Moscow: The Egyptian authorities have imposed a ban on the work of the Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera in Egypt amid escalating anti-government protests in the north African country, Egypt’s state television announced on Sunday.
According to the announcement, the accreditations of Al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt have been annulled and the TV channel’s access to satellite communication has been closed.
Al-Jazeera was a major news source for Egyptians, as it had the largest ramified network of correspondents across Egypt.
Al-Jazeera had telecast live reports from Cairo and other Egyptian cities swept by anti-government protests, interviewed opposition leaders and protesters and provided excusive information on riots, lootings and victims in Egypt.
Anti-government protests started in Egypt January 25, with crowds of tens of thousands demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down after three decades of unbridled power.
Earlier, Al Jazeera said about 100 people had been killed in clashes with police in Cairo and other Egyptian cities.
More than ten protesters were killed in clashes with police near the Egyptian interior ministry building in Cairo in the early hours of Sunday, Al Jazeera reported.
A crowd of protesters was trying to storm the building, located in the centre of the Egyptian capital, forcing police to open fire, the TV channel reported.
In the Faiyum governorate, an administrative division, located about 81 miles (about 130 km) to the southwest of Cairo, unidentified gunmen shot dead the chief of a local prison, freeing several hundred prisoners, Al Jazeera said.
On Saturday, Mubarak dismissed the country’s government and appointed a former civil aviation minister, Ahmed Shafiq, as the new prime minister, ordering him to form a new cabinet.
[Al Jazeera reporter] Ayman Mohyeldin reports that eyewitnesses have said “party thugs” associated with the Egyptian regime’s Central Security Services – in plainclothes but bearing government-issued weapons – have been looting in Cairo. Ayman says the reports started off as isolated accounts but are now growing in number.
“Thugs” going around on motorcycles looting shops and houses, according to Al Jazeera. They say they are getting more and more reports of looting. More worryingly, one group of looters who were captured by citizens in the upmarket Cairo district of Heliopolis turned out to have ID cards identifying them as members of the regime security forces.
Similarly, Egyptian newspaper Al MasryAlyoum provides several eyewitness accounts of agents provacateur:
Thugs looting residential neighborhoods and intimidating civilians are government-hires, say eyewitnesses.
In Nasr City, an Eastern Cairo neighborhood, residents attempting to restore security told Al-Masry Al-Youm that looters were caught yesterday.
“They were sent by the government. The government got them out of prison and told them to rob us,” says Nameer Nashaat, a resident working alongside other youths to preserve order in the district. “When we caught them, they said that the Ministry of Interior has sent them.”
In Masr al-Qadeema, another district, scrap metal dealer Khaled Barouma, confirmed the same account. “The government let loose convicts. They let them out of prisons. We all know them in this neighborhood,” he said, adding that the neighborhood’s youth is trying to put the place in order by patrolling its streets with batons.
“The government wants people to believe that this is an uprising of convicts, which is not the case. The government is the one that is a criminal,” Khalil Fathy, a local journalist covering the events closely, said.
In Rehab City, a wealthy gated community in New Cairo, masked thugs broke through a civilian barricade in a truck and were caught by a neighborhood watch that has been guarding the city this evening.
“Even though we caught the ones we saw, now that they’re in, we know that more will be coming and we’re all running to protect our families and houses,” said Karim el-Dib, one of the men guarding the community.
Meanwhile, protestors caught two police informants attempting to rob a bank in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.
Ayman Nour, opposition leader and head of the Ghad Party, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that his fellow party members have caught several thugs who work forthe Interior Ministry. After capturing them in downtown Cairo and Heliopolis, Nour’s followers found ministry of interior IDs on them, Nour said.
“The regime is trying to project the worst image possible to make it clear to people that they have only one of two alternatives: either the existing order or chaos,” he said.
Scores of looting incidents have been reported since yesterday. Many residential neighborhoods have been attacked by thugs and ex-convicts, despite military presence.
Eyewitnesses reported that one plain clothed man attempted to loot and destroy private property, and when confronted he was shot. Bystanders then took his identification out and revealed that he was a police officer, leaving a number of demonstrators to argue that the government has told police to instigate looting and unrest.
And American intelligence service Stratfor provides the following unconfirmed report today:
Security forces in plainclothes are engaged in destroying public property in order to give the impression that many protesters represent a public menace.
False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to appear as if they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is, flying the flag of a country other than one’s own. False flag operations are not limited to war and counter-insurgency operations, and have been used in peace-time; for example, during Italy’s strategy of tension.
If intelligence agencies or federal, state or local police themselves commit acts of violence against people or property, and then blame it on peaceful protesters, that is – by definition – false flag terror.
***
Read this to see how eagerly the mainstream media are to pin acts of violence on peaceful protesters, instead of the thugs who actually committed them.
And if you don’t know about agents provocateur, read this statement about Burma:
“They’ve ordered some soldiers in the military to shave their heads, so that they could pose as monks, and then those fake monks would attack soldiers to incite a military crackdown. The regime has done this before in Burma, and we believe they would do so again.”
U.S. intelligence officers are reporting that some of the insurgents in Iraq are using recent-model Beretta 92 pistols, but the pistols seem to have had their serial numbers erased. The numbers do not appear to have been physically removed; the pistols seem to have come off a production line without any serial numbers. Analysts suggest the lack of serial numbers indicates that the weapons were intended for intelligence operations or terrorist cells with substantial government backing. Analysts speculate that these guns are probably from either Mossad or the CIA. Analysts speculate that agent provocateurs may be using the untraceable weapons even as U.S. authorities use insurgent attacks against civilians as evidence of the illegitimacy of the resistance.
Quebec police admitted that, in 2007, thugs carrying rocks to a peaceful protest were actually undercover Quebec police officers
At the G20 protests in London in 2009, a British member of parliament saw plain clothes police officers attempting to incite the crowd to violence
Similarly, an Indonesian fact-finding team investigated violent riots which occurred in 1998, anddetermined that “elements of the military had been involved in the riots, some of which were deliberately provoked”.
EGYPT’S revolution was on a knife edge tonight — after a military show of force that saw warplanes dramatically screech over rebels in riot-torn Cairo.
Two US-built F-16s flew down the Nile to repeatedly “buzz” the capital’s Liberation Square — where 10,000 protesters defied hated president Hosni Mubarak’s curfew.
Demonstrators convinced the tyrant was trying to scare them as he clung to power shook their fists at the jets. One called Issam, 40, snarled: “Mubarak is desperate like a cornered rat. What will he do next — bomb us?”
Looters at Cairo’s central Egyptian museum smashed a statue of Tutankhamun before being nabbed fleeing with two mummy skulls. Curators branded them “criminals — not true Egyptians”.
In ruins … soldiers inspect the burnt out shell of a Cairo block
Egyptologists elsewhere reported “immense damage” as tombs were ransacked. Mobs were “digging day and night, everywhere”.
Amid confusion as Liberation Square was buzzed, someCHEERED — claiming the jets and helicopter gunships that arrived were there to back them.
Earlier in the day soldiers rolled into the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in a bid to protect tourist areas as armed militias formed in the capital after cops DESERTEDthe streets.
The death toll on a sixth day of anti-government demonstrations has reached more than 100 – while 30,000 Brits remain in the country and thousands of inmates have broken out of prisons.
Most Britons are in Red Sea resorts which have so far remained calm – but this afternoon it emerged hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh had been barricaded in case of unrest as troops moved in to protect them.
Embattled President Mubarak has reportedly fled there to escape the carnage in Cairo. The Foreign Office has already advised Brits to abide by a 4pm curfew.
Just as the security situation worsened last night prisons nationwide were emptied of thousands of inmates today after bloody battles with guards – including 34 members of Egypt’s main opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood.
Dozens of bodies are lying on a road near a prison east of the city, according to security sources.
Egypt’s leading opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, a former UN nuclear inspector, joined mass protests in Cairo adding to the pressure on hated President Hosni Mubarak to quit.
He defiantly told the masses “change is coming in the next few days”.
Foreign secretary William Hague has warned the country it faces falling into the hands of extremists if the President does not push ahead with a democratic “transformation”.
Protests against his regime are in their SIXTH day today. He sacked his cabinet on Friday and vowed to form a new government, appointing his intelligence chief as vice-president the following day.
But the Egyptian people – encouraged by regime change after similar protests in Tunisia – have continued their struggle in the face of tough tactics from the country’s security forces after he refused to go.
Many protesters reiterated the fact they want the complete removal of Mubarak’s administration today. They blame him for the country’s poverty, unemployment, widespread corruption and police brutality.
Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League, called for a multi-party democracy to replace his regime.
“If the president leaves today, chaos will be over,” said schoolteacher Hussein Riyad.
“People have been suffering for 30 years, a few days of horror don’t matter.”
At Tahrir Square in the heart of Cairo, where Riyad and tens of thousands of other protesters were marching, two military armoured vehicles blocked the entrance where soldiers worked alongside civilian protestersto check IDs and bags for weapons.They were also attempting to keep out plain-clothed police officers.
Defending city … civilians guard goods confiscated from looters in Cairo
“The army is protecting us, they won’t let police infiltrators sneak in!” one volunteer shouted.
PM David Cameron spoke to the Egyptian premier last night by phone and urged him to listen to his people, fed up after three decades of authoritarian government.
Meanwhile looters and criminals have been taking full advantage of the chaos. Thousands of inmates escaped prisons across the country today – including one jail that housed Muslim militants north-west of the capital.
Security officials said the prisoners escaped overnight from four jails after starting fires and clashing with guards.
The inmates were helped by gangs of armed men who attacked the prisons, firing at guards in gun battles that lasted for hours.
No explanation has been given for why police officers have vanished but their absence has only encouraged looting and arson overnight. Security sources said officers would return to the streets tomorrow.
Ten policemen are believed to be among those killed.
The vacuum left behind by missing cops has been filled by ordinary people forming teams of neighbourhood protection groups armed with firearms, sticks and clubs.
They have set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades using bricks and metal traffic barriers to ward off looting gangs roaming the city.
Witnesses said police shot dead 17 people last night as they tried to attack two police stations in the Beni Suef governorate, south of Cairo.
Mr Hague urged President Mubarak, 82, to do what was necessary to end the crisis.
He said: “It is important for him to initiate that transformation and that broadly based government, and that is what we would like to see.
“That is far preferable of course to Egypt falling into the hands of extremism or a more authoritarian system of government.”
Tens of thousands of protestors remained on the streets last night, defying a 4pm to 8am curfew, as Mr Cameron expressed his “grave concern” in a telephone conversation with the president.
Wounded … pals carry protester from Cairo city square
The PM urged Mr Mubarak to “take bold steps to accelerate political reform and build democratic legitimacy” rather than oppress his opponents.
In a joint statement with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Cameron said: “The Egyptian people have legitimate grievances and a longing for a just and better future.
“We urge President Mubarak to embark on a process of transformation which should be reflected in a broad-based government and in free and fair elections.”
Protesters returned to the streets yesterday, pouring into Cairo’s downtown Tahrir Square where they clashed with riot cops and threw stones while shouting “go away, go away”.
Chaos … where the violence has spread
Tanks had been stationed around Cairo to protect public buildings. Egypt’s pyramids were closed to the public.
Foreigners have been flocking to Cairo’s main airport to get on flights out of the country.
Britons have been advised against all but essential travel to the capital and three other key cities.
The US has advised its citizens to leave the country as soon as possible.
Thousands of anti-government protesters clashed with police in the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria again yesterday where there are reports cops used teargas and live ammunition.
The cities of Alexandria, Mansoura, Rafah and Suez – where a police station was torched – have also seen violence.
Cairo’s National Democratic Party HQ was set alight and protesters stormed the state television building.
Here is another video to consider, with video credit to Tamer Shaaban. It has close to 400,000 views when I saw it.
I like one protester’s message in the video … “We will not be silenced. Whether you are a Christian, whether you are a Muslim, whether you are an atheist, you will demand your goddamn rights, and we will have our rights one way or the other! We will never be silenced!
If the embed above does not play, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThvBJMzmSZI&sns=fb
Egyptian Police Disappear in Widespread Chaos, Looting Spreads,Vigilantes Defend Homes
Egyptians armed with guns, sticks, and blades have formed vigilante groups to defend their homes from looters after police disappeared from the streets following days of violent protests.
Banks, junctions and important buildings previously guarded by the police and state security were left abandoned Saturday and civilians have quickly stepped in to fill the void.
“There are no police to be found anywhere,” said Ghadeer, 23, from an upscale neighborhood. “Doormen and young boys from their neighborhoods are standing outside holding sticks, razors and other weapons to prevent people from coming in.”
Police withdrew from the streets when the army was sent in to take over security in Cairo. Witnesses have since seen mobs storming supermarkets, commercial centers, banks, private property and government buildings in Cairo and elsewhere.
Egyptians have called for army intervention to bring back law and order. Saturday, many protesters changed: “No to plundering and no to destruction.
Dozens of shops across Egypt have painted display windows white to hide contents and discourage looting. A cash machine was broken in an upscale neighborhood, witnesses said.
“They are letting Egypt burn to the ground,” said Inas Shafik, 35.
Several government buildings were set ablaze during days of protests against President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule. They were often left to burn without the intervention of authorities.
Islamic leaders have in the meantime called on people to join vigilante groups to protect their homes themselves. Yet, scenes of looting appeared to spread from upscale parts of Cairo to downtown and poorer areas as well.
Some 700 prisoners escaped in Fayoum, south of Cairo, and killed a senior police officer, sources said. Another senior police officer was also kidnapped in Damietta, a witness said.
“They are torching down the prisons. Our lives and property are at risk. Get out of the way,” one shopper shouted, echoing the anxieties of many as they raced to stock up at supermarkets.
Others stayed penned inside their homes for fear of what they said were marauding gangs in some areas. Friday, looters broke into the Egyptian Museum — home to the world’s greatest collection of Pharaonic treasures — and destroyed two pharaonic mummies, said Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s top archaeologist.
In walled-off estates on the outskirts of Cairo, private security locked down gates and refused to let people in.
Ghadeer said: “The looters want to plunder and the government is washing its hands clean of any responsibility.”
One sure way to get people fired up is to shut down the stock market and all the banks, thereby denying citizens access to their money. Yet, that is exactly the desperate course of action chosen by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Protests have now spread to Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. So far however, the protests in Saudi Arabia are of a peaceful nature, mostly related to government response to flooding. Recent history suggests that may change at any moment into something far more significant.
In a move that can easily backfire, the Saudi king defended Mubarak and offered support.
Meanwhile, in Jordan, the pace of protests have now picked up as opposition supporters have held rallies in Amman and called for the resignation of Jordan’s prime minister.
The Egyptian bourse will be closed tomorrow after thousands of protestors congregated in central Cairo for a fifth day and President Hosni Mubarak ignored demands to resign. Banks will also be shut, State TV said.
“No one expected this to take place and at such a fast sequence of events,” said Mohamed Radwan, head of international sales at Cairo-based Pharos Holding for Financial Investment. “The critical time frame for the market is from now until the implementation of economic and democratic reforms demanded by the people.”
Soldiers, backed by armored carriers and tanks, are guarding banks and government buildings in the capital after acts of looting and theft yesterday. Forty people were killed and another 1,100 people were injured yesterday and today in the clashes that have swept major cities including Cairo, according to the Egyptian Health Ministry. The government of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif resigned today at Mubarak’s request.
Saudi Arabian shares retreated the most since May on concern political unrest could spread in the Middle East after Egyptian protesters clashed with police and the North African country’s president refused to resign.
The Tadawul All Share Index tumbled 6.4 percent, the most since May 25, to 6,267.22 at the 3:30 p.m. close in Riyadh. All but one of the 146 shares fell. Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the world’s largest petrochemical maker, slumped 7.5 percent. Savola Azizia United Co., a food producer with subsidiaries in Egypt, dropped 10 percent, the maximum fluctuation allowed in a single trading session.
“There is a lot of worry looming among investors that we’re going to see a domino effect across the region,” said Amro Halwani, a trader at Shuaa Capital PSC in Riyadh. “That is pushing investors away from equities and straight into cash. It is panic selling across the board.”
Mubarak appointed his intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, vice president and named former civil aviation minister Ahmed Shafik prime minister. Shafik was charged with setting up a new government.
The appointment of the 74-year-old Suleiman may signal that Mubarak won’t run again in presidential elections in September. But the appointments of Suleiman and Shafik didn’t slow protestors’ demands for Mubarak’s resignation or immediately satisfy the Obama administration.
“The Egyptian government can’t reshuffle the deck and then stand pat,” U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley wrote Saturday on Twitter. “President Mubarak’s words pledging reform must be followed by action.”
Protests Call for Ouster of Jordanian Prime Minister
Taking their cue from Tunisia and Egypt, an estimated 3,000 Jordanians marched through the streets after Friday prayers, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Samir Rifai and calling for political and economic reforms.
They warned corrupt Arab leaders would face the same fate as ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Peaceful protests were also held in the cities of Irbid, Karak, Maan, and Diban, AFP reported. Jordan has a population of six million, 70 percent of whom under the age of 30. Official unemployment is running at about 14 percent, but other estimates put joblessness at 30 percent.
The government says it is pumping around $500 million into the economy to improve the people’s standard of living.
Dozens of protesters have been arrested in Saudi Arabia’s second biggest city after they protested against the weaknesses of infrastructure of Jeddah.
The protests were triggered on Friday after floods swept through the city, killing at least four people, and raising fears of a repeat of the deadly 2009 deluge, in which more than 120 people lost their lives.
On Wednesday, torrential rains caused flooding that swept away cars and downed electric lines in Jeddah.
The oil-rich kingdom lacks the basic necessary systems and structures to drain water out of the residential areas during a heavy rainfall.
Given infrastructure is this bad, I have a simple question: What the hell is Saudi Arabia doing with all the oil money it receives?
I also have an answer: It is going into the pockets of billionaire sheiks who have more money than they possibly know what to do with. The same could be said for multi-billionaires everywhere.
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah ensures Mohamed Hosni Mubarak of his support amid nationwide protests against the Egyptian president’s three-decade-long rule.
In a Saturday telephone conversation with Mubarak, Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud described the popular movements as “tampering with Egypt’s security and stability in the name of freedom of expression,” AFP reported.
The Saudi king branded the protesters as “intruders” and said, “Saudi Arabia stands with all its power with the government and people of Egypt.”
The comments came after a Human Rights Watch report lambasted Riyadh earlier in the week for mistreatment of women, foreign labor and the Kingdom’s Shia minority.
There is widespread approval among Arabs for the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Offering support to someone who is clearly despised does not seem like a prudent move to me.
Reflections on Decades of Misguided US Policy
President Obama is attempting to play this from both sides as best he can. For more details on his phone conversations with Mubarak, please consider
It’s important to note that I am not talking about mistakes in current US policy but rather misguided policy decisions over the decades.
We supported a corrupt Shah of Iran and look at the results.
We supported Iraq on the hopelessly flawed theory “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” There are pictures of Rumsfeld shaking hands with Hussein.
We gave chemical weapons to Iraq.
Our intelligence do not see the takeover of the US embassy in Iran coming.
Our CIA trained Bin Laden to fight Russia in Afghanistan. Now we are hunting Bin Laden and fighting in Afghanistan.
We have wasted trillion of dollars in both Iraq and Afghanistan and all we have to show for it is more enemies.
Contrast that that with our actions in Tunisia. We did not spend a dime, nor did our intelligence efforts even see it coming. Yet, in Tunisia, a protest by the people overthrew overthrew Tunisian strongman Zine el Abidine ben Ali.
Reporting from Tunis, Tunisia — A wall of fear has come down.
All across the Arab world, people living under the thumb of repressive leaders are rising up against the rulers who once seemed omnipotent.
They are using the Internet to network and spread the word. They are watching themselves on satellite television. They are drawing strength from the hyperactive energy of the frustrated young people dismissed and discarded by their governments.
It is a contagious spirit.
“It’s like a transition moment in the Arab world,” said Mohammad Abou Rouman, a political researcher at the University of Jordan, in Amman, where protests erupted Friday. “It’s the influence of the Tunisian domino, and it will not stop. It will go to other Arab states.”
The uprisings are having a ricochet effect across the Arab world. People are watching the events unfolding on television and Facebook and identifying with the people in the streets.
“I was with my friends on Facebook, and we encouraged each other,” said Dali ben Salem, a 25-year-old intern in pharmacy in Tunis. “The solidarity helped me to face the fear.”
And whether or not Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak manages to survive what one analyst called a political “tsunami” that is enveloping the Arab world, things will never return to normal, analysts said.
War of the Future
How much money did the US spend on misguided missile programs and misguided missile defense systems, only to be defeated by a group of hijackers with razor blades? Is there more of a threat from a suitcase bomb or a missile?
How much money do we waste keeping troops in 140 countries where they are mostly not wanted?
Please remember Bin Laden’s primary objection to the US was that US troops were on sacred Arab soil. So why do we do it? What has it brought us but misery?
We have caused countless trillions of dollars of destruction in Iraq, and in Afghanistan. Sadly, the war in Afghanistan is no more winnable than the War in Vietnam.
Quiet revolutions by the people are the war of the future, and the only kind of war that makes any sense.
Please note that Tunisia did not cost US taxpayers a dime. We should not have wasted a dime to get rid of Hussein either. Iraq was not a threat to the US. Simply put, it was a matter for the Iraqi people to settle, not us.
The U.S. government had been planning to topple the Egyptian President for the past three years – that’s according to diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks. The files show Washington had been secretly backing leading figures behind the uprising. Reportedly some fifty people have died and hundreds more injured in nationwide demonstrations since Tuesday. Protesters have returned to Cairo’s central square this morning reiterating calls for President Hosni Mubarak to step down. Earlier the president dismissed his government, but refused to quit. Unrest in Egypt comes weeks after a month of chaos in Tunisia, which saw 80 deaths and the president being toppled before fleeing into exile. Investigative journalist, Webster Tarpley, told RT, Washington wants to put new leaders in power in the Arab world to follow the U.S. agenda.
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Protests inspired by the revolt in Tunisia have dominoed along Egypt, Yemen and Algeria. Some have drawn comparisons to the colour revolutions seen in post-Soviet countries. To discuss this RT talks to William Engdahl – author of the book ‘Full Spectrum Dominance: Totalitarian Democracy in the new world order.’
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Well folks, the great news to report to you all is that the “Viva Palestina” Humanitarian Aid Convoy safely reached Gaza and delivered all their aid. On January 6th, 517 humanitarians from 20 countries, in close to 200 vehicles, crossed through the Rafah Border into Gaza. The scenes greeting us as we made our way to Gaza city were unbelievable. Over 100,000 lined the roads and streets as we took 3 hours to drive 20 kilometres. They had waited patiently on us for us for weeks, and their outpouring of excitement and gratitude was the most humbling experience in my life. They are the real heroes, not us.
Having left London on December 6th the convoy made its way through Europe, and then crossed the sea into Greece. From there, they arrived to a hero’s reception in Turkey, and to add to the convoy, another 200 people in 70 vehicles loaded with aid joined the already swelling numbers on the road. Turkish charity, I.H.H. provided the vehicles and volunteers. This particular charity is one of the leading Turkish charities, and at various times, upwards on 12 Turkish M.P.’s were on the convoy. Their involvement brought with them some serious political clout that was to prove invaluable when we faced some serious difficulties later in the journey.
From Turkey, the convoy rolled into Syria, where as expected, the reception was huge. From Syria, the convoy crossed the border into Jordan on December 22nd. It was at this point that I flew to Amman in Jordan and met up with everyone. It was fantastic to meet up with loads of my old friends from the last convoy, and to listen to the many wide and varied stories from the trip thus far. Everyone was in top form, and the end of the road was in sight, at least on a map anyway, as we were all to find out later…….
The following day in Amman, thousands showed up for a rally in honour of the convoy. There were a few hours of speeches, as each speech had to be translated into 3 languages each time someone spoke! As you can imagine, it got boring after a while… Upon our return to our hotel, 3 local women had appeared waving an Irish flag. They had been following my “Ireland To Gaza” facebook group, and having found out what hotel we were in, came to show some support for the Irish on the trip. Their mother was from Dublin, and all 3 had lived in Ireland until 15 years ago. They were just so excited to catch up with us and show support, and needless to say, we were inspired by their efforts. Plus, there was great banter as the hotel lobby was full of other convoy members looking on at our fan club!
December 24th, we travelled from Amman to the port city of Aqaba in southern Jordan. It was an amazing drive, as 70% of the trip was driving through the desert. In soaring temperatures, driving for hours with nothing but a desert landscape to look at was mind-blowing. From the previous convoy, driving through the desert was my favourite part of the journey, and to be driving through the desert again was special indeed.
We rolled into Aqaba around 6 pm, and all the vehicles were parked up in a compound. From here, a 2 hour sail and a 4 hour drive would see us at the Rafah Border. Busses took us into town where we all met up to hear the latest news. George Galloway and others came back from a meeting with Egyptian Government, and announced their new conditions of travel to Gaza. Everyone was shocked, and totally dismayed by Egypt’s new rules.
1. We were to hand over all our vehicles and aid to the United Nations Relief Agency.
2. Drive back up to Syria, put all our vehicles on a boat and sail it to El Arish Port. We were to take a ferry or fly.
3. We were to ask Israel for permission to cross from Egypt into Gaza.
Now, on the 1st point, there was no way that we could hand our aid over to the UN. Everything would have to pass through the Israeli border, and there was no chance that they would allow everything to cross. Plus, the UN are continually shouting about the lack of aid Israel is letting in, as they are not getting anything close to what they need to distribute in Gaza.
Secondly, by driving up to Syria, the boat crossing would be 18 hours, and cost a fortune.
Thirdly, and this was the crucial point, that we ask permission from Israel to cross into Gaza from Egypt. This was their 1st public declaration that they were been controlled by Israel and the US. At this point, the whole of the Arab media arrived in Aqaba and started covering the convoy to over 100 million viewers. There was outrage at Egypt for not only coming out with such a statement, but with their refusal to let us cross from Aqaba into Egypt.
At this point, the Turkish Prime Minister got involved in diplomatic negotiations, and the Queen of Jordan called to offer her total support to everyone. She appealed to Egypt’s deaf ears, and to no avail.
The next couple of days were spent in negotiations, and on December 27th, to commemorate the 1st wave of attacks on Gaza, a special vigil was held. Everyone observed a 3 minute silence, and the names of 16 medics killed in Gaza were read out. It was a very sombre moment, as Caoimhe Butterly read out their names. Caoimhe worked in Gaza during the 22 day attack, and most of these medics were friends and work colleagues. Following this we marched to the Egyptian embassy and held a peaceful protest at their gates.
Plus, 30 of us joined is a hunger strike along with many others in Cairo who were part of a Gaza Freedom March that was banned from entering Gaza. Over 1,300 people from all over the world had arrived in Cairo only to be told they would not be allowed in. Among the hunger strikers in Cairo, was Hedy Epstein, a 85 year old Holocaust survivor.
Together we fasted for 40 hours until word came through that a deal had been struck. Egypt was going to allow the whole convoy a safe passage into Gaza if we travelled from Syria.
We would not have to hand it over to the UN, and we would not to ask Israel for permission to cross. (Like we were going to…)
To everyone assembled, this came across as a good compromise, and everyone was in favour of getting back on the road and getting to Gaza.
So, on Tuesday 29th, everyone packed up and hit the road again. A long days driving saw us cross the border into Syria, and on to Damascus where we stayed the night. We stayed here the following night as well, as plans were been made to secure a cargo boat to transport our vehicles. The Turkish government came to the rescue and paid £250,000 for a cargo boat large enough for the job. Plus, the commander of the Turkish Navy stated that they would protect their vessel from any “hostile attack”. Now that is diplomacy eh?
On the 31st, the convoy made the final leg of its journey to the port city of Latikia in northern Syria. Here, all the vehicles were parked in a compound at the sea in a large Palestinian Refugee Camp. Almost 7,000 live here, with no chance of ever returning to their homeland in Palestine. This was a chilling reminder to everyone about the reality of the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland. People were showing us deeds for their houses, which they have been expelled from and will never see again. It felt sad in a way that we were going to get permission to go to Palestine, but for these natives, they had no chance of ever seeing their homeland again.
So, on Sunday January 3rd, we loaded close to 250 vehicles onto a Turkish Cargo ship and it set sail for the Egyptian port of El Arish. The following day, the Syrian Government chartered a plane to fly over 500 people to el Arish. It was going to take 4 flights to complete the job.
The 1st flight got away on time, and when they reached El Arish, the Egyptians had moved the goalposts again. They were insisting that the 155 people who had just arrived go straight to the port and drive all the vehicles up to Rafah and then leave. They were stamped with entry and exit visas at the same time, which is illegal. Needless to say, a stand off ensued and 9 hours later, the Egyptians relented and agreed to everyone been present to go to Rafah.
The 2nd flight left, and mid-air developed an engine fault. It landed safely in Damascus, where everyone was very relieved to have landed without incident. Another plane was chartered from Greece, and it flew to Damascus to collect and fly those stranded to El Arish, and then it returned to Latikia, where the remaining 197 passengers boarded to fly to El Arish.
Having arrived at El Arish airport, a full scale commotion was going on as the airport officials “lost” 5 passports. As our noise got louder, 1 by 1 the passports mysteriously re appeared…… After 8 hours in the airport, we were bussed to the compound at the port where all our vehicles and all the convoy members were gathered.
Little did we all know what was in store for us later on that night. During discussions with the head of the I.H.H. charity, a Turkish M.P. representing the Government, and George Galloway, Egyptian officials reneged on their previous deal, and where now denying entry to 59 vehicles. Then, they stood up and walked out to make a phone call. 15 minutes later they looked out the window and the compound was surrounded by 2,000 riot police and soldiers. This was developing into a very tense situation.
Hundreds of convoy members went to the main gates and staged a peaceful protest. We all linked arms at the front, and at various times, sat down for long spells. The Muslim men gathered in deep prayer, and the atmosphere was very calm.
However, things changed for the worse after a few hours whenever we were attacked by stone throwers from behind police lines. They fired tear gas on us, water cannoned us, threw sand in our faces, and then baton charged us. It was a very scary moment, and I was lucky enough to escape any blows. As everyone was getting pushed back into the compound, stones and bricks followed after them from the police lines. A full scale riot raged for the next 10 minutes as stones and bricks rained from both sides of the wall.
When calm had been restored, 60 members were injured, and 15 had to go to hospital to receive stitches. It was a long night as tensions took as while to calm down. 7 people were held by the authorities over night in a police truck. The mood among everyone was total shock as to what had just happened.
People were very frightened, and with just cause. The sight of people injured was not a pretty one, believe me.
After a few hours sleep, we awoke to see about 40 police men now guarding us, and a new line of discussions opened. The Turkish Prime Minister was dealing directly on our behalf, and he had negotiated a new deal. The 40 new cars that had been bought by US volunteers in July and had been refused then, were now the only vehicles not allowed to cross. It was decided that these vehicles would be shipped back to refugee camps in Syria and Lebanon rather than send them to the Israeli border. Plus, the 7 people detained from the previous evening were returned without any charge.
Then, at 4pm, vehicles started to get ready to pull out of the port. As darkness fell, the 1st group of twenty vehicles started the 40km drive to the Rafah Border. I was in the 2nd group, and at 7pm on Wednesday 6th January I crossed over the border into Gaza for the 2nd time in a year. Instead of a 5 hour crossing, we did a 13 day roundabout to reach this point. It was an emotional crossing, and all the hardships faced along the way just faded into a distant past. We had done it. We had crossed every hurdle put in our way, and together we stood tall for our principles, and broke the siege on Gaza.
It was a different feeling from the last crossing, but equally important. Inside the gates I got to meet several friends from the last trip, and to see the emotion and joy in their faces was another humbling experience. Our crossing meant so much to them, and living in a prison, they don’t get to see many moments like these. We were a symbol of hope, love, solidarity, kindness, humanity, and peace.
Following a reception at the border, we set off for Gaza city. Thousands and thousands of people, young and old, lined every step of our way. They were leaning over each other just to get touching a vehicle. Taking pictures with their mobile phones, shouting messages of thanks, and generally giving us a hero’s welcome. It was one long humbling experience. What the residents in Gaza have to live with on a daily basis makes them all the real heroes in our books.
After a good nights sleep, I awoke to hear loud booms out at sea. Looking out from my window, I could see Israeli gunships patrolling the waters a few miles out. This is a constant reminder that their presence is close, and to stop fishermen from going out far enough to fish. Not a pretty sight to see on a daily basis.
At mid day, everyone met up at the compound, and we officially handed over all our vehicles and aid to various charities and NGO’s working in Gaza. Anyone with specific deliveries, got to hand over their aid personally. There were emotional scenes as people packed up their belongings and said good bye to their vehicles that had become their home for the past month. It had been a long hard journey, and this final act, sealed a job well done. Everyone could hold their heads high and say that they delivered their aid to Gaza in one piece.
I went off in the afternoon to the Al Jazeera studio and appeared on one of their main shows. I was on a panel along with an Egyptian spokesman, and a Turkish journalist. We were all filmed from various locations, and needless to say, the Egyptian hadn’t good legs to stand on!!
That evening, I went to the Gaza Sporting Club. This is the club I presented jerseys to before, and this evening I was back with more! This also marked the occasion where I formally established a Gaza GAA club within their structures. I presented them with a set of jerseys that had been donated by Peter Canavan’s school, The Holy Trinity in Cookstown.
It was a very proud moment, and one for the history books.
They presented me with a plaque, and 3 club jerseys. It was a fairly emotional meeting for sure. Very soon, children in Gaza will be playing Gaelic football, and will be kicking points like Peter!!
During our meeting, a loud explosion was heard in the distant.
The curtains in our room blew in and then out with the blast. At this point, our evening was cut short and we returned to the safety of our hotel. It was a very tense feeling, and word came through that it was a F16 attack and that 1 man had been killed. In another attack near the border, 2 more were killed in F16 attacks. This was a cold reminder to all about the daily fear everyone lives with in Gaza. These attacks are designed to keep on letting everyone in Gaza know that they can be hit at anytime, for no reason at all. Just living in Gaza makes you a target.
The following morning, we were all advised to head straight to the border. Everyone packed up, and after many tearful farewells, 517 people made their way to the Rafah Border.
We were made to wait for 8 hours, and then when we had passed through immigration, we were all loaded onto buses and taken directly to Cairo Airport. Here, each and every one of us was “Deported” from Egypt. This was our final thanks for having brought humanitarian aid to the suffering people in Gaza. For all of us, it is a badge of honour. Where else in the world would you be deported for having completed an act of charity? The mind boggles……..
Egypt can hold their heads in shame for what they did to us. Making us endure a 13 day detour, attacking us, and then deporting us, was some reception from a supposed friend of the west. Then, they announce that they will never allow another convoy of aid to pass through their land for Gaza. They have a big heart, and their generosity knows no bounds.
At Cairo airport, our passports were held and only returned when stepping onto a flight. The British Embassy in Cairo did nothing for their citizens, and the US did even less. The Irish Embassy did more than every other Embassy put together. From the moment we landed in El Arish, they were making up to 5 calls a day to us to make sure we were all ok. They also made several calls for our safety to the Egyptian Government.
Michael Martin also called to offer his support. Once again, Ireland stood up for its citizens and for the Palestinians. We were truly grateful for this support and constant contact.
I had a flight to Istanbul at 1 45pm, and when that plane left the ground on take off, I let out a big sigh of relief. Boy was one happy man to have seen the back of Egypt. That’s twice Egypt have attacked us and made our journey difficult, and following my deporting, I never want to see that country again.
Now that I’m back, I will continue to champion the cause of the Palestinians living under siege in Gaza. What is happening to them is one of the biggest crimes against humanity going on in the world today, and it must stop soon. I truly believe that with the wide coverage the convoy received in the Arab world, very soon the screws will tighten further on Egypt and Israel/US to lift the siege illegally imposed on Gaza. The situation has to change soon, and very soon. I know that by playing my small part, it can help make changes in time.
I am eternally hopeful that common sense will prevail very soon.
So please pass this story on to anyone you feel would read it. This is a brief account of what we went through, and what the Palestinians live with on a daily basis. The more people aware of the situation there, the sooner it changes.
This Friday night in The Bank Hotel in Dungannon, a sort of homecoming is planned for me. Particia Campbell, Mickey Coleman, Tommy Mc Kearney, Bernadette Mc Aliskey, and Peter Canavan have organised it. They had a meeting of solidarity for the convoy on Jan 2nd, and it was inspiring to receive their support. So if you can make it, come along at 9pm. I will talk about the trip, and the panellists will have a discussion. Mickey Coleman will be singing his new anti war song, “Mothers Lullaby”. Evening to be finished off with music and a few drinks for sure……
For all the support shown to myself, and to the convoy as a whole, thank you all so much. In moments of despair, your message of support would lift the spirits. Each and every one of you all played a role in making sure the aid reached Gaza.
Together, we all made it happen, and the people in Gaza love and respect everyone for having shown the courage to speak up for them. They will never forget this convoy, that’s for sure……
Thank God for Helen Thomas, the only person to show any courage at the White House press briefing after President Barack Obama gave a flaccid account of the intelligence screw-up that almost downed an airliner on Christmas Day.
After Obama briefly addressed L’Affaire Abdulmutallab and wrote “must do better” on the report cards of the national security schoolboys responsible for the near catastrophe, the President turned the stage over to counter-terrorism guru John Brennan and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
It took 89-year old veteran correspondent Helen Thomas to break through the vapid remarks about rechanneling “intelligence streams,” fixing “no-fly” lists, deploying “behavior detection officers,” and buying more body-imaging scanners.
Thomas recognized the John & Janet filibuster for what it was, as her catatonic press colleagues took their customary dictation and asked their predictable questions. Instead, Thomas posed an adult query that spotlighted the futility of government plans to counter terrorism with more high-tech gizmos and more intrusions on the liberties and privacy of the traveling public.
Thomas: “And what is the motivation? We never hear what you find out on why.”
Brennan: “Al Qaeda is an organization that is dedicated to murder and wanton slaughter of innocents… They attract individuals like Mr. Abdulmutallab and use them for these types of attacks. He was motivated by a sense of religious sort of drive. Unfortunately, al Qaeda has perverted Islam, and has corrupted the concept of Islam, so that he’s (sic) able to attract these individuals. But al Qaeda has the agenda of destruction and death.”
Thomas: “And you’re saying it’s because of religion?”
Brennan: “I’m saying it’s because of an al Qaeda organization that used the banner of religion in a very perverse and corrupt way.”
Thomas: “Why?”
Brennan: “I think this is a — long issue, but al Qaeda is just determined to carry out attacks here against the homeland.”
Thomas: “But you haven’t explained why.”
Neither did President Obama, nor anyone else in the U.S. political/media hierarchy. All the American public gets is the boilerplate about how al-Qaeda evildoers are perverting a religion and exploiting impressionable young men.
There is almost no discussion about why so many people in the Muslim world object to U.S. policies so strongly that they are inclined to resist violently and even resort to suicide attacks.
Obama’s Non-Answer
I had been hoping Obama would say something intelligent about what drove Abdulmutallab to do what he did, but the President uttered a few vacuous comments before sending in the clowns. This is what he said before he walked away from the podium:
“It is clear that al Qaeda increasingly seeks to recruit individuals without known terrorist affiliations … to do their bidding. … And that’s why we must communicate clearly to Muslims around the world that al Qaeda offers nothing except a bankrupt vision of misery and death … while the United States stands with those who seek justice and progress. … That’s the vision that is far more powerful than the hatred of these violent extremists.”
But why it is so hard for Muslims to “get” that message? Why can’t they end their preoccupation with dodging U.S. missiles in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Gaza long enough to reflect on how we are only trying to save them from terrorists while simultaneously demonstrating our commitment to “justice and progress”?
Does a smart fellow like Obama expect us to believe that all we need to do is “communicate clearly to Muslims” that it is al Qaeda, not the U.S. and its allies, that brings “misery and death”? Does any informed person not know that the unprovoked U.S.-led invasion of Iraq killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and displaced 4.5 million from their homes? How is that for “misery and death”?
Rather than a failure to communicate, U.S. officials are trying to rewrite recent history, which seems to be much easier to accomplish with the Washington press corps and large segments of the American population than with the Muslim world.
But why isn’t there a frank discussion by America’s leaders and media about the real motivation of Muslim anger toward the United States? Why was Helen Thomas the only journalist to raise the touchy but central question of motive?
Peeking Behind the Screen
We witnessed a similar phenomenon when the 9/11 Commission Report tiptoed into a cautious discussion of possible motives behind the 9/11 attacks. To their credit, the drafters of that report apparently went as far as their masters would allow, in gingerly introducing a major elephant into the room:
“America’s policy choices have consequences. Right or wrong, it is simply a fact that American policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and American actions in Iraq are dominant staples of popular commentary across the Arab and Muslim world.” (p. 376)
When asked later about the flabby way that last sentence ended, former Congressman Lee Hamilton, Vice-Chair of the 9/11 Commission, explained that there had been a Donnybrook over whether that paragraph could be included at all.
The drafters also squeezed in the reason given by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed as to why he “masterminded” the attacks on 9/11:
“By his own account, KSM’s animus toward the United States stemmed … from his violent disagreement with U.S. foreign policy favoring Israel.”
Would you believe that former Vice President Dick Cheney has also pointed to U.S. support for Israel as one of the “true sources of resentment”? This unique piece of honesty crept into his speech to the American Enterprise Institute on May 21, 2009.
Sure, he also trotted out the bromide that the terrorists hate “all the things that make us a force for good in the world.” But the Israel factor slipped into the speech, perhaps an inadvertent acknowledgement of the Israeli albatross adorning the neck of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
Very few pundits and academicians are willing to allude to this reality, presumably out of fear for their future career prospects.
Former senior CIA officer Paul Pillar, now a professor at Georgetown University, is one of the few willing to refer, in his typically understated way, to “all the other things … including policies and practices that affect the likelihood that people … will be radicalized, and will try to act out the anger against us.” One has to fill in the blanks regarding what those “other things” are.
But no worries. Secretary Napolitano has a fix for this unmentionable conundrum. It’s called “counter-radicalization,” which she describes thusly:
“How do we identify someone before they become radicalized to the point where they’re ready to blow themselves up with others on a plane? And how do we communicate better American values and so forth … around the globe?”
Better communication. That’s the ticket.
Hypocrisy and Double Talk
But Napolitano doesn’t acknowledge the underlying problem, which is that many Muslims have watched Washington’s behavior closely for many years and view U.S. declarations about peace, justice, democracy and human rights as infuriating examples of hypocrisy and double talk.
So, Washington’s sanitized discussion about motives for terrorism seems more intended for the U.S. domestic audience than the Muslim world.
After all, people in the Middle East already know how Palestinians have been mistreated for decades; how Washington has propped up Arab dictatorships; how Muslims have been locked away at Guantanamo without charges; how the U.S. military has killed civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere; how U.S. mercenaries have escaped punishment for slaughtering innocents.
The purpose of U.S. “public diplomacy” appears more designed to shield Americans from this unpleasant reality, offering instead feel-good palliatives about the beneficence of U.S. actions. Most American journalists and politicians go along with the charade out of fear that otherwise they would be accused of lacking patriotism or sympathizing with “the enemy.”
Commentators who are neither naïve nor afraid are simply shut out of the Fawning Corporate Media (FCM). Salon.com’s Glen Greenwald, for example, has complained loudly about “how our blind, endless enabling of Israeli actions fuels terrorism directed at the U.S.,” and how it is taboo to point this out.
Greenwald recently called attention to a little-noticed Associated Press report on the possible motives of the 23-year-old Nigerian Abdulmutallab. The report quoted his Yemeni friends to the effect that the he was “not overtly extremist.” But they noted that he was open about his sympathies toward the Palestinians and his anger over Israel’s actions in Gaza. (emphasis added)
Former CIA specialist on al Qaeda, Michael Scheuer, has been still more outspoken on what he sees as Israel’s tying down the American Gulliver in the Middle East. Speaking Monday on C-SPAN, he complained bitterly that any debate on the issue of American support for Israel and its effects is normally squelched.
Scheuer added that the Israel Lobby had just succeeded in getting him removed from his job at the Jamestown Foundation think tank for saying that Obama was “doing what I call the Tel Aviv Two Step.”
More to the point, Scheuer asserted:
“For anyone to say that our support for Israel doesn’t hurt us in the Muslim world … is to just defy reality.”
Beyond loss of work, those who speak out can expect ugly accusations. The Israeli media network Arutz Sheva, which is considered the voice of the settler movement, weighed in strongly, citing Scheuer’s C-SPAN remarks and branding them “blatantly anti-Semitic.”
Media Squelching
As for media squelching, I continue to be amazed at how otherwise informed folks express total surprise when I refer them to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s statement about his motivation for attacking the United States, as cited on page 147 of the 9/11 Commission Report:
“By his own account, KSM’s animus toward the United States stemmed not from his experience there as a student, but rather from his violent disagreement with U.S. foreign policy favoring Israel.”
And one can understand how even those following such things closely can get confused. Five years after the 9/11 Commission Report, on Aug. 30, 2009, readers of the neoconservative Washington Post were given a diametrically different view, based on what the Post called “an intelligence summary:”
“KSM’s limited and negative experience in the United States — which included a brief jail stay because of unpaid bills — almost certainly helped propel him on his path to becoming a terrorist … He stated that his contact with Americans, while minimal, confirmed his view that the United States was a debauched and racist country.”
Apparently, the Post found this revisionist version politically more convenient, in that it obscured Mohammed’s other explanation implicating “U.S. foreign policy favoring Israel.” It’s much more comforting to view KSM as a disgruntled visitor who nursed his personal grievances into justification for mass murder.
An unusually candid view of the dangers accruing from the U.S. identification with Israel’s policies appeared five years ago in an unclassified study published by the Pentagon-appointed U.S. Defense Science Board on Sept. 23, 2004. Contradicting President George W. Bush, the board stated:
“Muslims do not ‘hate our freedom,’ but rather, they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the longstanding, even increasing support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, and the Gulf States.
“Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy.”
Abdulmutallab’s Attack
Getting back to Abdulmutallab and his motive in trying to blow up the airliner, how was this individual without prior terrorist affiliations suddenly transformed into an international terrorist ready to die while killing innocents?
If, as John Brennan seems to suggest, al Qaeda terrorists are hard-wired for terrorism at birth for the “wanton slaughter of innocents,” how are they able to jump-start a privileged 23-year old Nigerian, inculcate in him with the acquired characteristics of a terrorist, and persuade him to do the bidding of al Qaeda/Persian Gulf?
As indicated above, the young Nigerian seems to have had particular trouble with Israel’s wanton slaughter of more than a thousand civilians in Gaza a year ago, a brutal campaign that was defended in Washington as justifiable self-defense.
Moreover, it appears that Abdulmuttallab is not the only anti-American “terrorist” so motivated. When the Saudi and Yemeni branches of al Qaeda announced that they were uniting into “al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula,” their combined rhetoric railed against the Israeli attack on Gaza.
And on Dec. 30, Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, a 32-year-old Jordanian physician from a family of Palestinian origin, killed seven American CIA operatives and one Jordanian intelligence officer near Khost, Afghanistan, when he detonated a suicide bomb.
Though most U.S. media stories treated al-Balawi as a fanatical double-agent driven by irrational hatreds, other motivations could be gleaned by carefully reading articles about his personal history.
Al-Balawi’s mother told Agence France-Presse that her son had never been an “extremist.” Al-Balawi’s widow, Defne Bayrak, made a similar statement to Newsweek. In a New York Times article, al-Balawi’s brother was quoted as describing him as a “very good brother” and a “brilliant doctor.”
So what led al-Balawi to take his own life in order to kill U.S. and Jordanian intelligence operatives?
Al-Balawi’s widow said her husband “started to change” after the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. His brother said al-Balawi “changed” during last year’s three-week-long Israeli offensive in Gaza, which killed about 1,300 Palestinians.
When al-Balawi volunteered with a medical organization to treat injured Palestinians in Gaza, he was arrested by Jordanian authorities, his brother said.
It was after that arrest that the Jordanian intelligence service apparently coerced or “recruited” al-Balawi to become a spy who would penetrate al Qaeda’s hierarchy and provide actionable intelligence to the CIA.
“If you catch a cat and put it in a corner, she will jump on you,” the brother said in explaining why al-Balawi would turn to a suicide attack.
“My husband was anti-American; so am I,” his widow said, adding that her two little girls would grow up fatherless but that she had no regrets.
Answering Helen
Are we starting to get the picture of what the United States is up against in the Muslim world?
Does Helen Thomas deserve an adult answer to her question about motive? Has President Obama been able to assimilate all this?
Or is the U.S. political/media establishment incapable of confronting this reality and/or taking meaningful action to alleviate the underlying causes of the violence?
Is the reported reaction of a CIA official to al-Balawi’s attack the appropriate one: “Last week’s attack will be avenged. Some very bad people will eventually have a very bad day.”
Revenge has not always turned out very well in the past.
Does anyone remember the brutal killing of four Blackwater contractors on March 31, 2004, when they took a wrong turn and ended up in the Iraqi city of Fallujah — and how U.S. forces virtually leveled that large city in retribution after George W. Bush won his second term the following November?
If you read only the Fawning Corporate Media, you would blissfully think that the killing of the four Blackwater operatives was the work of fanatical animals who got – along with their neighbors – what they deserved. You wouldn’t know that the killings represented the second turn in that specific cycle of violence.
On March 22, 2004, Israeli forces assassinated the then-spiritual leader of Hamas in Gaza, Sheikh Yassin — a withering old man, blind and confined to a wheelchair.
That murder, plus sloppy navigation by the Blackwater men, set the stage for the next set of brutalities. The Blackwater operatives were killed by a group that described itself as the “Sheikh Yassin Revenge Brigade.”
Pamphlets and posters were all over the scene of the attack; one of the trucks that pulled around body parts of the mercenaries had a poster of Yassin in its window, as did store fronts all over Fallujah.
We can wish Janet Napolitano luck with her “counter-radicalization” project and President Obama with his effort to “communicate clearly to Muslims,” but there will be no diminution in the endless cycles of violence unless legitimate grievances are addressed on all sides.
It might also help if the American people were finally let in on the root causes for what otherwise get dismissed as irrational actions by Muslims.
Ray McGovern now works with Tell the Word, the publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. During a 27-year career at CIA, he served under nine CIA directors and in all four of CIA’s main directorates, including operations. He is co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).
Well folks, as you awake today from your Christmas hangover, over 500 people from 20 countries, in 250 vehicles loaded with humanitarian aid, are left stranded in Aqaba, Jordan, having been refused permission to enter Egypt.
The Egyptians have placed three conditions on the convoy if it wants to enter Egypt.
1. We hand all our vehicles and aid over to UNWRA.
2. We drive 500 miles abck to Syria, and take a 24-hour ferry through the Suez Canal. (Actually, we would have to hire five boats, since the port of Al Ariesh couldn’t handle a boat big enough for the convoy.)
3. We have to ask Israel for permission to cross from Egypt to Gaza.
All three conditions have been flatly rejected by everyone on the convoy, as we want to cross into Gaza and hand our aid over to the Palestinians ourselves.
Would you phone Canada to ask permission to enter the US? Would you ask France for permission to go to Germany? For the first time, Egypt has now openly admitted that it is subject to control of Israel/US.
This has been the lead story on Al Jazeera for the past 24 hours, and there are media teams from all over the Arab world here in Aqaba following this story. Needless to say, everyone watching is totally outraged by Egypt’s complicity with Israel/US in denying this convoy of aid to reach Gaza.
Yesterday, Christmas Day, John Hurson from Tyrone dressed up as Santa to lighten the mood, and everyone’s sprirts lifted. Al Jazeera interviewed Santa, who explained that the children in Gaza were the only ones in the whole world who didn’t recieve any presents. Santa explained that while flying through the air on his sleigh with the reindeers, he was stopped and refused entry. Santa was upset as this was the only place in the world he could not visit.
Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the start of the 22-day massacre of over 1,400 people. In solidarity, many convoy members are all going to embark on a fast. We will fast for as long as it takes for us to get into Gaza with our aid.
We are calling on people all over the world to fast with us, and with the Palestinians, who fast every day due to the illegal siege imposed upon them by Israel/US/Egypt.
It’s time to take a stand and say “Enough Is Enough”. This siege has got to stop, for the sake of humanity.
We are calling on ALL friends of humanity to call the Egyptian Embassy and demand that we be allowed to enter Gaza and deliver our aid.
The contact details for the Egyptian Embassy in Dublin are: +353-1-6606718 / +353-1-6606566 /consular@embegyptireland.ie
The contact details for the Egyptian Embassy in London are: 0044-20-7499-3304 / eg.emb_london@mfa.gov.eg
Please contact them, and express your outrage at their refusal to allow Humanitarian Aid into Gaza, and to let them know that you will never travel to Egypt again, as long as they are the lap dogs for Israel/US.
Please forward this message on to everyone you know, and ask them to do the same. Plus, please leave a message of support for everyone who is stranded here in Aqaba, and for the Palestinians who need our support now, more than ever.
As you are no doubt aware, approximately 450 volunteers from Britain, Turkey and the US are currently stranded in Aqaba, having been refused entry into Egypt. The Egyptian government has stated that it will not allow the Viva Palestina convoy to deliver its aid to Gaza unless permission is granted by the state of Israel.
I appeal to you to apply pressure to your government to allow the convoy through. The people of Gaza are in desperate need of aid, having been under siege for over a year. It is clear that Israel – which is perpetrating this siege, and which almost exactly one year ago launched its genocidal bombing campaign against the men, women and children of Gaza – will not give its permission for aid to be delivered. Meanwhile, Egypt is an independent republic, in control of its own borders, with a population that deeply supports the Palestinian cause. Why should Egypt wait for Israel’s permission in order to allow aid to be delivered through Rafah?
It is Christmas – the time when billions across the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, a Palestinian Jew born in Bethlehem. Let us celebrate Christmas this year by doing our very best to bring peace and justice to the land of Jesus’s birth: Palestine. The world is watching.
