January 2003 Security News

Bush Proposes Expanded Drug Treatment Washington File 31 Jan 2003 -- Expanding treatment for drug addiction was among the initiatives announced by President Bush in his State of the Union message January 28. The President proposes $600 million for the program, estimating that it will provide addiction treatment for 300,000 Americans.
Wolfowitz Warns Terrorists Could Get Weapons of Mass Destruction Washington File 31 Jan 2003 -- Weapons of mass destruction under the control of a government that deals with terrorists could ultimately end with the terrorists, according to Deputy Secretary of State Paul Wolfowitz.
U.S. Releases Annual Narcotics Certification Report Washington File 31 Jan 2003 2003 -- The United States has listed Burma, Guatemala, and Haiti as nations that have "failed demonstrably" during the past year to meet their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.
Burma, Guatemala, Haiti Failed in Drug War Cooperation, U.S. Says Washington File 31 Jan 2003 2003 --The Bush Administration has determined that Burma, Guatemala, and Haiti have "failed demonstrably" over the last year to do what is necessary to counter international narcotics trafficking.
UN health agency issues guidance to minimize terror threats to food UN News Centre 31 Jan 2003 -- The United Nations health agency today released guidance to help national governments establish mechanisms to minimize potential terrorist threats against food supplies.
GUATEMALA/U-S DRUGSVOA 31 Jan 2003 -- The Bush administration has dropped Guatemala from a list of nations that cooperate with the U-S war on drugs. The decision has not been well received by the Guatemalan government. It says it objects to Washington's annual evaluations of the country's performance in anti-narcotics work.
GEORGIA/U-S/TERRORISM VOA 31 Jan 2003 -- A second group of Georgian recruits has begun training in an anti-terrorism program led by the U-S military. The program aims to eradicate Islamic militants officials believe may be hiding out in the Pankisi Gorge region of Georgia, near Chechnya.
ITALY/TERRORISM VOA 31 Jan 2003 -- Twenty-eight Pakistanis have been charged with terrorist offenses after being arrested in Italy this week. This is the second terror related sweep in Italy in two weeks. Police believe the men were part of an al-Qaida terrorist cell, but Pakistani officials dispute that.
EDITORIAL: GOING AFTER JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH VOA 31 Jan 2003 -- Indonesian authorities have now implicated the Southeast Asian terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, in the October 12th Bali terrorist attack. More than one-hundred ninety people were killed when bombs exploded in a popular nightclub district filled with tourists.
W-H-O/FOOD THREATVOA 31 Jan 2003 -- The World Health Organization is warning countries that they must do more to prevent terrorist attacks on food supplies.
AUSTRALIA/INDONESIA VOA 31 Jan 2003 -- Police say arrests in last year's terrorist bombings on the island of Bali helped them foil another planned attack in Indonesia. Authorities believe several key suspects are senior operatives of Jemaah Islamiyah - a Southeast Asian terrorist network.
PENTAGON/AL-QAIDAVOA 31 Jan 2003 -- U-S intelligence officials say there is no evidence that the al-Qaida terrorist network ever built a so-called "dirty bomb" -- an explosive device that could spread deadly radioactive debris.
State Department Briefing on the President's FY 2003 Narcotics Certification Determinations 31 Jan 2003 -- Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the State Department. Acting Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Paul Simons is here this afternoon to talk to you about President Bush's Narcotics Certification Determinations for Fiscal Year 2003.
PRESS CONFERENCE BY TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO United Nations 30 Jan 2003
Congressional Hearing Highlights Border Security Shortcomings Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing entitled "U.S. Borders: Safe or Sieve?" January 30 to access the security of U.S. borders and examine ways to strengthen homeland security.
Powell Says U.S. "Very Sensitive" to Pakistani Concerns over NSEERS Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell has praised Pakistan for its cooperation in the global war against terrorism and given assurances to Pakistani Foreign Minister Mian Khursid Mahmud Kasuri that the U.S. is "very sensitive" to Pakistan's concerns about the new NSEERS (National Security Entry-Exit Registration System) program.
INS Seeks Eligible Individuals to Apply for Permanent Residency Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) announced a public outreach campaign on January 27 to encourage thousands of eligible individuals to apply for permanent residency status.
DeLay Says Confronting Saddam Hussein Part of War on Terrorism Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- For the second most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives, the question about Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein isn't whether he has weapons of terror, but how he will use them.
Pakistan Group Lashkar I Jhangvi Designated as Terrorist Organization Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- The United States joined the Government of Pakistan in designating Lashkar I Jhangvi as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, subject to sanctions under the U.S. Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.
Cheney Calls Confronting Iraq "Crucial" To War Against Terror Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- Vice President Dick Cheney praised the ongoing war against al Qaeda and other terrorist groups and said the Bush Administration's confrontation of Iraq was "crucial" to winning the wider war against terrorism.
U-S/PAKISTAN/TERROR VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- The United States has designated the Pakistan-based Muslim extremist group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi as a foreign terrorist organization. The State Department says the group was behind numerous acts of terror, including last year's kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.
EDITORIAL: POWELL ON TERRORISM VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- Shortly after the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks on America, the United Nations Security Council passed resolution one-three-seven-three. It outlined the basic obligations of nations in the global war against terrorism.
U-S/HOMELAND SECURITY VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- U-S Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge says federal authorities must work together, and embrace new challenges to safeguard domestic security in an era of global terrorism.
SHOE BOMBER/SENTENCE VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- A federal court judge in Boston today (Thursday) sentenced Richard Reid, the so-called shoe bomber, to life in prison for trying to blow up an American Airlines flight in December of 2001.
U-S/PAK/IMMIGRATION VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri urged the United States to exempt his country from new rules requiring men from some countries to register with U-S immigration authorities. The foreign minister made the request this week during a visit to Washington.
SPECIAL ENGLISH ENVIRONMENT REPORT Pollution Stations to Test for Biological Attacks VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- Workers in the United States have begun deploying a new system to test for biological weapons. The system, called Bio-Watch, would provide early warning if smallpox, anthrax or other deadly organisms are released into the air.
ASIA/SEA PIRACY VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- Piracy and maritime terrorism are on the rise, but shippers are finding new ways to fight back.
Designation of Lashkar I Jhangvi as a Foreign Terrorist Organization State Department 30 Jan 2003 -- Today I am taking another important step in our campaign to eliminate the scourge of terrorism. I am designating the Lashkar I Jhangvi as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under U.S. law. I am also adding the group to those already covered by Executive Order 13224.
Fact Sheet: Bush to Create Terrorist Threat Integration Center Washington File 29 Jan 2003 -- President Bush is creating a new terrorist threat intelligence center, combining elements of several different government agencies, to provide assessments of the terrorist threat for the U.S. national leadership, according to a White House fact sheet.
Customs Chief Lauds Sweden for Joining Container Security Initiative Washington File 29 Jan 2003 -- Sweden has agreed to participate in the U.S. Customs Container Security Initiative (CSI), U.S. Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced in Gothenburg January 28 at a ceremony with Director General of the Swedish Customs Service Kjell Jansson.
U.S. Expands Container Security Initiative to Sweden Washington File 29 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Customs Service has announced it has expanded to Sweden its container security initiative (CSI) aimed at preventing terrorists from using cargo containers to smuggle weapons of mass destruction into the United States.
State Dept. Official Says OAS Anti-Drug Strategy is Proving Effective Washington File 29 Jan 2003 -- A system created to measure the effectiveness of counter-drug programs in each of the 34 member nations of the Organization of American States (OAS) is improving the capacity of Western Hemisphere governments to combat illegal drugs.
2 added to Security Council list of Al-Qaida, Taliban operatives under sanctions UN News Centre 29 Jan 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council committee monitoring sanctions imposed against the Taliban has added two more individuals to its list of persons and entities subject to the sanctions because of their links to the group or other terrorist operatives.
BALI BOMBING BASHIR VOA 29 Jan 2003 -- Indonesian police may be tightening the noose on an alleged militant leader suspected of involvement in last October's deadly bomb attack on the island of Bali. Authorities say they will investigate the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Bakar Bashir.
Bush Announces Intention To Designate Acting Officials Washington File 28 Jan 2003 -- President George W. Bush late January 27 announced his intention to designate the following individuals to serve as members of his administration:
BALI BOMBING/JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH VOA 28 Jan 2003 -- Indonesia's national police chief has for the first time directly implicated the Southeast Asia terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, in the October 12th Bali bomb attack. He also says detained Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir had given his blessing to J-I's violent operations.
I.M. DESTLER VOA 28 Jan 2003 --Tom Ridge, the director of the new U-S Department of Homeland Security was sworn in last week. His department already faces big questions about funding and how to convince reluctant members of Congress to approve more money than has already been appropriated.
White House Cites Links Between al Qaeda and Iraq Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- Speaking shortly before United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix delivered his report on Iraq to the U.N. Security Council, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleisher said the Saddam Hussein regime continues to give the U.N. inspectors the runaround.
RADICAL ISLAM VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Some long-time observers of the Middle East believe the voices of radical Islam are overpowering those of more moderate Muslims, who outnumber radicals and are a potentially more powerful force.
Byliner: Beating Terror, by Senator Richard Lugar Washington File 26 Jan 2003 -- In the 16 months since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the United States has taken a number of steps -- in the military, security and intelligence areas -- that greatly improved its ability to fight the war on terrorism. What it has not done is develop a plan or demonstrate the political will to win the war.
U-S/TERRORISM VOA 26 Jan 2003 -- A Bush administration official says anti-terrorism efforts in the United States are working, and will further improve, once the newly created Department of Homeland Security is up and running. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card also says he thinks there is a relationship between Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and terrorism.
INTERNET ATTACK VOA 26 Jan 2003 -- Asia is hit hard by a weekend attack on the Internet. Security experts say the so-called software worm affected millions of people, some of them not even directly connected to the Internet.
KUWAIT/SHOOTING VOA 25 Jan 2003 -- Shots were reportedly fired Saturday morning near a U-S military convoy outside of Kuwait City, but there were no reports of injuries.
New Anti-Drug Media Program Begins in U.S. Washington File 24 Jan 2003 -- The Super Bowl, the national American football championship game, usually draws one of the largest television audiences of any program broadcast throughout the year. When that game is played this year on January 26, viewers will also see the debut of a new anti-drug media campaign being launched by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
Ridge Becomes First U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Washington File 24 Jan 2003 -- Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge became the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security as the new cabinet-level department -- comprising 22 federal agencies and 170,000 employees -- launched operations January 24 to bolster efforts to protect the United States from terrorist attack.
U.S. Designates Two as Terrorists Linked to Jemaah Islamiayah Washington File 24 Jan 2003 -- The United States has designated and blocked the assets of two men linked to the terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiayah, says State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
Ridge Sworn in as Homeland Security Secretary AFPS 24 Jan 2003 -- Vice President Dick Cheney swore in Tom Ridge as the nation's first secretary of Homeland Security at a White House ceremony today. President Bush said during remarks after the ceremony that Ridge, a decorated Vietnam veteran, is "a superb leader who has my confidence."
SOMALIA/REFUGEES/TERRORISM VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- Somali refugees living along Kenya's border with Somalia deny reports their camps have become a recruiting and training ground for Muslim extremists.
U-S-Expatriates Warning VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- In an unusual move, the United States is advising expatriate citizens around the world to be prepared for possible emergency evacuations from their countries of residence because of conflict, terrorist attacks, or other unforeseen circumstances.
SPAIN/AL-QAIDA VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- Spanish police have arrested 16 suspected members of two groups allegedly linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network. Madrid police say the suspects have ties with Islamic militants recently arrested in France and Britain.
U-S/EXPATRIATES WARNING VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- The United States is advising its citizens living abroad to be prepared for possible emergency evacuations from their countries of residence.
BUSH/HOMELAND SECURITY VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- President Bush has welcomed the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Bush called for creation of the new agency following the September 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.
DAVOS/TERRORISMVOA 24 Jan 2003 -- U-S Attorney General John Ashcroft has told delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that there must be greater global cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Mr. Ashcroft told delegates that preventing terrorist attacks must be the number one global priority.
PETER SINGER VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- Authorities in Kuwait are holding a 25-year-old Kuwaiti citizen who...they say...has confessed to the attack on two American civilians Tuesday. One died in the attack. The other was seriously wounded. Both were working for the American military at the U-S military base known as Camp Doha. The man in custody...according to the Kuwaiti officials...has also admitted being a supporter of the al-Qaida terrorists.
BRITAIN/TERRORISM VOA 24 Jan 2003 -- Britain is hailing police raids against suspected Islamic terrorists in Spain and Italy. At the same time, British police continue to interrogate four North African men arrested on terrorism charges in a raid on London's most controversial mosque.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 24 Jan 2003 -- Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. If I can, at the top I would like to mention that the United States has designated and blocked the assets of two individuals linked to the terrorist organization Jemaa Islamiyah under our Executive Orders. The two are Nurjaman Riduan Ismuddin -- commonly known as Hambali -- and Mohamad Iqbal Abdurrahman -- commonly known as Abu Jibril. Both have close ties to al-Qaida and I will give you much more information in writing after this about these individuals as well as the legal authorities that were used to block their assets.
Davidson: U.S. Antiterror Law Will Not Abridge Constitutional Rights Washington File 23 Jan 2003 -- The rights of free speech and free press codified in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution will not be abridged by any provisions in anti-terrorism legislation, American diplomat Douglas Davidson told the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna January 23.
ITALY/ARRESTS VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Italian news reports say five Moroccans have been arrested in northeastern Italy for possession of one-kilo of plastic explosive. Police say the suspects also had maps showing sensitive targets in the area.
DAVOS/MAHATHIR VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- The United States is being criticized at the World Economic Forum in Davos over its policy on possible war with Iraq. On Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed shocked the opening session of the elite forum by telling the United States, in his words, out-terrorizing the terrorists will not work.
KUWAIT/ATTACK VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Saudi officials say a Kuwaiti man has been arrested for Tuesday's shooting of two Americans near Kuwait City, and he has reportedly been handed over to Kuwaiti authorities. The arrest, which took place along the Kuwaiti-Saudi border, is drawing praise from U-S officials.
U-S/KENYA TERROR VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- The commanding officer of the U-S led task force in the Horn of Africa says a war against Iraq would not affect military efforts to hunt down suspected terrorists in the region.
KUWAIT ATTACK VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- Kuwaiti officials say the suspect arrested following Tuesday's ambush of two Americans in Kuwait has confessed.
U-S/DEPORTATION CASE VOA 23 Jan 2003 -- In the days and weeks following the September 11th terrorist attacks, U-S authorities reported a sharp rise in hate crimes directed at immigrants and people of Middle Eastern descent. In one tragic incident, a 46 year old man from Pakistan was shot and killed as he worked at a Texas convenience store. Now his wife and four daughters face an uncertain future because U-S Immigration authorities say they have no right to be in the United States.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 23 Jan 2003 -- Migration and Security Issues
Malaysia Signs On to Container Security Initiative Washington File 22 Jan 2003 -- The Malaysian government has agreed in principle to participate in the U.S. Customs Container Security Initiative (CSI), according to a January 21 news release from the U.S. Customs Service.
U.S. Donates $1 Million to Combat Terrorism in Western Hemisphere Washington File 22 Jan 2003 -- The United States is pledging $1 million to the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (known by its Spanish acronym, CICTE) "to nurture CICTE's growth as a technical body devoted to increasing counterterrorism expertise in the Americas," U.S. Customs Commissioner Robert Bonner has announced.
U.S. Senate Confirms Ridge to be Secretary of Homeland Security Washington File 22 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly confirmed President Bush's nomination of Tom Ridge to be the first secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security, which pulls together 22 federal agencies and 170,000 employees to bolster the nation's security against potential terrorist attacks and other national emergencies.
Loy Calls for New Approach to Transportation Security Washington File 22 Jan 2003 -- A top U.S. Transportation Department official has called for a more integrated, consistent approach to transportation security.
Boucher Says INS Registration Not Directed Against Any Country or Group Washington File 22 Jan 2003 -- State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told the press on January 22 that the National Security Entry Exit Registration System (NSEERS) is "not directed against any particular country or any group of particular nationals," but is intended to help the U.S. "maintain appropriate control over our borders." Boucher was speaking at the regular State Department noon briefing.
National Emergency Renewed on Terror Groups Opposed to Peace Process Washington File 22 Jan 2003 -- President Bush has renewed the national emergency with regards to terrorist groups opposed to the Middle East peace process and will continue economic sanctions against them. The national emergency was first declared in 1995 and must be renewed every six months in order to remain in effect.
RIDGE CONFIRMATION VOA 22 Jan 2003 -- The Senate has voted unanimously (94 to zero) to confirm Tom Ridge as Secretary of the new Homeland Security Department.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 22 Jan 2003 -- Bangladesh INS Registration and U.S. Security Concerns, Pakistan Special Consideration for War on Terrorism for INS Registration Program.
Powell Meets with Italy's Frattini on Iraq, Terrorism Washington File 21 Jan 2003 -- Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said January 21 that Italy would support the United States if a war is necessary to disarm Iraq.
U.N. Security Council Calls for Intensified Fight Against Terrorism Washington File 21 Jan 2003 -- Declaring its resolve to intensify the fight against terrorism, the Security Council January 20 unanimously adopted a resolution calling on all nations to redouble their efforts -- at both the national and international levels -- to stop the scourge.
South Korea Signs On to Container Security Initiative Washington File 21 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Customs Service announced in a press release January 17 that the South Korean government has agreed in principle to participate in the U.S. Customs Container Security Initiative (CSI).
RUSSIA/MICROSOFT VOA 21 Jan 2003 -- Russia will soon get a chance to look at the closely-guarded source code for Microsoft's Windows computer operating system. This comes as part of the company's policy to allow governments to improve the security of the software they use.
KUWAIT/SHOOTING VOA 21 Jan 2003 -- An American civilian has been killed and another wounded in an ambush near Kuwait City.
BRITAIN/TERRORISM VOA 21 Jan 2003 -- Senior British officials have issued new and dire warnings about terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
BUSH/MEXICO SECURITY VOA 21 Jan 2003 -- High level talks were held at the White House Tuesday on improving security along the U-S Mexican border. Tom Ridge met with Mexico's Interior Minister Santiago Creel.
TANZANIA: Terror warnings hit Zanzibar economy IRIN 20 Jan 2003 -- As Western countries last week warned their citizens travelling to Zanzibar of possible terror attacks, Tanzanians say tourism on the archipelago has already been affected, even though no attack has occurred.
PRESS CONFERENCE BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF FRANCE United Nations 20 Jan 2003
War on Terrorism Must Be Intensified, Powell Says Washington File 20 Jan 2003-- The war on terrorism must be waged "at every level, with every tool of statecraft, for as long as it takes," Secretary of State Colin Powell told the United Nations Security Council January 20.
High-level Security Council meeting calls for urgent action against terrorism UN News Centre 20 Jan 2003 -- Foreign Ministers meeting at the United Nations Security Council today called for all countries to take urgent action to prevent and suppress all active and passive support to terrorism, and to comply fully with Council resolutions dealing with the scourge.
UN must play increasing role in thwarting terror, Annan tells Security Council UN News Centre 20 Jan 2003 -- As the United Nations Security Council met this morning for a high-level debate on combating terrorism, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the attending foreign ministers that the UN must play an increasing role in dissuading would-be-perpetrators of terror by setting effective international norms.
MEXICO/DRUGS VOA 20 Jan 2003 -- In Mexico, federal authorities are investigating corruption in one of the most elite anti-narcotics agencies, after raids last week produced tons of unregistered drugs at some agency offices. The latest actions have reinforced criticism of Mexico's law enforcement system.
UN/TERRORISM VOA 20 Jan 2003 -- The U-N Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution and declaration urging U-N member states to take urgent action to combat global terrorism.
BRITAIN/TERRORISM VOA 20 Jan 2003 -- British anti-terrorist police are questioning seven suspects arrested in a raid on a controversial London mosque. Police report they confiscated a stun gun, a gun that shoots blanks, and an illegal gas similar to teargas during the raid. They also seized computers and tested for chemical weapons as they widen an anti-terrorist sweep throughout Britain.
REDCROSS/PRISONERS VOA 18 Jan 2003 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross is appealing to U-S authorities to reconsider the legal status of hundreds of suspected al-Qaida and Taleban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba. The I-C-R-C is the only independent group allowed to visit the prisoners.
PAKISTAN/U-S TERROR POLICY VOA 18 Jan 2003 -- Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, traveling to Washington for official talks, says he hopes to get Pakistan's name removed from a list of countries, whose nationals are required to register with U-S immigration authorities.
Security Council improves Al-Qaida sanctions regime UN News Centre 17 Jan 2003 -- Stressing the obligation of all States to work together urgently to prevent and suppress terrorist acts, the United Nations Security Council moved unanimously today to improve implementation of the sanctions regime imposed on Usama bin Laden, Al-Qaida, the Taliban and their associates.
PLAGUE TEST VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- Scientists in France and Madagascar have developed an easy, reliable test to diagnose the plague, a sometimes fatal disease most common in developing countries, but feared to be a potential bioterrorist weapon.
RUSSIA/TERRORISM VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov says nations involved in the fight against terrorism must work harder to safeguard dangerous weapons. If they don't, he says, there is a real risk that members of al-Qaida could gain access to nuclear devices or other weapons of mass destruction.
EDITORIAL: U-N ANTI-TERROR PROGRESS REPORT VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- The United States will not rest until Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network and all other global terrorist groups are tracked down and destroyed. As President George W. Bush said to the United Nations General Assembly, "There is no corner of the earth distant or dark enough to protect them."
PAKISTAN/U-S IMMIGRATION VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- Under a new U-S anti-terrorism policy, citizens of Pakistan residing in the United States are among the foreign nationals who have until February 21st to report for fingerprinting and registration. The program affects men over the age of 16 who come from countries that Washington believes are sponsors of terrorism or in which terrorists have sought refuge. Many Pakistanis are reluctant to register with U-S immigration authorities and a number are instead opting to return home.
INDONESIA KELLY VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- U-S Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly is in Indonesia, for talks on security measures and anti-terrorism efforts. The visit comes amid a new controversy over the U-S-led war on terror.
GUATEMALA/US VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- Guatemala is facing a possible suspension of U-S aid for failing to cooperate in the war on drugs. The country risks being included on a U-S list of "decertified" nations that do not cooperate in the drug war.
IMMIGRATION IN AMERICA VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- Over the next 50 years, the population of the United States is expected to grow to more than 400 million from an estimated 288 million people today. About two-thirds of this increase will come from immigration. Many Americans say their country will be unable to handle such a population explosion. They fear America's economy won't expand rapidly enough to provide jobs for all U-S citizens along with the new immigrants. They worry that infrastructure, public schools and health care will suffer.
ITALY/CHEMICALS VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- Italian customs police are examining a 50-ton cargo of industrial chemicals bound for Libya. They suspect the material was to be used to produce weapons of mass destruction.
PHILIPPINES/U-S TROOPS VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- American troops are preparing for another mission in the Philippines to train elite forces how to hunt terrorist groups. The southern Philippines has been plagued by violent Muslim separatists, kidnappers and suspected Southeast Asia terrorist cells.
CONGRESS/HOMELAND SECURITY VOA 17 Jan 2003 -- A U-S Senate panel has approved President Bush's nominee to head the new Homeland Security Agency, Tom Ridge. He is now expected to receive easy confirmation in the full Senate.
AIRLINES/MISSILES VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- Here in the United States, federal air safety officials are growing increasingly concerned about the threat of terrorists acquiring hand-held missiles and shooting down airliners, something that has been tried at least twice in the past year.
BRITAIN/TERRORISM VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- Britain has announced another arrest related to an anti-terrorist sweep in which a policeman was murdered earlier this week. British media say the accused murderer is a suspected ringleader of a terrorist plot that authorities continue to investigate.
U-S/TERRORISM/TECHNOLOGY VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- The U-S Department of Homeland Security is expected to spend close to six-billion dollars on information technology in the next two years. The money is designed to help the new agency detect, prevent and respond to terrorist attacks against the United States. But some experts, including top officials in the new department, are warning there must be a balance between gathering enormous amounts of information and protecting the civil liberties of the American people.
CONGRESS/TERRORISM/DATA VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- A group of U-S lawmakers is seeking to block a Pentagon program aimed at identifying potential terrorists in the United States by establishing an information database on Americans.
BRUCE HOFFMAN, TERRORISM AND SECURITY EXPERT WITH THE RAND CORPORATION VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- Responding to a report in the Washington Post newspaper, the White House says it is working on plans to prevent terrorists from shooting down commercial airliners with shoulder-fired missiles. Spokesman Ari Fleischer says some steps have already been taken to prevent such attacks, but for security reasons those steps must remain secret. Bruce Hoffman is a terrorism and security expert with the Rand Corporation and states that the government has needed to be more "pro-active" in protecting airliners.
INS/EXTENSION VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- U-S authorities are giving thousands of foreign visitors from 18 predominantly Muslim countries a second chance to register with immigration officials. Authorities are also expanding the list of countries, whose citizens are required to register.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 16 Jan 2003
EDITORIAL: AL-QAIDA ROUNDUP VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- The worldwide roundup of al-Qaida terrorist suspects continues. Canadian authorities have detained a terrorism suspect named Mohammed Harkat. Harkat reportedly has ties to key al-Qaida leaders, including Abu Zubaydah, the terrorist network's chief operational planner who is now under arrest. Harkat has also been linked to the Muslim World League and the International Islamic Relief Organization, two Saudi-based charitable groups suspected of being fronts for funding terrorists. Harkat has announced his loyalty to the Armed Islamic Group. The Armed Islamic Group is an Islamic terrorist organization dedicated to the overthrow of the Algerian government.
INDIA/MISSIONARY ATTACK VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- In southern India, an American missionary has been attacked and injured by suspected Hindu hard-liners. A member of a radical Hindu group has been arrested in connection with the attack.
U-S IMMIGRANTS VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- Lawyers for a young South Korean man went before the U-S Supreme Court Wednesday to challenge a law that allows the government to indefinitely detain legal immigrants who commit crimes inside the United States. The case could have implications for the government's war on terrorism.
INDONESIA EXPLOSIVES VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- Indonesian police have uncovered a cache of weapons and explosives at the house of a man accused of hiding one of the suspects in the Bali bombing.
HORN OF AFRICA/TERRORISM PACT VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- Ethiopia, Sudan, and Yemen announced earlier this week they are forming an organization to combat terrorism in the Horn of Africa. It is not clear how the group will interact with the U-S military, which is already in the area to enhance regional security.
PAKISTAN DOCTOR AL-QAIDA VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- Authorities in Pakistan accuse a detained physician and his family of "harboring" prominent members of the al-Qaida terrorist network.
ASIA MONEY LAUNDERING VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- Southeast Asian countries are cracking down on money laundering and illegal terrorist financing by upgrading banking regulations. There is still much to be done to halt the illegal transfer of funds and improve regional security.
BRITAIN/TERROR VOA 15 Jan 2003 -- British police are questioning three North African men arrested in a raid that killed one policeman investigating suspected terrorists linked to the discovery of a deadly poison in London.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 15 Jan 2003 -- Human Rights and Russia.
HUMAN RIGHTS/TERRORISM VOA 14 Jan 2003 -- The U-S human rights monitoring group Human Rights Watch says the United States effort to defeat terrorism has weakened the global human rights cause.
HORN OF AFRICA: "Stage set for success" in counter-terrorism, US says IRIN 13 Jan 2003 -- US military commanders have said counter-terrorism activities in the Horn of Africa region over the last 30 days have "set the stage for success".
U.S. Immigration Authorities Tighten Visitor Registration Requirements Washington File 13 Jan 2003 -- U.S. immigration authorities are implementing tightened registration procedures on foreign visitors in a policy designed to enhance national security while continuing to allow foreign visitors to enter the United States.
Text: U.S. Praises German-FBI Cooperation on Terrorism Investigation Washington File 13 Jan 2003 -- Following is a January 10 statement by Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller on the arrest of suspects in Frankfurt as part of an ongoing terrorism-related investigation between the FBI and German law enforcement.
Fact Sheet: U.S. Customs Expands Financial Crime Task Force Washington File 13 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Customs Service has announced both the domestic and international expansion of a multi-agency financial crime task force targeting financial systems used by terrorist organizations. Following is the January 9 fact sheet containing details of the operation and its expansion:
BRITAIN/TERRORISM VOA 13 Jan 2003 -- British anti-terrorist police have made six more arrests amid reports the suspects are linked to last week's discovery of a deadly toxin in a London apartment.
OPPENHEIMER TERRORISM VOA 13 Jan 2003 -- British police have arrested six more people on terrorism charges, although a police spokesman would not confirm that the arrests are linked to the recent discovery of the deadly toxin ricin in a London apartment. Andrew Oppenheimer (AH-pen-HY-mer) is a consultant on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons for Jane's Information Group -- which publishes Janes Defence Weekly. Speaking by phone from London, Mr. Oppenheimer tells News Now's Rebecca Ward that Ricin is not very hard to create.
EUROPE/TERROR VOA 13 Jan 2003 -- The discovery of the lethal poison, ricin, in a London apartment last week was the most recent incident in an anti-terror campaign that British and French security sources say is increasingly focused on Algerian immigrants. Many Algerian extremists are reportedly moving from France to Britain as French security services crack down on their activities in France.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 13 Jan 2003 -- Egypt Abu Abbas Update
New INS Rules for Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian Nationals Washington File 10 Jan 2003 -- The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) announced a new rule that will provide permanent resident status to as many as five thousand eligible individuals from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
NUCLEAR PLANT/SAFETY/NEW YORK VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- A new, independent report charges that emergency planning at nuclear power plants in New York is inadequate to protect people from a disaster, including a terrorist attack. Findings call for changes to emergency response procedures at nuclear plants following the September 11th attacks.
I-N-S Protest VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- Friday was the deadline for nationals of many Arab and Muslim countries who are in the United States temporarily to register with U-S immigration officials. An earlier phase of the program led to hundreds of detentions and sparked protests on the West Coast. As thousands registered around the United States.
FRANCE/ARREST VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- French police say a man arrested at a Paris airport after explosives and weapons were found in his car was the victim of an elaborate scheme to get him in trouble. The man has been released from custody and his original accuser is now in jail. What police feared was a terrorist plot has apparently turned out to be a family feud.
U-S/IMMIGRANTS VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- Thousands of predominantly Arab or Muslim men lined up at U-S immigration offices around the country to register with American authorities under a post-September 11 crackdown. Friday was the deadline for the second phase of a three-stage process to require temporary male visitors from countries that have been identified as either state-sponsors of terrorism or nations that have been known to harbor terrorists, to register with U-S authorities.
YEMENI-AMERICAN/PLEA VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- One of six Yemeni-Americans arrested near Buffalo, New York last September on suspicion of belonging to an al-Qaida terrorist cell has agreed to plead guilty to charges of supporting the network headed by Osama bin Laden.
GERMANY/TERROR ARRESTS VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- German federal police have arrested two suspected members of the al-Qaida terrorist organization at an airport hotel in Frankfurt. The German Justice Ministry says the two men were arrested at the request of the United States.
FBI/RICIN ALERT VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- The F-B-I has alerted police departments across the United States to be on the lookout for the deadly toxin ricin. A special bulletin was sent out just days after British authorities discovered traces of the substance in a London apartment.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 10 Jan 2003 -- Fight Against Terrorism, Afghanistan, and Egypt.
TERROR TECHNOLOGY/WHAT'S IN A NAME? VOA 09 Jan 2003 -- U-S anti-terrorism rules require airlines and immigration services to check traveler's names against an ever-expanding list of terror suspects and criminals. But how can you match a foreign name when that name can be spelled many different ways in English?
HEZBOLLAH VOA 09 Jan 2003 -- Analysts say in the run-up to war against Iraq, the United States may be overlooking a more immediate and tenacious enemy: the Lebanese Muslim group Hezbollah. Some argue that money is being funneled to Hezbollah from cell operations around the world, including small-town America. How much of a threat is this group to global security?
BRITAIN/SE ASIA TERROR VOA 09 Jan 2003 -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has told Indonesians that the war on terror is a war between order and chaos rather than a clash between the West and the Islamic world. Not all of his listeners were convinced.
TERRORISM/LEGAL VOA 09 Jan 2003 -- The Bush administration won a major legal victory this week as part of the war on terrorism. A federal appeals court upheld the government's right to indefinitely detain an American citizen captured as an enemy combatant on the battlefield.
TERRORISTS/SOUTH AMERICA VOA 09 Jan 2003 -- The commander of the U-S Southern Command, General James Hill, today [Thursday] confirmed reports that Islamic terrorist groups are operating in the tri-border area of South America, where Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil converge.
PAKISTAN/AL-QAIDA VOA 09 Jan 2003 -- Police in Pakistan say they have arrested several al-Qaida suspects after a shootout in the southern city of Karachi.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 09 Jan 2003 -- Egypt, Kenya, Algeria.
THE YEAR IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM INTERNET VOA 08 Jan 2003 -- Al-Qaida, the terrorist network responsible for the September 11th, 2001, attacks in New York and outside Washington, no longer has a safe haven in Afghanistan. Its leaders are either dead or on the run. But al-Qaida is not out of business. Terror cells around the world continue to plot and carry out acts of sudden violence. The last year has seen terror bombings in Mombassa, Kenya; Bali, Indonesia; Karachi, Pakistan; Kabul, Afghanistan; Manila in the Philippines; and in Israel.
EDITORIAL: TERRORISM IN TEL AVIV VOA 08 Jan 2003 -- Terrorists have struck again in Israel. On January 5th in Tel Aviv, two Palestinian suicide bombers killed about two dozen people and wounded more than one-hundred. The two attacks took place almost simultaneously near a bus station. One terrorist set off a bomb at a bus stop, and the second blew himself up on a crowded pedestrian mall. Several terrorist organizations have claimed responsibility for these heinous acts.
DEMOCRACY VS. TERRORISM VOA 08 Jan 2003 -- After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, security took on a new urgency for the United States. Some have worried that the focus on fighting terrorism would lead the U-S to abandon its commitment to promoting democracy and human rights abroad. But the U-S has affirmed that democratic freedoms and the protection of human rights are a key defense against the bitterness and frustration exploited by terrorists. According to Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, strengthening democracy around the world is a priority for our national security and foreign policies.
U-S/ENEMY/COMBATANTS VOA 08 Jan 2003 -- A U-S federal appeals court has ruled that the government can jail U-S citizens as enemy combatants during wartime without the normal constitutional protections given most Americans involved in criminal proceedings.
BRITAIN/TERRORISM VOA 07 Jan 2003 -- British anti-terrorist police have arrested six men for questioning after finding traces of a deadly toxin in a London residence.
Daily Press Briefing State Department 07 Jan 2003 -- United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Terrorism.
JORDAN/SENTENCE VOA 05 Jan 2003 -- A Jordanian military court has upheld a guilty verdict and death sentence for a Jordanian-American man convicted of planning to carry out poison-gas attacks on American and Israeli targets in Jordan three-years ago.
EDITORIAL: ANOTHER ATTACK IN YEMEN VOA 03 Jan 2003 -- U.S. investigators have joined authorities in Yemen searching for those responsible for the murders of three American missionaries at a Baptist hospital in the southern Yemeni town of Jibla.
THE YEAR IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM INTERNET VOA 03 Jan 2003 -- Al-Qaida, the terrorist network responsible for the September 11th, 2001, attacks in New York and outside Washington, no longer has a safe haven in Afghanistan. Its leaders are either dead or on the run. But al-Qaida is not out of business. Terror cells around the world continue to plot and carry out acts of sudden violence. The last year has seen terror bombings in Mombassa, Kenya; Bali, Indonesia; Karachi, Pakistan; Kabul, Afghanistan; Manila in the Philippines; and in Israel. How goes the world's fight against terrorists? I'll ask my guests, Elaine Shannon, correspondent for Time magazine, and author and defense analyst David Isby. Welcome and thanks for joining us today. Elaine Shannon, how do you assess the year's efforts against terrorism?
Daily Press Briefing State Department 02 Jan 2003 -- Canada.
PHILIPPINES BOMB VOA 01 Jan 2003 -- A blast ripped through a crowd in the southern Philippine city of Tacurong on New Year's Eve, killing nine and injuring at least thirty others. Police have not yet identified who is responsible for the attack, which comes amid heightened security for New Year celebrations.

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list

Homeland Security

January 2003 Security News