Terrorism Unveiled

New Bin Ladin tape

According to CNN, a 19-minute bin Ladin videotape has just been released, although they have not yet translated yet. Apparently, it features a split screen, with one of the sides showing scenes of bin Ladin and al-Zarqawi together.  Yesterday, an Islamic website had stated that a tape was to be expected.

Update: I got the earlier information when Anderson Cooper broke in to report in the middle of the Larry King Star Jones interview (which is oh so much more important.) The CNN website is now reporting that it is an audiotape. 

On Anderson Cooper now a linguist is reporting her translation. The tape runs 19 min, 22 seconds and features condolences on the death of al-Zarqawi.  Bin Ladin addressed President Bush, saying he should deliver the body to al-Zarqawi's family.  He has said thank God the flag  [of AQ in Iraq?] hasn't fallen, as there are others to take it up.  Bin Ladin stated Bush prevented al-Zarqawi from from entering his homeland alive, don't stand in his way now.  The linguist also noted that bin Ladin refered to al-Zarqawi by his real name, Ahmed al-Khaleyleh, and therefore it appears bin Ladin is paying his respects to al-Zarqawi as a jihadi.

Okay, supposedly it's an "audiotape" but there are indeed images on the tape (and indeed, there are split-screens).  It's an audio message from bin Ladin, but with video images attached to "spice it up."

Update 2: The Counterterrorism Blog's the place to go for recent updates.

Update 3: Apreviously-unseen al-Zawahiri videotape was broadcast by al-Jazeera on Friday.  It's not clear when it was recorded, although it was after al-Zarqawi's death on June 7. Al-Zawahiri vowed to avenge al-Zarqawi's death. He also criticized Turkey for being a secular, pro-US country, and Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki.

It's rather unclear to me why the al-Jazeera article stated:

The videotaped statement, broadcast by Aljazeera on Friday, was the first acknowledgment by al-Qaeda's central leadership of the death of al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a US air strike northeast of Baghdad on June 7.

A typo, poor journalism, poor translation, deliberate obfuscation, or a belief that the tape was recorded before bin Ladin's audiotape?

Thanks to Terrorism Unveiled reader Mark for the heads up.

Dauber on Racism and al-Jazeera

A good summation.

Arabic class update

Modern Standard Arabic is killing me.  For the life of me I can't remember how to use the "proper" Arabic terms for simple interrogatives like "Who" "What" "When" "Where" among many other things.  I can only remember them in writing, when I have a chance to think, but when speaking, it just comes out all wrong, then I have to think how to correct myself.  Who says Anta anyway? Or Nahnu?

Today the professor did start discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  It was interesting to say the least.  He's Palestinian and he just sent his family to Gaza to visit.  He said it was worse last year, and that surprised me to a degree, (though I didn't ask when last year) because as of now, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near the Gaza strip due to the animosity between Hamas and Fatah.  I'd be more worried about civil strife escalating than Israeli incursions.  He did start going off on Israeli aggression, but at least he did follow up by saying it's bad for both sides [Israelis as well].

And now, I have a few more hours of work to do today before I feel comfortable for my first quiz.

Guests of the Ayatollah

If you have the Discovery Times channel, this feature on the Iran hostage affair looks interesting.

In other news..

Shootout in Saudi Arabia kills six militants.  Hat tip, Redstate.

Go here and here for some background on Saudi Arabia and its counterterrorism efforts.

Breaking News: Seven arrested in Miami, Chicago plot

CNN reports: 

Seven people are in custody after the FBI and state and local law enforcement agents carried out raids in Miami, Florida, connected with an alleged plot to attack landmark U.S. buildings.

CNN sources reported the arrests disrupted the early stages of a domestic plot to attack Chicago's Sears Tower and the FBI building in Miami. 

Apparently, the operation against the suspects is ongoing, so full details cannot be released.  However, there will be a news conference in Miami at 11:30 Eastern Time. The investigation apparently was going on for four months to a year (details vary).

CNN is also reporting that one of the suspects allegedly took an al-Qaida oath, and that pictures or surveillance videos were found belonging to at least one of the suspects.   Officials state no weapons or bombmaking material was found.

There's also more information on this story at Hot Air.

Update:

Anderson Cooper is discussing the implications of reports that this is a completely home-grown group, with no apparent ties to al-Qaida.  Whether or not this is an AQ-affiliated group, a homegrown Muslim group, or a domestic group that's not even considered Islamic extremist is all up in the air. 

Moe Lane at Redstate has some thoughts on that subject.

More background on the suspects and on the investigation at CBS2 Chicago.

Update 2:

Here's more information on the Liberty City area of Miami, site of the infamous Liberty City riots (via Wikipedia). In addition, the area is not far from the parade route where the Miami Heat will be celebrating their NBA championship victory tomorrow morning.

One woman's journey to the home of the 7/7 bombers

This Guardian article is an interesting read.  The atmosphere painted of Beeston reminds me of experiences I've had speaking with British family members (I'm of Bangladeshi heritage) and the images evoked reading books such as White Teeth and Brick Lane, both fiction novels about Bangladeshi immigrants in Britain. 

Iran connects the terrorism dots

An excellent article from The National Review Online.

Word of advice

While Athena is ramping up for her Arabic class, I'm staring at the computer screen trying to contribute some insight to this webjournal.

Word of advice: don't ignore the news for three months. It's completely impossible to catch up.

Pre-Studying

I've started pre-studying for my Arabic class that's set to begin soon.  I'm remembering a lot more than I thought I would, though I'm having a difficult time with the Modern Standard Arabic versions of verbs and grammar versus the Jordanian dialect.  I know in class I'll be asked questions and I'll respond with Jordanian slang, putting the "B" sound in front of everything, because it'll take me to long to think of how to say it "properly."

I completely forgot about the "antuma" dual versions of verb conjugations as well.

Okay--just wanted to update you on what I've been doing.

A Student Again

I just want to notify my readers that I'm no longer a full-time employee (Intelligence Analyst) at my last job at a defense contractor.

I will beginning another Arabic class in the next couple weeks. However, I am setting up an LLC if there are those out there looking for a cleared contract worker.

Inshallah, I'll have more time to post on unfolding events in the ME. I'll also be sure to post any interesting stories that arise out of my class.

Thanks, all.

Video of Airstrike that Killed Zarqawi

Centcom has posted it on the web.

Jordanian Reactions to Death of al-Zarqawi

Please check out Jordan Planet to see what Jordanian bloggers are saying about their fellow countryman, who also was behind the Amman terrorist attacks, have to say.

Jad Madi: Do we really need a better reason to celebrate than this one? I don’t think so.

Black Iris: As a terrorist who attacked our country and caused massive damage to our neighbours to the east I personally feel that a US air strike was not the way I wanted him to go. I really wanted to see the guy captured and brought to Amman and executed. If anything, it would’ve brought about a greater sense of justice. And I think that’s what I feel is missing from this guy’s death today…a sense of justice.

Natasha Tynes:  So Zarqawi is dead.  Good riddance. To all the skeptics out there, it seems that Zarqawi wasn’t a “US invention” or a “creation by the Jordanian intelligence” after all! What will the conspiracy theorists say now? We need proof! We want to see the corpse.  Frankly I would have preferred seeing him captured and then put to justice so that everyone can see how sinister this man was and that he really existed, inflicting terror upon millions and millions of people. [...] Today is a good day for humankind!

Zarqawi Killed

US officials announced that an air raid killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.  For the most comprehensive reporting, look to the Counterterrorism Blog.  Apparently Task Force 145 had intelligence on his whereabouts, as well as aid from locals (Jordanians?) who used his latest propaganda video to determine his location.

This will not defeat the insurgency in Iraq, as Zarqawi was but one man.  But, unlike some others who feel that al-Qaida is fully an ideology, I believe that AQ's success is still proportional to its top-tier charismatic leaders. Others can take his place, but there is a reason he was the leader and they were the followers in the first place. Many may feel terrorist sympathies, but it takes a man who can arouse their desire fully, and make them actually take the step into the arena and fight, while wielding enough authority to somewhat control the created beast.

Zarqawi was such a man.  Though he was a good leader for the terrorist group Al-Qaida in Iraq, he is not an "equal"  to be respected in battle.  He had no code of honor.  He murdered children, women, Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and Iraqis.  He is gone, no longer to terrorize the innocents.  His group will live on, but for them, this is a devastating blow.  For us, those whom he targeted, and the ideal of protection of the innocent, it's a welcome victory.

There are reports that say that Al-Qaida in Iraq is claiming internal betrayal happened, rather than a a full success soley on the shoulders of the US military.  I find this very interesting.  On one hand, they don't want to show weakness that US forces were able to target them, but on another, it looks bad to the outside if there was an internal betrayal.  In religious/political Islamic ideology, "fitna" which means social discord among the community is nearly the number 1 "no-no" to avoid.  You always put on a strong face to the world.  There is a big divide between internal affairs and external propaganda.  It's on the family level, the clan level, the tribe level, the nation or "Ummah" level as a whole.  Who issued this internal betrayal statement?  This can show us a shift in how they represent themselves; it looks like a more desperate and rushed announcement.  If this is the case, that will play into our favor.  We're looking at a possibly much weaker leadership, which may be less savvy at propaganda for the group.

"An Iraqi ululates in joy as an Iraqi soldier flashes the "V" sign minutes after hearing Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announcing 08 June 2006 the death of al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (AFP)"

I'd like to write more, but I have to get to work...today is my last day there, too.

Update: Video of Airstrike that killed Zarqawi

Update 2:

Haha, a coworker pointed out the Zarqawi's last full day of living was 06-06-06.

Rally

Today after reading an announcement issued in London by Khaddam and Bayanouni, the Syrian "opposition" leaders, (an ex VP and head of the Muslim Brotherhood), I wandered over to Ammar Abdulhamid's blog to see what he's been saying lately.  He has excellent posts up about US-pressure on Syria, Islamist groups in the country, and a proposed date for a freedom rally in DC:

The rally will focus in this initial phase on the situations in Syria, Lebanon and Egypt, which are very serious indeed, as we all know. But the invitation for participation is open to people from all over the region.

The proposed date for the rally is Thursday June 22nd, the proposed time is 9:30 am, and the proposed place is the delegation of the Arab League in Washington, DC. [...]

Be that as it may, and in order to move forward from the point on and seeing that we have limited time, we need help in the following matters:

• We need volunteers who would organize participation from their local communities.
• We need suggestions for speakers from the various Arab communities, and from the halls of academia.
• We need student activists who would help advertise and garner the support of students, Arab and Americans, from all over the US.
• We need people to advertise this event throughout the Internet, their schools and their communities.

The more people we can put in the street the louder our message will be. This event will be orchestrated with the help of the HAMSA Initiative.

al-Ghurabaa flyers

I received an interesting email from a resident of Hackney, East London where al-Ghurabaa flyers are going up:

Hi,

I've stumbled upon your website whilst researching the group Al Ghurabaa. I live in Hackney, East London, recently I awoke to find my whole road littered with a yellow sticker, stating Islam Vs British culture. I'm sure if you are familiar with the group you may have seen this elsewhere.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I found the sticker offensive, and in the current political climate, inappropriate. Subsequently I emailed the group (my email and their response is below).

I thought that I'd send you this information for your records.

Regards,

[name removed]

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Al Ghurabaa [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 02 June 2006 23:17
To: [name removed]
Subject: RE: Re Offensive Stickers on Hackney Road

Thank you for your concern, however although i understand that you may be justly or unjustly offended by the stickers, there is nothing illegal about the words on the sticker which has been thoroughly checked by our solicitors beforehand. Moreover it is a very pertinent question regarding the values of Britain and we are working only to improve the British society and cure it of many of its ills including those in your borough. I am sure you are aware of the high crime, drug, theft, burglary, rape etc rate in your borough as a result of this declining society and its values and the Islamic Values is the perfect solution to fix all of these problems. This is the intention of our sticker campaign.

 

However as our stickers are given out free of charge to all members of public, we cannot control what they do with it after that. We did write a warning on the sticker demanding that they are not stuck on any prohibited places and I can assure you that nobody associated with our group will have stuck them in an prohibited place, we are very careful of that and train our representatives thoroughly with regard to this matter. The stickers are meant for sticking in other places, at home, in their own cars, their own property etc, and we make clear that they cannot be stuck on other people’s homes, other peoples cars etc without their permission or any other prohibited place.

But as I mentioned, as the stickers are handed out freely to all members of public, we cannot control nor take responsibility for what they do despite our warning.

 

Thank you for your letter

Abu Sa’eed

Webteam

www.alghurabaa.co.uk

 

-----Original Message-----
From: [name removed]
Sent: 02 June 2006 10:17
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re Offensive Stickers on Hackney Road

 

 

Dear Sirs,

I'm writing to you regarding the offensive stickers that your group, or a person associated with your group, has placed around Hackney Road. I personally find the stickers inappropriate, and I would also like to advise you that placing stickers in this manner is illegal.

I have passed on one of your stickers to Hackney Council, and will be contacting Hackney Police this afternoon, who I'm sure will be contacting you in the near future. I would suggest in the meantime that you remove the stickers from Hackney Road, and any other locations they may have been placed.

Mogadishu, Again

Just great. 

Canadian Raid Finds 3 Tons of Explosives

Read all about this breaking sitation at ThreatsWatch.

Brits Raid Suspected Bomb Factory in London

Major news on the terrorism front in London.

(via Rantingprofs)

Personal Post

As it may be obvious, I haven't posted much in the past month or so, leaving Athena to take up the slack.  Real Life had intruded on me a bit, mainly regarding my employment.  As it stands now, I am no longer at my place of employment, so I now have much more free time to focus again on Terrorism Unveiled. Incidentally, I had worked side by side with Athena.

On a related note, if anyone has a need for a cleared intelligence analyst with some marketing and sales experience, send me an email at terrorism (dot) minerva (at) gmail (dot) com.