Just Great...Now Obama's Got a Spy Scandal In Russia

Will the incompetence and chaos of the Obama administration never end?

Now we got a spy crisis in Russia.

OneBigAssMistakeAmerica.

The story comes from DAWN.

Russia expels US diplomat in spy scandal


MOSCOW: Russia on Tuesday declared an alleged CIA spy who was briefly detained earlier this week a persona non grata, ordering his immediate departure and saying Washington’s actions were reminiscent of the Cold War.

The foreign ministry said Ryan C. Fogle must return to the United States “as soon as possible,” adding that such “provocative acts in the spirit of the Cold War in no way help strengthen mutual trust” between Moscow and Washington.

CIA-Nominee John Brennan's View of Islam

Leave it to Barack Hussein Obama to pick the most controversial possible candidates for offices of Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense but when you pick an Islamist-loving piece of shit to head up the nation's spy agency, is beyond the pale.

But hey, it's in your face, America.  I'm going to be talking about this on Saturday night at The Awakening (my Blog Talk Radio show)...some things need to finally be addressed about this President.

The story comes from Family Security Matters.

BREAKING: Islam ‘Helped to Shape’ CIA Nominee John Brennan’s World View

As a college student in the 1970s, John Brennan, President Obama's nominee for CIA director, traveled in Indonesia where - he recalled in a speech in New York in 2010 - "despite my long hair, my earring and my obvious American appearance, I was welcomed throughout that country, in a way that is a reflection of the tremendous warmth of Islamic cultures and societies."

Brennan's Feb. 13, 2010 address to a meeting at the Islamic Center at New York University, facilitated by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), provided an insight into his views on Islam, a faith which he said during the speech had "helped to shape my own world view."

Travels around the world over more than three decades had taught him about "the goodness and beauty of Islam," said Brennan, whose 25-year career at the CIA until 2005 included a stint as station chief in Riyadh.

"Like the president during his childhood years in Jakarta, I came to see Islam not how it is often misrepresented, but for what it is - how it is practiced every day, by well over a billion Muslims worldwide, a faith of peace and tolerance and great diversity."

In the speech, during which he drew applause after speaking in Arabic for more than a minute, Brennan used terms evidently designed to appeal to his audience, such as "Al-Quds" for Jerusalem, "Palestine" and "as the Qur'an reveals" - in keeping with the Muslim belief that the Qur'an was "revealed" directly by Allah to Mohammed through the angel Jibril (Gabriel).

He condemned what he said were negative stereotypes in the U.S. about Muslims and hostility towards Islam, adding that government actions and policies had contributed to the problem but saying this would change under Obama.

“Ignorance is a threat to our national security, prejudice is a threat to our national security, discrimination is a threat to our national security. And those who purport to be religious are frequently the most egregious purveyors of ignorance, prejudice and discrimination – and it must stop,” he said.

“We must also acknowledge that over the years the actions of our own government have at times perpetuated those attitudes,” Brennan continued.

“Violations of the Patriot Act; surveillance that has been excessive; policies perceived as profiling; over-inclusive no-fly lists subjecting law-abiding individuals to unnecessary searches and inconvenience; creating an unhealthy atmosphere around many Muslim charities that made Muslims hesitant to fulfill their sacred obligation of zakat [an Islamic tithe or tax] – these are challenges we face, we face together as Americans, and President Obama and his administration are pursuing a comprehensive approach to address them,” he said.

As Obama’s counterterrorism adviser, Brennan – a Jesuit-educated Catholic – has played a prominent role in the administration’s outreach to Muslims, American Muslims especially. He has also been a leading proponent of the effort to stop using terms many Muslims find offensive, such as “jihadist” as a descriptor for terrorists acting in the name of Islam.

“They are not jihadists,” he told the NYU audience in 2010, “for jihad is a holy struggle, an effort to purify, for a legitimate purpose. And there is nothing, absolutely nothing holy or pure or legitimate or Islamic about murdering innocent men, women and children.”

Brennan had made similar comments the previous August, telling a Center for Strategic and International Studies event that “describing terrorists in this way, using the legitimate term ‘jihad’ – which means to purify oneself or to wage a holy struggle for a moral goal – risks giving these murderers the religious legitimacy they desperately seek but in no way deserve.”

The administration’s National Security Strategy, released three months after the NYU speech, repeatedly used variations of the phrase “al-Qaeda and its affiliates” in identifying the enemy. The term “jihadist” and did not appear in the 52-page document and the word “Islam” appeared twice – the U.S. was not fighting a war against Islam, it said, and “neither Islam nor any other religion condones the slaughter of innocents.”

(By contrast the Bush administration’s 2006 NSS stated that “the struggle against militant Islamic radicalism is the great ideological conflict of the early years of the 21st century,” although it also said that Islam “has been twisted and made to serve an evil end.”)

When he previewed the NSS document in a speech several days before the launch, Brennan said, “Our enemy is not terrorism because terrorism is but a tactic. Nor do we describe our enemy as jihadists or Islamists because jihad is holy struggle, a legitimate tenet of Islam meaning to purify oneself or one’s community.”

Newspapers in the Islamic world routinely use the term “jihadist” (or, in South Asia, “jihadi”) in their news reporting on terrorist acts, without suggesting that the term has been misappropriated.

CIA Wants An Even Longer Leash For Drone Strikes In Yemen

From The Telegraph.

CIA 'seeks permission to widen scope of Yemen drone strikes'


The Daily Telegraph and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported last month that drone strikes and other US airborne attacks on Yemen had risen to match the levels recently seen in Pakistan.

US officials have never officially confirmed that the country was waging a drone-based bombing campaign in Yemen but the Washington Post on Thursday said the strikes were being orchestrated from a secret base on the Arabian Peninsula.

The newspaper said that Gen David Petraeus had assessed al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) represented the strongest threat to US security of any terrorist group.

As a result the CIA had asked President Barack Obama and the National Security Council to authorise a widening of the campaign

Officials would be able to launch missiles based on information from informants that terrorists were "likely" to be in an area.

But AQAP has been expanding its area of operations in Yemen as the country has been immersed in a political crisis that forced Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president, to resign after months of protest.

Intelligence officials said concerns over the proposal centred on fears that US firepower would be used on fighters opposed to the Yemeni government. Attacks that killed local insurgents who control a large slice of the country around Abyan in the south would provoke a backlash among ordinary Yemenis. "How discriminating can they be?" a senior US official who had seen the request told the paper. "I think there is the potential that we would be perceived as taking sides in a civil war."

American strikes have killed 90 suspects since the start of March.

A US drone accidentally killed the teenaged American son of al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki last year, despite the fact he never was formally charged with terrorist activity.

AQAP sent printer cartridge bombs on international airlines to Chicago synagogues in 2010, just months after it trained Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the "underpants bomber".

Intelligence Experts Warn That Hezbollah's Infiltration of the CIA Operations Is Catastrophic

We have known for a long time how Hezbollah, the terrorist group in Lebanon funded by Iran, is global in their intelligence and terror operations - what is coming out now is just how GOOD that Hezbollah is in this area of counter-intelligence. The recent developments where Hezbollah and Iran exposed CIA-backed networks in their midst is more than disturbing...it points to what just might be happening on the other side of the coin.

From the article at Family Security Matters:

The recent setback for the U.S. Intelligence Community – specifically CIA – wherein scores of operators working for the Agency were seized by Iranian security forces in Iran and Hizballah (Iran’s proxy army) in Lebanon; speak to two disturbing truths. The first is that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hizballah, which is both financially and operationally supported by the IRGC, maintains human intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities that are as “formidable” as any fielded by the West. Secondly, they are aggressively operating against us.

According to Reuters, former CIA operations officer Bob Baer says,"Hizballah’s security is as good as any in the world's. It's the best. It's better than that of the KGB [the former Soviet spy agency]."

And at least one expert refers to Iran and Hizballah’s aggressive counterintelligence operations and recent success as bordering on war.

Professor Walid Phares – an advisor to the U.S. House’s Anti-Terrorism Caucus and the author of several books on Jihadist terror (including Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies against America), tells us, "This latest operation by Hizballah’s against a major U.S. intelligence agency is bordering on an act of war. Lebanon is a sovereign country, and a terrorist organization has had the freedom to wage counter-espionage operations against CIA, and they have detained individuals they believe were working with that U.S. agency. If the Lebanese government endorses this operation, it would be responsible for an act of aggression bordering on an act of war against the United States.”

It's been my contention that we have completely booted the whole handling of Hezbollah from a U.S. perspective. As this terror group gained more and more political power in Lebanon, we should have had concrete plans to eliminate their top leadership and freeze much of the flow of weapons into Lebanon - those kinds of plans were thwarted with the election of Barack Hussein Obama who had one advisor who actually pitched for a relationship with Hezbollah and also, there has been a tendency in America to pawn off Hezbollah as only an Israeli problem.

Well, Hezbollah is a world problem and the sooner we recognize that, the better. It's my opinion that since Hezbollah has had to battle the wits of Mossad out of Israel for its very existence over the years, they have become better and better at the counter-intelligence. If they hadn't gotten better, they wouldn't have survived. The issues now are that the head of the monster, Iran, is going to start using that expertise across the Middle East and in other global operations.

So, once again, I make the plea that Iran must be subdued militarily. And with that operation, even though funding for Hezbollah would be cut off, the Hezbollah operations would need to be destroyed as well.

Intelligence Experts: Terror Group's Penetration of CIA is "Catastrophic"


The recent setback for the U.S. Intelligence Community – specifically CIA – wherein scores of operators working for the Agency were seized by Iranian security forces in Iran and Hizballah (Iran’s proxy army) in Lebanon; speak to two disturbing truths. The first is that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hizballah, which is both financially and operationally supported by the IRGC, maintains human intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities that are as “formidable” as any fielded by the West. Secondly, they are aggressively operating against us.

According to Reuters, former CIA operations officer Bob Baer says,"Hizballah’s security is as good as any in the world's. It's the best. It's better than that of the KGB [the former Soviet spy agency]."

And at least one expert refers to Iran and Hizballah’s aggressive counterintelligence operations and recent success as bordering on war.

Professor Walid Phares – an advisor to the U.S. House’s Anti-Terrorism Caucus and the author of several books on Jihadist terror (including Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies against America), tells us, "This latest operation by Hizballah’s against a major U.S. intelligence agency is bordering on an act of war. Lebanon is a sovereign country, and a terrorist organization has had the freedom to wage counter-espionage operations against CIA, and they have detained individuals they believe were working with that U.S. agency. If the Lebanese government endorses this operation, it would be responsible for an act of aggression bordering on an act of war against the United States.”

Phares adds, “If the Lebanese government considers such operations against a U.S. agency on Lebanese soil as rogue – and conducted without legitimate Lebanese government authority – then it should demand Hizballah cease its activities against the U.S.” He says, the Lebanese government – which receives military support from the U.S. – may raise the matter of U.S. espionage operations in Lebanon in bilateral discussions with the U.S. government. But Hizballah has no legal authority to conduct such counter-espionage operations against what is considered to be an ally of Lebanon.

Congresswoman Sue Myrick (R-NC) – who chairs the U.S. House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counter Intelligence – says both the immediate issue and the threat extends far beyond Iran and Lebanon.

Wednesday, she said, "This operation alleged by Hizballah against CIA resources in Lebanon shows
their determination to hurt the United States. This terrorist organization claims their war efforts are only pursued in their war against Israel. But their heavy involvement in terror operations against American interests in Iraq and the Gulf area, and in Latin America all the way to Mexico south of our borders, shows clearly that they are targeting U.S. national security.”

Recall that my colleagues and I have discussed at length the tri-border area of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay that has – according to a 2009 study by the Rand Institute – “emerged as the most important financing center for Islamic terrorism outside of the Middle East.”

Myrick says, “This latest claim by Hizballah in Lebanon only adds to their intentions to target U.S. interests." But it is the effective penetration of a U.S. intelligence agency by Iran and Hizballah that disturbs most.

“The reality is someone who knew of these names must have leaked them to the organization [Hizballah],” says Phares. “That person or persons is either a member of Hizballah or they are working with the terrorist group. The U.S. Congress should investigate the possible penetration Hizballah may have developed over the years enabling it to have these kinds of access to names.”

Clare Lopez, deputy director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team, says, “Up against Hizballah on its own turf, it seems that U.S. intelligence is out of its league. HIzballah's intelligence capabilities, learned from the Iranians, are highly sophisticated and include the full classical tradecraft skillset as well as very competent counterintelligence capabilities.”

A former member of the U.S. Intelligence Community who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, says, “This should come as no surprise to anyone who understands the sophistication of these jihadist enemies and their professionalism in the skills of classical clandestine tradecraft. U.S. Intelligence Community failures to identify, effectively confront, and defeat the Islamic jihadist enemy speak not only to erosion of that skillset within the CIA, but also to catastrophic failure to master an understanding of the enemy ideology, the ideology of Islamic jihad.”

The former operator added, “Intent and motivation are as critical as capability to the enemy's strategy and absent their accurate assessment, will lead as surely to defeat as failure to measure capability. America's enemies have penetrated its Intelligence Community in the past and betrayal of top CIA assets abroad has been tracked to moles deep inside the system more than once.”

How this plays out is anyone’s guess for the near future. But what we cannot continue to neglect are the overt threats and activities of Iran and Hizballah, the developing sophistication of their covert capabilities, their global reach and obvious intent, and the fact that – as former Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff says - Hizballah "makes Al Qaeda look like a minor league team."

CIA Continues the Pounding....4th Predator Drone Strike In Three Days Kills 4 Taliban In South Waziristan

You'll see in this article that the jihadis that follow what the Pakistani intelligence services call "the good Taliban" have been hit again by U.S. predator drones with four of the followers of leader Mullah Nazir will killed when nine, count 'em, NINE hellfire missiles pounded a compound in South Waziristan.

From the article at The Long War Journal:

US Predators struck yet again in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas, this time in an area in South Waziristan under control of a Taliban leader favored by the Pakistani military. Today's strike is the fourth inside Pakistan in three days.

The unmanned, CIA-operated Predators, or the more deadly Reapers, fired nine missiles at a compound in the Birmal area in South Waziristan, according to Xinhua. Four Taliban fighters loyal to Mullah Nazir were killed in the strike and seven others were wounded. No senior leaders have been reported killed.

Pakistan's military and intelligence services consider Nazir and his followers "good Taliban" as they do not openly seek the overthrow of the Pakistani state, and signed a peace agreement with him in 2009.

Despite the peace agreement, Nazir and his followers continue to shelter al Qaeda and other Taliban groups that do attack the Pakistani state. He also sends forces into Afghanistan to battle US, NATO, and Afghan forces.

Mullah Nazir has openly supported Taliban emir Mullah Omar and slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and wages jihad in Afghanistan. In an interview with the Asia Times, Nazir rejected claims that he opposed al Qaeda, and affirmed that he considered himself to be a member of the global terror organization.

"Al Qaeda and the Taliban are one and the same," Nazir told The Asia Times earlier this year. "At an operational level we might have different strategies, but at the policy level we are one and the same.... This is wrong that I am anti-al Qaeda. I am part of al Qaeda."

This has always been the problem with the Pakistanis - they term this clown Nazir as a "good guy" because he hasn't vowed to overthrow Pakistan's government but he supports al Qaeda. Sorry, but you simply can't marry the two of those into a nice cozy relationship.

US Predators target 'good Taliban' commander in South Waziristan


US Predators struck yet again in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas, this time in an area in South Waziristan under control of a Taliban leader favored by the Pakistani military. Today's strike is the fourth inside Pakistan in three days.

The unmanned, CIA-operated Predators, or the more deadly Reapers, fired nine missiles at a compound in the Birmal area in South Waziristan, according to Xinhua. Four Taliban fighters loyal to Mullah Nazir were killed in the strike and seven others were wounded. No senior leaders have been reported killed.

Pakistan's military and intelligence services consider Nazir and his followers "good Taliban" as they do not openly seek the overthrow of the Pakistani state, and signed a peace agreement with him in 2009.

Despite the peace agreement, Nazir and his followers continue to shelter al Qaeda and other Taliban groups that do attack the Pakistani state. He also sends forces into Afghanistan to battle US, NATO, and Afghan forces.

Mullah Nazir has openly supported Taliban emir Mullah Omar and slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and wages jihad in Afghanistan. In an interview with the Asia Times, Nazir rejected claims that he opposed al Qaeda, and affirmed that he considered himself to be a member of the global terror organization.

"Al Qaeda and the Taliban are one and the same," Nazir told The Asia Times earlier this year. "At an operational level we might have different strategies, but at the policy level we are one and the same.... This is wrong that I am anti-al Qaeda. I am part of al Qaeda."

This year the CIA has begun to target Nazir's tribal areas, after focusing nearly exclusively in North Waziristan in 2010. Nineteen of the 21 strikes that have occurred in South Waziristan this year were conducted in areas under Nazir's control (there have been 57 strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas so far in 2011). Last year, only two of the seven strikes took place in areas under Nazir's influence (there were 117 strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas in 2010).

The US killed Haleem Ullah, one of Nazir's commanders, in a strike in the Wana area of South Waziristan on Sept. 30.

The Predator strikes, by the numbers

Today's strike is the fourth in Pakistan's tribal areas in three days, and the fourth this month. Two of the strikes targeted the Haqqani Network in North Waziristan, killing a top commander of the al Qaeda-linked group, and another targeted a Taliban mortar team in Nazir's territory in South Waziristan that was firing at US forces in Afghanistan.

The pace of the US strikes has been uneven over the past year, and the monthly strike totals have generally decreased. From January through September 2011, the strikes in Pakistan were as follows: nine strikes in January, three in February, seven in March, two in April, seven in May, 12 in June, three in July, six in August, and four in September. In the last four months of 2010, the US averaged almost 16 strikes per month (21 in September, 16 in October, 14 in November, and 12 in December).

So far this year, the US has carried out 57 strikes in Pakistan. In 2010, the US carried out 117 strikes, which more than doubled the number of strikes that had occurred in 2009; by late August 2010, the US had exceeded 2009's strike total of 53 with a strike in Kurram. In 2008, the US carried out a total of 36 strikes inside Pakistan. [For up-to-date charts on the US air campaign in Pakistan, see LWJ Special Report, Charting the data for US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004 - 2011.]

In 2010 the strikes were concentrated almost exclusively in North Waziristan, where the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, the Haqqani Network, al Qaeda, and a host of Pakistani and Central and South Asian terror groups are based. All but 13 of the 117 strikes took place North Waziristan. Of the 13 strikes occurring outside of North Waziristan in 2010, seven were executed in South Waziristan, five were in Khyber, and one was in Kurram.

This year, that pattern has changed, as an increasing number of strikes are taking place in South Waziristan. So far in 2011, 35 of the 57 strikes have taken place in North Waziristan, 21 strikes have occurred in South Waziristan, and one took place in Kurram.

The US campaign in northwestern Pakistan has targeted top al Qaeda leaders, al Qaeda's external operations network, and Taliban leaders and fighters who threaten both the Afghan and Pakistani states as well as support al Qaeda's external operations. The campaign has been largely successful in focusing on terrorist targets and avoiding civilian casualties, as recently affirmed by the Pakistani military.

How Did the CIA Find and Kill Anwar al-Awlaki?

I just love stories like this - when we get a few details about just how our CIA got the information they needed to send a hellfire missile up Anwar al-Awlaki's ass.

The story comes from The Telegraph and details just what happened that led the CIA's predator drone strike against the al Qaeda leader in Yemen...here's a bit of that:

As he sat by a roadside eating what would be his last ever breakfast, Anwar al-Awlaki could have been forgiven for being in upbeat mood. Some 18 months after Washington had given him arguably the ultimate terrorist accolade by putting him on a list of people authorised for assassination, he was still hiding in the lawless Yemeni mountains where neither his own government nor US drone strikes could seem to reach him.

Then, as he and his comrades chewed dates and drank traditional Yemeni tea, a high-pitched buzz above them signalled yet another drone strike - this time one that found its mark.

Details of how the US finally managed to track down al-Qaeda's chief mouthpiece to the West can be revealed today by The Sunday Telegraph, which has learned that the key breakthrough came when CIA officials caught a junior courier in Awlaki's inner circle. The man, who is understood to have been arrested three weeks ago by Yemeni agents acting for the agency, volunteered key details about Awlaki's whereabouts which led to Friday's drone strike as his convoy drove through the remote province of Jawf, 100 miles east of the capital, Sana'a. Told he faced either a harsh prison term or the chance of a new life outside terrorism, the prisoner gave the vital clues that led to the most significant blow against al Qaeda since Osama bin Laden's death.

"The CIA lifted a courier a few weeks ago and he started talking," said one senior Western intelligence officer. "The senior al-Qaeda players never give up anything, but the junior ones always talk. The interrogation methods are very sophisticated - there are no thumbscrews or water boarding involved.

Once again, it's a "courier" that brings an al Qaeda kingpin to death's door. We saw how Osama bin Laden was done in by a courier being spotted and followed and now we see how a courier for al-Awlaki sang like a canary and gave up the whereabouts of the leader.

I'd be remiss if I wasn't handing out kudos to America's CIA - these people have been relentless in their fight against radical islamic terror on so many fronts and they get very little credit. At the same time, thankfully the CIA has operated in a separate realm from the incompetence of the foreign policy of Barack Hussein Obama - I'm convinced that Obama simply has no control over the CIA operations...he hasn't wanted that control. And luckily for America, the CIA has the desire and methods to kill these bastards.

How America finally caught up with Anwar al-Awlaki


As he sat by a roadside eating what would be his last ever breakfast, Anwar al-Awlaki could have been forgiven for being in upbeat mood. Some 18 months after Washington had given him arguably the ultimate terrorist accolade by putting him on a list of people authorised for assassination, he was still hiding in the lawless Yemeni mountains where neither his own government nor US drone strikes could seem to reach him.

Then, as he and his comrades chewed dates and drank traditional Yemeni tea, a high-pitched buzz above them signalled yet another drone strike - this time one that found its mark.

Details of how the US finally managed to track down al-Qaeda's chief mouthpiece to the West can be revealed today by The Sunday Telegraph, which has learned that the key breakthrough came when CIA officials caught a junior courier in Awlaki's inner circle. The man, who is understood to have been arrested three weeks ago by Yemeni agents acting for the agency, volunteered key details about Awlaki's whereabouts which led to Friday's drone strike as his convoy drove through the remote province of Jawf, 100 miles east of the capital, Sana'a. Told he faced either a harsh prison term or the chance of a new life outside terrorism, the prisoner gave the vital clues that led to the most significant blow against al Qaeda since Osama bin Laden's death.

"The CIA lifted a courier a few weeks ago and he started talking," said one senior Western intelligence officer. "The senior al-Qaeda players never give up anything, but the junior ones always talk. The interrogation methods are very sophisticated - there are no thumbscrews or water boarding involved.

"It's all about striking deals and making the individual understand that his life as a terrorist is now over, and offering him alternatives. The information they gleaned enabled the CIA to mount an intelligence-led kill mission."

"Operation Troy" then swung into motion, with Awlaki put under surveillance for two weeks by the CIA and Joint Special Operations Command, the elite special forces unit that carried out the raid to kill bin Laden in Pakistan in May. Concern about striking him out in the open, rather than in an area where civilians could also be hit, apparently delayed the operation until Friday.

The method by which US intelligence found out Awkali's whereabouts mirrors the way they caught both bin Laden and the former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein. Both fugitives likewise deployed counter-surveillance techniques, avoiding using mobile phones and regularly moving home, but likewise relied on couriers to pass messages and serve their everyday needs. Such "gophers" would not necessarily be privy to inner circle discussions, but would nonetheless know the all-important details of where their masters were hiding out.

"It was essentially the same modus operandi as the bin Laden kill op," said the intelligence officer. "The CIA managed to get someone close to him who could provide information about his location and movements. Once they had that established, he was an easy target."

The strike followed an intensification of CIA activity in Yemen, amid mounting concern that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the terror movement's local franchise, was becoming a bigger threat to the West than al-Qaeda's longer-established outfits in Pakistan and Afghanitan. Awlaki, who held dual US-Yemeni citizenship and preached via the internet in English, was of particular concern because of his apparent ability to inspire "home-grown" attackers in the West. Among those who claim to have been influenced by him are Major Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people in a rampage at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, Faisal Shahzad, who tried to set off a car bomb in New York's Times Square, and Roshonara Choudhry, the London student who stabbed the MP Stephen Timms in his surgery.

In the months ahead of Operation Troy, the US had ramped up its drone-strike capacity in the region, installing unmanned Predator aircraft in bases in Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Djibouti, a Gulf of Aden port statelet that has served as a US counter-terrorism base since 2004.

According to yesterday's Washington Post, the CIA also created a new dedicated unit known as YSD, or the Yemen-Somalia Department, where dozens of agents analyse raw intelligence with a view to targeting al-Qaeda leaders.

Operation Troy involved aircraft and drones from Djibouti and a newly-built CIA drone base thought to be in Saudi Arabia, which borders northern Yemen.

Saudi's royal rulers are among AQAP's sworn enemies, and are thought to have provided the CIA with intelligence gleaned from clans in the area where Awlaki was killed.

How decisive a blow Awlaki's death will prove to AQAP remains unclear. The movement's master bombmaker, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, who provided the sophisticated devices for last year's parcel bomb plot, is understood not to have been in the convoy. And given that Awlaki's major role in al-Qaeda was in his YouTube broadcasted messages, rather than as a planner of actual operations, he may continue to inspire from beyond the grave.

Pakistan Arrests CIA Informants Who Helped Get Us Bin Laden

Picture shows CIA director Leon Panetta(C) with US President Barack Obama (L). During his trip to Islamabad last week, Panetta is said to have raised the issue of the arrested informants with Pakistani military and intelligence officers. - Reuters Photo


You know, I don't know if I've seen a faster deterioration of a relationship between the U.S. and another country as we have seen with us and Pakistan in the past two months. Obviously, the Pakistanis were stunned by the special ops operation inside their country in which we go Osama bin Laden, but since then, it has been an absolute cluster of diplomacy errors and gaffes by the Obama administration that has now led to the Pakistanis literally arresting the CIA informants inside of Pakistan who fed the U.S. information on bin Laden prior to the operation to kill him.

From the report at DAWN:

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has arrested five CIA informants who fed information to US intelligence before the raid last month which killed Osama bin Laden, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

One of the detainees was reported to be a Pakistani Army major whom officials said copied license plates of cars visiting the al Qaeda leader’s compound 30 miles northwest of Islamabad.

The fate of the CIA informants arrested in Pakistan was unclear, the newspaper reported, citing American officials.

Outgoing CIA Director Leon Panetta raised the issue of the informants’ detention during a trip to Islamabad last week where he met Pakistani military and intelligence officers, the newspaper said.

Some in Washington see the arrest as another sign of the deep disconnect between US and Pakistani priorities in the fight against extremists, the Times reported.

The United States kept Islamabad in the dark about the May 2 raid by Navy SEALs until after it was completed, humiliating Pakistan’s armed forces and putting US military and intelligence ties under serious strain.

Now, I am certainly one of the last that will stand up and vouch for Pakistan as a partner in the war on terror but at the same time, if Pakistan becomes an "enemy" in the region...well, it would be disastrous. If we were to see Iran cozy up to Pakistan and deliberately do their best to sabotage things in Afghanistan....well, I don't want to think about it.

This is just another example of a foreign policy by President Obama that has been absolutely booted and fumbled - it's obvious to me that this administration HAS NO FOREIGN POLICY and they are basically just taking it as it comes...and the biggest problem with that is that they have no idea what to do as "it" comes.

Pakistan arrests CIA’s bin Laden informants


WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has arrested five CIA informants who fed information to US intelligence before the raid last month which killed Osama bin Laden, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

One of the detainees was reported to be a Pakistani Army major whom officials said copied license plates of cars visiting the al Qaeda leader’s compound 30 miles northwest of Islamabad.

The fate of the CIA informants arrested in Pakistan was unclear, the newspaper reported, citing American officials.

Outgoing CIA Director Leon Panetta raised the issue of the informants’ detention during a trip to Islamabad last week where he met Pakistani military and intelligence officers, the newspaper said.

The ISI directorate declined to comment, but the army denied that any army major was among those arrested in connection with the May 2 raid by US special forces in Abbottabad.

“There is no truth in NYT story with regards to involvement and arrest of army major in connection with the OBL (Osama bin Laden) incident,” military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said in a statement.

A senior Pakistani security official said some people were detained in connection with the Abbottabad raid and they were still being investigated.

Asked whether those arrested were CIA informants as mentioned in the NYT report, he said: “Investigations are under way and after completion of investigation one cay say which category they belonged to.”

Some in Washington see the arrest as another sign of the deep disconnect between US and Pakistani priorities in the fight against extremists, the Times reported.

The United States kept Islamabad in the dark about the May 2 raid by Navy SEALs until after it was completed, humiliating Pakistan’s armed forces and putting US military and intelligence ties under serious strain.

Last week, at a closed Senate Intelligence Committee briefing, Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell rated Pakistan’s cooperation with the United States on counterterrorism operations a “three” on a scale of 1 to 10, the Times reported, citing officials familiar with the exchange.

Other officials cautioned that his comments did not represent the administration’s overall assessment, the newspaper said. “We have a strong relationship with our Pakistani counterparts and work through issues when they arise,” CIA spokesman Marie Harf told the newspaper.

“Director Panetta had productive meetings last week in Islamabad. It’s a crucial partnership, and we will continue to work together in the fight against al Qaeda and other terrorist groups who threaten our country and theirs.”

Asked about the Times report, a CIA spokeswoman neither confirmed nor denied it and said she had no further comment.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, was quoted as saying that the CIA and the ISI “are working out mutually agreeable terms for their cooperation in fighting the menace of terrorism. It is not appropriate for us to get into the details at this stage”.

Pakistani Government Lashes Out At U.S., Reveals That They Informed U.S. Intelligence of bin Laden Compound Back In 2009

The Pakistani government, after being hammered by most western countries about the fact that Osama bin Laden was found just 100 miles from the nation's capital and in a city filled with military personnel, lashed out today with a claim that they reported the suspicious compound that housed bin Laden to U.S. intelligence officials all of the way back in 2009. Leon Panetta was put in charge of the CIA in February 2009.

From the report at DAWN:

Pakistan alerted the US to its suspicions about a compound where Osama bin Laden was found hiding as far back as 2009, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said on Wednesday.

Bashir also hit out at “disquieting” comments by CIA Director Leon Panetta that US officials had ruled out informing Islamabad in advance about Sunday’s US raid on the Pakistani compound which led to the al Qaeda chief’s death.

Asked in a BBC radio interview about the compound in Abbottabad where the al Qaeda chief was discovered, Bashir said: “This particular location was pointed out by our intelligence quite some time ago to the US intelligence.

“Of course they have a much more sophisticated equipment to evaluate and to assess.”

“We had indicated this compound as far back as 2009 as a possible place,” Bashir added, although he added it was not known at the time bin Laden was hiding there and there were “millions” of other suspect locations.

I find it hard to believe that the CIA would dismiss a lead from Pakistani intelligence but if this claim isn't handled well by the Obama administration, it could lead to some serious egg on their face.

What Barack Hussein Obama is finding out is that being President isn't easy. Sure, he's basking in his new found role as a gunslinger and hero at the moment but these are the kind of allegations that can turn that into shit in a minute. Imagine if we had a legitimate lead for this compound and never followed up on it.

At the same time, the Pakistanis can be known to fudge things just a tad when people are putting the screws to them. The idea that they suspected the compound had terrorists in it and it sits in the same area as a military academy is ludicrous - that would be like the FBI suspecting a terrorist safehouse being located next to West Point and never doing anything about it.

Pakistan alerted US about compound in 2009: Bashir


LONDON: Pakistan alerted the US to its suspicions about a compound where Osama bin Laden was found hiding as far back as 2009, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said on Wednesday.

Bashir also hit out at “disquieting” comments by CIA Director Leon Panetta that US officials had ruled out informing Islamabad in advance about Sunday’s US raid on the Pakistani compound which led to the al Qaeda chief’s death.

Asked in a BBC radio interview about the compound in Abbottabad where the al Qaeda chief was discovered, Bashir said: “This particular location was pointed out by our intelligence quite some time ago to the US intelligence.

“Of course they have a much more sophisticated equipment to evaluate and to assess.”

“We had indicated this compound as far back as 2009 as a possible place,” Bashir added, although he added it was not known at the time bin Laden was hiding there and there were “millions” of other suspect locations.

On Panetta’s comments, the Pakistani official said: “I know for sure that we have extended every cooperation to the US including the CIA as well as to other countries so far as the campaign against terror is concerned.

“In terms of success in what is called global anti-terror, Pakistan has played a pivotal role so it is a little disquieting when we hear comments like this.”

On the decision not to inform Pakistan about the raid, Panetta told Time magazine that “it was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardise the mission: They might alert the targets.”

CIA's Panetta Hangs Tough With Pissed Off Pakistani President and Prime Minister

CIA Director Leon Panetta had the uncomfortable role of sitting in front of Pakistan's President, Prime Minister and Military Chief yesterday as those three are plenty pissed off, apparently, over not only the intensified predator drone attacks that the CIA is conducting in NW Pakistan but throw in the latest situation of some AH-64 incursions by our military into Pakistani territory as well. Well, it appears that Panetta stood firm. And believe me folks, I am no Leon Panetta fan but I think what this all shows is that when even a dyed in the wool Leftist Democrat gets put into a role of actually serving America and is surrounded by the right Patriots, he can get some religion.

From the article at DAWN:

Tension between Pakistan and the US soared on Thursday as visiting CIA chief Leon Panetta remained adamant on intensifying drone strikes in tribal areas, saying the region was being used for planning attacks in Europe and fomenting violence in Afghanistan.

Mr Panetta’s meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani were described by sources as extremely tense.

US Senator John Kerry also called the prime minister in the evening.

The two-day visit by the chief of the US Central Intelligence Agency comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented increase in drone strikes in Waziristan, repeated aerial incursions into the tribal areas by US-led International Security Assistance Force and revelation of a terror plot being hatched in the region to attack European cities.

According to sources, Mr Panetta snappily demanded full cooperation in neutralising the Europe terror plot, more intelligence sharing and greater ‘operational space’ within Pakistan to avert future threats.

One of the most interesting and eye-opening portions of this article for me was this, concerning what the CIA is also doing inside of Pakistan:

American journalist Bob Woodward has recently disclosed in his book Obama’s Wars that the CIA was using secret ‘pursuit teams’ of elite Afghan fighters in Pakistan for hunting Taliban leaders.

Now, I have said all along that when you consider the pinpoint accuracy and the level of effectiveness in taking out higher level Taliban and al Qaeda leaders by the CIA drone strikes, that there has to be some incredible on the ground intel going back to the CIA directors of the UAV program...perhaps now we are seeing some of the sources of that intel.

I want to give proper credit to Mr. Panetta - our predator drone strategy has been key to not only decimating the Taliban ranks and leadership, as well as al Qaeda, but it has hampered movement of the enemy from and to Afghanistan.

CIA chief takes tough line on drone hits


ISLAMABAD: Tension between Pakistan and the US soared on Thursday as visiting CIA chief Leon Panetta remained adamant on intensifying drone strikes in tribal areas, saying the region was being used for planning attacks in Europe and fomenting violence in Afghanistan.

Mr Panetta’s meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani were described by sources as extremely tense.

US Senator John Kerry also called the prime minister in the evening.

The two-day visit by the chief of the US Central Intelligence Agency comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented increase in drone strikes in Waziristan, repeated aerial incursions into the tribal areas by US-led International Security Assistance Force and revelation of a terror plot being hatched in the region to attack European cities.

Mr Panetta last visited Islamabad soon after an attempt by one Faisal Shahzad to carry out a terrorist attack and was able to persuade his interlocutors to launch an operation in North Waziristan, but at the timing of their choice.

The current spike in drone attacks — almost two dozen in September, one of which reportedly took out leading Al Qaeda operative Sheikh Fateh Al Masri on Sept 25 — is being linked to the plot to attack European cities.

According to sources, Mr Panetta snappily demanded full cooperation in neutralising the Europe terror plot, more intelligence sharing and greater ‘operational space’ within Pakistan to avert future threats.

American journalist Bob Woodward has recently disclosed in his book Obama’s Wars that the CIA was using secret ‘pursuit teams’ of elite Afghan fighters in Pakistan for hunting Taliban leaders.

Analysts believe the demand for more operational space pertains to those secret units, whose presence has been denied by Pakistan.

An outline of the information regarding the European plot was shared with Pakistani leaders, who were told that a terrorist, a German of Pakistani origin identified by his surname Siddiqui, was caught as he tried to leave the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and was now being grilled at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan.

The plot for Mumbai-style attacks in Europe in late November, involving about three dozen terrorists, is claimed to have been hatched jointly by Al Qaeda, the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group about which Pakistani leaders had been alerted by Admiral Mullen in July that it was fast becoming a global threat.

Mr Panetta hinted that although the US government did not doubt Pakistan’s sincerity and commitment in the war on terror, it feared that they might be having support of some hidden hands.

Sources said the Pakistani leaders were stunned by Mr Panetta’s menacing tone and assured him of intensifying the military offensive against militants in the tribal areas.

The operations had slackened because of the military’s pre-occupation with flood relief activities, providing a breathing space to terrorists holed up in the region.

Prime Minister Gilani was quoted as saying that despite the catastrophic floods and consequent precarious economic situation, Pakistan remained resolutely committed to the war against terror because it considered that success in the war was vital not only for peace, stability and economic development in the country, but also for the world at large.

President Zardari said: “Fight against militancy and terrorism remains the highest priority and the government is determined to pursue its struggle against militancy till its logical end.”

Both asked the CIA chief to provide detailed information about the plot and keep the ISI on board regarding progress in the probe.

The CIA chief agreed to the suggestion and said: “The US cannot confront the terrorists without Pakistan’s support… and the US will try its utmost to provide timely and credible information to Pakistan against any possible terrorist activity on its side of the border to enable its forces to take prompt action against the miscreants.”

There were clear indications in the lead-up to Mr Panetta’s visit that efforts were made to bring Pakistan’s tribal areas -- not just North Waziristan -- into focus and to increase pressure on the Pakistan Army.

First there was a sudden increase in drone attacks in both parts of Waziristan and then there were aerial attacks by helicopter gunships in North Waziristan and Kurram, one of which left three Pakistani soldiers dead on Thursday.

At the same time, a video surfaced showing stoning of a woman in Orakzai by Taliban.

The release of the video is being seen by Pakistani strategists as a western effort to show that the militants were returning to areas earlier reclaimed by the army from the Taliban.

And the latest in the series is the release of a video revealing extrajudicial killings in Swat. The army has dismissed it as fake and an attempt to malign the military, but US officials are reported to have sought an explanation on the matter.

Clearly concerned over the propaganda campaign, Prime Minister Gilani found it fit to tell Mr Panetta, though in the context of Mr Woodward’s revelations, that the US should avoid negative messaging which fostered ‘misperceptions and mistrust’.

CIA Director Panetta: Iran Has Enough Uranium For Two Nukes, Sanctions Won't Work

Typical brilliant coordination of policy once again in the Obama administration as Barack Hussein Obama's own CIA Director, Leon Panetta, has described how sanctions against Iran won't work yet his boss, continues down that path as the solution.

Here's some of what Panetta told ABC from the report at The Jerusalem Post:

CIA Director Leon Panetta said Sunday that Iran probably has enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons, but that it likely would take two years to build the bombs.Panetta told ABC television's "This Week" that he is doubtful that recent UN penalties will put an end to Iran's nuclear ambitions.
He said the penalties could help to weaken Tehran's government by creating serious economic problems. But he added, "Will it deter them from their ambitions with regards to nuclear capability? Probably not."Panetta commented that there is "some debate" as to whether Iran will proceed with the bomb.

So, finally...the CIA of the United States of America finally admits that U.N. and Western sanctions against Iran won't work, aren't working and won't EVER work - meanwhile Obama and the rest of them have given the Iranians another year and a half to complete their entry into Armageddon.

And look at that last line from Panetta - "some debate" about whether Iran will proceed with nuclear bombs? Are you bloody serious? Let me ask you all this...are you comfortable with a CIA Director, the man with his fingers on the best intelligence in the world, who isn't sure if the Iranians, the directing force behind 30% of islamic terror in this world, will move forward with nuclear weapons?

You know, I've objected to several U.S. Presidents in my lifetime - especially Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton but I never asked this question once about them: "Does this President actually feel he has any responsibility to protect the American people?" Not once did I ask that of Bill Clinton, who I detested...but I do ask it now of Obama.

Panetta: Iran has uranium for 2 bombs


CIA Director Leon Panetta said Sunday that Iran probably has enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons, but that it likely would take two years to build the bombs.

Panetta told ABC television's "This Week" that he is doubtful that recent UN penalties will put an end to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

He said the penalties could help to weaken Tehran's government by creating serious economic problems. But he added, "Will it deter them from their ambitions with regards to nuclear capability? Probably not."

Panetta commented that there is "some debate" as to whether Iran will proceed with the bomb.

Asked about a potential Israeli military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, Panetta said he thinks Israel is giving the US room on the diplomatic and political fronts.

CIA director Leon Panetta also spoke Sunday about North Korea and said that he doesn't think the skirmishes involving North Korea will lead to a military confrontation on the Korean peninsula.

International investigators concluded last month that North Korea torpedoed a South Korean warship near the Korean sea border. North Korea has denied the allegation and warned any punishment would trigger war.

Panetta told ABC television's "This Week" that for many years, "we've been going through these kinds of provocations and skirmishes with a rogue regime."
Panetta said that in the end, "they always back away from the brink and I think they'll do that now."

He said the attack could be related to who might succeed North Korean leader Kim Jong Il — possibly his youngest son.

Hold On To Your Socks! Swarm of Five U.S. Predator Drones Hit Taliban Target In North Waziristan...15 Taliban Go To Pieces

Fuck yeah!!!!!!!!!! Five, count 'em, five U.S. drones were used in an attack on the Taliban near the Pakistani village of Mizar Madakhel which is in North Waziristan - the final tally was 15 dead Taliban. Is that awesome or what?

What's even better is just how that death toll was reached. From the article at The Long War Journal, look at how it went down:

A volley of four missiles were fired at a Taliban compound in the first strike, killing eight terrorists, AFP reported. Three missiles were fired at Taliban vehicles used during the recovery of those killed in the first strike, killing four more. The Kuwaiti News Agency reported that 15 Taliban fighters were killed in both strikes, and that more than a dozen fighters were wounded, some seriously.

There seems to be a bit of a math dispute on deaths between AFP and KUNA so I'm going with the higher figure from KUNA. But don't you just love it...can't you just picture it - eight or so dead Taliban from the first strike, shit burning all over the place...dozens of Taliban come back into the area to haul out their dead and tend to wounded and BAM! ...another three hellfires rip THOSE Taliban to shreds. Damn.

I know I've kinda hammered this to death but ever since the suicide bombing in Khost in Afghanistan where the CIA lost so many operatives and a senior official, the CIA has been incensed with doling out hell on Earth in NW Pakistan. This attack is proof positive that this has gotten personal with the CIA - FIVE drones - hell, the most I've ever seen in one strike before was two.

I figure if this keeps up over the next few months, if you went to the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership and asked them if they would conduct that suicide attack on the CIA again they would turn three shades of pale and furiously shake their heads "No!" There is no other word to describe what is going on right now in North Waziristan other than....retribution.

US airstrike kills 15 in North Waziristan

A swarm of five US unmanned strike aircraft killed 15 Taliban fighters in Pakistan's lawless tribal agency of North Waziristan.

The strike aircraft, likely the Predators or the newer, more deadly Reapers, conducted two strikes against Taliban fighters in the village of Mizar Madakhel near the Afghan border.

A volley of four missiles were fired at a Taliban compound in the first strike, killing eight terrorists, AFP reported. Three missiles were fired at Taliban vehicles used during the recovery of those killed in the first strike, killing four more. The Kuwaiti News Agency reported that 15 Taliban fighters were killed in both strikes, and that more than a dozen fighters were wounded, some seriously.

No senior Taliban or al Qaeda fighters have been reported killed in the attack. US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal would not disclose the target of the attack.

Today's airstrike is the second recorded attack in three days, and also is the second this month. The last attack, on March 8, killed five terrorists operating in a compound at a bazaar in Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan.

So far this year, the US has carried out 19 strikes in Pakistan; all of them have taken place in North Waziristan. In 2009, the US carried out 53 strikes in Pakistan; and in 2008, the US carried out 36 strikes in the country. [For up-to-date charts on the US air campaign in Pakistan, see: Charting the data for US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004 - 2010.]

Background on the recent strikes in Pakistan

US intelligence believes that al Qaeda has reconstituted its external operations network in Pakistan's lawless, Taliban-controlled tribal areas. This network is tasked with hitting targets in the West, India, and elsewhere. The US has struck at these external cells using unmanned Predator aircraft and other means in an effort to disrupt al Qaeda's external network and decapitate the leadership. The US also has targeted al Qaeda-linked Taliban fighters operating in Afghanistan, particularly the notorious Haqqani Network.

As of the summer of 2008, al Qaeda and the Taliban operated 157 known training camps in the tribal areas and the Northwest Frontier Province. Al Qaeda has been training terrorists holding Western passports to conduct attacks, US intelligence officials have told The Long War Journal. Some of the camps are devoted to training the Taliban's military arm; some train suicide bombers for attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan; some focus on training the various Kashmiri terror groups; some train al Qaeda operatives for attacks in the West; some train the Lashkar al Zil, al Qaeda's Shadow Army; and one serves as a training ground for the Black Guard, the elite bodyguard unit for Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri, and other senior al Qaeda leaders.

Unmanned US Predator and Reaper strike aircraft have been pounding Taliban and al Qaeda hideouts in North Waziristan over the past several months in an effort to kill senior terror leaders and disrupt the networks that threaten Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the West. Since Dec. 8, 2009, the air campaign in Pakistan has killed four senior al Qaeda leaders, a senior Taliban commander, two senior al Qaeda operatives, and a wanted Palestinian terrorist who was allied with al Qaeda. The status of several others - a top Pakistani Taliban leader, a member of al Qaeda’s top council, and a wanted Philippine terrorist - is still unknown.

In December 2009, the US killed Abdullah Said al Libi, the top commander of the Shadow Army; Zuhaib al Zahib, a senior commander in the Shadow Army; and Saleh al Somali, the leader of al Qaeda's external network [see LWJ report, “Senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders killed in US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004 – 2010” for the full list of leaders and operatives thought to have been killed in US strikes].

Already this year, the US has killed Mansur al Shami, an al Qaeda ideologue and aide to al Qaeda’s leader in Afghanistan Mustafa Abu Yazid; Haji Omar Khan, a senior Taliban leader in North Waziristan; Mohammed Haqqani, a military commander in the Haqqani Network; Sheikh Mansoor, an al Qaeda Shadow Army commander; and Qari Mohammad Zafar, a leader of the al Qaeda and Taliban-linked Fedayeen-i-Islam. Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, the Abu Nidal Organization operative who participated in killing 22 hostages during the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am flight 73, is thought to have been killed in the Jan. 9 airstrike.

The status of Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, is still unknown; the Taliban released a videotape of him on March 1 but it did not confirm he was alive. On March 1, a rumor surfaced that Abdul Haq al Turkistani, the leader of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Party and a member of al Qaeda’s Shura Majlis, was killed in a strike on Feb. 15. And Abdul Basit Usman, an Abu Sayyaf operative with a $1 million US bounty for information leading to his capture, is rumored to have been killed in a strike on Jan. 14, although a Philippine military spokesman said Usman is likely still alive and in the Philippines.

Update On Gadahn Capture: Pakistanis Confirm Capture, Gadahn Transferred To Islamabad For Interrogation UPDATE: Confusion About Authenticity

UPDATE:

There is a lot of confusion all over the internet right now whether indeed this is Adam Gadahn that has been captured. Apparently CBS is saying they have their doubts on the information - I think a lot of the confusion stems from the reported name of the captured, that being Abu Yahya Mujahdeen Al-Adam ...I reported below that it is Gadahn's name in al Qaeda but reports are that it is a different American who was in Afghanistan. Well, two things I want to question on this: does the name "Adam" at the end of that arabic name seem a bit coincidental? And at the same time, do a search on the full name and it doesn't come up. Also, the Pakistani report says the guy is on the Top 10 wanted list of America - then THAT IS GADAHN - it ain't no 2 bit Afghan Taliban commander on that list.

I have no idea what is the truth at this point, folks...but I have seen no update from my normal reliable sources on this so I'm sticking with it that it is Gadahn.



The news of the capture of American Al Qaeda leader, Adam Gadahn or as he is referred to in al Qaeda circles, Abu Yahya Mujahdeen Al- Adam, has been confirmed by Pakistani sources and now it is revealed that he has already been transferred from Karachi to Islamabad for interrogation.

From the article at DAWN:

Pakistani security forces along with help of US intelligence arrested Abu Yahya Mujahdeen Al- Adam, who is a close associate of Osama Bin Laden. Abu Yahya was arrested on Sunday from an area surrounding the super highway, on the outskirts of Karachi.Sources confirmed that the arrested militant commander has been shifted to Islamabad for further investigation.

I want to point out something I hadn't seen in earlier reports:

"with the help of US intelligence...."

Hmmm....now isn't that interesting. This is the second time now that members of U.S. Intelligence have been involved in an arrest of an al Qaeda big fish in Karachi. This tells me that the CIA has someone inside the ring in Karachi and I've got a feeling that we may be just days away from catching a fish that will make Adam Gadahn look like one you'd throw back because he ain't big enough.

I'd like to add that it doesn't surprise me one bit that girly-man Gadahn got captured without a shot being fired.

This is getting to be way too much fun.

By the way, do you think al Qaeda and the Taliban are still relishing in that attack that killed the CIA operatives in Afghanistan?

Al-Qaeda commander Abu Yahya arrested in Karachi

KARACHI: Pakistani security forces along with help of US intelligence arrested Abu Yahya Mujahdeen Al- Adam, who is a close associate of Osama Bin Laden. Abu Yahya was arrested on Sunday from an area surrounding the super highway, on the outskirts of Karachi.Sources confirmed that the arrested militant commander has been shifted to Islamabad for further investigation.

Pennsylvania-born Abu Yahya is a US citizen and assumed to be a commander of foreign militants fighting in Afghanistan against the US. He was living with Osama Bin Ladin after 9/11 attacks in New York. His name is included in the top ten wanted on the CIA list. - DawnNews.

Video From al Qaeda Suicide Bomber Of CIA Targets In Afghanistan Reveals How He Did It, Calls Dead CIA A "gift from Allah"

A videotape has surfaced with an interview of the suicide bomber that took out the CIA agents and his Jordanian intelligence contact at Khost, Afghanistan a few months ago - the video reveals for the first time just how Abu Dujanah al Khurasani was able to get to the point where he was welcomed onto that base in Khost and kill all those CIA. From the article at The Long War Journal:

Khurasani, who is also known as Humam Khalil Muhammed Abu Mulal al Balawi, carried out the suicide attack against the CIA at Combat Outpost Chapman in Khost province. Khurasani enticed the CIA with promises of being able to produce Ayman al Zawahiri, al Qaeda’s second in command.

Khurasani stated that initially his target was Abu Zaid, his Jordanian intelligence contact. Khurasani initially planned to kidnap Zaid in Peshawar, but he and al Qaeda leaders realized that they had an opportunity to spring a bigger trap. Al Qaeda established a council to specifically exploit the opportunity to draw in what described as "prey."

"I cut off ties for four months in order for Jordanian intelligence to stew in its own juices thinking that this guy had abandoned it, so that if he came back to them and told them that conditions were difficult, they would buy his story quickly," Khurasani said. "I cut ties for four months, then came back to them with some videos taken with leaders of the Mujahideen, so that they would think that I was leaking videos and betraying the Mujahideen. All praise is due to Allah, the bait fell in the right spot and they went head over heels with excitement. The videos I sent were actually taken with the Mujahideen’s own camera for this very purpose."

"But the amazing thing is that Abu Zaid was able to convince an entire CIA team responsible for spy drones to come to Golamkhan [the base in Khost]," he said. "So glory be to Allah: we planned for something but got a bigger gift, a gift from Allah."

You can see from this just how sinister the plot was and just how brilliant at the same time. And it also shows just how much danger the CIA puts themselves into each and every day. Most importantly, we now know why the CIA allowed this guy to get in so close - the fact that he had those "bootlegged" videos of an actual al Qaeda council meeting had to have quelled any doubts of this informant for certainly, only a true turncoat would reveal those images and identities, right?

At the same time, you can now understand why the CIA unleashed the hellish rain of hellfires down on al Qaeda and Taliban targets in NW Pakistan after the deadly attack on their counterparts. Sure, the CIA was getting some revenge but at the same time, these UAV attacks were meant to remind al Qaeda that the CIA still had quality intel and the drive to continue the hunt.

CIA agents killed in suicide attack 'a gift from Allah'


In a videotape produced just before his death, an al Qaeda operative thought to have been turned by Jordanian intelligence to spy on the terror group said the CIA officers targeted and killed in a Dec. 30, 2009 suicide attack were "a gift from Allah."

As Sahab released a posthumous videotape of Abu Dujanah al Khurasani, a longtime internet jihadi who was recruited by Jordanian intelligence to provide targeting information for the US' covert air campaign against al Qaeda's leaders and operations in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Khurasani, who is also known as Humam Khalil Muhammed Abu Mulal al Balawi, carried out the suicide attack against the CIA at Combat Outpost Chapman in Khost province. Khurasani enticed the CIA with promises of being able to produce Ayman al Zawahiri, al Qaeda’s second in command.

The videotape, produced by As Sahab, al Qaeda's propaganda outlet, shows Khurasani being questioned by an interviewer. Khurasani explained how he was recruited by Jordanian intelligence after being arrested, and was provide the means to travel to Pakistan's tribal areas. [See Threat Matrix report "Transcript of interview with Jordanian suicide bomber Khurasani" for the full transcript]

Khurasani stated that initially his target was Abu Zaid, his Jordanian intelligence contact. Khurasani initially planned to kidnap Zaid in Peshawar, but he and al Qaeda leaders realized that they had an opportunity to spring a bigger trap. Al Qaeda established a council to specifically exploit the opportunity to draw in what described as "prey."

"And this is what the Mujahideen here in the Land of Khorasan realized, and that’s why their first action was to form a mini Shura council for this operation," Khuransani said. "Every single step taken had the goal of luring Jordanian intelligence to this land to arrest or kill them and give them a message written in blood that the Mujahideen will not fail to use the same tactics the intelligence services use."

To continue to entice his Jordanian handler, Khurasani broke contact with him for four months, then reestablished contact, explaining conditions were difficult to allow him to remain in touch while producing evidence that he met with senior al Qaeda leaders.

"I cut off ties for four months in order for Jordanian intelligence to stew in its own juices thinking that this guy had abandoned it, so that if he came back to them and told them that conditions were difficult, they would buy his story quickly," Khurasani said. "I cut ties for four months, then came back to them with some videos taken with leaders of the Mujahideen, so that they would think that I was leaking videos and betraying the Mujahideen. All praise is due to Allah, the bait fell in the right spot and they went head over heels with excitement. The videos I sent were actually taken with the Mujahideen’s own camera for this very purpose."

Khurasani's leads, which included false targeting information for the US strikes, ultimately led CIA officials from Kabul to Khost.

"But the amazing thing is that Abu Zaid was able to convince an entire CIA team responsible for spy drones to come to Golamkhan [the base in Khost]," he said. "So glory be to Allah: we planned for something but got a bigger gift, a gift from Allah."

Khurasani spoke with contempt for Jordanian intelligence, which he described as "hired dogs" of the US. He repeatedly described his Jordanian handlers as "imbeciles," "idiots," and "corrupt." He urge jihadists to kill intelligence officials, and even drivers and cooks working for the agency, in any way possible. He called on Jordanian jihadists to "[mobilize] to the land of Jihad [the Afghanistan-Pakistani border region] to learn the arts of war and train in them, then return to Jordan and begin operations."

Khurasani also claimed that Jordanian intelligence was behind the assassination of three top leaders in Jihad: Abdullah Azzam, Osama bin Laden's mentor and co-founder of al Qaeda, in 1989; Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, in 2006; and Imad Mugniyah, the military commander of Hezbollah, in 2008.

As Sahab had previously released a videotape of Khurasani just before his death. He was shown in a short clip seated with Hakeemullah Mehsud, the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan.

Mustafa Abu Yazid, al Qaeda's leader in Afghanistan, released a tape praising Khurasani after his death and said the attack was carried out to avenge the deaths of Saleh al Somali, the former external operations chief; Baitullah Mehsud, the former leader of the Pakistani Taliban, and Abdullah Said al Libi, the leader of al Qaeda's military wing, the Lashkar al Zil.

Another U.S. Predator Drone Attack In North Waziristan, Five Jihadis In Pieces

The onslaught on Taliban and al Qaeda targets in North Waziristan continued today as a U.S. predator drone aircraft struck a Taliban compound near Miramshah killing five jihadis and now, we get to wait a few days to see if it was one of the Haqqani Network leaders we got or perhaps another Taliban commander or possibly an al Qaeda top dog. Either way, I love the anticipation of just who we got.

From the story at DAWN:

A US drone aircraft fired three missiles into Pakistan's North Waziristan region on the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing at least five militants, Pakistani intelligence officials and residents said.
The strike targeted a stronghold of the Haqqani network, a major Taliban faction attacking Western forces across the border in Afghanistan. A similar strike last week in the same area killed a son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the leader of the group.
“I myself heard a huge blast and can see fire rising from the site,” said Reuters reporter Haji Mujtaba in North Waziristan's main town of Miramshah.
Intelligence officials said two missiles hit a fortress-like militant compound in Dargi Mandi village near Miramshah while the third struck a vehicle. One intelligence official said several militants were wounded.

I'm guessing, at this point in time, there's a communication making the rounds of the Taliban in Pakistan: "Get the fuck out of Miramshah!" This place has more craters than the moon.

One thing that I think needs pointing out. Ever since the CIA was hit hard in that Taliban/Haqqani Network coordinated suicide bombing up in Afghanistan, there has been a relentless stream of predator drone attacks in NW Pakistan - probably four or five times the normal amount...the CIA has unleashed its fury and not only have they taken a huge toll on Taliban/Haqqani Network jihadis, they have taken out some seriously big fish, consistently.

I wonder if those same Taliban leaders, if they had a chance to do it again, would pull the trigger on that CIA attack. I think not. I also want to point out something else. You've all seen the videos of predator drones taking out Taliban and al Qaeda targets in both Iraq and Afghanistan, right? The one consistent thing in all of those videos is the fact that one hellfire missile hits the target. Well, ever since the CIA absorbed that attack in Afghanistan, each of these new strikes has seen AT LEAST two hellfires being fired and often, as in this case, three hellfires are being launched - it's called revenge...it's all eradicating the target and thus, we are seeing more and more dead, and less wounded. Nice, huh?

Moral of the story? Don't piss off the CIA.

US drone strike kills five in North Waziristan

MIRAMSHAH: A US drone aircraft fired three missiles into Pakistan's North Waziristan region on the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing at least five militants, Pakistani intelligence officials and residents said.

The strike targeted a stronghold of the Haqqani network, a major Taliban faction attacking Western forces across the border in Afghanistan. A similar strike last week in the same area killed a son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the leader of the group.

“I myself heard a huge blast and can see fire rising from the site,” said Reuters reporter Haji Mujtaba in North Waziristan's main town of Miramshah.

Intelligence officials said two missiles hit a fortress-like militant compound in Dargi Mandi village near Miramshah while the third struck a vehicle. One intelligence official said several militants were wounded.

Residents said militants had cordoned off the area and were allowing no one to approach the site.

Mohammad Hashim, a son of Haqqani, was killed in a strike in nearby Dandi Darpakhel village last week.

But another son of Haqqani, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is a much more high-profile target of the US drones because he has effectively taken over leadership of the militant faction from his elderly father.

US ally Pakistan officially objects to the drone strikes, saying they are a violation of its sovereignty and fuel anti-US feeling, which complicates Pakistan's efforts against militancy.

But at least some strikes are carried out with the consent of Islamabad, in particular those on Pakistani Taliban militants fighting the state.

The Haqqani faction does not launch attacks in Pakistan, but sends fighters across the border into Afghanistan from its stronghold in North Waziristan.

Paydirt! Senior Al Qaeda Commander Killed In Predator Strike 4 Days Ago

The other day, when I blogged about the U.S. predator drone strike in North Waziristan, I mentioned that we would need to wait three or four days to find out if we got any "big fish" and once again, our intelligence was spot on regarding this targeted strike and we DID get a big fish, namely Sheikh Mansoor, a senior al Qaeda commander who apparently was too chickenshit to join the battle in Afghanistan and was hiding out in NW Pakistan.

From the article at The Long War Journal, we see the details of a now dead al Qaeda leader:

The US killed a key al Qaeda military leader based in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan during an airstrike on Feb. 17.

Sheikh Mansoor was killed in a Predator attack that targeted a Taliban compound in the village of Tapi near Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan. Two other "militants" were initially reported killed in the airstrike; it is not currently known if there were any other senior al Qaeda or Taliban operatives killed. Dawn News reported that the airstrike "left number of other important militants killed."

Both Geo News and Dawn reported that a funeral was held for Mansoor, and that Mohammed Haqqani, a mid-level Haqqani Network military commander and brother of the group's top military commander Siraj Haqqani, was killed by another drone strike while preparing to attend Mansoor's burial on Feb. 18.

US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal said they believe Sheikh Mansoor was killed in the attack on Feb. 17.

I want you to look at this paragraph from that article one more time:

Both Geo News and Dawn reported that a funeral was held for Mansoor, and that Mohammed Haqqani, a mid-level Haqqani Network military commander and brother of the group's top military commander Siraj Haqqani, was killed by another drone strike while preparing to attend Mansoor's burial on Feb. 18.

This shows the depth of U.S. intelligence that is coming out of NW Pakistan - I am convinced that the CIA has reliable sources INSIDE of the Taliban that are serving up this intel - I mean, seriously, they had the exact location of Mansoor and then literally had the location of Haqqani a day later as he got ready to attend Mansoor's funeral. This is pinpointed targeting with intel that has been impeccable.

At this point in time, we have senior leadership in the Taliban and in al Qaeda that doesn't know where in the hell to go to escape this onslaught. There is no safe haven anymore. And their days are numbered.

Senior al Qaeda military commander killed in Predator strike

The US killed a key al Qaeda military leader based in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan during an airstrike on Feb. 17.

Sheikh Mansoor was killed in a Predator attack that targeted a Taliban compound in the village of Tapi near Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan. Two other "militants" were initially reported killed in the airstrike; it is not currently known if there were any other senior al Qaeda or Taliban operatives killed. Dawn News reported that the airstrike "left number of other important militants killed."

Both Geo News and Dawn reported that a funeral was held for Mansoor, and that Mohammed Haqqani, a mid-level Haqqani Network military commander and brother of the group's top military commander Siraj Haqqani, was killed by another drone strike while preparing to attend Mansoor's burial on Feb. 18.

US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal said they believe Sheikh Mansoor was killed in the attack on Feb. 17.

"We're pretty sure that Mohammed Haqqani was killed while going to Sheikh Mansoor's burial," an intelligence official said. "We were gunning for Siraj but got his little brother instead. It is still a good kill; the Haqqanis are dangerous and Mohammed was involved in the family business."

Sheikh Mansoor was a commander in al Qaeda's Lashkar al Zil, or the Shadow Army, US officials said. He was based in North Waziristan but carried out attacks against US and Afghan forces across the border in Afghanistan.

Mansoor's family has a pedigree in jihad. His father was Ahmed Said Al Khadr, an al Qaeda operative who was killed in October 2003. Khadr, who is also known as Abdul Rehman Khadr al Kanadi, was born in Cairo, Egypt, but was a Canadian national.

Khadr was a close confidant of Osama bin Laden, who invited Kanadi to join the Shura Majlis, the top leadership council, after the US invasion of Afghanistan. Khadr was tasked with helping al Qaeda families escape into Pakistan. He was also close to South Waziristan Taliban leader Mullah Nazir, who shelters al Qaeda leaders in the Wazir tribal areas.

Khadr was wanted by the US for his suspected ties to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the US. He was also on the United Nations' 1267 Committee list of designated terrorists. Pakistani security forces killed Kanadi and several other al Qaeda fighters during a raid in October 2003.

Mansoor's two other brothers, Omar and Abdurahman, have both spent time at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba after being detained while fighting US forces in Afghanistan in 2001. Omar, the youngest detainee (he is thought to have been 15 when he was captured), is still in custody. Abdurahman was released in 2003.

Background on the recent strikes in Pakistan

US intelligence believes that al Qaeda has reconstituted its external operations network in Pakistan's lawless, Taliban-controlled tribal areas. This network is tasked with hitting targets in the West, India, and elsewhere. The US has struck at these external cells using unmanned Predator aircraft and other means in an effort to disrupt al Qaeda's external network and decapitate the leadership. The US also has targeted al Qaeda-linked Taliban fighters operating in Afghanistan, particularly the notorious Haqqani Network.

As of the summer of 2008, al Qaeda and the Taliban operated 157 known training camps in the tribal areas and the Northwest Frontier Province. Al Qaeda has been training terrorists holding Western passports to conduct attacks, US intelligence officials have told The Long War Journal. Some of the camps are devoted to training the Taliban's military arm; some train suicide bombers for attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan; some focus on training the various Kashmiri terror groups; some train al Qaeda operatives for attacks in the West; some train the Lashkar al Zil, al Qaeda's Shadow Army; and one serves as a training ground for the Black Guard, the elite bodyguard unit for Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri, and other senior al Qaeda leaders.

The air campaign has had success over the past three months. Since Dec. 8, 2009, the air campaign in Pakistan has killed three senior al Qaeda leaders, a senior Taliban commander, a senior Haqqani Network commander, two senior al Qaeda operatives, and a wanted Palestinian terrorist who was allied with al Qaeda. The status of Pakistani Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud is still unknown.

Already this year, the US has killed Mansur al Shami, an al Qaeda ideologue and aide to al Qaeda’s leader in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu Yazid; Sheikh Mansoor, a Shadow Army commander based in North Waziristan; Mohammed Haqqani, a military commander in the Haqqani Network; and Haji Omar Khan, a senior Taliban leader in North Waziristan. Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, the Abu Nidal Organization operative who participated in killing 22 hostages during the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am flight 73, is thought to have been killed in the Jan. 9 airstrike. And Abdul Basit Usman, an Abu Sayyaf operative with a $1 million US bounty for information leading to his capture, is rumored to have been killed in a strike on Jan. 14, although a Philippine military spokesman said Usman is likely still alive and in the Philippines.

In December 2009, the US killed Abdullah Said al Libi, the top commander of the Shadow Army; Zuhaib al Zahib, a senior commander in the Shadow Army; and Saleh al Somali, the leader of al Qaeda's external network [see LWJ report, “Senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders killed in US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004 – 2010” for the full list].