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It’s all about perception…

Teen Terror on the Web:
Jihadi and Islamist Activities on MySpace.com

By Laura Mansfield.com

You’ve heard about MySpace.com, the social networking site that is commonly used by American teenagers.  You’ve heard about the dangers of MySpace, as one news network after another reported on the prevalence of sexual predators on the system that prey on young teens who give out too much personal information.

But MySpace.com isn’t just popular with sexual predators.

As I reported in my presentation at the America’s Truth Forum Symposium two weeks ago, there is extensive jihadi activity and recruitment underway on MySpace.com.  Teens and young adults may very well be using that system as they plan the next terror attacks on America.

Let’s take a look at what we found as we began to investigate the Jihadi community on MySpace.com.  You’ll be surprised at what we found once we eliminate the obvious jokesters like the one at http://myspace.com/MahmoudAhmadinejad purporting to belong to the Iranian president.

One young man from Seattle, who gives his name as Amin Al-Mujaahid As-Salafi, has a blog that is very disturbing.  The blog, located at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=57660577 contains disturbing audio links, as well as imagery.

One at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=59191340 called Du’a by Abdul Rahman, and in English, sounds absolutely Hitleresque.  The imagery on the blog includes tributes to Bin Laden, Zarqawi, Abu Hamza, and the 19 hijackers from September 11, who it refers to as the “Magnificent 19”.

There are 78 “friends” listed in Amin Al-Mujaahid As-Salafi’s “social network”.

As we began to visit these “friends”, a disturbing pattern emerged.

His friend Rashid Ali, (photo from his blog shown above) describes himself as a 31 year old currently living in Seattle.  He voices similar views to that of Amin Al Mujahid.  Rashid describes his activities on his blog at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=41974211  as follows:

Reading Quran & hadith,Training Hui(Chinese-Muslim)kung-fu, Makoto-Ryu aki-jujitsu, & muay-thai-kick-boxing,NiNjitsu,Penjat-Silat,escrima:Kali/JKD.Target shooting ect. And hanging out with. My Big Bro Imam Rahim

Like his “friend” Amin, Rashid includes jihadi tribute imagery as well as the black flag of jihad on his page.  With over 173 “friends” in his social network, Rashid appears to be part of a wide network of people who share similar sentiments.

One of Rashid’s friends, the owner of another blog shown above (http://www.myspace.com/islamic  ),  claims to be affiliated with the Tawhid and Jihad. This blogger  claims to be from California.  Tawhid and Jihad is the name of the terrorist group that Abu Mus’ab al Zarqawi led.

“Warrior”, a  blogger from New York City, proudly displays an image of the Qu’ran with an automatic weapon on his blog site at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=52173031. 

In his comments about himself, he says:

This MySpace is dedicated to all those people who hope for a better tomorow. This MySpace will educate you about Iraq and its strrugles, particulalry Fallujah- Home of the Bravest Fighters ---The Lions Of Fallujah---. Hopefully after viewing this MySpace you will be better informed and "awakened" from your sleep of ignorance -----and finally be able to see the truth. Please after viewing this page, make sure you tell your friends about it...I will not deny a request for friends...because the more friends and the bigger the list ..the more we show our support for the war victims

His sympathies for Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists is apparent as you browse his blog.  The blog includes images of Bin Laden and the 19 hijackers from September 11, as  well as images glorifying Zarqawi and his Qaeda’t al Jihad group, such as the two shown below.  The first image shows the logo of Zarqawi’s group, with the words  “Qaeda’t al Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers” (Iraq) written in Arabic.

Mohammed, a sixteen year old from Issaquah, WA proclaims “I hate you all!” at the top of his blog at http://www.myspace.com/depressed

He has posted an image showing a nuclear detonation behind a graphic of the US flag.  The caption reads:

You Are 29% American

America: You don't love it or want to leave it. But you wouldn't mind giving it an extreme make over. On the 4th of July, you'll fly a freak flag instead... And give Uncle Sam a sucker punch!

This young man is a student at  Issaquah High School.  The image of his blog is shown below:

The blogger “Soldiers of Allah” (logo shown above) describes the group at http://www.myspace.com/soldiersofallah  as follows:

What are we all about?
Soldier of Allah is not a jihad group...
instead we are reminders for those who forgotten
We by no means are using rap to present Islam or promote Islam
We have witness the impact of music on youth today
We are not rap stars and we refuse to be
We are Muslim and only Muslim
We realize this is not the way to revive the omaa but just a tool to motivate Muslim to go to the real source which is Islam
It is Islam that organize our lifes and Islam which shows us the method to revive
We encourage and invite you to listen and think about the ideas that was presented in this CD
Remember we are the next generation of Muslims
and it's an obligation and responsibility of each and every Muslim
to implement as Allah commanded

Soldiers of Allah has 258 people in its “social network”.

Among those is 19 year old Salafi Mujahid, from Chicago.  Salafi Mujahid boasts the following image on his page:

The site also has images glorifying jihadi leader Abu Musa’b al Zarqawi,  Salafi Mujahid claims to be an Architecture major at  College Of Dupage,

Glen Ellyn, IL, who is active in the Muslim Students Association.His MySpace blog is located at  http://www.myspace.com/nabeelsiddiqui  

Some of these youth, such as seventeen-year old “Yaqub”, shown above posting under the name of Abu Mujahid (father of the freedom fighter), seem to simply echo Islamist propaganda they’ve heard. Yaqub, from Plainfield, NJ, proclaims “"**Denmark Is messin with the wrong people!!**" on his blog at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=23480938

Others, such as 17-year old Aaron Moore, from West Haven, Connecticut, seem to have developed profound anti-American feelings, as expessed in his blog at   http://www.myspace.com/aaron_moore 

white ppl(or americans)  killed most of the native americansthey caused the trail of tears(deals with the native americans, mostly of the Cherokee nation) then they continue pushing them back on the western front, giving them less and less land so that they eventually had to take refuge on reservations or fight umongst themselves and they in turn called the native americans "savages" and "wild animals" (like the way the do the arabs and muslims, take note)

Americans(or white ppl) didn't just stop there they also brought thousands and thousands(nobody knows the real number cuz the white ppl took so many) of Africans and not only Africans but also native americans and I know I left out other ppl cuz I haven't been properly tought in the american schooling system. And for that I am sorry for the ppl that I missed.  The americans not only enslaved the Africans but also said that slaves weren't humans but only property in the Dred Scott vs. Sanford case.

americans say "all muslims are saveges, or animal beasts" (as they did to the native americans, [see a cycle?]) or the americans also say "ohh, arabs and muslims are almost humans". Well incase you forgot you also said the same thing about black ppl in the 3/5 clause. Slaves were only considered 3/5 of a human being(i.e. "almost human")

and the cruel behavior didn't stop there after the slaves were set free(and also before) there were lynchings(lynch- To execute without due process of law, especially to hang, as by a mob[dictionary.com])of black ppl all over the south and sometimes the north, and these lynchings haven't stopped they still continue even today.

the americans(knowingly or not) support the Israelis, which these Isrealis kill the arabs of Palestine and the american government even created a "fake"(not so fake) 9-11 event, that caused the american ppl to think that it was caused by terrorist, "in the middle east". but what the american ppl forget is that there is terrorism in our own country that doesn't even deal with muslims or middle easterners.

now the inhumanitary behavior still continued after that, they even went so low as to use there racism against spanish ppl and that was in the 1900's.  and they racism still continues today

even women didn't have any writes in america until the 1900's

take notice to all these things and take notice to all the things that I forgot to mention, notice how these americans(white ppl) treat other ppl of diferent cultures, religions, genders, and ppl of a different race, and sexual preference. americans(white ppl) treak gays like they would any other person of another race, or religion or gender, they always discriminate anyone that is different from them or what they're used to.

Others, such as nineteen year old “Islamakazi”, are more explicit, posting at http://www.myspace.com/islamakazi  has a countdown clock, counting down the days, hours, and minutes until what it describes as “Iran war (world war iii)”

Along with the “countdown clock” are a wide variety of other images glorifying various jihadi and terrorist leaders, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinezhad.

Disturbing jihadi imagery, video, and audio are easily found on MySpace.com on the websites of young girls as well as of older male youth.

A young California woman, this one claiming to be eighteen years old and posting under the screenname Islam4Ever, is listed in “3rabiah’s” circle of friends.  Her blog, at http://www.myspace.com/islam4ever  looks like this:

Recruits for Martyrdom?

Are these kids all talk?  There’s no way of knowing.

But MySpace is certainly providing fertile ground for jihadi recruitment, if the words of some of these youth are any example.

Nineteen year old Hemadah from Brooklyn is like many of the other teenagers on MySpace.com.  He tells us he’s 190 pounds, 5’8” tall and a Gemeni of Middle Eastern descent. He tells us his sexual orientation (Hemadah is straight) that he doesn’t drink, he has no children, and he is a college student. We know his birthday (June 17, 1986), and that he has a special love for everything bagels.

Hemadeh even shares his career aspirations:

“I’m goin to college to become a cop, hopefully work my way up as a detective.”

But a look at his Myspace blog (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=43247150)  tells he’s anything but ordinary – at least we hope that his aspiration isn’t the norm for most teenagers in this country.

Hemadeh tells us in his blog how he wants to die:

“AS A MARTYR, IF NOT THAT WAY, THEN WHILE IM PRAYING AND MY HEADS ON THE FLOOR”

He has cute photos of beautiful children, in this case his niece and nephew, along with a photo of himself and of one of “Allah’s soldiers”.

Hemadah is one of a growing number of Muslim youth who are expressing openly their sympathy with martyrdom and jihad.

Twenty-one year old Isa from Fort Worth, TX, also says he wants to die as a martyr on his blog at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=45458527

Twenty-three year old Kareemwazwaz, posting at www.myspace.com/kareemwazwaz,  is even more explicit in his wishes.  Kareem, who posts a photo of Izz el din Qassam on his webpage, tells us the following:

How do you want to Die: a martyr for palestine

What do you want to be when you Grow Up: a martyr for palestine

Mahmoud, a student from University Of California-Santa Cruz, expresses similar sentiments on his MySpace blog at

  http://www.myspace.com/machdarazor.  How does Mahmoud want to die?

“defending something...either my family, my religion, or my country...basically i wanna die a martyr”

Mahmoud apparently enjoys protests, as the following photos show.  (The photo of the “body” with the rock in hand is actually from the UCSC Palestinian Die-In and is dated May 9, 2006). 

A seventeen year old girl from California, posting on her blog at http://www.myspace.com/3rabiah  echos the opinions of these two young men.  She says she wants to die “as a Martyr (Shahid)insha'a Allah...”

Eighteen year old Fayyad (aka Fiody) from Oviedo, FL, shown above in an image from his blog, has even bolder aspirations.  The images of half-clothed women on his page might lead one to believe that Fayyad does not hold extremist views.  But how does this young Lebanese-American want to die?  According to his blog at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=4095468, this University of Central Florida student wants to die as a martyr for God or in a huge nuclear explosion

Such beliefs are not rare among MySpace.com users.  We’ve identified blogs belonging to over seventy young people who have similar aspirations:  to die as a martyr,

Is one of these seventy young people, who openly aspire to be a martyr in the name of Allah, one of the next wave of terrorists who will attack America?

It appears that there is a lot more to be concerned about than sexual predators on MySpace.com, which has emerged as the most popular social networking site for teens.

By the way, when we contacted the FBI regarding the findings presented in this story, we were told all of the above material was “protected free speech”.

Copyright 2006 Laura Mansfield

All rights reserved

http://www.lauramansfield.com

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May 15, 2006: The Apocalyptic Message of President Ahmadinejad to President Bush

Special analysis by Amil Imani

Iran's President Ahmadinejad, a veteran of the Islamic Republic's repressive Revolutionary Guard, took office 3 August 2005, after a surprise win in a June sham presidential election -- there are no democratic elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran. All candidates are prescreened by the Guardian Council before they are allowed to run for office.

In practice, a president of Iran is already chosen through a farce process of giving the voters a chance to elect one of the men hand-picked from the regime's functionaries, as was the case with President Ahmadinejad.

No sooner did President Ahmadinejad emerge from obscurity and assumed his new role as the head of the Executive Branch of the Islamic regime in Iran than he unleashed a torrent of venomous rhetoric against the United States and Israel.

He proclaimed, "Israel must be wiped off the map," and that the Holocaust was a fabricated myth. He went a step farther and threatened Muslim leaders with consequences if they appeased Israel, "Any leader in the Islamic umma (community) who recognizes Israel faces the wrath of his own people."

His hateful rhetoric aside, President Ahmadinejad has reported on events that are terribly strange, to say the least: Behaviors and statements that raise serious questions about his mental state. During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September of 2005, for instance, he claimed to have been enveloped by a light that made the entire audience focused on him for the duration without anyone blinking.

More recently, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah was unable to move away, because of the strength of force emanated from Iran's president, so he contends. President Ahmadinejad's repeated claims to his special connection with the supernatural forces, specifically those of the Shiite theology, need to be scrutinized with added concerns.

Most recently, President Ahmadinejad has baffled the world by his 18-page letter addressed to President George W Bush. Lay people and experts alike are at a loss in their attempt to understand and decipher the significance, if any, of the letter -- a hodgepodge of religious, philosophical, historical and victimization phraseology that seem to bear very little relation to the present difficulties confronting the Islamic Republic of Iran on one side and the United States of America and much of the free world on the other.

The enigma is not hidden in the letter. It’s in the act of writing it. The mere sending of the letter--to the most powerful man on earth (President Bush) has epochal historical precedence.

In my view, President Ahmadinejad’s letter can be better understood when examined within his frame of mind and system of belief. The letter constitutes another exercise in a series of summons, invitations or ultimatums from a person who considers himself a spokesman for Islam to a wayward ruler...in this instance President Bush.

This approach dates back to Prophet Muhammad himself who first called upon the infidels to embrace his faith or face his violent wrath. President Ahmadinejad believes he is doing what the Prophet Mohammad commands him to do. He also revered point of emulation, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also addressed a similar letter to another infidel, contemporary ruler, of his time; the former Secretary General of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Khomeini suggested that Gorbachev embrace Islam.

The founder of Islam Muhammad has ordained; "Invite them to embrace Islam. If they refuse, then war upon them." Employing this practice, Islam subdued Persia and other parts of the world by the force of the sword. Perhaps Iran’s new presidential letter to President Bush follows the same strategy where he challenges him and the people of the United States to renounce the Christian faith and attain salvation by embracing Islam. "Will you not accept this invitation?" asks President Ahmadinejad in the letter.

President Bush has repeatedly called Islam a “religion of peace.” Has this mistaken idea emboldened Mr. Ahmadinejad? Has this acknowledgement by President Bush caused Iran's president to issue his summons?. Is history repeating itself? Is a summon of convert ideology a prelude to use of force, as has been the case in numerous Islamic conquests?

What makes matters terribly dangerous are the modern instruments of force and the willingness to use them. Centuries ago, the sword in the hand of the Islamists carved a huge empire. Now, with the weapons of mass destruction, the entire world is at peril.

If we dig a little deeper into the history books, we observe such an invitation was also sent (at the time considered to be a powerful man) the King of Kings, the Light of Aryans, Yazdgird the III, King of Persia. Perhaps that was the defining moment for Islam and its conquest of the world.

It is said nearly 1,400 years ago that Umar Ibn Al Khattab, the second of four Islamic Caliphs sent a letter to King Yazdgird III of Persia to commit Bei'at (Joining with caliph and accepting Islam.) Umar wrote, "Once upon a time your land ruled half the known world but what has it come down to now? Your troops are defeated on all fronts and your nation is bound to collapse. I offer you a way to rescue yourself. Start praying to Allah, a single union God, the only God who created everything in the universe. We bring you and the world his message. Worship, Allah the only true God."

If we replace King Yazdgird III, with President Bush, Persia with the United States, and Persians with United States citizens, and the signature of Umar with Ahmadinejad, the new president of the Islamic Republic, the outcome could look horrific.

But there was also King Yazdgird III response to Umar. Mentally replace Yazdgird's name with President Bush and Ahura Mazda with Jesus Christ, and then you'll get the picture:

"In the name of Ahura Mazda, creator of Life and Intelligence:

You, in your letter wrote that you want to direct us towards your God, Allah without having the true knowledge of who we are and who we worship. It is amazing that you occupy the position of Caliph (Ruler) of Arabs, yet your knowledge is the same as a lowly Arab rambler, roaming in deserts of Arabia , and the same as a desert tribal man!

"You suggest we worship a united and single God without knowing that for thousands of years Persians have worshiped the mono God and they pray to him five times a day!

"When we established the tradition of hospitality and good deeds in the world and we waved the flag of Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds, in our hands, you and your ancestors were roaming the deserts, eating lizards, for you had nothing else to feed yourselves and burying your innocent daughters alive." (An old Arab tradition, because they preferred male children to female)

"You behead God's children, even the prisoners of war, rape women, attack the caravans, mass murder, kidnap people's wives and steal their property! Your hearts are made of stone; we condemn all these evils which you do. How can you teach us Godly Ways when you commit these actions”?

"Is it Allah who commands you to murder, pillage and to destroy? Is it you the followers of Allah who do this in his name? Or is it both”?

”Tell us. With all your military campaigns, barbarianism, murder and pillage in the name of Allah O Akbar, what have you taught to this Muslim Army? What knowledge have you taught the Muslims that you also insist on teaching it to non-Muslims? What cultures have you learned from your Allah, now that you want to force teach it to others?"

"I beg you to remain with your Allah O Akbar in your deserts and do not move close to our civilized cities, for your beliefs are 'much fearful' and your behavior is 'Most Barbaric'!"

Thus the war began and the Arab army under its ruthless commander, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas approached. The Persian Army was defeated in the decisive “Battle of Qadisiyah”. Rostam Farokhzad, the courageous Iranian general was murdered and Yazdgird's last attempt to gather forces to counter attack fell short, hence Islam's defining moment was born.

The Arabs had come to convert the Persians by hook or by crook. "La ilah ilallah Mohammed ur Rasulallah" (There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his Prophet.)

Those who resisted uttering those words were faced with death or burdened with heavy taxes and other unjust punishments.

It is the belief in the same 'Allah' that brought upon the Iranian people the greatest catastrophe of the Islamic revolution. This is also the same belief that brought the twin towers down in the United States of America.

This belief in this Allah will not stop until the entire world bows to its will.

Will America follow Persia? In many ways, America resembles the great, ancient Persian Empire. Like the ancient Persian Empire once was, the United States is now the greatest government in the world. Like the Persians who were the first world managers and the most tolerant empire-builders, America, with its rich constitution, is also the most tolerant and benevolent nation in the world.

Ancient Persian kings released the Jews from Babylonian captivity, financed the reestablishment of their nation, and restored their national religion. (Zionists, they were!) The United States has basically done the same. The United States is the reincarnation of Persia, an extension of the Achaemenid Empire.

Tyrannical Islam eviscerated the spiritual life of tolerant old Persia. Is history going to repeat itself? It has taken decades for the Persians (modern Iranians) to recover their spirit. Zoroastrianism, the original Iranian religion, was not an effective barrier against the radical religion from the Arabian Desert.

Is Christianity going to withstand Islam on its second rush of world conquest?

The United States as it stands for democracy is the last haven of hope for which humanity can flourish. Today, after 1,400 years, Islam is again the greatest threat to the existence of the free world and the civilization of Christianity. Persians underestimated the destructive power of Islam; let us hope and pray that the United States does NOT underestimate the destructive power of Islam the second time.

Amil Imani is an Iranian-born American Citizen and pro- democracy activist living in the United States of America. Imani is a columnist, literary translator, poet, and novelist, who speaks out for the struggling people of his native land, Iran.He is a frequent columnist at LauraMansfield.com

May 11, 2006: President says his letter to President Bush was invitation to Islam

Well, I guess that settles the debate over whether Iran's President was inviting US President George W. Bush and the American people to Islam.

From the horses' .... errr ... ummm... mouth.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Thursday that his letter to President George W. Bush did not concern the nuclear dossier, but rather was an invitation to Islam and the prophets culture.

He made the above remarks in reply to a reporter while attending press conference on his letter to President Bush in Jakarta in the afternoon of the third day of his stay in Jakarta.

Stressing that the letter was beyond the nuclear issue, the chief executive said that in principle, the country's nuclear case is not so significant to make him write a letter about it.

"We act according to laws and our activities are quite clear. We are rather intent on solving more fundamental global matters.

"The letter was an invitation to monotheism and justice, which are common to all divine prophets. If the call is responded positively, there will be no more problems to be solved," added the president.

The president said that the letter actually contained a clear message of invitation to human beliefs, adding that its response will determine the future.

Concerning Iran's readiness to hold talks with the US, he said that Iran is in favor of dialogues, but it depends on the conditions.

"We hold talks with our allies, such as Indonesia, quite smoothly. However those intending to speak to us with authority should attempt to change their attitude," he added.

About the possibility of military attack on Iran, he said that psychological war is quite likely and expressed his doubt about the military option.

In response to a question about suspension of enrichment, the president said that Iran will agree to suspend the process only if all those having access to nuclear fuel will suspend theirs and let their relevant facilities be inspected.

"Otherwise, we do not find it necessary to suspend our uranium enrichment and consider the call for it as unfair and will continue to reject it,"

In reply to another question whether Iran will need the assistance of other Islamic states in its nuclear issue, he said that the country has the potential to defend itself.

"However, given that we do not merely defend our own nation, we wish to feel the presence of our allies, including Indonesia as one of our closest friends," he added.

In response to a question about Indonesia's mediation between Iran and the US, he said that if such dialogue has to take place for the sake of global peace and detente, Iran prefers Indonesia to be one of the negotiators.

Source: http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0605110155191821.htm

May 11, 2006: Iraqi Leaders Tell Iran Envoy President's Letter To Bush 'Excellent Initiative'

Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi said here Wednesday afternoon that Iraqi leaders were of the view the letter sent by Iranian President Ahmadinejad to his US counterpart provided an "excellent initiative."

Qomi, talking to IRNA, said that in his meetings with a number of Iraqi political leaders and statesmen, they were of the view that the letter sent to George W Bush showed the wisdom of Iranian authorities.

According to Qomi, the Iraqi officials expressed hope the letter would help resolve differences between Tehran and Washington and were waiting to see how the Bush administration would react to the letter.

From the contents of the letter, it may be said that Tehran considers itself as having a global mission and problems vexing the world are not limited to the issue of Iran's nuclear activities, said the ambassador.

President Ahmadinejad sent a 18-page letter to the US president on Monday speaking of current tensions and offering new ways to solve the many problems of the world.

The letter spoke not only of tensions arising from the Iran nuclear issue but also from major regional and international issues.

(Description of Source: Tehran IRNA (Internet Version-WWW) in English -- official state-run news agency)

May 11, 2006: Second confab on Prophet Mohammad's personality to be held in Copenhagen

The second international seminar on the personality of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), titled 'Who the Prophet Mohammad is', will be held at the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen on Thursday, hosted jointly here by the Imam Ali Center and the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The one-day seminar will focus on the Holy Prophet's life and his message.

Panel-discussions include topics like 'Mohammad and freedom of speech', 'Prophet Mohammad as an example for Christians', 'Prophet Mohammad and other religions', 'The thoughts of Prophet Mohammad', ' Centrality of Mohammad in Islamic theology' and 'Mohammad as depicted in the Danish Orientalist tradition'.

Renowned Islam experts from Iran, Britain and Denmark will address the seminar which will also dwell on ways to bridge the gap between cultures in the society.

Iran will be represented at the confab by Hojjatoleslam Mehdi Hadavi Tehrani of Islamic University of Qom and Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi of Tehran University.

The first seminar on the thoughts of the Prophet Mohammad took place in mid-April in Copenhagen.

Source: IRNA http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0605116615005719.htm

May 8, 2006: A Final Warning from the Islamist Rulers of Iran?

By Laura Mansfield

Was yesterday’s letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinezhab to US President George W. Bush a “last warning” of sorts?

That’s a possibility that must be considered in any analysis of the letter.

It is indisputable that Iran’s president has been openly hostile towards both the United States and Israel in recent months.

As word of the letter leaked out, the satire/humor website Scrappleface.com posted the following “translation” of the letter, which they said was written to “George Bush, president of the Great Satan, puppet of Zionists” from “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of peaceful Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Their five-point satire of the Scrappleface version of the letter was as follows:

5. Wipe Israel off the face of the map. Replace with goat ranch.

4. U.S. buys Iranian oil. I make threatening statements causing uncertainty in petroleum markets. We use the windfall profits to pay Russia to help us make nuclear devices, and to pay China to stop U.N. sanctions. U.S. continues to buy Iranian oil.

3. Get U.N. to adopt ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy regarding uranium enrichment.

2. Put Zionists in boxcars. Send back to Europe. Replace Israel with goat ranch.

1. U.S. joins global Muslim Caliphate, ensuring peace and bountiful supplies of enriched uranium for all of Allah’s people.

As it turned out, the reality wasn’t too far from the satire.

The letter was openly hostile and derisive of the US, claiming that the entire world has turned against America. Only minimal reference was made to the nuclear standoff, and no solutions were proposed, leading one of my colleagues to comment “looks like Iran has already adopted the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy regarding the crisis.

The 18 page document details Iran’s complaints against the United States, and rails against US policies both domestically and internationally.

Iran’s president describes the letter as the “words and opinions of the Iranian nation" to assist in finding "way out of problems" facing humanity.

If the letter is anywhere near what is being described by the US Administration, then analysts must question “What’s the point?”

Why create and deliver such a missive in the public eye when there is little chance that the document is going to make any changes in the policies of either country?

Islamic theology documents that no attack can be carried out in jihad without first offering the “unbelievers” the opportunity to “repent” and accept Islam. Only when that overture is rejected can an attack occur.

Al Qaeda has repeatedly issued warnings prior to attacks, although the warning are never specific enough for the West to recognize the exact target or timing of the attack. However, the warning is made.

The Qu’ran documents that Allah even is required to issue such warnings. The following three verses from the Qu’ran are representative of the many that do this.

Surah 50, ayat (verse) 14 of the Qu’ran says:

The Companions of the Wood, and the People of Tubba'; each one (of them) rejected the messengerss, and My warning was duly fulfilled (in them).

Surah 41, ayat (verse) 13 of the Qu’ran says:

If they turn away, then say, "I am warning you of a disaster like the disaster that annihilated `Aad and Thamoud."

Surah 41, ayat (verse) 17 of the Qu’ran says:

As for Thamoud, we provided them with guidance, but they preferred blindness over guidance. Consequently, the disastrous and shameful retribution annihilated them, because of what they earned.

The question must be asked: Is this letter to the Bush Administration from Iran a “final warning” to the United States?

With the internationally accepted belief that the Islamist rulers of Iran and their Al Qaeda partners in terror either already have or are on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, it is imperative that we answer that question.

May 9, 2006: Complete text of letter from Iran's President to US President Bush

Mr George Bush, President of the United States of America

For sometime now I have been thinking, how one can justify the undeniable contradictions that exist in the international arena -- which are being constantly debated, specially in political forums and amongst university students. Many questions remain unanswered. These have prompted me to discuss some of the contradictions and questions, in the hopes that it might bring about an opportunity to redress them.

Can one be a follower of Jesus Christ (PBUH), the great Messenger of God,

Feel obliged to respect human rights,

Present liberalism as a civilization model,

Announce one’s opposition to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and WMDs,

Make “War and Terror” his slogan,

And finally, Work towards the establishment of a unified international community – a community which Christ and the virtuous of the Earth will one day govern,

But at the same time, Have countries attacked; The lives, reputations and possessions of people destroyed and on the slight chance of the … of a … criminals in a village city, or convoy for example the entire village, city or convey set ablaze.

Or because of the possibility of the existence of WMDs in one country, it is occupied, around one hundred thousand people killed, its water sources, agriculture and industry destroyed, close to 180,000 foreign troops put on the ground, sanctity of private homes of citizens broken, and the country pushed back perhaps fifty years. At what price? Hundreds of billions of dollars spent from the treasury of one country and certain other countries and tens of thousands of young men and women – as occupation troops – put in harms way, taken away from family and love ones, their hands stained with the blood of others, subjected to so much psychological pressure that everyday some commit suicide ant those returning home suffer depression, become sickly and grapple with all sorts of aliments; while some are killed and their bodies handed of their families.

On the pretext of the existence of WMDs, this great tragedy came to engulf both the peoples of the occupied and the occupying country. Later it was revealed that no WMDs existed to begin with.

Of course Saddam was a murderous dictator. But the war was not waged to topple him, the announced goal of the war was to find and destroy weapons of mass destruction. He was toppled along the way towards another goal, nevertheless the people of the region are happy about it. I point out that throughout the many years of the … war on Iran Saddam was supported by the West.

Mr President, You might know that I am a teacher. My students ask me how can theses actions be reconciled with the values outlined at the beginning of this letter and duty to the tradition of Jesus Christ (PBUH), the Messenger of peace and forgiveness.

There are prisoners in Guantanamo Bay that have not been tried, have no legal representation, their families cannot see them and are obviously kept in a strange land outside their own country. There is no international monitoring of their conditions and fate. No one knows whether they are prisoners, POWs, accused or criminals.

European investigators have confirmed the existence of secret prisons in Europe too. I could not correlate the abduction of a person, and him or her being kept in secret prisons, with the provisions of any judicial system. For that matter, I fail to understand how such actions correspond to the values outlined in the beginning of this letter, i.e. the teachings of Jesus Christ (PBUH), human rights and liberal values.

Young people, university students and ordinary people have many questions about the phenomenon of Israel. I am sure you are familiar with some of them.

Throughout history many countries have been occupied, but I think the establishment of a new country with a new people, is a new phenomenon that is exclusive to our times. Students are saying that sixty years ago such a country did no exist. The show old documents and globes and say try as we have, we have not been able to find a country named Israel.

I tell them to study the history of WWI and II. One of my students told me that during WWII, which more than tens of millions of people perished in, news about the war, was quickly disseminated by the warring parties. Each touted their victories and the most recent battlefront defeat of the other party. After the war, they claimed that six million Jews had been killed. Six million people that were surely related to at least two million families.

Again let us assume that these events are true. Does that logically translate into the establishment of the state of Israel in the Middle East or support for such a state? How can this phenomenon be rationalised or explained?

Mr President, I am sure you know how – and at what cost – Israel was established:

- Many thousands were killed in the process.

- Millions of indigenous people were made refugees.

- Hundred of thousands of hectares of farmland, olive plantations, towns and villages were destroyed.

This tragedy is not exclusive to the time of establishment; unfortunately it has been ongoing for sixty years now.

A regime has been established which does not show mercy even to kids, destroys houses while the occupants are still in them, announces beforehand its list and plans to assassinate Palestinian figures and keeps thousands of Palestinians in prison. Such a phenomenon is unique – or at the very least extremely rare – in recent memory.

Another big question asked by people is why is this regime being supported?

Is support for this regime in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ (PBUH) or Moses (PBUH) or liberal values?

Or are we to understand that allowing the original inhabitants of these lands – inside and outside Palestine – whether they are Christian, Muslim or Jew, to determine their fate, runs contrary to principles of democracy, human rights and the teachings of prophets? If not, why is there so much opposition to a referendum?

The newly elected Palestinian administration recently took office. All independent observes have confirmed that this government represents the electorate. Unbelievingly, they have put the elected government under pressure and have advised it to recognise the Israeli regime, abandon the struggle and follow the programs of the previous government.

If the current Palestinian government had run on the above platform, would the Palestinian people have voted for it? Again, can such position taken in opposition to the Palestinian government be reconciled with the values outlined earlier? The people are also saying “why are all UNSC resolutions in condemnation of Israel vetoed?”

Mr President, As you are well aware, I live amongst the people and am in constant contact with them -- many people from around the Middle East manage to contact me as well. They dot not have faith in these dubious policies either. There is evidence that the people of the region are becoming increasingly angry with such policies.

It is not my intention to pose to many questions, but I need to refer to other points as well.

Why is it that any technological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East regions is translated into and portrayed as a threat to the Zionist regime? Is not scientific R&D one of the basic rights of nations.

You are familiar with history. Aside from the Middle Ages, in what other point in history has scientific and technical progress been a crime? Can the possibility of scientific achievements being utilised for military purposes be reason enough to oppose science and technology altogether? If such a supposition is true, then all scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, engineering, etc. must be opposed.

Lies were told in the Iraqi matter. What was the result? I have no doubt that telling lies is reprehensible in any culture, and you do not like to be lied to.

Mr President, Don’t Latin Americans have the right to ask, why their elected governments are being opposed and coup leaders supported? Or, why must they constantly be threatened and live in fear?

The people of Africa are hardworking, creative and talented. They can play an important and valuable role in providing for the needs of humanity and contribute to its material and spiritual progress. Poverty and hardship in large parts of Africa are preventing this from happening. Don’t they have the right to ask why their enormous wealth – including minerals – is being looted, despite the fact that they need it more than others? Again, do such actions correspond to the teachings of Christ and the tenets of human rights?

The brave and faithful people of Iran too have many questions and grievances, including: the coup d’etat of 1953 and the subsequent toppling of the legal government of the day, opposition to the Islamic revolution, transformation of an Embassy into a headquarters supporting, the activities of those opposing the Islamic Republic (many thousands of pages of documents corroborates this claim), support for Saddam in the war waged against Iran, the shooting down of the Iranian passenger plane, freezing the assets of the Iranian nation, increasing threats, anger and displeasure vis-à-vis the scientific and nuclear progress of the Iranian nation (just when all Iranians are jubilant and collaborating their country’s progress), and many other grievances that I will not refer to in this letter.

Mr President, September Eleven was a horrendous incident. The killing of innocents is deplorable and appalling in any part of the world. Our government immediately declared its disgust with the perpetrators and offered its condolences to the bereaved and expressed its sympathies.

All governments have a duty to protect the lives, property and good standing of their citizens.

Reportedly your government employs extensive security, protection and intelligence systems – and even hunts its opponents abroad. September eleven was not a simple operation. Could it be planned and executed without coordination with intelligence and security services – or their extensive infiltration? Of course this is just an educated guess. Why have the various aspects of the attacks been kept secret? Why are we not told who botched their responsibilities? And, why aren’t those responsible and the guilty parties identified and put on trial?

All governments have a duty to provide security and peace of mind for their citizens. For some years now, the people of your country and neighbours of world trouble spots do not have peace of mind. After 9.11, instead of healing and tending to the emotional wounds of the survivors and the American people – who had been immensely traumatised by the attacks – some Western media only intensified the climates of fear and insecurity – some constantly talked about the possibility of new terror attacks and kept the people in fear. Is that service to the American people? Is it possible to calculate the damages incurred from fear and panic?

American citizen lived in constant fear of fresh attacks that could come at any moment and in any place. They felt insecure in the streets, in their place of work and at home. Who would be happy with this situation? Why was the media, instead of conveying a feeling of security and providing peace of mind, giving rise to a feeling of insecurity?

Some believe that the hype paved the way – and was the justification – for an attack on Afghanistan. Again I need to refer to the role of media.

In media charters, correct dissemination of information and honest reporting of a story are established tenets. I express my deep regret about the disregard shown by certain Western media for these principles. The main pretext for an attack on Iraq was the existence of WMDs. This was repeated incessantly – for the public to, finally, believe – and the ground set for an attack on Iraq.

Will the truth not be lost in a contrive and deceptive climate?

Again, if the truth is allowed to be lost, how can that be reconciled with the earlier mentioned values?

Is the truth known to the Almighty lost as well?

Mr President, In countries around the world, citizens provide for the expenses of governments so that their governments in turn are able to serve them.

The question here is “what has the hundreds of billions of dollars, spent every year to pay for the Iraqi campaign, produced for the citizens?”

As your Excellency is aware, in some states of your country, people are living in poverty.

Many thousands are homeless and unemployment is a huge problem. Of course these problems exist – to a larger or lesser extent – in other countries as well. With these conditions in mind, can the gargantuan expenses of the campaign – paid from the public treasury – be explained and be consistent with the aforementioned principles?

What has been said, are some of the grievances of the people around the world, in our region and in your country. But my main contention – which I am hoping you will agree to some of it – is:

Those in power have specific time in office, and do not rule indefinitely, but their names will be recorded in history and will be constantly judged in the immediate and distant futures.

The people will scrutinize our presidencies.

Did we manage to bring peace, security and prosperity for the people or insecurity and unemployment?

Did we intend to establish justice, or just supported especial interest groups, and by forcing many people to live in poverty and hardship, made a few people rich and powerful – thus trading the approval of the people and the Almighty with theirs’?

Did we defend the rights of the underprivileged or ignore them?

Did we defend the rights of all people around the world or imposed wars on them, interfered illegally in their affairs, established hellish prisons and incarcerated some of them?

Did we bring the world peace and security or raised the specter of intimidation and threats?

Did we tell the truth to our nation and others around the world or presented an inverted version of it?

Were we on the side of people or the occupiers and oppressors?

Did our administration set out to promote rational behaviour, logic, ethics, peace, fulfilling obligations, justice, service to the people, prosperity, progress and respect for human dignity or the force of guns.

Intimidation, insecurity, disregard for the people, delaying the progress and excellence of other nations, and trample on people’s rights?

And finally, they will judge us on whether we remained true to our oath of office – to serve the people, which is our main task, and the traditions of the prophets – or not?

Mr President, How much longer can the world tolerate this situation?

Where will this trend lead the world to?

How long must the people of the world pay for the incorrect decisions of some rulers?

How much longer will the specter of insecurity – raised from the stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction – hunt the people of the world?

How much longer will the blood of the innocent men, women and children be spilled on the streets, and people’s houses destroyed over their heads?

Are you pleased with the current condition of the world?

Do you think present policies can continue?

If billions of dollars spent on security, military campaigns and troop movement were instead spent on investment and assistance for poor countries, promotion of health, combating different diseases, education and improvement of mental and physical fitness, assistance to the victims of natural disasters, creation of employment opportunities and production, development projects and poverty alleviation, establishment of peace, mediation between disputing states and distinguishing the flames of racial, ethnic and other conflicts were would the world be today? Would not your government, and people be justifiably proud?

Would not your administration’s political and economic standing have been stronger?

And I am most sorry to say, would there have been an ever increasing global hatred of the American governments?

Mr President, it is not my intention to distress anyone.

If prophet Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Ishmael, Joseph or Jesus Christ (PBUH) were with us today, how would they have judged such behaviour? Will we be given a role to play in the promised world, where justice will become universal and Jesus Christ (PBUH) will be present? Will they even accept us?

My basic question is this: Is there no better way to interact with the rest of the world? Today there are hundreds of millions of Christians, hundreds of millions of Moslems and millions of people who follow the teachings of Moses (PBUH). All divine religions share and respect on word and that is “monotheism” or belief in a single God and no other in the world.

The holy Koran stresses this common word and calls on an followers of divine religions and says: [3.64] Say: O followers of the Book! Come to an equitable proposition between us and you that we shall not serve any but Allah and (that) we shall not associate aught. With Him and (that) some of us shall not take others for lords besides Allah, but if they turn back, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims. (The Family of Imran).

Mr President, According to divine verses, we have all been called upon to worship one God and follow the teachings of divine prophets.

“To worship a God which is above all powers in the world and can do all He pleases.” “The Lord which knows that which is hidden and visible, the past and the future, knows what goes on in the Hearts of His servants and records their deeds.”

“The Lord who is the possessor of the heavens and the earth and all universe is His court” “planning for the universe is done by His hands, and gives His servants the glad tidings of mercy and forgiveness of sins”. “He is the companion of the oppressed and the enemy of oppressors”. “He is the Compassionate, the Merciful”. “He is the recourse of the faithful and guides them towards the light from darkness”. “He is witness to the actions of His servants”,

“He calls on servants to be faithful and do good deeds, and asks them to stay on the path of righteousness and remain steadfast”. “Calls on servants to heed His prophets and He is a witness to their deeds.” “A bad ending belongs only to those who have chosen the life of this world and disobey Him and oppress His servants”. And “A good and eternal paradise belong to those servants who fear His majesty and do not follow their lascivious selves.”

We believe a return to the teachings of the divine prophets is the only road leading to salvations. I have been told that Your Excellency follows the teachings of Jesus (PBUH), and believes in the divine promise of the rule of the righteous on Earth.

We also believe that Jesus Christ (PBUH) was one of the great prophets of the Almighty. He has been repeatedly praised in the Koran. Jesus (PBUH) has been quoted in Koran as well; [19,36] And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serves Him; this is the right path, Marium.

Service to and obedience of the Almighty is the credo of all divine messengers.

The God of all people in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, the Pacific and the rest of the world is one. He is the Almighty who wants to guide and give dignity to all His servants. He has given greatness to Humans.

We again read in the Holy Book: “The Almighty God sent His prophets with miracles and clear signs to guide the people and show them divine signs and purity them from sins and pollutions. And He sent the Book and the balance so that the people display justice and avoid the rebellious.”

All of the above verses can be seen, one way or the other, in the Good Book as well. Divine prophets have promised:

The day will come when all humans will congregate before the court of the Almighty, so that their deeds are examined. The good will be directed towards Haven and evildoers will meet divine retribution. I trust both of us believe in such a day, but it will not be easy to calculate the actions of rulers, because we must be answerable to our nations and all others whose lives have been directly or indirectly effected by our actions.

All prophets, speak of peace and tranquillity for man – based on monotheism, justice and respect for human dignity.

Do you not think that if all of us come to believe in and abide by these principles, that is, monotheism, worship of God, justice, respect for the dignity of man, belief in the Last Day, we can overcome the present problems of the world – that are the result of disobedience to the Almighty and the teachings of prophets – and improve our performance?

Do you not think that belief in these principles promotes and guarantees peace, friendship and justice?

Do you not think that the aforementioned written or unwritten principles are universally respected?

Will you not accept this invitation? That is, a genuine return to the teachings of prophets, to monotheism and justice, to preserve human dignity and obedience to the Almighty and His prophets?

Mr President, History tells us that repressive and cruel governments do not survive. God has entrusted

The fate of man to them. The Almighty has not left the universe and humanity to their own devices. Many things have happened contrary to the wishes and plans of governments. These tell us that there is a higher power at work and all events are determined by Him.

Can one deny the signs of change in the world today?

Is this situation of the world today comparable to that of ten years ago? Changes happen fast and come at a furious pace.

The people of the world are not happy with the status quo and pay little heed to the promises and comments made by a number of influential world leaders. Many people around the wolrd feel insecure and oppose the spreading of insecurity and war and do not approve of and accept dubious policies.

The people are protesting the increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots and the rich and poor countries.

The people are disgusted with increasing corruption.

The people of many countries are angry about the attacks on their cultural foundations and the disintegration of families. They are equally dismayed with the fading of care and compassion.

The people of the world have no faith in international organisations, because their rights are not advocated by these organisations.

Liberalism and Western style democracy have not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity. Today these two concepts have failed. Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the liberal democratic systems.

We increasingly see that people around the world are flocking towards a main focal point – that is the Almighty God. Undoubtedly through faith in God and the teachings of the prophets, the people will conquer their problems. My question for you is: “Do you not want to join them?”

Mr President, Whether we like it or not, the world is gravitating towards faith in the Almighty and justice and the will of God will prevail over all things.

Vasalam Ala Man Ataba’al hoda
Mahmood Ahmadi-Najad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

May 8, 2006: IRNA: Pakistani MP Says Action Against Iran Would Trigger Israel's Annihilation

Islamabad, May 8, IRNA -- A Pakistani politician on Monday warned against any action by the United States against Iran, saying the Islamic Republic had the potential to play havoc with the Zionist regime.

Talking to IRNA here, Jamaat-e-Islami Information Secretary Shahid Shamsi, who is also Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal's spokesman, said that the best option to resolve the crisis was to step up efforts at the diplomatic front.

He maintained that the Iranian leadership had made it crystal clear to the US and the world community at large that in case of a war imposed on them, they would target Israel.

"I don't think the US will be able to simultaneously to continue being engaged in Iraq, Iran and also save Israel," he contended, and called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to resolve the issue.

US questions about Iran's nuclear programs are purely technical and are for the nuclear watchdog to try to answer, he said, adding that the United Nations Security Council was not the right forum to tackle the issue.

To a question, he said that the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal had plans to hold rallies to show solidarity with the Iranian and Palestinian governments.

The MMA spokesman said that the international community's closing its eyes on the Iranian issue and the difficulties the Hamas-led government was facing was leading to the gravity of the situation.

When asked about the possible impact of UN sanctions on Iran, he said that likely curbs might not do the needful, and added that the Iranian nation had in fact become used to such measures which have been imposed on it in the past.

He believed that Iran, as a sovereign nation, had the right to benefit from nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and referred to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated assurances that Iran had no intention to make nuclear bombs.

(Description of Source: Tehran IRNA (Internet Version-WWW) in English -- official state-run news agency)

May 8. 2006: Iranian Official Explains New Internet Filtering Center Aims To Block Pornography

Note from Laura: I don't think the Iranian government is just worried about porn. I strongly suspect they will use their new filtering ability in-country to weed out dissident and anti-regime websites, and to control the information flow to those Iranians who don't support the regime of the Mullahs...

The Communications Ministry's program: To prevent the blocking of Internet sites by mistake, the deputy communications minister has said: The aim, in establishing a center for the provision of information and filtering in the country, is not the prosecution of illegal sites. The aim is only to cleanse the Internet of pornographic sites.

The deputy communications minister has said: Before, when the filtering software was abroad, sometimes some sites were filtered by mistake; with the establishment of this center, this problem will be resolved.

(Description of Source: Tehran Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 2 in Persian -- state-run television)

May 3, 2006: Vice Squad Training shows a not-so "kinder, gentler Iran"

Our Farsi translator just sent us the above image with the following translation. His comments regarding the statements are in italics:

What is written on the white-board behind revolutionary guard commander Talaii (in larger black font)

If you see women with thick lipstick, don't use a razor blade to slash their faces (as has been permissible and very much done by the disciplinary forces patrolling the cities), use Kleenex.

If you see too much makeup on women's faces, don't spray their faces with acid (as has been permissible and very much done by the disciplinary forces patrolling the cities), use rosewater.

If women are wearing too short of a dress, give them a free chador (veil).

If their scarves is too short, don't use the slogan of: "yaa roo sari, yaa too sari" (which means "either wear a scarf, or get smacked on the head"...this has been one of the regime's most disgusting comments to Iranians women since the very early days of the revolution).

Either cover their entire hair or gently cut their hair off.

The caption, in the bottom of the photo reads: The head of the police force of Tehran said: "The Irshad (guidance) Patrols should not treat people with an antagonistice approach."

According to our translator "This is their attempt at a kinder, gentler Mullacracy!"

May 3, 2006: Sharia Law in the USA: Jihadi Rap from the Kominas

By Laura Mansfield

"Sharia Law in the USA" is the name of a single released by an Islamist punk group from Boston called The Kominas.

The group (their name translates from Arabic as "Bastards") seems to promote an alternate lifestyle but at the same time appears to be extremely popular with the Muslim youth, based on a quick review of MySpace.com and Facebook.com postings. (Although it is likely that they do not count Sirraj Wahhaj as one of their fans, considering what they sang about him! See www.thekominas.com for more information but be warned - the language is graphic.)

The lyrics to "Sharia Law in the USA" follow:

Sharia Law in the USA

I am an Islamist,
I am an Antichrist
Most squares can't make Most Wanted lists
but my my how I stay in style

Cops chased me outta my mother's womb
my crib was in state pen before age two and
the feds had bugged my red toy phone
so I devised a plan for heads to roll,
Sharia Law, in the USA

May 2, 2006: Suicide bomber signup - on the web!

By Laura Mansfield

It appears that English speaking terrorists now have something to look forward to.

No longer will they have to hang out at their local mosque, hoping to win the trust of an extremist who might shepherd them into the world of jihad; soon they will be able to sign up to be a martyr on a web form, as easily as they would order a book from Amazon.com.

For now, though the signup form is only available in Farsi. The English version of the website remains under construction, with a graphic that indicates it is coming soon.

But if the would-be martyr happens to speak Farsi (or even Arabic), he or she can now volunteer for a mission can with a few clicks of his mouse.

Our Farsi translator took a look at the website, which is located at http://www.esteshhad.com/ , and this is what he told us:

This is a site for recruiting terrorists. They are recruiting martyrs. One actually can register on line. There are photos of those who have already nominated themselves for this task. The people on the photos seem to be from Arabic decent; most of those that I recognized are Palestinians who carried out suicide bombings in Israel.

The Farsi language uses the Arabic alphabets. On this particular site, there are many Arabic words have been used as well as Farsi words. This has been done to make the site more attractive to those who are willing to die for the cause. After all, the Qu’ran is written in Arabic.

The music you hear is in Arabic. The music sounds like a revolutionary song against Israel and the tribes of Yahoud, the Jews.. It keeps repeating the same thing over and over again, a technique which is common in both Arabic and Farsi music. This music is very inspirational to the terrorists.

The site is specifically for suicide bombers. It says that if anyone insults or attacks the holy places of the Islamic world, as they believe has been done in Iraq, then it is incumbent upon all the Muslims to fight back through suicide bombing attacks.

The website discusses the history of suicide bombing and the glory of becoming a martyr. It praises the Palestinian people for being the leaders and pioneers in this endeavor.

May 1, 2006: Soundbytes from the America's Truth Forum
Poverty the root of terror? That's a lie according to Walid Shoebat!

Poverty is the reason for terrorism; that's what we've always been told.

But that's a lie, said Walid Shoebat in a presentation to the audience at the America's Truth Forum Symposium.

And Walid Shoebat should know. He is a former Muslim, who was a PLO terrorist. He has since converted to Christianity and is a valuable ally in the War on Terror.

Walid told the audience this:

"When I go speak to groups, I ask 'Are there any Indians here?' There usually is someone from India. I ask them 'Do you have poverty in India?'"

"They always answer 'Yes, we have lots of poverty in India. India is a very poor country'".

"Then I ask them 'Do you children straps bombs on themselves and blow themselves up?"

"And of course, they respond 'No, of course not.'"

"Then most of the time they add 'But the young people from Pakistan, they strap bombs onto themselves, and come across the border and blow us up!'"

Walid stressed that poverty and education don't prevent terrorism.

"All of my family is educated. My cousins are doctors. All have college degrees. I'm the bad sheep because I only graduated high school and went to computer school. We weren't poor. But I'll tell you this, we all wanted to become terrorists. We went to the mosque, but the imam's didn't have to recruit us. We were begging to sign up."

Shoebat has since left terrorism and Islam behind. He began studying the Bible in an effort to convert his wife to Islam, but after months of study, instead he converted to Christianity.

May 1, 2006: April 2006 Geopolitical Analysis Wrap Up

by Ryan Mauro, www.worldthreats.com

Iraqi Document Release

1) A letter from an Iraqi intelligence officer to the director of intelligence from during the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 states that Hamas offered to use Palestinian students studying in Iraq to fight the American forces. The Iraqis thank Hamas for the offer, but says to focus on attacking American and Israeli interests inside and outside of Israel, away from the battle in Iraq. Dr. Al-Ratisi, who later becomes the head of Hamas (and is killed by the Israelis), told the Iraqis that Hamas intended to “conduct demonstrations and suicide operations in support of the honorable stand of Iraq.”

2) A document dated March 11, 2001 is signed by the commander of Ali Bin Abi Taleb Air Force Base in Iraq. It discusses orders to provide the names of those who volunteered for suicide missions to “liberate Palestine and strike American interests.” It’s interesting to note that the Iraqi Air Force took a leading role in training terrorists. What sort of skills would an air force teach terrorists?

3) A document dated September 16, 1998, states that “The researches that cannot be declared and that is related with the previous prohibited programs of WMD and how to make sure that information about these researches will not leak to the outside because it will be too dangerous if this happened.” The document describes efforts to destroy documents related to the programs that are not necessary, and safe-keeping procedures for those that are.

4) In late August 2002, according to another document, the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission was ordered to destroy its archives. The document discusses “chemical equipments,” and “examination of the special equipment.” The term “special” was often used by Saddam Hussein in the 1980s to refer to chemical and biological weaponry.

5) A document from November 22, 1999 refers to the Iraqi regime’s plans for the year 2000. Included in the plans is the “training of the Arab fedayeens within the plan of the year 2000.”

6) Another document revealed that in April of 2003, the Iraqi armed forces were ordered to treat the Arab fedayeen that arrived in Iraq to fight Coalition forces as the same as Iraqi special forces members in terms of salary and benefits.

Sam Pender has been writing at NewMediaJournal.us lately regarding the evidence that Saddam’s WMD was shipped to Syria. To lend credibility to the testimony of General Georges Sada, the former #2 man in Saddam’s air force (who has stated that Saddam’s WMD went to Syria in the summer of 2002 via civilian aircraft after a dam collapsed in Syria), Pender noted an article that this author failed to note.

On June 17, 2002, The Times of London reported that Iraqi nuclear centrifuge parts had been moved out of Syria. The equipment was originally stored at the port of Tartus, and then moved to the Damascus International Airport. The parts were originally moved into Syria after the dam collapsed.

If anyone doubted that the U.S. security community is significantly infiltrated (which no one should doubt after the documents were released revealing that Russia passed our war plans to Iraq which were obtained from “sources in CENTCOM”), that should be put to rest. An Iraqi-born American citizen is suspected of being an Iraqi intelligence agent. He worked at the Citizen and Immigration Services and ruled on asylum applications.

If Iraqi spies, which were under so much scrutiny, could infiltrate us, how many Russian, Chinese, Iranian and Cuban spies are there?

A former Polish and CIA intelligence operative, David Dastych, has observed how many “customers” there are for nuclear material on the black market, including rogue states such as Iraq. In 1993, he posed as a nuclear material dealer and was approached by Palestinian intermediaries hired by Libya and Iraq. The Iraqis wanted to buy Russian nuclear products in Austria and Switzerland, and the Libyans sought delivery by air directly from Russia. Dastych stated that Iraqi intelligence in the 1990s covered up their black market operations by pointing to false-flag end-users on the purchases, such as “King of Saudi Arabia.”

Middle East

The UN is finally being forced to consider some form of punishment for Iran’s defiance with regard to its nuclear program. At the end of March, the UN gave Iran a 30-day deadline to end its uranium enrichment, which Iran has defied. Unfortunately, due to Russia and China’s steadfast support of their client state, it seems likely that the only sanctions (if any) that will be placed on Iran will be sanctions on individual members of the regime and restrictions on the travel of certain members; hardly sufficient to dissuade Iran from pursuing nuclear technology, and certainly not sufficient to weaken the regime. The US will have to form a coalition outside the UN, involving Western Europe, to apply economic sanctions on Iran.

The IAEA reportedly has evidence that Iran had a secret, underground small-scale uranium enrichment project as of late 2005. The IAEA has interviewed AQ Khan who has revealed what he sold to Iran. As a result, the IAEA has been able to verify that Iran’s declarations are not complete.

According to Stephen Rademaker, the Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, once Iran begins using the 50,000 centrifuges it plans to assemble at Natanz, the regime will be able to create sufficient quantities of highly-enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon in 16 days. Iran is said to be constructing 3,000 more centrifuges this year, leading some experts to conclude that Iran will have sufficient quantities of enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon within 271 days after their construction.

Iran’s missile capability is growing at a rapid rate. Iran has successfully reconfigured its Shahab-3 missile to accept nuclear warheads. Recent test-firings prove that the nose cone has been modified for this purpose, according to experts. This gives Iran an 800-mile range—well within reach of Israel.

One of the most frightening aspects of the Iran crisis is that the mullahs may give their nuclear technology to other countries—an objective they’ve declared in the past. Discussions have been ongoing with Venezuela for such cooperation, and there have been reports of Iranian assistance to a fledgling Syrian program. Ayatollah Khamenei made headlines when he stated that Iran was ready to share its knowledge, but few observers noticed he made this statement during talks with a new potential customer—the radical Islamic government of Sudan.

In addition to the countries that may acquire advanced nuclear technology from Iran, several others may try to acquire nuclear weapons to counter Iran. These include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Algeria. Ali Larijani, Iran’s negotiator for the nuclear crisis, has told the Arab press that should the U.S. strike Iran, Iran will retaliate against the Baku-Ceyan oil pipeline in Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Fear of retaliation may be playing a part in the apparent foot-dragging with regard to Iran. However, one must realize that, if terrorist retaliation by Iran is feared, then one is acknowledging Iranian ties to terrorists. And therein lies, the crux of the problem: Wouldn’t the Iranian regime, which openly states its desire to spread the Islamic Revolution through violence, be more likely to use such ties if a nuclear arsenal was created to serve as a shield from Western pressure?

That said, the West needs to actively prepare for not only Iranian retaliation—but Iranian offensives today. The FBI director, writes that Wayne Simmons, who is a former CIA undercover operative, has stated that Hezbollah has smuggled militants into America. In addition, warns Simmons, former Russian KGB and GRU operatives have teamed up with terrorist and smuggling operations.

Evidence continues to mount that Iran is the most active sponsor of the insurgency in Iraq today. There are fewer indications that the support is Syrian-led, perhaps as a result of the US-European pressure campaign on Assad since the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. British intelligence believes that Iran has established camps to train and house the Iraqi insurgents, and that car bombings carried out with Iranian support primarily target the British forces. According to an Iraqi army officer, during sweeps in Tikrit, the Iraqi army seized Iranian-made and shipped weapons.

American casualties in April spiked upwards after low levels from January to March, due to ongoing operations in the Anbar province. However, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, which is behind most of the dramatic suicide bombings, is definitely in its last throes, even if other elements of the insurgency are not.

Over 2005, suicide car bombings fell by 84%. The Brookings Institution research shows that in May 2005, there were 136 car bombings. In December 2005, it fell to 30, and in February 2006, the number dropped even further to 22. That being said, that doesn’t mean the insurgency as a whole is ready to die. The U.S. military plays up the role of Zarqawi in order to demonstrate that Iraq is a battle in the War on Terrorism. However, while this is true, one cannot deny the fact that the majority of the insurgents are Iraqis.

According to some reports, the Americans and Europeans have ended the pressure campaign against Assad in Syria. This is an unfortunate development. The Assad regime is weakening and, until recently, appeared to be splintering and disintegrating. Another result of the end of the campaign will be the rise of militias in Lebanon and an increase in support for the insurgency in Iraq.

The West is also trying to control Hamas financially, while launching a public relations effort by letting some aid get through to the Palestinians for humanitarian needs. This is also another unfortunate development. Not only will such funding likely be diverted for terrorist causes, but unfortunately, the US needs the Palestinian people to be dissatisfied with their situation. This will result in a lessening of support for Hamas when it is clearly demonstrated that they’re unable to govern effectively. By helping the Palestinian people, as noble as it seems, we do long-term damage by maintaining a favorable approval rating for Hamas governance.

The Europeans have cut off financial ties to the new Hamas-led government, which is excellent. However, Russia, Qatar and Iran have picked up the tab. This should give the West another reason to support the Iranian people against the regime—to help the peace process by weakening the Hamas government through disabling a primary sponsor.

Latin America

On July 2, Mexican presidential elections will commence. President Vincente Fox is not allowed to run again, but is campaigning for his party and is warning that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the candidate of the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party, is Mexico’s version of Hugo Chavez. Obrador has responded that he’s never once spoken to Chavez. Obrador is currently leading in the polls, and is the former mayor of Mexico City.

Representative Jim Kolbe has said that he has received intelligence reports of Chavez funding Obrador, as Fox has also alleged. American observers have warned that Obrador is more anti-American than Fox and is essentially a Marxist. In the past, he’s been very vocal about opposing American policy towards Fidel Castro’s Cuba.

Chavez in Venezuela has continued to crush economic freedom. This month, he nationalized a French oil field. The U.S. should take opportunities such as these to form some sort of alliance with Europe to oppose Chavez. Unfortunately, it looks as if a new Eastern Bloc is forming in Latin America and will conquer that continent. In Peru, Ollanta Humala, an ally of Hugo Chavez, is projected to win that country’s elections.

The spokesperson for Nicaragua’s Constitutional Liberal Party, the governing party in that country, has warned that Chavez is selling oil at favorable prices to towns governed by the Sandanistas, which could generate surpluses for the November presidential elections. There is a serious threat of a Sandanista takeover of Nicaragua.

Asia

The dictatorship of Myanmar, which is supported by North Korea, China and Russia, has recently purchased a wide range of arms, including Mig-29 fighters, and air defense systems from Russia. In return, the Russians will acquire access to the nation’s oil and gas resources. Myanmar has been described as one of the “outposts of tyranny” by the Bush Administration. It never fails to amaze this author how every such “outpost of tyranny” has Russian and Chinese backing. Russia and China seem to be using the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to form an alliance with various nations in a manner meant to counter American power. During the height of the latest Iran crisis, the SCO suddenly stated that Iran, Mongolia, India and Pakistan would be eligible for full membership. This occurred at the same time as the SCO worked to develop a common position on the crisis. As a result, Iran will gain more access to technology, trade, investment and security cooperation. Other SCO members include Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. New reporting also indicates Chinese involvement in illegal arms smuggling in the United States. Recently, a Chinese man was arrested for trying to smuggle Chinese anti-aircraft missiles into California. The follow-up investigation discovered that he was connected to a Chinese general and a state-run arms producer.

Ryan Mauro is the 19-year old author of Death to America: The Unreported Battle of Iraq and founder of WorldThreats.com. He is a geopolitical analyst for Tactical Defense Concepts, the Northeast Intelligence Network and the Reform Party of Syria. He can be contacted at TDCAnalyst@aol.com.

April 29. 2006: Update from America's Truth Forum Symposium

If you were unable to attend, I have to tell you that you are missing an absolutely compelling Symposium.

Brigitte Gabriel's presentation was absolutely riveting. We will post an update shortly.

However, in the interim please visit Right Talk Radio to listen to yesterday's debate and press conference.

April 28, 2006: America's Truth Forum Symposium Highlights

This evening's opening of the Symposium was awesome.

Former CIA Director James Woolsey opened up the VIP reception at the Symposium, followed by Richard Mineter, Ken Timmerman, and Walid Phares.

I was quite impressed with the comment made by these gentlemen, and was surprised to find that I was in agreement with most.

I will be logging in throughout the day to bring you updates from the Symposium.

April 28. 2006: Another new tape - this time from Ayman Zawahiri

Analysis in progress - the following translation was provided by Al Qaeda with the tape:

To the People of Pakistan Dr. Ayman al- Zawahiri Rabi' al-Awwal 1427 AH /April 2006 CE As-Sahab Media .............................................................................................

In the name of Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and may peace and prayers be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family, companions, and allies. Muslim brothers everywhere: peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. The first thing that I want to talk to you about is the third anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq. We praise Allah that three years after the Crusader invasion of Iraq, America, Britain and their allies have achieved nothing but losses, disasters and misfortunes. They have become embroiled in Iraq in an unenviable way, despite Bush and Blair's continuous lying. And these losses and misfortunes only happened with the sacrifices of the Mujahideen and their enthusiasm for death in Allah's path. The group Qaida al-Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers alone has carried out 800 martyrdom operations in 3 years, besides the sacrifices of the other Mujahideen, and this is what has broken the back of America in Iraq. The sacrifices of the heroic Mujahideen have also exposed the total inconsistency of Western doctrine, and perhaps this moral and material defeat of the Western Crusade will motivate the West to review its ideological system in its entirety, if it desires the facts or hopes for salvation. And just as the heroic Mujahideen's sacrifices have defeated the Crusader alliance morally and materially, they have also exposed the faction of traitors falsely associated with the Muslims, these traitors who made pacts with the Crusaders before, during and after the invasion, and prevented the Jihad against the occupation, and helped to establish it in Iraq, and promised it that they will be loyal guards of its interests after it leaves; they are traitors, even if they dress like the Muslims or have the same names; they are traitors, even if their beards are long and turbans great; they are traitors, even if they claim noble descent or a connection with the unseen or any other kind of charlatanism and superstition; they are traitors, and Allah, and His Messenger, and his righteous Companions, and pure People of his House, and the Islamic Ummah are innocent of them one and all. How can they claim affiliation to Islam when the Lord of Glory has given a verdict about them in His Book, saying, "O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily, Allah guideth not a people unjust." Al-Maidah 5:51 Those who are in Iraq, and those affiliated to the clan of Hashim in Jordan, and their peers on the Arabian Peninsula, those who permit the recognition of Israel and making peace with it, and those like them in Egypt, who help France against the veiled Muslim women and receive the Israeli ambassador in noble al-Azhar and hand over Wafa Qistintin for torture in the dungeons of the monasteries: all of them are traitors, and the Muslim Ummah must confront them, lest they stab it from behind while it is exposing its chest to the rockets and bullets of the enemies. As for the second thing I wish to talk to you about, it is the dark fate towards which the traitor Musharraf is pushing Pakistan. Without a doubt, Pakistan is one of the most important of the countries targeted by this new colonialist Crusade which seeks to weaken Pakistan and fragment it into entities under the control of India, which is allied with the Americans and Jews. And here I wish to clarify an extremely important point, which is that the anti-Islamic American/Crusader/Zionist plan has no place for the presence of Pakistan as a strong, powerful, able state in South Asia, because this plan doesn't forgive Pakistan for separating from India in the name of Islam, and doesn't forgive it for including the largest Islamic schools with wide influence among the Muslims of South and Central Asia, and doesn't forgive it for the flourishing of the popular Jihadi movements in it against the Indians in Kashmir and first the Russians and then the Americans in Afghanistan, and doesn't forgive it the favorable response of its people, scholars, students, Mujahideen and tribes to the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan – since its founding and to this very day – and to its Amir the lion of Islam Mulla Muhammad Umar, may Allah protect him, and doesn't forgive it its overwhelming public sympathy for the call of Shaykh Usama bin Ladin for Jihad to expel the Americans and Jews from the holy places of the Muslims and their homes. In this context, India appears to be the best candidate to implement the Zionist/Crusader plan to humiliate Pakistan and weaken it and tear it apart. And Bush's recent visit to Pakistan at the beginning of March was one of the biggest pieces of evidence of that, as he gave a strong push to India's nuclear program while handing out orders and instructions in Pakistan. And I will review with you in brief just a few of the many woes and misfortunes which Musharraf and his supporters have brought upon Pakistan. The first of these woes is Musharraf's combating of Islam in Pakistan. With an order from the Crusaders, he provided all the backing needed to expel the Islamic Emirate from Kabul. And he has made war on the Islamic schools, and is seeking to review the Hudood Act, in addition to inventing – with Crusader guidance – a new Qadiani creed which invites the people to an Islam without Jihad and without enjoining of good and prohibition of evil and without observation of the rules of the Shari'ah, which he calls "Enlightened Moderation." The second of these woes is Musharraf's threat to Pakistani national security. Musharraf was the primary backer of the ouster of the Islamic Emirate from Kabul, and was the primary reason for the establishment of a government in Kabul allied to America and India and hostile to Pakistan. And as a result of Musharraf's betrayal, Indian intelligence has crept close to the Pakistan-Afghan border and opened its consulates in the cities adjacent to Pakistan. And the Pakistani Army, with the exit of the Taliban government from Kabul, became a double loser: first, the Pakistani Army lost the strategic depth which Afghanistan, with its highlands and mountains, can offer it in any Pakistani-Indian confrontation. And second, the Pakistani Army's back became exposed to a regime hostile to it and allied with its enemies. And if you add to this India's success in exploiting air bases in Tajikistan and its seeking military cooperation with the Central Asian states, you will realize the extent of the predicament which the Pakistani Army has gotten itself into. And Musharraf is the one who placed the Pakistani nuclear program under American – and hence Jewish and Indian – supervision. Musharraf exploited America's accusation of Abdul Qadeer Khan to impose its surveillance upon the Pakistani nuclear program. And then is it credible that Abdul Qadeer Khan was outside the surveillance of Pakistani military intelligence? Thus, the first ones who should be brought to trial in the case of Abdul Qadeer Khan are the leaders of the Pakistani Army and intelligence. But Abdul Qadeer Khan was used as a scapegoat to please America. And Musharraf is the one who is fanning the flames of civil war in Pakistan on behalf of America, in Waziristan and Baluchistan, in a bloody conflict whose losses have no end, and which will only rebound on Pakistan with the worst of damages. The worst thing any army in the world could wish for is that it be assigned to defend the borders of its country at a time when it is embroiled in an internal civil war. Pakistani memory has yet to forget the catastrophe caused by the civil war in East Pakistan. And what Musharraf has done in Bajaur, Waziristan and Baluchistan, he will repeat in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar, and indeed, any place the Americans request him to strike. And Musharraf is the one who is seeking to change the combat doctrine of the Pakistani Army by repeating that the real danger to Pakistan is from within and not foreign: i.e., he is inciting the Pakistani Army to fight its people and brothers and turn a blind eye to the Indian threat. And if the combat doctrine of any army becomes corrupted, and its fighting turns into fighting for the sake of salary and position alone, then this army will run away from the battlefield whenever fighting breaks out. And how is it possible for the Pakistani officer or soldier to be persuaded that he is defending Islam when he is the one who enabled the Americans to kill tens of thousands of Muslims in Afghanistan, and enabled them to oust the Islamic Emirate from Kabul? And how is it possible for the Pakistani officer or soldier to be persuaded that he is defending the sanctity of Pakistanis when his commanders order him to kill women and children in his own country? And how is it possible for the Pakistani officer or soldier to be persuaded that he is defending the honor and dignity of Pakistan when he sees his leaders order him to carry out a new slaughter every time they are visited by a high-ranking American official? The third of these woes is Musharraf's squandering of the issue of Kashmir and his painstaking effort to dispose of it at any cost. Musharraf is the one who strangled the Jihadi resistance against India, which led it to increase its savagery and draw up the borders. And Musharraf is the one who made and continues to make one concession after another in the Kashmir issue, even as India hasn't budged one step from its stance. And Musharraf is the one who seeks to deceive the Muslim Ummah in Pakistan by pretending to them that the problem with India will be resolved with confidence-building measures, in order to neutralize the effort to liberate Kashmir, which is the real problem between Pakistan and India. And Musharraf is the one who wars against the Arab Mujahideen and their brothers from all corners of the Islamic world, who represent one of the most important weapons in the liberation of Kashmir, in the same way that they contributed before to the liberation of Afghanistan from the Russians. And Musharraf is the one who brought American military and intelligence forces to Kashmir under the pretext of helping the victims of the earthquake. They came in under this cover and commenced to strengthen their defenses and fortifications in order to establish permanent Crusader bases on the Pakistani-Indian border. The fourth of these woes is Musharraf's recognition of Israel, to psychologically prepare the Pakistanis to recognize a Hindu state in Kashmir. The fifth of these woes is his affront to Pakistani dignity and sovereignty when he gave free reign to American intelligence and investigative agencies in Pakistan, and turned Pakistan's army and security services into hunting dogs at the service of the Crusaders. The sixth of these woes is his corruption of political life in Pakistan. Through bribery and election fraud, Musharraf declared himself president and formed a party of bribe-takers and opportunists which he provided with a parliamentary majority, and distributed to them and the rest of his supporters the country's treasures, which he had seized, even though he is the same one who claimed at the beginning of his rule that he came to combat fiscal corruption in Pakistan. And the West, which claims to defend democracy, was hostile to Musharraf at the outset of his rule, but later did a U-turn in admiration of him and his treachery, and indeed, today encourages him to stay in power at any means, after he demonstrated his aptitude for killing Muslims. Musharraf's real problem is bribery. And Musharraf reckons that his success in procuring wealth will only be achieved by betraying Pakistan and appeasing America and throwing himself at its feet. But he forgets the other half of the reality, which is that America tosses its agents into the rubbish bin when there is no longer any need for them. And were he to look across his western borders, he would see the fate of the Shah bearing witness to that, when they ordered him to leave Iran, and then deprived him of asylum and indeed, even medical treatment, which he only found with his friend the bribe-taker Anwar Sadat. And in keeping with Musharraf's worship of wealth and his mad dash for bribes, he tries to persuade the Pakistani people that they must take care of their interests without paying attention to any moral or religious considerations. This is the same logic of drug dealers, white slavery gangs, spies and traitors, and the outcome of this attitude is the loss of this world and the next. Allah the Exalted says, "Satan threatens you with poverty and bids you to immorality, while Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounties, and Allah cares for all and He knows all things." Al-Baqarah 2:268 I address the Pakistani people, to call on them to stand today in the ranks of Islam against the Zionist/Crusader assault on the Islamic Ummah and on Pakistan, and I call on them to strive in earnest to topple this bribe-taking, treacherous criminal, and to back their brothers the Mujahideen in Afghanistan with everything they've got until they defeat the plan of the Crusaders and Zionists allied with India. I also call the Pakistani Army's attention to the dismal fate which awaits them in this life and the other, for the Pakistan Army has turned into forces aligned under Bush's cross in his Crusade against Islam and Muslims, just as it has become a tool in the destruction and tearing apart of Pakistan. Let every soldier and officer in the Pakistani Army know that Allah has threatened anyone who allies himself with the infidels against the Muslims with a painful punishment. Allah the Exalted says, "To the hypocrites give the good tidings that there is for them a grievous chastisement; those who take for friends unbelievers rather than believers: is it honor they seek among them? Nay, all honor is with Allah."  Al-Nisa 4:138-139 And let every soldier and officer in the Pakistani Army know that Musharraf is throwing them into the burner of civil war in exchange for the bribes which he took from the Americans, and that he doesn't care if 10,000 or 20,000 Pakistani troops are killed, as long as his pockets are full of bribes. And let them know that Musharraf has made preparations to flee abroad – where he has his secret accounts – upon the victory of the popular revolution. For this reason, I call upon every officer and soldier in the Pakistani army to disobey the orders of his commanders to kill Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan, or otherwise he will be confronted by the Mujahideen who repelled the British and Russians before. The Truth – Exalted is He – says, "Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning). And fight them until there is no more fitnah (disbelief and polytheism) and the religion will all be for Allah alone (in the whole of the world) But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do. And if they turn away, then know that Allah is your Maula (Patron, Lord, Protector and Supporter) – (what) an excellent Maula, and (what) an Excellent Helper." Al-Anfal 8:38-39 And our final prayer is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our master Muhammad and his family and companions.   April 26, 2006: Iran's Supreme Leader Threatens To Harm US Interests If Attacked Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Ayatollah (Ali) Khamene'i, met thousands of workers from all over the country this morning. (Passage omitted, welcoming workers) Addressing the workers, the supreme leader said: The Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic of Iran favor peace and tranquillity. He added: The Iranian nation and the Islamic state will not attack anyone. However the Americans should know that if they assault the Islamic Iran, their interests will be harmed anywhere in the world that is possible. And the Iranian nation will respond to any blow with double the intensity. (Passage omitted, calling for vigilance.) (Description of Source: Tehran Islamic Republic of Iran News Network Television (IRINN) in Persian -- State-run 24-hour news channel in Persian, Arabic and English; presenting up to the minute domestic and international news. It offers exclusive interviews on a variety of topics, as well as information on universities, labor, and economic developments from the capital and the provinces.) April 26, 2006: Nothing to celebrate in Cairo... By Laura Mansfield In Egypt, since 1982, April 25 has been a national holiday and a day of celebrating as Egyptians honor Sinai Liberation Day. Sinai Liberation Day commemorates the day in 1982 when Israel returned the Sinai to Egypt as part of the Camp David Accords. But this year there is little celebrating in Cairo. It wasn’t just the resorts full of foreign tourists or the United Nations Multinational Peacekeepers that were the targets of the attacks this week by Al Qaeda in the Sinai; it was the Egyptian economy and the government of Hosni Mubarak. Egypt, whose economy depends heavily on the foreign currency revenues brought in by international tourists who come to visit not just the Pyramids and other ancient monuments, but who come to relax and scuba dive in the Sinai and Red Sea resorts. Like the US, Egypt and its government under Hosni Mubarak are considered by Al Qaeda to be their sworn enemy. It was Hosni Mubarak’s government that cracked down on the Islamists in Egypt after the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981 by a radical group that included Al Qaeda second in command Dr. Ayman Zawahiri. Zawahiri, who spent several years in prison in Egypt for his role in the Sadat assassination, continues to harbor a grudge against the Cairo government, which has both one of his sons and his brother in its prisons. Both Zawahiri and Bin Laden have lashed out at Egypt on multiple locations, singling out Mubarak as a tyrant and an enemy of Islam. Al Qaeda publications over the past decade have made it clear that they consider the economy of a country as a valid target. After all, they reason, if they can destabilize a country’s economy, any resulting economic hardship on the people can result in “regime change”, either through elections or other means. Egypt is particularly vulnerable to this type of economic blackmail. Although Egyptian exports of other products such as cotton is increasing, the country depends heavily on three sources of foreign currency to keep the economy afloat: revenues from the Suez Canal, oil, and foreign tourists. Despite its rich cultural heritage, Egypt remains very much a developing country. Poverty is rampant. Children die on a regular basis from diseases that only cause minor inconvenience to most western children, such as diarrheal diseases. (The infant mortality rate from diarrheal diseases has dropped considerably thanks to US and European funded oral rehydration education programs, in effect teaching mothers about Rehydran, the local equivalent of Pedialyte.) Sides of beef still hang from hooks in open air butcher shops; chickens are sold curbside by street vendors, who slaughter them for customers at the time of purchase. Much of Egypt’s population continues to live on a diet of rice, vegetables, and the Egyptian staple, “foul”, or beans. When the price of bread increases by a few piastres (four piastres make up one US cent), riots break out in the streets. In 1975, riots broke out in Cairo when the period of enlistment was extended for the police conscripts. Egypt has a mandatory government service law; men are drafted into the armed services and women are required to perform government service as well, although not in the military. The pay is dismal – at the time it was the equivalent of less than $8 a month. When they were told they would not be completing their service on schedule, they went on a proverbial rampage, rushing out of their camps near the Pyramids. Several foreign hotels were burned; miraculously there was only one fatality among the foreigners – an elderly person who died of a heart attack in the commotion. (For a first-hand account of Cairo during these riots, please see my book Inshallah.) In short, a large percentage of Egypt is living right on the edge of survival and is only a few Egyptian pounds away from taking to the streets. Any major drop in foreign currency will quickly ripple through the country. Frightening foreign tourists away would have this effect very quickly. Al Qaeda may very well be counting on this to trigger a “regime change” within Cairo. There is no question that Mubarak is a target of Al Qaeda. In 1995, Al Qaeda attempted to assassinate him while he was on a state visit to Addas Abbaba, Ethiopia. The aging Mubarak continues to walk a political tightrope, as Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood become more and more powerful. There is no clear cut line of succession for Mubarak, although many analysts believe that his son Gamal is being groomed to succeed him. It isn’t clear, however, if Gamal Mubarak can rally the popular support that would be needed to legitimize his government. Gamal Mubarak, whose maternal grandmother is Welch, holds an MBA from the American University in Cairo. While he was at AUC, I had the opportunity to speak with Gamal Mubarak on several occasions, and I came away with the impression that he is very intelligent, and very pro-Western. Although a government run by Gamal Mubarak in Cairo would likely be American-friendly, Gamal Mubarak doesn’t have the power of his father, who earned much of his legitimacy through his roles commanding the Egyptian Air Force in the wars with Israel. Gamal Mubarak may not be able to stand up to the Islamists and any regime under his control will likely be very short-lived. Meanwhile, the Al Qaeda and their Islamist allies are posed to fill any power vacuum. There’s no celebrating in Egypt today. The current events are nothing to celebrate. Permalink April 25, 2006: Mujahideen Shura Council of Iraq releases first video of Zarqawi The Mujahideen Shura Council of Iraq just released a video that they claim is the first video showing Zarqawi. We are attempting to authenticate; it appears that it is certainly the voice of Zarqawi. The video claims to be the first video footage of Zarqawi ever released. We are currently translating and analyzing the video and will update you shortly as to the content of the message. It can be downloaded at http://www.lauramansfield.com/j/zarqawi_0425.rm (If the file is temporarily unavailable due to heavy traffic please wait a few minutes and try again.) The following still images are from the video: The message accompanying the video translates as follows: Allah Akbar! The Emir Al Zarqawi appears in a video showing him for the first time: Download here In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; Prayers and greetings to our Prophet Mohamed, and to his amily and his companions. And then: Your brothers in the Media Department of the Mujahideen Shura Council who are pleased to bring you the first video of the Amir of the Al Qaeda Network in the Land of the Two Rivers, the Sheikh Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, may Allah protect him. The video is titled “A Message for Mankind”. Praise be to Allah! Allah Akbar! Honor be to Allah and to his messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. April 25, 2006: Mistrial in Lodi: more like a Baptist summer camp than a school for suicide bombers A mistrial was declared today in California in the terrorism case against a Lodi man accused of lying to the FBI about his son attending a terrorist boot camp in Pakistan. According to the LA Times report, “The defense argued that the government failed to prove that the younger Hayat went to such a camp and that, even if he had, it would have been more like a Baptist summer camp than a school for suicide bombers.” I just don’t get it. Has the defense ever attended a terrorist training camp? Well, I haven’t attended one either, but last summer I made several forays into mosques in the Atlanta, GA metropolitan area. In one case, I attended a summer day camp, which was the mosque’s equivalent of a Baptist Vacation Bible School. And I certainly didn’t come away with the impression that the mosque was teaching love and compassion and peace on earth. In fact, the opposite was true. The report of that mosque visit follows. Click here to continue reading. April 23, 2006: “Islam and the West are at war.” By Laura Mansfield If anyone had any doubts about it, they should be put to rest. “Islam and the West are at war.” That’s what Osama Bin Laden said this morning in his audiotaped message, aired on Al Jazeera tv. He can’t say it much more clearly. The West is in the midst of a Holy War with Islam. Not only that, be he has stated unequivocally that it is not just the governments and military that is at war with Islam, but it is also the people. I tell you, any war is the joint responsibility of the people and their governments. The people. That’s you and me, and our children. It’s not just the young men and women in uniform, or the high ranking officials in Washington, or the Generals in the Pentagon. Islam is at war with the People of the west. And that means the children in our schools, the sick in our hospitals, and the shoppers in our stores. It includes the commuters on our transit systems, the travelers in our airways, and the workers in our factories and office buildings. He berated the American people for making war on Muslims worldside. He made it very clear that he holds Joe Average Citizen responsible for the “crusade”. And he has made it very clear over and over that he instends to attack us. Osama Bin Laden has said this before but never quite as clearly and succinctly. He can’t make it much clearer than this: The Muslim] “countries are burned, our homes are bombed and our people are killed and no one cares about us. Islam and the West are at war.” Notice he didn’t say “Radical Islam”. He said “Islam”. One thing I will say about Bin Laden is this. He tells us what he is going to do and he does it. He doesn’t necessarily do it on our timetable. He doesn’t tell us exactly how, when, what or where those plans will be carried out. But he has a track record of telling us his plans, and then carrying them out. He holds us responsible for the burning of their countries, for the bombing of their homes, and the killing of their people. He doesn’t hold Washington alone responsible. He holds you and me and every other American responsible. He plans to do the same to us. The next time it may not be two towers in New York City, and the Pentagon that Bin Laden attacks. It may not be US Embassy buildings in Africa, or US warships in the Middle East. Osama Bin Laden plans to attack the American people. He’s told us before. He’s offered us a chance to appease him with a “hudna”. We’ve declined. He is getting ready to attack us. Where, why, and how is anyone’s guess. But I would strongly suspect that the next attack will cause parts of our country to burn, our people to be killed, and our homes to be bombed. I suggest we listen to Osama Bin Laden. He isn’t joking. April 23, 2006: New Bin Laden Tape Holds American People Responsible for War By Laura Mansfield Osama Bin Laden's voice rang out from Al Jazeera this morning in a newly released audiotaped message. So far, only two excerpts from the tape have been released and aired on Al Jazeera. Bin Laden’s talking points this morning focused on Hamas and Palestine in the first excerpt, and on breakup of the Ottoman Empire and Sudan in the second portion. He refers back to the statements of Dr. Ayman Zawahiri, who in a previous tape warned Hamas against entering into any kind of agreement with the West. “Further proof to this is their rejection of Hamas after its election victory. We re-iterate what Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri has already warned against, entering into partnership with the infidels.” Bin Laden cites the opposition against Hamas from the US and Europe as proof of the existence of a “Zionist Crusade” against Islam. Bin Laden places responsibility of the war on the people as well as the government. I tell you, any war is the joint responsibility of the people and their governments. And war rages on and the people are renewing their support of their leaders and politicians. They continue to send their sons to war to fight us. They continue to support them financially and morally while our countries are burned, our homes are bombed and our people are killed and no one cares about us. It appears that Bin Laden may be setting up further justification for an attack on the US or its allies, one that would have considerable civilian casualties. He makes it very clear that he holds he people of America, the civilian population, responsible for the actions of the US military. The second portion of the released segment of the tape refers to the Sudan. He speaks of the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, and the resulting state building that occurred. Bin Laden then goes on to place responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Darfur on US and British interference. He calls for Muslims in the Saudi Arabia and in Sudan to prepare for a long war against the US and coalition forces. A translation of the released portions of the tape follows. We will update as more portions are released. Translation Part I "…Further proof to this is their rejection of Hamas after its election victory. We re-iterate what Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri has already warned against, entering into partnership with the infidels. But their opposition to Hamas proves that this is a crusader-zionist war against muslims. I tell you, any war is the joint responsibility of the people and their governments. And war rages on and the people are renewing their support of their leaders and politicians. They continue to send their sons to war to fight us. They continue to support them financially and morally while our countries are burned, our homes are bombed and our people are killed and no one cares about us. The outcry to what happens to our people was demonstrated when you ally, Israel, invaded and destroyed a prison in Jericho with support from America and Britain.” Part II "...They destroyed the Ottoman empire and divided it into dozens of states and sub-states in order to control it. Then Britain separated Sudan from Egypt. Now Britain returns to divide Sudan and encourage the south to separate itself from the country. It supported the South and helped it build an army. It gave them money, ammunitions and expertise and encouraged them to ask for their independence from Sudan. And America did the same by funding them and putting pressure on world bodies like the united nations and put more pressure on the Khartoum government to sign an unfair treaty to separate the south from Sudan 6 years after signing the agreement. Let Bush and Bashir know that this agreement isn’t even worth the ink that was used to write it. And it doesn’t even force us to abide by it. They used some tribal divisions in the west of sudan to enrage a war raged among them to create an excuse for the crusaders to invade and control the country. It is a crusader zionist war on Muslims. I call on the Mujahedeen and their supporters, especially in Sudan and the Arabian Peninsula to prepare for a long war against the crusaders and plunderers in western Sudan. I encourage you to familiarize yourselves with the Darfur landscape. You can kill a land if you know it and the land will kill you if you don't know it well. Our goal is not defending the Khartoum government but defending Islam, its land and its people." The Bin Laden tape as heard on Al Jazeera can be downloaded here. April 21, 2006: Enough Already! By Laura Mansfield Enough already! It's time for the Judge in the Zaccarious Moussaoui trial to take back control of the courtroom. Make no mistake about it. The Judge is not currently in control now. Continue reading April 21, 2006: Iran Suicide Bomber Squad Chief Discusses Organization, Training, Targets Tehran -- On the left, there was a poster bearing a picture of the last message delivered by a Palestinian suicide bomber and a photo of his head lying in a pool of blood; on the right, a screen was blaring out a speech by President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad against a background of dated but bloody fighting on the Iraqi front; and all around, there were portrait photographs of more or less well known Palestinian boys and girls who have sacrificed their lives to slaughter Israelis. Inside, a few curious bearded youths approached, asking for information and then leaving, voicing their gratitude. The "martyrs' shop," as a sign that my interpreter literally translated put it, was located inside the old embassy of the Great Satan (former US Embassy in Tehran) itself. A major exhibit on Palestine was being held in the gardens of the huge building that became a prison for US hostages 25 years ago and that was later turned into the Pasdaran headquarters. It was the ideal place to set up a stand devoted to suicide attacks and to martyrdom in the name of Islam. Mohammad Samadi, the brains behind Iran's militant suicide bombers and their spokesman, could not afford to miss a "trade fair" as good as this one. Standing behind a counter carpeted with pictures of bodies and of blood, he was handing out advice, instructions, brochures, and reports. After all, this 29-year-old journalist is the founder and spokesman of the Iranian "Department for the Commemoration of World Martyrs." Do not be deceived, these commemorations and souvenirs are old hat, as Mohammad explained, mere hangovers from the past. "Two years ago when we were gathering the first signatures of youngsters ready for martyrdom to hound the Americans out of the holy places of Karbala and of al-Najaf, the initiative was merely symbolic. But there were really very many volunteers and so," Mohammad explained, "we set up a full fledged organization to gather together and offer serious professional training to all those who want to sacrifice their lives on the Palestinian front, on the Iraqi front, or even to take part in the killing of author Salman Rushdie. But in the event of US (military) intervention (in Iran), we will swing into action here too." Continue reading April 21, 2006: Reza'i: Iranian Nation To Make 'Final Decision' in Confrontation With US Bushehr, April 21, IRNA -- Secretary of the State Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei (Reza'i) said here late Thursday the Iranian nation will make the final decision in the challenge with the US. Continue reading April 21, 2006: Russian Official: No Obstacles to Tor-M1 Air Defense Missile Deliveries to Iran MOSCOW. April 21 (Interfax) - Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Spassky said that nothing stands in the way of the delivery of Russian Tor-M1 air defense systems to Iran. Continue reading April 20, 2006: Official Says Iranian Youth Welcome Culture of Martyrdom To Defend Achievements Continue reading April 20, 2006: Russian Experts To Assist Iranian Diesel Submarine Modernization Continue reading April 19, 2006: Iranian TV Interviews Merchants on Gold Price Increase Continue reading April 19, 2006: Iran: Legislators React With Caution to Move To Change Ambassadors Continue reading April 19, 2006: Egypt Foils Terrorist Organization Planning Attacks on Gas Pipeline, Tourist Targets Cairo, 19 Apr: Security agencies have foiled a terrorist organization that includes 22 members in the Al-Zawiyah al-Hamrah, Turah, Hilwan and Ma'adi districts (of the greater Cairo area) that calls itself the Al-Ta'ifah al-Mansurah (victorious sect). The group was studying plans to conduct a number of terrorist organizations against tourist targets and the natural gas pipeline along the ring road around greater Cairo. The group is headed by Ahmad Muhammad Ali Jabr, known as Abu-Mus'ab, a student at the literature department of Banha University (north of Cairo) and born in 1979. He is aided by Ahmad Muhammad Basyiuni, dubbed Abu-Bakr al-Misri, a preacher, also born in 1979. Both of them followed a jihadist ideology that stems from salafist, takfiri thinking. A statement by the ministry of interior, issued today, said that the information and documents about this secret organization have confirmed that the above mentioned persons prepared studies concerning the conducting of a number of terrorist operations against tourist targets and the natural gas pipeline that surrounds greater Cairo. The secret group also planned on targeting some sensitive sites by booby trapping them, attacking some Muslim and Christian clerics as well as conducting some operations, that confirm with their ideology of removing evil, against what they called depraved youth in tourist areas. Continue reading April 19, 2006: Muslim Fundamentalists Cited on Al-Zawahiri's Fear of Losing Ideological Control Report compiled from Cairo by Al-Sharq al-Awsat, citing a Washington Post Service report by Craig Whitlock, Special for Al-Sharq al-Awsat: "Fundamentalists say al-Zawahiri fears losing ideological control, tries to magnify his role" Muntasir al-Zayyat, noted as the attorney of fundamentalists in Egypt, disclosed that he had received two electronic messages from the number two man in Al-Qa'ida organization, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in which he asks him to stop attacking and criticizing those described by al-Zawahiri as 'mujahidin'. Al-Zayyat told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that during a seminar on the September attacks held by Al-Mustaqbal Center in January 2003, he received two messages from al-Zawahiri "in violation of all the security arrangements imposed to protect him, to demand from me that I stop attacking his supporters". Continue reading April 19, 2006: HAMAS's Voice of Al-Aqsa Cites Officials on Financial Situation, Tel Aviv Blast Continue reading April 19, 2006: Iran: IRNA Carries Final Communique of International Qods Conference in Tehran Continue reading April 19, 2006: Iran: Ansar-e Hezbollah Official Analyzes Iran-US Talks: Neither the Elixir of Life, Nor a cup of Poison -- Only Iran's Authority" April 19, 2006: Indonesia Shows Support for Iran's Nuclear Enrichment Programme Website for the Istiqlal Mosque. April 17, 2006: The Rat that Roared By Laura Mansfield As the hawks in both Tehran and Washington continue to beat the drums of war, for some bizarre reason I find myself thinking about the 1958 Peter Sellers movie "The Mouse That Roared". The Mouse That Roared is one of those "world on the brink of a nuclear holocaust" movies that everyone should watch at least once . In that movie, a small European nation called Grand Fenwick discovers its economy starting to fail because the US is producing an imitation wine. The monarch has observed the massive rebuilding efforts that the United States undertook in Europe after World War II and came up with a startling conclusion: they would attack the US, surrender to US forces, and then collect a hefty foreign aid package. So their rag-tag army rigs up a tugboat, and uses it to launch an invasion of New York City. Continue reading April 12, 2006: Excuse me???? By Laura Mansfield Contrast the audiotapes of a man quietly repeating “Oh my God, Oh my God” to his father as he watches as the airplane he is on, along with his wife and 2 ½ year old daughter, crash into the World Trade Center, with the shouts of convicted terrorist Zacarious Moussaoui damning the courtroom to hell. We have Moussoui’s attorney pleading that his client be spared the death penalty because of his mental illness and begging the court not to allow his client to fulfill his dreams of martyrdom. We have a man sitting in the courtroom, daring the US courts to put him to death in effect martyring him to his god. Moussaoui, a man who could have saved the lives of those murdered on September 11, 2001, had he chosen to tell investigators the truth about the 9/11 plans, is proof positive that mental illness does not preclude a person from being a terrorist and a murderer. So I find it completely amazing that Ahmed Bedier, director of the Tampa branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says "It's just sad that he would be treated as some sort of criminal or terrorist" when speaking of a twenty-year old Moroccan who has been imprisoned in Tampa on charges that he threatened to “blow up” the University of South Florida soccer coach. Continue reading April 11, 2006: Dancing with Uranium By Laura Mansfield with assistance from analyst JBean Birthdays are a milestone – a day to recognize the symbolic passage from one age to the next. It is especially notable that today, the day which Muslims throughout the world celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Mohamed, is the date when Iran’s President has selected to announce the entry of Iran into the “International Nuclear Power Club’. Coming on the heels of the “Blessed Prophet” war games, where Iran showed off its new weapons, including a missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, it is obvious that the selection of the date is intentional. Continue reading April 11, 2006: What's new on the Hamas Kids website? By Laura Mansfield If you’re a child in the Palestinian territories and have internet access, chances are you visit the website of the Hamas online monthly magazine for children at http://www.al-fateh.net Several weeks ago this website, founded in 2002, rocketed into the international arena when it was rediscovered by counter terrorism analysts. And although the content is updated at least monthly with fresh content intended to stoke the fires of hatred against Jews in the hearts of the young Palestinians, equally concerning is the influence that this website has. Continue reading April 10, 2006: "But it's my RIGHT to be here..." By Laura Mansfield If you talk to anyone who knows Ahmed Rafa'at, you'll hear only positive things. He's hardworking, juggling two jobs. His neighbors in his Norcross, GA apartment complex describe him as "polite", "friendly", and "helpful". One elderly neighbor can't say enough nice things about Rafa'at. "He takes me to Publix when I need to buy groceries, and to CVS to get my medicines. He takes me to the bank, and to the doctor. I don't know what I'd do without him." Other neighbor's echo these sentiments. To all outside appearances, Rafa'at appears to be the poster-boy for community Citizen of the Month. But Rafa'at has a secret. Continue reading April 10, 2006: Illegal Immigration...The elephant in the room By Victoria Mason The elephant in the room.... The reports of protests, walkouts, marches and general unease continue to grow with the continued debate of a new immigration bill making it a felony to be in the US illegally. Immigration has always been an issue close to my heart; I understand the plight of the people arriving in droves to make a better life for themselves, and also the plight of a nation overburdened by residents not equally contributing to the nations coffers. I understand the need for inexpensive labor. I understand the need to clean up the mess left from years of irresponsible immigration policy, or lack thereof. Yet as I watch the current events unfold and hear the rhetoric of both sides, I feel like a child who has been given only part of the story and told, this is the problem, and this is the solution, don't ask any questions. As an adult, who knows the facts, I can tell you we are being sold a bill of goods. I have in recent months criticized our President for his lack of initiative on border policy. I have been outraged by his lack of urgency in securing our borders and disgusted when I take a family member to the ER and have to wait three hours for sutures while hundreds of illegal immigrants utilize the ER for treatment of colds and flu as they know they will not be turned away. Yet, as I write this, I have come to realize that he does in fact "get it" , but there is no easy fix. Perhaps if the issues are laid out properly before us the answer will be clear, ...excuse me while I talk to myself for a bit. PROBLEM 1: 12 million illegal immigrants who believe they ARE paying taxes. Continue reading April 10, 2006: For sale: Western civilization By Laura Mansfield Bat Y’oer calls it Eurabia. Others call it Londonistan. But regardless of what you call it, the new face of Europe is beginning to emerge from the hijab-clad cocoon which has concealed the developing pupa. This morning, the state-run Islamic Revolution News Agency in Iran discusses the new initiative of the Muslim Council of Britain to “showcase the UK as the gateway for trade with Muslim countries and to promote London as a key center for Islamic finance”. Continue reading April 3, 2006: What's the agenda? Is Congressman Dana Rohrabacher's call for Congressional hearings into the April 1995 Oklahoma City attack an attempt to uncover the truth - or is his goal to once and for all hide the facts regarding the attack? But does Rohrabacher, the man hailed in the above article from the October 1998 edition of the US-based Muslim Magazine for his record which "demonstrates his ongoing support of the Muslim community" have another agenda? Continue reading April 3, 2006: Ramzi Yousef, Oklahoma City, and Al Qaeda: Linked in Documents? Does an obscure document, hidden among the hundreds of documents released recently from Iraq and Afghanistan, provide evidence linking Al Qaeda operative Ramzi Yousef to the Oklahoma City attack on the MurrahBuilding? The Arabic-language handwritten document, numbered AFGP-2002-801138, and available at http://www.ctc.usma.edu/aq/AFGP-2002-801138-Orig.pdf , contains a series of pages that were written in what appears to be some sort of daily planner. The daily planner appears to be a standard daily calendar/agenda book, containing a daily calendar for the year 2000. The dates within the calendar are in English, and have the Islamic dates for each day as well. Continue reading April 3, 2006: JAYNA DAVIS - why won't Rohrbacher bring my video interviews before his committee in closed session? by Doug from Upland (reprinted by consent of author) Jayna Davis and I had an interesting phone conversation this morning. She is still waiting for a plane ticket to D.C. and an invitation to testify about the OKC bombing. Neither has been forthcoming. Is it good news that Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-CA) is demanding a new probe of the OKC bombing? Maybe. But is it going to really get to the truth about the Middle Eastern connection to OKC? Maybe not. Continue reading April 3, 2006: Russian General Staff Chief refuses comment on Ukraine's transfer of 250 nuclear warheads to Iran March 31, 2006: Iran starts War Games dubbed "Holy Prophet" in Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman March 30, 2006: Transcript of video interview between jihadis and Jill Carroll before her release March 27, 2006: CAIR, US Department of Justice Partner for “sensitivity” workshop Well, the United States Department of Justice, the agency responsible for enforcing the laws of the United States, has once again chosen CAIR, the Washington, DC-based Council on American Islamic Relations, as a partner for a workshop aimed at “challenging hate”. According to a press release issued today on the CAIR website at http://www.cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=2075&theType=NR, the workshop was presented at the University of Idaho by Corey Saylor , Government Affairs Director for CAIR, and Rosa Melendez, Community Relations Service Director fo the NW region of the Department of Justice. Continue reading... Avian Flu in Egypt: Includes excerpt from Laura Mansfield's book, Inshallah, which outlines her experiences in Egypt. Hate sites for Palestinian children - for 3 1/2 years! As seen on CNN: Me and Terrorist 007: Tracking a terrorist through cyberspace Jihad Comes to Small Town USA Jihad in Small Town America: Part 1 Jihad in Small Town America: Part 2 Jihad in Small Town America: Part 3 Jihad in Small Town America: Part 4 Jihad in Small Town America: Part 5 Jihad in Small Town America: Part 6 It can't happen to you, can it? Islam in the workplace Inshallah: My journey into the world of Islam, and my escape Laura's newest book - JUST RELEASED The Beginning A cacophony of sounds wrenched me from a sound sleep into that semi coherent state between sleep and wakefulness. The disorientation was brief. It was my first morning in Cairo, Egypt, and although I knew I was embarking on an adventure, I had no clue of the dark twists that my trek would take me on, deep into the bowels of Islamic fundamentalism. I didn’t realize that I had fallen into a rabbit hole reminiscent of that which Alice found herself in. That realization would come about an hour later. For the moment, I only knew that I was halfway around the world, in an apartment on the 13th floor of a building at the beginning of the long wide thoroughfare that led from downtown Giza to the Pyramids. For a girl raised in the deep south, it was quite a contrast. I grew up in a town of 8,000 people. From the sounds of things outside my window, it seemed that at least that many cars were on the street below my bedroom, all honking their horns in a discordant melody. My husband was still sleeping peacefully. How in the heck could he sleep with all this noise? There was no chance of going back to sleep, so I decided to go take a shower. That was my first adventure of the day! I’ll be gracious when speaking of the bathroom – if I had walked into a bathroom like this in any restroom anywhere in the United States I would have walked out and decided to just “hold it”. Clearly that wasn’t an option here. If my single experience with a bathroom at the Cairo Airport was any indication, this might be the Hilton of Egyptian bathrooms. Continue reading... DVD's containing jihadi videos given out in American mosques Rakan Bin Williams: The New Al Qaeda Soldier