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Terrorism Summary 03/31/06

Activity picking up in the Southeast Asia Region (Philippines and Indonesia). Spring offensive continues in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Iran continues to inch closer to a final showdown with the west. According to their president, they will have the bomb within the year. However, as noted earlier, there is a 30-day grace period in effect following the UNSC resolution for the cessation of uranium enrichment (which was soundly refused by Iran). The hammer is going to fall soon, but will it be Israel or the US pulling the trigger first?

Let me know if you want on or off the Ping list.

03/03/06 Current National Homeland Defense threat level is YELLOW

1. Attack threat windows - America
03/31/06 None currently identified. There were concerns about an attack in the month of March. However, nothing has panned out.

03/03/06 Secondary windows: None currently identified.

2. Attack Indicators - America
03/31/06 A lot of big talk on Jihadi sites, but nothing is really standing out yet.

3. Current Terrorist Operations

AQ / OBL
03/30/06 Osama Bin Laden’s former bodyguard certain he is planning a new attack against the U.S.... DEVELOPING...
http://www.drudgereport.com/
Godzilla note: Loyal follower cannot think of anything else. No doubt that OBL is trying to put something together.

03/27/06 There is enough evidence to suggest that the al-Qaeda terrorist network is preparing to engage in biological warfare, according to the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol. At an Asian Bioterrorism Workshop in Singapore, Interpol said that bioterrorism cannot be ignored and that countries need to develop the laws to deal with such a crime.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.280587382&par=0

Cartoon Intifada
A gang of young Muslims wielding iron rods has forced a Paris cafe to censor an exhibition of cartoons ridiculing religion, the owners of the establishment said Friday.
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A group of 27 Danish Muslim organizations have filed a defamation lawsuit against the newspaper that first published the carricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, their lawyer said Thursday. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday, two weeks after Denmark’s top prosecutor declined to press criminal charges, saying the drawings that sparked a firestorm in the Muslim world did not violate laws against racism or blasphemy.
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Note: The Cartoon Jihad links have been updated here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602656/posts?page=23#23
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In the wake of the cartoon jihad and mosque-on-mosque violence in Iraq, most Americans now think Islam has more violent believers than any other faith. Yet many still view it as a "peaceful religion."
Psychologists might call this cognitive dissonance — a state of mind where rational people essentially lie to themselves. But in this case, it's understandable. In our politically correct culture, criticizing any religion, even one that plots our destruction, is still taboo. And no one wants to suggest the terrorists are driven by their holy text.
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A senior Anglican priest was forced to resign as editor of a Welsh church magazine because he allowed an image of Mohammed to be published alongside an article calling for tolerance among all faiths, according to the Guardian.
The Venerable Meurig Llwyd Williams, archdeacon of Bangor, included a cartoon showing Mohammed sitting on a cloud with God and Buddha and being told: "Don't complain -- we've all been caricatured here." It was published in YLlan, a magazine with a circulation of about 400.
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Southern ASIA Region

Indonesia – Terror ALERT 03/31/06 Terror attack tomorrow, warn Indonesians
POLICE have intercepted intelligence suggesting there could be a terrorist attack against Westerners in Indonesia as early as tomorrow. Australians have been warned to reconsider travel to Indonesia, with evidence terrorists are in "advanced stages" of an attack. It is understood telephone intercepts by Indonesian police in the last week picked up chatter of possible suicide bombings on key dates from tomorrow on popular Westerner sites. No sites are named but the threat extends to Bali.
Security at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta has been increased. Australian Federal Police have been helping Indonesian counterparts in collecting intelligence. The Department of Foreign Affairs said the risk of a terrorist attack was "very high" saying: "We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack.
"These reports include information about potentially heightened risk of attack on particular dates. Recent reports suggest April 2, 2006 . . . but attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia."
This report was published at dailytelegraph.news.com.au
http://www.homelandsecurityus.net/

03/27/06 MUSLIM extremists from The Philippines and elsewhere are claimed to be setting up bases in Papua with the blessing of elements of the Indonesian military.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18614185%255E2702,00

Australia
03/31/06 Three Melbourne men have been charged with terrorist offences in relation to an ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the city. –snip- They have been charged with intentional membership of a terrorist organization and intentionally making funds available to a terrorist organization.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1606190.htm

03/27/06 "A woman charged at the weekend with plotting to bomb Sydney was a convert to Islam who planned the attack at the behest of a jailed murderer angered over anti-Muslim race riots here late last year. Jill Courtney, 26, was arrested at her suburban Sydney home on Friday in a swoop by Federal and local police operating under anti-terrorism laws. She was charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosives to be placed in or near a public place.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=92998

East ASIA Region

Philippines
03/29/06 A BOMB exploded on a bus in the southern Philippines Wednesday, injuring 17 people, police said. The bus had just arrived at a terminal in Digos city in the southern island of Mindanao when the explosion occurred. – snip –
It was not clear who was behind the attack, the second in as many days in the south, Hadjiri said. On Monday, a powerful bomb tore through a co-operative in Jolo island, killing nine. Communist rebels are known to operate in Digos and in the past have attacked buses.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18646206-23109,00.html

03/27/06 The Abu Sayyaf is suspected in detonating a bomb in the southern Philippines island of Jolo, which killed 9 and wounded 20.
http://counterterror.typepad.com/the_counterterrorism_blog/2006/03/the_abu_sayyaf_.html

Middle East / SW Asia

Pakistan
03/31/06 Godzilla note: Fighting ongoing in the Waristian region with Afghanistan against pro-Taliban tribes and forces.

Iran
03/29/06 Iran is to launch a massive joint naval wargame titled "Holy Prophet (PBUH)", beginning on March 31 with shooting of a Shahab II Missile into the air with the message of "Peace and Friendship" for the regional countries, Persian Gulf, and Sea of Oman littoral states.
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0603295342200313.htm
Godzilla note: The reported alert 03/29/06 (see below) is probably associated with this exercise. The launch of the Shabab missile was lauded as a multiple targeted warhead capable system. This would be a huge technological leap for Iran who hasn’t even really put even a satellite into orbit, and we’ve only recently achieved that capability. I think this is mostly propaganda and not a real statement of the system’s capability.

03/30/06 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran on Thursday the "international community is united" in the dispute over its nuclear program, but a Tehran envoy defiantly rejected a U.N. call to reimpose a freeze on uranium enrichment.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060330/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_nuclear

03/29/06 The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council agreed on a statement Wednesday demanding that Iran suspend uranium enrichment, setting the stage for the first action by the powerful body over fears that Tehran wants a nuclear weapon.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,189452,00.html

03/29/06 Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces in western and south-western Iran close to the Iraqi border have been put on a heightened state of alert since the middle of this month, a source in the Iranian military told Iran Focus. The Supreme Command of Iran’s Armed Forces issued the directive to Najaf and Karbala garrisons of the IRGC, which are respectively based in Kermanshah and Khuzestan provinces and are the headquarters of IRGC forces in western and south-western Iran. The directive took effect from March 14, according to the source, who requested anonymity. Najaf and Karbala garrisons are the primary Revolutionary Guards headquarters responsible for Iraqi affairs and house much of the IRGC’s elite Qods Force whose stated objective is to spread Iran’s Islamic Revolution to Iraq and other countries in the Middle East.
http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6460
Godzilla note: Not certain of the credibility of the source. It is not uncommon for units to be placed on practice alerts, happens a lot in our military. It is even more common for forces in potential conflict areas. These units are along the Iraq border and constitute a potential threat should the US go after Iranian nuclear sites. The frequency of recent alerts of Iranian units indicates a degree of nervousness on the part of the Iranian leadership towards potential preemptive strikes against Iran.

Saudi Arabia
03/29/06 Saudi authorities have arrested 40 suspected members of the al-Qaida terror network and seized a large cache of weapons and explosives, the official Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1143498763701&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

03/29/06 Saudi security forces have thwarted a terrorist attack on Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery Abqaiq, the second in two months, according to media reports. The Kuwaiti news agency KUNA and the Iraqi Radio Nawa report that police discovered two car bombs in the area. Local daily al-Riyadh reports that Saudi police on Tuesday carried out house searches in the al-Mantar area of Abqaib, where some employees of Saudi oil giant Aramco live, arms and explosive were discovered in one of the homes and one man was arrested. Reports say that the vehicles to be used in the attack bore the company logo.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.281390501&par=0

03/27/06 Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared on Saturday that the Islamic Republic will obtain nuclear capabilities by the end of the new Persian year (ending: March 21, 2007), the official state news agency reported.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2006/03/010739print.html

Qatar
03/27/06 Qatar, next target of Iranian attacks? In fact the Saudi daily Al Riyad very recently reported on Iranian threats on Qatar. The leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are very angered by Qatar's alliance to the US and allegedly to Israel. In case of a military confrontation between the US and Iran over the nuclear crisis, Revolutionary guards are threatening to attack Qatari oil and gaz facilities by sea and air. They plan to use suicide boats and air missiles.
One overlooked aspect of the whole Iran crisis is the huge fear instilled by Iran to Gulf Arab monarchies including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Barhein and the Emirates.
http://counterterror.typepad.com/the_counterterrorism_blog/2006/03/qatar_next_targ.html

Afghanistan
03/31/06 Taliban spring offensive operations continue.

Iraq
03/31/06 Godzilla summary: Shia – sunni blood feud continues, however there is nothing that can be considered as a ‘civil war’. US forces are staying generally on the periphery trying to allow warring leaders to resolve things diplomatically. Overall there is a degree of general restraint. Iraqi government forces continue to demonstrate their capability to take over security requirements.

Lebanon
03/29/06 Islamic sources said Al Qaida has begun financing and coordinating with Islamic groups in Lebanon. The sources said Al Qaida operatives in Iraq have been using these groups for recruitment for the Sunni insurgency in Iraq. "Al Qaida has selected certain Wahabi groups in Lebanon to recruit and train Muslim fighters for the jihad in Iraq," an Islamic source said. The effort has been led by Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi, the commander of Al Qaida in Iraq. The sources said Al Zarqawi has established a recruiting infrastructure in Lebanon for training in neighboring Syria and deployment in Iraq.
http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2006/march/03_29_3.html
Godzilla note: There is an ongoing turf war between AQ and Hamas in Lebanon. Hamas is accustomed to being the top dog and doesn’t like AQ take-over.

Israel
03/31/06 The broad program involving all the armed Palestinian organizations is close to producing a facsimile of the Russian-made Grad, renamed Quds-3, supplied by Iran, which can simultaneously fire 10 rockets from a truck to a distance of 18-30 km. The system weighs 13 tons and enables a crew of 7-10 Palestinians firing from the Gaza Strip to hit not only the Israeli port of Ashkelon, but Ashdod to the north too, as well as the towns of Netivot and Ofakim to the east.
http://www.debka.com/
Godzilla note: The Ashkelon and Ashdod areas contain much of Israel’s petrochemical industry. Entrance of these kind of rockets to the mix is not good for Israel and will force them to become even more aggressive against Gaza.

03/28/06 High alert: 85 terror warnings, Defense establishment declares highest state of alert.
Godzilla note: This alert level was in response to threats coinciding with national elections. No significant terror attack succeeded to disrupt elections although attempts were made.

03/27/06 Iran has significantly increased funding to a Palestinian insurgency group. Officials said Iran has bolstered allocations to Islamic Jihad, regarded as the most active group in the Palestinian war against Israel. They said Iran intends to provide Jihad with millions of dollars in 2006. – snip -
Officials said Jihad has been working with Iran and Hizbullah to carry out a spate of attacks before the Israeli elections, scheduled on March 28. They said two suicide attacks were foiled in Israel in as many days.
http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2006/march/03_26_4.html

Africa

Egypt
03/27/06 Egypt's High State Security Prosecutor charged 13 people during a court session on Sunday of involvement in a series of blasts targeting Red Sea holiday resorts. Two other people are already being tried over the series of bombings in Sharm el-Sheikh in July last year and in Taba and two other beach resorts in October 2004. The attacks killed more than 100 people.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-03-26T155712Z_01_L26422208_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-EGYPT-TRIAL.xml&archived=False

Kenya
03/29/06 Kenyan police were on red alert Tuesday after two men were arrested in the capital with 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of ammonium nitrate and a variety of bomb detonators and fuses, a top police official said. –snip-
Kamau said that investigators suspect sabotage and conspiracy with suspects from other countries that he did not identify, the station reported. Kenya's entire security system is on red alert, Kamau told the station.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/03/28/kenya.bombs.ap/index.html
Godzilla note: This is thought to be an AQ plot that has been thwarted.

Europe

Great Britain
03/30/06 "Armed police swooped on Stafford General Hospital on Wednesday night after a 28-year-old man was taken in with what nurses believed were injuries related to bomb-making equipment. They were also concerned that four men who visited him were acting suspiciously.
As police surrounded the accident and emergency unit, the four attempted to flee but were caught 100 yards from the main entrance. No shots were fired. The men, aged 24, 26, 27 and 30, were taken to a police station in Staffordshire for questioning while the patient was removed to Nottingham City Hospital, where he remained seriously ill."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/31/nstaf31.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/31/ixhome.html
Godzilla note: Unusual situation, possible linkage to the proximity of the Queen and her itinerary. Was also an earlier report associated this to a possible biological agent.

03/28/06 A British terror cell planned to smuggle the ingredients for a bomb from Pakistan into the UK using shampoo bottles and bags of dried fruit, the Old Bailey heard today.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=381298&in_page_id=1770&ct=5

Italy - Continued high threat through April due to pending national elections
03/27/06 Italian officials have known for some time that their country was exporting Islamic militants and that the city of Milan is the center for these potential terrorists. Now the officials worry that militants may return from fighting in Iraq to carry out bombings in Europe, according to the BBC.
http://www.commonvoice.com/article.asp?colid=4478

Netherlands
03/30/06 The threat of terrorism in the Netherlands increasingly comes from home-grown Islamist militants who could strike at any time without orders from abroad, the Dutch intelligence service said on Thursday. The Netherlands, shaken by the violent murder of a filmmaker in 2004 seen as critical of Islam, still faces a substantial threat despite the sentencing of nine young men to jail terms earlier this month for belonging to a group that threatened terrorist crimes, the service's chief said.
The Netherlands' security alert level has been at "substantial" since the bombing attacks in London on July 7 last year, the second highest in a four-stage warning system. "The Dutch situation is different from the rest of Europe. The threat of home-grown Jihad (Holy War) is greater than in any other European country," secret service chief Sybrand van Hulst said at a news conference.
http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L30387119

Western Hemisphere
03/27/06 Middle Eastern terrorist groups rely on criminal organizations in Latin America to acquire false passports and raise funds, although there is no evidence they operate directly in the region, a U.S. State Department anti-terrorism official said Thursday.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/14182474.htm

United States
03/31/06 In a potential blow to their terrorism case against a father and son, federal prosecutors on Thursday said there is no evidence to support statements by their key witness that a top aide to Osama bin Laden attended a northern California mosque in the late 1990s."
http://wtop.com/index.php?nid=104&sid=698549
Godzilla note: The government’s case has been unraveling, especially since their informant began to spout off about Al-Zarhiri being in Lodi when he was in Afghanistan. Biggest question is – did the guy actually attend a terror training camp and how much weight will the jurors give to his confession.

03/30/06 Mohammed Rashed, a.k.a. Rashid Mohammed, has been convicted and sentenced in connection with the 1982 bombing of a Pan Am flight which killed a Japanese teenager and resulted in the injury of several other passengers, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein of the District of Columbia announced today.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/March/06_crm_172.html

03/29/06 An American Muslim was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for joining Al Qaeda and plotting to assassinate President Bush. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen who was born to a Jordanian father and raised in Falls Church, Va., faced a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,189535,00.html

03/29/06 Tens of thousands of Final Four visitors coming to Indianapolis this weekend can expect increased security. This year's Men's Final Four is the first Indianapolis has hosted since 2000. Since then, the 2001 terrorist attacks have heightened security for many venues.
http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=4694993&nav=0RYb

03/27/06 Al-Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui helped himself get one huge step closer toward being sentenced with the death penalty Monday when he testified that not only did he know about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks ahead of time, but that he and shoe-bomber Richard Reid were supposed to hijack a fifth airplane that day and fly it into the White House.
http://www.foxnews.com/

4. Attack method.
03/31/06 Dependent upon the resources of the planners. Desire for another 9/11 style mega-attack, however, smaller, coordinated suicide bombings of mass transit, sporting events and shopping complexes are also a strong possibility.

5. Significant meetings canceled:
03/321/06 None

6. Security has been heightened in specific cities
03/27/06 Indianapolis has increased security due to hosting the NCAA finals.

7. Military operations.
02/28/06 USS Ronald Reagan Carrier group taking over support in the Persian Gulf.

8. Dept of Homeland Security. / State Department

9. Suspicious Domestic Incidents Not Currently Linked to Specific Terrorism Attempts
03/31/06 Godzilla note: Had initially flagged the teens who dumped an unknown substance into a city water supply. However, this does point out the weakness in our overall infrastructure (water, sewer, utilities, etc.) that could be exploited.