2 Terrorism Suspects Arrested on KLM Flight
By Craig WhitlockWashington Post Foreign ServiceFriday, September 26, 2008
BERLIN, Sept. 26 -- Two Somali-born men who had left notes saying they were willing to sacrifice themselves for "jihad" were pulled off a flight at the Cologne airport this morning, moments before it was scheduled to depart for Amsterdam, German authorities said.
The pair had been under surveillance for months, the German newspaper Bild reported, citing unnamed police officials. Police officials said they moved to arrest the men after searching their apartments and finding notes suggesting that they intended to take part in a terrorist attack.
Authorities identified the men as a 23-year-old Somali national and a 24-year-old German citizen born in Mogadishu. Officials did not immediately release their names or give other details of where they had been living prior to their arrests.
"They are under suspicion of intending to participate in the jihad and in possible attacks," Frank Scheulen, a spokesman for police in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, told German television. "Farewell letters were written."
Police said they boarded KLM Flight 1804 at 06:55 am local time, 10 minutes before it was scheduled to depart for Amsterdam. A KLM spokesman said all passengers were removed from the plane until police could locate luggage belonging to the suspects. The flight was allowed to depart after an 80-minute delay, airport officials said.
German counterterrorism officials have warned of a heightened risk of terrorism in the country, citing threats by Islamist groups over the presence of German troops in Afghanistan.
On Thursday, the federal prosecutor's office issued a public alert seeking information on the whereabouts of two terrorist suspects believed to have returned to Germany after attending militant training camps in Pakistan.
The two suspects, Eric Breininger, 21, and Houssain al Malla, 23, are suspected of involvement with a group called the Islamic Jihad Union that was accused of planning attacks against U.S. targets in Germany a year ago.
German federal police officials said, however, that they did not believe the suspects named in the alert were connected with the men arrested at the Cologne airport on Friday.
Enter the Brotherhood
IPT NewsSeptember 25, 2008
http://www.investigativeproject.org/article/778
DALLAS – After two days of background, prosecutors in the Hamas-support trial against five former officials at the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) got to the heart of their case Thursday, presenting evidence that the charity was the fundraising arm of a vast Muslim Brotherhood plan to help Hamas and to infiltrate the United States.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 09/25
Official: Pakistan leaders avoided hotel blastPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:33amPakistan's top leaders were to dine at the luxury hotel that was devastated by a truck bombing over the weekend, but changed the venue at the last minute, a senior government official said Monday. Full Story
Afghan consul abducted in Pakistan ambush: consulatePosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:33amAfghanistan's consul general in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar was abducted and his driver killed in an ambush on the diplomat's car Monday, the Afghan consulate said. Full Story
Pirates hijack another Greek carrier off SomaliaPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:34amPirates in speedboats hijacked a Greek bulk carrier with 19 crew members off eastern Somalia, a piracy watchdog official said Monday. Sunday's hijacking pushes the number of attacks this year in Somali waters close to 60, with pirates raiding ships off eastern Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden flanking the country's northern coast despite U.S.-led patrols. Full Story
Foreign tourists snatched in Egypt, taken to Sudan Group of tourists kidnapped in EgyptPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 7:39amA group of 11 foreign tourists and four Egyptians have been kidnapped in a remote corner of southern Egypt and taken across the border to neighboring Sudan, the Egyptian government spokesman said Monday. Germany said they had been missing since Friday. Full Story
China's food safety watchdog boss steps downPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:21amThe head of China's food safety watchdog resigned Monday in the wake of a scandal over tainted baby formula that sickened nearly 53,000 infants, state media reported. The official Xinhua News Agency said Li Changjiang had stepped down with the approval of China's Cabinet. Full Story
Manila raises alarm over rising piracy in SomaliaPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:42amAlmost 100 Philippine sailors are being held hostage by pirates in Somalia, and the foreign affairs department wants a ban on the deployment of sailors on ships passing through the East African state, officials said on Monday. Full Story
EU, Russia to Resume Partnership Talks Next Month: FrancePosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:43amThe EU will resume partnership talks with Russia as early as October if Moscow withdraws its troops from the Georgian mainland completely, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon after meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Full Story
Taliban kidnap more than 150 Afghan workers: army colonelPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:44amSuspected Taliban militants have kidnapped more than 150 civilian labourers who were travelling in three buses in southwestern Afghanistan, Afghan authorities said Monday. Full Story
Security beefed up at railway stations in GoaPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:46amSecurity has been beefed up across all the railway stations in Goa following a tip off received by the state police that an explosive laden train will be arriving here this morning, police said. The state police had received information from Kerala police about the consignment of explosives loaded on the train, which will be reaching state this morning. Full Story
'Merchant of Death' in Thai courtPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:47amAn alleged arms smuggler's extradition hearing to the United States began Monday after a string of delays in the high-profile case because of complications with his defense team in Thailand. Viktor Bout, dubbed "The Merchant of Death," has been indicted in the U.S. on four terrorism charges. He was arrested in Thailand on March 6. Full Story
N. Korea asks UN agency to remove reactor sealsPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:49amNorth Korea asked the U.N. nuclear watchdog to remove seals and surveillance equipment from the Yongbyon nuclear reactor, the agency chief said Monday, heightening concerns that the communist nation may be preparing to restart its nuclear program. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei told the 35-nation IAEA board that North Korea said it wanted to "carry out tests at the reprocessing plant, which they say will not involve nuclear material." Full Story
Hugo Chavez says Venezuela, China to boost energy tiesPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 1:00pmPresident Hugo Chavez said Sunday that Venezuela will sign accords aimed at increasing the amount of oil it sells to China. The socialist president has sought to diversify oil sales beyond the United States, which still purchases the largest share of Venezuela's oil despite years of political tensions. Full Story
Al-Qaida North Africa chief threatens Western and regional interestsPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 3:40amThe leader of al-Qaida in North Africa has called for Muslims to unite in holy war against the region's governments and issued new threats against Western targets, including France, Spain and the United States. Full Story
Pakistani Spies Hear al Qaeda Celebrating BlastPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 4:23amIntelligence is still being gathered however its becoming clear that al Qaeda, if not directly responsible for this weekends bombing in Pakistan is involved. Full Story
Georgia says shot down Russia drone near S.OssetiaPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 5:02amGeorgia said on Tuesday it had shot down a small Russian reconnaissance drone over Georgian territory just south of the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Full Story
Pakistani guards on front line of bombing campaignPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 5:02amPakistani security guard Shabnam Jamshed seemed distracted when she left her Islamabad home for work last Saturday. Full Story
France's Edf announces British Energy buyout planPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:09amFrench power giant EdF said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire British Energy Group PLC in a cash offer valued at 12.5 billion pounds ($23.18 billion), creating a cross-Channel powerhouse in nuclear energy. Full Story
Chavez sees 1 million-barrel oil exports to ChinaPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:10amVenezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his country's oil exports to China could soar to 1 million barrels a day by 2012. Full Story
Mexico to step up vehicle searches at US borderPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:10amMexico's government plans to search 10 percent of all vehicles entering the country from the United States in an effort to curb arms smuggling, the attorney general said Tuesday. Full Story
North Korea kicks out nuclear inspectors from Yongbyon: watchdogPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:11amNorth Korea has kicked out inspectors and plans to reintroduce nuclear material at its Yongbyon plant next week, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday, adding that IAEA seals and cameras were also removed. Full Story
Pakistan finds suspected US spy drone wreckagePosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:11amThe Pakistani army said Wednesday it found the wreckage of a suspected U.S. spy plane near the Afghan border, but denied claims that it had been shot down. Full Story
Markets boosted as Warren Buffett invests $5bn in Goldman SachsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:10amWarren Buffett today agreed to invest $5bn (#2.7bn) in Goldman Sachs, giving the bank a strong vote of confidence following the tumultuous Wall Street events of the past few weeks. Analysts hailed the move by Buffett - known as the Sage of Omaha - as a sign that some stability could be returning to the markets. UBS called it "the ultimate stamp of approval". Full Story
Pakistan suicide bomber kills schoolgirlPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:10amA suicide bomber killed a schoolgirl in southwest Pakistan and wounded about a dozen other people, police said on Wednesday. The attack took place in Quetta, the
capital of Balochistan province near the Afghan border. Full Story
Japan: Hundreds protest US carrier arrivalPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:24amHundreds of protesters gathered outside a U.S. naval base Wednesday to oppose the arrival of the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that is to make its home port just outside of Tokyo. About 500 protesters rallied near Yokosuka Naval Base, just south of Tokyo, shouting slogans and waving banners ahead of the ship's scheduled arrival early Thursday. Full Story
Terrorism's impact grows as Indian election nearsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:42amPolitics in India, as in neighboring Pakistan and the United States, is increasingly singed by terrorism. India, the world's largest democracy, is reeling from four bomb attacks in four months, the latest in the heart of the capital on Sept. 13. How to deal with that threat has moved front and center in the campaign for the national election early next year. Full Story
Anti-Israel Facebook groups infiltratedPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:46amOpponents of the State of Israel have been staking a place for themselves in cyberspace for some time, using the Internet to vilify the Jewish state and glorify terrorism, but a Jewish organization has joined battle with them by employing a favourite tactic of the left direct action. Full Story
ANALYSIS-Kidnappers exploited security weak spot in EgyptPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:47amKidnappers who snatched European tourists in Egypt's desert last week exploited a weak spot in Cairo's security network, but the kidnapping is unlikely to herald a return to Islamist militant attacks on tourists. Full Story
An Exercise in Security at 150 Railroad StationsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:48amAmtrak and the Transportation Security Administration deployed officers from about 100 local police departments to 150 train stations in 13 states and the District of Columbia during the morning rush on Tuesday in a drill to familiarize law enforcement personnel with the rail system and to practice working together. An Amtrak spokesman said some travelers were asked for identification and some were told to open their bags for inspection. Full Story
China to help Pak set up 10 nuke power plantsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:55amIn an apparent bid to counter the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Pakistan plans to seek fuel technology from China for 10 new atomic power plants it intends to set up over the next two decades. During a high-level meeting, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani approved the construction of two new nuclear plants at Chashma in Punjab province, sources said, adding that these plants are expected to be built with Chinese assistance. Full Story
The airport security scanner that can read your mindPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:16amIt sounds like the stuff of science-fiction nightmare. But experts say a new scanner which can read minds is the next step in fighting terrorism. Inventors also claim it will slash queuing times at airports - and bring an end to a ban on liquids. Full Story
US mom admits helping son build weapons cachePosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:34amA woman admitted she helped her troubled, bullied 14-year-old son build a cache of weapons by buying him a rifle and gunpowder, but investigators still don't know if she was aware her son was planning a deadly school attack. Full Story
U.S., Afghans and Pakistanis Consider Joint Military ForcePosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:41amAfghanistan, Pakistan and the United States are discussing the creation of a joint military force to attack insurgent sanctuaries on both sides of the rugged Afghan-Pakistani border, a senior Afghan official said yesterday. Afghan Defense Minister Rahim Wardak said he had proposed the idea and it was discussed last month at a meeting of military officers from the three countries that focused on the border problem. Full Story
One injured in Assam blastPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 11:35amAt least one person was seriously injured when a bomb allegedly planted by suspected ULFA militants exploded at a local theatre in Udalguri district of Assam on Wednesday. Full Story
Prominent Chechen gunned down in MoscowPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2:36pmA gunman shot dead a former rebel Chechen commander in central Moscow Wednesday whose brother has emerged as a rival to the pro-Moscow leader of the troubled southern Russian region, police said. An Interior ministry spokesman said that according to preliminary information, an unidentified gunman shot dead Ruslan Yamadayev from a pistol when his car stopped at a traffic light. Full Story
Mexicos parties warned over drug moneyPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2:37pmMexicos centre-right government on Tuesday admitted that there was a latent threat of drug money finding its way into the countrys political campaigns and warned that the countrys police forces had been infiltrated by powerful cartels. In an address to Congress, Juan Camilo Mourińo, a government minister, said: The risk of drug Money in campaigns is, of course, a latent risk. Full Story
Deutsche Bank launches its securities services in DubaiPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:10pmDeutsche Bank AG announced yesterday the establishment of Deutsche Securities and Services (DSS) in Dubai. Full Story
Shipping companies must tackle piracyPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:11pmThe international shipping industry must take on more responsibility to protect vessels against pirate attacks and kidnappings in the dangerous waters of Somalia rather than rely on the U.S. Navy, the commander of the 5th Fleet warned on Monday. Full Story
US soldiers accidentally kill Sunni leader in IraqPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:11pmAmerican soldiers accidentally shot and killed the leader of a local U.S.-allied Sunni group Tuesday after coming under attack in a volatile area north of Baghdad, the military said. Full Story
Middle East Jerusalem car crash 'an accident'Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:12pmThe family of a 19-year old Palestinian man shot dead after his car ploughed into pedestrians in West Jerusalem have challenged Israeli police allegations that he had carried out a deliberate attack. Full Story
Qatar least corrupt country in MideastPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:13pmQatar has dramatically improved its standing in the current Corruption Perception Index (CPI) compared to last year, according to world corruption watchdog Transparency International. The country is ranked first among the least corrupt nations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Full Story
Fatah OKs plan for new govtPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:16pmThe ruling Palestinian faction Fatah has agreed to an Egyptian proposal to create a new government that would be acceptable to the international community, a senior Fatah official said yesterday. Full Story
Kidnapped tourists reported to be in SudanPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:18pmThe 19 people who have been kidnapped in Egypt are reported to have been taken to a secret location 25 kilometres across the border in Sudan, according to a Cairo media report. Full Story
Pakistan boosts airport security after threat: officialPosted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 3:41amPakistani authorities tightened security at Islamabad's international airport on Thursday after a telephone threat that warned of a bomb attack, a senior security official said. Full Story
Egypt official says kidnappers threaten to kill hostagesPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 5:58amThe kidnappers who seized 19 hostages including European tourists in a remote desert area of Egypt have threatened to kill them if attempts are made to find them by plane, an Egyptian official said on Tuesday. Full Story
Iraq strikes gas deal with ShellPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 6:05amIraq has agreed to set up a joint venture with oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell to invest in developing the country's natural gas supply. Full Story
Many killed in Finnish school shooting: fire chiefPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 6:30amA gunman has killed many people in a shooting spree at a school in the southwestern Finnish town of Kauhajoki, the local fire chief told AFP Tuesday. Full Story
Ecuador: Colombian guerrillas attack border patrolPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:40amThe Ecuadorean government says suspected Colombian rebels have attacked an army patrol in a remote jungle region, wounding one soldier. Deputy Defense Minister Miguel Carvajal says the troops came under fire on Sunday while patrolling the San Miguel River, which forms part of the border between the two countries. Full Story
Brazil gunmen kill 15 including alleged traffickerPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:41amPolice say hooded gunmen have killed 15 people on an alleged drug trafficker's ranch in southern Brazil. Federal police officer Claudio Cesar says five assailants invaded the ranch Monday in Guaira, in the state of Parana. Full Story
Police beef up patrols around JerusalemPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:48amIsraeli police on Tuesday beefed up patrols around Jerusalem after a Palestinian resident plowed his car into a crowd of soldiers at a busy intersection, wounding 19 people before his car crashed into a wall and an army officer shot him dead. Full Story
Europeans kidnapped in Egyptian desert near SudanPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:50amKidnappers have seized 11 European tourists and eight Egyptians during a Sahara desert safari to Gilf al-Kebir, a plateau famed for its prehistoric cave paintings, Egyptian officials said Monday. Full Story
South American leaders to meet on Bolivia crisisPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:53amLeaders from several South American nations will meet in New York this week to discuss resolving the political crisis in impoverished Bolivia, Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said on Monday. The leaders, who met in Chile a week ago to help ease a political deadlock that flared into deadly protests, will meet on Wednesday, Foxley said from New York, where they are attending the United Nations General Assembly. Full Story
Protesters to set sail again to Gaza from CyprusPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:53amProtesters who defied Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip to bring aid to Palestinians last month are making a return voyage, a trip organizer said Tuesday. Full Story
In Egypt, sexual harassment growsPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:55amAccording to a study released by the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights (ECWR) in July, 62 percent of Egyptian men admit to sexually harassing women, and 83 percent of Egyptian women reported being harassed. Half say it happens every day. It was the first study of its kind. Full Story
Top security official warns Iran against involving GCC in nuclear conflictPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:58amA top security officer warned Iran against involving the GCC in any conflict with the West, saying that the GCC will react strongly to any threat against its stability. Full Story
Syrian troop build-up concerns LebanonPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 10:02amBeirut is concerned about Syria amassing its military forces on the northern Lebanese-Syrian border, alongside increased Syrian military activity. Full Story
Sudan murder suspects used Saudi cashPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 10:03amFour Sudanese men accused of killing a U.S. aid worker funded the murder with a donation from a Saudi Arabian man and money left over from a failed bomb plot, the Sudanese police's chief investigator told a court on Monday. Full Story
Taliban bomb kills Afghan district and police chiefPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 11:55amA roadside bomb killed a district governor and his police chief as they were driving home in southern Afghanistan, police said Tuesday, in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents. The Registan district officials were in the same vehicle driving to their homes in the southern province of Kandahar when they were struck by the bomb at about 9:00 pm Monday, provincial police chief Mutiullah Khan told AFP. "They are both killed and four of their guards were wounded," he said. Full Story
China urges "flexibility" on N.Korea nuclear movesPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 11:57amChina urged "flexibility" in the North Korean nuclear dispute Tuesday, avoiding harsh words a day after Pyongyang made fresh moves toward possibly restarting a nuclear complex at the heart of the dispute. Monday, North Korea asked the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog to remove seals and cameras from its main atomic facility, Yongbyon. The North said Friday it was working to reactivate the plutonium-making Yongbyon complex, the basis of the atomic bomb program it had been dismantling since last November under a disarmament-for-aid deal. Full Story
India troops die in Kashmir clashPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 12:02pmTwo Indian soldiers have been killed in a clash with militants in Indian-administered Kashmir, the army says. Officials say the clash happened on Monday in Poonch region, close to the Line of Control that divides Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. An Indian army spokesman accused the Pakistani military of providing covering fire for the militants. There is no word from Pakistan. Full Story
Militants claim Marriott attackPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 12:04pmA little known Pakistani militant group, Fidayeen-e-Islam, says it carried out Saturday's devastating attack on the Islamabad Marriott hotel. The group told the BBC the aim of the attack was to stop American interference in Pakistan. The group is based in Pakistan's tribal areas and connected to leading militant Baitullah Mehsud. Full Story
Attacks kill 5 police in Afghan capital KabulPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2:01amA police official says a bomb blast in the capital has wounded Kabul's chief criminal investigator. Full Story Venezuela expels U.S. human rights campaignersPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:42amVenezuela's government expelled senior members of U.S.-based Human Rights Watch late Thursday after the group released a report saying President Hugo Chavez's government was undercutting democracy and fundamental rights in the country. Officials in Caracas said Human Rights Watch Americas director Jose Miguel Vivanco had made unacceptable remarks against the country's institutions. Full Story
Alitalia airline cancels flightsPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:43amAlitalia has cancelled a number of flights from Rome's Fiumicino airport, increasing fears that the carrier may soon go into liquidation. The airline confirmed that a number of flights have been cancelled, but denied it had run out of aviation fuel. Full Story
Germany Holds 2 Men Linked to Planned Terror AttacksPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:46amGerman authorities arrested two men suspected of supporting a Sunni Muslim group that prosecutors say was linked to plans to attack U.S. facilities in German cities last year. The two 27-year-old men -- a German of Afghan origin identified as Omid S. and a Turkish national called Huseyin O -- were taken into custody yesterday in the Frankfurt area, the German Federal Prosecutor said today in a statement. Full Story
Bangladesh detains members of Hizb ut-TahrirPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:47amDhaka University teacher and chief of the Bangladesh chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), an international Islamist body banned in several countries, has been detained along with several of his colleagues. HuT coordinator Syed Golam Mowla Hizb and his colleagues, mostly university teachers, were detained Thursday at Rajshahi in western Bangladesh on suspicion of promoting militancy in the name of establishing 'khilafat' (an Islamic state) worldwide. Full Story
Yemen arrests 25 suspected Al Qaeda membersPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:48amThe authorities in Yemen have arrested at least 25 militants - all with suspected links to Al Qaeda - in connection with a deadly attack on the U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital, a senior security official said Thursday. The attack Wednesday in Sana killed 16 people, including six militants and a young American woman who was recently wed in an arranged marriage. Full Story
U.S. embassy staff asked to leave YemenPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:49amThe U.S. State Department on Thursday recommended that all non-emergency staff and their families at the U.S. Embassy in Yemen leave the country after an attack on the building that killed 11 people, including one American. Wednesday's attack by suspected al Qaeda-linked insurgents killed six Yemeni police and four civilians when the attackers, disguised as Yemeni forces, bombed the outer wall of the embassy and opened fire on first responders, said Mohammed al-Basha, a spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy in Washington. Full Story
Germans arrest 2 suspected of 2007 terror plotPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 9:05amGerman prosecutors say they have arrested a German and a Turk suspected of ties to al-Qaida and to a foiled 2007 terrorist plot to attack U.S. and other targets. Federal prosecutors say both are aged 27 and were arrested on Friday in the greater Frankfurt area. Full Story
N. Korea Dismisses Terrorism BlacklistPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 9:14am
Bomb kills 5 at Pakistani religious schoolPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 11:44amA bomb exploded Friday at a religious school that police said was affiliated with a pro-Taliban political party, killing five people and wounding 10 more. Television footage showed a gaping hole in the rough mud wall around the seminary near the southwestern city of Quetta and one partly demolished adjacent room. Police said the blast occurred in the wrecked room but didn't indicate if it was an attack or if the bomb had been kept there. One witness claimed it was caused by a suicide bomber. Full Story
Japanese minister resigns over rice scandalPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 12:07pmTOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan's agriculture minister resigned Friday over widespread sales of mold- and pesticide-tainted rice used to make lunches for thousands of schoolchildren and nursing home patients. Japanese consumers have been horrified in recent weeks over the discovery of rice tainted with pesticides and mold being served to thousands of people. The rice was imported for use in industry, such as the manufacture of glue, but was instead distributed inside Japan as food. Full Story
At least 19 people injured in fresh clashes in SrinagarPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:23pmSRINAGAR: At least 19 people, including seven security personnel, were injured in clashes at a dozen places in the Kashmir valley on Friday. Normal life came to a standstill following a 'bandh' call given by separatists. The clashes broke out shortly after Friday prayers in different downtown and uptown localities of the city and Pattan in Baramulla district when police along with the CRPF forcibly tried to stop "pro-independence" protesters from marching on main roads, official sources said. Full Story
Police foil bomb attack on school in southern PhilippinesPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:29pmCotabato City, Philippines - Philippine police have recovered a homemade bomb outside an elementary school in a southern province, a regional military spokesman said Friday. Major Armand Rico said police officers found the explosive device late Thursday near the gate of the school in Carmen town in North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila. Full Story
Indian police battle Islamic militants in capitalPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:32pmIndian police battled suspected Islamic militants holed up in a house in the country's capital Friday, killing two and arresting one before the others escaped, police said. The gunbattle in a southern part of sprawling New Delhi put the city back on edge days after five coordinated bombings in the capital's markets killed 21 people - attacks credited to homegrown Islamic militants. A senior New Delhi police officer, Karnal Singh, told reporters at the scene of Friday's firefight in the Jamia Nagar neighborhood that there were five gunmen. Two were killed, one was arrested and two escaped, he said. Full Story
U.S. Homeland Security To Utilize Physiological Screeners To Pinpoint TerroristsPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:36pmThe Homeland Security Department is pilot testing at a Maryland airport a prototype of a physiological screener to spot terrorists. The model bio-scans air travelers. Full Story
Russian minister says war with the United States not possiblePosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:38pmRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko said on Friday there was no possibility of a war with the United States and Russia wants the European Union to guarantee security in Georgia. Full Story
Cyber Attack Data-Sharing Is Lacking, Congress ToldPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:39pmU.S. intelligence agencies are unable to share information about foreign cyber attacks against companies for fear of jeopardizing intelligence-gathering sources and methods, cyber security expert Paul B. Kurtz told lawmakers yesterday. Full Story
Ban on ex-security chiefs sparks row in GhanaPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:46pmGhana's government has banned seven former military and police chiefs from the country's defence installations, touching off security jitters and a political row ahead of elections in December. Full Story
Pretoria malls among SA's most dangerousPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:48pmAs the festive season approaches, dozens of Pretoria shopping malls have raised security levels after having been ranked among the most risky in the country this week when it comes to potentially violent attacks. Full Story
U.S. Barred 33 TB-Infected People From Flying Over Past YearPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:50pmThirty-three would-be air travelers with suspected or confirmed infectious tuberculosis were placed on the U.S. government's public health "Do Not Board" list in the first year of its existence, a federal report released Thursday showed. Full Story
Deep-rooted al-Qaida hard to extract from YemenPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 2:03pmThe deadly attack on the U.S. Embassy may be a watershed moment in Yemen's on-and-off struggle with terrorism. For years, the Yemeni government has let some al-Qaida figures and other Islamic extremists go free in political deals hoping to keep them quiet. Now it finds itself having to confront a new generation of militants younger, more radical and fresh from fighting in Iraq. Full Story
Former Israeli military and intelligence officials active in Arab countriesPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 2:07pmThe Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, reported on Thursday that dozens of former Israeli military officers and a large number of Mosad (Israeli Intelligence) and Shabak (Israeli secret service) members are active in cooperation with the Israeli Security devices in several Arab countries in the Gulf. Full Story
Family 'bombed' in terror arson attackPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 2:09pmA family and their visitors were lucky to escape with their lives after a fire bomb attack at their house. Seven people were in the house in Bernard Close, Huntingdon, when it was hit by two Molotov cocktail-type bombs containing an accelerant. Full Story
Al-Qaida threatens more attacks in new videoPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:53pmAl-Qaida threatened major new attacks in Afghanistan and vowed to keep fighting in Iraq even after Americans leave, in a new video to mark the anniversary of the Sep. 11 attacks. Full Story
Pentagon boss slams Russia but plays down threatPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:53pmU.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates accused Moscow on Friday of "mauling and menacing small democracies" but said today's Russia did not pose a threat to the world like the Soviet Union. Full Story
Banned militant Islamist sect 'is recruiting young Muslims'Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:54pmA militant Islamic sect banned by the Government as a threat to national security has launched a campaign to radicalise teenagers. Full Story
Peru rebel rejects surrender callPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:56pmThe leader of Peru's remaining Shining Path rebels has apparently rejected a call to surrender and demanded new negotiations with the government. Full Story
Cyber attack launched on Shiite websites: Iran reportPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:57pmSunni Muslim computer hackers have attacked hundreds of Shiite websites including Shia Islam's most popular site linked to the community's leader in Iraq, Iran's Fars news agency reported on Friday. Full Story
Five killed in Balochistan blastPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:57pmA bomb has exploded at an Islamic religious school in south-western Pakistan, killing five people and wounding at least eight. Full Story
Mexico plans anti-kidnap policePosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 11:38pmThe Mexican government has created a specialist police force to tackle the level of kidnapping in the country, among the highest in the world. The authorities say so far this year more than 650 people have been abducted in Mexico a huge rise on last year. Full Story
Indian police kill 'top Islamic militant' in Delhi shoot-outPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 11:38pmIndian police shot dead two alleged Islamic militants during a fierce gun battle in a Muslim area of New Delhi Friday, including a leader of a shadowy group behind a spate of deadly bombings. Full Story
Moscow Will Boost Defense Spending to $50 BillionPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 12:01amThe Kremlin is set to boost its defense budget by more than one-quarter, taking it to a post-Soviet high of $50 billion next year as it seeks to add muscle to its foreign policy and reverse underinvestment. Full Story
Demonstrators force far-right to halt launch of anti-Islam talksPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 12:19amA far-right group was forced to abandon a press conference launching a campaign against plans for a new mosque and Muslim immigration in the German city of Cologne yesterday, when protesters targeted them with stones and paint. Full Story
Moderate quake felt in Pakistan capital, no damagePosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 12:20amA moderate earthquake rattled Pakistan's capital and some northwestern towns Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, an official said. Full Story
Fresh clashes in Sri Lankan northPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 1:14amThere have been fresh clashes between Tamil rebels and government troops in northern Sri Lanka, as the military offensive there continue. The military also announced details of casualties from Thursday's fierce fighting, saying more than 60 Tamil Tigers were killed in multiple battles. Full Story
US intercepts drug-laden sub off Central AmericaPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 1:14amThe U.S. Coast Guard says it intercepted a submarine-like vessel carrying 7 tons of cocaine off Central America's coast. The Coast Guard says a U.S. Navy aircraft spotted the 60-foot vessel Wednesday about 400 miles south of the Mexico-Guatemala border. Full Story
Military kills 16 Al-Qaeda linked militants in Pakistan: officialPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:03amPakistani soldiers killed at least 16 Al-Qaeda linked militants in fierce gunbattles in a restive tribal area bordering Afghanistan, officials said Saturday. The fresh clashes erupted late Friday in the Bajaur tribal district where Pakistani troops launched a major offensive against Islamic militants last month. Full Story
Radical Hindu leader held for anti-Christian attacksPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:04amA radical Hindu leader has been arrested in southern India over a spate of attacks targeting Christian churches, officials said Saturday. Full Story
Malaysia to resort to nuclear energy by 2023: ministerPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:04amMalaysia will turn to nuclear energy to generate electricity by 2023 as supplies of fossil fuel eventually run out, a minister said according to Saturday news reports. Full Story
Officials say gunmen kill cleric in southern IraqPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:05amIraqi officials say gunmen have killed a cleric loyal to U.S. foe Muqtada al-Sadr in the southern city of Basra. Police say Sheik Oday Ali Abbas al-Ajrish was killed Friday evening near his home. Full Story
Arrested militants confess role in Delhi blastsPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 3:09amClaiming a major breakthrough in last week's serial blasts in the national capital, Delhi Police on Saturday said two of those arrested after Friday's encounter have confessed to their involvement in the terror act having planted explosives in two places. Full Story
Nigerian militants step up 'oil war' claiming sixth attackPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 4:02amNigeria's main armed militant group Saturday said it had destroyed a major pipeline run by Royal Dutch Shell in the sixth such attack in the past week as it vowed to paralyse the key oil sector. Full Story
Suicide attacker targeted army convoy in PakistanPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 4:03amA suicide bomber attacked an army convoy in Pakistan's militant-plagued northwest Saturday and casualties were feared, an army spokesman said. Pakistani media and two local intelligence officials reported up to 10 soldiers had died, but Maj. Murad Khan said he had no confirmation on exact casualty figures. The intelligence officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. Full Story
AP reporter detained, beaten by police in VietnamPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 5:33amAn Associated Press reporter in Vietnam has been detained and beaten by police while he covered a Catholic prayer vigil in the communist country. Full Story
Russia against new U.N. measures on IranPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 5:34amRussia is against the United Nations taking any extra measures on Iran over its nuclear program for now, and thinks efforts towards dialogue should continue, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. Full Story
Bomb outside Iraq's journalist union wounds bossPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 6:53amA bomb blast outside Iraq's national journalists' union in central Baghdad wounded the union's head and three others on Saturday, an eyewitness said. Full Story
Pakistan will not tolerate incursions - ZardariPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 6:54amPakistan will not tolerate infringement of its territory in the name of the fight against militancy while the biggest challenge facing the government is the economy, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday. Full Story
Spain: Car bomb explodes in Basque capitalPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 9:58pmThe Interior Ministry says a car bomb has exploded on the outskirts of the Basque capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, causing considerable damage but no injuries. Full Story
Police break up Bangladesh protest, 50 hurtPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:02pmAt least 50 people were injured on Saturday when Bangladeshi police used batons to disperse a protest by textile workers demanding to be paid early ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr festival, police and witnesses said. Full Story
Street clashes erupt in GermanyPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:03pmThousands of left-wing demonstrators gathered to protest against an extreme right-wing rally have clashed with police in the German city of Cologne. Full Story
Al Qaeda murders Mauritanian soldiersPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:06pmThe bodies of 12 soldiers who were abducted in the west African country of Mauritania have been found with their throats cut. Full Story
Spanish military plane leaves for SomaliaPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:07pmThe Spanish military aircraft which will patrol the waters off the coast of Somalia to protect ships from pirates left on Saturday from the Moron air base in Seville, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday. Full Story
Fire in China's Guangdong province kills 43Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:09pmA fire at a club in south China's Guangdong Province late on Saturday left at least 43 people dead and 51 injured, said state news agency Xinhua, citing local police. Full Story
Thousands march in Sweden against globalisationPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 11:26pmMore than 10,000 marched in the Swedish city of Malmoe on Saturday in a demonstration against the excesses of globalisation, organised as part of the European Social Forum being held there. Full Story
Putin defiant on Caucasus troopsPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:05amRussia will not consult Western nations or Georgia when deciding how many troops to post in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the decision was down to Russia and the "states" involved. Full Story
Bomb a warning to Pakistan: End U.S. alliancePosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:09amThe brazen truck-bombing of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad on Saturday is a warning from Islamic militants to Pakistan's new civilian leadership that it should end already-strained cooperation with the United States to pursue al-Qaida and the Taliban, analysts said. Full Story
Lashkar behind Delhi bombers: PolicePosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:11amDelhi Police claimed on Saturday that it had unravelled the entire plot behind the September 13 blasts, which were carried out by a team of 13, nine of whom are on the run. The claims came 24 hours after the shootout at Batla House, which resulted in the death of Indian Mujahideen (IM) mastermind Bashir alias Atiq. Full Story
Thousands in France, Germany, protest Afghan deploymentPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 2:22amThousands of people in France and Germany took to the streets calling for soldiers deployed in Afghanistan to be brought home, police and march organisers said. Full Story
Six injured in car bomb blast in Spain's Basque country: officialPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 2:23amSix people were injured Sunday in a car bomb blast suspected to be the work of the Basque separatist organisation ETA in Spain's northern Basque town of Ondarroa, officials said. Full Story
Toll in Pakistan hotel blast rises to 52: officialPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 2:28amSearchers combing through the burnt shell of the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital found more bodies the morning after a suicide bomb attack, bringing the death toll to 52, a senior government official said on Sunday. Full Story
Three more arrests over India bombsPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 3:12amIndian police on Sunday said they had arrested three more suspected militants over a series of bombings across the country that have left more than 140 people dead. The police said the three men belonged to the Indian Mujahideen, the group which has claimed responsibility for serial blasts in several cities including attacks in New Delhi on September 13. Full Story
Churches attacked in India amid religious tensionPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 4:01amSuspected Hindu radicals in India ransacked three churches near the city of Bangalore on Sunday despite a crackdown after anti-Christian attacks in the region, reports said. Full Story
South Africa's Mbeki quits after ANC withdraws supportPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 4:02amSouth African President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday accepted a demand from his own party to resign, effectively ending a nine-year rule marked by economic prosperity but marred by allegations of abuse of power. Full Story
Nigeria armed group declares ceasfire in 'oil war'Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 4:23amThe most prominent armed group in southern Nigeria, MEND, declared a ceasefire on Sunday following a week of attacks on oil industry targets after launching an "oil war". Full Story
Mauritania seeks support against terrorism threatPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 8:18amMauritania has asked for international support to confront what it called a serious threat of terrorism to West Africa following an attack in the north of the country claimed by al Qaeda. Full Story
One killed in suspected ETA car bombing outside Spanish barracksPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 10:16pmOne person was killed Monday when a suspected ETA car bomb exploded outside a military academy in the town of Santona in Spain's northern Cantabria region, Spanish officials said. Full Story
Gunmen fire on Afghan diplomat's car in PakistanPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5:46amUnidentified gunmen fired on an Afghan diplomat's car, killing one person, in Peshawar on Monday, the police chief in the north-western Pakistani city told Reuters. Full Story
Pakistani troops fire on intruding U.S. choppersPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5:52amPakistani troops fired on two U.S. helicopters that intruded into Pakistani airspace on Sunday night, forcing them to turn back to Afghanistan, a senior Pakistani security official said on Monday. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Afghan consul abducted in Pakistan ambush: consulatePosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:33amAfghanistan's consul general in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar was abducted and his driver killed in an ambush on the diplomat's car Monday, the Afghan consulate said. Full Story
Pirates hijack another Greek carrier off SomaliaPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:34amPirates in speedboats hijacked a Greek bulk carrier with 19 crew members off eastern Somalia, a piracy watchdog official said Monday. Sunday's hijacking pushes the number of attacks this year in Somali waters close to 60, with pirates raiding ships off eastern Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden flanking the country's northern coast despite U.S.-led patrols. Full Story
Foreign tourists snatched in Egypt, taken to Sudan Group of tourists kidnapped in EgyptPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 7:39amA group of 11 foreign tourists and four Egyptians have been kidnapped in a remote corner of southern Egypt and taken across the border to neighboring Sudan, the Egyptian government spokesman said Monday. Germany said they had been missing since Friday. Full Story
China's food safety watchdog boss steps downPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:21amThe head of China's food safety watchdog resigned Monday in the wake of a scandal over tainted baby formula that sickened nearly 53,000 infants, state media reported. The official Xinhua News Agency said Li Changjiang had stepped down with the approval of China's Cabinet. Full Story
Manila raises alarm over rising piracy in SomaliaPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:42amAlmost 100 Philippine sailors are being held hostage by pirates in Somalia, and the foreign affairs department wants a ban on the deployment of sailors on ships passing through the East African state, officials said on Monday. Full Story
EU, Russia to Resume Partnership Talks Next Month: FrancePosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:43amThe EU will resume partnership talks with Russia as early as October if Moscow withdraws its troops from the Georgian mainland completely, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon after meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Full Story
Taliban kidnap more than 150 Afghan workers: army colonelPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:44amSuspected Taliban militants have kidnapped more than 150 civilian labourers who were travelling in three buses in southwestern Afghanistan, Afghan authorities said Monday. Full Story
Security beefed up at railway stations in GoaPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:46amSecurity has been beefed up across all the railway stations in Goa following a tip off received by the state police that an explosive laden train will be arriving here this morning, police said. The state police had received information from Kerala police about the consignment of explosives loaded on the train, which will be reaching state this morning. Full Story
'Merchant of Death' in Thai courtPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:47amAn alleged arms smuggler's extradition hearing to the United States began Monday after a string of delays in the high-profile case because of complications with his defense team in Thailand. Viktor Bout, dubbed "The Merchant of Death," has been indicted in the U.S. on four terrorism charges. He was arrested in Thailand on March 6. Full Story
N. Korea asks UN agency to remove reactor sealsPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:49amNorth Korea asked the U.N. nuclear watchdog to remove seals and surveillance equipment from the Yongbyon nuclear reactor, the agency chief said Monday, heightening concerns that the communist nation may be preparing to restart its nuclear program. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei told the 35-nation IAEA board that North Korea said it wanted to "carry out tests at the reprocessing plant, which they say will not involve nuclear material." Full Story
Hugo Chavez says Venezuela, China to boost energy tiesPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 1:00pmPresident Hugo Chavez said Sunday that Venezuela will sign accords aimed at increasing the amount of oil it sells to China. The socialist president has sought to diversify oil sales beyond the United States, which still purchases the largest share of Venezuela's oil despite years of political tensions. Full Story
Al-Qaida North Africa chief threatens Western and regional interestsPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 3:40amThe leader of al-Qaida in North Africa has called for Muslims to unite in holy war against the region's governments and issued new threats against Western targets, including France, Spain and the United States. Full Story
Pakistani Spies Hear al Qaeda Celebrating BlastPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 4:23amIntelligence is still being gathered however its becoming clear that al Qaeda, if not directly responsible for this weekends bombing in Pakistan is involved. Full Story
Georgia says shot down Russia drone near S.OssetiaPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 5:02amGeorgia said on Tuesday it had shot down a small Russian reconnaissance drone over Georgian territory just south of the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Full Story
Pakistani guards on front line of bombing campaignPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 5:02amPakistani security guard Shabnam Jamshed seemed distracted when she left her Islamabad home for work last Saturday. Full Story
France's Edf announces British Energy buyout planPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:09amFrench power giant EdF said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire British Energy Group PLC in a cash offer valued at 12.5 billion pounds ($23.18 billion), creating a cross-Channel powerhouse in nuclear energy. Full Story
Chavez sees 1 million-barrel oil exports to ChinaPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:10amVenezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his country's oil exports to China could soar to 1 million barrels a day by 2012. Full Story
Mexico to step up vehicle searches at US borderPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:10amMexico's government plans to search 10 percent of all vehicles entering the country from the United States in an effort to curb arms smuggling, the attorney general said Tuesday. Full Story
North Korea kicks out nuclear inspectors from Yongbyon: watchdogPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:11amNorth Korea has kicked out inspectors and plans to reintroduce nuclear material at its Yongbyon plant next week, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday, adding that IAEA seals and cameras were also removed. Full Story
Pakistan finds suspected US spy drone wreckagePosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 7:11amThe Pakistani army said Wednesday it found the wreckage of a suspected U.S. spy plane near the Afghan border, but denied claims that it had been shot down. Full Story
Markets boosted as Warren Buffett invests $5bn in Goldman SachsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:10amWarren Buffett today agreed to invest $5bn (#2.7bn) in Goldman Sachs, giving the bank a strong vote of confidence following the tumultuous Wall Street events of the past few weeks. Analysts hailed the move by Buffett - known as the Sage of Omaha - as a sign that some stability could be returning to the markets. UBS called it "the ultimate stamp of approval". Full Story
Pakistan suicide bomber kills schoolgirlPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:10amA suicide bomber killed a schoolgirl in southwest Pakistan and wounded about a dozen other people, police said on Wednesday. The attack took place in Quetta, the
capital of Balochistan province near the Afghan border. Full Story
Japan: Hundreds protest US carrier arrivalPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:24amHundreds of protesters gathered outside a U.S. naval base Wednesday to oppose the arrival of the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that is to make its home port just outside of Tokyo. About 500 protesters rallied near Yokosuka Naval Base, just south of Tokyo, shouting slogans and waving banners ahead of the ship's scheduled arrival early Thursday. Full Story
Terrorism's impact grows as Indian election nearsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:42amPolitics in India, as in neighboring Pakistan and the United States, is increasingly singed by terrorism. India, the world's largest democracy, is reeling from four bomb attacks in four months, the latest in the heart of the capital on Sept. 13. How to deal with that threat has moved front and center in the campaign for the national election early next year. Full Story
Anti-Israel Facebook groups infiltratedPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:46amOpponents of the State of Israel have been staking a place for themselves in cyberspace for some time, using the Internet to vilify the Jewish state and glorify terrorism, but a Jewish organization has joined battle with them by employing a favourite tactic of the left direct action. Full Story
ANALYSIS-Kidnappers exploited security weak spot in EgyptPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:47amKidnappers who snatched European tourists in Egypt's desert last week exploited a weak spot in Cairo's security network, but the kidnapping is unlikely to herald a return to Islamist militant attacks on tourists. Full Story
An Exercise in Security at 150 Railroad StationsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:48amAmtrak and the Transportation Security Administration deployed officers from about 100 local police departments to 150 train stations in 13 states and the District of Columbia during the morning rush on Tuesday in a drill to familiarize law enforcement personnel with the rail system and to practice working together. An Amtrak spokesman said some travelers were asked for identification and some were told to open their bags for inspection. Full Story
China to help Pak set up 10 nuke power plantsPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 9:55amIn an apparent bid to counter the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Pakistan plans to seek fuel technology from China for 10 new atomic power plants it intends to set up over the next two decades. During a high-level meeting, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani approved the construction of two new nuclear plants at Chashma in Punjab province, sources said, adding that these plants are expected to be built with Chinese assistance. Full Story
The airport security scanner that can read your mindPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:16amIt sounds like the stuff of science-fiction nightmare. But experts say a new scanner which can read minds is the next step in fighting terrorism. Inventors also claim it will slash queuing times at airports - and bring an end to a ban on liquids. Full Story
US mom admits helping son build weapons cachePosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:34amA woman admitted she helped her troubled, bullied 14-year-old son build a cache of weapons by buying him a rifle and gunpowder, but investigators still don't know if she was aware her son was planning a deadly school attack. Full Story
U.S., Afghans and Pakistanis Consider Joint Military ForcePosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:41amAfghanistan, Pakistan and the United States are discussing the creation of a joint military force to attack insurgent sanctuaries on both sides of the rugged Afghan-Pakistani border, a senior Afghan official said yesterday. Afghan Defense Minister Rahim Wardak said he had proposed the idea and it was discussed last month at a meeting of military officers from the three countries that focused on the border problem. Full Story
One injured in Assam blastPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 11:35amAt least one person was seriously injured when a bomb allegedly planted by suspected ULFA militants exploded at a local theatre in Udalguri district of Assam on Wednesday. Full Story
Prominent Chechen gunned down in MoscowPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2:36pmA gunman shot dead a former rebel Chechen commander in central Moscow Wednesday whose brother has emerged as a rival to the pro-Moscow leader of the troubled southern Russian region, police said. An Interior ministry spokesman said that according to preliminary information, an unidentified gunman shot dead Ruslan Yamadayev from a pistol when his car stopped at a traffic light. Full Story
Mexicos parties warned over drug moneyPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2:37pmMexicos centre-right government on Tuesday admitted that there was a latent threat of drug money finding its way into the countrys political campaigns and warned that the countrys police forces had been infiltrated by powerful cartels. In an address to Congress, Juan Camilo Mourińo, a government minister, said: The risk of drug Money in campaigns is, of course, a latent risk. Full Story
Deutsche Bank launches its securities services in DubaiPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:10pmDeutsche Bank AG announced yesterday the establishment of Deutsche Securities and Services (DSS) in Dubai. Full Story
Shipping companies must tackle piracyPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:11pmThe international shipping industry must take on more responsibility to protect vessels against pirate attacks and kidnappings in the dangerous waters of Somalia rather than rely on the U.S. Navy, the commander of the 5th Fleet warned on Monday. Full Story
US soldiers accidentally kill Sunni leader in IraqPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:11pmAmerican soldiers accidentally shot and killed the leader of a local U.S.-allied Sunni group Tuesday after coming under attack in a volatile area north of Baghdad, the military said. Full Story
Middle East Jerusalem car crash 'an accident'Posted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:12pmThe family of a 19-year old Palestinian man shot dead after his car ploughed into pedestrians in West Jerusalem have challenged Israeli police allegations that he had carried out a deliberate attack. Full Story
Qatar least corrupt country in MideastPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:13pmQatar has dramatically improved its standing in the current Corruption Perception Index (CPI) compared to last year, according to world corruption watchdog Transparency International. The country is ranked first among the least corrupt nations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Full Story
Fatah OKs plan for new govtPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:16pmThe ruling Palestinian faction Fatah has agreed to an Egyptian proposal to create a new government that would be acceptable to the international community, a senior Fatah official said yesterday. Full Story
Kidnapped tourists reported to be in SudanPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 8:18pmThe 19 people who have been kidnapped in Egypt are reported to have been taken to a secret location 25 kilometres across the border in Sudan, according to a Cairo media report. Full Story
Pakistan boosts airport security after threat: officialPosted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 3:41amPakistani authorities tightened security at Islamabad's international airport on Thursday after a telephone threat that warned of a bomb attack, a senior security official said. Full Story
Egypt official says kidnappers threaten to kill hostagesPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 5:58amThe kidnappers who seized 19 hostages including European tourists in a remote desert area of Egypt have threatened to kill them if attempts are made to find them by plane, an Egyptian official said on Tuesday. Full Story
Iraq strikes gas deal with ShellPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 6:05amIraq has agreed to set up a joint venture with oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell to invest in developing the country's natural gas supply. Full Story
Many killed in Finnish school shooting: fire chiefPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 6:30amA gunman has killed many people in a shooting spree at a school in the southwestern Finnish town of Kauhajoki, the local fire chief told AFP Tuesday. Full Story
Ecuador: Colombian guerrillas attack border patrolPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:40amThe Ecuadorean government says suspected Colombian rebels have attacked an army patrol in a remote jungle region, wounding one soldier. Deputy Defense Minister Miguel Carvajal says the troops came under fire on Sunday while patrolling the San Miguel River, which forms part of the border between the two countries. Full Story
Brazil gunmen kill 15 including alleged traffickerPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 8:41amPolice say hooded gunmen have killed 15 people on an alleged drug trafficker's ranch in southern Brazil. Federal police officer Claudio Cesar says five assailants invaded the ranch Monday in Guaira, in the state of Parana. Full Story
Police beef up patrols around JerusalemPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:48amIsraeli police on Tuesday beefed up patrols around Jerusalem after a Palestinian resident plowed his car into a crowd of soldiers at a busy intersection, wounding 19 people before his car crashed into a wall and an army officer shot him dead. Full Story
Europeans kidnapped in Egyptian desert near SudanPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:50amKidnappers have seized 11 European tourists and eight Egyptians during a Sahara desert safari to Gilf al-Kebir, a plateau famed for its prehistoric cave paintings, Egyptian officials said Monday. Full Story
South American leaders to meet on Bolivia crisisPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:53amLeaders from several South American nations will meet in New York this week to discuss resolving the political crisis in impoverished Bolivia, Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said on Monday. The leaders, who met in Chile a week ago to help ease a political deadlock that flared into deadly protests, will meet on Wednesday, Foxley said from New York, where they are attending the United Nations General Assembly. Full Story
Protesters to set sail again to Gaza from CyprusPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:53amProtesters who defied Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip to bring aid to Palestinians last month are making a return voyage, a trip organizer said Tuesday. Full Story
In Egypt, sexual harassment growsPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:55amAccording to a study released by the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights (ECWR) in July, 62 percent of Egyptian men admit to sexually harassing women, and 83 percent of Egyptian women reported being harassed. Half say it happens every day. It was the first study of its kind. Full Story
Top security official warns Iran against involving GCC in nuclear conflictPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9:58amA top security officer warned Iran against involving the GCC in any conflict with the West, saying that the GCC will react strongly to any threat against its stability. Full Story
Syrian troop build-up concerns LebanonPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 10:02amBeirut is concerned about Syria amassing its military forces on the northern Lebanese-Syrian border, alongside increased Syrian military activity. Full Story
Sudan murder suspects used Saudi cashPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 10:03amFour Sudanese men accused of killing a U.S. aid worker funded the murder with a donation from a Saudi Arabian man and money left over from a failed bomb plot, the Sudanese police's chief investigator told a court on Monday. Full Story
Taliban bomb kills Afghan district and police chiefPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 11:55amA roadside bomb killed a district governor and his police chief as they were driving home in southern Afghanistan, police said Tuesday, in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents. The Registan district officials were in the same vehicle driving to their homes in the southern province of Kandahar when they were struck by the bomb at about 9:00 pm Monday, provincial police chief Mutiullah Khan told AFP. "They are both killed and four of their guards were wounded," he said. Full Story
China urges "flexibility" on N.Korea nuclear movesPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 11:57amChina urged "flexibility" in the North Korean nuclear dispute Tuesday, avoiding harsh words a day after Pyongyang made fresh moves toward possibly restarting a nuclear complex at the heart of the dispute. Monday, North Korea asked the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog to remove seals and cameras from its main atomic facility, Yongbyon. The North said Friday it was working to reactivate the plutonium-making Yongbyon complex, the basis of the atomic bomb program it had been dismantling since last November under a disarmament-for-aid deal. Full Story
India troops die in Kashmir clashPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 12:02pmTwo Indian soldiers have been killed in a clash with militants in Indian-administered Kashmir, the army says. Officials say the clash happened on Monday in Poonch region, close to the Line of Control that divides Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. An Indian army spokesman accused the Pakistani military of providing covering fire for the militants. There is no word from Pakistan. Full Story
Militants claim Marriott attackPosted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 12:04pmA little known Pakistani militant group, Fidayeen-e-Islam, says it carried out Saturday's devastating attack on the Islamabad Marriott hotel. The group told the BBC the aim of the attack was to stop American interference in Pakistan. The group is based in Pakistan's tribal areas and connected to leading militant Baitullah Mehsud. Full Story
Attacks kill 5 police in Afghan capital KabulPosted on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 2:01amA police official says a bomb blast in the capital has wounded Kabul's chief criminal investigator. Full Story Venezuela expels U.S. human rights campaignersPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:42amVenezuela's government expelled senior members of U.S.-based Human Rights Watch late Thursday after the group released a report saying President Hugo Chavez's government was undercutting democracy and fundamental rights in the country. Officials in Caracas said Human Rights Watch Americas director Jose Miguel Vivanco had made unacceptable remarks against the country's institutions. Full Story
Alitalia airline cancels flightsPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:43amAlitalia has cancelled a number of flights from Rome's Fiumicino airport, increasing fears that the carrier may soon go into liquidation. The airline confirmed that a number of flights have been cancelled, but denied it had run out of aviation fuel. Full Story
Germany Holds 2 Men Linked to Planned Terror AttacksPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:46amGerman authorities arrested two men suspected of supporting a Sunni Muslim group that prosecutors say was linked to plans to attack U.S. facilities in German cities last year. The two 27-year-old men -- a German of Afghan origin identified as Omid S. and a Turkish national called Huseyin O -- were taken into custody yesterday in the Frankfurt area, the German Federal Prosecutor said today in a statement. Full Story
Bangladesh detains members of Hizb ut-TahrirPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:47amDhaka University teacher and chief of the Bangladesh chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), an international Islamist body banned in several countries, has been detained along with several of his colleagues. HuT coordinator Syed Golam Mowla Hizb and his colleagues, mostly university teachers, were detained Thursday at Rajshahi in western Bangladesh on suspicion of promoting militancy in the name of establishing 'khilafat' (an Islamic state) worldwide. Full Story
Yemen arrests 25 suspected Al Qaeda membersPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:48amThe authorities in Yemen have arrested at least 25 militants - all with suspected links to Al Qaeda - in connection with a deadly attack on the U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital, a senior security official said Thursday. The attack Wednesday in Sana killed 16 people, including six militants and a young American woman who was recently wed in an arranged marriage. Full Story
U.S. embassy staff asked to leave YemenPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 8:49amThe U.S. State Department on Thursday recommended that all non-emergency staff and their families at the U.S. Embassy in Yemen leave the country after an attack on the building that killed 11 people, including one American. Wednesday's attack by suspected al Qaeda-linked insurgents killed six Yemeni police and four civilians when the attackers, disguised as Yemeni forces, bombed the outer wall of the embassy and opened fire on first responders, said Mohammed al-Basha, a spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy in Washington. Full Story
Germans arrest 2 suspected of 2007 terror plotPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 9:05amGerman prosecutors say they have arrested a German and a Turk suspected of ties to al-Qaida and to a foiled 2007 terrorist plot to attack U.S. and other targets. Federal prosecutors say both are aged 27 and were arrested on Friday in the greater Frankfurt area. Full Story
N. Korea Dismisses Terrorism BlacklistPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 9:14am
Bomb kills 5 at Pakistani religious schoolPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 11:44amA bomb exploded Friday at a religious school that police said was affiliated with a pro-Taliban political party, killing five people and wounding 10 more. Television footage showed a gaping hole in the rough mud wall around the seminary near the southwestern city of Quetta and one partly demolished adjacent room. Police said the blast occurred in the wrecked room but didn't indicate if it was an attack or if the bomb had been kept there. One witness claimed it was caused by a suicide bomber. Full Story
Japanese minister resigns over rice scandalPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 12:07pmTOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan's agriculture minister resigned Friday over widespread sales of mold- and pesticide-tainted rice used to make lunches for thousands of schoolchildren and nursing home patients. Japanese consumers have been horrified in recent weeks over the discovery of rice tainted with pesticides and mold being served to thousands of people. The rice was imported for use in industry, such as the manufacture of glue, but was instead distributed inside Japan as food. Full Story
At least 19 people injured in fresh clashes in SrinagarPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:23pmSRINAGAR: At least 19 people, including seven security personnel, were injured in clashes at a dozen places in the Kashmir valley on Friday. Normal life came to a standstill following a 'bandh' call given by separatists. The clashes broke out shortly after Friday prayers in different downtown and uptown localities of the city and Pattan in Baramulla district when police along with the CRPF forcibly tried to stop "pro-independence" protesters from marching on main roads, official sources said. Full Story
Police foil bomb attack on school in southern PhilippinesPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:29pmCotabato City, Philippines - Philippine police have recovered a homemade bomb outside an elementary school in a southern province, a regional military spokesman said Friday. Major Armand Rico said police officers found the explosive device late Thursday near the gate of the school in Carmen town in North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila. Full Story
Indian police battle Islamic militants in capitalPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:32pmIndian police battled suspected Islamic militants holed up in a house in the country's capital Friday, killing two and arresting one before the others escaped, police said. The gunbattle in a southern part of sprawling New Delhi put the city back on edge days after five coordinated bombings in the capital's markets killed 21 people - attacks credited to homegrown Islamic militants. A senior New Delhi police officer, Karnal Singh, told reporters at the scene of Friday's firefight in the Jamia Nagar neighborhood that there were five gunmen. Two were killed, one was arrested and two escaped, he said. Full Story
U.S. Homeland Security To Utilize Physiological Screeners To Pinpoint TerroristsPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:36pmThe Homeland Security Department is pilot testing at a Maryland airport a prototype of a physiological screener to spot terrorists. The model bio-scans air travelers. Full Story
Russian minister says war with the United States not possiblePosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:38pmRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko said on Friday there was no possibility of a war with the United States and Russia wants the European Union to guarantee security in Georgia. Full Story
Cyber Attack Data-Sharing Is Lacking, Congress ToldPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:39pmU.S. intelligence agencies are unable to share information about foreign cyber attacks against companies for fear of jeopardizing intelligence-gathering sources and methods, cyber security expert Paul B. Kurtz told lawmakers yesterday. Full Story
Ban on ex-security chiefs sparks row in GhanaPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:46pmGhana's government has banned seven former military and police chiefs from the country's defence installations, touching off security jitters and a political row ahead of elections in December. Full Story
Pretoria malls among SA's most dangerousPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:48pmAs the festive season approaches, dozens of Pretoria shopping malls have raised security levels after having been ranked among the most risky in the country this week when it comes to potentially violent attacks. Full Story
U.S. Barred 33 TB-Infected People From Flying Over Past YearPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1:50pmThirty-three would-be air travelers with suspected or confirmed infectious tuberculosis were placed on the U.S. government's public health "Do Not Board" list in the first year of its existence, a federal report released Thursday showed. Full Story
Deep-rooted al-Qaida hard to extract from YemenPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 2:03pmThe deadly attack on the U.S. Embassy may be a watershed moment in Yemen's on-and-off struggle with terrorism. For years, the Yemeni government has let some al-Qaida figures and other Islamic extremists go free in political deals hoping to keep them quiet. Now it finds itself having to confront a new generation of militants younger, more radical and fresh from fighting in Iraq. Full Story
Former Israeli military and intelligence officials active in Arab countriesPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 2:07pmThe Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, reported on Thursday that dozens of former Israeli military officers and a large number of Mosad (Israeli Intelligence) and Shabak (Israeli secret service) members are active in cooperation with the Israeli Security devices in several Arab countries in the Gulf. Full Story
Family 'bombed' in terror arson attackPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 2:09pmA family and their visitors were lucky to escape with their lives after a fire bomb attack at their house. Seven people were in the house in Bernard Close, Huntingdon, when it was hit by two Molotov cocktail-type bombs containing an accelerant. Full Story
Al-Qaida threatens more attacks in new videoPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:53pmAl-Qaida threatened major new attacks in Afghanistan and vowed to keep fighting in Iraq even after Americans leave, in a new video to mark the anniversary of the Sep. 11 attacks. Full Story
Pentagon boss slams Russia but plays down threatPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:53pmU.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates accused Moscow on Friday of "mauling and menacing small democracies" but said today's Russia did not pose a threat to the world like the Soviet Union. Full Story
Banned militant Islamist sect 'is recruiting young Muslims'Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:54pmA militant Islamic sect banned by the Government as a threat to national security has launched a campaign to radicalise teenagers. Full Story
Peru rebel rejects surrender callPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:56pmThe leader of Peru's remaining Shining Path rebels has apparently rejected a call to surrender and demanded new negotiations with the government. Full Story
Cyber attack launched on Shiite websites: Iran reportPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:57pmSunni Muslim computer hackers have attacked hundreds of Shiite websites including Shia Islam's most popular site linked to the community's leader in Iraq, Iran's Fars news agency reported on Friday. Full Story
Five killed in Balochistan blastPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:57pmA bomb has exploded at an Islamic religious school in south-western Pakistan, killing five people and wounding at least eight. Full Story
Mexico plans anti-kidnap policePosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 11:38pmThe Mexican government has created a specialist police force to tackle the level of kidnapping in the country, among the highest in the world. The authorities say so far this year more than 650 people have been abducted in Mexico a huge rise on last year. Full Story
Indian police kill 'top Islamic militant' in Delhi shoot-outPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 11:38pmIndian police shot dead two alleged Islamic militants during a fierce gun battle in a Muslim area of New Delhi Friday, including a leader of a shadowy group behind a spate of deadly bombings. Full Story
Moscow Will Boost Defense Spending to $50 BillionPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 12:01amThe Kremlin is set to boost its defense budget by more than one-quarter, taking it to a post-Soviet high of $50 billion next year as it seeks to add muscle to its foreign policy and reverse underinvestment. Full Story
Demonstrators force far-right to halt launch of anti-Islam talksPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 12:19amA far-right group was forced to abandon a press conference launching a campaign against plans for a new mosque and Muslim immigration in the German city of Cologne yesterday, when protesters targeted them with stones and paint. Full Story
Moderate quake felt in Pakistan capital, no damagePosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 12:20amA moderate earthquake rattled Pakistan's capital and some northwestern towns Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, an official said. Full Story
Fresh clashes in Sri Lankan northPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 1:14amThere have been fresh clashes between Tamil rebels and government troops in northern Sri Lanka, as the military offensive there continue. The military also announced details of casualties from Thursday's fierce fighting, saying more than 60 Tamil Tigers were killed in multiple battles. Full Story
US intercepts drug-laden sub off Central AmericaPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 1:14amThe U.S. Coast Guard says it intercepted a submarine-like vessel carrying 7 tons of cocaine off Central America's coast. The Coast Guard says a U.S. Navy aircraft spotted the 60-foot vessel Wednesday about 400 miles south of the Mexico-Guatemala border. Full Story
Military kills 16 Al-Qaeda linked militants in Pakistan: officialPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:03amPakistani soldiers killed at least 16 Al-Qaeda linked militants in fierce gunbattles in a restive tribal area bordering Afghanistan, officials said Saturday. The fresh clashes erupted late Friday in the Bajaur tribal district where Pakistani troops launched a major offensive against Islamic militants last month. Full Story
Radical Hindu leader held for anti-Christian attacksPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:04amA radical Hindu leader has been arrested in southern India over a spate of attacks targeting Christian churches, officials said Saturday. Full Story
Malaysia to resort to nuclear energy by 2023: ministerPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:04amMalaysia will turn to nuclear energy to generate electricity by 2023 as supplies of fossil fuel eventually run out, a minister said according to Saturday news reports. Full Story
Officials say gunmen kill cleric in southern IraqPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 2:05amIraqi officials say gunmen have killed a cleric loyal to U.S. foe Muqtada al-Sadr in the southern city of Basra. Police say Sheik Oday Ali Abbas al-Ajrish was killed Friday evening near his home. Full Story
Arrested militants confess role in Delhi blastsPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 3:09amClaiming a major breakthrough in last week's serial blasts in the national capital, Delhi Police on Saturday said two of those arrested after Friday's encounter have confessed to their involvement in the terror act having planted explosives in two places. Full Story
Nigerian militants step up 'oil war' claiming sixth attackPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 4:02amNigeria's main armed militant group Saturday said it had destroyed a major pipeline run by Royal Dutch Shell in the sixth such attack in the past week as it vowed to paralyse the key oil sector. Full Story
Suicide attacker targeted army convoy in PakistanPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 4:03amA suicide bomber attacked an army convoy in Pakistan's militant-plagued northwest Saturday and casualties were feared, an army spokesman said. Pakistani media and two local intelligence officials reported up to 10 soldiers had died, but Maj. Murad Khan said he had no confirmation on exact casualty figures. The intelligence officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. Full Story
AP reporter detained, beaten by police in VietnamPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 5:33amAn Associated Press reporter in Vietnam has been detained and beaten by police while he covered a Catholic prayer vigil in the communist country. Full Story
Russia against new U.N. measures on IranPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 5:34amRussia is against the United Nations taking any extra measures on Iran over its nuclear program for now, and thinks efforts towards dialogue should continue, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. Full Story
Bomb outside Iraq's journalist union wounds bossPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 6:53amA bomb blast outside Iraq's national journalists' union in central Baghdad wounded the union's head and three others on Saturday, an eyewitness said. Full Story
Pakistan will not tolerate incursions - ZardariPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 6:54amPakistan will not tolerate infringement of its territory in the name of the fight against militancy while the biggest challenge facing the government is the economy, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday. Full Story
Spain: Car bomb explodes in Basque capitalPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 9:58pmThe Interior Ministry says a car bomb has exploded on the outskirts of the Basque capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, causing considerable damage but no injuries. Full Story
Police break up Bangladesh protest, 50 hurtPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:02pmAt least 50 people were injured on Saturday when Bangladeshi police used batons to disperse a protest by textile workers demanding to be paid early ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr festival, police and witnesses said. Full Story
Street clashes erupt in GermanyPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:03pmThousands of left-wing demonstrators gathered to protest against an extreme right-wing rally have clashed with police in the German city of Cologne. Full Story
Al Qaeda murders Mauritanian soldiersPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:06pmThe bodies of 12 soldiers who were abducted in the west African country of Mauritania have been found with their throats cut. Full Story
Spanish military plane leaves for SomaliaPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:07pmThe Spanish military aircraft which will patrol the waters off the coast of Somalia to protect ships from pirates left on Saturday from the Moron air base in Seville, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday. Full Story
Fire in China's Guangdong province kills 43Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:09pmA fire at a club in south China's Guangdong Province late on Saturday left at least 43 people dead and 51 injured, said state news agency Xinhua, citing local police. Full Story
Thousands march in Sweden against globalisationPosted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 11:26pmMore than 10,000 marched in the Swedish city of Malmoe on Saturday in a demonstration against the excesses of globalisation, organised as part of the European Social Forum being held there. Full Story
Putin defiant on Caucasus troopsPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:05amRussia will not consult Western nations or Georgia when deciding how many troops to post in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the decision was down to Russia and the "states" involved. Full Story
Bomb a warning to Pakistan: End U.S. alliancePosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:09amThe brazen truck-bombing of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad on Saturday is a warning from Islamic militants to Pakistan's new civilian leadership that it should end already-strained cooperation with the United States to pursue al-Qaida and the Taliban, analysts said. Full Story
Lashkar behind Delhi bombers: PolicePosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:11amDelhi Police claimed on Saturday that it had unravelled the entire plot behind the September 13 blasts, which were carried out by a team of 13, nine of whom are on the run. The claims came 24 hours after the shootout at Batla House, which resulted in the death of Indian Mujahideen (IM) mastermind Bashir alias Atiq. Full Story
Thousands in France, Germany, protest Afghan deploymentPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 2:22amThousands of people in France and Germany took to the streets calling for soldiers deployed in Afghanistan to be brought home, police and march organisers said. Full Story
Six injured in car bomb blast in Spain's Basque country: officialPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 2:23amSix people were injured Sunday in a car bomb blast suspected to be the work of the Basque separatist organisation ETA in Spain's northern Basque town of Ondarroa, officials said. Full Story
Toll in Pakistan hotel blast rises to 52: officialPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 2:28amSearchers combing through the burnt shell of the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital found more bodies the morning after a suicide bomb attack, bringing the death toll to 52, a senior government official said on Sunday. Full Story
Three more arrests over India bombsPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 3:12amIndian police on Sunday said they had arrested three more suspected militants over a series of bombings across the country that have left more than 140 people dead. The police said the three men belonged to the Indian Mujahideen, the group which has claimed responsibility for serial blasts in several cities including attacks in New Delhi on September 13. Full Story
Churches attacked in India amid religious tensionPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 4:01amSuspected Hindu radicals in India ransacked three churches near the city of Bangalore on Sunday despite a crackdown after anti-Christian attacks in the region, reports said. Full Story
South Africa's Mbeki quits after ANC withdraws supportPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 4:02amSouth African President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday accepted a demand from his own party to resign, effectively ending a nine-year rule marked by economic prosperity but marred by allegations of abuse of power. Full Story
Nigeria armed group declares ceasfire in 'oil war'Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 4:23amThe most prominent armed group in southern Nigeria, MEND, declared a ceasefire on Sunday following a week of attacks on oil industry targets after launching an "oil war". Full Story
Mauritania seeks support against terrorism threatPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 8:18amMauritania has asked for international support to confront what it called a serious threat of terrorism to West Africa following an attack in the north of the country claimed by al Qaeda. Full Story
One killed in suspected ETA car bombing outside Spanish barracksPosted on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 10:16pmOne person was killed Monday when a suspected ETA car bomb exploded outside a military academy in the town of Santona in Spain's northern Cantabria region, Spanish officials said. Full Story
Gunmen fire on Afghan diplomat's car in PakistanPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5:46amUnidentified gunmen fired on an Afghan diplomat's car, killing one person, in Peshawar on Monday, the police chief in the north-western Pakistani city told Reuters. Full Story
Pakistani troops fire on intruding U.S. choppersPosted on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5:52amPakistani troops fired on two U.S. helicopters that intruded into Pakistani airspace on Sunday night, forcing them to turn back to Afghanistan, a senior Pakistani security official said on Monday. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
HEIGHTENED TERROR THREAT IN THE USA
By Douglas J. Hagmann, Director
19 September 2008: On Wednesday, the Northeast Intelligence Network published an article stating that terror operations within the U.S. and Europe could be imminent. This threat evaluation is a product of several factors that have formed a pattern disturbingly similar to the conditions preceding the 2005 attacks in the UK. On 7 July 2005, a number of Muslim terrorists launched a significant attack on the London transit system.
Certain other elements of what we are seeing today have been noted to precede other attacks of notable significance, causing heightened concern among intelligence officials.
READ FULL ARTICLE - CLICK BELOW
Friday, September 19, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 09/19
Israeli FM Livni wins vote to succeed PM OlmertPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 5:21pmIsraeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won a Kadima party vote on Wednesday to replace Ehud Olmert, putting her on track to succeed the scandal-plagued prime minister as head of the government, exit polls showed. The polls from three different television stations showed her winning between 47 and 49 percent of the vote, with a lead of at least 10 points over her main opponent, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz, giving her a clear victory. Full Story
Osama doesn't head Qaida day-to-day ops: CIAPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 6:56amOsama bin Laden is no longer believed to be the head of al-Qaida's day-to-day operations, but the United States' capturing or killing him would still have a powerful effect on the organization, CIA director Michael Hayden said. Full Story
Treasury Designates Iranian Military FirmsPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:56amThe U.S Department of the Treasury today designated six Iranian military firms that are owned or controlled by entities previously designated for their roles in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and Defense Industries Organization (DIO). Full Story
Sri Lankan Navy sinks 10 rebel boats, killing 25Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:56amThe Sri Lankan military says naval forces have sunk 10 Tamil Tiger boats and killed at least 25 rebel sailors in a major sea battle off the country's northwest. Full Story
Two suspected suicide bombers killed in NW Pakistan: policePosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 9:49amTwo suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up in a northwestern Pakistani town Thursday after residents prevented their entry into the area, police said. The militants from Swat valley, a hotbed of Islamic extremists, entered into the nearby town of Upper Dir but people from the area chased them away, local police officer Johar Ali told AFP. "The militants entered into a school building but failed to get shelter," he said. Full Story
New Thai PM appeals for unity, protesters stay putPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 12:19pmThailand's new prime minister appealed for unity and reconciliation in his inaugural speech Thursday after weeks of political crisis, even as thousands of protesters refused to end their siege of the seat of government. Somchai Wongsawat, a 61-year-old former judge, is the brother-in-law of disgraced former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a point Thaksin's legions of opponents say should disqualify Somchai from holding the top office. Somchai has sought a conciliatory stance with the anti-government protesters who pressured his predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, to leave office. Full Story
Second Palestinian battalion begins U.S.-funded trainingPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 12:58pmAbout 500 members of a security force loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas crossed into Jordan on Thursday for U.S. funded training, the second such battalion to do so. Full Story
Karzai ally killed in battle with NATO troopsPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 2:17pmNATO-led troops killed an ally of President Hamid Karzai in southern Afghanistan during an overnight gunbattle, officials said Thursday. The Afghan president said the death resulted from a "misunderstanding between foreign and local forces." Ruzi Khan Barakzai, the former police chief of Uruzgan province and a tribal leader and militia commander, was killed outside the provincial capital of Tirin Kot, on Wednesday night. Full Story
Thirty injured in Kashmir attackPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 2:19pmAt least 30 people have been injured in a grenade attack in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, police say. The attack took place near a bunker of the security forces in the busy Budshah Chowk area of the city. It is still not clear who was behind the attack. Full Story
Markets stabilize as central banks pump in billionsPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 2:22pmNews that central banks around the world are pumping billions of dollars into money markets in a bid to ease the current financial turmoil appeared to calm stock markets across Europe and the United States Thursday. The package of up to $247 billion comes from the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Swiss National Bank, the Bank of England, the Bank of Canada and the Bank of Japan. The injection of cash, which amounts to an expansion of up to $180 billion in available funds, is an effort to fuel economic activity. Full Story
Europe to patrol Somalian waters for piratesPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 4:57pmFighting between militant groups and the Nigerian military in the oil-rich Niger Delta on Wednesday entered a fifth day in the region's worst violence in two years, raising fears of an escalation in the unrest that has plagued the area. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, the most prominent of the insurgent groups in the region, has claimed responsibility for the daily attacks since Saturday on oil facilities run by various multinational companies. Full Story
Hackers shut down Iranian clerics' Web sitesPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:07pmIranian media reports say hackers have shut down the Web sites of several hundred Shiite clerics and seminary schools. Iran's state TV says the hackers were Sunni Muslims based outside Shiite Iran, suggesting a sectarian motive, though it did not say how it knew that. Full Story
19 killed in Mexican prison riotPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:47pmNineteen inmates have been killed and a dozen wounded during a riot in a Mexican prison, the second at the jail in less than a week. A local police official says the authorities have now regained control of the prison in the city of Tijuana. Full Story
Asian markets rally as US examines bank bailout planPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 5:44amAsian stocks rallied Friday on the back of a rebound on Wall Street, as the US government and the world's central banks took action to keep the global financial crisis from deepening. The Shanghai market soared by nearly 9.5 percent in morning trade after China abolished a tax on stock transactions, hoping to reverse a slide on the bourse that threatened to affect millions of middle-class Chinese. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei-225 index, which had slipped a day before to a more than three-year low, recovered by 3.30 percent in the morning session. Hong Kong shares jumped more than six percent. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Osama doesn't head Qaida day-to-day ops: CIAPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 6:56amOsama bin Laden is no longer believed to be the head of al-Qaida's day-to-day operations, but the United States' capturing or killing him would still have a powerful effect on the organization, CIA director Michael Hayden said. Full Story
Treasury Designates Iranian Military FirmsPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:56amThe U.S Department of the Treasury today designated six Iranian military firms that are owned or controlled by entities previously designated for their roles in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and Defense Industries Organization (DIO). Full Story
Sri Lankan Navy sinks 10 rebel boats, killing 25Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 7:56amThe Sri Lankan military says naval forces have sunk 10 Tamil Tiger boats and killed at least 25 rebel sailors in a major sea battle off the country's northwest. Full Story
Two suspected suicide bombers killed in NW Pakistan: policePosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 9:49amTwo suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up in a northwestern Pakistani town Thursday after residents prevented their entry into the area, police said. The militants from Swat valley, a hotbed of Islamic extremists, entered into the nearby town of Upper Dir but people from the area chased them away, local police officer Johar Ali told AFP. "The militants entered into a school building but failed to get shelter," he said. Full Story
New Thai PM appeals for unity, protesters stay putPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 12:19pmThailand's new prime minister appealed for unity and reconciliation in his inaugural speech Thursday after weeks of political crisis, even as thousands of protesters refused to end their siege of the seat of government. Somchai Wongsawat, a 61-year-old former judge, is the brother-in-law of disgraced former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a point Thaksin's legions of opponents say should disqualify Somchai from holding the top office. Somchai has sought a conciliatory stance with the anti-government protesters who pressured his predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, to leave office. Full Story
Second Palestinian battalion begins U.S.-funded trainingPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 12:58pmAbout 500 members of a security force loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas crossed into Jordan on Thursday for U.S. funded training, the second such battalion to do so. Full Story
Karzai ally killed in battle with NATO troopsPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 2:17pmNATO-led troops killed an ally of President Hamid Karzai in southern Afghanistan during an overnight gunbattle, officials said Thursday. The Afghan president said the death resulted from a "misunderstanding between foreign and local forces." Ruzi Khan Barakzai, the former police chief of Uruzgan province and a tribal leader and militia commander, was killed outside the provincial capital of Tirin Kot, on Wednesday night. Full Story
Thirty injured in Kashmir attackPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 2:19pmAt least 30 people have been injured in a grenade attack in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, police say. The attack took place near a bunker of the security forces in the busy Budshah Chowk area of the city. It is still not clear who was behind the attack. Full Story
Markets stabilize as central banks pump in billionsPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 2:22pmNews that central banks around the world are pumping billions of dollars into money markets in a bid to ease the current financial turmoil appeared to calm stock markets across Europe and the United States Thursday. The package of up to $247 billion comes from the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Swiss National Bank, the Bank of England, the Bank of Canada and the Bank of Japan. The injection of cash, which amounts to an expansion of up to $180 billion in available funds, is an effort to fuel economic activity. Full Story
Europe to patrol Somalian waters for piratesPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 4:57pmFighting between militant groups and the Nigerian military in the oil-rich Niger Delta on Wednesday entered a fifth day in the region's worst violence in two years, raising fears of an escalation in the unrest that has plagued the area. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, the most prominent of the insurgent groups in the region, has claimed responsibility for the daily attacks since Saturday on oil facilities run by various multinational companies. Full Story
Hackers shut down Iranian clerics' Web sitesPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:07pmIranian media reports say hackers have shut down the Web sites of several hundred Shiite clerics and seminary schools. Iran's state TV says the hackers were Sunni Muslims based outside Shiite Iran, suggesting a sectarian motive, though it did not say how it knew that. Full Story
19 killed in Mexican prison riotPosted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:47pmNineteen inmates have been killed and a dozen wounded during a riot in a Mexican prison, the second at the jail in less than a week. A local police official says the authorities have now regained control of the prison in the city of Tijuana. Full Story
Asian markets rally as US examines bank bailout planPosted on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 5:44amAsian stocks rallied Friday on the back of a rebound on Wall Street, as the US government and the world's central banks took action to keep the global financial crisis from deepening. The Shanghai market soared by nearly 9.5 percent in morning trade after China abolished a tax on stock transactions, hoping to reverse a slide on the bourse that threatened to affect millions of middle-class Chinese. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei-225 index, which had slipped a day before to a more than three-year low, recovered by 3.30 percent in the morning session. Hong Kong shares jumped more than six percent. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
CONFLICT & TERROR 09/17
Odierno takes over as U.S. commander in IraqPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 6:09amGeneral Ray Odierno took command of U.S.-led forces in Iraq on Tuesday, faced with the challenge of ensuring security gains do not unravel at a time when American troop levels are being reduced. Full Story
4 dead as Hamas, clan battle in Gaza CityPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:22amHamas police waged a fierce gunbattle against members of a heavily armed Palestinian clan in a crowded neighborhood Tuesday, leaving three clan members and one policeman dead, officials said Tuesday. Full Story
Lebanese leaders hold unity talksPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:35amPolitical leaders in Lebanon are holding a "national dialogue" in which the arsenal of Hezbollah, the Shia opposition group, and a national defence strategy will be discussed after months of dissent. Full Story
Petraeus hands over Iraq commandPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:36amGeneral David Petraeus, the outgoing US military commander in Iraq credited for improving security there, has passed control to Lt Gen Raymond Odierno. Full Story
US soldiers battling hard in Iraqi cityPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:37amThe sign was ominous, the humor dark. Iraqis who live in the neighborhood had suddenly vanished, often an indication that an attack is imminent. Full Story
Iran gives full powers to hard-line Guards in GulfPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:38amThe official IRNA news agency says Iran's top leadership has given full powers to the elite Revolutionary Guards as the sole military force in charge of defending the country's territorial Persian Gulf waters. Full Story
Egypt hunts cell planning to kidnap Israelis in SinaiPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:40amHezbollah and Palestinian terrorists are planning an imminent joint operation to kidnap Israelis vacationing in the Sinai Peninsula and transfer them to the Gaza Strip, where they will be held until Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are released, security officials warned yesterday. Full Story
Iraq's Nouri Maliki breaking free of U.S.Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:42amOnce dependent on American support to keep his job, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has consolidated power and is asserting his independence, sharply reducing Washington's influence over the future of Iraq. Full Story
Nuclear agency says Iran has improved enrichmentPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:43amIran has substantially improved the efficiency of its centrifuges that produce enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday, indicating that the nation has overcome some of the technical challenges that had plagued its enrichment program. Full Story
Iran gives full powers to hard-line guards in GulfPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:08pmIran announced Tuesday that it has put the elite Revolutionary Guards in charge of defending the country's territorial Persian Gulf waters in what appeared to be a hardening of its stance in the vital oil route. Full Story
Bolivia: Governor Accused of GenocidePosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 3:16pmWith South American leaders convened in Chile to discuss Bolivias political turmoil, Attorney General Mario Uribe of Bolivia said Monday that he would file charges of genocide against the governor of Pando Province, where as many as 30 people were killed last week. The move came after President Evo Morales accused the governor, Leopoldo Fernandez, of hiring foreign gunmen to kill peasants. Full Story
Spain's Supreme Court bans Basque partyPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 3:33pmSpain's Supreme Court has banned a party in the country's Basque region because of its links to armed separatists ETA, the court's head said on Tuesday. Hours later, bomb disposal experts in the Basque town of Basauri defused a limpet mine attached to a car belonging to a policeman -- an attempted attack the regional government blamed on ETA. Full Story
Cuba accepts political dialogue with EUPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 3:33pmCuba, in a letter sent earlier this month, conditionally accepted the resumption of formal political dialogue with the European Union, as offered by the European bloc when it lifted diplomatic sanctions against the island two months ago.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry said it "accepts your proposal ... once the foundations and bases are established by joint agreement," in a letter sent in early September to EU headquarters in Brussels and the French embassy in Havana. Full Story
Barclays announces 1.75 bln dlr deal to buy Lehman partsPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:26pmBarclays said Wednesday it had reached a deal to acquire the North American investment banking and capital markets businesses of beleaguered US investment giant Lehman Brothers for 1.75 billion dollars. Full Story
Bolivia's Morales arrests rival, sees pact imminentPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:27pmBolivian troops on Tuesday arrested the opposition governor of a restive northern province blamed for a rash of killings, but President Evo Morales said he still hoped to agree shortly to formal talks with rivals. Full Story
China paper urges new currency order after "financial tsunami"Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:33pmThreatened by a "financial tsunami," the world must consider building a financial order no longer dependent on the United States, a leading Chinese state newspaper said on Wednesday. Full Story
France wants Europe to lift Afghan troop restrictionsPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 12:59amFrance on Wednesday asked its European allies to relax restrictions on troop deployment and operations in Afghanistan just a month after losing 10 soldiers in a Taliban ambush. Full Story
Christian factions clash in north Lebanon, 2 deadPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:00amTwo people were killed and three were wounded in a clash between supporters of rival Christian factions in north Lebanon overnight, security sources said on Wednesday.
The violence, the latest in a series of deadly clashes in several areas of Lebanon in recent days, came hours after rival Lebanese leaders held a first session of talks aimed at discussing divisive issues and easing sectarian and political tensions. Full Story
Three die in China baby powder scandal, thousands sickPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:01amChina said on Wednesday a third infant had died from drinking milk contaminated with toxic melamine and 6,244 infants were sick as four officials were sacked amid a widening scandal. Full Story
Feds $85 Billion Loan Rescues InsurerPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:03amFearing a financial crisis worldwide, the Federal Reserve reversed course on Tuesday and agreed to an $85 billion bailout that would give the government control of the troubled insurance giant American International Group. Full Story
U.S. captures $187 million drug haul in submarinePosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:05amThe U.S. coast guard captured a submarine-like vessel equipped with sophisticated navigation equipment and stuffed with seven tonnes of cocaine, Costa Rican authorities said on Tuesday. Full Story
Shell flow station destroyed in Nigeria: militant groupPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:06amThe most prominent armed group in southern Nigeria said early Wednesday it has destroyed the Orubiri flow station operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Rivers state. Full Story
Jazeera airs video of kidnapped Canadian, AustralianPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:06amAl Jazeera television on Tuesday aired a video showing a Canadian and an Australian journalist kidnapped in Somalia last month, and said the pair were appealing to their governments to work for their release. Full Story
7th Australian found guilty of terrorism chargesPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:07amA jury convicted a seventh man Tuesday of being a member of an Australian terrorist cell that prosecutors said plotted to attack major sporting events in a bid to kill thousands of people. Full Story
Indian anti-terror strategy faces special challengesPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:19amA spate of bombings in India has fuelled calls for stronger counter-terrorist measures, but duplicating US or British-style strategies is a tough task for such a vast, socially complex country. The series of coordinated blasts that ripped through crowded markets in New Delhi on Saturday, killing 22 people, were the fourth in a major Indian city in as many months. Full Story
US Embassy in Yemen hit by car bombPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 3:40amA U.S. spokesman says the American Embassy in Yemen was hit by a car bomb and that there were unspecified casualties. U.S. Embassy spokesman Ryan Gliha tells The Associated Press by telephone that there was a second explosion Wednesday that followed the initial one. He did not have figures for casualties or know their nationalities. Full Story
Malaysia PM says he might resign before 2010Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 3:41amMalaysia's prime minister, facing a resurgent opposition and rebellious colleagues in the ruling party, said Wednesday he may hand over power to his deputy before the 2010 deadline he set earlier. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc
ALSO
Terrorism Fear Could Create Psychosomatic Epidemic, Feds Warn
By Ryan Singel September 15, 2008
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/terrorism-fear.html
Americans' fear of a terrorism could create a mass outbreak of a psychosomatic illness -- even in the absence of any real attack -- -- creating a fake epidemic that could overwhelm hospitals attempting to treat real victims.
Adding to the confusion, the symptoms of a mass pyschogenic illness look much like symptoms of an anthrax attack, avian flu outbreak or chemical attack.
At least that's what the feds warned hospitals in a nonpublic 2006 communique recently published by the government sunshine site Wikileaks.
Call it a contagious psychosomatic illness -- though the feds preferred to label the phenomenon "psychogenic illness," defining that as:
A phenomenon in which social trauma or anxiety combines with a suspicious event to produce psychosomatic symptoms, such as nausea, difficulty breathing, and paralysis.
If many individuals come to believe that the psychosomatic outbreak is connected to the cause of the trauma or anxiety, these symptoms can spread rapidly throughout a population.
In fact, the feds suggest (.pdf) that there's already been a totally terrorism-fear-created illness in California where no one was actually sick from an attack.
In that case, a man walked into a California bank in October 2003, sprayed an aerosol can into the air and then left. Employees and customers became ill, though investigators found there were no biological or chemical agents in the air.
(Note proof of this incident is attributed to a November 2003 FBI report that is also considered too sensitive for the public's eyes.)
A similar fear-based illness began in Chechnya -- when 13 kids fell ill with headaches, fevers and numbness, according to the report. Many believed that the kids had been poisoned by a Russian chemical attack and the symptoms quickly spread.
Some 87 people, mostly kids, were hospitalized, though there was no evidence of any chemical attack. Officials attributed the illness to anxiety over Russian military activities in the area.
And perhaps most seriously, after the deadly sarin gas attacks in Tokyo in 1995, some 5,000 people went the hospital -- claiming to have symptoms, despite the attack's rather small radius. Twelve people were killed by the gas and 54 others sustained serious injuries.
The analysis recommended that the government and health system educate people about chemical and biological attacks so they can recognize real symptoms, as well as quickly isolating both real and psychosomatic victims in the case of an attack or perceived attack.
The July 5, 2006, analysis entitled Fear of Terrorist Attack Could Trigger Mass Psychogenic Illness (.pdf) from the the Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center is not classified.
Instead it is labeled For Official Use Only (FOUO) -- a designation that allows the data to be shared with people without clearances, but away from the public eye. Such material is usually not available through government sunshine requests.
4 dead as Hamas, clan battle in Gaza CityPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:22amHamas police waged a fierce gunbattle against members of a heavily armed Palestinian clan in a crowded neighborhood Tuesday, leaving three clan members and one policeman dead, officials said Tuesday. Full Story
Lebanese leaders hold unity talksPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:35amPolitical leaders in Lebanon are holding a "national dialogue" in which the arsenal of Hezbollah, the Shia opposition group, and a national defence strategy will be discussed after months of dissent. Full Story
Petraeus hands over Iraq commandPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:36amGeneral David Petraeus, the outgoing US military commander in Iraq credited for improving security there, has passed control to Lt Gen Raymond Odierno. Full Story
US soldiers battling hard in Iraqi cityPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:37amThe sign was ominous, the humor dark. Iraqis who live in the neighborhood had suddenly vanished, often an indication that an attack is imminent. Full Story
Iran gives full powers to hard-line Guards in GulfPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:38amThe official IRNA news agency says Iran's top leadership has given full powers to the elite Revolutionary Guards as the sole military force in charge of defending the country's territorial Persian Gulf waters. Full Story
Egypt hunts cell planning to kidnap Israelis in SinaiPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:40amHezbollah and Palestinian terrorists are planning an imminent joint operation to kidnap Israelis vacationing in the Sinai Peninsula and transfer them to the Gaza Strip, where they will be held until Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are released, security officials warned yesterday. Full Story
Iraq's Nouri Maliki breaking free of U.S.Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:42amOnce dependent on American support to keep his job, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has consolidated power and is asserting his independence, sharply reducing Washington's influence over the future of Iraq. Full Story
Nuclear agency says Iran has improved enrichmentPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:43amIran has substantially improved the efficiency of its centrifuges that produce enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday, indicating that the nation has overcome some of the technical challenges that had plagued its enrichment program. Full Story
Iran gives full powers to hard-line guards in GulfPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:08pmIran announced Tuesday that it has put the elite Revolutionary Guards in charge of defending the country's territorial Persian Gulf waters in what appeared to be a hardening of its stance in the vital oil route. Full Story
Bolivia: Governor Accused of GenocidePosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 3:16pmWith South American leaders convened in Chile to discuss Bolivias political turmoil, Attorney General Mario Uribe of Bolivia said Monday that he would file charges of genocide against the governor of Pando Province, where as many as 30 people were killed last week. The move came after President Evo Morales accused the governor, Leopoldo Fernandez, of hiring foreign gunmen to kill peasants. Full Story
Spain's Supreme Court bans Basque partyPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 3:33pmSpain's Supreme Court has banned a party in the country's Basque region because of its links to armed separatists ETA, the court's head said on Tuesday. Hours later, bomb disposal experts in the Basque town of Basauri defused a limpet mine attached to a car belonging to a policeman -- an attempted attack the regional government blamed on ETA. Full Story
Cuba accepts political dialogue with EUPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 3:33pmCuba, in a letter sent earlier this month, conditionally accepted the resumption of formal political dialogue with the European Union, as offered by the European bloc when it lifted diplomatic sanctions against the island two months ago.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry said it "accepts your proposal ... once the foundations and bases are established by joint agreement," in a letter sent in early September to EU headquarters in Brussels and the French embassy in Havana. Full Story
Barclays announces 1.75 bln dlr deal to buy Lehman partsPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:26pmBarclays said Wednesday it had reached a deal to acquire the North American investment banking and capital markets businesses of beleaguered US investment giant Lehman Brothers for 1.75 billion dollars. Full Story
Bolivia's Morales arrests rival, sees pact imminentPosted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:27pmBolivian troops on Tuesday arrested the opposition governor of a restive northern province blamed for a rash of killings, but President Evo Morales said he still hoped to agree shortly to formal talks with rivals. Full Story
China paper urges new currency order after "financial tsunami"Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:33pmThreatened by a "financial tsunami," the world must consider building a financial order no longer dependent on the United States, a leading Chinese state newspaper said on Wednesday. Full Story
France wants Europe to lift Afghan troop restrictionsPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 12:59amFrance on Wednesday asked its European allies to relax restrictions on troop deployment and operations in Afghanistan just a month after losing 10 soldiers in a Taliban ambush. Full Story
Christian factions clash in north Lebanon, 2 deadPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:00amTwo people were killed and three were wounded in a clash between supporters of rival Christian factions in north Lebanon overnight, security sources said on Wednesday.
The violence, the latest in a series of deadly clashes in several areas of Lebanon in recent days, came hours after rival Lebanese leaders held a first session of talks aimed at discussing divisive issues and easing sectarian and political tensions. Full Story
Three die in China baby powder scandal, thousands sickPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:01amChina said on Wednesday a third infant had died from drinking milk contaminated with toxic melamine and 6,244 infants were sick as four officials were sacked amid a widening scandal. Full Story
Feds $85 Billion Loan Rescues InsurerPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:03amFearing a financial crisis worldwide, the Federal Reserve reversed course on Tuesday and agreed to an $85 billion bailout that would give the government control of the troubled insurance giant American International Group. Full Story
U.S. captures $187 million drug haul in submarinePosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:05amThe U.S. coast guard captured a submarine-like vessel equipped with sophisticated navigation equipment and stuffed with seven tonnes of cocaine, Costa Rican authorities said on Tuesday. Full Story
Shell flow station destroyed in Nigeria: militant groupPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:06amThe most prominent armed group in southern Nigeria said early Wednesday it has destroyed the Orubiri flow station operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Rivers state. Full Story
Jazeera airs video of kidnapped Canadian, AustralianPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:06amAl Jazeera television on Tuesday aired a video showing a Canadian and an Australian journalist kidnapped in Somalia last month, and said the pair were appealing to their governments to work for their release. Full Story
7th Australian found guilty of terrorism chargesPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:07amA jury convicted a seventh man Tuesday of being a member of an Australian terrorist cell that prosecutors said plotted to attack major sporting events in a bid to kill thousands of people. Full Story
Indian anti-terror strategy faces special challengesPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 1:19amA spate of bombings in India has fuelled calls for stronger counter-terrorist measures, but duplicating US or British-style strategies is a tough task for such a vast, socially complex country. The series of coordinated blasts that ripped through crowded markets in New Delhi on Saturday, killing 22 people, were the fourth in a major Indian city in as many months. Full Story
US Embassy in Yemen hit by car bombPosted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 3:40amA U.S. spokesman says the American Embassy in Yemen was hit by a car bomb and that there were unspecified casualties. U.S. Embassy spokesman Ryan Gliha tells The Associated Press by telephone that there was a second explosion Wednesday that followed the initial one. He did not have figures for casualties or know their nationalities. Full Story
Malaysia PM says he might resign before 2010Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 3:41amMalaysia's prime minister, facing a resurgent opposition and rebellious colleagues in the ruling party, said Wednesday he may hand over power to his deputy before the 2010 deadline he set earlier. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc
ALSO
Terrorism Fear Could Create Psychosomatic Epidemic, Feds Warn
By Ryan Singel September 15, 2008
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/terrorism-fear.html
Americans' fear of a terrorism could create a mass outbreak of a psychosomatic illness -- even in the absence of any real attack -- -- creating a fake epidemic that could overwhelm hospitals attempting to treat real victims.
Adding to the confusion, the symptoms of a mass pyschogenic illness look much like symptoms of an anthrax attack, avian flu outbreak or chemical attack.
At least that's what the feds warned hospitals in a nonpublic 2006 communique recently published by the government sunshine site Wikileaks.
Call it a contagious psychosomatic illness -- though the feds preferred to label the phenomenon "psychogenic illness," defining that as:
A phenomenon in which social trauma or anxiety combines with a suspicious event to produce psychosomatic symptoms, such as nausea, difficulty breathing, and paralysis.
If many individuals come to believe that the psychosomatic outbreak is connected to the cause of the trauma or anxiety, these symptoms can spread rapidly throughout a population.
In fact, the feds suggest (.pdf) that there's already been a totally terrorism-fear-created illness in California where no one was actually sick from an attack.
In that case, a man walked into a California bank in October 2003, sprayed an aerosol can into the air and then left. Employees and customers became ill, though investigators found there were no biological or chemical agents in the air.
(Note proof of this incident is attributed to a November 2003 FBI report that is also considered too sensitive for the public's eyes.)
A similar fear-based illness began in Chechnya -- when 13 kids fell ill with headaches, fevers and numbness, according to the report. Many believed that the kids had been poisoned by a Russian chemical attack and the symptoms quickly spread.
Some 87 people, mostly kids, were hospitalized, though there was no evidence of any chemical attack. Officials attributed the illness to anxiety over Russian military activities in the area.
And perhaps most seriously, after the deadly sarin gas attacks in Tokyo in 1995, some 5,000 people went the hospital -- claiming to have symptoms, despite the attack's rather small radius. Twelve people were killed by the gas and 54 others sustained serious injuries.
The analysis recommended that the government and health system educate people about chemical and biological attacks so they can recognize real symptoms, as well as quickly isolating both real and psychosomatic victims in the case of an attack or perceived attack.
The July 5, 2006, analysis entitled Fear of Terrorist Attack Could Trigger Mass Psychogenic Illness (.pdf) from the the Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center is not classified.
Instead it is labeled For Official Use Only (FOUO) -- a designation that allows the data to be shared with people without clearances, but away from the public eye. Such material is usually not available through government sunshine requests.
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