31st anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr

Rabab Sadr, the sister of Imam Musa al-Sadr, attends a rally by members of the Amal movement to mark the 31st anniversary of the disappearance of al-Sadr, who was the founder and leader of the Amal movement in Lebanon, in Beirut's suburbs August 31, 2009. REUTERS/ Sharif Karim (LEBANON CONFLICT POLITICS)

Shi'ite House Speaker Nabih Berri (R) and Shi'ite Mufti Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan attend a rally organised by members of the Amal movement to mark the 31st anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr, who was the founder and leader of the Amal movement in Lebanon, in Beirut's suburbs August 31, 2009. REUTERS/Sharif Karim (LEBANON POLITICS CONFLICT)

Relatives of suspects accused of plotting attacks on behalf of Lebanon's Hezbollah group leave a court in New Cairo, August 23, 2009. Egypt began the trial on Sunday of 26 men suspected of links with Lebanon's Hezbollah and who face charges that include planning attacks inside Egypt. The charges against the 26, read out in the emergency state security court, included giving information to a foreign organisation, planning attacks inside Egypt on tourist sites and the Suez Canal and possession of explosive material. REUTERS/Stringer (EGYPT CRIME LAW POLITICS CONFLICT)

Young boy Umit Hussein Nejad reciting Quran like Qari Abdul Basit

Download this video from: http://www.al-masumeen.com/quran/umit-hussein-nejad/surah-dhuha-a-kawther.html Name of child: UMIT HUSSEIN NEJAD A recitation in Pakistan by an Iranian young boy The boy recites ...

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nayef suffers superficial injuries but escapes assassination in Jeddah

Saudi anti-terror chief escapes bombing


Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nayef suffers superficial injuries but escapes assassination in Jeddah.


RIYADH - Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a member of the Saudi royal family who is responsible for the kingdom's anti-terror fight, escaped a suicide bomb attack in Jeddah, official news agency SPA said Friday.

The deputy interior minister suffered only superficial injuries after the suicide bomber got close to him and detonated his explosives on Thursday evening, the agency said quoting a royal court statement.

The Saudi wing of Al-Qaeda was swift in claiming responsibility.

In a statement posted on a website late Thursday, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said it was behind the bomb, according to the US-based monitoring group, SITE Intelligence.

The bomber was the only casualty. Prince Mohammed was receiving guests at the end of the day's fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, SPA said.

The royal court said the bomber was a wanted terrorist who had approached the prince under the pretext he wanted to give himself up.

Saudi television showed images of the prince after the attack. The anti-terror chief did not seem affected by his ordeal.

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Saudi security official survives attack -agency
28 Aug 2009 07:06:59 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Bomber was wanted militant

* First member of royal family to be targeted by al Qaeda

(Adds claim of responsibility in paragraph 5)

RIYADH, Aug 28 (Reuters) - A top Saudi security official has survived a suicide attack in his office in the Red Sea port of Jeddah, the state news agency SPA reported on Friday.

The attack was the first to directly target a member of the royal family since the start of a wave of violence by al Qaeda sympathisers in 2003 against the U.S.-allied monarchy.

Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, deputy interior minister in charge of security, was meeting well-wishers for the Moslem fasting month of Ramadan on Thursday when a man blew himself up with explosives he was carrying, the agency said.

The suicide bomber was a wanted militant who had insisted on meeting the prince to announce he was giving himself up to authorities, SPA added. It said the man, whom it did not name, was the only casualty.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Saudi arm of the group, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a message posted on Islamist internet forums and translated by SITE Intelligence Group.

Saudi-owned al Arabiya television showed Prince Mohammed, apparently slightly injured, meeting King Abdullah later.

"This will only increase our determination to eradicate this (militancy)," said Prince Mohammed, who is the son of Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz.

The prince has been largely credited with the government's recent success in crushing the violence.

Earlier this month, Saudi authorities announced the arrest of 44 militants close to al Qaeda and the seizure of explosives, detonators and firearms.

In 2004, militants rammed a vehicle laden with explosives into the entrance of the Interior Ministry headquarters in the capital Riyadh.

(Reporting by Souhail Karam and John Irish in Dubai; editing by Michael Roddy)


-----------------------------------



FACTBOX-Saudi crackdown on Muslim militants
28 Aug 2009 14:53:48 GMT
Source: Reuters
Aug 28 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber failed in his attempt to kill the prince who heads Saudi Arabia's anti-terrorism campaign, the first attack on a member of the royal family since the start of a wave of violence by al Qaeda six years ago.

Following is a chronology of incidents since the first major assault in Saudi Arabia in 2003, when triple suicide bombings gutted three Riyadh housing compounds and killed 35 people, including nine Americans.

2003

May 12 - At least 35 people, including nine Americans, are killed and 200 wounded in al Qaeda suicide bombings in Riyadh.

June 14 - Saudi police kill five militants and arrest seven others in a shootout in Mecca. Five police are also killed.

June 26 - The mastermind of the Riyadh attacks, is arrested.

July 3 - A key suspect in the Riyadh bombings and three other "wanted terrorists" are killed in a shootout.

Oct 22 - Nearly 600 have been arrested since the May attack.

Nov 4 - Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef says his country has thwarted a militant attack on pilgrims to Mecca.

Nov 9 - Al Qaeda suicide bombers kill up to 30 people in Riyadh, a day after the United States warned of terrorist raids.

Dec 6 - Saudi names 26 top suspects wanted in connection with "terrorist" operations and offers a $1.9-million bounty.

2004

Jan 29 - Saudi forces capture a militant and other suspects after a firefight in Riyadh in which five policemen are killed.

Apr 8 - One of Saudi Arabia's most wanted al Qaeda militants calls on Muslims to kill Americans everywhere and vows attacks against Arab leaders allied to Washington.

Apr 21 - Suspected al Qaeda suicide car bomb destroys a security forces building in Riyadh, killing four people and wounding 148 in the first major attack on a government target.

May 1 - Workers at a petrochemical site kill five Western engineers in a shooting spree in the Saudi oil city of Yanbu.

May 29 - Suspected al Qaeda militants killed 16 people, including Westerners, and seized 50 foreign hostages.

June 6 - Saudi gunmen kill an Irish cameraman for the BBC, and seriously wound BBC correspondent Frank Gardner in Riyadh.

June 8 - Gunmen kill an American employee of U.S. contracting firm Vinnell in Riyadh.

June 12 - Al Qaeda shoots dead an American in Riyadh.

June 18 - Kidnappers behead an employee of U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin.

Aug 3 - An Irish civil engineer who worked for a Saudi firm is shot dead in his office in Riyadh.

Sept 15 - A British engineer employed by electronics company Marconi is killed in Riyadh in al Qaeda attack.

Sept 26 - Al Qaeda shoots dead a Frenchman in Jeddah.

Dec 6 - Militants storm the U.S. consulate in Jeddah, killing five local staff and four Saudi security personnel. Three militants are killed and two captured.

Dec 29 - Two huge car bombs explode after militants try to storm the Interior Ministry and a security unit.

2005

April 5 - Two of Saudi Arabia's most wanted militants are killed by security forces in three days of clashes in Al-Ras. Twelve other militants also killed in the battles.

Apr 21 - Two suspected militants and two Saudi security personnel were killed in a gunfight in Mecca.

June 29 - Saudi security services issues two new lists of wanted persons after only two remain on original 26-man list.

Aug 8 - U.S. and British embassies among several Western embassies to close after intelligence reports of attacks.

Aug 18 - Security forces kill Saleh al-Awfi, believed to be the leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, in Medina.

2006

Feb 24, 2006 - Security forces foil two suicide bomb attacks at huge oil facility in the east.

Dec 2 - Saudi detains 136 suspected Islamist militants including a would-be suicide bomber.

2007

Feb 26 - Four French expatriates working in Saudi Arabia shot dead during a desert trip.

2008

Mar 3 - Saudi arrests 28 people suspected of seeking to regroup al Qaeda and carry out a "terror campaign".

Oct 21 - Saudi indicts 991 suspected al Qaeda militants for carrying out 30 attacks since 2003, the accused include clerics.

2009

Feb 7 - A former Guantanamo detainee who became an al Qaeda commander turns himself in to Saudi authorities.

July 8 - Saudi court condemns one person to death in first publicly reported sentences since 2003. The rulings involved 323 suspects in 179 cases with other sentences ranging from a few months to 30 years in jail.

Aug 19 - Saudi Arabia arrests 44 militants who planned to carry out attacks and seize weapons and electronic detonators.

Aug 28 - Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, deputy interior minister in charge of security, survives a suicide attack in Jeddah. (Compiled by John Irish; Editing by Jon Hemming)


-------------------

ANALYSIS-Saudi attack to raise influence of senior prince

30 Aug 2009 12:05:54 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Attack raises profile of Prince Nayef and allies

* Nayef is seen as a conservative close to the clergy * Nayef opposes reforms backed by Western governments

By Souhail Karam

RIYADH, Aug 30 (Reuters) - A failed attempt on the life of Saudi Arabia's security chief could strengthen the position of his conservative father, Interior Minister Prince Nayef, in jockeying within the royal family over who becomes king next.

The attack by a suicide bomber posing as a repentant militant has refocussed attention on the government's fight against Islamist insurgents, which Prince Mohammed bin Nayef has led since 2003, winning plaudits from U.S. officials.

"The security apparatus, embodied by Prince Nayef and even his son, will wield greater influence on the kingdom's policy agenda," a Western diplomat in Riyadh said.

The world's biggest oil producer, Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy without an elected parliament or rights to form political parties, where clerics of an austere school of Sunni Islam control mosques, education, courts and their own public policing body.

King Abdullah is seen as a supporter of Western-friendly reforms which aim to reduce the religious establishment's hold on the country that produced al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

But diplomats say he has been stymied(# An obstacle or obstruction.) by conservative princes like Nayef, who maintains close ties to the clerics and does not want to upset the traditional balance of power between the religious establishment and the Saudi royal family.

Liberals fear for the fate of reforms if Prince Nayef were to be put in charge of the country, diplomats say.

NAYEF'S PROFILE RAISED

Prince Nayef, believed to be 76, was appointed second deputy prime minister earlier this year, leaving him in charge of the country when King Abdullah and his appointed successor Crown Prince Sultan -- who are both in their 80s -- are abroad.

Prince Sultan has been out of the country since November because of unspecified illness and surgery, creating uneasiness over succession.

King Abdullah has set up an "Allegiance Council" of senior princes to vote on future kings and their deputies, but analysts say rivalry and jockeying for position in advance is intense.

The fight against al Qaeda raises Nayef's profile.

Newspapers in recent days were full of panegyric (A formal eulogistic =High praise or commendation> composition intended as a public compliment) articles about Prince Mohammed, with advertisements of thanks featuring the portraits of the king, crown prince, Nayef and his son.

"This attack adds to the credit of the interior ministry. It confirms the fact that Prince Mohammed bin Nayef has become the foe to beat for al Qaeda," said Khaled al-Dakhil, a Saudi politics professor. "It should get (his father) Prince Nayef a lot of credit among the senior royals."

The attack was claimed by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has regrouped in neighbouring Yemen. Saudi officials had talked of their concern that Yemen could become the launchpad for a revival of the militant campaign in Saudi Arabia.

NAYEF CLOSE TO CLERICS

Nayef has had mixed success in persuading clerics to discourage radical ideology, which espouses violence against Muslims and Muslim governments seen as a un-Islamic.

Hundreds of suspects have been arrested since 2006 for seeking to form cells and Nayef admonished hundreds of clerics in 2007 for tacit or overt support for Saudis heading to Iraq. He said they were being used as fodder for suicide attacks.

"The level of trust between Prince Nayef and the clerics is unmatched elsewhere," a senior Arab diplomat said. "He has repeatedly criticised them for not toning down the rhetoric that breeds radicalism, yet they have always been like honey on butter."

Christopher Boucek, an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program, wondered: "Will the attempted assassination of his son lead him to be more direct in dealing with the clergy? It will be very interesting to see how that plays out."

A stronger Prince Nayef could also embolden clerics in their opposition to reforms, since many of them argue that moves towards "Westernisation", such as relaxing the kingdom's system of public gender segregation, encourages a zealous reaction.

The secrecy of the ruling family and political system means there could still be surprises, the Western diplomat said.

"(Nayef) is becoming the strong man of the regime. But whether this is because of the opacity that surrounds the succession issue remains to be seen," he said.

(Editing by Andrew Hammond and Elizabeth Fullerton)

Facebook tightens safeguards after Canada talks

Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:52am EDT



By Wojtek Dabrowski

TORONTO (Reuters) - Facebook agreed on Thursday to give its worldwide users better protection over their personal information as the result of negotiations with Canada's privacy commissioner.

The changes will give users of the social networking website more transparency and control over the information they provide to third-party developers of applications such as games and quizzes, Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart announced.

As well, Facebook will make it clear that users can delete their accounts, not just deactivate them, if they do not want their information kept indefinitely. And information about nonusers will be better protected.

"These changes mean that the privacy of 200 million Facebook users in Canada and around the world will be far better protected," Stoddart said in a statement.

She had ruled in July that Facebook had serious gaps that breached Canadian privacy laws. The company swiftly agreed to address them in a way that meets her concerns and will also apply to developers and subscribers around the world.

"This is a global change," Stoddart told reporters.

"We're satisfied that, with these changes, Facebook is on the way to meeting the requirements of Canada's privacy law," she said, noting the popular website has a year to make the changes.

Facebook, which lets users share pictures, videos, news stories, opinions and private and public messages, has 12 million Canadian users.

Canada is the first country to complete a full investigation of Facebook's privacy practices. Stoddart said European and Australian regulators had also begun looking at social networking issues.

The outcome of Canada's investigation could influence the practices of other social networking websites, such as MySpace. Stoddart said another major site has already approached her office to discuss its approach.

She plans to release a paper in coming weeks analyzing the practices of other sites as well.

"We believe that these changes are not only great for our users and address all of the commissioner's outstanding concerns, but they also set a new standard for the industry," said Elliot Schrage, Facebook's vice-president of global communications and public policy.

However, analysts and officials cautioned that users still needed to be careful about how much information they put on Facebook.

"All the personal information that the privacy commissioner is worried about advertisers stealing -- we (users) put it up there in the first place," said Duncan Stewart, an analyst with DSAM Consulting.

The regulator first started its investigation of Facebook as a result of complaints by the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa.

The assistant commissioner who negotiated with Facebook, Elizabeth Denham, said her office had been alarmed by the lack of safeguards applied to the more than one million developers of third-party applications around the world.

"The notion that some teenager working in a basement halfway around the globe could have access to all this personal information was unsettling, to say the least," Denham said.

(Additional reporting by Randall Palmer; editing by Rob Wilson)

ISI , Saudi Prince funded Pakistani Politicians- Cost of Pakistani Sell-out Politicians/Parties

Abida Hussain admits to taking ISI money

LAHORE: I was information minister in Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi’s cabinet and received Rs 5 million from the Inter-Services Intelligence to join the IJI, Abida Hussain told a private TV channel on Thursday. Talking to the channel, Abida said she was told that Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia had sent this money through Mahmood Haroon. She also revealed that Nawaz Sharif, [Zafarullah] Jamali and Mir Afzal Khan were also beneficiaries. daily times monitor

I got 5 lacs, not 5 million: Abida

LAHORE: Apropos a news item in Daily Times (Abida Hussain admits to taking ISI money, August 27, 2009), Begum Abida Hussain has clarified that she received Rs 500,000 (and not Rs 5 million) from Syed Ijlal Haider Zaidi, then advisor to the president, from the election funds of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI). She says she did not have any idea that this money came from anywhere other than the IJI. She says that since she was already contesting elections from the IJI’s platform, she did not need any persuasion to join the party. daily times monitor


-----------------

Affidavit names politicians who took money from ISI

* Former CJP quotes affidavit submitted by former ISI chief Lt Gen (r) Asad Durrani in court
* List of recipients includes Nawaz Sharif, Abida Hussain, Pir Pagaro, JI

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) gave millions of rupees to different politicians during former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s regime and no one has ever denied receiving money from the agency, former chief justice of Pakistan Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui said on Wednesday.

Talking to a private TV channel, he said the ISI was an intelligence agency and should not interfere in politics, or be used against politicians. He said former ISI director general Lt Gen Asad Durrani had informed the Supreme Court that he had given money to politicians, ostensibly to ‘convince’ them to join the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).

Justice (r) Siddiqui told the channel that he had said at that time that the ISI’s role should not be political. He said the case was still pending in the Supreme Court at the time of the 1999 coup. He said Lt Gen (r) Durrani had presented an affidavit in court, giving details of the money distributed to different politicians.

According to the affidavit, then chief of army staff General (r) Mirza Aslam Baig had advised the intelligence agency in September 1990 that it should give logistic support to the transfer of funds from the business community in Karachi to the IJI during the 1988 election.

According to the written affidavit of July 24, 1994, Lt Gen (r) Durrani said he was informed at the time that the step had the government’s complete support. After the orders, he said he opened a number of accounts in banks in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Quetta.

A man from Karachi named Younas Habib had deposited Rs 140 million in a bank account and the rest of the money was transferred to a special fund.

According to the affidavit, acquired by the TV channel, former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi received Rs 5 million,
former Sindh chief minister Jam Sadiq Rs 5 million,
former prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo Rs 2.5 million,
Nawaz Sharif Rs 3.5 million,
senior politician Pir Pagaro Rs 2 million,
the Jamaat-e-Islami Rs 5 million,
Mir Afzal Khan Rs 10 million,
Abida Hussain Rs 1 million,
Lt Gen Rafaqat Rs 5.6 million for managing the media campaign,
Humayun Marri Rs 1.5 million,
former prime minister Zafarullah Jamali Rs 4 million,
Kakar Rs 1 million,
Jam Yousaf Rs 0.7 million,
Hasil Bizenjo Rs 0.5 million,
Nadir Mengal Rs 1 million,
Altaf Hussain Qureshi and
Mustafa Sadiq Rs 0.5 million,
Salahuddin Rs 0.3 million,
smaller groups Rs 5.4 million and others received Rs 3.339 million.

Iran's Khatami says trial confessions invalid

Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:49pm EDT

By Zahra Hosseinian

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Former President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday trial confessions by moderates accused of fomenting post-election unrest were made under "extraordinary conditions" and were invalid, an Iranian news agency reported.

At Tuesday's trial, the fourth since June polls denounced by moderates as fraudulent, senior reformer and

Khatami ally Saeed Hajjarian was reported as saying he had "made major mistakes during the election by presenting incorrect analyses."

"I apologize to the Iranian nation for those mistakes."

A prosecutor demanded maximum punishment for Hajjarian who is accused of acting against national security, a crime which can carry the death sentence.

"These confessions are invalid and have been obtained under extraordinary conditions ... such claims are sheer lies and false," Khatami, who backed the main moderate candidate in the election, was quoted as saying by the ILNA news agency.

Also in the dock on Tuesday were several other moderate figures, including former Deputy Interior Minister Mostafa Tajzadeh and former Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh -- both of whom held their positions under Khatami.

All were charged with fomenting huge street protests that followed the June presidential election that returned hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; some confessed to "mistakes."

Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakhsh was also accused of acting against national security and espionage at Tuesday's trial, charges likely to anger Washington.

Tajbakhsh also told the court that Khatami had met with billionaire financier George Soros in New York, Iranian media reported, but Khatami said this was also a "lie."

Iranian officials have portrayed the post-election protests as a foreign-backed bid to topple the clerical establishment.

The June 12 vote has plunged Iran into its most serious internal crisis since the 1979 Islamic revolution and has exposed deep divisions in the establishment's ruling elite.

"NO MASS BURIAL"

Defeated moderate candidates Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi say the vote was rigged to secure Ahmadinejad's re-election, a charge the authorities deny.

Analysts see the mass trials as an attempt to uproot the moderate opposition and put an end to opposition protests.

Rights groups say hundreds of people, including senior pro-reform politicians, journalists and activists, have been detained since the election. Many are still in jail.

Moderate politicians and influential former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a rival of Ahmadinejad, have called for the detainees' immediate release.

One of those in the dock in Tuesday's trial accused Rafsanjani's son of encouraging moderates to allege that the poll was rigged. Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani denied the claims.

In a televised debate before the election, Ahmadinejad accused Rafsanjani's family of corruption. The official IRNA news agency said on Wednesday Rafsanjani's family had issued a complaint to the judiciary against Ahmadinejad, but it did not give details.

Karoubi has also angered hardliners by claiming some imprisoned protesters were raped and abused in jail, a charge government officials have rejected as "baseless."

But a parliamentary committee set up to investigate the cases of detainees said it would be ready to consider any evidence submitted by the pro-reform cleric.

Karoubi was quoted as saying this week that four people who say they were sexually abused in jail were ready to provide testimony to parliament, but that they did not feel secure.

Committee member Farhad Tajari said the judiciary chief and the speaker of parliament had "given the necessary security guarantees to those who are ready to testify about sexual abuse in prison" but that he did not see the claims as reliable.

The reformist website Norooz said last week "tens" of people were buried in unnamed graves in the largest cemetery in Tehran on July 12 and 15 -- about a month after the election, suggesting those buried had been protestors.

But a former head of the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery said no "mass burial" had ever taken place there. A lawmaker said on Tuesday a parliamentary committee was looking into a rumor of burials at the site.

The losing candidates say 69 people were killed in the unrest but the authorities put the death toll at 26.

(Additional reporting by Hossein Jaseb and Reza Derakhshi; Writing by Zahra Hosseinian; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

Ah Iraq lost ISCI’s ailing leader Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim

BBC Just reported, the last search for Al-Hakim re-produced here.

Inna Lillah wa Inna Elyah Raji`oun

Struggles for power are already going on within ISCI and the Badr forces; they look set to intensify in the case of a succession crisis after Hakim.


Iraq Shia leader dies of cancer
breaking news

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of one of the most powerful Shia Muslim parties in Iraq, has died, his aides say.

Hakim had been suffering from cancer and had been receiving treatment in hospital in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Correspondents say the death of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) leader adds further uncertainty ahead of national elections next January.

He led the SIIC from 2003 when his brother was killed after his return to Iraq following the US-led invasion.


----------------




http://www.historiae.org/INA.asp


Al-Jaafari, al-Maliki's predecessor, read a statement, noting that the ailing leader of the Supreme Council, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, was absent because he has been hospitalized in Iran.

"We wished that al-Hakim could be with us, but he is sick," al-Jaafari said. "We pray he will feel better soon but he will be with us spiritually," al-Jaafari said.

Al-Hakim, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007, has wielded enormous influence since the 2003 U.S. invasion, maintaining close ties to both the Americans and his Iranian backers.

He has groomed his son, Ammar, as his successor. Ammar al-Hakim also missed the news conference because he had rushed to Iran as his father's health deteriorated, officials said.

By that time, ISCI – which had been punished particularly hard by voters in the January polls – had taken over the initiative, and within weeks several dozen key UIA members paid their visits to ISCI’s ailing leader Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim at a convalescent home in Tehran where details of the new alliance were discussed. Reportedly, Muqtada al-Sadr also made the journey from Qum to reconcile with Hakim, a long-time opponent, apparently seeing the symbolic change of name as a “Sadrist demand” that could justify their return to the UIA.


Agreement on the new alliance seems to have been arrived at in Tehran, and it is basically a case of Shiite Islamists with long-standing Iranian sympathies like Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim and Abd al-Karim al-Anizi reaching an understanding with other Shiite Islamists whose turn to Iran is of far more recent date (and probably is still disputed by many of their adherents in Iraq), as in the case of Muqtada al-Sadr. Already in May, full lists of the new alliance circulated; they included the entire old UIA, with unspecified “independent” and “tribal” Sunnis forming a beautifying addendum ( “Look we are a national party, we are not excluding our brothers from Western Iraq ”).

As for the reasons for the sudden haste in declaring the alliance – with the apparent use of a deadline to put pressure on a Maliki – we can only speculate. But at least two factors stand out. Firstly, in Tehran, Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim’s health once more seems to be deteriorating, with reports that he has been transferred to a more intensive form of hospital care. Secondly, from Qum, there are rumours that Muqtada al-Sadr may be about to return to Iraq, possibly even with enhanced scholarly credentials.


-----------------


By Waleed Ibrahim

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The leader of one of Iraq's most powerful Shi'ite Muslim political groups and most important religious dynasties died on Wednesday, adding to political uncertainty in a violent run-up to an election next January.

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who headed the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (ISCI), a major partner in the Shi'ite-led government, died while undergoing treatment for cancer in Iran, ISCI said.

"It is a painful event and a great tragedy," the ISCI-owned television station quoted Ammar al-Hakim, his son and likely successor as party leader, as saying.

ISCI officials said two funerals would be held, in Iran and in Iraq.

Born in 1950, Hakim lead ISCI since 2003 after his brother, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Baqer al-Hakim, was killed by a car bomb.

ISCI is part of Iraq's ruling Shi'ite alliance, which includes Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Dawa party, but it said this week it would lead a new group to compete in January's polls without Maliki.

Hakim's "death at this sensitive stage that we are going through is considered a big loss," Maliki said in a statement.

Anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a fellow member of the new, mainly Shi'ite alliance said: "This is a promise from me to all his followers...to be brothers and partners in this life and the next as they ask for the liberation of Iraq."

State television displayed a black banner of mourning and passages from the Quran in Hakim's honor.

Political analyst Hazim al-Nuaimi said the loss of ISCI's chief peacemaker could lead to infighting.

ISCI must take care to line up behind the new leader, whoever he may be, in the five months before what are sure to be fiercely contested elections.

"Anyone who sees ISCI as vulnerable will try to take its place," said Mohammed Abdul Jabar, a former Shi'ite politician who now edits a weekly magazine.

Jalal al-Din al-Sagheer, who heads ISCI's parliament bloc, said Ammar al-Hakim would be interim party chief and that a permanent leader would be chosen soon by senior clerics.

DELICATE TIME

The leadership change at ISCI occurs at a turbulent moment in Iraq as the sectarian bloodshed unleashed by the 2003 U.S. invasion fades but bomb attacks pick up again.

Iraq regained some sovereignty when U.S. forces pulled out of urban centres in June, but a spate of bombings in recent weeks has undermined public confidence in local security forces.

The bombings, including two on August 19 that devastated the foreign and finance ministries and killed +100 people, also dealt a blow to Maliki's efforts before the January election to claim credit for a fall in overall violence.

The overtly religious ISCI became a major political player in majority Shi'ite Iraq after the U.S. invasion ousted Sunni Muslim dictator Saddam Hussein.

It was founded in neighboring Shi'ite Iran, where many ISCI leaders lived for years in exile during Saddam's rule. But despite their close ties to Tehran, an arch foe of Washington, ISCI leaders also enjoy U.S. support.

Iranian media said a ceremony would be held on Thursday outside Iraq's embassy in Tehran and Hakim's body would then be taken to the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, in Iraq, for burial.

Although ISCI lost ground to Maliki's Dawa in provincial elections last January, the well-organized and well-funded party has major clout and will be a formidable competitor in January.

ISCI has several members in top ministerial posts and has influence in Iraq's security forces.

ISCI derives much of its support from the Hakim family name, revered among Shi'ites for its lineage of scholars and sacrifice in the face of assaults by Saddam and other violence.

Ammar al-Hakim appears to have been groomed for succession, but there are other key figures in the party.

In May, Hakim entrusted top ISCI member Humam Hamoudi to repair the ruling Shi'ite alliance. One of Iraq's two vice presidents, Adel Abdul-Mehdi, is also an important ISCI member with strong support within the party.

(Additional reporting by Suadad al-Salhy, Khalid al-Ansary and Aseel Kami in Baghdad, and by the Tehran bureau; Writing by Mohammed Abbas and Missy Ryan; Editing by Angus MacSwan)


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FACTBOX: Key facts about Iraqi Shi'ite leader Hakim


(Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, one of the most influential religious and political figures in majority Shi'ite Iraq, died on Wednesday of cancer.

Following are some facts about Hakim:

* Hakim, born in 1950, was the leader of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (ISCI), a major Shi'ite political party in Iraq's Shi'ite-led government. He received a religious education in the Hawza, a pre-eminent seminary in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf.

An influential cleric and powerbroker, Hakim took over as head of the council after his elder brother, Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Baqer al-Hakim, died in a car bombing that killed 80 people after prayers at Najaf's Imam Ali mosque in August 2003.

* While living in exile in Iran in the 1980s and 90s, Hakim was a leader of the Badr group, the military wing of the ISCI, which fought on Iran's side in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

* The ISCI, formerly known as the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, was founded in Iran during Hakim's years there when Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq.

* Despite its origins in Iran, an arch foe of the United States, the ISCI has had good ties with Washington. Hakim went to Washington to meet U.S. leaders and was a member of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

* Hakim, a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung tumors and treated for lung cancer in Iran and the United States. In public appearances, he had appeared increasingly frail and unwell.

* Hakim's party this week announced a new, mainly Shi'ite political alliance to contest the next election, including Moqtada al-Sadr, another cleric who holds wide sway among Iraqi Shi'ites. Significantly, the alliance does not include Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, an increasingly assertive leader now seen as a potential rival rather than an ally.


--------------

Aug 27, 4:39 AM EDT

Iranians mourn Iraqi Shiite leader al-Hakim

By NASSER KARIMI
Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Thousands of mourners offered prayers and wept Thursday during a memorial for the Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who spent nearly two decades in Iran during Saddam Hussein's rule before returning to his homeland to become a key political power broker.

The ceremony for al-Hakim, who died Wednesday in Tehran of lung cancer, was attended by many Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in a sign of his deep ties to Iran.

Hundreds of Iraqi expatriates joined the procession, as al-Hakim's coffin was carried from the Iraqi Embassy to begin a trip for burial in the holy Shiite city of Najaf in Iraq. Many women wept and waved posters of al-Hakim.

Al-Hakim's political bloc, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, became the most influential Shiite political force following Saddam's collapse through its broad connections - able to work with American forces in Iraq while keeping its ties to Iran as the Islamic regime expanded its influence with Iraq's Shiite majority.

The Supreme Council suffered setbacks in provincial elections in January, but has sought to shore up its foundations with new alliances that include some Sunni groups that had been highly suspicious of al-Hakim's Iranian links.

In recent months, the 59-year-old al-Hakim had turned over most political duties to his son and political heir, Ammar.

According to al-Hakim's political party, his body will be flown from the Iranian city of Qom, a seat of Shiite learning about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of Tehran, to Iraq where he will be buried in Najaf.

There was no official public mourning announced in Iran, but his deep connections to Iran were widely noted.

In Iraq, the top two U.S. officials in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno and Ambassador Christopher Hill, offered condolences in a joint statement Wednesday, praising al-Hakim for "contributing to the building of a new Iraq."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said "his death at this sensitive stage that we are undergoing represents a big loss to Iraq." Parliament elections in Iraq are scheduled for January.

Al-Hakim was diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2007 after tests at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He chose to receive his chemotherapy treatment in Iran.

Al-Hakim's father, Grand Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim, was among the most influential Shiite scholars of his generation.

The family fled to Iran in 1980 following a crackdown by Saddam on the Shiite opposition. Al-Hakim and his brother, Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, returned to Iraq soon after Saddam's fall. A bombing on Aug. 29, 2003, in Najaf killed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim and more than 80 others. Abdul-Aziz then stepped into the leadership of the Supreme Council.


--------------

Iraqis mourn Shiite leader Hakim in Baghdad

by Salam Faraj Salam Faraj – 1 hr 47 mins ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) – Iraqis on Friday mourned the death of powerful Shiite politician Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, with wailing crowds touching his coffin as it was carried through Baghdad after an official homecoming ceremony.

Hakim, whose body arrived by plane from Iran, where he died in hospital of lung cancer two days ago, was hailed as "a devoted fighter" and "leader of the fight" against the tyrannical reign of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.

The mourners were led by his son, Ammar, dressed in black robes and a black turban and who is seen likely to take over his father's duties as leader of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), Iraq's largest Shiite political party.

Hakim's body was carried down a plane's steps by six pallbearers dressed in ceremonial uniform for a service at Baghdad airport.

"He was a leader, a devoted fighter of Iraq," said Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who was first to address the ceremony.

"We are confident that the void left in his family and in the Supreme Council will be filled by the men of his family, such as (his son) Ammar al-Hakim."

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, also paid tribute to Hakim's role in opposing Saddam.

"He was a symbol and a leader of the fight against the dictator's regime," Maliki told a crowd of hundreds, comprised of SIIC members, tribal chiefs, US ambassador Christopher Hill and his British counterpart Christopher Prentice.

Hakim, 60, a former chain-smoker who died after a 28-month battle against cancer on Wednesday, was one of the principal leaders in exile of the opposition to Saddam, who mounted a devastating 1980-88 war against Iran.

In 1982, Hakim helped to establish an opposition movement in exile in Iran to battle Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime and only returned to Iraq following the US-led invasion of 2003.

The SIIC swept Shiite areas in the first provincial elections after the invasion, but in polls seven months ago the party suffered major losses.

The one hour ceremony at the airport was followed by Hakim's body being moved to Buratha mosque in the capital, where the prayer of the dead was read, signalling the start of three days of official mourning.

The coffin, draped in an Iraqi flag and carrying Hakim's black turban, said to have belonged to a descendant of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed, was then carried through the streets of Khadimiyah, a Shiite stronghold. Hundreds of screaming followers, some of them crying, reached out to touch it as a mourner carrying a framed Hakim portrait led the procession.

Although Hakim was seen as the Iraqi politician with the closest ties to Iran he also managed to build a rapport with Tehran's arch-foe the United States and even met then president George W. Bush at the White House in 2006.

Hakim's body then left Baghdad and was headed south to the Shiite shrine city of Karbala. He will be buried in nearby Najaf on Saturday.

The bespectacled Shiite cleric had been in Tehran for treatment for more than four months and had also visited America in the past to consult lung cancer specialists.

A scion of one of the traditional leading families among Iraq's Shiite majority, Hakim took over the leadership of his party in August 2003 after his brother Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Hakim was assassinated in Najaf.

Their father, Grand Ayatollah Mohsen al-Hakim, was one of Shiite Islam's top spiritual leaders between 1955 and 1970.

The family has had to contend not only with the rising influence among poorer Shiites of the radical movement of anti-US cleric Moqtada al-Sadr but also with Maliki's increasing power.

Hakim's death came just days after the Iraqi premier confirmed he was breaking ranks with the SIIC alongside which he fought the last parliamentary elections in 2005. Maliki's faction will now go it alone in January's polls.

The decision leaves the SIIC facing an uphill struggle to retain its power at the political centre, contesting the elections with its remaining Shiite allies in a new National Iraqi Alliance.

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy dies at age 77

26 Aug 2009 09:33:22 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Death marks twilight of a political dynasty

* Kennedy's presidential aspirations were dashed

* His healthcare reform drive topped a liberal agenda (Adds Obama, details)

By Scott Malone

BOSTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, a towering figure in the Democratic Party who took the helm of one of America's most fabled political families after two older brothers were assassinated, died at age 77, his family said.

"Edward M. Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts)," the Kennedy family said in a statement early on Wednesday.

One of the most influential and longest-serving senators in U.S. history -- a liberal standard-bearer who was also known as a consummate congressional dealmaker -- Kennedy had been battling brain cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2008.

His death marked the twilight of a political dynasty and dealt a blow to Democrats as they seek to answer President Barack Obama's call for an overhaul of the healthcare system.

Kennedy was a longtime advocate of healthcare reform, a signature issue of Obama's presidency. Obama said on Wednesday he was heartbroken to hear of the death of Kennedy, a crucial supporter of his presidential candidacy. [ID:nN26248334]

"I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've profited as President from his encouragement and wisdom," said Obama, who was elected last November and took office in January.

Kennedy had recently urged Massachusetts lawmakers to change state law so the governor, if necessary, could quickly fill a Senate vacancy as the chamber debates the contentious healthcare issue.

Known as "Teddy," he was the brother of President John Kennedy, assassinated in 1963, Senator Robert Kennedy, fatally shot while campaigning for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, and Joe Kennedy, a pilot killed in World War Two.

When he first took the Senate seat previously held by John Kennedy in 1962, he was seen as something of a political lightweight who owed his ascent to his famous name.

Yet during his nearly half century in the chamber, Kennedy became known as one of Washington's most effective senators, crafting legislation by working with lawmakers and presidents of both parties, and finding unlikely allies.

At the same time, he held fast to liberal causes deemed anachronistic by the centrist "New Democrats," and was a lightning rod for conservative ire.

He helped enact measures to protect civil and labor rights, expand healthcare, upgrade schools, increase student aid and contain the spread of nuclear weapons.

"There's a lot to do," Kennedy told Reuters in 2006. "I think most of all it's the injustice that I continue to see and the opportunity to have some impact on it."

After Robert Kennedy's death, Edward was expected to waste little time in vying for the presidency. But in 1969, a young woman drowned after a car Kennedy was driving plunged off a bridge on the Massachusetts resort island of Chappaquiddick after a night of partying.

Kennedy's image took a major hit after it emerged he had failed to report the accident to authorities. He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene and received a suspended sentence.

Kennedy eventually ran for his party's presidential nomination in 1980 but lost to then-President Jimmy Carter.

His presidential ambitions thwarted, Kennedy devoted himself to his Senate career.

A 2009 survey by The Hill, a Capitol Hill publication, found that Senate Republicans believed Kennedy was the chamber's easiest Democrat to work with and most bipartisan.

Republican Senator John McCain called Kennedy "the single most effective member of the Senate if you want to get results."

In January 2008, Kennedy endorsed Obama, who was serving his first term as a senator, for the Democratic presidential nomination. Many saw the endorsement as the passing of the political torch to a new generation. A year to the day before his death, Kennedy made an electrifying speech to the Democratic convention that nominated Obama for president.

'LION' BATTLED ON

Kennedy had been largely sidelined in Congress since becoming ill. The "Lion of the Senate" began to use a cane and often looked tired and drained as he mixed work with treatment.

Yet colleagues and staff said he remained determined to fulfill what he called "the cause of my life," providing health insurance to all Americans. He helped draft legislation to overhaul the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system.

Kennedy's interest in healthcare dated from his son's bout with cancer in the 1970s. More recently, he cited his own illness as he made a case for reform.

"I've benefited from the best of medicine, but I've also witnessed the frustration and outrage of patients and doctors alike as they face the challenges of a system that shortchanges millions of Americans," he wrote in a May 28, 2009, issue of the Boston Globe.

His charisma as "the last of the Kennedy brothers" was such that draft-Teddy drives were a feature of U.S. presidential election years from 1968 through the 1980s.

But he never fully escaped the cloud of the Chappaquiddick accident. A decades-long argument arose about whether he tried to cover up his involvement by leaving the scene while Mary Jo Kopechne's body remained submerged and whether police helped sweep such questions under the rug. All involved denied any cover-up.

Later crises involving younger Kennedys, notably the 1991 Palm Beach rape trial of his nephew, William Kennedy Smith, caught a bloated and weary-looking Uncle Ted in a media glare. Reports of heavy drinking and womanizing led to a public apology for "the faults in the conduct of my private life."

Kennedy was remarried soon after that to Victoria Reggie, a 38-year-old lawyer with two young children from her first marriage. He poured renewed energy into the Senate, where he would become the third-longest serving senator in history.

Even his Republican foes recognized Kennedy's dedication as he worked to protect civil rights, give federal help to the poor, contain the spread of nuclear weapons, raise the minimum wage, expand health coverage and improve America's schools.

FAMILY STANDARDS

Born on Feb. 22, 1932, Edward Moore Kennedy was the last of four sons and five daughters born to millionaire businessman Joseph Kennedy, who would later be ambassador to Britain, and his wife, Rose.

The Boston Irish family combined the competitive spirit of nouveau riche immigrants with acquired polish and natural charm. The sons were expected to mature into presidential timber and were groomed for that starting with the oldest, Joseph Jr., a bomber pilot who died in World War Two.

"I think about my brothers every day," Kennedy told Reuters. "They set high standards. Sometimes you measure up, sometimes you don't."

Like his brothers, Kennedy was known for his oratory, delivered in a booming voice at rallies, congressional hearings and in the Senate.

He drew praise from liberals, labor and civil rights groups and scorn from conservatives, big business and anti-abortion and pro-gun activists. His image was often used by Republicans in ads as a money-raising tool.

Tragedies dogged Kennedy throughout his life. They included a 1964 plane crash that damaged his spine and left him with persistent pain; bone cancer that cost son Teddy a leg; first wife Joan's battles with alcoholism that contributed to their divorce, and drug problems involving nephews, one of whom died of an overdose. His nephew, John Kennedy Jr., died in July 1999 when his small plane crashed into the ocean near Cape Cod.

In May 2008, Edward Kennedy collapsed at his Cape Cod home and was flown to hospital in Boston, where he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Brain cancer kills half its victims within a year.

Kennedy's illness kept him from attending the funeral of his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a leading advocate of the mentally disabled, who died on Aug. 11 at the age of 88. (Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro in Washington and Patricia Zengerle in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts; Editing by Peter Cooney)

At least 43 dead as massive bomb blast rocks Afghan city

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 10:31 AM on 26th August 2009



A massive bomb has killed at least 43, and wounded 65 after it exploded last night in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan.

The explosion ripped through a central area of Kandahar city just after nightfall, according to the Interior Ministry.

It took place as the first preliminary results were released from last week's presidential vote.
Attack: An Afghan soldier stands guard at the site of the explosion which took place in the southern city of Kandahar last night

Attack: An Afghan soldier stands guard at the site of the explosion which took place in the southern city of Kandahar last night

A Taliban spokesman today denied any responsibility for the attack, saying that the militant group condemns the attack.

More...

* British soldier dies in hospital a week after he was wounded in Afghanistan explosion
* President Karzai takes slender lead in Afghan presidential election as four more NATO troops are killed

Spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said: 'We are denying responsibility, and condemn this attack in which innocent civilians were killed.'

More...

* British soldier dies in hospital a week after he was wounded in Afghanistan explosion
* President Karzai takes slender lead in Afghan presidential election as four more NATO troops are killed

The bombing, which flattened buildings and sent flames shooting into the sky, occurred in a district that includes U.N. facilities and an Afghan intelligence office.

Rescue workers were still pulling injured people from the rubble this morning.

Rescue worker Mohammad Darwish said: 'There are some people still trapped in the buildings and we are trying to get them out.'
Condemned: A Taliban spokesman has denied responsibility for last night's bombing, which killed 43 and wounded 65

Condemned: A Taliban spokesman has denied responsibility for last night's bombing, which killed 43 and wounded 65

The Interior Ministry said the blast was from remote-controlled explosives planted in a truck.

Local officials said a cluster of vehicle bombs detonated almost simultaneously close to a Japanese construction firm that involved in reconstruction efforts in the city.

The company recently took over a contract to build a road that insurgents had stalled for several months.

Innocent victims: Rescue workers say civilians remain trapped in the rubble, and are continuing to rescue injured people this morning

Innocent victims: Rescue workers say civilians remain trapped in the rubble, and are continuing to rescue injured people this morning

The violence came as Afghans heard preliminary results of last week's presidential vote, putting President Hamid Karzai and his main rival, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, virtually equal.

Meanwhile, a provincial official was killed in northern Afghanistan today by a bomb planted in his car, authorities said.

Sayed Jahangir, the justice ministry director for Kunduz province was driving to work in the provincial capital when his vehicle exploded, said Ahmad Sami Yawar, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Mr Yawar said he did not know why Mr Jahangir would have been targeted, other than his role as a government official.

Kandahar is the spiritual home of the Taliban and the city was hit by rockets on the morning of election day as Taliban militants attempted to disrupt last Thursday's polling with violence.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1209121/Bomb-kills-43-injures-65-massive-Afghanistan-attack.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0PHZ77DH9

ABC Appache Blackhawk Chinook Dumped Dictated Democracy of DoD

This is called ABC Dumped Dictated Democracy of DoD
A=Appache
B=Blackhawk/Blackwater
C=Chinook

These helicopters are means of transportation of State Department, installing/removing/transporting dictators from 1 neighborhood/region to another and to/from military bases/forts to US Embassy/Mission. As anyone with American attachment is hated on local streets.While Americans haved crossed skies and landed on moon 40 years ago but American human being involved to fulfill OilGasMineWar Neocon's/Cartels agenda are not allowed to walk freely on earth in Obama's World of 2009.

A U.S. military helicopter carrying ballot boxes packed with votes from last week's Afghan election accidentally dumped some of them somewhere over the rugged mountains of Nuristan, officials said on Wednesday.

Some 50 ballot boxes were being carried in a "sling load" beneath a Chinook helicopter from the provincial capital Paroon when the accident happened, they said.

"During transport, apparently some of the materials came out of the load as it was travelling," U.S. army Lieutenant Tommy Groves told Reuters.

This is called ABC Dumped Dictated Democracy of DoD
A=Appache
B=Blackhawk/Blackwater
C=Chinook

These helicopters are means of transportation of State Department, installing/removing/transporting dictators from 1 neighborhood to another and to/from military bases/forts to US Embassy/Mission. As anyone with American attachment is hated on local streets.While Americans haved crossed skies and landed on moon but American human being involved to fulfill OilGasMineWar Neocon's/Cartels agenda are not allowed to walk freely on earth in Obama's World of 2009.

U.S. helicopter accidentally dumps Afghan ballot boxes

26 Aug 2009 07:51:33 GMT
Source: Reuters
(For more on Afghanistan, click on [ID:nAFPAK])

KABUL, Aug 26 (Reuters) - A U.S. military helicopter carrying ballot boxes packed with votes from last week's Afghan election accidentally dumped some of them somewhere over the rugged mountains of Nuristan, officials said on Wednesday.

Some 50 ballot boxes were being carried in a "sling load" beneath a Chinook helicopter from the provincial capital Paroon when the accident happened, they said.

"During transport, apparently some of the materials came out of the load as it was travelling," U.S. army Lieutenant Tommy Groves told Reuters.

He said 15 of the 25 boxes that fell were recovered. The Independent Election Commission said the votes had already been counted and the totals added to the national tally.

A partial tally based on 10 percent of the votes counted has President Hamid Karzai and rival Abdullah Abdullah running neck-and-neck, suggesting a close race headed for second round.

(For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan) (Reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Nick Macfie)

----------------

Parachuting cowboy-style democracy!

In Afghanistan, the Americans and their European allies are trying to get support for their agents, Hameed Kharzai or Abdullah Abdullah in order to give a form of legitimacy to their brutal occupation. The irony of the election is eloquently expressed by ballot boxes carried on donkeys to illiterate people while under the protection of sophisticated warplanes firing precision bombs. The result of parachuting cowboy-style democracy on primitive societies will be divisions, rivalries and violence. The divisions in Iraq and the fragmentation of the country under the brutal American occupation have led to violence that Iraq has never seen in its history. No matter how the Americans want to portray their costly efforts, they have entirely failed in getting popular support for their imperialistic projects on behalf of international cartels. Their client regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan are besieged inside heavily-protected one square mile inside their respective capitals frequently attacked by resistance movements rejecting the anti-Islamic crusaders and their agents in governments, albeit ‘democratically elected’.
Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times


---------------------


Following the collapse of the hated Saddam rule, most Iraqis gave the Americans the benefit of the doubt, went along playing the political game by US rules and hoped for the best. But instead of understanding the aspirations of Iraqis, the arrogant and uncivilised Americans cowboys continued their strong-arm policies, which included the establishment of a client regime, fragmenting Iraq and unleashing their agents and mercenaries to detain, rape, torture and to kill Iraqis with impunity. That is at the time when the US encourages Israel to carry out its Nazi-style atrocities against Palestinians and to impose sanctions on Muslim countries like Syria, Iran and Sudan. Despite Obama’s empty gestures to Muslims, visitors with Muslim names continue to be humiliated at US borders check points. With this record, it is no wonder that US client regimes of Al-Maliki and Kharzai regimes are being exposed and rejected while the national resistance movements continue to get wide support and to rake havoc on US military personnel and US-paid mercenaries. In every possible way the Afghanis and the Iraqis continue to ensure that American project and USraeli designs will fail. Obama proved himself to be spineless and a fraud.



1. In 1947, Jewish gangs of Stern, Irgun and Haggana hanged the entire male population ( Over 180) of Deir Yassin in one afternoon. This was meant to fighten the popultion which many compared to Himmler's practices in the former Soviet Union.
2. Israel has established its own SS (Stafel Schutz,Defence Force) and called it IDF; which carries out arbitary arrests, torture and killing.
3. Israel has concentrations camps with Israeli doctors carrying out routine medical experiments similar to those of the infamous Nazi Doctor Mengle.
4. Israel carries out ethnic cleansing and remove Arabs from their homes and lands.
5. Like the Nazis, the Israelis disregard international law and human right conventions.
-----------------


Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Washington's Black Democracy of Blast Walls , is it Wall of Hatred or Wall to keep Iraqis imprisoned?

East Germany/West Germany are divided by the walls of hatred. Bait Al Muqqadas is being bifurcated by these war walls which has divided religions and nations.

The only wall Babylon GODs see on the planet from moon is China wall , not Washington's DoD funded walls erected to prolong US invasions and their client regimes of Kabol, Baghdad, Islamabad.

As long as US Continue extending their so-called get them all invasions, they are limiting the life of Americans to live inside green zone safe heavens, forts following pre-history killer kings/emperors like Hallaku , Chengez Khan.


If we love each other, then we don't need any wall of hatred to provide us peace, security at the cost of hatred and protecting US agenda of prolonging/continued occupation.


These walls remind you that your enemy is your neighbor , not the one who came for your help across 7 seas, 15,000 K.M away from your door steps. Trust a nation who is beyond seas but don't trust your immediate neighbors. Painting these walls will never bring peace, protection, prosperity. We need rulers who can rule over hearts and only mutual respect, understanding, equality in respect of human rights can bring nations together.

Despite world's best super power full of modern technological and lethal war equipments , 3rd generation war vessels, missiles, fighter jets Washington failed to rule over Veitnam, Afghans, Somalis, Palestinians, Iraqis and Pakistanis.


Americas still need another generation to produce rulers who can rule over hearts and minds.

Iraq suspends decision to pull down blast walls

25 Aug 2009 10:52:35 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Local military commanders to decide on blast walls

* Bombings dealt political blow to PM Maliki on security

By Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD, Aug 25 (Reuters) - After bomb attacks killed almost 100 people last week in Baghdad, officials have suspended a decision to remove many of the towering blast walls girding the Iraqi capital, a security official said on Tuesday.

Tahseen al-Sheikhli, a civilian spokesman for security operations in Baghdad, said a plan to remove all the concrete walls across Baghdad by the end of 2009, or even earlier, would no longer be implemented as planned.

Officials had early this month said most of the capital's blast walls would come down within 40 days.

Sheikhli said it would now be up to local military commanders whether to dismantle the walls, which have divided neighbourhoods, encircled government buildings, and cut off roadways since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The reversal comes less than a week after coordinated attacks in Baghdad, including truck bombs near two ministries, killed 95 people and wounded more than 1,000 others, shaking the confidence of many Iraqis who have tentatively begun to accept the worst of the bloodshed of the last six years may be over.

The blasts also dealt a blow to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, seeking to portray himself as responsible for improving security ahead of a general election early next year.

Maliki said the attacks were a response to the announcement to bring down most of Baghdad's blast walls by mid-September.

"After Wednesday's events, the battle took a different direction. A review has been made of removing walls in many areas ... Leaders in the field will decide," Sheikhli said.

He said the walls will be lifted from some streets, left as is or expanded in other areas.

The removal of the walls, a symbol of the chaos and destruction that have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Iraqis since 2003, would be a welcome step in returning Iraq to normality as U.S. troops prepare to halt combat operations next year and withdraw entirely by the end of 2011.

It also figures in Maliki's plans to capitalise on security gains as he seeks a second term as prime minister.

But last week's explosions brought outrage from Iraqis who blamed local soldiers and police for failing to stop bombers at checkpoints and even prompted some senior officials to point a finger at security forces for possible involvement.

Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, a member of Iraq's Kurdish minority, said the attacks were partly due to a false sense of security that led to removal of blast walls and checkpoints. (Editing by Missy Ryan and Charles Dick)

Dawn to Dusk Drum Beating to Wake up Obama's World

A Palestinian youth uses a drum to wake up Muslim worshippers for the traditional Ramadan meal before the start of the daily fasting, in Balata refugee camp in the West Bank city of Nablus, Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy fasting month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, refraining from eating, drinking, and smoking from dawn to dusk.
(AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

-----------------

A day will come soon when Obama will realize/regret for continuing launching, prolonging, extending USraelie wars on Muslim cities after cities. I hope American Presidents should not pay attention to Israelie's drum beating. The US funded Donkey Dictator is being dumped by Iraqis while they formed another alliance ousting Al-Maliki.

Altaf holds Nawaz answerable for not stopping 1992 operation

Updated at: 2100 PST, Monday, August 24, 2009
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Husain said today it has been proved that no map of Jinnah Pur was recovered from any MQM office and the army operation was launched against his party under a false pretext.

He asked the then Prime Minister Nawaz Shairf to come forward and tell the nation why he opted to remain silent and played no role in stopping the military operation against MQM.

Addressing MQM party workers in different parts of the country simultaneously through a videoconference from London he said, “We want elimination of the feudal system from the country.”

He questioned as to what took both the ex military officials such a long time to tell the truth.

Altaf Husain said that the people of Punjab were kept in the dark for 18 long years.

“Who is responsible for killing over 15 thousand innocent activists of MQM?” he asked. However, he said: “I forgive the killings of my brother and nephew.”

He said he chose not to react keeping in view the stability and integrity of Pakistan. “I leave it up to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a commission to probe the martyrdom of MQM workers.”

The MQM leader said: “We never were, are or ever will be against Pakistan.”

Altaf Husain burst into tears while talking about the MQM activists who, he said, were killed in 1992 operation.

MQM leader’s live videoconference was simultaneously witnessed in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore besides 19 zones in Sindh.

--------------------

PM not taken into confidence on 1992 operation: Brig. Imtiaz
Updated at: 2300 PST, Monday, August 24, 2009
KARACHI: Former chief of IB Brig. (Retd.) Imtiaz Ahmed Monday termed the 1992 operation in Karachi as purely a military action and in this regard the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif was not taken into confidence.

Talking to Geo News, the former IB chief said: “The prime minister had no knowledge of any decision regarding the operation at that time.”

He said meetings were held after the then prime minister came to know about the operation. The prime minister held consultations with the then president and army chief, he added.

Brig. (Retd.) Imtiaz Ahmed said the military operation of 1992 in Karachi was being carried out under the then corps commander Karachi and the army chief.

He said he had no authority to interfere in any way in the operation.


------------

Military launched operation against MQM on its own: Ahsan Iqbal
Updated at: 2000 PST, Monday, August 24, 2009
LAHORE: Secretary Information Pakistan Muslim League-N Ahsan Iqbal Monday maintained that the army launched military operation against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in 1992 without taking the government into confidence.

Reacting to the statement of MQM Chief Altaf Hussain, Ahsan Iqbal said the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif had no role to play in initiating the military operation against MQM.

“MQM is creating all this hue and cry to avoid investigation into May 12 incidents in Karachi,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal said it was General Asif Nawaz who gave the go ahead to the military operation against MQM and that no political consultation was undertaken in this regard.

MQM should direct its queries to Pakistan People’s Party’s Naseeullah Babar who was a minister at that time and now an ally of MQM itself.

-----------------------


’فوج اب جناح پور کی فائل جلا ڈالے‘

ریاض سہیل

بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، کراچی

’ان الزامات کی وجہ سے ایم کیو ایم اور اس کا فلسفہ پورے ملک میں نہیں پھل سکا‘

متحدہ قومی موومنٹ کے سربراہ الطاف حسین نے کہا کہ لیفٹیننٹ جنرل رٹائرڈ نصیر اختر اور برگیڈیئر امتیاز احمد کے بیانات کے بعد یہ ثابت ہوگیا ہے کہ ایم کیو ایم کے خلاف جناح پور بنانے کے الزام جھوٹے تھے، نواز شریف اب قوم کے سامنے آکر وضاحت پیش کریں۔

واضح رہے کہ گزشتہ روز انٹلی جنس بیورو کے سابق ڈائریکٹر جنرل برگیڈیئر امتیاز احمد نے ایک ٹی وی چینل کے پروگرام میں بتایا تھا کہ انیس سو بیانوے میں فوجی آپریشن کے دوران ایم کیو ایم کے دفتر سے جناح پور کے نقشے کی برآمدگی ڈرامہ تھا، اسی پروگرام میں اس وقت کراچی کے کور کمانڈر لیفٹیننٹ جنرل نصیر اختر نے کہا کہ وہ جناح پور کا نقشہ برآمد ہونے سے لاعلم تھے۔

ایم کیو ایم کے سربراہ الطاف حسین نے لندن سے پیر کی شام ٹیلیفون پر تقریر کرتے ہوئے الزام عاید کیا کہ برگیڈیئر آصف ہارون نے کچھ دستاویزات تیار کرکے اسے جناح پور کا نقشہ قرار دیا اور خاص طور پر پنجاب سے صحافیوں کو طلب کرکے انہیں بتایا گیا کہ ایم کیو ایم الگ ملک بنانا چاہتی ہے۔ ان کے مطابق تمام جماعتیں اس الزام کو لیکر ایم کیو ایم کی کردار کشی کرتی رہی، اس الزام کی آڑ میں آپریشن کے دوران ایم کیو ایم کے پندرہ ہزار کارکنوں کو بناکر ہلاک کیا گیا۔

برگیڈیئر آصف ہارون نے کچھ دستاویزات تیار کرکے اسے جناح پور کا نقشہ قرار دیا اور خاص طور پر پنجاب سے صحافیوں کو طلب کرکے انہیں بتایا گیا کہ ایم کیو ایم الگ ملک بنانا چاہتی ہے۔

الطاف حسین

انہوں نے سابق فوجی افسران سے سوال کیا کہ انہوں نے سچ کہنے میں اتنی دیر کیوں کردی، اور یہ کہ ان الزامات کی وجہ سے ایم کیو ایم اور اس کا فلسفہ پورے ملک میں نہیں پھل سکا۔ الطاف حسین نے پاکستان فوج ، آئی ایس آئی اور ایم آئی کے سربراہان سے اپیل کی کہ ان اقراری بیانات کے اب ان الزامات کی فائیلوں کو جلا ڈالیں اور کھلے دل سے ایم کیو ایم کو ایک محب وطن جماعت کی حیثت سے گلے لگائیں۔

انہوں نے سابق وزیر اعظم اور مسلم لیگ ن کے قائد میاں نواز شریف سے کہا کہ وہ ٹی وی پر آکر بتائیں کہ وزیر اعظم کی حیثیت سے انہوں نے اس فوجی آپریشن کو کیوں نہیں روکا۔ الطاف حسین نے سپریم کورٹ کے چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چودھری سے مخاطب ہوکر کہا کہ اس صورتحال کے بعد ’ریکنسیلیشن کمیشن‘ قائم کیا جائے یا نہیں اس کا فیصلہ وہ خود کریں۔

ایم کیو ایم کے سربراہ نے بارہ مئی دو ہزار سات کو ہونے والی ہنگامہ آرائی کا حوالا دیتے ہوئے کہا کہ اس روز کراچی میں جو کھیل کھیلا گیا اس کا الزام بھی ایم کیو ایم پر عائد کیا گیا، ’میں خدا اور رسول کی قسم کھاکر کھتا ہوں کہ وہ بھی خفیہ ہاتھوں کی سازش تھی، جو کنٹینر لگائے گئے تھے وہ رکارڈ پر موجود ہے کہ کس کے کہنے پر لگائے گئے تھے‘۔


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Ex-ISI officials come out with new versions on MQM operation

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officer Major (r) Nadeem Dar claimed on Wednesday he had recovered maps of Jinnahpur from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters, a private TV channel reported. Meanwhile, former ISI director general Lt Gen Asad Durrani told another private channel then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan had ordered an end to the military operation against the MQM to deny political mileage to the Pakistan People’s Party.

Dar told the channel he had personally recovered the Jinnahpur maps from Nine-Zero during the 1992 military operation in Karachi. This contradicts claims by Brigadier (r) Imtiaz, who had claimed that he had informed then premier Nawaz Sharif there were no maps of Jinnahpur. Separately, Durrani told a channel the government was informed about every step of the military operation against the MQM. He claimed the MQM-Haqiqi had also supported the military in the operation. He alleged the 1992 military operation had been launched for ulterior motives and Jinnahpur had been used as a scapegoat.


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MQM shifts blame for 1992 operation from military to Nawaz

Wednesday, September 02, 2009
News Analysis

By Amir Mir

LAHORE: The much trumpeted 1992 operation clean-up in Sindh had actually been launched against the backdrop of the infamous ‘Major Kaleem kidnapping case’, when a serving Army major was abducted and tortured, allegedly by a group of activists belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (which was then known as the Muhajir Qaumi Movement).

While the MQM leadership has recently blamed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for the 1992 operation and asked him to apologise for the atrocities committed during his tenure, it remains a fact that the MQM high command had held at that time the military leadership responsible for the action, saying it actually wanted to avenge the honour of Major Kaleemuddin.

As a matter of fact, Major Kaleemuddin of the Field Investigation Unit (FIU) of the Army had been tasked to restore peace in the trouble-stricken Landhi area of Karachi. He was abducted on June 20, 1991, along with a few subordinates, while in civvies ñ the night when the MQM-Haqiqi led by Afaq Ahmed made an abortive attempt to take over Landhi offices of the Altaf-led MQM, called Muhajir Khel. This led to a bloody gun battle between the two MQM factions, killing many from both sides.

However, the Haqiqi group was forced to flee after the Altaf group unleashed all its fire power in the gun battle. A few hours after the abortive attempt by the Haqiqi group, Major Kaleemuddin was abducted from the Landhi area by armed activists of the MQM, who allegedly took him to a torture cell and subjected him to ‘mistreatment’. The Major Kaleemuddin kidnapping case is still described by many in the establishment as the bedrock of the subsequent military operations carried out against the MQM under the Sharif and the Bhutto governments. Altaf Hussain and several other MQM leaders and workers were subsequently accused of being involved in the kidnapping episode and named in the FIR registered on June 24, 1991. Altaf left Pakistan in December 1992.

But there are different versions of what exactly happened to Major Kaleemuddin. Some of the MQM leaders had claimed after the incident that the abductors were under the impression that MQM-Haqiqi leaders ñ Afaq Ahmed and Amir Khan - had returned to the port city at the behest of the agencies and that the major was present in Landhi to supervise the establishment-sponsored operation against them. During the court trial, many of the accused had claimed that since the major was in plain clothes, he was mistaken by them for a Haqiqi activist and subsequently roughed up. But as soon he had revealed his identity, the major was allowed to go.

However, according to the prosecution, Major Kaleemuddin, along with three other Army officers, was patrolling the Landhi area in an Army jeep when 20 armed youths took them hostage after seizing their weapons. The Army men were taken to a place called Muhajir Khel in Landhi where they were allegedly tortured and kept for seven hours and rescued when the police reached the place. The accused charged with kidnapping the Army officers and torturing them included Altaf Hussain, Saleem Shahzad, Dr Imran Farooq, Safdar Baqri, Nadeem Ayubi, Ayub Shah, Aftab Ahmed, Ismail alias Sitara, Ashraf Zaidi, Sajid Azad, Ashfaq Chief, Javed Kazmi, Haji Jalal Asghar Chacha, Rehan Zaidi and Mohammad Yousuf.

Whatever the truth might be, the then-Army high command’s keen interest in the prosecution of the accused gave an impression as if the traditional martial pride of the Khakis - that nobody gets away with bashing up an Army officer ñ was at work. Gen Asif Nawaz had been the Corps Commander Karachi at that time who got promoted as the Army Chief in August 1991, right before the start of the military operation.

A special court for suppression of terrorist activities (STA), led by Justice Rafiq Awan, began hearing of the Kaleemuddin kidnapping case in March 1993 and delivered judgment on June 9, 1994. The court had convicted Ashfaq Chief, Javed Kazmi and Haji Jalal and sentenced them to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment, besides imposing a fine of Rs 20,000 each under the Pakistan Penal Code, the Hudood Ordinance. All other accused, including Altaf Hussain, were declared absconders and sentenced to 27 years jail and a fine of Rs 30,000 each in absentia.

Almost three years later, following the 1997 general elections and the subsequent decision by Altaf Hussain to join hands with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, all the convicted MQM leaders and activists challenged afresh their conviction and sentences before the Sindh High Court. Their appeal was heard by a division bench, which found the case as one ‘of almost no legal evidence’. Relying on the provisions of the Suppression of Terrorist Activities Act, 1976, the bench upheld on trial in absentia as well as the right of the absentee accused to file an appeal. Dealing with evidence, the bench observed that the eyewitnesses’ account did not inspire confidence and the evidence of the complainant was, in particular, full of contradictions.

The bench, comprising Justice Nizam Hussain Siddiqui and Justice Abdul Hameed, noted that it is difficult to believe, a group of 15 or 20 boys could disarm four trained soldiers. Therefore, all the accused were acquitted and three convicts serving their term were ordered to be released immediately. But it is interesting to point out that after AQ Halepota, one of the counsels for the MQM leaders, concluded his arguments before the court, the then-advocate-general Sindh Shaukat Zuberi submitted that numerous omissions and contradictions had been made during the trial of Major Kaleemuddin’s kidnapping and torture case and that he would not support the convictions of the accused by the STA court. The verdict came hardly a week after the then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif had travelled to London to meet Altaf Hussain.

To recall, the MQM and the PML-N had been coalition partners at that time, before finally falling apart following the assassination of Hakim Mohammad Saeed in Karachi. Major Kaleemuddin had subsequently challenged the acquittal of the MQM leaders and activists by the Sindh High Court. But the petition was dismissed as withdrawn by the apex court on August 13, 2007, mainly due to non-prosecution, as neither the petitioner nor his counsel had turned up.

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Establishment — the main target in current fiasco

Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Politicians point finger at Army, ISI for debacles; all except the president are losers

By Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: No matter who has authored the script of the ongoing Brig Imtiaz tamasha, engulfing the political arena, the establishment that includes the military-led intelligence agencies and the Pakistan Army have emerged as the main villains, presumably as the authors of the fiasco wanted.

Nawaz Sharif and his party are uncomfortable; demand for Musharraf’s trial has been sidetracked at least for the time being; the MQM gets into a position where it believes that its stand is vindicated but the Jinnahpur controversy also created an opportunity for its opponents for a much open criticism of the party and its policies; the issues like the scrapping of 17th Amendment have now become more complex with the two leading parties setting up for a political confrontation after the PML-N finds the Presidency behind the current smear campaign against its top leadership; however, President Asif Zardari is least affected by this recently started political wrangling. It rather has favoured him by temporarily silencing the guns that were targeting him and the government from all around for their alleged misrule, on charges of corruption, the sugar scandal and the reported ruining of the state institutions.

The PML-N, which is badly hurt by the revelations about the alleged provision of Rs3.5 million to its party chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif by former ISI chief Lt-Gen (retd) Asad Durrani, is pointing its finger at the president to have been the architect of the get-Nawaz campaign. However, the Presidency has strongly refuted these charges but different presidential aides are issuing the kind of statements that apparently show the presidency is getting amused with the situation.

However, what is interesting is the unanimity between all these warring political forces showing their abhorrence over the role of the establishment in country’s politics. But in a strange dichotomy except the PML-N, the other two major warring political forces — the PPP and the MQM — are not interested in proceeding against Gen (retd) Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.

As one scans through the debates that took place in different talk shows of various private television channels after the recent emergence of the Jinnahpur controversy, the establishment is found to be the target of all.

The MQM, which had been the most trusted supporter of Gen Musharraf during his nine years rule, says that its Quaid Altaf Hussain is not returning to Pakistan because of the establishment. The PPP, too, said that the military operators and intelligences agencies have not been adhering to the command of the civilian governments whereas the PML-N is of the view that it has repeatedly found the establishment and Army chiefs overstretching their mandate.

While appearing as a guest in one of the talk shows, PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal has said it has been a harsh reality in Pakistan that policy decisions on some specific security and international issues have not been taken with the consultation or consent of the civilian government. He quoted the Kargil issue as one example and urged upon the need of rationalising the power structure in such a manner that no step could be taken against the wishes of the democratic government.

He said the PML-N differed with former Army chief Gen (retd) Aslam Beg after he issued a statement on the Gulf war that did not match the government’s policy. He said similarly Gen (retd) Asif Nawaz exceeded from the mandate he was given before launching the military operation against criminals, dacoits and anti-social elements in Sindh in 1992. Another Army Chief Gen (retd) Jehangir Karamat, he said, was removed because of his statement on the setting up of National Security Council. He said the PML-N government differed with Gen (retd) Musharraf on the Kargil issue. Senior PML-N leader Khwaja Muhammad Asif was of the view that the military-led intelligence agencies have been extremely powerful and instrumental in the making and breaking of the government. On the issue of the military operation in Karachi and the target killings there, Khwaja Asif said the agencies were mainly responsible for that. He said in both the 1992-93 and 1995-96 operations in Karachi, these were the military intelligence agencies that had played the important role.

Interestingly, it was Khwaja Asif, who admitted that had the agencies not been so powerful MQM Quaid Altaf Hussain would have now been in Pakistan. Khwaja Asif said Altaf Hussain’s apprehensions towards the intelligences agencies, are barring him to come back and lead his party, which according to the N-leader would serve the political culture better.

Khwaja Asif also pointed out that the present situation in the tribal areas, Balochistan, Northern Areas and in Southern Punjab is also the outcome of what the agencies did during the last 20-22 years. The PML-N leaders have been distancing itself from the 1992 military operation against the MQM and insisted that it was the Army which had overstepped. In return, the MQM leaders, too, were mainly complaining to the PML-N and its leader Nawaz Sharif over his silence and the failure to stop the 1992 military operation against the MQM. MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi endorsed Khwaja’s views and said Hakim Saeed was killed by the agencies but the MQM was blamed for his murder. He lamented that the MQM workers were killed in an extra-judicial manner; military courts were created to try Muttahida workers, who were punished illegally and in violation of the Constitution through summary trials by these courts.

Rizvi said in the 1992 operation what he called the Haqiqi terrorists were riding in military jeeps during the Army’s operation against the MQM. “It was all planted,” he said, and lamented the then-prime minister could not do anything to stop the operation.

Wasim Akhtar, another MQM leader, said in one the private channel that it’s a pity that the largest political parties of the country are today still dependent on Army and America. Dr Nadeem Ahsan of the MQM said MQM workers do not want Altaf Hussain to come back. He said the MQM Chief’s life is facing threats from the enemies of Pakistan. When asked to name these enemies, he pointed to both internal and external forces. When further probed, Dr Nadeem Ahsan initially named the Taliban and later said, “There are some other forces too. You can also name establishment.” When asked if the MQM fears from the establishment, he said, “Yes”.

PPP information secretary Fauzia Wahab, too, in a talkshow talked of the political influence of the ISI which, according to her, grew after the agencies exposure in the Afghan war against former Soviet Union. Wahab, who is generally considered as her master’s (President) voice, said during the Afghan war the ISI became very resourceful and developed new technologies, which the agencies has to use somewhere to prove its worth. Referring to the history and also finding it true in the present day Pakistan, she said one thing is clear that in Pakistan democracy never got strengthened and the civilian authority has never been maintained. She said in her view there does not exist any central authority. Fauzia Wahab also added the 1992 operation is the reflection of the fact that the military operators at that time were not ready to concede the supremacy of the civilian leadership.

She, however, believed the military interventions can’t be stopped by hanging a dictator but by improving the performance of parliament and through the vision and greater assertion of the political leadership.

Dr Firdous Aashiq Awan, another PPP leader, blamed the establishment for the PPP government’s “mistake” to launch operation in Karachi against the MQM in 1995-96.

American Dictator Al-Maliki dumped by Iraqis :Shiite groups announce new alliance minus Iraqi PM

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/Hadi Mizban

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BAGHDAD (AP) -- Major Shiite groups have formed a new alliance that will exclude the Iraqi prime minister, lawmakers said Monday, a step likely to stoke fears of increasing Iranian influence and shake up the political landscape before January parliamentary elections.

The coalition will include the largest Shiite party, the Iranian-backed Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, or SIIC, and anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc, as well as some small Sunni and secular parties.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party was left out after the sides disagreed over leadership and other organizational issues as well as the Shiite politician's desire to broaden the coalition to include more prominent Sunnis and Kurds, officials said.

A strong showing by the new alliance in January's election would ensure the domination of Iraqi politics by Shiite religious parties that are viewed with suspicion by the Sunni Muslim minority, which lost its grip on power when Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led regime collapsed in 2003.

Monday's announcement represented a major realignment in the Iraqi political scene, which has been dominated by the Supreme Council and al-Maliki's Dawa Party since Saddam's overthrow.

The split between the rival Shiite camps is a new setback for al-Maliki's election hopes after his effort to portray himself as a champion of security was battered by a series of devastating bombings in Baghdad and in northern Iraq in recent weeks. The most recent struck the foreign and finance ministries on Wednesday, killing about 100 people.

An aide to al-Maliki congratulated the new alliance but said Dawa was seeking a wider spectrum of political parties, tribal leaders and other officials.

"We have no strategic differences with them, but we argued with them about the mechanism of participation in the alliance and the need to open this alliance to include a broad range of political powers," Hassan al-Sineid said in televised remarks.

The announcements were a rare public show of Shiite disunity, but both sides were careful not to appear to be at odds and to stress the possibility that Dawa could still join the alliance.

"We are hoping for their participation and the door will be left open for them," said ex-Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who joined the alliance at the head of a bloc he recently formed.

Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, a top SIIC member, also reached out to Dawa, saying it was important to present a strong united front that can address the overwhelming challenges facing the country.

Al-Maliki's aides have said the prime minister was working to form a broad-based, national coalition that he could lead in the January vote in a bid to end sectarian politics. The inclusion of Sunnis in the Shiite-led alliance announced Monday and his own battered image could force him to reconsider.

Talks were under way between al-Maliki and the main Sunni Awakening Council leader in Anbar province, Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha, on forming their own alliance along with others to compete in January's vote, a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to disclose the information.

The coalition will replace the United Iraqi Alliance, which won control of parliament in the last parliamentary elections in December 2005 but began to unravel later with the withdrawal of two major factions and the bitter rivalry between al-Maliki and the Supreme Council.

Members of the groups joining the list stood one-by-one at a news conference to announce the new list.

Al-Jaafari, al-Maliki's predecessor, read a statement, noting that the ailing leader of the Supreme Council, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, was absent because he has been hospitalized in Iran.

"We wished that al-Hakim could be with us, but he is sick," al-Jaafari said. "We pray he will feel better soon but he will be with us spiritually," al-Jaafari said.

Al-Hakim, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007, has wielded enormous influence since the 2003 U.S. invasion, maintaining close ties to both the Americans and his Iranian backers.

He has groomed his son, Ammar, as his successor. Ammar al-Hakim also missed the news conference because he had rushed to Iran as his father's health deteriorated, officials said.

Al-Jaafari said the new alliance would be focused on rebuilding the economy and security in Iraq.

Also absent was al-Sadr, who is believed to be in Iran. His bloc was represented by lawmakers and officials.

The list included several Sunnis, comprising a small faction from the western Anbar province that includes fighters who joined forces with the Americans against al-Qaida in Iraq and won several seats in provincial elections earlier this year.

"Al-Qaida announced their Islamic state and we managed to topple them," said the leader of the Anbar faction, Sheik Hameed al-Hais. "We call on the new alliance to be serious in dealing with security in Iraq."

Ex-Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, a one-time Pentagon favorite who leads the secular Iraqi National Congress, is also in the new alliance.

The Supreme Council lost control of major southern provinces to an alliance led by al-Maliki in the Jan. 31 provincial elections, raising concern among other Shiite politicians that internal divisions could cost them seats in January's parliamentary elections.

If the alliance does well, Tehran could gain deeper influence in Iraq just as U.S. forces begin to withdraw. The last American soldier is scheduled to leave Iraq by the end of 2011.

Many Sunnis consider the Supreme Council as little more than an instrument of Iranian policy. The party was founded in Iran in the early 1980s with the help of Tehran's ruling clergy and its militia fought alongside the Iranians against Iraq in the 1980-88 war.

---

Associated Press Writers Hamid Ahmed and Bushra Juhi contributed to this report.


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After Sadr–Badr Compromise in Tehran, the Iraqi National Alliance (INA) Is Declared

By Reidar Visser (www.historiae.org)

24 August 2009

After a bit of juggling with adjectives and word order, the Iraqi National Alliance (INA, in Arabic referred to as al-Ittilaf al-Watani al-Iraqi) was launched in Baghdad today, thereby becoming the first publicly confirmed major electoral alliance for next year’s parliamentary elections in Iraq. Essentially, the new coalition consists of the two largest blocs of the previous Shiite alliance (the United Iraqi Alliance or UIA) – the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) and the Sadrists – plus elements from the wing of the most pro-Iranian of the two Daawa factions, known as the Tanzim al-Iraq branch, as well as Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s breakaway faction. The only significant components from outside the old UIA are the Anbar Salvation Council headed by Hamid al-Hayis (a breakaway group of the Anbar awakening which received only a modest share of the votes in the last local elections) and Khalid Abd al-Wahhab al-Mulla, the president of a Sunni group of Islamic scholars from Zubayr outside Basra. Additionally, the party of the Shiite Bahr al-Ulum family, which was sometimes separate from the old UIA, has been reintegrated.

FBI director blasts release of Lockerbie bomber

Libya fetes Lockerbie bomber in face of Western anger
AFP

AFP/Getty Images/File –

FBI Director Robert Mueller listens during a news conference at the Justice Department in June 2009 in …


by Imed Lamloum Imed Lamloum – 8 mins ago

TRIPOLI (AFP) – Libya feted freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi on Saturday, ignoring Western fury at his hero's welcome, and poured oil on the fire by accusing Britain of seeking commercial advantage.

Libyan newspapers carried front-page photographs of the homecoming of Megrahi, the only person convicted of involvement in the deadly 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

State-owned daily Al-Shams hailed "the victorious return of the hero" who was freed on compassionate grounds by Scottish authorities on Thursday in the face of terminal prostate cancer.

"The freed hostage has returned to his homeland and his family ... after 20 years of suffering, half as an accused person and half as someone unfairly convicted of a crime he did not commit," the paper said.

At Megrahi's home in the upmarket Damascus neighbourhood of Tripoli, the man's family was receiving well-wishers on Saturday in a lavish tent set up outside.

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, who met Megrahi late on Friday, praised Scottish authorities for their "courage" in authorising his release in the face of virulent opposition from the US government.

Television showed images of him embracing the convicted bomber.

Robert Mueller, director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, sent a letter to Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill saying he was "outraged at the decision, blithely defended on the grounds of 'compassion.'"

Mueller, who in 1991 was assistant attorney general in charge of the investigation of Megrahi, wrote in the letter date Friday that the decision to free Megrahi "gives comfort to terrorists."

A Scottish government spokesman said the decision was reached following proper procedures and that Megrahi would die a convicted man.

"Compassionate release is not part of the US justice system but it is part of Scotland's," he added.

"Mr MacAskill could not have consulted more widely. He spoke with the US families, the US attorney general, Secretary of State (Hillary) Clinton and many others."

Meanwhile,

Kadhafi's second son, Seif al-Islam, drew Britain's ire by charging that London had long offered to review Megrahi's incarceration in return for lucrative trade deals.

"In all commercial contracts, for oil and gas with Britain, (Megrahi) was always on the negotiating table," said Islam, whose Kadhafi Foundation financed Megrahi's legal defence and who travelled to Scotland to accompany him home.

"All British interests were linked to the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi,"

he added in the interview with Libya's Al-Mutawassit television channel taped on the return flight and aired on Friday.

But Kadhafi Foundation director general Yussef Sawan said on Saturday the decision to free Megrahi "was an independent decision taken by the Scottish government with total objectivity ... and solely on humanitarian grounds."

"We do not think there is any way of concluding that the decision by the Scottish authorities was taken for any other reason than a humanitarian one," he told AFP.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street office firmly denied that the release was linked to Britain's interest in Libyan oil and gas reserves, the largest in Africa.

"There is no deal," he told AFP.

"The position remains the same as we have been making clear: this has always been a matter for the Scottish executive and ministers."

Speculation that there had been some form of deal was fuelled by disclosure that British Business Secretary Lord Mandelson had met Seif al-Islam during his recent holiday on the Greek island of Corfu.

Mandelson acknowledged that he had twice met the man and that the issue of Megrahi's release had been raised, but he described talk of a deal as "offensive."

"They had the same response from me as they would have had from any other member of the government -- the issue of the prisoner's release was entirely a matter for the Scottish justice minister," he said.

The father of one of the British Lockerbie bombing victims said he was still seeking the truth behind the terror attack.

Jim Swire, 73, whose 23-year-old daughter Flora was among the 270 people killed, applauded the release of Megrahi, saying he believes him to be innocent.

"I am a Christian, so I would hope that, even if I was convinced that Megrahi was guilty, my Christian compassion and forgiveness would extend to wanting to see him die with his family around him in Libya," he told The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Megrahi, who has always maintained his innocence, told The Times newspaper that he will present new evidence through his Scottish lawyers that will exonerate him.

"My message to the British and Scottish communities is that I will put out the evidence and ask them to be the jury," he said, declining to elaborate.


----------------

The full letter from the FBI Director on the Lockerbie bomber release

The full letter from FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, to Scottish Minister Kenny MacAskill regarding the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi.


Published: 5:24PM BST 22 Aug 2009

Dear Mr. Secretary:

Over the years I have been a prosecutor, and recently as the Director of the FBI, I have made it a practice not to comment on the actions of other prosecutors, since only the prosecutor handling the case has all the facts and the law before him in reaching the appropriate decision.


Your decision to release Megrahi causes me to abandon that practice in this case. I do so because I am familiar with the facts, and the law, having been the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the investigation and indictment of Megrahi in 1991. And I do so because I am outraged at your decision, blithely(# Carefree and lighthearted.) defended on the grounds of "compassion."

Your action in releasing Megrahi is as inexplicable as it is detrimental to the cause of justice. Indeed your action makes a mockery of the rule of law. Your action gives comfort to terrorists around the world who now believe that regardless of the quality of the investigation, the conviction by jury after the defendant is given all due process, and sentence appropriate to the crime, the terrorist will be freed by one man's exercise of "compassion." Your action rewards a terrorist even though he never admitted to his role in this act of mass murder and even though neither he nor the government of Libya ever disclosed the names and roles of others who were responsible.

Your action makes a mockery of the emotions, passions and pathos of all those affected by the Lockerbie tragedy: the medical personnel who first faced the horror of 270 bodies strewn in the fields around Lockerbie, and in the town of Lockerbie itself; the hundreds of volunteers who walked the fields of Lockerbie to retrieve any piece of debris related to the breakup of the plane; the hundreds of FBI agents and Scottish police who undertook an unprecedented global investigation to identify those responsible; the prosecutors who worked for years--in some cases a full career--to see justice done.

But most importantly, your action makes a mockery of the grief of the families who lost their own on December 21, 1988. You could not have spent much time with the families, certainly not as much time as others involved in the investigation and prosecution. You could not have visited the small wooden warehouse where the personal items of those who perished were gathered for identification--the single sneaker belonging to a teenager; the Syracuse sweatshirt never again to be worn by a college student returning home for the holidays; the toys in a suitcase of a businessman looking forward to spending Christmas with his wife and children.

You apparently made this decision without regard to the views of your partners in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the Lockerbie tragedy. Although the FBI and Scottish police, and prosecutors in both countries, worked exceptionally closely to hold those responsible accountable, you never once sought our opinion, preferring to keep your own counsel and hiding behind opaque references to "the need for compassion."

You have given the family members of those who died continued grief and frustration. You have given those who sought to assure that the persons responsible would be held accountable the back of your hand. You have given Megrahi a "jubilant welcome" in Tripoli, according to the reporting. Where, I ask, is the justice?

Sincerely yours,

Robert S. Mueller, III
Director

Western Double Standards: The Americans are a nation of political Zombies led by crooks

American double standards and selective morality are insults to people intelligence and undermine anything America tries or claims to do abroad. On 03.07.1988, the US navy ship Vincennes shot down a civilian aircraft over the strait of Hermuz killing 290 people, naturally by a ‘mistake’, despite the sophisticated equipment board their AWACS and on their ships in the area. The arrogant Americans refused to accept responsibility and never apologised. The International court of Justice didn’t put the ship captain on trial or forced President Reagan to pay.

To the contrary, the Americans forced the Libyan government to pay $1.5 billion as compensation for the destruction of Pan Am 103 that killed 270 people over Scotland on 21.12.88. Furthermore, the international court of Justice sentenced Abdul Basit Al-Megrahi , a Libyan agent accused of the crime. Right now, the Americans are furious because Al-Megrahi was received as a hero when returned home to die on 21.08.09. The stupid Americans forgot that they have awarded the captain of Vincennes and all his crews with medals upon returning home. The Americans are a nation of political Zombies led by crooks.
Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

----------------------------

Gaddafi son says time to move on from Lockerbie
Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:01am EDT


LONDON (Reuters) - The reformist son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has called for closer business ties with Britain, saying it is time to move on from the argument about the decision to free the Lockerbie bomber.

Scotland freed former Libyan agent Abdel Basset al-Megrahi last week on compassionate grounds because he is dying of cancer. Megrahi was the only person convicted of bombing Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988, killing 270 people.

"Lockerbie is history. The next step is fruitful and productive business with Edinburgh and London. Libya is a promising, rich market and so let's talk about the future,"

Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam told Scottish daily The Herald.

Pictures of more than 1,000 people cheering and waving Libyan and Scottish flags when Megrahi returned to Tripoli have been beamed around the world and fueled anger over the release.

Islam, who accompanied Megrahi on the flight home, said the homecoming was not as elaborate as it might have been.

"There was no official celebration, no guards of honor, no fireworks and no parade. We could have arranged a much better reception," he said in an interview published on the Herald's web site.

The decision to free Megrahi dismayed the U.S. government and relatives of the 189 Americans killed in the bombing.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has joined the condemnation of the reception given to Megrahi in Tripoli but made no comments on the decision itself, saying it was a matter for the devolved Scottish government.

Britain has denied wanting Megrahi to be freed to ease diplomatic and commercial ties with Libya, which has the biggest oil reserves in Africa.

Critics of Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill say his decision to release Megrahi has damaged the country's international reputation. However, Islam said it was viewed positively in Tripoli.

"It was a shock and surprise for Libyan society that he was freed on compassionate grounds and it showed the Libyans that the British and Scottish are civilized people because the perception here is that they are crusaders and they hate us and Islam and hate Arabs and they are not tolerant at all of us."


-----------

US must pay for victims of Israeli crimes!

US must pay for victims of Israeli crimes!
The Irish want Gheddafi to pay for IRA victims because Libya had supplied them with Cemtex* explosives and weapons. If the Irish win their case, a Pandora box of claims will flood the courts. The Kurds will sue the Americans for supplying precursors for chemical weapons to Saddam government. The Palestinians can easily sue the Americans for giving weapons and delivery systems to Israel to kill thousands. The South Africans may sue the Israelis for supplying weapons to Terra Blanch fascist organisation. The Lebanese are entitled to sue the Israelis for arming the fascist Christian Falang gangs to kill civilians at Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps. The Iraqis must sue the Americans for giving the Israelis bunker-busting bombs to destroy Iraq nuclear reactor. The Chileans can sue the CIA for arming Pinochet to kill hundreds. The Nicaraguans can sue the Americans for supplying the contras with weapons. One hopes that Gheddafi accepts responsibility and refuses to pay until America and Israel are made to pay compensation for the thousands of victims killed by their weapons.
* Cemtex was originally supplied to Libya by the CIA through their agent Mr Wilson.
Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Grief of SAS Iranian embassy hero as his son is killed by Taliban bombers

A Vietnam veteran dies in Afghanistan!

The Taliban resistance mill continues to grind the new and the old Americans who went to kill and destroy but ended up in bodybags. First seargent Cristomo was the oldest US soldier killed on 22.08.09.








By Matthew Hickley
Last updated at 8:38 AM on 22nd August 2009


The son of an SAS hero who helped end the Iranian Embassy siege has been killed in Afghanistan.

John McAleese, 59, was seen by millions on live TV in 1980 as his squad blew out windows and charged inside to rescue hostages from fanatical gunmen.

He went on to co-present a TV series about the Special Air Service.
paul mcaleese

'A huge rucksack full of talents': Paul McAleese, the son of an SAS hero, was killed by a Taliban bomb on Thursday while trying to help a wounded comrade

Last night, he was devastated by the news that his son Paul, 29, of the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was killed by a Taliban bomb near the town of Sangin on Thursday while trying to help a wounded comrade.

A second soldier, Private Jonathon Young, 18, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, also died in the blast, shortly after polling stations opened for the Afghan presidential elections.

Paul McAleese was a Serjeant - the regiment's traditional spelling - who had hoped to follow his father into the SAS. He was a trained sniper who had also fought in Iraq.
Paul McAleese the son of legendary SAS Serjeant John MacAleese with his wife Joanne

Joyous occasion: Paul and Joanne on their wedding day
Paul McAleese the son of legendary SAS Serjeant John MacAleese with his wife Joanne

Family man: Paul with his wife, the mother of his four-month-old son Charlie

Sjt McAleese leaves a widow, Jo, and a four-month-old son, Charlie, who was born a week before his deployment to Afghanistan.

Jo said: 'Mac, my husband, my best friend, my hero. You were an amazing Daddy to Charlie and the best husband I could have ever asked for.

'We will love you and miss you for ever. We will always be so proud of what you achieved in your life and I am so, so proud to be your wife.'

He was born in Hereford on October 18, 1979 and began his Army training in March 1997.
SAS Iranian Embassy siege

Iconic: John McAleese led the SAS raid which ended the Iranian Embassy siege in 1980

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson MBE, Commanding Officer 2 Rifles Battle Group, said: 'He had a huge rucksack full of talents - everyone looked up to him and wanted to be in his team. Militarily, there was nothing that he wasn't good at.'

He added: 'Here in Afghanistan he has fought in Kajaki and in Sangin and died as a Platoon Serjeant, the job of all jobs, on election day, helping to give democracy a chance in Sangin.'

Rob Hilliard, a 2nd Lieutenant and 10 Platoon Commander, revealed Sjt McAleese died trying to help a wounded comrade.

'Sjt McAleese was killed while trying to get to a fellow British soldier who had been hit in an IED strike - fearlessly fulfilling his role as serjeant - a role he had excelled at in recent weeks in the most unimaginable of circumstances,' he said.

Pte Young, born in Hull, joined the Army in February last year and was deployed to Afghanistan on August 2 as part of reinforcements sent to the country to boost numbers after a wave of casualties.

He is understood to be the first of the extra service personnel to be killed.

Defence chiefs sent 125 extra soldiers at the end of last month to maintain troop levels after a record number of injuries and deaths in July.
John MacAleese who led SAS raid on Iranian Embassy siege

Hero: John McAleese was pictured on the balcony of the Iranian Embassy placing explosive charges moments before the SAS stormed the building

Pte Young leaves his mother, Angela, brother, Carl, sister, Leah and girlfriend, Nicola.
Lieutenant Colonel Tom Vallings, Commanding Officer 3 Yorks, said: 'He had already set his mark as a robust and determined soldier who always put his friends first.

'He had a strength of character that forced him to be at the very centre of events and it was no surprise that he volunteered to deploy at Afghanistan at short notice.'

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, Commanding Officer 2 Rifles Battle Group, added: 'Private Young is a hero in my book. A soldier from the Yorkshire Regiment, he volunteered to come to Afghanistan to reinforce my Battle Group.


More...

* Karzai and Abdullah both claim victory in Afghanistan presidential elections
* SAS escape as Chinook is shot down 'by enemy fire' in Afghanistan
* Now Labour bullies try to embarrass General Dannatt over travel expenses
* More than half of America against the war in Afghanistan for first time
* JOHN KAMPFNER: No game plan. No end in sight. No real reason for being there. Afghanistan is failure on an epic scale

'I will always be in his debt. He died on Election Day, helping to give democracy a chance in Sangin.'

Major Sam Humphris, Officer Commanding Burma Company 3 Yorks, described Pte Young as 'a regimental star in the making'.

The latest fatalities took the UK death toll in Afghanistan to 206, and the number of troops killed by Taliban booby-trap bombs to 100.

The tragedy was reported as counting continued in the presidential elections.
jonathon young

Double tragedy: Private Jonathon Young (above) died alongside Serjeant Paul McAleese in Helmand province

But concern was mounting over the way polling was carried out, and the low turn-out across the country amid Taliban attacks and widespread intimidation.

Both President Hamid Karzai and his main rival Abdullah Abdullah were claiming victory last night, although results are not expected for some days.

Election officials said turnout may have been as low as 40 per cent - well below the figure of 70 per cent in the last such election five years ago.

More worryingly, there were widespread reports of serious irregularities which now threaten to undermine the legitimacy of the results and destabilise Afghanistan's fragile democracy.

Journalists who visited polling stations early on Thursday found ballot boxes already stuffed with thousands of papers, even though only a few dozen voters had passed through the doors.

Male voters were found carrying women's voting cards as well as their own, apparently hoping to cast their wives' votes.

In Helmand province, where British troops have endured fierce fighting and heavy losses in operations aimed at improving security for the elections, officials claimed voter turnout was as low as eight per cent.

In Nad-e Ali district, at the heart of the area from which the Taliban were supposedly driven during Operation Panther's Claw area, only 150 out of almost 50,000 registered voters cast their ballots, according to officials from the Independent electoral commission.

An Afghan worker

An Afghan worker of the election commission office sits under the shadow of ballot boxes piled up to be counted at the counting centre in Kandahar province, south of Kabul

Local people described Taliban gunmen patrolling the streets and threatening anyone approaching the polling stations.

In Nawa and Garmsir, officials said no votes at all were cast by the 85,000 entitled to vote. Foreign Secretary David Miliband yesterday hailed what he called the 'enormous bravery' of the Afghan voters who did defy Taliban threats.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think we were all braced for the worst after the very difficult six weeks in the run-up to the election.

'The worst did not happen yesterday but we don't yet know how good it was in terms of the ability of Afghans to come out and vote'.

Mr Miliband added: 'What's vital that there is a credible Afghan government to which Afghans can commit their loyalty.' The Defence Ministry said last night that the two soldiers had died during a routine foot patrol, not connected to election security.

Wootton Bassett

Mourners surround the hearse of one of four soldiers killed in Afghanistan as it is driven through the streets of Wootton Bassett yesterday

A source close to John McAleese said: 'The SAS is like an extended family and everyone is devastated. It was always Paul's wish to follow his dad into the SAS and he had put himself up for selection. He was a great soldier and will be sorely missed.'

John McAleese was said to be too upset to talk about his son's death.

Tributes to Paul McAleese were posted on internet sites by fellow soldiers in the battalion, which was formerly known as the Royal Green Jackets.

Comrade Rory MacSween wrote: 'Thought you were bullet proof bruv....gutted.'

Marcus Kruk wrote: 'Brother Rifleman, one of the finest Riflemen I served with, has been taken from us today in Afghan.

'RIP Paul McAleese, you are one of the finest Green Jackets I ever served with my thoughts are with your family.'

The serjeant and his wife Joanne lived on the outskirts of Hereford, where the SAS is based.
A worker counts ballots at a mosque-turned polling station in Kabul today

A worker counts ballots at a mosque-turned polling station in Kabul yesterday

Man who told Thatcher: Move, missus

A few hours after the SAS had stormed into the Iranian Embassy on May 5, 1980, the troopers returned to find a jubilant Margaret Thatcher and her husband, Denis, waiting for them at Chelsea barracks.

She was in front of a television on which the BBC was showing endless repeats of the moment John 'Mac' McAleese blew the windows on the front of the building, a picture that would go round the world as the iconic image of the siege.

Mr McAleese recalls of his encounter with the prime minister: 'I couldn't see the telly, so I said: "Get your a*** out of the way, missus!" She did!'

The incident was typical of the war hero who spent 23 years in the British Army, 16 of them in 22 Special Air Service, regarded by many as the world's best Special Forces.

As a teenager, the Military Medalwinner - he would never say in which of his many conflicts he earned the honour - escaped his career as a miner in the Stirlingshire village of Laurieston - to join the Army.

He excelled and applied to join the SAS, renowned for its brutal selection process.

He was well established as a Warrant Officer in the regiment by the time six Iranian fanatics invaded the embassy in London on April 30, 1980, and took 26 people hostage, demanding the release of political prisoners at home.

Mrs Thatcher decreed there would be no negotiations.

After a six-day stand-off, the SAS - motto Who Dares Wins --was ordered to go in, rescue the hostages and make 'hard arrests', a euphemism for killing the terrorists. Mac was seen by millions live on TV leaping on to the embassy's front balcony and placing the charge to blow in the front windows, stepping back as the explosion rocked the building.

He then stormed in along with 19 SAS colleagues, helping to shoot dead all but one of the hostage-takers. Mr McAleese left the Regiment ten years ago and copresented the TV series SAS Survival Secrets in 2003.

For a while he ran a pub in Hereford, the SAS's home town, and now makes a living as a private security consultant in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1208137/Two-soldiers-killed-explosion-Afghanistan.html#ixzz0OunYyaI1

Q&A-Iraq stunned by huge bombs - what is going wrong?

20 Aug 2009 11:44:05 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Suadad al-Salhy and Michael Christie

BAGHDAD, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Massive truck bombs that killed almost 100 people after shattering the facades of the Iraqi foreign and finance ministries have cast doubt on the ability of Iraqi security forces to protect the country from attacks.

Many Iraqis wonder whether U.S. troops who pulled out of cities at the end of June under a bilateral security pact will be deployed again to fill security gaps.

The bomb attacks aimed at undermining the Shi'ite-led government were sophisticated and well-organised, bearing the hallmarks of al Qaeda or of former military officers loyal to ousted dictator Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party.

But analysts say Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki may have backed himself into a corner by hailing the U.S. pullback as a victory for Iraqi sovereignty six years after the U.S. invasion. It would be politically unpalatable ahead of national elections in January to have to back-track, and summon U.S. help.

WHAT'S GONE WRONG?

Analysts say Iraq's security forces have been lulled into a false sense of confidence by the decline in the past 18 months in the sectarian violence that killed tens of thousands.

Inspections of vehicles at checkpoints in Baghdad have become lazy - Iraqi police and soldiers do not search cars fully for explosives or subject identity documents to a proper review.

The security forces are also relying on permanent, fixed checkpoints, rather than roving and impromptu checkpoints that would make it more risky for insurgents or militants to move around. The fixed checkpoints are easy to avoid.

"They have changed their tactics but our security policy remains the same. This policy was a success when our enemy was in the streets fighting us face to face. But now they take the initiative and have the ability to attack anywhere at any time," said an Iraqi security expert, asking not to be identified.

Wednesday's attacks were political, aimed it seems more at undermining the Shi'ite-Kurdish government in Baghdad than in reigniting sectarian bloodshed. The security forces need to be more flexible to cope with shifting, less predictable targets.

ARE POLITICAL RIVALRIES CREATING VULNERABLE TARGETS?

Iraq's simmering feud between majority Arabs and semi-autonomous Kurds, lingering sectarian strains between Shi'ites and once dominant Sunnis, and pre-election rivalry between Shi'ite factions, may have ensured that the foreign and finance ministries were easy targets.

The foreign ministry run by Kurdish minister Hoshiyar Zebari is protected by Kurdish Peshmerga while the streets outside are guarded by forces of the government. Neither side talks to each other or coordinates defensive tactics, experts say.

The finance ministry, meanwhile, is controlled by one of the main Shi'ite factions, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (ISCI), but is located in a part of Baghdad inhabited mainly by Sunnis.

The U.S.-backed Sunni neighbourhood militias that play a role in ensuring security in the area likely pay little attention to the security needs of the ministry and some members could conceivably be persuaded to turn a blind eye to threats. The vulnerabilities created by the unresolved ethno sectarian disputes in Iraq make it all the more important that Maliki's government make peace with Kurds and ensures that Sunnis feel they have a fair share of power, analysts say.

WHAT DO IRAQI FORCES NEED TO DO TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY?

The fight against terrorism is rarely won by deploying large numbers of troops at checkpoints or in the streets, security analysts and military officers say.

Domestic intelligence gathering is hampered by rivalries, government insiders say. "We create intelligence agencies but instead of collecting information about our enemies they write reports on each other," complained one Iraqi security expert.

The United States is supporting Iraq's efforts to defend itself by sharing the information it collects through both human and technological intelligence networks. But some Iraqi military leaders say it is not doing enough.

"They only give us intelligence information when it affects the security of their own troops," an Iraqi general said on condition he not be identified.

DO THE IRAQIS NEED U.S. HELP?

Maybe. But the question is also possibly moot.

Even if Iraqi officials decide they need U.S. military help in order to defeat the remaining cells of al Qaeda or Baath party loyalists, they may not ask for it.

Maliki has staked his political career on the celebration of Iraq's restored sovereignty, and is seeking credit for the sharp drop in overall violence over the past 18 months ahead of January's election.

Wednesday's bomb blasts struck severe blows to Maliki's reputation and image and he has ordered a review of security. Yet the prime minister is likely to insist that Iraqi troops and police alone ensure the country is safe from future attacks.

Even if U.S. forces are pulled back into the fray in cities, they are unlikely to be able to prevent every bomb attack -- there were far more bombings and civilian casualties when the U.S. army was leading the fight than there are now. (Writing by Michael Christie; Editing by Samia Nakhoul)


-----------

Top Iraq security officials urge change after bombs

21 Aug 2009 16:40:44 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Iraq officials want to review security force competence

* Iraq still needs U.S. help in intelligence, tech issues

* Changes to prisoner release programme urged

* Foreign involvement suspected, calls for new strategy

By Khalid al-Ansary

BAGHDAD, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Senior Iraqi officials called on Friday for a thorough review of their security forces, improved intelligence gathering and tougher treatment of terrorism suspects and detainees after massive truck bombings in Baghdad.

Wednesday's blasts killed 95 people and wounded over 1,000 in Iraq's deadliest day this year. The bombs targeted what should have been among the most heavily guarded sites -- federal ministries -- and shattered public confidence in Iraqi forces.

The defence and interior ministers were among officials at a special meeting which decided on a set of proposals to submit to the Political Council for National Security, whose members include the president and prime minister.

Parliament will hold an emergency meeting next week to discuss security issues, lawmakers said.

"I maintain that we need U.S. support for a specific time, until our abilities are complete in intelligence and technical issues," said Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, his statement out of tune with recent Iraqi claims of independence.

Iraq celebrated its sovereignty when U.S. troops withdrew from urban centres in June, thrusting Iraqi forces into the lead role more than six years after the U.S. invasion in 2003.

A series of huge explosions have shaken Iraqi confidence since then, though bomb attacks were also common when U.S. forces were in charge.

One proposal was for a way to "fix the random release of detainees", a reference to thousands of Iraqis released from U.S. detention this year under a U.S.-Iraqi security pact. The plan calls for prisoners to be set free if there is no evidence to convict them in an Iraqi court.

An amnesty law passed last year also led to the release from prison of thousands of mainly Sunni Arab prisoners not convicted of major crimes, a move meant to foster reconciliation between minority Sunnis and the Shi'ite-led government.

"There has been a kind of tolerance ... in the treatment of detainees and the investigation of them, under the pretext of believing in human rights, forgetting the rights of the hundreds of innocent victims...," said deputy parliamentary speaker Khalid al-Attiya, a Shi'ite politician, who was at the meeting.

INTELLIGENCE, FOREIGN MEDDLING

Proposals like that could hamper reconciliation between Sunnis and Shi'ites, whose bloody sectarian feud triggered by the invasion has only abated in the last 18 months or so.

Bolani said the government was also rethinking a plan to remove most blast walls from Baghdad within 40 days.

"There is a re-assessment on this issue. I think this policy will continue. Some will be lifted and some will stay, according to the evaluations of field commanders," he said.

Like others in the Iraqi government, Bolani alluded to meddling by foreign states as a cause of security violations.

"Some parties, factions and individuals may have their own relations with certain countries, but if we do not develop strategic relations ... that safeguard Iraq's interests, one of the threats to Iraq is foreign interference," he said.

Many members of Iraq's Shi'ite leadership have close links to Shi'ite Iran, where some lived in exile during the rule of Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein. The U.S. military accuses Iran of funding Shi'ite fighters in Iraq.

Sunni states Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria are also accused by some Iraqi officials of supplying cash, fighters or weapons, partly to counter Iranian influence. Iraq's neighbours deny it.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other officials have warned that attacks are likely to intensify ahead of parliamentary elections in January.

Some analysts and many members of the public blame intra-Shi'ite rivalry or disputes between Iraq's Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish political groups for the violence.

In any case, Iraqi intelligence gathering must improve, said lawmaker Falah Shanshal, a member of parliament's security and defence committee.

"We're not on a battlefield, we're in a battle of information and intelligence," he said. (Additional reporting by Muhanad Mohammed and Mohammed Abbas, Writing by Mohammed Abbas: editing by Tim Pearce)

“This is our misery, and this is our flesh,” under Washington's Rule: 95 more died

So It was work of Syrian based Ba`thists and happy to see Jordanians being caught up in foreign embassy explosion, several injured in these attacks as its the same nation who has deported many Shi`ietes from Amman airport.


An injured Iraqi man is assisted off a military transport by Jordanian officials upon arrival in Amman August 25, 2009. A Jordanian military aircraft brought 19 Iraqi officials, injured in last week's bombing attacks on the foreign ministry in Baghdad, to be treated at the King Hussein medical centre at the expense of the Jordanian government.
REUTERS/Majed Jaber (JORDAN POLITICS CONFLICT)


Iraqi ambassador in Syria Ala al-Jawadi speaks during a news conference at his office in Damascus August 25, 2009. Iraq and Syria recalled their ambassadors on Tuesday after Baghdad demanded Damascus hand over two people it says masterminded bombings in the Iraqi capital last week which killed almost 100 people. Iraq's Shi'ite-led government has blamed supporters of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party for massive truck bombs and other attacks last Wednesday, and says it has already captured some suspects it deems responsible.
REUTERS/Khaled al-Hariri (SYRIA POLITICS)












The Americans and their allies deserve what they are getting in Iraq and in Afghanistan. I somehow believe it is the begging of the end of the US arrogant, crimial and evil empire.

On the morning of 19.08.09 six explosions rocked the heavily-protected buildings in Baghdad.Until today 21.08.09 many employees of the hated foreign ministry remain under the rubbles. But the worst damage was inflicted on Iraq foreign ministry building at the edge of the infamous US-established green zone. Headed by foreign minister, Kurdish Hoshyar Zibari, the ministry has been dominated by Kurds with many embassies’ staffs abroad refuse to speak Arabic or raise the Iraqi flag. Furthermore, the Kurdish ambassadors started to issue visas to Israelis to enter North of Iraq legally. In other words, and to the pleasure of USraelis, Iraq foreign ministry doesn’t represent Iraqi interests but those of the Kurdish war lords, Talibani and Barzani.

The next target of the resistance will be no other than the huge US embassy complex dubbed locally as (NSK) or the nest of spies and killers. The US embassy is partly occupied by Israelis although Iraq doesn’t recognise the rogue state of Israel.I hope to see the US embassy taken down brick by brick.


The Iraqi people have hoped in vain that Obama will change the nature of US operations in the country. Until today, thousands of US-paid mercenaries are carrying out dirty works inside Iraqi cities with impunity. It seems that Obama is no more than the black face of US neo-conservatives. In the UK, Tony Blair made the new Labour more conservative than the conservative party. And Obama may make the American Democratic Party more conservative than the neo-con Zionists disregarding all the consequencies.

The American project in Iraq has failed. Thanks to US occupation Iraq started to export sophisticated tactics for ddefeating invaders.


Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Baghdad blasts kill 95, Iraqi security criticised

19 Aug 2009 16:38:10 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Deadliest day in Iraq this year

* Follows U.S. troop withdrawal from urban centres

* Iraqi security forces acknowledge negligence

(Adds Maliki, quotes from Iraqis, defused truck bomb)

By Aseel Kami and Suadad al-Salhy

BAGHDAD, Aug 19 (Reuters) - A series of blasts in Baghdad killed 95 people and wounded 536 in Iraq's bloodiest day this year, prompting a rare admission of culpability from Iraqi security forces left to cope without U.S. help.

At least six blasts struck near government ministries and other targets at the heart of Iraq's Shi'ite-led administration, weeks after U.S. combat troops withdrew from urban centres in June, thrusting Iraq's security forces into the lead role.

"This operation shows negligence, and is considered a security breach for which Iraqi forces must take most of the blame," Major General Qassim al-Moussawi, Baghdad's security spokesman, told Iraqiya state TV.

The government said this month that most of the city's blast walls would be removed within 40 days, a sign of confidence in its security forces after U.S. combat troops withdrew from urban centres in June, and before elections due in January.

Wednesday's blasts were a rare example of a coordinated attack on heavily guarded targets.

In one blast, a massive truck bomb close to a security checkpoint leading to the heavily fortified Green Zone blew out the windows of the nearby foreign ministry, sending shards of glass through busy offices, killing dozens of people.

"The windows of the foreign ministry shattered, slaughtering the people inside. I could see ministry workers, journalists and security guards among the dead," said a distraught ministry employee who gave her name as Asia.

SECURITY REVIEW

The explosion was powerful enough to shatter some windows of Iraq's parliament building in the Green Zone. The attacks could undermine confidence in Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki before the parliamentary election.

In a statement, Maliki called for a review of security plans, but added that the attacks were aimed at "raising doubts about our armed forces, which have proven themselves very capable of confronting terrorists".

Analysts and members of the public disagreed.

"They are meant to convey a message to Iraqis and the world that insurgents are still there and can block the political process," said analyst Hameed Fadhel of Baghdad University.

"Today's attacks reveal a major deficiency and weakness of the security forces. They were organised and huge," he added.

Normally busy Baghdad streets emptied, and the few people still outside poured scorn on Iraq's security forces.

"I don't think this is the work of terrorists, I think this is settling of scores by political groups ... Iraqi forces are only capable of doing routine things, without efficiency," said traffic policeman Louay Mohammed.

Labourer Haythem Adil said: "The security forces don't provide security, they just cause traffic."

No group claimed responsibility, but Moussawi said two members of al Qaeda were arrested when another car bomb was intercepted. Iraqi television later showed a truck loaded with water tankers stuffed with explosives that had been disarmed.

It was unclear if it was the same vehicle in the arrest.

Sunni Islamist groups like al Qaeda consider Shi'ites heretics, and have been blamed for a series of blasts in the last two months at mostly Shi'ite venues such as mosques both in the capital and in northern Iraq.

POWERFUL BLAST

Another truck bomb in Baghdad's Waziriya district near the finance ministry killed at least 28 people and caused widespread destruction, police said. Part of a raised highway near the building collapsed, a Reuters witness said.

"Suddenly a powerful blast shook the building and glass flew ... Most employees were wounded by the flying glass and others, including myself, suffered concussion ... I awoke with blood all over my face," said ministry worker Batoul al-Amri.

Iraqi lawmakers and other officials have accused neighbouring states of fomenting violence in Iraq, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria. Analysts say that could be a ploy to distract attention from domestic disputes and failings.

Another explosion was close enough to Reuters' offices in central Baghdad's Karrada district to burst open windows and doors. Columns of smoke could be seen rising from several sites.

The Baghdad provincial government building came under mortar attack, police said, as did the Salhiya district in central Baghdad, home to army bases and a television station.

At least one suspected mortar landed near the United Nations compound in the Green Zone, startling U.N. workers marking the sixth anniversary of the destruction of their previous Baghdad headquarters by a truck bomb which killed envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello and other staff, U.N. guards said.

The U.S. military said it had no reports of mortar fire.

In Bayaa, in southern Baghdad, a blast killed two people. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, Khalid al-Ansary and Reuters Television; writing by Mohammed Abbas; Editing by Charles Dick)


-------------------

2 Blasts Expose Security Flaws in Heart of Iraq

Khalid Mohammed/Associated Press

Truck bombs detonated at the Foreign Ministry and the Finance Ministry left at least 95 dead and nearly 600 wounded.


By SAM DAGHER
Published: August 19, 2009

BAGHDAD — Insurgents struck at the heart of the Iraqi government on Wednesday in two huge and deadly bombings that exposed a new vulnerability after Americans ceded control for security here on June 30. Nearby American soldiers stood by helplessly — despite the needs of hundreds of wounded lying among the dead — waiting for a request for assistance from Iraqi officials that apparently never came.


“As much as we want to come, we have to wait to be asked now,” said an American officer who arrived at one site almost three hours after the blast and who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters. At one blast site, American soldiers snapped pictures of the devastation before ducking out of the streets.

After weeks of escalating violence in Iraq, the powerful truck bombs on Wednesday killed at least 95 people and wounded nearly 600 at and around the Foreign and Finance Ministries in central Baghdad, assaults on symbols of government that lent an air of siege to the capital. The bombs crippled the downtown area, closed highways and two main bridges over the Tigris River, and clogged hospitals with the wounded.

The bombings, the worst since American forces handed over security responsibilities for cities to Iraq at the end of June, shook the Iraqi government’s confidence that it was ready and able to secure the nation.

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki called for a reassessment of his security measures, calling the attacks “a vengeful response” to his recent, optimistic order to remove blast walls from the streets of Baghdad.

A Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Mohammad al-Askari, was quoted by Reuters as telling American and Iraqi military officers: “We must face the facts. We must admit our mistakes, just as we celebrate our victories.”

And Baghdad’s security spokesman, Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, told the state-owned television station Iraqiya, according to Reuters, that attacks were “a security breach for which Iraqi forces must take most of the blame.” He said a number of security force officials were detained pending an investigation.

A senior Shiite politician went on Iraqiya to call on Mr. Maliki to fire the security and intelligence officials responsible for the areas that were attacked.

“We must punish those who made mistakes,” said the politician, Hadi al-Ameri.

The explosions, one close to the heavily fortified Green Zone and the other less than three miles away, sent plumes of smoke billowing over the capital, ripped a gaping hole in a compound wall and set cars ablaze, trapping drivers inside.


“The whole thing is just so disgusting,” the United States ambassador, Christopher R. Hill, said as he read reports from his staff about the extent of the damage while on an official visit to the northern city of Kirkuk. “They’re just psychopathic.”

Around 11 a.m., the two truck bombs struck the Finance Ministry and the Foreign Ministry within three minutes, officials said, sending heavy smoke into the sky. The first blast, near the Finance Ministry, killed at least 35 people, collapsed a main elevated highway nearby and left rubble littered with shrapnel and blood. The second, more powerful blast near the Foreign Ministry killed at least 60 people, shattered windows inside the Green Zone and shook houses throughout Baghdad.

At roughly the same time, attacks in other parts of the city, including three roadside bombings and some mortar and rocket fire, left 17 people wounded, Iraqi officials said.

Though no one claimed responsibility for the attacks, Iraqis doled out blame both to their government and to the United States for coming to Iraq in the first place.

“This country is finished,”“It’s just robbery and killing.” He cursed the United States and former President George W. Bush.

said one resident, Jamil Jaber, 45, whose five-room home behind the Foreign Ministry had been flattened, crushing his 4-month-old grandson.

Since the beginning of July, bombings in northern Iraq — for which officials blamed Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and an affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq— have killed at least 140 people. The attacks on Wednesday might have been a signal from these groups that they could also assault the capital.

In the attack at the Foreign Ministry, a suicide bomber stopped his truck beside the ministry compound wall, just off a busy intersection. The driver then detonated what was estimated to be two tons of explosives.

The blast left a crater 30 feet deep and 60 feet wide, and it set fire to cars and other vehicles clogging the road, trapping occupants in the inferno.

The blast shattered the front wall of the 10-story main ministry building. One body was burning in a car while a big slab of concrete from the front wall crushed to death the four people in another vehicle. Bodies were lined up on the sidewalk and covered with blankets, scraps of cardboard, even tree branches.

“This is our misery, and this is our flesh,”

an Iraqi screamed.

Many people were injured at an apartment building opposite the ministry compound. A woman on the sixth floor had been slashed by a ceiling fan that fell on her in the chaos, said Tariq Qader, 35, who said he rescued her.

Another resident, Munthir al-Jaafar, walked from one of the apartments with blood streaming down his face and body from a wound in his head.

Frantic women wailed and slapped their faces as they searched for loved ones.

“We heard a huge explosion at 11 a.m., and suddenly we started to hear voices of employees screaming in pain,” a top official in the Finance Ministry said in a telephone interview after the blast there. “The whole ministry was destroyed.”

The attacks, in the heart of the capital and against crucial ministries, one led by a Kurd and another by a Shiite, appeared to carry a number of messages.

They happened two days after the commander of the United States military in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, said American forces would be deployed along with Iraqi forces and Kurdish pesh merga troops in northern Iraq to prevent Qaeda-linked militants from exploiting friction between Arabs and Kurds.

The attacks came one day after a state visit by Mr. Maliki to neighboring Syria, where he was believed to have urged that more be done to stop the flow of militants through its borders and to halt the activities of Saddam Hussein loyalists based there.

Reporting was contributed by Mohammed Hussein, Anwar J. Ali, Riyadh Mohammed and Abeer Mohammed from Baghdad, and Rod Nordland from Kirkuk, Iraq.


----------



Syria's Assad slams Iraq over "immoral" charges
31 Aug 2009 11:45:18 GMT
Source: Reuters
DAMASCUS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday described as "immoral" Iraq's accusation that Damascus was responsible for attacks inside its territory and again asked Baghdad to produce evidence.

His remarks were the latest salvo in an escalating war of words between the two neighbours since Iraqi officials accused Syria of complicity in a spike of militant attacks in Iraq.

"When Syria is accused of killing Iraqis, while it is housing around 1.2 million Iraqis ... this is considered an immoral accusation," Assad told a joint news conference with visiting Cypriot President Demetris Christofias in Damascus.

"When Syria is accused of supporting terrorism, while it has been fighting it for decades ... this is a political accusation that follows no political logic. And when it is accused of terrorism without proof, it is outside any legal logic."

Iraq and Syria recalled their ambassadors last week after Baghdad demanded that Damascus hand over two alleged masterminds of bombings in Baghdad that killed almost 100 people, mainly at two government ministries.

On Sunday, Iraq aired a confession from a suspected al Qaeda militant who accused Syrian intelligence agents of training foreign fighters like himself in a camp before sending them to fight in Iraq.

Assad said Syria was still waiting for Iraq to send a delegation with documented evidence of the charges.

Iran has called for talks among Iraq and its neighbours in the wake of the accusations, aned Turkey's foreign minister was to visit Iraq and Syria on Monday to try to soothe relations between the two.

Iraq's Shi'ite-led government has blamed supporters of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party for massive truck bombs and other attacks in August, and says it has already captured some suspects.

Syria and Iraq, ruled by rival wings of the Baath party, were at odds for years after Saddam came to power in 1979, but ties improved and trade surged in the late 1990s.

Tensions resurfaced after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, with the U.S. and Iraqi governments accusing Syria of sheltering Saddam loyalists and letting Sunni insurgents stream into Iraq. (Writing by Nadim Ladki; editing by Andrew Roche)

Six-storey Building Collapses in Deira

The Modest City of the World whose kingdom violates labor laws, 21 workers luckily just left the building prior to collapse. How lucky were those workers.
This is what you expect when Contarct is sub-let to lower tier cheap contractors to save money.
Now people in surrounding buildings can't sleep.
Dubai a base to jump into emerging bloody business of burning Baghdad and Basra. It's rulers must think before allying with Americans at the cost of blood of Iraqis.





17 August 2009
Twenty-one workers had a narrow escape when a six-storey building that was under construction in the Deira area collapsed on Sunday, a police officer said.

Members of Dubai Police and Fire and Rescue and Civil Defence cordoned the area of a building which collapsed at the corner of 1st and 28th street in Abu Hail, behind Ramada Continenetal Hotel in Deira. No one was reported injured.No one was injured, but nearly a dozen cars were destroyed.

Sniffer dogs searched the rubble till late at night.

The building on Al Ittihad Road at the Galadari Intersection, next to Ramada Continental Hotel, collapsed around 3.30pm, said Brigadier Khalil Al Mansouri, director of General Department of Criminal Investigation.

He said 21 workers were inside the building when they heard the crackling sound. Ten of them rushed to safety, and the remaining 11 were later evacuated, along with people from neighbouring buildings, minutes before the building collapsed.

Colonel Ahmed AL Sayeq, deputy director of Dubai Civil Defence, said the neighbouring buildings were evacuated for fear that water leakage in the ground may have caused the collapse.

The Acting Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazina, said Hazaa Contracting and Bait Al Emarat Engineering Consultants, the building’s developers, will be investigated in coordination with Dubai Municipality.

Marwan Abdullah, head of Building Licensing Unit, Dubai Municipality, said that a team of experts were examining the site.

“We felt tremors and looked outside and saw something like smoke,” said Ishraq Hibib, 17, who lives in Yasmeen building, about 100m from the site .

Ali Hassan, another resident in the area, said, “While I was having lunch I heard a noise and I thought that it was an earthquake. We saw cars under the concrete and glass that covered them.”

Office workers in the area also thought an earthquake had occurred.

“I’m about 400m away. I experienced a jerk in our building and thought it was an earthquake,” said Zainudheen Parissery.

amira@khaleejtimes.ae

For More Pictures Click Here

Readers’ Comments

You people are really very quick to publish the news, my office bldg is just 50 meters away from this bldg which collapsed, we were terrified to hear the sound of the collapse. -Sudesh Kadam, Deira, Dubai

What could be the reason for this building collapse ? I hope there are no casualties in this terrible tragedy. Our request to KT is to give us a detailed investigative report. -Vijay B, Dubai

It was shock me to hear this news but unfortunately nobody is inside the building. Thanks to God. -Madhu, Dubai

It is terrible to hear this incident, as it is a new building under construction and i belives the technology and methods of Engineering, adopted for such recent constructions are the Latest one and the fate is tragic. After this I really afried of staying in my Building, which was constructed 30 years ago and I can assume the technology used for its construction. Authorities should take crucual steps in this regard. -Anwar, Dubai

I am staying just near to this building. As half of the building still standing there, tenants from our building were also moved out as per police instruction. Everybody wondering as it happened to a building under construction with reason unknown. -Saji Prahaladan, Deira

It is a real tragedy... Alhamdolillah there are no casualties... however, I assume that relevant authorities will take strict notice of building material and construction architecture to investigate the cause of this accident. Lately construction companies have been eager to complete their project and compromise on quality... I urge authorities to vigilantly check various projects to ensure safety of residents.... -Safdar Khan, Sharjah

It shows the poor quality of construction. To make extra profits in these recession days, contracotrs are compromising on the quality and the result is this. -Sree, Doha

Good quality material always collapses, this is what the contractor might have to say in defence. -Kaptain Mirza, Abu Dhabi

Afghan woman candidate packs gun, wears trousers

16 Aug 2009 05:08:39 GMT
Source: Reuters


MORE >>
(For more on Afghanistan, click on [ID:nAFPAK])

By Kamal Sadat

KHOST, Afghanistan, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Like many a village elder campaigning for a seat on a provincial council in rural Afghanistan, Okmina begins each day donning a black turban, strapping on a pistol and heading out to talk to neighbours.

The difference is she is a woman, dressed as a man.

Watching Okmina meet with villagers in traditional Afghan men's baggy trousers and long shirt, with a few strands of red henna-dyed hair poking out from the black turban coiled around her head, it is hard to tell she is not a man, until she speaks.

"I dress like a man, especially during this election period when security is not good," said Okmina, who, like many Afghans, uses only one name.

"For my campaigning, I have to go to remote parts in my area where it is not safe for me to go as a woman," she said laughing.

Afghanistan's constitution reserves a quarter of provincial council seats for women, guaranteeing them a role in political life, but in deeply conservative areas where women are expected to cover up and stay home, they can be a target for defying traditional roles.

FORCED INTO HIDING

There are nearly 350 women registered as provincial council candidates in the Aug. 20 poll, about 10 percent of the total. The United Nations says many have faced threats, some have been forced into hiding and others have had to curtail campaigning.

Two women are also among the 35 challengers to Hamid Karzai for the presidency, although they are both seen as unlikely to get more than 1-2 percent.

Male villagers in Okmina's remote province seem to relate to her just as they would to a man, discussing their problems with her while their children scurry about her feet.

Okmina is not married and has no children of her own, but lives with her extended family in Tani district of Khost province, a particularly conservative area bordering Pakistan's tribal region.

She says she started wearing men's clothing, ditching the all-enveloping burqa worn by many women in Afghanistan, when she was made a tribal elder in her community, settling disputes among tribes in Tani and neighbouring districts.

She gave up her duties as a tribal elder and decided to run in the provincial election after she said she gained massive support from people all over her province. She says she wants to help others become like her.

"Women don't have rights in Afghanistan. If there are rights, it is too little. There is a big difference between men and women. Here a man can say anything he wishes but a woman's voice is always suppressed,"

she said.

Voters should not look at a candidate's gender, but at their qualifications, she said.

"It is not important whether you are a man or a woman. It is important to serve the desperate people of Afghanistan." (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan) (Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi in KABUL; Writing by Jonathon Burch; Editing by Peter Graff; jonathon.burch@thomsonreuters.com; +93 794 354 074; Reuters Messaging: jonathon.burch.reuters.com@reuters.net)) (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to newsfeedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

Wedding fire in Kuwait kills at least 41 guests

Seventy six women and children were also injured when the blaze broke out in a tent reserved for women.—File photo
World


KUWAIT CITY: A fire at a wedding tent Saturday has killed at least 41 women and children guests and injured 76 others, authorities said.

The official Kuwait News Agency quotes the fire department chief, Brig. Gen. Jassem al-Mansouri, as saying 41 bodies have been recovered from the scene in Jahra, a tribal area west of Kuwait City. KUNA said 76 people have been hospitalized with burns.

Interior Ministry spokesman Col. Mohammed al-Saber said the cause of the fire has not been determined and authorities were having difficulty evacuating the injured because of relatives and onlookers flooding the scene.

He said Kuwait Army ambulances helped transport the injured to the country's hospitals.

Wedding parties in this conservative oil-rich country are held separately for men and women. Children attend the women's party.

Al-Mansouri said holding such parties in tents could be banned after Saturday's fire.—AP


--------------------

Kuwait begin identifying wedding fire victims
AP

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12 mins ago

KUWAIT CITY – Kuwaiti authorities are running DNA tests to identify the 41 women and children killed in a wedding tent fire.

Fire department chief Brig. Gen. Jassem al-Mansouri says the tent was completely consumed in just three minutes in a blazing inferno that left many victims unrecognizeable.

The cause of the fire is still unclear, but could have been faulty electrical wiring, food heating equipment or coals used for burning incense.

He said Saturday that the fire in al-Jahra, west of the capital, was the worst he has seen in his almost four decades of service in this small oil-rich state and close U.S. ally.

Wedding parties are held separately for women and men in Kuwait, and children attend the women's.

7 killed at headquarters of U.S. and NATO troops in Kabul

KABUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb outside the headquarters of U.S. and NATO troops in Kabul on Saturday killed three people and wounded 14, Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Zaher Azimy said.

He said the toll was provisional and could rise further. The blast struck just outside the heavily fortified military compound in a diplomatic quarter of the capital. (Reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Paul Tait)


------------------


By ROBERT H. REID and RAHIM FAIEZ, Associated Press Writers Robert H. Reid And Rahim Faiez, Associated Press Writers – 2 hrs 15 mins ago

KABUL – A suicide car bomber struck near the front gate of NATO headquarters in Kabul on Saturday, killing seven people and wounding nearly 100 in a brazen daylight attack less than a week before Afghanistan's landmark presidential election.

Also Saturday, U.S. Marines pushed deeper into the strategic Helmand province town of Dahaneh for a fourth straight day, meeting fierce Taliban resistance as surface-to-surface missiles and Harrier fighter jets pounded insurgent positions in the surrounding hills.

The blast, which occurred about 8:35 a.m. in Kabul's heavily guarded diplomatic quarter, appeared aimed at frightening Afghans against participating in Thursday's presidential election and demonstrating that insurgents can strike whenever and wherever they want.

A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the explosion, which rattled windows across a wide area of the Afghan capital and sent a huge, mushroom cloud of dense black smoke rising into the blue sky.

It was the biggest insurgent attack in Kabul in six months and shook public confidence in the extensive network of checkpoints and armed guards that maintain security in the city.

The bomber managed to evade several rings of Afghan police and detonated his vehicle about 30 yards (meters) from the main entrance to the NATO base, where top U.S. commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal has his headquarters. It was unknown whether McChrystal was there at the time of the attack.

After the blast, bloodied and dazed Afghans wandered the street. They included children who congregate outside the NATO gate to sell gum to Westerners. Windows of nearby antique shops and diplomatic residences were shattered and blood smeared the ground.

President Hamid Karzai blamed the attack on the "enemies of Afghanistan" who were "trying to create fear among the people as we get close to the election," in which Karzai is favored to win a second, five-year term.

Karzai said in a statement that Afghans "are not afraid of any threats, and they will go to cast their votes."

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility and said the target was the NATO headquarters and the U.S. Embassy about 150 yards (meters) down the street. A top Kabul police official blamed al-Qaida because of the size of the blast.

Brig. Gen. E. Tremblay, the spokesman for the NATO-led force, said some soldiers in the International Security Assistance Force were wounded in the blast but did not say how many. Macedonia said three Macedonian soldiers who were guarding the gate were slightly injured.

Afghan security forces stopped the vehicle in front of NATO headquarters, then the bomber detonated the explosives, Tremblay said.

"The security measures in place have stopped cold the bombers as planned," he said, calling the latest attack an example of the "residual risk" that remained despite the safety measures taken. "It's very difficult to stop a suicide bomber."

The blast killed seven Afghans and wounded 91, Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, the spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said.

Among the wounded were four Afghan soldiers and Awa Alam Nuristani, a member of parliament and Karzai's campaign manager for women, the ministry said.

"I was drinking tea in our office when a big explosion happened," said Abdul Fahim, an Afghan in his mid-20s who suffered leg injuries. "I lay on the ground and then I saw wounded victims everywhere, including police and civilians."

The chief of Kabul's criminal investigation department, Abdul Ghafar Sayadzada, said 600 pounds (272 kilograms) of explosives were used, and that because of the amount he suspected al-Qaida was involved. The attacker passed three police checkpoints, Sayadzada said.

But Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said a suicide bomber named Ahmadullah from the Bagrami district of Kabul province carried out Saturday's attack.

It was the first major assault in Kabul since February, when eight Taliban militants struck three government buildings simultaneously in the heart of the city. At least 28 people, including eight assailants, were killed.

Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashery said police were trying to figure out how the insurgents managed to carry out such an attack in one of the most tightly secured areas of the city.

"They must have used a new tactic to carry out this suicide attack," he said. "What kind of tactic we cannot say until the investigation is over."

Mujahid brushed aside talk of new tactics but said "we have peoples' support with us, the people are helping us to carry out our attacks."

"We have already announced that the people should not participate in the election," he said. "We have announced that the people should not participate in this American process. We are going to block the highways and roads leading to polling centers and attack those polling centers where we see Americans and other foreigners."

In Dahaneh, Marines launched a pre-dawn raid against a Taliban position on the southern edge of the town, storming a fortified compound and then blowing up two towers from which insurgents fired rockets and mortars at U.S. troops the day before.

Marines found marijuana plants growing in the courtyard and confiscated trigger plates used to manufacture roadside bombs.

U.S. troops launched an assault on Dahaneh early Wednesday, hoping to disrupt Taliban supply lines in the Now Zad valley and establish Afghan government control over an area held by the Taliban for years.

___

Associated Press Writers Amir Shah and Nahal Toosi in Kabul and Alfred de Montesquiou in Dahaneh contributed to this report.


-----------------

Suicide car bomb, rockets strike Kabul ahead of vote

18 Aug 2009 12:29:48 GMT
Source: Reuters
(For more on Afghanistan, click on [ID:nAFPAK])

* Seven killed, 52 wounded in car bomb attack

* Obama defends war as "worth fighting"

* United Nations envoy optimistic polls will be a success

* West alarmed by Karzai's support from ex-militia leaders

By Hamid Shalizi

KABUL, Aug 18 (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber killed at least seven people in an attack on a Western military convoy in the Afghan capital on Tuesday and a Taliban rocket hit the presidential palace grounds two days before tense elections.

Security officials said at least 52 were wounded by the bomber, who rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy on the notorious Jalalabad road, scene of frequent Taliban attacks and home to many Western aid and military compounds.

A spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan said foreign troops were among the dead and wounded, without elaborating.

Aleem Siddique, a spokeman for the United Nations mission in Kabul, said two Afghan U.N. staff members were among the dead. He said a U.N. vehicle had been caught up in the strike but had not been the bomber's target.

With incumbent Hamid Karzai fighting to win a fresh mandate without a second round run-off, Thursday's election is also a test of U.S. President Barack Obama's strategy of escalating the 8-year-old conflict in an effort to reverse recent Taliban gains.

In a speech on Monday aimed at bolstering public support, Obama called the Afghan conflict "a war worth fighting".

Taliban militants have vowed to step up that fight and disrupt the poll with violence that could damage the election's legitimacy by limiting voter turnout.

Thick black smoke poured from the scene of Tuesday's suicide bombing and police held back onlookers as the wounded were ferried away in ambulances and pickup trucks.

"I saw wounded people and dead people everywhere," said a shopkeeper named Sawad. "I helped some people to ambulances, their clothes were covered in blood stains."

Several small rockets were fired at the capital overnight. A police source said one caused some damage inside the sprawling, fortified presidential palace compound and a second hit the capital's police headquarters. Neither caused any casualties.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks on Kabul, the third this month.

In Uruzgan province in the south, a suicide bomber on foot killed three Afghan soldiers and two civilians at a police checkpoint. A provincial council candidate was shot dead in northern Jowzjan province.

With civilian and military casualties reaching record levels in the past few months, two more U.S. service members were also killed by a roadside bomb in the east, the U.S. military said.

BULLISH ASSESSMENT

Election campaigning officially ended at midnight after a final day of hectic rallies in support of Karzai and his main rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

In a bullish assessment on Tuesday, Kai Eide, the United Nations special representative for Afghanistan, said he expected the vote would be a success.

"The campaign has exceeded my expectations and I believe they represent a milestone in political maturity in Afghanistan," Eide told a news conference.

"I'm not trying to hide that there have been irregularities, but my overall assesment is that this has been a success for the Afghan people."

Polls show Karzai likely to win Thursday's vote, but not with the outright majority required to avoid a second round in six weeks. The president is relying on the last-minute support of former guerrilla chieftains in a bid to tip the balance.

Abdullah, an urbane eye doctor, has run an energetic campaign, seeking to garner support from beyond his base in the mainly ethnic Tajik north.

Recent polls give Karzai about 45 percent of the vote to 25 percent for Abdullah. Karzai has secured last-minute endorsements from regional chieftains since the polls were conducted.

Karzai's late reliance on ex-militia leaders such as Uzbek General Abdul Rashid Dostum has raised alarm among his international backers worried that warlords could return to power in the country they dominated for decades.

Dostum, who won 10 percent of the vote in 2004, returned from exile in Turkey late on Sunday to back Karzai.

The United States and the United Nations both expressed concern that Dostum could return to government. Washington said he may have been responsible for human rights violations.

Taliban disruption could hurt Karzai's chance of a first-round win by lowering turnout in southern areas most affected by the insurgency, his ethnic Pashtun heartland.

Karzai said attacks such as Tuesday's suicide bombing would not deter Afghans, who would vote "despite the efforts of the enemies and will show their opposition to their barbaric acts".

More than 30,000 extra U.S. troops have arrived in Afghanistan this year, raising the total number of Western troops above 100,000 for the first time, including 63,000 Americans.

The Western troops will maintain outer perimeter security during the election, with Afghan soldiers and police guarding towns and polling stations. The NATO-led Western force said on Tuesday it would refrain from conducting offensive operations on election day, in line with an earlier pledge from Afghan troops.

On Saturday the Taliban killed seven people and wounded scores in a suicide car bomb attack on ISAF's Kabul headquarters. (Additional reporting by Sayed Salahuddin, Peter Graff and Paul Tait in KABUL, Mohammed Hamed in KUNDUZ, Mohammed Rafiq in JALALABAD and Ismail Sameem in KANDAHAR) (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan)

Shahrukh Khan says stopped at US airport

Sat, Aug 15, 2009
AFP




NEW DELHI, INDIA - Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan said he was detained for questioning Saturday at a US airport because he has a Muslim name.

Khan, known as the "King of Bollywood", said he was questioned at Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey, for two hours but was let go after the Indian embassy in the United States intervened.

Khan "is a Muslim name and I think the name is common on their checklist", the 43-year-old actor told an Indian television station by telephone from Chicago.


Khan, named as one of the top 50 most influential men in the world in 2008 by US magazine Newsweek, was detained by US immigration officers early Saturday.

The immigration officers wanted to know why the actor was visiting the United States after his name popped up on the computer screen at the counter.

"I was waiting for my bags... I thought it was nice of them to take me to another room... but that was apparently a second check," Khan said, adding: "I had my papers in order."

"I was really taken aback," Khan told the CNN-IBN television station.

"I did not want to say anything just in case they took everything wrong because I am little worried about Americans because they do have this issue when your name is Muslim," he added.

US airport officials are frequently accused by human rights groups of racially profiling Muslims.

The actor, who was heading to Chicago to take part in celebrations Saturday to mark India's Independence Day, said the incident was a "little embarrassing" for an entertainer of his stature.

India's government reacted sharply, saying many such incidents have taken place in the United States.

"I am of the opinion that the way we are frisked -- for example I too was frisked -- we should also do the same to them," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters in New Delhi.

In the Indian capital, US Ambassador Timothy Roemer described Khan in a statement as a "global icon" who is a welcome guest in the United States.

"We are trying to ascertain the facts of the case -- to understand what took place," he said. --AFP


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Do not feel like stepping on American soil any more: Shahrukh Khan

16 Aug 2009, 2230 hrs IST, PTI


ATLANTIC CITY/CHICAGO: After his "ordeal" at at the hands of immigration officials at the Newark airport, Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan has

said he does not feel like stepping on American soil any more but ruled out seeking an apology for the incident which was denied by US officials.

Driving straight to the venue of a function at the luxury Trump Taj Mahal hotel in Atlantic City in tattered jeans, a white T-shirt, a brownish coat and a muffler since his baggage was yet to arrive, Khan told the audience that "I was treated shabbily just because I happened to have Khan as my last name."

Profusely apologising to his fans for arriving two hours late at the casino city of New Jersey for yesterday's function, 'King' Khan stunned the large number of Indian-Americans when he told them that he does not feel like stepping on the American soil any more, but it is the love and affection of millions of his fans in the US which would bring him to this country again and again.

Sharing his "ordeal" which he underwent as he landed at the Newark International Liberty Airport on a British Airways flight, with his fans, the 43-year-old actor said he was grilled by immigration officials.

"It was very unprofessional of the airport security staff of not allowing me to use my cell phone to contact my local organisers," he told the audience, who were literally taken aback by what they heard from their superstar.

A visibly shattered Khan said that "I have travelled throughout the world for my shooting and also as brand ambassador for all major products but I have never been treated like this before."

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→ Shah Rukh detention: Ambika Soni suggests tit for tat

"At times I do not feel like stepping on American soil any more but I have millions of fans here who would want to see me so I will keep coming," 'King' Khan told his fans.

Later in Chicago, where he had gone to take part in the South Asian Carnival on the occasion of India's Independence Day, Khan told PTI that "I think it is a procedure that needs to be followed. But it is an unfortunate procedure."

Asked whether he would seek an apology for the incident, the actor replied in the negative.

Soon after the incident which sparked angry reactions back home, the actor had yesterday said he was detained and questioned at Newark airport by US immigration officials after his name matched with some of those on a common checklist. He was let off at the intervention of Indian Consulate officials.

Khan had termed the incident as "uncalled for", saying that "I did feel bad. I felt angry. I am glad my family wasn't there. God knows what they would have done to them."

"I was really hassled at the American Airport because of my name being Khan," the actor, who figured in the American Newsweek magazine's list of 50 most powerful people, had said.

Meanwhile, US immigration authorities in New York denied that Khan was detained and questioned for two hours at the Newark airport or that the
Shah Rukh Khan
Top 25 most powerful celebrities
actor was singled out because of his name or Asian identity.

The allegations "happen to be incorrect," US Customs and Border Protection spokesman Elmer Camacho said, adding Khan was inspected because his baggage had not arrived.

Part of the inspection process is to examine the baggage. However his bags were not available due to the airline not loading them on the flight he arrived on, the spokesman said. That is why his inspection took longer, the airline could not provide his bags for inspection.

"His documents and papers were checked, which were found to be in correct order," Camacho told PTI.

After a "normal" check at the airport, Khan was taken to a different room where he was waiting for his turn since many other people were already there. "The entire process ended in a little over one hour," the spokesman said.

The procedure, he said, was handled in a "professional manner" and there was no evidence of Khan being pointed out because of his name or Asian identity.

To a question on Khan's contention that he was asked by immigration officials about his work in the US, the spokesman said "it's our policy not to discuss all specific (details) of any traveller". However, when any traveller enters the US, he or she is subjected to inspection, he added.

However, Khan, after narrating his "ordeal" to his fans in Atlantic City, was soon at his best forgetting his worries. It was the same old 'King' Khan who had made the Indian community dance to his songs and imitate him all these year.

Khan delivered his usual well-known dialogues, danced on popular songs and answered questions from the curious cheering crowd for the next one hour at the event.

Karzai sells out Afghan women over law-rights group

14 Aug 2009 11:37:29 GMT
Source: Reuters
Background

(For more on Afghanistan, click on [ID:nAFPAK])

By Jonathon Burch

KABUL, Aug 14 (Reuters) - A leading rights group accused President Hamid Karzai on Friday of selling out Afghan women by ratifying a Shi'ite law, which has drawn wide condemnation over its harsh provisions on women, before next week's election.

Karzai, who approved the law earlier this year, was forced to review the decision after Western leaders and Afghan women's rights groups expressed dismay at provisions on women's rights some people said were reminiscent of Taliban-era restrictions.

An amended version of the Shi'ite Personal Status Law was submitted last month and published in the official gazette on July 27, bringing it into effect weeks ahead of the Aug. 20 presidential poll, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

"Karzai has made an unthinkable deal to sell Afghan women out in return for the support of fundamentalists in the August 20 election," said Brad Adams, Asia director for HRW.

"So much for any credentials he claimed as a moderate on women's issues," he said in a statement.

The legislation is meant to govern family law for minority Muslim Shi'ites, who make up about 15 percent of Afghanistan's roughly 30 million people, and is different to that for the majority Sunni population.

It requires women to satisfy their husband's sexual appetites, an article which critics have said could be used to justify marital rape and which provoked an outcry from Afghanistan's Western allies and rights groups around the world.

U.S. President Barack Obama has called the law "abhorrent".

"SOME IMPROVEMENTS"

Karzai has said Western concerns about the law were "inappropriate" and may have been based on "misinterpretations" but promised last April to make changes if it was found to violate the constitution.

Wahid Omar, a spokesman for Karzai's presidential campaign, said he could not comment on any decision Karzai had taken as the president. A presidential spokesman was not immediately available for comment on Friday, the national weekend.

HRW said the amended law did show "some improvements" but still contained some of its "most repressive" articles that directly contravene the Afghan constitution, which bans any kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens.

The amended law gives a husband the right to withdraw basic maintenance from his wife, including food, if she refuses to obey his sexual demands and requires women to get permission from their husbands to work, according to HRW.

The law also grants guardianship of children exclusively to their fathers and grandfathers and effectively allows a rapist to avoid prosecution by paying "blood money" to a girl who was injured when he raped her, HRW said.

"These kinds of barbaric laws were supposed to have been relegated to the past with the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, yet Karzai has revived them and given them his official stamp of approval," said Adams.

Fatemeh Hosseini, an Afghan women's rights activist, said Karzai had been stuck between the two sides but in the end had given in to conservative Muslim clerics.

"Karzai promised he would make changes and he has brought changes. But the changes are only in the wording, the context is the same," said Hosseini, who advises German aid group GTZ.

"Karzai is trying to please both sides but for them, the mullahs are more important than women," she said.

HRW said the Afghan parliament should overturn the law and has called on presidential candidates to amend or repeal it. (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan)

(Editing by Paul Tait)

Lubna Hussein Pants Trial Adjourns Until Tuesday

"I will not pay the money, and I will go to prison."
Lubna Hussein, a former journalist and U.N. press officer, leaves the court after her trial in Sudan's capital Khartoum, September 7, 2009.
REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

Sudanese woman fined for wearing trousers
07 Sep 2009 13:48:10 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Sudanese woman found guilty of indecency

* spared lashes, but fined

(Refiles to make clear Sudanese pounds, paragraph 2; Adds quote from woman, details, protest)

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A Sudanese woman was found guilty of indecency and fined on Monday for wearing trousers in a case that has attracted worldwide attention, but she will be spared lashes, an official who attended the trial said.

The woman, Lubna Hussein, was arrested at a party in July with 12 other women and had faced the possibility of 40 lashes for wearing trousers deemed indecent. The court ordered her to pay a fine of Sudanese 500 pounds ($209) or face a month in jail.

Hussein's case was seen as a test of Sudan's Islamic decency regulations, which many women activists say are vague and give individual police officers undue latitude to determine what is acceptable clothing for women.

A former reporter who was working for the United Nations at the time of her arrest, Hussein has publicised her case, posing in loose trousers for photos and calling for media support.

Reached by telephone after the verdict, Hussein said she would refuse to pay the fine:

"I will not pay the money, and I will go to prison."

Defence lawyer Nabil Adib Abdalla has previously said the law on indecent dress was so wide it contravened Hussein's right to a fair trial.

"She was found guilty, but we know she is not guilty ... This is a clear violation of the constitution, of women's rights, and the peace agreement," said Yasser Arman, a government official who attended the trial and is also a senior member of the former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

Ten of the other women arrested with Hussein have pleaded guilty and have been whipped, Hussein previously said.

PROTESTS AT COURT

Indecency cases are not uncommon in Sudan, where there is a large cultural gap between the mostly Muslim and Arab-oriented north and the mainly Christian south. The cases prompted scores of women to gather near the court ahead of the verdict to lend support to Hussein.

Hussein argued her clothes, a pair of green slacks that she also wore to her first court appearance, were respectable and that she did not break the law.

"Lubna has given us a chance. She is very brave. Thousands of girls have been beaten since the 1990s, but Lubna is the first one not to keep silent," protester Sawsan Hassan el-Showaya told Reuters before the verdict.

But scuffles erupted at the protest before the court session even began between the women and Islamists, who shouted religious slogans and denounced Hussein and her supporters as prostitutes and demanded a harsh punishment for Hussein.

Riot police quickly cleared the scene, beating some protesters with batons. Around 40 women protesters were detained.

Hussein has said she resigned from her U.N. job to give up any legal immunity so she could continue with the case, prove her innocence and challenge the decency law.

U.N. officials have said the United Nations told Sudan that Hussein was immune from legal proceedings as she was a U.N. employee at the time of her arrest. But the case was allowed to proceed after Sudan's foreign ministry advised the court that Hussein was not immune. (Reporting by Andrew Heavens and Khalid Abdel Aziz; Writing by Cynthia Johnston)

Lubna Hussein, who was arrested July 3 for wearing pants and is now standing trial, openly defied the court by wearing the very same outfit to trial that she was arrested for, AFP reports.

From the Associated Press:

A Sudanese female journalist facing 40 lashes for wearing trousers in public in violation of the country's strict Islamic laws told a packed Khartoum courtroom Wednesday she is resigning from a U.N. job that grants her immunity so she can challenge the law on women's public dress code.

Lubna Hussein was among 13 women arrested July 3 in a raid by members of the public order police force on a popular Khartoum cafe for wearing trousers, considered indecent by the strict interpretation of Islamic law adopted by Sudan's Islamic regime. All but three of the women were flogged at a police station two days later.

But Hussein and two other women decided they wanted to go to trial and Hussein invited human rights workers, western diplomats and fellow journalists to Wednesday's hearing.

Some of her women friends showed up in court Wednesday wearing trousers in a show of support.

"This is not a case about me wearing pants," said Hussein, who works in the media department of the U.N. Mission in Sudan and contributes opinion pieces to a left-leaning Khartoum newspaper.

"This is a case about annulling the article that addresses women's dress code, under the title of indecent acts. This is my battle. This article is against the constitution and even against Islamic law itself," she said after the hearing.
Story continues below

Judge Mudathir Rashid adjourned the hearing until Aug. 4 to give Hussein time to quit her job.

Hussein said she would immediately quit and thanked the U.N. for intervening to spare her possible punishment.

She said the U.N. mission was trying to stand by her, invoking a clause in an agreement between the Sudanese government and the world body's representatives in Sudan that obliges authorities to ask permission before starting legal proceedings against a member of its staff.

Hussein's defense lawyer, Nabil Adeeb, said the U.N. wanted to protect its staff, but Hussein wanted her trial to proceed.

"We have contradicting interests," he said. Hussein can face at least 40 lashes, according to Adeeb.

Islamic Sharia law has been strictly implemented in Sudan since an army coup led by President Omar al-Bashir seized power in 1989, toppling an elected but ineffective government. Activists and lawyers say the implementation of the law is arbitrary.

Public order cases usually involve quick summary trials with sentences carried out shortly afterward, as was the case with the 10 of the 13 women arrested earlier this month. They were flogged and fined 250 Sudanese pounds, or about $120.

Women in the mostly Arabized and Muslim northern Sudan, particularly in the capital Khartoum, dress in traditional outfits that include a shawl over their head and shoulder. Western dress is uncommon.

Still, the raid on a Khartoum cafe popular with journalists and foreigners was unusual.

>___

Associated Press reporter Sarah El Deeb conributed to this report from Cairo, Egypt.

The Night/The Day The World Lost Nazia Hassan 9 years ago

Nazia Hasan (3 April 1965 - 13 August 2000) May God Bless her Soul!

Cancer actually. Her mother Mrs Muneeza Baseer spoke about how she would fix everything in the house. But, according to her, Nazia couldn't fix this one ----

Mrs Muneeza Baseer can be seen in this more than 42 year old pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pimu/430344408/in/set-72157600712077099/


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Nazia Hassan (Urdu: نازیہ حسن) (April 3, 1965 – August 13, 2000[1]) was an iconic Pakistani pop singer. Her song "Aap Jaisa Koi" from the film Qurbani made her a legend and pop icon in Pakistan and all of South Asia in the 80s where she is admired and loved even today, several years after her death.

The Queen of pop singing

Sweetheart of Pakistan

These are a few titles associated with Nazia Hassan.

She was the most influential and popular female singer and probably the only real pop singer of 80's and 90's in both India and Pakistan.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Early life and Career
* 2 Legacy
* 3 Death from Cancer
* 4 Nazia's Family
* 5 'Made in India' controversy
* 6 Nazia Hassan Foundation
* 7 Discography
o 7.1 Albums
o 7.2 Films (Playback Singer)
o 7.3 TV appearances
o 7.4 TV commercials
* 8 Awards
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 External links

[edit] Early life and Career

Nazia Hassan was born in Karachi, Pakistan and from an early age showed interest in music.[2] Nazia's professional career started at the age of fifteen when she provided the lead vocals for the song Aap Jaisa Koi from a Bollywood film titled Qurbani (1980), by Indian producer-director Feroz Khan. Nazia was introduced to Feroz by his friend in the United Kingdom The song was a huge success in India and despite Nazia being a Pakistani, she gained overnight fame there.[3]

She then collaborated with Biddu, a UK-based Indian music producer who was also the composer of Aap Jaisa Koi, on numerous other projects. Biddu had previously made several hit-songs for various singers like Tina Charles and Carl Douglas. In 1981, Biddu released Nazia's first mega-hit, Disco Deewane. The album broke record sales in Pakistan and India and even topped the charts in the West Indies, Latin America and Russia. Her later albums also had vocals of her brother, Zoheb Hassan. These included Star/Boom Boom (1982), Young Tarang (1984), Hotline (1987), and Camera Camera (1992). Nazia and Zoheb appeared with music maestro Sohail Rana's Pakistani television program for children, "Sung Sung". In 1988, Nazia and Zoheb also hosted the groundbreaking show Music '89 produced by Shoaib Mansoor.

After the huge success of their music, selling millions of albums worldwide, EMI Music International also Nazia and Zoheb, making them as the first South Asian artists to be signed by an international music label.

Nazia and Zoheb's television interviews were shown on TV in India, Pakistan, Dubai, UK (big names like David Soul, David Essex, Zia Mohiuddin conducted the interviews on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc) and many other countries.

[edit] Legacy

Pakistan's vibrant contemporary music scene owes itself to Nazia Hassan's redefinition of pop. In fact, the biggest nineties bands including the Vital Signs and the Jupiters got a platform on "Music '89". Nazia also had a seismic impact in India. India Today magazine voted her as one of the 50 people who helped change the face of India. She has contributed to the development of the present isomorphism of Bollywood music and pop: “She set - well ahead of its time - the personal album trend in India”, spawning the likes of Alisha Chinai, Lucky Ali and Shweta Shetty.

In fact, such was Nazia’s success that in Bollywood there is an intriguing story stating that she outdid both in terms of sales and popularity the Indian playback singer, Lata Mangeshkar. ” Lata's biographer Raju Bharatan poses the following question: “Were there, then, no serious challenges to Lata Mangeshkar in her long singing career?” The answer surprises: “…there was a happening in Lata's life and times that made a mere teenager a near despair for her. That teenybopper was Nazia Hasan.” He continues, “Lata’s film Aasha…just could not catch up with Nazia's Aap jaisa koi for 14 weeks running, hard as it tried! The year 1980 in Hindi film music thus belonged to a UK based Pakistani singer – a slip of a girl who came to India via England to capture subcontinental hearts. There was no way even the velvet voice of Lata could scale down Nazia during that spell.”

Besides music, Nazia has the honour of starting a noble trend of working for the under privileged and poor. All their money earned from music was spent for charity. Nazia supported the “Inner Wheel Club” of India to help with funds for them. In Pakistan, an organization “BAN” for fighting against the curse of narcotics was established. She belonged to many charity organizations and worked with her mother Muniza Basir in the low income areas of Karachi to help the needy and sick. Nazia worked with Javed Jabbar, former Information Minister, to raise funds for children in Rajasthan. She went to a very large number of schools to collect toys for the poor children and gave talks on the subject of social awareness for the under privileged. Nazia never forgot the love and support of all the schools and always spoke with great affection for them. The worthy staff and the students of St Joseph’s Convent, Mama Parsi School and many others had gone out of their way to help the cause.

Surprisingly, music was only a hobby for Nazia and though her achievements in this field were any one’s dream come true, she lived away from the glitzy world and led a secluded and simple life. She completed her education in the UK, got a law degree and then worked in the United Nations in the Security Council. Nazia continued her social work even in New York and worked for children from the UN platform.

She is known to be the "Sweetheart of Pakistan" and "The Nightingale of East". Nazia Hassan is still the symbol of grace, sacred beauty and innocence and is frequently compared to Princess Diana as she was known to possess a heart of gold. Nazia spent her teenage between Karachi and London where she would go on to read law at a London University.[citation needed]. Nazia was married on March 30, 1995 to Mirza Ishtiaq Baig. This marriage was a complete failure and Nazia Hassan got divorced just before her demise.

[edit] Death from Cancer

Nazia Hassan died in August 13, 2000 in London after a prolonged battle with lung cancer at the young age of 35. [1] She was admitted to North Finchley Hospice three days ago when her condition suddenly deteriorated. She showed signs of mild recovery on Saturday and it was thought that doctors would allow her to go home. But early Sunday morning, her mother, Muneeza Hasan, was called to the hospital where her daughter had started coughing heavily at around 9:15am. She died within minutes. Family sources said Nazia got better after initial treatment but the killer disease returned some one and half year ago and spread in the chest region. She was undergoing chemotherapy for the last eight months and felt better. She had, in recent times, expressed her determination to beat the malaise that had affected her body over the years, but that was not to be. Both, her father, Baseer Hasan, and brother, Zohaib, were in Karachi and are rushing to London to the rest of the family members who are still in shock. The decision about her burial will be taken after her father's arrival but family sources have pointed to the possibility of sending her body to Pakistan for burial. The news of Nazia's sudden death has sent shock waves to almost all the Asian community irrespective of their origin.

Nazia Hassan's son Arez who was born on April the 7th 1997. Arez was only three when his mother's succumbed to cancer and was taken into the care of Nazia's parents. He like his late mother is talented performer. He is continuing the charitable work that his mother initiated viz. the Nazia Hassan Charitable Foundation.

The Government of Pakistan has conferred upon Nazia Hassan the highest civilian award Pride of Performance. The award was presented to Mrs. Muniza Basir, mother of Nazia Hassan by the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf in an official ceremony held at Islamabad on 23 March 2002.

[edit] Nazia's Family

Nazia’s father Mr. Basir Hassan is a known businessman and her mother Mrs. Muneezeh Basir was an active social worker in her youth. Nazia’s grandfather and Basir Hassan’s father, Nawab Syed Saghiruddin Hassan was the President & Vice President of Muslim League, Delhi and owners of the 1st Ginning Mill in Multan, Pakistan. Some of their friends included Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan and Justice Wajihuddin.

Nazia’s great grandfather, Khan Bahadur Syed Basiruddin Hassan was very active in social work. He was the founder of Anjuman-e-Himayat-e-Islam, Governor of Lady Dufferin Hospital, and Trustee of Fateh Puri Mosque and built seven primary schools in Delhi.

[edit] 'Made in India' controversy

In early-1990s, Indian composer Biddu, with whom Nazia had collaborated on numerous projects, composed a song titled "Made in India" and wanted Nazia to provide lead vocals for it. However, Nazia turned the offer down. She told song-writer and music director Biddu that she could not bring herself to sing something that was likely to offend Pakistanis. Despite Nazia being a Pakistani, she was able to gain immense popularity in India too and was also a recipient of the prestigious Filmfare Award.

The song was eventually offered to Indian singer Alisha Chinai. The song was a huge success and is considered to mark the beginning of the era of Indipop.[4]

[edit] Nazia Hassan Foundation

The Nazia Hassan Foundation has been established by Nazia's family, her parents Basir & Muniza and sister Zahra, in continuation of her life long charitable and social efforts to make the world a better place to live in for all irrespective of colour, creed or religion.

Pro-Gay-Marriage Muslim Delegate Stirs Conservatives

August 11, 2009

It some ways Saqib Ali has had a normal life for a local politician. After earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, he ran for political office in 2006. His victory won him a seat in the Maryland Legislature. Now the Democratic delegate has come out in support of gay marriage, a position he announced publicly in an op-ed piece he wrote for a local Maryland publication, The Gazette.

So why are so many, including his family, surprised about his gay-marriage stance?

Because Ali is Muslim (the first Muslim delegate in Maryland), and Islam strictly prohibits homosexuality. In fact, in many Muslim countries, like Saudi Arabia — where Ali went to high school — homosexuality is punishable by law. But Ali says his support of gay marriage is not a reflection of his faith or belief in Islam but a decision he made as a politician representing his constituents with and without faith backgrounds.

"If I tried to enforce religion by law — as in a theocracy — I would be doing a disservice to my both constituents and to my religion," Ali writes in his op-ed.

Though he knows his stance is controversial, he hopes critics will come to share his point of view to promote marriage equality.

"[Gay marriage] doesn't affect my marriage; it doesn't affect anybody else's marriage," Ali said. "It doesn't harm us in any way."

Currently, same-sex marriage is illegal in Maryland. Only in six states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine — can homosexual couples get married. The next opportunity for the Maryland Legislature to pass a law legalizing gay marriage would be in the 2010 legislative session. But because 2010 is an election year for the entire General Assembly, Ali says it is more likely the issue won't come to the table until 2011.


---------------

From The Sunday Times
July 12, 2009

Why can't Muslims be gay and proud?

Theologian Amanullah De Sondy wants Islam to tolerate homosexuality again, just as it did generations ago
Dr Amanullah de Sondy


You don’t expect to start an interview with a leading Muslim academic by discussing the state of Rafael Nadal’s knees. But Dr Amanullah De Sondy, from Glasgow University’s School of Divinity, is a bit different from your average theologian. He has just returned to Scotland from Wimbledon, where he worked as an umpire for the second year running. Our dinner-time meeting has to be rescheduled because of the late finish of the men’s final between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick.

De Sondy was living in All England Lawn Tennis Club accommodation overlooking Federer’s garden until the day before we meet. But it is where he chose to watch the Centre Court action last Sunday that is most interesting. He could have stayed in London, but had promised to attend church in Dumbarton with a Christian friend; “as I do now and then”. They joined the minister for lunch, and spent an enjoyable afternoon watching the tennis from the comfort of the manse.

When we finally meet he is charming and informal. He wears jeans and a loose, embroidered tunic in the traditional South Asian style. It makes him look rather like a Bollywood heart-throb. Recently poached by a leading New York college, it is easy to imagine him making quite an impact on the American academic circuit.

De Sondy is militantly ecumenical(Of or relating to the worldwide Christian church.); he counts priests and rabbis among his friends. However, his commitment to good interfaith relations is the least controversial thing about him.

Several leading publishers are vying to buy his recently completed PhD thesis as a book. At the moment it is called “Constructions of masculinities in Islamic traditions, societies and cultures, with a specific focus on India and Pakistan between the 18th and the 21st century”. With a racier title (How about “Men, Sex and Islam”?) it is easy to see its commercial potential.

It challenges assumptions about what it means to be a Muslim man. The Koran does not, says De Sondy, demand a bearded

patriarch with several wives and dozens of children. There are dysfunctional families in Islamic tradition, he says, prophets without father figures and revered holy men who led “effeminate”(Having qualities or characteristics more often associated with women than men) lifestyles. Most controversially, he challenges homophobia in Islam. “Homosexuality is not incompatible with Islam. The two can and have co-existed. The important thing is to link it with living a good life and creating a good society.”

He disagrees with those who claim the Koran condemns homosexual practices. Gay men are regularly put to death in countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, so this is explosive stuff.

“If you ask them privately, the vast majority of my generation of Muslims are deeply homophobic(Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.),” he says. “I think it is particularly entrenched because so many Muslim societies are rooted in traditional ideas of the family and patriarchy. It’s time to challenge all of that.”

De Sondy knows his conservative opponents will use one particular story, which appears in both the Koran and the Bible, to justify oppression. This is when God sends angels to destroy the sinful inhabitants of Sodom.

“It is often said to illustrate God’s disappproval of homosexuality. But on closer inspection it is really about his disapproval of the rape of young boys that was happening in the place. There is a big difference.”

Intolerance is not necessarily part of Muslim tradition, De Sondy argues. Islamic cultures are diverse and, historically, there are examples of people living openly in same-sex relationships. He blames conservative political Islam, spread by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Saudi Wahhabi sect, for creating a puritanism which limits sexual freedom and demands the subjugation of women.

“In the 16th-century Punjab, there lived a Sufi \ saint and poet called Shah Hussain who is greatly venerated. He fell in love with a Hindu boy. They lived together and are buried side by side in the same tomb. Pilgrims come to the tomb and shrine in Lahore district even today, but some people want to rewrite history, saying the boy was in fact a girl.”

antinomianism
1. Of or relating to the doctrine of antinomianism.
2. Opposed to or denying the fixed meaning or universal applicability of moral law: “By raising segregation and racial persecution to the ethical level of law, it puts into practice the antinomian rules of Orwell's world. Evil becomes good, inhumanity is interpreted as charity, egoism as compassion” (Elie Wiesel).
He also points to the presence of “antinomian Sufis in the Indian subcontinent — men who have pierced ears and dance in women’s clothing”.

The concept of antinomianism probably comes close to describing De Sondy’s own academic approach. Rooted in the Greek word for unlawful, it can be applied to people of any religious denomination who do not consider themselves bound by traditional ethics or morality. They believe salvation comes through faith alone.

De Sondy argues that the central tenet of Islam is submission to God; this is what the word means. “Everything else is secondary to that, whether it be ideas about women being second-class or veiled, or men being patriarchs. These are cultural constructions. They are rituals. What we really need to ask if we want to know whether something is right or wrong is: ‘Does it affect our relationship with God?’”

Still only 29, De Sondy is a second-generation Scottish Pakistani who grew up in the shadow of the Gothic university in the west end of Glasgow, where he attended Hillhead high school. His father travelled the world before settling in Scotland and served as a policeman in Hong Kong. His mother, a talented seamstress, did not finish primary school. Although conservative in religious belief, they had friends from diverse backgrounds and De Sondy’s father was popular with the white Scottish customers at his newsagents in Pollokshields.

It was one of these customers, an elderly catholic woman, who changed the course of De Sondy’s life. When she stopped coming to the shop, she wrote to his father to say she was ill and in a hospice. De Sondy, then 16, found the letter and began visiting her. They struck up an unlikely but strong friendship. When she died, she left him a small legacy, which he spent studying Arabic at religious schools in France, Jordan and Syria. “I began to realise that these schools were very conservative. It made me ask questions,” he recalls.

On his return to Scotland, he enrolled for a degree in religious studies and education at Stirling University and is qualified to teach about all world religions.

“Some Muslims have asked me how on earth I can teach about other religions. But there is no reason why not.”

Forced conversion and demonisation of “the infidel” are not Islamic, he says. He points out that the Prophet Mohammed took as his wife a Coptic Christian woman. She refused to convert to his new religion and he accepted this. Although De Sondy argues that the Koran was written for a tribal society and should not be interpreted literally, he still believes in its primacy. “The Islamists are free to interpret it in their own way. I hope to challenge that, however,” he says.

Outwith academia, he writes a popular blog called Progressive Scottish Muslims. Many Muslims privately approve of it, but remain wary of publicly supporting him for fear of a backlash from hard liners.

He likes to undermine stereotypes. He has just returned the kilt(A knee-length skirt with deep pleats, usually of a tartan wool, worn as part of the dress for men in the Scottish Highlands.) he wore to receive his PhD at Glasgow University two weeks ago. “I am very proud of both my Pakistani and Scottish heritage,” he says.

As a student, he was a member of the SNP but worries the Scottish government is too close to conservative Islam. “They should be careful. The Westminster government allied itself closely with the Muslim Council of Britain, then discovered some of its leaders opposed commemorating the Jewish Holocaust annd supported the jihad against Salman Rushdie.”

Soon he will fly to America, where he has accepted a post as assistant professor in world religions at Ithaca College, one of the country’s most respected teaching universities, in upstate New York.

“I think it is easier to speak out and ask questions in the US,” he says. “Many Muslims in this country, because they originate in Pakistan and India, have been shaped by the Raj, by notions of anti-imperialism. In the States, it’s different. They are not obsessed with Islam versus the West and they are obviously not anti-American. They can therefore concentrate on nuances( A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone; a gradation.) of faith and how it is practised.”

There is the added attraction of more tennis. He hopes to umpire at the US Open, which, by fortunate coincidence, takes place in New York City, a short hop from his new home.

RPT-FACTBOX-Profiles of key Afghan presidential candidates

12 Aug 2009 10:41:36 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Fixes typos)

By Sayed Salahuddin

KABUL, August 12 (Reuters) - Afghanistan holds presidential and provincial elections on Aug. 20, the second since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001, amid mounting attacks from the insurgents.

There are 35 candidates, among them two women, challenging incumbent Hamid Karzai, who must win over 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off against a second-placed candidate.

A recent poll by the Washington-based firm Glevum Associates showed Karzai winning 45 percent, compared with 25 percent for former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Following are brief profiles of some of the leading candidates: * Hamid Karzai, leader of Afghanistan since the Taliban's ouster and the man who won the country's first presidential poll in 2004:

The 51-year-old Karzai is an ethnic Pashtun from the same tribe as the former Afghan royal family. He received a masters degree in Political Science in India in 1983 and then joined a small pro-monarchist faction of the anti-Soviet mujahideen in Pakistan.

He served as deputy foreign minister after the fall of the Soviet-backed government in Kabul in 1992.

At first supporting the Taliban, Karzai later worked from Pakistan to overthrow the austere Islamists. He returned to Afghanistan in late 2001 when he was appointed president of the country's interim government in a U.N. sponsored deal in Germany.

Endemic government corruption, slow development and civilian casualties caused by foreign forces and his alliance with former military leaders, have eroded his public support. Karzai says he is running again to complete "a job" and has termed talks with the insurgents as his top priority.

* Dr. Ramazan Bashardost, member of parliament and planning minister, 2004 to 2005:

Regarded as ascetic, the 43-year-old Bashardost is an ethnic Hazara who spent more than 20 years in France, where he received masters degrees in Law, Diplomacy and Political Science and a PhD in Law.

Openly criticising the government and accusing ministers of corruption, Bashardost has modelled himself as a man of the people. While briefly serving as planning minister, Bashardost was critical of the role of aid agencies in Afghanistan and later resigned under government and foreign pressure.

Bashardost runs his campaign from a tent opposite parliament and has vowed to not allow foreign troops to stay in Afghanistan if elected.

* Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, a senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institute and finance minister, 2002-2004.

The 59-year-old Ahmadzai, an ethnic Pashtun, received a PhD in Anthropology from Columbia University. Ahmadzai has spent more than two decades outside Afghanistan where he worked at different universities and the World Bank.

In 2002, he served as special adviser to the United Nations and later as finance minister under Karzai. In 2005, Ahmadzai founded the Institute of State Effectiveness in the United States aimed at promoting effective government. Ahmadzai used to live in the United States.

* Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan foreign minister, 2001-2006:

The 48-year-old Abdullah has a medical degree from Kabul University and worked as an ophthalmologist until 1985. A year later he joined the Panjshir Resistance Front against the Soviets and served as an adviser to the late Ahmad Shah Masood.

Abdullah was foreign minister of the Northern Alliance from 1998 onwards, and after Massood's assassination in 2001, became a dominant figure in the alliance that helped U.S. forces in toppling the Taliban.

He was appointed foreign minister under Karzai's interim government, a position he held until Karzai sacked him abruptely in 2006. He is seen as a prominent leader of the northern ethnic Tajiks, but is half Pashtun.

Abdullah is pushing for establishment of post of premiership and for the election of governors and mayors.

* Mullah Abdul Salaam Rocketi, a former Taliban commander who now sits in the parliament. He earned the nickname of rocketi for his certain ability in firing rocket-propelled grenades and stinger missiles during the war against the Soviet occupation.

An ethnic Pashtun and aged 51, Rocketi is seen as strong negotiator and was among a group of former Taliban members who went to Saudi Arabia last year to meet King Abdullah as part of Karzai's effort to persuade the Taliban for peace talks.

* Hedayat Amin Arsala is an economist and a prominent Afghan politician. He was the first Afghan to join the World Bank and served there for 18 years.

He served as foreign minister for two years in the early 1990s when he was Karzai's boss. The 67 years-old Arsala who is also a Pashtun, was senior minister until recent months.

* Forozan Fana, 40, is one of only two female candidates and a surgeon who has spent some years in self-imposed exile in Europe. Her husband was a minister under Karzai's government until being assassinated in 2002 at Kabul airport.

Fana says she wants to hold talks with some Taliban.

Father & Uncle drowns trying to save nine-year-old Daughter

Second man dies after swimming accident in central Ontario

(CP) – 4 days ago

BALA, Ont. — A second man has died from injuries he suffered following an incident in Ontario's cottage country on Wednesday in which his brother died.

Ontario provincial police confirm 53-year-old Ghulam Badar of Mississauga, Ont., died in a Barrie, Ont., hospital Thursday night.

Badar was placed on life support after being pulled from fast-moving Bala Falls in the Muskoka region.

He had jumped into the water to rescue his nine-year-old niece along with his brother, 44-year-old Nadim Shah of Chicago.

Shah was pronounced dead at the scene and Badar was presumed dead but was revived after being transported to hospital.

This tragedy followed a triple-drowning just a few days earlier in the nearby Moon Falls area.

The girl, who was wearing a lifejacket and playing in the water, had begun to drift away from shore.

Relatives said the two men soon vanished in the fast-moving water and appeared trapped under a whirlpool.


-------------


Father drowns trying to save nine-year-old

Uncle Resuscitated

Giuseppe Valiante, National Post Published: Thursday, August 06, 2009
Related Topics

*

Jim Sawkins
*

Bala Falls
*

Moon River Property Association



A father has drowned trying to rescue his nine-year-old daughter, and his brother is on life support after being pulled from the turbulent waters near Bala Falls in Muskoka, just a short distance from the spot where a trio of young men drowned three days ago.

"This has been a tragic week in Ontario's cottage country," said Julian Fantino, Commissioner of the OPP.

And an unusual week, according to many Bala residents, whose small town is known for its clothing and antique shops frequented by summer tourists and cottagers.

"It's very, very rare," said Brian McDonald, president of the Moon River Property Association and volunteer at the Bala United Church, who cannot remember a week like this in the more than 20 years he has lived in the area.

He said signs warn people to stay away from the water. "The signs are clear, I'm looking at one now," he said as he peered out the church window at a sign over the north part of the falls, which reads "Danger Fast Water Keep Away."

"Nobody should have been swimming in those falls, whether you're nine years old or 50," Jim Sawkins, Muskoka Lakes Fire Chief, said yesterday after the latest drowning.

Nadim Shah, 44, was visiting with his family from Hanover, Ill., with his brother, 53-year-old Ghulam Badar of Mississauga.

The family was spending the day at the falls, about 200 kilometres north of Toronto, and when the young girl, who was wearing a life jacket, began drifting away, her father, brother and uncle jumped into the water after her.

The girl was saved by her brother who managed to get her back to shore, but the two other men disappeared, police said.

Both Mr. Shah and his brother showed no vital signs when they were pulled from the water, but Mr. Badar was revived after being transported to the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge.

"Through the miracles of modern medicine, they were able to do some work ... and were able to revive him," said Constable Peter Leon of the OPP. "But at this time, we can only hope the best."

Both men were found submerged about 10 to 12 feet under water, their bodies held in place by the current, said Chief Sawkins.

He said the Bala Dam, which is adjacent to the falls, was closed over the weekend to slow the water flowing downstream to assist in the recovery operation for the three swimmers who drowned at Moon River Falls on Sunday afternoon, but the current was still churning and conditions were dangerous for swimming.

In fact, police divers had only just recovered the third body from Sunday's accident earlier yesterday. The victim was identified as Vladimir Tsimfer, 31, of Mississauga. The other two victims were Peter Ludian, 21, who was visiting from Poland, and 22-year old Vladimir Sirghi of Barrie.

Moon River Falls is about 24 kilometres downstream from Bala Falls, and both are fed by the waters of the Moon River. The falls have been unusually violent in recent days due to increased rainfall.

"I can't say enough about the heroic efforts of not only my firefighters, but the two OPP officers," Chief Sawkins said. He arrived on scene within four minutes of the call, as did the 15-year-old son of a Bala firefighter.

"I was pleasantly surprised," Chief Sawkins said when he heard one of the brothers had been revived. "You know what, unfortunately it was a tragedy that someone died.... But we can at least say that we went in there and saved somebody, you know what I mean?"

Kuwaitis Foil Attack on U.S. Logistical Hub

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2009 – U.S. military officials are crediting Kuwaiti security services with foiling a planned terrorist bombing aimed at a major U.S. logistical hub and staging operation in Kuwait and several other Kuwaiti sites.

Kuwaiti authorities reportedly arrested six al-Qaida operatives accused of conspiring to carry out the attack on Camp Arifjan next week, during the opening days of Ramadan.

Two suspects confessed to planning to use a truck laden with explosive chemicals and fertilizer to attack the base, according to Kuwait’s Al-Rai Al-Aam newspaper, which quoted a Kuwaiti interior ministry statement. The defendants reportedly rehearsed the plot before Kuwait’s state security services intervened.

Camp Arifjan, located outside Kuwait City near Kuwait’s border with Saudi Arabia, is used as a logistical base and transit point for U.S. troops deploying to and from Iraq.

Most troops there are assigned to a forward-deployed component of 3rd U.S. Army, headquartered at Fort McPherson, Ga. The command supports U.S. Central Command missions in the mideast region, including antiterrorism operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Third Army takes security very seriously,” Army Col. Jerry O’Hara, 3rd Army and U.S. Army Central’s public affairs officer, said of the foiled attack. “We are always in close coordination with Kuwait officials concerning security.”

Related Sites:
Third Army/U.S. Army Central

Shirazi cursing Ayatollah Khamenei !!

الشيرازي يسب ويلعن الخامنئي ويدعو عليه أف أف أف @ Yahoo! Video

كبيرة والله يقول أن الخامنئي ناصبي ووحشي وليس لديه غيره ومجرم ثم يقول أفضل نطلق عليه عمر الخامنئي أو يزيد الخامنئي أو صدام الخامنئي أو الشاه الخامنئي بدل علي الخامنئي ... وفي الأخير يختم بالدعاء على الخامنئي ولعنه ...

British Contractor Shoots Two Colleagues in Iraq

By Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, August 9, 2009; 9:45 AM

BAGHDAD, Aug. 9 -- A British private security contractor was taken into custody by Iraqi authorities in Baghdad's Green Zone early Sunday after he fatally shot two colleagues, Iraqi officials said.

The gunman, identified as Danny Fitzsimmons, also shot an Iraqi as he attempted to flee the compound, according Iraqi officials and two other sources familiar with the incident. The Iraqi man was critically wounded, Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf, a spokesman at Iraq's Interior Ministry said.

"I can confirm the deaths of two ArmorGroup Iraq employees in the early hours of this morning in a firefight incident," company spokesman Patrick Toyne-Sewell said in an e-mail.

He identified the slain men as Paul McGuigan, a Briton, and Darren Hoare, an Australian. Toyne-Sewell said their relatives have been notified.

"We are working closely with Iraqi authorities to investigate the circumstances of their deaths," Toyne-Sewell said.

Khalaf said Fitzsimmosns got into a dispute with colleagues as they were drinking.

"They got into an argument and he started shooting his colleagues," Khalaf said.

Khalaf said Fitzsimmosns is being held at an Iraqi police detention facility.

The U.S. military and the British Embassy in Baghdad said they were familiar with the report, but provided no additional information.


"We are aware of a shooting incident involving foreign nationals in Baghdad," Britain's Foreign Office said in a statement. "The Iraqi police are investigating."

The case could mark the first time a foreign security contractor faces trial in Iraq on murder charges.

The presence of foreign security contractors in Iraq is controversial because some have been accused of using unnecessary force against Iraqis.

Most foreign contractors were exempt from prosecution under Iraqi law until January 1, when a security agreement between Iraq and the United States replaced the United Nations resolution that gave them broad immunity.

Special correspondent Qais Mizher contributed to this report.

Establishment of client regimes of political prostitutes under Usraeli Doctrine

The American foreign policy promotes the establishment of client regimes that serve US interests regardless whether they were seculars or religious fundamentalists. No-need to cite here the hundreds of examples known to most readers. But Arab and Muslim intellectuals are generally nationalists and patriots who defend the interests of their own people and refuse to be agents of foreign powers under any pretext.


For this reason the Americans concentrated their efforts on recruiting Arab military idiots, political prostitutes or backward Muslim fundamentalists. Following their successful experiment in Latin America with military dictators, the Americans started to introduce the model to topple ‘elected’ governments starting in Syria, Egypt, Sudan and Iraq and replacing them with secular, anti-communist military dictators. In other areas, the Americans used religion to fight non-believing ‘leftists and communists’ by recruiting thousands of Muslim fundamentalists to fight their wars and to install client regimes (e.g. Mullah Omar). Until today, the Americans have no trouble with their client regime of Saudi Arabia despite the absence of democracy or freedom. Furthermore, the Americans didn’t have trouble with the Taliban rule until September 2001. What complicates the matter further is the fact that the Americans have added another dimension to their doctrine by including the need to serve Israeli interests to become serving USraeli strategic interests.

As a result, the Americans are in direct conflict with Iran, Syria and Sudan and with all Arab and Muslim patriots. It is not democracy that America is promoting. Ahmedinejad and Hania won the respective elections in Iran and Palestine but the Americans still believe that their rules are illegitimate. Obama went to bow his head to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia who has never won an election. Why no American questions Israeli democracy when the 30% Arab minority doesn’t get proper representation?
Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Iran Tries UK Embassy Staffer for spying to the most treacherous Britain

IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
Iran accuses the British embassy staffer of taking part in the unrest following last month’s disputed Iranian presidential elections.

Iran accuses the British embassy staffer of taking part in the unrest following last month’s disputed Iranian presidential elections.
TEHRAN – In a new downturn in Iranian-British relations, Iran tried a British embassy staff on Saturday, August 8, on espionage charges, sparking London’s outrage.

"Based on the charges read out by the Tehran prosecution, you are accused of spying for foreigners," the judge Abul Qasim Salavati told embassy political analyst Hossein Rassam, IRNA news agency reported.

Rassam is accused of taking part in political unrest following last month’s disputed Iranian presidential elections.

Prosecutors said Rassam and another Iranian employee of the embassy, who was also briefly detained, had reported to the British government on the protests.

"You along with Arash Momenian were given the duty of meeting representatives of political groups, ethnic and religious minorities, and student groups and to relay the news of Iran's riots to London," the prosecutor told the court.

Rassam was first arrested on June 27 and then released on bail on July 19 on a surety of one billion rials (100,000 dollars).

According to IRNA, the espionage charges were filed based on Rassam’s confessions.

"Based on the order of British embassy, the local staff were asked to be present in the riots along with Tom Burn and Paul Blemey," IRNA quoted Rassam as saying.

He told the court that a similar task was assigned to a number of British diplomats who were to monitor the post-election protests.

"Burn was at the protests in Motahari and Sanaie streets in Tehran on June 14 and Patrick Davis was also present at the march from Enghelab Street to Sharif Technical University," he said.

"The ambassador along with charge d'affaires took part in witnessing a rally of Mousavi supporters."

In the dock with Rassam on Saturday was French embassy Iranian employee Nazak Afshar, who was detained on Thursday, and French lecturer Clotilde Reiss, 24, who has been in custody since July 1.

UK Outrage

The British government strongly denounced the trial, calling it an "outrage" and a breach of past assurances from senior Iranian officials.

"We deplore these trials and the so-called confessions of prisoners who have been denied their basic human rights," a British Foreign Office spokeswoman said, reported Agence France Presse (AFP).

"This is completely unacceptable and directly contradicts assurances we had been given repeatedly by senior Iranian officials."

The spokesman warned of the UK reaction to such accusation.

"Our ambassador in Tehran has demanded early clarification of the position from the Iranian authorities," she said.

"We will then decide on how to respond to this latest outrage."

Saturday’s trial was a scene in a series of the strained UK-Iranian relationship, since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Teheran has accused Western governments, particularly Britain and the United States, of meddling in its domestic affairs.

Adding to the fuel between the two countries, Iran accuses Britain of cooperating with the Sunni fighters in the southern Iranian city of Ahvaz, capital of the oil-rich province of Khuzistan.

Last month’s disputed elections also witnessed rising enmity between the two countries following a speech by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who called Britain "the most treacherous" of Iran's enemies.

Following the speech, the UK expelled two Iranian diplomats after Iran forced two British diplomats to leave on accusations of supporting post-election riots.

Furthermore, Iranian authorities detained eight local British embassy staff for involvement in the unrest, an action rejected by angry UK government.

Alireza Beheshti: The Unwise Take Command

A note from the editor of Kalameh-ye-Sabz (The Green Word), Mirhossein Mousavi’s campaign publication:

Translated by: Rahavard




Ghalam – I was in detention when one of the interrogators asked me a question; in his response I had to name the Supreme Leader. Although I had taken the usual measures of courtesy, two of those people became seriously upset. They claimed that my mouth was filthy and that I should not have spelled out his name.

Some unreasonable people have taken the command. I do not offend the dignified people whose companionship used to be my pride. However, I feel that these days whoever from the opposite front says anything reasonable he is accused of infidelity. The unreasonable people are eliminating the wisdom. It has been two months. Which one of the policies they had suggested resulted in anything other than worsening the situation? However, they are still in command. The probably justify their failures by saying that if they had not adopted such policies the situation would have been even worse today…

In The Name of God, The Compassionate and The Merciful,

I was in detention when one of the interrogators asked me a question; in his response I had to name the Supreme Leader. Although I had taken the usual measures of courtesy, two of those people became seriously upset. They claimed that my mouth was filthy and that I should have not spelled out his name. Then they cursed me with words that would truly pollute their own mouths. They said that if the Supreme Leader ordered …. I am so sorry, I cannot repeat those vulgar words to show their impression of the Supreme Leader; an impression very far from the reality. I deny that the beholders of such impressions have ever had a taste of reason. However, they have the command these days; the same people who offend the wife of the martyred war commander in their morning lineup.

The building of Kalameh-ye-Sabz newspaper used to be the office of council for restoring the works of Martyr Beheshti and his beloved son had gathered a complete collection of his personal books including early Revolution charters of Islamic and anti-revolutionary forces both. When it was decided to relocate to a new neighborhood, due to shortage of space some of these books were left behind in the newspaper [office] and they were found by the security forces during their invasion [of the office]. One of the two people whom I mentioned above explained to me during our conversation that they had found books by Monafeghin [The Hypocrites: nickname given by the Islamic Republic regime to the “People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran”, an armed organization in exile in Iraq who has conducted several armed attacks against Iran] and this is the proof of our newspaper’s affiliation with this organization. He said that he had made footage from these books which he would broadcast in the state TV to shame us. Later I heard that Khabar Channel [the news channel of the state TV] had broadcast this footage with the same captions. I wanted to ask him not to do so. I wanted to tell him that many of the young people do not know Monafeghin and are not acquainted with their nefarious acts. Those who know them will never believe that Martyr Beheshti’s son would be affiliated with the murderers of his own father, but ones who have not read about their dishonorable records, or have only heard about them through the official media may consider them [Monafeghin] the innocent victims of your propaganda, just like Mousavi, and this may purify their ugly face. I would like to say: “don’t be unreasonable and don’t make a feast for Monafeghin out of the current incidents.”

Even until now I still review that scene in my mind sometimes and I wish I could tell them this or that, including asking the question that how they were planning to administer the country and pass this crisis with this [low] level of wisdom and intellect.

The command is taken by such people these days. Do not take the show of punishing the prison guards too seriously. It is very obvious that the same people are directing that [show] – since it is directed so poorly. If they are telling the truth why don’t they name one of the executioners in Kahrizak [the horrifying detention center in which many post-election protesters were beaten to death or severely injured, finally closed by the order of the supreme leader due to “low standards”] so that his children spit on his face and when later on he is appointed as the intelligence commander of such and such [military] force people identify him and object. They boo their own opponents attending court in pajamas, but they don’t even introduce the foes of the people.

These days the command is taken by the unreasonable people, more than ever. They still claim that Rajavi [head of Monafeghin] is backing Mousavi. So what?!! On one hand, according to you, five groups are tasked to assassinate Mousave, of which you have arrested four. Why has he [Rajavi] done so? Because he knows that it is Mousavi who does not let the country fall into chaos in favor of Monafeghin. On the other hand, according to you again, he has backed him up to take the most advantage of your stupidity. [He backs Mousavi] to pretend that he is the friend of beaten and offended youth and then make a pitfall for them. What do you do to prevent him? You broadcast his message even to those who haven’t heard it. I should add that, according to a friend who has searched Monafeghin’s websites, there is no news of Rajavi backing Mousavi and the only source of this news is the Islamic Republic News Agency.

Is there even a tidbit of wisdom in this? They only think about passing today to tomorrow, even if it requires sacrificing the whole regime and the Revolution.
Some unreasonable people have taken the command. I do not offend the dignified people whose companionship used to be my pride. However, I feel that these days whoever from the opposite front says anything reasonable is accused of infidelity. The unreasonable people are eliminating reason from the scene. It has been two months. Which one of the policies they had suggested resulted in anything other than worsening the situation? However, they are still in command. The probably justify their failures by saying that if they had not adopted such policies the situation would have been even worse today.

Of course if we were at war with them we would have welcomed such a disaster; but we are not. The truth is that most of the great achievements by people during the past two months have been the result of mistakes made by the other side. However, we do not welcome this magnitude of fault, because we are worried for its consequences in the country. Should we let the country become the prey of Monafeghin? Should we wait until the foreigners trust people for getting the actual news? Should we let the foreign governments take advantage of their mistakes in the negotiations? Or ignore peoples’ demand and leave them alone until they ignore everything?

A little bit of wisdom will prevent tons of suffering.

If you want to suspect, suspect those who are extremists. [A saying from Quran] “Do not obey those whom we have made ignorant of our [God’s] remembrance and those who follow their lust and are extremists.” Those are the same people who take the bribe money of four or six or seven million Toomans [Iranian unofficial currency – each million Tooman roughly equals one thousand dollars] to make contact between people and their children [in detention]; this is how opportunist and greedy they are. If you do not believe me believe Dr. Rouh-al-Amini’s word [father of one of the martyrs in Kahrizak – A University of Tehran professor, advisor to the health minister and head of the Pastor Institute as well as a political activist advising Mohsen Rezaee, one of the candidates of the current presidential election]. For their own future benefits they have no way other than making you suspicious of loyalty of those who have the wisdom to take office.
And the world is like a dream; it happens the same way that we interpret it, especially if we interpret it in negatively. If today I run into my neighbor in the stairways and he does not say hi to me I can interpret it as his being busy and ignore it or I can interpret it as being rude and base my future actions on this judgment and truly lead him to rudeness; let’s not interpret friends’ goodwill as their unfaithfulness.

Ahmedinejad will not allow Iran to be stung by the CIA scorpions twice.

The Iranians have the right to suspect a foul play when so-called American
tourists/journalists cross their borders illegally. In 1952, the CIA sent
their Cairo station chief, KIM Roosvelt, the grand son of President
Roosvelt, to lead the uprising against the democratically-elected Dr
Mohammed Musadaq. The chaos caused by CIA agents and US special-forces, who
entered Iran from Iraq, led to the toppling of Dr Musadaq government and the
return of the hated, tyranical Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlawi. In appreciation
for American role, the Shah let the Americans share Iran oil production
which was mopolised by the British. The CIA chief, Richard Holmes was
appointed as US ambassador to Tehran to supervise, along with the Israeli
ambassador, the torture and killing of thousands of Tuda Party members along
with Iranian intellectuals. I don't believe that Ahmedinejad will allow Iran
to be stung by the CIA scorpions twice.
Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Bombs targeting Shi'ite Muslims kill 44 in Iraq

07 Aug 2009 15:22:26 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Suicide car bomber kills 38 in northern Iraq

* Roadside bombs strike Baghdad minibuses carrying pilgrims

(Updates Mosul death toll, adds governor's quote, paragraph 9)

By Jamal al-Badrani

MOSUL, Iraq, Aug 7 (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber killed 38 people as they left a Shi'ite Muslim mosque just outside the volatile northern Iraqi city of Mosul, officials said on Friday, while a series of bombs in Baghdad killed six Shi'ite pilgrims.

Police said 95 people were wounded in the suicide bombing, one of several attacks in recent weeks targeting Shi'ite religious gatherings. A week ago a series of blasts outside Shi'ite mosques in Baghdad killed 31 people.

Sunni Islamist militants such as al Qaeda, who consider Shi'ites heretics, are often blamed for such attacks.

"I was in the house when this explosion happened. I hurried to the mosque to search for my father in the ruins...I found him seriously wounded, and took him to hospital, but he died," said Khalil Qasim, 19, crying.

Mosul authorities urged citizens to donate blood and appealed for construction vehicles to lift debris trapping victims of the attack, which took place in Shreikhan, a majority Shi'ite Turkmen village just north of Mosul city.

Bombings and shootings are reported almost daily in Mosul.

The insurgency in Iraq has waned in the last 18 months, but insurgents have been able to hide out in the mountainous areas around Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, and have exploited divisions between Mosul's feuding Arabs and Kurds.

The dispute in the northern province of Nineveh, of which Mosul is the capital, threatens to split the province and inflame tensions that could threaten Iraq's long-term stability.

"There are parties that seek to create chaos inside Mosul by dragging Iraq into sectarian fighting," Nineveh's governor, Atheel al-Nujaifi, said.

SQUARE ONE

Many Iraqis also fear attacks on Shi'ites may re-ignite the sectarian slaughter between Sunnis and Shi'ites that has only abated in the last 18 months. Tens of thousands have been killed in the bloodshed since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

"These bombings are an attempt to return Iraq to square one," said analyst and professor Hameed Fadhel.

"I expect these attacks to rise the closer we get to the elections. The coming months will be a very critical time for Iraq," he added, referring to national polls due in January.

Politicians are in the throes of discussing coalitions, and violence may make cross-sectarian alliances difficult.

In Baghdad, roadside bombs exploded as minibuses carrying Shi'ite Muslims home from pilgrimage a day earlier passed by.

Roadside bombs struck two minibuses in separate incidents in the poor Baghdad Shi'ite district of Sadr City and another roadside bomb struck a minibus in east Baghdad, a hospital source said, killing a total of six and wounding 24.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims poured into Iraq's holy city of Kerbala on Thursday to mark the birth of Imam Mohammed al-Mehdi, a Messiah-like figure Shi'ites believe vanished centuries ago and will return to bring peace on earth.

The event was the second big religious gathering in Iraq since the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from urban centres in June, which thrust Iraqi security forces into the leading role.

Thursday's pilgrimage and the previous event passed largely peacefully, but insurgent attacks are still common, raising doubts about the Iraqi security forces' ability to stand alone. (Additional reporting by Muhanad Mohammed, Waleed Ibrahim and Khalid al-Ansary in Baghdad; writing by Mohammed Abbas and Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Charles Dick)


---------------



Bombs in Baghdad and northern Iraq kill 41
10 Aug 2009 05:41:16 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Northern Iraq truck bombs kill 25

* Baghdad car bombs target construction workers, kill 16

(Updates casualty toll in north Iraq blasts, details)

BAGHDAD, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Vehicle bombs in Baghdad and northern Iraq killed 41 people on Monday, police said, the latest of several major attacks since U.S. troops withdrew from towns and cities in June.

Two truck bombs killed 25 people and wounded 75 near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, police said. Last week, a suicide car bomber killed 38 people as they left a Shi'ite Muslim mosque just outside Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad.

The truck bombs flattened some 30 homes in the predominantly Shi'ite village of Khazna, 20 km (12 miles) north of Mosul.

Bombings and shootings are reported almost daily in and around Mosul, capital of Nineveh province, where disputes between Arabs and Kurds threaten to split the region and inflame tensions that could threaten Iraq's long-term stability.

In Baghdad, two car bombs targeting labourers killed 16 people and wounded 81 in predominantly Shi'ite areas in the southwest of the capital, police said.

The insurgency in Iraq has waned in the last 18 months, but has remained stubborn in Mosul and a few other areas.

Several large-scale attacks in recent weeks have raised doubts about the capability of Iraqi forces to cope alone after U.S. combat troops withdrew from urban centres in June.

Last week, a string of bombings targeted Shi'ite Muslims in Baghdad and northern Iraq. (Reporting by Baghdad bureau; writing by Yara Bayoumy and Mohammed Abbas)



------------------


By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer Kim Gamel, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 4 mins ago

BAGHDAD – A double truck bombing Monday in Mosul and blasts in Baghdad brought the Iraqi death toll to more than 100 in four days, the worst spasm of violence the country has suffered since U.S. forces left the cities.

The bloodshed threatened to chip away at public confidence in the U.S.-backed government as it seeks to project a sense of normalcy ahead of next year's national elections, including an announcement last week that all concrete blast walls will be gone from Baghdad's main roads by mid-September.

The Mosul bombing, like another Friday on the fringes of the ethnically tense city, targeted ethnic minorities, indicating that insurgents are seeking out relatively undefended targets to maximize casualties as the strapped Iraqi army focuses its efforts on more central areas.

The attacks in Mosul, which the U.S. military has called the last stronghold of al-Qaida, killed 28 people Monday and 44 on Friday. It's the first time since the U.S. turned urban security over to the Iraqis on June 30 that insurgents have managed to stage two massive attacks in short order.

Another 22 Iraqis, mostly day laborers, died in two bombings in Baghdad on Monday. Seven Shiite pilgrims also were killed by bombings in Baghdad on Friday.

The latest deaths raise to at least 158 the number killed in the first 10 days of August — more than half the 309 killed in all of July, according to an Associated Press tally.

"We call on the government to make clear the real security situation in Iraq," said lawmaker Alaa Maki of the minority Sunnis. "We are not convinced by statements that everything is OK ... Iraqi people want security."

However, it's difficult to detect a trend. The rate of bombings tends to rise or fall month by month. This could mean the insurgents are trying to keep the authorities off balance, or that they are too weak to carry out the sustained campaigns that typified earlier years of the U.S. occupation.

Ayad al-Samarraie, the parliamentary speaker, insisted the upsurge was not a direct result of the Americans withdrawing. "The American troops are still in their camps and the intelligence coordination and mobilization assistance still exists," he said.

The U.S. military has stressed that violence overall is low compared with past year. American commanders also have warned al-Qaida in Iraq and other Sunni insurgents would try to re-ignite sectarian violence but said Shiites are showing restraint and not retaliating as they did more than two years ago when the country came to the brink of civil war.

Army Col. John R. Robinson, a U.S. military spokesman, said attacks nationwide have averaged 100 a week or fewer for several months, compared with about 200 per week last year.

"We have consistently said that insurgents and terrorists will attempt to challenge the Iraqi security forces, as well as the commitment of the Iraqi people to a peaceful future," Robinson said in an e-mail.

"They are targeting innocent civilians, Christian churches, mosques, and police," he wrote, but added: "We are encouraged that Iraqis are staying the course, away from sectarianism."

The two explosives-laden trucks didn't draw suspicion because they had been parked about 500 yards (meters) apart overnight in an alley in Khazna, just east of Mosul. The village has a population of some 3,000 people who are nearly all Shabak, a small, mostly Shiite ethnic group with their own distinct language and belief system.

They are part of the mosaic of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq's north that include Yazidis, Assyrian Christians, Turkomen and Kurds, all of whom have been targeted in the past. The village which was hit Friday and its mosque flattened is Turkomen.

No one claimed responsibility for either of the Mosul bombings, but they bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida in Iraq and other Sunni insurgents who remain active in Mosul and surrounding areas.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene of rescuers searching through the rubble of some 30 houses that were destroyed. Many villagers were sleeping on their roofs because of the summer heat. "If we had slept inside, we would have been killed," said Mahmoud Hussein, 28.

The 5 a.m. explosions left a 7-foot (2 meter) crater and reduced the houses to piles of bricks, twisted metal and smoking debris.

There were conflicting death tolls, common in Iraqi bombings. Police and hospital officials said at least 28 people were killed, the U.S. military said at least 35 were confirmed dead, while Qusai Abbas al-Shabaki, who represents the Shabak minority on the provincial council, said 43 died.

He accused security forces of failing to protect the area on the eastern outskirts of Mosul.

Also on Monday, a string of bombings in mainly Shiite areas in Baghdad killed at least 22 people, most of them laborers.

One bomb was left in a cement bag. Another apparently was in a minibus. "Some passengers, women and children, got off the minibus there. Then it drove a few meters and exploded. We unloaded four people dead," said a witness, Hassan Mohammed.

Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki ordered Defense Ministry officials to do all they could to "chase the terrorist cells so they can no longer find a safe place to put together their plans or be able to carry them out."

___

Associated Press Writers Chelsea J. Carter and Hamid Ahmed in Baghdad and the AP News Research Center in New York contributed to this report.


-------------

* Suicide bomb toll rises to 21 dead, 32 wounded

* Attack targets town inhabited by Yazidis

* Latest in string of attacks in volatile area

(Raises death toll)

By Jamal al-Badrani

MOSUL, Iraq, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Two suicide bombers detonated vests packed with explosives in a cafe in a town near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Thursday, killing 21 people, a health official said, the latest attack in a restive region.

There has been a series of high-profile bombings in and around Mosul in the past fortnight and the U.S. military said on Tuesday that a resilient al Qaeda had set off a string of deadly blasts.

Thursday's attack took place in Sinjar, 390 km (240 miles) northwest of Baghdad, a town whose inhabitants are members of a pre-Islamic Kurdish sect called Yazidis who live in northern Iraq and Syria.

An attack on the Yazidi community two years ago was one of the deadliest bomb attacks in Iraq since the start of 2007, killing and wounding nearly 800 people.

Bombings and shootings are reported almost daily in and around Mosul, the capital of the northern province of Nineveh, where insurgents have exploited disputes between Arabs and Kurds over territory and oil to remain effective.

A lack of coordination between Kurdish and Arab officials has made it easier for them to operate. Insurgents have also sought refuge in remote mountainous areas around Mosul, eluding capture by security forces.

The blasts were the latest in a series of attacks that cast doubt on Iraq's ability to defend itself against insurgents before a U.S. withdrawal from the country by the end of 2011.

This week two truck bombs flattened some 40 homes in the mostly Shi'ite village of Khazna near Mosul, killing 30 people.

No group has taken responsibility for recent attacks, but they are probably aimed at inflaming tension between Iraq's Arab majority and ethnic Kurd minority. They could also be aimed at undermining the credibility of the Shi'ite Arab-led government.

A feud between the Arab-led government in Baghdad and the largely autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in north Iraq has come dangerously close to all-out war.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday it was "very nervous" about Kurd-Arab tensions, which U.S. officials describe as the greatest threat to Iraqi stability.

"These terrorist operations are carried out by al Qaeda and other groups who do not want to see stability in this area," said Sinjar mayor Dakhil Hassoun.

Kurds see parts of majority Arab Nineveh and other areas in northern Iraq as belonging to an ancient homeland and want them included in Kurdistan, their semi-autonomous northern enclave.

(Writing by Yara Bayoumy, editing by Michael Roddy)

Transporting Helicopter Democracy To Tehran, Baghdad, Kabol & Islamabad

As long as Americans cartels will continue interfering, building bases,green zones, supporting green/velvet revolutions, spending millions and billions of dollars to occupy oil, gas and mine reserves of Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and central asian muslim countries, we will continue see State Department Dictated kings, Malaks, Sultans, Shahs, Ameers,presidents and prime ministers will take helicopters for transportation from one part of city to other. This is the new World Order Americans have made for Middle East. How safe is the world, how tech is world , how short is this global world where you can bring revolutions sitting in the bedrooms and playing with twittwer/facebook.

August 7, 2009
Traveling with Helicopter, Fearing the Public
Arash Motamed



After taking the oath of office, Ahmadinejad said in his speech, “We will not remain silent against law-breaking, interference and abuse of international structures, aggression and injustice in the world.”

He also reacted to some western nations’ decision not to congratulate him. “No one in Iran is waiting for your congratulations,” he said. “The people of Iran care neither for your grimaces nor for your congratulations and smiles.”

On the other hand, while websites close to Ahmadinejad denied reports that he was transported to the Majlis on a helicopter, reporters present on the scene confirmed that Ahmadinejad had arrived on a helicopter. According to the news portal of the Majlis minority faction, more than 10 reporters on the scene confirmed that they saw either Ahmadinejad’s entrance in a helicopter, or his entrance into the Majlis building immediately after hearing a helicopter land.

Black Pigeon Obama imitates White ducks!

In order for a black president Obama to be accepted by American power centres he has to behave more White than the Whites. Obama is currently busy trying to implement G.W. Bush neo-con Zionist agenda but many times over. He is extending the war on Afghanistan to include Pakistan, fomenting troubles in Latin America by sending troops to Columbia and trying to establish a Green Zone Republic inside Somalia.


In the Middle East, Obama is playing the game by Israeli Nazi rules. Obama seems to forget that he ran his election campaign and won on a humanitarian, liberal and peaceful agenda not on a right wing political platform. Many don’t realise that American presidents aren’t free to operate when they reach the Whitehouse as they owe too many favours to too many crooks, fraudsters, special interests, oil and military cartels, and above all, to the powerful Jewish mafia. By the end of his first term, Obama will look extremely odd as he would have forgotten how to behave as a liberal Black and the White Anglo Saxons Protestants would have never accept him as one of them. It is like a pigeon who tried to walk like a duck. After four years, he failed to walk like a duck and forgot his original pigeon walking steps.

Slowly but surely, people of the world, each in their own country, started to uncover Jewish conspircies and expose those implementing Jewish designs. The war on Iraq is being squarley blamed on the Jews who forced the Americans to march on Baghdad to Israeli drums. The American financial meltdown is being identified as a result of the greed of the Jewish financial mafia in control of US financial institutions.
Anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish businesses have doubled in one year in the UK, Germany and France. Judging on the present mathematics of reality, the next Hitler will be an American one. One Hitler wasn't enough.

A veteran politician once mentioned that Jews are too clever, they make the Americans fight their own wars. In turn, Jewish-controlled America controls NATO, the European Union and scores of client regimes.
One can't deny that the Jews are in control of the US financial institutions? One can't deny the fact that Jews are in control of the media from Hollywood to Manhattan, NY? And finally one can't deny that the Jews are in control of Washington D.C.? I can easily Google the names of the Jewish members of the boards of directors of Goldmansachs, Bear Stern, Lehmann Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Citibank and bank of America. Did you know that Michael Bloomberg made $8 billion working for Goldmansachs, moved to the media and finally ened up as the mayor of NY with the hope of running for the US presidency. The Jews are fleecing America while the US Zombies are busy fighting Jewish wars.

Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Twitter down, Facebook slowed down after 'malicious' cyber-attack after Junbish Sabz

Twitter, Facebook fend off DoS attacks
Published: 2009-08-06

Users looking to update their Twitter feeds or Facebook pages were likely disappointed Thursday morning, as a denial-of-service attack made both services hard to reach.

Around 9 a.m. Eastern Time, the number of responses from micro-blogging service Twitter fell precipitously, reaching a bandwidth of 60 Mbps by 10:40 a.m. ET, according to Arbor Networks, a networking services firm. Twitter had reached nearly 200 Mbps prior to the drop.

The service continued to be impacted Thursday afternoon, reaching a peak of 150 Mbps, about half of its normal peak for that time of day, according to Arbor.

"As we recover, users will experience some longer load times and slowness," Twitter stated on its status blog. "This includes timeouts to API clients. We’re working to get back to 100% as quickly as we can."

Users also complained of issues accessing Facebook. The service confirmed midday on Thursday that, it too, had suffered a denial-of-service attack.

"You may have had trouble accessing Facebook earlier today because of network issues related to an apparent distributed denial-of-service attack," the social network stated on its own Facebook page. "We have restored full access for most people. We’ll keep monitoring the situation to make sure you have the reliable experience you expect from us."

--------------
"DoS" redirects here. For other uses, see DOS (disambiguation).
DDoS Stacheldraht Attack diagram.

A denial-of-service attack (DoS attack) or distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS attack) is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users. Although the means to carry out, motives for, and targets of a DoS attack may vary, it generally consists of the concerted efforts of a person or persons to prevent an Internet site or service from functioning efficiently or at all, temporarily or indefinitely. Perpetrators of DoS attacks typically target sites or services hosted on high-profile web servers such as banks, credit card payment gateways, and even root nameservers.

One common method of attack involves saturating the target (victim) machine with external communications requests, such that it cannot respond to legitimate traffic, or responds so slowly as to be rendered effectively unavailable. In general terms, DoS attacks are implemented by either forcing the targeted computer(s) to reset, or consuming its resources so that it can no longer provide its intended service or obstructing the communication media between the intended users and the victim so that they can no longer communicate adequately.

Denial-of-service attacks are considered violations of the IAB's Internet Proper Use Policy, and also violate the Acceptable Use Policies of virtually all Internet Service Providers. They also commonly constitute violations of the laws of individual nations.[1]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The wildly popular micro-blogging site Twitter went offline Thursday after a malicious cyber-attack on its systems, the company said.


Twitter was down for more than two hours before engineers at the California firm were able to get it back online with a warning at the website that "we are continuing to defend against and recover from this attack."

"On this otherwise happy Thursday morning, Twitter is the target of a denial of service attack," Twitter executive Biz Stone said in an official company blog.

"Attacks such as this are malicious efforts orchestrated to disrupt and make unavailable services such as online banks, credit card payment gateways, and in this case, Twitter for intended customers or users," he said.

----------


NEW YORK - A hacker attack Thursday shut down the fast-growing messaging service Twitter, and Facebook also said it was looking into possible site problems.

Twitter said in its status blog Thursday that it was "defending against a denial-of-service attack," in which hackers command scores of computers to a single site at the same time, preventing legitimate traffic from getting through.

For Twitter users, the outage meant no tweeting about lunch plans, the weather or the fact that Twitter is down.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here

The Twitter outage began at about 9 a.m. ET, said Ken Godskind, chief strategy officer at Web performance monitoring company AlertSite.

The site still had lingering access problems midday (local time), though both Twitter and Facebook seemed to be functioning at least intermittently, giving cubicle-bound social media addicts a collective sigh of relief.

Allison Koski, a public-relations manager in Manhattan, said she felt "completely lost" without Twitter.

"I had to Google search Twitter to find out what was going on, when normally my Twitter feed gives me all the breaking news I need," Koski said.

Incidentally, Facebook also seemed to be experiencing problems. Company spokeswoman Brandee Barker said the company was looking into it and would have an update "as soon as possible."

Technology business analyst Shelly Palmer told AP Radio that denial-of-service attacks are a reality of the information age.

"People tend to want to take sites that are very public and go after them," said Palmer, managing director of Advanced Media Ventures Group. "In fact you'd be surprised how many sites for major companies are really attacked on a daily basis. This is a crime, it's a real crime and it should be treated that way."

Earlier this week, Gawker Media, which owns the eponymous media commentary blog and other sites, was also attacked. In a blog post, Gawker said Tuesday it was attacked by "dastardly hackers," leading to server problems that caused network-wide outages Sunday and Monday. It was not immediately clear whether those attacks were related to Twitter's.

-----

Twitter vanishes from the web in malicious cyber-attack that 'could have been the work of a teenager in their bedroom'

By Dan Newling
Last updated at 1:12 AM on 07th August 2009



Twitter went offline this afternoon following a malicious attack

Twitter was taken offline temporarily yesterday after it fell victim to a 'malicious' cyber attack.

The free micro-blogging service, which has 2.4million users in Britain sending brief messages known as tweets, ceased functioning at around 3pm.

An attack could have been the work of a teenager in their bedroom, an expert said.

Colin Sweetman, who provides internet technology and digital media advice through his company E-Volutionary.net, said such attacks were very common.

He said: "It's probably the most common form of attack on a website because you don't need to be particularly bright to have a go at it. It's relatively unsophisticated.

"Quite often it's a 14 or 15-year-old or a university kid, not a skilled programmer, just someone with a bit of computer knowledge and nothing better to do with their time.

"Normally systems are pretty well protected to handle that kind of thing but it does happen."

Such attacks could be perpetrated from a single location, such as a teenager's bedroom,

he said.

Facebook also said it was "looking into" possible problems with the site, which was down temporarily today too.

A message posted on the Twitter blog said: "Attacks such as this are malicious efforts orchestrated to disrupt and make unavailable services such as online banks, credit card payment gateways and, in this case, Twitter for intended customers or users.

"'We are defending against this attack now and will continue to update our status blog as we continue to defend and later investigate."

The statement was posted on Twitter's official blog.

It's not clear when the outage began, but it appears to have started mid-morning Eastern time, or around 3pm GMT.

An update on Twitter's status page - at 4.45pm this evening - said the site was 'back up', and American commentators said they could access the site.

A typical 'distributed denial of service' attack is where those responsible infiltrate hundreds or thousands of computers with a virus, which then orders each computer to repeatedly 'visit' the website at a certain time.

This can caused hundreds of thousands of extra visits a second, overloading even the most well-prepared websites.

Major Internet services including Twitter do undergo unplanned outages from time to time because of overcapacity and other problems.
The Twitter blogsite, which confirmed the outage was due to an attack by hackers

The Twitter blogsite, which confirmed the outage was due to a cyber-attack

The service attack may also be affecting businesses, as Twitter has gradually been encouraging companies use a Twitter-based system to send communications.




The microblogging service - which allows users to send short messages to their friends and followers - had about 150,000 users in Britain in May 2008 but now boasts 2.6million - a leap of 1,679 per cent.
Kutcher

Big fans: Ashton Kutcher and wife Demi Moore held a race against news corporation CNN to secure a million followers on Twitter - and the celebrities won

Championed by a range of celebrities such as Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross and Demi Moore, who share their thoughts - however mundane - with the world via their 'Tweets', or Twitter messages, it has also developed a reputation for breaking news.

It played a key role in delivering the first reports of the ditching of a passenger plane in the Hudson River in January, and also the recent riots following the Iranian election.

It hit the news again last month when Tory leader David Cameron revealed he was not a fan of Twitter during a radio interview, but was criticised for expressing himself in overly colourful language.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1204795/Twitter-vanishes-web-malicious-cyber-attack-work-teenager-bedroom.html#ixzz0NSDQOmSy

If there is any time, city to appear Imam al Mahdi , its the time in Tehran now

Meidān-e Emām („Platz des Imams“, persisch ميدان امام‎ [məi̯'dɔːn-ə e'mɔːm])

Iranian dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri speaks to a AFP reporter at his house in Qom in 2005. Montazeri slammed the trials of election protesters, comparing the authorities to Russia's Josef Stalin and Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
(AFP/File/Behrouz Mehri)

AsSalam-o-Alaikum,

دقات قلبي بالمحبة تناديكم وبمولد الإمام الحجة المهدي (ع) تهنيكم 2- الطيب للطيبين والحب للغاليين والتهاني للحلوين وبمولد الحجة متباركين 3- باقة أزهار و ورود وسلة بخور وعود ومبارك عليكم بمولد حجة الله على خلقه 4- الليلة فرحة للشيعة...بمولد نور مهديها، ألف ألف مبروك إلكل مولاي 5- مولد المهدي نحيي فيه أغلى الأمنيات فهو عنوان الخلاص ولنا درب

What we are seeing in Tehran since 3 weeks , a conflict and a chaotic situation where we have an Ayatollah or Grand Ayatollah coming in the front , issuing statements everyday. Tehran is one of the strongest remaining fort of Islam that has not yet been conquered by falling American Empire. May Allah protect and unite Iranians and Iran. We have enemies sitting around Tehran in all Capitals. The World is sooner or later going to see how America is going to be thrown to fight final jewsh war on Islam.

We kept waiting , expecting, crying that Imam may appear after Baghdad's fall, Sadr City/Basra Air Strikes, Gaza man made disaster or Pakistan/Indonesian Tsunamis, but as predicted some symptoms still need to be fulfilled and every moving moment is leading us to have a stronger belief on Imam al Mahdi AJTFJ's appearance as the world is full of turmoil from Indonesia to Morroco, we have bloodshed, slaughtering of poor and fragmentation of muslims into more and more sects.

We have Ayatollahs on either side of any clear line/platform and the World is really in need of another Khomenie and if not then it means only Imam, the real Imam Al Mahdi should come forward and start defending oppressed people, nations. I am sure Imam Khomenie might be crying with tears to see image of his falling enghelab. He too, asking , waiting Imam to take over Tehran, QOM to Najaf.

I am not sure State Department/Pentagon has any multi million dollar plan to stop appearance of IMAM.


The 15th of Shabaan is also known as Neema-e-Shabaan and it is also remembered as Shab-e-Barat among Muslims. It is a highly virtuous night during which our last Imam Mohammad Mehdi(atfs) was born.

Night of 15th of Shabaan 1430 A.H. is the night between 6th and 7th of August in almost all parts of the world. Please re-confirm with your local Mosque/imambargah for the exact occurrence in your location.

Special presentations about 15th of Shabaan:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Main page of 15th Shabaan : http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/neemashaban.php

Summary of Aamal : http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/summary.php

Aamal in Urdu from Mafateeh-ul-Jinaan : http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/frommafateeh.php

Aamal in PDF File : http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/aamal_mubin.pdf

Aamal in PDF File: http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/aamal_duas.pdf

Areeza-e-hajat in Arabic and English : http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/areeza.php

Online Mafateeh-ul-Jinaan:
http://www.ziyaraat.net/findbook.asp?Escritor=All&Tema=All&orderby=titulo&idioma=All&srchwhat=mafateeh


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special Aamal of 15th of Shabaan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Imam Ali(a.s.) relates from the Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) that the 15th of Shabaan is a highly virtuous night and the believers should spend this night offering prayers and should observe fast on the following day. Verily during this night until dawn Allah(swt) inquires Malaik (angels) - is there anyone who repents his sins and I forgive him/her? Is there anyone who asks for increase in earnings (Rizk/Rozi) and I grant so.

Imam Zain-al-Abideen(a.s.) said that if someone wishes to meet the souls of the One Hundred Twenty Four Thousand Prophets, he/she should recite the ziarat of Imam Hussain(a.s.) during this night . Since it is the night of the birth of Imam Zamana(atfs), it is recommended to recite the ziarat of Imam Zamana(a.s.) as well.

The following Aamal have been recommended by Masoomeen(a.s.) for this night:

(1) Take bath and put on clean clothes
(2) Keep vigil the night long in prayers till dawn.
(3) Recite Ziarat of Imam Hussain(a.s.)
(4) Recite Dua-e-Kumail
(5) Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.) said that whoever recites :
100 times "Subhan Allah",
100 times "Alhamd-o-lillah",
100 times "Allaho Akbar" and
100 times "La ilaha il-Allah"

during this night, Allah(swt) will forgive his/her previous sins and will accept his/her prayers.

(6) The following dua is equivalent to the Ziarat of Imam Zamana(a.s.) and is recommended to be recited during this night.
ALLAHUMMA BIHAQQE LAILATINA HAZEHI
WA MOULUDIHA
WA HUJ-JATIKA
WA MO-OODIHAL LATI QARANTA
ILA FADLIHA FADLAN
FA-TAMMAT KALIMATUKA SIDQAN
WA ADLAN LA MUBAD-DIL BI-KALIMATIKA
WA LA MOAQ-QIBA LI-AYATIKA NURU-KAL MUTA-AL-LIQU
WA ZIYA-UKAL MUSHRIKU
WAL ALAMUN-NOORU FI TAKHYA-ID-DAIJOORIL GHA-IBUL
MASTOOR JAL-LA MAOLIDUHU
WA KARUMA MUHTIDUHU
WAL MALA-IKATU SHUH-HADUHU
WAL LAHUY NASIRUHU
WA MU-AI-YIDUHU IZA AANA MIAADUHU
WAL MALA-IKATU AMDADUHU SAIFULLAHIL LAZI LA YANBU
WA NOORUHUL LAZI LA YAKHBU
WA ZUL HILMIL LAZI LA YASBU MADARUD DAHRI
WA NAWAMISUL ASRI
WA WULATUL AMRI
WAL MUNAZ-ZALU ALAIHIMUZ ZIKRU
WA MA YANZILU FI LAILATIL QADRI
WA ASHABUL HASHRI
WA AN NIASHRI TARAJIMATU
WAH-YIHI WA WULATU AMRIHI WA NAHYIHI
ALLA HUMMA FA SAL-LE ALA KHATIMIHIM
WA QAA-IMIHIMUL MASTOORI AN AWALIMIHIM
WA ADRIK BINA AY-YAMAHI
WA ZAHOORAHU WA QIYAMAHU
WAJ ALNA MIN ANSARIHI
WAQRIN SARANA BISARIHI
WAKTUBNA FI AAWANIHI
WA KHULASA-IHI
WA AHYINA FI DAOLATIHI NA-IMEENA
WA BISUHBATIHI GHANIMEENA
WA BIHAQQIHI QAAIMEENA
WA MINAS SOO-I SALIMEENA YA ARHAMAR RAHIMEENA
WAL HAMDU LILLAHI RAB BIL AALAMEENA
WA SALLE ALA MOHAMMADIN KHATAMIN NABEEYEENA
WAL MURSALEENA
WA ALA AHLI BAITIHIS SADIQEENA
WA ITRATIHIN NATIQEENA
WAL AN JAMEE AZ ZALIMEENA
WAHKUM BAINANA WA BAINAHUM
YA AHKAMAL HAKIMEEN

(7) Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.) and Imam Jafer Sadiq(a.s.) used to pray a 4 Rakaat Namaz in this night. In each rakat recite :
- 100 times Sura-e-Fatiha and
- 100 times Sura-e-Akhlas (Qul-ho-Allah-ho-Ahad).
After salam of the prayer, the following dua is to recited :
ALLAHUMA INNI ILAIKA FAQEERUN
WA MIN AZABIKA KHAYEFUN
WA BIKA MUSTAJEERUN RABBI LA TUBADDIL ISMI
WA LA TUGHAYYER JISMI
RABBI LA TAJHAD BALAYI
RABBI LA TUSHMIT BIYAL AADAYI
AAOOZO BI-AFWIKA MIN IQABIKA
WA AAOOZO BIREHMATEKA MIN AZABIKA
WA AAOOZO BIRIZAKA MIN SAKHTIKA
WA AAOOZO BIKA MINKA
JALLA SANAAOKA ANTA KAMA ASNEITA ALA NAFSIKA
WA FAUQA MA YAQOOLUL QAEELOONA FEEKA

(8) It is also recommended to recite :
10 Rakaat prayer in sets of 2 Rakaat each.
In each Rakat recite once Sura-e-Hamd and
10 times Sura-e-Qul-ho-Allah-ho-Ahad.
After each 2 Rakat set offer Sajda and recite this Dua :
`ALLAHUMMA LAKA SAJADA SAWADI
WA KHAYALI WA BAYADI
YA AZEEMA KULLE AZEEMIN
IGHFIRLI ZAMBI-AL AZEEMA
FA INNAHU LA YAGHFIRU-HU GHAIRUKA YA AZEEMO
Best Dua during this night is "Dua-e-Kumail" and “Dua-e-Nudba”. In addition, recite Quran and other virtuous duas as you deem necessary and ask for the forgiveness of past sins and the betterment of the future.
Towards the end of the night, Momineen and Mominaat usually present their griefs, worries and desires to the last Imam Mohammad Mehdi(a.s.) called "AREEZA" which is in fact a letter to the Imam(a.s.). This letter is written with a lot of love and affection using Safron as ink and is traditionally wrapped up in flour or pure soil and sprinkled with scents (Itar) and is thrown in a river with the intention that it reaches our beloved Imam-e-Zamana(a.s.).
These aamal are also available on the site at http://www.ziaraat.com/events/neemashaban/neemashaban.php.

Please also visit http://www.duas.org for more aamal and duas to be recited during this auspicious night.

Brother Masoom Abidi adds:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(a) According to Imam Ali Ibn Moosa Ar Rizaa (AS) it is highly
desirable to pray Namaaz of Jaafar-E-Tayyar tonight.

(b) Imam Jaafar Ibn Muhammad As Saadiq (AS) has advised the faithfuls to pray
2 rakaat namaz tonight after the Ishaa prayers. In the first rakaat
recite surah hamd and sureh Kaafiroon and in the second Rakaat
recite sureh Al Fathihah and sureh Al Iklaas. After the salaam recite
Tasbih of Fatima Zahra (SA) and then the following dua'a
YAA MAN ILAYHI MALJAA-UL I'BAADI FIL MUHIMMATI WA ILAYHI
YAFZA-U'L KHALQU FIL MULIMMAAT

YAA A'ALIMAL JAHRI WAL KHAFIYYAAT WA YAA MAN LAA TAKHFAA
A'LAYHI KHAWAAT'IRUL AWHAAMI WA TAS'ARRUFUL KHAT'ARAAT

YAA RABBAL KHALAAYIQI WAL BARIYYAAT YAA MAN BI-YADIHI
MALAKOOTUL ARZ"EENA WAS SAMAAWAAT ANTALLAAHU LAA ILAAHA ILAA
ANTA AMUTTU ILAYKA BI-LAA ILAAHA ILLAA ANTA

FA-YAA LAA ILAAHA ILLAA ANTAJ-A'LNEE FEE HAA;DIHIL LAYLATI
MIMMAN NAZ'ARTA ILAYHI FA-RAH'MATIHU WA SAMIA'-TA DAA'AA-AHU
FA-AJABTAHU WA A'LIMTAS-TIQAALATAHU FA-AQALTAHU WA TAJAAWAZTA A'N
SAALIFI KHAT'EEE-ATIHI WA A'Z'EEMI JAEAARATIHI FAQADIS-TAJARTU
BIKA MIN D'UNOOBEE WA LAJAATU ILAYKA FEE SATRI U'YOOBEE

ALLAAHUMMA FAJUD A'LAYYA BI-KARAMIKA WA FAZ''LIKA
WAH'-T'UT'KHAT'AAYAAYA BI-H'ILMIKA WA A'FWIKA

WA TAGHAMMADNEE FEE HAAD'IHIL LAYLATI BI-SAABIGHI KARAAMATIKA
WAJ-A'LNEE FEEHAA MIN AWALIYAAA-IKAL LAD'EENAJ-TABAYTAHUM
LI-T'AA-A'TIKA WAKH-TARTAHUM LI-I'BAADATIKA WA JA-A'LTAHUM
KHAALIS'TAKA WA S'AFWATAKA

ALLAAHUMMAJ A'LNEE MIMMAN SA-A'DA JADDUHU WA TAWAFFARA MINAL
KHAYRAATI H'AZ'Z'UHU

WAJ-A'LNEE MIMMAN SALIMA FA-NA-I'MA WA FAAZA FA-GHANIMA

WAK-FINEE SHARRA MAA ASLAFTU WAA'-S'IMNEE MINAL IZDIYAADI FEE
MAA'-S'IYATIKA WA H'ABBIB ILAYYA T'AA-A'TAKA WA MAA YUQARRIBUNEE
MINKA WA YUZLIFUNEE I'NDAKA SAYYIDEE ILAYKA YALJAA-UL HAARIBU
WA MINKA YALTAMISUT'T'AALIBU

WA A'LAA KARAMIKA YU-A'WWILUL MUSTAQEELUT TAA-IBU ADDABTA
I'BAADAKA WA ANTA AKRAMUL AKRAMEEN WA AMARTA BIL A'FWI
I'BAADAKA WA ANTAL GHAFOORUR RAH'EEM

ALLAAHUMMA FALAA TAH'RIMNEE MAA RAJAWTU MIN KARAMIKA WA LAA
TUWYASNEE MIN SAABIGHI NI-A'MIKA WA LAA TUKHAYYIBNEE MIN
JAZEELI QISAMIKA FEE HAAD'IHIL LAYLATI LI-AHLI TA'AA-A'TIKA
WAJ-A'LNEE FEE JUNNATIN MIN SHIRAARI BIRAYYATIKA RABBI IN LAM
AKUN MIN AHLI D'AALIKA FA-ANTA AHLUL KARAMI WAL A'FWI WAL
MAGHFIRATI WAJUD A'LAYYA BIMAA ASTAH'IQQUHU FAQAD H'ASUNA
Z'ANNEE BIKA WA TAH'AQQAQA RAJAAA-EE LAKA WA A'LIQAT NAFSEE
BIKARAMAKA FA ANTA ARH'AMUR RAAH'IMEEN

WA AKRAMUL AKRAMEEN

ALLAAHUMMA WAKH-S'US'NEE MIN KARAMIKA BI-JAZEELI QISAMIKA WA
A-O'OD'U BI-A'FWIKA MIN U'QOOBATIKA

WAGHFIR LIYAD'-D'ANBAL LAD'EE YAH'BISU A'LAYYAL KHULUQA WA
YUZ''AYYIQU A'LAYYAR RIZQA H'ATTAA AQOOMA BI-S'AALIH'I RIZ''AAKA
WA AN-A'MA BI-JAZEELI A'T'AAA-IKA WA AS-A'DA BI-SAABIGHI
NAA'-MAAA-IKA

FAQAD LUD'TU BI-H'ARAMIKA WA TA-A'RRAZ''TU LI-KARAMIKA
WAS-TA-A'D'TU BI-AFWIKA MIN U'QOOBQTIKA WA BI-H'ILMIKA MIN
GHAZ''ABIKA FAJUD BIMAA SA-ALTUKA WA ANIL MAL-TAMASTU MINKA
AS-ALUKA BIKA LAA BI-SHAY-IN HUWA AA'-Z'AMU MINKA

Then go into sajda and say

YA RABB ( 20 times)
YAA ALLAAH (7 times)
LAAH'AWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILLAA BILLAAH (7 times)
MAA SHAAA-ALLAAH (10 times)
ALLAAHUMMA S'ALLI A'LAA MUH'AMMADIN WA AALI MUH'AMMAD once

(c) Shaykh Toosi (RA) and Kafami (RA) have advised the faithfuls to recite the following Dua'a (this dua'a is also recited after
Namaaz-e-Shifa)
ILAAHEE TA-A'RRAZ''A LAKA FEE HAA'DAL LAYLIL MUTA-A'RRIZOONA
WA QAS'AADAKAL QAAS'IDOONA
WA AMMALA FAZ''LAKA
WA MAA'-ROOFAKAT T'AALIBOON

WA LAKA FEE HAA'DAL LAYLI NAFAH'AATUN
WA JAWAA-IZU WA A'T'AAYAA
WA MAWAAHIBU TAMUNNU BIHAA
A'LAA MAN LAM TASBIQ LAHUL
I'NAAYATU MINKA

WA HAA ANAA D'AA U'BAYDUKAL FAQEERU ILAYKAL
MOO-AMMILU FAZ''LAKA WA MAA'-ROOFAKA
FA-IN KUNTA YAA MAWLAAYA TAFAZ''Z''ALTA
FEE HAAD'IHIL LAYLATI A;LAA AH'ADIN MIN KHALQIKA
WA U'DTA A'LAYHI BI-A'AA-IDATIN MIN A'T'FIKA
FAS'ALLI A'LAA MUH'AMMADIN
WA AALI MUH'AMMADINIT'TAYYIBEENAT'TAAHIREENAL
FAAZ''ILEENA WAJUD A'LAYYA BIT'AWLIKA
WA MAA'-ROOFIKA YAA RABBAL A'ALAMEEN
WA S'ALLAALLAAHU A'LAA MUH'AMMADIN KHAATMIN NABIYYEEN
WA AALIHIT'T'AAHIREEN WA EALLAMA TASLEEMAA
INNAALLAAHA H'AMEEDUM MAJEED

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AD-O'O'KA
KAMAA AMARTA FAS-TAJIB LEE KAMAA WA-A'DTA
INNAKA LAA TUKHLIFUL MEE-A'AD

(d)The Holy Prophet (SA) used to recite the following in sajdah
tonight after the Tahajjud prayers (it can be recited tonight after
praying a 10 Rakaat Namaaz in 5 sets of 2 Rakaat each; in each
rakaat recite surah Al Faatiha once and surah Al Iklaas 10 times)

(1) SAJADA LAKA SAWAADEE WA KHAYAALEE
WA AAMANA BIKA FUW-AADEE HAAD'IHI YADAAYA
WA MAA JANAYTUHU A'LAA NAFSEE
YAA A'Z'EEM TURJAA LIKULLI A'Z'EEMIN

IGHFIR LIYAL A'Z'EEMA FA-INNAHU
LAA YAGHFIRUD'D'ANBAL A'Z'EEMA
ILLAR RABBUL A'Z'EEM

(2) A-O'OD'U BINOORI WAJHIKALLAD'EE AZ''AAA-AT
LAHUS SAMAAWAATU WAL ARZ''OONA
WAN-KASHAFAT LAHUZ'Z'ULUMAATU
WA S'ALAH'A A'LAYHI AMRUL AWWALEENA
WAL AKHIREEN MIN FUJAA-ATI NAQIMATIKA
WA MIN TAH'WEELI A'AFIYATIKA
WA MIN ZAWAALI NIA'-MATIKA

ALLAAHUMMAR-ZUQNEE QALBAN TAQIYYAN NAQIYYAN
WA MINASH SHIRKI BAREE-AN LAA KAAFIRAN
WA LAA SHAQIYYAA A'FFARTU WAJHEE FIT TURAABI
WA H'UQQA LEE AN ASJIDA LAKA

(e) According to the Holy Prophet it is highly desirable to pray
100 rakat namaz tonight in 50 sets of 2 rakaats each as under in
every rakaat after the recitation of surah al fatiha recite surah Al Ikhlas 10 times after the namaz recite the following 1) Ayat al Kursee 10 times 2)al Faatiha 10 times 3) Sub han Allah
100 times According to imam Jafar E Sadiq (A.S) it
is highly desirable to pray 6 rakaat namaz in 3 sets of 2 rakats as follows: in every rakat recite Fatiha with Ya-Seen and Aal-Mulk For the rest of the month including tonight recite :
ALLAHUMMA IN LAM TAKUN GHAFARTA LANAA FEEMA MAZ'AA
MIN SHAA BAANA FAGHFIR LANAA FEEMA BAQIYA MINHU

(f) Aamaal Of Surah Yaseen
Shaykh Kafamee writes in his "Misbah" to recite Surah Yaseen 3 times:

1)once for long life 2)for prosperity 3)safety from misfortune. Then recite the following 21 times without talking to anyone throughout the Amal :

1) ALLAHUMMA INNAKA D'U ANAATIN WA LAA T'AAQATA LANAA LI-H'UKMIKA

2) YAA ALLAH, YA ALLAH, YAA ALLAH, AL-AMAAN, AL AMAAN, AL AMAAN

3) MINATT'AA -O'ON WAL WABAA-I WA SOO-IL QAZ"AAA-I
WA SHAMATATIL AA'-DAAA-I RABBANAK-SHIF
A'NNAL A'D'AABA INNAA MOO-MINOONA
BI-RAH'MATIKA YAA ARH'AMAR RAHIM'EEN

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Iltimas-e-Dua,
Syed Rizwan Raza Rizvi,
Webmaster, http://www.ziaraat.com

"The West have watches, but we have the time".

The magnificent Taliban!

It has been a long time since the CIA and Saudi Arabia recruited, financed, trained and armed the religious students from Madrassa (s) in Pakistan to fight the Communists in Afghanistan. But shortly after the collapse of Dr Najeebullah regime and the withdrawn of the Russian forces, the Taliban moved in to take over the regime and to end the chaos. Despite their strict application of the Shariat laws, the Americans and the Saudis continued to support the Taliban as a fierce anti-communist force until August 2001. But that has changed since the US invasion of November 7, 2001 and the toppling of Mullah Omar government. Chased by US forces from the air and from the ground, with the help of Pakistani forces, the Taliban were able to carry some antiquated weapons and to retreat to the mountains. One can’t label the Taliban as terrorists as they have no international agenda and concentrate their efforts on local issues with local support. With the increase of the foreign military presence in the country, the Taliban became a legitimate national resistance movement. At this moment and despite the lack of modern weapons, the Taliban are fighting and inflicting heavy losses on NATO forces led by the Americans and supported by the entire Pakistani army. The Taliban have perfected the use of tactics proven successful in Iraq like the use of IEDs, snipinig, ambushes, mortars, RPGs and suicide attacks. The mounting losses of the British forces have made many to question the entire war on Afghanistan and to call for a dialogue with the Taliban. While Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden are known to be outside Afghanistan, the only reason for the Americans to be in Afghanistan is the need to secure the interests of US and British Gas and Oil cartels. Taken history as a guide, the Taliban will eventually win against the later-day anti-Islamic crusaders. As one of their commanders once said "The West have watches, but we have the time".

Obama Iraqi Elephants refuse to fly!!!


The American Zombies believe whatever their government wants to tell them as it is non-patriotic criticising the President. In Iraq three poor American ‘tourists’ wandered innocently inside Iran and are ‘unfairly’ captured by the Iranians. One wonders which American tourist braves the violence in Iraq and is allowed by the US State Department and CIA agents on the ground to come close to the border of their enemy Iran. The second elephant concerns US giving green light to the Iraqi forces to attack Ashraf Camp where ‘terrorists’ anti-Iranian Mujahedeen Khalq have been launching war on US-enemy Iran and supplying the US with intelligence information from inside the country. The third elephant is the US initial denial of the start of negotiation between Saddam Baath party and State Department officials in Turkey. The US ‘tourists’ may be members of US special-forces trying to establish contacts inside Iran in order to carry out sabotage activities.

Launching them from Suleimania has an additional advantage as it aims at damaging the cosy relationship between Iran and President Jalal Al-Talibani who is a friend of Iran and a holder of an Iranian Passport. In fact most of the Kurdish trade with Iran is done through the border crossing near Halbaja. One must consider the attack on Ashraf camp not as an attack on terrorists but as a gesture towards Iran where Iraqi Vice President, Dr Adil Abdul Mehdi, is currently visiting the country. In negotiating with Saddam Baathists the US wants to wave the Baathist card in the face of the Iranians besides the threat of Israeli nuclear attack. This confused policy towards Iran is a result of the various horses pulling US foreign policy in different directions. Obama has too many elephants that refuse to fly in Iraq, Afghanistan or in Pakistan.

Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

Google Buys Web Video Software Firm ,the day Nejad Powered

August 5, 2009, 3:18 pm

By DealBook

From DealBook:

Three years after buying the video-sharing Web site YouTube, Google is making a much smaller acquisition of a company that helps make online video files smaller.

Google said on Wednesday it agreed to buy On2 Technologies, which sells video compression software, in a stock deal valued at about $106 million. The per-share price was 57 percent above On2’s closing stock price on Tuesday, and On2’s shares soared on the news.

“We are committed to innovation in video quality on the Web, and we believe that On2’s team and technology will help us further that goal,” Sundar Pichai, Google’s vice president for product development, said in a statement announcing the deal.

Google paid about $1.6 billion in stock for YouTube in 2006. The deal gave Google a hugely popular destination for online videos, but it has yet to produce significant revenue for the company.

Berlusconi and Ahmedinejad are under pressure!

On 03.08.09, the election of Ahmedinejad for a second term was confirmed by Ayatollah Khameni. That is despite the desperate attempt by the West to undermine his clear victory in June 12th election through inciting chaos in the streets of Tehran and other major cities. But Ahmedinejad faced the Western media and their agents with courage, honesty and strict adherence to Islamic moral values without the need for Michael Jackson’s doctors or their drugs. To the contrary, immoral Silvio Berlusconi, came under pressure for inviting prostitutes into his official residence who is currently on a holiday accompanied by a team of doctors to relief his anxiety and depression. Unlike Moral Ahmedinejd, immoral and mafia-associated Berlusconi is strongly supported by America and its Western allies. These two cases expose clearly the nadir of Western civilisation decadence. It is no wonder that a modestly-dressed Muslim girl is prohibited from frequenting many European schools while a scantily-dressed classmate will be allowed in despite showing her underwear and bras. For the second time, I send my warm congratulations to Ahmedinejad for defying the morally- and politically-bankrupt America and its Western allies.

The Christian Democrats ruled Italy with the Vatican blessings for close to 50 years. Politics in Italy is completely polarized. On one side stands the the Vatican, the Mafia, the Fascists and forces of the right (e.g. Lega Nord). On the other side is the left off centre parties which include Itlay intellectuals and educated people. Once in a while, the left wins but their governments never last for more than one year. While Berlusconi can easily complete his term in office. At one time, the Vatican issued an edict threatening all those who vote for the leftist parties with ex-communication from the church. The CIA plays a significant role during the election too. During the cold war it asked King Fahad of Saudi Arabia to donate $millions in order to defeat the communists. After one of the elections which was won by Berlusconi a graffiti near the US embassy in Rome Via Veneto saying "Auguri CIA" or congratulation CIA.

The Israelis and the American Neo-cons promoted the idea of a new Middle East map favouring Israel; into which most Arab countries will fragmented. They will try this plan in Iraq, Sudan and probably in Iran. But there is a very strong religious-national feeling which will prevent such re-drawing of the Middle East map. Because of the US-supported Israeli Nazi atrocities, it is much more probable to see US interests blown up along with Tel Aviv. One must rememeber that Hezbullah was able to stop the Israelis from reaching the Litani River despite all the support from America, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan.

Israel has exposed its Nazi-style ethnic cleansing in Jeeusalem by evicting Arabs from their own homes and replacing them with settlers. Slowly but surely, the world will realise the Jewish conspiracy by controlling the world through controlling America. The Jews have led the West into fighting Jewish wars against Arabs and Muslims.

After Iraq, no-one is afraid of the USraelis, their allies or criminal mercenaries. The Iraqi-type IED's, suicide attacks and car bombs started to find their US targets in Kandahar, Kabul, Herat, Jalalabad and in Helmand province. The Americans are bleeding as manifested by the death of six US soldiers this past week end (August 1st and 2nd 2009). The American and the British generals on the grounds in Afghanistan are calling for more help. If the Americans can't defeat the Taliban with their primitive weapons and bleed heavily by disarmed Iraq, then what are you bragging about. We will be all here to witness whether American tanks will occupy Mecca or that the US interest in the Middle East will go up in flames along with Tel Aviv.

Nothing really new. Most Americans didn't know where Iraq was before the war of March 2003. The Iraqis have succeeded in teaching the Americans Iraq geography with blood. The names of Iraqi cities where American were killed or maimed are known in all US states.

Iraq has more per capita university graduates and people with PhD degrees than America. That is why it is difficult for the Americans to fool them. Their client regime is besieged in side the Green Zone and Al-Maliki will be severly punished if he happens to remain in Iraq beyond 2011. Mark my words.


Adnan Darwash, Iraq Occupation Times

The Islamic Republic’s Least Crowded Swearing-In Ceremony

August 4, 2009

Leila Tayyeri

The swearing-in ceremony of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president-select of the electoral coup, took place at the office of the Islamic Republic supreme leader yesterday while, for the first time since the inception of the Islamic Republic, a large number of senior state officials refused to attend the ceremony.

The Islamic Republic radio and television as well as the state-run IRNA and Fars news agencies had announced that Ahmadinejad’s swearing-in ceremony with Ayatollah Khamenei would be aired live as has been the case in previous years. However, for the first time ever, the ceremony was not aired live by the Islamic Republic radio and television and no photographs or footage of the event were released until hours later.

The absence of senior state officials was so conspicuous that it forced the state-run IRNA news agency to use photographs from the president’s first swearing-in ceremony four years ago in lieu of photographs taken at yesterday in it’s first reports, which were published exactly three hours after the beginning of the ceremony.



Those Who Did Not Come

While Seyyed Hassan Khomeini had left Iran days earlier to escape pressures exerted on him to attend the swearing-in ceremony

, none of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Khomeini’s family members attended the ceremony held at the Hosseinieh Imam Khomeini. Chairman of the Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Council, Hashemi Rafsanjani, also refused to attend the event by traveling to the city of Kerman.

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi also did not attend the event, as they had announced earlier. They have declared several times that they do not recognize the Ahmadinejad government, and that the coup government lacks legitimacy.

Although the absence of such figures at the swearing-in ceremony of the coup president was expected, the refusal of prominent members of the Assembly of Experts as well as other senior political figures and lawmakers gave another tone to the swearing-in ceremony. Assembly of Experts members Amini, Javadi Amoli, Vaez Tabasi, Reza Ostadi, Hashemzadeh Harisi, Hassan Rowhani, Dastgheib, Ali Razini and Taheri Khorramabadi were absent at yesterday’s event. One Assembly of Expert member who refused to attend yesterday’s event told Rooz, “Members of the Assembly have harsh criticisms toward the approach taken since the election day, and one day prior to the swearing-in several of them informed Ayatollah Khamenei’s office of their non-attendance.”





Those Who Did Come

Differences between images from last term’s swearing-in ceremony compared to those from this term clearly pointed to the boycott of the event by senior state officials. Images from the last term show that there was no space available to sit at the special spots near Ayatollah Khamenei. This time, however, only Ayatollah Shahroudi, the outgoing head of the judiciary and Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani sat next to the supreme leader. Chairman of the Guardian Council, Ayatollah Jannati, sat at the spot usually reserved for Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Reports point to the participation of Mojtaba Khamenei at the ceremony, and images of his attendance were published on the web by various websites. Mojtaba Khamenei is Ayatollah Khamenei’s son and former Majlis Speaker Haddad-Adel’s son-in-law and an extremely influential figure in the supreme leader’s circle. From presidential candidates, only Mohsen Rezaei attended Monday’s event, although his brother, lawmaker Omidvar Rezaei, had announced previously that the candidate’s presence is a show of respect for the supreme leader, not necessarily an endorsement of Ahmadinejad.

Images and videos released from the event also point to heavy attendance by Islamic Revolution Passdaran Guards Corps officers. A small number of foreign dignitaries also were present.

In this midst, and while the non-attendance of prominent state-figures seriously undermined the importance of the swearing-in ceremony, the use of several sports and television icons to fill up the event hall shocked the observers. The use of such figures at a swearing-in ceremony has been unprecedented. Informed sources claim that several prominent cultural icons refused the invitation to attend the event with various excuses.



From the Hand to the Shoulder!

The most important part of the event was the recital of the swearing-in oath, which is normally read by the former president. However, in the absence of Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and other officials, for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic, the head of Ayatollah Khamenei’s office read the oath. In the oath, the Islamic state’s supreme leader described Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a “brave, diligent and intelligence” and praised what he called “the public’s unprecedented and decisive vote for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,” crediting the administration’s four-year performance for the public’s vast support.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who kissed the supreme leader’s hand during last term’s swearing-in ceremony, this time kissed the supreme leader’s shoulder instead.

In his speech, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused foreign countries of interfering in Iran’s internal affairs during and after the election. He said, “The incentive of these government for interfering in Iranian affairs is to prevent the introduction of a new model for democracy in the world.”

After the president’s swearing-in, Ayatollah Khamenei blasted those who protest the election results, declaring, “Some figures did not receive a passing grade in this election.”

He divided the critics into two categories: “Wounded and angry opponents who will continue their opposition in the next four years, and critics who have no enmity toward the regime and the president, and whose opinions and views must be considered.”

Describing the post-election events, the Islamic Republic supreme leader said, “These informed people cannot be deceived by the Zarrar Mosque and [claims of] imitating the Imam.” The Zarrar Mosque was a mosque that was built by a group of opponents to Islam and later destroyed on Prophet Mohammad’s orders.

بیانیه آیتالله صانعی درباره دادگاه نمایشی روز شنبه منتشرکنندگان اعترافات، شریک جرمند و به زودی محاکمه خواهند شد!

بیانیه آیتالله صانعی درباره دادگاه نمایشی روز شنبه منتشرکنندگان اعترافات، شریک جرمند و به زودی محاکمه خواهند شد!

آیتالله صانعی، از مراجع بزرگوار تقلید، با صدور بیانیه ای ضمن تاکید بر بیارزش بودن اعترافات زندانیان، تصریح کرد: «همه کساني که به نحوي در نشر اين گونه اعتراف ها دخيل بوده اند، در گناه آنها شريک و سهيم مي باشند و همه آنها مستوجب عذاب افترا و تضييع آبروي مردم هستند، موضوعي که در اسلام از جان انسانها بالاتر است و خواه ناخواه در زماني نه چندان دور، قبل از جزاي آخرت، کيفر و جزاي عمل خائنانه خود را در اين دنيا ودر محکمه اي صالح و عادلانه خواهند ديد.»

به گزارش «موج سبز آزادی» به نقل از سایت دفتر آیتالله صانعی، به شرح زیر است:

باسمه تعالي
«وَلاَ تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمْ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِن دُونِ اللهِ مِنْ أَوْلِياءَ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ» (113/هود)

تاريخ انقلاب اسلامي پس از رفراندم قانون اساسي، حضوري باشکوهتر و با عظمت تر از انتخابات 22 خرداد را به ياد ندارد. روزها و شبهايي را به ياد داريم که پسران و دختران، مادران و پدران و حتي آنهايي که نمي توانستند در انتخابات مشارکت کنند ، چنان شور و شعفي را به پا ساخته بودند و چنان از آرمانهاي بزرگ معمار و بنيانگذار فقيد جمهوري اسلامي حضرت امام خميني (سلام الله عليه) به بزرگي و خوبي ياد مي کردند که انسان از آن همه عظمت ، وحدت و يکپارچگي به وجد مي آمد.

آري، همه به نام دين و به نام آزادي برخاسته از اصول تشيع و براي پاسداري از آرمانها و ارزشهاي شهيدان بخون خفته آمده بودند تا بار ديگر آن هم پس از سي سال به دنيا نشان دهند که آزادي موهبتي است خدادادي و هيچ کس نمي تواند مانع و سلب کننده آن از درياي انسانها باشد. اما چه شد؟ به ناگهان فرزندان انقلاب به گوشه هاي زندان افتادند. جوانان عزيز طعم تلخ باتوم و گاز اشک آور را تجربه کردند و به ناگاه مجروحان و شهدايي بر جاي ماند. اين همه تنها به خاطر اين بود که مشروعيت انتخابات مورد پرسش واقع شده بود. و آيا سزاوار بود که پاسخ انتقاد و اعتراض آنها را چنين بدهيم و ناخواسته ايجاد بحران نماييم و تمام آن اعتراضها را به دول خارجي نسبت داده و بي محابا از سرنوشت محتوم تمام مستبدان و ظالمان ، آنها را وابسته به دنياي غرب بپنداريم؟

ظلم و تعدي تا آنجا پيش رفت که شاهد دادگاه کساني شديم که خود در تمام حوادث پس از انقلاب و دوشادوش تمام مسوولان حضوري فعال و چشمگير داشتند. دادگاهي که هويت و چگونگي آن از پيش مشخص بود،تا جايي که شاهديم نه تنها به مردم، بلکه به نخبگان آنان و کساني که عمر و جواني خويش را وقف خدمت به اسلام، انقلاب و جمهوري اسلامي نموده اند، نيز رحم نکردند و آنها را با انواع فشارهاي روحي و رواني و نگه داشتن طولاني مدت در سلول هاي انفرادي و قطع ارتباط با خارج از سلول و بي خبر نگه داشتن از همه مسائل روبرو ساختند و مهمتر از همه، خانواده هاي بي گناه آنها را از سرنوشت عزيزانشان بي خبر گذاشتند.

با توجه به آيه شريفه قرآن که به طور صريح و روشن هرگونه اعتنا به ستمکاران و ظالمان و اعتماد بر آنان را به خاطر جهاتي از جمله افزايش جرأت ظالمان و سرکوبگران آزادي هاي خداداي، گناهي خطرناک دانسته و با عنايت به کتاب و سنت و عقل، بر خود لازم مي دانم که يک وظيفه شرعي و حکم الهي را در شرائط امروز و مخصوصاً در رابطه با جلسه دادگاه حدود يک صد نفر از متهمان تذکر دهم. دادگاهي که اگر نگوييم در نظام قضايي جهان کم سابقه است، حد اقل در قضاي اسلامي بي سابقه و بدعتي نو به شمار مي آيد و قطعاً با گناهاني همراه مي باشد.

اما آن نکته اي که بايد به آن توجه کرد، صحت اين اعترافات نيست ، مسئله اي که بي ارزش بودن آن برهمگان روشن است، آن هم تنها به اين دليل که در زندان گرفته شده و حسب فرموده امير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) اقرار در زندان و حبس اعتبار نداشته و ندارد، و نه از آن جهت که عمده اعترافات گرفته شده، اقرار در حق ديگران است، که نه تنها بي ارزش، بلکه افترا و تهمت، معصيت کبيره و بر خلاف همه قوانين، حقوق و کرامت انسان هاست و همه کساني که به نحوي در نشر اين گونه اعتراف ها دخيل بوده اند، در گناه آن ها شريک و سهيم مي باشند و همه آن ها مستوجب عذاب افترا و تضييع آبروي مردم هستند، موضوعي که در اسلام از جان انسانها بالاتر است و خواه ناخواه در زماني نه چندان دور، قبل از جزاي آخرت، کيفر و جزاي عمل خائنانه خود را در اين دنيا ودر محکمه اي صالح و عادلانه خواهند ديد.لکن نکته مهمي که بايد مورد توجه قرار گيرد، عبارت از بي اعتنايي به اين اعتراف گيري ها و عدم ترتيب اثر به آن هاست که ترتيب اثر دادن به آن ها هر چند بسيار ناچيز باشد، اعتماد و اعتنا به ظالمين به حقوق ملت و کرامت انسان ها بوده و مخالفتي روشن و آشکار با قرآن و وحي و حکم الهي مي باشد.

درخاتمه همگان بايد از خداوند توانا بخواهند تا استقامت همراه با مسالمت در راه احقاق حق و حاکميت بر سرنوشت خويش را به ما ارزاني دارد و از او متضرعانه بخواهيم که به برکت ايام با برکت شعبانيه و مولود منجي عالم بشريت، به ملت ما صبر و نصر و جزاي خير عنايت فرمايد.

يوسف صانعي

14/مرداد/1388
13شعبان المعظم1430

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Ayatollah Sanei statement about Saturday's dramatic confession Mntshrknndgan, Jrmnd partner and will be tried soon!

Ayatollah Sanei, honorable bodies imitate, also issuing a statement emphasizing the confessions of prisoners being Byarzsh, to reiterate: «All those who confess way publishing these ها involved in sin and their partners are involved and all of them Mstvjb punishment of defamation and violation of the honor are the subject of Islam in the lives of people is higher and whether the time Nakhvah Not long before the hereafter, criminal, criminal and criminal act to shift this world just as active and competent tribunal will see . »

Reports «Green Wave freedom» Office website quoted Ayatollah Sanei, is as follows:

Type the name of
«ولا Trknva إلى Alzyn Zlmva Ftmskm Alnar وما Lkm my God my poor parents ثم La Tnsrvn» (113 / Hood)

Since the Islamic Revolution and the Constitution of the referendum, Bashkvhtr face and majestic than the June 22 election is not mentioned. Shbhayy days and we learn that the sons and daughters, mothers and fathers and even those who could not participate in elections, so salty and Shfy made to establish such aspirations were great architect and founder of the Islamic Republic late Imam Khomeini ( Hi against Allah) will remember the great and good man in all of its greatness, unity and integrity was to be ecstasy.

Yes all name the name of freedom of religion and principles Funeral risen and watch for the ideals and values were asleep Martyrs red on the other it also after thirty years to show the world that freedom is the gift Khodadadi and no one can prevent Subject withdrawn from the sea are human beings. But what was? Children of the revolution suddenly corners imprisoned. Dear Youth and Batvm bitter taste of tear gas and suddenly experienced Shhdayy injured and remained in place. Only because of all this was that the legitimacy of the elections was questioned. And you deserve the answer to such criticism, and protest they give unwanted and we can create a crisis and all the protests to foreign governments and forthright than the fate of the dictator and all the unjust Mhtvm them dependent Bpndarym The West?

Injustice and oppression as much as before we went to those who witnessed the court that in all events after the revolution and all Dvshadvsh active form were significant. Court that the identity and how it was determined before, to where Shahdym not only people, but their elite and those of his young life and dedicated service to Islam, the revolution and the Islamic Republic have, in the womb and they did not with a variety of spiritual and psychological pressures and maintain long-term solitary confinement and cut off contacts outside of cells and unaware of all issues facing hold and built the most important, innocent families their loved ones fate laid unconscious.

Considering this verse the Quran to any explicit and clear regardless of the unjust and the unjust and trust them because of the ways to increase courage, including the freedoms Khdaday oppressive and unjust, sin and dangerous knowledge Considering books and tradition and reason, the need to know that a divine duty gnomon and death situations, and especially today with about a hundred trial the defendants do hint. If the court Ngvyym judicial system is the world record low, at least in the Islamic judicial unprecedented innovation and new and certainly is known to be accompanied with Gnahany is.

But the point that the attention will be, not the accuracy of this confession, the problem of code value being Brhmgan is clear, it also only because the prison and been stated by Amir Almvmnyn (PBUH) confessed in jail no credit and no imprisonment, and not to the major confessions taken, confessed in the right of others is not only value code, but libel and slander, sin and Kbyrh against all laws, rights and dignity of all human beings and attention in a way those who confess these ها involved, the partner and the sin they are involved and they all Mstvjb punish defamation and violation of the honor are the subject of Islam in the lives of people is higher and whether the time Nakhvah Not long before the hereafter, criminal, criminal and criminal act to shift this world just as active and competent tribunal will see. but it is an important point that should be considered, the value of inattention and lack of order making confessions Effect of the Host to that effect, although they are very small, and the trust regardless of nation Zalmyn rights and dignity of mankind and clear and open opposition to the Koran and the death of God is revealed.

Drkhatmh want everyone to be able to resist the God with a peaceful way of adjudication and the rule of our own destiny Arzani and we want him Mtzranh during the blessing and the blessing generated Shbanyh منجي world humanity, patience and to our nation Nasr Considering true, and no criminal.

Yousef Sanei

14 / August / 1388
Moazam 13 Sha'ban 1430

The Theory of “Mental Disturbance”: Ahmedinejad's Holy Light

August 3, 2009

Hossein Bastani
h.bastani(at)roozonline.com

Let us together review some of the news that was published in Iran on June 26 and 27th:

1-Iranian official news agencies reported that the President had dismissed the Minister of Guidance and the Minister of Intelligence.

Let us together review some of the news that was published in Iran on June 26 and 27th:
1-Iranian official news agencies reported that the President had dismissed the Minister of Guidance and the Minister of Intelligence. 2-Pro-government media reminded their readers that with the two ministerial dismissals, the cabinet would not have the necessary legal quorum. 3-The President’s website announced that the only cabinet minister who had been dismissed was the Minister of Intelligence. 4-The Minister of Guidance wrote that he took the president’s “first order” seriously and therefore would not continue his work. 5-The President’s office announced that the statement of the Minister of Guidance did not constitute a resignation, and that “even if there was an implied resignation message in it, then the President does not accept it.”
One should bear in mind that all of these reports were published in just two days. As for the reasons for their publication, all the conservative news outlets had the same explanation: At the June 22 cabinet meeting, the Minister of Intelligence and the Minister of Guidance both expressed dissatisfaction over the President’s delay in carrying out the orders of the leader of the Islamic state to remove Rahim Mashai from his vice-presidential position. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s swift response to this criticism was to fire both ministers. Then he realized that according to article 27 of the Constitution (which basically says that the cabinet requires the parliament’s vote of confidence if half the cabinet members are replaced), his cabinet would lose its legality if there were two less ministers in the cabinet. So, he decided to rescind the decision to fire one of the two ministers, and he even rejected the resignation of the Minister of Guidance.
Many observers ask what goals are being pursued behind the scenes in these presidential measures. I would like to raise the question differently: Is Ahmadinejad’s mind so well organized that we must expect clear and complex “goals” for his announcements and decisions? Probably not.
Let’s look at an example. During the presidential election campaign in 2005, when Ahmadinejad talked of his life, he mentioned that his father had died in 1993 “as a result of an accident.” Ten months after he became president, Ahmadinejad again announced that his father had just died, prompting all senior officials to express their condolences to him and to participate in the memorial services that were held for his father. Ahmadinejad too was present in that memorial service. But is it possible for his father to have died on two separate occasions? Or is it that he was referring to two different people? Logically neither. So why would Ahmadinejad state such a lie? One can understand why Ahmadinejad would lie about the achievements of his administration. But is there a political benefit in his father’s death as well?
Here is another example: We know that in 2005, Ahmadinejad made claims that the hidden Shiite Imam would appear within the next two years. These comments were expressly confirmed by the former head of Iran’s National Security Council Hassan Rowhani and the deputy president of the Etemad Melli (National Trust) party Rasool Montakhabnia. At first glance, one can imagine that Ahmadinejad made these political claims to portray the work of his government to be the foundation for the reappearance of the Shiite hidden Imam. But one point is not clear in this explanation: Why did Ahmadinejad pinpoint the return of the Imam to exactly two years, and not let’s say four or five? Was it not important for him that in just two years, i.e. before the next presidential election, his claim would fall flat, and he would be discredited on his way to prepare for his own reelection?
This is where a disturbing theory gains strength: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s mental Disturbance. The presentation of this notion is not for the purpose of disrespecting him but for issuing a warning about such a possibility because it explains - albeit in a dangerous manner - much of his behavior. Although it seems that Mr. Ahmadinejad has no problem being untruthful, but it is quiet probably that when he says that the hidden Imam would re-appear in two years, he actually believes he is being truthful and is knowledgeable about the future and the hidden world. Similarly, when he talks of his father’s death on two separate occasions and time lines, he is doing this not because of some complex deliberation for a personal gain, but because of a mental disorder.
Let us take another look at the infamous video in which Ahmadinejad makes remarks to ayatollah Javadi Amoli regarding the presence of a light hallow around himself when he was presenting his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. It appears that he genuinely believes that he was enveloped by such a light at the UN. But even if we assume that he did not believe in this at the time and wanted to deceive the cleric, then another question gains importance: When someone believes that he can convince ayatollah Javadi Amoli of being surrounded by a holly light, can we accept him to be in his full sanity? It would be difficult to respond to this question in the positive.
Similar confusion exists about other actions undertaken by Ahmadinejad. One can easily look at the tensions that were repeatedly created over such decisions as the appointment of Mashai, the removal of cabinet ministers, etc from the same perspective of a disturbed mind.
Could Ahmadinejad not have counted the number of his cabinet ministers before announcing his dismissals so that he would not jeopardize his cabinet? He probably could have. But out of anger, he may have lost his mind so much that he did not pay attention to the issue.
Does Mr. Ahmadinejad not understand that if the leader of the Islamic republic did not throw his support behind him, and get directly involved in the electoral fraud issues, he would not have become president? He probably does. But apparently until six days after the order of the leader for the dismissal of Mashai, there was still an unclear trend of thought in his mind that prevented him from taking action against his brother in law, forcing him to take action only after the publication of the leader’s letter.

Did Mr. Ahmadinejad not understand that by elevating Rahim Mashai’s position to the level of vice-president he would create serious problems for himself, while senior clerics in Qom, 50 deputies from the 88-man Experts Assembly, and 200 Majlis representatives from 290-strong national assembly had all expressly called for Mashai’s dismissal? So why did he mobilize all of these people against himself? Apparently, the line that separates reality from dreams in his mind is so disturbed that he cannot see such simple reality.
I would like to say again that this writing is not for the purpose of insulting Ahmadinejad. Still, one cannot stay away from warning Iranian officials that leaving their destiny in the hands of someone who is mentally imbalanced threatens the government that they have undertaken to protect.
Can a president who makes such instantaneous decisions about his own cabinet ministers, which can destroy his administration, be trusted with such important issues as Iran’s nuclear question or the current security crisis that has erupted since the June 12 presidential election, which are tied to the very survival of the Islamic republic?

Iran leader approves Ahmadinejad's second term

Iran leader approves Ahmadinejad's second term
Mon Aug 3, 2009 9:06am EDT

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader endorsed the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a ceremony boycotted by leading moderates in protest at a disputed poll that plunged Iran into its worst crisis since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Two former presidents, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami, who backed defeated candidate Mirhossein Mousavi, did not attend Monday's ceremony although they had been present at such events in the past, Iranian media reported.

"I am endorsing the presidency of this brave, hard-working and wise man as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran,"

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, in praise of Ahmadinejad who will be sworn in by parliament on Wednesday.

Witnesses said dozens of riot police and Basij militia assembled at a central Tehran Square after the ceremony to prevent pro-Mousavi supporters from attending a planned protest at 1330 GMT. The gathering was announced by moderate websites.

Other leading moderate figures joined Rajsanfani, who has declared the country in crisis, and Khatami in missing the formal endorsement.

Ahmadinejad's victory to a second term led reformists and moderate candidates Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi to accuse the government of electoral fraud, caused violent protests and exposed deep schisms within Iran's clerical and political elite.

The president now faces the difficult task of assembling a cabinet which is acceptable to the mostly conservative parliament, which may object if he just picks members of his inner circle. Parliament has in the past rejected some of Ahmadinejad's cabinet choices.

The Supreme Leader endorsed the June 12 election result and demanded an end to the protests at which more than 20 people have been killed, but in a challenge to his authority Mousavi and Karoubi said the next government would be illegitimate.

At the ceremony Khamenei criticized Ahmadinejad's opponents, saying "some elites failed (the political test of) the election," state television said.

The president told rivals on Friday that trying to split him from Khamenei was futile because they were like father and son.

Iranian officials have denied any fraud in the election, in which Ahmadinejad was dec