"Pigs Fly Moment" - Arab World Precedent: Bahrain Adds Hizbullah To List Of Terrorist Organizations.

HT: Memri.By: R. Goldberg, (Other) On April 7, 2013, the Bahraini government approved a proposal by parliament to compile a list of terrorist organizations and to enter Hizbullah onto it, and ordered the interior and foreign ministries to take steps to implement this resolution. This is an unprecedented move in the Arab world, which comes after the exposure of terrorist cells and attacks in Bahrain that are attributed to this Lebanese Shi'ite organization, and following Shi'ite protests in the kingdom that began in February 2011, which the Bahraini government claimed had been guided and funded by Iran and Hizbullah. The Bahraini authorities' fear of involvement in the country by Hizbullah and Iran stems from their fear that Iran could use Bahrain's largely Shi'ite population to take over the country and make it an "Iranian province." In this context, it should be mentioned that a July 2007 article published by the editor of the Iranian daily Kayhan, Hossein Shariatmadari, stated, among other things, that "Bahrain is part of Iran's soil, having been separated from it through an illegal conspiracy [spawned] by... Shah [Pahlavi, in conjunction with] the American and British governments. The principal demand of the Bahraini people today is to return this province, which was separated from Iran, to its mother, Islamic Iran..."[1]The Bahraini government press praised Hizbullah's inclusion in the list of terrorist organizations and saw it as "the fulfillment of a popular demand;" conversely, the Shi'ite opposition, led by the Al-Wefaq movement, condemned the move, claiming that the Bahraini regime is the one that uses terrorism against the Bahraini people and against those demanding reforms. It should be mentioned that Iran also condemned the Bahraini move, but Hizbullah itself has yet to comment.
Following the Bahraini decision, voices were heard calling for the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to take a similar step, and the Bahraini parliament speaker disclosed that such a move is, in fact, being considered. ....and Europe still thinks Hezbolls is a charity organization.(MORE)

Victorious Lebanese Cage Fighter Brandishes Hizbullah Flag in the U.S. - Naharnet

Social networking websites were buzzing Wednesday with supportive and critical comments about a video showing Lebanese cage fighter Mohammed Ali victoriously brandishing a Hizbullah flag after delivering the knockout punch to his foe in the 11th Cage Fighting Championship held in the U.S.
Ali shouted “Ya Hussein (O Hussein)”, invoking the blessings of 7th century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein, before serving the final blow.
The video then shows the Lebanese warrior’s entourage jubilantly entering the cage and one of them handing him the flag of Hizbullah, which is classified as a “terrorist organization” by Washington.
Afterwards, Ali triumphantly raises the flag and waves it to the cheering spectators present at the arena.

Offbeat via naharnet.com

Why is anyone shocked? Hezbollah is the government in Lebanon. It is only the West that pretends otherwise so that they can spend tax dollars on giving these guys weapons.

Hezbollah Cuba

IBD Editorial:

...According to a report in Italy’s respected Corriere della Sera Wednesday, three Hezbollah terrorists operating out of Mexico have left that country to establish a permanent “bridgehead” to the communist island, calling their clandestine operation “The Caribbean Dossier.”...Twenty-three other terrorists from the Iran-linked terror group are expected to join the operation, which has a startup budget of more than $500,000. Corriere reported that the mission in Cuba is to provide logistical support for upcoming terrorist attacks planned in the hemisphere.
This is what “state sponsor of terrorism” means, which is how the U.S. accurately classified this odious regime since 1982, even as Cuba’s leftist apologists have dismissed it, claiming Cuba is no threat...The Italian newspaper reported that Hezbollah might be planning a major attack against Israeli targets in the Western Hemisphere in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s chief assassin, Imad Mughniyeh, in Damascus in 2008. Mughniyeh was a Hezbollah terrorist leader implicated in the two huge attacks in Buenos Aires in the 1990s on Jewish targets — strikes that remain unpunished.

The Guardian’s “Respected American Academic”: Noam Chomsky

“The respected (?????) American academic Noam Chomsky has written to the Guardian to condemn government plans to deport the Palestinian activist Sheikh Raed Salah.”

Chomsky’s record is famously rich, but one of his more egregious actions was his decision to spend a week visiting Hizbollah in Lebanon in 2006, which included a meeting with Hassan Nasrallah who, weeks later, rained over 4,000 rockets down on northern Israel, killing dozens of civilians. During the visit, Hizbullah’s ‘Al Manar’ TV station quoted Chomsky as saying:

“Hizbullah’s insistence on keeping its arms is justified… I think Nasrallah has a reasoned argument and [a] persuasive argument that they [the arms] should be in the hands of Hizbullah as a deterrent to potential aggression, and there is plenty of background reasons for that. So until, I think his position [is] reporting it correctly and it seems to me [a] reasonable position, is that until there is a general political settlement in the region, [and] the threat of aggression and violence is reduced or eliminated, there has to be a deterrent, and the Lebanese army can’t be a deterrent.” h/t cifwatch.com

...and the Leftists I meet keep telling me that Chomsky is too old to take seriously and irrelevant.
image via Noam Chomsky on Venezuela @guardian.co.uk

"When human rights came, they saw our jails, they left, and they
said: Jails are good. Civilized, in accordance with democratic, because
the logic is Islamic logic." -Ayatollah Khomeini (Qom, August 19, 1979) note this was found in a place that has quotes that contradict in many issues. 

"Can an interrogator rape the prisoner in order to obtain a confession?" was the follow-up question posed to the Islamic cleric. Mesbah-Yazdi answered: "The necessary precaution is for the interrogator to perform a ritual washing first and say prayers while raping the prisoner. If the prisoner is female, it is permissible to rape through the vagina or anus. It is better not to have a witness present. If it is a male prisoner, then it's acceptable for someone else to watch while the rape is committed." This reply, and reports of the rape of teen male prisoners in Iranian jails, may have prompted the following question: "Is the rape of men and young boys considered sodomy?" Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi: "No, because it is not consensual. Of course, if the prisoner is aroused and enjoys the rape, then caution must be taken not to repeat the rape.""  Islam really is the Religion of Piece (of Ass)! One aspect of these permitted rapes troubled certain questioners: "What if the female prisoner gets pregnant? Is the child considered illegitimate?" Mesbah-Yazdi answered: "The child borne to any weakling [a denigrating term for women - ed.] who is against the Supreme Leader is considered illegitimate, be it a result of rape by her interrogator or through intercourse with her husband, according to the written word in the Koran. However, if the child is raised by the jailer, then the child is considered a legitimate Shi'a Muslim."" 

"Asked if a confession obtained "by applying psychological, emotional and physical pressure" was "valid and considered credible according to Islam," Mesbah-Yazdi replied: "Getting a confession from any person who is against the Velayat-e Faqih ("Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists", or the regime of Iran's mullahs) is permissible under any condition." The ayatollah gave the identical answer when asked about confessions obtained through drugging the prisoner with opiates or addictive substances. "Can an interrogator rape the prisoner in order to obtain a confession?" was the follow-up question posed to the Islamic cleric. Mesbah-Yazdi answered: "The necessary precaution is for the interrogator to perform a ritual washing first and say prayers while raping the prisoner. If the prisoner is female, it is permissible to rape through the vagina or anus. It is better not to have a witness present. If it is a male prisoner, then it's acceptable for someone else to watch while the rape is committed." This reply, and reports of the rape of teen male prisoners in Iranian jails, may have prompted the following question: "Is the rape of men and young boys considered sodomy?" Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi: "No, because it is not consensual. Of course, if the prisoner is aroused and enjoys the rape, then caution must be taken not to repeat the rape.""

...it is almost like the Iranians were Liberals. it's only marriage after all.

"In the Islamic Republic it is illegal to execute a young woman, regardless of her crime, if she is a virgin, he explained. Therefore a "wedding" ceremony is conducted the night before the execution: The young girl is forced to have sexual intercourse with a prison guard - essentially raped by her "husband." "I regret that, even though the marriages were legal," he said. Why the regret, if the marriages were "legal?" "Because," he went on, "I could tell that the girls were more afraid of their 'wedding' night than of the execution that awaited them in the morning. And they would always fight back, so we would have to put sleeping pills in their food. By morning the girls would have an empty expression; it seemed like they were ready or wanted to die. "I remember hearing them cry and scream after [the rape] was over," he said. "I will never forget how this one girl clawed at her own face and neck with her finger nails afterwards. She had deep scratches all over her." "

...Ahmadinejad's Spiritual Advisor says, "Raping Prisoners Is OK But Wash Your Hands First".

Lebanese protester admits Hezbollah paid him to get shot by the IDF

How did The Guardian allow this nugget of truth to pass through their eagle-eyed editors? Agreed, it is published four weeks too late, but still...

The village of Maroun al-Ras was the scene of widespread violence on 15 May when up to 10 demonstrators were shot dead as they rallied near the fence that separates Lebanon and Israel. Up to 1,000 demonstrators arrived at the area in buses to mark "Nakba day", the Palestinian name for the day Israel was formed in 1948.

One demonstrator who was wounded that day told the Guardian the Lebanese militia Hezbollah had given him $50 to turn up at the border and $900 to have his gunshot wounds treated by physicians. He said he had been planning to return to Maroun al-Ras yesterday until the rally was cancelled.

Why has the media been so reluctant to report on the theatre behind these demonstrations, and the incentive given by Arab leaders to injure or kill demonstrators that they hand-picked? Today's Syrian border demonstration was broadcast, live, on multiple Israeli TV channels, and the inflated and fake casualties were obvious to all - except, apparently, every single non-Israeli reporter in the area.

(h/t Yerushalimey)

via elderofziyon.blogspot.com

Hezbullah planned attack on Israeli borders with Lebanon and Syria on May 15

what is it with these Euros?

...Lenny Ben David presents evidence that Hezbullah was behind the invasions of Israel's borders with Syria and Lebanon on May 15. In the link are excerpts from an article written by one of the Maroun al Ras participants, Nour Samaha (picture), a 28-year-old Swiss-Lebanese freelance writer based in Beirut. Presumably, Israeli security officials are studying similar photographs and the accounts of the May 15 attack on Israel's borders in preparation for the next onslaught.  Read the whole thing via israelmatzav.blogspot.com

Libyan rebels arming Hamas and Hezbullah?

Let's Remind Libya of this Next Year: WMDs

Ayesha Gadhafi, the daughter of you know who, is accusing the Libyan rebels of arming Hamas and Hezbullah.

Remember when she was Saddam Hussein's lawyer?

Aisha Qaddafi, daughter of Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, has claimed that rebel forces in Libya have sold weapons to Hamas and Hizbullah. She made the claims in an interview with the New York Times that was published Tuesday.
Similar claims were made last week by DEBKA, which reported that leader rebel officers had sold chemical shells from Libyan stocks they had seized. I wonder why she is saying this. Surely she doesn't think Israel is going to intervene to save her father?

via israelmatzav.blogspot.com

I remember that DEBKA. I have a feeling I will hear of it again

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

Wikileaks: Assad not bluffing, nearly shot chem weapons at Israel

OMG...

The headline of this Wikileaks disclosure is that Bashar al-Assad considered shooting chemical weapons at Israel in the aftermath of the destruction of his al-Kibar nuclear plant in 2007. But it's not the headline to which Israelis should pay attention in this story. It's the rest of it.

According to these documents, Israeli and American intelligence analysts met here in November 2009 and their deliberations produced four separate debriefings from the US Embassy to Washington.
From these it emerges that the Mossad is convinced that Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah is determined to fire as many as 400-600 rockets daily in the next round of hostilities with Israel, 100 of which will be aimed each day at Tel Aviv.
That war, estimate Mossad experts, could last for as long as two months, meaning that as many as 24,000- 36,000 missiles – 6,000 targeting Tel Aviv specifically – could be rained upon Israel from the north alone.
How the Hamas Iranian proxy would behave during that conflict is an unaddressed complication in the deeply worrying equation.
These are not speculative doomsday predictions which we can afford to repress in the far recesses of our collective consciousness. They become all the more relevant in the face of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s teetering position as he strives to hang on to power.
For one thing, the leaked information consistently reinforces allegations that, contrary to its international undertakings, Syria has continued supplying Hezbollah with ballistic missiles, including Scuds. The leaks further indicate that North Korea is stoking the regional arms build-up by providing missile systems to both Syria and Iran, which in turn sustain Hezbollah and Hamas.
The bottom line, in the Syrian context, is that Assad sits on a particularly large and nasty arsenal. Both his late father and he had practiced self-control, making their border with Israel exceedingly quiet to date, while transferring the confrontational brunt to the Lebanese and Gazan fronts. In other words, while the Assad regime had itself avoided open warfare with Israel, it was the nefarious catalyst actively fomenting trouble elsewhere.
It is in part because of his capacity for trouble-making, indeed, that the US has thus far refrained from openly calling for Assad’s removal. The conventional wisdom in Washington is that a relatively stable Syria will help facilitate the American exit from Iraq.

Sorry folks, but that's letting the tail wag the dog. Setting a deadline for a US withdrawal from Iraq was a stupid move in the first place, as was the notion of making Afghanistan the 'good war' and Iraq the 'bad war' for which George Bush was to be blamed. There is no way there can be an 'orderly withdrawal' from Iraq now. Given everything else that is going on in the region, a US withdrawal from Iraq would put it under Syrian or Iranian hegemony (or both) in about a week.

Yet assuming, for argument’s sake, that Assad does not survive the mounting challenges to his rule, into whose hands would his formidable weapons and rocket stockpiles fall? One may disbelieve certain details and incidentals in individual WikiLeaks texts, but their entirety eminently accords with what had been evident from Damascus for too long. Assad has amassed and controls particularly deadly weaponry. For Israel, Assad is a cunning enemy. The danger is that he may well be supplanted by even more malicious, yet less restrained enemies.

Actually, as cruel as it may sound, we here in Israel may be better off if the ethnic groups in Syria kill each other in a bloodbath as Israeli experts on Syria are predicting will happen if Assad is deposed. If they're busy killing each other, they will be too busy to go to war with us. If Assad is deposed, the IDF can neglect Syria and concentrate on destroying Hezbullah's capabilities in Lebanon. No, it won't be a walk in the park, but the IDF is certainly capable of handling Hezbullah. And at least if Tel Aviv is under fire (and it may be under fire from Hamas as well), you can bet that the IDF won't hold back. Goldstone will be a distant memory. The open question is what Hamas will do in response and whether Egypt will respond at all.

via israelmatzav.blogspot.com

sounds good to me! go at it guys!

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

Hizballah in Venezuela: The Man Who Knows Too Much

Obama has destroyed the ability to influence it's allies. note Columbia will not extradite a Syrian drug lord to the U.S.... even though he wants to go... because he has information on Hezbollah selling drugs with Chavistan help. not just low level. Chavez wants to torture and kill this Syrian so Walid Makled doesn't rat him out.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's biggest problem was named Walid Makled. The Colombian government just confirmed, however, in an announcement from its Minister of the Interior and Justice, Hermán Vargas, that Venezuelan drug trafficker Walid Makled -- wanted by both Washington and Caracas -- will be extradited to Venezuela, not to Washington as the US had hoped.
This is a big victory of Venezuela over the US. Colombia, which had been the main ally of the US in Latin America, had good reason to feel abandoned by the Obama Administration and preferred to pursue its own interest with Venezuela. The Obama administration has still not ratified the free-trade agreements with Colombia; and President Obama avoided visiting Colombia on his recent, first Latin American tour.
Makled made it clear that he wanted to be extradited to the U.S., and has said he would give answers to most questions only to the U.S. prosecutor. Given the policy of rapprochement between the two Latin American countries, however, it seems that the Colombian government preferred to extradite Makled to Venezuela, where the wealth of information that Makled could have provided on drug trafficking, on Chavez's links with terrorism and on Hezbollah's operations in South America will be lost for good. The Venezuelan regime can now easily "silence" the drug kingpin, who fears for his life.
Makled, alias "El Arabe," a Syrian-born Venezuelan citizen, labelled by the U.S. government one of the world's top three drug kingpins, was arrested in Colombia last August in a joint operation of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Colombian police. Ever since, he has become the object of battle between the United States and Venezuela: both countries were asking for Makled's extradition to their soil.
Makled, whom the US Drug Enforcement Agency has accused of shipping up to 10 tons of cocaine a month from Venezuela to the United States, acknowledged bribing and collaborating with highest officials of Venezuela's government — including the general-in-chief, the head of military intelligence, the commander of the Navy and some 40 generals.
In the many interviews Makled has given from his prison in Colombia, he says he has videotapes and other evidence documenting his transactions with Venezuelan generals and senior government officials, provincial governors, members of Venezuelan Congress, cabinet secretaries. He describes making payments of about $1 million a month to Venezuelan high-ranking civilian and military officials. "If I am a drug trafficker, everyone in the Chavez government is drug trafficker," Makled has said.
Further, Makled claims to have information on Chavez's help to Hezbollah and other Middle Eastern terrorist groups operating in the Venezuelan soil. Makled stated in an interview that Hezbollah is "absolutely" active in Venezuela. He also has information on the flights between Venezuela and Teheran -- a serious source of concern for the US.
As the Washington Post puts it: "The Obama administration is about to lose an extraordinary opportunity to prosecute one of the world's biggest drug traffickers. It will fail to break up a network that annually smuggles hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States. And it will miss delivering a devastating blow to the most dedicated U.S. adversary in Latin America, Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez."

via hudson-ny.org

image via connect.in.com

Obama pisses off allies. Why would Columbia cooperate with him?

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

Turkey Arrests 40 al-Qaeda & Turkish Hezbollah Terrorists

Turkish police detained 40 suspected members of al Qaida and the Turkish Islamist militant group Hezbollah in raids in Istanbul on Tuesday, state media said.

State-run TRT channel said among the detainees was Halis Bayancuk, whom the channel identified as the head of al Qaida's branch in Turkey. State-run Anatolian news agency said operations were under way in a number of Turkish provinces.
Turkish police often arrest suspected Islamist militants and describe them as having links to al Qaida, though details seldom emerge.
...Turkish Hezbollah has no links to the Lebanese Shi'ite group. It was broken up and its leaders were arrested in 2000 after police unearthed the bodies of more than 60 people the group had tortured to death in raids across the country.

via CHALLAH @ Reuters

Eleven people have appeared in court in the southern province of Gaziantep in a series of hearings regarding alleged Hizbullah members. Detainees include four people who are the heads of a variety of nongovernmental organizations. (Hurriyetdailynews; DHA photo)

WikiLeaks: Turkey, Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism

Combating terrorism has long been a priority for the Government of Turkey (GOT). In its early and strong support of the coalition in the global war against terror and its subsequent taking-over of ISAF leadership, the GOT has reaffirmed its commitment to fighting domestic and international terrorism.

---

Source: WikiLeaks

2002-11-15 T12:40:00
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 008305
S/CT FOR REAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2012
TAGS: PTER, TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT
REF: STATE 201772
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY DCM ROBERT S. DEUTSCH; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)
.
——–
OVERVIEW
——–
2. (U) COMBATING TERRORISM HAS LONG BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY (GOT). IN ITS EARLY AND STRONG SUPPORT OF THE COALITION IN THE GLOBAL WAR AGAINST TERROR AND ITS SUBSEQUENT TAKING-OVER OF ISAF LEADERSHIP, THE GOT HAS REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. DOMESTIC AND TRANSNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS HAVE TARGETED TURKS AND FOREIGNERS, OCCASIONALLY INCLUDING USG PERSONNEL, FOR OVER 40 YEARS. INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TERRORIST GROUPS OPERATING IN TURKEY INCLUDE MARXIST-LENINIST, RADICAL ISLAMIST, SEPARATIST, AND PRO-CHECHEN. IN RESPONSE TO THESE THREATS, GOT HAS DEVELOPED BOTH STRONG DETERMINATION AND THE CAPABILITY TO FIGHT TERRORISM. TURKEY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE USG’S INTERNATIONAL, COORDINATED APPROACH.
3. (U) FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, TURKEY’S INTERNAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ALTERED THEIR OPERATING PROCEDURES. WITH THE WORLD PUBLIC OPINION STRONGLY AGAINST TERRORISM AND THE GLOBAL COALITION INCREASING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ENTERED INTO A PERIOD OF LITTLE OR NO ACTION. ACTING AS INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS, MANY OF THESE GROUPS HAVE REVERTED TO RECRUITMENT OF SUPPORTERS AND STRATEGY PLANNING. U.S. DESIGNATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
4. (U) ON OCTOBER 8, 1997, THE SECRETARY OF STATE NAMED THE SEPARATIST KURDISTAN WORKERS’ PARTY (PKK) AND THE MARXIST-LENINIST REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE’S PARTY/FRONT (DHKP/C, FORMERLY KNOWN AS REVOLUTIONARY LEFT, DEV-SOL), MAKING THEM SUBJECT TO THE ANTI-TERRORISM AND EFFECTIVE DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1996. ON OCTOBER 11, 2001, THE SECRETARY OF STATE RENEWED THOSE DESIGNATIONS FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS. (THE PKK HAS SINCE CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK.) MARXIST-LENINIST
5. (U) THE MAIN RADICAL-LEFT TERROR ORGANIZATION, DHKP/C, CONDUCTS SMALL-SCALE OPERATIONS AGAINST TURKS AND FOREIGNERS ALIKE (ARMED ATTACKS ON UNIFORMED POLICE, SUICIDE AND OTHER BOMBINGS, ASSASSINATIONS). THIS ORGANIZATION HAS NOT CONDUCTED ANY MAJOR EVENTS WITHIN TURKEY IN 2002, ALTHOUGH IT CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE ITSELF, PREDOMINANTLY WITHIN EUROPE. ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES, DHKP/C COOPERATES WITH OTHER GROUPS IN EUROPE BY PROVIDING SUPPORT, SHELTER, AND ARMS TO EACH OTHER’S ORGANIZATIONS. TURKISH AUTHORITIES SEIZED DHKP/C WEAPONS FROM A CAR AT THE KAPIKULE BORDER IN SEPTEMBER 2002. THESE WEAPONS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE USED IN OPERATIONS CAUSING DISTURBANCES PRIOR TO THE TURKISH NATIONAL ELECTIONS HELD IN NOVEMBER 2002.
6. (U) OTHER FAR-LEFT TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS STILL ACTIVE INCLUDE THE TURKISH COMMUNIST PARTY/MARXIST-LENINIST (TKP/ML), THE TURKISH WORKERS’ AND PEASANTS LIBERATION ARMY (TIKKO), AND THE MARXIST-LENINIST COMMUNIST PARTY (MLKP). TKP/ML AND TIKKO PRIMARILY OPERATE IN THE AREAS OF ORDU, TOKAT, AND SAMSUN. MLKP CONDUCTS SMALL-SCALE TERRORIST OPERATIONS, USUALLY USING PIPE BOMBS, WITHIN METROPOLITAN AREAS. RADICAL ISLAMIST
7. (U) THE PRIME, RADICAL ISLAMIST TERROR GROUP OF TURKEY IS THE TURKISH HIZBULLAH. ALTHOUGH KNOWN TO FIGHT RIVALS, NAMELY THE PKK AND OTHER RIVAL ISLAMIC GROUPS, IN FAVOR OF CONFRONTATIONS WITH AUTHORITIES, TURKISH HIZBULLAH HAS NOT CARRIED OUT ANY MAJOR OPERATIONS IN 2002. IT STAGED A SPECTACULAR JANUARY 2001 AMBUSH IN DIYARBAKIR THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF DIYARBAKIR SECURITY DIRECTOR GAFFAR OKKAN AND FIVE OF HIS BODYGUARDS. TWO UNDERCOVER POLICE WERE KILLED IN ANOTHER HIZBULLAH ATTACK IN OCTOBER 2001. ACCORDING TO STATE AUTHORITIES, HIZBULLAH CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN ITS ACTIVITIES ON A THEORETICAL BASIS.
8. (U) OTHER ISLAMIC GROUPS INCLUDE THE GREAT EASTERN RAIDER’S FRONT (IBDA-C), FEDERAL ISLAMIC STATE OF ANATOLIA (KAPLANCILAR), SELAM GROUP, ISLAMIC MOVEMENT ORGANIZATION (IHO), THE JERUSALEM WARRIORS, SELEFILER, SOFULAR, AND BEYYIAT-I EL-IMAM. BOTH IBDA-C AND BEYYIAT-I EL-IMAM ARE KNOWN TO BE SYMPATHETIC TO AL QAIDA. SEPARATIST
9. (U) KADEK, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE PKK, REPRESENTS THE LARGEST SEPARATIST ORGANIZATION GROUP IN TURKEY, THOUGH ITS CAPABILITY TO OPERATE HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY REDUCED DUE TO VIGOROUS AND ON-GOING COUNTER-INSURGENCY EFFORTS OF THE TURKISH ARMED FORCES, JANDARMA, TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE (TNP), AND VILLAGE GUARDS (A PARAMILITARY GUARD FORCE RECRUITED FROM LOCAL VILLAGERS). THIS EFFORT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF PKK LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN IN 1999. THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) DESIGNATED THE PKK A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN MAY 2002.
10. (U) IN APRIL 2002 THE GROUP UNDERWENT A RE-ORGANIZATION AND NAME CHANGE. RENAMED THE KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS (KADEK), THE ORGANIZATION HAS EXPANDED ITS OPERATIONS BY FOCUSING UPON MORE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. KADEK RETAINS THE SAME SYMBOL AND PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP OF THE PKK, THOUGH IT HAS EXPANDED THIS COUNCIL TO ELEVEN INSTEAD OF NINE MEMBERS. ACCORDING TO TURKISH GOVERNMENT EXPERTS AND NGOS, KADEK ALSO MAINTAINS APPROXIMATELY 500-ARMED MILITANTS IN TURKEY AND UP TO 5000 ARMED MILITANTS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. WHILE THE ORGANIZATION LARGELY CONTINUES TO FOLLOW THE PKK’S SELF-PROCLAIMED SEPTEMBER 1, 1999, CEASE-FIRE, IT HAS ISSUED WARNINGS VIA SUPPORTIVE NEWSPAPERS OF FUTURE ARMED ATTACKS IF CERTAIN ACTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. SMALL CELLS AND SYMPATHIZERS REMAIN THROUGHOUT TURKEY, BUT THESE HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED TO THE POINT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, RATHER THAN THE MILITARY, OVERSEE MOST OPERATIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS. CHECHENS IN TURKEY
11. (U) IN APRIL 2002, MUSTAFA YILMAZ SEIZED THE MARMARA HOTEL IN ISTANBUL AND HELD 13 HOSTAGES FOR APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES UNTIL HE SURRENDERED WITHOUT INCIDENT. YILMAZ, WHO IS OF CHECHEN ORIGIN, IS BELIEVED TO HAVE STAGED THE RAID TO PROTEST RUSSIAN ACTIONS IN CHECHNYA. HE IS PRESENTLY IN CUSTODY AND ON TRIAL IN THE ISTANBUL BEYOGLU SECOND HEAVY CRIMINAL COURT UNDER A VARIETY OF CHARGES, ALTHOUGH NOT UNDER TURKEY’S TOUGH ANTI-TERROR LAW. THIS FOLLOWS AN APRIL 22, 2001, SEIZURE OF ISTANBUL’S SWISS HOTEL BY 13 PRO-CHECHEN TURKISH CITIZENS WHO HELD 150 HOSTAGES, INCLUDING 37 AMERICANS, FOR APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS. LARGE NUMBERS OF TURKS, MANY WITH ROOTS IN THE CAUCASUS, ARE SYMPATHETIC TO CHECHEN AMBITIONS.
12. (U) THE CAPITALIZED TITLES BELOW CORRESPOND TO REFTEL QUESTIONS.
——————————————— ——
GOT ACTIONS SUPPORTING THE GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM (A)
——————————————— ——
13. (U) TURKISH SUPPORT FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11 CEMENTED GOT’S COMMITTED POLICY ON FIGHTING TERROR. GOT ISSUED STRONG PUBLIC STATEMENTS CONDEMNING THE ATTACKS. IN THE FACE OF STRONG PUBLIC OPPOSITION, PARLIAMENT, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PM ECEVIT, PASSED A RESOLUTION ALLOWING THE GOVERNMENT TO SEND TURKISH TROOPS ABROAD AND TO PERMIT THE STATIONING OF FOREIGN TROOPS ON TURKISH SOIL IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF). TURKEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO CONTRIBUTE FORCES TO ISAF AND ASSUMED THE LEADERSHIP ROLE IN JUNE 2002.
14. (U) THE ARREST OF THREE AL QAIDA SUSPECTS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CITY OF VAN IN FEBRUARY 2002 AND ONE IN ISTANBUL IN AUGUST 2002 HIGHLIGHT TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE (TNP) EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORISM. FIRAS SULEYMAN, YUSUF SALIM HUSAYN, AND AHMAD MAHMUD WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH ENTERING TURKEY ILLEGALLY VIA IRAN IN FEBRUARY 2002. MEMBERS OF BAYT AL-IMAM, A JORDANIAN GROUP WITH CLOSE TIES TO AL QAIDA, THE THREE MEN WERE FOUND TO HAVE MET AND RECEIVED MATERIAL SUPPORT FROM USAMA BIN LADEN AND HAD BEEN PLANNING BOMBING ATTACKS ON ISRAELI AND US TARGETS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THESE MEN WERE RETURNED TO JORDAN IN SEPTEMBER 2002. AHMET ABDULLAH WAS ARRESTED IN ISTANBUL IN AUGUST 2002 AFTER AN OPERATION CONDUCTED BY THE ISTANBUL SECURITY FORCES BECAUSE OF HIS LINKS TO BAYT AL-IMAM.
15. (U) TURKEY HAS FULLY COMPLIED WITH UN SECURITY RESOLUTION 1373, RATIFYING ALL UNITED NATIONS CONVENTIONS ON COMBATING TERRORISM. THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAVE FROZEN THE ASSETS OF THOSE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, PERSONS, AND ENTITIES FOUND ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS BY ISSUING A DECREE TO FREEZE ALL FUNDS AND RELATED ASSETS. THE INITIAL DECREE, NO. 2001/2483, DATED DECEMBER 22, 2001, HAS BEEN UPDATED BY NO. 2002/3873, DATED MARCH 21, 2002, AND NO. 2002/4206, DATED MAY 16, 2002.
———————————–
RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM (B)
———————————–
16. (U) STATE SECURITY COURTS (DGM) IN EIGHT PROVINCES, WITH JURISDICTION FOR ALL CRIMES THAT FALL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE ANTI-TERROR LAW, TAKE A VIGOROUS APPROACH TOWARDS PROSECUTING TERROR-RELATED CRIMES. AVERAGE TRIAL TIMES RUN MORE THAN A YEAR, AND DEFENDANTS ARE USUALLY INCARCERATED DURING THEIR TRIALS.
17. (U) ABDULLAH OCALAN, THE LEADER OF THE PKK CONVICTED OF TREASON IN JUNE 1999 AND SENTENCED TO DEATH. FOLLOWING THE EU REFORM PACKAGE PASSED BY THE TURKISH GRAND NATIONAL PARLIAMENT IN AUGUST 2002 OUTLAWING THE DEATH PENALTY, OCALAN’S SENTENCE WAS CONVERTED TO LIFE IN PRISON.
—————————————–
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS (C/D)
—————————————–
18. (U) IN 2002, THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY DID NOT SEEK THE EXTRADITION OF ANY SUSPECTS FROM THE UNITED STATES ON TERROR-RELATED CHARGES, NOR DID THE UNITED STATES SEEK THE EXTRADITION OF SUCH SUSPECTS FROM TURKEY. THERE ARE NO IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.
19. (U) IN THE PAST, TURKEY HAS FACED DIFFICULTY IN EXTRADITING TERROR-RELATED SUSPECTS FROM EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, TURKEY HAS REQUESTED THE EXTRADITION OF 245 HIGH LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS FOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS SINCE 1991. SYMPATHY WITH KURDISH POLITICAL AND CULTURAL ASPIRATIONS IN SOME EUROPEAN STATES, ALLEGATIONS OF TORTURE BY TURKISH OFFICIALS, AND TURKEY’S LEGAL PROVISION FOR THE DEATH PENALTY HAVE ALL PROVED IMPEDIMENTS TO SUCH EXTRADITIONS. HOWEVER, IN AUGUST 2002, AS A PART OF THE EUROPEAN UNION REFORM PACKAGE, THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT PASSED A LAW BANNING THE USE OF THE DEATH PENALTY.
————————————
RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION (E)
————————————
20. (U) TURKS SEE THEMSELVES TO BE AMONG THE WORLD’S PRIMARY VICTIMS OF TERRORISM. THEY CITE THE 15-YEAR INSURGENCY OF THE KURDISTAN WORKERS’ PARTY (PKK), AND THE WORLDWIDE ASSASSINATION CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TURKISH DIPLOMATS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY ARMENIAN ACTIVISTS OF THE 1970S AND 1980S. THEY HAVE LONG COMPLAINED ABOUT LIBERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES’ HARBORING KURDISH (PKK), LEFTIST (DHKP-C) AND ISLAMIST (HIZBOLLAH, KAPLANISTS) “TERRORISTS.” THEY FEEL OTHER NATIONS DO NOT APPRECIATE TURKEY’S SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF THESE PARTIES. THUS, THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA WERE QUICK TO RESPOND TO THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11. AT ALL LEVELS, THERE WAS AN OUTPOURING OF SYMPATHY AND SOLIDARITY. BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS THE CONSTANT REMINDER THAT NOW OTHERS WERE BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE WHAT TURKS HAD LIVED WITH FOR YEARS. TURKEY’S PRE-9/11 HISTORIC COOPERATION WITH THE US IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES HAS ONLY INCREASED IN THE LAST YEAR WITH PUBLIC COMMITMENTS OF SUPPORT FOR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM FROM THE PRESIDENT, THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE MILITARY. THERE HAS BEEN VERY VISIBLE SUPPORT FOR THE SECURITY OF AMERICANS AT OUR MISSION’S BUILDINGS BY LOCAL POLICE. AS THE STORM BROKE ON THE NOVEMBER 17 ARRESTS IN GREECE, THERE WAS INTENSE COVERAGE WITH A NEW “I TOLD YOU SO” IMPLICATION IN THE GOVERNMENT PRINT MEDIA.
21. (U) THE TURKISH STAND ON TERRORISM HAS BEEN “SOFTER” IN THE CASE OF THE CHECHENS. CHECHENS ARE, OF COURSE, MUSLIMS AND THERE ARE CULTURAL TIES BETWEEN TURKS AND CHECHENS AND LONG TIME RIVALRY WITH RUSSIA. THE ARMED, BUT NOT VIOLENT, TAKEOVERS OF A FERRYBOAT IN 1996 AND A HOTEL IN 2001 IN ISTANBUL WERE TREATED MORE LIKE PROTESTS THAN LIKE TERRORIST ATTACKS BY THE MEDIA. THAT CHANGED WITH THE OCTOBER 23, 2002 CAPTURE OF A THEATER IN MOSCOW WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED DEAD. TURKEY DID CONDEMN THE HOSTAGE-TAKING, BUT WITH THE MEDIA STILL ADDRESSING THE SUFFERING OF THE CHECHEN PEOPLE.
22. (U) TURKEY HAS A FREE PRESS. IN THE LEFTIST AND ISLAMIC FRINGE PRESS, CHECHEN REBELS, PALESTINIAN SUICIDE BOMBERS AND EVEN AL QAIDA MEMBERS CAN BE PORTRAYED AS “FREEDOM FIGHTERS.” TERRORISM HAS LONG BEEN AN INTEREST OF ACADEMICS AND WRITERS IN TURKEY. IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CONFERENCES ON THE TOPIC. THOSE ORGANIZED BY INSTITUTIONS OF THE STATE HAVE BEEN SEEN AS TOOLS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. PRIVATELY-FUNDED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS HAVE BECOME MORE FOCUSED ON ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM AND THE ROOT CAUSES OF TERRORISM.
———————————————
MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS BY THE GOT (F)
———————————————
23. (U) THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY CONTINUED ITS AGGRESSIVE COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN 2002. FOR EXAMPLE, IN A JOINT OPERATION, THE TURKISH CUSTOMS GUARD AND THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (MIT) SEIZED NINE KALASHINIKOV RIFLES AND ONE SCORPION ASSASSINATION PISTOL WITH SILENCER FROM A CAR AT THE KAPIKULE BORDER GATE IN SEPTEMBER 2002. THESE WEAPONS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INTENDED TO BE DELIVERED TO THE DHKP/C TO BE USED IN SUPPOSED OPERATIONS TO CREATE DISTURBANCES PRIOR TO THE TURKISH GENERAL ELECTIONS HELD IN NOVEMBER 2002.
24. (U) ADDITIONALLY, THE GOT APPREHENDED THREE SUSPECTED AL QAIDA OPERATIVES NEAR THE IRANIAN BORDER (NEAR VAN). THE GOT FOLLOWED UP BY ARRESTING DOCUMENT FORGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE THREE, NEAR BURSA IN NORTHWESTERN TURKEY.
25. (U) THE GOT CONTINUES ITS ACTIVE SUPPRESSION OF THE PKK/KADEK, THOUGH ITS SECURITY OPERATIONS TEMPO HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED IN LINE WITH A REDUCTION IN THE CONFLICT. IT CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE ORGANIZATION’S POLITICAL MOVEMENTS IN AN EFFORT TO STEM ANY POTENTIAL DISTURBANCES.
————————————
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM (G)
————————————
26. (U) THE GOT CONSISTENTLY AND STRONGLY OPPOSES BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. TURKEY DOES NOT VIEW ITS MAINTENANCE OF DIPLOMATIC OR ECONOMIC/COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH CUBA, IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA, SUDAN, AND SYRIA AS CONSTITUTING SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.
——————————————— -
SUPPORT STATEMENTS FOR TERRORIST COUNTRIES (H)
——————————————— -
27. (U) TURKEY SHARES BORDERS WITH, AND HAS BEEN AN HISTORIC TRADING PARTNER OF SYRIA, IRAN AND IRAQ. IT BALANCES A CONDEMNATION OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN THOSE COUNTRIES (INCLUDING PROVIDING HAVENS FOR THE PKK) WITH THE NEED TO ACCESS HISTORIC TRADE ROUTES. THUS TURKEY WILL PROVIDE BASES FOR OPERATION NORTHERN WATCH WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SENDING LARGE TRADE DELEGATIONS TO BAGHDAD AND TEHRAN. PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST STATE-SUPPORTED TERRORISM ARE CLEAR.
——————————————— ———
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN ATTITUDES TOWARDS TERRORISM (I)
——————————————— ———
28. (U) SINCE THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, THE GOT HAS TAKEN AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE WORLDWIDE OPPOSITION AGAINST TERRORISM. IN MAY 2002 THE EUROPEAN UNION PLACED THE PKK AND DHKP/C ON ITS LIST OF TERRORIST GROUPS AFTER AN INTENSIVE PUSH BY THE GOT FOR THE EU TO ADOPT TOUGHER MEASURES AGAINST TURKISH TERROR GROUPS OPERATING IN EUROPE. IT CONTINUES TO PRESS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE KADEK AS THE SUCCESSOR OF THE PKK AND THUS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
——————————————— ————
USG COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES WITH GOT (J)
——————————————— ————
29. (U) TURKEY REMAINS A STAUNCH ALLY IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM. IN THE FACE OF STRONG PUBLIC OPPOSITION, PARLIAMENT, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PM ECEVIT, PASSED A RESOLUTION ALLOWING THE GOVERNMENT TO SEND TURKISH TROOPS ABROAD AND TO PERMIT THE STATIONING OF FOREIGN TROOPS ON TURKISH SOIL TO SUPPORT OEF. AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTION, TURKEY OFFERED A 90-MAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT FOR DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN. THE TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE (TNP) CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT PROTECTION OF US DIPLOMATIC AND MILITARY FACILITIES THROUGHOUT TURKEY.
30. (U) IN 2002, TURKEY RATIFIED THE UN CONVENTION ON SUPPRESSION OF TERRORIST FINANCING. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS CONVENTION, TURKEY ADDS TO ITS DOMESTIC ASSET FREEZE LIST ALL NAMES ADDED TO THE ASSET FREEZE LIST MAINTAINED BY THE UN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE UNDER UNSCRS 1267 AND 1373.
31. (U) TURKEY IS ALSO AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE DEPARTMENT’S ANTI-TERRORISM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SINCE 1999, THE TURKS ACCEPTED ELEVEN ATA COURSES, TO INCLUDE A SENIOR LEVEL FINANCIAL UNDERPINNINGS OF TERRORISM SEMINAR AND A FOLLOW-ON FINANCIAL UNDERPINNINGS OF TERRORISM SEMINAR FOR INVESTIGATORS. (INFORMATION FOR THE REPORT’S CLASSIFIED ANNEX)
32. (S) THE TURKISH MILITARY HAS ALSO OFFERED THE USE OF AN ADDITIONAL AIRBASE TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD ON INCIRLIK AFB AND EASED FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS TO EASE US SUPPORT OF FORCES OPERATING IN AFGHANISTAN. OTHER TURKISH ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF OEF INCLUDE: – ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO AUTHORIZE DEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS ABROAD AND STATIONING OF ADDITIONAL FOREIGN TROOPS IN TURKEY IN SUPPORT OF THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM; – ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO OFFER SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES (OFFER OF 90) – ALLOWED THE US TO USE INCIRLIK AIR BASE AS THE KEY TRANSIT POINT FOR HUMANITARIAN AND OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE (INCLUDING LETHAL MUNITIONS) TO THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE AND US SPECIAL OPERATION FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN; – OFFERED THE USE OF ADDITIONAL AIR BASES IN TURKEY FOR OEF-RELATED OPERATIONS; – AUTHORIZED THE US TO USE INCIRLIK AIR BASE TO TRANSIT TALIBAN AND AL-QAIDA DETAINEES FROM AFGHANISTAN TO GTMO; – STREAMLINED CUSTOM PROCEDURES AND GRANTED BLANKET OVERFLIGHT CLEARANCES FOR US OEF-RELATED AIRCRAFT (OVER 5,000 FLIGHTS TO DATE); – PROVIDES KC-135 TANKER SUPPORT AND BASING FOR THE WAR ON TERRORISM. TURKEY ALREADY HAS CONTRIBUTED CLOSE TO 80 KC-135 OEF-RELATED MISSIONS FROM TURKEY.
——————————————-
COOPERATION-INVESTIGATION/PROSECUTION (K/1)
——————————————-
(INFORMATION FOR THE REPORT’S CLASSIFIED ANNEX)
33. (C) THE MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND TURKEY, WHICH ENTERED INTO FORCE IN JANUARY 1981, GOVERNS INVESTIGATIVE COOPERATION. THE GOT HAS PROCESSED REQUESTS FOR INVESTIGATIVE ACCESS TO EVIDENCE UNDER THIS TREATY. HOWEVER, IN SOME CASES THE GOT HAS LEFT REQUESTS UNANSWERED FOR OVER THREE YEARS. CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE TURKISH MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONTINUE IN AN EFFORT TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
—————————-
COOPERATION-PREVENTION (K/2)
—————————-
34. (U) THE GOT COORDINATES CLOSELY WITH THE USG ON ANTI-TERRORIST FINANCING INITIATIVES. IN RESPONSE TO USG REQUESTS TO FREEZE TERRORIST-RELATED FINANCIAL ASSETS, THE GOT HAS ADDED TO ITS DOMESTIC ASSET FREEZE LIST ALL NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS AND FIRMS RELATED TO UNSCRS 1267 AND 1373 (NAMES RELATED TO FINANCING OF TALIBAN AND AL-QAIDA.) THE GOT ALSO INVESTIGATES THESE NAMES AND FREEZES ASSETS FOUND IN TURKEY. TO DATE, THESE EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN FREEZING ABOUT USD 2 MILLION IN FINANCIAL ASSETS OWNED BY AN INDIVIDUAL ON AN USG EXECUTIVE ORDER FREEZE LIST. THE GOT IS REVIEWING THE POSSIBILITY OF AMENDING ITS LEGAL PROCESS FOR FREEZING FINANCIAL ASSETS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE QUICK REACTION TO NEW INFORMATION.
——————————————— —–
COOPERATION DURING PAST FIVE YEARS- PREVENTION (L)
——————————————— —–
35. (U) OVERALL, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE GOT HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE USG IN THE APPREHENSION, CONVICTION, AND PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORIST ATTACKS IN TURKEY. GOT RESPONSE IS ALWAYS IMMEDIATE AND SUBSTANTIAL WHEN ALERTED TO THREAT OR INCIDENT INVOLVING US INTERESTS.
PEARSON

via crethiplethi.com

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

US: No More Weapons to Lebanon

The United States has shut down the flow of weapons to Lebanon due to concerns that the Hizbullah terrorist organization may seize the arms.
The arms freeze was actually implemented in January, according to a report published Monday in the Wall Street Journal
However, the decision was not publicized in order to ensure a smooth transition to a new Lebanese government following the collapse of former Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri's Western-backed administration. American deliveries of non-lethal equipment have continued, as has military training for the Lebanese Army. In 2010, the U.S. granted at least $18 million in ordnance to Lebanon, according to the report. Hizbullah-backed Nagib Mikati was appointed as the new prime minister-designate in January with a parliamentary majority secured, according to March 14 Alliance rivals, by the terrorists' weapons. March 14 is a coalition of political parties and independents in Lebanon led by Hariri, son of the assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri..

via israelnationalnews.com

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

What's a little mustard and nerve gas among friends?

US and Israeli intelligence agencies have tracked the WMD consignments from eastern Libya as far as Sudan in convoys secured by Iranian agents and Hizballah and Hamas guards. They are not believed to have reached their destinations in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, apparently waiting for an opportunity to get their deadly freights through without the US or Israel attacking and destroying them.  Word of the capture touched off a scramble in Tehran and among the terrorist groups it sponsors to get hold of their first unconventional weapons.  According to our sources, the rebels offloaded at least 2,000 artillery shells carrying mustard gas and 1,200 nerve gas shells for cash payment amounting to several million dollars.  It is also not clear whether the shells and gases were assembled upon delivery or were travelling in separate containers. Our sources report that some of the poison gas may be intended not only for artillery use but also for drones which Hizballah recently acquired from Iran.

NO GAS MASK FOR JEW: Homefront Commander Yair Golan told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that there are only enough of a budget for kits against unconventional warfare to cover 60 percent of the population. The general said that 12 percent of the gas masks have been distributed and the rest will be distributed by the end of 2011.

 

Senior Libyan rebel “officers” sold Hizballah and Hamas thousands of chemical shells from the stocks of mustard and nerve gas that fell into rebel hands when they overran Muammar Qaddafi’s military facilities in and around Benghazi, debkafile’s exclusive military and intelligence sources report.

Tehran threw its support behind the anti-Qaddafi rebels because of this unique opportunity to get hold of the Libyan ruler’s stock of poison gas after it fell into opposition hands and arm Hizballah and Hamas with unconventional weapons without Iran being implicated in the transaction.

Why, it was just about a month ago that

A senior administration official said ... that the White House had no reason to believe the current turmoil in Libya has made its chemical weapons stockpiles more vulnerable to

theft....
.... “We believe that whatever they have at this point is not in weaponized form,” said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.

Two weeks later Crowley was forced to resign... for calling Wikileaks leaker Bradley Manning "stupid and counterproductive."  You decide.

DEBKA reports: via bokertov.typepad.com

The Gas-Mask Community

image via ahrcanum.wordpress.com
via afana.org  via growabrain.typepad.com

The Future of Syria

The Syrians have finally realised that their "young, charismatic, UK-educated and open minded" president is following in the footsteps of his late father, Hafez el Assad.

Hating Israel isn't enough

Hafez el Assad

On Friday, protests spread from Daraa to other towns and cities,

including the capital, Damascus,

in the biggest threat to the 45-year-old president

since he assumed power in 2000.

Security forces fired tear gas and in some places

live ammunition into the crowds,

killing at least 14 people,

according to witnesses and activists.

via washingtonpost.com
Troops open fire as protests explode across Syria

In yet another Arab country it becomes apparent that

hating Israel isn't the only thing that's important.

That country is Syria

.....in Syria, which have seen unarmed demonstrators gunned down by government forces, prove conclusively that when push comes to shove, Bashar is actually not all that different from his late father. As some of his critic comment, "The apple does not fall far from the tree."
His handling of pro-democracy protests that have erupted in several Syrian cities since March 15 is a reminder that Bashar is a dictator who, like Colonel Gaddafi and Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh, will not surrender power gracefully.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal several weeks ago, Bashar boasted that the Tunisian and Egyptian models did not apply to his country and that there was no fear for the survival of his regime. He was right in the first part of his analysis: both neither the Egyptian nor Tunisian presidents chose to fight their people to the last drop of their blood.
But the second part of his analysis is faulty: Syria is far from immune from the political tsunami of popular uprisings currently sweeping through the Arab world.
Syrian human rights organizations have expressed deep concern over the Syrian authorities' ruthless and brutal crackdown. They note how in many instances children under the ages of 15 were arrested by the notorious "mukhabarat" secret service for allegedly painting anti-government graffiti on city walls.
In another incident that took place in the southern Syrian city of Daraa, Bashar unleashed his commandos against peaceful worshippers who were staging a sit-in strike in a mosque; he killed dozens and wounded many others.
Syrians are asking: Will the son go as far as his father in stamping down on all protests? The public has not forgotten the terrible events of 20 years ago in the city of Hama, when government forces using artillery and air power killed an estimated 20,000 civilians.
Syrians are also asking who will replace their dictator. Some fear that in the absence of an alternative, Iran and Hizbollah could end up controlling Syria.
But the collapse now of Bashar el Assad's regime would be a severe blow to Iran, Hamas, Hizbollah and other radical powers in the region.
Reports indicate that Hizbollah militiamen have been brought to Syria to help suppress the wave of anti-government protests. Other reports have claimed that members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard were flown into Syria to help Bashar's regime.
As international criticism mounts, Bashar has suddenly started talking about the need for financial and political reforms. His critics shout that he is a liar who had 11 years to implement necessary changes, but chose instead to run his country as the leader of a mafia.

via hudson-ny.org
image of  Hafez el Assad via israelmatzav.blogspot.com

Posted via email from noahdavidsimon's posterous

WikiLeaks: 'Syria would drop Iran for peace with Israel'

I see this as backroom lies.  Assad doesn't want Iran to know he is reaching his hand out... and at the same time he gives friendly signals to people like Pelosi

IDF intelligence official Baidatz: Assad would be willing to pull away from Teheran’s orbit, according to State Dept. cable last year.

via jpost.com

also one could see that Assad was reacting to a few other factors.  Hariri's murder?  perhaps they were attempting to isolate themselves from responsibility.  

During the meeting, Baidatz said that according to Israeli intelligence assessments, if Syria were able to achieve peace with “security” and obtain greater US involvement, it would be willing to pull away from Iran’s orbit.

According to the US cable, Baidatz said that if Syrian President Bashar Assad were forced to choose between peace with Israel and Iran and his “negative assets” – Hamas and Hizbullah – he would choose peace. Such a peace, Baidatz said, would be detrimental for Hizbullah, which relies heavily on Syrian support.

“It would be a gradual process before Hizbullah could completely wean itself from the Syrian support apparatus and that, ultimately, both Hizbullah’s and Iran’s flexibility would be significantly reduced,” Baidatz said, according to the cable.

In the cable from 2009, Baidatz briefed Vershbow on Iran’s nuclear program and said the Islamic Republic was one year away from obtaining a nuclear weapon and two-and-a-half years away from assembling a nuclear arsenal of three weapons. By 2012, Iran would be able to build one weapon within weeks and an arsenal within six months.

The cable, which was approved by Vershbow, included a comment next to Baidatz’s remarks: “It is unclear if the Israelis firmly believe this or are using worst-case estimates to raise greater urgency from the United States.”

Turning to Hizbullah, the Israeli officials warned Vershbow that the Shi’ite guerrilla group was working hand-in-hand with the Lebanese Armed Forces.

“The level of cooperation far exceeds what many assume is simply the day-to-day problem of corruption within the ranks,” the cable summarized the Israeli side as saying.

“On the contrary, Israel believes that LAF/Hizbullah cooperation is a matter of national policy – any information shared with the United Nations Interim Force-Lebanon (UNIFIL) goes directly to Hizbullah by way of the Lebanese Armed Forces.”

The meeting took place in the days before Syria transferred a cache of M600 long-range and accurate surface- to-surface missiles to Hizbullah.

Baidatz told Vershbow that Israel knew about the missile cache in Syria and believed that it was destined for Hizbullah.

“Under such a scenario, the looming question for Israeli policy-makers then becomes: ‘To strike or not to strike?’” Baidatz was paraphrased as saying.

In the end, Israel did not attack the arms convoys to Lebanon, and Hizbullah is believed today to have hundreds of M600s, which have a range of 250 km. and can carry a half-ton warhead.

Poll Reveals Frightening Popularity of Revolutionary Islamism

There’s a lot of interesting material in the Pew Foundation's latest poll of the Middle East, a survey that focuses on attitudes toward Islamism and revolutionary Islamist groups. The analysis that accompanies the poll, however, is not very good, so here is mine.
For example, in evaluating attitudes toward Hamas and Hizballah, Pew says that they receive “mixed ratings from Muslim publics [while] opinions of al-Qaida and its leader, Usama bin Ladin, are consistently negative….”
Really? Well, in Jordan, for example, 55 percent say they like Hizballah (against 43 percent negative) while 60 percent are favorable (compared to 34 percent negative) toward Hamas. Yet this is even more impressive than the figures indicate. Jordan is a staunchly Sunni country whose government opposes the ambitions of Iran and Syria. Hizballah is a Shia group which also is an agent of Iran and Syria. For a majority to praise that organization—conscious of strong government disapproval—is phenomenal.
The figures for Hamas can be more easily explained by the Palestinian connection. Yet the difference between the two in terms of public opinion isn’t that great. And it also suggests that support for Fatah and the Palestinian Authority—Hamas's rival--must be very low in Jordan. Remember that the majority of Jordanians are also Palestinians.
Why do people support these groups? Obviously, one reason is that they fight Israel (a country with which Jordan is at peace) but sympathy for the revolutionary Islamist aspect of Hamas and Hizballah must be a huge factor here. Indeed, there is not necessarily any conflict between these two aspects. The Islamists are considered to be better fighters than the nationalists, while making war for the next generation is more attractive to those backing Hamas and Hizballah than is making peace. Finally, let’s not forget that both of these groups are very anti-Western and anti-American.
But now let’s look at al-Qaida. In Jordan, 34 percent are favorable toward that terrorist group while 62 percent are negative. That outcome, however, contrary to Pew’s spin on the numbers, is not at all encouraging. Remember that al-Qaida carried out the September 11 attacks. Moreover, it has conducted terrorist attacks in neighboring Iraq and, most important of all, in Jordan itself. The fact that one-third of Jordanians—whose country is generally considered the most pro-Western in the Arab world--like al-Qaida is chilling indeed. Then, too, this preference cannot be attributed to anti-Israel sentiment.
So one-third of Jordan’s people favor the most extremist terrorist group—despite the fact that it has murdered Jordanians—and roughly half or more like revolutionary Islamist organization that are clients of their own country’s nominally biggest threats. What does that say about the hopes for moderation and stability?
Turning to Egypt, “only” 30 percent like Hizballah (66 percent don’t like) 49 percent are favorable toward Hamas (48 percent are negative); and 20 percent smile (72 percent frown) at al-Qaida. This is more encouraging than the figures in Jordan. But remember that not only is Egypt solidly Sunni but the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, the leaders of Islamism in Egypt, don’t like Hizballah because it is a Shia group. The Egyptian government has accused Hizballah of trying to foment terrorism in Egypt. The Egyptian government also views Hamas as a threat.
Roughly speaking, one-fifth of Egyptians applaud the most extreme Islamist terrorist group, while around one-third back revolutionary Islamists abroad. This doesn’t tell us what proportion of Egyptians want an Islamist government at home, but it is an indicator.
And just remember that in two countries considered U.S. allies and receiving U.S. aid, one-third and one-fifth of the population, respectively, support the group that killed 3000 Americans on September 11. The Obama Administration's response is that this is the reason it has to follow certain policies: to win over those who are most antagonistic and to keep others from becoming more radical. The problem is that these policies don't achieve those goals. What determines these views are structural and communal issues within each country.

Here's an example. In Lebanon, attitudes divide along sectarian lines. While 94 percent of Shia Muslims support Hizballah (only 5 percent are negative), 84 percent of Sunnis are unfavorable (only 12 percent are positive) toward it. Christians are 87 percent negative (and only 10 percent positive). This shows why Hizballah cannot just take over Lebanon itself, but of course Lebanon is largely being taken over by Iranian-Syrian power plus their local collaborators, of which Hizballah is only one of the elements.
What are the Lebanese figures on al-Qaida? Only three percent positive and 94 percent negative! Why? Because the Christians and Sunnis don’t want that kind of regime, while the Shias, who tend to support Hizballah’s Islamism, knows that al-Qaida hates Shias.
Finally, here’s a word on Turkey where public opinion is the opposite of that prevailing in Jordan. In Turkey, Only 5 percent like Hizballah (74 percent negative), just 9 percent like Hamas (67 percent unfavorable), and merely 4 percent are positive (74 percent are hostile) on al-Qaida. Yet the current Turkish Islamist regime is a big supporter of Hamas and Hizballah. Clearly, supporting revolutionary Islamist groups—either through Islamism or the fact they are fighting Israel—is simply not popular in Turkey. Hamas and Hizballah don’t even do much better than al-Qaida.
So, Turkey's people are more moderate than its government, while Egypt and Jordan are more radical than theirs.
Let’s look at two other indicators of attitudes: Islamism versus “modernizers” and attitudes toward Islamic punishments. The first point of interest in terms of the great ideological battle is that large proportions of people in these countries deny that such a struggle even exists! Only 20 percent in Jordan, 31 percent in Egypt, 53 percent in Lebanon, and 52 percent in Turkey acknowledge that there is a struggle.
Why is this? One can’t definitively tell. I suspect that they may want to avoid taking sides since they live in countries where democracy doesn’t really prevail and authorities punish dissenters. Or perhaps they think that the Islamists are more capable of conducting modernization or that the current regime is sufficiently Islamic.
Nevertheless, those who said that such a struggle does exist (remember this is between only 20 percent in Jordan to 53 percent in Lebanon of those asked) took the following sides:
Jordan, 48-38 modernizers; Egypt, 59-27 Islamists; Lebanon, 84-15 modernists; Turkey, 74-11 modernists.
Other than the horrifying figures in Turkey—which one day might be cited to explain an Islamist revolution there—the numbers in Jordan are pretty scary as well. Almost 40 percent favor an Islamist regime and they know that doesn’t mean the current monarchy.
How to explain the other two countries? In Lebanon, Hizballah is seen as a champion of the Shia community. It is supported for “ethnic” reasons more than because people want an Islamic Republic. Of course, Sunnis have to take into account that if Lebanon were to become an Islamic Republic it would be a Shia one.
As for Turkey, while the ruling AKP government has a hard core of supporters at roughly 30 percent, even most of these people don’t want an Islamist state, just a more Islamic-oriented one.
Finally there is the attitude toward Islamic punishments. Again, the outcome in Egypt and Jordan is very revealing. In Egypt, 82 percent want stoning for those who commit adultery; 77 percent would like to see whippings and hands cut off for robbery; and 84 percent favor the death penalty for any Muslim who changes his religion.
I would expect that these attitudes don’t differ much from public opinion in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan.
The figures for Jordan are roughly the same: 70 percent (stoning), 58 percent (whipping/amputation), 86 percent (death for converts).
Again, the numbers for Lebanon and Turkey are quite different:
Lebanon, 23 percent (stoning); 13 percent (whipping/amputation), 6 percent (death for converts)
Turkey, 16 percent (stoning); 13 percent (whipping/amputation), 5 percent (death for converts)
Yet Turkey and Lebanon are ruled by regimes which are in the Islamist camp, that is, they view themselves as close to the Iran-Syria-Hamas-Hizballah alliance.
What all of this analysis shows is that a future Islamist revolution in Egypt and Jordan is quite possible. So overwhelming is the support for this movement that there is nothing the West can do except ensure the current governments remain in power. As for Lebanon, there is a strong basis for resisting incorporation into the Iran-Syria empire, and in Turkey—where there are free elections—the current regime might well be overthrown.
Remember that Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab governments—notably Saudi Arabia—are so opposed to Iran not only because they hate that country’s non-Arab, Shia, radical Islamist standpoint, but also since they fear its growing power will set off revolutions within their own countries.
The bottom line is that in all four of these countries the radical Islamist, side is winning. And the West is basically asleep in recognizing that threat.

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Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. His latest books are The Israel-Arab Reader (seventh edition), The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East (Wiley), and The Truth About Syria (Palgrave-Macmillan). The website of the GLORIA Center is at http://www.gloria-center.org and of his blog, Rubin Reports, http://www.rubinreports.blogspot.com.

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