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Update on War Against Terrorism

Saudi Arabia's security forces have killed a man identified as one of al-Qaida's chiefs of operations. Khaled Ali Haj was known as the "most dangerous" al-Qaida operative in the region, is ninth on Saudi Arabia's list of 26 most wanted terror suspects PDF

and once served as a body guard to Osama bin Laden. A U.S. counterterrorism official said Haj's killing was a "major, very significant blow" to al-Qaida.

Saudi Arabia says killing of local al-Qaida chief shows success of anti-terror effort - By Associated Press - Tuesday, March 16, 2004

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia is making progress in its campaign against terrorism, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said Tuesday - a day after security forces killed the suspected chief of al-Qaida on the Arabian Peninsula.

The suspected militant was shot dead with an alleged accomplice in a Monday afternoon clash at a checkpoint in eastern Riyadh, the capital.

FULL STORY

Saudi Arabia says its security forces killed an al-Qaida leader in shootout in the capital

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's security forces have killed a man identified as al-Qaida's chief of operations on the Arabian Peninsula.

The man was killed with another alleged militant in a shootout Monday in the capital, U.S. and Saudi officials said.

The Saudi Interior Ministry identified the alleged chief of operations as Khaled Ali Haj, a Yemeni and the other militant as Ibrahim bin Abdul-Aziz bin Mohammed al-Mezeini, a Saudi.

Haj, who also uses the name Abu Hazim al-Sha'ir, was the ``most dangerous'' al-Qaida operative in the region, a ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He once served as a body guard to Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida.

SaudiArabia

Here's a little breaking news heads up on tonight

Chris Matthews on Hardball tonight: Let me ask you. Do you think McCain is seriously - and I mean this professionally - flirting with the idea of accepting a second place on the ticket with John Kerry, and creating a fusion ticket to run against the President.

Biden: .....I think that this is time for unity in this country, and maybe it is time to have a guy like John McCain - a Republican - on the ticket with a guy he does like. They do get along. And they don't have fundamental disagreements on major policies.

Matthews: Would you support that ticket ... for President?

Biden: I would. Yeah. If John Kerry said that's who he wanted, and McCain - I'd encourage McCain to say yes. I doubt whether John would do it. I doubt whether John McCain would do it. But, you know, we need some unity here, man. The red states and the blue states - we got to have something to coalesce around here.

President Bush and BC04 come out swinging today challenging Kerry to "back it up" with facts on which foreign leaders are supporting him...Plus, they've released a new ad in West Virginia slamming Kerry for being "wrong on defense".

Bush on Kerry: "If you're going to make an accusation in the course of a presidential campaign, you ought to back it up with facts" (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4540166/

Ratcheting up his criticism of John Kerry, President Bush accuses his Democratic rival of voting against American troops in a new television ad that begins airing Tuesday.(AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4540381/

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is not backing down from his claim that some foreign leaders privately support him against President Bush, dismissing suggestions by the White House that he is lying if he is not willing to identify the leaders. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040316/D81BGIGO0.html

Kerry says Bush using 9/11 as 'political prop'...Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry yesterday accused President Bush of playing politics with the September 11 terrorist attacks, telling a firefighters union that Mr. Bush has used homeland security as a "political prop." (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040315-102209-4165r.htm

Spain probes al-Qaida terror link...An international probe into the Madrid bombings sharpened its focus on al-Qaida terrorist cells Tuesday amid reports that police have identified five new Moroccan suspects and that a possible link to the Casablanca bombings has been found.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4502950/

The co-founder of a left-wing foreign policy think tank has told CNSNews.com that he was forced out of his job two years ago for complaining about the think tank's growing support of then-Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the financial connections between Aristide and the Congressional Black Caucus. (CNSNews.com) http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200403\NAT20040316a.html

Bush: Stay the course on terror war
President faces pressure domestically, in Europe
Tuesday, March 16, 2004 Posted: 6:03 PM EST (2303 GMT)

President Bush and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands talk to reporters at a White House news conference.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Under pressure at home and abroad, President Bush urged U.S. allies Tuesday to remain committed to the reconstruction of Iraq, vowing that terrorist attacks like last week's bombings in Spain "will never shake the will of the United States."

"It's essential that we remain side-by-side with the Iraqi people as they begin the process of self-government," Bush said in a White House appearance with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/16/bush.terror/index.html

Eight of escaped Cole bombing suspects recaptured
Tuesday, March 16, 2004 Posted: 4:25 PM EST (2125 GMT)

The attack on the destroyer USS Cole killed 17 American sailors.

SAN'A, Yemen (AP) -- Eight of 10 suspects in the 2000 bombing of a U.S. Navy destroyer who escaped from jail nearly a year ago have been recaptured, the government said Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/03/16/yemen.cole.suspects.ap/index.html

'Attack on London is inevitable'

· Tube, buses and pubs all potential targets, warns Stevens
· Public vigilance urged as huge security effort begins

Rosie Cowan, crime correspondent
Wednesday March 17, 2004
The Guardian

London's police chief warned yesterday of the ever-widening terrorist threat to the capital, stressing that bombers could strike not just on the rail or tube network but virtually anywhere - pubs, nightclubs, buses or roads.
Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan police commissioner, described the huge security effort, with hundreds of officers working at full stretch to try to prevent an atrocity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1170991,00.html

Passengers on Detroit Flight Exposed to Measles
By The Associated Press
March 15, 2004

DES MOINES, Iowa - Michigan and Iowa health officials issued warnings Saturday to passengers of flights from Amsterdam to Detroit and another flight from Detroit to Cedar Rapids, Iowa after a passenger contracted measles.

The infected person could have come in contact with as many as 200 people on the trans-Atlantic flight and up to 50 on the flight from Detroit to Cedar Rapids, health officials said Saturday night.

There will be a free immunization clinic at Detroit Metro Airport Monday for anyone who might have been exposed to the infected passenger.

http://www.wxyz.com/wxyz/nw_local_news/article/0,2132,WXYZ_15924_2730660,00.html