CRC Open Sources
Counterterrorism Research Center Open-Source Intelligence Briefs
June 22, 2009
IRAN: World Tribune reports (from Iranian pro-democracy sources) that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC’s Basij paramilitary force have employed Shia Hizballah and Sunni Hamas operators in Iran in attacks against “anti-government [pro-democracy] protesters in the wake of the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”
So much for Western sympathizers and enablers of Jihadi-terrorists who since 9/11 have been propagating disinformation re: Shia and Sunni not operationally collaborating. Fact is, Shia and Sunni extremists do – and have – collaborated on every front worldwide for decades.
According to open sources: Farsi-speaking undercover security agents are issuing the orders. The orders are then translated into Arabic. The translated commands are given to “the militias.” The militias are attacking the demonstrators.
Our sources are telling us, IRGC forces “are utilizing foreign fighters from Lebanon” because – with all of the international focus on Iran – the IRGC does not want to appear “in an official capacity” to be conducting direct-action operations against Iranian civilians. The IRGC wants its foreign subsidiaries Hizballah and Hamas to do its dirty work. And the operations are ongoing.
Tom Harb, secretary general of the International Lebanese Committee for the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, tells us: “The UN must immediately investigate the validity of these disturbing reports, because this – like so many other Hizballah activities –would be in direct violation of UNSCR 1559 and 1701.”
IRAQ: On the victory-in-Iraq front (which far too many Western journalists and American politicians who have pretended to support the troops, but who have done their level-best to undermine U.S. military operations in Iraq since 2003): we have more news of amazing albeit underreported success on the ground in that country.
According to Agence France Presse and Stars & Stripes: “The U.S. Army handed over a base in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, once a bastion for anti-U.S. insurgents, to Iraqi forces on Saturday as the deadline nears for its pullout from Iraq’s cities. The transfer of the Joint Security Station comes barely more than a week before a June 30 deadline for U.S. forces to pull out of Iraq’s urban centers as required by a security accord signed between Baghdad and Washington in November.”
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger – commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, author, longtime friend of ours, and a general-officer with a reputation of leading from the front in combat – said, “This land has been bought with a very high price: 136 US soldiers and 184 Iraqi soldiers shed their blood to protect Sadr City [between January 2006 and present].”
Bolger added: “We Americans did not give you this place: you have earned it, paid with Iraqi blood, sweat and tears. … Fighting here was fierce and deadly. Thank God the worse of that has passed. ”
Bolger added that American forces would return to Sadr City “to respond to violence if requested by the Iraqi government.”
NORTH AMERICA: Christopher Holton, a vice president with the Center for Security Policy (CSP) and the director of the CSP’s Divest Terror Initiative, emails: “This evening [Saturday] we were alerted to a new, disturbing event involving a Jihadist organization holding an event at a private Islamic school in the Chicago, IL area. The purpose of the event is to call for Shariah and Islam to replace capitalism.
More detail at Shariah Finance Watch.
— Chris Carter contributed to this report.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.
In: Geopolitics · Tagged with: Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, IRGC, Shariah Finance
Hezbollah Unlikely to Remain Angry at Biden
On May 22, U.S. vice president Joe Biden traveled to Lebanon to express support for the Lebanese government. Biden’s trip has drawn criticism from the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, but considering Biden’s history regarding Hezbollah and their handlers, the anger isn’t likely to be long-lived.
The Central News Agency reported that Biden would deliver a message from President Obama expressing U.S. support for Lebanese stability, discussing cooperation with the Lebanese military, and calling for the implementation of security resolutions, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Biden’s trip was the second trip in two months by a high-ranking American official (Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited in April) and was the first by an American vice president in 26 years. George H.W. Bush traveled there in 1983, two days after Hezbollah terrorists killed 241 American Marines, sailors, and soldiers.
“Lebanon has suffered terribly from war and we have a real opportunity now … for peace,” Biden said after meeting with President Michel Suleiman. “So I urge those who think about standing with the spoilers of peace not to miss this opportunity to walk away from the spoilers.”
Hezbollah is now accusing the U.S. of trying to influence the vote in favor of the pro-freedom, Western-backed March 14 Alliance. They claim that the visits by Clinton and now Biden raised “strong suspicion and amounted to a clear and detailed interference in Lebanon’s affairs.”
“The U.S. will evaluate the shape of its assistance program based on the composition of the new government and the policies it is advocating.” Biden said of future American assistance to Lebanon. Since 2006, the U.S. has contributed over $400 million worth of military assistance alone to Lebanon – including ammunition, artillery, M60 battle tanks, Raven unmanned aerial vehicles, and other weapons systems.
“The high American interest in Lebanon raises strong suspicion as to the real reason behind it,” said Hezbollah in a statement, “especially since it has become a clear and detailed intervention in Lebanese affairs.” Apparently Biden’s call for “fair, free and transparent elections” classifies as an “intervention in Lebanese affairs” to Hezbollah.
But the terrorist group will not likely remain angry at Biden. Back in 2007, Biden voted against a Senate amendment that would name Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – Hezbollah’s benefactor – as a terrorist organization.
Read the rest at the International Analyst Network
In: Geopolitics · Tagged with: Hezbollah, Iran, IRGC, Joe Biden, Lebanon
Radio host Michael Savage banned from UK
Britain Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has attacked free speech again. This time, Smith banned U.S. talk show host Michael Savage and 15 others for “fomenting hatred”. Smith decided to release the list of people banned by the British government since October from entering the country.
In her defense, she has banned some notable bad guys, including Samir Kuntar – the now-released Hezbollah child murderer, also banned were a Ku Klux Klan grand wizard, a neo-nazi, and a HAMAS MP. Madeleine Gruen has more on the banned at the Counterterrorism Blog.
But this comes from the same Home Secretary who banned Dutch PM Geert Wilders for releasing the film Fitna the same time as she allowed the editor of Hezbollah’s newspaper to conduct a national speaking tour. Not exactly what I would call consistent.
“I think it’s important that people understand the sorts of values and sorts of standards that we have here, the fact that it’s a privilege to come and the sort of things that mean you won’t be welcome in this country,” Smith told GMTV in an interview.
Exactly what values and standards did Savage violate? Understandably the KKK and HAMAS have extreme views, but what are Savage’s? I listen to Savage from time to time, and trust me – if there was hatred fomented, I would not waste my time.
In: Politics, Religion, Society · Tagged with: free speech, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islam, Jacqui Smith, KKK, Michael Savage, UK
Poland Withdraws from UNIFIL and HAMAS on the market for new MANPADS
LEBANON – A Polish ambassador announced that Poland will withdraw its 450-member force from Lebanon after a Polish officer was arrested by Hezbollah.
On March 28 in Southern Lebanon, a UNIFIL patrol was stopped by armed Hezbollah militants. Hezbollah searched the vehicle, seizing a map and camera, which were handed over to authorities. The Polish officer was arrested and handed over to the Lebanese army.
NOW Lebanon reports that an investigation is underway as to why the captain took pictures without permission from UNIFIL and whether he was spying for Israel.
Poland – who has maintained a peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon since 1982 – blames their withdrawal on the global economic downturn. Agence France Press reported that Poland announced their intention to withdraw in February 2009. They are also ending their troop commitments to Chad and the Golan Heights.
GAZA – HAMAS terrorists got a nasty surprise when they tried to shoot down an Israeli helicopter during their 22-day war with Israel in January.
According to The World Tribune, HAMAS had smuggled four American-made Stinger portable anti-aircraft missile systems through Egypt in 2008. When an (American-made) Israeli Apache attack helicopter came under fire by HAMAS, the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system on the Stinger would not allow the gunner to target what the system thought was a friendly target. When the missile was launched, instead of acquiring the helicopter, it picked up the heat signature of a HAMAS machine gun position.
“The Stinger was drawn by the heat of our guns rather than the engines of the Israeli helicopters,” The Tribune‘s source said. “At that point, we stopped using this weapon.”
The source said that HAMAS is now on the market for a Russian-made SA-16.
In: Military, National Security · Tagged with: Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon, Operation Cast Lead, Poland, UNIFIL
Pot, meet Kettle
This is a transcript of the Unto the Breach program. Click here for the audio.
The U.K. newspaper the Guardian revealed this morning that
One of the chief Iranian concerns revolves around suspicion that the US is engaged in covert action aimed at regime change, including support for separatist groups in areas such as Kurdistan, Sistan-Baluchestan and Khuzestan.
How can Iran say that with a straight face? Iranian-funded, -trained, and -supported terrorists are operating in dozens of countries. Iranian terrorist cells are all over Europe, Latin America, even the United States. Hamas governs the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah has 50,000 rockets pointed at Israel and has veto power in the Lebanese government. As we revealed yesterday, we are now fighting Iranian proxies in Iraq rather than al Qaeda.
Remember that until 9/11, Hezbollah was responsible for more U.S. deaths than any other terrorist group. In 2008, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff described Hezbollah as “the A-team of terrorists in terms of capabilities, in terms of range of weapons they have, in terms of internal discipline.” And Iran is concerned that the U.S. may be up to something?
In: Geopolitics · Tagged with: Hamas, Hezbollah, Hillary Clinton, Iran
Blackwater Navy
Decatur's Conflict with the Algerine at Tripoli. Reuben James Interposing His Head to Save the Life of His Commander.
Transcript from Wednesday December 17, 2008′s Situation Report. Click here for link to the audio.
Two hundred years ago, Islamic pirates off the coast of North Africa were disrupting the shipping lanes. Nations were forced to pay tribute to the Barbary pirates, but merchant ships were still being held for ransom.
The tributes and ransom payments amounted to almost one-fifth of our nation’s GDP. Congress authorized military action against the Barbary pirates, and the U.S. Navy began a campaign to protect our shipping in the Mediterranean.
One of our frigates, the Philadelphia, hit an uncharted reef off Tripoli harbor. Pirates captured the vessel and its crew of 307. Naval Lt. Stephen Decatur recaptured the Philadelphia and destroyed it. British Admiral Horatio Nelson called Decatur’s raid the “the most bold and daring act of the age.”
Marine Corps Lt. Pressley O’Bannon led a daring raid that resulted in the capture of the city of Derna and forced the leader of Tripoli to surrender. O’Bannon’s action inspired the lyrics “to the shores of Tripoli” in the Marine Hymn.
In: National Security · Tagged with: Hezbollah, pirates, Somalia
Iran’s Ramazan Corps – Iranian-Backed Terrorism in Iraq
Originally published at Family Security Matters
Bill Roggio, managing editor of The Long War Journal (which provides in-depth reporting and analysis on the war on terror), says – despite press reports to the contrary – “Iranian influence [in Iraq] has declined since the surge.”
Roggio should know. An adjunct fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a contributing author at The Weekly Standard, Roggio has been following the war since 2003, including several trips to Iraq as an embedded reporter.
In an exclusive interview, Roggio discusses Iran’s support of Shia terrorist groups inside that country.
CHRIS CARTER: You have extensively covered Iran’s backing of numerous Shia terror groups in Iraq. This should be of great concern to America as hundreds of U.S. troops have been killed as a result of Iranian intervention. Which groups do the Iranians support?
BILL ROGGIO: Iran’s backing of the Shia insurgency has been widely downplayed in the U.S. press. But Iran has worked to destabilize the nascent Iraqi government while murdering U.S. troops. The U.S. military estimates about 10% of U.S. deaths are caused by Iranian-supported groups. Iran supplies the deadly explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, as well as rockets, mortars, sniper rifles, and other weapons to its proxies in Iraq. It has set up an entire command, the Ramazan Corps, to direct operations in Iraq.
In: National Security · Tagged with: EFP, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Mahdi Army, Qods Force
Transcript of W. Thomas Smith Interview
Recently on Unto the Breach, we interviewed military analyst W. Thomas Smith, Jr. on the activity of the terrorist organization Hezbollah. The audio can be found here. Following is a transcript of the interview.
In: National Security · Tagged with: Hezbollah, Iran, IRGC, Lebanon, Quds Force
Counterterrorism Expert on Unto the Breach
W. Thomas Smith, Jr. will be appearing on Unto the Breach on Friday, September 5. He will be discussing Hezbollah’s recent activities in Lebanon.
From his website, uswriter.com:
Author, journalist, nationally-acclaimed military analyst W. Thomas Smith, Jr. specializes in counterterrorism and international defense issues: His work appearing in The New York Post, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, Human Events, many others.
A former U.S. Marine rifle-squad leader and parachutist, Smith is a technical consultant for military tech films airing on The Military Channel. He directs the Counterterrorism Research Center of the Family Security Foundation, and he is a contract technical editor for two major book publishing houses.
Smith — a columnist and veteran war correspondent — has covered conflict in Iraq, Lebanon, the Balkans, and on the West Bank.
In: National Security · Tagged with: Hezbollah, Lebanon
Photos of Hezbollah operating in Nigeria
The following photos prove that the Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah, which U.S. Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff calls “the A-team of terrorists,” operates outside of Lebanon and is establishing outposts worldwide. These photos were posted today at World Defense Review.
Below you see the terrorist Hezbollah flags. Posters are of Hassan Nasralleh (the leader of Hezbollah), the late Hamas chief Ahmed Yassin, and two Iranian Ayatollahs: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (who began the Iranian Islamic Revolution), and Ayatollah Ali Khomeini (the current Ayatollah). The terrorist army receives $1 billion annually in financial support from Iran.
Not only does Nigeria have a Shiia majority, it also has a large Lebanese immigrant population.
In: Geopolitics · Tagged with: Hezbollah
