Iran Already Seeking Nuclear Waiver

Nov. 24, 2004 -- The agreement between Iran and the EU for the suspension of uranium enrichment went into effect Monday, but the Islamic Republic is already requesting that it be allowed to operate dozens of centrifuges "for research purposes," an activity it had agreed to ban. Meanwhile, a new CIA report says that an arms trafficking network led by a Pakistani scientist helped Iran with its nuclear program.

A report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) described the new agreement signed between Iran and a number of European countries for the suspension of uranium enrichment as a positive step that could temporarily interrupt nuclear efforts, but warned that at best it is only a prelude to more critical negotiations over long-term arrangements that must include the U.S. Britain, Germany, and France have demanded full access to all of Iran's nuclear site.

INVESTIGATIONS

Iran

Tehran requests EU allow it to conduct nuclear tests despite recently signed agreement to forgo them. (CS Monitor)

Iran: Where Next on the Nuclear Standoff?

With Iran's nuclear clock ticking, the U.S. must become engaged in seeking a comprehensive resolution to the crisis that includes addressing. (ICG)

Demand For Full Access To Iran's Nuclear Sites

Britain, Germany, and France are demanding that UN nuclear inspectors in Iran be allowed to go wherever they see fit in their efforts to investigate Tehran's nuclear program. (The Guardian)

C.I.A. Says Pakistanis Gave Iran Nuclear Aid

A new report from the Central Intelligence Agency says the arms trafficking network led by the Pakistani scientist A. Q. Khan provided Iran's nuclear program with "significant assistance," including the designs for "advanced and efficient" weapons components. (NY Times)

Jordan

The Jordanian Security Court has given 10 days for the Jordanian fundamentalist leader, Abu Musab Zarqawi and three other men to turn themselves in for plotting attacks in Jordan. (Zaman)

Authorities Deny Any Falluja Fighters Entered Jordan

Jordan has denies that any insurgents who were fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces in Falluja have entered the country. The Jordanian authorities assured that Iraqis' entrance into Jordan is done after coordination and approval by the Iraqi border security. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Germany

One of Germany's top policemen told the current Hamburg 9/11 trial on Tuesday that the Federal Crime Office BKA did not believe claims made under interrogation by two captured al-Qaeda operatives about the 2001 attacks. (Expatica)

Afghanistan

The release of three U.N. workers who had been held hostage for more than three weeks took place early Tuesday in what appeared to be an orchestrated handover. But the Afghan interior minister denied that a deal had been made with the kidnappers. (NY Times)

France

Four people, including a brother of one of three French nationals still held as terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, have been detained in connection with a probe concerning the financing of Islamic terrorism, officials said Tuesday. (AFP)

Indonesia

Four Islamic militants wanted for the Sept. 9 suicide bombing at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta have been arrested, including the alleged planner and two bomb-makers, Indonesia's police chief announced Wednesday. (AP)

India

The American Center and the consular section of the American consulate in Mumbai were closed Tuesday due to security concerns. (Rediff)

Pakistan

Declan Walsh on the young militant from the tribal regions who has become the scourge of the Pakistani government. (The Guardian)

Egypt, U.K.

IRAQ NEWS

Al Zarqawi Tape First Shown in Jan 04

ABCNEWS has confirmed that an audio tape of Abu Musaab Al Zarqawi posted on the internet today is actually an excerpt of a 60-minute statement that was first posted last January. In the tape al Zarqawi had attacked Muslim scholars for not supporting the mujaheddin. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit)

Iraqi Groups Threaten to Intensify Attacks Baath party, Islamist groups vow to step up armed attacks on US-led forces following Sharm el-Sheikh conference. (Middle East Online)

U.S. Expanding Iraqi Offensive in Violent Area

Thousands of American, British and Iraqi troops began a new offensive sweep on Tuesday across a region south of Baghdad known as the triangle of death. The area earned its fearsome reputation as a haven for thieves, killers, crime families and terrorists, as well as insurgents who fled Falluja before the fighting started there. (NY Times)

Neighbors Plan to Help Fight Rebels

Leaders gathering this week for a conference on Iraq's future are planning to give strong backing to the interim government's war against insurgents. (LA Times)

Medics Testify to Fallujah's Horrors

The first time Jose Ramirez saw a human body ripped apart by a rocket, it took hours for him to regain his composure. Nothing in his training as a Navy medical corpsman had prepared him for the sight of the dead Marine brought in September to the military field hospital outside Fallujah. (Washington Post)

Video Shows Insurgents On Haifa Street

An 11-minute video posted on the Internet by "the media department of al Qaeda organization in Iraq" shows insurgents walking around with weapons on an empty street. The group claims the video is proof they're in control of Haifa Street in Baghdad. Special calls to prayer however which mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and are heard in the background indicate that the tape was shot around Nov 14th. Towards the end, excerpts from a Nov 12th audio statement of Abu Musaab al Zarqawi are heard. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

A Good Delay

Last weekend Congress passed up the opportunity to adopt, after scant consideration, the largest reorganization of the U.S. intelligence community in half a century -- a measure that was rushed through both houses with election-year zeal and then concocted by a conference committee into a 500-page omnibus that hardly anyone had read, much less considered. (Washington Post)

Iraq's New Court Finds Itself on Trial

The worst kind of hypocrisy is the sort that pretends to stand on principle. The latest example is the failure of the United Nations, our European allies and nongovernmental groups to support Iraqi efforts to bring Saddam Hussein and his henchmen to justice. (NY Times)

Autumn Offensive

Why does it suit the government to put the message that it is waging war on fear and insecurity at the heart of yesterday's Queen's speech? (The Guardian)

Fallujah And Its Aftermath Did Not Break The Iraqi Insurgency's Back

It is far from clear what the U.S. "victory" in Fallujah really means in a military, political and economic sense. There are, however, good reasons to question whether the tactical victory will have a positive strategic effect. (The 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 Brinda Adhikari of the ABC News Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.