Terrorism Bookshelf is growing apace. This week, Dr. Joshua Sinai has begun adding books that are important to the study of terrorism but have not been published recently. He has compiled the Tables of Contents of such classics as Kaplan and Marshall?s 1996 "The Cult At the End of the World", about Aum Shrinryko and Donna M. Schlagheck?s 1988 "International Terrorism". Check out these important additions.

This week?s Feature Article ties together our coverage of Africa: the news highlights surveying events from Angola to Zimbabwe as well as the articles over the last two weeks that cover the peace processes in Sudan and in Democratic Republic of Congo. This week, we look at "Great Risks/Great Rewards" to put this information in a broader context of the biggest problems facing Africans today and the measures they have begun, sometimes with help from the international community, to overcome these challenges.

As always, this edition of the Newsletter is linked to selected data from the TerrorismCentral Library.

CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. World
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia Pacific
5. Europe
6. Middle East
7. South Asia
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
9. Finance
10 Human Rights
11. Law and Legal Issues
12. Narco-terrorism
13. Transportation
14. Weapons of Mass Destruction
15. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Opportunities in Africa, Part 3: Great Risks/Great Rewards

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

This week Stockholm hosted World Water Week (see http://www.siwi.org/sws2002/frameset.html for conference details day by day and additional background information). This meeting called for action to manage scarce water resources at the forthcoming Earth Summit (http://www.earthsummit2002.org/) being held in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 26-September 6. Water is one of the five key topics of this meeting, which also reviews other social, economic and environmental issues that have significant impact on sustainable development.

For details of why water, our most critical natural resource, deserves immediate attention in the effort to counter terrorism, read the feature article "Water Conflicts" in the July 28 issue.

2. Africa

In Algeria, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) entered a village and killed 26 people, mostly women and children. Rachid Oukali (a/k/a Rachid Abou Tourab), who replaced Antar Zouabri as leader of GIA after his death in April, has called for the continuation of the "holy war" that has killed thousands this year alone.

To help Angola?s recovery from their long-running war with the UNITA rebels, the United Nations will supply additional peacekeeping and aid workers.

Burundi has begun peace talks that now include all of the rebel groups: both wings of the Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) and the National Liberation Front (FNL). The first goal of the peace talks is to achieve a ceasefire in the war between Hutus and Tutsis that began in 1993 and has killed more than 200,000.

Congo Brazzaville has a new president, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who has promised good governance. Overcoming corruption in the oil-rich country will be difficult, but his goals will be strongly supported by his colleagues in the African Union., who all face similar challenges

Democratic Republic of Congo has achieved another positive step in the emerging peace process with the announcement that Zimbabwe will withdraw its forces. Uganda has started pulling some troops out, and there is an agreement for the withdrawal of huge numbers of Rwandan forces. Cessation of external support for rebel forces is an essential component of ending the long-running conflict. (See last week?s feature article for details.) In the meantime, the UN has found more mutilated corpses left by tribal militias and the Ugandan army in the northeast.

Liberian rebels of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) have denied reports of heavy fighting and that the government has retaken the northern town where LURD is headquartered. The government has called for LURD to begin peace discussions.

Madagascar?s mysterious virus is found to be flu, whose virulence is the result of poverty and the disruption following the recent turmoil over the presidential elections. Over 13,300 cases have been reported, with at least 417 deaths.

Nigerian women in southern Ondo state invaded a Chevron Oil installation; the fourth protest this month, demanding jobs and development funds. Chevron reacted angrily, saying it had already reached an agreement with nearby communities. In the north, authorities warned Miss World contestants to stay away from the 12 states that practice Sharia law. These examples illustrate the variety of problems facing Nigeria. Now, with elections due next year, Nigeria?s house of representatives has voted to give President Obasanjo two weeks in which to either resign or face impeachment on charges of corruption and incompetence.

Rwanda is undertaking its first national census since the 1994 genocide. It will help identify the numbers of widows, orphans, and disabled as well as their living conditions. Additional judges have been added to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICT-R) and traditional village councils are also working for justice. In a major development, one of the alleged leaders of the genocide has been found in an Angolan UNITA demobilization camp and will be handed over to the ICT-R.

Sierra Leone opposition Revolutionary United Front Party(RUFP), the former RUF rebel group led by Foday Sankoh, won less than two percent of the vote in the last election. Sankoh, on trial for murder, was unable to run. RUFP Secretary-General Pallo Bangura ran instead but after his poor showing said it was time for new leadership and has resigned.

Pirates in Somalia are holding a ship seized two weeks ago. Initially thought to be a British ship, it is now identified as Greek, and is being held for a $1 million ransom.

Leading South African companies Anglo American and De Beers have announced they will help provide AIDS drugs to their workers. This is both a humanitarian effort and also recognition of the economic toll the high rate of HIV infection is taking on African economies.

Sudan?s peace negotiations are moving forward with a round of talks to move towards a ceasefire. Sudan?s prospects for peace seem better than other countries in the region (see feature article of August 4) and in another conciliatory move, the governing National Congress party has changed its slogan from "Jihad, Victory and Martyrdom" to "Peace, Unity and Development". Reports that Islamic opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi was released from house arrest have been denied and the latest news is that the complaint was unresolved.

Tanzania will host a meeting of east African police chiefs this week. Chiefs from Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda will gather to discuss strategies to combat rising crime.

Uganda has offered a temporary ceasefire to the Lord?s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, who have continued their attacks and kidnappings. LRA is said to be considering the conditions under which a limited ceasefire might be accepted.

Despite famine, Zambia has turned down US food supplies because they include genetically modified (GM) grain. Instead, they have asked for support to buy the food they already eat. (Zimbabwe and Mozambique will only accept GM grains if it is milled to avoid crop contamination.)

Thousands of white farmers, who defied the order to leave their land under controversial land reform policies, are now being arrested by government troops. At least 70 have been detained and will appear in court over the next few days. African leaders and others from the international community are concerned about the stability of the country and, in turn, the region, but their pleas for restraint have fallen on deaf ears, as President Mugabe uses all means possible to retain power. Meanwhile, millions of lives are threatened by a shortage of food and by economic and political disruption.

2. Americas

In its August 17 issue, The Economist has exclusively published results of a poll in Latin America conducted by Latinobarometro. From their important and detailed coverage, The Economist summarizes the main findings as:

"...Latin Americans are becoming somewhat more supportive of democracy, but they have little trust in political parties and believe that corruption is widespread and worsening. They have lost faith in privatisation, and want the state to take a more active role in regulating the economy, but in most countries they have not moved more generally to the left."

Argentina?s former president Carlos Menem faces another scandal, this time with Swiss bank accounts, that could put paid to his renewed aspirations of retaking that office. Allegations of international arms smuggling and bribery continue to haunt his reputation.

Colombia?s new president, Alvaro Uribe, has take swift action. He has brought in new military leaders, announced a new war tax, is recruiting an army of citizen informers, and garnered support from the US. The country is now operating under a state of emergency called immediately after five days of violence after his inauguration.

Last week, Colombian official Luis Camilo Osorio had drawn comparisons between recent FARC attacks and IRA strategies. Sinn Fein, the political arm of the IRA, has angrily denied these charges and called for his resignation.

Relations between Mexico and the US have become strained first over the unresolved water-sharing dispute, and now over the execution of Javier Suarez Medina who had been convicted of killing a Texas police officer. Mexico stated that Mr. Medina had not been told of his rights to contact Mexican consular officials. Appeals, even by President Vincente Fox, to stop the execution were rejected by Texas authorities. Mexico does not have capital punishment. President Fox cancelled a scheduled trip, his second cancellation since May, in protest at the execution.

In the US controversy still swirls over the "war on terrorism" and its possible extension to Iraq, as well as the threats that have been posed to civil liberties and human rights. The debate over Iraq has attracted bipartisan support, with prominent republicans including former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Senator Chuck Hagel, joining vocal opposition to an attack. While the debate continues, warships and other arms are making their way to the area. A request for help from aid agencies to work on recovery operations in Iraq was sent out, much to the discomfort of aid agencies that fear a response to the request for proposal would encourage an invasion. Meetings with Iraqi dissidents have proceeded, but without support from the leading Kurds.

Now that the Pentagon is considering special operations to covertly track and kill al Qaeda leaders around the world outside of the battlefield, protests over potential disregard for the rule of law and international norms will grow.

US courts have continued to weigh in on legal arguments regarding arbitrary detention and definition of enemy combatants. (See Law and Legal Issues below) Human Rights Watch has contributed a detailed 95-page report that documents "arbitrary detentions, due process violations, and secret arrests". (http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/us911/)

Homeland security efforts continue to proceed. The General Accounting Office released a report estimating it will take 5-10 years for the new department to be fully up and running, denoting challenges that include communications and technology integration. President Bush has rejected additional funds totaling $5.1 billion that were approved by Congress. This funding was for domestic security, particularly to local first responders. His decision has drawn sharp criticism from fire fighters and others, who have suggested that the administration can?t first call them heroes then take away their funding.

The US Immigration and Naturalization Service has received particular criticism. The current director has left. New plans have been announced for a system, launching on September 11, to require visitors from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria as well as others deemed as high-risk to be fingerprinted and photographed at the border. This information will be matched against a database of known criminals and terrorists. In addition, the visitors would be required to periodically report in to authorities. Many have drawn attention to the exclusion of Saudi Arabia from the list of targeted countries, given that most of the September 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals.

In Venezuela, protestors demonstrated against the Supreme Court decision not to try the officers involved in the April coup attempt. Significant financing to forces opposed to President Hugo Chavez has come from the US government.

3. Asia Pacific

The US is seeking support from ASEAN to include the Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah on their terrorist blacklist.

Australian judge Rodney Burr is reviewing the case of the 12- and 13-year-old brothers and refugee-seekers. He has said he is disturbed by psychological reports on the children and other factual evidence and will review the case rapidly, to minimize their suffering.

Burmese authorities have released dissidents Aye Tha Aung, leader of the Arakan League for Democracy and five members of Aung San Suu Kyi?s National League for Democracy. After the government had said it was ready for talks with them, the rebel Karen National Union has agreed to initial discussions. Despite these positive moves, concerns are raised over reports of Burmese soldiers raping more than 600 ethnic Sham women and girls. Plans to launch an electronic passport have also raised concerns that the military government would misuse the information gathered through use of the cards.

East Timor had a mass breakout from the main prison sparked by delays in bringing cases to trial. Most of the prisoners have been returned.

The human rights court for East Timor that is being held in Indonesia to try those who stand accused of involvement in the 1999 massacre has proven unsatisfactory. Protests have followed the conviction of the former governor Abilio Osorio Soares to only three years imprisonment and the acquittal of the police chief and five junior officers.

Indonesia celebrated its 57th anniversary of independence while sectarian violence continued. Ten were injured by a grenade attack by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), a bus was set on fire, and now GAM has called for a general strike. In Sulawesi, gunmen raided Christian villages, killing five.

North and South Korea have been meeting to try to revive their "sunshine policy".

Malaysia has eased its strict ban on immigrants after pressure from human rights groups against their canings and other harsh measures as well as protests from industry who otherwise would face a severe labor shortage.

The Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People?s Army face asset freezes by the US, Netherlands and UK following designation as terrorist organizations by the US.

4. Europe

Georgia is preparing to send troops into the Panskisi Gorge to search for Chechen rebels.

Munich, Germany hosted a memorial service for the 11 Israelis killed at the 1972 Olympics. (Watch for an article on this in September.)

An Italian bio-technology research center was the target of an attempted bombing. The device was discovered before it went off, next to a message condemning interspecies transplants.

Kosovan demonstrators have protested daily over the arrests of former Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) leaders, including Rustrem Mustafa and Ramush Haradinaj. There have been some violent incidents and peacekeepers have been placed on heightened alert.

Macedonia has uncovered a new Albanian rebel group called Army of the Republic of Ilirida.

Russia and Iraq plan to sign a major trade agreement worth as much as $60 billion over the next ten years, including trade in oil and gas, transportation and communications.

Chechen separatists began the week with a series of explosions that killed three and injured 17 and ended the week by attacking a village, killing ten and wounding four Russian soldiers. Russian troops claim to have killed at least 32 Chechen rebels in the last week. Kidnapping by the both the Chechen rebels and criminal groups have become common in the Caucasus. The recent kidnapping of a aid worker has led Medecins Sans Frontieres to suspend operations in that region. The Chechens have presented Russian authorities with peace proposals.

Spain has begun proceedings to ban the Batasuna party, the political wing of the Basque separatist group ETA. Spain is also setting up a coastal defense system that includes radar and night vision cameras to cut down on drug and human trafficking coming from Morocco.

In the UK, the Afghan family who had been forcibly removed from the mosque in which they had taken refuge has been deported to Germany.

Northern Ireland continues to experience sectarian attacks including pipe bombs, riots, and general street violence. August 15 marked the fourth anniversary of the Omagh bombing in which 29 weekend shoppers were killed and hundreds injured by a bomb in the town center. The Real IRA took responsibility, but the bombers have still not been brought to justice.

5. Middle East

Bahrain has opened the International Islamic Financial Market, a new Islamic bank that follows Sharia law.

Egypt has rejected US criticism over its imprisonment of democratic activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim. The US has said it would stop new aid, but Egypt insists the US has no right to interfere with its legal system.

The occupied Gaza Strip and Bethlehem, on the West Bank, will be the first areas from which Israeli troops will withdraw in phases under the resurrected "Gaza First" plan. In exchange, the Palestinians must crackdown on violence against Israelis. It will not be easy for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to fill its end of this bargain. Talks between the PA and Hamas to end attacks on civilians broke down last week as Hamas insisted on revenging the attacks against it and insists its struggle against the occupation is legitimate. Hamas? position is supported by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Hamas and PFLP?s positions were further solidified in popular opinion after the Israeli army was accused of using a human shield, a teenager, who was killed during a raid on the house of a suspected militant and later of killing a five-year old.

Iran?s President Mohammad Khatami, forging relations with countries from Afghanistan to Russia, has condemned the US "war on terrorism" as misguided and compared George Bush to Hitler. Iran has promised aid to Afghanistan in exchange for a crackdown on opium. Iran arrested five al Qaeda suspects and expelled them to Saudi authorities.

Iraq?s war of words continues in parallel with US military plans. Iraq has mentioned allowing UN weapons inspectors in if accompanied by neutral observers and possibly other restrictions. Meanwhile, the US moves closer to war even as opposition within the US and internationally grows. (See Americas above.) Iraq is considering dropping its oil surcharge and is starting to return Kuwaiti national archives looted during the 1990 occupation.

Israeli officials say they are prepared to fight Iraq, with nuclear weapons if necessary. Fearing the prospect of war, general vaccinations against smallpox and anti-radiation pills are being supplied to the public.

An Israeli military court upheld the proposed expulsion of three siblings of wanted Palestinian militants from the West Bank to Gaza, but the Supreme Court blocked this decision. This is the last appeal available before expulsion.

The Ayn al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon has seen two killed and six injured in renewed factional fighting. Tension has increased after the Palestinians have been called on to combat al Qaeda members suspected of hiding in their midst. Elsewhere in Lebanon factional violence is also increasing. Many of the warring groups are trying to find a way towards unity to avoid a total breakdown into generalized violence.

Saudi Arabia has refused the use of its air bases for an attack against Iraq and are trying to defuse the mixed messages from the US that have led to calls for Saudi authorities to rethink the relationship. Saudi Arabia is holding 16 al Qaeda suspects captured by Iran and has no plans to turn them over to US authorities, although they are sharing intelligence.

The West Bank is still locked down by the Israeli army, who has razed the family homes of two Palestinian militants. The town of Bethlehem will be one of those transitioned from under Israeli army occupation and restrictions.

6. South Asia

Afghanistan is attempting to deal with continuing violence from the warlords by bringing all weapons under central government control. The US is supplying training of troops and military and security support but has called on more international aid to help more quickly stabilize the government. Hundreds of foreign nationals, mainly Pakistani, will be released from the inhumane prisons in which they had been kept and expelled.

Bangladeshi students have clashed over a disputed mosque, killing three and injuring forty. In a gunfight with a criminal gang, a police officer and two others were killed.

India celebrated its 55th anniversary of independence amid tight security. Complaints about Pakistan?s alleged role in supporting militants, particularly in Kashmir, were widely voiced. Indian newspapers also used the occasion to review democracy and secularism. The Times of India characterized the history as one of unrealized promise.

India?s Gujarat state will not have early elections until the aftermath of the communal violence earlier this year has been resolved. The Indian cabinet disagrees with this decision and is considering ways to challenge the delay.

Militants of the Bodoland Liberation Tigers Force (BLTF) in India?s Assam state have said they are ready to forego independence and are prepared for talks with the central government about other options.

And in Chattisgarh state, the People?s War Group (PWG) or Naxalites are said to be willing to harbor al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. See Bikramjit Ray?s article in the Christian Science Monitor of August 13, 2002, "A band of Maoist rebels terrorizes an Indian region".

The Kashmir Committee is an independent group that has brought together prominent separatists to try to find a peaceful resolution before state elections are held next month. Indian government administrators have said they are unwilling to negotiate with separatists. Without some degree of resolution, it is unlikely the scheduled elections will have credibility. Meanwhile, violence last week killed at least 15.

Interpol has joined the hunt for Maoist rebels in Nepal. They issued warrants for eight, incluiding the leader Prachanda. Fighting last week killed 14 rebels.

Pakistan?s two main opposition parties, the Pakistan People?s Party and Pakistan Muslim League, have announced they will cooperate in specified seats in the October parliamentary elections rather than compete. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is challenging the laws that would prevent her from running in these elections.

In Sri Lanka, peace talks are scheduled in September. The ban on the Tamil Tigers will be lifted ten days before the talks begin. The government has also allowed the Tigers use of an East Coast sea route twice a week, accompanied by a peace monitor.

7. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

The New York Times asks "If America?s rocket scientists can?t keep their data under wraps, who can?" to introduce a brief articfle about the theft of sensitive shuttle design files by a hacker, then on to a reporter with Computerworld. See Dan Verton?s "NASA Investigating Theft by Hacker" in Computerworld, August 12, 2002 and John Schwartz "Hacker Obtains Shuttle Design Files, Baffling NASA" in the New York Times August 12, 2002.

NASA was not the only US government agency to report a breach this week. A US army network was broken into by security consulting firm ForensicTec. No classified material was obtained.

The US government has issued its own set of warnings. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning of the use of chalk marks to indicate wireless networks as an indicator that a wireless network may be insecure. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a request for comments on initial security guidelines for wireless technologies. (Draft specification online at http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts.html)

The FBI?s National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) has also warned of an increase in port scans that may indicate a looming attack. Commercial monitors have not documented any similar trends or incidents.

Microsoft is investigating a serious flaw in Internet Explorer?s digital certificate handling that could trick users into thinking they are visiting a website and so divulge personal information. The complexity of the potential attack makes it unlikely the flaw will be widely exploited. However, it points out yet again the massive vulnerability of an economy so dependent upon software in which new flaws are discovered so frequently.
The Princeton admissions hacker who broke into the Yale web site has been moved to another job. His supervisor is retiring next June.

8. Finance

Families of the victims of the September 11 attacks have undertaken a civil suit against groups they believe financed al Qaeda. The group, called Families United to Bankrupt Terrorism names Sudan, eight Islamic organizations, three Saudi royal princes, al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, seven international banks and other financiers. They seek damages of $1 trillion from the organizations and the same amount from the individuals.

The US has agreed to review the appeals process for citizens of governments that have been placed on the UN terrorism list that has frozen their assets. Sweden pushed for this when three of its citizens were removed from the list, as was a Canadian, all unfairly singled out for transactions through al Barakaat.

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has asked for additional records from credit card companies in their investigation of offshore accounts.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People?s Army face asset freezes by the US, Netherlands and UK following their designation as a terrorist organization by the US. Philippine President Gloria Arroyo believes the groups to be largely funded by European leftists. CPP leader Jose Maria Sison has responded that no assets will be found in Europe.

Funding of militant Hindu organizations is under attack by Shabnam Hashmi, who is touring the US with a plea not to send them money. See "Indian Starts A Campaign Against Cash For Militants" by Barbara Crossette in The New York Times, August 18, 2002.

9. Human Rights

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICT-R) is receiving additional judges and a new suspect. General Augustin Bizimungu, head of the Rwandan military and an alleged leaders of the genocide has been found in an Angolan UNITA demobilization camp and will be handed over to the ICT-R. Human Rights Watch has called for equal treatment of not only those who were behind the genocide but also war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) (see http://hrw.org/press/2002/08/rwanda-ltr0809.htm).

The US is continuing its campaign against the International Criminal Court by putting pressure on other countries to enter into bilateral agreements that exempt Americans from prosecution in exchange for continued military aid. The European Union is fighting back. One move said the ten countries that want to join the EU should not sign bilateral agreements with the US.

A massive child smuggling that operated in five countries moving children from Central American to the US has been broken up by US investigators.

10. Law and Legal Issues

The American Bar Association has joined human rights groups and two federal judges to criticize secret detentions. The Bush administration has another week to appeal the latest order to release the names of the detainees.

Israeli authorities have charged leading Palestinian Marwan Barghouti with murder and membership in a terrorist organization. The trial is set for September 5.

General Augustin Bizimungu, head of the Rwandan military and an alleged leaders of the genocide has been found in an Angolan UNITA demobilization camp and will be handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for prosecution.

In the case of Yaser Esam Hamdi, being detained as an enemy combatant, federal judge Robert Doumar has ruled that a mere political statement is not enough to justify Hamdi?s treatment and has demanded additional information that he will review in secret.

Abdallah Higazy?s false confession following his detention after the September 11 attacks is under investigation by the prosecutors, who will report to the judge by October 31.

The trial of Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Hanif Ayub and Mohammad Ashraf, charged with attempting to kill President Musharraf, will take place inside jail rather than in court because of security concerns.

Zacarias Moussaoui and his standby public defenders have been granted a delay to allow them to review the massive amounts of government evidence. Instead of September, the trial is now scheduled for next January.

Ahmed Nazir and Haibat Khan, both plane-spotters from Pakistan, have been convicted in Greek court of spying and have received five-month prison sentences suspended for three years. This follows similar sentences earlier in the year against a group of British and Dutch plane-spotters.

Former Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) leaders Rustem Mustafa and Ramush Haradinaj as well as several of their associates have been arrested in Kosovo on charges of violence against other ethnic Albanians.

According to his attorney, Jose Padilla, detained as a "dirty bomb" plotter, is being held without trial because there is insufficient evidence against him. Reports of the FBI investigation support this allegation.

Algerian pilot Lotfi Raissi who was arrested on suspicion of training the September 11 hijackers then freed after five months has said if he does not receive an apology for his mistreatment he will bring suit against British and American authorities.

Ahmed Omar Aseed Sheikh and three others convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl have been granted appeals.

Former governor of East Timor, Abilio Osorio Soares, accused of complicity in the 1999 massacre, was sentenced to only three years imprisonment. The former police chief and five junior officers were acquitted.

Jafar Umar Thalib of Laskar Jihad in Indonesia has been arrested for inciting violence against Christians. He denies the charges.

11. Narco-terrorism

US undersecretary for political affairs Marc Grossman met with President Alvaro Uribe and senior ministers in Colombia. He has stressed US support for Colombia?s fight against "narco-terrorism". He says there is no longer a line separating drug traffickers from rebels.

Reports from Colombia indicate that a number of rebels have been arrested and are being investigated on possible connections to the powerful Mexican Arellano Felix drug cartel.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has promised aid to Afghanistan in exchange for a crackdown on opium production and trafficking.

12. Transportation

The US Customs Service plan for container shipping security is gaining traction as a competitive advantage among approved ports which now include Singapore, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

Pirates in Somalia are holding a ship seized two weeks ago. Initially thought to be a British ship, it is now identified as Greek, and is being held for a $1 million ransom.

The Sri Lankan government has agreed to allow the Tamil Tiger rebels use of an East Coast sea route twice a week, accompanied by a peace monitor.

USA Today has published a series of reports on air traffic controllers on September 11 that "reconstructs how the unprecedented order to clear the skies on Sept. 11 played out". The report is available online at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2002-08-12-clearskies_x.htm

14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Dr. Steven J. Hatfill has vehemently denied any role in the anthrax attacks in the US last fall. His is the only name that has been widely circulated by the FBI. The BBC is broadcasting its report "The Hunt for the Anthrax Killer" on August 18.

Israel has begun vaccinating against smallpox and providing radiation pills in preparation for a possible attack from Iraq.

Security of nuclear materials at US labs is being reviewed. Los Alamos, seen as particularly vulnerable to attack, may be moved.

For a look at terrorist threats, see nuclear physicist Richard L. Garwin?s article "The Technology of Mega Terror" in the September issue of Technology Review.

Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard And Defense) was a US joint armed services study conducted as part of a chemical and biological test program in the 1960s. The Department of Defense has launched an updated web site that can be used to get medical information, including the materials to which the crew may have been exposed.

15. Recently Published

Adams, Marilyn, Alan Levin and Blake Morrison. "Clear the Skies" series in USA Today, August 12, 2002 online at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2002-08-12-clearskies_x.htm

Bhattacharjee, Subimal. "Shaking Hands in Cyberspace" in The Indian Express, August 14, 2002. Online at http://www.indian-express.com

Crossette , Barbara, "Indian Starts A Campaign Against Cash For Militants" in The New York Times, August 18, 2002.

The Economist, "The Latinobarometro poll: Democracy clings on in a cold economic climate" in The Economist, August 17, 2002.

Fisk, Robert. Series "Return to Afghanistan" in The Independent, follow the links or search online starting at
http://argument.independent.co.uk/world/asia_china/story.jsp?dir=71&story=324164&

Garwin, Richard L. "The Technology of Mega Terror" in Technology Review, September 2002.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-48, "Wireless Network Security: 802.11, Bluetooth, and Handheld Devices" draft guidelines online at http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts.html)

Ray, Bikramjit. "A band of Maoist rebels terrorizes an Indian region", in the Christian Science Monitor, August 13, 2002,.

Sciascia, Leonardo. The Moro Affair. Granta Books.

Schwartz, John. "Hacker Obtains Shuttle Design Files, Baffling NASA" in the New York Times August 12, 2002

Verton, Dan. "NASA Investigating Theft by Hacker" in Computerworld, August 12, 2002

FEATURE ARTICLE:

Opportunities in Africa, Part 3: Great Risks/Great Rewards

Africa is not an isolated outpost irrelevant to "developed countries" or "the west". It holds assets that go beyond strategic natural resources of oil, diamonds and minerals to encompass the untapped human capital of a vast and varied continent.

Africa?s liabilities are also large. War, political violence, and widespread lack of public order or basic security lead to displacement, disenfranchisement, reckless waste and general instability. The population is ravished by diseases of poverty, including preventable infections and nutrition-related illnesses and, most devastating of all, HIV infection.

In the last two weeks, we have looked at two case studies in Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo and earlier in the year at Angola after the death of Savimbi. These countries have in common the legacies of long and bloody wars that have decimated the local economies and political systems. Their recovery is now dependent on precarious peace processes that rely in many ways on the active involvement of third parties, both within and outside Africa. (In many cases, these are the same third parties responsible for the disasters in the first place.)

War is only one form of the violence that is widespread across the continent. For example, high crime rates in the otherwise stable South Africa cause severe disruption and risk to current and future investment. Political violence in Zimbabwe is contributing to food shortages and the imminent threat of starvation. Terrorist gangs such as the Lord?s Resistance Army (LRA) work across border regions, as do militias from neighboring countries. There are terrorists inside countries, as well. These range from People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD) in South Africa to separatist groups in the north to international organizations and warlords operating with seeming impunity in Somalia.

Violence has contributed to the destruction of the economies of Angola, DR Congo, Liberia, and Burundi, for example. However, inequity and corruption, not violence, constitute the leading economic challenges. Corrupt leadership and fraud have marked the recent governments of Nigeria, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and many others.

General political disenfranchisement is also common. The United Nations recently released a report on development in the Middle East. It concluded that one of the reasons development in the Middle East lagged behind other parts of the world was the lack of democracy. This is also true of Africa, not just in the northern Arab regions but across a continent that offers little democratic opportunity for its citizens.

What does all this mean? The challenges that Africa faces boil down to two things: governance and economics.

Good governance provides the foundation for peace and development. Good governance includes viable political parties, independent courts, freedom of expression, equitable distribution of services such as healthcare and education, public safety, and provision of a stable infrastructure on which the economy can develop.

This all takes money. Investment is needed with which to develop these building blocks.
Africa has taken the initiative with two important developments: the replacement of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) with the African Union (AU) and the development of the New Partnership for Africa?s Development (NEPAD).

The OAU was formed when Africa was standing proud as it gained independence from colonialism. But as the heroes of independence were overthrown in military coups or resorted to absolutism in order to retain power, OAU became known as a club for dictators. Southern Africa, under the grip of white rule and apartheid, drew attention away from events in the rest of the continent.

Now, South Africa, under the effective leadership of Thabo Mbeki and the lasting legacy of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, is taking the lead in helping restore stability and rule of law throughout Africa.

President Mbeki hosted the final meeting of the OAU and the launch of the AU, (of which he is the first Chairman), which took place on July 9. The opening ceremony attracted a crowd of more than 20,000 and a celebration that included traditional music and dance as well as parachutists. Libya?s Colonel Muammar Gadaffi was present with a big smile and a rousing speech: "Africa for the Africans". Senegal?s football (soccer) team was on hand to celebrate its skill and recent performance in the World Cup.

The prospect of real change justified the excitement. The AU plans to be people-focused to help spread democracy and to ensure good governance. They will establish a peacekeeping force, a court of justice, a central bank and a single currency. This model is very much like the European Union (EU). Good governance is the means by which they plan to attract foreign investment.

NEPAD?s investment proposals are directly tied to promises of good governance. NEPAD is another brainchild of President Mbeki, who is joined by the leaders of Nigeria, Senegal and Algeria. They have developed a code of behavior that would define good governance, judged by independent authority.

NEPAD is looking for annual funding of $64 billion per year, primarily for large development projects in agriculture, education and energy, and to open more export markets. They presented their proposal to the G8 meeting earlier this year, where it received a generally positive response.

The goals set by AU and NEPAD will be difficult to meet and will require strong leadership, determination, and dedication. They also require help from the international community to build the needed infrastructure, help to resolve conflicts, and reduce or eliminate the debt burden.

Investments in infrastructure are likely to come from the commercial sector as stability increases. For example, DR Congo has already received an infusion in aid from the IMF and arrival of international mining companies ready to take advantage of the emerging peace process. In other cases, government funding of large projects such as construction can offer employment to international workers in a time of economic downturn while providing knowledge transfer and the prospect of future development locally in Africa.

This kind of development presumes security. The international community can help mediate conflict negotiations, provide channels for reconciliation, offer peacekeeping forces and humanitarian aid to resettle displaced persons, and strongly enforce the sanctions and embargoes against goods or services that supply and fund war.

As for debt, according to the World Bank, US gross national income is $34,260 per capita. The Middle East including North Africa is $2,040, and sub-Saharan Africa is $480. In this context, recent proposals to entirely forgive the debt to encourage a fresh, democratic start, seem eminently reasonable and the prospect of increasing aid where needed not a great hardship. Short of this, there are a number of creative proposals including a credit-rating plan that can help provide guidelines and procedures for providing relief appropriately.

The opportunity is clear, and so are our responsibilities. If we do not rise to the challenge, we will not only be guilty of great injustice and inhumanity that will diminish us all, but we will also have jeopardized future international economic development and security. Finite resources offer finite opportunities. Failed states are dangerous states.

Unlocking the potential in Africa will create opportunities for everyone. It is incumbent on everyone to participate in these efforts for, by any measure, the rewards far outweigh the risks.

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