Saturday, July 31, 2004

"Support for her campaign outside her family within the Muslim community is muted: her demands for an open hearing with the mosque authorities have received little support.

"She has however received backing in internet chat rooms and in articles that appear on liberal Muslim websites such as Muslimwakeup.com and altmuslim.com." Report on Asra Nomani's campaign in USA

BBC, US Muslim woman defies hardliners
PressConnects, Guest: Americans get one-sided view of Middle East "Major American media, particularly TV, compounds the diffusion and deception by failing to present in-depth, unbiased news and commentary about Middle East history. For example, translations of al-Qaida broadcasts justifying the causes of 9/11 and other "terrorist" attacks against American targets are not fully aired or published to mass audiences. They are only to be found on niche Internet web sites."

VOA, Death Toll Rises Following Uzbek Explosion; Security Alert in Tashkent statements issued on net
Reuters, Militants vow to behead Turk hostages

Friday, July 30, 2004

Muslim WakeUp! MWU! Blog:Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies: Barack Obama speaks at the DNC some interesting discussion on the Democratic Convention.
SignOnSanDiego.com > In Iraq -- Militant group warns against participation in Saudi-proposed Muslim force for Iraq: "A militant group has posted Internet warning that threatens attacks against any Islamic or Arab nation that contributes troops to a Saudi-proposed Muslim force for Iraq. " More on "Jamaat al-Tawhid al-Islamiya – Omar el-Mukhtar Brigade".
Gulf Daily front page contains refs to web in relation to 'Islamic Tawhid Group'
WHO TV - Des Moines: Terrorists Using Iowa Websites: "A terrorist group was using an Iowa company's website to spread its message. Fastservers.net is now waiting on federal authorities to find out if they need to shut down their other websites."
Boston.com / News / World / Militant group posts Internet warning against participation in Saudi-proposed Muslim force for Iraq

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

the eyeranian: Scary Terrorists in the Sky commentary on this controversial article, which I also saw in the Sunday Times at the weekend.
Electronic Iraq: What's New? from the publishers of the Electronic Intifada.
BBC NEWS | Technology | Virus that hit Google subsiding
Getman, The Anthrax Threat - 2004, July 26 opinion piece
:: Xinhuanet - English, Italy to take Islamic web threats seriously: "Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said on Monday that the government was to take tight measures over a series of fresh threats to Italy by Islamic militants using the Internet to spread their messages"
Technology News: Security: Bin Laden Virus Hoax Identified, Targeted
csmonitor.com, Terrorists spread their messages online
Expatica, Living in, moving to, or working in France, plus French news in English refers to Oumma.com
NPR : Al Qaeda Using Internet to Spread Terrorist Message audio interview with Lawrence Wright (see below)
cnsnews.com, Islam's Seeds of Self-Destruction -- 07/27/2004 Opinion piece on ProgressiveMuslims.org
The New Yorker, The Terror Web here's the article by Lawrence Wright which is referred to below.
The New Yorker: Press Releases There's an article in the New Yorker ("The Terror Web," in the August 2, 2004 edition) by Lawrence Wright which refers to Islam and the net: "Gilles Kepel, a professor at France's Institut d'etudes Politiques, tells Wright, 'The Internet is the key issue. It erases the frontiers.... It allows the propagation of a universal norm, with an Internet Sharia and fatwa system.... Anyone can seek a ruling from his favorite sheikh in Mecca. In the old days, one sought a fatwa from the sheikh who had the best knowledge. Now it is sought from the one with the best Web site.' One group that tracks terror Web sites, Wright reports, has gone from monitoring twelve sites to monitoring more than four thousand."
Islam Online - Services (Cyber Counselor), Beware Counseling Needy Men Online Whilst scanning IslamOnline today, I was interested to read this Q&A. It also referred to some related opinions, including Islamic Etiquette for Using Online Messengers and Online Chatting in the Eyes of Shari'ah
This article might be read in conjunction with the Times' series listed below: Islam Online, Modern 'Guide' For Muslim Families In West: "Muslims in the west are to have the privilege of reading an all-inclusive 'family guide' and using online contact for consultancy to solve their problems.

" ... "Given the quick technological progress and the spread of internet and satellite channels, we'd come up with an attempt to guide families to their genuinely didactic role in the face of wide scenes of perversion," said Mohamed Mohei, one of the supervisors."

Times Online - I want to be a rap star. But if my dad finds out . . . Part three of Burham Wazir's interesting series on Muslim life in Britain, which confronts a number of prevalent stereotypes (particularly yesterday's piece). Also see:

Mosques: Sources of spiritual comfort, or so out of touch? and No drink, no drugs, no sex? No chance
.
sfgate.com, Jailed Islamic charity figures accused of funding terrorists: "Five former leaders of the Holy Land Foundation, once the biggest Islamic charity in the United States, were arrested Tuesday on charges that they funneled $12.4 million to Palestinian terrorists. "
AFP/Hindustan Times, Muftis issue fatwa against SMS contests in Malaysia: "Malaysia's highest Islamic authority has banned Muslims from taking part in mobile telephone text messaging contests, saying they amount to gambling, media reports said on Wednesday."

Monday, July 26, 2004

BBC NEWS | Technology | Sudan web appeal hits record high
IslamOnline - Islam in Cyberia Refers to 'Islam in the Digital Age'.
BBC - Radio 4 - File on 4, Governing British mosques This radio programme can still be heard online (for the next day) and a transcript is promised shortly. Well worth listening to.
sfgate.com, Militant Muslims find a haven in 'Londonistan' / Some say Britain overdoing tolerance -- attacks feared refers to al-Muhajiroun's website
Philstar.com, , Australia blames RP for new terror threat
Al-Ahram Weekly | Opinion | History lessons: "The international Arab and Muslim media (Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat and others) and the Internet have provided direct access to information, an opportunity to see live coverage of events in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and beyond. They have been effective outlets for criticism of entrenched regimes and contributed to the process of political change. However, the media have often failed to transcend the legacy and influence of the cultures of authoritarianism that dominate the region."
theinquirer.net, Bulgarian in e-terror campaign: "S Dimitar claimed he was writing the emails on the behalf of a terror group called 'Islam al Iraq' and vowed that the Bulgarian officials will 'face the consequences of their actions'."
ASIO tries to authenticate terror threat - Breaking News - http://www.theage.com.au: "Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the government was taking the threat seriously, even though the Tawhid Islamic Group was unknown before it posted its warning on an Arabic-language website last weekend."
straitstimes, London sets up special unit to penetrate terror groups - JULY 26, 2004
Information Storage + Security Journal, Bogus Bin Laden "Death" Report Being Used to Lure Trojan Horse Downloads: "'Osama Bin Ladin was found hanged by two CNN journalists early Wedensday [sic] evening,' reads a bogus posting currently doing the rounds of the Internet. The posting encourages unsuspecting novices to click on corroborating photos which are, of course, download links to the virus."
Yahoo! News - Islamic Group Warns Italy Over Iraq -Web Statement

Thursday, July 22, 2004

Wired News: Marines Kill Knockout Gas Info
ABCNEWS.com : Saudi Deported After Terror Acquittal "Al-Hussayen, a devout Muslim, said he was only maintaining Web sites he felt were promoting Islam and that any radical content on those sites did not reflect his beliefs. The jury cleared him of terrorism-related charges, but was deadlocked on eight immigration counts."
arabtimesonline.com, Video of Saudi bombers ‘webs’; News blackout on 6 Bahrain Islamists refers to net tape from al-Haramain Brigade.
arabtimesonline.com, ‘Local Drivers’ hostages in Iraq; Poles, Bulgarians threatened : "A new hostage crisis erupted in Iraq on Wednesday just a day after a kidnapped Filipino was freed, with guerrillas saying they had seized three Indians, two Kenyans and an Egyptian and threatening to kill them one by one. In video footage given to Arabic satellite channel Al Arabiya, masked gunmen said they would behead the captives unless the Kuwaiti company they worked for pulled out of Iraq. "
novinite.com, Tawhid Group "Located" on the Balkans: "The Tawhid Islamic Group described itself in a statement on the Internet as 'al-Qaeda in Europe'. It said that Bulgaria and Poland would 'pay the price' for backing the US and referred to the attacks on Madrid this year and on America in September 2001."
JStuff.co.nz, apan shrugs off threats to stay in Iraq,
22 July 2004
swisspolitics.org | Saudi forces find hostage's head

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Project for the Research of Islamist Movements, Who Wants to Email Al-Qaeda? latest paper from Reuven Paz [in PDF format]
Reuters Japan receives Iraqi warning "A purported statement from a group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has threatened attacks on Japan unless it withdraws its troops from Iraq, but a later Internet message disowned the warning."
Malay Mail Online, MM Focus: From terror agent to a man of peace: "Mohamad Nasir, 35, also spent his time in the underground facility at the anti-terrorism department of the Jakarta Metro police headquarters surfing the Internet.

"If he is not at the computer, he will be talking to senior officers, probably helping them in the investigations into new JI members."
Pakistan Link, New offshoots of extremist elements biggest challenge: Faisal reference to 'proxy politics' of the internet (Nice turn of phrase in relation to net)
mensnewsdaily.com, Bin Laden Tape Reposted Monday on Radical Islamic Web Site files referred to in this article are now down
CBN News - Saudi Arabia: A House Divided "Saudi professor Nasser Bin Suleiman Al-Omar, who runs a large Islamic Internet website appeared on a United Arab Emirates TV program last month to discuss the approaching collapse of the U.S. and the growing strength of Muslims within America.

"Al-Omar stated, "America is collapsing from within. …Islam is advancing according to a steady plan, to the point that tens of thousands of Muslims have joined the American army and Islam is the second largest religion in America. Today, America is defeated. I have no doubt, not even for a minute that America is on its way to destruction. It will be destroyed gradually. But we must be patient."
albawaba.com: The ''cutting'' truth on beheadings "The beheadings that Islamists have introduced into their Jihad against the West are at once ancient and modern - but certainly not an acceptable Islamic tradition, according to experts." References to the net in this illustrated piece.

Monday, July 19, 2004



alt.muslim - your muslim news community, Indian Muslims Consider A Divorce From "Triple Talaq" illustrated reference to 'SMS Divorce', which I have discussed elsewhere in this blog/writings
ABCNEWS.com, Terror on the Web - Can Kidnappers Be Traced Online? basic intro. to issues
View New Jihadi video issued: Fallujah Volcano - Updated (mparent7777.blog-city.com)
UK Indymedia | View New Jihadi video issued: Fallujah Volcano
"Through websites, headlines and graffiti, the Arab world is celebrating the people of Fallujah as victors over a superpower.

"This embrace of the Iraqi city has raised fears that it will become a magnet for recruits to al-Qaida's anti-western campaign. But many Arabs say Fallujah stands out more as a boost to their self-esteem after witnessing the Iraqi army barely put up a fight against the U.S. invasion last year."

AP?CNEWS - World - Iraq: Iraqi city Fallujah has become symbol of resistance across Arab world
"The Internet Company for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann), which oversees the system of web addresses and domain names says Asians will make up most of the net's users within a few years."

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Web aims to standardise alphabets

'Deceptive Duo' Hacker Charged relates to hacking concerns discussed in my book
Taylor & Francis, Religion Online - Edited by: Lorne L. Dawson, Douglas E. Cowan
details of a new volume, in which I have a chapter on the Qur'an and cyberspace.
Scotsman.com News - International - Palestinian children put down textbooks to pick up guns: "Hamas and other Islamic organisations are holding some of the more ordinary summer camps at mosques in the Gaza Strip.

"Here the children learn about the Koran, work on computers and play sports.

"But with or without military training, the preaching at the camps carries similar messages."
AP/The Joplin Globe, Woman leads fight for equality in Islam
Morocco tempers Islamists | csmonitor.com: "In a fiery sermon last month, an influential state-appointed cleric declared it a sin for women to work. He condemned the 'intermingling of sexes in civil services' and chastised the 'scantily dressed women' on Moroccan beaches. "
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Military -- The front line online: "For Omar Masry, a sergeant in the Army Reserve who kept a blog - an online diary - during his recent tour of duty in Iraq, fending off unfriendly e-mails was the least of his worries." The blog is entitled Iraq 2.0
Frankfurt Mosque Video Violent, Police Say | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 16.07.2004: "The video with degrading images surfaced following a raid in a Frankfurt mosque and Moroccan cultural center on Sunday. Police seized computers, videos and documents." Diolch to USSNeverdock
Gulf Daily News, Saudi imams monitored says Abdullah
Yahoo! News - American's Decapitation Shown on Internet "Images of an American hostage being decapitated surfaced Saturday on an Internet site known for carrying the statements of Islamic militants." This relates to the killing of oPaul M. Johnson Jr., and appears on Voice of Jihad

Friday, July 16, 2004

persianblogger.com, Blogging for Imam Husain This is a draft version of a paper by Alireza Mohammadi Doostdar, which makes some good points:

"It analyzes how the blogger’s participation in the real-world sociocultural practices that characterize hey’at religious ceremonies and Basij student activism may have shaped his blogging practice and the social interactions in his virtual community."
Haaretz - Does Allah permit thoughts of sex? Despite the slightly controversial title, this is an interesting piece on Elaph.com, raising some significant issues:

"Dr. Khaled Muntasar is an Egyptian doctor chosen by the Internet site Elaph (www.elaph.com) to answer such surfers' questions and this is an important breakthrough in the field of sex education in Arab countries. It is the first time an Arab Internet site is openly and intentionally offering a sex education information and consulting service."

Writer Zvi Bar'ei suggests that the site could be pulled at any time ...
Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/15/2004 | Hackers hijacking Internet sites to push terror ideals final word (?) on this story of the Arkansas server taken over by al-Ansar last weekend.
The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Yemeni held in Cuba is charged: "The Spanish government deliberately ignored a mosque known for fundamentalist preaching and frequented by suspects in the Madrid train bombings because the facility was financed by Saudi Arabia, an academic expert testified yesterday."
Paper paints a terrorist profile - War on Terror - www.theage.com.au: "The white paper looks at the big picture, and describes how technology and the removal of barriers through globalisation have put this country well within the terrorists' reach."

Thursday, July 15, 2004

BBC NEWS | Programmes | This World | Reform beckons for reluctant Saudis
Wired News: Hactivism and How It Got Here
Detroit's Free Press, Dearborn's Imam Qazwini: A champion for Islam's future: "Great care is required to save each young, American-born Muslim from the host of other appeals showering down on them from television, cell phones and the Internet, Qazwini repeatedly warns his congregation. "
US worried over security threats in capital - Sify.com: "Al-Quds (Jerusalem) brigade, an Al-Qaida wing, in a latest message on its Internet website had issued threats to launch attacks on US nationals across the globe, well-placed sources said. "
BBC NEWS | Technology | Militants weave web of terror
newsmax.com, Bin Laden's Goal: Kill 4 Million Americans: "'With today's technology and the Internet, an experienced person could easily assemble such a bomb in his home garage,' Williams explained. "
Northeast Intelligence Network, Arkansas Just The “Tip of the Iceberg”
FBI Confiscates Internet Server Operated by the State
theinquirer.net, Al Qaeda holds server hostage
WorldNetDaily: Al-Qaida hijacks Arkansas website

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Middle East Online, Haunting documentary of suicide attacks in Iraq: "The video, whose contents cannot be verified, was apparently released by the Tawhid wa al-Jihad (Unification and Holy War) group of fugitive Islamist Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, whom US officials blame for at least 30 attacks in Iraq."
Middle East Online, Sex scandal grips prominent Saudi families: "The scandal, which has shocked ordinary Saudis in the conservative Muslim kingdom, broke out after the accused circulated footage of the assault through mobile phones equipped with cameras."
Islam Online - Anti-Qaradawi Campaign Boosts British Muslims: Expert:
Islam Online- Scholars Launch Pan-Muslim Body In Londonal-Qaradawi named president (not surprisingly) "Mohammad Al-Taskhiri, Mauritanian Abdullah Bin Bieyah and Omani Ahmad Bin Hamad Al-Khalili as his deputies."
Middle East Online, Islamic Jihad chief killed in Jenin
albawaba.com: Mobile handset market in Middle East and Africa grows by 26% "The mobile handset market in the Middle East and Africa grew by almost 26% last year, with shipments surpassing 40 million units across the region. According to a new IDC study, sales were highest in the Middle East, reflecting the region's more advanced level of economic development compared to most of Africa."
VOANews.com, Middle East Political Reform Debated at Washington Forum
(also audio report): "Abdel Monem Said Aly, of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, says Egypt has what he calls many of the ingredients for democracy, but many of them are not 'functioning' as they should be.

"While the government clearly exerts strong control, he says Egyptians nonetheless have the ability to express opinions and obtain information, lately through the internet, and affect public policy and the making of laws, as well as criticize the leadership."
Reuters, Watch out -- iPod is a weapon of mass deletion, Tue 13 July, 2004 "The fear is that the gadgets can be used to siphon information from a computer, turning a seemingly innocuous device into a handy tool for data thieves."
Scotsman.com News - UK - Fury as Livingstone asks Muslim cleric to return: "Ken Livingstone yesterday invited the controversial Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi back to Britain for another speaking tour. "
Bahrain Tribune Daily Newspaper, Kingdom leads Arab world in UN Human Development Report
iht.com, Key suspect chats, and gives away terror facts

"In the taped conversations, Ahmed calls himself "the thread behind the Madrid plot," discusses an imminent terrorist operation in an unidentified location and the deployment of suicide martyrs to Iraq, and complains about his marriage and money problems.

"He shows off a computer program that activates numerous cellphones simultaneously, similar to the technology used in the Madrid attacks, and says he was in Madrid days before the bombings."

Monday, July 12, 2004

The Australian: Protests over Malaysian Idol show [July 12, 2004] these protests are on religious grounds, from Parti-Islam Se Malaysia, who don't like the show. Idol's official site is here, so judge for yourself.
The new issue of ISIM Newsletter appeared today. This contains several useful articles. Of particular relevance to this blog is: Daniel Martin Varisco, Islam Takes a Hit, ISIM Newsletter 14 June 2004 Dan Varisco provides an overview relating to Islam in cyberspace, drawing on a Google search. In it, he discusses some of the problems of 'webservation' -- which is a critical area to address.

Islamic phone, export drive - AME Info FN
Dubai jails pirated CD seller - AME Info FN
German News, Database for islamists draws criticism
Islam Online, European Fatwa Council Urges Muslims To Respect Laws "The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) wrapped up its 13th session late Saturday, July 10, with a call to Muslims living in the West to abide by the laws in their respective countries and respects the rights of non-Muslims."
Jihad Unspun - The terrorists are coming! The terrorists are coming! "Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge on Friday warned that "al-Qaida is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack in the United States in an effort to disrupt our democratic process," although he admitted US intelligence had no information about any specific plot. "
Journal Gazette | 07/11/2004 | Saudis using Iraq experience at home: "An increasing number of Saudis who crossed the border into Iraq to fight the U.S.-led military occupation are returning home to plot attacks against the Saudi government and Western targets in the desert kingdom, according to Western officials and Saudis with ties to militant groups"
cnsnews.com, Arroyo Under Pressure Over Threats to Kill Hostage in Iraq -- 07/12/2004
Nigeria failing to tackle 419ers | The Register
Iraq domain owner convicted | The Register: "The current owner of Iraq's .iq domain has been found guilty along with his four brothers, of illegally shipping computer parts from the US to Libya and Syria. Bayan, Basman, Ghassan, Hazim and Ihsan Elashi have yet to be sentenced but face 10 years apiece."
medicalnewstoday.com, Terrorists know what they are doing, they are not crazy, say researchers: "A terrorist may become a killer as a result of seeing violence happen before his very eyes or seeing it on TV, say researchers. It is a myth that terrorists are isolated, vulnerable young men with paranoid or borderline personality disorders. " Perhaps the same can be said of the internet??

Sunday, July 11, 2004

Jihad Unspun - A Clear View On The US War On "Terrorism" refers to www.freearabvoice.org
Jihad Unspun - A Clear View On The US War On "Terrorism" refers to an article from www.islamicweb.com
Serbianna.com | Columns | M. Bozinovich: "Albanians are a multi faith community - Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims - where Islam dominates the national politics.

"That this relationship exists in today's Albanian movement, that is that the Albanian Islam is intolerant of the Albanian Christians is amply illustrated by positions of Dr. Ismail Bardhi, from the Islamic Theological University in Skopje, or the the positions of Jazexhi Olsi. Their views can be found throughout the internet."
Saudi Arabia faces internal threat / Radicals back from Iraq plot terror at home, experts say: "The leader of that cell, Abdulaziz al-Moqrin, who was killed three weeks ago in a shootout with security forces, suggested in a statement that appeared on the Internet in the fall that there was substantial crossover between the group in Saudi Arabia and foreign fighters in Iraq. 'We are exerting our efforts there,' al-Moqrin wrote, according to Jane's Intelligence Review.
"
santafenewmexican, Youssou Ndour, Islam, and "Egypt" centres on N'Dour's excellent new album, but it also mentions in passing that he is setting up an internet project on Senegalese culture, and has launched a net access project for Senegal villages.

Friday, July 09, 2004

arabnews.com, Private Fear and Public Policy in Jeddah and Beyond: "But while the terrorists continue their hate-filled war against the 'Crusaders' and 'cow-worshippers' they denounce so luridly in their Internet communiques, others claim that political solutions are available."
Terrorists rely on tech tools, researcher finds - Computerworld Gabriel Weimann on Hamas, Hizbullah, and the latest edition of al-Battar.
Aljazeera.Net - Saudi cleric urges al-Qaida surrender: "A top Saudi cleric has urged al-Qaida members to surrender under a limited amnesty that supporters of Usama bin Ladin group have so far rejected ...

" ... In a statement posted on the internet, al-Qaida supporters dismissed the amnesty. It said last month's killing of al-Muqrin would only increase the group's determination to topple the pro-US royal family ruling the regional oil power."
AP/Pantagraph.com - News - Bush prevails; House stands by Patriot Act 07/09/04
ABCNEWS.com : Web Site: Zarqawi Refused Money to Free Berg: "An al Qaeda-linked group refused a ransom offer before beheading U.S. hostage Nicholas Berg in Iraq two months ago, an audiotape purporting to come from their leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said."
MEMRI: Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi in London to Establish 'The International Council of Muslim Clerics' This offers a perspective on al-Qaradawi which draws from a number of sources, including interpretations of Doha Qatar TV and islamonline.net
Reuters.com, U.S. Marine Leaves Lebanon for Germany
Islam Online - Discussion Forum on Qaradawi
Islam Online, British Muslims Question Fuss Over Qaradawi
Encyclopedia Iranica Reaches Half Way Milestone Article on this important series - articles from which can be found at www.iranica.com"
From Ann Arbor to Beirut Have to recommend this one too, for the pictures and commentary from Sadr City (June 25 entry)
Live From Dallas I've been adding some new blogs to the Islamic Blogosphere (see side-bar) and wanted to highlight this one from Fayrouz. There seems to be a regular flow of informed commentary on this. Do take a look.
The New Nation, Imperatives of research in innovation of interest-free banking I've been following this issue of interest-free banking for seveal years. This piece refers to an internet discussion group on the subject.
The Globe and Mail, A holy city carves out its own path this is an interesting report from Najaf by Patrick Martin:

"A block away, at the al-Hikmeh Internet cafe, 10 young men might have something to say about Mr. Jabir's ideas about freedom.

"The proprietor is careful to display a sign that says his Internet centre is 'for Islamic culture.' But inside, none of the young men is engaged in religious pursuits. Some are playing games, most are chatting with other users, and two boys are enjoying a video chat with a friend in Sweden.

"One young man snickered when an older religious man, waiting to use a computer, loudly denounced those engaged in such frivolity. "They should be studying," the man said sternly."
What Real Iraqis Are Saying - Alan Caruba opinion piece refering to www.Iraqataglance.blogspot.com

Thursday, July 08, 2004

CNN.com - Ridge says al Qaeda planning attack - Jul 8, 2004
CNN.com - Wife of suicide bomber acquitted - Jul 8, 2004
Reuters, Derby family of Tel Aviv bomber face retrial
ABCNEWS.com : Missing U.S. Marine Questioned in Lebanon
This includes a reference to the banning of this particular camera phone technology in Saudi Arabia (and elsewhere). Independent, Peeping Tom's secret weapon "The rapid growth of camera phones has had a sinister side effect - men taking sneaky snaps up the skirts of unsuspecting women. And, Hugh Wilson discovers, they are then pored over by a global audience of voyeurs."
CNN.com - Feds raid Virginia Islamic center - Jul 1, 2004
arabnews.com, The Prophet Never Tried to Impose His Message on Anyone
Wired News: Israeli Nuclear Complex Online
Wired News: Bloggers Suffer Burnout understandable, this could also link to online discourse about Islam
BBC NEWS | UK | Controversial preacher with 'star status' more on al-Qaradawi, whose work features in 'Islam in the Digital Age' and 'Virtually islamic'.
The Inquirer, The Internet is the home of Terror "Weimann pointed out that the number of terrorists' Web sites has increased by 571 per cent in the past seven years." Not sure how this statistic can be reliable, or how he classifies 'terrorists' here...

Devout Pakistanis use Internet to marry - (United Press International): "Islamic devotion and Internet dating are emerging as dual signatures of some Pakistani communities where matchmaking has long been a family affair." This refers to Mehndi.com and Shaadi Online.
Outspoken Muslim cleric to be monitored: "A leading Muslim theologian who condemned the September 11 attacks and the Bali bombing but condones some suicide bombings will have his speeches monitored while in Britain, Home Secretary David Blunkett has said."
German News - English Edition We, 07.07.2004, Central database of Islamic extremists under discussion "The construction of a central database of Islamic extremists suspected of links to terrorism has been met with broad approval. Ahead of the conference of German Internal Affairs Ministers in Kiel, the Ministers in Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and Hesse have expressed their support for the plan."

Wednesday, July 07, 2004

BBC, Women lead rural India's internet rush
BBC, PM quizzed over cleric's UK entry, "Egyptian-born Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has been accused of making anti-Semitic remarks and supporting suicide bombers."
Arabic News, One of al-Houthi main aid killed, Abu Hafs groups threaten to target Yemen "Groups of Abu Hafs al-Masri, which is close to al-Qaida organization, said yesterday in a statement on a web site for it on the Internet of converting Yemen to a " third front" in the war against the Americans in the world after Iraq and Afghanistan."
MediaMatters, New York Times repeated unsourced speculation: New York likelier terrorist target than Boston "because President Bush is a Republican"

"In a July 4 article about security concerns at this summer's forthcoming Democratic and Republican National Conventions, The New York Times' David Johnston reported, "New York is regarded as a higher risk than Boston by counterterrorism officials because President [George W.] Bush is a Republican and because of consistent intelligence."" Discuss!

"Anyone with a digital camera, a Web site and the ability to stream images can now command global attention. The graphic video of the beheading of Nicholas Berg, an American in Iraq, was dramatically "broadcast" to the world via an al Qaeda-linked Web site. It became an instant global "TV channel" with view ratings through the roof!"

TVTechnology, Mobile Videophones Meet TV News interesting run-through on TV news tech
SpaceWar, Zarqawi group claims deadly attack on US marines in western Iraq: Internet
Silicon Valley Biz Ink, Global War on Terror (GWOT), Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), and Collective Intelligence Come Together at NYC Hackers Conference
Philadelphia Inquirer, Family, military say Marine is safe
AP, Family: Hostage Marine Is Free

"The family of a Lebanese-American U.S. Marine held hostage in Iraq, is confident Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, is free and well, though relatives have not heard directly from him, his brother said Tuesday."
This is getting interesting; I shall seek out more on this story in the next few days:

VOA, Muslim Group Threatens Death to al-Zarqawi "In Iraq, a shadowy group of gunmen is threatening to kill accused Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, saying his alleged involvement in a series of executions and deadly bombings undermines Islam."
MEMRI, Criticism of Sheikh Al-Qaradhawi's 'Islamist Democracy' Doctrine
Yesterday, I gave an interview on BBC Persian Service - not certain when it goes out. So this is particularly relevant:

"Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Iranians acquire science and technology from everywhere across the world without imitating foreign culture." IRIB News, Iranians acquire science, technology
Today's blog comes to you live from Paddington Station, as I await a train connection, in a cafe complete with pigeons (not on the menu, but around my feet): today, I gave a short paper at BRISMES conference (SOAS) on 'e-jihad'. Some discussion on methodology, gender, and Sheikh Terra followed. Looking for more information on the latter -- sought to play the video to participants of the conference today, but couldn't lock into Windows Media.

Anyway, to today's news [see above]



Monday, July 05, 2004

CNN.com - Reporter gets inside look at insurgency - Jul 7, 2004 powerful and significant piece regarding Michael Ware (Time)


"The new Iraqi ministries are "without adequate staff, facilities, equipment and links to local governments," according to Cordesman. Statistics for communications show improvements because of the number of mobile phones, which are owned by the middle class, and because of the internet - not because the telephone system has got better, he says."
The Scotsman, Freedom may be an empty word
"Jamri, who is also the former spokesman of the Bahrain opposition exiled in London, said “the latest warning for US nationals in Bahrain proves the threat (by terrorists) particularly on internet sites has an affect."
Daily Times, Terrorist fears in Bahrain hit American interests
Scotsman on Sunday, You'll never walk alone "In contrast with the targeted picture portrayed by police and officials, the national surveillance operation is a blanket affair, which relies on spying on a huge range of communications to pick up questionable exchanges. GCHQ scans communications using a computer system called Dictionary, which homes in on key words, like "al-Qaeda" and "semtex", and alerts analysts to the calls and e-mails."
USA Today, Internet's many layers give terrorists room to post, then hide interview with Gabriel Weimann.
"Abdullah Muhammad Rashid al-Roshoud, thought to be the chief ideologue for al Qaeda in the region, died in the clash in the al-Quds neighborhood in eastern Riyadh." washingtontimes.com,Al Qaeda ideologue killed in clash
"Crown Prince Abdullah announced the one-month amnesty last week on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd.

"Al-Qaeda, in an Internet newsletter, has denounced the amnesty and said it was doomed to fail. However, two wanted suspects, one of whom appeared on the list of 26, have since surrendered to security authorities. Both came from the southern province of Asir." Arab News, Two of 26 Most Wanted Terrorists Die of Gunshot Wounds
TehranTimes.com, Extremists Say They Beheaded U.S. Marine; Insurgents Kill Eight
New Yorker, Letter from Cairo"Young men and women—politicized, intelligent, fluent in English and European languages—get their information, it seems, from every source imaginable except the Egyptian papers, which, as Tariq put it, “are propagandistic crap.” Instead, Tariq reads the leading British and American papers on the Internet, checks into political chat rooms, and watches satellite television. Even in lower-income neighborhoods in Cairo, the rooftops sprout satellite dishes."
The Australian, Shias lighten up after long night of darkness
""Iraqis are very happy with Coca-Cola, the internet and mobile phones. Those aren't the enemy. The enemy now is the US army. It was a good thing that they came, but the time has come for them to go."

Yahoo, Islamic extremist group denies it killed American marine on website

Friday, July 02, 2004

Wanted: Honest Muslim Intellectuals (by Abid Ullah Jan) - Media Monitors Network (MMN)
USA Today, Marine Corps Times, Muslims around world debate hostage’s fate: "Internet forums, columns in the Arab news media and discussions at Hassoun's home mosque debate whether his Islamic captors are following the Koran, or defying it, by threatening to behead him and other Muslim hostages."
ISA Today>Marine Corps Times, Muslims around world debate hostage’s fate

Reuters Pakistani hostage in Iraq freed
Al-Ahram Weekly | Culture | Moore or less morality: "'In the photograph,' writes Roland Barthes, 'the power of authentication exceeds the power of representation.' What the word can only represent, the picture supposedly proves. The traditional print media have been slow to understand how the Internet, with its real-time transmission and global circulation of images, has force-multiplied this effect and transformed the political game."
local6.com - News - Saudi-Born Terror Suspect Sighted At Internet Cafe
ThisisLondon, Al Qaeda 'desperate to capture women soldiers' : "Al Qaeda fighters in Iraq are desperate to capture a female coalition soldier, it was reported today.

"Insurgents serving under Abu Musab Zarqawi believe that by parading a servicewoman before the cameras they could further dent public support for the war in Britain and the United States."

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tracing, Closing Terrorist Websites Not As Simple As It Sounds refers to Terrorism Research Center
Reuters/Stuff, Saudi forces kill militants in Riyadh: "Security sources said Ghabalan was in charge of overseeing the smuggling of weapons and explosives into the kingdom and ensuring the militants had the materials needed for attacks.

"He also wrote manuals on weapons' training in the Saudi al Qaeda's Internet newsletter, the sources said. 'Basically he was one of al Qaeda's logistics guys,' one security source said."
Stopping the Beheadings in the Name of Islam - Media Monitors Network (MMN)
WorkingForChange-America's homegrown terrorists (Part II) "An interview with Daniel Levitas, author of The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right"
Wired 12.07: The Road to Tech Mecca article on Dubai and the al Arabiyya fadaya
Question Authority - The Quran mentions beheading. Why does the U.S. press claim otherwise? By Lee Smith