Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Al Qaeda's YouTube Threat To Britain



Al Qaeda has posted a chilling video threat to Britain on YouTube - showing masked gunmen shooting the Union Flag.


Heavily-armed henchmen of Osama bin Laden are seen in a desert area, dressed from head to toe in black, using the flag as target practice.
The video also shows the Stars and Stripes and Israel's flag riddled with bullets as the men unload their rifles.
Two men released from America's Guantanamo Bay terror prison appear in the video, which has also been posted on jihadist websites.
Abu Hareth Muhammad al Oufi is seen venting his fury at the West while holding an automatic rifle and brandishing a grenade.
Former inmate Abu Sufyan al Azdi al Shahri is filmed sitting with two other men before a flag of the Islamic State of Iraq, the symbol for the al Qaeda terror network in Iraq.
See Al Qaeda Terror Threat Video
"By Allah, imprisonment only increased our persistence in our principles for which we went out, did jihad for, and were imprisoned for," he is quoted as saying.
Both fanatics have now been promoted to the senior ranks of al Qaeda, US counter-terrorism experts said.
The US Defence Department believes around 60 former Guantanamo inmates - more than 10% of the 520 so far released - have returned to the fight against the West.
Security analysts believe this latest video message means Britain is a revenge target for the three-week Israeli offensive in Gaza.
They said it clearly shows the UK ranks alongside America and Israel as top of al Qaeda's hate list.
US President Barack Obama has signed an executive order to close Guantanamo Bay, which holds about 245 prisoners at a US naval base in Cuba.
Human rights groups have long argued that the indefinite detention of terror suspects without charge is unjustifiable.

Keeper In Prison Football Row



Jailed goalkeeper Luke McCormick has caused a storm after being signed up to play for his prison football team.


The 25-year-old, who killed two young boys in a crash while drunk behind the wheel, may play his first game for Channings Wood Prison as early as this weekend.
It came after prison team officials sent a registration form to the South Devon League requesting McCormick be allowed to play for their Division Two side.
The league sought advice from the Football Association in London, who gave the green light.
But some SDL officials are unhappy at the decision, and say the former Plymouth Argyle star should be punished for his crimes rather than spend time kicking a football around.
League secretary Lisa Buley told Sky News Online: "I think it's poor taste him getting permission to play, but our hands have been tied by the FA.


"Personally, as a mother-of-two, I don't think he should be allowed to because those two little boys he killed will not play football again, but we can't bring our personal views into it."
The final say now rests with the prison's governor Jeannine Hendrick, who is understood to be backtracking on McCormick's league registration.
The prison refused to discuss the matter when contacted by Sky. A spokeswoman would only say: "We do not comment on individual prisoners."
Experts said McCormick was "at best semi-conscious" when his speeding Range Rover crashed into a people carrier on the M6, killing Arron Peak, 10, and his brother Ben, eight.
The boys' parents Phil and Amanda Peak - who have called for mandatory life sentences for drink-drive killers - have been unavailable for comment.
But they have expressed anger that McCormick will be eligible for parole after just three and a half years.

Friday, 9 January 2009

Ross Is Back - Twitter Ye Not


Jonathan Ross is confident his TV comeback will be a big success following his suspension over the lewd phone calls scandal.

The TV star has told of his plans for his Friday night chat show which returns later this month - and said "the first show is already looking great".
Ross, currently on a three-month suspension from his £6m-a-year BBC job, has lined up comedians Stephen Fry and Lee Evans, and Scottish band Franz Ferdinand for the show.
But he was quiet on the identity of the fourth guest, amid rumours it might be actor Andrew Sachs - the victim of Ross and Russell Brand's obscene phone call messages.
Meanwhile, Ross has seemingly become addicted to the social network website Twitter during his time off, and is even thinking of showcasing it on the programme.
"I'll see if Stephen wants to Twitter on the show," he told fans on his blog.
He also revealed he is still good friends with Brand, 33, who resigned over his part in the phone call debacle, and is trying to get him on to Twitter.
He said: "Just got text from Russell B: 'I don't even know what Twitter is - I presume it's internet-related and taught to you by your progeny'.
"Wish I could repeat the rest of Russell's text but I'd get banned from Twitter. Even I gasped. Bad Brand. But funny."
Ross has also been filling his days writing the script for a horror action film, and three comic books.
He joked about how he was thinking of transforming his looks for his big comeback.

"Am seriously considering cosmetic surgery. I'm tempted by a tail, or maybe horns," he added.
Ross has had pre-production talks with BBC chiefs about his return, which will be under a massive amount of scrutiny.
The 48-year-old managed to keep hold of his job despite being involved in two offensive broadcasts criticised by the state broadcaster's governing body.
As well as the Sachs incident, the BBC also condemned him for the offensive language he used towards actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

Presley's Fury Over Travolta Slurs


Lisa Marie Presley has spoken of her grief over the death of John Travolta's son - and slammed critics who used it to attack the Church of Scientology.

The singer said the Hollywood star and his wife Kelly Preston were going through "the worst possible tragedy a parent could be forced to endure".
And she attacked those who claimed their Scientology beliefs had stopped 16-year-old Jett getting the medical help he needed.
The youngster - who had Kawasaki Syndrome, a condition that can lead to heart disease - died from a seizure during a family holiday in the Bahamas.
In her MySpace blog, Presley, who is also a Scientologist, said: "I am writing this because I have noticed that for the most part, people and the media have been very sympathetic and respectful.
"But there are those certain ones that want to use this horrible tragedy as an opportunity to once again blame and/or attack Scientology."

Elvis Presley's daughter added: "Among most of the crazy, made-up garbage that goes around...it is not true that Scientologists don't believe in medical care...and that may have something to do with this terrible tragedy.
"I can tell you first hand that his parents were on a tireless, never-ending quest to get and provide him with the absolute best care anyone could ever ask for and need - medically, physically, emotionally, medicinally and spiritually.
"I am not writing this to preach my beliefs, I am here to protect my friends.
"Let's not use the tragic death of a child to facilitate your insatiable need to attack and destroy Scientology shall we?"
Presley, who was previously married to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage, spoke out after cruel jokes and blogs were posted on the internet about Jett's death.
The religion was founded in 1954 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.