European Officials: Norwegian Trained By Al Qaeda Offshoot In Yemen Awaiting Orders To Attack West, ‘He Is Operational’

Associated Press – “A Norwegian man has received terrorist training from Al Qaeda’s offshoot in Yemen and is awaiting orders to carry out an attack on the West, officials from three European security agencies told The Associated Press on Monday.

Western intelligence officials have long feared such a scenario — a convert to Islam who is trained in terrorist methods and can blend in easily in Europe and the United States, traveling without visa restrictions.

Officials from three European security agencies confirmed Monday the man is ‘operational,’ meaning he has completed his training and is about to receive a target. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. They declined to name the man, who has not been accused of a crime.

‘We believe he is operational and he is probably about to get his target,’ one security official said. ‘And that target is probably in the West.’

A security official in a second European country confirmed the information, adding: ‘From what I understand, a specific target has not been established.’

European security services, including in Norway, have warned in recent years of homegrown, radicalized Muslims traveling to terror training camps in conflict zones. Many of the known cases involve young men with family roots in Muslim countries.

But the latest case involves a man in his 30s with no immigrant background, the officials said.” Read more.

Flashback: 35 Islamic Terror Training Camps Now Operating … Inside the United States– “A radical jihadist group responsible for nearly 50 attacks on American soil is operating 35 terrorist training camps across the nation, but the U.S. government refuses to include the organization on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorists. Jamaat ul-Fuqra, known in the U.S. as ‘Muslims of America,’ has purchased or leased hundreds of acres of property – from New York to California – in which the leader, Sheikh Mubarak Gilani, boasts of conducting ‘the most advanced training courses in Islamic military warfare.’ In a recruitment video captured from Gilani’s ‘Soldiers of Allah,’ he states in English: ‘We are fighting to destroy the enemy. We are dealing with evil at its roots and its roots are America.’” Read more.

Flashback: Experts: Islamist Terror Cells in Europe May Now Pose Biggest Threat to US Security – “Experts testifying before a congressional committee say the threat of terrorism may be greatest at present from Islamist terror cells in European countries. The experts told the House Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats that a combination of factors lead them to believe terrorist cells in Europe may pose the biggest threat to the security of the United States and its interests. Peter Bergen, who has written on al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, is among those who see a trend of growing alienation of Muslims in European countries as feeding the aims of terrorist groups seeking new members.” Read more.

Rumor: ‘Netanyahu Has Decided To Attack Iran Before The U.S. Elections In November’

By Michael Carmichael, Global Research – “Senior Israeli officials now confirm that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has, ‘decided to attack Iran before the U.S. elections in November.’

Netanyahu’s agenda is much broader than knocking out Iranian nuclear installations for his aim is to reshape the political landscape in the USA and Israel shifting everything to the far, far right in order to create a new comfort zone for religious fundamentalists.

Netanyahu’s major backer, Sheldon Adelson, is now firmly behind Mitt Romney, and they are known to believe that an Israeli attack on Iran in September or October will displace Obama and many dovish Democrats in Congress and establish a hawkish regime in Washington.

Israel has agreed to restrain any attack on Iran until after the current round of five talks between Iran and the P5+1 that will come to an end in either late July or August:

‘U.S., Israel continue preparations for strike on Iran nuclear facilities.

The website cites U.S. defense contracts and Israel’s new military preparations, suggesting that ‘all sides are getting ready for whatever may come.’

Israel and the U.S. are pushing forward with preparations to jointly strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, the U.S. blog Business Insider reported on Saturday.

‘U.S. defense contracts, an Iranian F-16 acquisition, and Israel’s new military preparations suggest that all sides are getting ready for whatever may come,’ the report says.

According to the blog, the U.S navy has recently signed a $338 million contract with defense contractor Raytheon to ‘provide the Navy with 361 Tomahawk cruise missiles in their most recent configuration. According to the website, the U.S. is either renewing its stock of missiles or planning ahead.

‘On May 9,’ the report added, ‘the U.S. House of Representatives passed the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, which seeks to ‘reaffirm the commitment to Israel’s security as a Jewish state; provide Israel with the military capabilities to defend itself by itself against any threats… [and] expand military and civilian cooperation.’

A senior Israeli official recently told Reuters that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to attack Iran before the U.S. elections in November.” (Haretz, June 23, 2012, emphasis added)

Military experts have long agreed that the ‘sweet spot’ for an Israeli attack on Iran will be

FBI Tracking 100 Suspected Islamic Extremists In US Military

Looks like the Fort Hood massacre may not have been nothing more than simple “workplace violence” after all. I hope nobody tells Barack Obama or Eric Holder about this. They might blow a gasket and demand that charges be filed against the FBI for religious discrimination …

“But, but, the Holy Qur’an says …”

By Dina Temple-Raston, NPR – “The FBI has conducted more than 100 investigations into suspected Islamic extremists within the military, NPR has learned. About a dozen of those cases are considered serious.

Officials define that as a case requiring a formal investigation to gather information against suspects who appear to have demonstrated a strong intent to attack military targets. This is the first time the figures have been publicly disclosed.

The FBI and Department of Defense call these cases ‘insider threats.’ They include not just active and reserve military personnel but also individuals who have access to military facilities such as contractors and close family members with dependent ID cards.

Officials would not provide details about the cases and the FBI would not confirm the numbers, but they did say that cases seen as serious could include, among others things, suspects who seem to be planning an attack or were in touch with ‘dangerous individuals’ who were goading them to attack.

Details Revealed At Closed Congressional Hearing

The FBI and the Department of Defense declined to discuss the figures on the record, but three sources with direct knowledge confirmed that the numbers were revealed in a closed session of a House-Senate committee hearing in December. The FBI also declined to say whether it has compiled more up-to-date figures since that time.

‘I was surprised and struck by the numbers; they were larger than I expected,’ Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, told NPR. He stopped short of confirming the numbers.” Read more.

Flashback: New Study Shows That 80% of Mosques in America Teach Jihad Violence and Islamic Supremacism – “… Then there was the Center for Religious Freedom’s 2005 study, and the Mapping Sharia Project’s 2008 study. Each independently showed that upwards of 80% of mosques in America were preaching hatred of Jews and Christians and the necessity ultimately to impose Islamic rule. And now comes yet more confirmation that mosques in the U.S. are teaching these things, and again the percentage is remarkably similar: around 80% of mosques are found to be teaching jihad warfare and Islamic supremacism. This study is extensive and detailed.” Read more.

Flashback: US: State Rep. Womick (R-TN) Calls for the Discharge of All Muslims From America’s Military – “State Rep. Womick (R-TN) calls for purging military of Muslim Americans. If you are educated about Islam and its theology as this politician is, this is the first common sense solution that needs to happen to address fighting the enemy and keeping our country safe.” Read more.

Hamas Gov’t Minister Fathi Hammad: Allah Demands The Use Of Force To Take Back The Land Of Israel

Daniel 11:38-39, “But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.”

Fathi Hammad: “Now that we have heard the song of the men, here is a little Palestinian girl, a flower of Jerusalem, who insisted on participating in this ceremony. Rawan is the daughters of one of the officers at the Palestinian police academy. Please welcome Rawan Khilla, who will recite what she has to say, the words on which she was raised.”

Rawan Khilla: “Glory explodes in your bodies, and eternal life is guaranteed for martyrdom-seekers…”

Fathi Hammad: “Allah says: ‘Prepare for them what force and steeds of war you can.’ The Prophet Muhammad says: ‘Prepare for them what force you can. Force means shooting.’ The Prophet Muhammad also says: ‘Lands shall be thrown open to you, and Allah will protect you, but none of you should give up playing with his arrows.’ None of you should give up playing with all the tools of force and equipment, which will bring us closer to our aspiration: Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Haifa, Akko and Jaffa… From this place, I bring you glad tidings: the officers of the class graduating today will become the Police Chief of Jaffa, the Police Chief of Haifa, the Police Chief of Akko, the Police Chief of Lod, the Police Chief of Ramle, and of all other places. Therefore, from this place, we declare to all those who usurped our lands that they must prepare to leave, because we have prepared for Jihad. You are going to leave, while we are summoned to battle. We are the owners of this land…”

Hawaii: Avian Botulism Outbreak Kills At Least 67 Birds In Kahului

RSOE EDIS – “Wetland biologists and others involved in managing lands with associated wetlands have been notified by the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) of a recent avian botulism outbreak affecting waterbirds on Maui. In just over a week, 67 birds have been found dead at Kanaha Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Kahului including Hawaiian Stilt, Hawaiian Coot, and Hawaiian Ducks of adult and juvenile stages. The paralytic disease has killed adult birds on their nests, also causing the eggs to be lost. Because botulinum toxin can be produced in most wetlands, and transported to new wetlands by dead or dying waterfowl, landowners and managers, both public and private, are being asked to frequently survey their wetlands for sick and/or dead birds, remove any dead or dying birds from the wetland, and contact local DOFAW biologists for guidance. Earlier this year a botulism outbreak in Hanalei, Kauai resulted in over 300 sick and dead birds being collected by USFWS refuge staff. Additionally, numerous other botulism fatalities have also been reported at wetlands throughout the state. Botulism is a paralytic condition brought on by the consumption of a naturally occurring toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is an intoxication rather than an infectious disease. Botulism, type C is commonly found in Hawaiian soils and is NOT dangerous to humans.

Particular environmental conditions in wetlands will sometimes allow this bacterium to produce botulinum toxin; the toxin is then accumulated in aquatic invertebrates. It is consumption of these toxic invertebrates by waterfowl that leads to mortality.” Read more.

Australia: Mystery Turtle Deaths Stump Scientists In North Queensland

The Telegraph – “THE mysterious death of 22 green turtles, a protected species, is puzzling experts in North Queensland.

The experts have not ruled out poisoning and even drowning as a cause.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is investigating the deaths of the turtles found at Wunjunga Beach, about 100 kilometres south of Townsville.

The department’s director of threatened species, Wolf Sievers, said the vulnerable animals have been washing up on the beach for over a week.

‘It is very unusual for this many turtles to have stranded on one beach and we will be making every effort to establish what may have happened,’ Mr Sievers said.

Senior turtle expert Dr Ian Bell said that initial investigations found no injuries, no obvious signs of malnutrition or illness.

‘It’s a bit like turtle CSI, it’s all about ruling out possible alternatives,’ Dr Bell said.

‘We’re ruling out starvation. It doesn’t look like it’s any infectious type of disease, and it leaves us with two possibilities.

‘One is potential poisoning, and we’re also looking at the possibility of a drowning.

‘At this stage we really don’t know.'” Read more.

India: Authorities Order Investigation After Thousands Of Fish Die In Gomti River

“Authorities in Uttar Pradesh Monday ordered a probe into the death of thousands of fishes which have died in the river Gomti here.

The possible reasons that could have led to such largescale deaths, Jal Nigam officials said, would be looked into.

The deaths came to light when morning walkers and other residents who take bath in the river banks at Tuliyaghat saw thousands of fishes floating in the water.

No sooner did the news spread that fishermen jumped into the river with nets to gather them.

‘If true, this matter is serious and a thorough probe would be ordered into the death of the fishes,’ said Rajendra Kumar, chief engineer of the Jal Nigam unit.

Greens say that in the past few days the water level of the river had gone down considerably, leading to oxygen scarcity.

In the past weeks, there have been talks of water being released into the river by the Sharda canal but the depleting water level of the Gomti speaks otherwise.

Officials say that from time to time they check the oxygen levels in the river and it invariably comes around 5-6 miligram per litre, which is considered safe.

Fishes, they say, die after the oxygen level slips below the 3 mg per litre.

There is an immediate need for dredging in many parts of the river, official sources told IANS, but added that the Jal Nigam was ignoring this for a long time.” Source – daijiworld.com.

Egypt: New President Morsi To Rethink Israel Peace Pact, Build Ties With Iran

Does crow taste good, Jimmy Carter? Was this one of the “many shared interests” you had in mind, Barack Obama? …

Update: Morsi denies interview …

AFP – “TEHRAN: Egypt’s Islamist president-elect, Mohamed Morsi, wants to ‘reconsider’ the peace deal with Israel and build ties with Iran to ‘create a strategic balance’ in the Middle East, according to an interview published by Iran’s Fars news agency on Monday.

The stated goals are certain to alarm Israel and its ally the United States as they adapt to the new direction Egypt will chart with Morsi at the helm.

They could also boost Iran’s influence in the Middle East at a time of heightened tensions between Tehran and the West.

‘We will reconsider the Camp David Accord’ that, in 1979, forged a peace deal between Egypt and Israel that has held for more than three decades, Morsi was quoted as telling a Fars reporter in Cairo on Sunday, just before his election triumph was announced.

He said the issue of Palestinian refugees returning to homes their families abandoned in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and the 1967 Six-Day War ‘is very important’.

Morsi added though that ‘all these issues will be carried out through cabinet and governmental bodies because I will not take any decision on my own.’

Morsi also said he was ready to improve ties with Iran. The Islamic republic broke off diplomatic relations with Egypt in 1980, a year after Cairo signed the peace deal with the Jewish state.

‘Part of my agenda is the development of ties between Iran and Egypt that will create a strategic balance in the region,’ Morsi was quoted as saying.

Although Morsi resigned from Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood to take the top job, Israel is wary of his election, fearing his Islamist record could jeopardise the chilly peace it has long enjoyed with its huge neighbour.

Iran’s foreign ministry on Sunday welcomed Morsi’s triumph.” Read more.

Flashback: Muslim Brotherhood Will Not Recognize the ‘Occupying Criminal Enemy’ Israel Under ANY Circumstances, Vows to Cancel the ‘Zionist’ Peace Treaty – “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood will not recognize Israel ‘under any circumstance,’ the party’s deputy leader Dr Rashad Bayoumi told Arabic daily al-Hayat in an interview publish Sunday… When asked whether it is a requirement for the government in Egypt to recognize Israel, Bayoumi responded by saying: ‘This is not an option, whatever the circumstances, we do not recognize Israel at all. Its [Israel] an occupying criminal enemy.’” Read more.

Flashback: Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood Vows to Never Speak or Meet With Israeli Officials – “The Muslim Brotherhood will not speak or meet with Israeli officials and its stance on Israel is not up for discussion, group spokesperson Mahmoud Ghezlan told London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. ‘It’s illogical to have dialogue, any dialogue, in light of the Israeli practices against the Arab peoples,’ the paper quoted him as saying in an article published Wednesday. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor told Israeli radio that Israel has not ruled out talks.” Read more.