ADDIS ABABA -- IGAD brokered talks between Federal Government of Somalia and Somalia's Jubaland administration are continuing for the third day in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, Garowe Online reports.
The two sides, Mogadishu-based Federal Government and Jubaland delegations which were led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) respectively, initially took a sit-down dinner on Wednesday evening in Addis Ababa.
Sources close to the bilateral discussions told Garowe Online that both sides agreed on three points of agreements which were likely to be signed last Wednesday night with International community members present before President Hassan showed extreme reluctance to accept the points.
Among the three points disagreed; The federal Government to recognize the outcomes of Jubaland convention including the constitution, state flag and Jubaland administration structures, also to recognize the three regions of Jubaland which consists of Lower Jubba, Middle Jubba and Gedo regions, and Federal Government of Somalia and Jubaland to work together in line with the legitimate Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC) of Somalia which was signed by road map signatories, on June 22, 2012 with UN present as a guarantor.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Egypt's roadmap to democracy is still on course and the overthrow of elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was based on a popular rather than a parliamentary mandate, a presidential advisor said on Wednesday.
In his first television interview on Wednesday, Mostafa Hegazy criticised "armed" protests by supporters of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi for "terrorising people."
Egypt has witnessed a period of deadly violence as police forcibly cleared two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo last week, leaving hundreds dead, sparking days of bloody clashes, and pitting Islamists against security forces. Around 900 people have been killed across the country over the past week, although exact figures have yet to be confirmed by official sources.
"The Brotherhood's disaffected young rank and file has been mobilised through blackmail exercised by their leaders to coax them into taking to the streets in order to allegedly defend Islam," Hegazy said.
He claimed the interim government had liaised with members of the Muslim Brotherhood in attempts to reach a peaceful solution to the standoff between protesters and security forces, but that attempts failed due to the reluctance of the Brotherhood.
Condemning all forms of bloodshed, Hegazy described the pro-Morsi protest camps as a "national security threat" and said that they had been dispersed by police "gradually" and in accordance with regulations.
Egypt's roadmap to democracy is still on course and the overthrow of elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was based on a popular rather than a parliamentary mandate, a presidential advisor said on Wednesday.
In his first television interview on Wednesday, Mostafa Hegazy criticised "armed" protests by supporters of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi for "terrorising people."
Egypt has witnessed a period of deadly violence as police forcibly cleared two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo last week, leaving hundreds dead, sparking days of bloody clashes, and pitting Islamists against security forces. Around 900 people have been killed across the country over the past week, although exact figures have yet to be confirmed by official sources.
"The Brotherhood's disaffected young rank and file has been mobilised through blackmail exercised by their leaders to coax them into taking to the streets in order to allegedly defend Islam," Hegazy said.
He claimed the interim government had liaised with members of the Muslim Brotherhood in attempts to reach a peaceful solution to the standoff between protesters and security forces, but that attempts failed due to the reluctance of the Brotherhood.
Condemning all forms of bloodshed, Hegazy described the pro-Morsi protest camps as a "national security threat" and said that they had been dispersed by police "gradually" and in accordance with regulations.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Egyptian authorities must protect churches and Christian homes and businesses from attack and Islamists must stop inciting sectarian violence, Human Rights Watch ... dedicated to bitching about human rights violations around the world... said on Thursday.
The group said it had documented attacks on 42 churches and dozens of Christian institutions, schools and homes, as well as Christian-owned businesses across the country.
It said at least four people were reported killed in sectarian violence, three Christians and one Mohammedan.
Attacks on Egypt's Christian minority have escalated since the July 3 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
The attacks dramatically increased since the August 14 dispersal of two pro-Morsi protest camps in the capital.
Human Rights Watch said authorities had failed to protect Christians from attacks, and that Islamists, including Morsi's Moslem Brüderbund, had failed to properly condemn the violence and prevent future attacks.
"For weeks, everyone could see these attacks were coming, with Moslem Brüderbund members accusing Coptic Christians of a role in Mohamed Morsi's ouster, but the authorities did little or nothing to prevent them," said Joe Stork, the group's acting Middle East director.
"In the vast majority of the 42 cases Human Rights Watch documented, neither the police nor the military were present at the start or during the attack," the group said.
It said a priest in Minya province told the group he had called police and emergency services multiple times as mobs attacked his church, but no one came.
A bishop told the group he contacted senior government officials to plead for help, and though they promised to send protection, none arrived.
But while HRW criticised the government for failing to protect Christians, it also said the country's Islamists deserved blame for inciting the attacks.
They came "after weeks of sectarian discourse by Moslem Brüderbund supporters" at two pro-Morsi protest camps, the group said.
And while some Moslem Brüderbund leaders have condemned the attacks, others "have suggested a Coptic role in the ongoing crackdown on the group," HRW said.
"While a few Moslem Brüderbund leaders have condemned these attacks, they also need to tell the group's followers to stop inciting violence by insinuating that the Coptic minority is responsible for the crackdown," Stork said.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
HRW noticed burning churches? Will wonders never cease?
#2
...well, it's not like they can send out the "Blame BushChimpHitler" fund solicitation letter to keep those useful idiots sending those $$$ in anymore and another NGO has the copyright on puppies and baby seals.
#3
HRW should have made this kind of statement years ago. Churches were being attacked and Christians tormented by the end of the Mubarek era. By May of this year there were already dozens of Copts dead from Muslim attacks and this was just referred to as 'sectarian violence'.
Obama and others in the administrative have made a few comments on this but has never condemned the MB for the attacks. And of course, in the background, there is the noxious case of Benghazi.
Posted by: lord garth ||
08/23/2013 10:46 Comments ||
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[Al Ahram] The Salafist's Nour party leader, Younis Makhion states it would be stupid to consider excluding the Islamist political current in Egypt.
"You cannot exclude the Islamist current and if anyone thinks about exclusion, it will be extremely stupid," said Makhionin an interview with Rooters.
After Egypt's army deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July they engaged in what could be the fiercest crackdown against the Islamists in decades and Makhion says his party "feels that it is getting closer to the crisis."
Some members Nour Party members were harassed just for growing a beard as an expression of their religious commitment, says Makhion, worried about the state of emergency in Egypt.
"Thugs are now setting up checkpoints where they attack bearded men and sometimes beat and then hand them over the cop shoppes where cases are being set up for them and then they are sent to the prosecution," said Younis Makhion,accusing the state of mobilising "the thugs."
Warning of an arbitrary campaign against Islamists, Makhion also stated that this campaign may force the Islamists to work underground. "This is a dangerous path and will make many reject democracy and use others methods," the leader of the second-largest Islamist party in Egypt (after the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party) warned.
"The Moslem Brüderbund activists involved in violence should stand trial, but the mass arrest of Moslem Brüderbund members is extremely wrong" said Makhion.
Hundreds of Brotherhood members have been tossed in the clink ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... in the past two weeks, not just in Cairo, but across several governorates in Egypt following the dispersal of the pro-Morsi sit-ins.
The leader of the Salafist party also warned of violence and counter-violence in Egypt, especially that weapons are flooding into Egypt from Libya since the Libyan revolution two years ago.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Egypt's public prosecutor on Thursday ordered the detention of Moslem Brüderbund chief for another 15 days pending an investigation into fresh allegations, judicial sources said.
The new charges against Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie include inciting murder and torture of protesters at a main Cairo protest camp set up by supporters of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
The preventative detention of the Brotherhood's Supreme Guide would come into effect when he serves two other temporary detention orders on similar charges.
Badie faces an array of charges faces, including instigating murder, attempted murder and torturing anti-Morsi protesters in December 2012. He is also accused of inciting violence, damaging public and private property, and attacks on security and army personnel outside a Cairo barracks. At least 51 were killed when the Egyptian army opened fire on Morsi supporters outside the Republican Guard barracks in northeast Cairo in July.
Badie and his two deputies are due to stand trial on 25 August.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Latest opinion poll by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera) indicated that 67 percent of Egyptians are "content" with the police's dispersal operation of two pro-Morsi sit-ins on 14 August.
The same poll showed that 24 percent of respondents aren't content and 9 percent are undecided.
According to Magued Osman, head of the Centre, the poll also showed that only 17 percent of the respondents believe the sit-in was unarmed. Sixty-seven percent believe it contained weapons, and only 16 percent say they don't know.
Twenty-four percent of Egyptians who participated in the survey say it would have been better to give more time for negotiations. Meanwhile, ...back at the cheese factory, there was only one thought in the mouse's mind: I can do this! I can do this! Then the trap sprung... 70 percent view the time period the Moslem Brüderbund had to end their protests was sufficient and they should not be given more chances.
Regarding the use of force to disperse the pro-Morsi sit-ins, 23 percent say the dispersal used excessive force, while 65 percent believe it wasn't too violent. However, ars longa, vita brevis... 56 percent of respondents consider the corpse count from the dispersal to be too high. Thirty-four percent didn't think it was. Sixty-two percent say the reason for the high number is due to the protesters and only 13 percent say the police are responsible, and 25 percent aren't sure.
On international reactions, 78 percent of respondents believe countries who object to the security forces' move don't have the right to do so, while 8 percent say it is the right reaction, and 15 percent aren't sure.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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from Walid Shoebat, former MB member and now 'peace activist'. Take it for what it's worth.
Egyptian government and mainstream media has reported a major development regarding the role of Barack Obama's brother (presumably, his half-brother Malik Obama) with the Muslim Brotherhood. As we have reported before, Malik is a member of the Islamic Da'wa Organization (IDO), an arm of the Sudanese government, which is led by President Omar al-Bashir, who is himself a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.
These facts would lend credibility to the following claims from Egypt.
The former Chancellor of the Constitutional Court of Egypt and current adviser, Tahani Al-Jebali stated that the reason the United States cannot fight the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood is because the brother of U.S. President Barack Obama is the architect of the investments for the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Jebali stated she would like...
"...to inform the American people that their president's brother Obama is one of the architects of the major investments of the international organization of the Muslim Brotherhood."
She added...
"We will carry out the law and the Americans will not stop us. We need to open the files and begin court sessions. The Obama administration cannot stop us; they know that they supported terrorism. We will open the files so these nations are exposed, to show how they collaborated with them [the terrorists]. It is for this reason why the American administration fights us."
More quotes and video at the link. It's not clear to me that this pans out but it's a potential explanation why Champ has been so fixated on helping the Brüderbünd gain and hold power. Again, much salt required at this point.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Malik or Malia whomever,...probably no connection.
This is from August 4 so just a brief reminder here: trial and festivities start Sunday.
An Egyptian court on Sunday set an August 25 trial date for the Muslim Brotherhoods supreme leader, Mohammed Badie, and five other members of the Islamist movement, over their alleged involvement in the deaths of protesters.
Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie, who is currently in hiding, and his two deputies Khairat al-Shater and Rashad Bayoumi who are being held in Cairo's Tora prison, are accused of inciting violence against protesters outside the Islamist group's headquarters on June 30. They will face trial on August 25 together with three Brotherhood members who are accused of killing protesters.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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Two terrorist militant groups that broke away from Al Qaeda's North African wing and fought in Mali have merged, pledging to attack French interests, according to a statement published on Thursday.
The move unites terrorist fighters led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the alleged mastermind of an attack on an Algerian gas plant in January, with MUJWA, an Islamist group that was scattered by a French offensive on Al Qaeda-linked rebels in Mali this year. The two terrorist groups had already jointly claimed responsibility for raids in May that killed dozens at a barracks and damaged a uranium mine operated by France's Areva in Niger.
The new name for the group was given as Al Mourabitoun. It was not immediately clear who had been named its leader.
"It is the birth of a group that includes Mujahideen and even Muslims in North Africa from the country of the Nile and the Atlantic," Mauritania's Nouakchott Information Agency, ANI, quoted Belmokhtar as saying in a statement it received.
It was not possible to independently verify the report but North African militants frequently use ANI to publish their statements.
The new name for the group was given as Al Mourabitoun. It was not immediately clear who had been named its leader.
Belmokhtar is quoted as saying the group aimed to create an Islamic state and recent events in Egypt had shown how the "Zionist and Crusader" forces wanted to destroy Islam.
In the statement sent to ANI, Belmokhtar said the group would concentrate on attacking French interests.
"We say to France and its allies in the region ... the Mujahideen have met and agreed to defeat your armies and destroy your plans and projects," he said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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Tunisias ruling Islamists have agreed to an initiative by the countrys main labour union to avert the brewing political crisis by eventually forming a government of technocrats, a top union official said on Thursday.
The assassination of an opposition politician in late July plunged the country into crisis, with the opposition demanding the government and assembly elected in 2011, be dissolved demands backed up by demonstrations and sit-ins. There were even fears that Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, might go the way of Egypt, where dissatisfaction with Islamist rule resulted in a military coup and the bloody suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood, killing more than 1,000 people.
Tunisia, however, has managed to avoid the persistent bloodshed and cycle of unrest that has roiled Egypt after the overthrow of its president just a month after Tunisia deposed theirs on January 14, 2011. Despite a rocky transition, the Islamist-dominated government and the secular opposition parties have always been able to reach a compromise.
Mouldi Jendoubi, the assistant secretary-general of the General Union of Tunisian Workers, known as the UGTT, told the state news agency that the moderate Islamist Ennahda Party had agreed to a government of technocrats to get the country out of its current crisis.
The announcement follows talks between Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi and the powerful union head Houcine Abassi. The union, long a bastion of left-wing politics, has generally sided with the opposition against the government, but in the latest crisis took on a role as a mediator.
A subsequent statement by Ennahda said the party accepted the unions initiative as a starting point for dialogue and the current government would remain until an agreement was reached.
The coalition government will not resign and will continue its duties until national dialogue reaches a consensus agreement that guarantees the completion of the democratic transition and the organisation of free and fair elections, the statement said.
Opposition reaction to the announcement was mixed, with Nejib Chebbi, head of the liberal Jomhouri (Republican) party, welcoming it as a positive step to relaunch the national dialogue as soon as possible and find an end to this crisis.
Other parties, however, stuck by their initial demands for the dissolution of the assembly and the government before any talks.
We are committed to dialogue, but only after the resignation of the government, Ayda Klibi, spokeswoman for the right of centre Nida Tunis (Tunisia Calls) party, told The Associated Press.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Al Ahram] Yemen has asked the United States to supply it with drones, President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi said on Thursday, to help it fight an al Qaeda threat that recently forced Western countries to temporarily close diplomatic missions in Sanaa.
State news agency Saba also quoted Hadi as telling police cadets that 40 suspected al Qaeda bully boyz had been killed in recent counter-terrorism operations and vowed to keep fighting the Islamists until they laid down their weapons.
Hadi, who came to power in 2011 after months of turmoil forced his predecessor to step down, irked Yemenis last year by giving unequivocal support for Washington's controversial drone strikes, which have increased under President Barack Obama Jedi mind meld...
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Probably has a room of Chinese and Russian folks hoping to take a look at it in exchange for some currency.
[Dawn] Britannia's broadcasting watchdog on Wednesday fined an Islamic television channel £85,000 ($133,000, 99,700 euros) after a presenter said anyone disrespecting the Prophet Mohammed should be killed.
Ofcom ruled that Noor TV, which broadcasts on Sky, had breached broadcasting codes by inciting violence during a program aired on May 3 last year.
The watchdog said the size of the fine reflected the seriousness of the channel's transgression, but stopped short of revoking its licence.
Presenter Allama Muhammad Farooq Nizami was hosting a phone-in when he was asked what the punishment was for anyone showing disrespect for Prophet Mohammed.
"There is no disagreement about this," he replied. "There is absolutely no doubt about it that the punishment for the person who shows disrespect for the Prophet is death."
Ofcom ruled that the channel, which is owned by Al Ehya Digital Television, had transmitted "material likely to encourage or incite the commission of crime" and had failed to "exercise the proper degree of responsibility with respect to the content of programmes which are religious programmes."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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#3
Manning in my book can live his/her life however he/she wants, just behind bars.
Manning'll get a presidential pardon with Obama at the helm.
Quite the message.
Posted by: Jan ||
08/23/2013 3:50 Comments ||
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#4
Interesting. The website is blocked at work because the site is "religion". And, yes, I will begin working before 7.
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/23/2013 6:40 Comments ||
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#5
Manning probably will get a Pardon from Obama. They are just keeping it in their pocket until a SQUIRREL! is needed to distract the media.
#6
Trustees can get jobs outside the walls. One of the nice aspects about Fort Leavenworth for few enlisted stationed there is that there aren't many 'details' as the non-MOS work is done by trustees. They've operated green houses, landscaping, furniture upholstery, laundry, and barbershops. Maybe they can make accommodation to shift one of the barber chairs to hair salon status.
#7
If given trustee status, hope he/she stays clear of Weston and vicinity. Bill Carson's barber shop clients might invite him out into the street for a thrashin.
[Dawn] Heraldo Munoz, the lead United Nations ...boodling on the grand scale... (UN) investigator in a probe into former prime minister Benazir Bhutto ... 11th Prime Minister of Pakistain in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistain People's Party, who was murdered at the instigation of General Ayub Khan. She was murdered in her turn by person or persons unknown while campaigning in late 2007. Suspects include, to note just a few, Baitullah Mehsud, General Pervez Musharraf, the ISI, al-Qaeda in Pakistain, and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who shows remarkably little curiosity about who done her in... 's liquidation, doubts the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) independently carried out the attack, but does not discount suspicions about involvement of intelligence operatives in her murder and later covering up of evidence.
An adaptation from Mr Munoz's upcoming book, 'Getting away with the murder -- Behind the Investigation of Benazir Bhutto's Assassination', published on Foreign Affairs magazine's website, expresses fears that the murder would remain unsolved because of absence of both capacity and willingness of the government and courts to solve the case.
Mr Munoz, currently UN Assistant Secretary General, had headed the UN Commission of Inquiry into the liquidation appointed by Secretary General the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon ... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan... on the government's request in July 2009. The commission submitted its report to the secretary general in March 2010.
The publishing of the article coincided with the indictment of former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Perv Musharraf ... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ... by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi in the Benazir liquidation case.
Mr Munoz believes Gen Musharraf may have facilitated the killing by ignoring Ms Bhutto's security needs after their political deal went sour and does not absolve him of moral and political responsibility.
"Suspicions of the ISI's -- or at least of some retired officers or rogue members of the agency -- involvement in the liquidation were not unfounded," he observed in the article after narrating his meetings with army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ... four star general, current Chief of Army Staff of the Mighty Pak Army. Kayani is the former Director General of ISI... and then ISI director general Lt Gen Shuja Pasha.
The UN investigator has recounted that army chief Kayani had doubts about Pak Taliban's involvement in the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Kayani suspected whether the slain chief of TTP, Baitullah Mehsud had organised the liquidation, as was claimed by an interior ministry front man at a news conference a day after Bhutto's death on December 27, 2007.
Musharraf's government based its claim on Mehsud's telephonic conversation intercepted by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Kayani had called the presser "premature" and that "It should not have been done," Heraldo Munoz wrote in his book.
"One cannot conclude culpability solely on a phone intercept," the army chief was quoted as saying by Munoz, who headed a UN panel that investigated Benazir Bhutto's liquidation.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] A senior commander of the Punjabi Taliban capo has welcomed the government's recent offer to hold peace talks.
Asmatullah Muawiya, a principal ally of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) and leader of the so-called Punjabi Taliban, said in a statement Thursday that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... demonstrated political maturity by reiterating his offer to hold peace negotiations in a speech over the weekend.
In a his first nationally televised speech to the nation after coming to power in the May 11 general eledctions, Prime Minister Sharif had offered dialogue to "those elements which unfortunately have taken the course of extremism".
Muawiya said faceless myrmidons in Pakistain should respond positively if the government is serious about resolving the conflict.
Muawiya is believed to be the head of the Taliban's faction of fighters from Punjab province.
It's not entirely certain whether the TTP top leadership shares his sentiments. But they have backed previous statements made by Muawiya, saying he should be seen as having their support.
The TTP withdrew a previous offer to hold peace talks in May after the group's deputy commander, Waliur Rehman, was killed in a US drone strike.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Dawn] Sheikh Aminullah, who triggered the US economic sanctions on a small seminary in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. on Tuesday, has been frequently travelling abroad despite having been declared a terrorist by the US government and the United Nations ...an idea whose time has gone... in 2009.
"Sheikh Aminullah travelled to Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... in last Ramazan for performing Umra and then came back to Rawalpindi where he was teaching the Holy Koran at a mosque in Raja Bazaar," said one source affiliated with Jamia Taleemul Koran wal Sunnah, which was declared a terrorist outfit by the US government.
He said he knew that Amanullah, who had taught here from 20 years, had been declared terrorist by the UN and the US.
Sheikh Aminullah has no longer any association with the seminary associated in the congested old part of Peshawar city.
Administration of the seminary said Aminullah had left the religious school eight months ago and that they were not aware of his whereabouts.
"If he (Aminullah) was wanted to America or UN, then he can be tossed in the slammer Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try! in Saudi Arabia or in Islamabad. Why declare a seminary a terrorist outfit," he asked, declaring the US charges rubbish and baseless.
"This seminary is open to everyone. We also invite Americans to inspect this compound," he offered, saying that this place had been under observations since the US government put name of Sheikh Aminullah on the list.
The US State Department said the seminary was being abused by terrorist organizations and today's action appeared to be the first time, a seminary had been declared a terrorist outfit in Pakistain.
Haji Alam Sher, 85, owner of the seminary, said Sheikh Aminullah had left the seminary on his own will about eight months ago and he did not know his whereabouts.
"I don't know the reason as to why he left seminary, but I did not ask him to leave this job," said Sher who donated about one kanal land where seminary stands.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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[Ynet] The Hezbollah-affiliated al-Akhbar newspaper released a report accusing Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, of not aiding security services to arrest the main suspect in the rocket attacks of Hezbollah's stronghold in southern Beirut in May.
According to the newspaper, official security sources in Leb claim the Lebanese intelligence services have information on the suspect, Ahmed Taha. Hamas denied any knowledge of Taha's whereabouts and claimed he is not a member of the group, but handed authorities with his brother.
[Ynet] Saeid Moradi sentenced to life, Mohammad Kharzei gets 15 years for botched bombing in Bangkok, February 2012, which injured five, including Moradi
A court in Thailand has convicted two Iranian men for their involvement in a botched bomb plot that officials believe was aimed at Israeli diplomats in Bangkok. The court sentenced 39-year-old Saeid Moradi to life in prison Thursday for attempting to murder a police officer and carrying explosives. It also sentenced 43-year-old Mohammad Kharzei to 15 years in jail for his role in setting off the blasts.
Both had claimed innocence in the case. "Lies! All lies!"
The pair was tossed in the slammer Youse'll never take me alive coppers!... [BANG!]... Ow!... I quit! in February 2012, shortly after a cache of homemade explosives accidentally blew apart the Bangkok villa where they were staying.
Five were maimed in the blasts, including Moradi, who later lost both of his legs when he attempted to throw a grenade at coppers.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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#8
US Intel leans toward concluding poison gas was fired
DEBKAfile August 23, 2013, 9:04 PM (GMT+02:00)
Administration officials said Friday that US intelligence detected activity at known Syrian chemical weapons sites before Wednesday's possible chemical weapons attack that killed at least 1,000 people, according to CBS News. It is now seen as possible preparation for the attack. US intelligence agencies now lean to the conclusion that Syria did use chemical weapons. DEBKAfile's military sources add: The gas shells were fired by the Syrian armys elite 155th Brigade. They came from stores near Damascus controlled by the Syrian Air Force intelligence service which answers directly to President Bashar Assad.
#9
I saw the videos on the news about the supposed "proof of chemical weapons use", but it looks a lot like the Paliwood videos to me. I don't know, but I'm skeptical.
[An Nahar] The United States said Thursday it has yet to "conclusively determine" that chemical weapons were used in an attack in Syria that allegedly killed hundreds of people.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said President Barack Obama I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody... had directed U.S. intelligence to gather information about the reported attack near Damascus.
"At this time right now, we are unable to conclusively determine CW use, but we are focused every minute of every day since these events happened yesterday on doing everything possible within our power to nail down the facts," Psaki said.
The main Syrian opposition group has charged that as many as 1,300 people were killed in a chemical weapons attack Wednesday near Damascus.
Obama has said that chemical weapons use by the Syrian regime would cross a U.S. "red line," but Washington so far has not acted on earlier reports of chemical weapons attacks.
"If these reports are true, it would be an outrageous and flagrant escalation of use of chemical weapons by the regime," Psaki said.
"The president of course has a range of options that we've talked about before that he can certainly consider and of course discuss with his national security team," she said.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
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#1
Normally, you could write this off as the usual State Department handjob. But in this case, the situation *does* seem uncertain, IMHO. Certainly PencilNeck's side would use chem weps, but you'd expect a military target rather than some random suburb.
The rebels, on the otherhand, are at least as unscrupulous and maybe even more savage then the regime. Did they stage a false flag attack in order to gain international sympathy (and arms)? You can't make an omlette without breaking some eggs, right?
#2
The timing is a bit suspect. The incidents occurred right at the UN Inspection teams came into country.
Been pretty hot over there, and those bodies in some of the fotos don't show much sign of what dead bodies do in that kind of heat. Just say'n. I could be wrong, but that's what the UN Inspection team could sort out.... if permitted.
#5
We would know quite easily, had the intelligence assets been tasked rationally, rather than apparently trying to aid the MB in Egypt, and ignoring the rest of the region.
#8
I too was looking for Green Helmut Man, had a lot of flags being thrown for the few videos I saw - nothing looked outside of what could be staged but yield to those who would know, and also don't have the time to look for all the video.
1300 is a large claim, certainly not an amount which could be immediately recovered and video'd, especially concerning the heat and normal effects. Should be obvious one way or the other.
#11
See MIDDLE EAST ONLINE > US REFUSES TO SET "RED LINES" AFTER SYRIA [chemical] "MASSACRE".
versus
* TOPIX > [Christian Science Monitor] "CORE" US INTERESTS NOW AT STAKE IN SYRIA, OBAMA SAYS - WILL HE TAKE ACTION?
versus
* TOPIX > OBAMA PLAYS DOWN US INTERVENTION IN SYRIA, PCorrectly arguing that the US will not "rush" headlong towards "costly intervention/
interventionism".
versus
* TOPIX, WORLD NEWS > [CBS NEWS] US PREPS FOR POSSIBLE CRUISE MISSLE STRIKE ON SYRIAN GOVT. FORCES.
RELATED SAME > US SENDING SHIPS TO MED TO PREPARE FOR MISSLE STRIKE ON SYRIA.
* BIG NEWS NETWORK > [Fox News] KRAUTHAMMER: OBAMA WON'T GET INVOLVED [evar!? IN SYRIA, no matter his Admin's rhetoric or the number of "red lines" violated???
Obama's deliberate intentions, or lack thereof???
Ouchies.
* SAME > OBAMA SIDESTEPS SYRIAN + EGYPTIAN CRISES.
No UNO = UNSC Mandates [read, Russia + China approval], + no "clear evidence" = NO US MIL INTERVENTION ANYWHERE FOR ANYBODY???
IMO JAPAN + PHILIPPINES + INDIA + PERSIAN GULF, MIDDLE EAST SHOULD JUST SURRENDER NOW TO CHINA + IRAN, + SAVE EVERYBODY THE HASSLE OF A LIMITED [tacical nuclear?]WAR(S).
I say "War(s)" in plural because I have no doubts "post-US" China + PLA will be willing to wage multiple Limited Wars to achieve its desired strategic access in East Asia. Its pretty much similar wid Nuke-, OWG Shia Caliphate-wannabe IRAN, whose Mullahs have made it clear they will never submit to any foreign invasion or occupation, + are willing to detonate Nukes-WMDS on their own soil, + in their own Cities-Towns, etc. to defeat such an invasion or occupation.
* BIG NEWS NETWORK > [Fox News] KRAUTHAMMER: OBAMA WON'T GET INVOLVED [evar!? IN SYRIA, no matter his Admin's rhetoric or the number of "red lines" violated???
Obama's deliberate intentions, or lack thereof???
Ouchies.
* SAME > OBAMA SIDESTEPS SYRIAN + EGYPTIAN CRISES.
No UNO = UNSC Mandates [read, Russia + China approval], + no "clear evidence" = NO US MIL INTERVENTION ANYWHERE FOR ANYBODY???
IMO JAPAN + PHILIPPINES + INDIA + PERSIAN GULF, MIDDLE EAST SHOULD JUST SURRENDER NOW TO CHINA + IRAN, + SAVE EVERYBODY THE HASSLE OF A LIMITED [tacical nuclear?]WAR(S).
I say "War(s)" in plural because I have no doubts "post-US" China + PLA will be willing to wage multiple Limited Wars to achieve its desired strategic access in East Asia. Its pretty much similar wid Nuke-, OWG Shia Caliphate-wannabe IRAN, whose Mullahs have made it clear they will never submit to any foreign invasion or occupation, + are willing to detonate Nukes-WMDS on their own soil, + in their own Cities-Towns, etc. to defeat such an invasion or occupation.
[An Nahar] Hizbullah accused on Thursday "regional intelligence bodies" of being behind last week's deadly blast in Beirut's southern suburbs.
"This terrorist blast was engineered by intelligence bodies that are benefiting from the policies of incitement adopted by some March 14 factions," the party's Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc said after the MPs' meeting.
The bloc elaborated: "These groups are investing in terrorist Takfiri ...an adherent of takfir wal hijra, an offshoot of Salafism that regards everybody who doesn't agree with them as apostates who most be killed... s to execute their plans and are taking advantage of March 14's strategic path that serves the interests of the American-Zionist axis in the region."
The bloc explained that the "catastrophic failure of these Takfiri groups to achieve conspiratorial goals in Syria and on the border with the neighboring country has pushed them to instead seek compensation inside Leb."
"But we took the decision to resist to these groups to preserve Leb, its unity, resistance, diversity and its religious coexistence, regardless of the sacrifices we have to offer."
A huge kaboom rocked Hizbullah's stronghold in the southern suburb of Beirut last Thursday, killing at least 27 people and maimed 325 others.
A previously unknown group, apparently a Syrian rebel cell, said it carried out the attack between Bir al-Abed and Rweiss, districts where Hizbullah security is normally tight.
The group said the kaboom came as a "response to Hizbullah's fighting alongside Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Scourge of Qusayr... 's forces in the neighboring country.
Meanwhile, ...back at the wine tasting, Vince was about to start tasting his third quart... Hizbullah chief His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah The satrap of the Medes and the Persians in Leb... accused on Friday radical Islamists of responsibility for the bombing.
The Loyalty to Resistance MPs pointed out in their statement that a "national unity cabinet is the political solution that would uncover Death Eaters and the parties obstructing the building of the state."
"We reject a de facto cabinet which is provocative and contradicts with the National Charter," the politicians stressed, remarking that the March 14 coalition "is standing in the way of forming a political council of ministers, hindering the work of the constitutional institutions and the political life in the country."
"Betting on autocratic regimes that promote a reconciliation with the Zionist enemy threatens illusory sovereignty and stability in the country."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under: Hezbollah
[Al Ahram] Russia said Thursday that a UN weapons inspection team in Syria must get the government's approval to visit the site of an alleged chemical attack near Damascus that the opposition says killed hundreds.
The Russian foreign ministry's official front man said the site of Wednesday's incident was controlled by rebels and that security concerns must also be addressed before any UN inspections are made.
"As far as we are aware, this region is under the control of the rebels," foreign ministry front man Alexander Lukashevich told news hounds.
"We proceed from the premise that the mission must agree on this visit with the Syrian side, as the receiving party," he said.
"It is no accident that [UN Deputy Secretary General Jan] Eliasson said that for a such visit to take place, the least that must happen first is for the military activities to stop."
Eliasson briefed UN Security Council members Wednesday on the incident, in which the Syrian opposition said more than 1,300 people were killed in kabooms with a chemical agent carried out by Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Terror of Aleppo ... 's forces.
Council members then announced that they were seeking "clarity" about the situation but failed to agree on a formal statement condemning the attack.
A diplomat in New York said Russia and China -- two permanent UN Security Council members that have backed Assad throughout the conflict -- blocked a statement condemning the incident.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria
#2
See also DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [Russia Today]VIDEO:RUSSIAN TEAM SEARCHING CHEMICAL ATTACK SITE SAYS REBELS BEHIND SARIN GAS ATTACK.
* RELATED ...
> SAME = TURKEY FINDS SARIN GAS IN HOUSES OF SUSPECTED ISLAMISTS| RT NEWS.
> SAME > SYRIA OPPOSITION PREVENTING [proper = effec] CHEMICAL ATTACK PROBE - RUSSIA.
> SAME > [LiveLeak] VIDEO: TERRORISTS REJECT UN INVESIGATION OF KHAN AL-ASUL, THREATEN UN.
Note the 03:55 point where Director Mueller responds that the bureau was not actively seeking to recruit Anwar al-Awlaki, but other agencies might have been.
#1
Then the drone zapping of al Awlaki shortly following the Fort Hood massacre, and the more recent prohibition by the Judge, of AQ involvement and contacts in the Nidal Hasan court martial. Dual coincidences no doubt.
WASHINGTON With a warning that the money is gone, military leaders driven by falling defense spending are moving to cut top brass positions and slash headquarters spending.
The Navy announced late Tuesday that Navy Secretary Ray Mabus had approved a plan to reduce, eliminate or consolidate a net of 35 Navy flag officer positions at the one-, two- and three-star ranks. The Navy said it also plans to eliminate 6 more top officer positions in the 2015 budget.
And last week, a memo from Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and Army Secretary John McHugh declared that a plan to cut Army headquarters at the two-star level and above by 25 percent was priority No. 1 for headquarters staff.
Apparently this is to be done by attrition as opposed to pink slips or firing squad...
The Navy said flag officer end strength is being reduced using a phased approach and will be complete by 2017, resulting in 151 Navy-specific billets and 61 flag officers to fill joint billets.
We had to make tough choices but it was the right thing to do -- the plan is in line with Congressional mandates, OSD guidance and our changing fiscal environment, said Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mark E. Ferguson.
The announcements follow an order from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel last month to reduce spending on military headquarters by 20 percent over five years, with corresponding staff cuts. The Pentagon endured a $37 billion cut in its budget this year because of sequestration, and faces a $52 billion reduction next year if elected officials dont find a way to stop the automatic budget cuts required by federal law. Hagel, however, said the headquarters cuts would proceed even if sequestration is avoided.
The Navy released a detailed list of positions to be reduced or eliminated, with most being reduced by one pay grade. For instance, the director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon will be a captain in the future, rather than a one-star admiral.
Other positions will be merged, such as two jobs in the CNOs office director of the total force programming and manpower management division, and director of military personnel plans and policy division that will now be done by one rear admiral. Likewise, the Naval Surface Warfare Center and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, located in Washington, will be commanded by a single one-star.
A few positions will be eliminated, including commander of Submarine Group 2 in Groton, Conn.
The Army memo, dated Aug. 14 and first reported by Defense News, lacks the specificity on cuts that the Navy announcement has. But in terse language punctuated with bold-face type and sentences in all capital letters, it ordered commanders to present plans within two weeks for achieving the 25 percent reduction.
Let there be no mistake, aggregate reductions WILL TAKE PLACE, Odierno and McHugh wrote. The money is gone; our mission now is to determine how best to allocate these cuts while maintaining readiness. We expect Army leaders, military and civilian, to seize this opportunity to re-shape our Army. This effort will take PRIORITY OVER ALL other Headquarters, Department of the Army activities.
Officials from the Air Force and Marine Corps told Stars and Stripes that both services are taking steps to follow Hagels direction on 20 percent headquarters reductions, but have no current plans to release details on how the cuts would be achieved.
I don't know enough about the military to know if this is appropriate, but I do worry that the fighting guys are usually the ones forced out by the political types.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/23/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
I'd be looking at individual programs and agencies ie, DARPA, DIA, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Army Material Command (AMC), and Army Research Lab (ARL) before personnel, but those are pet rocks with heavy Department of the Army feather merchant Civilian strengths which are difficult to cut.
If you can live without some senior grades, why the fok weren't they cut years ago. Sort of telling isn't it ?
Excerpt, which shows the numbers are actually quite small. They appear to be the cutting of positions, thence reductions through normal attrition and a suspension of hiring vs layoffs.
The Army would lose more than 2,100 workers from a 263,900-person civilian workforce, and the Navy would cut as many as 2,672 of 214,000 people. Department-wide agencies would dismiss 1,500 people from a projected 137,000-person force, with most coming from the Defense Contract Management Agency.
If you compare the ratio of GOs (general officers) to enlisted in WWII and today, you got to see its way out of wack. Grade creep has been a serious problem for generations. Part of the problem has been dealing with NATO, specifically their over ranking vis a vis personnel strength (high officer vs enlisted ratio). The American argument for too long has been we can't have someone of lower rank dealing with an allied counterpart who's two or three grades higher. Now that we're disengaging from that situation, the rationale no longer holds.
If you have a 100 GOs, its important to be a GO. If you have only 10 GOs, it becomes important to be a Colonel.
Anyways, these days, who needs more political appointees in uniform? /rhet question
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.
ADDIS ABABA -- IGAD brokered talks between Federal Government of Somalia and Somalia's Jubaland administration are continuing for the third day in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, Garowe Online reports.
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
Pervez 
Nawaz Sharif
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir 
