U.S. Businessman Allegedly Bribed Officials in Iraq
IRAQ NEWS
U.S. Businessman Allegedly Bribed Officials in Iraq
An American businessman has been charged with bribing officials with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in exchange for reconstruction contracts, ABC News has learned. (ABC News)
Iraq Plays Down Claims of Abuse
Iraq's interior minister says claims of prisoner abuse are exaggerated, and the problem is not widespread. (BBC)
Case Study: Captives' Testimony (The Guardian)
Pentagon Justifying Incendiary Arms Use
The Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday that it used incendiary white phosphorus munitions in an offensive against insurgents in Falluja, Iraq, last year and defended their use as legal, amid concerns by arms control advocates. (NY Times)
Saddam 'Punched By Court Clerks'
Saddam Hussein was attacked by two court clerks while undergoing questioning for his trial, Iraqi television has reported. (BBC)
INVESTIGATIONS
Jordan Investigation
Authorities Looking for Iraqi Suspects
Jordanian authorities are looking for a number Iraqis who may have been connected to the Amman suicide bombers, informed sources told Asharq al Awsat. Authorities are also looking for six cars and the driver of a white car that they already have. The driver is an Iraqi who had rented the apartment for one of the attackers, Ali Al Shemari, and his wife, the failed suicide bomber who appeared on Jordanian TV last weekend. The sources also said that based on the preliminary investigation, Jordanian authorities believe the explosive belts may have been made inside the country. (Asharq al Awsat)
Avian Flu
Indonesia Confirms Two New Bird Flu Deaths, China Confirms First Human Cases
Indonesia on Thursday confirmed bird flu has killed two more people, a day after China reported its first human cases, including at least one death - both menacing signs that the virus is spreading faster as the winter flu months near. (AP)
U.S.
New Disclosure Could Prolong Inquiry on Leak
Bob Woodward has set off a frantic new round of guessing about who that source might be and a wave of public denials. (NY Times)
Nixon Ordered Cambodia Cover-Up
Richard Nixon told top aides involved in Vietnam to lie to the public about US operations in neighbouring Cambodia, files released in Washington show. (BBC)
Stolen Art: FBI's Most Wanted
You Can Help Crack Top 10 Criminal Art Theft Cases. (ABC News)
U.K.
New Islamist Group to Launch This Week in London
The founding of a new militant Islamist group will be announced at a press conference in Walthamstow, East London on Friday. (Asharq al Awsat)
Afghanistan
US Strike Kills 3 Al Qaeda Fighters: Afghan Governor
A U.S. air strike killed three militants, described as al Qaeda fighters, during an air and ground operation in eastern Afghanistan, an Afghan provincial governor said on Thursday. (Reuters)
Indonesia
Masked Militant on Indonesia Video Threatens West
A masked man believed to be one of Asia's most wanted militants has warned Western countries, especially Australia, of more attacks in a video found last week by Indonesian anti-terrorist police. (Reuters)
LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
U.S.
Congress Arrives at a Deal on Patriot Act
Limits Would Spare Some Controversial Government Powers. (Washington Post)
Morocco
Trial of Moroccan Terrorists Back on Track
The trial of 13 suspected members of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group resumed on Wednesday after it was suspended earlier this month because of language difficulties. (Asharq al Awsat)
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Baghdad Brutality
Two new items must now be added to Iraq's daily tally of horror and misery. (The Guardian)
Iraqi Torture Practices Could Be More Widespread
Recent revelations that Iraq's Interior Ministry abused detainees in a secret prison may be just the beginning. (CS Monitor)
After the Flames
The violence has many in Europe asking what has gone wrong. The problem isn't hard to find--but fixing it is. (US News & World Report)
A Pressing Decision is Required
Al Zirqawi reached the stage of defiance and threat of transferring the battle to the whole area, setting ablaze every area and shedding the blood of the innocent. (Al Hayat)
War on Terror
The war on terror is a wretched business that pitches governments against elusive enemies who operate across international borders. (Asahi)
Foreign Fighters' Role Debated
Analysis of offensive in Tall Afar suggests U.S., Iraq may be inflating foreign role in insurgency. (Washington Post)
The Insider Daily Investigative Report (DIR) is a summary of major news articles and broadcasts relating to investigative news, including international terrorism and developments in Iraq. The DIR is edited daily from foreign and U.S. sources by Chris Isham, Hoda Osman and Ellen Gustafson of the ABC News Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.