Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Terrorist attack suspected in Russian train blast
The blast in the Russian passenger train which left a crater on the ground and killed at least 39 people and wounded more than 50 is alluded to be the workings of terrorism. In August 2007, a similar detonation suspected to be done by Chechen rebels and ultranationalist groups injured about 60 victims.
The Nevski Express was cruising between Moscow and St. Petersburg on Friday, November 27, when it was disabled by the violent explosion.
Four train cars out of 14 went out their tracks. Their mangled steel wreckage was shown in television. Emergency rescue teams rushed to the scene to assist the wounded victims and bring them to the hospital. Anti-terrorism experts were sent to the crash site to investigate the bloody incident. (Photo Credit: Pravda) =0=
===============================================================
Majority of US voters oppose civilian trial of suspected 911 terrorists in NYC
Citing safety concerns, majority of American voters do not want to the Guantanamo prisoners to be housed in prisons in the United States out of safety concerns. Fifty-five (55%) of the same group are not in favor of closing the Guantanamo prison in Cuba. With a large majority (76% vs. 24%), Americans don't want to give the suspected terrorists the same rights as civilians. For being part of a global war, the public wants the terrorists be tried in military courts. These findings by Rasmussen survey are consistent to the majority---51% who are opposed to have self-confessed 911 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and 4 others stand trial in a New York City courhouse close to the scene of the crime.
The opinion above is a reaction to the radical liberal view of US Attorney General Eric Holden and the Obama administration desiring to showcase the "superior" legal system working in America. Critic's of Holden's decision on Khalid expects a trial that will be costly, put blame and exact accountability on Bush policies, heighten the anger of the victims' families, and refocus New York City as a target of future attack.
An NYC trial will bring a protracted "circus" to the public exposing the legal system's weaknesses (in spite of claims that it's the best in the world.) By probing the CIA (i.e. waterboarding, enhanced interrogation used on the suspects) the Bush policies which have made USA safer after 911 can re-ignite controversies from the old administr5ation and send to jail those guilty of a crime. (Photo Credit: andyworthington.co.uk.) =0=
RELATED BLOG: "Gov. Paterson against 911 trial in NYC" Posted by mesiamd at 11/17/2009
==============================================================
America as a war zone: terrorism in Fort Hood bloodbath?
The gunman-killer Major Nidal Malik Hasan is now recovering in a hospital talking to his lawyer after the massacre he pulled in Fort Hood Base, a huge military base serving more than 50,000 soldiers in Texas. His shooting rampage raises questions on the motive of the killer who in the fit of hate and anger killed 13 and wounded 30 of his army comrades.
Subsequent information tended to make more people to believe Hasan’s attack was more than an isolated criminal act, but an act of terrorism. Yet, only a thorough and unbiased investigation could substantiate the truth.
There had been observations which could be regarded as warning signs---a prelude to the despicable massacre ironically committed by a member of the healing profession. In hindsight, if something was done differently, the 13 people who were killed could have been saved.
Here below are parts of the jigsaw puzzle:
*Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Army investigated the communications between a Yemen-based militant Muslim prayer leader and the army major, but they thought Hasan was not a significant terrorist threat. The violent psychiatrist tried to contact the Al Qaeda and contacted the militant imam with links to some hijackers of 911.
*The gumman was openly opposed to sending Muslims to fight the war on terror. In the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen, the mosque where he worshipped, he expressed his view that Muslim must not serve the US military.
*Hasan, an unmarried 39-year old was not happy about his forthcoming deployment to Afghanistan this November. He could have been under extreme stress.
*Investigators are reviewing emails of Hasan with radical spiritual leader Anwar Al Awlaki, a US citizen believed to be in Yemen. The Islamic preacher supports the Jihad war against USA. He had links with at least two of the Twin Tower suicide bombers.
*Witnesses like Pvt. Robert Foster who was injured in the attack heard Hasan shouted "Allahu Akbar" --"God is great" –- an Islamic terrorist’ battle cry during shootings and suicide bombings.
*Hasan, on a presentation on a medical topic during his final year during residency at Walter Reed Medical Center lectured his audience on Islam, homicide bombing, and threats military personnel faces with people of Islamic faith--- especially those who are averse to fighting against other Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan. His audience thought it was upsetting and strange that Hasan gave such lecture instead of a relevant topic in psychiatry.
* A classmate of Hasan said prior to the killing, the doctor had been mouthing justifications of homicide bombings, hostility against Americans as he tried to get contact with Al Qaeda. With these overt warnings, no one worked to kick him out the military service. Though Hasan was being watched, no significant action was pursued to prevent the shooting rampage.
*In the weekend, Sen. Joe Lieberman suggested that a congressional investigation is needed to ferret out the truth if the shooting is really terrorism committed right at the US military base and against American servicemen.”
Given the above, one strongly suspects terrorism. Whether the army psychiatrist who is now being treated in Brookr Medical Center in San Antonio acted alone or in cahoots with other Islamic militants and Al Qaeda, more details of the probe has to be analyzed. The incident however speaks of the real threat and vulnerability of Americans to the ferocity of Islamic radicals. They have no qualms of killing innocent people in the name of religion at the heartland of USA. (Telegraph.col.uk; NYT/ Spillers, L; AP/ Kileen Daily Herald/ Morris, D.) =0=
RELATED BLOGS: "Fort Hood Muslim Army MD being investigated as a terrorist" Posted by mesiamd at 11/09/2009; "Army major massacres 11 and injures 31 people in Fort Hood, Texas" Posted by mesiamd at 11/06/2009
=============================================================
Barbaric beheading of a school principal in Patikul, Sulu
A 36-year old elementary school principal was beheaded by unidentified men who accosted him while riding a small bus in the town of Patikul, Sulu. Gabriel Canizares’ barbarically severed head was thrown in a gas station by men in motorcycles believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf, the notorious band of bandits that operates in Mindanao. Five hours after, his mutilated body was dumped near a military camp in Patikul, Sulu.
It was reported that before Canizares’ abduction on October 20, 2009, he was threatened by death threats. His family said, the victim and his relatives couldn’t pay the P2 million ransom demanded by his captors.
Teachers who knew the murdered principal were angry, distraught, and fearful over the death of their colleague. Those who were working to rescue the educator had shifted to arresting those responsible.
Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo ordered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators of the crime which had been widely condemned by Jolo residents. It was theorized that Canizares' murder was connected with the abduction of Columban missionary Fr. Michael Sinnot in Pagadian City who at present had not been found. With the Moro Liberation Front (MILF,) among the suspects, the 79-year old Catholic priest was asked to pay $2 million ransom---a demand that was repudiated by the government and the Columban Missionary community the sickly humanitarian worker belongs.
Over the weekend, authorities took custody of an MILF commander. Canizares' beheading could have been a retaliation, according to Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa. Intelligence reports indicated that the arrested MILF commander identified as Asnawie Addan Salah, had knowledge and contact with the Al-Qaeda affiliated Abu Sayyaf Group who kidnapped the principal of Kanagi Elementary School.
The persistent lawlessness in Southern Philippines of Islamic radicals has appalled peace-loving Filipinos. The beheading of innocent individuals is a horrible degeneration down the path of barbarism that must be condemned. It’s despicable to know that debased human beings have to resort to desecrate bodies of fellow human beings. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=
=============================================================
Fort Hood Muslim Army MD being investigated as a terrorist
Major Nidal Malik Hasan recuperates from the gunshot wounds inflicted to stop him form his shooting rampage at Fort Hood Military Base. The medical army officer is being investigated for terrorism. Operatives are trying to know if he has deep ties with radical groups espousing violence and mayhem in the Western world.
The 39–year old unmarried gunman took the lives of 13 fellow soldiers and injured 30 innocent victims. Relatives and friends pointed to Hasan as a benign peaceful man with no criminal records. But others saw him as a troubled medical professional with religious fanatical views who was upset of being deployed to Afghanistan. The vicious killer shouted “Allahu Akhbar” (God is Great,) a signature battlecry of militant Muslim suicide bombers.
Later inquiries suggested that Hasan was a devout Muslim who talked stridently against the war. He believed Muslims are justified to rise against aggressors like the Americans. Born and raised in Virginia, he went to in Dar-al-Hijrah mosque in Virginia, a worship house led by a radical Muslim preacher said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked the United States on Sept 11, 2001. Hasan has great respect for Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni imam accused of supporting terrorist organisations including Al-Qaeda.
These emerging clues raised the need to dig deeper into Hasan’s background. Exercising political correctness, civilian and military authorities seemed slow and hesitant to explore the terrorist angle, but this needed to change quick to protect America.
Endorsing a thorough investigation, Sen. Joe Lieberman talked of his suspicions that a terrorist link is possible given Hasan’s story. The Obama administration had been criticized for not giving enough focus on the tragedy that befell men and women in the service of the country.
For fear of a backlash among the radical Islamists, authorities preferred to think the attack was a criminal event rather than an attack of a terrorist. Those in denial had the tendency to push key questions under the rug. Part of a feeling of dread and tendency to accommodate, they were dismissive of violent people in the ranks of Muslims. They seemed unprepared to accept the truth that terrorists had entered in US soil. (Photo Credit: Telegraph.co.uk) =0=
RELATED BLOG: "Army major massacres 11 and injures 31 people in Fort Hood, Texas" Posted by mesiamd at 11/06/2009
=============================================================
Credibility: a big factor in economic recovery
When Pres. Barack Obama was elected in November last year, Americans and the entire world were quick to embrace a charismatic man with a promise. Expectation was matched by soaring rhetoric and media support that made the prudent among us watchful.
There were quick infusions of capital to rescue the ailing banks, the collapsed housing market, and bankrupt auto industry---- as if the United States could buy its way out to prosperity. Short-lived jubilation came from cash-strapped Americans who believe that government entitlements would solve their money problems. They banked on Pres. Barack Obama who they thought could bring the Harvard magic and his talents to the realities of their household. At their peril, Americans suddenly learned their expectations couldn't be met as painted before the election.
A chorus of approval to Obama’s “changes” later degenerated into public insecurity. Trillions of dollars had to be paid by taxpayers on recovery plans riddled with questionable provisions. Interest groups, political allies, and large companies were direct beneficiaries while the people waited for some windfall that was hard to come by.
For instance, healthcare budget, comprising 16% of the US economy, had ominously ballooned from below $900 billion dollars to an astronomical $1.2 trillion. Many were not happy because this was not what they expected in the onset. The public saw moves to make Americans accept a plan that is very costly---a debatable proposal with hidden and confusing strings attached.
A year into Obama’s presidency, despite hopeful indications that the economy is recovering, millions of Americans are still jobless, the highest ever in 26 years. Financial experts say the recession is going away, but they are quick to qualify that the the future is uncertain and life ahead will be choppy. It's as if they don't want to be blamed if something far worse happens.
Unemployment rate has climbed to 10%. This breaks the psychological confidence of those who believe in the competence of the administration. The budget deficit has gone to the roof, worrying USA’s domestic and international business-partners. How will America be able to pay those trillions of debts from foreign lenders without mortgaging the people's future?
Despite rosy reports of improvements in US manufacturing, consumer spending has been sluggish. This causes markets to lose confidence. Investors have become panicky as the Christmas season is coming. They know tepid business will only delay the financial rebound everybody is wishing for.
“There seems to be lots of uncertainty in the markets," said Peter Lai, investment manager at DBS Vickers in Hong Kong. "I'm very cautious about the U.S. economic figures. It will be very damaging to sentiment if the U.S. unemployment rate crosses 10 percent."
Hong Kong's Hang Seng led Asia's losses, falling 380.13, or 1.8 percent, to 21,240.06 while South Korea's Kospi was down 0.6 percent at 1,549.92. Japan's market was closed for a holiday.
Elsewhere, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.2 percent and Taiwan's market lost 0.2 percent. China's Shanghai index bucked the trend, gaining 1.2 percent to 3,114.23 with sentiment still boosted by a weekend report manufacturing expanded for an eighth straight month in October.
As trading got under way in Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was off 1.3 percent, Germany's DAX lost 1.4 percent and France's CAC 40 fell 1.5 percent. Stock futures pointed to losses Tuesday on Wall Street. Dow futures were down 49, or 0.5 percent, at 9,686 and S&P Futures dropped 5.9, or 0.6 percent, to 1,033.20." ----Philstar.com (11/02/09)
Aside from the economic front, there is doubt in how Untied States is dealing with the nuclear issue of North Korea and Iran which use deceitful diplomacy to proliferate weapons of mass destruction. With little options, USA is forced to deal with these rogue nations.
Lately, Obama has accepted the reinstatement of Pres. Hamid Karzai, known to have won in a rigged election which left his chief rival withdrawing in protest. Afghanistan, the center of the 911 disaster, is experiencing a resurgence of Taliban activity. Bomb attacks, killing soldiers and civilians are on the rise.
Pres. Barack Obama is ambivalent on his foreign policy in spite of the tough fight US military men are facing lately. He can only promise more US servicemen for troubled Kabul, but their number will be short of the 40,000 top US commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal is asking for to stablize the militant Islamists' lair.
Like in Afghanistan, the Al Qaeda and Taliban threats in Iraq and Pakistan continue to boil with no certainty of how to solve the terrorism problem which brazenly kills scores of innocent victims. Car bombs and suicide bombers continue to bring death and destruction the civilized world finds hard to comprehend.
If Pres. Obama can’t reverse this credibility problem, it will be hard for him to accomplish his election promises. As the public starts to know his liberal and socially progressive agenda with little laudable result, his approval rating (especially among conservatives) has gone low alienating many of the voters who supported his election early on.
His ardent supporters like US ex-president Jimmy Carter blames Obama's floundering support on race--- an assertion that many don't believe. If it is because the president is black that is a problem, how come so many Americans gave him overwhelming mandate in his election?
Obama's style of governance is creating more political divisions that make a bipartisan cooperative work difficult. Many observe the president has the tendency to blame problems on others without facing them squarely. His assistants in Washington seem out of touch with the people they serve. In the meantime, some say the president has become scrawny and fast losing weight. =0=
===============================================================
Another deadly bomb blast in Peshawar kills about 100
As Sec. of State Hillary Clinton visited Pakistan, a car bomb blew in the city of Peshawar killing almost 100 people and wounding about 200 innocent victims in a busy market. Plumes of smoke, broken concrete. and scattered rubble were observed in the crime scene.
The car explosion was part of the step-up offensive by Taliban insurgents against Pakistani forces as the latter continued their attacks in South Waziristan, a border community near Afghanistan where Taliban fighters had taken foothold.
"I want you to know this fight is not Pakistan's alone," Clinton said. "These extremists are committed to destroying what is dear to us as much as they are committed to destroying that which is dear to you and to all people. So this is our struggle as well."--- AP/ Yahoo.news.com (10/28/09, Khan, R.)
In October, three bombs blasted as part of the deplorable attacks across the country claiming the lives of about 250 people. The focus of the attacks by Islamic militants had been the military forces charged with security and innocent civilians who had been caught negotiating their daily lives in public places of a chaotic country.
Notorious fanatical killers aim to lessen the people’s resolve to fight lawlessness and lessen government support from the people. (Photo Credits: Reuters/ Yahoon.news.com/ Asis, F.) =0=
===========================================================
Grenade explodes in Sulu Cathedral
An M72 grenade detonated at the back of the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu Southern Philippines on Tuesday October 27, 2009. Although no one claimed responsibility, Armed Forces spokesman Ramon David Hontiveros thought terrorists could be behind the blast which did not involve casualties and damage to property.
"The explosion could be a test by the terrorists to see the reaction of the AFP/PNP (Armed Forces of the Philippines/Philippine National Police) in the area," Hontiveros said in a text message to reporters.”---GMA.news TV (10/27/09, Sisante, J C. )
Jolo, Sulu is one of the troubled spots in Mindanao where the militant Abu Sayyaf with links to Al Qaeda operate. In July 7, 2009, an explosion in Jolo killed two people and injured at least 30 civiliians. (PHoto Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=
==============================================================
US terrorist plots more real than Americans realize
“When police on September 14 searched an apartment in the New York City borough of Queens that Zazi had visited, they told local media they confiscated cell phones and at least nine empty backpacks. The Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people involved backpacks stuffed with explosives that were detonated via cell phones.”----Reuters (09/23/09, Honan, E; Kearney, C.)
The specter of terrorism is reignited anew when in the weekend, in America, three suspected Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists were arrested hatching a bombing plot that could parallel that one pulled in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005. The arrests came at a time that world leaders trooped to New York for the 64th annual general assembly in the United Nations headquarters.
Shuttle driver Jajibullah Zazi who admitted training in a bomb making school in Pakistan, an imam, and a 37 year-old Afghan-born Ahmad Wais Afzali were arrested on suspicions of forming a terrorist team in the US mainland. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigators apprehended Zazi in Colorado and found his laptop bearing instructions on making, handling, and detonation of explosives.
An apartment in Queens, New York turned in cell phones and back packs that might be readied for bombing similar to the one that occurred in the subway system in Madrid, Spain killing innocent people.
Pres. George Bush and his military advisers said before that a terrorist attack in the US soil is not a matter of if, but when. Inciting incredulity and falling in deaf ears, the president's warning was echoed by vice-pres. Dick Cheney. These recent arrests surely brought back the same grim warning.
Yet, the liberals in society and civil rights groups have dismissed terrorist warnings as being alarmist. It was easy for them to deny a worst-case scenario that could well occur in the future. With the new arrests, the American people had been reminded anew of their vulnerability.
Enemies of freedom and those opposed to the western way of living are relentless and unyielding. They only need one plan to succeed and inflict huge damage to society--- in a magnitude that can bring back the horror of 911. (Photo Credit: Josue Lozano) =0=
=============================================================
Iranian president to address UN general assembly in New York
President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad Iran’s vitriolic president is in New York City to participate in the 64th annual UN General Assembly. The controversial Muslim hardliner who espouses medieval religious tenets to govern Tehran will deliver a speech in the world body of nations. A crowd of demonstrators picket in front of the Big Apple's UN building on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 to air their disdain for the president.
Ahmadenijad has caught media attention for denying the extermination of 6 million Jews during the Nazi regime and for wanting Israel to be “wiped out from the face of the earth.” Such brazen and horrendous rhetoric must have no place in the world community, but it happens right in the United Nations.
Ahmadenijad’s disputed reelection this year has ignited grassroots protests from Iranian opposition whose leaders have been incarcerated and tortured. He is in the forefront of denying the long-suspected nuclear program which the IAEA believes is capable of producing a radioactive bomb, thus posing a threat to its neighbors.
Representing a Muslim country which supports terrorism, Ahmadenijad has been an embarrassment to the United Nations and his people. The religious-led Muslim country is noted for violations of human rights, inspiring resistance from the Iranian people.
For his shameful provocations against Israel, the Canadian delegation intends to abandon the UN assembly during his speech. A Canadian official whose delegation plans to walk out when the Iranian president addresses the assembly said Ahmadenijad’s behavior is shameful.
“He uses his public appearances to provoke the international community, and that is why Canada’s seats will be empty. The gesture is a step stronger than one announced Tuesday by the German Foreign Ministry, which asked other European Union member states to walk out of the General Assembly chamber if Ahmadinejad again denies the Holocaust, or makes anti-Semitic statements.”----Ottawacitizen. Com (09/23/09, Edwards, S.) (Photo Credit: Reuters/ Leonard Foeger; Jasondecrow; AP) =0=
==============================================================
More fatalities in Abu Sayyaf firefight
The death toll of the fighting between the Islamic rebel group Abu Sayyaf in Jolo, Sulu, Mindanao and the military rose this week. Victor Reyes of Malaya reported:
“Nineteen bandits were killed Sunday, and another 15 Monday in clashes following an ambush staged by the bandit group on a military convoy returning from the captured Abu Sayyaf camp. The bandits killed eight Marines in the counter-attack. Nine other Marines were injured."
In a fierce fighting between more than 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits and government forces, Saddam Parad, the brother of Abu Sayyaf chief Albader Parad and as Ustadz Muktar, the cousin of another leader Ismilon Hapilon were killed. In January this year, it was Albader's group who kidnapped and eventually released three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian workers after months of painstaking negotiations.
The fatalites were considered a huge blow to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated trouble-makers who lost their camp to the military in Sitio Talibang, in Barangay Buansa, Indanan last Sunday, September 20, 2009. As a result, government forces are beefing up their defenses to foil a retaliation from the notorious insurgents. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=
==============================================================
Recalling Pres. George W. Bush's Message in 911
An excerpt from the speech given by Pres. George W. Bush on the terrorist attack at the Twin Towers and the Pentagon at the Joint Sesssion of Congress on Sept 20, 2009. On this day let us remember the nearly 3,000 who perished in the barbaric attacks by Al Qaeda whose victims included ordinary people of dffferent nationalities, rescuers, and firefighers who heroically came to save lives.
Today, as the bells ring and the names of innocent victims are called to memory, we can just wonder how capable man can be to wage evil on another man. From the dust and debris of the World Trade Center rise our hope and determination to exterminate hate on the face of the aarth. The fight against terrorism is continuing and the world cannot rest without defeating the enemy.---AFM.
“Americans are asking, why do they hate us? They hate what we see right here in this chamber----a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms---our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.
They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. They want to drive Israel out of the Middle East. They want to drive Christians and Jews out of the vast regions of Asia and Africa.
These terrorists will kill not merely to end lives, but to disrupt and end a way of life. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions---by abandoning every value except the will to power---they follow in the path of fascism and Nazism, and totalitarianism. They will follow the path all the way to where it ends; in history’s unmarked grave of discarded lies.
We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We jave seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions---by abandoning every value except the will to power. they follow in th path of fascism and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow the path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.”---Pres. George W. Bush
==============================================================
Lockerbie terrorist should not have been allowed to go back to Libya
Though compassion is virtue, 57 year-old Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the sole convicted bomber who killed 270 innocent passengers of Pan Am flight 103 should not have been allowed to return to Libya. The terrorist is responsible for blowing up the plane over Lockerbie, Scotland en route to the United States in 1988.
Al Megrahi’s terminal cancer isn’t enough to justify such clemency. Barely serving his sentence handed in January 1, 2001, the evil murderer has been given a hero's welcome in Tripoli airport by Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi‘s son and his supporters at the expense of those whom the killer wronged.
The shocking footage of the return only reflected warped values which insulted the memory of the civilian victims, among them innocent cildren. Many observers believed the move was a mockery of justice and a setback in the relentless fight against terrorism.
Giving the notorious killer the pass only opened raw wounds on the relatives of those who died raising speculations that an oil deal between Great Britain and Libya was involved in the decision. If so, the Scottish Court’s ruling made the return despicable.
An investigation to ferret the truth about this nefarious trade deal is warranted. The sentiment is shared by US Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm Mike Mullen who thinks the decision is motivated by politics. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Robert Muller similarly vents his anger over the decision. Bending on pressure, the British government has vowed to release documents to clarify the issue.
Sixty (60%) of those who were polled about the “humanitarian” clemency were angered. They were of the opinion that the Scottish Court was wrong. Most of them believe the ruthless criminal must die in prison. (Photo Credit: BBC.news) =0=
==============================================================
Recalling 911 and flying the US flag
Sally Ani, a friend in South Carolina shares a poignant forwarded reminder of something we all must share---the recollection and lessons of the horrific event of September 11, 2001 (911) that changed us forever.---AFM.
SEPTEMBER 11
We have a little less than one month and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America. If you forward this message to least 11 people and each of those people do the same ... you get the idea.
On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States.
Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at
home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds. (Photo Credit: nylon_us_fag; bear_inter) =0=
Action Plan:
So, here's what we need you to do.
(1) Forward this message to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.
(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.
Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America!
=============================================================
Lockerbie bomber goes home to Libya with a rousing welcome
“There's plenty of shame to go around. This is not justice. It's an abrogation of justice," said Stephanie Bernstein, wife of a lawyer who died on the flight blown up by terrorists.
The only person indicted and imprisoned for the 1988 dastardly bombing of the jetliner over Lockerbie, Scotland was released from prison on “humanitarian’ grounds by Scottish officials. Suffering from terminal prostate cancer, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan operative returned home in Tripoli, Libya on Thursday, August 20, 2009 afte being allowed freedom. He served only 8 years of his lifetime jail sentence and was set free amidst cheers from about a thousand jubilant supporters who met him in the airport as a "hero."
But relatives of those innocent passengers of Pan Am Flight 103 fumed over the decision, some openly expressing their devastation, saying that there is no justice for those 259 passengers who died. Carrying mostly Americans on their way home to New York, the targeted plane was blown up by the terrorist. (Photo Credit: ctv.ca/ AP)
Although it was claimed that compassion was the reason behind giving freedom to the bomber, politics could have played in setting him free from the Scottish prison. The US government expressed its intense disappointment over the decision. The Islamic jihadists and Libyans cheered the unremorseful terrorist. =0=
=============================================================
Iraq bloodbath kills 95
Iraqis who have been used to killings that average about 200-300 per month are alarmed by the recent carnage that brought 95 dead and more than 500 injured. The deaths come from coordinated detonation of cars, trucks, and mortars on key targets in Baghdad---among the deadliest this year. One such bomb has exploded near the finance ministry wounding at least 200 people, mostly innocent civilians. Two Al Qaeda militants were arrested in connection with the senseless blasts.
“I am saddened that the violence continues, including an appalling string of attacks today in Baghdad which took the lives of scores of innocent people," UN Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon ABCNews (08/19/09, Barker, A.)
A Sunni politician Falah Hassan Zeidan condemned the terrorist attacks in the city where the parliament, national government, and international community are located. Admitted by government officials, he complained of the laxity of the security men tasked to keep peace in the area.
The cowardly attacks have increased since the partial withdrawal of US forces last June. However, the decision to keep for about 2 years American military forces in the capital city remains. (Photo Credit: minnimarg) =0=
============================================================
Basilan gunbattle kills 23 government soldiers
Twenty three (23) military men died in a recent bloody clash with Abu Sayyaf fighters in Basilan, Mindanao on Wednesday, August 12, 2009. Government troops attacked the Moslem stronghold of Abu Sayyaf and engaged more than a hundred rebels in a day-long gunbattle leaving at least 21 militants dead.
Two young officers from the Army died among the 23 soldiers and another 22 were reported to have been wounded. The two were identified the junior Army officers as First Lieutenant Chester Barela of the Philippine Military Academy Class 2004 and First Lieutenant Dhel Jhun Evangelista (PMA Class 2006). The family of the officers have been informed.
The recent casualties bring to mind the fatalies on July 20, 2007 when 14 Marines were killed while trying to rescue Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi. Military men also died during attempts to rescue three Internatioal Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers kidnapped in Jolo, Sulu in January 2009. The three were eventually released by Abu Sayyaf captors after months of hostage negotiations.
The Abu Sayyaf is a notorious group of Islamic bandits with obscure socio-poliical objectives and mantains ties with the terrorist group Al Qaeda. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=
==============================================================
Manila oil depot poses risk to Pandacan residents
For a long time the oil depot in Pandacan at the heart of Manila seemed safe. There were no complaints to the presence of the fuel facility right beside congested residential and commercial areas.
“The depot, a 36-hectare cluster of harbor tanks containing 330.5 million liters of gasoline, crude oil and other flammable substances, was built in Pandacan in the 1910s by the “Big 3" oil companies: Chevron (then Caltex), Pilipinas Shell, and Petron Corporation (then Esso). At present, the Pandacan oil depot supplies around 1,800 retail stations in Metro Manila and outlying provinces. The oil depot is also said to supply around half of the country’s total demand for fuel and other petrochemical products.”----GMANews Tv (07/04/09, Calonzo, T.)
Yet, the threats of an environmental accident, natural disaster, earthquake damage, sabotage, and terrorism have grown. It is easy to understand why people started questioning the oil depot's safety. The facility is considered a disaster waiting to happen and concerned citizens, church leaders, and community groups are apprehensive and up against it.
The order of the Supreme Court in 2001 to relocate the fuel site was in recognition of such threats. But through a city ordinance, Mayor Alfredo Lim was able to reverse the decision. Thinking that the oil facility was bringing jobs (10,000 workers) and revenue (P100 million in annual taxes) to the city, the mayor and his supporters, ignoring the danger, believed it was better to keep the depot for the “common good.”
It is hardly for the common good if people's lives are at risk and a fire caused by oil explosion may bring death and destruction to residents who live in the area.
In averting disaster, it is better to err on the side of prudence. As the saying goes, a pound of prevention is better than a ton of cure. (Photo Credit: Etang) =0=
===========================================================
Bombs rip two Jakarta hotels
Two luxury hotels had been the target of terrorist violence when bombs exploded about 8 AM on July 17, 2009 in J.W. Marriot Hotel and Ritz Carlton Hotel in the capital city of Jakarta. At least 9 people were killed, injuring about 50 people. Among the dead are 18 foreigners, among them Americans. So far, no one claimed any responsibility, but Islamic terrorists were under suspicion.
“Friday's explosions are the first significant attacks in the capital in nearly five years. In September 2004, a powerful car bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy.
The Marriot was hit by a suicide bomber in 2003, a blast that left 12 dead. The Southeast Asian terror network Jemaah Islamiyah was blamed.”----VOA (07/17/09, Hamann, K.)
Police scoured the debris of broken glass and concrete to find clues on who was responsible. The explosives were detonated minures apart during the early morning rush hour. Rescue workers had difficulty reaching the crime scene.
The Philippine government expressed condolence to those who perished and issued a statement condemning the senseless attack. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said no Filipino was involved in the violence.(Photo Credit: Judhi) =0=
===========================================================
Iraqi troops take over US military servicemen in major cities
After the successful surge spearheaded by Pres. George Bush, the time is now to pull out the US military servicemen who serve in major cities---This has stabilized a dangerous country before it is turned over to the Iraqi people.
It’s a kind of victory for peace that this is happening, but it will take time to know if the Iraqi military will be able to maintain the advance of peace and order in the area. This is a time to recall the great men and women of the US armed forces who put their lives in line to help a troubled country.
As thousands of Iraqi troops and police take over check-points, the barbaric elements of society raised their challenge to the Iraqi government by exploding bombs and killing people.
“A car bombing devastated a food market in the city of Kirkuk, killing at least 33 people and wounding 90. The early evening attack, which bore the hallmarks of Sunni extremist groups like al-Qaida in Iraq, was the second in the Kirkuk area since a truck bombing killed 82 people on June 20.”-----AP/ Yahoo News (06/30/09, Gamel, K; Barzanji, Y.; Gearan, A.)
Because militants still operate Iraq, it is hard to say what will be the outcome of the take over. The Iraqis are optimistic that the future is in the hands of their people. The world shares the people’s optimism that a regime of peace and democracy will usher in growth and prosperity for the country. If they slid back to the path of violence, a fresh round of social upheaval will waste the effort of those who make peace possible. (Photo Credit: Mccalibur) =0=
===============================================================
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
