Colt's Winds of War: October 14/04

Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Thursday's Winds of War briefings are given by me, Colt, of Eurabian Times.

TOP TOPICS

• Egyptian holiday resorts on the Sinai, frequented by Israelis, were attacked by what are now thought to be car-bombs. The Hilton hotel was partially destroyed by a car bomb. The number of dead stands somewhere between 31-34, with over 100 wounded. More below...

• After CNS News reported Iraqi ties to al-Qaeda and possession of WMD, based on alleged Iraqi intelligence documents, there was widespread scepticism. However, they have released some of the documents for public verification. Our own Robi Sen is leading a charge to try to evaluate the documents.

• Another Dan Darling analysis - Zarqawi: Is He al-Qaeda? Meanwhile, today's Iraq Report has a lot to say about developments in Fallujah, where Zarqawi is based.

• The Washington Times reports that 25 Chechen terrorists entered the United States across the Mexican border in July. The paranoid won't be reassured by news that photographs, evacuation information and other details about several San Diego schools have been found on a CD in Iraq.

Other Topics Today Include: Sinai bombs; Iran Reports; Domestic Security; Chinese hostages; terrorists and CBW; missing nuclear materials; Delhi nuclear alert; Bigley murdered; French hostages in Syria?; Jordan's secret prison; Bali anniversary; 3/11 bombers had local training; al-Qaeda in Libya?; Chinese foe; al-Qaeda vs. Israel; US military & nation-building...

IRAN REPORTS

• A security head-quarters in north-western Iran has been attacked, apparently by a resistance group.

• The Iranians have renewed their offer not to build nuclear weapons, so long as Europe leaves them alone.

• The Europeans have gone a step further, and offered dialogue if Iran stops enriching uranium. Iran says no deal.

• Meanwhile, the adults are looking at real options for Iranian nuclear weapons. A respected Israeli think-tank believes a partial attack would set-back the weapons program. It also warned that a nuclear Iran would spark a regional arms race, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia seeking to obtain nuclear weapons.

DOMESTIC SECURITY BRIEFINGS

• Federal authorities believe Seattle's state ferries have been probed by terrorists.

• Karim Koubriti's case has been dismissed.

• The British pro-al-Qaeda Islamist group Al Muhajiroun has disbanded itself.

• In 1986, a Jordanian man waved off his wife, who was carrying his child, as she went to board an El Al flight. Without her knowledge, he had placed a time-bomb in her luggage. Thankfully, a security official found the device before they boarded. Having been sentenced to 45 years in prison for the failed plot, the bomber is up for parole.

• France and Algeria will increase co-operation fighting terrorism.

THE WIDER WAR

• Simon's World has a look at the Chinese hostage situation in Pakistan. Negotiations with the terrorists have broken down, and tribal elders have approved the use of force.

• Iraq-based terrorist groups are trying to use CBW against Coalition forces.

• Iraqi nuclear materials have gone missing. This is inexcusable.

• JK: Note that we're talking fabrication equipment, not plutonium. Still, it may be very serious. I've said for a while that India is the #1 target for an al-Qaeda nuke and this nuclear alert in Delhi seems to confirm it. They're tying it into the missing Iraq materials. How reliable is this intel? We don't know, so take with a grain of salt - but it's still disturbing.

• British hostage Ken Bigley has been beheaded by al-Qaeda.

• Are Syria holding two French journalists hostage?

• Ha'aretz claims that 11 senior al-Qaeda terrorists are being held in a secret prison in Jordan.

• The 11th of October was the 2-year anniversary of the Bali bombings.

• Spanish court documents claim that the 3/11 bombers were trained and supplied by a local miner, who believed their story that they wanted the explosives to mining in Morocco.

• Libyan police say they've arrested 17 al-Qaeda men.

• Is the axis of evil missing a state?

• Moshe Ya'alon says al-Qaeda have, in the past, tried but failed to infiltrate the territories.

• The U.S. military is to be retrained for the war in terrorism, to include forces necessary for nation-building.

SINAI RESORTS ATTACKED

Dan Darling wrote an immediate primer on the suspects here; Andrew McCarthy has a good look at Egypt and Militant Islam. Israel have blamed al-Qaeda, Egypt have yet to publically blame a certain group, but are linking it to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. They have looked at the possibility of Palestinian involvement, perhaps as punishment for Egypt's proposed role in the Gaza disengagement.

Egyptian authorities are also looking at Bedouin involvement, and al-Ahram says that the bombers escaped before the bombs detonated. That the attackers were not suicide bombers is unusual, but not unheard of (3/11, WTC 1993, numerous smaller bombings).

Whatever the case, al-Qaeda has earned itself a new enemy.

Thanks for reading! If you found something here you want to blog about yourself (and we hope you do), all we ask is that you do as we do and offer a Hat Tip hyperlink to today's "Winds of War". If you think we missed something important, use the Comments section to let us know.