US Asked to Look into American Backers of Gaza Flotilla

US Asked to Look into American Backers of Gaza Flotilla 

From Watcher: 

For one, it involves certain radical friends and bundlers of Obama.

Former Weather Underground leaders William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, as well as Code Pink founder Jodie Evans, helped organize the Free Gaza Movement, which launched the six-ship flotilla from Turkey to Israel that ended in a violent clash with Israeli Defense Forces, BigGovernment.com reported. [...]

So yes, this investigation might indeed prove veeeery interesting.(INN) The United States should investigate the American backers of activist flotillas that challenge Israel's naval closure off the coast of Gaza, an Israeli human rights group said Monday. Shurat Hadin (Israel Law Center) chairwoman, attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner has sent a letter asking US Attorney General Eric Holder to look into the “Free Gaza” movement (FGM).

Free Gaza is a US-based group which aims to undermine Israel's control of waters off the Gaza coast.

The Free Gaza organization is providing military assistance to Hamas by attempting to break the Israeli blockade while Hamas continues its attacks on Israeli civilians, Darshan-Leitner said. In doing so, it is taking part in attacking a state friendly to America – a violation of the U.S. Neutrality Act (18 U.S.C. 960).

The Neutrality Act states, “Whoever, within the United States, knowingly begins or sets on foot or provides or prepares a means for or furnishes the money for, or takes part in, any military or naval expedition or enterprise to be carried on from thence against the territory or dominion of any foreign prince or state, or of any colony, district, or people with whom the United States is at peace, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both."

 

Mass Demonstration Against Ground Zero Mega-Mosque

Mass Demonstration Against Ground Zero Mega-Mosque

From the Stogmeister:

Urban Infidel has more pics, like this one:
And I particularly like this one:

Fascist Movements of the 1930's

Cal State University at Northridge has a cache of images and information on the internet about good old Thirties-era Southern California Fascism.

Check these out:





Go see the whole thing.

Wouldn't You Like To Touch Mark Slavin?

He looks very touchable, doesn't he?

Ace says:

... this was on Red Eye a few days ago and on HotAir. So I guess it's about time for us to cover it as well. Here reporter Dan Noyes tries to ask an administrator of San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital at a public meeting about allegations they've been spending donations to a patient gift fund for their own entertainment.

The hospital's creepy PR guy, Marc Slavin, then proceeds to touch the reporter repeatedly despite being asked not to. He ends up touching the guy 41 times, 18 times after being told not to. I suspect he was trying to distract the reporter and goad him into taking a swing, which would have been totally justified in my view. But the reporter didn't take the bait and now the video has gone viral. And Marc Slavin will forever be known as the creepy touching guy.

What is wrong with the people at Laguna Honda Hospital?

Nothing a nice pat on the shoulder can't fix, I would imagine.

How IBA Gets Done What It Needs To Get Done

Here's an early photo of me working on IBA.

Shortly after this photo was snapped, I left a post in my diapers.

Midnight Rider adds:

I'm just a wee bit older than Pastorius and did not have the technological advantages he did when I was young.

Spell checking was spotty at best.

Later, I learned to use a different finger and left a post in my diaper when dad found out.

UK: Poll Shows, Most People Associate Islam With Extremism and the Repression Of Women

From the BBC:

Most people in the UK associate Islam with extremism and the repression of women, a survey has suggested.

The online YouGov poll found 58% of those questioned linked Islam with extremism while 69% believed it encouraged the repression of women.

The survey of 2,152 adults was commissioned by the Exploring Islam Foundation.

The organisation has launched a poster campaign on London transport to combat negative perceptions of Muslims.

BBC home editor Mark Easton says the survey, conducted last month, paints a negative picture of British attitudes to Islam.

As one can imagine, this will be spun by the media to mean that most Brits are bigots, while most Muslims are magical, tolerant creatures, somewhat like Fairies who carry backpack bombs onto subways, and protest in the streets threatening genocide on their neighbors.


Remember, it's the Brits who are the bigots.

CAIR DEFENDS HELEN THOMAS - SAYS "ISRAEL LOBBY" GOT HER

From AOL News:

Hooper told AOL News in a phone interview today...

"... she's been a target of the pro-Israeli lobby for quite some time. She obviously gave them an opportunity to marginalize her voice in the media."

THOUSANDS Rally In Support of Israel at Los Angeles protest

From Gateway Pundit:

Thousands of supporters attended the Pro-Israel rally in Los Angeles yesterday. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was the keynote speaker. Actor Jon Voight and Israeli Consulate General Jacob Dayan spoke with reporters at the rally:



YNet News reported:

A rally in support of Israel was held Sunday in Los Angeles in which 5,000 people participated. The keynote speaker at the rally, which was organized by the Israeli consulate in the city, was none other than California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Supporters of Israel marched along Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills carrying Israeli flags in the largest pro-Israel rally in the US since last week’s flotilla raid. In addition to Israelis and Jews, the rally was also attended by leaders from the Iranian, Armenian, and Mexican communities, as well as Catholic clergymen.
In the background, the songs Am Yisrael Chai, David Melech Yisrael, and Hatikva were played over a loudspeaker system. One of the participants blew the shofar. Thousands shouted: “Turkey is a friend of Hamas.”

Israeli and American flags at the Los Angeles rally (Photo: Linda Kassian YNET)

Representative At Imam Al Rauf's Mosque (Ground Zero Mosque Imam) Lies, "Pamela Geller Called For The Firebombing Of the Mosque"

If these people are merely peaceful Muslims, then why are they lying about Pamela?

Pamela reports:

Check out this picture that El Marco took outside the 911 mosque yesterday after Friday prayers. The Muslim with glasses emerged from the mosque after prayers, approached all the three media outlets present (French, Italian and Canadian), and slandered me with the most vicious, outrageous lies. He said, "Pamela Geller called for the firebombing of the mosque." He repeatedly said it.

This is a dangerous incitement to violence against me. Broadcasting this jihadist libel to the ummah. It is a horrible, disgusting lie.

Don't Let The Door Hit You In The Ass

which will be difficult in her case I grant you. . .

Foxnews:

Helen Thomas to Retire 'Effective Immediately' Following Uproar Over 'Palestine' Comments

Published June 07, 2010
FOXNews.com

Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas announced her retirement Monday following an uproar over comments she made last month about Jews in Israel.

Hearst Corporation, which employed Thomas as a columnist, put out a brief story by Hearst News Service announcing the retirement "effective immediately."

The announcement came after the White House Correspondents Association decried her remarks as "indefensible" and began to consider whether Thomas should continue to have the privilege of a front-row seat in the briefing room. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called her remarks "offensive and reprehensible" on Monday, as other former White House spokesmen called for Thomas to be fired.

The announcement Monday marked an abrupt end to a career that has spanned decades. Thomas, known as the dean of the White House press corps, has covered every president since Dwight Eisenhower. Her 90th birthday is Aug. 4.

The controversy escalated quickly over the weekend after the video surfaced online showing Thomas last month saying Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine," suggesting they go instead to Germany, Poland and the United States. The video, shot by New York Rabbi David Nesenoff, was posted on several prominent websites and prompted a swift apology from Thomas on Friday.

"I deeply regret my comments," she said in the statement, claiming they "do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance."

The apology did not satisfy her critics.

Lanny Davis, former special counsel to and White House spokesman for President Bill Clinton, said the apology "was not direct and didn't address the merits of her belief in the stereotype that Jews are aliens in Israel and don't belong there."

Calling for Hearst to at least suspend her White House privileges, Davis said she had revealed herself to be "an anti-Semitic bigot."

Ari Fleischer, President George W. Bush's press secretary, said her comments amounted to a call for "religious cleansing." He told Fox News before the announcement that Thomas should lose her job over the comments.

"This goes beyond all boundaries," Fleischer said. "When you advocate that people need to be separated on the basis of their religion ... this is hatred, this is bigotry, this is prejudice."

Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said her comments were "outrageous" and urged her to make a "more forceful" apology.

"Her suggestion that Israelis should go back to Poland and Germany is bigoted and shows a profound ignorance of history," he said in a written statement.

The repercussions for the videotaped remarks built rapidly over the past three days. The speaking agency that represents Thomas dropped her over the weekend. Then a Washington-area high school canceled a graduation speech she was scheduled to deliver.

Thomas came to write as a columnist for Hearst after working for decades as a correspondent for UPI. Dana Perino, White House press secretary during the George W. Bush administration, said earlier Monday that her comments should call her privileges in the briefing room into question.

"Her comments were so offensive to so many, so personally hurtful, and they would not have been tolerated by anybody else," she said.

Just minutes before Hearst announced Thomas' retirement, the White House Correspondents Association issued a statement saying the organization "firmly dissociates from (her remarks)."

The statement noted that the WHCA has no authority over issuing credentials but would be reviewing whether she should keep her front-row seat at a meeting scheduled for Thursday.

"The incident does revive the issue of whether it is appropriate for an opinion columnist to have a front row seat in the WH briefing room," the statement said. "We are actively seeking input from our association members on this important matter."

Thomas' remarks were recorded near the White House on May 27 during a Jewish American Heritage Month celebration. Thomas, who is of Lebanese descent, said the Palestinian people "are occupied and it's their land" and that Israelis should "go home" to Poland, Germany, America "and everywhere else."

Thomas has a long history of anti-Israel rhetoric at White House press briefings. Last week at a briefing with Gibbs that followed a flotilla raid by Israeli commandos, Thomas called the raid a "deliberate massacre" and "an international crime."

"What is the sacrosanct, iron-clad relationship where a country that deliberately kills people and boycotts -- and we aid and abet the boycott?" she asked.

Nesenoff told FoxNews.com on Monday that he was in Washington to cover the Heritage Month event for rabbilive.com. He said he had no intention of cornering Thomas at the time and was not thinking about her stance on Israel when he approached her.

"It wasn't like I was singling her out," he said. Nesenoff said he was "shocked" at her response, saying it was so "relaxed" it was "like asking Arafat 'Gee what do you think of Jewish people?'"

The rabbi said he plans to release another one-minute video clip showing the rest of the exchange with Thomas.

Lynch Mob Identity:Gaza Flotilla Financier=Mosque @Ground Zero Financier

Image via Wikipedia

Financier of Gaza flotilla wants to build mosque at Ground Zero

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, one of the key financiers behind last week's violent "aid" flotilla to Gaza, is also the Muslim cleric proposing the construction of an enormous mosque where New York's World Trade Center once stood.

The deep indentation where the towers fell, now known as Ground Zero, is almost holy ground for Americans determined to not let their enemies prevail. The proposal to build a mosque at the site after Muslim terrorists were responsible for the attacks is seen as a deep insult.

It is unclear why certain elements in the New York municipality have given tacit approval to the mosque project, but it has stirred up a national controversy that is likely to only further enflame the current war of civilizations. Of course, that may be precisely what the Muslims want.

NY PostHOTAIRRauf at "Global Peace"

Related articles by Zemanta

• IDF Boards Another Flotilla Ship, Activists Amazingly Cooperative This Time (michellemalkin.com)
• NYC mosque plan draws protest (cbc.ca)

Pat Condell On The Mosque At Ground Zero

BUMPED TO THE TOP FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK (AT LEAST)


SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWER POSTS

With a hat tip to Brooke:





Every American's blood should be boiling over what this mosque represents.

Monday Nooner!

Keith Jarrett

Old Man River

Palestinian Ahmadi Muslims Being Mercilessly Persecuted by the US-Funded PA for Rejecting Violence

From Weasel Zippers:

(Israel Today)- Palestinian Arabs belonging to the little-known Ahmadiyya sect of Islam have come under increased persecution, while being denied basic protections by the Palestinian Authority.

Ahmadi Muslims follow the teachings of Mirzam Ghulam Ahmad, whom they believe to have been the Muslim messiah. They reject the use of violence in all cases, and believe that mainstream Islam has been distorted into a blood-thirsty religion. 

For their beliefs, top Palestinian clerics have ruled that the Ahmadi Muslims among them are apostates, a label that puts them in danger of regular acts of intimidation, violence and other mistreatment. As apostates, Palestinian Ahmadis are also stripped of their rights in court, meaning they have no legal recourse against their more violent Sunni neighbors.

The Palestinian Authority is “encouraging the cold-blooded murder of Ahmadis”by failing to take concrete action to protect the community, Mohammed Sharif Ouda, head of the Ahmadi community in Israel, told Arutz Sheva radio.

WOULD THE WHITE HOUSE OUST HELEN THOMAS IF SHE SAID, "BLACKS, GO BACK TO AFRICA"?

Of course, they would.

The White House's rebuke is too little too late.

Helen Thomas should have her White House Press Credentials removed. But, even more, Obama needs to be removed from office.

Amir Abbas Fakhravar: Leading the Charge Against the Islamic Republic

From PJM:

Amir Abbas Fakhravar, 35, is a “graduate” of the infamous Evin prison in Tehran. His friendly and youthful exterior hides a painful period of torture and isolation — five years, with eight months in solitary confinement. But ask Amir about his state of mind following his harrowing experience and he shrugs:

They broke my wrist, my knee, a few bones, but never broke my spirit.

Fakhravar arrived in the U.S. four years ago and found no coherent voices speaking for the Iranian opposition movement:

I thought that the Iranian opposition had an organization here, but nothing existed in 2006.

And when he gathered some of the opposition figures, he quickly learned that they had little information about the real situation in Iran. Even more dismaying, according to Fakhravar, was the ignorance of U.S. policymakers regarding Iran.

With mentoring from Richard Perle — former assistant secretary of defense (1981-1987) and currently resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute — and with critical help from Philadelphia’s Craig Snider — who has dedicated himself to fight for freedom and democracy for the Iranian people — Fakhravar established the Iranian Freedom Institute (IFI).

The IFI, a Washington, D.C., think tank, looks to inform and educate American policymakers and the public in general regarding the real state of affairs inside Iran. Utilizing the latest technology, the IFI hopes to influence U.S. policy towards Iran and simultaneously educate the freedom-loving people of Iran who are living under a brutal dictatorship.

Go read the whole thing.

No Mosque At Ground Zero - Photos From Yesterday's Protest, With Thanks to SkyMyrka

You can see all of SkyMyrka's photos here.

Israel Navy Kills 4 Palestinian Militants Off Gaza

Foxnews:

Israel Navy Kills 4 Palestinian Militants Off Gaza

JERUSALEM -- Israeli naval forces shot and killed four men wearing wet suits in the waters off the coast of Gaza Monday, and a militant group said they were members of its marine unit training for a mission.

The attack was the latest escalation in tensions over the 3-year-old blockade of Gaza. It came a week after Israel raided a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies and hundreds of activists protesting the closure of the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory. Israeli soldiers killed nine activists in a clash on one of the flotilla boats, bringing fierce international condemnation and new pressure to ease the blockade.

Vice President Joe Biden said Monday the U.S. is closely consulting with Egypt and other allies to find new ways to "address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza." He spoke in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh after meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The closure has been in place since 2007, when the Islamic militant Hamas seized the territory and it has kept out all but basic humanitarian goods. Israel and the West consider Hamas a terror group responsible for firing thousands of rockets at Israel and carrying out hundreds of attacks, including suicide bombings. Hamas does not recognize Israel's right to exist.

Israel hoped the blockade would weaken Hamas, prevent the entry of weapons and bring pressure for the release of an Israeli soldier captured in 2006, but those objectives have yet to be achieved.

The latest clash took place early Monday. The Israeli military said a naval force spotted the Palestinians in the waters off Gaza and opened fire. It claimed the forces had prevented an attack on Israeli targets.

The Palestinian militant group Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades said the four killed were members of its marine unit who were training in Gaza's waters. Al-Aqsa, a violent offshoot of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, made the claim in a text message sent to reporters in Gaza. Four bodies were retrieved and taken to a hospital in central Gaza, said Moawiya Hassanain, a Palestinian health official. The Palestinian naval police said two people were still missing.

"The bloody escalation today is a desperate attempt by the occupation government to divert the world attention away from the massacre committed against the flotilla," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza.

The flotilla clash has brought renewed international focus on Israel's blockade of Gaza, which Egypt has also enforced along its border with the impoverished coastal strip.

The killings seriously damaged Israel's relations with Turkey, which had been its closest ally in the Muslim world. Turkey unofficially supported the flotilla and eight of the nine activists killed were Turkish citizens. One held dual Turkish-American citizenship. Turkey has said it will reduce military and trade ties with Israel and shelved discussions of energy projects. It has also threatened to break ties unless Israel apologizes.

In Istanbul, a 20-member Asian security group kicked off a summit with Turkey seeking to condemn Israel for the raid.

In a reflection of Israel's growing isolation, Vietnam asked Israeli President Shimon Peres to put off a scheduled working visit this week, given the current atmosphere. His office said he would go ahead with a planned visit to South Korea.

Israel's government has been frantically trying to counter the wave of harsh international condemnation that has left the Jewish state isolated and at odds with some of its closest allies.

Israel has sought to portray the nine activists killed as militants, saying they prepared for the fight before boarding the flotilla. The military Monday released the names of five of the activists it said have long ties to terror organizations.

The army also said that Gaza's Hamas rulers were preventing the transfer of clothing, blankets and medical equipment from the flotilla that Israel was trying to provide.

Israel has also come under heavy pressure to agree to an international investigation of the raid on the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, the lead ship in the flotilla.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a proposal by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon for an international commission to investigate the raid, but officials said Netanyahu was open to a probe that would look into the actions of the activists as well.

Late Sunday, Netanyahu's office released a statement saying he discussed the international criticism with world leaders, including Vice President Joe Biden, the president of France and the premier of Canada.

Netanyahu told them any country would act in self defense if it were targeted by thousands of rockets as Israel has been by Gaza militants.

Videos released by the military have shown a crowd of men attacking several naval commandos as they landed on a ship from a helicopter, beating the soldiers with clubs and other objects and hurling one soldier overboard.

Also Monday, Palestinian officials said Israel fired a missile at militants near the Gaza border, wounding one. The military said it targeted a group of militants preparing to fire rockets at Israel. The military said 10 rockets and mortars have been fired from Gaza in the past three weeks.

and Debka:

Israel, Turkey, Gaza in covert sea war. Hamas frogmen thwarted
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 7, 2010, 11:11 AM (GMT+02:00)

The Israeli commando raid on a Turkish ferry heading to break the Gaza blockade, in which 9 activists were killed, is turning out a week later to have kicked off a semi-clandestine sea war between Israel, Turkey and the Gaza-based Hamas, debkafile's military sources report. Monday, June 7, Hamas frogmen were on their way to a large-scale attack on an Israeli target when their boat was intercepted by Israeli commandos and four or five armed Palestinians killed. Turkey is investigating suspicions of Israel's hand behind a deadly Kurdish terrorist attack on its Iskenderun base on May 31.

Our military sources disclose Iskenderun's quietly growing role in the last two months as a military hub in potential confrontations by Syria and Hizballah with Israel. In mid-May, Turkey moved anti-air missile batteries into the port to defend targets in Syria and Lebanon against potential Israeli air strikes from the eastern Mediterranean. This is the first time Ankara has provided Syria and Hizballah with an air defense umbrella and come down on their side in their conflict with Israel.

Some hours after Israeli commandos clashed with armed men aboard the Mavi Marmara, Kurdish PKK rebel fighters attacked the Turkish naval base at Iskenderun on the Syrian border, killing seven Turkish seamen and injuring another six. If Ankara can prove its suspicions, it will be able to claim that Israel is involved by proxy in terrorist attacks on Turkish soil. Diplomatic relations still in force despite the frictions between the two countries will then be severed, one step before a declaration of war.

Following the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan's fiery abuse of Israel, Interior Minister Besir Atalay said Sunday, June 6: "We have been working hard, especially to ascertain what happened in the Iskenderun incident." Local media have suggested he is looking for Israeli covert invovlement in the planning and execution of the deadly attack on the Turkish naval base in revenge for the violence on the Marmara against the Israeli naval boarding party.

Early Monday, June 7, an Israeli Navy Commando force intercepted a large group of armed Palestinian frogmen, members of the Hamas sea commando, on their way from the Gaza Strip to the Israeli shore to the north early Monday, June 7. Palestinian sources confirmed at least four wet-suited terrorists were killed, and another four were missing in the wake of a shootout in the Nahal Aza area of the Gaza Strip near Nuseirat between their boat and Israeli troops.

The IDF spokesman reported there were no Israeli casualties. debkafile's military sources report the Hamas seaborne unit aimed to prove itself capable by striking an Israeli target of retaliating for the thwarting of the Turkish-led campaign to break the Gaza blockade.

Shortly afterwards, a Palestinian Qassam missile squad was spotted on land near Jebalya preparing to fire into Israel. It was knocked out by the Israeli Air force.
debkafile: Cross-fire from Gaza on Israeli border patrols is frequent, almost daily and Hamas still launches several Qassam missiles and mortar bombs into Israel every week, but attempts attacks by Hamas or related groups from the sea are a new development.

DId you know, according to Hamas, Helen Thomas represents the U.S. majority opinion?

Weasel Zippers:

Hamas Praises Helen Thomas for Saying the “Jews Should Get The Hell Out of Palestine”. . .

Of course, what the Wicked Witch said mirrors Hamas’s stated goal, the destruction of the Jewish State…

Hamas affiliated Al Qassam website on Sunday, June 6th, regarding remarks made by White House correspondent Helen Thomas.

The website reports “This statement by Thomas Helen reflects the opinion of American majority in USA and all masses who support justice and peace in Palestine an whole world.

“Moreover, her statement serves peace process in Middle East as they like to call it, to a very great extent.

“Peace process will be successful, only when Israel get out of Arab Areas ,Golan and occupied Palestine, then we can say that peace is happily achieved, otherwise, and as
long Israel occupies Palestine and some Arab lands, peace will never be achieved
and more headache will be brought to the world by state of terror-Israel .

“Statement by Thomas Helen came as a result for the bloody massacre
committed by Israeli navy in the Mediterranean sea in 31/5/2010, caused of murdering 20 civilian activists who are still having unknown fate.”

Rest here>>>

Close The Borders -- Both of Them

The Millenuim bomber came in from Canada as well.

h/t Ace:

The Examiner:

Media ignore Iranian caught smuggling arsenal of sniper rifles across border

An illegal immigrant from Iran named Hamid Malekpour was discovered last month smuggling a huge load of sniper rifles and high-powered weaponry across the Canadian border into Washington State. He has since been arrested and charged with entering the country illegally with firearms and ammunition, as well as filing a false report with a federal agency.

It has been covered locally and by some bloggers, but that's pretty much it.

From the Yamhill Valley News Register:

[Agents] found a .50-caliber sniper rifle, two .308-caliber sniper rifles, three .300-caliber sniper rifles, eight law enforcement style .223-caliber rifles, three Glock semi-automatic handguns, 100 .223-caliber magazines, 3,800 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, various high-powered scopes and other equipment.

[Sheriff] Crabtree marveled at the find. 'Have you ever seen a .50-caliber round?' he asked. 'That’s a big round — the stuff you shoot at airplanes and tanks.'

The only reason Malekpour was caught was that he became sloppy--and that he entered the country from Canada, where the border is at least somewhat controlled.

He repeatedly crossed the border and took trips back and forth to Iran under different aliases, while using a phony gun dealership as a front for his operations called, "McMinnville Hunting & Police Supplies Inc."--an obscure, shuttered office with no signs that the local police had never heard of, which had a bogus, half-constructed web site and an expired business license.

He was also caught in a number of lies about everything from his passport to why he was entering the country.

Again, even a broken clock is still right twice per day. Eventually, we're going to have to rely on something more than the persistent incompetence of those seeking to mass-murder us.

Newsregister:

Arms cache tied to Mac
Public Safety Fri, 05/28/2010 - 2:59 pm
By Paul Daquilante

When federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents served a search warrant last Wednesday on a storage unit in Ferndale, Wash., just south of the Canadian border, they discovered more than $30,000 worth of high-powered weaponry, including a .50-caliber sniper rifle.

The find was detailed in an affidavit filed by the Western District Court of Washington against illegal alien Iranian Hamid Malekpour, also known as Oliver King, about 35 years old.

Much of the weaponry was packed into boxes bearing shipping labels addressed to McMinnville Hunting & Police Supplies Inc., the affidavit states. The obscure business, located in a shuttered, unsigned office at 1900 N.E. Highway 99W, is owned by Amir Zarandi.

McMinnville does not require business licensing, according to City Attorney Candice Haines, but the state does. The gun dealership has been registered with the Secretary of State’s Corporation Division in the past, but missed its scheduled renewal date of May 11.

A small sign on the door indicates hours are by appointment only. Its website dead-ends with “under construction” notices.
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Capt. Ken Summers said he’d never heard of the business, and knew of no one in the department who had.

He said the sheriff’s office buys its firearms from Keith’s Sporting Goods in Gresham. He said he knows of no law enforcement agency that might deal with Zarandi.

City and county law enforcement personnel were also in the dark about the federal activity conducted in connection with the shop — and weren’t particularly happy about that.

Capt. Dennis Marks said McMinnville police were not contacted by ICE agents regarding the surveillance work they were engaged in, or about King.

“After he had been arrested, I believe, the sheriff faxed a copy of a story to the chief and asked if we were aware of this,” Marks said.

Chief Ron Noble replied in the negative, he said.

Sheriff Jack Crabtree said his office had not been notified either, which he found disturbing.

“I have been in contact with Chief Noble,” Crabtree said. “Initial inquiries have been made to federal agencies involved. Why were we not informed? I’ve been asked that by a lot of people.”

Crabtree added, “We have a great relationship with agencies like the FBI and ICE. Quite frankly, I would have expected to be informed. This is not acceptable to me. Absolutely, we should have been informed.”

He doesn’t believe local law enforcement agencies were intentionally ignored. He feels there was a lack of communcation at ICE’s end.

The McMinnville office building is owned by FH Project Inc. of Milwaukie, according to the Yamhill County Assessor’s office.
The business is registered with the state, with a scheduled renewal date of July 9. It is actively occupied by other tenants engaging in more open and better advertised modes of operation.

Agents started tailing King — the name on the passport he used both for recent visits to Iran and last week’s border crossing — in Blaine, Wash. They followed him to the McMinnville gun shop, where he is listed on the lease, and watched him load several boxes of high-powered firearms and ammunition there last Wednesday morning.

They then followed him back north to a storage facility in Ferndale, where they took him into custody.

King, who once held a Canadian gun dealer’s license under his given name of Malekpour, was charged with one count each of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms and ammunition and giving a false statement to a government agency. Both are felonies.

He made his initial appearance Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle before Federal Magistrate Mary Alice Theiler. He has a hearing on his custody status scheduled today.

According to a detention order, King was taken into custody on the basis of the felony charges, a belief he is a “serious flight risk” and a need to ensure the safety of people and communities.

Susan M. Roe, an assistant U.S. attorney, is prosecuting the case. King is being represented by Michael Martin of the Seattle law firm of Siderius Lonergan & Martin.

The affidavit, submitted by Jennifer Hinckley, ICE Special Agent in Blaine, alleges:
About 10:15 p.m. last Tuesday, King applied for entry to the United States at the Peace Arch Port of Entry in Blaine.

He told Customs and Border Protection officers he was entering to pick up his wife at a Target store at a mall in nearby Bellingham. However, agents have determined the store actually closed prior to King’s arrival at the border.
He presented a Canadian passport that had just been issued that morning. When questioned, he said his old passport had gone through the washing machine.

However, a subsequent search turned up his original Canadian passport, which showed no evidence of water damage and wouldn’t expire until 2013. It contained three visas for travel to Iran, two issued last year and one earlier this year.
According to the passport stamps, King traveled to Iran in the spring of both years. One of the visas is so current it won’t expire until next month.

Suspicious about King’s Target and passport stories, ICE agents began tailing him when he crossed the border. They quickly determined he had lied about going to the mall, because he drove past without stopping or picking anyone up.

He continued south on Interstate 5 to Chehalis, where he slept for a few hours. Then he drove south into Oregon, where he was tailed to the McMinnville gun shop.

He was seen entering the office complex, emerging with several cardboard boxes and loading them into his vehicle. He then headed back north, not stopping until he reached the storage facility in Ferndale, about 10 miles south of the border.

Confronted there by agents, King initially agreed to let them search his vehicle. That search turned up two shotguns, two semiautomatic handguns and about 480 rounds of .50-caliber ammunition, which they believe he picked up in McMinnville.

When King revoked permission for any further search without a warrant, the agents obtained a warrant to search a storage unit he was renting at the facility. In it, they found a .50-caliber sniper rifle, two .308-caliber sniper rifles, three .300-caliber sniper rifles, eight law enforcement style .223-caliber rifles, three Glock semi-automatic handguns, 100 .223-caliber magazines, 3,800 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, various high-powered scopes and other equipment.

Crabtree marveled at the find.

“Have you ever seen a .50-caliber round?” he asked. “That’s a big round — the stuff you shoot at airplanes and tanks. If a bunch off .50-caliber rounds started going off in McMinnville ... ”

According to documents found in King’s car, he obtained a gun dealer’s license in Canada under his given name Hamid Malekpour.

The government revoked it at one point on the grounds he was selling firearms over the Internet, which is illegal under Canadian law, and keeping incomplete records. However, his dealer’s license may since have been reinstated and agents found he had six firearms currently registered under the name Malekpour.

At last week’s crossing, King listed his employment as a technical executive with Modeling Intelligence Corp. of Vancouver, B.C. A female associate was listed as the owner.

During the subsequent search of his car, agents found a document purporting to verify his employment with the firm. It was signed by the associate.

In the course of a previous crossing, King had produced a résumé listing him as a business consultant holding advanced degrees from the Wharton School of Business and Technical University of Denmark.

When questioned by agents about the cache in his car, which included all the .50-caliber ammunition, he claimed to be a hunter. As evidence, he produced a computer image of a recently expired North Dakota hunting license.

In his wallet, agents found a Canadian hunting license, issued the previous day in the name of Hamid Malekpour. They also found a valid British Columbia driver’s license in the name of King, issued in 2008, and a Canadian postal receipt from the previous day in the name of Malekpour.

Authorities aren’t sure yet of the legality of the King name, but say he was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1975 as Hamid Malekpour.
Regardless of the validity of the hunting licenses, the size and type of firearms and ammunition found in his car and storage unit are not consistent with recreational hunting, according to the affidavit.

King would not have been allowed into the U.S. at Blaine had he given accurate and true information as to his purpose for his visit — to engage in the interstate possession and transportation of firearms and ammunition, the affidavit states. Thus he is in the country illegally, it alleges.

According to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, a federal firearms license has been issued to someone at the address of the McMinnville gun shop, presumably Zarandi. However, Crabtree said no one by that name holds a concealed handgun license in Yamhill County.

Our Un-American President

The 66th Anniversary of D Day has come and gone.

It's customary and proper for the President to issue a statement of some sort. A few words to remember the heroes that made sure we are still saluting the Stars and Stripes and not the Swastika.

But no, not this President. Last year, you'll recall, he chose NOT to go to Normandy for fear of offending the Germans.

This year, as far as anyone can tell, he seems to have forgotten it completely.

May the ghosts of our Fathers and Grandfathers who never made it off Omaha and Utah and Gold and Sword and Juno forever haunt you ignorant self serving sonsabitches who voted for this ignorant self serving sonofbitch.

Gateway Pundit:

Barack Obama Ignores D-Day Anniversary – Goes to Theatre Party Instead
Posted by Jim Hoft on Sunday, June 6, 2010, 8:46 PM

On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. America lost 2,499 of its finest men that day.

It’s too bad Barack Obama missed the anniversary today.

The White House website has nothing posted today on the 66th Anniversary of the D-Day landing.

The president had other things on his mind.
He was attending his second party this week, tonight at the Ford Theatre.

According to the Ford’s Theatre website, the event tonight is described as follows:

Ford’s Theatre Society will host its annual gala on Sunday, June 6, 2010, at Ford’s Theatre (511 10th Street NW). The evening’s performance, titled “America Celebrates July 4th at Ford’s Theatre,” will be taped for broadcast on the ABC Television Network to air July 2, 2010 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET). Modern Family cast member Ty Burrell hosts a star-studded program with appearances by Kelly Clarkson, Renee Fleming, George Lopez, Lionel Richie, Robin Roberts, Dick Van Dyke, Laura Michelle Kelly and Gavin Lee from the Broadway Company of “Mary Poppins,” the Soldiers’ Chorus of the United States Army Field Band, and cast members from the Ford’s Theatre production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

The President will also be honoring far left Bush-basher and Jew-hater Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the gala.

Everyone must have their priorities.

EGYPT REFUSES TO END BLOCKADE OF GAZA

While the world rails at Israel for blockading Gaza, the world says nothing about Egypt, who allow almost nothing to go through to Gaza.

From the Astute Bloggers:

CAIRO WONT LET IN ANY HUMANITARIAN AID.

• OBAMA IS SILENT.
• AS ARE THE REST OF THE JIHADO-LEFTIST AXIS.

95% of Gaza's supplies go through Israel. That would mean only 5% goes through Egypt.

So, why do you think the world is screaming about Israel, with Turkey and Iran trying to start conflagrations with Israel with these Flotillas filled with expired medicines? Why do you think Hamas turns away the aid once it reaches them?

Iran Red Crescent to send two aid ships to Gaza

 

TEHRAN — The Iranian Red Crescent has decided to send two aid ships to Gaza this week in the latest bid to break the blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory by Iran's regional archfoe Israel.

Red Crescent director for international affairs Abdolrauf Adibzadeh told the state IRNA news agency late on Sunday that the decision to send the ships was taken after a meeting with the foreign ministry.

"One ship will carry donations made by the people and the other will carry relief workers. The ships will be sent to Gaza by end of this week," Adibzadeh said.

He said the Red Crescent has called for Iranian volunteers to act as relief workers and accompany the vessels.

"Volunteers who want to go to Gaza and help the oppressed people of occupied Palestine can refer to the Red Crescent website and register," Adibzadeh said.

He said the initial plan was to send the ships through an intermediary country, but "based on a decision by the society, they will be sent directly." He added that the aid would consist of foodstuffs and medicines.

The Iranian Red Crescent had previously sent an aid ship carrying food and medicines to Gaza in December 2008 but it was prevented from reaching the territory by the Israeli navy.

The Jooz - Through Evil Zionist Mind Control Have Shut Up Helen Thomas!

This is an update on the Helen 'Send the Jooz back to Poland'  Thomas Affair: Evil World Dominating Jew Zionist Mind Controllers have made her own agents provacateurs oust The Press Corpse!


Obviously, Joo power is potent, if not powerfully potent. The mockery and ridicule they heap upon the brave humanitarians who only wanted to help the poor, starving, shackled Gazoids after the Israelis violently forced them to beat up IDF thugs is beyond the pale. I had to watch it several times, just to memorize the lyrics.

Needless to say, the Perpetually Outraged, Offended Pashas are upset at the mocking and the ridicule. From the article, brutally translated with machetes and cleats by Google, which is googlese for Garbled:

"Jerusalem - Firas Press: find a video clip comic making fun of Israeli activists convoy "fleet of freedom" which was attacked by a military force in international waters at the weekend, very popular on the Internet.

The total number of hits on video, 897 811 View just two days after his presentation, on "YouTube." And watched in the video clip depicting the members of the Israeli group, waving rods and knives, and sang spokesman activists convoy "we cheat the world" in a travesty of the world famous song song We Are The World.

And appeared in the background scenes of members of the Israeli forces are "attacking" by peace activists on board the convoy, as he claims the video.

The group will begin with the comic song: "it's time to be in need for a review before the world and the internet .. there are people dying to do best what we are doing is launching the biggest hoax ever."

And follow up: "We make the world abandon logic and turn everyone to believe that Hamas is a Mother Teresa., Crave the quiet travel with pistols and knives, and not really up to you and to your screens forever."


"If Islam and terrorism has led to lift your spirits but you are afraid to touch that painted the picture you just called yourself" peace activist and humanitarian aid. "

The Israeli military force stormed the convoy which was carrying a Navy humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza for nearly four years of fierce condemnation of the Israeli government that justified such a step that the convoy was carrying "mercenaries", according to Israeli radio quoted the army spokesman.

And had already met Israel uproar caused by the liquidation of Hamas leader, Mahmoud hoarse, in Dubai, which has accused the security authorities in the Emirate of Mossad of being behind the crime, baleish propaganda to promote the store in March.

He justified the organizers of the Declaration, which was filmed on the type of video security for Dubai Police, has invested media momentum to the issue."

Bwahahahhaha! They even included the viral video at the end of the article....so that they could be even MORE perpetually outraged and offended!



Foot-tapping, rage-inducing finger licking ridicule.

Simon Deng - Culturist or Racist??

Simon Deng was a featured speaker at the rally to STOP THE 9 - 11 MOSQUE.  
After he spoke to a reporter and I recorded it.  
I think he is a rival to PAT CONDELL !!

Glenn Miller
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

Reuters Crops Photos To Cover Up The Crimes Of "Free Gaza" Flotilla Jihadists

Another Cropped Reuters Photo Deletes Another Knife - And a Pool of Blood

Charles at LGF has been doing good work on the subject of the sham of the "Free Gaza" Humanitarian Aid Flotilla.

You may not like Charles, but he's right on this one, and he is reporting here something that, to my knowledge, no one else caught.

Click on the title to see the post over at Little Green Footballs.

Bitchslappin' the Bitch

Hot Air:

Helen Thomas’ agency dumps her as client
posted at 5:30 pm on June 6, 2010 by Ed Morrissey

Perhaps Helen Thomas hoped that her apology would suffice in tamping down the furor over her videotaped rant telling the Jews to “get the hell out of Palestine.” It turns out that even her own agents didn’t buy it. Nine Speaker announced that it has dropped Thomas as a client, while Lanny Davis blasted the doyenne of the White House Press Corps as “an anti-Semitic bigot”:

Senior White House Press Corps member Helen Thomas may have apologized for her recent on-camera remarks calling on Jews to “get the hell out of Palestine” and go home to Europe, but her reputation seems beyond repair amid the abounding calls for her resignation.

In the wake of the incident, Thomas’ agent Nine Speaker Inc. announced that it would no longer represent her.

“It is with a heavy heart that Nine Speakers Inc. announces its resignation as the agent for Helen Thomas, Dean of the White House Press Corps,” wrote Diane Nine, agency president.

“Ms. Thomas has had an esteemed career as a journalist, and she has been a trailblazer for women, helping others in her profession, and beyond. However, in light of recent events, Nine Speakers is no longer able to represent Ms. Thomas,
nor can we condone her comments on the Middle East,” wrote Nine.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton’s former White House counsel denounced Thomas, and challenged the White House Correspondents Association to defend any continued access to the WHPC:

“Helen Thomas, who I used to consider a close friend and who I used to respect, has showed herself to be an anti-Semitic bigot,” wrote Davis in a statement.. “She has a right to criticize Israel…. However, her statement that Jews in Israel should leave Israel and go back to Poland or Germany is an ancient and well-known anti-Semitic stereotype of the alien Jew not belonging in the land of Israel that began 2,600 years with the first tragic and violent Diaspora caused bythe Romans.”

“If she had asked all blacks to go back to Africa, what would the White House Correspondents Association’s position be as to whether she deserved WhiteHouse press room credentials – much less a privileged honorary seat?” wrote Davis, referring to Thomas’ seat in the middle of the front row at the White House briefing room.

“Does anyone doubt that my friends Ann Compton and Joe Lockhart, who believe in the First Amendment right of free expression as much as I do,would not be as tolerant and protective of Helen’s privileges and honorsif she had been asking
Blacks to return to Africa? Or Native Americans to Asia and South America, from which they came 8,000 or more years ago? I doubt it”, concluded Davis.

The bigger question will be how long Thomas has the qualification to carry a press credential at all. Hearst Newspapers didn’t exactly give Thomas a ringing vote of confidence yesterday in their only reaction to the controversy, as Greg Sargent noted:

Asked if Hearst would keep her, Hearst Newspapers spokesman Paul Luthringer emailed me this:

“We deeply regret Helen Thomas’ remarks, which in no way reflect the views of Hearst Newspapers or its employees. Helen has expressed her own profound regret over the incident.”Asked again whether Hearst would keep her, Luthringer refused to go beyond this statement.

If Hearst cuts Thomas loose, the WHCA will be relieved to get off the hook for what promises to be a very tough decision. If not, they will have to answer Lanny Davis’ challenge.

Update: Jennifer Rubin reports on the Anti-Defamation League position:

Helen Thomas’s statement of regret does not go far enough. Her remarks were
outrageous, offensive and inappropriate, especially since she uttered them on a
day the White House had set aside to celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of American Jews during Jewish America Heritage Month.

Her suggestion that Israelis should go back to Poland and Germany is
bigoted and shows a profound ignorance of history. We believe Thomas needs to make a more forceful and sincere apology for the pain her remarks have caused.

Jennifer also argues that this will put pressure on the Obama administration to demand Thomas’ removal. That depends on how much the White House values the ADL’s opinion, which I would guess wouldn’t be much. Also, it’s my impression that the White House has traditionally let the WHCA handle the question of credentialling in order to avoid getting caught up in precisely this kind of controversy and to keep allegations of favoritism or political paybacks out of access to the briefings. I doubt very much that the White House will do anything more now than punt.

Excelsior! Upwards of Eight Thousand Protest 911 Mega Mosque on D Day!

Despite weather forecasts of thunderstorms and rain, the skies were clear and beautiful -- but not as beautiful as this patriotic crowd of great Americans and Europeans. It was a real cross section of humanity .......... ever race, creed, color and religion were out in all their glory.

Robert and I were expecting 500; imagine our wonder when close to 5,000 showed up. This is just the beginning. We are going to sue to designate the Burlington building a war memorial. There is a large piece of an airplane in that building. That is a war memorial. Instead of a mega mosque at ground zero, let's build a 911 war memorial to the victims. The current plan for a 911 museum is several floors underground, like a dungeon. And the mosque plan calls for the mosque to be on the top floor, looking down triumphantly on the burial ground of Ground Zero.

I don't think so. The Burlington building must be a war memorial, an historic landmark. We will sue to make that happen. We will protest again in September and stage sit-ins in front of the mosque should they try to break ground. Three thousand good and decent Americans did not die in vain.

Go to Atlas to see all the pics.

Thank God for Pamela and Robert.

Helen Thomas Dropped As A Client Because Of Those Evil Jews (Actually Because Of What She Said About Them)

 From Weasel Zippers:

Politico: Nine Speakers, the agency that represents Helen Thomas, has dropped her as a client. This comes in the wake of controversial remarks on the Middle East.
The notice, obtained by POLITICO:
It is with a heavy heart that Nine Speakers, Inc. announces its resignation as the agent for Helen Thomas, Dean of the White House Press Corps.
Ms. Thomas has had an esteemed career as a journalist, and she has been a trailblazer for women, helping others in her profession, and beyond.
However, in light of recent events, Nine Speakers is no longer able to represent Ms. Thomas, nor can we condone her comments on the Middle East.

 So, the question is, when will Hearst fire her?


Oh yeah, and when will the White House take away her Press Credentials?

CNN Poll: SHOULD A MOSQUE BE BUILT ON GROUND ZERO

Go vote.

When I voted, the results were 58% Yes, and 42% No.

That's CNN for you.

I AM LEGION, FOR WE ARE MANY

Who shall I tell them sent me?

Tell them, "I am Legion" sent you. For we are many.

OCID -- Obsessive Compulsive Israel Disorder

OCID -- Obsessive Compulsive Israel Disorder

The Vatican Speaks Out On The Jihad Against Christians In The Middle East

Sadly, though, the Vatican is also attempting to negotiate with Muslims.

Has that ever, in history, worked? Ever?

From the Associated Press:

NICOSIA, Cyprus – The Vatican said Sunday that the international community is ignoring the plight of Christians in the Middle East, and that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Iraq and political instability in Lebanon have forced thousands to flee the region.

A working paper released during Pope Benedict XVI's pilgrimage to Cyprus to prepare for a crisis summit of Middle East bishops in Rome in October also cites the "extremist current" unleashed by the rise of "political Islam" as a threat to Christians.

In his final Mass in Cyprus on Sunday, Benedict said he was praying that the October meeting will focus the attention of the international community "on the plight of those Christians in the Middle East who suffer for their beliefs."

He appealed for an "urgent and concerted international effort to resolve the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, especially in the Holy Land, before such conflicts lead to greater bloodshed."

The Vatican considers mostly Greek Orthodox Cyprus as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East and invited bishops to come to the Mediterranean island to receive the working paper to counter the exodus of thousands of Christians in recent years because of war and harsh economic conditions.

A meeting between the pope and a Muslim leader was scrapped after the Turkish Cypriot official was delayed crossing the United Nations-controlled buffer zone dividing the island, the Vatican said.

Yusuf Suicmez, the head of Turkish Cypriots' religious affairs department, said he had hoped to pray with the pope for peace and brotherhood. Benedict briefly met with another Turkish Cypriot Muslim leader on Saturday as part of efforts to talk to both sides of the island's decades-old conflict and help foster reconciliation.

Are Cameras The New Guns?

A couple weeks back, I posted a story, entitled, "The Police in Maryland Are Out of Control", which detailed how the Police are attempting to make the case that citizens ought not be allowed to videotape the arrests of other citizens.

I do not like to pick on the police. I admire them, and am grateful that they do the job they do, which requires them to look up the pestilent asshole of the world everyday, and to somehow come back smelling like roses. That's a tough job. I understand.

But, this new movement is anti-Freedom and unConstitutional, in my opinion. And, it could lead to a future police state, wherein the citizens have no recourse to justice.

From the Freeman:

In response to a flood of Facebook and YouTube videos that depict police abuse, a new trend in law enforcement is gaining popularity. In at least three states (Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland), it is now illegal to record an on-duty police officer even if the encounter involves you and may be necessary to your defense, and even if the recording is on a public street where no expectation of privacy exists.

The legal justification for arresting the “shooter” rests on existing wiretapping or eavesdropping laws, with statutes against obstructing law enforcement sometimes cited. Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland are among the 12 states in which all parties must consent for a recording to be legal unless, as with TV news crews, it is obvious to all that recording is underway. Since the police do not consent, the camera-wielder can be arrested.  

Most all-party-consent states also include an exception for recording in public places where “no expectation of privacy exists” (Illinois does not) but in practice this exception is not being recognized.

Massachusetts attorney June Jensen represented Simon Glik who was arrested for such a recording. She explained, “[T]he statute has been misconstrued by Boston police. You could go to the Boston Common and snap pictures and record if you want.”

Legal scholar and professor Jonathan Turley agrees, “The police are basing this claim on a ridiculous reading of the two-party consent surveillance law — requiring all parties to consent to being taped. I have written in the area of surveillance law and can say that this is utter nonsense.”

The courts, however, disagree. A few weeks ago, an Illinois judge rejected a motion to dismiss an eavesdropping charge against Christopher Drew, who recorded his own arrest for selling one-dollar artwork on the streets of Chicago. Although the misdemeanor charges of not having a peddler’s license and peddling in a prohibited area were dropped, Drew is being prosecuted for illegal recording, a Class I felony punishable by 4 to 15 years in prison.

Go read the whole thing.

BREAKING NEWS: Israeli Students Plan Counter-Flotilla.Flotilla Organized To Aid Turkey's Oppressed Kurds

Great Guerilla Theater idea. My hats off to these dudes.

From Ynet:

Flotilla organized to aid Turkey's oppressed Kurds, Armenians; show up world's hypocrisy after sharp criticism of Israel's raid on Gaza flotilla

Israeli students are planning a "peace flotilla" to Turkey with humanitarian aid for nations who suffered under Turkish imperialism – the Kurds and Armenians. The initiative comes in response to the world's sharp criticism of Israel's lethal raid on the Gaza flotilla which left nine activists dead and many wounded.

The organizers are currently seeking a suitable vessel and trying to recruit other students to the cause. No date has yet been set, but a skipper has been found: Arik Ofir, a member of the navy veteran's union and owner of a private business. They have also obtained medical supplies, and hope that by the end of the week they will be able to set out.


"The whole world saw the flotilla and thought Israel is a terrible state, which comes to shoot people who call themselves peace activists," said Chairman of the National Students Union Boaz Torporovsky, who is also involved. "It's absurd that they always put the Israeli occupation in the headlines and don't talk about extreme Islamic terror. There's a lot of hypocrisy in the world.
"Turkey, which leads the campaign against Israel and makes all sorts of threats is the same Turkey that carried out a holocaust and murdered an entire nation of Armenians, and oppresses a minority larger than the Palestinians – the Kurds – who deserve a state, who have demanded a state for longer than the State of Israel has existed."

Ottoman massacre of Armenians according to a 19th century etching (Photo: Visual/Photos)

"For this reason," he continued, "we have decided to help that minority and show up the hypocrisy of the Turkish government. We are sure that they won't care if we sent humanitarian aid. It'll be a peace flotilla without the knives or stones that hurt IDF soldiers, without violence, which is intended for all those oppressed by the Turkish government.
"If (Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's heart is where his mouth is, which we all know isn't so, he has no reason to prevent the flotilla from arriving."
And what about the practicalities? "For the flotilla to work, we need three elements: Money, logistics and balls," he said. "We're bringing the balls and some of the logistics, but we need lots of money." 

The National Student Union has been active in PR for a long time. Torporovsky even infiltrated into a UN conference once, and slammed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an incident which received extensive coverage around the world.
Student representatives even got in contact with Iranian students oppressed by the regime in an attempt to raise awareness about what is happening in Iran. 

Iran Revolutionary Guards ready to escort Gaza ships

Alertnet:

TEHRAN, June 6 (Reuters) - Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are ready to provide a military escort to cargo ships trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, a representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.

"Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and capabilities," Ali Shirazi, Khamenei's representative inside the Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Any intervention by the Iranian military would be considered highly provocative by Israel which accuses Iran of supplying weapons to Hamas, the Islamist movement which rules Gaza.

The Guards, with their own navy, air force and command structure separate from the regular armed forces, are seen as fiercely loyal to the values of the Islamic Republic.

"If the Supreme Leader issues an order for this then the Revolutionary Guard naval forces will do their best to secure the ships," Shirazi said. "It is Iran's duty to defend the innocent people of Gaza."

Last Monday Israeli troops killed nine activists on board one ship in a convoy trying to deliver aid to Gaza, sparking international outrage, especially in Muslim countries.

Another ship was boarded on Saturday and pro-Palestinian activists have promised more as they challenge the blockade imposed four years ago with the stated aim of stopping arms getting to Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will continue to stop ships reaching the shore and creating "an Iranian port in Gaza", a reference to Iran's support for Hamas.

The Nitty Gritty of 'torture' as a thought exercise, via Samuel Jackson and 'Trinity' - UNTHINKABLE

Maybe I am missing the statement made here, but it seems to be the opposite of Hollywood's normative slant. And it comes in the last 3 minutes.

Intense.

Thoughtful.

Not what you expect ANYWHERE in its 2 hours.

Jackson OUTDOES any image you have of what he does.

Considering today's news this is probably how it would happen.

If you think you know the deal on torture, WATCH THIS MOVIE

UNTHINKABLE

Remembering D-Day: June 6, 1944

Two of my cousins from Tennessee, neither of them having yet reached the age of twenty-one, were on the beach on D-Day.

Both came home physically whole but never the same in their souls. What they had seen and experienced in that battle scarred them forever.

But I never saw nor met two others as patriotic as my two cousins. They remained staunch patriots for the rest of their lives.

They never spoke one word about what happened on that beach. Neither did they sleep through another night again without nightmares and calling out in their sleep. And they never uttered one word of complaint about having served our nation, nor did they want any special recognition.

Would that all Americans today had the same humble determination to preserve freedom and the same willingness to fight for the noble cause of preserving that freedom!