Al Qaeda's Winter Headquarters
October 27, 2006 -- AL QAEDA
Al Qaeda's Winter Headquarters
U.S. intelligence sources tell ABC News they are "dismayed and alarmed" by published reports that nine men arrested last year during a raid on "al Qaeda's winter headquarters" have been released. (ABC News)
IRAQ NEWS
Insurgent Ambush Kills 24 Iraqi Police
Intense house-to-house fighting between insurgents and Iraqi police north of Baghdad killed 43 people, including 24 officers, the U.S. military said Friday. U.S. troops later joined the fight, aiding in a counterattack that left 18 insurgents dead, the military said. (AP)
U.S. Seeks Missing Soldier In Baghdad Shi'ite Slum
U.S. forces moved into part of Baghdad's sprawling slum district of Sadr City on Friday, hunting for a U.S. soldier of Iraqi descent who was kidnapped on Monday, a U.S. military spokesman said. (Reuters)
Flyers in Mosul Talk About the Establishment of 'The Islamic State of Iraq'
Large quantities of flyers were distributed in Iraq's northern city of Mosul talking about the establishment of "the Islamic State of Iraq" in a number of Iraqi governorate, according to eye witnesses who spoke to the "Iraqi Voices" independent news agency. Unknown men distributed the flyers two days ago in the city of Mosul. The flyers said the "Islamic state" would be established under the leadership of "Abu Omar al Baghdady." The flyer called on the people in the area to pledge allegiance to al Baghdady. (Asharq al Awsat)
Eerie Calm in Baghdad as Al-Qaeda Vows Victory
An eerie calm has descended on Baghdad during the weekly day of prayers after a Ramadan of unprecedented bloodshed in Iraq, while U.S. troops scoured the city for a missing soldier. (AFP)
IRAN
Iran 'Steps Up Nuclear Programme'
Iran has reportedly taken another step in its uranium enrichment programme, in defiance of international pressure. (BBC)
GERMAN
German Army Acts Over Skull Row
Germany has suspended two soldiers in connection with macabre photos showing German troops posing with human skulls in Afghanistan. (BBC)
U.K.
Details on Vanished 'Spy' Diver
New evidence has emerged of Britain's attempts to cover up the fate of a diver who vanished in 1956, while apparently spying on a Soviet warship. (BBC)
UK Army Tested 'Stay Awake' Pills
A controversial drug which can keep people awake for days has been tested by the UK military, MPs have been told. (BBC)
PAKISTAN
Two Pak Terror Suspects Nabbed In Mysore
Two suspected Pakistani militants were arrested early Friday morning after a swift and dramatic shootout in Mysore. (Times of India)
INDIA
India: Terrorist Plot Discovered
Two Pakistani militants believed to belong to the Al-Badr terrorist organization and apparently planning to strike Bangalore, India, were arrested after a shootout with police in Mysore, India, on Oct. 27. The militants allegedly had material indicating an attack against Bangalore's state secretariat building as well as foreign research targets in the IT hub, including chemicals to make improvised explosive devices, drawings of the secretariat, and satellite phone numbers to Jammu, Kashmir and Pakistan, Indian police said. (Stratfor)
AFGHANISTAN
Roadside Blast Kills 14 in Afghanistan
A roadside blast ripped through a vehicle in southern Afghanistan Friday, killing 14 villagers and wounding three as they traveled to a provincial capital for holiday celebrations, an official said. (AP)
U.S. TERROR LAW
UN Official: U.S. Terror Law May Violate International Treaties
Washington's new anti-terrorism law could end up violating international treaties protecting detainees, with some provisions denying suspects the right to a fair trial, a key U.N. rights expert said Friday. (AP)
WOMEN IN IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN
Women Under Attack in Iraq, Afghanistan
Women are facing increasing violence in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, especially when they speak out publicly to defend women's rights, a senior U.N. official told the U.N. Security Council. (AP)
FRANCE
Security High in Paris Amid New Violence
French Officials to Deploy Large Police Presence to Paris Suburbs on 1st Anniversary of Riots. (AP)
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Taliban Handpick Their Targets
By Jason Motlagh
Taliban militants are targeting Afghan government officials in yet another nod to Iraqi insurgents, marked by a spike in assassinations and attempted attacks in recent weeks that coincide with a greater reliance on suicide terrorism and the use of imported bomb technologies. (Asia Times)
This is Not Another Iran
By Richard Spring
We must work with Syria to secure peace in the Middle East - only this can break the deadlock. (The Guardian)
The Suspicious Iranian Project
By Hussein Shobokshi
Since talk began about the Shia crescent "encircling" the region, signs of Iranian interference in a number of locations are clearly visible. (Asharq al Awsat)
Deterring Kim Jong Il
By Graham Allison
America must credibly convince Kim that he will be held accountable for every nuclear weapon that originates in North Korea. (Washington Post)
To Build Harmony, Trumpet America's Melody
By John Ferguson
On Sept. 12, 2001, American culture suddenly became a premium export product. The attack that was both a tragedy and an awakening for our nation propelled my small non-profit organization, American Voices, into overdrive and onto the stages of Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beirut, Lebanon. Our mission is to bring American musicians and culture to parts of the world emerging from isolation or conflict. Overnight, we transformed from a quaint endeavor in the Cold War's aftermath to an essential tool in communicating who we are as a people and as a nation. (Daily Star)
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.