CT Studies | Counterterrorism News for April 8-14, 2007

Intelligence & Counterterrorism News for the week of:

April 8-14, 2007

Islamists Tear Down Crosses From Assyrian Churches, Tell Christians to Convert or Die

An unidentified Islamic group has been threatening the Chrisitan Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans and Syriacs) in the Dora district of Baghdad, a traditionally Assyrian area. The Islamic group issued an ultimatum yesterday to Assyrian families, telling them to leave Christianity and convert to Islam within 24 hours or they would all be killed…..(AINA, 14 Apr 07)

Sunni Factions Split With Al-Qaeda Group

Key Sunni militant groups are severing their association with al-Qaeda in Iraq, a Sunni group that claims allegiance to the organization led by Osama bin Laden. The split could help isolate a primary foe of the United States in Iraq but could also further splinter the Sunni insurgency and make it even harder to control…(Washington Post, 14 Apr 07)

US resists NATO call for extra force trainers in Afghanistan

The United States shied away from a call by NATO to send thousands more of its stretched military personnel to train Afghanistan's police and army…"Quite frankly, we're having trouble, and probably two thirds of those (forces requested) are for the police," US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said after a NATO meeting in Canada, in comments released by the Defense Department….(Agence France-Presse, 14 Apr 07)

U.S. postpones release of alleged Iranian agents seized in Iraq

The Bush administration decided this week that it will hold five seized alleged Iranian intelligence agents for several more weeks, at least, instead of freeing them quickly in the aftermath of last week's release of 15 British military personnel who had been taken by Iran, U.S. officials said Friday….(Haaretz, 14 Apr 07)

Al-Qaida group threatens more `green zone' attacks

…In an Internet posting, the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni umbrella organization said to have been created by the group Al-Qaida in Iraq, said one of its followers detonated a belt of explosives in the Iraqi parliament's cafeteria. The group also warned of future attacks on the building…..(Washington Post, 14 Apr 07)

Iraqi militants say 20 security force members 'detained'

The militants say they will kill the detainees in two days if security forces don't free all detained Sunni women and hand over people responsible for the alleged rape. The message -- posted on a militant Web site Saturday -- was signed by the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella insurgent group that includes al Qaeda in Iraq. That same group claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on Iraq's parliament on Thursday….(CNN, 14 Apr 07)

Al-Arian makes new bid to end imprisonment

A Florida college professor who pleaded guilty to aiding Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Sami Al-Arian, is making a fresh attempt to persuade a federal appeals court to order an end to his imprisonment for failing to testify before a grand jury… Al-Arian's latest bid for freedom came in a legal filing last week, in which he asked the full, 12-judge bench of the Richmond-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a three-judge panel's decision last month upholding his jailing for refusing to answer questions before a grand jury investigating Northern Virginia Islamic charities…..(Arab Americans, 14 Apr 07)

New Jersey Man Appears Before Tribunal in Ethiopia

Amir Mohamed Meshal, an American terrorism suspect jailed in Ethiopia, appeared in front of a military tribunal there on Friday, but Ethiopian officials did not disclose the outcome…..(New York Times, 14 Apr 07)

Nephew of 9/11 Mastermind Denies Involvement in the Attacks

…Ammar al-Baluchi, nephew of Khalid Sheik Mohammed, told a Combatant Status Review Tribunal last month at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that he was a businessman who helped his uncle's affiliates but said he did not know they were part of a terror network. In an unusual witness statement entered at the March 30 tribunal, Mohammed said that Baluchi "has never had association with al-Qaeda, Taliban or associated organizations" and that his nephew "had no knowledge of al-Qaeda links."…(Washington Post, 13 Apr 07)

Malaysian genie shows barred by Islam, clerics say

Malaysian Islamic scholars have called for a halt to popular exhibitions billed as featuring ghosts, genies and other supernatural beings, saying they are forbidden and could undermine the faith of devout Muslims. Many Malaysians are willing to suspend disbelief when dealing with the supernatural, and the exhibitions capitalize on a widespread fascination with the ghouls and goblins that populate Malaysia's legends and folklore…..(Reuters, 13 Apr 07)

Rockland suspends jail chaplain for anti-Islam booklets

A Rockland County jail chaplain has been suspended after she distributed religious booklets that condemn Islam and contain derogatory depictions of Allah and the prophet Muhammad…Teresa Darden Clapp, an ordained Christian minister and a chaplain at the jail since 1994, was suspended with pay on Thursday pending the outcome of an investigation to determine possible disciplinary action…(AP, 13 Apr 07)

PBS brass accused of censoring Islam doc

…This week, the U.S. public broadcaster pulled Burke's provocative new documentary, Islam vs. Islamists, from its heavily promoted mega-series America at a Crossroads, which dominates the network's prime-time schedule on 300 stations with two hours every night next week, starting Sunday….(Star, 13 Apr 07)

Madrid bombers' trial becomes political battlefield

Spain's high-profile trial of Islamist suspects of 2004 train bombings in Madrid has turned into a political battlefield thanks to many Spaniards' suspicions that Basque separatists were involved in the attacks. Investigators and the government accuse a group linked to al Qaeda for the bombings of four Madrid trains on the morning of March 11, 2004, which killed 191 people….(Reuters, 13 Apr 07)

U.S. Man Accused of Plot to Bomb Resorts

…Christopher Paul, 43, a U.S. citizen and resident of Columbus, spent time learning hand-to-hand fighting and how to use grenades and assault rifles at an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, according to a federal grand jury indictment. He then joined the terrorist group in Pakistan and told al-Qaida members he was dedicated to committing violent jihad…..(AP, 13 Apr 07)

Blast Kills 8 at Iraqi Parliament Building

…A senior Iraqi government official said the attack may have been carried out by the bodyguard of a Sunni member of parliament. "Preliminary investigations point to a job inside, by someone inside, possibly a security detail," the senior official said on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser, said in a television interview Thursday night that investigators had identified three suspects linked to the bombing….(Washington Post, 13 Apr 07)

Why is Islam Afraid of History?

…Like Communism banning music and religion, or Nazi book burning, Islam has a way of trying to create its own past and future. The entire world outside of Islam knows that there were Jewish temples on that site. Ancient Babylonian and Roman references to them exist….(Family Matters, 13 Apr 07)

'Tactics backfiring' as jails try to curb radical Islam

The Prison Service's attempts to curb the growth of radical Islam in jails by restricting communal prayers and reading of the Qur'an during work breaks are exacerbating the problem, according to the first in-depth study of Muslim prisoners…..(Guardian, 13 Apr 07)

American To Be Freed By Ethiopia Faces Hurdle

A U.S. citizen arrested in Somalia and held without charge in a secret Ethiopian prison was set to be released and flown back to the United States as early as Friday. But State Department officials booking his flight discovered that his name had been placed on a no-fly list at the request of the FBI and that no airline would take him…(Washington Post 13 Apr 07)

Somali youth 'recruited for jihad in Melbourne'

Muslim extremists are recruiting young Somali refugees in Melbourne to join Islamic jihad, according to a Somali community leader….(Nine MSN, 13 Apr 07)

Cracks visible in government ranks

The Pakistani government thinks that by promises to reconstruct all the demolished mosques in Islamabad it can persuade the "moral brigade" of the city's Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) to back down and retreat from their position to enforce a strict religious code in the federal capital by force….(OhMy News, 13 Apr 07)

Suicide Attacks Mark Turn in Algeria
In the context of Algeria's long-running civil war and insurgency, Wednesday's bombings added just a blip to the death toll: 33 people reported killed, on top of an estimated 200,000 who had lost their lives since 1992. But the new violence stood out for another reason. In a country where assassinations, car bombs, throat-slittings and hijackings have long been used to terrorize the population, these were the first known suicide attacks. Counterterrorism officials and analysts said the strikes against the Government Palace in Algiers and a police base outside the capital were the clearest evidence yet that the local insurgent movement in Algeria is now taking its cues from the global al-Qaeda network….(Washington Post, 13 Apr 07)

PBS's 'America at a Crossroads': a slate of films exploring the world after 9-11

PBS has brought together "America at a Crossroads," a six-night television package that aims to explore challenges confronting the United States in a post-9-11 world. Topics to be tackled include the war on terrorism; conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America's role overseas….(AP, 13 Apr 07)

Lal Masjid cleric urges ulema to enforce sharia

Lal Masjid Khatib Maulana Abdul Aziz has appealed to ulema and the people to enforce Sharia in their areas and launch a peaceful campaign for Islamic system in the country. “Enforcement of Islamic system is the job of the government, but it will be done by ulema if the government fails,” Maulana Aziz said in his Friday sermon…(Dawn, 13 Apr 07)

Continued Clashes in Iraq Between Sunni Jihad Groups and Al-Qaeda

March 2007 saw the continuation of the violent clashes between the Sunni Iraqi jihad groups, and Al-Qaeda and the Al-Qaeda-founded Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). As part of its policy of killing Iraqi mujahideen who refuse to join the ISI, Al-Qaeda has assassinated two prominent Sunni Iraqis - a senior jihad commander and an associate of Iraq's deputy prime minister…..(MEMRI, 13 Apr 07)

Syria Seeks Peace, Advocate Tells Israelis

A Syrian-American peace advocate, Ibrahim Suleiman, made an extraordinary appearance before a parliamentary committee here on Thursday to convey a message to Israel’s generally skeptical leadership that Syria is serious about wanting to negotiate a peace deal…..(New York Times, 13 Apr 07)

Jailed preacher of hate in court battle to stay in Britain

Sheikh Abdullah El-Faisal - a Jamaican-born Muslim convert who urged followers to kill Jews, Hindus and Americans - is due to be freed from prison within weeks after serving two thirds of a seven-year sentence for inciting murder. The Home Office has begun legal moves to deport the fanatic.....(This is London, 13 Apr 07)

Terror hate books to be banned

Books and DVDs glorifying terrorist acts will be pulled from the shelves and prevented from entering the country under tough new Federal laws, to be unveiled today…..(Daily Telegraph, 13 Apr 07)

As Part of Its Struggle Against the Muslim Brotherhood, The Egyptian Regime Comes Out Against the Concept of a Cleric-Led State
In recent months, as the Egyptian regime has been taking action against the Muslim Brotherhood, various spokesmen for Egypt's religious establishment – the sheikh of Al-Azhar, the Mufti of Egypt, Egypt's minister of religious endowments, and the vice-president of Al-Azhar University – have unanimously rejected the concept of a religious state headed by clerics, saying that this concept is incompatible with the principles of Islam….(MEMRI, 13 Apr 07)

‘US waging covert war against Hezbollah’

The US government is waging a “covert war” against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah by arming militias in Lebanon opposed to the guerrilla group…In an interview with Britain’s Guardian daily from a safe house in southern Beirut, Sheikh Naim Qassim, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, also did not rule out a new conflict between his Shiite Muslim guerrilla group and Israel….(Agence France-Presse, 13 Apr 07)

Defense Chiefs of NATO and Other Allies to Press for More Trainers for Afghan Forces

Defense ministers from NATO nations and other allies meeting Thursday in Quebec agreed to press for a new deployment of 3,400 trainers for the Afghan police and armed forces, increasing by almost one-tenth the international military commitment there…..(New York Times, 13 Apr 07)

Military seeks OK to attack Kurdish rebels in Iraq

Turkey's military asked the government yesterday to approve attacks on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, signaling growing frustration over a lack of action against the guerrillas by Iraqi and U.S. forces. Such action could put an overstretched U.S. military in the middle of a fight between two crucial partners, the Turks and the Iraqi Kurds. A recent surge in Kurdish attacks in southeastern Turkey has increased the pressure on Turkey's military to act….(AP, 13 Apr 07)

Turkey's Coming Offensive Against the Iraqi-based PKK

The creation of a largely autonomous and peaceful "Kurdistan" in northern Iraq is often trumpeted as a major success in post-Baathist Iraq. Any progress made, however, toward an independent nation for the stateless Kurds creates great uneasiness in Turkey, Syria and Iran, all of which host significant and sometimes militant Kurdish minorities…..(Global Terrorism Analysis, 12 Apr 07)

Al-Qaeda Branch Claims Algeria Blasts
Al-Qaeda's new affiliate in North Africa asserted responsibility Wednesday for the deadliest attacks in Algeria's capital in a decade as 24 people were reported killed and 222 injured in bombings that shattered the prime minister's headquarters and a police base….(Washington Post, 12 Apr 07)

(Algeria/Morocco) English translation of Al-Qaida communique c/o Globalterroralert.com

Divisions Within the Iraqi Insurgency

With so many actors in the Iraqi insurgent theater, it is hard to keep track of the various permutations of militant Islamic groups and their alliances. It is going to become all the more difficult given recent splits and conflicts between and within indigenous Iraqi groups and al-Qaeda affiliates…..(Global Terrorism Analysis, 12 Apr 07)

The Threat of Islamist Terrorism to Germany

…"It is decidedly false to believe that Germany need not fear terrorist attacks because it is not involved with the Iraq war…Germany is the leading nation in the fight against the Taliban, with which al-Qaeda is tightly allied…We are part of the hated West," Bavarian Interior Minister Beckstein declared…..(Global Terrorism Analysis, 12 Apr 07)

The Management of Savagery

The genre of “strategic studies”—the name given by jihadi ideologues to their books and articles on the strengths and weakness of the jihadi movement and those of its enemies—had, until recently, been neglected by Western governments and analysts involved with counterterrorism…In recognition of their value, the Olin Institute for Strategic Studies at Harvard commissioned William McCants in 2005 to translate one of the most recent and significant of these works, Abu Bakr Naji’s Management of Savagery….(CTC, 12 Apr 07)

Translated Document:

THE MANAGEMENT OF SAVAGERY .pdf

Prisoners Deny Knowing Anti-U.S. Plots

…Riduan Isamuddin, who told the tribunal he preferred to be called Hambali, also said he had no knowledge of other terrorist plots he is accused of orchestrating as the alleged operations chief of the Jemaah Islamiyah, a regional terror group considered responsible for the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people. He appeared before a Combatant Status Review Tribunal, an administrative hearing, at Guantanamo Bay on April 4, as one of 14 "high value" detainees….(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Iran: Extremists to Protest Against Women Who Ignore Islamic Dress Code

The Ansar Hezbollah, an extremist organisation that includes supporters of the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called for a protests on Friday against "the shameless hussies who do not wear a hijab."…(AKI, 12 Apr 07)

Group Notes Split Among Iraq Insurgents

An Iraqi militant group has highlighted the split in the ranks of the Iraqi insurgency by having its spokesman give a television interview in which he accuses al-Qaida and its umbrella organization of killing its members and pursuing the wrong policies. "The gap has widened and the injustices committed by some brothers in al-Qaida have increased," Ibrahim al-Shimmari told Al-Jazeera television….(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Clean-skin terrorist

DEFINITION clean-skin ter•ror•ist n. A potential attacker with a spotless record whose documents don't arouse suspicion. CONTEXT U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a British newspaper that the U.S. fears its next major terrorist attack could be carried out by "clean-skin terrorists" in Europe who feel they are treated as second-class citizens…..(Time Magazine, 12 Apr 07)

Lindh Moved to Supermax Prison in Colo.

John Walker Lindh, serving a 20-year sentence after fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan, has been transferred to Supermax, the federal government's most secure prison….(AP, 12 Apr 07)

FBI Investigating Racist Graffiti

…Many of the incidents, going back to last year, remain unsolved. Sheriff's deputies have not been able to connect those arrested with many of the crimes from last year. The graffiti have included "KKK," "white power" and similar phrases. A spokeswoman with Mikulski's office said Tuesday that the senator was aware the FBI was part of the task force….(Washington Post, 12 Apr 07)

Warplanes scramble to intercept U.S. plane

Israeli warplanes nearly shot down an American airliner carrying passengers from Newark, N.J., to Tel Aviv yesterday when the pilot failed to respond as the plane approached the Israeli coast, an airport authority official said….(Agence France-Presse, 12 Apr 07)

Guide to the Armed Groups Operating in the Niger Delta – Part 1

During the course of the last year in Nigeria's oil-rich but turbulent Niger Delta region, armed men kidnapped more than 150 foreigners, killed unknown numbers of Nigerian armed forces personnel, crippled the oil production of Africa's largest oil exporter by nearly a quarter and detonated five car bombs…..(Global Terrorism Analysis, 12 Apr 07)

Hizbullah avoiding attacks on America to escape US wrath

Hizbullah hasn't conducted attacks in America out of concern that it would provoke too strong a response and disrupt the organization's fund-raising in the US, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation assessments….(Jerusalem Post, 12 Apr 07)

Swedish Teen: U.S. Troops Led Operation

… The statements by 17-year-old Safia Benaouda were the first to describe a broader U.S. role in the detentions. Other detainees have said they were taken into custody by Kenyans and transferred to Ethiopia, a U.S. counterterrorism ally. Benaouda said three men in U.S. uniforms led the Kenyan troops who detained her and other women and children fleeing Somalia on Jan. 18.....(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Terrorist Group Using Intelsat Satellites for Communications

The satellite firm, Intelsat has commented on the unauthorized use of one of its satellites by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a Sri Lanka-based terrorist group. The group is more commonly known as the Tamil Tigers, and is proscribed as a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the UK…(Cellular-News, 12 Apr 07)

U.S. Advised Against Cross-Border Attacks

More than 200 senior army officers from 22 countries attending a conference in Islamabad to discuss new tactics and strategy in combating terrorism were told by politicians and experts that military means alone were not going to win them the much talked about global war against terrorism…(AKI/Dawn, 12 Apr 07)

Saudi Columnist: 'The Right of Return Is an Illusion'

In two recent articles in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa, Saudi columnist Yousef Nasser Al-Sweidan argued that the Palestinian refugees' right of return is an idea that cannot be implemented, and that the only solution is for the refugees to be naturalized in the countries where they currently reside….(MEMRI, 12 Apr 07)

Senior U.S. Diplomat Visiting Libya

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will be the most senior U.S. diplomat to visit Libya in more than half a century when he stops in Tripoli as part of a four-nation journey focused on the crisis in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. He was expected to arrive in Africa on Thursday on the trip, which runs through April 19…..(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Blasts by Qaeda Unit Are Deadliest Attack in Algiers in Years

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, North Africa’s most active terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks. It was the deadliest attack in the capital in more than a decade, and followed warnings by officials in Europe and the United States that Algeria was becoming a center for terrorism that could threaten Europe and North America….(New York Times, 12 Apr 07)

Forces loyal to Abbas get newer bases, training

Forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are getting newer bases at home and more advanced training abroad for an expanded security role that could put them on a collision course with militants….(Reuters, 12 Apr 07)

Mass grave found in northeast Afghanistan

The victims were among the first killed by officials of the pro-communist government that came to power in 1978, a year before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Almost 2 million Afghans died during the 10-year Soviet occupation and subsequent factional fighting among the Islamic groups that drove the Red Army out…..(Reuters, 12 Apr 07)

Iran Giving Arms To Iraq's Sunnis, U.S. Military Says

…For months, U.S. officials have alleged that Iranian entities have provided Shiite militias with weapons, including potent roadside bombs the military calls EFPs, or explosively formed penetrators, that have killed dozens of U.S. soldiers. Wednesday marked the first time that U.S. officials have asserted that Sunni insurgents were also receiving arms from Iran….(Washington Post, 12 Apr 07)

U.S. Suspects That Iran Aids Both Sunni and Shiite Militias

Arms that American military officials say appear to have been manufactured in Iran as recently as last year have turned up in the past week in a Sunni-majority area….(New York Times, 12 Apr 07)

Pakistan, Russia to finalize bilateral investment treaty

Pakistan and Russia Thursday agreed to finalize a bilateral investment treaty and agreement on avoidance of double taxation with an objective to expand their trade and economic ties. The two sides agreed during official talks between Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and visiting Russian counterpart Mikhail E. Fradkov in Islamabad….(Xinhua, 12 Apr 07)

Allies Meet to Discuss Afghan War, as Taliban Offensive Looms

…The spring thaw is again opening the way for a new Taliban offensive. And even as the allies prepare for another season of fighting, critics of the Bush administration continue their accusations that the focus on the Iraq war has jeopardized the early military victory in Afghanistan in 2001….(New York Times, 12 Apr 07)

New JI arm discovered in Indonesia
The head of Indonesia's anti-terrorism unit believes there is a new militant regional terror network operating in Southeast Asia. And for the first time, the militants are also targeting individuals, on top of launching bigger scale attacks that can inflict mass casualties…..(Bangkok Post, 12 Apr 07)

Anti-terrorist judge says Spanish north African enclaves possible targets for al-Qaida

Top anti-terrorism judge Baltasar Garzon believes Spain's north African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla are likely targets for terror attacks by al-Qaida militants, after recent attacks in Morocco and Algeria…..(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Iran arrests 90 militants from shadowy Sunni group

Iran has arrested 90 members of a shadowy Sunni militant group known as Jundallah accused of attacks in a volatile area on the border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, a press report said on Thursday….(Agence France-Presse, 12 Apr 07)

Ohio Man Accused of Plot With al-Qaida

…Christopher Paul, 43, of Columbus, trained with al-Qaida in the early 1990s, the indictment issued Wednesday says. The indictment says he told al-Qaida members in Pakistan and Afghanistan that he was dedicated to committing violent jihad…..(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Indictment: US vs Christopher Paul

Local al-Qaida bomb suspect held

....(Columbus Dispatch, 12 Apr 07)

The Collision With Islam

Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance, by Ian Buruma

…His book is structured in ripples, like a pebble thrown into a pool. The stone is van Gogh's savage murder; the ripples are all the individuals mentioned above -- even the murdered man, whom the author knew. In fact, Buruma had been interviewed by van Gogh on his highly controversial TV program, "A Friendly Conversation." The significant contribution that Murder in Amsterdam makes to this volatile and timely issue is the author's honesty…..(Jewish Exponent, 12 Apr 07)

Padilla Team Objects to Agent Testimony

Attorneys for suspected al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla have objected to a proposal to have a disguised CIA officer testify for the government using a false name, saying it would violate Padilla's rights and unfairly limit questioning during trial….(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Explosion at Iraq parliament cafe

An explosion has hit a cafeteria at the Iraqi parliament, killing at least eight people, at least two of them MPs…Police said they believed a suicide bomber was involved. Twenty-three people were injured in the attack. The cafe, in Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone, is for MPs and their staff, some of whom were having lunch there….(BBC, 12 Apr 07)

10 Killed in Baghdad Suicide Bombing

A suicide truck bomb exploded on a major bridge in Baghdad early Thursday, collapsing the steel structure and sending cars tumbling into the Tigris River below, police and witnesses said. At least 10 people were killed….(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Bangladesh: Prosecutor of Islamists Shot Dead

A prosecutor involved in a case against six Islamic militants in Bangladesh who were hanged two weeks ago, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the southern town of Jhalakathi, according to the Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star….(AKI, 12 Apr 07)

Bombing at Iraqi Parliament Kills 8
A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in the Iraqi parliament cafeteria in a stunning assault in the heart of the heavily fortified, U.S.-protected Green Zone Thursday, killing at least eight people, the American military spokesman said. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told Associated Press Broadcast that eight people were killed in the attack. Iraqi officials said the bomber struck the cafeteria while several lawmakers were eating lunch, killing three of them. State television reported as many as 30 wounded….(AP, 12 Apr 07)

Insurgents burn female villager alive
…Police said insurgents shot Patcharaporn Boonsamas, 25, off her motorcycle as she was riding to her office in Yala town around 8 a.m. Then, although she was apparently still alive but badly wounded, they set fire to her body, completely burning it…..(Bangkok Post, 11 Apr 07)

Lebanon tries suspects in German bomb plot

The trial of six Lebanese accused of plotting to bomb trains in Germany last July opened in Beirut on Wednesday, but was swiftly adjourned after warrants were issued for two being tried in absentia… The four men in the dock are suspected mastermind Jihad Hamad, 22, as well as Khaled al-Hajj Dib, 19, Ayman Hawwa, 22, and Khalil Bubu, 23….(Agence France-Presse, 11 Apr 07)

6 charged with terrorism in Mauritania

A Mauritanian court indicted six men on terror charges Wednesday — the same day al-Qaida's North African wing claimed responsibility for a blast in Algeria's capital. The six are thought to belong to a local terror cell linked to Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa….(AP, 11 Apr 07)

Sri Lanka muzzling press with anti-terror law: group

The Sri Lankan government is using anti-terrorism laws to muzzle journalists who expose rights abuses and corruption, or question the government's handling of the civil war, a U.S.-based human rights group said on Thursday….(Reuters, 12 Apr 07)

Allies Meet to Discuss Afghan War, as Taliban Offensive Looms

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and allied defense ministers gathered here on Wednesday to discuss the war in Afghanistan at a moment of reckoning for the nations carrying the brunt of combat there….(New York Times, 12 Apr 07)

The Film PBS Does Not Want You to See

Beginning on Sunday, April 15 and for the next six days, PBS will air 11 prime-time documentaries on its 300 affiliates nationwide… Undoubtedly, at least some of the films to be shown will make a contribution to that end. One that will not be allowed to is a film called Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center. Originally chosen by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as one of the first eight finalists scheduled to be aired already in the Fall of 2006, Islam vs. Islamists ran afoul of PBS…..(Family Matters, 12 Apr 07)

Algeria fears return to "nightmare" of 1990s war

Algerians angered by the worst bombings in years in the big oil-exporting country voiced fears on Thursday of a possible return to bloody political conflict of the 1990s. "The Algiers attacks have woken the demons of a violence we believed had been contained,"…(Reuters, 12 Apr 07)

Is it Legitimate to Use Nuclear Weapons Against the West? A Debate on An Islamist Forum

The Islamist website Al-Firdaws recently posted an article by a certain Abu Zabadi titled "Religious Grounds for [Launching] a Nuclear Attack."….(MEMRI, 12 Apr 07)

Muslim council in Germany demands church privileges for Islam
An umbrella group set up this week by Muslims in Germany called Thursday for Islam to be granted many of the same legal privileges as the main Christian churches and Judaism… Germany has more than 3.2 million residents of Muslim heritage in an overall population of 82 million. Their mosques are owned by incorporated societies with no especial religious status under German law….(DPA, 12 Apr 07)

Local Taliban initiates campaign against obscenity

Local Taliban during their campaign against obscenity and vulgarity have forcibly removed tape recorders from several vehicles and destroyed them along with cassettes here at Gambila Stop at Indus Highway on Wednesday…(Pak Tribune, 11 Apr 07)

Taliban Netting Millions From Poppies

When the Taliban ordered Afghanistan's fields cleared of opium poppies seven years ago because of Islam's ban on drugs, fearful farmers complied en masse. Today, officials say the militia nets tens of millions by forcing farmers to plant poppies and taxing the harvest, driving the country's skyrocketing opium production to fund the fight against what they consider an even greater evil U.S. and NATO troops. "Drugs are bad. The Quran is very clear about it,"…(AP, 11 Apr 07)

Analysis: Algeria could provide springboard for European terror

On September 11 last year, the fifth anniversary of 9/11, Ayman al Zawahiri, al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, announced a formal merger with one of the most violent groups to have emerged from Algeria’s bloody civil war. The announcement came within days of the expiry of the Algerian government’s six-month amnesty for militants and sparked an upsurge in terrorist activity by the GSPC (Salafist Group for Call and Combat)…..(Times Online, 11 Apr 07)

Hamas Prisoner Swap List is Who's Who of Terror

The list of 45 terrorists the Hamas is demanding be freed in return for kidnapped Cpl. Gilad Shalit reads like a Who's Who of terror, and includes men responsible for intentionally murdering scores of Israeli men, women, children and babies and wounding hundreds of others….(IsraelNN, 11 Apr 07)

Vietnam edges toward role in U.S. anti-terrorism front

The United States is nudging former enemy Vietnam toward joining a global anti-terrorism front aimed at searching planes and ships to prevent trafficking in weapons of mass destruction and other illegal cargo. Security analysts and Vietnamese and U.S. officials say Hanoi is warming to the idea….(Reuters, 11 Apr 07)

Ethiopia Holding 41 Suspects Who Fought With Somali Islamists, Officials Confirm

…The significance of the detainees in Ethiopian custody was unclear. American officials have said that none of the top operatives in Al Qaeda who have been active in the Horn of Africa have been killed or captured since the Ethiopian invasion began in December…..(New York Times, 11 Apr 07)

Russia to prepare military response to U.S. missile defense in Europe

U.S. plans to build a missile defense system in Europe would bring "tremendous change to the strategic balance in Europe," and Russia would have to prepare it sown military response mechanism….(Xinhua, 11 Apr 07)

Iraq: Sadrists Threaten to Leave Gov't

Iraqi Cabinet ministers allied to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr threatened Wednesday to quit the government to protest the prime minister's lack of support for a timetable for U.S. withdrawal, according to a statement. Such a pullout by the very bloc that put Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in office could collapse his already perilously weak government….(AP, 11 Apr 07)

Divisive Scholar Draws Parallels Between Islam and Democracy
Tariq Ramadan has a huge following in Europe but a controversial profile in the United States. The Islamic scholar has been barred from entering the country since 2004, when he was denied a visa he needed to accept a professorship at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana…..(Washington Post, 11 Apr 07)

Dialogue with Islam Vital to West

We do not know exactly why Tariq Ramadan cannot set foot in the United States. But given what we do know, that policy is a disaster…Now a fellow at St. Antony's College, Oxford, Ramadan has emerged as Europe's most visible Muslim intellectuals. In books, articles, lectures and interviews he creatively addresses the challenges facing Islam and Muslims in Atlantic democracies, insisting on a critical engagement with core Western values and institutions -- not their rejection….(Newsweek, 11 Apr 07)

PBS shelves film on moderate Muslims

A 52-minute documentary film exploring the struggles of moderate American Muslims at the hands of their radical brethren has also become a showcase for the struggles between right and left in the news media. The producers of "Islam vs. Islamists" say their taxpayer-funded film has been shelved by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in "an ideological vendetta,"…..(Washington Times, 11 Apr 07)

3 Targets of Morocco Raid Blow Themselves Up

Acting on a tip, Moroccan police on Tuesday surrounded a building where four terrorism suspects were holed up, prompting three to flee and kill themselves with explosives. The fourth was mortally wounded by a police sharpshooter as he apparently tried to detonate a bomb. A police officer was killed and 10 people…..(AP, 11 Apr 07)

Morocco 'bomber brother' killed

One of the three suspected militants who blew themselves up during a police raid in Morocco is the brother of an internet cafe bomber, officials say. Four suspected Islamist militants and a police officer died in three explosions in the city of Casablanca…(BBC, 11 Apr 07)

17 dead in 2 bombings in Algeria

…Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, who was unhurt, said that militants — believed to be linked to al-Qaida — were responsible for the "cowardly, criminal terrorist act" as he spoke to reporters outside his wrecked offices…..(AP, 11 Apr 07)

The success of counterterrorism efforts difficult to evaluate

…There also has been no second terrorism strike on American soil. But assessing whether the FBI has actively prevented such a tragedy is virtually impossible. Counterterrorism operations across the country are so shrouded in secrecy that the bureau won't even say how many agents are assigned to them. Some "disruptions" -- FBI jargon for interrupted suspected terrorist activity -- are never disclosed at all…Joint Terrorism Task Force squads, comprising investigators from the FBI, other federal agencies and local law enforcement, are the foot soldiers in the war on terrorism's domestic front. While every agent carries a caseload, they are also constantly "shagging down leads" from a variety of sources, including the National Security Agency's controversial wiretap program….(Seattle PI, 11 Apr 07)

Syria's Relations with Iraq

…Stepped-up regional diplomacy initiatives on Iraq have brought new attention to the role Iraq's neighbors might play in easing the conflict. A March 10 conference in Baghdad brought regional powers, including Syria and Iran, together with American and Western diplomats…..(USIP, Apr 07)

In bed with Islamists

For almost four decades, Muslims have been the fastest-growing segment of the population in Western Europe. As a consequence, the Muslim vote is becoming ever more important…..(Washington Times, 11 Apr 07)

Dismissing al-Qaeda – Hizballah Cooperation Fosters Dangerous Misconceptions

Understanding the nature of the enemy is fundamental to successfully engaging that enemy, be it on the battlefields of metal and flesh, the battlefields of ideas, or the battlefields of information and communication. To this end, it is absolutely critical that the West – and the American public in particular – understand that, unlike the way the American political landscape so often appears, our terrorist enemies are often more willing to lay aside their fundamental and substantive differences for the purposes of engaging a mutual enemy……(Threat Watch, 11 Apr 07)

The FBI's terrorism trade-off

Thousands of white-collar criminals across the country are no longer being prosecuted in federal court -- and, in many cases, not at all -- leaving a trail of frustrated victims and potentially billions of dollars in fraud and theft losses. It is the untold story of the Bush administration's massive restructuring of the FBI after the terrorism attacks of 9/11. Five-and-a-half years later, the White House and the Justice Department have failed to replace at least 2,400 agents transferred to counterterrorism squads, leaving far fewer agents on the trail of identity thieves, con artists, hatemongers and other criminals…..(Seattle PI, 11 Apr 07)

U.S. military buildup urged to counter China

..."The United States should sustain and selectively enhance its force posture in East Asia, ensuring it has capabilities commensurate with the region's growing importance to the U.S. economy and other vital national interests," the report by a task force of the Council on Foreign Relations stated…..(Washington Times, 11 Apr 07)

3 Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar'
The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies, but it has had trouble finding anyone able and willing to take the job, according to people close to the situation…..(Washington Post, 11 Apr 07)

Danish Muslim convicted of inciting terrorism

…Said Mansur, who had been under arrest since September 2005, was accused of producing and distributing material containing "inflammatory, jihadist speeches" under anti-terrorism laws introduced after the September 11 attacks on the United States…..(Reuters, 11 Apr 07)

U.S. Military Says Iran Helping Iraq

Iran has been training Iraqi fighters in the assembly of deadly roadside bombs known as EFPs…EFPs, or explosively formed penetrators, hurl a molten, fist-sized lump of molten copper capable of piercing armored vehicles….(AP, 11 Apr 07)

Iran Makes Movie, Book about UK Sailors

Iran will shoot a movie and publish a book about he detention of the fifteen Royal Navy crewmembers in a bid to disclose the whole truth, DPA reported, citing a statement of Iran armed forces…..(Novinite, 11 Apr 07)

Moscow 'confused' at Iran wargame

Moscow has expressed its confusion over wargames near Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, which Russia is helping build. Iranian air defence forces carried out drills near the plant last Friday without telling Moscow….(BBC, 11 Apr 07)

Pakistan warns U.S. against critical legislation

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz warned the United States on Wednesday against any legislation that makes military aid conditional on its results in fighting terrorism and introducing democratic reforms. Aziz's comments came after leading U.S. Democrats submitted a non-binding resolution to the Senate calling for such steps….(Reuters, 11 Apr 07)

Europol releases terrorism status report

…According to the report, 706 individuals were arrested in 15 member states on suspicion of terrorism offenses in 2006, while 498 terrorist attacks were reportedly carried in 11 member states. Separatists and nationalists in the Basque region of Spain and on the French island of Corsica were responsible for most of the attacks….(Jurist, 10 Apr 07)

EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2007 – pdf

Algeria Tries to Head-off al-Qaeda Resurgence

Since its public merger with al-Qaeda in 2006, the al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), has conducted multiple operations in Algeria including sophisticated coordinated attacks against police stations as well as assaults on foreign workers employed in the country's burgeoning hydrocarbon sector (Terrorism Monitor, February 1). Moreover, the tenacity of recent attacks has signified the resurgence, or perhaps a last ditch effort, of a group thought by many to be on the way out, incapable of realistically achieving its nationalistic goal of establishing an Islamic state in Algeria….(Global Terrorism Analysis, 10 Apr 07)

Fears That New Chinese Warhead Could Seep into Iraq

Two months ago, Chinese arms company Xinshidai (New Era) displayed its latest weapons products at the International Defense Exhibition arms show in Abu Dhabi, seeking to establish its own niche in the world's lucrative arms market….(Global Terrorism Analysis, 10 Apr 07)

Blooming Islam changing Russia

…Mosques that were once all but empty now overflow with believers at Friday midday prayers, from Makhachkala to the courtyard of Moscow's central Cathedral Mosque, where hundreds of men denied spaces inside kneel on prayer rugs and newspapers. Russia's population has been in free-fall since the Soviet collapse in 1991, dropping by five per cent to 142.5 million and sparking forebodings of the collapse of the state along with multi-billion-dollar programs to raise birth rates. But while ethnic Russians struggle for survival, the country's Muslim population is booming thanks to higher birth rates and a flood of immigrants from largely Muslim Central Asia….(Agence France-Press, 10 Apr 07)

Judge Rejects Padilla Torture Argument

…U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said Jose Padilla's torture allegations could become relevant during his trial if prosecutors seek to use evidence gathered from him during his 3 1/2 years in isolation at a Navy brig…..(AP, 10 Apr 07)

Terrorism related cases considered

Algiers criminal court has pronounced yesterday a 12-year sentence against the Moroccan A. Cheraibi for his relations with the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat –GSPC-. The accused has been arrested in Algeria when explaining a plan meant to bridge the border Moroccan area “Bouarfa” with the Algerian Bechar to allow Moroccan terrorist groups and GSPC exchanging ammunition and get infiltrated through borders….(Elkhabar, 10 Apr 07)

Mufti more harm to Islam

When Australian mufti Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali last year compared Australian women to "uncovered meat", he displayed a gross cultural insensitivity. And when he later suggested Muslim immigrants had a greater right to Australia than Europeans with a convict heritage, the mufti demonstrated a historical ignorance…(Courier Mail, 10 Apr 07)

Extremists force women to hide under head scarves

…For a woman in the Iraqi capital four years after the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein, these emergencies can include passing unlawful checkpoints manned by armed militiamen, impromptu forays through neighborhoods controlled by religious zealots and taxi drivers who refuse her fare unless she covers her hair…..(Washington times, 10 Apr 07)

Female minister draws court's ire

A Taliban-style Islamic court in the Pakistani capital has issued a fatwa against a female minister for posing in an "obscene manner" with French paraglider pilots, a top cleric said yesterday. The religious decree against Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar was the first to be made by the self-styled court at the hard-line Red Mosque in Islamabad since mullahs announced its formation on Friday…(Agence France-Presse, 10 Apr 07)

Clerics: Pakistan Official's Hug a 'Sin'

Islamic clerics at a radi