JERUSALEM NEWS
NEWS AND INFORMATION
Events, happenings, and Opinions Concerning
Israel, Israelites, Judah, and Everyone Else
Jerusalem News-719
Jerusalem News-719
6 Shebet 5768, 13 January 2008
Contents:
1. The Egyptian Military Build-Up and US
Complicity
2. The Al-Qaeda Native British Underground
3. Israel - A Banana Republic?
1. The Egyptian Military Build-Up and US
Complicity
a. An Egyptian perspective
Can Israel have it all?
Israel's ability to strike inside Syria with impunity is another reminder that
military parity simply doesn't exist in the region, Galal Nassar comments
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/662/re1.htm
b. The Facts
For background information See:
The Egyptian Military Build-Up: Why So Much?
Defense Update - News Analysis by David Eshel
http://www.defense-update.com/2005/01/egyptian-military-buildup-threat-to.html
This is an old article but it covers the subject quite well.
In summary:
The Egyptian military apparatus is quite formidable, and largely modernised.
The Egyptian fighting motivation in general may not be high but they are liable
to spring surprises on us in this regard.
The State of Israel could probably handle an Egyptian threat quite well under
normal circumstances but may be taken by surprise (as it was in the Yom Kippur War) and if faced with
difficulties on other fronts the inclusion of Egypt could be disastrous.
Egypt poses a threat to Israel due largely to MASSIVE US funding, military
support,supplies, and training.
Egypt is not faced with major threats from any direction.
The only purpose of the Egyptian build-up must be to pressure Israel or
eventually to use it against Israel. What has the USA to gain from this?
2. The Al-Qaeda
Native British Underground
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/AlQaeda39s-white-army-of-terror.3667425.jp
The Scotsman:
"Al-Qaeda's white army of terror"
by Richard Elias
Extracts:
HUNDREDS of British non-Muslims have been recruited by al-Qaeda to wage war
against the West, senior security sources warned last night.
As many as 1,500 white Britons are believed to have converted to Islam for the
purpose of funding, planning and carrying out surprise terror attacks inside the
UK, according to one MI5 source.
Lord Carlile, the Government's independent reviewer of anti-terrorism
legislation, said many of the converts had been targeted by radical Muslims
while serving prison terms.
Security experts say the growing secret army of white terrorists poses a
particularly serious threat as they are far less likely to be detected than
members of the Asian community.
Since the 7/7 and 21/7 London bombings, police and intelligence services have
had considerable success in identifying, disrupting and stopping extremist
plots. As a result, groups such as al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen have been forced to change tack. Converting white
non-Muslims has been one response.
The trend is well established in the United States. American-born Adam Gadahn is
one of the FBI's top 10 most-wanted terrorists after converting to Islam and
rising through al-Qaeda's ranks to become a prominent spokesman.
One British security source last night told Scotland on Sunday: "There could be
anything up to 1,500 converts to the fundamentalist cause across Britain. They
pose a real potential danger to our domestic security because, obviously, these
people blend in and do not raise any flags.
"The exact figure of those who have converted to Islam and turned to terror is
not precisely known. Not everyone who converts becomes radicalised and it may be
that just two-fifths go down that path, but it remains a significant and
dangerous problem."
Carlile said he was not aware of specific numbers, but confirmed to Scotland on
Sunday that Whitehall was aware of the new threat and was actively tackling it.
He said: "These people are an issue and are potentially very dangerous. There
have been cases of non-Muslims converting before, and of these, Richard Reid,
the so-called Shoebomber, is the most obvious example.
"They are more difficult to detect and the security services are right to place
some focus on this issue."
Carlile said the majority of converts were targeted when they were in prison:
"These (converts] are outside the standard type of profile which most police
forces would have of a terrorist, which is male, young, and of Middle Eastern or
Asian appearance. That is why they are so potentially dangerous."
Security experts say radical Muslims in prison have become adept at identifying
potential new recruits to their cause. Those in custody for the first time, the
young and the lonely are particularly susceptible.
Initially, the approach is made to comfort, console and support, with very
little reference, if any, to religion.
However, after several 'chats', the conversation will be turned towards the
subject and, gradually, over a period of weeks or months, it is possible to
complete the conversion.
Robert Leiken, director of the Immigration and National Security Programme and a
specialist on European Muslims based at the Nixon Centre in Washington DC, said:
"To me, the figure of 1,500 seems reasonable as many, perhaps less than a third,
will actually go on to become radicals.
"New religious recruits always tend to be more zealous than those who have grown
up with that specific religion."
Edwin Bakker, a Dutch-based security specialist, has studied at length the issue
of radical conversions. He said: "The question is relevant and timely. Newcomers
to Islam are extra-sensitive to perceived discrimination of Muslims and
Islam-bashing.
"They feel they have to defend Islam, one of the essential concepts of Jihad-
and they feel they have to prove themselves as newcomers."
But one of Scotland's leading Muslims disputed the claims of radicalisation,
saying Islam's strict moral code made it unattractive to many westerners.
Bashir Maan added: "I do not know of any Islamist terror group in Scotland and,
considering as a Muslim a person must pray five times daily, abstain from
drinking (and] sex outside marriage, adhere to strict dietary and many other
rules, it is impossible to convert to Islam a young person brought up in this
very liberal society.
"I agree that the security services must be vigilant and keep their eye on
everybody, but I think in this case they seem to be over-reacting."
3. Israel - A Banana Republic?
Israeli Military up in Arms over Bush-Olmert Plan for Major Operation in
Gaza on Behalf of? Palestinian Authority
http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1329
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