HARRYZZZ

Wilders-effect in Pakistan: Gepantserde auto's voor ambassade

2010-08-06T12:35:00.005+03:00

Het is net weer eens beginnen te regenen hier in zondvloed city Islamabad, Pakistan. Maar vandaag gaat het daar even niet om. Lees hieronder een exclusief verhaal dat ik schreef voor de GPD kranten. Niet alleen de VVD en het CDA dus blij met Wilders, maar ook de dealers van kogelvrije voertuigen.... Goed, hieronder het hele verhaal. Geeft aardig beeld van wat Nederland(ers) te wachten staat in de moslimwereld als Wilders daadwerkelijk in de regering komt te zitten...

ZES GEPANTSERDE VOERTUIGEN VOOR NEDERLAND, FRANKRIJK SLECHTS DRIE
Van onze correspondent Harald Doornbos

ISLAMABAD (GPD)_Het Wilders-effect heeft er toe geleid dat de Nederlandse ambassade in een onrustig moslimland als Pakistan inmiddels beschikt over twee keer zoveel gepantserde voertuigen als veel grotere Europese landen Duitsland en Frankrijk.

Uit angst het doel te worden van extremistische aanslagen heeft de Nederlandse ambassade in Islamabad inmiddels zes kogelvrije voertuigen aangeschaft. Vier gepantserde Toyota Landcruiser jeeps en twee kogelvrije personenwagens, beiden van het merk Mercedes. De zeer prominent aanwezige Franse ambassade in Islamabad heeft er daarentegen in totaal maar drie. Ook de veel grotere Duitse missie beschikt slechts over drie gepantserde wagens.

Dit blijkt uit een geheime lijst waarop het aantal kogelvrije voertuigen staat van buitenlandse missies in Pakistan.

,,Ik denk dat ze bang zijn voor aanslagen vanwege het gedrag van die Wilders politicus”, aldus een Pakistaanse bron.

Ook een buitenlandse diplomaat vermoedt dat de Wilders-factor meespeelt. ,,Tot een paar jaar geleden stond Holland synoniem voor tulpen, nu denken sommigen aan Wilders en moslims beledigen. Dat maakt je niet populair in de islamitische wereld.’’

Beide mannen noemen de aanschaf van de speciale voertuigen door Nederland ,,verstandig” en ,,logisch”.

Tot vorig jaar had de ambassade in Islamabad al vijf gepantserde voertuigen, meer dan bijna alle andere landen in Pakistan. Eind 2009 vroeg Nederland bij de Pakistaanse autoriteiten toestemming voor de invoer van een zesde. Dat verzoek werd afgewezen. De Pakistanen hanteren namelijk een verdeelsteutel van een gepantserd voertuig per vier diplomaten. Met vijf kogelvrije wagens had Nederland haar maximum bereikt.

Maar nog geen drie weken na de val van het kabinet Balkenende IV – en met Wilders bovenaan in alle peilingen – deed de ambassade nog een poging. Ruim een maand geleden, in juni, kreeg Nederland dan uiteindelijk toestemming van Pakistan voor de invoer van een zesde gepanserd voertuig.

Eerder al werd Nederlandse ambassade verplaatst naar een veel veiligere plek in Islamabad. Dit nadat, in 2008, tijdens een aanslag van Al Kaida op de Deense missie in de stad ook het huis van een Nederlande diplomaat werd beschadigd. Deze aanslag, waarbij zes doden vielen, was een wraakaanval voor de door een Deense krant gepubliceerde spotprenten van de profeet Mohammad. Denemarken beschikt nu trouwens over drie kogelvrije wagens.

Afgaand op het totaal aantal gepantserde voertuigen van buitenlandse missies in Pakistan, staat Nederland op de vierde plaats. Niet verrassend wordt de lijst aangevoerd door de Verenigde Staten. De Amerikanen beschikken over maar liefst 225 kogelvrije voertuigen. Daarna het Verenigd Koninkrijk met tachtig wagens. De ambassade van Pakistan’s aartsvijand India beschikt er over tien. Daarna volgt Nederland met zes.

Een aantal landen maakt zich overduidelijk minder zorgen dat zij doelwit worden van aanslagen. Zo heeft de Saoedische ambassade slechts een gepanserd voertuig. Koeweit heeft er ook een. Die van de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten beschikt zelfs over geen enkele kogelvrije wagen.

A VISIT TO PAKISTAN'S AIR CRASH SITE

2010-07-28T14:01:00.011+03:00

This morning I heard a plane flying low over the area where I have my apartment in Pakistan's capital Islamabad. Moments later that same plane crashed into the nearby Margala Hills, just outside Islamabad.

It was terrible weather - monsoon rains, clouds, fog. I immediately tried to reach the spot of the accident. That turned out to be rather difficult, as the crash happened in thick forest on a mountain slope. Anyhow, it took around 1.5 hours to get there. Here are some of the pics I made at the crash site.

Warning: Some pictures show body parts.

Hijra's in Pakistan

2010-04-21T10:57:00.003+03:00

Here a picture I recently made of two hijra's in a village near to Islamabad, Pakistan.

A hijra is (wikipedia): In the culture of South Asia, hijra (Hindi: हिजड़ा, Urdu: ہِجڑا Bengali: হিজড়া or নপুংশক) are physiological males who adopt feminine gender identity, women's clothing and other feminine gender roles. They have a long recorded history in the Indian subcontinent, from the Mughal Empire period onwards. This history features a number of well-known roles within subcontinental cultures, part gender-liminal, part spiritual and part survival.

In Pakistan, many hijra live in well-defined, organized, all-hijra communities, led by a guru.[1][2] These communities have sustained themselves over generations by "adopting" young boys who are rejected by, or flee their family of origin.[3] Many work as male sex workers for survival.[4]

The word hijra is Urdu, derived from the Arabic root hjr in its sense of "leaving one's tribe,"[5] and has been borrowed into Hindi. The Indian usage has traditionally been translated into English as "eunuch" or "hermaphrodite", where "the irregularity of the male genitalia is central to the definition".[6] However, in general the hijra are born with typically male physiology, only a few having been born with male intersex variations.[7] Historically, ceremonial initiation into the hijra community is said to have involved removal of a boy's penis, testicles and scrotum, without anaesthetic, at or around puberty.[citation needed] However, according to Mumbai health organisation The Humsafar Trust, only eight percent of hijras visiting their clinic are nirwaan (castrated).[citation needed]

RAINBOW EASTER CHICKS IN BEIRUT

2010-04-04T23:19:00.005+03:00

What do Lebanese Christians give eachother during Easter???

A purple chick of course. Or a blue one. Or red. Or green maybe.

Last couple of days you could buy these rainbow chicks everywhere in Beirut's Christian suburbs. It is unknown what happens to the colour the moment the chick becomes a full grown chicken.

Price per rainbow chick: 2000 lira (or 1 euro).

Btw: Most die within two or three days. That is chicks, not salesmen. The chicks drop dead due to lack of warmth or proper food.

I made these photo's with my rather crappy cell phone.

Islamabad, March 2010

2010-03-30T21:36:00.005+03:00

During heavy rains, a Pakistani guard in front of presidential palace in Islamabad passes a picture of president Zardari.

Made the pic yesterday.

PAKISTAN: AT YOUR SERVICE!

2010-03-21T20:43:00.013+02:00

Most people do claim Europe is a much better place than Pakistan.

Ok, you might be right.

But you obviously haven't visited this petrol station in Pakistan's capital Islamabad where I got my gas yesterday.

Check the slogan on the banner: No wiping of window = free soft drink.

Now that is what I call service!

JIHAD JANE’S LIEFDE VOOR TERREUR BEGON IN AMSTERDAM

2010-03-15T18:09:00.006+02:00

Hierbij het verhaaltje dat ik op zondag geleverd heb aan de GPD kranten:

JIHAD JANE’S LIEFDE VOOR TERREUR BEGON IN AMSTERDAM

Van onze correspondent Harald Doornbos

BEIROET (GPD)_De door de FBI gearresteerde Amerikaanse terreurverdachte Colleen LaRose, beter bekend als Jihad Jane, is haar loopbaan binnen de radicale islam begonnen in Amsterdam.

Tijdens een vakantie in de Nederlandse hoofdstad maakt Jihad Jane voor het eerst kennis met de islam nadat ze een romatische ontmoeting had met een moslimman, warschijnlijk een Egyptenaar. Volgens een internet bijdrage van de 47-jarige LaRose zou deze man haar ,,het gevoel hebben gegeven dat ze heel speciaal was’’. Ook leidt de ontmoeting in Amsterdam, volgens LaRose, tot haar wens ,,om moslim te worden’’. Het bezoek aan Amsterdam zou hebben plaatsgevonden in 2006.

Er bestaan ten minste twee foto’s van Jihad Jane’s bezoek aan Amsterdam. Op een ervan poseert ze voor de ingang van de zuidvleugel van het Rijksmuseum. Op een andere staat de Amerikaanse terreurverdachte op de Prins Hendrikkade nabij het Scheepvaartmusem. Op geen van de afbeeldingen is de man in kwestie te zien. Omdat LaRose in Amsterdam nog geen moslim is, draagt ze op de foto’s gewoon westerse kledij. Na haar bekering doet ze een hoofddoek om.

Smoorverliefd keert LaRose vervolgens vanuit Amsterdam terug naar Philadelphia, haar woonplaats. Sinds het bezoek aan Nederland raakt ze geobscedeerd door maar een ding: Een jonge, rijke moslim trouwen. Maar hoe ze ook probeert om via moslim dating websites aan de man te komen, het lukt niet. Vervolgens raakt LaRose, die inmiddels zelf moslim is geworden, in de ban van Al-Kaida en de heilige oorlog, of jihad, tegen het Westen.

Onder de naam Jihad Jane prijst ze op youtube de terreuraanvallen van Al-Kaida en de taliban. Osama bin Laden beschouwt ze als haar ‘held’ en ‘leider’. Later besluit ze om daadwerkelijk actief te worden in de schimmige wereld van de radicale islam. LaRose probeert geld in te zamelen voor de jihad. Ook zoekt ze contact met Pakistaanse extremisten en besluit ze om zich beschikbaar te stellen om een Zweedse cartoonist, Lars Vilks, te vermoorden. Deze had een afbeelding van de profeet Muhammad getekend op een hond. In augusts 2009 reist LaRose naar Europa waar ze, volgens onbevestigde bronnen, verblijft in Amsterdam en later in Dublin. Nadat ze geld heeft gestuurd naar medestanders om de moord op Vilks te bespoedigen, keert ze in oktober 2009 terug naar de VS. Op dat moment besluit de FBI in te grijpen en wordt LaRose gearresteerd. Haar arrestatie werd echter pas vorige week bekend gemaakt nadat er in Ierland zeven medeplichtingen van LaRose waren gearresteerd. Hiervan zijn er inmiddels vier weer vrijgelaten.

De Amsterdamse moslimliefde van Jihad Jane blijft echter een ongrijpbaar figuur. Onderzoekers in de Verengde Staten denken dat het om een Egyptenaar gaat die een tijdje in Nederland was. Niemand weet zijn naam. Ook is het niet bekend of hij LaRose in Amsterdam heeft gehersenpoeld. Of hij betrokken is bij Jihad Jane’s latere radicalisering is tevens niet duidelijk. Wel vraagt een zekere Fatima LaRose op 9 december 2007, op een website genaamd allexperts.com, raad aan mede internetgebruikers over ,,hoe ze een visum voor Amerika kan aanvragen voor haar boyfriend in Egypte”. Fatima LaRose was een van Jihad Jane’s vele internetnamen.

Volgens een Amerikaanse bron die dicht zit bij het onderzoek naar Jihad Jane is er sprake van nog een Nederlandse link. ,,Een van Jihad Jane’s youtube vrienden was vermoedelijk Nederlands’’, laat Robert, een lid van Smackdowncorps, een internetonderzoeksgroep naar radicale islamisten, weten vanuit de Verenigde Staten. ,,Hij en Jihad Jane zijn samen ook een youtube kanaal begonnen onder de naam "MUJAHIDEEN OF YOUTUBE". Het had tevens een blog.’’ Volgens de Amerikaanse onderzoeker zijn de kanalen van de Nederlander door youtube gedeactiveerd. ,,Hij heeft waarschijnlijk weer een nieuwe rekening, maar ik weet de naam er niet van.’’

Jihad Jane wordt op 18 maart voorgeleid in de VS. Als ze schuldig wordt bevonden aan het steunen van terrorisme en van poging tot moord, kan ze levenslang krijgen.

NUKE BOY HENK SLEBOS: DE AFRIKA REIS, HET DAGBOEK EN DE FOTO'S

2008-12-14T21:59:00.028+02:00

Als ik Henk Slebos was, zou ik op Rita Verdonk's Trots op Nederland stemmen. Immers, je bent al decennia lang de beste vriend van A.Q. Khan, de vader van de Islamitische bom. Je smokkelt al decenia spul waardoor ze in Pakistan die kernbom hebben kunnen bouwen. En, zo blijkt nu uit dit verhaal en uit foto's, je gaat zelfs op reis met Khan door Afrika in een poging meer landen te interesseren voor nucleaire blauwdrukken. Want is het geen goed idee wanneer Soedan of Nigeria ook een nuke krijgen???!!! Goed, in zo'n geval zou je dus een straf verwachten in de trant van 100.000 jaar gevangenis of dertig miljoen wasknijpers maken. Maar nee. Wat doet Nederland? Justitie eist trots een paar maanden gevang, waarvan het grootste deel natuurlijk weer voorwaardelijk. Vandaag 15 december komt Slebos in hoger beroep voor in Amsterdam. Vandaag ook, hieronder dus, unieke foto's en het verhaal van de Afrika reis van Slebos en Khan.

Als je reist, maak je foto’s en houd je soms een dagboek bij. Onschuldige kiekjes van vrienden, aantekeningen van belevenissen. Toeristen doen het, ambtenaren en huisvrouwen doen het en – zo blijkt nu – ook 's werelds belangrijkste netwerk van nucleaire smokkelaars doet het.

En dat is beduidend minder onschuldig. Want maar liefst drie keer – in 1998, 1999 en 2000 – reisde een gezelschap van atoomsmokkelaars via een wir-war van Afrikaanse landen naar het einde van de wereld in Timbuktu, Mali.

Hier nu, voor het eerst, unieke foto’s en dagboekfragmenten van deze trips die s’werelds meest notoire nucleaire smokkelnetwerk maakte – het netwerk van de Pakistaanse Dr. A.Q. Khan (72) en de Nederlander Henk Slebos (65) uit Sint Pancras, die zich vandaag, 15 december 2008, in hoger beroep moet melden voor het hooggerechtshof in Amsterdam.

(Excuses voor het opzettelijk 'besmeuren' van de foto's, maar iedereen weet hoe waanzinnig er wordt gejat/copy-paste op het internet. Klik op foto's voor vergroting)

Het dagboek en de foto’s verschenen in, zeer beperkte druk, in boekvorm in 2002 bij een Pakistaanse uitgever onder de titel: Een reis naar Timbuktu.

Het dagboek is geschreven, in het Urdu, door Abdul Mabood Siddiqui, een vriend van Khan die speciaal meeging op de Timbuktu-trips om aantekeningen te maken. Het boek telt ongeveer 200 pagina’s en achterin zitten 128 kleurenfoto’s - amateurkiekjes gemaakt door de auteur.

A.Q. Khan, die wordt beschouwd als de Vader van de Pakistaanse bom, betaalde voor de publicatie van het dagboek. Henk Slebos – de enige niet-Pakistaan en niet-moslim in het groepje - is prominent aanwezig op zo’n vijftien foto’s.

Nadat Khan echter, in 2004, toegaf dat hij atoomgeheimen illegaal had doorverkocht aan Libie, Noord-Korea en Iran werd het boek door de autoriteiten uit de handel genomen. Khan zelf verloor zijn heldenstatus en werd door ex-president Pervez Musharraf onder huisarrest geplaatst. Ondertussen werden alle exemplaren van Een reis naar Timbuktu, vernietigd – ook de exemplaren die bij de uitgever lagen. Het boek is, letterlijk, nergens nog te krijgen omdat het pijnlijk duidelijk maakt wie, hoe en waar het Khan-netwerk opereerde. Ik heb het gehele dagboek in m’n bezit en het uit het Urdu laten vertalen naar het Engels.

Uit de foto’s en het dagboek blijkt een aantal zaken:

- Khan en Slebos hebben een veel vriendschappelijkere relatie dan tot nu toe werd aangenomen. Slebos was, zoals hierboven reeds gemeld, de enige niet-Pakistaan en niet-moslim in het gezelschap.

- Khan en Slebos bezochten, om onduidelijke redenen, Timbuktu, Mali drie jaar achter elkaar.

- Khan en Slebos huurden prive-vliegtuigen om Timbuktu te bereiken, al wordt er nergens in het dagboek uitdrukkelijk gemeld wat het gezelschap daar eigenlijk doet.

- Khan en Slebos bezoeken de Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, die recentelijk werd aangeklaagd door het ICC vanwege vermoedelijke verantwoordelijkheid voor het plegen van genocide in Darfur.

- Ieder Timbuktu-bezoek vond – merkwaardigerwijs- elk jaar plaats rond 25 februari en duurde van een halve dag tot twee dagen.

- Khan reisde naar Timbuktu in de aanwezigheid van hoge Pakistaanse militairen en leden van Khan’s onderzoeksinstituut KRL, dit was niet – zoals ex-president Pervez Musharraf altijd beweert – een simpel prive-initiatief van Khan.

- Al blijkt het niet expliciet uit het dagboek of uit de foto’s, maar het dagboek leidt tot sterke vermoedens dat Khan en Slebos opzoek waren naar uraniumvoorraden in Mali en Niger en/of atoomgeheimen probeerden te slijten in Nigeria, Marokko en Sudan.

De Timbuktu-groep, zoals de auteur van het dagboek de groep noemt, staat elke keer onder leiding van s’ werelds top atoomsmokkelaar, Abdul Qadeer Khan.

Khan is niet zozeer een nucleair wetenschapper alswel een metallurg – iemand die veel weet van het natuurkundige- en scheikundige gedrag van metalen. Dit is van cruciaal belang bij het verrijken van uranium met centrifuges omdat deze machines van zeer speciaal metaal moeten worden gemaakt. Dat is weer noodzakelijk aangezien een centrifuge, om uranium te kunnen verrijken, tussen de 40 duizend en 120 duizend omwentelingen per minuut moet maken. Ter vergelijking: De centrifuge in uw wasmachine thuis maakt er minimaal duizend en maximaal achttienhonderd per minuut. En dan trilt het al alle kanten op.

Khan stal de bouwtekeningen voor die centrifuges in Nederland in de jaren ’70.

Terwijl Pakistan, op basis van de gestolen documenten uit Nederland, in 1998 succesvol een kernbom testte, was Khan al bezig met zijn illegale netwerk. Henk Slebos, ook een metallurg, was al decennia lang bevriend met Khan en als tussenhandelaar een belangrijke leverancier van allerlei materiaal dat noodzakelijk is om de centrifuges te laten werken.

Met Pakistan in de knip, was het de bedoeling van het netwerk om atoomgeheimen, en dan met name de cruciale centrifugetechniek, voor grof geld door te verkopen aan landen als Libie, Noord-Korea en Iran. Libie gaf haar atoomprogramma echter op in 2003, Iran is nogaltijd druk bezig met het verrijken van uranium en noord-Korea voerde in 2006 een kernproef uit.

Voor de duidelijkheid: Khan, noch Slebos, noch anderen in het netwerk, reisden de wereld rond met verrijkt uranium of plutonium op zak. Het netwerk smokkelde centrifuge know-how en de daarbij behorende goederen – speciale metalen balletjes, ringen en pijpjes - naar een ieder die daar grof voor wilde betalen. Moslim landen hadden vanzelfsprekend voorrang, maar uiteindelijk gaf geld, niet geloof de doorslag. Ook belangrijk: Khan, Slebos cs hebben niets, maar dan ook niets met Al-Qaida of andere islamistische doomsday sektes te maken. Kort door de bocht komt het hier op neer: Khan is een Pakistaanse nationalist die zijn vaderland een kernbom wilde geven. Niet geheel onterecht aangezien aartsvijand India al een kernbom had en hiermee Pakistan dus constant kon bedreigen.

In 2004 liepen Khan en Co tegen de lamp. In Pakistan werd Khan onmiddellijk onder huisarrest geplaatst. In Nederland, zoals gewoonlijk, gaat zoiets minder voortvarend. Goed, Slebos wordt danwel aangeklaagd vanwege export van illegale zaken naar Pakistan. Maar in december 2005 wordt hij veroordeeld tot - nou, nou - een jaar gevangenisstraf en 200 duizend euro boete. Acht maanden daarvan is echter voorwaardelijk en dus hoeft hij er maar vier daadwerkelijk uit te zitten. Zelfs dat is nog geeneens zeker vanwege het hoger beroep dat vandaag begint in Amsterdam.

Al met al duurt dit hele Slebos-proces nu al vier jaar. En gedurende die periode heeft Slebos nog geen dag in de gevangenis gezeten. Sowieso heeft Slebos mazzel met het hoge klojo-gehalte van justitie. Jaren geleden heeft justitie namelijk eens geprobeerd Slebos veroordeeld te krijgen voor zelfde soort vergrijpen. Toen echter kwam Slebos onder een gevangenisstraf uit vanwege een vormfout van justitie...

Afgezien van Khan en Slebos, bestond het smokkel-netwerk uit een aantal hoge officieren uit het Pakistaanse leger en leden van Khan’s onderzoeks laboratorium KRL. Ook zij gingen, zo blijkt uit het dagboek, mee op de trip naar Timbuktu. Tevens aanwezig is Buhari Syed Abu Tahir, een Sri Lankaanse moslim die in Maleisie woont. Hij was, net als Slebos, een tussenhandelaar. Dit houdt in dat hij verantwoordelijk was voor het leveren van omstreden, maar niet per se illegale goederen aan Dr. Khan. Deze zogenaamde “goederen voor dubbel gebruik” gebruikte Khan vervolgens voor het kernprogramma in Pakistan of verkocht hij door aan Noord Korea, Libie en Iran. Vergelijk Slebos’ en Abu Tahir’s activiteiten met een handelaar in messen; iets dat volledig legaal is. Zolang je messen levert aan een de lokale slager is er niets aan de hand. Maar het wordt problematischer wanneer je dezelfde messen verkoopt aan de Jack the Ripper.

Het dagboek is tenenkrommend slecht geschreven – de wereld mag welhaast blij zijn het uit de handel is genomen.

Alles hier ter eer en meerdere glorie van Dr. Khan, op wiens verzoek en kosten de auteur meereist. In het voorwoord zet de auteur, Siddiqui, al direct de toon neer: “De door de hele wereld erkende persoon Dr. Khan is een erg aardige en gewoon gebleven man. De hele wereld heeft hem erkent als een groot wetenschapper. Maar de mensen die hem persoonlijk kennen zijn er zich van bewust dat Dr. Khan beschikt over een multi dimensionale persoonlijkheid.” En verderop: “Dr. Khan bezit door God gegeven kwaliteiten. […] Een persoon lijdt aan een minderwaardigheidscomplex nadat hij Dr. Khan heeft ontmoet.” Weer verder: “Ook madam Benazir Bhutto heeft een hoge pet op van Dr. Khan, zij vindt hem een expert en een welgemanierd persoon.”

De eerste trip begint op 20 februari 1998. Het ontmoetingspunt is Dubai, in de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten. Tahir, heeft daar een luxueus appartement. Het groepje, onder leiding van Dr. Khan, gebruikt deze plek als uitvalsbasis. In het dagboek beschrijft auteur Siddiqui zijn eerste ontmoeting met Slebos:
“Na het ontbijt gingen Tahir en ik naar de Al-Ghurair moskee om te bidden. Als we terugkeren, ontmoeten we Dr. Khan’s vrienden, die net zijn aangekomen. Na een formele begroeting, een formele introductie door Dr. Khan van zijn vrienden, van wie er een is Mr. Hank, die een Nederlander is en van beroep zakenman is.”

Dat Henk Slebos “Mr. Hank” wordt genoemd is niet zo merkwaardig. Het dagboek is geschreven in het Urdu, de taal van Pakistan. En net als in het Arabisch, kent het geschreven Urdu geen klinkers. Henk wordt dus geschreven als Hnk en kan worden uitgesproken als Henk, Hank of zelfs Hunk. Dezelfde reden waarom bijvoorbeeld de naam Osama bin Laden vaak wordt geschreven als Usama bin Laden of als Usama Ibn Laden.

In Dubai vertelt Dr. Khan het gezelschap “dat we eerst naar Casablanca zullen gaan, dan naar de stad Bamako in Mali en vervolgens zullen we onze bestemming Timbuktu bereiken.”

In het vliegtuig naar Casablanca valt iedereen in slaap. Behalve de auteur die zich rhetorisch afvraagt: “Wat is de kracht, de gezamenlijke factor die ons naar Timbuktu doet gaan?”

Afgezien van onzinnige toeristische redenen, geeft de auteur hier helaas geen eerlijk antwoord op.

Wel analyseert hij, op zijn inmiddels bekende knullige wijze, iedere deelnemer aan de trip. Ook Henk Slebos. “Meneer Hank is een zakenman. Men snapt de reden waarom hij bij Dr. Khan is pas nadat men weet in welke zaken hij zit. Hij handelt in filtersystemen, zonne-energie en metallurgische machines in Nederland. Hij is extreem verslingerd aan fotograferen.”

Maar dit is geen reis van gelijke monnikken, gelijke kappen. Dr. Khan, die de trip van iedere deelnemer betaalt, is de baas. “Zoals het programma bepaalt, moeten we ons verzamelen wanneer Dr. Khan dat wenst. Tijdens onze reis had iedereen een eenpersoons hotelkamer, Dr. Khan had een suite. Zijn kamer was altijd onze ontmoetingsplaats. Chauhan en brigadier Sajawal bleven altijd bij Dr. Khan, misschien uit veiligheidsoverwegingen.”

En nee, Dr. Khan, die getrouwd is met een Nederlandse, is geen zachtaardige man. Khan is, op z’n zachts gezegd, een tikkeltje megalomaan. Aan zijn biograaf, Zahid Malik, vertelt Khan bijvoorbeeld dat hij “een uitverkorene is” [door God] en dat waarzeggers aan het koninklijke hof in Bhopal, Brits India, vlak na zijn geboorte in 1936 reeds voorspelden dat “dit kind zeer grote zaken zal doen voor zijn land.” Khan’s heldenstatus in Pakistan, tot 2004, als Vader van de Pakistaanse bom – maakte Khan’s ego alleen nog maar groter. Door het hele land zijn honderden scholen, universiteiten en instituten vernoemd naar Dr. Khan. Zijn eigen onderzoekscentrum heet dan ook KRL – Dr. A.Q. Khan Research Laboratories.

Als auteur Siddiqui, tijdens de trip een keer te laat is omdat hij denkt dat Khan nog slaapt, snauwt Khan tegen Siddiqui: “Laat het denken aan mij over, jij doet gewoon je werk.”

“De gehele trip had Dr. Khan het hierover en zei hij tegen me: Meneer Siddiqui, ik hoop niet dat u denkt.” Kort daarop neemt Siddiqui echter, op bescheiden manier, wraak op zijn meester door te schrijven: “Ondertussen ontstond er een humoristische situatie toen Dr. Khan de Marokkaanse chili saus aanzag voor tomaten ketchup. Dr. Khan werd ongeduldig en zijn voorhoofd liep rood aan. Nadat hij een glas sap nam, werd hij weer normaal.”

Vlak voor vertrek naar Mali, geeft Khan de rest van het team een briefing over het land. Volgens Siddiqui “Was Mr. Hank verzonken in gedachten en zei tegen Dr. Khan: ‘Hoe is het weer daar eigenlijk?’ Dr. Khan vertelde hem dat er drie soorten weertypes zijn in Mali.”

Dat de gehele Afrika-trip trouwens niet zomaar een prive-initiatief is van Khan waar de Pakistaanse autoriteiten niets van af weten (zoals de Pakistaanse ex-president Musharraf altijd beweert), blijkt wel uit de vele ontmoetingen die die leden van het nucleaire smokkelnetwerk hebben met Pakistaanse diplomaten. “Het diner dat werd gegeven ter ere van de komst van Dr. Khan [in Casablanca] werd ook bijgewoond door de Pakistaanse ambassadeur Azmat Hussain, die in zijn officiele functie Dr. Khan ontving.”

Aangekomen in Bamako, Mali’s hoofdstad, wordt de groep tegengehouden door een politiecommandant die “uiterst onbeleefd was”. Afgezien van Slebos spreekt geen van de Pakistanen Frans. “Dank aan Mr. Hank die de politiecommandant onze situatie kon uitleggen.” Kort daarop nog een tegenvaller: Het hotelpersoneel in Bamako heeft zich vergist in de reservering. In plaats van zes eenpersoons kamers, staat er een kamer voor zes personen klaar. Daar heeft de groep geen zin in. Dan maar naar een ander hotel, onder leiding van een lokale gids “Een jonge man genaamd Baba, met prominent witte tanden”. Baba regelt een ander hotel, maar onderweg, in de taxi, doet de auto het niet meer. “De benzine bleek op te zijn. Ik herinnerde me plotseling het gezegde: Als moeilijkheden komen, komen ze nooit alleen.”

De volgende dag bezoekt het gezelschap het kantoor van ‘Air Mali’. “Hier huurden we een vliegtuig voor Timbuktu. Het vliegtuig werd gehuurd voor twaalf uur voor een prijs van 4500 dollar.”

Aangekomen in Timbuktu, huren Khan, Slebos en de rest twee landrovers. Ze hebben slechts enkele uren de tijd om de stad te bekijken, zo meldt Saddiqui. Volgens het dagboek zijn ze simpelweg toeristen die geinteresseerd zijn in de islamitische geschiedenis van de stad. “Als moslims zichzelf ontwikkelen en onderwijzen dan zal de tweede helft van de 21ste eeuw geheid de moslim bloeiperiode worden zegt Dr. Khan.”

Dat het hele Khan-netwerk vanuit London, Nederland en Pakistan zich eerst in Dubai verzamelt en vervolgens via Marokko, Bamako en dan in een prive-vliegtuig naar Timbuktu vliegt om een paar moskeeen te zien, lijkt zeer onwaarschijnlijk. En dat drie jaar achter elkaar, iedere keer rond eind februari...

Het lijkt erop dat Siddiqui niet alles meldt. Hij mag dan niet kunnen schrijven, maar hij is natuurlijk ook niet achterlijk om alle geheimen van het netwerk zomaar op te pennen. Trouwens, Siddiqui woont en werkt al jaren als een accountant in Londen.

In Pakistan weten slechts weinigen van de Timbuktu-trips van Dr. Khan en Slebos. Zeker na het schandaal van 2004 zwijgen de meesten over het onderwerp. Maar een goed geinformeerde bron in Islamabad, die vanzelfsprekend anoniem wil blijven, meent dat er slechts een mogelijkheid is: “Khan en Hank probeerden een handel in uranium op te zetten en nucleaire technologie door te verkopen aan Afrika.”

Volgens hem is het “een godsgeschenk” dat de Amerikanen, in 2003, doorkregen dat het Khan-netwerk centrifugeonderdelen leverde aan Libie. “Daarna volgde Noord-Korea en Iran. Dat was het einde van Khan. Als Musharraf hem destijds niet had gestopt, dan had hij half Afrika van haar uranium afgeholpen en doorverkocht aan jan en alleman.” Ook meent deze bron dat Khan, Slebos en de rest van het ‘Timbuktu-team’ zo ongeveer iedere moslimleider in West- en Centraal Afrika hebben ontmoet. “Wat wilde het Khan-netwerk?”, vraagt hij zich hardop af, “Probeerden ze Pakistaanse centrifugetechnologie niet alleen te verkopen aan Libie, Noord-Korea en Iran, maar tevens aan Nigeria, Soedan en Marokko?”

In Timbuktu opent A.Q. Khan, korte tijd na de eerste reis, vervolgens een hotel. De naam van deze uiterst curieuze investering luidt: Hotel Hendrina Khan – genoemd naar zijn Nederlandse vrouw.

Een Amerikaanse bron in Islamabad, die goed op de hoogte is van de situatie, zegt: “Natuurlijk was dat hotel van Khan een dekmantel. Het probleem is dat we niet precies weten voor wat.”

Na het Khan-schandaal van 2004 is het trouwens onduidelijk wie nu nog de eigenaar is van het hotel.

In ieder geval was Timbuktu ook de stad waar, volgens Siddiqui, “Mr. Hank zeer druk bezig was om foto’s te maken van een vlees winkel waar de gewichten op de weegschaal niet van ijzer waren gemaakt, maar bestonden uit een paar stenen.”

“Dit laat zien,” zo vervolgt hij, “dat de inwoners van Timbuktu erg goed en simpel zijn. Deze mensen zijn zich niet bewust van de materialistische wereld en niet bereid om hun stokoude tradities vaarwel te zeggen.”

En na de eerste Timbuktu trip, reist het voltallige Khan-netwerk af naar Kuala Lumpur, in Maleisie, om daar, op 28 juni 1998, getuige te zijn van het huwelijk van Tahir, de tussenhandelaar, en een lokaal meisje. “Dr. Khan stuurde me van te voren een brief waarin stond: Timbuktu-team zal de huwelijksplechtigheid in Kuala Lumpur bijwonen,” aldus het dagboek. Omdat Slebos overduidelijk behoort tot het “Timbuktu-team” is de kans groot dat ook Slebos aanwezig was op het huwelijksfeest. Maar Siddiqui noemt Slebos niet bij naam als bezoeker van Tahir's huwelijk.

Khan bevond zich, in deze periode, op de top van zijn macht. In dat jaar namelijk teste Pakistan, met succes, haar eigen kernwapen. Khan ging, voor de buitenwereld tenminste, strijken met alle eer. “1998 was een zeer speciaal jaar voor Dr. Khan,” schrijft Siddiqui, “De droom die hij 21 jaar daarvoor had, de droom van een nucleair Pakistan waar hij zijn hele leven voor had gegeven werd bewaarheid op 28 mei 19998”.

De tweede Timbuktu trip begint op 21 februari 1999. Volgens Siddiqui “wilden we de rest van de stad zien omdat we vorige keer zo weinig tijd hadden.” Dit keer ging de reis vanuit Dubai, via Sudan en Nigeria naar Mali. Opnieuw ontmoetingen met hoge Pakistaanse officials. En deze keer gingen er niet zes, maar negen mensen mee, waaronder Dr. Hashmi, het toenmalige hoofd wetenschappelijke adviezen van KRL, en Dr. Nazir Ahmed, directeur-generaal van de afdeling ‘Veiligheid’ van KRL. Natuurlijk was ook “Mr. Hank” weer van de partij. In Khartoum, de hoofdstad van het zeer radicaal Islamistische Soedan, worden ze opgewacht door de Soedanese minster van Onderwijs. De groep verblijft in een gastenverblijf van de autoriteiten. Opnieuw wordt er een prive-vliegtuig gehuurd, al blijft het onduidelijk wie er voor betaald - Khan of de Soedanese regering. Het vliegtuig zal, na een korte tussenlanding om bij te tanken, landen in Kano, de hoofdstad van het, islamitische noord-Nigeria. Kort daarop vliegen ze door naar Timbuktu. Merkwaardiger wijze krijgt het toestel geen toestemming om te landen, waarna de piloot – zonder genoeg brandstof om om te keren – het kleine toestel toch maar aan de grond zet. “Wie heeft jullie toestemming gegeven om hier te landen, schreeuwde de verkeerstoren. We besloten om de piloot, Dr. Nazim en Mr. Hank te laten onderhandelen.” De terugtocht gaat na korte verblijven in Niger, Tsjaad en via Soedan (ontmoeting met de president) weer terug naar Dubai, waar het “Timbuktu-team” arriveert op 28 februari, negen dagen na vertrek.

Het laatste hoofdstuk heet ‘Hattrick – de derde trip’. Opnieuw, toevalligerwijs, vertrek vanuit Dubai op 18 februari 2000. “Dr. Khan en zijn metgezellen Mr. Hank en Mr. Tahir waren daar al,” schrijft Siddiqui. Opnieuw naar Khartoum, in Sudan waar hotelkamers voor hen zijn gereserveerd. Dr. Nazir, het hoofd Veiligheid bij KRL, huurt opnieuw een vliegtuig. “Ditmaal groter, van Tsjechische makelij met de naam LET 410.” Tijdens een kort verblijf in N’Djemena, de hoofdstad van Tsjaad, vertaalt Slebos voor de Pakistanen. “God zij geprezen dat Dr. Khan en Mr. Hank er waren, want zij spreken vloeiend frans en helpen ons wanneer we eten willen bestellen. Zeker vanwege zijn 15 jaar durende verblijf in Nederland, heeft Dr. Khan de kans gehad om veel Europese landen te bezoeken. Daarom spreekt hij veel verschillende talen.” Kort daarop gaat iedereen naar z’n kamer om te slapen. “Maar Mr. Hank, die uit Holland komt, stond erop om naar de bar te gaan en het lokale bier te proberen. Toen hij dit zei, liep hij naar de bar toe.”
De volgende ochtend, voor Pakistaanse begrippen, een ongelooflijk verhaal. “Mr. Hank vertelde ons dat hij drie vrouwen in de bar was tegen gekomen die hem een massage wilden geven. Hij zei tegen hen dat hij een toerist was. Mr. Hank kreeg een lichte massage, maar niet een massage die, volgens de vrouwen, zo goed zou zijn dat het zijn gevoel zou ontnemen. Mr. Hank moest lachen toen ik hem vroeg of hij wel het hele verhaal had verteld.”

Een paar dagen later komt er in Dubai een einde aan de derde, en laatste, Afrika reis van het Timbuktu-team.

Drie keer Timbuktu in februari, drie keer kris-kras door Afrika, drie keer Khan en Slebos. Tenzij nucleaire smokkelaars een aangeboren hobby hebben om groepsgewijs naar Timbuktu te reizen, heeft het er veel van weg dat Khan en Slebos hun centrifuge-ontwerpen wilden slijten aan nieuwe klanten, ditkeer een aantal Afrikaanse landen.

Of Khan en Slebos erin geslaagd zijn om half Afrika met nucleaire spullen uit te rusten is niet zeker. Of ze toegang hebben gehad tot uraniumvoorraden in de regio, weten we ook niet. In het schimmige wereldje van atoomsmokkel is weinig zeker. Zeker weten doen we het pas wanneer blijkt dat - net als Noord-Korea en Iran - ook Nigeria, of Marokko of Soedan een geheim nucleair programma blijken te hebben. Met dank aan Khan en Slebos natuurlijk.

Harald Doornbos

REMEMBERING IRAQ

2008-06-06T15:41:00.002+03:00

Ok, I published this clip already some weeks ago on Youtube, but it was deleted pretty quickly - no idea why.

So here, now via Liveleak, exclusive pictures I shot while embedded with US troops in Iraq, 2005. Why now - well, why not.

This is what happened:

1. Baghdad by night, around 21.00 hours.
2. The troops I'm with have just raided a compound, looking for possible car bombs.
3. US troops set up temporary checkpoint on the road in front of the compound.
4. Civilian car jumps the checkpoint.
5. US troops suspect car bomb, fire four warning shots in the air.
6. Car keeps on driving towards us.
7. US tank on road fires at vehicle.
8. Iraqi driver survives, but Iraqi man at passenger seat wounded.
9. US medic tries to save the wounded man.
10. Wounded man dies next to the car.

BTW: There weren't any explosives in the car, both Iraqi men were unarmed. It never became clear to me why they jumped the checkpoint.

Music in this video is from The Cult.

You can NOT comment on this video. (It is pretty clear what is happening, so no need for silly remarks)

Harald Doornbos

IRAQ SUMMER HIT - WITH SOME SUN, LIFE FEELS GREAT!

2008-05-27T01:31:00.010+03:00

Breaking news in my native country the Netherlands: According to strong rumours (God has been speaking to me again....), temperature in Amsterdam tomorrow will hit 25 degrees Celsius (Maybe 30 degrees, maybe 22 - you never know).

Same thing in Iraq. Tomorrow Baghdad will be 41 degrees. Week from now: 45 degrees Celsius! (see graphic)

Except for hot weather, there is something else going on in Iraq.

First, it is not so extremely violent anymore.

Second: It is still pretty violent and it is still a WAR.

Journalists and audiences though are rapidly losing interest in the Iraq story. According to the New York Times, "collective coverage dropped to four minutes a week from 30 minutes a week at the height of coverage, in September 2007."

So, four minutes of Iraq news a week in every US living room...that's it! And I wouldn't be surprised if its only two or three in Holland.

That leaves you just enough time (2.39 min) to watch the following video I shot in Iraq in 2005. Story goes as follows: After Al-Qaeda guys have thrown a hand grenade towards an Iraqi family, US troops try to help these wounded Iraqi civilians. I was embedded with this American unit when it all happened. Clip is a little bit bloody. Luckily though, the lovely music makes it all worthwhile watching.

I can not agree more with this Dutch singer: Life is so much better whenever the sun shines... Please enjoy this Iraqi/Dutch Summer Hit!

You will find the full New York Times story (right click and open in new window) here

Harald Doornbos

MUSLIMS SAVE EUROVISION CONTEST...

2008-05-25T02:07:00.004+03:00

Our world is faced with many problems. International Terrorism for example. Or Iran's nuclear programme. Or, let's not deny it, the Eurovision song contest...

Luckily, this years contest, on Saturday in the Serbian capital Belgrade, was saved by three Muslim countries.

Bosnia, Turkey and Azerbaijan - soooo much cooler than the otherzzz...

The following guys and girls totally rock!

Bosnia:

Turkey:

Azerbaijan:

Harald Doornbos

WEEKS AFTER FITNA, ISLAMISTS EXPECT REACTION OF AL-QAEDA AGAINST HOLLAND

2008-05-23T02:50:00.010+03:00

Geert Wilders should keep his bodyguards and wait booking an exiting holiday to Lebanon...

Because although there were, until now, no heavy handed reactions to his Fitna movie, influential religious leaders here in Lebanon are - weeks after Fitna was published - actively trying to create a response.

You can watch this all below in a reportage made by my fixer/translator Jenan Moussa. She was so friendly to give this blog the exclusive rights to her exclusive story.

Couple of main points in her seven minute reportage:

Most actively anti-Fitna is sheikh Raed Hlayhel, who also organized violent world wide protests against the Danish cartoons in 2006.

"Remember that the cartoons were published in September 2005 and the riots started in late January 2006," tells Hlayhel to Moussa (see a picture of her, on assignment in Beirut).

"Bin Laden leads certain Jehadi operations," continues Hlayhel, "He is wanted by the whole world, but still part of the Ummah [The community of Muslims]. When it comes to the prophet, what insults me also insults Bin Laden. I will respond by debating with my opponent, Bin Laden is going to respond by doing what he does." Interestingly, Hlayhel recently visited Saudi Arabia to coordinate possible actions against "those who keep on insulting the prophet".

Uuups....

Another character in Moussa's reportage is Omar Bakri, a notorious Al-Qaeda supporter who was kicked out of the UK and now lives in Lebanon.

Bakri also makes some points. First of all this: Al-Qaeda might attack Holland "to defend the honour of the prophet Muhammad".

"And", says Bakri, "The Quran clearly states: Anybody who swears or insults the prophet, kill him!" So yes, there is capital punishment [in Islam]."

On the other hand is Bakri happy with the Fitna movie "because it is part of the battle between Islam and non-Islam and the islamsts must capitalize on it to recruit more people."

Because Islam never speaks with one voice, Moussa also interviews a Muslim leader who is much more moderate.

Harald Doornbos

FITNA: IT IS NOT OVER UNTIL IT IS OVER...

2008-05-22T18:39:00.006+03:00

Even in Holland, most people have already forgotten about Fitna, the anti-Islam movie by Dutch MP Geert Wilders. But here in the Middle East some haven't.

Tomorrow on this blog an interesting little reportage made by my fixer/interpreter Jenan Moussa, here pictured while on assignment in Beirut, yesterday.

Moussa, herself a Muslim, recently interviewed well known religious figures in Lebanon about Fitna. Among them, Raed Hlayhel, the Tripoli-based mullah who orchestrated world wide muslim protest against the Danish cartoons. And Omar Bakri, a notorious Al-Qaeda sympathiser, who lost his British passport and now also lives in Tripoli, northern Lebanon.

Hlayhel, who recently travelled to Saudi Arabia to 'discuss actions against Fitna with fellow Muslims' warns people in Holland not to think it is all over. "Remember that the cartoons were published in fall 2005 and the riots started in January 2006," he claims.

Omar Bakri expects Al-Qaeda to respond to Fitna. "Bin Laden is serious," he claims.

Says Moussa: "I don't know of course what will happen. The reaction might come with Fitna, it might not come with Fitna. But little by little there is a build-up of lava and it is only a matter of time until the volcano explodes."

So don't forget to watch tomorrow!

Harald Doornbos

SOME PICTURES OF LEBANON'S RECENT TROUBLES...

2008-05-20T15:46:00.015+03:00

For now, the Lebanese troubles have been exported to Doha in Qatar. Poor Qataris...

At the other hand, according to some, the government and the opposition have reached an agreement in Qatar. If true, that would be nothing less than amazing.

So these days Beirut is suddenly nice and calm.

Below some pics I shot during the recent troubles.

[You have to realize though that it is in 99.99 percent of the cases ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN by Hezbollah & Sons to make any pictures of their actions, troops, movements etc. Army- and pro-government people equally aren't very excited about the camera. But Hezbollah absolutely turns mental the moment they notice somebody with a camera (still or video, really doesn't matter).

Little example.

Hamra street, West Beirut. Friday. Heavily armed Hezbollah soldiers patrol the streets. Hezbollah guy walks up to me, and shows a handful of already confiscated flash memory cards. Then points at my camera and says: "Do not even try it..." That is, making pictures of what you see around you.

Couple of days later I aim my camera at three black SUV's. Uuups...Hezbollah convoy. A fourth car immediately tries to ram me. (Great of course, because I am on foot...). Bunch of smartly dressed guys jump out of the vehicles. One carries a little machine gun, other a trendy flag jacket. "Smash his camera," one of the men suggests. My interpreter pleads for the camera, I hand them the tape. They confiscate it. "Keep an eye on the guy," one of the men says, before jumping back in the black jeep and driving off.]

Ok, enough words. Here a couple of pictures.

Nora Jumblatt, wife of Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid. Photographed on Friday May 9th, in the couples' villa in Clemenceau, Beirut.

When I parked my beloved car (Audi A8) in front of this brand new building, on May 9th in Hamra, it was still, well, brand new.

When I returned, two hours later, some guys of the SSNP (pro-Syrian Arab fascists) had shot all the windows out of the first couple of floors of the building. This because, according to some, the building belongs to the Hariri family.

Something I of course did not know. My car, miraculously, survived. Lots of glass, no holes...

In Tripoli (Northern Lebanon) pro-government supporters drive around with on their car the Lebanese flag and a picture of Saad Hariri, son of the murdered ex-PM, Rafik Hariri. Just before we arrived in Tripoli, two buildings belonging to Hezbollah were burnt down. No pictures please...

Eh...doesn't the symbol on this SSNP flag, flying last week in West-Beirut, look a little bit similar to a swastika?

Yes. And that is not a coincidence.

Because the SSNP (the Syrian Social Nationalist Party) isn't a hardcore Hindu party, but was created in the 1930's, inspired by, well, you guessed it, Hitler and Mussolini.

The SSNP fuhrer was a Christian Lebanese who wanted to create Greater Syria (Syria including current Lebanon, parts of Iraq, Turkey and Jordan).

The SSNP is, together with AMAL, one of the main allies of the Hezbollah-led opposition. Their gunmen played an important role in the capture of West-Beirut.

A serious plus with the SSNP is that they aren't a religious organisation like many Lebanese political parties (For example, you have to be a Shi'ite Muslim to become member of Hezbollah's armed wing, the Islamic Resistance).

But a rather serious minus is the SSNP's adoration of extreme nationalism...

Didn't anybody tell these guys that Hitler LOST WW II?

BTW: Don't think that only Lebanon's opposition flirts with fascism. The current Lebanese government is supported by the, mainly christian, Falange party. Literally 200 meters from my house there's a statue of some Falange-leader doing the Hitler salute...To be fair though, the current Falange party is much more moderate than the guys who started it in - again - the thirties.

But, frankly, everyday I drive passed this Hitler salute-statue, I feel the urge to crash my (German made) Audi into it...

Harald Doornbos

SILLY STUFF: HARRYZZZ NOT ONLY BAD SPELLER

2008-05-18T23:06:00.003+03:00

Here clear evidence that Harryzzz isn't the only one with spelling problems in this world.

What to think of, according to AP, "a first FFFFFFFFisit" by Myanmar's top general to a relief camp....

Harald Doornbos

OPPOSITION CELEBRATES IN BEIRUT, AIRPORT TO REOPEN ON THURSDAY

2008-05-14T23:29:00.006+03:00

At this moment (Wednesday night), I can hear very loud celebratory fire coming from the Shi'ite suburbs. According to Naharnet, the government of PM Siniora has revoked two measures concerning Hezbollah telecommunications network and the reassignment of the head of the airport security.

According to a good source of mine: Beirut international airport will reopen tomorrow.

So after a week of launching a mini-civil war, Hezbollah and their allies have won the telephone network and the general back. Wow, they must be so happy. Especially because they lost the respect of almost all other Lebanese...

Hezbollah said over and over again (for literally 19 years, since Taif-agreement): "We will never use our weapons against fellow Lebanese, only against Israel."

Really?

I was Friday in Hamra street. I saw heavily armed Hezbollah fighters with RPG's and machine guns. I walked with them. Saw how they arrested local guys. Saw and heard how they shot in the air. How they aimed their machine guns at anybody moving. How they shouted "We're gonna get the dog!" (Dog = Saad Hariri, who was 70 meters down the road stuck in his castle).

Anyhow.

The world is flat. Bush is a clever guy. Iran only wants nuclear energy. Hezbollah will never use its weapons against fellow Lebanese.

Harald Doornbos

THE WAR DIARIES - A CAR, A WOMAN AND A CAT

2008-05-14T09:44:00.004+03:00

Beirut, last Thursday night. It is war so you have to adapt to the situation.

1. First, machinegun fire and a car without lights...

2. Second, a car drives fast, a woman runs fast and and a cat run fast...

3. Third - around ten minutes later: The return of the Cat!!!

Harald Doornbos

TRUCE IN TRIPOLI SINCE TODAY 06.00 AM, BEIRUT MORE OR LESS QUIET

2008-05-13T13:52:00.005+03:00

Important development in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, where Al Qaeda affiliated groups have declared Jihad against Hezbollah and allies...

A truce is holding in the city between pro-government (Hariri etc) and pro opposition (Hezbollah etc) groups.

This after a meeting, last night, in Tripoli's Serail between both sides. Al Qaeda-like Salafites were present during this meeting.

For the last couple of days the fighting is taking place in two area's in Tripoli; Bab el Tabani (Alawite area, pro-Hezbollah) and Jabal Mohsen (Sunni area, pro government).

At the moment there is a, so called, Separation Force, placed between both areas. The Separation Force does consist of neutral men from the Ministry of Interior (police), not the army.

According to a well informed source, who was present at last nights cease fire talks the "truce is stable but fragile".

"It can collapse if anything happens in other parts of Lebanon," he adds.

According to him, the Salafists (so bascially pro-Al Qaeda sunni radicals) in and around Tripoli are "medium armed".

"They carry their individual weapons," he says, "An most of them have medium heavy weapons like RPG's, hand grenades, M-16's and Kalashnikov."

Here a round-up of the situation in Beirut:

I've just driven around town.

There are still many roadblocks blocking traffic between West and East Beirut and between Down-Town and the Airport.

But situation in Hamra (Sunni, west Beirut, attacked by Hezbollah on Thrusday night) is slowly improving. Around 15 percent of shops open. Much more traffic on the streets of Hamra than yesterday. Pro-Syrian SSNP party though still openly active in Hamra. Every now and then, some armed men, but considerably less than on Friday and during the weekend.

Christian areas of Beirut are, more or less, normal.

As I haven't been to the Druze area's (mountains east and south of Beirut), I can't say anything about the situation there.

additonal:

At 17.00, Lebanon time, speech of Saad Hariri.

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: IN TRIPOLI 500 SALAFISTS DECLARE JIHAD ON "HEZBOLLAH, SHI'ITES AND ALLIES"

2008-05-12T22:35:00.006+03:00

With urgent peace talks currently taking place in Tripoli (Northern Lebanon), 500 heavily armed Salafist fighters in and around this city have decided, on Monday, to declare Jihad against "Hezbollah, Shi'ites and their allies".

This according to a very well informed source in Tripoli.

The fighters, who all are armed, are ideologically close to Al Qaeda.

Salafists are spread over Lebanon's north. Mainly in Tripoli city (in an suburb called Abu Samra) and north of Tripoli, in an area called Akkar (very close to Nahr al Bared, the Palestinian refugee camp which saw one year ago heavy fighting between Salafists of Fatah al Islam and the Lebanese army).

To avoid certain bloodshed in Tripoli, THERE IS CURRENTLY A CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT MEETING TAKING PLACE between pro-government and pro-opposition supporters in Tripoli's Serail(government building). Present as well is general Ashraf Rifi, head of Lebanon's Internal Security. The Salafists too have sent their representatives to the meeting. The idea is to create a ceasefire in the city and let a neutral force patrol in tense area's to keep the peace and both sides apart.

Until today, Salafists were strongly opposed to the pro-American, pro-Saudi Lebanese government of PM Siniora. But in the wake of a sudden military offensive throughout the country by Hezbollah (Shi'ite), and its allies Harakat Amal (Shi'ite) and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (fascist, secular), the Salafists have decided to stop fighting the, mainly Sunni, government, and declare jihad on Hezbollah and its allies.

Additional info: As there are hardly any Shi’ites living in Tripoli, Hezbollah here uses its regional allies. These pro-opposition, anti government groups are mainly Sunni, Christian or Alawite.

Opposition forces (so pro-Hezbollah, anti-government) in Tripoli are the following:

The Syrian Social National Party (SSNP);
Al-Tawhid Movement headed by Bilal Shaaban;
The Islamic Action Front headed by Fathi Yakan;
The Arab Baathist Party;
The Arab Democratic Party headed by Ali Eid.

Over the weekend, two offices of Hezbollah and one of the SSNP were burnt in Tripoli city by Hariri supporters.

[This is an exclusive story which might be updated shortly.]

Harald Doornbos

BANG!, BANG!, BANG! - HOW TO PICK UP A PHONE IN A WAR ZONE....

2008-05-12T15:16:00.004+03:00

You wanna hear how war sounds?

Ok. Last week, Thursday. Me, my camera and Lebanese colleague, photographer Joe (for some kind of reason with blue UN helmet), in Beirut. The area is between Achrafieh and Basta. Bang, bang, bang!. The fighting between Hezbollah and pro-government Sunni groups (Hezbollah, as we know won). The guys hiding in the garage are the rather not so courageous soldiers of the Lebanese army.

Lesson one: In case of shooting, stay behind a wall!

Lesson two: Don't move the camera toooooo much!

Lesson three: Always pick up the phone, even when they keep on shooting!

Here's the video:

Harald Doornbos

MP MUSTAFA ALLOUCH: "IT IS TIME FOR MILITARY ACTION AGAINST SYRIA AND IRAN"

2008-05-11T18:52:00.004+03:00

As government controlled areas are getting smaller and more under pressure in Lebanon, I made today (Sunday early evening) this interview with pro-government member of parliament Mustafa Allouch. He is an MP for the Future Movement, the mainly Sunni Muslim party, of Saad Hariri and Prime Minister Siniora.

The interview took place minutes after Mr. Allouch heard that the Druze mountains (his allies Walid Jumblatt) had fallen into the hands of a pro-Hezbollah Druze party.

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: IN NORTHERN LEBANON, 22 SUNNI OFFICERS QUIT LEBANESE ARMY

2008-05-11T18:37:00.002+03:00

I just came back to Beirut from a trip to Tripoli, northern Lebanon. After the loss of government area's in West-Beirut, on Friday, and, today, of the Druze mountains outside Beirut, the mostly pro-government people of Tripoli are seriously getting worried.

A well informed source in Tripoli told me this: "22 Sunni officers have filed their resignation and quit the army."

All officers are Sunni Muslims and most are from the north.

This because "the army is not doing anything against Hezbollah, thus making it a pro-Hezbollah tool".

Shortly more on the situation in Tripoli.

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: HEZBOLLAH WILL START NEW PHASE OF 'WAR' IN CASE SINIORA DOES NOT RESIGN TODAY

2008-05-10T13:40:00.002+03:00

I just spoke to a very reliable source within the opposition (so that is within Hezbollah/Harakat Amal/Syrian National Socialist Party alliance)

Here his remarks, or better, threats: "Siniora [Lebanese PM] is shortly going to appear today on TV. If he does not resign TODAY, things will get really NASTY."

I'm now going to the city. Down Town. Around the Grand Serial, where PM Siniora and other ministers are present...

This crisis is not over yet. Its only beginning...

Harald Doornbos

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH WALID JUMBLATT: "NASRALLAH IS INSULTING HIS SACRED TURBAN"

2008-05-10T12:53:00.008+03:00

I've been extremely busy, running and driving around crazy Beirut. Yesterday afternoon, two Spanish colleagues and me interviewed Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party. He is one of the main partners in the current Lebanese government.

To end all rumours: Jumblatt did not escape to the mountains. He is still in his villa in West-Beirut. Hezbollah soldiers around 300 meters away from the house. Between Jumblatt and Hezbollah, a couple of neutral Lebanese army soldiers.

The sound of the interview is pretty bad. I'm a newspaper journalist, I'm only carrying a little sony camera with me.

At around 6.01 min in the interview rather harsh remarks on Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah.

Harald Doornbos

LEBANON PREPARES FOR THE WORST SCENARIO

2008-05-08T22:34:00.002+03:00

On Tuesday morning I left Lebanon and flew to Belgium, to meet some friends.

24 hours later Lebanon exploded.

Because of the seriousness of the current situation, I decided to return to Beirut. Today, Thursday, I took a flight from Brussels via Vienna to Damascus. This of course because Beirut airport is closed. From Damascus to the Syrian-Lebanese border. Had to pass eight burning barricades in the Beka'a Valley to get back to Beirut where heavy fighting continues.

Keep on checking this blog for frequent updates on the situation as I've been driving around Beirut on Thursday night...

Later more details..

Harald Doornbos

HARRYZZZ BACK....WITH FAKE PLAYBOY UNDIES!

2008-04-29T13:47:00.006+03:00

I haven't posted anything on this blog for over three weeks now. Bad boy, bad harryzzz...

So it is high time to show you this: Fake Playboy undies from China for sale here in Lebanon.

In the Middle East sex is of course kind of a taboo. For some reason though, the Playboy symbol is extremely popular here (especially among girls). Harryzzz calls this a positive development.

In the meantime, smart Chinese businessmen have started exporting girls undies to the Middle East. But - as so often with Chinese products - something went wrong. In this case they misprinted some words. Playboy becomes Palyboy. Calvin Klein - Celvin Klain.

At the other hand - each undie will cost you only $ 1.

Long live China - Long Lif the Olampik Gamezzz!

Harald Doornbos

AFTER THE HUNTING PARTY...A REAL TASTE OF WAR

2008-04-03T10:33:00.008+03:00

As written in an earlier post, I've been to Holland last week to promote the movie The Hunting Party. Well, the movie premieres today in Holland (so move your ass to the cinema in case you're in the Netherlands, it stars Richard Gere!!!).

In Amsterdam, many people asked me: "How close is the movie to reality?"

Well, go to the cinema and compare it with the story of Scott Anderson (see link at bottom of article)

But, I guess, what many people actually meant was this: Hollywood movies about war reporters are all about danger and excitement...is that true?

I only can speak for myself of course, but here is some stuff I shot on my highly professional, 300 US dollar, video camera while in Iraq. I've never published this material before. So although it is 'old' (2004 and 2005), it is new and gives a rather good idea of what sometimes happens when you are in a war (and happen to have your camera rolling...).

The footage is pretty dramatic and sad. Before watching, please read the text below the clip so you understand the context. The five or so minutes you'll see are exactly the way I filmed it. I did not edit any of this stuff.

(for some kind of reason, the clips load badly. Currently the second clip works. No idea why this trouble).

Short explanation of the first video: I'm in Baghdad, 11-11-2005, with US troops. It's night. soldiers have raided some kind of compound to look for possible car bombs. Main road in front of compound is sealed off. Clip starts when a car drives through the checkpoint. You'll hear four gunshots (off camera, US soldiers giving the driver warning shots), driver doesn't stop and drives towards the compound, where I'm standing. Now you'll see two car lights appearing in the dark. US tank fires at car. What follows is some panic inside the compound. After about one minute, I run to the main street and approach the car with one survivor (driver, with hands up) and one person(on passenger seat) who dies on the spot. Btw; As it turned out, there was absolutely no bomb in the car. It is also absolutely unclear why the Iraqi driver ran the checkpoint and ignored the warning shots.

Short explanation of the second video, above: Baghdad, election day (2004). Clip starts when wounded Iraqi man approaches US troops for help while I run to his wounded brother and sister in the car. While assisting the wounded man, the US soldiers get mortared by Al Qaeda militants. Soldiers run to vehicles for cover.

Scott Anderson's story about the real Hunting Party: here

Harald Doornbos

FITNA OUT? REALLY!

2008-03-28T13:42:00.003+02:00

17 hours after Fitna was put on the internet, Dutch citizens in Lebanon received around 25 minutes ago the following message from the Dutch embassy(in Dutch):

"Attentie: Film van Wilders op internet verschenen. Voor nadere info zie website ambassade www.netherlandsembassy.org.lb. In noodgeval is ambassade 24 uur bereikbaar op (volgt tel nr). Afz: Nederlandse ambassade."

Harald Doornbos

WILDERS AND FITNA MOVIE MENTIONED IN FRIDAY PRAYER LEBANON

2008-03-28T13:35:00.001+02:00

My assistant just spoke to an important and moderate sunni cleric, mullah Mustafa Malas, of the Menyah mosque north of Tripoli (Lebanon). He send her this part of the speech he will give today during Friday prayer:

"Criticisms and provocations, of known objectives and intentions, against Islam won’t be able to distort the image of the religion. These attacks are a result of ignorance and lack of awareness and are carried out by those seeking to attract attention and popularity in order to achieve financial and political gains.

Our reaction to the recent offense by the radical Dutch politician, Geert Wilders should be in further holding to the sunnah (path) of the prophet, commitment to Islam’s provisions and manners and behavior that pleases God, and in staying away from insults and foul language used by the provokers themselves."

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: DUTCH AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON TO MEET MAIN SHI'ITE CLERIC ON FITNA MOVIE

2008-03-28T13:00:00.007+02:00

The Dutch ambassador to Lebanon has asked the Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah (see pic), the main Shi'ite cleric in Lebanon, for a meeting on Monday.

The meeting is sceduled for Monday 10 o'clock.

This according to Hani al Abdullah, the spokesperson of Mr. Fadlallah.

"I assume it is about the Wilders movie," said Al Abdullah, on Friday.

Mr. Fadlallah is, for most Shi'ites in Lebanon, the most important scolar and religious leader in the country. Many of his critics though claim he belongs to Hezbollah (The Party of God). But I've interviewed Mr. Fadlallah once and he rigorously denied these claims.

Anyhow. Monday 10 o'clock - meeting between the Dutch ambassador and Mr. Fadlallah.
It's good to see the Dutch reaching out to Muslims.

By the way: The Dutch embassy in Beirut is OPEN today.

Harald Doornbos

AFTER FITNA...THE NO-SPONSE (YET) IN THE MIDDLE EAST

2008-03-28T11:27:00.003+02:00

Until now, no dramatic response in the Middle East to Fitna, the Wilders movie. This of course because the movie - due to all the attention and pressure - wasn't that shocking. No Koran was burnt or torn. Wilders 'only' showed a - already known - Danish cartoon.

That said, Harryzzz is trying to give you the latest responses from the Middle East.

As I am currently in Amsterdam promoting a movie (The Hunting Party, NOT FITNA!!!!)I'm very often in touch with my charming assistant in Beirut, Lebanon. She has spoken - last night and this morning - to various relevant people. I've been talking to some people myself as well. Please read below the main developments, especially in Lebanon.

As long as my assistant in Beirut keeps interviewing people, I will update this blog all day from Amsterdam. So check on www.harryzzz.blogspot.com for the latest stories.

Harald Doornbos

HARRYZZZ IN HOLLAND...

2008-03-26T23:21:00.002+02:00

Ok, not a lot of postings these days. I've travelled from Lebanon to Holland to promote the movie The Hunting Party. Am in Amsterdam now. Movie will be out in Holland on April 3rd.

A link to the movie website here.

Harald Doornbos

OH MY GOD, STILL NO FLAG IN BEIRUT!!! (UUUPS...IT IS GOOD FRIDAY...)

2008-03-21T11:40:00.009+02:00

Utter shame! I do not have words to describe such injustice! This is probably worse than World War II! We are surrendering to Islamists....

Why? Well, because on Friday there is still NO Dutch flag flying in front of the Dutch embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. I just walked passed the embassy, so I should know.

This of course after - believe it or not - members of the Dutch parliament DEMANDED the flag to be raised again by embassy staff in Beirut. On Tuesday GPD newspapers and this blog were the first ones to report on the 'no flag embassy'.

Now Dutch nationalists are up in arms and going banana's about this, as they claim, "surrender to muslims". They want the flag to be raised immediately.

Good luck with that. Because the flag at the Dutch embassy in Beirut is not flying today because....(drie keer raden!!!!)....it is GOOD FRIDAY!

And here in Lebanon, A COUNTRY WHERE 70 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS MUSLIM, christian days like Good Friday and Easter are official holidays. Through the whole of Lebanon today schools are closed, offices closed and - surprise surprise - the Dutch embassy is closed.

Of course, those Dutch nationalists and muslim haters who would proudly like to fly the Dutch flag on the day Jesus Christ (according to one book at least) was crucified...go ahead. But don't be surprised if ARAB CHRISTIANS start storming the embassy.

Ufff...Difficult to live in a globalized world, isn't it?

Anyhow, flag fetishists have to wait until Tuesday when the embassy opens again.

Harald Doornbos

NO FLAG AT DUTCH EMBASSY IN BEIRUT

2008-03-18T23:18:00.010+02:00

Since a couple of days, The Dutch embassy in Beirut has stopped flying its flag. (See pic of two lonely flagpoles, full story at my company, GPD newspapers).

And just to avoid any confusion: The white flag on the picture is NOT flying from the embassy but from a nearby streetlight and it is NOT the Dutch one, but the flag of the Lebanese Forces, a christian political party in Lebanon.

Of course I called the embassy: No official response.

Then a phone call to the Ministry of Foreign affairs in The Hague, Holland.

Question: There's no flag in front of the embassy in Beirut?
Answer by spokeswoman: "This is because the embassy wants to keep a lower profile."

Q: Why?
A: "Well, this is up to any individual embassy."

Q: Ok, but why?
A: "As you probably know, the embassy was closed last week for two days."

Q: True.
A: "I want to make it very clear: It has nothing, and I repeat, nothing to do with the upcoming Wilders-movie."

Q: Nobody is going to believe that...
A: "But it is true. It really has nothing to do with Wilders but with Lebanon's internal situation."

So far the Dutch Ministry of Foreign affairs in The Hague. But harryzzz wanted to know if there were more Dutch embassies in the Middle East without flags.

So I made a few phone calls.

First, Damascus, Syria.

A friendly voice says: "I'll pass you on to the ambassador."
Ambassador, a very simple question: Is there a Dutch flag flying in front of your embassy?
Dutch ambassador to Syria: "Oh yes, flag is flying."
The Wilders movie might come out soon, what do you expect?
"I thought you only wanted to ask a question about the flag?"
Yes, that is true. Thank you.
"No problem."

Then the Dutch embassy in Tehran, Iran:

Press office please...
Some Dutch employee: "If the flag is flying? I can not say anything about this."
But if you look outside, do you see a flag?
"I can not answer that question. Only the ministry in The Hague can."

Last but for sure not least, the Dutch embassy in Pakistan.

"Hello, here Islamabad."
Flag or no flag?
Friendly staff member: "I'm working at the backside of the building. Can't see it."
Oh...
"Wait...just walked to the front. I can say that the Chancellery is flying the flag."

That leaves Denmark the only other country not flying a flag from their Beirut embassy. Remember the cartoon-rage? Well, in February 2006 the Danish consulate here was attacked and partly burnt down by a mob. Since then the Danish consulate was upgraded to an embassy while they have moved it to another location (close to Place Sassine). If you don't know exactly where it is, you'll have difficulties finding it, because - indeed - there's no flag flying outside.

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: RELEASE OF WILDERS MOVIE IMMINENT

2008-03-15T18:19:00.008+02:00

I might be wrong of course (but I don't think so), but sources tell this blog: The release of the Wilders movie Fitna is imminent.

Wilders, you silly man, may the force have mercy on you and all the people who are going to die because of this movie...

Anyhow...you can imagine that Harryzzz - being a Dutchman in the Middle East - is getting a little nervous...

Best-case scenario: Youtube will be blocked in many muslim countries.

Worst-case scenario: Demonstrations all over the world, many Dutch embassies in the Middle East burnt down. To name a few: Beirut, Damascus, Tehran, Islamabad, Kabul...

We'll see the next couple of days....

As I'm here in Beirut, I'll try to keep everybody informed (and not get lynched).

Harald Doornbos

HUGE DEMONSTRATION IN BEIRUT...UHHHH...NOT

2008-03-14T11:19:00.007+02:00

Remember the reason given by the Dutch authorities in The Hague as to why the Dutch embassy in Beirut is/was closed yesterday and today?

According to the Ministry of Foreign affairs in The Hague, quoted by the ANP news agency on Wednesday: "Demonstrations are expected [in Lebanon] and that is the reason we have decided to close the embassy."

Demonstrations...really?

Here a picture I made today of this giant demonstration, on Friday in down-town Beirut. This is the place where demonstrators in Lebanon normally gather. You see anybody or anything, except for parked cars???Frankly - on Thursday and Friday there were NO demonstrations reported in Beirut. Down-town Beirut is today entirely normal. Not a single demonstrator.

I am sure the Ministry in Holland on Wednesday wasn't lying, but did they tell the truth? Well, that is another question...

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: DUTCH CLOSE BEIRUT EMBASSY (including update)

2008-03-12T19:43:00.021+02:00

The Dutch authorities have decided to close the Dutch embassy in Beirut, Lebanon on Thursday and Friday.

On Wednesday evening, embassy staff has informed all Dutch citizens in Lebanon about the decision via SMS.

The message reads: "The Dutch embassy will be closed on March 13th and 14th due to safety reasons".

Authorities have not specified these "safety reasons".

There are two possibilities. Either the whole thing has something to do with the upcoming Wilders-movie. Or with the Hariri-tribunal, which will start this year in the Dutch city of The Hague.

Personally I think it has more to do with the Hariri-tribunal than with the movie. I mean, the Wilders-movie is not out yet. And for now, I know, shiite Hezbollah is not planning anything against the Dutch because of the movie. Also, Sunni radicals from Lebanon's north aren't organizing Wilders-related protests yet.

But certain pro-Syrian groups in Lebanon have made it very clear that the tribunal is not being appreciated. Targeting the Dutch would be a clear message to the tribunal.

Also this: 14th of March is the name of the pro-government, anti-Syrian ruling coalition in Lebanon. It was named after a huge demonstration, on March 14th 2005, which lead to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

The date 14th of March is, since 2005, a - so called - sensitive date here in Lebanon. Man, I just took a spin in my car through Beirut by night and my god, there are soooo many army- and police checkpoints...just not funny any more. It takes ages to get anywhere. The authorities here, it seems, suspect pro-Syrian groups to launch bomb attacks against pro-government targets on or around the 14th of March.

It is all speculation of course (nobody wants to confirm the real reason for the closure of the embassy) but logical thinking tells me its because of the tribunal, not the Wilders-movie.

That said: Next week or so, after the movie is out...expect huge trouble here. With threats against the embassy, possible riots an a possible economic boycott - difficult time in Lebanon for Dutchies and Dutch cheese...

Additional: OK, FOUND OUT THE REAL REASON - A MIXTURE OF LEBANON'S INTERNAL SITUATION AND THE WILDERS MOVIE:

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Holland, the embassy in Beirut will be closed because of "expected demonstrations on Friday in Beirut."

That is an interesting reason, because the demonstrators on Friday will be supporters of the murdered Hariri. These people are pro-Lebanese government, pro-Hariri-tribunal and anti-Syrian. So, at a first glance, the Dutch have nothing to fear from these people.

But, and this is the crucial thing, the demonstrators on Friday will be mainly SUNNI MUSLIMS. When the Danish embassy was burnt down here (around two years ago), it was basically done by Sunni Muslims, not Shiite's.

So the Dutch authorities in Beirut, according to Lebanese sources, are at the moment very wary of large groups of Sunni Muslims. Although the initial demonstration might be pro-Hariri (and in a way pro-Holland, because the protesters want the Hariri-tribunal in The Hague to take place), parts of the demo might suddenly turn anti-Wilders and - possibly - include a storming of the Dutch embassy.

Harald Doornbos

In Tehran, an unexpected 'cartoon' of the prophet Muhammad

2008-03-09T08:11:00.001+02:00

I've posted this story on harryzzz already last year July. But as the world keeps on talking about the Danish cartoons and the Wilders movie, it would not hurt to check this story out again. (I've added a couple of new lines and click on pictures to enlarge.):

(...) As most of us know by now: It is forbidden in Islamic countries to depict the prophet Muhammad – let alone depict him in an insulting way. Depicting a person, especially the prophet, could lead to worshipping. This is absolutely forbidden in the strictly monotheistic religion of Islam. In other words: You may only worship God (Allah), not anybody else, not even the prophet Muhammad.

But here comes the rather less predictable part of the story.

Some time ago I visited Iran and walked through the capital Tehran and decided to visit the Museum of the Islamic Period, one of the largest museums in town. Located in a beautiful building in the center of Tehran, I went up the stairs and started my tour. On floor one, in front of one of the first pieces of the exhibition, I immediately stopped. Looking at a picture, behind glass, I was flabbergasted. Because, believe it or not, I stood face to face with a picture of the prophet Muhammad.

Hanging on the wall in front of me was a painting of a male person wearing a green scarf and a black beard, some Koranic texts and beautifully made decorations. Under it, in Farsi and in English, the museum had put a little sign. It read: AN ICON OF THE PROPHET (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him), Signed by Sani'Al-Molk, 19th Century A.D.

After about five minutes, I walked up to the front desk of the museum.

"I thought this was forbidden," I asked to a friendly girl, pointing in the direction of the icon of the prophet.

"Well," she said, "If it is done in a respectful way, you may depict the prophet."

But almost every Muslim I talk to, I continued, claims it is strictly forbidden in Islam to depict the prophet - respectfully or disrespectfully.

She shook her head and said: "A lot of people here are kind of ignorant on this topic. I was highly surprised by all these world wide protests, because I see this icon of the prophet every day."

"Still," she said, "There is a huge difference in depicting the prophet as some kind of terrorist or depicting him the way this painter has done. This is just a very beautiful icon, nobody can have anything against it."

Don't tell that to the Wahhabi's in Saudi Arabia - I said. And again, she - a Shi'a Muslim - smiled. "You're probably right," she said.

Harald Doornbos

NOG VREEMDERE WENDING: DEFENSIEMEDEWERKER ZETTE PER ONGELUK HELICOPTER FILMPJE OP DVD

2008-03-07T14:59:00.007+02:00

Eergisteren hadden we de volgende wending: Er staat een filmpje op het internet (liveleak and youtube) van een Nederlandse helicopterbemanning die vermoedelijke Taliban beschiet. Het is overduidelijk een prive-filmpje. Ik bel ministerie van Defensie op en vraag om uitleg. "Dit is vervelend," zegt Defensie, die hier niet van op de hoogte lijkt, "We gaan uitzoeken hoe dat op het internet is beland."

Gisteren kreeg het verhaal een vreemde wending, toen bleek dat een Nederlandse journalist, Joris Janssen Lok van het blad Aviation Week, het filmpje op het internet had gezet.

Zijn, geparafraseerde, reactie tegenover me: "Waarom alle ophef? Want ik heb dit filmpje een maand geleden zelf van Defensie gekregen tijdens mijn bezoek aan Gilze-Rijen!"

Oke, lees vandaag dan hieronder de derde, laatste en wel zeer merkwaardige wending van een toch al merkwaardig verhaal:

Want nadat ik met meneer Lok had gesproken, heb ik natuurlijk opnieuw met Defensie gebeld en gevraagd hoe het nou eigenlijk precies zit. Wel, hou je vast:

Volgens een woordvoerder van Defensie is journalist Lok inderdaad op de vliegbasis Gilze-Rijen geweest.

Tijdens dat bezoek kreeg Lok ondermeer een interview met de commandant van de Nederlandse Apache-helicopter eenheid en een multi-media presentatie.

Defensie personeel heeft Lok tijdens een presentatie het gewraakte helicopter filmpje laten zien op een scherm. Dit filmpje mocht journalist Lok dus bekijken, niet meenemen.

Vervolgens kreeg Lok van Defensie een DVD voor mee naar huis met daarop een aantal reeds vrijgegeven militaire filmpjes.

Nu komt het echter...

"Een overijverige medewerker van Defensie heeft per ongeluk ook het filmpje van de Apache-helicopter in Afghanistan op de DVD gezet die aan Lok is gegeven," aldus een Defensie woordvoerder tegenover me.

Einde oefening, mysterie opgelost. Maar al met al wel knap knullig...

Lees twee eerdere postings (scroll naar beneden) voor meer details en hier nog een keer het bewuste filmpje:

Harald Doornbos

VREEMDE WENDING: DEFENSIE GAF HELICOPTER VIDEO ZELF AAN JOURNALIST!

2008-03-06T11:56:00.004+02:00

Lees eerst eventjes de vorige post, beneden...

Ok, klaar? Wel, dan wordt het nu allemaal een stukje merkwaardiger.

Ik heb net uitgezocht wie er achter de 'uitgelekte' beelden zit van de Nederlandse Apache-helicopter aanval op de Taliban in Afghanistan.

Het gaat hier om Joris Janssen Lok, een van de beste journalisten in Nederland op het gebied van militaire zaken. Hij is senior European editor bij Aviation Week. Ik heb net, telefonisch, met meneer Lok gesproken. En hij bevestigde tegenover me dat hij het bewuste filmpje op het internet heeft gezet. Of liever gezegd, via zijn opdrachtgever, Aviationweek.com.

In eerste instantie had ik zoiets: Ai - Da's niet zo slim van meneer Lok! Want Defensie verklaarde gisteren nog letterlijk tegenover me het volgende:

“Dit [de verschijning van het filmpje op het internet, hd] is vervelend,” aldus Defensiewoordvoerder Robin Middel in een reactie, “Niet omdat het de realiteit laat zien, maar omdat het context mist.” Middel zegt geen idee te hebben hoe de clip op het internet is beland en wie dat heeft gedaan.

“Kleine delen van de film zijn vorig jaar vrijgegen voor een compilatie op onze website,” aldus de woordvoerder, “Maar niet de hele clip.”

(...) “Deze beelden bevonden zich natuurlijk in beperkte kring,” aldus woordvoerder Middel, “We gaan er nu wel even naar kijken hoe zoiets plotseling op het internet is beland.”

Maar wat de heer Lok me zojuist vertelde, geeft het hele verhaal een vrij bizarre wending!

- Meneer Lok, hoe kwam u aan het filmpje?
Lok: "Wel, dat heb ik gekregen van Defensie."

- Wat???? Hetzelfde Defensie dat boos was omdat het filmpje is 'uitgelekt' op het internet?
Een verbaasde meneer Lok: "Ja, die clip heb ik gekregen tijdens een interview, een maand geleden, met de commandant van de Nederlandse Apache eenheid, [kolonel] Theo van Haaf, in Gilze-Rijen."

- En mocht u dat alleen maar voor u zelf houden of ook openbaar maken?
Lok: "Dat was specifiek bedoeld om op de website te zetten. Bedoeld als illustratie, als voorbeeld voor bij het interview."

- De clip heeft u dus gekregen van de Apache commandant?
Lok: "Het was een officieel interview. D'r was ook een voorlichter van het Ministerie van Defensie bij."

Merkwaardig allemaal. Hetzelfde ministerie dus dat gisteren nog tegen me zei dat ze gaan uitzoeken wie in vredesnaam die video heeft 'gelekt'. Ik ga Defensie maar weer bellen voor opheldering.

Hier een link naar het originele artikel en de video van Joris Janssen Lok.

Harald Doornbos

EXCLUSIEF: INSTRUCTIEFILM DEFENSIE BELANDT OP MYSTERIEUZE WIJZE OP INTERNET

2008-03-06T09:59:00.005+02:00

Hier de tekst van een exclusief verhaal zoals ik dat gisteren heb geleverd voor mijn krant (GPD). Het staat vandaag in de GPD bladen:

Beelden van een Nederlandse gevechtshelicopter die Taliban strijders beschiet in Afghanistan zijn op mysterieuze wijze op het internet belandt.

Het 1.35 minuut durende filmpje, dat vanuit de Nederlandse Apache-helicopter is gedraaid, wordt normaliter gebruikt door Defensie voor instructiedoeleinden binnenshuis. Maar sinds afgelopen maandag, zo blijkt nu, valt het voor iedereen te zien op de website LiveLeak.com.

“Dit is vervelend,” aldus Defensiewoordvoerder Robin Middel in een reactie, “Niet omdat het de realiteit laat zien, maar omdat het context mist.” Middel zegt geen idee te hebben hoe de clip op het internet is beland en wie dat heeft gedaan.

“Kleine delen van de film zijn vorig jaar vrijgegen voor een compilatie op onze website,” aldus de woordvoerder, “Maar niet de hele clip.”

Het filmpje laat duidelijk zien en te horen hoe twee Nederlandse militairen vanuit een Apache helicopter contact hebben met een Amerikaanse- of Canadese eenheid op de grond.

“We worden onder vuur genomen,” aldus een Amerikaanse stem in het Engels. Hierop speurt de Nederlandse helicopter de bergachtige omgeving af op zoek naar de Taliban schutters. Nadat grondtroepen een veld en een huis hebben beschoten, vragen ze aan de helicopterbemanning of de Nederlanders “onze impacts zien”. De Nederlanders in de helicopter antwoorden bevestigend: “A-firm, we zien jullie impacts.” Daarop wordt het vizier nog verder ingezoemd waardoor nu heel duidelijk een huis zichtbaar is. Aangezien het inzoemen vrij chaotisch gebeurt, schreeuwt een bemanningslid naar een collega in het Nederlands: “Rustig aan Mark, rustig aan!”

Kort daarop openen de Nederlanders vanuit de helicopter het vuur op twee personen die in de deuropening staan van het huis. Een Nederlandse stem roept “uitdraaien, uitdraaien, uitdraaien!” waarna een ratelend machinegeweer weinig heel laat van een van de muren van de woning. In de laatste seconde van de clip valt nog te zien hoe tenminste twee vermoedelijke Talibanners in paniek wegrennen.

“Deze beelden bevonden zich natuurlijk in beperkte kring,” aldus woordvoerder Middel, “We gaan er nu wel even naar kijken hoe zoiets plotseling op het internet is beland.”

Harald Doornbos

BIZAR: AL-QAIDA GEBRUIKT BEELDEN NEDERLANDSE TELEVISIE IN PROPAGANDA DVD

2008-02-26T08:35:00.007+02:00

Oh, zeer zeker was ik verbaasd.

Want via via kon ik, hier in Pakistan, de laatste Al-Qaida DVD's bekijken op de computer van iemand die ik ken.

DVD's dus die door Al-Qaida-leden hier in Pakistan en het naburige Afghanistan zijn gemonteerd en die, over een paar weken, op de markt komen. Omdat ze nog nieuw en exlusief zijn (zo'n drie weken geleden gemonteerd) kon ik er geen copie van krijgen. Wel mocht ik een paar foto's nemen van het computerscherm (Zoals te zien, heb ik de naam van mijn blog midden door de foto gezet, anders wordt die foto weer gejat zonder referentie...vandaar)

Eerste DVD beelden; een paar taliban strijders in Afghanistan die zingend kamp opzetten en vervolgens op Amerikaanse troepen beginnen te schieten. Verderop: een taliban commandant die een zestien-jarig jochie glimlachend meeneemt naar een auto. Een Arabisch Al-Qaida lid zit met een nijptang te klooien aan de achterbank die bestaat uit iets van 100 explosieven. Het jochie gaat in de auto zitten, rijdt over een bergweg naar een Amerikaanse patrouille en blaast zichzelf, en de Amerikanen, op.

Gezellige DVD dus. Ik blijf doorkijken. Soldaten - Afghaanse en waarschijnlijk een paar buitenlandse troepen - geven een Afghaan wat klappen. Plotseling echter zie ik het logo van Nederland 1 in beeld. En een, truttige, Nederlandse ondertitel: Doe je rothoofd naar beneden. Ik kijk nogeens goed. Is dit Rondom Tien, een uit de hand gelopen EO-Jongerendag wellicht????

Nee, dit is en blijft de Al-Qaida-DVD. Kijk naar de twee logo's linksboven. Daar staat, onder een wereldbolletje, in het Arabisch Manba al Jihad, wat zoveel betekent als Bron van de Heilige Oorlog. Daar weer onder, opnieuw in het Arabisch: Al Houda, wat staat voor het juiste pad al is het Engelse woord guidance beter.

Beide namen vertegenwoordigen Al-Qaida video productiemaatschappijen in Afghanistan en Pakistaans stammengebied. Manba al Jihad en Al Houda zijn tevens strijdgroepen in Afghanistan. Ze bestaan uit een mengelmoes van Arabieren en Centraal Aziaten (veelal Al-Qaida) en lokale Afghanen en Pakistanen (veelal Taliban).

Maar goed. Terug naar de Nederlandse televisiebeelden. Waarom doet Al-Qaida dit? Wel, omdat deze beelden laten zien hoe een Afghaan klappen krijgt van - daar lijkt het tenminste op - een paar Westerse (Nederlandse????) militairen en Afghaanse regeringssoldaten (die pro-president Karazai zijn, door het Westen gesteund).

Op de Al-Qaida-DVD worden deze beelden dan ook vergezeld van een stem, in het Pastho (de taal der Pathanen), die zegt: “Ze zeiden dat ze kwamen om te helpen en om het land op te bouwen, maar dit is wat de ongelovigen doen.” Oftewel: Die buitenlanders slaan onze mensen, dus sluit je aan bij Al-Qaida om hen te verdrijven. Dezelfde stem roept de kijker zo ongeveer de hele video op om te vechten tegen de ongelovigen en de ongelovigen, kaffirs genaamd, met zelfmoordaanvallen te pakken.

Ik ga ervan uit dat Al-Qaida de Nederlandse tv beelden van het internet heeft geplukt. Omdat ik al een tijdje niet meer in Nederland woon, heb ik geen idee welk programma dit was. Wie het weet mag het zeggen.

In ieder geval dit: In een globale wereld staan we - of we het nou leuk vinden of niet - allemaal met elkaar in verbinding. Een goed bedoelde reportage op Nederland 1 wordt van het internet geplukt door Al-Qaida in zuid-Afghanistan. Vervolgens verknipt tot propaganda met behulp van edit-programma op een lap-top ergens nabij Kandahar. Daarna op een DVD gezet en verspreid om er nieuwe leden mee te ronselen.

En het leuke (of tragische) is dat Al-Qaida er de komende weken weer een paar duizend aanhangers bij krijgt vanwege het filmpje van heer Wilders. Kan die man zijn kruistocht niet kwijt bij de lokale omroep van Venlo in plaats van op het WWW? Echt, ik woon in het Midden Oosten en Pakistan: Als je wilt dat Al-Qaida sterker wordt, het Anne Frank huis binnenkort wordt opgeblazen en Iran out of control raakt, moet je vooral Wilders steunen.

Moslimsamenlevingen buiten Europa (Midden Oosten, zuid-Azie, noord-Afrika) zijn over het algemeen zeer conservatieve en gecompliceerde delen van de wereld die veel meer raakvlakken hebben met Europa in de Middeleeuwen dan me de post-Verlichting en seculiere 21ste eeuw. Hier de botte bijl willen hanteren is natuurlijk 'lachuuu', maar werkelijk extreem simpel en gevaarlijk. Het is net zoiets als eisen dat de film Fucked up Anal Schoolgirls wordt uitgezonden tijdens de koffiepauze in ieder bejaardentehuis in Nederland. Cake en koekjes erbij. Opnieuw lachuuuu. Maar, geheid dat de meeste bejaarden het niet waarderen.

Absoluut, er is van alles mis de in de islamitische wereld. En in een democratie als Nederland moet alles kunnen. Maar botte bijl Wilders helpt uiteindelijk Al-Qaida en aanhang. Logisch trouwens, want de enige reden waarom Wilders succes kent en in de Tweede Kamer zit, is omdat Osama en geflipte aanhang deden wat ze deden en doen wat ze doen.

In ieder geval spreekt Nederland weer een woordje mee: Al-Qaida gebruikt Nederlandse tv beelden, Pakistan gooit wereldwijd youtube plat vanwege geruchten dat het Wilders-filmpje erop staat. En Iran roept op om Denemarken en Nederland te boycotten. Als journalist in het Midden Oosten zeg ik: Mooi zo - werk aan de winkel! Als mens denk ik: Kan die Wilders niet eens (Vrij naar Jules Deelder) door 10 matrozen....?

Harald Doornbos

TROUBLE IN KOSOVO/SERBIA? RIDE A HORSE IN PAKISTAN!

2008-02-22T21:31:00.009+02:00

A Dutch website wrote today: With all the trouble in Serbia/Kosovo - What will Harryzzz do??? (probably because I lived in the Balkans for about 8 years...)

Well, here is my answer: As I'm at the moment in Pakistan....TODAY I DID SOME HORSE RIDING IN ISLAMABAD!

Watch this video, shot today by my Pakistani friend Zia (Huh - impressive camera work....!) of your horse riding correspondent:

Harald Doornbos

FINAL RESULTS ELECTIONS PAKISTAN

2008-02-20T12:11:00.004+02:00

I'm still in Islamabad, Pakistan. Talking to a lot of people here and trying to grasp what is going to change in Pakistan due to these most amazing election results...

The islamists have been crushed (from 63 to 3 seats). Musharraf and allies seriously defeated (from 118 to around 50 seats - 38 PML-Q backed by around 10 or 15 independent, pro-PML-Q candidates).

Here the final results:

Harald Doornbos

MUSHARRAF'S TIME SEEMS UP, PPP AND PML-N WIN BIG TIME, RELIGIOUS PARTIES DISAPPEAR

2008-02-19T07:46:00.010+02:00

Here in Pakistan people call yesterdays elections: A day to remember...

Why? Well, look at the following figures.

The PML-Q (Musharraf's party) received during the 2002 elections around 118 seats, now they stand at 25 (projection is that with all votes counted, PML-Q will receive around 45 seats). MMA, the pro-taliban, pro-Al Qaeda religious alliance, received 63 seats in 2002 elections, now they stand at 3. Did all of its supporters blow themselves up?

Find above the preliminary results of the Pakistani elections. Click on pic to be able to read it mlore clearly. NA stands for National Assembly, so that is the main parliament (most important of course). PP means provincial assembly Punjab, PS is provincial Sindh, PF is provincial Frontier (NWFP), PB is Balochistan.

Check out the disaster for the MMA, good results in NA for PPP, great results for PML-N in Punjab, PML-Q (Musharraf's party) did pretty well in Balochistan, especially due to boycot there by many anti-Musharraf parties. Left wing Pastuns of the ANP - well done.

Later today the final results.

Harald Doornbos

PAKISTAN: CRICKET AND ELECTIONS

2008-02-18T16:06:00.003+02:00

Polling stations are closed, first results expected later tonight. Just enough time to watch this little Video... HARRYZZZ and Friend Zia visit a Cricket Field in Islambad. Will they get hit on the head? Check out other videos posted today as well.

Harald Dornboos

HARRYZZZ HANGS OUT IN POLLING STATION IN ISLAMABAD (part I and II)

2008-02-18T13:34:00.006+02:00

Elections in Pakistan. This morning, me and my good friend Zia, visited a polling station in a school in Pakistan's capital Islamabad. This is the first part: How we enter, the funny walk of a boy scout and the male polling station (females vote somewhere else). PS: I don't have time to edit this material, so its rather rough stuff...

Part II:

Harald Doornbos

IN ISLAMABAD, RAWALPINDI: PAKISTANIS VOTE IN RELAXED ATMOSPHERE

2008-02-18T11:57:00.003+02:00

Ok, I've been driving around Islamabad, Rawalpindi and part of the countryside here. The atmosphere is great. Supporters of all various parties are, very peacefully, casting their votes. All available space in Pakistan (except for the sky) has been plastered by posters and baners. Wow, the Pakistanis are seriously passionate about politics! And again - wow. Because in how many other Islamic countries would all these different parties be allowed to participate in elections?

Ok, from what I've seen - no violence what so ever. On the streets you mostly see supporters of the the PPP (Bhutto) and PML-N (Nawaz Sharif). Hardly any supporters of PML-Q (Musharraf's party).

But inside the polling stations, I've spoken to quite a lot of people who still voted for Musharraf's party. Especially women. Reason? "Musharraf is fighting against the taliban," a women told me. Another said: "Musharraf promoted education for girl, we can not forget that."

But one, male, supporter of Musharraf was pretty gloomy. "It is a tradition here in Pakistan that whenever a new leader comes they celebrate," he said, "And when he goes, they celebrate too."

In the meantime, cars with PPP supporters drive left, right and center on the roads. Flags, banners, slogans. This is their day. "Not just our day," one PPP supporter says, "For us this is D-Day."

Latest news: Through the whole country (160 million people) 80 million Pakistani's are allowed to vote. A total of ten people have died in various incidents. My friend Zia, who is joining me today, says: "My god, only ten dead? That is really nothing!".

Later here on harryzzz more pictures and a couple of videos. Unfortunately I'm having some difficulties getting my computer to accept video data. Whatever. Keep on checking this blog today and tomorrow.

Harald Doornbos

PAKISTAN VOTES, HARRYZZZ REPORTS - LIVE FROM ISLAMABAD

2008-02-18T04:57:00.004+02:00

I've left, on Saturday, Lebanon and arrived in Pakistan. This because there are extremely important elections taking place, today, Monday February 18th.

Will the PPP, the party of former PM Benazir Bhutto, secure a landslide victory today after Benazir was killed on December 27th last year?

Will the same PPP accept the results in case they do NOT win that same majority?

Will president Pervez Musharraf (and his PML-Q party) survive these elections?

Will taliban/Al Qaeda-elements be able to launch any spectacular attacks?

And, last but not least, how will the religious parties react to their CERTAIN LOSS during these elections? Because everybody might be talking about the, so called, Talibanization of Pakistan. This is, of course, not true. Yes, taliban/Qaeda militants are getting more and more bold and are stepping up their attacks, but the taliban/qaeda political parties are - big time - loosing support here. Pakistan's main problem seems to be terrorism, not talibanization.

These are, most probably, Pakistan's most important elections since the country was created, in 1947.

Voting has just started, around 11 minutes ago. As it is now 04.00 in the morning in Europe and 22.00 in the US (still Sunday), it looks like a beautiful, sunny Monday morning here in the capital Islamabad.

I'll try to post some updates today here on Harryzzz as I'll be driving around Islamabad and Rawalpindi...

Harald Doornbos

ROSES ARE RED, SO IS BLOOD

2008-02-13T21:34:00.005+02:00

Ok, Harryzzz is back. Very sorry for not posting anything lately, but hey, the moment people start paying me for this stuff I'll take in complaints...

Here in Beirut; preperations for two important events on Thursday, Valentine's Day:

Pro-government Sunni's, some Druze and some christians are preparing for the commemoration of the death of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, on Thursday 14th of February, exactly three years ago. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in down town Beirut. That is, if it doesn't rain, because it is currently very, very crappy weather here...

In the meantime, Shia's of the Hezbollah opposition are preparing, also on Thursday, for a funeral, in Beirut's southern neighbourhoods, of Imad Moghniyeh, one of the military commanders of Hezbollah, who was killed on Tuesday in the Syrian captial Damascus.

There is an enormous rivalry between both sides (pro and anti-government), so if both groups meet on Thursday....don't expect a Valentine's atmosphere but instead very serious problems. Something like poor Cupido on the picture, above.

I just drove through Beirut (around 22.00 hours on Wednesday).

At the moment, the situation is as follows:

- Enormous army presence in and around downtown Beirut.

- Because of fears for car bombs, all vehicles are banned in and around down town Beirut. Luckily I live just outside the no-car zone so your reporter will be able to use his beloved Audi A8 to drive from Hariri-meeting to Hezbollah-funeral.

- Every where in Beirut supporters of Hariri are pretty excited. Loud bangs because of fire crackers. I also heard a lot of real shooting (in the air I guess). In Sunni area's of West-Beirut small convoys with Hariri-supporters are driving around waving flags...

- In the Shia area's, in South Beirut, no shootings nor fire crackers. People here are mourning the death of the Hezbollah-commander. Others are sincerely shocked: How was Israel able to kill such a senior Hezbollah commander and, worse, not in Beirut, but in Damascus?

Just to get the idea of how big this is for Hezbollah, below the Hezbollah statement:

"In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. (Of the believers are men who are true to the covenant which they made with Allah: so of them is he who accomplished his vow, and of them is he who yet waits, and they have not changed in the least). Almighty Allah has spoken the truth.

With pride and honor, we announce the martyrdom of a great resistance leader who joined the procession of Islamic Resistance martyrs. After a life full of Jihad, sacrifices and accomplishments lived with a longing to martyrdom, Islamic Resistance leader Hajj Imad Moghniyeh (Hajj Radwan) was assassinated by Israeli criminal hands. The martyr, may his soul rest in peace, had been a target for the Zionists for more than 20 years. Almighty Allah has chosen him to be a martyr on the hands of His Prophet's killers who know that we have a long battle with them and the blood of martyrs especially our leaders has always taken our resistance to a higher and stronger level, just like when our two great leaders, Sheikh Ragheb Harb and Sayyed Abbas Moussawi were martyred.

We pledge to continue the martyr's path until achieving complete victory, God willing. We offer our sincere condolences to the martyr's family and his brothers in arms and we congratulate all resistance fighters for the Divine legion of honor."

Hariri-meeting will start around 10.00 o'clock (in down town), Hezbollah funeral around 14.30 (in the Sayyed el Shuhada' hall, the same place where Ashura is being organised). There are strong rumours about Hariri supporters aiming to destroy the Hezbollah tent-camp in down town Beirut on Thursday.

I've got no idea of what to expect. Valentine's Day might stay very calm or might plunge this country into a civil war - again.

Pretty weird that in a country where Valentine's Day is very much celebrated by young couples, the choice on Thursday will be between either roses or blood. Because roses are red, and so is blood...

Harald Doornbos

HARRYZZZ BACK AFTER HIT BY.....FLU

2008-01-29T14:26:00.000+02:00

Lebanon is a dangerous place. Bombs, riots, shootings. That's why I was taken out by the flu... In bed for almost four days. Fever, sweat, hallucinations...Finally I was making sense, my cat told me.

But your reporter is, for the full 99 percent, back! Cured by heavy doses of hardcore Mid East medicines Harryzzzz feels pretty good again.

Although it was pretty wanky by some elements in society to start trouble (on Sunday) while this reporter was swimming in his own sweat, it is understandable that some Lebanese just can not live a day without trouble. I salute this attitude.

So Harryzzz message to the troublemakers in the country: Thou art granted permission to start again!

Our motto: Let the sneakiest bastard win the battle for Lebanon!

Harald Doornbos

ANOTHER BOMB ATTACK IN BEIRUT

2008-01-25T12:17:00.000+02:00

I've just come back from the place where a bomb exploded, on Friday morning. Pretty messy. According to officials 6 dead, although I only arrived at the scene around 40 minutes after the attack took place and all victims were already taken away by ambulances. Due to an enormous traffic mess, I could not reach the place quicker.

At the scene: Around 30 cars destroyed - right under and next to a flyover where the main Hazmiye highway runs. For the moment, highway is sealed off by the cops, but the section of this main Beirut highway did not collapse.

As usual - one or two cars fully destroyed (probably the targeted vehicle and the car carrying the bomb). Lots of other vehicles around the place also very much damaged and or burnt out.

Drama at the scene as people who were looking for relatives, started screaming and crying. One man had to be calmed down by five soldiers, another woman fainted.

As I'm not home yet, I can't upload any pics or the little video i shot. This i'll do later today, although its nothing special.

At the moment: Army and police are setting up checkpoints all around the city. Police vehicles drive around with loud screaming cops in it using megaphones to order people not to park their cars on main roads.

Yesterday, there was a transport strike which got ugly as Hezbollah supporters started throwing rocks at the army and enjoyed harassing journalists (like harryzzz!). Today a car bomb. For Sunday and Monday further protests announced by the opposition....what a mess here.

Here a accurate story with more details on todays attack from the BBC website (www.bbc.co.uk):

At least six people have been killed in a powerful car bombing in an eastern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut.

A senior member of the police intelligence unit and another officer were among the dead, police say.

Lebanese TV footage of Hazmieh, a mainly Christian suburb in eastern Beirut, showed a blackened crater and many tangled and burning cars.

Beirut has witnessed a string of bomb attacks since 2004, many targeting members of the anti-Syrian movement.

The dead police official, Wissam Eid, was a technical expert in the Internal Security Forces who had been investigating the past bombings, local media said.

Main route

TV pictures showed what appeared to be the aftermath of a large blast causing damage over a considerable area at a junction in east Beirut.

Emergency workers were filmed putting out fierce fires in vehicles at junction near one of the main highways through the capital.

The blast comes at a time of political crisis in Lebanon between rival pro-Syrian and pro-Western parties which has prevent the election of a president for more than two months.

Lebanon's western-backed government says the bombings are a message from Syria, although Damascus denies it and condemns the killing.

The country has also been rocked by an uprising by Islamist militants in the north and attacks on UN peacekeepers in the south.

Ten days ago, a car bomb damaged a US diplomatic car in eastern Beirut, killing at least three bystanders, and last month the army's chief of operations was assassinated by similar means.

Harald Doornbos

ASHURA SURPRISE...

2008-01-21T15:05:00.000+02:00

I had no idea that so many people, especially in Holland, got so exited about my little Ashura video (see post below). This, huh, cinematic masterpiece, is currently ranked as the 8th most watched video on Youtube (in section: News and Politics). More people have watched Ashura than Larry Kings interview with some UFO nutters (currently ranked 13th).

A couple of points though:

- Many muslim-haters in the West watched my video, saw the blood and decided: These guys must be f***** insane! Yes, Ashura is pretty bloody, but it has been around for 1400 years. When you are so into muslim-bashing and the Clash of Civillizations - I find it pretty f***** insane you did not know about Ashura.

- Ever visited concerts, rave parties, disco's in Holland or the rest of Europe? Well, 6000 people - in trance - dancing like weirdo's. Shi'ites just perform the ritual once a year, most muslim-bashers every Friday- and Saturday night. And believe me, the amount of vomit at these parties exceeds the amount of blood during Ashura.

- The Ashura boys in Nabatiye do NOT hit their heads until it starts bleeding. No! What actually happens is this: A friend or family member uses a knife and makes a little cut on the top of the head. This hurts as much as receiving an injection hurts. The immediate result though is that the blood gushes out and before you can say Haile Selassie your face is drenched in blood. So it is not painful at all. Yes, some participants faint or need medical care, but this is due to blood loss, not pain.

- It seems bloody but Ashura is absolutely non-violent. And nobody forces you to participate. In Nabatiye, I never felt even remotely threatened by the people. Everybody was polite and friendly. Compare that to attending a soccer match in Europe....

- More and more people in the West can't deal with globalization. Terrified by change and scared of everything alien, many only react with hatred and condemnation to anything outside their own reality. Of course, Ashura has been going on for 1400 years. But until recently, nobody in the West ever knew about it, heard of it or saw it. With TV and the Internet it is all different now. Ashura, suddenly, on your computer in your living room in Amsterdam, with Muslims living around the corner???? No context, no knowledge. The primal response: This is sick, these people must be mad...and terrorists of course.

The funny thing though is that many people in the Middle East would respond with equal disgust, or at least surprise, the moment I would ask them to watch the following Dutch carnival song called Ko zak door! or Ko get drunk!.

Or what about this video: Vomiting during the LOVE Parade in Essen, Germany. You still think Ashura is strange?

Every society has its own weird stuff. In some places it is called Ashura, somewhere else carnival, in a third spot the Love Parade.

Whatever. As long as people aren't killing each other or forcing others to join in - it seems all OK to me.

The magic of modernity is to be able to realize that the earth rotates at a dazzling speed. The reason we do not fall off is not because we stand still or try to hide. The only reason we survive is because its speed is constant.

Harald Doornbos

HARRYZZZ VIDEO: ASHURA IN NABATYE, SOUTH LEBANON

2008-01-19T15:55:00.000+02:00

It is Ashura today, so I visited this morning Nabatye, a shiite city in Lebanon's south. Nabatye is well known for its bloody commemoration of the death of Hussain, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad.

Strangely, this is, more or less, the only place in Lebanon where shiites cut their heads and mourn in such a bloody fashion. In Beirut, for instance, Shiites just hold parades, visit mosques and Ashura halls.

So yes - Nabatye on Saturday was bloody. I need to wash my pants and jacket because its all covered with blood stains.

Here is the video (click twice to start it):

Here are two handy links on Ashura:

What is Ashura? HERE

How to remove blood stains? HERE

Harald Doornbos

BLOGGERS AND FACTS...AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

2008-01-16T21:50:00.000+02:00

Seeing is believing, the saying goes.

But some bloggers are rather stubborn. And silly.

Remember yesterday's bombing in which unknown terrorists tried to blow up a US embassy vehicle but instead killed three innocent Lebanese motorists?

Well, according to the writer at Beirutspring, a normally rather clever blog on Lebanon, the US embassy car was carrying diplomatic licence plates.

Or, as Beirutspring writes: "An large explosion in the Karantina Area in Beirut targeted a car with an American embassy plate. No Americans were killed."

Yeah right...

I was at the scene of the bombing and, of course, saw the US vehicle. Either I am turning mental, or Beirutspring strongly supports ignorance. Because the number plate of the US vehicle I saw was very much a regular Lebanese one. You know, white with blue.

So I posted a picture of the car (including a view of the Lebanese number plate) on my blog. I also posted a video (in which you can see that the embassy car carries a regular plate). And I wrote down my eye witness account describing the vehicle and its numberplate.

Well, most of us would be convinced by this, I believe.

Not Beirutspring guy though.

Especially since Beirutspring blogger himself linked to my little video of the aftermath of the attack, I was surprised to learn he had not corrected his mistake. So I wrote a comment on his blog, informing him that it really wasn't a diplomatic number plate.

I mean, why create rumors, confusion in a part of the world where everything is already a conspiracy and conspiracy theories are more popular than, let's say, the Da Vinci Code (oops, wrong example, Da Vinci Code is banned in Lebanon).

Beirutspring's response to my comment: "This blog only". What he meant was, well, only harryzzz mentions the civilian number plate, nobody else. Of course Beirutspring knows better, as he doesn't even live in Lebanon, let alone visited the scene of the attack....

And this is exactly the problem with most of the (political) bloggers in this world. They actually never do anything. They don't report, they don't leave their house, they don't call, they don't investigate.

The only thing non-journalist bloggers have, is their opinion.

So they endlessly write opinion pieces for their own blogs and mix it with vague rumors or "facts" they find on the Internet. Like the "fact" that it was a diplomatic number plate. Really, I wouldn't be surprised if Robert Fisk is gonna write a 1800 page book called: PITY THE DIPLOMATIC VEHICLE - a short history of plate manipulations by the CIA in Lebanon.

So if a picture, a video and an eye witness account aren't enough, what then is enough? I really don't know. Recently the Iranians claimed an American made video of Iranian speedboats in the Perian Gulf was fake, and in the Dutch village where I spend my childhood, most people still think the landing on the moon was done in a studio. Remember my video, a couple of months ago, of the Flying Terrorist in Nahr al Bared camp, northern Lebanon? After I put it on youtube, it generated not only hundreds of thousands of hits, but also almost a thousand comments.

Some of these comments read: Yes, i know this video, it is an Israeli attack on Gaza.

Anyhow. Blogs are great if you want opinion, but for reports and facts....please stick to the real media not to some guy who only sits behind his computer.

By the way: The license plate of the US embassy vehicle is: Liban - B 192994

Harald Doornbos

Right click and open in a new window the Beirutspring story HERE

HARRYZZZ VIDEO: THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE BOMBING ON US EMBASSY VEHICLE IN BEIRUT, LEBANON

2008-01-15T18:54:00.000+02:00

As I live about 800 meters away from the place where a US embassy vehicle and other cars were blown up today in the Lebanese capital Beirut, I drove/ran towards the scene immediately after I heard a very loud bang. Took my video camera with me.

Total death toll stands now at three people killed, over 10 wounded. As I could see it, there was ONE embassy vehicle hit by the blast. Here is a little 2 minute or so clip of what I saw (double click inside the frame to start the video):

Harald Doornbos

BREAKING NEWS: BOMB ATTACK ON US EMBASSY CONVOY IN BEIRUT KILLS AT LEAST TWO

2008-01-15T17:22:00.002+02:00

I just came back from the scene of a bomb attack on an American embassy convoy, which took place 55 minutes ago around 800 meters from my house, here in Beirut.

At least two vehicles were hit by a powerful bomb. At the time of the attack, I heard a huge explosion. Many windows in my street are broken. I drove to the scene immediately.

At the scene the following:

Blast happened in an area of East-Beirut, called QARANTINA

Total of around ten vehicles were affected by the bomb.

One vehicle totally destroyed by the blast. It was impossible to see what kind of car this was. Inside two dead and charred bodies.

Close to the fully wrecked car with the bodies another vehicle, also pretty much affected. Nobody inside this vehicle, no traces of blood.

In front of both these cars (70 meters), an ARMOURED US EMBASSY Chevrolet (see picture above, done with my mobile so not very good quality). Medium destroyed by the blast. Vehicle had Lebanese number plates. How do I know it was an armoured car? Well, I knocked on the windows.

(this is a continuing story - come back for frequent updates)

Harald Doornbos

Interview with Benazir Bhutto´s sister in law, Ghinwa Bhutto

2008-01-05T09:42:00.000+02:00

I am currently in Pakistan. Some days ago I interviewed (over the phone) Benazir Bhutto´s sister in law, Ghinwa Bhutto.

Here is the story:

She has just returned from the funeral, on Friday December 28th, of her sister in law, Benazir Bhutto. Her attendence there was, in some ways, a small miracle. Because Ghinwa Bhutto isn’t only family of Benazir Bhutto, she is also her bitter rival.

This is Dallas and Dynasty – the Pakistani way.

Because Ghinwa and Benazir did not speak to each other for years. Even worse: Ghinwa, who was married to Benazir’s brother Murtaza Bhutto, has for years campaigned against Benazir and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari. This because she accuses Zardari of involvement in the murder of her husband Murtaza.

"But on Friday Benazir was no longer my political enemy," she says, in a telephone interview from the Bhutto residence in the Pakistani town of Larhkana near Karachi, "From that moment, she was again the daughter of this house."

Who does she think was behind the kiling of Benazir?

“It is unwise to say it right now,” she says, “But I’m sure there are a lot of candidates. It could be Islamic radicals. But as we have seen in Lebanon and Iraq that only where America goes, Islamic radicals show up.”

In 1996, Murtaza Bhutto - Ghinwa's husband and Benazir's brother – was killed by police in Karachi. Murtaza (see picture) was a radical leftist who after the 1979 murder of his father, the legendary Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, fled into the mountains and began a not very successful armed uprising against the then military regime of General Zia ul Haq. During his days as a socialst rebel, Murtaza went to Afghanistan (unconfirmed rumours say he received aid from pro-Soviet forces). During the eighties he travelled through socialist parts of the Muslim world.

He visited Beirut, where he got in touch with left wing groups busy fighting Islamist-, Israeli- or other left wing forces during Lebanon’s civil war. After Beirut, Murtaza Bhutto moved to Damascus. Here he met Ghinwa Itaoui, a girl from the Lebanese city of Tripoli who lived most of her life in Beirut but moved in 1984 to Damascus. After their marriage, in 1989, Ghinwa Itaoui became Ghinwa Bhutto.

When Zia ul Haq himself died, in 1987 during a plane crash, a power struggle erupted between Benazir Bhutto and her brother Murtazar.

The question was: Who would be the best successor to their father Zulfikar?

Benazir and her husband Zardari won this fight, Murtaza and Ghinwa “lost”, leaving them outside the powerfull circle of Benazir, her husband Zardari and other prominent members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). In 1993 Murtaza, along with Ghinwa, left Damascus and moved back to Karachi, Pakistan.

At the end of Benazir’s second period as a Prime Minister, in 1996, Murtaza was shot dead by police in Karachi. According to Ghinwa Bhutto, the killers acted on behalf of Benazir’s husband Asif Ali Zardari.

This, as she believes, because he regarded Murtaza as a threat to Benazir’s position as the political leader of the Bhutto family. Zardari has stronly denied any involvement in the murder of Benazir’s brother.

From that moment on, Ghinwa at one hand and Benazir and Zardari on the other weren’t – so to say – on speaking terms. Bascially, they hated each other.

So picture Friday’s burial of Benazir. Present are, among others, two people: Ghinwa Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardar. Both married into the Bhutto family. Both, by now, without husband and wife. Ghinwa, a widow since 1996; Zardari, a widower since Thursday, December 27th.

Both sat, according to Ghinwa Bhutto, opposite to each other in a room, close to the burrial site.

"Zardari did not even come near me, he stayed away from me," says Ghinwa Bhutto, "You see,” she continues, “Mr. Zardari is somehow considered responsible by the people of Pakistan for the death of my husband. And this is very much on his consience, that’s why we did not speak. We did though speak to the children of Benazir.”

An awkward moment?

“It was more awkward to him than to me,” Ghinwa Bhutto says, “Because I was always open to hear his justification [for killing Murtaza] but I have never heard from him. So that [the burrial of Benazir] was the moment for him to do that, but (he)didn’t. Maybe they are under shock, I think they are stil a little bit disfunctional.”

Cinically, the death of Benazir has turned Ghinwa and Zardari again into rivals. This time not about the question who will succeed father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but daughter Benazir Bhutto.

On Sunday, the PPP consulted the will of Benazir Bhutto. And according to it, Benazir's eldest child, the 19-year-old Bilawal, was appointed her successor. But because a Member of Parliament in Pakistan must be at least 25 years old, Benazir's husband Zardari will effectively lead the PPP until Bilawal turns 25. Benazir’s political will did not mention Ghinwa.

Ghinwa Bhutto never was a serious contender for taking over Benazir’s role. Since 1996, when she publically started accusing Zardari of masterminding the killing of her husband, she hasn’t been very popular among the mainstream PPP.

"The successor to Benazir must meet two criteria," she says, "First you have to be a Bhutto, secondly, you have to be a socialist, because otherwise you do not draw voters."

According to Ghinwa Bhutto, Zardari is none of the two.

“I actually think there has never been a real replecement for Zulfikar Bhutto,” she says, “Since his killing, there is a vacuum and nobody, not even Benazir, has been able to fill that.’

Ghinwa Bhutto, who heads a small Sindh based political party named PPP-Shaheed Bhutto, has a 25 year old daughter, Fatima. Unlike Asif Ali Zardari and Ghinwa Itaoui Bhutto (who were married into the Bhutto family), Fatima is born a Bhutto because her father, the murdered Murtaza, was one. And Fatima, in some ways, is even more a Bhutto than Benazir’s son Bilawal. This because, according to Muslim tradition, you take the family name of your father, not your mother. So Bilawal Bhutto is actually Bilawal Zardari, while Fatima – whatever happens - is Fatima Bhutto.

“My daughter is a an activist,” Ghinwa Bhutto says, “But she doesn’t want to be limited by party politics or only focus on running for parlimanent. She wants to wait a little bit more.”

Time will tell who, eventually, succeeds Benazir Bhutto. That is, in case of the Bhutto´s, if there will be enough time to tell.

Harald Doornbos

BENAZIR BHUTTO KILLED (1953-2007)

2007-12-27T19:36:00.000+02:00

Am preparing some stories here on Harryzzz on this major, major event.

Check via the Pakistan label earlier posts on Pakistan and Benazir Bhutto.

Harald Doornbos

ENTIRELY OFF TOPIC...

2007-12-25T12:39:00.000+02:00

Not a lot of news during X-mass. Pope says something in Rome. Guy blows himself up north of Baghdad. A Hollywood church catches fire on X-mass eve.

So time for something entirely off topic. Watch this hilarious sketch of the Medieval Help desk. It was done by some Norwegian comedians, translation is in English. Very funny.

Harald Doornbos

THE BULLSHIT THEY TELL YOU (2)

2007-12-23T13:43:00.000+02:00

I've been away for a short while and when I came back to Beirut, my Internet connection had stopped working. Thus: Ten days without any new postings on Harryzzz.

But OK, I'm back, the Internet is working again and even the electricity situation here has improved (At least, in my area of Beirut).

Very recently I started the series: The Bullshit they tell you. The first culprit was the BBC, now it is the main Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant.

As I live in the Middle East, I did not manage to read a Volkskrant for about a year. So I was truly exited when I recently got my hands on a copy. Even better; in it was a story on Lebanon. The article was on some Lebanese people using humor to deal with the current political crisis. Written by Beirut based Volkskrant correspondent Ferry Biederman, it was an OK story. So far so good.

But here comes the bullshit. The article was printed with a huge picture of a Beirut bar, called 1975 (see pictures above). The caption in De Volkskrant goes as follows: CUSTOMERS IN THE NEWLY OPENED BAR '1975' IN BEIRUT CAN FULLY RELIVE THE BLOODY LEBANESE CIVIL WAR, WHICH STARTED IN 1975.

Uuuuups. Volkskrant, we have a problem! Newly opened bar? Huh??? I've been to bar 1975 around 2.5 years ago. Would not call that newly opened. And the hilarious thing is that bar 1975 did so badly that it went BANKRUPT and CLOSED a year ago. So it wasn't even closed recently.

This wanky mistake, to be clear, wasn't made by the correspondent. He did not even mention bar 1975 in his text. Here clearly a photo editor of De Volkskrant is to blame.

I know how these things work. Picture this: Office in Amsterdam. Outside it's shitty weather, inside its boringly warm. Some kind of Volkskrant photo editor needs a picture for Biederman's story. So he searches his/her database and types in the key words Lebanon/humor/civil war. Ah, got it! AFP has a picture of some weird looking bar in Beirut where Lebanese have a drink in a war-like environment. Goes well with the story. And let's just write in the caption the bar was recently opened. Now it immediately proves Biederman's story that Lebanese are using humor to deal with the current crisis.

Why do I make such a big deal about this? Well, because it just shows a total lack of interest/knowledge/passion for the facts. Because who cares if its true or not. You know, it is only Lebanon, a place we really dont give a fuck about. And who will ever find out about some kind of bar in Beirut?

Sorry mate, but here are two pictures I made a couple of days ago of the current bar 1975. Looks pretty closed to me. And not a lot of humor around.

So this photo editor is trying to sell the readers bullshit. By the way, if you do a search on the Internet, you will find that AFP (the same agency which made the photo) did a story about bar 1975 back in early November 2004.

Either photo editor had a very bad day or he/she tried to lie to the public. Verdict: Guilty!

Harald Doornbos

THE BULLSHIT THEY TELL YOU (1)

2007-12-09T10:17:00.000+02:00

Here on harryzzz, the start of a new little series called: The Bullshit they tell you...

Because, just like you, I'm reading and watching the world news. But, not just like you, I'm actually sometimes running around in these parts of the world.

This gives me the possibility to tell you when a journalist or media company is telling you BULLSHIT or not. I cover the Middle East and Pakistan - so I'll keep a close watch on stories from there. Note: I'm picking on any mistake I come across, I don't have anything against any specific media outlet.

Ok, here BULLSHIT REPORT Nr. 1. And the suspect is the good old, very reliable BBC.

Step 1: Go to this web page (right click and open in new window):

Step 2: Click on: audio and video news: On patrol with the army in the Swat Valley.

Step 3: Watch the video report. It starts with: Until earlier this year Pakistan's Swat valley was popular with tourists...

Immediately after that, from 08.00 sec onward, the BBC guy aboard the helicopter says: "Now a military helicopter is our only way in."

BULLSHIT!

A military helicopter the only way in? Yeah, right. Bullshit! BBC guy flew from outside Swat to the city of Mingora, inside Swat. I did, very recently, the exact same route by car. And not in some kind of 4-wheel drive vehicle, but in this one - together with my taxidriver!!! (see picture).

The trip, by car, from Islamabad to Mingora takes around 6 hours. The Taliban militants are mainly active north and east of Mingora, not south and west (the way you get into the area). All roads from Islamabad or Peshawar to Mingora are open. Of course, way too many details that TV can't be bothered with.

Hey, I immediately agree that it is much cooler to fly in by a helicopter, than to drive in with a little taxi. But to claim that "now a military helicopter is the only way in" is total bullshit.

So, yes, the report wants you to believe a lie. It misinforms the public by sexing up a story. Verdict: Guilty!

Harald Doornbos

DISTURBING - THE ARREST OF FATAH AL ISLAM MEMBERS

2007-12-03T11:06:00.000+02:00

The following video's aren't particularly nice to watch. I did not shoot this stuff, I only found it on the Internet where these clips started appearing between 6 weeks and three days ago.

The clips, basically, show Lebanese and, possibly Palestinians, roughing up arrested members of Fatah al Islam, the Al-Qaeda-inspired terror group responsible for the violence in and around the Nahr al Bared camp (May 20th - September 2nd 2007), in northern Lebanon. Fatah al Islam killed around 170 Lebanese soldiers - which largely explains why these terrorists are being roughed up after they got arrested by the Lebanese authorities.

To some viewers the pictures may look terrible or cruel. To all of us, it will look disturbing.

But this story is all about context. It might be a good idea to remember how 'we' treated traitors after the Second World War. Yes, the body of Mussolini was hanged - up side down - on the roof of a petrol station. And to keep him in that position, they used a meat hook from a nearby butcher.

Not very nice indeed, but rather understandable. Same with the treatment of these Fatah al Islam guys (No meat hook though, 'only' some beatings). Do not forget that most of these fighters are actually foreign islamists who came to Lebanon to fight, kill and behead Lebanese civilians and soldiers who definitely did not ask for this kind of madness.

Again, I did not shoot these video's. Soon more on this though. I'm working on an English translation so people who don't speak Arabic (like me!) can understand what is said. I also will try to find out who is who in these video's and where and when did it take place. As so often with stuff from the Internet - you easily lose track of basics like: What, where, when, why and who.

Video 1:

Video 2:

Video 3:

Video 4 (first 50 seconds shows the blowing up of a building at Nahr al Bared, as of 0.51 the 'interrogation' of four Fatah al Islam members in the back of an ambulance):

The first three clips were originally published here: http://www.liveleak.com/user/khallass10542

The last one came from here: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=VeQLWFx8DdY

Most Fatah al Islam-members are currently detained in the Roumieh prison, nearby Beirut.

Harald Doornbos

SOURCE: HARIRI, LAHOUD AGREED ON GENERAL MICHEL SULEIMAN AS NEW PRESIDENT ON NOVEMBER 21ST

2007-12-01T10:37:00.000+02:00

While Lebanon's saga of choosing a new president continues, this Harryzzz exlusive news might shine some new light on the whole thing.

According to a well informed source here in Beirut, the following:

Future-leader Saad Hariri and president Emile Lahoud met, in the presidential palace, on Wednesday 21st November [two days before Lahoud was to resign] and agreed on Michel Suleiman as Lebanon's new president. According to this source, Suleiman himself was present, as were the army commander for the north and the army commander for the south. A member of Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement also attended the meeting, but it is unclear to me who. Hezbollah wasn't there.

According to this source, the meeting wasn't very much about negotiations, but more about celebrations. In other words: Hariri came to the palace (which is highly awkward, as he and his party boycott the president) to congratulate Suleiman on his new job while at the same time, Hariri took the opportunity to make a last moment peace with outgoing president Lahoud.

Considering this information is true, I personally don't get it why it wasn't publicly announced and why Hezbollah, being close allies of Michel Aoun's party, still need more time for consultations (next meeting on electing the president is scheduled for December 7th).

At the other hand: He or she who truly understands Lebanese politics, please contact harryzzz for cake and drinks....

Harald Doornbos

TALIBANS LATEST HOBBY IN PAKISTAN: STONING THE BUDDHA

2007-11-28T01:30:00.000+02:00

Pakistani taliban in the Swat-area have a new pastime: Throwing rocks and dead birds at one of the last remaining Buddha statues in a village called Barikot.

You surely remember the Islamist' rage and threats against the pope, the Danish cartoons, Egyptian writers, Iranian ex-muslims and - only this week - against a Bangladeshi feminist writer in India and a British teacher in Sudan after her pupils named a teddy bear Muhammad.

So Islamists themselves would never ever insult other religions - right?

Well, wrong.

I recently travelled through Northern Pakistan, where the Pakistani taliban has taken over large parts of the Swat- and Shangla-area's. The latest fashion here is: Stoning the Buddha with rocks, empty packs of cigarettes and, believe it or not, dead birds.

It is all happening close to the village of Barikot, right along the main road between Malakand (Thana) and Swat (Mingora). The statue is about three meters high and carved out of a rock. As you can see on the picture, the Pakistani authorities have placed - a long time ago - an iron fence around the Buddha to protect the rock carving. By the way, most parts of the Buddha have been destroyed by the locals through the years. Because, in this part of Pakistan, have no illusions; even before the arrival of the taliban, the people here (rather fanatical Sunni muslims) consider statues to be blasphemous.

Ever since the taliban has taken over the area (a couple of weeks ago) all worldly things have been banned. No TV, schools closed, music and dvd's banned. Basically, the only thing left to do in the area is throwing stones at a statue of the Buddha, which many local people consider to be Satan.

Until the year 1000 A.D. northern Pakistan, and parts of Afghanistan, were major Buddhist centers. The tirangle Islamabad-Peshawar-Swat is where the Gandhara era flourished. But the arrival of Islam has, more or less, destroyed most of it. Afghan taliban, in 2001, blew up the giant Buddha's of Bamyan. Recently, at least three Buddha statues in the Swat area were blown to pieces by the Pakistani taliban.

People from the Swat valley specially drive to Barikot to stone the Buddha. While I was there, a man in a car (from Kalam, in Swat) and his three children (of course sons; girls and women are not allowed to leave their houses anymore) visited the Buddha. In very much a picknic atmosphere, he explained that local people view the Buddha as un-Islamic and, thus, as a devil, as Satan. Throwing stones at it, he said, was a popular pastime.

I could see around thirty rocks, one dead bird and one empty pack of cigarettes laying in front of the poor Buddha. All of this had been previously thrown at the statue in a ceremony that, very much, resembles the stoning of the devil (stoning of the jamarat) by muslim pilgrims during the Hajj in Mina, close to Mecca.

The man with the three children (see pic), obviously, was a Taliban supporter. "We need the full implementation of the shariah [Islamic law] here," he said. "It is a shame," he continued, "That nobody gets hanged anymore after they commit a crime. Luckily the taliban is correcting that."

Most Pakistanis I spoke to (normal muslims, not loony Islamists stuck in puberty), were appalled by the stoning of the Buddha. "These people are just so primitive," one man told me. Another described them as behenchod - which basically means: Sisterfuckers. My translator asked me for a print of the Buddha picture so he could show it to his father. "Shameful behaviour by these taliban," he added.

Harald Doornbos

BEIRUT BY NIGHT...

2007-11-26T10:21:00.000+02:00

14th of March, 8th of March. President this, no, president that. I really don't understand why the Lebanese want any of it.

I never ever hear a Lebanese politician talking about fighting poverty in the country. Or battling unemployment. What a about a minimum wage for workers? Or it might be a good idea to force the two phone companies to abandon their outrages - no, criminal - rates of 0.5 dollar a minute which is crippling already poor people. Or what about the endless power cuts (between 3 and 8 hours a day now and it is only getting worse)? Since a couple of days, there's even trouble with the water supply in most parts of Beirut.

But no, the only thing in the mind of Lebanese politicians is the defense of either American-, Saudi-, Syrian- or Iranian interests. It is kind of shameful these Lebanese politicians even dare to call themselves Lebanese... (and don't worry, they all have second passports of various countries).

Yesterday I received an email from a friend which sums it all up. While many places in the world look beautiful by night, please take a look at romantic Beirut.

PARIS BY NIGHT:

Singapore by night:

Amsterdam by night:

Beirut by night:

Harald Doornbos

EXCLUSIVE TO HARRYZZZ READERS: BUY A PAKISTANI MADE THE HUNTING PARTY DVD FOR 5 EURO'S

2007-11-20T10:35:00.000+02:00

I've been kind of dying to see the movie The Hunting Party (people who have read this blog before know the reason...).

So during my stay in Pakistan I walked into this CD/DVD store in Islamabad.

Do you have a copy of this movie The Hunting Party? - I asked.

Yes, came in last week - the salesman said.

Great, I told him. How much?

100 Rupees.

Even better, I thought. A little over 1 euro!

They still had two copies. I bought both of course (see pic).

As the movie came out in September this year and did pretty badly in the US, I'm hereby taking orders from Harryzzz readers to get your own Islamabad-made copy of The Hunting Party. 5 euros a DVD!

Beware though: It is an illegal copy, made by some guy (somewhere in the world) who took his little camera into the cinema. So, yes, you hear the audiance laughing every now and then. An at around 45 minutes into the movie some kind of tall guy moves into the seat in front of our cameraman. And yes, the rest of the movie you see a part of a human head on the left bottom of your screen. The overall quality of the movie is kind of crappy.

Why do these kind of illegal DVD's appear in countries like Pakistan (Really, every movie, ever made is for sale in Pakistan for 100 rupees a piece)? Well, there is no way that a Pakistani can and will pay 40 euros for an original DVD. And watching the movie in the cinema is no option anymore because the only cinema in Islamabad was burnt down, three years ago, by Taliban militants.

(Some additional info. I was wrong claiming there isn't any cinema left in Islamabad. Stupid mistake. A friend from Pakistan informed me there actually still are two cinema's operating in Islamabad - called the Twin Cinema's in the F6/1 area. The Melody cinema was burnt down by sunni radicals (I was actually there when it happened.)

Pakistan zindabad!

Harald Doornbos

COMPARING PAKISTAN AND DUBAI

2007-11-18T15:46:00.000+02:00

Short observation. I travelled today from Islamabad in Pakistan to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

A weird experience.

Because in Pakistan, a terrible political crisis because president Musharraf has declared emergency rule. Demonstrations of lawyers, students and journalists. Anger about the media-blackout. American diplomats harshly criticizing president Musharraf for blocking TV stations. And one of the opposition leaders, Benazir Bhutto, creating drama after drama in front of the word's cameras. Well, I'm a journalist, so I naturally support demonstrating journalists.

But to call the current situation in Pakistan a full media blackout is utterly silly, to say the least. Yes, a couple of television stations have been taken off air, but many TV stations are back on (also the critical ones) and the print media have never been blocked or censored at all since the introduction of emergency rule.

Compare that to Dubai, where I'm now. All business as usual - happy money hungry people. Indians, Pakistanis, Arabs, Americans, Europeans. No protesting journalists here (the media is totally censored, basically no criticism has ever been allowed ). TV channels stuffed with action movies, papers full of 'man rescues cat'-stories. Yep, great place.

So here no demonstrating journalists, no screaming opposition leader (there is no opposition in Dubai) and no angry American or European diplomats (the diplomats here are way too busy playing golf..).

Of course, Pakistani democracy might be in danger. But with a literacy rate of only 37 percent, 74 percent of the population making only 1.5 euro a day and 42 religiously inspired suicide bombers killing hundreds of innocent people this year, Pakistan might have bigger problems on its hands than a couple of TV stations going black.

Emergency is, indeed, terrible for the 25.000 or so Haves in Pakistan, but most of the remaining 159.975.000 Have Not's would choose a humane life over voting once every four years in a democracy that has never functioned and never delivered.

Harald Doornbos

CURFEW LIFTED, ARMY MASSING AT KABAL

2007-11-14T14:11:00.000+02:00

Ok, this might be way too much detailed information for most readers, but the curfew in the Malakand and the Mingora-area was lifted at noon, Pakistan time, on Wednesday.

The Pakistan army is massing its troops in the village of Kabal, west of Mingora. According to good sources, there are around 10.000 army troops. And, believe it or not, they are based at a golf course (yes, only a year ago, the Swat area was a very popular tourist destination in Pakistan). So except for heavy artillery, helicopter gunships and machine guns, the pak army might use golf balls!

In the mean time, Pakistan Taliban militants loyal to Maulana Fazlullah have captured a place called Alpuri, in the Shangla district. This is very dangerous, since the militants are getting now very close to the Karakoram Highway. This is the one and only land connection between Western-China and Pakistan, heavily used by Chinese- and Pakistani businesses. The capture of parts of the Karakoram highway would be a major, and i repeat, a major blow for Musharraf. No way ever, will Musharraf let this happen, since it would cripple Pakistan economically.

The talibanisation of northern Pakistan is still going on, if Musharraf and his army do not respond quickly a rather limited rebellion might get really out of control and spill over into eastern area's.

By the way - if all these names are abracadabra to you, please search on the web for a detailed map of northern Pakistan, Swat area. You might wanna use this, zoom in on greater Mingora-area. Golfcourse is bit west of Mingora. Militants are basically between Mingora and Kalam, around 100 kms north. Karakoram highway a little bit to the east (at Besham).

And don't underestimate the importance of this islamic insurgency - the future of Pakistan depends on it.

Harald Doornbos

HARRYZZZ EXCLUSIVE: PAKISTAN ARMY OPERATION TO LIBERATE SWAT-AREA IMMINENT

2007-11-13T20:37:00.000+02:00

It's been silent at harryzzz for a couple of days. Good reason for that. I just came back from Malakand/Swat, semi-tribal area in Pakistan (east of Peshawar).

The Swat-area was recently captured by local Taliban. Since two months the central government has been overthrown, police and para-military forces kidnapped, killed or kicked out by local Taliban.

The deteriorating security situation in the Swat-region was one of the main reasons for president Pervez Musharrafs' declaration of emergency rule (another reason was of course the high courts refusing to confirm Musharraf's election, by parliament, as president)

But things are about to change in Swat. The army is moving in and army units already based there are preparing to go on the offensive against local Taliban forces. On Tuesday evening, an indefinite curfew was announced for Malakand and Swat. The curfew went in effect at Tuesday 24.00 hr local time.

This of course gives the army a free hand to move around and perform operations against the militants, who have beheaded Pakistani police, scouts and rangers. The army though is very different from those local forces. Pakistan Army is very professional and capable of going into a conflict 'the hard way'.

I saw on Tuesday army helicopters flying over the area, especially close to the house/madrassa of Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of the local Taliban here. Police stations south/east of Mingora-city where either abandoned or reinforced with extra troops, sandbags on the roofs and armoured vehicles. It wasn't possible to go further than Mingora, this because of Taliban checkpoints on the road between Mingora and Kalam, 100 kms north.

Fazlullah's village was, on Tuesday, almost completely empty. Locals have left, fearing an attack. Mullah Fazlullah's illegal radio station has been off air since four days, apparently blocked by the authorities.

On my way back from Swat to Islamabad, several jeeps with Pakistani soldiers. Army helicopters flying high in the sky.

With president Musharraf having sweeping powers due to declaring 'emergency' on November 3rd, it seems the Talibanisation of Pakistan will be stopped soon - especially in the Swat area.

Harald Doornbos

BENAZIR AT HOME, RAWALPINDI SEALED OFF, HARRYZZZ HIT BY STONE

2007-11-09T19:54:00.000+02:00

With Benazir Bhutto placed under house arrest on Friday (according to latest report will be lifted again tomorrow, Saturday) and Rawalpindi almost entirely sealed off by 9.000 policemen,the anti-Musharraf opposition had no chance to massively protest. Smart move by Musharraf, but very discouraging for the opposition.

After a visit to the surrounded Bhutto residency in Islamabad, Harryzzz though managed to sneak into Rawalpindi (using a labyrinth of very small roads that weren't blocked and by walking some distance) and hang out with the police and a couple of hundreds of demonstrators who also managed to get in.

99 percent of Rawalpindi was just deserted and quiet, but at one place, close to the park where Bhutto was suppose to hold a speech, pretty heavy rioting between cops and demonstrators.

Unfortunately I was hit by a stone (thrown by the police). And it literally hit me about ten centimeters from a very sensitive male spot. So my right upper leg hurts a bit, which is of course much better than having a high pitched voice the rest of your life...

Here some pics I made today:

Bhutto residency under siege:

Innocent passerby with goat send away by police near to Bhutto residency:

Trucks and police block all roads in and around Rawalpindi:

The PPP slogan of the day: "Musharraf is a dog!"

After having thrown stones, a Bhutto supporter gets seriously beaten up by Pakistani cops and an undercover policeman:

Bhutto supporters ready to face the police:

Stones and rocks thrown at the police:

ON EVE OF CERTAIN CONFRONTATION, PAKISTAN SET FOR IRAN 1979-SCENARIO?

2007-11-08T20:24:00.000+02:00

Prepare yourself for big riots in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, on Friday. Supporters of Benazir Bhutto will defy a ban on public gatherings there. And since the protests will start right after Friday prayer, there is a very big chance religious right wingers will join in.

Just to be clear; Bhutto's PPP-party is a, more or less, left leaning, secular party. The Islamists are extreme right wingers, trying to establish Sharia law in Pakistan. Both sides, again more or less, work together these days because of their common hatred towards president Pervez Musharraf. It all smells a little like Iran in 1979 on the eve of the fall of the American backed Shah and the start of the Shi'ite Islamic revolution.

What many, especially secular demonstrators, do not seem to realize is this: What if Musharraf is ousted? What then?!

Compare it to three people fighting for one chair.

At the moment, Musharraf sits on it. But two other persons - who formed an alliance -really would like to kick his butt and take over his seat. Let's assume Musharraf's butt is indeed kicked. What will follow is a fight between the two others, because - hey - there is only one chair and one seat available.

We've seen this before in Iran 1979. Secular left and Islamic extreme right together against the shah. And after his fall, the secular leftists were wiped out by the islamists. 28 years later, they still run the show in Iran.

In Pakistan too, there is only one chair. And although secular Islam can count on my support, they have no chance of winning the battle with the islamists, who have shown - over and over again - to be extremely ruthless in dealing with an enemy they consider anti-Islamic.

Anyhow, on the eve of this almost certain violent confrontation between Musharraf's police and anti-Musharraf protesters, just enough time to post two innocent pictures from Pakistan.

The first one I took today, in Rawalpindi (with mobile phone) and shows how the Pakistani police deals with parking violators. Hilarious but effective! Will they use this tomorrow as well to remove demonstrators? Who knows...

I took this second pic some days ago, while aboard a PIA plane travelling from Karachi to Islamabad. It´s around 05.20 in the morning, we just took off. It is praying time. Old man walks up to the stewardess, asks if he can role out his prayer rug. No problem, she says. He starts praying next to the front door. I took the pic from my seat. Just to be clear: We were 10 kms up in the air of course. Pretty cute actually. Only in Pakistan!

Harald Doornbos

IN PAKISTAN, THERE IS TENSION (AND A LITTLE BIT OF TEARGAS) IN THE AIR

2007-11-08T07:06:00.000+02:00

Situation here in Paki 'martial law' stan is still rather normal. Daily life continues uninterruptedly.

But after Benazir Bhutto's announcement of street protests for tomorrow (Friday) against Musharraf and possibly a Long March on the 13Th (next Tuesday) you can feel the tension is rising in this country.

On Wednesday I attended Benazir Bhutto's press conference, in a garden in front of a villa, in Islamabad. Here she strongly denied any rumours of a meeting between her and president Musharraf. She also announced the street protests.

This was the first time ever I saw Benazir Bhutto live (see picture, above on the right, I made of her). It is always interesting to to be around a living legend and - after the Karachi bomb attacks which killed 139 - live to tell the story. As she announced her Long March against Musharraf, I got this feeling: Hey, this might be history in the making. Because clearly, if she and her followers go for massive protests, today's Pakistan might be very much different from tomorrows'.

Bhutto is clearly adored by her followers. BB in the West might stand for Brigitte Bardot, in Pakistan BB means Benazir Bhutto. During her speech, fans and party members kept on interrupting her by shouting slogans like Long live Benazir . This even led to some annoyance among Bhutto's personal assistants.

"Shut up, it's enough now," one of them yelled at a supporter as he, again, wanted to raise the slogan "Long Live Benazir."

After the press conference, around 250 BB-supporters walked to the presidential palace, around 500 meters down the road. Riot police stood by and watched. Everything was more or less calm, until some Bhutto-supporters started to attack the cops. The policemen got their bamboo-sticks ready, hit a few people and made some arrests during minor scuffles.

At one point demonstrators pushed an iron barricade into the police lines. The cops pushed it back. Followed by the demonstrators who pushed the thing back towards the police. This was getting a little bit silly, as it looked very much like a rope pulling contest. I even could see some policemen smiling while pushing the barrier back towards the protesters (and getting the thing back five seconds later of course).

The cops then fired some five rounds of teargas over the crowd. As I stood right between the police and the protesters, the teargas did not effect me much. But it created white clouds as the sun set in Islamabad.

Until now, this country has not seen any serious protests. This of course can change tomorrow (Friday), as the first Bhutto demonstration will start in Rawalpindi, around 15 km's from Islamabad and the place where Musharraf lives. Since it will start after Friday prayer, there is a rather big chance religious right wingers might join hands with BB.

On Friday, everything will depend on the turnout. A couple of thousand and some minor riots - no worries for Musharraf. But in case tens of thousands of demonstrators show up and massive disturbances take place, Musharraf might have to seriously start to worry about his own position.

Let's wait till Friday.

Harald Doornbos

IN ISLAMABAD, MORE NORMALITY THAN EMERGENCY

2007-11-06T23:42:00.000+02:00

It is already pretty late here in Islamabad, so have to keep it short.

But the situation in Islamabad and Rawalpindi (the places where I've been today) is actually rather different than most media reports suggest. Emergency rule in Musharraf's Pakistan isn't some kind of Pinochet- or Burma-style crackdown on the opposition.

Well, what is it?

Let me tell you what I saw today.

- At Karachi airport - everything entirely normal. Nobody even spoke about emergency rule. No sign of tension whatsoever.

- Islamabad airport - same situation as always. No extra checks, no soldiers. Outside no tanks, apc's or extra security forces. Just business as usual. A lot of people outside picking up loved ones from an airport.

- Islamabad -Airport to Islamabad (20 km):
No difference with any other day. I've lived here, so I really know. A lot of people on the roads and streets - they all went to work. Halfway Pindi-Islamabad a police checkpoint, well, not a checkpoint actually, just four cops standing next to the highway (this is a permanent police post, already there for many years). Saw some other policemen trying to hitch-hike between Pindi and Islamabad.

- Islamabad.
All shops and schools open. Phones and Internet work. Mobile phone network was NOT cut off. Actually, I got today a new pak mobile connection, took 15 minutes.

Haven't seen any demonstration. Did not notice any lawyers, just nothing. No army, no extra police, no checkpoints.

All newspapers are published regularly. And the comments are extremely critical of Musharraf. "Pakistan's blackest days" and "A power hungry Musharraf" are words frequently used in papers like Dawn, The News, The Nation. More or less a free press during a state of emergency - strange, but very Pakistani. Because although military rule is nothing new to Pakistan, the country has a tradition of very open and critical debates. I reached Pakistan via Dubai. Hell, I'd rather have a Pakistani paper during martial law than these crappy Dubai-long-live-the-ruler-newspapers.
Honestly, had a tourist visited Islamabad and Pindi on Tuesday, he or she would not have noticed anything out of the ordinary.

So is everything totally normal?

NO, definitely not.

Around the presidential palace in Islamabad, police has blocked two main roads. Riot police is on stand by. But, honestly nothing dramatic. Just 50 cops with helmets sitting nest to a road. I guess, the White House is better protected on regular days.

Around ten TV channels are still blocked from broadcasting. Actually, TV stations like GEO or Dawn News can still broadcast, but their signal is not being transmitted by the cable companies (on government orders of course). But later on Tuesday I heard from several people who live in the country side (outside Islamabad) that they had access to all channels again. In the cities though many news channels remain blocked. As I flip through my channels in my room, I get around ten black channels. Cartoon Network and PTV (Pakistan's state TV) still are on air. PTV showed some silly show on different kind of food from the country. Really interesting of course in times of martial law...

Spoke to many ordinary people today. Except for one, nobody supported Musharraf's action. But none of these people told me they were willing to demonstrate. Some were scared to be arrested, but most of them just did not seem to care too much. "Whatever we say or want," a man told me, "In a country like Pakistan the leaders never ever listen to us. So it is the same song all over again."

I was though surprised that 99 percent of people were so negative about Musharraf. It will be very difficult for Pakistan's president to win back the hearts of minds of ordinary Pakistanis. Most of them are convinced Musharraf is just a power hungry ruler. And a lot of people told me that the emergency situation had nothing to do with fighting radical islamists, but everything with controlling the lawyers and judges.

Last, but not least: The mass arrests. True, hundreds (maybe up to 3000) people have been detained. Many though are under house arrest (which is of course not so bad). Others were put into government guesthouses. Compared to home sweet home, not a nice play to stay of course. But, at the other hand, it is also not the end of the world.

And let's not forget. Except for lawyers, judges and a couple of left wing human rights activists, a lot of arrests were made among extreme right wing islamists. Retired general and former head of Pakistan's ISI, Hameed Gul, was arrested. He is a notorious right winger, supporting Taliban and Al Qaeda. Also, the leader of Jamaat e Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, was arrested. He is a notorious hardcore right winger/islamist.

Just this: Since Musharraf has declared martial law, nobody has been killed. Around 5 to 10 people received minor injuries during scuffles between police and demonstrators (mainly lawyers).

Tomorrow more.

Harald Doornbos

HARRYZZZ FROM ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

2007-11-06T16:34:00.000+02:00

I arrived today, Tuesday morning, in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. This of course because of the current controverse surrounding president Musharraf's decision to declare martial law.

Later today the first story; live from Pakistan.

But don't get too exited...

Honestly, there is hardly anything going on here. Stories of "a brutal crackdown" seem highly exaggerated. Situation very, very normal. No this isn't the same as Burma a couple of weeks ago - far from it.

As said before, a more detailed story will follow within a couple of hours.

Harald Doornbos

EMERGENCY RULE IN PAKISTAN!

2007-11-04T00:39:00.000+02:00

A major, major development in Pakistan. Although many people thought he did not dare to do it, on saturday November 3rd 2007, president Pervez Musharraf has declared emergency rule.

Hopefully soon more on harryzzz on this amazing development.

Harald Doornbos

IN LEBANESE CANNABIS VILLAGE, PROUD TO BE DUTCH

2007-11-01T00:39:00.000+02:00

It is great to be Dutch. Especially after arrival in Boudai, a cannabis- or marijuana growing village in Lebanon's Beka'a valley. "Hey," the villagers tell me, "We're expecting the Dutch dealer only in December."

As I wasn't the dealer but just a Dutch journalist, they explain me how things work here.

"We'll be harvesting anytime soon," Abu Ali, the owner of a cannabis field, says. As we walk towards it, you can smell the marijuana.

"This must be a relaxed village," I ask.

"Oh, yeah, it is," replies Abu Ali. In the meantime, another chap, named Bessam, walks along. "Top quality goes for 1000 usd a kilo," Bessam claims.

Boudai's return to cannabis production started - as with almost everything in nowadays Lebanon - with the killing of Lebanese ex-PM Rafik Hariri. Or, in other words, with the collapse of the Lebanese state.

Until his killing, in 2005, Boudai had been clean. It did not grow cannabis for over ten years. Almost fifteen years of relative peace in Lebanon had strengthened the state. Even here, in the notoriously lawless Beka'a valley, police and army men patrolled the streets. Cannabis, massively produced here during the civil war, became a forbidden fruit, or better, plant. Without cannabis, the villagers of Boudai grew potatoes.

So Hariri got killed. And anti-Syrian members of parliament, politicians and intellectuals started, involuntarily, to drop dead on Beirut's streets. Then, a Summer war between the radical Shi'ite militia Hezbollah and Israel. Followed by an overly confident Hezbollah trying to overthrow the Lebanese government by boycotting parliament and starting violent street protests. The result of this was clear: Hatred between Sunni's (mostly pro-government) and Shiites (anti-government). To make matters worse: Lebanon has to choose, by the end of November, a new president to replace the current pro-Syrian and pro-Hezbollah one. Government and opposition can't agree on a candidate. Hezbollah and its christian allies of Michel Aoun have threatened to set up a parallel government with a president of their own.

This remarkable downward spiral has made the central government even more of a lame duck.

"Because of the the Summer War and the political chaos in 2006," continues Abu Ali, "We though: Hey, screw these potatoes and let's plant some cannabis. More or less as a test. Let's see if the police will come and try to destroy the crops."

But the cops did not show up. Instead, a Dutch drug dealer arrived. Cannabis was back in the Beka'a valley. "We said to each other: Damn, why did we not plant more!."

So this year, almost everybody in the village exchanged potatoes for cannabis. And not only here in Boudai (which is a muslim shi'ite village), but in at least ten other neighbouring villages (both shi'ite and christian).

A couple of weeks ago, policemen tried to enter Boudai and burn down the crops. But the men from the village got their rifles and Kalashnikov ready and opened fire on the police. "Well, not at them, but above their heads," says Abu Ali. "They all went down and fled," he smilingly claims.

So now everybody here is waiting for the Dutch drug dealer. Because the Dutch guy means money and there is a chronic lack of money in this part of Lebanon.

"Most people are very poor," says Bessam, "Potatoes alone just do not do it."

"Hezbollah is, due to religious reasons, against cultivating cannabis," claims Abu Ali. "So we told them: Ok, we'll stop growing this stuff if you supply us with jobs and a monthly salary of 500 usd. They told us they did not have the money to do that."

Last question: Will 2008 be another cannabis year for Boudai?

"For sure," says Abu Ali, "We are probably one of the few people in Lebanon who hope for continuing political turmoil. To us it would be good when they can't elect a new president."

Harald Doornbos

POLL: MUSHARRAF AND BHUTTO SHOULD WORK TOGETHER

2007-10-26T13:41:00.000+03:00

Ok, for what it is worth: A majority of Harryzzz readers wants Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf and ex-PM Benazir Bhutto to join ranks and fight Islamic militants together.

This is the - surprisingly - reasonable result of a recent Harryzzz poll (see right side on your screen). The Musharraf-Bhutto tango was supported by 55 percent of voters.

But 33 percent wants Musharraf to "screw it" and declare a full scale war against the jehadi's. It seems Musharraf is listening, check out here.

Only three percent (actually, just one voter) thinks it is high time for Musharraf to pack his bags and resign. (Harryzzz will try to find out if this voter is a certain Saudi chap hanging out in Pakistan's tribal areas)

Seven percent of voters (two persons) answered: What or where is Pakistan? It seems pretty obvious where these two votes came from.... Check here. (But why vote twice Mr. President - this ain't Florida!)

Harald Doornbos

INTERESTING REPORT ON SUSPICIOUS SYRIAN FACILITY

2007-10-26T01:23:00.000+03:00

Readers interested in Syria, should check the following AP report, based on an investigation done by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS). It shines some light on the possible target which Israeli planes recently bombed in Syria.

CAIRO, Egypt - Commercial satellite images show construction in Syria that resembles the early stages of a small North Korean-model nuclear reactor, a report said Wednesday, speculating that it was the site hit last month by an Israeli air strike.

The photos, taken nearly a month before the Sept. 6 strike, show a tall box-like building near the Euphrates River that the report said was similar in shape to a North Korean five-megawatt reactor building in Yongbyon.

It cautioned that the Syrian building was "not far enough along in its construction to make a definitive comparison." The photo also shows a smaller building that the report says appears to be a pump station, which would be needed to provide water to cool a reactor.

The report was written by David Albright, a former U.N. nuclear inspector and now head of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, and researcher Paul Brannan.

In Damascus, a Syrian Foreign Ministry official denied the satellite photos in the report showed a nuclear reactor. (read whole article here)

It really is a must to keep track of the ISIS website. Very well informed and knowledgeable people. ISIS here.

Download their PDF report (with pictures) of a possible Syrian nuclear installation here.

After you've seen those pictures, my advice to every freelance journalist who feels bored: Move your ass and get to that location! If you manage to make pics of that installation after the Israeli raid, your reward will be eternal fame. There's one but. If the Syrians get you before you "click" your camera, you might end up "eternal" in a more philosophical way. Simply put, you might get killed.

Update:

To all bored freelance journalists: Don't travel to Syria (see above)! As it turns out, the ISIS already has pictures of the post-bombed side which were put online today. Below the satellite pictures before and after the Israeli strike (pics from ISIS-document):

Download the latest PDF file with more info on the pre- and post-bombing side via ISIS here. Interesting stuff!

Harald Doornbos

IN THE WORLD OF AIRPORTS, SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

2007-10-25T00:36:00.000+03:00

There is a big chance you have visited large airports like Heathrow, JFK or Charles de Gaulle. Big is beautiful – isn’t it?

But the chances are even bigger that you almost got a heart attack – or something similar like foam bursting out of your ears - during endless periods of waiting, yet another security check and frustratingly long delays (see picture on your right; a random customer at a large airport).

Ever tried to get from East-London to Heathrow?

Two hours of travelling on the tube in order to get there three hours before departure which is commonly delayed by an hour and a half. In other words: Seven hours of stress before you even board your plane. The same time it takes to travel between New York and Paris. Or read a medium seized novel. Or smoke a pack of cigarettes, which is of course strictly forbidden at most airports.

So, if you have the chance, you might want to try something different. Because when it comes to airports my motto is: small is beautiful. Actually, the smaller the better. That said: I understand that an airport without a runway would be too small.

Recently I flew, with Malev, Hungarian Airlines, from Beirut in Lebanon via Budapest in Hungary to Sarajevo in Bosnia. Agreed – not the most common route. But, my god: joy! hurray! What a pleasure! (see picture left for a, mildly exaggerated, view of the toilet ladies at Beirut airport)

In Beirut I live almost as far from the airport as possible. So it took me, travelling by car, exactly eight minutes to reach it. Ok, it was night and I’m a fast driver. But even by day, it won’t take you more than 20 minutes.

Since Beirut is a city along the Mediterranean the developers were so clever to build the airport right outside the city, not 80 kilometers away (see picture, right, below). Still, there is hardly any noise pollution. This because planes arrive from and depart to the side of the sea. Basically, planes here keep fish awake, not people.

Beirut’s airport is, more or less, 200 times more modern and clean than, let’s say, Heathrow. Yes, with around 20 gates it is much smaller. But much more convenient too. One big hall where people arrive. And, you guessed it right, one big hall where people depart. It took me, quite literally, ten minutes to get through security, check-in and customs.

Only airport-fanatics or invalids arrive here two or three hours before departure. In reality, one hour will do. Time enough to deal with formalities, shop in the well stocked duty free area, surf the net via a wireless connection (ok, you have to pay for this service). As it never takes longer than three minutes to reach your gate, you even have time to taste a freshly made cappuccino in the coffee shop. And remember – this all after having arrived only one hour before departure.

Another major PLUS at Beirut airport: You are allowed to smoke! How is this possible? Well, one half of the coffee corner is non-smoking, the other half is smoking. Everybody happy. Life can be so simple. (Non-smoking airports are, by far the Mother of all silly Ideas. Sure, a cigarette pollutes. But what to think of ONE AIRPLANE – which basically has a polluting equivalent of 4 BILLION cigarettes).

Anyhow, 2 hours 50 minutes later we landed at Budapest airport. You think London is centrally located? Well, maybe to get you to Brighton or Liverpool. But if you want to travel Europe, Budapest is the place to start. London at 2 hours, Paris at 1.40 hr, Istanbul at 2 hr. And direct flight to the US.

That morning at Budapest-airport (pic left), luggage arrived within five minutes. Going through customs – literally 10 seconds. Before heading for the center of town (for only 19 euros, not 70 euros like in London), another cappuccino at a very decent snack corner. Here, check your email on your lap top, read your favorite online newspaper, watch some youtube. Yes – access to very fast wifi Internet is FREE at this airport. In the meanwhile, smoke your morning cigarette. Again: Half non-smoking, half smoking (Do only Arabs and Eastern Europeans think logically these days???). After relaxing at the airport, I reached the center of Budapest in 35 minutes - not bad for a city with two million people.

A couple of days later, my plane for Sarajevo was suppose to leave at around 12.45 pm. As I woke up in a Budapest bed at around 10.30 I realized I did not have a ticket yet for Sarajevo. 45 minutes later I jumped in a taxi and - with some lucky green traffic lights - reached Budapest airport around 11.45, one hour before departure. At the Malev ticket counter, it wasn't a problem at all to buy one at such short notice. It almost seemed like the friendly saleswoman was surprised I did not arrive later.

Of course, the flight to Sarajevo left on time. Well, to be honest, there was a six minute delay. Arrival at Sarajevo airport (see pic) 50 minutes later. Again - just like Beirut and Budapest - shiny, new and clean. And - again - so convenient. It did not surprise me at all that Sarajevo airport has won the award for Best Airport under 1 million passengers. As I was really enjoying this trip, I now used a stopwatch. From plane through passport check: 2.20 min. Waiting for luggage: 3.45 min. From luggage, through customs to first coffee at the airport: 32 seconds.

Of course, I felt happy to have reached destination Sarajevo. But secretly I thought: Wow, can't wait for the return part of this trip.

Some useful links:

Beirut Rafic Hariri international airport here.
MEA (Middle East Airlines - the national carrier of Lebanon) here.

Budapest international airport here.
Malev (Hungarian Airlines) here.

Sarajevo international airport here.
BH Airlines (I have to be fair, a pretty crappy airline. Fly Malev, Turkish Airlines or Lufthansa instead) here.

Harald Doornbos

IN A LEBANESE JAIL, AL-QAEDA PRISONERS AREN'T HAPPY CAMPERS

2007-10-22T12:23:00.000+03:00

Killing 170 Lebanese soldiers doesn't make you popular when you end up in prison. It now seems that regular Lebanese prisoners are beating the crap out of Fatah al Islam terrorists in a Lebanese jail.

[As I did not get this story fully confirmed by authorities yet, I have to use the phrase "it seems they are being beaten up" instead of "they are being beaten up".]

This, according to sources, is currently going on in the Roumieh prison, Lebanon's main penitentiary facility, located close to Beirut.

"The atmospfere in the prison is very tensed," says a well informed source, who wants to stay anonymous. According to this source, non-political inmates (basically regular criminals) are beating and fighting the pro-Al-Qaeda-inmates of Fatah al Islam. Because of the sensitivity of the matter, it is unclear how many Islamic militants have been beaten up. And, if so, how serious the beatings are (or were).

Lebanese soldiers have gained a true hero's status in Lebanon after they successfully fought these Islamic militants. The 170 or so soldiers who died are considered martyrs by most Lebanese. Subsequently, their murderers are among the most hated in the country (let's not forget, Fatah al Islam beheaded some soldiers).

Due to safety reasons, the Fatah al Islam-terrorist were put in several different cells in order to mix them with regular inmates. This because the authorities are scared of a prison break (with possible outside help of Al-Qaeda units) in case the Al-Qaeda supporters are put together and in only one part of the prison. Generally, eight inmates share one prison cell in the Roumieh-complex.

"There are fights taking place between the two groups," says yet another source here in Beirut, "Fatah al Islam guys aren't very popular in jail; to say the least."

According to a Lebanese army officer, the Fatah al Islam militants are lucky to be in Roumieh prison, which is controlled by the ministry of Interior, not the ministry of Defence. "If we could pay them a visit," he says, "We for sure would know how to deal with them."

Prison life is never fun ("Pick up the soap, boy!"). But it seems easier to be a pedophile in a Thai jail than a Fatah al Islam guy in a Lebanese prison.

Harald Doornbos

THE VOLLEYBALL CHEAT OF ABDULLAH OCALAN - APO

2007-10-18T17:40:00.000+03:00

Or: How I, many years ago, played volleyball with the PKK-leader in his guerrilla camp in Lebanon's Beka'a valley. And believe it or not: He and his buddies cheated...

After Wednesday's parliamentary vote in Ankara, it is official now: The Turkish army may and will cross the Turkish-Iraqi border to go after PKK militants.

But let me take you back to spring 1992. In April of that year I stayed, with a colleague, for a week in the main PKK guerrilla camp. It was located in the, then Syrian controlled, Beka'a valley in Lebanon. Here I waited for an interview with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan (see picture right). And - to get the feeling of guerrilla life - me and my colleague were asked by the PKK militants to join them during their military training in and around the camp.

So we woke up at seven and did exercises with the rebels. We marched with the rebels. we climbed wooden structures with the rebels. We ran through mountains with the rebels (From nearby positions PKK instructors would shoot with live-ammunition right in front of you and scream: "Come on, come on - you would have been killed ten times over in Kurdistan!").

So yes - it was an amazing time.

And most of the PKK-militants seemed truly nice guys.

That said: We weren't free to do what we wanted. We had guards. We had to ask permission to go to the toilet. And yes - there were child soldiers in the camp (a couple of fourteen year old boys). And yes - most people were total fanatics. Like one Kurdish man in his fifties, who came up to me and said, speaking in German:

- Oh, I have such good news to tell you.

- So I asked him: What is the good news?

- "I just heard that my daughter was killed by the Turkish army," he answered, "You know, she was fighting, with us, you know. She completed her training here. And now she got martyred. I am a happy man. This is such good news. She is a martyr now."

I stared at him in amazement. First I thought: This guy is joking. But he wasn't and I would lie if I told you that he was not speaking the truth. Because at that moment, he was truly happy and proud his daughter got killed.

This was the scary and, to me, the sad part of the whole camp. Everybody you spoke to was ready to die. I don't mean a little bit ready, but very, very ready to die. First - for a free Kurdistan. Second - for Abdullah Ocalan, Apo, the Great Leader. During the first days I would tell people: "Well, I mean, ehh - Dying doesn't seem like something nice?!" But all of them would smile at me. "Sorry, but you are not Kurdish, you can't feel what we feel." After a while I did not even try anymore. Of course everybody here wanted to die - and there was not a single person who had a percentage of doubt in his heart or mind.

But the most interesting event during my time in the camp wasn't the military training, the camp life, the utter commitment to country and leader or - even - the interview with Abdullah Ocalan, Apo. No, the most interesting - and for sure most sobering - event was a volleyball match with Abdullah Ocalan. Especially because he and his buddies cheated.

One afternoon, me, my colleague and around ten militants were playing volleyball on a sports ground in the center of the camp (Which was surrounded by mountains with anti-aircraft guns on the peaks for protection against possible Turkish- or Israeli fighter jets). After playing volleyball for around 15 minutes a bunch of armed men walked towards the field (I did not notice them at first, as I was busy playing). The guys carrying guns were bodyguards, the only man without a weapon was nobody less than Abdullah Ocalan - the PKK leader. As they approached the field, all players fell silent.

"Apo is a man of the people," one bodyguard said, "He would like to play volleyball too."

Now everybody got extremely exited. The players nodded like "Yes, yes, yes", while many other militants who were drinking thee or discussing Marxism ran towards the volleyball field to see the Great Leader play. I only thought: "This is hilarious - I'm about to play volleyball with Abdullah Ocalan!"

Mr. Ocalan walked onto the field and joined the team at the other side of the net. As we were suppose to start serving, one of our team members hit the ball very gently to the other side. There, the ball was - again extremely gently - hit into the direction of Mr. Ocalan who immediately smashed the ball into our direction. Nobody from our side even tried to block him or return the ball.

After Mr. Ocalan scored, the players and the crowd applauded all very loudly. They clapped with such enthusiasm that it seemed something huge had happened in the History of the World.

Because of Mr. Ocalan's smash, his side got to serve now.

As of that moment it went all the time according to the same pattern. Apo's team served, we hit the ball back, two player's from Apo's team prepared the ball (almost handed it over to him, like it was made of velvet) and Mr. Ocalan smashed and scored yet another point. This, of course, was followed every time by a big applause.

After five minutes and at already 7-0 in favour of Apo's team, I looked at my Dutch colleague.

"This is getting silly, let's block him," I said.

"Good idea," he replied.

So they served again. Followed by our team's predictable response. And - surprise, surprise - two of Apo's teammates who politely played the ball in his direction. As Mr. Ocalan was about to smash and secure a certain 8-0, me and my colleague jumped high, stretched our arms and and blocked Mr. Ocalan. The ball hit the ground in Mr. Ocalan's part of the field.

"Oh, yes!," we yelled. Because now at least we would get our service back in order to make the match a little bit less one-sided and a bit more interesting.

But there wasn't any happy clapping.

Before we even could start celebrating, furious bodyguards ran onto the field and grabbed us by the arms and shoulders. We were literally dragged off the field. A couple of seconds later a PKK militant shouted at us: "Don't EVER, EVER do that again!". While the bodyguards kept us away from the field, we now were surrounded by hundreds of angry eyes.

"Sorry," we stuttered.

"Just stand here and don't play anymore," somebody told us.

"Just shut up," another militant said.

While we silently watched from outside the lines, we could see Apo score point after point. Everytime there was applause. At 15-0 the game was over. Apo's team had won. All the PKK fighters were happy, although delighted is a better word. Not only was he a great military leader, an incredibly wise Marxist and a fantastic leader of one of the worlds' fiercest guerrilla clubs - he too proved to be a natural born sportsman.

And I just could not believe that after the volleyball game, Mr. Ocalan wanted to play soccer. So around 20 militants and Mr. Ocalan started a match. All balls went, immediately, towards Apo who would - literally - pass ten, sometimes even 15 players (it was very much unclear who belonged to which team). All players (of both teams) either did not attack Mr. Ocalan or staged fake attacks at him. As I could see from a distance, Mr. Ocalan scored time after time. And just like during the volleyball game - every point scored was followed by a huge applause.

Mr. Ocalan was arrested in 1999 by the Turkish authorities. Today, he spends his days as the sole inmate of a jail, located on a Turkish island and guarded by 1000 Turkish troops.

While most Turks view Mr. Ocalan and the PKK as a bunch of terrorists (and now ready to follow them into northern Iraq), many Kurds still consider Mr. Ocalan their leader and the PKK an organisation which represents freedom.

I can't help it, but when if I think of Mr. Ocalan and the PKK I do not think of terrorism or freedom, but only of volleyball.

Harald Doornbos

"A Handful of Sadness" - Afghanistan 2007

2007-10-14T22:49:00.000+03:00

Well, this isn't a blog about documentaries. But it really wouldn't hurt to check out the trailer of A Handful of Sadness, a documentary about Afghanistan. It's made by my Slovenian buddy Bostjan Slatensek.

This year he travelled for three months through Afghanistan to document the destruction of large parts of Southern Afghanistan by NATO-forces. "It's like the Russians are back," he says.

But it ain't only destruction on the part of NATO troops. Afghanistan's backward traditions and customs seem to play an important role too in keeping it a violent and destructive place. Picture democracy here? Well - maybe in a 1000 years...

As Slatensek writes, "It is a country where being alive has a different meaning."

Luckily for the Taliban, they did not try to kidnap Slatensek while on his way in southern Afghanistan. Slatensek is one of the toughest journalists I know, a weapons expert and a very experienced rock climber (Among many other peaks, he has frequently climbed El Capitan, a 1000 meter high vertical rock formation in the US - see pic). Had the Taliban tried to kidnap Slatensek, I wouldn't be surprised with the following newspaper headline: Lone Slovenian reporter uses camera and tripod to capture 130 Taliban fighters.

Anyway, check out the trailer. Try to see the full documentary later on TV, cinema or youtube...

Harald Doornbos

Excuses aan meneer Atlaschi

2007-10-10T05:03:00.001+03:00

Nadat ik recentelijk een verhaal onder ogen kreeg van en over meneer Reza Atlaschi, bied ik hierbij mijn welgemeende excuses aan voor de wijze waarop ik meneer Atlaschi op 2 oktober op mijn weblog heb afgeschilderd.

Hiermee is de discussie over dit onderwerp, wat mij betreft, gesloten.

Harald Doornbos

In Pakistan, a smart voice in a bewildered country

2007-10-05T04:53:00.000+03:00

Say Pakistan and many will reply: A hiding Osama bin Laden, a besieged Pervez Musharraf or a Benazir Bhutto on her way home.

Great names of great - uuuh, lets call them interesting - characters.

But a name many times overlooked in and outside Pakistan is that of Pervez Hoodbhoy. Pervez who? Well, you might have never heard of him. But this truly remarkable Pakistani professor is, by far, one of the smartest people around in the muslim world. Try to get a copy of his book Islam and Science: Religious Orthodoxy and the Battle for Rationality. Although written some years ago, a true eye opener.

I had the honor of interviewing him twice during my stay in Pakistan. And I'm telling you: If you (like me) are getting bored (and annoyed) hearing the Chomsky's and the Fisk's "informing" the world about the problems between Islam and the West, try Pervez Hoodbhoy's articles. Progressive, realistic, non-dogmatic and unapologetic.

Start here.

Continue here.

Harald Doornbos

HOE EEN IRAANSE NEDERLANDER MIJ DREIGT AAN TE GEVEN BIJ HET IRAANSE REGIME!

2007-09-26T22:04:00.000+03:00

(Normally I write this blog in English, this though concerns very much a Dutch topic. So today only in Dutch)

Je mag me uitschelden, me belachelijk maken, mijn stukken slecht vinden. Allemaal geen probleem. Maar als een artikeltje op dit blog je niet zint, dan moet je niet gaan dreigen om mij aan te geven bij de Iraanse overheid in een poging om me ongewenst verklaart te krijgen in Iran. Dat overschrijdt niet alleen een grens, dat is simpelweg ranzig verraders gedrag.

Toch meent de Nederlandse Iranier Reza Atlaschi uit Rotterdam (zie foto) dat hij zo moet reageren op een van mijn vorige postings op Harryzzz (Ahmadinejad visits New York - lock up your daughters!). En voordat half Nederland direct weer gaat zeiken over moslim fundamentalisten - Reza Atlaschi is GEEN islamist, maar een radicale Perzische nationalist. Hij werkt als consultant bij het bedrijf Inter Access in Hilversum.

Onder het pseudoniem “Nederanier” laat Atlaschi op het weblog van NRC correspondent in Iran, Thomas Erdbrink, veelvuldig allerlei commentaren achter. N.a.v. mijn Iran stukje op Harryzzz schrijft Atlaschi op het weblog van Erdbrink:

“Ik zou wel eens ongevraagde adviezen willen geven aan de Iraanse overheid welke NLse journalisten/media als “ongewenst” te verklaren en niet toe te laten…. hij zou zeker op zo’n lijstje komen.”

En voor de duidelijkheid; “hij” ben ik.

Omdat ik journalist ben, bel ik Reza Atlaschi op vanuit Beirut, waar ik woon. Atlaschi is, vanzelfsprekend, in eerste instantie verrast dat zijn "Nederanier" dekmantel voorbij lijkt.

"Eh...Hallo," zegt hij.

Aangezien ik geen zin heb in een eindeloze welles-nietes discussie over de situatie in Iran, stel ik hem slechts een vraag: "Staat u nog steeds de woorden die u over mij schreef?”

“Ik heb natuurlijk geen direct lijntje met de Iraanse autoriteiten,” aldus Atlaschi, telefonisch vanuit Nederland, “Maar ik sta voor de volle honderd procent achter mijn woorden.”

Vervolgens begint Atlaschi me uit te schelden: “Klootzak! Wie denk je wel dat je bent?! Mijn land zo beschrijven! Steek het maar in je reet! Je zet het leven van hoderdenduizenden mensen op het spel met die vuilspuiterij over Iran.”

Terwijl Atlaschi woedend door blijft schreeuwen hang ik maar op.

BIZAR

Wat het allemaal nog een beetje extra bizar maakt, is dat Reza Atlaschi zelf op z’n 16e (hij is nu begin 40) vanuit Iran naar Nederland is gevlucht en de Nederlandse nationaliteit heeft aangenomen. Goh, wat ontzettend joviaal om een journalist uit het land dat je heeft opgenomen, nu te willen aangeven bij de autoriteiten waar je destijds zelf voor bent gevlucht. Merkwaardige gast die Atlaschi.

Voor de duidelijkheid: Meneer Atlaschi hoeft heus niet iedere dag op z’n knieen omdat hij destijds door Nederland is opgenomen. Verre van dat. Net als iedereen heeft Atlaschi het volste recht om kritiek te uiten op Nederland, de Nederlandse media en dus ook op mij. Maar dreigen met aangeven bij de Iraanse autoriteiten – dat gaat niet een, maar tien stappen te ver!

Maar het wordt nog gekker. Want Atlaschi is de initiatiefnemer van het droommuseum. Dit is een virtueel museum dat via een website zich ten doel stelt: “(…) de mispercepties en de eenzijdige beeldvorming rond immigratie en immigranten in Nederland te neutraliseren door juiste informatie, aantrekkelijke presentatie en vroegtijdige educatie.”

Een journalist aangeven dus. Of “neutraliseren”. In deze context een veelzeggende woordkeuze.

Atlaschi deed met zijn idee van het droommuseum mee aan de Inspiratie en Integratie Award, een competitie die ieder jaar wordt georganiseerd door De Baak, het management centrum van het VNO-NCW. Atlaschi haalde met zijn droommuseum-idee de finale, maar won - de 10.000 euro prijs - niet.

CULTURELE WEERWOLF

Maar het blijft niet bij het bedreigen van een journalist. Noem Atlaschi een culturele weerwolf. Want overdag hangt hij de voorbeeldige migrant uit. Multi-culti tot op het bot, zo lijkt het. Interviews in Trouw en het AD over het belang van integratie en wederzijds begrip. Vloeiend Nederlands, een goede baan als consultant bij een computerbedrijf in Hilversum. En niet te beroerd om een oranje sjerp aan te doen tijdens de VNO-competitie.

Maar 's avonds, wanneer hij achter z'n computer kruipt, verandert Atlaschi in 'Nederanier', een, op z'n zachts gezegd, rancuneus en haatdragend figuur.

Afgezien van de bedreiging aan mijn adres, een paar voorbeelden:

Tijdens een discussie over de hoofddoek bij vrouwelijke politieagenten in Iran, meent "Nederanier" op 14 september van dit jaar dat zoiets ook een goed idee zou zijn voor Nederlandse politieagenten.

“Voor mannenelijke [sic] agneten [sic] ben ik meer voor een Burka, om de lelijke provinciale besnorde inteeltkoppen uit het zicht te onttrekken.”

Goh - Inteeltkoppen? Leuke taal van Mr. Droommuseum.

Atlaschi is fel anti-Arabisch. Iran is namelijk Perzisch, niet Arabisch. Op 17 september laat 'Nederanier' zich wel heel minachtend uit over die Arabieren die vanuit Irak naar Iran zijn gevlucht:

"(...) Iran is een soevereine staat en baas in eigen land, over haar grondgebied en haar onderdanen, als het die Arabieren niet bevalt kunnen ze lekker naar het democratische Irak voor een veilig en voorspoedig leven onder de militaire bezetting van hun meesters.

Ze mogen blij zijn dat ze gratis onderwijs kunnen genieten in Iran, thuis kunnen ze lekker Arabisch praten, Iran kent een officiele taal en dat is Perzisch, dus logisch dat de taal in het onderwijs Perzisch is."

Goh - volgens het droommuseum was de komst van alle migranten (dus ook Arabieren) toch zo'n positieve ontwikkeling. Of bedoelt Atlaschi eigenlijk alleen zichzelf?

In een discussie over een Iraanse strategie tegen het "vijandige Westen", stelt "Nederanier" geen olieboycot voor maar "een narco oorlog". Hij schrijft op 18 september dat Iran heroine uit Afghanistan moet doorlaten zodat Europa wordt overspoeld met drugs. Dit zal hier dan mooi leiden tot een groot aantal extra heroineverslaafden.

"Met olieboycot benadeel je ook jezelf, wat veel beter is: alvast een narco-oorlog. West Europa laten overspoelen met goedkope Afghaanse heroine. Waarom Iraanse levens op het spel zetten (bestrijden van drugssmokkel) om levens in het vijandige westen te besparen?"

Een vrijgeleide verlenen aan de Afghaanse drugssmokkel/druglords, vanaf de grens met Afgh. helemaal naar grens Turkije, rechtstreeks naar de Turkse drugsmaffia, misschien wel onder escorte.

Zo zal de straatprijs van heroine hier aanzienlijk dalen, waardoor heroineconsumptie enorm zal toenemen. Een deel van de potentiele soldaten die misschien wel ingezet zullen worden in operaties tegen Iran, zullen nu in een ander leger terecht komen: verslaafdenopvang bij Het Leger des Heils"

Goh - Wat een goed plan. Lekker veel junkie's - Fiets kopen!

Decennia van verblijf in Nederland heeft van Atlaschi een fan gemaakt van de omstreden Iraanse president Ahmadinejad.

Op 24 september schrijft "Nederanier":

"Dit is niet van mij maar van Hoder: Ik wou dat we een president hadden met A’nejads ballen en Khatami’s hersens

Op 27 september:

"Vind het wel heel slim van A’nejads regering om in Z. Amerika sterke banden aan te knopen met Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Cuba, Bolivia. VS zit in MO, Iran moet ook in de achtertuin van VS gaan zitten wroeten. Verder kan IRI een belangrijke/leidersrol spelen binnen de G15 landen."

En in de wereld van "Nederanier" is alles een complot natuurlijk. Op 28 september:

(...) Wat blijkt; Birma/Myanmar heeft de grootste gasreserves in Zuidoost Azië. (...) Ik zie toch echte veel parallellen met Iran….. begin argwaan te krijgen over de geode bedoelingen van die onschuldige monnikken en mevr. Suu Kyi(die als exlie jarenlang in UK heeft gewoond), en de krokodilletranen hier in het Westen."

Goh - leuke opmerking van iemand die destijds zelf gevlucht is voor de despoten. En uiterst verdacht natuurlijk: Suu Kyi heeft jarenlang in het Verenigd Koninkrijk gewoond!? Toe maar. Is dus niet meer te vertrouwen.

Gelukkig is Atlaschi een ware revolutionair in hart en nieren, een man van de barricaden! Hij zal heus niet jarenlang in het Westen zitten of bijvoorbeeld vijf dagen per week tussen Rotterdam en Hilversum op en neer reizen om zijn geliefde Iran te verdedigen.

SPAGAAT

Op 26 september legt 'Nederanier' uit wat zijn dilemma is (IRI is trouwens: Islamic Republic of Iran):

En dat is de moeilijke spagaat waar ik me in bevind, steun voor IRI tegenover zoveel agressie, propaganda en dubbele agenda vanuit VS-kamp enerzijds, en tegelijkertijd de misstanden in IRI waar Iraniërs slachtoffers van zijn moeten aanzien en zwijgen. Mijn keus is duidelijk: het gaat om een existentiële zaak, Iran zoals we nu kennen kan uiteen worden gereten door de necon agressie (zie Irak). Eerst moet dit gevaar gaan wijken (hopelijk definitief in 2009), dus eenheid is geboden. Daarna kan de kritiek weer op IRI (binnenlands) worden gericht.

He, he - eindelijk eens iets oprechts van Atlaschi. Natuurlijk zit iemand die geboren is in Iran maar woont in Nederland tussen twee vuren wanneer er een conflict dreigt uit te breken. Grote levensvragen dringen zich op als: Wie ben ik? Waar behoor ik? Moet ik nu kiezen tussen twee werelden? En zo ja - waar ligt dan mijn hart, waar mijn verstand (en vaak belangrijker nog: Waar mijn ziel, m'n gevoel?).

Wat ik zelf heel vaak zie, is dat migranten in het Westen zichzelf ook nogeens opzadelen met een enorm schuldgevoel. Immers, zij zijn zelf vertrokken uit hun land van oorsprong en leiden nu een, relatief, gemakkelijk leventje. Dit terwijl al die anderen nog steeds in de bagger zitten en nu zelfs, heel misschien, gebombardeerd gaan worden.

Dat leidt opnieuw tot vragen, verwijten zelfs. Ben ik eigenlijk geen verrader van mijn oorspronkelijke cultuur? Over het algemeen zie je dat mensen dan - vanuit het veilige Westen - heeeeeel hard roepen dat ze voor iemand als Ahmadinejad zijn en juist heeeeeel erg tegen het Westen. Op deze manier weet iedereen tenminste dat je dan wellicht aan de verkeerde kant woont, maar heus wel aan de goede kant staat. Want, en dat is vervelend, meneer Atlaschi moet vanuit Rotterdam bewijzen dat hij pro-Iran is, een Iranier in Iran hoeft dat niet.

Op Atlaschi's droommuseum website, heeft hij, met grote letters, artikel 13 gezet van de Universele Verklaring Van De Rechten Van De Mens. Te lezen valt: Een ieder heeft het recht welk land ook, met inbegrip van het zijne, te verlaten en naar zijn land terug te keren.

Helemaal mee eens. Ik ben hem al veertien jaar geleden genokt uit Nederland omdat ik dat geleuter zat was. En de afgelopen jaren lijkt iedereen massaal moslim-afzeiken als hobby te hebben gekozen, dus gaat het nergens anders meer over. Geen probleem hoor. Maar postzegels verzamelen of, desnoods, golfen lijkt me beter.

Ik kan Reza Atlaschi hetzelfde aanbevelen. Als je zo intensief met Iran bezig bent (en overduidelijk Iran vreselijk mist), ga dan in Iran wonen en blijf niet in Nederland. En tegenwoordig is het nou niet heel ingewikkeld om gewoon te vertrekken uit Nederland. Een enkeltje Amsterdam-Teheran, vijf uur vliegen en je bent er.

NIET LEUK

Terug naar het dreigement van meneer Atlaschi aan mijn adres. Hij vond mijn Iran verhaal op Harryzzz niet leuk. Opnieuw, dat mag natuurlijk. Toegegeven, mijn woorden waren niet de meest gebalanceerde analyse van de huidige situatie in Iran. Maar gewoon een grappig, informatief en soms cynisch verhaaltje over en vanuit Iran. Ik bedoel dit is een blog – niet de New York Times of een zeventig pagina’s tellend rapport van een Iran studiegroep.

In de commentaar-sectie van de weblog van Thomas Erdbrink (de NRC correspondent in Teheran), begon Atlaschi, onder het pseudoniem “Nederanier”, over dat stukje op Harryzzz als volgt te zeuren:

“Stukje Harald Doornbos: Povere poging tot cynisme en hij heeft er weinig van begrepen getuige ”By the way, hardly anybody speaks English ” en nog in diezelfde alinea ” For instance, concerning Iran’s nuclear programme, many young Iranians in Tehran told me: “You really think Ahmadinejad only wants nuclear energy? Yeah, right - are you stupid or so? Of course he wants The Bomb!” In welke taal hebben die jongeren hem dat verteld dan??? Doorsnee NLse perssukkel die voor komiek wil doorgaan blijkbaar, waardeloos stuk, zonde van mijn tijd.

Daarop reageert “Loes” (Loes Bijnen, voormalig mensenrechtenspecialiste van de Nederlandse ambassade in Teheran)

"@Nederanier
Harald Doornbos schreef al eerder stukjes vanuit Iran waaruit bleek dat hij weinig van het land begreep. Ik wist soms niet wat ik las, zulke onzin was het. Toch waren zijn reportages uit Zuid-Libanon tijdens de Israel-Hezbollah confrontatie heel aardig, spannend zelfs. Hij kan wel schrijven, maar schoenmaker blijf bij je leest. Ik geef ook geen commentaar op artikelen over Paraguay, om maar eens een land te noemen.”

Tot zover heb ik absoluut geen probleem met “Nederanier” en “Loes”. De eindeloze stroom bagger die journalisten over zich heen krijgen is niets nieuws. De boodschapper heeft het toch altijd gedaan. Met de intrede van Internet is dat alleen maar erger geworden. Lekker anoniem commentaar leveren vanuit je luie stoel op al die journalisten die eindeloos hun best doen om door allemaal kut landjes te reizen (die over het algemeen helemaal geen pottekijkers willen hebben) in een poging de rest van de wereld tenminste een beetje te informeren. Dat dit niet altijd een perfect gebalanceerd en volledig verhaal oplevert – tja. Big deal. Dit gebeurt al eeuwen en overal.

(Trouwens, ik ben nu al geinteresseerd in het laatste artikel dat de Iraanse media hebben gepubliceerd over Nederland. Hoofdstad: Eindhoven. Bevolking: 10 miljoen hoeren, zes miljoen homo’s, 86 procent Joden. Bijnaam: Sodom en Gomorra). Natuurlijk hoor je Reza Atlaschi nooit over het volledig ontbreken van enige persvrijheid in Iran.

Maar goed – kritiek geven vanuit de luwte is een stuk makkelijker dan berichten uit de storm, iets dat ik nu al 14 jaar doe - permanent leven en werken in Bosnie, Kosovo, Pakistan, Afghanistan en nu het Midden Oosten.

Maar de daarop volgende reactie van de “Nederanier” op “Loes” schoot me dus echt in het verkeerde keelgat.

“@Loes:
Ik zou wel eens ongevraagde adviezen willen geven aan de Iraanse overheid welke NLse journalisten/media als “ongewenst” te verklaren en niet toe te laten…. hij zou zeker op zo’n lijstje komen.”

Vervolgens reageert Erdbrink, de maker van het blog, met een waarschuwing aan het adres van “Nederanier” en met het verzoek om dit soort dreigementen achterwege te laten.

"Nederanier” reageert daarop als volgt:

@Thomas:
"Ik sta 100% en onvoorwaardelijk achter wat ik heb gezegd.
Uit respect voor je persoonlijk en dit forum beperk ik met tot:
27 jaar leugens en desinformatie en beledigingen aan het adres van Iran moeten aanhoren en lezen via de NL pers…. dat laat pas een nare bijsmaak na."

Daarop roept Thomas Erdbrink de “Nederanier" nogmaals op om hiermee te stoppen. Waarop “Nederanier” schrijft:

"1)Alsof ik een directe lijn heb met de iraanse veiligheidsdienst.
2)Harald Doornbos is meerdere keren in Iran geweest, dus hij heeft z’n ontgroening al gehad. En het gaat om niet om die sukkel, het gaat me om gemakzucht van clowns die jouw vak bedoezelen en besmuiken en mijn land te kakken zetten."

Sorry meneer Atlaschi, Iran te kakken zetten is mijn goed recht. Dat heet vrijheid van menigsuiting en persvrijheid. Niets in mijn verhaaltje over Iran is gelogen, alleen de laatste alinea betreffende president Ahmadinejad is door mij een beetje overdreven neergezet. Maar nogmaals, dit is een blog.

Tot nu toe ben ik in mijn leven alleen maar joviale Iraniers tegen gekomen. Reza Atlaschi is de eerste tegenvaller. En omdat hij me dreigt aan te geven bij de Iraanse autoriteiten, zeg ik tegen meneer Atlaschi: Succes er mee, als u het op prijs stelt stuur ik u een copie van mijn paspoort.

Maar wanneer ik tijdens mijn volgende bezoek aan Iran ergens in de gevangenis beland en word opgesloten met een stel Britse matrozen of Iraans/Amerikaanse wetenschappers, dan weten we wie we daarvoor kunnen bedanken.

Handige weblinks bij dit verhaal (gebruik rechtermuisknop, klik 'open in nieuw venster'):

Droommuseum van Reza Atlaschi hier

De zeer leesbare weblog Onze man in Teheran van NRC correspondent Thomas Erdbrink hier

Ook zo'n hekel aan je buren of andere vervelende figuren? Verklik ze of geef ze aan hier.

Word lid van de NSB - duizenden gingen u reeds voor! Hier.

VNO site met de Inspiratie voor Integratie wedstrijd hier.

De fascinerende wereld (overdag tenminste) van Reza Atlaschi hier.

He, he - eindelijk een serieus verhaal over Iran op Harryzzz hier.

De reden van Atlaschi's woede hier.

Laatste nieuws - Stop de perzen! Vergeet Volkskrant of NRC (en al helemaal de NY Times), blijf op de hoogte van ontwikkelingen in de wereld middels de Tehran Times, hier.

Harald Doornbos

These funny Iranians...

2007-09-25T01:05:00.000+03:00

Iranian president Ahmadinejad doesn't seem like the funniest guy in the world. But luckily, humour can be found on the streets of Iran. Here three pics I took during a trip to Iran...

No VIP, but CIP at Imam Khomeini International Airport, Tehran.

At the Imam Khomeini mosque in Tehran, a salesman offers religious souvenirs and, of course, Darth Vader - the Master of Darkness.

A bus, parked in front of the burial site of Imam Khomeini, just outside Tehran.

Harald Doornbos

Ahmadinejad in New York - lock up your daughters!

2007-09-24T01:28:00.000+03:00

As you are reading these words, you will hear a part of a rather famous song about New York. Don't worry, it only lasts for 30 sec.
(And I'll remove this song on Tuesday. In case you want to cut it now, hit 'pause' on the right side of your screen).

Anyhow...

I always like to travel to Iran, so I guess Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is equally exited about his trip to New York. I mean, a change of environment keeps life interesting, doesn't it?

And interesting it will be for Mr. Ahmadinejad. Not only because of his speech at the United Nations, but also because - holy moly - Tehran seriously differs from New York.

While New York never sleeps, Tehran seems to do mainly that: Sleep.

Bloody hell, it is just such a booooring city. This of course viewed from a Western perspective (I can't help it - I'm European).

If you want to escape the rat-race in the West, please visit Tehran.

First, the pro's. It has wonderful museums, beautiful mosques, extremely friendly people and you can ski during winter.

Iran is surprisingly modern. No, this isn't Afghanistan or the Arab world. Iran reminds me more of Turkey or, let's say, current Bulgaria. There are flat screen TVs in the metro, loads of people have computers. And while the girls carry headscarves, most guys carry cellphones with (illegal) porn movies on it. The countryside of course is more backward. That is not typically Iranian though. Try Kentucky.

The girls in Tehran are - believe it or not - very flirty. And beautiful too. Looking is ok, but touching is out of the question. According to Iranian law, sex between a muslim and a non-muslim is punishable by nothing less than death. This though might be another reason to visit Iran: If you are into risky sex, this could be your walhalla.

But let me continue with the positive points. Tehran's metro is ten times cleaner and more modern than the tube in NYC (There is a catch though - just like with buses, women and men travel in separate carriages. For some kind of reason the Iranian government seems to think that their own population will organise massive orgies the moment the sexes are mixed). But there is hardly any crime and ten dollars gives you around 250 glasses of orange juice, although I might be exaggerating a little now.

But this all comes with a price.

No bars (not allowed). No alcohol (banned - no problem for this total abstainer..). No concerts (western music forbidden, some sitar stuff allowed). No free press (it takes honestly less time to read an Iranian newspaper than to turn on my computer - only Ahmadinejad stories, quran quotes and soccer). Endless and utterly boring documentaries on TV (or soccer matches from Germany's third league...truly fascinating). No normal Internet (most things 'unmoral', like sex or democracy are blocked).

By the way, hardly anybody speaks English (English in Iran is kind of politically incorrect, the regime promotes Farsi - foreign influences are discouraged). But don't think Iranians aren't aware of what is happening around the world. Most people are, for instance, very, very critical of their own president. For instance, concerning Iran's nuclear programme, many young Iranians in Tehran told me: "You really think Ahmadinejad only wants nuclear energy? Yeah, right - are you stupid or so? Of course he wants The Bomb!"

On the streets of the capital, the only thing you see are veiled women (veil is compulsory, for non-muslim women as well). Highly moralistic religious slogans on every street corner (aren't they ever getting tired of all that preaching?). And, the only thing people seem to eat are pistachio nuts (actually, after oil and gas, pistachio nuts are Iran's second most important export product worth 700 million usd a year; oil/gas yearly around 55 billion usd).

So, yes, Iran - and I am not cynical now - is a beautiful and fascinating destination. And - again surprise, surprise - people from Europe and the US get a visa upon arrival at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA, not IKEA). Yes, you heard it correctly - even US citizens DON'T NEED a visa to visit Iran; you'll get it immediately the moment you get to immigration (cost of a visa is around 50 usd, max seven days stay, not possible to extend).

Those seven days are perfect. Enough to get a glimpse of Tehran and other parts of the country. And just not enough to get you killed by this disease called Iranian boredom. Because there ain't any nightlife in Tehran. Sunset means prayer time and then either to bed or watching TV (another three hour nature documentary on the Divine Beauty of Clouds).

That is why I would not be surprised when president Ahmadinejad, after arrival in his hotel room in New York, will stay up the whole night.

Endlessly ordering popcorn and hamburgers and checking out pay-TV. Having wild pyjama pillow fights with his bodyguards and checking this website (like all blogspot.com's blocked in Iran) to listen again and again to that fascinating song called New York, New York.

Because:

"If I can make it there,
I'll make it anywhere.
It's up to you,
New York..New York."

Harald Doornbos

For a lazy weekend: The first three minutes of 'The Hunting Party'

2007-09-22T04:27:00.000+03:00

Here the first three minutes of The Hunting Party. The movie - starring Richard Gere - is very loosely based on the experiences of me and four friends in Bosnia.

A recent post on Harryzzz explains the story behind The Hunting Party, click here.

Thanks to Erik Schmidt for info.

Harald Doornbos

Great news for Lebanon's opposition - another MP is killed!

2007-09-19T18:33:00.000+03:00

Here in Beirut - chaos. Another MP has been killed in East Beirut, where I live. This time Antoine Ghanem, a pro-government MP.

That is great news for the Aoun-Hezbollah opposition here.

Why? Because the opposition now only needs to kill another four pro-government MP's and, voila, the government will have lost its majority in parliament. Long live Middle Eastern democracy!

(Aoun is anti-Lebanese government and neutral towards Syria, Hezbollah is very anti-Lebanese government and very pro-Syrian, and Iranian, of course).

Just take a look at the list of Lebanese politicians killed since 14th februari 2005 (The day ex-PM Rafik Hariri was blown up). Although nobody has ever claimed responsibility for any of the killings it is pretty obvious who is behind all the killings...

Antoine Ghanem, MP (Maronite christian, pro government, anti-Hezbollah, anti Syrian)

Walid Eido, MP (Sunni muslim, pro government, anti Hezbollah, anti Syrian)

Pierre Gemayel, MP and Minister of Industry (Maronite christian, pro-government anti Hezbollah, anti Syria)

Gebran Tueni, MP (Maronite christian, pro-government, anti Hezbollah, anti Syria)

Rafiq Hariri, former PM (Sunni muslim, pro-government, anti Hezbollah, anti Syria)

Outside politics:

Baseel Fleihan, ex-Minister, wounded during Hariri attack, died later in hospital (I mistakenly took Mr. Fleihan for a Sunni muslim, he was though a protestant [see comments], pro-government, anti Hezbollah, anti Syria)

George Hawi, ex-leader Communist Party, (had problems with Syria)

Samir Kassir, writer/ journalist ( pro government, anti Hezbollah, anti Syria)

Give Fatah al Islam a phone call….

2007-09-15T20:51:00.000+03:00

Salim Abu Taha, the spokesman of the Al-Qaeda inspired group Fatah al Islam in Lebanon, was supposed to be dead. He died, according to the Lebanese media, a couple of weeks ago during heavy fighting around the Nahr al Bared refugee camp in the north of the country.

That obviously wasn't true. Because Abu Taha was arrested this saturday by Lebanese authorities, hiding in the bushes outside the camp. This all two weeks after the Lebanese army defeated Fatah al Islam and took the camp. A couple of days ago we saw the same saga concerning Al Absi, the leader of the group. First he was killed, then he escaped, later he was dead again and his body identified by his wife. DNA made it eventually clear that it wasn't Al Absi after all.

So HARRYZZZ now gives you the unique opportunity to check yourself what happened to Abu Taha. Here is his mobile telephone number:

Readers in Lebanon call: 70-816085
Readers outside Lebanon call: 00 961 70-816085

I've spoken to Salim Abu Taha a couple of days before the fighting broke out in May this year. He is somewhere in his late twenties, early thirties. And to me he was very polite and friendly.

I can guarantee this is his cell phone number, but I have no clue if he will pick up the phone. Last time I tried (during the fighting) a recorded voice said: "This telephone is switched off, please try again later."

Well, good luck and let me know if you managed to speak to the guy! Please ask him if is he is free, arrested or dead (or went undercover to Kenya).

Harald Doornbos

INSIDE AL-QAEDA'S BRAIN (III)

2007-09-14T23:21:00.000+03:00

If you haven't read part I and II of INSIDE AL-QAEDA'S BRAIN, you first might want to read part I here and part II here.

III

This feeling of loneliness and of isolation does not lead to any despair among the faithful. On the contrary. Over and over, Al-Qaeda-members are taught about the year 622. In that year, as the story goes, during the hijrah (the emigration), the prophet Muhammad was thrown out of Mecca by its city council. Muhammad and his followers – who literally were the fist muslims on earth – were banned from Mecca and fled to the city of Medina.

Two years later, the Mecca city council sent its army into the desert (towards a hamlet called Badr) hoping to permanently crush Muhammad and his, by then, army of a few hundred muslims. Although Muhammad was outnumbered by the Meccan attackers, the prophet of Islam won the Battle of Badr. This was of course the best PR Muhammad could have wished for. “Look,” he and his followers said, “God is obviously on our side! How is it otherwise possible that we defeated a much stronger enemy force?” Six years later, Muhammad – backed now by a much larger army – conquered Mecca and safeguarded Islam.

The Battle of Badr plays a crucial role in Al-Qaeda’s philosophy. It isn’t a coincidence that the perpetrators of the attacks of 9/11 were told by the leadership to mumble Badr-related verses from the quran right before hitting their targets
“This battle gives Al-Qaeda enormous inspiration,” according to Yosri Fouda, a journalist for Al-Jazeera and himself a muslim. He wrote a book about two of Al-Qaeda’s top commanders responsible for the preparation of 9/11. He writes: “They view themselves as a small group of fighters who, just like Muhammad, will be victorious against all odds and safeguard Islam.”

But, please, do not view Osama bin Laden as a primitive who still lives in the seventh century. He might be hiding in caves, for ever talking about the year 622 and using horse and donkey as means of transportation, but he isn’t the backward one.

The backward, the ignorant people are you – christians and Jews. Those who keep on living in the past, in a primitive state of rejection of the truth.

You still follow? Let me explain. Al-Qaeda fully understands that there weren’t any muslims before the year 622. Monotheistic, Abraham-inspired religion, starts with Judaism around 5000 years ago. Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) is considered a prophet in Islam and by Al-Qaeda.

Then, around 2000 years ago, Jesus showed up. In Islam, he is considered a prophet too (Isa in Arabic). With the appearance of Jesus, Jews should have made the “logical step” of becoming followers of Jesus (in other words, become christians). By refusing to do so, Jews rejected the prophet Isa (Jesus) and clung to their – by now – backward religion. Rejecting Isa turned Jews into ignorant people.

Only a handful of Jews did support Isa (Jesus) and they created, against all odds, a very successful religion called Christianity. No problem with that, Al-Qaeda says. But then, in the year 622, the prophet Muhamamd appeared. As Muhammad is considered the last prophet (and the one who received god's final words - the quran), this moment should have signaled an en masse conversion of christians to Islam. So while Jews made a catastrophic mistake by not accepting Christianity, christians made an, equally, crucial mistake by not converting to Islam. This, In Al-Qaeda’s worldview, makes Jews and christians backward, ignorant people. They, willfully, refuse to see the truth.

Actually, mainstream Islam in the Middle East considers Jews and christians very much the same. The main difference though between Al-Qaeda and mainstream Islam is seen in its response towards kaffirs or non-believers. While Al-Qaeda will actively hunt (and kill) for christians and Jews, the vast majority of mainstream muslims in the Middle East shrug their shoulders and have basically no real problems with local christians and Jews (which isn’t the same as lacking negative feelings towards The West or Israel of course. And there is more: Converting from Islam to any other religion is in all Middle Eastern muslim countries forbidden by law and - in most cases - punishable by death. And muslims will - hardly ever - marry a christian. Same the other way around by the way. "If my daughter ever marries a muslim - I will kill her," a maronite Arab told me recently here in Beirut. Don't forget, this is the Middle East).

That said; even to Al-Qaeda, christians and Jews – being monotheistic religions based on Abraham - are people of the book (mentioned in the quran). This is not the case with Hindu’s, Buddhists or – the worst – communists, secularists or atheists. Members of these religions or ideologies are, principly, Al-Qaeda's biggest enemies. To believe in the wrong god is one thing, to believe in no god, goes beyond their belief. If I ever will be captured by Al-Qaeda (which I sincerely do NOT hope), I’d rather tell them the story of how I attended a christian high school than how I, as a university student, worked for a semi-communist newspaper.

After the weekend: part IV

Harald Doornbos

Is Lebanon becoming a country of SUV-driving beggars?

2007-09-13T19:21:00.000+03:00

What's new? Well, Lebanon wants money - again.

This time the Lebanese government wants 400 million dollars from the international community to rebuild the Nahr al Bared camp. Saudi Arabia is considering the request. 400 million dollars? That would equal 100 usd for every Lebanese, or 13.000 usd for every Palestinian (Now I understand why having 12 children is a smart move!)

This of course, after, in June this year, the Lebanese government wanted to have extra weapons, jeeps and ammunition, worth millions, from the international community to fight Fatah al Islam extremists in the camp.

Two weeks ago, Lebanon wanted - and received from the US - a few hundred brand new four wheel drives for the Lebanese army.

Last year, Lebanon wanted - and received - 4 billion dollars from the international community to rebuild the destruction created by the summer war between Hezbollah and Israel.

This has been going on already for many years. UN, IMF, Worldbank, US, Saudi Arabia, EU, Iran. Mention the word Lebanon and they all are getting acute headache. Every time the 'poor' Lebanese screw up their own country, the rest of the world has to pay for it.

Every time something goes wrong here - the government or Hezbollah (thanks to our Iranian friends) go on an international begging spree and collect again several hundreds of millions of dollars.

And they are smart (and corrupt), these Lebanese.

Hezbollah says to Iran: "You want the US and these Sunni bastards to win in Lebanon?". And here come the suitcases with euro's from Tehran.

The government says to the US and Saudi Arabia: "You want the Shi'ite scum or Al-Qaeda to win?" The next day, it is raining checks signed in Washington and Riaad.

This beggar-mentality, in the long run, doesn't lead anywhere. Of course, now its great to get all this cash. Shopping, new cars, fancy dinners, real estate - lovely. But the world is quickly loosing its respect for this country and its inhabitants.

Especially if you consider that 15 percent of all cars in Beirut are, almost all, brand new SUV's! Around 5 percent is either a new Porsche, Mercedes or BMW. Man, there are more Hummers (shiny yellow or i-have-got-a-small-penis black) driving around in Beirut than in Baghdad (dusty army green).

My suggestion: Confiscate every SUV, Porsche or Hummer. Sell that stuff and rebuild the Nahr al Bared camp, fix the army, pay policemen and teachers a decent salary, get electricity to poor areas and start factories to create jobs! It also might help to stop kidnapping Israeli soldiers.

The Lebanese can endlessly complain about foreign interference in their country. Strange, isn't it? When everybody else (except you) is paying the bills - don't be surprised when these powers want and get influence. In life, nothing comes for free. It is either shopping and SUV's or real independence.

Harald Doornbos

Good news from the Middle East: Harryzzz on CNN website

2007-09-12T21:53:00.000+03:00

More and more blogs and news sites all over the world are referring to harryzzz! Especially from Turkey - which is a huge honour! But now even mighty CNN.com started linking to this little blog.

The thing is though, that CNN still owes me 40 usd. Why? Well, in my, by now, rather extended life, I have done ONE story for CNN. And no, it wasn't recently. Somewhere in the last century, there was news from Kosovo. The CNN correspondent was on a holiday, his replacement absent, the third guy didn't pick up his phone (or was dead, I really don't know). So they eventually called me.

It went like this. My phone rang, I heard a male voice saying: "Hello, is that Harald Door... (inaudible)..whatever...this is CNN in Atlanta."

I said: "Yep, very funny Chris." And hung up..

I was convinced the caller was Chris Stevens, a rather hilarious correspondent working in Kosovo for The Scotsman and other British newspapers. He was a notorious joker (until he threatened an Albanian guy who turned out to be a violent local rebel commander).

One minute later my phone rang again

"Hey, this is CNN from Atlanta, don't hang up. I am not Chris."

I thought: "D'OH."

One hour later I, nervously, filed a little report over the phone. I never got paid for it (as so often in journalism). A couple of days later, somebody told me that CNN pays around 40 usd. "That's even worse than Radio Rotterdam," I said and forgot about it.

Well, eventually, ten years later CNN has "paid" by linking harryzzz. Check it out here (click on from the blogs at bottom of CNN page and the link will appear)

Harald Doornbos

INSIDE AL-QAEDA'S BRAIN (2)

2007-09-12T13:00:00.000+03:00

In case you haven't read part I, it might be a good idea to read yesterdays posting first (just scroll down a little)

II

Because of Bashir Uddin’s silent nature, it makes more sense to take a left and visit Bin Laden’s friend Khalid Khawaja. This former ISI officer and ex-air force man makes up for Bashir Uddin’s absence of words. Because Khawaja, in his mid-fifties, is a talker. Oh, a big talker.

He helped Bin Laden during the jihad against the Russians in Afghanistan. And more recently, in 2001, Khawaja was the mediator between the Al-Qaeda/Taliban regime and a group of infuential Pakistani religious leaders. The aim was to get Bin Laden to leave Afghanistan and avoid, in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, an American onslaught on Afghanistan. That mission failed miserably. Since then, Khawaja has been helping Al-Qaeda members and their families in Pakistan who ran into trouble with the law.

Khawaja isn't liked by Pakistan's military any more. Especially because he once was one of them. And his, suspected involvement, in the beheading of the Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, hasn't helped either. His open adoration for Bin Laden is a huge embarrassment to Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf. This because Khawaja isn't some kind of village idiot who resides in a remote part of Pakistan. No, Khawaja speaks perfect English, lives in Islamabad and - as stated before - loves to talk to anybody who wants to hear his voice. Every now and then, Khawaja gets arrested, to be release a couple of weeks later.

Khawaja is waiting for me outside the door of his apartment. For some kind of reason, in the hall next to the stairs, somebody has put a table tennis table.

“Oh, the attacks in Madrid [the Al-Qaeda trainbombing in 2004, killing 191, wounding over 1000] were an enormous success,” he begins, “An eye for an eye. The Spanish government has pulled its troops out of Iraq. I’m telling you [With you he doesn't specifically mean me, but the West, or more generally: Unbelievers, h.d.]: This is the beginning of our victory, just like our fight against the Russians in Afghanistan.”

Khawaja goes on: “There will be hundreds of attacks in Europe – another hundred Madrid's. And you can not beat us. We have a superior ideology. Who the hell are you guys? Where do you stand for? Your soldiers don’t have a heart for the matter, they only fight for money, which makes them professional killers. We fight for God and for God only.”

In order to avoid his wife, mother and daughters, we now move to the guest room of the apartment. Khawaja orders a servant to bring tea and cake. In the meantime, I show Khawaja an issue of Newsweek containing a cover story on the Al-Qaeda attack in Madrid. Pictures of total destruction and utter suffering. Images of the dead, the wounded and the shocked. I tell him I see madness, innocent people, terror.

Khawaja doesn’t agree. “The real perpetrators are responsible for this,” he claims, “America, the Jews, Satan.”

As Khawaja looks at the pictures in Newsweek, I ask him:

“What does Europe have to do to avoid such Al-Qaeda attacks in the future?”

“Madrid,” answers Khawaja, “was the result of the battle between the slaves of God and you – the slaves of Satan. Surrender to God and the attacks will stop.”

“But religion isn’t important for us,” I try, “And nobody wants to become a muslim.”

“Look,” Khawaya says, “That is your big problem. That is the power of Satan over you. Islam gives you the right for liberation. Nobody deserves to be ruled by the devil. Accept Muhammad, peace be upon Him, as the last prophet and as the messenger of God. We will help you to reach justice. The time will come that we shall liberate you from your oppressors. We will liberate you from democracy. People do not have the right to rule, that is only to God.”

The battle between good and bad, between God and Satan, truth and lie, and believers and kaffirs – unbelievers – are already central themes in the Quran, let alone in Al-Qaeda’s beliefs. Al-Qaeda considers itself an organisation of hardcore idealists, of Utopians. They only want to do good by implementing God’s laws on earth.

Its members ask themselves often the following question: How is it possible that the rest of the world doesn’t see the truth; doesn’t want to accept God’s will on earth?

Worse even: Many muslims willingly choose the wrong side.

The governments of Saudi-Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan are all pro-American and serve Satan. Even the Syrian government is satanic. For sure, they might be enemies of the US. But the Syrian government is secular. Just as bad. Or take Iran. Very, very anti-America. But its inhabitants and government are shi’i, not sunni. In other words: Satan-worshippers. Even the Hamas government in Gaza is quickly loosing Al-Qaeda's support. "We caution some of the Islamic groups, among them Hamas, which are risking the bloods of their sons ... to cleanse and purify their jihad of contemporary jihadi pollutants," said Abu Yahia al-Libi in a 90-minute videotape, posted on the net, last Monday. "Patriotism, nationalism, shared unity, the supreme interest and other slogans ... none of these have any space in the religion of Allah the Glorious and the Great," he said, criticizing groups such as Hamas for "abandoning jihad and jumping into the ballot boxes." Another reason for Al-Qaeda's anger at Hamas is this: Hamas gets most of its money from "Satanic Iran". This qualifies Hamas, in Al-Qaeda's eyes, to be branded "heretics".

Sorry for delay, during the weekend: Part 3

My private Al-Qaeda plane...

2007-09-11T11:17:00.000+03:00

It is a little freaky - especially on a day like September 11th. But I have my own Al-Qaeda plane.

I found this wooden, handmade, airliner in an Al-Qaeda compound, in December 2001, in Eastern Afghanistan. The village was called Hada, a couple of kilometers outside the town of Jalalabad.

In December 2001, the Al-Qaeda/Taliban regime had just been overthrown. Al-Qaeda militants (basically Arab-, Chechen- and Uzbek militants) were on the run. Local people informed me and some colleagues that Al-Qaeda families (the fighters lived in Afghanistan with their wives and children) stayed in one of the compounds.

As I entered the abandoned place, I could see rubble everywhere. Documents, papers, pillows, books, blankets. The place was a mess.

Then, my eye caught this wooden plane, laying somewhere in the rubble. It measured about 40 cm by 40 cm. The person that made the plane painted it half white, half blue. He put as well little windows on the side.

Wow, I thought, this is bizarre.

I don't know why this plane was made. To me, it looks like a children's toy, maybe made by one of the militants. But was it made before 9/11 so that the children could play with it and say: "Look, here goes daddy next week!". Or was it made after 9/11 so that the children could say: "Look, here went daddy!"

I don't know. But I remember that it freaked me out the moment I found it. I decided to take the plane with me and it now sits on a bookshelf in my study. A souvenir of the longest war the world will ever experience...

Harald Doornbos

INSIDE AL-QAEDA'S BRAIN (1)

2007-09-11T10:08:00.000+03:00

The biggest misconception about Al-Qaeda is that its members are politically motivated. Of course, political Islam plays a role (especially in radicalizing future members). But Al-Qaeda is very much a medieval Doomsday cult with surprisingly little politics in it.

If you really want to understand what Al-Qaeda is all about, you have to step away from politics, away from life in the 21st century. Al-Qaeda is all about religion (rigidly imitating the Prophet Muhammad), cultural elements (keeping the Arab world and muslim South Asia as backward as possible) and an immense fear factor (for Western-led globalisation and its effects on the muslim mind).

It may sound a little cheap or simple, but basically Al-Qaeda consists of a bunch of madmen. Please read the follwing article I wrote on Al-Qaeda. It is based on a long article I wrote in 2004 for a Dutch magazine. I've added some new material. Due to its length, I will publish the text in four or five parts (otherwise it gets all too long - nobody will read it). Please find below, part one of:

INSIDE AL-QAEDA'S BRAIN

It may sound strange, but I can visit Al-Qaeda on foot.

Whenever I leave my street in the F-8 sector of the Pakistani capital Islamabad, I can either take a right or left turn. Going right leads me, within 500 meters, to the house of Sultan Bashir Uddin Mahmood, a nuclear scientist who once headed Pakistan’s nuclear programme but started freelancing for Osama bin Laden. Taking a left gets you, within 300 meters, to the apartment of Khalid Khawaja, a personal friend of Bin Laden and a suspect in the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

Left or right - a former head of Al-Qaeda’s nuclear unit or a personal friend of Bin Laden? Not an easy choice.

Many times I have taken the right turn and visited Bashir Uddin’s house. But he, a friendly looking elderly man, isn’t the most talkative person in the world. Because not long after 9/11 he was picked up by the ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence agency, after the Americans found out that this nuclear scientist had met Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan (In the meeting Bin Laden had asked Bashir Uddin to build a nuclear device). During weeks of interrogation the ISI made it very, very clear Bashir Uddin should refrain from contact with the outside world. Since his release, he has, more or less, been placed under a light form of house arrest.

But I kept trying to interview him. I would knock on the gate of Bashir Udin’s property, but every time his servants told me to leave. Or I would approach him while Basir Uddin drove his car in or out of his compound. Again to no avail. He never said a word.

Basir Uddin was not only Al-Qaeda’s main nuclear specialist (it kind of helped that he had been the director of a nuclear power plant in Pakistan), but he was a writer too.

Mainly, his topics dealt with three things: God, the sun and pseudo-science. God – because Bashir Uddin was obsessed with God and seemed in love with the prophet Muhammad (He of course had written a book about the prophet). The sun – because, fascinatingly, the bringer of life was basically a star where thousands of hydrogen bombs exploded every second. Bashir Uddin had written a book about his theory that increased sunspots create war and violence in this world. And pseudo-science – because Bashir Uddin strongly believed in a combination of Islam and science, also called Koranic science. For instance, he suggested that energy could be extracted from Jinns (ghosts). This because, according to the Quran, Jinns might appear in the form of fire. And since fire is energy, Bashir Uddin was convinced that Jinns could be used to solve Pakistan’s energy problem. The Jinns, using special energy tapping machines, could as well fight along the Pakistan Army in a war against India.

His theories, especially the one with the Jinns, let other Pakistani scientists to the conclusion that religion had made Bashir Uddin barking mad. They called him professor crackpot.

At one afternoon though, a car stopped in front of my house and somebody stepped out carrying a couple of books. This person approached me and said: “Please take this as a gift from Mr. Bashir Uddin.”

I was given three books, all written in English by Bashir Uddin. One of them was called: Doomsday and life after death. According to the preface, the book is "A systematic study of the complex realities of life, life-after death and Doomsday; the ultimate faith of mankind and of the Earth, the Solar System and the Universe, in the light of the Holy Quran and the latest scientific findings; pointing out new horizons of thought for science; and developing a conprehensive understanding of the future, for believers and non-believers alike."

In the book, Bashir Uddin had written a message for me: “May Allah guide us on the right path”. Below the text, he had placed his signature.

After I received his books, I took a right turn, and visited – again – his house. He just had visited the mosque (something he very frequentely did) and I thanked him for his books. He never said a word. He only smiled and nodded.

Tomorrow part 2

Harald Doornbos

POLL RESULT: LET HARRYZZZ DEAL WITH THE SCUMMIEZZZ

2007-09-11T00:19:00.001+03:00

There could, of course, only be one answer possible to the question on the right of your screen. 77 percent of voters would contact harryzzz in case they met Radovan Karadzic and Osama bin Laden in a bar (see poll, on your right). And, even better, they would hit both men in the balls.

Twelve percent of voters would arrest Bin Laden instead of Karadzic, six percent would go for Karadzic. Only one vote for the option: "Arrest Karadzic because he is a Serb". To me that seems a rather odd reason to arrest somebody.

Anyhow. I was called by a German/Spanish/Slovenian friend who came up with the best solution. Use the one set of handcuffs as follows: One goes on the wrist of Karadzic and one on Bin Laden's. That way you get rid of both scummiezzz and make 55 million usd (5 million for Karadzic, 50 million for Bin Laden).

Thanks to the voters and keep on hunting! BTW: Because of the low dollar and the strong euro, I might wait some time before apprehending both men.

Harald Doornbos

Pakistan: Politics and planes

2007-09-10T10:29:00.000+03:00

He flew, he landed...and he got deported.

For sure the shortest, but not the best comeback for Pakistan's ex-PM Nawaz Sharif (Well, compared to Benigno Aquino, an opposition leader from the Philippines, Mr. Sharif got away pretty easily. Remember? Mr. Aquino was shot and killed right outside his plane, after he returned in 1983 from exile).

But why is president Musharraf so tough on Mr. Sharif? I mean, Mr Sharif is about Pakistan's dullest politician. Still, there are enough reasons.

First, Mr. Sharif had promised, in 2000, to stay in exile in Saudi Arabia for ten years. Second, he was told by a Pakistani judge to give up politics. Third, the political party supporting Musharraf, the PML-Q, derives from Mr Sharif's party, the PML (Pakistan Muslim League). And fourth, not unimportant, Mr Sharif tried to get Musharraf (and 200 others) killed in 1999.

This last point is the most important reason behind Mr. Musharrafs utter dislike for Nawaz Sharif.

Let's go back to 1999. In that year PM Sharif fired Mr. Musharraf, who was at that time the army chief of Pakistan. Musharraf was on a visit to Sri Lanka when he heard he got fired. Immediately after, an angry Musharraf boarded a commercial airliner and tried to get back to Pakistan. Just before the pilot of the plane carrying Musharraf (and 200 others - mainly tourists, workers and Pakistanis living in Sri Lanka) tried to land at Karachi airport, he was told by traffic control that the plane did not have permission to land. Earlier, traffic control received an order from PM Sharif not to allow Musharraf to set foot on Pakistani soil.

As it goes with planes, you only have fuel for a certain distance. So the pilot tried to go for another airstrip in the area. But again: No permission to land. By now rather desperate, the pilot tried to land at Karachi airport. But again, the control tower did not give permission. Only after troops loyal to Pervez Musharraf stormed the airport, the plane could touch down. The fuel level was so low, that the plane could have stayed only another seven minutes in the air. Sharif was immediately arrested and Musharraf staged his, bloodless, coup.

Read the details of this fascinating story here.

Pakistan Army song:

And because if was such an amazing event - The killing of Beningo Aquino:

Harald Doornbos

Transcript of speech Osama bin Laden

2007-09-08T18:02:00.000+03:00

I'm preparing a rather lengthy article on Al-Qaeda, to be published on - surprise, surprise - September 11th. It is based on my experiences and interviews with members and sympathisers of Al Qaeda in Pakistan and in Lebanon.

Due to popular believe, Al Qaeda is seen in many circles as a mainly political movement with a political agenda. Basically, these people say, Al Qaeda is an organisation which uses terror (or resistance) to give a voice to oppressed muslims. The moment the West stops oppressing muslims, Al-Qaeda will stop too.

I wish that was true. But it is, unfortunately, not the case.

Al-Qaeda is very much a medieval Doomsday sect with surprisingly little politics in it. If you really want to understand what Al-Qaeda is all about, you have to step away from politics, away from life in the 21st century. Al-Qaeda is all about a mix of religion (rigidly imitating the Prophet Muhammad), cultural elements (keeping the Arab world and muslim South Asia as backward as possible) and an immense fear factor (for Western-led globalisation and its effects on the muslim mind)

I wish Al-Qaeda was political. Then at least there would be an end in sight to the war. But, as I said, it is not and thus much more difficult to stop.

In his latest speech Bin Laden immediately makes my point. He asks himself how the War in Iraq can be stopped?

You might answer: Well, maybe if the Americans pull out of Iraq.

Or if the US would stop supporting Israel.

Or if the Palestinians get their own state.

Well, Osama's answer is none of the above. His solution: Either we step up our attacks and win the war militarily or you Americans reject your democratic system and embrace Islam.

Wow - that is soooo realistic. Luckily he doesn't want us to perform the silly walk during weekdays.

Anyway, hope you will read my article on September 11th(Tuesday). For those interested in Bin Ladens weird world, please read the full transcript of his speech:

"All praise is due to God, who built the heavens and earth in justice, and created man as a favor and grace from Him. And from His ways is that the days rotate between the people, and from His Law is retaliation in kind: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and the killer is killed. And all praise is due to God, who awakened His slaves’ desire for the Garden, and all of them will enter it except those who refuse. And whoever obeys Him alone in all of his affairs will enter the Garden, and whoever disobeys Him will have refused."

For rest of speech: click here

You can get it as well in a pdf file, although the text is not very clear. for pdf, click here.

Harald Doornbos