The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

Dec. 10, 2003 -- — Members of the Iraqi Governing Council voted unanimously today to expel the Mujahideen Khalq, an Iranian opposition group which for years fought Iranian Islamist rulers with backing from Saddam Hussein. It is labeled a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union. While there is no clear indication of how this expulsion will be enforced, questions arise as to what this might mean for the United States. Earlier this week, the Arab press reported that Jordan's King Abdullah is mediating talks between the U.S. and Iran with particular regard to the issue of al Qaeda detainees — if the Iranian goverment can get custody of terrorists from the Mujahideen Khalq, can the U.S. then get the al Qaeda suspects currently suspected of being held in Iran?

Plus, a new arrest related to suspected 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui — a Minneapolis paper reports that a man detained in Minneapolis today claims to have knowledge about activities in which Moussaoui was involved, including details of Moussaoui at an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan several years ago.

THE WAR IN IRAQ

Iraq's Interim Leaders Decide to Expel Iranian People's MujahedeenIraq's interim Governing Council decided unanimously to expel the several thousand members of the People's Mujahedeen, branding the Iranian opposition force a "terrorist organization." (AFP)

Al Qaeda Detainees in Iran The decision by the Iraqi Governing Council to expel the Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen Khalq comes in response to Iran's desires and may facilitate a deal between the U.S. and Iran for the handover of al Qaeda suspects detained in Iran, comments Asharq Al Awsat. Earlier this week, there were reports that Jordan's King Abdullah is mediating talks between the two countries, especially regarding the issue of the detainees. (Asharq Al Awsat, ABCNEWS)

U.S. Bars Iraq War Opponents From Bidding The Pentagon has formally barred companies from countries opposed to the Iraq war from bidding on $18.6 billion worth of reconstruction contracts. (AP)

Iraqi Council OKs War Crimes TribunalIraqi Council votes to create tribunal to prosecute Saddam's regime for crimes against humanity. (AP)

The Privatization of War Private corporations have penetrated western warfare so deeply that they are now the second biggest contributor to coalition forces in Iraq after the Pentagon, a Guardian investigation has established. (The Guardian)

High Payments to Halliburton for Fuel in IraqThe United States government is paying the Halliburton Company an average of $2.64 a gallon to import gasoline and other fuel to Iraq from Kuwait, more than twice what others are paying to truck in Kuwaiti fuel, government documents show. (NY Times)

Lockheed Martin Gets 4.6-Billion-Dollar Missile Defense Contract Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract potentially worth 4.6 billion dollars to develop targets and countermeasures for the Pentagon's missile defense program, the Defense Department announced. (AFP)

Suicide Attacks A suicide car bomb explosion in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul wounds 58 U.S. troops as another suicide bomber blows himself up outside a U.S. Army compound north of Baghdad. And in the Iraqi capital, a missile strike on a mosque kills three civilians. (Reuters)

U.S. Plans Massive Rotation of Troops The meticulously organized transfer in Iraq and elsewhere may increase vulnerability. (LA Times)

Egyptian Fundamentalist Who Planned to Go to Iraq Arrested During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan Egyptian authorities uncovered a group called "Al Jihad Group for the Victory of Muslims Inside and Outside" and arrested 25 of its members. Informed Egyptian sources tell Asharq Al Awsat that around 20 more members were arrested in the past few days, most of whom were planning to go to Iraq to fight the occupation forces. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Annan to Name Interim Iraq EnvoyThe U.N. Secretary General is to name a New Zealand official as his new interim envoy to Iraq, UN diplomats have said. (BBC)

Saddam's Daughters to Leave JordanRaghd and Rana, the daughters of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, decided to leave Jordan and live in Qatar, after the Qatari government agreed to host them. They said yesterday that they will be joined by their mother Sajida and their younger sister Hala. (Asharq Al Awsat)

THE WAR IN IRAQ — ANALYSIS & OPINION

Iraq, But Not As We Know It There is no doubt that at the time of launching its war against Iraq the U.S. administration had no idea of how to manage the country after deposing the ruling regime. (Al Ahram Weekly)

Linking Iraq's Occupation With the 'War on Terrorism' Reuters is one of the more independent wire services. So, a recent news story from Reuters — flatly describing American military activities in Iraq as part of "the broader US war on terrorism" — is a barometer of how powerfully the pressure systems of rhetoric from top US officials have swayed mainstream news coverage. (Arab News)

In Revival of Najaf, Lessons for a New Iraq Clerics in Najaf lead renaissance, making city hotbed of Islamic thought. (Washington Post)

Baghdad Blogger In the looters' market, a DVD singing the praises of the so-called resistance is selling like the hot bread of Bab al-Agha. (The Guardian)

Iraqi Author Seeks to Confront Saddam LegacyIraqi writer Kanan Makiya believes his country must confront the brutal legacy of Saddam Hussein's reign to heal itself. (Reuters)

One Iraqi's Insights Amid the confusing parade of Iraqi politicians vying for influence these days in Baghdad, a little-known figure named Ayad Allawi deserves a special hearing — for the simple reason that he has been right about the big issues affecting postwar Iraq. (Washington Post)

THE WAR ON TERROR

INVESTIGATIONS/ARRESTS/THREATS

United StatesAl Qaeda Associate Held in Minneapolis JailAuthorities in Minneapolis on Tuesday arrested and jailed a man suspected of associating with the al Qaeda terrorist network and having knowledge of some of the activities of Zacarias Moussaoui, a law enforcement official said. (AP)

Saudi ArabiaAl Qaeda's Leader in Saudi Arabia Smuggled Weapons from Spain to AlgeriaAsharq Al Awsat today reveals more information about Abdul Aziz Al Muqran, who is believed to be al Qaeda's leader in Saudi Arabia. The paper reports that he smuggled weapons from Spain to Algeria through Morocco. Al Muqran was also arrested in Somalia and extradited to Saudi Arabia, where he was released from prison after serving for about two years. He then went to Afghanistan through Yemen and then back to Saudi Arabia as the leader of al Qaeda there, following Youssef Al Ayaeri, who was killed by Saudi security a few months ago. Al Muqran is also known as Abu Hajar. According to one source who spoke to the paper on condition of anonymity, Al Muqran was a trainer at an Afghan camp and then fought in Algeria in the mid 1990s. He also went to Bosnia. According to the source, upon his return to Saudi Arabia coming from Afghanistan, al Muqran became responsible for training the new generation of al Qaeda recruits in secret training camps hidden away in valleys and between mountains in center and west of the Kingdom. Saudi authorities had discovered one such camp beginning of this year. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Two Suspects Wanted for 'Security Reasons' Arrested in MeccaSaudi security arrested two suspects yesterday night in Mecca and found they were carrying two Kashinkov machine guns, reports the Saudi Okaz newspaper. The arrests were made with little resistance from the suspects. It was not clear if they were on the suspect list released by the Saudi authorities earlier this week. (Okaz)

PakistanU.S. Gives List of 15 Al Qaeda Men to PakistanAfter the recent suicide attacks in Turkey, the United States has asked the government of Pakistan to add names of 15 more people to the consolidated list of people and entities belonging to Taliban and al Qaeda, Dawn has learnt. (Hi Pakistan)

Pakistan Hands Over Terror SuspectsPakistan Wednesday handed over six Indonesian Islamic students held in Islamabad on suspicion of terror links to a delegation from Jakarta for repatriation to their homeland, officials said. (The Australian)

YemenU.S. Delegation in Yemen to Evaluate SecurityA U.S. delegation including representatives from the Departments of State and Homeland Security has been in Yemen for the past few days to evaluate the security situation and Yemen's counter-terrorism efforts, reports Al Hayat. The delegation will examine security precautions at airports, ports and borders. Western sources told Al Hayat that a report will then be presented to the U.S. government to determine if the security and military aid to Yemen could be increased. (Al Hayat)

FranceReport: Islamic Militants Ran 7 Recruitment Camps in FranceIslamic radicals held training camps for potential recruits across France through 2002, Le Parisien newspaper reported Wednesday, adding that French investigators believe they have successfully dismantled the network running the camps. (AP)

AustraliaAustralian School a Bomb Target The terrorists who blew up Jakarta's Marriott Hotel in August first surveyed the Australian International School as a possible target, one of the alleged bombers revealed yesterday. (The Age)

Afghanistan

Taliban Threaten to Kill Indian Captives Taliban officials said their fighters killed a Pakistani engineer in southern Afghanistan this week and accused two kidnapped Indian road workers of being intelligence agents who were also likely to be killed. (Reuters)

Six Afghan Children Killed in U.S. Attack Six children were killed during an assault by U.S. forces on a compound in eastern Afghanistan, a U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday, the second time in a week that civilians have died in action against Taliban and al Qaeda suspects. (AP)

Mixed Signals of Afghan Stability Militiamen surrender weapons as officials warn of terror attacks. (Washington Post)

Southeast AsiaAl Qaeda Radicals Split Over Terror StrategySouth-East Asian radicals are divided over the wisdom of attacking hotels, nightclubs and other "soft targets" where Muslims may be killed alongside Westerners — an internal split that could weaken the terrorist enterprise, authorities have said. (AP)

LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS

United StatesNew York Man in Qaeda Case Will Serve 8 YearsA Lackawanna, N.Y., man who left a camp run by al Qaeda in Afghanistan before completing training and said he had declined an offer to meet with Osama bin Laden received an eight-year prison sentence on Tuesday. (NY Times)

GuantanamoArmy Chaplain's Hearing DelayedA preliminary hearing for a Muslim chaplain accused of mishandling classified information from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been postponed, which will allow the Army to review documents that defense attorneys seek to have released. (AP)

Lawyer to Visit Camp Delta Man An Australian lawyer will make the first independent legal visit to Guantanamo Bay's Camp Delta tomorrow to meet David Hicks, accused of fighting for the Taliban. (The Guardian)

IrelandCrown Drops Terror Charges Against Nine Algerian MenNine Algerians arrested in a series of raids last year under anti-terrorism legislation are to face no further action. (The Herald)

MalaysiaMalaysia extends detention of five student terror suspectsMalaysia has extended the detention of five students extradited last month from Pakistan, accusing them of training to attack U.S. targets or eventually lead the al Qaeda-linked terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, police said on Wednesday. (AP)

CanadaPakistanis Protest Their Detention in Canada for Alleged Terror LinksSix Pakistani men on Tuesday protested their recent 2½-month detention in Canada on suspicion of having links to al Qaeda, contending they were arrested simply because they are Pakistani Muslims. (Canadian Press)

THE WAR ON TERROR — ANALYSIS & OPINION

Bin Laden is WinningThe al Qaeda leader is succeeding in his aim of polarizing the world between Islam and the West. (The Age)

Some Terror Attacks That Killed Muslims A glance at terror attacks believed linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror network that have targeted mainly Muslim nations or had large numbers of Muslim casualties. (AP)

Pakistani PM: U.S. Spreading Itself Too Thinly in War On TerrorThe United States has taken on too much in its war on terrorism by committing itself to Iraq at a time when the situation in Afghanistan remains highly unstable, Pakistani prime minister Zafarullah Jamali said. (AFP)

Tactics Shift in War On TerrorismSince Sept. 11, 2001, government lawyers have argued that normal rules of law do not apply to terrorists — whether they are picked up on the battlefield or inside U.S. borders. (Law.com)

Delivered Into Hell By U.S. War on Terror I recently spent 10 1/2 months in a grave-sized cell in Syria, unsure why I was there, unsure how to get out. Fear paralyzed my wits when I needed them most. I was beaten and I was tortured and I was constantly scared. (LA Times)

Royals vs. WahhabisIn Washington discussion groups, the question is frequently asked, "How long before the House of Saud falls?" (Washington Times)

The New Tragedy in Afghanistan A genuine chance to reconstruct the country is being squandered. (The Guardian)

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.