Mullah Omar Captured?

Brad Thor at Big Government is reporting that Taliban leader Mullah Omar has been captured: 

Big Government: Through key intelligence sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I have just learned that reclusive Taliban leader and top Osama bin Laden ally, Mullah Omar has been taken into custody.

According to the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program there is a bounty of up to $10 million on Omar for sheltering Osama bin-Laden and his al-Qaeda network in the years prior to the September 11 attacks as well as the period during and immediately thereafter.

They know all right and so do we, at least when it comes to Mullah Omar. We have known since the end of March and we had it confirmed ten days ago by the Pakistanis. So why didn’t the State Department and the CIA know?

While this is certainly great news, there seems to be some doubt. Namely, no one else is confirming the story.  Allahpundit see even more doubt. 

Any reasons not to believe? Yeah — namely, how come this hasn’t leaked? Nothing against Brad Thor, but this is so tippy top secret that he knows about it when the NYT, WaPo, and even Hillary Clinton don’t? Five weeks seems an awfully long time to keep something like this quiet. Also, why wouldn’t the White House or Pakistan or even the Taliban itself have announced the capture?  [ …] 

For now, take this story with a grain of salt and let’s all hope it turns out to be true.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Big Government

Via: Hot Air

Reporter finds Faisal Shahzad’s personal documents

How is it possible that a news reporter is able to find Faisal Shahzad’s personal documents discarded outside Shahzard’s home before the FBI and Homeland Security? 

SHELTON -- Faisal Shahzad's Pakistani passport, tax documents, greeting cards, academic records and immigration documents were found abandoned outside a Shelton home once owned by the man charged in the attempted Times Square car bombing.

The documents, mainly from 2000 and 2001, were found Tuesday morning by a Connecticut Post reporter outside the house at 119 Long Hill Ave. where Shahzad lived until about a year ago. The house is vacant and up for sale.

Police earlier had searched the property, according to neighbors. [MORE]

Our anti-terrorism forces had better start getting on the ball. All these slip ups are going to cost us dearly. While, such sloppy work was tolerated before 9/11, there really should be little excuse for missing things like this

.

Click over to the Connecticut Post to see all the documents that were found.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Connecticut Post

False Alarm: “Sarcastic Shoe Bomber” on United flight to Denver

First class jerk alert! A Qatar diplomat cause air marshals into action and F-16s to scramble all because he wanted to be cute. 

From ABC News: FBI agents say no explosives were found in the shoes of a Qatar diplomat who was subdued by federal air marshals on a United flight to Denver Wednesday night after allegedly telling the marshals, "I'm lighting my shoes on fire." 

Authorities say the diplomat was wrestled to the ground and two F-16 fighter jets were dispatched to accompany the 757 on the final five minutes of its flight to Denver. Flight 663 originated from Washington Reagan airport.

A US security official said, "it may have been a massive misunderstanding" and the diplomat's statement may have been a "sarcastic" comment when he was confronted by two air marshals who had been told by flight attendants that smoke was coming from the lavatory.[…]

The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi, 27. The FBI said the man had full diplomatic immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul. 

The jerk was smoking in the bathroom and when he got caught decided to be sarcastic. Oh that was so funny I forgot to laugh. This guy is a complete idiot. Why on earth would he have thought that “joke” would have been funny?  Who wants to bet that a. he is immune from charges, b. he tries to sue?

The Jawa Report has a picture of Mr. Comedy.

Update: Associated Press is saying no charges to be brought against Mohammed al Modadi. Like we did not see that coming.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: ABC News

Via: The Jawa Report

Via: Associated Press

Taliban attacks U.S. Consulate in Peshawar Pakistan (Video)

Word is just coming in that the Taliban has launched a suicide bomber attack against the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar. Information is sketchy at this time.

From Stratfor:

One attacker was able to blow up in the U.S. Consulate premises, AAJ TV reported April 5. The front side of the U.S. Consulate has been totally destroyed. Reports indicate that seven or eight security personnel in the consulate are dead. The consulate’s communication system is down. 

Intially Stratfor claimed that there were 36 killed. I am unsure if that number is revised or a total including the security guards.

The UK Telegraph has more. They are saying that 15 heavily armed militants in two vehicles set off 3 massive explosions. 

Up to 15 militants armed with explosives and driving in two vehicles targeted the heavily guarded US consulate in Peshawar, a city of 2.5 million on the edge of Pakistan's lawless tribal belt, setting off multiple explosions.

"The target was certainly the American consulate but they didn't succeed in getting there," said Pakistani police officer Ghulam Hussain.

"One of the suicide bombers blew himself up close to the gate. Police guarding the US consulate started retaliatory fire. More blasts took place. We have recovered unexploded material from four different points," he said.

Three powerful explosions and bouts of gunfire echoed through the area, where the attacks occurred at a checkpoint about 20 yards from the US consulate where heavy thick smoke spewed into the sky. 

Update 1: Videos (h/t UK Telegraph & Hot Air)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Stratfor

Via: UK Telegraph

Via: Hot Air

Dagestan: 2 new suicide attacks in Russia

With the Moscow subway attacks still fresh in everyone’s mind, Russia is again rocked by two more suicide bombers. This time the attacks took place inside Russia’s Dagestan region. 

The New York Times: MAKHACHKALA, Russia (Reuters) - Two blasts, one set off by a suicide bomber, rocked Kizlyar in Russia's Dagestan region on Wednesday, killing at least 11 people just two days after twin bombs hit Moscow, officials told Reuters.

Investigators said a suicide bomber dressed in a police uniform set off the second of the blasts in Dagestan, which followed the two bombings in Moscow that killed 39 people and which authorities blamed on female suicide attackers with links to insurgents in the turbulent North Caucasus.

In Kizlyar, a police official said a car parked near a school in the center of town blew up as a traffic police patrol was driving by, killing two police officers.

He said the second bomb was set off shortly after police and onlookers gathered at the scene.

The provincial police spokesman said Kizlyar police chief Vitaly Vedernikov was among the dead. At least six other police officers, an investigator and a civilian were killed, Russian news agencies cited police as saying.

Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim province adjacent to war-scarred Chechnya along Russia's southern border, is plagued by frequent attacks targeting police and government officials.

Below is a clip from Russia Today on the attacks.

More coverage at CNN and the BBC.

Via: The New York Times

Via: CNN

Via: BBC

Moscow Subway Explosions: Suicide bombers kill at least 35 on Moscow subway

Moscow was rocked this morning by two female suicide bombers who set off explosive belts at two subway stations. The first blast killed 23 and the second 12. 

Fox News: MOSCOW -- Two female homicide bombers blew themselves up on Moscow's subway system as it was jam-packed with rush-hour passengers Monday, killing at least 35 people and wounding 38, the city's mayor and other officials said.

Emergency Ministry spokeswoman Svetlana Chumikova said 23 people were killed in an explosion shortly before 8 a.m. at the Lubyanka station in central Moscow. The station is underneath the building that houses the main offices of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the KGB's main successor agency.

A second explosion hit the Park Kultury station about 45 minutes later. Chumikova said at least 12 were dead there. The ministry later said 38 people were injured.

Chechen rebels are suspected after issuing a threat back in February: 

In February, Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov warned in an interview on a rebel-affiliated Website that "the zone of military operations will be extended to the territory of Russia ... the war is coming to their cities."

Umarov also claimed his fighters were responsible for the November bombing of the Nevsky Express passenger train that killed 26 people en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg. 

Twitter pictures from Moscow subway attack available at PicFog, use key word Moscow or Moscow attack.

Perspective at Michelle Malkin.

Video at Gateway Pundit.

More coverage at The New York Times, BBC and Times of London.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fox News

Video: Patrick Kennedy has a Howard Dean meltdown on the House floor

Watch CBS News Videos Online

In case you all missed this one tonight, here is retiring House Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) having a Howard Dean moment on the House floor. What caused Patrick to loose it? 

From Sister Toldjah: The resolution in question is one sponsored by anti-war radical Rep. Dennis Kucinich in which the President would have to withdraw troops from Afghanistan within 30 days if “safety issues” were involved. Yeah, I know – but remember, this is Dennis Kucinich we’re talking about here. 

I know I shouldn’t ask, but do you think Patrick is hittin’ the sauce again? I know, bad Cliff, bad, bad, Cliff.

Via: Sister Toldjah

Via: The New York Post

Let the backlash begin: ACLU balks at military tribunals for the KSM trials

Backlash from the left for Obama’s pending decision to move the 9/11 terrorist trials back to military tribunals has begun. The ACLU is first out of the gate with an ad in the New York Times asking Obama if this is change or more of the same. The ACLU’s open letter to Obama is accompanied by the graphic above. Here is what the ad says: 

What will it be Mr. President? 

Change or more of the Same?

Candidate Barack Obama vowed to change the Bush-Cheney policies and restore America’s values of justice and due process. Many of us are shocked and concerned that right now, President Obama is considering reversing his attorney general’s decision to try the 9/11 defendants in criminal court. Our criminal justice system has successfully handled over 300 terrorism cases compared to only 3 in the military commissions. Our criminal justice system will resolve these cases more quickly and more credibly than the military commissions.

President Obama can vigorously prosecute terrorists and keep us safe without violating our Constitution.

As president, Barack Obama must decide whether he will keep his solemn promise to restore our Constitution and due process, or ignore his vow and continue the Bush-Cheney policies.

Tell President Obama not to back down on his commitment to our justice system, and to try the 9/11 defendants in criminal court.

Remind the world that America stands for due process, justice, and the rule of law.

More information about the ACLU’s call to use civilian trials to try the 9/11 suspects is available online here: www.aclu.org/national-security/obama-administration-verge-reversing-decision-911-prosecutions 

In addition to the ad, ACLU Executive Director, Anthony D. Romero wrote a five page letter directly to Obama. In the letter Romero makes the case for why Obama should keep the 9/11 trials in civilian courts. You can view the entire letter here.

The ACLU is a big player in leftwing politics, it will be interesting to see how many more on the left and far left follow the ACLU. What will be even more interesting will be if Obama once again blows off progressives for the sake of political expediency.

The administration has taken heavy fire for its handling of terrorism in general. Even the administration’s recent successes in Pakistan seem unable to provide them enough political cover. If I had to guess, I would say that unless the left goes completely bonkers on this issue, Obama is going to move the 9/11 trials back to military tribunals, because it will take the issue off the front burner and allow him to focus on his true passion, domestic spending.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The ACLU 

UPDATED: American Al Qaeda terrorist Adam Gadahn captured in Pakistan

Here is a bit of good news for a Sunday afternoon. American born Al Qaeda terrorist Adam Gadhan has been captured in Pakistan. 

MSNBC: KARACHI, Pakistan - Adam Yahiye Gadahn, a U.S.-born spokesman for al-Qaida, has been captured in Pakistan, government sources said Sunday.

Gadahn was arrested in recent days, two officers who took part in the operation told The Associated Press. A senior government official also confirmed the arrest. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

An intelligence source confirmed the report to NBC News, adding that Gadahn was detained in Sohrab Goth, a suburb of Karachi, and was later moved to the capital Islamabad. 

Now that Pakistan has started taking the terrorist threat seriously, the big Al Qaeda names are falling like dominos. Of course the left is singing the praises of Obama on terror. You know what?  Let them, like Will Jacobson points out at Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion when it comes to taking out these terrorist, we should all be on the same page.

I do have one question though, who is going to handle the interrogation and if it is the U.S. exactly what procedure will we follow?  Gadahn is a U.S. citizen so in his case Constitutional rights actually apply. It will be worth keeping an eye on how his case is handled.


UPDATE: False Alarm, man in custody is Abu Yahya


From CBS News:

An "important Taliban militant" was arrested today in Pakistan. But that is where the confusion started. 

Earlier it was reported by Pakistani media that intelligence agents had arrested Adam Gadahn, the American-born spokesman for al Qaeda, in an operation in the southern city of Karachi. 

It was further reported by the Associated Press and Reuters that Gadahn had been arrested, sourcing security officials. 

CBS News was told by sources in the Pakistan government that it was Gadahn, even after U.S. officials refused to confirm it was the California native for whom a $1 million reward has been posted. 

Now, CBS News' Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad writes that earlier reports the detained individual was Gadahn proved false. According to a Pakistan security official who spoke with CBS News on condition of anonymity, the arrested individual is in fact "a Taliban militant leader who is known as Abu Yahya." 

The official said evidence compiled from an interrogation of the suspect and information exchanged with U.S. officials verified the man's identify. 

The reassessment only added to the confusion surrounding the arrest of a man earlier described by other unnamed Pakistani security officials as Gadahn. 

"In the light of our latest information, I can say, this is not looking like Gadahn. But it is still the arrest of an important Taliban militant," said the Pakistani security official who spoke to CBS News late Sunday.  

While it would have been awesome to have had captured that turncoat Gadahn, we should still rejoice that another terrorist is out of commission. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: MSNBC

Via: Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
Via: CBS News

UPDATED: 5 Muslim soldiers attempted to poison Ft. Jackson food supply

This story is just breaking today, but it appears that 5 Muslim soldiers, who were part of the Arabic Translation program, were arrested back in December for trying to poison the food supply at Fort Jackson. 

CBN News has learned exclusively that five Muslim soldiers at Fort Jackson in South Carolina were arrested just before Christmas. It is unclear whether the men are still in custody. The five were part of the Arabic Translation program at the base.

The men are suspected of trying to poison the food supply at Fort Jackson.

A source with intimate knowledge of the investigation, which is ongoing, told CBN News investigators suspect the "Fort Jackson Five" may have been in contact with the group of five Washington, DC area Muslims that traveled to Pakistan to wage jihad against U.S. troops in December. That group was arrested by Pakistani authorities, also just before Christmas.

Coming as it does on the heels of November's Fort Hood jihadist massacre, this news has major implications.

OK, I might as well skip the PC nonsense and be blunt. Since we are at war with radical Islam, how about we do some good old fashion racial profiling in the military?  After Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's shooting spree at Fort Hood, one would have thought the military would have dropped the political correctness and started to get some deep background checks on all Islamic soldiers.

Yes, I know it is unfair, but radical Islamic extremist count on our political correctness to hide in plain sight. Look at Hasan, the man was walking around with a big fat neon sign saying “I hate America” and our silly political correctness blinded us to the obvious.

I am sure we will be hearing a lot more about this story in the coming days.


UPDATE: False?


There seems to be several conflicting stories here. First, Fox News seems to match the CBN story and is still up on their site. Commenter, Truth Teller brings this story from The State to my attention:

A local law enforcement official familiar with the reports who insisted on anonymity said Thursday that there was no attempt made to poison any soldiers, adding a rumor started when several disgruntled soldiers shot their mouths off late last year.

There was never any threat, nothing credible, he insisted.

The investigation was first reported by Fox News.

The Christian Broadcasting Network and Fox News reported that five suspects were detained in December and were part of an Arabic translation program called "09 Lima." According to an article in the Army Times, "The 09 Lima program puts native speakers of Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, Farsi or Kurdish in uniform to serve alongside troops in combat."

Garver said he could not release any specifics of the investigation by the Army's Criminal Investigative Service to protect its integrity.

"I can say that, according to CID spokespersons, they have not found any credible information to substantiate the allegations," Garver, who's based at the Pentagon, said in an e-mail.

He said he is unaware of any arrests made in the investigation. [MORE]

Via: Memeorandum

Via: CBN News
Via: Fox News
Via: The State

Taliban’s No. 2 guy captured by the US and Pakistan

The New York Times is reporting that a joint effort between the U.S. and Pakistan has led to the capture of the Taliban’s top military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Baradar has been in custody for several days, but the Times was asked to hold off on the story to give our guy time for intelligence gathering.

WASHINGTON — The Taliban’s top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials. 

The commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, is an Afghan described by American officials as the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the American-led war in Afghanistan started more than eight years ago. He ranks second in influence only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban’s founder and a close associate of Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks. 

Mullah Baradar has been in Pakistani custody for several days, with American and Pakistani intelligence officials both taking part in interrogations, according to the officials. 

This is excellent news with many benefits. First, this joint operation signals that Pakistan has finally decided to really help the U.S. in the War on Terror. Prior to now, the Pakistani intelligence forces, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has been sympathetic to the Taliban. This new founded cooperation will vastly improve our chances of success in Afghanistan and could help to make sure the Taliban does not reemerge after we leave.

Another benefit is that Baradar’s capture will certain set the Taliban back significantly. It could not come at a better time, just as American forces are undertaking new initiatives in Afghanistan we have the Taliban’s top military commander is on ice.

For the Obama administration this could not come at a better time either. Republicans have been making a very strong case that this administration has gone soft on fighting terror. This capture will offer the administration a little more defense to that charge.

What is troubling though is the interrogation of Baradar. Pakistan obviously has the lead since Obama stopped all enhanced interrogations. While Pakistan will be far more brutal in interrogating than the U.S. the question does remain will they share everything? The Times article does state that the CIA is involved in the process, but how far that involvement goes remains to be seen. I would imagine that given Eric Holder’s scrutiny of the CIA, the CIA is probably making sure their guys are not around for the extreme stuff.

I am also curious as to what made Pakistan change their minds about helping us in the War on Terror. The Times story states that Pakistan now sees how the Taliban is a treat to their interest, but I think there maybe something else going on. The Taliban was always a threat to Pakistani interest, what changed to make Pakistan finally see the light?

Read the whole story at the Times, it will show you what a major score this is and provide you will give you a good appreciation of Pakistan’s new found willingness to fight terror.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The New York Times

Cheney calls out Obama and Biden for taking credit on Iraq (Full Video)

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was on This Week today and he had a little message for Vice President Biden: 

"If [the administration is] going to take credit for [Iraq's success], fair enough ... but it ought to come with a healthy dose of 'Thank you, George Bush' up front and a recognition that some of their early recommendations with respect to prosecuting that war were just dead wrong," Cheney told ABC News' Jonathan Karl.

[SNIP]

"Obama and Biden campaigned from one end of the country to the other for two years criticizing our Iraq policy," Cheney said. "If they had had their way, if we'd followed the policies they'd pursued from the outset or advocated from the outset, Saddam Hussein would still be in power in Baghdad today." 

You just knew Cheney wasn’t going to let Obama and Biden take credit for Iraq that easily. The current administration has not missed a single opportunity to blame the Bush administration for everything under the sun, so why should they thank the Bush Administration when credit is obviously due.

If you missed Cheney’s appearance on This Week, full video of the interview is below (h/t The Right Scoop)

Via: Memeorandum

Via: ABC News/ This Week

H/T: The Right Scoop

So the Panty Bomber is giving up secrets again, how convenient

The Washington Post reports through "unnamed sources" that the Panty Bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, is giving up intelligence to the FBI again. Byron York notes how this information conveniently comes just as the administration finds that Congress Members, on both sides of the aisle, were shocked that Abdulmutallab was only interrogated for 50 minutes before receiving his Miranda Rights. York also notes that Abdulmutallabs new information flies in the face of the administration’s previous insistence that they got all the information they could from the Panty Bomber before he was handed over to the criminal justice system.

The whole story reeks of political opportunism. It really sounds like a story designed to cover the administration’s ass on how they handled the Abdulmatallab once he was in custody. Even for the sake of argument, if the story is 100% true, then shouldn’t we be worried that we lost precious time to act on Abdulmatallab’s information as he sat silent with his Miranda Rights?

Any way you slice it, Obama does not have a security team he has a security circus. It is a circus filled with clowns who are completely incapable of bringing an A-Game to fight the war on terror. No wondered everyone in Washington seems so confident that Al Qaeda is going to strike in the next few months, they must all realize that this crew is totally incapable of preventing it.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Washington Examiner

Via: The Washington Post

Via: The New York Times

Female Suicide Bombers may be headed to the US

It looks like Al Qaeda in Yemen is stepping up their game. ABC News is reporting that Yemen has trained female suicide bombers who look like Westerners and have western passports. These female suicide bombers are on the loose and may be headed here.

They also report that there have been 6 attempts in a recent 48-hour period where people from the no fly list have attempted to board US flights.

Anyone else thinking that the piss poor handling of the Panty Bomber has emboldened Al Qaeda? I cannot help but wonder if this is the reason why the UK raised their terror level today?  Does the UK know something more about this?

Click over to ABCNews and watch the video there, it rather chilling. Especially when you learn that two of the people on the no fly list were stopped in Minneapolis and in Fort Lauderdale questioned and released.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: ABC News

50 Gitmo Detainees to be held indefinitely

It looks like Obama and the left are finding out the hard way that George Bush might have known what he was going regarding Gitmo: 

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has decided to continue to imprison without trials nearly 50 detainees at the Guantánamo Bay military prison in Cuba because a high-level task force has concluded that they are too difficult to prosecute but too dangerous to release, an administration official said on Thursday.

However, the administration has decided that nearly 40 other detainees should be prosecuted for terrorism or related war crimes. And the remaining prisoners, about 110 men, should be repatriated or transferred to other countries for possible release, the official said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the numbers. 

The whole idea of closing Gitmo, always had more to do with opposing everything Bush did, than anything to do with reality. Obama’s decision to making closing Gitmo his first priority always seemed to me to be Obama’s willingness to believe all leftwing talking points on the issue, rather than taking the time to really look into the matter.  

Obama’s whole handling of terror in general seems to be like he is trying to follow liberal dogma rather than dealing with the realities at hand. This is why we have such a mix mash terror policy. Obama starts out by following liberal beliefs and then when confronted with stark realities he deviates from the liberal point of view just enough to address the issue at hand. This is why we have two sets of rules for handling terrorists. One set of rules for those caught here and another for those on the battlefield.

This approach is reactionary rather offensive and is simply not aggressive enough to deal with a persistent enemy.  It is only a matter of time before terrorists end up several steps ahead of us and then we will be in for a world of hurt.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The New York Times