Syria - Al-Qaeda on the Rise

Last Update: July 22



طالبان الباكستانية تمد القاعدة في سوريا بمئات المقاتلين ضد الجيش الحر

Pakistani Taliban are [expanding] al-Qaeda in Syria with hundreds of warriors opposing the Free Army.



وجاء اعلان طالبان باكستان بعد ساعات من انذار الجيش الحر للقاعدة بتسليم قتلة كمال حمامي عضو المجلس العسكري للجيش الحر في اللاذقية

[Only] hours after an announcement by the Free Army [that] al-Qaeda [is considered] having killed Kamal Khamami, member of the military council of the Free Army in Latakia, a declaration from Pakistan's Taliban arrived.

[Source: Azzaman الزمان The Epoch, Pan Arab Newspaper, Baghdad - London - Beirut, on July 14, 2013]


Human Rights Network of Syria: More than 1450 mosques have
been either totally or partly destroyed in different regions of Syria.

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Update for July 16, 2013



بعد قاعدة العراق طالبان باكستان تنجذب إلى سوريا

Headline:
After [leaving their] Iraqi base, Pakistani Taliban are "showing sympathy" for Syria.

Inserted photo: Warriors of the Free Syrian Army being transported in a bus to the region neighbouring Damascus.

يَـتطوّر القتالُ في سوريا إلى صراعٍ ذي تداخلاتٍ إقليمية ودولية متشابكة تـزيدُ من تعقيداته تدخلاتُ تنظيم القاعدة بفرعه العراقي وجماعاتٍ مسلحة من دولٍ أخرى.ـ

The Syrian battle is developing into a complicated regional and international combat [with its multiple] convictions and interventions of al-Qaeda organization's Iraqi branch and armed groups from other countries.

وفي أحدث المؤشرات إلى الزيادة المتنامية لهذه التدخلات إعلانُ حركة طالبان الباكستانية أخيراً أنها أقامت معسكرات ودفعت بمئات المقاتلين إلى سوريا للقتال إلى جانب مقاتلي المعارضة في إطار إستراتيجية تستهدف ترسيخ الصلات مع القيادة المركزية لتنظيم القاعدة.ـ

In the creation of indicators for an increasing [appearance] of such interventions, a declaration from the movement of the Pakistani Taliban to definitely install camps and [deploy] hundreds of warriors in Syria for the common battle of the opposition [can be seen] in a strategic frame that is aiming at a stabilization of connections with the central command for al-Qaeda organization.

[Source: Radio Free Iraq إذاعة العراق الحر on July 16. Please Note ! Radio Free Iraq is affiliated to Radio Free Europe RFE / Radio Liberty RL, a "U.S. friendly" broadcaster. Once targeting Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union from Munich, Western Germany, RFE / RL was relocated to Prague, Czechia, after the Cold War. According to RFE / RL their Iraq service should be an influential pro-democratic station for the people of Iraq with joint facilities in Prague and Baghdad.]

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Update for July 22, 2013




“基地”组织被曝已制成第二代改良版内裤炸弹

Headline:
Al-Qaeda organization exposed to the sun the second and improved generation of "pants for bombing" that is already being manufactured.

The Chinese article is citing the Hongkong paper "Eastern Daily" with an announcement made by John Pistole on behalf of the U.S. Administration of Traffic Safety. Pistole is quoted having said that Al-Qaeda is planning the use of such "pants for bombing" on board of airplanes.
The above sketch is showing the detonators (upper part) and the bomb device (lower part) which should contain 250 g of explosives.

I agree that one might have some second thoughts about the subject of that article. However, such "bombing pants" are only a consequent solution for terrorists who are trying to find the weak points of modern security management, just like the notorious "shoe bomber" Richard Reid tried before.

[Source: Global Network 环球网 on July 22, 2013]

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Chinese - Russian Naval Exercises

Last Update: July 13


China's missile destroyer No. 115 "Shenyang"
preparing for Chinese - Russian naval drills.

Yesterday, July 8, Chinese-Russian naval exercises began in the Russian military base of Vladivostok. After a ceremonial opening of the joint exercises in the naval academy of Russia's Pacific fleet, all participating ships left the Far Eastern port. Here's a rather literary description of the events given by a correspondent of China's Navy Network:

夏季的符拉迪沃斯托克气候多变，昨天还艳阳高照，今天已是雨雾弥漫。下午2时许，中俄双方参演舰艇在浓浓的大雾中陆续离开军港，奔赴演习海区。

Vladivostok in summer brings a changeable climate. While yesterday a bright sun was still shining high in the sky, today rain and mist are already filling the air. At about two o'clock in the afternoon and in the middle of a huge dense fog, Chinese and Russian naval vessels, participating in the exercise, leave the navy port one after the other, heading for the maritime manoeuvre region.

经过数小时的雾中航行，沈阳舰驶入待机锚地。“进锚地战斗警报！” 随着舰长张长龙一声令下，急促的警报声在全舰响起，官兵们迅速跑上战位。“抛锚部署！”一连串的口令下达后，巨大的锚链哗啦啦地抛入大海，沈阳舰准确地在预定锚位下锚。

After navigating a couple of hours through dense fog, the Shenyang sails into its waiting position and anchoring place. "Battle alert in the anchoring place !" Commander Zhang and chief Long are giving order simultaneously. Urgently the alarm tone is sounding all over the warship. Officers and soldiers are hurrying to their fighting positions. "Drop anchor [as planned] !" A chain of commands is transmitted to those in the rear, and a huge anchor chain is noisily tossed into the ocean, putting the Shenyang's anchor precisely into its predetermined position.

[Source: NAVY.81.CN on July 8, 2013]




中俄联演沈阳舰成功“攻击”静音潜艇 苏-24扮导弹

Headline:
In the frame of joint Chinese Russian exercises, the Shenyang successfully "attacked" silent submarines and imitations of [=> Russian made] Su-24 guided missiles.



Shenyang - missile control center.


Russian K-27 helicopter landing
on Chinese destroyer Shenyang.

参演的中俄双方18艘水面舰艇、1艘潜艇、8架飞机以及2个特战分队进行了联合防空、海上补给、通过潜艇威胁区、联合护航、联合解救被劫持船舶、打击海上目标等6大科目的演练。

Participating in the joint Chinese Russian exercises are 18 [water surface] warships, one submarine, eight airplanes as well as two platoons of special troops. They have to care for six main tasks in their drill: Joint air defence, maritime supply, the passing of regions endangered by submarines, [the formation] of joint escorts, joint rescue operations of hijacked ships, and the attack on maritime targets.

[Source: China's Navy quoted by People's Network on July 9, 2013]

专家：中俄军演可使用公用频率通信 规避美日侦察

Headline:
An Expert says the Chinese Russian military exercise can use public frequencies for communication, such avoiding U.S. and Japanese reconnaissance.

The article is quoting a military expert who spoke in the Central TV broadcast "Today's Interest".

[Source: People's Network on July 9, 2013]




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Map of recent Far Eastern visitors to "blueprint news" and
map of the 2013 Chinese - Russian joint naval exercises:



Port of Vladivostok.

Choice of visitors to "blueprint news" on July 10, 2013, and who could be located by a country tag in their web address:



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On July 3, 2013, People's Network quoted the Chinese
magazine Modern Ships 现代舰船 with its new title:




如何击败美国

How To Defeat America

本期专题要谈一谈中美间未来可能发生的冲突。

In this issue a special topic needs to be discussed:
A possible conflict arising in the future between China and America.

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专家：日建亚洲最大宙斯盾战舰群 对付中俄弹道导弹

Expert says: Japan is building Asia's biggest group of warships using the "Aegis" [combat system] to deal with Chinese and Russian ballistic missiles.




[Source: People's Network on July 10, 2013]


Editor's Note:

The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin. It uses powerful computers and radars to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. Its unique feature is the simultaneous tracking and targeting of a multitude of enemy missiles at the same time by using all resources available including those of allied navy ships.

Initially used by the U. S. Navy, Aegis is now used as well by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (photo), Spanish Navy, Royal Norwegian Navy, and Republic of Korea Navy. Over 100 Aegis-equipped ships have been deployed in five navies worldwide. The Royal Australian Navy has selected the Aegis system for placement on its new Air Warfare Destroyers, and it's part of NATO's European missile defence system.

The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System program is intended to enable the Aegis system to act in a sea-based ballistic missile defense function, to counter short- and medium-range ballistic missiles of the variety typically employed by a number of potential opponent states like North Korea.



Related text on Lockheed Martin's Aegis project
realized in the U.S. Federal State of New Jersey.

Egypt - Scenes of Street Fighting

UPDATE for July 7, 2013: Death toll of bloody riots rising to 36, more than 200 wounded are counted. El-Baradei probably prime minister under interim president Mansour. 中文： 埃及—大规模示威

Here are some snapshots and related news from the Arabic channel of Al-Jazeera TV that are illustrating the most recent developments in Egypt after the military coup d'état against Egypt's president Morsy:


Above: Pro-Morsy demonstration at the University of Cairo

مصدر طبي للجزيرة: 10 قتلى و 318 مصابا في القاهرة و محافظات مصرية أخرى

A medical source for Al-Jazeera [says]:
10 died and 318 were wounded in Cairo and other districts of Egypt.

التلفزيون المصري عن وزارة الصحة: مقتل 17 شخصا اليوم في القاهرة و محافظات أخرى

According to Egypt's television, the ministry of public health announced that 17 persons died during the day in Cairo and other districts.

شهود عيان: مجموعات من البلطجية تتصدى لمتظاهرين مؤيدين لمرسي قرب جامعة القاهرة

Eye witnesses: Groups of [local militants] are opposing demonstrators [in favour of] Morsy near the university of Kairo.



Cairo - Maspero

متحدث عسكري: قوات الجيش تدخلت في ماسبيرو للفصل بين المتظاهرين

A spokesman for the military [says]: Armed forces are entering Maspero [i.e. a Cairo neighbourhood] for a separation of the demonstrators.



Above (left): Treating the wounded in an Alexandria mosque.

صور مباشرة من داخل مسجد سيدي جابر في الأسكندرية الذي تحول لمستشفى ميداني

Direct pictures from the interior of Saidi Jabar Mosque in Alexandria that transformed into an [urban] clinic.



Above: Pro-Morsy demonstration in front of
the Egyptian embassy in Amman / Jordan.

Egypt - Morsy Overthrown

Anti-Morsy demonstrations on Tahrir Square
and in front of the presidential palace.
Pro-Morsy demonstrators gather in Nasr City.

الجيش المصري يعزل الرئيس محمد مرسي

Egypt's Military Deposes President Mohammad Morsy

Cairo is presenting a surreal picture of huge demonstrations pro- and contra-Morsy while representatives of the Egyptian opposition assemble side by side with the military they once critisized in order to express their support of that military coup d`état directed against an elected president.

President Morsy is reported to be held under house arrest. While the constitution has been suspended as well by Egypt's military council, chief justice Adli Mansour has been named as interim president of Egypt until a new round of presidential elections that should follow as soon as possible.



البرادعي: انتخابات رئاسية مبكرة
من خلال توافق على دستور ديمقراطي

El-Baradei:
[There will be] premature presidential elections, based
on correspondence with a democratic constitution.



مراسل الجزيرة:ـ
انقطاع بث قناة مصر 25 الناطقة باسم جماعة الإخوان المسلمين

Al-Jazeera's reporter:
Channel Egypt 25, speaking for the community of the Muslim Brotherhood, has stopped its emission.

[Source: Al-Jazeera, Arabic and English channel, on July 3, 2013]

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الرئيس المصري يدعو على "فيسبوك" إلى تشكيل حكومة ائتلافية

The Egyptian president is demanding on Facebook the formation of a coalition government.

The Al-Arabiya article above confirms that Morsy is not allowed to travel and has to refrain from any rethoric as well as public appearance. The inserted picture is showing the demonstration on Tahrir Square in Cairo.

[Source: Al-Arabiya on July 3, 2013]

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Today's visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Cairo:

Libya - A Country in Chaos

The following quotation from a TIME magazine article is dealing with the alleged inability of Libyan officials to deal appropriately with the case of Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam. This is considered as a sign of increasing chaos in Libya. Latest rumours on Libyan weapons from a former Gaddafi arsenal being transferred to Syrian conflict zones might support such estimation.

Libya’s Disaster of Justice: The Case of Saif
al-Islam Gaddafi Reveals a Country in Chaos

" When NATO launched its bombing campaign in 2011 against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya, the Western and Arab leaders who pushed for military intervention vowed to bring to justice the men who had conducted wartime atrocities against civilians—the main motivation for the military intervention in the first place. Yet two years on, as the legal battle over how to try the worst offenders of the Gaddafi regime drags on, some fear that the effort might have damaged the reputation of the International Criminal Court (ICC), potentially impacting its ability to pursue cases elsewhere. .....

..... For months, prosecutors at the ICC in The Hague have fought a bitter battle to have Libyan officials transfer two high-profile defendants to the Hague, where they are wanted on war crimes: Gaddafi’s once hugely powerful son Saif al-Islam, and Gaddafi’s former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi. The ICC indicted both men (as well as the slain Gaddafi) back in May 2011, at the height of NATO’s bombing campaign, on charges that they ordered security forces to shoot unarmed protesters during the first two weeks of the uprising, before the opposition took up arms. ICC jurists argue that since the U.N. Security Council had ordered the ICC investigation in the first place, each U.N. member (Libya included) is duty-bound to abide by the arrest warrant, and ship the two to The Hague for trial. Yet despite that, neither man seems like to appear in the Dutch city any time soon, and if Libya’s new government has its way, they never will. ..... "

[Source: TIME magazine on June 28, 2013. For more information refer to the original article by Vivienne Walt.]

By the way, former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi seems to become some kind of standard for political wickedness. The following evaluation was published the day before on June 28 by The Original Constitution الدستور الأصلي which belongs to the opposition against Egypt's president Mohammad Morsi. It describes the Egyptian president as "القذافي في نسخته المصري" "The Egyptian Copy of Gaddafi".



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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the Ugandan capital of Kampala. He could be located in the neighbourhood of "Gadaffi Mosque", named in honour of former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi.


The "Moammar Gadaffi Mosque" is dominating the old part of Kampala city, capital of Uganda. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya built the mosque as a gift to Uganda, and for the benefit of the Muslim population. The completed mosque was opened officially in June 2007 and houses the head offices of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council that represents some 12% of Uganda's total population.


"... To get to the mosque, you can drive down Gaddafi Road. Throughout the Ugandan capital, there are army barracks and auto repair shops named after the former dictator. ..."
[Source: How Gaddafi is Remembered in Uganda]

Pictures of the Week - Obama in Berlin

Despite problems at home and abroad, U.S. President Obama once again proved his ability to attract a numerous German "fan club" when he came to Berlin on June 18/19, 2013.


Obama planning nuclear disarmament.


Obama behind bullet-proof glass.


No drone attacks guided from Germany.
[B. Obama and German President Gauck]


Obama leaving Berlin.

50 Years Ago ...
U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Berlin:

I vividly remember JFK's visit to West-Berlin in 1963. Crowds of cheering people along his route made it rather impossible to catch a glimpse of that charismatic president. However, we succeeded in getting close to Kennedy when we rode on a motorbike through the deserted Tiergarten park area which is near Brandenburg Gate, an official visiting point for every U.S. president who came to Berlin. There we could see JFK from a three meter distance in his nightblue Lincoln limousine. Weeks before, one of our teachers, some effusive pro-American lady, had already convinced us to install a portrait of Kennedy together with a U.S. flag in one corner of our classroom, - such was enthusiasm at that time. Even though times have changed since as well as some political beliefs, I am still convinced having experienced a historic moment on that day. - Ulysses -


"I regret these Germans are not American voters".


"Whenever you are depressed, then travel to Germany".
- Kennedy's advice to his successor -

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China - Pollution of the Environment before Court

... news to come ... Tomorrow at 2:00 pm GMT (3:00 pm local time) U.S. President Obama will make a keynote speech during his visit to Berlin almost 50 years after John F. Kennedy declared: 'Ich bin ein Berliner.' He is expected to speak in front of Brandenburg Gate which has been the background of many dramatic events in German history. Most probably that speech will be covered by CNN and German TV stations. For further information, please, refer to an article published today by The Guardian, London: Barack Obama follows in footsteps of JFK with speech in Berlin.

Press Conference of the People's Supreme Court of Justice

Today, June 6, People's Network, Beijing, published an article on brandnew standards in the treatment of criminal pollution of the environment in court. A high official belonging to the People's Supreme Court of Justice spoke about that subject on a press conference:

两高司法解释：降低定罪量刑门槛从严打击环境污染犯罪

[Main Headline] Both administrations of justice explain:
A reduction of the threshold for penalty measurement
[in case of] conviction [could] deliver a severe blow to
criminal pollution of the environment.

最高人民法院研究室主任胡云腾在回答记者提问时候说：

Chairman Hu YunTang from the chamber of research at the People's Supreme Court of Justice said while answering the questions of journalists :

…鉴于当前环境形势、污染的情况非常严重，在某些地区可以说是非常严峻，所以在司法解释中着重考虑了从严打击。

... In view of the current state of environment and a most serious situation of pollution, what might be called unusually grim in some regions, an interpretation by the administration of justice is emphasizing to consider [the application of] a severe blow.

首先，降低了污染环境罪的定罪量刑门槛，比如过去污染环境造成一人以上死亡的才能定罪，现在一人以上重伤就可以了；过去造成三人以上死亡的，才能加重处罚，现在只要造成一人以上死亡的，就可以加重处罚。

Firstly, a reduction of the threshold for penalty measurement [in case] of conviction of crime concerning pollution of the environment. For example, in the past, a pollution of the environment causing the death of more than one person [led to charges in case of conviction]. Today, [same thing] can happen, if more than one person is seriously wounded. When, in the past, more than three persons died, this [had the quality] of increasing the punishment, while, today, only the death of more than one person is needed for a possible increase of punishment.

第二，从结果犯变成行为犯，过去认定环境污染犯罪的每一项标准都有个结果，现在不少标准规定只要有相应的行为，就可以定罪了。

Secondly, when a [sentenced] criminal turns into a [habitual] criminal, each pollution of the environment was considered as a standard case in the past. Today, while many standards are being fixed, it only needs a relevant conduct to [serve as] conviction.

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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Taiwan:

German Court Tries Serial Murder Accomplice

Now tried by a criminal court in Munich, Germany: A female gang member charged for support of a serial murder that victimized innocent small-scale businessmen with a migration background while state authorities didn't notice the common background of these politically motivated murders for a long time.
The nationalist "Nazi" gang's two assassins, however, cannot be tried at the same time. They shot themselves when German security forces had tracked them down.
The extent of that serial murder, comprising the assassination of at least nine victims, eight Turqish and one Greek immigrant, between 2000 and 2006, as well as incredible shortcomings in the proceedings of German police and state security, have caused a broad public interest in Germany.

巴尔干国家的杀人式样

The Balkan-like Style of a Serial Murder


杀人犯派的纳粹分子
不是全部《德国族人》
她父亲是罗马尼亚人

Nazi murder gang member
being not entirely "German"
as her father is a Romanian.

女纳粹分子Beate Zschäpe在社会上没有根基但是不是隔离的人，她的《家族》是反社会的邻居们，他们多半失业者没有职业才干，靠社会福利过活，对《外国人》有不合理的憎恨他们叫《爱国心》，他们也憎恨国家的学者和国家机关工作人员。

Female Nazi member Beate Zschäpe was not rooted in society. However, she was not isolated but embedded in an anti-social neighbourhood which became her "family".
These people are mostly unemployed without any professional skills and depend on social welfare. Towards "foreigners" they express some kind of unreasonable hatred as well as they detest learned people among their compatriots and all kinds of state officials.

纳粹姑娘又好与人争吵的又傲慢的，通常是被她们的父亲溺爱的。

Aggressive and arrogant Nazi girls are usually spoilt by their fathers.

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