Yanks better convert to Islam, or bad things will happen (AlQaeda)

[Barnabas]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/02/zawahiri.tape/index.html

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- A new videotape has surfaced featuring Osama bin Laden's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and an American member of al Qaeda wanted by the FBI, according to a counterterrorism expert.

The tape, called "Invitation to Islam," runs 48 minutes, expert Laura Mansfield said. Al-Zawahiri speaks for about 4 minutes on the tape, and the American narrates the rest.

Californian Adam Gadahn, wearing a white robe and turban, introduces the message by calling on Westerners to convert. (Watch Gadahn accuse President Bush of not caring about U.S. troops -- 5:42)

Gadahn says that even Americans working with President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are invited to embrace Islam, but they should hurry.

"We invite all Americans and believers to Islam, whatever their role and status in Bush and Blair's world order," Gadahn says. "Decide today, because today could be your last day."

Mansfield, who is a writer and corporate adviser on the Middle East, Islam and terrorism, said the time reference could indicate an attack is near. Muslims believe that non-believers should be given a chance to convert before they are attacked, Mansfield said.

"This may well be a warning," she said.

The only indication of when the tape was made is a reference to the recent fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, which ended August 14.

Gadahn, also known as "Azzam the American," previously has been featured in al Qaeda tapes and is listed as armed and dangerous by the FBI on its Web site. (Watch why it 'makes sense' to use Gadahn as a spokesman -- 3:29)

He is wanted by the FBI in connection with possible terrorist threats against the United States.

Gadahn appeared on a tape last year on the fourth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He also was on a tape earlier this year, on the first anniversary of the London subway bombings.

Much of his portion carries Arabic subtitles, while the segments in Arabic carry English subtitles. CNN is analyzing the tape.

CNN's Henry Schuster contributed to this report.

[FrostyBoy]

Religion is old news, it's history, it's out the door.

Jesus said it best, we must put our childish ways behind (religion) and become a man.

[RGBVideo]

yeah, this is basically what they've been saying to Europe all along

the difference is, European politicians are embracing Islam

not out of respect, but out of pure, weak cowardice

INSALLAH

[BeBMan]

Hey, they stole the idea from Poly, someone (was it Dis?) was posting here long ago that we all should convert!

[Tattila the Hun]

Yeah, I wonder, is there a moderate, easy islam to convert to? Something that you just are, you don't have to go to church, eh, mosque, not that much praying, worshipping in your own way, own time.

"We are pleased that so many westerners have embraced islam. Unfortunately, it was the wrong kind of islam, not islamic enough."

[Pekka]

I agree, most Euro politicians 'embrace' it out of fear. Because they are big weak pussies in their pathetic little cores. Or like they say it in poker, no balls, no calls.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Sn00py
Religion is old news, it's history, it's out the door.

Jesus said it best, we must put our childish ways behind (religion) and become a man.

No, he says that we shouldn't be religious, like mature people, but have faith in God, like children do. Religous = having faith in your own actions, way of living, ceremonies, to please the god(s). Religion sucks and is pure human. Atheism is religion as well btw. It has it's own rules (Live to the max, do you what yourself think is the best) and prophets (Darwin, Nietzsche)

[Winston]

Yanks better convert to Islam, or bad things will happen (AlQaeda)

Yeah. Like we could figure out a way to not be so bleeding obvious and outright stupid in our persuasion attempts!!

[Pekka]

You know how I win AQ? If I see AQ dude, trying to raise hell, I'll just put on my Nokia N91, and listen to my favourite tunes. Something relaxing and cool, like The Roots - The Next Movement. Then the dude comes to me and tries to get my attention. I'm not giving him any. I'm like, dude, you have BO, learn how to use shower, you brute. Stop invading my space.

They go all mad and ****, but I'm not even mad, because I'm chilling to my tunes and walking wiht my new shoes. Thinking about the next party I'll attend, the next book I'll read, the next movie I'll watch.. smelling the fresh air and checking out the buildings and trees.

The question is, why the hell would I give 0.1% of my time and attention to that raving lunatic? Many folks should consider the same. The only power teros have is the attention we give to them. I cut them loose.... and chill to my tunes and go for a walk. The message is, they can have any message they want; convert to this, don't say that, you can't do that... I don't care. I don't let Christian fundies to interrupt my thing, same goes for everyone else, atheists, hippies, swedes, ocean people, talking rocks... I'm doing my thing, period.

[SlowwHand]

nm.

[Dr Strangelove]

We should send a counter-proposal and end it with the time honored phrase: "Our words are backed by Nuclear Weapons!"

[SlowwHand]

No. 2 al-Qaida leader in Iraq arrested

By ELENA BECATOROS, Associated Press Writer
16 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi and coalition forces have arrested the second most senior figure in al-Qaida in
Iraq, Iraq's national security adviser announced on Sunday, saying the group now suffered from a "serious leadership crisis."

Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, known as Abu Humam or Abu Rana, was captured north of Baghdad a few days ago "along with another group of his aides and followers," Mouwafak al-Rubaie said.

He was the second most important al-Qaida in Iraq leader after Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who took over the group after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed by a U.S. air strike north of Baghdad on June 7, al-Rubaie said.

"We believe that al-Qaida in Iraq suffers from a serious leadership crisis. Our troops have dealt fatal and painful blows to this organization," the security adviser said.

Al-Saeedi was "directly responsible" for Haitham Sabah Shaker Mohammed al-Badri, the alleged mastermind of the February bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, al-Rubaie added without elaborating.

The bombing inflamed tensions between Shiite and Sunni Muslims and triggered reprisal attacks that have killed hundreds of Iraqis and continue to this day. Al-Badri remains at large.

"Al-Saeedi carried out al-Qaida's policies in Iraq and the orders of the slain al-Zarqawi to incite sectarian violence in the country, through attempting to start a civil war between Shiites and Sunnis — but their wishes did not materialize," al-Rubaie added.

A senior coalition official told The Associated Press that coalition forces were involved in al-Saeedi's arrest, although the official would not characterize what role they played.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because announcements were being made by Iraqi authorities, said al-Saeedi had been arrested along with three other individuals southwest of Baqouba.

Al-Saeedi "claims to be responsible for more attacks than he can remember" and has been involved in the insurgency almost from its beginning three years ago, the official said.

The U.S.-led coalition has announced numerous arrests of terrorists following the death of al-Zarqawi that officials claim have thrown al-Qaida in Iraq into disarray.

But rampant sectarian violence and other attacks have continued. At least 16 Iraqis and two U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday in bomb attacks and shootings nationwide.

Al-Rubaie said al-Saeedi was arrested "along with another group of his aides and followers," and that after his arrest, he gave information that led to the capture or death of 11 other top al-Qaida in Iraq figures and nine lower-level members.

The security adviser said those arrested included non-Iraqi Arabs, but he would not give any further information for security reasons.

Al-Rubaie said that according to Iraqi authorities' information, al-Qaida in Iraq was being financed from both within the country and from abroad, "but the major finance is coming from outside Iraq."

Al-Saeedi was arrested as he was hiding in a residential building, the security adviser said, accusing the terror suspect of trying to use "children and women as human shields," al-Rubaie said, adding that no casualties occurred during the arrest.

After his arrest, al-Saeedi said al-Qaida in Iraq was cooperating with supporters of former Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein "in the fields of exchanging information and logistic support," the security adviser said.

After al-Zarqawi was killed, authorities obtained information indicating that al-Saeedi had been operating in northern Salahuddin province, then moved on to operate outside Baqouba, the same area where al-Zarqawi was killed, al-Rubaie said.

Al-Saeedi "supervised terrorist groups that kidnapped people for ransom, and killed policemen after they received their salaries in order to finance terrorist operations," the security adviser said. "He used to order terrorist operations using mortars and roadside bombs, which led to the killing of several troops and innocent civilians."

He said al-Saeedi also supervised the creation of death squads and ordered assassinations, bombings, kidnappings and attacks on Iraqi police and army checkpoints.

Al-Saeedi's capture "will affect al-Qaida in Iraq and its operations against our people, especially those aimed at inciting sectarian strife," al-Rubaie said.

Tensions, meanwhile, brewed in the north, after Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani on Friday ordered the Iraqi national flag to be replaced with the Kurdish one in his northern autonomous region.

The move has troubled Sunni Arabs, who fear Kurds are pushing for secession under the nation's new federal system.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office issued said Sunday that the national flag "is the only one which must be hoisted on each bit of Iraq's land."

A spokesman for the Kurdistan government defended his government's decision.

"We consider that this flag represents the ideology of the Baath Party" of Saddam Hussein, Khalid Saleh said. "And this regime has collapsed."

In other developments, reported by police on Sunday:

• An overnight mortar attack east of the capital killed six people, including two children, and wounded 15.

• A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol in eastern Baghdad killed two policemen and a civilian and wounded three policemen.

• Gunmen killed two policemen in a civilian car and wounded a third in Baqouba.

• A car bomb also killed three people in Baqouba.

• A civilian was gunned down and killed in a drive-by shooting in Amarah, 200 miles southeast of Baghdad.

• A suicide car bomb struck a police patrol in the northern city of Mosul, killing two policemen and wounding five people.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Yeah, I wonder, is there a moderate, easy islam to convert to? Something that you just are, you don't have to go to church, eh, mosque, not that much praying, worshipping in your own way, own time.

Add in that we can consume alcohol, draw the prophet whenever we want, that women can dress like they want and that we don't have to wear funny clothes and long beards ourselves, and I'm all for it...oh and no sharia law please.

[Combat Ingrid]

Originally posted by CyberShy
Atheism is religion as well btw.

True. And bald is a hair color

[SlowwHand]