Friday, December 27, 2013

Terrorist Designation of the al-Mulathamun Battalion

Terrorist Designation of the al-Mulathamun Battalion


Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 18, 2013

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The Department of State has designated the al-Mulathamun Battalion as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. The consequences of the FTO and E.O. 13224 designations include a prohibition against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, the al-Mulathamun Battalion, and the freezing of all property and interests in property of the organization that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the control of U.S. persons. The Department of State took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.
Originally part of al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the al-Mulathamun Battalion became a separate organization in late 2012 after its leader, Mokhtar Belmokhtar, split from AQIM. In Belmokhtar’s first public statement after the split he threatened to fight against Western interests and announced the creation of the sub-battalion, “Those Who Sign in Blood,” reportedly made up of the organization’s best fighters. Soon after, the sub-battalion claimed responsibility for the January 2013 attack against a gas facility near In-Amenas, Algeria. The four-day siege resulted in the death of at least 38 civilians, including three United States citizens. Seven other Americans escaped the attack.
In May 2013, the al-Mulathamun Battalion cooperated with the E.O. 13224-designated Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) in twin suicide bombings in Niger, which killed at least 20 people. In August 2013, the al-Mulathamun Battalion and MUJAO announced that the two organizations would merge under the name “al-Murabitoun.” The newly formed al-Murabitoun extremist group constitutes the greatest near-term threat to U.S. and Western interests in the Sahel.
Both the “Those Who Sign in Blood” battalion and “al-Murabitoun” are included in the designation as aliases of the al-Mulathamun Battalion, and, as a result, all consequences of these designations will also apply to them.


PRN: 2013/1593

U.S. Department of State Designates “Mr. Marlboro’s” Organization a Foreign Terrorist Organization

U.S. Department of State Designates “Mr. Marlboro’s” Organization a Foreign Terrorist Organization

by John Campbell
December 19, 2013
Veteran jihadi Mokhtar Belmokhtar speaks in this undated still image taken from a video released by Sahara Media on January 21, 2013. (Reuters TV/Courtesy Reuters) Veteran jihadi Mokhtar Belmokhtar speaks in this undated still image taken from a video released by Sahara Media on January 21, 2013. (Reuters TV/Courtesy Reuters)
Mokhtar Belmokhtar–“Mr. Marlboro”—allegedly leads the al-Mulathamun Battalion. The U.S. Department of State designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on Wednesday, December 18.
This group appears to be an amalgamation between “Those Who Sign In Blood,” the group that Belmokhtar formed when he separated from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in 2012, and the Malian-based group “Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa” or Mujao. But, the exact relationship between the two groups is unclear. The State Department characterizes the al-Mulathamun Battalion as “among the most dangerous” to U.S. interests in North and West Africa.
The designation as an FTO is the same as that applied to Boko Haram and Ansaru in October this year. It prohibits any material assistance being provided to the organization by Americans or American entities. It also denies U.S. visas to adherents and prohibits remittances from the United States. I oppose the FTO designation in this case for many of the same reasons I opposed it for Boko Haram and Ansaru. In the case of Belmokhtar, it has little practical consequence, but designation greatly enhances the profile and prestige of an individual and a group that, arguably, more closely resembles a bandit and smuggling network than a terrorist organization.
Little of Belmokhtar has been heard over the past few months. In March, the Chadian military claimed to have killed him. The fact of the FTO designation now may indicate the U.S. government has reason to believe that he and his organization will soon be more active.

Mysterious dust drops all over Houston and car washes love it

Mysterious dust drops all over Houston and car washes love it

By Heather Alexander, Houston Chronicle | December 23, 2013 | Updated: December 23, 2013 3:26pm

Photo By James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle
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Catherine Jones prepares to have the red dust washed from SUV at the Car Spa Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, in Houston.


Christmas came early for the city's car washes yesterday as hundreds of people lined up to get a thick layer of red dust removed from their vehicles.
"They were just covered," said staff at Mister Carwash on Braeswood Place in West U. "People could barely see out of the windshield."
Owner John Starks says they saw twice as many cars as usual, "we had around 500 cars in here yesterday, it was a good day for us."
The National Weather Service says the dust came from Mexico and was picked up by a weather system over the weekend. Then once the rain started, it came down.
"We often get cold fronts that pick up dust in West Texas also, that can be carried as far as Louisiana," says Kent Prochazka from our local weather service office in League City.
He said dust can be carried a lot further than that, too.
"We've had cases of dust from the Sahara Desert being dropped in Florida." Dust from the Gobi desert in Mongolia has even made it all the way across the Pacific Ocean to the Western states of the U.S.

KHOU’s Mario Gomez dismisses red dust conspiracy theories


by KHOU.com staff
khou.com
Posted on December 26, 2013 at 6:51 PM
Updated yesterday at 9:22 PM

HOUSTON -- There have been lines at the car wash for days now all because of a mysterious red dust coating cars all over Houston.
Most people washed their cars and forgot about it, but others have come up with extreme theories.
You will find plenty of theories about what that red dust is really all about on various social media websites.
“I think the alien one is pretty ridiculous,” said Mr. Gonzalez.
Theories include a pole shift, a debris trail from a mysterious planet and even dust-spreading UFOs.
KHOU 11 News Meteorologist Mario Gomez shed some light on the dust.
“This is probably not an alien born phenomenon, but in fact something closer to Earth,” Gomez said. “Most likely source is dust that is hurled up in the atmosphere down in Mexico.”

Top Dem presses Obama on Iran sanctions after centrifuge surprise

Top Dem presses Obama on Iran sanctions after centrifuge surprise


President Obama faced mounting bipartisan pressure on Friday to drop his resistance to an Iran sanctions bill after Tehran announced a new generation of equipment to enrich uranium -- a move the Israelis claimed was further proof the regime seeks nuclear weapons.
One of the president's top Democratic allies is leading the charge for Congress to pass sanctions legislation, despite the president's pleas to stand down. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, D-N.J., told Fox News that the "Iranians are showing their true intentions" with their latest announcement.
"If you're talking about producing more advanced centrifuges that are only used to enrich uranium at a quicker rate ... the only purposes of that and the only reason you won't give us access to [a military research facility] is because you're really not thinking about nuclear power for domestic energy -- you're thinking about nuclear power for nuclear weapons," he said.
Menendez was reacting after Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said late Thursday that the country is building a new generation of centrifuges for uranium enrichment. He said the system still needs further tests before the centrifuges can be mass produced. His comments appeared aimed at countering hard-liner criticism by showing the nuclear program is moving ahead and has not been halted by the accord. At the same time, the government was walking a fine line under the terms of the deal.
Iran, as part of a six-month nuclear deal with the U.S. and other world powers, agreed not to bring new centrifuges into operation during that period. But the deal does not stop it from developing centrifuges that are still in the testing phase.
On Friday, the Embassy of Israel in Washington released a statement reiterating their call for Iran to halt enrichment and remove the infrastructure behind it.
"Installing additional advanced centrifuges would be further indication that Iran intends to develop a nuclear bomb -- and to speed up the process of achieving it," the statement said.
Menendez said he, like the president, wants to test the opportunity for diplomacy.
"The difference is that we want to be ready should that diplomacy not succeed," the senator said. "It's getting Congress showing a strong hand with Iranians at the same time that the administration is seeking negotiation with them. I think that that's the best of all worlds."
Obama would not appear to agree.
At his year-end news conference, the president tried to push back on those advocating new legislation by insisting the tentative deal with Iran has teeth.
"Precisely because there are verification provisions in place, we will have more insight into Iran's nuclear program over the next six months than we have previously," Obama said. "We'll know if they are violating the terms of the agreement. They're not allowed to accelerate their stockpile of enriched uranium."
Obama argues that Congress could step in at any time to approve new sanctions if Iran violates the terms of the agreement. Further, he argues that legislation at this stage could imperil the hard-fought Geneva deal.
But sponsors of the legislation in the Senate, which would only trigger sanctions if Iran violates the interim deal or lets it expire without a long-term accord, say the legislation would do just the opposite -- put added pressure on Iran to rein in its nuclear program.
When Congress returns to work next month, there could be new urgency for legislation. A total of 47 co-sponsors are now behind the legislation introduced by Menendez and Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. Supporters are hoping to reach a 67-member, veto-proof majority.
Kirk told Fox News that the latest development in Iran shows why Americans are distrustful of Iran's intentions.
"If we want diplomacy to succeed and we want a world without Iranian nuclear weapons, we need to make clear to Iran's leaders that bad faith in negotiations will be met with the toughest economic sanctions in history," he said.
Meanwhile, the top foreign adviser to Iran's supreme leader is calling for new direct talks with the U.S. amid multilateral negotiations.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Friday that all parties will be resuming negotiations after the holidays. She added: "It's important to remember what's at stake if Iran does not choose the path this diplomatic process lays out for them, which is an opportunity to address all of the international community's concerns about its nuclear program in a peaceful way. That remains our goal, and we are firmly committed to ensuring Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon."
Fox News' Ed Henry and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Obama signs defense bill with expanded religious protection

Obama signs defense bill with expanded religious protection

Associated Press    
HONOLULU (December 27, 2013) - The defense bill that President Barack Obama signed into law Thursday includes expanded protection for service members' religious expression.
Section 532 of the new law replaces language requiring the armed forces to "accommodate the beliefs" of service members with instruction that the military "shall accommodate individual expressions of belief."
Chaplain Ron Crews, executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, says he believes that should allow troops with a religious belief that marriage is only the union of a man and woman to say so instead of being subject to what he calls "a reverse don't ask don't tell policy."
But the law says expressions of belief needn't be accommodated if they hurt "military readiness, unit cohesion, and good order and discipline."
The law also calls for a survey to determine if restrictions placed on the prayers of military chaplains outside of religious services are hindering their ministry.
Crews says some chaplains have been told not to pray in Jesus' name at military ceremonies. Chaplains are required to serve troops of all faiths.
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ATF Agent Sends Shockwaves Across Internet With Explosive Allegations About ‘Fast and Furious’ and Brian Terry’s Death

ATF Agent Sends Shockwaves Across Internet With Explosive Allegations About ‘Fast and Furious’ and Brian Terry’s Death

John Dodson, the federal agent who blew the lid off the Justice Department’s “Fast and Furious” gun-walking scandal, claims the FBI had ties to the men who killed U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010 near Nogales, Ariz. In fact, Dodson says the Mexican bandits who gunned down Terry were working for FBI operatives and had been sent to the border to do a “drug rip-off” using intelligence gathered by the DEA.
Dodson, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said he doesn’t think the FBI was part of the rip-off crew, but the agency was “directing the rip crew.” The explosive claims were made in an interview with The Arizona Republic this week and are already creating some waves across the Internet.
The allegations are also found in Dodson’s recently released book, “The Unarmed Truth,” which chronicles his role as a whistleblower during Operation Fast and Furious. The Obama administration unsuccessfully tried to block the publication of his book.
AZCentral.com has more background on Fast and Furious:
Terry belonged to an elite Border Patrol tactical team sent to a remote area known as Peck Canyon, roughly a dozen miles northwest of Nogales, where violence had escalated because criminal gangs were stealing narcotics from drug runners known as mules. He was slain in a shootout with several bandits. Two assault-type rifles found at the scene were subsequently traced to Fast and Furious.
The operation, based in Phoenix, was launched in 2009 to identify and prosecute drug lords, but instead allowed guns to be “walked” into the hands of Mexican criminals. ATF agents encouraged licensed firearms dealers in Arizona to sell more than 2,000 weapons to known “straw buyers” who were working for cartels. Instead of arresting suspects immediately, surveillance agents took notes and let them disappear with the guns.
After the Terry slaying and an attempted cover-up within the Justice Department, Dodson provided evidence and testimony to Congress. His revelations, later verified by an Office of the Inspector General’s report, ignited a national scandal over Fast and Furious that resulted in a congressional contempt citation against Attorney General Eric Holder and the replacement of top ATF and Justice Department officials.
In his book, Dodson uses cautious language to characterize his account of circumstances surrounding Terry’s death, saying the information is based on firsthand knowledge, personal opinion and press reports. He asserts that the DEA had information about, and may have orchestrated, a large drug shipment through Peck Canyon that December night. He alleges that DEA agents shared that intelligence with FBI counterparts, who advised criminal informants from another cartel that the load would be “theirs for the taking.”
Federal Agent Claims FBI Had Ties to Mexican Bandits Who Killed Brian Terry
This Friday, June 24, 2011 picture shows ATF agent-turned-whistleblower John Dodson in Phoenix. (Photo: AP/Matt York)
Dodson laid out a strategy in which federal law enforcement agencies, like the FBI, allow criminal activity in order to increase the clout of FBI informants embedded within cartel organizations.
“If they can get these guys (informants) in a position so they’re closer to the Tier 1 or Tier 2 guy (in the cartel), they’ll do it. They want to make these guys (operatives) rock stars,” he said.
The alleged border “rip-off” that ended in Terry’s death is one of these situations, Dodson claims.
Federal Agent Claims FBI Had Ties to Mexican Bandits Who Killed Brian Terry
Border Agent Brian Terry (AP)
The FBI operates as if the ends justify the means because they believe “these crimes are going to be happening anyway,” Dodson explained. The ultimate goal is to gain as much intelligence on cartels as possible.
“Essentially, the United States government is involved in cartel-building,” Dodson said.
The claims sound eerily familiar to allegations brought forward by high-ranking Sinaloa Cartel operative Jesus Vicente Zambada-Niebla, who is currently facing trial in Chicago on federal drug charges.
As previously reported by TheBlaze, Zambada-Niebla claims he was granted immunity during a 2011 meeting with DEA agents in Mexico in exchange for intel. The federal government uses a “divide and conquer” strategy to dismantle other cartels in Mexico, entering into agreements with ruthless drug cartels.
“(They) were given carte blanche to continue to smuggle tons of illicit drugs into Chicago and the rest of the United States and were also protected by the United States government from arrest and prosecution in return for providing information against rival cartels which helped Mexican and United States authorities capture or kill thousands of rival cartel members,” the defense motion in the case reads.
Because he continues to be outspoken about Fast and Furious, Dodson says he is treated like a pariah.
Read The Arizona Republic’s full report here.

The Un-Political Party - The Citizens' Action Portal for Representative Government: Benghazi Corruption and Coverup

The Un-Political Party - The Citizens' Action Portal for Representative Government: Benghazi Corruption and Coverup: REAL Benghazi FACTS the MSM Hides!! Four American heroes were murdered on 11 September 2012 in Benghazi, Libya while Obama Administration...

several American diplomats apparently arrested in Libya.

Some photos and information being shared on Twitter today regarding several American diplomats apparently arrested in Libya.
We are seeking further information. Has anyone had confirmation of this?

"4 Americans (at least 2 RSOs) seized tonight near Aljalat, handed over to Omar Mukhtar (Libyan Shield) in Sabratha." via @wheelertweets
https://twitter.com/wheelertweets/status/416711916833488896/photo/1

https://twitter.com/wheelertweets/status/416710145872527360/photo/1
https://twitter.com/libyanproud/status/416703457392074753/photo/1

Almighty GOD and the Christ are asking that we get as many people as possible to do these prayers at least 3 times per day for the benefit of all of mankind. Please distribute these prayers to as many people as quickly as possible.

Almighty GOD and the Christ are asking that we get as many people as possible to do these prayers at least 3 times per day for the benefit of all of mankind. Please distribute these prayers to as many people as quickly as possible.
 

  1. I pray, I pray, I pray to Almighty GOD, that I be totally and completely aligned with my soul  at all times. 

  1. I pray that I be totally and completely aligned with Almighty GOD and  the Christ at all times. 

  1. I pray that the souls of people and their faith in Almighty GOD and  the Christ around the entire world are healed and strengthened, strengthened, strengthened.  

  1. I pray that people around the entire world learn to appreciate and be grateful for the abundance that Almighty GOD and the Christ have always provided.   

  1. I pray that all of the people and babies that will be born around the entire world learn to live long, healthy, happy and prosperous and peaceful lives.

  1. I pray that all of the people in the entire world learn and understand the importance of responsibility, accountability and respect at all times.

  2. I pray that all of the people in the entire world learn that they can pray to be protected at all times from temptations and evil thoughts or actions, that they wear the cloak and armor of Almighty GOD and the Christ, and that their souls are shrouded and shielded in the love and light of Almighty GOD and the Christ at all times.                       

  1. I pray that all of the people in the entire world learn and understand that they are divine, perfect, loved children of Almighty GOD and the Christ.

  1. I pray that the earth continue to be a gem in the heavens and that the people of earth continue to prosper.                                                                           

  1. I pray that the earth is not going to be harmed ever again by the people that inhabit it and that the people of the entire world will learn that they need to be responsible for taking care of what Almighty GOD and the Christ has given them.                       

  1. I pray that any earth changes are for the benefit of all of mankind.

  1. I pray that any hurricanes, tornados, volcanoes, earthquakes,  blizzards, snow storms, cyclones, typhoons, tsunamis, hail storms, fires, floods, leaks of oil, gas or poison in our waters, leaks of nuclear radiation, changes in the earth’s magnetic field are all of very short duration, do little damage if any and are always for the benefit of all of mankind. 

  1. I pray for a miraculous and immediate recovery of the economy around the entire world. That the recession be taken away now, now, now. That the economy around the entire world be strengthened, strengthened, strengthened and that the economy around the entire world be healthy, strong and robust. Healthy, strong and robust.  Healthy, strong and robust.    Quickly, quickly, quickly.   

  1. I pray that all the people around the entire world that need jobs have good jobs and that all people that have jobs learn to appreciate and have gratitude for the jobs that they have.   

  1. I pray that ……..(add other prayers or petitions you may have here)…….. .

  1. I pray that all of the prayers of all of the people around the entire world are always for the highest and greatest good and are always for the benefit of all of mankind.

  1. I pray that my prayers of thanks and gratitude for all of the abundance and blessings that have been bestowed upon the people of earth, I and my family be accepted.  Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Amen, amen, amen.  Praise and Glory to our Father, Almighty GOD.

Prayers for Yourself and Your Family

1.   I pray that my soul is healed and strengthened, strengthened, strengthened.

2.   I pray that my faith in Almighty GOD and the Christ is strengthened, strengthened, strengthened.

3.   I pray that I (and my family) am (are) always grateful and appreciate all of the abundance that Almighty GOD provides.

4.   I pray that I (and my family) live long, healthy, happy, prosperous and peaceful lives.

5.   I pray that I (and my family) am (are) strong, healthy and robust, strong, healthy and robust, strong, healthy and robust.

6.   I pray that I (and my family) always act in a responsible, accountable and respectful manner.

7.   I pray that I (and my family) are always protected from temptations and evil thoughts or actions, that I (we) wear the cloak and armor of Almighty GOD and the Christ and that my (our) souls are shrouded and shielded in the love and light of Almighty GOD and the Christ at all times.

8.   I pray that I (and my family) am (are) always know that I am a divine, perfect, loved child of Almighty GOD and the Christ.

9.   I pray that my finances (and my family’s finances) be blessed by Almighty GOD and the Christ.

10. I pray that my prayers of thanks and gratitude for all of the abundance and blessings that have been bestowed upon the people of earth, I and my family be accepted.  Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Amen, amen, amen. Praise and Glory to our Father, Almighty GOD.                 

Byron York: Insurance company bailouts ‘absolutely will happen’ under Obamacare [VIDEO]

Byron York: Insurance company bailouts ‘absolutely will happen’ under Obamacare [VIDEO]

 

Watch this video: Byron York: Insurance company bailouts 'absolutely will happen' under Obamacare http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=90046&sitesection=dailycaller&VID=25474670 

Washington Examiner reporter Byron York told Fox News on Thursday that a bailout of health insurance companies “absolutely will happen” under Obamacare, claiming a government lifeline is actually “built into the law.”
York spoke with Fox News’ Greg Jarrett and Jamie Colby about the latest healthcare tweak announced today by the White House, which allows those who were unable to sign up in time for coverage to file “appeals” to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Colby asked the reporter to break down what next month will look come Jan. 1, when Obamacare health plans are supposed to take effect.
“I wish I could tell you,” York replied. “Nobody really knows now. Because what – the basic fundamental problem here is that since all of the problems with the Obamacare website that emerged beginning on Oct. 1, the administration has been improvising this whole thing… and what the administration has done in this improvisation is ask insurance companies to just go easier on people who think they have insurance starting Jan. 1.”
“And some insurance companies have said if they receive payments by Jan. 10, they will consider that retroactive to Jan. 1,” he continued. “Others have said Jan. 15 retroactive to the first. Others have said not retroactive at all. It’s a very confusing situation, and I think what is unavoidable is that after the first of the year, people that require expensive health care treatment are going to find out then that they may not be covered as they thought.”
York explained that hospitals will continue to treat seriously ill individuals even if their Obamacare coverage fails, meaning the costs will be passed onto the healthcare providers themselves. “Of course, this was the system that the Affordable Care Act was supposed to remedy,” he noted, “and right now it doesn’t appear that there’s going to be a lot of change in that come Jan. 1.”
But it was Colby’s suggestion that the government may end up bailing out health insurance companies — now poised to cover hundreds of thousands of sick individuals without the assistance of premiums from the young and healthy — that really raised eyebrows:
COLBY: What do you think about these bailouts of insurance companies, as well? Could that happen?
YORK: It absolutely will happen –
COLBY: Will happen?!
YORK: As a matter of fact, it’s written into the law. There’s something called “risk corridors,” which basically ensure that if an insurance company ends up paying a lot more in benefits than it takes in in premiums, then the federal government will bail it out — it will make it good. And it looks like we are entering a situation — certainly in the first month of January — where the insurance companies will be in that situation. And they’e not going to take the losses. It will be the taxpayer who makes up for those losses.
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Archaeological Site of Sabratha

Archaeological Site of Sabratha


Archaeological Site of Sabratha
A Phoenician trading-post that served as an outlet for the products of the African hinterland, Sabratha was part of the short-lived Numidian Kingdom of Massinissa before being Romanized and rebuilt in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D.
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Long Description
A Phoenician trading-post of the Tripolitanian coast, Sabratha funnelled the products of Africa to the Gulf of the Lesser Syrtis, thanks to the route linking it to the continent via Cydamus (now Ghadamès). It was part of the short-lived Numidian Kingdom of Massinissa, together with Leptis and Oea, before being Romanized and absorbed into the Roman province of Africa, and subsequently rebuilt in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
Sabratha enjoyed its greatest prosperity during the 2nd and 3rd centuries. This period saw the construction of grandiose monuments, of which the most renowned is that of the theatre, probably built during the reign of the Emperor Commodus (AD 161-92), with its three orders of columns of the frons scenae.
The best conserved part is the scena, recomposed with original fragments and subdivided on three levels with overlapping marble columns. The theatre had a capacity of 5,000 seats. The pulpitum has a series of decorations in bas-relief representing divinity, historical and theatrical scenes, and a series of rectangular and semicircular niches. In the central niche stands the goddess Rome with helm and shield, dressed like an Amazon. On her flank there is another divinity that represents Sabratha.
Near the theatre stands the amphitheatre with the arena where once the gladiators faced the ferocious wild animals, fighting until death. The underground corridors that were used in order to make enter can still be seen.
Other monuments and areas of interest include the Temple of Liber Pater, Basilica of Justinian, and Mosaics of the House of Jason Magnus, Capitolium, Temple of Serapis, Temple of Hercules and Temple of Isis.
The decline of Sabratha began with the 4th century: commerce with Africa was less active, the city was wracked by religious quarrels, and much of the city was destroyed by earthquakes, particularly that of AD 365. A rebuilding programme followed but the city was now to occupy a much smaller area. The Vandals invaded Sabratha in 455 and tore down its walls. The Byzantine reconquest did not, however, mark the beginning of a real renaissance and the city was definitively abandoned after the Arab invasions of the 7th and 11th centuries.
Two museums on the site house objects found during excavations, such as funerary objects, coins, china, mosaics from the Byzantine period, statues from the Roman era and Phoenician relics.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC

Libyan Government Holds 4 U.S. Military Personnel

Libyan Government Holds 4 U.S. Military Personnel

WASHINGTON — Four American military personnel have been detained in Libya and were in the Libyan government’s custody, an American official said on Friday.
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The circumstances of their detention were not clear.
Photographs of two American passports and embassy identity cards were later disseminated on Twitter. The State Department had no immediate comment.
The episode appears to have taken place in a town just southwest of the historic Roman ruins at Sabratha and about an hour’s drive from Tripoli, the capital. The area is not known for anti-Western extremists or other obvious threats. In part because it is a tourist area, the district around Sabratha skews relatively liberal and friendly to Westerners.
Since the attack on the United States Mission in Benghazi that killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens on Sept. 11, 2012, employees of the American Embassy have operated with extraordinary caution. Rigorous security rules preclude any movements outside the heavily fortified embassy compound without advance planning and an armed guard. The compound is locked at night, and no one is permitted to enter or exit. Counterterrorism has become a central focus of the work there, and the compound brims with well-armed security officers.
But two years after the toppling of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, security remains tenuous even in and around Tripoli. Libya’s transitional government has not yet managed to assemble a credible national army or police force. Many families or clans around the country keep heavy weapons, as do autonomous local militias formed during and after the Libyan uprising.

But wait, there’s more! Obamacare will cause insurance company bailouts too!

But wait, there’s more! Obamacare will cause insurance company bailouts too!

Image: 1800politics.com
Image: 1800politics.com
Washington Examiner reporter Byron York told Fox News on Thursday health insurance company bailouts “absolutely will happen” under Obamacare, claiming a government lifeline is actually “built into the law.”
Wow! Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better!
York explains, as reported by the Daily Caller:
There’s something called “risk corridors,” which basically ensure that if an insurance company ends up paying a lot more in benefits than it takes in in premiums, then the federal government will bail it out — it will make it good. And it looks like we are entering a situation — certainly in the first month of January — where the insurance companies will be in that situation. And they’re not going to take the losses. It will be the taxpayer who makes up for those losses.
The fundamental premise of Obamacare is wealth redistribution from healthier, hard working American families to elderly, sicker, low-income recipients. This flood of individuals into the healthcare marketplace results in a problem for insurance companies that can only be solved by higher premiums and deductibles for those who are basically subsidizing the other folks.
Real “sticker shock” is beginning to hit and Americans are realizing the Affordable Care Act is an oxymoronic title, emanating from morons. People just aren’t falling for the idea of paying more for less – especially younger Americans, despite all the fabulous infomercial-type promises they’re received. It’s a sham. Wow.
Then add in all the uncertainty that President Obama has interjected because of “you can keep you plan, no you can’t keep your plan, well, it’s ok for you to get your plan back, we need to extend the deadline for you to keep you plan, if you can’t get your plan you are exempt from the individual mandate tax which I said was not a tax but I agree with Chief Justice Roberts and the Supreme Court that Obamacare is constitutional because it is a tax” – heck, I was confused just writing that.
York explains it this way:
It’s a very confusing situation, and I think what is unavoidable is that after the first of the year, people that require expensive health care treatment are going to find out then that they may not be covered as they thought.” The issue that no one really knows is if individuals have actually been signed up for Obamacare through healthcare.gov and whether or not payment has been processed. If the payment issue becomes of consequence, then a trigger will potentially have to kick in, that could mean a bailout for insurance companies.
You see, in the world of progressive socialism, academics theory always sounds so lovely. It’s in the practical application and implementation of their schemes where it all falls apart.
History teaches us this, as we’ve never seen socialism successful anywhere in the world — yet we fell for it here in America, thanks to the “ShamWow President.” The one difference is that ShamWow actually works.

Four U.S. military personnel being held by Libyan government


Four U.S. military personnel being held by Libyan government

Four U.S. military personnel are being held in Libyan government custody, the State Department said Friday night.
The circumstances and location of their detention were not immediately clear.
“We are seeking to further ascertain the facts and ensure their release,” said State Department spokesman Jen Psaki. “We are in touch with Libyan officials on this issue.”
The New York Times reported the episode appeared to have taken place in a tourist area about an hour’s drive from the capital of Tripoli and that the region was generally considered friendly to Westerners.

Japan Threatens Concentration Camps: Radiation in Fukushima Hits New High

Japan Threatens Concentration Camps: Radiation in Fukushima Hits New High

radiation

Kristan T. Harris | The Rundown Live | Milwaukee’s Alternative News & Talk Radio
On Tuesday, Tokyo Electric Power Company said some 63,000 becquerels of radioactive materials that emit beta rays, for instance strontium-90, per liter have been detected in groundwater in an observation well at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. This sets a brand new high of over 3,500+ times the prior levels of radiation discovered in samples from Fukushima.
The local government is threatening to put people who speak out against the radiation levels in Fukushima in concentration camps according to  Charles Bonner, an attorney who is standing up for Navy Sailors who gave relief to Japan after 3/11 on the USS Ronald Reagan who are now becoming ill.
Charles Bonner said:
“People from Japan will get their opportunity, we will submit declarations on their behalf and their voices will be heard in this lawsuit. We welcome them… they want people in America to know that in Japan —they’re threatening to put people in concentration camps who speak out about the secrets of the risk of harm of nuclear power. They do not want people to speak out about what happened in Japan.”
Charles Bonner represents  over 50 Sailors who served on the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) who are suffering from Thyroid Cancer, Leukemia, and Brain Tumors subsequently for participating in Humanitarian assistance programs during the Japanese earthquake of 2011 relief in Japan.
You can listen to the full interview with Charles Bonner [here:]

References:
Tepco, reported on Dec. 17, 2013: As a result of the measurement, it was found that the gross-β density in the groundwater observation hole No.0-3-2 obtained at the east of the Units 1-4 Turbine Buildings on December 16 [was] 63,000Bq/L.
Jiji Press, Dec. 17, 2013: Highest Ever Radiation Detected in Fukushima Plant Well… Some 63,000 becquerels of radioactive materials that emit beta rays, such as strontium-90, per liter have been found in groundwater. the highest level at the well Tepco said Tuesday’s sample  was taken on Monday from the observation well 5 meters from the coast.Since the company is not takings steps to prevent tainted water in the well from flowing into the sea [...] the water is likely to be reaching the plant’s bay. Standards require strontium-90 levels to be less than 10 becquerels in water to be released into the sea.
Dec. 13, 2013 SamplingGross β @ Below detection limit of 18 Bq/L

Bomb Blast In Beirut Kills Former Ambassador To U.S.

Bomb Blast In Beirut Kills Former Ambassador To U.S.

Some of the destruction at the scene of Friday's car bombing in Beirut.
Some of the destruction at the scene of Friday's car bombing in Beirut.
AFP/Getty Images
An explosion in Beirut on Friday killed at least six people, including a former Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. who was a leader of the Western-backed coalition that opposes the militant group Hezbollah.
More than 70 other people were injured by the car bomb, authorities say.
Hezbollah is allied with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The explosion in neighboring Lebanon is another sign that the conflict in Syria is spilling across the border. , "several recent bombings have targeted senior Hezbollah figures or districts where the Shiite group dominates." Now Hezbollah's Sunni opponents appear to have been targeted.
Correspondent Susannah George, who is in Beirut, tells our Newscast Desk that "the blast ripped leaves off trees and set cars ablaze in a business district. ... Nearby office buildings and shops had their windows blown out. ... This is the second bombing to hit Beirut in the past two months. In November, a ."
The former ambassador, Mohammed Chatah, was a senior aide to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Lebanese security officials tell the AP that Chatah was headed to a meeting at Hariri's home when the blast occurred.
Chatah was also a former finance minister. he was "a staunch critic of President Assad and Hezbollah."
The 1993 State of the Union (Address to a Joint Session of the Congress)

From whitehouse (Bill clinton) for helping No 2
From whitehouse (Bill clinton) for helping No 2

To : Mr. Yi , Jung-Yon

The Second official document

"Crime Bill" policy written by Prophet Yi Jung-Yon copy of this document
Evidence of material are sent to the White House

이 문서들이 Prophet Yi Jung-Yon 님이 '크라임 빌 정책'을 작성을 하여서
백악관에 보낸 증거의 자료들이다.

DHS insider gives final warning

DHS insider gives final warning

Author
By Doug Hagmann (Bio and Archives)  Friday, December 27, 2013
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Under the cover and amid the distraction of the Christmas bustle, I had my last “official” contact with a source inside the Department of Homeland Security known as “Rosebud” in my writings. My source is leaving his position, retiring along with numerous others choosing to leave this bureaucratic monstrosity.
For this contact, my source took unprecedented measures to be certain that our contact was far off the radar of prying government eyes and ears. I was stunned at the lengths he employed, and even found myself somewhat annoyed by the inconvenience that his cloak-and-dagger approach caused. It was necessary, according to my source, because all department heads under FEMA and DHS are under orders to identify anyone disclosing any information for termination and potential criminal prosecution.
“DHS is like a prison environment, complete with prison snitches,” he said, referring to the search for leaks and leakers. And the warden is obsessed. Ask anyone in DHS. No one trusts anyone else and whatever sources might be left are shutting up. The threats that have been made far exceed anything I’ve ever seen. Good people are afraid for their lives and the lives of their families. We’ve all been threatened. They see the writing on the wall and are leaving. It’s not a joke and not hype.”
The following is a narrative from my source, prefaced with the instructions to “take it or leave it,” and “disregard it at your own peril.” He added that it’s now up to each American to act on the information themselves or suffer the consequences. “I’ve resigned myself to the fact that most [Americans] will never be convinced of the reality that is taking place right in front of them.”

The plan explained

“According to every internal document I’ve seen and read, and from the few people I’ve spoken with who understand what’s going on, preparations have been finalized to respond to a crisis of unprecedented magnitude within the United States. The response will include the use of lethal force against U.S. citizens under the instructions of Barack Obama.”  But why?
“‘It’s the economy, stupid,’” he began, paraphrasing a campaign slogan coined by James Carville for Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign.  “Just as I disclosed in our first meeting, the crisis will be rooted in an economic collapse. I told you last year, at a time when gold and silver were setting record highs, one specific indicator that time is very short. It is the final ‘smack down’ of the metals, gold and silver, that will presage the orchestrated economic collapse that is being planned by the bankers of Wall Street. Everybody needs to understand that this is a deliberate collapse of the U.S. economy with the oversight of the White House and the full knowledge of the Justice Department.  Everyone seems to be waiting for some big, history making event that will signal the start of the collapse. The fact is that the collapse has already started. It’s incremental, like a snowball rolling down a hill. It gets bigger and rolls faster. Well, this snowball is well on its way down the hill.”
“I don’t mean to sound repetitive, but I can’t stress this enough. Contrary to what you hear, we’re already in an economic collapse, except that most people haven’t a clue. The ‘big bang’ comes at the end, when people wake up one morning and can’t log in to their bank accounts, can’t use their ATM cards, and find out that their private pension funds and other assets have been confiscated,” he stated.
“I’ve seen documentation of multiple scenarios created outside of DHS. Different plans and back-up plans. Also, please understand that I deliberately used the word ‘created,’ as this is a completely manufactured event.  In the end it won’t be presented that way, which is extremely important for everyone to understand. What is coming will be blamed on some unforeseen event out of everyone’s control, that few saw coming or thought would actually happen. Then, another event will take place concurrent with this event, or immediately after it, to confuse and compound an already explosive situation.” I asked for specifics.
“As I said, there are several scenarios and I don’t know them all. I know one calls for a cyber-attack by an external threat, which will then be compounded by something far removed from everyone’s own radar. But it’s all a ruse, or a pretext. The threat is from within,” he stated. “Before people can regain their footing, a second event will be triggered.” Again, I asked for specifics.
“I’ve seen one operational plan that refers to the federal government’s response to a significant terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Information at these levels is compartmentalized. I don’t have specifics, just plans for the response. The response will be controls and restrictions on travel, business, and every aspect of our lives, especially gun ownership and speech that incites people against the government. I guess some people would call it Martial Law, and they would not be incorrect. But understand that this will be a process deployed in stages. How quickly of a process remains to be seen.”

The mechanics explained

As I said, people continue to look for something big to happen first, followed by a militaristic response by the federal government against U.S. citizens. Based on what I’ve seen, I don’t believe it will happen this way, although there is one unthinkable exception. That exception would involve a ‘decapitation’ of our leadership, but I’ve seen nothing even remotely suggestive of that. But I’ve heard and even read articles where that is mentioned. Frankly, though, that’s always been a threat. I suppose that if the leadership is deemed useless, or becomes a liability to the larger agenda in some manner,  it could happen. The precedent exists. Let’s pray that it’s not the case now.”
“I don’t think anyone except the initiated few know the precise series of events or the exact timing, just a general overview and an equally general time period. I think we’re in that period now, as DHS has their planned responses finalized. Also, the metals are important because it’s real money, not Ponzi fiat currency. The U.S. has no inventory of gold, so the prices are manipulated down to cause a sell-off of the physical assets. China is on a buying spree of gold, and other countries want their inventory back. The very people causing the prices to drop are the ones who are also buying the metals at fire sale prices. They will emerge extremely wealthy when the prices rise after the U.S. currency becomes wallpaper. A little research will identify who these people and organizations are.”
“I’d like to add a bit of perspective that might help explain the events as I described. Do you remember former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announcing that the Pentagon was unable to account for $2.3 trillion in the defense budget? That was on September 10, 2001, the day before the attacks of 9/11. Some suggest that 9/11 was orchestrated, in part to cover up the missing money, which is ludicrous. The result, however, was that suddenly the accounting issue took a back seat because of the attacks. The result will be the same. That’s a perfect example of the mechanics of what we are about to experience. It’s going to take years to sort out, and when it’s finally sorted out, the damage will have long been done.”
“Please note a few final things. The relationship that exists between DHS today and the executive branch is well beyond alarming. DHS and other organizations have become the private army of the Oval Office. The NSA, and I’ve got contacts there, is taking orders from the Oval Office. The IRS is under the virtual control of the Oval Office in a manner that would make Nixon cower. Even though all roads appear to lead to the Oval Office, they lead through the Oval Office. It’s not just Obama, but the men behind him, the people who put him there. The people who put him there are the ones who created him.” I asked who created him.
“First, ask yourself why there was such an all out effort to marginalize anyone talking about Obama’s eligibility in 2008. Even so-called conservatives pundits fell for the lie that such questions were nothing more than a diversion. They were following a specific drumbeat. That should tell every rational adult that he is a creation of the globalists who have no allegiance to any political party. He is the product of decades of planning, made for this very time in our history. He was selected to oversee the events I just disclosed. Who has that ability? He’s a product of our own intelligence agencies working with the globalists. He should be exhibit ‘A’ to illustrate the need to enforce the Logan Act. Need I say more?”
As often said by another of my sources, the U.S. is a captured operation. The lie is bigger than most people realize or are willing to confront. That is, until there is no other option. By then, it might be too late.

6 Comments Copyright © Douglas J. Hagmann and Canada Free Press
Douglas J. Hagmann and his son, Joe Hagmann host The Hagmann & Hagmann Report, a live Internet radio program broadcast each weeknight from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.
Douglas Hagmann, founder & director of the Northeast Intelligence Network, and a multi-state licensed private investigative agency. Doug began using his investigative skills and training to fight terrorism and increase public awareness through his website.
Doug can be reached at: director@homelandsecurityus.com

Egypt’s military-backed government declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization

Egypt’s military-backed government declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization

Egypt's military-backed interim government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization Wednesday, intensifying its campaign of arrests, and tightening the noose on the group's network of charities and businesses. (Associated Press)
 Published: DECEMBER 25, 4:22 PM ET
CAIRO — Egypt’s military-backed government on Wednesday designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, criminalizing the activities and finances of a movement that rose to power in national elections last year but has been crippled by a government crackdown since a coup in July.
The announcement was a stunning blow to the decades-old Islamist organization, which survived for years in the shadows and in prison cells under then-President Hosni Mubarak but reached the height of political power after his ouster in the 2011 uprising.
With the victory last year of Mohamed Morsi — a former Brotherhood leader — in Egypt’s first democratic presidential election, the movement was poised to realize its Islamist project. But it struggled to govern the country’s vast and bloated bureaucracy, and after Morsi’s ouster, it became the target of a campaign of arrests and killings.
Wednesday’s decree, which accused the Brotherhood of a deadly car bombing outside a security building Tuesday, broadened the government’s authority to move against the group.
Egyptian legal experts said the decree would shutter hundreds of charities and nongovernmental organizations affiliated with the Brotherhood, one of Egypt’s largest opposition groups. The organizations provide health care and other services to rural and urban areas that lack infrastructure.
Anyone who is a member of the Brotherhood, participates in its activities or promotes or funds the group will be subject to prosecution under the Egyptian penal code, analysts said. Membership in a terrorist group is punishable by five years in prison. The maximum penalty for providing weapons and ammunition to a domestic terrorist group is death.
Brotherhood officials could not be reached for comment. But a statement posted on the group’s official Twitter account called Wednesday’s declaration a “worthless decision from an illegal gov’t without any evidence and will not change anything in reality.”
“The protests are in the streets despite a law restricting them — and killings and prison sentences. All this has not changed the will of the people,” said Ibrahim Elsayed, a member of the Brotherhood’s political group, the Freedom and Justice Party, the Associated Press reported. “The decision has no value for us and is only worth the paper it is written on.”
The declaration by Egypt’s interim cabinet seems likely to harden further the divide between Morsi’s supporters and secular backers of the government ahead of a referendum on a new constitution scheduled for next month.
Morsi’s presidency faltered under an already crumbling economy and his controversial efforts to pass a new constitution, further isolating the increasingly unpopular Brotherhood, whose leaders began courting hard-line Islamists to bolster support.
After Wednesday’s announcement, the United States expressed concern about “the current atmosphere and its potential effects on a democratic transition in Egypt.”
“We think it is essential for Egypt to have an inclusive political process; it is the best means of restoring the stability that the Egyptian people want and that is necessary to the country’s economic recovery,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “There needs to be dialogue and political participation across the political spectrum.”
The Egyptian government acted quickly to blame the Brotherhood — which renounced violence decades ago — for the bombing Tuesday in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura. The allegation has inflamed tensions and given rise to vigilante attacks against Brotherhood supporters.
Deputy Prime Minister Hossam Eissa said that, in response to the bombing, the government had decided to classify the organization as a terrorist group. Eissa did not provide evidence that the Brotherhood was involved in the bombing or any other recent attacks on security forces in Egypt.
“Egypt was horrified from north to south by the hideous crime committed by the Muslim Brotherhood group,” Eissa said, according to the AP. “This was in context of a dangerous escalation to violence against Egypt and Egyptians [and] a clear declaration by the Muslim Brotherhood group that it still knows nothing but violence.”
“It’s not possible for Egypt the state nor Egypt the people to submit to the Muslim Brotherhood terrorism,” he added.
On Wednesday, a Sinai-based jihadist group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, or Ansar Jerusalem, claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s bombing, which killed 15 people, including 11 police officers, in one of the deadliest such attacks in Egypt in years.
Analysts say the group, which surfaced in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula last year, is probably responsible for most of the more complex and sophisticated operations against security compounds in Egypt since the military coup. The group has claimed responsibility for several major car bomb attacks in Egypt in recent months, including an attempt to assassinate the interior minister in a Cairo suburb in September.
In the statement released to jihadist forums Wednesday, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis warned Egyptian police and soldiers to abandon their posts and stop working for the government “to preserve their religion and lives.”
Hours after the car bomb ravaged buildings across a wide city block in Mansoura, anti-Islamist crowds roamed the streets and burned and looted Brotherhood-linked businesses. Residents chanted slogans against the Islamists in the street, and others played pro-military songs.
Many in Egypt seemed to welcome the government’s escalation of its fight against the group. The front-page headline of the privately owned Egyptian daily, al-Youm al-Sabea, on Wednesday read: “The people want the execution of the Brotherhood.”
Ahmed Abdel Rahman Fawzi, a psychiatrist whose clinic was destroyed in the car bombing, said calls for revenge “will just bring more chaos and destruction.”
“What we need,” said Fawzi, 29, “is an independent investigation into who” perpetrated the attack.
Sharaf al-Hourani contributed to this report.