A comprehensive FBI report published recently has highlighted the threat from domestic, home-grown extremists from a variety of groups, including those on the "extreme fringes" of social movements such as the "Animal Liberation Front" (classified as "special-interest terrorism") to far right groups which often take "racist and racial supremacy and embrace antigovernment, antiregulatory" platforms.
The toD verdict: Since 9/11 and the inception of the "war on terrorism", the threat posed by "domestic terrorism" has been conflated with Muslims residing in the US. Yet, an astounding 23 out of 24 terorrist attacks domestic terrorist attacks that took place between 2002-2005 were carried out by ‘special interest' terror groups. As the report points out, the greater threat arises from fascist, right wing groups.
Pakistani militant released as part of peace deal Keep up to date with the latest developments and sharpest perspectives in a world of strife and struggle.
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A leading Pakistani militant, Maulana Sufi Mohammad, who led the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Sharia Mohammed (Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law), has been released following a peace deal with the new Pakistani government. Under one clause of the agreement, TNSM has declared that the killing of police, military or other government employees is "un-Islamic". The release deal appears to be part of the new government's efforts to engage in dialogue with armed groups fighting against the state. Terrorism being a family affair for the cleric, the militants in Swat have been led by Maulana Fazlullah, his son-in-law. The release deal may undermine support for Fazlullah, who depended heavily on the followers of Maulana Sufi Mohammad. However, Fazlullah's group will not lay down their arms until the ‘government enforces the Sharia'. Fazlullah's group, who is reportedly at odds with Muhammad, wants a Taliban-like system, including compulsory beards for men, mandatory veils for women and the outlawing of music and television.
US army increases enlistment of former felons
The US army doubled its use of "moral waivers" for enlisted soldiers last year to cope with the demands of the Iraq war, allowing sex offenders, people convicted of making terrorist threats, and child abusers into the military. The army gave out 511 moral waivers to soldiers with felony convictions last year. Criminals got 249 army waivers in 2006, a sign of the desperation of army recruiters. The felons accepted into the army and marines included 87 people soldiers convicted of assault or maiming, 130 convicted of non-cannabis-related drug offences, seven convicted of making terrorist threats, and two convicted of indecent behaviour with a child. Waivers were also granted to 500 burglars and thieves, 19 arsonists and nine sex offenders.
Hamas will not recognise Israel: Khaled Meshaal
Palestinian militant group Hamas will not recognise Israel, its political leader Khaled Meshaal has insisted. He was responding to comments by former US President Jimmy Carter, following their talks in Syria at the weekend. Speaking in Syria, where he lives in exile, Khaled Meshaal said the Palestinian state must have "Jerusalem as its capital, with genuine sovereignty, without settlements". He added that this did not mean recognising Israel, but he said: "We have offered a truce if Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as an alternative to recognition." What Carter's talk with Meshaal did highlight was the need for opening up dialogue with the organization hitherto left pushed into the cold. The mounting structural challenges Gaza is facing, in terms of unemployment, distribution of energy resources for instance is primarily hurting the people who may not only become less sympathetic towards the Hamas government but also towards the West in general, paradoxically increasing possibilities of political violence and radicalisation.
Peace with Israel violation of Sharia, says Zawahiri
In a new internet message urging support for Muslim fighters in Iraq and elsewhere, Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaida's second-in-command, has criticised Hamas for reportedly being ready for peace with Israel subject to a Palestinian referendum. "As for peace agreements with Israel, they [Hamas] spoke of putting it to a referendum despite considering it a breach of the Sharia [Islamic law]," he said in a message posted on the internet. "How can they put a matter that violates Sharia to a referendum?" Al-Zawahiri also criticised Muslims for failing to support Muslim fighters in Iraq and other regions. The comments are part of a two-part series where al-Zawahiri is to answer about 100 questions put to him via online forums.
Uganda's rebels kidnap 350 people: Amnesty International
Congo, Sudan and Central African Republic must join forces to free more than 350 people kidnapped in recent weeks by Ugandan rebels, Amnesty International has said. Peace talks between Uganda's government and Joseph Kony, the fugitive leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, collapsed earlier this month after Kony failed to appear at a planned meeting. Kony is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Its chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said the reported abductions in south Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and CAR underlined the urgent need to bring him to justice. "These people -- including scores of women and children -- are likely to be used as child combatants and sex slaves, and yet none of the governments in the region have done anything to try to secure their release," Ocampo said in a statement.
