November 2008

Flaws found in local anti-terrorism strategy

Local authority initiatives aimed at tackling violent extremism have been undermined by a lack of “up-to-date” grassroots intelligence on potentially vulnerable individuals, according to a new government-backed study.

The study found that government counter-terrorism funding to local authorities and neighborhood policing over the last two years has yet to translate into a coherent strategy to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremists.  A joint investigation by the Audit Commission and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary found “inconsistent levels of engagement and awareness” of the government’s “Prevent” strategy in schools and colleges. It also unearthed inadequate information sharing caused by a lack of trust between police and local authorities…..(Financial Times, 12 Nov 08)

Spain toughens terrorism law; ex-ETA inmate on the run

The Spanish government is preparing to toughen the country's anti-terrorism laws as the hunt for former ETA prisoner Ignacio de Juana Chaos in Ireland continued Wednesday.  The daily El Pais reported on Wednesday that new government measures will mainly target members of the militant Basque separatist group ETA, and are intended to bring the penalties for terrorism offences as close as possible to life imprisonment, which is deemed incompatible with the Spanish constitution.  Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government intends to establish the possibility of placing former terrorists under permanent surveillance after they have served their prison sentences…..(DPA, 12 Nov 08)

Syria, Lebanon To Boost Cooperation In Border Control, Anti-Terrorism Operations

The governments of Syria and Lebanon on Monday agreed to set up a joint committee to improve the cooperation between the two countries on border control and in fighting terrorism.  The decision to set up the joint committee was agreed upon during talks between Syrian Interior Minister Bassam Abdel Majid and his visiting Lebanese counterpart Ziad Barouda.  Ziad Barouda is the first Lebanese minister to visit Syria after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005, and his visit is aimed at strengthening security cooperation between the two neighbors.  Earlier, Syria and Lebanon jointly announced in October that they had decided to establish diplomatic relations with each other after 60 years since gaining their independence from French colonial rule….(RTT, 11 Nov 08)

Report: The Money Trail: Finding, Following, and Freezing Terrorist Finance

… In this new Washington Institute Policy Focus, senior fellows Matthew Levitt and Michael Jacobson -- both former officials in the Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, now with the Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence -- explore the critical role that money plays in the success of terrorist organizations, and why countering financial flows must be an integral part of the U.S. government's counterterrorism strategy.  Levitt and Jacobson analyze how terrorist financing has matured since 2001, with case studies on al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hizballah. They also assess the effectiveness of U.S. and international responses to this evolving threat, focusing on the performance of governments throughout the Middle East. The authors, both veteran policy practitioners, offer timely recommendations to the new Obama administration on how to strengthen international efforts in the war on terror……(Policy Focus #89, Nov 08)

The Ultimate Counter-Terrorism Weapon

In the day-to-day discussions and actions to combat terrorism, particularly radical Islamist terrorism, we generally agree that it will be a long struggle that could last generations. I agree.  But it is useful to step back and realize there is a powerful weapon that we CAN use to great effect. Both presidential candidates agreed on it, and it is long overdue. That is to decrease our consumption of oil so that our money does not flow to those who want to destroy us.  The effects have already been dramatic, as this IHT article describes. Two regimes that pose direct threats to U.S, Latin American and Middle Eastern stability-Iran and Venezuela-are teetering on the edge of severe financial meltdowns because oil prices have dropped.  A third country that is growing increasingly willing to deal with rogue regimes-Russia-is also hard hit, although not to the degree of Iran and Venezuela. Saudi Arabia’s ability to fund the propagation of Wahhabi extremism and intolerance will also be curtailed if the prices stay down………(Douglas Farah, 10 Nov 08)

India, Qatar to share data on terror threats, money-laundering

India and Qatar will share information on terror threats and money laundering and also exchange defense experts for the security of the Arabian Gulf region under two new agreements that were signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to this Gulf nation.  The two agreements - one on security and law enforcement and another on defense cooperation - were signed Sunday evening after the arrival of Singh here, the first ever by an Indian prime minister to Qatar.  The security and law enforcement agreement lays out the framework for sharing of information and database on threats posed by terrorists, money laundering and smuggling of narcotics.  The pact on defense cooperation lays out a structure for training programs by the two sides, exchange of goodwill missions and experts……(New Kerala, 10 Nov 08)

U.S. Plans Expansion of Afghan Airfield To House Special Army Aviation Unit

The Bush administration's plans to increase the U.S. military role in Afghanistan include a $100 million expansion next year of the Kandahar airfield, to accommodate aircraft working for Task Force ODIN, the once-secret Army fighting units that have been successful in Iraq.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to a notice issued Thursday, has set Wednesday as the "tentative" date for putting out the contract to design and build a secure area for the aircraft. It will have facilities, hangars, ramps and taxiways "for up to twenty-six (26) generic Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft with shelters at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan."  Task Force ODIN -- the acronym derives from "observe, detect, identify and neutralize" -- is named for the chief Norse god of art, culture, war and the dead. The Army put the ODIN concept together last year to tackle the problem of roadside explosions, which had become the main method of attacking military and truck convoys. In September, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told Congress that he wanted to replicate the ODIN units in Afghanistan as soon as possible……(Washington Post, 10 Nov 08)

Tokyo stages anti-terror exercise in Olympic bid

Tokyo staged its biggest ever anti-terrorism exercise on Friday, in an attempt to prove its credentials for staging the 2016 Olympic Games, days after Barack Obama's U.S. election victory boosted rival Chicago's hopes.  Sirens wailed as a thousand personnel drawn from the army, navy and coastguard, as well as police and rescue services, gave a carefully orchestrated demonstration of how they would deal with a nuclear "dirty" bomb explosion at a conference center. Police abseiled from a helicopter and overpowered a group of men in balaclavas amid a cloud of smoke from fake gunfire. Rescuers in protective gear and gas masks assessed a group of "victims," while a navy ship stood by to evacuate the injured…..(Reuters, 7 Nov 08)

UK police: man charged with having IEDs, Nazi book

British police charged a 43-year-old man Thursday with plotting an act of terrorism and having two improvised explosive devices, chemicals, timers, and a Nazi-themed handbook.  Neil Christopher Lewington was first arrested last week after police discovered a suspected explosive device when they searched him at a railway station in Lowestoft, a coastal city in eastern England.  He was originally charged with possessing an item to cause criminal damage and was released on bail Saturday. But he was immediately re-arrested by Scotland Yard.  Scotland Yard said in a statement that Lewington carried two improvised explosive devices to Lowestoft from Reading, a city near London where he lives, on Oct. 30. It said Lewington was being charged with making or having an explosive substance intended to "to endanger life, or cause serious injury to property in the U.K."…..(AP, 6 Nov 08)

Target terror: Centre sets up Intel Group for N-E States

With Jihadi outfit HuJI becoming a common factor in a number of recent terror attacks in the north-east, the Centre on Wednesday decided to set up an Intelligence Coordination Group (ICG) — an agency that will exclusively cater to the needs of all north-eastern states — for "better sharing of information of inputs at ground level" in order to deal with that 'common factor'.  The decision was taken in a high-level security review meeting chaired by national security advisor M K Narayanan on the north-east when police chiefs of the concerned states expressed the need to have such an agency at a time of "possible shift" in the tactics of terror groups that are now closely working in coordination with each other.  "We have decided to set up the ICG which will institutionalize all inputs and put them into action at the ground level," Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters after a three-hour high-level meeting……(Times of India, 6 Nov 08)

Turkey Reorganizes Security Structure to Combat Terrorism

The October meeting of the Turkish National Security Council (Milli Guvenlik Kurulu – MGK) delivered major decisions regarding the reorganization of Turkey’s domestic security structure. In the areas of inter-agency counter-terrorism cooperation and border security, the changes are comparable with those made by the United States when it established the Department of Homeland Security.  During early October’s Counter-Terrorism High Council meeting (chaired by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan), Turkish civilian and military elites discussed the need for a reorganization of Turkey’s domestic security structure to better address the recent rise in domestic terrorism. This led to the MGK decision to create a new organization for counterterrorism coordination under Interior Ministry control. Input was sought from a range of security organizations, including the Interior Ministry, the General Staff, the Gendarmerie, the Turkish National Police and the National Intelligence Agency (Milli Istihbarat Teskilati – MIT)……(Jamestown, 5 Nov 08)

Terrorism Institute Hosts Workshop on Improvised Explosive Device Prevention

The Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region VI are assembling experts from across a five-state region to explore the critical issues regarding improvised explosive device (IED) prevention.  The two day workshop on November 6th and 7th, 2008 at MIPT will identify and prioritize strategies and actions to improve the IED readiness of each state and the region to handle improvised explosive devices as well as vehicle born improvised explosive devices (VBIED).  "Terrorists love IEDs because it is the cheapest and easiest way to slaughter innocent people," says MIPT's Executive Director Donald Hamilton. "Our partners on the state and federal level understand the importance of protecting citizens and businesses from what could be the next big threat."…..(Press Release, 5 Nov 08)

Editorial in Pakistani Daily: Army Operation Against Taliban, Al-Qaeda Militants in Bajaur District is Positive and Focused

During the past three months, Pakistan has been carrying out a military operation against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the tribal district of Bajaur Agency. The anti-Taliban drive is shouldered mainly by the para-military force Frontier Corps (FC), which is led by officers from the Pakistan Army.  Pakistan's federally administered Bajaur Agency, population about 800,000, is, like most of the tribal districts, situated along the Afghan border; its headquarters are at Khar. Hundreds of militants have been killed and tens of thousands of people have been displaced during the operation.  On October 6, 2008, media reports spoke of little success in the Pakistani military's drive against the Taliban in the Bajaur Agency. According to one report, Pakistani security forces had established control over only 50 percent of the Khar tehsil (administrative unit); Khar is only one of the seven tehsils that make up Bajaur Agency.……(MEMRI, 4 Nov 08)

Multisector effort to combat terrorism

Kyrgyz authorities hosted a conference Tuesday aimed at engaging the government, civil society and the private sector to jointly combat terrorism.  The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe set up the two-day conference to bring top authorities from Central Asian governments together with security officials, the private sector and international organizations in order to develop new partnerships to combat terrorism in the region, the OSCE reported.  Officials say the conference, held in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, was organized to examine the role of the banking sector, religious organizations and non-governmental organizations operating in Central Asia and how they can work with government authorities and defense officials to address the root causes of extremist ideologies.  "The multiple forms of terrorism require a coherent and coordinated response that calls for measures both from government and civil society; from the public and private financial sectors; from the uniformed and non-uniformed services; and from ordinary citizens, all working together in the face of a shared danger,"…..(UPI, 4 Nov 08)

Man arrested under Terrorism Act

A 19-year-old man has been arrested in the Whitebirk area of Blackburn under the Terrorism Act.  Police say the arrest is connected to previous arrests in Blackburn, Derby and Accrington. An address in the Whitebirk area will be searched later.  Five men have been charged with terrorism offences following the Lancashire based investigation……(BBC, 4 Nov 08)

Terrorism Financing Blacklists At Risk

…In September, the European Court of Justice threw the future of the United Nations' sanctions program against al-Qaeda and the Taliban into doubt when it declared the blacklist violated the "fundamental rights" of those targeted. The Luxembourg-based court said the list lacked accountability and made it almost impossible for people to challenge their inclusion.  Courts in Britain and France have also questioned whether European countries can enforce the U.N. sanctions and other blacklists without violating local laws, including a defendant's right to see evidence. The United Nations keeps such evidence secret.  The U.N. blacklist is the backbone of an international effort to prevent al-Qaeda supporters from raising or transferring money. All U.N. members are required to impose a travel ban and asset freeze against the 503 individuals, businesses and groups on the list. About $85 million in al-Qaeda and Taliban assets is frozen worldwide.  Enforcement, however, is inconsistent; some countries have quietly permitted alleged supporters of al-Qaeda to travel and to access their bank accounts…..(Washington Post, 2 Nov 08)

UN Blacklist: The Consolidated List established and maintained by the 1267 Committee with respect to Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden, and the Taliban and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them   (27 October 2008)

Britain's Brown meets Saudi terrorist suspects

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with former Saudi inmates of Guantanamo Bay as he toured a de-radicalization facility on Sunday.  Saudi officials claim their efforts at rehabilitating extremists using months of reasoned argument against radical Islam have a success rate of 80 to 90 percent: Only 35 people out of 3,200 in the program have been re-arrested for security offenses…An official at the center, Dr. Abdel Rahman Hadlaq, said when the men are released, they are given jobs and other support key to breaking their links with radicals.  "If we don't support them, someone else will support them," he said.  Brown spoke with six men at the facility near the capital Riyadh and shook hands with two inmates who had each spent six years at Guantanamo Bay for alleged links to al-Qaida…..(AP, 2 Nov 08)

Audit: 'Rebuilding Afghanistan Will be Difficult'

Rebuilding Afghanistan will be difficult, and proper scrutiny of the $32 billion and counting being invested in reconstruction by the U.S. will require additional staff and funding, according to the new inspector general in charge of the audits. In his first report to Congress, Arnold Fields, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, said that his initial audits will detail all of the funding provided to date: the projects that have been approved, where they stand now, and any early indications of fraud or waste.  Fields, a retired major general in the Marine Corps, warned in his opening memo that rebuilding war-torn Afghanistan will be "exceedingly difficult and complex," since the country has "no substantial natural resources, a population devastated by decades of war and an ongoing insurgency." The report was obtained Friday by The Associated Press ahead of its public release.  Congress approved the creation of the new SIGAR office, which mirrors one that was set up to oversee Iraq reconstruction spending and has routinely found glaring examples of fraud and waste.

Since 2001, the U.S. has provided about $32 billion for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Afghanistan, while other nations have contributed an additional $25.3 billion……(AP, 1 Nov 08)

October 2008

NRI group asks US to put MNS on terror watchlist

A group of non-resident Indians (NRIs) has asked the US to put Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on the "list of terrorist organisations which are out to hurt the humanity".  "We requested the US department of state to put Raj Thackeray and his group Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on the list of terrorist organisations which are out to hurt the humanity," said a letter to US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice by the US-based NRI group called Humane Mumbai.  NRI Ravi Verma, who hails from Katihar in Bihar, formed the group Humane Mumbai.  "There are several Indians of Marathi origin who were among the first to join the group Humane Mumbai,"….(Times of India, 31 Oct 08)

Freezing of terror assets backed

The Court of Appeal has ruled the government should be allowed to freeze the assets of suspected terrorists.  The majority decision overturns an earlier High Court ruling that such orders were unlawful.  However, the Appeal Court judges did quash freezing orders made against five unnamed men because they had not been worded correctly.  The case is now expected to be referred to the House of Lords, which is the highest court in the UK.

The five men were designated terror suspects last year under two Orders in Council which was set up to apply UN Security Council resolutions in the UK. The powers are seen as a key plank of government anti-terror strategy.

They allow the Treasury to stop anyone suspected of "facilitating acts of terrorism" controlling their assets…..(BBC, 30 Oct 08)

Treasury Designates U.K.-Based LIFG Members
The U.S. Treasury Department designated three U.K.-based members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (see the NEFA Special Report on the LIFG). One of the individuals, Abdulbasit Abdulrahim, "was one of the most important LIFG members working on LIFG finances in the U.K., where the greatest amount of funding for the LIFG originated", as of 2005. According to Treasury, "The LIFG is believed to have participated in the planning.......(NEFA, 31 Oct 08)

Drug-dealing ring busted in upscale Tokyo

Narcotics agents have busted an Iranian drug ring that allegedly sold cocaine and other stimulants to about 70 people a day on the streets of upscale residential areas in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

Authorities said the suspects--five Iranian men ranging in age from 23 to 51--made an estimated 20 million yen a month, which came to total sales of about 200 million yen since November last year…..(Asahi Shimbun, 31 Oct 08)

Destruction of Turkish Outpost by PKK Leads to Counterterrorism Reforms

The PKK’s October 3 attack on the Aktutun military outpost sparked a controversy over whether Turkish counterterrorism strategy is on the right track. In its three decades old battle against the PKK, the Aktutun attack marked the first time the Turkish Armed Forces (Turk Silahli Kuvvetleri - TSK) was strongly criticized by mainstream media outlets. Two major factors played a role in the surprisingly harsh criticism. First, despite the fact that the PKK has organized four attacks on Aktutun outposts in the last year, the military failed to successfully defend its outpost, with 17 soldiers losing their lives. Second, the TSK failed to manage the sequence of events after the attack.  Soon after the fatal attack, the Turkish press reported that Turkish military intelligence was aware of PKK intentions to attack Aktutun a month before it happened. Liberal daily Taraf published an intelligence report showing that the intelligence service detected and reported the details of the planning process. Along with the military intelligence reports, Taraf also published the three images from American satellite intelligence, which showed the preparation process of the attack (Taraf, October 14).  The second source of criticism was the TSK’s failure to inform the public about what actually happened at Aktutun. On October 4, the PKK’s attack was posted on the TSK webpage, which announced 15 soldiers were killed and two were missing while 23 PKK fighters were killed in the clash (tsk.mil.tr., October 4). It turned out the PKK’s reported losses were inaccurate – only nine PKK bodies were found on the scene…..(Jamestown, 30 Oct 08)

Report: Counterterrorism in India

A spate of bomb attacks (BBC) across India's cities in 2008 that killed more than 160 people once again exposed India's vulnerability to terrorism. According to the latest report on global terrorism by the U.S. government's National Counter-Terrorism Center, more than one thousand people died in India because of terrorist attacks in 2007, ranking India fourth behind only Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. India, a nation of a billion people, has been confronted with terrorism since its birth, and currently contends with a variety of regional groups mainly intent on separatism…….(Council on Foreign Relations, 30 Oct 08)

U.S. Takes Battle Against Iraq Violence to Border

For thousands of Iranians, traveling to Iraq through this bustling, dusty gateway now requires stopping at small white trailers where U.S. officials take their photos and record scans of their irises and fingerprints.  U.S. officials collect the biometric information of virtually all "military-age men" in an effort to stop the entry of weapons and fighters. Since officials began gathering biometric data at border posts this spring, more than 150,000 individuals have been scanned and photographed.  Their records have been added to a burgeoning database that also includes biometric information about Iraqis and foreigners employed on American bases, as well as Iraqis who are detained or interrogated by U.S. forces. American officials use the data to identify people on wanted lists, search for suspicious travel patterns, and look for matches in a separate database that includes fingerprints collected after bombings and other attacks……(Washington Post, 30 Oct 08)

Just one 'preacher of hate' deported in last three years

Ministers unveiled a 12 point plan to crack down on fanatics in the wake of the 7/7 bombings.  But three years on it been revealed that only one person has been deported from Britain, in 2006, for "fomenting extremism." Only two people have been stripped of UK citizenship as part of measures promised by Tony Blair.  In addition only nine people have been deported on "national security grounds" since 2005.  The figures - published in Home Office answers to questions from Tory MP James Clappison - came as Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, attempted to launch a new push designed to stop fanatics entering Britain.  Her efforts were attacked by Mr Clappison, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee. He said it amounted to little more than a re-announcement and admission of failure.  He said: "The Government has been promising to draw up a list of preachers to be excluded since 2005 and failed to do so. They are treating the public with contempt by failing to deliver on a number of points in its 12-point plan…..(Telegraph, 29 Oct 08)

The Home Office's plan to tighten up the rules on 'preachers of hate' entering the UK doesn't address radicalisation

Jacqui Smith's plan to strengthen the rules on preventing people entering Britain who are "suspected of stirring up tensions" is likely to stir up tensions of its own. Animal rights extremists and neo-Nazis will be covered under the rules, but the primary target is of course extremist Islamic clerics.  The aim is to prevent extreme forms of Islam gaining traction in British Muslim communities, as the Home Secretary puts it, "to stop those who foster, encourage or spread extremism and hatred through preaching violent messages in our communities". The plan has drawn fire from some as being a "PR gimmick". But more importantly, it won't work, for two reasons.  First, listening to radical preachers rant and rave about Jewish conspiracies or the importance of jihad doesn't turn someone into an Islamic extremist. In Demos' research into the relationship between radicalisation and violence, we are finding that vitriolic speeches calling on people to fight infidels are readily available. But on their own, they never lead anyone into action.  Indeed, the leaked MI5 report on violent extremism in Britain suggested the influence of extremist clerics had "moved into the background"…..(Guardian, 29 Oct 08)

Germany cuts mandate for anti-terrorism missions

Germany's cabinet agreed on Wednesday to scale back the army's contribution to U.S.-led counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan and off the Horn of Africa, a government source said.  The mandate is separate from one allowing normal German soldiers to participate in the NATO peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.  Under the cabinet decision, which was widely expected, Germany will no longer allow up to 100 of its special forces soldiers to support missions in Afghanistan under the "Operation Enduring Freedom" (OEF) mandate…..(Reuters, 29 Oct 08)

Turkey reaffirms its full support to Pakistan in countering terrorism

The Turkish President Abdullah Gul reaffirmed his country’s full support to Pakistan in counter terrorism campaign and to enhance economic and trade ties between the two countries.  He expressed these views while talking to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani who was called on him here on Tuesday.  During the meeting they exchanged views on further promoting the bilateral cooperation in diversified fields between the two brotherly countries. The Prime Minister highlighted the fact that his delegation included Parliamentarians from every political party to show solidarity of whole of Pakistan on the 85th anniversary of Turkish independence following tomorrow……(Online News, 29 Oct 08)

Counter-terrorism police officer on weapon charges

AN elite Sydney police officer attached to a counter-terrorism unit has been charged with weapons offences.

The 40-year-old sergeant was yesterday served with a notice to appear in court for allegedly possessing a firearm without a licence and ammunition without a permit, police said.   He is attached to the Counter Terrorism Command of the NSW Police Force and will face Downing Centre Local Court on December 9.   The charges were laid after a search at the officer's home in Chipping Norton, in Sydney's south-west, on May 5, allegedly turned up a number of items including an air rifle and ammunition……(Daily Telegraph, 29 Oct 08)

Who are people barred from Britain?

A total of 230 people have been prevented from entering the UK since 2005, as their presence was deemed not to be "conducive to the public good".  Those excluded include religious extremists, neo-Nazis and animal rights activists.  Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced a list of the names of those excluded is now to be published and shared with other countries.  But no way of knowing the names of these people has previously existed - unless they have drawn attention to their situation themselves.  About 80 of those barred have been so-called "preachers of hate"…..(BBC, 28 Oct 08)

Warships begin patrol off Somalia

NATO warships safely escorted a cargo vessel through pirate- infested waters off Somalia for the first time Monday, and hijackers holding an arms-laden Ukrainian vessel said its operators do not want to negotiate for the weapons.  One of the seven North Atlantic Treaty Organization ships that arrived in the region over the weekend guarded a vessel carrying African Union peacekeeping troops to Somalia. The NATO flotilla's mission is to conduct anti-piracy patrols and guard World Food Program aid shipments.  "The operation is moving well," NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in Brussels. Somalia, caught up in an Islamic insurgency, has not had a functioning government since 1991. It has no navy or coast guard and cannot patrol its coastline, which includes the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest and most dangerous shipping lanes…..(AP, 28 Oct 08)

Attempt to Smuggle IDF Uniforms to Hamas

The IDF foiled an attempt by Arab terrorists Tuesday to smuggle IDF uniforms into Gaza, possibly to Hamas.

Crossing administration officials at the terminal discovered the striped uniforms while inspecting a truck bearing a shipment of humanitarian aid that was intended for delivery through the Kerem Shalom Crossing…….(Israel NN, 28 Oct 08)

US considering talks with Taliban: report

The United States is considering taking part in talks with elements of the Taliban in a sharp change in tactics in Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday citing unnamed officials.  "Senior White House and military officials believe that engaging some levels of the Taliban -- while excluding top leaders -- could help reverse a pronounced downward spiral in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan," the paper said on its website.  The report said the new approach was contained in a draft recommendation in a classified White House assessment of US strategy in Afghanistan. Talks would be led by the Afghan government, "but with the active participation of the US," it said.  The final White House recommendation is expected next month after the US presidential elections…..(AFP, 28 Oct 08)

Spanish Police Arrest Four Terrorism Suspects Over Attacks Plot

Spanish police arrested four suspected members of an ETA unit that authorities say was ready to carry out attacks in the northeastern Navarre region.  Three men and a woman, of ages 26 to 29, were detained during three separate operations early today, the Interior Ministry said in an e-mailed statement. Firearms, timers and explosives were found, it said.  ETA, which wants independence for Basque provinces in northern Spain and southern France, has killed more than 800 people since August 1968…..(DPA, 28 Oct 08)

Building a Global Counterterrorism Network

This afternoon, as part of a Washington Institute lecture series with senior US counterterrorism officials, we hosted Mike Vickers, Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict at the Department of Defense.  Mr. Vickers offered his thoughts on the threat facing the US, as well as the strategy necessary to defeat the global terrorist networks -- focusing on the role of the military in this effort. Of particular interest, he explained how the Special Operations have expanded since 9/11, and how much more they will still grow this decade. In his view, this is a step in the right direction in bolstering not only the US, but our partners counterterrorism capabilities. Here is an excerpt from his talk:  "Special Operations Forces and our Special Operations command down in Tampa has been really one of the growth stocks of the Department of Defense during this decade. By the end of the decade or probably early in the next decade, our Special Operations Forces will essentially twice as large as they were at the beginning of the decade. They'll reach about sixty-four -- the mid sixty thousands in terms of total manpower. There will have been more than a doubling of Special Operations command budget. There will be a lot more -- there already is -- but there will be a lot more flag officers and general officers who come from a Special Operations background among our senior leadership…..(Counterterrorism Blog, 24 Oct 08)

Full Transcript: Building the Global Counterterrorism Network

Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Vickers addressed the Institute's 2007-2008 Counterterrorism Lecture Series on October 24, 2008.

Talking to the Taliban is not as simple as it sounds

Few Westerners know Afghanistan and the tough business of negotiating with Afghans as well as Spanish-born diplomat Francesc Vendrell. A veteran United Nations negotiator who brokered peace talks in Central America and East Timor, he worked as the U.N.'s mediator on Afghanistan in 2000, and as the U.N.'s Special Representative in Kabul after the Taliban's collapse in late 2001. From 2002 until this summer he served in Kabul as the European Union's Special Representative. As some form of peace talks with the Afghan insurgency seems increasingly likely in the future, Vendrell, 68, who is now teaching at Princeton University, talked by phone to NEWSWEEK's Ron Moreau about the prospective negotiations. Excerpts……(Newsweek, 26 Oct 08)

Mini-jirga to work for bringing Taliban to table

The Pakistan-Afghan mini-jirga, which begins here on Monday, will thrash out modalities for engaging the Taliban and other warring factions in talks to end the seven-year-old bloody conflict.  The mini jirga, a Track-II initiative, comprising notables from both sides of the Durand Line, has been billed as the biggest confidence-building measure since last year’s peace jirga which remained ‘intensely divided’ over dealing with terrorism.  The 25-member jirga will discuss ways to enhance cooperation among tribal elders for peace in both sides of the border.  NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani will lead the Pakistani side which includes former minister G.G. Jamal, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, Afrasayab Khattak, Maulana Mohammad Khan Sheerani and Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir.  The Afghan side, to be led by former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, comprises members of the Afghanistan National Assembly (Wulasi Jirga) and the Senate (Masharanu Jirga)…….(Dawn, 26 Oct 08)

Terrorists Arrested in Jakarta

As with most terrorist developments in Indonesia, there was good news mixed with bad regarding Tuesday’s arrests of five Islamic extremists in Jakarta and Bogor. First the good news:  Just as was the case with the terrorist arrests in Palembang, South Sumatra, earlier this year, the authorities were apparently well aware of the presence of the Jakarta-based terrorists and were biding their time to identify further extremists before closing the net. It has been reported that the police had been keeping them under surveillance for several months, at least…The exact ideological affiliation of the Jakarta/Bogor cell is still uncertain. One police source claimed that they may have been tied to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), but this is increasingly becoming meaningless given the degree to which JI has atrophied. Other sources indicate that they were tied to Kompak, a Central Java-based group that dispatched jihadists to Central Sulawesi and the Malukus during the Habibie and Gus Dur administrations. Unlike JI, Kompak, though violent, does not have a history of attacking Western targets……(Counterterrorism Blog, 24 Oct 08)

Four held in connection with Pakistan hotel blast

Pakistani police have arrested four suspects in connection with a suicide truck bomb attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad last month and produced them in an anti-terrorism court on Friday, an official said.  Fifty-five people were killed when a truck loaded with explosives blew up outside the hotel in the heart of the capital on September 20.  Police said earlier the four men had been arrested at different times in different places…….(Reuters, 24 Oct 08)

US military training program starts in Pakistan: official

A small contingent of U.S. military instructors have begun a training program scheme aimed at turning Pakistan's Frontier Corps into an effective counter-insurgency force, a U.S. military official said Thursday.  About 25 U.S. military personnel last week began training Pakistani counterparts at a location in Pakistan outside the troubled tribal areas where the Frontier Corps operates, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.  "It has started. It is a train-the-trainer mission," the official said, emphasizing that the Americans would not directly train the Frontier Corps, but only their Pakistani army instructors…The aim is "basically to train the Frontier Corps in counter-insurgency warfare to make them more effective in the tribal areas," the official said.  The politically sensitive program had been stalled for months by negotiations between the US and Pakistani military……(GEO TV, 24 Oct 08)

French Navy captures 9 pirates off Somalia

In a blow against high-seas piracy, the French navy captured nine pirates near the Gulf of Aden and handed them over Thursday to authorities in Somalia.  A French navy vessel intercepted the pirates in two small boats in a routine check about 115 miles (185 kilometers) from the nearest coast, the Defense Ministry said.  The pirates were handed over to Somali officials Thursday near Bossaso in Somalia's the Puntland region. The ministry said France received assurances that the prisoners would be treated according to international conventions…..(AP, 23 Oct 08)

Colombia says smashes drug ring with Hezbollah ties

Colombian authorities said on Tuesday they broke up a drug and money-laundering ring in an international operation that included the capture of three people suspected of shipping funds to Hezbollah guerrillas.  More than 100 suspects were arrested in Colombia and overseas on charges they trafficked drugs and laundered cash for Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel and for outlawed paramilitaries in a network that stretched from South America to Asia, the attorney's general office said.  "The criminal organization used routes through Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, Middle East and Europe, bringing in cash from the sale of these substances," the statement said.  Among those arrested in Colombia were three people suspected of coordinating drug smuggling to send some of their profits to groups such as Hezbollah, the office said.  Those suspects -- Chekry Mahmoud Harb, Ali Mohamad Abdul Rahim and Zacaria Hussein Harb -- used front companies to send drug cash overseas, it said without providing further details…..(Reuters, 22 Oct 08)

U.S. to continue sharing intelligence with Turkey to fight against PKK

The United States will continue sharing intelligence on security matters with Turkey, especially on the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), local Today's Zaman reported Wednesday.  Visiting U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried made the remarks during his meeting with Turkish officials here on Tuesday. Fried said that sharing information is a difficult technical process but so far the two countries have reached the level of real-time intelligence sharing. He also hailed the cooperation between the two sides by saying "We want the Turkish army to be successful against the PKK, and we are glad our cooperation has gone well during the last year."…..(Xinhau, 22 Oct 08)

Sri Lanka navy: Rebel suicide attack foiled at sea

Sri Lanka's navy destroyed two explosive-laden Tamil Tiger rebel boats Wednesday that attempted to crash into two cargo ships sailing to the country's troubled north, a spokesman said.  The sea battle came as ground troops faced stiff resistance from separatist guerrillas to their attempts to capture the rebels' de facto northern capital of Kilinochchi. The Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting for 25 years to create an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic minority Tamils.  Navy spokesman D. K. P. Dassanayake said sailors fired at the rebel boats Wednesday as they approached the cargo ships off the shores of Myliddi in the northern Jaffna peninsula. The navy destroyed both boats and captured one of them…..(AP, 22 Oct 08)

Gov't registration mulled for cell phones

The British government is developing plans to compel cell phone buyers to register their names in a national database to combat terrorism, sources say.  Under the proposal, those purchasing cell phones would have to present a passport or some other form of identification for inclusion into a government database, The Sunday Times of London reported, citing unnamed sources.  The newspaper's sources say the effort by the Government Communications Headquarters is meant to monitor the owners of Britain's estimated 40 million prepaid cell phones, which can now be purchased with cash without giving names or credit card numbers. Such "pay-as-you-go" phones are popular with criminals and terrorists because they provide anonymity…..(UPI, 22 Oct 08)

Germany nabs alleged helper of terror group

German authorities on Wednesday arrested a man suspected of helping the radical Islamic Jihad Union group at the behest of his brother, who has been charged in connection with a foiled terrorist plot, prosecutors said.  Burhan Yilmaz, a 21-year-old Turkish citizen, was arrested in the Frankfurt area. He was brought before a federal judge, who ordered him held in custody pending possible charges, federal prosecutors said in a statement.  He is suspected of helping the Islamic Jihad Union by making a €1,100 (US$1,450) transfer to the group via intermediaries in Turkey, and by handing over equipment — binoculars, a night-sight device and a camera — that were to be sent to a training camp in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.  He could face charges of supporting a terrorist organization and violating German export laws…..(AP, 22 Oct 08)

Egypt arrests Brotherhood members

Police have arrested 32 members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood for protesting against Israel's siege of Gaza and belonging to a banned group.  The Brotherhood and security sources confirmed 12 men were arrested in raids carried out on Wednesday morning in Fayoum, an agricultural area southwest of the capital Cairo.  Another 14 men were rounded-up early on Tuesday following dawn raids in the Mediterranean city of Port Said.  Five other men were arrested in Cairo and another in Beni Sueif, in the south of the capital, on the same day…..(Aljazeera, 22 Oct 08)

Indonesian Police Thwart Fuel Depot Terrorist Plot

Anti-terrorism squads arrested five suspected Islamic radicals believed to have been plotting to blow up Indonesia's largest fuel depot, a police spokesman said Wednesday.  Raids at two locations on the main island of Java on Tuesday also netted guns and ammunition, triggers, chemicals and 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) of TNT powder, national police spokesman Sulistyo Ishaq said.  Electronic explosives circuitry found at the scene were sophisticated versions of those used in the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta that killed 11 people, he said.   A manhunt was under way for two other suspects, following up on the earlier operations in the capital, Jakarta, and the West Java city of Bogor…..(AP, 22 Oct 08)

UK police arrest 5 men under Terrorism Act

Police arrested five men under the Terrorism Act on Tuesday in the central England city of Birmingham.

West Midlands police say the suspects were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. Authorities say the men were between 29 and 36 years old.

No details of the suspected activity were disclosed.  West Midlands Police say they are not seeking any other suspects. There was no immediate threat to the public.  Suspects arrested under the Terrorism Act can be held for up to 28 days without charge….(AP, 21 Oct 08)

Anti-terror police raid home in Indonesian capital

Anti-terrorism police seized bomb-making materials and a large cache of weapons and ammunition during a raid Tuesday on a house in the Indonesian capital, police and a local television station reported.  The man who was renting the home in Plumpang, a neighborhood in north Jakarta, escaped before police arrived but the owner has been taken in for questioning, TVOne said, quoting unnamed security officials.  A bomb-making manual, pipes, cables and chemicals were among the items recovered, one anti-terrorism official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media…..(AP, 21 Oct 08)

Somalis free hijacked Indian dhow with 13 crew

Somali gunmen acting as freelance coast guards freed a hijacked Indian dhow and its 13 crew members after a battle with pirates off the country's northern coast, a Somali official said Tuesday.  Four of the pirates were captured during the shootout while another four escaped, said Ali Abdi Aware, the foreign minister of Somalia's semiautonomous region of Puntland. None of the dhow's crew was wounded Somalia does not have a formal coast guard, but groups of heavily armed clan-based militias sometimes do the job for local authorities.  The cargo-laden vessel was en route to Somalia from Asia when it was seized over the weekend, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur…..(AP, 21 Oct 08)

Pakistan and US agree to enhance co-operation in ‘war on terror’

Pakistan and the United States agreed on Saturday to enhance bilateral co-operation regarding the ‘war on terror’. The decision was taken in a meeting between US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher and Prime Minister’s Interior Adviser Rehman Malik US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson and Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah were also present. Boucher and Rehman discussed each country’s role in the war against terrorism and the ongoing military operation in the Tribal Areas…FC training: Boucher said that the US would provide state-of-the-art weapons to security forces in Pakistan, Online reported. He also assured assistance to train Frontier Corps personnel in anti-insurgency techniques for effectively dealing with terrorists in the country……(Pakistan Line, 19 Oct 08)

Sometimes, the best offense is patience

Weeks after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a small team of Green Berets was quietly sent to the Philippine island of Basilan. There, one of the world's most virulent Islamic extremist groups, Abu Sayyaf, had established a haven and was seeking to extend its reach into the Philippine capital.  But rather than unleashing Hollywood-style raids, as might befit their reputation, the Green Berets proposed a time-consuming plan to help the Philippine military take on the extremist group themselves. Seven years later, Abu Sayyaf has been pushed out of Basilan and terrorist attacks have dropped dramatically.  "It's not flashy, it's not glamorous, but man, this is how we're going to win the long war,"…..(LA Times, 18 Oct 08)

Northern Irish police seize weapons cache in Belfast

Police in Northern Ireland have seized a substantial cache of arms which security sources believe are linked to one of the British province's largest loyalist paramilitary groups.  Security sources say the weapons belong to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) which killed more than 540 people during 30 years of conflict with pro-Irish republicans.  But a UVF spokesman denied any connection with the arms.  More than 70 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found when officers searched the Belfast home of a man who died at the weekend…..(Reuters, 17 Oct 08)

International flotilla to fight Somali pirates

U.S. warships watched a hijacked vessel laden with tanks while other gunboats patrolled the dangerous waters off Somalia, but pirates still seized another freighter this week _ and now hold about a dozen despite the international effort to protect a major shipping lane. Military vessels from 10 nations are now converging on the world's most dangerous waters, but analysts and a Somali government official say the campaign won't halt piracy unless it also confronts with the quagmire that is Somalia.  "World powers have neglected Somalia for years on end, and now its problems are touching the world, they have started on the wrong footing," said Bile Mohamoud Qabowsade, adviser to the president of Puntland, the semi-autonomous Somali region that is the pirates' base…..(AP, 16 Oct 08)

Turkey’s Overhauls Its Counter-Terrorism Policy

On October 14 the Turkish authorities announced that the Turkish Interior Ministry would be restructured to improve coordination of Turkey’s counter-terrorism efforts (Radikal, Milliyet, Vatan, NTV, October 15). The announcement was contained in a statement released after a meeting earlier in the day of the Supreme Council for the Struggle Against Terrorism (TMYK). It followed a flurry of high casualty attacks by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in early October that killed 23 members of the security forces (see EDM, October 6, 7, 9).  The TMYK brings together representatives of the Turkish military, led by Chief of Staff General Ilker Basbug, and the civilian institutions most closely involved in counter-terrorism. The TMYK meeting of October 14 lasted over six hours and was chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.  No details were provided about the nature of the restructuring of the Interior Ministry, except that the decision had been made at the request of the Turkish military……(Jamestown, 16 Oct 08)

Spanish Police Arrest 8 Moroccans Suspected of Helping Al-Qaeda

Spanish police arrested eight Moroccans suspected of helping al-Qaeda members implicated in the Madrid train bombings to flee. The men were detained in Barcelona, Madrid and Algeciras before dawn today, the Interior Ministry said in an e-mailed statement. They are being investigated over the flight of eight men, including five who were suspected of involvement in the March 11, 2004, attacks, the ministry said.  Groups linked to al-Qaeda killed 191 people in the bombings of four commuter trains in the Spanish capital. The attacks, just three days before national elections, helped bring to power Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who subsequently withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq. Police have continued to foil attacks since then and have arrested 52 people in connection with Islamic terrorism this year, including today's raids…..(Bloomberg, 16 Oct 08)

Grilling of Tripoli cell members leads to further arrests

Security forces hunting for members of the militant group believed to be behind a series of deadly explosions in and around Tripoli have made 20 more arrests, informed sources told The Daily Star Wednesday, as they revealed a wealth of new information about the case.  Security services swooped down Sunday on members of the group suspected of the bomb attacks, although their leader, Abdel-Ghani Ali Jawhar, remains at large. But the net appears to be tightening around the 25-year-old alleged militant, whom authorities believe is likely to be hiding in the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. "He wouldn't dare go into Syrian territory," one source said……(Daily Star, 16 Oct 08)

NATO Modifies Airstrike Policy In Afghanistan

In a bow to public outrage over a recent spate of U.S.-led airstrikes in Afghanistan that resulted in more than 100 civilian deaths, NATO officials have ordered commanders to try to lessen their reliance on air power in battles with insurgents, NATO and Afghan officials said Wednesday. Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette, NATO's chief spokesman in Afghanistan, said commanders are now under orders to consider a "tactical withdrawal" when faced with the choice of calling in air support during clashes in areas where civilians are believed to be present. The goal of the order is to minimize civilian casualties, encourage better coordination with Afghan troops and discourage overreliance on air power to repel insurgent attacks, Blanchette said…Confusion and controversy over airstrikes have bedeviled the U.S.-led military mission in Afghanistan in recent months. This summer, three U.S. airstrikes in separate parts of the country that killed more than 100 Afghan civilians provoked sharp criticism from Afghan government officials….(Washington Post, 16 Oct 08)

Spanish police arrest 13 suspects in terror raids

Spanish police on Thursday arrested 13 men accused of harboring Islamic extremists, including several suspects in the Madrid terror bombings of 2004, and helping them flee the country, the Interior Ministry said.  Police made the arrests in pre-dawn raids in four northeastern towns near Barcelona. Raids also occurred in Madrid and Algeciras in the south. At least 8 of the detainees are Moroccan. The identities of the rest were not immediately provided. The arrests stemmed from a 2005 police operation during which Spain broke up a terror cell that allegedly recruited people to stage suicide attacks against U.S.-led forces in Iraq and other targets set by al-Qaida, the ministry said in a statement.  The 13 men arrested Thursday are suspected of giving shelter to Islamic extremists, including at least five suspects in the March 11, 2004, train bombings that killed 191 people in Madrid, and helping them to flee the country…..(AP, 16 Oct 08)

Another U-turn sees 'secret inquests' axed from Counter-Terrorism Bill

The Government has dropped plans for secret inquests into high-profile terror cases, such as the 7/7 bombings, in a second U-turn over counter-terrorism in as many days.  The Home Office confirmed that it was removing the proposal from the Counter-Terrorism Bill yesterday, in order to ensure its swift passage through the House of Lords.  On Monday night the Lords inflicted a crushing defeat, by a majority of 191, on another element of the Bill - the plan to extend detention without trial to 42 days from the current limit of 28.  Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, came to the Commons an hour later to say that she was deleting the proposal from the Bill, and putting the measure into a one-line Bill that could be voted on in the event of a national emergency……(Times Online, 15 Oct 08)

EU eyes December launch for Somalia anti-piracy force

The European Union aims to launch a planned air and naval force in December to combat piracy threatening sea lanes off Somalia, the bloc's foreign policy chief said Tuesday.  Piracy has soared off the coast of Somalia, with at least 30 ships hijacked this year, earning an estimated $18-30 million in ransom payments and turning the area into the world's most dangerous waterway……(Reuters, 15 Oct 08)

ČR, US sign agreement on cooperation in fighting terrorism

Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer and U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Richard Graber Tuesday signed an agreement on cooperation between Czech and U.S. law enforcement bodies and security forces in fighting terrorism, Langer's spokeswoman Jana Malikova told CTK Tuesday.  The signing of the agreement has been one of the conditions of visa-free relations with the United States.  The agreement concerns cooperation between the Czech and U.S. counter-terrorism centres. According to international law experts, no commitments generally ensue from the legally non-binding agreement. The text of the agreement will not be released as it includes sensitive specific information on operative cooperation…..(CTK, 14 Oct 08)

British Lords reject tougher anti-terror laws

Britain's upper house of parliament firmly rejected a government proposal to tighten anti-terrorism laws on Monday, saying it would not support suspects being held for up to six weeks without charge.  In a vote carried by 309 to 118, the House of Lords defeated the government's Counter-Terrorism Bill, which would have allowed police to hold suspects for 42 days before having to charge or release them. The current limit is 28 days.   The rejection is a setback for Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Labor party but had been expected following sustained criticism of the bill from senior members of the Lords, including former intelligence chief Eliza Manningham-Buller.  Opponents, including many Labor members of the Lords, saw the proposed law changes as violating Britain's cherished civil liberties and out of line with other Western democracies where detention limits are already far shorter…….(Reuters, 13 Oct 08)

Jobs to curb Talibanisation: ANP

The NWFP government is planning to increase economic activity in the province to curb the wave of Talibanisation, Awami National Party (ANP) working committee member Gul Mina Bilal said on Sunday. She said in a statement that the Taliban were misguiding unemployed youths, who were joining their ranks. However, the provision of employment opportunities would help end Talibanisation in the province, she added. The ANP leader said that it was the ANP government that adopted a clear policy to purge the province of militancy. Gul said that the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and other parties did not speak against those who were destroying the peace of the province. She blamed the previous Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal government for Talibanisation, arguing that had the JI stopped the Taliban activities in various areas, the situation would have been different……(Daily Times, 13 Oct 08)

Police raid suspected Tamil terror fundraisers again

Counterterrorism police searched a building in Montreal last month due to suspicions it was still being used to raise money for Tamil Tigers guerrillas two years after police first raided it for the same reason.  The RCMP searched the Montreal office of the World Tamil Movement on Sept. 3, seizing items allegedly linked to Tamil Tigers fundraising, according to documents recently unsealed by the Federal Court.  A judge authorized the search after police officers noticed collection tills and items bearing the Tamil Tigers emblem inside the building…..(National Post, 9 Oct 08)

Aircraft bombs Islamist stronghold in Somalia

An unidentified aircraft bombed an Islamist rebel stronghold in Somalia on Thursday, witnesses said, but it was unclear if there were any casualties.   U.S. forces have launched several airstrikes inside Somalia in recent months against al Shabaab insurgents who have been fighting Somalia's weak Western-backed interim government and its Ethiopian military allies since the start of last year…..(Reuters, 9 Oct 08)

Egyptian police arrest nine Muslim Brotherhood

The Egyptian police arrested nine members of the banned-Muslim Brotherhood group Wednesday at a house in the northern Egyptian governorate of Daqahliya, a police official said. All of them work in the media.  "They were arrested while having a meeting at the house of one of them," the security source said. The arrested members work for five satellite channels, four of which is are owned by a Gulf Arab businessman while the fifth channel is owned by the state-run Egyptian Radio and TV Union…..(Alarabiya, 9 Oct 08)

Turkey discusses measures to fight rebels

Turkey's leaders met Thursday to discuss increasing the military's powers to combat Kurdish rebels following a surge in attacks, some launched from rebel bases in northern Iraq.  Turkey's parliament already voted Wednesday to extend the military's mandate to carry out operations against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, including cross-border ground operations.  But the military has requested increased powers to fight rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Thursday's meeting was focused on extending the options available to the military and police.  Newspaper reports, citing unnamed officials, said the requests include the right to search and detain suspects without prior authorization and to extend detention periods. Officials did not immediately confirm the reports…..(AP, 9 Oct 08)

Political leadership briefed on counter-terrorism strategy: Taliban a threat to country’s security, Parliament told

Parliamentarians were told in an in-camera session on Wednesday that the Taliban pose a serious threat to Pakistan’s security.  Sources familiar with the proceedings told Daily Times that newly-appointed ISI Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha briefed the parliamentarians on the gravity of the threat with the help of slides, charts and films. Gen Pasha had supervised military operations in the Tribal Areas and Swat as the director general of military operations before he was promoted.   Swat and Shangla: He told the parliament that the Taliban had gained complete control over certain districts, including Swat and Shangla, and that the armed forces were trying to contain their influence…..(Daily Times, 9 Oct 08)

Kenya's Navy to Help Free Ukrainian Arms Ship Seized by Pirates

Kenya's navy will help free a Ukrainian ship carrying a cargo of battle tanks that was hijacked by Somali pirates last month, Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said.  “The Kenyan navy is already engaged with our partners in the process of trying to liberate this ship,” Wetangula told reporters today in the capital, Nairobi.

Somali pirates seized the Faina, a Belize-flagged vessel with a crew of 17 Ukrainians, three Russians and one Latvian, on Sept. 25, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. One of the Russians died soon after the hijacking. The ship was carrying at least 30 Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Kenya.  The Faina is under surveillance by U.S. warships, including the USS Howard. A Russian warship, the Neustrashimy, or Intrepid, is also on its way to Somalia…..(Bloomberg, 8 Oct 08)

Tracking terror the old way

The Crime Branch's resounding success in busting a major chunk of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen's (IM) network is a classic example of the success of the