A purely peaceful activist (you understand), onboard the IHH Mavi Marmara - though not the one named in this article

According to the report, Erdinç Tekir, who was wounded during the fighting which occurred after the IDF raided the Mavi Marmara on May 31, participated in a terrorist attack on a Russian ferry in the Black Sea in 1996.

The purpose of the attack was to bargain for the release of Chechen prisoners in Russia, and as far as is known, it was carried out by an armed group of Abkhazian/Caucasian radical Islamists, which were supported by Turkish Islamists.

Tekir recently admitted during an interview he gave to the Islamic website Dünya Bülteni, that he had participated in the terrorist attack to bargain for the release prisoners as part of his activity to promote the Chechen-Abkhazian cause, this according to a report published by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.

During the same interview, Tekir said that he had been an IHH volunteer for about ten years, and that he had been introduced to the organization by friends after his release from a Turkish prison. However, he said he became close to the organization when he participated in hijacking the ferry. Tekir also said that he “struggled hard” to become a passenger on the Mavi Marmara because he wanted to make a contribution. He falsely claimed that the ship was not carrying terrorists but volunteers and activists, and that the IDF soldiers boarded the ship from the sea and air while shooting live ammunition.

The IDF raided the Mavi Marmara on May 31, after it had attempted to break a naval blockade being imposed on the Gaza Strip, claiming it was bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. As the IDF commandos descended onto the deck of the ship by rope, they were assaulted by the activisits on the ship who were using metal clubs and knives. The activists snatched two pistols from the commandos and at them with them. Nine people were killed in the raid, most of them from Turkey, where the radical IHH group organized the flotilla.

It was later determined that there were no humanitarian supplies on the Marmara.

The report on Tekir is the first proof of the presence of a Turk with a terrorist past among the IHH operatives on board the Mavi Marmara. While there is no information indicating that the IHH was involved in the hijacking of the Russian ferry in 1996, Tekir admitted to the Islamic website that he became closer to IHH while he was active in the Abkhazian-Chechen cause.

The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center added that its examination has shown that Tekir’s name appears on the list of names of those wounded on the Mavi Marmara, and also on the list of the hijackers of the Avrasya (the Russian ferry), a list appearing in a Wikipedia article on the attack.

This blog has been instrumental in exposing the Turkish terror-supporters of the Erdogan government-backed IHH, a supposed ‘humanitarian charity’, so we welcome this report from as further proof of what really lies behind them – and much of the so-called ‘Free Gaza’ movement.

The astounding lack of critical analysis from the media has meant that in the minds of most casual observers the people participating in these ‘flotillas’ are merely concerned, possibly slightly eccentric humanitarians, who wish nothing more than to make a stand about their perceived mistreatment of the ‘Palestinians’ by the Israelis; when in fact many are far-left radicals and hardline Islamists, who seek to delegitimise and terrorise the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

[Source: INN]

Assyrian Winemaker Yuhanna-Aktaş - his business faces harrassment in anti-Christian Turkey

“They would not sell me iron and cement; the tractor driver did not come,” Yuhanna Aktaş wrote in a letter to daily Radikal. “I could not find a food engineer for months and could only find a chemist from Diyarbakır. Because [they say producing wine] is a sin.”

The Syriac Christian and Turkish citizen living in the Midyat district of the southeastern province of Mardin has built a wine factory but said he has been unable to secure a water supply and a road for the facility.

Syriac families living in the region commonly produce wines, but it is hard for consumers to find them since they are not usually sold in shops.

Aktaş, a former jewelry maker, said in his letter that he had prepared a proposal to build a factory to produce homemade Syriac wines, a practice significant for Christians both culturally and religiously. He submitted his proposal to the Agriculture Ministry and obtained permission from the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Regulatory Agency, or TAPDK, to build the facility two years ago. He was granted permission, but, he said, his troubles only began there.

A few days after he received permission, Aktaş said, his house was raided by the police at night. He claimed his home’s front door was broken and he was beaten by police officers in front of his children. His bedroom and all the drawers in the house were searched for wine, he said, adding that the public prosecutor came to his house after the incident.

“I filed a complaint against these police officers but the court only gave a symbolic fine to one of them,” Aktaş said, adding that he was tried on charges of illegally producing wine at home due to the wines found in the cellar of his house. He said he told the court that some of these wines belonged to his friends and the rest were produced for use in church ceremonies.

“But they did not take the testimony of these friends and they also did not take into consideration that these wines are produced for religious rituals,” Aktaş said, adding that the court fined him and his partner 180,000 Turkish Liras.

They appealed the case to the Supreme Court of Appeals, Aktaş said, noting that the homes of other Syriacs in the region are still being raided based on claims of illegal wine production.

Though he applied to many institutions, Aktaş said, he was unable to bring water, telephone lines and roads to his factory building. He said he paid 100,000 liras to build a temporary road to the factory and to hook up the electricity. The factory is completed, equipped with machines from Italy and built using traditional Syriac architectural styles, but cannot produce wine.

Aktaş said some local landowners have threatened to cut his electricity by removing electric poles carrying power to the factory that are located on their land.

Mardin Gov. Hasan Duruer said if Aktaş had built his factory within the borders of the Organized Industrial Zone, he would have been able to get the infrastructural work completed in time.

“Citizens build factories anywhere they want and then ask for infrastructure. This is not possible. They will have to do the electricity, water and road construction [themselves] as well,” said Duruer.

Responding to the governor’s claims, Aktaş said he built the factory in an area that was rented to him by the Finance Ministry for 49 years. “I did not build that factory arbitrarily,” he said.

Assyrian Christians have lived in Turkey and produced wine there for centuries before Islam existed

Wine is a tradition in Turkey. Indeed, winemaking is thought to have originated in the Caucasus region (where Turkey sits), predating the relatively recent arrival of Islam by thousands of years. Turkey is also in the world’s top five producers of grapes.

Behold the tolerance of Islam – and beware the weasel words of Islamists when they try to convince you that Islam is tolerant of the other Abrahamic faiths, when they wheel out their fallacious ‘There is no compulsion in Religion’ argument.

[Source: Hürriyet Daily News]

The consequences faced by ordinary people at the nexus of decades of liberal/Marxist multiculturalism, corporate greed and the demographic Jihad, in ‘enlightened ‘Western Europe – a disturbing look at what this has done to Germany and the schoolchildren unfortunate enough to attend ‘mixed’ schools there. From Kitman TV via Europe News. Watch it all.

Tense relationship: PM Erdoğan and a Turkish general

A naval sergeant in Balıkesir has been arrested after confessing to preparing a list of verbal passwords for soldiers that insulted the prime minister, private news site CNNTürk reported.

A military court arrested Çağrı Güler after military personnel and police conducted a search of his home in the Erdek district of the western province of Balıkesir. Authorities confiscated documents and CDs during the search.

According to a report in the daily Taraf this week, soldiers used the password “Adi Başbakan” (Vulgar Prime Minister) on Feb. 22, 2010, at their garrison.

Military passwords are used to confirm identity on bases during the night. In this case, a soldier encountering an unknown person would first say “inferior,” while the other soldier would respond with “prime minister.”

The password issue also became a subject of discussion during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek and Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ.

So, in addition to having an appalling record on women’s rights and an anti-Semitic, terror-supporting Prime Minister who intimidates the media when they don’t toe the line, it’s also possible to get thrown in the slammer for ‘offending’ politicians in Turkey.

Anyone else see anything wrong with this picture? Or is it just us?

[Source: Hürriyet Daily News]

United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon, with a colleague

And we all now what ‘international credibility’ means:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that a panel set up by Israel to investigate its deadly attack on a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to blockaded Gaza lacked international credibility.

“I took note of this announcement,” he told reporters, referring to the Israeli panel in which two foreigners have been given observer status. “My position is that there should be international credibility of their investigation. I know that there are going to be two international observers. But what I have heard from most of the countries is that it is not sufficient enough to have international credibility.”

To investigate the flotilla, Ban had proposed establishing a four- or five-member independent panel, with one representative each from Israel and Turkey, to be led by Geoffrey Palmer, a former New Zealand prime minister, although officially no names have been mentioned.

Turkey accepted the proposal while Israel did not, but Ban said he was continuing to discuss his plan with the Israeli government, pressing for the idea that the two inquiries could complement each other.

“While I believe that they have the capacity to carry on their domestic investigations, at the same time this investigation should have international credibility,” the secretary-general said.

There would be no point in proceeding with a neutral panel if Israel remained opposed, he added, saying,

“Without full cooperation, it would be extremely difficult to have a thorough and credible investigation.”
He said he remained committed to trying to fulfill the Security Council’s call for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation.

Although a completely ‘independent’ panel in a matter such as this would at first glance look the most credible, Israel has chosen to carry out its own investigation, albeit with two respectable international figures observing. That may sound counterintuitive to a neutral observer*, but in this case we believe Israel has chosen wisely.

The international investigation Ban is calling for would presumably be conducted under UN auspices. But what does that mean these days? The ineffectual Mr Ban heads a United Nations that is at the very nadir of its credibility. 

The UN Human Rights Council: 'We just love Human Rights! (as far away from us as possible)..'

 The main strands of its international conflict resolution and human rights branches are utterly compromised; with the UN Human Rights Council effectively remote-controlled by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and its members, in cahoots with various third-world dictators; ensuring the rights and dignity of the planet’s most vulnerable people are in the hands of its worst abusers.

In an even more surreal twist (and we assure readers that we really are not making this up), Hizballah now effectively has representation on the UN Security Council.

So, in the unlikely event of Israel accepting Ban’s proposal, we would anticipate one of three possible outcomes:

• (Virtually a foregone conclusion): The investigation finds against Israel and calls for further degradations of her security and protections against Palestinian (and international) anti-Semitic hate crimes and Islamic terrorism. Result: Israel, justifiably defiant, walks away. Turkey and other Islamists jubilant.

• (Very Unlikely): The investigation finds fault on both sides and makes neutral recommendations with an actions timetable and post-probe scrutiny. Result: matter resolved for the moment, but may still flare up as and when it suits Erdoğan’s political agenda.

• (Extremely Unlikely): The International panel run with the overwhelming evidence and find in Israel’s favour. Turks and Islamists storm out, Flotilla jihad continues (and escalates); possibly sparking another Lebanese Summer of Nasrallah Love. Not even worth contemplating, this one.

Given the alternatives on the table, as outlined above – what would you do?  Tony Blair’s nominees for the inquiry’s international observer roles (and whatever you might think of Tony Blair, he is seen to be doing a good job in his ‘Quartet’ role, having a degree of credibility with both sides) have been accepted by Israel.

David Timble, a barrister, former First Minister of Northern Ireland and one of the architects of the NI Peace Agreement –  and Ken Watkin, a former Canadian armed forces Judge Advocate General – certainly seem solid candidates (although we have to confess that we don’t know too much about the Canadian).

However, although seen as a scrupulously fair man, Trimble’s publicly pro-Israel stance may come in for criticism.

But, if Israel is (and is seen to be) open and transparent, as we believe it has been throughout the Flotilla crisis – and, if this is supported by the observers – It may well go a long way to restoring some credibility for Jerusalem among non-Islamic countries.

As for Turkey and the rest of the Ummah – we believe they are  pretty much a lost cause in terms of anyone being able to change their views  - whatever the strength of the evidence or the scrupulousness of the international observers. It’s just not going to happen.

In any event, we couldn’t envisage an investigation of Israel – even by itself –  (and let’s face it, this is what most other countries do as a matter of course),  being as slanted and criminally unfair as the Goldstone Report – the product of the last occasion the UN took it upon itself to ‘investigate’ Israel.

This is the gamble we believe Netanyahu is preparing to take.

[Source: PNA/APP]

An overwhelming chorus of media disapproval ensued.. just not in this case.

Turkish troops in pursuit of Kurdish rebels have crossed into northern Iraq and killed four militants, Turkish officials say.

The military said air strikes were also launched against rebel positions deeper inside Iraqi territory.

The offensive took place after rebels made an unsuccessful attack on border guards, Turkish officials said.

Turkey has been fighting insurgents of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) for more than a quarter of a century.

Military officials said three commando companies and one special forces battalion penetrated 3km (two miles) into Iraq in pursuit of the rebels.

The PKK is fighting for autonomy in Turkey’s largely Kurdish south-east.

The group is considered a terrorist group, not just by Turkey but by the US and the EU.

More than 40,000 people are believed to have died in the conflict, on both sides.

Had this been a certain other country*, we would have never heard the end of it. A chorus of condemnation would have ensued from Washington to Beijing, the media calling for UN intervention. The bar-room lawyers would have been holding forth about ‘international law’; lefties everywhere would be out on the streets of major capitals chanting ‘Free the **********s’ and generally being annoying. But in stark comparison to events in this certain other country* – almost nothing.

The BBCs report (buried in the ‘Europe’ section) is extremely constrained in comparison to its approach for the certain other country*. The listings on Google News are a fraction of what they were for that certain other country*.

The only thing that’s coming over loud and clear is the hypocrisy.

[Source: BBC News Online]

*Can you guess who it is?

A picture paints a thousand words - in this case about Islamist writer Adem Özköse, who took the Mavis Marmara photographs caught up in the latest Reuters 'fauxtography' doctoring scandal

And we found a picture of him! More on the latest Reuters ‘fauxtography’ scandal. And not in a good way:

In a further development to our story earlier in the week covering the scandal of international news agency Reuters being caught once again doctoring photographs in a way that defames Israel, Charles Johnson over at Little Green Footballs continues his demolition of the Turkish un-Love Boat fraud.

It transpires that the pictures were supplied to Reuters by a Turkish photographer and writer, Adem Özköse. In addition to his IHH (the terror-linked charity that organised the Turkish flotilla) links, he is also a journalist writing for the Turkish publication ‘Real Life Magazine’ and a writer of book supporting Islamism and in particular, the ‘Palestine’ cause.

Nice picture – and nice people you do business with, Reuters. More at LGF.

The sight that greets Turkish web surfers, when they try to access over 6000 popular websites

As befits a once-democratic country that is abandoning its progressive roots and sliding towards an Iranian-style Islamic Republic, Turkey’s Islamist leaders start to control what its people can and cannot see – yet still has the gall to lecture countries far freer and fairer than itself, on human rights:

Turkey’s web users again bear the brunt of heavy-handed censorship as the Telecommunications Commication Presidency indefinitely shuts off access to several Google services, including ‘Google Docs.’ The move follows the banning of the popular video-sharing website YouTube for alleged insults against Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

BAR: The Telecommunications Communication Presidency says it blocked access to some Google IP addresses ‘due to legal reasons.’ Translation and document-sharing tools are among the Google sites recently barred in Turkey, which has maintained a widely unpopular two-year ban on YouTube for perceived insults against the country’s founder.

Turkey’s Telecommunications Communication Presidency, or TİB, released an official statement Friday saying it had blocked access to some Google IP addresses “because of legal reasons.”

Internet users in the country have recently complained about difficulties in accessing docs.google.com, translate.google.com, books.google.com, google-analytics.com and tools.google.com.

According to the TİB statement, some Google applications may be completely inaccessible or, at the very least, take a long time to load, a move that may affect websites, portals and even the performance of individual computers.

“Leaving the legal status aside, first of all, they have victimized us,” lawyer Mehmet Ali Köksal said when asked to explain the vague statement from the TİB, adding that an Information Technology Law Congress, in which TİB representatives are expected to participate, will be held in İzmir between Wednesday and Friday.

“We have created a Google document [page] and were running our operations from there; now we cannot communicate either,” he said.

Köksal said the TİB’s act does not punish Google but only individuals, adding that the directorate’s bans are akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

“They have the court decision to ban Google sites, which is very wrong but the court has decided [so],” he said. “There are also some controversial decisions on banning YouTube; absurd things like banning it while it is already banned.”

Access to YouTube has been banned by Turkish authorities since May 5, 2008, because of videos deemed offensive to Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Because Google owns YouTube, the sites’ Domain Name Systems are the same. When a user types a domain name into the address bar of a browser, the DNS directs the browser to the site’s actual address, or IP number. Internet service providers in Turkey, however, redirect browsers when users attempt to access a banned site such as YouTube; instead of the site they wanted, they get a message saying “Access to this site is banned by court order.”

To avoid such controls, many users change their DNS settings, allowing them to bypass Turkish Internet service providers.

“I guess they are trying to bar the access to those DNS providers,” said Köksal. “The explanation they made contradicts itself somewhat. They say, ‘There is a court order, so we are turning the functioning of the Internet in Turkey upside down a little.’”

Many people have criticized the YouTube ban, arguing that it is illogical to ban the whole site for a single video, Köksal said, adding that authorities are now attempting to ban Google services that are not even the target of court orders.

“The content providers sometimes change their DNSs. It is a wrong act to bar other services of Google because of the changed DNS,” he said. “This is like shutting down a printing district when the aim is shutting down one newspaper.”

It’s interesting to look at one of the starting points in the story of Turkey’s steady descent into an Islamic mullahcracy. A couple of years ago, (about a year into its second term in office), the Turkish government banned access to YouTube on the grounds that it insulted Kemal Atatürk, who founded of the Turkish Republic in 1923.

[Source: Hürriyet Daily News]

Started and run by one of our favourite writers Caroline Glick, together with a witty and talented team of Israeli performers; here they take the scalpel of parody to the hypocrisy and self-righteousness of this week’s Jihad on the high seas.

Avast there, me hearties…arrrgggh!