Secret FBI Report
March 10, 2005 --
Secret FBI Report Questions Al Qaeda Capabilities
No 'true' al Qaeda sleeper agents have been found in U.S. (ABCNEWS)
Iran 'Given Pakistan Centrifuges'
Pakistan has confirmed that the former head of its nuclear weapons programme, AQ Khan, gave centrifuges for enriching uranium to Iran. (BBC)
U.S. Consulate In Saudi Warns of "Elevated Threat Level"
The US consulate in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah has warned its citizens of an increased threat of attack around a housing compound for expatriates, in a statement posted on its website. (AFP)
Wife Says Chechen Leader Killed During Negotiations
The wife of Aslan Maskhadov, the Chechen leader who was killed Tuesday, claimed Russian authorities killed him during a negotiation meeting and in the presence of a mediator from one of Russia's neighboring countries, the Saudi al Watan newspaper reported today. She also claimed Maskhadov was killed on March 6 and on the 8th as the Russian authorities said. (Al Watan)
Chechens Bypass Basayev For Unidentified New Leader
Chechen separatists quickly appoint successor to the killed leader Aslan Maskhadov. (The Guardian)
9/11 Lawyer Bolsters Hamburg Defendant's Alibi
The U.S. commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks found no direct evidence that the Hamburg-based radicals who hijacked the four airliners shared details of the plot with a Moroccan man on trial here, a lawyer for the commission testified Wednesday. (Washington Post)
Blair Rejects Terror Law 'Sunset'
PM restates opposition to inclusion of a 'sunset clause' in the anti-terrorism bill, saying it would send out a 'signal of weakness'. (The Guardian)
New Interrogation Rules Set for Detainees in Iraq
A new report finds that warning signs of serious abuses in Iraq and Afghanistan did not receive enough high-level attention. (NY Times)
Suicide Bomber Kills 30 in Iraq Mosque
At least 30 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Shiite mosque in the northern city of Mosul, officials said. (AP)
Baghdad Police Officers Shot Dead
Gunmen have shot dead the chief of a central Baghdad police station and at least two other Iraqi policemen during an ambush. (BBC)
Shiites, Kurds Reach Deal for Iraq Gov't
Iraq's main Shiite party and a Kurdish bloc have reached a deal that sets the stage for a new government to be formed when the National Assembly convenes next week, officials from both sides said Thursday. (AP)
Probe: Leaders Didn't Order Prison Abuse
Investigation says top commanders pressured interrogators but not to blame for abuses. (AP)
U.S. Addresses Iraqis' Losses With Payments
The monetary handouts for deaths, injuries or damage are goodwill gestures and do not signify culpability, military officials say. (LA Times)
Our New Guernica
A year ago, Madrid was bombed. Can it now point the way beyond terror? (The Guardian)
A Defense That's Offensively Weak
Can't the president find a little time to remake our security to protect this generation? (NY Times)
The Next Crusades
Many years ago, I read a book called "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene. Its central character is a high-minded, naive young American operative in Vietnam. He has no idea about the complexities of the country but is determined to right its wrongs and create order. The results are disastrous. (Arab News)
Honest
Are we witnessing a real birth of democracy in the Middle East, or is it just a false pregnancy? (Al Hayat)
