Gunfire At A Children's Camp Being Reported Outside of Oslo

BREAKING NEWS: Terror Attack In Oslo, Norway. Prime Minister's Offices Targeted

Police evacuate downtown Oslo in the wake of a huge bomb blast, reports are coming in that a man disguised as a police officer has begun shooting randomly at a youth labour-party summer camp in on the island of Utøya just outside Oslo.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is reportedly in attendance at the conference, along with an estimated 560 other people.

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It's Official

Al Qaeda confirmed the death of Osama bin Laden in an Internet message that vowed revenge on the United States and its allies, including Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Islamist militant group.

-- Now here's the gag, they were kind of in a bind.... They were going to have to confirm or deny Bin Laden’s death. If they’re to have credibility among the faithful who follow their jihad, they must identify a new fearless leader. If they are to call for revenge, they must admit to the reason for that rabid outcry.

Al Qaeda confirmed the death of its leader as a historic moment, and vowed not to deviate from the path of armed struggle.

"In a historic day for the great Islamic nation... the mujahid (holy warrior) Shiekh Abu Abdullah, Osama bin Mohammed bin Laden, God have mercy on him, was killed on the path taken by those before him and will be taken by others after him."

"Congratulations to the Islamic umma (community) for the martyrdom of its son Osama."

The global militant group, which said it will soon release an audio tape made by its leader a week before he died, vowed not to deviate from the path of armed struggle and said bin Laden's blood "is more precious to us and to every Muslim than to be wasted in vain."

"It will remain, with permission from God Almighty, a curse that hunts the Americans and their collaborators and chase them outside and inside their country," the militant network said in a statement released on Islamist Internet forums.

"Their happiness will turn into sorrow, and their blood will be mixed with their tears," al Qaeda said.

"We call upon our Muslim people in Pakistan, on whose land Sheikh Osama was killed, to rise up and revolt to cleanse this shame that has been attached to them by a clique of traitors and thieves ... and in general to cleanse their country from the filth of the Americans who spread corruption in it."

The al Qaeda statement also urged the United States to treat the bodies of Osama bin Laden and those killed with him in the raid with care, and to return their bodies. Ooops. Hold on, I'll get a net.

"We warn the Americans not to harm the corpse of the sheikh or expose it to any indecent treatment or to harm any members of his family, living or dead, and to deliver the corpses to their families," it said. So, the sailors shouldn't have wrapped it in bacon? Was that wrong?

"Any harm done will open the doors of evil upon you doubly, and you will not have anyone but yourselves to blame." Yes, that statement is true, and goes triple for you.

Shaping the Narrative

Bin Laden’s Daughter Confirms Her Father Shot Dead By US Special Forces In Pakistan
-- Al Arabiya News

Senior Pakistani security officials said Osama bin Laden’s daughter had confirmed her father was captured alive and shot dead by the US Special Forces during the first few minutes of the operation carried out at the huge compound in Bilal Town, Abbottabad. 
 


Besides recovering four bullet-riddled bodies from the compound, Pakistani security agencies also arrested two women and six children, aged between 2 and 12 years, after American forces flew toward Afghanistan. Some reports suggest 16 people, including women and children, were arrested from the house, most of them Arab nationals.
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Sure, not the most un-biased person in the world to quote. But, for the Muslim world, this will become the narrative of what happened to Osama Bin Laden. He will be treated as a martyr who was murdered by American crusaders. Which was probably inevitable anyway. At least there's no doubt what happened, right? Right?

Hold on, the White House is changing the "official story" again --

The Slippery Story Of The Bin Laden Kill
-- Garance Franke-Ruta, The Atlantic

The early narrative of the assault on Osama bin Laden had him using his wife as a human shield and firing from behind her. Now we learn he wasn't armed.

The White House Tuesday blamed "the fog of war" for conflicting statements in its recounting of the events surrounding the Abbottabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden, but the history of misstatements from U.S. government officials about various combat operations raises questions about whether briefers also were subjecting us to a counter terrorism strategy and not just completely confused in their initial statements.
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Hold on, weren't they WATCHING it, LIVE? Perhaps, and this is not just my own opinion here, perhaps the White House shouldn't politicize things that should not be politicized? Ooops. Too late on that one. The general politic out of the Obama Administration has been incompetent, and that's on their best day. If they don't get a handle on this quickly, it's going to spin out of their control. (Pun noticed, and moving on)

Meanwhile, the Secret SEAL Team will likely be honored in Secret for their Secret Raid. No ticker tape parade for the GI Joe Team.

The team that killed Osama bin Laden will likely be honored in the only way such a covert group can be: in private with nobody but themselves and their commanders in the know.

Quietly recognizing heroic actions for clandestine operations is not new in the military. Some service members wear war decorations but refuse to talk about how they earned them. Others stash away their medals, either because they've been ordered to hide them or they have chosen to for their own security.
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It's not over. It's the end of the beginning.

Happy Monday!

Anger On The Streets: Unrest In Iran, Algeria, Yemen, Morocco And China

There are peaceful demonstrations being staged in Morocco but violence breaks out elsewhere in the Middle East and Chinese police crackdown on planned unrest

Thousands took to the streets of Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech in peaceful protests demanding a new constitution, a change in government and an end to corruption.

Sunday's protests were a test for King Mohamed VI's regime, which boasts that it is more liberal and tolerant than other countries in the region that have seen violence and revolution. But there's a bandwagon rolling - and it's now or never Read more ....

Meanwhile in the Middle East, Bahrain opposition groups mull response. Bahrain protests continue on ninth day. Iran warships to begin Suez Canal passage Tuesday. Not that this is anything to worry about... And speaking of Iran, their security forces quelled opposition protests in Tehran. Iran's forces battle protests nationwide. Yemen's Saleh says won't be forced out by "anarchy". Iraq: Bomb kills police in Shia shrine city of Samarra.

In Asia, China calls for domestic unrest to be defused. 'Jasmine' protests in China fall flat. Afghan police: At least 30 killed in suicide blast. 'Diplomatic surge' to help end Afghan war, Clinton says. Nepal caught between China and India.

In Africa, they're crushing Libya's revolt. Protesters and security clash in capital. So the protests focus on Tripoli as demonstrators set public buildings on fire. Thousands demand change in Morocco. Bodies found after Moroccan protests. Burned bodies found after Morocco protests - minister. Sudan's Omar al-Bashir 'will not seek re-election'. Uganda election: Yoweri Museveni wins fresh term, despite claims of fraud. DR Congo colonel Kibibi Mutware jailed for mass rape.

In Europe, Hamburg rout bodes ill for Merkel in election year. 7 soldiers shot dead in Azerbaijan. Estonia calls for nationwide mourning after fire kills 10 children. Iceland president forces new Icesave referendum.

And in the America's -- Ciudad Juarez sees 40 killed in violent weekend. 12 taxi drivers, fares killed in Mexican resort. Gov't shutdown threat looms over U.S. budget fight. Tar sand row threatens Canada-EU trade deal. Thousands of Aristide backers march in Haiti.

The War on Terrorism, an Al-Qaida figure believed killed in US drone strike. I wonder if he was #2? Increased U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan killing few high-value militants. Pakistan intelligence says US gunman is CIA.

And finally, Oil rises most in three weeks, gold reaches $1,400 on Mideast; stocks drop. EU, oil companies prepare Libya evacuations. Chinese telecom giant calls off US deal.

So - what, sorry, what were you complaining about? The weather? Your commute this morning? Yeah. That sucks.

Thanks to War News Updates for the content.

Mosque Attack Thwarted

American Terrorist Tries to Blow Up one of the USA's biggest mosques with 700 Muslims in it

About 700 people were attending a funeral inside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, the largest mosque in metro Detroit, when Dearborn police arrived to arrest a man in a car in the parking lot.

He had driven to Michigan from California and reportedly was overheard in a bar making threatening comments about Muslims or Arabs. His car was loaded with large, illegal fireworks, police said. Now, Roger Stockham, 63, is jailed on charges that include making a false report or threat of terrorism.

"He's very dangerous," said Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad.

Yes, a car full of M80's. I'm not an expert - but it sounds more like he was going to put on a fireworks display and cause some mayhem - not exactly bring down the building kind of event BUT - let's remember that this is an American intent on blowing up other Americans.

We all need to take a minute to give credit where credit is due, to summarize the modern law-enforcement techniques and agencies that made it possible to catch him:

• Illegal wiretaps
• Naked X-Ray machines
• Waterboarding, "stress positions," and other types of torture
• TSA crotch-grabbing of minors
  
• Color-coded terror alerts
• Internet spying/surveillance/data harvesting
• Racial/ethnic/religious profiling
• Any and all the actions and involvement from the FBI, the DHS, or the TSA and Mega-Plex Homeland Security

Oh, wait. That's the list of things that HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH catching him! This was a crusty old man talking at a bar!

That said, you haven't seen this information, but I wonder that if this was the other way around - a Muslim with a car full of fireworks outside of a mega-church - would the coverage been different? Would that be buried even further?

Terrorism: Average people doing nothing wrong...

Click to make bigger or hit the link.
Terrorism: Average people doing nothing wrong...

Subversive funny - but not so funny if you pause to think about it.

Whistle Blower WikiLeaks

Latest WikiLeaks Developments

(Reuters) - The White House has set up a special committee to assess the damage from the flood of classified cables released by WikiLeaks and organize efforts to tighten security measures in government agencies.

Here are Thursday's highlights in the unfolding story: Read more ....

Oh oh. A committee and not a Blue Ribbon Panel - must be pretty serious?

But let's be serious for just a second...

"I think you're underestimating how cynical Americans are about our government already. So unless in these WikiLeaks we are going to learn that the aliens from Area 51 killed Kennedy, stop with the drama."

~Jon Stewart, attempting to put at least a tiny pinhole in the gargantuan ego of Julian Assange.

You know what the backlash here is? It's that Assange is a tattle-tale. That's right. The whole planet full of hairless apes, we're still just little kids. And everyone knows what's going on - and they are either a part of it, or chose to ignore it in favor of Hollywood gossip, Bigfoot or Dancing with the Stars. That, or they're much more interested on where their neighbor got that fresh water from.

Everyone, I think we can agree, hates a tattle tale. Whistle blowers are praised for their bravery, but also hated, scorned, shot at, and usually killed - why? Not because their terrible secret will destroy humanity, or the church (Da-Vinchi Code) - it's that they tattled. Trust was given, then when the whistle blower runs and tattles everyone gets upset. No one's sure what to do - yes, having beetle parts in baby formula is bad - but they're pretty sure they don't like rats either. It's the old saying, "Everyone loves sausage. No one wants to know how it's made."

Look at the example of the Pentagon Papers. Yeah, everyone knew that it was an illegal war that was being perpetuated to "Save Face." When the revelations of the Rand Corporation's assessment of the war got out - it wasn't a game changer. People said, yeah, I was pretty sure that's what was going on. Looks like I was right. Oh crap, the mortgage is due tomorrow. And they went right back to watching Laugh-In.

The difference is, this time around, is how accessible Assange has made it for like minded cage rattlers to attempt to get the truth out. The media has already signaled that they're not willing or capable of doing that job, anymore. They've given those labors out long ago. It's not only unprofitable - it pisses off their shareholders, especially when an expose ruins another investment they're tied to. And since there are only six corporations in charge of ALL the [major] American media outlets -- well, if you think that Matt Lauer is a great journalist, maybe you should look for some other sources for your news?

And since the "journalists" of main-stream news won't do it - they still like to pretend they do. That's why everyone's giving face time to folks who call Assanage a traitor, a rapist, a terrorist... Bill O'Riley said that Assanage should be hung up by his neck until he was dead. Really? He's a fellow journalist, Bill? Shouldn't you be praising him for doing a good job - by publishing what you wouldn't? Oh, maybe you're just jealous that he scooped you?

What's going to be interesting now is, What will he do next?

Deaf beauty queen was text-messaging when hit by train

Deaf beauty contest winner Tara McAvoy was walking along the railroad tracks from her Austin, Texas, text-messaging family and friends, when a train struck her and killed her.

The 18-year-old was going to represent the Lone Star State at the Miss Deaf America Pageant in Palm Desert, California, this July.

It was one of many pageants McAvoy had entered, "both in the hearing community and in the deaf community," said Claire Bugen, superintendent of the Texas School for the Deaf, on Wednesday. McAvoy was a 2005 graduate of the school, where she played sports and acted in theater.

"She was a beautiful, bright, young deaf woman," said Bugen.

The Austin Police Department received a 911 call from Union-Pacific, which owns the train, at 2:18 p.m. Monday, said Laura Albrecht, spokesperson for the Austin Police Department. (Watch as witnesses describe accident -- 1:33)

"Our understanding is that she text-messaged the family, and yes, the family members were going to pick her up," Albrecht added.

McAvoy was walking northbound along the railroad ties, with her back to the train as it approached, said Austin Police Department detective David Fugitt. "We have information that she was text-messaging family and friends" at the time, he added.

A horn sounded, but "they weren't able to get a response" from her, Fugitt said.

"At that point, they activated their emergency braking system, but they weren't able to stop in time."

A snowplow -- commonly referred to as "cattle-guards" for pushing items away from the tracks to avoid train damage -- was what struck McAvoy, who was estimated to be "no more than a foot" from the tracks, Fugitt said.

"The snowplow extends approximately 16 inches on each side from the train," he said, and was mounted to the front engine of the train.

McAvoy died at the scene from "multiple traumatic injuries," Fugitt said.

Fugitt said there were witnesses who had heard the horn sound and that the police department was actively seeking anyone who had seen the accident occur.

"She will be sorely missed," said Laura Loeb-Hill, director of the Miss Deaf Texas Pageant, in an e-mail Wednesday. "Tara represented Texas with dignity and pride."