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Davos and Terrorism: Nothing Really New This Year
By Victor Comras
While global terrorism got some attention at this years Davos World Economic Summit, it was not one of the conference's central themes. Some attention was given to the economic costs associated with terrorism, and to continuing economic vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks. There was also an on-going polemic between Western and Muslim participants on the nature, causes and best ways to treat international terrorism. Iran, Iraq, and Hamas' victory in the Palestinian terrorities generated some debate. But, nothing really knew came from these discussions and few new recommendations were presented.
One Conference Session focused on the immense costs associated with combating global terrorism. The US and world economy lost billions after the 9/11 attack and we are still absorbing the on-going costs of protecting ourselves from future terrorist attacks. But, hard questions are now being asked concerning the cost effectiveness of the security systems we have put in place. Several Davos participants questioned whether governments may be going overboard on security expenditures. Others contend that such expenses are justified given the potential human, social and economic costs future major terrorist attacks might entail. All agreed that closer consultation and coordination between government, industry and business would lead to a better use of security-related funding.
One of the more interesting events was a simulated exercise involving major oil supply disruptions caused by terrorism. Two scenarios were studied: simultaneous terrorist attacks on key choke points along the global energy supply and subsequent further attacks in the Persian Gulf against soft targets, which exacerbate fears concerning long term oil shortages. These attacks are posited as driving the price of oil into the $124.00 - $134.00 a barrel range. The recommended response measures included taking immediate steps to protect other key infrastructure and choke points; calling on OPEC and non OPEC producers to maximize production, releasing of global oil reserves, and mandatory conservation measures. But, participants felt that the ultimate result of oil supply disruption would be very substantial longterm economic consequences for the international community. Their conclusion was that much greater impetus must be given to the development of alternative energy sources.
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Iran, Iraq and Hamas also were also on many participant's minds. There is no certainty about Tehran's intentions, said the UK's Jack Straw, "But it is prudent to believe that they are developing a nuclear weapons capability." The current situation "is totally unacceptable", said US Senator Saxby Chambliss (Georgia R). Neither the US nor the rest of the world can afford to allow Iran to get nuclear weapons and for these to then "fall in the hands of the terrorists". Failure in Iraq was also viewed as untenable by conference participants because of the reprecussions that could be expected throughout the middle east. With regard to the Palestinian situation, leaders from across the Muslim world argued that Hamas, which handily won election, must be given a chance. But European and American participants made it clear that Hamas would first have to renounce terrorism and come to terms with Israel's right to exist.
Muslim leaders attending the conference expressed concern with the links being drawn between Islam and terrorism. They rejected such terminology as "Islamic extremism" or "Islamic terrorism" which demonstrated a bias against Islam. Others pointed out that the Islamic community should take greater responsibility for what was happening and engage more directly in combating fundamentalist jihadi influence. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf told the group that extremism is in the mind of the people, and you can't just eliminate it: You must change minds. The military can't do this alone, but for the end result, the military is now buying time for the other institutions. Prince Turki Al Faisal, the Saudi Ambassador to the USA, also assured the group that Saudi government is now actively challenging the ideology that spawns terrorists and working to prevent terrorist acts. Yet, most of the Muslim leaders attending the conference continued to oppose a definition of terrorism that did not include a freedom fighter exception.
I guess we still have a long way to go to develop a true international strategy to deal with global terrorism. « Close It
GSPC's spiritual leader killed
By Olivier Guitta
In fact, AFP just reported that Sheikh Ahmed Abu Al Baraa was killed on January 17 during a fight between Islamists and the Algerian Army. It is an important victory against the jihadists because Al Baraa was quite influential in bringing in new recruits to the Algerian terrorist group.
Also GSPC is getting a lot of traction recently and can be considered as one of the most dangerous terror groups out there. Even though, France is their number one enemy, GSPC is helping Zarqawi in Iraq with fresh blood. Indeed, from April 2003 to December 2005, 163 Algerian GSPC members were arrested at the Syrian-Iraqi border: this is the highest number of citizens right after Jordanian and Saudi nationals. These "fighters" are usually handed over to Algerian authorities.
Finally, in the past three years about fifty GSPC Islamists have been sent back to Algeria from mostly Western Europe and the US. For instance, just recently Canada handed over Samir Ait Mohamed to Algerian authorities, to the utter dismay of Washington. Indeed, Mohamed who had been jailed for four and half years in Canada was wanted in the US because of its implication in the Ressam network that plotted the Millenium attack.
Even though, Algeria has been a good ally in the war on terror, especially in terms of intelligence, a recent rapprochement to Iran is quite worrying.
Contributing Experts' Interviews on Al-Zawahri Tape & Border Threats
By Andrew Cochran
Our Contributing Experts have been all over the airwaves to discuss the new video issued by Al Qaeda's #2, Ayman Al-Zawahri, and potential border attacks by Mexican drug lords. Links to the interviews:
Al-Zawahri Tape:
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross on Fox News on January 30;
Steven Emerson on Fox News on January 30: First interview - second interview - third interview (with Bernard Kerik);
Walid Phares on MSNBC on January 30: First interview - second interview;
The Investigative Project's Lorenzo Vidino on Fox News on January 30 (with R.P. Eddy);
Evan Kohlmann on MSNBC on January 30 (also discussing the new Jill Carroll tape)
Border Threats:
Michael Cutler on CNN on January 30;
Steven Emerson on CNBC on January 30 (with others)
Mujahideen Army Calls Upon Fighters to Attack Denmark and Norway
By Evan Kohlmann
The Mujahideen Army in Iraq--a prominent Sunni insurgent group--has released a new communique threatening to attack Denmark and Norway over a series of recent cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Mohammed. According to the statement: We, along with the rest of the world, have observed the offensive and harmful blasphemy against the blessed messenger Mohammed. This wrongdoing was perpetrated by several institutions from the promiscuous countries Denmark and Norway who secretly hate Islam and its leaders... Settling for [merely] boycotting these cowards is a position of weakness that is indicative of a feeble nation that does not stand up in defense of its Prophet and the principles that it believes in. They started [the battle] and they should suffer its consequences. We call upon all our brigades in the Mujahideen Army to attack whatever they possibly can in these two countries specifically, and in other countries who repeat what they have done Let us make our own efforts on top of Allahs expected revengeand hopefully, Allah will choose us to be among those who seek revenge for Mohammed in his name, as this in itself is a great honor for a Muslim.
Click to view English translation c/o Globalterroralert.com
US Response to the Terror State of Hamas-stan Should Include Immediate Immigration Denial
By Bill West
The Palestinian people have voted and duly elected a government in their territories that will be dominated and controlled by an internationally recognized terrorist organization (FTO), Hamas. Realistically, Israel may quickly decide to respond to this with severe unilateral security measures that will surely include a stronger clampdown on the ability of Palestinians to cross Israeli borders. Philosophically, the Israelis cannot be blamed for taking such measures.
Most Palestinians may view Hamas as something other than a terrorist organization, but from an American perspective, does that or should that really matter? All the arguments of living under occupation aside, we should remember that it was Chief Palestinian Terrorist Yasser Arafat who turned down a genuine offer of a real Palestinian state and potential peace during the waning days of the Clinton Administration. From any rational perspective, for a very long time, the de facto Palestinian state has been a Mid-East welfare state living on the largesse of international donors such as the United States and the European Union.
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It appears the best the occupied Palestinian masses could collectively manage all these years under the Palestinian Authority was to allow that so-called leadership to corruptly and fraudulently steal away the bulk of the international charity that was bestowed upon them. Of course, the radical Islamists in their midst in the meantime managed to elevate suicide bombers and mass murderers to some form of macabre cult status. These are supposed to be accomplishments of national pride?
Now they have elected members of their largest terrorist-murdering sect as their official political representatives. And the Palestinian people really expect things to get better? The initial reactions from US and European leaders are at least encouraging. They are signaling that financial aid to the Palestinian terror government will likely be cut. Lets hope sanity rules and it really is.
Along with that, lets also hope US immigration law enforcement authorities remember Section 212(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, otherwise known as U.S. Code: Title 8 Section 1182. This section of Federal law specifically relates to excluding aliens from entering the United States who, among other things, are representatives of terrorist organizations. The definition of representative is as follows:
(v) ''Representative'' defined
As used in this paragraph, the term ''representative''
includes an officer, official, or spokesman of an
organization, and any person who directs, counsels, commands,
or induces an organization or its members to engage in
terrorist activity.
It would appear there could be little argument about the 76 newly elected Hamas parliamentarians fitting the definition of representative of a terrorist organization for the purposes of US immigration law; at least those who are not US citizens.
As such, and as Israel will no doubt do, US law enforcement authorities should immediately place every one of the newly elected Hamas representatives on US visa denial and immigration watch lists so they are denied US visas and entry into the United States.
Should any of those new Hamas representatives turn out to be either naturalized or native-born US citizens, and that is a possibility, further investigation by the appropriate US agencies would be warranted. Minimally, potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and providing material support to a FTO might be in play. In the case of a naturalized US citizen, depending on when that person naturalized and when they became involved with Hamas, did they lie about such involvement on their naturalization petition documents and therefore commit fraud in such proceedings? US authorities, hopefully, will review such matters.
The West must deal with the government of the new Terror State of Palestine. The US Government should make certain none of their representatives are able to legally set foot in America. « Close It
Zawahiri's message: "your -US- assessment is wrong, we're winning"
By Walid Phares
Walid Phares
The new Zawahiri videotape released by al Jazeera today shows a sophistication in the propaganda war waged by the Jihadists worldwide against the US and its allies. Designed to "crumble" the morale of the American public and "boost" the commitments of the Jihadi forces, the tape is another attempt to score points in the War of ideas and media. The results were immediate in the West. The Associated Press immediate leads were stunning: 1) Zawahiri proves he wasn't killed by the US strike, therefore he scored one point against the US. 2) He labeled his enemy, the US President, as "butcher of Washington," hence attempting to rally the widest anti-American axis as possible AP lead. But the tape is not just that, another message from the number two in al Qaida. It is a very well orchestrated political offensive aimed at the nervous centers of the "enemy's public. A shot that may preceed action or asking for it. Here are the ingredients:
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The tape shows al Zawahiri addressing the Arab Muslim world and the West at the same time. "Exclusive" to al Jazeera, which controls the timing of the airing of the tape and the selection of the the commentators it gathers to share with the public their "analysis" of the message, the speech is structured thoroughly al Jazeera lead
First, the Pakistan component. Al Jazeera summarized:
??? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ????? ???????? ??????????, ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ????? ????.
????? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ???? 18 ???? ????? ????? ?????, "????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?????, ????? ?? ??? ??? ????
Zawahiri said the raid that targeted a village in Waziristan was in coordination with Pakistan's President Musharraf. Hitting the latter while attacking the US intervention aims at mobilizing against The Pakistani leader and forcing his Government to take further distance from Washington. Zawahiri stated that 18 people, including children and women were killed in the raid while aiming at eliminating him and four of his companions. He then stated that only Allah will decide of the time of his death. Therefore, he said "the US and its allies cannot change anything in the plan."
He then moves on the offensive to state:
????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?????? -?? ????? ??? ?????? ???????? ???? ???- ??? ??? ????? ??????? ???, "???? ???? ???? ?????, ????? ??????? ??? ????, ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?????
"The American President, the butcher of Washington, is not only a liar and a defeated President, but a failure and a traitor and he is dragging his nation into catastrophes."
In a warning to the American and British peoples he states:
??? ???? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???????, ????? ?? ??????? ???? ????, ????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ????? ?? ???? ?? "???? ????", ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ???? ???????, ???? ?? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ???????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??????????
He states that the American refusal to accept the Truce offer by Usama Bin Laden as an honorable way out, under the pretext that the US are winning the war against what it calls Terrorism, is a Bush "mirage." He said the public in the US and the UK should make Bush and Blair responsible for the bodies which will come from Iraq and Afghanistan.
He adds:
?????? ???????? ??? ???? ???????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ???????? ?? ??????, ????? ?????? ??? ????????, ?????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ?????????? ????, ???? ?? ??? ???????? ???????.
If the US winning the War why isn't it withdrawing from Iraq? Why are its soldiers committing suicide? He promised Bush that other battles are coming, not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also inside the United States.
Al Jazeera's web title is interesting and indicative:
"Al Zawahiri criticize Bush for refusing the truce and threatens with attacks inside his homeland"
Which seems to be the beef of the message. Al Jazeera's first analysis of the tape was made by two guests who appeared instantly after the airing. From London, M Abdelbari Atwan, the editor of al Quds al Arabi, and frequent intellectual interpreter of Bin Laden's messages went straight for the bottom line: The US, the West must take Bin Laden's offer for a truce seriously. He said Washington think it is winning the war on Terror and is mistaken. He surprisingly criticized the "so-called Terrorism experts" within the US Government and in the media who states that al Qaida is in trouble. (A very and unusual statement that indicates that a special observation of the analysis by Terrorism experts in the West is ongoing). M Atwan said the West must recognize the fact that negotiations with al Qaida are a must. The second guest, M Larry Johnson, a former US Marine, recently hired by al Jazeera, appeared from Washington and mildly underlined that al Qaida has credibility in its own midst.
As I argued on MSNBC in my first assessment, along with my colleague Ret Col Rick Francona (NBC analyst), the most important impact of the tape is going to be in which way the Western and Arab commentators will "explain" the tape MSNBC link. From a global and immediate analysis of the message the bottom line is about how to explain the War between the US-led coalition and the Jihadi-led Al Qaida axis. The Jihadi camp is increasingly concerned that out of the West and the Arab world, a new analysis is explaining that it is al Qaida which is not achieving its goals with the peoples it wants to enlist. It is against this particular analysis of the War on Terror, that the "architects" of the tape are attempting to redress the political situation in their own midst.
Dr Walid Phares is a senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the author of Future Jihad. www.futurejihad.com
« Close It
Bill Fox to Leave FinCEN
By Dennis Lormel
Bill Fox, Director, FinCEN, announced his resignation today. Bill has accepted a position with Bank of America. I had the privelege of working closely with Bill when I was the Chief of the Terrorist Financing Operations Section at the FBI. At that time, Bill worked as Special Assistant to Treasury General Counsel David Aufhauser. Mr. Fox has been one of the true unsung heroes in the war against terrorist financing. One of the attributes I admire most about Bill is his commitment to doing the right thing, regardless of the potential consequence. As Director of FinCEN, Bill has worked tirelessly to partner with the financial industry as well as with the government agencies that serve as his constituancy. As an example, he has greatly facilitated the FBI's ability to access and analyze BSA suspicious activity and currency transaction report information. This has had a direct and positive impact on the FBI's terrorist financing investigative program. On the banking front, Bill has been keenly sensitive to the myriad of issues concerning financial institutions. He has spent considerable time addressing such issues and ensured his accessibility by participating in many industry forums. Bill has been a a great leader in the community and will be greatly missed. He is held in the highest regard in many circles.
I wish Bill and his family the best of luck in their future endeavors. The government's loss has clearly been Bank of America's gain.
Denmark: The Next Terrorist Target?
By Evan Kohlmann
Last September, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten caused an uproar when it published a series of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed that were deemed blasphemous by many conservative Muslims. One
of the cartoons depicted Mohammed with his eyes blacked out, carrying a
curved dagger and flanked by women wearing burqas. Another showed him wearing a turban shaped like a bomb, complete with lit fuse. The tempest-in-a-teacup controversy resurfaced this month when a Norwegian Christian magazine decided to republish the cartoons because editors were reportedly "sick of the ongoing hidden erosion of the freedom of expression." In response, fundamentalists have declared war on the Danish government and are attempting to enforce a Muslim boycott on goods from Scandanavia. Militants operating on the Internet have issued open calls to Usama Bin Laden "to add Denmark to your list of upcoming targets." Even the Mujahideen Army (a prominent Sunni insurgent
group in Iraq) has today issued its own official statement bitterly condemning Denmark and
Norway over the cartoons.
This latest episode only underscores worrisome rising tensions in Denmark between Muslims and non-Muslims. Last weekend after speaking at a conference organized by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I had a chance to explore Copenhagen a bit beyond the halls of government. In a small and crowded bar in the center of the city, I came across a group of talkative, young Palestinians. After hearing me speaking in English, they asked me where I was from and quickly added, "We love Americans, but we hate Bush!" We began a lengthy exchange in broken Arabic and English. One of them, a young man from Irbid, Jordan pointed to me and explained, "You, you OK. But these people," darkly gesturing to the crowd of native Danes surrounding us, "they are no good." I pressed him on whether the situation had really become that dire. He assured me that him and his friends were dreaming of departing Denmark as soon as possible and returning to the Palestinian territories, to Ramallah and Tulkarem. The men also expressed avid support for Hamas and triumphantly celebrated its recent victory in the Palestinian elections.
Many in Denmark remain convinced that their country remains immune to the threat of terrorism, and are loathe to compare their own dilemma to the recent transformation of their Dutch neighbors following the Van Gogh assassination and the arrest of the Hofstadtgroup. But one cannot ignore the growing incidences of intimidation and violence directed towards Danish journalists and others who have helped expose the activities of local religious fanatics. While Britain, Italy, and France may seem as the more obvious targets of contemporary terrorists, it would be a mistake to immediately dismiss the latest volley of threats directed toward Denmark as mere bluster.
See also: - Reuters: Cartoons bring Muslim wrath on Denmark - http://www.no4denmark.com - Internet Haganah: "The Danish Threat" - Infovlad: "Denmark Again???"
Congress to Pass Second Short-Term Extension of USA Patriot Act
By Andrew Cochran
The U.S. House is scheduled to take up the USA Patriot Act this week. The extension which passed in December expires on February 3. I understand that a second short-term extension into March is likely. House Judiciary Chairman Sensenbrenner has issued numerous press releases highlighting changes to the Act in the final conference report to protect civil liberties. There have been private discussions on Capitol Hill that could, if the stars align, result in a permanent bill. But it will be difficult to reach a final agreement in the current political atmosphere, with the NSA surveillance program hearings beginning on February 6.
Another Intriguing Story of al Qaeda and Gemstones
By Douglas Farah
There is an intriguing story that I have been following for a while, and carried superbly in today's Washington Post on Adullah Tabarak, Osama bin Laden's bodyguard who was mysteriously released from Guantanamo despite his significant role in al Qaeda. He was also, by his own admission, part of a "gemstone smuggling ring" that al Qaeda operated near Kandahar.
There is much that is strange about Tabarak's situation. He became the "emir" of Guantanamo, respected for taking the heat of bin Laden at Tora Bora by taking the leader's sat phone, making calls and luring away coalition forces, who followed him rather than bin Laden. Tabarak was captured. Bin Laden was not.
While in Guantanamo, Tabarak, according to European intelligence sources, called for hunger strikes that were almost universally obeyed. No one questioned his authority. His status was such that he was not allowed visits by the ICRC out of "military necessity," according to the U.S military.
Then suddenly Tabarak was released to Morocco, where he remains largely free. Why he was released by U.S. officials remains a mystery. Europeann al Qaeda experts are baffled by the move and the feeling that the U.S. community simply did not realize the value of Tabarak when they allowed him to go free.
One of the intriguing passages of Tabarak's testimony refers to his work in a "gemstone smuggling ring" while working in Kandahar. It operated from 1997-2001, exactly matching my stories on the diamond trade. To read my complete blog go here.
The Hamas Gate..
By Walid Phares
Walid Phares
January 26, 2006
As soon as the Palestinian commission for elections declared Hamas as a winner of the legislative elections in Gaza and the West Bank, a hurricane of questions slammed international media, Governments, politicians, and analysts. Among officials of the Palestinian Authority: what's next? Will Hamas ruin the advances in international recognition? Within Israel: Is the Peace process dead? How can we deal with a Terrorist Government? In the West: Is Democracy a weapon for radicals in the Arab world? And in America: How to deal with Hamas? These and more dramatic questions are the direct result of a political earthquake that seemed to shake off the foundations of the new US policy in the region: People are eager for freedom. But in the Palestinian territories, voters gave Terror a resounding legitimacy: Why, and more importantly, what is to happen?
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Before democracy-critics rush to rapid conclusions, let them be attentive to the complexity of the democratization process. First, elections arent the only tool to produce democratic societies. They are the institutions that checks and balances- the democratic culture. Voting opportunities within societies that lacked the practice for decades systematically produces a proportional reality to the layers underneath. In short, if the most organized, well disciplined and better financed forces are given the opportunity to show their strength at the first electoral test, and the incumbent government is plagued with corruption, dont expect major surprises. This is the case of Hamas today. Lets review the road to its electoral victory.
Hamas founders are the heirs of the Muslim Brotherhood, al ikhwan al Muslimeen, launched in the 1920s in Egypt by Hassan al Banna. Its ideology was inspired by Salafism, which also inspired its sister current out of Arabia, Wahabism. So, were talking about two centuries of doctrinal legacy and 80 years of organizational experience. The Muslim Brotherhood was already active at the inception of the Arab Israeli conflict in 1947. An off shoot of the movement created Harakat al Muqawama al Islamiya (HAMAS, Movement of the Islamic Resistance) in 1987, to lead an active role in the struggle against Israel. It paralleled the surge of other off shoots across the Arab world in the 1980s and 1990s: The NIF of Turabi in Sudan, the GIA and the Salafi Combat group in Algeria, the Gamaa Islamiya in Egypt and later on the Islamic Jihad of both Palestine and Egypt. In the mid 1990s, a mix of the above groups produced al Qaida. However, while the Bin Laden galaxy mutated into an international organization of Jihad, Hamas was a "nationally" based Jihadist movement.
By the late 1980s, Hamas was gradually operating a socio-economic infrastructure financed by Saudi Wahabis. This jumpstart gave the movement an ahead social leap over its competitors, including the PLO. Later in that decade, into the early 1990s, Tehrans Mullahs opened a giant financial account in support of Hamas. The Baath of Assad hosted its headquarters in Damascus. Three regional streams fed the organization with state- sponsored strategic support for more than two decades, allowing Hamas to compete with, and eventually defeat Yassir Arafats Fatah. The Jihadists of Palestine didnt start from scratch on the material level: Two capitals backed them, powerful circles in Arabia displayed generosity towards them, and out of the West, supporters excelled in fundraisers, taking advantage of Hamas skilled propagandists.
Rejecting the Oslo Peace Process in 1993, Hamas sunk most Palestinian-Israeli agreements with car bombs. While the PLO was signing treaties with the Jewish enemy, the Jihadi organiation was striking deep behind those Zionist lines. Hamas focused solely on the Palestinian arena making sure not to engage in direct Terror against the US or Europe. In the 1990s, Arafats men were getting richer and were treated as VIP internationally including by Israel, while Hamas was stealing the passion of the intifada from the old Fatah. Its hospitals and schools-turned madrassas served the masses, while the PLO barons stole them. In parallel it took the group extreme violence against the Israelis, mostly civilians, to beat the Palestinian Authority on the struggle level. A full circle was established: The schools and services were controlled by Hamas and it produced more supporters; the terror strikes kept the Jihadi flames alive, while the PLO sunk in corruption. It became clear to any seasoned observer, that at the first electoral opportunity, the young, dynamic, economically supported network will displace the old, undecided, and financially corrupt Government. In fact, between the PLO and Hamas, there were no other alternative: The international community turned a blind eye on the third generation of Palestinians. The Europeans and their Arab allies stood by Arafat, and the Tehran-Damascus axis and the Wahabis backed Hamas. Asked to select their legislators, the Palestinians had these two camps to choose from.
The dice has rolled now. Hamas obtained the largest slice of seats in the representative assembly. But by projecting itself that high in the process, it flew higher than the comfortable atmosphere it was used to: the underground. As one of Hamas leaders said on al Jazeera after the victory was announced: As we were in the underground we will continue to act above the surface: Nothing will change, he added. A representative of the ailing Fatah responded: Everything is going to change for you. Weve been there, saw it all. The prophecy of the vanquished camp may well turn true.
In that very revealing al Jazeera forum, the Hamas spokesperson attempted to smooth down the victory. Facing a number of young activists questioning already the position of the group on the religious scarf and other liberties, he said we understand the fears of the youth and females on social issues. Were here to say that there will be no imposition of unpopular measures. In the first few hours after Hamas ascendance, Palestinian future tensions were already at the table.
"Freedom is guaranteed by the Koran," says Hamas using the verse: la ikrah fil deen (no compulsion in religion). But most Palestinians are secular, and the youngest among the latter are modernist. I have seen both, living side by side: But how about Hamas immediate challenges? There are many scenarios.
Saib Oreikat, Mahmoud Abbas main negotiator said Fatah will become a supportive opposition. Other PLO cadres do not want to help Hamas in Government. In Tehran, Ahmedinijad is jubilating: Now he can see Hamastan as a basis for his future attacks against Israel. Syria is relieved for this breath of fresh air coming from the south. So is Hezbollah: The Jihadists are up and running in the Eastern Mediterranean, they fantasize. Hamas has brought hope to the axis of Jihad from the Sunni triangle to Beiruts southern suburb. But inside the groups war room wise men are advising for moderation in display. They have hard choices to make, much harder than blowing up buses across the green line.
At their first press conference after victory Hamas chiefs said al fawz mina allah (Allah granted us this victory) signaling that the next steps are going to be inspired by the divine as well. They insisted that the results are a referendum in favor of the resistance.
They collected 80 seats (60.6% of the votes), or so depending on how to count the allies seats, and hence they can form a Government. But will they? Many scenarios were advanced by the Bir Zeit University scholars: 1) A fully Hamas Government. 2) A national unity cabinet. 3) A Government of technocrats. or 4) Chaos at will.
The near future will tell us.
But Hamas announced its long term agenda: Jerusalem is the capital and the return of all refugees. But they omitted to define the Palestine they want. More important they didnt say a word about Israel: does it or does it not exists? This question will be the hardest to answer by an organization which existence is about the obliteration of the Jewish state. If it doesnt recognize Israel, the world will isolate Hamas. If it does admit the idea, it will loose its raison detre.
And while awaiting the holy spirit to advise the Jihadi group in this regard, a Hamas controlled Government will have to deal with the following:
1) The Peace Process with Israel: Will it resume it or not?
2)The alliance with Iran, Hezbollah and Syria: will it keep it or not?
3) Religious state in Palestine: will it enforce it or not?
However, the devil is in the details. And the most explosive ones are the security agencies, fully controlled by Fatah's powerful men. It is going to be very difficult to dislodge them. For Hamas can send suicide bombers inside Israel at will. But inside the Palestinian territories, everyone knows everyone and Terror is not the sole exclusivity of Hamas.
Dr Walid Phares is a senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington and the author of Future Jihad www.futurejihad.com. Analysis and media asegments are posted on www.walidphares.com
« Close It
Danish leftist group openly funding terrorist organizations
By Olivier Guitta
Indeed, the far left group Rebellion has admitted to transfer 14,000 Euros (around $17,000) to the Colombian FARC and the Palestinian FPLP, both on the European Union list of terror organizations. Rebellion considers these two groups as being "secular, democratic and humanist". Also, its spokesman is also charged for having called on national TV other far left groups to collect money for other terror groups placed on the EU's black list.
Rebellion placed on its website this fundraising operation and got 35 other leftists groups in Denmark and around the world to relay on their own websites this same call for collecting money on behalf of terror groups. Among them was the leftist Danish political party Enhedslisten that scored 3.4% during the February 2005 elections. Enhedslisten only recently agreed to remove the fundraising effort from their website.
Rebellion is being sued on these two charges and the trial should start next month. It is high time that our democracies deal with the alliance between some in the far left and terrorist groups. Clamping down on them strongly would definetely send the message. We can trust Danish justice to do the right thing (Denmark has been one of our staunchest allies in the War on Terror).
Senate Judiciary Democrats Question Att. Gen. Gonzales on NSA Surveillance
By Andrew Cochran
On Wednesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter sent a letter to Attorney General Gonzales with 15 questions to be answered at the February 6 committee hearing on the NSA surveillance program. Committee Democrats sent their own letter yesterday with 6 questions, including demands for numerous documents from within the Executive Branch pertaining to the decisions surrounding the program. I'm sure that the Attorney General will not provide documents which would reveal the discussions and deliberations within the Executive Branch, and I'm also sure that the committee Democrats knew that when they drafted the letter. Sen. Specter's letter didn't explicitly ask for any documents, and the Attorney General will not disclose Executive Branch deliberations in response to his questions, either.
Report: "The Role of Islamic Charities in International Terrorist Recruitment and Financing"
By Evan Kohlmann
This week, I presented a paper on behalf of the Danish Institute of International Studies at an international development conference organized by Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. My report, titled "The Role of Islamic Charities in International Terrorist Recruitment and Financing", may be downloaded for free in PDF format or, alternatively, can be ordered in printed form directly from the DIIS.
Abstract: "The roots of the contemporary radicalisation and support to terrorism can be traced back two decades to the organisational lessons of the Soviet-Afghan war. At the time a number of sympathetic NGOs provided various kind of assistance which proved to be invaluable in the longterm struggle. By clothing their militant activity with charitable ideals, radical militants discovered that they were able to maintain their level of efficiency while working with very few restrictions on an international level. The practice of radical and militant involvement with NGOs and charitable organisations continues today, and an understanding of the linkages between radicalisation and the NGO community is necessary when considering development interventions."
Columbia Passport Ring Bust Another Reason to End Visa Waiver Program
By Michael Cutler
Repeat after me, "The Visa Waiver Program endangers our nation and our citizens!" If you don't agree with that statement, or if you do not understand the reason I am this emphatic about the Visa Waiver Program, I want you to read this CNN article about the bust of the Columbian fake passport ring. The Visa Waiver Program was designed to make it easier for aliens to enter the United States. It was implemented in segments nearly 20 years ago, long before the attacks on the World Trade Center of 1993 and 2001. As a result of those attacks and the other attacks launched by terrorists against our nation our citizens have seen a number of measures that have been implemented in the name of national security. The administration has engaged in a controversial domestic surveillance program. Here in New York trucks and other vehicles are often searched by law enforcement officials as a matter of routine. We are warned that telling a 'joke' that makes reference to a bomb or other such weapon at an airport may get you arrested. It is more difficult to obtain driver's licenses. Because Richard Reid, the so-called "shoe bomber" concealed an explosive device in his shoe, we must all remove our shoes to make certain we haven't concealed a bomb in our shoes. However, Mr. Reid was a citizen of Great Britain and as such was eligible to enter the United States without first obtaining a visa; yet the Visa Waiver Program is still alive and well facilitating the entry of aliens from 26 countries plus Canada into the United States.
It is worth noting that one of the defendants in this investigation has been identified as being a dual national; Colombian and Palestinian. Our officials keep downplaying the crisis we face at our nation's borders whether we are talking about the armed incursion of possible Mexican soldiers escorting drug loads into our country or the possibility that terrorists may have had their entry into our country facilitated by the insane Visa Waiver Program. This is particularly difficult to comprehend because the President has been traveling around the country to make a case for his domestic wiretapping/surveillance program. Certainly the potential that terrorists may have entered our country would give his arguments greater credibility, yet his absolute and highly obvious intentions to leave our borders wide-open seem to override his desire to justify his surveillance program.
I am attaching, to the end of this post, several counts of the indictment that make it clear that the alien smugglers/fraud passport vendors made use of the ease with which aliens could enter the United Sates under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program, using "counterfeit Colombian, Spanish, Portuguese and German passports," quoting the CNN article. You can find the full indictment and DOJ press release here.
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Let me first explain why I believe that the visa requirement should be required for all aliens seeking entry into the United States. There are three basic ways that the visa requirement aids law enforcement in securing our nation against terrorists and criminals. First of all when an alien applies for a visa to visit the United States he or she is required to fill out an application that asks a number of questions relevant to that application and requires that the alien also provide fingerprints and photographs and be subjected to an interview by a U.S. consular official at an embassy or consulate of the United States in a foreign country. This provides a layer of security and provides the official with an opportunity to better screen that applicant for admission to the United States. Second, if an investigation is launched that involves an alien who applied for a visa, that application can provide useful information and potential investigative leads to the agents conducting such investigations including investigations into drug trafficking, terrorism or other such crucial issues. Finally, it is often easiest to charge a suspected terrorist or drug trafficker with committing visa fraud than with other law violations. Simply stated, fraud is a lie put on paper to provide the person who lied with a benefit that would otherwise have not been possible if all material facts had been known. In fact, the concept of prosecuting criminals for visa fraud was apparently uppermost in the minds of our Congress when the enhanced penalties for visa fraud when drug trafficking or terrorism is involved was enacted. Under these enhanced penalties provisions a person who commits visa fraud in conjunction with drug trafficking faces a maximum period of incarceration of 20 years while visa fraud committed in conjunction with terrorism increases the maximum penalty to 25 years in prison.
When an alien enters the United States under the auspices of the Visa Waiver Program, none of the potential benefits to law enforcement or our efforts at securing our borders as I noted above, apply.
Now let us consider the article which describes the investigation which resulted in the arrest of individuals who were arrested as alien smugglers were arrested in a "sting" in which the aliens who bought the passports were really part of the sting operation. The 'customers' may have included law enforcement officers and/or informants who are cooperating with law enforcement authorities who masqueraded as being members of FARC, a Colombian terrorist organization, for the purposes of this investigation. The passports that were provided to these supposed members of FARC were passports issued by Spain. Spain is a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program. This means that the bearers of these passports would not have needed to obtain visas before seeking to enter the United States. In any event, since we are dealing with Colombian aliens they would have had to undergo the scrutiny that the visa process engenders.
Clearly the potential benefit of securing a passport from a Visa Waiver Country was not lost on the bad guys. These Spanish passports made it far easier for the forgers to provide these documents to aliens intent on entering the United States. The forgers would not have to attempt to forge a secure visa. They would not have to get hold of a passport that already contained a visa. This far and away, simplified the task of providing a passport that could get someone through the inspections process at a port of entry without being detected as an impostor.
It is important to understand how such bogus passport rings operate. The passports that were being furnished to the aliens noted in this article were described as being counterfeit. In my experience as a former Immigration Inspector and also as a former Senior Special Agent of the INS, it is entirely possible that these passports had been originally issued to people other then those who paid to obtain these passports with their photographs in them. Generally photo-substituted passports are more common than passports that are entirely false. In any event, the point to these passports is to enable aliens to enter the United States under false names, possibly because their true names are known to our government as being criminals, terrorists or aliens who had been previously deported from the United States. In any event, this case clearly shows that the visa requirement can be an effective measure to provide our nation with an additional layer of security. Any security expert will tell you that a layered approach to security is the most effective approach.
I have been told by some of my friends on Capitol Hill, on both sides of the political aisle, that big business, especially the hospitality and travel industries are adamant about being utterly opposed to requiring an end to the Visa Waiver Program. I am furious! How dare our government permit business executives to dictate policy decisions where nothing less than our nation's security is on the line?
Interestingly, officials of the government of Colombia, which to that country's credit, cooperated fully in this investigation, stated that they believed that this bogus passport ring may have assisted members of terrorist organizations to gain entry into the United States while our own government officials have stated that they do not believe that any aliens related to Middle Eastern terrorist organizations may have used the services of this criminal organization.
It is vital that our government give up the Visa Waiver Program and in so doing, provide our nation and our citizens with the protection that the visa requirement offers and that we badly need especially as our nation confronts the threat of additional terrorist attacks.
Pertinent section of the indictment below - click on it to expand:

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Davos Forum: Another anti-Israel Vehicle?
By Andrew Cochran
Aren't there enough pressing issues to address at the World Economic Forum without reducing it to yet another opportunity to showcase those who wish to see Israel shunted aside? First, an article called Boycott Israel in the Global Agenda magazine was published by the Forum and given to all the participants (full article below). According to a NYT story, the author of the article, Mazim Qumsiyeh, said he had been asked by a staff writer at the magazine to write this piece. Again according to the NYT, Klaus Schwab, Executive Director of the Forum, said that the article should not have been published and had "slipped through the editing process. He further stated that "The article is totally in contradiction to my own, and the forum's, mission and values."
Perhaps. But why was the Muslim American Societys (MAS) Mahdi Bray asked to address the conference? The same Mahdi Bray stood behind Abdurahman Alamoudi (now serving 23 years in prison on terrorism financing charges) cheering on Hamas and Hizbollah in front of the White House: "I have been labeled by the media in New York as being a supporter of Hamas. Anybody supporters of Hamas here? Hear that, Bill Clinton? We are all supporters of Hamas ... I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hezbollah." For more on on Bray and MAS, see Daveed Gartenstein-Ross' December 11 post ("...extremists founded MAS and that, despite efforts to clean up its public image, the core of its teachings remains unchanged") and my August 10 post ("Ismail (Randall) Royer, former MAS Communications Director, was one of the American-born young men from the Washington suburbs who was convicted in that very same Lashkar-e-Taiba training camp case").
Download DavosBoycottIsraelArticle.pdf
The ACLU and Al-Arian, Part II?
By Bill West
Yesterday, fellow CT Blog contributor Steve Emerson, who is also the Executive Director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, wrote an outstanding article about how the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is apparently incapable of finding a Palestinian terror suspect it does not love. I wanted to do a quick follow-up on one point Steve made in his piece.
The ACLU has written a letter to the Department of Justice urging the dismissal of the remaining criminal charges against Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) suspect Sami Al-Arian in Tampa. Those nine charges remain pending for possible retrial after a hung jury in the first trial last month.
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Interestingly, the ACLU did not address Al-Arians potential deportation in their letter. No matter what happens relative to the remaining criminal charges, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already indicated it intends to initiate removal (deportation) proceedings against Al-Arian once the criminal case is completed.
Al-Arian is not a US citizen. He is a permanent resident alienhe has what is commonly called green card status. However, he is still subject to potential deportation based on some of the same evidence the Government has used in the criminal case. Since criminal proceedings and deportation proceedings are not the same (deportation proceedings are civil/administrative in nature), double jeopardy does not attach and the rules of evidence are different and the standard of proof is less strict (clear and convincing instead of beyond a reasonable doubt).
In a sense, there really are two justice systems for aliens in the United States the criminal justice system they face like everyone else and the immigration removal system they face just for them. These two systems might be thought of as two parallel systems that have certain intersecting points. There really is nothing unfair about all this, it is simply that the immigration removal system is the mechanism America uses to process aliens in a judicial way who may not have a legal right to be or remain in the country.
There are at least several distinct deportation violations the Government could lodge against Al-Arian. I wont go into details about those potential violations here, except to say some would relate to his alleged terrorism support activities and/or affiliation with the PIJ. At least one might not. Relative to the issue of affiliation, for deportation purposes such affiliation would not necessarily need to be directly linked to support of violent terrorist acts. And, as Steve noted in his article yesterday, Al-Arians defense counsel already conceded during the first criminal trial that Al-Arian was affiliated with the cultural and charitable arm of the PIJ.
The Government, assuming it chooses to pursue deportation action against Al-Arian as it has publicly said it will, would appear to have a notably viable case. That may be why the ACLU chose not to address the issue in their free Sami letter to DOJ. « Close It
Miami ? Colombia Bust Highlights Border Security Threat
By Bill West
Media reports today revealed the arrests in Colombia on Thursday of 19 suspects allegedly involved in a passport forgery ring. Among those arrested are eight of ten defendants indicted in Miami for providing material support to the Colombian terrorist organization Fuerzas Armadas de Revolucion Colombiano, or FARC, US designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Those Miami defendants are also accused of an alien smuggling and false document scheme that is suspected of bringing people they believed to be FARC operatives into the United States.
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Eight of the US indicted suspects are reported to be Colombians while one is a Venezuelan and the last is believed to be a Palestinian. Colombian authorities announced that some of the suspects were also wanted by the United States in connection with activities linked to Hamas and al-Qaeda, although US authorities have denied this, saying only the FARC terrorist organization is involved.
The case highlights, in any event, the key issues of false identity and travel documents being utilized to penetrate US border defenses by violent terrorist organizations. Among the false passports alleged to have been utilized by this ring were Spanish passports, which allowed bearers to enter the US without visas under the Visa Waiver Program.
Whether the Colombian law enforcement assertions of Hamas and al-Qaeda links prove to be true or not, this case is noteworthy and should be followed closely. The fact it was investigated and now being prosecuted jointly between US and Colombian authorities is a very positive sign. However, the existence of the alleged ring of perpetrators, while not surprising, should serve as a strong reminder that our border security remains readily penetrable by significant security threats with resources.
The use of Spanish passports by this ring is particularly disturbing. As my fellow CT Blog contributor Mike Cutler and I have repeatedly noted, the Visa Waiver Program is one of this countrys most vulnerable border security soft spots. The rise of radical Islamic terror cells throughout Europe realizes their ready access to stolen and false documents, combined with those home grown members who legitimately possess European passports. America is threatened by any number of such jihadists whose identities may not be on any security service radar screen and who will be unburdened by the visa issuance process at a US embassy or consulate abroad where, just maybe, they might be identified as being suspicious and prevented from entering the US. Yet, there is no move within our Government to abandon the Visa Waiver Program. « Close It
How Will Hamas's Electoral Victory Change the Middle East?
By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
Hamas's victory in Wednesday's parliamentary elections casts grave doubt upon future Israeli-Palestinian relations. Beyond that, pundits are wondering what kind of sea change this could produce in the overall political landscape of the Middle East. As was the case when Ariel Sharon suffered a major stroke earlier this month, there is a large amount of confusion about what the aftermath will hold. But here are a few points worth bearing in mind as we hurtle toward a world in which Hamas will have its chance to govern.
First, the electoral results do not necessarily signal an endorsement of Hamas's terrorist tactics and stated desire for genocide. Many Palestinians clearly did vote for Hamas because of the group's sponsorship of terror and its devotion to the destruction of Israel, but many others were simply fed up with the ruling Fatah party's corruption and utter failure to make the lives of ordinary Palestinians better. Sadly, for those who wanted to see Fatah ousted, Hamas was the only real game in town.
Second, moving beyond this particular election, it's remarkable to witness the broad trend toward democratization in the Middle East. It seems like the majority of Middle Easterners have cast their ballots over the past several months. Witness not only elections in the Palestinian Authority and Iraq, but also Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia (municipal elections). It appears that this trend toward democratization is irreversible, at least in the short term. Certainly the U.S. is in no position, after having pushed democracy as the solution to the region's woes, to put the brakes on the democratization process.
Third, being elected tends to have a moderating effect on radical groups. Observe the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, which -- while far from an exemplar -- has served in Jordan's parliament since 1987. However, moderation is not a given. It is important that the U.S. and the world community not be myopic, but instead hold Hamas accountable moving forward and not make excuses for them. Particularly unhelpful in this regard are comments such as those by the UN's envoy to the Middle East Alvaro de Soto (as noted by my colleague Andrew Cochran yesterday): "Let's judge the participants in the government by what they do, not by what they have said in the past." Aside from the fact that Hamas's critics are not just judging the group by what it has "said in the past" but rather by the fact that it is literally responsible for hundreds of deaths, positing a sort of "blank slate" for the terrorist group sends a dangerous signal of weakness and moral confusion.
Fourth, one of the biggest long-term dangers from Hamas's electoral victory is that even if the group neither renounces violence nor wavers in its commitment to Israel's destruction, other countries may begin to view Hamas as a legitimate "peace partner" for Israel simply because it won this election. This would be bad for Israel and also bad for the West, because it would mean that we're starting to put the moral blinders back on (that is, if they ever came off in the first place).
Finally, the Bush administration needs to rethink its approach to democracy-building in the Middle East. Thus far, the administration has emphasized voting much more than liberal institution-building. Doing so creates a Catch-22 for both the U.S. and also Middle Eastern voters. The current choice in most countries is between the corrupt status quo regimes and the Islamist opposition. Those who want to vote the current government out of power are forced to vote for open enemies of the United States and its allies in the region. By promoting liberal institutions such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion, we can attempt to move beyond a situation where voters are forced to choose between thieves and killers.
The ACLU?s Palestinian Terrorist Friends
By Steven Emerson
The American Civil Liberties Union has sent a letter (Acrobat) to Department of Justice calling for the dismissal of the remaining charges against former University of South Florida professor Sami al-Arian. Citing Al-Arians acquittal on 8 of the 17 charges against him, the ACLU claims that since the two most serious charges were thrown out, that al-Arian should be set free, and that such a move would demonstrate that the United States welcomes religious and ethnic diversity.
While it is true that al-Arian was found not guilty on two important terrorism-related charges, the ACLU conveniently ignores that the jury deadlocked on several serious terrorism charges, including Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, Conspiracy to Make and Receive Contributions of Funds, Goods, or Services to, or for the Benefit of Specially Designated Terrorists, as well as racketeering and money laundering charges.
Further, during Al-Arians trial, his own lawyers conceded he was affiliated with the cultural, charitable arm of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a terrorist group which has claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent victims by sending suicide bombers to shopping malls, restaurants and buses. Upon news of the verdict, the St. Petersburg Times, largely favorable to Al-Arian during the trial, called him a carrier of hate, and said that, [a]s a legal resident, Al-Arian has abused this nation's hospitality and engaged in conduct that may warrant his deportation - conduct which the ACLU apparently believes contributes to the religious and ethnic diversity of the United States.
PIJ is not the only Palestinian terrorist group to find its way onto the ACLUs docket.
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Earlier this month, the ACLU filed an amicus brief on behalf of Abdelhaleem Ashqar, an alleged Hamas operative indicted on racketeering charges along with Hamas deputy political chief, Musa Abu Marzook. The ACLU is attempting to suppress evidence by claiming that the FBI conducted an illegal search of Ashqars home in December 1993.
In fact, Attorney General Janet Reno authorized federal agents to search Ashqars home, pursuant to Executive Order 12,333 Sec. 2.5, which allows for warrantless searches for foreign intelligence gathering purposes, if probable cause exists that the target of the search is deemed a foreign agent. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court had already approved the electronic surveillance of Ashqar, and ruled that there was probable cause to believe that he was an agent of a foreign power (as defined by FISA).
Ashqar was the one of the key organizers of the 1993 Philadelphia meeting of U.S.-based Hamas operatives, held for the purpose of developing a strategy to bolster Hamass fund-raising and political activities in the United States. Ashqars trial is expected to begin later this year.
These are only the two most recent examples of the ACLU putting the rights of terrorists above the safety and security of innocent civilians. In December 2005, the New York branch of the ACLU tried to prevent law enforcement from conducting random searches on the New York subway system, a highly appealing target for terrorists seeking to murder innocent civilians and disrupt a major financial center.
The ACLUs outrageous positions on terrorism and militant Islam threaten the security of the United States, and undermine the ability of the government to perform its most important duty, the protection of its citizens. « Close It
The African Pipeline Grows, the Brotherhood Emerges Again in Sudan
By Douglas Farah
My intelligence contacts are charting an alarming growth of global Islamic jihad groups creating camps in northern West Africa, particularly Mali and Chad. This is coupled with an unusual resurgence of visits of leaders of the international Muslim Brotherhood to Khartoum, Sudan on a regular basis.
The total number of people in the Mali camps are believed to be in the few hundreds, but are drawn from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Mali, Togo, Cameroon and elsewhere. The GSPC seems to be making a concerted effort at recruitment, and after training periods of several weeks, the recruits are dispersed, some to Iraq and some to other areas. Morocco, Algeria and Nigeria seem to be the primary targets for attack in the near to mid term.
It appears the camps that were operating in Sudan may have been shifted south, further out of the small international spotlight that occassionally shines on Sudan. That is not to say Sudan has gone passive in the global jihaidist wars. Contingents of senior leaders of the international Muslim Brotherhood have recently been making frequent trips to Khartoum. It is not entirely clear what the purpose of those meetings are. It comes at a time when the Brotherhood, long the financial lifeline of the jihadist movements, is setting up a whole new structure across Europe and Africa, rebuilding and expanding the structure that served them so well for so many years before 9-11, and has been under some pressure since then.
Not that the Brotherhood is in any danger of disappearing. Its vast offshore structure in Panama, the Bahamas, Liechstenstein and elsewhere has only been nicked occassionally by the increasingly ineffectual efforts the UN, US and EU to understand and cut off the flow of the constantly-shifting flow of resources that benefits the global jihadist movement. To read the complete blog, go here.
Oops! Now you see it, now you don't...
By Evan Kohlmann
Last week, I reported on a stunning U.S. Predator airstrike on a village in northwestern Pakistan that allegedly killed former Al-Qaida training camp manager Abu Khabab al-Masri (a.k.a. Midhat Mursi). Abu Khabab had long been a top priority for U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and a $5 million reward for his capture was announced last year on the U.S. government website rewardsforjustice.net. At the time, the reward announcement was accompanied by a grainy photo of a bearded individual said to be Abu Khabab al-Masri. The problem, of course, is that U.S. counter-terrorism officials have somehow confused Abu Khabab's likeness for that of another notorious Egyptian Al-Qaida recruiter currently on trial in the United Kingdom, Abu Hamza al-Masri. Most embarrassingly, the mistaken photo appears to have been taken directly from a British broadcast television interview of Abu Hamza in the U.K. from circa 1991 (before the latter's arms were blown off in an explosion in Afghanistan). Over the last 24 hours, administrators of rewardsforjustice.net have sheepishly removed the mistaken photo of Abu Khabab after being notified of the error--and have replaced it instead with a blank shadow.
Certainly, these silly mistakes can and do happen as a matter of course -- but one is left to wonder how U.S. officials can be so certain that Abu Khabab al-Masri was killed in last week's airstrike in Pakistan if they do not even know what he actually looks like...
See also: MSNBC - U.S. posts wrong photo of 'al-Qaida operative'
Summary of News & Opinions on Hamas Victory
By Andrew Cochran
It's official: Hamas won 76 of the 132 seats in the PNA parliament, with Fatah winning 43 seats and the Prime Minister and cabinet resigning. The victors and the vanquished are already fighting, "Hamas and Fatah activists clashed at the Palestinian parliament in the West Bank city of Ramallah...the trouble started after Hamas members hoisted a green Hamas flag at the entrance to the building, and Fatah supporters tried to tear it down." Despair in Israel: "On the streets of the Jewish state, there was grave concern at the victory of the Hamas movement that carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings during a Palestinian uprising and is formally dedicated to destroying Israel." Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert states, "I will not negotiate with a government that does not meet its most basic obligations -- to fight terrorism." President Bush says the U.S. position on Hamas hasn't changed, ""If your platform is the destruction of Israel, you're not a partner in peace" and any such group "is a party with which we will not deal." But Arab commentators and Islamists predict an eventual rapprochement, "(Israel and the United States) will have no alternative but to deal with Hamas." Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says the Hamas victory would be a "very, very, very negative thing." Top EU official says, "We are prepared to work with any Palestinian government, if this government seeks peace, using peaceful means." U.N. envoy to the Middle East Alvaro de Soto sweeps Hamas' long history of terrorism and unchanged goals under the rug, "Let's judge the participants in the government by what they do, not by what they have said in the past." The Iranian government congratulates Hamas, "The massive participation of the Palestinians shows their will to continue the struggle and resistance against occupation." One academic sees a silver lining, "Had they won 30-35 percent of the seats, they could have stayed out of power but put enormous limits on the Palestinian Authoritys room to maneuver. By winning, they have to govern, which means they have to tell the world, very soon, a number of things."
Pictures of Hamas victory celebrations:
 
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