U.S. 'Entering a New Phase' in War on Terror

April 28, 2005 --

The U.S. 'Entering A New Phase' in the War on Terror

The last year has seen an increase in terrorist attacks worldwide, according to a new joint report issued by the State Department and the National Counterterrorism Center. The year 2004 recorded 651 attacks, compared to 175 in 2003. Most of the attacks are attributed to recent violence in Iraq and an increase of violence in the disputed region of Kashmir. Taking Iraq and Kashmir out of the equation dramatically reduces the numbers, while still marking a general increase compared to previous years.

Focusing specifically on Al Qaeda, the report goes on to say that the U.S. has entered "a new phase in the war on terrorism, one in which local groups inspired by al Qaeda organize and carry out attacks with little or no support or direction from al Qaeda itself." Although al Qaeda has been weakened operationally, the organization has "adapted by spreading its ideology to local groups throughout the world." In some cases, "the existence of new groups only became evident following an attack." Because of this trend, "an increasing percentage of jihadist attacks are more local, less sophisticated, but still lethal." As a result, most of the attacks took place in the Middle East and Asia. The number of attacks in the Western hemisphere was insignificant (nine). Further, attacks on U.S. interests around the world accounted for only 10 percent of terrorist attacks in 2004. Interestingly, the report praises Sudan and Libya for helping in the war on terrorism. The government of Sudan has often been accused of terrorizing its own people. At the same time however it has taken some steps towards cracking down on international organizations. Among other things, Sudan shut down the Hamas office in Khartoum and cracked down on a charity tied to Osama bin Laden. (ABCNEWS)

Bush Administration Switches Gears, Releases Terror Report
Under pressure from Congress, the Bush administration reversed gears Wednesday and released a report showing an upsurge in terrorist attacks worldwide in 2004 after first withholding the statistics from the public. (Knight Ridder Newspapers)

State Department Country Reports on Terrorism 2004
(State Department)

Audit Finds Logjam in Efforts to Spy on Terror Suspects
A Senate review has identified persistent problems in the government's ability to quickly obtain and use secret intelligence warrants that are considered crucial to tracking terrorism suspects, a senior Republican lawmaker said Wednesday. (NY Times)

Experts: Islamist Terror Cells in Europe May Now Pose Biggest Threat to U.S Security
Experts testifying before a congressional committee say the threat of terrorism may be greatest at present from Islamist terror cells in European countries. (VOA)

U.S. Says Groups Aid al Qaeda Terrorists
U.S. says freelance terror groups are growing menace as they step in to help degraded al Qaeda. (AP)

Panel Finds Flaws in Plan for Weapon
The Bush administration's plan to develop a nuclear weapon that could penetrate the earth and destroy underground enemy bunkers while minimizing civilian casualties is flawed, the National Research Council concluded in a report made public yesterday. (NY Times)

D.C. Alert Triggered By Clouds
Security personnel evacuated President Bush to the White House nuclear underground bunker as a precaution. (Washington Post)

Weapons, Explosives Sent From Iraq For Terrorist Attacks

The head of Jordan's customs department said the authorities found weapons and explosives which were being smuggled from Iraq to carry out terrorist attacks in the country, reports Asharq al Awsat. He did not specify the type of weapons found but insisted the authorities are keeping an eye on the borders top stop weapons from being smuggled from or into Iraq. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Syrian Intelligence Still in Lebanon

Significant number of operatives remain, say U.S. and U.N. officials. (Washington Post)

Police Arrest Pilot at Centre of Terror Alert

A student pilot who prompted a terror alert in the US has been arrested in the UK, Scotland Yard confirmed today. (The Scotsman)

London Granny Blew My Cover, Says French Spy
A former French spy has revealed how he gave British intelligence the slip to shadow Islamists in London but eventually had his cover blown by a nosey grandmother. (The Telegraph)

Iran to Resume Nuke Program if Talks Fail

Iran will resume its uranium enrichment program if talks with European nations this week fail, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Thursday. (AP)

Iran Steps Up Pressure on EU Over N-Talks
Iran is ratcheting up the pressure on EU giants France, Britain and Germany to accept its plan to join the world's nuclear club, European diplomats said yesterday. Sharing Washington's suspicions that Iran is trying to develop the capability to produce atomic weapons, the European Union has demanded that Iran give up its nuclear fuel program in exchange for economic and political incentives. (Arab News)

Al Qaeda Suspect Had Saudi Diplomatic Passport

A Swiss-based businessman accused by the US Treasury of providing financial help to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda carried a Saudi diplomatic passport, according to copies of documents contained in a book published on Thursday in Paris. (Financial Times)

Militiamen Seize Six Journalists

Human rights group says it is working to secure release of six journalists held by militia fighters in Congo. (AP)

Briton is Found Guilty in N.J. Missile-Sale Sting

A former British clothing merchant was convicted yesterday of trying to sell shoulder-launched missiles to what he believed was a group planning to shoot down airliners. (AP)

Sentencing of Algerian Terrorist Delayed
The sentencing of an Algerian who plotted to blow up part of the Los Angeles airport on the eve of the millennium was postponed Wednesday by a federal judge to give the defendant more time to help the government in its terrorism investigations. (AP)

Panel Questions Patriot Act Uses
Members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence are pushing the nation's top law enforcement and intelligence officials to share more information on the use and effectiveness of the most controversial provisions of the USA Patriot Act. (Washington Post)

Video of Insurgents' Training in Iraq

A video showing training of insurgents in Iraq was posted on the Internet Thursday. The two-minute tape shows a small group of men running and training with weapons and the firing of a rockets. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit)

Iraq's Parliament OKs a Partial Cabinet
After months of wrangling, Iraq's interim parliament approves a partial cabinet. (AP)

In New Manual, Army Limits Tactics in Interrogation
The revised guidelines will specifically prohibit practices like stripping prisoners, imposing dietary restrictions and using dogs. (NY Times)

Blair's Lawyer Had Doubts About Iraq War
British Prime Minister Tony Blair's lawyer expressed doubts about whether war in Iraq was legal just 10 days before he gave a green light for invasion, according to documents cited by British television yesterday. (Reuters)

Full Text: Iraq Legal Advice (The Guardian)

Abu Ghraib Prisoner Talks About Abuse
An Iraqi who was a prisoner at the Abu Ghraib prison talked to Elaph about the abuses that took place there. Ali Al Shallal accused an Egyptian translator called Ali Nahla Abu Hamad of abusing him. He said he was electrified and pictures were taken of him naked. Al Shallal said prisoners were given nicknames, including one who was called "wolfman" and "forced to pretend he was barking all the time." (Elaph)

Zarqawi Attack On Inspector Cut Short The Hunt For WMD
The American who led the hunt for Iraq's missing weapons of mass destruction has revealed that the investigation was cut short after he was targeted by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the militant leader in an attack that left two people dead. The head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles Duelfer, has reported that his investigation into the possible transfer of WMD to Syria had been wound up because of the "declining security situation". (The Independent)

Gunmen in Baghdad Kill National Assembly Member
Three men with pistols shot to death an Iraqi legislator on Wednesday at the front gate of her eastern Baghdad home in a brazen daylight attack, the Iraqi police and the victim's neighbors and family said. It was the first assassination of a National Assembly member since the elections on Jan. 30. (NY Times)

Italy Opens Its Own Probe of Agent's Slaying in Iraq
Dissatisfied with the results of a joint investigation with the United States, Italy on Wednesday began its own probe into the March 4 killing of one of its intelligence agents by U.S. troops in Baghdad. (Washington Post)

Leaders in Iraq Attempt to Engage Insurgents
Shiites and Kurds hope to draw the mainly Sunni rebels out of violence, into politics. (LA Times)

Chalabi Makes His Return
Ahmed Chalabi's appointment to the new Iraqi government is something of a revival for a man once touted at the Pentagon as a future president of Iraq. (BBC)

Now There's No Chance of Moving On
The timing of the leaked legal advice couldn't be worse for Blair. (The Guardian)

In Iraq, an Echo of Algiers
On Sunday night Iraqi insurgents bombed the Al Riadhy ice cream parlor in Baghdad, bringing to mind a movie that was much on the minds of some U.S. military leaders on the eve of the war with Iraq. (Washington Post)

On Abu Ghraib, the Big Shots Walk
Under Commander in Chief George W. Bush, the notion of command accountability has been discarded. (NY Times)

Where's Osama?
Bin Laden's recent silence may be good sign. (CNN)

A Network of Translators Work To Uncover The Secrets of Terrorists Worldwide
In a small, nondescript workspace in an unmarked office here, a special team of linguists working for the nation's 15 intelligence agencies plays catch-up in a high-stakes game of words. (Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Stirring The Ethnic Pot
Riots by ethnic Arabs this month have raised fears that Iran's minorities could be used as a tool by Washington and its Arab allies to dismember the Islamic republic: Iran could be vulnerable to covert operations. (Asia Times)