New information about the Madrid train bombings;

“One of the most sobering pieces of information to come out of the investigation of the March 11th bombings is that the planning for the attacks may have begun nearly a year before 9/11. In October, 2000, several of the suspects met in Istanbul with Amer Azizi, who had taken the nom de guerre Othman Al Andalusi-Othman of Al Andalus. Azizi later gave the conspirators permission to act in the name of Al Qaeda, although it is unclear whether he authorized money or other assistance- or, indeed, whether Al Qaeda had much support to offer. In June, Italian police released a surveillance tape of one of the alleged planners of the train bombings, an Egyptian housepainter named Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, who said that the operation ‘took me two and a half years.’ Ahmed had served as an explosives expert in the Egyptian Army. It appears that some kind of attack would have happened even if Spain had not joined the Coalition- or if the invasion of Iraq had never occurred.”

It also undermines the already flimsy hypothesis that the war on Islamic fascism is spawning new terrorists. So far, pretty much everyone they’ve nabbed has been a member of the “Blow ‘Em Up For Allah Glee Club” for quite a long time.
More from the Belmont Club.
hat tip – Paul Tuns at the Shotgun

“I’d see myself first of all as a jobs president, as a health care president, as an education president and also an Oprah Winfrey president. And add them all together, you can’t be safe at home today unless you are also safe abroad.”

Washington Times;

In a massive security blunder, passes allowing vehicles into the Olympic Village in Athens reportedly have been stolen from unlocked cars.

It gets better.

Organizers began recruiting 7,000 workers in mid- May to undertake jobs from receptionists to housekeepers at the Olympic village. But with so many people to process in only three months, the planned background checks were scrapped.

I’m wondering why there’s been no discussion yet on the security problems that will be facing the Vancouver-Whistler games, and what the political fallout may be if the US decides to provide security for their own athletes….

Here’s a question for you. If the pastor and organist of the United Church you attended each Sunday were selling arms out the back door, do you think the parishioners��would “see no evil, hear no evil”?

Steven Taylor addresses today’s questioning (by the NYT, WaPo and others) of the heightened security in New York and Washington succinctly;

The damned-if-do, damned-if-you-don’t nature of the politics and analysis of this type of situation is growing wearisome. On the one hand, dots are supposed to be connected and imagination is supposed to be deployed, yet: don’t cry wolf!

He also has a question for the Washington Post’s Dan Eggen and Dana Priest;

why is there a quote from “a senior law enforcement official” expressing doubts about the alerts in the first three paragraphs of the piece (along with the description of the data as being old), but the quote that notes that the information may have post-9/11 components, along with quotes from officials who think that this may be part of an ongoing plot are all well down the piece?

I can answer that one.

On the eve of Michael Moore’s Crawford, Texas screening of his blockbuster documentary, Farenheit 9/11, federal officials have begun to arrest his Texas bound movie fans.

More good news that the mainstream media deems unfit to print. Aussie blogger Arthur Chrenkoff in the WSJ Opinion Journal;

For all the fashionable talk about Iraq distracting the Bush Administration from the war on terror, it’s largely been the media that have ignored Afghanistan except for the occasional story about another skirmish with the Taliban remnants or the explosion in opium cultivation.
CBS’s veteran journalist Tom Fenton recently had this to say about the work of his media colleagues: “You know the old saying: No news is good news. But in the news business, it is just the opposite: Good news is no news–which is why you have been hearing so little from Afghanistan recently.”

Some of that good news: the status of women has improved dramatically, with 2.1 million now registered to vote. Afghan refugees continue to return. Polls indicate that the US is favoured over the Taliban by a margin of six to one. Two thirds of the population believe the country is moving in the right direction, and the interim government enjoys solid support. 81% intend to vote in the elections in October.

“And for the first time, female athletes will represent Afghanistan at the Olympic Games in Athens. Robina Muqimyar will run in the 100 meters, and Friba Rezihi will compete in judo. “

The full article is worth a read.
While they Afghans will continue to be dogged by setbacks, and certainly face the prospect of opposition attacks as they near their elections. it is hard to believe that this much progress has been achieved in only two years time – and at such a low cost in human life.
No word yet of a rebuttal from Noam Chomsky.
hat tip – the excellent Pejmanesque

Bill Graham has been out combing the world to repatriate stranded Canadian terrorists citizens. National Post –

A Foreign Affairs official and an immigration officer visited the MEK’s massive complex on May 31 and June 1. Thirteen of the detainees said they were Canadian citizens, while 24 said they were permanent residents and 44 said they had relatives in Canada.
Some of the landed immigrants may no longer be eligible to return to Canada since they have been out of the country for so long. Those with status in Canada are free to return, an official said.
“They have been told that they are totally at liberty to come back to Canada if it is their wish,” said Reynald Doiron, a Foreign Affairs spokesman.

The MEK is designated a terrorist organization by both the US and Britain, though the Liberals haven’t been as judgemental. (Marxism x Islamism, how can you lose?)
The Iranians are none too happy.
Tehran Times – Canada on the Wrong Track

Recent reports indicate that two Canadian officials met with members of the terrorist Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) in Iraq from May 31 to June 1.
The Canadian daily the National Post recently confirmed the news in an official report.
Over the past year, the Canadian government, which enjoyed an appropriate relationship with Iran during the years after the Islamic Revolution due to its reasonable and balanced policies, was influenced by the media propaganda about the death of Zahra Kazemi. Canada immediately abandoned its logical and realistic approach in favor of impulsive reactions.
It seems that Canada’s diplomacy toward Iran is currently moving swiftly downhill and has also influenced the country’s internal affairs and has caused certain changes in the cabinet. This has led the Canadian government to choose the wrong course of action, namely playing with dead pieces like the MKO. Due to the two countries’ good relationship in the past, the Canadian government should take the following issues into consideration:

Perhaps now that Iran is crying foul, they’ll review the MEK status…

Continue reading →

Well, this explains that tingly feeling.

NY Post

American officials believe that millions of dollars Saddam Hussein skimmed from the scandal-plagued U.N. oil-for-food program are now being used to help fund the bloody rebel campaign against U.S. forces and the new Iraqi government, The Post has learned.
U.S. intelligence officials and congressional investigators said last night that the “oil-for-insurgency link” has been recently unearthed in the numerous probes now under way into the giant U.N. humanitarian program, in which Saddam is believed to have pocketed $10.1 billion through oil smuggling and kickbacks from suppliers.
[…]
Investigators have traced some of these accounts to banks in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Belarus, where money was either laundered or converted into gold and routed back to Iraq or into other accounts.
The network of bankers, front companies, couriers and money-launderers involved in handling Saddam’s oil-for-food kickback schemes still appears to be active, investigators say.
U.S. intelligence officials believe a portion of the funds in these hidden accounts � possibly millions� is now being used to fund the Ba’athist guerrillas responsible for much of the postwar violence against coalition troops, sources said.

Yet another justification to charge Kofi Annan with war crimes.
hat tip – James Joyner

Via the NZ blog, Silent Running;

New Zealand has an unexpected friend in Hamas, a militant Islamic group feared in the Western world, which has thanked this country for its diplomatic slap to Israel over the spy passport scandal.
Word of Hamas’ endorsement will spread quickly throughout the Islamic world and will bolster the safety of Kiwi troops working in Iraq, according to Victoria University religious terrorism expert Jim Veitch.
Citing a statement from the Hamas stronghold of Gaza, the Islamic resistance movement’s website says Hamas “has highly appreciated the daring position of the New Zealand Government against the Zionist entity”.
Professor Veitch said: “To do something like that almost offers (Kiwi troops) protection. Groups inside Iraq are really picking off the partners the United States has… Maybe New Zealand has offered itself some sort of protection.”

Yeow.
Perhaps NZ prime minister Helen Clark is hoping for a few more Jewish grave desecrations to strengthen this fledgling relationship. Apparently, official condemnation from her office has been a little slow in coming.

I wonder what the actuarial tables say about Palestinian terror leaders?

The head of the Islamic Jihad in Jenin was killed Tuesday afternoon by undercover IDF troops, Israel Radio reported.
Na’aman Ta’aimeh, was killed near the city’s Jordanian hospital when the IDF force, disguised as Palestinians and driving a Palestinian taxi, tried to stop two cars laden with Palestinian fugitives wanted by Israeli security services, al-Jazeera reported.
One other Palestinian was wounded. Three Palestinian fugitives were arrested, Israel Radio reported.
Ta’aimeh has been on Israel’s wanted list since the first intifada for masterminding numerous terrorist attacks.

This report from Strategy Page;

July 12, 2004: Al Qaeda operations in Iraq have encountered unexpected problems. Iraqis have become increasingly hostile to al Qaeda’s suicide bombing campaign. Religious leaders, which al Qaeda expects to get support from, have been openly denouncing these bombings. Iraqis, aware that they are more likely, than American soldiers, to be victims of these attacks, are providing more information on where the al Qaeda members are hiding out. Most of the al Qaeda in Iraq are foreigners, and easy for Iraqis to detect. As a result of this, many of the al Qaeda men have moved back to Fallujah, which has become a terrorist sanctuary. The interim government is trying to convince the tribal and religious leaders of Fallujah to back a military operation in the city to clear out the various al Qaeda, criminal and Baath Party gangs. But the gangs of Fallujah are quick to threaten any local leader that shows signs of supporting the government. While the Fallujah leadership is intimidated, many residents of Fallujah are not, and are providing information to the coalition, which has led to attacks, with smart bombs or coalition and Iraqi troops, on buildings used by al Qaeda, or other gangs, as headquarters.�
Al Qaeda has found the atmosphere even more hostile elsewhere in Iraq, and many of the terrorists have returned home. This is especially true of those who came from Saudi Arabia (and other Gulf nations, particularly Yemen) and Syria. Few, if any, al Qaeda came from Iran, which is Shia Moslem. Al Qaeda is dominated by Sunni Moslems who are often violently anti-Shia. While the hundreds of returning al Qaeda veterans are still determined to achieve al Qaeda’s goals of world domination, they are also more realistic. Fanaticism was not sufficient to chase the foreigners from Iraq, and the Arab media’s sensational, and largely false, reporting of the impact of al Qaeda’s attacks contributed to the disillusionment.�

Via James Joyner

True.
Or, Joe Wilson is a liar.

And all this time, we were worrying about anthrax?

Though the technology has been available for years, the experiment marked the first time an artificial infectious virus has been created. The researchers said they carried out the experiment to show how easy it would be for terrorists to create deadly germs for biological weapons.

Make-your-own home polio kit

“It is absolutely essential for the U.S. Senate to turn its attention to what we can do to make America safe,” Daschle said.
Of particular concern are the nation’s borders and ports, Daschle said, and there are security issues unresolved as the homeland security appropriations are “hung up” in the Senate.
Asked if the timing of the terror concerns might be aimed at stealing political thunder from the announcement of John Edwards as the democratic vice presidential candidate, Daschle replied, “The report is so sobering and so serious that I cannot bring myself to believe anyone in this administration would use this for political purposes.”
Daschle said the most recent terror briefing was the second this week and contained information that there is a higher threat than there has been at any time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

I spy with my little eye….
Something that is yellow.
Cake.
In.
Niger.

Weapons of mass destruction are like test tube babies.
Nobody cares about the second one.

I haven’t watched any of these because I hate them enough for one lifetime already. And think long and hard before you do.
The murder video of South Korean Kim Sun-il is now available. And, not widely reported – the body was boobytrapped.
And via Stephen Green a documentary of Iraq, under Saddam. You know – before the days of BushHitler and the horrors of Abu Ghraib.
I sent “movie reviewer” Rex Reed the link by email. Subject line: Farenheit 9/11 Out Takes

Via Stephen Den Beste, this piece that effectively capsulizes the problems in the Middle East and the nature of the threat the west faces. The source can’t be confirmed. Exerpts;

Yes, there is a 100 year-old Israeli-Arab conflict, but it is not where the main show is.
– The millions who died in the Iran-Iraq war had nothing to do with Israel.
– The mass murder happening right now in Sudan, where the Arab Moslem regime is massacring its black Christian citizens, has nothing to do with Israel.
– The frequent reports from Algeria about the murders of hundreds of civilian in one village or another by other Algerians have nothing to do with Israel.
– Saddam Hussein did not invade Kuwait, endangered Saudi Arabia and butchered his own people because of Israel.
– Egypt did not use poison gas against Yemen in the 60’s because of Israel.
– Assad the Father did not kill tens of thousands of his own citizens in one week in El Hamma in Syria because of Israel.
– The Taliban control of Afghanistan and the civil war there had nothing to do with Israel.
– The Libyan blowing up of the Pan-Am flight had nothing to do with Israel

…

– The 22 member countries of the Arab league, from Mauritania to the Gulf States, have a total population of 300 millions, larger than the US and almost as large as the EU before its expansion.
– They have a land area larger than either the US or all of Europe.
– These 22 countries, with all their oil and natural resources, have a combined GDP smaller than that of Netherlands plus Belgiumand equal to half of the GDP of California alone.

…

There is a new game in town: The actual murderer is called “the military wing”, the one who pays him, equips him and sends him is now called “the political wing” and the head of the operation is called the “spiritual leader”. There are numerous other examples of such Orwellian nomenclature, used every day not only by terror chiefs but also by Western media. These words are much more dangerous than many people realize. They provide an emotional infrastructure for atrocities. It was Joseph Goebels who said that if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. He is now being outperformed by his successors.

Required reading.