BBC2 Newsnight sued for libel by Hanif Malik over “The BBC’s Children in Need charity and the 7/7 bombers”.

BBC 2 Newsnight had a lead story in August this year “The BBC’s Children in Need charity and the 7/7 bombers”.

Leeds community leader Hanif Malik claims that the BBc2 programme , that through a charitable body he led, he was responsible for fraudulently and improperly diverting money provided by Children in Need for educating disadvantaged children to Islamic extremists.

He has instituted libel proceedings in the High Court against the BBC and is asking for damages of £100,000 from the BBC. (Press Gazette today)

The writ, claims that the Newsnight story also alleged that the money was used to produce radical Islamist propaganda and to give financial support to some of the men later responsible for the terrorist bombings in London on 7 July 2005.

Malik claims that his character and reputation had been seriously damaged, and that he had suffered considerable distress, embarrassment, anxiety, and injury to his feelings. He also wants aggravated damages, saying the allegations were extremely serious and highly damaging, given his high profile in Leeds, and his prominent role in multi-faith and community initiatives before and after the bombings.

He accused the BBC of failing to carry out any proper checks before broadcasting the allegations. he maintains that one of the principal BBC sources is unreliable.

Malik says that the BBC failed to give him any chance to reply to the allegations. Apparently BBC journalist Richard Watson (he received a second Royal Television Society award - this time for his investigation into the Officially infiltrated MI5 /6/ SAS radical Islamist group Al Muhajiroun) left a message saying he would like to ask questions about funding.

Malik said there was nothing to suggest the story concerned Leeds Community School or terrorism, and he saw no reason to respond to the message, and he did not do so.

Neither Watson nor anyone else from the BBC made any attempt to put the allegations to him, he claimed.

Malik argued that there was no urgency to publish the story, and that the BBC had no reason for not carrying out proper checks or giving him a proper opportunity to respond before the story was broadcast.

He is also seeking an injunction banning repetition of the allegations against him.

Richard Watson has his own page on the BBC2 Newsnight website where you can see selections of his reports - curiously omitting “The BBC’s Children in Need charity and the 7/7 bombers”.

The page has some fascinating external links - well it did just now..



The Charity Commission show Hanif Malik is a Trustee of 1043485 -
ISLAMIA EDUCATIONAL TRUST LEEDS - 1081006 FAITH TOGETHER IN LEEDS 11
1110303 THE ORPHAN CHILD Details of Faith Together can be found on the Communities and Local Government website.

Prospect magazine -"Taking sport seriously"
This is not the first time these sort of allegations have been made , when Prospect magazine made similiar claims they published an apology in December 2007 which you can find here ....

HANIF MALIK: AN APOLOGY

In issue 135 we published an article entitled "The Making of a Terrorist" by Shiv Malik. A letter by Martin Gilbertson commenting on certain aspects of this article was published under the title "My brother the bomber 2" in Issue 136. Both the article and the letter made reference to Hanif Malik, a prominent community leader in Beeston and the former director of the Hamara Healthy Living Centre. The article and the letter made a number of serious allegations about Mr Malik. These included allegations in both publications that he promoted the spread of radical Islamist ideas and in the letter that he allocated public funding in a discriminatory way, controlled a gang of Muslim youths known as the "Mullah Boys" and had dishonestly concealed the closeness of his relationship with the 7/7 bombers.

We accept that there is no truth whatever in any of the allegations made. Mr Malik is a respected community leader who has repeatedly expressed his shock at the 7/7 bombings and has been prominent in a number of local multi-faith initiatives. He has never been a supporter of radical Islamism. We are happy to take this opportunity to put the record straight and to apologise unreservedly to Mr Malik for the upset and distress which was caused. We have agreed to pay him substantial damages for libel along with his legal costs. The article and the letter have been removed from our website. (See review of article at Yahya Birt Director of City Circle )

Those not too familiar with the 7/7 story might not remember how Mr Gilbertson - from Blackpool, but a longtime resident of Yorkshire - who was / is a former Hell's Angel and Motorhead roadie and was said to be now working towards a university thesis on the radicalisation of Islam in Leeds.

But it was his IT expertise that was sought out by the men who ran four entwined institutions in Beeston frequented by two of the July 7 bombers - the Iqra Islamic bookshop, the Leeds Community School, the "al-Qaida gym" and the Hamara Youth Access Point (YAP), an offshoot of a mainstream Muslim community centre nearby.... read more about this fascinating man ... Guradian June 24th 2006

Poor Journalism 13th Oct 2005 exposed has some fascinating information about the fascinating journalist Shiv Malik ..

Shiv Malik is a Leeds graduate who has worked on recent articles for the Independent on Sunday and New Statesman. His claims to fame are "outing" Dilpazier Aslam, the Guardian trainee, and also calling a lot of other employers to inform them that they are employing members of Hizb ut-Tahrir. He has also written disparaging articles about other Islamic groups including Young Muslims
and Islamic Society of Britain.

A story in the Independent on 15th July 2005 just after the 7/7 bombings shows that Hanif Malik was recognisable as a community leader / spokesperson.

The BBC are of course a highly reputable, extremely well funded international news organisation who employ lots of MI5 contacts, MI6 contacts, fact checkers, solicitors, Editors, sub-Editors, Researchers, gofers, ladies with clip boards etc., and cannot possibly have made a mistake or been stupid enough to believe these stories. Can they ?

Unless of course they had another agenda?

Kennedy, the Fed, EO 11110 and simply doubling the money in circulation

Few people know and less remember that on June 4th 1963 President John Kenndy before his brain was air conditioned in Dallas signed an Executive Order :

Executive Order 11110 AMENDMENT OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 10289
AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN FUNCTIONS AFFECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, it is ordered as follows:

Section 1. Executive Order No. 10289 of September 19, 1951, as amended, is hereby further amended-
By adding at the end of paragraph 1 thereof the following subparagraph (j):

(j) The authority vested in the President by paragraph (b) of section 43 of the Act of May 12,1933, as amended (31 U.S.C.821(b)), to issue silver certificates against any silver bullion, silver, or standard silver dollars in the Treasury not then held for redemption of any outstanding silver certificates, to prescribe the denomination of such silver certificates, and to coin standard silver dollars and subsidiary silver currency for their redemption
and --
Byrevoking subparagraphs (b) and (c) of paragraph 2 thereof.
Sec. 2. The amendments made by this Order shall not affect any act done, or any right accruing or accrued or any suit or proceeding had or commenced in any civil or criminal cause prior to the date of this Order but all such liabilities shall continue and may be enforced as if said amendments had not been made.

John F. Kennedy The White House, June 4, 1963.

It appears that this EO has never been revoked but since Lyndon Johnson took over after Kennedy's asssination has been totally been ignored. A number of "Kennedy bills" were indeed issued with the heading "United States Note" (see pic - note red ink) - but they were quickly withdrawn after Kennedy's death.

One source says .." As a result, more than $4 billion in United States Notes were brought into circulation in $2 and $5 denominations. $10 and $20 United States Notes were never circulated but were being printed by the Treasury Department when Kennedy was assassinated"

This is seen by many students of the curious nature of the Federal Reserve as a swipe at Fed and it's powers... as explained here

The "Federal Reserve System" is a network of 12 central banks to which most national banks belong and to which state chartered banks may belong. Membership rules require investment of stock and minimum reserves.

Privately-owned banks own the stock of the Fed. This was explained in more detail in the case of Lewis v. United States, Federal Reporter, 2nd Series, Vol. 680, Pages 1239, 1241 (1982), where the court said:

Each Federal Reserve Bank is a separate corporation owned by commercial banks in its region. The stock-holding commercial banks elect two thirds of each Bank's nine member board of directors.

Similarly, the Federal Reserve Banks, though heavily regulated, are locally controlled by their member banks - these privately owned banks actually issue money:

The Federal Reserve Act was a law which created Federal Reserve banks to act as agents in maintaining money reserves, issuing money in the form of bank notes, lending money to banks, and supervising banks and is administered by Federal Reserve Board. President Wilson's signed it on December 23, 1913.

This is what he said subsequently ..

"I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the civilized world no longer a Government by free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men."

In 1964, the House Committee on Banking and Currency, Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, (pdf - essential reading) at the second session of the 88th Congress, put out a study entitled Money Facts which contains a good description of what the FED (para 47)is: "The Federal Reserve is a total money-making machine. It can issue money or checks. And it never has a problem of making its checks good because it can obtain the $5 and $10 bills necessary to cover its check simply by asking the Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving to print them". Any one person or any closely knit group who has a lot of money has a lot of power. Now imagine a group of people who have the power to create money. Imagine the power these people would have. This is exactly what the privately owned FED is! "

Do read this clear simple analysis of what the Fed is and how it acts.

The Fed moves to buy up debt today

The Fed pledged today ( announcement was released at 8:15 a.m. ET )to purchase up to US$500 Bn. in so-called agency debt as well as up to US$100 Bn. in direct debt of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the world’s two largest mortgage buyers, and Federal Home Loan Banks. The
Fed also said it would set up a $200 billion program to support consumer and small-business loans. They call this in the bewildering world of credit crunching programs - the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF). (Terms & Conditions pdf)

Together, the programs almost match the $864 billion of U.S. currency in circulation, as reported by the Fed in a Nov. 20 statement.

Whilst mortgage rates quote dropped from say 6.5% to as low as 5.25% the biggest drag on house sales in the US is the unsold stock.

In 2005 this stock was equal to 4.5 months sales, in 2007, the supply averaged 8.9 months - it was 10 months in September 2008 and according to the National Association of Realtors said in a Nov. 24 report 10.2 months. In 2007, the supply averaged 8.9 months, almost double the 4.5 months in 2005, the end of a five-year housing boom.

Together, the programs almost match the $864 billion of U.S. currency in circulation, as reported by the Fed in a Nov. 20 statement.




These guys don't fuck about when you cross them ...

Violent Radicalization / Political Violence - a new lexicon on Terror - experts gather

A new Terminology has entered the lexicon in the unending War on Terror ...
The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act ...is finding its's way into law in the US .. and The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence is preparing for it's first conference... The First International Conference on Radicalisation and Political Violence in London, 17-18 January 2008.

This will follow up from The Global State of Radicalisation which was the was the title of two events, which took place at the Penn Club in New York on 17 October 2007. Speakers included Harvey Rubin from the University of Pennsylvania, Sir Lawrence Freedman from King's College London, Peter Neumann, Director of ICSR, and Henry Sweetbaum, a founder of ISCR. Yasar Qatarneh of the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and Boaz Ganor from the Interdiscplinary Center Herzliya participated via video-link from Amman and Tel Aviv respectively.... it appears these are the brains if not the money men behind this curious academic institute.

Anyway this first conference has invited some some fascinating participants from the world of Political Violence under the guise of nascent global but homegrown radicalism - take ....

Michael Hurley, another fucking lawyer, this one is president of Team 3i LLC, an international strategy company. He is Special Advisor for Counterterrorism to the Washington, D.C.-based Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)(founded by Ted Turner and Georgia Senator Sam Nunn - Warren Buffet is an Advisor)

He was Special Advisor on Counterterrorism to the U.S. State Department. As a Senior Counsel to the 9/11 Commission, he directed its counterterrorism policy investigation and co-authored its final report (so he likes a good joke). He was National Security Council director for the Balkans (great success). A career CIA operations officer, he led Agency personnel and U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan immediately after the 9/11 attacks (another huge success) . He served three tours in Afghanistan post-9/11, leading Agency employees and Special Forces in southeastern Afghanistan. He was one of the Agency's lead coordinators on the ground of Operation Anaconda, the largest battle against al Qaeda in the campaign in Afghanistan.

He also was a leader in the Kosovo and Bosnia conflicts and in the international intervention in Haiti (Ho.Ho.Ho.).( The alleged success of Op. Anaconda has been widely criticised ****)

Not much he doesn't know about fomenting radicalism and organising political violence then.

Sir David Omand (Corpus Christie) who has spent much of his career in the Ministry of Defence, including as Deputy Secretary for Policy, Under Secretary in charge of the defence programme, and Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State. He served for seven years on the UK's Joint Intelligence Committee, and was Director of Government Communications Head Quarters(GCHQ) from 1996-1997, and the Permanent Secretary of the Home Office from 1997-2000. He retired from public service in 2005, and is now a visiting professor at the Department of War Studies at King's College London. In 2002 Sir David was appointed as the first ever UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, exercising overall direction on behalf of the Prime Minister of the national counter-terrorism strategy and responsible for homeland security - since retirement he has been elected for 4 years to the board of The Natural History Museum.

It was of course Mr (now Sir) John Scarlett (chum of Alastair Campbell, now Head of MI6 and ex - Magdelen) ) who sent a "note" to Sir David Omand, the Cabinet Office security and intelligence co-ordinator, in which he said that Dr Kelly needed "a proper security-style interview" to clarify apparent inconsistencies in his statement about his meeting with Gilligan.

Dr David Kelly was found dead shortly after... Political Violence ?

Avi Dichter, the public security minister and a former head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, had been invited to take part in the ICSRPV conference but he was also due to speak at a conference on security at King's College London.

However he was recently advised by Israel's foreign and justice ministries not to risk a visit to the UK.

Dichter as head of Shin Bet was involved in a Israeli military attack on July 22nd 2002 on a house in Gaza that killed Hamas military commander Salah Shehadeh, his bodyguard and 13 civilians, including children. The strike drew criticism, including from then UN secretary general Kofi Annan, who warned Israel to comply with international law.The attack involved an Israeli F-16 dropping a one-ton bomb in a densely populated area of Gaza City.They had ruled out a helicopter attack because it was not thought to be powerful enough, and had decided against the use of ground forces for fear that it would lead to many Israeli casualties.

British law allows individuals to seek warrants for the arrest of those suspected of serious human rights abuses abroad hence his concern. Dichter is not the first Israeli official to risk arrest under this law. In September 2005 detectives were waiting at Heathrow airport to arrest a retired Israeli general, Doron Almog, on war crimes charges relating to house demolitions and "targeted killings" in Gaza. Almog's plane landed but he was tipped off by Israeli diplomats and stayed on board until the El -Al flight took off again for Israel.

A year later former military chief Moshe Ya'alon, cancelled a trip to London for fear of arrest and Israeli authorities warned the then chief of staff, Dan Halutz, that he should also avoid travelling to the UK. Both men were also involved in the decision to attack Shehadeh in 2002.In a Ha’aretz interview, Israeli Air Force Commander at the time Maj. Gen. Dan Halutz claimed to be satisfied both "militarily and morally" with the operation.

Political Violence ... another expert ...

Check out the other invited speakers

Peter Bergen
Yezid Sayigh
Ely Karmon
Jack DuVall
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Satish Nambiar
Audrey Kurth Cronin
Anne Speckhard
Frank Gardner
Terry Davis
Kim Campbell
Francisco Santos Calderon
Olivier Roy
Dan Benjamin
Sadig Al-Mahdi
Saad Eddin Ibrahim
William Zartman
Cem Özdemir
Andrés Pastrana

Curiously no mention of Old Age Pensioner Lady Dame Jane Pauline Neville Jones ... yet.

PS : ****

"Since it kicked off at the start of March 2002, Operation Anaconda has been a minefield of contradictory statements and unanswered questions. Was it an 'absolute success' (3), or a 'big mistake' (4)? Did it wipe out the last 'pockets of al-Qaeda and Taliban resistance' (5), or did al-Qaeda fighters 'escape' to fight again (6)? Did America's first combined ground-and-air offensive of the war kill 800 of the enemy (7), or about 20 (8)? One US commentator says, 'We don't know, the Afghans don't know - and the US military doesn't seem to know'."

See also

US Worldwide Alerts

US Embassy Berlin today (Hitler's Birthday)

Warden Message - April 20, 2007

"U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities in Germany are increasing their security posture. We are taking these steps in response to a heightened threat situation. The U.S. Embassy encourages Americans in Germany to increase their vigilance and take appropriate steps to bolster their own personal security. "

This follows the worldwide caution here

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

This information is current as of today, Fri Apr 20 2007 20:21:06 GMT+0100 (GMT Standard Time).

Worldwide Caution

April 10, 2007

This Public Announcement updates information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against Americans and interests overseas. This supersedes the Worldwide Caution dated October 11, 2006 and expires on October 9, 2007.

The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics to include assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings and bombings.

Those pessimists amongst us would be well advised to go to the link and carefully read it.

Dr David Kelly. Murdered , By persons Unknown.

Dominic Crossley-Holland was, until recently, ITV's Controller of Current Affairs, Arts and Religion, he commissioned and oversaw, Tonight with Trevor McDonald, political and religious programming, the South Bank Show and the Rageh Omar's documentaries and real Crime.

Previously with ITN for many years he had a short life at ITV and joined the Exodus when Simon Shaps arrived in September as Director of TV ...controller of entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz; director of programmes Nigel Pickard; editorof daytime Nick Thorogood; head of drama Jenny Reeks; controller of comedy Sioned Wiliam; controller of factual Bridget Boseley, controller of acquisitions Jeremy Boulton…

Now Dominc is at the BBC (since September) and he is the Commissioning Editor for the Conspiracy Files, and cannot be considered a BBC patsy - Guy Smith who produced last week's 9/11 Files very evidently is.

This week Marc Sigsworth produced the David Kelly "Conspiracy Files" episode - he also directed - ‘Are Muslims hated?’ – a 1/2-hour controversial first programme in Channel 4’s current affairs strand presented by journalist Kenan Malik exploding the myth of Islamaphobia. (Mentorn / Raw, for Channel 4) . , A bluff no nonsense, articulate, Yorkshireman Marc is an independent producer and again is no BBC patsy.

Wilst some of the people who believed Dr David Kelly was killed and did not commit suicide, were shown as slightly dishevelled, odd perhaps, some were evidently fair minded professionals anxious for a proper and considered enquiry.

Above all the startlingly beautiful, lustrous eyed Rowena Thursby (with a natty line in dramatic hats) with whom Lord Patel has corresponded frequently, comes across as one of those determined, truthful, shiningly honest people - Bridget Dunne is another - who like a terrier will worry the Truth out (one hopes) eventually.

What we know so far...
Briefly, Kelly was a spy, he used UN cover (which is illegal under the Charter) to spy on Saddam. He was a successful spy. He did not bump into Gilligan by accident. He did not telephone Susan Watts by accident. What he said to both was was considered, and had been considered in his pre-meeting brief in a room overlooking Horse Guards Parade.The results of his conversation would have been passed onwards and upwards as all such meetings are.

He was compromised for reasons which are still unclear, by ruthless people at No 10, the Purple Puzzle Palace and members of the Dame Pauline Neville Jones Fan Club. He was taken quietly aside and and Mr Scarlett in the Conservatory with the lead pipe asked the awkward questions, (metaphorically) ... not personally ...you understand.

Kelly knew more than we know, and now will never know. His silence was the motive. The opportunity arose, .... perhaps that walk was a regular meeting place for contacts, the method was one of several subtle injectable routes, the evidence left, was to conceal and confuse....leaving Hutton (who did a splendid job in not asking the right questions in NI - whilst the State paid terrists to murder) to throw sand in our eyes....with a litle help from his friends.

The perpetrators would have been out of the country in hours ...Brize Norton is close by. They will not be traceable, their origins would be external, FFL, Kosovan (see Anna Lindh).

An enquiry would tell us little else. No one except Mr Baker wants to start the dogs barking.

The caravan moves on.

German terrists released and Germans kidnapped in Iraq - was one a spy ?

As expected (see Lord Patel Jan 19th )the Stuttgart State Court has announced this morning the release of Brigitte Mohnhaupt, 57, on 5 years probation on March 27. One of the last jailed members of the Baader-Meinhof gang, she received 5 life sentences.

In anticipation, no doubt of widespread public objections, the court was anxious to point out that this was not a pardon and was a decision that is based on the specific legal consideration that no security risk exists.

President Horst Koehler is also considering a pardon for Mohnhaupt’s former RAF (Rote Army Fraktion) colleague Christian Klar, (pics from74 - he looks a litle like Matthew Parris, and today) who has also spent the past 24 years behind bars.

Their jailed colleagues Birgit Hogefeld (L) and E H Haule (R) remain in prison.



German victims of Terrorism in Iraq Today

The Berliner Morgenpost reported this weekend that two Germans (so far un-named) had been kidnapped in Baghdad. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says they were kidnapped last Tuesday and officials in Berlin as well as the German embassy in Baghdad have been working "hyperactively" on the problem.

On November 25th 2005 the Bavarian archaeologist Susanne Osthoff (45) was taken hostage with her driver at the end of 2005 - she had been working in Iraq since 1991 and was a convert to Islam and had been married to an Iraqi. An armed group kidnapped 2 engineers from Leipzig, Thomas Nitzschke and René Bräunlich, in January 2006. All 3 victims of terrorism three were eventually freed unharmed, but in Osthoff's case, who was returned after 3 weeks on December 18th 2005, it is alleged that Angela Merkel's German government paid a ransom of millions of euros and also traded her for a convicted terrorist named as Mohammed Ali Hamad. a Hezbollah militant serving a sentence for killing U.S. Navy diver Robert Dean Stethemin on a hijacked TWA jetliner in 1985 - he was apparently quietly shipped from Germany back to his native Lebanon after serving only 19 years of his life sentence.

The State government in North Rhine Westphalia, where he was being held, not the federal Government authorised his release because he had "had qualified for parole ".

There also reports that she worked for the German intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) , and had helped arrange a meeting with a top member of the terrorist organization al-Qaida, possibly Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi and had access to safe house run by BND.

The German magazine Focus also claimed that Osthoff was carrying several thousand dollars on her when released, that formed part of the ransom which were traceable from their numbers.(Reuters)

About 100 Germans now live in Iraq, according to the Ministry, including aid workers, employees of German security firms, and a number of German-Iraqis -- people with German passports who returned to Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

UPDATE "Where are they now ?" No. 253 Susanne Osthoff

Curious, how picking over an old (?) story reveals some interesting nuggets. A video was released of the smart and savvy bone digger Susanna Osthoff when she was in captivity - see top of story. This was a short while after the SAS duo was picked up in Basra (Sept 18th 2005) that General Mad Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday "Mike" Jackson was so anxious to recover.

On her return to Germany she appeared on a a German TV network ZNF in arab dress , and was highly confused and gave a cock and bull story of the abduction etc., which "official" sources said was due to "exhaustion"m "confusion".

Then some folks started comparing the videos about Nick Berg and the possibility that they were concocted - plastic chair the same as Abu Ghraib (and let's face it 50 Mn patios around the Mediterranean) , captors had trainers, unusual with Islamofascistjihadist heavy men etc., etc., - which brings to mind the DVD's allegedly found in the flat of Mr Hussein who decamped from the scene of 21/7 bombings via Eurostar to Italy when everyone was looking for him - but actually listening in to his mobile - wunnerful thing modern technology. DVD's which were shown to the jurors of the 21/7 bombers today (missing the actual beheadings out - (of which there wasn't actually one in the Berg video published)).

So here for those interested is the picture of these suspiciously large men holding Susanne Osthoff, no flags, no jihadist slogans , no insignia, no headbands. Just what was happening when Susanne Osthoff was "kidnapped" ?

The Truth now in Paperback - Jack Straw really is an arsehole

Murder In Samarkand now available in paperback from Amazon here. Hurry Hurry whilst Craig stays out of Prison.

Page 33 et seq

'I had then to call on Jack Straw. I was ushered through to the Secretary of State's great room and sat in an ornate chair opposite him as he lounged on a vermilion ormulu sofa... The interview lasted under ten minutes. As I was walking out, he called after me, ' Oh and, Craig whenever you get to ....wherever it is you're going .... tell them I'm thinking about them'

Page 119

' ...the only other expatriates who frequented the bar centred on a humorous man called Bob. A 50 yr old American , short , balding with a pot belly. He worked for a company called Premier Executive.'... ' I was surpised to learn that they sometimes flew Uzbek prisoners back to Tashkent from Bagram airbase in Afghanistan'

Meanwhile BBC Online and De Spiegel report " Germany issues CIA arrest orders". Munich-based Bavarian senior state public prosecutor Christian Schmidt-Sommerfeld confirmed that the warrants for 13 suspected CIA operatives (no names disclosed) were linked to the case of Khaled al-Masri, a German national of Lebanese descent. Mr Masri says he was seized in Macedonia, flown to a secret prison in Afghanistan and mistreated there.

He says he was released in Albania five months later when the Americans realised they had the wrong guy.

Al-Masri's lawyer Manfred Gnjidic told der Spiegel that the warrants show that al-Masri has "the full support of the German justice system, because he told the truth." The arrest warrants are also a symbol that "the CIA in no way operate in a lawless space and that Germany will not tolerate the measures of the agents and their bosses."

The Los Angeles Times reported today ( Wednesday) that the arrest warrants are for 13 US intelligence operatives, including four pilots, a medic and members of an operations unit.

Extraordinary Rendition 14th July 2006 Hansard

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of reports that Prestwick, Shannon and Bangor airports were used for the refuelling of flights involved in either the inbound or outbound stages of extraordinary rendition operations. [80349]

Margaret Beckett: Bangor and Shannon airports, which are mentioned in the report into the extraordinary rendition of terrorist suspects published on 7 June by the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, are of course in the United States and the Republic of Ireland respectively. The Government are not therefore in a position to assess those claims. In so far as the claims about Prestwick airport are concerned, there is no evidence that any of the flights identified in the data supplied by Eurocontrol to the Council of Europe’s inquiry were involved in rendition through the UK. I refer the right hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary’s (Mr. Jack Straw) written ministerial statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37-38WS *which summarises the position in respect of renditions through UK territory or airspace since May 1997.

* To summarise the position: - We have found no evidence of detainees being rendered through the UK or Overseas Territories since 11 September 2001.

' Oh and, Craig whenever you get to ........ wherever it is you're going .... tell them I'm thinking about them'

" a campaign of State Terrorism" - McGuinness

On Wednesday, a Sinn Fein delegation led by Martin McGuinness MP held talks with the Dermot Ahern TD Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs in Dundalk.

After the meeting, Mr McGuinness in remarks not widely reported said ,

"Collusion was a British policy, it was about upholding the Union [with Britain] and its result was a campaign of State terrorism in Ireland."....the report by the Police Ombudsman was he said "the beginning of the process to uncover the full extent of collusion and the involvement of the most senior political figures in the British system in it."

He went on to refer to a recent press report (?) quoting former RUC/PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Raymond White, who has apparently admitted that British Ministers and senior officials were "regularly briefed"on undercover operations and that he personally had briefed former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Those with medium term memory will remember he was named in Affadavits prepared by Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan and Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kincaid lodged at the High Court in Belfast which criticised White and Chief Constable Flanagan over the report into the Omagh bombing.(Ulster TV Wednesday 2 /05/2002 cached only )

"This goes right to the very top .... "I impressed upon the Irish government today that a passive role on this issue is no longer an option for them. They must join with Sinn Fein and the families of those killed and injured through this British policy in demanding that the British government come clean."

Making a point which must have been embarassing to the wily Ahern , McGuiness put him on an unwelcome spot ;

"They (The Irish Gubment) must rigorously pursue those instances where the collusion policy directed from Whitehall resulted in attacks in the 26 counties. They must join with us in demanding that any serving members of the PSNI involved in this activity are drummed out of policing."

Meanwhile SDLP leader Mark Durkan used parliamentary privilege at to name three former heads of RUC/PSNI Special Branch Chris Albiston, Ray White and Freddy Hall,who are believed to have refused to cooperate with the police ombudsman's investigation into its murderous links to the UVF in north Belfast. The first two named have however not hesistated to publicly criticise the Ombudsman's report.

Mark Durkan added that collusion "was a fact, not a myth" and demanded former RUC/PSNI chief constable Ronnie Flanagan resign as 'Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary', a supervisory role over all British Crown police forces, including the PSNI.

"Can Ronnie Flanagan, who presided over a culture of 'anything goes but nobody knows', be credible as the chief inspector of constabularies, and will the prime minister now rethink plans to install MI5 as continuity special branch in Northern Ireland beyond the reach of key
powers of the Police Ombudsman?"

Tony Blair replied that whilst the Gubment regretted the state killings, it was important to "make sure that such a thing can never happen again and that obviously, as we are doing, we deal with those responsible".

No details have yet emerged as to what actions, if any, are to be taken against those involved in the conspiracy. The Policing Board met on 24th January with Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde and had a briefing from Nuala O`Loan, the Police Ombudsman - they have agreed (at their private meeting) to consider any changes that the PSNI have made in response in six months.

The ten documented and principal assassinations ( which involved the killing of both Republican and Protestant supporters) in the report from Nuala O`Loan are briefly;

RAYMOND McCORD JNR:

The 22-year-old Protestant former RAF member was found beaten to death at Ballyduff quarry N Belfast on November 9th 1997. Mrs O'Loan's report states that Haddock ordered
Mr McCord jnr to be killed following a dispute over drugs.

One suspect in the killing is referred to in the report as "Man D", a prisoner on leave from Long Kesh prison. However, there was a failure to examine the suspect's clothing at the prison and a vital forensic opportunity was lost.

Haddock and others were arrested and questioned about the killing but were released without charge. The report details destruction of exhibits, including a car thought to have been used in the McCord killing.


PETER McTASNEY:

The 26-year-old Catholic voluntary worker was shot dead at his home in the Bawnmore area of north Belfast on February 24th 1991.

Haddock was arrested and questioned 19 times by his RUC "handlers". Mrs O'Loan reports that they "babysat" him through interviews to ensure he did not incriminate himself. She further reports that the interview notes did not reflect the interview and that he was released without
charge. 2 men were subsequently convicted, but Special Branch never revealed the involvement of a police informant.


SHARON McKENNA:
Ms McKenna was a 27-year-old Catholic taxi driver, was shot dead on January 17th, 1993 while visiting a Protestant pensioner at his N Belfast home.

Two men called to the door and forced their way in when the pensioner opened it. They demanded the keys to Ms McKenna's car and, as she turned to lift them from the fireplace, they shot her in the back.

In interviews with Mrs O'Loan's investigators, senior RUC officers said Haddock had told them he was one of the gunmen. This is supported by "high grade" information.

Haddock was arrested on the 19th (he saw his handlers the following day) and interviewed 37 times over the course of six days, on some occasions by his "handler".

The report states that another officer present claimed he felt like "a gooseberry" in that he knew his RUC colleague was interviewing his own "source" and that nothing of any value would emerge from the questioning.

No one has been charged with the murder and Haddock's monthly informant's pay was increased from £100 to £160, despite the fact that he remained the main suspect.


SEAN McPARLAND:

The 55-year-old Catholic father of four was shot dead in N Belfast on February 25th, 1994 as he babysat his grandchildren in his daughter's house. He died the following week from his wounds.

Mrs O'Loan reports that other evidence, seen by her investigators, shows another informant carried out the killing and that Haddock was also involved.


GARY CONVIE AND EAMON FOX:

Mr Convie, a 24-year-old Catholic father of one, and Mr Fox, a 44-year-old married Catholic father of six, were shot dead while eating lunch at a building site in the Tiger Bay area of N Belfast.

Haddock was suspected of the murders and arrested. Mrs O'Loan reports that the gunman was said to have had a "goatee" beard at the time of the attack. Haddock too had a "goatee" beard, but was given time to shave it off while in custody.

A former British soldier was later convicted of the killings. He had been dismissed from the Royal Corps of Signals.


GERARD BRADY:

Mr Brady was a 27-year-old Catholic father of two, part time taxi driver and plumber. He was shot dead by 2 men who were passengers in his car on June 17th 1994.

Mrs O'Loan's investigators found that the RUC had intelligence linking Haddock and another RUC agent to the killing. They state also that ballistic tests on the gun used had established a link to Haddock and to other informants.


JOHN HARBINSON:

Mr Harbinson, a Protestant died after he was handcuffed and beaten to death by a UVF gang based in the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast on May 18th 1997.

Mrs O'Loan reports that RUC special branch had a "significant amount of high grade intelligence" about the four main suspects for the murder, including Haddock, but did not pass on this information to the police officers investigating the murder.

THOMAS SHEPPARD AND THOMAS ENGLISH:
Mr Sheppard was a 41-year-old UVF member who was shot dead in a pub in the Balee area of Ballymena, on March 21st, 1996. Mr English, killed on October 31st, 2000, was a prominent loyalist in N Belfast who was shot dead as part of a loyalist feud. (i.e during the time a New Labour Gubment was in power)

Mrs O'Loan's report states that investigators have seen information which links Haddock to the murders of both men.

Whilst the Gubment would like this to go away - it won't. Perhaps they should draft in Desmond Tutu and set up a Reconciliation Commission. There are sufficient dead bodies and grieving families to justify one - when Martin McGuiness and his fellow killers can provide the details of their "campaign of anti-State terrorism".

7/7 London Bombs - Amazing new CCTV pics!

This is a picture of a tired and careworn Mrs Laila Rezk on the busy No 85 bus shortly before she got off at 7.40pm on Wednesday 29th November 2006. She had boarded the bus at Putney railway station and got off at the Robin Hood roundabout, which is a 10-minute walk from her home.

One hour after the on board CCTV caught her with a timed and date stamped image,she was discovered , unconscious lying on the floor by her son, daughter and her daughter's boyfriend . She was taken to nearby St George's Hospital. She died on Thursday 30th November 2006.

Naturally Plod was anxious to hear from anyone who may have seen her or anything that may help them with their enquiries into her murder. Detective Superintendent Richard Heselden, who is leading the murder inquiry, was quoted, saying

'This still CCTV picture is the last known sighting we have of Laila.

'We need to hear from anyone who may have been on the bus that night who remembers seeing Laila or anyone who may have seen her get on the bus or indeed get off in Kingston Vale.

' - a swift and admirable response that her family must have felt was the sort of prompt response taxpayers were due, from London's finest encouraged by the widespread and re-assuring advertising campaign by Mr Livingstone's Empire.

This CCTV picture of Mrs Rezk appeared online at the Daily Telegraph on Saturday 2nd December 2006....and many, many other papers, and local and National TV news items and online news sites / blogs/ and must have been seen by millions of people.

.... But the 7/7 Bombers - who killed 56 people ? Compare and contrast

How very different to the CCTV pictures after the 7/7 bombings which killed 56 people, seriously injured hundreds, and caused unquantifiable economic and psychological damage - and for which not a single person has been charged or arrested.

Ten days after the bombing ,at a Metropolitan Police press conference, DAC Peter (The Sphincter of the Yard) Clarke stated, "We are this evening releasing a CCTV image showing the four men at Luton train station at approximately 7.20am. We know they traveled together from here on a Thameslink train to King's Cross in central London." ...This was the famous, grainy, still, very incongruent image at Luton Station forecourt - there has been no evidence that anyone at all has come forward as a result of issuing this image - which must have been seen by many, many millions of people.

An excellent detailed and authoritative analysis of the unbeleivable way that Plod issued, slowly, doctored, still images of the alleged "suicide" bombers whose location, date and time could not be verified is available at the JulySeventh. (3,000 cameras 80,000 hours of evidence) website
J7 CCTV 'Evidence' Analysis

On October 2nd, just under three months after the London bombings, another still image was released of "suicide bomber", Hasib Hussain on his own. He is apparently exiting the Boots store at Kings Cross mainline station. Like an earlier image of him, there is no date or time-stamp on the image.

Andy Hayman, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations (who gossip has it, is set for greater things - although he cannot quite remember when he realised they had fucked up on the De Menezes murder or told CC Bliar about it) at the Met said, "It is possible that he bought items in Boots or other shops, or that he spoke to people. We would urge anyone with any information to come forward."

So vital was the help of the public on this major crime that they sought help using 3 month old images.There has been no evidence that anyone at all has come forward as a result of issuing this image - which must have been seen by hundreds of thousands of people...can yuo remember a guy who you saw in Boots 3 months ago ?

Now a cynic might say ... Plod didn't want, doesn't want any help from the public to solve, this, the biggest crime that has ever occurred in one of the world's biggest cities where it is said the average citizen is captured on camera up to 300 times a day.

Leaving the irreduceable conclusion - this is a crime they don't (or someone doesn't) want to be solved.... and yes, a lot of policemen are telling a lot of fucking lies and suppressing a great deal of evidence and interfering with the collection of evidence of a major crime.

Let's hope that they get a result for the Rezk family.... because there is not a hope in hell that they will ever willingly reveal the real killers on 7/7 who triggered those bombs.

"Both hate our way of life, our freedom, our democracy"

Old Hickory has a first rate post about the American Air War in Iraq and Afghanistan. A mere statement of the facts known, the destructive power of Boeing made 500lb JDAM precision guided bombs and a chilling conclusion. Must Read.

"Reuters runs a daily "factbox" on military action in the Iraq War. Their report for Nov. 30 (which is actually dated Nov. 30), FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Nov 30, mentions none of the 33 air strikes the Air Force reports, giving a good glimpse at how much of this war is going largely unreported to Americans.

The Reuters Iraq FACTBOX for Dec. 1 passes on a military statement about one clash involving the use of air power:

U.S. ground and air forces killed 14 insurgents and wounded two after they attacked their convoy with machinegun fire in southwest of Samarra 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad on Thursday, the U.S. military said in a statement.

Notice that this is also "southwest of" someplace, not "in" the city. I'll be curious to see if and how the Air Force reports this tomorrow."

One thing Old Hickory doesn't mention is that a 500lb Bomb can be bought at your local Home Depot or wherever the USAF buys these things for US$250 ...add the Boeing JDAM Kit. add US$15,000.

The quote at the top of the post ? Tony Blair - 20th March 2003 Address to the Nation - Full text BBC...another quote from the same speech...

"These tyrannical states do not care for the sanctity of human life - the terrorists delight in destroying it.!"

November 30th 1995 - dealing with the Terrists

It was November 30th 1995 that President Clinton shook hands in public with the leader / Generalissimo / Top Dog / Top Gun of the IRA Gerry Adams - in an event that only the IRA was able to photograph.

This was followed by a cease fire and then the Docklands and Manchester bombs.

Clinton also famously provided him with a visa to visit the US.

Fly British Airways and DIE !!!!!!!!!!

After a faulty start the Fear Factory has been thrown into overdrive - and as usual is fixated with aircraft and Heathrow.

British Airways, anxious to gain some Brownie points after the fuck up about devout Christian staff wearing crosses has kicked off . BA say over 300 flights (uspects in the growing murder enquiry now number an astonishing 33,000 passengers and 3,000 staff ) to and from Russia and Heathrow have been identified by the UK government as part of the investigation into the death of Alexander Litvinenko.... with one of the rarest elements on Earth which seems to have been spread across London and (now) Europe like Peanut Butter.

A list of flights affected is available.

Customers on these flights who wish to receive further advice are advised to telephone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. This includes UK citizens travelling overseas.

For all non-UK nationals, please contact your local doctor.

Only customers who have travelled on these specific flights are asked to telephone NHS Direct or seek medical advice locally.

British Airways has set up a special helpline for customers

in the UK on 0845 6040171
or + 44191 211 3690 for international calls.

Jocelyn and Hermione model the new BEA cabin crew uniform for flights to Moscow at a Press conference today at BA Headquarters, Heathrow.

Passenger protection suits are available from here.

Let's hope they don't discover it on the London Underground .... or the Queen's breakfast Tupperware containers. Max Clifford is inoccent.

UK Terror Alert overdue

For those folks who organise these things, as the crowds fill the shops or head off to New York as the US$ plummets against the pound and the Euro to buy those essential gew gaws and baubles that the Chinese fillet the Western economies with ..... an alert is way, way overdue.

The airwaves are crackling with the mysterious Balonyium - 120 and dead and dubious ex (are they ever ?) Soviet spies, it's time to bring out the Osmium Tetroxide, Ricin, Kryptonite or exploding Marmalade again.

Anyway Clark of the Met's Terrorist Gang hasn't been on TV with his dire warnings and "sound intelligence" and he's getting withdrawal symptoms - not to mention a touch of jealousy that that Yates chappy is getting too much air - time.

UPDATE

The Scotsman reports
..." COBRA, the government's top emergency team, has met three times since Thursday to discuss the death of an ex-KGB man.

... COBRA was previously convened when a plot to blow up airliners was foiled in August." Ho.Ho.

TRAVELLERS TOP TIP

Don't even THINK of boarding a British Airways flight with your crucifix and garlic clove kit.

I'm a War President

THE OVAL OFFICE, FEBRUARY 7, 2004 BROADCAST ON NBC’S “MEET THE PRESS”

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2004 TIM RUSSERT MEETS PRESIDENT BUSH

"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind."

"Intelligence is a vital part of fighting and winning the war against the terrorists. It is — because the war against terrorists is a war against individuals who hide in caves in remote parts of the world ....."

Uganda - UN passes resolution - nuthn' to see, move along there ... the world watches. and passes by.

All 15 nations of the U.N. Security Council approved a statement on Thursday 16th November that called on both the Ugandan government and the LRA to "commit themselves fully" to a long-term and peaceful solution to the conflict. This should help to put new pressure on Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army rebels to immediately release all women and children abducted they have abducted in their 20 year "war" which has resulted in over 100,000 deaths and the flight of over 2 million people from their tribal lands in Northern Uganda.(Pic Ruud Elmendorp of Joseph Kony at Press Conference)

The council statement asked the 192 U.N. member-states both to support efforts to end the fighting and "to ensure that those responsible for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law are brought to justice." This of course is spooking Joseph Kony the crazed leader of the LRA who , with his 4 named adjutants faces charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague - it was also the first time the UN has called for bringing to justice the LRA leaders responsible for war crimes.



Meanwhile the talks in Juba have virtually collapsed to be overtaken by direct ones with Kony and his deputy and his deputy, Vincent Otti where they are reorted to have met Gulu district (LC5) chairman Norbert Mao, RDC Col. Walter Ochora and Kampala-based lawyer and former MP for Agago County Owiny Dollo at his base at Garamba in Congo. - who have in turn reported to President Musavu.

Pic at Gambara last week : LRA Commander Joseph Kony (third right), his deputy Vincent Otti (far right) and other gangsters.

Both Kony and Otti addressed the Acholi on Radio Mega FM from Gulu claiming the Acholi could return - but no-one trusts him and increasingly suspect the peace talks are just a breathing space to re-arm, re-equip and re-finance his murderous crew. He also asked for financial assistance for his family.

In his first broadcast interview ever at the end of June, Kony said the LRA had never committed abductions, rapes or mutilations and reports of lips and ears being cut off were not true. You must view the video (4.54 sec posted Aug 16th by Rocketboom) of Kony's Press Conference by Ruud Elmendorp here at Google Video. This won International TV Award of the Video Journalism Festival in Berlin. - Visit his site here for this and other absolutely stunning films on Africa which you can preview and download.

"I'm a freedom fighter who is fighting for freedom in Uganda," Kony said in the interview, which was broadcast on BBC2 "Newsnight" programme. "I am not a terrorist."

Ageing Trot the ennobled Dave Triesman - Lord Triesman of the FO said scornfully at the time, "Kony has an international criminal indictment. I take that seriously."

"I believe... the evidence against him and the others who have been indicted means they should be captured, arrested and brought to trial in The Hague." - although palpably reluctant to do anything to bring this desired end about.

Regrettably he wasn't talking about Tony Blair, and the rest of the Labour cabinet who lied to the UK public to get the nation squandering it's blood and treasure in Iraq - whose death toll, and catalogue of corruption, looting, murder, kidnapping , rape, and destruction of a whole nation make Kony's efforts, albeit longer somewhat amateur on the Richter scale that applies to war crimes.

Kony's strength is of course that he controls no oil, gas, gold, diamonds or other desirable minerals, so nobody is interested. If you are you ,can learn more and offer help here at UgandaCAN.

7/7 More questions without sensible answers

Lord Patel has just discovered a video "London Bombings" (11 mins) by "indi films" about the 7/7 bombings has had 774 viewings since posting on Google Video on July 27th 2006.

This raises question about Peter Power and his Visor Consultants ( Full Radio 5 Interview which is fascinating) - role of Kingstar the demolition men, whose van was handy for the Number 30 Bus (the only one in London re-routed that day) when something happened to it in Tavistock Square. Is he just a shameless self-publicist or something more sinister ? There is also a video on You tube of a BBC TV interview with Peter Powers here posted by luogocomune in the US.

The question of Israeli / Mossad conections is discussed - the far sighted writings of ex head of Mossad Halevi (old school pal of Lord Levy at Hackney Downs) in the Jerusalem Post, the French view that military explosives were used, Netanyahu's warning .... worth 11 minutes of your time.

Meanwhile the curiously anonymously authored "Ludicrous Diversions" on the same topic has had 72,036 viewings to date... and is well worth a visit.

Link - Peter Powers interview discussed at Prison Planet July 13th and also at Guerilla News Network and a different take on it at Wag News (something very fishy)

Link - BBC Online review of this extrordinary man,Peter Powers, "Pied Piper" of the Kings X fire.