Will Al-quaeda Strike France Next?

[Membrane]

This has nothing to do with Bush this time.

This has nothing to do with the plight of the Palestinians this time.

This time, it's all because the French don't want little Muslim school girls to wear their headscarves to school...

From CNN:

Muslim group threatens France

Group plans to inflict 'terror into the heart of the French people'

Wednesday, March 17, 2004 Posted: 12:50 AM EST (0550 GMT)

PARIS, France (CNN) -- French police have opened an investigation after a Paris newspaper received a letter from a Muslim group threatening spectacular attacks that would make "blood run to (its) borders."

The letter, from a previously unknown group calling itself the "Servants of Allah the Mighty and the Wise," said it planned to take action after Muslim girls were banned from wearing headscarves in schools.

The bill was passed last month by the National Assembly.

"You have let loose on yourself a river of hate and ignorance, not only toward Muslims but toward Islam itself," the letter, addressed to Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said.

"We will plunge France into terror and remorse, and we will make blood run to your borders."

Describing France as a country of "wine, pigs, loose morals and nudity," the group said it planned to use attack techniques imported from Gaza and Chechnya that "have never been used in the West until now."

The letter, postmarked from Paris and sent to the chief editor of "Le Parisien," urged Muslims to stay out of crowded areas.

"Europe is a new war zone for the Jihad," it says. "Know that our fight has only just begun."

'Not be secure'

The French Justice Department is working with the anti-terror criminal brigade, while authorities are still trying to confirm the letter's authenticity.

The paper had planned not to run the letter, but did so after authorities urged them to publish it.

In it, the group mentions the September 11 terror attacks against the United States and the recent train bombings in Spain that killed 201 people.

The group claims its members are in France, "ready to give their lives" and inflict "terror into the heart of the French people."

"France will not be secure in its own country nor at its interests abroad."

The group said it was waiting for three signs before moving forward: the headscarf vote; a "clear and explicit" signal from Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's second in command; and a third signal it cannot reveal.

Last month, al-Zawahiri released an audiotape in which he criticized France for banning headscarves in schools, saying it is: "Another proof of the crusaders' hatred toward Muslims."

"When you are France, the land of freedom, you are free to get naked but you are not free to be decent and cover yourself up," he said.

The letter urges the National Assembly to reverse the headscarf bill or face the consequences.

"This law is like a declaration of war directed at the Muslim world. If you don't retract that law immediately, we will respond strongly and severely with amazing intensity in your country."

The letter was signed with the name "Commando Movsar Barayev," on behalf of the group.

Movsar Barayev is the name of the Chechen rebel and alleged leader of a deadly hostage-taking raid on a theater in Moscow in October 2002.

The raid ended when Russian special forces piped gas into the theater, and a shootout ensued. A total of 129 people -- most of them hostages -- were killed. Barayev was among those who died in the siege.

Before news of the letter was released, French President Jacques Chirac said France was not under direct threat of attack "but, as are all the democracies, it is not safe from terrorist attacks."

"Europe will protect its citizens," he said in Paris during a visit by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

"The international community must stick together to fight terrorism, with all its might and without stopping."

The European Union is set to hold an emergency meeting of interior and justice ministers on Friday before a summit of European leaders on March 25-26, where terrorism is sure to overshadow scheduled talks on economic reforms.

More proof there is no negotiating with the Islamic fundamentalist extremist terrorists.

More proof of the insane irrational demands and bullying tactics of the Islamic fundamentalist extremist terrorists.

More proof they must be stopped.

[Jeepz]

Time will tell if this is a truly valid threat or not. The language and format of the letter is purportedly different from other terrorist letters, so it may be a wind-up, the work of someone or some group opposed to the Islamic presence in France.

That being said, it is just the sort of thing the French government deserves for their intolerant, prideful attempt to strip poor muslim girls of their necessary head coverings. How dare a secular government ignore the rights of a religious group even if that religion doesn't actually require the girls to wear a head scarf.

With the heavy hand of the state removing hijabs, imagine the consternation of the boys indulging in their sport of "tournantes" only to find out that they have indulged themselves in a modest muslim girl instead of a slutty infidel.

One can only imagine their anquish, "How were we to know," said one, "she was wearing a skirt but no head scarf!" Another mutters, "She should have known better than to walk around without her scarf." So the comments go through the group of boys until the last one mentioned, "And she was really cute with great hooters!"

"It is all the fault of the French government!" they cried. "We all are just pawns manipulated by their disregard for our religious and cultural heritage."

The girl from the "tournante" had no comment.

Jeepz

[Note: Please read the above imaginary scenario with a sarcasm tinged filter.]

[the gentleman]

With 10% of the country being Muslim, I think the French government has done the wrong thing - how dare they ban head scarfs/dressings, they also have banned any religious head ware. Religions should not be a target, its like saying you cannot wear a liverpool scarf or a Metallica t shirt, for fear of reprisals - Put the shoe on the other foot - would you bow down to a law that prevented you from expressing your beliefs, customs or support - I wouldnt!

[Jeepz]

The Gentleman~

Oh, I don't know. They are public (government run & paid for) schools. Personally I think they all should take a page from the Catholic's and go for those cute pleated skirts and so forth. State required uniform. Then it is a moot point.

There is a debate about how the muslim community is marginalized in France. This law will only fuel the flames. But the flip side of the coin is the reluctance or resistance by a large portion of the muslim community to assimilation. They want a religious accommodation in a secular society.

I wonder if the French have something on the order of "home schooling"? Or as many in the States do, they set up their own religious based private schools. A number of my co-workers use one or the other instead of public schools.

Jeepz

[taxexile]

They want a religious accommodation in a secular society.

that is what it all boils down to.

if people migrate to secular societies they should be prepared, as guests of that society to fit in and assimilate more.

if they didnt agree with secularism then why move and settle to a secular country in the first place.

muslim countries are notoriously unaccommodating to outsiders, yet muslims that have emigrated do tend to make a lot of demands on their host.

assimmilation is way forward and for those who cannot for whatever reason bring themselves to assimmilate more, then perhaps they are living in the wrong place.

[the gentleman]

IMHO, I think secular societies are everywhere, in every multicultural country, it definately isn't just in religions, its also racial.

Assimilation comes with the next generations, its about respecting and understanding peoples differences - and that takes one generation.. at least.

But, I agree with you about the pleated skirts!

[Guest chingy]

i don't understand these muslim terrorist, what give them the right to hurt other, what give them the right to threaten other, can some one tell me how the muslim religious come to be, what kind of god they worship, to me its look like the worship of satan, the god of death and war.

[britmaveric]

It's Only France! Not like they help the rest of the world anyways.

All winding up aside - faire enuf France can impose what rules they want, after all it is their own country. Reminds me of a amerian news article I read - muslim woman wanted to take drivers license with veil covering her face. She actually sued, naturally she lost, but the point should be taken - Conform to the country you live in rather than seperate yourself!

[Guest chingy]

muslim woman wanted to take drivers license with veil covering her face. She actually sued, naturally she lost

i heard of this before, if you planning to rob a bank by all mean wear your veil covering i can understand, this woman need to get a freaking life, story like this make me sick, she got the nerve to sue too. she need to crawl back in which cave she came from.

[Bozo]

All what you say is true, one way or another: Secular societies, Religious beliefs, public schools, assimilation, Islam, races, terrorism, tolerance...etc.

But to understand events is always easier by looking at the global picture, for which it is necessary to take distance, so to see the influence & manipulations of companies, groups, countries, regions, lobbies, societies, networks...

In this specific case, let's open our eyes a little. What does look odd in this situation ?

1. Why is the French government insisting on having this kind of threatening letter published (with the obvious result of lighting up anti Islamic "fires" all over the French population) ?

2. Why is it being published in such a small local newspaper as "Le Parisien", instead of a National newspaper as "Le Monde" (which would have probably never published it, even with a push from the French government to do so) ?

3. Why is this piece of news publicized Worldwide by CNN, i/o AFP or TV5 (as an obvious tool to fuel USA recent & current actions) ?

4. Why is this letter mentioning Palestine (Gaza) & Russia (Chechnya) (while terrorists actions were until now rather hypotetically linked with Afghanistan & Irak, or Iran & North Korea, and with the obvious result of justifying more massacres in Chechnya & Gaza after a few bombs will have exploded in France) ?

5. Why is this threat taking advantage of the timing of the French "scarf scandal" (in coordination with a global effort to have all Muslims in the World burst against generalized abuses against them from non Muslims) ?

6. Why was this "scarf scandal" allowed, encouraged & publicized in France by the government in the first place (while it is such a small & minor matter - a no-problem -, only started by 1 fanatic father, forcing his daughter to go to public school with scarf, while it has been illegal in France to display Religious signs in public schools since the French revolution of 1789 - while it has been & still is totally legal in French Religious schools) ?

7. Why has France been gradually but regularly increasing its number of police forces for the last 20 years (while there was absolutely no foreseable need at the time) ?

8. Why has France been strongly tighting both its laws & reinforcing its police forces since the last election (under the pretext of rise of Extreme right in France), coincidentally (?) with the same timing as the provocations against Muslims Worldwide, and now ready to face any unrest in France, which might be started by this newspaper article it is encouraging to publicize ?

9. Why has the word "terror" or "terrorist" been deliberately brainwashed through all communication means worldwide by the leader (Emperor) of the currently most powerful Nation in the World (with an obvious effect of inducing fear and make people paranoid) ?

10. Why has the WTC drama been coinciding with the recently prior change of direction of USA assistance to the Palestine/Israel issue, from calming down to blowing fire (which has also been roughly in the same time frame as the assassination of the pro-peace prior Israel leader & Bush "elections") ?

11. Why do the USA say that Osama Ben Laden is an ex CIA agent, while everybody knows that the only way to retire from any secret service in the World is to be dead (and as he has so surprisingly never been found, while it is a public matter in Pakistan that he was still recently there meeting with some USA officials, and as his family has very close ties with the Bush family over Armament interests through the Cargyle company) ?

12. Why is all this coinciding with global provocations against Muslims Worldwide (Yougoslavia, Chechenia, Palestine, Afghanistan, Irak,...), while there are Muslims in every country in the World, this being used by governments as a pretext to justify stronger limitations of individual freedom Worldwide (USA, Europe, Thailand,...) ?

13. Why... why... why...

The list of questions has no end... but please do not misunderstand my point.

Threats are real, bombs are real & terrorist actions are real.

But do a few brain-washed, fanatic & conditionned Muslims (Israeli, Christian, or else...), so blind & very easy to manipulate they can be used by any lobby, group, organization, service or network in the World, represent any piece of population in the World, Muslims or otherwise ?

Or do they only represent the very few ones, who do manipulate them (and probably not Muslims at all !...) ?

Are the actual "terrorists" those we think ?

What is the ultimate goal, beyond this pseudo "terrorist" scarecrow ?

Are we sheeps, crows & superficial people or are we human beings capable of using our minds & our intuitions ?

Let's look beneath the appearances !...

[Membrane]

Geez... what a bozo.

Enough said.

[Georgie-Porgie]

Exactly what I thought Membrane (but you beat me to it)!

[Membrane]

Yeah, amazing isn't it? Rome is burning... and there are those who can only sit and wonder how the fire started.

[adjan jb]

Yeah, amazing isn't it? Rome is burning... and there are those who can only sit and wonder how the fire started.

But then Rome was so decadent and decayed that it had to burn in order to start all over again...

[Georgie-Porgie]

Sounds like what is about to happen to France!

[adjan jb]

Sounds like what is about to happen to France!

We have probably got enough wine to put out the fire.

[the gentleman]

Sounds like what is about to happen to France!

And to the world trade center - below the belt?! - so was yours!