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Francis Report 10-12 Dave Francis There has been a lot of talk about how Americans should not take out their anger on Muslims living in America, that the average Muslim condemns the violence, and shouldn’t be targeted by anyone as a scapegoat for what happened on Septermber 11th. That is all true, and it is a wonderful example of the American way of thought and life. It is one of the many examples of how American society is morally superior to the Taliban and their ilk. There is a problem though. Consider this report, coming out of New York. “In Brooklyn, a high school freshman who recently immigrated from Pakistan was investigated by federal agents after his teacher reported that he had predicted the Trade Center's collapse a week before the towers were attacked. The student pointed out a third-story window of New Utrecht High School toward the Trade Center and said, "Do you see those two buildings? They won't be standing there next week," according to three police sources and a city official familiar with the investigation. They said the comment came in the midst of a heated political discussion the student was having with his teacher in an English class for Arab-American students. New York City Board of Education spokeswoman Catie Marshall confirmed that school officials reported the matter to police within minutes of the Sept. 11 attack. A veteran city police detective familiar with the case said investigators have been learning that many people in New York's Arab-American community had heard rumors about the Sept. 11 attacks before they occurred. The officer said the story "had been out on the street," and the number of leads turning up was so "overwhelming" that it was difficult to tell who had heard about the attacks from second-hand sources and who had heard it from someone who may have been a participant. For example, since Sept. 11, various leads have been investigated regarding Middle Eastern employees who may not have shown up for work at the World Trade Center that morning. One detective conducting such investigations in Brooklyn said they had become "a serious and major priority." The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Washington, D.C., said Brooklyn has the largest population of Arab-Americans in New York City. According to a federal indictment against bin Laden, FBI agents have linked the former Alkifah Refugee Center on Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue to the Saudi fugitive-exile's terrorist network, al-Qaida. “ This is the kind of thing that is very disturbing. The Arab community in America needs to understand that the USA has a duty to protect its citizens, including those of Arab descent, and it may be necessary in a time like this to suffer some indignities brought on by racial profiling. We are living in extraordinary times, and extraordinary measures are needed. The Arab communities in the US need to help hunt down these terrorists and their support staff. It is time to say loud and clear to the Arab-Americans, “There has been a line drawn in the sand. You are either with us or against us. You are not a race-traitor if you turn in a murderer who happens to be the same race as you. It is civilization. The murderer is the race traitor. You share a large responsibility here. You are enjoying the fruits of America, it is time to fight for America. If not in Afghanistan, in Brooklyn, in Detroit, wherever you happen to live.” The best way for the Arab-American community to avoid being painted with the wide brush that is easily swept across the landscape is for them to actively root out these people. Be vocal, be obvious. Be up front in Americas war on terror. This has nothing to do with whatever political differences you have regarding Palestine or anything else. Many Americans were horrified by the US attack on the Branch Davidians in Waco, but I know of no-one that would have hidden or obfuscated information showing the guilt of Timothy McVeigh. The attack on the US on September 11th is a totally separate issue from anything on the political spectrum. Here, in America, you well know that we have ways to solve our political differences. We debate, we picket, we vote. We don’t allow murder. In other news: The US Government is very concerned about attacks on US interests and has issued the following warning to all of us that live or are traveling outside the US. “St. Petersburg, Russia This is a warden message for all American citizens. Please distribute it to your American citizen friends and colleagues. If you are a Warden, please notify your warden group members who do not have e-mail. If you need emergency assistance, please contact us by e-mail at acs_stpete@state.gov, or phone us at 7 812 275-1701. The State Department has noted in worldwide public announcements of September 12 and October 7 that U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. U.S. Government facilities may temporarily close or suspend public services, to review their security posture and ensure its adequacy. Consequently, public services at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow are closed at this time. The Embassy will make every effort to provide emergency services to American citizens in the Moscow consular district. The U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg will be open during its regular business hours.” I got this on the eve of a trip to Moscow. I am taking the night train Friday to Moscow, with the plan of staying there Saturday, then returning. They have done this after an internal memo went out from the FBI, cryptically codenamed ‘Skyfall’ stating: ‘For Immediate Release Certain information, while not specific as to target, gives the government reason to believe that there may be additional terrorist attacks within the United States and against U.S. interests overseas over the next several days. The FBI has again alerted all local law enforcement to be on the highest alert and we call on all people to immediately notify the FBI and local law enforcement of any unusual or suspicious activity.” This was the second alert this week by the FBI, so it can be assumed that something appears to be building toward a crescendo. Iraqi diplomat, Ahmad Khalil Ibrahim Samir Al-Ani, a member of Iraq’s secret police met with Mohammed Atta on “more than one occasion.” In Prague, according to Czech sources. Al-Ani was being watched by Czech security forces because they thought he may be planning an attack on Radio Free Europe, which is located in Prague. He was expelled from Czechoslovakia before the attack on September 11th, so there is no way to inquire as to what he talked with Atta about on their 3 clandestine meetings. Shafi Ullah had a bad day. Police said Ullah, an Afghan refugee living in Pakistan and working as a rickshaw driver bought a hand grenade for $3.00, which subsequently blew up in his hands. (Maybe he couldn’t count to three?) “I got mad! I decided to take revenge against America by throwing the grenade at foreign journalists.” Said Ullah, in a confession. That’s ok Shafi, you got your 15 minutes of shame. Sorry, I meant fame. "The information about the moving of units of Russian armed forces into Afghanistan does not correspond to reality," a Russian ministry's press service said. This was in response to a report that Russian troops were in Afghanistan, on the ground, close to Kabul. We stand by the report. Russian troops, elite troops, are on the outskirts of Kabul supporting the Northern Alliance. DJF |