On The Third Hand

I don’t have time to cover this one as it should be covered - check the following roundups:
Irish Trojan (Start at that link and click next for more updates.)
Pajamas Media
Outside the Beltway

Hit 5 trains in India. No news yet on who is ‘taking credit’ - but I would suspect we can all guess.

Putting the Pieces Together

Before the jetliners made their fateful rendezvous with the World Trade Center, like most Americans I was relatively ignorant about Islam. I knew Muslims had a Book and considered themselves “children of Abraham”. I knew they prayed towards Mecca, and worshipped in mosques. I knew their Prophet was called Mohammed. I remembered that Malcolm X was a Muslim, and that the Crusades were initiated to liberate Jerusalem from Islam during the Middle Ages. I knew that Islamic fundamentalists had taken over the government of Afghanistan in the 1990s. But that was about it.

I’ve learned a lot about Islam since September 11th, 2001.

He certainly has.

I think it’s about time to remind those on the right, once again, that not all domestic terrorists are Muslims. See Michael Yon’s Fight on the Home Front for details. I’d also like to point out to the left that if you restrict the ability to ’spy’ on terrorists in the US, you will be in more danger from these groups, as well as from Islamist terrorist groups.

P.S. This is old news - but there are a lot of details in there I never heard about (I knew about some arrests - but not much more than that.)

U.S. Strike Killed al Qaeda Bomb Maker

He was a bit more than a bomb-maker…

ABC News has learned that Pakistani officials now believe that al Qaeda’s master bomb maker and chemical weapons expert was one of the men killed in last week’s U.S. missile attack in eastern Pakistan.

Midhat Mursi, 52, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, was identified by Pakistani authorities as one of four known major al Qaeda leaders present at an apparent terror summit in the village of Damadola early last Friday morning.

The United States had posted a $5 million reward for Mursi’s capture. He is described by authorities as the man who ran al Qaeda’s infamous Derunta training camp in Afghanistan, where he used dogs and other animals as subjects for experiments with poison and chemicals. His explosives training manual is still regarded as the bible for al Qaeda terrorists around the world.

(Emphasis mine - not sure why ABC insists on referring to him by the name he isn’t much known by…) Any rate, I’ve still got a bit of a salty taste in my mouth - “ABC News has learned” and “Pakistani officials now believe” does that to me. But I hope this one is confirmed; al-Masri is one monster we can well do without.

Hat tip to practically everyone.

The radical loser

I don’t agree with the conclusion - but the analysis is excellent. This is a long one - but very much worth the read.

Hat tip: LGF

Bali bombs ‘were suicide attacks’

Blast kills one at University of Oklahoma (They are calling this one a ’suicide’ - I have a feeling it was a bit more than that - but I’ll wait for more info. )

Shipment of high explosives intercepted in Iraq

U.S. military and intelligence officials tell NBC News that American soldiers intercepted a large shipment of high explosives, smuggled into northeastern Iraq from Iran only last week.

The officials say the shipment contained dozens of “shaped charges” manufactured recently. Shaped charges are especially lethal because they’re designed to concentrate and direct a more powerful blast into a small area.

“They’ll go right through a very heavily armored vehicle like an M1-A1 tank from one side right out the other side” says retired U.S. Army General Barry McCaffrey.

Military officials say there’s only one use for shaped charges - to kill American forces - and insurgents started using them in Iraq with deadly effectiveness three months ago.

Intelligence officials believe the high-explosives were shipped into Iraq by the Iranian Revolutionary guard or the terrorist group Hezbollah, but are convinced it could not have happened without the full consent of the Iranian government.

I would consider that an act of war - if we can prove it. Of course, I would also consider kidnapping diplomats and holding them hostage an act of war…

Hat tip: LGF

American journalist found shot dead in Basra

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An American freelance journalist was found dead in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the U.S. Embassy said Wednesday.

Police said Steven Vincent had been shot multiple times after he and his Iraqi translator were abducted at gunpoint hours earlier.

“I can confirm to you that officials in Basra have recovered the body of journalist Steven Vincent,” said embassy spokesman Pete Mitchell. “The U.S. Embassy is working with British military and local Iraqi officials in Basra to determine who is responsible for the death of this journalist. Our condolences go out to the family.”

As do ours. Outside the Beltway has a roundup of reactions.

Damn. Just damn. May he rest in peace.

Dozens killed in Egyptian blasts

At least 83 people have been killed and scores more wounded in bomb attacks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh.

An explosion in the Old Market area was followed by two blasts in the Naama Bay area, where a car bomb tore off the front of the Ghazala Gardens Hotel.

Most of the dead are Egyptians, although foreign nationals are among the victims, officials said.

Note that BBC is not using the word terrorists… but I am.

The Sandmonkey has had it.

Police shoot man on London Tube

LONDON, England (CNN) – Police in London say they have shot a man at a subway station, the day after four apparently failed attempts to repeat the carnage of the July 7 blasts.

There were unconfirmed media reports that the person shot at Stockwell station – close to the Oval, one of four sites targeted by suspected bombers on Thursday – was a suspected suicide bomber.

Police told CNN Friday that “armed officers shot a male at Stockwell Underground station.” They would not say if the man was dead.

Not much on this one yet, except for rumours.

Dodgeblogium and Harry’s Place are on it.

More attacks in London

Andrew at Dodgeblogium is on it. . Check with him for local updates.

Also check with Tim Worstall.

Tinfoil hat theory: Did the bombers disconnect the detonators, intending to reconnect them just before when they were told the bombing was to occur? (Due to rumours about the previous bunch not intending to be suicide bombers?)