By Here is some more info from the Korea Herald about the suspected Taliban member arrested in South Korea:
“The mosque officials and some local Pakistani nationals are also undergoing questioning on the suspect’s past whereabouts and background,” said a NPA official.
“The focus shall be whether he was committed to nonreligious, possibly criminal activities during his stay in Korea.”
The suspect is still in denial, claiming to be his brother as stated in his forged passport, said officials.
Members of the Muslim and Pakistani community, however, claim that he often confessed to be serving the Taliban and having come to Korean to collect information about the U.S. army stationed in Korea.
Especially, with the G20 summit to be held in Seoul this November, officials are to thoroughly examine all reports on possible terrorists, said the NPA official. [Korea Herald]
You can read more at the link, but just because this guy bragged about being a Taliban member and spying on US bases doesn’t necessarily mean that he is. However, I don’t think anyone would be surprised to learn that someone of Middle Eastern / Central Asian origin was collecting on US military bases in Korea.
1:24 pm on February 23rd, 2010 1
I think anyone bragging to be Taliban or AQ should be entitled to ALL of the benefits that come with that and the associated interrogations, travel restrictions, and predator knock knock surprises.
3:43 pm on February 23rd, 2010 2
"However, I don’t think anyone would be surprised to learn that someone of Middle Eastern / Central Asian origin was collecting on US military bases in Korea."
(No offense to GI Korea but..) DUH!
Come look at all the middle eastern carpet shops around Osan airbase! They suddenly appeared outta nowhere a couple years ago!
It won't be long before they decide to lob a grenade into the long row of military personnel waiting to enter the gate at curfew one of these days!
7:27 pm on February 23rd, 2010 3
Oh, come on. You're one step away from using an ethnic slur against middle-Easterners.
7:49 pm on February 23rd, 2010 4
Must be nice to be a dreamer! Just strolling through life. Not a care in the world.
Some things are as they are, like it or not, not as we would have them be. Of course perception is key here.
8:42 pm on February 23rd, 2010 5
It's also amazing that they SUDDENLY decided to open all of these middle eastern restaurants around US military posts in Korea.
8:55 pm on February 23rd, 2010 6
Korea should import more of these people in so that they can keep an eye on the GI's.
9:01 pm on February 23rd, 2010 7
[...] ROK Drop for more. Easy AdSense by Unreal VN:F [1.8.2_1042]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: [...]
9:31 pm on February 23rd, 2010 8
I wonder where the good old LEMMY is on this one
A guy crashes plane into a federal government building (IRS) with intent to kill as many employees as he wants and the Department of Homeland Security says oh he was not a terrorist. Give him my name and lets see. Just a sad reality.PC gone mad.
9:41 pm on February 23rd, 2010 9
No need to import any more of those people Tom, Korea has you to look over the GI's. You come across as a home grown terrorist.
11:18 pm on February 23rd, 2010 10
FYI
The carpet shops and restaurants may or may not be keeping an eye on what GI Joe is doing…
…but their real function is to launder foreign workers who bypass a lot of red tape and come in on "speciallist"* visas as cooks or carpet experts, or some such, and then move off to a factory job… or a towelboy in a jihadist training mosque… or whatever it is they are standing in a long, stinky line at a greedy broker's office back in Crapistanidesh for to get here.
It's a big money-maker for the Korean-raised Pakistani guy who runs the whole show… and it doesn't matter if a carpet is ever sold or a meal is ever served.
As most of the Muslims are here to make some cash and escape the poverty, filth and restrictions their religion perpetuates Back Home, I don't see too many of them screwing it up with silly jihads and such.
In reality, all the talk of terrorist intel gathering and attack planning on USFK is probably just talk.
It has been almost 9 years since 911 and nothing has happened… and nobody can come up with anything useful they can learn hanging out in front of USFK bases watching the fat chicks go in and out.
If so motivated, it would take half the morning to buy some chemicals/LPG tanks/etc and all afternoon checking out what time the glass-fronted McDonalds at Osan AB has the most officers and their families in it. Mission accomplished.
For cleaning and anodizing, I bought a liter of nitric acid and a 20 liters of sulfuric acid at a chemical supply shop for less than thirty thousand won, as I recall. I also bought a tank of hydrogen for 12,000 plus a hundred for the tank. I also was given (fo' free) some methyl ethyl keytone peroxide (not to be confused with normal MEK) when I cast some acrylic from MMA (I also use it for polyester casting)… the point being that Jihad Bob and Taliban Dan could walk into separate chemical shops, tell 'em the boss sent them and get industrial quantities of explosive-manufacturing components any time they want…
…and their isn't much that USFK can do about it with 9pm curfews, ineffective barriers on selected clubs, buddies/wingmen, fake human trafficking crackdowns, etc.
* "speciallist" has to be spelled that way to beat spam filter's dislike of "Ciallis" (with one L). This also explains why "sociallist" gets filtered as well. It wasn't a left-wing plot after all.
1:29 am on February 24th, 2010 11
I want to take a flight lesson for myself. Do you know of any place in Korea where I can take one? Preferably in around somewhere in the US base location area.
4:53 am on February 24th, 2010 12
Go find some flightline, put it around your neck and…
6:57 am on February 24th, 2010 13
Just convert your nationality and become a taliban member, you already have an identity crises, so what would it matter… you have no purpose in life as a Korean or American anyway.
7:22 am on February 24th, 2010 14
There seems to be some confusion-
Mystery man could be Talib or crook
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?a…
7:25 am on February 24th, 2010 15
South Korea should free this Taliban man. Why is South Korea preventing this man from doing his job? Let him do his job!
10:50 am on February 24th, 2010 16
He doesn't have a job Tom, or a valid Passport. I agree with you though, Korea should allow everyone with a forged passport and no job into Korea. (Yes, please read that with sarcasm.) Your idiocy continues.
11:29 am on February 24th, 2010 17
Perhaps Tom was implying that this Taliban man be allowed to do his job. That is attacking (or assist in attacking) US interests in Korea. Of course that would endanger a large number of Koreans. Not to mention throwing the latest tourism campaign right down the toilet (among other things).
1:05 pm on February 24th, 2010 18
"Oh, come on. You’re one step away from using an ethnic slur against middle-Easterners."
I have no problems with middle easterners, it just raises eyebrows when specialty shops all open at the same time, have little to no customers, yet continue to be a functioning business in the Osan area.
It's much more common to see businesses fold often in that part of town only to replaced by the next "brilliant idea" shop.
All in all – it could be completely innocent – but I don't think anyone should put their guard down for anything. Situational awareness goes a long way.