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**Airbornelawyer** · 12-15-2005, 11:42

Southwestern Asia And The Middle East

PRO-GOVERNMENT CLERIC KILLED IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN
Mullah Ahmad Shah, a member of the Council of Ulema of Kandahar Province, was killed in Kandahar city on 15 December, AFP reported. Security commander of Kandahar Colonel Abdul Malik Wadedi identified Ahmad Shah as the deputy chief of the province's Council of Ulema in "charge of a public awareness campaign," Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported on 14 December. According to AIP, Ahmad Shah was stabbed on his way back home from a mosque. AFP reported that he was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle. No one has claimed responsibility for the killing. In May, the neo-Taliban claimed responsibility for killing Mawlawi Abdullah Fayyaz, the head of the Council of Ulema of Kandahar who was also pro-government.

SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS HIMSELF IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN [AL: that's why they call them "suicide bombers"]
A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in Mazar-e Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh on 14 December, AFP reported. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Yusof Stanizai told AFP that the man who was killed in the explosion "was either carrying explosives or had them strapped to his body." The blast, which took place in the courtyard of Afghanistan's most venerated shrine attributed to Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam, did not cause any additional casualties. Balkh police spokesman Sher Jan Durrani said that the blast occurred ahead of a planned visit to the shrine by Amena Afzali, the Afghan minister of youth affairs, Pajhwak News Agency reported on 14 December. Afzali's visit was canceled as a result, Durrani added. A senior police official speculated that since usually a large number of visitors attend the shrine on Wednesdays, the bomber was aiming for large casualties, but detonated his explosives prematurely.

DONKEY USED IN EXPLOSION IN NORTHEASTERN AFGHANISTAN [AL: I don't think he was a suicide bomber]
A remote-controlled explosive device strapped to a donkey detonated in Fayzabad, the provincial capital of Badakhshan, on 14 December, Hindukosh News Agency reported. An eyewitness said the explosion occurred as a vehicle belonging to the German Society for Technical Cooperation passed by. Badakhshan Governor Monshi Abdul Majid said that one person is under investigation in relation to the explosion. Mohammad Hanif, purporting to speak on behalf of the neo-Taliban, claimed responsibility for the Fayzabad blast, AIP reported on 14 December. In a telephone interview with AIP, Hanif claimed that the "Taliban blew up a vehicle belonging to the Provincial Reconstruction Team," killing at least two people. There were no reports of any human casualties in the blast. This marks the first reported case of the neo-Taliban using an animal to carry an explosive device.

PAKISTANI GENERAL IN KABUL
Pakistan's deputy chief of army staff, General Ahsan Salim Hayat, is leading the Pakistan delegation to the 14th meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan-United States Tripartite Commission on Border Security, the Islamabad daily "The News" reported on 14 December. Hayat will stay in Kabul until 15 December. General Besmellah Khan, the chief of general staff of the Afghan National Army, will lead Afghanistan's delegation and Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry will represent the United States in ongoing talks to coordinate security efforts and prevent any misunderstanding over the conduct of military operations along the restive Afghan-Pakistani border area.

NAVAL EXERCISES IN SOUTHEAST IRAN CONCLUDE
The six-day Devotees of Velayat naval exercises in the Sea of Oman concluded on 14 December, ISNA reported. President Ahmadinejad attended the final phase aboard the flagship "Kharg." Afterwards, Ahmadinejad said: "The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are the guarantor of security and peace in the region and their power poses no threat to any country." The exercises involved surface warfare units, submarines, and fixed and rotary wing aircraft from the conventional naval forces. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, the Basij, and the police also took part.

STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO AL-QAEDA IN IRAQ ANNOUNCES NEW CONQUEST
A 14 December Internet statement attributed to Tanzim Qa'idat Al-Jihad fi Bilad Al-Rafidayn (Al-Qaeda Organization of Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers) claimed the group has launched a new conquest in Iraq aimed at shaking "the bastions of the infidels and the apostates and to ruin for them the 'democratic' wedding of heresy and immorality." The statement claimed the "brigades of the mujahedin" had begun launching attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces in "the caliphate of" Baghdad and in the Al-Anbar, Diyala, Mosul, and Salah Al-Din governorates. The statement listed several sites that the group claims to have targeted. Those purported attacks have not been confirmed, however.

IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIAL SAYS AL-ZARQAWI ARRESTED, RELEASED ONE YEAR AGO
Major General Husayn Ali Kamal, deputy undersecretary for intelligence affairs at the Interior Ministry, told Beirut-based LBC satellite channel in an interview aired on 15 December that fugitive Jordanian terrorist Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi was arrested one year ago and "mistakenly released because Iraqi police interrogators did not identify him." Kamal claimed that the arrest was made in Al-Fallujah, adding that al-Zarqawi was not armed at the time of his arrest. A Saudi terrorist in custody apparently later told police of al-Zarqawi's identity during an interrogation. Kamal claimed that Iraqi security forces are better prepared now and "are lying in wait" for al-Zarqawi's fighters, adding: "We are aware of their mindset. We are waiting for them and we will deal with them in a tough way."

12-15-2005, 11:42	#4
Airbornelawyer Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,954	Southwestern Asia And The Middle East PRO-GOVERNMENT CLERIC KILLED IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN Mullah Ahmad Shah, a member of the Council of Ulema of Kandahar Province, was killed in Kandahar city on 15 December, AFP reported. Security commander of Kandahar Colonel Abdul Malik Wadedi identified Ahmad Shah as the deputy chief of the province's Council of Ulema in "charge of a public awareness campaign," Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported on 14 December. According to AIP, Ahmad Shah was stabbed on his way back home from a mosque. AFP reported that he was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle. No one has claimed responsibility for the killing. In May, the neo-Taliban claimed responsibility for killing Mawlawi Abdullah Fayyaz, the head of the Council of Ulema of Kandahar who was also pro-government. SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS HIMSELF IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN [AL: that's why they call them "suicide bombers"] A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up in Mazar-e Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh on 14 December, AFP reported. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Yusof Stanizai told AFP that the man who was killed in the explosion "was either carrying explosives or had them strapped to his body." The blast, which took place in the courtyard of Afghanistan's most venerated shrine attributed to Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam, did not cause any additional casualties. Balkh police spokesman Sher Jan Durrani said that the blast occurred ahead of a planned visit to the shrine by Amena Afzali, the Afghan minister of youth affairs, Pajhwak News Agency reported on 14 December. Afzali's visit was canceled as a result, Durrani added. A senior police official speculated that since usually a large number of visitors attend the shrine on Wednesdays, the bomber was aiming for large casualties, but detonated his explosives prematurely. DONKEY USED IN EXPLOSION IN NORTHEASTERN AFGHANISTAN [AL: I don't think he was a suicide bomber] A remote-controlled explosive device strapped to a donkey detonated in Fayzabad, the provincial capital of Badakhshan, on 14 December, Hindukosh News Agency reported. An eyewitness said the explosion occurred as a vehicle belonging to the German Society for Technical Cooperation passed by. Badakhshan Governor Monshi Abdul Majid said that one person is under investigation in relation to the explosion. Mohammad Hanif, purporting to speak on behalf of the neo-Taliban, claimed responsibility for the Fayzabad blast, AIP reported on 14 December. In a telephone interview with AIP, Hanif claimed that the "Taliban blew up a vehicle belonging to the Provincial Reconstruction Team," killing at least two people. There were no reports of any human casualties in the blast. This marks the first reported case of the neo-Taliban using an animal to carry an explosive device. PAKISTANI GENERAL IN KABUL Pakistan's deputy chief of army staff, General Ahsan Salim Hayat, is leading the Pakistan delegation to the 14th meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan-United States Tripartite Commission on Border Security, the Islamabad daily "The News" reported on 14 December. Hayat will stay in Kabul until 15 December. General Besmellah Khan, the chief of general staff of the Afghan National Army, will lead Afghanistan's delegation and Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry will represent the United States in ongoing talks to coordinate security efforts and prevent any misunderstanding over the conduct of military operations along the restive Afghan-Pakistani border area. NAVAL EXERCISES IN SOUTHEAST IRAN CONCLUDE The six-day Devotees of Velayat naval exercises in the Sea of Oman concluded on 14 December, ISNA reported. President Ahmadinejad attended the final phase aboard the flagship "Kharg." Afterwards, Ahmadinejad said: "The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are the guarantor of security and peace in the region and their power poses no threat to any country." The exercises involved surface warfare units, submarines, and fixed and rotary wing aircraft from the conventional naval forces. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, the Basij, and the police also took part. STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO AL-QAEDA IN IRAQ ANNOUNCES NEW CONQUEST A 14 December Internet statement attributed to Tanzim Qa'idat Al-Jihad fi Bilad Al-Rafidayn (Al-Qaeda Organization of Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers) claimed the group has launched a new conquest in Iraq aimed at shaking "the bastions of the infidels and the apostates and to ruin for them the 'democratic' wedding of heresy and immorality." The statement claimed the "brigades of the mujahedin" had begun launching attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces in "the caliphate of" Baghdad and in the Al-Anbar, Diyala, Mosul, and Salah Al-Din governorates. The statement listed several sites that the group claims to have targeted. Those purported attacks have not been confirmed, however. IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIAL SAYS AL-ZARQAWI ARRESTED, RELEASED ONE YEAR AGO Major General Husayn Ali Kamal, deputy undersecretary for intelligence affairs at the Interior Ministry, told Beirut-based LBC satellite channel in an interview aired on 15 December that fugitive Jordanian terrorist Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi was arrested one year ago and "mistakenly released because Iraqi police interrogators did not identify him." Kamal claimed that the arrest was made in Al-Fallujah, adding that al-Zarqawi was not armed at the time of his arrest. A Saudi terrorist in custody apparently later told police of al-Zarqawi's identity during an interrogation. Kamal claimed that Iraqi security forces are better prepared now and "are lying in wait" for al-Zarqawi's fighters, adding: "We are aware of their mindset. We are waiting for them and we will deal with them in a tough way."
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