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Showing posts from December 28, 2014

Taliban says Pakistan Army fooled youth for blood game in Kashmir

NEW DELHI: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has released a new video accusing the Pakistani Army of attacking the 'Mujahideens' even after using them for "blood game" and "proxy war" in  Jammu and Kashmir  in the name of "so-called freedom" and in Afghanistan. The video purportedly of its senior Commander  Adnan Rashid , a former  Pakistan Air Force  official who was involved in an attack on ex-dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf, calls upon the soldiers of Pakistani Army to join the TTP listing the atrocities committed by the force including "killing of millions" and "raping of own sisters" during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. In his little over 15-minute long video released before Christmas, Rashid accuses  Pakistan Army officers, the "Brahmins" of the force, of treating their juniors as "Shudras". Rashid, in what appears to be British-accented English, says in the video released by TTP's media w

BIFF raid 2 outposts : Philippines

A GOVERNMENT trooper was killed while three others were wounded after the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters launched simultaneous attacks on two military detachments in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao before dawn Saturday. Army Capt Joan Petinglay, spokesperson of the Army’s 6th Division, said the BIFF rebels attacked outposts of the 33rd Infantry Battalion at General Salipada Pendatun town in Maguindanao and President Quirino town in Sultan Kudarat around 1 a.m. Petinglay said government troops had to fight the rebels for an hour, resulting in the casualties in Maguindanao, before they withdrew from the area. The identities of the four were withheld pending notifications of their next-of-kin. She added that the casualties were immediately evacuated by responding troops from the 62nd  Division Reconnaissance Company and brought to a nearby hospital for treatment. Petinglay surmised the attack may have been meant to derail the ongoing peace process between the Moro Islamic Liberation F

Islamic State kidnaps dozens of men in northern Iraq

BAGHDAD: Tribal leaders say militants linked to the Islamic State group have rounded up dozens of men from two villages in northern   Iraq  following a quarrel that led to the burning of the extremist group's flag.   Two sheiks said Saturday that the militants entered a mosque in the village of   al-Shajara  during Friday prayers, removing flags commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad and hoisting their own black Islamic State group flag.  They said around 140 men were later taken from their homes in al-Shajara and from the nearby village of   al-Ghariba , both outside the city of   Kirkuk . About 100 of the men were later set free while the rest remained in captivity, they said.  The sheiks spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their own safety 

Two blasts target Assam Rifles troops

An ambush occurred on new year's eve at Kwatha Khunnou near the international border. Some personnel of 24 Assam Rifles escaped unhurt.  The insurgents had exploded two bombs using remote control devices in quick succession and opened fire. There were retaliations from the troopers shortly. Later, the insurgents escaped towards their camps at no man's land. Meanwhile, combined forces have arrested two insurgents in Thoubal district and recovered a China made pistol along with four rounds of ammunition. Search operations are now intensified against the insurgents.

ISIS reportedly releases guide to raising an extremist baby

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ISIS reportedly releases guide to raising an extremist baby Teresa Mull  | December 31, 2014 "Sister's Role in Jihad," a guide for mothers raising jihadi babies, has surfaced online. It appears to be an indoctrination handbook that instructs mothers in the best methods to raise an extremist child. The U.S-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) published the book "ahead of a new report condemning how children are being indoctrinated into radical Islam," the  Daily Mail reports. According to the  Mail , the book advises that children be trained to play with toy guns, shown jihadi  websites, read jihadi bedtime stories, and encouraged to participate in sports such as darts to improve their aim. It bans singing, dancing, and most sports, and features images of young boys holding guns, Islamic banners, even a severed head. The guide was posted anonymously on a file-sharing site and its authors are unknown, though according to the  Mail , "it is thou

How An Extremist Changed His Ways

Read the re-released 'Memoirs' of Yossi Klein Halevi to understand Jewish rage and violence. The Jewish Week Talk about bad timing. Yossi Klein Halevi’s re-released book, “Memoirs of a Jewish Extremist: The Story of a Transformation,” was first published 19 years ago, two days after Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin was assassinated. It should have become a best seller for at least two reasons. First, its clear, perceptive writing offers up a remarkable self-portrait of a teenage Jewish Defense League activist in the mid-1960s through the early ’70s. Halevi at first is captivated by the militancy of the group’s charismatic leader, Rabbi Meir Kahane. But his admiration eventually turns to disillusionment and he comes to repudiate both the movement and its leader. Second, its understanding of Jewish rage and violence sheds eerie light on tragedies, then and now. Rabin’s murderer, who was influenced by Rabbi Kahane, was an Orthodox Jew who believed he was saving Israel by kill

German extremist attack on Turkish business owner

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14:55, 02 January 2015 Friday A Turkish business owner was stabbed in the arm by three right wing extremists after he told them his business was closed for the evening. World Bulletin / News Desk A Turkish man, in the German south west city of Pforzheim was attacked by members of the far right on New Years Eve. Ibrahim Kural, a Turkish kebab shop owner, was attacked and knifed in the arm and is currently in hospital seeking medical attention. Turkish Consul General Serhan Aksen requested information from enforcement authorities regarding the incident and said that he will visit the family as well as the injured man today. In their report, police said the attackers were two brothers and that they were armed with knives as well as gas guns. Police said that they were released and that an investigation into the charges had begun. A third person of interest was unable to be found. Currently being treated in hospital and saying that his health condition was improving, Kural told Anadolu Age

2014 deadliest year in Iraq since 2006-07: UN

BAGHDAD: At least 12,282 civilians were killed and 23,126 others injured in 2014, making it the deadliest year in Iraq since 2006-2007 marked by sectarian violence, according to a new UN statement. "The Iraqi ordinary citizen continues to suffer from violence and terrorism. 2014 has seen the highest number of casualities since the violence in 2006-2007," the statement quoted Nickolay Mladenov, UN envoy and chief of UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, as saying. During the last month of 2014 alone, 1,101 Iraqis were killed and 1,868 others injured in terrorist attacks and violence across Iraq, Xinhua reported citing the statement. That toll includes 680 civilians and 421 security personnel. "Once again, I call on all political actors in Iraq to come together and find peaceful solutions to the problems that face the country," Mladenov said. "I do hope that 2015 will be a year in which this can be done." The security situation in Iraq has drastically deteriorated

Assam had highest conflict induced IDPs in the world in 2014

Assam had the highest conflict induced Internally Displaced Persons in the world during the year 2014, according to a report prepared by Asian Centre for Human Rights and released here today. The report was prepared following field visits to the affected areas and claimed that there are over 3,00,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Assam, which is the highest in the world during last year. The displaced persons are currently reeling under a man-made humanitarian crisis in 85 relief camps in four districts of Assam– Sonitpur, Kokrajhar, Udalguri and Chirang districts, ACHR’s Director Suhas Chakma said. The IDPs, mainly Adivasis, have been fleeing their homes following the killing of over 80 Adivasis by the NDFB(S) on December 23 in Sonitpur, Kokrajhar and Chirang districts. An ACHR team assisted by the Adivasi civil society organisations visited the affected areas on December 27 and the team had limited access as curfew was imposed in Sonitpur and Udalguri districts. The police d

Fight on Guns Is Being Taken to State Ballots

WASHINGTON — The gun control movement, blocked in Congress and facing mounting losses in federal elections, is tweaking its name, refining its goals and using the same-sex marriage movement as a model to take the fight to voters on the state level. After a victory in November on a Washington State ballot measure that will require broader background checks on gun buyers, groups that promote gun regulations have turned away from Washington and the political races that have been largely futile. Instead, they are turning their attention — and their growing wallets — to other states that allow ballot measures. An initiative seeking stricter background checks for certain buyers has qualified for the 2016 ballot in Nevada, where such a law was passed last year by the Legislature and then vetoed by the governor. Advocates of gun safety — the term many now use instead of “gun control” — are seeking lines on ballots in Arizona, Maine and Oregon as well. “I can’t recall ballot initiatives focused

When al qaeda almost took over a frigate

This is possibly the second failed attempt by Pakistan to infiltrate and carry out a strike on Indian waters. The first was by the Al-Qaeda in the sub-continent where in they tried to hijack a missile frigate and launch attacks from the sea. [ Updates: "Treat all Pak vessels as jihadi threats", Coast Guard was told ] The attempt by the Al-Qaeda in the Sub Continent was however thwarted possibly due to pressure from both India and the US. Naval officers were involved The Al-Qaeda in the sub continent however decided to go ahead and claim responsibility for this although it was a failed attempt. They revealed through their privately circulated magazine that they had attempted hijacking a frigate in a bid to launch attacks on US and Indian vessels. [ Sajid Mir ordered shipping of 60,000 rounds ammunition into India by sea ] It was also claimed by them that they had ample support from former naval officers of the Pakistan navy. One of the former officers named by them was Owais K

At least seven killed in Al-Shabab attack at Somali military base

MOGADISHU: Somalian Al-Shabab militants attacked a military base in the outskirts of the town of Baidoa Friday morning, killing at least seven soldiers, a Somali military official said. The attack came two days after the United States  said it had killed the chief of Al-Shabab’s intelligence and security wing, Tahliil Abdishakur, in a drone strike. Al-Shabab seeks to topple the Western-backed  Mogadishu government and impose its own strict version of Islamic law. “Al-Shabab attacked our base unexpectedly, early in the morning today. We lost seven soldiers,” Capt. Ahmad Idow, a Somali military officer, told  Reuters  by telephone from Baidoa. Idow said Somali soldiers killed three Al-Shabab insurgents during the attack. A spokesman for Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab said the group had briefly seized the base and killed more than 10 soldiers. Al-Shabaab often cites a higher death toll than the number given by officials. “We fiercely attacked the military base near Baidoa,” Sheikh Abdiasis Ab

Terrorist group DHKP-C claims foiled attack in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace

A statement released on Friday on a website affiliated with the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) claimed that the terrorist organization orchestrated the foiled attack on Istanbul's Dolmabahçe Palace on Thursday. The DHKP-C is known for its brazen attack on the U.S. embassy in the capital Ankara in 2013, which ended with the deaths of the suicide bomber and a Turkish guard as well as a string of attacks in the capital targeting government and police buildings. The group said in the statement that Fırat Özçelik, "one of our warriors," carried out the attack. Özçelik hurled two grenades at the police honor guard posted outside the Ottoman-era palace, located near Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's office. The grenades failed to explode and the man then drew a pistol but it misfired. The honor guards jumped on the man and he was arrested. He is currently in detention. The DHKP-C statement said the attack was in retaliation for the death of Berkin

Moscow warns Ukraine 'on Nazi path'

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A torch-lit march held in Kiev to honor a controversial anti-Soviet resistance leader shows Ukraine is following in the footsteps of the Nazis, a senior Russian foreign ministry official said Friday.  "Torch-lit marches in Ukraine demonstrate that it is continuing to move along the path of the Nazis! And this is in the center of civilized Europe!" Konstantin Dolgov, the foreign ministry's human rights envoy, wrote on Twitter.  Kiev march in support of anti-Soviet hero (Photo: EPA) Dolgov was referring to a procession attended by thousands in Kiev on Thursday to celebrate the 106th birthday of Stepan Bandera, leader of World War II-era Ukrainian insurgents who battled against both the Soviets and the Nazis, but at times collaborated with Nazi forces who had invaded the Soviet Union. Russian President Vladimir Putin has branded Bandera "Hitler's accomplice," while Russian media frequently refers to all those who back Kiev in the conflict in Ukraine as "Ba

US Special Forces forced to abandon attempt to free Jordanian fighter pilot held hostage by ISIS after being shot down in Syria when their helicopters come under heavy fire

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By Jack Crone for MailOnline  12:25 02 Jan 2015, updated 22:11 02 Jan 2015 Failed mission took place in ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, north eastern Syria Heavy raids carried out while  coalition  forces attempted to deploy troops But two gunships carrying would-be-rescuers were forced to abort mission Jordanian pilot Muadh al-Kasasbeh was captured by ISIS on December 24 Two rescue missions carried out by US Special Forces to save hostages held by ISIS in Syria ended in failure last night, according to reports. The botched operations took place in ISIS' de facto capital city of Raqqa yesterday - with the objective being to retrieve a number of hostages being held in the jihadist stronghold in northeastern Syria. Among the captives they hoped to save was Muadh al-Kasasbeh - the Jordanian pilot who was captured by ISIS after his plane was downed over their territory. Scroll down for video   Failed operation: Two rescue missions carried out by US Special Forces to save hostages, including

Did another boat of Pakistani terrorists get away?

PANAJI: After a suspicious Pakistani boat, on being intercepted by the Coast Guard, exploded off the Gujarat coast on Thursday, the Indian authorities are said to be keeping an eye on a second suspected terror vessel near the maritime borders of the two countries. Top sources told TOI that the second boat, which also came from Karachi, was spotted around the same time as the first one, by the second sortie of a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft that flew in from Porbandar. The authorities have been monitoring the Pakistani vessel off Keti Bandar, a port on the Arabian Sea, in the Thatta district of Sindh province. An official confirmed that the Coast Guard had been monitoring the two boats that came from Pakistan since December 31. "The first one blew itself up after it was being chased by the Coast Guard ship near the maritime border off Keti Bandar. There was allegedly a second boat as well which was in operation. The search is on for the second boat. The second boat tried to mingle

FARC Calls for Colombia to Grasp Peace Opportunities in 2015

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has denounced a series of hostile acts by the national army, which puts the fragile  peace process  between the parties at risk. In a statement issued from Havana, Cuba, where senior representatives are involved iun peace talks with the Colombian government, the FARC say army movements have been noted in guerrilla-held areas. Particularly in the region of Cauca, where Colombian soldier Carlos Becerra Ojeda, was  released  by the FARC Friday. On 24 and 25 December, various guerrilla fronts of the FARC reported bombing offensives, landings and increased troop presence and "were directed to act with the utmost restraint, seeking to not initiate combat." "We alert the general public, political movements, and organizations in charge of the verification of these provocative troop deployments, that these situations are created by those who seek to generate conflict to then accuse the FARC of violating the ceasefire" states

Mas & Urkullu Hold Second Catalan–Basque Summit To Combat Madrid’s “Growing Recentralisation”

Following a meeting in the Basque Country at the start of May, Catalan First Minister Artur Mas and Basque First Minister Iñigo Urkullu held a second regional summit on Sunday at Ajuria Enea Palace—the seat of the Basque First Minister—to discuss the “institutional crisis” in Spain. A joint statement published by both regional governments said the two leaders had discussed the political processes each Spanish region is undertaking to “make its political status more adequate”. “Although the models and procedures are specific to each case, both Iñigo Urkullu and Artur Mas have shown concern for the strategy of growing recentralisation the Spanish government is following, unilaterally breaking the basic political consensuses reached three decades ago.” “Both leaders have agreed to work together to face this process, respecting the ways self-government in both Catalonia and the Basque Country are being developed and updated.” Mr. Mas and Mr. Urkullu also discussed “the growing lack of pres

Heavy firing between NDFB (S), Assam Rifles in Sonitpur

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An encounter on Friday took place between NDFB-Songbijit militants and 12  Assam Rifles  personnel in Itakhola area of Assam's Sonitpur district along Arunachal Pradesh, a police officer said. Heavy firing was reported, but there was no report of any injury or casualty so far, district Superintendent of Police Sanjukta Parashar said. A group of 12 NDFB-S militants came to the Assam side and when the security forces encountered them, they fired upon the personnel leading to an exchange of bullets, police sources added. Source  http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-heavy-firing-between-ndfb-s-assam-rifles-in-sonitpur-2049112

Police detain 14 suspected PKK-affiliated YDG-H members in Erzincan

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Police detained 10 YDG-H members after a fighting between nationalists and Kurdish groups on Saturday. (Photo: DHA) January 02, 2015, Friday/ 15:09:52/  TODAYSZAMAN.COM  The Erzincan Police Department's counterterrorism unit conducted dawn raids against the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H) -- an affiliate of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) -- across the province and detained 14 people suspected of being linked with the group. Erzincan's counterterrorism police backed by riot police staged the simultaneous operations in a number districts in Erzincan around 5:30 a.m. on Friday. Fourteen people are suspected of being linked with the YDG-H, which carries out provocative attacks from time to time in the city. A number of documents and computers were also seized during the operations. The 14 suspected YDG-H members were reportedly taken to the Erzincan Police Department's counterterrorism unit for interrogation. A wide investigation has been launche

The PKK: An obsolete organization

The secularist nation-building experiment, along with Turkish modernization and government practices, resulted in unbelievable grievances, bloodshed and tears. At the same time, these negative experiences exerted a major influence on the development, maturation and sophistication of various political movements across the political spectrum. During this period, both those right-leaning and leftists have received their fair share of Kemalist ideology. Unfortunately, only a handful of political movements have been able to break the cycle of indoctrination - the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) representing one such exception. There are a number of methods to establish whether a given movement has broken free from the past century's vicious cycle, but one can achieve the same result with a simple question: how different are your actions today than last century's? Alternatively, how is your political, social and organizational standing different from that of your origins? Di