Barack Obama Lockerbie Bomber: US Wanted Abdelbaset Sent to Libya but Not Jailed

We've mused about this. How involved was the White House in Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber's release from the Scottish prison? And was their involvement tied to the campaign donations from BP to Obama? A letter obtained by the UK Sunday Times reports to show that Obama preferred Abdelbaset be sent home to Libya, but not imprisoned there, and a letter from the US Embassy Deputy Head in London, Richard LeBaron has surfaced.

Pan Am 103 - Abdelbaset The Lockerbie Bomber

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been investigating how Abdelbaset was released from the Scottish prison on compassionate grounds, sent home to Libya to die within three months, and is still alive one year later. At the time, it seemed the U.S. did not heartily oppose the release. I remember Obama telling Libya to quash any idea of a big reunion celebration on camera when the bomber arrived home. Of course the cameras rolled and the celebration was big.

Obama received a total of $77,051 leading up to his presidential race in November 2008, millions more went to Democrats. In the summer of 2008, BP was desperately trying to find a way to get their drilling operation off of Libya's coast operating. It appears Libya was holding those leases hostage to obtain Abdelbaset's freedom. By August, whatever deals were cut, the bomber was released and sent home. Rumors were ripe that Libya paid Scottish doctors to issue a terminal cancer diagnosis.

The Australian says the Deputy Head of the US Embassy in London, Richard LeBaron,  rendered the letter to the Scots from Obama one week before Abdelbast's release:

The document, acquired by a well-placed US source, threatens to undermine US President Barack Obama's claim last week that all Americans were "surprised, disappointed and angry" to learn of Megrahi's release.

Scottish ministers viewed the level of US resistance to compassionate release as "half-hearted" and a sign it would be accepted.

The US has tried to keep the letter secret, refusing to give permission to the Scottish authorities to publish it on the grounds it would prevent future "frank and open communications" with other governments.

In the letter, sent on August 12 last year to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and justice officials, Mr LeBaron wrote that the US wanted Megrahi to remain imprisoned in view of the nature of the crime.

The note added: "Nevertheless, if Scottish authorities come to the conclusion that Megrahi must be released from Scottish custody, the US position is that conditional release on compassionate grounds would be a far preferable alternative to prisoner transfer, which we strongly oppose."...

The US administration lobbied the Scottish government more strongly against sending Megrahi home, under a prisoner transfer agreement signed by the British and Libyan governments, in a deal now known to have been linked to a pound stg. 550 million oil contract for BP.

Why would the White House strongly oppose Abdelbaset's imprisonment in Libya? The letter does say that Obama preferred leaving him in prison in Scotland, but if that was not going to happen, preferred the bomber go to his happy home in Libya and not to prison. It doesn't make any sense unless we see the donations going to Obama as conditional.

The Lockerbie bombing, also known as Pan Am 103, killed 190 Americans, 35 of whom were students of Syracuse University, 4 from Colgate University, 4 from Brown University, 2 from Seton Hill University and 2 from State University of New York at Oswego and 1 from Hampshire College. Ten on the flight were residents of Long Island. Justice for the 243 aboard and the 11 dead on the ground was stolen for a BP oil lease, some political donations and a favor to an Islamic nation. Just a few strong words from the Citizen President of the World, Barack Obama, saying Abdelbaset must not be realeased, would have kept him in prison. Obama hates drilling, but he loves campaign money, and he is a great respecter of Islam. What a terrible, terrible story.

Thanks to David Lemon for the heads up on this latest revelation.

Related and Background

Bay of Rigs Scandal Leaking: Dispersants and Where the Money Is.

Did BP Secure Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Release: States Investigate Lockerbie Bomber

Saif al-Islam is Muammar Ghaddaffis Son Megrahi Lockerbie Bomber Release Deal?


US Lockerbie Bribes? US Lockerbie Payments? Lockerbie Witnesses Paid by US?

Saif al-Islam is Muammar Ghaddaffis Son: Megrahi Lockerbie Bomber Release Deal?

Saif al-Islam is the son of Muammar Ghaddafi, the leader of the Libyan people and head of the welcome wagon for convicted Libyan terrorist, known as the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi.

Locker Bomber Release Deal?

Saif al-Islam is praising the Brits for making an energy deal that allowed 57-year old Megrahi to come home to Tripoli. Colonel Gaddafi is praising Queen Elizabeth. The UK is a tad upset. Pan Am flight 103 exploded over the town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988, killing 270 people, including 11 on the ground. Megrahi is reported to have lived in relative luxury for a few of his short 8 years in prison, while housed in the Barlinnie prison in Glasgow:

Megrahi was segregated in a high-security area dubbed "Gaddafi's Cafe", where there was said to be a "sitting room" and kitchen where Halal food was specially prepared.

His wife and children are said to have moved to the "outskirts of Glasgow so they could visit him. Makes one wonder how they got back to Tripoli. We saw Meghrai in his Nike hat and jog suit walk the stairs to board Ghaddafi's personal airplane, but no family was in sight. The Lockerbie victims arrived home in caskets. Saif is the second oldest of Ghaddafi's seven sons. He is fluent in English, German and French. This report says he has a PhD:

"in governance and international relations from the London School of Economics and is also said to be an architect with his own agency in Tripoli, having studied architecture in Vienna.

UK Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is in the spotlight. Sources say he met with Saif al-Islam one week before Megrahi was released. Mendelson says there was only a "fleeting conversation about the prisoner," but Ghaddafi upped the tension:

Mr Gaddafi told Libyan TV his case was raised during talks over oil and gas and reportedly claimed that the issue had been raised repeatedly by Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair.
"In all commercial contracts, for oil and gas with Britain, (Megrahi) was always on the negotiating table," Mr Gaddafi told Libya's Al Mutawassit channel.

The U.S. was very quiet about Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber's release. There were no strong statements from the Oval Office until the deed was done and the celebrations began - the hugs, the hand kissing, the cheering crowds. President Obama was "disturbed." It would be unbearable to find that America cut a deal of any kind. As Jihad Watch points out, this is one more reason for the urgent need for energy independence.

Related and Background:
Bay of Rigs Scandal Leaking: Dispersants are Where the Money Is

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Alive 5 Months Later

Saif al-Islam is Muammar Ghaddaffis Son Megrahi Lockerbie Bomber Release Deal?

US Lockerbie Bribes? US Lockerbie Payments? Lockerbie Witnesses Paid by US?

States to Investigate Lockerbie Bomber Release: Did BP Secure Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Release?

This week the "doctor" who was instrumental in securing the "compassionate" release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi under the guise of prostate cancer, now says the bomber may live another ten years. The states of New York and New Jersey want an investigation, saying new evidence has surfaced showing al-Megrahi was "not as sick as once believed." This amid speculation that BP had more than a little to do with al-Megrahi's release. Confirming the speculation: The UK Times OnLine reported it on August 15, 2009. About forty-five days later, Al-Megrahi was back in Libya.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi arrives in Libya

The short story to whet your memory, Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi was convicted of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 over  Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. Everyone aboard died - 259 total. One hundred and eighty Americans met their deaths in the skies over Lockerbie, including 35 Syracuse University students.

Abruptly, in October 2009 we heard that a physician, Karol Silora, diagnosed Abdelbaset with prostate cancer and said he had only three months to live. The prison released him back to his home in Libya. The U.S. said little about, but Americans were dismayed.

Of course, he didn't die in three months, he didn't die in five months, and now eight months later he still isn't dead, and his diagnosing doctor said it is all very embarrassing that he is still alive...but you know, he might live another ten years.

There were rumors of bribes to gain his release, the doctor paid for a terminal diagnosis. There are many unsubstantiated connections to the U.S. You can read that here, but here is the portion that has to do with BP, perhaps:

Saif Islam [Muammar Ghaddafi's son] is praising the Brits for making an energy deal that allowed 57-year old Megrahi to come home to Tripoli.

Just a side note, when al-Megrahi was in the Scottish prison, he was in a "segregated" area, was believed to have a sitting room, and was served Halal food. His area was known as Gadafi's Cafe.

The Times OnLine - August 15, 2009:

The release of the Lockerbie bomber from prison would liberate Britain’s largest industrial company from a string of problems hampering its $900 million (£546 million) Libyan gas projects, industry sources claimed last night.

BP, the oil giant, signed a deal with Libya in 2007 to explore for gas in the west of the country and offshore. But since then it has faced a string of bureaucratic obstacles, including delays securing official permits and approvals to import equipment through Libyan customs, the sources said....

The close ties between politics and the oil industry in Libya, where 95 per cent of export revenues are from oil and gas, are irrefutable.

BP president Tony Hayward signed the deal with Libya in 2007:

Al-Megrahi’s release also comes amid a highly delicate battle for influence over Tripoli between Russia and the West. It is a struggle tied to billions of dollars worth of oil and arms deals, which could shape Europe’s energy security for years to come

So, if the Times report is correct, then it is possible Britain needed to find a way for BP's problems with Libya to be resolved, and the release of al-Meghrai happened in exchange for their drilling and exploration to move forward.

By the time of the release, Senator Obama, yearning to be President Obama had received $77,051 from BP. He was the "top recipient of BP PAC," - "the largest chunk" of employee's money also went to Obama. The Democrat party received millions from BP.

 Remember when the U.S. said little about al-Megrahi's release, with Obama telling Scotland it was a mistake. He had to know Britain was behind the release. No one believed Scotland would be willing to make the decision, unless Brits were backing it. It was shocking to some of us that there would not be a sharp retort from the U.S.

Obama asked that Libya downplay the bomber's arrival back to his home country so as not to inflame passions back in the states. There was a huge celebration underway as the airplane door opened and al-Megrahi appeared to a roaring crowd. That policy of Muslim outreach is a one-way street.

Perhaps Obama was paid-off with campaign funds, and the promise for future donations. Perhaps making a fuss about freedom for the murderer of 180 Americans wasn't worth losing donations to Obama's stash.

In September 2009, Hillary through the State Department, tried to "disburse $2.5 million in economic aid to Libya. Congress, in one of the few honest moves they have made in the last several years, shut-down that hand-out to Libya.

In one last twist, we've learned that the dispersant being used, Corexit, is a product of NALCO, which is owned by George Soros, Al Gore, Goldman Saches and Warren Buffet - and is connected to the University of Chicago:

NALCO is associated with the University of Chicago Argonne program. The Obamas both worked for the University of Chicago.  UChicago Argonne received $164,000,000 in stimulus funds this past year and just added two new executives to its roster: one from NALCO, the other from the Department of Education.

If you dig a little deeper you will find NALCO is also associated with Warren Buffett, Maurice Strong, Al Gore, Soros, Appollo, Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, Hathaway Berkshire.

Warren Buffet/Hathaway Berkshire increased their holding in NALCO just last November. (Timing is everything). The dispersant chemical is known as Corexit. What it does is hold the oil below the water's surface. It is supposed to break up the spill into smaller pools. 

At this time, I believe Corexit is still the only dispersant allowed to be used in the BP oil spill. Its stock took an 18% jump after it became public that it was the sanctioned dispersant.

Is this a story? The best source is the Times Online article, in print about 45 days before al-Megrahi's release. Now well see if these New York and New Jersey Senators can get the job done and see a "real" investigation through to the end. It appears their star witness will be alive for awhile...maybe for ten years.

Related and Background:
Bay of Rigs Scandal Leaking: Dispersants are Where the Money Is

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Alive 5 Months Later

Saif al-Islam is Muammar Ghaddaffis Son Megrahi Lockerbie Bomber Release Deal?

US Lockerbie Bribes? US Lockerbie Payments? Lockerbie Witnesses Paid by US?

Abdel Basset al Megrahi is Lockerbie Pan Am Flt. 103 Bomber Released?

The man convicted of the Lockerbie bombings, blowing up 259 people on board and 11 on the ground over Lockerbie, Scotland, may soon be released from prison because he has "terminal" prostate cancer. Abdel Basset al Megrahi is the Lockerbie Pan Am Flt. 103 bomber and he is the only person convicted and behind bars for this act of terrorism. See video below.

Abdel Basset al Megrahi

The former Libyan secret service agent is imprisoned in Scotland. The Scots may release this killer on "compassionate" concerns. The Scottish government says Megrahi's case is under "ongoing review." Thirty-five Syracuse University students were aboard that flight on December 21, 1988, with a total of 180 Americans dying in the fiery crash. Arlington National Cemetery has a memorial ceremony each year, and Syracuse University has an annual remembrance service at exactly 2:03 p.m. each December 21st. Holger expresses my sentiments exactly.

*****

From Holger at Holger Awakens You guessed it, my blood is boiling here. This piece of shit dirt bag, Abdel Basset al Megrahi, convicted of the Lockerbie bombing of the Pan Am flight headed to America that killed 270 people in 1988...who was sentenced to life in prison for the cowardly, hideous terror attack is being released from prison for "compassionate" reasons due to his terminal prostate cancer. Well, I'll tell you what - not only does this mutherfucker deserve to be in prison until he chokes on his last breath, he should have every pain medication withheld from him until that day. Mercy to a piece of shit that killed 270 innocent people? Bullshit! How this bastard didn't get the death penalty is beyond me...oh wait, it's Europe....nevermind. It wouldn't surprise me on iota that this jihadi gets back to his home, calls up some of his buddies and plots the next attack. Once a jihadi, always a jihadi. This is a slap in the face to all family members of the victims of that Pan Am flight - Scotland, what a disgrace to humanity you are today. Here's the slop of a report from Reuters: Lockerbie bomber to be free from Scottish jail: report

LONDON (Reuters) - A former Libyan agent convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing is to be released from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds, Britain's Sky News television reported Wednesday.

Abdel Basset al Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, was sentenced to life in prison for blowing up a Pan Am airliner over the Scottish town of Lockerbie as it flew from London to New York on December 18, 1988, killing all 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground.

End Holger Awakens. The following video was put together by the nephew of one of the Syracuse University victims, Joshua Hunt-Barry who was 10 years old in 2008 when the video first aired. The aunt he never met, Karen Lee Hunt, was one of the Syracuse University students on-board Lockerbie Pan Am Flt. 103. Joshua narrates the video. Lockerbie Pan Am Flt. 103

Bay of Rigs Scandal Leaking: Dispersants are Where the Money Is

Bay of Rigs didn't begin leaking at the time of the oil spill. It goes all the way back to releasing the Lockerbie terrorist who was said to be dying. Could the oil perpetually abiding in our beautiful Gulf of Mexico be lingering because dispersants are where the money is, even though they seem not to be working? Wait till you hear who owns the company making the chemicals being dumped into our waters.

Oil in Plaquemines, LA Marshlands

Here's the story on a fast  track. Pan Am 103 exploded over Lockerbie Scotland on December 21, 1988. Everyone aboard died - all 270, 180 Americans. Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was convicted of planting the bomb and sentenced to life in prison.

BP and its employees donate $77,051.00 to the Obama campaign, and a couple of million to Democrats.

The bomber spent about 20 years of a life sentence in a Scottish prison.  After a controversial terminal prostate cancer diagnosis, he was sent back to Libya. Physicians said he had only three months to live.

That was August 20th 2009. He's still alive today. Many rumors about the real story, including the part the U.S. played.

August 15, 2009:

The release of the Lockerbie bomber from prison would liberate Britain’s largest industrial company from a string of problems hampering its $900 million (£546 million) Libyan gas projects, industry sources claimed last night.

BP, the oil giant, signed a deal with Libya in 2007 to explore for gas in the west of the country and offshore. But since then it has faced a string of bureaucratic obstacles, including delays securing official permits and approvals to import equipment through Libyan customs, the sources said.

Obama didn't make much noise about Scotland releasing the bomber. He asked Libya not to have a big celebration on camera. They did it anyway.

September 2009:

The State Department notified lawmakers earlier this month of its intent to disburse $2.5 million in economic aid to Libya, including $400,000 for Qaddafi’s foundations. Of the $400,000  half will go to a foundation run by the leader’s son, Saif, and the other half to one run by his daughter, Aisha.

Republicans shut-down the $2.5 million Obama-Hillary Libyan scam.

In September 2009 the economic crisis still rages, "while government deficits are artificially showing quarterly GDP growth or stability after the free fall in Q1 of 2009, consumer spending is contracting due to massive unemployment and stagnation or reduction in real wages." The economic crisis still rages. And Hillary and Obama want to give Libya millions.

March 2010: BP CEO Tony Hayward sold 223,288 shares of his BP stock - approximately one-third of his holding. That timely sale saved him about $619,000 when BP stock plunged after the spill. Lucky guy. Reportedly he paid off the mortgage on his "mansion."

Fast forward to the BP Gulf oil spill, April 2010.

The Post and Mail Rig-Gate - Bay of Rigs - Industry giants own the dispersants, including Al Gore, George Soros, Goldman Sachs and Warren Buffet - and is connected to the University of Chicago:

The real money is in the use of dispersements. There is a company called purchased NALCO. 

NALCO is based in Chicago with subsidiaries in Brazil, Russia, India, China and Indonesia.

NALCO is associated with the University of Chicago Argonne program. The Obamas both worked for the University of Chicago.  UChicago Argonne received $164,000,000 in stimulus funds this past year and just added two new executives to its roster: one from NALCO, the other from the Department of Education.

If you dig a little deeper you will find NALCO is also associated with Warren Buffett, Maurice Strong, Al Gore, Soros, Appollo, Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, Hathaway Berkshire.

Warren Buffet/Hathaway Berkshire increased their holding in NALCO just last November. (Timing is everything). The dispersant chemical is known as Corexit. What it does is hold the oil below the water's surface. It is supposed to break up the spill into smaller pools. 

It is toxic and banned in Europe. NALCO says they are using older and newer versions of Corexit in the Gulf. (Why would you need a newer version, if the old one was fine?)

There are big money and even bigger players in this scam. While they are letting the oil blow wide open into the Gulf, the stakes and profit rise. 

The dolphins, whales, manatees, sea turtles and fish suffocate and die. The coastal regions, salt marshes, tourist attractions and the shore front properties are being destroyed, possibly permanently. The air quality is diminished. The Gulf of Mexico fishing industry is decimated.

The stock of Corexit 9500 took an 18 percent jump after its use became public. Rodney F. Chase, former Deputy Group Chief Executive of BP is on the NALCO board of directors.

The moratorium on drilling was put in place. Our deep water rigs will move out of the Gulf. We can't stop it. We might not have the rigs back for years according to Obama's own panel of experts, who recommended we do not stop drilling.

Earlier this month, PowerLine talked about Obama's visit to Grand Isle, Louisiana:

The AP story...includes this vignette:

On Obama's trip to the Grand Isle on the Louisiana coast, his motorcade passed a building adorned with his portrait reminiscent of posters of him during his presidential campaign. Instead of "hope" or "change," the words "what now?" were on his forehead.

...the AP didn't mention the Jindal for President sign 

This administration makes Watergate look like your kids birthday party. Follow the money to Obama's Bay of Rigs. (Sojourner, a reader at Maggie's Notebook left a tip in comments about this story - as I've said before, I love my readers.) Check out this blog talking about the fines BP will be hit with through the Clean Water Act, and why dispersants have been so handy for them. If the oil is "dispersed" it can't be counted.

Photo credit Ted Jackson/The Times-Picayune

Related and Background:

Did BP Secure Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Release: States Investigate Lockerbie Bomber

Saif al-Islam is Muammar Ghaddaffis Son Megrahi Lockerbie Bomber Release Deal?


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Uncoverage - Thank You!
Crusader Rabbit - Thank You!
Project Camelot Productions - Thank You to Kerry Cassidy's Blog

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Alive 5 Months Later

The convicted Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi is still alive three months after his release from a Scottish prison after cancer specialist Karol Sikora said he had only three months to live. See a video below of Lockerbie, actual footage immediately after the crash, and hear some of the resident who escaped death on the night of December 21st, 1988. Update 1-6-09: Still alive and counting 5 months later.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi

Scandal has erupted all around this "compassionate release." Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was charged and convicted of killing 270 people on December 21, 1988, including 35 Syracuse University students, when Pam Am Flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

Amid outcries from the families of victims, Scotland released him to Libya on August 20th. Three months later, Senator Chuck Schumer is calling for Megrahi's return to the Scottish prison.

Speculations that Britain agreed to the release to further improve failing business relations with Libya, amounting to billions of pounds, has been denied, but numerous reports and even, correspondence, seems to verify that Scotland was just taking orders from Britain.

The British embassy and its consulates in the US received hundreds of letters and phone calls expressing hostility to the release.

Conservatives in the Scottish parliament are pressing MacAskill to publish Megrahi's medical papers as well as the latest updates on his health. Under the terms of the release Megrahi is required to update officials in Scotland every month via a video link on his medical status.

Bill Aitken, the Scottish Tory justice spokesman, said: "Megrahi lost all rights to patient confidentiality when he became Britain's worst mass murderer. Scotland is still sickened by the sight of his hero's return to Tripoli."

Note that there is no confirmation that Megrahi hooked up via video link.

Update 1-6-09: A few thoughts from Hot Air:

The West, however, has a lot of explaining to do — and not just the UK and Scotland.  The exchange of Megrahi for oil contracts shows everything wrong with handling terrorists as common criminals.  Megrahi was only available for the exchange because Scotland treated him as a murderer instead of a terrorist, and refused to put him to death in the accustomed manner for unlawful combatants at war.  Scotland can be forgiven that decision, given the inexperience we all had at the time of his capture.  The US has much less excuse for doing the same think with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and the dozens of Yemenis that Obama seems keen on sending back to Yemen for even less than the UK got from Libya for Megrahi.

The video below is incredible footage of the town of Lockerbie and the houses now decimated by debris and fire. Lockerbie residents talk about this unbelievable event - one talks of the 44 bodies scattered in her backyard with more on her roof. This horrific act of terrorism brought only one man to prison. Al-Megrahi received a life sentence, only to be released 21 years later.



Lockerbie Bombing - Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi (video) 

Others talking about Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi:
By Sarah Lyall - a very personal account of the days after Pan Am 103 went down.

Related and Background:
Bay of Rigs Scandal Leaking: Dispersants are Where the Money Is

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Alive 5 Months Later

Saif al-Islam is Muammar Ghaddaffis Son Megrahi Lockerbie Bomber Release Deal?

US Lockerbie Bribes? US Lockerbie Payments? Lockerbie Witnesses Paid by US?

John Brennan Exposed - Again and Again! Brennan Denigrates "Opportunity" of West

John Brennan, Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security and Counterrorism is caught once again shilling for the enemy and making al-Qaeda and jihad the victim. Not only is he caught and publicly exposed by the Washington Times, Brennan is furious about it - so furious that he challenges the Washington Times saying some terrorists have the opportunity to become "Westerners." Brennan talks about the arrogance of calling the West an "opportunity."  Talk about arrogance, Brennan has sooommmme arrogance and sooommmme loathing of Western liberty in this contentious video below.

John Brennan

This story has a few layers. A June 11th editorial at the Washington Times said a Brennan speech in May 2010 made "Terrorists the real victim?". Brennan said

Mr. Brennan also asserted that "violent extremists" are victims of "political, economic and social forces." This dense statement implies that counterterrorism should focus not on terrorists themselves but the underlying causes that purportedly "victimized" them.... Making terrorists into victims also legitimates their grievances, which is a strange way to fight them....

Mr. Brennan also has been waging his own crusade on jihad. He claims "jihad is a holy struggle, a legitimate tenet of Islam, meaning to purify oneself or one's community, and there is nothing holy or legitimate or Islamic about murdering innocent men, women and children....." But jihad also can mean the violent struggle against non-Muslims for the defense or extension of the Islamic faith, something known as the "lesser jihad," which to the United States is the greater threat... 

Mr. Brennan's view of Islam as a universally benign force may lead him to dismiss some of al Qaeda's justifications for violence, which reveals willful ignorance. He may maintain that he knows more about Islam than our enemies, but they are dying to prove him wrong.

Days after the Underpants Bomber failed to scorch his scrotum, but failed to bring down the airliner, CNN's Gloria Borger interviewed Brennan. Brennan's scrotum was likely scorched a bit as well, as she claimed six government agencies had pertinent information about the almost-bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Brennan received a security briefing from Saudia Arabia specifically to warn him about bombers with bombs sewed into their underwear...and specifically from Yemen.

Brennan argued to put the Underpants Bomber in a civilian court with full protections of an American, rather than military, saying the U.S. can get him to talk by offering him A PLEA DEAL.

One more story about Brennan: In early January 2010, former head of the CIA, Michael Scheuer, accused Brennan of a career mainly consisting of "ass-kissing." I posted the videos here, but, no surprise...they've been removed from history of he Obama administration.

On August 20th, Washington Times writer Kerry Picket declares the White House wrong on terrorism...again. Speaking to reporters in Martha's Vineyard, Brennan talked about the release of Megrahi, the Lockerbie Bomber from a Scottish prison, and said that early release was "wrong." Nevermind that his boss, Barack Obama played an integral part in sending Megrahi home to Libya to live infinitum with his family after killing 190 Americans, many of whom were college students.

Unfortunately for Brennan, David Mastio, the Washington Times deputy editorial page editor was among those reporters. Here is an example of how the media might actually be a force for good in the U.S. Ed Driscoll at PajamasMedia also has the story. See the transcript below the video.

John Brennan Exposed by the Washington Times

Video Transcript:

TWT: The concern that I have is your comments that we misrepresented you in the editorial, and what I understand the concern is about whether you described terrorists as victims. Is that?

BRENNAN: Yes, it was the one reference you made.

TWT: We have a copy of your speech here from whitehouse.gov, which I assume is the correct speech and the way I read this, and I think the plain English reading is : ‘This includes addressing the political, economic and social forces that can make some people fall victim to the cancer of violent extremism.’

BRENNAN: Right...victim to the cancer of violent extremism. Victim to that cancer as opposed to...

TWT: But, you’re not talking about dead bodies here. You’re talking about the people who fall under the sway of the terrorist ideology and...

BRENNAN: Right.

TWT: ...and commit acts of terror.

BRENNAN: Absolutely...as you say fall under the sway of, and what you say in your editorial was that ‘the terrorists are victims of political, economic, and social forces.’ That is not what I said.

TWT: That’s exactly what you said.

BRENNAN:That is not exactly what I said.

TWT: Immediately afterwards, you start talking about how you’re going to address this, and you say that ‘we need to show that legitimate grievances can be resolved, that we need to have good governance, that we need to reduce corruption, we need to renew partnerships and improve education, health, and basic services.

BRENNAN: Right, but don’t you think those are worth while endeavors? And don’t you think that some factors do contribute to the spawning of terrorists and extremist forces?

TWT: You’re saying that the people who are terrorists are victims of these things.

BRENNAN: I didn’t say that. Read what I said literally

TWT: We did read what you said.

BRENNAN: And you still don’t get it...do you?

TWT: No. Particularly since, if my knowledge of history is anything, that the terrorists who strike us over and over again are not people who are victims of these things. They are people who have the opportunity to become westerners. They are people who have the opportunity to...

BRENNAN: Opportunity to become westerners?!?! Boy if that is not an arrogant attitude. Opportunities to become westerners...people who strike us wherever they’re from?

TWT: People who are so oppressed, that they have college educations at western schools. People who are so oppressed that people that they have middle class lifestyles even in that places that they come from that are poor.

BRENNAN: Right. They are ideologically driven by a perverse and distorted version of Islam. Absolutely.

TWT: That has nothing to do with their social situation. Their social situation is just fine.

BRENNAN: So you don’t think that people who become ideologically driven are influenced at all by the political, social, and economic forces of their environment? You’re saying that they do this irrespective of their environment...of those social, political, and economic forces that are out there?

TWT: You’re not accurately describing their environment.

Thanks to Larwyn's Linx

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

New York Subway Bomb Plot: Scotland Yard Najibullah Zazi Mustafa Abu al-Yazid: Brits Stop NY Subway Bomb Plot

In America, we often wonder how our emails and telephone calls are being monitored. We know they are, or they can be under the Patriot Act, and it makes us very uncomfortable, or maybe "furious" is a better word. I don't know how communications monitoring is handled in Britain, but today's news tells us that a New York subway bomb plot was stopped because a monitored, but seemingly abandoned, email address suddenly flared to life, with connections to Osama bin Laden . Scotland Yard intercepted information that led to the arrest of Najibullah Zazi. The Brits stopped an attack on New York's subway system which, if successful, is believed would have been the most lethal attack on America since 9-11.

Najibullah Zazi

Najibullah Zazi is a 24-year-old Aurora, Colorado airport shuttle bus driver. He was born in Afghanistan and is living in the U.S. legally as a permanent resident. He was arrested on September 19, 2009, along with his father, but details about how information was obtained to bring about his arrest are just being released.

The head of al-Qaeda's Afghanistan operation, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, used a "middleman" to contact Zazi. The plot developed from that contact, with Najibullah Zazi planning to use "homemade backpack bombs." Because of the connection to al-Yazid, who is known to be close to Osama bin Laden and at one time head al-Qaeda's finance committee, Zazi is not considered to be a "lone wolf" terrorist. Al-Yazid

Najibullah Zazi is charged with "conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction."

Zazi, from Denver, Colorado, is understood to have been given instructions by a senior member of al Qaeda in Pakistan over the internet.

This report explains:

Najibullah Zazi, 24, is accused of conspiring to use home-made bombs for a large scale terror attack, possibly on a city transit system.

He was arrested after testing bomb-making materials similar to those used in the 7/7 blasts in London [52 died, many severely injured].

Zazi is believed to have received weapons and explosives training at a terror camp in Pakistan.

He was held in Denver, where he lived, a week after returning under FBI surveillance from a trip to New York.

Another part of the story is that the U.S. was really, really upset that Britain did not stop the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi last August. Intelligence in both countries are friendlier now.

This plot, like numerous others stopped due to diligent and intense intelligence, will soon be just a blip on history's radar screen. I don't know what Najibullah Zazi's fate will be. We know it probable that others are plotting to take down the New York subway system this minute, but it won't be Najibullah Zazi. Fortunately, I haven't heard media claims that Zazi is a victim of PTSD (post-traumatic-stress syndrome) and just "snapped." Media elites live and work in New York City, and surely some in those NY newsrooms take the subway. Take down the subways, and even a limo can't get through. Thanks to master sculptor and super news snoop, David Lemon.

Allen Kruse Death A White House Whitewash? Pensacola Beaches Black Water Bubbling Like Acid

The Pensacola Journal has a Gulf spill story from June 26th that has had only a smattering of attention by the mainstream media, from which at least one report was taken down shortly after it went up. We know that Captain Allen Kruse took his life aboard his own boat while working for BP, using his own craft to clean up the spill. What we haven't heard is that BP and their pathetic response to the clean up, their treatment of those working for them, and inane processes to get paid so the family can eat, is perhaps the bigger story. The beautiful beaches of Pensacola are now black with oil. The second video below is a local filming the waters, churning and bubbling as though they contain "acid." When he turns and walks toward the beautiful sugar sand beach, I had to ask, where are the photos of this.

Allen Kruse

The other story is that the White House is nowhere to be found, other than threatening BP just before a round of golf. The press is not allowed in the area now, so what will we not know? Residents are in need of counseling. Churches have added prayer times. And then there are conjectures that Kruse's death was not suicide. The coroner has only said it is "likely" a suicide. Kruse left no note behind.

A charter boat captain for 25 years, Allen Kruse, 55, left behind a wife and three children. I don't know how he thought his death might help his family. But all that aside, Tracy Kruse says he told her he had to "get out of this. I can't take it."

About 7 a.m., after a BP training meeting, he climbed into the wheelhouse of his 46-foot charter boat and ended his worry, his frustration and his anger with a single bullet to the head.

"Nothing was easy working with BP. Everything was hard, and it consumed him. He wasn't crazy," said his wife, Tracy, 41, sitting outside the couple's home in Foley on Thursday.

"He'd been a charter boat captain for 25 years, and all of the sudden he had people barking orders at him who didn't know how to tie up a boat to a pier. I think he thought, 'I've got to get out of this. I can't take it.' "

Mrs. Kruse said the paperwork to file a claim to be paid for his time was overwhelming. One invoice was 52 pages, and once a claim was completed, she says it was difficult to get it to BP. He had lost 30 pounds and wasn't sleeping.

 Pensacola Beach

Photo Credit AP

American Everyman says BP owed Allen Kruse $70,000 [also reported in the Washington Post article below], and this blog appears to have been following this story closely, including watching and reporting on the media-scrub.

The Washington Post quotes a Kruse employee:

 "We're helping cover up the lie. We're burying ourselves. We're helping them cover up the [expletive] that's putting is out of work... "

A spokesman for the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans said angst and domestic violence is rising in the area, including increased drinking. A social worker who "helps fishermen's wives said:

The oil spillis like a cancer or tumor. It is creeping and unpredictable from whether people will have livelihoods or health issues from helping clean it up. You just don't know whether it is benign or malignant.

 Oil is still pouring out, spreading, with an unmanageable toxicity that evokes comparisons to disease.

 Another fishing boat captain, Tom Ard, told the Washington Post everyone looked up to Kruse, who was known as "Rookie," after the name of his boat. He believes Kruse had no hope that any cleanup would work:

His quote to me was, 'Don't try to rationalize it...just sign you name and get on your boat, and don't try to tell anybody how to run the program, and don't try to tell 'em what the local knowledge is....the point was The cleanup is hopeless, and you'll just tire yourself out trying to improve the situation. 

The two men agreed it was like being in prison. Churches in the area are offering daily prayer and Masses

Tracey Kruse said in the minutes when her husband was preparing to shoot himself in the head, she does not believe he was thinking of his family, and she didn't think he was thinking of suicide. A friend of Mr. Kruse's said he passed the Captain as he left the BP Captain's meeting, and Kruse "had a look of horror" on his face.

In the first video below, you'll hear an interview with Allen Kruse, and how the area has survived hurricanes, and tropical storms, yet residents knew they would get past it. Today the future is murky, or worse. Many question if there can be future for these areas where most make their living by tourism and the seafood industry. Take a look at the beach pic above. How often have we seen that? I thought tarballs in Pensacola were the problem. See more of Pensacola beach in the second video. The narrator, apparently a local, ends with "God help us all.





Allen Kruse Suicide over BP's Lack of Action? (video) Pensacola Beach Boiling Like Acid (video)
Related and Background:Press Banned from Action at Oil Spill: First Amendment Suspended
A-Whale in Gulf and Being Tested - Video
Bay of Rigs - The BP Obama Connection to the Lockerbie Bomber