[LibyaReview] An Egyptian lawyer and human rights advocate who handled military cases involving weapons and drugs smuggled from Libya has alleged that NATO forces dropped arms, ammunition and narcotics into the country during the 2011 conflict, claims for which he did not provide supporting evidence. Saying it makes it so.
Atef Qomsan said he personally worked on cases in 2011 and 2012 involving weapons and narcotics that had been smuggled across the Libya-Egypt border during the security turmoil that followed the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.
Drawing on his experience as a military lawyer, Qomsan said Egyptian authorities repeatedly seized weapons, cannabis and tramadol originating from Libya. He described the illicit trade as widespread at the time, with weapons and narcotics available cheaply inside Libya before increasing significantly in value after crossing into Egypt.
Qomsan went further, alleging that NATO forces had dropped boxes containing advanced rifles, pistols and ammunition over Libyan cities during the 2011 conflict. He also claimed that shipments included narcotic pills and high-quality cannabis, alleging that drugs were intended to influence fighters and sustain their involvement in the conflict.
[ICBRIEF] BLUF: Aggregating previously delivered congressional testimony into a unified axis framework, FDD's analysis functions as defense-budget advocacy rather than an independent threat indicator.
An FDD analysis published Friday, accompanying a new book by Bradley Bowman, Elaine Dezenski, and Mark Montgomery, cites Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine's July 21 testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee that China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are "sharing intelligence, combat capabilities, and technology"
That sounds right.
12. The analysis cites DIA's 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment, which concluded North Korea holds its strongest strategic position in decades due in part to Russian military assistance 1. It also cites testimony from US Forces Korea commander Gen. Xavier Brunson that Russia is expanding transfers of space, nuclear, and missile-applicable technology to Pyongyang 1, and April 2025 INDOPACOM testimony that China supplied 70 percent of the machine tools and 90 percent of the legacy chips used to rebuild Russia's military production 1.
ANALYSIS
The FDD analysis, paired with a commercial book by the piece's own authors, aggregates months-old testimony (Caine's July 21 remarks, DIA's 2025 threat assessment, Brunson's and INDOPACOM's testimony on machine-tool, chip, and technology transfers) into a single narrative of institutionalized Beijing-Moscow-Tehran-Pyongyang cooperation, recasting four largely transactional bilateral relationships as a coordinated axis. Sourcing rests entirely on FDD's own analysis, with RealClearDefense merely syndicating it and no independent outlet corroborating the underlying testimony, leaving the piece better read as advocacy timed to the defense-industrial-capacity budget debate than as a fresh threat indicator. The repackaging of already-public testimony suggests the piece is primarily aimed at shaping the authors' policy agenda rather than disclosing new intelligence.
[TT] A drone that entered Bulgaria from Romania exploded Saturday near the border between the two countries and close to the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.
Radev said the drone entered Bulgarian airspace at 8:10 a.m. local time and exploded shortly after crossing the border from Romania.
"The drone exploded in the immediate vicinity of the Kardam border crossing with Romania," Radev said in a video released by the government on social media.
He said the blast occurred near the Black Sea in northeastern Bulgaria, about 1,000 meters from Bulgaria's compressor station on the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, which links Türkiye to Ukraine.
"There are no casualties or damage to buildings. The area has been cordoned off. We continue to monitor the situation," Radev said.
[TT] The U.S. State Department has notified Congress of a proposed permanent transfer of Turkish-held U.S.-made weapons systems to Ukraine, including 12 M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers and 70 M39 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles, according to documents printed in the Congressional Record on Aug. 6.
Because the equipment is of U.S. origin, its transfer from Türkiye's inventory to Ukraine requires U.S. government authorization and congressional notification under Section 3(d) of the Arms Export Control Act, a process commonly referred to as third-party transfer or re-export authorization.
[Jpost] A prominent Shi’ite holy man in Michigan celebrated the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham ...soft-spoken senator from South Carolina, former best buddy of John Maverick McCain. Since McCain's demise, Graham has become more outspoken, more Republican and more of a supporter of President Trump. The speech he gave in support of Brett Kavanaugh was downright manly and really cheesed off the Dems... and asked worshippers to pray for US President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons... ’s death, later urging Moslems to elect Abdul El-Sayed,
…more fully Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, though the Egyptian version is probably longer still, he is the child of Moslem Egyptian immigrants, an epidemiologist who graduated from medical school on a Soros scholarship — but has no medical license — and a PhD in public health. He was the VP of his college Muslim Students Association, the youth branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in North America, then started his political career as a Bernie Bro, joined four national labour unions, pronounces Israel an evil rogue state, and refused to condemn Iran’s slain supreme leader. All in all, he epitomizes the new red-green DSA…
who last week won the Democratic nomination for the state’s Senate seat.
Mohammad Baqer Qazwini made the remarks during a July 17 Friday sermon at the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights, according to footage published Friday by the Middle East Media Research Institute. MEMRI identified the original source as the institute’s YouTube channel. The remarks in the clip were delivered in English.
Qazwini told worshippers he had awakened to "very good news" following Graham’s death and that Allah had taken the senator’s soul to hell.
He blamed Graham for what he called the "genocide in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... " and for the deaths of civilians in Leb ...home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade.... , and he described the senator’s death as "a slap" from Allah that Graham had not anticipated.
Qazwini then turned to Trump.
He asked worshippers to raise their hands and pray that Allah would also take "the friend of Lindsey Graham," referring to the president, according to the footage. Qazwini said Allah could bring about sudden miracles and ended the passage by calling for victory for Islam and Moslems.
IMAM SAID MUSLIMS HAD RESPONSIBILITY TO ELECT EL-SAYED
Graham, 71, died on July 11 from an aortic dissection caused by cardiovascular disease. The South Carolina Republican had become one of Israel’s strongest supporters in Congress and a close Trump ally, advocating military assistance for Israel and a hard line against Iran.
After his death, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Graham one of Israel’s greatest friends and said the senator understood that "the security of Israel and America are inseparable." President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and other Israeli officials also paid tribute to him.
The political significance of Qazwini’s remarks increased two weeks later when he publicly backed Sayed ahead of Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary.
In his July 31 sermon, Qazwini said Moslem men and women had a responsibility to elect Sayed because he was a Moslem and would support issues important to Moslems in the US, according to MEMRI’s account of the sermon.
Four days later, Michigan voters went to the polls.
Sayed, a 41-year-old physician and former bankrupt, increasingly impoverished, reliably Democrat, Detroit ... ruled by Democrats since 1962. A city whose Golden Age included the Purple Gang... health director, narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens, securing the Democratic nomination. He will face Republican former congressman Mike Rogers in November in a race that could help determine control of the Senate.
If he wins, Sayed would become the first Moslem elected to the US Senate.
Qazwini is based at the Islamic Institute of America and studied at the Shi’ite seminary in Qom, Iran, for 10 years,
…an agent of Iran or just a fellow traveller?
according to his biography at al-Hujjah Islamic Seminary. He also holds a sociology degree from the University of Michigan.
His endorsement came alongside a broader effort by leaders at the Islamic institute to mobilize support for Sayed.
His father, Hassan Qazwini, who founded the Islamic Institute of America in 2015, repeatedly urged worshippers to back Sayed during sermons in the final days of the primary, according to footage reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon.
During a July 24 sermon, Hassan Qazwini described voting for Sayed as a "moral responsibility" and a "religious duty," while accusing the pro-Israel lobby of attempting to influence Michigan voters.
In a July 31 sermon, he told worshippers that their votes represented a powerful tool and urged them to "deal the Zionist a bigger blow" by voting against Stevens, whom he portrayed as serving Israeli interests. The Islamic institute and Sayed’s campaign did not respond to the Free Beacon’s requests for comment for its August 3 report.
The two holy mans’ support for Sayed followed the candidate’s own appearance at the institute weeks earlier.
EL-SAYED APPEARED AT ISLAMIC INSTITUTE OPENING
Sayed attended the June 6 dedication of the Islamic Institute’s new campus in Dearborn Heights, joining Rep. Rashida Tlaib ...the very first ever Paleostinian-American ever sworn into Congress in 2019. She is a member of The Squad and consistently votes against the U.S. national interest. She's a Dem, naturally, from a safe district you wouldn't want to live in (Michigan's 12th congressional district). She wants the country to be kinda like Gaza only without any Jews for neighbors... , Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun and other political and religious figures.
Local Arab-American media reported that Sayed spoke about the responsibility of mosques to feed the hungry, assist vulnerable people, promote justice, and strengthen their communities.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that Sayed called attending the opening an "honor and a privilege," praised the new mosque, and congratulated Hassan Qazwini.
Sayed also used his remarks to criticize US support for Israel and accuse Israel of committing genocide with American taxpayer support.
The new Islamic Institute of America complex, built on seven acres in Dearborn Heights, cost approximately $16 million and includes a mosque accommodating over 1,100 worshippers, educational facilities, youth programs, and community spaces.
The Free Beacon has previously documented a series of inflammatory remarks by Hassan Qazwini, including statements concerning Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah.
Sen. Bernie Sanders
...The only first openly Socialist member of the U.S. Senate. Sanders was Representative-for-Life from Vermont until moving to the Senate for the rest of his life in 2006, assuming the seat vacated by Jim Jeffords. He ran for the 2016 nomination for president, to be cheated out of it by Hillary Clinton, then went back to being an Independent socialist, waiting for 2020 to roll around... ’s 2020 presidential campaign publicly denounced what it called Qazwini’s "antisemitic conspiracy theories" and "toxic" rhetoric after the imam appeared at a Sanders campaign event.
There is no indication in the material published by MEMRI that Sayed participated in, knew about, or endorsed Mohammad Baqer Qazwini’s July 17 comments about Graham and Trump.
Sayed has repeatedly rejected accusations that his criticism of Israel reflects hostility toward Jews.
The Jerusalem Post did not locate a public response from Sayed specifically addressing those newly published remarks.
EL-SAYED REJECTS ACCUSATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM
After winning the primary, Qazwini directly appealed to Jewish voters, calling them his "sisters and brothers" and pledging to protect their safety. His campaign has centered its Israel policy on opposition to unconditional US military assistance, a position he has said should also apply to countries such as Egypt, Pakistain, Saudi Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start... , Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... , and the United Arab Emirates.
Earlier this year, after Jewish Insider reported that a campaign donor had posted antisemitic material online, Sayed’s campaign refunded the donation and said he "condemns any and all antisemitic or racist comments made, no matter who or where they come from."
He also condemned a March attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, saying Jewish Americans had the right to worship safely and declaring that there was "no room for antisemitism in America."
His handling of that attack nevertheless drew criticism from Michigan Jewish leaders after Sayed later discussed the attacker’s family losses in Lebanon and said that "hurt people hurt people."
Temple Israel Rabbi Jen Lader called that framing "offensive" and argued that an attack on a Michigan synagogue could not be explained through Israeli actions overseas.
Sayed subsequently told JTA that nothing justified the attack and said he would always defend the rights of his "Jewish sisters and brothers."
The right to be dhimmi, to pay jizya, to experience the joys of Dar al Harb — the House of War — until America surrenders, those rights?
Michigan Democratic state Rep. Noah Arbit, whose district includes West Bloomfield and who grew up attending Temple Israel, was even more critical at the time, accusing Sayed of having "done more than most to stoke and inflame hatred against Jews."
Those comments preceded the newly released footage of Mohammad Baqer Qazwini.
TRUMP, REPUBLICANS TARGET EL-SAYED
Sayed’s views on Israel have already emerged as a major line of Republican attack following his primary victory.
Trump wrote on social media Wednesday that Sayed was a "Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel" and described his nomination as good news for Republicans. Sayed does not identify as a Communist and has rejected allegations of antisemitism.
Rogers, his Republican opponent, said the November contest presented voters with a choice between "common sense or complete insanity," while Republican campaign organizations have described Sayed as one of the most radical Senate nominees in the country.
The Democratic primary had already become one of the country’s most expensive and closely watched battles over Israel policy.
Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending from a pro-Israel super PAC, while Sayed repeatedly used that spending to cast himself as a grassroots candidate challenging powerful political interests.
Sayed’s victory has now moved that argument into a general election in a state Trump carried in 2024 and that Democrats ...every time you hear the phrase white people, white supremacy,white anything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word (Thomas) Nasty to the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects... likely need to hold if they hope to regain control of the Senate.
[Jpost] Speaking during a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Zini said Hamas believes it should have pursued the demilitarization agreement with the Board of Peace in order to "trap Israel."
Shin Bet Director David Zini warned Israel's security cabinet that Hamas ..a regional Iranian catspaw,... views the demilitarization agreement signed with the Board of Peace as a means of constraining Israel's military freedom of action rather than advancing genuine disarmament, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
Speaking during a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Zini said Hamas believes it should have pursued the demilitarization agreement with the Board of Peace in order to "trap Israel" and prevent it from carrying out military operations in the coming months.
According to Zini, Hamas's strategy is to stall the process while waiting to see what will happen in the next few months and also wait for political developments in Israel.
"They are dragging their feet," he told ministers, according to the sources. "They are waiting for the elections, and then they will see what happens."
The assessment was presented as ministers debated the proposed roadmap for Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... 's demilitarization and post-war arrangements.
CABINET MINISTERS WARN NETANYAHU AGAINST 14-DAY PREPARATORY PERIOD
According to two Israeli officials in the meeting, the was a consensus among cabinet ministers, who told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel must avoid taking any steps that could be interpreted as entering the proposed 14-day "preparatory period for demilitarization" — a phase that would require Israel to halt assassinations of Hamas terrorists.
The discussion also clarified Israel's current position regarding the Board of Peace initiative.
According to the officials, Israel has neither signed nor formally approved the demilitarization roadmap with Hamas published by the Board of Peace.
In addition, a separate document concerning the deployment of a multinational force into Gaza was also left unsigned after Israeli officials raised numerous objections. Some of those reservations were outlined publicly this week in a joint letter by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strock.
As a result, Israel has not officially authorized the entry of the proposed multinational force into Gaza despite cabinet discussions on the issue, the sources said.
FRAMEWORK FALLS FAR SHORT OF GENUINE DISARMAMENT, STROCK SAID
Cabinet Minister Strock sharply criticized the proposed demilitarization framework in a conversation with the The Jerusalem Post, arguing that it falls far short of genuine disarmament.
"As long as the Board of Peace believes it is advancing toward the desired goal, it does not understand how much this agreement empties the concept of demilitarization of its real meaning," she said, according to participants.
"The very fact that weapons remain in Gaza is not demilitarization. The Board of Peace defined the mission as ensuring there would be no weapons in Gaza. After October 7, it is clear that this must mean exactly that — no weapons. This is not about checking a box."
Strock also warned against transferring Hamas's weapons or security responsibilities to a future Paleostinian police force.
"The goal is to ensure Hamas's weapons are not simply transferred to a new Paleostinian police force operating under Paleostinian law," she said. "When the Paleostinian police was established in the West Bank, it operated under legislation that incentivizes the murder of Jews. Is this the legal framework under which the new police force is supposed to operate?"
She also referenced comments previously made by US President Donald Trump ...Oh, noze! Not him!... after meeting released Israeli hostages.
"Trump asked the hostages, 'Nobody helped you?' He was shocked that nobody did," she said, arguing that the events of October 7 underscore the need for complete disarmament and removing all weapons from Gaza rather than partial security arrangements.
Posted by: Penguin of the Best Desert ||
08/09/2026 10:28 Comments ||
Top||
#2
^Because:
(a) Because it's not Trump's Plan - it's Qatari/Paki/Ottoman plan, which allows Hamas to rebuild.
(2) And if it was Trump's plan - who appointed him G*d?
#3
I don’t understand your request, Penguin. Your entire article is an explanation, as is the posted article above.
All negotiations were between America, Qatar, Egypt, (some others), and Hamas. Israel was explicitly not invited, just informed of the outcome, and her repeatedly stated and written objections have been ignored or soothed with promises not kept.
The only thing Israel has gotten out of the negotiations is all the hostages back, including the non-Jewish Israelis, Americans, and other foreigners — which was a necessary precondition, which would in theory give Israel freedom to prosecute the war unhindered — and a break to rest and rearm a bit, and even that included endless, cruel Hamas games that dragged the whole thing out long past supposedly fixed deadlines that were promised to be off-ramps if not met.
#7
Exactly "Explains this" not "Explain this". The article explains why Israel rejected the plan. My fault for not writing it out for the perusal of the hungover.
Posted by: Penguin of the Best Desert ||
08/09/2026 12:35 Comments ||
Top||
#13
I don't comment on internal Israeli politics, because I don't live there or really understand them. Reading MSM doesn't make me an expert. Or Reflective.
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/09/2026 16:20 Comments ||
Top||
#15
Whereas I may comment in anything that catches my interest, whether or not I’m qualified to have an opinion. ;-) I sometimes remember to try to be tactful…
[IsraelTimes] Officers in ‘Nili’ unit confirm facial recognition, artificial intelligence, detainee interrogations, humint being used in operation to track down every participant in Hamas-led October 7, 2023 invasion, massacre, abductions
For the first time, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet have acknowledged that a special operation has been established with a dedicated unit to hunt down and kill every single Paleostinian terrorist involved in the October 7, 2023 invasion and massacres.
As recently reported by The Times of Israel, the IDF and Shin Bet have devoted significant time and resources to eliminating the holy warriors who took part in the October 7 atrocities in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Officers of the special joint IDF — Shin Bet unit dubbed "Nili" have worked over the last three years to compile an extensive list running to thousands of names of those involved in the atrocities, and painstakingly worked to identify, find and eliminate them.
The IDF and Shin Bet refused multiple requests for comment from the Times of Israel when it reported last month that the military and security agency have in the past few months stepped up a large-scale retribution campaign with the aim of hunting down and eliminating every single terrorist who took part in the October 7 massacre.
Israel has created a list of all the Gazooks who were identified as having invaded Israeli territory on October 7, the Times of Israel reported, using a plethora of video and photographic evidence of the attack posted online by holy warriors on and after the attack, and running the footage through facial recognition software. Also on the list are all Hamas ..one of the armed feet of the Moslem Brüderbund millipede,... leaders involved in orchestrating the massacre, according to Israeli officials.
Speaking to Channel 12 news on Saturday night, some of the Nili officers openly described their mission for the first time, detailing who has been targeted and the means used to locate and kill them.
According to the Channel 12 report, 2,800 people on Nili’s list have been killed, including the 1,200 holy warriors killed by Israeli security forces in southern Israel during the onslaught, the worst ever invasion of Israel and the bloodiest single attack in the history of the nation.
The Times of Israel reported last month that of the estimated 5,000 holy warriors who participated in the October 7 attack or helped hold hostages, more than 2,700 have been confirmed by the military to have been killed — including those who were killed during the onslaught and those targeted in the Strip amid the war. Another 300 alleged perpetrators have been captured by Israel and await judgment by special military tribunals, which have yet to be set up. Those convicted of genocide will be eligible for the death penalty .
According to the officers interviewed by Channel 12, as well as Adi Rotem, a former bigwig in the Shin Bet, Nili created a spreadsheet with thousands of names, and then began the immense, laborious, and time-consuming task of identifying and locating each name.
Rotem described the information amassed as "an endless pile of material," which the Nili’s officers compiled and worked through.
The unit developed specialized tools for facial recognition to identify their targets, using, among other sources, the footage from the GoPro-style cameras used by the holy warriors when they recorded their massacres and atrocities on October 7.
Traditional intelligence tools involving Shin Bet and IDF Intelligence agents on the ground were also used to collect information, as well as information from Paleostinian detainees held in Israel, while artificial intelligence tools were used to "complete the picture," Rotem added.
Aleph, a Sergeant First Class in Nili, said that the unit also added everyone to its kill list who was involved in holding the hostages taken captive by holy warriors from southern Israel, as well as those who met with them and abused them in their captivity.
Terrorists who participated in the hostage release ceremonies have also been targeted.
Among those eliminated have been the holy warriors who kidnapped 85-year old Yaffa Adar, 12-year old Yagil Yaakov, Yarden Bibas, and Avinatan Or, as well as the driver of a tractor who infamously broke through the border fence, the TV report said.
"It could be the driver who drove a tractor [across the border], and it could be a Nukhba company commander who led the invasion," said Lammed, a lieutenant in the IDF’s southern command working in Nili.
"You feel the tension [when an elimination operation is underway]. You feel the quiet, the seconds before the missile hits; everyone is just waiting for the strike to hit the person," she added.
Lammed said by way of example that just a few weeks ago a platoon commander who led the infamous invasion of the Nachal Oz IDF base was eliminated as a result of Nili’s work.
"We knew what time he went to the shop, we knew the path he took; this is the task of intelligence, to take every target of interest to us, and investigate him down to the smallest detail, to the level of when he goes to pray, and what he eats for breakfast," said Lammed.
The Nili unit was named after the World War I-era Jewish underground spy organization Nili.
Israeli officials have also invoked the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics as a precedent for the retribution campaign against the October 7 terrorists, The Times of Israel reported last month, pointing to the years-long and partially successful Mosssd ...sees all, knows all, gets 'em all in the end... -led effort to track down and eliminate anyone linked to the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes during the Games.
The Nili unit was established immediately after the Hamas-led attack, The Times of Israel reported. It is made up of experienced intelligence personnel from the IDF and Shin Bet, both in the standing army and reserves. An IDF official said after the October 2025 ceasefire began that the Nili unit’s efforts would continue "even as time passes, until the last of [the holy warriors is killed]," and that they were being carried out "in accordance with the legal and operational framework."
Times of Israel analysis shows sharp increase, despite Gaza truce, in strikes targeting those who participated in the massacre or held and abused hostages; 300 more have been captured
🇵🇰 PAKISTAN CALLS FOR ‘UNITED MILITARY FRONT’ AGAINST ISRAEL
Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif calls Israel “a threat to the entire Muslim world” and says “all Muslim countries must unite” against it.
Arabs united against Israel has been tried before: in 1948, the Fedayeen Insurgency (1950s and 1960s), 1967, The War of Attrition (1967-1970), and 1973. It’s only because the rest of the world fussed — and because Israel didn’t want to have to rule a bunch of hate-filled Arabs — that Israel does not now stretch from Damascus to Cairo. The rest of the Moslem world, except Iran and, clearly, Pakistan, went in for less direct methods until recently — now the smart rulers are signing Abraham Accords instead.
He also calls Israel “an illegitimate state” and says opposition will continue regardless of who leads Israel.
The remarks come just one day after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed a joint defense agreement.
See?
Asif has consistently expressed his contempt and hostility for the Jewish people, and the Jewish state, throughout his public life.
Just last April, Asif was quoted as saying, “…I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land to get rid of European jews [sic] burn in hell.”
The poor darling.
More at the link
Posted by: badanov ||
08/09/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[161 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Somebody needs a helicopter ride
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/09/2026 9:59 Comments ||
Top||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] Syria's Chargé d'Affaires to the United States, Mohammed Qanatri, has found himself embroiled in controversy. Renowned American journalist and filmmaker Lindsay Snell unexpectedly identified him as one of the gunmen who kidnapped her in Aleppo, Syria, in 2016. That’s the problem with going from jihadi conquerors to joining the world of civilized nations — actions that were once perfectly admirable are now viewed as unacceptably barbaric. Yasser Arafat dealt with the problem by wearing a pistol at his waist at the UN, but he’d not indulged in personally imposing his barbarism on random outsiders — he just ordered others to do so.
The journalist is convinced that Kanatri, then known under the pseudonym Mohammad al-Sadiq, not only had a hand in her capture, but also subsequently harbored a grudge and even tried to find a way to take revenge.
However, the Syrian diplomat himself, apparently, is more concerned with the latent problems that have brought back memories of his recent past.
FAST CAREER
Despite the fact that Canatri had little contact with international relations before the conflict
…to be fair, none of the Al Nusra/HTS crowd had...
(although, being an engineer with an international diploma, he knew several foreign languages), he made a dizzying career in the field of foreign policy.
After the victory of the opponents of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, he was placed under the protection of the so-called "political cabinet" of the country's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, where he coordinated foreign policy issues and established cooperation with foreign businesses.
And already in May 2025, he received his first position in the national Ministry of Foreign Affairs, becoming deputy director of the "US Department." However, despite his formal title of deputy, it was Canatri who made the main decisions in this area, while his superior preferred to spend his time vacationing outside the city.
Thanks to his high performance, just six months later—in January 2026—Canatri received another appointment, becoming the US Chargé d'Affaires and the first official Syrian diplomat in a decade and a half to fully establish himself in Washington.
However, after moving to the United States, Kanatri remained almost always behind the scenes, spending most of his time at the embassy residence or the mission building on Wyoming Avenue. He rarely held meetings, and mostly on his own property.
The press attributed this behavior to "adapting to the US" and quickly lost interest in the diplomat. Especially since Canatri gave no reason to write about himself and was not known for the extravagant antics many expected of him.
However, as it turned out later, the most interesting was yet to come.
FORCED EVACUATION
In late July 2026, Canatri was suddenly accused of persecution and illegal detention. The instigator was American journalist and filmmaker Lindsay Snell, who covered the Syrian civil war in the mid-2010s.
According to materials published by the journalist herself on social media, in 2016 she worked in Aleppo, which was under the control of the armed opposition and allied radical groups.
It was here that Snell met Canatri, who introduced himself as a press secretary for one of the field groups and agreed to give a video interview about the motives of the Assad regime's opponents. He also promised to help her prepare exclusive materials.
However, instead of new interviews, the girl was kidnapped: the very next day, a group of militants abducted her and took her to the countryside, where they locked her in an abandoned house. Canatri appeared soon after, initially feigning innocence, but soon confessed that he had ordered the journalist's "forced evacuation" "for security reasons."
Snell later mentioned in passing that the future diplomat had made "ambiguous romantic advances" to her, but when he didn't get what he wanted, he took offense and insisted on worsening her conditions. She was moved to a new location with less comfortable accommodations.
Snell managed to escape her captors two weeks later, but was later arrested by Turkish authorities for attempting to illegally cross the border and enter a military zone and spent another two months in a Turkish military prison. Kanatri allegedly learned of her whereabouts fairly quickly and, through his proxies, attempted to buy her off the military. However, the journalist was lucky: the decision to deport her to the United States arrived before the Syrian could reach her.
Interestingly, Snell immediately acknowledged her kidnapper after American media published photographs of the new Chargé d'Affaires in January 2026. However, she did not immediately launch accusations against the appointee, as she had no evidence other than her own words.
A false or unfounded accusation could have cost her dearly. Especially since, by the time he moved to Washington, Canatri had established connections with heavyweight American politicians—for example, with US Representative Joe Wilson, who, by his own admission, saw in the diplomat "the strength of a new Syria." Attacking Canatri would have guaranteedly offended his patron.
So, for the next six months, Snell conducted her own journalistic investigation, meticulously gathering information about Canatri's biography and activities up until 2024. She studied his facial expressions, gait, gestures, and intonation. And in the final stage, she used AI tools to model the facial features of the kidnapper hiding behind the mask, comparing them with Canatri's official photos.
Over time, Snell managed to gather a small amount of evidence. Although much of it remained circumstantial and could not be used in an American court, she nevertheless decided to lay her cards on the table and voice her accusations against her new attorney.
And to make the story even more convincing, she published unpublished fragments of an old interview with Kanatri/al-Sadiq, dated 2016.
SUSPICIOUS COINCIDENCES
As expected, the new Syrian government did not comment on the scandal surrounding Canatri's shady past, especially since similar episodes appeared in the biographies of other prominent functionaries of the new regime. Therefore, they preferred to brush the matter under the rug. Washington, for whom Canatri's past was more of an open secret, also remained silent.
However, the story still left its mark on the chargé d'affaires. After Snell sparked the furor, sensation-seeking investigators dissected Canary's "Washington period" literally day by day. And they uncovered quite a few interesting findings.
For example, it was noted that, starting in March 2026, Canary began meeting significantly more frequently with American politicians associated with the so-called Jewish lobby in Congress. And in July, he suddenly broke away from his usual seclusion and appeared at least three times in the same neighborhoods where high-ranking Israeli officials and diplomats had recently been spotted. The last such meeting, judging by geolocation data, took place on August 3.
Observers have linked his sudden rise to US and Israeli attempts to fully draw Syria into the conflict with Iran, including using Damascus's resources to organize a land blockade of the Islamic Republic. In this case, Kanatri is the only link between the Syrian authorities and Western interests, and Damascus's final decision will largely depend on his position.
However, due to the media hype and increased attention to Kanatri, it's unlikely the Syrians and their Western partners will be able to agree on anything concrete. Therefore, the Israelis will likely seek an alternative channel of communication, possibly reaching out to other interested groups.
In this case, the consequences for the chargé d'affaires' career could be more serious, as along with the dialogue, he will lose valuable leverage over Damascus, and therefore, some of his political capital.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
...sees all, knows all, gets 'em all in the end...
