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August 1-15

 

Coalition Plans Wireless System in Iraq
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2003 – A DoD official spoke today about coalition plans to let contracts for a cellular phone system and to reconstruct the telecommunications system in Iraq.
     Linton Wells II, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration, told Pentagon reporters that the cell phone system could be up and running by November. (Full Story)

‘Afghan Hounds’ Protect Coalition Forces
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – They travel all over the world, from the United States to Egypt to Kosovo, working side by side with troops, searching trucks, buildings and people for narcotics and explosives. These canines – lifelines for military safety – are here protecting the coalition forces and the surrounding area from threats of terrorism.
     Each day, working dogs at the gate carry out their mission of keeping explosive devices from entering base. These dogs are called on to engage in a wide spectrum of missions, said Army Sgt. Jon Lockhart, explosive-detection dog handler and former kennel master. At one point, for example, the dogs searched the bags of personnel in the newly established Afghan National Army during health and welfare missions, said Lockhart. (Full Story)

Myers Meets With Pakistani Counterpart
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Joint Chiefs chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers continued consultations in South Asia with meetings with his Pakistani counterparts last week.
     Myers arrived from the Indian capital of New Delhi and immediately began a series of talks with Pakistani leaders.
     He discussed strategies and tactics in the ongoing global war on terrorism, continuing Pakistani support for Operation Enduring Freedom and other military-to-military initiatives. (Full Story)

‘Tip of the Spear’ in Iraq
BALAD, Iraq — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited the "pointy end of the spear" in Iraq July 27.
Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers spoke with the infantrymen of the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
     Balad is ground zero for Baath Party sentiment in Iraq. About 80 percent of the attacks against coalition forces occur in this triangle area formed by Baghdad, Tikrit and Ar Ramadi. For example, three 4th Infantry soldiers were killed and four were wounded as they guarded a children’s hospital in Baqubah July 26, about 40 miles northeast of Baghdad. (Full Story)

In Beijing Talks on North Korea & China’s Arms Sales
In Beijing last week the second session of U.S. China security talks were underway, covering sensitive topics such as North Korea’s nuclear threats and reports that China had been selling weapons to Iraq and is selling arms to Iran. U.S. Undersecretary Bolton was in China primarily to discuss the North Korea nuclear weapons program since he has been working on the North Korea issue, but this week North Korea announced they didn’t want him back there for talks after Bolton publicly referred to life in North Korea as a ‘hellish nightmare." (Full Story)

CIA Adviser Kay Amasses Evidence of Saddam’s WMD
Thursday, July 31, Dr. Kay reported to the US Senate Intelligence Committee that his 1,400-strong team of American, British and Australian researchers had found in just over a month’s operation physical evidence of Iraqi activity on weapons of mass destruction. Without going into detail, Kay told the senators that the most progress had been made on biological weapons.
     He was responding to the concern voiced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (Dem.-West Virginia) that the searches were being diverted away from finding the actual weapons. “Signs of a weapons program are very different from the stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons that were a certainty before the war,” said Rockefeller. “We did not go to war to disrupt Saddam’s weapons program, we went to war to disarm him.” (Full Story)

Security in IRAQ
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Possible attacks were foiled and prevented as Coalition forces disrupted a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a fuel convoy and located a large weapons cache in northern Iraq last week.
     A rocket-propelled grenade ambush attack in northwest Iraq was foiled by soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at approximately 5 p.m. on July 31 by engaging and wounding an individual before he could fire the RPG accurately. The individual was captured and received medical care for leg wounds at a Coalition medical facility. (Full Story)

Iran Supporting Hamas, Hizbullah
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon raised the issue of Iran’s nuclear weapons program during his meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush last Tuesday. Sharon told Bush that Iran was stepping up support for Palestinian terrorists following the war in Iraq, and was accelerating efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Israeli officials indicated that new intelligence pointed to Iran filling the void left by Iraq in supporting groups like Hamas and Hizbullah. Officials explained that Iran was attempting to undercut the month-old ceasefire and undermine Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas by encouraging terrorism. Bush warned last week that Iran and Syria would be held accountable if they continued their support of terrorism. (Full Story)

Establishing "One China" Policy Could Be Peaceful or Forceful
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2003 — The People’s Republic of China would prefer to resolve the issue of Taiwan’s independence peacefully, even as leaders of the communist country seek military options to enforce its policy of "One China," cites a Defense Department report.
     The Annual Report on the Military Power of the People’s Republic of China released to Congress July 30 states that both mainland and island seek a peaceful resolution to the unification issue. But China continues spending billions to modernize its military, which "casts a cloud" over resolving differences with Taiwan through peaceful means. (Full Story)

Terrorist Attack at Hospital in Mozdok, Russia
A middle-aged male terrorist drove a heavy KAMAZ truck loaded with explosives through hospital security gates in Mozdok at about 7 p.m on Friday August 1. The homicide bomber drove past medical tents that were filled with patients and pulled up to the reception office and then detonated the explosives, killing the people in the tents and many other innocent people being cared for in the hospital along with family visitors and hospital workers. The truck bomb terrorist left a large crater ‘26 feet across and 10 feet deep,’ said Maj. Gen. Nikolai Lityuk, deputy chief of the Russian emergency ministry. One official said the force of the explosion was equal to at least a ton of TNT. The terrorist attack is believed to have been executed by Islamic Chechens that are aligned with the international terrorist group Al-Qaeda. (Full Story)

Iraqi Local Leaders Support Coalition
BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Karbala city council members publicly expressed their support for Coalition forces actions during recent demonstrations in the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force area of operation on July 29. The Karbala city council said the Coalition is handling the security situation in Karbala properly.
     At a Husaybah border-crossing checkpoint, an attempted improvised explosive device attack was prevented when 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers discovered it. The IED consisted of a propane cylinder connected to electrical wires and had wires connected that ran into an alley nearby. The local Iraqi Police dismantled and removed the IED.
     During the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 44 raids, 1011 day patrols and 817 night patrols and conducted 136 day patrols and 136 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police. Iraqi Police conducted 16 day patrols and nine night patrols.
     The total raids and patrols resulted in 161 arrests including 16 for murder, one for kidnapping, 10 for carjacking, eight for aggravated assault, four for burglary and eight for looting.

Fast-Acting Ebola Vaccine Protects Monkeys
A single shot of a fast-acting, experimental Ebola vaccine successfully protects monkeys from the deadly virus after only one month. If this vaccine proves similarly effective in humans, it may one day allow scientists to quickly contain Ebola outbreaks with ring vaccination — the same strategy successfully used in the past against smallpox, according to a study published in this week’s issue of "Nature".
     This finding is the result of collaboration between scientists at the Dale and Betty Bumpers Vaccine Research Center (VRC), part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and scientists at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, MD. (Full Story)

Three Militants From the Umarov Gang Arrested
GROZNY, 9 August, 2003 /RIA Novosti correspondent/. The Chechen Ministry of the Interior (a north Caucasus republic within Russia) has reported that three militants from the Doku Umarov band were arrested.
     The source reported that "the bandits were arrested in the settlement of Gekhi-Chu (Urus -Martan district) by officers of the Interior Ministry and servicemen of the interior troops in the course of special operations. Presently, the detained militants were being checked for involvement in the crimes committed against federal forces, operative information they provided is also being verified." According to the Chechen ministry of the Interior, the day before officers of the operative group of the Russian Interior Ministry eliminated 2 active participants of bandit formations in the settlement of Chechen-Aul in the Grozny district. The ministry reported that the militants, local residents Isayev and Agayev, were killed when they put up armed resistance; there were no casualties among the troops.

Iran Claims Wants Peaceful Use of Atom
TEHERAN – RIA Novosti – Nikolai Terekhov. According to Iranian radio with reference to a reliable source reported Saturday that experts of the International Atomic Energy agency (IAEA) had completed their negotiations with legal experts of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, and had left Teheran.
     According to the source, IAEA specialists positively assessed the results of the negotiations held since Monday in the course of which at the request of the Iranian side explanations were provided regarding "uncertainties" in the additional protocol to the Treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons." In the near future, IAEA experts on technical matters are expected to arrive in Iran.
     According to the earlier plans, Iranian legal experts will prepare a report with explanations received in the course of their work with IAEA counterparts. By the results of the report, the Iranian government will consider the expediency of signing the additional protocol to the Treaty.
     In the opinion of official Teheran, the fulfilment of the document, which introduces additional liabilities for a state, must meet national interests of the state. Iran believes the IAEA and member states of the "nuclear club" are to provide nuclear technologies to the Islamic Republic of Iran to develop Iranian programmes on the peaceful use of atom.

Azov Coast Guard Protect Southern Maritime Borders
STAVROPOL — In the past year and a half, coast guards of Azov (a port city located at the place where the Don flows into the northern part of the Azov Sea separated from the Black Sea by Kerch Strait) seized smuggled goods worth over USD$3 mln and arrested over 180 people for violations of border crossing regulations. (Full Story)

Far East Celebrates Soviet Army’s Victory on Lake Khasan
VLADIVOSTOK — The celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Soviet Army’s victory on Lake Khasan began Saturday in the village of the same name in Primorye, the southern part of the Far Eastern region on the western coast of the Sea of Japan. (Full Story)

New Iraqi Army to Add Kalashnikovs to Its Arsenal?
CAIRO, August 9 /from RIA Novosti’s Igor Markov/ – The US administration in Iraq is contemplating arming the new Iraqi army with Kalashnikov assault rifles, a weapon that has long become the symbol of reliability and quality in all kinds of conditions, reported Egypt’s MENA news agency.
     The idea is all the more sensible since Iraqi soldiers are well accustomed to this type of weapon.
     According to MENA, Poland, a country that has a military contingent in Iraq, has already proposed a deal to the US, saying one of its companies specializing in weapon exports was ready to provide Iraq with 43,000 AK-47C assault rifles.

Iraqis and Coalition Work to Make Iraq Secure
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Weapons and information turned over to Coalition forces enabled the successful detaining of former regime loyalists and confiscation of weapons in August.
     Iraqi police confiscated a weapons cache consisting of three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, six rocket-propelled rounds, three AK-47s with ammunition, one 60 mm mortar tube with five mortar rounds. The police turned the cache over to 4th Infantry Division troops at a base in the Ba’qubah area. An Iraqi who was afraid to turn them into Coalition forces directly for fear of arrest turned the weapons into the Iraqi Police. The Iraqi claimed the weapons belonged to former regime loyalists who no longer wished to participate in anti-Coalition activities. (Full Story)

‘Screaming Eagles’
WASHINGTON — Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade are "doing a better than great" job providing security across northern and western Iraq, the brigade’s commander said.
     Speaking to reporters from Iraq via a video teleconference hookup at the Pentagon, Army Col. Michael Linnington said his soldiers understand their mission and their morale is high as they carry out stabilization operations in and around Mosul and along the Turkish and Syrian borders. (Full Story)

Raids, Patrols in Iraq More Focused, Sophisticated
WASHINGTON – Improvements in the security situation in Iraq have allowed local commanders to become more focused and more sophisticated in their actions against the remnants of the former regime, Pentagon officials said.
     Air Force Lt. Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Joint Staff operations director, and Pentagon spokesman Larry Di Rita expressed condolences to the families of two 1st Armored Division soldiers killed in a firefight in Baghdad and the Iraqi policemen killed in a terrorist bombing of the Jordanian embassy. (Full Story)

Powell: ‘World Must Come Together to Defeat’ Terrorism
WASHINGTON — Recent terrorist bombings of a major hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, and at the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad underline the need for nations to unite to fight global terrorism, the senior U.S. diplomat said here.
     These, and other terrorist acts conducted around the globe serve as a reminder that "the civilized world must come together to defeat this scourge of terrorism in whatever manner it manifests itself," U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell told reporters gathered at the Foreign Press Center. (Full Story)

Chechen Terrorism: A Link in the International Terrorist Chain
LONDON, August 9 /from RIA Novosti’s Alexander Smotrov/ – Great Britain links terrorism in Chechnya to international terrorism, Catherine MacKenzie, First Secretary of the United Kingdom Mission to the UN, told RIA Novosti in a telephone interview.
     She confirmed that Britain, Russia and the US had joined forces on Friday to make an inquiry about the possibility of adding Basayev’s name into the list of the UN Security Council’s Committee on Sanctions against Taliban, Al-Qaeda and affiliated persons and organizations falling under corresponding resolutions.
     Asked about Britain’s attitude towards terrorism in Russia in general and in Chechnya in particular, Ms. MacKenzie stressed: We don’t have any special views on terrorism in this or that country. Our attitude to terrorism in general does not vary. We think terrorism is inadmissible no matter what circumstances and cannot be justified, she added.

Chechen Terrorist No. 1 Blacklisted
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW — Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev has been included in the antiterrorist list of the UN Security Council, while the US government pronounced him a highly dangerous terrorist and brought up state sanctions against him.
     According to a US State Department statement circulated in Washington, the US also charged Basayev with having connections with the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda and engineering terrorist acts in Moscow and Grozny. (Full Story)

Coalition Efforts Aid In Rebuilding Iraq
BAGHDAD, IRAQ – Coalition forces improved Iraqis’ lives by renovating an Olympic swimming pool in Mosul and refurbishing the Agriculture Ministry Building in Tikrit.
     With the help of soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) the Olympic Pool in Mosul opened to the public on Aug. 8. Prior to the war, the two-million gallon pool was a training facility for the Mosul Dive and Swim team. (Full Story)

Evidence of Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction
Gas masks were left throughout Iraq by Saddam’s fleeing forces when British, Australian, Polish, and US forces decided to disarm Saddam’s regime from being a terror threat to innocent people around the world. Saddam has a long record of using weapons of mass destruction against his enemies; thousands of innocent people were murdered by Saddam’s gases and photos appeared in national magazines. U. N. inspectors sought to slow down his escalation of terror plots around the world after 9-11, but efforts reportedly only gave clever Saddam more time to hide his weapons of mass destruction. The now famous "Baghdad Bob," who denied the fact that Coalition forces had defeated Saddam’s regime even as they were in Baghdad and in Saddam’s palaces, is only a small example of the denial and deception Saddam fed to the Iraqi people and the world. (Full Story)

Iraq Coalition Forces Find Weapons Caches
WASHINGTON – Coalition forces uncovered arms caches and more Iraqi civilians are beginning to work with forces to create stability in the country, said a Combined Joint Task Force 7 spokesman in Baghdad.
     Coalition forces continue offensive operations throughout Iraq to identify, locate and kill or detain Saddam Fedayeen, former regime loyalists, Baathists and their supporters. In a 24-hour period ending Aug. 6, coalition forces conducted 18 raids, 2,038 patrols and detained 130 people, Army Col. Guy Shields said. (Full Story)

Israel Suffers More Losses to Terrorists
The fiery explosions from mortar shells shocked a quiet town in northern Israel when Hezbollah terrorists struck Sunday. The explosives wounded a 9 month old baby, several teenagers, and killed a 16-year-old boy. Israeli media also reported that at least one of the mortar shells exploded in a baby’s nursery. Tuesday, at least 10 shoppers were wounded by a Palestinian bomber who attack at a crowded supermarket near Tel Aviv.
     U.S. Ambassador Dore Gold told reporters that in terms of the road map, the new escalation on Israel’s northern border is very troubling and the terrorist attacks killing innocent civilians is an "intolerable situation". Israel has been trying to protect its people for years from several extremist Islamic terror groups by surrounding Arabized nations. Egyptian born Arafat has led the Al Aqsa Martyrs, and the terror group Hezbollah is known to be supported by Lebanon and Syria on the north borders. (Full Story)

 

 

August 16-31

U.S. Committed to Full Partnership With Colombia
BOGOTA, Colombia – "The air of optimism here is palpable – you can really feel it," said Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers at a press conference here Aug. 12.
     This was Myers’ first visit to Colombia since 2000 when he headed U.S. Space Command. He said he was struck by the determination of all the leaders he met.
     The chairman met with President Alvaro Uribe, Defense Minister Martha Lucia Ramirez, Foreign Minister Carolina Barca and his counterpart, Gen. Jorge Mora. (Full Story)

China’s PLA Sees Value in Pre-emptive Strike Strategy
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2003 — The military strategy of "shock and awe" used to stun the Iraqi military in the opening campaign of Operation Iraqi Freedom might be used by the Chinese if military force is needed to bring Taiwan back under communist control.
     According to the released recently The Annual Report on the Military Power of the People’s Republic of China, the country’s military doctrine now stresses elements such as "surprise, deception and pre- emption." Furthermore, the report states that Beijing believes that "surprise is crucial" for the success of any military campaign. (Full Story)

NATO Assumes Command of the Peacekeeping Force in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON — During a change of command ceremony in Kabul, NATO assumed strategic command, control and coordination of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. The force had been under the leadership of Germany and the Netherlands.
A NATO press release stated this important event underscores the long- term commitment of all NATO allies to stability and security for the Afghan people. (Full Story)

Canada and U.S. form Joint Task Force to Address North America Power Outage
The 29 hour massive power outage that effected over 50 million people in New York, Ohio, Massachusetts:, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania:, New Jersey and parts of Canada, in Toronto and Ontario is still being investigated. Several task forces from different levels of government are working to determine what went wrong and are continuing to help people that had problems due to the huge blackout.
     On Friday, the White House announced that the U.S. and Canada have "agreed to form a joint task force to identify the causes of the recent power outage that affected North America and to seek solutions to help prevent future outages." "The Task Force will be jointly chaired by United States Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Herb Dhaliwal. Federal, state, provincial, and local authorities, as well as private sector electricity providers, will be invited to contribute to the work of the Task Force.” (Full Story)

Central America in Fight Against Terror
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Aug. 14, 2003 -After visiting Central America last week, the U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers expressed his profound gratitude to the people of the Dominican Republic for their contribution in fighting terror especially in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
     Soldiers from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic left their countries last Tuesday. They will meet up with members of the Spanish brigade in Spain, where they will train with that group and then deploy to Kuwait for more training as part of the Polish-led division. On Sept. 1, the division is expected to cross into Iraq.
     The division will be based around Najaf, Iraq, and will replace the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. The Central American countries are just four of about 40 countries that have committed to deploy troops to Iraq or to provide other military assets. Still other countries are providing economic or humanitarian help to the effort, Myers said. (Full Story)

Israel Remains Committed to Peace Process Despite Recent Terrorist Attacks
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz, along with senior Israel Defense Forces officers and the Israeli Security Service have made a decision to remain committed to the peace process, despite Tuesday’s twin homicide bombings. The Israeli officials decided that the IDF would continue pinpointed actions against specific terrorist enclaves – particularly in Nablus and Jenin – but that efforts would be made to open up traffic routes in the West Bank and Gaza and make humanitarian gestures toward the Palestinian population. On the other hand, Israel will not hand over security control in other West Bank towns to the Palestinian Authority until the latter is dealing with the terrorist infrastructure in towns already under its jurisdiction.
     Israel also plans to step up pressure, both directly and through American channels, for the PA to start acting against terrorist organizations. Sharon has made it clear to the Americans that Israel will not move ahead with the road map as long as the PA does not fulfill its obligations and fails to disband the terror groups. (Full Store)

Global Terrorists ‘Are Meeting the Fate They Chose for Themselves’
WASHINGTON – The Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on America inaugurated the first conflict of the new century, President George Bush told U.S. sailors and Marines at a southern California military base.
     "Now you have been called … to serve in the first war of the 21st century," Bush declared during his visit to the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar, Calif.
     The 9-11 assaults – which killed thousands of innocent American citizens – awakened the country "to new dangers," Bush pointed out. (Full Story)

China Modernizes Its Air, Sea and Land Military Capabilities
WASHINGTON, When the People’s Republic of China announced a 17.5 percent or $3 billion increase in spending for defense modernization in March of 2002, it brought the publicly reported total to $20 billion according to a Pentagon report.
     However, Pentagon officials estimate that total spending for the county’s military modernization ranges from $45 billion to $65 billion. And they say that China’s annual military spending could increase "four-fold" by 2020. (Full Story)

Fighting Terror and Crime in Iraq
WASHINGTON, In a series of raids to prevent more terrorist attacks by foreign infiltrators and Saddam regime loyalists against young Coalition soldiers and Iraqis, many powerful weapons were located and confiscated. In one weapons cache find soldiers discovered the explosive C4.
     C4 has been reportedly used by terrorists in several attacks against peacekeepers and in acts to try and create chaos by sabotaging the Iraqi nation’s oil and water supply.
     Over the weekend, Iraqi witnesses saw two men ride up on motorcycles to a large city water pipeline. After getting off their motorbikes, they quickly wrapped an item around a key city water pipeline, then fled. Moments later the large water pipe exploded, the damage has left several hundred Iraqi families without water in extremely hot weather conditions. (Full Story)

Two U.S. Service Members Killed in Separate Incidents in Iraq
WASHINGTON – One American soldier was killed and six were injured in Iraq Aug. 21 during a fire at a Baghdad small-arms shooting range, according to a U.S. Central Command.
     CENTCOM also reported that a gunman shot and killed a U.S. Marine the same day in Al Hillah.
     The victims of the fire in Baghdad were members of the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division. The injured soldiers were evacuated to local military medical facilities for treatment. One soldier died due to burns and smoke inhalation. (Full Story)

153 Forest Fires Raging in Russia
MOSCOW, August 25, 2003 /RIA Novosti/ — 153 forest fires are raging in Russia. Fire has covered 956 hectares in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Natural Resources was quoted by RIA Novosti on Monday.
      The ministry sources specified that among the areas ablaze, the most dangerous are the Siberian /110 fires/, the Far Eastern /28 fires/ and the Urals /14 fires/ Federal Districts. The disaster has been caused mainly by thunderstorms and people’s carelessness.
      Over the past 24 hours, officers of the State Forest Service of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources managed to extinguish 31 forest fires on the same day they spotted them. A total of 1,700 people, 30 aircraft and 185 pieces of machinery were involved in fire quenching.
      Since the fire hazardous season began, 23,407 fires have emerged, the Ministry of Natural Resources reported. Almost 1.892 mln hectares were burnt in flames.

Iraq Mission Represents High Stakes in Anti-Terror War
WASHINGTON, – The outcome of U.S-coalition efforts to resuscitate Iraq’s economy and help its citizens establish a representative government may mark a turning point in the war against global terrorism, senior U.S. officials said Aug. 24 on Sunday talk shows.
      The senior U.S. civilian in Iraq, Ambassador Paul L. Bremer III, and Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both said continuing U.S. and coalition casualties in Iraq, including recent Baghdad bombings of the Jordanian embassy and U.N. headquarters, point to terrorists’ determination to create chaos and sabotage rebuilding efforts in Iraq. (Full Story)

Russia Denounces Terror Acts in Mumbai
MOSCOW, August 25, 2003 RIA Novosti — Russia roundly denounces terror acts in Mumbai and hopes that the perpetrators and masterminds will be exposed and severely punished," the Russian Foreign Ministry was quoted by RIA Novosti.
     "The terrorists’ ways strikingly remind of those of the criminals who recently carried out terror acts in Mozdok and Baghdad, with explosive laden taxis blowing up in Mumbai," the Russian foreign office underlined.
     "Once again the terror acts in Mumbai stress the necessity for a close consolidation among all members of the world community to fight the global evil – international terrorism," the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.

Colombia Moving Forward in Fight Against Narcoterrorists
BOGOTA, Colombia, The Colombian government and its military have made great progress in fighting narcoterrorists in the past year, announced U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld while in route to Colombia.
     As his plane jetted toward Colombia’s capital city last week, Rumsfeld said that President Alvaro Uribe and his country’s military "have done an excellent job and they are making very good progress" in fighting narcoterrorists who are funding anti-government groups, such as the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by the Spanish acronym FARC. (Full Story)

Greece Holds Controversial Tycoon on Russian Warrant
BELGRADE, RIA Novosti. – Vladimir Gusinsky, controversial Russian media tycoon, was arrested in Greece on a Russian warrant, in compliance with a bilateral legal assistance agreement, Christos Protopapas, Greek government spokesman, said to the media today, as reported by the Macedonian news agency. When asked about extradition prospects, he replied it was up to the independent court of law to decide.
     Gusinsky was detained at Athens international airport during a passport check Thursday, August 21.
     The tycoon was held on a warrant of the Russian Interpol office, Lieutenant-General Fotis Nassiakos, chief of Greek police, said to Novosti. (Full Story)

U.S. Treasury to Thwart Hamas Money Flow
President Bush announced that the U.S. Treasury is designating five Hamas related charities and six senior Hamas leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), freezing any assets in the U.S. and prohibiting transactions with U.S. nationals. “By claiming responsibility for the despicable act of terror on August 19, Hamas has reaffirmed that it is a terrorist organization committed to violence against Israelis and to undermining progress toward peace between Israel and the Palestinian people,” President Bush stated. (Full Story)

Soldiers Die in Iraq; Counterfeit Materials Found
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2003 – Two 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers died Aug. 23 in separate incidents according to U.S. Central Command news releases.
     One was evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital after receiving injuries from a non-hostile gunshot wound. The other drowned in the Euphrates River near the Hadithah Dam, west of Ar Ramadi.
     Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. (Full Story)

The Capture of ‘Chemical Ali’
WASHINGTON – Iraq’s Gen. Ali Hassan al- Majid, the infamous "Chemical Ali," has been captured and is in the custody of coalition forces, according to a U.S. Central Command news release.
     Al-Majid, No. 5 on CENTCOM’s "Iraqi Top 55" list, was captured in Iraq and has been in custody for a "couple of days," a defense official in the Pentagon said. No other details were available. (Full Story)

Terrorist Bomb Attack in Russia
Updated – August 25, 2003. RIA Novosti -Three powerful explosive devices believed to be planted by terrorists went off in Krasnodar on Monday, striking civilians. Officials say the impact was equivalent to about 200 g of trotyl.
     Planted at city bus stops, the explosions took place at about 7:40 p.m. Moscow time. According to the preliminary data, the explosive devices were filled with screws and bolts and were rigged with timing mechanisms. It is being reported that the explosive devices had from 200 to 400 grams of TNT.    
     "Gunpowder was used as an explosive substance in these bombs, though terrorists usually use trotyl or plastid," officials pointed out.
     The three explosions wounded 20 people and killed three, 20-year-old Svetlana Shilyayeva, 30-year-old Yelena Zamokhina and 61-year-old Kim Kapatsky.
     Four people who suffered in the terrorist attacks on Krasnodar are still in grave condition. As chief of the press service of the city’s interior department, Oleg Maigurov told RIA Novosti, it is mostly elderly people with fragmentation wounds of the breast and abdomen whose state is still critical. No children or teenagers have been reported among the victims.
     A criminal case has been opened in connection with the explosions in accordance with Article 205 (terrorism) and Article 105 (murder) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

 U.N. Bombing in Baghdad Investigation Under Way
Reports are emerging that al-Qaeda is claiming responsibility for the deadly terrorist attack on innocent U.N. workers and officials last week. However, no matter who was responsible, former NYPD top cop Bernard Kerick, now head police official organizing the Iraqi police forces in Baghdad, told a Newscorp reporter that a thorough investigation was underway to determine who was responsible for the terrorist attack and that they would be hunted down.
      The terrorist attack that killed 20 and severely wounded many others, including innocent Iraqis, was the work of professionals said Kerick. 1,500 pounds of high grade explosives were used, and the terrorists seemed to know exactly where the Chief UN Envoy in Baghdad, Sergio Vieira, was when the bomb was detonated, indicating there was someone inside assisting in the attack. Kerick added that the explosive may have been detonated by remote device, despite the fact there was an assigned terrorist suicider. (Full Story)

Coalition Offers Iraqis Help With Water,
Jobs and Public Safety
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Life gets a little better in Iraqi towns due to Coalition assistance. Coalition forces are helping Iraqis by installing a generator at a water lift station, by providing jobs for Iraqis who have technical and mechanical skills and by providing a local law enforcement agency with hand-held radios.
     Navy Seabees helped install a 1.3-megawatt generator at the Kish Water Lift Station that provides water to about 50,000 hectares of farmland in south central Iraq. The station was supposed to be reworked three years ago but the parts ordered didn’t fit. As a result, the project was abandoned. (Full Story)

Putin Appreciates Significance of Russian Navy Ships’ Visit to Italy
PORTO-ROTONDO /SARDINIA/, 30 August, 2003.RIA Novosti President Vladimir Putin has spoken highly of the significance of Russian warships’ ongoing visit to Italy.
     This is the first visit by Russian navy ships to the Apennines over the past 20 years, the Russian leader reminded the audience. Vladimir Putin pointed out that, among other things, the current mission is of great use for the Russian Navy. Furthermore, this is the first visit by Russian warships to Sardinia in the entire contemporary history, he added.
     Russian President emphasized that Russian navy ships had visited Italy on several missions before. For example, Russian warships took part in rescue operations during the devastating 1909 earthquake.
     President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi visited the Moskva missile cruiser where they met with the vessel’s crew, involving officers and seamen of all ranks. Then, from the cruiser’s deck, the two leaders watched an exhibition flight of the Russian `Amphibia BE-200` plane. During its flight, the plane, also known for its successful performance in forest fire fighting operations, dumped into the sea loads of water successively coloured green, white and red to symbolize the colours of Italy’s national flag. After that, the BE-200 made a circle above the cruiser and demonstrated its seawater lift capacity.
     As a keepsake, the captain of the Moskva cruiser presented Russian President and Italian Prime Minister with two similar paintings made by one of the crew embers.

Rescue at Sea Vital Global Cause
LA MADDALENA NAVAL BASE, ITALY, AUGUST 30, RIA NOVOSTI – Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy, addressed a joint news conference at a major base of the Italian Navy.
     President Putin highlighted an essential importance of international teamwork for rescue at sea. The topic acquired a dramatic edge with this morning’s Barents Sea tragedy.
     Earlier on the day, Messrs. Putin and Berlusconi discussed a forthcoming Russian-Italian naval exercise to drill team rescue efforts, among other tasks, said the President. Today’s tragedy moves rescue at sea into the foreground, he emphatically added.
     A discarded Russian nuclear submarine sank in the Barents Sea this morning while towed by pontoons to the wharf where it was to be dissembled.

Putin Calls on EU to Import Russian Plane Unsurpassed in Fire Fighting
LA MADDALENA NAVAL BASE, ITALY, AUGUST 30, RIA NOVOSTI – Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy, addressed a joint news conference at a major base of the Italian Navy.
     It would be reasonable for the European Union to acquire an Air Force unit of many-purpose Be-200 jets of Russian design and manufacture, said the President.
     Be-200s have no analogue throughout the world in its class. The amphibious craft is unsurpassed in fire extinguishing. "To use it will cost less than fire damage," he remarked, quoting media reports of a billion euro damage from current Portuguese forest conflagrations. "Other European countries, and Russia, for that matter, would benefit from Be-200s, too — that goes without saying. It would be wise and expedient for the European Union to establish a group of those planes. They may be rented." It takes a Be-200 several instants to pump twelve tonnes of water into its fire tanks. Its capacity exceeds that of available analogues two- or even three-fold. "I don’t mean to advertise the new craft. We mean to come at such partnership patterns that would equally benefit Russia, Italy and the European Union," said President Putin.
     Italy’s Civil Defence Department intends to evaluate opportunities of using Be-200s. "The plane will surely come in handy," Silvio Berlusconi said, in his turn.

Soldier Killed, 3 Wounded in Attack on Convoy
By John D. Banusiewicz, AFPS
WASHINGTON – A 4th Infantry Division soldier was killed and three others were wounded last Friday when their convoy was hit in a rocket- propelled grenade and small-arms attack north of As Suaydat in Iraq.
     U.S. Central Command officials said the wounded soldiers were taken to the 21st Combat Support hospital for treatment.
     Also, CENTCOM reported Aug. 28 that an off-duty soldier from the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade died of undetermined causes the morning of Aug. 27 in Kuwait. A news release said fellow soldiers found him unresponsive in his Camp Arifjan living quarters and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Further attempts to revive him failed at a nearby medical clinic, according to the news release. The cause of the soldier’s death is under investigation.
     Names of the soldiers are being withheld until their families are notified.

101st-Sponsored Clinic Opens in Zumar
MOSUL, IRAQ – With a traditional “snip” of a ribbon, the village of Zumar opened it’s newly refurbished clinic Aug. 26.
     Before its restoration, the Zumar Primary Health Clinic was in disrepair, according to 1st Lt. Michael Lefler, Executive Officer, B. Battery, 3-320th Field Artillery, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and project officer for the clinic refurbishment.
     “The clinic was falling apart,” Lefler said. “The walls were cracked, the foundation was separating from the rest of the building, and there was very little workable space inside.” (Full Story)

U.S. Troops, Aircraft a Hit at Moscow Air Show
MOSCOW – Air Force Staff Sgt. Nancy Primm now knows what it’s like to be famous.
     The KC-135 boom operator from the Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall, England, was part of a team of about 100 people representing the U.S. military at the 6th Moscow Aviation and Space Show here Aug. 19-24. The show marked the first time American aircraft have been on public display on Russian soil.
     "People are coming up to us (asking), ‘Can we take your picture? Autograph? Autograph?’ It’s been quite an experience," Primm said. (Full Story)

New York Mayor Bloomberg Makes Solidarity Trip to Jerusalem
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited Jerusalem last week in a show of solidarity with the Israeli people. Arriving by his private jet, Bloomberg said the visit was not political, but rather, an opportunity to meet "the man in the street." Bloomberg said that his objective is to show Israelis that New Yorkers are not afraid to visit Israel. The visit was Bloomberg’s third to Israel. He was accompanied by former New York mayor Ed Koch and New York City Councilman Simcha Felder.
     Bloomberg began his day in Jerusalem at Hadassah hospital in Ein Kerem where he visited New York victims of last week’s homicide bus bombing. Afterwards the Mayor made his way to the Western Wall where he boarded the No. 2 bus – the bus that was bombed in a terrorist attack on Aug. 19, killing 21. "We from New York, we from America, want to say that all Americans have our hearts open to the Israeli people and to freedom-loving peoples around the world," the mayor said on the street to hundreds listening at the scene of the attack.

Death Toll Rises in Jerusalem Terror Attack
3-month-old baby Shmuel and his mom Goldie Taubenfeld from New York and 11-month-old Shmuel Zargari from Jerusalem were murdered by a Palestinian terrorist last week when the bomber detonated high explosives he was wearing on a bus filled mostly by children, their parents and grandparents. The bomber was disguised as a religious Jew, yet he was a Palestinian school teacher who grew out his beard in preparation for his role in the terror attack. Under his religious disguise, he wore powerful explosives filled with screws and other shrapnel designed to inflict the most pain on any child or passenger that survived the attack. Doctors say that in some cases with these type of attacks, screws and nails are lodged in organs or are laced with rat poison and victims that initially survive later die a painful death.
     Over the weekend a grandmother, Fruma Rachel Weitz, 73, of Jerusalem, died of her wounds, becoming the 21st fatality of the attack.
     "Every time Israel has made a gesture of peace to the Palestinians over the past ten years the response has been the murder of our men, women and children, "said Danny Seaman, the Senior advisor to the Prime Minister’s office. (Full Story)

Iraqis Enjoying Return to Normalcy
SOUTHERN IRAQ – Helping Iraqis re-establish normalcy in cities that have survived two wars in 12 years isn’t something that happens overnight.
     Col. Lawrence Larsen, commander of the Army Reserve’s 171st Area Support Group here, says he is beginning to see gradual improvements in the town of An Nasiryah. (Full Story)

"Blaster" Computer Virus Programmer Arrested After Joint FBI and U.S. Secret Service Efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, August 29, on a federal warrant issued from the Western District of Washington, the United States Secret Service, working together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, arrested an individual in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is charged with creating a variant of the “Blaster” computer virus which inundated both public and private computer systems earlier in August.
     “As a key investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service has shown with its participation in today’s arrest that it is prepared to protect not only the leaders of this nation, but to investigate attacks on the critical infrastructures that are so vital to this nation.” Secretary Tom Ridge said. (Full Story)

U.S. Soldiers Die Following Action Near Shkin, Afghanistan (update)
Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan – Two soldiers died of wounds received during initial contact with enemy fighters northwest of Shkin, in Paktika province last week. Officials have learned that several foreign infiltrators have been attacking Coalition soldiers.
     A third soldier is in stable condition, pending medical evacuation to Bagram Air Base from a treatment facility at Salerno north of Shkin. (Full Story)

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom Meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met last week in Tokyo with the Foreign Minister of Japan, Yoriko Kawaguchi.
     Ms. Kawaguchi expressed her profound sorrow over the recent terrorist attack in Jerusalem, and extended her wishes for a speedy recovery to the families of the victims. The Japanese minister informed Mr. Shalom that she had spoken about this issue with PA Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, telling him that the Palestinians must fight terrorism. She added that she views the Road Map as crucial, and that it must not be allowed to fail. (Full Story)

Sabotage Still Hampers Infrastructure Progress in Iraq
WASHINGTON – Sabotage continues to hurt efforts to improve Iraq’s infrastructure, but coalition forces are working to secure oil and electric lines so progress can be made, said Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez from his headquarters in Baghdad.
     Sanchez, commander of Combined Joint Task Force – 7, said sabotage of a pipeline south of the Hadditha Dam on Aug. 15 caused an oil spill into the Euphrates River. The spill traveled to the town of Hit.
     Coalition engineers, Iraqi Oil Ministry officials and local Iraqis contained the damage and are fixing the oil line. Other engineers are working to contain the spill. "Clearly, this is not good for the country, not good for the people," Sanchez said. (Full Story)

Putin and Berlusconi Call For Prompt
Implementation of Partnership Program for Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
LA MADDALENA /ITALY’S NAVY BASE/, 30 August, 2003. /RIA Novosti special correspondent/. —Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi expressed their intention to initiate prompt implementation of appropriate projects within the global partnership program for non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
     "The President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Italy have confirmed the importance of cooperation established within the framework of "the global partnership programme for the prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction" initiated at the G-8 summit in Kananaskis, as well as their intention to start the implementation of the appropriate cooperation projects as soon as possible," the joint statement issued on Saturday by Putin and Berlusconi says.

Al Qaeda in Iraq
Senior Iraqi investigators are reporting that they have made 19 arrests in the two car bombings outside the Imam Ali in Najef that killed Ayatollah Baqer Al-Hakim and over 80 people and left several others seriously wounded.
     The Ayatollah had just given a talk after prayers when the car bombs exploded. The Iraqi government council declared three days of national mourning.
     All of the 19 terror suspects told Iraqi investigators that they belonged to al Qaeda and claimed the attack was part of their plot to create mass instability and chaos in Iraq. Now thousands of enraged Shiites are calling for revenge over their loss. Those being held and questioned are 6 Palestinians with Jordanian passports, 2 Kuwaitis, Iraqis, Saudis, Syrians and other foreigners. (Full Story)