Arctic Resource Ownership

Map of the polar region, showing Peary's 1909 route to the North Pole. (Corbis) Read more: http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/05/19/is-the-rush-for-the-arctic-back-on/#ixzz1MtMBs1kc

Canada has had a long-standing territorial dispute with Denmark in the Arctic over Hans Island. The Arctic territorial nations all lay claim to ownership of 'their portion' of the Arctic area, but the territories are not clearly defined and there is much overlap in claims. Particularly with the discovery of great natural resources to be mined and claimed to enrich those nations with sovereignty of the areas in dispute.

Russia, the United States, Canada and Norway, along with Denmark, all claim ownership of various areas of the Arctic. Russia famously made headlines when it planted a three-foot titanium flag using a submersible, to hammer home the point that it plans to claim its territory and with it the riches ensconced there in natural resources.

As the environment changes and passage through the area becomes feasible year round eventually, shipping challenges Canada's claim to the North West Passage. Those who plan to increasingly use it as an efficient transitway claim it is international waters and is not in the possession of Canada.

Early explorers from Norway, Russia and the United States all gave those countries an investment in the future.

Now Denmark has unveiled a plan for its Arctic territories to lay claim to the North Pole sea bed. "We expect that Denmark will be able to document claims to an area that among other things includes the sea bed at the North Pole" referring to a ten-year strategy. This initiative will lead to a confrontation for ownership with Russia, the U.S., Canada and Norway.

Thanks to new undersea mining technologies - it lies within the capacity of those nations that can document and prove to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea their claims to ownership - they will be able to harvest 30% of the world's undiscovered gas resources and the 90 billion barrels of oil to be derived from those undersea areas.

All of the nations claim their ownership of the Arctic area in a 200-mile radius from their shorelines. Russia is invested in proving that the gas, oil and diamonds that exist on its claimed territory - the Lomonosov Ridge - is theirs alone. But experts also say that the Ridge does not represent part of the continental shelf, but the point where two ocean floor plates spread.

Since the Ridge extends from Russia to Canada, claims by Canada should have at least as much merit as Russia's. From time to time all the countries involve say they are invested in working amicably together. Then greed gets in the way of good intentions and each embarks on its individual plans to prove ownership, disputed by the others.

The geographic and geopolitical assertions on all fronts with a view to ownership of seabed resources will remain a contentious issue for some time to come until full clarification can be achieved through proper mapping and documentation and geological identification. Meanwhile the issues involved see all those nations jostling for primacy and injuring diplomatic relations.

A State By Any Other Name

As Israel finishes celebrating the anniversary of its creation the Palestinian Authority with help from Palestinians in Syria and Lebanon and Gaza converge at border points to express their peaceful protest against the existence of the State of Israel. Molotov cocktails and rocks aside, the issue was that people have a right to protest that which grieves them. And the existence of a State within the Middle East, comprised of Jews is horribly aggravating.

Uriel Sinai/Getty Images Two Palestinian men with rocks during clashes with the Israeli police on Sunday near Ramallah.

As the Middle East and the Arab States within it are gripped with the drama of people agitating for their rights and the obligations of those who govern them to recognize their human rights, the core issues slip by as protesters are urged to vent their frustration not at those who govern them but at the existence of a Jewish State. Positioned where it is for the express purpose of irritating the Arab population to infuriated distraction.

The United Nation's plan for Partition was unacceptable to Arab Palestinians, and no less so to to the Arab States surrounding Israel. One attempt after another with combined Arab armies was launched to dislodge the new country from existence in a rage of exclusion and hatred. The original 1948 borders were increased to reflect the last of those attacks, enabling Israel to better defend itself.

And now that the Palestinians are united politically as well as in their incessant and indomitable need to express their outrage at the existence of Israel and to continue mounting their 'resistance' against the 'occupier', there is no longer any need at the pretense of searching for a peace agreement. United, Fatah and Hamas see themselves as conquerors.

But for international consumption the fable of the search for peace continues, and the Palestinian Authority has laid out its preconditions. These preconditions have a limited shelf life, for when, once again, elections take place at a time when Fatah can no longer stave them off, it may very well be Hamas that constructs the preconditions, and Hamas's precondition for peace is war.

Meanwhile the PLO's call for the right of "return" of the Palestinian people to land upon which Israel now sits is considered an 'inalienable right' under international law. A newly-constructed international law that has been practised nowhere else in the world. The popular' struggle' against the West Bank settlements must be re-commenced.

The infamous "refugee camps" for which the international community has footed the bill for over 60 years must remain as a living blight. Until such time - and it cannot be too soon - as the State of Israel is but a dim and bad memory. When such profound errors of judgement from within the international community take place, they must be reversed. There is a first time for everything.

The United Nations must recognize the racist character of the State of Israel which designates itself a Jewish State. That characterization of a Jewish state is clearly apartheid in nature, placing the status of Arabs in question for what kind of Arab would agree to live in a Jewish state? The fact that the Jewish state still honours equitable justice and citizenship for all is insultingly irrelevant.

With the dissolution of the Jewish state and the eventual absence of the State of Israel, there will be but one state, that of the Palestinians. It will be named the State of Palestine. And it will be recognized as an Islamic state.

Critiquing Islamism

Geert Wilders, visiting Canada for speaking engagements is no hate-monger. He is a man devoted to the truth that he sees around him in Europe everywhere he looks. His contentions are supported by facts on the ground, by incendiary acts of brutal slaughter committed by Muslim fanatics.

He sees evidence of an concerted struggle meant to advance Islam and Sharia law wherever large numbers of Muslim immigrants settle outside their countries of origin. And he takes umbrage at the very vision and purpose and advances that he and countless others like him - including those sleep-walking into the future who deny the obvious - see taking place.

The transformation of European, non-Muslim culture, social mores, values and laws into a semblance of one reflecting what Muslims deem suitable in recognizing their needs as paramount over those of the people who have long resided in the countries to which Muslims now migrate. Where the prevailing culture and even the architecture has been subordinated to that of the immigrant population.

Mr. Wilders recognizes Islam as quite unique as an institutional crucible of terror. For it has become abundantly clear that Islam breeds the world's most dangerous, psychopathic fanatics. Even those who have not been trained as jihadis, mass themselves in outraged mobs in response to perceived insults to Islam and Islamic principles. No one is permitted to make light of Islam, or to question the exalted position of its Prophet.

Islam, in accord to what anyone with a credible amount of intelligence and the ability to parse world events can see is a creed posing as a religion. A religion cradling a foundational ideology of enslavement and domination. It begins by enslaving its faithful to an unforgiving life of complete subjection to nonsensical rules and regulations formulated to withdraw free will, replacing it with surrender of self to the dogmatism of a towering spiritual figure demanding obeisance.

Followers must be obedient, acknowledging their insignificance other than as creatures of this significant spiritual figure. As a human construct, Islam is a brilliant and devious plot to fashion people into submissive herds of worshippers. Where men are given dominance over women whose sole purpose is to bring forth new generations of worshippers, while cleaving to their husbands' demands.

And men must obey the imams and the mullahs and the ayatollahs who convey the word of the Koran alerting followers to the need to be ever alert to the struggle within corresponding to the struggle without. This careful nurturing of the ummah to accept the rule of tyrants and dictators conforming to the submissive nature of Islam's demands ensures Muslims accept the abuse of their human rights.

And accept also that the struggle is one of conquest of the only true religion, against those of infidels. Violence of message, of thought and of execution. Fairly straightforward. Confirming Mr. Wilders' message that "Islam has one form" and its essence is that of a violence-prone, war-mongering creed.

Another Canadian Hostage

Why Canadians, why not Australians, or Germans? Isn't it always German and Australian youth who are portrayed as curious about the world around them, adventurous, always heaving off on bold new forks in the road? When was it that Canadians began experimenting with the joys and the travails of venturing in bold pursuit of new places in various geographies of the world?

The allure of placing oneself in dangerous situations appears to have become an irresistible attraction to young Canadians. As well as older ones.

The Taliban dispatched a woman convinced that they would never harm her for she had herself become Muslim, and defended their right to protect their country from the incursion of foreign troops. Beverly Giesbrecht, also known as Khadija Abdul Qahaar, kidnapped on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border, also videoed and finally murdered.

A few years earlier it was three women in Afghanistan who advanced the cause of women and children and whom the Taliban pumped bullets at, despite that their white SUV bore the markings of the International Rescue Committee. One woman acknowledged as an authority on education for women and girls in zones of conflict, the other committed to assist disabled Afghan children.

And now a 26-year-old Canadian man taken hostage by Mujahideen in central Afghanistan. A video released by his captors show him being interviewed. He is trying to convince his captors that he is not, as they claim, an intelligence spy, but simply a tourist with an interest "in history and historic sites, old buildings, shrines...I am an auditor from Canada and I came as a tourist", he tells them.

What makes young people feel they are somehow immune from danger when they present themselves in what are clearly dangerous world hot-spots, like active war zones? Are they that naive, or do they harbour a secret death wish? One that the local psychopaths are only too eager to fulfill for them.

Bloc Quebecois - Adieu!

"This time, Quebecers wanted to try something else. I am leaving, but others will follow - until Quebec becomes a country." Gilles Duceppe

The heart simply bleeds for the emotional trauma writ so large on the visage of Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, once enough ballots were counted to inform him and all Bloquistes that their day had dawned, and finally set. The separatist party that was established for the sole and singular purpose of representing Quebec's interest in Canada's Parliament as a sovereign country determined to secede from Confederation has virtually vanished overnight.

From a political powerhouse of astringent complaints, totally disinterested in the federation, and completely consumed by its mission to separate Quebec from Canada, while continuing to demand its financial due entitlements in the form of federal transfer payments courtesy of the wealthier provinces, no longer an official, recognized party. The 47 seats that the Bloc commanded in the House of Commons were reduced to a paltry four.

Gone the authority to speak for its provincial little-brother political agitators, the Parti Quebecois, condemning the rest of Canada for mistaking Quebec's exceptionality as a nation as a whim of French-speaking Canadians. Gone the bluster and the blister, the canards and the unsubtle blackmail. This does not, however, translate into a change of heart for Quebecers; merely a change in tactics in the field of political warfare.

A new champion has arisen; this time no mere provincial party on the federal scene, but a federal party with representation in all the provinces of the federation, and prepared to champion the separatist cause if need be, but not necessarily if it need not. But it has given its word, through the voice and assurances of Jack Layton, leader of the NDP.

He will act on their behalf. He will do, far more effectively, for them, what Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc had promised, and failed to deliver. Mr. Duceppe has gone into retirement. No more will the Bloc be showered with tax-paid largess allowing it to insult and blackmail Canada. In its place, the New Democratic Party, newly heralded by Quebec voters as the official opposition in Parliament, speaking for Quebec.

It cannot be said with any kind of honesty that we are sad at the news of its timely demise. Adieu!

Brutally Unsavoury

It never ceases to amaze that Canada seems to have become an immigration magnet for people whose presence in Canada will never be a benefit to this country, but do become both an embarrassment and a threat by their very presence. To begin with, Canada has a well-founded reputation as an easy country to access for immigration. And there are huge numbers of migrating peoples in the world.

Perfectly legitimate candidates for emigration from diverse countries of the world who feel that other countries than their own may offer their families better living conditions; others who are eager to escape living conditions that are inimical to their well being, where they are persecuted on the basis of their ethnicity or religion. And those who live with the misery of migrant refugees, fleeing wars or natural disasters.

It's the left-over category comprised of several groups; those who no longer wish to live in repressive countries of the world, seeking opportunity and freedom for their families, but bringing with them the pathological resentment and suspicion and hatred of others that form the backbone of their social heritage, and whose importation of enmity harms Canada.

And finally, those fleeing their countries of origin because they are war criminals. Generally people involved in support of a dictatorial regime or an autocratic government that has been proven to be a human-rights violator and continues to be just that, or a deposed government which has brutally suppressed its peoples' human rights and engaged in a civil war or one of brutal repression.

Canada issues visas to people on the basis of their backgrounds, their presumed suitability to conform to and accept Canadian values, and the assurance that they have never been involved in either a civil criminal act, or associated with governments and their agencies which are known to be human rights violators. Yet people know when to withhold critical information that will exclude them.

And Canada has, in the past, welcomed within its borders former WWII fascists involved in the murder of countless civilians, and only many decades later discovered proof of denied involvement. Rwandans who have been proven to having engaged in genocidal tribal warfare, Somalians who have been in the forefront of tribal and clan population eradication. And figures responsible for countless deaths in places like Cambodia.

When it is discovered through later revelations and following confirming investigations that those who have committed crimes against humanity have entered the country through falsely stating their bona fides, steps are taken to remove them. There are instances where, in the case of a Lebanese-born Canadian, France has asked for his extradition on suspicion of bombing the Rue Copernic synagogue.

There have been other expulsions and extraditions from Canada for those apprehended as being suspected, with security evidence to secure suspicions, of being involved in international terrorist groups such as Islamist jihadists affiliated with al-Qaeda. People born in the Middle East or in the African Maghreb who have infiltrated Canadian society for the purpose of causing harm, have been an especial problem.

And latterly, a 50-year-old lawyer originally from Kinshasa who claimed refugee status in Canada has been deported by the Canada Border Services Agency under this country's War Crimes Program. Canada deported 23 war criminals in the year 2007-2008 alone and another 211 are awaiting deportation, with a further 170 suspected or known war criminals on outstanding warrants

This most current deportation order links Ambroise Mapangu Ishaku as a former ranking member of Congo's Mouvement de Liberation du Congo, involved in a horrible civil war targeting innocent civilians, raping women and children; murdering, looting and torturing. The Immigration Refugee Board cites that 40% of the armed wing of the this group was comprised of children forced into service as fighters and prostitutes.

"These children were subjected to unimaginable horrors, forced to fight and often kill their own families, forced to engage in cannibalism, raped and used as sex slaves."

In his defence, Mr. Ishaku portrayed this period in his country's history as reflective of the normal consequences of war. And he caught up as a patriot fighting for his country. Which is precisely what most people caught in the web of their own lies to cover their involvement in indescribable acts of barbarity against others explain themselves.

Adequate reason for Canada to become far more diligent in rooting out their presence, and to invest more heavily in processes that would deny them entry to this country to begin with.

Canada's Finest

Canada, a country built on immigration. And continuing that tradition. Canadians are not replacing themselves at a level commensurate with the need to grow its GDP. We are becoming a nation of elderly people, and too few young people. Immigration stands at roughly a half-million each and every year. It is a costly but necessary process to ensure that Canada continues to grow. But the process comes at a cost when due diligence in admitting future citizens is revealed to have flaws that bring into the country people whose values are inimical to the country.

One such and now-obvious immigrant who entered Canada, originally from Mauritania, by way of Germany is an electrical engineer who lived in Montreal and served as an imam at the Al-Sunnah mosque. The most recent release of WikiLeaks documents details this man's trajectory from immigrant to radicalization and eventual engagement as an al-Qaeda operative. One who ended up as a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay. But not before he successfully recruited new members for al-Qaeda, while imam of the Al-Sunnah mosque.

He has, in fact, been linked to three of the hijackers who were involved in the 9/11 terror attacks. As a high-value prisoner he is still being interrogated for any information he may divulge relating to the activities of Islamist extremists in North Africa, Europe and Canada. An American Defence Department assessment of the man which considers him "an admitted member of al-Qaeda" who "was prepared to be a martyr", posits that he was a lieutenant to his cousin, Osama bin Laden's religious adviser, a member of the al-Qaeda council.

A relatively high-ranking, high-value prisoner with deep involvement. He is presumed to have recruited Muhammad Atta, Marwan al Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah, pilots of three of the planes lethally and disastrously involved during the September 11, 2001 attacks. According to the American assessment of this very interesting and dedicated Islamist, "multiple independent sources" corroborate his intense involvement in the 9/11 recruitment, along with the Algerian terrorist Ahmed Ressam and the Tunisian synagogue truck bombing in 2002.

Interestingly enough, it was as a teenager in Germany studying on a grant by a foundation at the University of Duisburg where he was exposed to extremist religious indoctrination. He received training in jihad in Afghanistan, and returned there to fight with the mujahadeen against the Soviet-installed Afghan government. Which led to the installation of the Taliban. He planned to fight in Bosnia but decided to return to Germany, rather than face the "danger" in Bosnia.

Of the interesting information he divulged to American authorities was that al-Qaeda was able to invest in "unwitting companies" within Canada. Despite being a fount of useful information, he denies any direct involvement in terrorism. Another innocent man erroneously and grossly unfairly charged with crimes he did not commit. His forthcoming co-operation has been appreciated by the authorities, despite his denials of personal commitment.

Another of Canada's fine immigrants with citizenship potential.

Doing Jihad

That was some street party. It made a lot of people very happy. Almost five hundred, in fact. Who were most dissatisfied with the lodgings they were placed in that kept them too tied up to attend to the kind of dedicated and comprehensive activities they far preferred to be involved with. Little did they know that a little conspiracy was afoot, courtesy of government auspices and their happy-club, to free them from the inconvenience of bars and release them back to the activities they love best.

"The most astonishing thing" ,trumpeted the Taliban was that their carefully planned and executed route to the outside world for the politically-motivated inhabitants of Sarpoza prison in Kandahar City went serenely undetected for the many hours it took to void the cells of their prisoners. Astonishing too that the prison break-out might not have concluded so successfully had its planners-and-executors not been in possession of keys to the prison cells.

"They were just sleeping. They are always intoxicated, smoking heroin, smoking hashish, or sleeping", one of the escapees said dismissively of the prison guards who had no inkling, not the merest suspicion over the course of the night that anything amiss was occurring. The soundless and hushed exercise where Taliban members went about the political wing of the prison to awaken and hustle prisoners down into the escape tunnel escaped their notice.

These are the very guards who received careful and detailed training by experienced Canadian correctional services agents, to teach them the fine points of prisoners' rights, and the lawful and effective manner in which their profession should be practised. Correctional Services Canada had a number of officials regularly travel to Afghanistan to monitor the process.

Canada invested several millions in physical upgrades to the building.

And additional funding to the overhauling of the insecure and previously incompetent professionalism of Sarpoza's staff guards. This was seen as a huge improvement over the situation that prevailed a few years earlier when an earlier prison break-out occurred. Like everything else in Afghanistan, considering the corruption of the government, the national police and the armed forces, outside sources cannot compensate for a cultural lack of commitment.

The Taliban, determined to recover what they consider rightfully theirs by conquest, have not been idle in the face of NATO's recent successes. They planned well, but could not possibly have conducted the operation as successfully as they did without inside help. And despite the declarations of the Afghan government spokesman after the fact, there were obviously those in high places who were complicit.

How is it possible that over a period of five months' excavation work, the resulting tons of soil carted off in trucks and even on donkeys went unnoticed? A tunnel 320 metres long - a full kilometer - that went under a major highway and the outer prison wall, directly into the prison itself would result in an awful lot of excavated soil to be disposed of. And considering that the tunnel was 2 meters wide by 2.5 tall, even more so.

The start of the tunnel was inside a metal-making shop that came in handy to produce metal bars to bulwark the tunnel under the highway. That's a lot of heavy labour for a team of 18 men; and no one noticed...? The tunnel was ventilated with fans, electrified for light, and nothing irregular was noted? The tumult of almost five hundred men being suddenly notified that freedom was at hand, just fellow me - not heard, not seen, not spoken of.

And the deputy intelligence chief in Kandahar, who obviously has the title, but no inkling of what intelligence might actually consist of in its gathering potential and vital importance, moans that "this will have a negative effect on Kandahar's security situation." Yes, it most definitely will, given that some one hundred and more of the escapees represented high-value Taliban chiefs.

Abdul Wahab Salihi, the deputy intelligence chief in Kandahar may claim to be upset about the misfortune that has befallen the prison, but the escapees clearly are elated: "I have been doing jihad for 10 years. I will fight again, I will fight again."

Middle East Human Rights

Syrians are furious that their calls for human rights within their own country are being defied by their dictatorial government. More furious yet that government troops are opening fire on protesters. Funeral processions to mourn the death of civilians, of a child, fired upon with live bullets. More deaths, more funerals, more attacks.

President Bashar al-Assad is being informed by the international community that his handling of the situation defies human rights, that he is trampling on the aspirations of his people, that he is violating their rights. He has gone to great lengths to impress upon onlookers that what is occurring is the result of a foreign conspiracy, that it is 'gangs' and 'criminals' and jihadists who are defying his order.

Moammar Gadhafi has infuriated the West and his own Arab neighbours by dispatching his military to destroy the demonstrators and protesters who have assembled themselves into a righteous army determined to unseat him. They also represent 'gangs', 'criminals' and al-Qaeda in origin. And foreign interlopers; the Western crusaders are in league with them.

But for President al-Assad no such labelling as a human-rights violator, no threats of being hauled before the International Criminal Court, no concerted effort to assist the Syrians who scream their defiance of their dictator, shrieking that he should be turning his armed forces against the Golan-Heights-holding Zionists, not Syrians.

Syria, protector and patron of Hamas, whose leader lives in safety in Damascus, and the generously-supporting patron of Hezbollah, both of which terrorist groups are labelled as such by the West, appears to present as the known devil and conceivably tolerable. From the Arab League no condemnations, no intervention, no discussions similar to those taking place with Yemen.

Arab human rights groups, however, have an argument with the Arab League for their support of Syria's candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, set for a May vote. Egyptian, Bahraini, Algerian, Saudi, Yemeni, Syrian, Sudanese and Iraqi NGO groups claim the support of the Arab League "shows flagrant disregard for the feelings and rights of the Syrian people, who have broken the barrier of fear and risen up in revolt".

And so, what else is new? Libya too was on the UN's Human Rights Council. Iran has been lauded for its record on human rights through the Human Rights Council. Simply put, it's business as usual in the Middle East. And at the United Nations. That business represents utter failure in the areas of human rights and entitlements.

How Corrupt?

Is anyone naive enough to think that there was no government hand in the prison tunnel break-out in Kabul?

President Hamid Karzai is intent on eventually driving an existential, government-sharing bargain with the Taliban. He really does believe that he is capable of surviving any such agreement. It would represent an indication of his 'good-will' toward the Taliban were he to be known as having permitted political prisoners, Taliban, to negotiate their freedom.

That no one might have been alerted to the presence of the scheme, none of the details revealed and shared, the reconnaissance, the physical effort of burrowing under a major highway, with the escape of almost 500 prisoners, a time-consuming, all-night occurrence of amazing success. Initiated five months earlier, the lengthy passage was 360 meters in length.

No hint of activity ever noticed by prison guards, as construction of the tunnel was ongoing, even though it was dug beneath various police checkpoints. And right into a prison cell. With the knowledge, so the exultant Taliban claim, of only three inmates. The exfiltration of prisoners began at 11:00 p.m. and took all night.

The following morning, at 7:30 a.m. a member of the Kandahar Provincial Council, Haji Agha Lali Dastagiri, was fielding telephone calls about the prison break. When he sought further information, contacting high-placed government officials, they were completely unaware of what was occurring. They said.

“I would call this a shameful incident for the Afghan government,” says Ahmad Shah Khan Achakzai, a former member of parliament in Kandahar. “It is impossible for the Taliban to get 500 men out of prison without anyone’s help. I believe there are some people from the prison or the government who gave the Taliban support.… It’s now clear to everyone how corrupt the government is.”

The government of Canada spent $5-million a few years back, fortifying the prison. After another, earlier prison break-out of Taliban prisoners.

NATO plans to leave Afghanistan after having trained the national police and the Afghan military in the finer points of applying military expertise to defending the country against the Taliban, purportedly. Claiming that they will leave the situation of the country's security in good hands.

Reason, Logic, Humanity Denied

How do you make peace with a people whose instincts, culture and continual incitements lead to ongoing attacks against your existence? Those who see you not as like themselves and worthy of consideration as other human beings, but as impediments to their own aspirations and existence. The primeval gut instinct inbred in humans to distrust to the point of violent hatred those unlike themselves alive and well in the Middle East.

Where tribalism and sectarian religious strife among Arabs have always contributed to violence and unrest; from bellicose warning to vicious slaughter as clan and tribe and versions of religious adherence traditionally led disparate groups to war one upon the other. What brings the various Muslim states together is the presence of a non-Muslim state.

The single unifying principle that brings all the factions together in agreement is the presence of an historical group quite unlike their own with another religion entirely in the geography. Land held to be consecrated to Islam is not to be tolerated for use of others who worship another religion. Even if that other religion pre-dated Islam and the presence of the Palestinians.

And then the cries of Allahu Akbar! ring out. As occurred when a group of settlers set out to worship at Joseph's Tomb in the West Bank without first contacting the IDF to accompany them, pre-arranging with the PA military to allow Jews to access their holy site. The settlers, in a convoy of vehicles, sought to spontaneously, without notifying the IDF, pray at the tomb.

"When we got back to the vehicles the police shot at the vehicles, they were screaming 'Allahu Akbar'. It was crazy, they were shooting to kill. I screamed at the driver to drive out of there quickly. When we got to Har Bracha we attended to the wounded."

But there was one death, a 24-year-old settler, father of four young children. In the Middle East, one does not take precautions lightly, spontaneity can result in death. Enraged Palestinians then attacked the funeral procession of the young father, with rocks. And then Palestinians desecrated Joseph's Tomb, as they have done also in the past.

In an interview following the killing of the settler and the wounding of his companions, Palestinian Authority security forces' spokesman General Adnan Damiri, stated that Jewish settlers "are not normal people", and as a result there was no need to issue any kind of statement that might be taken as an apology for the attack.

How does one reason with such people?

Strong Stands Against Terrorism

Why would Canada's relationship with Colonel Moammar Gadhafi have been any different than that of Canada's allies? The Western world reacted in lock-step horror after the monumental disbelief that overtook everyone, witnessing by remote the unspeakable carnage and convulsive destruction that fanatical ideological religious hatred was capable of producing.

And when the Western world recognized through the conclusive evidence that soon followed that the incendiary hatred of jihadists through the efforts of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda was directed without equivocation at all vestiges of "Western imperialism" traditionally feasting off the natural resources of the Arabian Peninsula as violent jihad stated, they joined in a self-protective phalanx of security.

Muslim countries took notice, and some, like Libya, decided that it would volunteer to give up its nuclear program initiated courtesy of Pakistan's Q.Khan and offer to co-operate with the West since it too was struggling with the fanatical extremists in Libya motivated by political Islam, not matching the violent ideological "socialism" that Moammar Gadhafi espoused linked to his own resentment of the colonialist West.

So there we were, in the wake of full knowledge of Libya's former investment in funding, inciting and spreading violence against the West exemplified by the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 with the Canadian military, under the influence of Britain, France, Italy and the U.S., viewing Libya as a willing and helpful bulwark against al-Qaeda, a mutual enemy of Libya.

Much was forgiven Libya when Gadhafi agreed to pay restitution to the families of those who died in the Lockerbie bombing. France and England sold advanced weaponry to their new ally against Islamist extremism, and British special forces trained Libya's government troops. The irony cannot be lost on many that Gadhafi blamed al-Qaeda for the popular uprising in his country.

This time around, however, as a result of his tyrannical and brutal repression of a popular peoples' revolt, the tide has turned and the former allies have been busying themselves urging the the UN, NATO, the African Union and the Arab League join forces in the just support of the peoples' rebellion in Libya to enable human rights to prevail.

The jaunty self-assurance of the rebels insisted initially there was no need for foreign intervention on the ground though they would appreciate the courtesy of some assistance in detaining Libyan warplanes and helicopter gunships from decimating their numbers as they steadily advanced on Tripoli.

Canada's Department of National Defence, echoing the attitudes of other NATO member-countries, no longer views Gadhafi as a front-line defence against radical Islam. Canadian warplanes are flying missions over Libya along with a few other NATO member-nations, and Qatar. And the U.S. has added more accurate, low-flying unmanned drones to the armoury.

And, confoundingly to NATO and its members, al-Qaeda in eastern Libya, long viewed by Gadhafi as an Islamist stronghold, continues to provide the rebels with recruitment, training and other assistance in the battle against the government. While al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is taking the opportunity to take possession of surface-to-air missiles and other looted military equipment from government munition stores in rebel-controlled areas.

Which weaponry will most certainly continue to be trafficked out of Libya, taken to safe sites like Yemen and stockpiled for future use against the infidel crusaders who are even now occupying yet another Muslim country for their own nefarious needs.

This is an old story, seen countless times before, where merging, supporting then fractured alliances come back to haunt the West in its attempts to make common cause with the East.

Terror Honeypot

To the world of the West it is a romantic love story, a marriage of royalty, starring a successor to the British throne. Everyone is enthralled by the forthcoming marriage of Britain's Prince William as a charming knight, and Kate Middleton, as his future consort. Two handsome young people representing tradition and royal heritage.

The event of this century and the century is yet so young...

Westminster Abbey is prepared to host the grand event, celebratory bunting has been hung along the processional route, and excitement is in the air. Foreign heads of state, kings and queens, aristocrats and celebrities have been invited and all are a-twitter with the good feelings and excitement of the event.

Well, there are of course, some anti-monarchist republican-types who are less than thrilled and stating their objections to the celebration of nonentities tying the knot and making legal what they've long dipped into, no longer scandalous but representing the order of the day. Let's bypass them, for their time may yet come.

It is this other Britain, this Britain of immigrants from another world entirely, who live in ardent resentment of everything that Britain represents, yet take graspingly of social benefits they become entitled to like free council flats and generous financial state hand-outs rather than tediously scout out work opportunities.

But because they become citizens and are thus entitled to voice themselves and express their disgust with the country they have planned their own celebrations. To that end, Muslims Against Crusades plan a demonstration on that very day:

"We find that one of the biggest advocates of British imperialism, Flight Lieutenant Prince William, wishes to enjoy an extravagant wedding ceremony, ironically at the expense of the taxpayer", their website advises.

"In light of this, sincere Muslims have decided to organize a forceful demonstration, to once again highlight that as long as Britain continues in its quest to occupy Muslim land and wage war against the religion of God (Allah) that we too shall continue in our efforts to undermine their regime and condemn all of their representatives, military or otherwise.

"We strongly advise Prince William and his Nazi sympathizer, to withdraw from the crusader British military and give up all affiliation to the tyrannical British Empire. We promise that should they refuse, then the day which the nation has been dreaming of for so long will become a nightmare."

A corresponding demonstration has been planned by the English Defence League, an anti-Islamist group. Who dedicate themselves to upholding and supporting British tradition, and strenuously oppose the Islamists who during Armistice Day burned poppies and shouted "British soldiers burn in hell".

This is all rather complicated, made even more so by the fact that British security informs police that there is a high threat level of "severe", represented by the potential of terrorist attacks during this most auspicious celebratory time for Britain's royal watchers. And demonstrations by anarchists are also in the picture.

This event portends an exciting time indeed, to be had by all.

In For a Penny, In For a Pound

Britain is weighing the potential of sending British military officers to aid Libyan rebels. No, this is not quite what the UN's no-fly resolution outlined, this is an additional initiative. Because, as it happens, the 'no-fly' mission has not succeeded as it was meant to do, in dislodging Moammar Gadhafi from power, though the UN resolution did not envision that, either.

"There is going to be no ground invasion of Libya", however, British Foreign Secretary William Hague assured his critics. Like Russia, most heartrily disgruntled over this new turn of events. This unauthorized extension and flagrantly illegal enlargement of the UN-mandated, NATO mission. Not to be concerned, Britain says, a mere ten senior officers to be sent to Benghazi to help form a useful fighting force.

For there has been no discernible progress whatever by the rebels. And government forces are battering Misurata, shelling the population, using cluster bombs, so the hospitals there already facing shortages of medicines and supplies are desperately digging shrapnel out of the bodies of children and women; those who have survived those attacks and the sharp eyes of snipers' fire.

And how can civilized countries look on and not be moved by the plight of the Libyan rebels? They are, after all, only claiming what is rightfully theirs, the human right to live as free and proud peoples, not subjugated to the vagaries of a despot's intentions for their wherewithal? They want liberty, they want to be able to live in freedom.

"Before we were asking for no foreign interference, but that was before Gadhafi used Grad rockets and planes. Now it's a life or death situation", explained one rebel leader. Harking back to that time not so very long ago when the rebels were joyously celebrating their quick advances, contemplating marching on to Tripoli and unseating Gadhafi. When they insisted they wanted no foreign troops among them for this was their home-made rebellion.

"We did not accept any foreign soldiers in our country, but now, as we face these crimes of Gadhafi, we are asking on the basis of humanitarian and Islamic principles for someone to come and stop the killing", explained the senior member of Misurata's governing council.

The West has its ears cocked, it is listening. Amazing that the Islamic principles of which he speaks causes no helpful, compassionate, useful response from Arab and Muslim neighbours.

"What the no-fly zone has effectively become is the air force of the rebels", an unhappy Conservative Party British parliamentarian observed, as his country prepares to invest more deeply in the humanitarian and Islamic principles mission.

Where the Islamic principles enter the situation is the presence of al-Qaeda and fundamentalist Islamists fighting with the insurgents and awaiting the rebellion's conclusion.

Reforming The Taliban

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai loves all his people. His people also comprise the Taliban. They have no love for him.

But President Karzai is well aware that time is running down where he can depend on the international community to sacrifice its military on behalf of his government. Training of the national police and the Afghanistan military by foreign military associated with NATO and the UN ISAF mission is ongoing and it is hoped that Afghans will finally be able to cope on their own in controlling violent jihadists among them.

The Taliban believe otherwise. They have nothing but contempt for Karzai, his corrupt instruments of administration, and his police and his military. Covertly they have proven themselves quite capable of infiltrating both the military and the police. In uniform as trainees or as simple impostors they have continued their jihadist agenda of wreaking vengeance against foreign interlopers, with Afghans in uniform turning against their foreign trainers.

Three police chiefs have been assassinated thus far, in Kandahar, along with a governor of the province in Kunduz - and police stations are continually being assaulted, new recruits slaughtered. Some of these attacks are not successful, many more are; some are "martyrdom" attacks, and with some the attackers successfully escape to go on to other exploits as Talib faithful.

The Taliban show no mercy, quite capable of the task they have set themselves, attacking and murdering villagers whom they suspect of working with foreign forces, laying traps for foreign forces through the expert manufacture and placing of improvised explosive devices, and withdrawing over the border to sanctuary within the mountainous badlands of Pakistan to regroup and spend the winter before beginning spring assaults.

When they lose members there are always more, eager new recruits to take their place, to be trained and energized in the struggle of the mujahadeen against the foreign elements who have once again invaded their country. A Taliban by the name of Toor Jan was recently interviewed for the National Post by Brian Hutchinson, in Kandahar City.

This commander of the Taliban troops decided he would take advantage of President Karzai's appeal to the militantly violent 'scholars' that if they abandoned their war with Afghanistan they would be welcomed back to normal society, given good employment and protection, cars and housing. Jan was actively involved manufacturing and setting IEDs at a time that Canadian forces were installed in Kandahar. During the 7 years he fought there, 126 Canadian soldiers died.

"We seized opportunities. Sometimes we ambushed. We would sit in a trench, waiting for the foreigners to approach, and then attack. Then we would run away fast, so they had no chance to counterattack. Sometimes we succeeded, sometimes we failed. But the IEDs were fantastic. We would plant them in areas where we knew the foreign troops were coming, and when they came we would just blow them up. From Iran we received RPGs and machine guns."

He described also how he and his men had no compunction about beheading 26 Afghan civilians in a small village. Encouraging them through fear and lies to join them, or at least not to betray their activities to the foreign soldiers. "We told them the foreigners were destroying their houses, their fields, their orchards, and killing their children. That is why the people became angry against them. They became violent against them."

That made recruitment among the villagers far easier. "We had 60 groups of Taliban fighters in Panjwaii. Each group had five to ten Talibs, and they were spread around the district. When we lost someone more fighters would arrive to take their place." He was himself so successful at what he did, he was given the post of district commander.

Finally he decided that the ongoing slaughter on both sides accomplished nothing at all for Afghans and Afghanistan. "The benefits only go to neighbouring countries. The sufferers and the casualties are Afghans. So I decided to switch sides. I heard about this reconciliation process. The government claimed that anyone who comes forward will be saved and can live in Afghanistan in peace."

Although he took part in the interview, and he was candidly clear about what he had done, with no apologies, no hesitation about revealing the atrocities he was involved with, he clearly felt he had nothing to apologize for, even while speaking to a representative of a foreign country, many of whose soldiers he had personally gone out of his way to kill.

But he was clearly less than satisfied with the bargain he had made with the government of Afghanistan. He was under Taliban threat, and had no bodyguards. ISAF had arrested one of his men who had surrendered with him, and his brother remains imprisoned. These are the factions of a country that is expecting that reconciliation will finalize a peace.

Palestinian State Solution

Now, that is a dilemma. One that has been used as a threat, and now finally as an entitlement whose time has come. Or so its supporters claim.

The United Nations report Palestinian State-building: A Decisive Period is both congratulatory to the Palestinian Authority and to the United Nations itself which has helped guide the PA through a process of infrastructure-building. There has been another notable area of assistance which has helped guide the PA in the West Bank to realize prosperity and that is Israel.

On the theory that a budding and healthy economy with employment for a population eager to have a state of their own would leave them less inclined to restiveness at their unsolved condition as 'refugees' on their own land, and less willing to express violent tendencies toward a neighbour whom they see as an 'occupier', it has always been in everyone's best interests to guide the Palestinians toward nationhood.

When an agreement was made between the State of Israel and Fatah led by Yasser Arafat, with the creation of the Palestinian Authority and co-operation between Israel and the PA initiated, Arafat chose instead to declare an Intifada. The PA has since seen fit to incur a few other such sanctioned violent clashes with Israel, abrogating the mentor-client relationship, and expressing themselves through victimhood and hate-filled violence instead.

Having turned away from one opportunity after another to wrest a peace agreement out of hostile resentment and ongoing violence, the PA finally decided on two significant changes; an overt dismissal of violence even while covertly encouraging it among the population, and a refusal to continue peace talks with Israel. The international community has witnessed the PA speaking of peace, and Israel has heard the PA speaking martyrdom to its people.

Now, however, with a healthy economy and the infrastructure for a functioning state government at hand due to some needed internal discipline and a lot of help from the international community and its neighbour, the PA declares itself prepared for statehood. One it plans to achieve with the agreement of the General Assembly of the United Nations - 100 nations have already signed on - and without bothering to work out a peace agreement with Israel.

The Palestinians refuse to budge on their outright demands for 'right of return', division of Jerusalem and state borders, even though they are aware that it is entirely practicable and feasible to debate the borders, accept the return of Palestinians within a new Palestinian state and not Israel, and discuss side-by-side seats-of-government in Jerusalem; not necessarily that portion they envisage.

There would be no guarantees that any body, international or within the Middle East, could proffer to Israel that might guarantee its safety and security with the unilateral creation of a Palestinian State. The issue of a half-million Israelis living within the 'new borders' of a Palestinian state requiring the protection of the IDF from violent assaults by Palestinians would create a dilemma of huge proportions.

The two states existing side by side would create for Israel an even greater existential threat than currently presents if, having achieved statehood, the West Bank Authority continued to exhort its people to martyrdom, while the Gaza-Hamas faction stepped up its attacks against Israel. The resulting scenario would resemble a scene straight out of hell.

Unless that is precisely what the international community along with the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, and onlooking Arab states have in mind, to begin with.

Once Again, Into The Maelstrom

Escaping battle and improvised explosive devices in Kandahar, which has already killed 155 Canadian soldiers, a Canadian news reporter and a diplomat, the Canadian military is preparing to send into the relatively safer precincts of Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif a select group of Canadian soldiers to train Afghanistan soldiers in the finer points of Western-style battle techniques.

In the treacherous atmosphere of a country riven by tribal antipathies, sectarian violence and the Islamist political ideologies of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, regrouping and gaining strength even as the clock ticks down to NATO member-countries planning to send their troops back home, the plan is to ensure that the Afghan police and Afghanistan's military become capable of defending their own.

Language difficulties, endemic corruption, security breached by suicide bombers, illiteracy - all conspire to make the job very difficult indeed. But NATO requires military trainers around that large geography bordering on Pakistan - where in the lawless tribal mountainous areas both the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban have safe haven - be available to teach military techniques of prime value to Afghan recruits.

There, where the foreign military trainers are stationed in various provinces of Afghanistan, the areas are more secure, less likely to be hosting IEDs. Rather, there is the potential of infiltration among the recruits by Taliban and al-Qaeda, posing as military recruits, and mounting attacks on their trainers when situations permit.

Risks are reduced considerably in the new initiatives to train before departing. But no military personnel sent out to do their duty on behalf of NATO can be entirely assured that they are in safe territory in Afghanistan. Any time a crazed or blistering angry Christian decides to burn a Koran in emulation of Muslims trashing and burning churches, the local populace feels entitled to rampage and target Western Christians for abusing Islam.

That aside, it is the Afghan soldiers on their own recognizance, or those mujahadeen posing as Afghan soldiers, deciding to obey their Islamist-jihad conscience rather than their Muslim leaders' dictates, deciding to kill foreigners, including those humanitarians working out of United Nations posts, the Canadian military has got to be aware of.

Less Super Power?

There has long been universal agreement that the United States of America is the last one standing in the ring of global power as the single remaining global powerhouse. The Cold War lapsed into history leaving the Soviet Union dissolved and one super power only. Cause for celebration since the United States is and always has been, despite its blighted errors, been on the side of the angels.

That would be the angels of Freedom and Human Rights and Justice.

While there may be many other countries and nations whose track record and whose support of those inalienable virtues in a restive and volatile world are undeniable, they lack the military, social, political and diplomatic clout that the United States has honed over the years.

China and India have larger populations by far, but they haven't the additional indispensable ingredients: advanced technologies, an omnivorous economy, diplomatic outreach, political stability, an large and educated population and historical antecedents.

Most other advanced countries of the world are endowed with some, if not many of the requisite virtues, social-political traits, stability and financial clout, but they are runners-up to the throne that the U.S. occupies.

China, India, Brazil and Russia may continue to grow their bona fides and their entitlements and no one can read the future, but there is no real reason to believe that the U.S. is really when all is said and experienced, prepared to surrender itself to second-string status.

France has demonstrated a newly-realized aptitude to take the place of the United States in initiating military solutions to seemingly intractable political-social situations abroad, as has done Britain, and to a lesser, more restrained degree, Germany. They all have rather insalubrious past histories demonstrative of a serious fall from grace.

Japan too abandoned its reach toward a world power status and became instead an economic power.

The ebb and flow of history, the interconnectedness of world powers, of politics and finances with global corporate interests have resulted in a softening of former antipathies and a general consensus toward social and political union.

And up the centre aisle has marched the backwater nations of the Muslim world; Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, led by the Arab nations and taunted by Iran.

The coalition of disaster-nations like North Korea, Burma, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan in destabilizing the world order and the orderly world that would prefer to live and let live, innovate and entrench, enjoy resource and build financial empires march us toward future uncertainty.

The pretenders to the throne of super-powerdom will remain pretenders - or willing assistants.

In the final analysis it seems clear that the United States, once again institutionally allergic to global power, and prepared to sit back and allow working coalitions to lead, will be given little choice but to take up the reins and direction of the world order.

It will become, increasingly, an imperative its leaders may not be capable of avoiding.

Tinder Box

From Tunisia to Bahrain, Libya to Syria, Egypt to Yemen, the ferment and turmoil in the Middle East is either heartening or frightening, depending on one's perspective. All the problems that Algeria, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and Iran are facing with their exploited populations finally raising their voices to demand their due as entitled citizens has certainly caused the world to sit up and take notice.

And, in the singular case of Libya, the West has once again come to the aid of an embattled Muslim population, to save it this time from their own. Of course, the Arab world is in there too, engaged along with NATO; Dubai and United Arab Emirates have flown a few sorties in the 'no-fly' UN-mandated interruption in Moammar Gadhafi's volatile and deadly response to his regime's opponents.

Syria is pounding the hell, if not the life, out of those of its population, like the citizen-denied Kurds who have the effrontery to defy the Baathist al-Assad dynasty. Just as Col. Gadhafi confides to the world at large that it is al-Qaeda that is responsible for the drug-addled young men who have attacked his cities, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad informs the world that the incitement to riot in his country emanates from the State of Israel.

Egyptians are newly surprised that the country's military which calmly and sternly took over from the protesters in Tahrir Square are not hastening the country into democracy. President Hosni Mubarak may be absent from the seat of power, but the power behind his throne is not. A blogger who dared to "insult the military" is now imprisoned, while human rights advocates claim countless people have been arrested and tried before military courts since the uprising.

Those who celebrated their triumph as successful protesters in Tahrir Square are now among many held in detention and subjected to torture, with virginity tests for female activists. The once-hated police who maintained order in the streets and neighbourhoods of Cairo are nowhere to be seen, but domestic crime is everywhere, untrammelled and threatening civic chaos.

"The revolution has so far managed to get rid of the dictator, but the dictatorship still exists", wrote the blogger for whom his posting may cost him three years of his life in prison should his secret trial unfold as it will. Perhaps the problem simply is that the military acts as an unguided missile and does not quite know how to react, and where to turn for guidance itself.

And a conflicted Hamas, torn between its political and its military wings, sues for a resumption of a cease-fire with Israel, while continuing to lob off rockets and anti-tank missiles across from Gaza into Israel. Israel, responding as she always does to ensure that the jihadists know of a certainty, that if they attack Israel, Israel attacks back. Hamas fighters, working out of the close confines of crowded Palestinian areas, deliberately invite responses from the IDF.

So that, when Palestinian Gazan civilians are wounded or killed - better yet, if there are children harmed or killed - Hamas can shout to the world at large - "see our oppressors, the killers of women and children - do something!" While firing off dozens of mortar rounds and rockets into southern Israel.

"The IDF regrets that the Hamas terrorist organization chooses to operate from within its civilian population, using it as a 'human shield'", explains a statement from the Israel Defence Forces, issuing its regret that "uninvolved civilians have apparently been injured", but the damage has been done. The only other option is to do what no country will agree to: stand by and allow itself and its population to be attacked.

It has proven to be a highly successful manoeuvre; for armed terror groups to fire off missiles from within crowded human settlements, inviting return fire that will most certainly impact on civilians. It is a ploy that was used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, and will doubtless be used again. And it is one used now by Libyan forces in Misurata and elsewhere in that embattled country, where NATO is now faced with the same kind of dilemmas that Israel is concerned with.

Human shields in military conflict appears to be a favourite choice for Arab terrorists. They can point to the dead civilians whom they claim to be protecting, and lament that the enemy, a state actor, has no respect for human life. In this part of the world where deadly animus against one's enemy, be it tribal, sectarian, ethnic or political, any morally primitive actions are considered fair game.

Risk for Flight?

Evidently there are no concerns in that area. Otherwise why consider bail for three men whom the RCMP closely watched for a year before finally moving in to make an arrest, even though it was believed that the men - along with their three out-of-country foreign accomplices were not yet close to acting on their "terrorist activity" plans.

That presumed - presumably on the authority of evidence gathered to that point in August of 2010 - "terrorist activity" was planned, it would appear, to take place in Canada, Iran, Afghanistan, Dubai and Pakistan. The peculiar stand-out in the geographies mentioned is Iran, but then details have not been released to the public.

The ringleader of the jihadist group, Hiva Alizadeh, remains in custody, not yet having applied for bail. Which his two helpmates in jihad did with great speed, directly after their arrest. Misbahuddin Ahmed, 26, who enjoyed trusted employment as an Ottawa X-ray technologist, and Khurram Syed Sher, 28, a London, Ontario doctor, wasted no time in accessing their freedom.

Seven months later, Hiva Alizadeh, the purported ringleader in whose apartment police found and took possession of some 60 circuit boards presumably to remotely aid in the activation of bomb detonators in the manufacture of explosives - for which criminal offence he and Ahmed were charged, remains incarcerated.

The plot they were engaged in, after all, included plans to bomb Ottawa. Along with plans to finance the purchase of weapons to be used by the mujaheddin otherwise known as the Taliban and their al-Qaeda cohorts, to battle Canadian and coalition troops in Afghanistan.

A rather peculiar and wayward occupation for Canadians to be involved in; conspiring and plotting to bomb the seat of government of a country of which they are citizens, and to engage in conflict with Canadian military personnel stationed in a Muslim country in the defence of its jihad-embattled Muslim population.

Evidence presented at the bail hearings for Ahmed and Sher is under a publication ban. Leaving ample room for speculation. Despite which, how is it seen to be even remotely feasible that three Canadian citizens engaged in plots to commit terrorist acts within Canada and with their foreign contacts aid in attacks abroad, are considered eligible to remain at loose in society, even with strict conditions?

The country we live in and of which we are so very fond and toward which security is uppermost in most minds, is obviously not recognized as a sterling place in which to live by these three and others of their kind recruited into violent jihad, whose aims to punish the country, its government, its institutions and its population, present a dire threat to our security.

It remains a mystery to the enquiring public mind how the justice system can regard violence-prone fanatical ideologues leaning heavily on traditions within Islam for their motivation can be seen as worthy of consideration of permission to be free under conditions however strict they may be, rather than maintained firmly incarcerated until such time as a trial reveals the details leading either to their conviction or of their release as innocent of the charges brought against them.