Threat Matrix: January 2008

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[nwctwx]

Still in Control

Pervez Musharraf was calm, confident and—despite a flurry of rumors—not about to announce his resignation. Instead, the Pakistani president's "concession" to his troubled nation was an announcement that he would allow Britain's Scotland Yard to help local law enforcement agencies with their investigation into last week's assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Speaking in a nationally televised address two hours after Pakistan's election commission announced the postponement of the ballot to Feb. 18, six weeks later than had been scheduled, Musharraf was notably deferential in his remarks about Bhutto, often invoking her "martyrdom" and extolling her liberal democratic credentials. "May she go to heaven," he said. "I stand for the same things she said." Read More

	Pakistan's Frayed Politics
	Musharraf's Dangerous Liaisons
	Pakistan after Bhutto

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January 2008

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[Cindy]

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48561

“Iraq Bombing Underscores Need to Pressure Al Qaeda”

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2008

[texpat72]

Thanks for the new thread!

[Cindy]

[Cindy]

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

#

Recap:

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2008/01/syrias_assassination_goal_targ.php

“Syria’s Assassination Goal: Target March 14th Christians To Divide & Conquer”
By Andrew Cochran

January 1, 2008 12:00 AM

#

http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=countries&Area=syria&ID=SP179607

Special Dispatch Series - No. 1796
December 30, 2007 No.1796

“Senior Leader of Muslim Brotherhood in Syria”

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1947565/posts

“Shopper pulls gun, stops robbery cold”
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Jan. 2, 2008 | staff
Posted on 01/02/2008 11:59:49 PM PST by Reagan is King

[Cindy]

http://truthusa.com/a/index.php?topic=1582.0

#

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200801/NAT20080102a.html

“Petraeus Credits Syria for Cutting Flow of Terrorists to Iraq”
By Terence P. Jeffrey
CNSNews.com Editor in Chief
January 02, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “(CNSNews.com) - General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, is crediting efforts by the Syrian government, along with stepped-up counter-terrorism activities in other Arab states, with cutting the flow of al Qaeda terrorists entering Iraq.

This change in Syrian behavior has occurred at a time when the Iraqi government and the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad have been increasing their diplomatic and economic engagement, and when relations between Jordan and Syria also have been warming.

In November, King Abdullah of Jordan visited Syria for the first time in four years. Shortly after that, Syria made a surprise decision to participate in the Middle East peace meeting convened by President Bush at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Assad’s regime has been designated by the State Department as a state sponsor of terrorism. In the recent past, it has been a frequent source of problems for the United States and its allies in the Middle East.”

[Cindy]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/FOREIGN/153290141/1003

“Embassies of U.S., Britain, Israel hit by hoax in Australia”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The U.S., British and Israeli embassies each received packages containing a suspicious powder yesterday, creating a security scare in which some staff members were evacuated and police cordoned off nearby streets, police said.

The powder proved to be harmless in each case, an Australian Federal Police spokesman said on the condition of anonymity, citing police policy.

Police would not detail their security response.”

[Cindy]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3488901,00.html

“2007: Shin Bet sees drop in terror attacks but more use of rockets”

SNIPPET: “Security forces say that while terror groups were only successful in carrying out one suicide bombing in 2007, they were able to fire over 1,200 Qassam rockets at Israeli targets. Gaza become the focal point of Palestinian terror this year, but organizations there are working tirelessly to aid their counterparts in the West Bank”

Efrat Weiss
Published: 01.01.08, 01:36 / Israel News

###

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080103/FOREIGN/348873531/1003

“Terrorist killings plunged in ‘07”
by Joshua Mitnick
January 3, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “TEL AVIV — Israelis had their safest year in 2007 from terrorist attacks since the start of the Palestinian uprising, with 13 killed and one suicide bombing, according to the Israeli Shin Bet security agency.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The Israeli fatality numbers — almost negligible relative to the 426 persons who died at the peak of the attacks in 2002 — suggest that the seven-year militant uprising has lost considerable steam and that the Israeli barrier sealing off parts of the West Bank is working as planned.”

[Cindy]

http://www.truthusa.com/MoreThanCartoons.html

###

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=B4361A61-B95C-460D-BA8C-BF72CC502059

“UN Condemns Counterterrorism”
By Robert Spencer
FrontPageMagazine.com | Thursday, January 03, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The Organization of the Islamic Conference, the largest voting bloc at the United Nations, has succeeded in pushing through the UN a resolution condemning the “defamation of religions.” That’s “religions,” not “religion” – yet according to Cybercast News Service, “although the resolution refers to defamation of ‘religions,’ Islam is the only religion named in the text, which also takes a swipe at counter-terrorism security measures.” The OIC has been pushing hard for such a measure ever since cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten late in 2005.”

###

Previously...

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200712/INT20071220a.html

“Islamic Bloc Scores ‘Defamation of Religions’ Resolution at UN”
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
December 20, 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “(CNSNews.com) - Alongside a resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly this week calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, the world body passed a raft of other human rights-related motions. One of them, introduced by Islamic nations, focuses on combating the “defamation of religions.”

Resolutions on the human rights situation in North Korea and Iran also passed, although dozens of countries — including human rights violators Cuba, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe — voted against the motions.

An annual resolution on “the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination” also passed by an overwhelming margin, with only the United States, Israel, and three small Pacific island nations voting “no.” There were four abstentions.

The motion on defamation of religions has been a priority for the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) since 9/11. It took on new impetus following a Danish newspaper’s publication in 2005 of cartoons satirizing Mohammed.”

###

Previously...

http://www.cnsnews.com/ForeignBureaus/Archive/200602/FOR20060221b.html

“Muslim Leaders Want UN to Outlaw ‘Defamation’”
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
February 21, 2006

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “(CNSNews.com) - Disturbed by Muslim leaders’ attempts to criminalize any criticism of Islam, human rights campaigners are urging the United Nations to resist pressure to outlaw religious defamation in a resolution creating the U.N.’s new human rights council.

The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), a Saudi-based grouping of the world’s 57 Muslim states, wants the resolution’s draft text to include a reference to “actions against religions, prophets and beliefs” and to state that “defamation of religions and prophets is inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression.”

OIC ambassadors discussed the plan with Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday.

The demand is just one of five steps the OIC says are necessary to defuse the crisis over the publication in European and other newspapers of cartoons satirizing Mohammed, and to prevent recurrences.

The controversy continues to roil the Islamic world, and more than 35 people have been killed in rioting by Muslims offended by what they regard as blasphemy.

The other four steps proposed by the OIC are the adoption of a U.N. General Assembly resolution prohibiting the “defamation of all prophets and faiths”; the passage of legislation in the European Parliament “against Islamophobia”; the adoption of a “code of ethics” for European media; and the implementation of a U.N. media standard “ which should cover a definition of freedom of speech in case of religious symbols.””

[Cindy]

blog:

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2007/12/lighting-jihad-fuse.html

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2007
“Lighting the Jihad Fuse”
by Baron Bodissey

#

Note: Includes Video.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/dec/24/advertising?gusrc=rss&feed=media

“’Terrorist’ firework ads spark row”

Mark Sweney
Guardian Unlimited, Monday December 24 2007

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Dutch government firework safety ads featuring a spoof Islamist terrorist group have been criticised as insensitive and depicting a negative stereotype of the Muslim community.”

[Cindy]

blog:

http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/4308.htm
(”Sources: http://www.aafaq.org/english/aafaq_today.aspx?id_news=112 , December 27, 2007; http://www.hrinfo.net/ , December 24, 2007; http://www.alfarhan.org “)

“Arrested Saudi Reformist Blogger Being Held Without Bond, At Unknown Location”
(December 28, 2007)

###

UPDATE:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/02/saudi.blogger.jailed/index.html

updated 11:01 p.m. EST, Wed January 2, 2008

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “(CNN) — A Saudi blogger arrested in December could be freed soon, a spokesman for the kingdom’s Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

No details about any charges or a release date have been announced. However, a friend and fellow Saudi blogger told CNN that Fouad al-Farhan was arrested because he wrote about political issues.

Al-Farhan, operator of the Web site alfarhan.org, was arrested December 10. In an e-mail posted on the site since his arrest, he told friends that he faced arrest for his support of 10 reform advocates the Saudi government accuses of supporting terrorism.

The 32-year-old blogger is one of the few Saudi Web commentators who uses his own name, according to the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists. He was was arrested at his Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, office by government agents who also seized his laptop from his home, the organization said in a statement issued in late December.”

[Cindy]

UPDATING post no. 12:

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3489907,00.html

Popular Front claims responsibility for rocket attack on Ashkelon

Published: 01.03.08, 11:51 / Israel News

The Popular Front claimed responsibility for the rocket attack on Ashkelon Thursday morning.

This is the first time that the organization, led by Ahmed Jibril, takes responsibility for a rocket attack from Gaza. (Ali Waked)

[Cindy]

More details UPDATE:

Note: Photos included.

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/ct_301207e.htm

Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC)
December 30 , 2007

“The Israeli security forces seized six and a half tons of potassium nitrate at a West Bank crossing a few weeks ago. The chemical is used in the homemade explosives industry. It was hidden in European Union sugar sacks and sent to terrorists in the Gaza Strip.”

[Cindy]

In a separate incident...RECAP:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3486922,00.html

YNET NEWS.com (AP): “EGYPTIAN POLICE ARREST WEAPONS SMUGGLER, TONS OF EXPLOSIVES” (ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Egyptian police arrested early Wednesday a weapons smuggler and found in his house near the border with Israel more than half a ton of explosives and 1,200 kilograms (2,600 pounds) of potassium nitrate used in making bombs, a security official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said police arrested Mahdi Salim Abu Freig, 21...”)
(December 26, 2007, 11:49)

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16188&Itemid=128

Press Release A080102b
January 02, 2008

Coalition forces disrupt criminal network; detain suspected Special Groups member

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces detained a suspected criminal during operations to disrupt terrorist networks early Wednesday in the Adhamiyah area.

Coalition forces targeted an individual who reportedly trained criminals to perform attacks on Coalition and Iraqi forces. He allegedly facilitated the training of numerous criminals in guerilla warfare. He is assessed to be an associate of several other senior-level criminal element leaders who are involved in attacks on Coalition forces.

Intelligence led ground forces to the target area where they detained one suspect without incident. The identity of the suspect is still being determined. Coalition forces also discovered an assault rifle with two magazines and multiple pistol magazines.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursue criminal elements that are not honoring al-Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr’s ceasefire pledge,” said Cmdr. Scott Rye, MNF-I spokesperson. “Those who commit indiscriminate acts of violence will not be tolerated.”

- 30 -

[Cindy]

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

###

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/019418.php
(ISRAEL NEWS, YNET NEWS)

January 3, 2008

“Israel: ‘Unclear how, if at all, Egypt can explain’ letting Palestinian pilgrims, including senior Hamas members, back into Gaza without security check”

###

Previously...

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/019259.php
(JERUSALEM POST)

December 21, 2007

“Footage of Egyptian police helping Hamas not shown to Congress over Israeli diplomats’ fear of ‘infuriating Egypt’”

[Cindy]

RECAP:

blog:

http://memriiwmp.org/content/en/blog_personal.htm?id=338

“Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Claims Responsibility for Attack in Mauritania “

(BLOG ENTRY SNIPPET: “On December 29, 2007, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb posted a communiqué on the Islamist website http://al-hesbah.com (hosted by NOC4Hosts Inc. in Florida, USA) claiming responsibility for a December 26, 2007 attack on a military base in El-Ghallaouiya in Mauritania. It should be mentioned that this is the first time since it joined Al-Qaeda that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for an attack in Mauritania.”)

Posted January 2, 2008

[Cindy]

UPDATING post no. 32:

Note: The following news brief is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3489957,00.html

Al-Quds Brigades claim rocket attack on Ashkelon

Published: 01.03.08, 13:25 / Israel News

The Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades have claimed the rocket shooting towards Ashkelon, Thursday morning.

Earlier, the Popular Front claimed responsibility for the rocket attack. (Ali Waked)

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hezbollah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hizballah
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=hizbullah

#

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080103/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_hezbollah;_ylt=An2GdliPcEdF__gt2Co1.l5vaA8F

“Hezbollah wants veto in Lebanon”
By HUSSEIN DAKROUB, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jan 2, 7:36 PM ET

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “BEIRUT, Lebanon - No president will be elected in Lebanon unless the Hezbollah-led opposition gets veto power in the future government, the leader of the militant group declared Wednesday.”

[Cindy]

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Thu Jan 03 2008 03:59:44 GMT-0800 (PST).

Worldwide Caution

October 09, 2007