Saudi Arabian border guards foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons, ammunitions and explosive material from southern neighbor Yemen, according to a press report published Saturday. Brig. Gen. Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman al-Zahrani, head of border guards of southern el-Saqam region, told the privately owned al-Watan daily that smugglers were caught at the Saudi border town of Akafa, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) south of the capital, Riyadh.
Guards seized "40 U.S.-made guns," ammunition and more than 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of the "white explosive material," according to the government-guided paper. It was unclear how many people were detained. No further details were provided. Saudi officials believe most of the weapons used in militant operations in Saudi Arabia, including the May suicide attacks, are smuggled from Yemen, an impoverished country at the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula that has long been awash in small arms.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/11/2005 00:41 ||
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#1
... Yemen, an impoverished country at the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula that has long been awash in small arms.
So where do all those arms wash up from?
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/11/2005 11:16 Comments ||
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#2
The leftovers after the sharks eat the small people?
Organisers on Saturday postponed an annual long-distance swimming competition after threats from the militants. âWeâve postponed the Ninth National Long Distance Swimming Competition due to security reasons and threats from Islamic militants,â the general secretary of the Bangladesh Swimming Federation, Shahabuddin Ahmed, told AFP.
âOrganisers faxed us a message saying the district administrator got a threat on his life from militants. There are fears of violence by militants,â he said.
Swimmers from both sexes compete in the annual event organised by the state swimming federation that was to be held Monday in the Chitra river in the western district of Narial. âRecently police have recovered bombs in the district,â Ahmed said. âAuthorities donât have enough means to provide security to thousands of spectators who would be watching the swimmingâ along the 15-kilometre (nine-mile) stretch of river, he added.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/11/2005 00:00 ||
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#1
Someone mentioned yesterday that Bangla's a flood plain, so doesn't everyone eventually participate anyway?
DHAKA - Bangladeshâs elite security force said on Saturday it had arrested the main supplier of explosives to an Islamic group waging a suicide bombing campaign to establish Islamic law in the Muslim nation.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) also said it had seized a huge cache of explosives and bomb-making equipment sufficient to make 200 powerful bombs. âWe have arrested Tariqul, 28, who we believe is the main supplier of explosives to the Jamayetul Mujahideen,â a senior RAB officer told AFP. âHeâs being interrogated and information has already helped us seize explosives across the country,â the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"In fact, he's been so helpful that he's going to help us recover these explosives. We're going out really early this morning to get them," the officer added.
Police have linked the outlawed group to a series of nationwide blasts since August and a new suicide bomb campaign that has claimed 21 lives in the past two weeks.
Thousands of police and all 10 battalion of the RAB, set up a year ago, have been making nationwide raids to hunt the members of the group and its fugitive leader Shaikh Abdur Rahman.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/11/2005 00:00 ||
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Posted by: Red Dog ||
12/11/2005 5:49 Comments ||
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Well, actually might be better to hang on to this one. He could actually talk, and a lifetime in Bangladeshi prison would be much more fitting than a bullet to the back of the head.
Police have charged three men under anti-terrorism laws, a spokesman said on Sunday.
The men, aged 34, 39 and 42, will appear in court on Monday charged with conspiring to provide money or property "knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used for the purpose of terrorism".
The 39-year-old was further charged with "directing the activities of an organisation which is concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism".
A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said the men would not be named before their court appearance for "operational reasons".
The charges were not linked to the July 7 attacks on London's transport network which killed 52 people and four bombers or a second wave of failed attacks two weeks later, a police source said.
The men were arrested in Worcestershire, on December 5. At the time of their arrests, police said they were being held as part of an investigation into "international terrorism overseas".
Detectives did not say where the alleged activity had taken place or give the nationalities of those arrested. The men are due to appear at Bow Street Magistrates Court in central London on Monday
Posted by: too true ||
12/11/2005 21:14 ||
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A fire is continuing to blaze at a fuel depot in Hertfordshire after a series of large explosions sent black smoke drifting across south-east England. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is to visit the scene of the blasts which injured 43 people, two seriously.
The incident at the Buncefield fuel depot near Hemel Hempstead, after 0600 GMT, was said to be the largest of its kind in peacetime Europe. The fire, which police believe was an accident, could burn for another day. About 2,000 people living near the site have been evacuated, while police have advised others to keep their windows and doors closed because of fumes. Thick clouds of smoke are spreading to the south-east and south-west of the site. One person is in Watford General Hospital in intensive care with respiratory problems. Another person is in Hemel Hempstead Hospital being kept under observation. The other 41 people were treated for minor injuries and discharged. Witnesses said another two explosions followed the first at 0626 GMT and 0627 GMT at the site near junction 8 of the M1.
In total, 20 petrol tanks were involved in the fire, each said to hold three million gallons of fuel. Hertfordshire Police Chief Constable Frank Whiteley told a press conference: "There is still a possibility there could be further explosions." A police investigation into the incident has begun, including investigations by anti-terrorist police. But Chief Con Whiteley said there was "nothing to suggest anything other than an accident".
A Hertfordshire fire service spokesman said: "This is possibly the largest incidence of its kind in peacetime Europe." Mr Prescott is on his way to the scene of the blast having earlier visited Hertfordshire police headquarters. Many houses have been damaged, with some reporting feeling effects from the explosion as far away as Oxfordshire - while it was heard in a number of counties and even France and the Netherlands. Eye witnesses reported buckled front doors, cracked walls and blown-out windows. The M1 has been closed both ways between junctions 6a and 12 and may remain shut on Monday. Schools in and around Hemel Hempstead are likely to be closed on Monday, said police. The M10 motorway is closed in both directions between junction 1 and junction 7 as well as some arterial roads in Hemel Hempstead. Motorists have been told not to go "anywhere near the M1 from the M25 upwards". At Heathrow airport some flights were forced to delay landing because of smoke, but Luton airport was operating as usual.
The Buncefield depot is a major distribution terminal operated by Total and part-owned by Texaco, storing oil, petrol as well as kerosene which supplies airports across the region, including Heathrow and Luton. The country's fifth largest fuel distribution depot, it is also used by BP, Shell and British Pipeline. Police said there was no indication the explosion would cause fuel shortages and warned against panic-buying.
A spokesman for Total said: "We are doing everything we can to support the emergency services and to bring the situation under control." A spokesman for the Department for Trade and Industry said it was too early to say what the effect would be on fuel supply but oil companies were getting oil from other parts of the south east and across the UK. "We understand that the oil industry is meeting this afternoon to determine how the supply of petroleum products can be augmented from other distribution terminals," he said.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/11/2005 02:01 ||
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Three large explosions have taken place at an oil depot near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
Police say there are casualties. They are at the scene, said a spokesman.
The first blast happened at 0603 GMT, at the Buncefield oil depot, close to the junction 8 of the M1 motorway 10 miles from Luton Airport.
Residents up to 30 miles from the scene reported hearing a "loud boom". One eye witness told BBC News: "There are lots of houses damaged."
Witnesses said another two explosions followed the first at 0626 GMT and 0627 GMT.
The M1 near the scene has been closed in both directions.
'House shook'
Eye witness Sam Matton, who lives half-a-mile from the depot told BBC News: "The sky is sort of orange. The flames have got to be 60ft up in the air.
"I was in bed, I was actually having a bad dream and I thought the world had ended.
"The loft hatch in my house has actually fallen out, my neighbour's window has actually broken from the impact.
"There was a first major explosion and about three explosions after that.
Dave Franklin told BBC News: "We woke up at 0555 GMT. There was a massive loud bang which broke windows above us and to the right. The whole sky just turned orange and black.
"Several other neighbours said they did see a plane go into the depot."
Duncan Milligan, of Hemel Hempstead, said he was awoken by the explosion as his house "shook".
"There was a loud boom and the house shook violently.
"I am about three miles from where the explosion took place but I can see flames high in the sky and smoke billowing everywhere.
"There is clearly a building on fire near the motorway and police and emergency services are everywhere."
#3
Could be that someone was waiting for Ayman's call to hit oil facilities ... are we sure that al-Jazeera made a "mistake" in choosing to re-air that portion of his September address?
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/11/2005 2:43 Comments ||
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#4
UPDATE: Terriblevision sez the cops believe (unofficially) that this was some kind of an accident.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/11/2005 3:04 Comments ||
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#5
Police are already saying that it was an accident, and that there was definitely no plane involved. To make such definitive statements so soon after the initial explosions seems highly suspicious to me, to say the least.
Posted by: Nothing To See Here ||
12/11/2005 3:06 Comments ||
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#6
Could be. Re-aired for emphasis, not laziness.
Any recent blips from Jamaat-ul-Fuqra or Harkat-ul-Mujahudin? Or the Syrian Brotherhood?
#7
Sky reports 8 dead. Unconfirmed. No mention of an airplane in any of the recent reports. The police assure us it is an accident. UK Fire Marshalls conduct investigations with amazing speed.
There are unconfirmed reports that eight people have been killed in a large explosion, followed by several smaller blasts, near Hemel Hempstead, around 25 miles north of London.
At least 12 crews have been sent to the scene, where flames are soaring up to 200ft in the sky.
The blast appears to be centered around the Buncefield fuel depot near junction 8 of the M1. It was so powerful it was felt more than 20 miles away.
Hertfordshire Police have said the explosion was an "accident" and nothing sinister.
Thousands of viewers are contacting Sky News with reports it shook houses many miles away.
Witnesses have said that buildings have been brought down and the roofs of houses were lifted by the force.
One witness said he was near the site when the blast happened and he saw a building "open up like a dolls house".
Sky Reporter Enda Brady is at the scene. He said there has been a lot of structural damage to surrounding buildings.
"As for residential buildings, it would appear that most people have got away with just blown out windows and cracks," he said.
Brady said he can see a "colossal column of thick black acrid smoke". He added: "People are very, very shocked. Many are walking around int heir bed clothes."
The windows were blown out at the Ramada hotel in Hemel Hempstead, which is being evacuated after reports of injuries.
Sky News Correspondent Geoff Meade heard the blast at his home.
He immediately called Sky Centre in west London, which was also shook by the explosion, and described "burning tongues" of flames in the sky.
The first blast happened at 6.03am - it was followed by several smaller explosions.
Meade, a seasoned war reporter, said he can see what looks like "burning aviation fuel".
"This fire is extremely intense. It is a bright orange glow on the horizon," he said.
Witnesses have told Sky News that emergency services are converging on the area.
Sky News producer Anwar Tambe heard the blast from his home in Luton and is currently stuck in traffic on the M1.
He said blasts are "going off regularly" and debris has blown onto the motorway.
I heard the explosion from where I live approx 40 miles away. It was like a mini earthquake, I thought someone was breaking in the house. It happend at approx 6am UK time. The incidnt is being treated as an accident but you never know. No plane involved and thinking about it would AQ hit somewhere with a higher population and this depot has no housing that close. The only casualties are likely to be staff at the refinery. Massive blast but terrorism very unlikely.
#10
It is near Luton, which is where al Muhajiroun supporters are based. It could be some kind of tactic to bring the country to a standstill attacking fuel depots. That also could be me being paranoid.
#11
wow quite a boom eh, im not even sure where hemel hempstead is but i never heard it in down here in Lymington, bah guess its nowhere near me. The thick smog sht is gonna be the real pain now, asthmatics need to stay in - wait guy on t.v says evacuation in surrounding several mile radius cos its to dangerous. Yeah the t.v crews will spend the next few days filming the smoke whilst explaining how it may have happened with computer graphics and 'experts'.
Posted by: Shep UK ||
12/11/2005 4:15 Comments ||
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#12
sht just twigged to find wind direction and weather forecast incase i get collered by the smog sht.
Posted by: Shep UK ||
12/11/2005 4:16 Comments ||
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#13
BBC Comment: There was a loud explosion, louder than anything I've heard before in my life. My neighbour said that in the Second World War a V2 rocket went off at the bottom of his road and it wasn't anything in comparison. I have a perfect view from my back window and luckily it is dying down a lot, but from what I hear there could be more at any moment.
Adam Whyle, Hemel
#14
good to see that our friends are ok, keep us informed. thanks
Posted by: Red Dog ||
12/11/2005 5:07 Comments ||
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#15
its amazing isnt it the way people allways get excited about loud explosions in this country - almost as if nobody has ever heard a loud boom before. God only knows how we in this country would act in wartime being bombed in this day and age. 16 nminor injuries they say and 4 serious so far.
Posted by: Shep UK ||
12/11/2005 5:12 Comments ||
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#16
I've driven round the back of this spot dozens of times. Fortunately, it's mostly surrounded by open field. And yes, it is quite close to Al-Luton.
#18
DEBKAfile adds: Main fuel depots of this size are routinely equipped with systems for shutting down sections to curb the spread of fire or blasts. The multiple explosions that engulfed the entire installation and destroyed much of 'the nearby industrial estate indicate an unusual catastrophe of some kind. Witnesses reported heavy rumbles before the explosion, much as though an aircraft had crashed into the oil installations.' ok ok its Debka guys but they have a very valid point dont they in that these things dont normally go bang and then keep booming - valves and sht are meant to prevent this from happening. I suppose it must happen sometimes but it still seems fishy , i heard on sky from one person it was a pipeline segment that went up first which to me is very very fishy. Did Binnys boys creep out early on one Sunday morning to sabotage a pipeline/storage facility or just an accident.....
of side note that if and its a big if it was binnys lot and they cause petrol prices to soar then the British public are gonna be seriously mad at Binny and co, hell blowing up busses and trains to kill innocent people might not anger alot of british appeasers but hiking up the fuel prices sure will!
Posted by: Shep UK ||
12/11/2005 5:22 Comments ||
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#22
I can see the smoke from my house, 50 miles away. My dad felt the explosion (I'd have slept through it even if I lived in Luton...).
The police are pretty sure it was an accident, despite their saying they think the place will be on fire for several more days. How they would have determined it was an accident, I don't know.
#24
What would make me believe it is an accident is that the site is described as a depot not a refinery. If it were terrorism, they're smart enough to know to blow a refinery, not a depost, unless it's home gown islamofascists. They might be that dumb.
Okay, it could be an accident. But there have been a LOT of those in the last 2-3 years, no? The refinery in TX, this one, attacks on ships carrying oil .....
Could be they are indeed accidents. But it fits another pattern too.
The UK authorities need to go back to re-read T.H. Lawrence on Arab / desert tribal tactics ... whenever they can they destroy at the edges and melt away. It's a classic barbarian-attacking-civilization technique and al Q has it finely calibrated to keep the fuzzy-headed from being willing to see what's in front of their eyes.
#26
I was on a beach near Galveston, Texas ten years ago when a bolt of lightening from a cloud several miles away (I was in bright sunshine) struck a barge unloading some sort of nasty chemical.
Apparently one of those "bolts from the blue". I wonder if the unloading transfer process generated some sort of static that attracted the bolt?
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/11/2005 9:08 Comments ||
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#27
Partier, do we have someone from OSHA on board who can look at the last few decades of petroleum industry accidents and see if there is a trend? I can't believe that if we were seeing problems there that the insurance companies would not be aware of it. And if they were they would be raising premiums. Someone would be leaking that to the NYT or some similar clarion of truth. I tend to disbelieve in the ability of an open society to keep information secret, even through incompetence. If anything, we have too much information and conspiracy theories.
#28
Agreed re: conspiracy theories and agreed that what is needed here is solid data. What surprises me is that I haven't seen any articles along those lines ... perhaps this incident will cause someone to write one here or in the MSM.
#29
Thanks, as usual I'm getting more info and links from this site than the news on TV. I had hoped to see more photos and video of what's happening. The smoke reminds me of the photos in the 9-11 blast with all of the smoke in the air.
I hope it isn't from terrorists, but I too am suspicious in that they so quickly glommed onto it being an accident. How can you tell that quickly.
Posted by: Jan ||
12/11/2005 10:00 Comments ||
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#30
What will be indicative is how the multiple explosions in sequence are explained.
I drive past a (smaller) fuel depot on my way to work. Those places have a whole lot of safety features designed to keep any fire or explosion a) spreading upward rather than outward and b) contained within a local area.
This depot is reported to have had an excellent safety record. However, it is quite possible that whatever triggered the first, largest explosion overwhelmed those safety features. Which raises the question of what that cause was - and of course it could have been some failure of procedures or equipment, as OSHA says was the case with the BP explosion in Texas.
#33
My dad used to be head of safety at a Petrochemical plant in Texas, after being a safety inspector for DuPont. When he first arrived they were averaging 1 accident w/ injury every six weeks. After some serious retraining and reinforcing the idea of safety, he got it down to 1 accident in 2 years.
Despite all this, they still managed to catch a cracking tower on fire and after he rushed out after a late night phone call, our mom pointed the flames out to us. We could see them 22 miles away. Thanks to all the training, they put it out injury free, but even a well run and safety conscious oil facility can have accidents.
That's why I don't tend to see these as terrorist incidents unless they find some hard evidence. Working with oil, this is going to happen every so often.
#34
I tend to disbelieve in the ability of an open society to keep information secret, even through incompetence.
As of today I am beginning, to believe that it is entirely possible to suppress information from being "verified" and thus clear and overwhelming facts are ignorned by logical people - due to the lack of official confirmation.
This will be a good test. Today is the 11th. The British were on high alert expecting an attack. Ayman just called for strikes on oil - a rebroadcast. Several say they saw a plane (though eyewitness is always suspect and I think that would be hard to lie about. But it does remind me of the missle sightings that were ignored by investigators in flight 800).
It may be beneficial to deny AQ the satisfaction of the victory. I'm ok with it if they do it until the excitement wears off. But if they don't, at some point, acknowledge the truth - then that's truly frightening.
#35
obviously the work of seething Anglicans leaving fiery sunday sermons
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/11/2005 12:03 Comments ||
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#36
I am not a conspiracy nut, but the authorities instantly saying that it was an accident is a bunch of crap. They do not know yet. They will have to investigate for a while; they just want to prevent panic by those that would instantly think "terrorism."
An oil depot would be a good place to start an attack. Gotta have storage of product, and it is a critical node, so an attack is a possibility. We will just have to wait for an investigation.
Shistos Shistadogaloo UK---Cool handle, heh. Is it related to metamorphic rocks?
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/11/2005 13:25 Comments ||
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#37
So let me guess, the price of gasoline in the UK will quadruple almost immediately, until it falls back to normal in about two weeks. Someone's learned some lessons from Katrina :-)
Posted by: Rafael ||
12/11/2005 14:30 Comments ||
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#43
I don't know, Colt. I've seen many a plane in the wee dark hours when taking out my dog. That said, it will be tough to lie about a plane hitting the site.
#44
Isn't there an airport nearby? If so, a plane coming in low to the ground might simply be a routing to land. The authorities should be able to id any regularly scheduled flight or private plane that filed a flight plan. Normally I'd say that a small plane might slip in under radar watch, but isn't that area pretty heavily monitored due to Heathrow etc?
#45
Its about halfway between Stansted and Heathrow airports - 20+ miles from both. Flights to Heathrow from the East come over that area, but fairly high - 5,000 feet+(?). I assume light aircraft are given a lower elevation.
#46
2b, It is definitely possible to suppress information about this kind of thing, and in fact I believe it is policy.
This is why simultaneous attacks are preferred by al Qaeda - it's much, much harder to deny terrorism in those cases. When those Chechnyan black widows blew up Aeroflot planes simultaneously last year, the Russians hemmed and hawed for two days before they finally admitted the obvious.
If a government can argue accident, a authorities will deny it's terrorism. If a government can't deny it's terrorism, they'll minimize the scope... only a "few extremists." If it's more than a "few extremists" it's a loosely connected group of extremists. Loosely connected extremists who never, ever have state support.
I don't believe it's wise policy, for three major reasons. A government of by and for the people must ultimately come clean, so the electorate can make informed decisions come election time. A dishonest policy will undermine trust in government. My immediate response to this was to distrust the official line. It may well be accidental, but the immediate denial of any malicous intent makes me even more suspicious.
I've read huge amounts on terrorist acts against the United States, and how it ties in with our current wars -- everything from Laurie Mylrioe to David Ray Griffen... Griffen and his kind are difficult for me to stomach, but I can see where they are coming from, even though he's flat &@#$ing wrong. But because I've been so immersed in the official disinformation tactics, I can see how an outside observer, closely examining one or two terrorist incidents in isolation, can come to the conclusion that a few government insiders are the real culprits.
Want to see a minor example? Do a Rantburg search: basf texas
SCOTLAND YARD has issued a nationwide alert that Islamist terrorist cells may be plotting a Christmas bombing campaign.
The warning was distributed to police chiefs nine days ago by the Yardâs anti-terrorist branch. It follows a series of operations by police and MI5 aimed at disrupting possible attacks by terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda.
The latest warning was sent to the chief constables of the 51 forces in Britain on December 2. It said there was evidence to suggest that Islamist terrorists were planning to carry out bomb attacks against âcrowded areasâ such as shopping centres, football grounds and train stations.
Senior officers say the alert is not routine and are to increase patrols and searches of potential suspects.
Whitehall officials say Britain remains on the second highest state of alert, Severe (specific). It was raised from the third highest state, Severe (general) to the highest, Critical, on July 7, the day of the London suicide bombings.
It was due to have been lowered on July 21, but the four failed attacks of that day delayed the decision. It was reduced to Severe (specific) in mid-August. Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan police commissioner, revealed two weeks ago that since then police had foiled two further attacks on Britain. Senior police officers have briefed the cabinet that the threat remained high.
Blair said police are preparing for attacks in the next few months. âThe sky is dark,â he said. âIntelligence exists to suggest that other groups will attempt to attack Britain in the coming months.â
Terrorists linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, are feared to have established a network in Britain. Some are involved in recruiting young Muslim men to travel to Iraq to fight the coalition. Others are believed to be planning suicide attacks in Britain itself.
Patrick Mercer, the Tory homeland security spokesman, said he was concerned about further attacks against the underground system: âThe government needs to explain what further efforts it plans to make the tube safer.â
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/11/2005 01:28 ||
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Just a guess on my part, but I suspect that Al Qaeda is planning a bombing attack anytime they think they can make it happen. Given the pressure worldwide on them, just getting them off is hard enough. The bombing in Jordan is an example of that thinking. They'll take it when they can get it.
A Saudi man who is the purported spiritual leader of Arab fighters in Russia's rebel republic of Chechnya has been killed in fighting, an Internet statement said Saturday. "Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Saif al-Jaber al-Buaynayn al-Tamimi, also known as Abu Omar al-Saif, the spiritual guide of the mujahedeen (holy fighters) in Chechnya, was martyred during a fight with the Russians, the enemies of God," said the statement, whose authenticity could not be independently verified. Other Islamists' sites reported the death of Saif's wife in the same fight.
Meanwhile, another statement posted Saturday on the Internet said that Jaber al-Taifi, deputy of the mujahedeen's emir, the Jordanian Abu Hafs al-Ourdoni, was also killed.
A two-fer!
Sheikh Omar, described as the "judicial chief in the Shura (consultative) council" of the mujahedeen, left Saudi Arabia 10 years ago to fight in Chechnya, it said. The native of Qassim province, north of Riyadh, had issued numerous fatwas (religious edicts) calling for jihad (holy war) and is the author of several video and audio messages including on the war in Iraq.
In April 2004, another Saudi Abdul Aziz al-Ghamdi, also known as Abu Walid, who was considered by Russian intelligence as the chief of Arab fighters, was killed in Chechnya. Ghamdi succeeded Arab warlord "Khattab," who was also Saudi-born, after he was killed two years ago.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/11/2005 01:30 ||
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#1
This is a deep philosophical question:
When should we use the Fat Lady, and when do we use the Dancing Girls?
Spanish authorities arrested a group of seven suspects, six men and one woman, Friday morning accused of providing financial support to the Algerian organization, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, allegedly affiliated to Al Qaeda. The National Court in Madrid, which sanctioned and supervised the operation, had ordered Special Forces from Madrid associated with the Spanish Civil Guard to assist the police forces in Malaga with the clamp down. Information from the Spanish Anti Terrorism Unit highlighted that the raids took place in the Costa Del Sol region, specifically, Malaga, Marbella, Torremolinos, and Benalmadena.
According to the same source, all detainees are originally Algerian. Following the arrests, the seven suspects were transferred to the headquarters of the Spanish Civil Guard in Malaga. It is expected that they will be transferred to the National Court in Madrid for investigation at a later stage. Sources have not ruled out the possibility of further raids by the Spanish Security forces based on information provided in the preliminary interrogations with the suspects on their arrival to Malaga. Spanish Interior Minister, Jose Antonio Alonso, told reporters at a press conference, that it had been confirmed that the detainees were accused of financially supporting the Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat. He added, "This cell was engaged in providing logistical and financial support to an Algerian Group. However, we have no evidence that they were planning to carry out any terrorist attacks." He confirmed that the suspects were part of a well-organized cell with a defined structure and strong leadership. He further confirmed that money had been transferred to the group directly and indirectly to prevent the transactions being traced.
Eyewitness accounts stated that vehicles have been continuously transporting suspects to Malaga's Civil Guard headquarters since the raids Friday morning. The European Press Agency reported that an Algerian woman arrived at Malaga''s Civil Guard headquarters early Friday morning complaining that security forces had raided her house in Los Alamos, in Torremolinos at 2AM and arrested her mother and her mother's Algerian friend who had been staying with them for three weeks. According to European Press, the Algerian woman was unaware of her mother's whereabouts. She added that her mother's detained friend worked in a car-rental office near Malaga airport.
Spanish Security Authorities believe that although the suspects had not been preparing any imminent attacks in Spain, they were prepared to "help the terrorists and harbor them if they were to travel to Spain." Sources from the Spanish Interior Ministry told Asharq Al Awsat that the detained suspects transferred money to bank accounts in Algeria of relatives of members of the Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat. The sources added that the suspects were involved in petty crimes such as forging documents and credit cards, drug dealing, and car theft.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/11/2005 00:16 ||
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#1
Spanish authorities arrested a group of seven suspects, six men and one woman, Friday morning accused of providing financial support to the Algerian organization, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, allegedly affiliated to Al Qaeda.
#2
She added that her mother's detained friend worked in a car-rental office near Malaga airport.
That's interesting. If you have a friend in the car rental business, it gives you the ability to have a car with no trace - or to switch some paperwork around and hide all kinds of things. Clever.
#3
That's interesting. If you have a friend in the car rental business, it gives you the ability to have a car with no trace - or to switch some paperwork around and hide all kinds of things. Clever.
Better than that, 2b. Consider:
The sources added that the suspects were involved in petty crimes such as forging documents and credit cards, drug dealing, and car theft.
You need to have a credit card to rent a car. What better place to "steal" credid card numbers. Few people suspect rental cars as being stolen. Change plates with a rental car, drive a stolen car just about anywhere. Cars are always coming in and leaving a rental car place. What a perfect place to switch things around. I think every nation needs to do some sharp thinking about the rental car business, and how secure (or not) it might be.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/11/2005 17:31 Comments ||
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#4
gotta give them credit. The evil little bastards are clever.
Passengers and crew aboard a Northwest Airlines flight last night from Los Angeles to Honolulu overpowered an unruly passenger who threatened a sleeping baby girl, said passengers and officials yesterday.
"I was scared in the plane," said the baby's 30-year-old mother, who would only give her first name of Sheila. "With everything that's happened since Sept. 11, I was hoping that everything was changed. I'm relieved. But I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow. It was a big stress."
About 10 minutes before Flight 91 was preparing to touch down last night in Honolulu, the unidentified 37-year-old Mexican national burst toward the cockpit of the plane and was subdued by four people in the business-class section, according to passengers and the parents of the baby girl, who live in Montreal, Canada.
The man was put in plastic "tough cuff" restraints aboard the plane and detained for the remainder of the flight, said Scott Ishikawa, state Department of Transportation spokesman.
"He was threatening to harm somebody else's infant," Ishikawa said. "It took several people to subdue him. We don't have a reason why he allegedly wanted to harm the infant."
FBI agents had the man in custody last night, Ishikawa said. The FBI did not return telephone calls seeking comment.
The Boeing 757-300 left Los Angeles at 3:21 p.m. with 177 passengers and a crew of two pilots and five flight attendants. "During the course of the flight, one of the passengers was exhibiting behavior of concern," Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhock said. "Attendants and one passenger helped manage the situation."
The baby's 30-year-old father, who would only give his first name of Jean-Francois, said the couple and their sleeping girl were seated in Row 16 against the cabin's bulkhead when the man moved from the back of the airplane and sat down in a seat on the other side of the aisle, one row in front of them.
"He was behaving very strangely," Jean-Francois said. "Stand up. Sit down. He was not listening to the orders of the crew. He looked mentally affected. His mind was not all there. ... He had a (cell phone) cord in his hand. We started to be afraid of that because it could be a weapon. ... He said to the flight attendant that he wanted to kill the baby."
For the next two hours, the man kept staring at the baby. The parents said the tension in the cabin lasted for the rest of the trip across the ocean.
Flight attendants several times asked the man to move toward the back of the plane, but he refused, the parents said. At one point, Sheila, who was sitting in the aisle with the baby in her arms, switched seats with her husband.
"Personally I'm upset that they left this guy with a weapon in his hand for so long," Jean-Francois said. "We're quite upset with how they handled it. If he really wanted to do something, he could have done a lot of things."
About 10 minutes before landing, the flight attendants suggested that the parents instead move toward the back of the plane and they began to comply, they said.
It was then that the man headed toward the front of the plane, Jean-Francois said.
But two men seated in business class intervened and jumped on the man, Jean-Francois said.
good
Two others quickly joined in. "They got him on the floor and tied his hands with plastic," Jean-Francois said.
One of the men, who declined to give his name, said, "He started to head to the cockpit and three of us took him down."
a pack, not a herd
He said the unruly passenger had been holding what looked like a telephone cord and was wielding it like a weapon.
With the man restrained, the pilot then came onto the plane's intercom system about five minutes before landing. "He said, 'We're very sorry for what happened' and apologized for the trouble," Jean-Francois said. The plane landed in Honolulu at 6:46 p.m., 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
Last night, the parents stood with their blond baby inside Honolulu Airport as she slept in her blue stroller. She wore a pink shirt covered with a purple sweater.
After speaking with FBI agents, they tried to begin their first Hawai'i vacation, starting with two days on the Big Island.
"It's our first time," Sheila said. Then she added sarcastically, "Welcome."
"We are very tired," she said. "It's been a long day."
The incident occurred two days after a federal air marshal shot and killed a 44-year-old U.S. citizen in Miami. Witnesses said the man claimed to have a bomb in his backpack and had bolted frantically from an American Airlines jetliner boarding for takeoff.
If he'd been serious about doing harm, he had plenty of time before anyone moved to stop him.
the man moved from the back of the airplane and sat down in a seat on the other side of the aisle, one row in front of them
The crew ought at minimum to have forced him to return to his ticketed seat as soon as his behaviour disturbed the parents of the baby, and if he refused, to have handled him for threatening another passenger.
#4
TW you're too nice. If someone interrupts my flight's crew - I will Kill Them. STFU about bipolar excuses - if I have to bite through their carotid artery, they will not make it into the pilot's area. Their apologists and family can deal with it - I have no apologies
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/11/2005 23:29 Comments ||
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#5
Frank, because there are people like you, it's safe for me to be too nice sometimes. Thank you.
LAHORE: Nawab Akbar Khan Bugtiâs grandson, Sardar Barhamad Khan, has been indicted in the recent Karachi blasts case.
According the BBC, the challans presented by the police in the anti-terrorist court state that the apprehended culprits, Aziz and Mengala Khan told the police that Sardar Brahmad Khan called them and said that since PPL did not employ Baloch workers, they ought to be taught a lesson. Sardar Brahmad allegedly provided them with explosives and a car. In light of this information, the police have declared Sardar Barhamad and his accomplice Abdul Majeed fugitives.
Meanwhile, Nawab Akbar Bugti, talking to BBC, said the government ruled the roost and therefore could declare anybody guilty of anything, or even adduce any kind of statement against or in favour of anybody they want. âIf the Sindh inspector general of police and his deputy is given to my men for interrogation, these government servants would say that President Pervez Musharraf is involved in the crime,â he said. He added that his grandson was at his native village of Dera Bugti. âIf he was involved in such an activity, I would have knowledge of it,â Bugti said.
"He's pure as the driven snow!"
Bugti, who is chief of the Jamhoori Watan Party which claims more rights to minerals the government extracts from Balochistan, went on to say that âprotests and appeals donât make any difference in this country, therefore there is no use of a protestâ.
About the arrests of some men who the police say belong to the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Bugti said: âThe superintendent of police says that they belong to the BLA. It is welcome news because now Punjabis have also joined Balochi people. They are also feeling that Balochistan is being deprived of its rights.â
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/11/2005 00:00 ||
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Experts- can you explain this bit to me? Who are these Iranians? Why are they in Iraq (just before the election)? Why are they 'protected'? Who abducted them?
December 11, 2005
Release Number: 05-12-31
IRAQ: TWO MEMBERS OF PMOI ABDUCTED (UPDATE 1)
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Two members of the Peopleâs Mojahedin of Iran, Hossein Pouyan and Mohammad-Ali Zahedi from the City of Ashraf, were reported to authorities as abducted on Aug. 4 in eastern Baghdad while on a routine logistics trip. The residents of Camp Ashraf have been considered protected persons under the fourth Geneva Convention since June 2004.
Upon receiving reports of the abduction, Multi-National Force - Iraq requested that the Iraqi Police investigate the incident and is assisting in attempts to locate the missing individuals.
#1
IIRC they would be members of MEK, a group of Iranians supported by Saddam who worked to overthrow the mullahs. The US and others consider them terrorists, but Camp Ashraf would be protected because they were confined there.
The group seems to have some weirdnesses about them ... maybe cult aspects re: the founding couple. We disarmed them in 2003, at least officially, but let them stay in the Camp while we started the long process of vetting them.
#2
These folks are "scientific socialists" if I recall. Lots of folks won't be missing them much. I think the MMs are some of those folks who will not mind all to much. I'd check with them first. They might heve even helped them go missing.
#3
MEK I think are on our side. I know they got the Mujahadeen in the name but from what I remember they are on US terrorist list not by anything done to US but they took over a Iranian embasey I believe in Germany awhile back and EU and US put them on the terrorist list as a result. After the Iraqi invasion we took the camp with no shots disarmed them allowed them to stay in Iraq in return they are giving US intel on Iran. It was the MEK that gave the original details that outed Natanz site got the whole Iranian thing going. If they were kidnapped it would be Iranian agents Sadr, maybe even some acual revolutinary brigade boys. When we have to either bomb or land invade Iran the MEK intel sources along with the Kurds will be crucial to the campain. Bottom line maybe not ally like britian is like minded and all but definate enemy of our enemy ally.
An Egyptian man working for the US military in Iraq and captured by armed men has been found shot dead, hours before a deadline set by the captors of four Christian peacekeepers. Muthana Ibrahim, a lieutenant-colonel with the Iraqi police force, said on Saturday that the man, who worked as a translator at a US military base, was found near Hajaj village, north of Tikrit, with identity papers in his pocket. Egyptian news agency MENA identified the man as Ibrahim al-Sayyid al-Hilali, 46. Police said he had been taken from his house on Friday.
He is the eighth foreigner seized in Iraq in two weeks. A German archaeologist, Susanne Osthoff, 43, and her Iraqi driver were taken hostage on 25 November; four Christian aid workers - two Canadians, an American and a Briton - were seized the following day.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/11/2005 00:56 ||
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Iraqi Ministry of Justice officials announced today that the country's Central Criminal Court has convicted seven members of al-Qaeda in Iraq for heinous crimes against the Iraqi people. Four of the convicted terrorist-insurgents were members of a Mosul bombing cell led by Abu Talha. They were found guilty, on Nov. 23 of attacking Iraqi police, Iraqi national guard and coalition forces -- all Article 194 violations of the Iraqi penal code. All four convicts were sentenced life imprisonment, 20 years under the Iraqi system, officials said. The other three convicted terrorists were based in the Adhamiya area of Baghdad. They were found guilty of threatening the public safety, crimes against the security of Iraq, and belonging to armed groups that threaten the Iraqi people.
Officials said the Mosul bombing cell convicts are foreign fighters from Jordan, Syria and Algeria. They reportedly entered Iraq illegally and committed crimes ranging from murder and terrorism to possession of illegal weapons. They were captured in a house where the kidnapped governor of Anbar was found murdered. These terrorists resisted arrest, and a firefight ensued before they all eventually were captured, officials said. Iraqi police, Iraqi national guard and coalition forces raided the house on May 29 and apprehended the four terrorists: Bilal Mahmoud Abdul Hadi, aka Abu Muhommad; Abdullah Muhammed Atala Muhammed, aka Abu Muhammed; Mohammed Ben Rabit Saada, aka Abu Amar; and Ishmail Muhammad Abdullah Bin Abdullah, officials said.
Elsewhere, the three convicted insurgents in Baghdad's Adhamiya terrorist cell planned and participated in armed attacks against Iraqi police, national guard and civilians, and coalition forces. The Adhamiya terrorist cell also provides safe passage into Iraq of foreign fighters from Morocco, Tunisia and North Africa, officials said.
- Iraq's Central Criminal Court found Musab Kasar Abdul Rahman al-Hafith, aka Yunis, guilty of threatening the public safety on Nov. 16. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
- Daud Salman Mohammed Ali al-Barmani was found guilty Dec. 5 of belonging to armed groups who threaten the Iraqi people on and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
Officials hailed the convictions as a landmark for the Iraqi judicial system. The verdict reinforces the will of the Iraqi people that former regime members, terrorist-insurgents, foreign fighters and their supporters be held accountable and punished by an Iraqi court of justice, officials said. Iraq's fledgling civic governmental institutions are working increasingly in tandem to capture, prosecute and convict terrorist-insurgents, officials said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/11/2005 00:00 ||
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#1
..and they're being sent to to Abu Gharib! Oh, the horror!
NABLUS, West Bank - A Palestinian terrorist militant from the Al Aqsa Martyrsâ Brigades was killed in the West Bank town of Nablus early Sunday when an explosive device he was trying to hurl at Israeli soldiers backfired, Palestinian medical sources told AFP.
Another grenade thrower who never played Little League.
Iyyad Hashash, a 19-year-old terrorist militant with the radical group, sustained critical injuries in the blast and died in hospital shortly afterwards, they said.
The incident occurred during a heavy gunbattle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants in the Balata refugee camp, sparked after scores of troops pushed into the area to arrest wanted militants.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/11/2005 00:00 ||
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NABLUS, West Bank - Fierce clashes broke out in the Balata refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Nablus early Sunday as scores of Israeli troops pushed into the camp and began searching for wanted terrorists , Palestinian medical and security services told AFP.
As the gunbattle raged, a terrorist militant from the radical Al Aqsa Martyrsâ Brigades was seriously injured when an explosive device he was trying to hurl at the soldiers exploded in his hands, medical sources said. Security officials said around 40 Israeli jeeps had entered the camp along with five military lorries, with three tanks seen surrounding the camp. As the shooting continued, troops conducted house-to-house searches for wanted terrorists militants, they said.
Nablus is the largest city in the West Bank and a known bastion of terrorist militant activity. The Al Aqsa Martyrsâ Brigades is a nebulous collection of terrorist cells loosely affiliated to Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbasâs ruling Fatah party.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/11/2005 00:00 ||
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In a special interview to the Russian TV station Rossiya, the Syrian president declared the Middle East and the whole world would suffer if Syria were subjected to UN sanctions.
DEBKAfile reports from its exclusive sources disclose that the US and France have jointly prepared the following plan of action to be pursued at the United Nations:
1. France has drafted a seven-point Security Council resolution voicing deep concern over Syriaâs failure to fully cooperate with the UN inquiry in accordance with resolution 1636. The Hariri assassination is defined for the first time as an act of terror, a short step towards holding Damascus guilty of terrorism.
2. The US requests the inclusion in the draft of the phrase: âSyria has for the second time violated Security Council resolution 1636. Personal sanctions are proposed for the Syrian officers suspected by the UN panel of complicity in the Hariri murder plot, including a ban on travel and freeze on their overseas assets.
According to our sources, those two steps will be followed by three more:
--- International arrest warrants against Syrian suspects.
--- Subpoenas to additional Syrian officers for questioning at UN headquarters in Vienna
---Detlev Mehlis, who intends to retire as head of the UN Hariri team after submitting his report to the Security Council on Dec. 15, will first to turn over to the Beirut authorities Hussam Taher Hussam, who fled to Syria and caused a sensation last week by alleging the UN had offered him a bribe to implicate Syrian officers. Mehlis now has the testimony of his girlfriend, who remained in Lebanon. She reports that she was present with Hussam at the scene of the assassination on the day of the crime, when a phone call came through from Col. Jamâa Jamâa, right hand of Gen. Rustum Ghazaleh, a senior suspect. He asked Hussam where he was. When Hussam said he was at the murder scene, Jama told him to get out fast because his life was in danger.
This collapse of Damascusâ attempt to discredit the UN probe is behind president Assadâs threatening statement to Russian TV, in which he said the stability of the Middle East and the world would be imperiled by UN sanctions against Syria.
DEBKAfileâs sources add that the threat is a symptom of his desperation after discovering that he can no longer count on a Russian veto vote against sanctions. The Syrian leader has also been let down by the Saudis. King Abdullah not only spurned Assadâs pleas to intercede on his behalf with Washington, but invited the enemy of his clan, the Lebanese Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, for an official visit to Riyadh Saturday, Dec. 10. okay, now THAT got his attention.
Posted by: too true ||
12/11/2005 16:22 ||
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#1
Assad better accelerate his exile trip to the suburbs of Paris before he is taken out.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/11/2005 16:51 Comments ||
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#2
heh heh - I think this is one of Debka's truth moments, not agitprop. Pencilneck will be found having committed suicide, shooting himself in the head three times, then cutting his own throat AND disposing of all weapons before he died...
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/11/2005 17:26 Comments ||
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#3
I wouldn't think that the Druse would be welcome in Saudi Arabia.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/11/2005 18:28 Comments ||
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#4
the Syrian president declared the Middle East and the whole world would suffer if Syria were subjected to UN sanctions.
Israel's armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed. The order came after Israeli intelligence warned the government that Iran was operating enrichment facilities, believed to be small and concealed in civilian locations.
Defence sources in Israel believe the end of March to be the âpoint of no returnâ after which Iran will have the technical expertise to enrich uranium in sufficient quantities to build a nuclear warhead in two to four years. The order to prepare for a possible attack went through the Israeli defence ministry to the chief of staff. Sources inside special forces command confirmed that âGâ readiness â the highest stage â for an operation was announced last week.
Gholamreza Aghazadeah, head of the Atomic Organisation of Iran, warned yesterday that his country would produce nuclear fuel. âThere is no doubt that we have to carry out uranium enrichment,â he said. He promised it would not be done during forthcoming talks with European negotiators. But although Iran insists it wants only nuclear energy, Israeli intelligence has concluded it is deceiving the world and has no intention of giving up what it believes is its right to develop nuclear weapons.
A âmassiveâ Israeli intelligence operation has been underway since Iran was designated the âtop priority for 2005â, according to security sources. Cross-border operations and signal intelligence from a base established by the Israelis in northern Iraq are said to have identified a number of Iranian uranium enrichment sites unknown to the the IAEA. Since Israel destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981, âit has been understood that the lesson is, donât have one site, have 50 sitesâ, a White House source said.
If a military operation is approved, Israel will use air and ground forces against several nuclear targets in the hope of stalling Tehranâs nuclear programme for years, according to Israeli military sources. It is believed Israel would call on its top special forces brigade, Unit 262 â the equivalent of the SAS â and the F-15I strategic 69 Squadron, which can strike Iran and return to Israel without refuelling.
âIf we opt for the military strike,â said a source, âit must be not less than 100% successful. It will resemble the destruction of the Egyptian air force in three hours in June 1967.â
The March deadline set for military readiness also stems from fears that Iran is improving its own intelligence-gathering capability. In October it launched its first satellite, the Sinah-1, which was carried by a Russian space launcher. âThe Iraniansâ space programme is a matter of deep concern to us,â said an Israeli defence source. âIf and when we launch an attack on several Iranian targets, the last thing we need is Iranian early warning received by satellite.â
Russia last week signed an estimated $1 billion contract â its largest since 2000 â to sell Iran advanced Tor-M1 systems capable of destroying guided missiles and laser-guided bombs from aircraft. âOnce the Iranians get the Tor-M1, it will make our life much more difficult,â said an Israeli air force source. âThe installation of this system can be relatively quick and we canât waste time on this one.â
The date set for possible Israeli strikes on Iran also coincides with Israelâs general election on March 28, prompting speculation that Sharon may be sabre-rattling for votes. Benjamin Netanyahu, the frontrunner to lead Likud into the elections, said that if Sharon did not act against Iran, âthen when I form the new Israeli government, weâll do what we did in the past against Saddamâs reactor, which gave us 20 years of tranquillityâ.
#2
âIf we opt for the military strike,â said a source, âit must be not less than 100% successful. It will resemble the destruction of the Egyptian air force in three hours in June 1967.â
Not sure 100% is possible, but I like the spirit! ;-)
#3
TbyF, I agree, I love their spirit. I only wish that our country backed our military as much.
I've often wondered if we should have our young people go into the service for a few years after school. It wouldn't have to all be in a fighting capacity, some could be on the homefront helping out where needed. I think this would also help give our kids more direction and focus in life. It would certainly teach them to honor and serve our country.
Posted by: Jan ||
12/11/2005 9:41 Comments ||
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#4
âthen when I form the new Israeli government, weâll do what we did in the past against Saddamâs reactor, which gave us 20 years of tranquillityâ.
they describe the last 20 years in Israel as Tranquil, hmmmmm....
Posted by: bk ||
12/11/2005 11:09 Comments ||
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#6
they describe the last 20 years in Israel as Tranquil, hmmmmm....
bk, dear, the last twenty years have been a lot more tranquil in Israel than they would have been had Saddam Hussein built and used the nukes he was working toward at the time Osirak was destroyed.
Posted by: mac ||
12/11/2005 15:32 Comments ||
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#8
"...possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed... sources in Israel believe... Sources inside special forces command...according to security sources...a White House source said...according to Israeli military sources...It is believed... said a source...stems from fears...said an Israeli defence source... said an Israeli air force source...date set for possible...prompting speculation..."
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/11/2005 16:53 Comments ||
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#12
This article is PSYOPS. The attack will be done earlier than March, sez my $20 bill to Fred. The IDF wants to make the MMs paranoid as possible. Existential paranoia, that is.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/11/2005 16:55 Comments ||
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#13
Sooner makes more sense. Much sooner if they go based on scuttlebutt from open sources.
Better to not discuss timing and reasons for it, do not help the enemy.
Cogent gathering of open data on terrain, weather, guesstimates of raid target locations, weapon delivery and SpecOps insertion capabilities, etc, will yield a window. Add in US troop levels (to counter unrest that will follow), cyclical readiness in Iran, religious holiday impacts (on Jews and Muslims), and you come up with a pretty solid sense of when and where, if you take the how and why into account.
Think like a military strategists, not a politician or news reporter.
Oil prices alone will be a huge hit.
This will heat things up in Iraq.
Iran could splinter - but likely will reinforce the Mullah's hand, given the opponent, which woudl encourage them to fund more terror and excursions into surrounding areas (meaning we may be forced to invade to ultimately clear the situation up)
Al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri praised Islamic militants in Iraq, saying they were forcing U.S. troops to look for a way out of the Arab country, according to an audio tape posted on the Internet on Saturday.
It was not immediately clear whether segments of the tape -- dated September 2005 -- had been issued earlier, and why it was posted on an Islamist Web site so long after it was recorded.
"If it were not for the sacrifices of the mujahideen in Iraq ... there would have been no bold jihadi resistance there. It is that resistance which stabs America every day and makes it scream and search feverishly for a way out of its predicament there."
The speaker, who sounded like earlier recordings attributed to Zawahri, called on Muslims to support a holy war in Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories as well as an al Qaeda campaign against Saudi Arabia's "puppet rulers".
"Were it not for the mujahideen's confrontation of Israel and its agents -- our rulers -- Israel would have now expanded to many times its current size.
"If it were not for the jihad movement against puppet rulers the corruption of these rulers would have worsened and they would have sought to eradicate Islam," he said.
In a video interview posted on an Islamist Web site on Wednesday, Zawahri urged militants to attack oil targets in Muslim states and said al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was still alive and leading the group's war on the West.
Al Jazeera television said it had aired segments of that tape in September but excluded some sections, including the threat to oil targets.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
12/11/2005 01:25 ||
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#1
At the same time, though, it appears he admits that AQ has been suffering reverses. Perhaps W is right and that to some extent, AQ is on the run.
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.
Saudi Arabian border guards foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons, ammunitions and explosive material from southern neighbor Yemen, according to a press report published Saturday. Brig. Gen. Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman al-Zahrani, head of border guards of southern el-Saqam region, told the privately owned al-Watan daily that smugglers were caught at the Saudi border town of Akafa, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) south of the capital, Riyadh.
Organisers on Saturday postponed an annual long-distance swimming competition after threats from the militants. âWeâve postponed the Ninth National Long Distance Swimming Competition due to security reasons and threats from Islamic militants,â the general secretary of the Bangladesh Swimming Federation, Shahabuddin Ahmed, told AFP.
DHAKA - Bangladeshâs elite security force said on Saturday it had arrested the main supplier of explosives to an Islamic group waging a suicide bombing campaign to establish Islamic law in the Muslim nation.
A Saudi man who is the purported spiritual leader of Arab fighters in Russia's rebel republic of Chechnya has been killed in fighting, an Internet statement said Saturday. "Sheikh
Spanish authorities arrested a group of seven suspects, six men and one woman, Friday morning accused of providing financial support to the Algerian organization, the 
LAHORE: Nawab Akbar Khan Bugtiâs grandson, Sardar Barhamad Khan, has been indicted in the recent Karachi blasts case.
An Egyptian man working for the US military in Iraq and captured by armed men has been found shot dead, hours before a deadline set by the captors of four Christian peacekeepers. Muthana Ibrahim, a lieutenant-colonel with the Iraqi police force, said on Saturday that the man, who worked as a translator at a US military base, was found near Hajaj village, north of Tikrit, with identity papers in his pocket. Egyptian news agency MENA identified the man as Ibrahim al-Sayyid al-Hilali, 46. Police said he had been taken from his house on Friday.
Iraqi Ministry of Justice officials announced today that the country's Central Criminal Court has convicted seven members of 
NABLUS, West Bank - A Palestinian 
NABLUS, West Bank - Fierce clashes broke out in the Balata refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Nablus early Sunday as scores of Israeli troops pushed into the camp and began searching for wanted 
