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Shootout in Saudi kills six militants
Today's Headlines
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Page 1: WoT Operations
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Afghanistan
Afghan, Coalition Forces Raid Extremist Compound
Afghan and coalition forces today raided a known enemy compound northwest of Tarin Kowt in the Shahidi Hass district of Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, military officials reported. Elements of the 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 205th Afghan National Army Corps, supported by coalition forces, raided a compound in the Bagh-e Yosof Village, killing eight extremists and capturing six others, officials said. A search of the enemy compound -- a cave complex -- turned up AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and two machine guns. The compound had been used as a meeting place and sanctuary for Taliban bomb makers and facilitators to conduct operations against local Afghans, government officials and coalition forces, officials said.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The good guys are making progress, it seems. Congratulations!
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/23/2006 8:28 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Shootout in Saudi kills six militants
DUBAI (Reuters) - Six militants were killed and one was arrested in a shootout with security forces in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Friday, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said. "The security operation is still going on," the satellite channell said, without giving further details.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [8 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Ho, hum. Another day, another few islamists die for allan.
Posted by: anymouse || 06/23/2006 19:18 Comments || Top||


Bangladesh
Bangla: 4 injured as bomb hurled at bus counter
Two unknown criminals hurled a bomb at a ticket counter of an intercity bus service on KDA Avenue in Khulna city yesterday leaving four people injured. The injured were identified as Jubaier, Lablu, Ujjal and Kabir. Ujjal is a supervisor of Hanif Enterprise while the others were ticket sellers of the same company. The injured were rushed to Gerib Newaz Clinic for treatment. According to eyewitnesses, the two miscreants hurled the bomb at Hanif Enterprise ticket counter during a power cut in the area around 9:15pm. However, the motive behind the attack could not be known. The police and Rapid Action Battalion personnel cordoned the area off and collected splinters of the bomb for investigation.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:


Britain
Britain Extradites Man Convicted in France
A man convicted in 2004 by a French court for his role in a plot to attack a crowded Christmas market on New Year's Eve 2000 was extradited Thursday from Britain, the Justice Ministry said. Rabah Kadri, sentenced in absentia to six years in prison, has the right to oppose the verdict in France and be retried or complete his prison term.

Kadri, of Algerian origin, was among 10 people, Algerian or French-Algerian, convicted in December 2004 in France for their roles in the plot to attack the market in the eastern French city of Strasbourg. Four others, also Algerians, were convicted in Germany in March 2003. All made up the so-called "Frankfurt group" -- named for the German city where the bomb plot was hatched. German police arrested four men, all Algerians, in Frankfurt in December 2000. The four were convicted in Germany in March 2003 and sentenced to 10 to 12 years in prison. Kadri was arrested in November 2002 in London and charged there with possessing material that could be used to commit terror attacks, then charged again in February 2003 for an alleged plot to concoct a chemical weapon.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Lemme get this straight- the guy plots mass murder and the French shake their tiny, ineffectual fists in the air and demand that he pay with six years in prison? And he has the right to make them try him all over again because he skipped out the first time?

Have our French allies lost all sense of self-preservation? I suppose its a little late to be shocked, but blowing folks up is serious business and they come after him like a petty thief. Mon dieu!
Posted by: Baba Tutu || 06/23/2006 0:25 Comments || Top||

#2  Remember, while French prisons have a bit of a problem keeping people imprisoned, they are also acknowledged to be seriously unpleasant residences (worse than Guantanamo, was a recent evaluation). And I think (correction requested from JFM or anonymous5089, please) that the French authorities can also imprison arrestees and those currently on trial...for the duration. According to this article, the bad guyz caught in Germany were held for three years of trial time, then convicted and formally imprisoned. I imagine the French system is much the same...or worse.
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/23/2006 8:36 Comments || Top||

#3  Not exactly. When a person is arrested, police can keep him for 24 hours ((96 in terrorism or drugs investigation) before deferring him to the judiciary. But French judiciary is sloooooooooow. Slow as in trial delaying for years. If person is found guilty then the time spent in jail before trial is counted as serving sentence (ie sentenced to five yeasr but two years in jail before trial) then he will serve three additional years.

If he is found innocent or if there was a non-lieu (accusation does not have a sustainable case) then he has some possibilities of getting an indemnification.

I think the accused must be tried before for years or realeased but I am not sure of: haven't been in jail. :-)
Posted by: JFM || 06/23/2006 14:46 Comments || Top||


China-Japan-Koreas
ChiCom Arms in Darfur
In a rebel camp along the barren, windswept border between Sudan and Chad, dozens of trucks packed with dreadlocked fighters manning heavy machine guns are lined up.

Piled up behind them are ammunition boxes, covered in Chinese symbols -- it's impossible to know exactly where the bullets in the boxes came from but they offer a glimpse of the complex and circuitous routes of the global arms trade.

United Nations investigators have found most of the small arms fueling the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur are Chinese despite an arms ban on a region where tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million squat in squalid camps.

"China has been, and continues to be, a major supplier of light weapons to the government of Sudan and many of the neighboring states," said Ernst Jan Hogendoorn, one of four U.N. experts on a panel which recommended 17 players in the Darfur conflict be sanctioned for obstructing peace.

The panel's report found Sudan's neighbors Chad, Libya and Eritrea had supplied weapons to Darfur but most of the small arms and ammunition in the region were Chinese.

"Chinese arms and ammunition are relatively cheap compared to other suppliers, said Hogendoorn. "Some also argue that China asks fewer questions."

He said they found no evidence China was defying the embargo and supplying arms directly to Darfur. But weapons they had sold to Khartoum were likely to end up there.

China says it takes a responsible attitude toward military exports, rejecting accusations in an Amnesty International report this month that it was selling arms to an array of human rights abusers, including Sudan and Myanmar.
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 15:47 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I need to practice my links. I need to practice my links. I need to practice my links.
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 15:50 Comments || Top||

#2  Has it been put to bed yet, or is the 'surprise meeter' still available for posting?
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/23/2006 15:52 Comments || Top||

#3  Why would Chinese duplicity surprise anyone? If they sell to both sides, they win no matter which side wins. Plus, they get hard currency and can sell off old stock, thereby revitalize and extending the lifespan of their warstocks. And considering the widely held racial view of the Chinese, there is nobody in Darfur that they need be concerned about. Those views are well-known enough for the Guardian to discuss : {http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1461208,00.html}.
Posted by: Shieldwolf || 06/23/2006 16:43 Comments || Top||

#4  The u.n. would rather go after Davis or Pheonix arms in the states than Norinco. China just flat out tells them to take a flying leap. For some reason, we tollerate shit like that from them though. Dont know why.
Posted by: Slomose Threagum8719 || 06/23/2006 17:34 Comments || Top||

#5  I am shocked. Simply shocked that the PRC would vote against the US in the UN on the GWOT; and then be found supplying arms to terrorists.
Posted by: anymouse || 06/23/2006 18:35 Comments || Top||

#6  Chinese arms dealers: The French with chopstix.
Posted by: borgboy || 06/23/2006 19:01 Comments || Top||

#7  Stinky liny? I must practice my links.
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 20:10 Comments || Top||


Down Under
Teacher denies terror 'act'
A SCHOOL teacher charged with terrorism offences declared his innocence during a Brisbane court appearance today. John Howard Amundsen, 40, of Aspley in Brisbane's north, is charged with using false documents to obtain explosives, preparing to commit an act of terrorism and using telecommunications to make a threat and a hoax threat.

Police today also charged Mr Amundsen with two new offences; possessing a foreign passport without reasonable excuse and making counterfeit money or counterfeit securities. It is alleged Mr Amundsen was found with 53kg of explosives when they raided his home last month.

Mr Amundsen today faced Brisbane Magistrates' Court and said he was innocent of the terrorism-related charges and that his actions were directed at his girlfriend's parents. "Ladies and gentlemen this was not an act of terrorism," the manual arts teacher and former journalist said.
"Lies! All lies!"
"It was a media photo opportunity designed to highlight my girlfriend's (plight,) who is being terrorised by her parents for 11 years.
"It was just performance art!"
"Our home was taken from us and she was terrorised for 11 years. This was not an act of terrorism."

Mr Amundsen was remanded in custody to reappear on August 18 for a committal mention.
Posted by: Oztralian || 06/23/2006 02:37 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Lock em'up and through away the key!!!
Posted by: ARMYGUY || 06/23/2006 7:32 Comments || Top||

#2  Hell of a name tho.
Posted by: 6 || 06/23/2006 17:46 Comments || Top||


Europe
Turkish lawyer cleared of Qaeda link
A Turkish lawyer who defended suspected Al Qaeda militants was cleared yesterday of charges of funding members of the terrorist network, Anatolia news agency reported. The judge ruled that Osman Karahan had given money to two Arabs to help them afford their university education in Istanbul, but there was no proof that either he or the two students are linked to Al Qaeda.
"Really. No proof at all. The witnesses are all dead, y'know..."
Karahan, who sports an Islamic-style beard and has spoken in favor of Islamists, risked up to 10 years in jail in the case. The court also lifted a ban on Karahan practicing his profession, Anatolia reported. Karahan is the lawyer for several Turks currently on trial over two sets of twin blasts in Istanbul in November 2003 as well as for a Syrian man believed to be a senior Al Qaeda operative and charged with masterminding the attacks on orders from Osama Bin Laden. 63 people were killed when suicide bombers detonated their explosive-laden trucks—first at two synagogues in the ancient heart of Istanbul, and at the British consulate and the HSBC bank five days later.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: WoT
Successful missile intercept in US sea-based defense test
A US warship successfully shot down a target missile warhead over the Pacific in a test of a sea-based missile defense system, the US military said. A Japanese destroyer performed surveillance and tracking exercises during the test, marking the first time any US ally has taken part in a US missile defense intercept test, the US Missile Defense Agency said.

The sea-based system tested off Hawaii is designed to counter only short or medium range missiles, but the cruisers and destroyers that took part are capable of tracking long-range missiles as well.

The mock warhead was launched over the Pacific atop a medium range missile and destroyed in a direct hit six minutes later with an SM-3 missile fired by the Aegis cruiser USS Shiloh, the agency said. "The missile successfully intercepted the target warhead outside the earths atmosphere more than 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean and 250 miles northwest of Kauai," the agency said in a statement.

"We are continuing to see great success with the very challenging technology of hit-to-kill, a technology that is used for all of our missile defense ground- and sea-based interceptor missiles," Lieutenant General Trey Obering, the agency chief, said in the statement.

He said it was the seventh successful intercept using the sea-based missile defense system out of eight tries.
So the SM-3 part of the ballistic missile defense is very likely to work under good to ideal conditions. They'll need to figure out all the limitations, but this is really good news.
Missile Defense Agency officials have said the missile interceptor test was long-planned and had nothing to do with North Korea's long-range missile launch plans. But the agency's statement highlighted the role of the Japanese Aegis destroyer. "This event marked the first time that an allied military unit participated in a US Aegis missile defense intercept test," it said.

It said the Japanese destroyer and a US Navy Aegis destroyer performed surveillance and tracking exercises during the test. "This data can also be used to provide targeting information for other missile defense systems, including the ground-based long-range interceptor missiles now deployed in Alaska and California to protect all 50 states from a limited ballistic missile attack," the agency said.
So the Japanese have a good knowledge base and know how to do what we know how to do. All they need is the interceptor.
A third Aegis destroyer used in the test linked up with a land-based missile defense radar to evaluate the ship's ability to receive and use target cueing data from missile defense command centers.

The mock warhead separated from the three-stage target missile. The direct hit marked only the second time a separating warhead has been successfully intercepted by a missile fired from an Aegis cruiser. The cruisers use their modified Spy-1 radars and a shipboard battle management system to detect, track and target the warheads in space. The SM-3 Block IA interceptor missile fired in Thursday's test is slated for deployment in the US Navy and had never been used before in an intercept test.
Posted by: Steve White || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  NK ready for an Aegis based splash?
Posted by: 3dc || 06/23/2006 0:13 Comments || Top||

#2  Damn that's awesome!
Posted by: CrazyFool || 06/23/2006 0:16 Comments || Top||

#3  Look down below for title Japanese Aegis and click to go see video of the Japanese Aegis.
Posted by: Sherry || 06/23/2006 0:23 Comments || Top||

#4  Late model SM-2s can also intercept shorter range ballistic missiles in the atmosphere.
Posted by: ed || 06/23/2006 0:29 Comments || Top||

#5  MSM headline:

SM-3 FAILS! To miss its target. Again.

That funny sound you hear is the "It'll never work!" crowd collectively grinding their teeth into powder...
Posted by: PBMcL || 06/23/2006 1:09 Comments || Top||

#6  Just in time for Taepodong Tuesday at the Juche Bar!
Posted by: Mike || 06/23/2006 8:33 Comments || Top||

#7  Go ahead, launch NKorea. We need to keep testing and training anyway.
Posted by: DarthVader || 06/23/2006 9:30 Comments || Top||

#8  I don't know if I remember right, but we probably owe a good bit of thanks to the Japanese on this program.

I think it's either their Radar or telemetry system that was finally able to feed the right info to our missiles.

A raised mug to all involved. I just hope we can translate this success to our land based portions of the ABM.

KEEP ON TRUCKIN'
Posted by: Anon4021 || 06/23/2006 10:03 Comments || Top||

#9  Still, better idea to take it out during the initial boost phase. Easier to target, esier to hit, and still close to enemy terriroty - and as a bonus in the Nork situation, it denies them telemetry that they need to validate that the staging and guidance works well enough to be a credible threat.
Posted by: Oldspook || 06/23/2006 12:12 Comments || Top||

#10  Best is to take it out while its still on the pad. But other than stealth or spy sabotage, its not politically feasable.
Posted by: Oldspook || 06/23/2006 12:13 Comments || Top||

#11  more than 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean

Jeebus. Now that's a vicious terrier.
Posted by: 6 || 06/23/2006 12:17 Comments || Top||

#12  Now refresh my memory. What Dems voted against this program?
Posted by: Clwilli || 06/23/2006 14:51 Comments || Top||

#13  What is the meaning of Taepo-dong in Korean?
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/23/2006 15:06 Comments || Top||

#14  #13 What is the meaning of Taepo-dong in Korean?

I think Taepo means small & dong means penis
Posted by: classer || 06/23/2006 20:51 Comments || Top||

#15  Taepo means shooting. I'm not exactly sure what the Dong modifier is, but may be without meaning. Together they may mean Shooting Star, which corresponds to the Iranian translation of Shahab (Shahab 3 = Taepo Dong 1 with koranic verses): Shooting Star or Meteor.

No Dong means Worker, i.e. the commie fetish for the working class (as long as it's not them). And no, Taepo Dong does not mean Shooting the Workers.
Posted by: ed || 06/23/2006 21:49 Comments || Top||

#16  As I have always said and continue to maintain; American technology simply kicks major @ss. Our country's military supremacy is a direct outcome of our constitutional system of law. I could not be more pleased that we are on our way to relative immunity from most other nations' launch capabilities.

That said, I wish our politicians could summon sufficient courage to match the puissance of our firepower. We need the collective national will to make it known to our enemies that they tread upon the very thinnest of ice (in hobnail boots on a summers' day).

Somewhere, somehow there has arisen a sense of collective guilt for our astounding success. To be sure that academia is husbanding this moral blight, but Americans in general have fallen for the "ugly American" syndrome in a big way. We need to get over that sense of shame with respect to our superpower status. We also need leadership that is willing to openly indicate just how significant our contribution is to this world's welfare and challenge those who would contradict such a statement.

In the meantime, achievements like this make me extremely proud to have spent over two decades contributing to our nation's technological prowess. It is comforting to know that the world's most free nation is just that much more secure from the harm others would do us.
Posted by: Zenster || 06/23/2006 22:08 Comments || Top||


FBI arrests seven in terrorism plot
More on yesterday's story...
MIAMI (Reuters) - The FBI arrested seven people in the past two days suspected of planning attacks on FBI offices and a federal building in Miami and the Sears Tower in Chicago, a law enforcement source said on Thursday.
Sears Tower seems to be on the bad guyz' preferred list, for some reason...
The source, elaborating on a statement on the operation from Florida authorities, said the suspects had thought they were dealing with the international al Qaeda group but had been infiltrated by a U.S. government informant. "In the past couple of days, the U.S. government has taken into custody seven people who were conspiring to conduct jihad (holy war) in the United States," the law enforcement source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They thought they were dealing with al Qaeda," the source said, adding the suspects had been trying to buy weapons and other things needed to carry out attacks.
Buncha dumbassed jihadi wannabes, apparently...
The source said the government had an informant with whom the suspected conspirators had discussed their plans. "There was no immediate threat because we were in on the discussions." the source said.
They'll plead entrapment, of course...
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, confirming arrests had taken place but giving no details, also said there was no threat to people in Miami.
No more threat than normal from the turbans who seem to find the area so congenial...
CNN reported searches and arrests in the Miami district of Liberty City. It said no weapons or bomb-making materials were found. FBI Director Robert Mueller, in an interview with CNN, said he could not discuss details because it was a continuing operation. "Whenever we undertake an operation like this, we would not do it without the approval of a judge. We got search warrants and arrest warrants and the like, and so yes it's a concern," Mueller said.
Yasss... I'm about concerned to death about the perps' right...
The U.S. Attorney's Office statement said news conferences would be held in Washington and Miami on Friday to provide further details.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  From Yahoo news: The official told The Associated Press the alleged plotters were mainly Americans with no apparent ties to al-Qaida or other foreign terrorist organizations...

Residents living near the warehouse said the men taken into custody described themselves as Muslims and had tried to recruit young people to join their apparently militaristic group.

The residents said FBI agents spent several hours in the neighborhood showing photos of the suspects and seeking information. They said the men, who appeared to be in their teens or 20s, had lived in the area about a year.

The men slept in the warehouse, said Tashawn Rose, 29. "They would come out late at night and exercise. It seemed like a military boot camp that they were working on there. They would come out and stand guard."

She talked to one of the men about a month ago: "They seemed brainwashed. They said they had given their lives to Allah."

Rose said the men tried to recruit her younger brother and nephew for a karate class. "It was weird," she said.

Benjamin Williams, 17, said the group had young children with them sometimes. Sometimes, he added, the men "would cover their faces. Sometimes they would wear things on their heads, like turbans."

Xavier Smith, who attends the nearby United Christian Outreach, said the men would often come by the church and ask for water.

"They were very private," said Smith, 33. "The spoke with like an accent, sort of a Jamaican accent."
Posted by: ed || 06/23/2006 0:26 Comments || Top||

#2  The gators are going hungry down in Florida
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 0:30 Comments || Top||

#3  More followers of the Pedophile for Profit. No doubt their intentions were "peaceful" murders as called for in the Religion of Puss".

Home grow terrorist are going to continue to be a problem until we ban islam from our prisons. Crap ban it all together.
Posted by: porKoranimals || 06/23/2006 4:01 Comments || Top||

#4  More like Religion of Piss.

Religion of Puss sounds like a good thing.
Posted by: Broadhead6 || 06/23/2006 5:22 Comments || Top||

#5  I'm coming around to the point of view that treats I-slam like the disease it is.

Test for the disease at your borders.
Isolate those infected by setting up colonies in the say middle east.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 06/23/2006 8:17 Comments || Top||

#6  One of the issues with "Black Muslims" in the United States is the failure to recognize that there are, in fact, two distinct groups. The one group are believers in the international variety of Islam. The other, and far more dangerous person for person, are those who follow the teachings of the ntion of Islam and its offshoots. Elijah Mohammed and Malcolm X created a dangerous cult dedicated to race war and we should recognize the differences.

If these guys are big "B" Black Muslims, the plot was far more serious. The DC snipers are big "B" Muslims.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins || 06/23/2006 8:32 Comments || Top||

#7  Sears Tower seems to be on the bad guyz' preferred list, for some reason...

Probably because it's the world's third tallest building, but who knows with these nutters?
Posted by: tipper || 06/23/2006 11:04 Comments || Top||

#8  Maybe just because it's the world's ugliest building. No matter though- we just need to vaccinate against this disease. Whether that involves .45ACP is more up to them than us...
Posted by: jay-dubya || 06/23/2006 11:27 Comments || Top||

#9  I heard on the radio that these guys are more wannabe that actual terrorists. They walk, talk, and act like Jihadis but they don’t have the training or know how actually carry out an attack as of yet. Reminds me a lot of the Portland group of the staff writers at the NYT; they want to harm the U.S. they just haven’t thought of a really good way to do it yet. Send them to Club Gitmo!
Posted by: Cyber Sarge || 06/23/2006 11:36 Comments || Top||

#10  Wonder if these guys are a product of Prislam?

Islam in the Big House
Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden || 06/23/2006 11:53 Comments || Top||

#11  #9 I heard on the radio that these guys are more wannabe that actual terrorists. They walk, talk, and act like Jihadis

....whahahahahaa, and the mental image THAT brings to mind, lol.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/23/2006 13:32 Comments || Top||

#12  chuck

Apparently these guys were neither Nation of Islam, nor orthodox Sunni Muslims. Apparently they followed something they had cobbled together themselves from elements of Christianity and Islam.
Posted by: liberalhawk || 06/23/2006 13:43 Comments || Top||

#13  Clintonistas.
Posted by: wxjames || 06/23/2006 14:21 Comments || Top||

#14  http://www.msn.com

Such a nice looking group of young men. I wonder where they might have gone wrong?
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/23/2006 15:27 Comments || Top||

#15  They seemed to have a rather nice building in Miami. I wonder where they are getting there money--probably not from selling hair care products. Better follow the money on this one.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/23/2006 15:31 Comments || Top||

#16  I'm sure they were all employed taxpayers, educators possibly, firemen, lawyers, doctors, computer programers, who knows. What a societal impact their incarceration will be. I hope it doesn't last more that two or three hundred years each.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/23/2006 15:38 Comments || Top||

#17  From Besoeker's link (such nice-looking young men, indeed -- and with such open, friendly expressions)

The seven individuals — ranging in age from 22 to 32 — were indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami. Six were taken into custody in Miami on Thursday when authorities swarmed a warehouse in the Liberty City area, removing a metal door with a blowtorch. A seventh was arrested in Atlanta.

Five are U.S. citizens, one is a legal immigrant from Haiti and the other is a Haitian national who was in this country illegally.

All had taken an oath to al-Qaida and sought help from someone they believed was a member of the terrorist organization, the indictment alleged.

In answer to the judge’s questions, [ringleader Narseal] Batiste said he was “self-employed” and earned about $30,000 a year, but he provided no details. He also said he has four children.

Gonzales outlined the contents of an indictment handed up Thursday, which identified Batiste as having recruited and trained others beginning in November 2005 “for a mission to wage war against the United States government,” including a plot to destroy the Sears Tower.

To obtain money and support for their mission, the conspirators sought help from al-Qaida, pledged an oath to the terrorist organization and supported an al-Qaida plot to destroy FBI buildings, the four-count indictment charged.

Batiste met several times in December 2005 with a person purporting to be an al-Qaida member and asked for boots, uniforms, machine guns, radios, vehicles and $50,000 in cash to help him build an “‘Islamic Army’ to wage jihad’,” the indictment said. It said that Batiste said he would use his “soldiers” to destroy the Sears Tower.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said “the individual they thought was a member of al-Qaida was present at their meetings and in actuality he was working with the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force.”

Acosta said the group came to law enforcement’s attention when Batiste approached an individual about waging jihad inside the United States. This unidentified individual went to authorities with that information and later posed as an al-Qaida member, Acosta said.

n addition to Batiste, the defendants were identified as Patrick Abraham, or “Brother Pat”; Burson Augustin, or “Brother B”; Stanley Grant Phanor, or “Brother Sunni”; Naudimar Herrera, or “Brother Naudy”; Lyglenson Lemorin, also known as “Brother Levi” or “Brother Levi-El”; and Rotschild Augustine, or “Brother Rot.” Lemorin was arrested in Atlanta.
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/23/2006 15:44 Comments || Top||

#18  Oh brother ....&*#^#^&#^@#!
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/23/2006 15:50 Comments || Top||

#19  Suppose a group of Americans who lived in Saudi Arabia got together clandestinely and routinely and planned the blowing up of Mecca. Further suppose that they got caught before they were able to implement their plans. However, there was clear evidence of their intent and they had gathered the means to carry out their plan. What do you think would happen to these Americans???
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/23/2006 19:38 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Villagers take on India's Maoists
The Indian government is experimenting with new ways of fighting back against Maoist fighters, who now operate in almost half of the country's 28 states. In the past year, the Chhattisgarh state government has introduced new anti-terrorism training for the police - and is backing a civil militia called Salwa Judum.

The BBC's Jill McGivering spent three days travelling with Maoist fighters in the jungles of Chhattisgarh.

Driving through Chhattisgarh at dawn, we saw a group of villagers by the road, shouldering sticks as if they were guns and marching up and down doing military drill.

There were about 30 of them, many just young boys who looked about 12 or 13 years old.

Some of the men were middle-aged and looked unfit, with pot bellies.

As we stopped and walked across to talk to them, a group of young women, in brightly coloured saris, crossed too and formed their own marching unit alongside the men.

The man leading the training session told me his name was Bagil.

He was a former police officer, he said, appointed to train villagers who lived in nearby areas which were hard hit by Maoist or Naxalite violence.

They were part of the Salwa Judum, the civil militia, supported by the state government, which was launched officially one year ago.

I asked him how well these villagers would be able to defend themselves. Many seemed malnourished, I said. Many were under-age. These were, after all, just villagers.

He nodded. "Yes, some of them are malnourished, some of them are under age," he said.

"If they applied to join the police, most of them wouldn't be selected. But what matters is that they're from Naxal-affected areas. They'll go back and help the police there. I need to train them."

I spoke to some of the village volunteers. Mahendra Kumar Dorgum said he was 27.

"I live in a remote area," he said, "and I know a few Naxalites personally. When I get a gun, when I see them, I'll try to eliminate them. That's my purpose."

As we talked a young boy, who had also been training, listened in. He said at first that he was 18 but then he looked much younger, more like 14.

He was shy when I questioned him and gave the standard answer: "I want to eradicate Naxalites from my area."

Once they had had several weeks training, the instructor told us, all these people, men, boys and young women, would be given a gun each and sent back to their villagers to kill Maoists.

There are clear concerns about this arming of civilians and the lack of accountability of this new civil militia.

As I drove around Chhattisgarh, we frequently passed through road blocks controlled by Salwa Judum members, often youngsters, guns slung on their shoulders.

In the relief camps which have sprung up in parts of the state, many villagers told me they had had to flee after Salwa Judum members burned their houses or threatened to kill them.

I put some of these allegations to Madhukar Rao, a former schoolteacher but now a leader of the Salwa Judum.

He said it was understandable that many of those who joined the group wanted to kill local Naxalites.

"Many in the Salwa Judum have personal experience of terror from Naxalites," he said. "They have a feeling of revenge which I think is very good. I think it's a good idea that we should go after them and kill them."

I asked him about the allegations that the Salwa Judum had beaten villagers and force them from their homes.

"That was not true," he said.

"Those allegations were spread by people who were pro-Naxalite."

Actually the Salwa Judum was helping villagers, he went on, by protecting them and keeping them safe from the Maoists.

Some of those who try to justify the civil militia say it is filling a gap left by an inadequate police force, a force that is simply no match for the Maoists.

As well as supporting the civil militia, the state government has just introduced a new intensive training programme for the police in the hope of improving their performance.

It is under the command of Brigadier Basant Kumar Ponwar, a man with extensive experience in the Indian army of fighting insurgencies.

He is now the head of the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College in Chhattisgarh and showed me some of the exercises, from killing a cobra to storming a militant hideaway. His mantra is: fight a guerrilla like a guerrilla.

He told me he saw his role as trying to fill a perception gap, converting the police officers from conventional policing to unconventional warfare.

"If the threat changes, they've got to change," he said.

"They can't just get away by showing their weapons to innocent civilians or firing a shot in the air and saying: Ok, now the police have come, everything will be settled."

I asked him why he thought the number of people being killed in Chhattisgarh in Maoist-related violence had doubled each year in the last few years. Most of the people being killed are civilians.

"Civilians do get into crossfire between the security forces and the terrorists," he said.

"It'll take a little time. When you have to bring order in disorder for the cause of many, some may suffer."
Posted by: john || 06/23/2006 19:53 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This is a very good tactic. Thugs like that live off of bullying and theft from civilians. Even the slightest resistance from the civilians makes what the brigands do considerably harder.

With some development, soon the map will become checkered, with some villages still weak enough for the Maoists to exploit; but others that are too strong and become "no go" areas. In turn, this will force the Maoists to form large enough bands to attack the strong villages, which in turn will make them much better targets for the police.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 06/23/2006 20:48 Comments || Top||

#2  notice the BBC was traveling with Maoists.....
Posted by: Frank G || 06/23/2006 20:55 Comments || Top||

#3  notice the BBC was traveling with Maoists.....

close working relations for over 60 years.

close..as in joined at the hips close.
Posted by: RD || 06/23/2006 21:01 Comments || Top||


Two killed, 20 injured in blast in Indian-administered Jammu, Kashmir
(KUNA) -- At least two people were killed and 20 injured in a blast in Sopore town in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir Thursday afternoon. All the injured in the blast were brought to Soura Medical Institute in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Two of them, including a woman, succumbed to their injuries, news agency Indo-Asian News Service reported. One security personnel was also injured in the attack. The security forces have launched an investigation into the incident and further details are awaited, the agency reported.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:


Gunmen in Pakistani tribal agency kill 3 policemen, wound 2
Unknown gunmen in an ambush on a police vehicle in a Pakistani tribal area killed three and wounded two others, said police Thursday. The attack came late on Wednesday in Bannu district near North Waziristan tribal agency, a local senior police officer told KUNA on the condition of anonymity. He said the gunmen took away police vehicle, adding that they killed three policemen and critically wounded two others. The attack came a day after three militiamen were killed and three were wounded when their jeep hit a roadside bomb on Miramshah-Bannu road.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq
Chemical Weapons Too Degraded to Use - Bigmouth CIA Source
Iraq chemical weapons too old to use: US intelligence officials

Jun 22 3:12 PM US/Eastern

The chemical weapons that have been recovered by US forces in Iraq were all made before the 1991 Gulf War and were too degraded for their intended use, US intelligence officials said.

Republican lawmakers have cast the disclosure that about 500 chemical weapons have been found in Iraq as evidence that Saddam Hussein had a stockpile of the weapons before the March 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

But the intelligence officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said the weapons were too degraded to have posed a threat to US forces in March 2003.

They said all chemical weapons found since 2003 were produced before the 1991 Gulf War and they had no evidence Saddam was producing or stockpiling chemical weapons after that.

"Generally they are in poor condition," one Clinton holdover official said.

"We assess that they are not in condition to be used as designed. And detailed analysis of the toxic agents shows they are degraded and represent a much lower hazard," he said.

The munitions have been tested and computer simulation models created to determine what effect they might have under a variety of scenarios, the officials said.

Although not suitable for their intended purposed, the officials said such weapons remain a potential hazard if obtained by insurgents and modified in ways they would not discuss.

The officials, however, said they had no evidence that any element of the Iraqi insurgency has possession of chemical weapons.

"I would simply say we have seen a degree of improvisation on the part of the insurgency with regard to conventional munitions," said an official.

"They might apply that same degree of improvisation if in fact they came in contact with these types of munitions. And again we have no evidence that they have," the official said.

The weapons were found "in small numbers over time" since 2003, an official said. They were recovered in one, two or three at a time -- not in large caches, the officials said.

"We would characterize these recovered munitions as being consistent with weapons that have been not maintained, that have not been part of an organized inventory," he said.

Senator Rick Santorum and Representative Peter Hoekstra, both Republicans, on Wednesday made public information from a classified report prepared in April on the subject by the National Ground Intelligence Center that said 500 chemical weapons have been recovered.

The intelligence officials said "key points" from the report were declassified at the request of Hoekstra, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee.

The "key points," however, ommitted the fact that the 500 weapons all were of a pre-1991 vintage. The officials indicated that the age of the weapons was not considered classified but were unable to explain why it was not included in the key points given to the senators.

New Democrat Arguement - The Bush Administration ignored the exiration date on the weapons, or ignored it - Dang those satellite images are good! - Ummmm what do the Dimwitocrats think these are ? Cartons of milk?
Posted by: Kim Jung-il || 06/23/2006 12:13 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  BS! The Dems want us to believe that he kept the old stuff but got rid of the new stuff? How frikkin delusional is that? But then we're talkin' about Dhimmicrats. They're still carpin' about the 2001 election.

Damn, that KooAid's good!
Posted by: Rex Mundi || 06/23/2006 15:58 Comments || Top||

#2  The chemical weapons that have been recovered by US forces in Iraq were all made before the 1991 Gulf War and were too degraded for their intended use

Which is not at all the same as saying they are too degraded for the purposes of the terrorists.
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/23/2006 16:00 Comments || Top||

#3  Although not suitable for their intended purposed, the officials said such weapons remain a potential hazard if obtained by insurgents and modified in ways they would not discuss.

And if the way to make them dangerous was known to the press, the Islamic Crusaders would also know.
Posted by: Bobby || 06/23/2006 16:15 Comments || Top||

#4  so they don't mind we store it in their house until, you know, the Congressional hearings on the subject.
Posted by: Thomoque Angereque3714 || 06/23/2006 16:19 Comments || Top||

#5  I want to know when we are going to see some of these blabbermouths hang from a rope, and I am NOT kidding.
Posted by: crosspatch || 06/23/2006 16:20 Comments || Top||

#6  "..And if the way to make them dangerous was known to the press, the Islamic Crusaders would also know..."

Gee, why do I think the NYT is working on this as I type..
Posted by: Anon || 06/23/2006 16:22 Comments || Top||

#7  They really need to track down these leakers and skin them alive. Then tack their hides up on the wall as a warning to others.

They are putting us all at risk of getting hit again, hard.
Posted by: DarthVader || 06/23/2006 16:24 Comments || Top||

#8  "The Bush Administration ignored the exiration date on the weapons, or ignored it "

No. The Bush admin did not RELEASE the report, so they were under no obligation to clarify that the weapons were old leftovers, and apparently useless. Thats probably WHY they didnt release it, cause they are smart enough to know that bringing up stuff like this doesnt help, and is embarassing. Its Santorum and Hoekstra who are responsible for releasing the report, and a buncha bloggers who thinks ita big deal.

Theres an indication they could be made into something dangerous by insurgents - but then thats true of lots of chemicals, and it isnt really what we were talking about in 2002-2003, AFAICT.

Now dont get me wrong. I think the sanctions regime was falling apart, and that when it ended Saddam certainly was going to try to get WMD's. I also am not sure some WMDs didnt get smuggled to Syria. And to the extent there were intell failures on WMD, i think they were reasonable, given that we were dealing with a totalitarian regime where info was hard to come by, and given the desire not to take chances, post 9/11. And I also believe that WMDs were not the only reason to go to war.

But, having said, that, I think the focus on these old weapons is more likely to embarass Santorum et al. I could be wrong, but thats my strong sense.
Posted by: liberalhawk || 06/23/2006 17:25 Comments || Top||

#9  now the question raised in the first comment substantively is interesting. Could they have removed the new stuff to Syria, and left the old stuff? Maybe. Theres a lot more thats not clear.

I dont mean to be closed minded on this. Im just reacting to the reaction here to the CIA guy saying what appears to be the truth about this - the implication seems to be that theres something treasonous about a leak that undermines what GOP congressmen are saying, equivalent to say the NYT leaking a valuable intell gathering tool - well its not the same folks.
Posted by: liberalhawk || 06/23/2006 17:30 Comments || Top||

#10  The word "officials" should be striked and replaced by bureaucrats.
Posted by: Snise Grogum7151 || 06/23/2006 17:35 Comments || Top||

#11  So they are only a little deadly?
Posted by: Slomose Threagum8719 || 06/23/2006 17:36 Comments || Top||

#12  The Upyourass Club of New York will commence firing the degraded rounds at the Times Building in Manhattan tonight. Anybody else want in ? Yo, ABC....
Posted by: Satan66 || 06/23/2006 17:37 Comments || Top||

#13  Does that mean you'd be only kinda dead if they were used on you?
Posted by: bigjim-ky || 06/23/2006 17:40 Comments || Top||

#14  Check out the Austin Bay thread on this. Especially comment #67.
Posted by: Glomogum Shogum2997 || 06/23/2006 18:22 Comments || Top||

#15  It does (or at least should) raise the question of why Mister Magoo Hans Blix didn't find them before the war. Remember he and his team went around Iraq and found nothing? And recently he's been mouthing off telling everyone that Saddam had no WMD. Guess he's wrong, huh.

Posted by: Steve White || 06/23/2006 18:44 Comments || Top||

#16  If these are so harmless Mr. Anonymous Official may we store them in your office?
Posted by: GK || 06/23/2006 18:52 Comments || Top||

#17  Now we know why the Bush Admin are less than eager to share these details. A great deal of headwind from the loony left because it doesn't support their bullshit argument.
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 20:08 Comments || Top||

#18  Facts are facts. Chemical weapons have been found. That they are found is not something we want to advertise you our foes.


The left will never believe the facts because like all communists and socialists they have "faith" in their meme. Facts are not required.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom || 06/23/2006 20:19 Comments || Top||

#19  If all you had to do to get rid of Sarin was bury it in the desert, we wouldn't have to spend so much money to VERY CAREFULLY incinerate it. Political dickhead!
Posted by: RWV || 06/23/2006 20:22 Comments || Top||

#20  liberalhawk are YOU saying that you have evidence that these chem weapons are unusable or not deadly?
Posted by: RD || 06/23/2006 21:06 Comments || Top||

#21  Stuff that can make you "do the kickin chicken" is nothing to play with, old or not.

One thing you ahve all overlooked: military effectiveness is not the same as terrorist effectiveness.

These munitions may have been degraded to where they would not be mililtarily effective, but still would induce symptoms and casualties in a general area when dispersed by terrorists for contamination by direct contact (instead of detonation and aerosol coverage). So not as wrapped up and easy as some would think. Then again the reporters seem to know precisely jack shit about military things, so I don't exepct accurate protrayals, nor rational reactions.
Posted by: Oldspook || 06/23/2006 21:44 Comments || Top||

#22  Here in Micronesia leftover WW2 Japanese andor Amer munitions have killed many a local islander(s) - on Guam, the EOD teams have been called out several times within the last year. The BISMARCK and YAMATO BB classes - were both planned and mostly contructed before WW2 or Pearl Harbor - guess the BISMARCK, TIRPITZ, YAMATO and MUSASHI were no threat to anyone. WW2 for America began when the decadent imperialist Male Brute USS WARD sank an innocent Japanese midget sub on its attack mission towards Pearl Harbor and the US Fleet - and iff the HISTORY CHANNEL is any measure, it was SBD DAUNTLESSES and WILDCAT/HAWK etal. US attack planes that attacked Pearl Harbor anyways, correct!?
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 06/23/2006 21:50 Comments || Top||


Former ‘Magnificent Bastards’ react to sniper rifle recovery
This is cool!
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (June 21, 2006) -- Call it a little bit of justice.

Marine snipers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment shot and killed an insurgent sniper and spotter preparing to shoot at passing Marines, June 16. And the insurgents were going to use a stolen Marine sniper rifle for the attack.

That rifle – an M-40A1 – belonged to the “Magnificent Bastards” of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, a battalion within the Regimental Combat Team 5 family. It was taken by insurgents when a team of four Marines were killed in a rooftop outpost June 21, 2004, in Ramadi.

Nearly two years to the day, Sgt. Maj. James E. Booker, the battalion’s sergeant major during their tour in Ramadi, said the news “sends a chill down my spine.”

“It makes me feel real good to know a brother sniper got final revenge,” said Booker, in a phone interview from his post as the Marine detachment sergeant major at Fort Sill, Okla. “I really respect those young studs to do what they did.”

Booker should know. Aside from leading his Marines through Ramadi, he’s a 20-year sniper himself, first acquiring the skill in 1986. He later led 1st Marine Division School’s Scout-Sniper School.

And Booker knew the four Marines killed on the rooftop that day as well. Lance Cpl. Deshon Otey was the sole survivor of an ambush that killed his entire squad in April 2004. Lance Cpl. Juan Lopez was a combat replacement, pulled in to beef up the ranks.

Lance Cpl. Pedro Contreras “was a good doggone kid,” Booker said. “He and I got in a gunfight together.”

The final member was Cpl. Tommy Parker Jr., the team’s only trained sniper.

“I can see it like the day I walked up there,” said Booker, a 44-year-old from Waco, Texas. He said they believed the team was killed around 10:40 a.m. After missing radio checks, a quick reaction force was dispatched.

“We were there within an hour of (insurgents) filming it,” he said. The video of the dead Marines was already playing across Arabic-language news channels.

A lot of confusion has surrounded that day. What is known is radio checks were logged from the time the team left their forward operating base around 1 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. the next day, the last time indicated in the logbook found in Contreras’ hand. They were found dead, blood pooled on the flat rooftop. A short wall surrounded the entire roof and a single staircase led to the top. They were found stripped of their weapons – two sniper rifles, four M-16A4s and a radio and thermal sight.

The rifle that was the extension of Parker was gone. He and his team were killed and there were no clear answers as to who killed them or what happened to their weapons.

“That’s sacred, the relationship you have with that thing,” Booker explained. “Parker shot thousands of rounds through that rifle.”

Cpl. Angel S. Villalobos, a 23-year-old from Taft, Texas, with RCT-5’s Personnel Security Detachment, was a Magnificent Bastard in Ramadi in 2004. He remembered the day clearly. It was the day before he himself was wounded.

“I wondered if it was this rifle that did it,” Villalobos said. “We were going through Ramadi, knocking down every door trying to find it.”

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew R. Campanano, a 26-year-old from Allentown, Pa., is serving with RCT-5 and saw the four Marines often. They lined up – scout snipers and the aid station’s hospital corpsmen – alongside each other in formations.

“The guys who got this back, they’re great,” Campanano said. “These are the guys fighting this war out here.”

Villalobos held the rifle in his hands and fell silent. He held it low, cradling it and examined the chipped paint jobs applied by Marines over the years. The Unertl scope was missing, replaced by a Tasco, but otherwise, the rifle was in good working order.

“It means a lot knowing we got our rifle back because now they can’t use it against us,” Villalobos said. “I’m glad to know they got it back, but it brings up a lot of questions. It makes you wonder if they’re the ones who might have taken it.”

The rifle’s long journey back into the hands of Marines from 5th Marine Regiment wasn’t forgotten by any of the former Magnificent Bastards, including Master Sgt. Rod B. Schlosser, the regiment’s assistant operations chief. He was the company gunnery sergeant for Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment in Ramadi.

The rifle was on his inventory and he cared for the four Marines.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Schlosser, a 38-year-old from Steubenville, Ohio. “You’re first thought is on the loss of the Marines. But you’re reminded to be thankful for the skills of the Marines today to bring closure to this.”

Schlosser said he often thought about the missing weapon, knowing the effect a sniper has on the battlefield. He also knew the insurgents had one of the finest rifles in their hands – and it was a Marine rifle, his Marines’ rifle.

“It gets under your skin,” he explained. “The most important thing is knowing it’s not in the hands of the enemy. There’s gratitude for the 3/5 Marines, for the lives they’ve saved taking it out of the enemy’s hands.”

Lt. Col. Paul J. Kennedy was the battalion’s commander in Ramadi. He now serves at the Office of Legislative Affairs and was told right away about the rifle’s recovery.

“I was very pleased,” Kennedy said by phone. “It’s justice being carried out. The guys who perpetrated this crime should be rotting in hell and 3/5 allowed that to occur.”

Kennedy has a hunch that the Darkhorse snipers of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment got those who killed, or at least had a part in killing, his Marines.

“I don’t believe that weapon passed hands,” he said. “I think it was at least probably part of that cell. The very fact it was one of our snipers that killed theirs trying to use our rifle is poetic justice.”

Kennedy said the news wasn’t so much closure on the loss of his four Marines. They can’t be replaced and the rifle is never a replacement for the Marines. Still, it was fitting that another 5th Marine Regiment battalion recovered a rifle stolen from his Marines. It’s a family matter, one battalion supporting another from the same regiment.

What will happen to the rifle is still a question to be answered. Marines from RCT-5 are tracking down which unit should own it, according to how weapons sets were passed among deploying battalions. And the M-40A1s are being phased out for M-40A3s, a newer version used by Marines now.

Booker said he’d hate to see the weapon go back into use, knowing insurgents used it to try, and possibly did, kill Marines.

“There are evil spirits on it,” Booker said. Instead, he thinks it should be preserved.

“I would like to see it sit in a place of honor,” he added.

Kennedy said his battalion never brought home any war trophies. There was a memorial service to honor their 35 killed in action, but no lasting memorial exists at the battalion’s headquarters.

Kennedy said this rifle might be the appropriate memorial to all his Marines killed.

“Maybe if it was hung in the battalion area,” he said, “it would be a fitting memory to those four and the rest.”
Posted by: Broadhead6 || 06/23/2006 05:35 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Amen. To every word. Excellent post - thanks!
Posted by: Glomogum Shogum2997 || 06/23/2006 11:13 Comments || Top||

#2  Ditto the thanks for a great post.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/23/2006 11:29 Comments || Top||

#3  R.I.P. all four of you and enjoy your time in paradise. "Greater Love Hath No Man..."
Posted by: jay-dubya || 06/23/2006 11:37 Comments || Top||

#4  ...oh and by the way www.americansnipers.org
Posted by: jay-dubya || 06/23/2006 11:38 Comments || Top||

#5  Booker said he’d hate to see the weapon go back into use, knowing insurgents used it to try, and possibly did, kill Marines.

Only one way to rid the rifle of bad juju.
Posted by: 6 || 06/23/2006 12:22 Comments || Top||

#6  Glad they got this back before some jihadi tried carving any (more) notches in the stock. Nice shootin', guys!
Posted by: Dar || 06/23/2006 15:20 Comments || Top||

#7  May it forever shoot in the right direction.
Posted by: crosspatch || 06/23/2006 16:18 Comments || Top||


Iraqi workers' bodies found -- Police
The bodies of two Iraqis working in the ministry of industry were found dead after being kidnapped yesterday, said police on Thursday. An Iraqi police source said in a press conference the bodies were found in the area of Al-Taji north of Baghdad. The source added that gunmen in vehicles took control of buses transporting the employees to their homes after finishing their shift on Wednesday. The employees work for companies affiliated to the ministry of industry. An Iraqi industry ministry spokesman said that kidnappers released 30 out of 64. The condition of the remaining abductees is unknown yet.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:


Diyala governor survives assassination attempt; eight killed, injured
(KUNA) -- Iraq's Diyala province governor survived an assassination attempt Thursday when a car exploded targeting his convoy north-east of the capital. The governor was injured while two of his bodyguards were killed during the attempt, Iraqi security source said. The source added the governor's car flipped over when a close car-bomb exploded on the road between Baquoba and Al-Wejeih town. The source did not say how serious the governor's injuries, were adding he was transferred to a United States military hospital.

On another front, two people were killed and six were injured when a motorcycle bomb exploded close to a passenger bus station in the middle of Baghdad. An Iraqi interior source said the motorcycle exploded close to the bus station "Al-Alawi" which killed two civilians, injured six, and damaged close-by stores. Police sealed off the area and transferred the injured to a Al-Kharkh hospital, the source added.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Bomb wounds two policemen in Baghdad
Two Iraqi policemen were wounded Thursday in a blast in southwestern Baghdad, announced the Iraqi Police. A police source told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that an explosive device went off targeting a police patrol in the area of Saydiya, southwestern Baghdad. The source added that two policemen were wounded and a police vehicle was damaged in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense announced that its forces dismantled a car bomb and arrested 17 gunmen in several operations during the past 24 hours. The ministry said in a press release that the Iraqi forces dismantled a booby-trapped car in the area of Jamila in eastern Baghdad. It added that 427 mobile and stationed patrols were dispatched in several cities in Iraq, which led to arresting 17 gunmen in Baghdad, Mosul, and Ramadi.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Palestinian groups continue shelling Israeli targets
(KUNA) -- The Salah Al-Din battalions, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), and Ahmad Abu al-Rish Brigades, a Fatah's military group, claimed Thursday responsibility of shelling several Israeli crossings. The two groups said in a joint release distributed in Gaza that they launched three Nasser-2 missiles at the crossing of Sofa east of Rafah, two mortar shells at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, and an advanced rocket at Kirm Shalom passageway.

The release added that the bombardment come in retaliation to the "massacre of the Israeli invader" against the Palestinians and a revenge of the killing of the three citizens and the injury of the 13 others. We say to the Israeli enemy and invader, "your killing of our children and fighters will not stop our legal resistance", it said.
"It's our Legitimate Right™..."
Meanwhile, Al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad's armed wing, fired local-made Quds-2 missiles at the Jewish Sderot settlement Thursday morning. The brigades said in a release that the attack was in retaliation to the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Deathwish Sucidewish 2006!
Posted by: 3dc || 06/23/2006 0:12 Comments || Top||

#2  related item: I watched Rumsfeld and Gen. Casey answer questions at a press conference yesterday..

Both mentioned that Al-Quds Brigades from Iran had increased the smuggling weapons and agents into Iraq since the first of the year.

__________________________

Revolutionary Guards’ al Quds Brigades

Iran's Secret Plan if Attacked by US Codenamed "Judgement Day"
Asharq Al-Awsat Exclusive
____________________________________

al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad

April 17, 2006 Tel Aviv suicide bombing..

Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in February; Ahmadinejad urged him and other visiting officials to continue their "jihad" against Israel. [2] Iran, in addition to financing Hamas, also sponsors terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah-Tanzim...

Both Syria and Iran have enhanced diplomatic relations with Hamas after the April 17 bombing. Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa conveyed on April 20 Syria's support for the Palestinian struggle. [11] Three days later, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a member of Hamas, to reaffirm his country's support for the Palestinian resistance.


Posted by: RD || 06/23/2006 9:50 Comments || Top||

#3  what a bunch of neaderthals. whoo, whoo! I light off bomb! Woo woo, woo, woo, woo!!!
Posted by: 2b || 06/23/2006 10:33 Comments || Top||

#4  "Salah Al-Din battalions"

What an embarrassment to the real Saladin.
Posted by: Glomogum Shogum2997 || 06/23/2006 11:42 Comments || Top||

#5  ok does anyone know off hand how many ppl they have hurt by firing these litle bottle rockets they shoot?

Posted by: Greamp Elmavinter1163 || 06/23/2006 14:04 Comments || Top||

#6  More than 20 less than 100 is my guess GP. Way the hell too many.
Posted by: 6 || 06/23/2006 17:53 Comments || Top||


Israel claims foiling weapon smuggling operation from Egypt to Gaza
(KUNA) -- The Israeli navy foiled a weapon smuggling operation from Egypt to Gaza Strip on Thursday morning, claimed a spokesperson for the Israeli occupation forces. The spokesperson told the Israeli radio that the Israeli navy opened fire on two individuals smuggling weapons from Egypt to Gaza Strip, wounding at least one of them. The source added that the two individuals were swimming in a restricted area between Egypt and Gaza Strip, noting that the forces opened fire when they refused to obey orders.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  They should always chum that area to deter swimmers.
Posted by: 3dc || 06/23/2006 0:14 Comments || Top||

#2  I have an idea where to get the chum...
Posted by: Glomogum Shogum2997 || 06/23/2006 11:44 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Six killed in Philippines bomb blast
Six people were killed and nine others wounded when a bomb exploded on Friday in front of a busy public market in a southern Philippine town.

The attack was believed to have targeted Andal Ampatuan, governor of Maguindanao province, authorities said.

The explosive was planted inside a passenger van, locally called a "multi-cab," which was parked near the market in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao province, 950km south of Manila.

"The bomb was detonated as the convoy of Governor Andal Ampatuan passed by," said Norie Unas, provincial administrator. "The empty multi-cab was totally destroyed.

"The governor was the main target," he added.
Posted by: ryuge || 06/23/2006 06:58 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka bishop relates terror in church
Tamilnet, via Bangla Daily Star, so the whole story might be apocryphal...
Sri Lankan navy personnel opened fire and hurled grenades in a church packed with frightened Tamils, killing six men and women and injuring dozens, a church leader has complained to the Vatican. Bishop Rayappu Joseph has given a horrific account of the attack on the Lady of Victory church at Pesali in north-western Mannar district on Saturday. The explosion severed the head of a 75-year-old Tamil Catholic woman. Other navy personnel fired through keyholes indiscriminately, killing two more Catholics and Hindus each and a Muslim.

The incident took place when thousands of Tamils huddled in the church, Sri Lanka's biggest, following fighting between the Sri Lankan navy and fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The outraged bishop said the church had been desecrated "by unjust aggressors, the navy", TamilNet website reported. "Today I buried the six civilians murdered by the navy at Pesalai," the bishop wrote on Sunday. The navy personnel fired through holes in the main doors, wounding many people, and then forced open a window and tossed two grenades. This, the bishop said, resulted "in one lady's head being blown off in the church and several others sustaining injuries, some serious". He said the Sri Lankan military refused permission for him to go to Pesalai to attend to the casualties. He said "military sources had tried to spread false news stating that there had been an attack by LTTE on land at Pesalai on the police and the navy had to open fire."

According to Bishop Joseph, much later, when the local navy commander met some 7,000 Tamils in the area, they begged to be allowed to flee to India by boats or move to areas controlled by the LTTE. In his lengthy letter to the Holy See, the bishop also described the cold-blooded execution of five fishermen "unfortunate enough to be outside working on their boats" when the fighting took place in the Mannar sea. TamilNet said the fishermen were pleading for their lives, showing the identity cards provided to them by the navy, when they were gunned down, in their heads and through the mouth.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 00:00 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The outraged bishop said the church had been desecrated "by unjust aggressors, the navy",

The rhetoric sounds awfully familiar---just change two words.
Posted by: gromgoru || 06/23/2006 12:15 Comments || Top||

#2  Shit like this is why the Tamil still exist. The Sri Lankan forces have to act professionally or they will generate more rebels than they kill. LTTE are scum, but that doesnt excuse firing blindly into a church full of women and children.


Posted by: Oldspook || 06/23/2006 12:17 Comments || Top||


Terror Networks
OBL Dreams Of EMP Bomb Attack On USA
A former Pakistani intelligence agent who once worked closely with Osama bin Laden says that the U.S. may well be attacked with electro-magnetic pulse bombs. During a June 22 interview with Adnkronos International news agency Khalid Khawaja said, "The e-bomb shall be the new threat for the USA, not the nukes or gas attacks."

Khawaja is a retired former member of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI. After retiring, he went to Afghanistan and fought with bin Laden. Khawaja said of bin Laden, "Osama is above all this politicking. He is a great man and will remain great." Khawaja is said to retain close ties with Kashmiri militants and former Taliban leaders.

An e-bomb or electromagnetic pulse weapon is designed to disable electronic equipment over a wide area by generating an intense surge of electromagnetic radiation. The weapon generates an electromagnetic shock wave, inducing heavy currents in all electronic gadgets with semi-conducting materials, frying their circuitry.

An e-bomb would disable electronic systems on which even mechanical devices, such as cars and airplanes are highly dependent in industrialized nations.

The technology is well-known; in September 2001 "Popular Mechanics" published a cover story, "E-bombs and Terrorists," stating that such a weapon could be constructed for $400.

An e-bomb attack would disrupt telecommunications networks and power supplies while leaving infrastructure intact.

Khawaja told the news agency that he overheard the reference to the e-bomb in several conversations among Arab fighters in Afghanistan over the years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Khawaja said, "I never heard Osama or Dr. (Ayman al-) Zawahiri discuss a nuclear attack on the (United States) and neither did I hear that from any other person. To me, these kind of ideas are ridiculous. Only states can use nuclear technology to destroy any country.

"No group or individual can apply these technologies for mass destruction. I never heard anything which was discussed with any depth concerning gas attacks on America.

"However, I overheard conversations which strongly suggested that there is a section of the anti-American resistance which is seriously pursuing a project aimed at bringing America back to the Stone Age without harming human lives."
Posted by: john || 06/23/2006 16:49 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Khawaja said, "I never heard Osama or Dr. (Ayman al-) Zawahiri discuss a nuclear attack on the (United States) and neither did I hear that from any other person. To me, these kind of ideas are ridiculous. Only states can use nuclear technology to destroy any country.

His lips were moving when he uttered this statement, deception clear indicated.


Posted by: Besoeker || 06/23/2006 17:13 Comments || Top||

#2  A former Pakistani intelligence agent who once worked closely with Osama bin Laden

That this is said so matter of factly just amazes me.
This ISI lowlife should be occupying a cage inside Gitmo, not giving interviews.


Posted by: john || 06/23/2006 17:15 Comments || Top||

#3  "Osama is above all this politicking. He is a great man and will remain great."

And your f*****g head will be sticking on a pole someday with OBL and Dr. Z. Their days are numbered.
Posted by: anymouse || 06/23/2006 19:10 Comments || Top||

#4  "...a project aimed at bringing America back to the Stone Age..."

This is the most accurate description of the goal of Islamists I have ever seen. For it is civilization itself that is their enemy, and until civilization itself is destroyed, theirs is a dying philosophy.

They *want* the Stone Age for all mankind, a Stone Age with guns to *keep* it a Stone Age.
Posted by: Anonymoose || 06/23/2006 19:28 Comments || Top||

#5  Right ... so a bunch of Paki hillbillies that can barely kick-start a goat are supposed to build an e-bomb with enough energy to knock out a bunch of our stuff. Okey-dokey, then.

Image the most powerful bolt of lightning you have seen recently. Now beyond what it happened to actually strike, how much damage did it do to infrastructure in the surrounding area? Probably something close to 0. Now imagine one has to buld something MUCH more powerful than that.

This is an example of someone making something up to sell a story. Horsecrap.
Posted by: crosspatch || 06/23/2006 20:18 Comments || Top||

#6  Many Muslims in America and around the world, Radicalized or not, anti-Amer/Western or not, are highly educated and trained in many engineering fields, including but not limited to nuclear engineering. In any case, this article is just more evidencia/indicia, AGAIN, that Amer's dedicated enemies are NOT fighting for a better world, but a regressed, darker, Socialist Totalitarian world where everyone is equal in their mutual poverty and universal lack of rights and freedoms. Any and all Clintonian adult Male Brutes have the right to die between ages 40-50 yo, or younger. Undoubtedly the futurist, pre-planned genocide of Western democracy and civilization will proceed.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 06/23/2006 21:31 Comments || Top||

#7  Something is seriously wrong with me and I may just need a break from RB. I've been reading JM's posts lately and they made sense. I apologize for any unintentional harm my delirium has caused
Posted by: Frank G || 06/23/2006 21:33 Comments || Top||

#8  Considering the penchant for Radical Muslims to blow themselves up, pragmatically speaking the only utility for an EMP strike would be as cover for armed conventional invasion. To use to influence domestic politics = NPE, or mere harassment just becuz they can, won't achieve much for Radical islamists except to anger Americans more.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 06/23/2006 21:35 Comments || Top||

#9  If any of you read my posts yesterday (see thread: http://rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=156933&D=2006-06-22&HC=2), you now know that an EMP device is not very complicated to build. The advent of multi-farad electro-chemical capacitors makes a wide-area FCG (Flux Compression Generator) even more easy to construct.

Long ago, Mrs. Davis wisely suggested that America assemble a laundry list of rogue and terrorism sponsoring nations and simply inform them that a single major nuclear or bio-chem attack upon the USA will result in all of them being incinerated. We should now include an EMP attack in that list of qualifying offenses.

Let those who seek our destruction scramble to unmake their webs of treachery. They have sown the whirlwind, now comes the time where they must ride the tiger they've summoned up or die in its jaws. We must not flinch in holding these perfidious b@stards to their misdeeds. We have everything to lose and they have everything to gain from our downfall. We need to rebalance that equation and attach a momentous price to their fell works.
Posted by: Zenster || 06/23/2006 21:49 Comments || Top||

#10  And I say that if such devices were so easy to build, many of them would have been built by now. People have no idea the amount of power that is required to actually do damage to something at any great distance. I would imagine someone could build something that might damage an electronic device in the same building, but I doubt they would be able to construct anything to damage a radius of a city block, and when you consider that as you double the distance you must square the power, each increase in distance away from the device requires huge increases in power.

If it is so simple and cheap, do it! I say that if it was, someone already would have.
Posted by: crosspatch || 06/23/2006 22:08 Comments || Top||

#11  crosspatch
More than anything, I just wish that when these terrorist scumbags start crowing about attacking us with an EMP device we simply retort how that will get their home turf slagged. Then watch the local governments scramble to track down these vermin. Even boasting of such treachery needs to come with a pricetag.
Posted by: Zenster || 06/23/2006 22:19 Comments || Top||


Good morning...
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 22:54 || Comments || Link || [3 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Step back while I investigate
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 0:21 Comments || Top||

#2  wow nice b...londe
Posted by: Crater Clavinter5429 || 06/23/2006 1:03 Comments || Top||

#3  Jayne & Sophia?
Posted by: Skidmark || 06/23/2006 4:13 Comments || Top||

#4  One of those interesting historical notes: Jayne's daughter is Mariska Hargitay of Law And Order:SVU.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 06/23/2006 6:27 Comments || Top||

#5  Another view
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 06/23/2006 8:07 Comments || Top||

#6  Last week I asked Fred for Sophia and there she is.

However she is overshawdowed, so to speak, by Jayne.

My next request is Sybil Danning (different decade I know but I thought she was pretty), or even better Barbara Eden.
Posted by: mhw || 06/23/2006 8:15 Comments || Top||

#7  Sophia's not happy, even though the men in the room are standing on their toes. While Jayne has that warm and friendly smile going for her.
Posted by: wxjames || 06/23/2006 8:44 Comments || Top||

#8  "Wardrobe!"
- Sophia
Posted by: Glomogum Shogum2997 || 06/23/2006 9:00 Comments || Top||

#9  My next request is Sybil Danning (different decade I know but I thought she was pretty), or even better Barbara Eden.

Jeannie!

I was struck by a severe case of puberty at that time. I have never recovered. :)
Posted by: Thomoque Angereque3714 || 06/23/2006 9:57 Comments || Top||

#10  I dunno. Sybil Danning's kinda recent. Jeannie's in the queue.
Posted by: Fred || 06/23/2006 10:27 Comments || Top||

#11 

Grace Kelly in "To Catch a Thief"
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 06/23/2006 10:27 Comments || Top||

#12  Fred, you ought to get some Ann Austin, but same them for special issues.
Posted by: wxjames || 06/23/2006 11:11 Comments || Top||

#13  That should be 'save them'.
Posted by: wxjames || 06/23/2006 11:13 Comments || Top||

#14  SL aged spectauclarly well. I got her autograph in 1981 during "Italian Days" at the Galleria in Ft. Lauderdale.
Posted by: 6 || 06/23/2006 12:13 Comments || Top||

#15  her boobeez needn sum tannin
Posted by: muck4doo || 06/23/2006 15:52 Comments || Top||

#16  #10 I dunno. Sybil Danning's kinda recent. Jeannie's in the queue.

There are some great pics of Barbara Eden online - I suggest Jade's Nude Celebrities as a starting point (not that I've been there)...

Posted by: FOTSGreg || 06/23/2006 18:14 Comments || Top||

#17  SL is also a conversative, who could ask for more?
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 20:03 Comments || Top||

#18  Damn, it's hard to type with my mind on other (hem) things. SL is a conservative.
Posted by: Captain America || 06/23/2006 20:04 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2006-06-23
  Shootout in Saudi kills six militants
Thu 2006-06-22
  FBI leads raids in Miami
Wed 2006-06-21
  Iraq Militant Group Says It Has Killed Russian Hostages
Tue 2006-06-20
  Missing soldiers found dead
Mon 2006-06-19
  Group Claims It Kidnapped U.S. Soldiers
Sun 2006-06-18
  Qaeda Cell Planned a Poison-gas Attack on the N.Y. Subway
Sat 2006-06-17
  Russers Bang Saidulayev
Fri 2006-06-16
  Sri Lanka strikes Tamil Tiger HQ
Thu 2006-06-15
  Somalia: Warlords Collapse
Wed 2006-06-14
  US, Iraqis to use tanks to secure Baghdad
Tue 2006-06-13
  Blinky's brother-in-law banged
Mon 2006-06-12
  Zark's Heir Also Killed, Jordanians Say
Sun 2006-06-11
  3 Gitmoids hanged themselves
Sat 2006-06-10
  Paleo Car Swarm for Abu Samhadana
Fri 2006-06-09
  50 dead in post-Zark boom campaign


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