The Analysis: On the ‘Polarization’ of Iraqis and Their ‘Ready Recourse to Violence’

Following is the text of the “key judgments” of the new National Intelligence Estimate about Iraq’s future…(New York Times, 3 Feb 07)

Bleak Iraq Report Is Sent to Congress

…Despite the stepped-up training and U.S. support for Iraqi security forces -- major parts of the new Iraq strategy President Bush announced last month -- the estimate concluded that the Iraqi military will find it very difficult to carry out any new responsibilities or to operate independently against sectarian militias….(Washington Post, 3 Feb 07)

Islamic leader: Peacekeepers fuel unrest

…"Peacekeepers could not bring peace in Somalia," he said. "Their deployment will add to the already difficult security situation in the country. Only Somalis can bring peace if they are given the chance to do so." Sheik Ahmed, who was seen as a moderate within the Islamic movement that was ousted by Somalia's government with the help of Ethiopian military forces earlier this year, spoke by telephone…(AP, 3 Feb 07)

Iraq, and Analysis, Revisited

...Current and former intelligence officers said a better system for producing the National Intelligence Estimate was put in place immediately. The result, they said, is that the new estimate -- which describes an Iraq engulfed by numerous bloody wars -- is strikingly similar to a still-classified assessment written in late 2004 and widely distributed among President Bush's top advisers….(Washington Post, 3 Feb 07)

Afghans Flee Town Held by Taliban

Hundreds of villagers fled a southern Afghan town on Saturday overrun by Taliban militants, fearful of a NATO attack on the insurgent fighters who have hoisted their signature white flag over the town's ransacked government center…(AP, 3 Feb 07)

U.S. files charges against 3 Guantanamo inmates

…"The chief prosecutor for the Office of Military Commissions has sworn charges against Guantanamo detainees David Hicks of Australia, Salim Hamdan of Yemen, and Omar Khadr of Canada," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said…(Reuters, 3 Feb 07)

Pakistan Says Taliban Activity Is Hard to Stop

Faced with mounting criticism that Pakistan is not doing enough to thwart incursions into Afghanistan by Pakistan-based Taliban militants, the president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, said Friday that securing the porous border was not the sole responsibility of this country….(New York Times, 3 Feb 07)

Saudi police arrest 10 terror suspects

…The arrests follow claims in the U.S. bipartisan Iraq Study Group report issued in December that Saudi Arabia has been a source of funding for the Sunni insurgency in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion deposed Saddam Hussein in 2003…..(AP, 3 Feb 07)

U.S. can't prove Iran link to Iraq strife

Bush administration officials acknowledged Friday that they had yet to compile evidence strong enough to back up publicly their claims that Iran is fomenting violence against U.S. troops in Iraq….(LA Times, 3 Feb 07)

Taliban car bomber rams Pakistani convoy, kills 2

A car bomber rammed a Pakistani military convoy, killing himself and at least two soldiers on Saturday in an area of northwest Pakistan rife with support for the Taliban…(Reuters, 3 Feb 07)

Iraq at Risk of Further Strife, Intelligence Report Warns

A long-awaited National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, presented to President Bush by the intelligence community yesterday, outlines an increasingly perilous situation in which the United States has little control and there is a strong possibility of further deterioration… it couches glimmers of optimism in deep uncertainty about whether the Iraqi leaders will be able to transcend sectarian interests and fight against extremists, establish effective national institutions and end rampant corruption….(Washington Post, 2 Feb 07)

Report: NIE: Prospects for Iraq’s Stability

Marine Corps Assessment of Iraq Situation

Below is the Marine intelligence assessment written by Col. Peter Devlin of the U.S. Marine Corps in August 2006 and made public by The Washington Post in a story published in November 2006….(Washington Post, 2 Feb 07)

FACTBOX-Key findings of US Iraq intelligence report

....(Reuters, 2 Feb 07)

Intelligence Report Predicts Worsening Cycle of Violence

A much-anticipated assessment of Iraq by America’s intelligence agencies describes a worsening cycle of chaos in the country, and forecasts that the sectarian strife will continue to fracture the country without bold actions by Iraqi politicians.….(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

Fears of terror mole in UK defense

Defense chiefs have launched an urgent investigation into how a gang of suspected Islamic terrorists obtained a list of names and addresses for 25 serving British Muslim soldiers as part of an alleged plot to kidnap and behead a serviceman…A priority will be to ensure that no Ministry of Defense "mole" provided the suspected terror cell with such top-secret personal information….(Reuters, 2 Feb 07)

Pakistan to Fence Border With Afghanistan

Pakistan will erect fencing to reinforce parts of its porous mountain border with Afghanistan, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said Friday, while acknowledging for the first time that some outgunned Pakistani frontier guards have allowed militants to cross…..(AP, 2 Feb 07)

Man was arming for 'war,' FBI says

He bought three rifles and a Claymore anti-personnel mine and negotiated for a case of hand grenades, documents obtained by the Post-Dispatch show .Mousa M. Abuelawi, 22, of Franjoe Court, was arrested Dec. 29 and charged on complaints accusing him of three counts of illegal possession or distribution of a machine gun and conspiracy to violate machine gun statutes. Abuelawi, a Palestinian immigrant free on $50,000 bond….(St Louise Post-Dispatch, 2 Feb 07)

An Afghan’s Path From Ally of U.S. to Drug Suspect

In April 2005, federal law enforcement officials summoned reporters to a Manhattan news conference to announce the capture of an Afghan drug lord and Taliban ally. While boasting that he was a big catch — the Asian counterpart of the Colombian cocaine legend Pablo Escobar — the officials left out some puzzling details, including why the Afghan, Haji Bashir Noorzai, had risked arrest by coming to New York…Several intelligence, counterterrorism and law enforcement officials confirm that American officials met repeatedly with Mr. Noorzai over the years…..(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

Detainee Rights at Center Of Fight
The Bush administration argued Thursday that a Qatari national who it says was an al-Qaeda sleeper agent sent to the United States for a second wave of terrorist attacks has no right to challenge in court his status as an enemy combatant…..(Washington Post, 2 Feb 07)

Judges Pose Questions on Bush Detainee Policy

In a series of probing and sometimes testy exchanges with a government lawyer, two of three judges on a federal appeals court panel here indicated Thursday that they might not be prepared to accept the Bush administration’s claim that it has the unilateral power to detain people it calls enemy combatants….(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

Taleban forces retake Afghan town

Taleban forces in southern Afghanistan have taken control of a town which British troops had pulled out of after a peace deal with local elders. Some local people said they were leaving the town, Musa Qala in Helmand province, for fear of bombing raids on the Taleban by Nato forces.….(BBC, 2 Feb 07)

Blast at Somali Islamic school wounds 7

An explosion at an Islamic school for women and girls in Somalia's capital wounded at least seven people Friday….(AP, 2 Feb 07)

Indonesian militant says involved in girls' beheading

…Basri, who like many Indonesians has only one name, and two other men were arrested Thursday in a police raid after a tip-off from residents of Poso, on Sulawesi island….(Agence France-Presse, 2 Feb 07)

Gaza Erupts in Fatal Clashes After Truce

Hamas fighters blew up a pro-Fatah radio station in Gaza, ambulances were caught in the crossfire and gunmen exchanged heavy fire in deserted streets as a new wave of factional fighting raged Friday throughout the chaotic coastal territory….(AP, 2 Feb 07)

Iraq's Shiite holy city under curfew

Iraqi authorities have clamped a total curfew on Shiite Islam's holiest city of Najaf to thwart attacks a day after 73 people died in twin suicide bombings in nearby Hilla. In Baghdad on Friday, the US military probed reports that another helicopter had gone down near Taji….(Agence France-Presse, 2 Feb 07)

U.S. Probes Helicopter Crash Near Baghdad

An American helicopter crashed north of Baghdad Friday morning, and an Iraqi police spokesman said it had been downed by a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile….(Washington Post, 2 Feb 07)

Pakistan's Musharraf admits lapses in terror war

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf conceded that some border guards had turned a "blind eye" towards Taliban militants launching attacks in Afghanistan. But Musharraf, a key US ally, angrily rejected allegations that Pakistan's intelligence services or the army were fostering an increasingly deadly Islamist-led insurgency in the neighboring country….(Agence France-Presse, 2 Feb 07)

U.S. Gives Eight Cobra Helicopters to Pakistan

The United States handed over eight Cobra attack helicopters on Friday to Pakistan, which is under growing pressure to stop Taliban guerrillas crossing into Afghanistan to fight NATO forces….(Reuters, 2 Feb 07)

Two Men Acquitted of Conspiracy To Fund Hamas Activities in Israel

…Abdelhaleem Ashqar, 48, a former Howard University professor who lives in Springfield, and Muhammad Salah, 53, a former grocer from suburban Chicago, were found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy…..(Washington Post, 2 Feb 07)

2 Men Cleared of Charges of Aiding Hamas Violence

…..(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

Terror hitlist named 25 Muslim soldiers

Defense chiefs have launched an urgent investigation into how a gang of suspected Islamic terrorists obtained a list of names and addresses for 25 serving British Muslim soldiers as part of an alleged plot to kidnap and behead a serviceman. Senior officers are alarmed that the hitlist includes home addresses as far apart as Glasgow and the West Country…(Times Online, 2 Feb 07)

Neighbors of British Terror Suspects Skeptical of Charges

Many residents in the area where nine people were arrested and accused of planning to kidnap, torture and behead a British Muslim soldier said Thursday that they were unconvinced of the accusations against them….(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

U.S. Says Iran Meddles in Iraq but Is Delaying Release of Data

President Bush’s national security advisers have ordered a delay in publication of evidence intended to support Washington’s contention that Iran supplies lethal technology and other aid to militias in Iraq…(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

Analysis: Odds of U.S.-Iran conflict?

Is a spring offensive by the United States against Iran to shatter the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions in the offing? Or will diplomacy and common sense prevail?...(UPI, 2 Feb 07)

Pakistan: Unearthed terror plots raise fears of greater danger ahead

Authorities in Pakistan are concerned that the series of terrorist plots unearthed this week by security forces indicate that al-Qaeda is planning major attacks across the country, a top Pakistani security official has told Adnkronos International (AKI)….(AKI, 2 Feb 07)

Poster of Hussein at Guantánamo Draws Detainee Complaints

Military officials have removed a poster of Saddam Hussein from the American detention center in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, after complaints from a detainee that it was intended to intimidate the prisoners there….(New York Times, 2 Feb 07)

Two Senior Iraqi Generals Eyed in Brazen Attack on U.S. Soldiers

Several Iraqis have been detained for questioning in the ongoing investigation of at least two senior Iraqi generals suspected of involvement in an insurgent attack that killed five American soldiers on Jan. 20…(Fox, 2 Feb 07)

Rice to Seek Support for Mideast Effort

…The Quartet, made up of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, has played a largely backstage role in the long-stalled peace process. But Germany, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the E.U., has pressed to revive the role of the international group…(Washington Post, 2 Feb 07)

Relations Worsen Between the Egyptian Regime and the Muslim Brotherhood
Relations between the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt, never less than tense, have recently taken a turn for the worse. Following a December 10, 2006 march at Al-Azhar University in Cairo by masked, black-garbed students of the university who were Muslim Brotherhood members, the movement was accused of operating a "militia" that endangers state security and damages Egypt's image in the world….(MEMRI, 2 Feb 07)

Islamist Websites Monitor Project No. 59

..…(MEMRI, 2 Feb 07)

Websites denounce British Muslim soldiers

…The debate was inflamed by the death of Muslim Lance-Corporal Jabron Hashmi in Afghanistan in July. A posting on a website carrying the name Hizb ut-Tahrir called him a "Muslim traitor who got what he deserved"….(Telegraph, 2 Feb 07)

Al-Suri's Doctrines for Decentralized Jihadi Training - Part 2

…In his voluminous treatise The Call to Global Islamic Resistance, published on the internet in January 2005, the Syrian-born al-Qaeda veteran Mustafa bin Abd al-Qadir Setmariam Nasar, better known as Abu Mus'ab al-Suri and Umar Abd al-Hakim, examines five different methods for jihadi training based on past jihadi practices….(Global Terrorism Analysis, 1 Feb 07)

The Reconstituted Al-Qaeda Threat in the Maghreb

In the first week of January 2007, the Moroccan government announced the dismantling of an alleged 62-person terrorist cell (Gulf Times, January 5). According to statements made by the government, this cell had "ideological links with and financial and logistical support for international terrorist groups" including al-Qaeda and the Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC) ….(Global Terrorism Analysis, 1 Feb 07)

Islamist Websites Monitor Project No. 58

….(MEMRI, 1 Feb 07)

Taliban Aider Back to Federal Prison

…Judge Barbara Rothstein sentenced James Ujaama to the maximum two years in federal prison on charges that also included lying to a federal officer and leaving the U.S. without permission….(AP, 1 Feb 07)

How al-Qaeda 'tried to bring Baghdad to Birmingham'

Elite police unit believe extremists were about to abduct and behead a Muslim soldier who served in Iraq. Not long back from his six-month tour in Iraq, the young Muslim soldier was puzzled when police called at his family home in Birmingham…Officers described how a gang from his home town was allegedly plotting to abduct the soldier, aged in his 20s, and then force him on film to “apologize” for what he had done in Iraq….(Times Online, 1 Feb 07)

2007 Marks the Key Year in Thailand's Southern Insurgency

January 4, 2007 marked the third anniversary of the outbreak of the current phase of Thailand's insurgency in the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani. To date, the insurgency has claimed more than 1,900 lives….(Global Terrorism Analysis, 1 Feb 07)

Asfandyar Wali: Profile of Pakistan's Progressive Pashtun Politician

On January 10, Pakistan's secular and Pashtun nationalist Awami National Party (ANP) won a critical electoral battle in Bajaur Agency. The ANP political party is led by the seasoned politician Asfandyar Wali Khan. The election struck a blow to pro-Taliban elements in the region….(Global Terrorism Analysis, 1 Feb 07)

Lie Low, Fighters Are Told

The instructions delivered by emissaries of anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr at a recent meeting in Baghdad were clear to militiaman Massan Abdul Hussein. "They informed us to hide the weapons," Abdul Hussein recalled of the Jan. 21 meeting in the Shula neighborhood. "They said: 'We will not allow anyone to carry any arms, even if it's a pistol under their shirt. This is not acceptable.' "…(Washington Post, 1 Feb 07)

'Bomb factory fingerprints found'

Nearly 200 hydrogen peroxide bottles were found in bins at the "bomb factory" of the alleged July 21 terror plotters with some of their fingerprints on them…(Guardian, 1 Feb 07)

Radical cleric may face US terror charges

The jailed radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza could face terror charges in the US after a judge today rejected his attempt to overturn his UK convictions. Hamza, 48, was jailed for seven years in February last year for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred. ….(Telegraph, 1 Feb 07)

Abu Hamza to face extradition bid

…The US government is seeking Abu Hamza's "temporary surrender" under the 2003 Extradition Act. Once tried in the US he would then be returned to the UK to complete his jail term before being extradited again to serve any sentence handed down in the US….(BBC, 1 Feb 07)

U.S. Hands Major Weapons Supplies to Afghan Army

…Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the handover of 800 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles and other trucks, and 12,000 heavy and light arms in Kabul….(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Australian Lawmakers Ask U.S. For Hicks Release

Australian lawmakers have written to their U.S. counterparts calling for Australia's only Guantanamo Bay inmate to be sent home for trial, saying new rules set up to try detainees “stomped on basic American values.” …(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

U.S. Says Oregon Man Sought Missile Parts for Iran

U.S. immigration agents have charged an Oregon businessman with trying to buy batteries used in U.S.-built Hawk surface-to-air missiles for shipment to Iran, court documents showed on Thursday. Robert Caldwell, 56, of Portland, Oregon, is charged…(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Car bombs hit Baghdad; 47 killed in violence

Car bombs struck mostly Shiite targets in Baghdad on Wednesday, and the bodies of three Sunni professors and a student were found days after they were seized while leaving their campus in a Shiite part of the city….(AP, Jerusalem Post, 1 Feb 07)

Indonesia Police Arrest Two Wanted Muslim Militants

Indonesian policemen arrested on Thursday two men wanted as top members of a local Islamic militant group that has terrorized the country's Central Sulawesi province and had links to an Asian terror network…(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Indonesia: Militant Islamic Group denies sending fighters to Poso

The leader of the Indonesian militant Islamic group Laskar Jihad, has denied local media reports that the group was sending fighters to the strife-torn eastern island of Sulawesi after authorities killed 14 Muslim militants in a shootout on 22 January….(AKI, 1 Feb 07)

Ten people killed in Iraq attacks

At least 10 people have been killed in a series of bomb and mortar attacks in the Iraqi capital, officials say….(BBC, 1 Feb 07)

Britain Arrests 9 Suspects in Terrorist Kidnapping Plot

…The suspects are accused of devising a plot that included plans to kidnap, torture and behead a British Muslim soldier and broadcast video images of his killing on the Internet…..(New York Times, 1 Feb 07)

Police release sketch of hotel suicide bomber

…One security guard died and seven other people were wounded when the attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body after guards stopped him at a side entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad last Friday….(AP, 1 Feb 07)

Mystery Arises Over Identity of Militia Chief in Najaf Fight

… At a news conference on Wednesday meant to clarify details of the skirmishes, which left at least 250 militants dead, Iraqi officials declared that Ahmad bin al-Hassan al-Basri, identified as the leader of the militia, was actually a Sunni militant who had been able to take control of the militia group by masquerading as a Shiite..…(New York Times, 1 Feb 07)

'Saviour' who led Shia faction wanted slaughter in holy city

…When the day-long combat ended, the Shia of Iraq had to confront a disturbing truth: a schism had spawned an apocalyptic splinter group bent on slaughtering as many Shia pilgrims and religious leaders as possible — in their holiest city, on their holiest day. Their hit-list included Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most senior Iraqi Shia cleric….(Times Online, 1 Feb 07)

U.S. Probes Equity Firm Tied to Islamic Investors

The counterterrorism division of the Justice Department is investigating whether a private equity firm in Boston that manages hundreds of millions of dollars for Muslim investors overseas violated tax laws.The investigation of Overland Capital Group was disclosed in a filing with U.S. District Court in Boston…(Washington Post, 1 Feb 07)

Scheme to sell military gear in Mideast nets prison term

…(Gayden C.) Woodson, 46, of North Ogden, Utah, was convicted on charges that included selling militarized high-mobility multi-wheeled vehicles. He had been employed for 27 years by the DRMS, which is responsible for managing the disposal -- by reuse, sale, transfer or donation -- of excess U.S. military property….(Washington Times,  1 Feb 07)

Guantanamo Inmates Shown Saddam Hanging Photos: Lawyer

Guantanamo Bay prison inmates were shown photographs of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein hanging from a rope following his execution, lawyers for Australia's only Guantanamo inmate said on Thursday….(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Senators Unite On Challenge to Bush's Troop Plan

…The revised resolution would express the Senate's opposition to the troop increase but would vow to protect funding for the troops…..(Washington Post, 1 Feb 07)

Qaeda figure slams Libya for softening line on nurses case

A top al Qaeda militant labeled Libya's leadership "hateful infidels" over signs it may review the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death, according to a Web video posted on Thursday….(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Report: Iran Years From Nuclear Weapons

Iran is two to three years away from having the capacity to build a nuclear weapon, a leading security think tank said Wednesday. But the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies said domestic opposition to outspoken President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could still help put the brakes on its nuclear development efforts…..(AP, 1 Feb 07)

General: Shiite Militia Leaders Leaving Baghdad Strongholds

…..(Washington Post, 1 Feb 07)

China Airs Rare Public Criticism of Bush Iraq Policy

President Bush should scrap his unilateral approach and respect religious diversity in his “war on terror” to resolve troubles in Iraq, a senior Chinese official said in comments published on Thursday… He criticized inflammatory terms such as “crusade” and “Islamic fascism” which Bush had used in the past when speaking of the fight against terrorism and Muslim militants ….(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Report: Planning for Failure in Iraq

…The Brookings Institution has just released a study that could make you feel even gloomier. The 135-page report, titled Things Fall Apart, urges the White House to start "thinking about how to deal with the consequences of massive failure in Iraq," which would carry a heavy price for the United States and its allies…..(Time Magazine, 1 Feb 07)

The Jitters in Tehran

…Escalating tensions with the U.S. are sufficiently worrisome that former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is once again leading a drive to contain Ahmadinejad and his political ambitions. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who heads the executive branch in Iran's system, asked Rafsanjani — who was beaten by Ahmadinejad in the last presidential election — to spearhead a similar effort last year, after Ahmadinejad's remarks about Israel sparked an international outcry….(Time Magazine, 1 Feb 07)

Afghan Assembly Grants Immunity for War Crimes

Afghanistan's parliament has granted immunity to all Afghans involved in the country's 25 years of conflict, lawmakers said on Thursday, despite calls by human rights groups for war crimes trials….(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Bush Administration Opposes Pakistan Linked - Aid Bill

The U.S. administration is opposed to provisions of a bill now in the hands of Congress which would link military aid for Pakistan to its efforts to tackle the Taliban, the U.S. embassy said…(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Former Kuwaiti Education Minister in London Arabic Daily Criticizes Iran's Negative Role in the Middle East, Says It Should Deal With its Unemployment and Poverty Issues Instead of Spending Oil Revenues on Nuclear Development and Military

In a January 15, 2007 article in the English online edition of the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, reformist columnist and former Kuwaiti education minister Ahmed Al-Rabei called upon Iran to stop issuing hollow threats and to renew its dialogue with the international community, lest it be defeated by the U.S…..(MEMRI, 1 Feb 07)

Iraq Restricts Air, Land Passages to Syria, Iran

Iraq indefinitely halted all flights to and from Syria and closed a border crossing with Iran as the government prepares for a security crackdown, a parliament member and an airport official said Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. The airport official said that flights to and from Syria would be canceled for at least two weeks and that service had been interrupted on Tuesday…(Washington Post, 1 Feb 07)

Chirac reversal on Iran nuke bombs

French President Jacques Chirac said in an interview with three newspapers that Iran's possession of a nuclear bomb would not be "very dangerous" and that if it used the weapon on Israel, Tehran would be immediately "razed," according to a newspaper report….(AP, 1 Feb 07)

Iraqi embassy in huge passport blunder

The Iraqi embassy in Stockholm has admitted issuing 26,000 passports based on false documentation to asylum seekers in Sweden and Norway….(Local, 31 Jan 07)

Iran role seen in attack on US troops

The US believes it has the first evidence of direct involvement by Tehran against US forces in Iraq, suspecting Iranians were behind a January 20 attack on a military compound in Karbala in which five US soldiers were killed...A diplomatic source in Washington said: "It is difficult to imagine Bush and (Vice-President Dick) Cheney leaving office without resolving the Iranian issue, if necessary by force."…(Times Online, 1 Feb 07)

U.S. delays report on Iranian role in Iraq

The Bush administration has postponed plans to offer public details of its charges of Iranian meddling inside Iraq amid internal divisions over the strength of the evidence….(LA Times, 1 Feb 07)

U.S. warns Iran to stop aiding Iraqi insurgents

…"We have picked up individuals who we believe are giving very sophisticated explosive technology to Shia insurgent groups who then use that technology to target and kill American soldiers," said Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns…(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Blasts Hit Baghdad as Deaths Hit New High

…The data from an Interior Ministry official, widely viewed as an indicative but only partial record of violent deaths, showed 1,971 people died from “terrorism” in Iraq in January, slightly up from the previous high of 1,930 deaths in December….(Reuters, 1 Feb 07)

Analysis: Encryption tool aids terrorist cause

…The software package, dubbed "Mujahedin Secrets" by its authors, is an executable file that can be installed on removable media, like a thumb drive, and used on computers in libraries other public places to encrypt e-mail or other files being sent over the Internet, according to iDefense, an Internet security consultancy which is analyzing the program. "The program's 'portability' as an application (not requiring installation on a personal computer) will become an increasingly desirable feature, especially considering the high use of Internet cafés worldwide by pro-terrorist Islamic extremists,".…(UPI, 31 Jan 07)

My Year Inside Radical Islam

Frontpage Interview's guest today is Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a counterterrorism consultant…Daveed's new book, My Year Inside Radical Islam, documents his time working at Al Haramain….(FrontPage, 31 Jan 07)

Islamist Websites Monitor Project No. 57

….(MEMRI, 31 Jan 07)

In Legacy of a Revered Martyr, Saudi Shiites Find Sustenance

…To many of the region's historically persecuted Shiites, the death of Hussein in what is now Karbala, Iraq, the event that triggered the schism between Sunnis and Shiites, remains central to their lives. Shiite belief that Hussein and his descendants were robbed of their rightful succession as rulers of the Islamic world heightens their sense of persecution and victimization…(Washington Post, 31 Jan 07)

PBS Frontline/World: 'The Cell Next Door'

…The film looks at 18 young men in Toronto and two in Atlanta arrested this past summer on terrorism charges, accused of plotting to blow up buildings, behead members of the Canadian parliament, and of attending a terror-training camp in Ontario… The transcript follows….(Washington Post, 31 Jan 07)

Ninth arrest over 'terror plot'

A ninth person has been arrested in Birmingham over what senior security sources say was an alleged plot to kidnap a member of the armed forces. Police made the arrest this afternoon on a motorway near the city. Eight suspects were earlier arrested following a series of morning raids….(BBC, 31 Jan 07)

Q&A: Anti-terror arrests

Police and MI5 have carried out a counter-terrorism operation which has seen nine people arrested under the Terrorism Act in Birmingham….(BBC, 31 Jan 07)

British Police Arrest 8 Terror Suspects

Counterterrorism police arrested eight men in an alleged kidnapping plot during pre-dawn raids Wednesday, police said. The target was allegedly a British Muslim soldier, according to Sky News….(AP, 31 Jan 07)

Car bombs, mortars kill 13 in Iraq

More Iraqi blood was shed as car bombs hammered home a US commander's assessment that time was running out to stem sectarian strife in the beleaguered country….(Agence France-Presse, 31 Jan 07)

Violence Targeted at Shiites On Holy Day Kills 60 in Iraq
…The day's deadliest incident occurred in the town of Baladruz, in Diyala province in eastern Iraq, when a suicide bomber walked through the main gate of the Ali al-Akbar mosque and detonated his explosives, killing 17 people and injuring at least 57….(Washington Post, 31 Jan 07)

Policeman killed in Bangladesh bomb blast

A policeman was killed and another injured in a bomb attack north of the Bangladesh capital….(Reuters, 31 Jan 07)

The Middle East on a Collision Course (2): The Saudi Position
The Sunni/Saudi-Shi'ite/Iranian conflict, which has grown more acute in recent months and has spilled over into a U.S.-Russian conflict, is focused on two primary fault lines, Lebanon and the Persian Gulf [1] - each of which has its own zero hour….(MEMRI, 31 Jan 07)

US takes new steps to isolate Iran

The United States took new steps to isolate Iran Tuesday, announcing a freeze on the sale of all F-14 fighter parts and warning that an attempt by Teheran to block the flow of Gulf oil could be turned against it….(Agence France-Presse, 31 Jan 07)

Islamist bookshop was known to sell 'incendiary works'

…Maktabah, in Stratford Road in the Sparkhill district, was revealed by an article on July 23, 2005 to have stocked "a selection of disturbing literature" including one book, by a British Mujahid, hailing guerrilla warfare in Kashmir and saying that "terror works and that is why the believers are commanded to enforce it by Allah"…(Times Online, 31 Jan 07)

N. Korea eyes 2nd test if dispute not resolved

North Korea will feel compelled to announce plans for another nuclear test if a financial dispute with Washington is not resolved, a source said on Wednesday, a sign of Pyongyang's impatience with a lack of progress in talks…..(Reuters, 31 Jan 07)

Australian Guantanamo inmate strains U.S. ties

The United States may speed up the trial of Australia's only Guantanamo Bay inmate, David Hicks, following a rare split between the two allies over accusations he faced "Nazi concentration camp" conditions….(Reuters, 31 Jan 07)

US: Pakistani student terror suspect convicted

…Shiraz Syed Qazi, 26, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by an alien during a brief trial conducted by US District Judge Lee Rosenthal. Qazi waived his right to a jury trial…(AP, Jerusalem Post, 31 Jan 07)

NATO, U.S. Neglect "Psychological Warfare": Report

The United States and its allies must pay more attention to 'psychological warfare' as they battle insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, an influential think-tank said on Wednesday. “Insurgents and jihadists have proved adept at conducting successful information campaigns that reach a global audience and foment violence elsewhere,” …(Reuters, 31 Jan 07)

Terror Inquiry Turns to Tax Law

The Justice Department is investigating possible criminal tax-law violations by a Boston private-equity firm that manages hundreds of millions of dollars for Muslim investors in Europe and the Middle East and is affiliated with a Swiss investment group U.S. authorities suspect of financing Islamic extremists. Federal prosecutors disclosed a grand-jury probe of Overland Capital Group Inc….(Wall Street Journal, 31 Jan 07)

Reports Fault Oversight of Iraq Police Program

The U.S. government has squandered millions of dollars intended for police training programs in Iraq because of rampant problems overseeing contractors, according to federal reviews released yesterday….(Washington Post, 31 Jan 07)

Senators Warn Against War With Iran

Republican and Democratic senators warned Tuesday against a drift toward war with an emboldened Iran and suggested the Bush administration was missing a chance to engage its longtime adversary in potentially helpful talks over next-door Iraq….(AP, 31 Jan 07)

EU to debate data transfers to US

Members of the European Parliament are to voice concerns about the use of data on air passengers and bank transactions in a US anti-terror profiling system. The EU has already asked Washington for assurances that the US system is not using passenger data in ways that violate EU-US agreements.…(BBC, 31 Jan 07)

U.S. under pressure to stop saying no

Millions of Iraqi refugees fleeing violence and sectarian cleansing after the U.S.-led invasion four years ago are finding it nearly impossible to get safe harbor in America, including those who risked their lives helping President George W. Bush's war effort….(Reuters, 31 Jan 07)

What's Pulling Lebanon Apart

...The government may consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization, but few in Lebanon would likely agree. Roughly one in four Lebanese citizens supports Hezbollah, and those numbers helped bring Lebanon to a grinding halt on Jan. 23, the day the Shiite movement called for a general strike….(CBS News, 31 Jan 07)

Muslim nations move to prevent violence

Terrified that sectarian Muslim bloodshed could soon engulf the region, U.S. allies and adversaries in the Middle East have stepped up joint efforts to head off a religious civil war. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran have held intensive talks in recent days on ways to tamp down sectarian violence in Iraq and Lebanon. Over the weekend, Saudi King Abdullah issued an unusual public call for calm….(Washington Times, 31 Jan 07)

Al Qaeda Speech At Flat

Images of a suicide bombing and beheadings and bomb-making equipment were all found at the "bomb factory" of the alleged July 21 terror plotters, a court has heard. Dozens of hydrogen peroxide bottles, a near-empty bag of chapatti flour and traces of high explosive were found by police after they raided the north London flat…(Sky, 31 Jan 07)

'Global war curriculum' seen in Iran's schools

The Iranian education system is preparing its students for a global war against the West in the name of Islam, according to an independent study of 115 textbooks and teachers guides released today….(Washington Times, 30 Jan 07)

Pakistan: Attacks may signal rise of religious hardcore

…Pakistan has a history of sectarian violence between the majority Sunni Muslim population and the minority Shiites. But tensions are also high because of threats by militants to carry out revenge attacks following recent Pakistan army operations in the tribal area….(AKI, 30 Jan 07)

New Conspiracy Theory in Egypt: It Wasn't Saddam But His Double Who Was Executed

A new conspiracy theory has gained currency in Egypt in recent weeks, according to which it was not Saddam Hussein, but rather his double who was executed. Also, it was not his two sons 'Uday and Qusay who were killed during the war, but their doubles….(MEMRI, 30 Jan 07)

Terror cells throughout Europe similar

The Hofstad group is not a typically Dutch phenomenon. The group very much resembles other jihadist networks throughout Europe. These are also usually local groups that are not steered from the outside by international connections….(Expatica, 30 Jan 07)

Islamist Websites Monitor Project No. 56

.....(MEMRI, 30 Jan 07)

Members of Saddam Hussein's Defense Team: Saddam and U.S. Officer Guarding Him Wept When They Said Goodbye; Execution Unconstitutional Because Rope Used was Fiber, Not Silk; Execution of 148 Dujail Victims Was Justified

The following are excerpts from three interviews with members of Saddam Hussein's legal defense team….(MEMRI, 30 Jan 07)

US anti-terror program subject of constitutional arguments to begin Wednesday

President George W. Bush's program of domestic spying without a court warrant faces legal assaults on its constitutionality in arguments Wednesday in a federal appeals court….(AP, 30 Jan 07)

Abu Ghraib Officer Wants Case Dismissed

The only U.S. military officer charged with crimes in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal was arraigned Tuesday, and a judge said he would hold a hearing next week on a defense request to dismiss the charges….(AP, 30 Jan 07)

Nuclear Agency: Air Defenses Impractical

Federal regulators plunged into an energy and national security controversy yesterday by ruling that the nation's 103 nuclear power plants do not need to protect themselves from potential attacks by terrorists using airplanes….(Washington Post, 30 Jan 07)

Senator Targets Surplus Sales to Iran

…The Oregon Democrat's legislation would ban the Defense Department from selling surplus F-14 parts and prohibit buyers who have already acquired surplus Tomcat parts from exporting them…..(AP, 30 Jan 07)

'Hot' patients setting off dirty-bomb detectors

…With the rising use of radioisotopes in medicine and the growing use of radiation detectors in a security-conscious nation, patients are triggering alarms in places where they may not even realize they’re being scanned, doctors and security officials say….(Reuters, 30 Jan 07)

Arar case isn't going to 'go away'

A former top CIA official wants to raise the profile of Maher Arar in the United States, where he hopes the story of Arar’s deportation and torture will help end the American practice of extraordinary rendition. Frederick Hitz, the Central Intelligence Agency’s inspector general during the high-profile investigation into the Iran-Contra scandal, told a panel discussion Monday that rank-and-file intelligence officers don’t like the legally dubious measures being employed in the current war on terrorism….(Canadian Press, 30 Jan 07)

Uighurs' Detention Conditions Condemned

Chinese Uighurs who have been imprisoned for the past month at a new state-of-the-art detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are being held around the clock in near-total isolation, a circumstance their lawyers say is rapidly degrading their mental health…(Washington Post, 30 Jan 07)

Bombs Kill Dozens of Ashura Pilgrims

A series of separate bomb and gun attacks killed dozens of Shiite worshippers in Iraq on Tuesday, a day after Iraqi and U.S. forces disrupted what they said was a major plot to target Shiite pilgrims and leaders as they mark the high point of their religious calendar….(Washington Post, 30 Jan 07)

Iraqis Describe Plot To Kill Shiite Clerics
A Shiite cult leader, who claimed to be a revered Muslim figure who vanished in the 10th century, was killed Sunday along with scores of fighters who were poised to attack a holy city in southern Iraq and assassinate the country's Shiite religious leadership…(Washington Post, 30 Jan 07)

Suspected Al-Qaeda leader in Turkey detained in raid: report

A man suspected of running Al-Qaeda's operations in Turkey was among 48 people detained in nationwide raids earlier this week…Identified only as Ekrem K., the man was allegedly communicating with Al-Qaeda cells abroad and trained new recruits…(Agence France-Presse, 30 Jan 06)

Afghanistan suicide blast wounds 12

A suicide attacker drove an explosives-laden vehicle into an Afghan army bus in the western city of Herat, wounding 12 people…(Agence France-Presse, 30 Jan 07)

Pakistan curfew after Shia attack

A curfew is in force in the north-west Pakistani town of Hangu after a rocket and mortar attack on a Shia mosque….(BBC, 30 Jan 07)

Pakistan: Afghan Refugee Must Return Home

Pakistan's prime minister appealed to the European Union on Tuesday to help repatriate some 3 million Afghan refugees, a move he said would help clear his country of militants blamed for attacks in border regions. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said his government plans to restrict the cross-border movement of people to prevent militants from Afghanistan infiltrating Pakistan….(AP, 30 Jan 07)

2 Accused of Terror Ties to Stay in U.S.

An immigration judge ordered the federal government Tuesday to halt its 20-year effort to deport two Palestinian men accused of terrorist ties. Judge Bruce J. Einhorn ruled the government had denied Khader Hamide and Michel Shehadeh, members of the so-called "L.A. Eight," due process by keeping them in legal limbo for so many years and being unprepared to prosecute the case….(AP, 30 Jan 07)

Judge: Doctor Can't Treat Terrorists

A doctor accused of pledging to treat al-Qaida members can be prosecuted because medical care counts as material support to terrorists under federal law, a judge said Tuesday. Dr. Rafiq Abdus Sabir, an Ivy League-educated doctor, had argued it was unconstitutional to prosecute a doctor for providing medical services….(AP, 30 Jan 07)

Fallon Says U.S. Miscalculated Iraq

Adm. William Fallon, who is poised to become the top American commander in the Middle East, says the United States miscalculated the ability of Iraqi forces to take control and underestimated the enemy's persistence….(AP, 30 Jan 07)

'No US interest' in united Iraq

The US has no strategic interest in ensuring that Iraq remain united, former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton said in an interview published today..."We have a strategic interest in ensuring that what emerges is not a completely failed state that becomes a refuge for terrorists, or a terrorist state," he said….(Reuters, 30 Jan 07)

Equipment For Added Troops Is Lacking
Boosting U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 would create major logisti