"The race was deemed too inviting -- and too easy -- a target for [Al-Qaeda's] new north African affiliate."
Sports Jihad Update. "Terrorism threat cancels Dakar Rally," from the Associated Press:
The Dakar Rally, the epic motorcycle, car and truck race across the Sahara desert, was canceled Friday by organizers citing "direct" threats of terrorism from al-Qaida-linked militants.
The race was deemed too inviting -- and too easy -- a target for the terror group's new north African affiliate. The roughly 550 competitors were to have embarked Saturday on the 16-day, 5,760-mile trek through remote and hostile dunes and scrub from Europe to Senegal in west Africa.
Organizers of the rally, once known as the Paris-Dakar, cited warnings from the French government about safety after the al-Qaida-linked Dec. 24 slaying of a family of French tourists in Mauritania -- where most of the competition was to be held -- and "threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organizations."
[...]
Victor Anderes, vice president of special projects at Global Security Associates, a New York-based firm that provides security for high-profile events including the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, called the cancellation unprecedented.
"Smaller cultural events have been canceled before because of terror threats, but this hasn't happened with such a major international event," he said.
"The threat is significant," Anderes said. "It would be almost impossible to secure the entire course." He said the race is particularly vulnerable because it crosses different countries and large, unpopulated areas.
"When you are told of direct threats against the event and when the sinister name of al-Qaida is mentioned, you don't ask for details," Patrice Clerc, who heads the company that organizes the rally, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It was enough for me to hear my government say 'beware, the danger is at a maximum."'
Experts cautioned -- as Western governments have often warned -- that bowing to terror threats could encourage more violence. They said al-Qaida's North African wing had scored propaganda points as it seeks to increase its reach in the region.
"They scored a media victory without firing a shot," said Louis Caprioli, a former assistant director at France's counterintelligence agency DST. "Everybody gets the impression that they are very powerful, when they in fact represent a small number of people in this region."
But it obviously doesn't take that many to wreak havoc.
Adam Raisman, senior analyst at the SITE Institute in Washington, said "the jihadist Internet community is quite happy with the closing, seeing it as a victory."
Of course, it's also an economic blow to those countries and their governments, as well as a propaganda victory.
You actually want the Dakar Rally to go on?
What are you? Some sort of racist?!
Well if al-qaida and al-goreda team up that will put and end to global warming, no Nascar, no NHRA, no Mud Boggin, Monster Truck Rally's lol
This sounds like a prudent move on the part of the race organizers.
The Islamic terrorists are winning against the West because the West never misses an opportunity to appease them.
The same pressure they apply on Israel to surrender and retreat is returned on the West ten fold as Divine justice is handed to the hypocrites with their double standard against Israel.
What they force on Israel is coming hard on all of us in the West.
Early news this morning from ABC radio mentioned Adam Gaddan American Al-Queda had threatened Bush on his trip to Israel while burning his passport and renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
My first thought's on hearing this was how close to a trillion dollars and seven years later OBL is as free to roam as before and that the incompentent,no accountability fools who lead us will probally sen a replacement passport to Ghaddan's address in Pakistan.
I wonder why the lamestream media is not reporting this yet.
More important Brittany news ?
Helping make the world a more dangerous and poorer place.
...brought to you by Al Qaeda
I doubt if this will make much impression in the U.S., where not too many people follow international motor sports. Now if they were to threaten a NASCAR race, that might wake up a good number of Americans. And a threat to a bowl game, or the NBA play-offs, would wake up even more.
Is the Olympics next?
Lets all bow down to our new overlords.
"Let's all bow down to our new overlords."
alexb
That's exactly the appeal of Al Qaeda and other Islamic supremacist groups. There are so many nebbishes in this world who are sucked in by the easy power-high of a crackpot ideology. It's the Goebbels syndrome. Muhammed had that one down pat.
No fun ever!
/best Joan Crawford voice
For just a little fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtaX6dJ3uk
Is the Olympics next?
by alexb
Not if we hold them in Russia and China for the foreseeable future. There we have two countries that know how to deal with Islamists.
How will the Islamists respond to the female figure skaters or swimmers?
Hair or skin exposed on television for all the world to see? Being touched by a male who isn't a relative? Goodness gracious!
Robert,
Do frightened organisers have that much veto besides the sponsors and participants themselves? I can't bear to be in the latter's shoes. Always seen as tough gladiators on mechanical horses but a grunt of a mere thug has made the participants look otherwise.
Let me digress a bit. Someone said Europe died in Auschwitz when they destroyed 6 million creative minds to import 20 million destructive ones.
I hear the man is in the midst of getting married but I would love to hear the French President weigh in on this issue.
If the jihadists started popping off the racers, it would look bad publicity for the 'religion of peace' mulitculturalism crowd, so it's off. Keep you heads down boys and girls, duck'n'cover, keep them well buried in a bucket of Sahara sand (facing Mecca) or the jihad bad guys will getcha. Killjoy-Islam trolls win another round, and normal humanity goes into hiding.
Islam in the land of no fun, no matter where or how.
Formula One will race in Bahrain, Turkey, and Maylasia again in 2008. I think they should reconsider such lunacy.
However, if the jihadists are smart and can keep their desire for blood under control, they will not disrupt European auto racing. An attack at a Formula One event would be the worst thing they could do. European Formula one fans are only slightly more civilized than European football (soccer) fans. I imagine that a deadly attack that injures a driver or team members would be the thing that turns the tide against Muslims in Europe.
"I imagine that a deadly attack that injures a driver or team members would be the thing that turns the tide against Muslims in Europe.
Posted by: Pelayo ""
....maybe....one thing is certain, the Muslim attacks on churches,tourists,and numerous other civilian targets have not done it....
I wouldn't want to see any racers get hurt but it would be fun to see a hot KTM rider getting traction off the ass of a jihadi out there in the Kalahari...yeeehaa..