Winds of War: Jan 20/05

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday's Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• Joe has a good round-up of news and analyses surrounding the possible dirty bomb threat.

• Syria and Hezbollah are in the Zionist-Crusader crosshairs. Israel is considering an air attack on Syria, and the Israeli cabinet has approved, in principle, an IDF operation in Lebanon. On the American side of things, the 20th January deadline for Syria to close terrorist camps has been and gone, if we go by Damascus time.

• The commander of the Army of Mohammed says his group received money and arms from Iran and Syria.

• Iranian president Mohammed Khatami has said that the chances of a U.S. attack on Iran is “very low”.

• One of Saddam’s cousins has been bankrolling the insurgency from Leeds, to the tune of $35 million.

Other Topics Today Include: Hezbollah to bomb London; Iranian rapid reaction force; 20km rockets in Gaza; Martyrs ceasefire; Dane detained in Israel; Jordan boosts security; Jersey Jihad; FBI watches Islamic missionaries; Basayev not in Chechnia; Omar Bakri Mohammed joins al-Qaeda; Spain holds 9/11 man; Germany tackles immigration; France helps peace; US/UK special forces in Karachi; Omar statement; and much more.

IRAN

• Memri has a report on the calls for jihad and martyrdom from the Iranian leadership.

• The mullahs have reminded Muslims that they are still allowed to murder Salman Rushdie.

• Hezbollah have threatened to kill an Iranian exile, currently residing in London, with a suicide bomber.

• Iran has created a rapid deployment force, which includes C-130s, armour and artillery.

THE MIDDLE EAST

• The range of the terrorist rockets in Gaza may be as much as 20 kilometres.

• The P.A. will deploy some 8,000 ‘police officers’ to prevent other terrorists from firing rockets at Israel. There is a slight hitch, in that they won’t be firing on or even arresting terrorists. But hey! As the head of the Gaza ‘police’ said: “at least we are out there”.

• The Jenin al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade says they will only kill Israelis in Yesha, but not inside the Green Line.

• A Dane and two Israeli-Arabs were arrested in Israel last week for security offences.

• Egypt’s most wanted terrorist will stand trial for plotting to assassinate President Hosni Mubarak.

• Jordan has quietly bolstered its security forces, fearing a surge of terrorist forces from Iraq.

THE AMERICAS

• Jersey Jihad? A Coptic Christian family has been brutally murdered, after the father of the family criticised Islam on internet forums. Police are investigating a jihadist angle to the killings.

• Vice President Dick Cheney has voiced concerns that Israel might bomb Iran.

• The FBI is monitoring an Islamic missionary group, which is believed to have been infiltrated by extremists and used as a cover for terrorist recruitment.

• Washington is on alert for limo bombs.

EUROPE

• The FSB says Shamil Basayev is hiding abroad, but makes occasional visits to Chechnia.

• The Russian military in Chechnia is now entirely composed of professional soldiers rather than conscripts.

• Leader of the disbanded al-Muhajiroun is being investigated for telling British Muslims to join al-Qaeda. The lying bastard denies the charges.

• A North African people-smuggling ring, broken up by Italian law enforcement agencies, may have links to al-Qaeda.

• Spain is holding a man they believe to be linked to 9/11.

• Facing problems of new migrants failing to assimilate, a German parliamentary committee is calling for limits to immigration… of Russian Jews.

• France’s biggest contribution to the Middle East peace process.

ASIA & AUSTRALASIA

• Asia Times reports that U.S. and U.K. special forces are preparing for commando operations inside Tehran – and that they’re training for it in Karachi.

• Tensions are still high in the Pakistani region of Sui.

• The Taliban has released a message from Mullah Omar, in which he says that reports that his collection of murderers and thieves is considering laying down their arms are wrong.

• You’ll be shocked to hear that there has been more violence in Baluchistan.

• Terrorists in Thailand have fired on a school bus, seriously wounding two children.

AFRICA

• A Somali militia is in the process of destroying an Italian cemetery.

And finally: one of Michael Moore's bodyguards has been arrested - for carrying an unlicensced firearm.

UPDATE: The Fox story about Moore's bodyguard is very, very inaccurate. Full retraction, and apologies.

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