Israel Spying on Iran from Iraq: Report
Feb. 7, 2005 -- The Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, installed radars and advanced spying equipment in the Iraqi island of Om al Rassas near the city of Basra to monitor Iranian military and security movements, al Hayat newspaper reported Sunday. The paper reports, according to "informed sources," that this was done with the cooperation of the U.S. forces in Iraq. The radars were installed on high pillars less than a mile away from an Iranian port and can be seen clearly from Iranian soil, the sources claimed. This comes while Iran's chief nuclear negotiator warned that Iran would retaliate if the U.S. or Israel attacked its atomic facilities.
INVESTIGATIONS
Iran
Sources Say Israel Monitoring Iranian Movements from Iraq
With the help of U.S. forces in Iraq, the Israeli intelligence agency the Mossad installed radars in the Island of Om al Rassas near the city of Basra to monitor military and security operations in Iran, "informed sources" told al Hayat newspaper. The radars are less than a mile away from the Iranian Port of Khorramshahr, according to the sources. (Al Hayat)
Iran Vows to Retaliate Against Any Attacks on Nuclear Facilities
Iran would both retaliate and accelerate its drive to master nuclear technology if the United States or Israel attacked its atomic facilities, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator warned yesterday. (Reuters)
Guantanamo
British intelligence officials played a crucial part in the secret abduction of UK citizen Martin Mubanga to Guantanamo Bay. (The Observer)
Italy
ITALIAN police are investigating allegations that American intelligence agents kidnapped an Islamic militant in Milan and transported him to Egypt, where he was tortured. (The Times)
Kuwait
Five terrorists holed up at a house in Kuwait surrendered to police yesterday after authorities sealed off the area. (Arab News)
Kuwait Moves to Confront Extremism
Kuwait announced yesterday a new anti-terror strategy and launched a fresh bid to counter extremist ideology, after five suspects were arrested in a crackdown on Islamist militants involved in a string of gunbattles. (AFP)
U.S.
The CIA has agreed to release more information about Nazi war criminals it hired during the Cold War, ending a standoff between the intelligence agency and the group seeking the documents, Sen. Mike DeWine said Sunday. (AP)
U.S. Redesigning Atomic Weapons
Scientists have begun designing a new generation of weapons meant to be sturdier and more reliable. (NY Times)
From Start, Tip on Threat to Boston Raised Doubts
Rare Details Turned A Routine Probe Into a Media Frenzy. (Washington Post)
Egypt
Two Egyptian men suspected of involvement in bombing three Red Sea resorts last year were killed on Saturday after five days of gunbattles with police in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, security sources said. (Reuters)
Netherlands
Dutch prosecutors have accused 12 young Muslim men of threatening to kill prominent politicians critical of Islam and say their arrest after the murder of an outspoken filmmaker foiled other attacks. Asharq Al Awsat also reports that an organization called "the capital Amsterdam cell" recruited three girls to kill Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born politician with whom Van Gogh made the film. The girls, who carry Arab names, reportedly confessed to Dutch authorities about their involvement. (Reuters, Asharq Al Awsat)
Algeria
Algerian security forces killed four members of the "explosives brigade" that's part of the Algerian Organization for Call and Combat, according to several sources who spoke to al Hayat newspaper. The brigade is comprised of explosives experts and is believed to be the real source of the group's strength, especially since Abdel Malek Dardakal aka Abu Musaab Abdel Wadud took over as head of the organization in September. (Al Hayat)
Saudi Arabia
Crown Prince Abdullah yesterday vowed to press ahead with Saudi Arabia's war on terror and called for the establishment of an international center to combat and pre-empt terrorism. (Arab News)
Saudis 'Reform Militants' On Web
The Saudi government has told an anti-terrorism conference in Riyadh that it has reformed Islamist militant sympathisers through the internet. (BBC)
LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
Yemen
A Yemeni court yesterday upheld the convictions of 15 Islamic militants for a series of terror attacks, including the October 2002 bombing of a French supertanker, and sentenced the group's leader Fawaz Al-Rabyee to death. (Arab News)
IRAQ NEWS
Sistani Wants Islam to Be Sole Source of Legislation
Iraq's Shiite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani and another top cleric yesterday demanded that Islam be the sole source of legislation in the country's new constitution. Hours later US Vice President Dick Cheney said Iraq has the right to shape its own democracy without becoming "an Iraqi version of America." (Arab News)
At Least 30 Killed in Iraq
Bombings target Iraqi police station in Baqubah and a hospital in Mosul. (Washington Post)
Egypt Engineers Abducted In Iraq
Four Egyptian engineers working for a mobile telephone company have been kidnapped by gunmen in Baghdad. (BBC)
Web Site: Iraq Group to Release Italian Hostage
An Iraqi group which claims it is holding an Italian journalist kidnapped in Iraq said Monday it would release her soon because she was not a spy, a statement on an Islamist Web site said. (Reuters)
Zarqawi Group Denies it's Behind Kidnapping of Italian Journalist
A statement posted online by Abu Musaab Al Zarqawi's Group, al Qaeda of Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers, denied that said it was behind the kidnapping of an Italian journalist in Iraq as some had reported. Asharq Al Awsat newspaper also reports today that a second group, al Jihad Al Islami Organization, had previously claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and threatened to kill the journalist today if Italy did not withdraw its troops from Iraq. (ABCNEWS Investigative Unit, Asharq Al Awsat)
U.N. Oil-For-Food Program Chief Suspended
Secretary-General Kofi Annan suspended the head of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq and a senior U.N. official who dealt with contracts following an independent investigation that accused them of misconduct, a U.N. spokesman said Monday. (AP)
Barzan Al Tikriti Will Be First to Stand Trial
Saddam's half brother Barzan Al Tikriti will be the first person associated with the former Iraqi regime to be tried within a month, according to sources who spoke to Asharq Al Awsat newspaper. The sources however refused to say where or exactly when the trial will take place. (Asharq Al Awsat)
Miles of Barren Desert Dotted With Smugglers, Insurgents
As Washington accuses Syria of providing a haven to militants, Marines try to halt the flow of fighters and weapons into Iraq. (LA Times)
Militant Group Kills Iraqi Translator-Web
Iraqi militant group Army of Ansar al-Sunna said it had shot dead an Iraqi translator working for U.S. forces and posted an Internet video of the killing today. (Reuters)
Iraqi Police Use Kidnappers' Videos to Fight Crime
In one scene, the videotape shows three kidnappers with guns and a knife, preparing to behead a helpless man who is gagged and kneeling at their feet. (NY Times)
Six Months For Abu Ghraib Abuser
A US soldier who stamped on Iraqi prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison has been sentenced to six months in jail and discharged from the army. (BBC)
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Building on Iraq's Election
Iraq's historic vote has not solved the significant problem of Sunni alienation from the political process. (NY Times)
Success of Bush's Iraq Policy Hinges on Much More Than Voter Turnout
By raw turnout numbers alone, the early returns from the Iraqi elections hint at success of the democratic process. (Arab News)
Facing The Facts
No one who cares about the United Nations can afford to be complacent about the findings of the investigation into the Iraqi oil-for-food programme. (The Guardian)
What did the Palestinians and Iraqis Vote for?
Those Palestinians and Iraqis who cast their vote did so for one overriding reason: to get rid of the foreign occupiers. (Al Hayat)
View emerging of Shiite-ruled Iraq
A leading contender to be Iraq's next prime minister says the government should not allow laws that conflict with Islam. (CS Monitor)
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.