NOVEMBER 2008 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 12 Recent Highlights in overthrow the government.” Belliraj policemen, including a district police claims that he was working for the chief, in Faryab Province. – AP, October Terrorist Activity Belgian government. – UPI, October 17 20 October 16, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): October 17, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Pakistani October 20, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Taliban gunmen fired on a passenger fighter jets destroyed a training camp A suicide bomber attacked German bus and seized control of another in for Taliban-linked militants in Swat soldiers in Kunduz Province, killing Kandahar Province. During the incident, District of the North-West Frontier two of them in addition to five Afghan Taliban fighters killed at least 25 of the Province. During the attack, security children. – AFP, October 20 civilian passengers and took a number of officials claimed 60 pro-Taliban fighters hostages. The Taliban, however, claim were killed. – AFP, October 17 October 21, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): that those killed were Afghan soldiers. Taliban fighters told mobile phone – Reuters, October 19; AP, October 19 October 18, 2008 (IRAQ): A female operators to shut down their networks suicide bomber exploded—possibly after during the day in Ghazni Province, October 16, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): An receiving gunfire from an Iraqi police alleging that signals from their towers Afghan policeman threw a grenade and officer—at a checkpoint in Dhuluiyya, help government and international opened fire at a U.S. military patrol in Salah al-Din Province. There did not troops track their movements. “We Paktika Province, killing one U.S. soldier. appear to be any casualties, other than have informed mobile companies – Minneapolis Star Tribune, October 16 the death of the bomber. – CNN, October operating in Ghazni to turn off their 18; AFP, October 18 signals during the daytime now as it October 16, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A endangers the lives of our fighters,” a suspected U.S. missile strike killed October 18, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): Taliban spokesman said. “We want the an alleged foreign militant in South Suspected Abu Sayyaf Group gunmen companies to cut off their signal for 10 Waziristan Agency of the Federally attempted to kill a Catholic priest in days from now.” – Reuters, October 21 Administered Tribal Areas. On October Basilan in the southern Philippines, 30, a senior European counter-terrorism although the priest’s bodyguards October 21, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A long official identified the dead militant were able to repel the attackers. The gunfight between Taliban-linked as Khalid Habib, a veteran Egyptian assailants were able to inflict a number fighters and paramilitary soldiers broke jihadist working in al-Qa`ida. – AP, of injuries. – AFP, October 18 out in the Kabal area of Swat District in October 16; Los Angeles Times, October 31 the North-West Frontier Province. The October 19, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): incident resulted in the deaths of at least October 16, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A suicide Afghan and international soldiers killed 15 paramilitary soldiers and five Taliban- car bomber attacked a police station in 34 Taliban militants during an operation linked fighters. – Reuters, October 22 Mingora of Swat District in the North- south of Lashkar Gah in Helmand West Frontier Province. Four security Province. – AP, October 20 October 21, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): A officers were killed in the blast. – AP, Philippine court extended a freeze on October 16 October 19, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): the assets of Hilarion Santos, the alleged Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr leader of the Rajah Solaiman Movement October 16, 2008 (PAKISTAN): The BBC Mottaki told a news conference that the (RSM). Santos was arrested three years reported that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan West should not engage in negotiations ago and is on trial for kidnapping and (TTP) spokesman Maulvi Omar said the or talks with the Taliban. Mottaki rebellion. The freeze, which makes it TTP was “willing to negotiate with the warned, “We advise them to think about illegal to sell off any properties owned government without any conditions” the consequences of the talks [with the by Santos, will be in effect until January and “also willing to lay down our arms, Taliban] which are taking place in the 25, 2009. The RSM spun off from the once the military ceases operations region and in Europe and avoid being Abu Sayyaf Group, and is primarily against us.” Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, bitten in the same spot twice.” – AFP, composed of Filipino Christians who however, claimed that Omar told one of October 19 converted to Islam. – AFP, October 21 their journalists on October 15 that “a threat [U.S.-led forces] is looming large October 20, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): October 21, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): on our western borders and, therefore, Taliban gunmen shot to death a According to a statement made by Taliban can’t disarm themselves Christian aid worker as she walked Philippine Colonel Eddie Maningding, unless the occupation forces leave to work in western Kabul. The aid Jemaah Islamiya operatives are using Afghanistan.” – UPI, October 16; Dawn, worker, Gayle Williams, was a dual Mindanao as a “as training and exposure October 16 South African-British national, and she area” for recruits. He also alleged primarily worked with handicapped these operatives are “supporting some October 16, 2008 (MOROCCO): The Afghans. A Taliban spokesman charged rogue MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation trial of accused al-Qa`ida insurgent that Williams “came to Afghanistan Front] elements for extortion and other Abdul Kader Belliraj began in Morocco. to teach Christianity to the people of criminal activities. Recently, they are According to UPI, “Belliraj was arrested Afghanistan.” – AP, October 20 eluding government counter-terrorist in February along with 32 other people operations and co-opting with local and has been accused of planning terror October 20, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): radicals for sanctuary and propagation attacks in Morocco in an attempt to Suspected Taliban militants killed five of their extremist beliefs.” Maningding NOVEMBER 2008 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 12 claimed that 58 foreign terrorists were Guardian newspaper, however, reported bail as he awaits his sentencing. – AP, operating in the Philippines and were that “the document is not binding on the October 22 constantly on the run from government government even though it was party troops. “The 30 JI members and 28 other to it. The army remains the ultimate October 23, 2008 (IRAQ): A suicide foreign terrorists are now on the run arbiter of security policy.” – Guardian, car bomber rammed his vehicle into due to extensive government pressure,” October 24 the convoy of Iraq’s labor minister in he said. – GMANews.tv, October 21 downtown Baghdad, killing at least 11 October 23, 2008 (GLOBAL): 21-year- people. The minister, Mahmud Jawad October 21, 2008 (SAUDI ARABIA): old German citizen and convert to Islam al-Radi, escaped injury. – AFP, October 23 The Saudi media reported that the Eric Breininger appeared in a new online government has indicted 991 suspected video stating, “I am in Afghanistan and, October 23, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. al-Qa`ida militants for carrying out personally, do not plan to carry out an military handed control of Babil 30 attacks since 2003. According to attack on Germany.” On September 25, Province to the Iraqi government. Babil Reuters, some of the accused include German federal prosecutors issued a is the 12th province out of 18 that has clerics who had publicly supported public alert seeking the whereabouts of been handed over to Iraqi government al-Qa`ida’s violent campaign in the Breininger, who they thought had slipped control. – AP, October 23 country. Al-Arabiya reported that most back into Germany after attending a of the suspects are Saudi nationals. terrorist training camp in Pakistan. The October 23, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. – Reuters, October 21 web video was Breininger’s response military announced that Iraqi security to the German alert. He further stated, forces had captured 66 people allegedly October 21, 2008 (SAUDI ARABIA): “We declare war on any country that connected to al-Qa`ida in Iraq (AQI). Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal fights against Muslims at the side of the The arrests, which occurred during announced that, in September, his United States. However, the Germans separate operations in northern Iraq country hosted talks between Afghan are so blinded by the press that the over a few days, included 45 operatives officials and the Taliban in Mecca. people apparently demanded even more from AQI and 21 others part of the According to press reports, one of the soldiers and intelligence services, which Islamic State of Iraq. – CNN, October 23 Taliban representatives was Abdul logically increase the risk of attacks on Salam Zaeef, the former Taliban German territory.” – ABC News, October 23 October 23, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): ambassador to Pakistan. – Washington Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Post, October 22 October 23, 2008 (GERMANY): The Dadfar Spanta said that his government head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence would negotiate with the Taliban since October 22, 2008 (IRAQ): The head of the Service, Ernst Uhrlau, warned that “peace requires that we talk with the al-Qa`ida-linked Islamic State of Iraq, al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb armed opposition.” Yet, according Abu `Umar al-Baghdadi, confirmed the (AQIM), which is based in North to Spanta, any negotiations with the death of Abu Qaswarah, who was killed Africa, could pose a threat to Western Taliban must be on the premise that by U.S. forces on October 5 in Mosul, Europe. According to Ernst, out of al- they will accept the current Afghan Ninawa Province. Abu Qaswarah Qa`ida’s various “franchises,” AQIM constitution. – AFP, October 23 has been identified as the second-in- is “developing the most dynamically.” command of al-Qa`ida in Iraq. Al- Uhrlau also identified the internet as October 23, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A U.S.