Speaking of “Propaganda..” I try not to add comments to news stories, but this is beyond the pale. This “war on terror” (war on Islam) that Bush started – is being not just continued – but increased under Obama.
BERLIN — Midway through a propaganda video released last month by a group calling itself the German Taliban, a surprise guest made an appearance: a cleanshaven, muscular gunman sporting the alias Abu Ibrahim the American.
Although the American’s part in the film lasted only a few seconds, it has alarmed German and U.S. intelligence officials, who are puzzling over who he is and how he became involved with the terrorist group.
U.S. and European counterterrorism officials say an increasing number of Western recruits — including Americans — are traveling to Afghanistan and Pakistan to attend paramilitary training camps, in spite of a campaign by the CIA to eliminate al-Qaeda and Taliban commanders in drone missile attacks.
Since January, at least 30 recruits from Germany have traveled to Pakistan for training, according to German security sources. Other European countries also are struggling to keep their citizens from going to Pakistan for paramilitary training.
In August, Pakistani officials arrested a group of 12 foreigners headed to North Waziristan, where many of the camps are located. Among those arrested were four Swedes, including Mehdi Ghezali, a former inmate of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In the past, homegrown radicals were largely self-motivated and had to find their own way to South Asia. Today, however, al-Qaeda and its affiliates have developed extensive recruiting networks, counterterrorism officials said. The agents provide guidance, money, travel routes and even letters of recommendation.
Another sign of the internationalization of the recruitment networks is the small but growing participation of U.S. residents.
In July, U.S. officials announced that they had apprehended Bryant Neal Vinas, 25, a resident of Long Island, N.Y., who has confessed to traveling to al-Qaeda camps in Pakistan and firing rockets at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan.
Last month, the FBI arrested yet another U.S. resident, Najibullah Zazi, and accused him of plotting a bombing in New York. Zazi, 24, traveled to Pakistan last year, where U.S. intelligence officials have said that he made contact with a senior deputy to Osama bin Laden and learned how to make homemade bombs.
December 2001: Swedish Muslim Arrested in Pakistan; Turned over to US Mehdi Ghezali, a Muslim Swede, is arrested by Pakistani police and handed over to US authorities. According to an account provided by Ghezali in 2004, he was kidnapped by Pakistani villagers shortly after crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan where he was visiting a friend. The villagers sold him to the Pakistani police who then gave him to the Americans. He was then flown back to Afghanistan.
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Mehdi Ghezali vs Rumsfeld
March 18th, 2005 at 17:13 Björn Hallberg
The Local: “Mehdi Ghezali has announced through his lawyer that he intends to sue US Secretary of State for Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, for damages. The Swede spent over two years in the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba under suspicion of membership of the al-Qaida terror network. No concrete evidence was ever produced and he was released in July last year.
Ghezali gives numerous examples of harsh treatment and torture. These include sexual harassment at the hands of a female guard, being exposed to extreme heat and cold and long periods of sleep deprivation. He describes being chained for up to 14 hours a day in a cold interrogation room.”
A futile but noble cause. And it brings back the entire incident into focus. Normally, I would not be in favour of these frivolous law suits, but this is different since the American administration hardly can argue that they kept Ghezali at Guantanamo by accident for years. Add to that the fact that he was a Swedish citizen and that the US refused to extradite him despite numerous requests. The treatment leaves something to be desired as well.
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i can just speculate he tried collect evidences this time. First time it was adventure. If he was not beaten and sent back he would forget all.
[...] See the article here: More Westerners join “terror” groups [...]
I appreciate all your comments, observer. Thank you.
Dazeylin, it looks empty and scare without any commente. Besides, the hunt goes in years and some people missed read and learn a lot. On the West majority refere to CNN and Pentagon channal and they never go deeper in past than it was told by authorites. Comments here crete point where we can cross the gap when the madness go away.
Insha’allah! It’s sad that westerners see Muslim soldiers as “terrorists”! Are Muslims not supposed to fight for their people, their land, their honor, there families? I know this is true. But when a Muslim defends his family, or his land – he is called terrorist Yet hes not a terrorist. He’s you and I. He’s a father, a son, a good Muslim who must follow the Sunnah and defend the Ummah when it is attacked, How can they expect Muslims to sit quietly watching as their values are torn asunder the land is destroyed, farm animals killed. No one can do that. No one should be required to.