Anonymous, Untraceable Call Results in Fighter Jets Being Scrambled, Air France Airbus Escorted into JFK

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052515, the airfrance jet and the saudi jet being tended to by authorities after they both came under chemical threats flying into jfk airport. photos ellis kaplan lAn Air France plane was escorted to JFK Airport in New York City this morning after an anonymous threat was made against the flight, law enforcement officials told ABC News. The FBI said the plane has since been checked and cleared with “no incidents or hazards reported on board the flight by either the passengers or its crew.”

Authorities said that the decision to have the plane escorted by two fighter jets was done “out of an abundance of caution” after the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack, in Garrett County, received an anonymous call of a “chemical weapons threat” aboard Air France Flight 22, which was en route from Paris to the New York City airport.

The tip was called in at 6:45 a.m. on an untraceable line and the caller did not identify himself, a senior federal official told ABC News. Two F-15 planes were scrambled and followed the plane into U.S. airspace, but they flew in a way so that the passengers and crew would not be able to see the military planes, sources said.

The Airbus A-330 has since landed and was taken between two runways and locked down while the threat is investigated. A police dispatch that was sent out after the jets were scrambled noted that the area where the plane was taken is generally known as the “hijack site” because it is the area used in such scenarios. During an initial investigation, nothing dangerous has been found on board, the federal official told ABC News. (Read more from “Air France Airbus Escorted” HERE).

Greece Says That It Will Default Next Week, May Spark Major International Financial Crisis

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Photo Credit: The Economic Collapse The Greek government says that a “moment of truth” is coming on June 5th. Either their lenders agree to give them more money by that date, or Greece will default on a 300 million euro loan payment to the IMF. Of course it won’t technically be a “default” according to IMF rules for another 30 days after that, but without a doubt news that Greece cannot pay will send shockwaves throughout the financial world. At that point, those holding Greek bonds will start to panic as they realize that they might not get paid as well. All over Europe, there are major banks that are holding large amounts of Greek debt and derivatives that are related to the performance of Greek debt. If something is not done to avert disaster at the last moment, a default by Greece could be the spark that sets off a major European financial crisis this summer.

As I discussed the other day, neither the EU nor the IMF have given any money to Greece since August 2014. So now the Greek government is just about out of money, and without any new loans they will not be able to pay back the old loans that are coming due. In fact, things are so bad at this point that the Greek government is openly warning that it will default on June 5th…

Greece cannot make an upcoming payment to the International Monetary Fund on June 5 unless foreign lenders disburse more aid, a senior ruling party lawmaker said on Wednesday, the latest warning from Athens it is on the verge of default.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s leftist government says it hopes to reach a cash-for-reforms deal in days, although European Union and IMF lenders are more pessimistic and say talks are moving too slowly for that.

. . .What is happening in Greece is exceedingly important, and it is time for all of us to start paying attention. (Read more from “Greece Says That It Will Default Soon, and Moody’s Warns of a ‘Deposit Freeze'” HERE)

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Another Massacre: ISIS Kills 400, Mostly Women and Children, in Syria

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Photo Credit: Reuters Islamic State militants have killed at least 400 people in Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra, mostly women and children, Syrian state television said Sunday, citing residents.

According to Reuters, opposition activists on social media claimed that hundreds of bodies were in the streets of the city.

“The terrorists have killed more than 400 people.. and mutilated their bodies, under the pretext that they cooperated with the government and did not follow orders,” a Palmyra resident told Syria’s state news agency . . .

Videos posted by Islamic State supporters showed the militants entering governmental buildings in search of Syrian soldiers. They were also seen pulling down pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his father, Hafez Assad, Reuters reported . . .

Islamic State militants entered Syria’s historic city of Palmyra, a UNESCO landmark, earlier this week after gaining full control over the city. The UN human rights office said Thursday that one-third of Palmyra’s population of 200,000 have fled the city, although there have also been reports of government forces preventing civilians from leaving until they had abandoned the town themselves. (Read more from “ISIS Kills 400, Mostly Women and Children, in Palmyra” HERE)

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ISIS Claims It Could Buy Its First Nuclear Weapon From Pakistan Within 12 Months

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Photo Credit: The Independent ISIS has used the latest issue of its propaganda magazine Dabiq to suggest the group is expanding so rapidly it could buy its first nuclear weapon within a year.

The hyperbolic article, which the group attributes to the British hostage John Cantlie, claims ISIS has transcended its roots as “the most explosive Islamic ‘group’ in the modern world” to evolve into “the most explosive Islamic movement the modern world has ever seen” in less than twelve months.

Photojournalist Cantlie is regularly used in the terror group’s propaganda and has appeared in a number of videos, including a YouTube series called “Lend Me Your Ears”. He has been held a hostage by Isis for more than two years.

The piece, entitled “The Perfect Storm”, describes militant Islamist groups such as Boko Haram, which recently pledged allegiance to ISIS, uniting across the Middle East, Africa and Asia to create one global movement.

The article claims this alignment of groups has happened at the sane time as Isis militants have seized “tanks, rocket launchers, missile systems, anti-aircraft systems,” from the US and Iran before turning to the subject of more extreme weapons the group is not in possession of – such as nuclear weapons. (Read more from “ISIS Claims It Could Buy Its First Nuclear Weapon From Pakistan Within 12 Months” HERE)

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ICE Releasing Illegal Alien Felons Across the Nation Because of This

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Photo Credit: Moon Battery By Jeremy Redmon. The government routinely releases people from immigration detention centers in Georgia and across the nation after unsuccessfully seeking to deport them. The reason: Their native countries won’t accept them back.

Many have criminal convictions, ranging from minor drug offenses to violent crimes, including robbery, rape and murder. Their names, convictions and even their photos are a matter of public record in local courts and jails. But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement won’t identify them, citing privacy reasons. ICE also does not automatically notify all victims and local law enforcement authorities before letting them go under orders that they remain in contact with the federal agency. (Read more from “ICE Releasing Illegal Alien Felons Across the Nation Because of This” HERE)

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DHS Let Child-Molesting Illegal Alien Edgar Covarrubias-Padilla Run Loose in USA

By Moon Battery. Now that it looks like the Boy Scouts will fold on the issue of sending boys out in the woods with people who make an issue of their homosexuality, more troop masters of the politically preferred sexual persuasion will be needed so as to hasten the demise of the hated (by progressives) BSA. In case there is a shortage, more should be brought in from abroad. Jeh Johnson is already on it:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) knew last year that an illegal alien California camp counselor known as “Papa Bear” was being investigated on child molestation and child pornography charges but did nothing about it, Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley claims in a letter sent to DHS Sec. Jeh Johnson on Wednesday.

Edgar Covarrubias-Padilla was arrested May 7 and charged with four felonies including child molestation and the distribution of child pornography. According to local news reports, authorities believe that Covarrubias-Padilla also produced child pornography.

(Read more from this story HERE)

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Chinese Military Using Jamming Against U.S. Drones Over Artificial Island

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China tried to electronically jam U.S. drone flights over the South China Sea in a bid to thwart spying on disputed island military construction, U.S. officials said.

Global Hawk long-range surveillance drones were targeted by the jamming in at least one incident near the disputed Spratly Islands, where China is building military facilities on Fiery Cross Reef.

Disclosure of the jamming came as a U.S. Navy P-8 surveillance flight on Wednesday was challenged eight times by the Chinese military to leave the same area.

“This is the Chinese navy … This is the Chinese navy … Please go away … to avoid misunderstanding,” a radio call in English from an installation on Firey Cross said. The warnings were reported by CNN, which had a reporter on the aircraft.

Later Thursday, the Navy released video revealing that the China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy sent several radio warning messages to the crew of the P-8 ordering the jet to leave the area, and to deviate from its flight path near Fiery Cross Reef. (Read more from “Chinese Military Using Jamming Against U.S. Drones” HERE)

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“Risk of War”: China Repeatedly Warns U.S. Surveillance Plane Over Artificial Island

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The Chinese navy issued warnings eight times as a U.S. surveillance plane on Wednesday swooped over islands that Beijing is using to extend its zone of influence.

The series of man-made islands and the massive Chinese military build-up on them have alarmed the Pentagon, which is carrying out the surveillance flights in order to make clear the U.S. does not recognize China’s territorial claims. The militarized islands have also alarmed America’s regional allies.

Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell told CNN’s Erin Burnett Wednesday night that the confrontation indicates there is “absolutely” a risk of the U.S. and China going to war sometime in the future.

A CNN team was given exclusive access to join in the surveillance flights over the contested waters, which the Pentagon allowed for the first time in order to raise awareness about the challenge posed by the islands and the growing U.S. response.

CNN was aboard the P8-A Poseidon, America’s most advanced surveillance and submarine-hunting aircraft, and quickly learned that the Chinese are themselves displeased by the U.S. pushback. (Read more from “China Warns U.S. Surveillance Plane” HERE)

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Worldwide Persecution of Christians at an ‘Unprecedented’ High; Here’s How Many Believers Are Killed for Their Faith Every Hour

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Photo Credit: Gospel Herald Bishop John McAreavey, the Chair of the Council for Justice and Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has revealed that Christian persecution is at an unprecedented high, with at least 11 believers killed hourly because of their faith.

Breitbart News reports that in a presentation before the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade this past week, McAreavey emphasized that Christianity is the most oppressed religion in the world, as believers are severely persecuted 110 countries.

“Many of these countries have significant trade links with Ireland. Persecution is increasing in China,” McAreavey said, citing a recent Pew Research study. “In North Korea a quarter of the country’s Christians live in forced labour camps. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the Maldives all feature in the 10 worst places to be Christian.

He continued: “According to the International Society for Human Rights, a non-religious organization, 80 percent of all acts of religious discrimination in the world today are directed against Christians.”

The bishop reflected on statements from the Chief Rabbi of Britain, Jonathan Sacks, who recently asserted that the suffering of Christians in the Middle East is “one of the crimes against humanity of our time,” comparing it to Jewish pogroms in Europe and said that he’s “appalled at the lack of protest it has evoked.” (Read more from “Worldwide Persecution of Christians at an ‘Unprecedented’ High, Here’s How Many Believers Are Killed for Their Faith Every Hour” HERE)

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North Korea’s Missile Launch Photos Are Fakes, US Says

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Photo Credit: Reuters Photos showing a North Korean missile launched from a submarine were manipulated by state propagandists, and the isolated country may still be years away from developing the technology, a top US military official said Tuesday.

North Korea, heavily sanctioned by the United States and United Nations for its missile and nuclear tests, said May 9 it had successfully conducted an underwater test-fire of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, which, if true, would indicate progress in its pursuit of building missile-equipped submarines.

On Wednesday, the North warned Washington not to challenge its sovereign right to boost military deterrence and boasted of its ability to miniaturize nuclear warheads, a claim it has made before and which has been widely questioned by experts and never verified.

But Pyongyang is still “many years” from developing submarine-launched ballistic missiles, US Admiral James Winnefeld told an audience at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies in Washington on Tuesday.

“They have not gotten as far as their clever video editors and spinmeisters would have us believe,” said Winnefeld, who is vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Read more from “North Korea’s Missile Launch Photos Are Fakes, US Says” HERE)

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CIA Releases Files Showing Bin Laden Bent on Spectacular US Attack Until the End

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By Dan De Luce. Hunkered down in his Pakistani compound, Osama bin Laden pleaded with his followers to stay focused on attacking the United States instead of being dragged into Muslim infighting.

Documents that were declassified on Wednesday shed new light on the mindset of Al-Qaeda’s founder, his debates over tactics, his anxiety over Western spying and his fixation with the group’s media image.

“The focus should be on killing and fighting the American people and their representatives,” the late Al-Qaeda figurehead wrote.

The letter was among thousands of files found by US Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011 when they descended on Bin Laden’s hideout in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad and shot him dead.

US intelligence agencies have now declassified more than 100 of these documents taken from Bin Laden’s archive, after lawmakers ordered the move and critics accused the CIA of withholding material. (Read more from “Bin Laden Bent on Spectacular US Attack Until the End: Files” HERE)
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Bin Laden: Focus on Killing Americans, not Each Other

By Maxwell Tani. Fearful for his death in 2008, Osama bin Laden had big plans for his family.

In a video letter released by the CIA on Wednesday, the former 9/11 mastermind ordered his son to fight against the West in the event that the elder bin Laden was killed.

“Jihad is an obligated duty for all adults, so he has to conduct jihad,” bin Laden said of his son Usama. . .

From the strategic and theological discussions to the mundane details of domestic funding and security measures, the documents show the man behind 9/11 preoccupied with once again attacking the West in a spectacular fashion.

“The focus should be on killing and fighting the American people and their representatives,” Bin Laden wrote in one of the newly revealed documents. (Read more from this story about OBL’s plans for a spectacular attack HERE)

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