CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE POINTS TO DEATH OF AL-ZAWAHIRI

From The Strata-Sphere:

From some discussions with folks who are tied into the intelligence community I have learned that there does exist circumstantial evidence that Ayman al-Zawahiri was injured and/or killed recently, most likely in the July 28th strike in South Waziristan Agency. Like others with sources into the IC, I am hearing there is a serious lack of solid collaborating evidence, but that lack of solid evidence is in both directions. It neither proves Zawahiri is fine or otherwise. Therefore the circumstantial evidence that Zawahiri is injured, dying or dead still stands, albeit unproven either way.

I have been noting the quiet over this matter, which tells me the evidence is strong, but not bullet proof. Everyone in the IC and in the media seems to be keeping their powder dry, waiting on something firm one way or the other. The more likely it is Zawahiri is hurt or dead, the more solid the evidence needs to be before people get up in front of the world to announce his demise. This is a fact of life, no one needs to claim Zawahiri has been taken out until there is solid proof.

And solid proof is hard to come by when the bodies have been recovered and controlled by the enemy. But there are ways which take days to work through. I suspect we may know for sure if Zawahiri was present at the strike site very soon.

IRAN RAMPS UP THE RHETORIC TOWARDS ISRAEL

Some things I noticed today:

Iran has aimed Shahab-3 ballistic missiles at Israel's nuclear sites, including the Dimona plant, Israeli sources have claimed.

According to several Western and Israeli media outlets, the sources said that Iran was preparing to retaliate against a possible attack by targeting its ballistic missiles Shahab-3 at Dimona, where Israel is believed to be making its nuclear weapons.

Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar says the Israeli regime is no match for the organized and skilled armed forces of Iran.

"Modern weapons are not the only defense criteria… The willpower and support of Iranians is very important," said Brigadier General Mohammad-Najjar on Sunday.

Israel will not be able to match Iran's defensive capabilities and has therefore launched psyops against Tehran, Najjar suggested.

And they're serious. Of course, we all know the penchant for crazy Islamic types to thump their chests. These guys must be envisioning another occupation like in Iraq. That is not going to happen. I just have this feeling that when this attack comes, it's going to make shock and awe look like it was supposed to.

US DRAWING UP PLANS TO ATTACK IRANIAN INSURGENCY CAMPS

Big stuff in the works...

The US military is drawing up plans for a “surgical strike” against an insurgent training camp inside Iran if Republican Guards continue with attempts to destabilise Iraq, western intelligence sources said last week. One source said the Americans were growing increasingly angry at the involvement of the Guards’ special-operations Quds force inside Iraq, training Shi’ite militias and smuggling weapons into the country.

US commanders are increasingly concerned by Iranian interference in Iraq and are determined that recent successes by joint Iraqi and US forces in the southern port city of Basra should not be reversed by the Quds Force.

“If the situation in Basra goes back to what it was like before, America is likely to blame Iran and carry out a surgical strike on a militant training camp across the border in Khuzestan,” said one source, referring to a frontier province.

IAF STRIKE IN SYRIA KILLED 10 KOREANS

Breaking news from international.jpost.com.

Ten North Koreans were killed in an IAF air strike on a Syria installation September, Bloomberg reported Monday, quoting an NHK report that cited unidentified South Korean intelligence officials.

According to the report, the Koreans' remains were returned to North Korea after being cremated.

The report quoted a Japanese broadcaster who said that they had been assisting the Syrians in the construction of a nuclear reactor. Several North Korean workers survived the air strike, the report said.

Yielding to months of pressure from the US Congress, the Bush administration gave members briefings on Thursday indicating that on September 6, Israel destroyed an alleged Syrian nuclear reactor built with North Korean help.

The CIA released footage of the alleged reactor showing several North Koreans, including the head of the country's nuclear negotiating team.

The Syrian facility was almost complete when it was attacked, and was far enough along to demonstrate a resemblance to the North Korean reactor at Yongbyon, which in the past has produced small amounts of plutonium and is supposedly now being dismantled, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.