Christmas Day Bomber Shown Shooting Union Jack in Training Video

TIMES ONLINE: A video showing the failed Christmas Day plane bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab training with al-Qaeda in Yemen has been broadcast on America’s ABC television.

The video, which shows the 23-year-old Nigerian and other militants shooting at targets that include a Union Jack, a Jewish star and one labelled UN, appears to support Mr Abdulmutallab’s statements to American intelligence that there are “others like me” training in the Yemen to carry out attacks aginst Western targets.

Mr Abdulmutallab is charged with attempting to bring down a Detroit bound airliner on Christams Day by detonating explosives hidden in his underwear. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges but has been cooperating with US intelligence agencies interviewing him, discussing his contacts in Yemen and providing intelligence in multiple terrorism investigations, according to US officials.

He is shown on the tape making an apparent martyrdom statement in Arabic, justifying his actions as part of a battle against: “the enemy is in your lands with their armies, the Jews and the Christians and their agents.”

He also reads several passages from the Koran, adding “God said if you do not fight back, He will punish you and replace you.”
According to ABC News, which obtained and broadcast the tape on Monday, the video was produced by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. >>> Times Online | Tuesday, April 27, 2010

British-run Orphanage in Bangladesh 'Is Islamist Training Camp'
Green Crescent madrassa and orphanage was being used as a training camp for Islamic militants. Photo courtesy of TimesONline
TIMESONLINE: An orphanage run by a British charity in Bangladesh has been raided by local security forces who say that it was being used as a training camp and arms factory for Islamic militants.

The Rapid Action Battalion said today that it had arrested four people, including a teacher and three caretakers, and was searching for the head of the charity, a British citizen known only as Faisal.

The arrests came after a raid yesterday on the Green Crescent madrassa and orphanage on the remote southern island of Bhola, Lt Col Munir Haque, an officer involved in the operation, told The Times.

“We found small arms – about nine or 10 in total – plus equipment to make small arms, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two walkie-talkies, two remote control devices and four sets of army uniforms,” he said.

“We also found enough explosives and other equipment to make several hundred grenades. We found some ordinary Islamic books, but others that are in line with extremists like bin Laden.” >>> | Wednesday, March 25, 2009