There is no mention in this report about the nature or origin of the threat. Hmm. Lapsed Quakers? Militant Methodists? "UK terror threat raised to 'severe', Home Secretary announces," by Andrew Hough for the Telegraph, January 22:
The announcement means that an attack is now "highly likely".
Mr Johnson said that although the threat had increased there was no intelligence to suggest an attack was imminent.
The Home Secretary was not specific about the threat, but indicated it was not linked to the Detroit bombing on Christmas Day.
"The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has today raised the threat to the UK from international terrorism from substantial to severe," he said.
"This means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but I should stress that there is no intelligence to suggest than an attack is imminent.
"JTAC keeps the threat level under constant review and makes its judgments based on a broad range of factors, including the intent and capabilities of international terrorist groups in the UK and overseas."
He said that authorities were "not being specific about this, we are not gong to be specific about this".
"In his statement to Parliament on security and counter terrorism earlier this week, the Prime Minister said that the first and most important duty of government is the protection and security of the British people," he said.
"We still face a real and serious threat to the UK from international terrorism so I would urge the public to remain vigilant and carry on reporting suspicious events to the appropriate authorities and to support the police and security services in their continuing efforts to discover, track and disrupt terrorist activity.
"We have a very focused counter terrorism facility in this country and the public should be reassured by that."
He added: "The fact is we keep this under review and moving to this different threat level means we have to be more alert and it means that an attack has moved to the level of being likely, but we have absolutely no intelligence to suggest that it is imminent."
"This means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but I should stress that there is no intelligence to suggest than an attack is imminent."
The only accurate statement there is 'no intelligence'. I agree with that 100%.
When will people finally realize that although not all muslims are terorrists, most terrorists are muslim? Isn't it kinda obvious that there is a great rift between the West and Islam (the Middle East in particular) when hundreds of thousands of people chant "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" in many muslim-majority countries? When will we learn that political correctness DOES NOT save lives? The West needs to wake up. These barbarians want nothing less than sharia law implemented throughout the world and will not stop until their goal is achieved.
From article..."This means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but I should stress that there is no intelligence to suggest than an attack is imminent.
Highly likely but not imminent...Well, I guess that's clear enough...The same thing can be said for the US...
Highly likely but not imminent is psychological terrorism...
The question is, in this case, who is doing it, terrorists or the UK government?...What 'no intelligence' are they not sharing with us...
"There is no mention in this report about the nature or origin of the threat."
Betcha when it happens they have names like "Mohammed."
Obviously, it is those darned Militant Methodists:
See, ever since they were founded in the seventh century by a guy named mohammed, they have been attacking whoever they though was in the way of their goal of world domination . . .
. . . Oh, wait . . . maybe that was another group.
But still, When those Militant Methodists look at their holy literature, they learn that they are justified in killing people from all other religions and any not-so-militant Methodists . . .
. . . Oh, wait . . . maybe I'm thinking of a different religion.
Wait! I've got it: those MMs kidnap young girls from the Copts in Egypt and rape them and force them to convert . . .
. . . Oooo, that's not them.
Dang!!! I thought I had it.
Three things to bear in mind:
Civil contingencies act 2004 allows the government to delay or suspend an election in the event of civil disaster or some ill defined "event".
This year is an election year.
Gordon Brown has already delayed the election right up to the constitutional limit (yes we have a constitution, it's just not written down on a piece of paper called "the constitution"). And he is not going to give up without a fight.
I am a cynical man but I am not given over to paranoia, and even I'm wondering when (not if) this alleged leader will resort to underhand tactics to remain in power. Raising the threat level without any apparent threat stinks to high heaven as far as I'm concerned because it could provide the pretext for cancelling the election all together and give Brown a few more years in power.
A government does not implement a law unless it is planning to use it.
Must be the Jooooooz. Maybe Micheal Savage.
"Hmm. Lapsed Quakers? Militant Methodists?"
My theory is that it's Misunderstanders of Lutheranism. The Lutefisk Jihad.
Robert correctly notes "There is no mention in this report about the nature or origin of the threat."
Which, given what has been reported by AP through, for example, The New Zealand Herald, means that it is "highly likely" that there is "severe" censorship in place in the UK media.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10621871&pnum=0
Readers there can at least gather that:
"Abdulmutallab, who allegedly had links to extremists based in Yemen, had studied as a university student in London. "It shouldn't be thought to be linked to Detroit, or anywhere else for that matter," Johnson said. "We never say what the intelligence is." "
and
"Earlier this week Britain suspended direct flights to Yemen's capital in response to the growing threat from al-Qaida-affiliated militants based in that country. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said his government also was creating a new terrorist no-fly list and targeting specific airline passengers for tougher security checks.
"The measures followed a discussion between Brown and President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Brown said Britain and other nations face a sharply growing threat from al-Qaida-affiliated terrorists based in Yemen and an area of north Africa that includes nations such as Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan and Ethiopia."
Further,
"Britain's decision to raise its terror threat alert came as India put airline passengers through extra security screenings and sky marshals were placed on flights. India put its airports on high alert amid reports that al-Qaida-linked militants planned to hijack a plane."
When The Telegraph, normally among the least bad of a terrible bunch, thus likely self-censors or allows government censoring, we should all be at least as fearful for the UK's freedom of the media as for its terrorism.
Lapsed Quakers? Militant Methodists?
Yes! ...and stay on the alert for those Spooky Christians threatening to convert you by force, if necessary. Heard they pack a mean punch with their Bibles ...unless of course they choose to run after you with one of those terrifying gospel tracts.
Every day that goes by with more Muslim immigration to the West means that the security threat alert moves higher. It is a simple formula, more Muslims in the West equals higher security threat, more terrorist attacks, more troublesome security checkpoints for all citizens, more unease in daily life as average citizens have to wonder at all times if a Muslim on the bus or near them wherever they are will explode into a messy goop of blood and guts wreaking havoc and death and destruction to all unfortunate enough to be nearby at that moment. Islam has no place in the West and all further immigration must be stopped and what has already occurred gradually reversed.
Savage has confirmed on his program in no uncertain terms, making it absolutely positively 100% clear, he is CLUELESS about religion and Islam in particular. He says that ALL religions are like the spokes of a wheel, that all provide a different way to the center blah blah blah, however he puts it. Even though he is a trained scientist he is incapable of grasping the simple concept of mutual exclusivity, that Christianity and Islam can not "both" be true, one or the other is false, or both are false, but both can not be true since they make competing claims about the same subjects. Perhaps his lawyers came up with this happy talk so that he can avoid more problems with the Muslims. Sad though coming from such a tough talker.
Gee isn't it more exciting if we all get a surprise? Oh come on not even a possible clue as to who might perpetrate a terrorist attack? Yes of course we don't want to point a finger at who the terrorist may turn out to be do we. After all we may be accused of profiling---OH MY GOD!! there is that potential lawsuit word again. Does the home secretary show concern because there may be suspicious chatter but MI5 cannot connect the dots, thank you Obama and AG Holder?
Obama and his attorney general says America is a nation of laws but I think when it comes to terrorism we are more of a nation of flaws unfortunately.
Interesting comment Archonix. I thought George Bush was going to do something like this during his last year in office. I thought maybe there would be a large scale terrorist attack, a declaration of martial law, and then we would have Emperor Bush. We already had the trappings of a police state during his 'watch' so it didn't seem inconceivable to me at the time. We also had false terror alerts before elections to boost votes totals for the republican party. .....I know that most of the conservatives here might think I'm the nut for thinking this so I should also say that I use to be one of you, or at least a Libertarian. My views have changed over the past 30 years though as I've been watching politics in America.
It's the abstemious Amish, and the mercurial Menonites; they've joined forces.
It's so crazy. It's like the weather report.
You have the five day forecast, stocks, the Muslim attack index, "highly likely", and then sports.
It's like the weather, you're just supposed to live with it.
Something that may amuse those who joined this forum any time after May 2006, and therefore may have missed a hilarious posting re. 'Terror Alert States' which was contributed by 'dominic', necessitasnonhabetlegem.
I re-post it here.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2006/04/fitness-usa-splits-space-for-women.html#c208411
Dominic states that he did not compose it himself; someone sent it to him, it appears to be yet another of those wonderful things that we owe to that notorious author, 'Anon', who flourishes particularly in the great House of Fame that is the Internet.
"TERROR ALERT STATES.
"There are various alert states in force all around the world because of the threat of terrorist action.
"Some are formal and initiated by government and some are informal.
"For example, here in Britain on our exceedingly unofficial, informal, four-level alert state, the level has just been raised from ‘miffed' to ‘peeved’.
"This leaves us two higher levels, of course, namely ‘irritated’ and ‘a bit cross’.
"It’s worth noting that the British people haven’t been ‘a bit cross’ since the blitz of 1940 when supplies of tea almost ran out.
"(The terrorists themselves have been recategorised from ‘tiresome’ to ‘a bloody nuisance’. The last time ‘a bloody nuisance’ level was reached was in the Great Fire of London in 1666.)
"The French government announced yesterday that it had raised its terror alert state from ‘Run’ to ‘Hide’.
'This came about because of a fire that destroyed France’s only white flag factory, effectively paralysing their military capability.
'The only two higher levels in France are ‘Surrender’ and ‘Collaborate’.
'It’s not only the French who are on a higher level of alert.
The Italians have increased their alert level from ‘shout loudly and excitedly’ to ‘elaborate military posturing’. This leaves them their two higher levels, of course, of ‘ineffective combat operations’ and ‘change sides’.
'News is just coming in that the Germans have increased their alert status as well. They’ve gone from ‘arrogant disdain’ to ‘dress in silly uniforms and sing marching songs’.
It’s worth noting that the next two levels for them are ‘invade a neighbour’ and ‘lose’.
'Sweden, for what it’s worth, is still to make up its mind, when someone can find it, about moving from ‘demand even-handed treatment for all’ to ‘petty-foggingly demand even-handed treatment for all’.
'Strangely, or maybe not, the Swedes only have one higher level of alert after this – ‘whinge on to everyone about the loss of Finland’.
'It’s reported that the Pentagon may follow Europe’s lead and raise the American alert status from ‘the war is over’ to ‘find another oil rich nation ripe for regime change’.
'It is not known, as yet, whether or not they will contemplate going higher, say to ‘attack’, or ‘insist the British help’.
"Meanwhile, here in the UK the government has officially moved from ‘pretend nothing is happening’ to ‘make another cup of tea’.
"Oddly, or, again, maybe not, we have three higher levels – ‘remain resolutely cheerful’ and ‘win everything except the cricket’ and ‘insist the Americans help’."
With thanks to all who sent this to me,
Dominic.
@Archonix and Ray Gamma - I've had similar suspicions for some time - that there will either be a high threat level or an actual attack, allowing Dictator Brown to suspend elections. However, MI5 traditionally do not like a Labour Government, so if this is a false alert, they may do something to alert the Conservative Party, although 'Call Me Dave' Cameron doesn't seem to sort to actually do anything about it.
Totally agree with almost everything you say Archonix - and nor am I conspiracy theorist. You got one thing wrong though. We DO now have a written constitution which is the Lisbon Treaty. That treaty apparently allows the EU, in the event of revolt if the election is cancelled, to send in the stormtroopers. I find that possibility even more frightening than terrorism.
So far we had 7/7 where they killed 52 people. We had the 'Doctor Plot', an attempt to slaughter as many as possible at the Tiger Tiger night-club, followed the next day by the same people ramming a jeep into Glasgow Airport. Since then numerous trials including the foiled "liquid bomb plot".
Add in the so called legal incidents such as the infamous Cartoon Demo's and Muslims hurling insults at returning soldiers in Luton. Then the latest, Anjem Choudary threatening to swamp Wooton Basset, the small town military hearses travel through in ceremony for the fallen in Afghanistan, with empty coffins to symbolise Afghan dead.
That was basically it. We've had enough of this. The game, despite all Government lies to the contrary , is up.
We know the enemy at our gates and we now know the enemy within them. Fortunately they're not difficult to spot as, steeped in the hubris of recalcitrant teenagers they adopt a posture of 'you can't touch me' as they cockily push and push the boundary of free speech to a point where it snaps. And that desert attire can be a bit of a giveaway also.
Labour, the facilitator of the opening of our borders to a massive influx of Pakistanis is now, after treating these ingrates like protected species realising, too late that you can provoke the people so far and not one law in the land can shut them up when the tipping point arrives. Putting it crudely, we’ve got the numbers on our side.
Thus our comment slots in the national media, political and anti jihad sites are full to bursting with outrage that in the space of ten years we've been infiltrated by a bunch of savages willingly aided and abetted by a political party who merely saw them as voting fodder.
As in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, France and Italy ,multiculturalism was viewed as the pinnacle of enlightened thought. Now its biting them in the arse and rather than pinnacle is morphing into the bete noir of the political classes.
Muslims are simply not playing this stupid Government’s game. They were expected after all the affirmative action to be pacified. As JW knows, it doesn’t work like that. Offer a hand and they take the arm. Back off and the vacuum is filled. Each and every concession a retreat. But their understanding of what makes a British person a British person is sadly misinformed, warped as it is through the prism of political correctness. They assume that we are as spineless as the Marxist idiots who purport to lead us. They do not get our fierce individuality and our backs to the wall grit when the chips are down.
And talking of chips, we have an expression which denotes a terrible self defeat or own goal. It’s called ‘pissing on your chips’. Looks to me that that point for our Mohammedan friends is fast approaching.
logdon
Great post, total agreement on all points.
In support of your argument it is also interesting that this latest ramping-up of our terror alert status comes just a couple of days after the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) issued a 7 page memo condemning the linking of terrorism with Islam and threatening dire consequences for social cohesion if we carried on doing so.
Seems that NAMP have turned out to be just another Muslim political advocacy group, abetting the jihad against us by peddling the usual demands, backed up by the usual threats, that Infidels should keep quiet and do nothing to oppose the Muslim warfare being conducted against us. The fact that Britain is once again on maximum alert proves that all NAMPs assertions are hollow and exposes them as nothing more than just another Muslim mouthpiece voicing the same obvious falsehoods we've become so sick of hearing; that we should all view Islam as nothing other than utterly benign, that all Muslims are uniformly innocent victims requiring special protection and that Islamic terrorism has nothing to do with Islam. They are insistent that in order to uphold our treasured British values we need to set about denying not only our own common sense, but also the evidence of our own eyes and our own experience. Unbelievable.
As you accurately point out, Muslims consistently misunderstand the true nature of the Brits and how far we will allow ourselves to be pushed. We are indeed fast approaching the breaking point and as you say, the numbers are on our side, yet our Muslim opponents often seem peculiarly oblivious to this reality. Well, perhaps a few might be waking up now. Here's an interesting observation from a Muslim blogger called Luqman on mujehadinryder.net, warning fellow muslims not to be overconfident of their conquest of europe. He says:
"Do not dismiss Europeans too fast. When pushed too far they will turn very ugly, very violent, very fast. This is the continent that invented total war, genocide, holocaust and ethnic cleansing."
A perceptive Muslim indeed.
Thanks, DDA, for the reminder of Dominic. Such a gentle soul, greatly missed here at JW.
Hi dda and thanks for that post.
A timely reminder that sometimes the best remedy is laughter. Nice one.
When I was much younger I remember people refering to International Communism. That was quite descriptive as communists came from many countries and different religious backgrounds (unless they were athiests). But International Terrorism isn't that descriptive as not all terrorists are Islamic (but most all are). We need a new term.
Good posts from 'logdon' and 'Hard Rain'.
The amount of posts to the UK newspapers and media regarding Islam and Muslim issues is certainly increasing markedly.
Islamic "apologist" articles are usually deluged with comments making the points with which JW readers are so familar regarding Islam's objectives of world domination and subjugation of non-Muslims by any means possible, including terrorism.
The current articles often cite "Britain's liberal traditions and freedom of speech" as an argument for facilitating Islamic supremacy and special treatment for Muslims but then seek to deny others the opportunity of any criticism on the grounds that it would "offend" Muslims.
"I could not agree more with your last post if I tried. Yes, of course, moslems are an alien body in our midst. Every day in London - on the tube, in shops, in parks, whilst shopping, whilst going about the 101 tasks that make up an average life - this is borne in on me.
In London today moslems dress differently, are rude to locals, jump queues, shout at us, wave their fists at us, call us 'worthless infidel' in public and in loud voices. I have, just four days ago, been elbowed aside by a moslem couple, with sidekicks, whilst trying to top up my Oyster card at a tube station at the automatic machine. Apparently, I had taken longer than the ten seconds that they were prepared to wait and so three burly males forced me aside and, when I objected, pushed me to the floor and - quite literally - and took over the machine which I was attempting to use.
Not, in a crowded and impatient city like London that this was a surprise, but that in this instance that I was insulted by these people was a surprise. The eldest male in the group, dressed in the usual and ridiculous garb of mohammedans everywhere, looked directly at me amd said, in quite clear English, (and I quote verbatim) "Get out of our way infidel slave".
You may imagine how I felt at that moment. To be so insulted in my own capital city was stunning. It took all my self-control not to do something rash at that moment.
Knowing that CCTV cameras would have captured this incident I complained, some three hours later (after having completed my journey and return), to the British Transport Police on the Broadway. I need not have bothered. Not only would no-one there take my complaint of 'technical assault and insult' seriously but no-one to whom I spoke was even prepared to initiate any paperwork whatsoever nor were they remotely prepared to find and look at the video recordings. Indeed, one Officer even said to me that I 'should swallow my pride' and live with it because - and, once again, I quote verbatim 'you are just being racist and you have to remember that it's cultural with them'.
Obviously, at this point, I indicated that I felt that I had been physically assaulted and that I would really like to have my complaint investigated. Well, this is really where everything about that evening begins to stick in my craw. When I said that, the Officer of the BTP who was listening to me actually cautioned me and warned me that if I persisted with making a nuisance of myself I would be charged under the The Race Relations Act 1976 and the RRAA (Race Relations (Amendment) Act) 2000.
I gave up at this point. Cowardice is sometimes the better part of valour. But, damn it, they won, didn't they? I have been intimidated into a dhimmi position by them and the very powers which should have protected me in my own country.
"Happy New Year everyone", I say in a bitter tone of voice.
Dominic.
Livingengine - I see you found another of dominic's postings. A very disturbing experience he had.
However: on another occasion, he *was* able to deal with the Mohammedan bullies. I recall the posting quite vividly, but haven't yet been able to track it down in the archives. For all I know I may have it squirrelled away somewhere, but failed to label it properly.
In any case, this is what i remember. It appears that he and some other archaeologists (he was an archaeologist) were engaged in a 'building site salvage' dig in a British city. As he and his colleagues were preparing to pack up in the wee small hours (I *think* they had been working overnight, it being a building site and all), a group of Mohammedan bullyboys came swaggering over, boasting and threatening.
All of a sudden, as Dominic describes it, he and his friends had had enough. They simply snapped. Anger replaced their fear. And it suddenly occurred to them that they (the archaeologists) *were* armed...with spades, mattocks, and other implements of their trade. Instead of cringing and scuttling, or running away, or calling for help, they drew together and, raising their weapons, boldly approached the Mohammedans...who turned tail and bolted. Seemingly the prospect of being walloped over the head with a big shovel or a mattock by an angry archaeologist was enough to cause the young thugs to decide to postpone the jihad for another day.
If anyone else here recalls that episode, and can track it down in the comments thread where it was originally described, I would be delighted!
A few hours of searching and I have found the post. Apologies: I find that above, going from memory, I have somewhat dramatised the retelling. I did, however, recall the core of it correctly.
Here is Dominic's own account of a bunch of tired, angry English archaeologists who *stopped being afraid* of Muslim thugs.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2006/10/government-doubts-threat-on-nfl-stadiums.html#c286743
necessitasnonhabetlegem | October 18, 2006 10:29 PM
'So; this is about striking fear and terror into our hearts is it? Well, yes, I can buy that explanation - I think that Robert is correct.
'I work in an area of human knowledge which means that often I have to work through the night - or, at least, on into the wee, small hours (as tonight) - uncovering the past once the machinery of the builders of the present and future has finished for the day.
'Working at night poses its own problems, not least amongst which is the strange people who accost one on site and on one's way home after work.
'Some days ago on leaving a site we were stopped by a group of asian looking males who asked us what we had been doing on that site through the hours of darkness.
'We explained that we were archaeologists doing a rescue dig in advance of the development company sinking foundations for the new factory units.
'At that point there was some muttering amongst these asian-seeming males and one of their number came forward and asked exactly what we were looking for.
'We explained that we were excavating a not very important bronze age site dating to around 1800BC which was interesting to us because there was some significant evidence that, even at that date, stone tools and artifacts were still exceedingly important to the people who had occupied the site.
'Some more muttering in a language which none of us understood then took place amongst these males.
'Suddenly, we detected a sea change in their attitude towards us. They became hostile and began to threaten us with violence.
'One of them came forward and shouted at us that we were looking for evidence that mohammed was not eternal.
' Another shouted at us, in perfectly understandable English, that we were seeking to destroy signs of the earliest mosque in England.
'Over the next few minutes there were more, and equally ridiculous, comments and insults thrown at us.
'Then it began to get ugly. Even though these, by now, obviously moslem, males were outnumbered by our group in the ratio of three-to-one they decided to move towards us and display an assortment of makeshift weapons which they had obviously brought with them to this encounter.
'We were tired after having worked all night.
'Things had not gone well due to water incursion into our diggings.
'We had yelled at one another and we had argued with one another all night.
'In other words we were distinctly p***sed off and still annoyed.
'When these idiotic and under-educated (aren't they all) moslems advanced upon us *the only reaction any of us had was anger.* {nota bene - dda}
'So we walked towards them *and brandished the tools we were carrying* {that was the part I remembered, from having read this story three, four years ago - dda} -
'and, in a moment of humour which we didn't appreciate until later, one of my colleagues simply waved his mobile 'phone at them -
'and these stupid, ignorant people simply turned and ran away from us.
'We couldn't believe it. They ran down the street and stood at the corner and called out some sort of insults to us in a language we couldn't understand and when we walked towards them they simply melted away into the surrounding streets.
'Obviously, we laughed, who wouldn't.
'Obviously we reviled them and their pubescent, tumescent, idiotic, crude beliefs in their filthy little devil-worshipping cult (actually, a fascinating study for us is islam and how it arose.. but that's another story).
'So, we headed towards a hot breakfast in the nearest 'greasy spoon' (as archaeologists are occasionally wont - especially after a long cold night)
'and, once we were safely ensconced in the steamy warmth of the cafe one of the young American exchange students who is working with us reminded us of an incredibly apposite quote from FDR in 1933 (albeit, he was speaking about something entirely different):
"So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
'And he was right. We had converted retreat into advance.
'We had done more than that - we had won by standing up to the brutish islamist.
'By God, that made us all feel better!"
Dominic.
(and in a subsequent post in the same thread, Dominic confirmed that this happened in England:
necessitasnonhabetlegem | October 19, 2006 1:35 AM
americaningermany/
"Yep. It was in Britain. In fact, in North London. My country, damnit, not theirs."
Hard Rain, and Mrs J, and all other British posters who have joined us after 2006; I hope that story from Dominic may encourage you a little.
dda
Yes thank you, it does indeed. Your friend Dominic sounds like a valiant soul, but I assume from your comments he's no longer posting. Can you tell us what happened to him?
How about this?
Q: Professor, will there be a test?
A: That is "highly likely" but it is not "imminent".
Clear? Clear.
Nuanced but easy to grasp. So I better start studying today if I want to keep my 'A'...or maybe tomorrow or the day after.
Dominic - the irony is tragic - died as a result of a road accident, in April 2007, after having posted here regularly and most engagingly and instructively for something like 18 months. (He first stumbled upon this site by accident! - as many, it seems, have done).
To read his obituary, go to the jihadwatch homepage. Then look on the right hand side of the page and scroll down till you reach a little sign saying 'DOMINIC: Eternal Memory'. Click on that. The comments field is well worth reading.
To find those threads in which he posted, you can try an internet search combining the terms 'jihadwatch' and 'necessitasnonhabetlegem'.
dda
So sad, but thanks, I'll check out his memorial.
Condolences on the loss of your friend. I would have liked to have met him.
I could not say that Dominic was my friend. Alas, I never met him face to face; but he made an indelible impression through his postings. He and I never even exchanged ideas in writing as you and I are doing now, because at the time that he was most active, I was still merely a lurker and had not come to the point of choosing a nom de plume and stepping out onto the comments floor.
It was, in fact, the news of Dominic's death that transformed me from a lurker to a poster.
I had been lurking and reading for months - much enjoying, of course, Dominic's witty and useful postings as well as those by others - when, like so many others then reading and/ or posting, I was stunned and saddened to hear the dreadful news that he was no more. As others expressed their grief and their condolences to his family, I felt I, too, should say something: so I chose my nom de plume, and the rest is history. The posting by me that you will find in the thread attached to the article under the link 'DOMINIC: Eternal Memory', is the very first posting I ever made here at jihadwatch.