by Stephen Lendman

Things aren't always as they seem. When incidents like this happen, take nothing at face value.

Be wary. Be suspicious. Deception often substitutes for reality. More on this below.

On Wednesday, three heavily armed masked men attacked the Paris-based satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Known for lampooning Islam, other religions and political figures.

The incident took place in broad daylight. Killing 12. Wounding eight others. MSM reports didn't surprise. Headlines screamed "terrorism."

BBC was typical. "Unprecedented terrorism," it said. "France has never seen terror like this." New York Times editors said the "massacre…motivated by hate." Calling what happened "terrorism."

Washington Post editors said "Charlie Hebdo stands for free expression. The West must do no less."

Wall Street Journal editors headlined "Islamist Terror in Paris," saying:

"Wednesday's massacre…is a reminder that jihadism isn't a distant Middle Eastern phenomenon."

"There will be many more such attempts at mass murder, and authorities in the US and Europe need broad authority to surveil and interrogate potential plotters to stop them."

"(V)iolent Islam isn't a reaction to poverty or Western policies in the Middle East."

"It is an ideological challenge to Western civilization and principles…"

Los Angeles times editors headlined "Paris terrorists aimed at freedom of expression, we must defend it." Calling the attackers "terrorists."

Chicago Tribune editors headlined "Terror in France." Calling the incident an attempt to "stifle" free expression.

London Guardian editors referred to "guns…trained on free speech."

French President Francois Hollande called the attack an assault on "the expression of freedom…the spirit of the republic."

On prime time evening television, he said: "Today the French republic as a whole was the target." He declared Thursday a national day of mourning.

Obama called Hollande from Air Force One. A White House statement said he "personally offer(ed) his condolences."

"(E)xpress(ed) solidarity after this morning's horrific terrorist attack in Paris."

"Americans stand beside the people of France in the aftermath of this outrage." Offered US "resources" to help bring the perpetrators to justice. "(A)nd anyone who helped plan or enable this terrorist attack."

Hard-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen said "(t)he nation is under attack, our culture, our way of life. France must be in the war against Islamic fundamentalism. They are at war against France."

In 2006, Charlie Hebdo (CH) reprinted controversial Prophet Muhammad cartoons. Originally published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

On November 2, 2011, CH's office was fire-bombed. Its web site hacked. After its special edition called "Charia Hebdo."

The Prophet Muhammad listed as "editor-in-chief." The cover featured a cartoon lampooning him. Saying "100 lashes of the whip if you don't die laughing."

On Wednesday, reports said one suspect, Hamyd Mourad, walked into a Charlevill-Mezieres police station 145 miles northeast of Paris and surrendered.

How he got there wasn't explained. Was he involved? Is he part of a false flag plot? Police identified two other suspects - Said and Cherif Kouachi. Paris residents.

Criminal investigations take time. Suspects don't usually turn themselves in voluntarily. Let alone within hours of an incident.

Weeks often pass before police file charges. Usually after making arrests.

According to Reuters, a police source said one attacker was "identified by his identity card, which had been left in the (abandoned) getaway car." More on this below.

Cherif Kouachi previously was imprisoned for 18 months. For criminal association with a "terrorist enterprise" in 2005.

Allegedly involved in recruiting French nationals to fight Americans in Iraq. "He was arrested before (supposedly) leaving for Iraq to join militants," said Reuters.

"The third man (Hamyd Mourad) was not seen in any (video) footage…(I)t was not clear if he was directly (or in any way) involved in the attack."

No one claimed responsibility, said Reuters. It cited "a witness quoted by 20 Minutes daily newspaper sa(ying) one of the assailants cried out before getting into his car: 'Tell the media that it is al Qaeda in Yemen!' "

AFP said Paris is "in lockdown." Citing "(t)roops in railway stations, armed police outside media buildings, ultra-tight security at department stores."

"The government raised the capital's alert to its highest level immediately after the attack…(It) deployed hundreds of police across the city." Some reports said thousands.

In his 1997 book titled "The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and its Geostrategic Imperatives," former Carter administration national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski said:

"(A)s America becomes an increasingly multicultural society, it may find it more difficult to fashion a consensus on foreign policy issues, except in the circumstance of a truly massive and widely perceived direct external threat."

The kind 9/11 created. Others discussed below. State-sponsored.

Orchestrated and carried out to further new world order global dominance plans.

America, Britain, Israel, France and other rogue partners involved.

US officials identified so-called 9/11 attackers nearly straightaway after the incident.

The FBI lied claiming Mohamed Atta left behind luggage containing "decisive evidence" about Al Qaeda's responsibility for the attacks.

Passports allegedly found at United 93's crash site were fake.

Alleged hijackers weren't aboard the four fateful flights.

A previous article called the official story the mother of all Big Lies. Who ever heard of perpetrators leaving behind incriminating documents? Identifying themselves responsible for terror or other attacks.

Yet French authorities claimed one attacker left his identity card in an abandoned getaway car. An obvious red flag. Questioning the official account's veracity.

False flags are a longstanding US tradition. 9/11 is Exhibit A. The clearest example. State-sponsored terrorism writ large. Falsely blamed on innocent victims.

Imperial wars followed. Against Afghanistan. Iraq. Parts of Pakistan. Libya. Syria. Iraq again. Palestine and Lebanon (in 2006) allied with Israel.

As well as numerous proxy wars. Homeland ones against Muslims. Black Americans. Latino immigrants. Environmental andanimal rights activists. Ordinary US workers.

In April 2013, evidence suggested state-sponsored terrorism responsibility for Boston marathon bombings.

Tamerian and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were set up as convenient patsies. Neither brother had anything to do with what happened.

European countries have their own crosses to bear. Partnered with Washington's quest for world dominance. Needing justification for imperial wars.

Crackdowns on homeland freedoms. What better way than by stoking fear. False flag terrorist attacks work best. Hyped by media propaganda.

In March 2004, Madrid train bombings occurred three days before Spain's general elections.

Al Qaeda was blamed. With no corroborating evidence. Fear was stoked. Suggesting follow-up attacks against other Western targets. Including American ones.

On July 7, 2005, so-called London 7/7 underground bombings attacked the city's public transport system.

During the morning rush hour for maximum disruption and casualties. At precisely the same time, an anti-terror drill occurred. Simulating real attacks.

At the time, AP said Israel's London embassy warned Scotland Yard in advance. Israeli Army Radio reported:

"Scotland Yard had intelligence warnings of the attacks a short time before they occurred."

No action was taken. Israel's then finance minister Netanyahu was told to skip a London economic conference. He was scheduled to speak.

Other officials were warned, not the public. Fifty-two people died. Over 700 were injured.

These type attacks raise suspicions. Vital questions remain unanswered. Who gains? Who loses?

On 9/11 morning, the CIA simulated a pre-planned emergency response required if a plane struck a building.

Held at its Chantilly, Virginia Reconnaissance Office. Simulating a small jet aircraft hitting one of its buildings.

In October 2000, the Pentagon simulated a commercial plane striking its building. Pre-9/11 exercises preceded the real thing.

On June 30, 2007, a Jeep Cherokee with propane canisters crashed into Glasgow International Airport's glass doors. The usual suspects were blamed. Islamic terrorists.

In May 2013, two assailants killed British soldier Lee Rigby. In broad daylight in London. Alleged attackers remained on the scene.

Until police arrived 20 minutes later. Why wasn't explained. Killers don't usually stay around to be captured.

Both assailants were shot and apprehended. Hospitalized for treatment.

One allegedly said "(w)e must fight as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Britain's ITV news aired an edited video clip.

Allegedly a witness filmed it. Conveniently in the right place at the right time. Showing a young Black man with blood dripping from his hands.

Saying "(w)e swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you."

"The only reason reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day."

Reports called what happened the first domestic Al Qaeda-inspired attack since the July 7, 2005 underground (so-called 7/7) bombings.

On January 11, 2010, one day before Haiti's devastating earthquake, the Pentagon's US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) simulated a hurricane striking the island.

In preparation for carefully planned measures to be implemented. Involving occupation, control and plunder.

Deputy SOUTHCOM commander General PK Keen was in Haiti when the quake struck the next day. Ready to initiate US policy.

Haiti remains colonized. Plundered for profit. Its people exploited. With no say over issues most affecting their lives. Controlled by America's iron fist.

What follows Wednesday's Paris attacks remains to be seen. Maybe CIA operatives plan something similar in America.

Perhaps another step toward eliminating freedom altogether. Escalating US-led NATO's war on Islam.

Targeting humanity. Confronting Russia. Risking nuclear war. Lunatics running things in Washington make anything possible.

-###-

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.