OSAC EARLY BIRD 07 SEPTEMBER 2011

Use of these articles does not reflect official endorsement. Reproduction for private use or gain is subject to original copyright restrictions.

(CTRL + Click on Title to Go To Story) US FASHION BRAND SIGNS Some citizens interviewed said that DEAL FOR GULF the rising living costs and prices of EXPANSION From Arab News commodities had reached a level CITIZENS SHOP EARLY FOR where middle-income people could SACRIFICIAL GOATS TO not afford paying for a sacrificial BEAT PRICES goat anymore.

TEACHER WANTS RAPE Fahd Al-Otaibi, a Saudi citizen, CHARGES DROPPED said, "Prices of livestock keep increasing, especially with the From CNN approach of Eid Al-Adha. The TURKISH PM ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS price of one goat increases to ON ISRAEL SR1,200, which is a very high price compared with off-season prices. HAIL OF BULLETS STRIKES SYRIANS FLEEING TO Livestock businessmen keep on TURKEY saying that the law of supply and demand is the reason behind the Photo Provided By Bruce Kendall From The Washington Post price increase." PAKISTAN CLAIMS SIGNIFICANT AL-QAEDA ARRESTS Saudi citizen Abdullah Al-Fahmi Citizens Shop Early For said that the Ministry of Commerce Sacrificial Goats To Beat INDONESIAN MAID, MADE RICH should monitor the prices. He said BY DONATIONS AFTER Prices that there was a large number of ESCAPING SAUDI goats in the market, and yet the EXECUTION, NOW HATED A number of Saudi citizens have prices were rising unacceptably. BY NEIGHBORS started shopping early for sacrificial goats after Eid Al-Fitr He said that the only reason behind From The New York Times when prices are down before they it were greedy businessmen, who LEAK OFFERS LOOK AT shoot up during Eid Al-Adha, a EFFORTS BY U.S. TO SPY should be punished. local daily reported. ON ISRAEL "I decided to buy goats early to EASING STANCE, IRAN OFFERS As a precautionary measure, some avoid the price increase later. I INSPECTORS citizens began buying little goats to expected the prices to decline this ‘SUPERVISION’ OF raise them at home and use them to year, but there is no sign of this," NUCLEAR PROGRAM sacrifice during Eid Al-Adha. Al-Fahmi commented. From Arabian Business Citizens say that they will not wait Ali Al-Ghamdi said that his GLOBAL FEARS WEIGH ON for the prices to slowly increase SAUDI PETCHEMS; DUBAI favorite brand of goats cost SR800 ENDS HIGHER and reach a level where they cannot in normal times and could reach afford them anymore. SR1,400 during Haj. He said he found it logical to buy it now and suspect following substantial relations, related with the defense keep it in the backyard until Haj. negative coverage about him. industry," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to the semi-official Livestock businessmen, on the He said the police broke a number Anatolian Agency. "All of these are other hand, defended the price of laws, such as preventing his completely suspended and other increase saying that they had to client from appointing a lawyer measures will follow this process." because of price increases in fodder until he had been detained for a and rent. month. Asked to clarify whether this meant They agreed that the increase was Turkey will halt more than $3 justifiable and normal and within "I was not allowed to visit my billion in bilateral trade, an official the limit. client though I have official in the Turkish prime ministry, Teacher Wants Rape Charges authorization from the family. I speaking on condition of Dropped was excluded from some anonymity under government questioning sessions with my protocol, insisted Erdogan was not The lawyer of a Saudi client," he said. referring to trade relations. schoolteacher accused of raping 13 underage girls has called for The lawyer said the prison’s "He was referring to the defense dropping 11 out of 13 charges director justified these actions by industry," the official said. against his client and asked for the claiming the issue was sensitive. "Nothing more than the measures case to be heard quickly. "This was not a convincing enough that have been announced so far." explanation for me," he said. "My client is innocent of all the Last week, Turkey declared it was serious charges against him," Wael Jawharji said his client was still downgrading relations with Israel, Jawharji told a press conference in under investigation and that no suspending all military agreements Jeddah on Monday. official charges were made against between the two countries and him. He, however, explained that giving senior Israeli diplomats less He said he expected to receive a the Bureau of Investigation and than a week to leave Turkish reply to his request to drop the Prosecution has the right to detain a territory. charges from the Bureau of suspect for six months without Investigation and Prosecution charge. "If the current steps are regarded as within two weeks. 'plan B,' there will be a 'plan C,'" The brother of the accused said Erdogan said on Tuesday in his The brother of the suspect claimed there was substantial evidence first public comments on the matter at the press conference that one of proving his innocence. "The since Ankara imposed sanctions on the investigators asked him to sign alleged victims did not recognize Israel. a report stating that his brother was him. psychologically sick or under a Erdogan's government is incensed magical spell to secure his release. Some of them who identified him that Israel refuses to apologize or as their attacker also said the same pay compensation for eight slain "I would never have defended the thing about the other suspect who Turks and one Turkish-American. accused if I was not sure of his was released. The DNA did not innocence," the lawyer said, and match with that of my brother," he The humanitarian workers and expressed hope his client would said. activists were shot dead by Israeli soon be acquitted. commandos in a botched 2010 raid on an aid convoy that was trying to Jawharji blamed the media for Turkish PM Announces bust Israel's sea blockade of Gaza. defaming his client and his family Additional Sanctions On but ruled out any legal action. Israel But "Israel does not want to see a further deterioration in the "However, we are ready to take the Turkey's fiery prime minister relationship with Turkey," said a media to court if they continue to ratcheted up rapidly-escalating senior Israeli government official, defame my client," he said, asking tensions with Israel on Tuesday, who asked not to be identified the media to use the term comparing Ankara's once-close ally because of the sensitivity of the “detained” instead of “suspect” or in the Middle East to a "spoiled issue. “accused” to refer to the teacher. boy" and announcing additional sanctions would soon be imposed. "There have been a number of The lawyer said he was holding the proposals on the table to prevent a press conference to influence "We are completely suspending all deterioration and unfortunately public opinion in favor of the of these, trade relations, military they have not been successful, but from our point of view a gross domestic product in excess of The video identified the victim as deterioration in the relationship $700 billion, and that Turkey is Abdul Salam Hasoon. The serves neither side's interests." becoming a key player in regional description of the incident and the trade. name of the victim were both Multiple Israeli sources said they confirmed by the London-based are doing what they can to be Turkey is a significant Israeli Syrian Observatory for Human responsible and reverse the trading partner, Fischer said, and Rights. negative dynamic. damage to the trade relationship between the two countries could "He was killed by snipers from the Some Israeli officials believe the have serious consequences for Syrian side while he was crossing current troubles between the two Israel. the border," wrote the countries are minor bumps that can Observatory's Mousab Azzawi, in be smoothed out with time and the Prior to the report about Erdogan's an e-mail to CNN. proper diplomacy. comments Tuesday, Amos Gilad, a According to the Turkish Foreign senior Israeli defense official, told Ministry, at least 330 Syrians fled Others believe the deteriorating Israeli radio that despite the reports, on Monday through an old border relationship has little to do with Turkey is not disengaging from checkpoint at the Turkish village of Israel and more to do with a Israel. Belengoz. reorientation of Turkish foreign policy towards the Muslim world. Contrary to what is being reported, Several Turkish residents living in he said, the Israeli military the nearby Turkish border village A possible Erdogan trip to Gaza is delegation to Turkey is continuing of Guvecci told CNN they heard contributing to that school of his work there. gunfire from the direction of thought. Diplomats in Cairo and Belengoz on Monday. Ankara tell CNN that Erdogan is tentatively scheduled to visit Cairo Hail Of Bullets Strikes Syrians The latest movement of fleeing next week. Fleeing To Turkey Syrians comes after opposition activists claimed Syrian security There is growing speculation in A deadly hail of bullets struck forces launched a fresh wave of local media that the Turkish prime Syrian refugees as they tried to flee military operations in areas close to minister may try to visit Gaza via across the border to Turkey on the Turkish border. Egypt's Rafah border crossing. Monday, killing one man and "This is a process that will continue wounding another, the Turkish The Turkish diplomat said the until the last moment," Erdogan government said Tuesday. wounded refugee was rushed to said Tuesday, according to treatment and is now in stable Anatolian, when asked about a trip "Yesterday there was a bunch of condition in a Turkish hospital. to Gaza. people trying to cross the border to Turkey," said a Turkish Foreign Throughout the uprising and "We will make the final decision Ministry official, speaking on subsequent government crackdown there, talking to our Egyptian condition of anonymity according in Syria, more than seventeen friends and brothers. According to to diplomatic protocol. thousand Syrians have fled across that, there may be a trip to Gaza." the border to Turkey, according to "While one of the groups tried to statistics published by the Turkish Despite deteriorating political pass, there were shots fired from disaster and management relations between Jerusalem and the Syrian side, I assume from the directorate. Ankara, trade has grown Syrian soldiers... two people were substantially between the two shot, one died on the Syrian side of A growing number of exiled countries over the last year, the border, and (his body) was also activists have operated out of according to Turkish government carried with a wounded guy to the Turkey, which has also hosted a statistics. Turkish side." number of opposition meetings and conferences. On Monday, Stanley Fischer, A video emerging on YouTube governor of the Bank of Israel, showed an apparently dead man In a separate online video emerging gave a speech in which he lying on the floor with blood from Syria, a group of uniformed highlighted the importance of leaking from his head. Off camera, men identifying themselves as Israel's economic ties with Turkey. a man says in Arabic "they shot defecting soldiers claimed him, the snipers." responsibility for a deadly attack on He noted that Turkey's economy fellow Syrian security forces on was the largest in the region, with a Monday. It was unclear how high that The officials characterized his Flanked by eleven men in army militant, whom the army identified death as a major loss for al-Qaeda. uniforms holding Kalashnikov as Younis al-Mauritani, ranked in According to the Long War rifles, a man identified himself in the al-Qaeda hierarchy, or when the Journal, a U.S.-based Web site that the video as Lieutenant Zahir arrests took place. covers the war on terror, a detained Abdul Karim Fraiter of the 7th German-Afghan al-Qaeda figure Division of the Syrian armed But the unusual announcement, falsely identified al-Mauritani last forces. backed up by the White House, year as the organization’s No. 3 appeared to signal renewed operative. "I have seen with my own eyes the cooperation between the top massacres committed by the Pakistani and U.S. intelligence Senior U.S. intelligence officials corrupt regime," Fraiter said. agencies, whose long-fraught countered at the time that while al- Fraiter then claimed responsibility relations decayed to a near Mauritani was a senior member of for killing security forces and pro- breaking point this year. al-Qaeda’s committee to plan government shabiha militia-men attacks on the West, he was not its near the town of Maharda. The Pakistani military said al- leader, the Web site reported. Mauritani was plotting strikes on On Sunday, the Syrian state news American dams and gas and oil Pakistan’s top spy agency, known agency SANA reported that six pipelines and planning bombings of as the ISI, has long worked closely army officers and three "civilian U.S. ships and oil tankers using with the CIA on counter employees" were killed after an explosives-rigged speed boats. terror operations and hunts for "armed terrorist group set an senior al-Qaeda figures, many of ambush at the crossroads of Pakistan’s Inter-Services whom are believed to be based in Salhab-Khatab near the town of Intelligence agency detained him the Pakistani mountains bordering Maharda... along with two other senior leaders, Afghanistan. Abdul Ghaffar al-Shami and opening fire with machine guns at a Messara al-Shami, in an operation But relations between the agencies military bus carrying a number of planned and carried out with the have frayed in recent years over officers." help of “technical assistance” from disagreements on CIA drone U.S. intelligence, the military said strikes, which Pakistani officials In the video, Fraiter said the attack in a statement said. say have become too frequent and on government forces in Maharda unilateral, and over U.S. beliefs was retaliation, for a military In Washington, Tommy Vietor, a that Pakistani spies provide support operation against the village of White House spokesman, said the to some Islamist militants they Maarat Hirma and the killed of a action had “led to the capture of a deem strategically useful allies. political activist named Abdul senior al-Qaeda operative who was Samad Issa. involved in planning attacks against Cooperation took a nose dive in the interests of the United States January after a CIA security CNN cannot independently verify and many other countries.” contractor, Raymond Davis, fatally these claims, because the Syrian shot two Pakistanis he sad were government has repeatedly denied Both the White House and the trying to rob him in the eastern city requests for journalists to report Pakistani military portrayed the of Lahore. inside Syria. arrests as a significant blow to al- Qaeda, an organization that Relations deteriorated further after American officials have said may the bin Laden raid, which the Pakistan Claims Significant Al- be near strategic defeat following United States carried out without Qaeda Arrests the U.S. commando raid that killed alerting Pakistani officials, in part Osama bin Laden at his hideout in out of fear that they would scuttle The Pakistani military said Monday Pakistan in May. the plan. Pakistani officials said that its top spy agency had worked joint operations had been cut off. with the CIA to arrest three senior The announcement of the arrests al-Qaeda figures near the came one week after U.S. and The Pakistani statement Monday, southwestern city of Quetta, Pakistani officials said al-Qaeda’s however, praised the countries’ including one militant leader who second-in-command, Atiyah Abd intelligence relationship as “strong” was directed by Osama bin Laden al-Rahman, had been killed in a and its cooperation as “intimate.” to strike economically significant CIA drone strike in the Waziristan targets in the West. area of Pakistan’s rugged tribal “Both Pakistan and the United region. States Intelligence agencies continue to work closely together to enhance security of their But Darsem’s case has stolen the She then threw his body in an respective nations,” the statement show, sparking fierce debate in the empty water tank and covered it said. world’s most populous Muslim with concrete. nation on whether she should donate her windfall. Darsem spent the next 3 1/2 years Indonesian Maid, Made Rich By in a Saudi jail, but it wasn’t until Donations After Escaping Some Indonesian lawmakers fret the beheading of Ruyati, also Saudi Execution, Now that the public may not be as likely accused of murdering an abusive Hated By Neighbors to give next time around, even if a boss, that her luck finally turned. life is at stake. One Indonesian maid is beheaded Newspapers and activists on in Saudi Arabia. For a second one Life’s been anything but easy for Facebook and Twitter championed on death row, strangers at home Darsem. her cause. rally to her cause and raise tens of The government quickly scraped thousands of dollars. She not only She dropped out of school before together the $500,000 demanded by escapes the sword, she’s now rich. finishing 6th grade and moved to the family of Darsem’s victim for And hated. the capital, Jakarta, so she could her release. help support her family. Darsem binti Dawud Tawar, 22, The public also chipped in: Men shot to fame earlier this year in By 15, she was married and held out boxes and nets on traffic- Indonesia after spending more than pregnant and months later she went clogged streets to collect change three years in a Saudi prison to the Middle East — first Oman, from motorists, women went to accused of killing a man who then United Arab Emirates and schools or mosques and — when allegedly tried to rape her. finally Saudi Arabia — as she’d she finally came home — a TV seen many other young women do station handed her $140,000 from But when the former maid safely before her. its viewers. returned to her small fishing village, the public tide swiftly Theirs were the nice concrete That’s a fortune in the turned against her. houses, standing out among the predominantly Muslim nation of wooden shacks lit by oil lamps. 240 million, where many people She’s accused of living in luxury, They had the shiny Yamaha make less than $200 a month. building a fancy house along the motorcycles, the 21-inch TVs dusty track that passes for Main carried through doorways in big, In Trungtum, a struggling, coastal Street, throwing around cash and brown cardboard boxes. town 110 miles (180 kilometers) draping herself in jewels. from Jakarta, Darsem may as well She’d heard, but chose to ignore, be a millionaire. “She acts like a bling-bling the stories about maids working celebrity now,” said Siti Patonah, a abroad — women killed by their Everyone has a suggestion as to 32-year-old vendor, scrubbing bosses, stabbed with scissors or how she should spend the money, apples and watermelons at a market burned with hot irons. she said, and they all have their as five or six housewives gather. hands out. “It’s true,” one says. “Like a nut “My husband didn’t have a job, my that forgot its shell.” father was getting old, I thought it “But why should I give them was our best chance,” Darsem says anything? They did nothing to help The execution in June of a 53-year- from the living room of her my family when I was gone,” she old grandmother, Ruyati binti parent’s two-room house, aqua- says of her neighbors, pointing to Satubim, sparked mass protests in blue paint chipping off the walls. the roof above her, badly damaged Indonesia and prompted the She refuses to talk about what in a heavy storm and patched government’s first effort to do happened next, saying she wants to together by her father’s own hands. more to protect the 1.2 million put it behind her. women who flock to Saudi Arabia Asked why she doesn’t help with every year to work as domestic But according to Saudi media legal fees of 23 Indonesians still on help. reports, Darsem killed her death row in Saudi Arabia — the employer’s relative — a man who most popular suggestion on Twitter It recalled its ambassador from was mentally ill — with a hammer and op-ed pages — the round-faced Riyadh, and last month barred any to the head after he attacked her. girl with dark, slow-blinking eyes further workers from going to the looks incredulous. Gulf kingdom. “I didn’t even know those women,” “The only reason she got all this Darsem says. “There were dozens In the end, she decided to take back attention — not just the money but in my cell all the time. They were her estranged husband, even though also help from the government — always coming and going. But he had remarried while she was was because of my mother.” really, who are they to me?” gone and had another child, ignoring their own son, Ahmad She says no one has supported her But despite the rumors, Darsem is Safi, now 6. family. Neither the government, hardly living large. nor the public. He’s the only one she can come The $10,000 house she’s building close to trusting. Asked what she intended to do with 50 yards (meters) from her parents’ Darsem’s money, she looks up and is not much bigger or more “I don’t know why everyone’s says softly, with no sign of regret, extravagant than any of her turned against me,” she said. “Oh ... it’s gone already.” neighbors’ and her future plans are “Would they rather I was miserable “I gave it all to the local mosque modest: Some land to grow rice. and destitute? Really... it’s not and orphanage in my mom’s fair.” name.” A new, wooden fishing boat for her dad. A sewing machine to open The local TV station that collected “I know that’s what she would have a tailor’s shop.“... A good the $140,000 on Darsem’s behalf wanted.” education for my son,” she says. has taken much of the heat.

But she can’t escape the gossip. Many viewers thought they were Leak Offers Look At Efforts By Each trip she takes to the market is saving the girl from the U.S. To Spy On Israel scrutinized: the baskets filled with executioner’s sword, but the colorful fresh fruits, the new government insisted it was When Shamai K. Leibowitz, an kitchen appliances. responsible for the “blood money” FBI translator, was sentenced to 20 demanded by the victim’s family. months in prison last year for The vendors, fishermen and leaking classified information to a housewives say hello and then, So TVOne decided to give it to blogger, prosecutors revealed little after she passes, talk about her Darsem. Standing awkwardly about the case. clothes or the gold necklace, beside her as she accepted the cash studded with a tiny piece of — almost a sideshow — was Een They identified the blogger in court translucent jade, that rests Nuraini, the daughter of the woman papers only as “Recipient A.” After delicately on her brown skin. who was beheaded. Mr. Leibowitz pleaded guilty, even the judge said he did not know Handing out cash — for sympathy “I don’t know why they even exactly what Mr. Leibowitz had and celebration — is common invited me,” said the 35-year-old disclosed. across Asia. But the implications of who lives in Sukatani, a small direct giving are rarely considered. village a few hours from Trungtum. “All I know is that it’s a serious case,” Judge Alexander Williams “I don’t think it was a good idea to “But when Darsem promised on Jr., of United States District Court give her money beyond what was live TV to share some of the in Maryland, said at the sentencing necessary to set her free,” said money, I hoped to be able to use it in May 2010. Peter Singer, a Princeton to send my mother’s parents to University professor who has Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage.” “I don’t know what was divulged written extensively about ethics and other than some documents, and charity. Several weeks later, Darsem called how it compromised things, I have “But once it’s given to her, you and asked her to come. no idea.” can’t really have any expectations Darsem presented Een Nuraini with on what she does with it.” an envelope containing $2,000. It Now the reason for the was well short of what she extraordinary secrecy surrounding Darsem, meanwhile, says the expected, and nowhere near enough the Obama administration’s first money she’s clinging too so tightly for her grandparents’ trip. prosecution for leaking information hasn’t made her happy. to the news media seems clear: “I don’t think she understands,” “I feel stressed all the time,” she said Een Nuraini, her eyes welling Mr. Leibowitz, a contract Hebrew said, adding that there isn’t one with tears from beneath her dark translator, passed on secret person in Trungtum she’d call a gray headscarf. transcripts of conversations caught friend. on FBI wiretaps of the Israeli the bureau’s monitoring in a book, Maryland, is prohibited by his plea Embassy in Washington. “Intel Wars,” scheduled for agreement from discussing publication in January. anything he learned at the FBI, Those overheard by the Two lawyers who represented Mr. eavesdroppers included American Translators like Mr. Leibowitz Leibowitz, Cary M. Feldman and supporters of Israel and at least one work at an FBI office in Calverton, Robert C. Bonsib, also would not member of Congress, according to Md. comment. the blogger, Richard Silverstein. Former counterintelligence officials Mr. Silverstein, 59, writes a blog In his first interview about the case, describe Israeli intelligence called Tikun Olam, named after a Mr. Silverstein offered a rare operations in the United States as Hebrew phrase that he said means glimpse of American spying on a quite extensive, ranking just below “repairing the world.” close ally. those of China and Russia, and FBI The blog gives a liberal perspective He said he had burned the secret counterintelligence agents have on Israel and Israeli-American documents in his Seattle backyard long kept an eye on Israeli spying. relations. He said he had decided to after Mr. Leibowitz came under speak out to make clear that Mr. investigation in mid-2009, but he For most eavesdropping on Leibowitz, though charged under recalled that there were about 200 embassies, federal law requires the the Espionage Act, was acting out pages of verbatim records of FBI to obtain an order from the of noble motives. telephone calls and what seemed to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance be embassy conversations. Court, which meets in secret at a The Espionage Act has been used federal courthouse in Washington. by the Justice Department in nearly He said that in one transcript, all prosecutions of government Israeli officials discussed their If an American visiting or calling employees for disclosing classified worry that their exchanges might an embassy turns up on a information to the news media, be monitored. recording, the FBI is required by including the record-setting five law to remove the American’s such cases under President Obama. Mr. Leibowitz, who declined to name from intelligence reports, comment for this article, released substituting the words “U.S. Mr. Silverstein said he got to know the documents because of concerns person.” Mr. Leibowitz, a lawyer with a about Israel’s aggressive efforts to history of political activism, after influence Congress and public But raw transcripts would not noticing that he, too, had a liberal- opinion, and fears that Israel might necessarily have undergone such minded blog, called Pursuing strike nuclear facilities in Iran, a editing, called “minimization.” Justice. move he saw as potentially disastrous, according to Mr. Mr. Silverstein’s account could not The men shared a concern about Silverstein. be fully corroborated, but it fits the repercussions from a possible publicly known facts about the Israeli airstrike on nuclear facilities While the American government case. in Iran. From his FBI work from routinely eavesdrops on some January to August of 2009, Mr. embassies inside the United States, Spokesmen for the FBI, the Justice Leibowitz also believed that Israeli intelligence collection against allies Department and the Israeli diplomats’ efforts to influence is always politically delicate, Embassy declined to comment on Congress and shape American especially one as close as Israel. either eavesdropping on the public opinion were excessive and embassy or Mr. Leibowitz’s crime. improper, Mr. Silverstein said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation listens in on foreign He admitted disclosing “classified “I see him as an American patriot embassies and officials in the information concerning the and a whistle-blower, and I’d like United States chiefly to track communication intelligence his actions to be seen in that foreign spies, though any activities of the United States,” context,” Mr. Silverstein said. intelligence it obtains on other standard language for the matters is passed on to the CIA and interception of phone calls, e-mails “What really concerned Shamai at other agencies. and other messages by the FBI and the time was the possibility of an the National Security Agency, Israeli strike on Iran, which he The intercepts are carried out by which generally focuses on thought would be damaging to both the FBI’s Operational Technology international communications. Israel and the United States.” Division, based in Quantico, Va., according to Matthew M. Aid, an Mr. Leibowitz, now in a Federal Mr. Silverstein took the blog posts intelligence writer who describes Bureau of Prisons halfway house in he had written based on Mr. Leibowitz’s material off his site categories,” designated with the after the criminal investigation two That was a reference to Israeli code word Gamma to indicate their years ago. diplomats’ attempts to influence protected status, he said. Congress, Mr. Silverstein said, But he was able to retrieve three though nothing Mr. Leibowitz Douglas M. Bloomfield, an posts from April 2009 from his described to him appeared to be American columnist for several computer and provided them to The beyond the bounds of ordinary Jewish publications, said that when New York Times. lobbying. he worked in the 1980s for the American Israel Public Affairs The blog posts make no reference Mr. Leibowitz, 40, the father of 6- Committee, a lobbying group, he to eavesdropping, but describe year-old twins at the time of assumed that communications with information from “a confidential sentencing, seems an unlikely the embassy were not private. source,” wording Mr. Silverstein choice for an FBI translation job. “I am not surprised at all to learn said was his attempt to disguise the He was born in Israel to a family that the FBI was listening to the material’s origin. prominent in academic circles. Israelis,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s a wise use of resources because One post reports that the Israeli He practiced law in Israel for I don’t see Israel as a threat to Embassy provided “regular written several years, representing several American security.” briefings” on Israel’s war with controversial clients, including Hamas in Gaza to President Obama Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian in the weeks between his election leader convicted of directing Easing Stance, Iran Offers and inauguration. terrorist attacks on Israelis, who Inspectors ‘Supervision’ Of Mr. Leibowitz once said reminded Nuclear Program Another describes calls involving him of Moses. Israeli officials in Jerusalem, Iran on Monday made its first Chicago and Washington to discuss In 2004, Mr. Leibowitz moved to counterproposal in two years the views of members of Congress Silver Spring, Md., outside to ease the confrontation with on Israel. Washington, where he was a leader the west over its nuclear in his synagogue. Mr. Silverstein program, offering to allow A third describes a call between an said Mr. Leibowitz holds dual international inspectors “full unnamed Jewish activist in American and Israeli citizenship. supervision” of the country’s Minnesota and the Israeli Embassy nuclear activities for the next about an embassy official’s In court, Mr. Leibowitz expressed five years, but on the meeting with Representative Keith anguish about the impact of the condition that the mounting Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota, case on his marriage and family, sanctions against Iran are who was planning an official trip to which he said was “destitute.” He lifted. Gaza. expressed particular sorrow about leaving his children. The proposal came from Ferey Mr. Silverstein said he remembered doon Abbasi, the head of Iran’s that embassy officials talked about “At the formative time of their life, atomic energy agency, who was drafting opinion articles to be when they’re 6 years old and designated by the United Nations in published under the names of they’re just finishing first grade, I’ll 2007 as a scientist involved in American supporters. be absent from their life, and that is Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile the most terrible thing about this activities, and, as such, subject to a He said the transcripts also case,” he said. freeze on his assets and limitations included a three-way conversation on his travel. between a congressman from While treated as highly classified Texas, an American supporter of by the FBI, the fact that the United He narrowly escaped an the congressman and an embassy States spies on Israel is taken for assassination attempt last year. official; Mr. Silverstein said he granted by experts on intelligence. Mr. Abbasi’s offer was vaguely could not recall any of the names. worded. “We started spying on Israel even At his sentencing, Mr. Leibowitz before the state of Israel was It was far from clear what he described what he had done as “a formally founded in 1948, and meant by “full supervision,” after one-time mistake that happened to Israel has always spied on us,” said several years in which Iran has me when I worked at the F.B.I. and Mr. Aid, the author. refused to turn over documents to saw things which I considered were the International Atomic Energy violation of the law, and I should “Israeli intercepts have always Agency or allow interviews of its not have told a reporter about it.” been one of the most sensitive most important nuclear scientists. Mr. Abbasi was appointed to his Mr. Abbasi said recently that the The government has also restricted current job in February, but before deal was dead and would not be where inspectors could travel. that he was well known to revived. Nonetheless, the overture is the American, European and Israeli first time since October 2009 that intelligence agencies. In past years, Iran has agreed to Iran has indicated a willingness to specific “work plans” with the negotiate over the program, and Officially, he worked at Shahid international atomic agency to one senior Obama administration Beheshti University before taking allow inspections or turn over official said the offer suggested up his current post, and he was on documents. But all of them have “that the sanctions are wearing on his way there last November when fallen apart. the leadership.” a “sticky bomb” was attached to his car. Iran has dismissed the agency’s Mr. Abbasi made his statement to questions about “possible military the Iranian Student News Agency, He narrowly escaped before it dimensions” of its program — a which is considered a semiofficial went off. One of his fellow diplomatic phrase referring to organ and has been used to convey scientists, heading to the university evidence the country sought to changes of position in the past. that morning on the other side of build nuclear warheads — by Tehran, was not so lucky, and he saying that it was fabricated by the “We proposed that the agency keep died in a nearly simultaneous Central Intelligence Agency and Iran’s nuclear program and attack. the Israeli Mossad. activities under full supervision for five years, provided that sanctions Mr. Abbasi is widely believed, by At the same time, Iran has allowed against Iran are lifted,” he told the nuclear inspectors and several regular access to the main nuclear news agency. intelligence agencies, to be site at Natanz and periodic access working closely with Mohsen to a much newer installation near In recent weeks Russia has Fakhirizadeh, another academic, the holy city of Qum, which Iran intervened in an effort to get Iran to who is believed to head some of the made public after it was clear that make a serious offer to relieve central research into how to create Western intelligence agencies had some of the pressure on Iran, in nuclear weapons. He, too, is found it. part out of concern that the identified on the United Nations sanctions were sharply interfering list. The spotty nature of Iran’s with its energy trade with Iran. responses explains why the phrase In the fall of 2009, in its only real “full supervision” is so important to But there is also worry that Iran’s negotiation with the Iranian United Nations inspectors and the recent decision to move some of its government, the Obama group of Western allies who have uranium enrichment program to a administration proposed that Iran been the most vigorous in well-protected underground site agree to a fuel swap in which the enforcing the sanctions. could encourage those in Israel West would provide an outside who have pressed for military supply of fresh nuclear fuel for a If it means that inspectors could action before it is too late to slow research reactor in Tehran. visit all the sites on their list, the program. interview scientists who are In return, Iran would agree to a believed to be linked to military So far, the United Nations has conditional cessation of its work and review the documents issued four sets of sanctions, each production of uranium, which can that Iran has declined to turn over, intended to increase the economic be used for nuclear power plants or, it would mark a significant pressure on Iran. with further enrichment, for nuclear breakthrough. weapons. But the effects have been spotty at A deal was struck in Vienna but But as one American intelligence best, and a run-up in oil prices this was rejected once Iranian official put it recently, “We have a year essentially undermined much negotiators took it back to Tehran. list of tunnels to look at that is so of the economic effects. long, it would take years.” “We believe it was killed by the Nonetheless, Iran has run into supreme leader,” one of President difficulties obtaining parts for its Obama’s aides said earlier this Global Fears Weigh On Saudi nuclear program, its ships have year, referring to Ayatollah Ali Petchems; Dubai Ends been denied insurance and its trade Khamenei, the country’s most Higher with much of Europe has been senior cleric. sharply restricted. Saudi Arabia's index ended lower for a second day, with worries over how a potential double-dip global and Europe's sovereign debt recession would impact Dubai's top bank by value climbed troubles. petrochemicals' earnings in the 1.4 percent, while rival Dubai world's top oil exporter spurring Islamic Bank added 0.5 percent and Islamic lender Masraf Al Rayan renewed selling. budget carrier Air Arabia gained climbed 0.8 percent, Qatar 1.1 percent. Electricity and Water added 1.5 Banks and petrochemicals were the percent and Qatar Telecom (Qtel) two main sectors on the The index rose 0.4 percent to 1,485 edged 0.2 percent higher. benchmark, accounting for about points as volumes slumped to a two-thirds of the weighting, with week-low. "Companies least exposed to global the latter a proxy for equity growth such as utilities and investors to bet on the kingdom's "There are no local drivers and to a telecoms should fare better," says oil industry, which remains under certain extent we are tracking Robert Pramberger, acting head of state control. what's happening elsewhere - asset management at Doha-based volumes are very poor," said Julian investment company The First "Petrochemicals dominate the Bruce, EFG-Hermes director of Investor. Saudi market and they have a high institutional equity sales. "Qatar's economic growth is based correlation to oil prices, which is on gas exports and a global the main reason for Saudi "The main theme is the very low slowdown wouldn't really impact it volatility," said Shakeel Sarwar, levels of activity, which will at a GDP level." head of asset management at continue until we get a clearer investment bank SICO in Bahrain. picture elsewhere and maybe some Qatar's economy is forecast to grow positive news about the UAE, but 16.7 percent in 2011, according to a "Oil prices have remained high, as at the moment we're not seeing June Reuters poll. have petrochemicals prices, but either. investors are nervous about what The country's index rose 0.3 will happen over the next six to 12 "There is some select buying, but percent to 8,333 points. months. no one is in any real hurry, with no big clips of money going to work - Kuwait also advanced, climbing 0.1 "If there is another global recession the whole market is on the back percent to 5,861 points, despite it will negatively impact oil prices burner." none of the six largest stocks and petrochemicals' profitability making gains, with trading will be impacted. That's how a Abu Dhabi's measure edged 0.07 concentrated in small cap, recession would be transmitted to percent higher to 2,605 points. speculative stocks. the Gulf." National Bank of Abu Dhabi and telecoms operator Etisalat were the These are the preserve of retail National Industrialization Co main supports, rising 1.3 and 0.5 investors, indicating funds are dropped 1.1 percent and Saudi percent respectively. largely absent. Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) slid 0.3 percent. The petrochemicals RAK Cement Co accounts for more National Bank of Kuwait drops 1.9 index eased 0.5 percent. than a quarter of all shares traded, percent after Goldman Sachs cuts Banks also retreated. surging 5 percent. its price tag for Kuwait's top lender 1.39 dinars from KD1.53, SABB dropped 3.6 percent and Among the smallest stocks on the maintaining a neutral rating. Banque Saudi Fransi lost 2.2 bourse, RAK's heavy trade percent, but trading was thin, with indicated local day traders were Goldman warns delays in less than 150,000 shares traded dominant, with institutions largely implementing development projects combined. sticking to blue-chip names. in Kuwait could lead to low loan The main index dipped 0.5 percent growth for NBK. to 6,062 points. Kuwait and Qatar benchmarks Oman's index made its largest reversed early losses to end higher decline in four weeks as foreign Emirates NBD helped Dubai's as a positive opening on European funds dumped banking and services index end higher for a first session markets eased investors' fears stocks amid turmoil on global in three, but gains were minor and following sharp declines in world markets. UAE markets are seen remaining in stocks a day earlier. the doldrums in the absence of Bank Muscat , the largest stock by local catalysts to shift investors' Global markets had tumbled on value, fell 2.1 percent, while Oman focus away from the turmoil on renewed recession fears for the US Telecommunications (Omantel) global bourses. dropped 1.9 percent and Renaissance Services plunged 4.6 Tory Burch announced its percent, the latter accounting for partnership with Chalhoub Group, about a quarter of all shares traded. the distributor and retailer of luxury brands in the Middle East. Telecoms carrier Nawras also declined, dipping 0.5 percent. With this agreement, Chalhoub Group holds the exclusive rights to The index slipped 1.1 percent to distribute and retail Tory Burch 5,732 points in its biggest drop products in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, since August 9, easing from Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Monday's five-week high to take its year-to-date losses to 15.1 percent. "Expanding in the Middle East is a significant step for our brand," said "We used to have good sentiment CEO and designer Tory Burch in a in Oman and strong buying from statement. institutions in the country, but we are now following global "We are excited to partner with sentiment, which is very bad, Chalhoub Group and look forward especially in Europe - that's what is to building a long-term business driving us down," said Adel Nasr, together." United Securities brokerage manager. The first Tory Burch boutique in this region is planned to open in the "This will continue, but I believe autumn at The Dubai Mall, the we are stronger than global statement added. markets. Banking and services are the hardest hit because foreign Several additional Tory Burch investors concentrate on Bank boutiques are planned to open in Muscat, Renaissance, Omantel and 2012 across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nawras so selling pressure is Bahrain and Kuwait. coming to these stocks." The full Tory Burch collection will Saudi Arabia's benchmark clawed be available, including ready-to- back early losses to trade 0.03 wear, handbags, shoes, small percent higher at 6,092 points. leather goods, eyewear and Al Rajhi Bank fell 0.4 percent, but accessories. Samba Financial Group gained 0.9 percent. "With fashion retail in exponential growth, we are delighted to join "The Saudi market is fairly valued - hands with Tory Burch for its other markets have witnessed a development in the Middle East," strong rally in the last two years, said Patrick Chalhoub, co-CEO of whereas Saudi has made only a Chalhoub Group. modest rise," said Hesham Tuffaha, Bakheet Investment Group head Tory Burch was launched in asset management. February 2004 as a lifestyle concept with multiple product categories, including ready-to- US Fashion Brand Signs Deal For wear, handbags, shoes and jewelry. Gulf Expansion Going against the minimalist trend A US-based fashion company that was popular at the time, Burch whose customers include Michelle designed her flagship boutique, in Obama, Oprah Winfrey and downtown New York, to feel more actresses Uma Thurman, Gwyneth like a room in her own home than a Paltrow and Hilary Swank, said on traditional retail store. Tuesday it has signed a deal to open shops in the Gulf region.