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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:
London Bombings: the modern history

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

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1. World

The G8 summit opened optimistically on July 7, with all the groundwork in place to put in motion initiatives to address poverty and climate change, only to be interrupted almost at once by news of terrorist attacks in London. The participating leaders issued this statement:
"We condemn utterly these barbaric attacks. We send our profound condolences to the victims and their families. All of our countries have suffered from the impact of terrorism. Those responsible have no respect for human life. We are united in our resolve to confront and defeat this terrorism that is not an attack on one nation, but on all nations and on civilized people everywhere.
"We will not allow violence to change our societies or our values. Nor will we allow it to stop the work of this Summit. We will continue our deliberations in the interests of a better world. Here at this Summit, the world's leaders are striving to combat world poverty and save and improve human life. The perpetrators of today's attacks are intent on destroying human life.
"The terrorists will not succeed.
"Today's bombings will not weaken in any way our resolve to uphold the most deeply held principles of our societies and to defeat those who would impose their fanaticism and extremism on all of us. We shall prevail. They shall not. "
The summit then continued with its original program, which included increased aid and debt relief for Africa as well as agreement to open dialog on climate change beginning in November.
http://www.g8.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1078995902703
http://www.g8.gc.ca/sumdocs2005-en.asp
http://www.g7.utoronto.ca/

Asia's avian influenza situation that affects eight countries is critical and requires more attention to mitigate the risk of a human pandemic. A meeting last week pointed to the need to investigate the role of wildlife, particularly after the outbreak in migratory geese in China, and that the role of pigs, that pose a risk of crossing human and avian flu strains, must also be better investigated. Reform of farming and food production methods will be necessary to help contain the spread of the deadly virus.
http://www.fao.org
http://www.who.int

The US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) has provided a new set of terrorism statistics. Earlier this year they provided data in conjunction with the release of the Department of State's "Country Reports on Terrorism". This preliminary data included 651 attacks. Now, using a broader definition of terrorism, they have assembled a report of 3,192 incidents and 28,433 victims. This data is now provided through the new Worldwide Incidents Tracking System (WITS).
http://www.tkb.org

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2. Africa

Angolan government troops have launched a major offensive against the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC). Further details are unavailable.

Burundi's elections gave the former rebel group Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) a large majority. President Domitien Ndayizeye and his Frodebu party have accepted their second place finish. Election observers praised the peaceful poll, which is viewed as an important step toward national reconciliation.

Democratic Republic of Congo troops found one of their colleagues hacked to death in the western town of Mbandaka. In revenge, they went on the rampage in the town, killing four people, until loyalist soldiers brought the situation under control. UN peacekeepers have been deployed in the east to pursue rebel militia groups. Much of the are is under control of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), who are accused of perpetrating the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Ethiopia's election results have been delayed again pending the completion of investigations into alleged electoral fraud. The main opposition party, CUD, has withdrawn from some of the investigating panels after receiving threats and loosing trust in the other parties.

Ivory Coast government and opposition leaders have reached agreement on a new timetable for disarmament. The UN Security Council has warned against further delays or face sanctions.

Liberia's interim government has called for a review of his terms of exile in Nigeria following credible reports that he is interfering in Liberian and regional politics. Note further detail in Finance, below.

In Mauritius, the election has given victory to the opposition Social Alliance, which secured 38 of the 62 parliamentarian seats. Journalist (and TC Newsletter reader) Muhammad Hossenbaccus has given us personal coverage of the elections. We would like to share some of the background he provided, giving you a picture of the types of ethnic issues that are so common throughout Africa:
"In this country, the Hindu community is in majority (59 percent), Creoles (black 19 percent), Muslims (14 percent), General population (Chinese, White people (French origin) 8 percent). I can say that the MSM-MMM alliance was not reelected not because it was not doing well but for the sole reason that the Hindus and the majority of Muslims never wanted Paul Berenger as Prime minister. One important thing you should know is that in September 2000 when the Medpoint Agreement was done, it was agreed that Sir Anerood Jugnauth, the then leader of the MSM and actual President of the Republic) was going to be Prime minister of this country for three years and the remaining two years it was going to be Paul Berenger. The Medpoint Agreement was done before the 2000 general elections. As the Labour Party of Navin Ramgoolam was not doing well (1995-2000), the Hindu community had no choice than to accept the change. Nonetheless, ever since 2000 till 2005, the Hindu community has been saying that Sir Anerood Jugnauth (Hindu) has committed high treason against them. They thought that once his three years of prime ministership was over, SAJ was going to kick Paul Berenger out of the government..... Ask a Mauritian what he is and for sure he won?t tell you that he is a Mauritian but he is going to tell you that he is a Hindu, a Muslim, a Creole or a Chinese. This is the sad reality of a developing country. On an international level, the new PM has set as priority ? to negotiate hard for better world trade deals for Mauritius?s sugar and textile industries."

A Nigerian judge ruled that Nigerian footballers (soccer players) would not be tried for treason for belonging to the banned Biafran secessionist group Massob. Massob had organized a youth football competition in which they had participated.

Somali food aid remains suspended following the hijacking of one of its ships by pirates last week.

Sudan's government, the Sudan Liberation Movement, and the Justice and Equality Movement, have signed a declaration of principles under which they hope to resolve the conflict in Darfur. They have agreed to justice and equality for all; democracy and regional devolution; judicial independence; and equitable distribution of national wealth. This agreement will not provide any short-term solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

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3. Americas

Bolivia's interim president Eduardo Rodrigues has announced general elections will be held early, on 4 December, in an effort to help end widespread social unrest.

Haiti's armed gangs were the target of UN peacekeeping operations. Troops stormed a shantytown and engaged in a gun battle that killed at least two men, possibly including the powerful gang leader Emmanuel Wilmey ("Dread Wilmey".

The Mexican city Nuevo Laredo, near the border with Texas, has appointed Omar Pimentel as the new police chief. His predecessor had been assassinated his first day on the job. Amid the continuing turf war between rival drug cartels, Pimentel is being given 24x7 security support.

In last week's Newsletter we provided a link to an online posting about Eric Rudolph. One of our readers pointed out that we neglected to provide information about the group that hosted this description. Please refer to related coverage in "Terror Within: Domestic Extremism in the USA" for context.
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/042405.html#FeatureArticle

The US Department of Defense has released "The Strategy for Homeland Defense and Civil Support", which addresses their role in homeland defense and support for civil authorities. It addresses activities such as " deterring and preventing attacks, protecting critical defense and designated civilian infrastructure, providing situational understanding, and preparing for and responding to incidents".
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/nr20050630-3843.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2005/d20050630homeland.pdf

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4. Asia Pacific

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The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, an intergovernmental international organization whose members are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, stated that with the military phase of the Afghan campaign nearing completion it is time for the US to set a timetable for withdrawing from SCO member states.
http://www.sectsco.org/

Bougainville's first autonomous provincial government is in place. The next step in the peace process with Papua New Guinea, following completed disarmament, is to hold a referendum on Bougainville's future status.

Burma's junta released about 240 prisoners, most political detainees connected with the National League for Democracy.

East Timor President Xanana Gusmao visited Australia, promising to be a good neighbor that contributes to peace, but needing aid and administrative support to ensure the fledgling state does not fail.

Indonesia's Commission of Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KONTRAS) has urged a new investigation into the 1999 bloodshed in East Timor, in accordance with UN recommendations to resolve the case. Indonesia has not brought to justice any of those involved with those massive human rights abuses. Another case underlines the lack of accountability. Last week an Indonesian appeals court overturned the convictions of 12 soldiers convicted of the 1984 massacre of government protestors, in one of the bloody crackdowns under the Suharto dictatorship.

In Aceh province of Indonesia, soldiers killed three suspected members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and two civilians, while GAM rebels are blamed for several civilian shootings, in which one 15-year-old girl died. Also in Aceh, a Dutch volunteer was shot and injured, raising concerns for the safety of other relief workers.

North Korea has agreed to return to multilateral talks later this month, regarding its nuclear weapons programs.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, facing continued calls for her resignation following vote-rigging allegations, has asked her entire cabinet to resign and plans to replace them next week.

Thailand plans to allow teachers in the southern provinces, where they have been targeted in sectarian violence, to carry guns.

Uzbekistan and Russia plan to conduct joint military exercises. The first since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the exercises are designed to show support for the Uzbek government despite the bloody suppression in Andijan in May.

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5. Europe

Albanian election results will not been released until after complaints have been addressed, but exit polls indicate a lead for the opposition. Three people were killed during post-election celebrations and international observers found the election did not fully meet international standards.

Austrian prosecutors are investigating claims that Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was involved in the 1989 assassination of Kurdish leader Abdul Rahman Ghassemiou when he was living in exile in Vienna.

French police have prevented right-wing sympathizers from holding an inauguration ceremony for a memorial that pays tribute to the paramilitaries that fought against Algerian independence.

Italian police undertook a 2-day anti-terror operation in and around Milan in which 142 people were arrested and 1.5-kg explosives was found. Deportation orders have been issued for 52 of the detainees.

In the Turkish resort town of Cesme an explosive placed in a litterbin exploded, injuring at least 20 people including two foreign tourists. Responsibility is unknown and investigation is underway.

In London, England, three time bombs detonated almost simultaneously in three separate underground trains, at approximately 8:50. At 9:47 another bomb exploded on a bus. The attacks killed at least 49 people and injured more than 700. For additional information and links see the Feature Article, below. Today, Britains are remembering those who died in this most recent bombing while also commemorating the 60th anniversary marking the end of World War II. July 10 is the designated national remembrance day.

Up to 20,000 people were evacuated from Birmingham city center following a "real and very credible threat". Following security operations the area was reopened.
http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/onlinepress/appeals.asp?id=648

In Northern Ireland the Rossnowlagh parade of Orangemen passed off without incident, and the scheduled Drumcree Orange Order parade in Portadown will have reduced physical security.

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6. Middle East

The G8 promised a $3 billion aid package to the Palestinian Authority to support housing and infrastructure ahead of the planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which is scheduled to begin in August. The International Crisis Group suggests that during this process, Israel "needs to handle the diverse settler community with skill, and the international community should ensure withdrawal is complete and followed by a credible peace process".
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3550
Palestinian President Abbas efforts to form a national unity government have been rejected by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who proposed an oversight committee instead. In Gaza, an Islamic Jihad member was killed during an attack on a settlement. In the West Bank, an al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades gunman, aged 16, was shot dead in at attack on Jewish worshippers.

Egypt had reduced its diplomatic presence in Iraq following the abduction and murder of Ambassador Ihab al-Sherif, in order to protect its mission staff. Egypt has also requested an explanation of Iraqi official statements that Sherif's leaving home without guards suggested he had contacts with militants.

Iranian and Iraqi Defense Ministers announced military cooperation between the two countries, including Iranians training Iraqi armed forces.

Iranian-US filmmaker Cyrus Kar is one of five US citizens arrested in Iraq on suspicion of illegal activity, including links to insurgents. His family took legal action to secure his release, which has now been announced. Four others remain in prison.

In Iraq, attacks against diplomats became the most notable facet of violence this week. Egyptian ambassador Ihab al-Sherif was abducted and held by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group, al Qaeda in Iraq. He was later killed, although details of his assassination remain unclear. Shortly after Sherif's kidnapping, Pakistan's envoy escaped an attack uninjured, but Bahrain's ambassador, Hassan Malallah al-Ansari, was shot and wounded. Other violence during the week included large suicide bombings, mortar attacks, as well as roadside and car bombs. Italy will begin withdrawing troops within two months. Coca-Cola has returned to Iraq 37 years after it withdrew, competing there with Pepsi.

Israeli officials fearing attempted assassinations and other violent attacks ahead of the Gaza withdrawal, have increased security and fitted government ministers with body armor.

A Syrian security officer was killed in a clash on Mount Qassioun, near Damascus, with an armed group that included former Saddam Hussein bodyguards.

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7. South Asia

In Afghanistan, US forces suffered their greatest combat loss since 2001 following the downing of a helicopter in which 16 were killed and subsequent fatalities among ground- and rescue-troops, numbering at least six. Of four special forces soldiers, only one was rescued. In total, the first half of this year there have been 54 deaths, more than in each of the previous three years. A Taleban ambush today left ten police dead (6 beheaded) and several wounded.

Air strikes against an Afghan village during the subsequent search for missing servicemen killed 17 Afghan civilians, including women and children. The Afghan government has called for a review of tactics in the fight against the Taleban and other groups. Britain, tasked with Afghan security and drugs interdiction, is planning to redeploy troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. Also note a review from the US Government Accountability Office on "Afghanistan Security: Efforts to Establish Army and Police Have Made Progress, but Future Plans Need to Be Better Defined"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-575

In Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh State of India, militants attacked the disputed religious site, claimed by both Hindus and Muslims. Five men used a jeep loaded with explosives to force their way into the heavily guarded complex, then were shot dead in a nearly 2-hour gun battle with police and paramilitary forces. A sixth man was killed triggering the initial blast. Sectarian violence broke out after the attack, with Hindu nationalists blamed Muslim militants for the attack. The violence spread across central India for several days and required significant security force and police intervention to control. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and investigations continue. To deter such attacks, opposition leader Advani has called for fresh anti-terrorism legislation.

In Andhra Pradesh, Indian police report killing suspected rebels of the Communist Party of India- Marxist Leninish Praja Pratighatna and Jana Shakti groups. Four men were killed in two separate clashes. Suspected leftist militants in Orissa state killed five people in village raids.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir, four Indian soldiers and four suspected militants were killed in a gun battle near the Line of Control.

India has resumed non-lethal military aid to Nepal, shipping the first equipment since King Gyanendra's takeover of power in February.

Pakistan had deployed 4,000 additional troops at the Afghan border to prevent militant movement ahead of Afghanistan's scheduled September elections.

In Sri Lanka, a grenade attack on a Tamil Tiger office killed two rebel officials and two civilians.

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8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

A new survey from Privacy & American Business and Deloitte & Touche LLP suggests that 44 million people in the US have been victims of identity theft or fraud. Furthermore:

The Identity Theft Assistance Center has announced it has partnered with the US Federal Trade Commission to provide identity theft information to help law enforcement officials catch ID theft and fraud perpetrators.
http://www.identitytheftassistance.org/

The Pew Internet and American Life Project finds that "Nine out of ten internet users say they have adjusted their online behavior out of fear of falling victim to software intrusions".
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/160/report_display.asp

The Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standard for handling credit card data has come into effect. CardSystems Solutions, which was responsible for releasing personal details of up to 40 million cardholders, has announced it will comply with PCI by the end of August. CardSystems, Visa and MasterCard all face a new class action lawsuit regarding the breach and insufficient notification, which was launched in California.
http://www.verisign.com/products-services/payment-processing/pci-compliance.html
http://www.cardsystems.com/news.html

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9. Finance

Amnesty International reports "Large quantities of weapons and ammunition from the Balkans and eastern Europe are flowing into Africa's conflict-ridden Great Lakes region", where, despite the embargo, they are then distributed to armed groups and militias that have been involved in gross human rights violations.
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR620062005

The Coalition for International Justice documents former Liberian President Charles Taylor's continued financing of armed groups across West Africa, including funding half the parties that will contest Liberia's October elections.
http://www.cij.org/

Bougainville separatist leader Francis Ona claims his secessionist Meekamui Movement is funded by gold bought from local villagers.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Gold-funds-Bougainville-leaders-crusade/2005/07/04/1120329367529.html

The US Government Accountability Office report "Combating Alien Smuggling: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Federal Response" finds that the billions of dollars in illegal revenue and threats to national security mean that better financial investigative techniques should be undertaken to combat this crime.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-305

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warns that continuing shortfalls in terrorism insurance coverage mean that in the case of a large-scale attack, such as one using WMD, could be beyond the total capacity of insurers and governments.
http://www.oecd.org/document/3/0,2340,en_2649_201185_35092995_1_1_1_1,00.html

British financial markets and the financial infrastructure remained open and operating during the terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Their ability to do so was supported by contingency planning and the ability of HM Treasury, the Bank of England, and the Financial Services Authority to continue communicating. Note the Financial Sector Continuity website at
http://www.fsc.gov.uk/

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10. Human Rights

Sri Lanka's High Court has sentenced to death five men for the killing of a high-profile judge last November. If carried out, they will be the first executions in 28 years.

The International Court of Justice has begun hearing Democratic Republic of Congo claims of human rights atrocities, including armed aggression, mass slaughter, rape, abduction, looting and assassination, committed by Rwandan troops.

The US Army's surgeon general review of detainee medical operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay found only isolated incidents of abuse but no systematic problems.
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2005/tr20050707-3301.html
Contrasting points of view are in other recent articles.

Physicians Bloche and Marks discuss in the July 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine," Mounting evidence from many sources, including Pentagon documents, indicates that military interrogators at Guantanamo Bay have used aggressive counter-resistance measures in systematic fashion to pressure detainees to cooperate. These measures have reportedly included sleep deprivation, prolonged isolation, painful body positions, feigned suffocation, and beatings. Other stress-inducing tactics have allegedly included sexual provocation and displays of contempt for Islamic symbols. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others charge that such tactics constitute cruel and inhuman treatment, even torture."
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/1/6

Secondly, Jane Mayer speculates in the July 11-18 issue of The New Yorker on "The Experiment: The military trains people to withstand interrogation. Are those methods being misused at Guantanamo?"
http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/articles/050711on_onlineonly01

Finally, the American Psychological Association reviewed their ethics code to address psychologist's involvement in "national security-related activities" and determined that behavioral consulting to interrogators was acceptable.
http://www.apa.org/releases/pens0705.html

Britain's Law Lords ruled 3 to 2 that the special advocates system used in terrorism cases can be used to keep evidence secret in a parole case.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldjudgmt/jd050707/robert-1.htm

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11. Law and Legal Issues

Raymond Archer, Victor Dracula, Louis du Preez, Errol Harris, Mzanga Kashama, Neves Matias, Maitre Ruakuluka, and Simon Witherspoon of South Africa are suspected of involvement in a planned coup in Equatorial Guinea. Their trial has been set for next January. Until then they are out on warning.

Tre Arrow (originally Michael Scarpitti) will be extradited from Canada to the US, where he is wanted for alleged ecoterrorism activities.

Vincente Carrillo Fuentes, leader of the Juarez cocaine cartel, was reported arrested in Mexico but DNA tests revealed that it was a different man, who is being questioned. Carillo Fuentes remains at large.

Nadia Desdemona Lioce, Marco Mezzasalma and Roberto Morandi of the Red Brigades, have been sentenced to life in prison for the 1999 murder of Italian government advisor Massimo D'Antona. They had previously been jailed for life in connection with another murder.

Jose Luis Galan, Immad Yarkas, and Driss Chebli are accused of 2,500 murders and membership in al Qaeda connected to the 9/11 attacks. 21 other defendants face charges related to membership or association with a terrorist group, weapons possession, document falsification, and fraud. The trial in Madrid has come to an end and is now under consideration by a 3-judge panel.

Sven Jaschan was found guilty of computer sabotage and illegally altering data by creating the Sasser worm. The German court gave him a 21-month suspended sentence because he had been tried as a minor, at ate 17. As an adult he could have received up to five years in prison.

Alexander Karadzic ("Sasa")\ was arrested on suspicion of giving support to the indicted war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic, his father.

Maria Corina Machado and three members of a group called Sumate will be tried in Venezuela on charges of taking financial assistance from the US as part of a conspiracy to overthrow President Hugo Chavez's government.

Stephen McClean, convicted of killing two loyalist friends, lost an appeal to the House of Lords that he be released under the Good Friday Agreement because they found that he still posed a danger to the public. McClean was involved in the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF).

Solomon Morel, the one-time commander of a Russian prison camp in Poland, is wanted on war crimes charges for the deaths of up to 1,500 prisoners after the Soviet occupation. Poland requested his extradition, but Israel has refused. The countries do not have an extradition treaty and Israel said there was no basis to extradite the 86-year-old Holocaust survivor.

A Pennsylvania man who sent hundreds of letters with fake anthrax to abortion clinics was sentenced to 19 years in prison yesterday, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Aug. 24, 2004).

Ayman Nour, the Egyptian opposition leader, will be able to run in the September election since his trial for document forgery has been postponed.

Augusto Pinochet, the former military dictator of Chile, has been stripped of immunity from prosecution for his role in Operation Colombo in which political prisoners were abducted and killed.

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12. Transportation

Security on public transportation systems was strengthened in the US, across Europe, in Australia, and in other locations believed at risk following the terrorist attacks in London that targeted the transportation infrastructure. For the latest travel information in London see
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/

In the US, the threat level for the mass transit portion of the transportation sector has been increased from Code Yellow, Elevated, to Code Orange, High.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0700.xml

The US Federal Railroad Administration issued new ruled requiring improved survivability of locomotive event recorders to better capture and protect the information they capture.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/fra1505.htm

Portugal has signed the declaration of principles to participate in the Container Security Initiative.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/07072005.xml

June 30 marked one year since the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code was implemented.
http://www.imo.org
https://www.piersystem.com/external/index.cfm?cid=802&fuseaction=EXTERNAL.docview&documentID=77903

Increased call volumes to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services raise questions about the reliability and accuracy of information provided by private contractors, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-526

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13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Staff at Britain's Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility was sent home after news of the terrorist attacks in London. Nuclear facilities around the globe were placed under heightened alert relative to perceived increased in the local threat situations.

Delegates from 89 countries to the UN Convention of the Physical Protection of Nuclear material agreed on new measures to reduce the risks of theft or smuggling of nuclear materials and sabotage at nuclear facilities. Protection becomes legally binding during use, storage and transportation and provides for increased cooperation to rapidly locate and recover stolen or smuggled material, mitigate radiological consequences of sabotage, and prevent and combat related offenses.
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/2005/prn200503.html
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/cppnm.html

Reuters reports it has received intelligence reports that indicate North Korea is secretly assisting Iran with its nuclear program.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06220497.htm

Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission plans to construct 20 atomic power plants in coming years.
http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_8127.shtml

July 10 marks the 20th anniversary of the bombing, by French secret service agents, of the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbor while Greenpeace was campaigning against Pacific Island nuclear testing. One man, freelance photographer Fernando Periera, was killed and the ship sank.
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/rainbow-warrior-bombing/

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists warns of "Biodefense: A plague of researchers" that suggests increases in the number of researchers working to counter bioterrorism could increase the risk of accidental release of pathogens, while also shortchanging public health.
http://www.thebulletin.org/article.php?art_ofn=mj05schwellenbach
The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity expressed similar concerns.
http://www.biosecurityboard.gov/

US congressional representative Edward Markey released a state-by-state report on chemical security, finding vulnerabilities in all 50 states.
http://www.house.gov/markey/biochemsec.htm#vulnerabilities

The UN Protocol against the illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts, Components and Ammunition, has come into effect.

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14. Recently Published

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Martin Meredith, "The State of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence", Public Affairs

Theodore Nadelson, "Trained to Kill: Soldiers at War", Johns Hopkins University Press

Pierce O'Donnell, "In Time of War: Hitler's Terrorist Attack on America" New Press

David L. Phillips, "Losing Iraq: Inside the Postwar Reconstruction Fiasco", Westview Press (US), Basic Books (UK)

William R. Polk, "Understanding Iraq: The Whole Sweep of Iraqi History, from Genghis Khan's Mongols to the Ottoman Turks to the British Mandate to the American Occupation", HarperColling (US), I.B. Taurus (UK)

David J. Rothkopf, "Running the World: The Inside Story of the national Security Council and the Architects of American Power", Public Affairs

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FEATURE ARTICLE: London Bombings: the modern history

"It is important that those engaged in terrorism realize that our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire to impose extremism on the world."

These were the words of Prime Minister Tony Blair following the news of a terrorist attack in London, but they reflect the character and determination of a people who have experienced conflict on their home soil for centuries.

The near simultaneous bombings of July 7, with at least 50 dead and more than 700 injured, represent the greatest number of casualties since the blitz. However, London has repeated experience of local terrorist attacks for more than two decades.

Most of the deaths in the Northern Ireland Troubles occurred on the island, but the Irish Republican Army (IRA)_ launched a mainland campaign in the 1970s.

In March 1973 the "Border Poll" referendum that asked whether people in Northern Ireland wanted to remain part of the UK, was boycotted by Nationalists, and thereby handed the vote to the Loyalists. On March 8 the IRA exploded two car bombs outside the Old Bailey and the Agriculture Department. Two other bombs were defused. One person was killed and more than 200 injured.

The next year the IRA planted bombs in two Guildford pubs that were frequented by British soldiers. The explosions, on 5 October 1974, killed five people and injured 54.

July 20, 1982 bombs in Hyde Park and Regent's Park killed 11 British soldiers and injured more than 40, most civilians watching the changing of the guards or bandstand.

The IRA was responsible for that and also for the car bomb outside Harrods department store on December 17, 1983. This attack killed three police and three civilians, while injuring 90.

Number 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's residence, was the target on February 7, 1991. The IRA fired three homemade mortar shells, but there were no casualties.

The day after the 1992 General Election, the IRA exploded two bombs at the Baltic Exchange. Warnings given on April 10 were inadequate and led to the deaths of three people, including a 15-year-old girl, and injuring 44. Centered in the financial district, property damages were heavy.

Another massive truck bomb exploded on February 9, 1996. The Docklands bombing marked the end of an IRA ceasefire that had lasted 17 months and 9 days. It caused massive property damage but prior warning prevented casualties. On the 18th, IRA member Edward O'Brien accidentally detonated the bomb he was carrying, killing himself and injuring five people.

Foreign intelligence agency MI6 was targeted on September 22, 2000 when dissident republicans with the Real IRA fired a rocket attack, using a Russian Mark 22 anti-tank weapon that caused only property damage.

Finally, on 4 March 2001, a large car bomb exploded outside the BBC television center as the bomb squad tried to carry out a controlled detonation, causing several injuries. Real IRA dissidents were again held responsible.

Other parts of the UK have similar experiences with terrorist attacks. There were a number of attacks in Britain during 1974, beginning with a February bomb that exploded on a bus carrying soldiers and their families. It exploded on the M62 roadway, killing 12. This and subsequent attacks occurred in the north of England. That autumn, bombings of pubs around the country killed 28 people and wounded more than 200. In 1984, Prime Minister Thatcher and the Conservative party were targeted at their annual conference in Brighton. Litterbin boxes held bombs that killed two boys, aged three and 12 in march 1993. They lived in the northern town of Warrington.

Other attacks were not related to Northern Ireland. A nail bombing campaign in London in April 1999 was the work of a right-wing extremist who wanted to ignite a racial war. David Copeland was sentenced to six life sentences for three murders; 129 people were injured in the attacks. The devastating Lockerbie bombing took place on December 21 1988 when Pan Am 103 was blown out of the sky over Scotland, killing 270 people. That attack was connected to Middle Eastern terrorism.

Given the long dominance of Irish republican attacks on the mainland, it would not have been surprising if such groups were considered in connection with the July 7 attacks. Likewise, anarchist groups opposed to globalization could also have been contemplated. Certainly miscarriages of justice have occurred in past investigations of IRA atrocities, and the government in Madrid initially pointed towards Basque separatist group ETA for the 3/11 rail bombings.

Instead, British officials are pointing towards evidence of possible al Qaeda involvement, such as the simultaneous nature of the attacks, the lack of warning, similarity to attacks in Madrid that targeted the rail, and their indiscriminate nature. Against this, only a small quantity of explosives were used, causing relatively few casualties, against soft targets. In any case, determination of whether it was homegrown or foreign will have a huge impact on the long-term effects of the attacks. However, at this point nothing has been ruled out, including the possibility of a lone actor.

As the investigation unfolds, it will be covered in this Newsletter.

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