Category Archives: Afghanistan

CAIR’s New Disinformation Campaign on “Jihad”

1 JanpmSun, 13 Jan 2013 14:58:31 -06002013-01-13T14:58:31-06:0002 2009 – 14:58

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By Christopher Holton

The internet has literally been littered with news reports about a new propaganda campaign being waged by the head of the Council on American Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) Chicago director.

The man’s name is Ahmed Rehab and his methodology has been to run advertising on buses to change the public perception of the word “Jihad.”

Rehab has chosen two of the most liberal cities in America in which to conduct his campaign so far: Chicago and San Francisco.

The name of the campaign is “MyJihad” and it aims to convince Americans that Jihad only means “to struggle” or, more specifically, an internal, personal struggle. Rehab claims that this is the “true” meaning of Jihad.

Unfortunately for Rehab, he is only partially correct and any campaign that claims that the term Jihad only means an internal, personal struggle amounts to disinformation. The dualistic nature of Islam, in this case as it applies to the meaning of “Jihad,” is well documented both in historical Islamic doctrine and in contemporary use of the term.

And Jihad definitely does not only mean an internal, personal struggle. In fact, the most widespread meaning of the term that is of particular interest to Westerners who are threatened by Jihad does in fact entail violence.

A false and misleading statement has been attributed to the San Francisco chapter head of CAIR, Zahra Billoo:

“A common misconception of the word jihad is that it means armed struggle or holy war, and that is something that has been perpetrated by many who’ve made careers out of pushing anti-Muslim sentiment.”

Such a meaning for Jihad has nothing to do with anyone with an “anti-Muslim sentiment.” It has everything to do with Islam itself.

Let us examine definitions of Jihad from two authoritative sources.

 Jihad According to the Quran

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The first is the Quran itself. In this case, specifically The Noble Qu’ran, translated into English by two scholars: Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, PhD, professor of Islamic Faith and Teachings at the Islamic University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia and Dr. Muhammad Mushin Khan of the same institution. The Noble Qu’ran was published by Darussalam Publishers and Distributors, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has been catalogued by King Fahad National Library. On page 818, in a glossary accompanying the text of the Quran, The Noble Qu’ran provides the following definition of Jihad:

“Jihad: Holy fighting in the Cause of Allah or any other kind of effort to make Allah’s Word superior. Jihad is regarded as one of the fundamentals of Islam.”

Can the Quran itself be promoting “anti-Muslim sentiment” as CAIR’s Zahra Billoo asserts?

Jihad According to Shariah

Our second source is Reliance of the Traveler: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law.

RELIANCE OF THE TRAVELLER

Reliance of the Traveler is one of the world’s most widely read manuals of Shariah law. It has been endorsed by a variety of Islamic authorities, including Al Azhar University in Cairo, IIIT (International Institute of Islamic Thought) in Herndon, Virginia, the Fiqh Council of North America, the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces andthe Imam of the Mosque of Darwish Pasha in Damascus, Syria.

These can hardly be termed as those pushing “anti-Muslim sentiment” as Billoo claims.

On page 599 of Reliance of the Traveler, readers can find the following passage:

o9.0 JIHAD

(O: Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the word mujahada, signifying warfare to establish the religion…

The scriptural basis for jihad, prior to scholarly consensus is such Koranic verses as:

(1) “Fighting is prescribed for you” (Koran 2:216);

(2) “Slay them wherever you find them” (Koran 4:89);

(3) “Fight the idolators utterly” (Koran 9:36);

and such hadiths as the one related by Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform the prayer, and pay zakat. If they say it, they have saved their blood and possessions from me, except for the rights of Islam over them. And their final reckoning is with Allah”;

and the hadith reported by Muslim,

“To go forth in the morning or evening to fight in the path of Allah is better than the whole world and everything in it.”

Jihad According to Terrorists

If Jihad truly means to “struggle” and not warfare to establish the religion, how does CAIR explain the names of all these terrorist organizations?

Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (Pakistan, Bangladesh, India)

Islamic Front for Armed Jihad (Algeria)

Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine (Lebanon)

Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (Israel)

Islamic Jihad Organization (Lebanon)

Islamic Jihad Union (Uzbekistan)

Jama’at al-Jihad al-Islami (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia)

Laskar Jihad (Indonesia)

United Jihad Council (India)

Contemporary Video Evidence of Widespread Use of the Term “Jihad”

Finally, there is a mountain of video evidence which illustrates vividly the widespread contemporary use of the term Jihad:

First, we have a 10 minute video from a Palestinian Authority TV children’s show using the term Jihad:

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Next we have a 1-minute video of female terrorists from the group Islamic Jihad:

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Here is a 2-minute news report on Taliban fighters vowing to continue to wage jihad after the death of Osama Bin Laden:

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Then there’s this 6-minute tribute to the “Lion of Jihad,” Osama Bin Laden:

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A 24-second sound byte from British-based Imam Amjen Choudary on Jihad in Islam:

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More from Choudary; in this case a 2-minute warning that Jihad is on its way.

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A 2-minute segment from Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of Al Qaeda, on Jihad:

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A 40-second call by Zawahiri to Pakistanis to rise up in Jihad:

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A 3-minute news report on Somali Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab using Social Media to call Muslims to Jihad:

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A 4-minute posthumous call to Jihad by American-born Anwar al Awlaki. Keep in mind that, before he became head of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Awlaki had been an Imam at mosques in San Diego, Denver and northern Virginia and was regarded as a great “moderate” who was a favorite show pony for “outreach” programs. He was invited to the Pentagon. He delivered sermons to the Congressional Muslim Staffers Association on Capitol Hill. Prominent CAIR officers, employees and members attended these sermons. At least one former CAIR employee who attended Awlaki’s sermons on Capitol Hill in Washington DC is now in jail on terrorism charges:

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A call to Jihad by Yasir Arafat–three years after signing the Oslo Accords…

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A 5-minute call to Jihad by the Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Syria:

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A 4-minute call to Jihad from the Sudanese Minister of International Cooperation:

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By terrortrends | Also posted in 5th Column, Africa, Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al Shabaab, Al Shahab, Anwar Al-Awlaki, CAIR, Europe, Great Britain, Islamic Jihad, Islamic Jihad Union, Israel, Jihad, Lebanon, Osama Bin Laden, Pakistan, Palestinian terrorism, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taliban, terrorist group listings, United Kingdom, Yemen, Zawahiri | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (11)

FINALLY: Delinquent US State Department Declares Haqqani Network a Terrorist Organization

1 SeppmMon, 10 Sep 2012 15:51:37 -06002012-09-10T15:51:37-06:0003 2009 – 15:51

From our barely better late than never category, the US State Department last week finally got round to officially declaring the Haqqani Network a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The US military has been pushing for this designation for years, but the limp wrists at Foggy Bottom have resisted because they didn’t want to offend our “allies” in Pakistan.

Despite what you may have seen/heard in the media, this is a largely symbolic designation at this point anyway. The State Department claims that this designation puts all sorts of economic, financial and diplomatic pressure down on the organization by making those who support it risk US sanctions. But if you look at how other terrorist organizations have managed to continue to exist under this same designation, the unmistakable conclusion that you come to is that the impact is limited. The Muslims around the world who train, supply and fund these types of organizations don’t care much about US designations.

The only scenario in which these types of designations can be helpful is when they are imposed very quickly after the organization is uncovered. In the case of the Haqqani Network, this offshoot of the Taliban was and is supported by the Pakistani ISI (their intelligence service) and the State Department was reluctant to offend the ISI, despite the fact that the ISI is complicit in killing American GIs…

…Incidentally, the Taliban has NEVER been designated a terrorist organization. After all, it would be “awkward” for Vice President Biden to be giving speeches declaring that the Taliban are “not our enemies” when they are on the terrorism list. It would also make Secretary of State Hillary Clinton look bad as she is keen on negotiating with the Taliban…

 

By terrortrends | Also posted in Haqqani Network, Jihad, Taliban, terrorist group listings | Comments (0)

So, the Obama State Department declares the “War on Terrorism” Over

1 MayamFri, 04 May 2012 10:24:19 -06002012-05-04T10:24:19-06:0010 2009 – 10:24

Late last week a State Department spokesman uttered “The war on terror is over.”

That utterance was followed  up by President Obama’s surprise trip to Afghanistan (“coincidentally” on the anniversary of the operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, or so we are told…). While in Afghanistan, Obama gave a political speech aimed at folks back home in America in which he echoed the sentiments of his State Department spokesman in essentially declaring Al Qaeda beaten.

Before we deconstruct this politically motivated fantasy, we should probably point out that we are not now, nor were we truly ever engaged in a “war on terrorism.” We don’t want to belabor the point because many observers have pointed out this reality over the years. Terrorism is a method, not an enemy. As the late philosopher and columnist Jeff Cooper said shortly after President Bush named this struggle the “war on terrorism:” “Give us an enemy we can shoot at, Mr. President.”

But it was not to be. Obama stopped referring to the war on terrorism as soon as he came into office, his administration floating the term “overseas contingency operations” instead.

That drew instant and widespread ridicule and we haven’t heard the term mentioned much since it was originally floated after Obama got into office.

We should have paid closer attention. This wasn’t just about changing names. This was about ending the war effort. The goal in changing the name was to prepare the American people for an end to the war. Obama came into office knowing he was going to end the war–unilaterally. The fact is, the war and the threat of terrorism don’t help liberals get elected. There was a reason why the word “terrorism” was never uttered at the 2004 Democratic National Convention when the Democrats nominated Senator John Kerry.

The DNC did the polling and the focus groups and found out that the issue was a loser for them. Ever since, the hard left has been hell bent for leather on ending the war effort.

Obama’s State Department spokesman claimed last week that “since most of Al Qaeda’s is now dead” Islamists have other places to turn for legitimate inclusion in the political process.

There is so much to comment on here that we hardly know where to begin.

First of all, most of the original members of Al Qaeda were dead before Obama even got into office. Most estimates were that some 75% of Al Qaeda’s leadership had been killed or captured in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. The killing of Osama Bin Laden just over a year ago likely did not add much to the operational degradation of Al Qaeda. Despite claims to the contrary, it is highly unlikely that Bin Laden still exercised operational control over Al Qaeda around the globe at the time of his death. So, this is hardly a new development as the Obama State Department spokesman implies.

We now know from seized documents and from former intelligence operatives that Bin Laden had, for years, limited his communications with the outside world, including Al Qaeda, to a single human courier. There is simply no way he could possibly have maintained operational authority or control over the organization in such circumstances.

This suggests that his death did not add substantially to the degradation of Al Qaeda’s operational capability.

Bin Laden was barely involved any more. He wasn’t even in a position to raise money–his chief role for years in the past. Nor did he find it necessary to issue frequent videotaped messages to his followers or to the world at large, something he took great pride in doing earlier in Al Qaeda’s war against the West.

Because of this, Bin Laden’s death cannot be accurately  described as ending Al Qaeda. Perhaps we are on the cusp of defeating Al Qaeda in the Afghan-Pak theater of operations, but that is not due to Bin Laden’s death. Bin Laden’s death was in reality a byproduct of the campaign against Al Qaeda in that region over a period of years, starting way back in 2001.

Moreover, Al Qaeda globally is far from finished. The organization has evolved into an umbrella group for Jihadists around the globe. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is active in Africa. Al Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula is locked in an active, violent insurgency in Yemen. Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Bin Laden’s successor and always the organization’s ideologue, is still at large. His Jihadist brother, released from prison in the so-called “Arab Spring” is back in operation in Egypt.

Then there are the Al Qaeda affiliates that don’t identify themselves as Al Qaeda, but certainly operate in a similar fashion. There’s Aby Sayyaf in the Philippines, which has kidnapped and murdered Americans in the past. There’s Al Shabaab in Somalia, which recruits heavily from the Somali refugee community here in the USA. There’s Boko Haram, which is making life in Nigeria a living hell for Christians. There’s Jemaah Islamiyah in Malaysia and Indonesia, which has attacked Westerners, including the 202 deaths in the Bali, Indonesia bombing in 2002. And of course, the Taliban themselves, who are allied with Al Qaeda and gave them a launching pad for operations in the 1990s.

All of these organizations still exist. We are told now that Bin Laden did not have a high regard for these affiliates, but that doesn’t necessarily make them any less of a threat.

But let’s not forget the Jihadist terrorist organizations that operate and who are not overtly aligned with Al Qaeda. These serve as a reminder that the enemy isn’t just “Al Qaeda,” despite what the Obama administration wants you to believe. We should not take too much comfort in the fact that most of these organizations operate overseas and don’t regularly target Americans. They don’t view Americans any differently than they view other Westerners or kafirs.

There is the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines, which, like Abu Sayyef, has targeted Americans in the past. There’s Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the horrific Mumbai attacks in 2008. Keep in mind that LeT used an American to conduct reconnaissance for that operation and their captured literature showed plans to target the American homeland. There are the Islamic Jihad Union in Uzbekistan and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Kashmir. There’s Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has known operatives in the US. And, along those same lines, we have HAMAS, which currently only targets Israel, but which has an extensive network in the US.

Most ominously, given the threat from Iran, is Hezbollah, described by more than one US official as the “A” team of terrorism. Congressional investigations estimate that they have thousands of supporters and hundred of operatives here in the US. A very recent report indicates that Hezbollah has a network centered on Shia mosques here in the US as well.

But this all misses the basic point. We are on the receiving end of a global Islamic insurgency. It’s not a homogenous insurgency by any stretch. Many of the insurgent groups are completely unrelated and some even hate each other. But they are all united in one goal: establishment of Islamic rule under Shariah law.

This war did not start on September 11th, 2001, with Al Qaeda’s attacks on the US homeland; it had been raging on a lower level overseas for decades. And the war will not end with the death of Osama Bin Laden, or the outright defeat of Al Qaeda, or the inevitable NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The declaration of victory is purely for domestic political consumption, which is very sad and dangerous indeed.

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Center for Security Policy Vice President Christopher Holton is available for speaking engagements on the subjects of terrorism, terrorism financing, Shariah, Shariah-Compliant Finance and Jihad. For more information, contact him at chris@christopherholton.com

By terrortrends | Also posted in Abu Sayyaf, Africa, Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al Shabaab, Al Shahab, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Boko Haram, Egypt, HAMAS, Hezbollah, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Jihad, Islamic Jihad Union, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Jemaah Islamiyah, Jihad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Nigeria, Osama Bin Laden, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, Taliban, Uncategorized, Yemen, Zawahiri | Comments (1)

Osama Bin Laden moved around a lot while on the run

1 MaramSat, 31 Mar 2012 09:33:36 -06002012-03-31T09:33:36-06:0009 2009 – 09:33

We have always been skeptical that Osama Bin Laden maintained operational control over much of Al Qaeda while he was on the run, dodging US forces.

When US Special Operations forces caught up with Bin Laden and killed him in a compound in Pakistan, it was initially assumed, or at least reported, that he had been laid up there for almost the entire time he was on the run.

It was also widely reported that because Bin Laden was in a secure location for so long, he likely maintained operational control over Al Qaeda globally. That simply did not ring true to us then and it doesn’t now that it has been revealed that Bin Laden in fact lived a vagabond life, moving to five safe houses in widely separated parts of Afghanistan and then Pakistan.

The meme that Bin Laden maintained operational control over Al Qaeda while he was evading US forces was touted to essentially turn the killing of the terrorist leader into an “end-game” event in the so-called “war on terror.”

The Left in particular has promoted that narrative, but some neo-isolationists on the right have subscribed to it as well.

We buy into that rubbish at our peril. Assuming that the Jihadists will end their war against the West in general, and the US in particular, because the SEALs killed Bin Laden is irresponsible.

It defies belief that Bin Laden could possibly have maintained operational control over Al Qaeda given the conditions which he was forced to endure post 9/11.

Al Qaeda has become decentralized and its followers and admirers around the world, such as Mohammed Merah in France, will continue to act with brutal violence. Meanwhile, Al Qaeda “affiliates” continue to be active in Nigeria, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Libya, Mali and Niger to name a few.

The death of Bin Laden at the hands of US Navy SEALs was a great thing. But to assign “victory” to that single act would in fact be to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2122752/Osama-living-version-Kardashians-Abbottabad-Bin-Laden-fathered-FOUR-children-lived-houses-years-run-Pakistan-9-11.html

By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al Shabaab, Al Shahab, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, France, Libya, Mali, Mohammed Merah, Nigeria, Osama Bin Laden, Pakistan, Syria, terrorist group listings, Uncategorized, Yemen | Comments (0)

Complete Wrap up of Toulouse Jihadi Saga

1 MaramSat, 24 Mar 2012 00:10:19 -06002012-03-24T00:10:19-06:0012 2009 – 00:10

Jihad has returned to France. 

In the past 10 days a Muslim gunman killed and wounded French soldiers, schoolchildren and other innocent civilians in cowardly attacks. The terrorist, Mohammed Merah, was killed in excellent work by France’s GIGN-RAID personnel. It is worth mentioning that the media bent over backwards to avoid labeling these attacks Jihadist terrorism. In the early days of this episode, the media, notably CNN, actually labeled the shooter a “serial killer.” A serial killer that targets soldiers and Jewish children??? Who do the media think they’re fooling?

Below is a brief review of the events as reported in international media.

Al-Qaeda inspired gunman in Toulouse siege is dead

Short video here. Note one inaccuracy in report that states that the terrorist was found dead and it was not determined whether he killed himself or was shot. Other footage reveals definitively that he was shot while trying to leap from the balcony of his apartment…

Mohamed Merah – Man of the West

An EXCELLENT column on Mohammed Merah from Caroline Glick of the Center for Security Policy and The Jerusalem Post…

http://www.carolineglick.com/e/2012/03/mohamed-merah—man-of-the-wes.php

The New Nazis

Another very well done column on the Merah attacks by Daniel Greenfield…

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.11655/pub_detail.asp

French gunman had no Al Qaeda connection, says official

The media’s profound confusion continues. Somehow they think we can all find comfort if a Jihadist terrorist is found to not be a card-carrying member of Al Qaeda. The opposite may be true. It may be MORE dangerous to have Jihadi individuals and cells operating in the West who have merely been “inspired” by Al Qaeda. Still, in this case, it appears from reports elsewhere that Merah was a known Jihadi who did indeed spend time in Afghanistan and Pakistan as recently as 2010…

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0323/French-gunman-had-no-Al-Qaeda-connection-says-official

French intelligence under fire over al Qaeda shooter

Just as with the 9/11 attacks in America, today in France many are questioning how French intelligence allowed a known Jihadi to roam free in their country…

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/23/us-france-shooting-guns-idUSBRE82M0YW20120323

French gunman: I was planning more attacks, with outside funds

It is a good thing that the French GIGN caught up with Merah when they did. He claimed to have plans for more attacks and also indicated that he had funding sources…

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2012/0321/French-gunman-I-was-planning-more-attacks-with-outside-funds?cmpid=ema:nws:Daily%20Custom%202%20(03212012)&cmpid=ema:nws:NzQ4MDUwNDg4MgS2

The last 13 seconds of Mohammed Merah’s life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iOt-pdBKINQ

Here is a story of how French authorities caught up with Merah. It is unfortunate that they have revealed these details as the Jihadis will learn from this and will be unlikely to repeat such mistakes…

“Calculating” French “gunman” trapped by email, bike

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/24/us-france-shootings-investigation-idUSBRE82N03W20120324

French authorities were alerted that threats on French soil were possible against French soldiers

http://www.liberezvous.org/viveDieu/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F113-the-topic-of-hicham-forsane-alizza-threatens-french-soldiers%2F

In fact, here is a short video detailing the warnings issued about threats to French soldiers in France…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSk8ZCEX308&feature=youtu.be

In the wake of the attacks in France, Europol’s chief is warning of a new wave of Jihad in Europe. He correctly points out that “inspired Jihadis” or “Lone Wolves” acting independently of any centralized command authority after receiving training present a whole set of challenges of their own. For instance, it’s very difficult to infiltrate a movement made up of such people, much more difficult than running counterintelligence operations against a Baader-Meinhoff gang or Red Brigades, or even the Provo IRA, such as were prevalent in the terrorist era of the 1980s…

Europe faces new terrorism threat from extremists acting alone as in France’s attacks

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_20244773/europe-faces-new-terrorism-threat-from-extremists-acting

Finally, here is a hard-hitting editorial that justifiably lambasts the media for its clear contortions to avoid admitting that the attacks in Toulouse were most likely the work of a Jihadi. The Western media speculated openly that the gunman must have been a Neo-Nazi or perhaps a “serial killer.” EVERYONE else in the world knew the truth. Only one class of barbarian targets soldiers and Jewish children…We wish we could say that we are hopeful that the media has learned a lesson from all this, but we know better…
Whitewashing Islamic Terror in Toulouse
By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Qaeda, France, Homegrown Jihad, Islam, Jihad, Mohammed Merah, Pakistan, Terrorist attack, Toulouse | Comments (0)

Oh The Irony: UAE Media Runs AP Story Critical of NYPD Intelligence Ops

1 OctpmTue, 04 Oct 2011 15:21:47 -06002011-10-04T15:21:47-06:0003 2009 – 15:21

Gulf News is a UAE-based media outlet and, before we delve into the article they ran today, we simply must point out that the UAE is not a free country, a free society or a nation in which the media enjoys freedom. In fact, just the opposite. The UAE is essentially a monarchy. So Gulf News cannot be regarded as independent to begin with.

Gulf News ran a story today that was published by the Associated Press which was critical of efforts by the NYPD to gather intelligence on Jihadist terror plots and groups by “spying” on Muslims.

The article is perfectly ridiculous for a variety of reasons, but the fact that Gulf News picked it up is doubly so, because if a non-Muslim gets caught kissing his girlfriend in public even in Dubai, he’s looking at jail time.

Then there’s some pesky facts as to why the NYPD might need to keep an eye on Muslims and mosques in particular. We have a breaking news bulletin for the folks at Gulf News: the overwhelming majority of terrorist plots and attacks in the US seem to involve Muslims. This is particularly true in New York, where, to name a few, we’ve seen the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the September 11th attacks and the attempted bombing in Times Square, all perpetrated by Muslims.

This doesn’t make all Muslims bad people or terrorists. But in the intelligence world, you need to gather your intelligence from locations and sources that make sense. And watching Methodist churches in the Catskills or Catholic school girls in Schenectady isn’t likely to produce any actionable intelligence to head off a terrorist attack.

Unfortunately, there is ample evidence that mosques and the Imams who oversee them have been involved in material support for terrorism, so it makes sense for the NYPD to attempt to save lives of all kinds of people by gathering intelligence on Muslims in mosques.

It’s as simple as that.

After all, it’s not like it is highly unusual for Muslims in America to be involved in Jihadi plots:

https://terrortrendsbulletin.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/18-american-jihadist-terrorists/

https://terrortrendsbulletin.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/a-year-of-jihad-in-america-december-2008-to-december-2009/

 

But now we come to the real irony when it comes to a UAE-based media outlet whining about intelligence gathering involving surveillance of Muslims.

Back when the 9/11 Commission was interviewing witnesses and officials, they received testimony from former CIA director George Tenet, who had been CIA director under both Clinton and Bush. In sworn testimony before the commission, Tenet revealed that the US missed an opportunity to kill Osama Bin Laden in an Al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan because the raid had to be called off due to the presence of members of the UAE royal family in the camp. It seems that the UAE royals were great friends with Bin Laden and shared his love of falconry. So, periodically, they’d load up a bunch of SUVs in a C-130 (bought from US manufacturer Lockheed) and fly out to go falconing with Bin Laden. They’d leave the SUVs behind for their good buddy when they scampered back in to the Hercules for the trip back home.

So, excuse us if we remain unimpressed by Gulf News’s whining about intelligence gathering targeting Muslims. In fact, we hope someone in the CIA has the good sense to keep a close eye on the UAE, given their past.

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/usa/call-to-end-police-spying-on-muslims-1.884899?


 

By terrortrends | Also posted in 5th Column, Al Qaeda, Homegrown Jihad, Homeland Security, Islam, Islamic Jihad, Jihad, New York, NYPD, Osama Bin Laden, Persian Gulf, UAE | Comments (0)

Just Who ARE These “Rebels” in Libya?

1 SeppmFri, 02 Sep 2011 20:28:33 -06002011-09-02T20:28:33-06:0008 2009 – 20:28

Unfortunately, more and more evidence indicates that at least some of the Libyan rebels, including some real important ones, are Jihadists. Some have ties to Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Take Abdul Hakeem Belhaj. He’s one of the rebel leaders and he got to where he is today by first joining the LIFG (Libyan Islamic Fighting Group). He fought in Afghanistan and left in a hurry when US forces toppled the Taliban regime. He ended up in Malaysia, where he was arrested and eventually shipped back to Libya where he was put in prison. He was either freed or escaped during the course of the uprising and now he is a rebel leader.

 

This doesn’t give us a good feeling at all, especially given the fact that Libya has stocks of uranium yellowcake and chemical agents.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/09/02/libya.belhaj.profile/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/world/africa/02islamist.html?_r=1

 

 

By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Qaeda, Libya, LIFG Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, Taliban, WMD | Comments (2)

TOP 10 JIHADI MOSQUES: Wikileaks Documents Reveal Main Mosques Used to Recruit, Train for Jihad According to Pentagon

1 AprpmMon, 25 Apr 2011 20:20:48 -06002011-04-25T20:20:48-06:0008 2009 – 20:20

Wikileaks has revealed a US report on Guantanamo terrorist prisoners called the “Matrix of Threat Indicators for Enemy Combatants.”

You will see this document written up in dozens of articles in the media and the blogosphere over the next few days.

We wanted to call attention to one list that has come out of that report: a list of foreign mosques and Islamic centers that are used to recruit and train Jihadis. Note that this list does not include mosques here in the US which, beyond a shadow of a doubt, are also centers for Jihad recruitment. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but it does purport to be the largest centers of Jihadi activity.

This should serve as a stark warning for those among us who still insist that Jihadist organizations like Al Qaeda and their followers are not embedded in religion…

• Al Sunnah Al Nabawiah Mosque Montreal, Canada

• Abu Bakr Islamic University Karachi, Pakistan

• Makki Mosque Karachi, Pakistan

• Al Khair Mosque Sanaa, Yemen

• Dimaj Institute in Sadah, Yemen

• Finsbury Park Mosque Great Britain

• Four Feathers Youth Club Great Britain

• Laennec Mosque Lyon, France

• Islamic Cultural Institute  Milan, Italy

• Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque Kabul, Afghanistan

Mosques in places like Pakistan and Yemen certainly come as no surprise. The ones in Great Britain, France, Italy and Canada are much more worrisome for those of us who live in the West. It might also be noted that no Saudi mosques or Islamic centers are mentioned, no doubt due to a lack of intelligence. There is certainly no shortage of Saudi Jihadis in the world and they had to be recruited somewhere…

By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Qaeda, Canada, France, Great Britain, Guantanomo, Homegrown Jihad, Islam, Italy, Jihad, Pakistan, United Kingdom | Comments (1)

Al Qaeda advises Libyan Insurgents to Stockpile Weapons to Establish an Islamic State

1 AprpmMon, 25 Apr 2011 16:22:02 -06002011-04-25T16:22:02-06:0004 2009 – 16:22

Terrorist organizations affiliated with Al Qaeda are advising Libyan insurgents to stockpile weapons in preparation for the post-Gaddafi phase, saying the war in Libya is expected to continue even after the fall of the current regime.

  • Six terrorist groups affiliated with Al Qaeda called on insurgents who want to create an Islamic emirate in Libya to take steps and be ready for after Gaddafi, adding that the next enemy will be the pro-Western Libyan opposition.
Libyans have long played a prominent role in Al Qaeda. The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) trained in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime and supported the Taliban in a number of ways during the 1990s, in return for the Taliban granting them safe haven.
Some claim that a Libyan named Abu Yahya al-Libi will be the successor to Osama Bin Laden to lead Al Qaeda. Yahya Al-Libi actually was captured in Afghanistan but escaped from US custody at Baghram air base in July 2005.
Another prominent Libyan who has been involved with Al Qaeda and the Taliban is Abu Laith al-Libi. This terrorist was arrested in Saudi Arabia in the crackdown following the Khobar Towers bombing in 1995, but, like so many Jihadis, he managed to escape from prison and ended up in Afghanistan, where he became a spokesman for Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
Finally, a Libyan named Atiyah Abd al-Rahman was also a member of LIFG and was imprisoned in Algeria in the 1990s. By 2000, either by escape or being set free, al-Rahman ended up in Afghanistan and became a part of Al Qaeda’s leadership cadre. He reportedly remains near the top of Al Qaeda today and is said to handle the organization’s liason with global Jihadist organizations and Iran.
The point of all this is that there are many Libyans–some of them quite prominent–who are active in Jihad and who very likely are involved in the new insurgency in Libya…the insurgency that NATO and the Obama administration have decided to support…
By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Qaeda, Jihad, Libya, LIFG Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, Taliban | Comments (2)

Taliban Stage Mass Prison Escape

1 AprpmMon, 25 Apr 2011 14:34:45 -06002011-04-25T14:34:45-06:0002 2009 – 14:34

Nearly 500 Taliban, including commanders, escaped recently from prison in Afghanistan.

You can bet that this was an inside job. 5 prisoners escaping can be chalked up to incompetence. Not 500. 500 is certainly collusion.

This is a scenario that has been oft-repeated throughout the Islamic world, though not involving such large numbers.

Jihadis have made their escape in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen, Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan and Indonesia over the years, almost certainly with the aid of those who were supposed to be guarding them.

The global Jihadist insurgency is much wider and involves many more people than Western observers generally suppose. It would be better if we would wake up to the magnitude of the threat…

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/04/talibans_great_escape_frees_hu.html

By terrortrends | Also posted in Taliban | Comments (0)
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