An Afghan intelligence official on Tuesday blamed the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for last week's car bomb and suicide attacks that killed 16 people in the heart of the capital of Kabul.
Lashkar-e-Taiba is the same group that India blames for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166 people.
The Afghan Taliban had already claimed responsibility within hours of Friday's assaults that targeted residential hotels popular with foreigners, but the assertion that a Pakistan-based militants were involved threatened to derail tentative peace talks between Pakistan and India. Six Indians were among the dead.
The Mumbai attack led to a cutoff in peace talks and extremely high tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.
Saeed Ansari, a spokesman for Afghanistan's intelligence service, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his agency has evidence that Pakistanis were involved in the attacks. He said several of the attackers were heard speaking Urdu, a Pakistani language.
Posted by: ed ||
03/02/2010 10:41 ||
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[Quqnoos] Al Qaeda released a video on Sunday showing the Jordanian bomber who killed seven CIA employees in eastern Afghanistan. The video shows Humam Khalil Abu Mulal Al Balawi, a Jordanian national, inside a vehicle, speaking to the camera and seemingly addressing the CIA.
"Inshallah we will beat you down. Don't think just because you are killing Mujahedeen, you are safe. Inshallah, death will come to you for unexpected way," Al Balawi said.
The camera then zooms in to show the watch on Al Balawi's wrist.
"This is for you. It's not a watch, it's a detonator, to kill as much as I can."
"Inshallah... to kill you, to kill your partner, Jordanian partner, and Inshallah I go to paradise, and you will be sent to the hell," Al Balawi added.
The Jordanian citizen blew himself up on Dec 30 inside Forward Operating Base Chapman, a fortified US compound in the eastern Afghan province of Khost, killing seven CIA employees and a Jordanian officer.
In January, another video was released showing Al Balawi with Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, who was later killed in a US drone attack in Waziristan. In that video Al Balawi says that the United States and its Arab ally Jordan had offered him millions of dollars to spy on militant groups, but he preferred the other way around.
This article starring:
Hakimullah Mehsud
Humam Khalil Abu Mulal Al Balawi
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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Dubai's police chief said on Monday the suspects in a Hamas chief's assassination in the emirate are now hiding out in Israel to avoid arrest and urged the Jewish state to wage its wars at home.
Mahmud al-Mabhuh, a founder of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, was found dead in his Dubai hotel room on Jan. 20. Police on Sunday said he had been drugged then suffocated.
"I say (the suspects) are in Israel. Israel says they are in Israel," police chief Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan told a news conference in the Emirati capital. "If they stay in Israel, they won't be arrested."
But "eventually they will leave" and can then be detained, he added, referring to a list of suspects passed on to Interpol.
Twelve British, six Irish, four French, three Australian and one German passports were used by 26 named suspects, according to Dubai police, who say they had fled the southern Gulf emirate on flights to Europe and Asia.
Police say they are convinced the Israeli spy agency Mossad carried out the Cold War-style hit.
Khalfan also said Israel's intelligence agency Mossad has insulted Dubai and countries whose forged passports were used by its agents in the assassination of Mabhouh.
"Mossad shouldn't come to us. We haven't done anything to Israel. This is an insult to us, to Britain, to Australia, to Germany and to New Zealand and it's shameful," Khalfan said.
Israel has not confirmed or denied it played any role but its foreign minister said there was nothing to link it to the killing. Hamas says Mabhouh played a role in smuggling weapons from Iran into the Gaza Strip, which Hamas runs.
The UAE, an Arab state that backs Palestinians seeking an independent state and end to Israeli occupation, has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Me thinks that this Hamas guy ran into some of his old buddies from Al Fatah.
If it was Mossad, it would have been cleaner. I don't think our shadowy Jewish friends would need that many people to take out this clown.
Dubai has issued arrest warrants for the entire northern suburbs of Tel Aviv or so it seems...
Posted by: Karl Rove ||
03/02/2010 0:38 Comments ||
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#2
Karl, you're confusing to things: (i) the action itself & (ii) Dubai "police investigation". Once you grasp that there is no connection, whatsoever, between the two...
Geez, thanks a lot, I forgot to take off my rationality hat when I talk about this "investigation"....still it's funny to see them running around in circles...maybe the Minister of Security is Mossad...HAH
Posted by: Karl Rove ||
03/02/2010 10:45 Comments ||
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#5
...urged the Jewish state to wage its wars at home.
So what was Dead Guy doing in town, chiefy? Figure that one out yet?
A weapon thought by many to belong to military museums is making a return to active anti-insurgency operations in the North Caucasus: the armored train. First used for such purposes in the American Civil War, armored trains and the tactics associated with their use were most fully developed in the vast expanses of Russia, where they were used in large numbers in World War One, the Red-White Civil War of 1917-22 (including extensive operations in the Caucasus), the Second World War and the Sino-Soviet border conflict of the 1960's. More recently, Russian armored trains were deployed to secure railway lines against Azeri nationalists during the 1990 Soviet military intervention in Baku. Now Russia's defense ministry has announced the return of armored trains for use against Islamist insurgents in the North Caucasus (Interfax, January 5; Russia Today, January 5).
The growing insecurity of Russia's railway system led to an announcement by President Dmitry Medvedev on December 2 that he had just signed a special order regarding the prevention of terrorist attacks on railways (ITAR-TASS, December 2, 2009). Medvedev's announcement followed remarks by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that called for pre-emption as the best means of eliminating attacks on the rail system (The Moscow Times, December 1, 2009).
Bombings of Russian trains in Dagestan have become a major security problem, with some seven explosions occurring on trains in the last six months of 2009 alone. The attacks appear to be part of a new campaign by North Caucasus Islamist insurgents to strike Russian infrastructure, including railways (EDM, December 10, 2009).
A review of recent attacks on railway infrastructure gives some sense of the growing problem: skipped
Building on the 1919 innovation to include a desantniy ortryad (raiding team) with every armored train for offensive and defensive missions, modern armored trains include detachments of armor and infantry that can be quickly offloaded and deployed around the area of the train or sent on reconnaissance missions. This makes it difficult for insurgents to prepare ambushes or destroy sections of track without detection. Meanwhile, the armored train can provide mobile artillery fire in support of infantry operations.
In the wake of continuing insurgent attacks on the railroads of the North Caucasus, Russia will return two Stavropol-based armored trains to service in Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan. The trains, which have been held in reserve for two years, are equipped with "special devices for the removal of landmines and heavy weapons capable of countering an attack by armed militants." The armored trains will likely be manned by railway troops of the 76 ZhDK, based in Volgograd. The unit is considered well-trained, well-equipped and ready for combat operations.
Russia maintains a unique formation of Railway Troops (Zheleznodorozhniki -ZhDk), composed of four railway corps, 28 railway brigades and a number of military and research units under the control of the defense ministry since 2004 (ITAR-TASS, May 2, 1999). The Railway Troops are responsible for securing and rebuilding railroads in support of combat and mobilization efforts, the construction of new railways and the repair or reconstruction of rail systems destroyed by enemy forces or natural calamities. Railway troops were active in these roles in the First Chechen War of 1994-96. Shortly after the Second Chechen War began in 1999 the Railway Troops began operating an armored train to protect commercial cargo and military supply trains (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, June 10, 2008).
The 76th is one of the 4 corps.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
03/02/2010 11:20 Comments ||
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#3
I seem to remeber one of the less popular Mexican gov'ts (maybe Maximilian?) trying the same thing in the 1800's. War "en camion" or some such. Didn't end well."
Shades of Zelig ...
A man in a brown overcoat who welcomed Chinese envoy Wang Jiarui on his arrival in North Korea on Feb. 6 is attracting the attention of the Chinese-speaking world. Kim Song-nam is apparently a China expert in the Workers Party's International Department, the Hong Kong-based weekly Yazhou Zhoukan weekly said.
Kim Song-nam is an official interpreter who speaks Chinese fluently, the weekly said. "He worked as the official interpreter for the late North Korean dictator Kim Il-sung and leader Kim Jong-il," it added. "He has attended every high-level talk between China and North Korea over the past two decades." The North's official broadcaster described Kim Song-nam as a deputy director of the Workers Party's International Department. That seems to have been the first time the official North Korean media introduced Kim, formerly a mere interpreter, by his official title, leading to speculation that an éminence grise is stepping cautiously into the limelight.
The party's International Department is in charge of external affairs and diplomacy. "The Workers Party attaches importance not only to relations with the Chinese Communist Party but also to exchanges between the two parties. Kim Song-nam is a prominent China expert in the Workers Party," the weekly added.
Kim reportedly played a key role during Wang's recent visit, leading efforts to cement ties with China at a dinner held for Wang on the day he arrived in Pyongyang. The Chinese press said party officials from the two countries discussed developing the traditional friendship between China and North Korea. Kim was also present at a meeting between Kim Jong-il and Wang at the North Korean leader's retreat in Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province on Feb. 8.
According to a Chinese Communist Party newsletter, Kim Song-nam also attended a New Year's party at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on Jan. 14 hosted by the Chinese Embassy.
Until recently, the Chinese-language press were more interested in Kim Yong-il, the director of the Workers Party's International Department, as Wang's official counterpart.
Kim Yong-il was appointed to the post in January. He graduated from the French Department of Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies and served as the chief North Korean delegate in the first round of the six-party nuclear talks and as a vice foreign minister.
But Kim Song-nam had a far less visible career and is so obscure that even the South Korean Unification Ministry has no detailed information about him, including his exact age and position.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Smart man, to stay anonymous all this time. It's probably why he's still around. A survivor.
Prosecutors seeking to indict five Americans on terrorist charges submitted their case to a Pakistani judge Tuesday, accusing the men of waging war against Pakistan and plotting to attack the country.
All young Muslims from the Washington, D.C., area, the five were arrested in December in Punjab province not long after reaching Pakistan. They were reported missing by their families in November after one left behind a farewell video showing scenes of war and casualties and saying Muslims must be defended.
A senior police officer said soon after the men's arrest that authorities were likely to deport them, but it now looks increasingly like they will face trial in Pakistan on charges that carry a maximum term of life imprisonment.
The men could be indicted on as many as seven charges at their next hearing on March 10, lawyer Hamid Malik told The Associated Press. The judge ordered the defense to review the prosecution report presented in the Sargodha town court and to prepare a rebuttal.
Pakistani police have publicly made several accusations against the young men, claiming the suspects contacted Pakistani-based jihadi groups. They accused the five of using the social networking site Facebook and video-sharing site YouTube while they were in the U.S. to try to connect with extremist groups in Pakistan.
But their lawyers say they were heading to Afghanistan and had no plans to stage attacks inside Pakistan.
During past court hearings, the men have claimed they were tortured by Pakistani police and FBI agents. Pakistan and the U.S. have denied those allegations.
The U.S. has pressed an often reluctant Pakistan to crack down on militants on its territory, many of whom are believed involved in attacks on American and NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan. At the same time, several recent cases have highlighted incidences of foreigners signing up to join the insurgents on both sides of the border.
Two of the detained Americans are of Pakistani origin, while one is of Egyptian, one of Yemeni and one of Eritrean descent.
Hamas has called on Arab and Muslim states to impose pressure on Israel to force it to stop the raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to end its occupation of Palestine and its holy sites.
The current scenario is part of a dangerous Zionist plot to Judaize the entire occupied city of Jerusalem Al-Quds and to demolish the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said on Sunday.
Barhoum added that Israel started the plot a long time ago when it intensified its settlement activities, displaced Palestinians, demolished their homes, cancelled their ID cards, increased its assaults on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Judaized the names of streets in the holy city.
He stated that these new Israeli attacks on the holy mosque, Jerusalem Al-Quds, and its people are being carried out to attain the Israeli premier's declared goal of Judaizing Palestine.
He went on to say that the inaction of Arabs and Muslims in regard to what is happening in the holy city as well as the Palestinian Authority's "connivance" have encouraged Israel to increase its assaults on the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On Sunday, at least 17 Palestinians were wounded and seven others were detained during fierce confrontations between Palestinian activists using stones, shoes, and bare fists and armed Israeli troops in and around the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Muslims believe the frequent Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound are part of the Judaization campaign that targets the holy city of Jerusalem Al-Quds.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned the Lebanese government on Monday against sharing telecommunications information with the United States, saying any such move would be tantamount to collaborating with the Israeli enemy.
The Shiite militant leader also called for any Lebanese citizens convicted of spying for the Jewish state in a series of trials in recent months to be hanged.
"The U.S. embassy is sending letters to ministries and security forces asking for information," Nasrallah said via video link to his supporters massed in Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs.
"This is dangerous as it is a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, but its real danger lies elsewhere," he said.
"Because of the strategic relationship and unity between the United States and Israel ... any information gathered through such requests, like spy rings, reaches Israelis."
"In other words, it is giving Israel information by proxy on a silver platter, and we hope there are no Lebanese citizens collaborating with the U.S. embassy in the matter," he said.
A U.S. request for confidential data on Lebanon's telecommunications sector prompted an emergency meeting of Lebanese MPs and top officials on Monday, after local media accused Washington of spying.
The request by the U.S. embassy in Lebanon was submitted in April last year but was turned down by then-energy minister Gebran Bassil, reports said.
Bassil on Monday confirmed to AFP that he had turned down the embassy's request for "very detailed information on the mobile phone service providers in Lebanon -- the stations, the antennas, technical information."
U.S. embassy officials would not comment.
Nasrallah also demanded the death penalty for convicted spies as Lebanese authorities press on with an expanding crackdown on suspected Israeli spy rings launched last year.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Iran's ex-president Mohammad Khatami criticized on Monday Tehran's foreign policy, saying the Islamic republic must refrain from an "adventurous" approach despite Western powers imposing sanctions on the country.
The reformist cleric, under whose presidency Iran had suspended the enrichment of uranium, said the revolution of 1979 had created a lot of "enemies" for Tehran, but the Islamic republic should not exacerbate the situation.
"We have big enemies... they did all sorts of things like imposing wars, committing terrorist attacks, coup attempts and imposing sanctions," Khatami, a strong backer of Iran's opposition movement, said in a speech that was posted on the website of his organization, Baran.
"But it does not mean that we have to face them with an adventurous policy and intensify it. Wisdom and politics demand that we act logically and not give a pretext to others," he said implicitly referring to Tehran's defiant stance when it comes to its nuclear program.
Iran often makes announcements of progress in its military capabilities, in an apparent attempt to show its readiness to respond to any possible military attack.
On Monday its air force announced that it will soon test a new version of a 2000-pound guided-bomb.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV Latest] Almost a week after Iran arrested a terrorist ringleader on a flight from the UAE to Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek in a vague statement Monday denied that any foreign nationals were arrested off the plane.
Iran on February 23 arrested Abdulmalek Rigi, the leader of the notorious terrorist group Jundallah, after his plane, en route from Dubai to Bishkek, was escorted down by Iranian fighter jets.
Informed sources have told Press TV that Rigi and his deputy were travelling with several Kyrgyz security guards.
Following his arrest, Rigi confessed that he was going to Kyrgyzstan to meet with a top American official in a military base.
Kyrgyzstan initially confirmed the arrest, and protested Iran's action.
Taalaibek Turumbekov, the deputy chief of Kyrgyzstan's national airline, told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that the plane had been forced down by two Iranian jets, and two of the 119 passengers aboard had been arrested.
On Monday, however, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry moved to deny the earlier confirmation.
"Information ... published in some media about the detention of foreign nationals on board the Kyrgyzstan Airlines aircraft does not correspond with reality," it said.
According to AFP, the statement did not mention Rigi by name or provide further explanation.
Rigi, who says he was supported by foreign intelligence agencies to act against Iran's national security, is responsible for many terrorist attacks against Iranian nationals and officials.
His latest terror act claimed the lives of 35 people, including senior military commanders, at a unity gathering between Sunni and Shia tribal leaders in the borderline Pishin region in the southeast.
In March 2005, he ordered the Tassouki massacre, in which 28 people, including 21 civilians, were killed. The incident took place on the Zabol-Zahedan road near the Tassouki check post, where Jundallah terrorists wearing Iranian police camouflage stopped vehicles and forced their passengers to step out before opening fire on them.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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Iran plans to test a "more powerful and accurate" generation of a 2000-pound guided-bomb with a "longer range," Air Force commander Brigadier General Hassan Shah Safi said Monday.
The new bomb is the improved version of Qassed-1, meaning Herald, which was first tested in 2006.
"The Qassed-1 guided-bomb has been mass produced and left at the disposal of the Air Force ... its new generation will be test-fired soon," Fars news agency quoted Brig. Gen. Shah Safi as saying.
Qassed-2, he said, has a longer range, more accuracy and enjoys more explosive power than its previous version.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/02/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Hasn't this been tried before. I wonder who the lucky test pilot will be?
see: http://www.aviastar.org/air/japan/yoko_ohka.php
Actually, based on the slight differences of the nose of the Qassed, I believe the Iranians took the seeker of a Maverick (which was sold to the Shah) and copied the control surfaces of the GBU-15 (don't know if Iran bought any in the '70's). The Maverick and GBU-15 used almost identical tech. Even though it is 40 year old tech, can the Iranians build more after their supply of clapped out Mavericks runs out?
Posted by: ed ||
03/02/2010 9:21 Comments ||
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#3
Has been mass produced, first test firing soon. That's how you do it.
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.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
