AUTHOR:
TerrorismCentral Editorial Staff
TITLE:
TerrorismCentral Newsletter - January 12, 2003
SOURCE:
TerrorismCentral, January 12, 2003
TEXT:
Since the first issue of 2003 was the annual Year in Review, this week’s News Highlights cover topic updates from December 30 – January 12. (We wouldn’t want you to miss anything!) The feature article highlights a report recently issued in Singapore regarding the militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiyah.
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:
The Singapore White Paper
The North-South divide is alive and well in the new year. The EU and others in the World Trade Organization are attempting to find agreement on providing access to cheap drugs for developing countries but so far there seems to be no mechanism that would be acceptable to the US, that blocked agreement in December. There are similar disparities in attitudes towards genetically modified foods. The EU and several African countries are concerned over their use, while the US is prepared to go to battle against their belief that GM foods pose potential hazards. These differences have not slowed down the pace of globalization, as described in a recent report in Foreign Policy Magazine (Globalization Index at http://www.foreignpolicy.com/).
Meanwhile, events in Iraq and North Korea continue to cast doubt on the viability of US President Bush’s stumbling foreign policy, particularly the doctrine of preemptive strikes. Inspectors in Iraq have found no “smoking guns” while in North Korea, not just guns but the threat of nuclear weapons for sale to the highest bidder is real and imminent. Some of the interesting coverage includes:
Nicholas Blandford “Arabs ask Hussein to go quietly” The Christian Science Monitor January 8, 2002
James Brooke “North Korea Says It Plans to Expel Nuclear Monitors” The New York Times, December 28
John F. Burns “Amid Brutal Poverty in Iraq, A Favored Few Enjoy Riches” The New York Times, December 31
David S. Cloud “U.N. Calls Iraqi Efforts Insufficient” The Wall Street Journal January 10
Christopher Cooper “Hoping Hussein’s Desert Spies Get an Eyeful: U.S. Military Says the Occasional Iraqi Interloper Gives It an Edge in Psychological War” The Wall Street Journal January 6
John Donnelly “US operatives are said to be active in Iraq: Agents target sites, gather intelligence” Boston Globe, January 5
Economist “Closing Pandora’s box” Economist, January 4
Stephen Fidler “North Korea could become ‘plutonium supermarket’ Financial Times January 11-12
Michael R. Gordon “In North Korea, Every New Bomb Is a Greater Peril” The New York Times, January 5s
Roger Hardy “Exit Saddam?” BBC News, January 3 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2625481.stm
Roula Khalaf and Mark Turner “Uncertainty dogs relief groups’ plans to care for Iraq refugees” Financial Times January 6
Colum Lynch, “UN warns war could displace, imperil 10 million civilians” Washington Post/Boston Globe January 7
Neil MacFarquhar “Hardening His Tone, Hussein Challenges Inspectors and Talks of War Readiness” The New York Times, January 7
Neil MacFarquhar “In Iraq’s Tribes, U.S. Faces a Formidable Wild Card” The New York Times, January 5
Robert Marquand “N. Korea vs. Iraq: why US response differs” The Christian Science Monitor January 10
Barnaby Mason, “Iraq crisis reflects global US strategy” BBC News, January 1 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2595435.stm
Seth Mydans “North Korea Says It Is Withdrawing From Arms Treaty” The New York Times January 10
Anne Penketh “Is this proof of an al-Qa’ida link to Iraq?” The Independent January 8 http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=367303&host=3&dir=508
Julia Preston “U.N. Study Sees 500,000 Iraqis Facing Injury in Case of War” The New York Times January 8
Ilene R. Prusher “Turkey weighs economic, political costs of a Gulf war” The Christian Science Monitor January 10
Tim Reid “How US helped Iraq build deadly arsenal” Times (London), December 31 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-528574,00.html
David E. Sanger “Nuclear Mediators Resort to Political Mind Reading” The New York Times, January 12
David E. Sanger “U.S. Eases Threat of Nuclear Arms for North Korea” The New York Times, December 31
Robert Schlesinger and Susan Milligan, “Insular nation a gall to West: Nuclear threat North Korea’s strongest asset” Boston Globe, December 30
Eric Schmitt “U.S. Force in Gulf is Said to be Rising to 150,000 Troops” The New York Times, January 12
Helena Smith and Ewen MacAskill “US set to win battle over Iraqi scientists” The Guardian January 10 http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4580500,00.html
Jay Solomon and David S. Cloud “A Split With Seoul Complicates Crisis Over North Korea” The Wall Street Journal, January 2
Jay Solomon and Christopher North Korea Is Vulnerable As U.S. Vows Economic Pressure” The Wall Street Journal, December 30
Philip Stephens “A deadline for war looms as allied enthusiasm fades” Financial Times January 10
Roland Watson “Bush wagers on a cut-price victory in Baghdad” Times (London), January 1, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-529089,00.html
Steven R. Weisman, “U.S., in a Shift, Is Willing to Talk With North Korea About A-Arms” The New York Times, January 8
For the most current information on inspections in Iraq, see the UN sites http://www.unmovic.org and http://www.iaea.org/worldatom/
2. Africa
In Algerian, more than forty soldiers and a dozen civilians were killed in two incidents. It is suspected that militants from the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) were responsible for the military attack while the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) is thought to be behind the civilian killings in a village near Algiers. Several other attacks during the week raised the death toll to more than 100 in the space of five days.
Angola’s former rebel movement, UNITA, broadcast an apology for their role in the 27-year-long civil war.
The Central African Republic has become increasingly unstable as armed rebellion in the north spreads and relations with neighboring Chad deteriorate. Chad and CAR plan to begin discussing their relations with the goal of improving security.
Chad’s government has signed a peace agreement with the rebel National Resistance Army (ANR) that operates near the borders with Sudan and CAR. Other rebel groups have not yet joined the peace process and the agreement signed with the Democratic Movement for Justice in Chad (MDJT) that was signed last year is defunct in the face of increasing fighting.
In Congo Brazzaville, two UN workers kidnapped in December by Ninja rebels were released unharmed.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo three rebel groups, the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), the Congolese Rally for Democracy - National (RCD-N) and the Congolese Rally for Democracy – Liberation (RCD-ML) have agreed to a ceasefire. Despite this, continued fighting between rebel factions in the northeast has led to tens of thousands of new refugees, now numbering more than 110,000. Now there are reports of massive human rights violations, including allegations that rebels are massacring and eating pygmies
The first multi-party elections in Djibouti ended in victory for supporters of the current president, Omar Ismael Guellah.
In northeast Ethiopia, a riot between Orthodox Christians and evangelical Protestants led to two deaths.
The conflict in Ivory Coast expands, as French troops are drawn into a number of clashes while rebel raids the government’s continuing assaults violate the shaky ceasefire. Mediated peace talks targeted at ending nearly four months of civil war ended with a rebel walkout in the face of mutual distrust, a worsening humanitarian situation, and continued fighting. Regional leaders in west Africa are attempting to put together a plan that would replace French forces with UN peacekeepers, a move the US does not support.
Kenyans are celebrating the replacement of a corrupt regime with the new leader, Mwai Kibaki, and his promises of an end to corruption. One of his first challenges is investigation into charges that a senior government official, Zakayo Cheruiyot, is harboring Felicien Kabuga, who is wanted in connection with the Rwandan genocide.
Liberia has announced general elections of October 14, but continued insecurity in the country threatens this timetable. Most recently, rebels of Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) battled government forces in the rich mineral and gem areas of the northwest. Clashes between Christians and Muslims also continue. Casualty counts are unknown.
Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi says he is providing intelligence about the al Qaeda network to the US. This is part of a continued campaign to improve general diplomatic relations after years of isolation.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has issued a decree to begin releasing up to 40,000 prisoners involved in the 1994 genocide. There are around 120,000 people awaiting trial for genocide and the prisons are overcrowded, with some 90 percent of the prison population made up of genocide suspects. Those being freed include those who have confessed to their crimes and who have already been in prison longer than their maximum potential sentence. It also includes the elderly, those under 18 at the time of the crime, or those who are seriously ill.
In Senegal, four government soldiers and 30 rebels of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) were killed in fighting in the south.
Sudan’s government and rebels of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) have accused each other of breaking the ceasefire. Peace negotiations are scheduled to resume in mid-January.
Zimbabwe has been the scene of widespread food riots, as up to half the population, (6 of 12 million) face food shortages.
3. Americas
Caribbean nations in the Organization of American States have met to discuss concerns that the porous borders of the islands could be abused by terrorists, as narcotics smugglers have done.
Colombia’s rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue their attacks. An ambush against a police convoy killed at least eight officers and a car bomb killed three. The rebel National Liberation Army (ELN) was responsible for four civilian deaths. Right-wing paramilitaries of the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) have been arrested in police raids, while they attempt to open peace talks with the government.
Some 20,000 Mexico’s Zapatista rebels and their turned out at the beginning of the new year to protest the government’s failure to grant autonomy to indigenous communities, as agreed in a 1996 peace accord.
Puerto Rica’s island Vieques will no longer be used for US military training after May. Instead, there will be expansion of sites in the US.
After Peru’s Constitutional Court ruled that anti-terror laws were unconstitutional and would entitle hundreds of rebels to new trials, President Alejandro Toledo has asked for new anti-terror laws that would make sure the rebels were not freed in the meantime.
In the US, the year began with massive call-ups of army reservists to serve in the Middle East in preparation for war against Iraq. The large numbers of reservists, and the longer service they are experiencing, has begun to threaten staffing, particularly of police services. Meanwhile, thousands of people marched against war in Los Angeles.
Californians have another worry: they did not meet the terms of an agreement regarding use of the water in the Colorado River and the federal government has now instituted limits on California’s use to mandate conservation efforts, particularly in more targeted use of water for agriculture. The Colorado River also supplies water to Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and also to Mexico.
Outgoing Governor George Ryan of the state of Illinois has commuted the death sentences of all 156 inmates to life in prison without parole. (See Human Rights, below)
Back in the District of Colombia, President Bush directed the FBI to issue an appeal for information on five suspects thought to have illegally entered the US, a list that soon expanded to 19 names. It rapidly emerged that these accusations were the result of a hoax. Continued INS registration of visitors from 13 countries is also controversial and protests continue, although the latest deadline passed without more mass arrests. Proposed additional INS rules would require US citizens to detail travel, including personal information and details of all arrivals and departures.
In Venezuela violent protests left two people dead but the widespread strike and protests seem to be slowly winding down, although a banking strike has applied more pressure on embattled President Hugo Chavez.
4. Asia Pacific
In Australia, following a rash of fires set to protest asylum conditions, the government has tightened security by moving some inmates to a high security prison and adding extra staff.
Cambodia commemorated the 24th anniversary of the end of the Khmer Rouge. The government has begun talks with the UN to bring Khmer Rouge leaders to trial.
Indonesia and the rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have welcomed peace monitors following the signing of a ceasefire, but questions over the future of the province remain. Since the peace agreement was signed, 11 civilians have been killed, which is far less than the average of 87 per month prior to the ceasefire. In Bali, Indonesian police investigating the Bali bombings found an explosives stash and are questioning the owner of the house where the explosives were seized. The first prosecution in the case, against Amrozi, has opened.
Malaysia and Singapore will accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in a territorial dispute over the Pulau Batu Puteh/Pedra Branca island in the Singapore Strait.
North Korea has asked inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to leave the country as monitoring equipment has been removed and North Korea prepares to reactivate the nuclear facility in Nyongbyong. Shortly thereafter, North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and said it was considering the resumption of ballistic missile tests.
Philippine troops fought rebels of the Abu Sayyaf in the south, killing at least five of the guerillas. In an attack on Mindanao island, a grenade attack into a firecracker stall killed at least 10. The separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front is suspected.
Singapore police arrested 31 suspected militants of the Jemaah Islamiyah in a planned attack against the American School.
South Koreans have expressed anger towards US policy to North Korea and the actions associated with the US military presence. Widespread anti-American demonstrations continue.
5. Europe
Bosnia Herzegovina now has a trained police force. The UN mission wound up on December 31 and now the EU’s Police Mission will help continue the process of recovery. Former leader Radovan Karadzic remains at large, and his continued freedom is said to compromise the otherwise good work that had been done by the UN mission.
In Paris, France, a baggage handler, Abderazak Besseghir, was arrested after a weapons cache was found in his car at the Charles de Gaulle airport. The former Foreign Legion soldier who gave the tip was also arrested and the investigation revealed that the accusations were a setup resulting from a long-standing family feud. Also in Paris, French police uncovered a plan by Basque separatist group ETA to murder Judge Laurence Le Vert, a leading anti-terrorism judge in France. A rabbi in Paris who was stabbed in late December had his car set on fire in a probably anti-Semitic attack. There have been significant increases in attacks against Jews and their schools and synagogues since September 11, which in turn has led to the doubling of the number of French Jewish emigrants to Israel.
In Greece, 18 suspected November 17 guerillas were sent to trial for offenses committed after 1982.
Italian rightist extremists Forza Nuova attacked a Muslim activist, Adel Smith, as he appeared on a television talk show. They stormed the studio, threw eggs and beat Mr. Smith and his assistant. Six people were arrested. Italian police in Genoa have admitted fabricating evidence, including planting two gasoline bombs at a school, to justify brutal treatment of anti-globalization protesters at the 2001 G8 summit in Genoa.
Three days of mourning were declared in the Russian province of Chechnya with the death toll from the suicide bombings rose to 83, with more than 160 injured. Chechen rebels continued their attacks by shooting two Russian soldiers and killing two security force members in landmine explosions. Russia has charged that Arab mercenaries are responsible for these attacks and continues to tie the Chechen independence movement to international terrorism. A special rescue operation by Russian security services has freed Nina Davydovich, who had been kidnapped and held for over five months.
Russian authorities have insisted that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s monitoring mission in Chechnya must close. However, they have said they will welcome international observers for the planned constitutional referendum in Chechnya, due in March.
An interesting update on the disappearing Aral Sea can be found in New Scientist, January 4, “Long Time No Sea” by Caroline Williams. Another risk is described by Christopher Pala in “Anthrax Island: In the middle of the Aral Sea, the ruins of an earlier bioweapons threat” The New York Times Magazine, January 12.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw are proceeding with meetings in London to discuss reforms of the Palestinian Authority and movements towards peace in the area, despite a travel ban imposed by the Israeli government. Working for peace on one front, the UK is also building up towards possible war in Iraq (one that is increasingly unpopular among the public and within the ruling Labor party). The possibility has led to concern and planning towards shortages of health and emergency service staff, both domestically if there are widespread army call-ups, and also within the armed forces that currently have less than half the number of physicians needed.
A joint investigation among British security forces found traces of the highly toxic poison, ricin. Seven people have been detained, and the investigations have spread to connections in France. Although ricin is not considered a weapon of mass destruction, it has renewed fears of chemical attacks in the UK.
Northern Ireland continues to experience both paramilitary and loyalist attacks including shootings and pipe bombs. Ways to resolve the continuing loyalist feud have been discussed while the suggestion to disband the Irish Republican Army (IRA) has been dismissed.
6. Middle East
Attacks against security forces in Algeria are again on the rise. One attack killed 43 and a second killed 13. Those responsible for these attacks are not yet known.
Egyptian authorities have arrested fourteen suspected members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Coptic Christmas was celebrated as a national holiday for the first time; previously only Christians were allowed the holiday.
In the occupied Gaza Strip, the year ended with the death of a 9-year old Palestinian girl, shot dead by Israeli soldiers as she played outside her home. Raids on three refugee camps killed five others.
Iran will have female police for the first time since the 1979 revolution. 400 have qualified and will join their male counterparts. They are still not allowed to use heavy machine guns or grenade launchers. Iran has also begun to allow women to watch soccer games in a stadium.
Iraq and Kuwait have held meetings discussing those who remain missing after the 1990 Gulf War.
A double suicide bomb in Tel Aviv left 23 dead and more than 60 injured. Israel has further tightened travel restrictions in the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank and plans additional retaliation. They have prevented Palestinian representatives from attending meetings arranged in the UK to discuss reform of the Palestinian Authority and peace in the region. Israel’s election committee voted to ban Israeli Arab Ahmed Tibi from standing in the general election, but that was overturned in court. Escalation in the fighting against Palestinians has led to criticism emerging from within Israel, where the Attorney General has asked Prime Minister Sharon to use targeted killings only as a last resort. Allegations of corruption against Sharon, related to illegal loans, have also led to a drop in his support. Israel is also working closely with the US to test air defenses in preparation for a possible war in Iraq.
A Syrian man was killed by Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. The UN is investigating the incident, which violates the ceasefire between the two countries.
In the occupied West Bank, two Palestinian gunmen with Islamic Jihad shot dead four seminary students from a Jewish settlement. The gunmen were killed by Israeli soldiers. The charred remains of a 73-year old Israeli man were found, apparently killed by the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade.
In Yemen, three American missionaries were shot dead by a suspected Muslim extremist identified as Ali Abdulrazzak al-Kamel. Dozens of other suspected militants are also being questioned as the attacks are seen as an indication of a broader plot and possible terrorist cell.
7. South Asia
Afghanistan’s disarmament continues but is still not ahead of increasing threats to security, ranging from the continued power of warlords and militants to landmines.
The use of troops in Bangladesh to fight crime has been cut back after a 3-month operation.
In Bhutan, security forces killed four rebels of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)
In the Indian state of Karnataka, authorities have doubled to nearly $1 million the reward for information leading to the capture or death of notorious bandit Veerappan. The Indian government and leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland plan to begin peace negotiations now that the ban on the separatist group has been lifted.
India has joined Zambia and others in rejecting genetically modified food aid.
Three suspected militants with alleged ties to Lashkar-e-Toiba, were killed by police in Indian-administered Kashmir. In a number of other incidents, three security officers and eight militants were shot dead. With Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee insisting that Kashmir is an integral part of India and that Pakistan should accept this, it is unlikely that violence will end any time soon. Amnesty international (http://www.amnesty.org) has expressed concern that the new government of Kashmir has backed away from promised investigations into human rights abuses.
In Nepal, Maoist rebels succeeded again in closing down commercial operations with a general strike protesting the King’s assumption of executive rule. In gun battles, five police were killed after they defused bombs on a nearby bridge.
Pakistan reacted angrily to the US bombing of the border with Afghanistan. Officials say they have never given US authorities permission to pursue al Qaeda or Taliban suspects across the border. The US says it reserves the right to pursue its enemies across the border.
Peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels have continued their peace discussions with progress on resettlement of refugees but serious issues over security and disarmament remain. The Tamil Tigers have pledged their commitment to nonviolence.
8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
Identity theft is poised to be the cyber-topic of the year. A Pentagon contractor, TriWest, has been burgled, with more than half a million sensitive healthcare records stolen on a computer hard disk. The theft, in December, has led to warnings that those whose records were stolen could be subject to identity theft and advises on precautions to take. (http://www.triwest.com/announcement/). The topic is a serious one for banking, as documented in an article by Mark Bruno, “A New Breed of Criminals: ID heists could drain $500 million this year” in Bank Technology News, January 2003. Other recent cases include an investigation into ID theft by a BBC reporter who practiced stealing Home Secretary David Blunkett’s identity. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/kenyon_confronts/2625395.stm) and an actual case has been brought against a four former HandR Block workers: Ivy Johnson, LaTasha Edwards-Hamlett, Catherine Pointer and Charles Griffin.
The Cybersource Fraud Survey (http://www.cybersource.com) reports that although most online merchants took more fraud precautions in 2002 than in the previous year, it did not help the fraud rate go down. It has remained at around three percent. Since online purchases have increased, the total dollar losses are also increasing.
Igor Serebryany of Los Angeles, California, has been charged with economic espionage for distributing confidential DirecTV documents that could help steal satellite signals.
9. Finance
The US Customs Service is moving resources from drugs to anti-money laundering. See Eric Lichtblau “Agency to Expand Units Tracing Terrorist Finances” The New York Times, January 10. Another interesting article is “Shadow Wolves: An all-Indian Customs unit – possibly the world’s best trackers – uses time-honored techniques to pursue smugglers along a remote stretch of the US-Mexico border” in the Smithsonian, January 2003
The Kimberley Process to stop blood diamond proliferation has launched.
Two US aerospace companies, Boeing and Hughes Electronics, have been charged by the US State Department of illegally providing restricted technology to China.
UK company Imperial Tobacco has been accused by Customs and Excise of failing to cooperate in preventing smuggling. The British government has launched a series of measures to crack down on tobacco smuggling. (http://www.hmce.gov.uk/news/nat-nr-8302.htm)
The Cook Islands are defending themselves against allegations of money laundering. See Joe Leahy “South Pacific islands hit by wave of regulation after terrorist attacks” Financial Times January 8
10. Human Rights
Outgoing Governor George Ryan of the state of Illinois has commuted the death sentences of all 156 inmates to life in prison without parole. He also reprieved four prisoners on death row who had been beaten and suffocated by police officers to force their confession. Governor Ryan cited the manifest inequalities in the system that meant it was impossible to ever mete out sentences fairly. In addition, new evidence of people on death row who were exonerated with DNA evidence raises concerns. Previously, Governor Ryan had been a staunch supporter of the death penalty, but he had ordered a moratorium following analysis that showed consistent inequalities and variable treatment that eventually convinced him that the only possible approach was to eliminate death sentences. For an interesting perspective on the debate, read the article “To Kill Or Not To Kill” by one of the panel members, Scott Turow in The New Yorker, January 6
A year after prisoners first arrived from Afghanistan to US custody in Guantanamo Bay, Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org) has called for the prisoners to be charged or released. Some 650 prisoners from 40 countries have been held as unlawful combatants in a “legal black hole” in harsh conditions without basic human rights. The US has no plans to address the concerns.
A US federal appeals court has upheld the right of the US government to continue to hold Yaser Esam Hamdi as an enemy combatant. The narrow ruling emphasized he had been arrested on the battlefield. The case of Jose Padilla, arrested in the US, has not been settled. In any case, further appeals regarding treatment of US citizens and “enemy combatant” status will continue.
Increasingly harsh treatment of asylum seekers is leading to new concerns over the impact on refugees of the extraordinarily cold weather seen in Europe this year. Russia’s homeless population is seriously threatened; new asylum ruled in the UK that end interim state support are likely to increase problems of homelessness; the problem is already being felt in France with the closure of Sangette without an alternative for refugees who continue to arrive in the area.
Israel’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal by “Courage to Refuse”, a group of reserve soldiers who say they will serve in the army but not in the occupied territories. The court found their motives were political not moral, as would be the case with conscientious objectors. The court did not address legality of the occupation.
An article by Edward Alden and Caroline Daniel “traces the redrawing of boundaries between the state and the citizen” in a Financial Times article, “Battle lines blurred as US searches for enemies in the war on terrorism” published January 2. More excellent coverage can be heard from This American Life in a program on “Secret Government” that looks at three cases: Jose Padilla, Yaser Hamdi, and the Foreign intelligence Surveillance Court of Review. It’s available online at http://www.thislife.org/
11. Law and Legal Issues
A fascinating article by Benjamin Weiser reports on the jury deliberations in the East African Embassy bombing cases. See “A Jury Torn and Fearful in 2001 Terrorism Trial” in The New York Times, January 5
Merang Abante, a suspected leader of Abu Sayyaf, has been arrested in the Philippines.
Mohamed Nasser al-Ajji, a Yemeni living in Detroit, was ordered released from jail in New York City when a federal judge ruled there was insufficient evidence of any role in terrorism.
Amrozi, accused of involvement in the Bali bombings, is the first against whom Indonesian authorities have lodged charges.
Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad and wanted on terrorism charges in India, has been freed from house arrest in Pakistan following a court order.
Two US aerospace companies, Boeing and Hughes Electronics, have been charged by the US State Department of illegally providing restricted technology to China.
Dhiren Boro, leading member of the separatist National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), his wife, two children and two bodyguards were arrested by Indian police.
Colonel Yuri Budanov was found not guilty of murder in the strangling of a Chechen teenager because he was temporarily insane at the time. Rather than prison, he will have psychiatric treatment. Relatives of the victim are appealing the ruling, which has also been criticized by human rights groups.
Faysal Galab, one of six accused of being a member of an al Qaeda cell in New York state, has agreed to plead guilty to attending a training camp and supplying material aid to al Qaeda. His cooperation would lead to a lesser sentence.
Michael John Hamdani, in custody in Canada, will be extradited to the US on charges of supplying fake passports. He is responsible for the false tip on illegal entries (see Americas)
Ivy Johnson, LaTasha Edwards-Hamlett, Catherine Pointer and Charles Griffin have been charged with using their positions in tax consulting firm HandR Block to steal identities of customers and divert checks, credit card applications and so on..
Paul Wyn Jones of Wales, UK, was sent to prison for five years for bomb hoaxes
Ali Abdulrazzak al-Kamel was arrested in Yemen on charges of killing three American missionaries.
Colonel Eddy Kapend of Democratic Republic of Congo has been sentenced to death for the assassination of Laurent Kabila in January 2001s. Twenty-five associates were also sentenced. They have requested a pardon from President Joseph Kabila. Many believe that the facts of the assassination have still not emerged from the investigations.
Former Afghan minister and Pashtun tribal leader Naeem Kochi has been held by US forces in Afghanistan. No charges have been disclosed.
James Lee, a Briton held with six others in Saudi Arabia on bombing charges, has suddenly confessed to the murder charges.
Jon Lech Johansen was acquitted by Norwegian court of digital burglary in connection with circulating DVD code-cracking software online.
Former Yugoslav President Slododan Milosevic’s trial has resumed at the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague.
A US federal appeals court has upheld the right of the US government to continue to hold Yaser Esam Hamdi as an enemy combatant. The narrow ruling emphasized he had been arrested on the battlefield. The case of Jose Padilla, arrested in the US, has not been settled. In any case, further appeals regarding treatment of US citizens and “enemy combatant” status will continue.
Lesley McCulloch, a British academic, and Joy Lee Sadler, a US nurse, were jailed by Indonesian court for associating with Aceh rebels. Sadler has since been released, and McCulloch is likely to be released next month.
Mohammed Ali Hassan Sheik al Mujahed and his associate Moshen Yahya Zayed have been detained in Germany on the request of US authorities who believe the two Yemenis have connections with al Qaeda.
The US Office of Homeland Security was ordered to prove that it has no independent authority but acts only as an advisor to the President if it wants to continue to keep its activities secret. The ruling follows requests by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (http://www.epic.org) to get records regarding use of personal information.
The emergency stay against Matthew Pavlovich against posting DVD decryption programs online has been removed by Supreme Court Justice O’Connor.
Richard Reid, the admitted “shoe bomber” being held in a maximum security prison will not be allowed to have a radio in his cell and upheld censorship of news magazine subscriptions.
Igor Serebryany of Los Angeles, California, has been charged with economic espionage for distributing confidential DirecTV documents that could help steal satellite signals.
Lieutenant Colonel Sujarwo was convicted in Indonesian court to five years prison for crimes against humanity in East Timor in 1999.
Syed Saadat, Muhammed Abid Afridi, and Ilyas Ali, arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly selling drugs in exchange for weapons for al Qaeda, will be extradited to the US.
Mustapha Taleb, Mouloud Feddag, Sidali Feddag, Samir Feddag and Nasreddine Fekhadji have been charged in London, UK, in connection with the discovery of ricin.
Suspected separatist militants Fayaz Ahmed Teli, Bilal Ahmed Khan and Javid Ahmad Khan were arrested in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Israel’s election committee voted to ban Israeli Arab Ahmed Tibi from standing in the general election, but that was overturned in court.
Muhammed Emin Tokcan who led the seizure of an Istanbul in 2001 when 120 were taken hostage, has been sentenced to almost 12 years jail.
Indian politician from Tamil Nadu, Vaiko, was arrested with eight party members for allegedly supporting the Tamil Tigers
Akhmed Zakayev, top Chechen envoy wanted by Russia, remains on bail. The case has been adjourned until January 31.
12. Narco-terrorism
Caribbean nations in the Organization of American States have met to discuss concerns that the porous borders of the islands could be abused by terrorists, as narcotics smugglers have done. Financing of security initiatives is the main issue to be resolved.
Syed Saadat, Muhammed Abid Afridi, and Ilyas Ali, arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly selling drugs in exchange for weapons for al Qaeda, will be extradited to the US.
13. Transportation
In Germany, Franz-Stephan Strambach stole a plane at gunpoint and flew it around downtown Frankfurt, threatening to fly it into the tower of the European Central Bank or by plunging into the River Main. A police helicopter and fighter jets followed the plane and the area was evacuated. Although the act of a mentally disturbed individual and not a terrorist threat, the incident has drawn attention again to security issues.
China plans to put two armed air marshals aboard every internal flight – some 2,000 of them.
Proposed additional INS rules would require submission of passenger lists and for US citizens to detail travel, including personal information and details of all arrivals and departures.
Hong Kong is struggling to comply with new US shipping rules. See “Shipping Industry in Hong Kong May Fail US Test” by Scott Neuman and Gary Fields in The Wall Street Journal January 3.
Maritime security is a continuing problem. See John Mintz “15 Freighters Believed To Be Linked To Al Qaeda” in The Washington Post, December 31
James Loy, head of the US Transportation Security Administration, is features in an article in CSO, “Cleared for Takeoff” by Sarah D. Scalet, January 2003 (http://www.csoonline.com)
14. Weapons of Mass Destruction
North Korea is in the process of reactivating its nuclear reactors, a process that could lead to production of commercial supplies of plutonium. This development represents a significant threat to both regional and international security.
Bulgaria has started decommissioning its nuclear plant by starting to close four of the six reactors at the site because of safety concerns.
India has established, for the first time, a chain of command for nuclear weapons, headed by the Prime Minister. India has successfully tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile. These actions come at a time of increased tensions regarding India and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, and the shadow of nuclear weapons in North Korea and allegations of their development in Iraq.
A report commissioned by New York Governor Pataki reviews flaws in disaster preparedness at the Indian Point nuclear plant. See http://www.wittassociates.com
Israel has agreed to suspend arms exports to China.
FEATURE ARTICLE: Jemaah Islamiyah: The Singapore White Paper
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs released a White Paper on January 7, “The Jemaah Islamiyah Arrests and the Threat of Terrorism”. The document contains five main sections and three annexes that provide valuable details of the organization, its plans and operational details, and international links.
Section I is on “The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia”. It begins by pointing out that terrorism in Southeast Asia in nothing new:
“Militant self-proclaimed Islamic terrorist groups have long existed in several countries in the region, with many espousing a separatist Islamic agenda. In addition to these indigenous groups, terrorist groups from outside the region have used Southeast Asia as a safe haven and for transit points and procurement sites. Such groups have included the Japanese Red Army, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the Hizbollah, and, more recently, Al-Qaeda.”
The report describes the increasing radicalization of regional groups such as:
*Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM, Malaysian Militant Group)
* Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the Philippines
* New Pattani United Liberation Organization, Barisan Revolusi Nasional and Gerekan Mujahidin Islam Pattani of Thailand.
Beginning with the desire for separation from the main country to an Islamic state, a new vision has taken hold, of a pan-Islamic state comprised of Malaysia, Indonesia, the southern Philippine island Mindanao, Singapore and Brunei. Many of these groups developed this vision when they met on the field of battle as Mujahidin fighters in Afghanistan. This is a common link with al Qaeda as well, and has led to very close ties between al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). This makes it possible for al Qaeda to use its connections with local militant groups to continue their operations.
Section II is “The Jemaah Islamiyah Network” and looks at the origins of the group and the broader international network in which it participates. JI, originally Darul Islam (“DI”, “House of Islam”) began with the independence movement of the 1940s and since continued its struggle for an independent Islamic state and, now, for a regional Islamic state. Its current leader is Abu Bakar Bashir, who took over after the death of Abdullah Sungkar in 1999.
There is regional leadership and an economic wing of businesses run by JI that contribute ten percent of their earnings to finance activities, specifically for the “Infaq Fisabilillah”, for the Islamic cause. This fund purchases supplies and finances training and operatives. Other regional groups also contribute to this fund.
Although JI has always been committed to using violence to achieve political aims, terrorism as a tactic began in 2000. As the report says:
“The first clearly JI terrorist operation was likely to be the one mounted in December 2000 which involved he simultaneous bombing of churches in several Indonesian cities on Christmas Eve.... In the same month, HI also bombed the Light Railway Train in Manila....”
Operational activities and training are conducted throughout a broad network. JI has close ties with the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI) and its militant wing Lashkar Jundullah (“Army of Allah”), the Malaysian KMM, the MILF and al Qaeda.
“The Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah Case” is described in section III. Singapore JI was started by Ibrahim Maidin more than a decade ago. JI is organized in a traditional structure with regional leadership feeding down to operational cells of 4-5 members. The organization began planning attacks in Singapore in the mid-1990s. The report describes three of these plans:
* 1997: Attacking a shuttlebus of US military personnel. Plans for this were found in Afghanistan but it was never pursued.
* Synchronized explosions against US, Israeli, Australian and British diplomatic and commercial interests. Material had been procured when the JI members were found and arrested in December 2001
* Attacks against US naval vessels in Singapore. Plans were made several times but not executed.
There were also a number of plans against targets in Singapore against targets including waterworks, air and rail systems, and government offices.
Based on interviews with the 31 detainees, the report offers a profile and motivations for the group. They say:
“All except two were assessed to have average or above average intelligence. About one-third had intelligence above the population norm, including two with superior level intelligence. ...
All 31 had received secular education (although one later pursued and obtained a degree in Islamic studies at a university in Malaysia). Like many of their counterparts in militant organisations in the region, they held normal, respectable jobs....
As a group, most of the detainees regarded religion as their most important personal value. The second highest value they were concerned with was economic....”
The recruitment techniques used by JI were found crucial in promoting “acceptance of JI ideology and believe systems” through a careful process of identifying recruits, engaging their interest and indoctrinating a strong sense of exclusivity and commitment. For example:
“Secrecy...helped create a sense of sharing and empowerment vis a vis outsiders.... Code names... resulted in a strong sense of ‘in-group’ superiority especially since JI members were said to be closer to Allah as they believed in the ‘truth’....
Mystical manipulation was used to commit its members.... The pledge was a powerful compliance generating mechanism. Another technique involved psychological contracting.... To ensure that members remained committed and did not blow the whistle on JI, leaders employed the social psychological concept of escalation of commitment. Hence, although a few members had misgivings about their reconnaissance missions, they felt they could not withdraw as they were already ‘in too deep’. The JI members were promised martyrdom if they died in cause of jihad.
... a ‘no fuss’ path to heaven.”
This section concludes with an estimation that the JI threat, although diminished by the arrests, still persists as attacks in Bali and the Philippines demonstrate.
The forth section has the Internal Security Act Advisory Board’s report and recommendations regarding the two groups of detainees that have been captured to date. The Board is required to review the detention orders and in these cases, they considered statements and confessions and case exhibits. They concluded that all were involved in a conspiracy against the security of Singapore and were aided in this by foreign terrorist groups. They recommended that the people arrested continue to be detained and that efforts are made to capture others that have been implicated.
These findings are supported by data provided in three Annexes. These summarize the case against JI, show some of the exhibits in the case, and list the detainees.
Section V describes ways to counter future threats. There are three main recommendations:
1. Enhance security measures at key installations including “Changi Airport, border checkpoints, important Government and commercial buildings, and oil and water installations”.
2. Police the spread of terrorist and extremist ideology by enlisting “the co-operation of the Muslim community and the wider community of all Singaporeans”.
3.Strengthen social cohesion and religious harmony, aided by the new Inter-Racial Confidence Circles and Harmony Circles that are community groups designed “to provide a platform for confidence-building among the different communities, as a basis for developing, in time, deeper friendships and trust. Regular interactions will build up inter-racial and inter-religious rapport. They will also provide opportunities for all parties to address immediately racial and religious problems on the ground”.
These recommendations and the background details provided to support their conclusions, are of great value to us all and should help inform similar discussions in other countries around the world.
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