The latest on the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development and updates of more than 18 legal cases involving hundreds of defendants dominate this week?s news highlights. The Feature Article completes our two-part profile of Sabri al Banna.

There are a number of important additions in Terrorism Bookshelf this week including Sean K. Anderson and Stephen Sloan?s new edition of their important reference work, the Historical Dictionary of Terrorism.

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:
Part 2 of 2, Excerpt from "The Human Faces of Terror"

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development began in Johannesburg on August 26 and continues until September 4. Delegates this week reviewed controversial issues around health, biodiversity, water and sanitation, agriculture, and energy. Ten years after the World Summit in Rio, the laundry list is longer and more complex, and has no progress from the previous summit from which to build on.

The US and multinational corporations, both wielding enormous influence, are under attack for holding back progress. But there is little unanimity or leadership among their opponents. A quick look at the demonstrators, tens of thousands of them, may indicate the breadth and depth of the problem. Widely divergent personal and political issues are united under the anti-globalization umbrella, but even agreement around which are the most immediate problems is lacking.

South African President Mbeki has perhaps provided the strongest leadership. He and his supporters called for Palestinian statehood, an end to the Cuban blockade, and emancipation of the poor. His calls for an end to the "savage principle of the survival of the fittest" and said that the gulf between rich and poor is a new form of global apartheid. This harks back to his roots in the anti-apartheid movement, but seems to offer little common ground with, for example, attempts led by Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK, to crack down on international corruption. And both are a world apart from a US administration that seems unable to understand that the world isn?t big enough for 6 billion or more American lifestyles.

2. Africa

Angola has passed another stage in the peace process, with the signature between government and UNITA rebel leaders of the remaining aspects of the Lusaka protocol that will appoint UNITA nominees to certain government posts. The UN has promised aid to rebuild the country, but logistical challenges that accompany the coming rainy season threatens its delivery to the people most in need.

Burundi?s capital has been shelled from Hutu rebel strongholds, killing more than 20. The identity of the rebel group responsible is unknown. Violence and confusion continue to plague attempted peace negotiations.

Chadian Youssouf Togoimi, rebel leader of the Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJT) has been seriously wounded, apparently by one of the land mines his group has planted.

In Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Zimbabwe have begun to withdraw their troops. With continued UN aid, movements towards peace are surviving continued rebel attacks. This week, the Union of Congolese Patriots took the human rights minister, Ntumba Luaba-Lumu, hostage.

Eritrea has released 279 Ethiopian prisoners of war under a prisoner exchange program, but

Ethiopia says the exchange is not complete and that many prisoners are still missing.

In Abidjan, Ivory Coast, the commercial center of West Africa, there has been a major bank robbery. Nearly $4 million was stolen from the central bank, aided by a bank security guard. It is hoped that this latest incident does not lead to a renewed loss of confidence from the international institutions that remain in the country.

Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi insists that his choice of Uhuru Kenyatta, son of the founding President Jomo Kenyatta, as his successor would be in the best interest of the country. He is backing this up with political force, including firing his Vice President, George Saitoti, who plans to seek the presidential nomination himself.

Rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) is boycotting proposed government talks in face of continued human rights abuses by the government.

The flu epidemic in Madagascar has now infected 22,000 and 650 have died.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has narrowly avoided impeachment. He has expressed his opposition to the stoning of Amina Lowal, convicted of adultery and sentenced under Sharia law that Obasanjo says is unconstitutional.

Ninja rebels in Republic of Congo have attacked and derailed a train, leading to many injuries and severe disruption of supply lines.

South Africa?s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been forced to delay release of its report of human rights abuses under apartheid after the Inkatha Freedom Party took them to court. The case before the high court has been postponed until January 29.

Sudan has arrested 24 members of the Popular National Congress (PNC) and its leader, Hassan al-Turabi, for their active opposition to the peace talks with the southern rebels.

The Ugandan offensive against Lord?s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels continues, with no sign of an agreement for a ceasefire. Three European priests captured by the Ugandan army in fighting with the LRA have been freed. LRA kidnappings and roadside attacks continue unabated. To understand one of the challenges that will face any peace process, read Danna Harman?s article "Hard return for Uganda?s lost children: Rebels have abducted an estimated 15,000 children to serve as soldiers and slaves" in the Christian Science Monitor of August 27.

Zambians, refusing genetically modified food, are starving, with 2.5 million at immediate risk. Meanwhile, the High Court has ruled that former President Frederick Chiluba can be stripped immunity and be tried for corruption. Following this ruling, Zambian police searched his home for drugs they allege he has been selling.

The High Court in Zimbabwe has ruled that eviction orders served on 54 white farmers were illegally served and are null and void. President Mugabe is likely to ignore this order, as he has other rulings with which he disagrees. He has refused negotiations with the farmers, increasing his rhetoric and saying that Zimbabwe belongs only to the blacks. Mr. Mugabe has reorganized his cabinet to reinforce hardliners. His government supporters have blown up an independent radio station and raided opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) headquarters. With a visit from Zimbabwe?s police chief to an Interpol meeting, there are calls for EU sanctions to be strengthened since they are not strong enough to prevent Zimbabwean ministers from regular travel.

3. Americas

Former Argentine president Carlos Menem has testified to having no involvement in illegal arms sales. Based on this testimony and other evidence, the court will decide whether to proceed with charges. This will have an impact on whether Menem will be able to run for president again next year.

Canada is close to agreeing to a plan that would allow US and Canadian troops to cross each others border should a terrorist attack occur.

Chile has begun a massive de-mining operation by detonating 76,000 anti-personnel mines mostly along its border. This begins compliance with the Ottawa treaty it signed over five years ago.

Colombia?s project of enlisting the population in its campaign against rebel and paramilitary groups will include farmers. Plan Colombia will be replaced by investments in encouraging forestry rather than growing opium and cocaine.

In the US, preparations for the anniversary of September 11 go on in parallel with discussions to expand military actions to Iraq. US officials insist that Iraq?s President Saddam Hussein must be removed, even in the face of international disapproval. Countries now openly hostile to the proposal include France, China, Russia, Germany, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the rest of the Arab world.

The US administration is also downplaying criticism over other issues including the continued strength and funding of al Qaeda, restrictions on civil rights that have led to only one arrest connected with the September 11 attacks and now are being overturned in the higher courts, and because of increasing federal costs in a stagnant economy.

As New York City struggle to finalize the list of those killed on September 11, two of the missing have turned up in area hospitals: George Sims and, Albert Vaughan, both psychiatric patients.

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will invest $16 million and 2-years to complete a detailed study of the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers. It will include investigation into the dynamics of building fires, behavior of fireproofing systems, evacuation technologies, fire control, communications, and many other areas.

4. Asia Pacific

China?s leading AIDS activist, Wan Yanhai, is missing and it is likely he has been arrested.

Indonesian rebel group the Free Aceh Movement clashed with security forces, leaving 11 dead. It is unclear whether they were civilians or combatants. Another rebel group, the Free Papua Movement (OPM) are suspected in attacks that have killed three and injured more than a dozen.

A Japanese court has ruled that individuals cannot seek compensation from the state, in a case of 180 Chinese victims of Japan?s biological warfare in World War II. The decision will be appealed.

Malaysia has defended the conditions in its immigration detention camps but has put forced deportations on hold following the death of three children.

North and South Korea have agreed to reopen rail and road links.

The Philippines army has launched an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf rebels who are holding four hostages in Jolo.

Vietnam will release 6,000 prisoners under a presidential pardon.

5. Europe

The European Union is attempting to avert a war over Iraq by working to re-engage UN weapons inspectors. Weapons inspections in Iraq were stopped in 1990 when they were told to leave by the US prior to its attack on Iraq, which was partly enabled by intelligence provided by the weapons inspectors. It is possible that EU member countries could act as independent brokers to help rebuild trust in the weapons inspection process.

France and Germany have joined the criticism of US plans to invade Iraq.

Georgia has arrested a suspected al Qaeda member while searching the Pankisi Gorge. They continue to refuse to allow Russians to conduct anti-rebel activities inside Georgia.

German intelligence has uncovered large amounts of information about the workings of al Qaeda following their investigation into the Hamburg cell. They have arrested and charged several members, including Moroccan Mounir el Motassadek, accused of membership of al Qaeda and assistance in the September 11 attacks. There is evidence that planning for the attacks began no later than 1999.

German authorities detained then sent back an Israeli ship carrying arms supplies destined for Iran, not Thailand as stated on the export license.

Gunmen have attacked peacekeepers in Kosovo. The next day, a large arms cache was uncovered.

Two Macedonian police were killed in a drive-by shooting near the Albanian border. Seven hostages held in Macedonia by former members of the National Liberation Army (NLA) of Albanian guerillas have been released.

Russia continues to improve its relations with Iran, Iraq and North Korea (America?s "Axis of Evil"). Construction has begun on Iran?s first nuclear reactor. Trade talks with all are progressing well.

Chechen rebels shot down another Russian military helicopter. The latest attack killed two, much less than the disastrous incident two weeks ago in which 118 died. It has been determined that attack was caused by a rocket fired from a portable launcher.

Spain has banned the Basque separatist party Batasuna. Without a legitimate political voice, this is likely to strengthen the underground ETA militant movement. Violent protests have already begun.

Sweden has arrested a Tunisian man, Kerim Chatty, who was trying to board a flight with a gun. They are investigating possible terrorist links, including his US aviation school training.

Just after agreeing to sell water to Israel, Turkey has confirmed that its supplies are low and it will need to invest billions in new dams.

The British government is trying to mediate US objectives to invade Iraq. While Prime Minister Blair supports the US "war on terrorism" he faces a revolt from within his own Labor party is he continues down the invasion path.

In Northern Ireland, it was another week of sectarian clashes involving pipe bombs, stones, fireworks, acid and petrol bombs. Residents of Ardoyne rejected the idea of another peace wall as not addressing their safety concerns in the widespread continuing violence. The Bloody Sunday inquiry has asked again for IRA members to give evidence; to date none have appeared at the inquiry. Victims of the Omagh bombing want a change in the procedures used in the compensation juries after being asked to strip in front to the panel.

6. Middle East

Egyptian President (and US ally) Hosni Mubarak has joined the chorus of voices opposed to an invasion of Iraq. He said "If you strike Iraq, and kill the people of Iraq while Palestinians are being killed by Israel . . . not one Arab leader will be able to control the angry outburst of the masses". (Richard Beeston, Tim Reid, and Philip Webster, "Egypt leads Arab revolt against US" in The Times [London] August 28, 2002.)

Israel called off its withdrawal talks and continued its raids in the Gaza strip, killing a child and injuring 11, followed by a shelling that killed a family of four.

Iran has responded with angry denial to US insistence that it is harboring members of al Qaeda. Iranian President Khatami will propose new legislation to strengthen his powers against the conservative clerics, many of whose actions Khatami says are against the constitution. Cultural change in Iran supports him. See Tim Judah?s article "The Sullen Majority: By logging on, shooting up and getting down, disaffected young Iranians are reshaping the country with a force as irresistible as their parents? revolution" in The New York Times Magazine, September 1, 2002

Iraq continues its defiance of the US, but is under pressure to reach an immediate agreement over the return of weapons inspectors.

An Israeli ship was detained by German authorities detained then sent back when it was discovered to carry arms supplies destined for Iran, not Thailand as stated on the export license.

The Israeli government has issued guidelines on spotting suicide bombers and what to do if a suspect is identified.

The Lebanese Hezbollah militia has fired on Israeli positions on the border between Lebaonon and the Golan Heights, wounding three Israeli soldiers

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi claims Libya is no longer a rogue state and is actively participating in the "war on terror". They recently freed 65 political prisoners.

Saudi Arabia plans a trade fair in Iraq in early September.

The West Bank suffered a weekend of violence by the Israeli army, leaving 12 dead in a number of attacks primarily against civilians.

Both Hasan Yousef, leader of Hamas political wing, and Jamal Abu al-Hayja, suspected of involvement in Hamas suicide attacks, have been detained by Israeli troops.

7. South Asia

Police chiefs from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to establish the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARCPOL) as a regional police force that can cooperate to combat terrorism and other cross-border crimes.

Security in Afghanistan is so poor the US has embarked on a change in tactics to increase coverage and provide targeted teams who can quickly respond to needs in other parts of the country. Integration of former troops and warlords continues to be a challenge. The United Nations will investigate the recent discovery of a mass grave of Taliban fighters.

In Bangladesh, the opposition Awami League has been subject to attacks by members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the arrest of nearly 300 members.

The notorious bandit Veerappan kidnapped H Nagappa, a former state minister, a week ago. The search for Veerappan has been suspended, possibly in order to secure the hostage?s release. The release of two jailed Tamil separatist leaders is demanded in exchange for Nagappa.

Deaths in Kashmir are mounting before scheduled elections. This week included militant attacks on the children of a government worker and on a policeman?s family, a grenade attack on a politician, and indiscriminate firing in villages as well as army actions that killed nine militants at the line of control. However, discussions between the Indian government and the separatists are progressing towards agreement to participate in the elections next month.

Nepal will need to wait until after the elections to receive arms from Belgium. After a minister in the Belgian governing coalition, resigned to protest sale of weapons to Nepal, the Prime Minister agreed not to release the weapons until after elections. Violence continues, but the state of emergency has been lifted ahead of November?s elections.

Pakistan?s election officials have rejected former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto?s nomination, but has accepted that of another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. Ms. Bhutto has previously been convicted of corruption charges. It is not clear whether an alliance of Islamic religious parties will continue with a joint election campaign, but it has been suspended for the moment.

Peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers will be held next month in a coastal town in Thailand.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

Computer scientists at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a testing program to evaluate the effectiveness of computer forensic tools. This will help provide law enforcement agencies with tools to help ensure recovered digital evidence will stand up in court.

9. Finance

Abdirisak Aden, Abdulaziz Abdi Ali, Garad Jama, Global Services International USA, Money Wire Service Inc. and Barakaat Enterprise USA have been removed from the United States list of those banned for suspected ties to al Qaeda. This follows their removal from the United Nations list last week.

The new government in the Bahamas is investigating complaints from financial services companies that compliance with OECD and FATF requirements are increasing cost and complexity and being unequally applied.

Colombian authorities claim to have identified 800 bank accounts used to launder money for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels.

A leaked draft report by the United Nations suggests that al Qaeda continues to pose an international threat and is poised to strike again. They are able to continue because attempts to control their financing has had only limited success and they no longer have the expenses of supporting the Taliban.

The US and Italy have moved to block financial assets of 25 people suspected of connections to al Qaeda.

The US Internal Revenue Service has asked federal courts to serve summonses on businesses where suspects used offshore credit cards.

10. Human Rights

Legal experts at the European Commission say that EU nations have no right to exempt US citizens from the International Criminal Court. Nevertheless, EU countries, facing heavy pressure from the US, seem increasingly willing to find some kind of accommodation.

Sharia courts in Nigeria have handed out more sentences of death by stoning. These are Mallam Ado Baranda, convicted of rape, and Ahmadu Ibrahim and Fatima Usman convicted of adultery. Intervention by the Nigerian government, that has declared Sharia law unconstitutional, will be needed to counter these sentences.

11. Law and Legal Issues

Warren Anderson, former Chairman of Union Carbide, has been found in a resort in New York state. Union Carbide was responsible for the Bhopal chemical disaster 18 years ago, in which more than 20,000 dies and that has blighted lives across the entire region. Anderson is wanted for homicide, but the Indian government has said that if he asks for a reduction, the charges could be reduced to negligence. India wants to speed up the extradition process now, and bring him to justice.

Kerim Chatty was arrested in Sweden after trying to board a flight with a gun. Authorities are investigating possible terrorist links, including his US aviation school training.

Dr Robert Goldstein, arrested on charges of planning to blow up Islamic centers, will undergo a psychiatric investigation ordered by the judge, who felt he appeared disoriented during his bond hearing.

Rabih Haddad was arrested on immigration charges and has been held on suspicion of involvement in terrorism. Like hundreds of other cases, the Bush administration decided that it could declare there was a security risk and hold deportation hearings in secret. The federal appeals court in Cincinnati has declared this behavior is unlawful and that the government must present evidence to immigration judges in each case for their determination of possible risks. Judge Keith wrote that "Democracies die behind closed doors". The unanimous 3-judge panel and their strongly worded verdict can be appealed to the full panel or to the Supreme Court.

Civil rights campaigner Saad Eddin Ibrahim will appeal against his conviction in Egyptian court of fraud and tarnishing Egypt?s reputation.

The trial of Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Ashraf and Mohammad Hanif for their alleged role in the bomb attack on the US consulate in Karachi in June was delayed when special anti-terrorism judge Alle Maqbool Rizvi refused to attend court because he was concerned for his safety.

A Japanese court has ruled that individuals cannot seek compensation from the state, in a case of 180 Chinese victims of Japan?s biological warfare in World War II. The decision will be appealed.

Former Central African Republic dictator General Andre Kolingba has been sentenced to death in absentia for his role in the failed 2001 coup. Twenty senior army officers were also condemned to death while others convicted of funding the attempt received long prison sentences.

Karim Koubriti, Ahmed Hannan, Youssef Hmimssa, and Farouk Ali-Haimoud, as well as a fifth, Abdella, not yet in custody, were charged in Detroit with conspiracy to support al Qaeda. The group has been characterized as the first al Qaeda sleeper cell discovered in the US.

Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic?s trial for war crimes continues after a break. BBC correspondent Jacky Rowland testified about what she saw, including her experience at the Dubrava prison.

Four men found guilty of rape, and two of abetting the gang rape of Mukhtar Mai in Pakistan, have been sentenced to death by hanging.

Mounir el Motassadek, arrested in Germany, has been charged with membership of al Qaeda and assistance in the September 11 attacks. Three other men stand accused as other members of the same Hamburg cell.

Paolo Persichetti has been arrested after ten years on the run. A member of the Italian Red Brigades, he had been sentenced to jail for his role in the 1987 murder of Licio Giorgieri in Rome.

Saud bin Abdel Aziz al Rasheed turned himself in to Saudi authorities after discovering the US Federal Bureau of investigation had launched an international alert for his arrest on suspicion of terrorism. He has denied any involvement and is being questioned by Saudi authorities. So far, the FBI has not met with him.

The second trial of Chhouk Rin, a Khmer Rouge commander, has begun. He was previously convicted of murder but released under an amnesty. Separately, talks with the United Nations regarding revival of an international tribunal to try war crimes are underway.

Leading dissidents Fawaz Tello, Kamal Labwani and Hassan Saadun have been convicted on political offenses in Syria and sentenced to 2-5 years in prison.

Hassan al-Turabi, leader of the Popular National Congress (PNC) and 24 of his membership have been arrested in Sudan for their active opposition to the peace talks between the Sudanese government and the southern rebels.

Earnest James Ujaama, a prominent and well-respected American Muslim, was indicted in Seattle on charges of conspiring with al Qaeda. He has strongly denied any link, said that he was the victim of a witch hunt and that his civil rights were being violated.

12. Narco-terrorism

Andean scientists are working on a robust cocoa bean that can be more profitable than coca and thus more attractive for farmers to grow. See Jill Carroll?s article "Can Chocolate Help to Fight War on Drugs?" in the Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2002.

Spain has broken up a Venezuelan drug smuggling ring that had been disguised as a charity benefiting the Amazon.

13. Transportation

In the US, the use of federal employees as airport screeners has been slowed down by the difficulty of finding people who can pass the screening test and because US citizenship is required. To ameliorate this, the state of Massachusetts has put together a 10-week crash course in applying for citizenship that can help experienced former screeners regain eligibility under the new program.

German authorities detained then sent back an Israeli ship carrying arms supplies destined for Iran, not Thailand as stated on the export license.

14. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Magda Aelvoet, the health and environment minister in the Belgian governing coalition, resigned to protest sale of weapons to Nepal. Following this, the Prime Minister agreed not to release the weapons until after elections, and survived a confidence vote.

Chile has begun a massive de-mining operation by detonating 76,000 anti-personnel mines mostly along its border. This begins compliance with the Ottawa treaty it signed over five years ago.

China plans to implement stricter controls on its missile exports.

The European Union is attempting to avert a war over Iraq by working to re-engage UN weapons inspectors. Weapons inspections in Iraq were stopped in 1990 when they were told to leave by the US prior to its attack on Iraq, which was partly enabled by intelligence provided by the weapons inspectors. It is possible that EU member countries could act as independent brokers to help rebuild trust in the weapons inspection process.

Israel is restricting the sale in the West Bank of common chemicals used in fertilizers because they believe they would be used to build explosives.

A Japanese court has ruled that individuals cannot seek compensation from the state, in a case of 180 Chinese victims of Japan?s biological warfare in World War II. This is the first time a court has accepted that Japan conducted biological warfare.

Russia has begun construction of the first nuclear power plant in Iran.

The UK has tightened requirements and limited arms shipments to Israel during the current conflict.

In the US state of Ohio, a nuclear plant is under investigation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission because acid nearly ate through the reactor cap, and records about the damage may have been changed.

Biological weapons expert Steven Hatfill lashed out at the Department of Justice and John Ashcroft, the US Attorney General, saying they had mounted a personal campaign against him, despite his innocence and the lack of evidence even after repeated investigations. He has now offered blood tests to prove he has no anthrax vaccine antibodies.

15. Recently Published

Beeston, Richard, Tim Reid, and Philip Webster, "Egypt leads Arab revolt against US" The Times [London] August 28, 2002

Boyne, Walter J., The Two O?Clock War: The 1973 Yom Kippur Conflict and the Airlift That Saved Israel. St. Martin?s

Carroll, Jill. "Can Chocolate Help to Fight War on Drugs?" in the Wall Street Journal, August 28, 2002.

Davenport-Hines, Richard. The Pursuit of Oblivion: A Global History of Narcotics. Norton

Golden, Tim. "Buoyed by World?s Focus on Terror, Spain Cracks Down in Basque Region". New York Times, August 29, 2002.

Harman, Danna. "Hard return for Uganda?s lost children: Rebels have abducted an estimated 15,000 children to serve as soldiers and slaves" Christian Science Monitor, August 27, 2002.

Herken, Gregg. Brotherhood of the Bomb: The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller. Holt.

Judah, Tim. "The Sullen Majority: By logging on, shooting up and getting down, disaffected young Iranians are reshaping the country with a force as irresistible as their parents? revolution" in The New York Times Magazine, September 1, 2002

Pipes, Daniel. Militant Islam Reaches America. WW Norton

FEATURE ARTICLE:

Part 2 of 2, Excerpt from "The Human Faces of Terror", (by Anna Sabasteanski, forthcoming 2003)

In 1967 Israel conquered the rest of Palestine. In a mere six days, Israel roundly defeated Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Israel had turned a shipping dispute into an excuse for a preemptive strike against their enemies, causing a humiliating defeat that both demoralized and radicalized the Palestinian (and Arab) causes.

Responding to this latest disaster, Sabri Al Banna adopted the widely held belief that what was taken by force could only be retrieved by force. An armed struggle against Israel seemed the only way to regain the Palestinian homeland.

The nom de guerre Al Banna adopted for this battle was Abu Nidal, which means "father of the struggle" in Arabic.

The philosophy of armed struggle was common with other national liberation movements around the world, particularly those in Africa. But in Africa, exiled armies of the majority fought the embattled remnants of colonial rule. Palestinian exiles were poor, stateless, disorganized and friendless. They would have to adopt a different strategy.

Out of all the groups that rose from the chaos that was Palestine, Yasser Arafat?s Fatah organization had emerged as the leading revolutionary movement. Begun in Kuwait in 1958, by 1967 it had many outposts. Abu Nidal, after his expulsion from Saudi Arabia, moved to Jordan and joined Fatah. Because of his experience in both underground movements and business, he rose quickly in the ranks and was appointed the Fatah representative in Sudan in 1969.

Again he excelled in his post and in 1970 was rewarded with a prestigious appointment as Fatah?s representative in Baghdad. In this role, Abu Nidal developed close relationships with the government and its intelligence service. Iraq was an important ally because it was a strong supporter of the total rejection of the state of Israel and the importance of the armed struggle to regain all of Palestine.

During his years in Sudan and Iraq, Abu Nidal refined his approach in the battle to regain Palestine. Rather than a frontal assault, he favored guerilla tactics and in particular took lessons from the Stern Gang, Israeli terrorists who had proven successful with a number of striking bombings, the first experience of modern terrorism in the Middle East. Spectacular hijackings planned by the smaller Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) provided a recent example of successful terrorist operations.

The debate in tactics came to a head in 1970 when Iraq (and Abu Nidal) criticized Fatah?s tactics and refused to back their fighting with Jordan and Israel. Unable to succeed in a frontal assault, tactics turned towards guerilla and terrorist activities, and the Black September movement was born. *

In 1974 Abu Nidal was outraged by yet another betrayal, this time from his own colleagues. Yasser Arafat at Fatah?s Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), recognizing they would not succeed in direct conflict, accepted the notion of a two state solution: the existence of both Israel and Palestine.

Abu Nidal, supported by his Iraqi friends, was furious with this position. He would never concede defeat and accused his former colleagues of treason. Of course, those who commit treason must die.

Rejecting Fatah, Abu Nidal formed the Fatah Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal Organization, Black June et al) and launched a campaign of extraordinary violence against his fellow Palestinians, civilians, the occasional Israeli, and his own soldiers. At one time or another he has conducted operations on behalf of Iraq, Syria, Libya and possibly others. His activities spanned 3 continents and 20 countries. He masterminded scores of high profile attacks that killed or wounded nearly 1,000.

These attacks were as much a business as an ideology. He used his organizational skills and ability to make money to build the organization and a personal fortune estimated upwards of $400 million. He was an eminent arms smuggler, skilled in extortion (particularly of his sponsors -- or former sponsors), and willing to act as a mercenary when the price was right.

Abu Nidal ran his training camps ruthlessly, with fear and violence. His membership, ranging from a few thousand to a few hundred strong, was terrorized into obedience. Even the most loyal were tortured and killed. The techniques he used were almost surreal in their cruelty.

His group specialized in assassinations and attacks against airlines.

Assassinations include scores of PLO members including moderate Issan Sartawi in Lisbon, Said Hammami, representative in London; deputy chief, Abu Iyad, and security chief, Abu Hul. Others were Ken Whitty, a British diplomat in Athens and Percy Norris, a British diplomat in Bombay; Naeb Imran Maaytah, first secretary of the Jordanian embassy; Alan Collett, a journalist. His 1982 wounding of Shlomo Argov, the Israeli ambassador, served as the pretext for the Israeli invasion of Lebanon

A few of the attacks on civilians are the "Christmas Massacres" when people at El Al airport ticket counters in Rome and Vienna were machine-gunned, a similar raid on a synagogue in Istanbul, the PanAm 73 hijacking in Karachi, bombing on two TWA flights over Greece, hijacking of an Egyptian airliner, the attack by gunmen on an excursion ship in the Greek Mediterranean, setting a Pan Am jet on fire in Rome, and shootings at a hotel in Khartoum.

It has also been alleged that he assisted in the planning of the bombings of the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998.

Ultimately, Abu Nidal fell victim to his own nihilism.

He was targeted by the CIA, Middle Eastern intelligence services, and Israel?s Mossad. He was under sentence (in absentia) of death by PLO, Lebanese and Jordanian courts. He was a pariah who spent the end of his life, ill with heart trouble and leukemia, in hiding. His family had not seen him for decades -- they had abandoned his company when they understood the path he had chosen.

Although his death has been reported before, the latest report seems to indicate he was shot dead on August 19, though the means by which this occurred are unclear. Initial reports from Iraqi officials claimed that he had just entered the country illegally and when they went to interrogate him, he shot himself. Four times. Later analysis seems to indicate that this was an assassination, probably by Iraqi intelligence, but there are certainly many that wanted him out of the way for good.

The confusion surrounding Abu Nidal?s death and the flurry of allegations surrounding it have continued to sow chaos. Governments rushed to deny any links: Egypt, Kuwait, France . . . even Iraq. His links to the Pan Am 103 "Lockerbie" bombing led to calls to reopen the investigation, making many wonder whether the case that convicted a Libyan agent has any merit. His former spokesman, Abu Bakr, who left in 1989, also attributed the 1983 Gulf Air bomb and the 1986 Berlin disco attack to Abu Nidal.

Palestinian radicalism has not ended with the death of Abu Nidal. His contemporaries -- Georges Habash of the PFLP, Nayef Hawatmeh of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Ahmad Jibril of the PLFP-General Command (PFLP-GC) and Abu Abbas of the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) -- have suffered the ravages of time. But their political aspirations live on in a new form, where religious and political extremism have joined in a much broader group of parallel movements. As long as millions of Palestinian refugees are without a home and the open sore of their unresolved relations with Israel remains festering, violence has plenty of poison to feed upon.

* Black September will be covered in next week?s feature on the 30th anniversary of the Munich Olympics

(For a complete list of sources used in this article, read al-Banni?s entry in Biographies and Abu Nidal Organization in Terrorism Groups from selected library topics at https://terrorismcentral.com. In addition, special credit to Patrick Seale, whose fascinating book "Abu Nidal: A Gun For Hire" (Random House, 1992) provided much of the personal background cited herein.) Also, for a description of Jaffa in the inter-war period, see Walter Laqueur?s A History of Zionism, MJF Books 1972, Chapter 5 "The Unseen Question".

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