Royal Intrigue, Unpaid Bills Preceded Saudi Ambassador's Exit

…The debts by one of the world's wealthiest countries -- owed to the very lobbyists, advisers and event organizers hired to promote the kingdom -- have left a trail that weaves together bitter princely rivalries, diplomatic subterfuge and a policy clash over one of the thorniest issues of the day: what to do about Iran….(Washington Post, 23 Dec 06

Iraqi insurgent snipers gaining skill

…A problem since the start of the war, soldiers and senior officers say the threat from snipers has intensified in recent months. Insurgent gunmen have honed their skills and acquired better equipment, notably night-vision rifle scopes to target U.S. troops after the sun goes down….(AP, 23 Dec 06)

Shiites: Cleric Won't Support Coalition

Shiite lawmakers said Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric withheld support Saturday for a U.S.-backed plan to build a coalition across sectarian lines, jeopardizing hopes that such a show of political unity could help stem the country's deadly violence. Members of the United Iraqi Alliance, the Shiite coalition that dominates parliament, met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf after traveling to the holy city over the past few days….(AP, 23 Dec 06)

Al-Qaeda Allies Claim Bigger Base of Support in Iraq

Forces allied with al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed yesterday to have broadened their base of support among Iraqi Sunnis, saying that 70 percent of tribal sheiks and a number of previously independent insurgent groups have pledged allegiance to what has been called the Islamic State of Iraq under its emir, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi…..(Washington Post, 23 Dec 06)

The Jihadist Dream to Liberate Spain

Earlier this year a jihadist document calling for the liberation of so-called occupied territories and issued by the al-Qaeda-linked group Nadim al-Magrebi was posted on the Islamic extremist website Alansar…..(Front Page, 22 Dec 06)

Militia Offers U.S. Truce for Withdrawal

The purported leader of an al-Qaida-linked militant group offered U.S. troops a one-month truce for withdrawing from Iraq without being attacked, according to a speech posted on an Islamic Web site Friday. The leader of Islamic State of Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, also called on former officers in Saddam Hussein's disbanded army to join his militia, promising to provide them with a salary and house so long as they could recite three "suras," or groups of verses, of the Quran…..(AP, 22 Dec 06)

Bashir slams West after court ruling

…Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has painted a court ruling clearing him of any part in the 2002 Bali bombings as a "warning for the West" not to attempt to oppress Indonesia. Indonesia's Supreme Court has overturned Bashir's conviction for conspiracy in the bombings on the Indonesian resort island…..(Sydney Morning Herald, 22 Dec 06)

Iran Presides over Coalition of Extremists
In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush referred to Iran, together with Iraq and North Korea, as the "axis of evil." The unfolding and, indeed, growing violence in Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine, that is instigated and often directed and financed, by Iran, has shed new light on the Islamic Republic's role as a leading extremist state in the Middle East….(MEMRI, 22 Dec 06)

Islamist Websites Monitor No. 39

…..(MEMRI, 22 Dec 06)

What We Wanted to Tell You About Iran

HERE is the redacted version of a draft Op-Ed article we wrote for The Times, as blacked out by the Central Intelligence Agency’s Publication Review Board after the White House intervened in the normal prepublication review process and demanded substantial deletions….(New York Times, 22 Dec 06)

Redacted Version of Original Op-Ed

The Iraq Study Group has added its voice to a burgeoning chorus of commentators, politicians, and former officials calling for a limited, tactical dialogue with Iran regarding Iraq….(New York Times, 22 Dec 06)

Ex - Officials: Article Wrongly Classified

The debate centers on an opinion piece that former National Security Council official Flynt Leverett and former Foreign Service officer Hillary Mann sought to publish in The New York Times….(AP, 22 Dec 06)

Iran Owes $254 Million for Attack, Judge Rules

…The ruling by U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth allows families of the victims of the Khobar Towers bombing to seek their compensation from assets that have been seized from the conservative Islamic regime in Tehran….(AP, 22 Dec 06)

Report Says TSA Violated Privacy Law
Secure Flight, the U.S. government's stalled program to screen domestic air passengers against terrorism watch lists, violated federal law during a crucial test phase, according to a report to be issued today by the Homeland Security Department's privacy office….(Washington Post, 22 Dec 06)

Now Bashir wants damages

IN the ultimate insult to Australia's Bali bombing victims, radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has bragged that he is planning to sue for damages after a controversial decision to clear him of terrorism charges. The families of victims of the 2002 attack told of their despair that Bashir – widely regarded as the spiritual leader of the terrorists who murdered their loved ones – is free and planning to cash in…..(Daily Telegraph, 22 Dec 06)

Outrage over US snub on Bashir case

The US Attorney-General rebuffed a request from the Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Mick Keelty, to grant Indonesian police access to the terrorism mastermind Hambali, who could have been a key witness against the radical Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir….(Sydney Morning Herald, 22 Dec 06)

British troops seize Iraqi police chief in Basra

More than 1,000 British troops backed up by tanks carried out a dawn raid on Friday to seize an Iraqi police chief accused of leading a death squad that slaughtered 17 police trainers. Under cover of thick fog, the soldiers were able to approach several addresses in the port city of Basra undetected and seize seven suspects without a shot being fired, military spokesman Major Charlie Burbridge said.…(Middle East Online, 22 Dec 06)

Muslim Insurgency Escalates in Thailand
Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand have intensified their deadly attacks and imposed greater control over the local populace despite offers of peace and reconciliation by the country's military-backed government….(AP, 22 Dec 06)

Suicide bomber kills 14 in Iraq

The three friends forged a pact. Thursday at the crack of dawn, the unemployed young men would go together to the police recruiting station in central Baghdad and try to sign up to be law enforcement officers….(LA Times, 22 Dec 06)

Roadside Bomb Kills 5 Afghan Police
A roadside bomb exploded next to a police patrol in southern Afghanistan on Friday, killing five policemen…(AP, 22 Dec 06)

Afghan Lawmaker Survives Assassination Bid

A bomber blew himself up outside the home of an Afghan lawmaker in Kabul today, killing one civilian and wounding at least seven people, including three bodyguards, RFE/RL's Afghan Service reported….(RFE/RL, 22 Dec 06)

Bickering Saudis Struggle for an Answer to Iran’s Rising Influence

…Across the kingdom, in both official and casual conversation, once-quiet concern over the chaos in Iraq and Iran’s growing regional influence has burst into the open….(New York Times, 22 Dec 06)

Iran, North Korea dig in against West's threats

Iran has defied imminent United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program and pledged that it will become a member of the nuclear club within weeks. North Korea has not been persuaded to give up its nuclear ambitions either, during talks in Beijing which ended last night without progress on the issue of disarmament….(Sydney Morning Herald, 22 Dec 06)

Fatah gunmen fire on Hamas activists in West Bank

At least two people were wounded when gunmen loyal to Fatah opened fire on at least 200 Hamas members and supporters preparing for a rally in the West Bank on Friday…(Gulf News, 22 Dec 06)

Gunbattles Rage Between Hamas and Fatah

A fierce gunbattle broke out between Hamas and Fatah militants in Gaza City early Friday, underscoring the fragility of a two-day old truce that had largely ended factional violence there…..(AP, 22 Dec 06)

Iraq tribes 'taking on al-Qaeda'

A group of Sunni tribal chiefs in Iraq say they have caught more than 100 al-Qaeda members in recent months. The tribal chiefs in the Iraqi province of Anbar joined forces in September in an attempt to defeat al-Qaeda….(BBC, 22 Dec 06)

Security scare at Australian PM's office

Two workers were evacuated from a building housing an office of Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Thursday after the discovery of an unidentified substance….(Reuters, 21 Dec 06)

Radical Islamic Groups Exploit Internet for Jihad

The global jihadist movement wants the world to adopt Islam's 7th century values, and it's using 21st century technology to do it. In fact, Radical Islamic Web sites are years ahead of any Western counter-efforts, say Web watchers and terror trackers…Robert Steele, a former clandestine case officer for the CIA who works in open source intelligence, that is, building intelligence by monitoring and trolling public information, like the Internet, said one-third of the Jihadist Web sites operating today are used to incite violence, one-third raise funds for organizations that fund terrorists, and another third indoctrinate through theology and intellectual discourse….(Fox28, 21 Dec 06)

Islamist Sites in French – An Overview

For Islamist terrorist organizations, the Internet is a major platform for indoctrination and incitement. Most of these sites are in Arabic, but some are in European languages. The following is an overview of Islamist sites in French that promote Islamist ideology and disseminate anti-Western and anti-French incitement…(MEMRI, 21 Dec 06)

Islamist Websites Monitor No. 38

….(MEMRI, 21 Dec 06)

Ahmadinejad: Iran now nuclear power
Iran is now a "nuclear power," its President, Mahmoud Ahamdinejad, delcared Wednesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency . During a speech delivered in the Western Iranian province of Javanroud, Ahmadinejad said: " The Islamic Republic of Iran is now a nuclear power, thanks to the hard work of the Iranian people and authorities."…(YNet, 21 Dec 06)

In the shadow of the Taliban

In 2001, when the United States and the United Kingdom arrived in Afghanistan, they sold their mission to the world not simply as a way of driving out the terrorist-shielding Taliban but also as a way of empowering women….(Mail & Guardian, 21 Dec 06)

Shia books spark debate in Sudan

…The dispute started earlier in December, when organisers of the Al-Khartoum Book Exhibition closed the Iranian booth for displaying Shia books which were disparaging towards Aisha, one of the wives of Prophet Muhammad, and his companions…..(Aljazeera, 21 Dec 06)

Al Qaeda Warns U.S. on Fighting in Muslim Lands

Ayman al-Zawahri, Al Qaeda’s second in command, has threatened the United States with more attacks if it does not end its military activity in Muslim countries. He spoke on a videotape broadcast Wednesday on Al Jazeera’s news channel….(New York Times, 21 Dec 06)

The Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiyya Cessation of Violence: An Ideological Reversal
The Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiyya organization, which perpetrated terror attacks in Egypt throughout the 1980s and '90s, has in recent years undergone an ideological reversal exceptional among Islamist organizations….(MEMRI, 21 Dec 06)

Bush signs bill denying aid to Hamas-led authority

President Bush on Thursday signed into law legislation restricting aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority until it recognizes Israel's right to exist, makes financial reforms and takes other steps…..(Reuters, 21 Dec 06)

Raul Castro Urges Students to Debate 'Fearlessly'

…Castro's remarks, published Thursday by the Communist Party newspaper, Granma, are the clearest indication yet of how he might reshape Cuba after the death of his ailing brother, Fidel Castro. Raul Castro told the students that his brother is "irreplaceable."….(Washington Post, 22 Dec 06)

Interactive Graphic: Solution: Break Up Iraq; Reality: It's Not So Easy

...New York Times

Too Soon to Tell on Border Pact, Pakistan Says

Pakistan's ambassador to the United States said yesterday it is "premature" to say that tribes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border are not living up to an agreement to prevent crossings by Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters….(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

President Confronts Dissent on Troop Levels

…At an end-of-the-year news conference, Bush said he agrees with generals "that there's got to be a specific mission that can be accomplished" before he decides to dispatch an additional 15,000 to 30,000 troops to the war zone. But he declined to repeat his usual formulation that he will heed his commanders on the ground when it comes to troop levels….(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Gates Talks Over Options With U.S. Commanders in Iraq

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates spent his third day as Pentagon chief in an intense series of discussions with top U.S. military commanders about next steps in Iraq, but said he wouldn't move toward any conclusions until he had talked with senior Iraqi officials….(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Pakistani city serves as a refuge for the Taliban

At a time when the Taliban is making its strongest push in years to regain influence and territory across the border in Afghanistan, this mountain-ringed provincial capital has become an increasingly brazen hub of activity by the Islamist militia. Quetta (Pakistan) serves as a place of rest and refuge for Taliban fighters between battles, a funneling point for cash and armaments, a fertile recruiting ground and a sometime meeting point for the group's fugitive leaders, say aid workers, local officials, diplomats and others….(LA Times, 21 Dec 06)

SEC, Treasury to share money laundering info

An information-sharing accord aimed at uncovering terrorist financing and money laundering was announced on Thursday by the U.S. Treasury Department's financial crimes unit and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the agreement, the SEC and the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) each quarter will share information they have gathered to make sure SEC-regulated companies comply with the Bank Secrecy Act….(Reuters, 21 Dec 06)

CIA exercise reveals consequences of defeat

The CIA this month conducted a simulation of how the Iraq war affects the global jihadist movement, and one conclusion was that a U.S. loss would embolden al Qaeda to expand its ranks of terrorists as well as pick new strategic targets, according to sources familiar with the two-day exercise…The exercise involved 75 CIA analysts and outside specialists. It was conducted by the CIA's Office of Terrorism Analysis, within the agency's Counterterrorism Center….(Washington Times, 21 Dec 06)

AP: Pentagon Wants $99.7B More for Wars

The Pentagon wants the White House to seek an additional $99.7 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan…(AP, 21 Dec 06)

Suspect denies involvement in alleged passenger jet terror plot
In a Pakistani court today, a British Muslim has denied any involvement in an alleged plot to blow up passenger jets flying from London to the United States. Rashid Rauf is of Pakistani origin. He was among those detained in August in a plot to assemble and detonate improvised explosives aboard U-S-bound planes. Pakistani intelligence officials alleged Rauf had contacts with al-Qaida….(AP, 21 Dec 06)

Indonesian cleric cleared of Bali bomb conspiracy

Indonesia's Supreme Court overturned on Thursday a guilty verdict against Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir for conspiracy in the deadly 2002 Bali bombings….(Reuters, 21 Dec 06)

3 Turks may be tried for int'l terrorism charges

…Er Avni, Remzi Ucucu and Zeynep Kilic are accused of participating in activities of the DHKP-C, an outlawed leftist group that aims to topple the Turkish government and replace it with a Marxist one, ANSA reported….(AP/Jerusalem Post, 21 Dec 06)

Jordan tourist attacker to hang

A Jordanian court has sentenced a man to death by hanging for a gun attack that killed a British tourist visiting Amman and injured six other people. Nabil Ahmad Jaoura, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, is said to have been motivated by anger at Western policies towards Arabs in the region.…(BBC, 21 Dec 06)

Christians Thrown to the Lions in Iraq

…Since the U.S. invasion in 2003, Iraq's one million Assyrian Christians -- the oldest sect in Christendom -- have been the target of a campaign of terror and ethnic cleansing at the hands of Islamic extremists and Kurdish nationalists. Tens of thousands have fled the country for Syria, Jordan or Turkey. This year has been the worst since the invasion. Church bombings, car bombings, kidnappings and killings have become commonplace….(ANIA, 21 Dec 06)

Saudi Arabia Set to Name Jubeir as Ambassador

Saudi Arabia has informed the State Department that it intends to appoint Adel al-Jubeir as the new ambassador to Washington, according to U.S. officials. Jubeir, who is one of King Abdullah's closest foreign policy advisers, has long been the public face of the oil-rich kingdom in the West….(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Hill Urges N Korea Not to Divert Nuke Talks

The U.S. envoy to talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program urged the communist nation Thursday to focus on dismantling its bombs and not divert the negotiations with complaints about Washington's measures against the North's alleged financial crimes….(AP, 21 Dec 06)

A Soldier's Soldier, Outflanked

Gen. John P. Abizaid rose to become the top American commander for the Middle East in July 2003 with impeccable credentials for the job: A Lebanese American who speaks Arabic with a master's degree in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard, Abizaid was considered a soldier's soldier……(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Militants kill 3 in Nigerian oil facility attack
Armed militants attacked a Nigerian oil facility operated by France’s Total on Thursday, killing three people….(Reuters, 21 Dec 06)

U.S. Transfers Control Of Najaf Province to Iraqi Security Forces

 U.S. forces handed over control of the southern province of Najaf to Iraqi security forces Wednesday while violence continued in the Iraqi capital, with several car bombs killing at least 12 people…Najaf is the third province to be turned over to Iraqi forces….(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Iraq Cycling Coach Said Slain in Baghdad

Iraq's Olympic cycling coach was killed after gunmen kidnapped him from his home in the latest attack on one of the nation's sports figures, officials said. Family members identified the body of 48-year-old Mahoud Ahmed Fulayih…(AP, 21 Dec 06)

Suicide Bombing in Baghdad Kills 14

A suicide bomber targeted a police academy in the Iraqi capital on Thursday, killing at least 14 people and wounding 21 others….(AP, 21 Dec 06)

Roadside bombs kill seven Afghans

…A roadside bomb aimed at a senior Afghan police officer killed at least four civilians and wounded four, including the policeman, while another aimed at a convoy of foreign troops killed three policemen and wounded several…(Reuters, 21 Dec 06)

In Iraq, Let’s Fight One War at a Time

Once again American officials are growing dissatisfied with an Iraqi government. In Baghdad and in Washington, officials privately and the press publicly suggest that the Bush administration would prefer that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki fell, and that Adil Abdul Mahdi, a French-educated economist who is a vice president, would replace him…..(New York Times, 21 Dec 06)

U.S. and Britain to Add Ships to Persian Gulf in Signal to Iran

The United States and Britain will begin moving additional warships and strike aircraft into the Persian Gulf region in a display of military resolve toward Iran that will come as the United Nations continues to debate possible sanctions against the country, Pentagon and military officials said Wednesday….(New York Times, 21 Dec 06)

Iran President Facing Revival of Students’ Ire

…The student movement, which planned the 1979 seizure of the American Embassy from the same university, Amir Kabir, is reawakening from its recent slumber and may even be spearheading a widespread resistance against Mr. Ahmadinejad. This time the catalysts were academic and personal freedom….(New York Times, 21 Dec 06)

Risk of Attack Rising, Officials In Europe Say
The threat of a terrorist attack on European soil by Islamic radicals has increased substantially in recent months, reaching its highest levels since the London transit attacks of July 2005, according to European counterterrorism officials. …(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Europeans Yield on Iran Sanctions
Britain, France and Germany have scrapped plans to impose a United Nations travel ban on Iranian officials who are linked to Tehran's most controversial nuclear activities, a move intended to win Russian support for a U.N. resolution restricting Iran's nuclear trade, according to U.S. and European officials….(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Palestinian polls will choke jihad: Al-Qaeda deputy

Al-Qaeda's second in command Ayman al-Zawahiri said in a video tape aired on Wednesday that Palestinian elections would not free Palestinian land and would deal a blow to holy war against Israeli occupation…It was not clear when the recording, only excerpts of which were aired, was made. An Islamist website has said it would release a recording of Zawahiri, the right hand man of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden….(Reuters/AP, 20 Dec 06)

CHRONOLOGY-Messages attributed to al Qaeda

Neo-Taliban Commander Discusses Strategy In Afghanistan

Mullah Abdullah Sarhadi, who claims to be a close associate of former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, said his movement's goal from its "beginning" has been "the establishment of an Islamic system and the supremacy of the Koran," Dubai-based Geo News Television reported on December 17….(RFE/RL, 20 Dec  06)

Uzbekistan: 2 convicted for teaching radical Islam

…The city court in the capital, Tashkent, sentenced Shoakmal Nosirov and Farkhod Muminov to nine and 6 years in prison, respectively, on charges of religious extremism and anti-constitutional activity as followers of the austere Wahhabi sect of Islam, a government-run Web site said….(AP/Jerusalem Post, 20 Dec 06)

ABC Exclusive: Video Shows U.S. Embassy Terror Attack

A U.S. government surveillance tape, obtained by ABC News, reveals in graphic detail the attack on the American embassy in Damascus, Syria, this September and raises new questions about the role of the Syrian government….(ABC, 20 Dec 06)Video:Terrorists Attack U.S. Embassy   and   Photos of Embassy Attack

Mumbai railway steps up security again
The railway police have beefed up security at railway stations across the city following a police alert issued on December 13 warning of an impending terror attack in Mumbai, Goa and Surat on December 25, 26 or January 25 and 26….(Hindustan Times, 20 Dec 06)

Al-Qaida Hints at Power Status in Iraq

The deputy leader of al-Qaida, Ayman al-Zawahri, told the United States it is negotiating with the wrong people in Iraq, suggesting in a video released Wednesday that his terror group was the real power broker in the country….(AP, 20 Dec 06)

Seif Al-Islam Al-Qadhafi, Son of Libyan Leader Colonel Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi: I Demanded Reforms, Not Revolution; My Mission Is to Get All the People to Talk the Same Way as Me; Violations of Human Rights - Not Ordered by Colonel Al-Qadhafi

The following are excerpts from an interview with Seif Al-Islam Al-Qadhafi, son of Libyan leader Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on December 10, 2006…..(MEMRI, 20 Dec 06)

U.S. Freezes Accounts of British Citizen

Bush administration took action Tuesday to freeze financial accounts and assets of a naturalized British citizen for allegedly providing "material and logistical" support to al-Qaida and other terror groups. The action against Mohammed Al Ghabra means that any bank accounts or other financial assets belonging to him found in the United States must be frozen….(AP, 20 Dec 06)

New Iraq Strategy Emerges: First Security, Then Politics

The idea of sending reinforcements to Baghdad is not a new one. The United States dispatched a Stryker brigade and several Army battalions to the capital in August as part of a joint American and Iraqi operation to improve security there…Sectarian killings initially declined, only to soar after death squads adapted to American tactics….(New York Times, 20 Dec 06)

Bush and the Generals: A Growing Split?

In his press conference Wednesday morning, President George Bush made an interesting verbal pivot, which was not lost on senior military officers listening in the Pentagon. Talking about troop levels in Iraq, Bush did not use his usual line that the commanders on the ground would get whatever they need. Instead, he said he would "listen" to the commanders….(Time Magazine, 20 Dec 06)

Gates Begins Intense Talks on War Efforts

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on his second full day as the Pentagon chief, arrived here this morning to begin several days of intense talks with top U.S. commanders and Iraqi officials about how to change the war effort…..(Washington Post, 20 Dec 06)

U.S. Not Winning War in Iraq, Bush Says for 1st Time
President Bush acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq and said he plans to expand the overall size of the "stressed" U.S. armed forces to meet the challenges of a long-term global struggle against terrorists…..(Washington Post, 20 Dec 06)

Cost of Wars Rises

Government spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will exceed the Bush administration’s original estimate of $110 billion for the 2007 fiscal year, and is likely to top $120 billion…(New York Times, 20 Dec 06)

Anthrax Vaccine Contract Voided, Thwarting Administration

Federal health officials yesterday scuttled the largest piece of the Bush administration's two-year program to counter bioterrorism, canceling an $877.5 million contract with VaxGen to develop an anthrax vaccine after the company missed a deadline to begin human testing….(Washington Post, 20 Dec 06)

Captain to Face Charges in Marines’ Killings of Iraqis, Lawyer Says

An officer responsible for the marines who killed two dozen Iraqis, including several women and children, in the village of Haditha last year will be charged Thursday with dereliction of duty or a similar crime, his lawyer said Tuesday….(New York Times, 20 Dec 06)

Guardsmen's new mission will transform mechanics into war intelligence experts

In their third transition in 16 years, Kansas Air National Guardsmen will get a new mission that puts them -- and Wichita -- at the center of the war on terror. Plane mechanics and others assigned to the 184th Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base will be retrained as intelligence experts…(Wichita Falls, 20 Dec 06)

Report: China Uncovers Money Laundering

…China has sought to crack down on illicit financial activities, seeking to reinforce the stability of its developing financial systems and to prevent possible involvement in terrorist financing….(AP, 20 Dec 06)

French counterterror forces on high alert

French counterterrorism forces are on high alert going into presidential elections next spring, two of the country's top terrorism officials say, citing three Islamist plots thwarted over the last 18 months — including one to bomb the Paris Métro and another targeting Orly Airport….(International Herald Tribune, 20 Dec 06)

Najaf handed to Iraqis' control

The US military has handed over security of Iraq's Najaf province, south of the capital Baghdad, to government forces. Najaf is the third province to come under Iraqi security control….(BBC, 20 Dec 06)

Iraq violence kills 23 as Gates visits

At least 23 Iraqis were killed across the country on Wednesday, including 11 who died when a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives near Baghdad University, medics said. The carnage formed a grim backdrop to the first visit to Iraq by the new US defence secretary, Robert Gates….(Agence France-Presse, 20 Dec 06)

Ten hurt in bicycle blast in Pakistan's southwest

A bomb attached to a bicycle exploded on Wednesday in southwestern Pakistan where tribal militants are fighting for more autonomy, wounding ten people, two of them seriously….(Reuters, 20 Dec 06)

Baghdad suicide car bomb kills 11

A suicide car bomber has killed at least 11 people and injured about 30 others in Baghdad, Iraqi officials say….(BBC, 20 Dec 06)

Afghan forces kidnap 10 in violation of Pakistani territories

Afghan forces violated Pakistani territory and abducted 10 persons, including five paramilitary troopers, in a new episode of tension between the two neighboring countries, said an official on Wednesday….(Kuna, 20 Dec 06)

'Committee of Women's Petition' President to British House of Lords: 'The Struggle For Women's Rights in Bahrain Has Become More Difficult'

In a December 18, 2006 address to the British House of Lords, Ghada Jamsheer, president of the Committee of Women's Petition (CWP) in Bahrain, spoke of the state of women's rights in Bahrain…..(MEMRI, 20 Dec 06)

Islamist Web site warns U.S. over ailing jailed cleric

An Islamist Web site used by militant groups including al Qaeda urged Muslims on Wednesday to seek the release of a cleric jailed in the United States through "any form of attempt or pressure." Al-Hesbah Network also warned Washington that it would be held responsible for any harm that came to Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind Muslim cleric imprisoned for conspiring to blow up New York City landmarks….(Reuters, 20 Dec 06)

Al-Qaeda attacks Palestinian poll

Al-Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri has appeared in a new video to speak out against elections in the Palestinian territories. The deputy to Osama Bin Laden said in the video, aired on al-Jazeera television, that only jihad, or holy war, would "liberate Palestine"….(BBC, 20 Dec 06)

The Regathering Storm

For the past year, a secret has been slowly spreading among Taliban commanders in Afghanistan: a 12-man team of Westerners was being trained by Al Qaeda in Pakistan for a special mission. Most of the Afghan fighters could rely only on hearsay, but some told of seeing the "English brothers" (as the foreign recruits were nicknamed for their shared language) in person… U.S. and British security agencies have known this threat would come sooner or later. While saying he could not confirm the English brothers' case specifically, a spokesman for Britain's Foreign Office (unnamed as a matter of standard policy) calls it "common knowledge" that jihadist recruits have been traveling from Britain to Pakistan for indoctrination and training….(Newsweek, 25 Dec 06 Issue)

Women in terrorism: a Palestinian feminist revolution or gender oppression

The place of women in terrorism and the extensive media coverage received by attacks involving women 4 have been on the agenda of discussions of global terrorism. Throughout history, women have participated in national struggles for independence, in wars and more recently, in terrorist attacks….(Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies, Dec 06)

Data mining fails in terrorist fight

Since 9/11 the US government has been analysing people’s travel, spending and communications habits, hoping to spot patterns of abnormal behaviour that could lead it to terrorists. But in its paper, “Effective... Counter-Terrorism and the Limited Role of Predictive Data Mining”, public policy research foundation the Cato Institute argues that data mining creates a false positive rate of 90%. Worse still, while the data capture methods are easily avoided by real terrorists, it violates citizens’ privacy and civil liberties….(Computer Weekly, 20 Dec 06)

What if terrorists destroy Washington?

…Specifically, imagine how the United States would react — or not — if terrorists succeeded in destroying Washington and, with it, all or most of the government. Chillingly, the Senate, which generated so much speculation this week, is actually in a better position to resume functioning than the other branches….(LA Times, 20 Dec 06)

Australia retrial in al-Qaeda case

An Australian court on Wednesday ordered a retrial for a Muslim convert whose conviction for accepting funds from al-Qaeda was overturned. Joseph Thomas, 33, was sentenced to five years jail but the conviction was thrown out in August due to an inadmissible interview conducted by Australian police when he was in custody in Pakistan….(Zee News, 20 Dec 06)

Dutch national faces U.S. terror trial

A court on Tuesday rejected a last-ditch attempt to block the extradition of a Dutch citizen charged with terror attacks on American troops in his native Iraq in 2003.Wesam al Delaema, 32, is set to become the first suspect tried in a U.S. court for alleged terrorism in Iraq's bloody insurgency…(AP, 20 Dec 06)

Ramsey Clark Assails Hussein Sentence

The United States will shame itself and be responsible for more bloodshed in Iraq if it allows Saddam Hussein to be executed, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark, a member of the former dictator’s defense team….(New York Times, 21 Dec 06)

Court Hears Reports on Saddam's Forces

A court in the genocide trial of Saddam Hussein heard harrowing accounts Wednesday that the former Iraqi leader's forces beheaded a mentally ill Kurdish man and pushed three other Kurds to their deaths from a helicopter during a crackdown 20 years ago….(AP, 20 Dec 06)

Factional Battles in Gaza Leave at Least Six Dead
The violence, primarily scattered gunfights in the streets of Gaza, has defied attempts at mediation since Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced Saturday that he had decided to call early general elections….(Washington Post, 20 Dec 06)

Senior al-Qaida Leader Captured in Iraq

…The leader, who was not identified, was arrested in a raid in Mosul on Dec. 14, the military said…..(AP, 20 Dec 06)

Pakistani court asks why militant handed to U.S.

A Pakistani court asked the government on Wednesday to explain why a Pakistani citizen, suspected of having links with al Qaeda, had been handed over to the United States, a lawyer said….(Reuters, 20 Dec  06)

Somalis 'at war' with Ethiopia

The leader of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), which controls much of southern Somalia, says they are in a state of war with Ethiopia….(BBC, 21 Dec 06)

Somali Government, Islamic Militias Agree To Resume Peace Talks

…"The mission can be considered a full success," a European Union envoy, Louis Michel, said at a news conference in Nairobi. " . . . There was a broad agreement to de-escalate and refrain from hostile acts. . . . There are still issues that will have to be resolved. But I'm convinced of the sincerity of both parties to go forward."…(Washington Post, 21 Dec 06)

Home in Illinois May Lure Fugitive Former Iraqi Minister

It was an unremarkable scene on Wednesday outside a gated community here where the former Iraqi electricity minister, Aiham Alsammarae, now a fugitive from justice, keeps a palatial house….(New York Times, 21 Dec 06)

Top Iraqi Shiite Cleric Is Inching Toward a Coalition

Iraq’s most venerated Shiite cleric has tentatively approved an American-backed coalition of Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish parties that aims to isolate extremists, particularly the powerful Shiite militia leader Moktada al-Sadr, Iraqi and Western officials say….(New York Times, 20 Dec 06)

UN approves appeals for Qaeda sanctions list

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve an appeal procedure for people and groups subject to sanctions because of suspected ties to al Qaeda and Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers….(Reuters, 19 Dec 06)

Illinoisan tells how he escaped from Iraq jail

Speaking from a location he would not identify, a Chicago-area engineer facing corruption charges in Iraq said Tuesday that he escaped custody in Baghdad with the help of a "multinational" group and vowed to return to his home in the western suburb of Oak Brook after the new year. Aiham Alsammarae, Iraq's former electricity minister, said in a telephone interview that he decided to flee Sunday from a police station because he was certain that Iraqi authorities would kill him if he remained in their custody…(Chicago Tribune, 20 Dec 06)

Escaped Minister Says He Fled Iraqi Jail ‘the Chicago Way’

… The official, Aiham Alsammarae, who telephoned this reporter, said, without offering proof, that he was already outside Iraq after finagling his way aboard a flight at the Baghdad International Airport…..(New York Times, 20 Dec 06)

U.S. not waiting for Palestinian unity

The United States will not wait for Palestinians to agree on a unity government or to hold elections in order to push for a renewed peace effort with Israel and will step up its support for President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday….(Washington Times, 20 Dec 06)

Many in Ethiopia See Premier's Talk of War As Ploy to Tighten Grip

War or no war with Somalia, Mulunesh Abebayhu wants out. Out of her teaching job, where Ethiopian security forces constantly harass her because of her political views…(Washington Post, 20 Dec 06)

Europe’s Muslims Face ‘Islamophobia,’ Study Says

Europe’s Muslims face deep-seated discrimination in education, housing and jobs but also say they could do more themselves to connect with wider society, a European Union report says…..(Reuters, 19 Dec 06)

North Korean and U.S. Officials Discuss Banking Restrictions

Financial officials from North Korea and the United States met today for the first direct talks between the countries since Pyongyang’s nuclear test, for a discussion of banking restrictions that North Korea insists must be lifted before it will consider dismantling its nuclear weapons program….(New York Times, 19 Dec 06)

Syria in Bush's Crosshairs
The Bush Administration has been quietly nurturing individuals and parties opposed to the Syrian government in an effort to undermine the regime of President Bashar Assad. Parts of the scheme are outlined in a classified, two-page document which says that the U.S. already is "supporting regular meetings of internal and diaspora Syrian activists" in Europe...The document says that Syria's legislative elections, scheduled for March 2007, "provide a potentially galvanizing issue for...critics of the Assad regime."….(Time Magazine, 19 Dec 06)

Syria ready for U.S. dialogue but not orders: Assad

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Tuesday he was ready for dialogue with the United States but warned Washington against giving Damascus orders…..(Reuters, 19 Dec 06)

Taliban execute 26 male Afghans

As many as 26 local Afghan men were executed by the Taliban yesterday and their headless bodies put on public display around a local village, in a morbid attempt to dissuade other civilians here from assisting NATO and Afghan national security forces operating in the area, coalition sources have told CanWest News Service….(CanWest, 19 Dec 06)

Sadr Army is called top threat in Iraq

Armed militiamen affiliated with radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr pose the gravest danger to the security and stability of Iraq, surpassing Sunni Arab insurgents and Al Qaeda terrorists, a new Defense Department report to Congress says. The finding represents the military's strongest characterization of the danger posed by Sadr and is among the conclusions of a quarterly report to Congress that chronicles the instability in Iraq and record level of sectarian violence….(Washington Post, 19 Dec 06)

Islamists Accuse Iran of Promoting Shiitism

Sunni Islamists in Sudan have accused Iran of trying to spread its brand of Shiite Islam in the East African country through a propaganda campaign….(AKI, 19 Dec 06)

Don’t Expect an Able Iraqi Army Soon

Two years ago, during the month of Ramadan, a bus carrying 50 Iraqi soldiers heading home on leave was ambushed outside Baghdad. The soldiers were led out of the bus, lined up on the pavement, and killed -- like so many other Iraqi soldiers, policemen, and recruits trained by the Americans since the occupation of Iraq began in 2003.  What happened? Why did they not defend themselves?...(Beirut Daily Star, 19 Dec 06)

Al-Hayat Editor: Iran is Trying to Position Itself as 'The Only Power in the Region'

In an article titled "Iran and the Obstructing Third," published December 13, 2006 in the London-based Al-Hayat daily, the newspaper's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel depicts Iran's policies in Lebanon, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority, and elsewhere in the Middle East as an attempt to attain regional hegemony and to position itself as a counterweight to the U.S….(MEMRI, 19 Dec 06)

Two Versions on One Meeting: Lebanese Government and Pro-Hizbullah/Syrian Papers Reflect on Lebanese Prime Minister Al-Siniora's Meeting With Russian President Putin

On December 15, 2006, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow…(MEMRI, 19 Dec 06)

The end of Dollar supremacy

…Iran announced yesterday ordering the central bank to direct foreign transactions and transform the state's dollar-denominated assets held abroad to the single European currency instead of the U.S. currency. "The government has ordered the central bank to replace the dollar with the Euro to limit the problems of the executive organs in commercial transactions,”….(Aljazeera, 19 Dec 06)

U.S. official says no terror "scores" for travelers

…The U.S. Automated Targeting System, or ATS, a computerized program that collects personal data on travelers and retains it for up to 40 years, has come under fire in recent weeks from rights activists who say it violates privacy laws and a congressional funding ban….(Reuters, 19 Dec 06)

State Dept. Losing a Top Figure In Terror War

Henry A. "Hank" Crumpton, the chief of the State Department's counterterrorism office and a key strategist in the war in Afghanistan, will announce today that he is leaving government in the new year, a senior State Department official said yesterday….(Washington Post, 19 Dec 06)

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