The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report
June 14, 2004 -- Saudi militants have increased their targeting of Americans in the capital Riyadh, killing an American on Saturday and kidnapping another on Sunday. Kenneth Scroggs, an employee of Advanced Electronics Co., was gun down as he pulled into his parking garage. The militant group claiming responsibility for this death posted a video of his shooting online. Scroggs' company had close ties with Lockheed Martin, the employer of Paul M. Johnson, the abducted American. Another al Qaeda statement posted on an Islamic Web site threatened to treat Johnson as U.S. troops treated Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
And in Iraq, a car bomb tore through a convoy Monday in central Baghdad, killing at least 12 people, including an American and four other foreigners working to rebuild Iraq's power plants. The dead included three employees of Granite Services Inc., a Tampa, Fla.-based subsidiary of General Electric, and two security contractors, said General Electric.
THE WAR ON TERROR
INVESTIGATIONS
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Authorities Search for U.S. Hostage With the kidnapping of an American and threats to inflict on him the same degrading punishments seen at Iraq's U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison, suspected al Qaeda terrorists appear to have unleashed a new tactic in their violent drive against Saudi Arabia's rulers. (AP)
American Man Killed in Saudi Arabia
Suspected militants killed an American in the Saudi capital on Saturday, shooting him in the back as he parked in his home garage, and the U.S. Embassy said it was searching for an American who was missing. (AP)
Saudis Need to Do More, U.S. DeclaresAmid escalating attacks on Americans in Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said Sunday that he was satisfied with the Saudi regime's efforts to combat terrorism so far, but indicated it should do more to increase its security forces and share intelligence with the U.S. (LA Times)
Pakistan
10 Al Qaeda Suspects Held
A nephew of alleged Sept. 11 mastermind is among those arrested in Pakistan, official says. (LA Times)
Pakistan Suspects Appear in Court
Eight people arrested in Pakistan for suspected al Qaeda links have appeared in court. (BBC)
JordanJordan Arrests Suspected Muslim Militants
Police raided an Amman restaurant early Monday and arrested suspected Muslim militants, witnesses and officials said. (AP)
U.S.
Powell Says Terror Report "Mistake," Not Cover-Up
Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday that a State Department report claiming a global decline in terrorist incidents last year was a "big mistake," but he said there was no intent to "cook the books" for political purposes. (Seattle Times)
Afghanistan
Scores of Al Qaeda Militants Killed Near Wana
Pakistani forces battled al Qaeda-linked militants yesterday in a remote tribal region bordering Afghanistan, with the military saying more than 70 combatants had been killed in five days of fighting. (Reuters)
Military Alters Afghan Prison Procedures The U.S. military is changing procedures at its jails in Afghanistan following a review prompted by prisoner abuse allegations, the military said Monday, although it declined to give details of the changes. (AP)
Ten Afghans Arrested Over Chinese Deaths
Ten militants linked to the the Hezb-e-Islami faction of former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and his Taleban allies are being held over the killing of 11 Chinese workers in north Afghanistan last week, the provincial military commander said yesterday. (Reuters)
KenyaAl Qaeda Operative in Kenya Slips Away From Cops in 'A Flash' For one night, police had one of the FBI's most wanted al Qaeda terrorists behind bars, it has been learned. (Chicago Sun-Times)
Iran
Report: U.S. Looking for Bin Laden in the Arabian Gulf Area
Iranian sources told Elaph that U.S. forces were looking for Osama bin Laden in the Arabian Gulf, close to the coast of Iran. According to the sources, U.S. naval officers are seeking the help of Iranian fishermen around the area in finding bin Laden, who they believe maybe hiding somewhere in the Gulf area. (Elaph)
New Al Qaeda Audio Statement
Tape Criticizes Mideast Reform PlanThe Arab television network Al Arabiya broadcast an audiotape on Saturday that it said was made by Ayman al Zawahiri, the top deputy to Osama bin Laden in al Qaeda. The tape criticized a proposal for reform in the Middle East as an American ploy and said change would come only through "resistance." (NY Times)
Guantanamo
Bin Laden Bodyguard in Guantanamo
U.S. military officials are holding a bodyguard of al Qaeda terror leader Osama Bin Laden at the naval base prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Washington Post reported yesterday, citing Defense Department memos and sources familiar with base captives. (AFP)
LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
Yemen
Security Officials Bar Media From Yemen Terror Trial
Yemeni security authorities imposed restrictions yesterday on media coverage of the trial of 14 people charged with terrorism offenses, denying journalists access to the courtroom. (Arab News)
ON THE WEB
Saudi Qaeda Tape Says Shows Killing of American
A purported al Qaeda videotape posted on an Islamist website on Sunday claims to show the killing of a U.S. employee in the Saudi capital Riyadh last week. (Reuters)
Increasing Operations Against Westerners in Saudi Arabia Praised in Online Magazine
The 12th issue of Al Battar Camp magazine which is published online by the Saudi group responsible for terrorist attacks in the Kingdom, commends the increasing operations against Westerners in Saudi Arabia. The magazine mentions the attack against a BBC team, in which a cameraman was killed and a correspondent injured. It admits that the two were not responsible for attacks on "the mujaheddin," but justifies the attack by saying that it's considered a big blow for the Saudi and British governments. The magazine also contains a new article allegedly written by the number one suspect on the Saudi most wanted list, Abdul Aziz Al Muqrin, about fighting inside cities. It also includes an article allegedly written by al Qaeda leader Seif Al Adl about how to search locations secretly for information and to plant bugging devices. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit)
THE WAR IN IRAQ
Suicide Car Bomber Kills A Dozen People in Baghdad
A car bomb tore through a convoy Monday in central Baghdad, killing at least 12 people, including an American and four other foreigners working to rebuild Iraq's power plants. A crowd gathered, shouting "Down with the USA!" and dancing around a charred body. (AP)
Unit Says It Gave Earlier Warning of Abuse in Iraq
Allegations of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, including the beatings of five blindfolded Iraqi generals, occured in November, according to interviews with military personnel who worked in the prison (NY Times)
Japan Debates Soldiers in IraqJapan's soul-searching over whether a country pledged to pacifism should be sending soldiers into foreign war zones is likely to be rekindled this week, sparked by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's declaration that Japanese troops will join a multinational force to provide security in Iraq. (LA Times)
Abu Ghraib Will Stay, Interim Leader Says
Interim Iraqi President Ghazi Ajil Yawer said there were no plans to destroy the Abu Ghraib prison, despite an offer by President Bush to replace the jail, where U.S. troops abused inmates. (LA Times)
Justice Dept. Memo Says Torture 'May Be Justified' Today washingtonpost.com is posting a copy of the Aug. 1, 2002, memorandum "Re: Standards of Conduct for Interrogation under 18 U.S.C. 2340-2340A," from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel for Alberto R. Gonzales, counsel to President Bush. (Washington Post)
Aug. 1, 2002, Memorandum (PDF)
Iranian Sources: New Organization Recruiting Volunteers for Suicide Operations
A previously unknown organization called "Honoring the Martyrs" was established in Iran and decided to send hundreds, including Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, to carry out suicide operations against U.S. forces and its allies in Iraq and other countries, according to one of the organization's officials. There's speculation about possible involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the establishment of this organization. The official claims that over 3000 have filled applications to join the organization. He said training has started and the first group of suicide attackers already left for Iraq. (Asharq Al Awsat)
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Bad Fix for CIA's Defects
Proposals for sweeping reform of the CIA are circulating through the Capitol in advance of next month's release of the 9/11 commission's report and its excruciating details of intelligence failures. The cures, unfortunately, are almost certainly worse than the disease. (LA Times)
Where Is Libya Now?
If the accusation against Gadhafi is confirmed, then his tenure in power will be compromised, and the U.S., which did not cross out Libya off the list of supporters of terrorism, says it will remain on the list for now, with the possibility of imposing new sanctions on it. (Al Hayat)
Afghanis Take On Major Challenges President Hamid Karzai's eight-day visit to the U.S heralds a new chapter in Afghan-American relations. After he attended the G8 Summit in Sea Island, Ga., Mr. Karzai addressed Chicago and California business leaders. (Washington Times)
DOJ and Padilla After American citizens Jose Padilla and Yaser Hamdi had been imprisoned for nearly two years incommunicado, and without charges, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in April in their cases. (Washington Times)
Wanted for Elections in Iraq: A Few Good Judges
Among the mostly depressing news coming out of Iraq in recent weeks was Sunday's announcement that the militant Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr will soon form a political party and contest Iraq's January elections. Given that Sadr has politically and militarily challenged the United States since April, this should be taken as a positive move - but only a first step on a long road that Iraqis must now walk together decisively, in order to achieve their goal of a unified, peaceful, prosperous country. (Daily Star)
Let Them Damn Themselves Out of Own Mouths
The attack on the BBC team in Riyadh in which cameraman Simon Cumbers died and security correspondent Frank Gardner was seriously injured was another in a series of motivated terrorist acts. The strategy of these armed groups has now become apparent — scaring foreigners into leaving the country. (Arab News)
Secret World of U.S. Jails
Jason Burke charts the worldwide hidden network of prisons where more than 3,000 al Qaeda suspects are being held without trial and many subjected to torture. (The Observer)
The Insider Daily Terrorism Report (DTR) is a summary of major news articles and broadcasts relating to international terrorism and the war in Iraq. The DTR is edited from foreign and U.S. sources by Chris Isham, Hoda Osman, and Brinda Adhikari of the ABCNEWS Investigative Unit. The outside views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.