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Winning The Minds: Travels through the terrorist recruiting grounds of Yemen, Pakistan, and the Somali border
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“Winning The Minds is a thought-provoking analysis rooted in impressive on-the-ground research. A valuable read.”
- Graham Allison, Founding Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School and Director of the Belfer Center at Harvard University
The Yemeni intelligence officer was yelling at me now, his moustache bristling with rage as he showered me with flecks of spit. “Enta muhim ma’a il jehuddi? Enta muhim?!” I tried to translate his words in my head, the fear paralyzing my brain as I begged for a translator. This only seemed to infuriate him even more, as up until this point we had been speaking in Arabic. Muhim… Important. Jehuddi… Jewish. He was asking me if I was important with the Jews. He thought I was Jewish. Another spate of insults and spit followed, and all I caught was Yisrael. He was implying I was a spy for Israel. I gasped as the significance of this accusation hit me. The Yemeni intelligence officers thought they had caught an Israeli spy. If I couldn’t convince him otherwise, I would soon find myself handcuffed naked to a chair while they tortured me for information I didn’t have.
How had I ended up here? Less than a year ago I was sitting on the 46th floor of a building in midtown Manhattan, part of the indistinguishable group of young college grads working in finance, and now I was seconds away from disappearing into a Yemeni prison. What turn of events, what decisions, had led me to this moment?
Having left his job as a hedge fund analyst in New York’s financial district to study counter-terrorism at Harvard, Francisco Martin-Rayo’s newly chosen path led to a conversation with a top intelligence official. From that single conversation his life would change in ways he could never imagine—and he would learn a simple truth that might change the world as we know it.
Inspired to study terrorist recruitment, Martin-Rayo embarks on a whirlwind journey to the three most fertile refugee camps in the world for terrorist recruiters: Dadaab, Kenya, dominated by al-Shabaab, the most recent al-Qaeda franchisee; the camps around Peshawar, Pakistan, where the Taliban actively recruits fighters; and Kharaz in southern Yemen, right in the middle of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s heartland. Describing the countries’ histories and conflicts as he details his own travels, he provides a fundamental understanding of the regions, cultures, and people he comes into contact with. Along the way his experiences prove to be hilarious, heartbreaking, and gripping, including: his detention by the Yemeni Intelligence Service after being confused for an Israeli spy; meetings with Pakistani intelligence officials who talk about the beginnings of the Taliban movement and how they funded it; drunken nights with Kenyan government officials who admit to recruiting Somali refugee children to fight against al-Qaeda; and a stroll through a desecrated ancient Jewish cemetery in the middle of al-Qaeda territory. Most interesting, however, are the conversations that the author has with refugee children and terrorist recruits. He comes to realize that US policy is deeply flawed and that there is a key difference between those individuals who join terrorist organizations and those who don’t.
Part travelogue, part analysis of American counterterrorism policies in the region, Martin-Rayo’s groundbreaking treatise is an eye-opening look into the heart of terrorist recruitment. A gripping story reminiscent of Greg Mortenson’s bestseller Three Cups of Tea, Winning the Minds: Travels Through the Terrorist Recruiting Grounds of Yemen, Pakistan, and the Somali Border is an extraordinary journey that changes the face of counterterrorism policy forever.
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Winning The Minds: Travels through the terrorist recruiting grounds of Yemen, Pakistan, and the Somali border
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"I was on the bus and we had just sat down when after a few seconds we heard a really loud explosion," Gal Malka told Israel’s army radio.
"The whole bus went up in flames," she said, adding that the explosion took place near the front of the bus.
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……..*****All images are copyrighted by their respective authors ……..
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Then on August 18, 2011, the terror escalated. Over a dozen terrorists, originally from Gaza, some wearing Egyptian army uniforms, walked past an Egyptian police checkpoint, entered Israel from Egypt and started murdering Israelis. (It seems their goal was to kidnap, echoing the 2006 kidnapping of 18-year-old Israeli Gilad Shalit, who is still in captivity.)
Seven Israelis died in the attack.
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…..item 1)…. aish.com … Standing with Israel Today … How to help Israel at such a dark time.
August 21, 2011 / 21 Av 5771
by Yvette Alt Miller
www.aish.com/jw/id/Standing_with_Israel_Today.html
We’ve been down this road before. For every exciting world event, there is always a uniquely “Jewish” impact.
The euphoria of the “Arab Spring” of 2011 is no exception. While the world watched and cheered as people rose up against dictators in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria and other countries, newly-emboldened activists started cutting Egypt’s gas lines to Israel, cutting off energy supplies to the Jewish state.
Then on August 18, 2011, the terror escalated. Over a dozen terrorists, originally from Gaza, some wearing Egyptian army uniforms, walked past an Egyptian police checkpoint, entered Israel from Egypt and started murdering Israelis. (It seems their goal was to kidnap, echoing the 2006 kidnapping of 18-year-old Israeli Gilad Shalit, who is still in captivity.) Seven Israelis died in the attack.
Egypt and Gaza have exploded in anger at Israel. The proximate causes are the actions that Israel has taken to defend its citizens. (In the ensuing fight on the Egyptian border, three Egyptian police officers were killed, and in Israel’s subsequent bombing of terrorist sites in Gaza, according to Hamas, 10 terrorists and two innocent bystanders died.)
But the outpouring of fury speaks to a deeper, long-seated hatred of the Jewish state. (Egypt is, after all, the country where the smash hit “I Hate Israel” by Egyptian crooner Shaaban Abdel Rahim has been a favorite song for the past decade.) In Egypt, people have flocked to the center of Cairo to burn Israeli flags and shout for “death to Israel.” The Cabinet Committee that governs Egypt right now announced its intent to withdraw Egypt’s ambassador from Israel. And Egyptian presidential candidates are vying to outdo each other in condemning the Jewish state.
Meanwhile, Hamas has unleashed a barrage of attacks on Israeli cities from Gaza. Over 80 rockets from Gaza landed in Israel in the day after the attack on the Egyptian border. An Israeli toddler, a 9-year-old boy and others were injured when their house in the town of Ofakim was hit. Boys studying at a yeshiva in Ashdod were wounded when their school was hit. And 38-year-old Yossi Shoshan was killed in Be’er Sheva as he raced home to check on his pregnant wife, while that major Israeli city was deluged with rockets.
—– How to Help
This is such a dark time for Israel and its supporters. How shall we stand with Israel now? What can we do?
Here are seven ideas to connect with Israel today, both practically and spiritually. Try to focus on one suggestion each day, for a week of connection with the Jewish state.
1. Perform a mitzvah
There is a strong mystical belief in Judaism that we can elevate our state of national protection by performing Jewish commandments. Resolve to take on one additional mitzvah today. You might want to experiment with keeping kosher, or light Shabbat candles.
2. Study some Torah
Jews traditionally undertake to learn a portion of Torah in order to strengthen our connection. Make a decision today to read one extra Jewish-themed work this week, in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel, and in memory of those who have died in terror attacks.
3. Stay informed
Many news outlets try to compete by reporting news in sensationalist ways, which can make it hard to figure out what is really going on. Keep informed by including some Israeli news sources in your reading. (www.jpost.com, www.haaretz.com, www.israel21c.org) Also, keep an eye out for unbalanced or distorted coverage through sites such as www.honestreporting.com .
4. Find a connection to Israel within yourself
Israel is such a diverse, exciting place, there is a way for everyone to connect. If you are an art aficionado, check out Israeli museums on the internet. For sports, start cheering for an Israeli team. With social networking sites, making connections with people in Israel is as easy as a mouse click, and can lead to rewarding, long-lasting friendships as well as a feeling of kinship with the Jewish state.
5. E-mail your political representative
Get to know the name and e-mail address of the politicians who represent you in your local and national politics. Contact them to tell you how you feel. If Israel is important to them, let them know. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of pending legislation; just let your representative know that you care about the Jewish state.
6. Say a prayer
Jews have always turned to prayer in times of danger. You can recite prayers in your own words, or experiment with more formal prayers. (Many people recite Psalms in difficult times; Psalm 119 is one that many people recite specifically in times of risk.) Alternately, you can write your own prayer and have it placed in the Western Wall, the remnant of our ancient Temple in Jerusalem. It can be exciting to know that your own prayer is in such a sacred place.
7. Give of yourself
Donate your time to a Jewish cause. Contribute your efforts to help the Jewish community. Pledge tzedakah to a Jewish or Israeli charity to help make the world a better place. In Judaism, giving of ourselves to improve our community and our world is one of the most profound ways to connect. Particularly when we are worried about Israel, worried about our fellow Jews, this is a powerful way to introduce some light into the darkness of current events.
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…..item 2)…. BBC News … www.bbc.co.uk/news … 19 July 2012 Last updated at 07:20 ET
Bulgaria blast: ‘Suicide bomber’ killed Israelis
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18897772
The bombing of an Israeli tourist bus in eastern Bulgaria was probably carried out by a male suicide
bomber with fake US documents, officials say.
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news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61679000/jpg/_61679771_616…
Jon Donnison in Jerusalem says uninjured survivors of the attack have been returning to Israel
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At least seven people died and 34 were injured when the bus exploded at Burgas airport, by the Black Sea.
Israel has sent planes to Burgas with doctors and officials to bring back the dead and injured.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Lebanese Hezbollah was the direct perpetrator, under Iran’s auspices.
Five tourists died along with the Bulgarian bus driver and the suspected bomber. Officials had said a sixth Israeli died overnight but this was later corrected.
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Related Stories
…In pictures: Attack aftermath
…Who is behind Israel’s embassy attacks?
…Israel’s fears of a nuclear Iran
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The BBC’s Jon Donnison, in Jerusalem, says the attack could be part of a covert but violent war between Israel and Iran, and there is a view among some analysts that this attack could be a response to a series of recent attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists.
"All the signs lead to Iran," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday. "Israel will respond forcefully to Iranian terror."
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Analysis
Yolande Knell
BBCNews, Jerusalem
…Israeli newspapers show a dramatic photograph of the tourist bus in flames, injured people covered in blood and shocked Israeli holiday-makers. "Terror on vacation" is the headline of Israel Hayom, while Yedioth Ahronoth has "Target: Israelis". A column in the daily Maariv questions whether this is "Iranian Revenge".
…Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to point the finger at Israel’s arch-enemy. He also claimed this was the latest in a series of Iranian attempts to harm Israelis and Jews overseas – in Thailand, India, Georgia, Kenya, Cyprus and other locations.
…Other Israeli officials have made specific links to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia militant group based in Lebanon.
…Iran’s state TV has rejected accusations of Tehran’s involvement. However, this bombing does look set to escalate a shadow war with Israel. The Iranians blame Israel for the killing of several scientists associated with its controversial nuclear programme.
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Mr Barak said the attack resembled several recent attempted attacks on Israeli targets in India, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Kenya and Cyprus.
But he said that he did not think there had been any specific prior information that the attack was imminent.
—–’Distressed crowds’
The Israeli foreign ministry said the bus was carrying tourists from a charter flight that arrived from Israel.
The BBC’s Chris Morris, in Sofia, said a Bulgarian official has told the BBC that CCTV footage from the airport shows a Caucasian male hanging about for some time in the airport terminal building before the explosion took place. The man is seen leaving the terminal shortly before the blast happened just outside.
Investigators are working on the theory that this man is the bomber, the official said.
Israeli officials said passengers from a Tel Aviv-Burgas flight boarded the bus shortly after 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
"I was on the bus and we had just sat down when after a few seconds we heard a really loud explosion," Gal Malka told Israel’s army radio.
"The whole bus went up in flames," she said, adding that the explosion took place near the front of the bus.
Bulgarian journalist Dobromir Dovkacharov, who arrived at the scene about 30 minutes after the blast, said: "I saw three buses completely burnt out – just the metal bars were left.
The Bulgarian government has released CCTV images of a man suspected of carrying out the attack
"There were crowds of people around, very distressed. One man said he saw decapitated heads. Others spoke of body parts flying through the air," Mr Dovkacharov said.
The suicide bomber is said to a man with a Michigan-issued US driver’s licence which reports said may have been fake.
Two of the wounded are in a serious condition and have been flown to the capital Sofia.
Israeli forensic teams who arrived during the night are helping to identify the bodies.
Wednesday’s blast came on the 18th anniversary of a deadly attack on a Jewish community centre in Argentina. Israel blamed Iran for that attack – a claim denied by Tehran.
US President Barack Obama described the bombing as a "barbaric terrorist attack".
Meanwhile, former Israeli national security adviser Uzi Arad confirmed on Thursday, for the first time, that Israel had assassinated Hezbollah chief Imad Mughniyeh in 2008.
Referring to the attack in Burgas, he told Israeli Army Radio: "Now is Iran’s revenge."
Bulgaria is a popular tourist destination for Israelis.
However, in January there were reports that Israel had asked Bulgaria to tighten security for Israeli tourists travelling by bus.
This followed a reported discovery of a suspicious package found on a bus with Israeli tourists travelling from Turkey to Bulgaria.
—–Are you in Bulgaria? Are you in Burgas? Did you witness what happened? Please share your comments and experiences.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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