Ahmed Rashid
President Hamid Karzai is taking steps to establish landlocked Afghanistan as a trade hub connecting the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Over the past two months, Afghan authorities have reached trade deals with Iran, India and the Central Asian states â all of which grant major concessions to Afghan goods. The new direction Afghan trade is taking is leaving out Pakistan - formerly Afghanistanâs principle trading partner and entry port for imports and exports. Now why would Hamid do that? Aside from the fact that he's not crazy, I mean...
Some Pakistani observers claim the main obstacle to the normalization of trade relation is the hostility of former Northern Alliance leaders who now occupy senior positions in Afghanistanâs interim government. However, other analysts note ambiguities in Pakistanâs policy towards Kabul. Pakistani leaders promise both aid and trade to bolster the Karzaiâs government. At the same time, Islamabad has effectively undermined Kabulâs authority by allowing senior Taliban leaders and other anti-government renegades, including Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Jalaluddin Haqqani, to find de facto sanctuary in Pakistanâs tribal belt. Yeah. You might call it "ambiguities." You might also call it a program of subversion and meddling, too...
Western diplomats in Islamabad say the Interservices Intelligence, which dominates Pakistanâs Afghan policy, appears more interested in trying to counter Indian and Northern Alliance influence in Kabul than in improving trade ties. "Pakistan is losing out because its myopic policies place countering India above trade and stability in Afghanistan," says a Western ambassador in Islamabad. If Pakistanâs security apparatus does not realign its policy towards Kabul, Islamabad could find itself isolated, observers say. Such isolation could result in Pakistan missing out on the expected windfall from the development of Central Asian oil and gas resources. And that, of course, will be the fault the the Merkin hegemons, somehow...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 10:56:11 AM ||
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Source: The Times (Britain)
A new dispute between Washington and Berlin is breaking out over the extradition of a Yemeni sheikh arrested in Germany after an entrapment operation by American agents. "The bitch set me up..." Sheikh Ali Hassan al-Moayad, an influential opposition figure in Yemen and a suspected sponsor of international terrorism, travelled to Frankfurt this month to seek treatment for gall bladder problems. It proved to be a mistake: within days he was in a high-security prison, arrested on the basis of a warrant hurriedly drawn up by the FBI and authorised by a Brooklyn court. The US authorities say that the 54-year-old sheikh channelled money, weapons and recruits to the terrorist groups Hamas and al-Qaeda between October 8, 1997, and December 17, 2002. He also had contacts with Osama bin Laden. Yep. Sounds like a bad boy. So what's the problem, Fritz?
The Germans are irritated. "The warrant was issued on January 5, before the arrival in Germany of the Sheikh and his lover travelling companion, but it was not supported by much documentation," a source close to the investigation team said yesterday. "We expect a little more, even from the Americans." Okay. I'd assume they gave them a little more?
The "little more" came as a sting set up by US agents. On January 8 a Yemeni contact man, apparently with links to both German and US Intelligence, introduced the sheikh to a black American claiming to be a millionaire. The American came to the Sheikh's hotel room at Frankfurt airport, and said that he wanted to build a huge bakery in Sanaa, Yemen's capital: 7,000 loaves a day could be distributed to the poor. He said he had made his money in building and had converted to Islam; he could quote from the Koran. He said that he wanted to help. Schools could be constructed. His condition: some of the donated money should go towards the holy war. "No, no!" the sheikh responded. "I'm a peaceful fellow! I don't support terrorists!" Right?
The conversation was bugged. Near by three agents of the German Federal Criminal Agency sat with two interpreters and an FBI operative listening as the sheikh apparently agreed to the plan. According to leaked fragments of the transcript, the sheikh said that any money remaining after building the bakery would be used to fight the "Great Satan America". The fake millionaire suggested coding the payments to avoid the gaze of the Intelligence services. The Sheikh allegedly agreed to this and to money-laundering measures. Looks like they got the goods on him. So what's Fritz bitching about?
The meeting was enough to justify the arrest of the sheikh and his companion, Mohammed Yahya Zayed, 28. It does not yet seem to be enough to justify the Sheikh's extradition to the United States. Ohfergawdsake!
Washington, already irritated by Germany's stand against a war with Iraq, is expressing dismay about the lack of progress. Meanwhile a second extradition request has arrived from Yemen, which believes that it could face unrest if the Sheikh, a popular man at home, is sent to America. Hmmm... I'd guess that the Yemenis don't intend to treat him quite the same way the Merkins would.
The legal problem relates to the evidence gathered through eavesdropping. West Germany, all too aware of what happened under the Nazis, had banned secretly taped evidence from the courtroom. Germany's new anti-terrorism laws give the police greater scope for sting operations but investigators have to show that they did not steer or provoke an incriminating statement. The Sheikh refuses to speak but his companion, Mr Zayed, says that no compromising conversation took place. "Nope. Not even the one on tape."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 11:47:48 AM ||
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Only two of the seven people arrested during a raid at the Finsbury Park mosque in north London this week are still being held under the Terror Act. Four of those held since last Monday are now in custody for suspected immigration offences and one has been released. The two men still being questioned on suspicion of terrorism-related offences are north Africans aged 29 and 31. So that would imply that six of the seven are in custody, not two â or have my arithmetic skills deteriorated that much with age?
The North London Central Mosque Trust which runs the mosque boarded up the building and directed people to use a Muslim centre nearby. On Friday, cleric Sheikh Abu Hamza, who is based at the Finsbury Park mosque, led prayers outside. Sheikh Hamza protested to about 150 people that the police had "vandalised" the building. Abu hasn't left yet? Guess the Brits aren't taking it that seriously. If it was me in charge, he'd be back in Yemen right now...
On Thursday, police made another arrest in connection with the discovery of ricin during the raid in Wood Green. The 31-year-old north African was held under the Terrorism Act 2000, Scotland Yard said. Y'gotta do something with them after you arrest them. Each of these goobers who's above the cannon fodder level has a connection with the rest of the organization. The cannon fodder can tell who recruited them and how, before being sent back to Algeria or Morocco or wherever. The runners and controllers can tell where the money comes from, and who the ÃŒbercontrollers are. If the Brits need help with this, I'm available at very reasonable rates...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 10:44:03 AM ||
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After a weekend of antiwar protests that many participants say signaled an expansion of public opposition to military action against Iraq, some organizers are facing criticism, much of it from within the movement, about the role played by their group, International Answer. Attendance at rallies in Washington and San Francisco last Saturday was in the tens of thousands, and reflected a mix of views that spanned the social and political spectrums. Sure did. The range of views went from left to left...
Many protest organizers say the presence of labor unions, religious groups, business people and soccer moms showed a growing mainstream opposition to the war. But behind the scenes, some of the protesters have questioned whether the message of opposing war with Iraq is being tainted or at least diluted by other causes of International Answer, which sponsored both the Washington and San Francisco rallies. Answer, whose name stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, was formed a few days after Sept. 11, 2001, by activists who had already begun coming together to protest policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. They're an outcropping of the Anti-Globalization Nutcase Coalition...
Some of the group's chief organizers are active in the Workers World Party, a radical Socialist group with roots in the Stalin-era Soviet Union. The party has taken positions that include defense of the Iraqi and North Korean governments and support for Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugolav president being tried on war crimes charges. Oh, and let us not forget their opposition to operations in Afghanistan...
The positions of some of Answer's members have caused rifts in past antiwar movements as well. In January 1991, at the onset of the Persian Gulf war, two coalitions of protesters marched separately, on consecutive weekends, because one refused to align itself with the other, whose members included current Answer officers who would not criticize the Iraqi government or support economic sanctions against it. ANSWER is a Ramsey Clark vanity organization. Ramsey's been in love with Sammy for years...
In an interview today, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a spokeswoman for Answer, said questions raised about the group's role were "classic McCarthy-era Red-baiting." Really? And how's that, pray tell?
"When you select out the Socialists or Marxists," she said, "the point is to demonize and divide and diminish a massive, growing movement." When a massive, growing movement is controlled by Marxists and Socialists and unreconstructed Commies, pointing the finger is not red-baiting. It's calling a spade a spade. We're past the point of paying no attention to that man behind the curtain.
It is good to see that the Times has noticed what ANSWER is. The rest of us noticed about a year and a half ago.
FOLLOWUP: Meryl addresses the disgusting "golden calf" procession in Davos. I'm not surprised. The world is realigning, choosing sides the a war that's just begun. We know what side those guys are on. Just glancing at the picture, I'm actually glad they're not on our side.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 11:27:53 PM ||
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Bugti and Mazari tribes once again Saturday engaged in fighting using light and heavy guns worsening the law and order in the area as old rivals have enmity to get release six abducted men of Bugti tribe. In this week, rockets in exchange of firing between the two rivals disconnecting gas supply to all the country paralyzing the industrial as well as domestic activities hit Sui installations. A bit incoherent, but it sounds like these primitives fighting each other have managed to damage the gas supply to the entire country â probably just the countryside around them, but still enough of a dent to inconvenience their neighbors and shut down any local industry...
The local expressed the fear that if the differences remained then further gas installation may once again be under serious threats as Gaddu-Kashmor road is closed for traffic. Frontier Constabulary Jawan sent to the troubled area to restore law and order but they have returned back as the conflict remains in the area. "You! You, over there! Let's have some law and order, here!... (Cheeze, that was close!)... Lay down your arms and... Cripes! I'm gettin' out of here!"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 11:25:12 AM ||
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Lord Nazir Ahmed, member of British House of Commons, Friday lashed out at US ambassador to Pakistan, Ms Nancy Powell, saying, she should not join the Indian propagandists. Pak has a representative in Parliament? Well, why not? They've got one in the U.S. Senate...
He asked the ambassador to bring proofs in support of her allegations. "She does not see repeated and frequent tests of Indian missiles system". But that's not what she was talking about, is it?
He was talking to President AJK Sardar Mohammad Anwar Khan in a meeting held at Kashmir House here on Saturday. Lord Nazir said India has not so far investigated Chathi Singhpura incident, which was the handiwork of Indian intelligence agencies. "Even the Amnesty International has written on this. " That's not what she was talking about, either...
He said this should have taken with the Foreign Office not to speak at a business forum. He diverted Nancy's attention towards India's arms race and asked the US to take its notice. Nope. Wasn't talking about that, either...
The AJK president said America itself was on frontline and wanted elections held in Indian held Kashmir first. Later they were waiting for elections in Pakistan and giving impression that they would do something. Whither have gone they promises, he asked. What Nancy was talking about was the Pak habit of exporting large numbers of crazed killers into Kashmir. It shouldn't be too long before we talk to them about their habit of exporting crazed killers to Afghanistan.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 11:16:13 AM ||
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The President and Prime Minister of Azad [Pak] Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Mohammad Anwar and Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan Saturday visualized statement of the US envoy as disappointing and contrary to ground realities. That's Pakistani for "No, we're not going to stop subverting and terrorizing our neighbors"...
President Anwar said, "such statements may harm ongoing war against international terrorism led by the United States besides providing enough grounds to the allies to part their ways from the coalition." Thinking about jumping ship, are you? Well, you can change side. Go ahead. It's okay. We don't mind...
"We are being disappointed from such statements contrary to the realities of the freedom movement against the Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir," Prime Minister Sikandar said. "I mean, we've been wreaking havoc in J & K for all these years. We'd really hate having to stop..."
The US Envoy Ms Nancy Powell in her latest statement in Karachi the other day had asked Pakistan to stop cross border infiltration to Indian held Kashmir. Like they said they were doing...
Anwar and Sikandar said instead of accelerating the process for impressing the occupation forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir as was demanded since 1947 by the people of Kashmir, the statement of US Ambassador in Pakistan, Ms Nancy Powell could be conceived "of putting the sacrifice of lives of some 83,000 martyred in Kashmir in the trashcan." They're the ones who declared jihad. If their habit of tossing grenades into crowded places and cutting people's heads off ends up getting them killed, we don't really care. Matter of fact, I, personally, find a feeling of satisfaction every time one of them bites the dust...
"The events of September 11, 2001 demand a system based upon justice and if real justice continues lacking than such events may be conceived as a continued process," Sardar Anwar said. Sounds like a threat to me...
Both the leaders were of the view that the post September 11 events brought hardships for the Muslim World. "We call for the entire Ummah to be united with their full strength at one platform to defend ideological and territorial frontiers as well as interests of the Muslims," they said. "Yeah. Let's all us Muslims get together and kill large numbers of infidels and steal their stuff. Wanna see my turban?"
Both speaking separately has made it crystal cleared that through indigenous movement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the besieged valley would be surely liberated. "No body else but the people of Jammu and Kashmir would get rid of the occupation forces in Indian held Kashmir," they maintained. Well, them and a bunch of Paks, and some Arabs...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 11:09:44 AM ||
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MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has argued that Australia is the only country to sign up enthusiastically for a possible US-led war on Iraq. Mahathir said Australia had taken on the role of deputy sheriff for Washington, which was "completely isolated" in its Iraq policy. "Only Australia has signed up enthusiastically, in the role of deputy sheriff. Even Britain is now having some second thoughts," he told Newsweek. "Festus!"
"Yes, Marshal Dillon?"
"I'm going to level Iraq. Keep an eye out for the Dalton Gang while I'm gone."
"You ain't goin' to level no Iraq without me. I'm goin' with you."
"Well... Okay. I guess Miss Kitty can deal with the Dalton Gang..."
Mahathir alo defended Malaysia's introduction of Islam saying it was a "modernising force" for nomadic people of the Arab world. He related Islamic fundamentalism to the "globalising of everything". "Even terrorism has been globalised. But you can't change this trend. We have to deal with these mobile Arabs, and we do. Even in the Arab world, fundamentalists are a minority." Did that statement make any sense? The Commies were a minority. The Nazis were a minority. The Ba'athists are a minority. Every oppressive feudal system that's ever existed has featured power wielded by a minority. Why would Malaysia be safe?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 7:18:07 PM ||
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Pakistani police sources now say the executioner was a top al-Qaeda terrorist
By TIM MCGIRK Cancelled my Time subscription a long time ago, but this smells like truth
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003
A Pakistani court has sentenced to death one man, Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, 28, and imprisoned three others for their roles in the abduction and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl a year ago in Karachi. But the mystery of who wielded the knife that beheaded Pearl is still unsolved. Now Pakistani police sources tell TIME that at least one witness says Pearl's throat was slit by a top al-Qaeda terrorist, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. A Kuwaiti of Pakistani descent, Mohammed is believed by U.S. authorities to have been a key organizer of the Sept. 11 hijackings.
A suspect in the abduction, Afghan war veteran Fazal Karim, has identified Mohammed as the man who drew the knife across Pearl's throat, two men who participated in Karim's interrogation tell TIME. Karim was detained in a Pakistani crackdown on militant groups last May, and he admitted he assisted in Pearl's abduction. During his interrogation, Karim confessed that he had helped three unknown Arabs carry out Pearl's murder. With Karim's aid, one Arab pinned the journalist to the floor while another wielded the weapon. The third videotaped the grisly act. The two officials who grilled Karim tell TIME that when the militant was asked to identify the Arabs from a stack of photographs, he stabbed his finger at Mohammed's picture and told police it was Mohammed who handled the knife.
Despite this fresh evidence, Pakistani police working on the Pearl case notice a distinct cooling in their superiors' interest. Saeed and his co-defendants are appealing the verdict, and Karim's testimony may weaken the government's case that Saeed was both ringleader of the plot and Pearl's executioner. Until the Pakistani Supreme Court rules on Saeed's appeal, say police, it is doubtful that kidnapping charges will be brought against Karim, who is in custody. Meanwhile, the search is on for Mohammed, who investigators think is still hiding in Pakistan.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/26/2003 10:30:32 PM ||
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Palestinian factions including Hamas have begun talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on an Egyptian plan to end attacks against Israeli civilians. Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas's political bureau, arrived for the meeting on Friday after speculation about who would attend. About 10 groups ranging from Yasser Arafat's mainstream Fatah movement to Marxist and Islamist groups are now believed to be represented. But Hamas and another militant group, Islamic Jihad, said earlier that they would reject the Egyptian peace plan and were only interested in Palestinian political issues at the talks. Only Fatah has endorsed the truce proposal so far. Pretty clumsy version of "good cop-bad cop". Hamas can always be counted on to call for blood. So all this amounts to is more talk...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 10:32:55 AM ||
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FoxNews reports that the Israeli cabinet is considering reoccupying Gaza...
Israeli forces are imposing a complete closure on the Palestinian territories until after Israel's general election on Tuesday. Curfews and cordons will prevent travel by Palestinians in areas which Israel believes to be militant hotspots. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said that within Israel itself, soldiers would be deployed alongside police during voting, because of a large number of warnings about possible attacks. He was speaking just hours after the Israeli army carried out a raid deep into the Gaza Strip, in which 12 Palestinians were killed and more than 50 others wounded. A senior Palestinian official, Saeb Erakat, accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of staging the incursion to win votes. If the Paleos weren't intent on slaughtering Israelis, the incursions wouldn't win him any votes, would they?
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 10:28:15 AM ||
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Federal law enforcement officials have detained the head of Grozny's community of bandit formations, the Interior Ministry's North Caucasus department reported on Saturday. The North Caucasus department for the eradication of organized crime and the Krasnodar Territory special purpose unit detained the 31-year-old suspect during a raid linked to investigations into the bombing of the government compound in Grozny in December. The suspect had a pass, probably a forged one, and a TT pistol with four cartridges. Sounds like they've nabbed the local controller. Extracting the names and addresses of his associates should be a simple, if painful, process. Catching them becomes the hard part...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/26/2003 9:52:16 AM ||
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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.
