Crisis File, October 25, 2006

OSINT - Powered Offsite Daily Report

Putin says will retain influence after 2008 exit

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - President Vladimir Putin told Russians on Wednesday he would retain political influence after he steps down in 2008, but stopped short of defining what role he might take on.

Radical Shiite Stronghold Raided in Iraq

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - US and Iraqi forces on Wednesday raided Sadr City, the stronghold of the feared Shiite militia led by radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, but Prime Minister

Breeding ground of terrorism must be destroyed: Russian expert

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Likening the scourge of terrorism to the dengue fever swamping huge swathes of the country, Russia's top counter-terrorism expert says breeding

Yanking motives from the anti-terrorism law

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - That, in short, is what a self-described overworked judge from Ontario delivered yesterday in his pruning of Canada's five-year-old anti-terrorism law.

Terrorism, Muslim integration on agenda

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Interior ministers from six of Europe's most populous nations were meeting Wednesday to discuss how to prevent terror attacks and the radicalization of young European Muslims.

US gov't expert tells terrorism trial of Mideast violence

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - A terrorism expert told a federal court jury that suicide bombers have killed hundreds of Israelis but a defense attorney said five times as many Palestinians have died amid the violent conflict.

Reid to host European talks on terrorism

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Home secretary John Reid is to host a two-day meeting of leading European politicians to discuss how countries can work together to combat terrorism.

Reyes considered to head House intelligence committee

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Democratic US Rep. Silvestre Reyes, a veteran and former Border Patrol sector chief, could find himself in charge of one of the most important committees in the House if Democrats take the majority in the upcoming election.

Al-Qaeda operative killed in Pakistan

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - An al-Qaeda operative wanted in connection with the 1998 US Embassy bombings has been killed in Pakistan, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday.

India, Russia discuss opium terror, Al Qaeda

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Drug financing of terror groups in Afghanistan and the threat potential of Al Qaeda modules in the subcontinent figured prominently in the meeting of the Indo-Russia joint working group on international terrorism here Tuesday.

Three Generations of Al Qaeda Terror

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Soon after 9/11, a bespectacled and bow-tied US psychiatry professor, Marc Sageman, was asked by the CIA to profile an Al-Qaeda member.

Lebanon's house speaker calls for 'consultative talks'

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Lebanon's powerful Shiite House Speaker Nabih Berri called on Wednesday on the country's major factions to start next week what he described as 'consultative talks' to solve domestic divisions he fears may destabilize the country.

Khalifa offers help to rebuild Lebanon

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has reiterated the UAE's keenness to support the Lebanese people as they set out for the task of reconstructing their country.

Israeli leaders attacked due to barred means in Lebanon Putin

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - President Vladimir Putin said the latest attacks on the Israeli president, the prime minister and the chief of General Staff are explained by inadmissible methods of political struggle in the country.

UN mediator in talks with Hezbollah so far unsuccessful

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The United Nations special envoy responsible for mediating between Israel and Hezbollah in an effort to secure the release of the Israeli captives in Lebanon has so far

Iran, Syria rebuild Hezbollah

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Iran and Syria are rapidly rearming Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon as an international peacekeeping force has failed to carry out a UN mandate to disarm the Shi'ite militia group

Israel-Hezbollah war: From misinformation to political catharsis

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The recent war that opposed Israel to the Lebanese guerilla of Hezbollah caused more civilian losses on both sides than it had since the 1996 Grapes of Wrath operation until early 2006, six years after in the Israeli withdrawal of most of south

Iran to start 2nd nuclear centrifuge in days - agency

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Iran has installed a second cascade for uranium enrichment and will start injecting uranium gas into it within days, Iran's student news agency ISNA reported on Wednesday.

Iran Bushehr NPP launch delayed for technical reasons

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The launch of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran has been delayed for technical reasons, the head of Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly Atomstroiexport said Wednesday.

Blair: World must stop Iran from getting nuke bomb

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - It is crucial that Britain and its allies do whatever is necessary to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday.

Max Boot: How to handle Iran

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Going to war is out of the question, but there are a few different approaches for the US than just negotiating, which failed with North Korea.

Iran's supreme leader calls for unity within region

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, yesterday urged Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinians to remain united in the face of what he said were US plots to destabilize the region.

Envoy to Spain stresses Iran's peaceful N-plan

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - According to an IRNA report, Iranian ambassador to Spain Davood Salehi said that the world should count on Iran's civilian nuclear program.

Putin urges caution in dealing with North Korea

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - North Korea should not be backed into a corner over its nuclear test if the global community wants to resolve the crisis over the North's atomic ambitions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Switzerland imposes sanctions on North Korea

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The cabinet says it will introduce sanctions as of Thursday on North Korea over its reported nuclear weapons test earlier this month.

Don't drive North Korea into corner -Putin

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The international community must not drive North Korea into a corner if a solution is to be found to the crisis around its nuclear test, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

US 'would need brute force in North Korea'

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - A US general has admitted the US could only launch limited air strikes if war broke out with North Korea, because hi-tech bombing equipment is tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Asia-Pacific powers working on North Korea sanctions

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Asia-Pacific powers sought to pin down the details of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea for a nuclear test that Pyongyang blamed on Wednesday on US "double standards" when it came to nuclear issues.

Russia's Putin Urges Caution in North Korea Nuclear Crisis

US seeking North Korea-style sanctions against Iran

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The United States is seeking North Korea-style sanctions against Iran, according to diplomats at the UN. The official say the US and its allies want the Security Council to ban the sale of missile and atomic technology to the Islamic state.

Ex-army officer's son in terror plot

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The son of a retired Pakistani brigadier is among three Al Qaeda-linked men arrested for masterminding attempted attacks near the president's house and other sites, police said yesterday.

US blames Iran, Syria for violence in Iraq

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - The following are extracts of the transcript of a briefing in Baghdad by the United States ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and commanding general of the Multi-National Force

Bush to hold news conference to talk about Iraq

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - With Iraq dominating the political debate, President George W. Bush scheduled a news conference Wednesday to update the nation on the war.

We won't quit Iraq now, says Blair

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted has there will be no withdrawal from Iraq until Iraqi forces are confident they can handle security in the country.

Iraq withdrawal planned 'within 12 months'

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - A British military official has for the first time admitted a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq has been discussed, despite comments made by prime minister Tony Blair to the contrary earlier this week.

Blair rejects 'betrayal' of Iraq

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - Pulling out of Iraq now would be a "betrayal" of the sacrifices already made by UK troops, Tony Blair has said. He sidestepped growing calls for a full Commons debate on Iraq, saying he was happy to talk about it "at any time".

UK Foreign Secretary Says Iraq Could be Divided

more - offsite - 10/25/2006 - British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett drew a pessimistic picture of Iraq in a period when the United States is considering a strategy change in the country.