The Bush Doctrine: On Defeating Terrorism

          “The war against terrorists of global reach is a global enterprise of uncertain duration.  America will help nations that need our assistance in combating terror.  And America will hold to account nations that are compromised by terror – because the allies of terror are the enemies of civilization.  The United States and the countries cooperating with us must not allow the terrorists to develop new home basis.  The gravest danger our nation faces lies at the crossroads of radicalism and technology.  Our enemies have openly declared that they are seeking weapons of mass destruction and evidence indicates that they are doing so with determination.  We will build defenses against ballistic missiles and other means of delivery.  And as a matter of common sense and self-defense, America will act against such emerging threats before they are fully formed.  We cannot defend America and our friends by hoping for the best.  History will judge harshly those who saw this coming danger but failed to act.”

Newsweek

No Holiday Break for Al-Qaeda.

           French and British authorities have scored some big win in their fight to roll up al-Qaeda’s European network  - or at least disrupt it before it strikes.  An initial raid in suburban Paris netted a protective suit, bomb-making materials, including iron perchloride, another as yet unidentified chemical, and four Islamist extremists.  Police in London and Edinburg made seven arrests under Britain’s Terrorism Act.  Laboratory analysis of the materials nabbed in the French sweep point out to a conventional bomb, but French investigators say that may have been only one component of the attack. French officials say the cell leader arrested last week, Franco-Algerian Mirouane Ben Ahmed, received explosives training in Afghanistan.  Ben Ahmed, 29, is said to be one of 10 operatives who escaped when a network plotting to attack Strasbourg Cathedral was uprooted by police in December, 2000.  Kadre, the officials say, is an associate of jailed al-Qaeda operations boss Abu Doha, and he has also been connected  to a Frankfurt cell suspect who was arrested in France earlier this month after being linked to the Strabourg plot. 

TIME – Jan.6, 2003.

A list of men CIA licensed to kill

 New York, December 15:  The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is authorized to kill individuals described as “terrorist leaders” on a list approved by the White House, the New York Times reported in its Sunday editions.   Killing is authorized “if capture is impractical and civilian casualties can be minimized,” senior military and intelligence officials told the Times.  The reported list follows more than a year a presidential finding after the Sept.11 attacks on New York and Washington, providing the basic executive and legal authority for the CIA to kill or capture terrorist leaders.  Bush is not legally required to approve names added to the list and the CIA is not required to obtain presidential approval for specific attacks, the newspaper reported. 

The Indian Express – 16.12.2002

Naxals kill 13 Jharkhand policemen 

Ranchi, December 20: At least 18 people, including 13 policemen and five others, were killed by Naxalities (an ultra leftwing underground terrorist outfit) in West Singhbhum district on the Jharkhand-Orissa border after most of them were trapped and ambushed.  Besides, 20 policemen were injured in the incident who have been admitted to a hospital in Rourkela where the condition of four is reported to be critical.  Eleven vehicles were set on fire and huge of quantity of arms and ammunition, including a wireless set and 15 SLRs looted. 

The Indian Express – 21.12.2002.

 Laden recruits Gaza men to hit Israel

  Jerusalem, Jan.2:  Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network is recruiting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as part of terror cells to plot attacks against Israeli targets, a senior military official has said. One of the six senior Al Qaeda leaders operating in countries such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia recruits Palestinians in Gaza Strip, trains them mainly in the techniques of bomb making, and supplies them with funds to plan and plot attacks against Israeli targets, the senior Israeli military official said in Tel Avid on Wednesday.  Western intelligence analysis believe that an explosion at Hezbollah base in Lebanon’s Bekka valley on Monday resulted from the use of weapons smuggled from Iraq.

The Asian Age – 3.1.2002

Analyst fears more Al Qaeda suicide bombings

  Jakarta, January 2 – The Al Qaeda and its associate groups will increasingly resort to suicide attacks against soft targets this year because of their diminished resources, an analyst said today.  “Al Qaeda’s intention to attack has not diminished but its capability to attack has suffered,” said visiting Singapore-based terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratne.  “As such the group is increasingly probing targets that can be attacked with least effort and cost,” he said.  Attacks would likely focus on economic targets and cities, he said.

The Indian Express – 3.1.2003

Lanka peace Talks: Tigers refuse to disband suicide units – Sri Lanka

  Nakhon Pathom (Thailand) – Jan.9:  The LTTE on Thursday rejected the call to disarm even as it wrapped up its negotiations with the Sri Lankan Government on key military issues.  In a joint statement issued after the talks, the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE said human rights would constitute an important element of a final declaration.  A roadmap, agreed by the two sides, has set up four tasks – identifying available resources  by January 20, a report on a plan to release premises occupied by security forces by January 31, a physical assessment by Feb.7 and project recommendation by Feb.14.  Regarding resettlement of displaced persons,  a reconstruction fund, composed of international aid, will be set up with the World Bank as its custodian.

The Asian Age – 10.1.2003

Ricin find sends panic waves in UK

  London:  In a virtual action replay of the anthrax scare in the US and other parts of the world, the discovery of a small quantity of deadly toxin Ricin and a so-called “terrorist poison factory” in North London sent a panic-stricken Britain into a “terror red alert”.  Ricin, a poison, has no known antidote.  British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the Ricin find showed the ”huge potential” and “present and real danger with us now.”  Blair used the Ricin find to underline Britain’s need to support the US-led war on terrorism and proposed war on Iraq.

The Times of India – 9.1.2003

Panic rooms built to save UK royals form terror strikes

  London:  Fears of an Al-Qaeda terrorist attack have prompted Queen Elizabeth II to install  “panic rooms” at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, according to a newspaper report published Sunday.  The high-security rooms are encased in 18-inch thick steel walls and are designed to protect senior members of the royal family from poison gas, bomb attacks, or assassination by terrorists, the Sunday Times reported.   A similar safe room is expected to be constructed at Clarence House, the Queen Mother’s former residence, to which Prince Charles will move.   The new rooms cost 1 million pounds and replaced smaller, sparsely furnished rooms already in existence at both royal residences.

The Times of India – 13.1.2002

Taliban decree: Karzai infidel, kill him

  Islamabad, Jan.12:  Afghanistan’s erstwhile ruling Taliban militia has sentenced President Hamid Karzai to death, branding him an infidel and urging Muslims to wage war against him, as mentioned in a pamphlet copies of which were delivered by unidentified men at different newspaper offices on Saturday night.  The pamphlet, carried by several Pakistani newspapers, said: “Anyone who helps the infidel army should be killed.  Having trade relations with such people is also forbidden in Islam.”   “Don’t support the pro-American puppet government of Hamid Karzai”, the official quoted one of the posters as saying., “You will be responsible for the consequences if you do.”  Another warned people to stop relatives from working for the government and added: “Only infidels collude with this pro-American American puppet regime.  Their punishment is death and death alone.” 

The Asian Age – 13.1.2003

 UN an infidel organization, says Laden deputy

 Associated Press, Cairo, January 14 – Ayman Al-Zawahri, Osama Bin Laden’s top deputy, has issued a new treatise calling for holy war against the West and denounces the United Nations as an “infidel” organization that should be boycotted by Muslims, a former associate said today.  The 30-page Allegiance and Repudiation dated December, 2002, signed “Ayman Zawahri” appeared on an Islamic website this week.  Montasser El-Zayat, a Muslim fundamentalist who spent time in prison with Al-Zawahri said, “It is a continuation of Al-Zawahri’s ideas that call for the toppling of Islamic or Arab governments which do not rule according to Islamic laws and Jihad against the infidels.  El-Zayat is the most wanted list of US terrorist anti-terrorism officials for 9/11, whose whereabouts are unclear.  The treatise describes Afghanistan’s new rulers as “bandits who earn their salaries from the American forces.”

The Indian Express – 15.1.2003

‘Multi-Agency Centre’ will help crack terrorist modules – India

 New Delhi, Jan.7 – Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of all States and Union Territories on Tuesday agreed to set up a “Multi-agency center” to effectively use intelligence inputs and crack terrorist modules across the country.  The headquarters of the multi-agency center will be in Delhi with its branches in all the border States.   The new agency would be supplemented by standing committees comprising central and state intelligence representatives.  Union Home Secretary, N. Gopalaswami, said that the Centre and States decided to introduce national identify cards to combat the problem of illegal immigrants.

 The Asian Age – Jan.8, 2003.

Underground terror tunnel found on border in Punjab - India 

Chandigarh, Jan.12 – The Punjab Border Security Force officials in the south-western border district of Ferozepur have reported the discovery of a 20 metre long underground tunnel within the Mohammed Sector of the International border, running across the Zero Line between India and Pakistan, constructed with the specific objective of infiltrating terrorists and weapons into India.  BSF officials estimate that it would have taken a minimum of 25 to 30 days to excavate the structure.  Incidentally, this is the fifth such tunnel to be discovered since March 1997.  

The Asian Age – 13.1.2003

Miliitants’ renewed attempt to target women in J&K – India 

The manner in which the Taliban ruled a nation through the often violent suppression of women is well-documented, but it is by no means unique.  The State of J&K is today fighting a rearguard battle against assorted groups that make their presence felt by attacking or threatening to attack women who do not conform to their own extremely narrow vision of the world. Three young girls were killed in Hasiyot in December, allegedly for not wearing the burqa.  A group calling itself the Harkat-e-Jehad-e-Isloamii has issued a stern warning to women in the J&K police to quit their jobs or face ‘serious consequences’. It has also reiterated that girls should be married by the age of 15 and that the local Imams must ensure this. A group calling itself the Laskar-e-Jabbar raised a ruckus over the burqa issue several months ago and then seemingly disappeared.   But in January it again emerged demanding that women quit their jobs and stay at home.  The people will stand up against such arbitrary and cowardly attacks if they gain the confidence to do so.  The first task for the Mufti government in J&K is to ensure the security of the people in general and women in particular.  The message must go out to the remotest corner that the elected government of the state will protect the right of citizens to pursue a lifestyle of their choosing. 

The Indian Express – 22.1.2003

Big hole in INS system: Aiports still vulnerable – USA

 By EREIC LICHTBLAU

New York Times Service.

 Washington, Jan.24 – The security system used to usher tens of thousands of foreign travellers through American airports each year suffers from “significant and ongoing deficiencies” that threaten public safety, despite repeated warnings that predate the September 11 attacks, according to a justice department investigation released on Thursday.  It has been found that the Immigration and Naturalization Service had failed to institute the needed security reforms because it had bowed to pressure from the airline industry and had not made airport safety a top priority.  As a result, airports continue to be vulnerable to illegal entry, escapes, injuries and smuggling of aliens and contraband into the US.  More than 43 million non-US travellers passed immigration checks at airports in the 2001 fiscal year.  

The Asian Age – 25.1.2003.

Exclusive High-Seas Terrorism

  Accused Qaeda operative Abid al-Rahim-al-Nashiri, captured last year, has given CIA investigators information raising concerns that Al Qaeda’s “navy” could be the biggest current threat to US and global security.  Newsweek has learned “there are four major elements in al-Nashiri’s strategy,”.  First, the use of Zodiac-type speedboats loaded with explosives to attack US warships and other targets.  The second strategy is the acquisition of medium-size ships that can be blown up near other vessels.  If warships become too difficult to approach, tourist ships could be targeted.  The third strategy is the use of private planes bought or stolen from flying clubs and small airports and loaded with explosives.  The fourth strategy involves training underwater demolition teams.  

Newsweek - January 27, 2003