Jezebel: Terrorism

Dirty Diaper Forces Plane to Make Emergency Landing

Cassie Murdoch — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST

There's a new kind of dirty bomb we need to worry about while flying: poopy diapers. A Qantas plane was in mid-air between Darwin and Brisbane, Australia earlier this week when passengers began complaining that something smelled strange. Airline procedures dictate that the plane has to land ASAP when that happens, so they made an emergency stop in Mt. Isa. It was there that they determined the foul odor was coming from a dirty diaper that someone had thrown away in the bathroom nearest the cockpit. I shit you not. If making an emergency landing wasn't hassle enough, it then turned out that the Mt. Isa airport couldn't handle the large Boeing 767; so the passengers had to be removed from the plane using a forklift, which could only carry down five of them at a time. It took two hours to get everybody off the plane, and eventually a new plane took them to their destination. After that ordeal, the babies on that flight must have been getting some serious side eye. More »

TSA Is Very Sorry They Strip Searched Two Old Ladies

Erin Gloria Ryan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:05:00 EST

Back in December, Transportation Security Administration officials caught some flack for forcing a couple of little old ladies at JFK airport to partially disrobe and show screeners their colostomy bags. Now, they'd like those two elderly grandmothers to know they're very sorry. More »

Governments Still Ignore Female Terrorists at Their Own Peril

Erin Gloria Ryan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:40:00 EST

A new report seeks to elucidate what we're risking when we treat terrorism as a men-only institution and ignore the threat that women can pose. So, what are we risking? Death, basically. More »

Canadian Government Lists Abortionists As Terrorists [UPDATED]

Anna North — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EDT

Well, we sure hope this is a typo: a Canadian government website has included "abortionists" on its list of "single-issue or special interest terrorist groups." More »

Dad Photographs Young Daughter, Which Is Somehow A Terror Threat

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:20:00 EDT

Thousands of people are calling for a boycott of the Braehead shopping centre near Glasgow, Scotland after police were called in to deal with a man who took photographs of his 4-year-old daughter eating ice cream. On Friday a security guard approached Chris White and said that since pictures aren't allowed in the shopping center, he'd have to delete the photos he took. The incident should have ended there, but for some reason White revealed that he'd already uploaded the photos to Facebook. The police were called and an officer said he could confiscate the phone under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The case is being reviewed, and a mall spokesman said, "it is not our intention to — and we do not — stop innocent family members taking pictures." More »

TSA Will Stop Patting Down Kids

Anna North — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:20:00 EDT

Perhaps embarrassed by the many YouTube videos in which agents frisk small children while parents look on in horror, the TSA has announced that it will be deemphasizing patdowns in children twelve and under. More »

Osama Bin Laden, Sex Machine

Irin Carmon — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:10:29 EDT

Najwa Bin Laden, Osama's first wife, said the favorite part of her day was "the sleeping time." And it wasn't because her days were so miserable; it was because bedtime was when she had her husband all to herself. More »

Osama Bin Laden's Giant Porn Stash

Irin Carmon — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:44:44 EDT

Yes, you read that right. U.S. officials found an "extensive" pornographic video collection at the compound. Holy, indeed. More »

Osama Bin Laden's Matchmaker

Irin Carmon — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:30:07 EDT

"She must be pious, dutiful, young [preferably aged 16-18], well mannered, from a decent family, but above all patient. She will have to endure my exceptional circumstances." Exceptional circumstances, in this case, meant living in seclusion with the world's most wanted terrorist. More »

Osama Bin Laden's Relationship Advice

Irin Carmon — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:30:00 EDT

Unnamed US officials say Pakistani officials may finally let them interview Osama Bin Laden's three wives who were in the compound with him when he died. More »

White House Just Kidding About Wife-As-Human-Shield Thing

Irin Carmon — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:20:30 EDT

Yesterday, as tidbits about the death of Osama bin Laden trickled out, one was met with extra disdain: The tale that bin Laden has used one of his wives as a human shield. Fortunately or unfortunately, it's not true. More »

The Deal With "Jihad Jane"

Irin Carmon — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:28:27 EST

Yesterday, the woman known as "Jihad Jane" pled guilty on terrorism charges. Here's the background on her case to refresh your memory. More »

TSA Groping Is Business As Usual For Women

Anna North — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 09:35:00 EST

The TSA's new security procedures are such a nightmare that even Hillary Clinton says she'd avoid them if possible. But in some ways, women are used to this stuff. More »

Mom Stops Wedding By Accusing Daughter Of Terrorism

Anna North — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:35:00 EST

In a rom-com plot gone very wrong, a Russian mom told authorities her daughter was a terrorist in order to keep her from flying to Morocco for her wedding. More »

Will TSA Ever Max Out on the Touchy-Feely Security Measures?

Lauri Apple — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:34:42 EST

Just in time for the holidays—the only time many Americans fly—the Washington Post reports on the Transportation Security Administration's new passenger pat-downs, which involve touching and feeling around people's private areas. What more could they do to us? More »

What Makes A Woman Blow Herself Up?

Irin Carmon — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:20:00 EDT

The bombing of the Moscow metro on Monday, which killed 39, has been attributed to two women, restarting the conversation about Chechen "black widows" and female suicide bombers in general. But are they really so different from their male counterparts? More »

Eternal Flame

Anna Holmes — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:10:00 EDT

[Moscow, March 30. Image via Getty]

'Beast' Of Burden: Congo's Survivors "Must Understand They Have The Right To Live"

Megan Carpentier — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST

Early this morning, Christiane Amanpour hosted Dr. Denis Mukwege, Annie Rashidi-Mulumba and Leymah Gbowee at The Daily Beast's Women in the World conference for a difficult discussion on rape as a weapon of war, and what to do about it. More »

Smooth Operators: Bootleg Botox Could Become Tool For Terrorism

LatoyaPeterson — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST

Is our global Botox addiction contributing to terrorism? The Washington Post weighs in on the link between mass destruction and beauty-industrial complex injectibles. More »

Step To The Right And Open Your Brain: Will "Mind-Reading" Improve Airport Security?

Anna North — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST

The TSA has come under fire in the wake of the Christmas bombing for geographical profiling, but it may be developing a new technique: mind-reading. More »

Bottles Of Honey Shut Down California Airport

Anna North — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:45:00 EST

The "suspicious material" in a passenger's luggage closed the Bakersfield airport today. Asked the local sheriff, "Why in this day and age would someone take a chance carrying honey in Gatorade bottles? That itself is an alarm." [AP, via Breitbart] More »

How To End Terrorism? Sex, Of Course!

Sadie Stein — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST

Because, some argue, if all these sad young men could only get some, well, they wouldn't have the energy to kill anyone: More »

"Soft On Terror" Is The New "Soft On Crime"

LatoyaPeterson — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Once again, the Republicans are trying to rebuild their shattered and broken party by pointing the fingers at Democratic failings. The latest: advocating for pre-emptive strikes while playing politics on appropriations bills that would help stop terrorist attacks. More »

"The System Worked:" Napolitano Takes Heat For Christmas Terrorism Attempt

Anna North — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:30:00 EST

As blame for the Christmas bombing attempt flies, and travelers remain confused about pat-downs and carryons, Janet Napolitano's statement that "the system worked" is drawing major fire. More »

Teeny Tiny Terrorism?

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:40:00 EST

Minimum number of infants impeded from boarding airplanes because their names were on the U.S. no-fly list: 14 [Harper's] More »

TSA Tightens Security Restrictions After Attempted Terrorist Attack

Hortense Smith — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:35:00 EST

The Transportation Security Administration has reportedly issued a new set of travel restrictions for all air passengers flying into the United States after a suspect attempted to detonate an explosive device during a transatlantic flight between Amsterdam and Detroit yesterday. More »

Al Qaeda Now Recruiting Women

Anna North — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST

The wife of Al Qaeda deputy commander Ayman al-Zawahiri (pictured) has called on Muslim women to "work alongside men to defend their religion, their land, and themselves." This may be evidence that the group is low on, um, manpower. [CBS] More »

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

Anna Holmes — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:10:00 EDT

[Lahore, October 20. Image via Getty]

Let Me Down Easy

Anna Holmes — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EDT

[Sydney, October 12. Image via Getty]

Osama Has Message For Obama

LatoyaPeterson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:40:00 EDT

Osama Bin Laden released a new tape on September 13th, explaining the 9/11 attacks and offering suggestions for how the US and Al Qaeda can work toward a solution. Problem is we've heard it all before... in 2002. [NY Times] More »

More Threats Emerge Against American Abortion Providers

Kay Steiger — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EDT

A 70-year-old man was arrested in Spokane on Wednesday for making threats to the family of late-term abortion provider Warren Hern, subject of a recent Esquire profile. New protests by extreme anti-choice groups will take place in Nebraska this weekend. More »

Hillary Clinton Tackles Economics, Terrorism, Microlending In NY Times Profile

LatoyaPeterson — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EDT

NY Times Profile" alt="Click here to read Hillary Clinton Tackles Economics, Terrorism, Microlending In NY Times Profile" src="http://cache.jezebel.com/assets/images/39/2009/08/hillarynytimes081909.jpg"/>

The New York Times Magazine just unveiled its latest issue, dedicated to global issues that impact women. Though we'll post on more of the pieces later this week, today we'll start with the magazine's interview of Hillary Clinton. More »

What Sort Of Beer Would A Black Racist Drink?

Megan Carpentier — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EDT

We've got domestic terrorists, scuttled health care reform initiatives, racists in the Cambridge P.D. and lawyers everywhere, but all anyone cares about is what beer Obama drinks! Suffice it to say, Racialicious' Latoya Peterson and I are sick of it. More »

Memorial Day

Anna Holmes — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:10:00 EDT

[Jakarta, July 19. Image via Getty]

The Silent Scream

Anna Holmes — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:10:00 EDT

[Jakarta, July 17. Image via Getty]

Memorial Day

Anna Holmes — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:10:00 EDT

[Wichita, May 31. Image via Getty]

Dress Code

Sadie Stein — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EDT

A women's college in Lahore, Pakistan has banned jeans and fitted clothing and mandated that students wear a dupatta, or veil. The administration says this is in light of reported terrorist threat. [TOI] More »

Governor's Ball: Ed Rendell Is A Sexist Jerk; David Paterson Isn't

Megan Carpentier — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST

Some days there's news to be had, and some days all you can do is shake your head when a governor like Ed Rendell stereotypes working moms and single women all in a breath. Luckily, there are governors like David Paterson, who is really pissed about sexism in the legal profession (and in the New York State court system). And there are friends like Latoya Peterson of Racialicious who go interview kick-ass women about terrorism, public health and Star Wars so that we can tie it all together on one neat little progressive package of knowledge. More »

Picking up on the meme that the best way...

Megan Carpentier — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:20:00 EST

Picking up on the meme that the best way to re-build the devastated Republican party is on the backs of LGBT Americans seeking equality, Mike Huckabee's new unintentionally-ironically titled book Do the Right Thing tries to make the case that same sex marriage is the A-number-one threat facing this country today. He says: "What's the point of keeping the terrorists at bay in the Middle East if we can't keep decline and decadence at bay here at home?" We say, hey, asshole, not a single American has died because two women or two men married each other and plenty of Americans got liberty and the ability to engage in the pursuit of happiness over it. That's the point. [NY Post] More »

James Bond Really Ought To Be A Brown, Pashto-Speaking Woman

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Imagine you want to infiltrate a terror cell. Do you send a white guy in a tux? Yesterday, an AP story was published about MI6, Britain's secret spy agency, and the recruiting campaign it launched about a year ago. More than 20,000 people have since applied, and they don't all look like Daniel Craig. Or Roger Moore, or Sean Connery, for that matter. The agency is actively seeking women and minorities to tackle terrorism. Pola Uddin, the first Muslim woman in the House of Lords, is in favor of some affirmative action for MI6. "We need less sexism and a symbol who doesn't always hold a martini glass," she says. More »