Breaking Tweets » Terrorism

Explosions rock Southern Afghanistan

Fahad Zuberi — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:22:33 +0000

Four suicide bombings rocked Kandahar city in Southern Afghanistan on Saturday.

Voice of America reports, Afghan officials say suicide bombers targeted four different parts of the southern city of Kandahar, killing at least 30 people and wounding 46 others. Authorities say they now have the situation under control.

A Twitter user travelling in Afghanistan has been tweeting the latest developments.

strickvl (Kandahar, Afghanistan) Attacks tonight in Kandahar hit multiple targets: incl prison, opposite Continental Guesthouse, police HQ, and Indian Consulate office 13 Mar 2010 from TweetDeck

strickvl (Kandahar, Afghanistan) There was also a rocket that seems to have hit the ANP Barracks in Kandahar City 13 Mar 2010 from TweetDeck

strickvl (Kandahar, Afghanistan) Phone lines were cut for a bit within the city, a curfew was imposed, and there was some sporadic gunfire (probably panicked guards) 13 Mar 2010 from TweetDeck

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Twitter users are concerned and are praying for the safety of people living in Afghanistan.

JuniorAli (Sugar Land, Texas) Breaking News inside of Afghanistan in the province of Kandahar 4 suicide bombings kill at least 35 and wounds 47 others pray for them 13 Mar 2010 from web

EricSutphin (Kabul, Afghanistan) Multiple bombs reported in #Kandahar with dozens killed. Sounds like a mess. #Taliban striking in advance of ISAF declared Kandahar ops?? 13 Mar 2010 from web

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Car bomb in Pakistan kills 24, wounds dozens

Fahad Zuberi — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:52:13 +0000

At least 24 people were killed and over a dozen injured when a car bomb ripped through a crowded market in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province on Tuesday.

Gulf News reports, the bombing, apparently aimed at causing maximum civilian casualties, was the third blast in as many days in or close to Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province, an area bordering the tribal region where the army is pushing into a key Taliban and Al Qaida sanctuary

Twitter users are in disbelief that another bomb blast has taken place in Pakistan.

1stkingmatt (United Kingdom) More Deaths in Another Pakistan Bomb Explosion, http://hubpages.com/t/eab74 10 Nov 2009 from web

JosephBrady(Denver, Colorado) Bomb Kills More Than 20 Outside Crowded Pakistan Market – Wall Street Journal I thought Islam was about peace & love? http://bit.ly/3RjKEq 10 Nov 2009 from TweetMiner

Rohu87 (Nagpur, India) Pakistan celebrates diwali everyday in d form of BOMB bLASTS…. 10 Nov 2009 from web

kushanmitra (location undisclosed) Wow, there has been yet another bomb in Peshawar! Is self-inflicted genocide the right term for Pakistan nowadays! 10 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

altnews_ (London, UK) Car bomb strikes northwest Pakistan: At least 30 people killed in third attack in three days in and aroun.. http://bit.ly/9×1Jl
#news 10 Nov 2009 from twitterfeed

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Israel claims to have stopped Iranian arms ship

David Adams — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:51:29 +0000

Per BBC, the Israeli Navy has seized a ship reportedly headed by Iran carrying weapons disguised as civilian cargo, yet Iran has denied the allegations.

The Israeli Navy has reported that the arms ship was on its way to Hezbollah, where fights between Israeli and Iranian forces has been active.

Several hundred tonnes of weapons were seized making it the largest involving Iran since 2002 when the Israeli military found 100 tonnes of arms.

People in the Middle East reacted to the news through Twitter.

petitedov Smthg nice to wake up to: Israel seizes Iranian ship bound for Hezbollah loaded with rockets, anti-tank rockets, and light arms – IDF 04 Nov 2009 from web

DannyAyalon The recently discovered arms ship is just the tip of the iceberg as far as Iranian efforts to destabilize the region 04 Nov 2009 from web

asfand http://bit.ly/3lGSF7 Israel captures Iranian arms ship. FIGHT! FIGHT FIGHT! 04 Nov 2009 from web

moweezle Our Israeli Navy is working overboard! We just intercepted a shipload full of terrorist weapons: http://is.gd/4N827 04 Nov 2009 from PeopleBrowsr

foxbutters RT @keewatinrose Sea of Green is peaceful. Those urging U to pick up arms, B violent R not your friend #iranelection #iran #gr88 04 Nov 2009 from web

ASoldiersMother @sarinaot UN can’t do anything about 500 TONS of weapons seized by Israeli Navy today; too busy talking of Goldstone failed report 04 Nov 2009 from Seesmic in reply to sarinaot

LeilaSaleh @AliDahmash it doesn’t ultimately mean the the ship was carrying arms for Hezbollah. Iran is much more intelligent to give weapons to them 04 Nov 2009 from web in reply to AliDahmash

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Death toll high after multiple blasts in Baghdad

Bryan Simpson — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:59:01 +0000

At least 132 people have been killed and 520 injured after two car bombs went off in Iraq’s capital Baghdad on Sunday, reports BBC News and CNN. BBC News reports that it is the worst attack in Iraq since 2007.

CNN adds that the bombs detonated in quick succession near government buildings at 10:30 am.

BBC News reports that Iraqi authorities said the attackers were suicide bombers. After visiting the site of the bombings, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki blamed al-Qaeda and supporters of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Many Twitterers from around the world expressed their sadness, some calling for peace:

fahademad (Doha, Qatar) Another blast in Baghdad killing no less than 74!! will this act of terrorism stop in Iraq?? God help the people of Iraq 25 Oct 2009 from web

NarahariNayak (Bangalore, India) Saw a snap of the Baghdad suicide bomb. Horrid……its like a mini mushroom cloud……how can you think of bombing innocent people??? 25 Oct 2009 from web

BrownUndrground (Madison, Wisconsin) Oh no. Bomb blast in Baghdad kills over 100. =( Saying a prayer and thankful I live the blessed life I do. 25 Oct 2009 from web

nitinair (Undisclosed) sad..iraq under attack again….ovr 132 killed in 2 bomb blast……. 25 Oct 2009 from web

disenchantedsl (Huddersfield, U.K.) sad that the car bomb in baghdad has killed over 100 people. i really really wish theyd stop with the car and suicide bombs 25 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

One Twitterer shared this observation:

giris (Ghaziabad, India) I rarely hear of Bomb blasts in Iraq these days.. Should I say Thanks #Obama coz.. during Bush.. blast used to be quite common 25 Oct 2009 from mobile web

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Rio de Janeiro tense amid new violence

Craig Kanalley — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:16:52 +0000

At least five people were killed and eight injured in Rio de Janeiro today in intense clashes between drug traffickers and police, Globo (Portuguese) reports.

A police helicopter was shot down and five buses were destroyed, with most of the violence taking place in the neighborhoods of Vila Isabel and Sampaio. Other shootings have also been reported in the last 24 hours.

Local Twitterers provided additional context about the violence and the personal impact it has had on Rio citizens:

VaniaLacerda (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) A situação aqui no Rio é gravíssima.Helicóptero da PM foi abatido,4 onibus incendiados,várias mortes.Tenho 1 casamento pra ir,mas desisti. (The situation here in Rio is very serious. PM’s helicopter was shot down, 4 buses torched, several dead. I had 1 wedding to go to, but gave up.) 17 Oct 2009 from web

LatinBoyBrazil (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) up n awake.. in da tvnews:” 4 buses burnt + 1 police helicopter knock down in a hood of Rio by drug dealers. im not freaked or surprised \o/ 17 Oct 2009 from web

brunonunescosta (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Esse clima de tensão no RJ que tanto falam na tv, é bem aqui pertinho da minha casa, eu vi o helicóptero queimando ainda no ar! (This climate of tension in the RJ that is talked about so much on TV, is right here close to my house, I saw the helicopter burning still in the air!) 17 Oct 2009 from web

Raficha (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) And the war continues: a helicopter was shoting down, bus set on fire, people already dead… WELCOME TO RIO DE JANEIRO 17 Oct 2009 from UberTwitter

MissLeao (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Helicóptero da polícia é derrubado em tiroteiro. Rio de Janeiro. Quer vir? Venha por seu próprio risco. (Police helicopter is shot down in firefight. Rio de Janeiro. Want to come? Come at your own risk.) 17 Oct 2009 from web

RodrigoDantasRJ (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Imaginem a situação das famílias dos dois PM´s mortos na queda do helicóptero.Dia horroroso pra cidade,dia que não acabou pra essas famílias (Imagine the situation of the families of the two PM’s dead in the helicopter crash. Horrific day to town, this day do not end prayer for these families) 17 Oct 2009 from web

limpss (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) @RonanFilip Pois é o helicoptero caiu em sampaio…tenho uma colega q mora em frente akele campo!…o.O (For the helicopter that crashed in sampaio…I have a colleague who lives right in front of the field!…o.O) 17 Oct 2009 from web in reply to RonanFilip

thaisguimaraes (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) RT @_anacarla No exterior : um helicoptéro cai por falha técnica . Aqui no RJ : um helicoptéro cai porque os bandidos derrubam (RT @_anacarla Abroad: A helicopter drops by a technical fault. Here in Rio de Janeiro: A helicopter drops because the bandits drop it) 17 Oct 2009 from web

The violence occurred just weeks after Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Summer Olympic Games on Oct. 2, a point not missed by Rio Twitter users:

BiancaRio (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Destroem trens, queimam onibus, abatem helicoptero blindado. Pq não botaram esse tipo de imagens no video de candidatura do #Rio2016 ? (Destroy trains, burning buses, armored helicopter slaughtered. Cause they not put that kind of image in the video application #Rio2016?) 17 Oct 2009 from web

andrejotha (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Cidade Olímpica tem HELICÓPTERO caindo? (The Olympic city has HELICOPTER falling?) 17 Oct 2009 from web

carrenho Drug dealers shot down a police helicopter in Rio. Two cops dead. Why don’t we do the Olympics in Bagdah? #OlympicDisaster 17 Oct 2009 from Twitterrific

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Sydney men found guilty of plotting act of terrorism on Australian soil

Craig Kanalley — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:55:20 +0000

Five Sydney men have been charged with plotting to commit an act of terror on Australian soil on Friday, reports ABC News Australia. The intended target was never disclosed by the prosecution.

The 10-month trial which led to the guilty decision is the longest in the country’s history and it comes at a time the war on terror has been discussed increasingly in Australia.

Sydney Twitter users have been following the case and related developments in recent days. Many claim that the issue of terrorism has been greatly exaggerated by government officials.

l0tim0l (Sydney, Australia) The only ones that bring terror to the Australian people Are our leaders and the and the Bullsh*t they feed us. Look into the FACTS people 09 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

TheMac29 (Sydney, Australia) same here. agreed! RT @shiqies: I’m a Muslim nd i’m NOT violent.Get the thinking straight.I’m against terrorism.Thank you 4 understanding. 11 Oct 2009 from web

sdison (Sydney, Australia) Biopolitics of the war on terror, hey? I think I’d prefer a nap. 12 Oct 2009 from Echofon

Jen_Bennett (Sydney, Australia) @theburgerman I’m thinking terrorism, which is the 1st thing that comes to most minds. Aus govt has spent millions on counter terror support 12 Oct 2009 from TwitterBerry

l0tim0l (Sydney, Australia) We do not have terrorism in Australia, http://bit.ly/p1rAh ..Why do we let them take our freedom away in it’s name??? 14 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

JoinTheFarQ (Sydney, Australia) They were only re-enacting Red Faces skit! RT @abcnews: 5 Sydney men guilty of conspiring to commit terrorism act. #heyhey #plucka 16 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

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Simultaneous attacks in Pakistan leave 39 dead

Kari O'Rourke — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:26:17 +0000

Militants launched simultaneous attacks on three law enforcement facilities in Lahore, Pakistan on Thursday, as car bombs hit two other cities, including the assault of a Peshawar school, reports Fox News.

At least 39 police officers and civilians are dead.

This is just the latest in a string of bloody attacks that have bombarded Pakistan. On Monday, at a security forces checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, 41 were killed and 45 were wounded in an explosion, according to CNN.

Twitter users from Lahore, Pakistan reacted to Thursday’s attacks:

abkhalid (Lahore, Pakistan) Lahore under attack, may Allah help us understand what really our religion (the religion of peace) teaches us, Fe aman Allah 15 Oct 2009 from web

wqs (Lahore, Pakistan) Manawan police training center under attack as well, three terrorist attacks happening in #Lahore simultaneously. #Pakistan #fb 15 Oct 2009 from Seesmic

adnanbwp (Lahore, Pakistan)@ahmedbilal @kursed I believe the FIA attack is a ruse to divert attention and then attack Elite force training center. 15 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck in reply to ahmedbilal

Ahsano0 (Lahore, Pakistan) suspectde attack at 3 places in lahore.. Manawa, Elite Force Office and I.G. Office 15 Oct 2009 from iSms

MusstEagle (Lahore, Pakistan) Elite Force training centre and FIA building under attack… The taliban are f***ing with my city again… #lahore #pakistan 15 Oct 2009 from mobile web

omairzahid (Lahore, Pakistan) Another sordid terrorist attack in Lahore today, mere yards from my office. 15 Oct 2009 from web

sidrahhaque (Lahore, Pakistan) eight attacks in eleven days with over 100 deaths. 15 Oct 2009 from web

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Militants attack Pakistan army headquarters

Fahad Zuberi — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:47:33 +0000

Pakistan’s army headquarters near Islamabad came under attack by several armed militants on Saturday.

The Associated Press reports that militants were holding up to 15 soldiers hostage inside the army compound. The attack left 10 people dead, including two ranking officers. Military officials said the attackers were surrounded, and efforts were being made to recover the hostages safely.

Twitter users are frustrated and confused at how militants outsmarted the Pakistani army. Some are even calling it Pakistan Army FAIL.

arun_cs (Chennai, India) 6 men attack Pakistani GHQ earlier in the day, 4 r killd, 2 escape. Nw theyr back with more gunmen & hv taken hostages? Pakistan Army #FAIL 10 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

jadoon88 (Karachi, Pakistan) I can’t believe those people attacked our GHQ without my big hurdle. Our Army is not that dumb…seems to be inside job. 10 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

Some on Twitter have already begun to play the blame game.

mirza9 (Utah) RT @discomaulvi: @davidmacdougall I think it’s Kerry-Luger hitting back against criticism for their bill! (GHQ Attack #Pakistan) hahahaha 10 Oct 2009 from TwiXtreme

che3ny (Islamabad, Pakistan) India and America combine against Pakistan – GHQ under-attack; Seek forgiveness b4 v retaliate 10 Oct 2009 from web

gnbgenius (Bangalore, India) @BDUTT Attack on #Pak army hq by #Taliban is just a drama.Ultimately they r two sides of a coin & will join hands to blame India #secularism 10 Oct 2009 from web in reply to BDUTT

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Kabul blast documented on Twitter

Craig Kanalley — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:26:07 +0000

Tom Shaw, a researcher in Afghanistan per his bio, provided the first tweets about a major explosion in Kabul on Thursday morning. Sky News reports that a NATO official confirmed the blast. The cause was not immediately clear.

BNO News and Middle East correspondents also posted among the initial tweets on the incident, within five minutes of Shaw’s first tweets:

tomafg Huge window-shaking blast just now in Kabul. 08 Oct 2009 from web

tomafg Big dust-smoke cloud over the Ministry of the Interior area. Everyone’s on their phones trying to find out what’s going on. 08 Oct 2009 from web

BreakingNews JUST IN — Major blast heard in Kabul, cause unknown. More soon. 08 Oct 2009 from BNO Headquarters

AtiaAbawi Blast rattles central Kabul…working on details 08 Oct 2009 from web

nickschifrin Huge blast in Kabul 08 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

tomafg All staff accounted for. Sirens but no news. 08 Oct 2009 from web

tomafg Felt much stronger than the Indian embassy bomb last year. 08 Oct 2009 from web

Shaw has been in Afghanistan since May. He previously spent time studying in Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau.

@A_MANNY also posted to Twitter prior to mainstream media outlets reporting the news.

A_MANNY @CNN few seconds ago Bomb blast exploded near our office- Kabul…still checking any casualty. 08 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

A_MANNY #KABUL #AFGHANISTAN…it’s a BIG BLAST. we felt the impact here, r office building shaken, door and window glass broken.. 08 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

A_MANNY @Joesjane update: the blast between MOI and Embassy of India…busy hour blast happened #Kabul #Afghanistan. keep u posted 08 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

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End of Ramadan prompts Taliban leader to warn U.S.

Trish Donovan — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:51:46 +0000

Id al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, has led to a new Taliban message for the West. On Saturday, a Web site frequented by the Taliban contained a note from its leader, Mullah Omar. Omar explains in this message that Afghanistan has a long history of war and it would be in the United States’ best interest to study it.

While statements cannot be confirmed, the New York Times reports that Omar states, “Today we have strong determination, military training and effective weapons. Still more, we have preparedness for a long war, and the regional situation is in our favor. Therefore, we will continue to wage jihad until we gain independence and force the invaders to pull out.”

Twitter users around the world have acknowledged and responded to this video:

banderseri (Dallas, Texas) YOU R WHAT U EAT AND U EAT out of your habitat,it nourishes u and gives u the strenght US/SOLDIIERS VS TALABAN. 18 Sep 2009 from web

ChanelOrth (San Diego, Calif.) @k_michael Taliban has to b stopped. Especially w/ recent developments of planned attacks on US soil 21 Sep 2009 from mobile web

nickdiamondjr (Amsterdam, Netherlands) We can’t and won’t ever be able to win in Afghanistan, because the people ARE the Taliban, since they share their Islamic way of thinking… 21 Sep 2009 from TweetDeck

eshovelz (Damascus, Syria) NPR: More Troops? A Tough Choice On Afghanistan Looms http://bit.ly/DOv9Q #US #Obama #Afghanistan #security #Taliban #troops 21 Sep 2009 from web

schnoepoe (Massachusetts) If the troops need support,give it to them Obviously we can’t allow the Taliban to re-establish themselves. 3 wks he hs been sitting on this 21 Sep 2009 from Power Twitter

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