Prophetic Times

WEEKLY WORLD NEWS UPDATE

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

15   FEBRUARY   2003

CHINA WARNS UN OVER NORTH KOREA

Feb 13, 2003 BBC News reports: "China has warned the UN Security Council against getting involved in the North Korean nuclear crisis.  'The UN Security Council's involvement at this stage might not necessarily contribute to the settlement of the issue,' said China's ambassador to the UN, Zhang Yan.  He was speaking in Vienna after the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), took the dramatic step of declaring the North in breach of UN nuclear safeguards and referring it to the Security Council.

Japan has appealed to the North to re-open talks with the IAEA and South Korea called on it to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis.  The IAEA's move raises the possibility of economic or political sanctions being imposed - a development Pyongyang has said would be tantamount to a declaration of war.  The Communist regime has still to react officially to the announcement…"

 

MISSILE LAUNCHERS POSITIONED IN D.C.

Feb 12, 2003 WTOP News reports: "An increased level of protection for the region means you'll see missile launchers around the District to guard against the possibility of an air attack.  The missile launchers that can be seen from the South Capitol Street bridge are the result of the government's planning efforts.

Shortly after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the federal government surveyed the sorts of air defense systems available from a variety of agencies - for use here, or elsewhere in the country. The government then conducted experiments to determine how they could best work in concert with one another.

The protection measures would include Customs Service aircraft flying high, keeping track of air traffic over the metro area, Air National Guard fighter jets patrolling above and Army radar systems positioned alongside Avenger air defense missile systems mounted on HumVees.

The government put these measures in place during President Bush's January State of the Union message, then pulled them back. They went back into place when officials determined there was an increased likelihood for terrorist attacks and increased the nation's Homeland Security alert status to orange from yellow.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the latest terrorism alert represented 'the most significant' such warning since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.  On the five-color alert scale, red is the highest, but no such terrorist warning level has yet been issued..."

 

DUCT TAPE SALES RISE AMID TERROR FEARS

Feb 12, 2003 CNN reports: "Americans have apparently heeded the U.S. government's advice to prepare for terror attacks, emptying hardware store shelves of duct tape. 

 

On Tuesday, less than 24 hours after U.S. Fire Administrator David Paulison described a list of useful items, stores in the greater Washington, D.C. area reported a surge in sales of plastic sheeting, duct tape, and other emergency items.  These items, Paulison said, can be helpful after a biological, chemical or radiological attack.

A Lowe's hardware store in Alexandria, Virginia, said every roll of duct tape has been sold. Another Alexandria Home Depot store reported sales of duct tape tripled overnight. 'Everything that was on that newscast, we are selling a lot of it,' said Rich Pierce with a Home Depot in the D.C. area.

In his advisory, Paulison recommended that households have on hand three days worth of water and food; an emergency supply kit for both home and automobile; radios with extra batteries; and plastic sheeting and duct tape to seal windows and doors.

With concerns growing about al Qaeda's interest in acquiring weapons of mass destruction, Paulison cautioned that aid after an attack could be hard to come by, at least initially.  He said that in the first 48 to 72 hours of an emergency, many Americans will likely to have to look after themselves…"

 

GREECE WARNS OF 'CRISIS' OVER IRAQ RIFT

Feb 12, 2003   BBC News reports: "Failure to agree on Iraq at an emergency summit next week would plunge the European Union into deep crisis, Greece has warned.  Greece, which holds the EU's revolving presidency, has invited the union's 15 divided leaders to the summit in Brussels on Monday in the hope of healing the gulf that has opened up over Iraq.

The EU's divisions were highlighted at a Spanish-German summit in Lanzarote - pitching a staunchly pro-US Jose Maria Aznar against the anti-war Gerhard Schroeder.  The two men failed to agree a statement on the crisis, despite discussions involving them and their foreign ministers.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the wider European summit to be held on Monday was a last chance to achieve unity.  'It is our target and our political will to go to the meeting on Monday for a common position,' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Panos Beglitis.

If this is not achievable then the Greek presidency will have exhausted all the institutional and political possibilities a presidency has in its hands. The European Union will enter a deep crisis.'…"

 

FBI, CIA BELIEVE MASS-CASUALTY AL QAEDA STRIKE MORE LIKELY

Feb 11, 2003 The Washington Times reports: "Al Qaeda's latest threat of terrorist attacks is focused on operations in three areas: the continental United States, the Persian Gulf region or Southeast Asia, according to intelligence officials.

Intelligence from both the FBI and CIA indicates that al Qaeda is preparing to conduct a major attack that will cause mass casualties, like the September 11 attacks, according to officials.

The CIA is worried that the new attack will be al Qaeda's first attempt to carry out a terror strike using deadly chemical, biological or radiological weapons, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity…

Attorney General John Ashcroft said last week, when asked whether the new alert was related to the buildup of American forces in the Middle East, that they were 'very clearly unrelated.'

Former CIA counterterrorism official Vincent Cannistraro, however, said the warning is related to the buildup near Iraq…

U.S. intelligence agencies believe al Qaeda is 'planning to do something and they would like to do something spectacular,' Mr. Cannistraro said.

Intelligence officials said there are also reports that al Qaeda's latest threat to attack Americans is related to the Hajj, the Muslim religious observation in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, honoring the religion's founder and prophet Muhammad. The annual observance began Sunday with up to 2 million people attending…"

 

TALEBAN CALL FOR HOLY WAR

Feb 10, 2003 BBC News reports: "The former Taliban regime of Afghanistan has issued a rare statement urging Afghans to take part in a jihad (holy war) against US-led coalition forces based in the country.  It said the Taliban considered the possible US attack on Iraq as a continuation of the crusades against Muslims and an onslaught on Islam.  The message was faxed from an unknown location in Pakistan and signed by Mohammad Mukhtar Mujahid, styling himself as a spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name used by the Taliban while they were in power.

A senior Taliban leader, requesting anonymity, later confirmed that the communiqué was drafted on the directive of their supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar.  Addressed to the 'Muslim and Mujahid nation of Afghanistan,' the communiqué accused the US of committing aggression against their homeland and turning it into a colony.

It maintained that Afghanistan was insecure and unstable even after 13 months of foreign occupation.  Arguing that Afghan religious scholars had endorsed jihad against the US and the 'puppet' government of Hamid Karzai, the Taliban communiqué said all the Afghans should wage the holy war under Mullah Omar's leadership.

It said Omar had appointed two Taliban leaders - Mullah Biradar and Mullah Obaidullah (a former defense minister) - as commanders of the new jihad…"

 

 

Compiled by  L. Jim Tuck, Pastor
ljtuc@msn.com

UCGIA, Oakland, San Jose, & Santa Rosa, California