Come to Jihad, by Usama bin Laden

Complete transcript of Osama Bin Laden September 20, 2007 message "Come to Jihad"

Click here to watch the video.

By Shaykh Usama bin Ladin
(May Allah protect him)
September 2007/Ramadan 1428"

"All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and seek His aid and forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil in ourselves and from our bad deeds. He whom Allah guides cannot be led astray, and he who is led astray cannot be guided. I bear witness that there is no God other than Allah alone, without partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger."

"As for what comes after:"

"To my Muslim brothers in Pakistan:"

"Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

"Allah, the Most High, says, 'O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be harsh against them. Their abode is Hell, and an evil destination it is.' (9:73) And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says, 'There is no one who abandons a Muslim in a place where his honor is violated and his sanctity is infringed upon except that Allah, the Most High, abandons him in a place in which he would like His aid. And there is no one who aids a Muslim in a place where his honor is violated and his sanctity is infringed upon except that Allah aids him in a place in which he would like His aid.' (Narrated by Ahmad)"

"Pervez's invasion of Lal Masjid in the City of Islam, Islamabad, is a sad event, like the crime of the Hindus in their invasion and destruction of the Babari Masjid. And this event has crucial and critical connotations, most important of which are:"

"First, this event demonstrated Musharraf's insistence on continuing his loyalty, submissiveness and aid to America against the Muslims, and this is one of the ten nullifiers of Islam, as the people of knowledge have determined, and makes armed rebellion against him and removing him obligatory. Allah, the Most High, says, 'O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust.' (5:51) And His statement 'And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them' means that he is of them in Kufr (unbelief), as the people of Tafseer (explanation) have said. This ruling was the one given and confirmed by Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai, may Allah have mercy on him, in his famous Fatwa following the raids on New York, and among the things which he said: 'If any ruler of an Islamic state provides aid to an infidel state in its aggression against the Islamic states, it is the legal obligation of the Muslims to remove him from power and consider him to be legally a traitor to Islam and Muslims.' People of Islam in Pakistan: Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai, may Allah have mercy on him, discharged a great duty which was upon him, and declared the word of truth and didn't care about the anger of the creation. He endangered himself and his wealth and made clear the ruling of Allah regarding Pervez: that he is a traitor to Islam and Muslims and must be removed. This Fatwa enraged Pervez and enraged his masters in America, and it is my opinion that the murder of the Mufti - may Allah have mercy on him - was at their hands. And Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai died without having replaced the word of truth with falsehood, in contrast to what many of the 'Ulama of vice do. And the obligation on us remains, and we have been extremely late in carrying it out, six years having passed, so we should make up for lost time. May Allah forgive me as well as you."

"Second, the government's showing of Maulana Abd al-Aziz Ghazi in women's clothing in the media is clear evidence of the extent of the great hostility, hatred and contempt held by Pervez and his government towards Islam and its sincere 'Ulama, and that is greater Kufr which takes one out of Islam. Allah, the Most High, says, "And if you question them, they will most surely say, 'We were only talking idly and jesting.' Say, 'Was it Allah and His Signs and His Messenger which you were mocking?' Make no excuses. You have certainly disbelieved after believing. If We forgive a party from among you, a party We shall punish, for they are criminals." (9:65-66) And read, if you wish, the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer - may Allah have mercy on him - regarding this Ayat."

"Third, in such events, the people are tested and the friends of the Most Merciful are separated from the friends of Satan. The 'Ulama who are from the friends of the Most Merciful declare the truth, and if they are unable or are weak, they observe silence and don't help falsehood with their words or actions. As for the friends of Satan, they are led by Pakistani military intelligence to speak falsehood and help its people. Some of them deem it obligatory to unite with Pervez and his army, while others deem as Haraam martyrdom-seeking fedayee operations against the soldiers of the Taghut (idol-king), while still others assail the Mujahideen, slandering and defaming them. And this is the way of the Munafiqeen (Hypocrites). Allah, the Most High, says, "They are stingy [in helping] you. And when danger comes, you see them looking towards you, their eyes rolling like one fainting as death approaches. But when the fear has passed away, they assail you with sharp tongues, being stingy with good deeds. Those have never believed, so Allah has rendered their works null and void. And that is easy for Allah." (33:19)"

"So everyone who refrained from helping the Imam Maulana Abd al-Rashid Ghazi is from the sitters, whereas those who attacked him to help Pervez, claiming that Islam isn't established through fighting and calling fighting in the path of Allah "terrorism" - in the context of invective - and saying that the way is through peaceful demonstrations and democratic methods are from those who have gone astray and followed the path of the Munafiqeen."

"Nearly two decades ago, the soil of Pakistan saw and was watered by the blood of a great Imam of the Imams of Islam - i.e. the Mujahid champion Imam Abdullah Azzam, may Allah have mercy on him - and today, we have seen another great Imam, not at the level of Pakistan alone, but at the level of the entire Islamic Ummah: i.e. the Imam Maulana Abd al-Rashid Ghazi, may Allah have mercy on him. He, his brothers, his students and the female students of Jami'ah Hafsa demanded the application of the Shari'ah of Islam, as the reason for our creation is that we worship Allah the Most High through His religion, al-Islam, and they were killed because of this great objective. Allah, the Most High, says, "And I have not created jinn and men but that they may worship Me." (51:56) They sacrificed the great thing they owned: they sacrificed themselves for their religion. I ask Allah to accept them among the martyrs. They were killed treacherously and treasonously at the hands of the apostate infidel Pervez and his aides. The purpose of the army - or so they say - is to protect the Muslims against the Kuffaar, but now we see the armies becoming tools and weapons in the hands of the Kuffaar against the Muslims. Pervez threw away the cause of Kashmir and restrained those fighting to liberate it, in accordance with the wishes of the Hindus and Nazarenes. Then he opened his bases and airports to America for invading the Muslims in Afghanistan, and as you've seen before, the army attacked the people of Swat who also demanded the rule of Shari'ah, and attacked the people of Waziristan, in addition to betraying and extraditing hundreds of Arab Mujahideen from the grandsons of the Sahabah (Companions), with whom Allah was pleased, to the head of Kufr, America. So Pervez, his ministers, his soldiers and those who help him are all accomplices in the spilling the blood of those of the Muslims who have been killed. He who helps him knowingly and willingly is an infidel like him, and as for he who helps him knowingly and under compulsion, his compulsion isn't legally valid, as the soul of the one forced to kill isn't better than the soul of the one killed, and the Messenger of Allah - peace and blessings of Allah be upon him - said, "Were all the inhabitants of the heavens and earth to participate in the spilling of a believer's blood, Allah - the Great and Glorious - would throw them into the Fire." So I tell the soldiers who perform the Salaat (prayer) in the military organs: you must resign from your jobs and enter anew into Islam and disassociate yourself from Pervez and his Shirk (polytheism)."

"Some of the Munafiqeen among the 'Ulama of vice and others may say that Islam orders us to stay together and the people to unite with the army and government to stand in the face of the enemies and avoid Fitnah (strife). I say: the one who says this is creating lies about Allah. The government and army have become enemies of the Ummah, after becoming a weapon in the hands of the Kuffaar against the Muslims. And they refuse to rule by the religion of Islam in all of life's affairs, like politics, economy, social life and other matters. Allah has ordered these and their like to be fought, not to be united with and hung onto, as those hypocrites claim. Allah, the Most High, says, "And fight them until there is no Fitnah [polytheism], and religion is wholly for Allah." (8:39) So if some of the religion is for Allah and some of it is for other than Allah, fighting is obligatory to make the religion entirely for Allah, the Most High."

"By the grace of Allah, the Most High, we performed Jihad with the Afghan Mujahideen against the Russians, and the Afghan army was a weapon in their hands against us. They would pray and fast, but despite that, the senior 'Ulama of the Islamic world, including the 'Ulama of Pakistan, ruled that they are to be fought. And after the exit of the Russians, the 'Ulama of Pakistan also supported Taliban against the Northern Alliance, although they also pray and fast. So is there any difference between Pervez and his soldiers and Ahmad Shah Massoud, Rabbani and Sayyaf and their soldiers? There is no difference at all. All of them have pledged to the Crusaders to fight true Islam and its people, and those who say it is forbidden to fight Pervez and his soldiers and exclude him from the general ruling have an illness in their hearts: they prefer this life to the next. Allah, the Most High, says, "Are your unbelievers better than those or have you an immunity [from punishment] in the sacred books?" (54:43)"

"I tell Pervez and his army: your betrayal of your nation and people has been exposed, and the people are no longer fooled by your showing off militarily by launching some missiles after every disaster and massacre you commit against the populace, as has occurred repeatedly in the border regions, or after the biggest massacre in Lal Masjid most recently. How is the nation benefited by these weapons and tests of yours? The same goes for the nuclear bomb itself. When the American foreign minister Powell came to you, you cowered, bowed and submitted to him like a lowly slave, and you permitted the American Crusader forces to use the air, soil and water of Pakistan, the country of Islam, to kill the people of Islam in Afghanistan, then in Waziristan. So woe to you and away with you."

"Against the peoples attacking lions"

"And against the enemy rabbits and ostriches?"

"And your going to Makkah and performing the Tawaaf (circling) of the Ka'aba won't benefit you when combined with Kufr and combating of Islam and its people. Were it to benefit anyone in combination with Kufr, it would have benefited Abu Lahab, the uncle of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."

"Then someone might say that armed rebellion against Pervez will lead to the spilling of blood. But I say: were the order to fight the apostate ruler was from the people, like 'Amr and Zayd, then it would be permissible for minds and opinions to intervene and discuss what they should do or not do. However, as you know, the order to fight the apostate ruler is an order in the Shari'ah of Allah, and it is not permissible for the Muslim to make his opinion a rival to the order of Allah and order of His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Allah, the Most High, says, "And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to exercise their own choice in the matter concerning them. And whoso disobeys Allah and His Messenger goes manifestly astray." (33:36) "

"So when the capability is there, it is obligatory to rebel against the apostate ruler, as is the case now. And the one who believes that the strength required to rebel has not yet been completed must complete it and take up arms against Pervez and his army without procrastination. Pervez and most of the Muslims' rulers jumped to power and usurped it and ruled us by other than what Allah sent down by force of arms, and the situation will not return to normal through elections, demonstrations and shouting. So beware of the polytheistic elections and futile actions, for iron is only dented by iron, and it is through fighting in Allah's path and exhorting of the believers that the might of the Kuffar is restrained. Allah, the Most High, said, "So fight in Allah's Cause - you are held responsible only for yourself - and rouse the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the might of the unbelievers. And Allah is strongest in might and strongest in punishment." (4:84)"

"Fighting in Allah's path is an act of worship, and it is based on sacrifice of selves. Muslim blood is spilled and poured out to protect the religion, which only reached us after his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cuspid tooth was broken, his head cut open and his noble face bloodied, and after the blood of the best of people, like Hamza, Mus'ab, Zaid and Ja'afar (with whom Allah was pleased), was poured out. This is the path, so follow it."

"The people have forgotten the path of victory"

"They think it comes easily"

"Or without blood running"

"Where is the Jihad of the Messenger of Allah? (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)"

"So to sum up: It is obligatory on the Muslims in Pakistan to carry out Jihad and fighting to remove Pervez, his government, his army and those who help him. And it is obligatory on them to pledge allegiance to an Amir of the Believers who observes the rule of Shari'ah rather than Pervez's polytheistic positive-law constitution. And the Muslims will not be successful in liberating themselves from slavery to Pervez and his polytheistic laws until they are successful in liberating themselves from many of the leaders and 'Ulama falsely affiliated with Islam who are in fact the first line of defense for Pervez and his government and army. You have seen with your own eyes the stances they took previously, when, rather than moving to break the siege placed on the Muslims of Afghanistan, they moved to break the siege placed on the bases and airports which Pervez gave to America and from which the planes were taking off to pound us in Tora Bora, Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Nangarhar and other places. And for your information, Pervez only dared to invade Lal Masjid and Jami'ah Hafsa after he was satisfied that most of the 'Ulama and leaders of the Jama'ats (groups) had renounced the Jihad which Allah the Most High legislated to enforce the truth and whose banner was tied by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and replaced it with polytheistic democratic solutions and with peaceful demonstrations and bogus threats to absorb the anger of the masses. Pervez had tested them before, when he broke the back of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, after which they came to him voluntarily and of their own accord to participate in the polytheistic parliament, as if nothing had happened."

"So O people of Islam in Pakistan: the truth is greater than everyone, and if truth is not greater than everyone and if we don't apply the Hudood (punishments) to both the nobleman and weak, that is the road to ruin, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed, "Those before you were ruined because when the nobleman among them stole, they would let him go, but when the weak one among them stole, they would execute on him the Hadd (punishment). And by He in whose Hand is my soul, were Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, to steal, I would cut off her hand." (Agreed upon)"

"O youth of Islam in Pakistan: the Pen is writing what is for you and what is against you, and it won't benefit you to make excuses by saying that many of your 'Ulama and leaders have allied themselves to the infidel rulers and that the rest have failed to speak the truth and declare it out of fear of the ruling Taghuts, except those on whom Allah has had mercy, and these are either in prison or on the run. This huge disaster - i.e. the marching of the 'Ulama of vice in line with the apostate ruler and their currying favor with him and attacking of the sincere Mujahid 'Ulama - isn't peculiar to Pakistan, but rather, is a disaster covering the entire Islamic Ummah. And there is no power nor might except with Allah."

"So O people of Islam in Pakistan: every one of you will come alone to Allah, the Most High, and be held to account for his own actions, so discharge your duty. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said, "The smart one is he who subdues his self and works for what comes after death, and the feeble one is he who lets his self chase after its desires and [then] hopes from Allah." And be aware that if the Jihad becomes an individual obligation, as is the case today, there are only two ways with no third: either Jihad, which is the way of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and those who believed with him, or sitting, which is the way of the disobedient ones and Munafiqeen. So make your choice. Allah, the Most High, says, "They prefer to be with the womenfolk who remain behind at home, so their hearts are sealed so that they understand not. But the Messenger and those who believe with him strive [in the cause of Allah] with their wealth and their persons, and it is they who shall have good things, and it is they who shall prosper." (9:87-88)"

"And we in al-Qaida Organization call on Allah to witness that we will retaliate for the blood of Maulana Abd al-Rashid Ghazi and those with him against Musharraf and those who help him, and for all the pure and innocent blood, foremost of which is the blood of the champions of Islam in Waziristan - both North and South - among them the two noble leaders, Nek Muhammad and Abdullah Mahsud. May Allah have mercy on them all. The tribes of Waziristan have made a great stand in the face of international Kufr - America, its allies and its agents - and the major states have been unable to make the stands they have made. They have been made resolute in this stance by their Iman (faith) in Allah, the Most High, and their Tawakkul (reliance) on Him, and they have withstood huge sacrifices of souls and wealth. We ask Allah to compensate them well. And the Muslims shall not forget these magnificent stances, and the blood of the 'Ulama of Islam and leaders of the Muslims and their offspring will not be spilled in vain or neglected as long as there remains in us a pulsing vein or a blinking eye. We ask Allah to help us to fulfill that."

"O Allah, our Lord, accept those of our brothers and sisters who have been killed among the martyrs and heal the wounded; O Allah, make their graves spacious for them, and take care of their families and raise their grades in 'Illiyeen (Heaven); O Allah, Pervez, his ministers, his 'Ulama and his soldiers have been hostile to your friends in Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially in Waziristan, Swat, Bajaur and Lal Masjid: O Allah, break their backs, split them up and destroy their unity; O Allah, afflict them with the loss of their dear ones as they have afflicted us with the loss of our dear ones; O Allah, we seek refuge in You from their evilness and we place You at their throats; O Allah, make their plotting their destruction; O Allah, suffice for us against them with whatever You wish; O Allah, destroy them, for they cannot escape You; O Allah, count them, kill them, and leave not even one of them; O Allah, our Lord, give us in this world goodness and in the last goodness, and protect us from the torment of the Fire; O Allah, send prayers and peace on our Prophet Muhammad and on all his family and Companions."

GOP Rep. : There Are 'Too Many Mosques In This Country'

GOP Rep. : There Are 'Too Many Mosques In This Country'

"I refuse to be silent any longer. I refuse to be party to an illegal and immoral war against people who did nothing to deserve our aggression. My oath of office is to protect and defend America's laws and its people. By refusing unlawful orders for an illegal war, I fulfill that oath today." - U.S. Army First Lt. Ehren Watada

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"Foolish men imagine that because judgment for an evil thing is delayed, there is no justice...Judgment for an evil thing is many times delayed...but it is sure as life, it is sure as death.": Thomas Caryle

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Read this newsletter online http://tinyurl.com/dy6yy

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Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered Since The U.S. Invaded Iraq 1,051,145
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html

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Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In America'sWar On Iraq 3,791
http://icasualties.org/oif/

Cost of U.S. War and Occupation of Iraq
$452,914,962,565

See the cost in your community
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

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Petraeus Lets Slip the Ugly Truth of this War

By Andrew Sullivan

When historians look back on the past week in Washington, I suspect they will see it as a seminal moment. It was the moment when the president and his party recommitted themselves to an indefinite, decades-long Iraq occupation, and when the Iraq war was formally handed over to the next president, with forces near the maxed-out 2006 level.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18419.htm

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Checkbook Imperialism

The Blackwater Fiasco

By Robert Scheer

Please, please, I tell myself, leave Orwell out of it. Find some other, fresher way to explain why "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is dependent upon killer mercenaries. Or why the "democratically elected government" of "liberated" Iraq does not explicitly have the legal power to expel Blackwater USA from its land or hold any of the 50,000 private contractor troops that the U.S. government has brought to Iraq accountable for their deadly actions.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18420.htm

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At What Price, Safety?

By Cindy Sheehan

I am consistently amazed at things that right-wing nut jobs throw at me to justify their support of an unjustifiable war. Seriously, when you watch Generals, Ambassadors, Senators and Congress Reps and pundits who still cheerlead for a miserable, failed and murderous policy you can almost see the skepticism in their eyes, too. They know they are lying for their masters now, if they, like George and Dick didn't always know they were lying.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18423.htm

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Senate Bars Bill to Restore Detainee Rights

By Susan Cornwell

The Senate voted on Wednesday against considering a measure to give Guantanamo detainees and other foreigners the right to challenge their detention in the U.S. courts. The legislation needed 60 votes to be considered by lawmakers in the Senate, narrowly controlled by Democrats; it received only 56, with 43 voting against the effort to roll back a key element of President George W. Bush's war on terrorism.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18422.htm

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GOP Rep. : There Are 'Too Many Mosques In This Country'

1 Minute Video

When asked to clarify his statement, King did not revise his answer, saying "I think there has been a lack of full cooperation from too many people in the Muslim community.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18421.htm

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Iraq; At least 21 killed as U.S. occupation grinds on:

The Iraqi army killed 14 gunmen and wounded three during clashes in eastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, the Iraqi army said
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KAM937462.htm

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5 US soldiers killed in occupied Iraq :

The latest fatalities brought the occupying military's losses in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion to 3,788, according to Pentagon figures, but unofficial sources across the country put the figure at much higher.
http://www.iribnews.ir/Full_en.asp?news_id=244296&n=21

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Iraqi prime minister disputes Blackwater USA's version of deadly shooting :

A preliminary review by the Interior Ministry found Blackwater security guards fired at a car when it did not heed a policeman's call to stop, killing a couple and their infant. The report said Blackwater helicopters also had fired - a finding the company denied. The Defense Ministry said 20 Iraqis were killed, considerably higher than the 11 dead reported before.
http://snipurl.com/1qx7x

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US agrees on British plans to withdraw from Iraq, says Petraeus:

The remaining 5,500-strong UK force at Basra Air Station is due to be reduced by a further 500 over the coming weeks
http://snipurl.com/1qx82

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Richardson: Troops Add to Iraq Unrest:

Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson on Wednesday called for the U.S. to end the war in Iraq, arguing that the troops exacerbate the sectarian violence and the billions spent could be used for health care and other needs.
http://snipurl.com/1qx86

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Democrats drop push for immediate withdrawal in apparent effort to blame Republicans:

Unable to attract enough war-weary Republicans, Senate Democrats are abandoning calls for a full withdrawal of US troops from Iraq as the chamber resumes debating the war this week.
http://snipurl.com/1qx88

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Guns, not roses, for Iraq:

The U.S. is selling billions in weapons to Iraq. Is the Pentagon's plan making the country secure or arming it to the teeth for civil war?
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/09/18/weapons/

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US Guard chief: Billions more needed for equipment:

The U.S. National Guard has been strained by multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and faces equipment shortfalls totaling tens of billions of dollars, the Guard's top general said on Wednesday.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19259213.htm

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Six killed in clashes in s.east Turkey:

Five Kurdish guerrillas and one Turkish security official were killed in clashes in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, army sources said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L19774900.htm

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Adm. Fallon Presses Case Against Iran:

The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East is pressing Arab allies to form a more united front against Iran, seen by Washington as the region's long-term threat.
http://snipurl.com/1qx8f

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Iran 'ready to retaliate' if Israel attacks:

Iran, responding to Western debate about the possibility of war over its nuclear plans, said today it would use any means to defend itself if attacked and could bomb Israel if the Jewish state launched a strike.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0919/breaking75.htm

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Ambassador: Iran targets military bases of aggressors:

Iran's Ambassador to Kuwait City Ali Jannati said on Wednesday that in case of any military attack on Iran, the country will target all US military bases used for Washington's attack.
http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0709192892181107.htm

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ElBaradei: No reason to go beyond diplomacy in dealing with Iran:

When a country speaks of using force, it should bear in mind that such a move will work only if all other options have been used and proved useless and that its implementation should be within the framework of the UN Security Council, he noted.
http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0709185739013008.htm

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Rice warns U.N. arms chief on Iran offers :

"It is not up to anybody to diminish or to begin to cut back on the obligations that the Iranians have been ordered to take" by the U.N. Security Council, Rice said.
http://www.adn.com/24hour/politics/story/3702047p-13124970c.html

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Manufacturing Consent For War With Iran? :

Syrian military blast explained:

A Syrian military installation rocked by an explosion in July was being used to develop chemical weapons, and Iranian engineers were among those killed, a respected defence publication has reported.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/syrian+military+blast+explained/821747

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Lebanese MP dies in bombing:

An anti-Syrian Lebanese MP and at least six other people have been killed in a car bomb in Beirut.
http://snipurl.com/1qx8k

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Israel to reduce power and fuel supplies to Gaza:

Hamas described the move, "They aim to starve our people and force them to bow and accept humiliating formulas that could emerge from the so-called November peace conference," a Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, said.
http://snipurl.com/1qx8l

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UN chief: Cutting off fuel to Gaza is violation of international law :

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Wednesday to reconsider its decision to declare the Gaza Strip an enemy entity, warning that any cutoff of vital services would violate international law and punish the already suffering civilian population.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/905229.html

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Rice backs Israel decision on Gaza :

The US has mirrored the decision of Israel and declared the Gaza Strip to be a "hostile entity".
http://snipurl.com/1qx8o

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Gaza sanctions 'declaration of war' says Hamas :

'It is a declaration of war and continues the criminal, terrorist Zionist actions against our people,' said Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas in the coastal enclave.
http://snipurl.com/1qx8s

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Dems Eating Their Own to Defend AIPAC:

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) made a very big mistake, at least as far as the Democratic leadership in the House is concerned. He told the truth about AIPAC's unhealthy influence on American politics:
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2007/9/18/19318/7181

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Senior police officer shot dead in southern Afghanistan:

A senior police officer has been shot dead and his bodyguard injured by unidentified gunmen on the outskirts of Ghazni city in southern Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday.
http://snipurl.com/1qx8x

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Major Afghan offensive launched :

This is the biggest operation in the province since June and a key part of a wider plan to push the Taleban north.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7002103.stm

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Militants capture 7 Pak soldiers:

Pro-Taliban militants attacked a military checkpost in Tall town near North Waziristan on Wednesday and captured seven Pakistani soldiers, officials said.
http://snipurl.com/1qx8z

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Heavy fighting kills 2 civilians in occupied Mogadishu:

Heavy fighting between insurgents and Somali government troops around Mogadishu's Bakara Market overnight killed at least two civilians, a witness said on Wednesday.
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN930737.html

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'Human catastrophe looming in occupied Somalia' :

Interior Minister Mohamed Mohamud Guled said a humanitarian catastrophe was looming because of the combined effect of acute food shortages and conflict in the eastern African nation.
http://snipurl.com/1qx92

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Republicans pushed 'bogus' terror threat to expand FISA, lawmaker says:

Republicans and the Bush administration used a 'bogus' terror threat that raised specific fears of an attack on the Capitol to scare lawmakers into adopting a dramatic temporary expansion of the government's spy powers last month, a former top intelligence committee Democrat said Wednesday.
http://snipurl.com/1qx95

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Are Democrats planning still worse FISA capitulations?:

The enactment in August by the Democratic Congress of new eavesdropping powers for the President was one of the worst, if not the single worst, acts of capitulation to the Bush White House.
http://snipurl.com/1qx99

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Wheelchair-Bound Woman Dies After Being Shocked With Taser:

A Clay County woman's family said it's seeking justice after their loved one died shortly after being shocked 10 times with Taser guns during a confrontation with police.
http://snipurl.com/1qx9a

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All thirteen subpoenaed congressmembers refuse to provide documents, testimony in bribery case:

Acting on advice of the House general counsel, all 13 members of Congress who have been subpoenaed for documents and testimony by the lawyer for a man accused of bribing jailed former Congressman Rep. Duke Cunningham will refuse to comply.
http://snipurl.com/1qx9b

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America's Addiction to Debt Finally Crashes the System:

Market evangelists created the wreckage, but ordinary working people will bear the greatest burden.
http://www.alternet.org/story/62787/

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Almighty US dollar turns into 'American peso':

Since 2001 the dollar has lost more than half its value against the euro. It now costs nearly $1.40 to buy one euro. And it isn't just the euro that seems to be growing stronger against the US dollar. It has declined against many other major world currencies, and even including minor ones like our peso, reflecting the dollar's loss of purchasing power.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=93050

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Current Foreclosure Crisis Deemed the Worst in U.S. History:

According to the most recent foreclosure numbers released by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the U.S. is embroiled in the worst foreclosure crisis in recorded history. More than 14 percent of subprime borrowers are defaulting, and prime borrowers are beginning to follow suit.
http://snipurl.com/1qx9d

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U-turn raises heat on UK Bank governor:

Mervyn King will be forced to mount a public defence of his reputation as Bank of England governor after being driven into a striking policy U-turn on Wednesday in a bid to ease pressure on the UK banking system.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/43a7b3ac-66a2-11dc-a218-0000779fd2ac.html

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Chief strategist at CLSA predicts record gold run:

It would be the biggest run on gold since the attempted French invasion of Britain of 1797 that sent prices through the roof.
http://snipurl.com/1qx9i

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Housing construction falls to 12-year low:

Data indicate real estate slump is worsening
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20868561/

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Housing layoffs:

Struggling companies in the mortgage and housing sectors have cut more than 80,000 jobs this year
http://snipurl.com/1qx9l

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Failed Lender Makes Grab for Employee Funds:

Bankrupt American Home Mortgage is attempting to seize as much as $27 million that former employees set aside from paychecks for retirement, according to an attorney representing them.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/20837583/site/14081545/

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Paulson Asks Congress to Lift Debt Limit: The limit is $8.965 trillion.

Unless Congress votes to raise it, the country would be unable to borrow more money to keep the government operating and to pay debt obligations coming due.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070919/debt_limit.html?.v=2

Malcolm X: A Research Site

Malcolm X: A Research Site

How the war on terror made the world a more terrifying place

How the war on terror made the world a more terrifying place

New figures show dramatic rise in terror attacks worldwide since the invasion of Iraq

By Kim Sengupta and Patrick Cockburn

02/28/07 "The Independent" -- - Innocent people across the world are now paying the price of the "Iraq effect", with the loss of hundreds of lives directly linked to the invasion and occupation by American and British forces.

An authoritative US study of terrorist attacks after the invasion in 2003 contradicts the repeated denials of George Bush and Tony Blair that the war is not to blame for an upsurge in fundamentalist violence worldwide. The research is said to be the first to attempt to measure the "Iraq effect" on global terrorism. It found that the number killed in jihadist attacks around the world has risen dramatically since the Iraq war began in March 2003. The study compared the period between 11 September 2001 and the invasion of Iraq with the period since the invasion. The count - excluding the Arab-Israel conflict - shows the number of deaths due to terrorism rose from 729 to 5,420. As well as strikes in Europe, attacks have also increased in Chechnya and Kashmir since the invasion. The research was carried out by the Centre on Law and Security at the NYU Foundation for Mother Jones magazine.

Iraq was the catalyst for a ferocious fundamentalist backlash, according to the study, which says that the number of those killed by Islamists within Iraq rose from seven to 3,122. Afghanistan, invaded by US and British forces in direct response to the September 11 attacks, saw a rise from very few before 2003 to 802 since then. In the Chechen conflict, the toll rose from 234 to 497. In the Kashmir region, as well as India and Pakistan, the total rose from 182 to 489, and in Europe from none to 297.

Two years after declaring "mission accomplished" in Iraq President Bush insisted: "If we were not fighting and destroying the enemy in Iraq, they would not be idle. They would be plotting and killing Americans across the world and within our borders. By fighting these terrorists in Iraq, Americans in uniform are defeating a direct threat to the American people."

Mr Blair has also maintained that the Iraq war has not been responsible for Muslim fundamentalist attacks such as the 7/7 London bombings which killed 52 people. "Iraq, the region and the wider world is a safer place without Saddam [Hussein]," Mr Blair declared in July 2004. Announcing the deployment of 1,400 extra troops to Afghanistan earlier this week - raising the British force level in the country above that in Iraq - the Prime Minister steadfastly denied accusations by MPs that there was any link between the Iraq war an unravelling of security elsewhere.

Last month John Negroponte, the Director of National Intelligence in Washington, said he was "not certain" that the Iraq war had been a recruiting factor for al-Qa'ida and insisted: "I wouldn't say that there has been a widespread growth in Islamic extremism beyond Iraq, I really wouldn't."

Yet the report points out that the US administration's own National Intelligence Estimate on "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States" - partially declassified last October - stated that " the Iraq war has become the 'cause célèbre' for jihadists ... and is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives."

The new study, by Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank, argues that, on the contrary, "the Iraq conflict has greatly increased the spread of al-Qa'ida ideological virus, as shown by a rising number of terrorist attacks in the past three years from London to Kabul, and from Madrid to the Red Sea.

"Our study shows that the Iraq war has generated a stunning increase in the yearly rate of fatal jihadist attacks, amounting to literally hundreds of additional terrorist attacks and civilian lives lost. Even when terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan is excluded, fatal attacks in the rest of the world have increased by more than one third."

In trying to gauge the "Iraq effect", the authors had focused on the rate of terrorist attacks in two periods - from September 2001 to 30 March 2003 (the day of the Iraq invasion) and 21 March 2003 to 30 September 2006. The research has been based on the MIPT-RAND Terrorism database.

The report's assertion that the Iraq invasion has had a far greater impact in radicalising Muslims is widely backed security personnel in the UK. Senior anti-terrorist officials told The Independent that the attack on Iraq, and the now-discredited claims by the US and British governments about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, had led to far more young Muslims engaging in extremist activity than the invasion of Afghanistan two years previously.

Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, head of the Secret Service (MI5) said recently: "In Iraq attacks are regularly videoed and the footage is downloaded into the internet.

"Chillingly, we see the results here. Young teenagers are being groomed to be suicide bombers. The threat is serious, is growing and will, I believe, be with us for a generation."

In Afghanistan the most active of the Taliban commanders, Mullah Dadullah, acknowledged how the Iraq war has influenced the struggle in Afghanistan.

"We give and take with the mujahedin in Afghanistan", he said. The most striking example of this has been the dramatic rise in suicide bombings in Afghanistan, a phenomenon not seen through the 10 years of war with the Russians in the 1980s.

The effect of Iraq on various jihadist conflicts has been influenced according to a number of factors, said the report. Countries with troops in Iraq, geographical proximity to the country, the empathy felt for the Iraqis and the exchange of information between Islamist groups. "This may explain why jihadist groups in Europe, Arab countries, and Afghanistan were more affected by the Iraq war than other regions", it said.

Russia, like the US, has used the language of the "war on terror" in its actions in Chechnya, and al-Qa'ida and their associates have entrenched themselves in the border areas of Pakistan from where they have mounted attacks in Kashmir, Pakistan and India.

Statistics for the Arab-Israel conflict also show an increase, but the methodology is disputed in the case of Palestinian attacks in the occupied territories and settler attacks on Palestinians.

* The US is joining the Iraqi government in a diplomatic initiative inviting Iran and Syria to a "neighbours meeting" on stabilising Iraq, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday. The move reflects a change of approach

© 2007 Independent News and Media Limited

The Lion Roars Again

The Lion Roars Again

The lion is commonly known to be the king of the jungle, a smooth predator that waits patiently before pouncing on his prey to unleash the most deadly and vicious strike. The roar of a lion silences all voices, creates fear among its listeners and stops them in their very tracks. The lion is an honoured and dignified species full of bravery and courage who hunts his prey with acute accuracy not to be hunted himself. The lion is not known to shy away and will pounce at anyone who rattles his cage never turning its back to run away.

We too in the Ummah of Muhammad (saw) have lions who display characteristics like these, who are bold and courageous fighters devouring their enemies at every opportunity. They too display honour and dignity going forward in advance of the enemy never to retreat. When they roar the world stops to listen to them in fear of what is to come and when they attack they do so in the most pristine and veracious manner with rigor and accuracy. These are the lions of Tawheed who fight for the sake of Allah (swt), to defend the life and honour of the Muslims without fear or compromise.

One such lion from our Ummah is Sheikh Osama bin Laden who recently issued an audio taped message to the people of world, more specifically to America. Sheikh Osama bin Laden is one of the many Lions of Tawheed this Ummah has to offer but one that holds a special place in the hearts of so many. A man who when he speaks the world sits up to listen to what he has to say, they analyse his every word with minute precision, they devote institutions to study his messages trying to decode any possible instructions fearing that he may be communicating to his people, sending out hidden messages. The world press devote time and effort in discussing his messages analysing them from all possible angles, world commentators give their opinions about it, political analysts share their views and experts in various fields comment upon it. Governments and leaders of the world come out to address the people by commenting on what he says trying to refute and counter his messages. The security alert of countries is stepped up, the stock markets go crazy, oil prices rise, and the world from the East to the West is in chaos as to what might be the consequence of his roar, the roar of a lion that is in command.

This is the level to which this lion is feared and the impact he has upon the world, his popularity is increasing all the time whilst his opponents are treading a downhill path of destruction and humiliation.

The USA is forced to kneel down towards him, they fear his next move, they fear his statements, they fear his promises and they fear his influence. The USA is belittled in front of President bin Laden despite the strength and security they may feel, when the lion roars they shiver with fear and panic.

The USA is fighting a losing battle, a battle where they fear the opponent by the very words he speaks. The USA claimed that Sheikh Osama bin Laden had been killed due to his silence for such a long period of time and that they killed Sheikh Ayman al-Zawaahiri in a recent attack in Pakistan yet they were far from the truth. Like true lions they were quietly waiting sizing up their prey in preparation to launch their strike. Sheikh Osama resurfaced with a message followed by Sheikh Ayman showing the fallacy of their claims and the futility of their plot to kill them. How can they fight a war against people who they do not even know are dead or alive? This is the level of their campaign and a clear indication to the Muslims that it is indeed Islam with which they are at war with.

In his recent message Sheikh Osama calmly speaks of the hypocrisy of the US government and how they are in fact losing their so-called war on terror despite what they make out to believe, he cites the opinion polls in America and how the people want an end to the war offering the US a long term truce. Once again Sheikh Osama offers the people of the west an opportunity to retract and to save themselves from the torment that will follow by putting an end to this war as he did to the people of Europe. Is he serious about such a truce or was this a rhetorical offer, who knows? But what is certain is that after a similar truce was offered to the people of Europe (who took no heed) Al-Qaida struck in the heart of the British Isles, is it a chance worth taking? Anyone who understands the workings of the Lion will know that empty threats are not part of his characteristic. He then exposes the western regimes and their failure to crack down on Al-Qaida highlighting their vulnerability by teasing them about the ease in penetrating their security apparatus and conducting attacks in the heart of their cities, despite all of their efforts in increasing security, arresting people and conducting their war against the Lions of Tawheed all over the world.

He explains how the US is willing to export its terrorism to Muslim lands but does not want war on its own soil and if they continue down this path than war, death and destruction will be brought to them. Then came the threat of an attack on US soil, an attack as he said that was prolonged due to its preparatory work and not because of security concerns or crackdowns. This Lion of Tawheed makes it clear that despite the rumours of his death he was in fact sitting patiently lying in wait of his prey preparing ready to pounce at any moment.

Sheikh Osama bin Laden is a man that has been honoured and dignified by the will of Allah (swt), his words reverberate all corners of the globe and are listened to attentively. His message is loud and clear for all to see and only the wise will listen and take heed, the foolish are those who ignore what is said and continue without taking any lessons. Sheikh Osama has left it to the people of the US to determine their own fate, it is now up to them whether or not they act upon what was said as the burden of blame is no longer upon his shoulders.