Winds of War: October 28/04

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

• Yasser Arafat is either dead or near death. Despite his unconciousness/critical state/coma/depends who you ask, he appointed a commission comprising Abu Mazen, Abu Queria and the PLC speaker Salim Zanoon to rule in the event of his death. Medical teams are flying in from Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Syria, as is Arafat's wife, Suha. [JK update: Gereralissimo Arafat is still not dead yet]

• Dan Darling has 4 intel briefings for you: al-Qaeda & Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT); The LeT in Iraq; The ABC Video and Pre-election Plot; and Gerecht's article asking if Iraq has made Al-Qaeda Stronger.

• Russia was involved in moving Iraq's WMD before the war, according to the Washington Times. Ion Mihai Pacepa has been saying this for over a year.

• Fallujah is next. The British Black Watch is moving in to position to free up Marines for the job.

Other Topics Today Include: Egypt arrests; SA-7s in Gaza; A-Q iced in Waziristan; Chechen banker financed theatre takeover; Khashiyev killed; Al-Qaeda in Bosnia; GSPC decapitates soldiers; Bashir faces more charges; Russia warns Azeris; more Beslans planned; Zarqawi's group hit; and much more.

IRAN REPORTS

• Iran is toying with Europe again. After hinting at an enrichment freeze...

• ...they change their minds.

• A mullah mouthpiece sums it up nicely: talks with Europe are "useful", but we will not "surrender ... ourselves to Europe".

• Powell warns Israel against bombing Iran's nuclear facilities.

• The Iranians' heavy water reactor is almost complete.

• A Reuters analysis says Iran wants Kerry to win on Tuesday.

• Domestically, Iran faces a drug addiction crisis.

DOMESTIC SECURITY BRIEFINGS

• Islamic terrorist Lee Boyd Malvo has been given a life sentence for one count of murder, and one count of attempted murder.

• Abu Hamza has been charged with, among other things, inciting violence against Jews and other infidels.

• Is there an American al-Qaeda tape being held by ABC News?

• Poland will boost their anti-terror force by 2,000.

THE WIDER WAR

• Egypt has made more arrests in the Sinai bombings investigation. They're holding a palestinian responsible for the planning of the attacks. From the article: A senior Egyptian security officer told The Associated Press Salah had links with a Palestinian Islamic group in Gaza, but would not say which group. I'd hazard a guess that they're going to blame Hamas within the next few weeks.

• Gaza-based terrorists may have SA-7s.

• Al-Qaeda are operating in Bosnia.

• Three Algerian soldiers have been beheaded by terrorists.

• Abu Bakir Bashir faces new charges of inciting terrorist attacks.

• More al-Qaeda killed in Waziristan.

• Russia doubts Azerbaijan's anti-terror efforts.

• The Russian media reports that a Chechen businessman named Ruslan Elmurzayev financed the 2002 terrorist takeover of the Moscow theatre.

• Chechen terrorists who surrendered to Russian forces say that more Beslan-style massacres are being planned.

• Magomed Khashiyev is dead.

• A Zarqawi aide has been killed in a U.S. airstrike, and another captured.

• Did al-Qaeda use Indian banks? At least once, that we know of.

• The tense situation between Thailand's Muslim minority won't be helped by this.

• Hambali's brother is going to jail.

• In non-WoT news, Picasso stuff is cool.

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