The same old story Frankenstein, Fuckistan, etc.

Rights Groups Tie Pakistan to Militants’ Disappearances
By ERIC SCHMITT
Published: December 29, 2010

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is expressing alarm over reports that thousands of political separatists and captured Taliban insurgents have disappeared into the hands of Pakistan’s police and security forces, and that some may have been tortured or killed.

The issue came up in a State Department report to Congress last month that urged Pakistan to address this and other human rights abuses. It threatens to become the latest source of friction in the often tense relationship between the wartime allies.

The concern is over a steady stream of accounts from human rights groups that Pakistan’s security services have rounded up thousands of people over the past decade, mainly in Baluchistan, a vast and restive province far from the fight with the Taliban, and are holding them incommunicado without charges. Some American officials think that the Pakistanis have used the pretext of war to imprison members of the Baluch nationalist opposition that has fought for generations to separate from Pakistan. Some of the so-called disappeared are guerrillas; others are civilians.

“Hundreds of cases are pending in the courts and remain unresolved,” said the Congressionally mandated report that the State Department sent to Capitol Hill on Nov. 23. A Congressional official provided a copy of the eight-page, unclassified document to The New York Times.

Separately, the report also described concerns that the Pakistani military had killed unarmed members of the Taliban, rather than put them on trial.

Two months ago, the United States took the unusual step of refusing to train or equip about a half-dozen Pakistani Army units that are believed to have killed unarmed prisoners and civilians during recent offensives against the Taliban. The most recent State Department report contains some of the administration’s most pointed language about accusations of such so-called extrajudicial killings. “The Pakistani government has made limited progress in advancing human rights and continues to face human rights challenges,” the State Department report concluded. “There continue to be gross violations of human rights by Pakistani security forces.”

The Obama administration has largely sought to confront Pakistan in private with evidence of human rights abuses by its intelligence and security forces, fearing that a public scolding could imperil the country’s cooperation in combating Al Qaeda, the Taliban and other extremist groups.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the administration of President George W. Bush urged Pakistan to capture militants and Islamic extremists linked to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Since then, human rights groups have said that Pakistan’s security forces used that campaign as a cover to round up hundreds, if not thousands, of political activists and guerrilla fighters in Baluchistan and hold them in secret detention.

Precise numbers of disappearances are difficult to pin down, human rights advocates say, partly because family members fear that reporting missing relatives could endanger the relatives or even themselves.

“It is very difficult to put numbers on disappearances as they are accompanied by intimidation of the next of kin of the disappeared,” said Ali Dayan Hasan, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch in Lahore, Pakistan. “People are unable to speak publicly. But we can safely say that disappearances are the order of the day across Pakistan, particularly in relation with counterterrorism.”

In Islamabad on Wednesday, the interior minister, Rehman Malik, addressed the security issue in Baluchistan without mentioning the disappearances. “We are trying to ensure law and order in Baluchistan,” he told lawmakers in the National Assembly. “I will assure that we will do everything to improve the situation.” In August 2009, he acknowledged that 1,291 people were missing in the country. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington, said in an e-mail on Wednesday that “the courts and the government are investigating cases of disappearances with a view to establishing the whereabouts of the disappeared persons and the circumstances under which the alleged disappearances took place.”

Under pressure from Pakistan’s Supreme Court, which has held hearings on petitions filed by family members of missing Baluch men, as well as public rallies in supported of the disappeared, the government of President Asif Ali Zardari has been forced to respond to the outcry. A judicial commission established to investigate the disappearances is scheduled to present its report to the Supreme Court on Friday.

Pakistani intelligence officials say that human rights groups have exaggerated the number of people held incommunicado. The officials seemed to justify the extrajudicial detentions by citing the country’s weak judicial system and often poor police investigations that they say have led to dozens of terrorism suspects’ being acquitted by local courts.

American officials have dismissed these claims for years. “ ‘Disappeared’ Pakistanis — innocent and guilty alike — have fallen into a legal black hole,” the United States Embassy in Islamabad said in a cable, dated Feb. 8, 2007, that was obtained by WikiLeaks and made available to some news organizations, including The New York Times.

American officials are expanding programs to build up the judicial system in Pakistan. Officials also offer human-rights training to police officers and finance programs to reduce the backlogs of court cases that prevent family members of those who disappear from seeking relief through the Pakistani judicial system.

“This issue has been a persistent challenge for Pakistan,” said a senior American official who deals with South Asia and who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the matter. “We’re trying to help Pakistan build democratic institutions so they can be a more effective partner.”

But American officials concede that the programs may take years to produce enduring results. The State Department’s most recent report on human rights in Pakistan, issued in March, said that during 2009 “politically motivated disappearances continued, and police and security forces held prisoners incommunicado and refused to disclose their location.”

That report, citing a Pakistani human rights group, said that in August 2009, Pakistani Frontier Corps paramilitary troops arrested two members of the Baluchistan National Party in Khuzdar, Pakistan. Two days later, the men were turned over to the police. “Both men showed evidence of having been tortured,” the report said. “Authorities reportedly forced them to make false confessions before their release.”

Salman Masood contributed reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Today Germany, tomorrow the whole world...

Raid on Islamic Groups in Germany
By ALAN COWELL and MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Published: December 14, 2010

BERLIN — The German Interior Ministry ordered simultaneous raids in three states on Tuesday against what it called Salafist networks suspected of seeking the imposition of an Islamic state. The action signaled growing concern over the radical messages of some Islamic groups.

The raids, in Bremen, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, were not linked to a recent terrorism alert reportedly inspired by phone calls from a man who said he wanted to quit working with terrorists and who warned of a pending Mumbai-style attack, the Interior Ministry said.

The ministry statement said the raids were directed at two groups: Invitation to Paradise in the cities of Brunswick and Mönchengladbach, and the Islamic Culture Center of Bremen, on the North Sea coast. The two groups work closely together and share the same ideology. The authorities are seeking to outlaw both groups.

The raids appeared to represent a departure for the German authorities in their dealings with radical Muslim groups. They were conducted under the authority of postwar laws enacted with an eye to the Nazis to prevent the overthrow of the state or Constitution by extremist groups. Before, those statutes had been invoked primarily against right-wing nationalist and neo-Nazi groups, and German intelligence had focused primarily on individual Muslim extremists rather than groups.

The ministry’s statement emphasized this shift in approach. “For a well-fortified democracy, it is necessary and demanded, without waiting for the jihad to occur in the form of armed struggle, to take action against anti-constitutional organizations.”

The statement said the groups were suspected of opposing constitutional order by seeking to “overthrow it in favor of an Islamic theocracy.” There was no indication that any arrests were made.

“The group is very influential and is especially active in converting people,” a senior German security official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was still under way. The best-known figure in the group is a German citizen, Pierre Vogel, a former boxer and convert to Islam. “They do have the aim to change Germany and make it Islamic, but there is no evidence that they were or are involved in any terrorism,” the official said.

The Interior Ministry statement, signed by the spokesman Stefan Paris, said one of the leaders of Invitation to Paradise had called for the imposition of Shariah law, the statement said, adding that the raids had been carried out under Germany’s laws of association. Shariah is the legal code of Islam based on the Koran.

However, the statement said it remained to be seen whether the raids would confirm suspicions about the groups’ intentions.

Dozens of private homes were searched Tuesday, as well as religious schools and a store belonging to Invitation to Paradise that sells face-covering veils for women and caftans for men, The Associated Press reported, quoting a security official. The police said they seized evidence during the raids, but would not comment further.

German intelligence authorities have said they regard Salafist institutions as a potential source of terrorism.

The term Salafist usually denotes an extreme form of Islamic fundamentalism. But Salafists are divided into several schools, including one that believes that Muslims should remain politically disengaged and take up arms only when called to duty in a Muslim-governed country; anything else represents rebellion against the government, which violates Islamic law.

At the same time, the Salafist movement also has its share of revolutionaries — the so-called Salafi jihadis — who contend that rebellion is permissible. Germany has become increasingly vigilant in recent months about potential threats amid deepening concerns that a small number of German citizens may be under the influence of terrorist groups determined to stage new attacks, either in Germany or elsewhere in Europe.

The recent terrorism alert was prompted by a caller who claimed to have been a jihadist working with terrorists in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and provided what law enforcement officials called concrete information concerning a recent plot to rampage through the Reichstag, the seat of Germany’s Parliament and a popular tourist site. As a result of that alarm, the authorities deployed heavily armed police officers across the nation.

The Interior Ministry said that there was “no connection” with Germany’s current alert and that the raids had been “planned for a long time.”

The authorities’ actions recalled events last summer when officials in Hamburg closed a mosque where Mohamed Atta, one of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers, had prayed. It had become a destination for jihadi tourism.

Alan Cowell reported from Berlin, and Michael Slackman from Erlangen, Germany. Souad Mekhennet contributed reporting from Frankfurt.

A version of this article appeared in print on December 15, 2010, on page A8 of the New York edition.

Bibi in Fuckistan...Alice is not allowed...

WORLD BRIEFING | ASIA
Pakistan: Court’s Help is Urged in Blasphemy Death Sentence
By WAQAR GILLANI
Published: November 25, 2010


The Pakistani government has asked the lawyers for a Christian woman who has been sentenced to death for blasphemy against Islam to seek exoneration from a High Court. The federal minister for minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, said the woman, Asia Bibi, 45, should try to get her death sentence overturned by the Lahore High Court before the president considers a pardon. Ms. Bibi is the first woman in Pakistan to be sentenced to death for blasphemy. She is accused of denigrating the Prophet Muhammad after fellow agriculture workers protested that a Christian had been asked to bring them a container of drinking water.

Idiots of the all universe, unite!

Taliban Leader in Secret Talks Was an Impostor
By DEXTER FILKINS and CARLOTTA GALL
Published: November 22, 2010

KABUL, Afghanistan — For months, the secret talks unfolding between Taliban and Afghan leaders to end the war appeared to be showing promise, if only because of the appearance of a certain insurgent leader at one end of the table: Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement.

But now, it turns out, Mr. Mansour was apparently not Mr. Mansour at all. In an episode that could have been lifted from a spy novel, United States and Afghan officials now say the Afghan man was an impostor, and high-level discussions conducted with the assistance of NATO appear to have achieved little.

“It’s not him,” said a Western diplomat in Kabul intimately involved in the discussions. “And we gave him a lot of money.”

American officials confirmed Monday that they had given up hope that the Afghan was Mr. Mansour, or even a member of the Taliban leadership.

NATO and Afghan officials said they held three meetings with the man, who traveled from in Pakistan, where Taliban leaders have taken refuge.

The fake Taliban leader even met with President Hamid Karzai, having been flown to Kabul on a NATO aircraft and ushered into the presidential palace, officials said.

The episode underscores the uncertain and even bizarre nature of the atmosphere in which Afghan and American leaders search for ways to bring the nine-year-old American-led war to an end. The leaders of the Taliban are believed to be hiding in Pakistan, possibly with the assistance of the Pakistani government, which receives billions of dollars in American aid.

Many in the Taliban leadership, which is largely made up of barely literate clerics from the countryside, had not been seen in person by American, NATO or Afghan officials.

American officials say they were skeptical from the start about the identity of the man who claimed to be Mullah Mansour — who by some accounts is the second-ranking official in the Taliban, behind only the founder, Mullah Mohammed Omar. Serious doubts arose after the third meeting with Afghan officials, held in the southern city of Kandahar. A man who had known Mr. Mansour years ago told Afghan officials that the man at the table did not resemble him. “He said he didn’t recognize him,” said an Afghan leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Western diplomat said the Afghan man was initially given a sizable sum of money to take part in the talks — and to help persuade him to return.

While the Afghan official said he still harbored hopes that the man would return for another round of talks, American and other Western officials said they had concluded that the man in question was not Mr. Mansour. Just how the Americans reached such a definitive conclusion — whether, for instance, they were able to positively establish his identity through fingerprints or some other means — is unknown.

As recently as last month, American and Afghan officials held high hopes for the talks. Senior American officials, including Gen. David H. Petraeus, said the talks indicated that Taliban leaders, whose rank-and-file fighters are under extraordinary pressure from the American-led offensive, were at least willing to discuss an end to the war.

The American officials said they and officials of other NATO governments were helping to facilitate the discussions, by providing air transport and securing roadways for Taliban leaders coming from Pakistan.

Last month, White House officials asked The New York Times to withhold Mr. Mansour’s name from an article about the peace talks, expressing concern that the talks would be jeopardized — and Mr. Mansour’s life put at risk — if his involvement were publicized. The Times agreed to withhold Mr. Mansour’s name, along with the names of two other Taliban leaders said to be involved in the discussions. The status of the other two Taliban leaders said to be involved is not clear.

Since the last round of discussions, which took place within the past few weeks, Afghan and American officials have been puzzling over who the man was. Some officials say the man may simply have been a freelance fraud, posing as a Taliban leader in order to enrich himself.

Others say the man may have been a Taliban agent. “The Taliban are cleverer than the Americans and our own intelligence service,” said a senior Afghan official who is familiar with the case. “They are playing games.”

Others suspect that the fake Taliban leader, whose identity is not known, may have been dispatched by the Pakistani intelligence service, known by its initials, the ISI. Elements within the ISI have long played a “double-game” in Afghanistan, reassuring United States officials that they are pursuing the Taliban while at the same time providing support for the insurgents.

Publicly, the Taliban leadership is sticking to the line that there are no talks at all. In a recent message to his followers, Mullah Omar denied that there were any talks unfolding at any level.

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Jesus loves you - but prefers Taco

 

Who is cutting cheese in Iran?

Apparently everybody in the government...
Get this (from The Wall Street Journal) 11/19/10
Iran's top "human-rights" official and an asshole Mohammad-Javad Larijani (why is everyone Mohammad?) gave a robust defense of his country's right to engage in the stoning of criminals and imprison lawyers viewed as threatening the stability of the Islamic Republic...
One of his comment:
Stoning means you should do a numbers of acts, by throwing the stone in a limited number, in a special way...In the eyes of some people, stoning is lesser punishment than execution because there is a chance you should survive...

Wow, what a profound, deep, loving, compassionate statement! And this idiot represent so called i-slamic republic (?) Am I in the 21st century or what?!
I say - let's all pee and do kaka on I-ran; perhaps this way we can stop them to obtain enough enriched uranium that will send us (including the atheists) closer to their maker...
Oy vey!

Frank Zappa - The Torture Never Stops 1 - MTV 1981

Frank Zappa - The Torture Never Stops

After reading, please drink your favorite ayran...

BETTER MAD THAN ISLAMIZED? YOU BET!
Gabriel A. Levicky

Today’s Europe and the world are being haunted by neo-old violent conflict – stupidity vs. common sense.
While some people consider stupidity an evolutionary gift that allowed us to survive at all odds – many still believe – it is not an option.
Despite all those smoke signals, mainly from the apostates of Islam, some folks stubbornly insist that this so called religion could be quite amicable if handle with care and left alone.
That is a mistake and stupidity n. 1.
Repeat after me: Islam is not a religion but a violent, political hostile ideology – similar to fascism and Communism and should be treated as such.
From all other internal and external indications, it is obvious that this human made cancer has no cure in face of cowardly attitude of some leaders and politicians.
Sure, one can argue – what about other religions? Within the span of, let’s say 50 years, I’ve not heard of any terrorist, fanatical effort to alter our life, based on neither Judaism nor Christianity, not to mention Buddhism.
Moreover, every day – either in the TV, radio or in the printed media we come across terrifying news of barbaric, terrorist crimes committed by the adherents of so called religion. Not only they intend to kill kefirs (non-believers) such as me but also they are also busy killing their own Moslems if they happened to be on the “wrong side” of this religion.
The PC camp keeps insisting that we all should adhere to civility and law regardless of actions.
This is a mistake and stupidity n. 2.
Any superficial student of history soon discovers its own limitation when it comes to “statistics.” It is insanely pathetic how some apologists go the length to defend Islam as if it was a frivolous matter. I would like to know how many of these people would like to exchange their position with countless victims of vicious Islam in action.
When I lived and suffered under the Communism, I often wondered how come while we were behind the rusting Iron Curtain with no perspective of any improvement – some apologists of the Red East (usually from the West), could easily travel, spent extended period in the Communist government provided hotels with additional perks – with no guilt feelings.
Speaking of guilt and lack of ethics – the essential pillars of any faith - which should stress admiration, and respect of life.
Where do we see this concept? In beheading, stoning, burning books, destroying monuments belonging to all humanity, killing, torturing, splashing the acid into victim’s face, family honor killings, violent, brutal, and damaging female circumcision?
You tell me.
While here and there we can hear mild response from Islam’s own circles, there is no firm, resolute condemnation of these crimes against humanity.
So I say, better mad than Islamized! Stop defending the criminals in face of the true aspects of this so called religion.
I am fed up with double standard when it comes to terror and crimes, usually committed by the adherents of Islam. It is time to name things as they truly are and not as they appear to be.
Otherwise, our resolve and justice would become a mockery of our own willingness to protect and defend our civilization.


PS
I’ve almost forgotten to include this ridiculous war in Afghanistan – a mistake and stupidity n. 3.
In my early satirical writings after 9/11, named Jews For Jihad (see my blog), I’ve predicted almost to every detail the futility and idiocy to initiate classical war against the ancient tribal warfare, constantly switching sides in the hostile, mountainous environment.
Have you read the latest news? Karzai and NATO are considering talking to the Taliban.
Talking to the Taliban after a few thousands dead young boys from every corner of America? What were they and are fighting and dying for? For those clowns in Armani suits? What about sending all those schmucks who got us into this mess at the first place to the front to face a real enemy (besides the stinking Taliban running out of perfume)?
You can’t defeat stupidity by adding extra stupidity!
What a mess! Repeat after me…

NYC October 2010

Recommended eyes-opening readings:

WHY I AM NOT A MUSLIM – IBN WARRAQ
THE JEWS OF ISLAM – BERNARD LEWIS