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Homeland Security


October 2003 Security News

  • Lockheed Martin Formally Delivers Coast Guard HC-130J Airlifters For Maritime And Homeland Security Missions Lockheed Martin 31 Oct 2003 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] formally delivered the first HC-130J Super Hercules airlifters to the Coast Guard in ceremonies here today. The new aircraft will serve in a number of roles for the Coast Guard, which now falls under the Department of Homeland Security. The new aircraft will eventually replace the service's oldest HC-130H long-range maritime patrol aircraft, a number of which were built in the early 1970s.
  • PRESS BRIEFING ON SANCTIONS AGAINST AL-QAEDA AND TALIBAN United Nations 31 Oct 2003
  • Powell-Central America VOA 31 Oct 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell flies to Panama Monday on a Central American mission that will also take him to Nicaragua and Honduras. The agenda for talks include security issues, narco-trafficking, and efforts to conclude a U-S-Central American free-trade accord by year's-end.
  • Transcript: Backgrounder on DoD Support to the 9/11 Commission 31 Oct 2003 -- "We have received from them over the course of the last few months something on the order of 10 formal requests for documentation and had made considerable progress toward getting them done. And I'll give you some indication of that as we go through it. We have about 20 people overseeing what we're doing with the Commission at this point. There are - that's on a day-to-day basis here -- there's about another 58 of them from different components who try to scare up the documents and vet them and record them and catalog them and prepare them for transport. And by the time you get done counting all the noses who have been involved in this in one fashion or another we've got probably 130 people or so who've been involved. And we're calculating something on the order of about 8,000 man-hours of time to date."
  • SOUTHEAST PIRACY VOA 31 Oct 2003 -- Sea pirate attacks worldwide have climbed to a 12-year high with the number of violent incidents increasing. This is causing particular concern in the busy shipping lanes of Southeast Asia.
  • INDONESIA / U-N SECURITY VOA 31 Oct 2003 -- The United Nations is moving from its long-standing headquarters in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, because of security fears. The move is just the latest change in a city where terrorism is an ever-present threat.
  • Ridge Praises Active German Role in War on Terror Washington File 30 Oct 2003 -- International terrorism has become the "new totalitarian threat" around the world and the United States is grateful to Germany for being an "active and vitally important participant in this global coalition" to defeat it, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge said in Berlin October 29.
  • State Dept. Official Reports Drop in Coca Cultivation in Colombia Washington File 30 Oct 2003 -- "Real progress" is being made in Colombia and throughout the Andean region against the "twin scourges" of heroin and cocaine, says Robert Charles, the U.S. State Department's assistant secretary of state for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
  • Southcom Chief Optimistic About Situation in Colombia Washington File 30 Oct 2003 -- The commander of the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), General James T. Hill, says he is "guardedly optimistic" that Colombia's government will be able to establish security and stability in the Andean nation.
  • Crucial Stage in Drug War Reached, State Department Official Says Washington File 30 Oct 2003 -- The war on drugs has reached a crucial stage, in part due to the positive performance of a U.S.-sponsored aerial eradication effort in Colombia to destroy illicit crops such as coca, says Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Robert Charles.
  • WTC/ PROJECT REBIRTH VOA 30 Oct 2003 -- The first phase of a new transportation hub at the World Trade Center site is scheduled to open by the end of November. But other aspects of rebuilding at the site remain unclear as developers, area residents, and city and state officials debate issues of design and space. Meanwhile, every step of the process is being recorded on cameras.
  • U.S.: Diplomat Sees Growing Terrorism Challenge In Central Asia RFE/RL 30 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. diplomat in charge of relations with Central Asia says terrorism and religious extremism are growing challenges in the region, along with democratization and economic liberalization.
  • INDONESIA / MARRIOTT ARRESTS VOA 30 Oct 2003 -- Indonesian police have arrested two suspect terrorists believed to be behind the suicide bombing of the J-W Marriott hotel in Jakarta in August. /// OPT /// But they narrowly missed a pair of the most dangerous men in Southeast Asia: the two men who built both the Marriott and the Bali bombs
  • JAPAN/CULT LEADER VOA 30 Oct 2003 -- Lawyers for Shoko Asahara, the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, began their final arguments in a trial that has dragged on for more then seven years. He is accused of masterminding a deadly gas attack on the Tokyo subway system, along with several other crimes.
  • EDITORIAL: ANSAR AL-ISLAM IN IRAQ VOA 30 Oct 2003 -- Ansar al-Islam, or A-I, is an extremist Muslim terrorist group operating in Iraq. It has ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida. The A-I terrorists want to impose on Iraq a repressive regime similar to that of the former Afghan Taleban. And it is becoming clear, says U.S. Lieutenant General Norton Schwartz, that Answar al-Islam is willing to work with the bitter-enders of the Saddam Hussein regime
  • U.S. Citizen Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Assisting al Qaeda Washington File 29 Oct 2003 -- An American citizen was sentenced to 20 years in prison October 28 for providing material and information support to the al Qaeda terrorist organization.
  • U.S., Regional Governments Cooperating Against South Asian Terrorism Washington File 29 Oct 2003 -- Through increased cooperation and information sharing with regional allies the United States is working to "bring down" terror networks in South Asia, said the State Department's Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs Christina B. Rocca.
  • Washington File 29 Oct 2003 -- International efforts are needed to combat the transnational threat of terrorism, says Matthew P. Daley, deputy assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
  • IRAN / AL-QAIDA VOA 29 Oct 2003 -- Iran says it will not share its intelligence on suspected al-Qaida members with the United States, in spite of several requests from Washington.
  • JAPAN/CULT VOA 29 Oct 2003 -- A former senior member of the doomsday cult that carried out a deadly nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system in 1995 was sentenced to die by hanging on Wednesday for his role in that crime and others. The decision comes one day before lawyers will give their final defense in the trial of Shoko Asahara, the group's leader.
  • AFGHAN/OPIUM VOA 29 Oct 2003 -- The United Nations drug office says opium production in Afghanistan has increased this year and is threatening peace and security in the region.
  • INDONESIA / J-I TRIAL VOA 29 Oct 2003 -- Indonesia has begun prosecuting the newest alleged leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group. Abu Rusdan is accused of hiding one of the Bali bombers after last year's deadly attack.
  • OAS SECURITY PLAN VOA 29 Oct 2003 -- The Organization of American States has agreed on an overall security declaration to coordinate 34 countries in combating terrorism, drug trafficking, and organized crime. The organization has ended its two-day conference Tuesday in Mexico City.
  • Boeing To Help Protect Cargo Entering Port of New York/New Jersey Boeing 29 Oct 2003 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) has been selected by the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey to implement a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Operation Safe Commerce pilot program, further expanding the company's position in the homeland security market. The announcement was made today at the U.S. Maritime Security Expo in New York City.
  • Ridge Says Worldwide Resolve Required to Combat Terrorism Washington File 28 Oct 2003 -- America's goal to do everything possible to avoid another September 11 terrorist attack "has and will affect how we engage the rest of the world," Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge said October 28, adding that no one country "can be truly safe without the cooperation and like-minded commitment from all others."
  • New Entry-Exit System for Visitors to U.S. Will Be Fast and Effective Washington File 28 Oct 2003 -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) demonstrated new procedures that will require most visitors traveling on visas to the United States to have two fingerprints scanned by an inkless device and a digital photograph taken by immigration officials upon entry at U.S. air and seaports starting January 5, 2004.
  • U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program Washington File 28 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released October 28 the following fact sheet on the new U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US--VISIT) program that will become operational in 2004 to process visitors visas at airports and seaports as they enter the United States.
  • U.S. Calls on Iran to Turn Over Suspected Al-Qaida Operatives Washington File 28 Oct 2003 -- State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters October 27 that the United States calls on Iran to turn over all suspected Al-Qaeda operatives to the United States, their countries of origin, or third countries for interrogation and trial. He was speaking during the regular State Department briefing.
  • BUSH ISLAM VOA 28 Oct 2003 -- President Bush is once again reaching out to Muslims, seeking their support for the war on terrorism. He called attention to the qualities of charity, sacrifice and strong personal faith that he says are so much a part of Islam.
  • O-A-S / SECURITY VOA 28 Oct 2003 -- Foreign ministers and senior officials from 34 Organization of American States countries -- meeting in Mexico City -- are poised to approve a new security plan for the Americas.
  • Iran: Tehran Says It Will Not Hand Over Al-Qaeda Detainees RFE/RL 28 Oct 2003 -- Iran today rejected a U.S. demand to hand over senior Al-Qaeda operatives in its custody. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi called the U.S. demands unacceptable.
  • Asefi: Arrested Al-Qaeda members to stand trial in Iran IRNA 28 Oct 2003 -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi on Tuesday rejected a US demand for extradition of Al-Qaeda members who are now in custody in Iran.
  • UN says: Iran reports to Security Council Committee on efforts to block Al-Qaeda, Taliban IRNA 28 Oct 2003 -- Iran has turned over a list of `suspicious persons` to a United Nations Security Council committee overseeing sanctions against Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the Taliban, said a press release issued by the United Nations Information Center here on Tuesday.
  • SAUDI/TERROR THREAT VOA 28 Oct 2003 -- The U-S Embassy in Riyadh is cautioning American citizens in Saudi Arabia to be vigilant, saying it had information about further planned terrorist attacks against western targets in the kingdom.
  • Treasury Department Announces New Terrorist Designations Washington File 27 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. Treasury Department added three individuals to its list of terrorists October 24. The department designated Mokhtar Belmokhtar, Mustapha Nasir Ait El Hadi, and Djamel Lounici as terrorists based on their involvement with a terrorist organization active in Algeria.
  • Iran reports to Security Council committee on efforts to block Al-Qaida, Taliban UN News Centre 27 Oct 2003 -- Iran has turned over a list of "suspicious persons" to a United Nations Security Council committee overseeing sanctions against Usama bin Laden, Al-Qaida and the Taliban.
  • BRITAIN / ASYLUM VOA 27 Oct 2003 -- Britain has announced new proposals that could treat asylum seekers who arrive without identity papers as criminals.
  • Iran has provided UN with names of 225 al Qaeda suspects: Asefi IRNA 26 Oct 2003 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said here on Sunday that Iran has provided the UN with the names of 225 people whom it had repatriated to their respective countries on suspicion of membership in the al-Qaeda terror network.
  • OAS/SECURITY VOA 26 Oct 2003 -- Foreign Ministers and other top officials from 34 countries are meeting in Mexico City Monday (today) for a two-day Special Conference on Security in the Americas. The two-day meeting will focus on threats such as terrorism, drug-trafficking and organized crime, as well as concerns about the effects of severe economic problems and environmental disasters.
  • SAUDI SECURITY VOA 25 Oct 2003 -- The United States, Britain and Australia have all posted warnings that terrorists could soon strike again in Saudi Arabia.
  • U.S. Urged to Consider Impact of Visa Requirements on Travel, Tourism Washington File 24 Oct 2003 -- U.S. lawmakers heard testimony from government officials October 23 on progress in implementing reforms in the U.S. visa-issuing process designed to enhance security controls, but also heard warnings against making visa application requirements so stringent or time-consuming that they discourage travel to the United States.
  • U.S. Announces Final Maritime Security Rules Washington File 24 Oct 2003 -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says that new maritime industry security requirements will strengthen protection of the United States and its ports, waterways and ships from terrorist attacks.
  • U.S.-Pakistan Cooperation Against Terrorism VOA 24 Oct 2003 -- In focus today: US-Pakistan Relations. Even though Pakistan is a U-S ally in the fight against global terrorism, some of the leading terrorist organizations are based in that country. At a recent conference in Washington D.C., political analysts and scholars said cooperation between the United States and Pakistan is crucial in thwarting international terrorism.
  • O-A-S / SECURITY VOA 24 Oct 2003 -- The Organization of American States (O-A-S) convenes a two-day meeting of foreign ministers Monday for what is being called a Special Conference on Security. A high level U-S official says the gathering will focus on security threats to the Americas, ranging from terrorism to drug trafficking.
  • U.S.: Washington Struggles To Wage Effective Financial War On Terror RFE/RL 24 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. war against international terrorism is two years old. Many members of Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other groups have been killed in battle in Afghanistan or arrested, including some identified as senior members of the groups. But terrorist attacks have stubbornly persisted, indicating that as some leaders or low-ranking members are caught, there are more to take their places. And terrorist groups apparently can still afford to continue their operations, despite efforts to crack down on the groups' financial networks.
  • EDITORIAL: BRINGING TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE VOA 24 Oct 2003 -- One of Asia's most wanted terrorists, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi [fah-TOOR ROW-mahn ahl GOH-zee], bomb expert for the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group, was killed in the southern Philippines on October 13th in a shoot-out with government security forces seeking to recapture this escaped criminal. Al-Ghozi was arrested in January 2002 for plotting a series of terrorist attacks on Western targets in Southeast Asia, including the U.S. Embassy in Singapore. He is believed to have planned the August 2000 bombing of the home of the Philippine ambassador to Indonesia and the December 2000 bombing of a passenger train in Manila. Two dozen people were killed in those attacks.
  • Rome asks Pakistan to add 16 Italians to Al-Qaeda list IRNA 24 Oct 2003 -- Italy has asked Pakistan to add 16 Italian nationals to a United Nations consolidated list of Al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects for their arrest.
  • PHILIPPINES TERRORISM VOA 24 Oct 2003 -- Philippine President Gloria Arroyo says the Southeast Asian terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, is now the country's top security threat.
  • Iran`s report on Al-Qaeda, Taliban released in UN IRNA 23 Oct 2003 -- A report on Al-Qaeda and Taliban prepared and submitted by Iran to the United Nations Security Council was released here as an official document on Wednesday.
  • U-S TERROR LAW VOA 23 Oct 2003 -- Nearly two-years after its passage by Congress, the sweeping anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act continues to spark fierce debate among lawmakers in Washington and throughout the United States.
  • Ridge Takes Steps to Enhance U.S. Waterway, Port Security AFPS 23 Oct 2003 -- New maritime security rules are approved and published, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced today at a meeting of industry leaders in Wilmington, Del.
  • Central Asia: Is Assistance Enough To Tackle Drug Trafficking? RFE/RL 23 Oct 2003 -- James Callahan, from the UN agency for combating the trafficking of narcotics and organized crime, today ended a three-day visit to Tajikistan, where he has reviewed the implementation of counter-narcotics projects.
  • Bush, Indonesia's Megawati Denounce Linking of Terrorism and Religion Washington File 22 Oct 2003 -- President Bush and Indonesia's President Megawati Soekarnoputri denounced the linking of terrorism with religion, and reaffirmed "a new era of cooperation" between their two democracies, said a joint U.S.-Indonesian statement released after the two leaders met October 22 in Bali, Indonesia.
  • EDITORIAL: THAILAND FIGHTS TERRORISM VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- Thailand is one of many Asian countries helping in the war against terrorism. President George W. Bush was in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The Thai people understand, he said, that the terrorist threat affects civilized nations everywhere
  • Raytheon Company is Working With Israel Aircraft Industries' Elta Systems for Homeland Security Competition to Equip Commercial Aircraft Against Missile Threat Israel Aerospace Industries 22 Oct 2003 -- Following is a Raytheon Company news release issued October 15, 2003:
  • BUSH / BALI VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- President Bush has made a brief visit to Bali, praising Indonesia as a partner in the fight against terrorism and assuring Muslim leaders that Islam is not the target of the anti-terrorism war. In his three-and-half hour stay, Mr. Bush also pledged support for Indonesia's fledgling democracy.
  • BRITAIN / GUANTANAMO VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair says action is expected soon on the legal status of nine British terrorist suspects held by the U-S military in Cuba.
  • BUSH / BALI VOA 22 Oct 2003 -- President Bush has arrived on Bali amid unprecedented security to show support for Indonesia's anti-terrorism efforts. He will meet with Muslim and government leaders during his very brief time on the ground.
  • Blair defends continuing detention of Camp X-Ray prisoners IRNA 22 Oct 2003 -- Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday accepted that the issue of over 650 prisoners being held illegally by the US at its Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba had to be resolved soon but defended their continuing detention.
  • APEC Announces Important Commitments on Security Washington File 21 Oct 2003 -- The leaders of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies have agreed to new security commitments to dismantle terrorist groups, eliminate the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and confront other direct threats to the security of the region. These security commitments will complement APEC's landmark 1994 Bogor Goals on free trade and investment, according to a fact sheet released by the White House October 21.
  • PEARL MURDER VOA 21 Oct 2003 -- The Wall Street Journal newspaper reports that U-S officials believe that the man who planned the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks also murdered reporter Daniel Pearl last year.
  • EDITORIAL: A MESSAGE TO TERRORISTS VOA 21 Oct 2003 -- The U.S.-led coalition has sent a message: If you harbor a terrorist, if you support a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorist. The extremist Taleban regime learned the hard way. Today, the Taleban are no longer in power and Afghanistan is no longer a haven for al-Qaida terrorists.
  • Powell: Bin Laden Tape 'Encourages' Coalition Participation AFPS 20 Oct 2003 -- Despite their apparent goal of scaring the international community away from supporting the coalition in Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Oct. 19 that new tapes purportedly from Osama bin Laden will have the opposite effect.
  • BIN LADEN TAPE VOA 20 Oct 2003 -- U-S intelligence officials believe an audio-tape of a voice claiming to be Osama bin Laden broadcast Saturday by the Al Jazeera television network is probably authentic.
  • CHINA U-S HEALTH VOA 19 Oct 2003 -- The United States is asking China to be more open in its reporting of disease figures, including those on AIDS and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
  • BUSH / BIN LADEN TAPE VOA 19 Oct 2003 -- President Bush says a new audiotape, purportedly by terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, shows that the fight against terrorist violence must continue. The tape threatens more attacks against Americans as well as countries that support U-S efforts in Iraq. Mr. Bush made his comments in Thailand, where he is telling a regional economic forum that greater security is essential for economic development.
  • POWELL / APEC / TERRORISM VOA 18 Oct 2003 -- U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell, at preparatory talks for the APEC summit of Pacific Rim nations, has urged the 21-member grouping to play a greater role in the fight against terrorism.
  • Powell Says U.S. Wants APEC To Address Security Issues Washington File 17 Oct 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, briefing reporters October 17 en route to a ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Bangkok, said the United States is trying to move APEC toward a "broader agenda" that addresses security issues as well as economic issues.
  • Treasury Dept. Designates Network of Cali Drug Cartel Front Companies Washington File 17 Oct 2003 -- The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added 39 businesses acting as front companies for the Colombia-based Cali drug cartel and 95 individuals associated with the cartel and its activities through front companies to the Department's list of Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs).
  • AIRLINES SEARCHED VOA 17 Oct 2003 -- A search has been ordered on every commercial airliner in the United States after box cutters -- the same weapon used by the September 11th hijackers two years ago -- were found aboard jets in Houston and New Orleans. The F-B-I, at this stage, does not think the find was part of a terrorist plot.
  • World: Let The Games Begin -- But Not Before Security Concerns Are Hurdled RFE/RL 17 Oct 2003 -- The Greek capital Athens is making feverish preparations for the 2004 Olympic Games, which get under way next August. As the preparations proceed, the focus is slowly moving away from whether various stadiums and swimming pools will be finished on time, to the burning question of how to provide security for thousands of athletes and hundreds of thousands of spectators. In today's troubled world, the games present a tempting target for terrorists.
  • APEC: COSTS OF TERRORISM VOA 17 Oct 2003 -- Australia is issuing a special report warning that failure to address terrorism will hurt economies across the Asia Pacific region. Terrorism and security are at the top of the agenda during the current Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.
  • PHILIPPINES / BUSH SECURITY VOA 17 Oct 2003 -- Philippine officials are finalizing preparations for President Bush's visit Saturday. Security is the government's top priority amid fears of a terrorist attack.
  • Al-Qaeda terrorists committed crimes in Iran, president IRNA 17 Oct 2003 -- President Mohammad Khatami said on Friday that Iran has never sheltered members of al-Qaeda on its territory and will never do so.
  • U.S. Designates Indian Crime Lord as Al Qaida-linked Terrorist Washington File 16 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. Treasury Department says it has designated Dawood Ibrahim, an Indian crime lord for the past two decades, as a global terrorist with links to Al Qaida, and will request that the United Nations list him as well.
  • U-N/Counter Terrorism VOA 16 Oct 2003 -- The head of the U-N counter-terrorism committee said Thursday many states are late in submitting reports on how they are fighting terrorism.
  • APEC: THAILAND SECURITY VOA 16 Oct 2003 -- Thailand has carpeted its capital in security for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit - taking unprecedented and elaborate precautions to thwart any terrorist activity during the forum.
  • INDONESIA TERRORISM VOA 16 Oct 2003 -- Dozens of people have turned out to welcome home the body of Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi, one of South East Asia's most notorious terrorists. His body was bought back to his hometown in Indonesia after he was shot and killed by security forces in the Philippines Sunday.
  • PAKISTAN AL-QAIDA VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- Pakistan says it killed one of al-Qaida's top leaders in its operation against the terror network earlier this month.
  • AFGHAN POL VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- In requesting new aid for Iraq, the Bush administration also included assistance for Afghanistan. However, Afghan officials say the amount is not enough to fund massive reconstruction of the country.
  • Al-Qaida, Taliban money laundering 'more sophisticated' - UN committee chair UN News Centre 15 Oct 2003 -- Financial transactions of Al-Qaida and the Taliban have become more "sophisticated" to avoid detection, sometimes involving the use of a centuries-old system, according to the head of the United Nations Security Council's committee overseeing sanctions against the two groups.
  • SAUDI/ARRESTS VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- Authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested 150 people after unprecedented protests in Riyadh. But the country's Interior Minister is downplaying the event in the monarchy, where such protests are banned.
  • U.S. Designates Pakistan's Al Akhtar Trust as Terrorist Support Group Washington File 14 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. Treasury Department designated the Pakistani-based Al Akhtar Trust as a terrorist support organization October 14 and called upon the United Nations to follow suit with a similar designation.
  • SYRIA AND TERRORISM VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- Israeli planes bombed a terrorist training camp in Syria. The strike was retaliation for a terrorist suicide bombing at a restaurant in Haifa in which nineteen people, including children were murdered. Islamic Jihad, long harbored in Syria, claimed responsibility for the killings in Haifa. Syria has also given safe haven to other terrorist groups, including Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command. U-S officials say that terrorists operating out of Syria have also targeted Americans. Under Secretary of State John Bolton says that "Syria permitted volunteers to pass into Iraq to attack and kill our service members during the war and is still doing so." Will Syria continue to support terrorists?
  • U-S DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- The commission investigating the terrorist attacks of September 11th,2001 is hearing a number of proposals - some of them from current and former top intelligence officials -- about possible changes to the U-S intelligence structure. But talk of changes in the vast intelligence structure is far easier than actually revamping it.
  • U-S TERROR INTEL VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- Some former U-S intelligence officials are urging major changes in intelligence-gathering in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The recommendations are being considered by the independent commission investigating the September 11th attacks.
  • SAUDI/MILITANTS VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- Saudi Arabia says it has handed over to the United States at leaset three American nationals wanted for possible links with terrorists. The Saudi government also is cracking down on suspected Muslim militants and tightening border security.
  • KENYA / BOMBING SUSPECTS VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- In Nairobi, two more suspects have been charged with murder for their alleged roles in last year's deadly terrorist attack on an Israeli-owned hotel in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa.
  • AL GHOZI KILLED VOA 13 Oct 2003 -- One of Asia's most wanted terrorists has been killed in a clash in the southern Philippines, three months after his escape from prison. The Philippine government is hailing this as a triumph in its war against terrorism.
  • SAUDI/MILITANTS VOA 13 Oct 2003 -- Saudi authorities have arrested a group of armed militants as they tried to cross into Iraq. The arrests follow claims by Iraqi police that some Saudi nationals have been involved in deadly attacks in Iraq.
  • BALI / BOMBING ANNIVERSARY VOA 12 Oct 2003 -- Families of terrorist attack victims on the Indonesian island of Bali have marked the first anniversary of the car bombing that killed more than 200 people and devastated tourism. Australian Prime Minister John Howard Sunday laid a wreath at the site of the attack after attending a ceremony that reflected the cultures and religions of those who died.
  • BALI COMMEMORATION VOA 11 Oct 2003 -- Preparations are nearly complete for the commemoration event marking the anniversary of the Bali terrorist bombings. More than 200 people were killed in the bombings on October 12th, 2002. The police are warning that terrorists are still active in Indonesia and that they are maintaining tight security across the island.
  • Bush sop too little, nothing significant: Indian FM IRNA 11 Oct 2003 -- India`s external affairs ministry officials were not "particularly impressed" by the American President, George W Bush, "remembering to include Indian cities" among the list of cities hit by terrorist attacks since the global war against terrorism was launched, local press reported here Saturday.
  • U.S. Marks One-Year Anniversary of Terrorist Bombings in Bali Washington File 10 Oct 2003 -- Following is the text of a statement issued by the Department of State October 10 on the one-year anniversary of the terrorist bombings in Bali, Indonesia
  • White House Defends Guantanamo Policy Washington File 10 Oct 2003 -- Asked to comment on the reported statement by a senior official of the International Committee of the Red Cross that there should be a time limit for deciding on the charges against prisoners detained at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said: "First of all, let's remember these individuals are enemy combatants. These individuals are terrorists or supporters of terrorism, and we are [at] war on terrorism. And the reasons for detaining enemy combatants in the first place, during a war, is to gather intelligence and make sure that these enemy combatants don't return to help our enemies plot attacks or carry out attacks on the United States."
  • U-S GUANTANAMO VOA 10 Oct 2003 -- The U-S military has filed formal charges against a Muslim chaplain who worked with terrorist suspects being held at the U-S Navy Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
  • U-S CURRENCY VOA 10 Oct 2003 -- A new U-S 20-dollar bill has been introduced. The redesigned banknote went into circulation on Thursday, but may take some time to show up everywhere. New technologies have made counterfeiting easier.
  • EDITORIAL: KENYA FIGHTS TERRORISM VOA 10 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. and Kenya are both threatened by terrorists and both have suffered.
  • GUANTANAMO/RED CROSS VOA 10 Oct 2003 -- A senior Red Cross official says the continuing detention of more than 600 terrorist suspects at the Guantanamo U-S Naval base in Cuba is "unacceptable." U-S officials say the suspects are considered "enemy combatants," and can be held as long as necessary.
  • Head of Security Council Al-Qaida sanctions committee begins mission UN News Centre 10 Oct 2003 -- The chairman of the United Nations Security Council's committee on sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban today begins a round of visits in Europe, Asia and the Middle East to coordinate action against the two groups.
  • Southeast Asia Counterterrorism Center Now Fully Operational Washington File 09 Oct 2003 -- The following information about the Southeast Asia Regional Center for Counterterrorism (SEARCCT) based in Malaysia was prepared and posted in response to a question taken earlier on October 8 at the daily State Department briefing
  • Security Features of Newly Designed $20 Bill Washington File 09 Oct 2003 -- The following October 9 fact sheet from the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) outlines the security features of the newly designed $20 bill
  • U.S. Issues New $20 Bill Featuring Color, Added Security Washington File 09 Oct 2003 -- The newly designed U.S. $20 bill went into circulation October 9, featuring subtle background colors and other new security features that aim to thwart potential counterfeiters.
  • BALI ANNIVERSARY / WIDOWS VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- It has been a year since the bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali killed more than 200 people and brought the scourge of international terrorism to Southeast Asia. Although most of the victims in the attacks were foreign tourists, several dozen were Indonesians, mostly workers at the Sari nightclub or taxi drivers waiting outside. Because of a relatively weak government support system, the families of these victims were among the hardest hit by the tragedy.
  • GLOBAL DRUG FIGHT VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- The top White House official in the war against drugs says he is optimistic about fighting the global trade in illegal substances.
  • BALI ANNIVERSARY / TERRORISM VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- A year after the devastating attacks on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, Indonesia is getting praise for arresting and convicting those directly responsible for the country's worst terror attack. But while Indonesia has made a major turn around in addressing the terrorist threat to the region, some analysts believe the country still has a long way to go.
  • BALI ANNIVERSARY / TOP COP VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- Amid the rubble of the Bali bombings of October 2002, one ray of hope emerged for Indonesia. General I Made Mangku Pastika, the chief investigator into the bombings, may have become the catalyst for changing the perception of Indonesia as a nation of corruption and inefficiency.
  • BALI ANNIVERSARY / TOURISM VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- It has been one year since the fatal terrorist attack on Bali, Indonesia. More than 200 people died in the twin bombings of a nightspot popular with tourists. Despite the tragedy, experts in security and tourism are optimistic the island is now a safer place with good prospects for economic expansion.
  • BALI ANNIVERSARY / INVESTIGATION VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- Within weeks after the devastating October 12th, 2002 attack on a Bali nightclub killed 202 people, Indonesian police - with help from Australian, U-S and British investigators - had taken a suspect into custody. One year later, with more than 36 men arrested and key plotters tried and sentence to death, Indonesian authorities spared no effort to let the world know they were responding in the war on terrorism.
  • U-S / COLOMBIA/ KIDNAPPED VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- A Bush administration official is calling for leftist rebels in Colombia to immediately release three Americans held hostage since February.
  • Gulfstream Infrared Countermeasure System – Effective Deterrent to Runway Terrorism General Dynamics 08 Oct 2003 -- Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), remains the only business jet manufacturer currently offering a Federal Aviation Administration-certified countermeasure device to deter shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles.
  • PHILIPPINES / SECURITY VOA 07 Oct 2003-- In the Philippines, three policeman and one Muslim guerilla are dead after a hostage stand-off at the National Police headquarters. The guerrilla, a suspected member of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group and a prisoner at the police station, was apparently attempting to escape
  • The Importance of Counterterrorism Cooperation in Regional & Sub-Regional Organizations US Dept. of State 07 Oct 2003 -- Ambassador Cofer Black, Coordinator For Counterterrorism, Remarks to the Organization of American States, Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE)
  • U-S / GUANTANAMO PROBE VOA 07 Oct 2003-- Investigators examining possible security breaches at the U-S Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba are now considering the possibility that interrogations of hundreds of suspected Taleban and al-Qaida detainees have been sabotaged by interpreters
  • OAS Calls for Coordinated Global Approach to Combat Terrorism Washington File 07 Oct 2003-- Addressing an anti-terrorism meeting at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington, El Salvador's Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Eugenia Brizuela has called for a coordinated global approach to combating international terrorism, according to an OAS press release.
  • U-S / GUANTANAMO PROBE VOA 07 Oct 2003-- Investigators examining possible security breaches at the U-S Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba are now considering the possibility that interrogations of hundreds of suspected Taleban and al-Qaida detainees have been sabotaged by interpreters
  • HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS VOA 07 Oct 2003-- The U-S Department of Homeland Security has awarded 17 grants to local communities around the United States to improve emergency communications systems. One such grant, for six million dollars, went to Sioux City, Iowa
  • U.S.: Military Probes Security At Base In Cuba After Three Arrested RFE/RL 06 Oct 2003 -- The Pentagon is investigating security at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba after three men who worked there were detained with what are described as classified documents. Suspected Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters are being held at Guantanamo Bay, and one general says he hopes the three arrests do not mean the presence of a large terrorist cell at the base.
  • UN Treaty Against Organized Crime VOA 06 Oct 2003-- The first treaty to fight organized criminal groups around the world is now a part of international law. The treaty went into effect last week. It is called the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
  • U-S / KENYA VOA 06 Oct 2003-- President Bush and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki met at the White House Monday to discuss joint anti-terror efforts
  • Pak intelligence agencies quiz 18 detained Al-Qaeda suspects IRNA 04 Oct 2003 -- The Pakistani intelligence agencies began interrogation of 18 Al-Qaeda suspects as the army ended its largest operation in tribal area of the country on Friday.
  • UK terrorist suspect says he was threatened with torture by CIA IRNA 04 Oct 2003 -- An Iraqi-born British citizen arrested as a suspected terrorist says that US agents threatened him with beatings and rape in an attempt to break him, according to the Guardian newspaper.
  • ASIA / SARS VOA 03 Oct 2003 -- The World Health Organization says that Taiwan's SARS outbreak earlier this year effected only half as many people as originally reported
  • PAKISTAN / AL-QAIDA VOA 03 Oct 2003-- Military officials in Pakistan say they have killed eight suspected al-Qaida militants and have arrested another 18 in what is being described as the largest-ever operation against the international terrorist network
  • U.S. Says LTTE Is Continuing Terrorist Activities Washington File 03 Oct 2003-- The United States has determined that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), although engaged in a peace process with the Sri Lankan government, continues to engage in terrorist activities and will therefore be subject to U.S. sanctions under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  • TAMIL REBELS / U-S TERROR VOA 03 Oct 2003-- The United States has re-designated Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels a terrorist organization - even as efforts continue to revive the stalled peace process
  • U.S. Redesignates 25 Foreign Terrorist Organizations Washington File 02 Oct 2003-- Secretary of State Colin Powell has redesignated 25 groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said October 2.
  • PAKISTAN / AL-QAIDA VOA 02 Oct 2003-- Pakistani troops have killed at least 12 suspected al-Qaida militants and arrested a dozen others in their largest offensive against the international terrorist network. At least one Pakistani soldier has been killed and two have been injured by the fighting in a rugged tribal region, known as Angor Adda, near the border with Afghanistan
  • PENTAGON/GUANTANAMO VOA 02 Oct 2003-- The top U-S military commander says he is not surprised that at a time of war, terrorists or their supporters are apparently trying to infiltrate the special U-S military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba
  • SAUDI TERROR CONNECTION VOA 02 Oct 2003-- More than two years after the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, questions remain about who knew what and when. A new book out by Gerald Posner says three members of the Saudi royal family and the former head of Pakistan's air force knew Al Qaeda was planning a terrorist attack on U-S soil that day and failed to warn American authorities
  • THAILAND/MISSILES VOA 01 Oct 2003-- Thailand said Wednesday it is hunting for several surface-to-air-missiles smuggled into the country from Cambodia. Although Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is dismissing the matter as rumor, some authorities fear the weapons could be used to disrupt this month's meeting in Bangkok of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, or APEC
  • Dept. of Homeland Security Gains Authority in Visa Policy Washington File 01 Oct 2003-- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking authority for most visa policy, under provisions of the Homeland Security Act passed in 2002. DHS and the Department of State have completed a memorandum of understanding which defines the new relationship between the two agencies.
  • Bush Signs $31 Billion Homeland Security Bill AFPS 01 Oct 2003-- President George W. Bush today signed legislation providing $31 billion for Homeland Security purposes for fiscal 2004.
  • THAILAND/MISSILES VOA 01 Oct 2003-- Thailand said Wednesday it is hunting for several surface-to-air-missiles smuggled into the country from Cambodia. Although Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is dismissing the matter as rumor, some authorities fear the weapons could be used to disrupt this month's meeting in Bangkok of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, or APEC
  • SOUTHCOM / GUANTANAMO VOA 01 Oct 2003-- The Defense Department's Miami-based Southern Command is sending an investigative team to its prison facility at Guantanamo Bay to look into suspected security lapses



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