The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report
Dec. 10 -- — Members of the Iraqi Governing Council voted unanimously today to expel the Mujahideen Khalq, an Iranian opposition group which for years fought Iranian Islamist rulers with backing from Saddam Hussein. It is labeled a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union. While there is no clear indication of how this expulsion will be enforced, questions arise as to what this might mean for the United States. Earlier this week, the Arab press reported that Jordan's King Abdullah is mediating talks between the U.S. and Iran with particular regard to the issue of al Qaeda detainees — if the Iranian goverment can get custody of terrorists from the Mujahideen Khalq, can the U.S. then get the al Qaeda suspects currently suspected of being held in Iran?
Plus, a new arrest related to suspected 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui — a Minneapolis paper reports that a man detained in Minneapolis today claims to have knowledge about activities in which Moussaoui was involved, including details of Moussaoui at an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan several years ago.
THE WAR IN IRAQ
Iraq's Interim Leaders Decide to Expel Iranian People's MujahedeenIraq's interim Governing Council decided unanimously to expel the several thousand members of the People's Mujahedeen, branding the Iranian opposition force a "terrorist organization." (AFP)
Al Qaeda Detainees in Iran The decision by the Iraqi Governing Council to expel the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen Khalq comes in response to Iran's desires and may facilitate a deal between the U.S. and Iran for the handover of al Qaeda suspects detained in Iran, comments Asharq Al Awsat. Earlier this week, there were reports that Jordan's King Abdullah is mediating talks between the two countries, especially regarding the issue of the detainees. (Asharq Al Awsat, ABCNEWS)
U.S. Bars Iraq War Opponents From Bidding The Pentagon has formally barred companies from countries opposed to the Iraq war from bidding on $18.6 billion worth of reconstruction contracts. (AP)
Iraqi Council OKs War Crimes TribunalIraqi Council votes to create tribunal to prosecute Saddam's regime for crimes against humanity. (AP)
The Privatization of War Private corporations have penetrated western warfare so deeply that they are now the second biggest contributor to coalition forces in Iraq after the Pentagon, a Guardian investigation has established. (The Guardian)
High Payments to Halliburton for Fuel in IraqThe United States government is paying the Halliburton Company an average of $2.64 a gallon to import gasoline and other fuel to Iraq from Kuwait, more than twice what others are paying to truck in Kuwaiti fuel, government documents show. (NY Times)
Lockheed Martin Gets 4.6-Billion-Dollar Missile Defense Contract Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract potentially worth 4.6 billion dollars to develop targets and countermeasures for the Pentagon's missile defense program, the Defense Department announced. (AFP)
Suicide Attacks A suicide car bomb explosion in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul wounds 58 U.S. troops as another suicide bomber blows himself up outside a U.S. Army compound north of Baghdad. And in the Iraqi capital, a missile strike on a mosque kills three civilians. (Reuters)
U.S. Plans Massive Rotation of Troops The meticulously organized transfer in Iraq and elsewhere may increase vulnerability. (LA Times)
Egyptian Fundamentalist Who Planned to Go to Iraq Arrested During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan Egyptian authorities uncovered a group called "Al Jihad Group for the Victory of Muslims Inside and Outside" and arrested 25 of its members. Informed Egyptian sources tell Asharq Al Awsat that around 20 more members were arrested in the past few days, most of whom were planning to go to Iraq to fight the occupation forces. (Asharq Al Awsat)
