Victory is within our grasp...
Battle lines are being drawn in what could be a major confrontation between reformers and conservatives in Afghanistan's transitional government over the question of cable television, and the wider issue of media freedom. Towards the end of January, the supreme court imposed a nationwide ban on cable television in response to an appeal against the silencing last month of a private station in Jalalabad. Chief Justice Mawlawi Fazel Hadi Shinwari said religious leaders and groups had complained that the channels were broadcasting pornographic and anti-Islamic films. He followed this up a day later by calling for a total ban on foreign television and films - including satellite broadcasts and imported video films and CDs - a move that echoed the five-year rule of the hard line Taleban, under which all music, dancing, films and the sale of television sets were banned. And then he wonders why people suggest he consider another line of work...
That situation was reversed by President Hamed Karzai, who promised freedom of speech and media, prompting a rush for satellite dishes. In addition, business is booming in Kabul's cinemas as young Afghans - almost exclusively male - flock to watch mainly Indian films packed with action, dancing and music - and often featuring scantily-clad women. Good for Hamid. If Afghans spent more time concentrating on scantily-clad women and less time blowing things up it'd be a better country for it...
A spokesman for Karzai told IWPR, "I can't comment on whether or not the President agreed with the supreme court." Apparently he didn't...
Shinwari, who earlier provoked controversy by urging a halt to co-education - a move that would require a major overhaul of the country's university system - also attacked what he called the "imposition" of western influence on Afghanistan, which is heavily reliant on foreign assistance after more than two decades of war. "We'll take your money, but don't expect us to fix things so that eventually we don't need it. And don't even expect us to behave like civilized people."
Information and culture minister Makhdoom Raheen responded quickly by promising that a new law would be introduced within days to allow cable broadcasters to operate provided they were registered, paid taxes to the government and adhered to a code of self-censorship. Raheen's deputy Abdul Hamid Mubarez told IWPR a few days later, "We are completely opposed to this ruling by the supreme court." "We have drawn up a law on cable television at meetings attended by a representative of the justice ministry, and the bill has been sent there. After it is approved by the cabinet and signed by President Karzai it will be published in the media, and everyone will be able to have cable TV. "Cable and satellite companies broadcast both negative and positive programmes. We should take advantage of the positive ones," he added. It was not clear if there would be any restrictions on broadcasts, and what form these might take. That "change the damned channel" argument carries the grave danger of putting a dent in the nation's Islamic armor. The sight of a few titties â even the modest hint at such found in Bollywood films â could take some of the edge off the young fellers' hankering after jihad. If paradise is available here on earth, why kill yourself?
Zalmai, who helps run the now-banned cable channel based in Jalalabad, told IWPR, "A ban such as this is an attack on the independent media, and such decisions run counter to the democratic rule." Let people make their own choices? Islamically unthinkable!
"We were operating our station legally, with letters of authorisation from a commission appointed by the Ministry of Information and Culture. We put together our transmissions in such a way that people cannot watch anything immoral, we only carry entertainment and informative programmes. If cable TV is banned the government will have to repay us all the money we have invested in this business." "So shut yer fudge up."
The deputy president of the supreme court, Fazl Ahmad Manawi, defended its action. He told IWPR that the move had been supported by Karzai, confirmed that it should be extended to satellite broadcasts, and claimed that the cable operators had no authorisation to run their business. He also said the decision was taken at the request of the public. "Oh, yesss! Save us from the sight of titties! No smooth, tasty thighs for us! Shield my eyes from ladies' buttocks, please!"
On the importing of foreign films he took a slightly softer line, saying they should be submitted to censorship by the information and culture ministry before they could be shown. "Cable TV and satellite transmissions should be completely banned. Our countrymen should realise that they are destroying their morals because fornication and obscene acts are shown on them," Manawi said. "Lookitdat, Mahmoud! Y'can see her entire face! What's he gonna do next?... Omigawd! He's gonna... He's gonna... Aghhhh! He's gonna talk to her! They gonna sing a song! I can't sta-a-a-a-and it!"
Kanishka, a student at Kabul university, told IWPR, "If the government is doing things like this, the situation can only get worse. Today cable is banned, tomorrow television, the next day radio music. There would be no difference between our government and the Taleban." That seems to be the intention...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 02:23 pm ||
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...like, it's OK for us to see the handywork of boomers on the road to Kandahar, but it is not OK to see baby fuel dispensers or reasonable likenesses of them on the telly. Thanks for the explanation, Imam....
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/02/2003 20:03 Comments ||
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To me the amazing thing about this story is that Afganistan -- a country that has become synonymous with backwardness and poverty -- actually has cable TV at all.
And the great part is, we know they'll get the dish if the govt cable monopoly does not perform, just like here in the states.
IslamOnline & News Agencies
U.S. soldiers searching a cave complex believed to be a base in southeastern Afghanistan came under fire but there were no casualties, the U.S. military said Saturday, February 1. Shots were fired at a U.S. patrol by a single attacker on the fifth day of Operation Mongoose, a major offensive launched after heavy fighting left 18 anti-government rebels dead in mountains near the border town of Spin Boldak. U.S. military spokesman Colonel Roger King said "One man took some shots at a U.S. patrol, he did not hit anything. He tried to duck back in a cave," King told reporters at Bagram. "U.S. forces went up the hill and isolated the cave and fired an AT-4 anti-tank rocket. After the smoke cleared they went into the cave, but found no signs of any occupation. It is possible he fired and went behind a rock." If he did, he's probably glad he didn't go into the cave...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 09:07 am ||
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Mujahideen shoot down an American helicopter near Bagram killing 10- 15 commandos on board. According to details, an American helicopters carrying American commandos was shot down on Thursday near South East of Kabul. According to eyewitnesses, the Black Hawk H 60 was on its flight 20 km away from Bagram airbase when it was targeted. Black Hwak is an American transport plane used to transport military personnel and ordinance on a large scale. They clearly don't know their birds.
According to Fox News, this helicopter has two pilots and two crew members, while it can hold up to 11 armed commandos for any guerilla offensive. It has been reported that all the American commandos on board have been killed. American central commandâs spokesman has confirmed Jim Wilkinson has confirmed many deaths due to the crash of the helicopter. The helicopter was on a routine patrol when it was shot down and investigation is still underway. It should be noted that Bagram airbase is the largest American military base in Afghanistan which is used by American planes and helicopters on a large scale, daily. Funny thing is, each night when the base commander counts the number of helos and planes, they're all there safe and sound.
Prior to this incident, Mujahideen have successfully shot down many American planes and helicopters while most of the times, American officials keep the events in darkness and withhold the actual number of casualties. The same American officials who can't keep secrets on virtually anything else. The jokers at Jihad Unspun couldn't even write a direct-to-video script. Sad to think that the local hard boys buy this swill.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2003 02:58 am ||
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Source: NNI And we'll consider the source!
Russia's Border Guard Service have said that the US-led anti-terror operation in Afghanistan has done nothing to reduce the flow of illegal drugs from that country. "To our great regret, the operation of the United States and its allies in Afghanistan has not led to significant changes in combating the drug trade," Alexander Manilov, a senior border guard official, was quoted by the Interfax. We didn't go there to stop the drug trade, we went there to stamp out al-Qaeda and the Taliban. So we're 2 out of 3.
"Afghanistan has preserved not only plots of land for growing drugs but also warehouses, bases and laboratories with equipment for producing drugs," he said. Russia is a major transit point for Afghan opium and heroin to make its way from Central Asia to Western Europe. Russian officials have repeatedly complained about the continuing drug trade in Afghanistan. Their armed forces were poisoned by this stuff in their war, and demand remains strong to this day.
Manilov said Russia had provided the US and its allies with data on drug storage and production sites in Afghanistan, but without result. "Russia gave its Western partners, including the United States, information on bases where drugs are stored and places where they are produced. But the fact that the drug flows are not subsiding shows that many of the production facilities have not been destroyed," he said. That's a job for Karzei's government once he's got Hek, the mullahs, the Pashtuns and the situation in Herat under control. Don't hold your breath.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2003 02:50 am ||
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More Pravda.
In his traditional State of the Union speech delivered in Congress on January 29, US President George W. Bush laid special stress on two objectives: war in Iraq and rehabilitation of the national economy. Americaâs president mentioned other hot spots just in passing: he briefly touched upon the problem of stability in Afghanistan and the Mideast situation, where he said âthe USA will further aim at achievement of peace between Israel and Palestinians.â This went right over the heads of the ex-commies editors at Pravda. What George meant was, "the USA will see a peace between Israel and the Palestinians once the latter sees how hopeless their situation is and how bankrupt their actions are." It's something to do with the translation, I'm sure.
The head of the White House has probably forgotten that Afghanistan was the starting point from which world order in an American manner began. No, Ivan, the WTC, the Pentagon, and a small field in rural Pennsylvania was our starting point.
After the 9/11 tragedy, the USA immediately started speaking about revenge, about a response action, although it wasnât clear at that moment against whom the blow is to be delivered. These guys clearly weren't paying attention. We knew exactly who we were going after.
A hail of bombs was dropped on Afghanistan; the newest weapons were used and the best ground troops operated there. But not only terrorists are killed there, civilians also die, like at any other war. Now itâs Iraqâs turn. Washington considers the operation in Afghanistan to be completed. Nope, not paying attention at all.
It is true that George W. Bush didnât mention who exactly won that war, but it is evident that the USA and the allies were not the winners. Why don't you ask Hek what his chances look like right now? And Omar, if you can catch him on his motorcycle.
Americans gave up special operations and withdrew the troops from Afghanistan (highly likely they were transferred to Iraq). And consequences of USâs short-sighted policy produced an immediate effect. As soon as Afghanistan became neglected, it actively started reminding of itself with terrorist acts, skirmish, crashed helicopters and deaths of civilians. This reads like a Harold Pinter manifesto but without the venom and spittle.
The recent information reports that a strong blast destroyed a bridge in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, 18 people were killed. All of the victims were civilians, ordinary bus passengers; only two passengers survived. Nobody hasnât claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack yet. But Deputy Chief of Kandahar police Ustad Nazar Jan said it was a terrorist act organized by remains of Taliban and al-Qaeda forces. He thinks that a bomb could be laid by terrorists headed by field commander, former prime minister Gulbeddin Hekmatyar, who vowed to wage a war against American troops all over the territory of Afghanistan. So the Pravda editors read Rantburg!
The US command supports this opinion as well. The international US-led military contingent already participated in a cruel skirmish in the mountainous region Spin Boldak, to the east of Kandahar. So in the last paragraph the editors shoot themselves in the foot by pointing out that it's a US-led contingent. Guess we're still there, aren't we?
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2003 10:09 am ||
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"Nobody hasnât claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack yet" = double negative
Millions of Germans have gone to the polls in key state elections in what is being seen as a test of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's four-month-old government. Opinion polls suggest Mr Schroeder's Social Democrats (SPD) will lose the chancellor's home state of Lower Saxony to the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU), while the CDU will strengthen its hold on the neighbouring state of Hesse. Observers say Chancellor Schroeder's anti-war campaign message failed to strike a chord with voters, who were more concerned about rising taxes, unemployment and a stumbling economy. Neener!
Whoo, boy! This Schadenfreude stuff is kinda satisfying...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 11:30 am ||
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Less filling, tastes great
serve it cold
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/02/2003 13:40 Comments ||
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British Muslims are meeting to voice their opposition to Saudi Arabia being used as a base for US and UK troops for a possible military attack on Iraq. The event, taking place outside the Saudi embassy in London, has been organised by political group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Hizb ut-Tahrir has been campaigning against what it calls "Western-inspired solutions" to the Iraqi situation with the help of "corrupt Muslim rulers". Dr Imran Waheed, of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said: "The purpose of the rally is to send a powerful message that Muslims in Britain will not accept the blind submission of Muslim rulers to colonial designs. We want to issue a resounding call for the change and replacement of these regimes with a true and practical Islamic leadership - the Islamic Khilafahn or Caliphate - which will be ideologically and politically independent of the West and her agents." Uh... Yeah. That'll work...
He added: "Without the blind submission of the rulers of the Muslim world, the USA and Britain could not possibly threaten the Muslims of Iraq, let alone unleash a full-scale military attack. Islam obliges Muslims everywhere, including those in Britain, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Muslims of Iraq in any upcoming conflict." Seems like British citizens should be standing up for British interests, rather than the interests of people somewhere else, regardless of their religion. But I guess that's an outmoded idea...
Hizb ut-Tahrir has previously condemned plans put forward by exiled Iraqi opposition groups for the country post-Saddam Hussein. It claims that Western powers, especially the US, have an interest in the proposals and that any conflict in the Middle Eastern country is driven by the need for oil. Sigh. It's all about... ZZZzzzzzzzzz
Among the topics to be discussed at today's meeting is the idea of an independent Islamic state and for the Iraqi and Saudi armies to unify to "protect the Muslims from 21st century US and UK crusaders". Yeah. That'll really work.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 09:31 am ||
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Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain's comments are vintage OBL. The gentleman should be arrested and turned over to the Saudi version of SAVAK for a frank and open discussion.
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Oh my, ask Saudi Arabia (Wahhabi state, which reards all non-Wahabbi including other Moslems as heretics to be obliterated - sorry, dominated - the same as Jews and Hindus) and Iraq (secular state with Moslem background currently ruled by irreligious dictator) to combine to "protect" Mohammedanism?
And oil again: is it not clear even yet that opposition to change-of-regime is oil-driven? France and Germany are afraid of losing current contracts. Russia was at first against 1441 until Sod'em cancelled contracts, then voted for it, and are waffling again since Hussy is signing new contracts.
The US could give a hoot, it can (and does) buy Iraqi oil anyway under the current sanctions. No, Virginia, there ain't no Oil Clause.
Posted by: John Anderson ||
02/02/2003 23:39 Comments ||
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Pakistan on Friday termed the arrest of 28 Pakistanis on the charges of possessing explosives and classified maps by the Italian authorities as mere allegations. "We have contacted our ambassador (in Italy). We have sought information from him. Our ambassador told us that some Pakistanis had been arrested. Four of them have work permits. Remaining are living legally in Italy and they have applied for work permit," Foreign Office Spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan told BBC. "Our embassy has approached Italian authorities that Pakistani counselor be allowed to meet them to that may verify the facts and reports, which we believe are absolutely baseless." It's not the denial that makes me suspicious. It's the speed of the denial.
"[Police found] 800 grams (28 ounces) of explosives, 230 feet of fuse and various electronic detonators crammed behind a false wall...Islamic religious texts, photos of 'jihad' (holy war) martyrs, piles of false documents..."
That sounds remarkably like a cell of Bad Guys â very Bad Guys, in fact. The first words out of the official Pak mouth aren't "We're investigating," but "They're innocent." Kinda makes you wonder if Pak officialdom knew they were there and forgot to tell them that "the Agency will deny any involvement." Will a few hours alone with Big Guido bring to light a few links other than to the NWFP fundos?
He maintained: "They (charges) seem baseless, because in the past too such baseless and false claims were about Pakistanis." Aziz said that over six months have elapsed but those Pakistanis are still under detention. So far they have not been allowed to meet any counsel. Besides no legal position has been clarified. It seems to me that these reports too have been floated as a formality. It does not have any relevance to fact," the spokesman added. Seems like they're worried about the last batch, too. Having henchmen stuck for six months with Big Guido could make a criminal mastermind worry, at that...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 09:57 am ||
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Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has been detained by Thai immigration authorities at Bangkok airport amid continuing tension between the neighbouring countries. Police say Mr Rainsy is being held for his own safety after rioting in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, on Wednesday in which the Thai embassy was destroyed. Foreign Minister Hor Namm Hong is to visit Thailand on Tuesday in an effort to repair relations. This has zilch to do with terrorism, so we didn't cover it here. But it's something to keep an eye on, because somewhere there's an Islamist trying to figure if he can turn it to his advantage. Besides, riots are always interesting...
The Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has blamed the trouble on Cambodian politicians making outspoken comments in the run-up to July's general election. "The riots were caused by politicians fighting in Cambodia in order to gain popularity for their own parties. It was a very bad thing to do," he said in his weekly radio address. But that was last July...
"Diplomatic relations between Thailand and Cambodia can only return to normal when Cambodia gives us answers about what happened," he added. That's what you might call a truism...
The violence started after rumours circulated that a Thai actress had suggested the ancient temple complex at Angkor Wat - a Cambodian national symbol - really belonged to Thailand. The actress has denied being that stupid making any such comments. Even if she had made such a statement, it's so demonstrably untrue â meaningless, in fact â as to be laughable. It would be like claiming the Brandenburg Gate, or the Kremlin belonged to the Americans. Angkor Wat, Cambodia's national symbol, was the funerary temple of the Khmer king Suryavarman II, who probably died around 1150 A.D. The statue of Vishnu at the temple, named Paramavisnuloka, is said to represent him. When Angkor Wat was started, the Thais and Laos were still in the process of migrating from what's today southern China. What is today Thailand was occupied â sparsely â by Mons (first cousins to the Khmers) and Malay aboriginals, who are Melanesians related distantly to the tribesmen of Borneo and New Guinea. Rama Khamhaeng wasn't to impose some sort of unity on the Thai tribes, founding the Kingdom of Sukhothai, for another 150 years.
Mr Rainsy has blamed the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for triggering the violence. Hun Sen described the Thai actress as no more important than a blade of grass at Angkor Wat and banned her soap opera from national television. The first statement is probably true, except for her suiters and/or husband. The second statement probably causes a certain amount of weeping and gnashing of teeth, since soap operas were much favored as TV fare in that part of the world last time I was there.
Cambodian police on Saturday charged In Chansivutha, editor of Rasmei Angkor (Light of Angkor) newspaper, with inciting the riots by publishing false information. Mr In Chansivutha has admitted publishing rumours without verifying them, but said his aim had been to allow the government to investigate. "We report. You confirm."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 11:14 am ||
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Good point Joe, but even more frightening is that it could stir the Cambodians to the point of rioting. I had hoped that, outside of Pakland, Nigeria, and other Islamic nutlands, that most were more societally progressed than that. It's enough to make me (more) cynical
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/02/2003 16:38 Comments ||
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A colonel in the Royal Thai Army is one of the moderators of another message board that I frequent. She explained that the rumor that started this chain of events started with a line (delivered by the actress in question, who did not in fact say any such thing offstage) in a Thai historical epic released two or three years ago. This movie, in turn, was based on the events surrounding the war between the Khmer Empire and the Thai kingdoms of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai in the 14th century. It seems that the consort of the Thai king at the time, Rama Thibodi, advised him that in order to force an end to the war with the Khmers, Angkor Wat (at that time the Khmer capital) should be taken and occupied until the Khmers cried uncle. This was done in 1369, the Khmers threw in the towel, and the Thais withdrew and went home. So, what was at issue here was that scene from the movie reproducing that conversation, and the lines that actress was speaking.
I have to say that I find this kind of suspicious. Why would somebody recycle some lines from a three-year-old movie to make it look like the actress who spoke them was in fact calling for Thai conquest of Angkor? Could it be that somebody was trying to stir up fresh trouble between Cambodia and Thailand, which have been, as we have seen, at loggerheads and often literally at sword's point for centuries?
Posted by: Joe ||
02/02/2003 15:23 Comments ||
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Good point Joe, but even more frightening is that it could stir the Cambodians to the point of rioting. I had hoped that, outside of Pakland, Nigeria, and other Islamic nutlands, that most were more societally progressed than that. It's enough to make me (more) cynical
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/02/2003 16:38 Comments ||
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Were you to review the resume of Hun Sen, the leader of Campuchea you would not find this crass manipulation too far fetched. Once a KR always a KR.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said that secular education forms a significant part of the school curriculum and is vital for the country's future. While maintaining that having secular education was important to make Malaysia more competitive, he was quick to add that the curriculum also provided Islamic teachings for Muslim pupils. That's the most important part, of course...
Speaking at an interview with CNBC TV on Thursday, he said that secular education was very significant. 'We have a tough time trying to convince people that we must do this for the sake of the future... to be more competitive. We have to, we cannot just ignore,' he said. Oh, why not? If your citizens are going to be good for nothing more than cannon fodder, why would they have to know how to add and subtract? Doesn't Malaysia have a Chinese minority to do that? So all real Malays need is the Koran, and lots of it.
When asked if secular education should form the majority of the school curricula in Malaysia, Abdullah said the Muslims did not like the idea of anything that was secular. 'I am telling you that it is not secular. It is not secular in the sense that in our schools we do provide teaching of the Quran and Hadith and other subjects,' he said. "More religion, by Gawd! That's what we need! The world's too damned secular."
According to the deputy premier, there had been a lot of arguments that Malaysia's education system was not Islamic enough. 'My reply and Prime Minister Mahathir's reply has been... it is not an Islamic system and if it is an Islamic system, non-Muslims will never go to school,' he said. "Not that we need them, mind you. Except for when we have to add and subtract thing..."
'We cannot make everything compulsory,' he said. "No matter how much we'd like to..."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 09:23 am ||
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Uh, maybe take a deep breath... The guy is trying to get more non-religious studies going in a school system that was largely started by the Wahhabi fundies without them destroying the schools in the processs, not trying to replace chemistry with Q'ran studies.
Posted by: John Anderson ||
02/02/2003 23:53 Comments ||
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Jakarta Post
Indonesia's National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Saturday that cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir took part in last year bombings in Bali, Antara reported. He said that the conclusion came after the investigations of a number of suspects, who currently being detained by the police. Da'i said, without elaborating, that Ba'asyir attended several meetings with Bali bombing suspects before and after the carnage. Oh, I am so surprised.
But he added that police has yet found information about the detail of the meetings. Ba'asyir has been in jail in October last year, only several days after the Bali bombign, for alleged involvement in a series of bombings in the city in 2000 and a plot to assasinate Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was then the country's vice president. Ba'asyir has repeatedly denied involvement of the bombings. "Y'got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'!"
His lawyer, M. Assegaf, said that police has accused Ba'asyir for the Bali bombings since the beginning of the investigation. That could be unfairness on their part, or unreasoning hatred of innocent Islamists. It could also be because Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, the U.S., and Australia had been warning them about Bashir pulling something similar for the past year. Being an infidel, I prefer to think it's the latter.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 08:53 am ||
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This is from Pravda, so use the usual grain of salt.
Corporation Microsoft and its president Bill Gates are still haunted with troubles. This time the troubles donât concern accusations of monopolization of the operating systems market. As it turned out, the corporation sponsored bin Laden. Microsoft is not the only company blamed for financing terrorists, even popular PC producer Compaq sponsored terrorists as well. It is clear that both companies didnât even suspect that money transferred to the charitable organization Benevolence International Foundation is spent on training of al-Qaeda terrorists. The companies transferred not very large sums of money, Microsoftâs transfer made up 20 thousand dollars. But as is known, many hands make light work. Certainly true that lots of money donated to what people thought were charitable organizations ended up being funneled to terrorist organizations. That Microsoft and Compaq got suckered as well isn't surprising.
Activity of the âcharitableâ foundation was organized on a wide scale. Itâs enough to say that when activity of the foundation and its chairman Arnaout was investigated by the FBI, it turned out that within the four first months of 2002 Benevolence International Foundation transferred 685 thousand dollars to bank accounts in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Latvia and Russia allegedly for support of Chechen refugees. But in fact the money was sent to terrorists.
American authorities paid special attention to activity of the Foundation right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In May 2002, an arrest warrant was issued for chairman of the Foundation Arnaout, native of Syria (by the moment of arrest Arnaout had dual citizenship, American and Bosnian).
The scale of Islamic âcharitableâ organizationsâ activity is demonstrative on the whole. It was well known long before September 11 that money they collect is spent on supporting terrorist activity. But up to that moment they could operate quite legally. For instance, Benevolence International Foundation was based in Chicago since 1992, and American authorities laid no claims to activity of the organization. Goes to show that Binny and his associates started early and took the long view.
As it is clear now, sources financing terrorist activity can be different. At that, special services are unlikely completely aware of the scale of this âvarietyâ. As it turns out, bin Laden and his organization were sponsored by universally known corporations. It is not ruled out that they are still financing terrorists even now. But this time this activity is carried out not through Islamic foundations which reputation is now undermined. There are too many charitable organizations. God knows, probably money transferred to accounts of some society for animal protection is further forwarded directly to bin Laden. Wouldn't be surprising if Binny's associates have found new ways to move the cash and hide the transactions from the authorities. That's one of the problems of a free society.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2003 02:12 am ||
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Just a thought... I wonder if United Way was involved with any of these charities?
Posted by: Kathy K ||
02/02/2003 10:51 Comments ||
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I think I'm going to break the Axis of Evil category into three. Iraq's starting to get too big — has been, in fact. Comments? Cries of anguish?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 12:06 pm ||
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As a matter of fact...
I was thinking of breaking the three members out for their own categories (Iraq, Iran, Korea), and adding an Axis of Almost as Evil category to include Syria and Libya and maybe Lebanon.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/02/2003 13:26 Comments ||
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Axis of Almost As Evil?
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/02/2003 12:26 Comments ||
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As a matter of fact...
I was thinking of breaking the three members out for their own categories (Iraq, Iran, Korea), and adding an Axis of Almost as Evil category to include Syria and Libya and maybe Lebanon.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/02/2003 13:26 Comments ||
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Iraq said Sunday that Secretary of State Colin Powell will likely present fabricated evidence when he presents the U.S. case against Saddam Hussein to the U.N. Security Council this week. Maj. Gen. Hossam Mohammed Amin, Iraq's chief liaison officer with the U.N. teams, promised to show a "willingness to cooperate" in the talks with Blix and ElBaradei and to enter negotiations, presumably over inspectors' complaints. With the United States building up troops in the Persian Gulf region for possible war, Powell addresses the Security Council on Wednesday to present Washington's case that Saddam's regime is still hiding weapons on mass destruction and has links to terrorism. "I think they will be fabricated, space photos, aerial photos, to some details to some thing that could be interpreted in different ways just to create suspicions," Amin said of Powell's testimony. "They will not be real evidences because we have no weapons of mass destruction, no proscribed activities." "Lies! All lies!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 12:04 pm ||
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Slightly off-topic, the Security Council session Wednesday is supposed to be available to TV. Anyone know where?
Posted by: John Anderson ||
02/02/2003 23:16 Comments ||
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Source is Asia Times. Salt grains are over there...
Even as the United States appears to be drawing closer by the day to attacking Iraq, behind-the-scenes efforts are continuing to find a peaceful solution to the crisis by forcing Saddam Hussein to step down at the eleventh hour to prevent his humiliating dethroning after defeat in war, with Saudi Arabia and the US playing a pivotal role in the diplomatic initiative. Asia Times Online has learned of an unpublicized visit to Pakistan by a high-powered Saudi delegation believed to have been headed by influential Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, the defense minister. The Saudis flew into Rawalpindi last Friday aboard a special non-stop flight from Washington and then flew on to Paris the following day. The Pakistan government has not said a single word about the delegation, but a highly-placed official in the Islamabad administration told Asia Times Online that the mission was a part of ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at developing a plan for the exile of Saddam, as well as to discuss possible options for the future of Iraq. Pakistan's support of an "exile" plan for Saddam is important as it is an influential member of the 50-plus strong Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which could, if it speaks with a united voice, increase the pressure on Saddam to step down before the bombs start falling. The OIC has to date been probably less effectual than the UN General Assembly. Since everyone else ignores it with impunity, I'm sure Sammy will, too...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 11:55 am ||
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The ground hog sez six more weeks of winter... My tired old body tells me it's never going to end.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 11:39 am ||
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Six weeks?The way things look here in Finland,there will be snow on the ground in May,no kidding!
Posted by: El Id ||
02/02/2003 12:11 Comments ||
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#2
Sorry about double posting.Seriously,it's the coldest winter here since 1987 and it looks like we have to wait till May for spring to kick in.February is usually the coldest month of the year...
Posted by: El Id ||
02/02/2003 12:24 Comments ||
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#3
This year's message from Groundhog Phil was directed to Saddam: Six weeks until invasion and regime change.
Posted by: Mark ||
02/02/2003 13:39 Comments ||
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#4
When I was in Norway a few years ago, they told me about the barber who missed an entire summer once because he stayed in the bathroom too long.
I should count my blessings, I guess. The Little Woman has some back-breaking labor planned for me in the back yard when the weather's a little nicer.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/02/2003 13:40 Comments ||
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Syria has strongly criticised the United States, saying the UN resolution on Iraq passed in December does not authorise any country to launch a war against Baghdad. Speaking during a visit by a team from the European Union, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara warned that a US-led attack would bring chaos to the Middle East. As opposed to its current placid state...
Mr al-Shara also said this would increase violence and terrorism. The Syrian criticism comes as the US national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, said Washington expected to administer Iraq for a certain time after Saddam Hussein has been ousted. Mr al-Shara stressed that the current crisis was between the UN and Iraq, and it was not a matter to be dealt with by Washington alone. He said that the US itself must abide by the terms of the UN resolution 1441. Seems like the current problem is due to the fact that Iraq isn't.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 11:35 am ||
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Ships' captains are being warned that if they make an unscheduled stop or slow down along the coast of Somalia their vessels will almost certainly be boarded by armed militia. The International Maritime Bureau [IMB] has highlighted the growing danger in its Annual Piracy Report. It has increased its rating for the risk of attack along the Somali coastline from possibility to certainty. The IMB's Jayant Abyankar told the BBC's World Business Report that it was almost impossible to quantify the total cost to business of piracy and armed robbery at sea. "We can quantify in terms of hijacking whereby the losses could be maybe $50m or $60m a year," he said. Last year 25 ships were hijacked, compared with 16 in 2000. "Yar! Those swabs be givin' pirates a bad name!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 11:24 am ||
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This is news?The Somali coast has been a high-risk area ever the since the government collapsed over ten years ago.Unfortunately,many of the victims of piracy (I'm talking private yachts,not commercial ships) simply disappear forever.
Posted by: El Id ||
02/02/2003 16:47 Comments ||
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An explosion in Nigeria's biggest city Lagos has killed at least 20 people and injured many others. The blast, in the heart of the business district, appears to have been centred on a four-storey complex of shops and homes, flanked on both sides by local banks. It is not yet known what caused the explosion at about 1130GMT which could be heard several kilometres (miles) from Lagos Island. Could be any number of things: Terrorism is the first thing that springs to mind, but there's also the possibility of a gas leak. It could be a "work accident" involving somebody who heard a rumor Miss Universe was coming back. I know it's probably wishful thinking, but I haven't received any Nigerian e-mails today â maybe somebody tracked them down and did what we've all wished we could do...
The force of the blast ripped the facade off the shopping complex, while one of the adjoining buildings almost totally collapsed. Crowds gathered at the scene, hampering access for the police and emergency services. The scene was one of utter confusion, with looters taking away computer equipment and police firing in the air to try to disperse them, our correspondent says. "No! Dont' take my e-mail machines!"
"When I arrived they had got six or seven bodies out and into police vehicles and ambulances", one witness said. "I saw many more trapped. There were at least 20, maybe more," Laure Adiobun said. Heavy lifting gear is being moved into position to lift slabs of concrete in the hope of finding survivors trapped under the rubble. Money from one of the banks was scattered in the explosion, triggering looting and fights as young men grabbed wads of cash, the Associated Press news agency reported. Somebody saw "Ocean's Eleven"?
Only last week, Nigerians commemorated the first anniversary of a huge explosion at an arms depot in Lagos in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Most of the victims drowned in a canal after being trampled underfoot in a stampede of people fleeing the explosion.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 10:34 am ||
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Somewhat off-topic, but I just got another of those Nigerian emails, only it wasn't from Nigeria at all. It was from, of all places, Taiwan, and the writer held himself out as being the manager of ChinaFirst Commercial Bank's Nan Kan branch. *smirk* I think I'll just forward this email along to the R.O.C. national police. This is what I wrote back to the poor sap:
"You are proposing actions (i.e., embezzlement and identity theft) that are serious violations of the laws of the United States and the Republic of China. I am forwarding your mail to the appropriate authorities. Have a nice day."
Posted by: Joe ||
02/02/2003 15:29 Comments ||
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Don't know about you all, but my nigerian friends have moved to Afghanistan and The Philippines.
Iran expressed regret Sunday for the death of six US astronauts in the space shuttle disaster, saying politics should not get in the way of humanitarianism, but it made no mention of an Israeli who also died. Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi extended Iran's condolences to the "US and Indian astronauts" aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia which broke up on re-entry Saturday, in a reference to an Indian-born astronaut among the six Americans. But he made no reference to the death of Ilan Ramon, the first astronaut into space from Iran's archfoe Israel. I know souls are supposed to be invisible, but if they weren't you'd still need a microscope to have a look at Asefi's.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 10:17 am ||
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No, you wouldn't - Asefi (and his ilk) doesn't have one.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
02/02/2003 10:19 Comments ||
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Selective sympathy seems to be such a trait with these people. Hamid-Reza can take his hollow expression of sympathy and ....
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/02/2003 13:06 Comments ||
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North Korea threatened on Sunday to scrap inter-Korean reconciliation projects if South Korea took action over an alleged secret cash payoff to the Stalinist country ahead of an historic summit in 2000. The threat from a North Korean government organ in charge of inter-Korean joint ventures followed allegations that South Korea's Hyundai group acted as a middleman to bribe the North to stage the summit. The Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee accused South Korea's opposition politicians and 'conservative anti-reunification forces' of a 'sinister' bid to fault economic cooperation between Pyongyang and Hyundai. The two sides 'cannot but be exposed only to confrontation, conflict and war' if 'even normal economic cooperation and deals between compatriots should be called into question and checked,' a spokesman warned in a statement on the North's official Korean Central News Agency. "Bribing us to do things in our own interests is just part of doing business here on the Korean Peninsula..."
Hyundai has led cross-border tours and other projects between the two Koreas since North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and South Korean President Kim Dae Jung signed a peace accord on June 15, 2000. The accord prompted a series of reconciliation events including reunions of families split by the 1950-1953 Korean War, helping Kim Dae Jung win a Nobel Peace Prize. Like Jimmy Carter and Yasser Arafat have. He's in good company...
But the South Korean President came under fire last week after a stunning revelation by government auditors that Hyundai Merchant Marine Co had funnelled some US$200 million to the North. Hyundai Merchant claimed the money, part of a loan extended by a state-run bank a week before the summit, was used to finance its projects in North Korea. But South Korea's opposition Grand National Party, which controls the National Assembly, has urged the president to answer allegations that the cash was a payoff for the summit.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 09:16 am ||
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Ummahnews
The armed wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas has announced that a man martyred yesterday by Zionist occupation troops in Jenin was one of their members. A press communique from Izzeddin el-Qassam said Iyad Khalil Mousa. 21, better known as "Abu Leil" from the Jenin refugee camp was shot dead after resisting occupation troops who had surrounded his hideout. Now he's better known as "The Late Abu Leil"...
"Big numbers of Zionist Special Forces and border guards surrounded the house in which the Mujahid was stationed in the vicinity of Jenin municipality. They asked him to give himself in but he refused, thus drawing a fresh image of Qassam heroism after an armed clash with the Zionist forces," said the communique. "Come out with yer hands up, Abu!"
"You'll never take me alive, coppers!"
[Bang! Bang! Boom!]
"Dang, Avner! He was right!"
It added that Iyad inflicted several casualties amongst the enemy soldiers before his martyrdom. "Careful with that body part, Avner. You don't know where it's been!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
02/02/2003 09:03 am ||
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Thousands of Jordanians have demonstrated against a possible American and British war on Iraq, warning that it would provoke fury across the Arab world. The crowd of about 3,000 people shouting "Down, down USA" marched towards the United Nations office in the capital, Amman, which was ringed by riot police. Eeeek! The vaunted Arab Street! Pass me my smelling salts!
The protest - organised by Jordanian opposition groups - was the first to be sanctioned by the Jordanian authorities in months. Right there is the measure of the control King Abdullah thinks he has on the domestic situation.
It underlined the difficult position they are now in - caught between Jordan's strategic alliance with the US and public opinion that's strongly anti-American and against war. One Jordanian official said the government was walking a tightrope. Abdullah seems to be doing a good job so far.
Jordan has publicly ruled out any role in an American attack, but the official said it had agreed to allow search-and-rescue missions from its territory, including the activities of special forces. Our special forces will search for WMD, Scud sites and other targets of interest, and in doing so will rescue the Iraqi people. Got it.
It was an unusual mix of Jordanians that assembled outside the UN office. No, it was the usual mix.
Many of the demonstrators were Islamists carrying green banners and chanting slogans in favour of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But there were also leftists with Che Guevara flags and young professional women, all opposed to American policy in the Middle East. What'd I just say?
"We are against the war. This is why we are here," one of the demonstrators said. Her words were echoed by another participant, who said people took to the streets "for the Iraqi people". "We don't want them to suffer from what will happen," he added. The suffering stops just as soon as Sammy vacates the premises.
Another woman said she worried an attack on Iraq would hurt Arab moderates like herself, as well as the West, because it would increase the chance that the Arab people would overthrow their despotic rulers terrorism.
One group of protesters urged Iraq to use chemical weapons. There's a group of protesters for whom names, addresses and URLs should be collected.
Others called on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden to hit Tel Aviv, and described America as the head of a snake. It's the very fact that Abdullah won't even consider hitting Tel Aviv that makes Jordan a viable state today.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2003 01:49 am ||
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Many of the demonstrators were Islamists carrying green banners and chanting slogans in favour of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. But there were also leftists with Che Guevara flags and young professional women, all opposed to American policy in the Middle East.
The United Nations chief weapons inspectors have set tough new conditions on holding a fresh round of talks with Iraqi officials. Second verse, same as the first.
UN officials said Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei will return to Baghdad on 8 February, but are insisting on greater co-operation from Iraq on issues including surveillance flights and interviews with scientists. Insist all you want, boys, but if I was you, I'd be doing my insisting with the 101st Airborne. Just a suggestion.
US President George W Bush has warned he will not tolerate any attempt by Baghdad to delay possible military action by "stringing along" inspectors. A cynic might argue that's been exactly what has been happening so far. George, we just have to pull the trigger at some point.
Arms experts were stymied again on Saturday when a 17th Iraqi researcher refused to meet them alone. "Please don't kill me!"
A UN spokeswoman said Mr Blix and Mr ElBaradei wanted "to do everything they could to achieve disarmament through inspections". The UN spokeswoman also believes that we should think "world peace", all of us at the same time.
Before accepting Iraq's invitation, both men said they would seek substantial progress in areas of concern. Specifically, they want the Iraqis to: Address data said to be missing from Iraq's weapons declaration such as the whereabouts of suspected stocks of VX nerve gas and anthrax, We don't want them to address the data, we want them to show us where the stuff is.
Support private interviews of scientists, How about doing something about the pre-signed death certificates? That might help.
Accept surveillance flights from U-2 spy planes I think the Iraqis could bear to accept the U-2's if they were accompanied by Wild Weasels.
Inspectors inside Iraq failed to interview a scientist on his own on Saturday. "Please don't kill me!"
It was the 17th request for one-on-one talks - where inspectors hope the witnesses could be more candid - which had been denied, inspectors' spokesman Hiro Ueki said. Hiro, it's taken you 17 failed interviews to detect a pattern?
Iraq has said it is not preventing scientists from meeting privately, but officials suggest the scientists might fear having their words misunderstood and having their families wiped out as a consequence if there was no witness.
Also on Saturday, teams from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (Unmovic) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) checked 11 sites for banned chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. Wonder if the Iraqis knew where they were going beforehand?
"Hello, inspector."
"Uday, what a lovely surprise! Nice to see you again!"
"Yes, inspector, we just want to facilitate your work in my country."
"How sweet of you. You guys have any anthrax here?"
"Nope, not a drop."
"All right, thanks then. See you tomorrow."
Count on it, inspector."
Their findings will be presented to the Security Council on 14 February when Mr Blix and Mr ElBaradei give their last latest updates. US Secretary of State Colin Powell will himself appear before the council on Wednesday with what the Bush administration is calling new evidence that Saddam Hussein is breaking UN rules. Since the war won't start before early March, Colin, let's be careful with exactly how many cards we show them.
President Bush continues to accuse Baghdad of failing to disarm as demanded by the Security Council. He believes a resolution passed by the council last November permits the use of force to ensure Iraq has no banned weapons, though he said he was happy for there to be a second, more explicit, ruling. He's keeping up the "nice doggie" trick while he builds a big pile of rocks.
After discussing the crisis with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on Friday, Mr Bush dismissed the Iraqi invitation as a ploy meant to "string the inspectors along". "The idea of calling inspectors in to negotiate is a charade," he said. "Yeah, if we wanted spineless negotiations we would have sent in the BelgiansBelarussiansGermans French!"
Both leaders said time was running out for Saddam Hussein to show he was co-operating with UN demands. But the Security Council has appeared split over allowing inspectors more time or pushing for action. Iraq is set to be the focus of talks on Tuesday between Mr Blair and French President Jacques Chirac, who has been one of the leading looney voices opposing the US-UK approach. Separately, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, begins a tour of several Arab countries starting in Syria on Sunday to try to reach a peaceful outcome. Great, I'm sure he'll be a big success waste of time. What is it about being the chair of the EU presidency that inspires people to think that they could be world leaders or something?
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2003 01:26 am ||
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Bush administration should'nt pay attention to all these agitations. Chirac and his band of 'girlfriends' just want to be seen as important persons(i know them, i worked for them a couple of years).
US government should ignore them and they will become sweet. In fact they have the psychology of a young french girl, they can't stand to be ignored.
#4
I'm sure Blix and Co are thinking about being close to the "doggie" before they buy their r/t tickets. I'd be thinking of evacuating inspectors out real soon. Two can play the game as well as one. Bush should keep the fear factor going, too, except make sure that it is not a bluff.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
02/02/2003 20:35 Comments ||
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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.
