The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

August 31, 2004 -- A video purporting to show the methodical, grisly killings of 12 Nepalese workers kidnapped in Iraq was posted Tuesday on a website linked to a militant group operating in Iraq, news wires report.

And, U.S. warplanes bombed a village in eastern Afghanistan, killing eight people and destroying the camp of a Danish relief group after assailants rocketed a nearby government office, Afghan officials and the aid group's director said Tuesday.

IRAQ NEWS

Twelve Nepalese Captives Executed In Iraq

Al Jazeera is reporting that an Islamist website has published video and pictures depicting the execution of 12 Nepalese captives seized by an Iraqi group two weeks ago. (Al Jazeera)

France Strives To Free Hostages

France is redoubling its diplomatic efforts to save two French journalists taken hostage in Iraq who have been pleading for their lives. (BBC)

Rebel Cleric Calls For Release of Journalists

Representatives of the rebel Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr today called for the release of two kidnapped French journalists, as the French government began crisis talks over their fate. (Guardian)

Rebel Shiite Cleric's Aides Hint He May Enter Politics

The rebel Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr is considering a future in politics rather than warfare, one of his top aides said Monday, as the American-backed Iraqi government and Mr. Sadr's representatives continued talks on the future of his militia. (NY Times)

Other Troops Abused Iraqis —Convicted Soldier A convicted US soldier on Monday testified to a special military hearing here that he saw other American troops abusing Iraqi inmates detained at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad late last year. (AFP)

Sovereign Iraq Just as Deadly to U.S. Forces

Two months after the U.S. handed sovereignty back to Iraq amid hopes of reduced violence, more than 110 U.S. troops have been killed and much of the country remains hostile territory. The toll of U.S. dead since the war began last year is fast approaching 1,000. (LA Times)

THE WAR ON TERROR

Afghanistan

New Threats Against Americans in Kabul

Taliban takes responsibility for sunday's attack, warns of more against U.S. targets. (Washington Post)

United Nations

U.N. Seeks Tighter Sanctions As Qaeda Skirts Money Controls

Al Qaeda no longer needs large sums of money to mount terror attacks and is consequently able to finance its actions in less detectable ways, the chairman of a United Nations sanctions-monitoring committee said Monday. (NY Times)

Russia

Putin Says Link Probed Between Al Qaeda, Chechens

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday investigators were probing a possible link between al Qaeda and Chechen rebels widely believed to have downed two Russian passenger planes a week ago. (Reuters)

No Evidence Of Hijack Bid Found Before Jet Explosions

Russia's transport minister, citing a "black box" recording from one of two planes that crashed minutes apart last week, said yesterday there was no evidence of a hijacking attempt or any other disturbance before explosions aboard the jetliners. (AP)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Police Arrest Two Militants

Saudi police have arrested two wanted militants in the central city of Buraida, security sources said yesterday. (Gulf Times)

No Letup in Anti-Terror Campaign, Says Abdullah

Crown Prince Abdullah yesterday emphasized that Saudi Arabia would go ahead with its nationwide campaign to rid the country of all extremists and sought full cooperation of Saudis in the ongoing battle against terror. (Arab News)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

Days of Plunder

Coalition forces are doing little to prevent the widespread looting and destruction of Iraq's world-famous historical sites. (Guardian)

Military Must Squarely Face New 'My Lai'

For the present generation of American soldiers, Abu Ghraib is fast becoming what the My Lai massacre was to the generation that fought in Vietnam —an episode of horrific misconduct transformed through subsequent mishandling into a full-fledged moral crisis. (LA Times)

Stand FirmThe French government has been resolute in its opposition to the US-led war in Iraq. It has been consistent in demanding a rapid and unambiguous handover of power to the Iraqi people and a withdrawal of foreign forces. It has no troops on the ground itself. (Arab News)

Show the Proof

A surprising affair was laid at Israel's doorstep over the weekend. A Pentagon official by the name of Larry Franklin is suspected of passing on apparently classified information to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Jewish lobby in Washington, which in turn, it is claimed, passed it on to Israel. (Haaretz)

A No-Win Situation"Everyone wants to go to Baghdad; real men want to go to Tehran." That was the attitude in Washington two years ago, when Ahmad Chalabi was assuring everyone that Iraqis would greet us with flowers. More recently, some of us had a different slogan: "Everyone worries about Najaf; people who are really paying attention worry about Ramadi." (NY Times)

For Muslims To Like The U.S., Truth Must Replace Lies

The question of how the US communicates its message to the Muslim world is arguably the most vital issue facing the nation today. It is therefore deeply disturbing when the debate is muddied by dangerously misleading pseudo-science. (Daily Star —Lebanon)

Condemning the Kidnappers

In a belated but commendable move, al Jazeera and some Muslim organizations and governments have denounced the kidnapping and killing of journalists, as the lives of two French journalists held captive in Iraq for the past 10 days hang in the balance. (Washington Times)

Mr. Jinnah Vs Maulana Rehman?

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, general secretary of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), says that those who oppose the imposition of an "Islamic" system in Pakistan are "terrorists". What rubbish. Indeed, his statement is downright mischievous. (Daily Times —Pakistan)

The Insider Daily Terrorism Report (DTR) is a summary of major news articles and broadcasts relating to international terrorism and developments in Iraq. The DTR is edited daily from foreign and U.S. sources by Chris Isham, Hoda Osman, and Brinda Adhikari of the ABCNEWS Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.