Wednesday, August 20, 2014
US and UK Agents Work to ID Executioner in Beheading Video
I Fear Our Panic[-]stricken Politicians Are Leading Us into Another Bloody Shambles in Iraq, Says General Sir Michael Rose
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| General Sir Michael Rose led the UN forces in Bosnia |
Like panic-stricken rabbits caught in the headlights, our political leaders do not appear to know which way to go.
The only thing that they do know is that something must be done. But developing a viable, effective strategy against the brutal campaign of the Islamic State has, so far, clearly been beyond their competence.
Although I strongly believe that military intervention must be instigated only as a matter of last resort and I firmly opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003, I am convinced that there is a powerful moral — and practical — case for intervening now against the Islamic State.
For what we are witnessing is the terrible consequences of the so-called Arab Spring, so naively celebrated by our leaders just a few months ago.
As I have watched and read news reports from this embattled and disintegrating region, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that we must intervene to protect the lives of Iraqis and hold back the rising tide of the Islamic State. Read on and comment » | General Sir Michael Rose | Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Norwegian Mass Murderer Anders Breivik's Father to Publish Book
The father of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik will publish a book entitled, My Fault? A Father's Story, on his role in the life of the killer, his publisher has announced.
In an excerpt released on Wednesday, Jens Breivik writes: "I feel some guilt and I feel some responsibility. What would have happened if I had been a better father? Would Anders have done what he did?" » | Agence France-Press in Oslo | Wednesday, August 20, 2014
‘ISIS Is Enemy No. 1 of Islam,’ Says Saudi Grand Mufti
"The ideas of extremism, radicalism and terrorism ... have nothing to do with Islam and (their proponents) are the enemy number one of Islam," the kingdom's top cleric said in a statement[.]
He cited militants from ISIS, which has declared a "caliphate" straddling parts of Iraq and Syria, and the global al-Qaeda terror network.
Last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia donated $100 million to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) to help combat terrorism. » | Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Caliphate of Fear: The Curse of the Islamic State
In Raqqa, Syria, the Islamic State's "caliphate" has already become a reality. All women in the city are required to wear the niqab veil and pants are banned. Thieves have their hands hacked off and opponents are publicly crucified or beheaded, with the images of these horrific acts then posted on social networks.
The few hair salons that are still open are required to black out the pictures of women on the packaging for hair dye solutions. Weddings are only permitted to take place without music. And at livestock markets, the hindquarters of goats and sheep must be covered in order to prevent men from viewing their genitalia and having uncomely thoughts.
Any person caught out on the street during the five daily prayer times is risking his or her life.
The jihadists with the Islamic State, or IS, are acting out their fantasies of omnipotence in the name of God. They're murdering, torturing and forcing families to give their daughters away for marriage to Islamist fighters coming in from abroad. One girl whose family agreed to marry her off took her own life. » | Spiegel Staff | Tuesday, August 19, 2014
British Extremists among 'Most Vicious' in Isis, Expert Says
British extremists are among the "most vicious and vociferous fighters" in Islamic State (Isis) ranks in Syria and Iraq, a jihadism expert has said.
Sunni Muslims from the UK are taking part in the conflicts "in every way", according to Shiraz Maher from King's College London's International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation.
That includes acting as suicide bombers and executioners, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday after a video purporting to show a US journalist being beheaded by an Isis fighter with a British accent was placed online.
The black-clothed and masked man, who spoke with traces of a London accent, threatened bloodshed in the gruesome video, accusing America of plotting against Muslims and interfering in their affairs before taking a knife to his victim's throat. » | Press Association | Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Islamic State Vows to 'Break the American Cross'
The video with the theme "breaking of the American cross" boasts Islamic State will emerge victorious over "crusader" America. It follows a video posted on Monday warning of attacks on American targets if Washington struck against its fighters in Iraq and Syria.
The latest footage speaks of a holy war between the al-Qaeda offshoot and the United States, which occupied Iraq for nearly a dacade [sic] and faced stiff resistance from al Qaeda. » | Rueters | Reporting by Michael Georgy; editing by Ralph Boulton | Wednesday, August 20, 2014
HT: Robert Spencer @ Jihad Watch »
Anti-Semitism in Britain: "Sit Up and Take Notice"
It is never the person who commits these sorts of crimes that is held morally responsible by Britain's media or politicians. That honor is reserved for a nation over 2,000 miles away, Israel.
What if Christians objecting to the genocide being carried out by ISIS in Iraq, say, went around in mobs violently menacing Muslim businesses?
A striking feature of the rising tide of anti-Semitism in Britain is the silence with which the country's leaders are choosing to respond to a growing climate of hatred and intimidation, directed not only at Jews themselves, but increasingly anything remotely Jewish.
According to a report published in July by the Community Security Trust, a charity established to ensure the safety of the Jewish community in 1994, even though four out of every five anti-Semitic attacks usually take place "in the main Jewish centers of Greater London and Greater Manchester," violent assaults against Jews and symbols of Judaism are also now taking place nationwide. » | George Igler | Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Mother: Jim Foley Died Trying to Expose Suffering in Syria
ISIS Beheads American Journalist in Video
Hunt Begins for 'British' Islamic State Executioner of US Journalist James Foley
Intelligence agencies are trying to identify the executioner of American journalist James Foley after he spoke with what appeared to be an English accent.
The Islamic State jihadi, clad all in black with his face covered, addressed the camera during a five-minute video and delivered an anti-American rant in what appeared to be an accent from London or southern England.
It will raise fears about the role of extremists from the UK in Islamic State, which now controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
One tweet from an account dedicated to the "upcoming conquest of the Americas" described the man as a "foreign muhaji, British, who climbed the ranks and shook America to its knees." However, it was unclear if the author knew his identity or was simply responding to media reports.
In the video the masked man points a knife at the camera with his left hand and says: "This is James Wright Foley, an American citizen, of your country. As a government, you have been at the forefront of the aggression towards the Islamic State.
"Today, your military air force is attacking us daily in Iraq...any attempt by you, Obama, to deny the Muslims their rights of living in safety under the Islamic Caliphate will result in the bloodshed of your people." » | Nick Allen and Philip Sherwell | Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Removing Kosher Food from Shelves Is Giving In to Hatred
Terrorism takes many forms. But whether it is Islamist extremists on the streets of London or IS beheadings in Syria and Iraq, it has one common thread – it is designed to instil such fear that a society or community changes its very way of life.
On Saturday, a branch of Sainsbury’s removed all kosher food from its shelves over fears that anti-Israel protesters picketing outside would attack the shop. Compared with the impact of the 7/7 murders, Sainsbury’s behaviour was certainly banal. But it was more than that, because in its way it was both giving in to, and colluding with, a form of terrorism.
In response to those protesters outside Sainsbury’s Holborn branch calling for a boycott of its Israeli goods, the manager ordered his staff to clear the shop of all its kosher goods. Clearly the manager is not the brightest spark in the firmament, since kosher produce – which is the only food observant Jews are allowed to eat – is not the same as Israeli produce – which is simply food produced in Israel. The kosher produce in the shop was apparently made in the UK and Poland, and had never been near Israel. » | Stephen Pollard* | Tuesday, August 19, 2014
* Stephen Pollard is editor of 'The Jewish Chronicle’
Islamic State Claim They Have Beheaded Kidnapped Journalist James Foley
Jihadist group the Islamic State have claimed to have executed American journalist James Foley in revenge for US air strikes against its fighters in Iraq.
The Islamist group released a video showing a masked militant purportedly beheading the reporter, who has been missing since he was seized by armed men in Syria in November 2012. » | Agencies | Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Britain Is Target for Islamic State Warns Former MI6 Chief
Britain’s history in the Middle East makes it a target for Islamic State terrorists and it must deal with the threat from jihadists for “some considerable time to come”, a former deputy head of MI6 has warned.
Nigel Inkster said Britain’s role drawing up the modern map of the region made it a target for the Islamic militants who want to wipe away those borders for a new religious state.
But he said there is no case for America or Britain to send troops into Iraq to help the Baghdad government defeat fighters who have seized swathes of the country.
A “small but potentially significant” number of British and Europeans jihadists who can easily travel to the UK are already fighting in Iraq and Syria.
He said: “From a longer term perspective, I think the Islamic State would see it as part of its strategy to undertake attacks against former colonial powers.” » | Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent | Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Why Western Democracy Can Never Work in the Middle East
As I write, the immediate crisis on Mount Sinjar appears to have been resolved but the appalling scenes which have dominated our television screens in recent weeks and the graphic reports in newspapers have galvanised public opionion. People demand that we do all in our power to help the Christians and the Yasidis who are being so viciously persecuted. And they are right to do so. This is a problem that will not go away. One million people have been displaced since Islamic State militants took over swathes of Northern Iraq. Yesterday, the governor of Dohuk province warned of a “genocide”, as hundreds of thousands sought refuge there.
So what exactly is in our power? This requires a realistic appraisal of the situation on the ground and of our capacity to change it. Certainly, the situation across the Middle East is now more chaotic and dangerous than it has been for half a century.
The enthusiasm of yester-year for the “Arab Spring” has proved entirely misguided. It has led to chaos in Egypt and anarchy in Libya. Those determined to be “on the right side of history” now find themselves on the wrong side of the argument. Democracy is empathically not the solution for extremely complex societies and Western meddling only makes matters immeasurably worse. The fundamental reason for our failure is that democracy, as we understand it, simply doesn’t work in Middle Eastern countries where family, tribe, sect and personal friendships trump the apparatus of the state. These are certainly not societies governed by the rule of law. On the contrary, they are better described as “favour for favour” societies. When you have a problem of any kind, you look for someone related to you by family, tribe or region to help you out and requests are most unlikely to be refused since these ties are especially powerful. In countries where there is no effective social security, your future security lies only in the often extensive family. Read on and comment » | By Andrew Green*, former Ambassador to Syria and to Saudi Arabia | Saturday, August 16, 2014
* Sir Andrew Green is a former Ambassador to Syria and to Saudi Arabia
Islam: The Enemy of Democracy and Freedom » | Mark Alexander | Friday, April 20, 2007
Exiled Archbishop of Mosul: ‘I Have Lost My Diocese to Islam; You in the West Will Also Become Victims of Muslims’
“Our sufferings today are the prelude of those you, Europeans and Western Christians, will also suffer in the near future,” said Archbishop Amel Shimoun Nona in an interview by Corriere della Sera. “I lost my diocese. The physical setting of my apostolate has been occupied by Islamic radicals who want us converted or dead. But my community is still alive.” Read on and comment » | Dr. Susan Berry | Monday, August 18, 2014
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