Al-Qaeda plots French attack

by nukegingrich | February 9, 2007 at 02:34 pm

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Dubai - French intelligence has produced a dossier saying that Al-Qaeda plans an attack on France during the forthcoming presidential elections, the Arabic-language al-Hayat daily reported on Friday.

There were "several indications of a plot to copy the Spanish scenario in France," a reference to the explosions in Madrid in March 2004, the London-based daily wrote.

The French elections are shaping up to be very interesting, offering a very clear and distinct choice for the future direction of the country.

On the left is Socialist candidate, and darling of the media, Mdme Segolene Royal, who was embarrassed recently when she was accused of tax-dodging and taunted as being a gauche caviar, "the champagne socialist"

On the right is Nicolas Sarkozy, who made a name for himself as a tough-talking interior minister. Sarkhozy wants to crack down on muslim extremists who have caused mayhem in French suburbs, creating virtual no-go zones for French police.

No doubt which candidate al-qaeda favors.

Of course, there is the point that a law and order candidate in France, a country where a substantial number of culturally isolated Muslims already feel persecuted, might add to that sense of persecution and play right into Al Qaeda propaganda that postits a war of the West on all members of the Muslim umma. Then there is the point that Al qaeda's preference for one candidate over another may be based on a false perception of who would best serve the organization's short and long term interest. That is the mistake that we made in backing Saddam Hussein in the 80's and in ignoring the fact that our support for the Afghan rebels during the Soviet occupation was in fact bolstering a movement whose goals were, once they were in power and the Soviets left, antithetical to any reasonable idea of freedom and participatory democracy.

Points to consider.. grist for the mill

Here is a link to an article published at The Brussels Journal.

an excerpt:

It is easy to understand why the “youths” in the suburbs turned so
violent when [French Interior Minister] Sarkozy tried to establish law
and order there. The “youths” have held sway there, unchallenged, for
decades. If they allow the French authorities to reassert their
authority, they lose their own power base. Unlike the Western
intellectuals, they realize that everything boils down to the question
of who wields power over a specific territory. The police and the gangs
fight over whose laws will apply in the neighborhood: the laws of the
French Republic or the laws of Eurabia.

and another:

Seven French police officers were hurt late last Sunday during clashes
with scores of Muslim youths. The fighting broke out after a car chase
in Les Mureaux, in the western outskirts of Paris. Les Mureaux gained
notoriety last year when it became the first municipality in France to offer benefits for second wives in polygamous immigrant families.
The incident followed the arrest of a man who drove his car into a
police vehicle after being chased for a traffic offense. As the man was
being taken to the police station in another vehicle, the latter was
set upon by a crowd. “There were around 250 people – very angry and
very hostile,” police officials said. One of the police cars was gutted
by fire. There were no arrests.

I do not underestimate al-qaeda's resolve to bring jihad to the west. Nor do I doubt that there is a population of muslims who are already in place, and ready to begin a European intifada.

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publicreader

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 19:03 on February 9th, 2007

At NowPublic, this is high praise from NowPublic editors! Your story is now on the home page for awhile, and everywhere else the “good stuff” box shows up. Many thanks for your great work.

I don't agree with the conclusions- see further comments- but there are a number of reasonable points of view on this internationally important issue, and yours is well done. Thanks again.

at 19:10 on February 9th, 2007

nukegingrich

at 19:53 on February 9th, 2007

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