Mullah Omar Captured?

Brad Thor at Big Government is reporting that Taliban leader Mullah Omar has been captured: 

Big Government: Through key intelligence sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I have just learned that reclusive Taliban leader and top Osama bin Laden ally, Mullah Omar has been taken into custody.

According to the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program there is a bounty of up to $10 million on Omar for sheltering Osama bin-Laden and his al-Qaeda network in the years prior to the September 11 attacks as well as the period during and immediately thereafter.

They know all right and so do we, at least when it comes to Mullah Omar. We have known since the end of March and we had it confirmed ten days ago by the Pakistanis. So why didn’t the State Department and the CIA know?

While this is certainly great news, there seems to be some doubt. Namely, no one else is confirming the story.  Allahpundit see even more doubt. 

Any reasons not to believe? Yeah — namely, how come this hasn’t leaked? Nothing against Brad Thor, but this is so tippy top secret that he knows about it when the NYT, WaPo, and even Hillary Clinton don’t? Five weeks seems an awfully long time to keep something like this quiet. Also, why wouldn’t the White House or Pakistan or even the Taliban itself have announced the capture?  [ …] 

For now, take this story with a grain of salt and let’s all hope it turns out to be true.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Big Government

Via: Hot Air

Reporter finds Faisal Shahzad’s personal documents

How is it possible that a news reporter is able to find Faisal Shahzad’s personal documents discarded outside Shahzard’s home before the FBI and Homeland Security? 

SHELTON -- Faisal Shahzad's Pakistani passport, tax documents, greeting cards, academic records and immigration documents were found abandoned outside a Shelton home once owned by the man charged in the attempted Times Square car bombing.

The documents, mainly from 2000 and 2001, were found Tuesday morning by a Connecticut Post reporter outside the house at 119 Long Hill Ave. where Shahzad lived until about a year ago. The house is vacant and up for sale.

Police earlier had searched the property, according to neighbors. [MORE]

Our anti-terrorism forces had better start getting on the ball. All these slip ups are going to cost us dearly. While, such sloppy work was tolerated before 9/11, there really should be little excuse for missing things like this

.

Click over to the Connecticut Post to see all the documents that were found.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Connecticut Post

False Alarm: “Sarcastic Shoe Bomber” on United flight to Denver

First class jerk alert! A Qatar diplomat cause air marshals into action and F-16s to scramble all because he wanted to be cute. 

From ABC News: FBI agents say no explosives were found in the shoes of a Qatar diplomat who was subdued by federal air marshals on a United flight to Denver Wednesday night after allegedly telling the marshals, "I'm lighting my shoes on fire." 

Authorities say the diplomat was wrestled to the ground and two F-16 fighter jets were dispatched to accompany the 757 on the final five minutes of its flight to Denver. Flight 663 originated from Washington Reagan airport.

A US security official said, "it may have been a massive misunderstanding" and the diplomat's statement may have been a "sarcastic" comment when he was confronted by two air marshals who had been told by flight attendants that smoke was coming from the lavatory.[…]

The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi, 27. The FBI said the man had full diplomatic immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul. 

The jerk was smoking in the bathroom and when he got caught decided to be sarcastic. Oh that was so funny I forgot to laugh. This guy is a complete idiot. Why on earth would he have thought that “joke” would have been funny?  Who wants to bet that a. he is immune from charges, b. he tries to sue?

The Jawa Report has a picture of Mr. Comedy.

Update: Associated Press is saying no charges to be brought against Mohammed al Modadi. Like we did not see that coming.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: ABC News

Via: The Jawa Report

Via: Associated Press

Taliban attacks U.S. Consulate in Peshawar Pakistan (Video)

Word is just coming in that the Taliban has launched a suicide bomber attack against the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar. Information is sketchy at this time.

From Stratfor:

One attacker was able to blow up in the U.S. Consulate premises, AAJ TV reported April 5. The front side of the U.S. Consulate has been totally destroyed. Reports indicate that seven or eight security personnel in the consulate are dead. The consulate’s communication system is down. 

Intially Stratfor claimed that there were 36 killed. I am unsure if that number is revised or a total including the security guards.

The UK Telegraph has more. They are saying that 15 heavily armed militants in two vehicles set off 3 massive explosions. 

Up to 15 militants armed with explosives and driving in two vehicles targeted the heavily guarded US consulate in Peshawar, a city of 2.5 million on the edge of Pakistan's lawless tribal belt, setting off multiple explosions.

"The target was certainly the American consulate but they didn't succeed in getting there," said Pakistani police officer Ghulam Hussain.

"One of the suicide bombers blew himself up close to the gate. Police guarding the US consulate started retaliatory fire. More blasts took place. We have recovered unexploded material from four different points," he said.

Three powerful explosions and bouts of gunfire echoed through the area, where the attacks occurred at a checkpoint about 20 yards from the US consulate where heavy thick smoke spewed into the sky. 

Update 1: Videos (h/t UK Telegraph & Hot Air)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Stratfor

Via: UK Telegraph

Via: Hot Air

Dagestan: 2 new suicide attacks in Russia

With the Moscow subway attacks still fresh in everyone’s mind, Russia is again rocked by two more suicide bombers. This time the attacks took place inside Russia’s Dagestan region. 

The New York Times: MAKHACHKALA, Russia (Reuters) - Two blasts, one set off by a suicide bomber, rocked Kizlyar in Russia's Dagestan region on Wednesday, killing at least 11 people just two days after twin bombs hit Moscow, officials told Reuters.

Investigators said a suicide bomber dressed in a police uniform set off the second of the blasts in Dagestan, which followed the two bombings in Moscow that killed 39 people and which authorities blamed on female suicide attackers with links to insurgents in the turbulent North Caucasus.

In Kizlyar, a police official said a car parked near a school in the center of town blew up as a traffic police patrol was driving by, killing two police officers.

He said the second bomb was set off shortly after police and onlookers gathered at the scene.

The provincial police spokesman said Kizlyar police chief Vitaly Vedernikov was among the dead. At least six other police officers, an investigator and a civilian were killed, Russian news agencies cited police as saying.

Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim province adjacent to war-scarred Chechnya along Russia's southern border, is plagued by frequent attacks targeting police and government officials.

Below is a clip from Russia Today on the attacks.

More coverage at CNN and the BBC.

Via: The New York Times

Via: CNN

Via: BBC

Moscow Subway Explosions: Suicide bombers kill at least 35 on Moscow subway

Moscow was rocked this morning by two female suicide bombers who set off explosive belts at two subway stations. The first blast killed 23 and the second 12. 

Fox News: MOSCOW -- Two female homicide bombers blew themselves up on Moscow's subway system as it was jam-packed with rush-hour passengers Monday, killing at least 35 people and wounding 38, the city's mayor and other officials said.

Emergency Ministry spokeswoman Svetlana Chumikova said 23 people were killed in an explosion shortly before 8 a.m. at the Lubyanka station in central Moscow. The station is underneath the building that houses the main offices of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the KGB's main successor agency.

A second explosion hit the Park Kultury station about 45 minutes later. Chumikova said at least 12 were dead there. The ministry later said 38 people were injured.

Chechen rebels are suspected after issuing a threat back in February: 

In February, Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov warned in an interview on a rebel-affiliated Website that "the zone of military operations will be extended to the territory of Russia ... the war is coming to their cities."

Umarov also claimed his fighters were responsible for the November bombing of the Nevsky Express passenger train that killed 26 people en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg. 

Twitter pictures from Moscow subway attack available at PicFog, use key word Moscow or Moscow attack.

Perspective at Michelle Malkin.

Video at Gateway Pundit.

More coverage at The New York Times, BBC and Times of London.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fox News

Video: Patrick Kennedy has a Howard Dean meltdown on the House floor

Watch CBS News Videos Online

In case you all missed this one tonight, here is retiring House Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) having a Howard Dean moment on the House floor. What caused Patrick to loose it? 

From Sister Toldjah: The resolution in question is one sponsored by anti-war radical Rep. Dennis Kucinich in which the President would have to withdraw troops from Afghanistan within 30 days if “safety issues” were involved. Yeah, I know – but remember, this is Dennis Kucinich we’re talking about here. 

I know I shouldn’t ask, but do you think Patrick is hittin’ the sauce again? I know, bad Cliff, bad, bad, Cliff.

Via: Sister Toldjah

Via: The New York Post

Let the backlash begin: ACLU balks at military tribunals for the KSM trials

Backlash from the left for Obama’s pending decision to move the 9/11 terrorist trials back to military tribunals has begun. The ACLU is first out of the gate with an ad in the New York Times asking Obama if this is change or more of the same. The ACLU’s open letter to Obama is accompanied by the graphic above. Here is what the ad says: 

What will it be Mr. President? 

Change or more of the Same?

Candidate Barack Obama vowed to change the Bush-Cheney policies and restore America’s values of justice and due process. Many of us are shocked and concerned that right now, President Obama is considering reversing his attorney general’s decision to try the 9/11 defendants in criminal court. Our criminal justice system has successfully handled over 300 terrorism cases compared to only 3 in the military commissions. Our criminal justice system will resolve these cases more quickly and more credibly than the military commissions.

President Obama can vigorously prosecute terrorists and keep us safe without violating our Constitution.

As president, Barack Obama must decide whether he will keep his solemn promise to restore our Constitution and due process, or ignore his vow and continue the Bush-Cheney policies.

Tell President Obama not to back down on his commitment to our justice system, and to try the 9/11 defendants in criminal court.

Remind the world that America stands for due process, justice, and the rule of law.

More information about the ACLU’s call to use civilian trials to try the 9/11 suspects is available online here: www.aclu.org/national-security/obama-administration-verge-reversing-decision-911-prosecutions 

In addition to the ad, ACLU Executive Director, Anthony D. Romero wrote a five page letter directly to Obama. In the letter Romero makes the case for why Obama should keep the 9/11 trials in civilian courts. You can view the entire letter here.

The ACLU is a big player in leftwing politics, it will be interesting to see how many more on the left and far left follow the ACLU. What will be even more interesting will be if Obama once again blows off progressives for the sake of political expediency.

The administration has taken heavy fire for its handling of terrorism in general. Even the administration’s recent successes in Pakistan seem unable to provide them enough political cover. If I had to guess, I would say that unless the left goes completely bonkers on this issue, Obama is going to move the 9/11 trials back to military tribunals, because it will take the issue off the front burner and allow him to focus on his true passion, domestic spending.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The ACLU 

UPDATED: American Al Qaeda terrorist Adam Gadahn captured in Pakistan

Here is a bit of good news for a Sunday afternoon. American born Al Qaeda terrorist Adam Gadhan has been captured in Pakistan. 

MSNBC: KARACHI, Pakistan - Adam Yahiye Gadahn, a U.S.-born spokesman for al-Qaida, has been captured in Pakistan, government sources said Sunday.

Gadahn was arrested in recent days, two officers who took part in the operation told The Associated Press. A senior government official also confirmed the arrest. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

An intelligence source confirmed the report to NBC News, adding that Gadahn was detained in Sohrab Goth, a suburb of Karachi, and was later moved to the capital Islamabad. 

Now that Pakistan has started taking the terrorist threat seriously, the big Al Qaeda names are falling like dominos. Of course the left is singing the praises of Obama on terror. You know what?  Let them, like Will Jacobson points out at Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion when it comes to taking out these terrorist, we should all be on the same page.

I do have one question though, who is going to handle the interrogation and if it is the U.S. exactly what procedure will we follow?  Gadahn is a U.S. citizen so in his case Constitutional rights actually apply. It will be worth keeping an eye on how his case is handled.


UPDATE: False Alarm, man in custody is Abu Yahya


From CBS News:

An "important Taliban militant" was arrested today in Pakistan. But that is where the confusion started. 

Earlier it was reported by Pakistani media that intelligence agents had arrested Adam Gadahn, the American-born spokesman for al Qaeda, in an operation in the southern city of Karachi. 

It was further reported by the Associated Press and Reuters that Gadahn had been arrested, sourcing security officials. 

CBS News was told by sources in the Pakistan government that it was Gadahn, even after U.S. officials refused to confirm it was the California native for whom a $1 million reward has been posted. 

Now, CBS News' Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad writes that earlier reports the detained individual was Gadahn proved false. According to a Pakistan security official who spoke with CBS News on condition of anonymity, the arrested individual is in fact "a Taliban militant leader who is known as Abu Yahya." 

The official said evidence compiled from an interrogation of the suspect and information exchanged with U.S. officials verified the man's identify. 

The reassessment only added to the confusion surrounding the arrest of a man earlier described by other unnamed Pakistani security officials as Gadahn. 

"In the light of our latest information, I can say, this is not looking like Gadahn. But it is still the arrest of an important Taliban militant," said the Pakistani security official who spoke to CBS News late Sunday.  

While it would have been awesome to have had captured that turncoat Gadahn, we should still rejoice that another terrorist is out of commission. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: MSNBC

Via: Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
Via: CBS News