Counterterrorism Blog
The first multi-expert blog dedicated solely to counterterrorism issues, serving as a gateway to the community for policymakers and serious researchers. Designed to provide realtime information about terrorism cases and policy developments.
December 2007 Archives

(U.S.) Press Statement by Attorneys for the Boim Family - See posts on appeals court decision by Victor Comras and Andrew Cochran

Civilian casualties drop dramatically in Iraq

(Iraq) Suicide bomb attack kills 12 in Iraq -- suicide truck bomber attacks U.S.-manned checkpoint in Mishada

(Iraq) Leaders hit back at 'weak' bin Laden

(Iraq) US forces arrest key Qaeda leader in northern Iraq -- in Kirkuk - Jasim Muhammad Ali aka Mullah Jasim - believed to be mastermind of major terrorist attacks in Hawaija

(Afghanistan) 25 police, soldiers killed in Afghanistan: officials -- 16 police killed by Taliban in Kandahar on Saturday per interior ministry -- 2 police killed Monday by roadside bomb in Musa Qula

(Afghanistan) Taliban in turmoil after argument over sacking -- of Mansoor Dadullah

(Pakistan) Al-Qaeda aims at Pakistan's heart -- anticipates more suicide attacks against secular and liberal elements

(Pakistan/UK) Cleric's chilling warning to UK -- Pakistani Muslim cleric Qari Hifzur Rehamn speaks of forcing Islam on world by violence

(Pakistan) U.S. Special forces on standby over nuclear threat -- to secure Pakistan nukes

(U.S.) Afghan Guantanamo prisoner dies of cancer: US military - Abdul Razzak, aged 68

Hamas and Islamic Jihad say they killed hikers - near Hebron

Palestinian Authority claims it foiled suicide attack -- Hamas cell preparing attack

Israel gets warned: Al-Qaida coming -- indications terror network sending cells using foreign passports

Mauritania forces unsure of al Qaeda attack claim -- French tourists canceling trips

Turkish police foil plot to kill Christian priest: reports -- increase of killings of Christian priests in 2007 -- suspect influenced by Turkish TV serial "The Valley of the Wolves Iraq" -- vilifying Americans and Jewish individuals

Netherlands: Possible attack foiled -- Dutch intelligence arrested three men believed associated with planned terror attack -- AP: Dutch police detain 3 men for possibly planning violent act-- report in Dutch (Telegraaf)

(Belgium) Brussels: Terror attack planned -- 14 Islamists arrested Decebmer 21 reported plotted to place bombs on Brussels Metro -- report in Dutch (HLN) -- now says it was said "only for laughs"

(Thailand) Dozens injured in bombings in Thai south -- five bombs planted by suspected separatist rebels in Narathiwat province, 27 injured -- Thai Bombing Hits New Year's Festivities

Philippine military says al-Qaeda-linked militants weakened in 2007 -- report says 144 Abu Sayyaf "neutralized" 57 killed, 75 captured, 2 surrendered

(Philippines) Supreme Court orders transfer of trial of Indonesian terror suspects -- MILF monitoring transfer of terror suspects

North Korea slams U.S. ahead of nuclear deadline

(Australia) Hicks required to report to police

(Australia) Howard hits out at 'jihad' Muslims

(Iraq) Suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen kidnap 13

Bin Laden issues warning on Iraq, Israel - Criticizes Sunni "Awakening Councils" & Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah, says "We intend to liberate Palestine" - Download from Laura Mansfield (56 minutes) - AFP report, SITE Institute report

Iraq on alert for Saddam anniversary

(Iraq) Suspected mass grave found in Baquba

Iraq: Al-Qaeda 75 Percent Gone - Iraq's interior ministry says 75 percent of al-Qaeda in Iraq's terrorist network destroyed - Iraqi police arrest 250 people: Sunnis

(Afghanistan) Two civilians among 10 killed in Afghan violence: police -- Taliban blamed in southern Afghanistan attacks in Helmand - roadside bomb and Taliban rocket ambush

(Afghanistan) Taliban leader Mullah Omar sacks key rebel commander: spokesman -- Mullah Mansoor Dadullah disobeyed Mullah Omar

(Afghanistan) UN calls for release of worker jailed in Afghan diplomatic row -- jailed for communications with Taliban

(Pakistan) More than a dozen killed in northwestern Pakistan unrest -- Parachinar Sunni and Shiite fighting

(Pakistan) Two suicide bombers die in botched Pakistan attack -- in central Punjab

(Pakistan) Report: Pakistan elections to be postponed by up to 3 or 4 months -- and -- Gun-wielding assassin blasts Bhutto on tape -- Released images show man firing point blank from only feet away

Hamas claims deadly West Bank shootout

Turkey arrests five for al Qaeda links - TV -- in four cities including the capital Ankara

(UK) Ex-detainee 'linked to Al-Qaeda cleric' -- freed Guantanamo prisoner Omar Deghayes linked to Abu Qatada

(Australia) Terrorism supporter in hiding -- David Hicks released from prison without apologizing for his crimes

Sri Lanka says heavy battles in north

Colombia: Mission to grab hostages delayed

(Pakistan) Update: Bhutto's Jihadist Enemies

Qaeda Network Expands Base in Pakistan - Increasingly made up of homegrown militants bent on destabilizing country

Ten Saudis return home from Guantanamo

Morocco jails 15 people convicted of terror link

Chaos in the wake of Bhutto's murder will give Osama free reign to plot terror - Reported by James Gordon Meek

(U.S.) $156M Terrorism Damage Award Thrown Out - Judgment against Holy Land Foundation, 2 other groups, & Muhammad Salah thrown out

New Mauritania attack kills three soldiers

(Iraq) Muqtada al-Sadr's Power Grab - Will be "ayatollah" by 2010 or sooner, with broad implications

(Iran) Inflation Fuels Anger Toward Ahmadinejad

(Iraq) Car bomb in Baghdad market kills 14

(Pakistan) Two dozen dead in Bhutto protests

(Pakistan) Taliban leader warns against using religion for electoral gains -- "In Shariah, democracy is un-Islamic"

Russia delivers more nuclear fuel to Iran

Colombian hostages may be set free by Friday -- Plan to release trio to Chavez seen as rebuke of President Alvaro Uribe

Web site to carry new bin Laden tape on Iraq

Suicide bomber assassinates Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto and Al-Qaeda claims Bhutto's death -- Shot in neck & chest as suicide bomber killed at least 20 in rally - see Dec. 27 posts by West - Kohlmann - Gartenstein-Ross - Mannes - Roul - Winer - Cochran - see news summaries at Dawn website and Yahoo Pakistan News and ABC News: U.S. Checking al Qaeda Claim of Killing Bhutto - see attack photos

US beefs up Pakistan force - US Special Forces to increase presence in Pakistan

US signals support for Taliban talks

Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip kill six - Mohammad Abu Murshud, head of Islamic Jihad's armed wing in Gaza, killed

(U.S.) Terrorism Risk Insurance Act Extended

(Iraq) U.S. says captures 2 over Iraq soldier abductions and Iraq says captures senior al Qaeda figure - Ahmed Turki Abbas, "defense minister" of Islamic State of Iraq

Iraq: US targets Mahdi splinter group -- US Troops Kill 11 Mahdi Breakaways

Mauritania seeks 3 in tourist killings -- suspected of links to a regional al-Qaida terror network -- Sleeper cell killed French and Hunt for Suspects in Mauritania Killing

What a Difference …A year makes. A report from Fallujah, Iraq - Fallujah on verge of becoming success story & symbol of new, cooperative paradigm

Shiite Contest Sharpens In Iraq -Moqtada al-Sadr versus Abdul Aziz al-Hakim

(Somalia) Somali gunmen 'besieged' after seizing women medics - Gunmen who kidnapped woman doctor & nurse trapped in shootout

(Afghanistan) - On the march with Helmand’s hope - Afghan Army holding Musa Qala after takeover from Taliban

(Egypt) Cairo blasts Israel over tunnels claim

(Iraq) Medical facility found at al-Qaida complex - Next to torture complex - also included large weapons cache

(Afghanistan) More than 4500 Taliban members defect - Since 2005 - 4000 others killed by British & Canadian forces -

(India) LeT planning terror strike against Modi and HuM hurt in 2007

(Iraq) 35 dead in Iraq attacks -- Dozens injured in pair of suicide bomber attacks Tuesday north of Baghdad

(Iraq) Bodies of 17 men are found north of Baghdad -- in Baquba - with gunshot wounds to head

(Iraq) US forces identify slain Qaeda militant in Iraq -- Abu Abdullah aka Muhammad Sulayman Shunaythir al-Zubai -- see also KUNA report

(Afghanistan) 150 Taliban killed in Afghanistan -- Afghan forces with support from the international troops based in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province

(Afghanistan) Britain in secret talks with the Taliban -- MI6's Secret Intelligence Service agents have held talks with Taliban

Afghan rebels' arms suppliers assailed -- Canadian defense minister says Pakistan and Iran providing weapons to Taliban

(Pakistan) Operation against Swat militants continues -- Taliban behead alleged spy

(Pakistan) Violence in Pak tribal region kills 12 people -- Kurram Agency Sunni / Shiite fighting

Pakistan Denies Misusing US Anti-Terror Aid

(U.S.) Judge upholds Tariq Ramadan banning

(U.S.) Experts worry about college stadium security -- Counterterrorism experts worry sporting events could become targets

Moroccan court puts off two terrorism cases -- involving 27 terror suspects

Sri Lanka says 40 rebels killed in sea battle

The U.N. Insignia Emerges as a Global Target for Al-Qaeda Attacks - See Frank Hyland's Dec. 15 post

Indonesia Increases Security Ahead of Christmas Holiday - Kenneth Conboy quoted

(Israel & Hamas) 'IDF has infiltrated Izzadin Kassam' - Israel has infiltrated Hamas' military wing

(Iraq) 2 die in Baghdad bombing -- Near governor's office -- Gunmen kidnap 14 members of Iraqi family: police

(Afghanistan) Bombs kill four in Afghanistan: police - in Kandahar -Three Taleban killed in Afghanistan - Including local commander

Afghans detain woman with bomb under burqa -- in Jalalabad, near Pakistan border

(Pakistan) Islamic militants take responsibility for attack on Pakistan military convoy that killed 9 -- update on Swat valley bombing on Sunday

(Pakistan) U.S. officials see waste in billions sent to Pakistan -- and -- previously posted December 8 -- (Pakistan) What Did Your $10 Billion Pay For? -- CSIS analyst claims Pakistan anti-terror funds being used for military arms to defend against India -- see also Animesh Roul's December 24 posting

Belgian prisoner denies escape plans

(Iran) Iran reactor 'to open late 2008'

(Gaza) Gaza's Christians Keep Low Xmas Profile

(France) Twin bomb attacks injure two in Corsica

(Gaza) Olmert rules out truce talks with Hamas

(Afghanistan) Three Canadian soldiers injured

Bombing, gunmen leave 5 dead in Iraq

Saudi says arrests 28 al Qaeda militants

Suicide bomber kills nine in Pakistan

5 Somalis killed in the capital

Pakistan agents ‘staged escape’ of terror suspect - Sunday Times: Friends of Rashid Rauf say he kidnapped by Pakistan’s ISI, not escaped

Iraq Qaeda Group Confirms Top Figure Killed: Web - Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, leader of Islamic State in Iraq, hailed Abu Maysara, killed last month

Iraq bombs kill one U.S. soldier and wound 11 -- double roadside bomb attack in Kirkuk

Pakistan's Islamic Parties Struggling

(India) Two Islamic militants arrested over Indian Lucknow court blasts: police -- believed to be with Bangladesh-based militant group Harkatul Jihad al-Islami

Indian officials clash on terrorism causes

(U.S.) Gitmo Detainee Charged In Terrorism Plot -- Brother-In-Law Of 9/11 Hijacker 4th Guantanamo Detainee Charged -- Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al-Darbi's charges relate to plans to attack vessels off Yemeni coast

(U.S.) Judge: 1992 papers relevant in 9/11 lawsuits -- Judge says organizations must turn over evidence, including Muslim World League, the International Islamic Relief Organization and Wa'el Jelaidan

(U.S.) FBI prepares vast database of biometrics

Iran Educates Children to 'Seek Martyrdom'

Saudi Arabia: Al Qaeda planned haj attacks

Algerian army surrounds armed group

Belgium Releases 14 Terror Suspects -- after a court decided there was insufficient evidence to hold them for more than 24 hours

Belgian authorities on high terrorism alert

Germany drops probe of man who was accused of recruiting for terrorism -- "Tolga D." was suspected of having recruited a fellow citizen for terrorism in Pakistan

(UK) Pair face terror charges -- inciting terror in Pakistan - involvement with Baluchistan group