Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Britain believe that they are closer to identifying the terrorist who beheaded American journalist James Foley in the grotesque video released by the Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS. The U.S. continues to follow a policy against such ransoms, though many have charged that the Obama Administration broke that policy in the controversial trade of five Taliban leaders for Bergdahl in addition to violating federal law. Europe has long rejected the policy and, according to media reports, has sent millions to fill the coffers of ISIS, which then uses the money to fill coffins around the world. France alone paid $13.2 million for four of its citizens and Islamic State is now known to have special kidnapping squads looking for Westerners. While we often discuss the financiers of terror in places like Saudi Arabia, we may have to start to look closer to home in the West.
The man shown in the picture with Foley is believed to be part of the operation to kidnap and ransom Westerners. He is part of a group of at least three British-born ISIS fighters known among former hostages as “The Beatles.” They are believed to include 23-year-old Abdel Majid Abdel Bary(left), who we previously discussed. He is the former rap artist and DJ from London. Bary, who only arrived in Syria last year but has been extolling the murder of nonbelievers since his arrival in what he describes as a type of Islamic paradise. He is the son of Adel Abdul Bary, an Egypt-born terror suspect who is in the U.S. awaiting trial for his alleged role in the 1998 Al Qaeda bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Bary has given up rap in favor of celebratory picture holding the heads of those who do not accept Islam as he and ISIS understand it.
The two other Beatles are Abu Hussain al-Britani, 20, and Abu Abduallah al-Britani, 23, (no known relation). Hostages describe all three as sadists who would torture hostages with tasers and were so cruel that even the homicidally insane ISIS leaders ordered that they could no longer guard the hostages.
While the world has been repulsed by these stories and scenes, some Muslims are clearly attracted to the movement and its blood-soaked history. Thousands of volunteers have flooded into these areas to join the Islamic State. In one surprising story, there are now twice the number of English muslims fighting for the Islamic State than serving in the English military.
It is not only raw recruits that Islamic State is receiving from the West. The New York Times has reported that “Al Qaeda and its direct affiliates have taken in at least $125 million in revenue from kidnappings since 2008, of which $66 million was paid just last year.”
This creates an obvious market for Westerners who are held and often tortured until Western countries buckle. Thus, France rewarded ISIS with over $13 million for four hostages. It is possible to be religious murderous fanatics and be still rational criminal actors. Obviously, with Westerners bringing in millions, Islamic State will go out and capture more Westerners. Given the past payments, they are likely to be even more vicious if countries do not pay. So we have the bizarre appearance of ISIS militants using captured U.S. weapons and operating off European funds. A true Fellinesque moment in history.
Last week, the CEO of GlobalPost, a media organization where Foley had worked, revealed that ISIS had demanded a ransom of $132 million in exchange for Foley.
Given the ambition of the Islamic State to kill scores of Westerners, the payments by France and other countries is truly breathtaking.
Nick,
are you suggesting that people who have been raised without a father have some mental deficiencies?
Obama had male influence growing up. His father was gone but he had the madras early on and then his maternal grandfather, plus a few well-picked ultra-socialist males to help define his character.
Bailers. Valerie Jarrett is his gatekeeper. Dumber than a box of rocks. You can tell Obama was raised w/o a father, something he wrote quite well about.
Jill, Samantha poses an interesting dilemma. How do we pro choice people reconcile that stance with the droning of people in the Mideast? Samantha believes that life begins at conception ( no?) so how can we pro choice people not see how all killing is wrong. You are pro choice as you have stated in the past, so I would be interested in how you address Samantha’s comment @11:20. I guess one would have to believe that human life begins in earnest in a zygote. Jill, would a zygote be on equal footing with a grown person? I’m not interested in an abortion discussion, but Samantha does pose an interesting question.
Eric, Of course they work. That is the big lie that liberals use to try and dissuade their use. And, most Americans abide using those techniques. I just don’t happen to be one of them but I don’t get crazy over it either.
Annie
…Makes one wonder who is advising the President..
——————————
Every indication is that the President only really listens to a handful of people.
Add: Obama’s drone kills – how have we acquired the intelligence on their back trail? I don’t know.
Nick Spinelli,
My understanding is that enhanced interrogation was/is not used in lieu of conventional “legit” interrogation, but rather on a continuum as one set of tools in the workshop of tools for interrogation. Also, sussing out intelligence, whether for a ticking-clock exigency or for puzzling together a long hunt of the bin Laden kill variety, is not the same thing as gathering evidence that meets judicial due-process standards.
Are enhanced “harsh” interrogations effective? I think this is as close to an admission we’ll get that, yes, they have utility.
Tom Donilon, Obama NSA advisor:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42932883/ns/meet_the_press-transcripts/t/meet-press-transcript-may/#.U_thEbt0x0s
More coffee!
When Bergdahl was traded for the five Taliban there were comments here from that the President should’ve paid a ransom instead. So paying a ransom is exactly the worst thin to do, as stated inthe article it funds their cause. I agree that drone killings are wrong and that it does recruit yet more extremists as do endless wars in the region. Makes one wonder who is advising the President in the Pentegon, but the buck stops at he President’s desk. At this point the President Obama has no choice but to fight against ISIS.
raff, It takes mental toughness not to give into terrorists. The head must take charge, and the heart must be quieted for the hostage you see w/ a knife to his throat. Because, to give in means many more hostages and many more deaths. But, we got good ol’ Bowe back!!
Haz, And remember that red line Tough Man Obama drew in Syria. The evil people in the world saw out prez is just a BSer. I have long thought those reports that Obama is a good poker player are horseshit. I would LOVE to play him in a night of poker.
Nick – one my favorite Obama lines is when, with a straight face, he said “Don’t try to call my bluff!”
It should be obvious to anyone that giving money to terrorists is a bad thing that will come back to bite the donor. Eric, you are right that the Constitutional controversy is the killing of American citizens without due process. However, the drone killings can be a boon to recruiting new terrorists.
Michael Haz,
https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2012cv1192-36
Michael Haz,
My understanding is the Constitutional controversy is only about the threshold for killing American citizens who are not clearly engaged in direct hostilities against the US with drone strikes in a specifically targeted manner, not about drone kills in general.
Your understanding? Perhaps a court opinion would be the better thing to rely on, don’t you think? Remember, you were told you could keep your doctor.
Jill, I reread all of your comments, and in light of your last comment, I’m now confused.
That aside, in your first comment, this paragraph especially struck me again:
“What is it that allows people to ignore cruelty or to
engage in it? Wanting to be allied w/power. Wanting to
feel powerful. Belief in a cause or person.”
Your questions apply equally to the abortion issue, which is about liberation, power and cause.
Do you not think that if we set an example to children that abortion is snuffing out the life of a person, they would grow up to respect life? If half among us have no respect for human life, who are we to judge one single, murdering terrorist?
I’m pro-life because I was taught to respect life. I could have just as well turned out to be a terrorist, but I would have had to been taught, first. It’s all really quite simple. Its denial that makes it complicated.
Nick,
Every prisoner is supposed to be granted a combatant status tribunal. That is the law. That is one more law ignored by this nation. What is happening in Gitmo is that other human beings are being unlawfully detained and tortured by this govt.
A CST is held at the place or near the place of capture. Gitmo is not only not needed for this purpose, it is used unlawfully to imprison people indefinitely without trial.
Yes, lawful interrogation can bring valuable intelligence. The US seldom engages in lawful interrogation any longer. We should because that would differentiate us as a nation of justice instead of thugs.
Jill – terrorist are not considered combatants and do not fall under any agreement as to their treatment.
Progressives can be so fickle. GWB authorized non-fatal waterboarding of a few really bad guys, and the proggs wanted him taken into custody for trial at the World Court on charges of war crimes. But when Obama declares that he has the (extra-constitutional) right to drone any human on his kill list, anywhere on earth, the proggs are like “Yeah Barry! Go get ’em!”
As far as the people who still support Obama, well they’re obviously cultists.
Jill, I am not saying torture. I am on the record opposed to torture. You can get valuable intelligence by legit interrogation. It takes skill and patience. And who is talking about false imprisonment. I’m talking about capturing known terrorists. enemy combatants, and interrogating them!
Darren, In this case, the money is gasoline, making the fire much worse.