I have been following the foiled car bomb plot in London off and on all morning. In no way do any of the developments surprise me in the least.

1. A smoking Mercedes was found outside of a popular night club.
2. Nails were strewn across the floor of the car.
3. A propane gas cylinder and gasoline was inside the car rigged to what appears to be a rather amateurish bomb (Hank Hill might be proud).
4. On an Islamist message board, there might have been a hint there would be an attack soon. Hours before the car bomb was found, an Internet poster wrote, “Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed.”
5. An ‘international terrorist network’ is suspected of being behind the attack.

In the order that they appear above, let us look at what we know. There’s no telling if the night club was the target at this point in time, and we might never know. Sure, it would make sense that jihadists intent on wanting to kill as many of the Infidel population as they can would attack a populated area, but would you park a car on the curb after crashing into a pole of some kind, or would you park normally even if it is illegal and then leave the scene?

This was not a suicide bomb plot, allegedly, but rather those who wished to kill for Allah planned on detonating the car via a cell phone. ‘Martyrdom’ apparently is not for everyone, or perhaps the suicide bomber-to-be just forgot to shave every last piece of body hair or was concerned with having a razor close to a certain part of his anatomy.

Of course nails were inside the car, which can signal an intent to slaughter as many people as possible. Flying nails would do little to buildings, but they certainly have damage to humans. Were there enough explosives though to break the walls of the night club, therefore allowing the nails to wreak havoc on the party-goers inside? I’m just going by pictures here, but there don’t appear to be too many windows. It’s bad business for a night club to have huge windows allowing in light.

The posting on the message board is unique in one way, but it’s also a signal that those who decided to undertake this plot haven’t exactly been invited into Osama bin Laden’s house for tea. If this was a suicide bombing attempt, it would all make complete sense. We know Islamists believe that if an attack works it is the will of Allah, and if they are hampered by anyone if the attack works it is further proof Allah has nothing better to do than to plot to kill the Infidel through mere mortals as opposed to other God-like attributes.

But this was not a suicide attack (see above). By all indications thus far, it was your run of the mill pseudo-jihadis trying to get into the good graces of Allah to get those virgins while still trying to find virgins on terra firma. Why then would someone boast on a message board they planned on carrying out an attack that day knowing their IP is fully available to track regardless of how it turned out? Did someone change the Islamist doctrine to state it’s better to live the rest of your life in prison than to enter Heaven in small chunks of flesh and goo? To me this screams out amateur, and thankfully so.

Even though at this point I firmly believe the jihadis were not the die-hards the Taliban or Al Qaida have long promised will hit the streets of England, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a connection to an international terrorist group, namely Al Qaida. The message board posting alone suggests there is a connection because Al Qaida members are on these boards. It’s recruiting, the distribution of propaganda and connecting a shy jihadis everywhere to other shy jihadis. Besides any of that, the attempted attack was at least inspired by Al Qaida who has repeatedly declared England is a prime target.

And by the way. Didn’t Tony Blair step down this week? He did, so why would Islamists want to attack England? That certainly doesn’t fit the apologists’ mantra of why jihadis attack, but neither do any other attacks for that matter. That is, unless, the United States, England or a ‘coalition of Jews’ run Indonesia or any of the other numerous nations that are victimized by Islamist attacks.

UPDATE: There was a second car bomb in the same area, but it was towed to an impound yard because it was illegally parked.  The second car was also a Mercedes.  To our British readers, are Mercedes lower end cars over there or something?

Hamas overtook Gaza, though the fighting between two elected governments in the form of Hamas and Fatah have waged numerous battles over the past year alone.  The fighting escalated in recent weeks, thus one major question has been posed.  Is there a civil war in the Palestinian territories?

A civil war is loosely defined as a war between two groups with a right to govern.  In the case of Palestine, both Hamas and Fatah can and do claim a right to govern.

For the purposes of debate, let us look at another conflict which is called a civil war by politicians and journalists.  Yes, that conflict is inside Iraq.  There are numerous sides to the conflict, but only one of those sides is represented in the Iraqi government.  That side affiliated with the current elected Iraqi government is aligned with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr.  Sadr’s military wing, known as the Mahdi Army, chooses to war against Sunnis.  Now those Sunnis the Mahdi Army has declared war upon are not affiliated with the Iraqi government, nor for the most part are they affiliated with the umbrella Sunni insurgent group known as the Islamic State of Iraq, who, by the way, has no affiliation with the Iraqi government nor any legitimate claim to govern the nation of Iraq.

The conflict in Iraq, however, was declared a civil war by NBC News despite not carrying the main characteristic of what a civil war entails.  Calling Iraq a nation engulfed in a civil war has also been hoisted by leading Democratic politicians, apparently without regard to what the term actually means.

Meanwhile back in Palestine, it strikes me as completely odd none of the ‘purveyors of truth’ within the media elite or Democratic Party’s stronghold of Iraq naysayers have concluded there is actually a civil war ongoing.  Perhaps it’s already over after Hamas overtook Gaza and posed for pictured in Mahmoud Abbas’ presidential palace, fully hiding their true identities for whatever reason.  Regardless, what would make Iraq a civil war and Palestine not?  By the pure definition of what a civil war is, the opposite is true.

Earlier today I flipped to Fox News just at the right time to catch the Reverend Jesse Jackson who stated there was an insurgency in Chicago.  He went on to call handguns weapons of mass destruction and asked if the United States wished to engage insurgencies why the U.S. government has not taken action in Chicago.

Good question Rev. Jackson.  Should Americans conclude because there are people murdered in Chicago there is in fact an insurgency, and should Americans conclude that if we as a nation wish to curtail the use of WMDs we should vote in favor of gun control?  Jackson argued in favor of both stances.

But perhaps the good reverend should take a look around at the party he’s adopted during his runs for office and call for an immediate withdrawal of Chicago.  Nope, instead Jackson argued for more federal involvement and helped lead a protest against violence, I suppose deciding to place himself within a theater of war as he put it.

Don’t get me wrong here.  Just like the vast majority of people across the globe, I abhor violence.  I prefer to make jokes as opposed to lash out physically, but the solution to crime in Chicago isn’t to classify criminals as insurgents or to confuse the GWOT with gang wars that have gripped Chicago for decades.

I love Chicago and hope to get back there some day, though hopefully I’ll wait until after the insurgency is ended and after all WMDs are secured.  Until then, however, I am eagerly awaiting Rev. Jackson to explain why the United States should engage one insurgency while withdrawing from another.

THE BIRTH OF “HAMASTAN”, BY: FERN SIDMAN (posted at Right Truth at Ms. Sidman’s request)

June 14 - According to breaking new reports from Gaza, the escalation of infighting between Hamas and Fatah forces has reached a zenith, with Hamas claiming victory after conducting a series of execution style killings of Fatah members. Over 80 Palestinian terrorists have been killed in Hamas-Fatah factional fighting since Sunday. Hamas declared that it had taken control of the town of Rafiah in southern Gaza after blowing up the Fatah headquarters there. All of northern Gaza is already under Hamas control. According to an Arutz Sheva report of 6/14/07, “Fatah was beaten so badly that Egyptian reports said 40 PA officers broke through the Gaza-Egypt border fence and fled to Sinai for safety. The Hamas-affiliated Popular Resistance Committee announced Thursday that it had taken control of the border to prevent weapons smuggling (to Fatah) and mass emigration by local Gazans.”

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Originally Posted at Right Truth

Syria is at it again, or should I say still at it? Anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker Walid Eido, nine other people, including his son, were killed by a vehicle packed with 80 kg (177 lbs) of explosives. Sound familiar? US President George W Bush is blaming Syria. Mr. Eido was a Sunni.

Syria seems to have evaded trial and punishment for the killing of Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was similarly assassinated by a suicide truck bomber in February 2005.

Syria is denying any connection to Mr. Eido’s death. Syria has also denied any links between Syria and Fatah al-Islam militants battling the Lebanese army.

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Originally posted at Right Truth
After listening to the news today, it strikes me that the greatest threat to Muslims these days … is Muslims themselves. Fatah’s killing Hamas, Hamas is trying to kill Fatah. Sunni and Shia are killing each other in Iraq. Just about any place where Muslims are dying, they are doing it to themselves.

I would like to direct you to The Return Of Scipio and his article today “Islam And World Conquest.” Be sure to read the comments at the end of the article. Then read today’s article, “Islam’s Flight From Reason.”

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There are new developments today in the foiled JFK terror plot to blow up jet fuel lines going from New Jersey into JFK airport. It seems the four men already in custody may be the tip of the iceberg. They are being described as “just a piece of the plot.” The alleged mastermind is Russell Defreitas, a U.S. citizen from Guyana, and former cargo employee at JFK. Now more suspects are being sought outside the United States for their suspected roles and connections to Defreitas and the JFK plot.

Terrorist Nur actually met with the leader of Jamaat al Muslimeen. In court documents other suspects are mentioned by letters, “A”, “B”, ect.

Nur said he met in May with the group’s leader, Yasin Abu Bakr, at his compound and the Islamic leader suggested that he return later with others involved “to discuss the plan in detail.” (Souix City Journal)

Kareem Ibrahim, age 56, was a member of Jamaat al Muslimeen, but claims to have cut his ties with the group. Jamaat al Muslimeen is denying any connection to the plot.

In an interview inside the group’s gated compound, [Kala] Aki Bua said Jamaat al Muslimeen lacks the resources to even consider aiding an international plot as described by American officials. (Souix City Journal)

More:

… official told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because of not being authorized to speak publicly. “We are definitely seeking more players. We are targeting others overseas.“The official declined to provide details about the possible suspects, or in what countries they are being sought. (Fox)

Some have called the plot far-fetched while some experts say perhaps officials should have waited even longer before making the arrests.

Terrorism expert Richard Miniter tells CBS 2 HD that had officials held out in making the arrests, they may have stumbled upon even larger terrorist cells, especially since officials now admit Nur met with the leader of radical Islamic group Jamaat al Muslimeen to seek support for the JFK plot.A source close to this investigation tells CBS 2 HD Investigative Reporter Scott Weinberger that agents decided to move on the suspects after it was discovered that the alleged mastermind, Russell Defreitas, was planning to leave the country. At that stage in the investigation, fishing for other potential suspects took a back seat.(WCBSTV.com)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is NO Rudy. Here’s what Bloomberg had to say, “There are lots of threats to you in the world. There’s the threat of a heart attack for genetic reasons. You can’t sit there and worry about everything. Get a life,” he said.” Via Marcia Kramer (WCBSTV.com)

According to court documents, the men sought the help of Jamaat al Muslimeen, or JAM, a Muslim organization based in Trinidad—a known violent group involved in killings, kidnappings and weapons trafficking over the past two decades. [snip] … co-conspirators, two citizens of Guyana and one from Trinidad, are in jail in Trinidad and were expected to fight extradition to New York. (WCBSTV.com)

I will be interested to see what other individuals and countries may be involved. We know that Defreitas was ready to leave the United States to attend meetings in IRAN. This could get interesting.

Originally posted by Debbie at Right Truth 

It’s amazing what a stroll around the blogosphere will produce. Out of the mouths of the enemy:

Calling a Spade a Spade, by the Anti-Jihadist at Pedestrian Infidel:

In one of my past columns at Malaysia Today, I quoted one Ghazi al-Qusaibi, a former Saudi ambassador to London, and who is now a senior minister in the Saudi government. If you recall, he said:

“…flogging, stoning, and amputations are, in Muslim eyes, the core of the Islamic faith.”

Of course, as frequent Malaysia Today writer Mr. Farouk Peru would have it, this minister’s opinion on his own religion is simply the mad, misguided ravings of a lone nut case. Certainly, says Mr. Farouk, how could Mr. al-Qusaibi ever get such quaint, misguided ideas about Islam?

Very well then. Let’s consult the opinions of other well-known and respected authorities in Islam, and see what they have to say about their own religion.

Let’s start with Ayatollah Khomeini, revered and beloved by millions of Muslims.

“We are at war against infidels. Take this message with you. ‘I ask all Islamic nations, all Muslims, all Islamic armies, and all heads of Islamic states to join the Holy War. There are many enemies to be killed or destroyed. Jihad must triumph… Muslims have no alternative… to an armed Holy War against profane governments… Holy War means the conquest of all non-Muslim territories. It will be the duty of every able-bodied adult male to volunteer for this war of conquest, the final aim of which is to put Quranic law in power from one end of the earth to the other.’”

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Al-Qaeda is entering a cease-fire agreement with the Islamic Army in Iraq. What does this mean for the coalition forces? Nothing good. Reuters reports “the two sides had agreed to form a “judicial committee to look into pending issues between the two sides”.

A deal has been reached between the Islamic Army in Iraq and al Qaeda in Iraq that stipulates an immediate end to all military operations between the two sides in all sectors including capture operations,” the Islamic Army in Iraq said in a statement.The two groups — among the main ones fighting U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq — have exchanged accusations over killings and the Islamic Army in Iraq had accused al Qaeda of seeking to dominate through its self-styled Islamic State in Iraq. (Reuters)

Christians under attack again, this time in Kurdistan:

Al-Qaeda has issued a death threat to Christian converts in Kurdistan the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports.”We are hunting those who have converted to Christianity or Zoroastrianism as we consider them renegades and God’s punishment must be implemented by killing them,” the Islamist terrorist group said in a statement released on the internet on April 22.

Al-Qaeda urged Kurds to join the “Mujahedin and hoist the jihad flag against the crusaders who are occupying Iraq, instead of supporting them.” (More at AINA via Dinah Lord here)

Terrorists are still trying to get Russian nuclear material as Vladimir Putin threatens George Bush with nuclear armageddon

Originally posted at Right Truth 

Because terrorists detained in Guantanamo Bay were labeled enemy combatants, rather than “unlawful” enemy combatants, charges were dismissed against two prisoners. U.S. military judges have thrown out terrorism-related charges against, “20-year-old Omar Khadr, charged with the murder of a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan, and Salin Ahmed Hamdan, a Yemeni national who the military says was a driver for Osama bin Laden.” (NPR)

Both trials quickly collapsed when two separate judges dismissed all charges against the men.The rulings hinged on a military decision to designate every detainee at Guantanamo Bay an enemy combatant. But a new law drawn up by Congress last year requires that the prisoners must be unlawful enemy combatants if they are to be tried in a military tribunal.

“Unlawful” is only one word, but one judge said it was a more exacting standard than the military definition. Still, the ruling does not mean Hamdan or Khadr will walk free from Guantanamo.

The term enemy combatant is not enough, the proper term must be unlawful enemy combatant or alien unlawful enemy combatant.

Omar Khadr faced charges he committed murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism and spying.Khadr had been classified as an “enemy combatant” by a military panel years earlier at Guantanamo Bay, but because he was not classified as an “alien unlawful enemy combatant,” Army Col. Peter Brownback said he had no choice but to throw the case out. [snip]

The Military Commissions Act, signed by President Bush last year after the Supreme Court threw out the previous war-crimes trial system, says specifically that only those classified as “unlawful” enemy combatants can face war trials here. (AP)

For lack of a single word, the cases were thrown out.

New York Times: Tribunal System, Newly Righted, Stumbles Again

Washington Post: White House Criticizes Guantanamo Trial Ruling

Originally posted at Right Truth 

It is being reported in the New York Times that Commanders say the push in Baghdad is short of the goal and that commanders are speaking out against the Commander in Chief. But the the New York Times is speaking out of turn, again. Talks between the generals and the President have not, as yet, leaked out into the public. Those in the know say, “Much of what has been written or said to this point is largely speculation by people who weren’t in the discussions.” (also see this)

“In an interview, he said that while military planners had expected to make greater gains by now, that has not been possible in large part because Iraqi police and army units, which were expected to handle basic security tasks, like manning checkpoints and conducting patrols, have not provided all the forces promised, and in some cases have performed poorly.” (Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, Deputy Commander, First Cav., “Commanders Say Push in Baghdad Is Short of Goal,” NYT, 4 June 2007)

How can we judge yet, when all the ’surge’ troops have not yet arrived in Iraq? How can you count your chickens before the eggs have even been laid?

“Let’s, for example look, at the Iraqi battalions. None are at full-strength, only half are operational and even fewer actually do any soldiering. To put it mildly, to say otherwise, is a misrepresentation of fact.” (Albrecht Gero Muth, “The BSP at the 90-Day Marker, A Sadrist/ JAM Perspective,” (UNOFFICIAL) (9 May 2007)

John Murtha on ABC said, “I’ve lost a lot of confidence in many of the military leaders, because they say what the White House wants them to say …”

When asked if Petraeus was included in his lack of confidence, Murtha added, “I’m waiting to see what he has to say. But I am absolutely convinced there has been this overly optimistic picture of what’s going on in Iraq, while the figures show the opposite.”

From those who know:

Clearly on the issue of policy and national level strategy, the military is not going to get out in front of the President. They will continue to render their advice to him in private. The President will decide and the military will execute. Knowing most of these men, it is hard for me to imagine them not being totally candid in their assessments and advice. They know the consequences for soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors; for the region; and for this Nation. (source withheld)

John Murtha also tried to link the John F. Kennedy airport terror plot to … Iraq. (video here)

NewsBusters says, “In reality, Murtha was brought on to counter the “things are getting better” in Iraq after the surge viewpoint expressed by the previous guest, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. (video available here)”

GEORGE STEPHANOPLIS, HOST: … You believe that these homegrown terrorist plots are being inspired by the U.S. work in Iraq right now?JOHN MURTHA, CONGRESSMAN: Absolutely. George, they were inspired by them all over the world. Our presence in Iraq, our occupation in Iraq, gives these people the inspiration. Now, we didn’t have this problem before, they came from Afghanistan. But, now we even have it in the United States. So, I’m absolutely convinced that this is the kind of thing that inspires these people.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But we did have 9/11 before we went into Iraq.

MURTHA: Yeah, we had 9/11, but that came from Afghanistan. There was no, there was no al Qaeda in Iraq. We don’t even know how many al Qaeda are in Iraq right now. For instance, we think a couple of thousand. They’ll take care of al Qaeda. They’ll get rid of al Qaeda. Our presence is inspiring them to recruit people all over the world. This is the problem we have.

Hot Air:

And never mind that the 9/11 plot which Murtha claims came “from Afghanistan” didn’t involve any actual people who were, you know, from Afghanistan.Spanky’s got his story and he’s sticking to it. I’ll let Tony Blair answer via his piece in the Economist,

In “Recipe For Iraq: Slice, Dice, And Serve With Rice“, R.J. Godlewski says, “Not a single member of the Democratic Party’s parade of presidential hopefuls even dares look at the prospects for victory.”

If the surge fails to produce results, then it is because the Iraqi people haven’t stepped up to the plate. This means that our next step must be one in which we pull away from traditional counterinsurgency practice – that is, we abandon the “hearts and minds” approach and concentrate on the “raw application of power” that even the most stoical individual can relate to.If the surge fails, I suggest that we pull our troops back to seal (like in hermetically) the country’s borders – primarily that with Iran and Syria – and forfeit any significant troop presence within the cities. Once we’ve basically isolated the nation from the rest of the world, we begin to slice wide swaths of “depopulated” zones horizontally through the country. By this, I mean, that we create areas that are devoid of anything and enforce this… [snip]

One, we isolate Iraq from its meddling neighbors and impose strict quarantine on what goes in and out of the country. Two, we take out everyone who is a threat to peace and security, even if it is only a political wannabe like Muqtada al-Sadr. Third, we rebuild Iraq into a beacon of all that’s good with free trade, free enterprise, and free from corruption. Iraq can exist as a free democracy working together to build a stable nation in the Middle East or it should become an example of what will happen if we lose our patience. The choice is definitely theirs to make.
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I’m not sure what Murtha would say about that. He would probably go on the talk show circuit and be the toast of the anti-war crowd — again.

Originally posted at Right Truth