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Hat tip: Keep Tony Blair for PM
It never rains but it pours for poor old Geert Wilders. It has emerged within the past couple of days that a French 'human rights group' wishes to sue Mr Wilders for a speech he made in New York in which he 'incited racial hatred' in France.
As far as I can tell, this is another attempt to silence Mr Wilders and his compulsive truth-telling.
How did he incite racial hatred in France all the way from New York? You may well ask.
He told the audience some rather unpalatable things about the current situation in France - but as far as I can gather, they are all true.
This does not seem to matter to the Association for the Defence of Human Rights - it's lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou told AFP that "the remarks made by Mr. Wilders target a specific community, Muslims, and that comes within the context of inciting racial hatred. A politician may express his idea. But Wilders makes dangerous statements about something of which he has no understanding. These are not political ideas, but insults and prejudices."
Just what were these incendiary, controversial remarks of which he has so little understanding?
Mr Wilders said that Paris was 'encircled by Muslim districts'. This is true, and I would recommend Theodore Dalrymple's excellent essay on the Banlieues, 'Barbarians at the Gates of Paris'.
Strangely, despite the provocative title, despite him acknowledging the existence of a parallel universe and the same social problems as Wilders, I'm not sure he was ever contacted by Mse Bouzrou - his letter must have got lost in the post, surely.
Wilders also said that "numerous areas (in France) were no-go zones for women not wearing headscarves," and that "in France, teachers are asked to avoid authors considered offensive towards Muslims, including Voltaire and Diderot". He also called the 2005 riots by largely Muslim youths an 'intifada'.
I've heard similar stories from various sources. To settle this, I typed 'Banlieue' into Google - the first thing that came up was the English Wikipedia page. Apparently Banlieue means 'outskirts' and describes a zone at the edge of a city that is under the city's jurisdiction.
The page acknowledges that in French and English the word is now a euphemism for a low-income housing project mainly inhabited by immigrants and their descendants, and it also acknowledges that petty crime has soared and is continuing to soar in these neighbourhoods and their surrounding areas.
Will Mse Bouzrou be suing every native speaker of the French language, in that case?
As for the no-go zone for women quote, you can read a book by a lady called Samira Bellil, the French-born daughter of Algerian immigrants. In it, she goes into much detail about the living nightmare of life in the Banlieues. This includes regular incidents of gang-rape or what they call tournante, pass around.
She claims that women who don't wear headscarves, women who 'act like native French' and native French girls themselves are at most risk. You can read more of these horror stories here and here, including one girl being gang-raped by up to 80 men in Lille.
The second link begins "The phenomenon of gang rape in France has become banal. ... Many of the Muslim girls have donned head scarves - more for protection than out of religious conviction."
But of course, Mse Bouzrou knows best, right?
Next, the Voltaire issue. Google leads me first to an article in the Independent, Britain's most Left-wing mainstream newspaper, which confirms many similar stories as more than mere anecdote. I think the specific incident to which Wilders is referring actually happened in Belgium, however.
As for the intifada remark - a large section of the population trying to change society to suit them and refusing to submit to the ordinary rule of law - isn't that the very definition of an uprising?
When will this witch-hunt end? How far can one man be pushed simply for telling the truth, for standing up and saying 'enough is enough'?
Please remember that Mr Wilders still faces prosecution in the Netherlands. You can sign the petition against this move here and donate to his fighting fund here.
Europe can ill afford to lose the insights and courage of Geert Wilders.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Albanian Spy Chief Living in London
In the same week it was announced that the Government here in Britain will set up a huge central database monitoring everyone's emails and internet visits, Jacqui Smith told us that an al-Qaeda 'dirty bomb' attack could be imminent.
She claimed that the risk of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive attack has 'soared' in the last five years.
I would imagine it has. I suppose it's just a huge coincidence that Smith wants to push yet more draconian anti-terror legislation, infringe upon our liberties even further, but takes no practical measures to reduce the threat.
She admits that all four of the highest level threats come from Muslim groups - yet anyone is still free to wander into the country, and guaranteed years of appealing even if they're asked to leave.
However, control of the UK's borders is as amusingly lax as ever. Yesterday it was revealed that a wanted Albanian spy chief, accused of torture and kidnap has been living is a west London flat and claiming thousands of pounds in benefits for 13 years.
Ilir Kumbaro, 55, entered Britain using false documents and claiming to be a Kosovan refugee. He gave a fake name, convinced the authorities he was fleeing Serb persecution and was granted indefinite leave to remain.
He was issued with a British passport and given incapacity benefits for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, Jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit.
This is a perfect demonstration of how deep this problem is; I don't think spying on emails is the answer when we have people like this in the country. If this one man is here, how many fanatics, torturers and murderers from around the world are currently living in Britain?
Maybe Jacqui could start logging her own emails and actually do her job - keep this country safe, enforce its borders and keep miscreants out. How many men do al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, the PLO and others have living in Britain, claiming benefits until the time is right to strike?
Finding out who they are and how they got in will do more to prevent a terrorist atrocity than a 3 hour training course for receptionists.
She claimed that the risk of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive attack has 'soared' in the last five years.
I would imagine it has. I suppose it's just a huge coincidence that Smith wants to push yet more draconian anti-terror legislation, infringe upon our liberties even further, but takes no practical measures to reduce the threat.
She admits that all four of the highest level threats come from Muslim groups - yet anyone is still free to wander into the country, and guaranteed years of appealing even if they're asked to leave.
However, control of the UK's borders is as amusingly lax as ever. Yesterday it was revealed that a wanted Albanian spy chief, accused of torture and kidnap has been living is a west London flat and claiming thousands of pounds in benefits for 13 years.
Ilir Kumbaro, 55, entered Britain using false documents and claiming to be a Kosovan refugee. He gave a fake name, convinced the authorities he was fleeing Serb persecution and was granted indefinite leave to remain.
He was issued with a British passport and given incapacity benefits for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, Jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit.
This is a perfect demonstration of how deep this problem is; I don't think spying on emails is the answer when we have people like this in the country. If this one man is here, how many fanatics, torturers and murderers from around the world are currently living in Britain?
Maybe Jacqui could start logging her own emails and actually do her job - keep this country safe, enforce its borders and keep miscreants out. How many men do al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, the PLO and others have living in Britain, claiming benefits until the time is right to strike?
Finding out who they are and how they got in will do more to prevent a terrorist atrocity than a 3 hour training course for receptionists.
British Terror Suspect Arrested in Bangladesh
After the announcement yesterday that police in Bangladesh were seeking a British citizen after a raid on a orphanage and madrassa run with British charity money, it was revealed today that the suspect and his accomplice have been detained in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital.
Dr Faisal Mostafa, pictured above, twice arrested for bomb plots in the UK but released, has also served time here for carrying a gun onto a plane. Click on the text next to his picture for a more extensive overview of his terrorist background.
He was sought yesterday after a police raid on the orphanage and madrass, run by the 'Green Crescent' charity, revealed a huge cache of weapons, explosives, Islamic texts and army uniforms.
The Mail reports:
'Captain Shafiul Alam, of the Rapid Action Battalion, said: 'They were both arrested yesterday.
'They are being charged with illegally keeping arms, explosives and ammunition, and with militancy and terrorism.'
Four people, a teacher and three caretakers, have already been arrested after explosives were seized at the orphanage, which is operated by British charity Green Crescent.
Mostafa ran the organisation, which provided humanitarian aid to families in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Munir Haque, from the Rapid Action Battalion, said: 'We found small arms - about nine or 10 in total - plus equipment to make small arms, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two walkie-talkies, two remote control devices and four sets of army uniforms.
'We also found enough explosives and other equipment to make several hundred grenades. We found some ordinary Islamic books, but others that are in line with extremists like Bin Laden.' '
The Bangladeshi police also claim that 11 children were found at the compound, which they now believe was being used exclusively for terrorist training.
The Charity Commission is investigating how Faisal managed to register Green Crescent in 2004 - it is mandatory to turn down any applicant with a criminal record. They will also investigate how the £63,000 the charity raised last year for 'long-term educational and health projects' has been misused.
Dr Faisal Mostafa, pictured above, twice arrested for bomb plots in the UK but released, has also served time here for carrying a gun onto a plane. Click on the text next to his picture for a more extensive overview of his terrorist background.
He was sought yesterday after a police raid on the orphanage and madrass, run by the 'Green Crescent' charity, revealed a huge cache of weapons, explosives, Islamic texts and army uniforms.
The Mail reports:
'Captain Shafiul Alam, of the Rapid Action Battalion, said: 'They were both arrested yesterday.
'They are being charged with illegally keeping arms, explosives and ammunition, and with militancy and terrorism.'
Four people, a teacher and three caretakers, have already been arrested after explosives were seized at the orphanage, which is operated by British charity Green Crescent.
Mostafa ran the organisation, which provided humanitarian aid to families in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Munir Haque, from the Rapid Action Battalion, said: 'We found small arms - about nine or 10 in total - plus equipment to make small arms, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two walkie-talkies, two remote control devices and four sets of army uniforms.
'We also found enough explosives and other equipment to make several hundred grenades. We found some ordinary Islamic books, but others that are in line with extremists like Bin Laden.' '
The Bangladeshi police also claim that 11 children were found at the compound, which they now believe was being used exclusively for terrorist training.
The Charity Commission is investigating how Faisal managed to register Green Crescent in 2004 - it is mandatory to turn down any applicant with a criminal record. They will also investigate how the £63,000 the charity raised last year for 'long-term educational and health projects' has been misused.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
PC Jon Henry's Killer Sentenced
However, to me, this case is even more tragic than it would be - because PC Henry should still be alive. He is not only dead because of a violent criminal, but also because of Britain's completely failed immigration policy and attempts to control its own borders.
His symptoms began to get worse in 2005, exacerbated by alcohol and cannabis abuse, and he was prescribed medication. However, when he went to visit his father in Africa in 2006, he was advised to stop taking the pshyciatric medication and use olive oil instead.
Upon his return to Britain his condition deteriorated further, and he found himself begging. He kept having delusions and strange dreams, although his psychiatrist insists he was not in the middle of a psychotic episode at the time of the attack.
The night before he went on the rampage in Luton town centre, Obih had apparently had a dream in which he could kill a man just by touching him.
I suppose we will never really know why the attack occurred, but the facts are these; on the 11th June 2007 PC Jon Henry, 36, and 3 colleagues were called to Luton town centre.
A window cleaner, Stephen Chamberlain, had been stabbed in the back by Obih in a row over the latter standing in a spot in which the former wished to park his car.
PC Henry had only been on duty for 30 minutes, and although he was wearing a stab vest it was not fastened all the way to the top.
As they arrived on the scene, they found a second window cleaner, David Knight, trying to fend Obih off with his extendible pole.
As Obih was sprayed with CS incapacitant spray, PC Henry circled behind him and drew his baton. However Obih turned at the last minute, and PC Henry backed into a phonebox as he tried to get away.
Obih stabbed him twice in the chest, and he would later die of his injuries.
He then turned and stood over a second officer, PC Luke Glendenning, with his knife. Mr Knight, concerned for the officer's safety, struck Obih in the face with his window cleaning pole, and was stabbed in the arm for his trouble.
Obih withstood a direct hit from a plastic baton round, then was finally subdued with a taser.
In his interview he told police he was happy to have stabbed their colleague to death. He clarified that he knew he'd done wrong, but at the time he felt threatened and reacted, and he would do the same again.
PC Henry leaves behind a widow and a young daughter.
However, if this country had the appropriate background checks and measures in place to deport violent criminals, then these crimes would become a lot less frequent. We have enough violent thugs of our own.
British Terror Suspect Sought in Bangladesh
The Mail reports that a man with British citizenship is on the run after a police raid in Bangladesh on Monday. He was running an orphanage and madrassa with money raised by a British-based charity.
The man, twice arrested for various bomb-making related offences but never charged, was also once arrested trying to board an aeroplane with a handgun in his luggage.
Here is the full story:
'A British chemistry graduate who was twice cleared of plotting terrorist attacks is being searched for by Bangladeshi security forces who claim that an orphange he founded was being used as a training camp and arms factory for Islamic militants.
Dr Faisal Mostafa ran a charity providing humanitarian aid to children and families in Bangladesh and Pakistan, even though he was twice cleared of involvement in alleged bomb-making factories and terror attacks in Britain.
Bangladeshi security forces allege that an orphanage run by Mostafa's Stockport-based charity Green Crescent was being used to train Jihadist extremists 'in line with Bin Laden'.
It has emerged that the father-of-three was also given a suspended sentence for trying to board a plane with a pistol in his suitcase last year.
The Charity Commission said tonight it was investigating the allegations, which it said it was taking very seriously.
On Monday Bangladeshi security forces raided the orphanage and attached Muslim school on the remote island of Bhola in South Bangladesh.
They discovered explosives to make 'several hundred' grenades, as well as ammunition, remote control devices and radical Islamic books.
A teacher and three caretakers have been arrested but Mostafa, who is in his mid-40s, is being searched for in Bangladesh.
Lt Col Munir Haque, an officer involved in the operation by the Rapid Action Battalion, said: 'We found small arms – about nine or 10 in total – plus equipment to make small arms, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two walkie-talkies, two remote control devices and four sets of army uniforms.
'We also found enough explosives and other equipment to make several hundred grenades. We found some ordinary Islamic books, but others that are in line with extremists like Bin Laden.'
He said that there were about 11 children between the ages of 7 and 8 at the compound at the time of the raid, but no other adults.
K M Mamunur Rashid, another officer involved in the raid, said: 'It is a big madrassa and we have so far gathered that this whole compound is being used for militant training,' he said.
He added that the charity had plans to build two more madrassas, viewed by the authorities as recruiting grounds for militant groups.
Mostafa, who has a PhD in chemistry from Manchester Polytechnic, was cleared of conspiracy to cause explosions with intent to endanger life at Birmingham Crown Court in 2002.
He was working as a teacher at a Birmingham mosque when MI5 agents swooped on a flat where they discovered bin liners containing chemicals, electronic devices and gloves with traces of HMTD, a high explosive.
Mostafa denied involvement with any terror organisation and told the jury that chemicals and explosive materials were intended to make fireworks.
His co-accused, Moinul Abedin, was jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of planning to cause explosions around the UK.
In 1996, Mostafa had been cleared at Manchester Crown Court of involvement in a terrorist bomb plot campaign with two other students after explosives were found at his home.
But he was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm, sentenced to four years in prison and banned for life from possessing a firearm.
In July last year he was caught trying to board a plane to Bangladesh with a gas-powered pistol and bullet parts in his luggage.
He was arrested at Manchester Airport by security officials and claimed the gun was a gift for his brother, as part of a hunting and fishing trip with his wife and three children.
The charge carried a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment but Mostafa was sentenced to 56 days in prison, suspended for two years, and 100 hours' community service.
According to its website, the Green Crescent charity was set up by students in 1998, with the motto, 'Individuals with vision are capable of changing society in a positive way'.
Last year it had an income of £63,000 for 'long-term educational and health projects'.
The Charity Commission, which awarded Green Crescent charity status in 2004, last night came under fire from partner organisations in shock about Dr Mostafa's record.
Saeed Mahmood, of the Stockport-based charity Human Appeal International, said: 'Faisal comes in every few months about mainland projects in Bangladesh. We only work with organisations that are registered with the Charity Commission so we had no idea about these allegations.
'I'm taken aback. The Charity Commission should have told us if they knew and if they didn't know, why not?'
A spokesman from counter-terrorism think-tank the Quilliam Foundation added: 'If the Green Crescent charity has indeed been involved in militant activity, this will reflect very poorly on the Charity Commission, particularly given that Mostafa, the head of the charity, had previously been put on trial twice for terrorist offences.
'Ineffectiveness by the Charity Commission in identifying and tackling extremist charities leads to the British taxpayer directly subsiding militancy and extremism.'
Andrew Hind, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said: 'We are working with relevant law enforcement and other agencies to investigate the allegation that terrorist activity is connected with the charity. The matter is of serious concern to us, and we are taking this action given the gravity of the matter, the public interest and the need to protect charity work and funds.
'We intend, as is normal procedure, to publish a statement of the results of the inquiry setting out our findings once the inquiry is completed.' '
The man, twice arrested for various bomb-making related offences but never charged, was also once arrested trying to board an aeroplane with a handgun in his luggage.
Here is the full story:
'A British chemistry graduate who was twice cleared of plotting terrorist attacks is being searched for by Bangladeshi security forces who claim that an orphange he founded was being used as a training camp and arms factory for Islamic militants.
Dr Faisal Mostafa ran a charity providing humanitarian aid to children and families in Bangladesh and Pakistan, even though he was twice cleared of involvement in alleged bomb-making factories and terror attacks in Britain.
Bangladeshi security forces allege that an orphanage run by Mostafa's Stockport-based charity Green Crescent was being used to train Jihadist extremists 'in line with Bin Laden'.
It has emerged that the father-of-three was also given a suspended sentence for trying to board a plane with a pistol in his suitcase last year.
The Charity Commission said tonight it was investigating the allegations, which it said it was taking very seriously.
On Monday Bangladeshi security forces raided the orphanage and attached Muslim school on the remote island of Bhola in South Bangladesh.
They discovered explosives to make 'several hundred' grenades, as well as ammunition, remote control devices and radical Islamic books.
A teacher and three caretakers have been arrested but Mostafa, who is in his mid-40s, is being searched for in Bangladesh.
Lt Col Munir Haque, an officer involved in the operation by the Rapid Action Battalion, said: 'We found small arms – about nine or 10 in total – plus equipment to make small arms, about 3,000 rounds of ammunition, two walkie-talkies, two remote control devices and four sets of army uniforms.
'We also found enough explosives and other equipment to make several hundred grenades. We found some ordinary Islamic books, but others that are in line with extremists like Bin Laden.'
He said that there were about 11 children between the ages of 7 and 8 at the compound at the time of the raid, but no other adults.
K M Mamunur Rashid, another officer involved in the raid, said: 'It is a big madrassa and we have so far gathered that this whole compound is being used for militant training,' he said.
He added that the charity had plans to build two more madrassas, viewed by the authorities as recruiting grounds for militant groups.
Mostafa, who has a PhD in chemistry from Manchester Polytechnic, was cleared of conspiracy to cause explosions with intent to endanger life at Birmingham Crown Court in 2002.
He was working as a teacher at a Birmingham mosque when MI5 agents swooped on a flat where they discovered bin liners containing chemicals, electronic devices and gloves with traces of HMTD, a high explosive.
Mostafa denied involvement with any terror organisation and told the jury that chemicals and explosive materials were intended to make fireworks.
His co-accused, Moinul Abedin, was jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of planning to cause explosions around the UK.
In 1996, Mostafa had been cleared at Manchester Crown Court of involvement in a terrorist bomb plot campaign with two other students after explosives were found at his home.
But he was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm, sentenced to four years in prison and banned for life from possessing a firearm.
In July last year he was caught trying to board a plane to Bangladesh with a gas-powered pistol and bullet parts in his luggage.
He was arrested at Manchester Airport by security officials and claimed the gun was a gift for his brother, as part of a hunting and fishing trip with his wife and three children.
The charge carried a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment but Mostafa was sentenced to 56 days in prison, suspended for two years, and 100 hours' community service.
According to its website, the Green Crescent charity was set up by students in 1998, with the motto, 'Individuals with vision are capable of changing society in a positive way'.
Last year it had an income of £63,000 for 'long-term educational and health projects'.
The Charity Commission, which awarded Green Crescent charity status in 2004, last night came under fire from partner organisations in shock about Dr Mostafa's record.
Saeed Mahmood, of the Stockport-based charity Human Appeal International, said: 'Faisal comes in every few months about mainland projects in Bangladesh. We only work with organisations that are registered with the Charity Commission so we had no idea about these allegations.
'I'm taken aback. The Charity Commission should have told us if they knew and if they didn't know, why not?'
A spokesman from counter-terrorism think-tank the Quilliam Foundation added: 'If the Green Crescent charity has indeed been involved in militant activity, this will reflect very poorly on the Charity Commission, particularly given that Mostafa, the head of the charity, had previously been put on trial twice for terrorist offences.
'Ineffectiveness by the Charity Commission in identifying and tackling extremist charities leads to the British taxpayer directly subsiding militancy and extremism.'
Andrew Hind, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said: 'We are working with relevant law enforcement and other agencies to investigate the allegation that terrorist activity is connected with the charity. The matter is of serious concern to us, and we are taking this action given the gravity of the matter, the public interest and the need to protect charity work and funds.
'We intend, as is normal procedure, to publish a statement of the results of the inquiry setting out our findings once the inquiry is completed.' '
Seeing as the Charity Commission should never have allowed a man with a criminal record to register a charity in the first place, can we hope for much from the investigation?
It seems that despite tough talk, once again the British Government is firmly bolting the stable door after the horse has long run into the night when it comes to Islamic terrorism.
A Bad Time for Israel
The last couple of weeks have not been good ones for Israel or its image. First, we had (in my opinion, dressed up) reports that IDF soldiers had testified to shooting civilians out of hand during the Gaza ground conflict. Then, there was a scandal surrounding some tasteless T-shirts worn by IDF soldiers. Yesterday, the BBC and other Left-leaning media outlets revelled in the march of Israeli 'Right-wingers', 'extremists' and 'hardliners' through the large Arab town of Umm el-Fahm.
I consider myself a friend of Israel, and in terms of its existence and absolute right to defend itself and its citizens from attack, it has my unequivocal support.
However, this support is not blind and does not stretch to situations when the Israeli Government or military is genuinely in the wrong.
Given the craven nature of our media, it's often hard to tell when that is, in reality. Let us first take yesterday's march in the town of Umm el-Fahm.
From what I could gather it was an organised march, perfectly legal and legitimate. However, the vast majority of the Arab population did not agree with it and weren't happy, so they decided to express their dissatisfaction in the way they seem to like best - wanton violence, including stone-throwing and attacking the police:
At least 16 people were injured. Now, whatever the circumstances of the march, if the government and high court have allowed it there is no reason to attack it violently.
The T-shirt issue is slightly more complex, but on this one I'm generally on the side of decency; I think the most controversial designs (including a pregnant woman in gunsights with the slogan '1 shot 2 kills') were incredibly tasteless, and the IDF soldiers who wore them and posed for photographs did themselves and the image of their country no favours at all. Indeed, the moral implications aside they should be disciplined simply for bringing the IDF into disrepute.
Israel has enough to contend with in the arena of biased public opinion, without its own soldiers handing ammunition to its enemies.
Slightly more serious are the recent allegations emerging that Israeli soldiers killed innocent civilians in Gaza.
I would personally like to wait until the outcome of the IDF's own investigation before passing judgment; I don't think it is useful for such allegations to be made public before they are fully investigated, but as they have been they are worthy of some comment.
You can read a good, fact-based rebuttal to Richard Falk's accusations of 'categorical war crimes' here.
As far as I can tell, the accusations so far are based purely on hearsay and conjecture. They also take a number of incidents out of context. I will reproduce here Melanie Phillips' excellent article on the accusations, and write my own response to whatever the IDF's investigation finds.
'...So what are these
pretty appalling looking reports
and
absolutely appalling stories?
There are precisely two charges of gratuitous killing of Palestinian civilians under allegedly explicit orders to do so. One is what even Ha’aretz made clear was an accidental killing, when two women misunderstood the evacuation route the Israeli soldiers had given them and walked into a sniper’s gunsights as a result. Moreover, the soldier who said this has subsequently admitted he didn’t see this incident – he wasn’t even in Gaza at the time – and had merely reported rumour and hearsay.
The second charge is based on a supposedly real incident in which, when an elderly woman came close to an IDF unit, an officer ordered that they shoot her because she was approaching the line and might have been a suicide bomber. The soldier relating this story did not say whether or not the woman in this story actually was shot. Indeed, since he says ‘from the description of what happened’ it would appear this was merely hearsay once again. And his interpretation was disputed by another soldier who said:
She wasn't supposed to be there, because there were announcements and there were bombings. Logic says she shouldn't be there. The way you describe it, as murder in cold blood, that isn't right.
So two non-atrocity atrocities, then. What else?
Soldiers mouthing off -- in conversations of near-impenetrable incoherence – that instructions to kill everyone who remained in buildings designated as terrorist targets after the IDF had warned everyone inside to get out amounted to instructions to murder in cold blood. There cannot be an army in the world which would not issue precisely such instructions in such circumstances, where Hamas had boasted it had booby-trapped the entire area.
Gloating graffiti left in the houses of presumed terrorists.
Tasteless T-shirts emblazoned with motifs crowing about killing, condemned immediately by the IDF.
Rabbis distributing to soldiers psalms and religious opinions about the conflict.
That’s it. Not one single verifiable actual incident of intentional killing of civilians. No evidence whatever of any such rogue incidents -- let alone any order by the IDF to tear up its actual rules of engagement which forbade the deliberate targeting of civilians. Talk by one soldier about the IAF having killed a lot of people before the soldiers went in contradicted by another who said:
They dropped leaflets over Gaza and would sometimes fire a missile from a helicopter into the corner of some house, just to shake up the house a bit so everyone inside would flee. These things worked. The families came out, and really people [i.e., soldiers] did enter houses that were pretty empty, at least of innocent civilians. [my emphasis]
Funny sort of unethical military behaviour, that goes to some lengths to empty houses of civilians before storming them. Indeed, the soldiers’ discussion contains more such material totally contradicting the impression of gross violations of ethics. Such as this:
‘I am a platoon sergeant in an operations company of the Paratroops Brigade. We were in a house and discovered a family inside that wasn't supposed to be there. We assembled them all in the basement, posted two guards at all times and made sure they didn't make any trouble. Gradually, the emotional distance between us broke down - we had cigarettes with them, we drank coffee with them, we talked about the meaning of life and the fighting in Gaza. After very many conversations the owner of the house, a man of 70-plus, was saying it's good we are in Gaza and it's good that the IDF is doing what it is doing.
The next day we sent the owner of the house and his son, a man of 40 or 50, for questioning. The day after that, we received an answer: We found out that both are political activists in Hamas. That was a little annoying - that they tell you how fine it is that you're here and good for you and blah-blah-blah, and then you find out that they were lying to your face the whole time.
What annoyed me was that in the end, after we understood that the members of this family weren't exactly our good friends and they pretty much deserved to be forcibly ejected from there, my platoon commander suggested that when we left the house, we should clean up all the stuff, pick up and collect all the garbage in bags, sweep and wash the floor, fold up the blankets we used, make a pile of the mattresses and put them back on the beds.
... ‘There was one day when a Katyusha, a Grad, landed in Be'er Sheva and a mother and her baby were moderately to seriously injured. They were neighbors of one of my soldiers. We heard the whole story on the radio, and he didn't take it lightly - that his neighbors were seriously hurt. So the guy was a bit antsy, and you can understand him. To tell a person like that, 'Come on, let's wash the floor of the house of a political activist in Hamas, who has just fired a Katyusha at your neighbors that has amputated one of their legs’ - this isn't easy to do, especially if you don't agree with it at all. When my platoon commander said, 'Okay, tell everyone to fold up blankets and pile up mattresses,’ it wasn't easy for me to take. There was lot of shouting. In the end I was convinced and realized it really was the right thing to do. Today I appreciate and even admire him, the platoon commander, for what happened there. In the end I don't think that any army, the Syrian army, the Afghani army, would wash the floor of its enemy’s houses, and it certainly wouldn't fold blankets and put them back in the closets.’
This is what instructor Danny Zamir described as
‘contempt for, and forcefulness against, the Palestinians.’
No mention of any of that in the world’s media, is there? Do you think Andrew Marr or William Hague read those bits? Do me the proverbial. All they’ve picked up and run with is the lazy and malicious boilerplate carefully spun by Ha’aretz: rumour and hearsay about two incidents related by two soldiers (one of whom wasn’t even in Gaza) -- one an accidental killing, the other maybe not a killing at all -- plus some wild mouthing-off by soldiers, some unpleasant graffiti, ditto T-shirts, plus some leaflets by unidentified rabbis making statements that carry no weight with the IDF or reflect Israeli policy whatsoever.
On that basis, however, it’s proof positive for the likes of Andrew Marr, William Hague, the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, BBC and Uncle Tom Israelbasher and all, that yes!! Israel is now shown (unless specifically disproved -- and how do you disprove something for which no evidence is offered whatever?) to have been committing atrocities after all in Gaza; and so has now forfeit what remains of its moral authority, which was already hanging by a thread as a result of all the previous blood libels, and almost certainly its right to exist at all.
This is not just bigotry. It is medieval witch-hunt territory. And it’s global. '
And a witch-hunt it is. Check the comments at the end of this Daily Mail article on the allegations. They can be pretty much be summed up as 'well, we knew what those b******s were up to anyway, but this just confirms it!!!'
Well, it confirms nothing; there are no concrete conclusions about anything yet. In my opinion the IDF is a moral army, and at the very least it gets credit for actually investigating these claims.
If wrong-doing occurred, I'm in no doubt that appropriate action will be taken. But at the moment, that looks like a very big 'if'.
I consider myself a friend of Israel, and in terms of its existence and absolute right to defend itself and its citizens from attack, it has my unequivocal support.
However, this support is not blind and does not stretch to situations when the Israeli Government or military is genuinely in the wrong.
Given the craven nature of our media, it's often hard to tell when that is, in reality. Let us first take yesterday's march in the town of Umm el-Fahm.
From what I could gather it was an organised march, perfectly legal and legitimate. However, the vast majority of the Arab population did not agree with it and weren't happy, so they decided to express their dissatisfaction in the way they seem to like best - wanton violence, including stone-throwing and attacking the police:
At least 16 people were injured. Now, whatever the circumstances of the march, if the government and high court have allowed it there is no reason to attack it violently.
The T-shirt issue is slightly more complex, but on this one I'm generally on the side of decency; I think the most controversial designs (including a pregnant woman in gunsights with the slogan '1 shot 2 kills') were incredibly tasteless, and the IDF soldiers who wore them and posed for photographs did themselves and the image of their country no favours at all. Indeed, the moral implications aside they should be disciplined simply for bringing the IDF into disrepute.
Israel has enough to contend with in the arena of biased public opinion, without its own soldiers handing ammunition to its enemies.
Slightly more serious are the recent allegations emerging that Israeli soldiers killed innocent civilians in Gaza.
I would personally like to wait until the outcome of the IDF's own investigation before passing judgment; I don't think it is useful for such allegations to be made public before they are fully investigated, but as they have been they are worthy of some comment.
You can read a good, fact-based rebuttal to Richard Falk's accusations of 'categorical war crimes' here.
As far as I can tell, the accusations so far are based purely on hearsay and conjecture. They also take a number of incidents out of context. I will reproduce here Melanie Phillips' excellent article on the accusations, and write my own response to whatever the IDF's investigation finds.
'...So what are these
pretty appalling looking reports
and
absolutely appalling stories?
There are precisely two charges of gratuitous killing of Palestinian civilians under allegedly explicit orders to do so. One is what even Ha’aretz made clear was an accidental killing, when two women misunderstood the evacuation route the Israeli soldiers had given them and walked into a sniper’s gunsights as a result. Moreover, the soldier who said this has subsequently admitted he didn’t see this incident – he wasn’t even in Gaza at the time – and had merely reported rumour and hearsay.
The second charge is based on a supposedly real incident in which, when an elderly woman came close to an IDF unit, an officer ordered that they shoot her because she was approaching the line and might have been a suicide bomber. The soldier relating this story did not say whether or not the woman in this story actually was shot. Indeed, since he says ‘from the description of what happened’ it would appear this was merely hearsay once again. And his interpretation was disputed by another soldier who said:
She wasn't supposed to be there, because there were announcements and there were bombings. Logic says she shouldn't be there. The way you describe it, as murder in cold blood, that isn't right.
So two non-atrocity atrocities, then. What else?
Soldiers mouthing off -- in conversations of near-impenetrable incoherence – that instructions to kill everyone who remained in buildings designated as terrorist targets after the IDF had warned everyone inside to get out amounted to instructions to murder in cold blood. There cannot be an army in the world which would not issue precisely such instructions in such circumstances, where Hamas had boasted it had booby-trapped the entire area.
Gloating graffiti left in the houses of presumed terrorists.
Tasteless T-shirts emblazoned with motifs crowing about killing, condemned immediately by the IDF.
Rabbis distributing to soldiers psalms and religious opinions about the conflict.
That’s it. Not one single verifiable actual incident of intentional killing of civilians. No evidence whatever of any such rogue incidents -- let alone any order by the IDF to tear up its actual rules of engagement which forbade the deliberate targeting of civilians. Talk by one soldier about the IAF having killed a lot of people before the soldiers went in contradicted by another who said:
They dropped leaflets over Gaza and would sometimes fire a missile from a helicopter into the corner of some house, just to shake up the house a bit so everyone inside would flee. These things worked. The families came out, and really people [i.e., soldiers] did enter houses that were pretty empty, at least of innocent civilians. [my emphasis]
Funny sort of unethical military behaviour, that goes to some lengths to empty houses of civilians before storming them. Indeed, the soldiers’ discussion contains more such material totally contradicting the impression of gross violations of ethics. Such as this:
‘I am a platoon sergeant in an operations company of the Paratroops Brigade. We were in a house and discovered a family inside that wasn't supposed to be there. We assembled them all in the basement, posted two guards at all times and made sure they didn't make any trouble. Gradually, the emotional distance between us broke down - we had cigarettes with them, we drank coffee with them, we talked about the meaning of life and the fighting in Gaza. After very many conversations the owner of the house, a man of 70-plus, was saying it's good we are in Gaza and it's good that the IDF is doing what it is doing.
The next day we sent the owner of the house and his son, a man of 40 or 50, for questioning. The day after that, we received an answer: We found out that both are political activists in Hamas. That was a little annoying - that they tell you how fine it is that you're here and good for you and blah-blah-blah, and then you find out that they were lying to your face the whole time.
What annoyed me was that in the end, after we understood that the members of this family weren't exactly our good friends and they pretty much deserved to be forcibly ejected from there, my platoon commander suggested that when we left the house, we should clean up all the stuff, pick up and collect all the garbage in bags, sweep and wash the floor, fold up the blankets we used, make a pile of the mattresses and put them back on the beds.
... ‘There was one day when a Katyusha, a Grad, landed in Be'er Sheva and a mother and her baby were moderately to seriously injured. They were neighbors of one of my soldiers. We heard the whole story on the radio, and he didn't take it lightly - that his neighbors were seriously hurt. So the guy was a bit antsy, and you can understand him. To tell a person like that, 'Come on, let's wash the floor of the house of a political activist in Hamas, who has just fired a Katyusha at your neighbors that has amputated one of their legs’ - this isn't easy to do, especially if you don't agree with it at all. When my platoon commander said, 'Okay, tell everyone to fold up blankets and pile up mattresses,’ it wasn't easy for me to take. There was lot of shouting. In the end I was convinced and realized it really was the right thing to do. Today I appreciate and even admire him, the platoon commander, for what happened there. In the end I don't think that any army, the Syrian army, the Afghani army, would wash the floor of its enemy’s houses, and it certainly wouldn't fold blankets and put them back in the closets.’
This is what instructor Danny Zamir described as
‘contempt for, and forcefulness against, the Palestinians.’
No mention of any of that in the world’s media, is there? Do you think Andrew Marr or William Hague read those bits? Do me the proverbial. All they’ve picked up and run with is the lazy and malicious boilerplate carefully spun by Ha’aretz: rumour and hearsay about two incidents related by two soldiers (one of whom wasn’t even in Gaza) -- one an accidental killing, the other maybe not a killing at all -- plus some wild mouthing-off by soldiers, some unpleasant graffiti, ditto T-shirts, plus some leaflets by unidentified rabbis making statements that carry no weight with the IDF or reflect Israeli policy whatsoever.
On that basis, however, it’s proof positive for the likes of Andrew Marr, William Hague, the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, BBC and Uncle Tom Israelbasher and all, that yes!! Israel is now shown (unless specifically disproved -- and how do you disprove something for which no evidence is offered whatever?) to have been committing atrocities after all in Gaza; and so has now forfeit what remains of its moral authority, which was already hanging by a thread as a result of all the previous blood libels, and almost certainly its right to exist at all.
This is not just bigotry. It is medieval witch-hunt territory. And it’s global. '
And a witch-hunt it is. Check the comments at the end of this Daily Mail article on the allegations. They can be pretty much be summed up as 'well, we knew what those b******s were up to anyway, but this just confirms it!!!'
Well, it confirms nothing; there are no concrete conclusions about anything yet. In my opinion the IDF is a moral army, and at the very least it gets credit for actually investigating these claims.
If wrong-doing occurred, I'm in no doubt that appropriate action will be taken. But at the moment, that looks like a very big 'if'.
The Kosovo Conflict
Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the beginning of NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia.
This incident, ostensibly to stop persecution of Kosovar Albanians by Serbs, was the first in which NATO forces made a pre-emptive attack on a sovereign nation, and it set many uncomfortable precedents in other ways too.
The conflict has its origins in the ancient ethno-religious rivalries between Muslim Albanians and Orthodox Christian Serbs; it seems that whilst the Balkans were part of the Ottoman Empire, many Albanians converted for the purposes of convenience (not being Dhimmis, having full rights and access to higher education and good jobs), whilst the Serbs are noted for their stubborn resistance to all foreign attempts to control them.
Kosovo (Косово or Косово и Метохија) has been seen as the religious and cultural centre of the Serbian nation since the 12th century. Serbs have been living in the region for at least 1,000 years.
However, the Ottoman Empire settled many Muslim Albanians in the Kosovo region, and by the beginning of the 20th Century, a demographic shift was underway in favour of the Albanians.
The idea of a 'Greater Albania' encompassing the regions nations neighbouring Albania with a majority of ethnic Albanians is an ancient one.
Before the NATO intervention, the last person to come close to helping the Albanians achieve this ancient dream was Adolf Hitler; it was promised to them for helping to fight the Serbs. Some anecdotal evidence suggests he is well regarded in Albania and Kosovo as a friend and hero of the Albanian nation, even to this day, despite the fact he only continued Mussolini's policy towards them.
As the Albanian population grew and the Serbian share of the population decreased, the Albanians began to push for more and more autonomy, for example equal status for the Albanian language and the 'Albanianisation' of the education system. However, under Tito, both Albanian and Serbian nationalist groups were brutally suppressed.
A paramilitary force, borne of drug-trafficking money and gang influence, was set up to 'protect' Albanian interests. This was the Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës or UÇK), formed around 1981.
It was designated a terrorist organisation by many countries, including Britain and America.
By 1998, the KLA was actively fighting Serb and Yugoslav security forces for control of large portions of Kosovo. Both sides carried out atrocities against each other's symbols and civilians. This came about because of a Serb attempt to directly control the province and crush aspiring Albanian nationalist sentiment - but it should be remembered that it was still Serbian sovereign territory, an integral part of the nation.
However, Bill Clinton decided that it really was quite black and white. Clearly, those poor oppressed Albanians, who only wanted to shave off a huge chunk of a sovereign country and give it to another country they ethnically identified with, were being 'ethnically cleansed' and needed NATO air support.
The widely-condemned NATO bombing of Yugoslavia began on 24th March 1999, and continued until 10th June 1999.
Human Rights Watch have only managed to verify 500 Kosovan Albanian civilian deaths at the hands of Serb security forces over 2 years; NATO bombing killed 100 Kosovar Albanian civilians in 3 months, as well as an estimated 500 Serb civilians.
What is often overlooked is that nearly 450 Serb civilians were killed in Kosovo by the KLA. They also started to raid into central Serbia, carrying out bomb attacks and shooting policemen.
None of this is a defence of Slobodan Milosevic or the actions of Serbia; I simply feel that this conflict is seen by too many as completely one-sided, like so many of our recent conflicts some weird rehash of WWII.
It wasn't quite that simple, despite the attempts of Bill Clinton and others to pretend that Milosevic wanted to build a 'racially pure' Serb state, when in fact all he wanted to do was defend the interests of ethnic Serbs outside Serbia and in Kosovo. Certainly, his ambitions were not really any different to those of the KLA.
Much of the civilian exodus which occurred from Kosovo began after the NATO bombing; fighting between Serb forces and the KLA intensified, many fled the bombing itself, and it seems the Serbs did try to drive many out in a last ditch attempt to keep the region part of Serbia.
However, where has this 'noble' conflict led us? We have a UN run state in the Balkans, where even the 'liberated' Kosovar Albanians are increasingly agitating for foreign troop withdrawal.
We have a terrorist organisation running criminal networks all over Europe, claiming it is a legitimate government.
We see increasing 'Islamisation' in Kosovo, as we did before it in Bosnia. The Kosovan population were only nominally Muslim before KFOR rolled in - now in some sections of society Saudi Arabian funding and influence is surreptitiously underway.
There are outrageous attacks on and atrocities against Serbian civilians and their cultural and religious symbols, and they have been growing since the Serbian forces withdrew ten years ago. These and other incidents are an attempt to drive out or marginalise any Serbs who remain. However, this is largely ignored by the Western media - can it be that 'ethnic cleansing' isn't bad in itself and is only an excuse for acting as you wish?
There are also wider geo-political issues; Serbia is still needlessly a pariah state, when it could have been a valuable ally in the War on Terrorism. Relations with Russia are still needlessly sour, and the 'Kosovo precedent' may have been directly responsible for the war in Georgia, with Russia taking a 'two can play at that game' stance. There is also a moral issue - Serbia did nothing in Kosovo that Russia didn't do in Chechnya ten times over - yet apart from a few anti-war and human rights types, most people saw that as a legitimate operation. It occurs to me that on paper, Chechnya has more right to be an independent state than an Albanian Kosovo.
The wider issues are frightening to contemplate; there is no telling the potential damage the 'Kosovo precedent' could do to many currently stable nation states, and I personally feel the genie should have been left in the bottle.
The Kosovo Conflict shows just how dangerous ill informed decisions and 'bombing for peace' can actually be.
It also demonstrates the danger posed by large, unassimilated populations of hostile immigrants and their descendants; if Kosovo is Albania, then why can't the US south west be Mexico? Is it just a matter of time and numbers?
Only time will tell how much damage this idiotic war has actually done.
This incident, ostensibly to stop persecution of Kosovar Albanians by Serbs, was the first in which NATO forces made a pre-emptive attack on a sovereign nation, and it set many uncomfortable precedents in other ways too.
The conflict has its origins in the ancient ethno-religious rivalries between Muslim Albanians and Orthodox Christian Serbs; it seems that whilst the Balkans were part of the Ottoman Empire, many Albanians converted for the purposes of convenience (not being Dhimmis, having full rights and access to higher education and good jobs), whilst the Serbs are noted for their stubborn resistance to all foreign attempts to control them.
Kosovo (Косово or Косово и Метохија) has been seen as the religious and cultural centre of the Serbian nation since the 12th century. Serbs have been living in the region for at least 1,000 years.
However, the Ottoman Empire settled many Muslim Albanians in the Kosovo region, and by the beginning of the 20th Century, a demographic shift was underway in favour of the Albanians.
The idea of a 'Greater Albania' encompassing the regions nations neighbouring Albania with a majority of ethnic Albanians is an ancient one.
Before the NATO intervention, the last person to come close to helping the Albanians achieve this ancient dream was Adolf Hitler; it was promised to them for helping to fight the Serbs. Some anecdotal evidence suggests he is well regarded in Albania and Kosovo as a friend and hero of the Albanian nation, even to this day, despite the fact he only continued Mussolini's policy towards them.
As the Albanian population grew and the Serbian share of the population decreased, the Albanians began to push for more and more autonomy, for example equal status for the Albanian language and the 'Albanianisation' of the education system. However, under Tito, both Albanian and Serbian nationalist groups were brutally suppressed.
A paramilitary force, borne of drug-trafficking money and gang influence, was set up to 'protect' Albanian interests. This was the Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës or UÇK), formed around 1981.
It was designated a terrorist organisation by many countries, including Britain and America.
By 1998, the KLA was actively fighting Serb and Yugoslav security forces for control of large portions of Kosovo. Both sides carried out atrocities against each other's symbols and civilians. This came about because of a Serb attempt to directly control the province and crush aspiring Albanian nationalist sentiment - but it should be remembered that it was still Serbian sovereign territory, an integral part of the nation.
However, Bill Clinton decided that it really was quite black and white. Clearly, those poor oppressed Albanians, who only wanted to shave off a huge chunk of a sovereign country and give it to another country they ethnically identified with, were being 'ethnically cleansed' and needed NATO air support.
The widely-condemned NATO bombing of Yugoslavia began on 24th March 1999, and continued until 10th June 1999.
Human Rights Watch have only managed to verify 500 Kosovan Albanian civilian deaths at the hands of Serb security forces over 2 years; NATO bombing killed 100 Kosovar Albanian civilians in 3 months, as well as an estimated 500 Serb civilians.
What is often overlooked is that nearly 450 Serb civilians were killed in Kosovo by the KLA. They also started to raid into central Serbia, carrying out bomb attacks and shooting policemen.
None of this is a defence of Slobodan Milosevic or the actions of Serbia; I simply feel that this conflict is seen by too many as completely one-sided, like so many of our recent conflicts some weird rehash of WWII.
It wasn't quite that simple, despite the attempts of Bill Clinton and others to pretend that Milosevic wanted to build a 'racially pure' Serb state, when in fact all he wanted to do was defend the interests of ethnic Serbs outside Serbia and in Kosovo. Certainly, his ambitions were not really any different to those of the KLA.
Much of the civilian exodus which occurred from Kosovo began after the NATO bombing; fighting between Serb forces and the KLA intensified, many fled the bombing itself, and it seems the Serbs did try to drive many out in a last ditch attempt to keep the region part of Serbia.
However, where has this 'noble' conflict led us? We have a UN run state in the Balkans, where even the 'liberated' Kosovar Albanians are increasingly agitating for foreign troop withdrawal.
We have a terrorist organisation running criminal networks all over Europe, claiming it is a legitimate government.
We see increasing 'Islamisation' in Kosovo, as we did before it in Bosnia. The Kosovan population were only nominally Muslim before KFOR rolled in - now in some sections of society Saudi Arabian funding and influence is surreptitiously underway.
There are outrageous attacks on and atrocities against Serbian civilians and their cultural and religious symbols, and they have been growing since the Serbian forces withdrew ten years ago. These and other incidents are an attempt to drive out or marginalise any Serbs who remain. However, this is largely ignored by the Western media - can it be that 'ethnic cleansing' isn't bad in itself and is only an excuse for acting as you wish?
There are also wider geo-political issues; Serbia is still needlessly a pariah state, when it could have been a valuable ally in the War on Terrorism. Relations with Russia are still needlessly sour, and the 'Kosovo precedent' may have been directly responsible for the war in Georgia, with Russia taking a 'two can play at that game' stance. There is also a moral issue - Serbia did nothing in Kosovo that Russia didn't do in Chechnya ten times over - yet apart from a few anti-war and human rights types, most people saw that as a legitimate operation. It occurs to me that on paper, Chechnya has more right to be an independent state than an Albanian Kosovo.
The wider issues are frightening to contemplate; there is no telling the potential damage the 'Kosovo precedent' could do to many currently stable nation states, and I personally feel the genie should have been left in the bottle.
The Kosovo Conflict shows just how dangerous ill informed decisions and 'bombing for peace' can actually be.
It also demonstrates the danger posed by large, unassimilated populations of hostile immigrants and their descendants; if Kosovo is Albania, then why can't the US south west be Mexico? Is it just a matter of time and numbers?
Only time will tell how much damage this idiotic war has actually done.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
George Galloway is Still Banned from Canada
You can see many of the 'highlights' of Galloway's career in this video, including meeting Saddam Hussein and er, pretending to be a cat on Celebrity Big Brother.
It was also announced today that the Charity Commission will investigate the 'Viva Palestina' appeal, also known as 'Lifeline to Gaza'. Galloway and Yvonne Ridley recently led a 100 vehicle, £1 million aid convoy to Gaza, although the former holds no official position with the organisation.
Galloway immediately and predictably attacked the investigation, and the Socialist Unity crowd aren't happy either. However the Charity Commission said the investigation was legitimate as the trustees had failed to respond to detailed requests for information, and it must be certain that the money was being used for good causes.
What, you mean undermining the Zionist occupation forces doesn't count as a good cause? Where do they get off making such outrageous accusations, eh George?
After all, that's your job.
The Great Escape
In March 1944, 'Harry', one of the many tunnels built by interred Allied airmen in Stalag Luft III in Żagań, Poland was completed satisfactorily. The events that followed, by all measures courageous and tragic, would become the stuff of legend - spawning the film 'The Great Escape'.
Many of the US airmen who helped to build the tunnel were transferred just before it was considered safe, so on the evening of 24th March 1944 - a moonless night, therefore considered most desirable - 76 men managed to escape from German captivity, many of them all too briefly.
The tunnel came up short of the pine forest it was supposed to lead into, but 76 prisoners managed to go through it and emerge outside the camp before the 77th man was spotted by a guard and stopped at 5 am on 25th March.
The 76 men who escaped comprised 21 British, 6 Canadians, 6 Poles, 5 Australians, 3 South Africans, 2 Dutchmen, 2 New Zealanders, 2 Norwegians, a Belgian, a Greek, a Lithuanian, a Czech and a Frenchman.
Of these men, 73 were recaptured; the only ones to reach Allied territory and safety were the 2 Norwegians, Per Bergsland and Jens Müller, and one of the Dutchmen, Bram van der Stok.
It is said that Hitler initially ordered all of the 73 men who were found shot, but relented under pressure from Goering. As it was, 50 were still murdered, selected by General Artur Nebe.
17 of the survivors were sent back to Stalag Luft III, 2 to another PoW camp, whilst 4 were sent to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp to be worked to death. However, they managed to escape again, tunneling past double electric-fences, razor wire and specially trained guards, although they were recaptured.
They included Sydney Dowse, who died in April 2008 and 'Jimmy' James, who died in January 2008.
A small ceremony took place earlier at the site of the camp, in memory of the brave men who died.
These men and thousands like them encapsulate the spirit of this country, its history and our civilisation. They refused to give up their status as free men and submit to tyranny, no matter what the personal cost.
May they rest in peace.
The Lambeth Walk on YouTube
I have created a YouTube channel for 'The Lambeth Walk', because I have in my possession some fairly interesting documentaries from British television about terrorism, Islamism and current affairs.
I have put the first relevant episode up today, on al-Qaeda. It is only 30 minutes long and perfect for anyone who is new to these issues who wants to understand the basics and where it all began.
I have posted the first video of three below, and if you want to see the final parts you can head over to my YouTube channel here.
Whilst you're visiting YouTube, please do check out Occidental Soapbox's channel. He has just posted a fantastic response to Obama's address to the Iranians, and he also has some other very instructive and informative videos on Islam and the origins of Islamic terrorism; my favourite, which I've hosted below, is 'why did they hate us in 1783?'
It is a wonderful rebuttal to Leftists who believe the anger and hatred that some in the Islamic world direct towards the West is entirely our fault and based on our contemporary actions; all it does is use facts, history and their own words against them.
I have put the first relevant episode up today, on al-Qaeda. It is only 30 minutes long and perfect for anyone who is new to these issues who wants to understand the basics and where it all began.
I have posted the first video of three below, and if you want to see the final parts you can head over to my YouTube channel here.
Whilst you're visiting YouTube, please do check out Occidental Soapbox's channel. He has just posted a fantastic response to Obama's address to the Iranians, and he also has some other very instructive and informative videos on Islam and the origins of Islamic terrorism; my favourite, which I've hosted below, is 'why did they hate us in 1783?'
It is a wonderful rebuttal to Leftists who believe the anger and hatred that some in the Islamic world direct towards the West is entirely our fault and based on our contemporary actions; all it does is use facts, history and their own words against them.
Another 'Revolution'
An interesting snippet from the Daily Mirror, under the title 'learning in store for all'.
'Empty shops will be opened for adult education classes under a Government scheme to be unveiled today.
More than 7,000 rooms in public and private buildings, including pubs' backrooms, churches and libraries will be used in the Learning Revolution plan.
The £20million project will help adults learn for pleasure rather than qualifications in places not associated with teaching.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: "Learning improves quality of life." '
Is it just me, or do all the Government's ideas sound as if they come from Kim Il-Sung?
First we have detention without trial, then ID cards, then our very own 'army' of volunteers to help out in an invasion by the Yanks and their imperialistic puppets... er, terrorist attack, now a 'Learning Revolution'.
What next? Mandatory military service? Saluting the 'Dear Leader' in huge parades? Gulags?
You would have thought the word 'revolution' had enough of a negative context by now that it wouldn't keep being thrown about so carelessly, but apparently not.
'Empty shops will be opened for adult education classes under a Government scheme to be unveiled today.
More than 7,000 rooms in public and private buildings, including pubs' backrooms, churches and libraries will be used in the Learning Revolution plan.
The £20million project will help adults learn for pleasure rather than qualifications in places not associated with teaching.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: "Learning improves quality of life." '
Is it just me, or do all the Government's ideas sound as if they come from Kim Il-Sung?
First we have detention without trial, then ID cards, then our very own 'army' of volunteers to help out in an invasion by the Yanks and their imperialistic puppets... er, terrorist attack, now a 'Learning Revolution'.
What next? Mandatory military service? Saluting the 'Dear Leader' in huge parades? Gulags?
You would have thought the word 'revolution' had enough of a negative context by now that it wouldn't keep being thrown about so carelessly, but apparently not.
Monday, 23 March 2009
George Galloway Defends Genocide in Sudan
Here is George Galloway MP defending genocide in Sudan:
Next time you see this traitorous wretch shouting about the death and suffering of Muslims somewhere in the world, remember this video.
The video in which he stated that the abuses being inflicted upon black African Sudanese by Arab militias, which include 3 million refugees and at least half a million dead are secondary in the eyes of the West to the purchase of oil.
The video in which he stated that Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese leader wanted by the UN for these genocidal crimes, is simply an innocent scapegoat of the West.
Here is the evidence, if any were needed; it's OK for people to be killed according to George Galloway, even for Muslims to be killed - as long as their murderers are other Muslims.
Puts things into perspective a little, doesn't it?
To offset the anger this odious little weasle can provoke, you might enjoy Bernie Farber, of the Canadian Jewish Congress applauding the Canadian Government for banning him from entering Canada:
Next time you see this traitorous wretch shouting about the death and suffering of Muslims somewhere in the world, remember this video.
The video in which he stated that the abuses being inflicted upon black African Sudanese by Arab militias, which include 3 million refugees and at least half a million dead are secondary in the eyes of the West to the purchase of oil.
The video in which he stated that Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese leader wanted by the UN for these genocidal crimes, is simply an innocent scapegoat of the West.
Here is the evidence, if any were needed; it's OK for people to be killed according to George Galloway, even for Muslims to be killed - as long as their murderers are other Muslims.
Puts things into perspective a little, doesn't it?
To offset the anger this odious little weasle can provoke, you might enjoy Bernie Farber, of the Canadian Jewish Congress applauding the Canadian Government for banning him from entering Canada:
When the Strands of History Come Together
Glancing at Wikipedia's 'on this day' section, I notice four events occurred which at first seem quite separate from each other, but actually have a strong relationship if not to each other, then to the modern world.
On 23rd March 1775 Patrick Henry made his "Give me liberty or give me death," speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses. This speech is credited with convincing said house to commit troops to the American Revolution.
On 23rd March 1933 the German Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, which effectively gave Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers over Germany by ensuring any decisions he made could bypass the Reichstag.
On 23rd March 1940 the Muslim League drafted the Lahore Resolution, calling for greater autonomy in British India.
On 23rd March 2007 Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured 15 Royal Navy personnel and imprisoned them for 12 days.
All of these events still seem relevant when you look at current affairs. In the first we see a patriot lamenting the state of his nation and the treatment of his countrymen by what he sees as a tyrannical force completely out of touch with the populace and its customs - Geert Wilders, anyone?
The analogy is far from perfect and obviously they have some completely different goals, but the similarity is there - both free-born men who wish to decide their own fate, not be at the behest of outside forces or traitors in their own land.
As for the Enabling Act in 1933 - there are many chilling similarities between this law and the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004, a New Labour nonsense foisted on the British people for use in an 'emergency'. We also have the Terrorism Act and the ID Cards Act.
The political Left spend much time discussing the rise of the 'far-Right' and how Europe should have learned its lessons from fascism the first time around, but another thing people should have learned is giving the government, any government, unlimited power is a terrible and potentially tragic error.
Even if one see the current British Government as benign, which I do not, there is no telling what the government of tomorrow will be like. The Civil Contingencies Act basically allows the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to bypass Parliament on a range of issues, temporarily suspending any Act of Parliament but the Human Rights Act 1998 (naturally, the least useful piece of legislation must remain).
This includes suspending the right to trial by jury, and taking on powers nominally reserved for the Sovereign such as suspending Parliament or even suspending elections. It also includes all of our ancient freedoms and liberties, generally found in the Habeas Corpus Act 1679 and the Bill of Rights 1689. Of course, these are the rights which our soldiers are dying to spread to far-off deserts.
As for the other two events - to me they encompass the idea that nearly 70 years apart, Muslims are still trying to blackmail the West to get their way through violence.
Of course, the British and the Hindus and Sikhs were far from blameless during the partition of India, but the demands made by the Muslim League are largely responsible for the ongoing insurgency in Kashmir, and the belief of many Pakistanis that more of India belongs to them than is contained within Pakistan's borders (that and, of course, India's large Muslim population).
Perhaps not explicitly, but like all ideas of Islamic supremacy masquerading as civil rights, it's there in the background.
That leads us neatly on to the incident in 2007. At that point, we were probably almost at war with Iran due to groups they backed, armed and funded being responsible for many British deaths in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
However, they had to add insult to injury - from Wikipedia:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unexpectedly announced the release of the captives halfway through a long press conference on the afternoon of 4 April 2007.[99][100]
"On the occasion of the birthday of the great prophet, and for the occasion of the passing of Christ, I say the Islamic Republic government and the Iranian people — with all powers and legal right to put the soldiers on trial — forgave those 15. This pardon is a gift to the British people."[20] When returned to the UK the group claimed to have been put under "constant psychological pressure" from the Iranian authorities.[21] In addition, British equipment including secure voice communication kit and navigational hardware has not been reported as being returned.
Ahmadinejad reiterated the statement that Iranian waters had been breached, and he praised the border guards who detained the British personnel. Abolqassem Amangah, commander of Iran's southwestern Maritime Border Patrol Guard was awarded the third degree medal of bravery for stopping the sailors. Ahmadinejad also criticized the British government for sending the mother of a child to the battlefield, and asked the government "not to prosecute them for their confessions." The release was announced after the British government supposedly sent a letter of apology to the Iranian government, accepting the breaching of their border, the illegal insertion of military units in Iran and the promise that Iranian territory would never be violated again. However, the British government denies that such a letter exists, and says that the release was performed without any agreement from both sides.[101]
After the conference, the Britons met Ahmadinejad outside the presidential palace, where they reportedly showed their appreciation for their release.[70][102] Later Tony Blair said he was glad and stated that he "bears Iranian people no ill will."[103] They were released on 5 April 2007.[104] Whilst in Iran one of the sailors stated that when interviewed by British media at home, he would say nothing different than comments he has made in Iran about being well treated by the authorities. "I would not say anything different to here and I will be completely truthful. I will definitely promote Iran actually; there is a lot of ignorance in the UK about Iran and the people".[105]
The release was presented to suggest that it was an Easter "gift" to the British people; to this end the captives were not released to British consular officials but placed directly aboard British Airways flight BA6634 (flown by franchisee British Mediterranean Airways using Airbus A321 G-MEDL), a direct flight to the UK, on the morning of 5 April 2007,[106] landing at about 12 noon local time.[107] They were given gifts of CDs, Persian candies, pistachio nuts, books, vases and handicrafts by the Iranians. After a briefing on board at London Heathrow, the press were allowed a short photographic opportunity, before the personnel were flown directly to Royal Marines Base Chivenor in north Devon by two Royal Navy Westland Sea King helicopters for medical checkups, a full debriefing and meeting with their families.[107]'
An extraordinary incident, a classic example of Islamist attempts to blackmail free nations. However, I don't fee our own version of the Enabling Act did anything to prevent this, and it won't the next time it happens, even if it occurs on our own soil.
It will just gradually erode the differences between free countries and those that aren't lucky enough to be free.
On balance, I think this is one of the many, many reasons why I prefer Geert Wilders to George Galloway.
On 23rd March 1775 Patrick Henry made his "Give me liberty or give me death," speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses. This speech is credited with convincing said house to commit troops to the American Revolution.
On 23rd March 1933 the German Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, which effectively gave Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers over Germany by ensuring any decisions he made could bypass the Reichstag.
On 23rd March 1940 the Muslim League drafted the Lahore Resolution, calling for greater autonomy in British India.
On 23rd March 2007 Iranian Revolutionary Guards captured 15 Royal Navy personnel and imprisoned them for 12 days.
All of these events still seem relevant when you look at current affairs. In the first we see a patriot lamenting the state of his nation and the treatment of his countrymen by what he sees as a tyrannical force completely out of touch with the populace and its customs - Geert Wilders, anyone?
The analogy is far from perfect and obviously they have some completely different goals, but the similarity is there - both free-born men who wish to decide their own fate, not be at the behest of outside forces or traitors in their own land.
As for the Enabling Act in 1933 - there are many chilling similarities between this law and the Civil Contingencies Act of 2004, a New Labour nonsense foisted on the British people for use in an 'emergency'. We also have the Terrorism Act and the ID Cards Act.
The political Left spend much time discussing the rise of the 'far-Right' and how Europe should have learned its lessons from fascism the first time around, but another thing people should have learned is giving the government, any government, unlimited power is a terrible and potentially tragic error.
Even if one see the current British Government as benign, which I do not, there is no telling what the government of tomorrow will be like. The Civil Contingencies Act basically allows the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to bypass Parliament on a range of issues, temporarily suspending any Act of Parliament but the Human Rights Act 1998 (naturally, the least useful piece of legislation must remain).
This includes suspending the right to trial by jury, and taking on powers nominally reserved for the Sovereign such as suspending Parliament or even suspending elections. It also includes all of our ancient freedoms and liberties, generally found in the Habeas Corpus Act 1679 and the Bill of Rights 1689. Of course, these are the rights which our soldiers are dying to spread to far-off deserts.
As for the other two events - to me they encompass the idea that nearly 70 years apart, Muslims are still trying to blackmail the West to get their way through violence.
Of course, the British and the Hindus and Sikhs were far from blameless during the partition of India, but the demands made by the Muslim League are largely responsible for the ongoing insurgency in Kashmir, and the belief of many Pakistanis that more of India belongs to them than is contained within Pakistan's borders (that and, of course, India's large Muslim population).
Perhaps not explicitly, but like all ideas of Islamic supremacy masquerading as civil rights, it's there in the background.
That leads us neatly on to the incident in 2007. At that point, we were probably almost at war with Iran due to groups they backed, armed and funded being responsible for many British deaths in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
However, they had to add insult to injury - from Wikipedia:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unexpectedly announced the release of the captives halfway through a long press conference on the afternoon of 4 April 2007.[99][100]
"On the occasion of the birthday of the great prophet, and for the occasion of the passing of Christ, I say the Islamic Republic government and the Iranian people — with all powers and legal right to put the soldiers on trial — forgave those 15. This pardon is a gift to the British people."[20] When returned to the UK the group claimed to have been put under "constant psychological pressure" from the Iranian authorities.[21] In addition, British equipment including secure voice communication kit and navigational hardware has not been reported as being returned.
Ahmadinejad reiterated the statement that Iranian waters had been breached, and he praised the border guards who detained the British personnel. Abolqassem Amangah, commander of Iran's southwestern Maritime Border Patrol Guard was awarded the third degree medal of bravery for stopping the sailors. Ahmadinejad also criticized the British government for sending the mother of a child to the battlefield, and asked the government "not to prosecute them for their confessions." The release was announced after the British government supposedly sent a letter of apology to the Iranian government, accepting the breaching of their border, the illegal insertion of military units in Iran and the promise that Iranian territory would never be violated again. However, the British government denies that such a letter exists, and says that the release was performed without any agreement from both sides.[101]
After the conference, the Britons met Ahmadinejad outside the presidential palace, where they reportedly showed their appreciation for their release.[70][102] Later Tony Blair said he was glad and stated that he "bears Iranian people no ill will."[103] They were released on 5 April 2007.[104] Whilst in Iran one of the sailors stated that when interviewed by British media at home, he would say nothing different than comments he has made in Iran about being well treated by the authorities. "I would not say anything different to here and I will be completely truthful. I will definitely promote Iran actually; there is a lot of ignorance in the UK about Iran and the people".[105]
The release was presented to suggest that it was an Easter "gift" to the British people; to this end the captives were not released to British consular officials but placed directly aboard British Airways flight BA6634 (flown by franchisee British Mediterranean Airways using Airbus A321 G-MEDL), a direct flight to the UK, on the morning of 5 April 2007,[106] landing at about 12 noon local time.[107] They were given gifts of CDs, Persian candies, pistachio nuts, books, vases and handicrafts by the Iranians. After a briefing on board at London Heathrow, the press were allowed a short photographic opportunity, before the personnel were flown directly to Royal Marines Base Chivenor in north Devon by two Royal Navy Westland Sea King helicopters for medical checkups, a full debriefing and meeting with their families.[107]'
An extraordinary incident, a classic example of Islamist attempts to blackmail free nations. However, I don't fee our own version of the Enabling Act did anything to prevent this, and it won't the next time it happens, even if it occurs on our own soil.
It will just gradually erode the differences between free countries and those that aren't lucky enough to be free.
On balance, I think this is one of the many, many reasons why I prefer Geert Wilders to George Galloway.
A Lament for England
With thanks to Rob Atkinson:
Goodbye to my England, So long my old friend
Your days are numbered, being brought to an end
To be Scottish, Irish or Welsh that's fine
But don't say you're English, that's way out of line.
The French and the Germans may call themselves such
As may Norwegians, the Swedes and the Dutch
You can say you are Russian or maybe a Dane
But don't say you're English ever again.
At Broadcasting House the word is taboo
In Brussels it's Scrapped, in Parliament too
Even schools are affected, staff do as they're told
They must not teach children about England of old.
Writers like Shakespeare, Milton and Shaw
The pupils do not learn about them anymore
How about Agincourt, Hastings , Arnhem or Mons
When England lost hosts of her very brave sons.
We are not Europeans, how can we be?
Europe is miles away over the sea
We're the English from England, let's all be proud
Stand up and be counted - Shout it out loud.
Let's tell our Government and Brussels too
We're proud of our heritage and the Red, White and Blue
Fly the flag of Saint George or the Union Jack
Let the world know - we want OUR ENGLAND BACK!!!!
A fine sentiment.
However, all is not lost. After militant Islamists disguised as anti-war protesters disrupted a homecoming parade for British soldiers, several other parades went ahead with huge crowds supporting the troops and not a word of dissent, politically correct or otherwise. Here you can see 150 troops from 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) marching through Derby.
With thanks to regular contributor Dr. D for putting me on to this video:
Goodbye to my England, So long my old friend
Your days are numbered, being brought to an end
To be Scottish, Irish or Welsh that's fine
But don't say you're English, that's way out of line.
The French and the Germans may call themselves such
As may Norwegians, the Swedes and the Dutch
You can say you are Russian or maybe a Dane
But don't say you're English ever again.
At Broadcasting House the word is taboo
In Brussels it's Scrapped, in Parliament too
Even schools are affected, staff do as they're told
They must not teach children about England of old.
Writers like Shakespeare, Milton and Shaw
The pupils do not learn about them anymore
How about Agincourt, Hastings , Arnhem or Mons
When England lost hosts of her very brave sons.
We are not Europeans, how can we be?
Europe is miles away over the sea
We're the English from England, let's all be proud
Stand up and be counted - Shout it out loud.
Let's tell our Government and Brussels too
We're proud of our heritage and the Red, White and Blue
Fly the flag of Saint George or the Union Jack
Let the world know - we want OUR ENGLAND BACK!!!!
A fine sentiment.
However, all is not lost. After militant Islamists disguised as anti-war protesters disrupted a homecoming parade for British soldiers, several other parades went ahead with huge crowds supporting the troops and not a word of dissent, politically correct or otherwise. Here you can see 150 troops from 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) marching through Derby.
With thanks to regular contributor Dr. D for putting me on to this video:
Boris Johnson Allows St. George's Day
Mayor of London Boris Johnson confirmed yesterday that St. George's Day, the day of England's patron saint, will not be ignored as normal, at least not in London.
He plans a week long 'Festival of Englishness', and will even take the unprecedented step of flying the English flag, the Cross of St. George, from City Hall. He has also asked that the city be bedecked with the red and white flag for the whole week.
There will be a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnets at the Globe Theatre to mark the 400 year anniversary of their publication, real-ale tastings, and an English folk music concert in Trafalgar Square amongst other events. Johnson will also take a ceremonial tour of the capital in a London bus.
I'm not sure if this is actually good news, however; I feel it is a cynical attempt to deflect rising criticism of the three main parties for despising our country and culture.
I used to be a supporter of Boris, and certainly saw him as an excellent alternative to Ken Livingstone. After his support of an amnesty for illegal immigrants, however, I see him somewhat differently - a charlatan who tricked his way into office by pretending to be a conservative, like so many before him.
Still, at least he's trying to do his job this time; the Mayor should not despise England and its history like Ken Livingstone did.
Livingstone is responsible for many atrocities; getting rid of Routemaster buses, racially abusing a Jewish reporter, inviting controversial Muslim clerics to speak in London, praising the Chinese for their human rights record.
The one that will always stick in my mind, however, was his 2001 attempt to banish the statues of General Sir Charles James Napier and Major-General Sir Henry Havelock from Trafalgar Square.
Both these men were colonial-era soldiers, mainly associated with British military campaigns in India; the former is most famous for capturing Sindh province, the latter for re-capturing Cawnpore during the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
Livingstone claimed he wanted rid of them because he 'did not know who they were or what they had done'.
I think he did know, though, and that was the problem. They are a symbol of one of the greatest nations, civilisations and empires the world has ever known, and that is why he hated them.
He did not get his way, however, and they remain in Trafalgar Square. One of the pleasures of this St. George's Day celebration will be knowing just how much it is irritating Livingstone, and just how much he regrets losing the election to Johnson.
He plans a week long 'Festival of Englishness', and will even take the unprecedented step of flying the English flag, the Cross of St. George, from City Hall. He has also asked that the city be bedecked with the red and white flag for the whole week.
There will be a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnets at the Globe Theatre to mark the 400 year anniversary of their publication, real-ale tastings, and an English folk music concert in Trafalgar Square amongst other events. Johnson will also take a ceremonial tour of the capital in a London bus.
I'm not sure if this is actually good news, however; I feel it is a cynical attempt to deflect rising criticism of the three main parties for despising our country and culture.
I used to be a supporter of Boris, and certainly saw him as an excellent alternative to Ken Livingstone. After his support of an amnesty for illegal immigrants, however, I see him somewhat differently - a charlatan who tricked his way into office by pretending to be a conservative, like so many before him.
Still, at least he's trying to do his job this time; the Mayor should not despise England and its history like Ken Livingstone did.
Livingstone is responsible for many atrocities; getting rid of Routemaster buses, racially abusing a Jewish reporter, inviting controversial Muslim clerics to speak in London, praising the Chinese for their human rights record.
The one that will always stick in my mind, however, was his 2001 attempt to banish the statues of General Sir Charles James Napier and Major-General Sir Henry Havelock from Trafalgar Square.
Both these men were colonial-era soldiers, mainly associated with British military campaigns in India; the former is most famous for capturing Sindh province, the latter for re-capturing Cawnpore during the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
Livingstone claimed he wanted rid of them because he 'did not know who they were or what they had done'.
I think he did know, though, and that was the problem. They are a symbol of one of the greatest nations, civilisations and empires the world has ever known, and that is why he hated them.
He did not get his way, however, and they remain in Trafalgar Square. One of the pleasures of this St. George's Day celebration will be knowing just how much it is irritating Livingstone, and just how much he regrets losing the election to Johnson.
Undercover as a Muslim in Prague
Hat tip: Gates of Vienna
Here is a programme from Czech television, in which a man goes undercover in a mosque to see the reality of what Islam teaches and preaches:
Apparently it was first broadcast in 2005 or 2006, and it explores many themes about what it means to be a Muslim in modern Europe, and just how incompatible some Islamic beliefs and practices are with European values.
However, the Czech attitude is quite different to ours; it seems the security services have almost all of the country's 11,000 Muslims under surveillance of one kind or another.
This programme sparked some controversy among Czech Muslims, but many people also welcomed the chance for debate.
This was in stark contrast to Britain, perhaps unsurprisingly; a programme broadcast in 2007 on Channel 4 called 'Undercover Mosque' revealed that many mosques in Britain, even ones lauded by the Government as 'moderate', were infected by Saudi Wahhabism and the most extreme ideas.
The response of the British authorities? To attempt to prosecute the documentary-makers for inciting racial and religious hatred, of course!
You can watch the documentary here. It's over 40 minutes, but if you have the time I'd recommend it.
Here is a programme from Czech television, in which a man goes undercover in a mosque to see the reality of what Islam teaches and preaches:
Apparently it was first broadcast in 2005 or 2006, and it explores many themes about what it means to be a Muslim in modern Europe, and just how incompatible some Islamic beliefs and practices are with European values.
However, the Czech attitude is quite different to ours; it seems the security services have almost all of the country's 11,000 Muslims under surveillance of one kind or another.
This programme sparked some controversy among Czech Muslims, but many people also welcomed the chance for debate.
This was in stark contrast to Britain, perhaps unsurprisingly; a programme broadcast in 2007 on Channel 4 called 'Undercover Mosque' revealed that many mosques in Britain, even ones lauded by the Government as 'moderate', were infected by Saudi Wahhabism and the most extreme ideas.
The response of the British authorities? To attempt to prosecute the documentary-makers for inciting racial and religious hatred, of course!
You can watch the documentary here. It's over 40 minutes, but if you have the time I'd recommend it.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
4 Police Officers Killed in California
A manhunt ensued through the streets of the East Oakland section of the city. When the police tracked down the gunman and burst into the apartment, he shot two more officers with an assault rifle, killing them both, before he was shot dead by the police.
The two officers who were shot at the scene of the traffic stop were identified as Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, who was killed, and Officer John Hege, 41. On Sunday, an Oakland police spokesman said that Mr. Hege had been pronounced brain dead but was still on life support pending a decision about organ donation, The Associated Press reported. (Earlier on Sunday the spokesman had said that Mr. Hege had died, but he backed off that statement three hours later.)
The two Special Weapons and Tactics officers who were killed in the apartment were identified as Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Dan Sakai, 35.
The police said the gunman was Lovelle Mixon, of Oakland, and said he was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. They had a warrant out for his arrest.
They did not say why officers pulled over Mr. Mixon to begin with, but said it appeared to be a routine traffic stop.
They said he appeared to be the only suspect.
It has just been reported that the officer on life-support has also died. This is a terrible tragedy, and I think it's at times like this it hits home just how brave the men who risk their lives everyday to enforce the law and protect the innocent are.
They don't always get the respect or support they deserve on either side of the Atlantic, particularly from the government.
Without men and women willing to put their lives on the line, civilisation and society as we know it could not exist.
There has been tension between police and the community in the months following the fatal shooting of an unarmed 22-year-old, Oscar Grant III, by a Bay Area Rapid Transit officer police officer on New Year’s Day.
Mr. Grant was shot at close range while lying face down on a train platform. He was among several people who had been removed from the train by police officers investigating a fight. The former transit officer accused in the shooting, Johannes Mehserle, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.
Violent protests hit the streets in the weeks after Mr. Grant’s death. On Jan. 7, more than 100 people were arrested after protesters marched through the city breaking store windows and setting cars and trashcans on fire.
Oakland’s black community and law enforcement have had a tense relationship for years, including a corruption case known as the Riders case in which a group of police officers were accused of abusing and falsely accusing suspects. Three of the officers were acquitted, but the case nevertheless damaged the department’s reputation.
The Associated Press reported Saturday that people lingered at the scene of the traffic-stop shooting. About 20 bystanders taunted the police.
Ah, well that explains it then. Bit of 'tension'.
Well no, actually to me it does not explain it. A violent thug and wanted criminal is a violent thug and wanted criminal, black or white.
Out of interest, what sort of person stands at a police cordon after the murder of four officers and shouts taunts and abuse?
Nothing can excuse this terrible crime, nor should it. This sort of behaviour is not an acceptable response to any sort of 'tension' or perceived slight, if that is indeed what the piece is implying. It does not even come close to partly explaining it.
Anjem Choudary is at it Again
Hat tip: Gates of Vienna.
On the 20th March 2009, exiled Islamic preacher Omar Mohammed Bakri appeared via satellite phone from Lebanon at a press conference organised by Anjem Choudary. He used the opportunity to warn the British people that there would be another 7/7 style terrorist attack unless we 'wake up before it is too late and accept the truth of Islam, as ordinary Muslims will rise up for the evil acts of British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan'.
So in other words, unless we give in to Muslim demands, or even become a Muslim state, he is threatening us with extreme violence.
In the picture above, to Choudary's left you can see Ishtiaq Alamgir, who was last week revealed to be living on the hospitality of the British taxpayer despite spending all his time handing out extremist literature denouncing our society. At the conference, he said:
"British soldiers are guilty of torture, rape and murder. Those British soldiers have blood on their hands.
The soldiers are saying they are doing their job. This is very shallow. The same could be said about the individuals who carried out the 7/7 or 9/11 attacks that they carried out on the orders of Sheikh Osama bin Laden."
The man on the right is Abu Abdullah, 30, who branded the British Government 'tyrannical' and warned: "Do not relax, do not recline, or you will be touched by the fire of hell."
This is not where the story ends, however. Yesterday, an interview with Anjem Choudary was released on Press TV:
In it, he continues to compare British troops with the terrorists who carried out 9/11 and 7/7, accuses them of serious and despicable crimes, and urges all British citizens to blame the soldiers if they don't support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is about time this man was brought to book for his outrageous attacks on this country and those who serve it.
It is about time, in my opinion, his citizenship was revoked and he was deported to the Sharia-governed paradise of his choice. This would make Britain more secure and prove that the laws governing incitement to hatred are used fairly.
Will it happen?
On the 20th March 2009, exiled Islamic preacher Omar Mohammed Bakri appeared via satellite phone from Lebanon at a press conference organised by Anjem Choudary. He used the opportunity to warn the British people that there would be another 7/7 style terrorist attack unless we 'wake up before it is too late and accept the truth of Islam, as ordinary Muslims will rise up for the evil acts of British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan'.
So in other words, unless we give in to Muslim demands, or even become a Muslim state, he is threatening us with extreme violence.
In the picture above, to Choudary's left you can see Ishtiaq Alamgir, who was last week revealed to be living on the hospitality of the British taxpayer despite spending all his time handing out extremist literature denouncing our society. At the conference, he said:
"British soldiers are guilty of torture, rape and murder. Those British soldiers have blood on their hands.
The soldiers are saying they are doing their job. This is very shallow. The same could be said about the individuals who carried out the 7/7 or 9/11 attacks that they carried out on the orders of Sheikh Osama bin Laden."
The man on the right is Abu Abdullah, 30, who branded the British Government 'tyrannical' and warned: "Do not relax, do not recline, or you will be touched by the fire of hell."
This is not where the story ends, however. Yesterday, an interview with Anjem Choudary was released on Press TV:
In it, he continues to compare British troops with the terrorists who carried out 9/11 and 7/7, accuses them of serious and despicable crimes, and urges all British citizens to blame the soldiers if they don't support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is about time this man was brought to book for his outrageous attacks on this country and those who serve it.
It is about time, in my opinion, his citizenship was revoked and he was deported to the Sharia-governed paradise of his choice. This would make Britain more secure and prove that the laws governing incitement to hatred are used fairly.
Will it happen?
Geert Wilders to Sue the British Government?
Hat tip: Keep Tony Blair for PM
It seems that Geert Wilders has filed a complaint with a British court over the Government's decision to deny him entry to Britain and then deport him in February 2009.
The article is not very specific about just what this means, however:
'The Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, the author of a controversial film on Islam, stated on Friday that he has filed a complaint at a London court after the British authorities denied him entry into the country in February.
“I addressed the court and sought asylum and entrance into Great Britain” said Geert Wilders, the head of the PVV (Party for Freedom), which have 9 of the 150 seats in parliament. Wilders is the director of the film “Fitna”, which advocates the stance that Islam equals violence.
Wilders was returned to the Netherlands after he was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Wilders explained that he has one British and one Dutch lawyer, and that in 28 days time he will know that date of the first discussion that he will attend if the British allow him. The British Ministry of Justice could not comment the case.
The Dutch premier Jan Peter Balkenende voiced disappointment and discontent to his British colleague Gordon Brown after Wilders was arrested.'
It seems that Geert Wilders has filed a complaint with a British court over the Government's decision to deny him entry to Britain and then deport him in February 2009.
The article is not very specific about just what this means, however:
'The Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, the author of a controversial film on Islam, stated on Friday that he has filed a complaint at a London court after the British authorities denied him entry into the country in February.
“I addressed the court and sought asylum and entrance into Great Britain” said Geert Wilders, the head of the PVV (Party for Freedom), which have 9 of the 150 seats in parliament. Wilders is the director of the film “Fitna”, which advocates the stance that Islam equals violence.
Wilders was returned to the Netherlands after he was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Wilders explained that he has one British and one Dutch lawyer, and that in 28 days time he will know that date of the first discussion that he will attend if the British allow him. The British Ministry of Justice could not comment the case.
The Dutch premier Jan Peter Balkenende voiced disappointment and discontent to his British colleague Gordon Brown after Wilders was arrested.'
Sri Lankan Postmaster Sacked for Demanding Customers Speak English
On the 19th of March it was reported that a Postmaster, himself an immigrant from Sri Lanka, had caused controversy after refusing to serve customers who did not speak English.
Deva Kumarasiri has been in this country 17 years. He says coming here was always a dream for him - not because of the range of generous welfare benefits that attract some, but because he loves this country.
A Union Flag flies from his house, another from his car. Mr Kumarasiri even boasts that he taught his two daughters every word of the national anthem. His dream is for them to grow up to become doctors in the RAF.
However, today it was announced that he will be transferred after his Muslim Pakistani boss Riswan Raja, who owns the shop to which the post office is attached, threatened to 'make his life a living hell'.
Apparently several local Muslims and do-gooders had made complaints about his stance.
He has also been kicked out of the Liberal Democrats, for whom he served as a local councillor.
In the original article, he said:
‘Nobody stands up for anything in Britain any more,’ he said.
‘It’s the best country in the world as far as I’m concerned, but the great country I once called Great Britain has changed a lot since I came here.
‘All I’m doing is telling people if they want to live in Britain, be British. Don’t boo our soldiers when they come home from Iraq. Don’t live your life without embracing our culture. Don’t stay here without making any effort to learn the language. And if you don’t want to be British, go home.’
Mr Kumarasiri runs the post office inside a shop in Sneinton, an inner city area of Nottingham that boasts a diverse ethnic mix.
He became so weary of customers expecting to be served without uttering a word of English that he took to telling them to go away and learn the language. It’s not exactly a ban, he says, because they keep coming back anyway.
But he tells those who make no effort to speak English they will need an interpreter if he is to give them a proper standard of service.
‘Our laws are written in English; our culture is chronicled in English. How can anybody understand that if they can’t understand English? I tell them if they don’t speak the language and they can’t be bothered to learn, then don’t bother coming here.’
Mr Kumarasiri, whose wife is a nurse, likes to call his regular customers ‘duck’ and ‘dear’, following local tradition.
‘The fabric of the nation begins to unravel if we don’t all speak the same language. When I left Sri Lanka I left behind that country’s culture, customs and language. I have done my utmost ever since to be part of this country’s culture. Far too many people come here and expect Britain to change to suit them.
‘An Asian woman came in here yesterday and I insisted she spoke to me in English. She replied she preferred to speak in her mother tongue, but I told her Britain was now her motherland and she should speak English.’
As we talk in his shop, an Eastern European woman silently presents a £299 benefit cheque at the counter to be cashed. A Pakistani man – berated earlier by Mr Kumarasiri for not speaking English, smiles as he struggles with ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.
‘I decided to make this stand because I think too many Britons are afraid to talk out,’ he explains. ‘If they insist on everyone speaking English they are afraid of being branded a racist.’
Mr Kumarasiri grew up in a village outside the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo and learned English at school. He always dreamed of coming to England and worked in a garage, warehouse, shops and another post office before taking over this one in Sneinton.
He met his wife, Durga, here and both his daughters, Shahani, ten, and Heshini, eight, were born here.
He took a ‘stupid citizenship test’ at which he was asked questions such as what age he needed to be to buy cigarettes in Britain, and holds a British passport.
Back in his native Sri Lanka, he said, people were still proud to be associated with their former colonial ruler. ‘Still we have the pride that Britain left behind,’ he said. ‘The laws are still there, the schools are still there. The kids have courtesy. They have discipline. Here, all that is gone. Let’s bring it back.’
I must say I find his attitude inspiring, but I'm not entirely surprised that he has been transferred.
Apparently one of the main features of the local post office is that it is bilingual when necessary, and caters 'for the whole community'. That is presumably unless it has been closed.
Mr Kumarasiri vowed to continue his policy at his new post office - the Royal Mail said they would 'monitor the situation'.
Wait for the time to be right to sack him, more likely. However, he has received hundreds of messages of support from around the country.
Deva Kumarasiri has been in this country 17 years. He says coming here was always a dream for him - not because of the range of generous welfare benefits that attract some, but because he loves this country.
A Union Flag flies from his house, another from his car. Mr Kumarasiri even boasts that he taught his two daughters every word of the national anthem. His dream is for them to grow up to become doctors in the RAF.
However, today it was announced that he will be transferred after his Muslim Pakistani boss Riswan Raja, who owns the shop to which the post office is attached, threatened to 'make his life a living hell'.
Apparently several local Muslims and do-gooders had made complaints about his stance.
He has also been kicked out of the Liberal Democrats, for whom he served as a local councillor.
In the original article, he said:
‘Nobody stands up for anything in Britain any more,’ he said.
‘It’s the best country in the world as far as I’m concerned, but the great country I once called Great Britain has changed a lot since I came here.
‘All I’m doing is telling people if they want to live in Britain, be British. Don’t boo our soldiers when they come home from Iraq. Don’t live your life without embracing our culture. Don’t stay here without making any effort to learn the language. And if you don’t want to be British, go home.’
Mr Kumarasiri runs the post office inside a shop in Sneinton, an inner city area of Nottingham that boasts a diverse ethnic mix.
He became so weary of customers expecting to be served without uttering a word of English that he took to telling them to go away and learn the language. It’s not exactly a ban, he says, because they keep coming back anyway.
But he tells those who make no effort to speak English they will need an interpreter if he is to give them a proper standard of service.
‘Our laws are written in English; our culture is chronicled in English. How can anybody understand that if they can’t understand English? I tell them if they don’t speak the language and they can’t be bothered to learn, then don’t bother coming here.’
Mr Kumarasiri, whose wife is a nurse, likes to call his regular customers ‘duck’ and ‘dear’, following local tradition.
‘The fabric of the nation begins to unravel if we don’t all speak the same language. When I left Sri Lanka I left behind that country’s culture, customs and language. I have done my utmost ever since to be part of this country’s culture. Far too many people come here and expect Britain to change to suit them.
‘An Asian woman came in here yesterday and I insisted she spoke to me in English. She replied she preferred to speak in her mother tongue, but I told her Britain was now her motherland and she should speak English.’
As we talk in his shop, an Eastern European woman silently presents a £299 benefit cheque at the counter to be cashed. A Pakistani man – berated earlier by Mr Kumarasiri for not speaking English, smiles as he struggles with ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.
‘I decided to make this stand because I think too many Britons are afraid to talk out,’ he explains. ‘If they insist on everyone speaking English they are afraid of being branded a racist.’
Mr Kumarasiri grew up in a village outside the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo and learned English at school. He always dreamed of coming to England and worked in a garage, warehouse, shops and another post office before taking over this one in Sneinton.
He met his wife, Durga, here and both his daughters, Shahani, ten, and Heshini, eight, were born here.
He took a ‘stupid citizenship test’ at which he was asked questions such as what age he needed to be to buy cigarettes in Britain, and holds a British passport.
Back in his native Sri Lanka, he said, people were still proud to be associated with their former colonial ruler. ‘Still we have the pride that Britain left behind,’ he said. ‘The laws are still there, the schools are still there. The kids have courtesy. They have discipline. Here, all that is gone. Let’s bring it back.’
I must say I find his attitude inspiring, but I'm not entirely surprised that he has been transferred.
Apparently one of the main features of the local post office is that it is bilingual when necessary, and caters 'for the whole community'. That is presumably unless it has been closed.
Mr Kumarasiri vowed to continue his policy at his new post office - the Royal Mail said they would 'monitor the situation'.
Wait for the time to be right to sack him, more likely. However, he has received hundreds of messages of support from around the country.
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