Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=UNM-TERROR-06-01-06

"U. of New Mexico surprised by offer to join terror research center"

By SUE VORENBERG
Scripps-McClatchy Western Service
01-JUN-06

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The center will research the psychology of terrorists and terrorist networks. It will also look at the psychological effects of terrorism on the public.

Penn State wants to work with UNM because of the UNM Institute for Public Policy _ specifically, its skill in creating "high-quality surveys of public perception and public opinions," said Kevin Murphy, the head of Penn State's psychology department."

A LOOK AT MORE THAN CARTOONS
http://www.truthusa.com/MoreThanCartoons.html

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Thanks to backhoe for the ping to this post and the article below:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1641609/posts?page=31#31

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http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3944

"British police in Gothenburg 'terror' raid"
Published: 30th May 2006 14:43 CET

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "British police busted into a Swede’s apartment in Gothenburg and confiscated books, mobile phones and computers, Aftonbladet has reported.

The man, Abu Usama el Swede, told Aftonbladet he didn’t know why British police with the help of the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) raided his home."

ARTICLE SNIPPET #2: "The 28-year-old el Swede was born in Sweden and converted to Islam at the end of the 1990s. He became known after putting messages on the Internet in after controversial Christian preacher Runar Sögaard called Muhammad a “confused pedophile,” the paper reported.

Abu Usama has congratulated suicide bombers and also written, “May Allah help us destroy Islam’s enemies and terrorize this scum,” Aftonbladet reported."

ARTICLE SNIPPET #3: "His detainment could be regarding an E-mail sent from a man who is in custody for terrorist crimes in England, said the paper.

Aftonbladet also said he was also on a telephone list that belongs to a Swede suspected to have prepared an attempted attack in Sarajevo."

ON THE NET...

http://worldanalysis.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=234&sid=3b375c007b7529f91039459a1fe678a6

Note: The following post is a quote:
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642599/posts

FROM RUSSIA, WITH ARMS
American Foreign Policy Council ^ | 06/02/06 | Joshua Eisenman, ed.

Posted on 06/02/2006 5:29:07 PM PDT by bruinbirdman

China Reform Monitor No. 628

May 10:

Citing "high-ranking military officials," Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po reports that Communist China's military has confirmed plans to build an aircraft carrier fleet. The People's Liberation Army will also boost its development of anti-aircraft-carrier weaponry, and has reopened its production lines for making Hong-6M bombers, the so-called "aerial aircraft-carrier killers." The news follows a report in the Qingnian Cankao Bao claiming that Russia's Defense Ministry is mulling the sale of Su-34 bombers to Red China, and could collaborate with Beijing in the development of Moscow's fifth-generation fighter jets.

May 16:

Admiral William Fallon, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, has called for closer military ties and invited Beijing to observe U.S. military exercises on Guam in June, the Associated Press reports. During a week of talks with top Chinese military officials, including Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, Fallon urged Red Chinese commanders to begin regular officer exchanges with militaries in the region and help to build a "track record of confidence" that he could use to lobby Congress to ease legal restrictions on military contacts. U.S. law currently limits military cooperation with Communist China to humanitarian aid, disaster relief and other non-warfare activities.

[Editor's Note: By inviting Beijing to observe these maneuvers, Washington may be hoping for similar future invitations to Red Chinese exercises. Last year, for instance, the United States was not permitted to observe the extensive Sino-Russian wargames carried out in Asia.]

(Excerpt) Read more at afpc.org ...

Note: The following text is a quote:
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http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s06060013.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com

Friday, June 2, 2006

Islamic Extremist Changed to Moderate Muslim by Words of Jesus

By Mark Ellis
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

LOS ANGELES (ANS) -- As a medical student in Cairo he fell under the influence of one of radical Islam’s most wanted terrorist masterminds. Yet an encounter with the words of Jesus Christ completely altered his perspective—leading him to endorse a peaceful form of Islam and call for reformation of its teachings.

“I am an ex-Islamic extremist,” says Dr. Tawfik Hamid, a former member of Jamaha Islameia (JI), which is classified as a terrorist organization. As a medical student at the University of Cairo in the late ’70s he met Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, currently a chief lieutenant to Osama bin Laden and alleged to be one of the foremost masterminds of al-Queda attacks around the world. The U.S. Dept. of State is offering a $25 million reward for information leading to his capture.

When Dr. Hamid was in medical school, al-Zawahiri was doing post-graduate studies at the same school. “He was highly respected as a mentor for younger members of JI, including me,” Dr. Hamid notes. “He came every week to the school and I used to see him praying and giving short lectures after the prayers,” he recalls.

“His main message is that Islam—and the Islamic Sharia system—has to dominate and control the world,” Dr. Hamid notes. “He taught that Christians and Jews throughout the world should be subdued and subjugated to Islam. This is through jihad—violent forms of jihad.”

“They accept Islam as the only religion that can be practiced,” he adds.

In his first few years at medical school, Dr. Hamid was very fanatical. Yet he also harbored a few questions about the violent nature of the message he heard. “There were some remnants of conscience that told me this was wrong,” he says.

Surprisingly, it was the words of Jesus that completely altered his view of Islam. “There was a verse from the words of Jesus Christ that affected me a lot,” Dr. Hamid recalls. The life-changing verse for Dr. Hamid is Mark 8:36: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

“This verse helped me a lot and affected my way of thinking,” Dr. Hamid says. “It helped me to start to understand some Islamic verses in a totally different manner,” he says.

In the early 1980s Dr. Hamid broke away from his radical friends. “I changed my mind and decided to leave JI based on the words of Jesus Christ,” he says. As Dr. Hamid read the Bible, he began to see the Islamic texts differently. “I was softened by the words of Jesus Christ in my life and by the words of the psalms as well. It was strange, but that’s what happened.”

After this remarkable change in his perspective, he gravitated to a small sect called the ‘Quranics.’ “They didn’t believe in violent jihad,” Dr. Hamid notes. “They had some tolerance within them.” Later, Dr. Hamid began to develop his own beliefs within Islam and formed a group called ‘The people who want to live in God’s image.’

“This was a new understanding of the Islamic texts totally different from the violent form,” Dr. Hamid says. “We could pray with anyone—it was very open and liberal.”

Dr. Hamid began to speak out in his mosque against Islamic fundamentalism. On a small scale, he began to preach to his family and community. “Many people were impressed by the way I spoke, but the effect of Islamic fundamentalism was so powerful,” he recalls.

Harsh verbal attacks and threats against his life began to intensify. On one occasion when he spoke, several men ran behind him with large rocks and attempted to stone him. “There were continuous threats,” he says.

Dr. Hamid fled Egypt to Saudi Arabia, attracted by a financial opportunity. He found the conditions in Saudi Arabia, which sees itself as the custodian of Islam, even more oppressive to his views. “I kept silent for three years,” he says. “The moment they know you have a different version of Islam you can be killed. They just cut off your head after the Friday prayers.”

But after the attacks of September 11, Dr. Hamid felt compelled to argue his case publicly. “People who believe in freedom and democracy must speak out,” he maintains. “We must band together against this barbarism.”

Dr. Hamid agrees with the assessment that a smaller percentage of Muslims are more radical in their views. “About 10-15 percent or less are extremely aggressive,” Dr. Hamid notes. The problem is the radical elements manage to influence the majority of Muslims, so the majority has sympathy for their views, according to Dr. Hamid. These sympathies create “passive terrorists,” in his opinion.

“There will be a crisis is this continues,” Dr. Hamid warns. “As they become a majority in any country they will begin to implement the sharia system,” he says. “I expect civil wars in the western world.”

To counter this threat, Dr. Hamid supports military confrontation, removal of the financing of terror organizations, and ideological engagement. “There is not enough critique in the media, which makes the majority feel there is nothing wrong with their teaching,” he maintains. “There should be a major change in the teaching of Islam.”

While he supports interfaith dialogues, he also lends certain cautions. “These dialogues can’t happen unless all parties accept the basic tenets of humanity,” Dr. Hamid says. “I can’t sit next to someone in an interfaith dialogue if this person accepts killing Muslims who convert to Christianity, beating women, slavery, or declaring war on non-Muslims.”

“There is a need for reformation and a new understanding of Islam,” Dr. Hamid says. “I’m offering another way of teaching and understanding,” he says. “I want them to learn the meaning of love I learned from Jesus Christ.”
Mark Ellis is a Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service. He is also an associate pastor in Laguna Beach, CA. Contact Ellis at markellis4@cox.net

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

ON THE NET...

PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=jihad

http://www.memri.org/jihad.html
http://www.memritv.org

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=taqiyah
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A few more details UPDATE:
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http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=26&story_id=30501&name=Germans+thwart+potential+suicide+attacker
(DPA)

"Germans thwart potential suicide attacker"

02 June 2006

BERLIN -

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The 40-year-old, identified only as Sonja B., is one of three German women said to have used the internet to disclose their intention to carry out missions against US soldiers.

Police reportedly prevented them leaving Germany in April.

Sonja B., who lives in Berlin, was admitted to a psychiatric clinic after police were unable to obtain an arrest warrant because of lack of evidence against her, the reports said.

She was released after two weeks, but authorities took her two-year-old son Abdullah into care, fearing that she might use the child to carry out her plan."

ARTICLE SNIPPET #2: "One of the three women suspects reportedly had contacts to the radical group Ansar al-Islam, which security services believe recruits suicide bombers in Europe and was behind a plan to kill Iraqi premier Iyad Allawi during a visit to Berlin in 2004.

Neighbours described Sonja B. as ''quiet woman'' who was deeply religious and always wore Moslem dress.

Last November, a Belgian woman who converted to Islam, Muriel Degauque, blew herself up in Iraq.

German man Steve Smyrek, another convert to Islam, was arrested by Israeli authorities before he could carry out a suicide attack in 1997."

Great new thread. Thanks much.

Yonkers police anti-terrorism expert retires
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: June 3, 2006)

YONKERS — The newly retired anti-terrorism expert on the city's police force says Yonkers is in a very "precarious position" because of its proximity to New York City.

Police Capt. Frank J. Messar, 58, who retired this week as coordinator and trainer in terrorism after 39 years in the department, said the country should be prepared for terrorism in the long run.

"I'm not so sure the American public is prepared for it," said Messar, who was the department's liaison with other local, state and federal agencies to coordinate efforts to combat terrorism. "I honestly think if we let our guard down, you will see another 9/11."

As he cleaned out his office on the top floor of the First Precinct on Thursday, Messar greeted well-wishers and took congratulatory telephone calls — but terrorism was very much on his mind as he said Yonkers needed more money for training in prevention and deterrence.

Ten Yonkers police officers whom he trained are now qualified to offer anti-terrorism training in the department. He said many of his officers worked at the World Trade Center site directly after the attacks.

"Frank has always been a consummate professional," Deputy Chief Thomas Sullivan said. "He has dedicated his life to the Yonkers Police Department. In the last several years, he has become an expert in homeland security issues, and he was our front man with state and federal agencies on the issue. He is a recognized expert in the field. He will be a very hard person to replace."

Messar led the elite Emergency Services Unit, which includes the department's tactical forces. The ESU would be among the first department units to respond in the event of terrorism.

He joined the department on Sept. 9, 1966, when officers earned $5,800 a year and did not have bulletproof vests or portable radios. He walked a beat on Riverdale Avenue.

"All you had back then was your handcuffs, a gun and a nightstick," Messar said.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1973, lieutenant eight years later and captain in 1993. During his career, Messar has served in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th precincts, the Anti-Crime Unit, and the Youth Services, Communications and Special Operations divisions.

He was the recipient of a Meritorious Service Award, two Commissioner's awards, five police commendations, seven certificates of excellent police work, nine unit citations, a lifesaving award and a commendation from the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force.

And here is where the caveat of search neutrality becomes so important. Islamists have exploited Google's seemingly well-intentioned business practices to silence critics. Because if you can't find it using Google, chances are you won't find it all.

Yep. Slanted against Christians and for Islamists - that's what we've come to expect from Google. I am a firm believer in karma: What Google does will come back on them.

Terror bust in Ontario nets 3 tons of explosives

Snip: Three tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer used to make explosives, were recovered by police, who say that's three times the amount used in the bombing of a government building in Oklahoma that killed 168 people.

"It was their intent to use it for a terrorist attack," RCMP assistant commissioner Mike McDonell told a news conference.

Frances Busby - Democrat - says you don't need papers for voting

Snip: If an election can turn on a sentence, this could be the one: “You don't need papers for voting.” On Thursday night, Francine Busby, the Democratic candidate for the 50th Congressional District, was speaking before a largely Latino crowd in Escondido when she uttered those words. She said yesterday she simply misspoke.

But someone taped it and a recording began circulating yesterday. After she made that statement at the meeting, Busby immediately said: “You don't need to be a registered voter to help (the campaign).”

Norway's postal service refuses to ship dead birds to be checked for avian flu

Snip: Up until now Posten has sent dead birds for testing to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, but now the organization has instituted a policy change, newspaper VG reports. "The fear of human infection means that we can no longer ship dead birds," Posten Norge's security director Arnfinn Nordheim told VG.

Posten has no specially suited transport system for dangerous goods, and these birds have been defined as such by the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB). Nordheim said that around 1,600 dead birds had been sent to the FSA since February, many of them as ordinary packages, and with postal workers unaware of what they were handling.

OPINION: Yep, it seems with business/ethics practices like this; Google may be googling itself out of business.

A BUMP for new info on Canadian terrorist bust...

"A report in a Toronto newspaper citing sources said a CSIS building in downtown Toronto near the CN Tower was a target as well as Parliament buildings in Ottawa and a smattering of other high-profile, heavily populated areas."

Thank God for the RCMP!

ON THE NET...

COUNTERTERRROISM BLOG: "GROWING ISLAMIST TERROR THREAT IN CANADA"
by Jeffrey Imm
(June 3, 2006)
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/06/growing_islamist_terror_threat.php

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JIHADWATCH.org: "TERROR RAIDS IN CANADA, TOO"
(CBC NEWS)
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2006/06/011653print.html

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Thanks to a Special Freeper for the Freepmail ping to this article:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2036354

"17 Terror Suspects Arrested in Toronto
Canada Says It Foiled Terrorist Attack With Arrest of 17 People 'Inspired by al-Qaida'"
By BETH DUFF-BROWN

TORONTO Jun 3, 2006 (AP)—

ARTICLE SNIPPET: ""The men arrested yesterday are Canadian residents from a variety of backgrounds. For various reasons, they appeared to have become adherents of a violent ideology inspired by al-Qaida," said Luc Portelance, the assistant director of operations with CSIS Canada's spy agency.

However, he said, there did not appear to be any direct link to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network.

Officials showed evidence of bomb making materials including a cell phone-bomb detonator a computer hard drive, camouflage uniforms and what appeared to be a door with bullet holes in it at a news conference Saturday."

ARTICLE SNIPPET #2: "The Toronto Star reported Saturday that Canadian youths in their teens and 20s, upset at the treatment of Muslims worldwide, were among those arrested."

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Thanks to FanFan for the ping to this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642682/posts
"Bust nets suspected terrorists across GTA Canada: Greater Toronto Area)"
Toronto red-Star ^ | Jun. 2, 2006 | MICHELLE SHEPHARD AND STAN JOSEY
Posted on 06/02/2006 9:14:15 PM PDT by GMMAC

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "According to the Star's sources, the Canadian spy service CSIS has been monitoring the group since 2004, and an RCMP criminal investigation was launched last year.

Police have not said why they acted Friday night, and would not say how well-organized the group is, or whether it is armed.

“It is very serious,” a source who asked not to be named told Canadian Press. "These people had plans.”"

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Thanks to Abu Afak for the ping to this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642835/posts
"Twelve held in Canada terror raid"
BBC News ^ | Saturday, 3 June 2006, 15:42 GMT 16:42 UK | BBC
Posted on 06/03/2006 9:47:10 AM PDT by Cinnamon

Last Updated: Saturday, 3 June 2006, 18:42 GMT 19:42 UK
UPDATED BBC TITLE: "Canada arrests 17 in terror raid"
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Officials showed what they said was evidence of bomb-making materials, a computer hard drive, camouflage uniforms and what appeared to be a door with bullet holes in it.

Police seized an array of bomb-making materials
The RCMP and other government security agencies, including intelligence and border security, have been conducting a lengthy investigation involving 400 people - the largest of its kind in Canada."

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Thanks to Mama Dearest for the ping to this article and snippet"
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/06/03/1613034-cp.html
Quote: "Snip: Three tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer used to make explosives, were recovered by police, who say that's three times the amount used in the bombing of a government building in Oklahoma that killed 168 people.
"It was their intent to use it for a terrorist attack," RCMP assistant commissioner Mike McDonell told a news conference."

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Thanks to Fair Opinion for the ping to this thread.

NOTE: The following post is a quote:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642895/posts

Canada terror suspects may have had US contacts
Reuters ^ | June 3, 2006 | Reuters

Posted on 06/03/2006 12:42:47 PM PDT by FairOpinion

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some members of a group of Canadians arrested on terror-related offenses may have been in contact with two U.S. suspects now in custody who were based in Georgia, the FBI said on Saturday.

"There is preliminary indication that some of the Canadian subjects may have had limited contact with the two people recently arrested from Georgia," said FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in an e-mail.

Syed Haris Ahmed, 21, of Atlanta, Georgia, was arrested March 23 after a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with material support of terrorism. He has pleaded innocent and has not yet come to trial.

Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, 19, left Georgia after Ahmed's indictment but was later taken into custody in Bangladesh and returned to the United States, where he was charged in New York's federal court with lying to federal officials in an ongoing terrorism investigation.

Sadequee and Ahmed traveled to Canada on March 13, 2005, to meet with Islamic extremists, according to a U.S. Justice Department statement.

The two "stayed with an individual with whom they were conspiring concerning travel to terrorist camps, and met with three subjects of an FBI international terrorism investigation and discussed strategic locations in the United States suitable for a possible terrorist strike," the statement said, citing the complaint against Sadequee.

U.S. Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said on Saturday there were no plans to change the U.S. security posture following Saturday's arrests in Canada.

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http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=20873_Canadian_Jihadis_Named&only

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=20872_Canadian_Jihad&only

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=20871_Toronto_Terror_Raids_Jihad_Camps&only

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http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005322.htm

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http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/06/terror_threat_on_southern_bord.php
COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG.org: "Terror Threat On Southern Border - There Are Already Cases To Prove It
By Bill West
June 2, 2006

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http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370015 JAMESTOWN.org - Terrorism Monitor: "Islamic Radicalism in Mexico: The Threat from South of the Border" by Chris Zambelis
June 2, 2006

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THANKS to Fair Opinion for pointing to this article:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642874/posts

"AP Exclusive: Inside the FBI units that protect LA from terror attacks"
SFC ^ | June 3, 2006 | JEREMIAH MARQUEZ,

Posted on 06/03/2006 11:48:29 AM PDT by FairOpinion

bttt

***Google may be googling itself out of business.***

May they reap what they sow.....