ABCNEWS: Church Abuse
INVESTIGATIONS
Church Sexual Abuse Investigations
An investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against a high-ranking priest of the Roman Catholic Church has been reopened, seven years after the formal complaint was first filed with then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, according to people familiar with the case. (ABCNEWS)
Pope 'Obstructed' Sex Abuse Inquiry
Confidential letter reveals Ratzinger ordered bishops to keep allegations secret. (The Observer)
The Pope, the Letter and the Child Sex Claim
A series of paedophile allegations against a senior papal confidant are haunting Benedict XVI. How he deals with them will be his first major test, writes Jamie Doward. (The Observer)
Saudi Arabia
Cell Sent Saudis to Fight With Al Zarqawi
A cell whose members clashed with security forces in Mecca last week leading to the death of two and the arrest of two others, was specialized in sending Saudis to fight with Abu Musaab al Zarqawi in Iraq. Sources told Asharq Al Awsat that the men went to Iraq through Yemen and Syria. (Asharq Al Awsat)
U.S.
Demand for Rumsfeld Abuse Inquiry
The US should name a special prosecutor to look at Donald Rumsfeld's possible role in the abuse of US military prisoners, a human rights group says. (BBC)
Senate Urged to Probe CIA Practices
Intelligence panel should examine use of rendition, Rockefeller says. (Washington Post)
Experts Call Spy Agency Practice an Eye-Opener
If a U.S. official asks, the NSA is in the habit of disclosing the identities of Americans it records in routine snooping, intelligence sources say. (LA Times)
White House May Go to U.N. Over North Korean Shipments
Washington is debating a plan to seek a U.N. resolution empowering all nations to intercept shipments in or out of North Korea that may contain nuclear materials. (NY Times)
Report
World Armed Groups 'Abduct Girls'
A "hidden army" of girls is being forced to work for armed groups involved in conflicts worldwide, a charity says. (BBC)
Syria
Syria Joins UN Treaty Against Terror Funding
Syria, accused by the United States of being a sponsor of terrorism, has formally acceded to a U.N. treaty designed to cut off funding for terrorist activities, UN officials said yesterday. (Arab News)
Sudan
'Militias Burn Darfur Village as Warning'
Arab militias burned down a village in West Darfur state as a warning to its non-Arab residents not to return to their homes, a man from the village said yesterday. Ibrahim Adam, 23, took a Reuters witness to the freshly burned village, southwest of El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state. (Reuters)
Switzerland
Switzerland Extradites Terror Suspect To Spain
Switzerland extradited to Spain on Friday the suspected leader of a Muslim cell that Spanish officials say planned to blow up Spain's High Court with a truck bomb. (Reuters)
LEGAL DEVELOPMENT
Spain
In His Own Defense, Terror Suspect Takes Offense as 9/11 Trial Opens in Madrid
A Spanish man facing terror charges scolded prosecutors and judges from the witness chair Friday as Europe's biggest al Qaeda trial opened in a heavily guarded courtroom here following eight years of investigation. (Washington Post)
IRAQ NEWS
U.S. Army Clears Officers in Abu Ghraib Case
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, faulted by some for leadership failures in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, has been cleared by the U.S. Army of all allegations of wrongdoing and will not be punished, officials said. (AP)
Iraqis Held In Helicopter Attack
The US military says it has detained four more Iraqi men suspected of shooting down a commercial helicopter earlier this week. (BBC)
Iraqis Killed In Market Attacks
At least 16 people die in two bomb attacks in a Baghdad market, with six killed earlier in Tikrit. (BBC)
Mystery of Iraq's Alleged Oasis of Death
Deserted insurgent base yields few clues to the discovery of 57 corpses found downriver. (The Guardian)
Rice and Cheney Are Said to Push Iraqi Politicians on Stalemate
The Bush administration has pressed Iraqi leaders in recent days to end their stalemate over forming a new government. (NY Times)
Allawi's Demands Said to Be Sticking Point in Iraq
Ex-premier is delaying the formation of a new government, lawmakers say, and may be shut out. In Baghdad and Tikrit, bombs kill 21. (LA Times)
ANALYSIS & OPINION
The Agony of War
As a nation we can wage war, but we don't want the public to be too upset by it. Marla Ruzicka tried to change that in her quest to document the suffering of Iraqi civilians. (NY Times)
The Veracity of the Iraqi Crisis
The positive effect of the Iraqi elections have come to an end. No one recalls that they were carried out, and spread a good impression due to the citizens' participation in defying fear. (Al Hayat)
Who Made Iraq the Duty-Free Shop of Suicide Bombers?
Like so many others in this country I recently received a letter and a card from the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair. It read: "Enclosed is a summary of our pledges for you to review. We fulfilled every pledge in 1997 and 2001. If re-elected we will do so again." I was shocked. The letter, and the "six pledges to ensure a better life for British people", were Iraq-free zones. (The Guardian)
Freedom, a Blessing and a Curse
Freedom is not a 21st century discovery nor is it a fashion that lasts one season and fades away the next. (Arab News)
The Democracy Trap
It's easy to want democracy for the Middle East. But what sort of democracy? Should American foreign policy focus on promoting elections, or on checks and balances? Is the crucial question how power is achieved? Or is it how power is exercised? (Washington Post)
Syria's Ba'athists Loosen The Reins
The Ba'ath Party in Syria is to relax its decades-long iron grip on political control by allowing other parties to contest elections. The move is a carefully calculated gamble on the part of the government, and will also challenge United States efforts to dictate the pace of democracy in the country. (Asia Times)
National Security and Intelligence
Washington Post intelligence reporter Dana Priest will be online Thursday, April 28, at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss the latest developments in national security and intelligence. (Washington Post)
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.