Court Is Asked to Bar Detainees From Talking About Interrogations

...Terrorists could use the information to train in counter-interrogation techniques and foil government efforts to elicit information about their methods and plots, according to government documents....(Washington Post, 4 Nov 06)

Amir Magas: 'This is War Between Islam and kufr'

Interview with brigade general Akhmad Evloyev (Amir Magas), who is the commander of Caucasus Front of AF CRI....Today everybody must decide on which side to fight,- on the side of Islam or on the side of kufr. Because there is no third side. If you think about avoiding of this struggle, you must know that it is impossible. .....(Kavkas Center, 4 Nov 06)

Al Qaeda Leader: Materials Smuggled Across Border

Suspected terrorists are hiding inside the U.S. and they got here by sneaking across the Mexican border...... This time the Al Qaeda commander he talked to gave a grim warning that another attack on America is coming very soon. "We can attack America anytime," says Abu Dawood during the interview. He also told the reporter that Muslims must leave America. Mir says, "Abu Dawood told me, 'We are determined to attack America again and that attack will be bigger than 9/11." The Al Qaeda commander says the attack will be led by Adnan El Shukrijumah. He goes by many aliases but is called Brother Adnan by his terrorist friends....According to the Pakistani reporter, Dawood said Brother Adnan "had smuggled some dangerous materials from the Mexican border to inside the United States of America."....(News Channel 5 in Texas, 3 Nov 06)

Read report: "A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border" by House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Investigations

Hamas Urges Women, Children to Shield Gunmen in Mosque

At least a dozen Palestinian gunmen eluded Israeli capture in the Gaza Strip on Friday, first by taking refuge in a mosque and then by calling on women and children to shield them so they could escape...(CNS, 3 Nov 06)

Dozens of Women Left Home to Serve as Human Shields

....As the two sides exchanged sporadic fire Friday morning, a Hamas radio station appealed for women to shield the militants. Dozens of women left their homes to hurry to the mosque, and en route came under Israeli fire.....(3 Nov 06)

Israeli Troops Spark Clashes in Gaza Strip

....The raid was designed to root out stockpiles of crude Palestinian rockets, known as Qassams, and the men who fire them into southern Israel.....(Washington Post, 2 Nov 06)

Ethiopian Calls Somali Militia a Threat

...The Islamic militia represents "a direct threat first to Somalia and the Somali people, second to the region and Ethiopia, and lastly to the international community," he said. "When they control the whole of Somalia, it would be very naive to assume that they will mend their ways, cease to be terrorists and become very civilized and very tame pussycats."...(AP, 2 Nov 06)

Terrorists look to Somalia as an emerging safe haven

GLOBAL jihadists have picked Somalia as a potential new safe haven for al-Qaeda, sparking concern among security agencies already overstretched in fighting terrorism around the world....(Sydney Morning Herald, 3 Nov 06)

Somali Islamists test rockets

Somali Islamists test fired rockets on Friday and prepared for war with the government as the United States warned of possible suicide attacks against neighboring countries.....(Reuters, 3 Nov 06)

Somali rivals prepare for war after talks collapse

The Horn of Africa slipped closer to war on Thursday after intense efforts failed to revive peace talks between Somalia's powerful Islamists and the interim government.....(Reuters, 2 Nov 06)

Somali Islamists fan anti-US, Ethiopian sentiment

...Sheikh Mohamed Omar Mursal, the leader of the Islamic court movement in Somalia's Lower Juba region: "Our people are ready to protect their religion from the enemies of Allah," he told the cheering crowd two days after negotiations failed, with Islamists demanding the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops allegedly in Somalia.....(AFP, 3 Nov 06)

Yemen struggles to shake off extremist image

....But the arrests of eight foreigners last month, among them three Australians, on suspicion of links with al-Qaeda and weapons smuggling, again turn the spotlight on suspected terrorist activity in this often forgotten corner of the Arabian peninsula.....(Sydney Morning Herald, 3 Nov 06)

Islamic Militancy in Bangladesh: Still in a Cocoon or Exposed?

Looking at the recent developments in Bangladesh, it seems this South Asian country is experiencing political and social turmoil coupled with Islamic militancy and organized crime that includes piracy and trafficking...(Counterterrorism Blog, 3 Nov 06)

"Combat, not Surrender": Video of Abu Yahya al Libi Released

...He calls upon Islamic scholars to join in on the battlefield of Jihad, chastising them for their lack of participation. He claims victory over the Americans is near....(Counterterrorism Blog, 3 Nov 06)

Ansar al-Sunnah Claims Executions of Shi’ite Milita Members and Provides ID Cards, and Attacks in al-Mosul and al-Yusufiyah

...Ansar al-Sunnah claims that they discovered that the captured worked with the Iraqi Finance Minister, the “Farsi,” Bayan Jabr Solagh. They then state: “The Finance Minister now practices two jobs at the same time: the first is stealing the money of the Muslims and the second is the shedding of their blood; however, with the permission of Allah, we are preparing for you and our swords are anxious for your throats and we will only quench our thirst with your blood”.....(SITE, 3 Nov 06)

U.S. warns of threat of attacks in Kenya, Ethiopia

The United States warned its citizens on Thursday that Kenya and Ethiopia could become targets of suicide attacks by "extremist elements" from Somalia, where Islamists control the capital and other key areas.....(Reuters, 2 Nov 06)

'Extremists still working at Paris Airport'

Islamic extremists are likely still working at Paris's main international airport despite the recent withdrawals of security clearance from scores of suspected fundamentalists there....(AFP, 3 Nov 06)

Paris airport bars 72 employees

...."Seventy-two employees had their badges withdrawn [because] they are linked to fundamentalist movements with potentially terrorist aims," Jacques Lebrot, the deputy prefect in charge of the airport, told the AFP news agency....(BBC, 3 Nov 06)

French Magistrate Says Iraqi Terrorist Veterans Threaten Europe

The biggest terrorist threat facing Europe comes from Islamic radicals who went to Iraq to fight alongside the insurgents and are now returning home to carry out new attacks, said Jean-Louis Bruguiere, France's leading anti- terrorist investigator.....(Bloomberg, 3 Nov 06)

Secular Turks Criticize the U.S. Ambassador for Dismissing Warnings Against Rising Islamism in Turkey

....According to him, there is no fundamentalist threat in Turkey. The prime minister must have closed his eyes and ears to everything that has been happening [in Turkey] since he came to power. Otherwise, he would have seen the murders [by radical Islamists] in the high court, the catastrophe in the Ismailaga Mosque, and the 'liberated' [i.e. autonomous] areas ruled by religious [Islamist] sects. .....(MEMRI, 3 Nov 06)

Former terrorist addresses JEA

...he tells listeners why terrorism is a problem the U.S. will not solve with its current strategy. And, he says, the nation's political climate makes it too difficult to talk openly about the threat that he believes Islam poses....(Savannah News, 3 Nov 06)

Sheik calls for 'ethical' trial

...the sheik insists he was misreported as saying in a September sermon that scantily dressed women were like "uncovered meat" who invited sexual assault....He called on his followers to support Australia: "We consider ourselves as servants to Allah firstly, and servants to Australian society secondly.".....(Sydney Morning Herald, 3 Nov 06)

New jihad for Muslim women: Greater rights

Muslim women from around the world gather in Barcelona today to issue a call to a battle for equal footing in the Islamic world — one aimed at fighting against polygamy, domestic violence and a “macho” interpretation of Muslim Sharia laws....(Reuters, 3 Nov 06)

Fight extremist Islam: activists

Extreme forms of the Muslim religion and its laws are a danger and must be strongly countered, four activists told a public conference last week....(The Suburban, 3 Nov 06)

Muslim women speak out against Islam.....(CJNews, 3 Nov 06)

Yemen ties terror's loose ends

...But the raids have also unearthed an extraordinary and disturbing network of "noodle-nation" links between senior terror figures in Australia and overseas. The two men arrested alongside Samulski in Yemen were none other than Mohammed and Abdullah Ayub -- the sons of the notorious Abdul Rahim Ayub, the former head of Jemaah Islamiah's Australian terror cell.....(Australian, 3 Nov 06)

'I only buy and sell weapons for al-Qaeda'

....Over the course of five interviews with the RCMP last year, the 25-year-old terrorism suspect admitted that he "knows everybody" in al-Qaeda and ran guns for the organization to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.....(Globe and Mail, 3 Nov 06)

Omar Khadr had ear of al-Qaeda

....At the time Omar was captured by American forces in Afghanistan in 2002, he was a translator for Abu Laith al-Libi, according to statements made to the RCMP by Abdullah Khadr.....(National Post, 3 Nov 06)

Iran Revolutionary Guards Hold War Games After U.S. Exercise

....During the Iranian exercise, called Great Prophet 2, dozens of missiles were fired, state-run television news reported....(New York Times, 3 Nov 06)

How Russia Arms Terror

The former Cold War superpower has just been designated the leading exporter of arms in 2005 to developing countries by a report issued by the Congressional Research Service, a branch of the US Congress.....(FP, 3 Nov 06)

U.S. Plans to Screen All Who Enter, Leave Country

The federal government disclosed details yesterday of a border-security program to screen all people who enter and leave the United States, create a terrorism risk profile of each individual and retain that information for up to 40 years....(Washington Post, 3 Nov 06)

U.S. Web Archive Is Said to Reveal a Nuclear Primer

....the site has posted some documents that weapons experts say are a danger themselves: detailed accounts of Iraq’s secret nuclear research before the 1991 Persian Gulf war. The documents, the experts say, constitute a basic guide to building an atom bomb....(New York Times, 3 Nov 06)

Weldon Gets It Right

.....  Iran’s active support of terrorist operations in Iraq against US forces, including particularly Muqtada al Sadr’s leadership and subservience to Iran, is spelled out in detail in several chapters beginning with reports from June of 2003.....(Op-ed by former DCI James Woolsey, 3 Nov 06)

How to spot a terrorist on the fly

....Along with luggage checks, radar screening and the rest of our security arsenal, observational techniques can help reduce risks and potentially prevent another deadly assault like the attacks of September 11, 2001.....(Gulf News op-ed, 3 Nov 06)

Pak Taliban behead "US spy" in Waziristan

Pakistani Taliban fighters beheaded a tribal cleric accused of being a US spy in the Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan...(Reuters, 3 Nov 06)

Thousands Protest Pakistan Airstrike

....The seminary was run by fugitive cleric Liaquat Hussain, whom officials said was an associate of al-Qaida's No. 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahri. Hussain was killed in the airstrike.....(AP, 3 Nov 06)

Pakistani tribals vow revenge over madrasa strike

....Musharraf says all those killed in the latest airstrike were militants, and the military released video footage shot from a surveillance aircraft showing rows of men doing physical exercises at the madrasa just an hour before the attack....(Reuters, 3 Nov 06)

Kidnapping of Egyptian shines light on U.S. 'extraordinary renditions'

...According to Italian officials, the 43-year-old cleric fought in Afghanistan and Bosnia and was suspected of recruiting fighters for radical Islamic causes. .....(AP, 3 Nov 06)

Pentagon Widens Its Battle to Shape News of Iraq War

....Officials involved say the new effort, which was conceived by Assistant Secretary of Defense Dorrance Smith, is not primarily a response to negative coverage but rather is aimed at more aggressively challenging articles and broadcasts deemed inaccurate and at making better use of podcasts, blogs and other new outlets.....(New York Times, 3 Nov 06)

Al-Qaeda's Caucasian Foot Soldiers

...The activities of converts, or rather those who adopt a militant ideology inspired by Salafi-Jihadi interpretations of Islam, have become increasingly important in executing terrorist attacks. The incorrect perception of the "face of terror" risks obscuring our understanding of how terrorist groups operate.....(Jamestown Foundation, 2 Nov 06)

Khadr helped al-Qaeda with GPS

Abdullah Khadr used a global positioning system to measure the distance between the home of the Pakistani Prime Minister and a graveyard from where a missile attack was to be staged by al-Qaeda operatives, according to newly filed court documents.....(National Post, 2 Nov 06)

Turkish Scholar Who Mocked Head Scarves Is Acquitted

In the latest case challenging freedom of expression in Turkey, an Istanbul court on Wednesday acquitted a 92-year-old academic of inciting religious hatred by putting the head scarf in ancient history in a sexual context and by criticizing abusive religious marriages…..(New York Times, 2 Nov 06)

Muslim American Journalist Aslam Abdullah: Millions of Proud American Muslims Oppose Al-Qaeda

…In his article, titled "Kill Us Too, We Are Also Americans," he harshly denounces the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir, saying that Al-Mujahir and his supporters rejoice in killing innocent people and that they bring nothing but disaster upon Islam….(MEMRI, 2 Nov 06)

Iran Is Offering Bounty to Agents Who Can Entice Western Tourists

Iran is offering money to travel agents who can lure certain types of tourists to Iran, and the rate is double for bringing European and American travelers…..(New York Times, 2 Nov 06)

OIC official: Islam shows fastest growing religion on earth

Islam is the fastest growing religion on earth, and Africa is the continent where Islam is growing the fastest, Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said on Wednesday….(Xinhua, 2 Nov 05)

Unmanned Spy Planes To Patrol U.S. Border

The Predator unmanned spy plane, usually seen in the skies above Afghanistan, will soon be deployed over the America-Mexico border…(New York Sun, 2 Nov 06)

U.S. identifies kidnapped soldier

The U.S. military on Thursday identified the American soldier kidnapped in Baghdad as 41-year-old Ahmed Qusai al-Taai….(CNN, 2 Nov 06)

Military rebuts media on Iraq

As concern in the Defense Department mounts over eroding public support for the Iraq war, the Pentagon has launched a rapid-response public relations effort to rebut news stories that officials believe are inaccurate or misleading….(LA Times, 2 Nov 06)

Air Plot Said to Target Cities

A group of alleged terrorists arrested in London in August planned to blow up airliners over U.S. cities to maximize casualties, rather than over the Atlantic Ocean as many intelligence officials originally thought, according to recent remarks by a senior FBI official….(Washington Post, 2 Nov 06)

Ex-Judges: Detainee Law Unconstitutional

Seven retired federal judges from both political parties have joined dozens of Guantanamo Bay detainees in urging an appeals court to declare key parts of President Bush's new anti-terrorism law unconstitutional….(AP, 2 Nov 06)

US created new form of terrorism in Mideast: Khatami

The US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not only a "great mistake" but also brought a new kind of terrorism, said former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami. "Not only were they not able to stop terrorism or eradicate it in these two countries, but they also introduced a new kind of terrorism in the Middle East and in Islamic countries," Khatami said…Khatami, who is now director of the International Foundation for Dialogue among Civilizations…(Islamic Republic News Agency 2 Nov 06)

Khatami labels US policy 'a joke'

…Mr Khatami was critical of the US-led military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, which he said had led to more Muslims supporting al-Qaeda. In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC, Mr Khatami, said he was committed to fighting extremism around the world….(BBC, 2 Nov 06)

Ethiopian Calls Somali Militia a Threat

Ethiopia's prime minister, who has sent troops to bolster Somalia's interim government, said Wednesday that the al-Qaeda-linked militia controlling much of the neighboring country is a threat to the Horn of Africa and the rest of the world….(AP, 2 Nov 06)

U.S. Faults Syria, Iran, Hezbollah on Lebanon

The White House on Wednesday accused Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and its Iranian and Syrian backers of seeking to topple the U.S.-backed government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora….(Washington Post, 2 Nov 06)

U.S. Reports Plot to Topple Beirut Leaders

….(New York Times, 2 Nov 06)

Hezbollah pushes for veto power in Cabinet

Hezbollah is threatening street protests to force early elections in Lebanon if its demands are not met for a "national unity" Cabinet that would give the Islamic militants and their allies veto power over key decisions….(AP, 2 Nov 06)

Syria denies Lebanon plot claim

Syria has denied White House claims that, together with Iran and Hezbollah, it is planning to try to topple the Lebanese government. The "rumors" spread by the US were wrong…(BBC, 2 Nov 06)

Vietnam Charges 3 U.S. Citizens with "Terrorism"

Seven people, including three Vietnamese-born U.S. citizens, will be prosecuted on charges of plotting violence against Vietnam's communist government….(Reuters, 2 Nov 06)

British Authorities Charge Suspect With Violations of Terrorism Laws

A 29-year-old man from East London was charged Wednesday with trying to take terrorism-related materials, including a manual titled “The Mujahideen Poisons Handbook,” on a Pakistan-bound flight from Heathrow Airport. …(New York Times, 2 Nov 06)

Baghdad Attacks Target Busy Areas

…The forced shutdown of most activities in Sadr City this week by the powerful Mahdi Army militia apparently played a major role in compelling the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to order an end Tuesday to a nearly week-long U.S. blockade of the teeming slum, home to 2.5 million Shiites….(Washington Post, 2 Nov 06)

Ethiopian Premier: Qaeda-Linked Somali Terrorists a Threat

Ethiopia's prime minister, who has sent troops to bolster Somalia's interim government, said yesterday that the Qaeda-linked militants controlling much of the neighboring nation are a threat to the Horn of Africa and the wider world….(AP, 2 Nov 06)

Britain Said to Seek Weaker Torture Protections

…The group concluded that the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair has adopted a "dangerous ambivalence" toward torture of suspected terrorists abroad since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and the July 2005 bombings of the London public transit system.…(Washington Post, 2 Nov 06)

Iran fires missiles in war games: TV

...Tehran had said the maneuvers, which will include drills in the Gulf and Sea of Oman, were to show off "defensive strength". Days earlier, navies led by the United States practiced blocking the transport of weapons of mass destruction in the Gulf….(Reuters, 2 Nov 06)

Home-grown terrorists 'a serious problem in Aust'

The head of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO) has revealed his surprise at the number of Australians seeking to carry out terrorist attacks….(ABC, 2 Nov 06)

Alleged American al-Qaeda Claims Torture While Detained

Alleged al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla claims he was tortured during his 3.5 years in U.S. custody as an enemy combatant, including threats of execution and being forced stand for long periods…(Time Magazine, 1 Nov 06)

Padilla Papers Detail Allegations of Mistreatment

….(AP, 2 Nov 06)

British Court Frees Airline Plot Suspects

...Umair Hussain, 25, and Mehran Hussain 23, had been accused of failing to disclose information about their brother Nabeel Hussain, 22. Nabeel Hussain is one of 11 people charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism in the plot, which police said they foiled in August. He was granted bail on Friday, along with a 17-year-old suspect who cannot be named because he is under age….(AP, 1 Nov 06)

European Television Hosts more Programs on Islam
Following the cartoon crisis and Pope Benedict XVI’s offensive remarks on Islam, many European state-owned TV channels have launched new initiatives to disseminate more information on Islam….(Zaman, 1 Nov 06)

72 Muslim Workers Barred From Paris Airport

The French authorities charged with assessing security risks at Charles de Gaulle airport have stripped 72 Muslim workers of their access badges because they had traveled to Pakistan or Afghanistan, or were suspected of having links to extremists, according to a government official who oversees the airport….(New York Times, 1 Nov 06)

Polish minister mindful of Russian concern over U.S. missile sites
Poland will take Russia's concerns into account as it weighs whether to allow the United States to build a missile defense site on its territory, the country's defense minister said Wednesday….(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Groundbreaking Film Explores Terrorism
The powerful new documentary "What is Said About Arabs and Terrorism," shot in 11 countries, researched in 6 languages and including 125 interviewees, will be featured at the Arabian Sights DC Film Festival this Sunday evening, Nov. 5….(Out In DC, 1 Nov 06)

Guantanamo strikers' force-feeding adapted to Ramadan

U.S. medical officers at the Guantanamo Bay detention center adjusted the force-feeding schedule for two long-time hunger strikers so they could fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan…(Reuters, 1 Nov 06)

Defense begins issuing new identification cards

The Pentagon distributed a handful of new employee access cards last week to meet a deadline in a White House mandate aimed at establishing a uniform government-wide identification system. But officials acknowledged that it will be another seven years before the new system is fully implemented at the Defense Department …(Gov Exec, 1 Nov 06)

What's Behind the Growing Baghdad-Washington Rift

Last Saturday, Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, according to one of his aides, warned the U.S. ambassador that he was "not America's man in Iraq." On Tuesday he drove home the point, ordering an end to the U.S. military cordon around the Baghdad Shi'ite stronghold of Sadr City…(Time Magazine, 1 Nov 06)

Group warns global travelers about computer searches

An international trade group for travel executives is warning its members that government agents may seize and search travelers' laptop computers, discs and other electronic devices upon arrival in the United States or when departing for a foreign country….(National Journal’s Technology Daily, 1 Nov 06)

Student Unleashes Uproar With Bogus Airline Boarding Passes

Christopher Soghoian said he was simply trying to highlight a flaw in the nation's airline security procedures when he put a tool on his Web site letting anyone create fake boarding passes, but federal authorities didn't see it that way….(Washington Post, 1 Nov 06)

Pakistan Defends Deadly Attack on School

Pakistan's military defended its deadly missile strike on an Islamic school, saying Wednesday it was necessary to prevent terrorist trainees from escaping. Critics said the government used disproportionate force in the attack, which killed 80 people….(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Over 40 Shiites Said Kidnapped in Iraq

More than 40 Shiites were abducted along a notoriously dangerous highway just north of Baghdad, police said Wednesday, and the death toll from a suicide bombing at a wedding party rose to 23, including nine children….(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Westerners' arrests put Yemen on spot

The arrests in Yemen of six Westerners said to be members of al Qaeda has highlighted concerns that the region remains a "transmission belt" for Islamic converts looking for a way to join jihadi terrorist groups….(UPI, 1 Nov 06)

Pakistanis Protest Attack By Own Army on School

More than 15,000 Pakistani tribesmen, many of them carrying rifles and ammunition, protested Tuesday over a Pakistani army helicopter attack on an al-Qaeda-linked religious school near here that killed about 80 suspected radicals….(Reuters, 1 Nov 06)

Afghan spy agency arrests suicide bombers
Afghanistan’s intelligence agency said yesterday it had arrested three men planning suicide attacks in Kabul, including two from a Pakistan-based cell run by the capital’s Taleban-era deputy police chief….(Agence France-Presse, 1 Nov 06)

Fourth Australian May Have Been Arrested in Yemen on Terrorism

A fourth Australian may have been arrested on terrorism charges in Yemen, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said….(Bloomberg, 1 Nov 06)

Pakistani promises attacks

A local pro-Taliban elder on Tuesday told thousands of tribesmen protesting an air raid on a religious school that he had prepared a squad of suicide bombers to target Pakistani security forces….(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Bomber strikes Afghan Nato convoy

A suicide bomber has struck a convoy of foreign troops traveling on a road outside the Afghan city of Kandahar…..(BBC, 1 Nov 06)

Egypt Sends Sadat’s Nephew to Prison for Defaming Military

Talaat el-Sadat, the nephew of President Anwar el-Sadat and an opposition member of Parliament, was sentenced by a military court on Tuesday to one year in prison on charges that he defamed the military by essentially blaming it for having a hand in his uncle’s death….(New York Times, 1 Nov 06)

Cleric: Criticizing Islam Threatens Peace

A leading Turkish cleric called criticism of Islam a serious threat to world peace, speaking Wednesday as Turkey prepared for a controversial visit by Pope Benedict XVI later in the month…(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Acquittal in veil 'sex rites' case

A court in Istanbul on Wednesday acquitted a 92-year-old retired archaeologist who was tried for saying that Islamic-style head scarves date back more than 5,000 years -- several millennia before the birth of Islam -- and were worn by priestesses who initiated young men into sex….(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Somalia: Peace Talks Collapse, Arab League Says

Talks between the government and a faction that wants to create an Islamic state collapsed in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, an Arab League official said…(AP, 2 Nov 06)

Iraqis spar over order lifting U.S. checkpoints

Shi'ite and Sunni leaders argued on Wednesday about a government order lifting U.S. checkpoints around a Baghdad militia stronghold as figures showed more than 40 Iraqi civilians died on average each day in October….(Reuters, 1 Nov 06)

Hezbollah in talks over prisoner swap
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has said that "serious negotiations" are under way over the fate of two Israeli soldiers captured by the Shia militia group in July….(Aljazeera, 1 Nov 06)

North Korea Wants Bank Accounts Unfrozen

North Korea said Wednesday it would return to nuclear disarmament talks in an effort to get access to frozen overseas bank accounts, a vital source of hard currency for the impoverished and isolated communist nation…(AP, 1 Nov 06)

Military Charts Movement of Conflict in Iraq Toward Chaos

A classified briefing prepared two weeks ago by the United States Central Command portrays Iraq as edging toward chaos, in a chart that the military is using as a barometer of civil conflict….(New York Times, 1 Nov 06)

US 'special envoy' exposed as arms director!

…On 26 October, the Kurdish National Congress of North America issued a press release demanding “the immediate resignation” of the former USAF General Ralston as the Bush administration’s point man on the Turkish campaign against Kurdish guerrillas in the country’s southeast….(Kurdish Info, 1 Nov 06)

Pakistan’s Leader Defends Airstrike on School

Faced with protests across the country, President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday defended a military strike that killed 80 people at a religious school, and insisted that the dead were militants undergoing terrorist training….(New York Times, 1 Nov 06)

Why North Korea loves the bomb

On its face, North Korea's announcement that it plans to return to the six-party nuclear talks marks a victory of sorts for diplomacy…(LA Times, 1 Nov 06)

Pakistan's dangerous Afghanistan policy
Afghans are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the performance of Hamed Karzai's government and as the country slides into ever more instability, Pakistan's ultimate game plan in Afghanistan has begun to unfold…(Jane’s, 1 Nov 06)

Baath Party Distributes Hit List for Targeted Assassinations

In early September, the outlawed Baath party distributed a "hit list" of prominent Iraqi political, military and judicial leaders who were targeted for assassination (al-Watan, October 17). It resurfaced publicly this month....(Global Terrorism Analysis, 31 Oct 06)

Al-Qaeda Doctrine for International Political Warfare

Do Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and their al-Qaeda organization and its allies conduct diplomacy in the traditional sense of that activity?....(Global Terrorism Analysis, 31 Oct 06)

Somalia Hostilities Threaten Outbreak of Regional War

After years of mutual hostility, the armed forces of two states and the armed militias of one failed state are poised to unleash a potentially devastating war in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia are each moving troops up to their borders in preparation....(Global Terrorism Analysis, 31 Oct 06)

Al Jazeera sets launch for English channel

..."As the world's first international English-language news and current affairs channel headquartered in the Middle East, Al Jazeera International is uniquely positioned to reverse the information flow from South to North and to provide a voice to under-reported regions around the world," a statement said. Headquartered in Doha, Qatar, the station will have broadcast centers in Kuala Lumpur, Washington and London….(Reuters, 31 Oct 06)

Danish terrorism suspects remanded in custody

Five young Muslim men accused of plotting to carry out a bomb attack in Denmark must remain in custody for another four weeks pending further police investigations, a Danish judge ruled on Tuesday….(IOL, 31 Oct 06)

In Baghdad, a Force Under the Militias' Sway

…Posters celebrating Moqtada al-Sadr, head of the Mahdi Army militia, dot the building's walls. The police chief sometimes remarks that Shiite militias should wipe out all Sunnis….(Washington Post, 31 Oct 06)

Reprisals feared after blast

…The bomb blast that shattered their morning ritual, killing 31 people and injuring more than 50 on Monday, was the first large-scale attack on the predominantly Shiite Muslim neighborhood in more than a month, and stoked fears that a wave of retaliatory killings would soon follow….(LA Times, 31 Oct 06)

No Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants among the 80 dead: Sultan

Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Shaukat Sultan has said that local people and foreigners were among the 80 dead in Bajaur agency operation however no Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants were among the dead….(Pak Tribune, 31 Oct 06)

Pakistan Strike Called Response To U.S. Reports

A missile strike that killed close to 80 people at an Islamic school in Pakistan early Monday was launched because of U.S. intelligence reports that senior al-Qaeda figures were hiding there…(Washington Post, 31 Oct 06)

Pakistan Says It Killed 80 Militants in Attack on Islamic School

The Pakistani military said Monday that it had destroyed a religious school in the Bajaur tribal area, near the border with Afghanistan, killing as many as 80 people it described as militants…..(New York Times, 31 Oct 06)

Ayman Zawahiri was reportedly the target of the medressa raid in Pakistan Monday

Pakistani intelligence sources told ABC News the raid on Oct. 30 was not launched by Pakistani helicopters but a missile-firing US Predator drone after US intelligence received tips that al Qaeda’s No.2 may have been staying at the school….(Debka, 31 Oct 06)

How to cut and run

The United States upset the regional balance in the Middle East when it invaded Iraq. Restoring it requires bold initiatives….(LA Times, 31 Oct 06)

Israel Fighter Jets Stage Mock Raids

Israel's fighter jets roared over Hezbollah strongholds Tuesday, staging mock raids in its strongest show of force since its war with the guerrilla group ended more than two months ago….(AP, 31 Oct 06)

NYC Judge Refuses to Toss Terror Charges

A judge refused to toss out charges against a jazz musician, a doctor and two other men accused of supporting terrorists…(AP, 31 Oct 06)

Suspect and A Setback In Al-Qaeda Anthrax Case

In December 2001, as the investigation into the U.S. anthrax attacks was gathering steam, coalition soldiers in Afghanistan uncovered what appeared to be an important clue: a trail of documents chronicling an attempt by al-Qaeda to create its own anthrax weapon….(Washington Post, 31 Oct 06)

Maliki Orders Lifting of Checkpoints Around Shiite Militant Stronghold

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered the lifting of joint U.S.-Iraqi military checkpoints around the Shiite militant stronghold of Sadr City -- another apparent move to assert his authority with the Americans and appeal to his Shiite support base…(AP, 31 Oct 06)

China cited as N. Korea supplier

China helped North Korea develop nuclear weapons and in the past year increased its support to Pyongyang, rather than pressing the regime to halt nuclear arms and missile activities, according to a congressional report….(Washington Times, 31 Oct 06)

U.S. says Somalia must not be proxy war for others

Somalia must not become a proxy battleground for warring neighbors Ethiopia and Eritrea, a senior U.S. official said on Monday as he urged Islamists to join talks with Somalia's weak interim government….(Reuters, 31 Oct 06)

Canada: U.S. Sends Reply, but No Apology, in Case of Deported Man

The government is “satisfied” with an assurance from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that Canada will be consulted in the future about any Canadians who may be sent to a third country against their will, said André Lemay, a spokesman for the foreign minister, Peter MacKay…(New York Times, 31 Oct 06)

Free to a Good Country

…the Pentagon runs a little-publicized giveaway and tag sale program to clean out its overstuffed attics and closets, bulging with the greatest weapons buildup since the Reagan era. The Pentagon also uses the Excess Defense Articles program, as it is called, to reward government friends and allies across the globe….(New York Times, 31 Oct 06)

U.S. Intelligence Used in Pakistan Raid

….(AP, 31 Oct 06)

Ignoring One Threat for Another

Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, By Christopher Cooper and Robert Block

…Even as the tragic consequences of that neglect were unfolding, Washington's myopic focus on terrorism and homeland security continued, report Christopher Cooper and Robert Block in "Disaster," their searing indictment of a post-9/11 federal government more intent on dealing with hypothetical dangers than real ones….(Washington Post, 31 Oct 06)

Fierce Debate Over Veils in Egypt

…the increasing popularity of the full Muslim face veil has set off an emotional dispute in the Arab world over whether the covering is required by Islam for modesty or a dangerous sign of political extremism…(AP, 31 Oct 06)

Islamist Sheikh Abu Osama Al-'Iraqi Denounces Al-Qaeda in Iraq for Atrocities against Sunnis