Davos and Terrorism: Nothing Really New This Year

By Victor Comras

While global terrorism got some attention at this year�s 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 Davo�s participants questioned whether government�s 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.

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 Allah�s expected revenge�and 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.

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:

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?

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.

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 Society�s (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.

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.

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-Arian�s 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-Arian�s 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 ACLU�s docket.

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 Authority�s 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: