The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.
This site is unabashedly Pro-American and Pro-Military however none of the views expressed here are to be considered as endorsed, proposed, or supported by the Department of Defense or any other Agency, government, public, or private. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/
To have the Daily News in your inbox when you get up. (free, Privacy Protected)
Become a Fan
Children's Books
Ages 7 and up
Marjorie Haun relates the stories of Vietnamese children, and their escape from the invading Communist forces of the North, including the heroism of Fathers and Troops.
These books can be read to children by parents, teachers, or other role models and there are more to come in the series.
Beanies For Baghdad Putting Smiles on Faces of Soldiers by putting smiles on the faces of Iraqi & Afghani children and hence the faces of their parents.
Inside Gitmo: The True Story Behind the Myths of G
Guantanamo Bay - Montgomery Granger
Review by Ms Marti: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/saving-grace-at-guantanamo-bay-by-montgomery-j-granger.html
The Facts about what has happened at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and who is detained there. More here: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2009/02/the-unvarnished-truth-about-gitmo-long-overdue.html
Hitler's Panzers
WWII scholar, Professor of History, Colorado College, uses Soldier interviews, archives & other information to demonstrate effectiveness of Armored Warfare as developed by Nazi Germany and pertinent to future warfare.
Egyptian security forces have dispersed protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square with rounds of tear gas. Security personnel fired the tear gas Saturday morning on the protesters, many of whom spent the night on the iconic protest hub.
On Friday, protesters in several Egyptian cities attacked the offices of his ruling Muslim Brotherhood, as rival pro- and anti-Islamist government groups demonstrated in Cairo about a new presidential decree.
The protests came a day after Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi put himself above oversight and declared that his decisions cannot be appealed by the courts or any other authority.
In a speech to Islamist supporters Friday at the presidential palace, Mr. Morsi said he wants to move Egypt forward as a stable and safe nation and does not want sole control of the country.
Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in Tahrir Square Friday to protest the president's decision, while police fired tear gas at the crowds.
In the cities of Port Said, Ismailia and Alexandria, crowds of protesters lobbed stones and explosives and set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices.
Mr. Morsi's decree also bars Egypt's judiciary from dissolving the upper house of parliament and an assembly drafting a new constitution – two bodies dominated by Mr. Morsi's Islamist allies.
In addition, Mr. Morsi has ordered retrials of former officials who used violence in efforts to suppress last year's popular revolution against longtime president Hosni Mubarak.
President Morsi's action comes after he received international praise for mediating a Gaze cease-fire.
The U.S. government has expressed concern about his decrees. VoA.
The United States says a conference on banning nuclear weapons in the Middle East will not be held because of current conditions in the region.
The announcement comes amid a flare up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza, civil war in Syria and an unsettled political situation in Egypt.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Friday “a deep conceptual gap persists in the region” on how to handle regional security and arms control.
Nuland said the U.S. would not support a conference in which any regional state would be subjected to “pressure or isolation,” a reference to U.S. concerns that participants would gang up on Israel.
Iran and Arab states often say Israel's presumed nuclear arsenal poses a threat to Middle East peace and security. Israel and Western powers see Iran as the main nuclear proliferation threat. Tehran denies any atom bomb ambitions.
The meeting was to be held in Finland before the end of the year. VoA.
Protesters in several Egyptian cities have attacked the offices of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood, as rival pro- and anti-government groups demonstrate in Cairo about a new presidential decree.
The violence comes a day after Egyptian Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, put himself above oversight and declared that his decisions cannot be appealed by the courts or any other authority. In a speech to Islamist supporters Friday at the presidential palace, Mr. Morsi said he wants to move Egypt "forward" as a stable and safe nation and does not want sole control of the country.
Thousands of opposition supporters, including liberal politician Mohamad ElBaradei, former head of the U.N. atomic energy agency, gathered in Tahrir Square on Friday to protest the president's decision, while police fired tear gas at the crowds. El-Baradei has accused the president of making himself a “new pharaoh” by taking on so much power.
In the cities of Port Said, Ismailia, and Alexandria, crowds of protesters lobbed stones and explosives and set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices. In Alexandria, people were seen tossing papers and other objects out office windows, while a party banner hanging on the wall of a building had been ripped nearly in half. The protesters chanted, “The people want the fall of the regime.” At least a dozen people were injured.
Earlier reports said the Muslim Brotherhood offices in Suez were also burned, but state television later retracted that report.
Mr. Morsi's decree also bars Egypt's judiciary from dissolving the upper house of parliament and an assembly drafting a new constitution — two bodies dominated by Mr. Morsi's Islamist allies.
In addition, Mr. Morsi has ordered retrials of former officials who he accuses of using violence in efforts to suppress last year's revolution against president Hosni Mubarak.
A presidential spokesman said the moves were made "to end a deadlock" in Cairo on forming a new constitution and "moving the country forward."
Egyptian courts have been examining cases demanding the dissolution of both assemblies. But Mr. Morsi's decree effectively neutralizes the judiciary system in favor of his ruling Muslim Brotherhood.
The announced retrials for those suspected of involvement in the killings of protesters during the 2011 uprising, could include a retrial of former president Hosni Mubarak. The ousted leader was sentenced to life in prison in June for failing to stop the killings. But he was acquitted on more serious offenses of corruption and ordering the deadly crackdown, angering many Egyptians.
Other Mubarak-era officials and security personnel also have been acquitted on charges of killing protesters, prompting critics in the new government to accuse the top government prosecutor of mishandling the cases. In his decree Thursday, Mr. Morsi fired that prosecutor, Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud, a Mubarak appointee who had been in the post for many years. The decree retroactively limited Mahmoud's term to four years, bringing it to an immediate end.
President Morsi had tried to fire Mahmoud last month but was blocked by the courts. He named Talat Abdullah as the government's new general prosecutor. VoA.
Longtime US Ally, Hosni Mubarrak resigned after the Obama Administration urged military leaders to take over in a coup d'etat, if he refused orders by the White House to step aside. The US Administration then pressed for elections before non-Islamist parties could establish an organization to compete in the elections.
On 9/11/2012, Egyptian Security Forces failed to maintain security in the Embassy District as Islamist party supported protestors invaded the US Embassy there, desecrating the US Flag, and raising the black flag of Al-Qaeda over the Embassy.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 24, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed an insurgent, detained two, located two weapons caches and cleared 10 improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 23.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces found and safely cleared nine IEDs in Giro District.
Afghan National Police and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Ghazni District. The cache contained barrels of explosive materials.
Khowst Province Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Tanai District.
Afghan Border Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Khowst District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Paktika Province A coalition airstrike killed an insurgent in Giyan District in response to an imminent threat towards Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces.
Paktiya Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Dzadran District. The cache contained four rockets.
Afghan officials say a suicide car bomber has attacked government offices in eastern Afghanistan, killing two people and wounding at least 70. Several NATO service members were slightly wounded in the explosion.
Authorities say the Friday morning blast took place in Maidan Shar, the capital of restive Wardak province.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the explosion, saying the assault was in response to the executions this week of four Taliban detainees at the Pul-e-Charkhi prison on the outskirts of Kabul.
The four Taliban terrorists were among a total of 14 executed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those put to death were convicted of crimes, including murder and rape.
Pictured: woman executed by Islamists after allegation of adultery. This is done regularly by the Islamist Iranian government and was a regular practice under the Islamist Taliban government in Afghanistan. The Taliban continue to hold executions in areas it controls in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The mass executions were condemned by the United Nations, the European Union and human rights groups.
Executions were common in Afghanistan under the rule of Taliban, which put people to death for murder and adultery. The use of the death penalty has been rare in Afghanistan since the Taliban were expelled from power in 2001 by the US Army's 5th Special Forces Group. VoA.
Egypt's opposition has called for protests Friday after President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, put himself above oversight and declared that his decisions cannot be appealed by the courts or any other authority.
President Morsi's spokesman announced the decree Thursday, citing a need to “protect the revolution.” Opposition members have called the move illegal.
The decree also bars Egypt's judiciary from dissolving the upper house of parliament and an assembly drafting a new constitution — two bodies dominated by Mr. Morsi's Islamist allies.
In addition, Mr. Morsi has ordered retrials of former officials who he accuses of using violence in efforts to suppress last year's Islamist revolution against president Hosni Mubarak.
Mr. Morsi's supporters say his decree was long overdue. But Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei said Mr. Morsi has usurped all state powers, warning that there could be dire consequences. The liberal politician is a leading opposition figure in Egypt and a former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The president's action comes after he received international praise for mediating a Gaze cease-fire.
Egyptian courts have been examining cases demanding the dissolution of both assemblies. But Mr. Morsi's decree effectively neutralizes the judiciary system in favor of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood.
The announced retrials for those suspected of involvement in the killings of protesters during the 2011 uprising, could include a retrial of former president Hosni Mubarak. The ousted leader was sentenced to life in prison in June for failing to stop the killings. But, he avoided convictions on more serious offenses of corruption and ordering the deadly crackdown, angering many Egyptians.
Other Mubarak-era officials and security personnel also have been acquitted on charges of killing protesters, prompting critics to accuse the top government prosecutor of mishandling the cases. In his decree Thursday, Mr. Morsi fired that prosecutor, Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud, a Mubarak appointee who had been in the post for many years. The decree retroactively limited Mahmoud's term to four years, bringing it to an immediate end.
President Morsi had tried to fire Mahmoud last month but was blocked by the courts. He named Talat Abdullah as the government's new general prosecutor. VoA.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 23, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed an insurgent and cleared seven improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 22.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Ghazni District and one in Giro District.
Kabul Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sarobi District.
Kunar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed an insurgent during an engagement in Ghaziabad District.
Logar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Pul-E Alam District.
Nangarhar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, one in Chapahar District, one in Bati Kot District and one in Khugyani District.
Pakistani officials say a Taliban suicide bomber has killed 23 people near the capital, Islamabad.
Authorities said Thursday the bomber blew himself up at Shi'ite Muslim march in the city of Rawalpindi after police tried to stop him for a security check. The blast wounded at least 62 others, including several children.
Earlier Wednesday, a Taliban bombing near a Shi'ite mosque in Karachi killed at least one person.
A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for both attacks, saying the terrorist group was targeting Shi'ites because it believes they are “blasphemers.”
Shi'ite Muslims are celebrating the month of Muharram and on Saturday will observe the holiest day of the month, Ashura. The holy day commemorates the death of the Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein, in the seventh century, and they will cut their heads open. VoA.
Palestinians and Israelis went about their day blanketed in relative calm Thursday, after a cease-fire brokered hours before gave citizens in the volatile area their first quiet night in more than a week.
If Israel and the Hamas terrorists who run the Gaza Strip can maintain peace until 9 p.m. local time , border areas from Gaza will be opened, allowing people and goods to move in and out of the territory.
The truce brokered by Egypt took effect at 9:00 p.m. local time Wednesday.
Gazans poured into the streets after the cease-fire began, with some firing guns in celebration. In the West Bank Palestinian territory, Israel's army said Thursday it arrested 55 senior-level Palestinian terorists who are members of various terrorist factions.
Egypt is monitoring both sides for violations of the cease-fire agreement. The truce follows several days of intense aerial assaults on both sides of the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis dead.
Clinton called the truce “a critical moment for the region.”
“The people of this region deserve a chance to live free from fear and violence and today's agreement is a step in the right direction that we should build on.”
Clinton also praised Egypt's new government for assuming a key role in the effort and for pledging to work with Washington to ensure the cease-fire holds.
On Wednesday, a bomb blast on a bus in central Tel Aviv wounded at least 27 people, some seriously.
New rounds of missile and air attacks rained down on Gaza following the Tel Aviv attack.
Israel and Hamas had traded rocket fire for several days after a barrage of rockets struck Israel. Israel says the attack was a direct response to months of almost daily rocket fire into southern Israel from Gaza. VoA.
India has executed the lone surviving gunman from a group of militants who killed 166 people in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Mohammed Ajmal Kasab was hanged Wednesday at a prison in Pune, near Mumbai.
The home minister in Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, said Wednesday that the execution is a tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack.
Kasab, who is a Pakistani national, was convicted in 2010 on charges of murder, terrorism and waging war against India. He initially pleaded not guilty, but later confessed to his involvement in the three-day siege.
He appealed his death sentence, but India's Supreme Court upheld the punishment and the country's president denied his mercy plea.
Kasab and nine other young, heavily-armed Pakistanis attacked luxury hotels, a Jewish center and a busy train station in India's financial capital.
India has blamed the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for the siege. It claims the attacks were carried out with state support from Pakistan — a charge Islamabad denies. VoA.
Pakistan has materially supported LeT since the 1980's.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 22, 2012) - Afghan and coalition detained two insurgents, located a weapons cache and cleared six improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 21.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared four IEDs in Khogani District.
Khowst Province Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Gurbuz District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Paktika Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Yahya Khel District and one in Giyan District.
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Sharan District. The cache contained four missiles, 16 mortar rounds, seven rocket-propelled grenades, ammunition, a remote control missile launcher and a pair of binoculars.
A bomb has exploded in southwest Pakistan, killing at least three Pakistani soldiers and wounding six others.
Officials say the blast Wednesday in Quetta hit an army vehicle escorting school children, and that the death toll could rise.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Quetta is the provincial capital of Baluchistan province. The area has been the scene of Islamist violence, terrorist attacks and unrest linked to a low-level insurgency. VoA.
Libyan officials say gunmen have assassinated the security chief of the eastern city of Benghazi.
Officials said Wednesday Farag al-Dersi was shot dead overnight while returning home from work.
Benghazi has witnessed many assassinations and car bombs over the past months preceding the 9/11/2012 attack by Islamist terrorists on the US Consulate.
The city is also where U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in an hours-long assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11, while Obama Administration officials watched on live UAV feeds. VoA.
Wednesday, the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing near a NATO base in Kabul that killed two Afghan security guards and wounded five civilians.
The blast hit an area near Camp Eggers in a section of Kabul that houses NATO coalition headquarters as well as foreign embassies. The attack prompted alarms at the U.S. Embassy.
NATO said the blast damaged one of its vehicles, but that there were no reports of casualties among coalition troops.
In other news, International human rights groups are calling on Afghanistan to halt its use of the death penalty, after authorities executed eight prisoners.
President Hamid Karzai approved the Tuesday executions for crimes including murder, kidnapping and rape. Afghan officials say eight more prisoners are set to die in the coming days.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International expressed concerns about the ability of the Afghan justice system to ensure fair trials. Both groups oppose the death penalty in all cases.
The European Union's mission in Afghanistan also says it has serious concerns about the executions and called on Afghan officials to institute a moratorium on capital punishment.
In a statement Wednesday, the Afghan Taliban said it had reports that some of its imprisoned fighters are facing execution, and promised “heavy repercussion” for lawmakers, courts and Afghan officials if such sentences were carried out.
Executions were common in Afghanistan under the rule of Taliban, which put people to death for murder and adultery. The use of the death penalty has been rare in Afghanistan since the Taliban fell from power in 2001. VoA.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 21, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces killed four insurgents, detained 16, located two weapons caches and cleared 12 improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 20.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared four IEDs in Giro District.
Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Giro District. The cache contained IED making materials.
Afghan National Army soldiers detained 16 insurgents during an engagement in Giro District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Afghan National Army soldiers killed four insurgents during an engagement in Giro District.
Khowst Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces found and safely cleared three IEDs, one in Shamal District and two in Sabari District.
Logar Province Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Pul-E Alam District.
Paktika Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared four IEDs, three in Zarghun Shahr District and one in Giyan District.
Paktiya Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Dzadran District. The cache contained a mortar round, mines, small arms, and tactical vests.
Syrian government troops backed by tanks battled to oust rebel forces from an opposition stronghold in a Damascus suburb on Tuesday in the heaviest fighting in the capital for months.
Opposition sources said elite Republican Guard troops attacked the rebel-held suburb of Daraya and were met by fierce resistance from anti-government fighters, who hung on to their positions despite days of aerial bombardment.
After months of slow progress, the rebels have captured several army positions in outlying regions in the last week, including a Special Forces base near Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub.
On the diplomatic front, the British government officially recognized the Syrian opposition coalition and will provide communications and other support to it. It became the tenth country to do so following France, Italy, Turkey and the Gulf Arab states.
Also Tuesday, Turkey's foreign minister said NATO states had agreed to supply Ankara with a Patriot missile system to defend against Syrian cross-border shelling. While the deployment would be for defensive purposes, it marks a hardening in the foreign opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. VoA.
France has ended its combat mission in Afghanistan, pulling its last troops from a province northeast of the capital, Kabul.
Tuesday's withdrawal of 500 combat troops from Kapisa province is part of President Francois Hollande's pledge to accelerate the country's exit from Afghanistan. Afghan security forces will now be in charge of maintaining security in the province.
France had been the fifth-largest contributor to the NATO-led coalition. It is keeping 1,500 troops in Afghanistan to help send equipment back home and to train Afghan forces.
Eighty-eight French troops have died in Afghanistan since France joined the fighting in late 2001.
Remaining international "combat" troops are set to leave the country by the end of 2014. VoA.
The Obama Administration has signed an agreement with Afghanistan to keep Troops in Afghanistan through at least 2024 as "trainers."
U.S. authorities have charged four men with plotting to kill Americans overseas by joining al-Qaida and the Taliban.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said late Monday the group was planning to engage in “violent jihad” with bombings of military bases and other government facilities.
The FBI says that in 2010, Sohiel Omar Kabir, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Afghanistan, introduced two of the men to the radical Islamic doctrine of cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed last year by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen.
(Pictured: Anwar al-Awlaki, killed in Yemen)
They later recruited the fourth man, and Kabir traveled to Afghanistan where he planned to arrange meetings with terrorists.
Kabir is being held in Afghanistan. The other three men — a U.S. citizen, and U.S. residents born in Mexico and the Philippines — are in federal custody in California.
Each defendant faces up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted. VoA.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced yesterday that the next Virginia-class attack submarine will be named the USS Delaware. Dr. Jill Biden will sponsor the USS Delaware. The Vice-President's wife is a longtime Delaware educator.
Mabus named the future USS Delaware in honor of the first state in the Union. The name honors the great contributions and support Delaware has given the military through the years and pays homage to the state's more than two centuries of naval heritage.
"I chose the name Delaware to honor the long-standing relationship between the Navy and our nation's first state," said Mabus. "It has been too long since there has been a USS Delaware in the fleet and this submarine will remind future deployed service members and state residents of their strong ties and many shared values for decades to come."
WASHINGTON (Nov. 19, 2012) Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) the Honorable Ray Mabus and ship's sponsor, Dr. Jill Biden, watch as Vice President Joe Biden puts on a USS Delaware ball cap at the Pentagon announcing the name the future Virginia-class attack submarine USS Delaware (SSN 791). Delaware state officials were on hand in the Pentagon Briefing Room to participate in the announcement. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Sam Shavers/Released)
"As a proud military mom, and a proud Delawarean, I am honored to sponsor the USS Delaware," said Dr. Biden. "Our men and women in uniform and their families represent the very best of America, and wherever the Delaware goes, it will take with it the strength, resilience, and bravery of military families in Delaware and across the country."
The Virginia-class submarine will be the seventh ship of the U.S. Navy to be named the USS Delaware. Previously named ships include a frigate launched in 1776, a merchant ship guarding convoys during the Quasi-War with France, a ship-of-the-line decommissioned during the Civil War, a side-wheel steamer decommissioned at the Washington Navy Yard in 1865, a screw-steamer renamed Delaware in 1869, and a battleship that served during WWI and was decommissioned in 1923.
This next-generation attack submarine will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. It will have enhanced stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that will enable it to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.
The USS Delaware will have the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. Other missions include anti-submarine, anti-ship, and mine warfare.
The Virginia-class submarine is 7,800-tons and 377 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet, and can operate at more than 25 knots submerged. It is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time. The USS Delaware will be built by Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Newport News, Va.
General Characteristics, Virginia class
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. - Newport News Shipbuilding.
Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft
Length: 377 feet (114.8 meters)
Beam: 33 feet (10.0584 meters)
Displacement: Approximately 7,800 tons (7,925 metric tons) submerged
A Pakistani court has dismissed charges against a Christian girl accused of blasphemy in a case that drew international outrage.
The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday threw out the case against Rimsha Masih, whom neighbors accused of burning pages from the Quran in August.
She was arrested and spent three weeks in jail before being released on bail in September.
The girl's defense attorney, Abdul Hameed, said the judge decided to drop the case Tuesday due to a lack of evidence. Hameed said the judge concluded that the charges “were based on heresy and incriminated material that was planted in the girl's possession.”
Police have arrested a Muslim cleric on suspicion that he allegedly placed pages of the Quran in the girl's shopping bag.
The prosecution can appeal Tuesday's ruling to the Supreme Court.
Muslim-majority Pakistan has some of the world's toughest penalties against blasphemy. Anyone found guilty of "insulting Islam and the Prophet Mohammad" faces the death penalty.
Human rights activists say the blasphemy law in Pakistan is sometimes used to harass religious minorities.
Two prominent Pakistani politicians were killed in 2011 for speaking out against the country's blasphemy law.
There are varying reports of the girl's age, with some saying she is as young as 11 years. old. Others quote police who say she is 16.
The girl and her family are said to be living in an undisclosed location in Pakistan since her release on bail. VoA.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Dale W. Means, 23, of Jordan, Minn., died Nov. 18, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 20, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces detained four insurgents and cleared 13 improvised explosive devices, and two insurgents died when their IED detonated prematurely, during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 19.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared seven IEDs, one in Ghazni District, five in Giro District and one in Andar District.
Khowst Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Manduzai District and one in Sabari District.
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Manduzai District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.
Kunar Province Afghan Local Police found and safely cleared an IED in Sarkani District.
Laghman Province Afghan Uniformed Police detained three insurgents during an engagement in Mehtar Lam District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Logar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Baraki Barak District and one in Mohammad Aghah District.
Two insurgents died when their IED detonated prematurely in Pul-E Alam district.
Wardak Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.
The Department of Defense announced today recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for fiscal 2012.
Active Component.
Recruiting. All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2012.
Army - 60,490 accessions, with a goal of 58,000; 104 percent
Navy - 36,329 accessions, with a goal of 36,275; 100 percent (-)
Marine Corps - 30,514 accessions, with a goal of 30,500; 100 percent
Air Force - 29,037 accessions, with a goal of 29,037; 100 percent
Retention. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force all exhibited strong retention through fiscal 2012.
Reserve Component.
Recruiting. Five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2012. The Army Reserve shortfall was the result of precision recruiting which was implemented in an effort to rebalance the force.
Army National Guard - 47,997 accessions, with a goal of 46,000; 104 percent
Army Reserve - 26,041 accessions, with a goal of 26,875; 97 percent
Navy Reserve - 8,269 accessions, with a goal of 8,255; 100 percent
Marine Corps Reserve - 8,910 accessions, with a goal of 8,910; 100 percent
Air National Guard - 9,437 accessions, with a goal of 8,210; 115 percent
Air Force Reserve - 8,116 accessions, with a goal of 8,031; 101 percent
Attrition - All reserve components are on target to achieve their fiscal attrition goals.
The Kenyan Red Cross says at least 29 people were injured in the blast
Sunday's explosion occurred on a local bus in the Somali-dominated suburb of Eastleigh.
Early reports say an explosive device was thrown into the bus causing the blast. However, police have not confirmed that.
Kenya has been hit by a string of deadly attacks blamed on Somali Islamist terrorists and their sympathizers in retaliation for Kenya's decision to send troops into the country last year. VoA.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 19, 2012) - Afghan and coalition forces detained five insurgents and cleared three improvised explosive devices during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 18.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained four insurgents during engagements in Khowst and Andar Districts. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.
Khowst Province Afghan Border Police and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Terezayi District.
Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained an insurgent during an engagement in Khowst District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.
Laghman Province Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Mehtar Lam District.
Logar Province Afghan National Army soldiers found and safely cleared an IED in Khoshi District.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Killed were:
Sgt. Channing B. Hicks, 24, of Greer, S.C., and
Spc. Joseph A. Richardson, 23, of Booneville, Ark.
They died Nov. 16, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Nov. 18, 2012) - Afghan and coalition located three weapons caches and cleared five improvised explosive devices, and an insurgent died when his IED detonated prematurely, during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, Nov. 17.
Ghazni Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Ghazni District. The cache contained small arms, batteries, a transmitter, radios and 300 meters of wire.
Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Andar District and one in Giro District.
Khowst Province An insurgent died when his IED detonated prematurely in Khowst district.
Logar Province Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Muhammad Aghah District. The cache contained small arms.
Kunar Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared two IEDs, one in Khugyani District and one in Surkh Rod District.
Paktika Province Afghan National Security Forces discovered a weapons cache in Sharan District. The cache contained IED making materials and assorted weapons.
Wardak Province Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED in Sayyidabad District.
For a few bucks more you can get a signed copy from the author himself! http://www.deltabravosierra.us/2011/02/10/a-word-about-the-new-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3383
Get your copy of this legendary cartoon now (or wait a few days for the signed copy!)
The Man Who Declared War on America
A Comprehensive Work of OBL, his ties to Iran, Sudan, and the wide Islamist Terrorism networks, regardless of name.
SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.
Go to War against the Nazis with SSG Smith of the 94th Infantry Division. Review: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/04/everymans-war-vet.html.html
Ace Of Spades: Why Language Matters In this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.
Stumble It!
Recent Comments