Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts

EUROPEAN JEWS DEMAND EU BAN ON IHH

By JERUSALEM POST.COM STAFF
06/08/2010 15:11
The same material was in the wall Street Journal. Friday June 4th in the opinion section.

Claim that charity fits European definition of a terror organization.

The European Jewish Congress, the umbrella body for Jewish communities in Europe has formally requested that the "Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief" (Insani Yardim Vakfi), otherwise known as the IHH be placed on the EU list of proscribed terrorist organizations and its assets seized and frozen.

The request, which is signed by Dr. Moshe Kantor, states that the IHH is "an organization with known and recognized ties to terrorist groups and activities" operating "under the guise of a humanitarian organization." According to the EJC, the IHH’s ties to terrorist activities clearly fit the European Union’s own criteria for immediate proscription.

In particular they point to the IHH's affiliation with Hamas, "which is on the EU list of terror organizations, and its membership in The Union of the Good, an Islamic umbrella affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood."

The Union of Good was designated as a terrorist entity by the United States in 2008. The organization's letter points out that "according to EU guidelines the definition of terrorism means individuals, groups and entities on which there is accurate information proving that they have committed, are attempting to commit or are facilitating the commission of terrorist acts. Terrorist activities include 'directing or participating in the activities of a terrorist group, including by funding its activities or supplying material resources.'"

The letter cites a 2006, a report by the Danish Institute for International Studies. This it says, stated that during the 1990s the IHH maintained links with al-Qaida and a number of global jihad networks and that the Turkish government launched an investigation into the IHH in 1997 after receiving intelligence that the IHH had bought automatic weapons from Islamist terrorists.

According to the EJC, the Turkish government raided the organization’s Istanbul offices, where they found weapons, explosives, and instructions for bomb-making and documents linking the IHH to terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Bosnia. It add that in 1996, the CIA identified the IHH as an extreme radical organization with ties to terror.

According to the report, French intelligence found that in the mid-1990s IHH leader B’ulent Yildirim recruited soldiers for jihad activities in a number of Muslim countries and that the IHH transferred money, firearms, and explosives to jihadists in said countries.

ISRAEL STATIONS NUCLEAR SUB OFF IRAN

From The Sunday Times
May 30, 2010

Israel stations nuclear missile subs off Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi in Tel Aviv

Three German-built Israeli submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles are to be deployed in the Gulf near the Iranian coastline. The first has been sent in response to Israeli fears that ballistic missiles developed by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political and military organization in Lebanon, could hit sites in Israel, including air bases and missile launchers.

The submarines of Flotilla 7 — Dolphin, Tekuma and Leviathan — have visited the Gulf before. But the decision has now been taken to ensure a permanent presence of at least one of the vessels.

The flotilla’s commander, identified only as “Colonel O”, told an Israeli newspaper: “We are an underwater assault force. We’re operating deep and far, very far, from our borders.” Each of the submarines has a crew of 35 to 50, commanded by a colonel capable of launching a nuclear cruise missile.

The vessels can remain at sea for about 50 days and stay submerged up to 1,150ft below the surface for at least a week. Some of the cruise missiles are equipped with the most advanced nuclear warheads in the Israeli arsenal.

The deployment is designed to act as a deterrent, gather intelligence and potentially to land Mossad agents. “We’re a solid base for collecting sensitive information, as we can stay for a long time in one place,” said a flotilla officer.

The submarines could be used if Iran continues its program to produce a nuclear bomb. “The 1,500km range of the submarines’ cruise missiles can reach any target in Iran,” said a navy officer.

Apparently responding to the Israeli activity, an Iranian admiral said: “Anyone who wishes to do an evil act in the Persian Gulf will receive a forceful response from us.”
Israel’s urgent need to deter the Iran-Syria-Hezbollah alliance was demonstrated last month. Ehud Barak, the defense minister, was said to have shown President Barack Obama classified satellite images of a convoy of ballistic missiles leaving Syria on the way to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, will emphasize the danger to Obama in Washington this week.
Tel Aviv, Israel’s business and defense centre, remains the most threatened city in the world, said one expert. “There are more missiles per square foot targeting Tel Aviv than any other city,” he said.