Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog

Pilot Moaz al – Kasasbeh seconds before being burnt alive

The release of a shocking 22 minute video from Islamic State, Al Furqan Media showing captured Jordanian pilot Moath al- Kasasbeh being burnt alive outdid the previous decapitation videos in terms of horror. It is only days since the release of an IS video featuring the decapitation of another hostage Japanese journalist Kenji Goto after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe failed to pay a ransom, see following link,

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/video-released-by-is-appearing-to-show-kenji-goto-beheaded/

Journalist Rob Crilly of the Telegraph summed it up tweeting, “ISIS knows Western news values. Jordanian pilot beheaded wouldn’t get so many headlines and tweets as Jordanian pilot burned to death.”

Sajida al Rashawi, Jordanian prisoner, attempts to free her failed (image Independent)

Al- Kasasbeh (26) was on a mission against IS when his plane came down near Raqqa, Syria in December 2014 resulting in his capture by members of the group. Attempts had been made by the government of Jordan to secure the pilot’s release agreeing to free an Iraqi woman Sajida al Rashawi who was implicated in a hotel bombing in Amman, Jordan, though she failed to detonate her explosives. Officials wanted proof al- Kasasbeh was still alive however Jordanian state TV said he was believed to have been killed about a month ago so the deal could not go ahead.

According to the International New York Times Al-Kasasbeh who has is married had intended to go to medical school in Russia but instead “saw a notice in a Jordanian newspaper inviting candidates to see if they qualified for the air force, and, on a lark, Lieutenant Kasasbeh applied for what would be a prestigious position.”

The IS video in Arabic, an astonishing example of the “theatre of terrorism” is entitled, ‘Healing the Believers’ Chests’ looks very professional and is filmed to a high standard. The video illustrates Jordan’s role attacking Syria and shows graphics of what appear to be sorties by F16 and F15 fighter jets over Syria and makes references to GBU lazer guided bombs as al Kasasbeh delivers a commentary. He appears to have bruising under his left eye and left side of his neck. The flag of the US and of coalition forces (referred to as the crusader coalition) appear on the screen. A number of airbases are also shown. There are graphics of aerial snipers, drones, satellites and spies as well as references to Israel, Gaza and Masjid al Aqsa. There is also footage of bombings of urban areas, a burning bus and a crying baby receiving medical treatment. Targets are shown from the pilot’s viewpoint as he/she releases missiles. There are a number of images of badly burnt children which get worse as the shots progress.

 Al Kasasbeh  walking to his death

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, al- Kasasbeh is then seen walking through rubble past a row of armed men faces covered, wearing desert camouflage outfits. This is interspersed with footage of people that appear to have been buried by masonry after bombing. He looks around seeming bewildered, as if trying to take in what is happening and what might be his fate. The camera uses different angles to convey the scene as if viewing from the eyes of the prisoner.

The next shot shows al- Kasasbeh standing in a cage head down, his jumpsuit is wet appearing to be doused in a liquid. The camera moves to a unlit torch… after slow panning, there is a series of very quick shots (blink and you miss) as if al- Kasasbeh is suddenly aware of his fate and momentarily grabbing the bars. The long torch is lit by “Emir Ahmed” igniting a trail to the cage. There is the sound of religious nasheed (chanting). The prisoner is seen to raise his hands perhaps to pray as he is engulfed in flames. Al- Kasasbeh leaps around in agony trying to shield himself from a ferocious fire. His body bounces off the bars until overcome he falls to his knees, blackened and face dripping like wax. Finally he falls over backwards and rocks are poured on to the cage while he remains inside. The cage is then bulldosed. The closing shot of this part of the video is a burnt hand just visible between the rocks.

Following footage of al- Kasasbeh’s horrific death, photos of the ID’s of 12 more “crusader” pilots are shown with the sign “wanted dead” and reference to their addresses with the following statement,

IS appears to have copied the drone operators and F16 and F15 pilots in their actions, those that used the might of their machines on civilians to incinerate them in Iraq and Syria. Human rights activists are sadly only too familiar with seeing footage of babies blackened and smouldering with heads several feet away from tiny bodies.

While there was fierce religious debates on social media over Islamic rulings, the simple fact is western governments have burnt many civilians alive which is evident in videos sent from conflict zones to campaigners on a daily basis. Incredibly, many in the west seem to think incinerating people and decapitating children is acceptable as long as it is done by governments.

Professor Fouzi Slisli, Minnesota, who is often seen in the media commenting on Middle-East affairs stated, “Assad burns people too on an industrial scale but no one cares. The world is only outraged when ISIS kills or burns an individual…”

Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg tweeted, “I understand bombing sorties by necessity incinerate and decimate but burning a prisoner alive and claiming its Islamic is an unprecedented low.”

There was huge anger and condemnation of the actions of IS from Mamdouh al-Ameri, spokesman for the Jordanian armed forces, who was quoted in the Daily Mail as saying, ‘while the military forces mourn the martyr, they emphasize his blood will not be shed in vain. The revenge will be as big as the calamity that has hit Jordan.” The family of the pilot have now been informed of his death. A announcement came soon after that Jordan will execute Sajida Al Rishawi on Wednesday, 6 more prisoners linked to IS are to follow. There were protests on the streets with opinions split between wanting revenge against IS and not wanting to be involved in a Coalition which could have more devastating consequences.

President Barack Obama stated that the video was “just one more indication of the viciousness and barbarity of this organisation.” Perhaps Obama should be reminded that the US napalmed huge swathes of the Vietnamese countryside incinerating all in its path. Who could forget the disturbing image of a naked child running along a road which shocked America, clothes burnt off her back. Obama also gives financial support to Israel which has caused terrible injuries to children in its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

“Napalm girl”  9-year-old Kim Phuc, Vietnam, 1972 (image, Huynh Cong Ut)

Palestinian Younas Arar, wrote on Facebook,

“Whats terrorism?????????????
Can anyone tell me whats the difference between Da’esh (ISIS) who burned to death the Jordanian pilot Kasasbah and the Zionist occupation colonists who burned to death the 15 years old Palestinian Mohamad Abu Khdair last year and / or the Zionist occupation forces who bombed (burned) last summer Palestinian residential areas in Gaza and killed 2200 citizens including 530 children in 51 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, 4 February 2015.
The first pic taken in Gaza last summer, the second two pics of the Jordanian pilot yesterday.” (see below)

US supplies material support to Israel, horrific injuries to a baby in Gaza (image via Younas Arrar)

Moath al- Kasasbeh burnt alive

As another Facebook user (name withheld) said,

“If you think that ISIS burning a man alive and burying him is evil…cast your mind back over the last 10 years of Israeli offensive of Gaza or perhaps the genocide of Iraq at the hands of the US et al.

Was there any recuperative holiday abroad for Zubana (15) suffering severe burns after her home was destroyed during military operations on Mir Ali?

Not all trauma survivors are treated equally

Survivors of great trauma whether from nature or man-made, accidental or deliberate acts of violence often experience a response directly correlated to level of media exposure. For example the Tehreek – e- Taliban (TTP) attack on Peshawar Army School (PAS) which left over 140 dead was very high profile in the news and generated thousands of stories around the world, appearing as “major news” headlines, given extended air-time and generating lengthy debates. The incident also occurred in an urban area so was easily accessible to journalists who were given swift access to the school building to record the aftermath. As DAWN media reports, “the carnage horrified the world and left many survivors badly traumatised”. This generated a massive wave of public sympathy as millions learned of the plight of these schoolchildren and their families.

Now DAWN media is reporting that “10 students and two teachers who escaped the bloodshed have been sent on a 10-day trip to help them recover”. More are to follow to visit other countries. Such initiatives can be very therapeutic as was seen when the children of Belarus, survivors of Chernobyl nuclear disaster visited the UK to stay with families on “recuperative holidays” in an unpolluted and peaceful environment. See following statement from a website dedicated to helping victims,

“holidays abroad are vital for their children, particularly in their teens, when many fall ill for a second or third time, and the death rate is very high.

The project also includes groups of very young children who come for a holiday with their mothers.

Other children may come from some of the most contaminated parts of the country. There are still many children living in tiny rural villages, sometimes just a few miles from the Chernobyl plant. These children may not be ill yet, but their future is bleak if they continue to live in such a radioactive environment.”

http://www.chernobyl-children.org.uk/what-we-do/recuperative-holidays

The problem lies not in such projects themselves which are greatly beneficial and welcomed by many… but in the selective nature of who is chosen to participate. For example there are many youth that originate from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan (FATA) that we barely hear about due to restrictions on reporting. These youngsters have been highly traumatised just like the youth of Peshawar. They have been subjected to US drone strikes, seen family members incinerated, blown apart, suffered under aerial bombardment and shelling due to fighting between army and insurgents and displaced from their homes losing everything.

Let us not forget 15 year old Zubana who was described by her mother as looking like a piece of “burned coal” when she was rescued from the rubble of their home in Khaisoor Zar, south of Mir Ali town following an army assault. The New York Times (assisted by stringers, local journalists taking risks to reach her) reported that Zubana “moaned from pain” as she spoke. She said,

“I was preparing lunch for my husband when there was an explosion, and the room went on fire,” said Zubana, who has just one name. “I don’t know what happened after that. My mother says our house was destroyed. I wish I had died.”

What schemes outside the country are available for these youngsters who suffer both physical injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to recuperate and temporarily escape the distress of lives greatly disturbed as a result of the long and ongoing War on Terror?

The only trips abroad I have seen were one or two nominated children such as Nabila and Zubair and their father Rafiq ur Rehman, (helped by their lawyers and activists abroad) who went to the US not as a holiday but to face their tormentors at Congress and give evidence on alleged human rights abuses in the form of drone strikes. The children suffered serious injuries and lost their grandmother Momina Bibi during the drone attack. They are the exceptions whose cases we know about…. but are they remembered? As British Pakistani human rights activist stated,

“the grand-daughter of Momina Bibi still awaits justice and peace. She probably relives that horrific day in her life every time a drone is piloted over her village or country. She must live in constant fear knowing that she could be next, that she could be another statistic, a name only remembered by looking at her tombstone and forgotten by the world.”

Adnan Rasheed talks on forgotten victims and double standards

Adnan Rasheed responding to accusations in a recently released Defence.pk video (image Umar media) 

One of those highlighting the double standards regarding victims of trauma is Senior Taliban Commander (TTP) Adnan Rasheed who is according to most media “dead”. Rasheed (a former Pakistan Air Force junior technician) was on death row implicated in a 2003 assassination attempt on General Pervez Musharraf until freed from Bannu prison in a jailbreak by Taliban militants in 2012. Although a member of TTP he has not been named in First Incident Reports (FIRs) as implicated in the Peshawar school attack. He has now surfaced again, this time interviewed on the 26th January 2015 in the second of two recently released videos. During the 31 minute video from Umar Media (TTP) he discusses the hypocrisy of Pakistan’s military towards some civilians and in creating and responding to victims of trauma. The issue crops up when Rasheed replies to the following question from the interviewer, “why is it so that the army is continuously spreading lies against you and TTP?”

This is his response,

“This is just like when a “lota” (which has 2 holes) is criticized by “Kooza” (which has multiple holes) that the former has two holes in it. Army before criticizing and spreading lies forgets about its own atrocities.

Have they forgotten the Kharotabad, Quetta incident when their Colonel Killed the foreigner pregnant woman despite her repeated attempts to convey to them that she is Muslim. Have they forgotten the Bajaur Madrassah bombing where small children were killed. They aged from 8 to 13. They were teenagers and were non-adults as per their own law.

Have they forgotten about the Swat killings, on which the military also started an inquiry which is still going on with no results made public, where it is clearly evident in a video that Army personnel are killing young boys. One captain comes and asks the boys to recite kalimah and then orders to shoot them by using G 3 rifles. It is clearly evident that this act was committed by Pakistani soldiers.

They have forgotten Lal Masjid massacre, then the bombings in Tirah and other tribal belt valleys. And these drones, all the intelligence is provided by the Pakistani army. We have captured their agents with SIMs that help the drones. Almost 350 children have been killed in bombings by drones, so are not they responsible for all this?

Last year on the night of 19 and 20th January a jet bombed our home but Alhamdulillah I remained well except for my wife who sustained some injuries from falling bricks. We were living in a compound in which a Mahsud ansar family was residing in the adjoining structure. The first bombs fell on their place and the inhabitants were martyred. Then we pulled out their bodies from the rubble and found that those killed included a 4 year girl named Mariam, she used to play with my daughter in our home. And there was her mother Ayesha aged 24 and then there was their grandmother which was our grandmother too, she used to come to our house and we would help her a lot, she also got martyred. Then there was a boy who was a teenager as per their international law, his age was 17, he also got martyred. Then there was a little boy named Shahzeb and his sister who got injured. One lost a leg and the other one the chest bones.

The media propagated that the army has killed Adnan Rasheed along with his wife and daughter. No one raised any hue and cry that why has the family of Adnan Rasheed been targeted. All these political analysts remained silent on this issue. Which shariah did they follow by killing all the aforementioned children and women including the old woman. The young children who have become crippled for the rest of their lives, who is responsible for that? Which shariah allows this? No one asked this. No one cares for these people.”

Second class citizens become radicalized youth

Many children have lost family, homes and now their education (image from FB page, Help the IDPs of FATA)

We also hear from DAWN that “parents of children killed in the (Peshawar) attack would be sent on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia — home to some of Islam’s most holy sites — in the coming days.”

I wonder how the thousands of adult and child Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from FATA would feel on hearing this, struggling in camps having lost family members, homes and lifestock and expected to sacrifice everything for the good of the country. They are emotionally blackmailed under the flag of “nationalism” yet treated as second class citizens. Not only do these people now have to struggle for the bare essentials in life to maintain a basic existence but the government completely failed to protect many from US drone strikes in their home area and bombing from their own armed forced.

Such hypocrisy regarding how survivors of trauma are treated only serves to highlight the gross double standards that build resentment and are likely to contribute to creating the next generation of radicalized youth. Educational facilities for IDPs are limited, many children can no longer go to school. Uzair M Younas raises concerns on radicalization in Foreign Policy (Jan 16th 2015) stating,

“since Pakistan has failed to effectively manage the relief and rehabilitation of affected populations, extremist outfits have started providing relief work to the IDPs. Over time, this trend will allow radical outfits to recruit IDPs; further complicating and elongating a conflict that has raged for over a decade. Viewed with suspicion and fear by people in urban parts of the country, there is a deep sense of marginalization among IDPs. If left unchecked, this emotion could quickly turn into anger and have serious repercussions for the country.”

It is no wonder that IDP camps full of disillusioned youngsters with nothing left to lose and little to look forward to are seen are lucrative recruiting grounds for insurgents, (this was seen in Gaza also). The jihadists provide brotherhood, a perception of caring, structure and a chance to hit back at those who appear not to care and are seen to have destroyed their lives… like it or not the truth must be faced, that is often the stark reality!

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Campaigners in Kashmir on International Day of the Disappeared

The following post which I have just discovered is provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society and gives an indication of the state of human rights in J and K historically and up to 2015. It provides some useful statistics to indicate the level of abuse and violations of law.

State of Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir

25th anniversary of Gaw Kadal massacre and 25 years of widespread violence and impunity

Press Release
21st January 2015

The 25th anniversary of the Gaw Kadal massacre of around 50 civilians by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police is also the anniversary of the renewed beginning of the mass uprising of the Kashmiri right to self-determination movement. The journey of these 25 years of resistance also witnessed widespread and systematic use of violence by India. The Gaw Kadal anniversary therefore serves as an important moment to account for State violence and impunity.

Besides Gaw Kadal massacre, people of Jammu and Kashmir have borne the brunt of massacres like Handwara, Kupwara, Alamgiri Bazar, Zakura, Khanyar, Sopore, Bijbehara, Wandhama, Chittisingpora, Nadimarg, Kulhand and many more. In addition, mass crimes, such as Kunan Poshpora where civilians faced rape and torture, have also taken place in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the scale of violence, there have been no judicial proceedings against any of the perpetrators. Investigations have rarely been carried out, and there have been no prosecutions against the armed forces. Despite approaching the courts, cases such as Sopore and Kunan Poshpora have not been fairly and properly investigated to date.

Almost all the communities of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered in one way or the other. List of the sufferings and the tribulations witnessed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir are long, painful and still unabated.

In last 25 years:

• More than 70,000 people have been killed, (majority of whom are of Muslim descent)
• More than 8,000 people have been subjected to enforced disappearances,
• More than 7,000 unidentified persons have been buried in unmarked graves and mass graves
• More than 7,000 cases of sexualized and gendered violence took place
• More than 8,000 people have been killed in custody or fake encounters
• More than 200,000 people have been tortured
• More than 1500 persons belonging to various religious minority groups were killed, out of whom 209 were Kashmiri Pandits
• Thousands of residential houses were razed to ground in the military actions belonging to all the communities
• Hundreds of religious places were desecrated and ruined in the military actions
• Thousands of people have been maimed in the military actions

Despite all this information in the public domain, Indian authorities and media have seldom discussed these tragedies, except for the killings of 209 Kashmiri Pandits. These 209 killings are a sad reality of Jammu and Kashmir conflict as much as the other killings and human rights abuses. In last 25 years perpetrators of most of these violent incidents have not been prosecuted. As a large majority of these crimes have been perpetrated by the State forces therefore there is reluctance in prosecuting the accused, but irrespective of the background of the perpetrators or the victims, the need of the hour is that all crimes should be investigated without any further delay. The processes of justice should be allowed to function as it is the only mechanism for protecting human rights and creating deterrence for the repetition of these crimes. These processes of justice can become the real confidence building measures and thus create an enabling and conducive atmosphere for resolution and peace-building.

Whether the Gaw Kadal massacre, or the Chittisingpora massacre, or the Pathribal fake encounter killings, or Kunan Poshpora mass rapes and torture, or murder and rape of Sarla Bhat, or murder and rape of Aasiya and Neelofar, or the killings of youths in 2008 and 2010 uprisings, or the Wandhama massacre – Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed selective concern and selective condemnation.

All the crimes perpetrated in Jammu and Kashmir and the subsequent cover ups and denial of justice are the making of the Indian government, therefore only an impartial, independent and a credible probe by international stakeholders will help in establishing the culpability.

Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Kenji Goto beheaded by IS (image FB page)

Islamic State released a 1 minute and 7 second video clip on Saturday evening which appeared to show Japanese journalist Kenji Goto beheaded by a masked member of IS. The captor was dressed in the familiar black clothing with a voice sounding like the British man known as “Jihadi John” heard on previous videos.

ISIS is holding captive a Jordanian fighter pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh though it is not clear if he is now dead or alive. A deadline was set at midnight Thursday for Jordan to release Sajida al-Rishawi, a failed female suicide bomber in exchange for him. Al- Rishawi had attempted to attack a wedding party in Amman but failed to detonate her explosives.

Kenji Goto with photo of Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh (left) and  Sajida al-Rishawi,(right, AFP)

Haruna Yukawa beheaded (video still)

Goto was seen at an earlier date with another Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa who was then beheaded. Goto was put on view holding a photo of the dead man. IS demanded $200 million from Japan, the amount pledged by that government in non-military aid to other countries to fight the organization and in turn both men would be released. The money was not forthcoming and Goto’s mother, Junko Ishido made a tearful plea on camera hoping her son’s life would be spared.

The video released by al-Furqan Media Foundation was being checked for authenticity and showed Goto in an orange jumpsuit kneeling in what appears to be a desert ravine. His captor waves a knife at the camera and states the following,

‘To the Japanese government,

You, like your foolish allies in the Satanic coalition, have yet to understand that we, by Allah’s grace, are an Islamic Caliphate with authority and power, an entire army thirsty for your blood.

Abe, (referring to Japanese Prime Minister) because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this knife will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found. 

So let the nightmare for Japan begin.’

Goto shuts his eyes as the knife is drawn to his throat and the video fades out. The next shot is of Goto’s lifeless body, hands tied behind him and head placed on his back.

An account allegedly associated with IS tweeted the following,

IS STATE…

Kenji Executed,
Kurdish Commanders killed
attack border between Egypt and Gaza
in Libya the Jordanian Embassy attacked

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated, “I feel strong indignation at this inhumane and contemptible act of terrorism. I will never forgive these terrorists. Japan will work with the international community to bring those responsible for this crime to justice.”

It seems from Kenji Goto’s words on video just before capture saying that if anything happened the responsibility was on him that he had considered and understood the risks. This made him all the more brave for continuing to report on war highlighting the difficulties faced by ordinary civilians just as he had done in other conflict zones around the world!

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

The astringent rules of process
Appear to be a caper
Requiring an ‘Act of Congress’
To get some toilet paper

Allegedly Russian drone on Google Earth (via Yury Barmin)

Drones in the air

Yury Barmin, (Analyst on Russia, Russia’s strategy in the Middle East) tweeted the following information which will ignite the interest of all who follow news of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) development.

“Russia’s 1st drone capable of conducting attack missions, Altius M, was accidentally spotted in a satellite image”

It is not clear whether this is the first however Barmin posted two images, the first of a Google Earth image appearing to show the drone on an airfield and the second of a group of men with a scale model of a drone. Drones are used for surveillance and to target “alleged insurgents.” Earlier attempts to keep the project secret were thwarted when photos of the Altius UAV appeared on a website on 5th February 2013 following a visit to Tatarstan by Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu. Although the photos were taken down they later appeared in Vedomosti see following Flight Global link,

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-secret-russian-uav-design-revealed-382274/

Here are a few of the responses to the news of the Russian drone Google Earth photo on Twitter:-

Emmanuel Maged … “good job for the Russian MIC, they needed that capability long time ago, its about time”

Jussi Kytossaho… “Man, they’ve been behind the US war machine. Let’s see if RUS ever catch up the number of civilians killed by drones”

STRATMIL…”Tsetshnya, Mariupol… UAV/UCAV is better than carpet bombing”

LIOC… “first drone? Doubt it’s their first”

sSUAS NEWS…. “Is it a game changer? Soon as it is operational I believe we will see international rules”

BUDAtheLASTa …  “I think, ‘object’ is left to be spotted deliberately”

The Russian drone industry is clearly hotting up as yesterday Space Daily announced that, “the Russian United Instrument Corporation (UIC) has constructed two prototype versions of reconnaissance and strike drones, code-named “Chirok,” and is currently preparing them for tests”

More information here,

 http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russia_Develops_Two_New_Drones_Ready_for_Testing_999.html

Scale model of one of Russia’s new drones (via Yury Barmin)

Back in June 2014, Russia Beyond The Headlines stated the following regarding Russia’s drone industry in this article from Dimitry Litovkin;

“the Russian Air Force is to receive its first unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) into service by 2020. It is expected that state trials or field tests of the new UCAVs may start in 2017. According to Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov, research and development work for this project is now nearly complete.

Drone fighters are able to tackle strategic tasks because they are difficult to detect and have better combat sustainability than manned aircraft.

There are over 600 types of unmanned aerial vehicles produced in the world today, including 25 in Russia. A mere 20 years ago, Moscow was an undisputed leader in this field: In the 1980s, it manufactured 950 Tu-143 reconnaissance UAVs alone.

However, the Defense Ministry then wound up drone production, since it no longer had either the money or ideological reasons to commission this type of aircraft.

It was the Americans who prompted the Russian military to revive the program. Successful U.S. operations with the use of UAVs in Afghanistan and Pakistan have shown that no war of the future can be conducted without drones.” 

Complete article can be read on following link,

http://rbth.co.uk/defence/2014/06/22/russia_to_bring_first_unmanned_combat_aircraft_into_service_by_2020_37609.html)

I posed the question, “who will Russia’s first armed drone be aimed against!? Global Bearings tweeted back ” Dagestanis”? Only time will tell who will be the targets. Russia has for some time been dealing with insurgency in the North Caucasus. Readers may remember the Moscow Theatre Hostage Seige, the attack on a school at Beslan and bombings on the Moscow metro. Back in Dec 4th 2014, there was an attack on the city of Grozny which Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov suggested was the work of Akhmad Umarov, brother of the late Doku Umarov, Emir and founder of the Caucasus Emirate. This militant jihadist organization was set up with a goal to expel Russians from the North Caucasus and establish an independent Islamic Emirate in the region.

With regard to drone development it is likely Russia was inspired by the need to keep up with the Americans who have a well established programme familiar to the families of many innocent civilians on the receiving end in Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Will Russia also have the Ukraine in mind? Conflict arose when the Ukrainian government took a decision not to sign the agreement with the European Union in 2013 and pro-democracy protesters took to the streets. Russia moved to once again assert authority in this strategic region and fighting has continued to the present day. The BBC reported that pro-Russian rebels attacked the port of Mariupol at the weekend and NATO informed that hundreds of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles are in east Ukraine. Ukrainians may see Russia’s looming drones as another threat to their existence.

Anti-drone protest in US (Digital Journal)

Use of armed drones is a controversial issue as there is opposition to the targeting of alleged suspects that have often never been tried or convicted in a court of law. Drones have been used to take out members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban and more recently members of the Islamic State. However there are questions over accuracy as many children have been killed in US drone strikes and also by Israel’s drone attacks on the Gaza Strip. Drone activists argue that strikes only radicalize more young people and then there is “blowback” as drone strikes are usually followed by retaliation bombings. Recently the testimonies of several former drone operators have added to the controversy as they have spoken out against governments and apologized for their actions. Drone technology has overtaken development of laws guiding their use which are still sadly inadequate and a cause for concern in terms of ethics and safety.

According to the Diplomat, Russia is developing both the Skad combat UAV and the X-40 and is predicted to spend upwards of $9.2 billion on UAVs through 2020. Diplomat stated,

“Russia has compared the Skad combat UAV it is developing to the American-made Х-47. The Skad is reportedly 10 tons with a 4,000 km range and a speed of at least 800 km per hour. According to Russia and India Report, the Skad combat UAV will be capable of “carrying two air-to-surface/anti-radiation missiles or two smart bombs with a total weight of no more than one ton.” The same article noted that Russia has given a contract tender to the Sukhoi design bureau for a combat UAV that is being called X-40, however, little is known about the characteristics of that particular drone.”

Drones at sea

Russian 5th generation nuclear submarines will also have underwater drones

Not to be left out, the Russian navy is also expanding in the area of drones. RT reported that, “Russia’s fifth generation nuclear submarines will be armed with robots and underwater drones in addition to conventional weaponry.” Nikolay Novoselov, deputy CEO of the Malakhit design engineering bureau was quoted as stating, “they’ll be released by the submarine and stay offline before being remotely activated on command. It will give the submarine time to leave the area, with the drone staying in place to maintain a semblance that the submarine is still there.”

According to Newsweek, Russia has also developed and is about to test the Chirok (duckling) which is a military hovercraft drone capable of landing on water. In addition an Arctic drone base is under construction around 400 miles off the Alaskan coast, there are to be 13 airdromes and 10 radars in the region. International Business Times reported that,

“Orlan-10 drones will be used for surveillance and conducting inspection over Russia’s territorial waters. They will also be used in combat training tasks near the maritime zone along the shore of the Arctic Ocean.”

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Drone over the White House…this time unarmed (image, loves Robots)

We hear daily about the damage caused by US armed military drones however in 2013, I warned how personal drones were likely to be adapted in the future and turned into dangerous weapons, see link,

“Drones, I predict personal drones will be used for targeted killing, what goes around, comes around”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/drones-i-predict-personal-drones-will-be-used-for-targeted-killing-what-goes-around-comes-around/

The “drone in the White House grounds” incident has acted as a wake-up call to some Americans that are only now realizing that drones can go both ways. The incident was played down (at least in public) by the White House spokesperson. The New York Times referred to an “inebriated off-duty employee” who “lost control of the drone as he operated it from an apartment just blocks from the White House.” However this clearly raised some concerns as to how the 2 foot by 2 foot quadcopter could breach security, what if this drone had been modified to carry explosives?

Obama told CNN, “these technologies that we’re developing have the capacity to empower individuals in ways that we couldn’t even imagine 10-15 years ago.” He now recognizes there is a need to develop a framework, guidelines and restrictions that “ensures that we get the good and minimize the bad” from drones.

Muslims in countries such as Pakistan and Yemen are targeted day after day by the US suffering the “bad” maimed and incinerated. There is a certain irony that Obama has instructed security agencies to make sure that drones “aren’t dangerous and that they’re not violating people’s privacy” in the US even as he is destroying the lives of others. Today six more persons were killed and two injured in a US drone strike in the Shawal area of North Waziristan Agency. In Yemen this week, 12 year old boy, Mohamed Tuaiman was killed along with 2 adult males, he had already lost family members in an earlier drone attack.

If the US is so convinced of the accuracy of their drone programme, why don’t they release the name of each individual killed or injured? Obama who promotes the US of armed drones outside the US, very clearly wishes to protect American citizens. He has never once targeted a “suspected terrorist” on US soil by armed drone as he knows only too well casualties in his own backyard could cause a violent backlash,

Interestingly, as Tech Crunch reports today, drone-maker DJI are already planning to put safety measures in place that will aim to prevent targeting of buildings such as the White House and stop cross border drug runs. It appears that drone firms will work to programme in geographical restrictions (virtual barriers) which will act as “no-fly zones” including airports and one that will extend “25 kilometers from downtown DC in all directions and effectively blocking either take-off or even flying entry by a drone.”

Perhaps the tables will soon turn. Its no secret that Taliban and Al Qaeda have for some time been actively seeking those with the technical skills to defeat, hack or develop and adapt drones to customize for their own use. Azan magazine stated some time back that,

“any opinions, thoughts, idea and practical implementations to defeat this drone technology must be communicated to us as early as possible because these would aid greatly…against the crusader-zionist enemy.”

As this August 2014 report from Peter Bergen stated, Islamic State also appear to have drones,

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/24/opinion/bergen-schneider-drones-isis/

However much western countries try to protect their citizens from drone attacks, it is only a matter of time before terrorists fight back using technology to their advantage. Soon, westerners will not only experience the positive aspects of drones but will very likely have to learn to live with the “bad” side too. Perhaps then they will begin to understand the suffering they have caused to others!

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Alleged drone victim Mohamed Tuaiman (age 12) 25th Jan 2014, Yemen

Today Monday 25th January 2014, Reuters news agency reported that, “a suspected U.S. drone strike on a car in eastern Yemen killed three men believed to be al Qaeda militants.” The “targeted killing” in Marib province was the first since the departure of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Thursday who took the decision to resign when Houthi rebels seized the Republican palace.

President Barak Obama signalled to CNN on Sunday that the drone programme aimed at Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular (AQAP) is set to continue, stating, “taking militants out with drones isn’t simple, but it’s the best strategy available to eliminate the threat of terrorists in Yemen and U.S.”

Noam Chomsky (American linguist, philosopher and political commentator) has a rather different opinion, he was reported in Salon describing the US drone programme as,

“the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times – if not ever….aimed at murdering people who are suspected of maybe someday planning to harm us…. I’d advise you to read some of the transcripts with drone operators. They’re harrowing — the guys who are sitting in front of computers in Las Vegas.”

On twitter the first indication of today’s drone strike victims came in a tweet from Atiaf Al Wazir (see Women from Yemen blogspot http://womanfromyemen.blogspot.co.uk/ ) who  stated that, “according to National Organization for Victims of Drones, 12 yr old Mohamed Tuaiman was killed in Marib‬ today by a drone in ‪Yemen.” Yemeni lawyer Haykal Bafana questioned if this was why the US embassy in Sanaa was suddenly shut down and tweeted, “in any case, the US could not have picked a worse tribe in Yemen to kill a boy from – Al Tuaiman tribe have zero anger management skills.”

Baraa Shiban who works with Reprieve human rights organization tweeted the following,

“The US today killed a 12 years old child in Mareb, only one day after Obama’s speech on counter terrorism efforts in Yemen”

“3 people were killed in the drone strike today in Mareb Yemen”

“One of the dead is Moh Tuaiman, born in 2001, AKA “Child”, was at his 6th Primary class Yemen”

“His 14 years old brother was killed in a drone strike in 2011 Yemen”

“What was he doing there? That’s not a question, nor an excuse to kill a child Yemen”

The National Organization for Drone Victims (Yemen) also made comment and released several photos of a drone strike which appeared to be from today’s attack.

Devastation allegedly from today’s drone strike

Main points summarized from the National Organization for Drone Victims (NODV) 

The National Organization for Drone Victims have just released a statement on todays drone strike on their Facebook page. They condemned the US attack which allegedly killed a child in Marib which already killed his father and brother in similar raids. The attack was carried out by unmanned aircraft in Harib the province of Marib, on Monday, January 26, 2015 afternoon, the target vehicle type Vitara. The strike killed three people, including a child, Mohammed Saleh Kaid Taaman, aged 12 years, taught in the sixth grade primary. 

The President of the National Organization for Drone Victims, Aldrunz Mohammed Alquaola said it was regrettable that the attack, which claimed the lives of three Yemeni nationals, including a child, came one day after the announcement of President Barack Obama’s continuation of his country’s war against the law in Yemen, under the pretext of the fight against “terrorism”. This comes despite the state of chaos and violence and the constitutional vacuum witnessed by the country, confirming US indifference to the suffering of Yemenis and failure to take into account the circumstances they are going through.

The organization has learned that one of the victims was named Abdullah Khalid Aziz al-Zindani, married to Al Taaman, and works on a farm in Marib province. The American attack caused widespread anger among the tribes of Al Taaman and other tribes who decided to meet this evening to protest against this crime and take the appropriate position on this issue.

The NODV mention an earlier drone strike in 2011 where a man named Mohammed Kaid Taaman was killed along with one of his sons, named Jalal, 16 years old and the injury of a family member named Izz al-Din, 17 years old who survived miraculously but is still suffering from shrapnel in his body.

NODV state that with the death of Mohammed, the Taaman family lost the only breadwinner and two of his sons and a third has been injured in raids. This is a large family consisting of 11 brother and 14 sisters who do not have any source of income only a camel boy.

They also said that some persons have traveled days to the capital Sanaa to meet with government officials and demand that the state compensate and provide treatment as with other victims.

NODV Aldrunz stated that they condemned in the strongest terms the continuation of the United States in violation of the law and practice of punishment outside the law by these bloody attacks which affect entire communities. They emphasized that drone strikes do not exclude children. NODV appeal to all the free world to stand by these victims, not to silence them and to work to stop these crimes that undermine the principles of law, justice and peace and only increase the hotbeds of tension, conflict and chaos in Yemen.

Boy circled appears to be one of the alleged victims of US drone strike

Meanwhile CNN reported closure of the US Embassy in Sana until further notice,

“due to the recent resignation of the Yemeni president, prime minister, and cabinet, and the ongoing security concerns, the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa is unable to provide routine consular services and will have very limited ability to assist with emergency cases involving U.S. citizens.

The U.S. Embassy will be closed to the public until further notice out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees and others who may be visiting the Embassy. We are continuously analyzing the security conditions and will resume consular operations as soon as our analysis indicates we are able to do so safely.”

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Air bombardment Tribal Areas Pakistan

In the past week US Secretary of State John Kerry, appeared at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos giving a talk on the fight against Islamist violence. As Dawn media reported, Kerry was very vocal stating that attacks such as the Peshawar Army School assault which left 140 adults and children dead, should never be rationalized. Once again the double standards are screaming out showing the hypocrisy of Kerry and his co-conspirators including the Pakistan government as they regularly rationalize many acts of alleged state terror. Here are a few of the examples…

Drones

Nabila (was 9) when her grandmother was killed in a drone strike. She was injured alongside brother Zubair (13)

Let us not forget that Kerry famously said to BBC’S Hard Talk that, “the only people we fire a drone at are confirmed terrorist targets at the highest level… We don’t just fire a drone at somebody and think they’re a terrorist.” As Abigail-Fielding Smith points out, two thirds of drone victims are unidentified and she asks quite rightly, “how can we assess the credibility of statements like Kerry’s?” The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has identified an ever-growing list of children killed in drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. The following names given are only those child victims confirmed up to 21st January, 2013 see following link,

http://blog.approximatetargetfilm.com/list-of-children-killed-by-drone-strikes-in-pakistan-and-yemen-via-drone-watch/

One person who disagrees strongly with Kerry’s rationalization for drone attacks is Rafiq ur Rehman. This Pakistani schoolteacher gave harrowing testimony on the impact of drone strikes in his area along with his children Zubair, 13, and Nabila, 9 who lost their grandmother Momina Bibi and sustained injuries themselves. Rafiq ur Rehman stated in the Guardian,

“some media outlets reported that the (drone) attack was on a car, but there is no road alongside my mother’s house. Others reported that the attack was on a house. But the missiles hit a nearby field, not a house. All of them reported that three, four, five militants were killed….Only one person was killed that day, not a militant but my mother.”

Sara Jamal, a Yemeni activist tweeted series of messages from witnesses at a drone hearing in her country on 23rd April 2013, rejecting the rationalization of such attacks. Here are just two of the tweets she received;

“father of Wafaa 5 year old who was killed by a US drone is asking what have we done to have drones kill our children?”

”my brother was hurt with a US drone and when people tried to rescue him another drone hit and killed 11 men and a pregnant woman”

Brendan Bryant, a former drone operator gave an interview to RT’s Anissa Naouai this week apologizing to the families of drone victims. There was no attempt at rationalization as he highlighted the lack of accountability and oversight in the US drone programme he described as “diseased” and a “black hole putrid system that is either going to crush you or you’re going to conform to it.” Referring to his work as part of this programme, he stated that he “couldn’t stand” himself for his six year participation and for “firing on targets whose identities often went unconfirmed.” So here we have a drone operator speaking out in direct opposition to Kerry’s attempts at justification of the targeted killing.

The US drone programme referred to by Noam Chomsky as “the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times” is rationalized by the US, by former President Musharraf and by many civilians in the cities of Pakistan. Such hypocrites would no doubt be the first to object if drones were targeted at alleged insurgents dwelling in inner cities where residents could be put at risk from drone missiles. In fact authorities in Karachi are now considering introducing legislation to ban all drones over this urban area on the grounds of safety and security. 

Disappearing people, torture and extra-judicial killing

Enforced disappearances, torture, extra-judicial killings common and a major factor leading to Peshawar school attack

Pakistan has a long history of disappearing people, torture and extra-judicial killing. What is particularly disturbing is state authorities justifying such behaviour through their own practice. Many Pakistanis that are quick to condemn the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) attack on Peshawar School gleefully rationalize these gross human rights abuses within their own country which were ironically a major factor leading to the Peshawar attack.

An article in Dawn media, 2013 stated, “the large scale instances of torture in custody are a common practice in Pakistan and there is no law in the country to stop this menace. Parliament should enact law for criminalisation of torture.” The publication also reported the words of the Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, IA Rehman who rcommented that “investigation through torture was a common practice of police in Pakistan”. He elaborated by saying,

“torture is a colonial legacy, which has been continued in Pakistan for decades. Torture is generally used to extort confessional statements from detainees. It has become societal attitude. Most of jail inmates are under trial prisoners, which is tantamount to torture as well. Similarly handcuffing of under custody is illegal, but the police still use it. The state agents justify torture in good faith for national security.”

In the weeks BEFORE the Peshawar School attack two Taliban groups repeatedly warned the army and police to stop this practice (as the bodies of young men piled up in custody or were dumped by the roadside) or their families would be targeted. These warnings regarding unlawful practice were ignored by authorities. Taliban had also complained that their women were also being harassed. As Sajida Mir, a female political activist, who has been tortured herself, pointed out in 2013 “not even women were spared.”

According to the Baltimore Sun, a report researched and written by the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, for the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) identified that Police in Faisalabad, Pakistan’s third largest city, tortured more than 1,400 people during a six-year period. The report stated,

“law enforcement uses its power to inflict pain largely with impunity. Police beat detainees, hang them by their arms or feet for hours on end, force them to witness the torture of others, and strip them naked and parade them in public. Our analysis confirms longstanding concerns voiced by human rights defenders throughout Pakistan about police abuse.”

In December 2014, the Guardian reported that Salahuddin Amin, a British taxi driver, now has a legal case for damages against the UK government. Allegations pertaining to his case include that he was tortured after being detained in Pakistan at the request of the CIA and MI5. He alleges he was, “beaten, whipped and deprived of sleep by officers of Pakistan’s notorious Inter-Services Intelligence agency, and on one occasion threatened with an electric drill.” Similar descriptions of torture have emerged from many different sources over recent years.

Professor Danielle Celermajer (University of Sydney) and author of The Poisoned Orchard of Torture, points out that in countries like Pakistan, it has become common practice to legitimize, dehumanize and normalize the practice of torture. She claims,

“extreme, violent and ideological war creates the exact conditions under which the meaning of torture is easily recast. Torturers did not see what they were doing as violating the most basic human dignity or acting with unspeakable cruelty.”

Many of those who condemn the Peshawar School attack fail to see they themselves have forsaken the moral high ground the moment they participated in, cheered on, justified or turned a blind eye to enforced disappearances, torture and extra-judicial killings. It is only now, after years of extreme abuse in custody, an anti-torture bill is finally going through parliament. The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has according to Dawn “unanimously adopted a draft anti-torture bill moved by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar in the upper house in August last year and referred it to the Chairman Senate.” Tragically, despite recent efforts, this is too late for the schoolchildren of Peshawar. There can be little doubt listening to those that have experienced abuse in Pakistan’s jails and to Taliban statements that anger at collective rationalization of state torture contributed to the attack on the school.

Air attacks on civilians

Another alleged child victim of air bombardment Tribal Areas, Pakistan 

In recent days yet more disturbing footage has emerged showing the bodies of small children allegedly killed during air bombardments on the Tribal Areas of Pakistan. A TTP video showed footage of small open skulls which appear like bowls spilling out their visceral contents. Such strikes on civilians are not uncommon however due to media restrictions on reporting, the public rarely hear of such killings.

Adnan Rasheed, a former Pakistan Air Force junior technician who defected to the Taliban and was implicated in an assassination attempt on Musharraf described such actions in a recent video message to the Armed Services of Pakistan. He stated,

“in the name of War on Terror, you gave a bloodbath to Red Mosque and whole Tribal belt from Swat to South Waziristan. A non-stop series of barbaric operations, disappearances, mutilated bodies and record number of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons). Ironically you thought that despite of your evil actions and betrayals you will never incur the wrath of Allah Almighty.”

He also alleged that civilians were killed during an air strike intended to anihilate him, saying,

“the Pakistan Air Force claimed that they targeted my house on January 20, 2014. By the Grace of Allah, I and my family are safe. However, the bombing killed four innocent civilians. They were Maryam (4 years old), her mother Ayesha (24 years old), her grandmother (80 years old) and her uncle Bakhtullah (17 years old). A young boy Shahzeb (7 years old) and his sister (14 years old) were taken to Peshawar for treatment; they had sustained burns and broken bones. The symbol of shame, Pakistan Air Force, killed innocent civilians of the Mehsud tribe in an attempt to kill me along with my wife, two year old daughter and infant son.”

Authorities in Pakistan and the US would no doubt rationalize such actions as “collateral damage” but as Rasheed questions,

“why were women and children targeted? Why wasn’t the question raised: Which national or international law permits the killing of families?”

Was there an apology given to these civilians? Did this family receive compensation and appropriate medical support and counselling for extreme trauma? Most hit by airstrikes are just left to pick up the pieces with no-one held accountable for their actions.

The reality is, there is repeated rationalization from both state and civilians for acts which are violent, unlawful and even alleged war crimes. Politicians like John Kerry prescribe to others that they must never rationalize such acts yet this is their own common practice. As long as such double standards exist there will be a continuous cycle of violence and nothing will change. Arguably, the greatest self deceit that goes on in Pakistan at this present time is the unacceptable rationalization of the state’s double standards!

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Mullah Fazlullah head of Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP)

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) have released a statement via jihadi forums alleging that they have kidnapped 10 persons. They claim that after receiving information through Taliban Intelligence Agency, (TIA) on 4th January 2015, the Mujahideen Special Group (MSG) of TTP arrested 10 individuals in Balochistan.