The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

ByABC News
July 14, 2004, 11:15 AM

July 14 -- A Bulgarian truck driver taken hostage in Iraq in late June has been beheaded by the militant group holding him, the Bulgarian government has confirmed. Arab television station Al Jazeera said the captors threatened to kill a second Bulgarian man by Wednesday evening. Al Jazeera said it received a video showing the execution of the hostage, which showed masked militants from the militant group Al Tawhid carrying out the gruesome killing. Al Tawhid, the group said to be headed by Jordanian terror chief Abu Musab al Zarqawi, has claimed responsibility for the beheading of U.S. businessman Nick Berg and South Korean translator Kim Sun-il.

And a Saudi cleric known to be an associate of al Qaeda terror chief Osama bin Laden turned himself in to Saudi authorities on Tuesday. Khaled Harbi surrendered to Saudi diplomats in Iran and was transported to Saudi Arabia, where he will be held under an amnesty program announced by the kingdom's rulers last month, news reports said Wednesday. The cleric is considered close to Bin Laden because of a 2001 videotape showing a gathering at which a man reported to be Harbi appeared with Bin Laden he spoke glowingly of the success of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

IRAQ NEWS

Bulgarian Hostage Killed In Iraq

Bulgaria says it won't pull its troops out of Iraq, despite a hostage death, but the Philippines says it will. (BBC)

Car Bomb Kills At Least Ten in Baghdad

Car bomb in central Baghdad kills at least 10 and wounds 40, including U.S. soldier. (AP)

Iraq Intelligence 'Seriously Flawed'

British intelligence reports on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction in the run up to the Iraq war were "open to doubt" and "seriously flawed", the Butler Inquiry said today. (The Guardian)

Hostage Said Safe After Manila Prepares Pull-Out

A Filipino hostage in Iraq is safe and not in danger of beheading, a foreign ministry official said Wednesday after the government began preparations to withdraw its troops in line with the hostage-takers' demands. (Reuters)

Marine Who Vanished Heads Back To U.S.

Marine who vanished in Iraq to head back to United States after debriefing in Germany. (AP)

Bush and C.I.A. Won't Release Paper On Prewar Intelligence Democrats claim the document could help clear up exactly what intelligence agencies told the president about Iraq's weapons. (NY Times)