War on Terror Update; Lockheed Martin Drones and Mexican Cartel Tanks

Upset with the consistent and relentless pressure US drone strikes are putting on Islamic insurgents, they came up with a plan to show their sign of protest; kill the head of Lockheed Martin, Robert Stevens.

A Pakistani-based branch of Al-Qaeda was hatching a plot to kill the head of US defense group Lockheed Martin, self-confessed terrorist David Coleman Headley testified in a US court Tuesday.

The planned assassination was in retaliation for the Lockheed Martin-made drones, Headley testified during the Chicago trial of his childhood friend, Tahawwur Hussain Rana.

Headley pleaded guilty to 12 terrorism charges related to the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks and other unrealized plots in the wake of his 2009 arrest in Chicago.

He is testifying against alleged co-conspirator Rana in exchange for avoiding the death penalty and extradition to India, Pakistan or Denmark.

Headley testified that he secretly used Rana’s office computer for research on the plot to assassinate the Lockheed Martin executive but dismissed his brief online search there as insignificant.

“My research is more in-depth than Googling someone a couple of times,” he testified during cross-examination by Rana’s defense attorney.

Headley said he was working on the plot with Ilyas Kashmiri, the commander of the Pakistani-based terrorist organization Harakat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HUJI), and a senior member of Al-Qaeda.

Headley pleaded guilty to working with Kashmiri on a plot to attack the Danish newspaper Jyllen Posten, which published controversial cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, after Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) got distracted with the Mumbai plot.

A spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin declined to comment on whether the group had been informed of the alleged plot or taken any additional measures to protect Robert Stevens, who has been chief executive officer since 2004.

More far-fetched than anything, but brings to the surface how effective the drone strikes are and how important a role they play in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.  They are frustrated with them.

Down south of the US border in Mexico, police have uncovered not a narco sub, but a narco tank.  This is the second vehicle of it’s type uncovered in the last 30 days.  The previous vehicle was heavily armored with gun ports on the side.  The problem with the first one was the tires were left exposed, and gunfire eventually immobilized it.  The creativity and dedication the cartels are showing is a sign they are willing to go to great lengths

First Subs, now tanks

to secure the drug trade.  So far, the homemade tanks have only been used on rival drug gangs, but police must be prepared to take one on eventually.  Police are also cracking down on inventory checks for their guns and weapons.  It is to make sure corrupt officers are not selling assault rifles to the cartels.  It’s only heating up down south.

More War on Terror Articles;

What Pakistan’s ISI doesn’t want the world to know about Osama bin Laden’s couriers: link

200 militants cross Afghan border to attack Pakistan checkpoint: link

Could Al Qaeda Take Control of a Warship?: link

Taliban Targets Leadership: link

Pakistan Detains Three in Base Attack: link

Pakistani jets kill 18 in attacks on militants: link

Washington sold F-16s to Pakistan to prevent Islamabad from using nuclear weapons: link 

Taliban Suicide Bombers Strike Herat: link

Naval base attack: Experts see insiders’ role: link

Suicide attack on AU base in Somalia kills 3: link

Osama bin Laden Raid Avenged CIA Deaths: link

Pakistan turns to conspiracies: link

Mexico detains nearly 50 members of 2 drug gangs: link

Another Narco Tank Seized in Mexico: link