Group linked to al Qaeda starts 'relief' work in Aceh

"The taker hates the giver," an old adage.. In general all are thankful for the giver during the crisis and its immediate after effect, but when given time to reflect, in due time the monster of resentment raises its ugly head. The abhorrent idea of rescue by non-Muslims will be the theme of the jihadists that will waste no opportunity to point out that the tsunami "was caused by the criminal non-Muslim tourist industry that offended Allah" and that "the Great Satan" has come to seduce and corrupt Muslims."

Aceh has been in separatist mode for some time. This would be a good opportunity for the jihadists to insinuate themselves into the population for that purpose, which they will press forward at the first opportune moment.

I couldn't agree more. But it's worrisome that muslim extremists have so many volunteer fighters, while the forces of civilization have so few. The American army can't be sent everywhere. email me if you're interested in thinking about the problem: the.hajj at gmail dot com.

And our government is still ok with more Muslims coming here to live?

This is one of the reasons I won't donate a penny to the Tsunami charities.
If I thought for a second it would help the children, I might consider it. But the risk of it ending up in the pockets of the corrupt shit-bags running Indonesia, or some lowlife group of jihadists is far too high.
This was pointed out on Hardtalk the other day.

I also read in a newspaper that Sri Lanka's government are worried that the presence of US troops will "anger muslims". This really pissed me off. So does Sri Lanka think keeping their precious muslim sweet is essentially more important than saving lives. Once again the unbalance of reason goes in islams favour.

Indonesia are also saying they don't like the thought of so many "kufar" in an islamic country. In that case I say let 'em rot.Let them deal with all the wreckage, tough medical operations and life saving themselves, see how well they do without the help of the "evil west" (so evil we are that we raised over a billion pounds in Aid for the ungrateful molluscs).It's not as if Indonesia is a particularly poor country, in fact I think it's sickening the way the media are using this disaster to milk people of cash by playing on their emotions (one of those emotions being guilt... "pay up or be among the misers" is the message I'm getting). We see ungrateful Indonesian muslims qeauing up for food handouts with looks of hatred on their face to the evil kafir feeding them, we have had 11 days of constant coverge on the news.... and why's that??? Because it pays thats why!!! If I didn't know better I'd think that the media are profiting from this.

At the end of the day, I feel for all the people that are homeless and starving, but Indonesia's government are making it clear that are help is not wanted, in which case I say : why bother???
And I can't help thinking when I see that Indonesia has the highest death toll :

" well thats a few less islamo-facist trash to worry about!!!".

http://www.hundredpercenter.com/PleaseSendMoneytoIndonesia.html

Norseman left a great link on a comment yesterday. Here it is a again. This is why i haven't donated a penny.

they think that the international relief is removing people from islam and they want that they don´t receive more help and being strong muslims for their hate to the Western, because they don´t receive money, they´re diabolical,

Yes, these groups are busy "Relieving" the good-hearted schmucks of their cash to funnel to jihad.

Human rights group warn military impeding relief effort in Aceh
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Indonesia's military campaign to crush a long-running rebellion in Aceh and restrictions imposed on aid groups in the remote province are hindering disaster relief efforts, a human rights group has warned.

Human Rights Watch called for the military to be stripped of its role in distributing relief supplies and escorting charity groups amid reports of tsunami survivors linked to the rebels being denied aid.

It also urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to revoke a state of emergency imposed in 2003 as part of a fresh military offensive in Aceh that banned non-government organisations and the foreign media from the province.

The restrictions have been loosened in the wake of the December 26 tsunami disaster, which has killed more than 113,000 people in Aceh, to enable relief efforts, but martial law remains in place.

In an open letter to Yudhoyono, Human Rights Watch executive director for Asia, Brad Adams, said many soldiers had performed a vital task in addressing the immediate needs of the survivors with dedication and compassion.

"Human Rights Watch appreciates the commitment of so many in the Indonesian armed forces to provide protection and assistance at this critical time," Adams said.

"However... it is important for duties to be handed over to the appropriate government agencies and experienced, professional aid organisations -- both national and international -- as soon as possible."

Adams said aid groups were capable of delivering supplies in Aceh without the need of military escorts, and that soldiers would be more effective spending their time rebuilding roads.

"These organisations know well how to operate in areas of conflict and should be allowed to get on with their crucial tasks," he said.

"They should be allowed to deliver aid directly to populations in need, without military escort or presence, except where their physical security necessitates a military presence."

Adams referred to reports that aid agencies had been pressured, and occasionally forced, to turn over aid to the military for delivery.

"We urge you to publicly issue instructions that any such practices be halted. There is no justification for agencies to be required to deliver aid via the military."

He said non-government organisations had reported "that some in the army have not distributed humanitarian assistance in an impartial manner, denying help to perceived GAM supporters".

The GAM is the Indonesian acronym for the Free Aceh Movement, the rebel group that has been fighting for independence for the resource-rich province since 1976, with the conflict claiming thousands of lives.

The rebels and government forces both announced ceasefires in the days after the tsunamis struck, but there have been many reports of clashes since, with the military reporting at least three insurgents have been killed.

The military has accused the rebels of attacking aid convoys, an accusation vehemently denied by insurgent leaders who say they are only using their weapons in self-defence.

A coalition of human rights activists in Canada also expressed grave concern over the role of government forces in Aceh.

"It is completely unacceptable that the military is engaged in launching attacks against the civilian population and delivering relief aid at the same time," says Nancy Slamet, of the KAIROS' International Human Rights Program.

Alex Hill, of another Canadian rights group, Alternatives, accused the government of continuing to cover up its military offensive in Aceh.

"The Indonesian military is afraid to allow international aid organisations and journalists free access to the region because the military has been engaged in a dirty war there for many years," Hill said

Good to know Sidney is not so far away.If anybody knows the games that the Indonesian goverment and terror groups are playing,she does.Here a little info about our good friend Sidney

Indonesia to expel terrorism expert
Sidney Jones criticised Indonesia's intelligence authorities
An expert on Indonesian militant groups has criticised a decision to expel her from the country.
Sidney Jones, an American analyst from the International Crisis Group (ICG), said she was issued with the expulsion order on Tuesday.
Immigration officials said she was asked to leave due to visa violations.
But Ms Jones said the expulsion order may have been prompted by her recent criticism of Indonesia's army and intelligence agencies.
"I was devastated to learn that I had to leave Indonesia, but now I am just furious," Sidney Jones told the Associated Press news agency on Wednesday.
As the director of the ICG in Indonesia, Ms Jones is regarded as an expert on the region's militant groups, in particular Jemaah Islamiah, which has been linked to the Bali bomb attacks in 2002.
She said no official reason had been given for her expulsion, nor had any government figure formally told her what she had done wrong.
But the order comes just days after the head of Indonesia's intelligence services told a parliamentary committee that ICG and 19 other unnamed local non-governmental organisations were a threat to national security.
The ICG's chief, Gareth Evans, said the expulsion order was a blow to press freedom in Indonesia and was driven by "a desire to smother legitimate criticism".
"To shoot the messenger doesn't say much for the state of political liberty in Indonesia under the Megawati government," the Reuters agency quotes him as saying.
President Megawati Sukarnoputri is gearing up for elections on 5 July. Opinion polls show her trailing her main rival, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Ms Jones' work examined the rise of extremism in Indonesia
Mr Yudhoyono criticised the expulsion order, saying the government had to properly explain what was going on.
"Let us hope the expulsion does not damage the democracy that we are building," he told reporters on the campaign trial.
Human rights activists fear Ms Jones and her Australian colleague Francesca Lawe-Davies - who has also been issued with an expulsion order - are being punished for speaking out against sensitive government policies.
The ICG has recently published a number of reports on Indonesia's Islamic extremists, and the separatist conflicts that are simmering in the provinces of Aceh and Papua.
The reports criticise the way these situations have been handled, particularly by the army and intelligence services.
According to Tim Johnston, a BBC correspondent in Jakarta, there is a fear that Indonesia's security organs are again moving to intimidate their critics into silence

Indonesia's ISLAMIC AID ORGANIZATIONS

Jemaah Islamiah
Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI)
Darul Islam
Laskar Jihad
The Muslim AID ORGANIZATION Jemaah Islamiah, which some foreign governments suspect played a part in the deadly bombing of a Bali nightclub, is one of several ISLAMIC AID ORGANIZATIONS in Indonesia.
Jemaah Islamiah
Governments and some security analysts believe Jemaah Islamiah (JI) as the most likely Indonesian group to have planned the October 2002 Bali bombings, as well as more recent attacks.
The Indonesian Government has linked the group, which means "Islamic community", with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
Mr Ba'asyir says he is a simple preacher
JI is a shadowy group believed to want a pan-Islamic state covering Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the southern Philippines island of Mindanao.
The man believed to be the group's spiritual leader, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, has praised Osama Bin Laden as a "true Islamic warrior" but denies any links with him or with al-Qaeda.
Mr Ba'asyir is currently on trial for plotting to overthrow the Jakarta Government and turn Indonesia into an Islamic state, for which he could be imprisoned for life.
The charges relate to a series of church bombings on Christmas Eve 2000, which killed 19 people.
He has not been named as a suspect in the Bali bomb.
One of his key associates is thought to be Riduan Isamuddin, also known as Hambali, who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan.
Evidence to link JI to the Bali bomb is circumstantial. Analysts say it is the only group with the capacity to carry out such an attack, though some believe it would still have needed outside help.
The Indonesian authorities have arrested more than 30 people with links to JI since the Bali attacks.
Malaysia and Singapore have arrested almost 100 people it says are linked to JI.

Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI)
The FPI, which has a reputation for raiding bars and nightclubs, announced in early November that it was suspending its activities indefinitely.
However the group, which has several thousand members, said it was not disbanding.
Unlike other groups it is not fighting for an Islamic state, but it does want to establish strict Sharia law.
Its supporters are concerned with local issues, acting within their communities against what they see as being against Islamic law.
The Islamic Defenders' Front has held anti-US demonstrations
Many members are young and believe that Muslims in Jakarta, and all over Indonesia, have erred from Islamic teachings.
In 2001, the group threatened to attack Westerners in retaliation for US-led bombing of Afghanistan, but the threats were not carried out.
This group emerged during the 1997 economic and financial crisis.Although it has been accused of raiding nightclubs, analysts do not think the FPI was involved in the Bali attack. Nor have they used explosives before.

Darul Islam
Darul Islam, which means "abode of Islam", sent volunteers to Afghanistan to help fight the US, but any links with al-Qaeda would be difficult to prove.
Darul Islam has been in Indonesia since the 1930s or 1940s, long before al-Qaeda was established.
It emerged in the aftermath of Indonesia's successful guerrilla war against the Dutch, and has fought for an Islamic state, but only within Indonesian boundaries.
It was also prominent in the 1950s, when it led rebellions in Aceh, South Sulawesi and West Java.

Laskar Jihad
The paramilitary group became known for fighting a "holy war" against Christians in the Moluccan islands and central Sulawesi.
From 2000, the group, which was based in Yogyakarta in southern Java, sent thousands of men to go to the troubled regions to lead Muslim villagers against their neighbours.
Militant Activity
12 October 2002 - Bomb at a nightclub kills about 200 people
2002 - Series of raids on nightclubs by the Islamic Defenders' Front
2001 - Laskar Jihad militants start leading attacks against Christians
2000 - Laskar Jihad militants arrive to help Muslims fight Christians
Soon after the Bali bombing, the group announced it was disbanding. But it has denied its decision was linked to the bomb.
Its commander, Jafar Umar Thalib, is on trial accused of inciting religious violence, so analysts say the decision to disband could be an attempt to avoid a prison sentence.
The group says its mission is to forge a spiritual form of jihad through preaching, not fighting. It runs a school and hospital near Ambon, in the Moluccas.
Mr Thalib fought with the Afghan Mujahideen against occupying Soviet forces. He denies any links with al-Qaeda but met Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in 1987.
Analysts say Laskar Jihad has a domestic agenda and does not have convincing links with international networks.
It does have informal ties with some Muslim politicians, however.
In May 2002 former Vice-President Hamzah Haz, who leads Indonesia's largest Muslim political party, the United Development Party (PPP), controversially visited Mr Thalib in prison.
He said he was visiting only on a humanitarian basis and was not interfering in the case. Since then, several Islamic figures have also visited, but not formally on behalf of the parties.
Some analysts believe Laskar Jihad was set up with the backing of elements in the Indonesian military

I couldn't agree more. But it's worrisome that muslim extremists have so many volunteer fighters, while the forces of civilization have so few. The American army can't be sent everywhere. email me if you're interested in thinking about the problem: the.hajj at gmail dot com.

Posted by: the hajj at January 7, 2005 08:01 AM

Yea you are right and the American People are looking at the rest of the world and thinking they are going to be over run because they don't stand and fight for what is theirs??

The world needs to REMEMBER we are now the drive through people and do not want to play to long a loseing game we will just pull out our big toys and Leavel the Field and then rebuild it!!

If the arabs are right about us useing a nuke under water and all, they had better think about what we would do if we really got pissed!! CAUSE WE LOVE OUR SHORT SKIRTS AND BEER AND WINE HAIR BLOWIN THE WIND!!!

Remember
sympathy?
We need to learn and keep in mind that word sympathy is in the dictionary between the words SH_T and SYPHILIS!!!

this is why the mulsums were killed because they are killing non-mulsums!!

Of course JW was on top of the wave??

December 22, 2004
Tourists cancel Indonesian holidays after terror warnings
No surprise here. From AFP, with thanks to Anthony:
Warnings from foreign governments of an imminent terrorist attack in Indonesia have led to a spate of cancellations from visitors planning to travel to the country, tourism officials in Jakarta said.
"At least 500 tourists have cancelled their planned trip to Indonesia for the December 2004 to April 2005 period," said Yachya Mahmoed of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies.
Posted at December 22, 2004 09:34 AM

How could this be??

December 24, 2004 JW
Christians in Indonesia to avoid churches at Xmas-time
More news from "moderate" Indonesia. From Straits Times, with thanks to Nicolei:
JAKARTA - FEARS of attacks by Islamic militants are forcing some Christians in Indonesia to abandon traditional churches in favour of more discreet and secure venues this Christmas.
With foreign governments warning of holiday terror bombings, thousands of churches in major Indonesian cities will hold services this year in office buildings, hotels and even movie theatres, church leaders say.
'It puts us at a lower risk of being a target for religious persecution,' said Pastor Steve Lunn, originally from Seattle, whose International English Service holds services for 1,000 people in a downtown Jakarta office building.
'People tell me they feel safer,' he said.
'The facility itself is not the most important thing. It's just a place to gather. The most important thing is being together and worshipping God together.'
Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of more than 13,000 islands and 210 million people, is the world's most populous Muslim nation.
The vast majority of Muslims practise a moderate version of the faith.
Sure they do. That's why Christians are meeting for Christmas in movie theaters.
And the idea that Christians should have second-class status, a traditional concept of Islamic law, is alive and well there:
But attacks against Christians, who make up just 8 per cent of the population, have become more frequent since ex-dictator Suharto's downfall in 1998, and amid a global rise in Islamic radicalism. Mr Suharto enforced secularism as part of national security policies....
'People are still afraid,' said Pastor Hengki Ompi, whose church was attacked earlier this month by suspected Muslim gunmen on the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
'We hope the attacks stop so we can celebrate Christmas without fear.'
Plans to build new churches are sometimes met with violent protests from Islamic groups, which view them as an attempt to convert Muslims.
Church leaders also say a decree requiring religious leaders to get neighbourhood approval before building new places of worship is being used to discriminate against them.
Some church leaders say these obstacles are understandable, given the country's Muslim majority, and acknowledge that Muslims face similar problems in the few pockets of Indonesia where Christians dominate.
But others say the restrictions reflect a growing intolerance of religious minorities.
'We have a lot more liberties than say Afghanistan and Pakistan...but the fact is that Christians are second-class citizens,' said Pastor Bill Heckman, a Dutchman who has tried for six years to build a church in Jakarta....
Muslims say evangelical Christians are partly to blame for rising religious tensions.
They say hundreds of foreign-funded evangelical groups are using churches in Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods to convert locals - a claim some Christians acknowledge is true.
In response, the government has proposed a law that would bar Indonesians from attending religious ceremonies that do not reflect their faith - making it harder for them to switch.
It would also criminalise inter-faith marriages and adoptions.
Posted at December 24, 2004 12:22 PM

How many went to a service and were saved from the killer wave and Earthquake??

Heard over 1oo,ooo mulsums dead!! and the count goes on!!

the mulsums have it wrong about Christians and Jews being wimps??

Luke 11:17 – 11:23 But he know their thoughts said: Every kingdom divided against its self is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub by whom do you sons cast them out?? Therefore They will be your Judges. But I cast out demons with the finger of God surly the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a Strong Man Fully armed guards his own place, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him taken from him all his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoils.
Luke 11:23 He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters.

COULD THIS BE WHY SO MANY MULSUMS HAD TO DIE??

December 24, 2004 JW
Indonesia: Machete gang attacks preacher
Jihad against Christians continues in "moderate" Indonesia. From AAP, with thanks to Twostellas:
A CHRISTIAN preacher has been attacked and badly wounded by a machete-wielding gang on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi despite a massive security operation intended to curb sectarian blood-letting and terror attacks during Christmas.
Reverend Jemri Tambalino was in critical condition after the attack by three men in the coastal town of Poso, which has been a major battleground between the Muslim majority and Christian minority.
The preacher, who was riding a motorbike, suffered deep slash wounds to his neck and face.
A friend travelling with Rev Tambalino was also attacked, with injuries to his hand, a hospital spokesman said.
More than 1000 people have been killed in the area over four years of sectarian fighting.
A recent report by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group warned extremists linked to the Jemaah Islamiah terror network were using the area as a recruiting ground....
At the main Catholic Cathedral in Jakarta, metal detectors had been installed ahead of Christmas Eve services, and hundreds of paramilitary police were expected to be placed outside this afternoon....
Reverend Natan Setiabudi, chairman of the Indonesian Communion of Churches, said Christians "do not feel totally secure", particularly since the Palu attacks showed violence "could happen anytime, anywhere".
Posted at December 24, 2004 12:04 PM

COULD THIS BEE WHY SO MANY MULSUMS DIED IN INDONISA??

Yes God is Helping now it is time for you to Stand and Fight the MONSTERS WHO WOULD KILL YOURS!!

Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH TO STAY THE COURSE TO VICTORY TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM AMEN

Remember doing nothing is a support to monsters!!!

PS
REMEMBER
Luke 22:36] Then he said to them,” But now, he who has a moneybag let him take it and like wise a knapsack and he who has no SWORD let him sell his garment and Buy one.
37] For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished to me and he was numbered with the transgressors”
REMEMBER Jesus did not come to change the laws of the prophets before him?? You can not understand the New without knowing the old!!!

First the relief workers had problems getting into ACEH, well how about this!!!
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

Dozens of survivors of the quake-triggered tsunami have found they cannot even enter Batam to find their relatives. Authorities denied them entry because they failed to meet requirements as stated in the city's regulations.

Under Batam Bylaw No. 2/2001 on population control, any visitor requesting to temporarily stay in the city has to produce an identity card as well as a return ticket and a deposit.

On of the refugees, Maswir, said on Thursday that he came to Batam after finding out that refugee camps in Medan and Banda Aceh were not fit to live in.

"I came here because I have relatives in Batam, but it turns out that there are just so many requirements to enter the island," Maswir sighed. "The authorities asked many things like a return ticket, my relatives' address, as well as deposit money."

The 34-year-old arrived in Batam with 30 other refugees from Aceh on Wednesday, by ship from Medan. "My ticket was given to me by people who felt sorry for me," Maswir said.

The refugees failed to show proper identification and deposit money. Every person arriving by sea is required to deposit Rp 130,000 (US$14) per day to the authorities before being granted entry to the city.

The refugees were sent to the Sekupang Transit House where they had to spend the night until the next ship arrived to take them back to where they had came from.

Head of Batam's population and civil registration office, Buralimar, said he was aware of the refugees' arrival in the city, ostensibly to seek help from their relatives.

According to office data, there were 35 people who were currently staying at the transit house.

He dismissed the suggestion that such regulations were insensitive to the plight of tsunami survivors. "There have been people claiming to be tsunami victims but it turned out they were just looking for jobs," he said

Activist chat at the January 05, 2005 thread "Marine who surfaced in Lebanon after purported kidnapping missing again".
Linda, can you explain the process of attaining a password, posting, etc. at this thread?
Thanks

What does it say about Indonesia's commitment to combatting terrorism if it fails to arrest these extremists?

OT:
After you've perused today's Jihad and Dhimmi Watches, check out today's collection of articles at FrontPageMag.com - there's an above average number of excellent articles in today's edition:

"Tower of Babble" By Jamie Glazov
In a Frontpage Exclusive, Dore Gold discusses how the U.N. has fueled global chaos.
(I've read the book - it's excellent)

"Bankrupting Terror" By Joel Mowbray
Lawyers suing the Saudis for $1 trillion are now taking on Arab Bank.

"Europe -- Thy Name Is Cowardice" By Matthias Dopfner
The deadly cost of appeasement.

"The Silent Muslim Majority IS the Problem" By Nonie Darwish
American Muslims do and say nothing about the Arab world's brutal human rights violations.

"The Price of Peace" By JINSA.org
What America must pay to win the terror war.

"Mandate to Kill" By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook
On PA TV, a Palestinian educator says the killing of Jews is mandatory.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/

OT:
Kuwaiti Intellectual: The Muslim Brotherhood Organization Should Be Put On the U.S. Terrorist List

http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD84305

It is incomprehensible that this organization has not been classified a terrorist organization by the United States.

Saudis raise 85 million with their telatoung??

Hope it is to buy food and things they need and not go to the Islamic Terrorist???

Mike is this the one you are talking about??

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/pubs/exec/beacon.htm
BEACON OF HATRED
Inside Hizballah's al-Manar Television

By Avi Jorisch
106pp. / 2004
Includes CD-ROM containing real al-Manar footage
0-944029-88-4, $24.95
Order the complete book now
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Given the increasing popularity of satellite dishes in the Arab world, many analysts have suggested that television has become a force for Westernization in the region. Yet this technology can be used to propagate hate and conflict as readily as tolerance and understanding.
Al-Manar, Arabic for "the beacon," is the official television mouthpiece of the Lebanese Party of God, or Hizballah. The terrorist organization uses al-Manar -- which it calls the "station of resistance" -- as an integral part of its plan to reach not only the citizens of Lebanon, but also the broader Arab and Muslim worlds. Indeed, Hizballah is the first organization of its kind to establish its own television station and use it as an operational weapon.
STATION BACKGROUND
In 1991, shortly after Hizballah actively entered the Lebanese political scene, al-Manar was launched as a small terrestrial station. Although legally registered as the Lebanese Media Group Company in 1997, al-Manar has belonged to Hizballah culturally and politically from its inception. Today, the terrestrial station can reach Lebanon in its entirety and broadcasts programming eighteen hours daily. Moreover, al-Manar's satellite station, launched on May 25, 2000, now transmits twenty-four hours a day, reaching the entire Arab world and the rest of the globe through seven major satellite providers.
Al-Manar's popularity in the region is clearly high. Lebanese television officials assert that the station is the third most popular in the country, rising to number one when events heat up in southern Lebanon or the Palestinian territories. Similarly, Israeli sources report that al-Manar ranks second only to al-Jazeera in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Regarding financial support, Lebanese law prohibits local television stations from receiving funding from any source outside Lebanon (whether individuals or governments). Although al-Manar vociferously denies receiving any such funding, it is an open secret that Iran bankrolls the station. Al-Manar's annual budget currently stands at $15 million -- nearly half the size of al-Jazeera's budget. The station also receives advertising revenue from both Arab and Western companies.
TARGETING THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL
Following Israel's May 2000 withdrawal from its self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon, both Hizballah and al-Manar shifted their focus from the Lebanese arena to the Israeli-Palestinian arena. This transformation became especially noticeable after the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada in September 2000.
Today, Hizballah continues to use al-Manar as a means of publicly offering its services to Palestinians fighting for the destruction of Israel and the total liberation of historic Palestine (i.e., all territory west of the Jordan River). With one of its avowed activities being "psychological warfare against the Zionist enemy," Hizballah has effectively linked its own fate with that of the Palestinians, relying on the fight against Israel for much of its regional legitimacy and influence. Accordingly, one of al-Manar's major objectives is to inspire resistance. Since the start of the intifada, the station has also served as the first medium through which many Palestinian terrorist groups claim responsibility for suicide attacks against Israelis.
With regard to the United States, al-Manar has broadcast anti-American propaganda since its inception, often using the same propaganda methods it employs against Israel. Various programs have focused on distorting U.S. history, lambasting U.S. Middle East policy, propagating conspiracy theories about the September 11 attacks, and demonizing the relationship between Washington and the "Zionist entity," Israel. With the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, both Hizballah and al-Manar renewed their vitriol toward their old, reliable foe, the "Great Satan." Throughout the war and its aftermath, the station's news programs, talk shows, and propaganda videos focused on U.S. aggression in the region and openly called for suicide attacks and other acts of resistance against U.S. targets.
PROGRAMMING CONTENT
Al-Manar programming skillfully combines news, talk shows, documentary series, propaganda music videos, and other elements. Much of this programming boasts a professional appearance, impressive-looking sets, handsomely dressed anchors, and well-written and well-delivered scripts.
News. Al-Manar broadcasts eight Arabic news bulletins daily, in addition to one English and one French bulletin. Besides its headquarters in Beirut, the station has news bureaus in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). It also has correspondents in Belgium, France, Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, Morocco, the Palestinian territories, Russia, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, and the United States. In the eyes of the Arab world, this global presence lends the station substantial credibility. Al-Manar's unique ability to deliver news from the Palestin- ian territories -- particularly following terrorist attacks -- also serves to bolster its standing among viewers.
Primetime programming. Al-Manar's primetime lineup includes a number of self-produced talk shows, dramas, and documentaries, including the following:
•The Spider's House is a talk show dedicated in part to uncovering the weaknesses of the "Zionist entity." The program claims that Israel can be destroyed through a combination of low-intensity warfare and a demographic shift in favor of Arabs, the latter facilitated by implementing the Palestinian right of return to all of pre-1948 Palestine. In addition, since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, episodes have explored how to use violent resistance -- including suicide bombing -- to end the U.S. occupation.
•What's Next is one of several al-Manar political talk shows that feature guests espousing vitriolic anti-American views. Some of these guests are spokespersons for groups that the U.S. government has labeled Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entities and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
•My Blood and the Rifle is a documentary series dedicated to glorifying Hizballah's guerrilla fighters and inspiring viewers to join the resistance against Israel.
•Returnees is a program dedicated to the Palestinian refugee problem. In keeping with Hizballah ideology, these individuals are referred to not as "refugees," but rather as "returnees" who are slated to reassume ownership of the lands that currently make up the state of Israel.
•Terrorists is a weekly documentary series highlighting perceived "terrorist acts" that Israel has perpetrated against the Arab world throughout history.
•In Spite of the Wounds is a documentary series dedicated to individuals who have been injured while fighting against Israel. Their sacrifices are glorified, as is their newfound status as pillars of society.
Music videos. Music videos (anashid) make up approximately 25 percent of al-Manar's programming. One of their primary purposes is to keep Arab anger focused on the Palestinian problem and the U.S. presence in Iraq. They also serve as reminders of Hizballah's willingness to lead the fight against Israel.
Al-Manar officials assert that they strive to create music videos with the level of professionalism that they see on U.S. television networks, specifically MTV. The videos themselves tend to feature violent images and incendiary language. By the station's own admission, these elements are meant to foster suicide operations by inciting individual viewers toward violence. For example, Ayat al-Akhras, a young Palestinian woman, reportedly watched al-Manar incessantly before blowing herself up in front of a Jerusalem supermarket in March 2002, killing two Israelis and wounding twenty-eight others.
Filler material. Al-Manar often broadcasts short sections of filler material in between full-length programs or during commercial breaks. This material serves several key functions, including the following:
•displaying addresses and bank account numbers to which viewers can send money in support of Hizballah;
•listing locations worldwide where demonstrations will soon take place;
•disseminating various inflammatory slogans in Arabic, English, or Hebrew (e.g., "In your death, you are victorious"; "Jerusalem is ours"; "The road to victory is resistance").
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
U.S. officials have made clear that Hizballah ranks high on the list of possible targets in the war on terror. In September 2002, for example, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage called Hizballah the "A-team" of terrorism, suggesting that it constituted a greater threat to the United States than perhaps even al-Qaeda. Washington must now devote equal consideration to the mass media tools that Hizballah uses to further its agenda. The U.S. government should not underestimate the damaging effects of a television station that encourages violent activity such as suicide bombing in the guise of slick programming that appeals to all ages.
No measure -- short of direct military confrontation -- can silence al-Manar completely, particularly as long as Syria maintains its occupation of Lebanon and Iran continues its support of Hizballah's radical activities. Nevertheless, the U.S. government can take several steps to limit the scope and effectiveness of the station's propaganda efforts and make its operations far more difficult and costly:
•The Treasury Department should add al-Manar to its terrorism sanctions list.
•The United States should ask the four Lebanese banks that currently hold Hizballah bank accounts -- and any other banks with which Hizballah does business -- to freeze the accounts in question. If these banks refuse to comply, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control should designate them as institutions harboring accounts of a terrorist organization. This designation would allow Washington to freeze their U.S.-based assets and block their access to U.S. markets.
•The United States should take action against any American financial institutions that continue to serve as agents for noncompliant Lebanese banks.
•The Foreign Terrorist Asset Tracking Center -- the intergovernmental task force responsible for uncovering terrorist financing -- should begin monitoring al-Manar broadcasts for advertised bank accounts.
•The United States should enforce existing laws or pass new legislation prohibiting U.S. companies from advertising on any of Hizballah's mass media outlets.
•Washington should begin a dialogue with European Union officials regarding European companies that advertise on al-Manar.
•The United States should enforce existing laws or pass new legislation prohibiting U.S. media from purchasing footage from, or providing footage to, al-Manar. Washington should encourage Europe to do the same.
•The United States should enforce existing laws that ban U.S. citizens and companies from working with SDGT entities and FTOs. In doing so, the U.S. government should close down al-Manar's Washington bureau (housed within the Associated Press's Washington bureau) and consider pressing criminal charges against the bureau's chief, Muhammad Dalbah.
•The United States should investigate foreign firms that have provided assistance, including media training, to Hizballah or al-Manar.
•The United States should encourage foreign satellite package providers to remove al-Manar from their networks. It should also force IntelSat, a U.S.-based provider, to cease offering al-Manar.
•The United States should consider providing the Lebanese government with the intelligence and support it needs to enforce its own ban on foreign financing of Lebanese media.
•Washington should ask Iraqi authorities to remove al-Manar's correspondents from Iraq.
•In light of Syria's ongoing occupation of Lebanon, the United States should demand that Damascus end al-Manar's calls for suicide attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and elsewhere. Syria's response should be treated as a central test for whether Damascus is cooperating in the war on terrorism.
•The United States should pressure Egypt, Iran, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates to close down al-Manar bureaus. It should also pressure Belgium, France, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates to forbid al-Manar correspondents from reporting on their soil.
Al-Manar's programming puts American lives at risk, both in Iraq and elsewhere, and hinders the prospects for peace and stability throughout the region. Washington must therefore expand its efforts to alter or silence the station's message. Only then will the United States be able to make serious headway in the battle of ideas in the Middle East

Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH,WISDOM,SIGHT AND COURAGE TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM OPEN THE WORLDS RYES TO THEIR THREAT AMEN

That's it Catherine. Thanks for posting that info.
I'll be contacting Bridges TV under the auspices of a cetain human rights NGO who will remain unnamed here - we'll see if I get a reply or if they blow me off, too.

BTW, thanks for the link, Catherine. I might have to pick up that book.

The Information Project update is posted on the "email trouble" thread.

Susan

As the old old story goes:

A farmer many moons ago found a lost tiger cub in the woods while scrounging for roots and, never having seen such a creature, nor understanding what its nature was, thought it piteous and carried it home.

He fed it table scraps and it quickly grew to a sleek and amazing beast, larger than he was.

His kindness to it was poignant.

One morning it ate him.

Caveat donor.

Hey! I've worked with big cats.

They're nice!

... Oh. I do have that Hole in my hand...

Never mind.

Simon winchester's new book "krakatoa' describes a tsunami far far worse the recent tsunami.
But what the book shows is how the disaster led to the rise of militant Islam in indonesia , leading to the murders of countless dutch and christians. It is a lesson for today as a cleansing of Infidels could be on the cards.

Winchester links the Krakatoa eruption to the rise of militant Islam in Indonesia. This is great stuff. He chronicles the 19th century threads of thought that include the Wahabbi movement in Saudi Arabia, and how accelerating trade and communication brought Indonesian Islamic practice more into line with Arabian-generated norms. The eruption and ensuing hardships provided justification for claims by militant preachers of judgment and the need for repentance, greatly accelerating the trends that eventually included the recent al Qaida-associated terrorism there. There's also a brief description of life in modern Jakarta, which is fascinating and saddening.