MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

The Jerusalem Post – “Palestinians fired a total of 80 rockets at rural areas of southern Israel since Tuesday night, injuring five, causing damage and sending local residents fleeing for cover.

The Iron Dome missile defense system successfully intercepted a Grad rocket over Ashkelon Wednesday afternoon, one of eight struck down since Tuesday night.

IAF strikes targeting Palestinian rocket-launching squads killed four Hamas operatives, but did little to stem the flow of rockets.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam brigades, took responsibility Wednesday for a barrage of rockets unleashed against Israel since Tuesday night as well as the bomb that critically injured an IDF officer along the Gaza-Israel border on Tuesday. The explosive was placed on a gate in the Kissufim region, near Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) also took responsibility for the Gaza border bomb.

In a statement posted on its website, Hamas said it fired the rockets, which it said were in response to Israeli air strikes from 7:00 till 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. It also said that on Tuesday it ‘detonated a roadside bomb near Israeli infantry soldiers east of Khan Yunis city.’

Of the projectiles fired by the terrorists, 22 landed in the Eshkol region while 21 landed in the Lachish region, according to the Israel Police. An additional 27 rockets landed in the South by Wednesday evening. The barrage followed 10 rockets fired on Tuesday evening, making a total of 80. Five homes were damaged, according to Israel Radio.” Read more.

Update: Airline says no bomb found …

The Street Journal – “The wave of terror attacks in Nigeria seem took a new turn on Tuesday as reports of a suicide bomb attempt to blow up an Arik Air plane flying from Maiduguri to Abuja jolted Nigerians . A suspected member of the Boko Haram sect who had boarded in Maiduguri, Borno State got up mid-air and told all the passengers to say their last prayers. As he brought out the explosive device, he disclosed that his main targets were the white people in the aircraft.

The explosive device failed to detonate before the plane landed in Abuja. Police bomb experts moved in and the suspected terrorist was arrested when the plane touched down in Abuja. How he passed security checks at the airport with the explosive device remains unknown. Personnel at the local wing of the airport are keeping mum over the issue as no one wants to be quoted.

Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah denied that there was an attempt to bomb any Arik aircraft. The Minister via her Twitter handle described it as a rumour as she tweeted ‘The alleged Breaking News about a bomb scare on an Arik flight is absolutely false. There is no iota of truth whatsoever in this rumour.’ Five minutes later, she tweeted ‘The flying public should please go about their normal businesses as the airport/airspace is safe. Thank you.’

Arik Air too released a statement denying the attempt. According to Arik Air management, ‘a passenger on board flight W 3 812 from Maiduguri to Abuja caused a scare when he started shouting Allah Akbar shortly before the aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The frightened passengers on board the flight became suspicious thinking the man was about to do something sinister. All the passengers on board the flight, including the man in question, had all gone through the normal security check at the Maiduguri International Airport and nothing incriminating was found on anyone’.

The airline also assured passengers that they have ‘nothing to fear as the airline’s Aviation Security Department is one of the most sophisticated in the industry.’

Street Journal however gathered that the bomber came in as the last passenger in First Class and he spoke Queen’s English and Hausa fluently. He claimed they were three bombers that were supposed to enter the plane but two could not make it due to security. The bomber wired himself and used bandages to cover up. He gave his age as 27 and he identified three members of the Joint Task Force on board by name.

The attempt on the airline has shown the dynamism of the dreaded Islamist sect. Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force had earlier hinted that the sect has plans to launch attacks on Sallah day.” Source – The Street Journal.

Star Africa – “Somalia’s Islamist Shebab militia have warned Britain it would ‘pay the heftiest price’ for its ‘war against Islam’ and the extradition of radical cleric Abu Hamza to the United States.

In a series of eleven posts written by Shebab’s Press Office on its Twitter page, the radical group threatened to inflict on Britain its worst-ever attack.

‘The nightmare that surreptitiously looms on British shores is bound to eclipse the horrors of 7/7 and 21/7 combined,’ said one message.

The London bombings on July 7, 2005, were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks on the city’s public transport which killed 52 civilians and the four bombers.

Two weeks later, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of the city’s public transport system.

Another message read: ‘Britain will pay the heftiest price for its brazen role in the war against Islam and endless brutality against innocent Muslims.’

The Al-Qaeda linked group also vowed to ‘go to every possible length to attain the freedom of imprisoned Muslim scholars.’

A 17,000-strong African Union force, fighting alongside government forces, has in recent months wrested control of a string of Shebab strongholds including the bastion of Kismayo, a strategic southern port.” Read more.

Flashback: Al-Shabaab Claims Responsibility For Church Attacks, Will Continue To Kill Those Who Do Not Worship Allah – “Somalia militia group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s twin attacks on two churches in Garissa County that left 17 people dead… An Al-Shabaab loyalist Sheikh Hassan Takar said that the militia killed people who did not profess allegiance to Allah. ‘The mujahedeen (holy warriors) punished with their hands those believing and worshipping other than Allah,’ he said. ‘The militants will continue until such practice is eliminated.’ He added” Read more.