Tel-Chai Nation

The Washington Times (via Hot Air) has a very disturbing story on how the Justice Department dropped a case it already won by default against 3 members of the new Black Panther party who conducted voter intimidation at a Philly polling station:

Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of wielding a nightstick and intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day, according to documents and interviews.

The incident - which gained national attention when it was captured on videotape and distributed on YouTube - had prompted the government to sue the men, saying they violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act by scaring would-be voters with the weapon, racial slurs and military-style uniforms.

Career lawyers pursued the case for months, including obtaining an affidavit from a prominent 1960s civil rights activist who witnessed the confrontation and described it as “the most blatant form of voter intimidation” that he had seen, even during the voting rights crisis in Mississippi a half-century ago.

Here's 2 videos of the incident:


The DoJ's move to dismiss the case is clearly politicized. All concerned should contact the House Judiciary Committee at once.

Update: here's more at Election Journal.

Others on the subject include Right Wing News, Michelle Malkin (plus, another one), QandO, Scared Monkeys, Doug Ross @ Journal, Adam's Blog, Fire Andrea Mitchell, Cold Fury, Fort Wayne News, Right Pundits, Red State, The Weekly Point, TIW Blog, Winkydog, The Harrington Report.

Labels: political corruption, United States

In Nashville, TN, there is a hotel called Loew's Vanderbilt whose owner appears to be leftist, and who breached a contract with a conservative group, canceling a meeting they were going to hold that would feature Geert Wilders (Hat tip: Israpundit):

The manager of a prominent Nashville hotel cancelled a contract with a conservative foundation to hold a conference this weekend on radical Islam, apparently after learning that the group would feature a keynote address by controversial Dutch parliamentarian and filmmaker, Geert Wilders.

Muslim groups succeeded in preventing Wilders from screening “Fitna,” his 15-minute movie on radical Islam, in the House of Lords this February, on claims it was insulting to Muslims, and dogged him during a recent U.S. tour as well.

Thomas A. Negri, managing director of Loew’s Vanderbilt Hotel and Office complex in Nashville, told Newsmax on Wednesday that he had taken the extraordinary step of cancelling the conference at the last minute “for the health, safety and well-being of our guests and employees.”

Negri refused to say why he felt the conference would adversely affect the “health, safety and well-being” of the hotel’s guests and employees, except to refer to the website of the New English Review, the group organizing the conference.

The website features articles that warn about radical Islam written by activists, journalists and scholars, including former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, and former Muslim scholar, Ibn Warraq.

One article, written by a retired U.S. army intelligence officer, Jerome Gordon, warns of the growing problems caused by the recent influence of several thousand Somali Muslim refugees who have come to work for a nearby Tysons Food plant to replace illegal Hispanic meat packers.

Negri appeared at a 2003 pro-immigration event on the same dias with a well-known Somali warlord, Gordon told Newsmax.

In a written statement to the conference organizers, Negri said that the hotel had “not received any information related to a specific security threat concerning this event,” and declined to provide any justification for cancelling it at the last minute.

One of the conference organizers told Newsmax on Wednesday that the group was considering a lawsuit against Negri and the Loew’s hotel chain for “unlawful breach of contract.”

Yes, sue him! As for those considering a vacation with that hotel, my advice is to cancel your reservation ASAP.

Labels: islam, Moonbattery, United States

In Haaretz, they publish an article in which Israeli officials tell how they're let down with the Obama administration over its favoritism for the palestinians (Hat tip: Jihad Watch):

Tensions between Washington and Jerusalem are growing after the U.S. administration's demand that Israel completely freeze construction in all West Bank settlements. Israeli political officials expressed disappointment after Tuesday's round of meetings in London with George Mitchell, U.S. President Barack Obama's envoy to the Middle East.

"We're disappointed," said one senior official. "All of the understandings reached during the [George W.] Bush administration are worth nothing." Another official said the U.S. administration is refusing every Israeli attempt to reach new agreements on settlement construction. "The United States is taking a line of granting concessions to the Palestinians that is not fair toward Israel," he said.

The Israeli officials attributed the unyielding U.S. stance to the speech Obama will make in Cairo this Thursday, in which he is expected to deliver a message of reconciliation to the Arab and Muslim worlds. [...]

Herzog spoke to Mitchell and his staff about understandings reached by former prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Ariel Sharon with the Bush administration on allowing continued building in the large West Bank settlement blocs. He asked that a similar agreement be reached with the Obama government.

If only. However, can we be clear here: don't sugarcoat whatever agreements were reached with the Bush administration. Because even he, and his then secretary of state, Condoleeza Rice, were against it. What is the point of overlooking that? It does not help matters.

Update: in a related subject, here's a report from the Bulletin on how the State Dept. and Obama are opposing Jewish building even in Jerusalem.

Labels: anti-semitism, Israel, political corruption, United States

Oh wow, just what we need (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin):

US President Barack Obama will visit Riyadh next week for talks with King Abdullah on Middle East peace, Iran and terrorism, on the eve of his long-awaited address to the Muslim world in Egypt.

The visit, which will represent Obama’s first steps in the Middle East as president, will come as he attempts to forge a new approach to revive stalled regional peace talks and tries to prod Iran to the negotiating table.

“The president will meet with his majesty King Abdullah to discuss a range of important issues, including Middle East peace, Iran and terrorism,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, adding that the talks would take place on the evening of June 3.

“The president believes it’s a chance to discuss a lot of important business and he thought it was a good opportunity to do that,” he said.

Gibbs however said that the decision to make the stop, did not arise out of any specific proposal discussed by Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their high-stakes talks in Washington last week.

But senior Obama aides have hinted privately that any new US plan could involve an expansion of a 2002 Saudi-inspired peace initiative which several Arab states have been advancing.

The initiative calls for full normalization of relations between Arab states and Israel, a full withdrawal by Israel from Arab land, the creation of a Palestinian state and an “equitable” solution for Palestinian refugees.

Ahead of next week’s trip, which also includes visits to Germany and France for World War II commemorations, Obama will meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday at the White House.

Bleah. That's all we need too.

Labels: House of Saud, islam, political corruption, United States

Finally, we get to see some justice done in dealing with some funders of Islamic terrorism:

Two founding members of what was once the nation's largest Muslim charity were each sentenced to 65 years in prison Wednesday for funneling millions of dollars to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Shukri Abu Baker, 50, and Ghassan Elashi, 55, were among the five members of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis. The men and Holy Land were convicted in November on 108 charges.

The convictions followed a mistrial in which the government in 2007 failed to sway jurors that the now-defunct charity, based in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was in fact aiding Hamas.

The two Holy Land leaders were convicted on charges ranging from supporting a terrorist organization to money laundering and tax fraud. The group wasn't accused of violence but of bankrolling Hamas-controlled schools and social welfare programs.

Mufid Abdulqader, 49, was sentenced to 20 years on three conspiracy counts. Mohammad El-Mezain, 55, got 15 years for one count of conspiracy. Abdulrahman Odeh received 15 years for three conspiracy counts.

A judgment of $12.4 million was assessed against four of the defendants because they were convicted of money laundering.

"These sentences should serve as a strong warning to anyone who knowingly provides financial support to terrorists under the guise of humanitarian relief," said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security, in a statement.

There's still more that needs to be done though in making sure that criminals like those mentioned above are brought to justice and will serve prison sentences, and will also be shunned by sane society. For now, this is very good news to be found.

Labels: islam, jihad, terrorism, United States, war on terror

Phyllis Chesler writes about more cases of women betraying and assisting in the maiming/torture of their own sex, in the world of Islam and other places in history. She also wrote a book on the subject, Women's Inhumanity to Women.

Labels: islam, misogyny

Moshe Ya'alon continues with some wise observations about why the 2-state propaganda must be left behind:

(IsraelNN.com) Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe (Boogie) Yaalon believes that the time has come for Israel to “free itself from the failed paradigm” of the “two-state solution.” Yaalon spoke Tuesday at a meeting of MKs dedicated to finding an alternative to the creation of a Palestinian Authority-led Arab state.

While the creation of a PA-led state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is perceived as a necessity both in Israel and worldwide, such a state would not solve the Israel-PA conflict, said Yaalon. In fact, he said, it is doubtful that the possibility of creating such a state exists, due to Arab and Muslim reluctance to take any step that would imply recognition of Israel or compromise on Arab claims to the entire Land of Israel.

On some related notes, aside from that, the government is going to have to a]take convincing steps to prove that it will allow for new homes to be built, and b]will not keep on dismantling "outposts". So far, I assume that Ehud Barak, who wants to do the latter, has been convinced by those concerned in the coalition not to, as he has backed off of destroying several homes in Ofra. But there's still much more that needs to be done about the problem, and let us note that even Netanyahu cannot be ignored here.

Labels: Israel, terrorism

Muslims in Seattle are showing their anti-semitic side at the same time as they oppose any security program that's meant to teach how to deal with them (Hat tip: Jihad Watch):

Saying it's not going to take sides in someone else's feud, the Seattle Police Department is going ahead with a racial-awareness training program that has raised concerns among some local Muslims.

They are troubled not by the content of the training program but by the organization that produced it: the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a 32-year-old Los Angeles-based Jewish human-rights organization perhaps best known for its Holocaust education work.

They accuse the Wiesenthal Center of spreading fear toward Islam by producing or promoting films about extremism within Islam. And they, like many other Muslims elsewhere, are also angry at the center for building a Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem partially on top of what once was an ancient Muslim cemetery.

"The center has an anti-Muslim agenda, to be frank," contends Arsalan Bukhari, president of the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

The Wiesenthal Center disagrees.

The disputed land on which the Jerusalem museum is being built has been used as a parking lot for about the past 50 years, according to the center. And Liebe Geft, director of the center's Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, says the films in question take on anti-Semitism and the dangers of a small subsection of Islam, not Islam as a whole.

The center "does not condemn Islam. It actively confronts Islamophobia," Geft said.

The Seattle Police Department got caught in the middle when it began looking for a training program for employees on race issues.

It found Perspectives on Profiling, a Wiesenthal Center program geared toward people in law enforcement. The program features interactive exercises and vignettes on CD-ROM of real-life scenarios officers might encounter.

The goal is to make officers more conscious of what and how they think about race, and how their thinking might affect the split-second decisions they make on the streets every day.

The department considered other programs but "this was far and away the best quality," said Deputy Chief Clark Kimerer. The cost was also "remarkably low," he said: about $18,000.[...]

That decision disappoints a local coalition composed of mainly Muslims, but including people of other faiths as well.

They say Seattle police should not be undertaking training sponsored by a group they believe is spreading fear of Muslims, regardless of how good the training is.

And they should not be claiming innocence and undermining America's right to defend itself against Islamofascism.

And it's just like them to make up lies about Jews "pilfering land" from "poor, innocent" Islamists. The very same Islamists who were nazi collaborators in the Holocaust.

Labels: anti-semitism, islam, United States

Another sign that they're just as dangerous as Iran. This is the second I know of that the Norks have tested (H/T: Michelle Malkin):

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Global leaders quickly directed their anger at North Korea on Monday for carrying out a nuclear bomb test that US President Barack Obama called a threat to world peace.

While South Korea put its military on alert, the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting to discuss the North Korean explosion -- a much bigger follow-up to its first nuclear test in 2006 -- and reports that it also tested a short-range missile.

"These actions, while not a surprise given its statements and actions to date, are a matter of grave concern to all nations," Obama said in a statement.

"North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile programme, constitute a threat to international peace and security."

"The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants action by the international community," said the US president, whose military chief of staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said the North was becoming "increasingly belligerent".

If Obama is really concerned about this, something that might be within even closer range to the American continent than even Iran's own nukes, why then is he cutting back on missile defense systems? (H/T: Fullosseous Flap)

According to this news clip, Japan is asking for an emergency UN security council meeting. I really wouldn't trust those jokers in the UN either.

Others on the subject include Macsmind, Fire Andrea Mitchell, Stop the ACLU, The American Pundit, The Liberty Boys, The Rude News, Neoavatara.

Labels: Asia, Japan, terrorism

Joe Kaufman writes in Front Page Magazine about CAIR's Ahmed Bedier, a most vicious anti-semite who's still continuing to spit out his venom.

Labels: anti-semitism, CAIR corruption, islam, United States

An act of terrorism took place in the Big Apple (H/T: The Jawa Report):

NEW YORK (WABC) -- An explosive device blew out the windows of a Starbucks coffee shop in a blast that rocked an Upper East Side neighborhood.

The loud blast was heard at the intersection of Third Avenue and East 92nd Street just before 4 a.m.

The explosion took place on 92nd and 3rd avenue.

Police are still looking for the person who left the device outside of the Starbucks.

The time of day echoed that of a pattern of unsolved early morning blasts that have occurred outside the British Consulate, the Mexican Consulate and the Armed Forces recruiting booth in Times Square over the past two years.

"The similarity is the time. The Mexican consulate, the British consulate, the Times Square bombing event at the recruiting station, we have this event. They all happened between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. that's the immediate similarity we are looking at," said Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Now who could've been responsible for this, anti-war and/or anti-military thugs, or Islamic terrorists?

Labels: terrorism, United States

Benjamin Netanyahu has shown some courage and rebuffed Barack Obama's call to freeze "settlement" activity (Hat tip: Hot Air):

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rebuffed U.S. calls for a full settlement freeze in the occupied West Bank and vowed not to accept limits on building of Jewish enclaves within Jerusalem.

The note of defiance set the stage for a possible showdown with U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration, which, in talks with Netanyahu in Washington last week, pressed for a halt to all settlement activity, including natural growth, as called for under a long-stalled peace “road map.”

“The demand for a total stop to building is not something that can be justified and I don’t think that anyone here at this table accepts it,” Netanyahu told his cabinet, referring to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, according to an official.

Netanyahu said Israel had no plans to set up any new West Bank settlements. But he told Obama, according to the official, that his government “does not accept limitations on building” within what Israel defines as its capital, the Jerusalem municipality, an area that includes Arab East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank captured in a 1967 Middle East war.

Of course, he's going to have to prove that he can provide any necessary permits for building if needed, and that he won't let Ehud Barak try to stall any projects.

In a related report in the Jerusalem Post (via Power Line), Moshe Yaalon said something very important too:

"We will not follow American dictates. We will not halt construction in the settlements," Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon told Channel 2's Meet the Press on Saturday.

Ya'alon was referring to the American demand that Israel halt all settlement activity, voiced by US President Barack Obama to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during their meeting last week.

"Settlements are not the reason that the diplomatic process failed," Ya'alon said. "The settlements were not an obstacle to peace at any point [in the talks]. Even when Israel evacuated swathes of land, terrorism continued. Even when we uprooted communities, all we got in return was 'Hamastan'. This is why I suggest we think it over - but not with slogans or dictates."

The former IDF chief of staff emphasized that the government will not allow the establishment of new outposts, but clarified: "We will not halt the expansion of settlements which is a result of natural growth. There are people living here, raising their children here. We need to build homes for families' residence - it's not this which has prevented peace."

"What the US demands," he said, is "not a dictate. We'll see how they translate the statements into policy. Their envoy [to the Middle East, George] Mitchell will come, and we will talk to him. I suggest that neither the US, nor us, decide on a timetable in advance."

"From the banks of the Potomac, you don't always fully understand the situation, and here Israel's job is to help its ally," Ya'alon said, also criticizing dissent from within: "The dialogue in Israel presents us as peace objectors - the problem is within us."

I highly admire Yaalon for his courage as well. He is correct in pointing out how concessions to date have only led to war, and that's why such an approach cannot continue.

Labels: Israel, United States

Tom Tancredo, whom I once thought was a decent politician, is now suggesting that he's got a bizarre double-standard (Hat tip: Hot Air):

Admitting that it may be “political suicide” former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo said its time to consider legalizing drugs.

He spoke Wednesday to the Lincoln Club of Colorado, a Republican group that’s been active in the state for 90 years. It’s the first time Tancredo has spoken on the drug issue. He ran for president in 2008 on an anti-illegal immigration platform that has brought him passionate support and criticism.

Tancredo noted that he has never used drugs, but said the war has failed.

“I am convinced that what we are doing is not working,” he said.

Tancredo told the group that the country has spent billions of dollars capturing, prosecuting and jailing drug dealers and users, but has little to show for it.

“It is now easier for a kid to get drugs at most schools in America that it is booze,” he said.

He said the violent drug battles in Mexico are moving north. A recent ABC News report profiled how easy it has become for violent drug cartels to smuggle cocaine into the United States. Drug enforcement officials told ABC that Denver is a hub city for distribution.

And did it ever occur to him that legalizing drugs would actually be quite an award for those violent thugs? I'm disappointed in him. In fact, I vaguely recall that a Denver paper may have reported that he wouldn't support a resolution on the Armenian Holocaust. Was this true? Because if so, I think that was very stupid too. Getting back on the drug subject, does he really think that's going to reduce the number of scum selling with a license or any kind of a legal permit? Nope, because then, there'll still be some scum who will try to sell these things cheaper and without even a prescription. In fact, one of the commentors on Hot Air said something like that too.

Oh well. Some politicians can sure be strange people.

Labels: RINOs, United States

Greece has just endured a Muslim riot of its own, over the alleged defacing of a Koran (via Jihad Watch):

Dozens of cars have been smashed, 14 people injured and 46 arrested in riots by Muslim migrants over the alleged defacing of a Koran by a policeman.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of protesters outside Parliament in the city centre.

Police said they would investigate the allegation that an officer tore up an Iraqi migrant's Koran while checking his identity papers in Athens last week. "But this isolated incident cannot justify these acts of violence," said Interior Minister Christos Markoyiannakis.

It won't be an isolated incident much longer if they continue to allow these "migrants" to enter their country.

Labels: Europe, islam

Michelle Malkin writes about the jihadist recruitments taking place right within the walls of prison facilities in the US. Yet even president Obama is doing nothing on his part to deal with the serious menace facing America inside the cells of the jails themselves, something that the quartet of homegrown terrorists captured during their attempted hit in Riverdale were spawned from.

Labels: islam, jihad, terrorism, United States, war on terror

It's now Jerusalem Day, and the prime minister, upon returning to the country, had some things to say:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday never to divide Jerusalem, and pledged to keep the capital united under Israeli sovereignty.

"Jerusalem was always ours and will always be ours. It will never again be partitioned and divided," Netanyahu said at the official state ceremony marking Jerusalem Day and the reunification of the capital during the Six Day War 42 years ago.

"Only under Israeli sovereignty will united Jerusalem ensure the freedom of religion and freedom of access for the three religions to the holy places," he added.

The prime minister prefaced his remarks with a reference to his meetings with US President Barack Obama and other American officials earlier in the week, saying he had made the same declarations during that trip.

In an earlier address, President Shimon Peres said that Jerusalem, while sacred to others, is the only capital Israel and the Jewish people have ever known.

"Jerusalem is held sacred by half of mankind [but] it has been and always will be Israel's capital. We never had another and it has never been the capital of any other people."

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat lauded Netanyahu for his opposition to divide Jerusalem.

"With the world examining us let it be said here: We will never divide Jerusalem," Barkat said.

You said it, pal.

Update: here's a video from the Western Wall ceremony.

Labels: Israel

A gang of Latino racists in California now stands trial for their deadly crimes:

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Authorities say they have indicted about 150 members of a predominantly Latino gang in the shootings of black victims and other crimes.

U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Thom Mrozek says federal and local agencies are conducting a series of arrests Thursday targeting members and associates of the Varrio Hawaiian Gardens street gang.

Mrozek says a federal racketeering indictment to be unsealed later Thursday will detail gun, drug and other charges stemming from the racial attacks.

The gang was first investigated following the murder of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy in 2005.

What they don't mention here of course, is if any of these gangbangers are illegal immigrants. But could they be? What I do know is that, for such violence, they should rot in hell.

Labels: immigration, racism, United States

Here's something that the MSM most likely won't consider important. From the St. Petersburg Times (via Interested Participant and The Jawa Report):

TAMPA — The father wanted to root his boys in Islam, so he sent them to the mosque for overnight prayer.

His sons loved the mosque, just north of Kennedy Boulevard near downtown. They played inside the blue building called Masjid Omar Al Mukhtar and rode their bikes to the nearby Wendy's and KFC.

The mosque was the house of Allah, the safest place the family knew.

Then, Sunday morning, one of the boys, a 13-year-old, called his mother, begging to be brought home. He said the imam had sexually assaulted him, police said.

"I'm still dizzy about it," the father told the St. Petersburg Times. "As Muslims, we come to the house of Allah to rid ourselves of sin we commit outside the house of Allah. We do not go to the house of Allah to sin."

I wonder though if that means, they don't go there to sin against each other? I get the feeling this is one Islamist who doesn't seem to realize that the quasi-liberal elements of Islam allow that to happen.

Tampa police charged Yasser Mohamed Shahade, 35, with sexual battery. An Egyptian who arrived two months ago as the mosque's full-time imam, Shahade was held without bail at the Falkenburg Road Jail. The Sheriff's Office notified immigration officials of his arrest.

Shahade declined an interview request Thursday. He will be represented by a public defender.

The Times is not identifying the victim or his family because of the nature of the crime.

The father knows that many Muslims would have kept this matter private.

He could have quietly moved his family to another mosque and left Shahade behind.

"Some people feel that airing your dirty laundry, the shame comes on you. No. Our family does not feel shame," he said. "If we had let him go, he would've done it to somebody else."

I suppose we could give him credit for having the guts to call the authorities. And yet, he signals a serious problem with the Islamic community - its insular tactics, where they de facto keep things like these secret, making it difficult for anyone to take proper action and be informed.

Labels: islam, United States

On the issue of "settlements". While Obama himself may not have actually brought this up, Hilary has, probably because it's easier that way:

"We want to see a stop to settlement construction, additions, natural growth - any kind of settlement activity," declared Clinton in some of the Obama administration's clearest comments to date on what it expects from Israel. She was speaking to Al-Jazeera in an interview, of which the State Department released a transcript on Wednesday.

The part about "natural growth" is the most offensive part. That is like saying that a woman is not allowed to get pregnant, which, now that I think of it, almost alludes to Obama's own support for abortion. (Update: and on that subject, it's worth noting that a good percentage of Americans are now more pro-life than pro-abortion.)

Labels: anti-semitism, Israel, political corruption, State Dept, United States

Yes, they were all homegrown, and converted in prison (Hat tip: Weekly Standard blog):

The FBI busted a homegrown terror cell late Wednesday night as the men sneaked around a Jewish temple in Riverdale planting what they thought was packages of C-4 explosives, sources told the Daily News.

The four African American men, three of whom were said to be jailhouse converts to Islam, also allegedly had what they believed was a working Stinger missile in their car.

Officials said they hoped to shoot down a plane at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh in Orange County.

Sources said the four men were arrested after a year-long investigation that began when an informant connected to a mosque in Newburgh said he knew men who wanted to buy explosives.

FBI agents posing as militants sold them what they thought was 30 pounds of C-4 and a plane-downing Stinger missile.

The weaponry was all phony.

But, the intentions of the Islamic converts were real.

Arrested was alleged ringleader James Cromitie of Newburgh, the son of an Afghan immigrant and his African American wife.

Cromitie served a long stretch in prison in the past.

Alleged henchment David Williams, Onta Williams and Leguerre Payen were busted with him.

Sources said the three were jailhouse converts to Islam.

"This shows the real risks we face from homegrown terror and jailhouse converts, and the need for constant vigilance," said Rep. Pete King (R-NY).

As I thought, allowing jailhouse practice of the RoP is dangerous and should be banned. For now, they should interrogate the men to know just who their converter was and what he had to say in that scary world behind bars.

Update: Team Sugar has a press statement from mayor Bloomberg congratulating the authorities on their excellent work in stopping these terrorists, who were also plotting to attack a US military site.

Others on the subject include Jihad Watch, Atlas Shrugs, Hot Air Headlines (plus, a fuller topic), Confederate Yankee, Religion Clause, Political Pistachio, OS Smoothie, Theodore's World, Northeast Intelligence Network, The Purple Center, ZTruth, Islamization Watch, Report on Arrakis, Intellectual Conservative, Triphow, The NEIN Blog, Freedom Eden, The Point Rider Republican, The Lambeth Walk, Nuke Gingrich, Doug Powers, Steve Lackner, Gathering of Eagles NY, The Daley Gator, South Florida Daily Blog, Gecko Feeder, Ace of Spades HQ.

Labels: anti-semitism, islam, jihad, terrorism, United States, war on terror

I thought the story of a user who's Facebook group was hacked and hijacked by terrorists and the company did nothing about it was bad enough. But now, it looks like Islamofascists may have more ideas in store for how to terrorize Israelis:

Jerusalem — Israeli intelligence has issued an unprecedented warning: Terrorists may use Facebook as a weapon in their war of terror.

A senior Israeli officer identifies recently fired high-tech workers or young career women seeking work abroad as potential terrorist targets for Facebook infiltration.

Their method is simple: monitor personal details on social networks and send their targets a tempting offer — for example, a dream job in Europe — with the hope they will also be able to obtain information, recruit spies and maybe even a kidnap an Israeli.

That is the Israel security establishment’s nightmare, and it believes Hezbollah already uses this technique.

An Israeli citizen recently told law enforcement authorities he had been solicited on Facebook by someone who introduced himself as a businessman from Lebanon. The businessman asked him to relay intelligence information in return for a fee.

Israel security sources say this instance was not the only case, and they believe Hezbollah has engaged in some of these activities.

I'm starting to wonder if Facebook is even worth any sensible person's time? Maybe not, and if Facebook's management won't do anything to stop this either, or cooperate with authorities trying to prevent these potential crimes, then they do not deserve having you as a customer.

Labels: anti-semitism, jihad, Lebanon, terrorism

Again, we cannot underestimate these filthy fiends. From the AP Wire:

TEHRAN, Iran – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran test-fired a new advanced missile Wednesday with a range of about 1,200 miles, far enough to strike Israel, southeastern Europe and U.S. bases in the Middle East.

The announcement will not reassure the U.S. government, coming just two days after President Barack Obama declared a readiness to seek deeper international sanctions against Iran if it shunned U.S. attempts to open negotiations on its nuclear program. Obama said he expected a positive response to his outreach for opening a dialogue with Iran by the end of the year.

And you can be sure he will get none.

"Defense Minister (Mostafa Mohammad Najjar) has informed me that the Sajjil-2 missile, which has very advanced technology, was launched from Semnan and it landed precisely on the target," state radio quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. He spoke during a visit to the city of Semnan, 125 miles east of the capital Tehran, where Iran's space program is centered.

Serious action needs to be taken. Negotiations will not avail in the face of evil.

Labels: iran, jihad, terrorism

I saw some of the broadcast from the White House press conference yesterday. I figured that, while Obama did bring up the two-state nonsense, he would decide it best to refrain from making too many disturbing statements beyond that. Netanyahu did very well on his part. Now, he's paid a visit to the House of Reps, where, if there's anyone who may be a problem, it's John Kerry:

The issues of a nuclear Iran and a new Palestinian Authority state should be dealt with independently, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, headed by Senator John Kerry.

Senator Kerry has been in the forefront in demands that Israel stop all building for Jews in Judea and Samaria. He also visited Gaza earlier this year, the first leading American official to do so since the terrorist organization seized power in Gaza and ousted Fatah, headed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

I am so glad this awful man did not get elected president 5 years ago.

Labels: iran, Israel, jihad, United States

And that's despite how the Islamists who took it over did it in violation of the law (H/T: Jihad Watch):

THE conversion of a derelict inner-city pub into a mosque, carried out without planning permission, has been given the green light by councillors.

The Planning Committee was furious that owners of the former Bulls Head pub in Birchfield Road, Handsworth, had carried out the building work and extensions before securing their approval.

But they decided that the mosque was better than a boarded-up pub and reluctantly agreed to allow it.

Committee member Coun Margaret Waddington (Con, Sutton Trinity) said: “They know they had to have planning permission before they did anything, and yet here we are looking at an application retrospectively.

“I would not be inclined to support this for that reason, but looking at the site, the mosque would be better for local people than a derelict building attracting vandalism and anti-social behaviour.”

Yeah. Because Islamists never do such things, do they?

Labels: islam, londonistan

This is really sad. On the eve of Israel's 61st statehood anniversary:

BUENOS AIRES (JTA) -- A violent anti-Semitic demonstration erupted in downtown Buenos Aires during a public celebration of Israel's 61st anniversary.

On late Sunday afternoon, shortly after Jewish families and their non-Jewish neighbors began Independence Day celebrations at a “Buenos Aires Celebrates” event, a group of about 20 people came out of a subway depot with anti-Semitic banners and signs and fighting broke out.

According to the organizers, a number of Jews were beaten and required medical attention, the French news agency AFP reported.

“In the middle of the cultural festival, the group attacked with complete impunity," Aldo Donzis, the DAIA Jewish local political umbrella institution president, told JTA. "Five police officers who were standing in a corner took a long time before acting. Two people from the public were hurt as well as a policeman. Many of the aggressors ran away, but five of them were caught by the policemen and others from the public who chased them.”

DAIA officials said the group will take legal action against the five aggressors.

“It was really a very violent act,” said Donzis.

Are these parchance worshipers of Hugo Chavez? Nah, probably not; even today, this kind of monstrous demonstration of satan-worship is still tragically prevalent in South America. And I fear that authorities may have been at least half-ignorant here too.

Labels: anti-semitism, Latin America

On the eve of Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington DC to meet with Barack Obama, Anne Bayefsky writes on NRO about the danger of Obama taking up the strategy of betraying Israel to the UN:

In advance of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States on Monday, President Obama unveiled a new strategy for throwing Israel to the wolves. It takes the form of enthusiasm for the United Nations and international interlopers of all kinds. Instead of ensuring strong American control over the course of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations or the Arab-Israeli peace process, the Obama administration is busy inserting an international mob between the U.S. and Israel. The thinking goes: If Israel doesn’t fall into an American line, Obama will step out of the way, claim his hands are tied, and let the U.N. and other international gangsters have at their prey.

It began this past Monday with the adoption of a so-called presidential statement by the U.N. Security Council. Such statements are not law, but they must be adopted unanimously — meaning that U.S. approval was essential and at any time Obama could have stopped its adoption. Instead, he agreed to this: “The Security Council supports the proposal of the Russian Federation to convene, in consultation with the Quartet and the parties, an international conference on the Middle East peace process in Moscow in 2009.”

This move is several steps beyond what the Bush administration did in approving Security Council resolutions in December and January — which said only that “The Security Council welcomes the Quartet’s consideration, in consultation with the parties, of an international meeting in Moscow in 2009.” Apparently Obama prefers a playing field with 57 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, 22 members of the Arab League — most of whom don’t recognize the right of Israel to exist — and one Jewish state. A great idea — if the purpose is to ensure Israel comes begging for American protection.

Read the rest of the article as well. Not that it makes any difference who takes charge of negotiations; even Obama himself is bad news. Whatever's to be, Netanyahu must stand up to Obama.

Labels: Israel, UN corruption, United States

The JTA reports that a $116 million lawsuit against the PLO has been upheld:

(JTA) -- A U.S. judge would not rescind his decision ordering the PLO to pay $116 million to the family of victims of a terrorist attack.

Ronald Lagueux, a federal judge in Providence, R.I., said Wednesday that the Palestine Liberation Organization was liable because of its refusal during the trial early in this decade to mount a defense; PLO leader Yasser Arafat refused to recognize U.S. sovereignty in the matter.

Yaron Ungar, a U.S. citizen, and his wife Efrat were shot dead as they traveled with their infant son near Beit Shemesh, a town near Jerusalem that also adjoins the West Bank.

In recent filings, the PLO blamed Hamas for the attack, saying it sought to sabotage Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. The lawsuit targeted Hamas and the PLO, saying that the PLO was responsible as well because it gave the terrorists safe harbor. Hamas has never contested the suit.

It was not clear if the PLO planned an appeal.

But they could. Don't be surprised if they'll appeal all the way to Obama if that's what it takes for them not to pay the money they owe.

Labels: anti-semitism, islam, Israel, jihad, terrorism, United States, war on terror

If the Islamic religion, as revealed by this survey in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (via The American Thinker), has a very low following in Hawaii, then why is the legislation approving of "Islam day" of all religions they could celebrate?

Andrew Bolt says that this will not be repeated after 2009. Let's hope not, but that still doesn't mean they should be approving of this in the first place. Those who opposed it because of the RoP's role in 9-11 are absolutely correct.

Update: The Daily Sentinel and Jihad Watch are both asking a good question: why is the ACLU silent about this?

Labels: islam, United States

This is fortunate. Roxana Saberi has been freed from Iran:

VIENNA – Roxana Saberi, the American journalist freed after some four months in an Iranian prison on spying charges, left the country and flew to the Austrian capital with her parents early Friday.

After landing at Vienna's airport, Saberi said she planned to spend a few days in the city to recover from her ordeal.

"I came to Vienna because I heard it was a calm and relaxing place," Saberi said. "I know you have many questions but I need some more time to think about what happened to me over the past couple of days."

Her father, Reza Saberi, said they were staying with a friend in Austria. The family was accompanied by an unidentified man.

Saberi, poised and smiling, thanked all those who supported her during her ordeal — including Austria's ambassador to Iran and his family, whom she described as "very helpful."

"Both journalists and non-journalists around the world, I've been hearing, supported me very much and it was very moving for me to hear this," Saberi said.

Saberi, referring to several statements made about her case over the past few days, stressed she was the only one who knew what really happened.

"Nobody knows about it as well as I do and I will talk about it more in the future, I hope, but I am not prepared at this time," she said.

Saberi did not specify how long she planned to stay in Austria, saying only: "We're going to stay here for at least a few days and then go on to the United States."

She said it was still unclear if she would also travel to France, where a film she co-scripted premiered at the Cannes Film festival on Thursday. The film's director is Saberi's partner.

The 32-year-old journalist, who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and moved to Iran six years ago, was arrested in late January and was convicted of spying for the United States in a closed-door trial that her Iranian-born father said lasted only 15 minutes.

Saberi's mother, Akiko, also thanked all those who supported her daughter over the past few months.

"We're just so happy to be here," she said.

She was freed on Monday and reunited with her parents, who had come to Iran to seek her release, after an appeals court reduced her sentence to a two-year suspended sentence.

The United States had said the charges against Saberi were baseless and repeatedly demanded her release. The case against her had become an obstacle to President Barack Obama's attempts at dialogue with the top U.S. adversary in the Middle East.

At one point, Saberi held a hunger strike to protest her imprisonment, but she ended it after two weeks when her parents, visiting her in prison, asked her to stop because her health was weakening.

Saberi had worked as a freelance journalist for several organizations, including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp.

After her arrest, Iranian authorities initially accused her of working without press credentials, but later leveled the far more serious charge of spying. Iran released few details about the allegations that she passed intelligence to the U.S.

Even now that she's free though, Iran is still very dangerous, and should not be underestimated. Remember, Iran's got the nuclear tech, and it's tragic that Obama is opposing Israel's right to defend itself and demanding that Israel not take action without "coordinating" with him.

Labels: Europe, iran, islam, misogyny, United States

WorldNetDaily reports on a case of a police official in Nashville, among others, who refuse to do anything to investigate child abuse occuring at a local mosque (via Jihad Watch):

Counter-terror researcher says detective feared Islamic lobby groups.

A counter-terrorism expert researching extremism at U.S. mosques claims authorities in Nashville, Tenn., ignored his report of child abuse by teachers at a local mosque due to fear of retribution from Muslim organizations such at [sic] the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Dave Gaubatz, a former Air Force special agent, told WND he informed the local prosecutor, the FBI and Sgt. Brooks Harris of the Metropolitan Police Department in Nashville of a 7-year-old girl who says teachers at the Al-Farooq mosque "hit the children" during Shariah, or Islamic law, lessons.

Harris insists he was not initially given enough information to pursue the case and denies he said anything about fearing legal action from the Council on American-Islamic Relations – CAIR – or any other Islamic groups.

Gaubatz stands by his claims and insists he gave Harris all of the necessary information to pursue the allegation in March. Gaubatz posted audio of the child on his blog in which she allegedly mentions her "husband" and says her legs hurt from the beatings. Gaubatz said other mosque attendees confirmed that some worshippers practiced polygamy.

The mosque reportedly is frequented by many Somalis, and Islamic websites say services are offered in Somali.

I think the residents of Nashville who recognize the seriousness of the situation should demand that this Harris either quit or be fired from his job. Even the CPS should be panned if they're refusing to pursue the case.

Labels: CAIR corruption, islam, misogyny, United States

Donald Trump has acted wisely and assured Carrie Prejean that she's not fired and will retain her title and her 2nd place crown (via Hot Air Headlines, and there's more over here). On the other hand, he could set an even better example by telling Perez Hilton to take a hike for resorting to obscenities. And he could set an even BETTER one by keeping politics out of the paegeant altogether.

Update: Prejean is going to guest host Fox & Friends.

Labels: United States

During the Pope's visit here to Israel, a sick PA chief sheik named Tayseer Tamimi opened his bigoted mouth. The Pope left, though not before shaking his hand:

Chief Islamic Judge of the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, launched a poisonous verbal attack on Israel at a Monday night gathering attended by Pope Benedict XVI.

In a meeting with organizations involved in inter-religious dialogue at the Notre Dame Jerusalem Center, Tamimi called upon Muslims and Christians to unite against what he said were the murderous Israelis.

Taking the podium after the pope without being on the original list of speakers scheduled for the evening, Tamimi, speaking at length in Arabic, accused Israel of murdering women and children in Gaza and making Palestinians refugees, and declared Jerusalem the eternal Palestinian capital.

Following the diatribe and before the meeting was officially over, the pope exited the premises. Army Radio reported that the pope shook Tamimi's hand before walking out.

This is the only part that dismays me. That fiend did not deserve a handshake.

Minutes after the embarrassing occurrence, Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, released a response to the incident.

"The intervention of Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi was not previewed by the organizers of the interreligious meeting that took place at Notre Dame Centre in Jerusalem," the message read. "In a meeting dedicated to dialogue, this intervention was a direct negation of what [it] should be," it continued.

"We hope that such an incident will not damage the mission of the Holy Father aiming at promoting peace and interreligious dialogue, as he has clearly affirmed in many occasions in this pilgrimage," Father Lombardi added.

"We hope also that interreligious dialogue in the Holy Land will not be damaged by this incident," the message concluded.

Thank you for your apology, Vatican representatives.

Labels: anti-semitism, islam, Israel

The New York Daily News reports that Louis Caldera's dismissal from office is now official (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin). Guess that's another flunkie Obama is now throwing under the bus.

We don't know it, but did Obama have anything to do with the decision, and is Caldera just a fall-guy? Did Rahm Emanuel have anything to do with it? Did anyone in the higher hierarchy know about this or have anything to do with it beforehand? These are more questions that may never be answered.

Labels: Moonbattery, United States

Norman Podhoretz, who supported the "disengagement" four years ago, has suddenly turned around, and is talking about how Obama administration could threaten Israel (via Daniel Pipes).

I have to wonder though if this has something to do with Obama's being a liberal as opposed to Dubya being a conservative. Is the real reason Podhoretz is doing this because a Democrat is in charge now, and it's okay to worry about a Dem, but not a Republican president?

Labels: Israel, United States

On YnetNews, they write about how Jews driven out of Gaza are still waiting for compensation that Ariel Sharon's government did not give them, nor did Ehud Olmert's:

Some three and a half years after Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip, the state commission of inquiry tasked with probing the status of Gush Katif evacuees is set to finally start its work.

"I have some expectations. I hope we can get to the truth, that the reality of what was done to the evacuees will surface," Aharon Hazut, a former resident of Gan Or, told Ynet.

Hazut currently lives in Nitzan, a community in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. "The most important thing is that the government will find a way to rehabilitate the evacuees and to reintegrate them into normal life," he said Saturday.

"Unfortunately, (former Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert's government failed to deal with the situation, and in fact, did everything it could not to rehabilitate the evacuees. It took 30 years to close the Yamit Administration and only four years to shut down ours."

The time has now come to pay back these people who were driven out of their homes by a wolf in sheep's clothing who cared for no one but himself and/or his own family, and who, most disturbingly enough, even used an anti-semitic tactic when he said that after the disengagement, "there will be no Jews left in Gaza."

Labels: Israel

Barack Obama is planning a trip to Egypt, and is planning to deliver a speech to the Islamic world there. But if there's anyone who's not impressed, it's the Muslim Brotherhood, which may well be on their way to taking over the country one day:

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood dismissed Saturday U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to deliver a speech to the Muslim world from Egypt as part of a plan to keep Arab and Muslim states divided.

Deputy leader Mohamed Habib said overtures by the United States to countries like Syria and Iran, and recent visits by U.S. officials to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, indicated the speech would be used to further the superpower's pro-Israeli agenda.

"The U.S. administration is trying to use each of these countries individually to serve the American agenda and American interests, in addition to securing, promoting, protecting and guaranteeing the superiority of the Zionist entity (Israel)," Habib told Reuters.

The Brotherhood is Egypt's largest and most powerful opposition group, and seeks an Islamic state through democratic means. It disavowed violence decades ago and is officially banned, but operates relatively openly.

Obama will deliver a speech to the Muslim world in Egypt on June 4 in which he will seek to repair ties that were severely damaged under his predecessor George W. Bush.

"The statements are rosy, but politics is not built on statements as much as it's based on practices on the ground. Let's wait and see," Habib said.

The Brotherhood controls roughly a fifth of seats in Egypt's lower house of parliament. The group played a seminal role in the development of Islamist ideology and political groups around the Muslim world.

This report predictably glosses over how the Brotherhood is anything but non-violent, and if they're trying to gain an Islamic state through democracy, it's only in order to destroy democracy afterwards.

It's no surprise that no matter what the US does, they still consider it "pro-Israeli", when even Dubya was hardly at all helpful to Israel's cause. And even the part about ties being damaged is overlooking a ton.

Labels: anti-semitism, Egypt, islam, United States

Have you ever wondered what - or who - can cause a real toothache? Just take a look at the latest incident of Islamism in Absurd Britannia (via Jihad Watch):

A Muslim dentist refused to treat patients unless they wore traditional Islamic dress, it was alleged today.

Omer Butt, 32, ordered women to put on head scarves or he would not register them or their families at his NHS-funded clinic, it was claimed.

At least two patients were left in pain after they declined to follow his self-imposed rules, the General Dental Council heard.

It is the second time that the dentist - who is the brother of a former spokesman of the radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun - has appeared before the council's disciplinary panel on similar allegations.

Two years ago he was reprimanded for telling an Asian mother-of-two he would not register her unless she wore the Muslim hijab.

The GDC heard how Butt believed it was his duty to stop Muslim patients committing what he believed was Al-Kaba'ir, a religious sin.

He even put a laminated sign on the wall of his waiting room telling patients they would have to adhere to his strict dress code or find another dentist.

John Snell, for the GDC, said: 'He sought to impose a dress code on patients attending his practice.

'He required that women cover their hair with a head scarf, or hijab, and that male patients remove any gold jewellery.

'If he had simply expressed a preference, without imposing any compulsion to adhere to this dress code, there may be no cause for complaint.

'However, he insisted - and those who did not comply were refused treatment.

'He made compliance with Islamic dress code a condition of treatment, which is entirely inappropriate under the auspices of the National Health Service.

'Patients should have access to NHS treatment regardless of their religious observance, or otherwise.'

This is the real toothache that'll be awaiting Britain's dental patients if Muslims are allowed to take over the medical industry.

Labels: islam, londonistan, misogyny

Unfortunately, it doesn't bring back the murdered girl. But here, the gross lubricant turned himself in:

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) - A man who Connecticut police say sparked two fearful days at a university by killing a student and threatening a campus shooting spree surrendered Thursday night after seeing his photo in a newspaper.

Stephen P. Morgan, 29, was taken into custody about 9:15 p.m. after stopping at a Cumberland Farms convenience store in Meriden, about 10 miles from the Wesleyan University campus.

Clerk Sonia Rodriguez told The Associated Press that she didn't recognize Morgan when he came in and scanned the newspapers. He asked to use the phone but had trouble dialing, so he asked Rodriguez to dial the police department for him.

After he finished his call, Morgan walked outside to wait for police, Rodriguez said. She didn't realize there was anything wrong until several officers arrived and threw Morgan to the ground to arrest him.

When police told Rodriguez that Morgan was wanted for Wednesday's fatal shooting of 21-year-old Johanna Justin-Jinich in Middletown, "I got nervous and I started crying," she said. "I just got very, very scared."

This is understandable. What if he'd threatened her as well? It could've happened, and she's lucky it didn't.

Morgan is being held on $10 million bond and is due in court Friday morning.

Justin-Jinich was shot several times inside a bookstore cafe just off campus by a gunman wearing a wig. Authorities have said Morgan and Justin-Jinich have known each other since at least 2007, when Justin-Jinich filed a harassment complaint against him while they were enrolled in a summer class at New York University.

An official with knowledge of the investigation told The AP that police stopped Morgan shortly after the shooting, spoke to him and let him go, only to later realize he was a suspect.

They're lucky they managed to catch him.

When police confiscated Morgan's car they found a journal in which he spelled out a plan to rape and kill Justin-Jinich before going on a campus shooting spree, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is under investigation.

Wesleyan officials said that police told them that Morgan targeted Wesleyan students and Jews in his journals. Justin-Jinich, of Timnath, Colo., came from a Jewish family, and her grandmother was a Holocaust survivor.

Morgan's brother Greg told the AP that Morgan wasn't anti-Semitic. His family issued a statement pleading with Morgan to turn himself in "to avoid any further bloodshed."

Maybe he wasn't, but he certainly is a misogynist, if he wrote repugnant ideas like those in the that journal of his. And he certainly does seem to have a mindset akin to that of the perpetrators of the Columbine bloodbath. I think the foul creature's family would be doing better not to claim he wasn't an anti-semitic racist if what he wrote in his journals tells otherwise. All the brother is doing is making himself look disgraceful.

Greg Morgan did not immediately return calls placed by The Associated Press after police announced the arrest. There was no answer at the home of Morgan's father.

A woman answering the phone for Justin-Jinich's father said the family had no comment Thursday night on Morgan's arrest. She would not identify herself.

Apparently applying the lessons of Virginia Tech, police and administrators locked down the 3,000-student campus and stepped up patrols as authorities launched a hunt for the killer.

"We are all breathing a little easier with this news," Wesleyan President Michael Roth said Thursday night.

Wesleyan officials had told students to stay indoors and staff members to stay home. Most buildings on campus, including cafeterias and the library, were locked Thursday. Normally bustling sidewalks were empty, and police cruisers patrolled the campus of the elite liberal arts school.

They're right to be concerned. There's every possibility that a Virginia Tech style massacre could've been conducted, and it's good they learned a lesson from that tragedy by acting responsibly.

Labels: anti-semitism, misogyny, United States

There are not that many TV shows I care to check out these days; most of what I watch today are old. But here's a little list with intro clips of what I consider worth trying out. For example:

Perry Mason (1957-1966), based on Earle Stanley Gandner's novels:

Ironside (1967-1975):

Mission: Impossible (1966-1973):

Mannix (1967-1975):

Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980). Oh yes, mustn't forget that ("Book 'em Dan-o!"):

The Streets of San Francisco (1972-1977):

Kojak (1973-1978):

Magnum PI (1980-1988):

Remington Steele (1982-1987):

Maybe someday, I'll try to come up with a TV blog on which to discuss nostalgia for that very medium. For now, this should do.

Labels: showbiz

Warner Todd Huston has it right - where's the outrage over Obama's plan to cut benefits for families of slain police officials?

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration wants to cut almost in half a benefits program for the families of slain police and safety officers.

The president's proposed budget calls for cutting the Public Safety Officers' Death Benefits Program from $110 million to $60 million.

Justice Department budget documents say the reduction is being made because "claims are anticipated to decrease" because the number of officers killed in the line of duty has been decreasing.

As a matter of fact, as Huston tells:

The director of a police survivors group begs to differ, however. They have found that police officers killed on duty have gone up 21 percent over last year's numbers already.

And that's why the plan to cut the budget is really stupid, and insulting to the families of the slain officers. But the leftist MSM clearly does not care. And next thing you know, we're going to hearing that another 10 million was taken out of this.

Labels: political corruption, United States

It hadn't been in the news for awhile, apparently because of a gag order, but now, the trial of the 18 members of a terrorist cell in Toronto has been held, and one of them whose name is Saad Khalid, has plead guilty (via Hot Air), in a surprise turnaround from his previous claim of innocence:

The Globe's Kirk Makin was the one reporter and media representative scrambled to the almost empty courtroom here when defence lawyers for Mr. Khalid and another accused awaiting trial obtained a temporary but sweeping ban on publication before Mr. Khalid formally entered his plea.

Now 22, he pleaded guilty to a single count of participating in a terrorist organization "with the intention of causing an explosion or explosions that were likely to cause serious bodily harm or death" or damage property.

This charge says that he was acting in support of other conspirators whose names are subject to an earlier ban on publication.

It also links Mr. Khalid to what prosecutors allege was a truck-bomb plot, with the targets allegedly under discussion including the CN Tower, the Toronto Stock Exchange, the offices of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and a military base.

Another group of the accused are alleged to have participated in a terrorist training camp in 2005, where, prosecutors say, they took weapons training and heard jihadist speeches exhorting them to take action.

Send him to the slammer, please! There are at least nine more awaiting trial, and it's to be hoped that they get convicted as well.

Labels: Canada, jihad, terrorism, war on terror

A horrific murder has taken place: a Jewish woman was murdered by a stalker at the Wesleyan College:

Authorities hunting nationwide for a gunman in disguise who killed a Wesleyan University student said the shooter had threatened the victim before, and they warned Jewish groups to be "vigilant" because he is apparently targeting them.

Police identified the suspect, who opened fire Wednesday on junior Johanna Justin-Jinich while she was working at a cafe bookstore, as 29-year-old Stephen Morgan.

The pair had attended a program together at New York University when Morgan began sending her harassing e-mails, according to a New York City police report.

"This was not a random act of violence," Middletown, Conn., Police Chief Lynn Baldoni told reporters Thursday. "Evidence uncovered overnight suggests that Mr. Morgan may be focused on the Wesleyan campus as well as the Jewish community."

If the vermin who did this isn't someone who worships Islam, then the subject becomes this: does this not tell that anti-semitism hasn't vanished in America?

I hope the police catch the POS as soon as possible. He should be sent to the chair for his crime.

Update: culprit arrested.

Labels: anti-semitism, misogyny, United States

Dhimmitude in the Island State, and it makes no difference whether this involves spending money or not, it's stupid and careless (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin):

Hawaii's state Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday to celebrate "Islam Day" _ over the objections of a few lawmakers who said they didn't want to honor a religion connected to Sept. 11, 2001.

The Senate's two Republicans argued that a minority of Islamic extremists have killed many innocents in terrorist attacks.

"I recall radical Islamists around the world cheering the horrors of 9/11. That is the day all civilized people of all religions should remember," said Republican Sen. Fred Hemmings to the applause of more than 100 people gathered in the Senate to oppose a separate issue _ same-sex civil unions.

The resolution to proclaim Sept. 24, 2009, as Islam Day passed the Senate on a 22-3 vote. It had previously passed the House.

The bill seeks to recognize "the rich religious, scientific, cultural and artistic contributions" that Islam and the Islamic world have made. It does not call for any spending or organized celebration of Islam Day.

Doesn't matter. It's still doing exactly what those brave few who objected cite: giving recognition to a religion that led to 9-11.

Others on the subject include Right Voices, DianeJ's Weblog, The Underground Conservative, The Daley Gator, Pirates' Cove, Democrat = Socialist.

Labels: dhimmitude, islam, political corruption, United States

Surprising news: even Egypt is worried about Iran's nukes. However, they still have negative views on Israel:

The new US administration's engagement with Iran could be a positive move as long as there are clear parameters and a timetable for negotiations, and as long as the concerns of Arab states like Egypt are kept in mind, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry representative said Wednesday.

"We told them that this is a good step," spokesman Hossam Zaki told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday about US President Obama's decision to conduct talks with Iran. "Confrontation so far has had negative effects... but you have to know on what terms you are engaging and until when you are engaging. If you decide on these issues, then it is possibly a good move."

While Iran is a regional power that shares a common Islamic heritage with the Arab world, their behavior "is subversive in many ways and we have to keep them in check," he said.

On Wednesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Egypt's view on the danger of nuclear weapons did not distinguish between Israeli capabilities and the dangers that the Iranian case could pose, especially if its program became one with military capability that threatened regional security.

"Possession of any nuclear weapons in the Middle East is unacceptable by Egypt... particularly as the current confrontation between Iran and the West and Israel has consequences for the stability and peace in the region," he said, according to a statement released by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Zaki was quoted by the Middle East News Agency this week as saying that Israel's nuclear abilities posed the first and greatest threat to the region.

No kidding. Then even if they consider Iran a greater threat, their stand on Israel is still disgusting.

Labels: anti-semitism, Egypt, iran, Israel, political corruption, terrorism

The vice-president is getting arrogant against Israel (Hat tip: But as for Me):

Vice President Biden challenged Israel to back a two-state peace agreement with the Palestinians and urged the Jewish state's new leadership to demonstrate its commitment to such a solution.

In a speech Tuesday to the leading pro-Israel lobby in the United States, Biden said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government should stop constructing new Jewish settlements and ease restrictions on Palestinians.

"Israel has to work toward a two-state solution," Biden told the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. "You're not going to like my saying this, but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement."

Biden also urged the Palestinians to meet their obligations to the so-called "road map" for peace and said neighboring Arab states need to make "meaningful gestures" toward peace with Israel. He said the U.S. would never abandon its commitment to Israel's security.

Oh really? Then why might Obama try to force Israel to give up its own nukes and draw a moral equation between that and Iran (via Hot Air)?

President Obama’s efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons threaten to expose and derail a 40-year-old secret U.S. agreement to shield Israel’s nuclear weapons from international scrutiny, former and current U.S. and Israeli officials and nuclear specialists say.

The issue will likely come to a head when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Mr. Obama on May 18 in Washington. Mr. Netanyahu is expected to seek assurances from Mr. Obama that he will uphold the U.S. commitment and will not trade Israeli nuclear concessions for Iranian ones.

Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller, speaking Tuesday at a U.N. meeting on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), said Israel should join the treaty, which would require Israel to declare and relinquish its nuclear arsenal.

This Gottemoeller has a track record of demanding Israeli disarmament:

However, Ms. Gottemoeller endorsed the concept of a nuclear-free Middle East in a 2005 paper that she co-authored, “Universal Compliance: A Strategy for Nuclear Security.”

“Instead of defensively trying to ignore Israels nuclear status, the United States and Israel should proactively call for regional dialogue to specify the conditions necessary to achieve a zone free of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons,” she wrote.

The paper recommends that Israel take steps to disarm in exchange for its neighbors getting rid of chemical and biological weapons programs as well as Iran forgoing uranium enrichment.

Yeah, right, that'll work out quite well. If they tell Israel to dump its own nuclear weapons, then that only contradicts Biden's own disgraceful blather.

Update: Melanie Phillips writes about how Obama wants to throw Israel under the bus.

Others on the subject include Fire Andrea Mitchell, The Llama Butchers, The Lioness, Soccerdad, Always to the Right, Neoavatara, The Loud Talker.

Labels: iran, Israel, political corruption, United States

Debbie Schlussel reports that Philip Terzian, a prominent editor at the Weekly Standard, is defending/apologizing for nazi murderer John Demjanjuk on her Facebook page.

Even if he's only a book review editor these days, and his career as a columnist/reporter failed, he does not deserve to have even that much of a job in papers and magazines. I think someone ought to write to Bill Kristol to complain and see if he's got what it takes to actually fire such an atrocity as Terzian.

Labels: anti-semitism, Moonbattery

The Israeli environment minister would not support a bill to officially recognize the Armenian Holocaust, and used a transparent argument against it:

The Knesset plenum discussed the motion put forward by Meretz Chairman, MK Haim Oron, proposing that Israel officially recognize the Turkish massacre of Armenians during World War I.

Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan delivered the government's response to the motion, saying "I agree that it is our moral obligation. We have a moral duty to remember the killing of Armenians." Erdan then read aloud the government's response, which objects to commemorating the massacre in the Knesset.

Oron files the motion every year, as close as possible to the memorial day marked on the Armenian calendar, April 24th. The Meretz chairman discussed the matter with a delegation of Armenian representatives, clergy and civilians who were watching the Knesset's debate from the visitor's gallery.

A parliament that remembers the Jewish Holocaust is not the place to remember others from similar tragedies?

It's very odd when a left-wing politician is the one who's willing to propose something so selfless, and a right-wing politician takes the exact opposite path. That said, considering that Meretz actually sides with Muslims, I wonder if Oron doesn't know that he's taking a stand against the very religion he condones.

"I say – let's create the parliamentary framework for the Knesset to discuss an issue I believe the Knesset must discuss," said Oron. "It is our duty to the Armenian people and to ourselves. There are those who say we should leave it to historians to determine whether it was genocide.

"There are Holocaust deniers who say exactly the same thing. They rely on alleged historical sources and say there are doubts regarding the numbers and figures of the Holocaust. Who else knows like we do that there are some things you must fight for. Exactly one year ago this motion moved to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee's table, and there it was buried. I propose that the Education Committee conduct a procedural discussion on it."

Minister Erdan's words were brimming with empathy for the Armenian people, but he also noted the inescapable political ramifications in regards to Israel's relationship with Turkey.

"Israel has never denied the terrible acts carried out against the Armenians, and I am well aware of the intensity of the emotions given the number of victims and the suffering of the Armenian people."

However, he said, Israel's position is that "the study of the events must be done through open discussion, and backed by the historical data, not a political debate in the Knesset. Because of our understanding of the pain and suffering, and so that Israel does not become a side that deals with this from a purely political place, I ask that we take this issue off the Knesset's agenda."

I'm sorry, but that's just a pathetic excuse to avoid the issue. The bill, I'm guessing, is in order to get the subject discussed in schools. It certainly should be, and I've got a feeling it's not.

Furthermore, Turkey is not a friend of Israel anymore and relations with them are deteriorating as we speak. And Erdan is saying something embarrassing in the name of the government, when he'd do better to avoid it? What he's doing takes the risk of alienating real potential allies, not to mention showing how a nation that's been hit by tragedy is not willing to learn an important lesson by remembering similar tragedies that happened to others as well. He's also providing Ynet with possible ammo to use against rightists.

Admittedly, there's plenty of good questions raised if Oron is even being altruistic about this, but that said, it'll be interesting to see if this has the effect of putting Meretz at odds with any Muslim movements, who're just as hostile to Armenia as they are to Israel.

Labels: Armenia, Israel, Knesset