pacific region. About 150,000 additional troops are now in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).

"This will take years to complete," said one Pentagon official, who refused to discuss the number of troops involved. "It will not, it will not, result in any reduced commitment to our friends and allies. Wherever people go down, weapons and technology will more than make up the difference."

A senior administration official traveling with Bush in Portland, Oregon, said the president "will be discussing next week how the United States will structure its military capabilities to meet the threats of the 21st century with new technologies and new capabilities."

"It's important not that our military posture reflect the Cold War but the new threats of the 21st century," said the senior official.

Washington and Seoul announced earlier this year that the United States was removing about 12,500 of the 37,000 troops stationed in South Korea (news - web sites) for decades and sending many of them to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan. One U.S. official said on Saturday, however, some of those troops could be returned to South Korea.

The proposed global realignment includes plans to use bases in Eastern European countries of the former Soviet bloc as transit points to quickly send forces from the United States to trouble spots such as the Middle East and northern Africa.

While many soldiers would be brought home from both Europe and Asia, sophisticated weaponry, including fighter planes, would be sent overseas to some bases to make up for the smaller number of deployed ground troops.

The U.S. Air Force, for example, is currently discussing plans to station heavy bombers and new F/A-22 jets on the U.S. island of Guam in the mid-Pacific to address any future threat from North Korea (news - web sites) and China.

I thought that the F/A-22 was canned....I guess not

[Donnervogel 0]

Jeez. They should not only send more technology... They should rather spend some ressources in proper training of the troops for peacekeeping/iraq like situation. The warfare technology doesn't win hearts and minds in those modern conflict scenarios...

[Balschoiw 0]

Al-Qaeda Group Threatens Attacks Against Italy After Ultimatum Expiry: website

Quote[/b] ]DUBAI, Aug 15 (AFP) - A group linked to Al-Qaeda purportedly threatened Sunday to launch attacks throughout Italy and target Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi following the expiry of an ultimatum for Rome to pull its troops out of Iraq.

"We call on all our cells to hit every target they (can) in Italy, and to repeat the blows forcefully, until the (Italian) government pulls out of Iraq," said a statement signed by the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades-Al-Qaeda organization, and posted on an Islamist website.

"We declare that Berlusconi is targeted, and his head will be the price for the crimes that his (troops) are perpetrating and continue to perpetrate in Iraq," said the statement, whose authenticity could not be confirmed.

The group had in previous similar statements threatened to attack Italian targets both in Italy and elsewhere unless Rome withdrew its troops from Iraq by August 15.

Italy has been a staunch supporter of the US-led invasion of Iraq and maintains about 3,000 troops in the country.

Italian authorities boosted security in cities, ports, train stations, subways and airports ahead of the deadline.

"The Italian government dug its own grave by following America, the head of infidelity, and remaining in Iraq ... Hence it is to blame for all the blood that will be shed in Italy after the expiry of the deadline we previously set," said Sunday`s statement posted on (ansarnet.ws) site.

By remaining silent, the Italian people showed that "there is no difference between civilians and military" personnel in Italy and "have also dug their own grave," it said.

"Today we declare (the start of) a bloody war. The earth will shake under the feet of every Italian, God willing. We call on all mujahedeen (Islamic fighters) to start attacks everywhere, and not hesitate to set all of Rome ablaze," the statement said.

In an August 7 statement posted on the Internet, the group called on its cells in Italy to be ready to hit targets in the country starting August 15.

On August 1, the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported receiving a statement in the name of the same group which threatened to attack Italians everywhere unless Rome pulled its troops out of Iraq within 15 days.

The Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades had also threatened Italy on July 16 with a bloodbath on the scale of the September 11, 2001 attacks which killed thousands in the United States if Berlusconi remained in power.

The Brigades claimed responsibility for the March 11 train bombings in Madrid which killed 191 people, as well as for November 2003 bombings in Istanbul that killed 25 people.

Abu Hafs al-Masri headed Al-Qaeda military operations until he was killed in the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001

Rattling the drum or some major thing coming up to Italy ?

[theavonlady 2]

Quote[/b] ]Revealed: 20 al-Qaeda suspects on Scots hit-list

KATE FOSTER HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT

•Muslims named in M15 dossier

•80 people linked to UK ricin plot

BRITISH security services have compiled a ‘hit-list’ of 20 al-Qaeda terrorist suspects who are living in Scotland and said to be connected with a plot to unleash mass murder on the streets of the UK.

The dossier, compiled by MI5 and Special Branch, contains the names of more than 80 alleged extremists across Britain whom security services allege were involved in a plan to kill, using the deadly poison ricin.

The 20 suspects living north of the Border are all Muslims and based in the Central Belt. Some are said to be British citizens.

Nine of them are Algerians arrested and then cleared of terror-related charges following a massive police operation in Edinburgh in 2002. However, the identities of the 11 remaining suspects are known only to the security services.

The existence of the dossier has been revealed by lawyers in London and Glasgow who represent foreign nationals facing deportation and criminal charges. The list has been submitted as evidence for Algerian asylum seekers facing deportation. The lawyers argue the dossier is shared by British and Algerian security services, which means anyone on the list sent back to Algeria faces certain death, even if they have been cleared of the charges.

Henry Miller, a lawyer with London-based asylum specialists Birnberg Pierce Partners, last night confirmed "this list exists" but declined to give further details.

But a legal source close to the asylum appeals told Scotland on Sunday: "There are 20 people on this list of 82 who are living in Scotland - both men and women.

"All of them are Muslim and they live in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Some of them may have been taken in for questioning previously, or arrested. But some of them do not even know they are terror suspects.

"The number of people on the list was accurate last year, but this may have increased. They seem to have been placed on this list through their links with other people. Some are British citizens and some are seeking asylum."

Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, of Glasgow-based Beltrami Berlow solicitors, is representing some of the nine Algerians who were cleared of terror charges last year.

One of them, asylum seeker Hakim Ziem - believed to be number eight on the list - was yesterday arrested and taken to Dungavel detention centre on immigration charges.

Anwar says he now faces certain death because of his inclusion in the list, and has lodged a fresh asylum claim. He said: "None of the people on this list are terrorists. They are ordinary people who are being persecuted. The fact Ziem has not been convicted would be an irrelevance to the Algerian authorities. His arrest would be sufficient to warrant their attention. Torture and violence are committed in their battle against terrorism. This would apply to Hakim Ziem.

"Hakim is entitled to have this application treated as a fresh asylum claim because the evidence upon which it is based related to events that happened after his last appeal hearing."

Ziem, a 33-year-old former journalism student was arrested alongside his two brothers, Sofiane and Karim, in December 2002. The other six asylum seekers arrested in the swoop in Edinburgh and London are all understood to be named in the security service dossier.

It was said the ‘gang’ was using Edinburgh as a base for terrorist activities across Europe, with even the Hogmanay celebrations in Princes Street touted as a possible target.

All charges were dropped after a Å1.5m investigation. The men are planning to use the fact they are on the list as a key argument in their asylum claims. Their hearings begin this week.

Their inclusion in the dossier is the clearest indication yet that MI5 and Special Branch believe they were connected to planned attacks. Scottish police sources have also indicated that the mens’ movements are still being monitored.

SNP leader John Swinney said: "The idea of 20 terror suspects at large in Scotland will no doubt cause great concern. But we must remember that terror organisations set out to terrorise us out of our way of life. We must not give in to fear."

Yesterday, Scotland Yard said only that the ricin plot is still a live inquiry. The Home Office also refused to comment.

[ralphwiggum 6]

.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/08/19/shoebomber.sues.reut/index.html

Quote[/b] ]DENVER, Colorado (Reuters) -- "Shoe bomber" Richard Reid has sued U.S. prison authorities for imposing harsh conditions including isolation and a lack of access to Arabic language religious books.

Reid is serving a life sentence for attempting to use explosives in his shoes to blow up an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami three months after the September 11 attacks.

Reid, a British citizen, wants a judge to order prison authorities to give him "the same rights and privileges as other inmates held in this prison."

Reid has been at the Administrative Maximum Facility in Colorado, popularly known as Supermax, since February 2003.

In May, a federal prison official told Reid U.S. authorities had ordered special administrative measures to restrict Reid's access to mail, media, telephone and visitors.

"These measures have been imposed because there is a substantial risk that your communications or contacts with persons could result in death or serious bodily injury," the official wrote.

In the handwritten suit, filed in U.S. district court in Denver on Wednesday, Reid said he has a window he cannot see out of and is denied access to broadcast and print news.

what an asshole. how about Gitmo? nice views all year long, great weather...

[ralphwiggum 6]

.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3584110.stm

Quote[/b] ]Spanish police have rearrested two men in connection with the Madrid bombings.

Algerian Abdelkrim Beghdali, 41, and Syrian Safwan Sabagh, 41, were arrested days after the 11 March attacks but released because of lack of evidence.

However fingerprints found in the Madrid flat when seven key suspects blew themselves up on 3 April have led to them being arrested again.

Telephone numbers used by Mr Sabagh were also found in a car used by the bombers, the interior ministry said.

The bombs left on commuter trains on 11 March killed 191 people and injured hundreds of others.

An Islamic group with links to al-Qaeda is blamed for the attack and more than 50 people have been arrested and questioned over the last five months and around 18 remain in custody on provisional charges.

Mr Beghdali and Mr Sabagh are expected to appear before the judge who is leading the investigation into the bombings within the next few days.

[denoir 0]

UN staff call for Afghan pullout [bBC]

Quote[/b] ]

The United Nations should withdraw all its personnel from Afghanistan as the country has become too dangerous to work in, the UN staff union has said. The union said staff should leave the country until new security measures had been introduced. The union said UN personnel was likely to become a target in the run-up to October's elections.

"As we approach election time, more than likely attacks will intensify," union vice-president Guy Candusso said.

The union's call came days after a series of bombs exploded at a voter registration centre in western Afghanistan.

Afghan voters are due to elect a president in October and a new parliament in April. A UN spokesman said that they had recently carried out a security assessment of the country and were putting extra measures in place.

"The overall security in Afghanistan is in the process of being upgraded," Stephane Dujarric told the Associated Press.

In July global medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) announced it was leaving the country after 24 years, citing security fears

Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of attacks on the UN's headquarters in Baghdad which left 22 dead, including envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello. An independent inquiry ordered by Secretary General Kofi Annan found that the UN's security management system at the time was dysfunctional.

Mr Annan has said that the organisation is now wrestling with the difficult question of how to remain involved in areas where staff are increasingly under attack.

"How do we operate in places like Iraq and some parts of Afghanistan, where many people want and expect us to help... but some are determined to block our work at any price?" he said on the anniversary of the attack.

(emphasis added)

Ahh.. liberty thy smell is rotten  

"In Afghanistan, the Taliban used violence and fear to deny Afghan women access to education, health care, mobility, and the right to vote. Our coalition has liberated Afghanistan and restored fundamental human rights and freedoms to Afghan women, and all the people of Afghanistan. Young girls in Afghanistan are able to attend schools for the first time." - GWB

[Tovarish 0]

Pentagon aide suspected of spying for Israel

Quote[/b] ]WASHINGTON - The FBI is investigating a Pentagon official suspected of spying for Israel and providing the country with classified materials including secret White House plans on Iran, according to reports.

CBS News reported that the investigation involved wiretaps, undercover surveillance and photography.

The suspected spy is alleged to be an analyst at the Pentagon who worked in the office of Douglas Feith, the undersecretary of defence for policy. Feith is a key aide to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The scheme is alleged to have involved employees at the pro-Israeli lobbying group in Washington – the American-Israeli Political Action Committee.

Investigators are looking into whether the Pentagon analyst passed on information to AIPAC, which then allegedly gave those materials to the Israeli government.

AIPAC spokesman Josh Block said that any allegation of criminal conduct by the organization or its employees is "baseless and false."

The materials allegedly provided to Israel included a draft plan on U.S. policy toward Iran.

David Siegel, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, said: "We categorically deny these allegations. They are completely false and outrageous."

[Akira 0]

Didn't know where the hell to put this story so I will put it here:

Quote[/b] ]9/11 toy found inside candy bags

Wholesaler recalls 14,000 bags it bought from Miami import firm

Friday, August 27, 2004 Posted: 5:19 PM EDT (2119 GMT)

A Miami wholesaler is recalling 14,000 bags of candy containing this toy plane suspended between two buildings.

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- Small toys showing an airplane flying into the World Trade Center were packed inside more than 14,000 bags of candy and sent to small groceries around the country before being recalled.

Lisy Corp., the wholesaler that distributed the candy, said Friday that the toys were purchased in bulk from a Miami-based import company.

The toys came in an assortment purchased sight unseen from L&M Import in Miami and included the toys depicting the attacks on the World Trade Center of September 11, 2001, along with whistles and other small toys, said Luis Pedron, Lisy's national sales manager. The invoice described the toy as a plastic swing set.

"I hate to blame the importer. He probably did not know what he was getting. He brings them in 40-foot containers. But whoever made it knew exactly what they were making," Pedron said.

Pedron said Lisy did not notice the small plastic figurines until two people complained, but there is no mistaking what the toys represent: At the bottom of each is the product number 9011.

"When we found out what happened, we recalled them immediately," said Pedron, who said the toys do not reflect the company's view. "I was offended by them."

The company's 100 distributors sent out the candy bags. Most are sold to small Hispanic and Mexican groceries, Pedron said. He estimated about 90 percent of the bags have been collected.

Anna Rodriguez, who bought a bag of the candy for her grandson, said she was stunned when she saw the toy.

"It makes me angry," she told television station WFTV. "I was offended because I couldn't believe that someone would give something like that to a kid."

Pedron said he is saving the toys to return to the distributor.

A woman who answered the telephone at L&M and refused to give her name said Friday she did not know anything about the toy.

[billybob2002 0]

WTF

Quote[/b] ]

Montreal man downed U.S. Plane, CSIS told

'Farouk the Tunisian' involved, al-Qaeda say, but officials insist crash was accidental

 

Stewart Bell

National Post

Friday, August 27, 2004

A captured al-Qaeda operative has told Canadian intelligence investigators that a Montreal man who trained in Afghanistan alongside the 9/11 hijackers was responsible for the crash of an American Airlines flight in New York three years ago.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service agents were told during five days of interviews with the source that Abderraouf Jdey, a Canadian citizen also known as Farouk the Tunisian, had downed the plane with explosives on Nov. 12, 2001.

The source claimed Jdey had used his Canadian passport to board Flight 587 and "conducted a suicide mission" with a small bomb similar to the one used by convicted shoe bomber Richard Reid, a "Top Secret" Canadian government report says.

But officials said it was unlikely Jdey was actually involved in the crash, which killed 265 people and is considered accidental. The fact that al-Qaeda attributed the crash to Jdey, however, suggests they were expecting him to attack a plane.

"We have seen no evidence of anything other than an accident here," said Ted Lopatkiewicz, spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. "There has been no evidence found, from what I can tell -- at least that's been relayed to us -- that there was any criminality involved here. It appears, at least the evidence we have, is that a vertical fin came off, not that there was any kind of event in the cabin."

Jdey, 39, came to Canada from Tunisia in 1991 and became a citizen in 1995. Shortly after getting his Canadian passport, he left for Afghanistan and trained with some of the Sept. 11 hijackers, according to the 9/11 commission in the United States.

He recorded a "martyrdom" video, but was dropped from the 9/11 mission after returning to Canada in the summer of 2001. The planner of the World Trade Center attack, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, claims Jdey was recruited for a "second wave" of suicide attacks.

The FBI issued an alert seeking Jdey's whereabouts in 2002. John Ashcroft, the U.S. Attorney-General, told a news conference in May that Jdey was one of seven al-Qaeda associates "sought in connection with the possible terrorist threats in the United States."

The information on Jdey's alleged role in the plane crash is contained in a memo on captured Canadian al-Qaeda operative Mohammed Mansour Jabarah. The Canadian government memo was written in May, 2002, and was based on information provided by a "source of unknown reliability."

Jabarah is a 22-year-old from St. Catharines who allegedly joined al-Qaeda and convinced Osama bin Laden to give him a terror assignment. He was tasked with overseeing a suicide-bombing operation in Southeast Asia, but was caught and has since pleaded guilty in the United States.

The report, which was sent to the Philippine National Police intelligence directorate, recounts what Jabarah said he was told about the U.S. plane crash by Abu Abdelrahman, a Saudi al-Qaeda member who was working for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

"In discussions, Abu Abdelrahman mentioned AL QAIDA was responsible for the assassination of Massoud, the Northern Alliance leader," the report says. "According to the source, Abu Abdelrahman added that the 12 November 2001 plane crash (btb American Airlines flight 587) in Queens, New York was not an accident as reported in the press but was actually an AL QAIDA operation.

"Abu Abdelrahman informed Jabarah that Farouk the Tunisian conducted a suicide mission on the aeroplane using a shoe bomb of the type used by Richard Reid .... 'Farouk the Tunisian' was identified from newspaper photographs as being identical to Abderraouf Jdey, a Canadian citizen who had resided in Montreal."

Jabarah was initially suspect of the claim about Jdey, but he later believed it after he saw the same information on a "mujahedin Web site," the report says.

[Balschoiw 0]

Spreading the news:

Quote[/b] ]August 22, 2004:  The war on terrorism is heating up in some out-of-the-way places. Latin America, the coastal cities of east and west Africa, and mountain villages in the Philippines and Indonesia, have all become the safest places for al Qaeda to operate. Particularly worrisome are the Latin American operations. The United States has alerted police throughout the region to be on the lookout for Adnan El Shukrijumah, a 29-year-old Saudi pilot thought to be an al Qaeda leader. Shukrijumah, who has a $5 million price on his head,  has been spotted several times in the area, and is thought to be trying to organize an attack. However, nearly all the "suspected terrorists" (Moslems moving through the area) caught have been illegal immigrants, looking for jobs, not bombing targets. But it's clear that a terrorist could easily mingle with the illegal migrants, and it is known that hundreds (at least) of Middle Eastern men and women sneak into the United States from Mexico each year. The Latin American nations are pretty energetic in trying to stop the illegal migrants, if only because many of them are not heading for the U.S., but for any Latin American country. There are growing communities of Middle Eastern migrants throughout Latin America. Few of the inhabitants are terrorists, but most will either ignore, or support, al Qaeda members passing through, or setting up shop. For the moment, these Latin American threats have not developed into any actual attacks.  

Latin America as an operational base for AQ...that doesn´t sound especially good to me. Maybe this explains why theyx have begun to shoot down suspected drug-planes now. It could be something different than drugs that the planes intend to deliver.

I´ve also seen a report about the security measures taken in New York prior the Republican convention. Looks like the president has to be defended from his own people. The setup looks very much war-like with armoured vehicles, riot setup with bulletproof armor, helmet cams that allow to coordinate actions and film and identify people for the record, excessive police and military presence, a carrier in the bay and planes circling the area. So what is it ? The fear of a terrorist attack or the fear to be confronted with own angry citizens. New York is not especially known for it´s favour for Bush.

Edit: Well good ol typodevil

[Apollo 0]

2 French journalists kidnapped by an Iraqi religious millitant group ,they demand France to revise it's ban on headscarfs it issued some time ago.

bbc article

I wonder how the French goverment will react.I wasn't opposed to the ban ,however i presume under this circumstances the already very controversial ban might be retracted.In any case i don't think France will go lightly over endangering the lives of 2 nationals.

[red oct 2]

Quote[/b] ]The al-Jazeera newsreader said the group described the French law banning religious apparel in public schools as "an aggression on the Islamic religion and personal freedoms".

that really cracks me up. "personal freedoms" like they would know the meaning of the word... stupid bigots. if i were President Jacques Chirac, i'd draw a picture for the "Islamic Army of Iraq" that shows them where they can insert their Kalishnikov's.

[Mister Frag 0]

From http://www.cnn.com/2004....ex.html

Quote[/b] ]Blast outside U.S. security firm in Kabul kills 7

Taliban, Pakistani militant group claim responsibility

Sunday, August 29, 2004 Posted: 4:23 PM EDT (2023 GMT)

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- An explosion outside a U.S.-based security firm that has been providing security for President Hamid Karzai tore through the building in downtown Kabul, killing at least seven people, the president's office said.

"Two Americans, three Nepalese and two Afghan nationals, including a child, have been confirmed dead," Karzai's office said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

The blast occurred at 5:35 p.m. (9:05 a.m. ET) and appeared to have targeted the offices of DynCorp. It may have been caused by a remote-controlled bomb in a vehicle.

Windows in nearby buildings were blown out by the force of the blast.

DynCorp has a police-training facility in the Shar-e-Naw district of Kabul, where the explosion occurred.

"It's quite clear in my mind that they were targeted," said Nick Downie of the Afghanistan NGO Security Office, which advises aid workers on security.

The Arabic-language television channel Al-Jazeera reported that Taliban officials claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We received two phone calls from two Taliban spokespersons -- Mulla Janan and Mulla Hakim -- who claimed the movement's responsibility for the blast and regretted the injuries inflicted on some Afghan people who were accidentally passing by the area," said Al-Jazeera's Kabul correspondent, Mazin Aman Allah.

Local radio said a Pakistan-based militant group claimed responsibility for the blast, calling it an attempt to undermine the nation's first post-Taliban presidential election, scheduled to take place October 9.

Downie was sitting in his office when the force of the blast 50 meters away blew out his windows.

"We went into a scene of absolute chaos and devastation," he said.

A woman who answered the phone at DynCorp's U.S. headquarters in Virginia said she had no comment.

In a written statement, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said it was "shocked and saddened to learn that Americans, Afghans and other foreign nationals were killed" in the explosion, and that an investigation was under way.

"This cowardly attack will not deter U.S. participation in the ongoing effort to help Afghanistan stand on its own feet," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in the statement.

"Rebuilding Afghanistan's security institutions is a vital step toward the creation of a secure, peaceful country. The United States is committed to Afghanistan's success -- the training of police and the army will continue to go forward."

[Pathy 0]

Its so easy to forget about Afganistan...all the attention is diverted to Iraq....how many people actually realise that there is internal fighting all over Afganistan, many of it between rival warlords? Not alot, i bet.....

BTW, shouldnt this be in the "war on terror" thread