I had read several articles on the ongoing terror trials in Spain, but somehow the fact that one of the indicted terrorist is also a reporter for al Jazeera eluded me.

Gulf Times:

The defendants include Tayseer Alouni, a reporter for Arab TV channel Al Jazeera who interviewed bin Laden shortly after the attacks on New York and Washington.

Prosecutors accuse him of carrying money intended for Al Qaeda members during visits he made to Afghanistan for his journalistic work. Alouni says he is innocent.

Al Jazeera reporter Tayseer Alouni was temporarily released from house arrest on the first day of a high-profile terrorism trial here yesterday.

Alouni will testify before the court on May 11 to defend himself against charges of belonging to Al Qaeda.

He had been shifted from prison to house arrest on March 17 on medical reasons.

“I am innocent. Whatever the outcome of the trial, I will maintain that until death,” Alouni said.

“The judge’s case always refers to circumstantial evidence, evidence taken from telephone calls in Arabic which were badly translated and even more badly interpreted by the police.”

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Leftists love to talk about the Scandinavian countries as if they were utopias on earth. I'm just beginning to see their point. Via QandO this story out of Norway:

Norway's Supreme Court supported decisions refusing Conoco Phillips the right to fire two workers who surfed the Internet for pornographic images on company time.

The two workers on the Ekofisk field lost their jobs after being caught peeping at porn on the job in the summer of 2002. The pair took their case to court and won at both the municipal and appeals level, NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) reports...

The Supreme Court has ruled that the firings were not justified and have awarded the two NOK 250,000 (USD 40,000) each in compensation.

Now excuse me as I go do some 'research' at Whitehouse.com.

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The three Romanian victims are Marie Jeanne Ion, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci, and Edward Ovidiu Ohanesian. The American is Iraqi born Mohammed Monaf. The terrorists belong to a group calling itself the Muadh ibn Jabal Brigades.

There was no audio broadcast, but al Jazeera says that reporter Marie Jeanne Ion reads a statement saying they will be killed if Romanian troops are not pulled out of Iraq in four days.

Read on for the Giuliana Sgrena angle. Boston Globe:

Three kidnapped Romanian journalists and their Iraqi-American translator say in a video that they will be killed by their Iraqi captors if Romania does not withdraw its troops within four days, Al-Jazeera reported Friday.

In the video shown by the Arab satellite station, the Romanians two men and a woman sit cross-legged against a black background with their hands chained. A hand is seen on the right pointing a pistol at the hostages.

Reporter Marie Jeanne Ion, sitting between her two colleagues, is seen talking and gesturing with her hands to the camera. Prima TV cameraman Sorin Miscoci appears upset, possibly crying.

Al-Jazeera did not play the audio, but it quoted Ion as saying the Iraqi militants holding them had given the Romanian government four days from the date of the tape's broadcast to remove its 800 soldiers in Iraq. Otherwise, the captives will be killed, Al-Jazeera quoted her as saying....

The kidnappers identified themselves as the ''Muadh ibn Jabal Brigades,'' a previously unknown group. The name refers to a companion of Islam's prophet, Muhammad.

After the journalists were pictured, the video showed a man who appeared to be the translator, Iraqi-American Mohammed Monaf, sitting alone with his hands bound. He is also talking, but there is no sound. Gunmen stand on either side of him, pointing an automatic rifle and a pistol at his head....

Speaking to the camera, Ion gave the news of the ultimatum and called on the Romanian government to accept the kidnappers' demands.

"The journalists appealed to the Romanian government to pull its troops from Iraq to ensure their release”, said the channel.

"Marie-Jeanne Ion, the female hostage, said that the kidnappers gave the Romanian government four days from the release of the video to withdraw its troops from Iraq or the journalists will be killed.

"She asked the Romanian people to organize protests in order to pressure the Romanian government in order to ensure that the kidnappers' demands are met," it added.

Others: Chad at In The Bullpen still thinks this might just be about money. Possibly.

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THE. BEST. FISKING. OF. LEFTIST. 'WERE LOSING THE WAR'. RHETORIC. EVER.

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Finally, a conviction stemming from 9/11. Unfortunately we don't need convictions. One of the reasons suicidal terrorists are so vexing is that, well, they are suicidal. If death has no deterrent effect, why would a jail sentence?

Treating terrorism as an ordinary crime makes no sense to me. What should we do to Moussaoui? I've no idea. But sending the man to jail just doesn't sit right.

Death penalty? Maybe. But even that is a punishment for a crime. Again, it's the language of the criminal justice system. As long as we use that language we are trapped in the sort of thinking that led to 9/11.

What we need is a new vocabulary to describe what should be done to terrorists who are caught. What that language should be is not quite clear.

The Global War on Terror rhetoric is a little more satisfying. If this is war then Moussaoui is an illegal enemy combatent. Caught without a uniform behind enemy lines, engaged in the plotting of acts of sabatoge, Moussaui would be subject to execution. But still, there is something missing here that I can't quite get my finger on......

The outcome of treating Moussaoui as a criminal or as an illegal combatent might be the same in both cases. However, the language we use matters. If he is to be killed, let it be by firing squad or at the end of a hangman's noose. He is not a criminal, he's worse. Let's treat him as such.

I'm not 100% sure how to describe a terrorist plotter like Moussaui, but there is something essentially wrong with the dialogue below. The back and forth as if Moussaui was an ordinary criminal who's rights must be protected at all costs. The judge covers all his bases so that Moussaoui will have no grounds for appeal.

Troubling.

WaPo:

Moussaoui, looking nothing like his ubiquitous prison photo, took a seat, then walked to the podium to answer the judge's queries.

"You understand that all answers to this court's questions must be truthful?" U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema began, the first of many questions in one of the most extraordinary pleas in U.S. history. "It is understood," Moussaoui said in a thick French accent.

"You are aware that the first four counts essentially expose you to the possibility of a death sentence . . . ?" Brinkema asked.

"Yes, I read the document."

"Now, you do understand that you have the right to plead not guilty . . . ?" the judge asked.

"I do understand that," Moussaoui said, and on it went, questions as mundane as whether Moussaoui understood that he would be fined $600, and as grave as whether he was part of a terrorist conspiracy to attack the United States. At one point, Moussaoui said he planned to fly a 747 into the White House one day.

The dialogue between the two swung from cordial to combative to darkly humorous. Brinkema asked if Moussaoui understood that he was not giving up certain rights in the sentencing phase by pleading guilty. "That's what I'm saying," Moussaoui said. "That's what I'm saying, too," Brinkema said. Some people in the courtroom laughed.

At 3:50 p.m., Moussaoui began signing the documents that made formal his guilty plea. Peterson leaned in closer to see.

Then Brinkema began reading the six counts in the indictment, asking Moussaoui after each how he pleaded. "Guilty," he said over and over. "Guilty."

After making a byzantine argument about his case -- he cited Supreme Court cases, legal loopholes and mitigating factors -- Moussaoui was led from the courtroom. He raised one hand and shouted, "Lord! God curse America!"

UPDATE: I just had to include Will Collier's reaction that, "The needle is too good for him". Indeed.

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It's the Religion of Peas Roundup!

Pakistani PM claims Islam is "religion of peace and moderation which abhors extremism". Doesn't consider Pakistani law which puts to death blasphemers, missionaries, or homosexuals extreme.

Moderate Muslim country of Malaysia sentencing people to jail for apostasy. See how moderate works in Islam? At least they weren't killed.

Zacharias Moussaoui tries to plea guilty on capital charges related to 9/11, lawyers claim he's insane in the membrane. Of course he's insane. He's a f*cking suicidal terrorist! Duh!! (via Slublog)

Spain begins trial of 9/11 telated terrorists. Each defendent could spend up to 40 years in jail for helping murder 3,000 people. Justice European style.

Shoe-bomber conspirator gets 13 years in prison. Ditto.

Pro-Syrian Lebanese PM promises May vote will not be rigged. [Insert laugh track here]

Catholic University bends over, hands KY to Mullahs, takes it like a good dhimmi.

Former Spanish President has new test for freedom in Islamic countries: When can I freely buy a beer in Tehran?

Scores of Shiite hostages still missing. You know, infidel, anyone who disagrees with my form of Islam.

Jane Galt on surgical warfare.

Domestic stuff and other linakge

VDH on lessons learned from Iraq: Do not look for logic and consistency in the Middle East where they are not to be found (Via Daily Pundit)

Take a Kennedy. Put him together with a Clinton. Indict him. What do you get? No. Media. Coverage.

Jane Fonda opens her big-mouth again in defense of traitors moving to Canada to escape service in Iraq.

Dean on the use of the word moderate.

Lileks gets Catholics better than many Catholics get Catholics (via Spoons).

A review of Microsoft's new blogging software.

Finally the Dread Pundit Bluto notices that we have a three-way going with Ann Coulter. Sorry man. I'm not into that kind of three-way!

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As per request, here is an open thread.

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Update: Victims' identities begin to be revealed. Scroll down for updates.

The Islamic Army in Iraq has released a videotape in which they claim responsibility for the downing of a civilian helicopter in Iraq in which 11 were killed, including 6 Americans. The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video. The video may be downloaded here [see April 22nd]. Extremely graphic images from the video are posted below.

The video shows the downed helicopter, which is the first civilian aircraft shot down in Iraq. In the past, the Islamic Army in Iraq has claimed to shoot down aircraft, but these were always unmanned military drones.

Of the eleven on board, one man survived, but was severely wounded. The wounded man had apparently crawled away and was hiding in tall grass some distance from the crash. The helicopter can be seeen burning in the distant background. The man's accent reveals him to be an American, not a Bulgarian or Belgian as is being reported in the press. (Update) According to this AP story, the man is positively identified as the Bulgarian pilot Lyubomir Kostov. I stand corrected. Except for the rolling of his r's, his English was perfect and American accented. (thanks to Chad for tracking this down).

Unaware of who has found him, the American says to them, "give me a hand. Give me a hand. It's broken..."

The terrorists help him up and then ask him, "Weapons?" then order him to "Go! Go!" The man is able to walk. "Carry out God's verdict," they say. They then shoot him as he holds his hand up. He is murdered in cold blood as the terrorists yell "Allahu akhbar!" shooting him over and over.

The terrorists murder the man on the video. In a statement released with the video, the Islamic Army in Iraq says they killed the man in retaliation for the "cold blood in the mosques of tireless Fallujah before the eyes of the world and on television screens, without anyone condemning them."

This is a reference to the video released by American journalist Kevin Sites showing a Marine killing a wounded Iraqi insurgent who was playing dead inside a mosque in Fallujah. The Marine was later cleared of all wrong doing. His unit had encountered this type of feigning before with tragic results.

When that video was released, The Jawa Report claimed that Sites' actions in releasing the video would directly lead to more deaths and destruction in Iraq/

Houston Chronicle:

Thursday's chartered flight was believed to be the first civilian aircraft shot down in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion two years ago. The dead included six American bodyguards for U.S. diplomats, three Bulgarian crew and two security guards from Fiji, officials said.

The helicopter went down about 12 miles north of Baghdad. Associated Press Television News footage showed burning wreckage from the craft and personal belongings scattered across a wide area.

U.S. officials could not confirm the cause of the crash. However, the Bulgarian Defense Ministry said the helicopter was struck by missile fire.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov said today the crash was a "terrorist attack," but it will not affect Bulgaria's military involvement in Iraq.

"Bulgaria should not waver under terrorist pressure," said Svinarov, whose country has a 460-member contingent in Iraq.

A group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq posted a video on the Internet Thursday purporting to show the shooting of a survivor.

The authenticity of the footage, posted on a Web forum often used by militant groups, could not be confirmed. A U.S. Embassy official in Baghdad said he had no knowledge that anyone on board survived the crash and was killed later.

"Heroes of the Islamic Army downed a transport aircraft belonging to the army of the infidels and killed its crew and those on board in the regions of al-Taji north of Baghdad," the group said in a written statement accompanying the video. "One of the crew members was captured and killed."

In the footage, which shows burning wreckage and two charred bodies, militants come across an injured man wearing a blue flightsuit lying in tall grass. His nationality was not immediately known.

"It's broken," he says in accented English, apparently referring to his leg, as militants — unseen except in brief glances — tell him to stand up. "Weapons? Weapons?" the gunmen ask him in Arabic and English as he stands uneasily.

The gunmen tell him, "Go!", and the survivor starts to hobble away, holding his hands up toward them. The gunmen then open fire, shouting "Allahu akbar!" or "God is great!" with the bullets hitting his body. They fire more shots into his body on the ground.

The six Americans were employed by Blackwater Security Consulting, a subsidiary of North Carolina-based security contractor Blackwater USA, which had four employees slain and mutilated by insurgents in Fallujah a year ago — deaths that touched off a Marine assault on insurgents in the city.

The Islamic Army statement said it killed the survivor "in revenge for the Muslims who have been killed in cold blood in the mosques of tireless Fallujah before the eyes of the world and on television screens, without anyone condemning them." It was apparently referring to the Nov. 13 shooting by an American soldier of a wounded Iraqi in a Fallujah mosque during a U.S. offensive in the city.

UPDATE 11:40:One victim identified as Jason Obert, of El Paso. News 4 Colorado:

A former El Paso County sheriff's deputy was among the six American contractors killed Thursday when insurgent missile fire downed a commercial helicopter outside of Baghdad, Iraq, a Colorado Springs television station reported.

Jason Obert left the sheriff's office in February to earn extra money working in Iraq for Blackwater Security Consulting, KKTV-TV reported. The company is a subsidiary of North Carolina-based Blackwater USA.

Obert is survived by a wife and two boys, the station reported.

Update II 1:55: Another victim identified. Stephen Matthew McGovern, of Danville KY. Danville Advocate Messenger:

Stephen Matthew McGovern, of Danville, has died in Iraq, his family confirmed today.

McGovern was involved in a helicopter crash, according to his stepfather, who said the family was notified Thursday night....

McGovern had been a sergeant in the National Guard with the 20th Special Forces Group in Louisville. He got out of the Guard in February, according to a spokesman there....

UPDATE III 2:35: Long-time collaborator of The Jawa Report and sometimes contributor Interested Participant hunts down a few more names.

Jim Atalifo and Timoci Lalaqila were the two Fijians killed, as reported in The Australian

The three Bulgarians are named as pilots Lyubomir Kostov and Georgi Naidenov and board-engineer Stoyan Anchev by the Bulgarian News Network.

Others covering the story: I would urge these sites NOT to link to Ogrish, which is a snuff site. An alternate video can be found at this anti-terrorism site. Ranting Profs, Michelle Malkin, Blogs of War, Hyscience, Speed of Thought, In the Bullpen, Blogger Beer, Bittersweet Me, The Tomo Report, Kill Righty, The Blue Site, Dangerous Dan, Caos Blog, Dread Pundit Bluto, Outside the Beltway, Rambling's Journal,

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW!!

I show these images because they reveal the true face of the 'insurgency we are fighting'. COLD. BLOODED. MURDERERS. AND. COWARDS.

These images are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and ARE OFFENSIVE. more...

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by Demosophist

OK, I'm still not sure whether I'm out to lunch on this issue of the counterterrorism report, or whether it's Larry Johnson who's missing the boat. It's certainly possible that each of us it outclassing the other on some aspect of the analysis. For the sake of argument, I'm willing to concede that the accounting method used to define a terrorist act hasn't changed at all from 2003 to 2004 and that continuity isn't the issue. I'm not 100% convinced of that, for one thing because Larry characterizes the whole debate as a "mere squabble over method," and as a methodologist, I know of no such thing. Issues of method, as I learned from Thelma Z. Lavine, go right to the heart of what we call "reality," and it just doesn't get any more momentous or important than that. But again, I'll concede the point that the method hasn't changed, and also that the State Department attempted to change it, failed, and then cancelled the Annual Report. more...

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Well at least somebody from Harvard is reading my work. Yeah, I know it's my blog and not my academic research, but I'll take what I can get. Some irreverent students at Harvard are hawking a Viva Larry Summers shirt. But don't worry, they assure me that no communist revolutionaries were harmed in the making of these T-Shirts. I don't know why they e-mailed me of all the bloggers out there. Especially since I noticed that Glenn Harlan Reynolds was recently seen out and about wearing one of their shirts.

It's the Religon of Peace and other tales of interest roundup. Since all trackbacks to me appear as a link to your site, just send a trackback to this post for some linky love.

Zarqawi attempts to assasinate Allawi. Zarqawi misses. Zarqawi lauds suicide bomber blowing himself up in order to kill the 'friends of Christians and Jews'. What's new?

Osama bin Laden to kiss and make up with the Europeans. Offers truce with Europe.

Missile downs civilian helicopter in Iraq, 11 dead--6 Americans. Kos readers react by celebrating death of Americans.

Traitor Hasan Akbar found guilty for murdering fellow soldiers just before the Iraq war. Like Muhammed Ali, Akbar decided it was against his religion to fight in Iraq. Unlike Ali, he decided to go ahead and kill some infidels as a means of protest.

U.S. forces ice 12 Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan. Way to go!

EU cancels meeting with Pakistani delegation because it included a Taliban sympathizer. Europe: not for us, not against us, just lukewarm.

Don't travel Iranian Air.

And speaking of our allies in the GWOT the Pakis: Pakistan decides NOT to send Army to Waziristan, you know, to find Osama bin Laden.

Phillipines to enter talks with MILF. (Note: MILF in this context is an Islamic seperatist group, not, well, you know, that other kind of MILF my readers are so familiar with.)

Islamic terrorists in Phillipines abduct 22 school children, kill police officer in stand off. Why is there no more press on this?

Battle raging in Mecca. Ultra extremist Islamists killed by only moderately extremist Islamists in Saudi Arabia.

NJ newspaper defines 'Jihad', plays dhimmi to the T.

Europe pitching a hissy fit because we want to protect our airspace from terrorists. Thanks, once again, Europe for being such great allies in the GWOT!

Bush hanging tough on Bolton nomination.

I [heart] my vagina. Yeah, and I'm kind of fond of it too.

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Last week we brought you the story that Sunni terrorists were threatening to kill 100+ Shiites from the Madaen area. We later reported that it was a hoax. Well, it's looking like less of a hoax today.

Dozens of bodies, some of them beheaded, were found washed up on the banks of the Tigris river. I've seen low estimates of 50 and high estimates of 70. Still up in the air is whether these bodies are those of the Madaen hostages, as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani claims. The US is denying any knowlege of the bodies, and reports indicate that many of the bodies were found before the Madaen hostage crisis was announced.

Interested Participant has more here, Chad at In The Bullpen's post on the subject is here, INFDL here, and Speed of Thought here.

At the very least, the confusing nature of this story reveals that Talibani is no different than other Arab leaders in his ability to spread what are essentially rumors as fact.

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Pamela Anderson, star of the appropriately named television series Stacked, has her own blog. I wonder if this is purely a gimmick or only partially a gimmick? The former would mean her publicist writes the posts, the latter would mean her publicist forces Pam to write the posts.

Anyway, she's got all the bells and whistles that you'd expect in a blog, including posts with permalinks (check out this post with candid pics of Pam on the set). more...

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1 Pam is hot, but she is no Scott Baio.

Posted by: Filthy Allah at April 21, 2005 11:38 AM (yBHNA)

2 Aren't you just traffic whoring, again, Rusty? Funny, I've seen more comments on MY humble blog than on several of Pam's posts. I guess people haven't found her yet....

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 21, 2005 12:05 PM (iCaDI)

3 Caltech. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Bet you dont shave yer pits

Posted by: Obsnooks at April 21, 2005 12:10 PM (yBHNA)

4 CTG--Thanks for adding the word "whoring" to a post that already includes "Pamela Anderson" and "Swallow" ;-)

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 21, 2005 12:18 PM (JQjhA)

5 "Anyway, I signed up for a Friendster account just to check out the blogging software." Sure, Rusty, whatever you say. I'm sure it wasn't because you had to sign up in order see the "bonus" photos of Pam. Gotta go, I'm just a busy beaver today.

Posted by: The Dread Pundit Bluto at April 21, 2005 12:42 PM (RHG+K)

6 Thanks for helping Bluto And FYI Obsnooks, not only are you completely wrong, but most of us are girly girls...with the lingerie to prove it.

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 21, 2005 12:48 PM (iCaDI)

7 Yeah, I think Cal Tech girl is pretty hot and sexy. Then again, I've never met her or seen any video or pics of her.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 21, 2005 12:56 PM (JQjhA)

8 Don't let your penis get in the way.

Posted by: obsnooks at April 21, 2005 12:59 PM (yBHNA)

9 Yeah, that would suck, you big blow hard.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 21, 2005 01:01 PM (JQjhA)

10 I was talkin to the Chick Rusty. I think she has a penis of her own. All those cal tech girls do.

Posted by: Obsnooks at April 21, 2005 01:03 PM (yBHNA)

11 ObSnooks: Now see, you've offended someone with only one short post. Filthy would be proud.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 21, 2005 01:17 PM (x+5JB)

12 Stop being boobies you guys. Excuse me for a second while I go feed my pet cock.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 21, 2005 01:23 PM (JQjhA)

13 PS-Obsnooks, you know I love ya man. Now excuse me while I go get a hot Carl's Jr. burger.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 21, 2005 01:55 PM (JQjhA)

14 Filthy? That your real name? I can think of another kinda burger I'd like.

Posted by: angryblackman at April 21, 2005 02:01 PM (x+5JB)

15 Angryblackman, Wait 'till you meet Greyrooster. He's our resident Klansman and that's no joke.

Posted by: greg at April 21, 2005 02:33 PM (/+dAV)

16 All gimmick. I bet it's typed by some $18,000 per year clerk. If "Pam" starts in with the "ass-fucking" we'll know for sure.

Posted by: The Commissar at April 21, 2005 02:38 PM (SG329)

17 Pamela Anderson? When will we hear the end of this tart?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 21, 2005 03:18 PM (QSIH2)

18 Cleveland steamer. Yeah, it's off topic.... or is it???

Posted by: Preston Taylor Holmes at April 21, 2005 03:21 PM (WsZ4F)

19 How Bout the Abe Lincoln?

Posted by: Filthy Allah at April 21, 2005 03:57 PM (yBHNA)

20 Pamela Anderson is as phoney as her tits.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 21, 2005 05:28 PM (CBNGy)

21 Well, I do, but it's attached to my husband.

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 21, 2005 05:30 PM (iCaDI)

22 angryblackman: Please do not miscontrue Greg the traitor's comment "our" he is not one of us. He is an America hating, shit stirring, muslim supporter. Definitely, not one of us. Commies are not one of us.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 21, 2005 05:33 PM (CBNGy)

23 CTG - are you in one them there California gay marriages then?

Posted by: Mr. K at April 21, 2005 07:03 PM (L6lSh)

24 Greyroost--It's cool--don't pay no attention to America haters.

Posted by: angryblackman at April 22, 2005 04:52 AM (Irn52)

25 How come Paul, i mean Hitler has not commented on Pam's blog? Is this beneath his royal nibs?

Posted by: Obsnooks at April 22, 2005 07:52 AM (yBHNA)

26 riiiiight.

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 22, 2005 12:23 PM (5VQpT)

27 By Husband you mean, Lesbo lover.

Posted by: Filthy Allah at April 22, 2005 12:33 PM (yBHNA)

28 Filthy: Please direct all racy talk to the Filth(y) thread Rusty was good enough to start. Tell the lesbo she is welcome to join us.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 22, 2005 01:08 PM (x+5JB)

29 yuck. who's is bigger??

Posted by: Mr. K at April 22, 2005 05:16 PM (YBs9F)

30 well, if you mean lesbian in a man's body then sure, otherwise.....

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 22, 2005 10:08 PM (VFcm5)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

by Demosophist

Larry Johnson, the fellow who broke the original story that the State Department was tucking its tail between its legs and dropping stats on the number of terrorist attacks, because the number increased from 2003 to 2004, has posted an "update," on the Counterterrorism Blog that seems to counter the contention that the data method changed before the State Department cancelled the report. (He contends that they tried to change it themselves, while they contend that they tried to revert to the old method for the sake of continuity.) He seems to be saying that the only change is that the State Department has decided to ignore the data because it's disagreeable, but others have suggested that they've decided to ignore it because a new method used to compile the numbers loses continuity with the old statistics, and that therefore the apparent increase isn't real. And if you read what he says carefully, he doesn't quite make the assertion that their version isn't true. He just blusters about it alot. What's going on? Enquiring minds want, and need, to know?
more...

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So, a group of Muslims travels to Canada to go see neo-nazi William Baker speak at a conference on Islam. They are detained by US border agents and questioned. Then they are let go. So, what exactly is the problem here. Sounds to me like someone at Border Patrol is finally doing their jobs!

WaPo:

American Muslims detained at the border as they returned from a religious conference in Toronto sued the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday alleging they were targets of ethnic and religious profiling.

The five Muslims, all U.S. citizens, say customs officials detained dozens of others from their conference in December, subjecting them to interrogations, fingerprinting and photographing. Four carried U.S.-issued passports; the other had a New York state driver's license, which is an acceptable form of identification at the Canadian border.

The plaintiffs traveled separately and arrived at the checkpoint throughout the afternoon and night. Travelers who told agents they had attended the conference titled "Reviving the Islamic Spirit" were held for questioning, and women wearing hijab were asked whether they had attended the conference, according to the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Council for American-Islamic Relations.

Tabbaa, who wears hijab, said that at 2 a.m. Dec. 27 she arrived at the border checkpoint where agents asked her about the conference and instructed her to wait inside the customs building. Inside, she said, "I saw all the people from my Islamic community."

Tabbaa, a Syrian-born naturalized citizen, said agents refused to let her leave unless she submitted to fingerprinting. After several hours, she said, a female agent escorted her to a room to demonstrate the procedure.

"She just grabbed my hand and [began] fingerprinting it," Tabbaa said. "I was just forced to do it. She grabbed my hand."

BUSH=HITLER!

Posted by: Rusty at 09:26 AM | Comments (38) | Add Comment
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1 I think I will sue the terrorists. They profile us White Devils as infidels without getting to know us at all, then they saw our heads off. Not fair!!!!!

Posted by: ObSnooks at April 21, 2005 09:57 AM (yBHNA)

2 Yes, ObSnooks. They should be made to lie with Filthy's in his tent so that he can drive this point home in his own inimitable way.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 21, 2005 10:15 AM (x+5JB)

3 Take a gander at this: http://hissheep.org/islam/mohammeds_believe_it_or_else.html See what they really believe.

Posted by: mike at April 21, 2005 11:09 AM (TJ8HB)

4 I go into Canada a couple times a year to go to the Sundowner strip club. I am a white guy. I get stopped and questioned at the border everytime. Tell these filthy muslims to quit bitchin. It isnt like they are getting the Louima treatment.

Posted by: Earl Dittaman at April 21, 2005 12:07 PM (yBHNA)

5 "Get your hands off me you dam dirty ape!" I've never been questioned at the border the way these folks were. I wonder if any of you ignorant racist pigs have ever been photographed and finger printed against your will because you exercised your freedom of religion. Hey Mike, try reading the book of Isiah. It will tell a similar story with a similar theme. DOOH!!!

Posted by: deccles at April 21, 2005 12:25 PM (UCtX/)

6 Awwwwww, never been questioned at the border? So what. All terrorists are muslims. I don't care if they strip search every damn one of them if it prevents YOUR kids from being blown up by a car bomb. Take your liberal bullshit somewhere else ya moonbat.

Posted by: Obsnooks at April 21, 2005 12:31 PM (yBHNA)

7 Watch these degenerate God hating liberals defend the terrorists right to infiltrate our nation. Fithly Liberals will not accept that we are at war until the terrorists explode a car bomb in front of a star bucks. Then, probably not either since they are terrorists supporters themselves

Posted by: Filthy allah at April 21, 2005 12:33 PM (yBHNA)

8 If you want to get the libs on board, tell them that the muslims were smuggling in statues of the Virgin Mary from Canada. Then they'd be ok with an anal cavity check. Provided it's without Vaseline.

Posted by: Buckley F. Williams at April 21, 2005 12:48 PM (O2fD/)

9 Erraaaaaaa we should not be bother these poor muslim folks with erraaaaaaaaah such indignities as asking them questions hic..... ERAAAAAAAHHH Where are my pants......

Posted by: Ted Kennedy at April 21, 2005 12:54 PM (yBHNA)

10 Because they exercise their freedom of religion? The Muslim religion is an evil one. They saw off heads in the name of God. They are the devil.

Posted by: Obsnooks at April 21, 2005 12:55 PM (yBHNA)

11 Almost forgot. Bush is hitler, bush lied... ummm ahhh oh yeah..AWOL..... Hitler....ummmm Chimp!

Posted by: obsnooks at April 21, 2005 12:58 PM (yBHNA)

12 Liberals win both ways. If we secure the borders the Libs can scream racism, and if some terrorist gets past border security and blows something up Libs can scream about that too. It's good to be a Lib. Just sit back and let conservatives do all the work and take all the heat.

Posted by: Carlos at April 21, 2005 01:04 PM (8e/V4)

13 I was happy that the border guards gave me hard time when I first come to this country. I was a dirty smelly Arab when I arrived. At first, they did not wish to do cavity search because of my intense filthyness but finally, they found a retarded man in the janitors office who was willing to do it for a snickers. I had no bomb in my pants but, I could have if I was so inclined. Everyone should get cavity search by retarded floor sweeper..That way no bombs get it.

Posted by: Filthy Allah at April 21, 2005 01:18 PM (yBHNA)

14 deccles: "Hey Mike, try reading the book of Isiah. It will tell a similar story with a similar theme. DOOH!!!" Gee whiz, Mike, how dare you not see that the Koran has supernatural elements just like the Bible, and therefore they are similar, and therefore if you accept the Bible, you need to accept the Koran as well? At least I THINK that's the asinine point deccles is making.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 21, 2005 01:32 PM (x+5JB)

15 Yeah there is Pedaphelia in Isiah. Oh yeah and the book of Isiah mentions that hell is mainly populated by women because we all know that they are all so deficient in intelligence and religion. Isiah also says that when you wake from sleep you must clean your nose three times because the devil spends the night in the interior of your nose. Wow thanks for reminding me that Isiah says things similar to the Koran....Wait!!!! No it doesn't!!! you lied Deccles!!!

Posted by: mike at April 21, 2005 04:22 PM (+7Usq)

16 Mike, er, I've read Isiah. What the hell are you talking about? Serious. I want chapter and verse. There is pedaphelia in the Bible, but, the last time I checked, it was condemned and not condoned.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at April 21, 2005 04:31 PM (JQjhA)

17 And what is "DOOH!"? Is she trying to write "duh"? She needs to work on her onomatopoeia.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 21, 2005 04:32 PM (QSIH2)

18 I was detained while filling in for one of my drivers when crossing the border. They backed me to a warehouse and unloaded 45,000 lbs of soap and checked every container. A 5 hr holdup. These muslim dogs have nothing to complain about. What I want to know is why the United States let them back in? MUSLIMS OUT OF AMERICA.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 21, 2005 05:50 PM (CBNGy)

19 obsnooks: You forgot the KKK and Nazis.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 21, 2005 05:53 PM (CBNGy)

20 Oooops Rusty!!! You are right. Isiah doesn't mention anything like that. But the Koran does. If you do not believe me then look again at: http://hissheep.org/islam/mohammeds_believe_it_or_else.html I fail to see the similarities between Isiah and the Koran as Deccles mentioned there is. Hey Rusty next time I will write /sarcasm at the end of my post Rusty, Deccles said that the Koran and Isiah are similar. I was trying to see how with a bit of sarcasm.

Posted by: mike at April 21, 2005 06:06 PM (+7Usq)

21 It is about time Arab Americans fought back against the profiling.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 21, 2005 06:20 PM (FV4oJ)

22 "All terrorists are muslims. I don't care if they strip search every damn one of them if it prevents YOUR kids from being blown up by a car bomb. Take your liberal bullshit somewhere else ya moonbat." If your trying to sound "conservative", your not ding it right. Your just sound like an ass. You dont have the right to strip every Muslim citizen just because a bunch of other crazy Muslim extremists are killing people in some other country. I dont think the muslims that got their photographs taken should be making a big deal out of it. But Iam pretty sure that once they find out your name sounds arabic, they start checking extra carefully.

Posted by: Anwar at April 21, 2005 06:44 PM (QeEbb)

23 Rusty: Mike was being facetious. (He's a good egg.)

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at April 21, 2005 06:51 PM (QSIH2)

24 "The Muslim religion is an evil one. They saw off heads in the name of God. They are the devil." What an idiot. Your the devil you stupid shit. You and idiots that think like you. The only people that saw off heads are terrorists. They use allah as an excuse to do so. Their not civilians, their not American citizens, their terrorists. You cant insult a religion like Islam that has over a billion believers just because a few terrorists claiming to be Islamic are killing people.

Posted by: Anwar at April 21, 2005 06:52 PM (QeEbb)

25 Well, Anwar, when the billion adherents start cleaning up the immense number of imams who preach exactly that kind of terrorism, then you might have a basis for your claim. Today, you don't.

Posted by: SPQR at April 21, 2005 09:45 PM (xauGB)

26 This chap says no ethnic profiling and no torture, domestic or outsourced.

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 21, 2005 09:47 PM (FV4oJ)

27 Hear, hear SPQR

Posted by: REMF at April 21, 2005 09:55 PM (3ejvo)

28 test

Posted by: angryblackman at April 22, 2005 07:15 AM (x+5JB)

29 Why don't the billions of moslems kill the motherfuckers giving them a bad name? Cause there's more than "a few". Filthys right.

Posted by: angryblackman at April 22, 2005 07:35 AM (x+5JB)

30 angryblackman; Righ on! They talk the talk but they don't walk the walk. Who supporting the terrorists? Where do they did their money? Where do they get their weapons? Who supplies their hiding places? Who teaches them how to make bombs? Answer: The muslim community.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 22, 2005 08:57 AM (CBNGy)

31 I see the Sunni Muslim dogs just blew up another Shiite mosque full of people at prayers. Eight dead. These Sunni faggots need to be remove from earth. When will civilization realize they are incompatible with modern society? Yesterday they shot down a helicopter loaded with civilians. One survivor, so as he lay badly wounded from the crash some brave muslim shot him three times. Such a proud, brave people.

Posted by: greyrooster at April 22, 2005 09:13 AM (CBNGy)

32 In order to get a CALIFORNIA DRIVERS LICENSE I had my hand grabbed and was fingerprinted! WTF! Who do I sue??? My 17 year old son was returning from a university course in Spain last summer, he had all his luggage searched with a fine toothed comb. It took him 45 extra minutes to get out of customs. Who do I sue??? Hey, American Civil Liberties Union, wanna take on OUR case... No??? I guess that is because we are caucasion!

Posted by: babs at April 22, 2005 11:23 AM (9y9J0)

33 I’m sorry, but I disagree. And chicken little brain (greyrooster) and others can testified that I am more left then right. But when 90% of terrorist acts are committed by Middle Eastern men between the age of 17 - 40, it is plain stupid “NOT” to do a more in depth search of these then you would for European, Chinese and Blacks. I mean, if pearls are only found inside oysters, are you going to start gutting lobsters to see if they have any pearls inside?

Posted by: Butch at April 22, 2005 04:22 PM (Gqhi9)

34 Butch, While you're at it, why not recommend the government profile every angry veteran who is driving a Ryder truck?

Posted by: Collin Baber at April 24, 2005 07:47 AM (fufbw)

35 Collin, When 90% of terrorist attacks start taking place by angry veterans driving Ryder trucks, I would want the government to do a more in depth look into angry vets. What I am saying is if you in Vegas and you have 1000 dollars at roulette, where should you bet your money, red, black or green. To bet on green is just plain stupid

Posted by: Butch at April 26, 2005 09:48 AM (Gqhi9)

36 Ive never seen so much hate and intolerance as on this thread... i sincerely dont care if you all die in a terrorist attack... and considering your views... it wont be long.

Posted by: William Volterman at May 04, 2005 11:45 AM (BFgeL)

37 Well, Anwar, when the billion adherents start cleaning up the immense number of imams who preach exactly that kind of terrorism, then you might have a basis for your claim. Today, you don't. Waco... or how many other christian sects are fuck nuts... how is it that your rules dont count towards christians... oh and by the way im christian so dont bitch about that...

Posted by: William Volterman at May 04, 2005 11:51 AM (BFgeL)

38 never forget how Evil are the teachings of ISLAM, Muslims are here to lie, kill,and take over the world if we let them. (rape your young while thier at it)

Posted by: raghead at November 08, 2005 05:45 PM (6mUkl)

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Wha? Ha. Ha-ha! Bwaaahaaahaaa!!

Must. Hold. Back. The. Comments.

CNN:

With the reins in one hand and a whip in the other, the purple-jerseyed rider prodded a camel around the track.

But this jockey wasn't the usual underfed boy. The jockey was a robot.

Under the watchful eyes of his Swiss developer and Qatari owners, the robot -- dubbed Kamel -- rode a racing camel for 1.5 miles, reaching speeds of 25 miles per hour in a non-competitive trial run.

By 2007, rulers of this energy-rich emirate say all camel racers will be mechanical....

Spurring the robots' development has been vehement condemnation from human rights groups of the sport's regular jockeys. Activists say there are about 40,000 boy jockeys, some as young as 4, who are either bought from their parents or kidnapped from their home countries and taken to the Gulf to ride. The boys live in bleak conditions and are underfed before races to keep their weight down.

In Qatar, ruling sheiks have responded to calls for banning the use of boy jockeys by embracing robots as the best solution.

Sheik Abdullah bin Saud, the Qatari official in charge of the project, said the plan is to keep developing the robot until it is ready to take over.

"Improve the speed, the weight, the aerodynamics, to reach the ultimate goal of completely phasing out children used as jockeys," Sheik Abdullah said.

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UPDATE 9/07: ROY HALLUMS RESCUED IN IRAQ!!!! Details here. Or try the Main Page.
-------------------------------

UPDATE: Part 1 of this interview is here.
In part 3, we interview Roy's daughter Carrie here.

American Roy Hallums was abducted from his temporary Baghdad home on November 1st, 2004. He was in Iraq as a civilian contractor working on rebuilding efforts. His mission had everything to do with helping the Iraqi people rebuild their country after decades of war, mismanagement, and terror under the Saddam Hussein regime.

I had the opportunity to have several e-mail conversations with both Susan Hallums and Carrie Hallums Cooper recently. They have graciously agreed to letting us interview them. What follows is part 2 in a series of interviews with the family of Roy Hallums. Part 1 of that interview can be found here. This segment continues the interview with Susan Hallums.

Susan is Roy Hallums ex-wife and the mother of Roy's two daughters, Amanda and Carrie. Susan is in the process of selling the small house she inherited from her mother. The proceeds from the sale will go for a reward offer for information on Roy's wherabouts in Iraq. You can support Roy Hallums family by sending donations to:

Free Roy Foundation
c/o Carrie Cooper
PO Box 947
Westminster, Ca. 92684

More information is on the Free Roy website.

Rust Shackleford: Ever since we crossed paths I've been following your story and have read that you are in constant contact with the wife of Roberto Tarongoy [a Filipino who was taken hostage with Roy]. Would you like to tell us anything about that relationship? Perhaps there is something you would like to say on behalf of the Tarongoy family?

Susan Hallums: I can't comment on this one Rusty, that is their request.

RS: Have you had any contact with any of the other families of hostages being held in Iraq? Jeffrey Ake, Tim Bell, Bill Bradley, or Dean Sadek, or Mohammed Monaf? If not, is there anything you would like to say to them if you could?

SH: No I havent . I called Jeffrey Ake's company and told them to please call me if they would like to talk to me. That I have been in these terrible shoes for 6 months and if I could help in any way please call me. He has my prayers and hopes that he is released right away. His family also has my prayers and my heart goes out to them. more...

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It's not exactly what you think. This is a procedural resignation, he'll be back as PM right-away. Guardian:

Silvio Berlusconi, faced with mounting criticism over Italy's sluggish economy and its involvement in Iraq, resigned Wednesday as premier but vowed to quickly form a stronger new Cabinet to restore confidence in his leadership.

Resigning and then immediately shuffling the Cabinet is an old trick of Italy's complicated political system, and has been used by premiers to strengthen faltering coalitions.

Berlusconi, who had presided over Italy's longest-serving government since World War II, had so far resisted the move, sensing it would dent his image as a new-style politician. On Wednesday, he suggested he would have preferred not to resign.

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Hooray for the Land Down Under! Defense Link (via Blogs of War):

Coalition forces in Iraq are welcoming the deployment of 450 more Australian military personnel. “These are great soldiers,” said a U.S. official in Baghdad, Iraq.
The new Australian contingent will bring the number of “Aussies” in country up to 1,370, officials at the Australian embassy here said.

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Collin sends me this Washington Times story, but the info in it is not new to The Jawa Report. Ever since Zarqawi's base of operations in Fallujah was discovered, reports have been trickling in that he might have WMD capability.

For awhile Zarqawi actually claimed to have WMD, but those claims seemed to have been more bluster than anything else. And Zarqawi did attempt to make chemical and biological weapons in Fallujah.

I seriously doubt this story, though. If Zarqawi actually had WMD capability, why has he not used it? The only thing that keeps me from dismissing such stories out of hand is the possibility that Zarqawi is trying to bring the war to the U.S. Something bin Laden has suggested to him.

The story claims that the device is in Afghanistan. A possibility, since Zarqawi was in that country prior to coming to Iraq. But again, it still seems unlikely.

I'm much more inclined to believe that Zarqawi or his people are spreading the rumor that they have a nuke. You know, it just makes him look that much more macho. What, you think cutting off a few infidels heads were going to keep the population from turning him in for this long?

UPDATE: Joyner agrees with my assessment. Chad at ITB has more. Heretical Ideas seems to disagree. more...

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Stefania, an Italian blogger over at Free Thoughts, e-mails me this urgent request from the pro-democracy Iranian group, the Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran ( SMCCDI ). It looks like they need some money to keep up their website, Daneshjoo and Iran Students, up and running. Dig deep if you can. more...

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