The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

July 20, 2004 -- Sandy Berger, former President Clinton's national security adviser, is under criminal investigation by the Justice Department after highly classified terrorism documents disappeared while he was reviewing what should be turned over to the Sept. 11 commission, news wires report. Berger's home and office were searched earlier this year by F.B.I. agents armed with warrants after the former Clinton adviser voluntarily returned some sensitive documents to the National Archives and admitted that he also removed handwritten notes he had made while reviewing the sensitive documents. Yet, some drafts of a sensitive after-action report on the Clinton administration's handling of al Qaeda terror threats during the December 1999 millennium celebration are still missing, officials and lawyers told the Associated Press. Al Felzenberg, spokesman for the 9/11 commission, said Tuesday that the Berger investigation will not impact the panel's work in any way. The 10-member bipartisan panel plans to release its final report on Thursday.

And, the Filipino truck driver held hostage in Iraq for almost two weeks was freed Tuesday, a day after his nation withdrew its final peacekeepers from Iraq early, a move that met the kidnappers' demands but angered U.S. and Iraqi officials, news wires report. Angelo dela Cruz was brought to the steps of the United Arab Emirates embassy at about 10:30 a.m. and was told by the kidnappers to go inside, an embassy official said on condition of anonymity. Embassy officials said that there was no coordination between them and the kidnappers. The United States and other nations have warned that the Philippines decision could encourage kidnappers in Iraq, and have said that the decision threatens to damage the Philippines' close relations with the U.S. government.

IRAQ NEWS

Filipino Truck Driver Freed In IraqFilipino truck driver freed by Iraqi insurgents a day after his nation withdrew its final troops. (AP)

Reports: Iraqi Official In Basra AssassinatedA member of the regional council of Basra, Iraq's second biggest city, was shot dead on Tuesday along with two bodyguards, a council spokesman said. (Reuters)

One Bombing, Many VersionsThere was an explosion. A deep crater proved it. Beyond that, the facts were murky. (Washington Post)

Horrible ActsU.S. marine Hassoun claims he witnessed beheadings while in captivity in Iraq. (ABCNEWS)

Crude Climbs Near $42 as Iraqi Supply Fears LingerOil prices climbed near $42 a barrel yesterday as new sabotage attacks in Iraq helped rekindle worries over the reliability of Middle East crude shipments. (Gulf Daily News)

Iraqi Defense Official SlainGunmen yesterday killed a senior Iraqi defense official and a suicide bomber blew up a Baghdad police station, killing 10 and wounding at least 60, as insurgents continued a deadly campaign targeting Iraq's new government. (Washington Times)

U.S. Marine Killed in Action In IraqA U.S. Marine was killed in action Tuesday in Anbar Province, a Sunni-dominated area west of Baghdad, the military said. (AP)

Governors Tell of War's Impact On Local NeedsWith tens of thousands of their citizen soldiers now deployed in Iraq, many of the nation's governors complained on Sunday to senior Pentagon officials that they were facing severe manpower shortages in guarding prisoners, fighting wildfires, preparing for hurricanes and floods and policing the streets. (NY Times)

THE WAR ON TERROR

INVESTIGATIONS

9/11 CommissionClinton Adviser Probed Over Terror MemosSandy Berger, former President Clinton's national security adviser, is under criminal investigation by the Justice Department after highly classified terrorism documents disappeared while he was reviewing what should be turned over to the Sept. 11 commission. (AP)

United States

Cole Bombing Victims' Families Sue Sudanese GovernmentFamilies of some of the 17 American sailors killed in the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole have sued the government of Sudan, arguing that the African nation is responsible for the bombing because it is linked to al Qaeda and harbored Osama bin Laden. (Washington Post)

President Says U.S. to Examine Iran-Qaeda TiePresident Bush said on Monday that the United States was actively investigating ties between the Iranian government and Al Qaeda, including intelligence unearthed by the independent Sept. 11 commission showing that Iran may have offered safe passage to terrorists who were later involved in the attacks. (NY Times)

Bush Allegations of Al Qaeda —Iran Link "fictitious", Iran SaysIran on Tuesday hit back at allegations from US President George W. Bush that it was harboring al-Qaeda leaders and could have been linked to the September 11, 2001 attacks, dismissing the claims as "fictitious". (AFP)

AustraliaAl Qaeda Threatens Ports, Says ASIOAn ASIO report warning al-Qaeda terrorists could attack Australian ports sparked the Government's $75m upgrade of national maritime security, the Prime Minister said today. (Australian news wires)

Asia3 Nations Join to Protect a Vital Oil LifelineSeventeen naval vessels from Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia steamed into the Strait of Malacca on Tuesday to begin their first coordinated patrols aimed at deterring terrorism and piracy in East Asia's maritime lifeline. (Intl Herald Tribune)

ChadSahara Rebels Offer To Hand Over Terror Suspect — If Journalists, Aid Workers MonitorRebels claiming to hold the Sahara's most-wanted terror suspect have offered to turn him over to his Algerian homeland — but only if international journalists and aid workers monitor the transfer, the rebels said Tuesday. Amari Saifi, the only known surviving leader of an Algerian armed group allied to al Qaida, is believed to have been in the custody of rebels of the West African nation of Chad since earlier this year. (AP)

PakistanPART 1: The Legacy of Nek MohammedThe name of Nek Mohammed made international headlines in the middle of last month when the charismatic former Taliban commander was killed in a Pakistani army raid near Wana, the district headquarters of the South Waziristan tribal area. (Asia Times Online)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

Iraq's Leader Must Be Beyond ReproachThe four British inquiries into Iraq war intelligence — two parliamentary, Hutton and Butler — along with the findings of the Senate Committee, make it patently clear that Iraq under Saddam had no significant usable stocks of WMD prior to the invasion and no credible links with terrorist groups. (Arab News)

Kirkuk As Car BombWith its jumble of ethnic groups, this northern city is one of the pressure points where the new Iraq could blow apart. And if Kirkuk didn't have enough problems already, it now has to worry about what the U.S. military calls "VBEDs." (Washington Post)

Our Lies led Us Into War

The press must also be held to account for falsehoods we reproduced before the invasion. (Guardian)

The U.N. Plays Catch-Up In IraqIt is already quite late in the game, but the United Nations has finally appointed a full-time representative to Iraq. Last week, Secretary General Kofi Annan named Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, a Pakistani career diplomat, to a post that has been vacant since suicide bombers blew up the U.N.'s headquarters in Baghdad last August, killing the last representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello. The U.N.'s long marginalization has been costly. With Iraq's transition to elected government now at a crucial stage, it is imperative that Mr. Qazi gets off to a strong, independent start. (NY Times)

Iraq Is Not Improving, It's A Disaster The only sensible objective now is orderly disengagement, and soon. (Guardian)

The Present DangerThe successful handover of sovereignty to the Iraqi people last month offers fresh hope for stability and democracy in their country, but it could also mark a turning of the tide in the world war against terrorism. (Washington Post)

Why America is Still an Easy TargetSince Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. has spent more than $500 million to make America's seaports more secure. Sound like a lot? It isn't. (TIME)

More Unusual Interrogations Inside Iraq's Abu Ghraib PrisonA civilian interpreter who worked at the teeming Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad had access to highly sensitive intelligence even though he did not have a Pentagon security clearance to deal with classified information, according to the Army's investigation of abuses at the Iraqi prison. (U.S. News and World Report)

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.