Al-Qaeda Affiliate Responsible For Somalian Genocide, Not Famine

From EDITOR'S Desk
September 05, 2011

SOMALIA NEWS - Somalia is suffering the worst. In sixty years this is the worst drought in the country. In last 3 months about 29,000 children have died, and in next few weeks about 100,000 more Somalis are expected to die. Who is responsible? Is it only famine that have destroyed the country to such an extent?

Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, has destroyed Somalia.

The Taliban-like organization has imposed strict Sharia law in the country taking over much of southern Somalia territory. It disallows all those humanitarian organizations which are associated in any way with the Western world in aiding the starving Somalis.

In January 2010, the al-Shabab expelled World Food Programme of United Nation. The group accused the programme being a United States proxy.

Is United States to be blamed for the famine?

United Nation has described the country for past several years as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. About 11.8 million people across "Horn of Africa" - eastern peninsula of Africa including Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti - have been affected of this crisis.

Somalia's current population is about 9.9 million, and one quarter of it has been displaced. About 1,500 people are escaping every day across the border in Kenya, in a refugee camp there. According to United Nation, more than 3.7 million people there need food and water, and it includes 1.25 million children. The United Nation data further reveals that 63% of southern Somalia is either starving or is at risk of starvation. The situation is far worst because only 20% of the people are being reached by relief workers.

In the present situation, a war is undergoing between the Federal Transitional Government (FTG) and al-Shabab. The group, which loosely translates as "the youth," enforces Sharia law and ruthlessly murders anyone trying taking over Somalia. The FTG is being supported by African Union troops and the West.

The biggest disadvantage of humanitarian aid is Al-Shabab stealing away all for feeding its militants, and even selling the aids to enable the fighting run longer and to continue it unending. A big question arises for the International community whether to continue the humanitarian aid.

The recent statement of Sheikh Muktar Abu Zubeir, leader of al-Shabab, says - "Aid agencies and some countries declared famine and pretend they want to help you. They do so for these reasons: for trade purposes, to convert you from your religion and to colonise you."

Are Somalis dying because of famine?

Are they dying because of the terror group preventing relief from getting to Somalis?

There are many regions around the world that suffer from drought but those regions cope up with the situation without ending up in famine. Even southern U.S. faces drought.

The U.S., so far, has provided more than $600 million aid support to Somalia, which is the highest than aids of any country. Way back in 2008 Washington designated al-Shabab to be a terrorist organization, and made it illegal to providing any aid to areas in control of the group. Even two charities were barred from drilling a bore hole as the water could be used by al-Shabab.

With all the blames on U.S. by critics, the state Department states to relax enforcement against charities providing humanitarian aid in Somalia. More to this, U.S. Agency for International Development announced further of providing additional $23 million to the Horn of Africa. Somalia alone gets $10 million from this amount.

Since 1969 the country has been in turmoil when military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre seized the control. He brought element of Islamic rule into the government. However, in 1991 his government collapsed and till date the country is suffering from getting any central government control.

Somalia gained independence in 1960 from western colonialists.

In 1993 a U.S. humanitarian effort was made with the U.N. to provide aid. It was the earlier days of draught. In the effort eighteen troops were killed in Somalia by militants, backed by Osama bin Laden. The situation and incidence have been documented in a movie named Blackhawk Down.

The Somalia-based operation of Laden blew up U.S. embassies in 1998 in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Kenya. In the bombings 320 people were killed. In 2009 U.S. found and killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, top al-Qaeda operative behind the bombings.

By 2008 the terror group colluded with the Somali pirates for stealing ransoms and bounties. Now Somalia is in shambles with most of the infrastructures wiped out including schools and landline phones.

What should be done about Somalia?

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September 05, 2011 | 0 comments

Pak Ranger Gets Death Sentence For Killing Unarmed Civilian

By STAFF Writer
August 12, 2011

A paramilitary Rangers force member of Pakistan has been sentenced to death for killing unarmed civilian Sarfaraz Shah in June. Five other Rangers have been given life imprisonment along with a civilian by the anti-terrorism court today. A fine of 200,000 rupees and 100,000 rupees have been imposed on each rangers and the civilian respectively.

Sarfaraz Shah was killed in Karachi, which was caught on a video and televised through different media. This deepen anger of people against Pakistan security forces that were earlier considered as a failure in detecting the US commando raid in the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in May this year.

The video footage of the killing showed Sarfaraz Shah being shot by the Rangers in a public park at a close range in Karachi.

The civilian who has been imposed life imprisonment is seen in the footage grabbing hair of Sarfaraz Shah and dragging him over to the Rangers. One soldier shoots Shah twice even after he is seen pleading for mercy. The footage ends showing Shah falling to the ground in a pool of blood and the Rangers stood around.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik, despite any evidence in the video footage, claimed Shah had been carrying unlicensed weapon. Rehman's ministry is responsible for the Rangers.

Sarfaraz Shah's brother Salik Shah said, "We are satisfied with the punishment, and we hope that the higher courts will also keep them and overturn the appeals of the accused."


Earlier, after the shooting footage was broadcast, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned it saying that extrajudicial killings are increasingly becoming common in the country. As a followup to this, the head of the paramilitary Rangers force and the Sindh police chief were fired by authorities in compliance with a Supreme Court order.

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August 12, 2011 | 0 comments

Pakistan Leaks C.I.A Officer's Name, Angered US

C.I.A Officers Name Leaked In Pakistan Media

By STAFF Writer
May 11, 2011

PAKISTAN NEWS - A top C.I.A spy has been identified by the Pakistani news media, which triggered anger in Central Intelligence Agency, accusing Pakistan to complicated the work of the agency aftermath Osama bin Laden's hunt.

The leak of the agent's identification has opened a row of rifts between C.I.A and the Pakistani spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, or ISI. Pakistan has already stained its relationship with US over the fact that Bin laden hid in the country for years. However, in an address before Parliament, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly denied any knowledge and responsibility for Bin Laden hideout in Abbottabad,

Prime Minister Gilani to boot condemned the United States for its intrusion without consent and called it violation of the country's sovereignty. Further, he added Laden's presence in the country of years actually an intelligence failure of the "whole world". He also denied any involvement of ISI or army with al-Qaeda's chief and dismissed all suspects of American.

The prime minister's statement and consequently leak of C.I.A official's identification signaled a fragile relation between two countries, witnessing lesser transparency and cooperation from Pakistan.

The Pakistan spy agency gave the identity of C.I.A station chief to The Nation, a conservative daily newspaper, popularly known for staunch supporter of ISI. It is believed that the ISI occasionally plants stories in news media and also alleged to pay some top level journalists.

It is unknown that whether the name was deliberately misspelled in the newspaper or not, but it opens the identification. This is the second time when ISI have done this type of deliberate revelation.
Last December, the covered of the station chief was unveiled by the ISI and eventually C.I.A had to leave the country. It is reported that the station chief started receiving death threats and forced to leave the country.

The new station chief has shown reluctance to leave the country. He is considered one of the sharpest and toughest undercover C.I.A officers and the man behind the supervision of the raid against Osama bin Laden.

A few incidents have testified the acrimonious relationship between new station chief and the ISI chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

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May 11, 2011 | 0 comments

Who Gains Who Loses After Laden's Death

PERSPECTIVE
TUESDAY, May 10, 2011

US President Barack Obama - THUMBS UP

The US President has seen his dismal approvals surge by as much as 15 percent points. More usefully, killing Obama bin Laden has killed off Republicans claims he was a security wimp. But it isn't all politics. Obama has been just as determined as George W. Bush on destroying Al Qaeda.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh - SMALL UP

India gains because Pakistan is down. Sort of. India has been busy pointing out that the Pakistani military is in ca boots with every possible terrorist you can name. But Singh is too focussed on his peace drive to make much of what's happening in Afghanistan. Perhaps Kayani will be more realistic about his country's future - in which case the talks may actually be fruitful.

General Ashfaq Kayani of Pakistan Army - BIG DOWN

There is strong speculation the Pakistani army chief will be told to retire. Otherwise, Kayani was looking good. He had Hamid Karzai over a barrel, Manmohan Singh in a corner. The US was pumping in billions. He could still win Afghanistan but for many Pakistanis he will just bet the soldier who let the country's guard down.

Al Qaeda - BIG DOWN

Given that so many of its affiliates and members had sworn oath of fealty to Bin Laden himself the groups main problem will be keeping everything together. Al Qaeda needs some spectacular evil otherwise it may find itself overtaken by other, younger terror groups. We know one thing: Ayman al Zawahiri, the bookish number two, won't hack it when it comes to street cred.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai - SMALL UP

After the Abbottabad incident, Karzai crowed how it had once again been shown that terrorism wasn't an Afghan phenomenon, it was a Pakistani one. But he still has too few options. He's being forced to seek talks with the Taliban and toe the Pakistani line. Bin Laden's death may help, but his problems are Af and Pak, not Arab.

Taliban - POTENTIAL UP

The Taliban are a cluster of Afghan militant groups. Their friendship with the Arab-dominated Al Qaeda made them the targets of the US military machine. They now have the chance to become bigger than everyone. If they play their cards right they could get the US to begin leaving Afghanistan. If they play them better they could end up ruling Kabul again.

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May 10, 2011 | 2 comments

Twitter Revolution: Bin Laden Raid Tweeted Live

By ONE Liners Agency
TUESDAY, May 03, 2011

The U.S. force raid on Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was tweeted live, unknowingly, by an IT consultant in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Sohaib Athar, living in Abbottabad where bin Laden was killed, tweeted initially before the assault that a overhead helicopter was hovering. He added that the helicopter may not be of Pakistan government.

Athar was not aware that he was tweeting about the biggest milestone of U.S. war against terrorism until Barack Obama announced on national television that Laden is dead.

At 1 a.m. local time Athar posted his first tweet. He said, "Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event)."

Next he tweeted about a loud sound of as explosion which is now known to all about the U.S. forces blowing up their damaged helicopter.

Athar tweeted, "A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S."

While the assault was in progress, this IT consultant also drew information from local friends in the area who were online at the same time.

He said in his tweet, "The few people online at this time of the night are saying one of the copters was not Pakistani..."

He continued, "People are saying it was not a technical fault and it was shot down. I heard it CIRCLE 3-4 times above, sounded purposeful."

According to the US officials, the raid was for 40 mins. Athar tweeted two hours later that still a military presence is there in the area.

Athar's biography in Twitter describes him as: "An IT consultant taking a break from the rat-race by hiding in the mountains with his laptops."

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May 03, 2011 | 0 comments

Who Tops U.S. Most Wanted List After Laden's Death

By STAFF Writer
TUESDAY, May 03, 2011

After the death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden on Sunday in Pakistan, the official website of F.B.I. gets an update. It layered a red box over the black and white portrait of Osama with the word "DECEASED."

The Al-Qaida leader was on the top of the U.S. "most wanted" list with a reward of $27 million, though U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not mention about payment of any reward in a news conference on Monday.

F.B.I has now eliminated Osama from the Most Wanted list and Ayman al-Zawahiri takes the top spot. His name is associated with a reward of $25 million and he is the only other person on the list presently carrying a reward of such huge amount.

Up to $5 million is rewarded for information that leads to the capture of wanted militants or its conviction and $1 million for others.

State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security administers the Most Wanted lists reward program.

Now, who is Ayman al-Zawahiri?

Ayman al-Zawahiri is the person behind bombings of U.S. Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya on August 7, 1998. He is the founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), organization that opposes the secular Egyptian Government. It is believed that in 1988 the EIJ merged with Al Qaeda.

OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD
Al-Qaida Leaders Were In Pakistan On 9/11: WikiLeaks

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May 03, 2011 | 0 comments

Link Between Harry Potter And Osama Bin Laden

By ONE Liners Agency
MONDAY, May 02, 2011

The U.S. war against terrorism has achieved a milestone, the most important milestone with the controversial death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. Over the years his death was a suspense as several times rumor spread that Laden has been killed in the mountains and caves of Afghanistan. Parallel to it, connection of Harry Potter series with Laden is also much talked about.

It is learned from reliable websites that the first movie of the Harry Potter series, Sorcerer’s Stone, released in November 2001, just months after 9/11, had similarities with Laden and his terror network. The movie brings to light the ongoing conflict between the little wizard and the evil Voldemort who is bent on killing him.


Earlier known as “He Who Must Not Be Named,” Voldermort was completely an unknown entity. He was much like Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden that has been seen in the last volume of the Potter series in a seismic one-on-one combat.

The final series of the movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, will be on multiplexes this July and it is surly going to profit off the death of Laden. The movie contains complete epic of evil villain and his network of loyal terrorists. Moreover, the Voldemort dies on May 2 in the movie, and Laden's death news was confirmed on May 1st. So, basically it seems a similar story.


The big question - Will moviegoers recognize the similarity of the plot with bin Laden?

Well, one thing to take note here that the book series of "Harry Potter" predates the 9/11 events of 2001.

Game Review:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2

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May 02, 2011 | 1 comments

OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD

By STAFF Writer
Monday, May 02, 2011

Al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden is Dead, says U.S. President Barack Obama.

Al-Qaida mastermind and the most wanted face of terrorism Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in a firefight with United States forces on Sunday, announced President Obama.

Mr. President declared in a dramatic late-night appearance in White House East Room that "justice has been done."

Six days after 9/11 WTC attacks a reporter asked the then U.S. President George W. Bush, "Do you want Bin Laden dead?" Bush replied, "I want him — I want justice." About a decade after the quest ended with the death of Osama.

Crowds outside White House after the news of Laden's death flashed

In a 80-minute confrontation with American forces in the medium-sized city of Abbttabad in Pakistan came end of Bin Laden. He was presumed to be hiding for long in this remote tribal area, about an hour's drive from Islamabad and home to Pakistani military base.

The massive compound where he was sheltered included a house about eight times larger than other homes in the locality. The house, however, had no Internet connections and not even a telephone.

According to a senior administration official, when American operatives converged, Osama "resisted the assault force" and in the middle of intense gun battle he was killed.

The official added further that first time last summer intelligence and military officials learned about a "high-value target" being protected in the compound. Since then a plan was being worked to get Laden. President Obama presided few national security meetings in beginning of March at the White House to discuss about the operation plan and on Friday morning he gave the final order of strike.

Al-Qaida Leaders Were In Pakistan On 9/11: WikiLeaks

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May 02, 2011 | 1 comments

Osama in Pakistan, says US Vice President

PAKISTAN & AFGHANISTAN NEWS: Joe Biden, US Vice President said that the Taliban and al-Qaida leaders are hiding in Pakistan's tribal areas, where the US is fighting a war on terror. Even Osama bin Laden is hiding there he said in an interview to CNN.

Biden said, "In the FATA, the western part of Pakistan in the mountains on the Afghan border, that is a war on terror. That's where al-Qaida lives. That's where bin Laden is. That's where the most radicalized part of the Taliban is"

He also added, "The situation we have as it relates to problems that exist in other parts of the world, they aren't all related to terror," while replying to a question that if the
the Obama administration has stopped use of the phrase "global war on terror."

The vice president asserted there is a war on terror. He said that terror is a legitimate threat. It is a threat which comes from al-Qaida and all other organisations that have morphed off of al-Qaida, but there are other interests that the government have beyond merely - for example, the crisis in the Middle East is not at all a global war on terror. But it matters to the US mightily whether or not to end up with an accommodation between the Israelis and the Palestinians," he said.

Joe Biden said Obama administration is fully concerned that al-Qaida has reconstituted itself under the administration of in the mountain regions on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Labels: Osama in Pakistan says US Vice President, Osama Bin Laden, Joe Biden, Vice President of USA, Pakistan News

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April 08, 2009 | 0 comments