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Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq repel a major ISIS attack southeast of Fallujah
Today's Headlines
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9 15:06 ed in texas []
-Lurid Crime Tales-
Fantasy Police Force Run From California Attorney General's Office
An aide to Caliphornia state Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris and two others are accused of operating a rogue police force that claimed to exist for more than 3,000 years and have jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.
And Neptune. They have jurisdiction on Neptune and on all of its moons and moonlets.
Brandon Kiel, David Henry and Tonette Hayes were arrested last week on suspicion of impersonating a police officer through their roles in the Loyal Order of Racoons Masonic Fraternal Police Department, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
"No, no! Dat's backwards! Police departments are impersonating us!"
Kiel, 31, has worked as the deputy director of community affairs at the California Department of Justice.
What's the Deputy Director for Community Affairs do for a living? Organize picnics? Clambakes?
An office spokesman declined to comment on the criminal investigation but said Kiel is on administrative leave.
"He took admin leave so he could investigate the whole thing."
Suspicions about the Masonic Fraternal Police Department -- whose members trace their origins to the Knights Templar -- were aroused when various police chiefs in Southern California received a letter in late January that announced new leadership for the group, sheriff’s officials said.
"Dear Chief [Fill in Name]

The undersigned assumes command.

Cordially yours,
Brandon Kiel
Grand Imperial Hebob
Masonic Fraternal Police Department

After the letters were mailed, a man claiming to be Kiel and describing himself as the police force’s Grand Imperial Hebob “chief deputy director” called various law enforcement agencies to schedule in-person meetings, sheriff’s officials said.
"Dis is Brandon Kiel, da well-known local big shot! I need to schedule some time to look over yer operation!"

"From the hallowed streets of Greenpernt,
To the shores of Sheepshead Bay,
From the Verrazano Narrows,
To Canarsie across the way...
We have come together, one and all,
In fellowship to commune,
And to glorify the Grand Exalted
Brotherhood of Raccoons. [Howl]"
Posted by: Grunter || 05/06/2015 11:35 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Been a Mason for >30 years. First I've heard of a "Grand Imperial Hebob." Maybe it's a super-duper secret version of Poobah?

Kind of cool, though. (sarc)
Posted by: Hupineger Glomomp52169 || 05/06/2015 13:26 Comments || Top||

#2  In other news, LA State Board of Medical Examiners investigates Zulu Witch Doctor!
Posted by: Schneid Franker || 05/06/2015 15:03 Comments || Top||

#3  Schneid ~ There will be no more disparaging of the sangoma. It's a delicate balance we trod here. This is your last worming.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/06/2015 15:08 Comments || Top||

#4  Somehow 'Fantasy' and 'California State Government' just seem to go together. Any fresh data one the Calif Sec State candidate who was smuggling arms to the Philippines?
Posted by: ed in texas || 05/06/2015 15:10 Comments || Top||

#5  Wasn't this the theme of Magnum Force?
Posted by: Raj || 05/06/2015 15:38 Comments || Top||

#6  Spot on raj!
Posted by: borgboy || 05/06/2015 16:13 Comments || Top||

#7  I think this news item needs some further explanation.

What is this about?
Clinical insanity? A Californian UFO cult?
Organized crime? A vigilante justice conspiracy?
A practical joke that went too far?

On the face of it this sounds like something that could only happen in Saudi Arabia of Pakistain.
Posted by: Elmerert Hupens2660 || 05/06/2015 17:27 Comments || Top||

#8  It's going to be interesting to see who they've been arresting and jailing and where.
Posted by: Injun Omogum6071 || 05/06/2015 19:59 Comments || Top||


Attorney General Lynch meets Gray family in Baltimore
[AyePee] BALTIMORE -- Attorney General Loretta Lynch pledged Tuesday to improve the city's police department after meeting with the family of a man who was fatally injured in police custody.

"We're here to hold your hands and provide support," Lynch said in a meeting with faith and community leaders, including members of Congress.

The new attorney general met privately at the University of Baltimore with Freddie Gray's family, days after the state's attorney charged six police officers involved in Gray's arrest. Gray's injury in police custody and death a week later sparked protests and riots that prompted Maryland's governor to bring in the National Guard.


Lynch was joined by the head of the Civil Rights Division, Vanita Gupta, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Director Ronald Davis and Community Relations Service Director Grande Lum.

The FBI and the Justice Department are investigating Gray's death for potential civil rights violations. The Justice Department is expected to release results of a separate review of the police department's use of force practices in the coming weeks.

Lynch met with Reps. Elijah Cummings, John Sarbanes and Dutch Ruppersberger and Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Following in the footsteps of her predecessor at Ferguson, Mo. No visits for the family of slain NYCPD Officer Mike Moore I take it ?

A painful urosepsis and prolonged debilitating pyrexia on all who approved her nomination.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/06/2015 5:59 Comments || Top||

#2  I hope she will be meeting with the family of NYC Officer Brian Moore who was killed in the line of duty.

The fact that nothing has been in the news about her attending the funeral or meeting with the family would suggest that she has no plans to do so. This is the kind of $hit that makes it appear the blacks in this administration are racist. "[Only] black lives matter" to them.
Posted by: JohnQC || 05/06/2015 7:42 Comments || Top||

#3  Note that she also said that she "will improve the Baltimore police department". She has nothing to do with the Baltimore police department.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia || 05/06/2015 8:58 Comments || Top||

#4  RiV, She has nothing to do with the Baltimore police department. YET!

Commander Zero has plans to implement Federal control over all local policing, and he's still got his pen.
Posted by: AlanC || 05/06/2015 11:10 Comments || Top||

#5  He already has pretty much total oversight of the Seattle P.D. An officer here can't pass-gas without federal approval.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 05/06/2015 12:00 Comments || Top||

#6  Fed police force is final nail in the coffin. All bets are off after that
Posted by: Rex Mundi || 05/06/2015 12:58 Comments || Top||

#7  If he had been white instead of Gray, she would have never showed.
Posted by: Hupineger Glomomp52169 || 05/06/2015 13:31 Comments || Top||

#8  Long felony rap sheets are prerequisites for a visit from the O AG.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 05/06/2015 17:57 Comments || Top||

#9 

Posted by: Blossom Unains5562 || 05/06/2015 20:29 Comments || Top||


Arabia
No discrimination on basis of sect, says Riyadh
[DAWN] The Saudi ministry of Haj has rejected as false reports claiming that the kingdom now requires all pilgrims to declare their 'sect' before arriving in the country, Arab News reported here.

The ministry said that it was the Pak ministry concerned that had issued a form asking pilgrims to declare their sect "for their own regulatory procedures".

The form being used for Haj application in Pakistain reportedly has a section asking, "Are you Shia," with a box below requiring a 'yes' or 'no' answer.

A source at the ministry said: "The kingdom does not differentiate between pilgrims according to their race, nationality, or Islamic sect."

The source said the form seen on social networking websites was not administered by the Saudi ministry and was "a violation of the kingdom's policy against sectarianism and racism".

He said people should be wary of information spread online by those wishing to create strife and hatred among Moslems.
Posted by: Fred || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Rebels, Ukrainian continue to exchange fire


Russian backed separatists and Ukrainian military units continue to exchange small arms and artillery fire in several regions in southeastern Ukraine, according to rebel and Ukrainian media news accounts.

Donetsk Ministry of Defense spokesman Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces hit rebel positions in Shirokino and in the western suburbs of Donetsk city, using tank gunfire as well as heavy artillery fire including 122mm and 152mm tube artillery.

Ukrainians hit targets in Spartak and the Oktyabrsky district of Donetsk, according to Colonel Basurin. Basurin mentioned in his remarks that rebel forces did not respond to Ukrainian gunfire.

Ukrainian ministry of defense spokesman Andrei Lysenko said Tuesday, as reported on tsensor.net, that rebel forces fired on Ukrainian forces at Opytnoye using 152mm and 122mm tube artillery, as well as 120mm mortars.

Rebel artillery also hit Ukrainian positions at Peski, Avdievka and Berdyansk, according to Lysenko.

Ukrainian military leaders say that the rebels continue reinforcing their positions with additional troops, and that rebel probes increased in number over the previous 24 hours.

According to a separate report on tsensot.net, rebel artillery pounded Ukrainian targets in Shirokino and Mariupol, mostly using heavy mortars. Infantry fights were nearly constant in Shirokino.

Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraina by clicking here.
Posted by: badanov || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Very primitive tribes the Russian and Ukrainians. They are cooking themselves, and few "civilized countries" seem to care.

Posted by: Gruling Lumplump6227 || 05/06/2015 7:52 Comments || Top||

#2  von Manstein would have cleared up the situation in a few days.../snark
Posted by: borgboy || 05/06/2015 16:17 Comments || Top||


Europe
U.S. Air Force A-10 attack planes have arrived in Estonia
[Mil Defense News] At least four U.S. Air Force A-10s of the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, have arrived at Ämari Air Base, Estonia, on Apr. 30.

The aircraft belong to the first Air Force Theater Security Package deployed to Europe for about 6 months to augment U.S. Air Force in Europe support to Operation Atlantic Resolve, and reassure regional allies.

The TSP Warthog attack planes continue to move across eastern Europe: first, the 12 A-10s from the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, deployed to Spangdahlem airbase, in Germany, then some "Hogs" were relocated in the UK, others in Poland, some in Romania.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'd hate to think they're using a hog as bear bait.
Posted by: BrerRabbit || 05/06/2015 4:29 Comments || Top||

#2  I hate to think the same people at DAF who bad mouth it as mothball bait think that now deploying them would do anything but make Putie smile at such an empty gesture.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 05/06/2015 8:01 Comments || Top||

#3  Maybe the hogs will be safe from Air Force brass in Estonia.
Posted by: BrujoTejano || 05/06/2015 8:39 Comments || Top||

#4  Let's see... you have an aircraft you'd like to be rid of. Move them all overseas, stepped up optempo, low maintenance support, use it to train a lot of foreign pilots. Problem solves itself. (I know. I sound cynical. Every time I get cynical, it turns out I'm right.)
Posted by: ed in texas || 05/06/2015 15:00 Comments || Top||


The Grand Turk
Turkey's top cleric returns luxury car after strong criticism
[Hurriyet Daily News] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
's top holy man, Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) head Mehmet Görmez, has said he will return his 1 million Turkish Lira ($435,000) official car that was recently purchased, following strong criticism from opposition parties and the public.

"When the news broke [about the purchase], the vehicle had not even been used by the head of the Diyanet [the Religious Affairs Directorate]. This vehicle turned into a grave for me after I saw the reports. I have not used this car for even one day," Görmez told private broadcaster Haberturk TV late May 4 in an interview.

"Therefore, I will return this car to constitute an example," he added.

Although admitting that his office issued the request for a new official car because the current one was too old, he described news reports about the purchase as a "campaign to discredit the Diyanet."

The purchase of a Mercedes S500 sedan, worth 1 million Turkish Liras ($435,000) for the holy man, in addition to 14 Toyota cars for the Diyanet's general directors and 16 minibuses for general use, stirred up strong reaction against the directorate.

The Diyanet announced on Dec. 13 that the purchases had been made with state funds, not with citizens' private donations.

Earlier in December, Görmez was featured in international media when he met Pope Francis, during the latter's historic visit to Turkey. It was reported that the Turkish authorities had refused the Pope's request for "a humble car" in Ankara on the grounds of security. Nevertheless, in Istanbul, the pontiff surprised many onlookers when he arrived in a modest vehicle bearing a civilian license plate.
Posted by: Fred || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Well, Mehmet Görmez, you had quite a ride there for a while, it must have been the "accessories" that doubled the MSRP.

Mercedes S500 Sedan MSRP: $94,400 - $230,900

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

All-new last year, the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class gains a few variants for the new model year. The two-door S-Class Coupe joins the lineup this year, as does the high-power S63 AMG and S65 AMG. The base 2015 S-Class comes standard in S550 form with a 4.7-liter twin-turbo V-8 producing 455 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The S63 AMG gets a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8
Posted by: Gruling Lumplump6227 || 05/06/2015 7:30 Comments || Top||

#2  Add bullet proof windows and tires, kevlar in the doors and the price goes up.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 05/06/2015 11:47 Comments || Top||

#3  Don't forget the compass that always points to Mecca!
Posted by: Hupineger Glomomp52169 || 05/06/2015 13:30 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Another 'Blasphemer' gets life term
[DAWN] LAHORE: Additional District and Sessions Judge Shazib Saeed on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to a man on charges of blasphemy.

The judge awarded life imprisonment to Zulfiqar Ali over his statement in which he confessed to committing blasphemy by setting the Holy Koran ablaze.

Racecourse police had started the paperwork but haven't done much else under Section 295/B of PPC against Zulfiqar on the complaint of Parks and Horticulture Authority employee Qaisar Mehmood.

The complainant said on May 11, 2006, he along with prosecution witnesses Jabbar and Shehzad was performing duty on the canal bank near Dharampura Bridge when they spotted Zulfiqar sitting on a bench and found underneath a copy of the Holy Koran on fire. He said the convict tried to flee but they overpowered him and handed him over to police.
Posted by: Fred || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Pakistan's ranking in mother mortality rate falls further
[DAWN] Notwithstanding the government's repeated claims, health indicators in the country are on a downhill side.

A report released on Tuesday said Pakistain's ranking in the 'Mother Mortality Ratio (MMR)' had slipped from 147th last year to 149. Moreover, except Afghanistan, all the countries in the region have much better health indicators than Pakistain.

The state of the world's mothers report, "The urban disadvantage" was launched by Save the Children at a local hotel. The report focuses on the rapidly urbanising world and the poorest mothers and children who struggle even to survive despite the overall urban progress.
Posted by: Fred || 05/06/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan



Who's in the News
31[untagged]
9Islamic State
6Govt of Pakistan
5Hezbollah
3Houthis
2al-Nusra
2Govt of Saudi Arabia
1Govt of Syria
1Boko Haram
1Moro Islamic Liberation Front
1Govt of Iran
1Govt of Iraq
1al-Shabaab

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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Two weeks of WOT
Wed 2015-05-06
  Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq repel a major ISIS attack southeast of Fallujah
Tue 2015-05-05
  Troops Kill 28 Suspected Militants in Central Nigeria
Mon 2015-05-04
  3 Shot, 2 dead a '€˜Muhammad Art, Cartoon Contest' in Texas
Sun 2015-05-03
  40 Person Mob Assaults 2 Jews on Paris’ Boulevard Voltaire
Sat 2015-05-02
  Saudi Air Raids Kill Dozens of Yemenis
Fri 2015-05-01
  Largest Iraqi Refinery Under Seige
Thu 2015-04-30
   Iraqi forces make hard gains in rough Ramadi
Wed 2015-04-29
  Houthis, tribesmen battle in central Yemen, at least 15 dead
Tue 2015-04-28
  Saudi Arabia Arrests 93 Jihadists, Says Attacks Foiled
Mon 2015-04-27
  Isis Leader Baghdadi Is Reportedly 'Unable To Move' After A Spinal Injury
Sun 2015-04-26
  Mpls. Man Charged with Making Threats in Islamic State Group Case
Sat 2015-04-25
  Italy arrests suspected bin Laden bodyguards, Peshawar bombers
Fri 2015-04-24
  Italian police arrest 18 in AQ plot to attack Vatican
Thu 2015-04-23
  Adam Gadahn finally actually dead
Wed 2015-04-22
  IS “crucifies” family in Derna


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