U.S. Military Identifies New Al Qaeda Leader
June 15, 2006 -- IRAQ NEWS
U.S. Identifies al-Zarqawi's Successor
The U.S. military said Thursday the man claiming to be the new al-Qaida in Iraq leader succeeding Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is Abu Ayyub al-Masri, an Egyptian with ties to Osama bin Laden's deputy. (AP)
Military Deaths In Iraq Hit 2,500
The number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq has reached 2,500, the Pentagon said on Thursday, underscoring warnings that the killing of al Qaeda's leader in the country would not end relentless violence. (Reuters)
Seized Documents Deal Blow to Al Qaeda: Iraq Official
Security forces have seized Al Qaeda in Iraq documents giving key information about the militant group's network and the whereabouts of its leaders, the country's national security adviser said on Thursday. (Khaleej Times)
AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Forces Launch Anti-Taliban Push
More than 10,000 Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces began a massive anti-Taliban operation across southern Afghanistan on Thursday, while a bomb killed seven people riding a bus to a coalition base for work. (AP)
Taleban Target Afghan Civilians
The Taleban say they have carried out a bomb attack on a minibus in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar which killed at least 10 people. (BBC)
IRAN NUCLEAR
Nuclear Standoff: Iran's President Seeks Chinese, Russian Support
Iran's hard-line president is doing more than just attending an Asian security summit in China: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seeks to gain Russian and Chinese support at a critical moment for his country's nuclear program. (AP)
'Iran Will Not Bow To UN Pressure'
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said his country will not yield to pressure from the West. (ITV News)
SRI LANKA
Bus Attack Pushes Sri Lanka Closer to War
A powerful land mine ripped through a packed bus in northern Sri Lanka on Thursday, killing at least 64 people in the worst act of violence since a 2002 cease-fire. Sri Lanka's air force responded by bombing rebel-held areas in the northeast. (AP)
FRANCE
French Court Jails 25 for Terror Links
A French court handed down prison terms ranging from six months to 10 years yesterday on 25 Islamic radicals convicted of planning to carry out attacks on the Eiffel Tower and other targets in Paris. (Gulf Times)
GAZA BEACH BLAST
PA Urges UN to Probe Beach Slaughter
The Palestinian Authority called Wednesday on the United Nations to launch its own investigation into the death of eight civilians at a beach picnic in the Gaza Strip. (Daily Star)
LEBANON
Brammertz Suspects Hariri Blast Linked to 14 Bombings
The UN probe chief into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri briefed the Security Council on his latest progress report, saying there is a potential link between Hariri's murder and 14 other blasts and killings of anti-Syrian Lebanese figures. (Daily Star)
NGOs Band Together To Call for Careful Study of Mass Graves
A coalition of NGOs called on the Lebanese government Monday to dig up all the unmarked mass graves in the country and conduct serious investigations to determine whether the bodies belong to some of the 17,000 Lebanese citizens missing since the Civil War. (Daily Star)
PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN
Hunt On For Acid-Soaked Ginger
Pakistani authorities raided warehouses in the capital Islamabad yesterday, hunting for ginger that traders were suspected to have soaked in acid to improve its appearance and increase its weight. (Gulf Times)
SOMALIA
Islamic Militia Targets More Towns in Somalia
Islamic militia, who have seized control of the Somali capital and other key towns, advanced on the town of Baladwayne near Ethiopia in a bid to expand their authority, residents said. (Reuters)
ANALYSIS AND OPINION
Iraq: The Intra-Shiite Schism Erupts in Basra
Iraqi Shiite demonstrators, accusing an Iranian television station of slandering an Iraqi Shiite cleric, attacked the Iranian diplomatic office in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on June 14. This comes on the heels of a surge of violence in Basra regarding intra-Shiite struggles over power and control of oil. Negotiations with the Sunnis have opened up fault lines in the Shiite political landscape that could lead to a reconfiguration of the Shiite spectrum -- resulting in increased violence and insecurity which will, in turn, complicate efforts to disband Iraq's militias. (Stratfor)
Can Intelligence Oversight Be Fixed?
Three former intelligence agency and congressional intelligence staffers say the oversight relationship between Congress and the CIA is in shambles. But can it be fixed? (United Press International)
Killing Contest
With violence spinning out of control in Iraq, parliament has failed yet again to name the interior and defense ministers. (al-Ahram)
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 and Hoda Osman of the ABC News Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.