March 4, 2004

French government criticized for keeping silent on rail threat CJAD - PARIS (AP) - A leading consumer group accused the government of jeopardizing public safety by keeping quiet - and asking media to follow suit - about extortionists' threats to attack France's busy rail network. 2:47:55 PM

The media is working very hard not to link the "AFZ" group in the above story, to any terrorist group, but I think I can connect the dots. AFZ refers to a fertilizer factory in suburban Toulouse, France.  Hassan Jandoubi, an Islamist with possible connections to al Qaeda, had started working at the fertilizer factory, just days before a massive explosion took place there last Sept. 21. This, the worst catastrophe ever in a French chemical plant, killed Jandoubi and 29 others, injured 2,000, destroyed 600 dwellings, and damaged 10,000 buildings. The autopsy revealed that Jandoubi was wearing two pairs of trousers and four pairs of underpants, which the coroner compared to what is worn by "Islamic militants going into battle or on suicide missions." Also, the chemical plant was processing ammonium nitrate, a stable chemical that requires a substantial infusion of energy to explode. You don't see the possible connection?  Well perhaps you don't want to.   2:47:18 PM

Controversial MMR and autism study retracted New Scientist -Ten of the original 13 authors of a controversial 1998 medical report which implied a link between autism and the combined MMR vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, have retracted the paper's interpretations. 2:31:08 PM

According to a source close to the Kerry campaign, they will announce shortly that they have raised over $1 million through their website in the last 24 hours. This is apparently a record, at its peak the Dean campaign didn't raise so much in one day. [Dave Winer] 12:53:54 PM

'War' of the worms escalates New Scientist - Messages buried in the code of three current computer worms may be evidence of a simmering feud between rival worm writers each determined to infect as many PCs as possible. 12:40:48 PM

Iraqi's feel the pain of suicide bombers. The attacks in Karbala and Baghdad fit perfectly the declared aim of Iraq's most wanted terrorist. In a letter found on a CD-rom seized in a raid in Baghdad in January, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi spelled out his mission in the clearest possible terms. Al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian who joined up with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and is believed to be closely linked to al-Qa'eda, is open in his hatred of Shias who he describes as "the most evil of mankind". He tells his followers: "They are the enemy. Beware of them. Fight them." Through "martyrdom operations and car bombs" he hopes to provoke the Shias into a civil war with their Sunni neighbours which, despite their superior numbers, they are bound to lose. In the 10-page document, now widely accepted as genuine, he even sets a date for the climax of the campaign. "Zero hour will [come] four months or so before the promised government is formed," he wrote. The United States is due to hand over power to an Iraqi interim government at the end of June - in four months' time. Of course they can't even get this right.   Instead of blaming the Shia's or Sunni's, al-Qa'eda is blaming the Americans. 12:38:03 PM

Toronto family proud of al-Qaeda ties National Post (subscription) - A Canadian family that has long denied ties to al-Qaeda now admits that they are not only terrorists, but believe it's noble for them to die for the cause. Canadian and his family admit ties with bin Laden London Free Press Khadr: `We are an Al Qaeda family' Toronto Star 10:30:59 AM