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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. Transportation
13. Weapons of Mass Destruction
14. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Vehicle Bombs

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

The annual conference of Non-Governmental Organizations Conference on Human Security will be webcast to the general public for the first time. The Conference is available at http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection from September 8-10.

Expectations for the forthcoming World Trade Organization meeting are low given the lack of progress in scheduled discussions prior to the meetings, the acrimony over the agreement to reduce costs to poor countries, and an impasse over agricultural subsidies. The continued disagreements have stymied the goal of helping the developing world and fuel the anti-globalization movement, including the demonstrators gathering now in Mexico in preparation for this meeting.

More economic bad news is in the finding of the 2003 World Investment Report that finds global direct investments fell by 21 percent last year and the weak growth and declines in economic activity will mean this trend will not be reversed this year. This is the second year of large drops in investment, led by the US dropping from first to fifth. http://www.unctad.org/Templates/WebFlyer.asp?intItenID=2412&lang=1

A new poll by the German Marshall Fund (US) and Compagnia di San Paolo (Italy) finds agreement on what threats face the world but wide divergence on the appropriate responses. http://www.transatlantictrends.org/

US President Bush plans to ask Congress for $87 billion additional funding for military operations and intelligence in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. In a speech on Sunday night, he said that Iraq was now the "central front" in the fight against terrorism and that it is the duty of the world to help. In a foreign policy reversal, the US is now actively pursuing international help through the United Nations. International support for the initial proposals has been guarded. To see "How much help the UN might give" read Peter Grier and Faye Bowers article in The Christian Science Monitor, September 5.
http://search.csmonitor.com/search_content/0905/p01s04-woiq.html
And for an interesting portrayal of life in Iraq at this time, see Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa's description "This is no good, sir!" in The Guardian, September 5
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,47,00.html

North Korea has said it is willing to continue talks even while it approves increasing development of its nuclear program. The US has shifted its hardline position in favor of offering concessions in exchange for North Korea's abandonment of nuclear development. The UN has called for both North Korea and the US to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (See WMD, below)

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2. Africa

Botswana has begun to build a security fence along their border with Zimbabwe.

Burundi rebels of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) killed 13, mostly women and children, in a raid in the South Kivu province of the DR Congo.

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, leaders of the unified armed forces established as part of the peace agreement have been sworn in, although agreement on the name of the new army has not yet been reached.

Rising ethnic tensions in Ivory Coast have interfered with humanitarian aid. Tensions were exacerbated by the arrest in France of former rebel leader Ibrahim Coulibaly, alleged to have plotted President Laurent Gbagbo's assassination. 18 have been detained in Ivory Coast in connection with the alleged assassination plot, but General Abdoulaye Coulibaly (no relation to Ibrahim) was freed.

Liberian peacekeeping forces, strengthened by troops from Gambia, have deployed outside the capital Monrovia, for the first time. With sporadic looting, continued fighting, and a growing refugee crisis, particularly in central Liberia, 15,000 additional troops are needed for the stabilization effort. They will be requested from the UN.

Moroccan authorities have arrested 11 suspected members of the Salafia Jihadia, including three teenage girls suspected of planning a suicide attack; 17 more are still wanted.

243 Moroccan Prisoners of War have been repatriated from the Western Sahara, where they had been held by the Polisario liberation movement. One of the prisoners had been captive for 28 years, the longest known POW.

Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta continues to experience ethnic rivalry. Under a security program with the US, a third warship has been deployed to help discourage theft of crude oil. Nigeria is negotiating border security agreements with Niger and Chad.

The government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the major rebel movement in the south, continue peace talks. A ceasefire agreement with the Darfur-based Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) has led to government release of 54 suspected SLM rebels.

In Uganda, rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attacked a convoy shortly before President Museveni's own convey passed by.

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3. Americas

Argentina's Supreme Court issued two seemingly contradictory decisions related to the congressional vote to annul amnesty for military officers under the "dirty war" dictatorship. One judge ordered the release of 40 people when Spain dropped their extradition request. On the other hand, to human rights abuse investigations were reopened. The government has asked for a clear ruling on the amnesty laws.

Speaking in Barbados, US counterterrorism official Cofer Black said the US will work with Caribbean countries to protect terrorist targets in the tourism and related industries.

For the second time, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has moved the government to a conflict zone. This time, they spent three days in Cucuta, near the Venezuelan border.

US President Bush's position, stated in his September 7 speech, that Iraq is now the "central front" in the war on terrorism is likely to encourage the false belief among Americans of Iraqi involvement in the September 11 attacks. According to a Washington Post poll, 69 percent believe that Saddam Hussein was involved personally in the attacks although even the Bush administration and congressional investigators say there is no evidence of this.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued new warnings of unconventional al Qaeda attacks, but does not plan to increase the security warning in advance of the September 11 anniversary. John Mintz of the Washington Post writes of the "Government's Hobbled Giant" Homeland Security is Struggling" on September 7, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A36519-2003Sep6.html

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking information regarding the case of pizza deliveryman Brian Douglas Wells who was "allegedly locked into a bombing device by a stranger and ordered to rob a bank branch .... Specifically, information is sought about any aspect of the triple-banded metal collar that was locked around Wells' neck and about the lock that kept it in place." http://www.fbi.gov/page2/erie090303.htm

The FBI has also issued a global alert seeking information about suspected al Qaeda members Abderraouf Jdey, Adnan El Shukrijumah, Karim El Mejjati and Zubayr Al-Rimi. http://www.fbi.gov/terrorinfo/terrorismsi4.htm

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4. Asia Pacific

Australian federal police are investigating two local Islamic leaders, Belal Khazal of the Islamic Youth Movement and Sheik Mohammed Omran in Melbourne, for possible connections with Spanish al Qaeda suspect Abu Dahdah.

Burma's military junta has announced a roadmap to democracy, though providing few details about the timeframe or participants. US allegations that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi have been disproved by visitors from the International Red Cross who met with her.

Authorities in Hong Kong have dropped the controversial antisubversion bill that had drawn huge protests and thence a political crisis.

Indonesian vice president Hamsah Haz responded to criticism of the light sentences given to extremists with a scathing attack against the US, calling it the "king of terrorists".

Ethnic Kazakhs are featured in a special report published by IRIN News http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=36323

In South Korea, two men at the main US military base have been arrested in connection with an alleged 2-year smuggling career n which they transported beer and wine through a secret tunnel under the high-security base perimeter.

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5. Europe

In Greece, a new group called Revolutionary Struggle, has claimed responsibility for two bombs targeted at government buildings that injured one policemen. The group may be linked to November 17, whose major alleged members are on trial now.

Macedonian security officials clashed with ethnic Albanian militants at the northern border, killing several militants.

In southern Russia, two bombs laid on a rail track were remotely detonated killing six and injuring 40 on a commuter train traveling in the north Caucasus. Candidates for the Chechnya presidency have begun campaigning for elections scheduled for October 5.

Russian schoolchildren have been provided with counter-terrorism safety advice on their return to school.

In Turkey, the Kurdish independence movement Kadek (formerly Kurdistan Workers party/PKK) has cancelled its unilateral ceasefire following a failure to gain greater rights.

In London, first responders tested a mock chemical attack scenario as part of a counter-terrorism exercise. Conducted in the Underground, it mimicked the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo.

British extremist Islamic group, Al-Muhajiroun, plans a controversial conference "The Magnificent 19" regarding the causes of the September 11 attacks. http://www.almuhajiroun.com/

In Northern Ireland, a new paramilitary monitoring body will be established to report on republican and loyalist ceasefire agreements every six months.

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6. Middle East

The Middle East roadmap to peace is on the verge of collapse following the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and a continued Israeli program of assassinations, including an attack against Hamas spiritual leader Sheiks Ahmed Yassin. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has nominated Ahmed Qurei as the new PM, but he has not yet accepted the position.

The succession in Egypt is the subject of an article by Mary Anne Weaver, "Pharaohs-In Waiting" in the October issue of Atlantic Monthly.

In Gaza City, an Israeli fighter plane dropped a 550 pound bomb on a house where Hamas leaders were meeting, wounding 14, including the spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin, an elderly quadriplegic who is immensely popular among the Palestinians. Hamas has promised revenge for the attack. Eleven Hamas militants and four civilians have been killed in the last two weeks.

Iran is under pressure from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to fully cooperate with inspections. There is particular concern over the finding of enriched uranium last week.

Lebanese villages were hit by Israeli missile attacks targeting a suspected Hezbollah position. The commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon expressed concern over repeated Israeli incursions into Lebanese airspace, including those within the UN area of operations. No casualties were reported.

Saudi authorities report interception of a large surface-to-air missile consignment suspected of being smuggled to terrorists for anti-aircraft attacks.

In the West Bank town of Nablus, Israeli commandos fought Hamas militants in a gun battle that killed one militant and one Israeli, then blew up a 7-story apartment building, leaving a hundred residents homeless.

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7. South Asia

Afghan and US forces continued their push into the southern mountains to drive out a resurgent Taliban, leaving more than 70 dead and dozens captured. Defense reforms approved by the Afghan cabinet will help create a better ethnic balance and, in turn, hopefully aid disarmament efforts.

In Bangladesh, a bomb thrown at Awami League offices killed local party leader Kamrul Islam and injured ten. Opposition Awami League has accused the governing Bangladeshi Nationalist Party of responsibility for this and several other recent attacks.

Indian officials in Bombay have charged four suspects in connection with the bomb attacks of August 25.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, a bomb was planted in the Jawahar tunnel on Monday, killing a disposal expert as he was attempting to defuse it. On Tuesday, a landmine explosion along the Srinagar-Jammu highway, 30 people were injured. A family of five was killed by militants, Indian police killed five militants in a gunfight, and one militant was killed in a suicide attack against an Indian security camp. On Thursday, two militants and a civilian were killed during a shootout with Indian forces. The largest attack of the week came on Saturday, when a car bomb parked next to a fruit market was detonated as an army convoy passed, killing nine and injuring more than 40. Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility. (More than 90 people have been killed in other similar incidents in the last ten days.)

The collapse of the peace process in Nepal has led to renewed violence in which at least 16 rebel and government security forces have been killed.

Pakistani authorities have arrested three army officers for alleged connections with Islamic extremist groups.

In Karachi, Pakistan, unidentified gunmen shot dead seven people in two incidents, mostly members of the Muttehada Qaumi Movement.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf says there is no possible freeze of the nuclear program, which instead is being given top priority in order to provide deterrence.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

The identity theft epidemic continues to increase. The US Federal Trade Commission reports that last year nearly ten million people were victims of ID theft and that businesses lost $48 million. http://www.ftc.gov To combat this growing threat, a group of merchants and security firms have formed the Coalition on Online Identity Theft

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a format warning to nuclear power plants regarding disruptions by computer viruses, following a case at one plant where the Slammer worm took two critical systems offline for several hours.

The Quaters worm that attacks Microsoft Windows computers attempted a distributed denial of service attack against the British Prime Minister's web sites, delivering an anti-immigrant political message.

Dan Dumitru Ciobanu was arrested in Romania on suspicion of authoring a copycat version of the Blaster worm. Blaster-F has minor changes, including text insults to the local university. It is a low-risk variant.

For an update on script kiddies following our article last week, see John Leyden's "Parson not dumbest virus writer ever, shock!" The Register, September 1, posted at http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/32591.html

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9. Finance

The US has frozen the assets of 10 suspected members of Jemaah Islamiah. http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js700.htm
Actions against the former Iraqi regime have also been updated http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/actions/20030903.html

The European Union plans to declare all sings of Hamas a terrorist organization and freeze their assets. Previously only the military wing had been blacklisted.

The US Agency for International Development has asked Palestinian non-governmental organizations to sign an agreement that they will not provide resources to entities identified as terrorists by the US State Department. Such an undertaking is in violation of Palestinian laws regarding foreign assistance and is holding up some $5 million in aid.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board finds that as many as 700 former prisoners were involved in organized crime, earning more than GBP125 million for paramilitary organizations.

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10. Human Rights

A US federal appeals court has overturned over a hundred death penalty sentences by ruling that a 2002 Supreme Court decision requiring that only juries, not judges, could impose the death penalty be applied retroactively.

The UN Security Council has formally appointed Hassan Bubacar Jallow as the new prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and has renewed Carla Del Ponte's mandate as prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Del Ponte previously held both positions.

Australian industrial group OMV has pulled out of Sudan in response to pressure from human rights groups saying the oil trade helps to finance the ongoing civil war.

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Maizuru Haiji Abdullah, Mujahid Haiji Abdullah, Waehamadi Wadao, and Saman Waekaji have been arrested in Thailand on charges of membership in Jemaah Islamiah and plotting attacks against foreign interests and tourist areas. They plan a not guilty plea.

Tayseet Alouni, an al-Jazeera television correspondent, has been arrested in Spain on suspicion of links with al Qaeda.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyr has been found guilty in Indonesian court of subversion and sentenced to four years in jail. He was acquitted of treason charges for lack of evidence. The prosecution will appeal for a heavier sentence.

Dan Dumitru Ciobanu was arrested in Romania on suspicion of authoring Blaster-F, a minor variant of the Blaster worm.

Alexandros Giotopoulos has testified to a Greek court that he is innocent of all charges related to his alleged role as the November 17 terrorist group leader, responsible for a number of attacks and assassinations.

Sean Gerard Hoey has been arrested in Northern Ireland and charged with 15 terrorist offensives including an explosives charge related to the 1998 Omagh bombing. He pleaded not guilty.

The German court request that Mounir el Motassadeq, on trial as an al Qaeda operative, receive testimony from Ramzi Binalshibh, held in US custody, has been refused by US authorities. German prosecutors believe that Binalshibh's testimony would provide a link from the German cell to al Qaeda.

Zacarias Moussaoui, alleged "20th hijacker", has been granted access to al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who is in US custody at an unknown location, based on his ability to give exculpatory testimony. The US has not agreed to permit access to this witness.

Dragan Nikolic has pleaded guilty to four counts of crimes against humanity to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The sentencing hearing will begin on November 3. He had previously pleaded innocent.

Adolfo Olaechea, alleged former member of Shining Path, was arrested while on holiday in Spain and has been extradited to Peru. Mr. Olaedchea, resident in the UK for 20 years, has denied the charges.

Antonio Modesto Rios a/k/a "Uncle Rios", was arrested in Mexico on suspicion of leading an international drugs network.

British mercenary and arms dealer David Brian Tomkins was arrested in Texas.

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12. Transportation

Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the UK and US have signed an agreement to interdict weapons shipments. The agreement includes steps to board ships, force landings and inspect cargoes. China has been asked to participate but says it believes the plan may be illegal.

British Airways has resumed flights to Saudi Arabia. It is evaluating anti-missile systems for its aircraft. The Australian airline Qantas has suggested the government should be responsible for terrorist threats near airports, pointing to the high cost of equipping its fleet. Airport security in Australia has come under particular scrutiny after two men posing as technicians entered a restricted area of the international airport in Sydney and stole two mainframes, spending two hours to disconnect and move the machines.

Supply chain security is the topic of "Containing Terrorism" by Edward Teach in the September 2003 issue of CFO, including an excellent review of the current status of C-TPAT and CSI. http://www.cfo.com

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

A UN conference in Vienna this week reviewed how best to facilitate the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) that was first opened for signature seven years ago. 168 states have signed the treaty and 104 have ratified it. It will enter into force only when all 44 nuclear-capable states ratify it. The following 32 have done so: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The 12 that have not yet acted are China, Colombia, DPRK, DR Congo, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, United States and Vietnam. Given the crisis over North Korean nuclear plans, the terms of the CTBT, including global verification to monitor compliance, are critically important.

Bioterror is featured in a special program broadcast by the US Public Broadcasting Station program Nova. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bioterror/

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14. Recently Published

Frank Barnaby, "How to Build a Nuclear Bomb and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction" Granta Books

Mark Bowden, "The Dark Age of Interrogation: The most effective way to gather intelligence and thwart terrorism can also be a direct route into morally repugnant terrain. A survey of the landscape of persuasion in" The Atlantic Monthly October 2003

Ted Galen Carpenter "Bad Neighbour Policy: Washington's Futile War on Drugs in Latin America" Palgrave Macmillan

David Caute "The Dancer Defects: The Struggle for Cultural Supremacy during the Cold War" Oxford University Press

Eric Hobsbawm "Interesting Times: A 20th Century Life" Pantheon

Janette Turner Hospital "Due Preparations for the Plague" Norton (novel)

Gail Sheehy "Middletown, America: One Town's Passage from Trauma to Hope" Random House

David Von Drehle "Triangle: The Fire That Changed America" Atlantic Monthly Press

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Vehicle Bombs

Almost since the dawn of the "horseless carriage" cars and trucks have been used to transport explosives intended to kill individuals or inflict mass casualties. One of the earliest documented incidents is the 1928 assassination of prohibition-era gangster "Dapper Danny" Hogan, in the US city of St Paul, Minnesota. Assassination by car bomb was a popular technique for the next two decades, but their current incarnations have become even more efficient and deadly.

In assassinations, an explosive device is placed on a vehicle in order to destroy its occupant. These devices may be attached to the car ignition, to the body of the vehicle, or inside the car. They may be detonated when the car is turned on, or by using a timer or remote-controlled device.

The era of vehicle bombs designed to inflict mass casualties began in the 1970s, when they became a favored tactic of paramilitary organizations in Northern Ireland and Spain. By the 1980s, Islamic and nationalist groups used car bombs against foreign interests in the Middle East. In the 1990s, both domestic and international terrorists adopted vehicle bombs to deadly effect. The numbers and impact of these attacks have increased ever since, including these major incidents:

Car bombings occur frequently in Colombia, associated with both rebel and paramilitary groups, and in the Russian federation, particularly Chechnya.

In the case of contemporary mass bombings, the volume of explosive materials has increased. In addition, there has been an increased tendency to use suicide drivers to force the explosives-laden truck or car as far as it can go, rather than leaving open possible early detection by using a timer or remote-controlled device. Other tactics include the use of multiple cars in multiple locations, attacks timed simultaneously, and using distractions to permit closer access to the target.

Using cars and trucks to convey explosives is simple and effective, while mitigation of the potential threat is difficult.

Prevention of vehicle bombs involves intelligence, detection, and deterrence.

Intelligence:
Analysis of past bombs indicates that in addition to standard counter-terrorist analysis, specific activities that could indicate a possible vehicle bombing include the theft or unusual deliveries (home, rural) of explosives, chemicals and equipment; the use of self-storage facilities; test explosions; repeated surveillance of a particular location; and modification of a vehicle to handle heavy loads.

Deterrence:
Physical security is the most effective deterrent to a vehicle attack. In particular, a wide setback from the road, large distances between buildings; and the use of barricades can deter an attack or limit its consequences. Managing the perimeter must also include monitoring of the level of risk, events in the vicinity, and validation of activities and visitors at the facility. Adding a level of randomness to security measures is very effective, including moving around or rearranging security patrols and law enforcement, rearranging physical barriers, and altering traffic or access patterns. Validation of identity of anyone entering the facility is also an important deterrent.

Detection:
A number of measures are effective in detection of certain types of bombs. In particular, vehicle inspection, including checking the undercarriage, hood and trunk costs little and works well. Trained detection dogs can detect explosives. A variety of remote detection devices, based on analysis of chemical components, are under development.

Please contact us with your questions or comments by sending email to .

We look forward to hearing from you.
Editorial Team
TerrorismCentral
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