After the Jahiddie forums were taken down there was an attack on Iran.
In September, hackers targeted what Iranian news media estimated to be 300 Shiite sites, many of them operated by Shiite religious leaders in Iran. Targets included the official site of Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the leading Shiite cleric in Iraq.
A group called Ghoroub XP, based in the United Arab Emirates, asserted responsibility.
Flare-up of online sectarian hostility, ( caused by jahiddie involvenent with kiddie porn ? ) Shiite and Sunni hackers have targeted Web sites associated with the other sect, including that of a Saudi-owned television network and of Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric.
On several occasions over the past three years, unknown hackers have shut down al-Qaeda-affiliated Web sites after they announced the imminent release of a new video message from Osama bin Laden or another extremist leader. It is often impossible to pinpoint the source of such online attacks, though some experts say the culprits could be independent activists.
A link between terrorism plots and hardcore child pornography is becoming clear after a string of police raids in Britain and across the Continent, an investigation by The Times has discovered. Images of child abuse have been found during Scotland Yard antiterrorism swoops and in big inquiries in Italy and Spain.
For al-Qaeda, "these sites are the equivalent of pentagon.mil, whitehouse.gov, att.com," said Evan F. Kohlmann, an expert on online al-Qaeda operations who has advised the FBI and others. With just one authorized al-Qaeda site still in business, "this has left al-Qaeda's propaganda strategy hanging by a very narrow thread."
Kohlmann said; The sabotage of sites operated by extremist groups makes it more difficult for those groups to inspire attacks and recruit attackers, said Erich Marquardt, editor in chief of the Sentinel, a monthly online publication by the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
However, "the downside of knocking jihadist Web sites offline is that you lose the ability to monitor jihadist activities," eliminating opportunities for Western monitors to search for ideological weaknesses or clues to future operations, Marquardt said. "When these Web sites are taken offline, it closes an important window."
I DISAGREE WITH KOHLMANN, IF YOU TAKE THEM OFF LINE, IT MEANS FEWER OPERATIONS PLANNED. TAKE OUT THEIR COMMAND AND CONTROL AT LEAST IN THE PUBLIC AREANA.G.
Separately, Sunni and Shiite Internet partisans are waging a tit-for-tat hacking war. For now, Sunni extremist sites are taking the brunt. WE ARE NOT SURE HOW BIG A PART THE CHILD PORNO PLAYS IN THIS JAHIDDIE CYBER WAR, BUT CLEARLY IT UPSET SOMEONE.G.
Alleged Shiite hackers responded in force. By Oct. 1, hundreds of sites run by Sunnis, including those of religious figures, had vanished. In their place appeared a site featuring an Iranian flag superimposed over the intense gaze of a smiling woman.
There also was a message, citing a Koranic verse: "And one who attacketh you, attack him in like manner as he attacked you."
The site of the Saudi-owned network al-Arabiya was among those attacked, forcing the news organization to move its site briefly to another domain.
Most of my post has been excerpted from these sources:
Well for one, I think that the Mujahideen can't stop fighting just because of what "might" happen, even if the two Holy Mosques might get bombed. Muslims can't be to blame for such an event, unless they were the ones doing the bombings directly.
Yes, if the Mujahideen used a nuke it would push the world further into war. This would only allow for the Jihad to expand. But I'm not convinced that if the Mujahideen set off a nuke in an American city America would retaliate by using a nuke against a Muslim country. If they did, China, Russia, or even North Korea, or better yet - even Pakistan might nuke America back. I have no doubt that greedy Pakistani leaders would nuke America if they were faced with their own annhilation.
But perhaps if they thought they would get nuked back, the Mujahideen would have to reconsider the plan. However, the Jihad cannot stop at an extent just because an action might drive the middle east into even further chaos. While our lands lack Shar'iah, it should be all or nothing. Plus, hitting the right targets in America or elsewhere could cause the complete collapse of the American government or even the entire United Nations. Maybe the Mujahideen would have a plan to basically nuke/bomb a few sites, cause a disintegration of authority, and then begin a huge insurgency in the West?
Internet Anthropologist has intercepted a communiqué: we think ot is from aTaliban cell in Afghan to Mulla Omar or at least taliban admin., Our best English translation presented below. Source and authenticity unconfirmed. G
Praise Allah, and his blessing on the of house Omar.
Your most recrnt communication was very wise as always.
Your genius leadership continues to guide us.
Saying someone elsse is committing these act in our name is understood ( as allowed religious lies to defeat the kiffer G).
We must be sure someone else is blamed for these actions or we must not do them.
It is very hard to control our men, the Arabs do as they please they know they are going to
paridise soon and Allah will forgive them all, so they sin without consideration.
We have a heavy shortage of Martyrs and have to use women, children and drugs
to induce them or rely on trick them into bombings.
They think themselves very holy and do not take to orders they don't like.
And our Paki brothers most of the time are in a durg haze, to protect them from the hunger
and cold. And their senses are dulled and often times don't hear or remember orders.
Drugs are every where and cheap or free, marijuana to heroin and everything in between.
We cannot stop the drug use, and risk mass desertion of we confront them to strongly.
Many have lost many Brothers in battle and are in a constant rage, and they take their rage on on easy unarmed civilians. Many just want to kill someone and destroy.
They are like rabid dogs, we just point the mujihideen and release them.
And have very little control over what happens.
Wounded members are loaded up on drugs to dull the pain and encouraged to continue the best they can, we have few funds for medical treatment, food, and the long journeys are cold and many souffer the bite of frost, more drugs.
"to stand in front of the enemy like steel"
Brother we do, but need medical supplies.
We understand your orders and will comply best we can.
.
NO peace talks.
no more bombing Mosques
NO more burning of Islamic books.
NO more highway robbery
No more chopping of noses and ears
NO more beheadings.
No more killing the general population, killing women and children.
Nothing said about sucide bombings of market places??
Please clarify. Brother it is very hard to bomb a market place without killing civilians.
If we don't kill civilians how can we force them to comply with our orders?
Do these new orders apply to the Pakistani Taliban operating in Afghan?
Photo by Gerald, cr 2008, non-commercial use ok for all photos; must have attribution.
Pakistani Governor: U.S. Must Talk With Taliban By ISAMBARD WILKINSON, The Daily Telegraph | September 25, 2008
Peshawar, Afghanistan — America must broker a power-sharing agreement with the head of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, to establish peace in the region, the governor of Pakistan's lawless border areas has said.
Owais Ghani, who governs the North West Frontier Province and its adjoining tribal areas, is the most prominent figure to advocate publicly holding talks with commanders leading the insurgency against coalition forces in Afghanistan.
His thinking reflects that of Pakistan's military hard-liners who are accused by Western intelligence operatives of supporting the Afghan Taliban as a "hedging policy" to maintain influence in Afghanistan.
"They have to talk to Mullah Omar, certainly — not maybe — and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the Haqqani group," Mr Ghani told the Daily Telegraph.
"The solution, the bottom line, is that political stability will only come to Afghanistan when all political power groups, irrespective of the length of their beard, are given their just due share in the political dispensation in Afghanistan."
Umm... yes, US must talk with ALL the Taliban and al Qaeda leaders. We have a group on stand by awaiting directions and another few groups looking for their locations.
The 'special' group is looking for every opportunity to 'TALK' with these leaders.
President Bush has personally authorized a special message for them, Paradigm Intel suggest the message will be delivered with in a few months.
Gerald
UPDATE:
Fidayeen-e Islam has telephoned the Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV office in Islamabad to claim responsibility for the attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday. The phone call was made from within Pakistan but not from Islamabad. But that doesn't mean that Islamabad is free of terrorists and that the dumper truck that brought a ton of explosives to the Marriott came from any distant place. The killers are very much within us.
The investigators have lost no time in concluding that the explosives were brought piece-meal into Islamabad and then loaded onto the truck inside the residential area. The truck was not sent from the Tribal Areas where masked Indian agents may have loaded it with RDX "because Pakistan is free of such quantities of lethal material". In fact, the truth is that Pakistan is full of lethal material and Islamabad is the centre of the ideology of Al Qaeda; and its exponents include people inside the organs of the state.
The governor of the NWFP, Mr Owais Ghani, visited Lahore on Monday and briefed a gathering of senior media persons about the state of terrorism in the country. He argued that Pakistan should counter the so-called Islamist ideology of the terrorists with the ideology of Pakistan as a bastion of Islam, by which he did not mean the ideology of India's RAW but the ideology posited by Al Qaeda and followed by the Taliban and the jihadi militias once sponsored by the Pakistan state. SOURCE:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mr Owais Ghani with alleged favorable view of the Terrorist, is saying the Terrorist want to talk to USA. NOW THAT IS GOOD NEWS, can someone discuss with the terrorists what "unconditional surrender" means. If the Taliban and al Qaeda want talks and are feeling this out through their mouth piece Mr Owais Ghani, then they are hurting and feeling the pressure.
Gerald
AND: How have they been able to track the terrorists with the predators?
An alleged al-Qaeda member was such an important figure in the organisation that a junior associate was recruited to carry his "terrorist contacts book" when he flew into Britain, a jury was told yesterday.
Rangzieb Ahmed, 33, flew home in December 2005 after an alleged terrorist operation in Dubai and Saudi Arabia was aborted when something went wrong.
A second man, Habib Ahmed, 28, unrelated to Rangzieb Ahmed, was ordered to carry three books or diaries belonging to him that contained information on how al-Qaeda operatives could contact each other secretly, Manchester Crown Court was told.
Some of the material, described as "considerably important to a terrorist", was written in invisible ink. Other passages related to communicating with other members and phone numbers of important al-Qaeda figures.
Andrew Edis, QC, for the prosecution, told the jury: "It was, in fact, the contacts book of a terrorist."
Bin Laden’s threat uncovers Jihadist message for Europe
By Walid Phares
( Excellent article, good analysis, I will look at the "other" side.Walid's post is included in its entirety, my comment in caps, for ease of reading.G )
In an audiotape posted on Internet, Osama Bin Laden threatened Europe with punishment because of its "negligence in spite of the opportunity presented to take the necessary measures" to stop the republishing of the Danish cartoons. It also menaced the Vatican with retribution for an alleged role in incitement "against religion." This al Qaeda warning would have been normal in Salafi Jihad logic. This radical movement obviously considers the drawings as an ultimate insult to Muslims and would unleash extreme violence in retaliation. Actually one would have expected al Qaeda to strike back "for the cartoons offense" long time ago.
THERE HAS BEEN A CALL FOR RETRIBUTION, EVEN A REWARD FOR THE DEATH OF SOME ARTISTS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY THE UMMAH, THE LACK OF RESPONSE MAY INDICATE THE UMMAH REALIZE IT IS A CARTOON, AND AL QAEDA'S BOMBING OF MOSQUES MARKET PLACES, AND KILLING MOSLEMS, WOMEN AND CHILDREN; MAKES THE CALL TO ACTION "REFUSABLE " IN CONTRAST.
In fact, this particular audio is intriguing precisely because it is too "political," read too sophisticated. Bin Laden's school of Jihadism would have smitten first, explained later. So why is this message more peculiar than previous ones? What can we read into it? In short, I see in it the imprints of Jihadi "politicians" and strategists in international relations and deeply immersed in the diplomatic games across the Mediterranean. Even though it is indeed the voice of al Qaeda's master but nevertheless one can see increasingly the impact of political operatives on the movement's public statements.
I AGREE, BUT THE MOTIVATION MAY BE BASED ON AL QAEDA'S FALL FROM GRACE IN MOSLEM EYES, THIS EFFORT MAYBE AN ATTEMPT TO CO-OPT POSSIBLE ALLIES FOR FUTURE RECRUITMENT.
Here is why:
A raw al Qaeda reaction to the "infidel cartoons" would have been a strike back into the heart of the enemy with simple harshness and highly ideological brutality. But the audio tape has other points to make than just about the drawings. The message is heavily targeting Europe, while using the "cartoon Jihad" as a motive. Bin Laden, and the war room behind him are concerned about the rise of tough national leaders on the continent: Sarcozy, Merkel, Brown and a possible reemergence of Berlusconi's Party. In many spots in Europe, citizens are rejecting the Jihadi intimidations and becoming vocal about it. France is going to Chad, Germany has ships in the Eastern Mediterranean and Spain is arresting more Salafists. But the traditional apologists towards the Islamist agenda in Europe, remains strong. Al Qaeda wants to use the apologists against the "resistance." What better than threatening to strike at Europe's peace if its liberal values are not altered? In essence this is Bin Laden's message:
Change your laws on liberties and freedom of expression or else. "If there is no check on the freedom of your words then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our hearts." But a thorough investigation of the origination of this argument leads not to al Qaeda's traditional rhetoric -the group isn't very concerned with the change of laws in infidel lands- but to demands that have been made by "long-range" Jihadists on European Governments. A simple check of archives shows that it wasn't Bin laden or Zawahiri who have asked Europe to enact laws against "insult to religion" but more "mainstream" Islamist forces and intellectuals. Among them the Muslim Brotherhoods, the Union of Islamic Clerics (also influenced by the Brotherhoods and headed by Sheikh Yusuf al Qardawi the spiritual mentor of al Jazeera), a number of European based academics and the bulk of Wahabi radical clerics. This revealing reality if anything shows one of the two trends: Either al Qaeda is using the argumentation of political Islamists to provoke a mass clash against Europe
OR IS ATTEMPT TO EXPAND ITS DEPLETED CADRE, ATTEMPTING TO ALING ITS SELF WITH OTHERS TO GAIN SUPPORT AND STAVE OFF AL QAEDA'S DEATH. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THESE MORE MODERATE GROUPS REJECT THE AL QAEDA AFFILIATION.
or is it that the "political Jihadists" are now able to influence the war discourse of al Qaeda. In both cases, it deserves a closer analysis.
Bin laden's tape curiously repeats statements by commentators on al Jazeera who accuses Europe of being the "associate" of Washington in a "War on Islam." It also accuses the "continent" of being hypocrite by refusing to compromise on its "liberal" legal system while it makes "exceptions" when it comes to "exempt American soldiers" from its own laws: An argument simply too complicated to al Qaeda but often advanced by Islamist cadres on al Jazeera and online.
AL QAEDA SEEMS TO BE GRASPING AT STRAWS IN ORDER TO DRAW ANY MOSLEMS INTO AL QAEDA, WHICH AL QAEDA NEEDS TO SURVIVE, I EXPECT ISLAM TO REJECT AL QAEDA, TIME WILL TELL.
But the audio message nevertheless produces a classical series of threats a la Bin Laden by promising revenge to be "seen." It also goes on to indict the Pope for "inspiring" this "crusade" and doesn't miss a chance to incriminate the "apostate" Saudi monarch for not defending Islam. The tape covers many other issues such as the vital necessity of "Jihad" in Gaza an Iraq. With such a mixture of rhetoric, how to read the letter? I would recommend looking at a changing context in the Ben Ladenist messaging.
Few months ago, he sent out a piece with heavy Trotskyist overtones, using US domestic references: The impact of "American" speech writers was evident. In this audio message one can see the fingerprints of international (perhaps European) Jihadists who seem to be frustrated by demands they made but not met by the "renegade" European Governments. In the end, the message to the continent is clear: Either you follow our advice and change your laws and accommodate our ideological agenda or else, al Qaeda is unleashed on the continent.
The voice of these shadow "advisors" -or at least their arguments- have made their way to the heart of al Qaeda's messaging machine. From here on, it is up to the Europeans to decipher this enigmatic statement. They have an opportunity to breach a very powerful code which could answer loads of unresolved questions on the continent.
And last but not least, al Jazeera's "rapid response" to the last two tapes came in a show titled Ma wara's al khabar (Beyond the News). The anchor, interpreting the message said Al Qaeda "is perhaps now an idea," hence very difficult to defeat by counter terrorism measures. A powerful assertion as European security services are bracing for potential strikes -in response to this tape but also in retaliation to a Dutch documentary -assumable to be critical of the Koran- to be released soon. The al Jazeera assessment about al Qaeda is relevant as it projects the movement as invincible physically. More interesting, it coins Bin Laden's threat as serious as it touches an issue of ijmaa bayna al muslimeen, "consensus among Muslims." In other words, while the tape asserted so, it was al Jazeera that claimed that "the cartoons issue has created an Ijmaa-consensus among adherents." The confusion between what Bin Laden said "it should be" and what the Qatari-funded channel said "it is" is somewhat worrisome. For the millions of viewers, including many in Europe, the line is blurred. Then came al Jazeera's "experts in Islamist movements." Mr Yasir al Zaatra from Jordan said al Qaeda per se doesn't have to send militants to Europe because "local groups could offer to wage operations on European soil."
WE HAVE SEEN THIS TYPE OF ATTACK IN ENGLAND, AT THE AIRPORT, A FAILED OPERATION, AS AL QAEDA HAS FEW TRAINED CADRE THEY ARE WILLING TO PART WITH. THEY ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING WITH 3RD OR 4TH LEVEL CADRE DUE TO ATTRITION FROM THE GWOT.
Pushing the comment farther Zaatra added that "most likely, some groups may have already offered Bin Laden to perpetrate attacks. He asserted that there are existing cells that would carry out these attacks and Bin Laden would take credit. And to reinforce the credibility of the threat, Zaatra referred (strangely) to a statement by Michael Sheuer a former CIA officer who was in charge of the Bin Laden unit. Quoting Sheuer, the al Jazeera analyst said "Bin Laden's threats are always executed."
WHICH IS FALSE, BINY HAS CALLED FOR MORE SUICIDE BOMBERS, MORE ATTACKS TO NO AVAIL AL QAEDA IS NOW SO DEPLETED AND REJECTED BY ISLAM THEY ARE RECRUITING WIDOWS AS SUICIDE BOMBERS. THEY EVEN USED THE MENTALY CHALLENGED WOMEN, SO STRONG IS THE REJECTION OF AL QAEDA BY THE UMMAH. Al-Qaeda 'enlisting widows as suicide bombers'
Following him, another "expert on Jihadist groups," Dr Diya' al Zayyat said the tape is a clear menace by whom he called (for the first time) the "general guide of the Salafi Movement worldwide. He added that Bin Laden would claim responsibility of a potential action "depending on the type of operation and the publicity that would follow." Both commentators agreed that a revenge action will take place and that European based Jihadists will carry it out. Al Jazeera's anchor taking it to the apex called the Bin laden's speech a "Jihadi road map."
What I saw in the al Qaeda message(s) and the al Jazeera debate was clear: The Salafist movement worldwide was "talking" to the Europeans and the Euro-Jihadis. It was threatening Governments to retreat from the confrontation on the one hand and unleashing the pools of indoctrinated Jihadis across the continent to "engage" in violence. The near future will tell us if the trigger will be successful or not.
AL QAEDA MOST RECENT CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE HAVE GONE UNHEEDED. THE UMMAH MAY RECOGNIZE THE INSULT TO ISLAM BUT MAJORITY ALSO REALIZE THEY ARE CARTOONS, AND THE INSULT PALES IN COMARISION TO AL QAEDA'S INSULTS TO ISLAM, KILLING MOSLEMS, WOMEN,CHILDREN BOMBING MOSQUES AND MARKET PLACES, AL QAEDA MAY HAVE DEGRADED ISLAMS VIEW OF AL QAEDA WITH THE EXTREAM VIOLENCE AL QAEDA UNLEASHES ON MOSLEMS.
Dr Walid Phares is a visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy and the Director of the Future Terrorism Project at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. He is the author of the recently released book, The Confrontation: Winning the War against Future Jihad
( I TRIED TO COPY PIC OF WALDS BOOK FROM AMAZON.COM BUT IT WOULD NOT COPY WITHOUT JAVA SCRIPT ATTACHED, STUPID AMAZON, SORRY WALT, g )
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