Federal law enforcement officials have detained the head of Grozny's community of bandit formations, the Interior Ministry's North Caucasus department reported on Saturday. The North Caucasus department for the eradication of organized crime and the Krasnodar Territory special purpose unit detained the 31-year-old suspect during a raid linked to investigations into the bombing of the government compound in Grozny in December. The suspect had a pass, probably a forged one, and a TT pistol with four cartridges. Sounds like they've nabbed the local controller. Extracting the names and addresses of his associates should be a simple, if painful, process. Catching them becomes the hard part...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
9:52:16 AM ||
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MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has argued that Australia is the only country to sign up enthusiastically for a possible US-led war on Iraq. Mahathir said Australia had taken on the role of deputy sheriff for Washington, which was "completely isolated" in its Iraq policy. "Only Australia has signed up enthusiastically, in the role of deputy sheriff. Even Britain is now having some second thoughts," he told Newsweek. "Festus!"
"Yes, Marshal Dillon?"
"I'm going to level Iraq. Keep an eye out for the Dalton Gang while I'm gone."
"You ain't goin' to level no Iraq without me. I'm goin' with you."
"Well... Okay. I guess Miss Kitty can deal with the Dalton Gang..."
Mahathir alo defended Malaysia's introduction of Islam saying it was a "modernising force" for nomadic people of the Arab world. He related Islamic fundamentalism to the "globalising of everything". "Even terrorism has been globalised. But you can't change this trend. We have to deal with these mobile Arabs, and we do. Even in the Arab world, fundamentalists are a minority." Did that statement make any sense? The Commies were a minority. The Nazis were a minority. The Ba'athists are a minority. Every oppressive feudal system that's ever existed has featured power wielded by a minority. Why would Malaysia be safe?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
7:18:07 PM ||
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Amid a flurry of diplomatic maneuvers over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, President Kim Dae Jung, the retiring lion of South Korean politics, advised the United States today to try patience and respect in dealing with the North. "President Reagan talked with the Soviet Union, which his government deemed the empire of evil," Mr. Kim, 76, recalled in a farewell news conference before he steps down next month. "Sometimes you need to talk with the other party, even if you dislike the other party. Even if they don't make any sense and threaten to destroy the world...
"I definitely think North Korea should give up its nuclear development," Mr. Kim continued. But he added, "There is no other way but dialogue to settle this issue." Other than by killing them all, of course. Or by causing their government to collapse. Or by walling them off from the rest of the world and letting them eat each other...
Asked if he was disappointed that North Korea's Communist leader, Kim Jong Il, never kept his promise to visit South Korea, the president responded evenly: "When we look at past leaders of North Korea, Chairman Kim Jong Il is the most intelligent person. Many leaders of the West who have met Kim Jong Il also share this opinion." That could also be taken as a statement that Kim Il Sung was dumb as a post and Dear Leader's a little brighter, but not much. It also doesn't answer the question, does it?
Such glowing praise may open doors for two South Korean envoys who are to arrive in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, on Monday carrying a personal letter from President Kim. Yeah. Yeah. Good idea. Fix 'em up with some hookers, too. Just keep them occupied until we're done with Iraq...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:56 am ||
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#1
I still think that the key to North Korea is China. It seems that they just keep NKors alive with what they need for the "Il" lieaders to keep going. I don't know how but the world must put the monkey back on China.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/26/2003 12:53
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Echoing Paul, more and more I think that this is China's problem, not ours, and the best response is to delay, delay, delay. And then tell China very quietly that damn, it'd be a shame if the Japanese got nervous enough about the NKors that they decided that THEY needed a nuclear program.
The NKors have a weak hand and a losing game. Their impatience speaks volumes.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/26/2003 15:05
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Source: The Times (Britain)
A new dispute between Washington and Berlin is breaking out over the extradition of a Yemeni sheikh arrested in Germany after an entrapment operation by American agents. "The bitch set me up..." Sheikh Ali Hassan al-Moayad, an influential opposition figure in Yemen and a suspected sponsor of international terrorism, travelled to Frankfurt this month to seek treatment for gall bladder problems. It proved to be a mistake: within days he was in a high-security prison, arrested on the basis of a warrant hurriedly drawn up by the FBI and authorised by a Brooklyn court. The US authorities say that the 54-year-old sheikh channelled money, weapons and recruits to the terrorist groups Hamas and al-Qaeda between October 8, 1997, and December 17, 2002. He also had contacts with Osama bin Laden. Yep. Sounds like a bad boy. So what's the problem, Fritz?
The Germans are irritated. "The warrant was issued on January 5, before the arrival in Germany of the Sheikh and his lover travelling companion, but it was not supported by much documentation," a source close to the investigation team said yesterday. "We expect a little more, even from the Americans." Okay. I'd assume they gave them a little more?
The "little more" came as a sting set up by US agents. On January 8 a Yemeni contact man, apparently with links to both German and US Intelligence, introduced the sheikh to a black American claiming to be a millionaire. The American came to the Sheikh's hotel room at Frankfurt airport, and said that he wanted to build a huge bakery in Sanaa, Yemen's capital: 7,000 loaves a day could be distributed to the poor. He said he had made his money in building and had converted to Islam; he could quote from the Koran. He said that he wanted to help. Schools could be constructed. His condition: some of the donated money should go towards the holy war. "No, no!" the sheikh responded. "I'm a peaceful fellow! I don't support terrorists!" Right?
The conversation was bugged. Near by three agents of the German Federal Criminal Agency sat with two interpreters and an FBI operative listening as the sheikh apparently agreed to the plan. According to leaked fragments of the transcript, the sheikh said that any money remaining after building the bakery would be used to fight the "Great Satan America". The fake millionaire suggested coding the payments to avoid the gaze of the Intelligence services. The Sheikh allegedly agreed to this and to money-laundering measures. Looks like they got the goods on him. So what's Fritz bitching about?
The meeting was enough to justify the arrest of the sheikh and his companion, Mohammed Yahya Zayed, 28. It does not yet seem to be enough to justify the Sheikh's extradition to the United States. Ohfergawdsake!
Washington, already irritated by Germany's stand against a war with Iraq, is expressing dismay about the lack of progress. Meanwhile a second extradition request has arrived from Yemen, which believes that it could face unrest if the Sheikh, a popular man at home, is sent to America. Hmmm... I'd guess that the Yemenis don't intend to treat him quite the same way the Merkins would.
The legal problem relates to the evidence gathered through eavesdropping. West Germany, all too aware of what happened under the Nazis, had banned secretly taped evidence from the courtroom. Germany's new anti-terrorism laws give the police greater scope for sting operations but investigators have to show that they did not steer or provoke an incriminating statement. The Sheikh refuses to speak but his companion, Mr Zayed, says that no compromising conversation took place. "Nope. Not even the one on tape."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:47:48 AM ||
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Syntax is courtesy of NNI. I don't talk like that...
Chief of Jama't Al-Daw'a Pakistan Prof. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has said that after invasion of Afghanistan, US, as a unilateral power wanted to repeat the story to teach the Jehadis in Pakistan, urging all the religious parties to unite themselves against the western powers. In a statement issued here on Saturday, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed said that western powers would never tolerate the religious powers to flourish in Asian countries urging the Muslim Ummah to be united setting aside their differences. Hafiz, lest we forget, is the head of Jamaat ad-Dawa, the front organization for Lashkar e-Taiba. He "stepped down" as head of Lashkar in December, 2001, installing a nonentity to keep the chair warm...
Commenting on the attack in Afghanistan to root out Taleban and Al-Qaeda hideouts, he said that the presence of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar and Usama Bin Laden is the victory of Taliban and defeat of US led allied forces. Mullah Omar agreed to a surrender, then ran away. Binny's a fine layer of carbon. The Taliban has an interesting description of "victory."
"The only reason, US wanted to attack Iraq is to control the oil rich states of Gulf to boost its deteriorating economy but Arabs understand the tricks played by the US policymakers is just only paradox what he is trying to be-fool the world", he added. West misinterpret the word 'Jehad' by terming it terrorism is only to defame the liberation movements as in several parts of the world it is being carried out by Muslims but we never become the victim of this intrigue, Hafiz Saeed concluded. I still say cutting people's heads off and throwing acid in women's faces is terrorism. Most people who aren't jihadis or members of the Berkeley City Council say the same thing.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:35 am ||
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When the 'Mericans use the term crusade the islamic world goes bannanas. Hey, we 'Mericans use crusade for all sorts of things that don't mean we're gonna done armor and go jousting in jerusalem but the Islamists refused to recognize other definitions.
Guess one man's Jihad is another man's crusade and they are just gonna have to learn to deal with it.
After a weekend of antiwar protests that many participants say signaled an expansion of public opposition to military action against Iraq, some organizers are facing criticism, much of it from within the movement, about the role played by their group, International Answer. Attendance at rallies in Washington and San Francisco last Saturday was in the tens of thousands, and reflected a mix of views that spanned the social and political spectrums. Sure did. The range of views went from left to left...
Many protest organizers say the presence of labor unions, religious groups, business people and soccer moms showed a growing mainstream opposition to the war. But behind the scenes, some of the protesters have questioned whether the message of opposing war with Iraq is being tainted or at least diluted by other causes of International Answer, which sponsored both the Washington and San Francisco rallies. Answer, whose name stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, was formed a few days after Sept. 11, 2001, by activists who had already begun coming together to protest policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. They're an outcropping of the Anti-Globalization Nutcase Coalition...
Some of the group's chief organizers are active in the Workers World Party, a radical Socialist group with roots in the Stalin-era Soviet Union. The party has taken positions that include defense of the Iraqi and North Korean governments and support for Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugolav president being tried on war crimes charges. Oh, and let us not forget their opposition to operations in Afghanistan...
The positions of some of Answer's members have caused rifts in past antiwar movements as well. In January 1991, at the onset of the Persian Gulf war, two coalitions of protesters marched separately, on consecutive weekends, because one refused to align itself with the other, whose members included current Answer officers who would not criticize the Iraqi government or support economic sanctions against it. ANSWER is a Ramsey Clark vanity organization. Ramsey's been in love with Sammy for years...
In an interview today, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a spokeswoman for Answer, said questions raised about the group's role were "classic McCarthy-era Red-baiting." Really? And how's that, pray tell?
"When you select out the Socialists or Marxists," she said, "the point is to demonize and divide and diminish a massive, growing movement." When a massive, growing movement is controlled by Marxists and Socialists and unreconstructed Commies, pointing the finger is not red-baiting. It's calling a spade a spade. We're past the point of paying no attention to that man behind the curtain.
It is good to see that the Times has noticed what ANSWER is. The rest of us noticed about a year and a half ago.
FOLLOWUP: Meryl addresses the disgusting "golden calf" procession in Davos. I'm not surprised. The world is realigning, choosing sides the a war that's just begun. We know what side those guys are on. Just glancing at the picture, I'm actually glad they're not on our side.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:27:53 PM ||
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Bugti and Mazari tribes once again Saturday engaged in fighting using light and heavy guns worsening the law and order in the area as old rivals have enmity to get release six abducted men of Bugti tribe. In this week, rockets in exchange of firing between the two rivals disconnecting gas supply to all the country paralyzing the industrial as well as domestic activities hit Sui installations. A bit incoherent, but it sounds like these primitives fighting each other have managed to damage the gas supply to the entire country â probably just the countryside around them, but still enough of a dent to inconvenience their neighbors and shut down any local industry...
The local expressed the fear that if the differences remained then further gas installation may once again be under serious threats as Gaddu-Kashmor road is closed for traffic. Frontier Constabulary Jawan sent to the troubled area to restore law and order but they have returned back as the conflict remains in the area. "You! You, over there! Let's have some law and order, here!... (Cheeze, that was close!)... Lay down your arms and... Cripes! I'm gettin' out of here!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:25:12 AM ||
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Lord Nazir Ahmed, member of British House of Commons, Friday lashed out at US ambassador to Pakistan, Ms Nancy Powell, saying, she should not join the Indian propagandists. Pak has a representative in Parliament? Well, why not? They've got one in the U.S. Senate...
He asked the ambassador to bring proofs in support of her allegations. "She does not see repeated and frequent tests of Indian missiles system". But that's not what she was talking about, is it?
He was talking to President AJK Sardar Mohammad Anwar Khan in a meeting held at Kashmir House here on Saturday. Lord Nazir said India has not so far investigated Chathi Singhpura incident, which was the handiwork of Indian intelligence agencies. "Even the Amnesty International has written on this. " That's not what she was talking about, either...
He said this should have taken with the Foreign Office not to speak at a business forum. He diverted Nancy's attention towards India's arms race and asked the US to take its notice. Nope. Wasn't talking about that, either...
The AJK president said America itself was on frontline and wanted elections held in Indian held Kashmir first. Later they were waiting for elections in Pakistan and giving impression that they would do something. Whither have gone they promises, he asked. What Nancy was talking about was the Pak habit of exporting large numbers of crazed killers into Kashmir. It shouldn't be too long before we talk to them about their habit of exporting crazed killers to Afghanistan.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:16:13 AM ||
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The President and Prime Minister of Azad [Pak] Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Mohammad Anwar and Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan Saturday visualized statement of the US envoy as disappointing and contrary to ground realities. That's Pakistani for "No, we're not going to stop subverting and terrorizing our neighbors"...
President Anwar said, "such statements may harm ongoing war against international terrorism led by the United States besides providing enough grounds to the allies to part their ways from the coalition." Thinking about jumping ship, are you? Well, you can change side. Go ahead. It's okay. We don't mind...
"We are being disappointed from such statements contrary to the realities of the freedom movement against the Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir," Prime Minister Sikandar said. "I mean, we've been wreaking havoc in J & K for all these years. We'd really hate having to stop..."
The US Envoy Ms Nancy Powell in her latest statement in Karachi the other day had asked Pakistan to stop cross border infiltration to Indian held Kashmir. Like they said they were doing...
Anwar and Sikandar said instead of accelerating the process for impressing the occupation forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir as was demanded since 1947 by the people of Kashmir, the statement of US Ambassador in Pakistan, Ms Nancy Powell could be conceived "of putting the sacrifice of lives of some 83,000 martyred in Kashmir in the trashcan." They're the ones who declared jihad. If their habit of tossing grenades into crowded places and cutting people's heads off ends up getting them killed, we don't really care. Matter of fact, I, personally, find a feeling of satisfaction every time one of them bites the dust...
"The events of September 11, 2001 demand a system based upon justice and if real justice continues lacking than such events may be conceived as a continued process," Sardar Anwar said. Sounds like a threat to me...
Both the leaders were of the view that the post September 11 events brought hardships for the Muslim World. "We call for the entire Ummah to be united with their full strength at one platform to defend ideological and territorial frontiers as well as interests of the Muslims," they said. "Yeah. Let's all us Muslims get together and kill large numbers of infidels and steal their stuff. Wanna see my turban?"
Both speaking separately has made it crystal cleared that through indigenous movement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the besieged valley would be surely liberated. "No body else but the people of Jammu and Kashmir would get rid of the occupation forces in Indian held Kashmir," they maintained. Well, them and a bunch of Paks, and some Arabs...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
11:09:44 AM ||
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Ahmed Rashid
President Hamid Karzai is taking steps to establish landlocked Afghanistan as a trade hub connecting the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Over the past two months, Afghan authorities have reached trade deals with Iran, India and the Central Asian states â all of which grant major concessions to Afghan goods. The new direction Afghan trade is taking is leaving out Pakistan - formerly Afghanistanâs principle trading partner and entry port for imports and exports. Now why would Hamid do that? Aside from the fact that he's not crazy, I mean...
Some Pakistani observers claim the main obstacle to the normalization of trade relation is the hostility of former Northern Alliance leaders who now occupy senior positions in Afghanistanâs interim government. However, other analysts note ambiguities in Pakistanâs policy towards Kabul. Pakistani leaders promise both aid and trade to bolster the Karzaiâs government. At the same time, Islamabad has effectively undermined Kabulâs authority by allowing senior Taliban leaders and other anti-government renegades, including Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Jalaluddin Haqqani, to find de facto sanctuary in Pakistanâs tribal belt. Yeah. You might call it "ambiguities." You might also call it a program of subversion and meddling, too...
Western diplomats in Islamabad say the Interservices Intelligence, which dominates Pakistanâs Afghan policy, appears more interested in trying to counter Indian and Northern Alliance influence in Kabul than in improving trade ties. "Pakistan is losing out because its myopic policies place countering India above trade and stability in Afghanistan," says a Western ambassador in Islamabad. If Pakistanâs security apparatus does not realign its policy towards Kabul, Islamabad could find itself isolated, observers say. Such isolation could result in Pakistan missing out on the expected windfall from the development of Central Asian oil and gas resources. And that, of course, will be the fault the the Merkin hegemons, somehow...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:56:11 AM ||
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I used to love that Moroccan love song. Remember? "The first time, ever I saw your fez..."
Middle East Online
The trial of three Saudis and seven Moroccans accused of plotting attacks against US and NATO shipping resumed in Casablanca on Friday, a week after the defense asked for the case to be thrown out. The 10 suspects, who were arrested in May last year, are accused of planning to use Zodiac boats - fast motorised rubber dinghies - to blow up Western naval shipping in the Straits of Gibraltar, and to attack western tourist spots in Morocco, including Jemaa El Fna Square in Marrakesh. Same operations as Yemen and Bali. Not very original at all...
The court rejected a request made last Friday by defense lawyer Khalil Idrissi for the case to be dropped because of what he called irregularities and procedural errors which "seriously compromised" the trial. Idrissi said that a change to the presiding judge and one of the legal assessors hearing the case contravened Morocco's criminal procedures code. The old "get 'em off on a technicality" trick didn't work...
The families of the accused, charged with criminal association, attempted voluntary premeditated homicide, attempted sabotage and forgery, have expressed concern over the changes, which they said reflected the desire of the authorities to take a tough stance against suspected terrorists in the courts. As opposed to an indulgent stance, which would make things all peaches and cream...
Last month, Idrissi rejected the charges against his clients and said they had been "held in a secret place and tortured," a claim he reiterated last week when he called for the statements given by the accused to the police to be declared null and void because they had been made under extreme duress. "Ummm... That's a very fine set of moustachios you have there, sir..."
"Mahmoud, rip his beard off!"
"Ow! Ow! Ow! I'll talk!"
The charges brought against the accused had been based on the statements, which were "not backed up by material evidence," Idrissi said. Didja ever notice that these guys plot hair-raising atrocities, and then bitch and moan when the cops don't handle them with kid gloves?
The defense has been denied access to vital pieces of evidence, he added, including a suitcase allegedly containing explosives which was said to belong to the suspects. "Well, y'see, we wuz examining the evidence and it, ummm... exploded."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:46 am ||
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Only two of the seven people arrested during a raid at the Finsbury Park mosque in north London this week are still being held under the Terror Act. Four of those held since last Monday are now in custody for suspected immigration offences and one has been released. The two men still being questioned on suspicion of terrorism-related offences are north Africans aged 29 and 31. So that would imply that six of the seven are in custody, not two â or have my arithmetic skills deteriorated that much with age?
The North London Central Mosque Trust which runs the mosque boarded up the building and directed people to use a Muslim centre nearby. On Friday, cleric Sheikh Abu Hamza, who is based at the Finsbury Park mosque, led prayers outside. Sheikh Hamza protested to about 150 people that the police had "vandalised" the building. Abu hasn't left yet? Guess the Brits aren't taking it that seriously. If it was me in charge, he'd be back in Yemen right now...
On Thursday, police made another arrest in connection with the discovery of ricin during the raid in Wood Green. The 31-year-old north African was held under the Terrorism Act 2000, Scotland Yard said. Y'gotta do something with them after you arrest them. Each of these goobers who's above the cannon fodder level has a connection with the rest of the organization. The cannon fodder can tell who recruited them and how, before being sent back to Algeria or Morocco or wherever. The runners and controllers can tell where the money comes from, and who the ÃŒbercontrollers are. If the Brits need help with this, I'm available at very reasonable rates...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:44:03 AM ||
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Palestinian factions including Hamas have begun talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on an Egyptian plan to end attacks against Israeli civilians. Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas's political bureau, arrived for the meeting on Friday after speculation about who would attend. About 10 groups ranging from Yasser Arafat's mainstream Fatah movement to Marxist and Islamist groups are now believed to be represented. But Hamas and another militant group, Islamic Jihad, said earlier that they would reject the Egyptian peace plan and were only interested in Palestinian political issues at the talks. Only Fatah has endorsed the truce proposal so far. Pretty clumsy version of "good cop-bad cop". Hamas can always be counted on to call for blood. So all this amounts to is more talk...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:32:55 AM ||
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I think most of the redesign/rebuild is done and debugged now, except for the Weekly page. That'll take another day or so to redesign. The backends are more complicated, and I've probably slowed the page loading time down, but I think once things are stable I'll be able to smooth those problems out.
The "new look" is partly courtesy of The Little Woman's advice â I think the colors are too bright. The screamer was my idea. It just turned out to be more finicky than I expected.
Let me know when something doesn't work right â I've only tested on Explorer and Mozilla on Windoze. We were pretty close to bug-free before, and I'd like to get there again.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:30 pm ||
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Pakistani police sources now say the executioner was a top al-Qaeda terrorist
By TIM MCGIRK Cancelled my Time subscription a long time ago, but this smells like truth
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003
A Pakistani court has sentenced to death one man, Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, 28, and imprisoned three others for their roles in the abduction and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl a year ago in Karachi. But the mystery of who wielded the knife that beheaded Pearl is still unsolved. Now Pakistani police sources tell TIME that at least one witness says Pearl's throat was slit by a top al-Qaeda terrorist, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. A Kuwaiti of Pakistani descent, Mohammed is believed by U.S. authorities to have been a key organizer of the Sept. 11 hijackings.
A suspect in the abduction, Afghan war veteran Fazal Karim, has identified Mohammed as the man who drew the knife across Pearl's throat, two men who participated in Karim's interrogation tell TIME. Karim was detained in a Pakistani crackdown on militant groups last May, and he admitted he assisted in Pearl's abduction. During his interrogation, Karim confessed that he had helped three unknown Arabs carry out Pearl's murder. With Karim's aid, one Arab pinned the journalist to the floor while another wielded the weapon. The third videotaped the grisly act. The two officials who grilled Karim tell TIME that when the militant was asked to identify the Arabs from a stack of photographs, he stabbed his finger at Mohammed's picture and told police it was Mohammed who handled the knife.
Despite this fresh evidence, Pakistani police working on the Pearl case notice a distinct cooling in their superiors' interest. Saeed and his co-defendants are appealing the verdict, and Karim's testimony may weaken the government's case that Saeed was both ringleader of the plot and Pearl's executioner. Until the Pakistani Supreme Court rules on Saeed's appeal, say police, it is doubtful that kidnapping charges will be brought against Karim, who is in custody. Meanwhile, the search is on for Mohammed, who investigators think is still hiding in Pakistan.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/26/2003
10:30:32 PM ||
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FoxNews reports that the Israeli cabinet is considering reoccupying Gaza...
Israeli forces are imposing a complete closure on the Palestinian territories until after Israel's general election on Tuesday. Curfews and cordons will prevent travel by Palestinians in areas which Israel believes to be militant hotspots. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said that within Israel itself, soldiers would be deployed alongside police during voting, because of a large number of warnings about possible attacks. He was speaking just hours after the Israeli army carried out a raid deep into the Gaza Strip, in which 12 Palestinians were killed and more than 50 others wounded. A senior Palestinian official, Saeb Erakat, accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of staging the incursion to win votes. If the Paleos weren't intent on slaughtering Israelis, the incursions wouldn't win him any votes, would they?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:28:15 AM ||
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Italy's National Security Committee is reviewing security at sensitive sites, amid fears that five Moroccans arrested this week were planning terrorist attacks. The men, detained for illegal possession of explosives, are suspected of having links to extremist groups elsewhere in Europe. Police found maps with Nato bases in northern Italy and a plan of central London during the arrests south of Venice. Italian authorities are now considering how best to secure their military sites, as well as prominent historical sites such as the leaning tower of Pisa. And all those cathedrals. They were erected to celebrate the glory of God, after all. That makes them legitimate targets for Islamists...
The arrest of the five suspects was approved by the investigating judge and they have now been remanded in custody, say reports. The BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner, says if the men had been plotting an attack, it is more likely that it would have taken place in Italy than in London. The map of central London did not have any targets marked but other maps showed a Nato base in Verona where targets had been ringed. Officers found a kilogram (2.2 lb) of explosives in the building where the men were staying in the northern city of Rovigo, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south-west of Venice. "Mahmoud, these Italians have some really funny tasting cheese..."
Our correspondent says the powerful C4 explosive discovered is the same type as that used in the Bali bombing in October and could only be accessed through military sources. But, he says, if the men were indeed planning any attack, it would not be particularly sophisticated and certainly nothing on the level of the 11 September operation. Either that, or the kilo of C4 was only a sample, or to be used as the detonator for a truckload of fertilizer...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:24 am ||
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#1
I think you got it, anonymous. While we're certainly not out of their sights, it would be a lot easier, and smarter, to hit Europe. The Euros wouldn't retaliate the way we would, there are plenty of 5th columnists there, and the Left is much more powerful. Europe is a logical choice right now...
Posted by: R. McLeod ||
01/27/2003 4:48
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Prime Minister Tony Blair said he may have to re-examine the UK's commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights if his government's policies to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country failed. Mr Blair said there was "absolutely no doubt at all we have to deal with this issue", describing the present situation as "unacceptable". He said the government would push through new measures to stem the flow of illegal immigrants in the UK if they were needed. But Mr Blair said the key to solving the problem was to "substantially" reduce the number of applicants because under the convention asylum seekers cannot be removed to a country where they might be subjected to torture. If they come to your country and they commit crimes of violence, seems like they should be dumped back where they came from. What's wrong with making them guarantee their own good behavior? Think of it as a "social contract." If you claim asylum, it's because you're unfairly persecuted. If you're being fairly persecuted, what's your beef? And why would you deserve asylum?
He said: "The present situation is unacceptable, and we have to deal with it. I'm under no doubt about that at all, which is why in the past few months we have been working very closely, myself and the home secretary, to take a whole series of new measures. We passed the legislation last November, that legislation is coming into effect now. It, for example, takes away the automatic right to benefits for asylum seekers..." Having to work for a living should cut the numbers somewhat. And having them gainfully employed should take some of that time off their hands that the Devil seems to find ways to fill.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:15 am ||
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Sounds like the whole place is an asylum. I say, first sedate everyone, then calmly sort the whole thing out....
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/27/2003 0:06
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Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has appealed for calm after protests erupted over a deal to end the four-month civil war. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the main city of Abidjan, accusing the French of imposing the agreement on its former colony. "Yeah! We ain't hardly got started yet!"
He said he would return home on Sunday from a peace summit in Paris, where French President Jacques Chirac has also urged Mr Gbagbo to take control of the situation. Many among Mr Gbagbo's power base in southern Ivory Coast were outraged by the deal - which brings rebel groups from the north and west into a new government of national unity. Protesters put up barricades on some main roads and set fire to the fence around the French embassy. French soldiers are also reported to have fired stun grenades to disperse the crowds. "Cheeze! Mbago's really stunned by that grenade!"
"Yeah. Tore most of his head off, didn't it?"
A French school in the city was reportedly ransacked, while protesters targeted a military base outside the city and cars which they suspected were carrying French nationals. "Damn Frenchies, interferin' in our internal festivities affairs! We should steal all their stuff!"
The BBC's Tom McKinley in Abidjan says that there has been some sporadic gunfire. "No, you won't, suckers!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
10:01 am ||
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As far as I can tell, we don't have a dog in the fight. I have a figurative large popcorn and box of Milk Duds. I'm leaning toward the Frenchies, myself, but that's only because I'm an admirer of the Legion and think the world has more than enough Charles Taylors or Prince Johnsons. If a turban shows up, I'll holler "boo!" and throw popcorn at the screen, but other than that, they're on their own.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2003 16:22
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Next week will be downright exciting. Hans Blix reports to the United Nations Monday, George Bush delivers his State of the Union speech, Tuesday evening. The U.S. may or may not suddenly unload a lot of information upon the U.N. Something dramatic is likely, for the U.S. President is going to war in Iraq, and must take as much of the world with him as he can.
At the least, I know the Americans are sitting on copies of Saddam Hussein's actual orders to prepare nerve gas attacks against U.S. troops, complete with atropine and chemical suit inventories -- only three weeks old. (The BBC now has these, too.) They also have Saddam's instructions for attacking U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf. They have satellite photographs showing Iraqi ground movements at locations before and after U.N. inspections. They have logged information they gave to Mr. Blix's inspection teams, and which they failed to act upon. They have intercepts of conversations between Kofi Annan and Tariq Aziz. And this is only what I know about, I'm sure there is much, much more...[see article]
Posted by: Anonymous ||
01/26/2003
09:57 am ||
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A Sicilian man who had been pronounced dead by doctors startled relatives by sitting up just before he was to be put into his coffin and demanding a glass of water. Minutes later 79-year-old Roberto De Simone, from Palermo, was rushed back to the Vincenzo Cervello hospital in the Sicilian capital, where 12 hours earlier doctors said he had died. His wife and children, who had been praying over what they believed to be his corpse, declared his recovery to be a miracle. Water? He wanted a glass of water? In Italy? In Sicily? They made this story up, didn't they?
Hospital staff admit that they are baffled by his revival. Mr De Simone himself was more enigmatic. "Old Uncle Giuseppe hasn't got me yet. Both he and paradise can wait," he is said to have declared in a quavering voice on his re-admission to hospital. He went back to the hospital after they'd pronounced him dead and he'd been laid out for the undertaker? I hope it wasn't the same hospital...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
09:13 am ||
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That's what socialized health care gets you, doctors too lazy to check for a pulse.
#3
Okay, whos gonna go to that doctor from this point on?
Guess they didn't prepare the body yet, or they do it differently over there because there is no way you're getting up after fill you with some of those preservatives.
The 1,000-strong crowd of party faithful packed into the Odeon theatre in Goslar rose in unison and burst into rapturous applause as Chancellor Gerhard Schröder reopened Germany's political battle with Britain and America over war against Iraq. "Don't count on Germany voting in favour of a resolution that would legitimise a war. Never again will there be a Germany of aggression," Mr Schröder told the election rally of Social Democrats (SPD) in his home state of Lower Saxony ahead of a ballot next Sunday. I think that's the sort of sentiment Mike had in mind when he chose the graphic for his site. I think it's also the attitude he had in mind when he named his site "Cold Fury." My personal opinion is that we stood by the Germans, putting our troops forward against the Soviets. We guaranteed their freedom and did everything we could to foster it. And now they're peeing on our national leg...
The message delighted the rank and file who, sporting red party badges, had been bused in from across the region to see their leader in action. Their standing ovation turned into rhythmic applause that was only brought to a halt by a wave of the Chancellor's hand. Above him on stage the banner declared: "Politics for reality". The "reality" is that the Germans are infidels just like we are, but they've never quite caught on to the idea of defending themselves. They went to one extreme under Kaiser Bill and then under Adolph, and now they've gone to the other extreme...
The depressing reality for the German leader is that the true reflection of public opinion came outside the hall, where hecklers gave vent to their anger by driving up in a van whose roof was mounted with a dummy in a Schröder rubber mask. Loudspeakers blasted out Germany's number one hit, The Tax Song, which satirises the Chancellor, before police moved them on. Indeed, if Mr Schröder was hoping to repeat the trick of last September, when his vehement anti-war line helped him to secure an unexpected second term, he seems set for disappointment in two key state elections. His policy on Iraq strikes a chord with the public: the latest polls show that 69 per cent of Germans favour his anti-war stance. They also predict, however, a humiliating defeat for Mr Schröder in elections in Lower Saxony, normally a Social Democrat stronghold, and neighbouring Hesse. I guess you could say, "It's the economy, dummkopf!" That's until there's a crater where Branderburger Tor used to be, or downtown Frankfurt's heaped with gassed corpses...
At national level, Mr Schröder's party is trailing the opposition Christian Democrats by a remarkable 30 per cent, a poll said yesterday. His electoral woes mirror the country's economic plight: figures leaked to Bild newspaper show that unemployment rose this month to more than 4.5 million, the highest level for five years. Defeat in Lower Saxony would be particularly ignominious for Mr Schröder, as he has campaigned hard in the state that he ruled for eight years and where he still spends weekends. The unemployment rate of 10 per cent, the highest in western Germany, has hit his popularity hard. Golly. That's too bad. Maybe he should spend more time on economics and leave the international relations to the grown ups...
"It looks dreadful for us," admitted a veteran Social Democrat supporter. "Voters are out to punish the government for raising taxes and failing to tackle unemployment." Defeat in both states would give the Christian Democrats the decisive say in all the main legislation presented to the upper house, the Bundesrat. That may force the Chancellor to form a grand coalition government with the conservatives or to call a new election.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
09:06 am ||
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Almost 1,200 British Muslims trained with Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terrorist network in Afghanistan, The Telegraph has learnt. The names, addresses and other details of the Britons were found by British military intelligence during searches of bin Laden's cave complex at Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan. Oh, inconvenient, that...
Many of the Britons, all of whom trained at al-Qa'eda camps in Afghanistan, are now thought to have returned to Britain while others are believed to have died in combat. The location of some is known, but others have still to be traced. In all, the names of 1,192 Britons have been found. A senior Whitehall official confirmed the discovery, saying: "It was shocking to realise that so many young Britons had travelled to train with Osama bin Laden, al-Qa'eda and the Taliban." Al Muhajiroun bragged that they'd recruited 1000 of them. Guess they weren't exaggerating. They also threatened jihad on Britain, but nobody seemed to take them seriously at the time...
Last night there were calls for the men to be prosecuted for terrorism offences, or even treason, and warnings that some of those who had returned to Britain might have formed terrorist cells here. Geoffrey Bindman, QC, a leading authority on terrorism legislation, said that the men could be tried in Britain if they had trained with al-Qa'eda after the passing of the Terrorism Act 2000, which came into force in February 2001. He said: "It is an offence under the Terrorism Act to incite terrorism abroad, so it is arguable that a person working with al-Qa'eda in Afghanistan could be tried in Britain for that offence. Other offences under the Terrorism Act such as terrorist bombing can also be tried in Britain regardless of where the bombing took place." Now all they've got to do is round them up, jug them, prosecute them, and withstand the flak from the "human rights" wienerheads. Didja ever wonder why we don't have a "human right" not to be slaughtered like dogs by the turban and automatic weapons set?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
08:45 am ||
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Fred --- Re: the human right not to be slaughtered like dogs by the turban and automatic weapons set... I'm sure that was just an innocent oversight when the legislation was drafted. I'm sure that a commission will look into it eventually when a time slot can be found, and some productive discourse will result.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/26/2003 14:02
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The ministry of state responsible for Land Reform has produced a damning land audit report which highlights the systematic looting of prime farms by senior government officials and Zanu PF cronies, The Standard has learnt. The explosive report is a culmination of a land audit exercise carried out by the ministry to assess the status and ownership of farms acquired under the controversial land reform programme. Highly placed government sources told The Standard yesterday that Flora Buka, the minister of state for Land Reform, was sitting on the damning report, which should have been presented to President Mugabe by now. They said senior government officials and politburo members were among several influential people implicated in the looting of prime farms by Zanu PF cronies, at the expense of the landless people. Not to mention at the expense of the legitimate owners...
"The report authenticates reports that government officials and Zanu PF cronies have corruptly awarded themselves more than one farm in various provinces. Names of several top government officials, army, police and CIO officers and many others are appearing in several provinces. In short, the report paints a classic picture of looting that has characterised the affairs of the party over the years," said the source. No surprise there, and nothing's going to change until Bob's gone. That'll be a couple weeks after Doomsday, by my calculations...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
08:31 am ||
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Yet, our friends, the morally superior French, are defying an EU travel ban and allowing comrade Bob to travel to France. Guess
it's how you say "unilateral" in French, non?
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/26/2003 8:54
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Kazi Mahmood for Islam Online
Muslims in the southern province of Yala decided to boycott all U.S. products, erecting sign boards and bill boards calling the province "U.S. product free zones" news agencies said Saturday January 25. The boycott is organized by the National Association of Muslim Youth (NAMY), together with Muslim communities and schools across southern Thailand the Oana/TNA news agency reported. Without knowing anything about it, I'd guess that the NAMY is either affiliated with or modeled on the World Association of Muslim Youth — a Soddy organization.
Muslims are boycotting U.S. products in protest of the looming U.S.-led war on Iraq just as they did at the time of the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan. The concerted effort by Muslims was made necessary in order to curb the influence of U.S. based products. They called on shops in the province to cooperate in refusing to sell U.S. goods, particularly soft drinks. "You ain't gonna sell Merkin products, are you? It'd be a real shame if your shop burnt down, wouldn't it?"
NAMY deputy president Wisit Tadein said Friday, January 24, that the boycott would begin in the Yala districts of Talaat Kao, Talaat Seri and Marakas Yala, where signs had already been erected. In the meantime, the locals involved had signed documents declaring their intention to cooperate in refusing to stock U.S. goods. "Put the bludgeon down. I'll sign..."
Over 150 grocery stores in the three areas would also post signs saying that they would not stock Coca-Cola in particular.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
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Nambla NAMY would do well to boycott all US made or designed or invented products...then they can go back to scratching their edicts on palm fronds with sharpened bones. Welcome to hypocrisy land Soddy style
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/26/2003 9:05
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Do you think they'll boycott the HIV medications? I man Thailand is leading the world in infection rates after all.
Thanks to Paul for the tip!
BRITISH police investigating a terror plot by Islamic saboteurs have found chemical warfare protection suits in a north London mosque. The discovery has shocked detectives, who believe the find confirms supporters of Osama bin Laden were planning a poison attack on civilian targets in Britain. Scotland Yard and MI5 detectives had kept the discovery of the nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) suits secret. They feared disclosing it would spark panic. They were afraid the Manchester Union fans might start lynching turbans, maybe?
Government ministers have warned any suggestion that the Finsbury Park mosque had been involved would have worrying racist overtones. Oh, dear! Couldn't have that, no matter how many citizens are in danger of being slaughtered like dogs...
Police initially revealed they had seized a cache of weapons, including a stun gun, an imitation rifle and a gas canister. Detectives last night confirmed that the protective suits were being tested to establish if there was any trace of ricin or any other poison. They weren't there for lounging in while watching terriblevision...
The Finsbury Park mosque has a notorious reputation because of its use by radical Muslim clerical Abu Hamza to preach holy war against Britain and the US. So, Tony. Where's he being deported to?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003
07:32 pm ||
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Experts are warning that a malicious computer code which disrupted the internet may resume its attacks on Monday.
In South Korea, which was badly affected by the attack, systems engineers are racing to repair internet networks amid fears Monday would bring new outbreaks as businesses switch on their computers for the new working week.
The problem is not completely resolved and we will have to have more of a sense of the importance of security
The South Korean Information Minister, Lee Sang-Chul, said he believed the problem was hiding, rather than fully resolved.
Computer experts said the code, known as a worm, had affected nearly a quarter of a million computers worldwide on Saturday.
The attack, which targets internet servers and does not infect home computers, slowed systems for several hours, affecting web browsing and e-mail delivery.
The attack was detected by the FBI shortly after it was launched on Saturday, limiting the damage.
Asian slowdown
Computer experts said the effect was similar to that of the "Code Red" virus, which brought internet traffic to a halt in the summer of 2001.
Companies need to take applying patches against new security threats seriously
Expert at anti-virus company Sophos
At least five of the internet's 13 major hubs were targeted in Saturday's attack.
Internet surfing in Asia was particularly slow.
In South Korea, the world's most wired country where almost three-quarters of the population have internet access, services shut down nationwide for hours on Saturday.
Users and news media also reported outages or slowdowns in Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and India.
In the US, Bank of America customers were unable to withdraw money from the company's 13,000 ATM machines, while the attack also disabled some trans-Atlantic internet and phone service.
Not a virus
The worm known as SQL ("sequel") Slammer targeted a known weakness in Microsoft's software to shut down powerful server computers around the world and can knock websites off-line.
Unlike viruses, the worm exists only in memory, so it cannot be detected by traditional anti-virus scanners.
The Microsoft website has a fix for the vulnerability, which companies can download.
"Companies need to take applying patches against new security threats seriously," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at the anti-virus company Sophos.
"If you don't, then stopping new worms and viruses is as easy as catching smoke in a butterfly net."
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/26/2003
07:09 pm ||
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At least I'll know what's going on this time...
Posted by: Fred ||
01/26/2003 19:48
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
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.
I think that's the sort of sentiment 
