The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

Apr. 22, 2004 -- Today, a group called "Al Haramein Brigades" claimed responsibility for Wednesday's suicide car bombing in Riyadh, which killed four people and wounded 148. The statement, which was posted online, said the group has dedicated itself to fighting Saudi security forces, since al Qaeda's "mujaheddin" are preoccupied with their fight of "the crusaders," in reference to the U.S. The same group had twice claimed responsibility for assassination attempts on Saudi security officers in the past few months. Wednesday's bombing marked the third terror attack in the kingdom in less than a year, which have altogether killed over 50 people.

And in Jordan, a booby-trapped car, ready to be detonated, was found Tuesday in the Al Hashemi area, only hours before three terror suspects were killed by Jordanian security forces in the same area, Arab media reported today. This incident follows a week of terror round-ups, raids and weapons seizures in Jordan, where Jordanian authorities say only last week they thwarted a plan by members of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network to attack the U.S. embassy in Amman.

THE WAR ON TERROR

INVESTIGATIONS

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Bomb: Pro-Al Qaeda Claim

A group that says it is sympathetic to the aims of al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for a car bombing that ripped through the Saudi capital Riyadh, killing four people and wounding 148 others. (CNN)

Editor's Note: There was a major public backlash against the last major al Qaeda bombing in Saudi Arabia on November 8, 2003. That attack on the Muhaya housing compound in Riyadh killed 17 people — all Arabs, Muslims and civilians. Al Qaeda tried to defend the operation, issuing statements that U.S. intelligence operatives were in the compound, a claim which was disregarded by many. In today's statement, al Qaeda makes clear that the target is the security police, a strategy which will likely find more support among the Saudi populace — a key condition for their campaign to overthrow the Sauds. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit)

Investigators Scour Saudi Bombing Site

Investigators scour bomb-devastated building in Saudi Arabia as cleric denounces terrorists responsible. (AP)

82 Arrested in Mecca, 10 Thousand Bullets Found

Saudi authorities in Mecca yesterday arrested 82 suspects and found boxes containing 10 thousand bullets of the same type used by terrorists, reports Asharq Al Awsat. The paper says some of the suspects are wanted for security-related cases. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Explosives Expert: Ammonium Nitrate Was Used in Bombing

A Saudi explosives expert told Asharq Al Awsat that ammonium nitrate was used in yesterday's suicide bombing in Riyadh. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Jordan

Car Bomb Found

A booby-trapped car, ready to be detonated, was found Tuesday in Al Hashemi area, only hours before three terror suspects were killed by Jordanian security forces in the same area, a security source told Asharq Al Awsat. The Jordanian authorities are still searching for nine suspects, added the source. (Asharq Al Awsat)

U.K.

More Raids By Anti-Terror Police

Police have executed four search warrants in Manchester as part of ongoing anti-terror operations that have seen 10 people held. (BBC)

Morocco

Attack Foiled, Two Suspects Arrested

An attack, possibly on Casablanca, was thwarted when Moroccan security forces arrested two suspects who were planning on using the same type of explosives used in the Casablanca attack in May of last year which left 45 dead, Moroccan security sources told Asharq Al Awsat.(Asharq Al Awsat)

Yemen

Yemen Arrests Suspect in USS Cole Bombing

Security forces have arrested a Yemeni man suspected of involvement in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors, a security official said Thursday. (AP)

Australia

Australian Police Arrest Terror Suspect

Police on Thursday arrested an Australian man accused of planning a terrorist act and having links to a French terror suspect implicated in a plot to attack a nuclear reactor on Sydney's outskirts, a top police official said. (AP)

Pakistan

Pakistani Tribal Resistance Leader Seeks Deal in Al Qaeda Hunt

A Pakistani tribesman spearheading resistance to efforts aimed at capturing up to 400 al Qaeda fighters has opened talks with authorities after persuading them to put off a deadline for military action, an official said. (AFP)

Five Pakistan Tribesmen Harboring Al Qaeda To Surrender: Official

Five rebel Pakistani tribesmen harboring hundreds of Al Qaeda fighters have agreed to surrender by Friday, a local administrator said. (AFP)

S. Korea

New Terror Threat Targets 8 U.S. Allies

Eight U.S. allies targeted in new terror threat received via letter at South Korean embassy. (AP)

9/11 Commission

Bush, Cheney to Talk to 9/11 Commission April 29

President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney will appear together to answer questions in private before the commission investigating the 9/11 attacks on April 29, an official said on Wednesday. (Reuters)

COUNTER-TERRORISM

Europeans Seek Review of Data-Sharing PlanThe Department of Homeland Security hit a snag in its effort to get European countries to cooperate with U.S. airport security measures, with the European Parliament voting Wednesday to send an agreement brokered by the United States and European Union to court for review. (Washington Post)

LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS

Kurdish Mullah Awarded More Cash

An appeal court has ordered the Dutch government to pay increased compensation to the ex-leader of an Islamist group detained without trial. (BBC)

THE WAR IN IRAQ

Pentagon: Iraq War Faces $4B Shortfall

Top Pentagon general tells Congress Iraq war is running over budget, faces $4 billion shortfall. (AP)

Coalition Unsure Who's Behind Iraq Blasts

Coalition officials say it's too early to blame al Qaeda for Iraq suicide blasts that killed 50. (AP)

Violence in Iraq Forces 2 Big Contractors to Curb Work The insurgency has driven two major contractors, General Electric and Siemens, to suspend most of their operations in Iraq. (NY Times)

U.S. Preparing to Rehire Iraqi Baathists, Ex-MilitaryOfficials hope to undo damage, entice restive Sunnis back into political fold. (Washington Post)

Former Iraqi Officer Claims Coordination Between Former Regime, Kurdish Extremist Groups

A former Iraqi officer now being held at a prison in Suleymaneya claims that he was a coordinator between the former regime's Special Security Organization and Kurdish fundamentalist groups, including Ansar Al Islam. Haydar Al Shemary claimed that Iraqi intelligence established training camps for these groups. He also said he met with several Afghan Arabs, including explosives and chemical weapons experts, who were hosted by the former Iraqi regime and given camps near Baghdad for training. (Asharq Al Awsat)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

Long Battle Against Evil

The car bomb attack on police buildings in Riyadh yesterday must leave no one in any doubt that we are all confronted by a great evil and that the struggle against it will not be won in a matter of weeks or months. On the contrary, the war against terrorism will be long and difficult. (Arab News)

Changing the Climate

We grieve for the children who suffered such an appalling death in Basra yesterday, caught in the blast from terrorist bombs as their buses took them to school. (The Guardian)

Hammers and Anvils Only if the U.N. breaks with U.S. plans for a cosmetic handover can it win Iraqi confidence. (The Guardian)

Spain's Pullout from Iraq

Unease spreads in the `coalition of the willing.' (The Asahi Shimbun — Japan)

'Rough' is Only Half of It

President Bush said to an annual meeting of newspaper editors Wednesday that the last few weeks in Iraq had been "really rough." That is a start on a realistic assessment, but the administration has to offer Congress and the public far more detail about U.S. difficulties and costs in Iraq than that vague statement. (LA Times)

The Very Ugly Side to Privatizing the Fight in Iraq

Among the numerous bizarre dimensions of the war and post-war situation in Iraq is the explosion in the phenomenon of hired guards. (Daily Star — Lebanon)

Mullah Krekar Book

A new book written by former Ansar Al Islam leader will be released today in Norway. In the book, which is written in Norwegian, Mulla Krekar talks about his life and dedicates two chapters to respond to allegations of a link between his group and al Qaeda. (Asharq Al Awsat)

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.