Report: Insurgent Leader says Talks with U.S. Stopped

October 24, 2006 -- IRAQ NEWS

Iraqi Insurgent Leader: Premier's Initiative Rejected, Dialogue With U.S. Halted

A leader of an armed Iraqi group has denied the existence of any dialogue with the current Iraqi Government or US Ambassador in Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad. (Asharq al Awsat)

Army Translator Missing in Baghdad

A U.S. military spokesman said Tuesday there had been no word on the fate of a U.S. Army solider reported missing in Baghdad, as troops continued door-to-door searches in the central Karradah district. (AP)

Army General Tells a Little-Known Tale of Pre-War Intelligence on Iraq

He goes by the nickname "Spider." And it's doubtful you've ever heard of him, even though his role in the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq has been recounted in two recent exposes about the Bush administration's runup to the Iraq war. (Congressional Quarterly)

Iraqis May Control Security in 12-18 Mos

U.S. officials said Tuesday Iraqi leaders have agreed to develop a timeline by the end of the year for progress in stabilizing Iraq, and Iraqi forces should be able to take full control of security in the country in the next 12 to 18 months with "some level" of American support. (AP)

Iraqi Defense Officials Stole About $800 Million, Says Former Finance Minister

Former Iraqi Finance Minister, Ali Allawi, accused former Iraqi defense ministry officials of stealing up to $800 million from funds meant for the procurement of new weapons. Ali Allawi said in a TV interview on Sunday that only about $400 of the $1.2 billion allotted by the Iraqi government to the country's defense ministry was utilized to buy arms. He insisted that the rest of the money was stolen by the corrupt former defense ministry officials. (RTT News)

PAKISTAN

Pakistan May Ink Another Peace Deal with Militants

Maulana Faqir Mohamed, once most wanted cleric in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region, and his fellow militants are likely to ink peace accord with the government after Eid al-Fitr, as the government has released all his relatives as a goodwill gesture. (Gulf Times)

KIDNAPPED JOURNALIST IN GAZA

Palestinian Gunmen Kidnap AP Photographer in Gaza

Palestinian gunmen kidnapped a Spanish photographer working for the Associated Press news agency in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the AP said. (Reuters)

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban Plotting Attacks in Europe

Afghan militants are planning to launch deadly attacks on civilians in Europe in revenge for the 2001 invasion by United States-led forces, a Taliban commander said on Sky News television Monday. (Daily Times)

9/11

Medical Views of 9/11's Dust Show Big Gaps

In 2004, Kenneth R. Feinberg, special master of the federal Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund, awarded $2.6 million to the family of a downtown office worker who died from a rare lung disease five months after fleeing from the dust cloud released when the twin towers fell. That decision made the worker, Felicia Dunn-Jones, a 42-year-old lawyer, the first official fatality of the dust, and one of only two deaths to be formally linked to the toxic air at ground zero. (New York Times)

CANADA

Part of Anti-Terror Law Struck Down

A judge has struck a portion of the Anti-Terrorism Act which defines terrorism, saying it violates the Charter of Rights. (Canadian Press)

INDONESIA

2 Militants in 2002 Bali Bombing Freed

Two Islamic militants jailed for the Bali bombings that killed 202 people were freed Tuesday, and nine others had their sentences reduced to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month. (AP)

PAKISTAN

Musharraf's Book In Urdu Cut Qaeda Bounty Claim

President Pervez Musharraf has omitted from the Urdu version of his memoirs a claim that US intelligence paid Pakistan millions of dollars for Al Qaeda captives, an official said Monday. (AFP)

INDIA

Mole Hunt in Defense Units to Trace Spy Ring Kingpins

The espionage rackets involving two Armymen that were unearthed by the Delhi police appear to have been centred in New Delhi and the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday, adding that it was a matter of extreme concern for the government. (The Asian Age)

CHINA

China Cracks Down on Corruption

China has punished more than 17,500 officials in the first eight months of this year on corruption charges, according to state news agency Xinhua. (BBC)

ETHIOPIA/SOMALIA

Ethiopia 'Technically' at War with Somali Islamists

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Tuesday Ethiopia was "technically" at war with Somalia's Islamists because they had declared jihad on his nation. (The Mail and Guardian)

HUNGARY

Hungarian Police Brace for More Violence

Hungarian police were bracing for further violence a day after Budapest was rocked by anti-government riots on the 50th anniversary of the uprising against Soviet rule. (Reuters)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

Trying to Contain the Iraq Disaster

No matter what President Bush says, the question is not whether America can win in Iraq. The only question is whether the United States can extricate itself without leaving behind an unending civil war that will spread more chaos and suffering throughout the Middle East, while spawning terrorism across the globe. (New York Times)

The Global Plight of the Girl Combat Soldier

By Cesar Chelala

Legal proceedings against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo now taking place before the new International Criminal Court offer some hope that a serious kind of crime will be effectively punished and deterred. Lubanga Dyilo led a Congolese militia group responsible for a wide range of criminal activities, among them the forced recruitment of children, including girls, as soldiers. (The Japan Times)

US Sends the Wrong Message to Iran

The US media are inundated with reports that the recent United Nations resolution imposing sanctions on North Korea is meant as a "lesson" for Iran, and the United States' ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, has warned Tehran that it could face similar "international isolation" if it follows Pyongyang's path toward nuclear proliferation. (Asia Times)

Egypt: A Leap Toward Reform - Or Preparation For Succession?

By Joshua A. Stacher

Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) convened its fourth annual conference on September 19-21, advertising it as "The Second Leap Forward." Speeches by senior party members and carefully packaged briefing papers emphasized the party's achievements in economic and political reform and laid out a fairly ambitious agenda for the coming year. The real story at the conference, however, was Gamal Mubarak's increasing political weight and seemingly unstoppable ascent toward the presidency. (Daily Star)

Geopolitical Diary: Hungarian Riots, French Riots

Riots erupted in a number of locations across Budapest, Hungary, on Monday evening, along with dozens of smaller protests in towns throughout the country. (Stratfor)

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 Elizabeth Sprague of the ABC News Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.