U.S. soldiers, Iraqis killed in blast

Manama - January 31 - Iraqi resistance forces killed at least 10 people and wounded another l45 in a blast next to a police station in the northern city of Mosul, while three American soldiers died when a roadside bomb exploded next to their convoy. A car carrying ammunition reportedly crossed the security barrier and exploded in front of the station. Five vehicles, including the bomber's car, were gutted. The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan's decision to send a team has received a cautious welcome from the religious leadership of the Shias - the largest community in Iraq.

The Hindu - February 1, 2004.

Terrorists recruiting tribal children

Udhampur (Jammu) - January 31, 2004 - Terrorists are increasingly resorting to recruitment of children belonging to all age groups in the hills of Udhampur and are using them for their operations against the security forces. Nine year old Abdul Gafoor, presently in the protection of the Jammu and Kashmir police in Reasi, told The Hindu the sordid tale of his being caught and rescued. About six months ago his father had been killed by terrorists for his alleged link with the army, and his mother was kidnapped whose whereabouts are not known. On September 15, 2003, Abdul Gafoor was kidnapped by terrorists from his residence and for the first two months he was made to wash utensils and carry the load of the terrorists. Then he was trained in the use of AK-47 rifles and later on too handle explosives. Last month he had a narrow escape when terrorists launched an attack on an Army patrol party in Poni area, in which a terrorist was injured and Gafoor along with the other terrorists managed to escaped.

The Hindu - February 1, 2004.

Nine flights cancelled over security concerns

London - February 1, 2004 - Nine trans-Atlantic flights, seven of them to or from British airports, had been cancelled after warnings of possible suicide attacks by Al Qaeda. "There are a handful of flights we are concerned about and British Airways has cancelled about half of them. We have received threat reporting indicating Al Qaeda's desire to target these particular flights," a Sunday Times source said. Amid the heightened fears, the government is drawing up plans to use old trains to evacuate people form cities in the event of a terrorist attack. The plan is part of civil contingencies legislation now passing through Parliament.

The Asian Age - February 2, 2004.

Over 100 feared killed in Iraq suicide attacks

Arbil - Suicide bombers killed 56 people and wounded 200 on Sunday in twin attacks on Kurdish political parties in northern Iraq, US army officials said. One Kurdish minister said the death toll could rise above 100. About 20 Iraqis were killed in an explosion on Sunday at a munitions dump in the Polish controlled south-central region of the country, according to a spokesman for Polish-led international peace-keepers. No one claimed responsibility.

The Times of India - February 2, 2004.

'Policing is driving Muslims to Qaeda'

London - February 2, 2004 - The UK government and Scotland Yard have been warned by British Muslims and other Islamic extremist groups in the wake of home secretary David Blunketts new and more stringent anti-terror plans. The warning follows arrest of 537 people by the UK police since September 11, 2001 attacks. Only 94 have been charged with terrorist-related offences and six have been convicted. Mr. Reshard Auladin, the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority's professional standards and complaints committee, said Scotland Yard needed to provide a clearer explanation of police action. Mr. Inayat Bunglawala, spokesperson of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "We are greatly concerned about the number of arrests, some of which were accompanied by some vicious beatings. The police knows the Muslim community wants to help the war on terror, but this kind of action can only create bad faith and mistrust."

The Asian Age - February 3, 2004.

12 die in Philippine clashes

Manila - Fighting between Government troops and communist guerillas in the Philippines has left at least 12 people dead, officials said on Monday. New People's Army guerillas, who have been waging a Marxist rebellion for 35 years, have threatened to escalate attacks, and the military said on Monday it would continue with its offensives in the absence of a cease-fire. "We expect more skirmishes, more encounters in the near future because of our offensive drive to cleanse villages of communist terrorists," a military spokesman said.

The Hindu - February 3, 2004.

DIG gunned down after Id prayers in Srinagar

Jammu - February 2, 2004 - DIG (Crime & Railways), Mohammad Amin Bhat was shot dead by militants on Monday as he came out of a mosque in Barzulla, Srinagar, after offering Id prayers. A youth fired from a pistol from point blank range, critically wounding the officer. It is for the first time that such a high-ranking police officer has been killed since militancy erupted in the State. Militant outfit, Save Kashmir Movement, has claimed responsibility for the killing.

Hindustan Times - February 3, 2004.

Offices in U.S. Capitol shut in ricin scare

Washington - February 4, 2004 - Police and enforcement authorities have shut down three major office complexes. Officials are now down to serious business of tracking down where that ricin found in Senate Majority Leader, Bill First's office, came from. An unnamed Justice Department official has said that a letter containing ricin was also mailed to the White House complex. The ricin came in a small vial; it was of low potency; and quite similar to the toxin found at a mail facility in South California last October. Authorities are conducting tests on the ricin. No illnesses have been reported, and first tests have apparently indicated that the toxin had not seeped through the building's ventilation system.

The Hindu - February 5, 2004.

Four killed in J&K blast

Srinagar - At least four army jawans were killed and six wounded when their vehicle was blown up in an improvised explosive device blast near Khanabal in Anantnag district, on Thursday, a military spokesman said. Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the blast. In a separate encounter, in Kupwara on Thursday, army troops killed nine insurgents at Trech Kandi, losing a JCO.

The Times of India - February 6, 2004.

Putin vows to crush terrorism

MOSCOW, FEB. 6. Nearly 40 persons were killed and 122 were wounded by a bomb blast that ripped through a packed metro train in Moscow on Friday. The explosion tore through the second wagon of an underground train as it was approaching the Avtozavodskaya station in morning rush-hour. Security officials said the bomb had the power equivalent to one or two kg of TNT. A severe fire that broke out after the blast increased the number of casualties. Television pictures of the carriage showed twisted metal and charred seats. In rush hours, one metro carriage can carry up to a 100 persons. Security measures have been tightened throughout the Moscow metro since the December attack, but officials said it was next to impossible to spot a terrorist among two million people who travel by metro every day. The President, Vladimir Putin, blamed the blast on Chechen rebels and vowed to destroy terrorists.

The Hindu - February 7, 2004

Anti-terror squad for IAF

NEW DELHI: After facing suicide attacks on crucial air bases like Awantipora, Srinagar and Guwahati in recent times, the Indian Air Force has for the first time come up with its own version of special forces - the "Garuds". "While our bases and camps have adequate security infrastructure to defend themselves in case of overt enemy aggression, a need was felt to raise a special force to tackle the menace of threats emanating from terrorist designs," said an IAF officer. The first batch of "Garuds", which has undergone training at the paratroopers' training school at Agra and the ITBP commando course capsule, passed out on Thursday.

The Times of India - February 07, 2004

Terrorist bid to build bombs in air

Islamic militants have conducted dry runs of a devastating new style of bombing on aircraft flying to Europe, intelligence sources believe. The tactics, which aim to evade aviation security systems by placing only components of explosive devices on passenger jets, allowing militants to assemble them in the air, have been tried out on planes flying between West Asia, North Africa and Western Europe, security sources say. The warning is based on interrogations of Islamic militants captured in the Arabian Gulf and is corroborated by intercepted communications between terrorist cells and interviews with prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay.

Hindustan Times - February 9, 2004.

Opium filling Al Qaeda's pocket

Kabul - February 10, 2004 - Hundreds of millions of dollars a year from Afghanistan's illicit drug trade end up in the pockets of Islamic militant groups like the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the head of the UN drug-fighting body said on Tuesday. UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said, more worrying was that surveys of farmers showed a further increase of opium - from which heroin is derived - was likely this year. Costa estimated that at least several hundred million dollars of Afghanistan's estimated opium output of $2.3 billion ends up in the hands of groups like the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Hindustan Times - February 11, 2004

55 die in Iraq blast

Iskandariyah - A car bomb exploded on Tuesday morning at a police station at about 50 kms south of Baghdad killing at least 55 people and injuring another 50. In Baghdad, policeman Wissam Abdul Karim said, "I heard a very strong explosion" and "the blast threw me on the ground." He did not know whether the blast was caused by a suicide driver or from a stationary vehicle.

The Times of India - February 11, 2004.

Pakistan-trained Islamic radicals being sneaked into U.S.: report

Washington 10, 2004 - Islamic radicals are being trained in terrorist camps in Pakistan and Kashmir as part of a larger strategy to sneak in hundreds of operatives to "sleeper cells" in the United States, says the information provided by unnamed intelligence and law enforcement officials. This clandestine but aggressive network of training camps "represents a serious threat to the United States." Al-Qaeda sleeper cells are believed to be operating in some 40 States in this country, awaiting orders and money for fresh attacks on the U.S. Privately U.S. officials have expressed concern that members of Pakistan's intelligence community have assisted in the "concealment" of the Al-Qaeda and its members.

The Hindu - February 11, 2004.

Hamas calls for suicide attacks against Israel

Gaza City - The armed wing of the radical Hamas movement on Wednesday called on its activists to carry out large scale suicide attacks against Israel in retaliation for a major gun-battle which left 13 Palestinians dead and 35 injured. When Abu Skhaila's death was announced at a Gaza hospital, Hamas militants in camouflage uniforms fired guns in the air and yelled "God is great" before jumping in a car to return to the fighting, witnesses said. Troops hit at least 17 militants who had fired at them or were planting explosives, the army said.

The Times of India - February 12, 2004.

Baghdad blast kills 47 - Second Explosion in the City in 2 Days

Baghdad - A suicide car bomb exploded at an Iraqi army recruitment center in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing 47. US Colonel Ralph Baker said the car had been laden with 300-350 pounds of plastic explosives mixed with artillery shells to maximize the "kill effect". Around 53 people were killed on Tuesday in a similar attack on Iraqis outside a police station south of Baghdad.

The Times of India - February 12, 2004.

Chechnya ex-President killed in Qatar blast

Doha - February 13, 2004 - Former Chechen President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, an Islamic extremist linked by Moscow to Al Qaeda, died on Friday from injuries sustained by a blast in Qatar, in which two persons had been killed, the police said. "We heard a very loud blast and the car was on fire. A man fell out of the car," said a witness.

The Asian Age - February 14, 2004.

23 die in Falluja attack - Gunmen Target Police Station

Falluja - At least 23 people were killed and 35 wounded on Saturday when Iraqi guerrillas attacked with rockets, mortars and machine guns, a police station and a government building in the town of Falluja, officials said. An unknown number of prisoners escaped from the police station during the attack.

Sunday Times of India - February 15, 2004.

Bulletproof shield for Blair in House

London - February 15, 2004 - A shield of bulletproof glass is to be installed in the British House of Commons, following reports that Al Qaeda might make an attempt to assassinate premier Tony Blair. Security chiefs fear ministers and MPs are sitting targets after a string of high-profile death plots by the terror group which last week. Al Qaeda has changed tactics and is just as keen to murder high profile target as they are to perpetrate a "mass casualty attack" on western soil.

The Indian Express - February 16, 2004.

Nepal Maoists abduct 300 women, kill 3

Kathmandu - February 16, 2004 - Maoist rebels attacked a passenger bus and killed a nine year-old-girl in Bahddur. The rebels also abducted 300 women from Bhaiswole area of Achham district for not cooperating with them during their ninth anniversary celebrations on Feb.13. No group has claimed responsibility.

The Indian Express - February 17, 2004.

11 Iraqis die in truck bombing

Baghdad - Troops opened fire on two explosives-laden trucks on Wednesday that tried to plow through a Polish military camp south of Baghdad, triggering blasts that killed at least 13 people, including the two drivers, and injuring 64, including men, women and children, said Polish Gen. Mieczyslaw Bieniek.

The Times of India - February 19, 2004.

Qaeda talks of 'she-bomber'

London - February 21, 2004 - Terrorists plan to use a "she bomber" to smuggle explosives on board an aircraft, security chiefs here believe, as has been told by a leading Al Qaeda organiser during questioning in custody. A woman has already been selected, as suggested by him, for the attack, who would hide up to 12 ounces of plastic explosive inside her body, and the detonator and other components can easily be hidden in a watch, mobile telephone. The prospect of a so-called "she bomber" was investigated by British officials in the run-up to Christmas when a number of flights to America and the Gulf were cancelled.

The Asian Age - February 22, 2004.

Terror business: no cost cutting, bonus too

New Delhi - According to a report submitted by a joint director in the Intelligence Bureau, to the Centre, militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir are paid an incentive amount, much like a festival bonus twice a year for Id-ul-Zoha and Id-ul-Fitr. Rs.1500 each was paid to about 2000 militants on each occasion in 2003, amount to Rs.30 lakhs. The amount of terrorist funding in the Valley is likely to range between Rs.5-10 crore per month. The direct cost under specific heads to militants which add up to a total of Rs.31.33 crore annually. The intelligence reports say the major source of terrorist funding is Pakistan, through the ISI and Pakistan-based "charities." Other than them, the sources include Saudi Arabian organisations like Rabita-e-Alam-e-Islami, World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), the Iranian Shia organizations, World Kashmir Freedom Movement and Friends of Kashmir (UK), Kashmir American Council and Kashmir Study Group (US).

Sunday Times of India - February 22, 2004.

Seven die in Jerusalem bus blast

Jerusalem - A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up on a crowded Israeli bus in Jerusalem on Sunday, killing seven people. "People were screaming 'mommy, daddy'. There were body parts everywhere," a medic said. The Palestinian militant group al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of President Yaser Arafat's Fatah faction, claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The Times of India - February 23, 2004.

Suicide Bomber Kills 13 In Kirkuk as Rumsfeld Flies Into Baghdad

Kirkuk - A suicide bomber rammed a car into a police station in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Monday, killing 13 people and wounding 51, a police official said. "He took us by surprise. We didn't even manage to fire a single bullet at the bomber," said policeman Saman Ali.

The Times of India - February 24, 2004.

Japan troops to counter terrorism

Tokyo - Legislation to spell out how Japanese authorities can use troops to defend the country's borders or counter a terrorist strike has passed a key cabinet committee, an official said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has pushed to broaden the role of Japan's military, which operates under tight restrictions imposed by its post-World War II pacifist constitution.

The Asian Age - February 26, 2004.

Global bomb-making network feared

Washington - February 22, 2004 - Forensic Investigators have found indications of a global bomb network and have concluded that Islamic militant bomb builders have used the same designs for car bombs in Africa, West Asia and elsewhere in Asia, government officials said this week. The bomb investigations suggest that the terrorist network may be disseminating bomb-making skills to a generation of militants who have fanned out around the world.

Hindustan Times - February 23, 2004.

J&K cops foil plan to blow up IGI airport - 3 LeT Terrorists Name Pak Bosses

Jammu - Three Pakistan-based terrorists, belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba, were arrested by J&K Police. They had planned to carry out a suicide attack this month at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, J&K Police director-general Gopal Sharma told reporters on Saturday. A fourth man, who was acting as a guide for the potential attackers, escaped.

Sunday Times of India - February 22, 2004.

M15 will recruit 1,000 more spies

London - February 22, 2004 - M15 is to recruit 1,000 extra spies to bolster Britain's defences against the growing threat of Islamics terrorism. The move will boost the agency's staff to 3,000. Last November, Eliza Manningham-Buller, the director-general of M15, warned Mr. Blunkett that her agency did not have the resources to cope with the existing terrorist threat. Although M15's budged remains secret, it is thought to have accounted for some Pound 200 million of the estimated Pound one billion spent on the three main intelligence agencies last year. Nearly 60 per cent of M15's budget is devoted to counter-terrorism.

The Asian Age - February 23, 2004.

Charles installs panic room in house

London - February 22, 2004 - Prince Charles has had a panic room built at Clarence House to protect himself and his sons against terror attacks. The steel-reinforced safe area is just a few yards from his bed so that he can use it in an emergency. The bomb-proof shelter on the second floor measures 9 feet by 9 feet. Safe rooms are becoming increasingly common in the homes of the rich and powerful who fear they may be targets of terrorists and assassins.

The Asian Age - February 23, 2004.

Food for Thoughts

Never does a man portray his character more vividly than his proclaiming the character of another.

Winston Churchill
(1874-1965, British Prime Minister)

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Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.

New Testament

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You don't have to be a fantastic here to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.

Edmund Hillary