UK to extradite Abu Hamza Al Masri to US

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The outspoken radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza Al Masri has been cleared of extradition to the United States of America by the British government. This is an important ruling by the British home department and sends out a clear message to radical Muslims of Britain who preach hatred among the local population. The Egypt-born former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in North London now has 14 days to appeal the ruling. If the appeal fails, he will be handed over to US authorities within 28 days. The radical leader came to media spotlight when he publicly supported Al Qaeda and criticised the invasion of Iraq. US prosecutors charged him of providing support to Al Qaeda by setting up a terrorist camp in Oregon between 1998 and 2000. He is also accused of conspiring the kidnapping of 12 foreigners in Yemen in 1998. But the extradition ruling has opened up a debate of whether London has given into American pressures when it could have dealt with the former imam by itself. Abu Hamza’s solicitor has cast grave doubts on his client’s future at the hands of the Americans. Mudassar Arani, the solicitor, said: There are grave concerns about what might happen if the extradition goes ahead. The Americans have said he will not face the death penalty or be sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp- but how can we be sure? Many believe that although Abu Hamza is a hate figure in the UK, extraditing him is not the British way of dealing with terrorists or suspects. But Washington was adamant to get him extradited from London and charge him for 11 counts of offences. Politically, the extradition would again prove the strong ties that exist between the United Kingdom and the United States of America and although some sections of the British community oppose the ruling by the British Home Secretary, there is a growing evidence that British Muslims would be delighted to see the departure of Hamza. Moderate Muslim communities across the country have accused the one-eyed and one-handed Abu Hamza Al Masri of providing a bad name to whole community through his inflammatory speeches during his tenure as the imam of Finsbury Park mosque. The American charges carry a potential jail sentence of up to 100 years for Al Masri but most British Muslims do not complain. Image and Source Link: SMH

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LTTE want a ceasefire: Is it a reality or a political ploy?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

In an unprecedented move, Tamil Tiger rebels on Thursday have announced their intentions to strictly follow a Norway-brokered ceasefire that the Sri Lankan government withdrew from last week. Serious violence has erupted since the collapse of the 2002 ceasefire although both the parties never respected the terms of it during these five years. The government has pledged to end the Tamil rebellion by this year which over the past few weeks have cost the lives of civilians, rebels, soldiers and high-profile Sri Lankan politicians and ministers. By announcing this ceasefire, do the rebels want a long-awaited negotiation and peace? It is tough to predict at the moment but the losses the LTTE have suffered over this past week at the hands of the government soldiers might have prompted the rebel leadership to buy some time to regroup and recuperate. By stressing on the fact that Norway should continue as facilitators, the LTTE is looking to regain some international sympathy for their cause. But military analysts say that the call for ceasefire is more to do on battlefield losses rather than diplomatic. In the recent fighting the Sri Lankan forces have killed 200 rebels, including some top LTTE operations leaders. Intelligence sources have suggested(although the report is yet to be verified officially)that the rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran might have been injured in the Sri Lankan army onslaught. Many analysts think that the move to call for a ceasefire is a way to put Colombo under pressure to reciprocate in a similar fashion. Mahindra Rajapakse’s government was critised in the international community, particularly by the Indian Government, for withdrawing from the ceasefire but the LTTE sharp move would pressurise the government to stop military actions against the rebels and look for ways to usher in peace. Furthermore, the LTTE is being blamed for the killing of the pro-rebel former Sri Lankan MP T.Maheswaran last week which the former has denied and the ceasefire could be the way to force Colombo into launching an independent enquiry into the killing. It remains to be seen whether the Sri Lankan government reciprocates the ceasefire offer and it looks that the international community would not want Colombo to miss the opportunity given the humanitarian crisis the civilians of the Tamil-dominated North is facing due to the war. Image and Source Link: CNN

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Taliban warns of more abductions, vows to execute foreigners in Afghanistan

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Taliban are regaining strength, a fact clear to everyone who keeps his eyes open to the developments taking place around him. Not long after it released the 21 South Korean hostages, the Taliban has declared that it is the beginning of its war on democracy and the NATO forces in Afghanistan are on the top of its hit list. It means first the abduction and then the release of the Korean hostages hands a new weapon of abductions to the Taliban militants, which they will use to appease themselves and their warlords. Abduction is a weapon that is increasingly being used by the Taliban to give vent to its irrational demands. When the war on terror began, the Taliban seemed to run helter-skelter for its life. But, with every passing day, despite of increased NATO forces in Afghanistan, Taliban is on the rise, thanks to the assistance from across the border. The Taliban abducted a group of 23 South Korean aid workers in Afghanistan, who were on a peace mission and demanded the release of their jailed militant brethren. When the demand for the release wasn’t paid heed to by the government, Taliban struck another deal, this time it exchanged the 21 hostages for $20 million that would be used to purchase weapons of mass destruction and fund suicide attacks. It was known that either the hostages would be killed or exchanged for ransom. When the Korean hostages were finally released for a huge sum, days after their long ordeal, the future turn of events lay barren in front of our eyes. This will be the beginning of a series of abductions-killings-exchange-ransom. The Taliban emboldened after the hostage drama has warned that it is the beginning of their assault on democratic forces, among which those serving in Afghanistan as NATO troops are most vulnerable. It also sends dangerous signals for those already under Taliban captivity. The South Korean hostage drama has certainly set a dangerous precedent for times to come. Image1 Image2 Via: Reuters

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Osama Bin Laden to release 9/11 video tape on sixth anniversary

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Osama Bin Laden is yearning to present a video coinciding with sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Does it mean Al Qaeda’s brainchild is still alive? Terrorizing 9/11 WTC attacks are heading for their 6th anniversary, a day that threatened to terrify the most powerful nation in this world. Four American aircrafts went amiss and suddenly crashed into the towering WTC towers, killing thousands on the spot and leaving hundreds maimed for life whose scars will remain evergreen unless the man behind the fearsome attacks is nabbed. But, the man is at large ever since, posing danger to humanity, terrorizing and creating rumors of new attacks. When rumors got loud that Osama Bin Laden is dead, he comes out with a video release on the sixth anniversary of the attacks. Does that mean Osama is alive and gearing to go all out to create havoc in the world and America in particular? Al Qaeda usually comes out with videotapes to terrorize and warn of new attacks. This time Bin Laden has come up with a new face, dyed beard. He is looking younger. Is it he or someone posing as Laden? No confirmed reports, yet the fear stands. It may be a new tactic of Al Qaeda to dispel rumors that Laden died in the war on terror. The reality is known to none, yet one thing is clear, Al Qaeda remembers 9/11 as its biggest victory against democracy and against America. However, it must remember that world has grown more powerful to destroy it once and for all. Yet, it is not going to be that easy. Image1 Image2 Via: BBC

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Somalian crisis, worst in the world

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Somalia stands beleaguered and battered, thanks to the continuing conflict, it is now the worst affected in inter-clan fighting, sectarian violence and outside invasion. A human rights group counts the country as the worst affected, with enormous human rights abuses, starvation, death and displacement of people. Counting the country as the worst in terms of the gravity of the situation, where millions are being starved and killed to feed the warlords, a U.S. Human rights panel calls for peace restoration in the besieged Horn of Africa country. Somalia has been continuously at war ever since Said Barre tried capturing neighboring Ethiopia. The outside conflict slowly took a gargantuan turn and the country found itself stretched in internal conflict, where one warring faction was supported from outside, while the other fought without outside aide. But, the result of such a discrepancy had and has been felt by the locals, who without any role to play in the conflict, had to suffer and moan their birth in the country. Nearly 3 lakh died in the inter-clan fighting that engulfed the nation pushing the common man to poverty, penury and starvation. The number of dislocated people stands at a startling 1.5 million, who were forced to scatter to seek refuge in neighboring areas. The catastrophic humanitarian crisis sees Somalians as poor, deprived, starving, distraught, diseased and hungry people, where mothers cannot feed their babies and hundreds of thousands of children suffer from malnutrition. What can be more distressful than this? In this state of poverty, Somalians are forced to fight a war that would in no way lend a helping hand in their misery. And as Somalia looks for aid and relief, matters get worse when the warring factions show disregard for the suffering humanity, cutting off any aid supplies that could reach the battered and tormented people of Somalia. Image1 Image2 Via: All Africa

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Algiers bombing: Is it a combination of domestic and international militancy?

Posted on January 29, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Algeria is not new to fundamentalist violence and Islamic radicals have often struck domestic interests to bring about a political change in the predominantly Muslim country. But what concerns the most is the manner of yesterday’s deadly bombings which seemed to have targeted international interests including that of the United Nations in an affluent Algiers district. The blasts are a proof of an ever-spreading Al-Qaeda web across the Mediterranean North Africa. The vulnerable domestic situation in Algeria makes it a perfect target for Al-Qaeda exploitation. Ever since the Algerian army cancelled elections in the early 1990s to prevent a fundamentalist government taking over the country, radicals have taken a violent approach to bring about a political change. But intelligence evidence suggests Al-Qaeda has been providing strategic support to the local groups in taking the war to international interests, particularly against French and Spanish targets who along with the United States have been providing the country with all the necessary means to fight terrorism. According to many analysts the sole purpose of the bombings is to target French citizens along with governmental interests. This is not just Algeria’s problem. Across the north African region Al-Qaeda has set up bases to launch attacks against west-leaning local governments and to be at a touching distance from mainland Europe. The suicide bombings are a way to make ordinary citizens put immense pressure on their governments to give up western alliances. Regular violence would make people go against the government and that is where lies Al-Qaeda’s chance in establishing radical governments. With unemployment and poverty widespread across Algeria, there is no dearth of recruits for Al-Qaeda and this is another problem that the government of President Bouteflika needs to address. The country needs to put its huge energy reserves in the proper economical development. For now, Al-Qaeda is taking the advantage of deprived communities of Algeria. Source Image Link: BBC

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Voice in new Bin Laden video, Laden’s

Posted on January 29, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The voice in the Bin Laden vidoe tape released on the eve of 6th anniversary of WTC attacks has been ascertained as Laden’s. The tape carries quite strange statements, yet all reminding of the dangerous world in which we live, made dangerous by terrorists like Laden. Osama Bin Laden is alive and active, if the video released by Al Qaeda is a fresh one and not stale, which at many instances prove its freshness, particularly the mention of names like Brown and Sarkozy, who became heads of their respective states recently. Bin Laden, the man behind the world’s biggest disasters and the brain behind 9/11 WTC attacks, while crticising American occupation of Iraq as unjust, reprimands the U.S. to adopt Islam and withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, only then its misery would come to a halt. His warnings on global warming come as a surprise to everyone, but such clever cranks are only to divert the mind of the world public against America and its allies, which to Laden is the most sinful nation on earth. Dangerous people like Laden can never be trusted. It is to his credit that he still remains at large, depsite the fact that the war on terror started to nab him, goes on without any credible success. Where is Laden is the biggest question that haunts every responsible world citizen and his being caught if finally nabbed, might not bring any major success as no one knows how many Ladens are moving openly around the globe, waiting for an opportunity to strike, yet the man needs to be punished for all the misery and suffering that people all over are facing. Though, the world has grown stronger, ever since 9/11 attacks, yet his walking scotfree would keep everybody on their tenterhooks, thinking of what he is up to. Image1 Image2 Via: CNN

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Search for more terror suspects continues in Germany

Posted on January 29, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

When the anti-terror police discovered a bomb-making hideout at the rented cottage in Oberschlendorn, central Germany on Tuesday, one could feel that this was just the tip of the iceberg. The hornet’s nest had only been stirred when two Germans converts to Islam and a Turk were arrested after being found in possession of military-style detonators and enough material to make bombs more powerful than those that killed 191 commuters in Madrid in 2004 and 52 in London in 2005. And now the German police say that there could be more members to this ring who have been helping the trio. Andreas Christeleit, a spokesman for federal prosecutors, said on Thursday that seven people were being sought both in and outside Germany in connection to those arrested. He added that police knew the name of five of these people but declined to provide any more details. The arrest of these alleged Islamic radicals has rippled a sense of shock and urgency across Germany. Conservatives are calling for aggressive police on-line search and a plethora of restaurants, pubs, discotheques, airports and other places frequented by Americans are also being kept under strict surveillance. While the arrests following a six-month investigation by about 300 officers have sparked a sense of relief and pride in the German police force’s efficiency, the fact that one of the trio arrested is a 28-year German named Fritz Gelowicz has sent a shock among the German people. They are now worried that ‘homegrown’ terrorists have now infiltrated their nation just as they have done in the UK. But there’s still a scope for optimism to creep in. August Hanning, a deputy interior minister, says that it has now been confirmed that the network poses no direct threat to the national security. Yet the search for more suspects continues and the shadow of danger still looms over Germany. Source:USA Today Image Source:Cnews.canoe.ca

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Is al Qaeda a global scapegoat?

Posted on January 28, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Al Qaeda is being used by Presidents Musharraf and Bush to distract everyone from domestic problems that plague both countries. Pakistan does not know who to blame for Benazir Bhutto’s death and the US has not yet been able to catch Osama Bin Laden. The al Qaeda can thus be used as a scapegoat. It is possible that al Qaeda has a role to play in Benazir’s killing; yet that does not exonerate Musharraf. It has emerged that Benazir had requested President Musharraf for increased and foreign security for herself. Musharraf had declined both requests. Now he is in a fix. Benazir was a key US ally and her death needs to be explained to the world. So the ever elusive al Qaeda is being blamed. The more sinister possibility is that the blame may be true; in case it later emerges that Musharraf’s regime wanted Benazir Bhutto assassinated. Reuters reports ex-US internal security advisor Fran Townsend remarking that Osama had been rendered powerless by the US. Thus his terrorist group did not matter anymore. A former CIA agent, Michael Scheuer, thinks that the US has all along underestimated the strength of the al Qaeda. This has led to the swelling in numbers of al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists in North-West Pakistan, especially in the Pashtun region. The Taliban and the al Qaeda have regrouped forces, Scheuer points out. Then why on earth is the US or Pakistan not cracking down on these menaces? The answers are deceptively simple. The US just cannot find Osama because the regions where the latter is hiding may be inaccessible for US troops. The rugged mountain ranges of Afghanistan and North West Frontier Province in Pakistan have only unfriendly foes. They will never help the US. And President Musharraf knows that once al Qaeda leaders are caught, every unsavoury truth about his regime will be public. All his misdeeds will be in the open. I believe al Qaeda operatives have more honor amongst themselves than Musharraf and his cohorts can ever have. For expediency’s sake Musharraf chooses not to hunt down terrorists in Pakistan. We may never know who killed Benazir Bhutto. Via: Reuters Image: Business Innovation

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Algeria struck by Al Qaeda rage, effort to find terror transport route to Europe

Posted on January 28, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Al Qaeda and global terrorism continuing its seethe against civilizations and upfront attack on the people has found its latest abode in the relatively peaceful Algeria. Following the typical methods it adopted to ravage Afghanistan and Iraq, the two masterful suicide attacks were carried by the Al Qaeda Islamic Maghreb, the hydra-headed hood of terrorism claimed about twenty lives on Thursday. The western-inclined Government of Algeria was just saved as the suicide bombers missed the target intended to kill the President and blow up the Prime Minister’s office on Saturday. But, notwithstanding the failure to assassinate top political echelon the civilian causality touched fifty. Al Qaeda is eyeing Algeria to carry its message of violence across Europe and America and the country seems to be paying the price of being pro-western, particularly with many of the anti-western links residing in the country sending a helping hand to Al Qaeda. Is Al Qaeda tightening its hold on Africa by victimizing Algeria? Algeria seems to be increasingly becoming a victim of violence, terrorist attacks, suicide bombings, ripping apart peace from the Muslim African nation having close links with the west. By terrorizing, attacking and sabotaging Algeria, is the Al Qaeda opening its own gateway to Europe from the country, which is Africa’s passage to the west? More importantly, helping it in its heinous terror records in Algeria are few of the anti-national and anti-west forces that derive their inspiration from the Al Qaeda ideology of terrorizing the West for its perceived attacks on Islam. Such groups are certainly proving to be definite Al Qaeda aides in the country. Though, the patriot citizens of the country have come forward in criticizing the suicide attacks in the country, dubbing the terrorist as not Muslims and completely going in support for the President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was the prime target of the attacks. Algeria looks an easy target for the terror outfits that wish to revive the bloody civil war between the Salafist preachers, a previous incarnation of Islamic Maghreb and the western backed administration that ravaged the country in 1990s and vanquished more than 10000 people. Though, the conflict ended in 1997, the rising graph of Al Qaeda menace in Algeria exactly after 10 years is sure to create panic among the population frightened by prospective terror attacks and revival of conflicts. After the war on terrorism began, North Africa is posing to be one of the safest heavens for Al Qaeda that was nearly driven out of Afghanistan by the NATO forces. First Sudan, Egypt, Somalia and now Algeria is forced to drag into the unholy war zone created by the global terror forces. As Ayaman AlZawahari, the second-in-command in Al Qaeda ranks belongs to North Africa (Egypt), it is getting easier for the terror outfits to garner men, material and money from their North African sources to extend their militant base. Once the Al Qaeda tightens its hold on North Africa, it can very easily sneak into Europe to give airs to its unholy war designs. Also, any attempt to destabilize Algeria having close affinity and deep cultural and economic relations with Europe since the French colonial days, would have serious ramifications on Europe, as it may affect the tourism and international trade through the Mediterranean that connects the east and the west. The choking of the Mediterranean may also disrupt the oil and army supplies from and to the US. Such a volatile situation in North Africa can easily penetrate the African continent, which can be terribly exploited by Al Qaeda in planning its terror plots for the world, as Africa positions itself as a gateway to the world, connecting Europe and Asia through land. Africa is already under immense pressure from internal strife, poverty, hunger and disease and if terrorism infiltrates throughout the land, no saving the poor Africans, who can be effortlessly exploited for money and material wealth. The time to put breaks on the growing Al Qaeda links in North Africa is now, else it is going to be very late and then the enormity of the situation would only be guessed. Image1 Image2 Image3 Via: CNN

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