MI5 must bear the brunt of the blame for it. Constitutionally, the Director General (DG) of MI5 has the power to determine who counts as a threat to British interests: the DG cannot be ordered by the Prime Minister to consider a particular group or individual a threat. During the 1990s, the then DG decided that Islamic fundamentalists plotting terrorism in London and other British cities were not a real threat to Britain. MI5 wound down its “international terrorism” desk, on the grounds that Islamic terrorists in Britain were considered a threat only to other countries - and it was no concern of ours if they exploded bombs in foreign cities.
The resulting lack of intelligence on the activities of Islamic radicals meant that there was insufficient evidence to bring prosecutions. When the police, acting independently, began to realise the alarming nature of what some of the fanatics, Abu Hamza included, were doing, the Crown Prosecution Service insisted that there was “no realistic chance of conviction”.
the telegraph
The only rule which a civilized country can have is that terrorism and terrorists will be rooted out and either arrested or deported as soon as they are found. England, apparently, could not figure that out and it is reaping the whirlwind.
Written by jay on February 12th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Muslims in Toronto clogged a busy downtown street outside the Danish Consulate, carrying signs and chanting praise of Allah and Muhammad.
Speakers said the cartoons were the worst possible insult to Muslims and Canadians should understand why they are so offended and hurt.
“We want to include all our members and friends in Canada to be part of what we are feeling today,” one speaker told the crowd.
“To understand the hurt that we feel, to understand the injury that we feel.”
ctv
Oh grow up. There is no right not to be offended or saddened or hurt.
I might have a little more sympathy had I seen a little more by way of Canadian Muslim condemnation of 9/11 or 7/7 or ritual stonings or honour killings or the position of Afghani or Pakistani tribal women or the hanging of homosexuals.
Here is what a Catholic priest in Pakistan experienced after radical Islamist gunmen broke into his church and slaughtered gunmen killed 16 people in his church, including seven children:
Fr Patras said: “Manzoor said, ‘We are not ashamed of what we have done. You are all kafirs (non-believers). We are obliged to kill kafirs.
“Because America is killing Muslims in Afghanistan, we are killing Christians. Bush said this is a crusade. Crusade means war between Christians and Muslims. America is Christian, you are Christian, you are the same as America.’
“I said, ‘We are all children of God’. Manzoor replied, ‘No you are all kafirs’. I asked, ‘Are you satisfied with what you have done?’
He said, ‘Yes we are. We follow God’s will, which is to kill kafirs. Our consciences are clear. We have no guilt and our brothers are planning more attacks’. I had tears in my eyes when I heard him say this.”
the telegraph
I have read not a word of condemnation for these and the many other Islamist killings which have occured thoughout the world in the last few years.
Kafir killers meet cartoons: there is no moral equivilence here. There are barbarians who are prepared to slaughter people for their faith and there are people prepared to suggest this is wrong. Once again, I know which side I’m on.
Written by jay on February 12th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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There was nothing prissy, nothing sissy about it. A former president, a softly gray-haired and chronically dyspeptic gentleman who seems to have judged the world to be just barely deserving of his presence, pointedly insulted a sitting president who was, in fact, sitting right behind him. The Clintons unveiled their 2008 campaign. A rhyming preacher, one of the old lions, a man of warmth and stature, freely used the occasion to verbally bop the sitting president on the head.
So what? This was the authentic sound of a vibrant democracy doing its thing. It was the exact opposite of the frightened and prissy attitude that if you draw a picture I don’t like, I’ll have to kill you.
It was: We do free speech here.
peggy noonan, wall street journal via the tiger in exile
Dead right.
Written by jay on February 12th, 2006 with no comments.
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