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Bomb scare on Paris-Tel Aviv flight
Fighter planes from three countries escorted a Paris passenger flight to Tel Aviv suspected of carrying a bomb.
Israeli officials later said there was no bomb on the El Al Boeing 767.
The plane and passengers landed safely in Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport on Wednesday evening, and the aircraft was searched after those on board were evacuated. Officials ultimately concluded there was no bomb, reported the Israeli Channel Two television network.
"Nothing was found there," Israeli police spokesman, Mickey Rosenfeld, told reporters after the search.
Reports said a threat supposedly linked to al-Qaeda was passed on to authorities after the flight took off from Paris.
During intervals of its trajectory, which included Greek territory, the El Al was escorted by fighter jets from Greece, Israel, and France, said Reuters, citing Israel's Channel Two report. Fighter planes from three countries escorted a Paris passenger flight to Tel Aviv suspected of carrying a bomb. ... more -
Qaeda calls for jihad in North Africa
Al-Qaeda's North Africa chief has called on Muslims there to join the jihad (holy war) and slammed governments in the region where the group has repeatedly claimed attacks, a US monitoring service said on Monday.
"Unite around the jihad that is the only alternative power to the apostate regimes that dominate over our lands," Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), said in an audio speech posted on Sunday on Islamist militant websites, the SITE Intelligence Group said.
Abdul Wadud blasted the regimes in Mauritania, Algeria and other North African countries, charging that Mauritania has become "a nest of foreign intelligence" topped by Israel's Mossad.
"Mauritania... has become a nest of foreign intelligence, at its forefront the Mossad, and has become a station of crusader colonial ambition," he said, according to a SITE transcript.
"History will continue to mention that this is the first Arab country, outside of the Tawq (Arab nations surrounding Israel), that recognised the state of Israel and exchanged ambassadors with it," he said.
SITE said the remarks came in a 29-minute video titled "A message to our ummah (nation) in the Islamic Maghreb."
Abdul Wadud also claimed that former colonial power France continues to impose its authority in Algeria, using the Algiers government as a proxy.
Algeria is threatened not only by France, but also by the United States which seeks to install military bases there, he charged.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has repeatedly claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in Algeria, including a spate of bombings in July and August.
The group has also been blamed for an ambush on a Mauritanian patrol last week after which the decapitated bodies of 12 Mauritanians -- 11 soldiers and one civilian -- were found. Al-Qaeda's North Africa chief has called on Muslims there to join the jihad (holy war) and slammed governments in the region wher... more -
General Petraeus told he 'must succeed' in Afghanistan
General David Petraeus must "knit together" Afghanistan's confused command structure if the coalition is to avoid a humiliating defeat, a senior American defence official has said. General David Petraeus must "knit together" Afghanistan's confused command structure if the coalition is to avoid a hum... more
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Pakistan president Zardari warns US forces in attacks across border on al-Qaeda
Pakistan will not tolerate any infringement of its territory in the name of the war on terror, president Asif Ali Zardari said today in a clear warning to US forces who in recent months have increasingly crossed the border to kill Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists Pakistan will not tolerate any infringement of its territory in the name of the war on terror, president Asif Ali Zardari said today i... more
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Are Yemen embassy, Pakistan hotel attacks next wave in Al-Qaeda offensive?
I can't help but wonder if the Yemen embassy and Islamabad Marriott hotel attacks are part of this next wave hinted at here by Al-Qaeda in their video?
Story excerpt:
"In another segment, the personal adviser to Taliban leader Mullah Omar says al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is alive and well. Al Qaeda leaders featured on the video promise more violence against their enemies.
"We inform the forces of the Cross and their apostate agents that the Mujahedeen's policy in the coming stage, God permitting, is going to be more major, large-scale attacks like the Kandahar prison operation, the Nuristan raid, the Sarobi ambush and Khost airport operation in which approximately 50 Americans and 100 apostates were killed and four helicopters were hit and destroyed," Mustafa Abu al-Yazid says."
More on the Islamabad Marriott attacks:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/world/asia/21islamaba...
More on the Yemen embassy attacks:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jXGTycAi2JhWyC20JqR... I can't help but wonder if the Yemen embassy and Islamabad Marriott hotel attacks are part of this next wave hinted at here by Al... more -
Global poll shows doubt about al-Qaida role in 9/11 attacks
Seven years after terrorist attacks killed several thousand people in the United States, a new global public opinion poll shows that many people do not believe the attacks were the work of the al-Qaida terror network. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington. ...more
"In Turkey, 36 percent have this view, Turkey, one of our allies. Palestinian territories, 27 percent have this view. In Mexico, 30 percent have this view, and perhaps most surprising of all, in Germany, 23 percent have the view that the United States was behind the 9/11 attacks."... more
Well you can't believe public opinion polls... No smoke without explosions. Seven years after terrorist attacks killed several thousand people in the United States, a new global public opinion poll shows that m... more -
U.S. troops launch helicopter assault in Pakistan
(CNN) -- U.S. military forces landed at a compound in Pakistan to battle targets linked to recent attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a senior U.S. official confirmed Wednesday.
The official declined to be identified, citing the extreme sensitivity of U.S. forces operating within Pakistan's borders.
The action was an uncommon one for the U.S. military. Generally, NATO forces do not enter Pakistan except when pursuing insurgents in Afghanistan who slipped over the border or, in an extreme case, to pursue a high-value target.
The Pentagon has refused to comment officially on the attack, but several defense officials acknowledged that U.S. military activity had taken place inside Pakistan.
The senior U.S. official said a small number of U.S. helicopters landed troops in the village near Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, where Taliban and al Qaeda fighters have hunkered down over the years.
Local media reports said the troops came out of a chopper and fired on civilians. The U.S. official said there may have been a small number of women and children in the immediate vicinity, but when the mission began "everybody came out firing" from the compound.
He said the U.S. troops specifically attacked three buildings in the compound. They were believed to contain individuals responsible for training and equipping insurgents who have been crossing the border into Afghanistan in increasing numbers in recent months and staging large-scale, high-profile attacks against U.S. and coalition forces.
The official could not say if the troops were going after a specific individual. Officials told CNN there was no indication the target was Osama bin Laden or his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday lodged a protest against U.S.-led coalition and NATO forces for what it said was a "helicopter-borne ground attack" from Afghanistan into Pakistan, an uncommon tactic in the coalition's fight against militants along the violent border.
The coalition and NATO have been seeking a way to effectively battle militants launching attacks from Pakistan's swath of tribal areas along the border. They have become frustrated with Pakistan over the years, saying it is not being proactive enough against militants, a claim denied by Pakistan -- now in political flux after the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf.
Top U.S. and Pakistani military officials last week met on an aircraft carrier regarding American concerns that Pakistan hasn't been cracking down hard enough on the Taliban.
Several times this year, U.S.-operated drone aircraft launched attacks inside Pakistan
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry described the strike as "a helicopter-borne ground attack supported by air assets based in Afghanistan" and called it a "gross violation of Pakistan territory."
Pakistani officials were still counting the casualties. One local official said the raid left 20 civilians dead. Pakistan military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said seven civilians died and others were critically injured. (CNN) -- U.S. military forces landed at a compound in Pakistan to battle targets linked to recent attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanista... more -
15 Reportedly Killed in U.S.-led Pakistan Attack
Women and children were among 15 people killed in an attack Wednesday involving U.S.-led forces in a Pakistani village near the border with Afghanistan, officials and a resident said.
1st Lt. Nathan Perry, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, said it had "no information to give" about the alleged operation, while a spokesman for NATO troops there denied any involvement.
The United States and Pakistan, allies in the war on terror, have had tensions over cross-border attacks, including a series of suspected American missile strikes which have killed two senior al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistani territory this year.
Officials gave differing accounts of the pre-dawn raid in the South Waziristan region, part of the tribal belt where officials suspect Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri are hiding. It was unclear whether any militant leaders had been killed or captured.
The governor of North West Frontier Province, the chief administrator for the tribal belt, said three coalition helicopter gunships and commandos carried out an "outrageous" attack on a village. Women and children were among 15 people killed in an attack Wednesday involving U.S.-led forces in a Pakistani village near the border... more -
SAS kills hundreds of terrorists in 'secret war' against al-Qaeda in Ira...
Hundreds of terrorists have been killed by the SAS waging a "secret war" against al-Qaeda in Iraq
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Pakistani government on brink of collapse
Pakistan's ruling coalition teetered on the brink of collapse as the two main partners squabbled over a successor to ousted President Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan's ruling coalition teetered on the brink of collapse as the two main partners squabbled over a successor to ousted Presi... more
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Al-Qaeda 'claims Algeria bombs'
A message purported to be from al-Qaeda's North African wing said it carried out bombs that killed about 60 people in Algeria this week. A message purported to be from al-Qaeda's North African wing said it carried out bombs that killed about 60 people in Algeria thi... more
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Al-Qaeda Deputy Head Ayman Al-Zawahiri in Audio Recording: Musharraf Accepted Isra...
On August 10, 2008, Al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman Al-Zawahiri released an audio recording consisting of accusations against Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. In the recording, which was distributed by the Al-Qaeda media company Al-Sahab and aired by Pakistan's independent television network ARY One World, Al-Zawahiri spoke in English, exclusively addressing a Pakistani audience.
Al-Zawahiri told his audience of his early years as a doctor in Pakistan, noting that he had gone there for the first time in 1980 to provide medical treatment to the mujahideen fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. He said that he had spent six years in Pakistan but that later, due to U.S. pressure, the government had forced him to leave.
Discussing his earliest connections with Pakistan, Al-Zawahiri said that he had read the poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the famous Indian Muslim religious poet (1877 - 1938) who is seen as one of the ideological founders of Pakistan. He added that his grandfather, Abd Al-Wahab Azzam, had translated a collection of Iqbal's poems, Diwan-e-Iqbal, into Arabic.
Following is a summary of the main points of Al-Zawahiri's recording, as published by the Urdu-language daily Roznama Express: [1]
Musharraf Stabbed the Mujahideen in Kashmir with a Dagger
In the tape, Al-Zawahiri accused President Musharraf of endangering Pakistan's national security by taking power. He said that it was because of Musharraf's wrong policies that drug dealers and pro-India and pro-Russia people were in power in Afghanistan today. Also as a result of those policies, he said, India today had access to Tajikistan's air bases, and its influence in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region had grown.
Musharraf Accepted Israel's Existence on PalestinianTerritory
Al-Zawahiri said that Musharraf's proposed solution to the Kashmir issue was akin to giving up Kashmir to the Indians, that Musharraf had stabbed the mujahideen in Kashmir with a dagger, and that the "jihad in Kashmir" should be freed from the control of Pakistan's intelligence agencies. He said that for all practical purposes, Musharraf had accepted Israel's existence on Palestinian territory, as well as allowing U.S. intelligence agencies to operate freely within Pakistan and to establish secret detention centers in the country. He also said that Pakistani politics were dictated by the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan.
Musharraf Endangered Pakistan's Nuclear Program
According to Al-Zawahiri, Musharraf had endangered Pakistan's nuclear program, and had made a scapegoat of nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan to please the U.S. Also, he said, Pakistani politicians were creating instability in a nation capable of atomic power in order to endear themselves to the U.S.
The People Of Pakistan Must Rise Up To Wage Jihad
Al-Zawahiri accused the Pakistani Army of arresting Al-Qaeda commander Abu Al-Faraj Al-Libi, and pointed out that the army was fighting an American war in the tribal districts on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border which was resulting only in losses for the Pakistanis.
He concluded by criticizing Pakistan's religious parties for their "silence" over the July 2007 military operation in Islamabad's Red Mosque, and urged the people of Pakistan to rise up to wage jihad. On August 10, 2008, Al-Qaeda second-in-command Ayman Al-Zawahiri released an audio recording consisting of accusations against Pakista... more -
Pakistanis urged to join jihad
A new tape may be the latest word from Al-Qaida's second in command.
In a rare English-language message, Ayman al-Zawahri (AY'-muhn ahl-ZWAH'-ree) claims Pakistan is now "virtually ruled from the American Embassy."
It's not clear when the tape was made, but it appears recent. The authenticity could not immediately be verified,
In the tape, Al-Zawahri lists a litany of charges against President Pervez Musharraf (pur-VEHZ' moo-SHAH'-ruhv), who he says betrayed Muslims by supporting the U.S. after the September 11th attacks in its battle against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Much of the hour-long address is an appeal to Pakistani soldiers to rethink their role in the fighting that has often pitted them against their countrymen, especially in the tribal regions.
He also urges Pakistanis to rise up and fight the United States or at least support the insurgents. A new tape may be the latest word from Al-Qaida's second in command. ... more -
Pakistani forces claim to have killed at least 100 pro-Taliban fighters
Scores of houses were bombed in the assault on Sunday, witnesses said, and nine Pakistani paramilitary troops were also killed in the fighting.
Details have been scarce about the military offensive in Bajaur, a stronghold for pro-Taliban fighters, which is also considered a possible hiding place for Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri, the al-Qaeda leaders.
Sardar Khan, a local police official, said two spells of aerial bombing destroyed about 40 houses in several villages.
Pakistan is under US pressure to crack down on the Taliban fighters in its tribal areas, from where they are said to launch attacks on government and Nato forces in Afghanistan.
The Bajaur offensive came in the wake of an assault by pro-Taliban fighters on Wednesday on an outpost manned by security forces.
Officials said those initial clashes killed 25 fighters and two troops, but conflicting casualty figures were reported on Sunday.
A military intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, placed the number of troops dead at 13.
Maulvi Umar, a Pakistani Taliban spokesman, claimed fighters had handed over 22 bodies belonging to security forces in the last three days after pleas from tribal elders. Scores of houses were bombed in the assault on Sunday, witnesses said, and nine Pakistani paramilitary troops were also killed in the ... more -
US Embassy attacks commemorated (10 years)
Kenya and Tanzania are preparing to mark the 10th anniversary of deadly bomb attacks on their US embassies.
Ceremonies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam will remember victims of the co-ordinated attacks, which killed more than 200 and injured at least 4,000. The commemorations are due to start at 1000 local time (0800 BST), about the time that the bombs exploded.
In Kenya, a manhunt is currently under way for a member of al-Qaeda still wanted in connection with the attacks. It is believed Fazul Abdullah Mohammed evaded a police raid at the weekend in the coastal town of Malindi, where he was staying with friends.
Twin commemorations are being held in Nairobi - one at the US embassy and the other at a memorial park in the city, which Prime Minister Raila Odinga is expected to attend.
Read more... Kenya and Tanzania are preparing to mark the 10th anniversary of deadly bomb attacks on their US embassies. ... more -
Osama Bin Laden driver trial jury out
A US military jury has retired to consider its verdict after the trial of Osama Bin Laden's former driver at Guantanamo Bay.
Yemeni Salim Hamdan faces life in prison if convicted of conspiracy and supporting terrorism. In closing arguments, the prosecution said he played a "vital role" in the conspiracy behind the 9/11 attacks. But defence lawyers said he was a low-level employee, who was "not even an al-Qaeda member".
Mr Hamdan, who was captured in Afghanistan in November 2001, has pleaded not guilty and his defence team say he worked for wages, not to wage war on America. Mr Hamdan has acknowledged working for Bin Laden in Afghanistan from 1997 to 2001 for $200 (£99) a month, but denies being part of al-Qaeda or taking part in any attacks.
***He is the first prisoner to be tried by the US for war crimes since World War II.***
Read more... A US military jury has retired to consider its verdict after the trial of Osama Bin Laden's former driver at Guantanamo Bay. ... more -
Closing arguments of Bin Laden's driver's trial
" Closing arguments began Monday in the trial of Osama bin Laden's former driver, Salim Hamdan, the first inmate at the Guantanamo jail to face a full-scale trial before the special tribunals created by President George W. Bush.
Hamdan, a Yemeni national about 40 years old, is accused of conspiracy and material support to terrorism, and faces a possible sentence of life in prison if a jury of six military officers finds him guilty.
A verdict could be handed down as early as Monday afternoon in the trial, underway at the prison camp on a US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since July 21.
"He was an Al-Qaeda warrior," said John Murphy, a Justice Department prosecutor. "He pledged bayat to Osama bin Laden," Murphy said, using the Arabic word for a pledge of allegiance.
Lawyers for Hamdan, who has already spent six years behind bars at Guantanamo, have questioned the fairness of the proceedings and argued that Hamdan was an insignificant figure while employed by bin Laden from 1998 to 2001, saying he was not involved in any way in Al-Qaeda operations.
"This is a classic case of guilt by association," said Lieutenant Commander Brian Mizer, an assigned military defense lawyer for Hamdan. Mizer described Hamdan as a driver with a fourth-grade education, motivated by financial gain not ideological passion.
"Mr Hamdan is not an Al-Qaeda warrior, he is not Al-Qaeda's last line of defense," Mizer said. "He's not even an Al-Qaeda member."
"You should not punish the general's driver today with the crimes of the general."
Once closing arguments wrap up, military jurors will immediately begin their deliberations amid predictions from human rights groups that Hamdan will likely be found guilty on at least some of the charges. " " Closing arguments began Monday in the trial of Osama bin Laden's former driver, Salim Hamdan, the first inmate at the Guan... more -
Al-Qaida: Explosives expert wanted by US killed - NewsFlash - mlive.com
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Al-Qaida confirmed Sunday the death of a top commander accused of training the suicide bombers who killed 17 American sailors on the USS Cole eight years ago.
Abu Khabab al-Masri, who had a $5 million bounty on his head from the United States, is believed to have been killed in an airstrike apparently launched by the U.S. in Pakistan last week.
An al-Qaida statement posted on the Internet said al-Masri and three other top figures were killed and warned of vengeance for their deaths. It did not say when, where or how they died but said some of their children were killed along with them.
Pakistani authorities have said they believe al-Masri is one of six people killed in an airstrike on July 28 on a compound in South Waziristan, a lawless tribal region near the Afghan border.
The U.S. military has not confirmed it was behind the missile strike. But similar U.S. attacks are periodically launched on militant targets in the tribal border region.
Both Osama bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, are believed to be hiding in the rugged and lawless region along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
The U.S. Justice Department has accused al-Masri, an Egyptian militant whose real name is Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, of training terrorists to use poisons and explosives.
He is also believed to have helped run al-Qaida's Darunta training camp in eastern Afghanistan until the camp was abandoned amid the 2001 U.S. invasion of the country. There he is thought to have conducted experiments in chemical and biological weapons, testing materials on dogs.
The al-Qaida statement called al-Masri and the other three slain commanders "a group of heroes" and warned of retaliation.
"We tell the enemies of God that God has saved those who will be even more painful for you," it said. "As Abu Khabab has gone, he left behind, with God's grace, a generation of faithful students who will make you suffer the worst torture and avenge him and his brothers."
There's a lot more if you click the link. CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Al-Qaida confirmed Sunday the death of a top commander accused of training the suicide bombers who killed 17 Ameri... more -
Pakistan alerting al-Qaeda?
Pakistan says its intelligence agents have been accused by the US of alerting al-Qaeda linked militants before the US launches missile attacks against them.
Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said members of Inter-Services Intelligence were accused of "tipping off" militants before strikes in the tribal areas.
Mr Mukhtar said that the Americans "mistrusted" the ISI.
His unusual public admission of the rebuke seems to mark a new low in ties between the US and Pakistan's spies Pakistan says its intelligence agents have been accused by the US of alerting al-Qaeda linked militants before the US launches missile... more -
New strategy 'can beat al-Qaeda'
"Al-Qaeda can be defeated if the US relies less on force and more on intelligence and policing to find its leaders, a leading US think-tank says.
In a new report, the Rand Corporation suggests the US replace the term "war on terror" with "counter-terrorism".
Al-Qaeda is blamed for the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US and other attacks around the world.
Many analysts believe Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders are hiding near the Afghan-Pakistan border.
Earlier this month, US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said the situation in Afghanistan was "precarious and urgent" and the country should be the main focus of the "war on terror".
Pakistan, a key US ally in the fight against al-Qaeda, is under increasing pressure to do more to combat militants in its lawless border areas.
"Terrorists should be perceived and described as criminals, not holy warriors and our analysis suggests that there is no battlefield solution to terrorism," said Seth Jones, political scientist and lead author of the study.
"The United States has the necessary instruments to defeat al-Qaeda, it just needs to shift its strategy.""
What do you think? "Al-Qaeda can be defeated if the US relies less on force and more on intelligence and policing to find its leaders, a leading US ... more
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