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UK CLERIC URGING MUSLIMS TO JOIN AL-QAEDA: REPORT


Press Trust of India

Source of Article
London, January 17, 2005|20:01 IST


A radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed is using live broadcasts on the internet to urge young British Muslims to join Al-Qaeda and has condoned suicide terrorist attacks, a media report said on Monday.

The cleric, who lived in the UK for 18 years on social security benefits, pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden and told his followers that they were in a state of war with Britain, The Times daily said.

The newspaper monitored Bakri Mohammed's nightly webcasts in which he declared that the "covenant of security" under which Muslims live peacefully in the UK had been "violated" by the government's tough anti-terrorist legislation.

The Syrian-born radical said, "I believe the whole of Britain has become Dar ul-Harb (land of war)."

In such a state, he said, "the Kuffar (non-believer) has no sanctity for their own life or property."

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER HITS BACK AT BUSH SPEECH

Reuters News Service

Source of Article

By Paul Hughes

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Thursday hit back at President Bush (news - web sites)'s accusations against the Islamic state and said he would fail like his four predecessors to topple Tehran's clerical leadership.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, because of defending the rights of the oppressed and confronting oppressors, is being attacked by the global tyrants," state media quoted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying.

"Bush is the fifth U.S. president to want to uproot the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic," he told university students.

"But he will be as successful as Jimmy Carter, (Ronald) Reagan, (George) Bush senior and (Bill) Clinton," he added, referring to the five previous U.S. presidents who have held office since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

Khamenei, who has the last word on all state matters, was responding to Bush's State of the Union address Wednesday in which he called Iran the "world's primary state sponsor of terror" and again accused it of seeking to build atomic weapons.

Iran denies both charges and accuses U.S. officials of waging psychological war against Tehran. Washington broke ties with Iran in 1980 after Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held 52 hostages for 444 days.

SEVEN-HEADED DRAGON

Comparing the United states to "one of the heads of a seven-headed dragon," Khamenei said Bush had been put in the White House by "Zionist and non-Zionist capitalists to serve their interests."

And in an apparent reference to Iran's nuclear program, he said: "The Iranian nation's achievements and developments are surprising in many fields and have attracted the attention of the world."

Arms experts say Iran is close to mastering the technology required to make atomic weapons. Iran says it has no intention of making nuclear bombs and has frozen key atomic work like uranium enrichment and entered negotiations with the European Union (news - web sites) over its nuclear program.

Earlier Thursday, Iran's Foreign Ministry described Bush's accusations against Iran as baseless.

"These claims have no basis," the official IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi as saying.

"Americans are ignoring the established democracy in Iran since the (1979 Islamic) revolution."

Bush's remarks enraged Iran's conservative state-controlled media. State television accused Bush of trying to capture Middle East oil under the pretext of promoting democracy in the region.

"Why is Bush only interested in promoting democracy in oil-rich regions?" asked one radio commentator.

Showing pictures of civilians killed in neighboring Iraq (news - web sites), state television demanded Washington rethink policies which it said were creating anger in the Middle East.

"Middle Easterners have experienced America's support for democracy. They do not believe in American-style democracy," it said.

end of article

U.N. TEAM PREDICTS RISE IN TERROR ATTACKS

February 15, 2005 World News - AP

Source of Article

By LEYLA LINTON, Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS - A U.N. team investigating compliance with sanctions against al-Qaida and the Taliban predicted Tuesday that brutal attacks by Osama bin Laden followers will escalate as they still have easy access to bombmaking materials and money.

Terror attacks sponsored by al-Qaida and weapons of mass destruction are among the chief threats confronting the world, according to the team's report to a U.N. Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Al-Qaida remains capable of mounting "devastating attacks" and sanctions are only having a limited effect on the group, which is still keen to acquire chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, a U.N. report said.

It is only "a matter of time" before a successful attack occurs, the report said.

U.N. sanctions require all 191 U.N. member states to impose a travel ban and arms embargo against a list of those linked to Osama bin Laden's terror network and the former Afghan rulers and to freeze their financial assets. The list includes more than 430 individuals and groups.

The semiannual report, which will be considered by the full Security Council at a later stage, painted a grim picture of a terror group determined to spread its influence, constantly evolving to evade detection.

"The biggest fear we all have is terrorists getting hold of the means to cause a mass attack," said Richard Barrett, the team's coordinator. "Al-Qaida is a phenomenon that observes no borders. It is even harder to track now than it was a year or two ago when it had a more coherent structure and leadership."

He added that he did not think al-Qaida was likely to obtain an entire bomb, but rather components of weapons of mass destruction, for example, toxic or radioactive material.

Despite steps taken by U.N. member states to impose military-style weapon embargoes, attacks with small arms and explosives have continued, the team said.

It said measures should be taken to counter the threat of portable anti-aircraft missile systems and materials that can be turned into explosives.

Financial sanctions, such as an assets freeze, may be the most effective way to stop large-scale terrorist operations, and many countries had implemented banking reforms to stop terror groups from moving money around, the report said.

"But there are many unofficial ways available to circumvent these restrictions," it added.

The team also said a travel ban imposed on people listed as being members of the Taliban and al-Qaida or their associates should be tightened and it called on the United Nations to work with Interpol on problem areas like forged travel documents.

No member state reported a violation of the ban for the three years the sanctions had been in force, but it was "difficult to believe" no al-Qaida or Taliban member had crossed a national border, the report said.

Barrett said he did not know where bin Laden was. But despite the lack of knowledge about the al-Qaida leader's whereabouts, the group he led continues to thrive.

"The team sees no let-up in the determination of al-Qaida, the Taliban and their associates to continue their campaign of terror," the report said, warning of "a further escalation in terms of brutality of attacks."

"Building on the appeal of its message, al-Qaida is actively seeking new areas in which to expand, both to recruit and to base itself. It aims to radicalize Muslim communities through propaganda and to create and exploit a sense of injustice whether political, social or economic," it added.

Barrett also said the terror group was using the conflict in Iraq to boost its standing. "There is no doubt al-Qaida is using the situation in Iraq to promote themselves and recruit people," he said.

End of article

Greetings to all:

Many of you remember the following quote from our initial-lead article on this topic called: The King of the North is Coming!

"...a newly united Islamic Conference of Nations, the "ten toes" of the mighty statute or "image" envisioned by King Nebuchadnezzar as mentioned in Daniel 2:40-45 will exist at this time. Yes, those "Ten Toes" of this Great "Image" should be correctly understood to also represent the "10 horns" on the top of the "terribly fearsome" beast of Daniel 7:23-26. These "Ten Horns" will thus prove to be the COLLECTIVE ENTITY OF ISLAMIC NATIONS, then under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, the "Small Horn" of Bible Prophecy, who will give American a surprising military defeat, and even apply the "deathstroke" to the only so-called Superpower on earth today, the military machinery of United States of America. And bible prophecy indicates, that they (America) will be defeatedly soundly. Afterwhich, Islam will be in power, worldwide, with devastating consequences for all "Christian" religions of the world, as well as the complete destruction and dismantling of the natural nation of "Israel " in the middle east. All of the above described events ensure the future to be particularly bloody, with the prolific use of biological, chemical and even nuclear warfare to be fully employed, with 1 out of every 4 humans upon this planet, experiencing an early demise! In fact, things will be so bad, that even the ecology of this earth will be completely knocked out for a period of time. Yes, nature out of balance, with wild animals attacking humans because of this imbalance in nature and its surrounding wildlife, accompanied with worldwide famine and the terrific spread of infestious diseases, yes deadly "pestilence," all ravaging the world's population at the same time, just as Jesus Christ himself predicted. -- See Matthew 24:7, 8; Luke 21:10, 11; Revelation 6:3-8; Revelation 13:12, 14."

With that thought in mind, please consider the following news article which shows the very beginning of such a happening, as described above.

-------------------------------------News Article------------------------------

IRAN, SYRIA TEAM UP TO CONFRONT THREATS

released 02/16/05 12:26

Source of Article

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran and Syria, who both are facing pressure from the United States, said Wednesday they will form a united front to confront possible threats against them, state-run television reported.

``In view of the special conditions faced by Syria, Iran will transfer its experience, especially concerning sanctions, to Syria,'' Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran's first vice president, was quoted as saying after meeting Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otari.

``At this sensitive point, the two countries require a united front due to numerous challenges.''

The report did not specifically mention the challenges, but both countries are under U.S. economic sanctions and the targets of intense American pressure.

The United States has accused Iran of seeking to produce nuclear weapons, while relations with Syria have deteriorated, especially since Monday's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Many Lebanese blamed Monday's car bombing in Beirut on Syria, but the Syrian government has denied responsibility. Washington is recalling its ambassador from Syria in apparent response to Hariri's killing.

Washington also accuses Syria of aiding anti-Israeli militants and supporting insurgents in Iraq.

Tehran and Damascus have been strategic allies for years. Syria was the only Arab country that continued its warm relations with Iran during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

End of Article

NEW AL-ZAWAHIRI TAPE LASHES U.S. POLICY

Source of Article

Sunday, February 20, 2005 Posted: 1928 GMT (0328 HKT)

(CNN) -- Ayman al-Zawahiri, the No. 2 man in al Qaeda, lashed out at U.S. efforts to extend democracy around the world in a videotape aired Sunday on Al Jazeera, saying those efforts "will end with your defeat, the killing of your sons and the destruction of your economy."

The Arabic-language TV network showed about a minute of the recording, in which Zawahiri, deputy of Osama bin Laden, said it has been about three years since the United States started sending Muslims to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The United States did move Taliban detainees early in 2002 from Afghanistan to the U.S. detention facility on Guantanamo Bay, where there have been allegations that some of them were tortured.

It could not be determined when or where Zawahiri's tape was recorded.

"Guantanamo exposes the reality of the reform and the democracy that America is trying to spread in the region," he said, a possible reference to President Bush's recent speeches laying out his vision for U.S. international policy.

Zawahiri added that if people believe the "so-called elected governments will protect you, you are wrong. This new crusade will end with your defeat, the killing of your sons and the destruction of your economy."

He said the "security of the West" is based on how it deals with Muslims "and ending all foreign occupation."

Zawahiri, addressing the camera directly, was dressed in traditional Muslim garb including a headdress. What appeared to be a rifle was propped against the wall behind him.

His comments are similar to those he has made in previous tapes.

TENS OF THOUSANDS TO DIE: AL-QAEDA

Source of Article

From correspondents in Dubai
February 21, 2005
From: Agence France-Presse

AL-QAEDA today warned the West it faced defeat in its "new crusade" against the Islamic world, which would cost tens of thousands of lives and the collapse of its economy.

A videotape of the terror group's No.2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was aired by Al-Jazeera television this morning.

"Your new crusade will end, God willing, with the same defeat as its predecessors, but only after you have suffered tens of thousands of dead and the destruction of your economy," Zawahiri said in his message to "the peoples of the West".

AS TENSION HEIGHTENS, IRAN MAKES WAR PLANS


Source of Article

By BORZOU DARAGAHI
Newhouse News Service

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has begun publicly preparing for a possible U.S. attack, announcing efforts to bolster and mobilize recruits in citizens militias and making plans to engage in the type of guerrilla warfare that has bogged down American troops in neighboring Iraq, officials and analysts say.

The Pentagon recently revealed that, as a matter of routine preparedness, it had upgraded its Iran war plans. While refusing to rule out military action against Iran over its alleged nuclear-weapons program, President Bush has said he has no intention of attacking the country.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have increased over Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology. Iran, a nation rich in oil and natural gas, insists that it needs nuclear power to meet its burgeoning domestic-energy needs.

Iranian newspapers have announced efforts to bulk up the country's 7 million-strong "Basiji" citizen militia, which was deployed in human-wave attacks against Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

In December, Iran announced its "largest war games ever," deploying 120,000 troops, plus tanks, helicopters and armored vehicles along its western border. Recently, Iran's media reported that the Iranian Air Force had received orders to engage any plane that violates Iranian airspace, just after reports emerged of unmanned U.S. spy aircraft monitoring Iran's skies.

"Iran would respond within 15 minutes to any attack by the United States or any other country," an Iranian official said on condition of anonymity.

It remains unclear how much of the recent military activity amounts to an actual mobilization and how much is a propaganda ploy. Iranian officials and analysts have said they want to highlight the potential costs of an attack to raise the stakes for U.S. officials considering such action.

"Right now, it's a psychological war," said Nasser Hadian, a University of Tehran political-science professor who recently returned from a three-year stint as a scholar at New York's Columbia University.

Iran's army includes 350,000 active-duty soldiers and 220,000 conscripts. Its elite Revolutionary Guards number 120,000, many of them draftees. Its navy and air force total 70,000 men.

The armed forces have about 2,000 tanks, 300 combat aircraft, three submarines, hundreds of helicopters and at least a dozen Russian-made Scud missile launchers of the type Saddam used during the 1991 Gulf War. Iran also has an undetermined number of Shahab missiles, based on North Korean designs that have ranges of more than 1,500 miles.

Antiquated hardware

However, Iranians, as well as outside military experts, concede that the country's antiquated conventional hardware — worn down by years of U.S. and European sanctions — would be little match for the high-tech wizardry of the United States.

"Most of Iran's military equipment is aging or second rate and much of it is worn," U.S. military expert Anthony Cordesman wrote in a December 2004 assessment of Iran's military. "Iran lost some 50 to 60 percent of its land order of battle in the climatic battles of the Iran-Iraq war, and it has never had large-scale access to the modern weapons and military technology necessary to replace them."

Still, Iran could create trouble if attacked. Within minutes, its air and sea forces could threaten oil shipments in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It could activate Hezbollah militia in Lebanon to attack Israel. It could have operatives attack U.S. interests in Azerbaijan, Central Asia or Turkey.

"Iran can escalate the war," Hadian said.

While its conventional forces are limited in power, Iran is sharpening its abilities to wage a guerrilla war, said a Western military expert based in Tehran.

"Over the last year they've developed their tactics of asymmetrical war, which would aim not at resisting a penetration of foreign forces, but to then use them on the ground to all kinds of harmful effect," he said on condition of anonymity.

Most analysts agree the biggest trump card Iranians could play is to unleash havoc in neighboring Iraq, where Iraqi Shiites who spent years in Iran as exiles are about to assume control of the government.

Any Iranian retaliation "would surely start with attempts to mobilize Shiite partisans in Iraq to try to turn the Iraqi south into an extension of the insurgency in the Sunni triangle," Gary Sick, professor of Middle East studies at Columbia University and former National Security Council adviser to President Carter, said recently in testimony for a congressional panel.

"If Iran wanted, it could make Iraq a hell for the United States," Hamid al-Bayati, Iraq's deputy foreign minister, said in a recent interview.

Little evidence of call-up

Despite the geopolitical tensions, Iran remains quiet and there is little public evidence of a military call-up. Perhaps the Iranian military's biggest question is whether ordinary young Iranian men — more materialistic and middle-class than the generation that fought Iraq in an eight-year war that cost hundreds of thousands of lives — would fight with enthusiasm.

Ali, 28, who runs a small advertising firm and describes himself as a staunch nationalist, said he wouldn't fight, because of Iran's failure to cater to the needs of veterans from Iran's war with Iraq. "I see all the men who went to the front and fought are damaged and ignored, and all those who didn't are the ones running the country," he said, asking that his last name not be used. "I love Iran and I'm no friend of America, but I won't fight."

Hamid-Reza, 23, a clothing-store manager who lost numerous relatives in the Iran-Iraq war, said he would definitely be willing to fight but feared that his country would be no match for the United States. "What will I do?" he asked, speaking on condition his family name not be published. "Get inside an inner tube and go fight against the American battleships in the Persian Gulf?"

Dear All,

A few weeks ago, right after I joined the Living Waters Forum, I came upon Forum 23, which advances the viewpoint that Bin Ladin is the King of the North of Biblical Prophecy, and that he is "THE UNDISPUTED LEADER of the International Islamic Community".

As one who converted to Islam 6 years ago and is a "12er" Shia Muslim, and what I know about Islam (which is not a monolithic religion, but has many sects, some o which date from the very beginning of Islam), I was quite surprised that anyone would come to this conclusion. I believe it was with Don in the Paltalk room that I discussed my disagreement. Even though I have read all the biblical passages referenced in the first post in this thread, I went through them again and I still don't see it.

For a few days, I considered how I might respond in a friendly manner with reasons why I had to disagree with this view. Then, I was caught up in other matters and after that I and some family members became ill with influenza. This has been the first time I've signed into the Living Water Forum since then.

Today, I again read the first post, and have gone through all of the posts in this thread. I still do not see how Bin Ladin can be the King of the North, and therefore the undisputed leader of the International Islamic Community. Part of the problem with the view (as I see it) is that Bin Ladin as a modern fundamentalist Wahabi/Salafi doesn't even consider 12er Shia Muslims as true Muslims, and the "feeling is mutual", as they say. Furthermore, Bin Ladin would not be in hiding if he were the undisputed leader of the international Islamic community. Of course, these are my views, and you are under no obligation to agree with me.

Here are some things you might be interested in knowing about differences in beliefs between 12er Shia Muslims, traditional Sunnis, modern fundamentalists, as well as Sufis (mystics) among traditional Sunnis and 12er Shias.

First of all, Traditional Sunnis, Shias, and most Sufis believe in the 2nd Coming of Christ because the Quran calls Jesus Christ (PBUH) "The Sign of the Hour". Most modern Fundamentalists do NOT believe in the 2nd Coming of Christ. If Bin Ladin managed somehow to defeat the USA, and rose to such a powerful height, or even if Bin Ladin turns out to be the anti-Christ or leader of the Beast Power (if it is not one person), then
that means Jesus Christ returns to kill Bin Ladin, because we believe that is one of the things Jesus Christ will do when he comes again. I couldn't be happier. But what 12er Shia Muslims believe about the end times does not exclude the USA as a power in the world.

Also, have you noticed that, in Iraq, Al-Qaeda is bombing 12er Shia Muslims and Kurdish Sunnis? Now, please think about this: what would an Iraqi Shia Muslim or a Kurdish Sunni say if you told one "Bin Ladin is your leader and you are not disputing that!"? How could he be their leader if they want the US there more than Bin Ladin? It doesn't make sense!

What would have to happen is this: 12er Shia Islam and most of traditional Sunnism would have to cease to exist for Bin Ladin to become to become the undisputed leader of Islam in the world. I only know the basics of traditional Sunni views of the end times, but I have much more knowledge of 12er Shia eschatology. We 12er Shia Muslims see a situation in the end times where 3 power groups are present in the middle east. A coalition of 5 armies led by an army with a spotted flag occupies Syria (which includes Lebanon) and two other countries. A group with a leader very much like Bin Ladin and the Salafis is present on the Arabian Peninsula. A third group, led by the our 12th Imam (Al-Medhi (PBUH), which is why some Shia organizations take that name), is present in Iraq. He fights and defeats the Salafis. Jesus Christ (PBUH) returns and kills the Anti-Christ. I can't remember how the occupying coalition of 5 armies is removed, but they are not destroyed, just withdrawn. Al Medhi does not rule the world, but rules a stong yet benevolent Islam state in the middle east, and Jesus Christ rules also as his close ally. The great event or "the shaking of the universe" comes after this, and then the resurrection.

Since both Shia scholars and Sufi scholars (whether they are Sunni or Shia) take the Bible into account on these matters, I believe this view also takes the Book of Revelation into account. Of course, you don't have to believe it, but I discussed all of this very briefly because I wanted to demonstrate that there is no way Bin Ladin could speak for not only 12er Shias, but also other groups. They simply do not share the same outlook on Islam.

Even if I came to conclude that any form of Islam does not conform to God's truth, I know enough about Islam to know that Bin Ladin could not be the spokesman for all Muslims sects in existence right now. As for the news articles in this thread, most of them I have read previously (or read a report of the same event by a different news service). There are other news events which I could arrange to show a different outcome. For instance, either AP or Reuters reported the results of an attempt in Yemen to reform Wahabi terrorists using the Quran. I knew previous to reading this article that most Muslims in Yemen were traditionally Zaydi Shia (5ers) and that an ancient Orthodox Jewish community lived peacefully there also, until the later 20th century, when Wahabi/Salafi groups started spreading their "bad news" in Yemen. They had some success. Thus, Yemeni Muslims began to become Jihadists also.

Some of these Yemeni Jihadists were captured and imprisoned. The "small potatoes" among them allowed to enter a program where they were shown what the Quran teaches about warfare and how it differs from what Jihadists were doing. Jihadist views on war were based mainly on traditions and rulings by Militant Fundamentalist sheikhs. The Quran states that warfare is defensive, has limits that must not be exceeded, and that the fighting must stop when the enemy quit fighting. A half of a verse quoted after 911 to make all Muslims look like terrorists states "kill them wherever you find them", but that is only half of verse imbedded in a larger section which gives the rules of war in the 2nd chapter of the Quran. I won't quote the section unless requested because it isn't my intention to force anyone to read portions of the Quran. Also, if innocents are killed (civilians and etc.), the Quran says God looks at that person as if they have murdered all people.

Thus, these Jihadists (younger men who learned to memorize traditions and legal rulings, but only used the Quran for chanting) agreed not to be Jihadists and were released. The news reported stated that in the year or more since their release, not one of them left Yemen. Imagine that! They no longer were heeding Al Qaeda's call.

Of course, just because the Quranic view of warfare has been corrupted by Muslim groups doesn't mean the Quran is true. But it demonstrates that different Muslims have different sources for their traditions, and thus not all Muslims could believe the same thing or get behind the same ruler as things stand.

I have written too much already, because this is not an Islamic forum, but I wanted to demonstrate that, with what I know about Islam, I couldn't support the view that Bin Ladin is the Undisputed Leader of world Islam. Several other streams of Islam would have to be destroyed for this to happen. Perhaps that does come to pass, God only knows.

I believe that before 911, many Americans saw Islam almost as a denomination, as so: Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, JW, 7th Day Adventist, Muslim, etc., when Islam could be said to consist of Hanafi Sunni, Maliki Sunni, Shafe Sunni, Hanbali Sunni, Zaydi Shia, Bohra Shia, Alawi Shia, 12er Shia, Agha-Khanite Shia, Wahabi, Salafee, Mevlevi Sufi, Naqshabandi Sufi, Ahmadiyya, and all the other sects I didn't mention. Thus, if one Muslim said "flying planes into skyscapers killing innocents is not Islam", an angry American (and who could blame him for being angry) would say "but that Mullah over there has all these awful rulings so who are you trying to kid?". If some had found the path he believes is true, he's probably not going to read about Islam and see many different and opposing sects.

I'll end here and see what happens. If my post is removed, there won't be any hard feelings. I just hope someone would email me and let me know why before the post was removed, because I never intended to find fault with the YORWW Congregation, but rather to give reasons why I could not believe this one conclusion as stated.

May YHWH God bless you all.

Hamza

Hi again,

In the previous post, I stated it was Don with whom I discussed my initial reaction to the first post in this thread on Paltalk. I believe I was mistaken, and that it was Patrick. I must be getting old!

Hamza

Hi Hamza,

Hamza wrote:Dear all,

...I have written too much already, because this is not an Islamic forum, but I wanted to demonstrate that, with what I know about Islam, I couldn't support the view that Bin Ladin is the Undisputed Leader of world Islam. Several other streams of Islam would have to be destroyed for this to happen. Perhaps that does come to pass, God only knows.

In reference to your question on OBL, we realize that he is not the undisputed Leader of the world of Islam...as of right now. No, he is not. We are fully aware of the fact that Osama bin Laden does not PRESENTLY...presently speak for a UNIFIED, Islamic world...Sunni, Shite or otherwise. Nor does he speak for the Arab world, in general either. However, what is presented on the LWF Discussion Board on bin Laden, is an offer of key, inside information from God, by way of a prediction of future events, wherein this person (bin Laden) will become...will become the foretold biblical figure of the "small horn" of bible prophecy. In other words, he will burst on the world scene, as if from out of nowhere, to assume this foretold lofty role among Muslims, yes, in the most amazing way. (See Daniel 8:24.) And we learn all of this, by being privileged members of God's "Intimate Group", where He reveals or causes us to "hear" hidden things about His Will. -- See Jeremiah 23:18, 22.

Therefore we say with complete confidence, even as unlikely as it seems to us now, as we speak, ... it is within this setting that the writer of The "REPORT" Message (myself, Donald C. Burney) thus makes this UNBELIEVABLE, unheard of prediction, and records it, dates it, so that when this shocking, surprising situation does come true, it will thus become actual proof that God's Spirit rests upon him as the Modern Day "Servant" and that he has been given this incredible "confidential information" from God, as an inspired prophet of Him, for our modern day times. Yes, it will be this very unusual prediction itself, that will become the actual "proof" that this person, the one who has made this remarkable prediction, yes...is from God. -- See Amos 3:7; Isaiah 49:1-7

I'll end here and see what happens. If my post is removed, there won't be any hard feelings. I just hope someone would email me and let me know why before the post was removed, because I never intended to find fault with the YORWW Congregation, but rather to give reasons why I could not believe this one conclusion as stated.

No problem...we know everyone is not going to agree with us on everything we teach.

In fact, we mentioned that in the LWF Rules Page. Here is a quote from Rule #3 on this very point. It clearly states:

"...Therefore, we at LWF, always encourage open expressions, where any from among Jehovah's Witnesses who register at LWF (and interested persons alike), can freely express his ideas and thoughts, relative to those salient viewpoints commonly held by Jehovah's Witnesses as a people. Of course, please remember in expressing your private thoughts on matters on the LWF Discussion Board, that these thoughts of yours are solidly based upon God's Holy Word, and open to scriptural "cross-examination" ON OUR PARTS, as recommended for all who wish to copy the fine example of the "beroeans" of Paul's day. -- Proverbs 18:17; Acts 17:11"

So its not a problem for us, that you disagree with some of our teachings or findings.

Hope this helps...

Agape,

yorww

EUROPEAN FIRMS DISPLAY WARES IN IRAN

A visit to an Iranian air show documents some companies with Pentagon contracts hoping to do business with America's adversary

By Lisa Myers & the NBC investigative unit

Updated: 6:14 p.m. ET Feb. 23, 2005KISH,

Source of Article

Iran - As President George W. Bush pressures European allies to get tougher with Iran, NBC News got a rare glimpse inside the country — at an Iranian air show attended by some of the world's leading military contractors eager to do business with America's adversary.

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On the island of Kish, Mullahs mixed with Ukrainian generals amid photos of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran's contempt for the U.S. was clear — emblazoned underneath a helicopter, in Farsi: "Death to America."

It's generally illegal for American companies to do business with Iran. But NBC News found more than a dozen European defense and aviation firms eager to fill the void. Some do business with the Pentagon, yet they were actively selling their wares to Iran.

"We sell to Iran [sic] Air Force," said Francois Leloup from Aerazur, a French company that markets fighter pilot vests, anti-gravity suits and other protective gear for military pilots.

"We sell mainly to security people like police," said Arnaud Chevalier with Auxiliaire Technique, which was representing a group of companies at its exhibition booth. Some of the brochures on dispay showed tank helmets, communication systems for light armored vehicles and an "infantry headset." Chevalier said such equipment was "not for sale."

NBC News showed our video from the air show to arms expert John Pike, director of the nonprofit organization GlobalSecurity.org.

"I think that the Europeans would sell their grandmothers to the Iranians if they thought they could make a buck," says Pike.

Also exhibiting at the show — European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and its subsidiary Eurocopter — which has launched a campaign in the U.S. to get a bigger share of Pentagon contracts, featuring ads that wrap the company in the American flag.

But if the company is so pro-American, why is it ignoring U.S. policy to isolate Iran?

"As a European company, we're not supposed to take into account embargoes from the U.S.," says Michel Tripier, with EADS.

"The emphasis here is on our civil helicopters. We are not offering military helicopters here," he adds.

Yet, prominent on the company's video in Iran — a military helicopter.

"It says 'Navy' in their own promotional videotape," says John Pike. "I guess they're hoping Iran's Navy is going to want to buy it."

EADS says the helicopter just happened to be on the video, and that it abides by U.S. and European rules against selling military goods to Iran.

Another company, Finmeccanica, recently won a contract to build a new version of the presidential helicopter, Marine One, as part of a group led by U.S. contractor Lockheed Martin.

It was also in Kish showing off its helicopters to Iran.

"This company is building the American president's new helicopter and they're trying to trade with the enemy!" exclaims Pike.

Steven Bryen used to be the Pentagon official responsible for preventing technology from going to countries like Iran. Now he's the president of Finmeccanica in the U.S. Does he think Iran is an enemy of the U.S.?

"I think they're our enemy at this point," says Bryen. "I mean, they're behaving like our enemy."

So why would Bryen's company trade with an enemy?

"In Europe, they don't call it the enemy," he says. "If it's a civilian item that doesn't threaten anyone, then I don't have a problem with that."

European subsidiaries of NBC's parent company, General Electric, have sold energy and power equipment to Iran, but GE recently announced it will make no new sales. (MSNBC is a Microsoft-NBC joint venture.)

Still, even with the president now pushing hard to isolate Tehran, European allies are likely to continue their role as what one company called, "a reliable partner for Iran."

ISRAEL SAYS WILL STRIKE SYRIA IF NEEDED

2/28/05 Middle East - AP

Source of Article

By JOSEF FEDERMAN, Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM - Israel's defense minister on Saturday blamed Syria and a Palestinian militant group based there for a suicide bombing that killed four Israelis outside a Tel Aviv nightclub and shattered an informal truce, prompting him to freeze plans to hand over security responsibilities in the West Bank. Syria denied the charges.

Israel has attacked Syrian targets in the past and will do so again if it deems necessary, another senior Israeli defense official said Sunday. Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said Israel will attack Syrian targets if it feels that is the way to stop attacks that originate in Damascus.

The suicide bombing, which broke two weeks of relative calm, has threatened to derail an informal cease-fire declaration by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. It also could spark new tensions between longtime foes Israel and Syria.

Abbas angrily accused a "third party" of orchestrating Friday's attack to sabotage the Mideast peace process, and his security officials said the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran (news - web sites), was involved.

In Beirut, Hezbollah, denied the accusations, and Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group with members in Lebanon and Syria, claimed responsibility, reversing initial denials by its members in the Palestinian territories.

The conflicting accounts created a rare sense of mystery around the attack, which also wounded dozens.

In the past, militant groups have been quick to praise their members for carrying out deadly bombings. But Islamic Jihad waited nearly 24 hours to claim the attack outside a crowded nightclub. The delay raised speculation among Palestinian officials that Islamic Jihad was acting on behalf of Hezbollah.

If the bombing had been planned by militants in the Palestinian territory, Abbas would be under tremendous pressure to crack down. But since it looked as if the bombing was linked to Islamic Jihad in Syria, and perhaps inspired by Hezbollah, Israel was likely to give him more leeway.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz blamed Syria after meeting with senior security commanders late Saturday in Tel Aviv. "The defense minister ruled that Israel sees Syria and the Islamic Jihad movement are those standing behind the murderous attack in Tel Aviv," a statement from Mofaz's office said.

The Bush administration strongly condemned the bombing and welcomed the Palestinian leadership's response.

"Such brutal attacks that kill and wound innocent Israelis cannot be tolerated by the Israeli people. Nor should they be tolerated by the Palestinian people, for such attacks undermine their hopes for a better future," the White House said in a statement.

U.S. officials have been in touch with the Palestinians "to urge immediate and credible action" to determine who is behind this terrorist act and to bring them to justice," according to the statement.

Israel and the United States have demanded that Syria close the headquarters of Palestinian militant groups in Damascus and end its support for other militant organizations.

Syria also faces pressure to withdraw troops from Lebanon amid accusations it was behind a massive bombing on Feb. 14 that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 16 other people. Syria has denied involvement in the slayings.

Israeli security officials said the country had no immediate plans to attack Syria but will launch a diplomatic effort in hopes of winning U.N. condemnation of Damascus. In 2003, Israeli warplanes bombed an Islamic Jihad base in Syria in retaliation for a suicide bombing that killed 19 people at a restaurant.

Syria quickly rejected the charges. Damascus "had nothing to do with the Tel Aviv operation and that this (Islamic Jihad) movement's office is closed in Syria," a foreign ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Israeli security officials said they might resume assassinating Islamic Jihad leaders in the Palestinian territories because the informal truce no longer applied to them.

Such a move, which Israel recently agreed to halt as part of a reinvigorated peace process after the death of Yasser Arafat (news - web sites) and the election of Abbas, would likely mean the end of the carefully crafted Feb. 8 cease-fire.

In a further strain, Mofaz froze plans to withdraw troops from five West Bank towns and hand over security responsibilities to the Palestinians. The handover was among the most significant gestures by Israel after the cease-fire.

In the West Bank, Abbas met earlier Saturday with security officials and Cabinet ministers to discuss a response to the attack. He also reiterated his support for the truce and said he was exchanging information with Israel, the United States and Europe.

"We believe there is a third party that wants to sabotage this process, and to harm our people and our national goals," Abbas said. "We will not hesitate to track them down and bring them to justice and punish them."

Abbas didn't elaborate on the third party, but Palestinian officials said he was referring to Hezbollah. Security officials have said the guerrilla group is the biggest threat to the cease-fire.

Abbas said the major Palestinian militant groups — Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades — had all condemned the attack. But late Saturday, Islamic Jihad, which is based in Syria, posted an announcement on its Web site claiming responsibility.

The claim was attributed to the Al-Quds Brigades, the group's military arm. It identified the attacker as Abdullah Saeed Badran, 21, from near the West Bank town of Tulkarem.

The statement said the group carried out the attack after the expiration of a monthlong pause in a period of "calm" that it had promised to the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites). The Arab TV station Al-Jazeera also aired a videotape Saturday showing a man claiming to be Badran vowing to carry out the attack.

"Let the Zionists know that they will not have security. Their houses and their cities' streets will not be safe because this country is not your country. Get out of it," the man said.

Badran, a university student, was a devout Muslim but had no history of militant activity, his parents said.

In a phone call from Lebanon, an official from the Syria-based leadership of the Islamic Jihad militant group also claimed responsibility for the bombing.

A senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed the claim, saying Hezbollah was responsible for arming the bomber and giving the orders for the attack. He also accused Hezbollah of persuading Islamic Jihad to accept responsibility to deflect attention.

Palestinian police have arrested two suspects with ties to Islamic Jihad. Israeli forces also arrested two of the bomber's brothers and four neighbors in his home village, including the local mosque preacher. The alleged driver who transported the bomber was also arrested.

In contrast to the dozens of previous suicide bombings, no celebrations were held in the West Bank on Saturday and militant groups didn't hang the customary posters of congratulations at the bomber's home. Many residents expressed anger.

"If Hezbollah was behind this attack, I as a Palestinian tell them, 'Deal with your own problems and stay out of ours,'" said Akram Abu Sbaa, 38, a resident of the West Bank town of Jenin.

HUGE BEIRUT PROTEST BACKS SYRIA

Source of Article

Many Lebanese believe they share Syria's interests Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, to applaud Syria's role in the country and reject Western "interference".

Picture Caption: "We are here to thank Syria which has stayed by our side for many years," the head of the Syrian-allied Hezbollah group told cheering supporters.

The crowd dwarfed previous opposition protests urging Syrian troops to leave.

In a speech in Washington, President George W Bush reiterated US demands for complete Syrian withdrawal.

The Beirut rally was organised by Hezbollah, a powerful political and military organisation of Shia Muslims, the largest religious minority in Lebanon.

Hezbollah officials handed out Lebanese flags and directed the men and women to separate sections, but the crowds were so large they spilled out of Riad al-Solh Square into surrounding streets.

I came here today to say no to international intervention, the US, France and Israel - I came to thank Syria

Pro-Syrian demonstrator

The group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said there would be further demonstrations in other Lebanese towns including Tripoli in the north, Nabatiya in the south and in the eastern Bekaa valley.

He also warned the US military not to interfere in Lebanon, saying: "If the American fleet lands in Lebanon, it will be defeated."

The rally took place just a few hundred metres from Martyrs Square, where predominantly Christian, Druze and some Sunni Muslims, have been holding their anti-Syria protests.

A line of military vehicles separated the two squares to avoid any possible friction between the rival demonstrators.

Redeployment

Hezbollah has grown into a powerful political force as it conducted a military campaign to push Israeli forces out of south Lebanon, which happened in 2000.

It has several MPs in parliament, an influential television station and a network of welfare and charitable organisations.

Its demonstration of support came as Syria - facing intense international pressure - began moving some of its 14,000 troops in Lebanon east, as part of a pull-back plan adopted by Lebanese and Syrian leaders in Damascus on Monday.

The US has described the plan as a "half-measure" and said all Syrian troops and intelligence officers should leave Lebanon immediately in line with UN resolution 1559, sponsored jointly by Washington and Paris.

Speaking at Washington's National Defense University, President Bush did not mention the latest rally, but repeated US demands that Syria end its presence in Lebanon before elections take place in May.

"Syria... has a long history of supporting terrorist groups determined to sow division and chaos in the Middle East. And there's every possibility they will try this strategy again," he said.

Syrian troops arrived in neighbouring Lebanon as peacekeepers during the 1975-1990 civil war, since when Damascus has kept a firm hold on the political and financial spheres in Lebanon.

France, Germany and Russia have also called for a Syrian withdrawal, as has its long-standing Arab ally, Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, large crowds gathered in Martyrs Square for protests to mark three weeks since the death of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, killed in a car bomb blamed by many on Syria. Damascus has consistently denied responsibility.

THOUSANDS ANSWER HEZBOLLAH CALL IN BEIRUT

1 hour, 58 minutes ago Top Stories - AP

By TANALEE SMITH, Associated Press Writer

Source of Article

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Nearly 500,000 pro-Syrian protesters waved flags and chanted anti-American slogans in a central Beirut square Tuesday, answering a nationwide call by the militant Shiite Muslim Hezbollah group for a demonstration to counter weeks of massive rallies demanding Syrian forces leave Lebanon.

Organizers handed out Lebanese flags and directed the men and women to separate sections of Riad Solh Square. Loudspeakers blared militant songs urging resistance to foreign interference. Demonstrators held up pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and signs saying, "Syria & Lebanon brothers forever."

Other placards read: "America is the source of terrorism"; "All our disasters are from America"; "No to American-Zionist intervention; Yes to Lebanese-Syrian brotherhood."

Black-clad Hezbollah guards handled security, lining the perimeter of the square and taking position on rooftops. Trained dogs sniffed for bombs.

Large cranes hoisted two giant red-and-white flags bearing Lebanon's cedar tree. On one, the words, "Thank you Syria," were written in English; on the other, "No to foreign interference."

The demonstration was in front of U.N. offices. Hezbollah opposes the U.N. resolution drafted by the United States and France last year calling for Syria to withdraw its 14,000 troops from Lebanon.

In Washington, President Bush (news - web sites) demanded again that Syria pull its troops out of Lebanon and allow free elections. "All Syrian military forces and intelligence personnel must withdraw before the Lebanese elections for these elections to be free and fair," he said.

A Syrian official in Damascus said on condition of anonymity Tuesday that its intelligence agents would be pulled back along with the regular army.

Riad Solh Square is just a few blocks from another downtown square where opposition protesters have been rallying for days, demanding that Syria withdraw its troops.

Tuesday's rally was far bigger than the more than 70,000 anti-Syrian protesters who filled nearby Martyrs' Square on Monday. That was the biggest rally yet of anti-Syrian furor, as demonstrators waved Lebanon's cedar-tree flag and thundered, "Syria out!"

There were no independent estimates of Tuesday's crowd, but at least 500,000 people crowded Riad Solh Square and nearby streets. The Lebanese army blocked the road between the two squares with an armored carrier.

"I ask our partners in the country or those looking at us from abroad: Are all these hundreds of thousands of people puppets? Is all this crowd agents for the Syrians and intelligence agencies?" Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said to cheers from the crowd.

At least one opposition leader said the pro-Syrian government pressured people to turn out Tuesday and some reports said Syria bused in people from across the border.

A day after the Syrian and Lebanese leaders announced that Syrian forces would redeploy to eastern Lebanon before the nations discuss a full withdrawal, most of the troops were still in position, with Associated Press reporters in the mountains overlooking Beirut seeing only scattered movement of military trucks heading toward the Bekaa Valley.

A truck carrying 11 soldiers and supplies headed east at midmorning but most of the military traffic was moving in the other direction — empty trucks and buses traveling west apparently to collect soldiers and equipment.

Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim group, has been mobilizing its followers from across the country for the protest, also meant to denounce the U.N. resolution that also called for dismantling militias — a point Hezbollah sees as aimed at its well-armed military wing.

Hezbollah is widely admired both within Lebanon and across the Arab world for driving Israeli forces out of the country's south. It also has the organizational capability and party discipline to mobilize massive street protests, drawing its strength from the Shiite Muslim community, Lebanon's largest religious sect with 1.2 million people.

In the outlying heavily Shiite regions of the Bekaa and the south, loudspeakers had urged followers to travel to Beirut for the protest.

Opposition leaders, who have been courting Hezbollah's support to oust Syrian troops, accused Lebanese intelligence agents of exercising pressure on municipalities, public schools and institutions to drive up the number of demonstrators.

Hezbollah officials denied the charges, saying it is part of a campaign to make the demonstration seem "imposed and involuntary."

Hezbollah, founded by Iran (news - web sites) and backed in part by Syria, has emerged as a key player in the latest political instability, capable of tilting the balance either in favor of the government or the opposition.

Cabinet Minister Talal Erslan drew cheers Tuesday when he said the crowd came from all over Lebanon "to affirm our gratitude to Syrian president Bashar Assad."

"We have come here to affirm Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and unity ... and say no to the flagrant foreign interference in our affairs," he said.

Participants stressed that the foreign influence they referred to was from the United States, France and other countries, not Syria, which they welcomed.

"Syria should not leave. We are one hand and one people," said 16-year-old Esraa Awarki, who traveled by bus from Sharkiya in southern Lebanon. "Why do they want us to split now?"

At one point, the crowd observed a moment of silence for former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, whose assassination in a Feb. 14 bombing triggered the weeks of anti-Syrian demonstrations. Many Lebanese accuse Syria and Lebanon's government of responsibility for Hariri's death; both deny any involvement.

Faced with incessant international pressure and raging Lebanese opposition, Assad on Saturday announced his troops would withdraw after nearly three decades in Lebanon. On Monday, he met with President Emile Lahoud in Damascus and jointly announced a plan.

But the plan set no deadline for the complete withdrawal of Syrian troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon, and Washington rejected the pullback as insufficient. The plan also was unlikely to satisfy the Lebanese opposition and the rest of the international community.

Washington wants a full withdrawal of Syrian soldiers and intelligence agents before Lebanese parliamentary elections expected in April and May. The White House called the Lebanese-Syrian plan "a half measure."

Syria has had troops here since 1976, when they were sent as peacekeepers during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. When the war ended, the troops remained and Syria has dominated Lebanon's politics ever since.

Under the plan announced Monday, all Syrian troops in Lebanon would fall back to eastern regions near Syria by March 31. Military officers will decide by April 30 the duration and size of Syrian forces to remain in that region. After that period, the two governments would decide on a date for pullout.

QAEDA ALLY MAY TARGET U.S. THEATERS, SCHOOLS

Sun Mar 13, 4:42 PM ET Top Stories - Reuters

Source of Article

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's chief ally in Iraq, may be planning attacks on "soft targets" in the United States including movie theaters, restaurants and schools, Time magazine reported on Sunday.

White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley would not discuss the specific warning, which Time said was circulated among U.S. security agencies last week in a restricted bulletin.

But he said the administration was concerned about reports -- "which we think are very credible" -- that Zarqawi is working more closely with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda organization.

Hadley said movie theaters, restaurants and schools "are the kinds of targets we know that al Qaeda has traditionally been concerned about."

"But we, at this point sitting here, do not have evidence of a specific operation by Zarqawi's organization targeting those kinds of targets. We just don't have that kind of information at this point," Hadley told CNN's "Late Edition."

The warning comes two weeks after President Bush, in a rare public mention of the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, said stopping bin Laden from a new attack on U.S. soil was "the greatest challenge of our day."

Time said the bulletin was based on the interrogation of a member of Zarqawi's organization.

It cited Zarqawi's belief that "if an individual has enough money, he can bribe his way into the U.S.," by obtaining a visa to Honduras and then traveling across Mexico and the southern U.S. border.

But the magazine quoted intelligence agencies as saying there is no evidence that Zarqawi's agents have infiltrated the United States.

Bin Laden has eluded U.S. efforts to hunt him down, and he occasionally surfaces in a video or audiotape to show followers he is still alive. U.S. intelligence agencies believe he is hiding in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Zarqawi, blamed for orchestrating insurgent attacks against U.S. forces and Iraqis, has become the most hunted man in Iraq. In December, an audiotape message purportedly from bin Laden formally named Zarqawi as the head of al Qaeda in Iraq.