Hamas planning to crash into northern Egypt - Debka

August 30, 2007, 10:19 AM (GMT+02:00): Hamas plans to use 100,000 protesters against the hardships in Gaza, which are blamed on Egypt’s closure of the Rafah outlet, as a battering ram to break through the crossing Saturday and link up with fellow Palestinians in Egyptian N. Sinai. Hamas will then seize both sides of the border including a part of Sinai. Cairo has cautioned Gaza’s Hamas rulers that beefed-up Egyptian units are under orders to shoot the first Palestinian trespasser crossing through.Egypt, which closed the Rafah gateway after the Hamas takeover of Gaza two months ago, has set up a two-line deployment between Rafah and El Arish to halt the Palestinian influx. Some units are armed with gear for crowd dispersal.
The US National Guard unit manning the Multinational Force Organization’s Al Gorah headquarters in el Arish has declared a high alert and pulled in reinforcements from Sharm el-Sheikh after receiving intelligence of a plan to attack them under cover of the Gaza demonstration. Their commander was warned by Egyptian officials that “events highly dangerous to the region are expected Saturday.” Israel has also built up strength at the Kerem Shalom crossing to Gaza and Egypt opposite the Philadelphi border strip.

http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=4544

Algeria's Islamist threat

(Pictured here: An April 2007 AQIM suicide attack in Algiers left over 30 people dead)

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has made a number of statements recently regarding the attempted assassination of Mustapha Kertali, reformed Islamic Salvation Army leader, and the structure of its organisation. In early August ex-Islamist Kartali was targeted by a rogue AQIM member in Boumerdes. The attack has been shown as an example of disunity within the AQIM ranks and in light of the recent surrender of AQIM southern leader Musab Abudaoud this argument has gained weight. However, the assumption is a weak one. The algerian government have been battling Islamists for 17 years. Thousands of lives have been lost. Recent high profile attakcs in Algiers also undermine the argument that AQIM is diminishing in strength. In fact the opposite is likely true. with returning mujahadeen from the Afghan and Iraqi theatres new skills and tactics are being used by the group. Recent announcements also suggest that AQIM will restructure to become a "true military force" capable of challenging the Algerian army. So watch this space. The Algerian conflict is likely to increase in intensity, not decrease as media outlets and Algerian government officials seem to suggest.

Interview with Hassan Nasrallah April 2007 Part 1

Interview with Hassan Nasrallah April 2007 Part 2

Interview with Hassan Nasrallah April 2007 Part 3