Large Scale Military Operation Against Terrorists In Mali

A large scale military operation has been launched in northern Mali in an attempt to keep Islamic terrorists from being able to regroup and attack the country’s government.

French, Malian and United Nations forces are working through the north of the country after a series of terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The terror group last launched a homicide bombing of a United Nations Stabilization Mission at a Malian military base. Civilians and two Chadian peacekeepers were killed.

A U.N. spokesman said the offensive against the terrorists is aimed at preventing a resurgence of the terrorist group. French troops drove the terrorists out of the major cities in northern Mali earlier this year just before the terrorists could attack the nation’s capital.

French military staff said that today’s action was the first major combined effort of the three military groups. They also said this was the first in a regular series of actions that will be taken to keep the terrorist group from being able to establish any kind of permanent influence in the region.

Islamist Websites Call For Kidnappings Of Americans

The capture of an al-Qaeda terrorist in Libya by U.S. Special Forces has caused a stir among Islamic extremists to the point they’re declaring open season on Americans.

“Over the past few days, we picked up significant chatter related to the kidnapping of American citizens in response to the abduction of Abu Anas al-Libi,” a source told Fox News.

One of the terrorists being monitored by analysts told followers on Twitter there was no need to consult with anyone if you wanted to kidnap an American.

According to multiple jihadist websites, the general plan is to kidnap a number of Americans to use as bargaining chips to get terrorists released from jails across the world. Specifically mentioned was Omar Abd Al-Rahman, convicted for his part in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-described creator of the 9/11 attacks.

While there is nothing explicitly saying al-Qaeda is supporting the evolving plan, no leaders from the group have taken any steps to stop it.

MI5 Head Warns Of Terror Threats to General Public

Andrew Parker, the new head of Britain’s MI5 security service, is warning that the British general public is now a legitimate target for attacks by Islamic extremists.

In an address to the Royal United Services Institute, Parker said that al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Pakistan and Yemen present “direct and immediate threats to the UK.”

“It remains the case that there are several thousand Islamist extremists here who see the British public as a legitimate target,” Parker said.

Parker said that 330 people had been convicted of terrorism offenses in the last decade and that in the first few months of 2013 at least four major trials were connected to terrorist plots. In those cases, 24 terrorists were sent to prison.

Parker said the increase in technology is allowing terrorists to communicate in ways difficult for their intelligence services to track under current laws. He called for lawmakers to allow services to use the same tools the terrorists use to track terror plots.

Pakistan Hit With Protests Over Church Bombing

Protesters carrying signs reading “Stop Killing Christians In Pakistan” took to the streets throughout the country claiming the government is not doing anything to stop Islamists from murdering Christians.

The double homicide bombing on Sunday has now reportedly lead to 85 deaths with the number likely to climb with many victims still in critical condition. Continue reading