Posted GMT 8-24-2012 23:41:4

ISTANBUL (VOA) — Turkish political opposition members are claiming that Turkish authorities are turning a blind eye to Islamic militants based in Turkey who are crossing over the border to join the opposition fighting the Assad government in Syria.

Mehmet Ali Edipoglu is parliamentary deputy for the main opposition Peoples Republic Party, for Hatay — the main city in the Antakya province that borders Syria.

While he says he has no complaints about the Syrian rebels operating from the region, the past few months there has been a worrying change in the influx of new fighters.

Edipoglu says militants who are coming from Libya, Chechnya, Afghanistan, and from various countries in Africa are placed in Hatay and they say they are here to fight for Syria, to make a Jihad and bring Sharia, he says. He says they all openly say that they are al-Qaida and there have been incidents of small fights between these people and Hatay locals. Edipoglu says many are now getting to guns to protect themselves and he says he spoke to the governor and police many times and they tell him they are keeping these people under control.

The population of the Antakya region is a complex mix of Sunnis , Christians and Alawites. The region also has a strong secular population.

During a visit to Istanbul earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced concern over the presence of radical islamic elements amongst the Syrian rebels. and in particular potential links to al-Qaida.

“We worry about terrorists, PKK and Al-Qaida and others taking advantage of the legitimate fight of the Syrian people,” Clinton said.

Despite that concern being discussed during meetings this week between Turkish and U.S. officials in Ankara, Edipoglu says Turkish authorities are turning a blind eye to radical Islamic groups within the Syrian rebels who are basing themselves in Turkey.

Edipoglu says the recent big clashes are taking place around the Turkish border with Syria and he says every day, what he calls al-Qaida militants are picked up from their homes and put on the buses in Antakya. He says every day and night, 40 or 50 mini buses leave for Syria and they fight there and come back and this happens every day and he says state authorities are providing the buses, even escorting them.

But the Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Selcuk Unal denies that any such support is being given to any of the Syrian rebel groups. He says there is concern about the threat of al-Qaida elements entering Syria, but says there is not too much Turkey can do.

“We don’t have any hard evidence about any kind of passage from Turkey or any other countries, otherwise we would of course be willing to take the necessary steps to avoid any kind of escalation. But its a 900 kilometer border, of course our border authorities are doing their best,” Unal said.

Turkey has had a bitter experience with al-Qaida in the past.

In 2003, an al-Qaida faction set off four van bombs across the city of Istanbul targeting synagogues, the British consulate and the headquarters of a bank. 67 people were killed and more than 700 injured.

Experts point out that many of these al-Qaida members had fled to Turkish border cities after being defeated in battle against U.S.-led forces in !raq.

International relations expert Soli Ozel of Kadir Has University fears a repeat of the events in Iraq, for both Syria and Turkey.

“We don’t know if we are going to have a repeat of Iraq in terms of al-Qaida involvement in Syria. But given the fact that things are reverting back to a civil war conditions again in Iraq between Sunni and Shia and al-Qaida appears to be back. To have this radical elements on two of our southern borders, I don’t think it bodes well for Turkey — a country which has a serious ethnic problem and a sectarian one,” Ozel said.

For now observers say Ankara’s priority appears to be the growing Syrian refugee crisis its facing in the east and the bringing down of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. But over the past few years, with Turkish security forces having detained scores of al-Qaida suspects, concerns are growing in Turkey that another crisis is brewing that will cause even bigger problems.

By Dorian Jones

Posted GMT 7-22-2012 17:22:17

CAIRO (AP) — The first online statement from the new leader of al-Qaida’s affiliate in Iraq claims that the militant network is returning to the old strongholds from which it was driven by U.S. forces and their Sunni allies prior to the American withdrawal at the end of last year, and that it is preparing operations to free prisoners and assassinate court officials.

The audio identifies the speaker as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who became head of the Islamic State of Iraq in 2010. It was posted late Saturday on a website regularly used by the militant movement to make statements.

Al-Baghdadi also invited Muslims to come to Iraq to join his movement and warned the United States that it would soon see militant attacks on its territory, although it is unclear whether he was referring to attacks by his Iraqi network or by other al-Qaida affiliates.

The statement comes as Sunni insurgents, now believed to be dominated by the ISI, step up attacks against Shiites, government officials and other targets, in what is seen as a bit to undercut the authority of Iraq’s state and revive sectarian conflict in the wake of the pull-out of the last American forces in the country in December.

There is little indication yet however that the large-scale fighting between sectarian groups that wracked the country in 2006 and 2007 will return, nor does al-Qaida appear to have restored the domination it once had over many Sunni communities in that period.

“I bring you good news: That we are starting a new phase in our struggle with a plan we named ‘Breaking the walls,’ and we remind you of your priority to free the Muslim prisoners,” he said.

“At the top of your priorities regarding targets is to chase and liquidate the judges, the investigators and the guards,” he said.

He urged tribal leaders to send their men to join al-Qaida as it returns to areas from which it withdrew- a reference to reverses the ISI suffered at the hands of U.S. forces and allied Sunni militias in 2007 and 2008.

“On the occasion of the return of the (Islamic) State to the regions it evacuated, I urge you to send your sons to join the ranks of the mujahideen in defense of your religion and honor,” he said. “The majority of the Sunnis in Iraq support al-Qaida and are waiting for its return.”

He said that Iraqis who allied with the government and the Americans could repent; reports that al-Qaida killed penitents were “lies.”

Al-Baghdadi said to the United States: “You will see the mujahideen (holy warriors) at the heart of your country, since our war with you has only started now.”

He urged Muslims to come to Iraq to join his fight. “I appeal to the youth and Muslim men everywhere on this earth to immigrate to us to consolidate the pillars of the Islamic State … The State’s camps and houses are open to any Muslim and Baghdad is the heart of the battle of the Sunnis against the Shiites. So rise up, you Muslim youth, because the battle needs fuel.”

Al-Baghdadi devoted almost half of the 33-minute speech to Syria’s uprising against the regime of President Bashar Assad, member of a Shiite offshoot sect. The uprising is largely Sunni and fighters from al-Qaida, including Iraqis, are believed to have taken an increasingly active role in recent months.

“Our people there have fired the coup de grace at the terror that grasped the nation for decades … and taught the world lessons of courage and jihad and proved that injustice could only be removed by force,” he said.

He warned the Syrian rebels “not to accept any rule or constitution but God’s rule and Shariah (Islamic law). Otherwise, you will lose your blessed revolution.”

Al-Baghdadi became the leader of the group after Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, who was no relation, was killed in an air and ground assault by a team of U.S. and Iraqi forces on April 18, 2010 together with the other top al-Qaida leader in Iraq, Egyptian Abu Ayyub al-Masri.

By Maamoun Youssef

Posted GMT 5-14-2012 17:48:18

Western intelligence agencies believe that al-Qaida doctors have been trained to implant bombs inside the bodies of suicide bombers, Britain’s Sunday Times reported.

The doctors, thought to have been trained by a man who worked with the top bomb-maker for al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), have the ability to put explosive compounds in breasts and abdomens of suicide bombers, the newspaper reported without citing its sources.

The lead doctor was thought to have been killed in a drone attack earlier this year and likely worked with the master bomber-maker, Ibrahim al-Asiri, according to the newspaper.

The CIA want to track down the group of doctors, the newspaper reported.

“There is a transferable skill and there is still some concern,” said a Western security official who spoke to The Sunday Times on condition of anonymity.

Experts said explosive compounds such as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) could be surgically implanted in an aspiring suicide bomber, who would them allow the wounds to heal, according to the newspaper. Body scanners in most airports around the world would not be able to detect the device, which could be detonated by injection, the newspaper added.

The news follows revelations on Monday that that AQAP tried to arm a suicide bomber with a non-metallic device that was an upgraded version of an “underwear bomb” that was carried on to a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day 2009, but failed to detonate.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com

NATO Georgia gave terrorists weapons to attack Russia. UN has added him to the list of individuals linked with Al Qaeda. Didn’t they forget about Obama? In Libya, Syria his is abetting Al-Qaida.

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Published: 10 May, 2012, 16:40

This undated screen grab taken from the website hunafa.com shows a man identified as Chechen Islamist rebel leader Doku Umarov (AFP Photo / Hunafa.com)
TAGS: Crime, Georgia, Russia, Politics, Terrorism, Abkhazia

Notorious terrorist Doku Umarov received help from Georgian intelligence services in the acquisition of weapons that were to be used for a series of attacks against Russia, the Russian Anti-terrorism Committee has claimed.

The accusations were voiced Thursday as the committee announced terrorist attacks had been thwarted, that were to have occurred in Sochi sometime between 2012 and 2014. Some of them were to have been timed to coincide with the Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

However the weapons prepared for the attacks were discovered and seized in a joint raid by Russian and Abkhazian operatives. On May 4 and 5, they secured ten stashes of arms on the territory of Abkhazia, the statement says.

The stashes contained three man-portable surface-to-air missiles, two anti-tank guided missiles complete with launchers, a mortar and 36 mortar shells, a flamethrower, 15 kilograms of TNT, 29 grenade launchers, two assault rifles, a sniper rifle, 12 improvised explosive devices, 15 landmines, 39 hand grenades, 50 grenade fuses, some 10,000 rounds and topographical maps.
The report also says three terrorist commanders were arrested during the raid, but did not provide any further details.

Doku Umarov is Russia’s most wanted terrorist. He is thought to be responsible for some of the worst attacks in the country over the years, including the suicide bombing in the Moscow Metro in 2010 and the suicide bombing at Domodedovo Airport in 2011. The UN has added him to the list of individuals linked with Al Qaeda.
http://rt.com/news/umarov-georgia-attacks-sochi-917/

NATO Georgia gave terrorists weapons to attack Russia. UN has added him to the list of individuals linked with Al Qaeda. Didn’t they forget about Obama? In Libya, Syria his is abetting Al-Qaida.

Get short URL
email story to a friend print version
Published: 10 May, 2012, 16:40

This undated screen grab taken from the website hunafa.com shows a man identified as Chechen Islamist rebel leader Doku Umarov (AFP Photo / Hunafa.com)
TAGS: Crime, Georgia, Russia, Politics, Terrorism, Abkhazia

Notorious terrorist Doku Umarov received help from Georgian intelligence services in the acquisition of weapons that were to be used for a series of attacks against Russia, the Russian Anti-terrorism Committee has claimed.

The accusations were voiced Thursday as the committee announced terrorist attacks had been thwarted, that were to have occurred in Sochi sometime between 2012 and 2014. Some of them were to have been timed to coincide with the Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

However the weapons prepared for the attacks were discovered and seized in a joint raid by Russian and Abkhazian operatives. On May 4 and 5, they secured ten stashes of arms on the territory of Abkhazia, the statement says.

The stashes contained three man-portable surface-to-air missiles, two anti-tank guided missiles complete with launchers, a mortar and 36 mortar shells, a flamethrower, 15 kilograms of TNT, 29 grenade launchers, two assault rifles, a sniper rifle, 12 improvised explosive devices, 15 landmines, 39 hand grenades, 50 grenade fuses, some 10,000 rounds and topographical maps.
The report also says three terrorist commanders were arrested during the raid, but did not provide any further details.

Doku Umarov is Russia’s most wanted terrorist. He is thought to be responsible for some of the worst attacks in the country over the years, including the suicide bombing in the Moscow Metro in 2010 and the suicide bombing at Domodedovo Airport in 2011. The UN has added him to the list of individuals linked with Al Qaeda.
http://rt.com/news/umarov-georgia-attacks-sochi-917/

Posted GMT 4-1-2012 11:1:19

WASHINGTON — There are increasing indications that al-Qaida’s presence in Lebanon is on the rise, centering on the Palestinian Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon, according to informed sources, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

Al-Qaida’s presence has prompted the Lebanese army to place troops around the camp, which in turn has resulted in protests from the residents that troop presence is inhibiting their freedom of movement.

The army isn’t permitted to enter the refugee camps. It is believed that al-Qaida’s top operative, Tawfiq Taha, heads a cell at the camp, with the goal of attacking the Lebanese army. Sources also indicate that some of the members of the terrorist cell are army officers.

Taha, also known as Abu Mohammad, is believed to have planned attacks against United Nations peacekeepers and the Lebanese army in south Lebanon in recent years.

Al-Qaida’s presence in Ain al-Hilweh brings to mind action taken at the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian camp near the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli in May 2007 by Lebanese Internal Security Forces.

The ISF was going after Fatah al-Islam militants who had robbed a bank and holed up at the camp.

The Fatah al-Islam is an offshoot of al-Qaida.

Militants gunned down some of the Lebanese security forces, an action which prompted the Lebanese army to shell the camp for some three months before the army took full control of the camp after eliminating the militants, but virtually destroying the entire camp in the process..

Most of the residents of the refugee camp had fled to other camps under control of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Taha was deputy to the Fatah al-Islam head, Abdul-Rahman Mohammad Awad, who was killed by the army shortly after the 2007 episode at Nahr al-Bared.

While there currently is calm at the Ain al-Hilweh camp, the standoff continues with the Lebanese army insisting that residents of the camp hand over Taha.

The Palestinian Follow-up Committee, which is comprised of nationalist and Islamist factions at the camp, has called the army an ally.

“The Lebanese army, which fought the Israeli enemy, is an ally of the Palestinian people,” the committee recently said in a statement. However, there is no indication that the camp will turn over Taha, but there haven’t been any attacks on the army, at this point.

Sunni Al-Qaida’s presence in Lebanon has been growing in recent years, with indications of their infiltration into the Bakaa border town of Arsal under the guise of being Syrian opposition activists.

Elements of al-Qaida in Lebanon have reached a point that even the Shi’ite Hezbollah is concerned about its increasing presence. The concern centers over the prospect that al-Qaida could launch an attack on Israel, which in turn would blame Hezbollah and create an open conflict between Lebanon and the Jewish state.

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