Norway condemns attack on UN building in Nigeria

29 Aug 2011 10:35 Africa/Lagos


Norway condemns attack on UN building in Nigeria

OSLO, August 29, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Norway condemns attack on UN building in Nigeria

“I strongly condemn today's attack on the UN building in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. We were deeply saddened to hear that a Norwegian UN employee is among those who were killed,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

A 30-year-old Norwegian woman was killed in the attack on the UN offices in Abuja today.

“Our thoughts go to the families of all those affected by this tragedy,” said Mr Støre.

“Such acts of violence are completely unacceptable, and Norway condemns all use of terror. Those responsible must be brought to justice,” said Mr Støre.

“It is particularly worrying that the attacks were targeted at the UN, which works to promote peace and development. Our sympathy goes to the UN and the people and authorities of Nigeria,” said the Foreign Minister.


Source: Norway - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
29 Aug 2011
10:35	Norway condemns attack on UN building in Nigeria
10:24	Minister Frattini expresses his condolences over the attack against the United Nations building in Abuja
08:21	German Federal Minister Westerwelle expresses his condolences to the UN Secretary-General following a bomb attack in Nigeria

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Yemen is Burning!

Yemen is burning!
But who will save the innocent women and children?


The Yemeni uprising began when over16,000 protesters took to the steets of Sana'a on January 27 and continued in the following month in Aden in the February 3 "Day of Rage" led by Tawakel Karman. The protesters confronted the police and pro-government supporters. They wanted President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign or be toppled. And the mass defections from the military and government offices have worsened the fate of President Saleh. They rejected his pleas that he would not run for reelection in 2013 and that he would not pass power to his son. Then in the "Friday of Anger" on February 18, there were widespread demonstrations in Taiz, Sana'a and Aden and continued on the "Friday of No Return" on 11 March, 2011 and civil war looms as over 350 people have been killed and President Saleh was wounded in rocket attacks on his presidential compound Friday.


The so called Arab Spring is more of a political revolution of indignation as the masses in the Middle East are fed up with their political rulers who have failed to reform and transform their societies since they have become implicated in the terrorist attacks of al-Qa'ida and other Islamic terrorist groups rubbishing and tarnishing the reputation of Arabs. Islamic terrorism has given Arabs a bad name and majority of them are innocent of these crimes and would prefer to live better, healthier, safer and wealthier lives without the stigma and trauma of Islamic terrorism. That is why they have revolted against their totalitarian leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen with echoes in the rest of the Arab world as the masses unite in their common resolution screaming الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام‎, meaning "The people want to bring down the regime".


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

With An Important Chapter Closed, the Story Of 9/11 Is Not Over

Help Build The Flight 93 National Memorial Honoring The Heroes Of United Flight 93, Visit www.honorflight93.org Or Text “MEMORIAL” To 90999 And Donate $10 Today

Washington, D.C. (May 2, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — In the wake of world events, Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation, charitable partner of the Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign, issued the following statement:

“The death of Osama bin Laden marks an important moment in the history of 9/11, however the story is far from over and our work is not done. As people around the world reflect on recent events, and as the 10th anniversary of September 11th grows near, it is more important than ever that we remember that fateful day, pay homage to the ones we lost, and honor our heroes – including the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93, who sacrificed their own lives so others could live. May their courage, sacrifice and heroism never be forgotten.”

Ten years after the events of September 11th, memorials in New York and at the Pentagon are funded. However, the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA has yet to receive the funds necessary to be complete. An additional $15 million is needed to finish the project. To support the Flight 93 National Memorial, people are invited to visit www.honorflight93.org or text “MEMORIAL” to 90999 from their mobile device to donate $10 immediately.

The Flight 93 National Memorial will be the nation’s permanent memorial to the 40 passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, and all of those lost on September 11, 2001. United Flight 93, originally destined for San Francisco, was hijacked by terrorists in the skies over Ohio. Once they received word of the attacks in New York and Washington, the passengers and crew took decisive action, choosing to fight their terrorist hijackers. Together they fought, and through their heroic actions, sacrificed their own lives, ultimately causing United Flight 93 to crash in a field outside of Shanksville, PA, where no individuals on the ground were harmed. The most popular conclusion, including that of the 9/11 Commission, is that Flight 93 was headed for the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The actions of the 40 heroes on United Flight 93 saved countless lives and our nation’s capital.

The Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign is an ambitious $60 million initiative. To date, $45 million has been committed through public and private sources. The National Park Foundation continues to spearhead the campaign, working to raise the final $15 million to complete the Memorial. The memorial site is currently under construction with plans to dedicate the memorial on September 10, 2011. The Flight 93 National Memorial will be the only national memorial dedicated to the events of 9/11. To view the memorial site live, visit www.honorflight93.org/webcam.
About the Flight 93 National Memorial

On September 24, 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. The memorial is outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew. For more information about the Flight 93 National Memorial, please visit www.nps.gov/flni. For information on how to support the building of the memorial, go to www.honorflight93.org.
About the National Park Foundation

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. Chartered by Congress, we work hand in hand with the National Park Service to strengthen and connect all Americans to our parks, so they are protected for present and future generations. It is a legacy that began more than a century ago, when private citizens took action to first establish, then protect and endow our national parks. Today, the National Park Foundation carries on that tradition as the only national charitable partner for America’s national parks. To learn more visit www.nationalparks.org.

# # #

Media Contact:
Victoria Tagliabue
202-354-6488
vtagliabue@nationalparks.org

President Jonathan, you must rescue the NYSC Members

Some NYSC members on national service for INEC during the 2011 Elections

President Jonathan on the National Youth Service Corps Members: “will do what is right” including Professional Mental Health Counseling

Our world has a long history of election violence but what makes the April 2011 Nigeria election violence distinct is the reported horrifying death of some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

How many of them actually got slaughtered, severely disfigured, vanished in the bushes or yet to be found remain unknown given our fragile intelligence and forensic power but we know that a good number of service corps members died in various riots across the predominantly Muslim northern States.

As young men and women serving in Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps, a mandatory yearlong service, doing their civic work, little did they know that some of them will fall victim to deadly rioting that tailed the presidential election in particular.
As part of their calling they were helping to run polling stations but most of these corps members happened to be of the Christian and Southern stock resulting in their been murdered, set ablaze, raped and maimed.

These victims reportedly fell to the hands of angry Muslim mobs who saw themselves avenging against the Southern Christian President, Goodluck Jonathan the declared winner of the presidential vote of April 16th, 2011.

There is no doubt that the government will financially compensate many victims, and the families of the sacrificial victims or the dead, as well as give official recognition to the victims.

But what is needed now and more than ever is putting in place crisis-based psychotherapy or counseling plans.
As soon as possible, we need professional form of mental health care assessing for brief and longer-term therapy for the possibly traumatized victims, their children and families.

Please note that this is not ‘Oyibo (White people) thing’ or plan as depression and anxiety knows no boundary when it comes to race, ethnic, religion or gender.

We will all agree that many victims of this huge and sudden trauma should not be alone to bear the psychological problems of these torturous and ferocious acts. The ones that are fortunate to be alive, and their families will need practical, insightful and humane way to deal with these traumatic worries.

Immediate crisis-based programs manned by competent psychologists, counselors, and clinicians across various regional human and social services agencies should be set up for the care of victims and their families as well as relatives.

In traumatic matters as it relates to this regional violence, feelings of irritation, apprehension, indecisiveness, hopelessness and other likes are expected and the successful management of these issues are essential.

The victims will gain greatly from counseling along with getting empathy, and a focus on the special needs of these vulnerable citizens will be helpful in the long term. The overall well being of these victims needs monitoring as many of them could be struggling with the effects of culture shock as many were reportedly victims of forced confinement, fire traumatization and explosive suffering.

The front line counselors and clinicians across what could be called or set up as Crisis Drop- in- Centers should be ready for and open to tolerance as they will be seeing persons with responses of all types which could include self-blame, fatigue, uneasiness, acute stress, insecurity, gloom, confusion and loss.

The federal and State governments should be aware that these violent occurrences will cause many non-Muslim northerners living in the north to possibly remain in a state of heightened anxiety both at work, school and in the marketplace. As such, their concerns about more violence should also be followed with various forms of actions like group counseling sessions, inter-community relations counseling, and a short tem neighborhood security or policing in highly sensitive areas of the North.

~ By John Oshodi

John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., DABPS; FACFE; is a Licensed Clinical/Forensic Psychologist; Diplomate of American Board of Psychological Specialties; Fellow of American College of Forensic Examiners (For Psy); Former Interim Associate Dean and an Assistant Professor of Psychology, Broward College - North Campus, Coconut Creek, Florida.

Boko Haram Movement And Its Deadly Impact

Boko Haram Movement And Its Deadly Impact

By Barrister Bunmi V. Osin (Email: igbala1@yahoo.co.uk)
( Tuesday, April 5, 2011 )

"Back to the crux of the matter. Why has the National Assembly members suddenly gone to sleep? Have they not heard of the over 4,000 Darul Islam sect members in Mokwa of Niger State that were dislodged and sent to their respective States?" -Barrister Bunmi V. Osin

The Nigerian nation has had more than its fair share of conflicts. From inter-ethnic, intra-ethnic and religious conflicts to land disputes etc. e.g. Shagamu (Yoruba vs Hausa in July 1999; Aguleri vs Umuleri in Anambra State in April, 2000; the Ikulu vs Baju in Zango Kataf; the ethno-religious fracas in parts of Jos, in Sept. 2001, July 2002, and Nov. 2008; acts of militancy in the Niger Delta and most recently the attacks on innocent Nigerians that started in Bauchi and sporadically spread to other States in the North where the Boko Haram adherents had pitched their tents, etc. The latest incident is one attack too many on the psyche of Nigeria as a nation, I am no prophet of doom, but are all these incidents not pointers to the American prediction of the disintegration of the nation in no distant future?
The very foundation of our existence as a nation was rocked violently by the religious bigots called 'Boko Haram' literally meaning 'western education is sin', who were desirous of ridding the nation of the 'sins of westernization' by a futile attempt, to install a parallel government based on the Islamic principles, as according to Ustaz Yusuf, all those Northern Nigeria Governors clamouring for Sharia were hypocrites as reported in the Sunday Sun Newspaper of August 2, 2009 as they do not believe in Islam and in the process over 800 innocent Nigerians were reported to have been killed and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in these senseless attacks. We commend the security agencies that battled to restore peace and order in the northern parts of the country where this incident took place despite the problems confronting by them, ranging from inadequate funds, and use of archaic weapons, against more sophisticated weaponry flaunted by the Boko Haram bigots.

During the uprisings in Jos and other parts of the State, at different times, the stories were tilted to sound as if it were acts of genocide against the Muslims, which is a far cry from the truth. In Maiduguri, Bauchi, Yobe, Kano, etc. States where the Boko Haram people struck, the reportage was presented leaving out the attacks carried out on Christian's places of worship. For instance, the selective attack on places of Christian worship and the killing of the Pastors and forceful conversion of captured Christians to embrace Islam and join their evil jihad were not reported. The Light Bearer - a newspaper published by the COCIN Church, later presented pictures of burnt places of worship, with charred remains of adherents that met their unfortunate death in the hands of these devils. Why was the media silent on that aspect? Was that a deliberate plan to suppress the truth? Truth, like murder, will always out, as they say. Acts of arson targeted at Christian properties and places of worship have been going on in the country systematically, e.g. in Zaria where 37 Churches were burnt in 1987, and several others cases in Kano, Bauchi, Jos and other places.

Back to the crux of the matter. Why has the National Assembly members suddenly gone to sleep? Have they not heard of the over 4,000 Darul Islam sect members in Mokwa of Niger State that were dislodged and sent to their respective States? If Borno State had taken the bull by the horn and evicted Boko Haram sect members based on Security Reports, would that sect have been able to wreak havoc on the citizenry as they did? For fear of Darul Islam starting a similar attack from the fringes of River Niger, the Chief Servant of Niger State did well by being proactive and directed that the people who inhabited the Mokwa enclave be evicted to wherever they came from. That has since been done, and those that came from Bauchi, Borno, Kano, and even outside the shores of Nigeria, have been deported. A similar thing was belatedly done in Borno State, where the Boko Haram people were pitched and had wreaked havoc on the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The uprisings in Plateau State did not start with Governor Jang. It will be recalled that in September, 2001, there was Muslim vs Christian fracas in Jos, and later in June/July, 2002, there were incidents of uprisings in Barakin Ladi, Shendam, Wase when various indigenous tribes versus the Hausa Fulani settlers, and the November 2008 ethnic/religious crisis over an election conducted in Jos North Local Government Area of the State. For the fact that the crisis erupted before the announcement of the election results is a pointer to the fact that crisis was brewing waiting to be ignited! Governor Jang, in order to nip the brewing crisis in the bud, as would any responsible Chief Security Officer of a State, directed that the Boko Haram(?) people be dislodged from Wase LGA, and taken to their respective States. When that was done, the National Assembly cried foul, that as Nigerians, they were entitled to live in any part of the country and even set up a Committee to investigate the matter! Their eviction caused ripples for those who do not wish peace to be restored in Plateau State as they have sworn that Plateau will know no peace till the indigenous people are subjugated and annihilated. Let us rationally cite the matter of the ASUU strike which has lingered for over three months now, and the Federal Government is reluctant to sign an agreement that would be binding on the State Governments, yet it can set up a Committee to investigate a State crisis - why the double standard? If truly that is the position, the National Assembly should rise from its slumber and set up Committees to Investigate Niger and Borno States for dislodging Darul Islam and Boko Haram members from those States forthwith.

The arrow heads at the National Assembly calling for Governor Jang's head have so far kept mum. Were those people who were relocated to their villages not Nigerians? Why the double standard for God's sake? If a smaller incident takes place in Plateau State, the whole nation, especially those who are in a hurry to actualize the American prediction put their propaganda machinery to use, so much so that they make it sound as if it was a 8th wonder of the world! Or could it be said that their silence is now due to the fact that the Director-General, Department of State Security Service in a session with the Committee on Interior, according to Newspaper reports, informed them that the intelligence reports on the Boko Haram group were forwarded to the authorities concerned but that the powers that be treated it with kid gloves and maintained that he wanted to ridicule Islam because he is a Christian? If action had been taken on the Security reports, the mind bogging questions are: Would Nigeria be faced with such wanton destruction of lives and properties? Is there a superior religion in the country? Why are the Christians playing the second fiddle in the land? Is the Constitution of Nigeria no longer supreme, where it guarantees all citizens the freedom of worship and association?

It is said that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, but we are seeing double standards being exhibited by those that find themselves in the corridors of power by hook or crook. Take for instance, the case of the dislodgement of those miscreants in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, who claimed they were nomads, but the Chairman of the Local Government, who incidentally is a Muslim and also a Fulani man, reported that in view of the crisis that had rocked the State, he was weary of the people, as they came without cows nor sheep as the nomads usually do, but they arrived in truck loads, which made him suspicious of their mission, methinks they could be members of the Boko Haram.

It would be recalled that after the crisis in parts of Jos North LGA, it was alleged that mercenaries were being used for the attacks and as usual, there were denials, even when some were caught right in the township of Jos and the Okene Local Government Chairman in Kogi State quickly claimed they were Vigilante group members of the Local Government. If indeed his claim is true, what brought them to Jos at that point in time when there was crisis in the State, and who gave them permission to carry fire arms? Not only that they were armed, but also had fake Army and Police uniforms. What has scuttled the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, etc. that tax payers money will be used to hire hoodlums that turn back to attack peace loving members of the nation? In a society where the rule of law is being upheld, the Okene Local Government should also joined and prosecuted along with his so-called Vigilante members to serve as a deterrent to those who fan embers of disunity in the country. Those mercenaries were not tried in Plateau State, but taken to the Federal Capital Territory only for the criminals to be freed. Is it that there was no court of competent jurisdiction to try them in Plateau State where they were arrested? The question is: who ordered their release and under what grounds? This gave them the lee way to continue their ungodly activities. One cannot but conclude that there is an evil conspiracy against Plateau State and Christians at large in northern Nigeria.

It is being rumoured that there is an Islamic agenda is being systematically implemented in the country as we recall some years back during the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime; Nigeria was surreptitiously smuggled into the membership of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). If no systematic Islamalization of Nigeria is being discreetly pursued, it should be clear to all reasonable people that what is good for Governor Mu'azu Babaginda is good for Modu Sherif and Governor Jang. If Jang or anyone for that matter falters, his attention should be drawn to it, but where discriminatory policies are meted out on Jang, while his contemporaries who did similar or more heinous things hold sway spells doom for the country. The people are wide awake and are seeing the injustice being done on particularly the Christians in this country and this portends great danger, if not checked, or else we are playing to the gallery to fulfil the prediction of the disintegration of the nation.

Let me conclude by saying that the enemies of Nigeria should not use religion to bring about the disintegration of the country to fruition. If Nigerians unite, no matter their religious beliefs, the country will be the better for it. Our common bond should be the nation, and not ethnic or religious affiliations. The situation as it is now in Jos where Christians occupy a particular section of the city and Muslims on the other side creates room for suspicion among the citizens. Jos is a cosmopolitan city habited by Christians, Moslems, Freethinkers and even the Atheists. With mutual suspicion which has made every kith and kin moving towards one side of the city lends credence to the fact that all is not yet well in Jos Township and it will certainly be a hard nut to crack given our recent experiences in the land for cohabitation to take place. I pray that God gives our leaders a foresight to tackle the situation and Nigerians the tolerance to live peacefully with each other in whatever area of their choice. My strong belief is that religion should serve as a means of uniting the people, no matter the differences in beliefs.

This write-up essentially serves as a call-up to all clergies both Muslims and Christians to rise to their callings by ensuring that sound doctrines are taught to their adherents so that the likes of Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf of Gaidam LGA Borno State, killer Pastor King of Lagos will not rise to teach some fallacies and hoodwink the people ultimately leading to loss of lives and destruction of properties. I could remember Pastor Sunday I. Peters, Pastor Timi Emmanuel who have been displaced for risk of assassination by members of Boko Haram because of their standing for the truth. All Nigerians of goodwill should condemn in the strongest terms, these senseless attacks on the citizenry. These are the lessons of Boko Haram which Nigerians have learnt in the hard way. The freedom of religion enshrined in the Nigerian constitution should not be abused, as none of the Holy books have been rewritten to now contain new and strange teachings of how to get to heaven other than those already known, tested and believed by their adherents. May the souls of those innocent people that were killed in these senseless attacks rest in peace, amen.

Barrister Bunmi V. Osin
Bauchi
Email: igbala1@yahoo.co.uk

President Goodluck Jonathan Does Not Need These Bloody Distractions

What happened to Nigeria on October 1, 2010, is not what I would even wish for my worst enemy. To be given a birthday present of bombs that killed over 11 of your children and left several others injured. The terrorist bombings on the very 50th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria was roundly condemned and denounced by every sensible Nigerian and other people in the world. President Goodluck Jonathan , formers heads of state, prominent leaders, invited leaders of other countries, other important dignitaries and thousands of others at the Eagle Square, venue of the Golden Jubilee celebrations were shocked and embarrassed by the horrifying and terrifying bomb blasts.

I was in Lagos reporting the 50th Independence day parade as I was watching the live broadcast on TV when I received the bad news. TheMovement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claimed responsibility for the terrorist bombings. The foreign news media as usual reported the tragedy before our own local news media and I got the first pictures of the incident from the websites of the Vancouver Sun and other foreign news channels.

What happened was bad and those who did it were bad as they made Nigerians sad.
Nigeria is not Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Lebanon and other parts of the world where terrorist bombings were common. Nigeria is not a terrorist state. We don’t blow up ourselves. No, this not our way. We are better and wiser than that. We do not breed suicide bombers. So, what MEND and those responsible for these horrible bombings have done is against our beliefs, customs and traditions. Dialogue would solve more problems than killing innocent people. MEND will account for the blood of the innocent people who were killed by the bomb blasts on October 1, 2010.

According to the BBC:
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) is a loose web of armed groups in Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region.

These gangs have spent years kidnapping oil workers, attacking oil fields, blowing up pipelines and fighting Nigeria’s army.

Niger Delta politicians originally created the gangs – by arming young men to use as their private armies and to rig elections.

But later, the young men began to turn the guns on the government, and oil companies, organising into a militant movement, under the banner Mend.

Formed out of previous militant groups in 2006 Send regular e-mails to media Split into several factions Most leaders accepted amnesty 1 October attack first in Abuja Based in creeks of Niger Delta Want oil wealth to remain in Delta Preaching non-violence to militants The day Nigeria hit oil ‘Blood oil’ dripping from Nigeria They demand that the Delta receive more benefits from its oil, with a fairer share of the wealth invested in roads, schools, hospitals, clean water and power supply.

~ Caroline Duffield of BBC News, Lagos

President Goodluck Jonathan doubts if MEND would commit such a horrible crime of terrorism. Many reporters said MEND warned that bombs would be exploded in cars and trash bins in Abuja on the 50th Independence Anniversary and the bombs exploded as MEND warned. And MEND did not deny that it was responsible for the terrorist attack. Kidnappers, armed robbers, bloody militants and other lunatic fringe elements are enemies of progress and the sooner we track them down and round them up, the better and safer we would be.

President Goodluck Jonathan is being challenged to preside over the 2011 elections and such acts of terrorism do not augur well for his administration. In fact, he does not need such bloody distractions. He promised President Barack Obama that the 2011 elections will be free and fair and his hands are already full and anyone who believes in the Nigerian Dream of a new dawn of peace, prosperity and unity should support him to keep his promise for the nation building of a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa among the comity of nations.

God save Nigeria.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, author of Barack Obama and the American Dream.

The Christmas Day Terrorist Attack and Our Endless Fears

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima



The Northwest Flight 253 plane.

The shocking news of the botched Christmas Day terrorist attack by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam as it was about to land at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport left millions of Americans and others in the US gasping for breath as they were enjoying their turkey and basking in the joy of the passage of the Health Reform Bill by the Senate.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.

The terrorist attack has raised so much dust on the shortcomings of U.S. intelligence since investigations have shown that the al-Qaeda in Yemen recruited Abdulmutallab months ago. Also, his father Alhaji Umaru Mutallab warned the local security agencies and the US Consulate in Nigeria that his son had been radicalized by Islamists.

The underwear bomb.

Abdumutallab warned his family not to communicate with him again and stopped them from contacting him by changing his telephone numbers. The U.S. Consulate in Nigeria did not really ignore his warnings. In fact, counter-terror officials were alerted in November and intelligence databases revealed that Abdulmutallab was on the watch list of the CIA. And he still got a US visa?

The Nigerian security agencies may have excuses for failing to respond to the security alerts, but what excuses would the US intelligence give for failing to investigate the security alerts and failing to go ahead to find out the whereabouts of Abdulmutallab to monitor his activities in the UK which has become recruiting grounds for agents of the al-Qaeda.

The CIA and Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA)were warned by the Abdulutallab's father.

Investigations have shown that Anwar al-Awlaki, a regional commander of the al-Qaeda in Yemen contacted the Nigerian terrorist who was a student of Engineering at the University College London. Al-Awlaki is a civil engineer.

Presently the security agencies in Nigeria, the Netherlands, Yemen and the US seem confused and embarrassed by their failures, but are still pointing accusing fingers at each other in counter-accusations of how the young terrorist escaped from their radar during the Christmas holidays and nearly detonated a bomb that would have blown up the Delta/Northwest Airline Flight 253 Airbus 330-300 aircraft with 300 onboard and what a catastrophe that would have been on Christmas Day!

The report of the New York Times on the 9/11 Commission has shown the lack of accountability in the management of the important security reports noted after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Millions of Nigerians and Muslims resident in the US are ill at ease, because of their fears of racial and religious profiling at airports and other places as homeland security and other counter terror agencies begin to implement more comprehensive security measures.
"Racial and religious profiling are in fact counterproductive and can lead to a climate of insecurity and fear," the CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper has said in response to the incidents of Middle Eastern' passengers removed from a plane in Phoenix and the removal a Nigerian passenger from a flight after he became ill and spent what others considered too much time in the aircraft's bathroom in Michigan.

President Barack Obama has acknowledged the shortcomings in the US security systems and we hope the leakages would be blocked securely to prevent another dangerous attempt by any terrorist on any US target in the future. We would all be safer if the threats of terrorism could be checked and prevented than wrestling with them aboard our planes or airports.

CAIR: Plane Incidents in Ariz., Mich. Raise Profiling Concerns

28 Dec 2009 01:36 Africa/Lagos

CAIR: Plane Incidents in Ariz., Mich. Raise Profiling Concerns

Passenger removals may be related to Christmas Day attempted bombing

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on airline passengers, crews and security personnel to avoid ethnic and religious "profiling" in the wake of the attempted bombing of a flight arriving in Detroit on Christmas Day.


CAIR made that call following two incidents in which innocent passengers were targeted based either on their national origin or on otherwise ordinary behavior.


In Arizona, two "Middle Eastern" men were removed from a US Airways flight in Phoenix and questioned by the FBI after another passenger overheard the men speaking in a foreign language. The men were questioned and released.


SEE: 'Middle Eastern' Passengers Removed from Plane in Phoenix
http://tinyurl.com/yfh7x5t



In Michigan, police removed a Nigerian passenger from a flight after he became ill and spent what others considered too much time in the aircraft's bathroom.


SEE: Detroit-Bound Airline Passenger Was Ill, Not a Threat
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581232,00.html



"While everyone supports robust airline security measures, racial and religious profiling are in fact counterproductive and can lead to a climate of insecurity and fear," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.


CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.


CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com


Source: Council on American-Islamic Relations

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper,
+1-202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; or CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina
Rubin, +1-202-488-8787, +1-202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com


Web Site: http://www.cair.com/


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The National Press Club Condemns Terrorist Attack on Peshwar Press Club

23 Dec 2009 18:24 Africa/Lagos

The National Press Club Condemns Terrorist Attack on Peshwar Press Club

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A suicide bomber on Tuesday detonated explosives at the gates of the Peshwar Press Club, killing a guard, the Club's accountant and a bystander and wounding at least 20 others. The Club in this northwest Pakistan city had received a series of threats in the month leading up to the suicide attack. The following is a statement by Donna Leinwand, President of the National Press Club:


(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080917/NPCLOGO)


"The targeting of journalists who strive merely to report the truth to the public is unacceptable," National Press Club President Donna Leinwand says. "We grieve along with Pakistani journalists for the lives lost. We know that our colleagues in Pakistan will continue to uphold the best principles of our profession even in the face of threats and violence. We commend them for their commitment to journalism."


Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. Among it's more than 3,500 members are representatives of nearly every major news organization. On the web at www.press.org.


Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080917/NPCLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: National Press Club

CONTACT: Donna Leinwand of the National Press Club, +1-703-899-8779


Web Site: National Press Club