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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:
Electronic Extremism: How terrorist and other extremist groups use the internet

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

Avian influenza has returned to Asia and already 28 people are dead. China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia have all reported outbreaks since July, following the spring epidemic. There is great concern of a mutant strain that could lead to a disastrous human pandemic; far more dangerous than SARS and echoing the deadly outbreak in 1918 that killed more people than World War I.

North Korea says there is no point in continuing talks at this time given the hurdles South Korea's secret nuclear program presents as well as the hostile policy and double standards of the US.

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction reports a nearly threefold increase in the number of people affected by natural hazards since 1990. Hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, droughts, storms, fires and landslides killed 53,000 people in 1990 but 83,000 in 2003. The number of natural disasters, influenced by climate change, urbanization and environmental degradation, increased from 261 in 1990 to 337 last year. http://www.unisdr.org

In a similar vein, the State of the World Population 2004 report finds uneven progress in meeting the goals of the 1994 Cairo Consensus, warning of increasing populations in the poorest countries at a time when reproductive health funding has not met the sums promised or necessary. http://www.unfpa.org/ And the World Urban Forum reports that by 2015-2020 more than half the world's population will live in urban and semi-urban areas, where there remain severe lack of access to safe water and sanitation, healthcare, education or security. Mitigation of these risks is necessary to avoid instability, poverty and conflict. http://www.unhabitat.org/wuf/2004/default.asp

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2. Africa

The locust crisis in West Africa is deteriorating rapidly, particularly in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Niger and northwest Africa is likely to be reinvaded from October on, with larger swarms than in the spring. The anticipated bumper harvest is at risk because of the unusually high level of infestation. Funding for the required control efforts has not been forthcoming. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/50609/index.html

In Angola, a water shortage in the southern Huila province has led to ethnic conflict between farming and nomadic communities in which four people have been killed and nine injured.

Cameroon's assumption of control over the Bakassi Peninsula has been delayed because of "unexpected technical difficulties". Nigerian troops scheduled to withdraw on September 15 have not done so and safeguards for the largely Nigerian population are under discussion, including alternatives to a handover.

In Democratic Republic of Congo, the Twa pygmies in the northeast retracted statements made in 2003 that rebels of the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) had engaged in cannibalism. http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=43161 Meanwhile, although disarmament has had a slow beginning, the eastern town of Minova has been recaptured from dissident General Laurent Nkunda.

In Mali fighting between Arab and Kounta tribes killed 13 and has been severe enough to negatively affect humanitarian operations in the area.

Morocco recalled its ambassador to South Africa in protest after South Africa established diplomatic relations with the self-proclaimed Sahrawii Arab Democratic Republic and President Mbeki called for Africans to support self-determination for the Western Sahara.

Nigeria's Port Harcourt has been the scene of fierce fighting among armed gangs connected with the oil industry. Amnesty International reports the fighting has killed up to 500 civilians and calls for immediate action to restore law and order. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR440272004

Southern Somalia's Kismayo port was subject to further fighting between the Jubba Valley Alliance that controls the port and rival warlord General Morgan's militia that is attempting to take control. The fighting continued despite last week's promise that Morgan would rejoin negotiations. Casualties are unknown.

The crisis in the Sudan significantly surpasses the level considered a humanitarian crisis. The "crude mortality rate" used to define a humanitarian crisis is one death per 10,000 people per day. The latest World Health Organization survey found this measure stands at 1.5 deaths per 10,000 people per day in North Darfur, and 2.9 in West Darfur. This means that up to 10,000 of the 1.2 million displaced people in Darfur are dying each month, many children under five. Given this threshold and a recent outbreak of waterborne diseases including hepatitis and cholera, the need for assistance to displaced people in the region is dire. Furthermore, the security situation in displaced persons camps remains poor, with the threat of ethnic cleansing, rape, and militia attacks, and millions of refugees are sheltering in cities and refusing to go to the camps, saying they cannot trust the government. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/pr63/en/

Instead of dealing with the urgent crisis, peace talks have collapsed with no agreement to permit humanitarian access, although the limited ceasefires in place will continue. The UN Security Council passed a resolution threatening sanctions against Sudan if violence continues. Sudan has dismissed the measure.

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3. Americas

In Colombia, tens of thousands of indigenous Indians, most from the Paez and Guambiano tribes in Cauca province, have begun a march to the Pacific coast to demonstrate against violence and demand that the warring factions in the country respect their autonomy and keep out of their reserves.

Colombian authorities have undertaken the largest ever asset seizure, against the Cali drug cartel. A team of 3,000 police and 460 prosecutors are seizing assets worth $200 million from brothers Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela (arrested in 1995).

Mexican drug cartels have been fighting for control following the arrests of several senior leaders. More than a dozen were killed this week, and hundreds have died this year.

The US National Intelligence Estimate lays out three scenarios for Iraq: a precarious stability continually under threat; continuation of the current disorder; or descent into civil war. In sharp contrast t the public messages delivered by the Bush administration, these scenarios are consistent with other government and independent analyses.

The Department of Defense transferred 35 Guantanamo Bay detainees to Pakistan, 29 for continued detention and six for release. The total number of detainees released is now 191, with "approximately 550" still detained. Military tribunals to determine detainee status have continued but their impartiality and legitimacy have been questioned on several fronts. (Note Asia Pacific, below.) A federal court in the US gave officials one month or respond to Freedom of Information Act requests regarding prisoner treatment records. http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2004/nr20040918-1363.html

A survey from the New York Academy of Medicine's Center for the Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health revealed that in crises such as a smallpox outbreak or dirty bomb, "many Americans would NOT be safeguarded because existing terrorism response plans don't account for how people would behave". For example, "only two-fifths of the American people would follow instructions to go to a public vaccination site in a smallpox outbreak and only three-fifths would stay inside an undamaged building other than their home after a dirty bomb explosion". http://www.nyam.org/news/2100.html

Incendiary letters sent out in the last few weeks reached at least 16 states. Only one caught fire and there were no injuries. Forensic analysis is underway.

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4. Asia Pacific

Australia's National Counter-Terrorism Committee, in conjunction with relevant agencies, has considered security measures following the recent attack against the Australian embassy in Jakarta. These will focus on surface transportation, particularly rail networks, and patrols for offshore gas and oil installations. http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/agd/www/nationalsecurityhome.nsf/Page/RWP9B017663B19BF3B2CA256F0F001F06EA

The Law Council of Australia released a report on the US military commission proceedings being pursued against David Hicks. Hearing observer Lex Lasry, Q.C., found that a fair trial is virtually impossible. He said the commission is not independent, most of the members are not qualified, there are virtually no rules of evidence and no appeals process, and there is a close relationship with the US government that could generate conflicts of interest. Because of these and other reasons, there is an unacceptably high risk of miscarriage of justice. The Law Council recommended that Hicks and fellow detainee Mamdouh Habib should not be tried before a military commission and recommended their repatriation. http://www.lawcouncil.asn.au/read/2004/2403092446

Hong Kong's legislative council elections resulted in another win by pro-China parties. Pro-democracy parties increased their number of seats to 25 of the 60 that are elected.

Indonesia has put the head of intelligence in charge of all intelligence organizations, including the anti-terrorism units in the military and police. This shakeup in intelligence forces is meant to improve intelligence sharing in response to the bombing of the Australian embassy. The government has also proposed new legislation to increase police powers. Meanwhile, at least seven people have been detained in connection with the bombing.

Laotian forces are accused of war crimes against members of the minority Hmong tribe in which dozens of civilians, mainly children, were butchered by troops. The government said that video documentation of the events was doctored. http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engasa260042004

Malaysia and Thailand held talks on controlling avian influenza. Border security will be increased to prevent smuggling of chickens under quarantine.

Philippines rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government will resume peace negotiations in October. Meanwhile, MILF has said they will assist the military to track and arrest kidnap gangs and members of Jemaah Islamiah.

Singapore released two suspects accused of links to al Qaeda by 17 others will be held without trial for another two years. They were first arrested in 2002.

Thai police raided two Islamic schools in the south and detained principals for questioning following information the schools had received money from Saudi Arabia suspected have being redirected to finance local attacks.

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5. Europe

Some of the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates in the world are in eastern Europe, primarily among young people in Estonia, Latvia, the Russian Federation and Ukraine and threaten to spill over into neighboring countries, including the already unstable regions of Central Asia. The World Health Organization and UNAIDS report that with more than 1.8 million infections, the pandemic poses a serious threat to social and economic stability. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/pr64/en/

France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain have agreed to launch the European Gendarmerie Force (EGF) of 3,000 police for quick international deployment for post-conflict peacekeeping duties.

French police arrested five suspected Islamic militants during raids ordered in connection with an anti-terrorism judge's inquiry.

Georgia has expressed concern that it will be targeted under Russia's newly stated doctrine of preventive strikes. It is believed that some international terrorists hide out in the Pankisi Gorge.

Dutch authorities are said to be conducting at least 15 investigations into planned attacks and some 29 serious tips over operations were received this year, indicating the threat to the Netherlands may be larger and more organized than previously thought. http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?channel_id=1&story_id=11787

Russian President Putin has proposed drastic changes in government controls to address security in the wake of bombings and attacks against civilians. The proposals include replacing elections with appointments, increasing international cooperation, implementing harsher penalties, and taking pre-emptive action to destroy criminals anywhere in the world. These measures do not address the corruption that has been connected with two serious incidents recently. The hostage-takers in Beslan were aided by a police officer, many of their weapons obtained from attacks on police stations, and the response suffered from the absence of professional management or execution. Even today, the number killed has not been verified. In an even more graphic case, it has been revealed that one of the Chechen women believed responsible for downing a plane last month was able to board the plane after paying a bribe of a thousand rubles, roughly $34.

Spanish police arrested at least ten suspected Islamic militants in a number of raids in the northeastern region of Catalonia. Most of those arrested were from Pakistan.

Ukraine's opposition candidate in the forthcoming presidential election is recovering from an attempted poisoning that some have suggested was an assassination effort.

In the UK, three significant security breaches have raised much concern. The Scottish parliament at Holyrood continues to experience unauthorized access despite increased security measures. At Buckingham Palace, a fathers' rights protester dressed as Batman climbed the wall to reach a ledge near the Queen's balcony and perched there for five hours. His associate, dressed as Robin, assisted. Both men were arrested, coinciding with the trial of another activist who threw purple flour at the Prime Minister. The most serious breach was when five pro-hunt protesters stormed the Commons chamber while clashes with police took place in Parliament Square. Even after this breach, a newspaper was able to smuggle bomb-making equipment into Parliament. These repeated breaches of security at some of the most sensitive and purportedly secure locations in the UK will engender wide-ranging reviews of security measures and their balance against the traditional open society.

In Northern Ireland talks ended with no deal but the suggestion that the issues could be resolved. Talks next week will continue with the Northern Ireland secretary and Irish foreign minister.

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6. Middle East

The Arab League agreed a motion supporting Lebanon's sovereignty and supported an earlier UN resolution seeking Syria's withdrawal of more than 15,000 troops it has stationed in Lebanon. Egypt and Syria have linked withdrawal of Syrian forces with the withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank and Golan Heights. Israel occupies Syria's Golan Heights and the Shebaa Farms area that Syria says belongs to Lebanon.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces shot dead a member of Islamic Jihad and wounded two when a small group was seen to be planting a bomb near a border crossing.

Carnage in Iraq is set to reach a new record in September. Armed clashes across the country, a rash of suicide bombings, and widespread kidnappings have killed hundreds, including dozens of US and allied forces. Billions of US funds allocated for reconstruction are, pending congressional approval, being moved to security. As the chance of holding elections grows more remote the likelihood of increased violence and potential civil war is more likely - a finding shared by the US National Intelligence Estimate.

In the West Bank Israeli forces killed Mahmoud Abu Khalifeh, deputy commander in the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, and two of his colleagues. The next day a Palestinian suicide bomber retaliated with a bicycle attack but killed only himself. The highest single-day Palestinian death toll in the West Bank for more than two years was on Wednesday the 15th when Israeli troops killed ten. They included four Fatah militants killed at a cafe in Jenin, five militants and an 11-year-old girl in a gunfight in Nablus. On Friday a 19-year-old woman was shot dead by a passing patrol.

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7. South Asia

Afghanistan's western city of Herat is under control after a day of rioting, including attacks against UN offices, that killed seven and injured 20 in protests over the ouster of famed warlord Ismail Khan as governor. UN foreign staff have been relocated. The Taliban claimed responsibility for an attempted assassination against President Karzai, who narrowly escaped a rocket attack, and promised further attacks to disrupt the presidential elections due to be held October 9. Three Taliban have been arrested in connection with the attack. The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit has described challenges facing the elections, including a shortage of election monitors. Additional foreign troops have been promised to support the elections.

Bangladesh and India held initial discussions regarding the presence of militant groups along the border. India has provided a list of wanted militants and suggested joint operations against rebel camps but Bangladesh denies the camps exist and insist it does not harbor outlaws. Talks over sharing water also found little common ground.

India's cabinet has agreed to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) that it says has been consistently misused and unfairly targets Muslims.

South of Bombay, thousands of police were deployed to protect the tomb of Afzal Khan that a group of rioting Hindu protestors wanted to destroy. Around 500 Hindus were arrested.

Indian home ministry officials say they have invited the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) to engage in negotiations in October. The Khaplang faction had declared a unilateral ceasefire in 2003. Only one other rebel faction is engaged with the government, making a comprehensive settlement of the separatist problem virtually impossible.

Nepal's businesses have been allowed to reopen after the government agreed to release two Maoist trade union leaders. The recurrent violence, including two small bombs at the US information center in Kathmandu, have led to removal of embassy staff families and suspension of the Peace Corp program.

In Pakistan's South Waziristan region there was heavy fighting last weekend and continuing into the week in which some 60 suspected al-Qaeda fighters were killed, including those sheltering in a religious school.

Sri Lanka's peace talks remain deadlocked. There are warnings that Tamil Tigers are building up military positions near the port of Tincomalee.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

The Council of Europe held a high-level Cybercrime conference discussing issues ranging from cyberterrorism and fraud to data protection and copyright. The conference also promoted the first international text directed towards these crimes: The Cybercrime Convention. http://www.coe.int/T/E/Com/Files/Events/2004-09-cybercrime

Microsoft warns of a critical vulnerability in Windows related to the way JPEG images are processed. The vulnerability uses steganography (hidden information inside an image) and if exploited can permit an attacker to take over the computer. http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/200409_jpeg.mspx

In Germany the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Federation of German Consumer Organizations both warn of security flaws with Microsoft Internet Explorer and BSI recommends using Mozilla or Opera instead. US CERT previously recommended alternatives to Explorer.

An unusual variant of W32 virus, Amus-A, tried to greet users of the Microsoft speech engine with " How are you? I am back. My name is mister hamsi. I am seeing you. Haaaaaaaa. You must come to turkiye. I am cleaning your computer. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 0. Gule. Gule." http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32amusa.html

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9. Finance

The UN Security Council debated the findings of the committee monitoring sanctions against al Qaida and the Taliban, emphasizing operational requirements for member states, particularly the need to improve the list of suspected al Qaida and Taliban and to match the evolving nature of the threat. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/sc8184.doc.htm

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated 23 Colombian businesses and 118 individuals as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs), acting as fronts for the Cali drug cartel and its leaders, Miguel and Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela.
Press announcement http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/js1915.htm
Diagram Cali Cartel http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/calicartel.pdf
New SDN Designees http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/actions/20040914.shtml

The US government has also listed the 2005 Narcotics Certification. The "Majors List" of countries with significant narco-trafficking problems includes Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Thailand was removed from the list. http://www.state.gov/g/inl/rls/rm/36249.htm

The International Monetary Fund's review of AML/CFT controls in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union found that "while jurisdictions have relatively well-developed legal frameworks, significant gaps remain in the development of institutional capacity and implementation, particularly in the offshore bank and nonbank sectors. There have been very few reports of suspicious activity files in some jurisdictions and prosecutions/convictions for money laundering have generally be negligible". http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=17718.0

The French interior minister has added four detectives to reinforce investigations into terrorist financing and organized crime, including narcotics.

China has executed four people convicted of bank fraud.

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10. Human Rights

The US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor published the 2004 "International Religious Freedom Report". For the first time Saudi Arabia is included in a list of states considered hostile and repressive to certain minority or non-approved religions. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/

The death Penalty Information Center reports that fewer death sentences are being imposed in the US, connected to recent death-row exonerations. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=45&did=1150

Amnesty International USA reports of the unlawful use of race in police, immigration and security that has affected nearly 32 million Americans while they are driving, walking, shopping, worshipping, flying, or being at home. http://www.amnestyusa.org/racial_profiling/report/index.html

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Ken Barrett pleaded guilty to shooting Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989. He has been sentenced to 22 years in prison. The former police informer and member of the Ulster Defense Force had previously denied the charge. This pleading has now reinforced calls for an investigation into collusion between Protestant paramilitaries and Northern Ireland security forces. A public inquiry is likely to be called soon.
TerrorismCentral article https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2003/041303.html#FeatureArticle
Stevens Report http://www.met.police.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2003_0059
Cory Report http://www.nio.gov.uk/cory_collusion_inquiry_report_(with_appendices)_pat_finucane.pdf

Daud Badeeni, a member of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, is on trial in Pakistan for a mosque attack. He has confessed to that as well as an attack on a Shia funeral procession that left 50 dead and sparked sectarian riots.

Yuri Budanov had been sentenced to ten years prison for murdering a Chechen girl. He has now been pardoned by a regional amnesty commission and awaits President Putin's approval before his release. His conviction, after prior acquittals, had been seen as a gesture that Russia would crack down on military impunity for human rights abuse.

Frederick Chiluba, former president of Zambia, had more than 80 charges of corruption and a claim he had diverted $40 million of state funds into private accounts dropped. Prosecutors wanting to streamline the case replaced them with six charges connected to the alleged theft of $500,000. Current President Mwanawasa has offered Chiluba a presidential pardon to in exchange for admitting the corruption charges and returning most of the allegedly stolen cash. Chiluba insists the charges are politically motivated and an abuse of justice.

Ron Davis, a fathers' rights campaigner, was convicted of disorderly behavior for throwing purple flower at British Prime Minister Blair. He was fined and given a 2-year conditional discharge.

Adham Amin Hassoun ("Abu Sayyaf") and Mohamed Hesham Youssef, ("Abu Turab") were indicted in US court on ten counts related to providing material support to terrorists. The superseding indictment alleges that they leveraged charitable organizations including the Holy Land Foundation and the Global Relief Foundation for terrorist financing.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls/Hassoun2.html

Ismail, ("Muhammad Ikhwan"), was found guilty of terrorism and illegal possession of explosives used in the August 2003 Marriott hotel bombing. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Slobodan Milosevic's war crimes trial in the Hague has been delayed for a month to give his court-appointed attorneys more time to prepare their case. An appeal against their appoint against Milosevic's wishes is also underway.

Zacarias Moussaoui will not be able to call witnesses held by US authorities at Guantanamo Bay but will be allowed to use written evidence. The court of appeals overruled their own prior ruling to allow the defense to use written testimony as the prosecution is, and also overruled the lower court to rule that the death penalty could be used in case of a guilty verdict. Moussaoui admits being an al Qaeda member but insists testimony from al Qaeda detainees will prove he had no role in the September 11 hijackings. http://pacer.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinion.pdf/034792A.P.pdf

Gerhard Wisser and Daniel Geiges are on trial in South Africa on charges of importing and exporting nuclear equipment as part of a global nuclear weapons smuggling ring.

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12. Transportation

Japan is planning to place armed sky marshals on some commercial flights but have not yet set a date to begin.

The Chicago Transit Authority in the US has implemented anti-terrorism patrols to look for suspicious packages and terrorism.

The US Government Accountability Office reviewed "Maritime Security Fleet: Many Factors Determine Impact of Potential Limits on Food Aid Shipments" finding that factors affecting shipment of food aid are so volatile that the impact of tonnage limits and other factors cannot be adequately predicted. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-1065

The US Transportation Security Administration announced new passenger screening procedures. All passengers will be required to remove outer coats and jackets, including suit and sport coats, warm-up jackets and blazers, for E-ray and will increase pat-down checks and explosive residue scanning. http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=44&content=09000519800cdb11

The International Union of Marine Insurance annual meeting in Singapore reviewed issues of new threats, including joint cyber and physical attacks, transport of radioactive materials, piracy, a review of the Limburg case and many other issues.
http://www.iumi-singapore-2004.com.sg/conference.cfm

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors adopted a resolution on the implementation of safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran has reasserted its right to possess nuclear technology. http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) International Partners Conference was held September 18-19. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the need to protect nuclear material and facilities, and to control radioactive sources, had become an ever more global priority. http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2004/GTRI_opens.html

IAEA is working closely with South African authorities investigating illegal trafficking of nuclear technology: ""The allegations being investigated relate to the import and export of a controlled flow-forming lathe as well as the production and possession of certain components associated with a centrifuge enrichment plant without the necessary authorisation.... It is alleged that these activities were intended to assist in the now abandoned nuclear weapons programme of the Libyan Government". http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2004/sa_trafficking.html

IAEA helped Uzbekistan authorities remove about 10 kg of fresh reactor fuel stored at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation where it will be converted to low-enriched uranium unsuitable for weapons use. http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2004/uzbekistan.html

The US Government Accountability Office published "Preliminary Observations on Efforts to Improve Security at Nuclear Power Plants". They found that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not yet able to verify that all US nuclear plants are taking the safeguards necessary to protect against the new design basis threat that established the maximum terrorist threat against which a facility must defend itself. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-1064T

Los Alamos National Laboratory dismissed five employees over the security scandal and demoted seven. This is another step to help the lab regain trust and permission to resume its work.

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14. Recently Published

Kevin Boyle, "Arc of Justice; A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age" Henry Holt

Joseph Diaz, "The Execution of a serial Killer: One Man's Experience Witnessing the Death Penalty" Poncha Press

Paul Goldenberger, "Up From Zero: Politics, Architecture, and the Rebuilding of New York" Random House

David Hemenway, "Private Guns, Public Health" University of Michigan Press

Norbert Juretzko, "Bedingt dienstbereit" ("Fit for Certain Duties Only" about Germany's BND foreign intelligence service) Ullstein Verlag GmbH http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=561773

Gilles Kepel, "The War for Muslim Minds" Belknap Press

James Naughtie, "The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency" Public Affairs

William O'Donahue and Eric Levensky, "Handbook of Forensic Psychology" Academic Press

Cornel West, "Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism" Penguin Press

Art Spiegelman, "In the Shadow of No Towers" Pantheon

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Electronic Extremism: How terrorist and other extremist groups use the internet

Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was working on a story about Islamic militant connections when he was kidnapped in Karachi Pakistan on January 23, 2002. The subsequent events are described in the criminal indictment against indictment against Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh ("Chaudrey Bashir", "Bashir"):

This example illustrates the use of the internet for operational planning, communication, media outreach, documentary evidence, and marketing. The US State Department used the graphic video depicting his decapitation to confirm his gruesome execution prior to discovering his body.

Since the tragic death of Daniel Pearl, the epidemic of hostage taking connected with the invasion of Iraq has made distribution of execution videos over the internet alarmingly commonplace. But such graphic depictions of violence - used as propaganda or psychological warfare, to generate fear and recruit new adherents, - are only one of many uses that terrorists and other extremists have found for the internet. This is a relatively new phenomenon, and follows widespread warnings of cyber-terrorist attacks, in which terrorist groups could attack critical infrastructures to devastating effect.

In fact, the most common and effective uses terrorists find for the internet are those with which we are most familiar: marketing and fundraising. Most of the organizations designated as terrorist organizations have web sites. In some cases, a recognized political party or charitable organization linked to a terrorist organization creates a web site to elicit sympathy for their cause, justify the use of violence in their defense, demonize their enemies, and use diplomatic and peaceful language to inspire trust and sympathy. Many older organizations incorporate fundraising efforts for humanitarian activities. Funds can also be raised through the sale of books and memorabilia, as done by the Irish Republican Army and similar groups. Other sites, often up for only a few hours before they are moved, offer training in violent techniques and inspirational calls for violent action against enemies. Al Qaeda uses this technique to great effect.

Terrorist use of the internet and other technologies is highly sophisticated. The internet offers easy, lightly regulated access with huge international audiences. The use of multimedia is powerful for sending public messages while for private conversations information can be anonymous, secure and nearly instantaneous. Use of encryption as well as anonymous re-mailers and phone services by terrorist groups have been well documented. The peer-to-peer nature of the internet supports the increasingly decentralized operation of these organizations.

The internet also provides information. In fact, some government materials that had been publicly available, particularly in the US, have been removed for fear that they provided too much specific information regarding vulnerabilities and targets. Despite this pullback of open sources, the wide variety of sources and information, even as simple as a guidebook, can be invaluable for remote operational planning. Online toolkits can provide do-it-yourself guides to improvised explosives and hacking. In several cases, hate messages have been distributed using virus-laden spam emails. On the other hand, the same tools have been used to fight against web sites espousing hatred and violence.

The internet is one of the most valuable tools of the modern age. It, like other tools of globalization, is also prone to unintended uses, some of which can be very harmful. As discussed, terrorists can use the internet for propaganda and psychological warfare; marketing and publicity; information and data mining; fundraising and recruitment; operational planning; information sharing and networking, and so on. The internet is also used to counter these abuses and generate powerful measures that counter terrorism and other forms of extremism. Just as people continue to travel by air, while respecting both freedom of travel and security, so will the internet continue to operate despite its occasional misuse.

Further Reading:

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