Terrorism Watch

US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama visit the memorial for the 26/11 terror attack victims at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel. US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama visit the memorial for the 26/11 terror attack victims at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel in Mumbai.

Source: Xinhua WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday announced sanctions targeting Pakistan-based terrorist organizations responsible for the 2008 and 2006 attacks on India, one day before President Barack Obama's visit to India. The Treasury targeted the financial and support networks of Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LET) and Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM), prohibiting U. S. persons from engaging in any transactions with targeted individuals and entities and freezes any assets the designees have under U.S. jurisdiction. Actions were taken against Azam Cheema, who helped train operatives for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and was the " mastermind" behind the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings carried out by LET. The sanctions also targeted Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki, head of LET's political arm. Al Rehmat Trust, an operational front for JEM was designated for providing support to JEM, and Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi, JEM's founder and leader, was also

Source: reuters Wed Nov 3, 2010 9:05am EDT (Reuters) - Here are some facts on left-wing urban guerrilla groups in   Greece , following a wave of parcel-bomb attacks on European government targets. * FIRE CONSPIRACY CELLS: -- Police suspect that one of two men arrested Monday is a member of the Fire Conspiracy Cells, a group that has staged several attacks on government targets over the past year and describes itself as an anti-state organization. -- In May 2009, it claimed responsibility for two small time-bombs that exploded at the construction sites of two new police stations. -- In September 2009, it said it had planted a small bomb outside a government building in the northern city of Thessaloniki. The bomb went off hours after a blast outside the Athens bourse claimed by another cell, Revolutionary Struggle. -- In January 2010, Fire Conspiracy Cells claimed responsibility for a small bomb blast outside parliament. -- Last March, the group claimed three small blasts in Athens: at

Source: sify 2010-11-05 Islamabad, Nov 5 (IANS) At least 60 people were killed and more than 100 injured Friday when a mosque was hit by a powerful blast by a suicide bomber near Kohat town in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, state television PTV reported. The blast targeted a mosque in Darra Adam Khel area under Sapeena police station when the Friday mid-day prayers were being offered, said Shahidullah, Dictrict Cordination Officer (DCO), Kohat. 'The roof of the mosque has caved in and several people are still trapped under the debris,' he said. 'Ambulances have reached the spot and emergency has been imposed in the nearby hospitals,' he said, adding 'the death toll could only be confirmed after the conclusion of rescue operation. It is premature to say anything about the nature of the blast at this stage.' Senator Haji Razzaq, who hails from Darra Adam Khel, said 'The security situation in the area was precarious and threats from militan

Source: AljazeerA Security official says soldiers died when al-Qaeda-linked fighters attacked a military checkpoint in volatile Abyan. Last Modified: 04 Nov 2010 02:17 GMT A security official said clashes between government troops and al-Qaeda-linked fighters were continuing [EPA] At least two Yemeni soldier have been killed after anti-government fighters attacked a military checkpoint in the country's south, a security official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said one of the attackers was also killed in Wednesday's assault in the town of Jaar in the southern Abyan province. He said the clashes were continuing between fighters believed to have links with al-Qaeda and security forces and that he expected casualties. Al-Qaeda has stepped up attacks in the impoverished and largely lawless country. The latest as

Source: Guardian   The Saudis tipped Britain off about last week's bomb – but as new dangers emerge, Britain needs to cultivate new friends   East Midlands Airport: Britain was tipped-off about the bomb by the Saudis. It will need to cultivate other friendly informants to stay ahead of the plotters. Photograph: Mark Jones/Newsteam Four years ago, Saudi Arabia was reported by London to have threatened to stop supplying vital intelligence to the UK about al-Qaida unless the Serious Fraud Office dropped an investigation into a huge BAE arms deal with the country. It transpired that Tony Blair had written a "secret and personal" letter to Lord Goldsmith, the attorney general, demanding that he stop the investigation. He said there was a "real and immediate risk of a collapse in UK/Saudi security, intelligence and diplomatic co-operation". The SFO investigation was dropped. Whether the Saudis would have carried out such

Published: Thursday, Nov 4, 2010, 0:07 IST Place: Peshawar | Agency: PTI  Three US drones today fired missiles at Taliban hideouts in the Pakistan's volatile North Waziristan tribal region, killing 12 suspected militants, security officials said. In the first attack, a spy plane fired two missiles at a moving vehicle in Qutab Khel area, five kilometres southeast of Miran Shah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal agency, the officials said. Four suspected militants were killed in the attack, said security officials. The dead men are believed to have been members of the Haqqani network of Taliban, which often targets the US and foreign forces across the border in Afghanistan, they said. However, local residents said the bodies of the victims were charred beyond recognition. They said the victims could be from local tribe also. In the second attack, the unmanned aircraft fired missiles at another vehicle in Taee Khel near Miran Shah, killing four other suspected mil

Source: Guardian Website warning follows deadly cathedral attack, with insurgency harder to contain as US disengages   Iraqi Christians carry the coffin of a relative who was killed along with 45 other Christians last night at the Our Lady of Salvation church in central Baghdad. Photograph: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images Al-Qaida in Iraq has threatened more attacks on Iraq's Christians, claiming that they are legitimate targets who now face the "doors of destruction". The warning, published today on militant websites, came three days after gunmen from an al-Qaida front group, the Islamic State of Iraq, raided one of Baghdad's main cathedrals during Sunday mass. More than 50 people were killed and dozens were wounded when Iraqi forces stormed the church in an attempt to lift the four-hour siege . In its statement, ISI described the pope as "the hallucinating tyrant of the Vatican" and warned

(AFP) – 6 hours ago Source: AFP   LONDON — The evacuation of Glasgow airport was a false alarm triggered by the discovery of a suspicious-looking bag, police said Thursday, amid heightened concern about aviation security after the Yemen parcel bomb plot. Parts of the airport were evacuated at 7:55 pm Wednesday after the discovery of the bag in an area where passengers are searched before boarding their flights. The airport remained open during the alert and was accepting flights although departing passengers could not be processed, an airport spokesman told the BBC. But early Thursday police in Glasgow said the alert had been a false alarm. "While this incident has turned out to be a false alarm, there's no doubt that the initial action taken by staff at the airport was absolutely correct," Assistant Chief Constable Ruaraidh Nicolson said. The airport was the target of a failed terror attack in June 2007, when a flaming car was driven into the main te

(AFP) – 2 hours ago Source: AFP   MANILA — The Philippines on Thursday urged the United States and other allies to downgrade travel warnings about an imminent terrorist attack in Manila, saying it had not monitored any such threat. The United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand issued travel advisories this week warning an attack may occur at any time in the Philippine capital, and that areas frequented by foreigners were potential targets. But Philippine foreign affairs department spokesman Ed Malaya said local security authorities disagreed with the advisories. "They are not really seeing any imminent threat," Malaya said on DZBB radio. "Our expectation... is that they (foreign governments) will review and update their travel advisories so that it will be reflective of the generally peaceful conditions that we have." Malaya could not be reached for comment by AFP. Armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Jose Mabanta said that,

By FARES AKRAM Published: November 3, 2010 Source: NYTIMES GAZA — A Palestinian leader of an Islamic extremist group inspired by Al Qaeda was killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Wednesday, according to the Israeli military. Enlarge This Image Suhaib Salem/Reuters The car in which the killed militant was traveling exploded near a central police compound. The car in which the militant was traveling exploded near a central police compound. Hamas officials said an Israeli missile fired from a drone caused the blast. The Israeli military gave no details about how the attack, which ended a period of relative calm, was carried out. The sound of the blast echoed through the city, and a column of black smoke and fire rose from the car, which was destroyed. The militant was identified as Mohammed al-Nemnem, 27, a senior member of the Army of Islam, an extremist group. Barak Raz, a spokesman fo

Source: NYTIMES Baghdad Journal Ahmed Malik/Reuters Police officers grieved Wednesday in Baghdad at the funeral of a colleague killed in a bombing. By ANTHONY SHADID Published: November 3, 2010 BAGHDAD — Ten people died at Aroba Square, near a gold-domed shrine in the capital, where a bomber strolled a little after sunset before he blew himself up. Related At War Blog: A Bunker Mentality, Busted (November 3, 2010) The day after, no one would know that. Electrical wires dangled, billboards were torn, lights were shattered and windows were broken. But that describes anywhere in Baghdad, a city more neglected than destroyed, living on bitter nostalgia. The scene was ordinary. And that angered Hassan al-Bahadli on Wednesday. “Seven years!” he shouted, amid a crowd in the dark, claustrophobic warren of Majid Market. “Seven years, and these explosions are still going on?” An argument ensued, as it often does here. “The first thing i

Baghdad reels from blasts to public spots

Source: TOI MUMBAI: A well known extortionist, Prakash Pandey alias Bunty Pandey, was detained in Vietnam on Wednesday morning. His detention was the result of a red corner notice issued against him. He is likely to be brought to Mumbai in a day or two.  Bunty Pandey, who is on the run for several years, was a terror for developers and Bollywood personalities. There are around 20 serious offences including murder, attempt to murder, extortion are registered with the Mumbai police. The Mumbai crime branch through CBI had issued a red corner notice against him a couple years of back, when his name cropped up in a series of extortion cases. Bunty Pandey is said to be behind several shoot outs in suburban Mumbai. 

Multiple Bombings Rock Parts of Baghdad Bombings and mortar strikes tear through mostly Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad, killing scores of people and injuring many more. (Nov. 2)

Source: Washington post Wednesday, November 3, 2010 BAGHDAD - A string of at least 20 explosions shook the Iraqi capital Tuesday night, most of them in Shiite neighborhoods, authorities said. The rare coordinated attack, which included car bombings, roadside bombings and mortar fire, prompted officials to impose a curfew in the capital shortly after 8 p.m. The blasts killed at least 63 people and wounded 285, Iraqi police officials said, citing early reports from the field. The Associated Press reported 76 killed, citing unidentified Iraqi officials. Teams of American soldiers were dispatched to some of the blast sites to assist Iraqi security forces, military spokesman Lt. Col. Eric Bloom said, adding that U.S. military radar had picked up 13 to 17 explosions Tuesday night, none thought to be the result of a mortar or rocket attack. Bloom said the attacks appeared to be the work of the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq. "This seems to be typical AQI ta

Source: AFP (AFP) – 2 hours ago SYDNEY — Australia warned that terror attacks may be imminent in the Philippine capital Manila, saying it had received credible evidence that violence was brewing. Canberra issued an updated travel bulletin calling for Australian travellers to be extremely cautious but did not raise its warning level for the country and gave no indication of who could be planning potential attacks. "Reliable reports indicate that terrorist attacks may be imminent in Manila, including places frequented by foreigners such as large shopping malls and convention centres," the foreign affairs department said. The advisory restated Australia's advice against travelling to the southern island of Mindanao due to the "very high threat" of violence and kidnapping. Warning of an imminent strike on the restive island it said several foreigners had been kidnapped on the nearby Sulu Archipelago and Zamboanga Peninsula. One man, a Japanese n

Source: Guardian Attacks on Taliban supply lines cause tenfold price rise in key ingredient of improvised explosive devices US marines assess an improvised explosive device in Nabuk, Helmand province. Photograph: Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters    The Taliban 's ability to produce large numbers of its most effective and lethal weapon, the improvised explosive device (IED), appears to have been severely constrained in the south of Afghanistan , including Kandahar, after months of US-led operations. According to the region's British outgoing commander, General Nick Carter – who briefed journalists before handing over to his US successor today – anecdotal evidence suggests growing shortages have meant the cost of the key chemical ingredient, ammonium nitrate, has increased tenfold in recent months. The price of other components such as detonators, Carter claimed, had increased 11 times, reflecting disruption of the Taliban's supply networks

Source: BBC Advertisement 1 November 2010 Last updated at 17:15 GMT Help The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has announced that the ban on unaccompanied air freight from Yemen will remain in place and will be extended to packages from Somalia. The extra security measures have been introduced following the discovery of a US-bound cargo bomb at East Midlands Airport last week. The home secretary told the House of Commons the devices found were thought to be the work of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula but there was no information to suggest another attack by the group was imminent. From midnight on Monday there will also be a suspension of the carriage of toner cartridges larger than 500g in passengers' hand baggage on flights departing from UK airport. "We will prohibit the carriage of these items by air cargo into

Source: washingtonpost Police escort mail-bomb suspect Gerasimos Tsakalos to a public prosecutor's office in Athens. (Petros Giannakouris)   By Elena Becatoros and Melissa Eddy Wednesday, November 3, 2010    ATHENS - Greek terrorists are suspected of unleashing an unprecedented two-day wave of mail bombings targeting embassies in Athens, international organizations and foreign leaders, with devices exploding Tuesday at the Russian and Swiss embassies and German authorities destroying a bomb sent to Chancellor Angela Merkel.  By Tuesday evening, at least 11 mail bombs had been detected in the Greek capital - one addressed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and eight to the embassies of Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia and Switzerland. Two more were destroyed in controlled explosions at the Athens airport - one addressed to the European Union's highest court, in Luxembourg, and the other to law enforcement agency Europo

Mail bomb wave hits embassies in Greece with 2nd explosion & 2 threats

source: bbc A controlled explosion was carried out as more packages were found French President Nicolas Sarkozy was among the intended recipients of four parcel bombs found in Athens on Monday, Greek police have said. One of the bombs, addressed to the Mexican embassy in Athens, exploded in the offices of a private courier company, slightly injuring an employee. The other two parcels were addressed to the Belgian and Dutch embassies in the city. Two men, aged 22 and 24, have been arrested over the attack. Greece has been experiencing a wave of attacks against government and police targets, attributed to far-left groups, and police said they were not linking Monday's events to al-Qaeda. Wigs and guns The first package detonated when a woman working at the courier company became suspicious of the contents and threw it to the ground. Another package addressed to the Dutch embassy was found at the offices of a second company and a controlled explosion was

Source: CNN 1 Nov 2010 -- Updated 1510 GMT (2310 HKT) Turkish authorities sealed off Istanbul's central Taksim Square as forensic investigators probe the attack. STORY HIGHLIGHTS PKK spokesman denies his group was involved NEW: Authorities have released a photo of the suspected bomber No group has claimed responsibility Area tense but vendors selling flowers and roasted chestnuts Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Turkish authorities reinforced police presence Monday around Istanbul's central Taksim Square, a day after a bomber detonated explosives there, killing himself and wounding 32 people. "It's tense," said an owner of a nearby café who asked not to be identified. His business is but one of the hundreds of bars and restaurants around Taksim, in what is the most congested entertainment district in Turkey's largest city. On Monday, the Anti-Terror Unit of the Istanbul police department distributed a photo of a balding, dark-h

Source: VOA VOA News 01 November 2010 Photo: AP Iraqi Christian lawmaker, Younadem Kana, center left, Iraq's top Catholic prelate, Chaldean Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, center, and Bishop Shlimone Wardoni, center right, are seen outside Our Lady of Deliverance church the morning after its congregation was taken hostage in Baghdad, Iraq, 1 Nov 2010.  Iraqi officials say 52 people, including at least 30 worshipers, are dead following a bloody standoff at a Baghdad Christian church. Iraqi forces stormed the church late Sunday, hours after militants burst into the building, taking more than 100 people inside hostage. It is not clear how many people were killed by the militants and how many died during the rescue effort.  Officials said 70 peo

Source: The nation At least two police personals have been martyred and eight were wounded in suicide attack and firing by extremists at Police Line here in the area of Mansoor Town on Monday morning. According to media reports, militants suddenly attacked at Police Line with hand grenade and soon afterwards an exchange of firing started between militants and police and after a few minutes a suicide bomber exploded himself with a suicide jacket as a result two police men martyred and eight were injured. DIG Swabi Abdullah Khan told the media that the suicide attack was targeted for the Swabi police station but due to the vigilance for the police officers they could not succeed in this hideous attempt otherwise the damage could have been massive. DIG told the media that four gunmen tried to attack the police station on stopping ,one of them blew himself up resulting in two casualties and injuring six while two of the attackers were killed and search operations is bein

Source: NYtimes In the middle of last week, a woman who claimed her name was Hanan al-Samawi, a 22-year-old engineering student, walked into the U.P.S. office in the upscale Hadda neighborhood of Sana, Yemen’s sprawling capital city. She displayed a photocopied identification card, and dropped off a bomb hidden inside a printer cartridge with a Chicago address listed as the package’s destination. A few blocks away, another package concealing a homemade bomb was dropped off at a FedEx office, also seemingly headed to Chicago. Enlarge This Image Hasan Jamali/Associated Press A Yemeni police officer stood guard outside the University of Sana, where Hanan al-Samawi, a mail bomb suspect, studied. More Photos » Multimedia Graphic Emerging Details on the Terror Scare Slide Show Suspicious Packages Trigger Global Response Related The Lede Blog: Suspect in Printer Bombs Gains Notoriety (October 31, 2010)