The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

Jan. 9, 2004 -- The Department of Homeland Security announced today that the terror threat level is being lowered to "yellow," or elevated level, down from the present "orange," or high level. DHS Secretary Tom Ridge said that the threat level is been lowered due to what the U.S. government sees as a downturn in credible terrorist threats. Ridge stressed, however, that particular sectors will continue to be monitored with vigilance, such as aviation. In the last three weeks there has been a spate of credible terror threats to the airways causing at least 15 international flight cancellations and major delays, with some commercial flights being escorted by military jets. The country has been on orange alert since December 21.

THE WAR ON TERROR

INVESTIGATIONS & THREATS

United StatesEasing Threat?The U.S. government today lowered the national terror threat level to "elevated" from "high" risk of attack, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge said. (Reuters)

The CIA's 'Anonymous' No. 2 Low-profile deputy director leads agency's analytical side. (Washington Post)

SwitzerlandSwiss Authorities Arrest 8 Linked to Terror PlotSwiss authorities have arrested eight people in connection with the May 12 attacks on Westerners in Saudi Arabia, federal police said Friday. (AP)

ThailandThai Officials Probe Tie to Al Qaeda in Attacks Thai officials are investigating whether a wave of bomb and arson attacks in southern Thailand, a predominantly Muslim region, is linked to al Qaeda, the country's new national security adviser said Thursday. (Washington Post)

PakistanPakistan Army Operation In Tribal Area Ends, No Al Qaeda Suspects FoundPakistan troops have found no foreign terror suspects during a major operation in a remote tribal area bordering Afghanistan, military officials said. (AFP)

South KoreaTerror Threat Sparks Security Alert in South KoreaThe South Korean government has ordered a heightened security alert after a terrorist threat was mailed to its embassy in Thailand, officials said. (AFP)

MoroccoNewspaper Receives Letter BombThe Moroccan newspaper Al Ahdath received a letter on Monday containing the same type of explosive material used in the May 16th Casablanca bombings. Investigations are underway to determine the source of the letter. (Asharq Al Awsat)

LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS

United StatesU.S. Changes Tack in Alleged Terror Case Prosecutors have backed off their contention that an Egyptian national convicted of immigration charges intended to promote terrorism through his actions. (AP)

U.S. Files New Charges in Yemeni Money TransfersA family spokesman for six Yemeni-Americans imprisoned last month for supporting al Qaeda was charged on Thursday with illegally sending $3.5 million to Yemen out of his Buffalo, New York, cigarette and candy store. (Reuters)

GuantanamoFresh Hope for Guantanamo BritonsThe first of the nine British terrorist suspects held in Guantanamo Bay are reportedly expected home within weeks. (BBC)

Blunkett 'Delaying Return of Terror Camp Britons' Home Secretary David Blunkett now appeared to be the only obstacle to the return of British detainees at Guantanamo Bay, it was claimed today. (The Scotsman)

New Chaplain Appointed A new Muslim chaplain, Captain Khaled Shahbaz, was appointed to Camp Delta in Guantanamo Bay, where 660 al Qaeda and Taliban suspects are being held. (Asharq Al Awsat)

ON THE WEB

The 8th Issue of Sot Al Jihad Appears Online

The eighth issue of the bi-weekly magazine Sot al Jihad appeared on the internet yesterday and included a number of articles and interviews allegedly written by Saudi terror suspects who are on the country's 26 most wanted list. In one article, Abdel Aziz al Muqran, the number one suspect on the list, analyzes the recent Osama bin Laden message and focuses on what it means for jihad in the Arabian Peninsula. Another suspect, Saleh bin Mohammed al Oufy, expressed his opposition to Saudis going to fight in Iraq as he believes they are needed to fight in Saudi Arabia. Although the focus of the magazine is clearly on Saudi Arabia, the authenticity of its content cannot be determined and it remains unclear who exactly is behind it. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit)

THE WAR IN IRAQ

Powell Admits No Hard Proof in Linking Iraq to Al QaedaThe secretary of state conceded that before the Iraq invasion he had no "smoking gun" proof of a link between Saddam Hussein's government and al Qaeda. (NY Times)

Five Killed in Iraq Mosque Blast At least five people were killed and dozens more injured when a bomb exploded near a mosque in the central Iraqi town of Baquba today. (The Guardian)

U.S. Arrests 30 Iraqis in Tikrit RaidU.S. forces arrest 30 Iraqis in huge raid in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, Iraq. (AP)

U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq Approach 500U.S. military deaths in Iraq approach 500, surpassing regional conflicts of past few decades. (AP)

Spanish Defense Min: Saddam Directed Iraq Attacks Saddam Hussein directed guerrilla operations from his hideouts and personally ordered attacks on foreigners before he was captured by U.S. troops, Spain's defense minister said on Thursday. (Reuters)

Syria to Return $200 Million to IraqisSyria plans to return to Iraq $200 million that Saddam Hussein had deposited in Syrian banks, President Bashar al-Assad said Thursday in an interview during a visit to Turkey. (Bloomberg News)

Huge Movement of Troops is Underway Shift of U.S. forces promises to be most challenging in half a century. (Washington Post)

White House Wants U.N. to Return to Iraq The Bush administration is launching an effort to persuade the United Nations to return to Iraq in coming months and to support the U.S. plan for transferring governing power to Iraqis by June 30. (Washington Post)

Iraqis Want Annan to Mediate With U.S., Ease Transition PangsIraqi leaders have been urging U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to oversee parts of the country's political transition and even help override U.S. plans for transferring power to Iraqis. (LA Times)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

A Prince With a Plan for Iraq Can a Jordanian prince help Iraq along the path to democracy? Many U.S., British and Iraqi experts doubt it. (Washington Post)

The Shape of a Future Iraq: U.S. Entangled in DisputesAfter insisting for months that Iraqis must determine their future under a kind of passive American supervision, the Bush administration is being forced to take sides in several Iraqi disputes and running into friction with groups long friendly to Washington. (NY Times)

Keep Risks On BattlefieldSoldiers understand the risk of dying from sniper fire in Afghanistan or a grenade attack in Iraq, but too often it's the off-base car crash or avoidable training accident that kills them. (LA Times)

Who Prevents Iraq's Division?Regional concerns about the eventual division of Iraq are increasing. What is worse is that the issue is being discussed, even if by rejecting it and calling to oppose it. (Al Hayat)

Kurdish Autonomy in IraqWashington needs to do all it can to block the path of radical forces in Iraq and postpone the June 30 handover if certain conditions are not met. (NY Times)

Still Out ThereSome victories have been won in the West's war against al Qaeda. But the danger persists. (The Economist)

Osama Bin Laden's War Following the recent release of an audio cassette tape believed to have been recorded by Osama bin Laden, Jane's Intelligence Digest's experts have reviewed the transcripts and have prepared an analysis that highlights the al Qaeda leader's future strategy to destabilize the Middle East. (Jane's)

Today It's the War On Terror, StupidNational security will be the main election issue. (LA Times)

Book ReviewAn End to Evil: How to Win the War On TerrorShould Britain accept ever-closer union with its European neighbors? Most people who have an opinion one way or another live in Britain or on the European mainland. Many Americans, it is safe to guess, couldn't care less. Richard Perle and David Frum are exceptions. (Economist)

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.