Saturday, November 29, 2014

Medevac pilot CPT Eric Doe

From dvidshub:

Medevac pilot reflects on his Cherokee heritage

11.26.2014


Capt. Eric Doe, a native of Long Island, N.Y., poses for a portrait at Fort Bragg, N.C., while he served with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, as an aeromedical evacuation pilot.

US Forces Afghanistan
Staff Sgt Whitney Houston

[...]


Capt. Eric Doe, a Long Island, New York, native who serves as a battle captain and aeromedical evacuation pilot with Task Force Pale Horse, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, is one of the approximately 22,000 Native Americans serving in today’s military and carrying on that tradition of service. Doe and his unit provide aerial over watch for three aviation task forces in Train Advise and Assist Commands East and South from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.



“My job is basically to manage the overall day-to-day aspects of Task Force Corsair, Task Force Talon, and Task Force Wolf Pack,” Doe said. “I need to understand what they’re doing so I can provide my commander oversight and situational awareness of what’s happening in theater, which enables them to make sound operational decisions in a timely manner. "



“It’s a pretty intense job. Twelve hours a day you’re focused and making sure nothing bad happens. If something bad does happen, you’re allocating the appropriate resources and getting players into the game.”



Doe’s experience flying on the battlefield has given him a sound knowledge of what it takes for the task forces to perform their Black Hawk missions in Afghanistan. 



“What first struck me about Capt. Doe is how mission-oriented he is. He’s very thorough in what he does. He really cares about Soldiers and is very approachable. I have really enjoyed having him work for me,” said Maj. Caryn Butler, who serves as tactical operation center chief of operations with TF Pale Horse. 



Occasionally, Doe will fill his additional duty as a medevac pilot, which was his primary duty on his first tour to Afghanistan in 2007. During that time at Jalalabad Airfield, he had a direct hand in saving lives on many occasions. ...



Read much more here.



Thank you for your Service, Sir.


Thursday, November 27, 2014

Ferguson's Michael Brown 'sacrificed to racist God'

No, I did not make that up...  amidst all the lunacy surrounding the death of this thug - who was not a 'gentle giant' no matter how you try to spin it - comes this from European Times.



Professor Says Mike Brown Sacrificed to Racist God

27 November 2014


According to the Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Anthea Butler, robbery suspect gentle giant Mike Brown was sacrificed to the “god of white supremacy."


Butler imbues her diatribe against a racist white America with religious overtones:


No one should be surprised that Darren Wilson was not indicted by the grand jury. Prosecutor Robert McCulloch played the role of Pontius Pilate, washing his and Darren Wilson’s hands of impunity, while the sacrifice, Michael Brown, was deemed worthy of death because in Wilson’s words “he look[ed] like a demon.” Wilson even uses the sacred instrument to complete his sacrifice to the god of American Whiteness: the gun.



It is not clear if Butler considers other rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to be sacred instruments used for nefarious and racist means by “the god of American Whiteness,” or if this is limited to the Second Amendment.....


Why not?  An academic says this, so it must be true, right?  Not so much..

The insanity continues.

Giving THANKS





(picture credit)


I am thankful for each of you, my American  'family.' Every single day.








HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY, America!


[Yes, a re-post because these truths remain the same - always]

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

UK: New counter-terrorism bill introduced



From Homeland Security NewsWire:


U.K. government's sweeping new counterterrorism bill unveiled today

26 November 2014

The U.K. government unveils today (Wednesday) sweeping new measures to combat extremism and terrorism, and tackle radicalization, in the United Kingdom. Among other measures, the new counterterrorism bill will require schools and universities to exclude radical speakers from their campuses, and give the home secretary the powers to deny entry (or re-entry) to the United Kingdom to U.K. British citizens suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activity abroad. These citizens’ travel documents will be cancelled and their names placed on no-fly lists for up to two years. Home Secretary Theresa May said: “We are engaged in a struggle that is fought on many fronts and in many forms. It is a struggle that will go on for many years. And the threat we face right now is perhaps greater than it ever has been. We must have the powers we need to defend ourselves.”


[...]


The home secretary, Theresa May, said the bill will also impose a statutory requirement on schools, colleges, prisons, and local councils to help prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

“The organizations subject to the duty [to prevent extremist from speaking on campuses] will have to take into account guidance issued by the home secretary. Where organizations consistently fail, ministers will be able to issue directions to them which will be enforceable by court orders,” May announced....



[...]

Concerns about plans to exclude people from the UK if they go abroad to fight with extremist groups have been raised by the UK's reviewer of terror laws.
David Anderson QC said his "central concern" about the proposals first unveiled by David Cameron in early September was: "Where are the courts?"
Temporary Exclusion Orders are one of the measures in the counter terrorism bill published by Theresa May.
It also includes tougher powers to stop people going abroad to fight.
It will include plans to stop some British citizens returning to the UK, and others from leaving the country.
[...]
The new Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill includes:
  • Counter-radicalisation measures - requirements that schools, colleges and probation providers help prevent people being radicalised

  • Changes to TPIMs - Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures - to allow the authorities to force suspects to move to another part of the country and restrict their movement outside a certain area

  • Raising the burden of proof for imposing TPIMs from "reasonable belief" to "balance of probabilities"

  • Greater powers to stop people heading abroad to fight - includingcancelling passports at the border for up to 30 days

  • Statutory temporary exclusion orders to control return to the UK of British citizens suspected of terrorist activity

  • Tighter aviation security - requiring airlines to provide passenger data more quickly and effectively, with penalties for those failing to comply

  • A ban on insurance companies from covering ransoms







Wednesday Hero

Cpt. Nathan J. Nylander




Cpt. Nathan J. Nylander35 years old from Hockley, Texas
438th Expeditionary Wing
Jan. 23, 1976 - Apr. 27, 2011


U.S. Air Force


The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) (Posthumously) to Captain Nathan J. Nylander, United States Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with ground combat operations as an Advisor, NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan/438th Air Expeditionary Wing, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 27 April 2011. On the morning of 27 April, an assailant opened fire upon United States personnel shooting seven U.S. Air Force Airmen and one American civilian contractor. Despite an extremely uncertain tactical situation, and with disregard for his own safety, Captain Nylander went to the Air Command and Control Center (ACCC), Afghan Air Force (AAF) Headquarters in response to the shooting. He responded when the gunman began shooting as he was with four other Airmen and eight Afghan personnel in a conference room adjoining the ACCC. Captain Nylander could have exited the building to safety, but chose instead to return and assist his fellow Airmen. Captain Nylander then engaged the gunman, wounding the assailant and when he remained on the floor motionless, Captain Nylander approached the other rooms. The gunman arose and went into a room across the hall from the conference room. When the gunman re-emerged into the hallway, Captain Nylander engaged the assailant again and during this exchange of gunfire, Captain Nylander sustained wounds to his left and right thighs. Although seriously wounded and bleeding heavily, he continued to engage the gunman until his weapon jammed. When he attempted to exit the rear entrance of the AAF Headquarters, he was killed by the gunman. Captain Nylander's brave actions degraded the gunman's capability and likely prevented further loss of life, including that of other U.S. personnel who remained in the AAF Headquarters. By his bold initiative, undaunted courage, and complete dedication to duty, Captain Nylander gallantly gave his life for his country and reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, and the United States Air Force. NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD: Captain Nathan J. Nylander, United States Air Force, distinguished himself by gallantry performed with marked distinction as an Advisor and member of the NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan/438th Air Expeditionary Wing, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. On the morning of 27 April 2011, a renegade Afghan Air Force officer entered the Air Command and Control Center (ACCC), Afghan Air Force (AAF) Headquarters and opened fire with a 9-mm. pistol, shooting seven U.S. Air Force Airmen and one American civilian contractor. When the gunman began shooting, Captain Nylander was with four other Airmen and eight Afghan personnel in a conference room adjoining the ACCC. At the sound of the gunshots, he moved toward the door between the AAAC and the conference room. With Captain Bradley and Captain Cheslak providing cover, Captain Nylander evacuated the conference room. After exiting the conference room, he could have continued to safety, but chose instead to return and assist his fellow Airmen. He took up a firing position next to Captain Bradley in the hallway when the gunman emerged from the ACCC. Captain Bradley and Captain Nylander engaged the gunman with their 9-mm. pistols, wounding him at least once and possibly twice. When the gunman remained on the floor and did not move, Captain Bradley made eye contact with Captain Nylander, gave him a signal to withdraw, and then exited the building. Although the tactical situation was extremely uncertain, Captain Nylander chose to remain in the building and did not withdraw. While Captain Nylander was likely in the conference room or ACCC, the gunman got up and went into a room across the hall from the conference room. When the gunman re-emerged into the hallway, Captain Nylander engaged the gunman again with his 9-mm.. During this exchange, Captain Nylander was shot in the left thigh and sustained a grazing wound to his right thigh. Bleeding from his wounds, Captain Nylander began to move toward the rear entrance of the AAF Headquarters. Although seriously wounded and bleeding heavily, Captain Nylander continued to engage the gunman until his 9-mm. jammed. He cleared two rounds from his weapon and the final round was found jammed in the chamber. When Captain Nylander attempted to exit the rear entrance of the AAF Headquarters, he was killed by the gunman. Of his own volition, Captain Nylander chose to return to an extremely dangerous and unknown tactical situation and engage an attacker who had taken the lives of eight fellow Americans. After an initial exchange of gunfire, Captain Nylander again chose to stay, with the likely intent of aiding the fallen. Captain Nylander's brave actions degraded the gunman's capability and likely prevented further loss of life, including that of other U.S. personnel who remained in the AAF Headquarters. His distinct gallantry while engaged with a hostile attacker, exemplifies loyalty, selfless service, and personal courage. By his bold initiative, undaunted courage, and complete dedication to duty, Captain Nylander gallantly gave his life for his country and reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, and the United States Air Force.






You can read more here



These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so that we may get to enjoy our freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.


Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look


Wounded Warrior Project - Because So Many Have Come Back With Injuries, Seen And Unseen
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.



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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

WELCOME HOME

Because we love our Medics!!!



























From MoD:


Members of the public gathered to welcome back more than 200 military medics from Afghanistan as they paraded through York and attended a Thanksgiving Service in York Minster on Saturday. In the picture, soldiers from 34 Field Hospital on parade in Duncombe Place, York city centre. [Picture: Sergeant Si Longworth RLC, Crown copyright]




WELCOME HOME.  Thank you all for your Service.....

WW2 Hero: Phyllis Latour Doyle to receive French Legion of Honour





















From Daily Mail: 


 Former British wartime spy, 93, is finally recognised for her part in liberating France from Nazi occupation after decades spent keeping her wartime service a secret



By Stephanie Linning
23 November 2014

A former British wartime spy will this week be recognised for her part in liberating France from Nazi occupation - 70  years after she was parachuted behind enemy lines.



Phyllis Latour Doyle spent years gathering information on German positions and risked her life to send 135 coded messages back to Britain before the country's 1944 liberation.



For decades, the 93-year-old kept her heroic actions secret - only telling her four children about her wartime service 15 years ago.




But Mrs Doyle, who now lives quietly in New Zealand, will be publicly recognised for her service when she receives the Legion of Honour, France's highest decoration, on Tuesday.



It will be presented but the French ambassador to New Zealand as part of the commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the battle of Normandy....







Monday, November 24, 2014

SECDEF Hagel official statement on 'resignation'

(source:  NY Daily News 2013)


From the DoD:

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Release No: NR-589-14
November 24, 2014

Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

To the men and women of the Department of Defense:

I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that this morning, President Obama accepted my letter of resignation. I have agreed to continue to serve as Secretary of Defense until my successor is confirmed by the United States Senate.


You should know I did not make this decision lightly. But after much discussion, the President and I agreed that now was the right time for new leadership here at the Pentagon.


I want you to know that I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together. We have prepared ourselves, our Allies and the Afghan National Security Forces for a successful transition in Afghanistan. We have taken the fight to ISIL and, with our Iraqi and coalition partners, have blunted the momentum of this barbaric enemy. We have come to the aid of millions of people around the world who have suffered the ravages of natural disaster and of disease. We have worked tirelessly to sustain our all-volunteer force that has given so much during 13 years of war. And we have bolstered enduring alliances and strengthened emerging partnerships, all the while setting in motion important reforms that will prepare this institution for the challenges facing us in the decades to come.


Most importantly, we have helped keep this country and our fellow citizens safe. We have sustained the blessings of liberty our ancestors secured and upheld the oath we took.


That work will continue. It must continue. The world is still too dangerous, the threats too numerous, for us to lose focus. And even as I promised the President my full support going forward, so, too, do I promise that I will work hard to support you right up until my last day in office. I owe you that.


There will be time later to say farewell. For now, please know how much I respect and admire your service and that of your families. As I gather with my own family this Thanksgiving holiday -- a luxury I realize not all of you will enjoy -- it will be the privilege of having worked with you these last two years for which I will be most grateful.

Thank you for all you do for this country. God bless you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Rest In Peace, Craftsman Kyle Sinclair



From CBC:

Kyle Sinclair died in 'freak accident' at CFB PetawawaCraftsman Kyle Sinclair, 27, of Barrie, Ont., worked at CFB Petawawa since July
24 November 2014



Craftsman Kyle Sinclair died after a "freak accident" while doing routine mechanical work on an armoured vehicle at Garrison Petawawa, CBC News learned Sunday.



His section commander told CBC News Sinclair, 27, was working on the armoured vehicle, called Coyote, in a building hangar when a "very rare, freak accident" happened. There was not an explosion and nothing fell on Sinclair, the section commander added.

Other soldiers, who are trained in CPR, rushed to help him but were unable to regain a pulse, DND confirmed. Sinclair died in hospital late Friday night.

The section commander said a private parade would be held on Monday in Sinclair's honour....


My heart goes out to all who know and love Craftsman Sinclair.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

SAS: 'Putting the fear of God into IS[IS]'



From Daily Mail:


SAS quad bike squads kill up to 8 jihadis each day... as allies prepare to wipe IS off the map: Daring raids by UK Special Forces leave 200 enemy dead in just four weeksBy Mark Nicol

22 November 2014




SAS SNIPER UNITS SCRAMBLED IN CHINOOKS: The heavily equipped troops are flown deep into IS territory aboard RAF transport helicopters, their quad bikes stowed on board, before touching down 50 miles from their target


SAS troops with sniper rifles and heavy machine guns have killed hundreds of Islamic State extremists in a series of deadly quad-bike ambushes inside Iraq, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.


Defence sources indicated last night that soldiers from the elite fighting unit have eliminated ‘up to eight terrorists per day’ in the daring raids, carried out during the past four weeks.


Until now, it had been acknowledged only that the SAS was operating in a reconnaissance role in Iraq and was not involved in combat. But The Mail on Sunday has learned that small groups of soldiers are being dropped into IS territory in RAF Chinook helicopters – to take on the enemy.



Targets are identified by drones operated either from an SAS base or by the soldiers themselves on the ground, who use smaller devices.


The troops are also equipped with quad bikes – four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles that can have machine guns bolted on to a frame. They then seek out IS units and attack the terrorists using the element of surprise and under the cover of darkness.

[...]

An SAS source said: ‘Our tactics are putting the fear of God into IS as they don’t know where we’re going to strike next and there’s frankly nothing they can do to stop us....









Saturday, November 22, 2014

JFK: "Ask not what your country can do for you..."

REPOST because this is as relevant as ever...




The airwaves are full of JFK, his career, his politics, reminiscences of this day, and a rehashing of all the conspiracies - ad nauseum - surrounding his assassination.

Over the years, everybody and his dog has written books about this President. Many, many articles have been published by those claiming even the most tenuous connections to the private man and the president. I will not add to any of that, BUT I am remembering this part of his Inauguration Speech:


My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.


 Tune out all the politics, all the noise, all the *expert* commentary, and it seems to me that now, more than ever, we should each be mindful of how much our America needs each of us to ask - and answer - ourselves this question. 

 It is said that those who do not learn from history, are doomed to repeat it. America is at a watershed moment, a time of great opportunity.  What are YOU doing to ensure the survival of the American ideals???

GITMO: 'Get out of jail card' issued at 3AM

In case you missed this. 3AM the US Department of Defense announced the release of another GITMO resident. The timing, of course, gives new meaning to the much-used Friday news dump - a favourite of the current administration.


Muhammed Murdi Issa al Zahrani

Muhammed Murdi Issa al Zahrani is a 44- or 45-year-old citizen of Saudi Arabia. As of January 2010, the Guantánamo Review Task Force had recommended him for continued detention. As of Nov. 22, 2014, he has been held at Guantánamo for 12 years three months.

Another 'high intelligence value'...'high threat...' resident of GITMO heads to Saudi Arabia.

From the DoD:

IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Release No: NR-588-14
November 22, 2014

Detainee Transfer Announced




The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Muhammed Murdi Issa Al-Zahrani from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.



On Oct. 3, a Periodic Review Board consisting of representatives from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State; the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence determined continued law of war detention of Al-Zahrani does not remain necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the security of the United States. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, Al-Zahrani was recommended for transfer by consensus of the six departments and agencies comprising the Periodic Review Board.



"In the past three weeks, the Department of Defense has transferred seven detainees. These transfers include both the first Yemenis since 2010 and two transfers involving detainees made eligible by the Periodic Review Board process. A total of 13 detainees have been transferred this year. This strikes a responsible balance and reflects the careful deliberation the Secretary of Defense brings to the transfer process, and follows a rigorous process in the interagency to review several items including security review prior to any transfer," said Mr. Paul Lewis, Special Envoy for Guantanamo Detention Closure



In accordance with statutory requirements, the secretary of defense informed Congress of the United States' intent to transfer this individual and of his determination that this transfer meets the statutory standard.



The Periodic Review Board process was established by the president's March 7, 2011 Executive Order (EO) 13567.



The United States is grateful to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The United States coordinated with the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure this transfer took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures.



Today, 142 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.



More information:
Periodic Review Secretariat
http://www.prs.mil/

Is ANYbody out there paying ATTENTION? 

Friday, November 21, 2014

Nigeria: Remember Boko Haram?



It may not be front page news these days - or hashtag worthy for the current US administration - but Boko Haram continues to murder and terrorise. Every.single.day.

From JihadWatch:




Nigeria: At least 45 murdered in Islamic jihad attack by Boko Haram
Robert Spencer
20 November 2014

[...]


At least 45 people were killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack in northeast Nigeria, officials and witnesses said on Thursday, in the latest violence to hit the restive region.

The attack happened in the village of Azaya Kura in the Mafa area of Borno state on Wednesday, the caretaker chairman of Mafa local government area, Shettima Lawan said, calling it “wicked and despicable”.

Village chief Mallam Bulama said: “We counted 45 bodies at the end of the attack.”

But other residents said more may have died after they fled into the bush.

Mafa, which is about 50 kilometres (30 miles) east by road from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, and the surrounding area has been repeatedly attacked by the Islamist insurgents.

On October 26, suspected Boko Haram fighters abducted about 30 boys and girls, some of them as young as 11 and 13, while locals complained of almost daily raids that had forced many to flee....  [emphasis mine]

Thursday, November 20, 2014

UPDATE: GITMO: 5 more residents handed 'get out of jail' card

While America was distracted by Obama's prime time speechifying about illegal aliens - law breakers - being welcomed via the broken borders, he was quietly releasing more GITMO detainees.   Watch for these five coming to a jihad near you.


From DoD:


IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Release No: NR-581-14
November 20, 2014


Detainee Transfer Announced


The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Salah Mohammed Salih Al-Dhabi, Abdel Ghaib Ahmad Hakim, and Abdul Khaled Al-Baydani from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Georgia.

As directed by the president's Jan. 22, 2009, executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of this case. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, these men were approved for transfer by consensus of the six departments and agencies comprising the task force.


In accordance with statutory requirements, the secretary of defense informed Congress of the United States’ intent to transfer these individuals and of his determination that this transfer meets the statutory standard.


The United States is grateful to the Government of Georgia for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The United States coordinated with the Government of Georgia to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures.


Today, 143 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.


And these two will - I am SURE - be on the ISIS front-line any day now:


IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Release No: NR-583-14
November 20, 2014


Detainee Transfer Announced



The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Hashim Bin Ali Bin Amor Sliti and Husayn Salim Muhammad Al-Mutari Yafai from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Slovakia.


As directed by the president's Jan. 22, 2009, executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of this case. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, these men were approved for transfer by consensus of the six departments and agencies comprising the task force.



In accordance with statutory requirements, the secretary of defense informed Congress of the United States’ intent to transfer these individuals and of his determination that this transfer meets the statutory standard.


The United States is grateful to the Government of Slovakia for its willingness to support ongoing U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The United States coordinated with the Government of Slovakia to ensure these transfers took place consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures.


Today, 143 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.


From the WSJ:



“We are very grateful to our partners for these generous humanitarian gestures,” said Clifford Sloan, the State Department special envoy for Guantanamo closure.


“We appreciate the strong support we are receiving from our friends and allies around the globe.”


Lt. Col. Myles B. Caggins, a Pentagon spokesman, said the Defense Department wouldn't discuss any commitments by the two countries to monitor the activities of the former detainees....



 Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. Remember these names as we WILL see them resurface in ISIS.


 Guaranteed..


UPDATE:  For insights on who these 5 are:  Guantanamo Bay prisoners released to Slovakia and Georgia included 'high risk' al-Qaeda members who traveled with Osama bin Laden and produced forged passports

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Israel: PM declares "...we will settle accounts with all of the terrorists ..."

This week, just as every single week in Israel, terrorists murdered innocents.  This most recent was at a synagogue - a place of prayer.


(This is the synagogue in Jerusalem, a holy place of worship, where Jewish worshippers were murdered by terrorists today during prayer.  From Israel PM FB )


From Israel National News:



Five Killed in Terror Attack at Jerusalem Synagogue
Arab terrorists open fire at Agassi St. synagogue in Jerusalem; police shoot assailants dead.


By Tovah Dvorin
11/18/2014

Five people were murdered and seven people wounded Tuesday morning, after two Arab terrorists entered the Kehillat Bnai Torah Yeshiva Synagogue on Agassi Street during Shacharit (morning) prayers in Jerusalem's religious Har Nof neighborhood bearing guns, axes, and knives.


Among the wounded are two policeman, one critically wounded during the shootout with the terrorists. Medics rescued him under fire.


The terrorists, shouting "Allahu Akhbar", began attacking worshippers, stabbing them, before opening fire. ...









As usual, celebration in the face of these killings was the order of the day for some Palestinians.



From Jerusalem Post:

Palestinians in Gaza celebrate terror attack at Jerusalem synagogue
Revelers in Rafah hand out sweets, brandish axes and posters in praise of terrorists.

Palestinians  in the Gaza Strip celebrated an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue that left four dead and others wounded on Tuesday. 
Two Palestinians armed with a meat cleaver and a gun carried out the attack at the synagogue before being shot dead by police.

Gazan revelers in Rafah handed out sweets and brandished axes and posters of the said perpetrators in praise of the deadly attack. 


Palestinian radio reports described the attackers as "martyrs" and Hamas praised the attack. Loudspeakers at mosques in Gaza called out congratulations. 

However, there was no direct claim of responsibility....

More - with pictures - here.




Prime Minister Netanyahu responded:




 "We are in the midst of a terrorist assault focused on Jerusalem. Today, during morning prayers, as they were wrapped in prayer shawls and tefillin, four rabbis were slaughtered, four innocent and pure Jews – Rabbi Avraham Goldberg, Rabbi Aryeh Kupinsky, Rabbi Kalman Ze'ev Levine and Rabbi Moshe Twersky. May their memories be blessed.




We send our condolences to their families. We send our best wishes for a recovery to the wounded and to the heroic policemen whose action prevented a greater disaster. The human animals who perpetrated this slaughter were full of hatred and incitement, deep hatred and terrible incitement against the Jewish People and its state. Hamas, the Islamic Movement and the Palestinian Authority are disseminating countless lies and falsehoods against the State of Israel. They are saying that the Jews are contaminating the Temple Mount. They are saying that we are planning to destroy the Holy Places, that we intend to change the order of prayer there – this is all lies. These lies have already claimed a very heavy price. They took the life of a three-month-old baby, Chaya Zissel Braun, who had been taken for her first visit to the Western Wall, along with her parents, who wanted to thank G-d for giving them a baby. They also claimed the lives of Karen Jemima Mosquera, Jidan Assad, Aharon Badani, Sgt. Almog Shilony and Dalia Lemkus. All of them were pure souls. All of them were victims of this mendacious incitement. Today they are joined by additional victims of the same wild blood libel of the kind that is etched in the memory of our people.




[...]  But what is outrageous is not only the brutality of the murder but the shouts of joy in Gaza, in Bethlehem and in other places. They are giving out candies, waving axes in the air and praising the shahidim. True, this time Abu Mazen condemned the slaughter and it is good that he did. I remember that he also condemned the murder of the three youths but it is not enough because in the same sentence in which he condemned today's slaughter, he linked it to imaginary actions – which have no basis in reality – that Israel is purportedly planning to carry out on the Temple Mount. There is daily, even hourly, incitement on the streets of the Palestinian Authority. There, not only do the most reprehensible murderers become the heroes of Palestinian culture, but there is unending, constant incitement against the very existence of the State of Israel, against the security of Israel's citizens, in schools, the media, mosques, everywhere, and this is the root of the conflict: The refusal to recognize – and educate for – the existence of the state of the Jews.




Last week I traveled to Jordan and held a very important meeting in Amman with King Abdullah and US Secretary of State John Kerry. Together, we called to calm the situation and for the restoration of quiet. To my regret, the answer that we received from the Palestinian Authority was to declare a day or rage in Jerusalem. And today we all saw the result. The world sees this slaughter but, to our regret, does not demand that the Palestinians stop the wild incitement against Israel that is the root of the conflict. I call on all heads of state in the civilized world – I want to see outrage. I want to see condemnation, a deep and uncompromising condemnation of these murders of Israelis, of Jews. Do not discriminate between blood and blood. When there are other acts of murder you express the same outrage and condemn them. But when I see a three-month-old baby being murdered, when I see these Jews at prayer in a synagogue, our holy place, just as a church is holy for Christians and a mosque is holy for Muslims, I expect to at least hear the same condemnation, in an uncompromising and unreserved tone. To my regret, there are those who currently insist on giving the Palestinians a prize in the form of unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that does not recognize the state of the Jews. We will not tolerate this reality; we will fight terrorism and we will defeat it. We will restore law, order and security to the streets of Jerusalem.




This evening I ordered the demolition of the homes of the terrorists who perpetrated the massacre and the hastening of the demolition of the homes of the terrorists who perpetrated the earlier attacks. I ordered stepped-up enforcement against – and stiffer punishments for – those engaged in incitement, as well as the banning of organizations engaged in incitement, and increased security on the streets of Jerusalem. Alongside offensive actions there are also defensive actions.




Citizens of Israel, I call on you to show maximum alert and to respect the law. As a state, we will settle accounts with all of the terrorists and those who dispatched them. We have already proven that we do this, but let nobody take the law into his hands, even if tempers flare and blood boils. We are in a lengthy war against abhorrent terrorism which did not start today. Terrorism has followed us through all the years of the Zionist enterprise. We have always withstood it and we will do so this time as well.




There are those who would like to uproot us from our land and from our capital. They will not achieve their aim. We are in a battle for Jerusalem, our eternal capital. In this battle we must be united; this is the order of the day. We have always known to unite in times of trial. We must put aside all of the little differences and unite around one major issue – defending Jerusalem, defending the security of Israel's citizens. I think that this is what the citizens of Israel expect of us at this time – to stand together as one, unified and united. What is called for at this time is national unity."







What is also called for is international outrage - REAL outrage.



STAND with Israel



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