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About Contact Us CT Blog Experts in the Media CT Library Counterterrorism Foundation Websites & Centers RSS & PDA Feeds Monthly Archives Mumbai Attack Posts: Douglas Farah, Dec. 1 Olivier Guitta, Dec. 1 Walid Phares, Nov. 30 and Nov. 26 Animesh Roul, Nov. 30, Nov. 26 and Nov. 25 Aaron Mannes, Nov. 30 Victor Comras, Nov. 29 Evan Kohlmann, Nov. 28 Hyland & Roul, Nov. 27 Special Hyland-Roul Series on India Special Gruen-Hyland Series on Homegrown U.S. Terrorism Counterterrorism Blog Panels: The 2008 Mumbai Attacks, Dec. 4 Jihadists' Revolt Against Al Qaeda, Sept. 23 Future of Turkey-U.S. Strategic Partnership, May 19 Iran & U.S.: Outlook for Next Decade? April 15 Compañeros de Armas ("Friends in Arms"): Chavez, FARC & South America, March 19 Meta-Terror: Terrorism & the Virtual World, Feb. 29 Evolution of US Counterterrorism Policy, Feb. 12 Terrorism Litigation After Boim Decision, Jan. 28 Holy Land Foundation & Muslim Brotherhood, Dec. 11 ------------ July 2008 Posts and August 2008 Posts Contributing Experts
Steven Emerson & The Investigative Project on Terrorism
Dennis Lormel Douglas Farah, Site Editor Bill West Evan Kohlmann Michael Cutler Victor Comras Michael Kraft Dr. Zachary Abuza Dr. Walid Phares Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Olivier Guitta Kenneth Conboy Aaron Mannes David Schenker Jeffrey Imm Animesh Roul Matthew Levitt Jonathan Winer Michael Jacobson Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Ali Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis James Gordon Meek, Guest Expert Andrew Cochran, VP of GAGE Founder & Site Editor Phillip Smyth & Brett Wallace, Asst. Newslinks Editors EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
NEFA Report: "Inside As-Sahaab: The Story of Ali al-Bahlul and the Evolution of Al-Qaida’s Propaganda."
Contributing Experts to Discuss Mumbai Attacks At December 4 Event The Importance of The Dawood Ibrahim Connection Mumbai, a new modus operandi for jihadists? International support to India and Pakistan against Jihadi terror Mumbai Terror Attacks: "Agencies Yet to Learn Hard Lessons' Mumbai Whodunnit: Names vs. Networks Dawood Ibrahim's Name Again Surfaces With Latest Mumbai Terrorist Attack Jamat-ud-Dawa (LET Political Wing) on Mumbai Attacks: "Not a Legitimate Tactic" Mayhem in Mumbai: India Reels Under Another Terror Attack Experts' Books
Walid Phares: The Confrontation and "The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy" and “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America”
Michael Kraft & Yonah Alexander (Editors): "Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy" Douglas Farah & Zachary Abuza in Countering the Financing of Terrorism Douglas Farah: "Merchant of Death" and "Blood From Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror" Michael Jacobson: "The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post–September 11" Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: "My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir" Steven Emerson: "Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the US" and "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" Victor Comras & Matthew Levitt (contributors): "Terrorism Financing and State Responses," Stanford University Press Matthew Levitt: "Negotiating Under Fire: Preserving Peace Talks in the Face of Terror Attacks" and "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad" and "Targeting Terror: U.S. Policy toward Middle Eastern State Sponsors and Terrorist Organizations, Post-September 11" Zachary Abuza: "Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia" and "Militant Islam in Southeast Asia: Crucible of Terror" Lorenzo Vidino "Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of Global Jihad" Kenneth Conboy: "The Second Front: Inside Asia’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Network" Evan Kohlmann: "Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network" Credits
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Michael Kraft Archives
The State Department's Terrorism List: Setting the Record StraightBy Michael KraftThe Los Angles Times opinion web side today carried a response I wrote to an op-ed last week that badly distorted the purpose of the State Department’s list of countries that support international terrorism. That op-ed piece by a New... Hostage History: From the Levant to Latin AmericaBy Michael KraftThousands of miles away and three decades apart, the rescue of hostages in Colombia and the killing of Israeli hostages by Lebanese terrorists have some unexpected links as well profound differences. Barring last minute glitches, the Israelis are expected within... G8 Summit Statement on CounterterrorismBy Michael KraftOverlooked in the reporting on the G8 summit’s discussions in Rusutsu, Japan, this week on climate change and other subjects, was a major statement on counterterrorism, reaffirming that ”abductions and the taking of hostages are repugnant practices to be strongly... Removing North Korea from the Terrorism List Stirs OppositionBy Michael KraftPresident Bush’s announcement of plans to remove North Korea from the terrorism list is the result of long negotiations that illustrate that the process is complicated and it is turning controversial. Talks with North Korea about removal from the... State Department Terrorism reportBy Michael KraftThe State Department’s Annual terrorism report is being released today. Following is the text of the Department announcement. --0-- Special Press Briefing and Release: Country Reports on Terrorism 2007 The Department of State will release the annual Congressionally mandated Country... Carter's Comfort for HamasBy Michael KraftFormer President Jimmy Carter’s plans to meet with a major Hamas leader do not technically violate U.S. policy against negotiating with terrorists, but they counter the principle and may well undermine his professed desire to support Middle East Peace... Cuba, North Korea and the Terrorism ListBy Michael KraftFidel Castro’s announcement that he is formally giving up power will eventually revive proposals that the U.S. Government should remove Cuba from the list of countries that support international terrorism. Although the Castro government has not sought removal from... Imad Mughniyeh: How he held America HostageBy Michael KraftThe killing of Imad Mughniyeh, the Hezbollah terrorist leader behind the death and kidnappings of hundreds of Americans, is a major development and a reminder of the painful Lebanon hostage traumas inflicted on the western world in the 1980’s,... State Department Counterterrorism Coordinator's Integrated ApproachBy Michael KraftThe State Department's relatively new Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Ambassador Dell Dailey, has outlined a broad integrated approach to countering the international terrorism threat downplaying the military role although he was an Army three-star general who headed the Special Operations Command.... An Appreciation of Rep. Henry Hyde's Role in Fight Against TerrorismBy Michael KraftFormer Congressman Henry Hyde, who died last week after a long Congressional career, played an important but largely little-noticed role in shaping major counterterrorism legislation. The Illinois Republican was best known for his role in chairing the House of Representatives... The Holy Land Foundation: Misinformation about Material SupportBy Michael Kraft...it is also a civil liberty for civilians to be able to get on a bus or enter a restaurant or office building without being blown up by suicide bombers from Hamas or any other terrorist group. Iran: Cutting Air links-- Another sanctions toolBy Michael KraftIf the United States and other countries are really serious about trying to use economic and political pressures instead of military action to head off Iran’s drive toward nuclear weapons, it is time to consider sharply cutting off Iran’s air... The David Hicks Case Riles the AustraliansBy Michael KraftThe dispute over David Hicks, the Australian one-time kangaroo skinner who pleaded guilty in Guantanamo today on charges of providing material support to Al Qaeda, is a good example of two friends looking at each other through the different... Italian Hostage Swap --Not So SimpleBy Michael KraftWhen the Italian government this week completed a deal in Afghanistan to obtain the release of an Italian journalist hostage, Daniele Mastrogiacomo, for five Taliban prisoners, the spokesman for Italian Prime Minister Roman Prodi was quoted as saying it was... Counterterrorism Programs Flat in CRBy Michael KraftBarring an unexpected Senate floor amendment next week, the Continuing Resolution working its way through Congress will again hamper efforts to counter global terrorism by strengthening the capabilities of vulnerable friendly countries around the world. The Continuing Resolution that passed... BIOTERRORISM: CONFERENCES AND CONCERNSBy Michael KraftThe threat of terrorists using biological agents to inflict mass casualties received renewed attention at a United Nations conference this week and an Interpol workshop earlier this month. In Geneva, the sixth review conference on the Convention on Biological Weapons... Better Sharing with State and Local OfficialsBy Michael KraftAn important step toward improving the sharing of terrorism-related information with state and local law enforcement officials is underway with the development of a new framework to help get around existing roadblocks. The federal government proposals, as initially reported by... Terrorist Organizations: Equal Opportunity ReaffirmationBy Michael KraftThe unanimous decision yesterday by a federal appeals court to uphold the State Department’s designation of Kahane Chai, a “militant” Jewish group based in the West Bank, as a terrorist organization is a reminder that the U.S. Government’s efforts... White House CT Strategy Paper: Proof in the FundingBy Michael KraftThe White House today released an updated “National Strategy for Combating Terrorism” that provides a sweeping outline of the problems and some of the necessary countermeasures. But the proof will be in the implementation. The real test will be whether... Counterterrorism Disorganization: More problemsBy Michael KraftNearly five years after 9/11 and eight years after the devastating attacks against the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the U.S. Government is still struggling to develop an organizational structure that will counter terrorism as effectively as possible. Many... Unholy Triangle: Russia Supports Iran which Supports HezbollahBy Michael KraftBuried in the avalanche of news about the Lebanon crisis is an important and negative development in the U.S. government’s relations with Russia over its soft approach to Iran, Hezbollah’s prime backer. The U.S. Government has imposed sanctions against two... Lebanon:Long Term vs. Short Term and ImagesBy Michael KraftThe controversy over imposing an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon reflects a basic issue in dealing with terrorism and especially hostage taking –how to solve the short term problem without creating more problems in the long term. Without acknowledging it because... Hezbollah's Dangerous Ball BearingsBy Michael KraftIn a rather unusual story, the Reuters new agency reported that the Human Rights Watch criticized Hezbollah’s practice of packing ball bearings into the rockets it fires at Israel as a violation of international humanitarian law and probable war crimes.... Lebanon: Shooting the Katyusha wadBy Michael KraftThe Lebanese Hezbollah use of Iranian missiles to damage an Israeli navy boat and sank a Cambodian-registered ship with Egyptian crewmembers is the latest and most dangerous chapter of an unholy linkage between hostage taking and missiles that was born... House Likely to Stumble into Cutting Counterterrorism ProgramsBy Michael KraftThis Thursday, if the tentative House schedule holds up and there are no unexpected amendments, members will vote to cut the Administration’s funding request for programs to counter terrorism overseas, despite all the speeches that it is better to fight... Libya: Steps in Getting Off the Terrorism ListBy Michael KraftThe Bush Administration’s decision to take Libya off the terrorism list is an example of how the sanctions mechanism is supposed to work, even though it leaves some questions and some of the families of Pan Am 103 families... COMING UP: ANNUAL STATE DEPARTMENT TERRORISM REPORTBy Michael KraftThe State Department will release at mid-day Friday its annual report on global terrorism. The reports have touched off more than their share of controversy in past years but they provide a unique and useful portrait of the international terrorism... Anniversary of a Key Counterterrorism LawBy Michael KraftToday, April 24, is the 10th anniversary of the enactment of a major United States counterterrorism law that provided major new legal tools in the fight against international terrorism including making it illegal to provide material support to terrorists. This... Bolton's chance to bolster counterterrorism effortsBy Michael KraftThe following op-ed appeared in today's "The Oklahoman," pegged to the changes in OMB and the White House. Funding counterterrorism By Michael B. Kraft President Bush's shift of Joshua Bolton from the administration's top budget job to White House chief... Public Diplomacy: Restore Radio, Use the InternetBy Michael KraftBy coincidence, two completely separate valid criticisms of the US Governments Public Diplomacy efforts emerged today, one focusing on a traditional media and the other on the newest way of communicating. In her column printed in the Washington Times, syndicated... Jill Carroll?s Release: Echoes of The PastBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft The kidnapping and recent release of Jill Carroll, the Christian Science Monitor reporter in Iraq, revives many of the issues that plagued American citizens and the U.S. government during the rash of kidnappings in Lebanon during... Foiled Attacks Can Lull PublicBy Michael KraftIn looking at the linked articles on the right side of the blog, I was struck by the number of attempted major terrorist attacks in different parts of the world that were foiled and thus unlikely to register in the... IRAN: What can Congress do?By Michael KraftIran is already in a war against the United States, an unconventional conflict that is largely overlooked or unacknowledged amid the growing friction over Tehrans efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. This is becoming increasingly clear as a result of recent... Poetic Justice in PortsBy Michael KraftThere is poetic justice in the port flap. The White House is welcoming a much needed breathing spell in the controversy over the contract for an Arab-owned maritime company to operate six major American ports. The Dubaiowned DP World company... Buried in Proposed Budget: Counterterrorism Programs & Palestinian Funding IssuesBy Michael KraftBuried in the Bush Administrations new budget sent to Congress containing huge requests for the military are modest increases for civilian programs to counter terrorism overseas. The budget bill also includes funding for the Palestinians -- with caveats following the... BACK COUNTERTERRORISM RHETORIC WITH PROGRAM FUNDSBy Michael KraftThe latest threats from Bin Laden in his audio tape released last week should be read by the White Houses OMB budget officials and Congressional appropriators as well as the counterterrorism and intelligence community. The tape recording was a reminder... Could Hamas Make Palestine the Next Designated Terrorist State?By Michael KraftIf Hamas emerges as the winner or a major coalition partner from Wednesdays Palestinian elections, a fledging Palestinian state runs the risk of being designated as a state sponsor of terrorism and losing U.S. economic assistance and investment. Hamas already... LEBANON: CANDIDATE FOR TERRORIST LIST?By Michael Kraftby Michael Kraft The Lebanese Governments stonewalling attitude in protecting the Lebanese convicted murderer of an American sailor during the TWA 847 hijacking should prompt the U.S. Government to consider placing Lebanon on the State Departments list of state supporters... GERMAN RELEASE OF TERRORIST REVIVES MEMORIES OF GERMAN AND MEDIA WEAKNESSESBy Michael Kraftby Michael Kraft Germanys secret release of a Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist convicted of killing a U.S. Navy diver during the 1985 hijacking of TWA 847 revives memories of past German deals with terrorist and their supporters. The 17- day hijacking... Behind the GAO Report on Problems in fighting Terrorism FundingBy Michael KraftHold on folks. Unfortunately there is more to the US Governments inter-agency problems in countering financing terrorism than Doug Farah and Zachary Abuza commented on posts earlier today or even the GAO said in its report issued Tuesday. The process... THE PATRIOT ACT DISPUTE?REMEMBER THE BIG PICTUREBy Michael KraftThe threat by a group of Senators to filibuster renewal of the Patriot Act may be a bargaining tactic but lets hope it doesnt result in the search for the perfect helping kill the good. The roving wiretaps provision... Hitting the balance on CT LawsBy Michael KraftBy Michael Kraft By one of those coincidences of legislative schedules, three major English speaking democracies have been grappling during the same week with how far to go in strengthening counterterrorism laws. The stunning defeat of British Prime Minister Tony... Congressional Conferees Cut Counterterrorism ProgramsBy Michael KraftUPDATE By Michael B. Kraft Despite the professed concerns about the international counterterrorism threat and the need to fight the terrorists overseas before they can hit us at home, House-Senate Conference figures made available today showed that the Appropriators cut... CONFEREES MEET SOON, NEED TO RESTORE CUTS IN COUNTERTERRORISM PROGAMSBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft Congressional Conferees are expected to meet soon on the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, currently scheduled for late this afternoon (Tuesday) and their actions will be another indication of whether Congress is willing to match Washingtons strong... Counterterrorism R&D: Herding the CatsBy Michael KraftCan we find magic bullets to stop terrorists? The London subway and bus bombings have touched off a renewed interest in finding technical solutions to countering the terrorist threat. This is a worthwhile goal but far from a magic solution.... LONDON attack: Connecting other DotsBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft The terrorist bombings Thursday in central London, coinciding with the G-8 summit in Scotland, underscore the fact that terrorism is still alive and bad, and there are still many dots to connect. While it is too... SENATE NEEDS TO RESTORE CUTS IN COUNTERTERRORISM PROGAMSBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft Apparently the House of Representatives was not listening or not buying the line when President Bush said in his televised address Tuesday night that there is only one course of action against them (the terrorists): to... AFRICA?CONNECTING THE DOTSBy Michael KraftAFRICACONNECTING THE DOTS By Michael B. Kraft Recent press reports point to the dangers of terrorism in Africa. The White House turned down British Prime Minister Tony Blairs efforts to double aid to that continent. A major existing U.S. aid... Syria: Where are the Europeans?By Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft The claims by the Syrian Ambassador to the U.S. that Damascus has halted military and intelligence cooperation with the U.S. sound like a bad joke, except that the situation along the Syria-Iraq border is serious. Syria... COUNTERTERRORISM REPORTS?HISTORIC PERSPECTIVEBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft Should Lebanon be a candidate for being placed on the U.S. governments list of countries thats support international terrorism? Is Congress getting an accurate description of how individual countries are dealing with the terrorist threat? These... Guess Who Came for BreakfastBy Michael KraftGerry Adams may have been snubbed by the White House on St Patrick's Day but he had some unusual breakfast neighbors when American supporters of the Sinn Fein, the "political" wing of the IRA, held a breakfast for him at... Libya: It's Not so SimpleBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft Not so fast, not so easy. The Bush Administration has told Congress that it hopes to be able to take Libya off the list of state sponsors of terrorism but it still has troubling questions about... Africa: The Next Afganistan?By Michael KraftBy Michael Kraft Concerned that Africa could become another Afghanistan-style haven for terrorists, a House International Relations Subcommittee heard State Department and Defense Department officials call for long term and coordinated assistance to deter future major attacks. Rep. Ed Royce... Terrorism: Words Do Mean SomethingBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft The issue of how the press should label terrorist attacks has been reopened by Daniel Okrent, the New York Times Public Editor, or ombudsman, in his March 6 The War of Words" column. Mr. Okrent, to... Syria's Gestures. Will They Last?By Michael KraftBy Michel Kraft The press reports that Syrian officials captured and turnover to Iraqi authorities the half brother of Saddam Hussein and more than two dozen former Baathists, are another sign of the zigzag tight- rope walking policies of the... BIOTERRORISM: THE NOBLE WARNINGBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft The warning by Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble that the world is ill prepared for a biological terrorist attack reflects the growing effort to sound the alarm in the third world as well as developed... Afghanistan: A New WarningBy Michael KraftBy Michael Kraft Remember Afghanistan? A new United Nations report warns that the country that had become a major haven for international terrorists could again become a trouble spot if more is not done to improve the security and economy... The Growing Gap in Terrorism PerceptionsBy Michael KraftAs memories of 9-11 fade, the Bush Administration must manage the growing gap between the U.S. and other countries perceptions of the threat that terrorism poses, a bi-partisan blue ribbon panel of Washington foreign policy experts cautioned today. The comments... Terrorism: Battle of the BudgetBy Michael KraftBy Michael Kraft Secretary of State Condoleeza Rices first testimony to Congress Wednesday in support of the Fiscal Year 06 Foreign Assistance budget drew some press attention for the request for $5.8 billion to fight terrorism but this impressive... Counterterrorism Leadership Keeps RevolvingBy Michael KraftBy Michael B. Kraft Cofer Black, the former State Department Counterterrorism Coordinator who retired abruptly after the November elections, has resurfaced for the first time with a new formulation for describing the terrorism threat. In his first interview since retiring... Iraq-Israel: Shooting the would-be messengerBy Michael Kraftby Michael Kraft One of the numerous rationales offered by some backers of the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein was the vision that Iraq would become a democracy, setting an example for other Muslim countries, and even normalize relations with... |