Pakistan seeks terrorism charges against Americans Kamran Haider ISLAMABAD Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:01am EST // // // Related News Pakistan’s embattled Zardari vows to defend democracy Sun, Dec 27 2009 Taliban planned to use Americans in Pakistan attacks Sat, Dec 26 2009 Suicide bomber kills 3 in key northwest Pakistan town Tue, Dec 22 2009 Pakistan seeks clues on jailed Americans Mon, Dec 14 2009 Pakistan PM backtracks on Waziristan remarks Sat, Dec 12 2009 // ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistani police will ask a court to charge five Americans detained in the country this month with planning terrorist attacks … Continue reading Pakistan seeks terrorism charges against Americans

Radical Embitterment: The Unconscious Psychology of Terrorists (Part Two) Do terrorists tend to suffer from unconscious psychological conflicts? Published on December 29, 2009 Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists routinely interview and evaluate criminal defendants. Some are charged with minor non-violent crimes, and others with major violent crimes such as assault, armed robbery, rape, murder or attempted murder. On Christmas Day, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to murder almost three-hundred people. He was the alleged would-be suicide bomber on Northwest Airlines flight 253. (See Part One.) What transforms someone from mild-mannered, studious, ambitious, amiable, spiritually-oriented mechanical engineer to a suspected cold-blooded, homicidal, suicide bomber … Continue reading Radical Embitterment: The Unconscious Psychology of Terrorists

Al-Awlaki, a new public enemy As reports claim would-be plane bomber Abdulmutallab may have met Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical’s profile grows Zahed Amanullah When Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23 year-old Nigerian Muslim, failed in his attempt to detonate explosives smuggled aboard Northwest Airlines flight 253 on Christmas Day, the trail leading back to Yemen brought a familiar name back into the spotlight. “Informed reports” indicated that Abdulmutallab met Anwar al-Awlaki, a 38 year-old American-born imam who studied and preached in the US before leaving in 2002 to reside permanently in Yemen, escaping the FBI scrutiny that followed his close contact … Continue reading Is Al-Awlaki targeting or is he a target?

Detroit bomber: British university ‘complicit’ in radicalisation University College London, where Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was recently president of the Islamic Society, has been accused of being “complicit” in the radicalisation of Muslim students by “failing grotesquely” to prevent extremists from giving lectures on campus. By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter Published: 8:00AM GMT 30 Dec 2009 Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab is the alleged terrorist behind the failed attempt to bomb a passenger jet over Detroit on Christmas Day. Photo: EPA UCL has been heavily criticised in the past for its relaxed attitude to radical preachers, and security agencies are investigating whether … Continue reading Is UCL a hotbed of Radicalisation?

Gain trust to stop terrorism Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s father warned authorities about him. It’s a good reminder of the best way to prevent terrorism Inayat Bunglawala guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 January 2010 14.00 GMT As Barack Obama takes his security services to task for their “systemic failure” in the case of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, it is worth recalling that Umar’s own father was the person who first alerted the US embassy in Nigeria to his concerns regarding his son. The reported warning by Umar’s father is an important reminder that very often our best defence against would-be terrorists and their ambitions … Continue reading Passing the buck?

A stab in the back for police from Straw Jack Straw’s remarks about lazy coppers are politically driven and imply he knows little about the nature of grassroots policing John O’Connor guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 January 2010 15.00 GMT If I was still a serving police officer I would take great exception to the remarks made by Jack Straw, the justice minister, about lazy coppers who would rather stay in a warm police station than patrol their beats. At the very least the police have the right to expect unequivocal support from that quarter and they must be dismayed at what … Continue reading British Police, Jack Straw – clashing Egos

Pakistan suicide bomber kills dozens at volleyball Explosion near north-western town of Lakki Marwat may be retaliation for citizens trying to push out militants guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 January 2010 14.40 GMT Children march under armed guard in Karachi during a protest over Monday’s suicide attack on Shia Muslims. Photograph: MK Chaudhry/EPA A suicide bomber has killed at least 25 people at a volleyball tournament near the north-west Pakistan town of Lakki Marwat as militants hit back at a government offensive against the Pakistani Taliban. “We have confirmed a figure of 25 deaths. There are many more wounded who are being … Continue reading Mullahs kill dozens at volleyball event