What a Surprise
According to multiple reports (examples here and here), the al-Qaeda linked terrorists who took over the gas plant in Algeria now have a new offer. They’re offering to trade two “American” hostages for the Egyptian “Blind Sheik” Omar Abdel-Rahman and Pakistani Aafia Siddiqui.
For those who’ve forgotten: Abdel-Rahman masterminded the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed 8. Siddiqui has been linked to al Qaeda and is currently serving 30 years to life for the attempted murder of US officials who were preparing to question her after her apprehension in Afghanistan in 2008.
Is anyone really surprised?
Category: Terror War
Nope, no surprise here. Same old al-Qaeda.
Not surprised. How soon before Obama agrees?
Well, once you soften up on these guys, it’s inevitable that they believe you will negotiate with them. Maybe General Marty Dumster can call and ask them to repudiate the offer. Maybe obamaman will call this workplace violence and he’ll get the EEOC on this or something. He had the 2 a.m. call previously and failed to answer the phone. The Peoples loves him. Let the Peoples look to him for action and guidance. And rots o ruck wif that.
#2 beat me to it. I’m just surprised that the deal hasn’t already been done.
Wait, President Obama told me that the Al-Qaeda threat was no more… huh?
So what’s your point? Al Quaeda is made up of bad guys?
@5. The obamaman is NEVER wrong. This is actually Al’s brother organization, Sal-Qaeda.
Hey Joe. Back from Virginia so soon?
Yes, Joe. Glad it only took you a couple of decades to figure that one out, genius.
And frankly, I’d be okay with an exchange…you let our guys go, we’ll let yours go.
From 30,000 feet. Strapped to a JDAM.
Actually Mr. Hondo, it’s much worse than that in the sense that there are links between what we’ve been seeing in Libya, Egypt and now Algeria. There were two reasons for the Benghazi attack:
1) Revenge for the death of Al-Libi, whose brother is a senior member of the LIFG and appealed to Dr. Zawahiri for retribution.
2) The release of the Blind Sheik. In fact, the sub-unit that falls under Ansar Al Sharia responsible for carrying out the attack. is called “The Imprisoned Omar Abdul Rahman Brigade.”
Additionally, the demonstration that led to the US embassy in Cairo being overrun were chanting for this guy’s release. It was never about some stupid youtube video. Interestingly enough, you’ll find a direct link between the guys responsible for that demonstration (Sheiks Shehato, Ashoush and Dr. Zawahiri’s younger brother Muhammad)and the Benghazi attack. In fact, Shehato and Ashoush helped establish what is known as the “Nasir City” AQ cell, which sent guys to Benghazi to help with the attack. All to get the Blind Sheik out of jail and get vengeance for Al Libi’s death by UAV this past June. Also look up the name Muhammad Jamal al Kashef (a.k.a. Abu Ahmed, because he also has extensive links to Libyan jihadist in addition to his role in the Benghazi attack and links to Egypt. I say this because some of those involved in the Algeria hostage incident were from Libya and Egypt. I doubt this is a coincidence. If anything, I’d say this is all part of a coordinated effort. What this tells us is 2013 will likely be a year of great bloodshed. We have the policy of appeasement to thank for that one, because after all, weakness is a provocative act itself…
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/africa/libya-attack-jihadists/index.html
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/10/26/246075.html
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/01/10/egypt-security-raid-reveals-terror-cell-linked-to-al-qaeda.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/11/world/meast/egpyt-us-embassy-protests/index.html
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5601.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444549204578020373444418316.html
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/investigations-launched-alleged-terror-cell-leader
Make the trade, then take them out. Omar will never see it coming.
In regards to our one-eyed friend who masterminded the attack and seizing of hostages in Algeria, He also has extensive ties to the jihadists in Libya, not to mention the AQ senior leadership in Pakistan. Such links have been cultivated over the years and go back to his time fighting in Afghanistan. He had a bit of a “falling out” with the other AQIM leadership and formed his own splinter group, which is the same organization responsible for this recent incident. Interestingly enough, he still answers to the AQ senior leadership (Zawahiri). It appears he formed his own organization because the AQIM guys weren’t “hardcore enough” in his eye.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/leader-al-qaida-unit-mali-quits-aqim
Pay attention to the excerpt below, because we’re seeing their strategic “big picture” view and goals of expanding their influence:
‘Moktar Belmoktar, formerly the head of a cell of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, is one of the most prolific kidnappers operating in Mali’s lawless north. He is linked to the abduction of a group of tourists in 2003 in southern Algeria, as well as the top United Nations diplomat in Niger, Robert Fowler, who was grabbed on the side of a road in 2008.
The deputy mayor of a town in the Timbuktu region of northern Mali, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety, confirmed that AQIM “katiba,” or cell, leader Belmoktar had left the al-Qaida franchise. The information was confirmed by Oumar Ould Hamaha, an associate of Belmoktar’s, who was reached by telephone at an undisclosed location in northern Mali.
“It’s true,” said Hamaha. “It’s so that we can better operate in the field that we have left this group which is tied to the ‘Maghreb’ appellation. We want to enlarge our zone of operation throughout the entire Sahara, going from Niger through to Chad and Burkina Faso.”‘
And here’s his bio:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/africa/article3659857.ece
Omar will never see it coming.
Okay, I lol’ed.
Comrade Joseph, SHRCGGSRD: the point is obvious to anyone with three or more working brain cells, dipstick. Since you obviously don’t fall into that category, let me spell it out for you.
This demand was completely predictable. Let’s see if the current Administration figured that out – and what they do.
My money is on “no” to the first, and that this is a surprise to them. What they will do, I don’t know. One never knows what the clueless are going to do next, and I won’t hazard a blind guess.
2/17 Air Cav: wouldn’t “Sal”-Qaeda be their sister organization? (smile)
Personally, I’d rather just airdrop a C-5 cargo hold full of pigs on top of the plant. Think infidel carpet bombing. Give them a little notice about what will be happening and make sure to have snipers (maybe those SEALs who took out the pirates) in place to cover their possible escape routes.
New demands have just been released:
The following people are to be released from their captors: In Northern Ireland, the seven members of the New Provo Front. In Canada, the five imprisoned leaders of Liberte de Quebec. In Sri Lanka, the nine members of the Asian Dawn movement…
(He read about them in Time magazine.)
@16 – Flagwaver, only if they are feral hogs and have been turned into groundpork and pork chops.
Do not hurt live piggies, please.
And this one is for Joey-boy: 1) – there is no U in al-Qaeda. The Arabic use of ‘q’ in pronunciation is an aspirated ‘k’.
2) – Do you think you could possibly post a comment without making yourself look any stupider than you’ve already done? So far, you haven’t demonstrate the least understanding of how to present even a modest argument. On top of that, you’re more boring than watching peanut butter dry out.
NHSparky – Thanks! I’ll be here all night.
@16. You must not have a drop of Italian blood in you!
@17. Nice one. Pig bombs.
2/17 Air Cav: just hopefully pissing off some Islamists by comparing them to a group of women. We all know how supportive they are of women’s rights.
Besides, it’s not only those of Italian ancestry who might use the name “Salvadore” or a variant thereof. Ever hear of an artist by the name of Dali? (smile)
Flagwaver: perhaps pig excrement would be a better choice. Urine and feces are also considered “unclean”; using that wouldn’t kill any pigs. And since it would also be porcine, that would be a “three-fer”.
Wouldn’t want to be a member of the flight crew, though. (smile)
Of course, Hondo. There’s nothing like a good old NY Dali sandwich.
#15 Hondo: the implication is that this event is the second attempt to secure hostages. The first time happened 9/11/2012. The Blind Shiek is extremely important to Morsi and the MB in much the same way that the Ayatollah Khomeini was important to the Iranian revolutionaries.
Obama lost face in Benghazi, and in not returning Rahman as was considered promised in his Cairo speech. To reclaim his place, Obama will use the CYA maneuver of trading hostages.
The other implication is the repudiation of the Reagan Doctrine. Reagan said we don’t negotiate with terrorists. Obama gives out the OFA website and turned off the ID verification system.
This is from a news article this evening:
“The United States does not negotiate with terrorists,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of reports the militants were seeking the release of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, who is serving a life term for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist convicted of trying to kill U.S. soldiers after being arrested in Afghanistan in 2008.
Here’s the link: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/18/16580687-1-american-killed-2-escape-in-algeria-hostage-crisis-us-officials-say-militants-offer-to-exchange-2-others-for-blind-sheik?lite
Now the real question is not will the US negotiate? Rather, it is how long this “we will not negotiate” line holds up to close examination.
Dr. Zawahiri’s brother Muhammad (who I mentioned above) is at it again, this time he was protesting the French invasion of Mali in front of the French embassy in Cairo. You’ll recall that he was one of the several Al Qaida-linked jihadists who orchestrated the 11 SEP 12 demonstration at the US Embassy in Cairo. You also probably remember how they overran the facility. He’s big on protests. I’m seeing a lot of similarities here to what we experienced with Benghazi, and by the same cast of characters no less. As I’ve stated previously, there are many direct links between Algeria, Mali, Egypt and Libya from the senior leadership down to the guys at the tactical-level. The presence of Libyan, Egyptian foreign fighters at the BP facility and Muhammad Zawahiri’s activities are indicative of this. All coordinated effort.
Sources:
http://m.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Jan-18/202821-brother-of-qaeda-chief-at-cairo-anti-france-demo.ashx
Excerpt:
‘The brother of Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri joined dozens of Egyptian Islamists in a protest Friday near the French embassy in Cairo against French intervention in Mali.
Mohammed al-Zawahiri took part in the demonstration during which protesters accused Paris of being “at war against Islam”.’
An account in yesterday’s Egypt Independent says that today’s protest was planned by the Salafi Jihadist Movement in Egypt and identifies Mohammed al Zawahiri as a “leader” of the movement:
http://arabia.msn.com/news/middle-east/1203742/salafis-protest-french-intervention-m/
Excerpt:
“Zawahiri warned against what he called repeated attacks by Europeans on Muslims and the interference in their internal affairs. He described the French military action as “threatening of the return of French colonialism on Arab and Islamic peoples.
Other Islamist groups including Jama’a al-Islamiya have also called for protests outside the French Embassy in Cairo.”
Do an MI3 (I think that was the movie).
Knock ol’ Omar out & plant an RFID explosive chip in his brain.
Make the swap. Then beam the frequency & “poof” no mo’ Omar.
Even if he lived he’d be brain dead. Wait! He’s a jihadist muzzie! It’s a redundency!