From time immemorial, terrorism and political violence have been part of our shared history. Although the technology that supports these attacks has evolved over time both its causes and the essential techniques to limit terrorism have remained the same. This week’s article concludes the series on practical measures to combat terrorism by discussing practical steps we can take to help ameliorate terrorism and mitigate its effects -- at its roots.

This is more important than ever, as the scale of terrorist attacks continues to increase. News highlights gives the latest information on the bombings in Bali, the sniper attacks in the US, the hostage crisis in Russia, and many others around the world.

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:
Ten Things YOU Can Do To Help Combat Terrorism -- At Its Roots

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

Jeffrey Sachs’ article. “Weapons of mass salvation” in The Economist, October 26, 2002 begins “If George Bush spent more time and money on mobilising Weapons of Mass Salvation [WMS] in addition to combating Weapons of Mass Destruction {WMD], we might actually get somewhere in making this planet a safer and more hospitable home.” This theme is echoed in this week’s feature article that describes how you as an individual can make a contribution to these efforts.

Meanwhile, pressure on the environment is threatening sustainable development around the world. This is most visible now in the endemic water shortages that have been seen around the world and in the food shortages threatening southern Africa and Afghanistan.

The United Nations Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has released its report, revealing extraordinary pillage of the country that has cost billions in lost gems, minerals and other resources. The report asks the Security Council to consider placing financial restrictions on 29 companies based in Africa, Europe, the US and Canada, as well as 54 highly placed individuals, including some key DRC government officials.

The members of the United Nations are still wrestling over how to address the risk of weapons that remain in Iraq and achieve disarmament. A selection of useful articles on this topic published last week is in the Recently Published section. Demonstrations around the world opposing military action against Iraq attracted tens of thousands in Washington DC and other large meetings in Japan, Belgium, Australia, Spain, Germany, South Korea and elsewhere.

2. Africa

2. Africa

As the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) ended its meeting, Ghana and Uganda agreed to be the first countries to subject themselves to the peer-review policy.

In Algeria, attacks continue by Islamic extremists of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat. In one attack, gunmen killed seven and kidnapped five. At the end of the week, 21 people from one family and five others were killed.

Angola’s former UNITA rebels have begun to leave the camps where they’d been sent at the end of the war, to go to their homes. The resettlements will take some time, and investment to reintegrate the former soldiers is essential.

The government and rebel groups in Burundi beginning are discussing a possible ceasefire in the war that began in 1993. They face sanctions from neighboring governments if no progress is made.

Troops loyal to former Central African Republic army General Francois Bozize launched attacks on the capital, Bangui. Libyan troops helped defend against the attacks, directed towards the overthrow of current President Ange-Felix Patasse. General Bozize has been given asylum in France.

Foreign troop withdrawals from the Democratic Republic of Congo should be completed by the end of next week. The troops came from Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Talks with rebel groups are beginning with initial discussions with the two largest, the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) and the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC). The smaller rebel groups and other factions will then join the talks.

The Eritrean government reacted to calls by the US State Department to free or put on trial the two embassy employees and 11 others, by claiming those individuals had been recruited by the CIA, a claim denied by the US.

A grenade explosion in a school in Ethiopia injured 28 children.

A ceasefire between the government and rebel soldiers was followed by reprisal attacks, including attacks on civilians. The country is split between the rebel-controlled Muslim north and the Christian south. West African leaders are discussing a local peacekeeping force to replace the French. They are also trying to arrange peace talks.

Kenya’s ruling party has selected Uhuru Kenyatta as the hand picked replacement for current President Daniel arap Moi. For the first time, the candidate will face a united opposition, presenting a single candidate, Mwai Kibaki. Elections are due by year end.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has gone back on his promise to respect the border ruling of the International Court of Justice regarding the disputed Bakassi peninsula, that has been awarded to Cameroon.

According to Human Rights Watch, Nigerians living in the delta, where many oil companies are base, do not benefit from the revenues and are subject to political violence associated with protecting oil at the expense of the local population. See the article at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/nigeria3/

Although the Somali factions gathered at a peace conference, the interim President, Abdulkassim Salat Hassan, has refused to attend unless he is treated as head of state. The peace talks are deadlocked, and their future is not promising.

The Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) have signed an agreement to allow aid agencies access to areas in the south from which they had previously been prohibited.

Attacks on Ugandan civilians by the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have continued, with dozens massacred and accusations that the rebels were boiling body parts when the Ugandan army counterattacked.

3. Americas

Argentina’s National Congress was the scene of an unusual protest when Greenpeace activists sat on toilets arranged on the steps to protest the decision to sell a nuclear reactor to Australia.

Former militant trades unionist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has easily won Brazil’s presidential election. Police here out in force to control crime, much of it organized by drug cartels. Earlier in the week, a car bomb destined for the stock exchange was discovered en route and deactivated. The attempted bombing was attributed to the First Capital Command.

In Colombia, a car bomb outside police headquarters in Bogota killed two and injured 36. A grenade attack at a police truck killed one and injured 13. The Colombian Air Force killed some 70 rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after bombing two explosive-laden trucks.

In Ecuador, leftwing populist and former army colonel Lucio Gutierrez won the first round of presidential elections.

In the US, people breathed a sigh of relief as two men were arrested in the sniper attacks in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, that killed 10. The attacks appear to have been financially motivated. They have raised calls for ballistic fingerprinting and other forensic measures, as well as renewed interest in gun control. Michael Moore’s new film on this topic asks a broader question of why America is such a violent society, one in which the number of gun-related fatalities is disproportionately high even compared with other countries with a similar penetration of gun ownership.

Domestic security in the US is also under attack in an independent report sponsored by the Council of Foreign Relations that finds the US is highly vulnerable to terrorist attacks, including such areas of critical infrastructure as power plants, oil refineries, and seaports. The General Accounting Office issued a separate report that points out the continued lack of standards for embassies and consulates to issue or deny visas, and how this process should be integrated into national security policies and procedures.

The Department of Homeland Security is still on hold as Congress is busy with forthcoming elections, but intelligence is moving on its own way. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has opened an Intelligence Community web site, intelligence.gov, to make information and services more widely available. CIA agents plan to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) joint terrorism task forces. However the Pentagon has set up its own intelligence unit to find information overlooked by other intelligence agencies.

In Venezuela, dissident military officers have called for a rebellion against President Hugo Chavez, who has recently escaped an assassination attempt.

4. Asia Pacific

A number of reforms to help prevent terrorist attacks has been agreed at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Group meeting. These include new measures against money laundering and maritime security. Terrorism in the region has already had a dramatic economic impact, with a significant reduction in tourism.

Australia has announced increased security in the wake of the bombing in Bali. The new measures include stricter immigration controls, more intelligence, and increased security for airlines and overseas. In a measure likely to contribute even more to countering terrorism, Australia has announced they will eliminate all trade tariffs for the 49 least developed countries and East Timor. Australia is also contributing some $10 million over the next four years plus training to Indonesia to help it combat attacks by militants.

As previously announced, China has imposed new regulations to control the export of military equipment and dual-use technologies in the chemical industry.

Indonesian Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) has been listed as a terrorist group by the US State Department and its assets frozen.

Investigations continue in the Bali bombing. Authorities have developed sketches of three possible suspects. Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, alleged leader of the group was arrested while recuperating in hospital after his collapse. The arrest of this prominent cleric led to immediate protests and is likely to cause a Muslim backlash in Indonesia and against President Megawati Sukarnoputri..

The native Balinese victims of the bombing have been largely forgotten, as foreign nationals were promptly airlifted, and the others left behind with only minimal care. See Yasmin Alibhai-Brown “Just what do the poor Balinese do now?” in The Independent, October 21, 2002 and Kathy Marks, “No airlift, poor treatment, spartan wards: How the Balinese became the forgotten victims of terror” in The Independent, October 16, 2002.

An explosion in an Indonesian shopping mall injured two.

Japan has said the five who were kidnapped by North Korea will remain in the country indefinitely and called on North Korea to allow their families to join them.

North and South Korea have agreed to jointly work to resolve concerns over North Korea’s nuclear program. North Korea has also said it will work with the US if it agrees to a bilateral non-aggression treaty.

Last week, Philippines police announced the arrest of Abu Sayyaf senior member Mark Bolkerin Gumbahale. In fact, the man arrested was a minor figure in the organization whose name is Umbra Jumdail. (“Philippines get wrong Abu Sayyaf man” BBC News, October 22)

Warnings have been issues of possible terrorist attacks against the popular Thai resort Phuket.

5. Europe

The issue of European Union import duties on products from Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has been put on hold for the moment, but the dispute that centers around a number of economic concerns as well as the technical definition of the country of origin.

Czech President Vaclav Havel has told the US that there is no evidence of a meeting, as previously suspected, between al Qaeda September 11 hijacker leader Mohamed Atta and Iraqi intelligence. See coverage on this topic by James Risen in The New York Times of October 21.

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy is proposing a new domestic security law that drastically increases penalties against migrants, beggars and prostitutes (as well as their clients, under certain circumstances).

Greece has been discussing security arrangements for the 2004 Olympics with US officials.

Italian forensic experts have determined that the banker Roberto Calvi, found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London in 1982, was murdered and did not commit suicide. It is believed this was a Mafia killing on behalf of interested third parties possibly including the Vatican and a Masonic group.

Russia’s war in Chechnya came to the center of Moscow in a dramatic hostage crisis when around fifty bomb-laden rebels took over a theater. Security forces surrounded the theater as peace demonstrations took place in Russia. One hostage was shot dead at the beginning of the attack and a second when he went berserk inside the theater. With a deadline approaching by which the rebels said they would begin killing hostages, Russian special forces pumped a poisonous gas into the theater to disable the rebels then stormed the theater. During the raid, group leader Movsar Barayev and up to 50 other rebels were killed by the gas. 115 hostages were also killed as the result of the gas. 646 hostages remain in hospital with serious gas poisoning. More than 150 of these are in intensive care and 45 in grave condition. Russian authorities have refused to disclose the chemical(s) that were used, even though it has made it impossible to administer an antidote or provide knowledgeable treatment. Such a large number of deaths and the attendant secrecy have provoked controversy and questioning over the actions. For additional reading, see the recommended articles in the “Recently Published” section.

In Spain, the Catalan nationalist party, the Convergence and Union (CiU) party, has proposed self-rule, similar to the Basque proposal for greater autonomy as an “associated state”.

Ukraine is under increasing pressure and faces sanctions over the suspected involvement in the sale of aircraft detection equipment to Iraq and the inability to improve its anti-money laundering measures.

In A UK cabinet reshuffle, the Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid has been replaced by Paul Murphy. Reid has been appointed chairman of the Labour Party, shortly after suspending the power-0sharing Stormont assembly.

In Northern Ireland, the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) left a car bomb that partially exploded in Belfast.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams gave a speech in which he said he could envision a future without the Continuity Irish Republican Army (IRA). Loyalist groups such as the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) were cited by John Reid, prior to his reappointment, as standing in the way of disbanding the IRA. The Real IRA leaders have rejected a call from a prisoners group to disband.

A ship from Serbia, Yugoslavia bound for Iraq was seized by Croatia and found to be carrying military hardware forbidden under UN sanctions. A Deputy Defense Minister and the head of the state-run company Jugoimport were both dismissed following the allegations.

6. Middle East

Anger among Arab countries at the continued threat of a US invasion of Iraq and continued actions against Palestinians in the occupied territories is growing. The US submitted a new peace proposal to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but it has received short shrift.

Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed Zeidan is publishing a book about bin Laden, whom he has met and covered for many years. For details, see Robert Fisk’s article online at http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=345062

Bahrain has had a larger then expected turnout of 52 percent for the first elections in a decade, despite an opposition boycott. Women were able to vote for the first time.

In Gaza, Israeli soldiers demolished a house belonging to a suicide bomber’s family, but soldiers prevented residents next door from leaving the area, resulting in the injury of nine children and 11 adults. Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into this action. Later in the week, a 13-year old Palestinian boy was killed in crossfire.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is defending his attempts to put greater power into the hands of elected officials under the constitution, rather than establishments that are not accountable to voters. His opponents have accused him of trying to assume dictatorial powers through the reforms he is attempting to have passed in the parliament.

Massive, unprecedented demonstrations in Baghdad demanded information on those missing and unaccounted for following the general amnesty of all prisoners issued last week. Several hundred thousand political detainees have died under torture or been summarily executed over the last several years. Human rights groups have joined the call for information on the missing, and have also called for assurances that those released under the amnesty will not be re-arrested.

In continuing attacks in the Iraqi exclusion zone, the US Department of Defense has confirmed it is using unmanned drones to attack air defense targets.

A bomb-filled sports utility vehicle driven by two suicide bombers rammed into a bus in Israel, killing 14 and injuring around 50. In a nod to US pressure, Israel refrained from immediate retaliation, waiting until the end of the week to take action in the West Bank.

Israel’s economy has been hit hard by the 2-year intifada and may lead to a political crisis, as Prime Minister Sharon says he will dismiss any government members who dispute his proposed budget.

Libya plans to withdraw from the Arab League, instead building closer ties with African neighbors. As part of their efforts to gain compensation from Italy for its occupation of Libya from 1911-1952, Libya shut down external telecommunications systems and airports to mark a day of mourning for the victims of the Italian occupation. (See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2364393.stm)

The West Bank is being ripped apart with simultaneous conflicts. Israeli authorities continue their occupation, including re-entering Jenin in a massive military retaliation following Monday’s suicide attack. In addition to the violent clashes between the Israeli army and Palestinians, there is violence between Israeli authorities and Israeli settlers, and between the settlers and the Palestinians. The toll of dead and injured continues to rise.

7. South Asia

Factional fighting, poor healthcare and lack of investment continue to put security in Afghanistan at risk. However, opium production is now back to its prior high levels and Afghanistan is once again the biggest producer.

Bangladesh has followed up its massive crime sweep with arrests of two opposition politicians. Opposition leaders have protested. Amnesty International has called for the investigation of deaths to people detained in army custody.

India, long able to feed itself, is now facing a massive drought and although food is available, delivery to the hunger-stricken areas has made providing aid difficult.

In the state of Bihar, six were killed in a gunfight between the high-caste Hindu Ranvir Sena militia and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) activists.

India and Pakistan have withdrawn troops from the line of Control in Kashmir, but venomous attacks by the Indian Prime Minister against Pakistan have continued.

Development of a coalition government is Indian-administered Kashmir is moving slowly. The leader of the People’s Democratic party, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, will be the new chief minister.

Nepali security forces and Maoist rebels have had a series of gun battles across the country that have killed several dozen rebels. A bomb in Kathmandu injured seven. The rebels have asked the government to clarify its offer of negotiations.

In Pakistan, an explosion in a market killed one and injured 16.

Pakistani police have arrested more al Qaeda suspects and uncovered a cache of 12 bombs.

Sri Lanka’s peace process is moving forward, and there are plans to reopen ferry service with India in the near future. Over 200,000 refugees have returned home.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

A huge denial of service attack was launched against Internet root servers. Although the largest and most sophisticated attack to date, it caused little disruption. It is more worrisome that it could be practice for the escalating efforts to sabotage systems.

Security consultancy mi2g reports that “The estimate for the total economic damage arising from overt digital attacks has changed little in 2002 despite a doubling in the number of attacks year on year. This demonstrates a remarkable decline in the quality of targets chosen for digital attack. The projected estimate for overt digital attacks worldwide is $7Billion for 2002 compared to $7.7 Billion for 2001. This stands in contrast to the projected 65,000 overt attacks for 2002 compared to 31,322 for 2001.” (See http://www.mi2g.com)

9. Finance

The US State Department has designated Jemaah Islamiya (JI) as a foreign terrorist organization and under Executive Order 13224. These steps will freeze JI’s assets.

In testimony during his trial in Germany, Mounir al Motassadeq has given evidence of financial transactions he undertook on behalf of Ramzi Binalshibh and other suspected al Qaeda members. See Hugh Williamson and Anton Notz’s article “Student sent money to al-Qaeda contact” in the Financial Times, October 24, 2002

10. Human Rights

According to US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, some of the Guantanamo Bay detainees held by the US army without charge will be released if they are not considered of further use or a threat. No details regarding this suggestion have yet been forthcoming. Some 600 prisoners have been held without trial and without meeting the rules of the Geneva Convention.

Human Rights Watch has issues a report that criticizes the abuse of Nigerians living in the delta, where many oil companies are based but the local community does not benefit from the revenues and are subject to political violence associated with protecting oil at the expense of the local population. See the article at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/nigeria3/

A United Nations investigation into allegations that aid workers and peacekeepers were involved in sexual exploitation of refugees in western Africa has been unable to confirm any of the accusations.

A UK Court of Appeal has found that it is acceptable to detain terrorism suspects indefinitely without trial providing the accused is a threat to national security. The decision will be appealed to the House of Lords.

11. Law and Legal Issues

The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the Bush administration for expanded surveillance adopted by the Justice Department, including the use of library circulation records, internet service records, and telephone monitoring devices.

Prosper Avril, former military dictator of Haiti, was ordered released by an appeals court.

Dr. Amir Aziz has been detained in Pakistan on charges of supplying anthrax to Islamic militant groups. His family and fellow doctors are contesting the charges.

Soldier 027 who testified in the Bloody Sunday inquiry of unprovoked civilian deaths that contradicted the Army’s official account, has been found to have accepted payment for his evidence

Gwanda Chakuamba, leader of the opposition Malawi Congress Party, has been released on bail after being charged for defamation.

Faysal Galab, Mukhtar Al-Bakri, Sahim Alwan, Yahya Goba, Shafal Mosed and Yasein Taher, arrested on charges of making up a terrorist cell in New York state, have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to support a foreign terrorist organization and providing material support to al Qaeda.

Last week, Philippines police announced the arrest of Abu Sayyaf senior member Mark Bolkerin Gumbahale. In fact, the man arrested was a minor figure in the organization whose name is Umbra Jumdail. (“Philippines get wrong Abu Sayyaf man” BBC News, October 22)

Israel has indicted Lieutenant Colonel Omar el-Heib and nine other Bedouins accused as his accomplices, for espionage that helped Hezbollah.

Ahmadu Ibrahim and Fatima Usman who had been sentenced to death by stoning in a Nigerian Sharia court have been freed on bail.

Sheikh Omar Mahmood Abu Omar (a/k/a Abu Qatada) has been arrested in London and is being held in a top security prison on terrorism charges. A radical Islamic cleric and senior al Qaeda figure, he is wanted in eight countries.

Mounir al Motassadeq is on trial in Germany for his role in providing support to al Qaeda and the organizers of the September 11 hijackings. The trial is expected to uncover significant information regarding the organization and how it works, in particular the nature of the financial transactions.

The German government has urged the US to drop its plan to seek the death penalty against Zacarias Moussaoui, accused as the “20th hijacker” if it wants Germany to provide access to its security files on Moussaoui.

Phillip George Shaw of Northern Ireland has been charged in Belfast with possession of bombs, explosives, guns and ammunition.

Richard Svisviro, Muyengwa Munyuki, Charles Matanda and Douglas Chitekuteku are on trial in the Zimbabwe High Court for killing white farmer David Stevens. These are the first trials over the deaths of 12 white farmers and 200 black activists at the hand of Zanu PF supporters of President Robert Mugabe at the start of the farm seizures in April 2000. (See Basildon Peta’s article “Mugabe men ’shot white farmer and drank his blood’” in The Independent, October 25, 2002.)

Abdul Wahid has been arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of membership in al Qaeda.

12. Narco-terrorism

Afghanistan is once again the biggest opium producer in the world.

The US Treasury has added Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez and Luis Hernando Gomez Bustamante, both of the North Valle drug cartel in Colombia, to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list of Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers.

13. Transportation

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning that it has specific information regarding threats to the railways, including bridges, track, and hazardous material containers.

Bolivia’s role in maritime (in)security is discussed in an interesting article by Marc Lifsher “Landlocked Bolivia is Making Waves on the High Seas” in The Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2002.

14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Dr. Amir Aziz has been detained in Pakistan on charges of supplying anthrax to Islamic militant groups. His family and fellow doctors are contesting the charges.

About two dozen random outbreaks of E botulism over the summer in Lake Erie are being investigated. See Jim Robbins’ article “Outbreaks of a Rare Botulism Strain Stymie Scientists” in The New York Times, October 22, 2002

An excellent survey on illegal arms sales was published in the Financial Times of October 21, 2002: “As Iraq seeks to re-equip its military, suspicions mount of deals with Ukraine and Belarus” by Stefan Wagstyl, Tom Warner and Andrew Jack.

15. Recently Published

Banerjee, Neela. “U.S. Oil Still Pours Form a Mideast Barrel” in The New York Times, October 22, 2002

BBC News, “Indonesia cleric defiant over arrest”, October 27, 2002 Online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2365411.stm
“Philippines get wrong Abu Sayyaf man” BBC News, October 22, 2002 Online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia-pacific/2348695.stm

Alibhai-Brown, Yasmin. “Just what do the poor Balinese do now?” in The Independent, October 21, 2002 Online at http://argument.independent.co.uk/regular_columnists/yasmin_alibhai_brown/

Devi, Sharmila. “Intifade inflicts acute economic pain on Israelis” in the Financial Times, October 24, 2002

Financial Times. “World Report: Portugal: Economy, productivity, immigration, absenteeism – and a fiesta of football” in the Financial Times, October 25, 2002. Online at http://www.ft.com/portugal 2002

Fisk, Robert. “Bin Laden’s secrets are revealed by Al Jazeera journalist” in The Independent, October 23, 2002. Online at http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=345062

Human Rights Watch “The Niger Delta: No Democratic Dividend”, HRW October 2002. Online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/nigeria3/

Lifsher, Marc. “Landlocked Bolivia is Making Waves on the High Seas” in The Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2002.

Marks, Kathy. “No airlift, poor treatment, spartan wards: How the Balinese became the forgotten victims of terror” in The Independent, October 16, 2002. Online at http://news.independent.co.uk/world/pacific_rim/story.jsp?story=342996

Peta, Basildon. “Mugabe men ’shot white farmer and drank his blood’” in The Independent, October 25, 2002.

Robbins, Jim. “Outbreaks of a Rare Botulism Strain Stymie Scientists” in The New York Times, October 22, 2002

Sachs, Jeffrey. “Weapons of mass salvation” in The Economist, October 26, 2002

United Nations. Final report of the Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN, October 25. Online at http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=5163&Cr=DR&Cr1=Congo

Williamson, Hugh and Anton Notz. “Student sent money to al-Qaeda contact” in the Financial Times, October 24, 2002

CHECHEN/MOSCOW HOSTAGE CRISIS:
BBC News. “Moscow pressed to identify siege gas” BBC News, October 27, 2002. Online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2365383.stm

Behr, Rafael. “Peaceniks call for restraint as war enters heart of Moscow” in The Financial Times, October 26-7, 2002.

Huband, Mark “Use of al-Jazeera ‘aligns’ terrorist groups”, in The Financial Times, October 26-7, 2002.

Jack, Andrew. “Putin says siege tied to international terror”, “Chechen challenge could make or break Putin”, and “Russian police claim funding to rebels declined after 9/11” in The Financial Times, October 24, 2002.

Linton, Leyla. “Separatists bring war to the centre of Moscow” in The Independent October 24, 2002. Online at http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=345386

Wines, Michael. “Chechens Seize Moscow Theater, Taking as Many as 600 Hostages” in The New York Times, October 25.

Wines, Michael. “Chechens Kill Hostage in Siege at Russian Hall” and “Illusion and Disillusion: Chechen Crisis Comes Home for Putin” in The New York Times, October 25.

IRAQ:
Burns, John F., “Fear of Hussein May Be Yielding to Doubt” in The New York Times, October 27, 2002

Childs, Nick. “US plans anti-Saddam training” BBC News, October 22, 2002 Online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/middle_east/2348705.stm

Clayton, Mark. “The brains behind Iraq’s arsenal” in The Christian Science Monitor, October 23, 2002

Cloud, David s., “Bush Efforts to Tie Hussein to al Qaeda Lack Clear Evidence” in the Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2002.

Dorfman, Ariel. Exorcising Terror: The Incredible Unending Trial of General Augusto Pinochet. Seven Stories.

Ford, Peter. “Saddam Hussein: ‘Not a lunatic’: Part sleepless workaholic, part methodical murderer, he works best when cornered” in The Christian Science Monitor, October 23, 2002

Nuwere, Ejovi and David Chanoff. Hacker Cracker: A Journey from the Mean Streets of Brooklyn to the Frontiers of Cyberspace. Morrow.

Preston, Julia. “13 Protesting Bush’s Stance Enter U.N. and Are Ousted” in The New York Times, October 22, 2002

Preston, Julia. “Its Swing Vote in the Council Gives Mexico More Muscle” in The New York Times, October 25, 2002

Risen, James. “Prague Discounts An Iraqi Meeting” and “Anatomy of a rumor: How Politics and Rivalries Fed Suspicions of a Meeting” in The New York Times, October 21, 2002

Rothbert, Robert I., “Why stop with Iraq?” in The Christian Science Monitor, October 21, 2002

Schmitt, Eric and Thom Shanker., “Pentagon Sets Up Intelligence Unit” in The New York Times, October 22, 2002

Schmitt, Eric and Thom Shanker., “U.S. Refines Plans for War in Cities” in The New York Times, October 24, 2002

Sengupta, Kim “Quiet redeployment of American forces in the Gulf suggests attack will be delayed.” in The Independent, October 25, 2002. Online athttp://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=345647

Weisman, Steven R., “Bush Team Urges Bold Inspections of Iraq’s Arsenal” in The New York Times, October 21, 2002

Wagstyl, Stefan , Tom Warner and Andrew Jack. “As Iraq seeks to re-equip its military, suspicions mount of deals with Ukraine and Belarus” Financial Times, October 21, 2002:

Wise, David. SPY: The Inside Story of How the FBI’s Robert Hanssen Betrayed America. Random House.

Tom Kuntz provides highlights from Harvard University’s Iraq Research and Documentation Project in The New York Times, October 27, 2002. For complete details, see the IRDP web site at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/irdp/

FEATURE ARTICLE: Ten Things YOU Can Do To Help Combat Terrorism -- At Its Roots

This article describes simple, effective measures you can take that will help you in two ways. First, you will make a contribution to solving the problem of terrorism at its root causes and dealing with the factors that have contributed to its spread, not just responding to the last attack. Second, when you hear a warning about the next attack, you will be prepared to respond as an informed member of the international coalition.

1. Be a good neighbor
Know the people around you before there is an emergency. Take special note of the elderly, those with very small children, and people whose families may have been left behind while one of their members is in military service. Reserve forces in the US have been called on overseas assignments that are several times longer than before and neither they nor their families knew in advance that so much time would be required.

Grab the local phone book and take note of the local emergency services and also the main offices of the police in case you need to contact them about non-emergency matters. Government offices are listed in the blue pages, including the local FBI office, the office of homeland security, and other key officials.

Keep in touch with local service organizations and try to help out regularly. A trained volunteer is invaluable; one who only appears in the midst of a crisis just gets in the way.

2. Experiment with alternatives
Predictability is very helpful to someone who wants to hurt you. So, change things around from time to time. This isn’t just physical advice, but extends to how you think about things.

The US National Research Council has listed seven areas of urgently needed research:
* Prevention and treatment of new and emerging diseases
* Developing an electric power grid that can adapt to sudden changes
* Integrating data for better analysis and improving information security
* Better technologies for emergency responders, including protective equipment, communications, detection, etc.
* Improve building security with blast- and fire-resistance
* Sensor and surveillance systems to provide information for emergency response
* Filtering systems against biological and chemical agents, and better decontamination methods

If you think outside the box, maybe you can help with these items, or identify other areas that could be useful to your local community.

3. Give blood
After September 11, there was a huge oversupply of blood and much of it went to waste. Now there is a shortage. Instead of responding after an emergency, find a way to regularly support this need. For example, you could choose a victim of a terrorist attack who was born on the same day as you, and use your birthday to remind you to donate blood in his or her memory.

4. Invest in infrastructure
Disasters are by their nature somewhat unpredictable. Terrorism is even more unpredictable because it involves humans with their own quirky and innovative ways to hurt one another.

The only way to safeguard against emergency situations in general is to invest in a robust and resilient infrastructure. Critical infrastructure includes, for example, communication and transportation systems, emergency response systems, utilities, certain manufacturing sectors, and the information and physical assets that support these.

Locally, this means making sure that alternate forms of transportation are available -- including safe sidewalks. Making sure that local utilities are secure and alternate sources are available.

Ham radio operators provide an interesting backup for communication systems. If this is a hobby or yours – or could be -- you can get training with an emergency-communications course. When the cell towers and phone wires are down, radio still works.

5. Nurture the environment
The most valuable natural resource in the world is fresh water and it is rapidly running out. There are already threats of war and economic reprisals over water shortages in locations all around the world.

The American Lawn is a good example of a little-known national security risk. It uses enormous quantities of water, especially in arid locations where the grass has been imported and is sustained by irrigation systems. It also uses pesticides (also used as chemical weapons) and fertilizer (the most popular fuel for building a bomb). Gas guzzling lawn mowers and leaf blowers use up valuable fossil fuels on something that is ornamental at best.

Instead of a yard full of grass, try trees and bushes or create a meadow full of local species. None of these require the intervention it takes to create a lawn, but all help improve air quality, restore the soil so more ground water is stored rather than depleting water, and the level of poisons in the soil will gradually diminish.

By the way, when you’re stocking up on emergency supplies, enough water is the number one need. Use the Red Cross calculations to figure out how much to have available. If an emergency situation is announced, it’s a good time to fill up your bathtub. Just in case.

6. Turn off the television
One-way broadcasting systems are not a very good way to get information. They are, however, an excellent way to get scared.

After investigating the aftereffects of the September 11 attacks, one of the major considerations in the level of fear and stress-related disorders was the number of times people had watched the towers falling, over and over, on television.

The truth is that news is not the same as information. It lacks the context that you need in order to understand what is happening and place it in context. Instead of being glued to the television as news unfolds, stick to a personal updating schedule and spend the rest of the time in the local library. Reference librarians are happy to help you find the information you need to understand the background to current issues and to use that knowledge to put things in their proper perspective.

The level of ignorance around the world about other cultures -- even basic information such as the geographical location of one’s nearest neighbors -- is appalling. It creates a perfect environment to foster fear and hatred of the unknown. It can also lead to gross abuses of human rights and abrogation of personal freedom.

A population that is better informed is also more secure and better able to influence its government.

And, by the way, if media has less hold on the people watching it, it will have less appeal to terrorists as a vehicle through which to publicize their causes.

7. Open your eyes
Pay attention to what is going on around you and you’ll be better prepared to see if there is something out of place. This is much more likely to involve a big truck where it doesn’t belong or an abandoned bag in a public location than an individual.

In fact, before you jump on people unfamiliar to you, make sure you have paid attention to item 6.

8. Don’t drive
Using alternate forms of transportation provides several benefits. It helps sustain public transportation systems. It reduces dependency on oil. It improves the environment.

And if you walk, you also get exercise, which will make you healthier, and better able to survive an attack.

9. Agriculture not monoculture
A monoculture is a single variant of a species. Single variants create a danger because it is easier to develop a single attack that will have a devastating effect. The mechanization of agriculture has led to a reduced number of species that in turn has increased the possibility that a biological or chemical attack could disrupt the food supply.

Another issue is in the dependency on transportation systems for foodstuffs to reach their consumers across very long distances.

Supporting local producers is a key to mitigating this risk. By producing more variants, there is less risk of eradicating an entire species. By producing locally, there is less risk of a disruption in supply.

This parallel also applies to information technology, where the widespread use of a single operating system has made the environment much more susceptible to a devastating cyberterrorist attack than if there was greater variety in the systems being targeted.

10. You can be either part of the problem or part of the solution

The ideas described here show just a few illustrations of some really simple, practical things that can help increase your personal security and in turn help the world become more secure. These are just illustrations, so please email with any other ideas you have. We’d love to hear from you.

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Editorial Team
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