Terrorism

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Iran condemns U.S. move to brand Guards "terrorist"

Reuters

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has said any U.S. move to brand its elite Revolutionary Guards a foreign terrorist organisation would be illegal and amount to a confrontation with the entire Islamic Republic. The House of Representatives approved a bill on Tuesday mandating sanctions on foreign energy companies doing business with Iran and urging the U.S. government to brand the Guards 'terrorist'. INSA news agency carried a foreign ministry statement late on Wednesday branding any such move irresponsible and illegal. "Any confrontation with this humane force is a confrontation with the great nation of Iran and those who are after accusing the Guards are in fact putting themselves in front of a nation of 70 million people," spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said.

Iran Strengthens South America Ties

Time

(LA PAZ, Bolivia) — Vilified by world leaders wary of his nuclear ambitions, Iran's president is turning to South American leftists who are embracing him as an energy and trade partner and counterweight to U.S. influence. On the heels of a U.N. General Assembly appearance in which he exacerbated concerns about Iranian bellicosity, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was headed to Bolivia on Thursday to establish first-time diplomatic relations with the Andean nation. He and President Evo Morales were expected to sign accords that Bolivian officials say could help them better tap the continent's second-largest natural gas reserves after Venezuela's and drum up urgently needed agricultural investment. Ahmadinejad then heads to Caracas to meet Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. Ahmadinejad's trip south underscores his strengthening links to Latin American nations that also include Nicaragua and Ecuador even as the United States tries to isolate him internationally. "It's a connection that is growing stronger all the time," said Alberto Garrido, a Venezuelan writer and political analyst. "It's Iran's answer to the United States on its own home turf. The United States is in the Middle East, so Iran is in Latin America."

Mahmoud Admadinejad Addresses The Press

Time

- Iran has not violated any of the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Ahmadinejad says. He has proposed a multilateral uranium enrichment program with different nations, and can't understand why no one has taken up his offer. - The US and Iran can play a positive role together in Iraq. "If the US withdraws from Iraq, good things will happen," he says. "I believe that the Iraqi people can rule themselves." - In the Middle East, Ahmadinejad says the world must allow the Palestinians to decide their future for themselves: "That is the human solution to sixty years of instability." He refers to Israel only as "the Zionist regime" and does not mention the Holocaust. - Ahmadinejad claims there are thirty newspapers published in Iran that are opposed to his government, citing that as evidence of press freedom in Iran. - In answer to a question about how he viewed Hitler's legacy, he says, "I view Hitler's role as extremely negative, a despicably dark face." - He notes that Americans don't understand Iranian history, saying that the movie 300 — with which he seems intimately familiar — was a "complete distortion of Iranian history." Iran, he says, has never invaded anyone in its history. Finally, in response to a question about whether war with Iran was growing more likely, he says, "Mr. Bush is interested in harming Iran. But I believe there are wise politicians in America who will prevent such a war. We hate war. We would not welcome it. But we are prepared for every scenario. Yet I don't think war will happen."

Terrorists could exploit visa program, intelligence chief warns

CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There is deep concern about the possibility of a terrorist attack in the United States this year because al Qaeda may be recruiting and giving explosives training to Europeans, many of whom can enter the country without a visa, the director of national intelligence told Congress. On Tuesday, Mike McConnell told the Senate Judiciary Committee the greatest threat comes from al Qaeda. The terrorist organization could be training operatives to move explosives available on the commercial market from Pakistan's tribal region through Europe and into the United States, he said. "Europeans in large part do not require a visa to come into this country, so purposefully recruiting an operative from Europe gives them an extra edge into getting an operative or two or three into the country with the ability to carry out an attack that might be reminiscent of 9/11," McConnell said. His comments echo statements of other senior government officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Chertoff has repeatedly expressed concern that terrorists could take advantage of the visa waiver program, which allows most Europeans to travel to the United States without applying for a visa. On Tuesday, McConnell said he also is concerned the appearance of Osama bin Laden on a recent videotape -- after the terrorist leader's lengthy absence -- might be a move designed to trigger an attack.

Ahmadinejad, at Columbia, Parries and Puzzles

New York Times

He said that there were no homosexuals in Iran — not one — and that the Nazi slaughter of six million Jews should not be treated as fact, but theory, and therefore open to debate and more research. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, aired those and other bewildering thoughts in a two-hour verbal contest at Columbia University yesterday, providing some ammunition to people who said there was no point in inviting him to speak. Yet his appearance also offered evidence of why he is widely admired in the developing world for his defiance toward Western, especially American, power. In repeated clashes with his hosts, Mr. Ahmadinejad accused the United States of supporting terrorist groups, and characterized as hypocritical American and European efforts to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “If you have created the fifth generation of atomic bombs and are testing them already, who are you to question other people who just want nuclear power,” Mr. Ahmadinejad said, adding, pointedly: “I think the politicians who are after atomic bombs, politically, they’re backwards. Retarded.”

New al-Qaida Video Released

Breitbart.com

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Al-Qaida's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri said the United States was being defeated in Afghanistan, Iraq and other fronts in a new video released Thursday, the latest in a series put out by the terror network. The video came days after Osama bin Laden released two messages to mark the Sept. 11 anniversary—including his first new appearance in a video in nearly three years. The 80-minute video posted on Islamic militant Web sites Thursday was in a documentary style, touting al-Qaida's activities in various areas, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and North Africa. "What they claim to be the strongest power in the history of mankind is today being defeated in front of the Muslim vanguards of jihad six years after the two raids on New York and Washington," al-Zawahri said, speaking in what appeared to be an office, with shelves of religious books and an automatic rifle leaning against them. "The Crusaders themselves have testified to their defeat in Afghanistan at the hands of the lions of the Taliban," he said. "The Crusaders have testified to their own defeat in Iraq at the hands of the mujahideen, who have taken the battle of Islam to the heart of the Islam world."

2 in UK in court on terrorist charges

Associated Press

LONDON: Two people appeared in court Wednesday after being charged with terrorist offenses. Raingzieb Ahmed, 32, charged with three counts, spoke only to confirm his name and age during a five-minute hearing at London's City of Westminster Magistrates Court. A 17-year-old from Dewsbury, England, who faces two counts, also spoke only to confirm his identity during a separate appearance. Ahmed was arrested at Heathrow Airport in London on Sept. 7 after returning from Pakistan, where he had been held on suspicion of militancy, Greater Manchester police said. He was charged with directing activities of a terrorist organization, possession documents useful to terrorists and possession of a rucksack containing traces of explosives allegedly for terrorist purposes.

Al-Qaida not only terrorist threat facing America

Tribune Chronicle

The ongoing debate about U.S. policy in Iraq needs to be pursued — but care should be taken to keep it from distracting us from the overall campaign against terrorists. Fortunately, U.S. leaders and their counterparts elsewhere seem to have remained focused on what is a serious threat throughout the world: Islamic extremism. Events in Denmark and Germany during in the past weeks have reinforced the need for such vigilance. Danish authorities arrested nine people, accusing them of being Muslim terrorists who planned an attack in that country. Recently, German police said they disrupted a plot to bomb U.S. targets in their country, also by Islamic extremists. What is particularly troubling about ongoing reports of terrorist activity throughout the world is that it involves a variety of organizations and, sometimes, loose-knit groups of individuals. In Germany, for example, the three men arrested were identified as members of Islamic Jihad Union. We’re willing to bet that few Americans have ever heard of the organization. Al-Qaida is far from the only terrorist threat facing Americans and other Westerners. Islamic extremism in a variety of guises is the foe.

Terrorists thank Cindy: You light up our lives

WorldNetDaily - Islamists: Sheehan 'gives us hope' U.S. will change Mideast policies

Muslim terrorist leaders are "thankful" for the efforts of activist and congressional candidate Cindy Sheehan, stating in a new book Sheehan's anti-Iraq war activities and her statements against President Bush "give us hope" the U.S. will change its Mideast policies. "You [Sheehan] give us hope and you show us that there are different Americans than those whom we know," stated Ramadan Adassi, chief of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group in the West Bank's Anskar Refugee Camp. "This sincere woman says what we've been saying all these last years – Saddam never threatened America or its security. Now Iraq is being decimated and America is losing. Voices like Sheehan's show things can change," said Adassi. Adassi and other terror leaders were quoted sounding off about Sheehan in the recently released "Schmoozing with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land Jihadists Reveal their Global Plans – to a Jew!," by author and WND Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron Klein. Adassi's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades took responsibility, along with the Islamic Jihad terror group, for every suicide bombing in Israel the past three years. It also carried out scores of fatal shootings and hundreds of rocket attacks against Jewish population centers. According to "Schmoozing with Terrorists," jihad leaders interviewed about Sheehan were thankful for the anti-war activist's activities. Klein states in his book he read to the terrorists quotes from the outspoken mother of fallen U.S. Army specialist Casey Sheehan. Among the quotes highlighted for the terrorists were statements calling Bush "the biggest terrorist in the world" and "worse than Osama bin Laden," and Sheehan's labeling of Iraqi insurgents multiple times as "freedom fighters." Terrorist: 'I thank Sheehan from the deep of my heart' Palestinian terrorist leaders were elated to hear Sheehan blamed the Iraq war on Israel, according to Klein.

There's menace in Osama's message

Asia Times

The September 7 release of a new video statement by Osama bin Laden puts to rest, at least for now, widespread speculation that he is dead, retired or has been pushed aside by his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri [1]. With a newly trimmed and dyed beard, comfortable robes rather than a camouflage jacket, and a clear and patient speaking style, bin Laden achieved a major purpose of his speech before he said a word: he clearly showed Muslims and Americans that he was still alive, that he was healthy and not at death's door, that he spoke from secure surroundings unthreatened by the US-led coalition in Afghanistan, and that he, al-Qaeda and their allies were ready to continue the war. As usual, this message was wrapped in an as-Sahab Productions video displaying high-level production values [2]. Some of the substance of bin Laden's speech was partially new to him specifically, but the West's failure to analyze what he and his lieutenants have been talking about for the past few years was repeatedly displayed by such foreign policy experts as a former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency and New York Times journalist David Brooks, both of whom suggested that bin Laden sounded like a left-wing, 1960s Marxist blogger.

U.S. military to release Iraqi detainees during Ramadan

AFP

The US military in Iraq announced on Thursday the start of a programme to release 50 to 80 detainees a day during Ramadan as security forces went on alert for fear of attack during the Muslim holy month. Ramadan began on Thursday for the minority Sunni population while the majority Shiites will commence the month of dawn to dusk fasting on Friday. "Task Force 134, the (US-led) organisation responsible for detainee operations, expects to release between 50 and 80 detainees per day during this holy month," a military statement said.

New Bin Laden Audio Marks 9/11 Anniversary

CBS News - Message From Al Qaeda Leader Introduces Video Showing Last Will Of Flight 11 Hijacker

(CBS/AP) Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden urged sympathizers to join the "caravan" of martyrs as he praised one of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackers in a new video that emerged Tuesday to mark the anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Al Qaeda traditionally issues a video every year on the anniversary, with the last testament of one of the 19 hijackers involved in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. This year's video showed hijacker Waleed al-Shehri, addressing the camera and warning the U.S., "We shall come at you from your front and back, your right and left." The new message came days after the world got its first current look at bin Laden in nearly three years, with the release of a video Saturday in which the terror leader addressed the American people. The latest videotape, of the hijacker's testament, had not yet been posted on extremist Web sites. But IntelCenter, a monitoring group in suburban Washington, said it had obtained the 47-minute video and provided it to Associated Press Television News. It begins with an audiotape introduction by bin Laden. While his voice is heard, the video shows a still image of him, raising his finger. In the image, bin Laden has the same dyed-black beard and the same clothes - a white robe and cap and beige cloak - that he had in Saturday's video.

Germans probe bomb threat to U.S. air base

USA Today

BERLIN (AP) — A man called a U.S. air base in western Germany and threatened to attack it, prompting German authorities to increase security measures there, police said Tuesday. The caller — speaking German, possibly with a Russian or Turkish accent — phoned a publicly listed number at the Spangdahlem Air Base on Monday evening, the day before Tuesday's sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, police in nearby Trier said. He threatened to attack the base with at least four accomplices, and the word "bombs" was mentioned, according to a police statement. The U.S. military informed German police, who took "immediate measures to protect the air base," the statement said. Police spokesman Reinhard Rothgerber said those measures were still in place Tuesday. "That means that the protection of this facility, which is at a high level anyway, was intensified further," he said.

Al-Qaida Announces New Bin Laden Video

Breitbart

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Al-Qaida said Monday that it will release a new video of Osama bin Laden presenting the last testament of one of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackers, marking the sixth anniversary of the attacks. The announcement from the terror group's media arm came only days after bin Laden appeared in his first video in three years, giving an address to the American people, lecturing them to abandon capitalism and democracy and convert to Islam. The announcement came in a banner advertisement posted on an Islamic militant Web site where al-Qaida often releases messages and was signed by Al-Sahab, the media arm of bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network. "Coming soon, God willing, the testament of the attacks on New York and Washington, Abu Musab Waleed al-Shehri, presented by Sheik Osama bin Laden, God preserve him," the banner read. It showed an image of bin Laden wearing the same black beard and clothes as in the most recent video.

Bin Laden Plans to Release New Video

MyWayNews

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The first new images of Osama bin Laden in nearly three years will be released ahead of the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, al-Qaida's media arm announced, a move that would end the terror mastermind's longest period without a message. The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday it had no credible information warning of an imminent threat to the United States, and analysts noted that al-Qaida tends to mark the Sept. 11 anniversary with a slew of messages. Still, bin Laden's appearance would be significant. The al-Qaida leader has not appeared in new video footage since October 2004, and he has not put out a new audiotape in more than a year. The announcement and photo appeared in a banner advertisement on an Islamic militant Web site where al-Qaida's media arm, Al-Sahab, frequently posts messages. "Soon, God willing, a videotape from the lion sheik Osama bin Laden, God preserve him," the advertisement read, signed by Al-Sahab. Such announcements are usually put out one to three days before the video is posted on the Web.

Germany hunting 10 more suspects in Islamist bomb plot

AFP

BERLIN (AFP) - German police are looking for 10 accomplices of the three men arrested over a foiled Islamist plot to blow up airports and US installations in Germany, a senior official said on Thursday. Deputy Interior Minister August Hanning told ARD television the police were searching for "the 10 people who were behind this" within Germany and abroad. "Terrorist attacks need preparation. We are trying to identify all of those who were working in the shadows," he said. German authorities on Tuesday arrested two German converts to Islam and a Turk who they said had stockpiled more than 700 kilogrammes (1,500 pounds) of chemicals to use in "massive" attacks on US targets. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble described the men as "very dangerous terrorists" who are believed to be members of the Islamic Jihad Union, a group with links to Al-Qaeda, and underwent training in Pakistan.

German Police Arrest 3 Men Plotting Terror Attacks on U.S. Facilities

FoxNews

BERLIN — Three suspected Islamic terrorists from an Al Qaeda-influenced group nursing a "profound hatred of U.S. citizens" were arrested on suspicioun of plotting imminent, massive bomb attacks on U.S. facilities in Germany, prosecutors said Wednesday. The three men had some 1,500 pounds of hydrogen peroxide -- easily enough to make a bomb with the explosive power of 1,200 pounds of TNT, prosecutors said at a news conference. "We were able to succeed in recognizing and preventing the most serious and massive bombings," Federal Prosecutor Monika Harms told reporters. She declined to name specific targets but said the suspects had an eye on institutions and establishments frequented by Americans in Germany, including discos, pubs and airports. Earlier, Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung was quoted by ARD television as saying Frankfurt International Airport and the large U.S. air base at Ramstein, in southwestern Germany, were targets. Harms would not confirm the report.

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Taliban to free all 19 hostages, South Korea says

Breitbart.com

SEOUL (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents will release 19 South Korean Christian volunteers they have been holding for nearly six weeks in Afghanistan, South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Tuesday. But a Taliban spokesman declined to comment on the announcement, saying only that negotiations were successful and the governor of the Afghan province where the hostages were seized said talks were still going on. "The Taliban agreed to free the 19 South Korean hostages on the condition that South Korea withdraws its troops within this year and halt missionary activities," the Blue House statement said.

AP: U.S. gave troops OK to enter Pakistan

USA Today

Newly uncovered "rules of engagement" show the U.S. military gave elite units broad authority more than three years ago to pursue suspected terrorists into Pakistan, with no mention of telling the Pakistanis in advance. The documents obtained by The Associated Press offer a detailed glimpse at what Army Rangers and other terrorist-hunting units were authorized to do earlier in the war on terror. And interviews with military officials suggest some of those same guidelines have remained in place, such as the right to "hot pursuit" across the border.

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