Interview with Taliban diplomat Naseer Ahmed Rohi in the Gulf News. Contains the usual boasts of large numbers of American casualties, but there are a few interesting items as well.
Remnants of theTaliban regime announced they possess chemical and other sophisticated weapons provided by 'friendly' states to the Afghan resistance aimed at challenging the presence of U.S. and the allied forces in war-shattered Afghanistan.
"Mujahideen (holy warriors) are now in possession of chemical and other sophisticated weapons provided by friendly countries. We have still not used them but guided missiles and remote control weapons have been used and the results are very encouraging," claimed former Taliban diplomat, Naseer Ahmed Rohi. Guided missle means they leaned it against a rock before running away. Remote control weapon = suicide bomber.
The former Taliban diplomat, who claimed to have served as first secretary at an Afghan embassy before the fall of the Taliban was briefing a select group of senior journalists in Peshawar on Friday. He said the new weapon was not used by Mujahideen in the past. However, experts and analysts of the Afghan situation believe that the claim by the Taliban official needs verification. They think he's lying like the rug he was sitting on
The Taliban official categorically denied Pakistan's role in the provision of the latest technology and dangerous weapons, but said some Muslims as well as non-Muslim friendly countries have supplied the Mujahideen with the weaponry. Denied Pakistan gave him weapons,did he? Was he asked, or did he just volunteer it?
Rohi did not name the country that supplied what he claimed were chemical weapons to the resistance forces in Afghanistan, but said the situation was encouraging because of the attacks on the U.S. and allied forces in eastern and southern provinces of the country during the last few months. If we find the "weapon" we can trace it back, and return it
Rohi claimed that Taliban, Al Qaida fighters loyal to Osama bin Laden and Hizb-i-Islami's Mujahideen under the leadership of Gulbadin Hikmatyar have joined hands and reactivated its dormant cells in several provinces to take on the enemy.
"Hikmatyar met Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar in Uruzgan province and both the leaders have agreed on the war strategy and coordination among the resistance groups," he said adding that the two leaders have resolved to launch a joint struggle for the liberation of Afghanistan from foreign forces and holding of general elections in the country in case of success to oust the invaders. "It was Hikmatyar's insistence to hold general elections in the country after the victory," Rohi said. Bet there's only one name on the ballot
Uruzgan is the native province of Mullah Omar, and the Taliban official claimed that their leader spends most of the time in his area due to the fact that he is little known to the people as he kept his distance and did not allowed cameramen to take his pictures. "It was purely because of his Islamic view, but non-existence of his photos has proved a blessing in disguise for him and is paying off now," Rohi said. That's true, there is supposed to be only one picture of him. That was taken from a long way off and not very clear
The Taliban official said that Mullah Omar has not changed the way he dresses nor had Osama bin Laden, but certain key Taliban leaders wanted by the U.S., have done so by shaving their beards or trimming them out of compulsion. Rohi said that Hizb's fighters have taken responsibility to launch attacks on the U.S. forces in eastern provinces while Taliban and their supporters would carry out such activities in southern parts of Afghanistan. About bin Laden, he said, the Al Qaida chief was alive and moving in areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan along with one of his wives and children. Bin Laden has four wives and more than a dozen children. "Osama received injuries in the chest during the Tora Bora bombing by U.S. planes, but has survived the air strikes. Wishful thinking?
However, the entire family of Aiman Al Zawahiri has been killed including his two wives and children," the Taliban official claimed. He said that Al Zawahiri, second in command in the Al Qaida network, has moved out of the region saying that according to his information, Zawahiri was no longer in Asia. He did not disclose his whereabouts. Saudi, perhaps?
Rohi claimed that Hekmatyar's forces have captured as many as 50 U.S. soldiers on way to Kabul from Logar while the Taliban fighters captured another 26 U.S. special forces personnel during the Shah-i-Kot fighting, code named as Operation Anaconda. "We will bring them before the press after the approval of the top leadership," he said. Fiction, if we had MIA's we'd be turning over every rock in the dammed country. That lesson we learned all too well.
However, Pakistani intelligence officials denied the story, saying that news about 10 to 15 missing U.S. soldiers has been in circulation for long. "I believe that the operation in Kunar province of Afghanistan last month was aimed at finding clues to the whereabouts of the missing Americans," an official of the secret agencies said.
Rohi also claimed that as many as 5000 fighters loyal to the Taliban movement have been activated in southern as well as eastern provinces. "We still have Arab, Chechen, Uzbek and even Pakistani fighters with us and were ready to fight against the foreign invaders. More the merrier
Taliban as well as the Arab Mujahideen are not happy with Pakistan's policy of arresting and handing over hundreds of Muslims to the U.S.," he said. They are still alive working on their suntans in Gitmo. Come to Afganistan to fight us and you might get to join them, if you're very lucky. You'll most likely just get dead
Posted by: Steve ||
01/04/2003 11:30 pm ||
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"We still have Arab, Chechen, Uzbek and even Pakistani fighters"
I note he did not mention Afghani fighters. Oversight? Taliban was always more Arab than Afghan...
Posted by: John Anderson ||
01/05/2003 5:00 Comments ||
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SANA
Three people were killed and two women injured in fresh clashes between two commanders in Afghanistanâs southeastern province of Khost. The clashes broke out between forces loyal to Commander Khyal Baz and Commander Mustafa in Khost city in the afternoon. Radio Tehran claimed that Khost Governor Hakim Tenewal removed Commander Mustafa, who is currently in Kabul. The situation in the province was tense after the incident. Mustafa has time and again criticised the âarroganceâ of the US forces towards the provincial authorities, and alleged that they harassed the Afghans. Taniwal and Mustafa were allied in getting rid of Zadran, and now that he's gone both want to be in charge. Taniwal's the one who's got the job on paper, and the one with the support from Kabul. Mustafa's got guns and mullahs.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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I assume Taniwal and Tenewal are the same Hakim.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
01/04/2003 21:11 Comments ||
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The very same. Formerly a mild-mannered professor, now sheriff of Dodge City governor of Khost.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/04/2003 23:04 Comments ||
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Middle East Online and Ummahnews
A large number of Islamist students have been arrested in Yemen in the wake of this week's murdersfatal shootings of three American missionaries and the assassination of a socialist political leader, a security official said Thursday. "Many students at Al-Iman University in Sanaa suspected of extremist activities and having links with the assassins of the three American missionaries and the number two of the Yemeni Socialist Party Jarallah Omar were arrested Thursday," said the official. He would not disclose exactly how many students had been arrested, but said among them were "persons whose names were mentioned in the questioning of the assassins of the Americans and Jarallah Omar." If the Yemenis do something with them other than hold them for a few days and then let them go, they're serious about the War on Terror.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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Relieve them of the loose change, I'd imagine.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
01/04/2003 21:12 Comments ||
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If comment on www.yementimes.com is typical of Yemenis, there appears to be an understanding that current social-political structures are not working and need to be replaced. I was surprised to read that Yemenis have the highest per capita gun ownership in the world. Gun ownership is a good thing where most people are law-abiding - ie. Texas - but bad where there are large numbers of people who want to overthrow governments.
The Yemeni accused of killing three American missionaries was moved Friday under tight security to the Yemeni capital, where he will face more questioning. "Mustafa, get the truncheons oiled, if you please..."
Yemeni officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move will give U.S. officials better access to Abdul Razak Kamel. Heavily armed police transferred Kamel from the remote southern Yemen village of Jibla, where Monday's slayings at a Baptist-run hospital took place, to the main intelligence headquarters in Sana'a, reported Washington Post. U.S. authorities have not had access to Kamel or his suspected collaborator, Ali al-Jarallah, who is accused of gunning down Jarallah Omar, deputy leader of Yemen's Socialist Party, last week. That was the start of the terror offensive in Yemen...
But American diplomats have said Yemeni investigators are co-operating with the United States. Investigators believe al-Jarallah and Kamel belong to a larger cell that was planning attacks against at least eight targets, including foreigners and Yemeni political leaders. And it looks like the Yemenis have stopped it.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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I thought you polished truncheons. Or are those the Turkish variety, and the Yemenis want to muscle in on the market with a version of their own, and need some testimonials?
The cell was perhaps perating out of the school mentioned previously?
Middle East Online
More than 40 prisoners suspected of links with the al-Qaeda network have been on hunger strike in a Saudi jail for the past week, a prison source said Friday. Hey, I'm all for it!
The source confirmed a report by the London-based opposition Islamic Movement for Reform in Saudi Arabia of the strike in the Ruays prison in Jeddah. That'd be a "legitimate" al-Qaeda front operating from London. The "reform" they want would involved killing off the princes, establishing a khalifate and taking over the world.
They operate Radio al-Islah, beaming Islamic propaganda to Arabia via shortwave. As if they didn't have enough mullahs on site to do that...
The group's spokesman, Saad Al-Faqih, quoting medical sources, said the detainees, aged 19 to 40, were accused of cooperating with Osama bin Laden's network and slandering the Saudi regime. He said they had launched a hunger strike because since their interrogation, in which they had allegedly been tortured, they had not been tried or released. "Several of them, suffering from dehydration and fainting fits, were recently taken to hospital for emergency treatment," Faqih said. "The authorities then set up a medical centre so as not to have to take the sick to hospital and avoid any information leaking out about the hunger strike." I'd be happier if they were burial details...
The prison source, who refused to be identified, said 106 people accused of links with al-Qaeda had been held in the jail for nearly 15 months. On November 20 Saudi Interior Minister Nayef bin Abdel Aziz said the authorities were still interrogating more than 100 Saudis from among hundreds rounded up for questioning about their experiences fighting in Afghanistan. "The Saudi authorities have already questioned nearly 700 Saudis who came back from Afghanistan," Prince Nayef told reporters here. "Those who are still being held for interrogation number more than 100." When these 40 kick off from starvation, that'll leave just 60 to worry about.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:04 pm ||
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Our interests converge, however, when it comes to liquidating the princes...How goes it, the enemy of my enemy is my friend? ;-)
Posted by: Brian ||
01/04/2003 15:32 Comments ||
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Brian, these guys play by no rules and will stab us in the back the moment they can. We have enough "friends" like these in Europe that we don't need any more...
Source: NBC
Regarding the war on terrorism, NBC News has uncovered new information about a self-avowed partner. Are members of al-Qaeda using Saudi Arabia as a shelter? I think they are. What to you think?
The desert border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen stretches for hundreds of miles. It is an area CIA drones prowl nearly round the clock for al-Qaeda. NBC News has learned for months that scores of al-Qaeda Operatives regularly go back and forth between the countries, sometimes in cars or SUVs, or sometimes sheltered by the region's tribes. At any one time, as many as 50 are in Saudi Arabia, a country which has pledged full cooperation in the war on terrorism. Oh, I am so surprised!
"There are only two possible reasons. If there were substantial numbers of al-Qaeda inside Saudi Arabia, why the Saudis would not be dealing with them. Either they're unwilling to do so, or they're unable to do so," explained former CIA Chief James Woolsey. What a magnificent piece of analysis! You can drop all that quantitative analysis stuff, and all that games theory â this is what we need: direct, to the point, binary â yes or no, take your pick.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:09 pm ||
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But on the third hand...
It could be both. The Saudis who would do so are unable to do so because of the other faction, who are unwilling (I'd guess those are actively, if quietly, backing aQ).
Posted by: Kathy K ||
01/04/2003 17:51 Comments ||
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Or they simply don't see it as a problem. Like our politicos slam illegal aliens and then can't seem to not hire Guatemalan cleaning maids for their DC condos. Supporting your local Islamic radical might be de rigeur in Riyadh.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
01/04/2003 21:17 Comments ||
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French police Friday arrested Brahim Chalabi, the younger brother of a suspected Algerian Islamic militant leader, and were preparing to deport him to Algeria, his lawyer said. The planned deportation comes despite a request from the European Court of Human Rights for Brahim Chalabi, just released from prison, to remain in France, his lawyer Alain Mikowski said. Chalabi, 41, was arrested as he was released from Chateauroux prison in central France after serving a four-year sentence for belonging to a "terrorist" group. "Terrorist" groups "kill" people.
His brother, Mohamed Chalabi, is believed to head up the Chalabi network, a movement which supports the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) responsible for much of the bloodshed that has wracked Algeria since 1992. Mikowski said his client was being held in a special security zone in Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport and was to be transferred to Orly airport Saturday and flown to Algeria. His wife, Karima Chalabi, issued a statement Friday saying she was a French citizen, and, like their four children, her husband was born in France and had never lived in Algeria. However, Brahim Chalabi has been banned from staying in France by French authorities. Because they have enough terrorists...
He had lodged a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights, which in turn had requested that Chalabi be allowed to stay in France until the matter is heard and for Paris to supply guarantees that Chalabi would not be maltreated by Algerian authorities if deported. "Not only does he not know anyone in Algeria, but he is going to 'disappear' as soon as he arrives, like the others from the trial. He will be met by guys from Algerian military security, and they are no choir boys," said Mikowski. Sounds like a fine idea to me...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 11:18 am ||
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Well! First their unilateral action in Africa, now defying the "European Court of Human Rights"! Is Dubya taking notes so he has something to fling into Chirac's face the next time the latter blathers about the US being unilateral and defiant of international institutions?
With U.S. forces coming under increasing fire along the Afghan-Pakistani border, a military spokesman said today that the United States reserves the right to pursue Taliban and al Qaeda guerrillas into Pakistan. "U.S. forces acknowledge the internationally recognized boundaries of Afghanistan but may pursue attackers who attempt to escape into Pakistan to evade capture or retaliation," Maj. Stephen Clutter said here at the military base that serves as headquarters for U.S. and allied troops in Afghanistan. I don't imagine we'll actually do it, but this is a nice message to Perv â and more importantly to the fundos â not to screw around. It's also a response to the fundos' latest round of street riots demonstrations. It's no skin off our collective fore if they choose to riot in the streets and burn flags.
FOLLOWUP:
Pakistan has denied that the US has been given the right to pursue Taleban and al-Qaeda suspects fleeing across its border from Afghanistan. Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told the BBC that American forces could not cross the border from Afghanistan in hot pursuit. On Friday, US forces in Afghanistan said they have the right to pursue suspected enemy forces across the border into Pakistan if necessary and that Pakistan was aware of this. Despite its firm resistance to the plan the Pakistani authorities did pledge that Islamabad would continue to support the US-led coalition in Afghanistan. Just as it's been doing...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:44 pm ||
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Has Pakistan has forgotten then we now have a base in the area (afganistan)? They dont have the cards to be playing in this game.
India on the east, the US on the West. The smart strategy is to pick a camp and stay there.
#2
I wonder when the Indian Army will get the itch to do the "cross border shuffle"? This is not a good precedent for Musharraf, particularly as the Afghan auxilliaries of the US are filled with pro Indian Northern Alliance gunnies, most of which have a keen appreciation for how Indian and Russian subsidies bankrolled the NA for years.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
01/04/2003 21:29 Comments ||
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Tom, Indian "hot pursuit" of jihadis across the line of control in Kashmir could easily provoke a war. I don't think the Indians want that right now, especially after they've demobilized a big part of their military in/near Kashmir. Unless the jihadis do something spectacular, I think the Indians want to keep the lid on and keep developing their country and military forces. Time is on their side, not Perv's.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/05/2003 1:26 Comments ||
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That very fact is why the jihadis want to do something spectacular. They almost brought off a war between the two states twice last year - they'll try to do it again this year. You heard it here first...
Posted by: Fred ||
01/05/2003 8:41 Comments ||
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At least five Muslim guerrillas were killed in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, military officials said on Saturday. The clash came as troops stepped up their offensive against the Abu Sayyaf separatist guerrillas, who the United States has linked to the al Qaeda network. Eleven soldiers and an unknown number of rebels were injured in the three-hour gunbattle late on Friday on the mountainous jungle of Jolo island, about 600 miles south of Manila, said Lieutenant General Narciso Abaya. This is kind of like going into the cabinets after the roaches, only the roaches are armed.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:55 am ||
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Unfortunately, 11 government casualties and an unknown number of guerilla casualties means in reality that the army got ambushed, and the guerillas got away unscathed.
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
01/04/2003 21:37 Comments ||
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Luwaran
The massive military operations conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP] in Datu Piang, Maguindanao from December 29, 2002 to January 1, this year have left about 100 houses razed to the ground. Civilians, who fled with little belongings, told reporters that Army soldiers and their allied paramilitary forces committed wanton human rights violation contrary to their avowed mandate to protect the life and property of the people at all times even during war. Killing, or summary execution, rape, arson, pillaging and looting were the order of the day, they said. Sounds suspiciously like a MILF press release...
Most of the houses razed to the ground were located in the villages of Nimao, Kinudal, Alonganen, Tee, Andavit, and Buligan, all of the municipality of Datu Piang. Report said the destruction of properties were in direct reprisal for the killing of Mayor Saudi Ampatuan and 17 of his hard-core followers and supporters. The AFP blamed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the fatal bombing, singling out Commander Rambo as the mastermind. "Commander Rambo"? I love these aliases. They're more imaginative that "Abu Ali". Not much more, but more. He and Commander Robot probably get together for drinks and to impress the local turban chicks.
But the MILF has deplored the government's accusation saying it violated a Security Accord signed on August 7, 2001 at Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. But then, so does planting bombs and assassinating people. Guess it works out even, doesn't it? Or does it lead to a cycle of violence? I forget...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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Jets from the US-British coalition bombed three Iraqi air defence sites in response to hostile fire today, and dropped leaflets urging Iraqis to tune in to coalition radio broadcasts, the US military announced. The warplanes used precision-guided munitions to strike cable repeater sites located near the city of An Nasiriyah, approximately 275 kilometres south-east of Baghdad, according to a statement released by the US Central Command. But there was no immediate word about the effectiveness of the strikes, with the command saying damage assessment was still under way. Cable repeaters are used to relay and amplify signals between radar installations and anti-aircraft batteries, according to military experts. "The coalition targeted the communications sites after Iraqi air defence forces fired multiple anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles at coalition aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone," the statement said. The strike came just two days after coalition planes hit a similar set of Iraqi air defence cable repeaters outside the southern city of Al Kut in response to Iraqi anti-aircraft fire. Steady series of strikes on these cable nodes. Sucks to be a cable splicer in Iraq, always looking over your shoulder, hoping you'll finish and get out before the next raid. Wonder if they are in surface buildings or down in manholes?
The bombing was preceded by another massive airdrop of leaflets as part of a US-led psychological campaign designed to undercut the morale of Iraqi troops and erode support to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ahead of possible military action against his government. The 13th airdrop of propaganda leaflets in the past three months took place over the southern towns of Al Amarah and As Samawah, according to the Central Command. Wonder when they start dropping the surrender leaflets?
Posted by: Steve ||
01/04/2003 11:10 pm ||
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Hell of a quandry,for those install/repair guys.
Sitting there,sipping a cup of tea.The boss comes in and says"Abdull go take care of that install or I shoot you in the head."
What's Abull to do,get shot or take a chance with the American's.
The United Nations food agency warned yesterday that supplies for some seven million people, a third of North Korea's population, will run out early next month without furtheraid. The news could worsen the crisis over North Korea's nuclear threats. I am so afraid of the mighty North Korean war machine! Oh, hold me, Irene!
"We only have firm commitments for 35,000 tons. This will be finished in early February, and then we might have to close shop," said Gerald Bourke, the spokesman for the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Beijing. South Korea stopped food deliveries two months ago, after Pyongyang admitted running a secret nuclear weapons programme. Japan suspended aid after North Korea admitted kidnapping Japanese citizens. "Hey, Lee! You want some of this nuke? It's really very tasty..."
The WFP has cut three million people off from its aid programme. The hardest-hit are townspeople who can expect to get only 270 grams a day through North Korea's public distribution system, half the standard emergency food ration. The UN scaled back its 2003 appeal for North Korea by 16 per cent, to 512,000 tons of grain, but only the European Union and Italy individually have so far responded. "Hi, honey! I'm home! What's for dinner?"
"We're having braised artillery shells, and I've made a nice antitank stew."
North Korea has suffered from gross mismanagement famine for a decade, and at least two million people have died of starvation. The US has been the largest contributor to emergency food deliveries over the past seven years which have fed nine million people a year. Although George Bush has said the US will not withhold food, the US Agency for International Development began insisting last June that North Korea meet the same conditions for aid that are mandatory elsewhere, such as providing a list of beneficiaries and unimpeded access for aid monitors. On this issue, however, as with efforts to defuse the nuclear crisis, there is deadlock. "We refuse to compromise our national dignity to be treated like we were Zambia or someplace. Are you gonna eat that? Sure looks succulent!"
"That's my hat."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 11:17 pm ||
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Hey, maybe Bob Mugabe could ship 'em his "surplus population" to snack on. Or maybe the other way around.
Peru's highest court has ruled that some of the country's anti-terrorism laws are unconstitutional, paving the way for appeals by hundreds of imprisoned left-wing rebels. The Constitutional Court was examining legislation allowing rebel suspects to be tried for treason by military tribunals. The measures were passed under the former president, Alberto Fujimori, to help quash left-wing guerrilla movements in the 1990s. The court's president, Javier Alva Orlandini, said the Peruvian legislation did not comply with international human rights standards. "Oboy! We're legal again! Now, where's my machete?"
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:27 pm ||
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I wonder if the court would allow me to debrief twice convicted US Shining Pather Lori Berenson? She gives me an injunction!
At least two people have died of gunshot wounds following clashes between supporters and opponents of President Hugo Chavez in the Venezuelan capital Caracas. The two died in hospital, Caracas health service chief Pedro Aristimuno told Venezuela's Globovision television. A total of six people sustained bullet wounds in the clashes. Pitched battles erupted between thousands of rival demonstrators in Caracas, during which security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas to separate the two sides. Then shots were fired by unidentified gunmen at opposition marchers as they clashed with government supporters near the city's main military base. One of Hugo's thugs, who just couldn't contain his enthusiasm...
At least 12 people, including seven police officers, were injured by stones or bottles. And a wonderful time was had by all, except for the dead and wounded...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:24 pm ||
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Thirty-four people have been arrested as police used tear-gas to break up a riot at a grain depot in Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo, state media reports. A report in the state-run Bulawayo Chronicle newspaper said those arrested had been protesting over what they said was the unfair distribution of food. Bob's not worried. Pretty soon they'll be too weak to squabble over division of the National Sausage...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:20 pm ||
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The group which claimed the first birth of a cloned human last week says a second such baby has now been born to a Dutch lesbian couple. The baby girl and the mother are said to be well after the birth on Friday night. Conceiving these cloned babies is a tricky operation. What they do, see, is the guy takes the DNA material and smears it on the head of his...
Never mind.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 02:18 pm ||
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Wow! I believe you've discovered their technique!
Posted by: Kathy K ||
01/04/2003 16:08 Comments ||
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ewwwwwwwwwwwww
Posted by: Richard ||
01/04/2003 20:15 Comments ||
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Fred is gonna be a script writer for the new X Files....
Posted by: Tom Roberts ||
01/04/2003 21:10 Comments ||
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"No, no, it's TRUE! I have proof! Here, see this placenta?..."
#5
Actually, what they do is just make it all up and get the great world media to treat it as if it was man landing on the moon. Now you know why some people believe that the landing never happened.
Posted by: Jack ||
01/05/2003 10:16 Comments ||
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A member of Rappani Khalilov's group, who has recently been detained in Chechnya, is giving evidence against people close to Aslan Maskhadov, including Akhmed Zakayev. The rebel, named Arsen Khidirov, has given evidence against warlords close to Maskhadov, a source in Dagestani law enforcement agencies told Interfax.
Before joining Khalilov's group, Khidirov fought in other rebel groups, including the one led by Zakayev. He has already given evidence against these groups. He has also confirmed certain facts that law enforcement officials already knew about Zakayev.
Magomed Magomedov of the Dagestani Interior Ministry told Interfax that Khidirov had been arrested in a Makhachkala hospital where he was admitted with a bullet wound. Khidirov was wounded while fighting federal forces in Chechnya, Magomedov said. No matter how many witnesses the Russers come up with, Vanessa and her lot will never believe that Zakayev's what he is.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 11:11 am ||
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A rebel by the name of Shamsudi Sapiyev, also known as Malysh (in Russian: Little One) who is believed to be a close associate of the notorious Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, has been eliminated in Chechnya. Sapiyev headed a rebel gang active in the Shali district of the republic. Hope he stays dead. These reports have a habit of being... exaggerated.
As a spokesman for the regional operation headquarters in charge of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus Ilya Shabalkin told the press on Saturday, the 21-year-old Sapiyev was eliminated a day earlier during a special raid carried by the FSB [Federal Security Service] units and the Interior Troops. Shabalkin noted that Sapiyev commanded an armed group comprising young men under 20 years of age. Furthermore, the field commander exhorted younger children, teenagers between 12 and 15, to participate in criminal activity. So he was the commander of the Hitler Islamic youth...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 11:07 am ||
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A British apologist peace and human rights activist was expelled from Israel Thursday, January 2, under the pretext that her presence was a threat to national security, her lawyer said. "Angie Zelter was deported this afternoon, after a Tel Aviv district court approved the governments decision to deny her access to the Israeli territory," Shamai Leibowitz told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "We appealed the decision to the Supreme Court but the judge refused to even hear the case," he added. "Piss off. Get out and don't come back."
The 52-year-old activist, who founded the UK-based anti-nuclear organization Trident Ploughshares and is now involved in setting up the International Women Peace Service-Palestine, arrived in Israel on Sunday to testify in a criminal trial against a settler who gave her a knuckle sandwich assaulted her near Hebron in August. "When she was denied entry at the airport, she tried to fight the deportation order, but airport security wrapped her up in a blanket and she was forced onto a departing airplane," Leibowitz said. As she continued to shout for help, the pilot refused to take off and a Tel Aviv district court judge finally scheduled a hearing, he explained. "Lookit me! I'm making a scene! You can't throw me out â I'm important!"
"The Israeli authorities are in a state of paranoia and think mistakenly that by preventing international activists from entering the territory, they will bring security, when the opposite is true," Leibowitz charged. "These activists are trying to suck up to spread non-violent ideas among the Palestinians, and the Israeli authorities are paradoxically supporting more violence," he added. I'd say they're trying to keep their house clean, but then I'm just an old cranks and nobody listens to me...
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 11:02 am ||
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"Sorry boss, but TWA had the next available flight out of the country!"
Source: Arab News
Israeli forces launched two incursions into autonomous Palestinian areas of the West Bank early yesterday, blowing up the family home of a leader of the Islamic Jihad group. In the south of the West Bank, Israeli forces moved into the village of Beit Fakhi in the Hebron autonomous zone, and blew up the home of Mahmud Ismael Barwish, a local Islamic Jihad leader who was arrested six months ago. However residents of the Al-Amari refugee camp in the Palestinian autonomous zone of Ramallah in the north of the West Bank said that a force of some 20 jeeps which entered the camp and surrounded the family home of Wafa Idris, the first woman to die in a bombing attack on Israeli targets, left without destroying it. The troops had apparently decided that blowing up the home would have destroyed too much of the surrounding area, they said. Unlike Wafa, how didn't decide that detonating herself would kill no one but a harmless 80-year-old man.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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KoreaHerald
South Korea is considering requesting the United States to guarantee the security of North Korea if the communist state gives up its nuclear weapons program, a top official in Seoul said yesterday. The Seoul government is expected to present the compromise proposal in three-way security talks with the United States and Japan to be held in Washington early next week. It's not a "compromise" when you give them what they want.
North Korea has demanded the United States sign a nonaggression pact with it. Washington has rejected the demand, saying that there will be no talks unless the North first dismantles its suspected nuclear program. You know, like Ribbentrop and Molotov signed?
A senior Foreign Ministry official suggested that the United States might guarantee North Korea's security in the form of a document, such as a letter from President George W. Bush to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. "The security guarantee does not have to take the form of a nonaggression treaty that would require approval from Congress. Washington could just offer a written pledge to the North," the official said on condition of anonymity. And the North could give a written pledge not to develop nuclear weapons. Hey! That's... that's... Well, that's what the Carter agreement get out of them. And they didn't keep the agreement. So tell 'em to go to hell.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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It's bizarre, but who do they think will attack them? Not the SKORs, they think they are the moral superiors. Do they really assume to use this non-aggression pact against Russia or China?
Posted by: Brian ||
01/04/2003 15:37 Comments ||
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Tell North Korea to KISS OFF! Everybody whines to U.S. Let their neighbors take care of the problem. Why waste the time or the money when we know the North can't be trusted to keep their word.
Posted by: Ron ||
01/04/2003 17:00 Comments ||
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A non-agression pact applies only between the signatories. A mutual defense treaty would get us involved if NKor was attacked by China or Russia.
Its rather interesting that, despite all the braying that the US is corrupt, they're supposedly willing to think that the US will abide by a letter written by a president that may be out in a few years.
I agree: The NKors blew their credibility by cheating despite their promise not to: Unfaithful in little, unfaithful in much.
Middle East Online
President George W. Bush said Friday that the United States is ready to confront Iraq but warned US troops heading for the Gulf that "crucial hours" and "dangers" lay ahead. The Iraqi military isn't as fearsome as Sammy is, but that doesn't mean there's going to be nothing tricky about taking it on — assuming we take it on, of course. Even in a war with next to no casualties, if you're one of the casualties it doesn't seem like a "cakewalk."
As the United States stepped up its military force in the Gulf, Bush also threw a new challenge to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to scrap his weapons of mass destruction and cooperate with the United Nations if he wants to avoid a conflict. "If force becomes necessary to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction and enforce the will of the United Nations, ... America will act deliberately, America will act decisively and America will prevail because we've got the finest military in the world," he told troops at Fort Hood, one of the biggest US military bases. "And Sammy doesn't."
"Should Saddam Hussein seal his fate by refusing to disarm, by ignoring the opinion of the world, you'll be fighting not to conquer anybody, but to liberate people," he told troops.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 am ||
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Public peeches like this lead me to worry that we've been talking tough all year but have yet to take action. Eventually we're going to have to walk our talk or lose credibility. Is Bush bluffing in hopes that there is a coup or exile deal?
#2
He's operating on the assumption that having Sammy beat it without an actual war will be cheaper than going in and killing him. Usually, I agree with Bush. In this case, I don't. The long term costs, both in money and trouble, will outweigh the gains.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/04/2003 14:14 Comments ||
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we reach a point of no return...military action becomes inevitable. A diplomatic solution for Iraq would look like US weakness. I think that point has passed.
Posted by: john ||
01/04/2003 19:28 Comments ||
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JAB, don't worry. It takes time to get all the pieces in place on the board. We've had to get about 60,000 troops in place now with more to come, all their equipment, supplies, support, etc. Takes time. Credit the Bush team for doing it whilst distracting the world with the diplomacy and public statements. The work has been methodical, and real soon now we're going to see Saddam ousted. Fireworks start somewhere around Feb. 2.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/05/2003 1:20 Comments ||
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That Feb 2 date is being bandied about awfully loosly, Steve. I have my doubts as to it's accuracy for that reason. Where's about 3-5 days earlier put us moon-wise? Last quarter, and waning...
#6
"crucial hours" - may be a good call, at least for organized resistance. Depending on how things go, there may be snipers in the cities, but I have a sneaking suspicion residents who know about these will be standing on street corners with signs "Sniper This Way! No. 123 Wahb Street, Apt 9!".
Posted by: John Anderson ||
01/05/2003 5:21 Comments ||
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IslamOnline
The Egyptian security forces' arrest of 14 members of the Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday, January 2, was an attempt to contain reactions to the envisaged U.S.-led war on Iraq, a member of the outlawed group said. In exclusive interview to IslamOnline, Abd el-Moneim Abu el-Fotoh, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood guidance office, said security forces accused the arrestees of being active among students communities. They include Tareq Mohammad Abd el-Gawad, a grandson of the movement's former guide-general Mustafa Mashhour, who passed away in November 2002. Knowing absolutely nothing about the investigation, I'd still say that's close to 100% likely.
The arrests came a day after the Brotherhood Guide-General Mohammad Ma'moun el-Hodaibi urged Arab and Muslim leaders to unify stances and close ranks with their peoples to confront the American assault. "Get on the side of the Arab Street, 'cuz Sammy's one of us..."
This is not the first time Egyptian security forces have arrested Muslim Brotherhood members since el-Hodaibi assumed his post, said Abu el-Fotoh, recalling the arrest of 15 Muslim brothers before Eid-ul-Fitr. Only eight of the 15 people, who were tortured by the security forces, have been released so far, he added. Still working on the other seven...
Abu el-Fotoh refused to link the fresh arrests and el-Hodaibi's statement, stressing that the guide-general had only appealed to leaders and peoples to face up their common enemy. On the statement marked by harsh language against the United States, he reiterated the Muslim Brotherhood's firm opposition to foreign military presence on Arab and Islamic territories. "There is no doubt that the U.S. is not only targeting Islamic movements but also leaders and regimes regardless of whether they are democratic or not," stressed Abu el-Fotoh. "The fact that they're not is only coincidence."
Posted by: Fred Pruitt ||
01/04/2003 10:35 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.
