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:
Terrorism in Egypt

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

1. World

The UN Security Council was briefed by the Chairs of its three anti-terrorism committees that deal with sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban, counter-terrorism and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Ambassador Cesar Mayoral, Chairman of the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions committee said that the threat from Al-Qaida is radically different from that posed when the sanctions regime was first imposed. It now comprises the old leadership, fighters trained in Afghanistan, and a new generation of supporters who might never have left their countries of residence but had embraced the core elements of the Al-Qaida message. The three groups are separate and distinct but linked together. Ellen Margrethe Lo, Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), said the Executive Directorate (CTED), still not fully staffed, conducted visits to Kenya, Albania and Thailand, which provided the Committee with a more thorough understanding of the situation in those countries, as well as insight into possible difficulties of full implementation. Ambassador Mihnea Ioan Motoc, Chairman of the Committee dealing with weapons of mass destruction, said they had already examined more than 50 national reports and are confident of completing the first-round examinations by October.

The Global Conference on the Role of Civil Society in the Prevention of Armed Conflict and Peacebuilding held a 3-day conference on how to engage civil society with a concrete action plan including preventive measures and local participation.
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2005/Civil_Society_Brfg_050719.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2005/gambaribrf050722.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/esa/peacebuilding/

Avian influenza has been confirmed as the cause of death of three Indonesians who had not known contact with poultry, raising fears of human-to-human transmission. The investigation is ongoing, but the disease has become endemic across Asia and a strain has been detected in Siberia, Russia, for the first time in more than 15 years. The World Health Organization says that a pandemic is inevitable and that current containment methods have not been successful. Australia and the UK have announced accelerated vaccine stockpile plans.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2005_07_21a/en/index.html

2. Africa

Democratic Republic of Congo civilians in the east have been massively displaced, with more than 32,000 forced from their homes following attacks by Hutu Rwandan militias. Operation ThunderStorm is the third UN peacekeeping initiative this month to address the continued violence. A new rebel group, the Congolese Revolutionary Movement (MRC) has formed in Uganda, where it plans to fight for the rights of people in the Ituri and North Kivu regions that border Uganda. In South Kivu, which borders Rwanda, 13 villagers were killed by Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels fleeing UN forces.

Ethiopia has responded positively to an offer of peace talks from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), secessionist rebels that have been fighting a guerilla war in eastern Ethiopia for the last ten years.

Guinea government soldiers have arrived in Kankan to calm tensions between the Peul and Malinke ethnic groups, following the murder of a Malinke youth.

Guinea-Bissau voters are casting ballots in the second round of presidential elections. Malam Bacai Sanha of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), who won most votes in the first round, faces former military ruler Joao Bernardo Vieira. There were several incidents of violence prior to the poll.

In Kenya, ethnic clashes between Borana and Gabra communities, tied to land disputes and cattle theft, continued during the week, with dozens killed, including 22 children, and some 9,000 people displaced. Ugandan cattle raiders from the Karamojong tribe attacked Kenyan herders from the Turkana. Seven people were arrested in connection with these lethal attacks. Kenyan
security forces shot and killed 19 of the cattle raiders. Kenya's parliament has approved a draft constitution despite large popular protests including three days of violently suppressed riots, against the draft, which leaves significant power in the hands of the President.

In Niger, small quantities of aid have begun to arrive, but neither quickly enough nor in enough volume to stop thousands dying of starvation.

Rwanda and Uganda have signed an extradition treaty that will apply to criminals in each other's country.

In Sudan, the level of violence has somewhat subsided, allowing delivery of humanitarian assistance. Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, head of the Africa Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), discusses the situation in an interview with IRIN news:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48189&SelectRegion=East_Africa&S electCountry=SUDAN

Zimbabwe's Operation Murambatsvina ("Clean Out Garbage") evicted 700,000 people. The UN assessment called for the Government to stop demolitions, pay reparations, and punish those who, "with indifference to human suffering", carried out the evictions.
http://www.unhabitat.org/evictions_report.asp
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48240

3. Americas

A Brazilian man, Jean Charles de Menezes, was shot dead by British police investigating a man behind last week's attempted bombings in London. Mr Menezes was innocent and had no connection with the attacks. Police, who apparently believed they faced an imminent threat from a suicide bomber, have apologized for the incident, Brazil's Foreign Minister has demanded an explanation, and an inquiry will be held.

Brazil's ruling Workers Party (PT) face a damaging corruption scandal. Former treasurer Delubio Soares admitted that campaign funds of $17 million had not been declared to the electoral authorities. In addition to breaking campaign finance laws, the PT is believed to have paid monthly bribes and manipulated appointments to state-run companies.

Canadian and US agents have closed down a sophisticated cross-border tunnel that had been used for drug smuggling. Many tunnels have been found at the Mexican border, but this is the first discovered in Canada.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has signed into law the Justice and Peace bill, which was intended to demobilize right-wing paramilitaries of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.(AUC), but which could also reduce sentences or free those found guilty of massacres or crimes against humanity.

Colombia has approved French government contacts with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in order to attempt the release of Ingrid Betancourt, a French citizen and former Colombian presidential candidate, who was kidnapped in February 2002.

Kidnappers in Haiti shot dead the prominent journalist Jacque Roche, five days after his capture. There were scuffles during the funeral and a protest of some 1,000 people demanding better security followed.

Mexican police are investigating the kidnapping of Cruz Azul football club coach Omar Romano. In the continuing anti-drug crackdown underway in Nuevo Laredo, near the US border, at least five police officers were killed in last week.

The US Department of Defense announced additional transfers from detention in Guantanamo Bay. One detainee was sent to Sudan, two to Afghanistan, three to Saudi Arabia, one to Jordan and one detainee transferred to Spain. Military commissions, which were suspended in December 2004 after the case of Salim Ahmed Hamdan was stayed, will resume following a federal appeals court ruling. 52 of the remaining 500 or so detainees are on hunger strike.
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/nr20050720-4122.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/nr20050718-4063.html
http://www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/

New York City is among many that further increased security measures following the London bombings. See "Defending the City" in New Yorker magazine, in which William Finnegan discusses the article, the threat, and what the New York Police Department may learn from London.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/articles/050725on_onlineonly01

4. Asia Pacific

Sidney Jones, Director of the International Crisis Group's South East Asia Project, gave a lecture at he Institute of Southeast Asian Studies on "New Developments within Jemaah Islamiyah".
http://nettv.1-net.com.sg/iseas/sidney_july05/

The Australian government is considering new anti-terrorism legislation, including extending use of CCTV cameras, allowing bad characters to be stripped of citizenship, and so forth.
http://www.pm.gov.au/
http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/MinisterRuddockHome.nsf/Page/Interview_Transcripts_2005_Transcripts_21_July_2005_-_Transcript_-_Interview_Sydney_Radio_2GB

The radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has been linked to the London bombings, has reportedly launched an underground recruitment campaign in Sydney. Police have called on local Muslim leaders for help, and a community summit to head off extremist elements is planned. Islamic bookstores may be investigated to see if books advocating violence or giving
bomb-making instructions are on sale, but will not be closed down.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/revealed-radical-islamic-push-in-sydney/2005/07/23/1121539189989.html

China is hosting a new round of 6-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program. Preliminary meetings have been held, and talks will open on Tuesday. North Korea agreed to resume talks with the understanding that the US would not maintain its hostile position. No time limit has been set for the discussions.

Chinese farmers in northern Hebei province rioted last month over land rights when they had not been compensated for building a power plant's ash storage yard on their arable land. They have now won the dispute, and the yard will be repositioned. Similar actions in eastern Zhejiang province where farmers objected to factory pollution, has forced a pharmaceutical company to stop and negotiate.

Indonesian President Susilo Banbang Yudhoyono has ordered a halt to military offensives in Aceh in honor of the new peace agreement. It appears likely that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) will be allowed to form a political party, but details are not finalized.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has announced a new truth commission to investigate the charges of vote-rigging made against her

Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has imposed emergency rule in Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala provinces, where Muslims dominate. The approved emergency measures include detention without charge, search and arrest without warrants, deportation of foreigners suspected of being terrorists, tapping telephones, media bans, and the ability to impose curfews and confiscate property. More than 800 people have been killed in unrest in the area since January 2004.

5. Europe

Europe was given one month to leave Iraq or face a bloody war on its capitals. This threat came as a statement from the Abu Hafs al Masri Brigades that had claimed responsibility for the London bombings. It has not been authenticated.

France and Spain have agreed joint measures against Islamic militancy, including deporting clerics who preach violence.

In Italy, a Milan prosecutor arrest warrants for six more purported CIA operatives, in addition to 13 already issued, for officials accused of helping carry out the rendition of Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr in 2003.

Russian think-tank INDEM says that corruption is Russia has skyrocketed, making the state itself the biggest racketeer, with a shadow economy twice the size of the state budget.
http://www.indem.ru

In Chechnya, a police car was blown up, killing 15, mostly police, and injuring 20. Russian President Putin promised measures to strengthen the southern border.

In Turkey, an explosion on July 16 in the Aegean resort of Kusadasi, killed at least five, and injured at least 13, including several foreign tourists. Kurdish militants are suspected. On July 24 in Istanbul, an explosion in a restaurant injured two people. The cause is under investigation.

Londoners faced a mirror attack, one week after 7/7. Explosives were set off in three underground stations and one bus. This time, the triggers went off but the explosives did not detonate, and only one person was injured. Indications are that the same technique was used but that the homemade explosive had deteriorated. Much more forensic information was left behind, and a massive manhunt continues. A casualty of this was Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by police in South London, although he was innocent and had no connection with the attacks. An inquiry will be held into the shooting.

The British government is considering a range of new laws including outlawing preparation of a terrorist act, incitement of terrorist acts, and providing or receiving terrorist training.

A third of Britons think Prime Minister Blair bears "a lot" of responsibility for the London bombings and a further 31 percent "a little".
Only 28 percent agree that there is no connection between the London bombings and Iraq. http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1531387,00.html
This opinion poll matches the findings of a briefing prepared by Chatham House and the Economic & Social Research Council, which argues that the UK government's position as "pillion passenger" in the US war on terror hurts efforts to prevent terrorism and puts allows the US to steer policy. Being such a close ally places the UK in particular risk and there is "no doubt" that the invasion of Iraq has boosted al Qaeda' recruitment and financing, and provided an ideal training and targeting area for Al Qaeda terrorists. The report also says that experience with Northern Ireland terrorism has created excellent capacity for collaboration. http://www.riia.org/index.php?id=189&pid=247

6. Middle East

In the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh three bomb attacks have killed at least 88 people and injured more than 200. Two car bombs were detonated at 1:15 a.m., one at a hotel and the second two miles away at the Old Market. A third, hidden in a sack, went off near a beach walkway. Most of the dead were Egyptians, but foreigners were also killed. The attack prompted immediate condemnation by international governments. The Abdullah Azzam Brigades, al Qaeda in Syria in Egypt, claimed responsibility, as they had for an April bombing in Cairo, in a web posting. The previously unknown Holy Warriors of Egypt also claimed responsibility, faxing a statement to newspapers that listed names of five attackers. Neither claim has been verified.

Violence, protests, and blockades in Gaza may lead to an earlier date for the Israeli withdrawal, which is currently scheduled for mid-August. Settler protests have resulted in hundreds of arrests. Hamas and Israeli military forces continued fighting. An army sniper killed senior Hamas military commander Sayid Sayem. Internecine fighting between Hamas and Palestinian police led to dozens of casualties. A militant attack near the border killed an Israeli husband and wife and wounded two soldiers before the two militants were killed.

Iran's Intelligence Minister Ali Younessi reported that more than 1,000 al Qaeda members have been arrested since the Taleban collapsed in 2001. Most were jailed or deported, with some 200 suspects still in custody.

Iran and Iraq have met to discuss border security and control. Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari was the first top-level visitor since the 1980s war.

Iraqis drafting the new constitution say it is on schedule despite the killing of three Sunni members of the team, and the withdrawal of four others concerned for their safety. Major bombings continue, and the Pentagon reports that most of the Iraqi army and police units are unable to perform counter-insurgency operations even with US support. The Security and Stability in Iraq Report to Congress can be found at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2005/d20050721secstab.pdf

The Iraq Body Count has released a report on civilian casualties for the first two years of the war, finding that nearly 25,000 were killed and 42,500 wounded.
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/

In Lebanon, the new government has been formed. In Beirut, armed clashes broke out along the Green line that separated Christian East and Muslim West Beirut during the civil war. The clashes followed a parliamentary amnesty to former warlord leader Samir Geagea of the Lebanese Forces. A bomb placed under a car in Beirut exploded, injuring several people.

In Yemen, ten days of fuel riots have killed at least 36 people.

7. South Asia

Afghanistan is under siege from the Taleban in the run-up to September elections. The International Crisis Group reviews the situation in their new report, "Afghanistan Elections: Endgame or New Beginning?" They say, "In September 2005 Afghans will go to the polls to elect the National Assembly and Provincial Councils in a vote that will be crucial in consolidating Afghanistan's fragile political transition. The opportunity for a major step forward is there, but so too is the risk that a lack of political will and forward planning will see the new institutions descend into paralysis and chaos. The executive must be prepared to share decision-making with a
legislature, and devolve real political and fiscal powers to local administrations. A culture of impunity whereby stability and justice have
been seen as mutually exclusive needs to be addressed along with an electoral system that excludes political parties and favors narrow ethnic interests at the expense of broad-based constituencies. The costs of allowing Afghanistan's political transition to falter are too high for the international community to ignore."
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3071&l=1

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz met to review border security. There have been a spate of attacks Afghan officials blame on militants sheltering inside Pakistan. Pakistan says it will take steps to ensure the peaceful success of Afghanistan's elections and has placed nearly 80,000 troops in tribal border areas. Serious border clashes continued last week.

India's Madhya Pradesh state has imposed a curfew in Dhar district after clashes between Hindus and Muslims left two people dead and three injured.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, three soldiers and a civilian were killed when a suicide bomber drove an explosive-packed car into an army vehicle in Srinigar. Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility. In another incident, six male members of a Muslim family were shot dead by suspected militants in a village house in Udhampur. A gun battle between militants and soldiers left three suspected militants, believed belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, dead. There were a number of other incidents. Late on the night of the 24th, four Kashmiri youths were shot dead by Indian troops who mistook them for rebels. Hundreds of protestors demonstrated against the shooting.

Nepal's Maoist rebels have reinstated Baburam Bhattarai, who had been suspended because of disagreements with the leader, Prachanda. Rebels killed seven security personnel in the west. Following that ambush, security forces killed two rebels.

Pakistan has told British officials they should address Islamic militancy among their own born and raised citizens without blaming Pakistan. They have also launched a crackdown against suspected religious extremist leaders, including detaining hundreds of suspects following raids on religious school, mosques, and other locations. President Musharraf has also announced additional measures to combat extremism. These include not allowing banned groups to operate under new names, banning public display of unauthorized weapons, restricting inflammatory publications and broadcasts, not permitting militant groups to collect money, monitoring sermons for hate speech, and ensuring that all madrassas are registered by the end of this year.

8. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

The 10th annual CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Survey finds that:

Sophos announced a new service, ZombieAlert that will identity any computers on the business network that have been taken over by hackers.
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/pressrel/us/20050713zombiealert.html

The US Congress is moving forward with various legislative measures to address identity and data fraud and theft. The House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on "Credit Card Data Processing: How Secure Is It?"
http://financialservices.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=detail&hearing=407

City National Bank, a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based City National Corp., has become the second company in two months to report loss of backup dates that contained personal and financial records, as Iron Mountain was transporting the data for storage.

Visa and American Express have announced their intention to discontinue doing business with CardSystems, the payment processor that left some 40 million cardholder records open to fraud.
http://www.cardsystems.com/news.html

FDIC issued guidance to financial institutions on how to prevent and detect spyware.
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2005/fil6605.html

9. Finance

The US Treasury has designated six sons of Saddam Hussein's half brother and former presidential advisor, Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti as Specially Designated Nationals. They are believed to be providing money and other resources to Iraqi insurgents. Those named are Yasir Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti (Yasir), Omar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti (Omar), Ayman Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti (Ayman), Ibrahim Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti (Ibrahim), Bashar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti (Bashar) and Sa'd Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti (Sa'd). They are also being submitted to the UN 1518 Committee listing.

The US Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated six companies that are under control of the Colombian government after previously being manipulated to serve the North Valle drug cartel. This allows specific licenses to do business with the companies that were previously Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers. The companies are Agropecuaria el Nilo S.A. (AGRONILO), , Casa Grajales S.A., Frutas Exoticas Colombianas S.A. (FREXCO), Grajales S.A., Los Vinedos de Getsemani S.A. (HOTEL LOS VINEDOS),
and Transportes del Espiritu Santo S.A., NIT # 821002436-5.
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/js2646.htm

The International Chamber of Commerce's Financial Investigation Bureau (FIB) warns that several blacklisted Nauru-registered banks have reemerged.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=48

Britain's Financial Services Authority (FSA) has published the recommendations of the enforcement process review that was undertaken after finding that many affected by enforcement actions had doubts about the fairness of the process. Principal recommendations include continuation of a risk-based approach, clearly separating investigation from sanctions, strengthening objectivity through changes to existing practice, providing incentives for early settlement, and seeking input from all stakeholders.
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2005/082.shtml http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Events/events/enf_review.shtml

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the US bank supervisor, admitted significant flaws in its oversight of bank anti-money laundering efforts. A recent audit report harshly criticized oversight of Riggs Bank.

The US House and Senate both held hearings on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. It appears that the legislation will be modified to support a "backstop" provision for insurers.
http://banking.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=164
http://financialservices.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=detail&hearing=404

10. Human Rights

The Afghanistan Justice Project issued "Casting Shadows: War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, 1978-2001", a report on war crimes committed 1978-2001. They called for those responsible for war crimes to be revealed to the public prior to the September parliamentary elections and proposed measures to prevent war criminals from participating in government. They also called for judicial reform and strengthened institutional capacity to eventually prosecute cases and work towards justice and reconciliation.
http://www.afghanistanjusticeproject.org/

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office released its annual assessment of international human rights violations.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1119526503628

The working draft of Iraq's new constitution includes limitations on women's rights based on Koranic law.

British Attorney General Lord Goldsmith announced that, for the first time, three British soldiers will stand before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face war crimes charges connected with treatment of Iraqi detainees. The actions in question would have been unlawful under existing British law, but the Army Prosecuting Authority recommended using the ICC Act because it was the most recent dealing with such allegations.

The US Senate Committee on Armed Services held hearings on detention policy and abuse. Testimony included three judge advocate generals that lodged complaints about the Justice Department's definition of torture and its use in detainee interrogations. http://armed-services.senate.gov/e_witnesslist.cfm?id=1574
http://armed-services.senate.gov/e_witnesslist.cfm?id=1559

British security services have prevented more than 200 foreign scientists from studying in the UK over the past four years for fear they could present a terrorist threat. The Guardian newspaper obtained this information under the Freedom of Information Act. The paper also reviewed a 9-month study, "How Safe Are British Universities?" that documents access to extremist groups on campus creating a "tipping point" towards terrorism.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1531461,00.html

11. Law and Legal Issues

CORRECTION:
Last week we listed Magdi Mahmoud al-Nashar twice, in error. Magdi Mahmoud al-Nashar was detained in Egypt, where he was wanted by police in connection with the London bombings. He has no connection to Mohammed Bouyeri, who should have been named in the second item. Mohammed Bouyeri is the admitted killer of Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh, has gone on trial in Amsterdam. This correction has been made in the online archive.

Muhammad Afroze was sentenced by Indian court to seven years in jail for planning to crash planes into the British House of Commons and Tower Bridge on 11 September 2001. He had been held under India's controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act and confessed in detention.

Vova Arutyunov has been charged in Georgian court for attempted murder. He allegedly threw a grenade towards US President Bush in May.

Meir Bartel and Arie Katz, both Israel Defense Forces soldiers from an infantry regiment of ultra-Orthodox troops, were arrested on suspicion of smuggling a fake bomb into the Jerusalem central bus station.

Roy Barwise was arrested as part of an investigation into Northern Ireland loyalist terrorism. He has been charged in Manchester, England court with commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

Racid Belkacem was arrested in London following an extradition request from Dutch authorities that want him on suspicion of being part of the Muslim extremist Hofstad group that has been linked to the murder of Theo van Gogh.

Kamel Bourgass lost his appeal against his conviction for the murder of Detective Constable Stephen Oak in 2003, connected with an investigation into a ricin terror plot. The appeal was based on the proposition that information related to the ricin charges should not have been admitted in the murder case, which should be treated as self-defense. The appeals court rejected this and wrote, "In our judgment the ricin material was directly relevant to the issues being decided by the jury, enabling them to consider evidence rather than indulge in what would have been uninformed speculation about why the appellant behaved in the desperate fashion he did."

General Norbert Sabira, inspector general of Republic of Congo's armed forces; Blaise Asoua, current commander of Brazzaville military region; and Director General of Police, Jean Francois Ndenguet, join 13 other indictees on trial in Brazzaville for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and assassinations in connection with the 1999 killing of 353 returning refugees.

Mamoun Darkazanli had been charged in Spain with financing al Qaeda. His extradition to Germany was blocked when Germany's highest court rejected an EU arrest warrant because it was incompatible with the German constitution.

Irun Hidayat was found guilty of being an accessory to the September 2004 bombing of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and sentenced to three and a half years in prison. The Islamic cleric, cleared of the charge of helping plan the attack, will appeal the verdict.

Guatemala has ordered the arrest of former President Alfonso Portillo on corruption charges. Portillo is in Mexico, and Guatemalan prosecutors will decide whether to pursue his extradition.

Abu Qatada, a Jordanian-born Muslim cleric, may face deportation to Jordan following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two countries. Under international convention, people cannot be repatriated if they may face abuse or death, but this MOU removes this restriction by permitting deportation of Jordanian nationals suspected of inciting or supporting terrorism.

Francis Devandra Raj, Timothy Woo, and Johnathan Valenzuela, will appear in US court in Seattle in connection with the discovery they had dug a tunnel from British Columbia, Canada, to the US. The tunnel, the first discovered between the US and Canada, was being used for smuggling marijuana.

Eric Rudolph, the US Olympics bomber, has been sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 bombing of an abortion clinic in Alabama. He was spared the death sentence in order to obtain intelligence regarding large quantities of hidden explosives. http://www.atf.gov/press/fy05press/071805doj_rudolphsentenced.htm

Milorad Ulemek, a former paramilitary commander under Slobodan Milosevic, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for abducting and killing former Serbian president's Ivan Stambolic. He is also accused of the 2003 assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and a failed attempt to kill the current foreign minister Vuk Draskovic. Ulemek's former colleague and head of the secret service, Rade Markovic, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his participation in Stambolic's kidnapping and murder.

Faryadi Sarwar Zardad, a former Afghan warlord, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a campaign of torture and kidnapping in Afghanistan between 1992 - 1996. The landmark case is believed to be the first in which a person who committed torture in one country was prosecuted in another.

12. Transportation

Australia's Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit continued its assessment of airport security procedures. Testimony included concerns from the Transport Workers' Union regarding two major security breaches at Sydney Airport in the previous week, while Sydney Airport Corporation described additional security measures including increased guards, fewer access gates, and more inspections.
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jpaa/aviation_security2/index.htm
http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL/Corporate+Information/Media+Centre/Strengthening+of+Security+at+Sydney+Airport.htm

Orlando International Airport in Florida has become the first to partner with the private sector for security screening of registered passengers. Transportation Security Administration Assistant Administrator said that "Today?s launch is a result of TSA?s commitment to engage private industry in the effort to secure America's modes of transportation. TSA offered the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority the opportunity to serve as the first partner to test a partial private sector entry into the Registered Traveler concept".
http://www.orlandoairports.net/goaa/press/2005/20050719.htm
http://www.verifiedidpass.com/news_pr_7_19.html
Note the security issues raised by such programs:
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/06/orlando_trusted.html

Baggage Screener Bassam Khalaf has been dismissed from his position as a consequence of his rap singer aspirations. As a rapper, he is known as the "Arabic Assassin".
http://www.hiphopmusic.com/archives/001050.html

The European Commission and Canada have reached agreement on transferring selected passenger data to help identify those who could pose a security or terrorist threat, while being fully compliant with the EU data protection law. Signature and entry into force will follow in early autumn.
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/965&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) latest "Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships" report finds the number of reported piracy attacks worldwide has declined by 30 percent, but there are hotspots of violence. Indonesia accounted for a third of global incidents, with 42 attacks, many armed. Serious attacks in Somalia have resumed, with eight violent incidents in the past three months. IMB Director Captain Pottengal Mukundan says, "Pirates operating off the Somali coast have become increasingly audacious, routinely
seizing vessels well outside territorial limits and forcing them closer to the lawless shore. Demands for ransom are higher than ever before and negotiations for the release of vessels and crew are often difficult and prolonged. The utter lack of law enforcement infrastructure in the area is leaving far too many vessels and mariners unprotected". Other areas of rising piracy include Nigeria and Iraq.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=51

Last week's Weekly Piracy Report included an alert in Somalian waters:

The Australian Senate's Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee is reviewing the "regulatory framework to be implemented and enforced by the Department of Transport and Regional Services under the Maritime Transport Security Amendment Act 2005, having regard to:

In connection with this inquiry, the Association of Australian Ports and Marine Authorities and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union have raised security issues related to use of the maritime security identification card (MSIC), which is renewed only every five years and whose background checks are problematic.
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/index.htm
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/maritime_security/submissions/sublist.htm
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=55844

US Customs and Border Protection has unveiled radiation detectors that will scan incoming ocean cargo for nuclear and radiological materials.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/07202005_2.xml

Public transit systems around the world continue to respond to the aftermath of the two bombing attacks in London, maintaining high security that includes enhanced surveillance cameras, explosive-sniffing docs, and greater police presence. New York City police will board buses and trains to talk with passengers and inform them of signs of a potential suicide bomber. Passengers will also be subject to random searches.

13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

US President Bush has proposed ending the ban on nuclear cooperation with India, although it has not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
http://www.indianembassy.org/press_release/2005/July/23.htm
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/20050718-6.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/20050718-8.html
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/2005/prn200504.html
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=17079&prog=zgp&proj=zsa

The "2005 China Military Power Report to Congress" released by the US Department of Defense finds that China is upgrading its nuclear arsenal and deploying more sophisticated missiles that indicated development of a second strike capability against the US. The report claims that China has increased the number of short-range ballistic missiles opposite Taiwan from 500 last year to as many as 730. The US is Taiwan's main arms supplier, and Major General Zhu Chenghu (who is at the National Defense University) expressed the opinion that nuclear weapons could be used against the US in a clash over Taiwan. The report estimates that China is spending as much as $90 billion per year, making its spending the highest in Asia, though still much smaller than the annual US budget of nearly $400 billion. China insists its intentions are solely for peaceful growth and development. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2005/d20050719china.pdf

The International Atomic Energy Agency has started using direct satellite feeds from nuclear facilities to track nuclear materials and check they are not being diverted.
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2005/satellitefeeds.html

Honduras has become the 100th State to sign the Additional Protocol to the IAEA nuclear safeguards agreement.

Attendees at the World Veterinary Congress warned of agroterrorism, turning animal diseases into weapons.
http://www.wvc2005.org/
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/local/12158807.htm
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/051505.html#FeatureArticle

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is asking for information on drugs and vaccines to help expedite Project Bioshield's emergency authority provisions.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bioterrorism.html
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/604_terror.html

Pablo Yagupsky and Ellen Jo Baron write of "Laboratory Exposures to Brucellae and the Implications for Bioterrorism" in the August 2004 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases:

"Brucellae are class 3 organisms and potential agents of bioterrorism. Because of effective public health measures, brucellosis has become a rare disease in industrialized countries, and clinical microbiology laboratories are frequently unfamiliar with the genus. A low index of suspicion by physicians or failure to notify the laboratory, equivocal Gram-stain results, misidentification of the organism by commercial systems, unsafe laboratory practices, and laboratory accidents have been responsible for numerous cases of exposure to the organism and laboratory-acquired disease in recent years. Discovery of a laboratory exposure to brucellae should prompt an exhaustive investigation of the event and its circumstances, definition of the population at risk, enforcement of safe laboratory practices, and antimicrobial drug prophylaxis for exposed persons. Inadvertent exposures to brucellae in the clinical laboratory indicate a widespread lack of preparedness to cope with eventual biologic threats involving use of the organism." http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no08/04-1197.htm

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has published its Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls. http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391638&a=KArticle&aid=1119527096340

The weeklong meeting reviewing progress since the July 2001 Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects stressed the need to implement existing measures. Just doing this would better control trafficking, proliferation and misuse. International cooperation and assistance and capacity building, supported by political will and commitment, all make a difference.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/dc2980.doc.htm

14. Recently Published

Bella Bathurst, "The Wreckers: A Story of Killing Seas and Plundered Shipwrecks, From the Eighteenth Century to the Present Day. Houghton Mifflin.

William Brittain-Catlin, "Offshore: The Dark Side of the Global Economy", Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Thomas Cushman, editor, "A Matter of Principle: Humanitarian Arguments for War in Iraq", University of California Press

Victoria de Grazia, "Irresistible Empire: America's Advance through Twentieth-Century Europe", Belknap/Harvard

Jean Hatzfeld, transl Linda Coverdale, "Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak", Farrar Straus Giroux

Martin Meredith, "The Fate of Africa: From the Hopes of Freedom to the Heart of Darkness", Public Affairs

Ashley J. Tellis, "India as a New Global Power: An Action Agenda for the United States", Carnegie Endowment http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=17079&prog=zgp&proj=zsa

FEATURE ARTICLE: Terrorism in Egypt

Egypt is best known for its ancient civilization and pyramids: for Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Alexander the Great, and Cleopatra; for the great Nile River, the Red Sea, and Mount Sinai. These attributes have made Egypt a prime tourist destination. The Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh is the country's main tourist destination, as well as a meeting-place for world leaders. Indeed, it has so often been used for international meetings, including the February ceasefire agreement between Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, that it has become known as the "city of peace".

This international reputation also made Sharm al-Sheikh an attractive target to the terrorists that attacked the resort the evening of 23 July. The three coordinated explosions killed at least 88 people and injured more than 200. Investigations are still underway, but responsibility is likely to fall on the shoulders of Palestinian or Islamic militants.

These threads date back to colonial occupation by Britain in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. In this period, there were many competing political forces. King Faud I was installed as King of Egypt in 1922, the year Britain unilaterally declared Egyptian "independence". Britain still maintained effective power over the region, reinforced by their desire to control the Suez Canal. The nationalist Wafd was the leading post-World War I political organization, strongly opposed to the British Protectorate. The Communist
Party emerged in 1925. In 1928 the Muslim Brotherhood (Hizb Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimoon) was founded. This Islamic revivalist movement became a powerful political and religious force.

During the Second World War, when Egypt was used as the base of regional Allied operations, the Egyptian independence movement gained momentum, as did opposition to the state of Israel. Anti-British riots in 1952 were followed by a military coup led by Gamal Abdul Nasser. In June 1953 Egypt was declared a republic by Muhammad Najib, who had become President and Prime Minister in the coup. Nasser became Prime Minister in 1954 and was able to supervise the Evacuation Treaty under which the last of the British
forces were withdrawn.

During this time period, acts of terrorism were directed against the British Protectorate, which was in turn guilty of acts of political violence. Zionist terrorism to force the British from Palestine was also common and effective. Establishment of the state of Israel increased tensions in the region and, over time, has been a major source of terrorist activity.

Egypt and Israel clashed over the Suez Canal and border areas, and Palestinian guerillas used Egypt as one of their bases. Palestinian groups operating in Egypt included the Gama'a Islamiya, and the Abu Nidal Organization. Terrorist activities by these groups declined in the 1990s as Islamic militancy increased. Al-Jihad, now merged with al Qaeda, is the most militant of these, while the Muslim Brotherhood, which is no longer considered a terrorist organization, did undertake attacks against Israel and the governments that supported it.

Gama?a al-Islamiya (IG, Islamic Group, al-Gama'at) is the largest militant group in Egypt. The loosely organized network has been active since the late 1970s and has numerous connections with al Qaeda, including some level of funding. Beginning in 1997, internal leadership disputes over continued use of violence have split the organization. The main organization renounced violence in 2002, although dissidents may have continued participating in attacks. Egyptian Government has released more than a thousand prisoners,
many IG members. IG supporters are mainly in southern Egypt, but also in urban locations such as Cairo and Alexandria, where they are popular among unemployed graduates and students. It has a presence in Afghanistan, Yemen, the UK and other European countries.

IG conducted armed attacks against Egyptian security and other Government officials, Coptic Christians, and Egyptian opponents of Islamic extremism before the 1977 cease-fire. Afterwards, the faction led by Taha Musa launched attacks on tourists in Egypt, most notably the attack in November 1997 at Luxor, which killed 58 tourists and four Egyptians and wounded dozens more. That was its last confirmed attack inside Egypt, and was the largest until the Sharm al-Sheikh this week. IG claimed responsibility for the attempt in June 1995 to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The IG's spiritual leader, Shaykh Umar Abd al-Rahman, was sentenced to life in prison in the US in January 1996 for his involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. In February 1998, a senior member signed bin Laden?s fatwa calling for attacks against the United States.

Al-Jihad (AJ, Jihad Group, Egyptian Islamic Jihad, EIJ) has been active in Egypt since the 1970s. It was formerly led by Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy, and merged with al Qaeda in 2001, renaming itself Qaidat al-Jihad. AJ wants to overthrow the Egyptian Government and establish an Islamic state. It started operating in Cairo, but government crackdowns have forced most members abroad, where they are now in countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, and Yemen.

Traditional AJ targets were high-level Egyptian Government officials as well as US and Israeli interests in Egypt and abroad. They were responsible for the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and claimed responsibility for the attempted assassinations of Interior Minister Hassan al-Alfi in August 1993 and Prime Minister Atef Sedky in November 1993. AJ has not conducted an attack inside Egypt since 1993 and is not known to have successfully targeted foreign tourists there. AJ was responsible for the Egyptian Embassy bombing in Islamabad in 1995 and a disrupted plot against the US Embassy in Albania in 1998.

Abu Nidal Organization (ANO, Fatah Revolutionary Council, Arab Revolutionary Brigades, Black September, Revolutionary Organization of Socialist Muslims) was founded by Sabri al-Banna (Abu Nidal) after splitting from the Palestinian Liberation organization (PLO) in 1974. Although much smaller now, during its height in the late 1980s - early 1990s, they carried out attacks in 20 countries that resulted in nearly 900 casualties. In 1985 Egypt offered safehaven to the Achille Lauro hijackers in return for the
hostages' safety, after one had been killed. They did not target Egyptians, but in November 1985 they hijacked an EgyptAir plane flying from Athens to Malta. ANO had operational facilities in Egypt until they were shut down in 1999.

The Muslim Brotherhood, (Muslim Brothers, al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin, Jama'at al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun, Hizb Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimoon, al-Ikhwan, The Brothers) has been active since 1928. In the 1940s it sided with Palestinians against Israel and conducted terrorist attacks inside Egypt to protest their passivity against Zionists. After these attacks, the movement was banned and remains illegal today. Today it constitutes a popular movement that engages in politics through the Party of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb Al-Ikhwan
Al-Muslimoon, and has a number of seats in parliament, won by members running as independents. Although they no longer engage in violent acts, they have connections to domestic and international militant Islamic organizations.

On December 28, 1948 a Muslim Brother assassinated the Prime Minister of Egypt, Mahmud Fahmi Nokrashi. Brotherhood activists were also responsible for the attempted assassination of Egyptian President Nasser in 1954. and was executed, along with five other Brothers. Four thousand Brothers were also arrested, and thousands more fled to Syria, Saudia Arabia, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Not all attacks against Egyptian interests are tied to one of these groups. A suicide bomber attacked the Egyptian Embassy in Pakistan on November 19, 1995, killing 16 and injuring 60. Three militant Islamic groups claimed responsibility. Palestinian militants are believed responsible for the series of bombings on the Taba Hilton hotel on the Sinai peninsula in October 2004. Those attacks killed 34 and injured more than 100. There have also been numerous attacks by gunmen, many against tourists. In April 2005,
there were two suicide bombings directed against tourists.

Egypt has taken strong measures to counter terrorism, often at the expense of civil liberties and human rights. President Mubarak had repeatedly called for an international conference on terrorism prior to the September 11 attacks on the US. Today, the Egyptian and US governments cooperate on counterterrorism, law enforcement, information sharing, and mutual assistance. Egypt also cooperates with Israel to crackdown smuggler tunnels, clear sensitive border areas, and is working together regarding security after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Egypt has strong airport and port security measures, particularly for the Suez Canal.

Internally, Egypt has strengthened efforts against terrorist financing, including passing strong anti-money laundering legislation in 2002 and establishing a financial intelligence unit the following year. Judicial measures are harsh, with defendants tried in military tribunals or emergency courts. Often, this has resulted in sentencing of political opponents. Over the past several years, many of these have been released, including hundreds of TG members who rejected violence. These measures have been effective in
limiting overt activities of terrorist groups, but have not addressed the growth of Islamic militancy. Recent moves towards greater democratization and social inclusion may help change hearts and minds.

Further Reading:

HOW TO CONTACT US:

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

We look forward to hearing from you.
Editorial Team
TerrorismCentral
All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2005 by TerrorismCentral.