UPI International Intelligence articles from April 2008

UPI International Intelligence archives from April 2008

Germany may have foiled terror attack.
April 1, 2008... MUNICH, Germany, April 1 (UPI) -- Germany may have foiled a terror attack during the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2006 but kept the public uninformed to prevent panic. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann of the conservative Christian...

Basra sign of political showdown.
April 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 1 (UPI) -- The fighting between Shiite militias and Iraqi security forces may be a sign of the beginnings of political infighting ahead of parliamentary elections. Political analysts categorize the clash as largely a Shiite...

Iraqi brick factory kicks into high gear.
April 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 1 (UPI) -- Production at Iraq's largest brick factory swung into high gear Tuesday, boosting employment opportunities in a project that cost the U.S. taxpayer nothing. The Narhwan Brick Factory Complex east of Baghdad houses...

U.K. rethink on Basra.
April 1, 2008... LONDON, April 1 (UPI) -- British Defense Secretary Desmond Browne said Tuesday he could not uphold Prime Minister Gordon Brown's promise to withdraw 1,500 troops from Iraq. Browne, citing at least in part the escalation in Basra, said the...

Analysis: Anti-Islam film a security risk.
April 1, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, April 1 (UPI) -- European security officials have warned of an increased terror threat after a Dutch lawmaker published an anti-Islam film on the Internet. On March 27 Geert Wilders posted on Britain-based...

Iraqi forces nab several al-Qaida suspects.
April 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 1 (UPI) -- Iraqi security forces killed an attacker Tuesday and arrested several al-Qaida suspects, finding several weapons caches in the process, reports said. An Iraqi police force operating north of Hillah, about 60 miles...

Kirkuk gets water upgrade.
April 1, 2008... KIRKUK, Iraq, April 1 (UPI) -- The Iraqi government took control of a water purification project with the capacity of supplying 24 million gallons of potable water to areas around Kirkuk. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the $8.2...

Report warns of threat to stability.
April 1, 2008... BRUSSELS, April 1 (UPI) -- Stability in Timor-Leste could be threatened if a solution isn't found for the country's displaced people, according to a new International Crisis group report. The report, "Timor-Leste's Displacement Crisis,"...

Violence forces embargo extension.
April 1, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, April 1 (UPI) -- Continued violence and other threats from militias in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have resulted in an extension of a U.N. arms embargo on the country. Meeting at U.N. headquarters in New York, the...

Arab-Israeli peace crucial for stability.
April 1, 2008... DAMASCUS, Syria, April 1 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says solving the conflict between Arabs and Israelis is critical for any kind of peace and stability in the region. Ban says any progress towards peace in the Middle East...

S. Korean official plans strategic shifts.
April 1, 2008... SEOUL, April 1 (UPI) -- Military officials in South Korea are planning strategic changes to enhance ties with the United States to build a stronger defense against North Korea. South Korea's new deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S....

Basra violence won't change U.S. drawdown.
April 1, 2008... POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C., April 1 (UPI) -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says that the recent surge of violence in Basra, Iraq, will not affect the U.S. troop drawdown. The violence in Basra and southern Baghdad spiked after...

Iraq Press Roundup.
April 1, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD The liberal Al Ahali newspaper highlighted Tuesday the seriousness of the latest increased violence in an editorial with the headline, "Joblessness and quality of life, and the increase in violence." The editorial...

Outside View: Khamenei takes control.
April 1, 2008... Byline: DAVID AMESS LONDON, April 1 (UPI) -- As parliamentary elections in Iran confirm a vast majority for the hard-liners in Iran, jostling seems to have already gained pace for Iran's presidential elections in 2009. However, pressure on...

Iraq Press Roundup.
April 1, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD Shebab Al Iraq newspaper carried an editorial Monday with the title "The war among Shiites." In it, the newspaper highlighted the infighting in Basra and Baghdad, which is "not a war between the Iraqi government and...

Singh: India committed to peace, security.
April 1, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 1 (UPI) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said his government was committed to deal with threats to peace and security. "Whatever the source of terrorism, we are determined to root it out and ensure that in a...

Nine groups target India's Assam state.
April 1, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 1 (UPI) -- India's Assam state said nine militant groups with 2,115 armed members are waging war against the state. A top state minister, Rockybul Hussain, told the state Assembly the largest movement is the outlawed...

Analysis: Showdown in Bucharest.
April 2, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, April 2 (UPI) -- At the NATO summit Bucharest, Romania, U.S. President George W. Bush will try to finalize his legacy of promoting democracy by heaving Ukraine and Georgia, two former Soviet republics, into...

Walker's World: Zimbabwe's grim scenarios.
April 2, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, April 2 (UPI) -- It was tragic for Zimbabwe that reports of a South African-brokered deal for Robert Mugabe to step down turned out to be an April Fools joke. But the standoff in Zimbabwe is grim news for...

Indian Muslim group ran terror training.
April 2, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 2 (UPI) -- India said leaders of an Islamist militant group for students conducted three secret combat camps to train its cadres last year. Senior figures in the Students' Islamic Movement of India conducted at least three...

India to devise new ways against Maoists.
April 2, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 2 (UPI) -- The new chief of India's Central Reserve Police Force said he will not rely on existing tactics to win the war against Maoist rebels. "The CRPF will devise new ways to fight Maoists," said V.K. Joshi, who took...

Analysis: India told 'dry-up Maoist funds'.
April 2, 2008... Byline: KUSHAL JEENA NEW DELHI, April 2 (UPI) -- A top-level Indian commission has asked the government in Delhi to set up a new agency to combat extortion and economic offenses to help dry up the funding sources of armed Maoist guerrillas...

Iraq Press Roundup.
April 2, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD The independent Kitabat Newspaper in an editorial Wednesday commemorated the five-year mark of the Iraq invasion and the fall of the Baathist government, which happened through "occupying" or some say "liberating" Iraq....

U.N. to maintain Kosovo mandate.
April 2, 2008... PRISTINA, Kosovo, April 2 (UPI) -- The United Nations will maintain administrative authority in Kosovo as a result of the tense security situation following its declaration of independence. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a...

Rebel movement threatens security.
April 2, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, April 2 (UPI) -- Rebel movements on the Chadian and Sudanese border are drawing sharp criticism from the United Nations for fears of continued destabilization in the region. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on...

New counter-terror head named for LA.
April 2, 2008... LOS ANGELES, April 2 (UPI) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation says it has appointed a new head of its Counter-Terrorism Division in Los Angeles. FBI Director Robert Mueller announced that Steven Gomez will take over as the new special...

Musa Qaleh rebuilding aided by security.
April 2, 2008... MUSA QALEH, Afghanistan, April 2 (UPI) -- British military officials say the rebuilding effort in Musa Qaleh, Afghanistan, is making progress after troops established modest security in the region. It has been three months since British and...

Interpol calls for more police cooperation.
April 2, 2008... LYON, France, April 2 (UPI) -- Interpol is hosting a conference at the organization's headquarters in France aimed at facilitating international cooperation to fight 21st century threats. The annual Heads of National Central Bureaus...

Outside View: NATO's pointless expansion.(Reprint)
April 2, 2008... Byline: ALEXANDER KHRAMCHIKHIN MOSCOW, April 2 (UPI) -- NATO is expected to open its doors to Croatia, Macedonia and Albania at its summit this week in Bucharest, Romania. The invitation to the three Balkan states will come as another...

Maliki unveils new Basra plan.
April 2, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 2 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki outlined a seven-point plan for Basra following operations pitting Iraqi security forces against Shiite militias. Maliki said in a statement Wednesday the security operation in...

Sons of Iraq open Fallujah office.
April 2, 2008... FALLUJAH, Iraq, April 2 (UPI) -- The Iraqi security force known as Sons of Iraq opened its first office in Fallujah Wednesday in a ceremony attended by Iraqi government officials. Faleh al-Dulami, a spokesman for the group, said the opening...

Iraq bids for fast-track WTO membership.
April 2, 2008... GENEVA, Switzerland, April 2 (UPI) -- The Iraqi government lobbied the World Trade Organization Wednesday for fast-track membership, pointing to its oil reserves and geopolitical significance. Iraqi Trade Minister Abed Falah al-Sudani...

Poll: More believe U.S. winning terror war.
April 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 2 (UPI) -- Nearly half of likely voters believe the United States and its allies are winning the U.S.-declared war on terror, up from one-third at the start of last year. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone...

Aid groups praise Basra calm.
April 2, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 2 (UPI) -- Humanitarian agencies welcomed the returning calm in Iraq as an opportunity to bring in much-needed emergency assistance. Mercy Corps, a non-profit humanitarian group based in Oregon, said in a statement it...

Iraq unveils aircraft contracts.
April 2, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 2 (UPI) -- Iraq announced two high-priced deals with U.S. and Canadian aircraft manufacturers to buy several new aircraft. The spokesman for the Iraqi government, Ali al-Dabbagh, said the Iraqi government signed a $5.5...

Consultant: Biometric systems are hackable.
April 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 2 (UPI) -- A security consultant has found a way to intercept biometric data being sent on computer networks from fingerprint scanners such as those used at U.S. borders. Matthew Lewis works with London-based Information...

New model allows prediction of pandemics.
April 2, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 2 (UPI) -- Experts are developing a computer model of the U.S. population that policymakers can use to test strategies for pandemics and other health issues. The Large-Scale Agent Model at the Brookings Institution's...

Indian police bust rebel camp.
April 3, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 3 (UPI) -- Indian police said they busted a training camp run by the banned Student Islamic Movement of India in Madhya Pradesh state Wednesday. The group was training rebels near a popular vacation spot about 30...

India reviews security in Manipur state.
April 3, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 3 (UPI) -- India's top bureaucrat says he reviewed the security situation in insurgency-hit Manipur state. Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar held a review meeting with Manipur Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh and other...

Iraq Press Roundup.
April 3, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD Kul Al Iraq newspaper said Thursday in its editorial on the latest violence in Baghdad and Basra that Iraqis raised their hands asking God to end the strife that could have cost many lives. The editorial with the...

Aid group says relief ready for Sadr City.
April 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 3 (UPI) -- The International Organization for Migration said it had emergency aid positioned for delivery at several hospitals in Baghdad and the southern Iraqi provinces. The group, based in Geneva, Switzerland, and...

U.N. proposes electoral directors for Iraq.
April 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 3 (UPI) -- The chief of the U.N. Mission in Iraq and other representatives met with Iraqi officials to discuss recommendations for eight provincial election officials. Staffan de Mistura met with top officials with the Iraqi...

Sadr party challenges Maliki.
April 3, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 3 (UPI) -- A member of Moqtada Sadr's political party said Thursday his party would push a political fight with the Iraqi prime minister if Sadrist demands were not met. Sadr initiated a cease-fire for recent conflicts in...

Garner advocated federalized Iraq.
April 3, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, April 3 (UPI) -- Jay Garner, the first U.S. administrator in Iraq following the ouster of Saddam Hussein, likened the Kurdish region to a potential federalized Iraq. Garner said in an interview with The Kurdish Globe that his...

Fallujah gets $85M water-filtration system.
April 3, 2008... FALLUJAH, Iraq, April 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said an $85 million wastewater treatment facility in Fallujah, Iraq, is scheduled for completion this summer. The corps said the program, the first central facility there, is...

Commentary: Boom to bust.
April 3, 2008... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, April 3 (UPI) -- Borrowing $2 billion to $3 billion a day from other countries to maintain the world's highest standard of living, based on conspicuous consumption, in an age of growing world...

Nuclear terrorism remains a threat.
April 3, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 3 (UPI) -- A U.S. Homeland Security Department official says the threat of nuclear terrorism is a constant concern but is currently an unknown probability. DHS Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis Charles Allen...

U.N. looks to strengthen ties with AU.
April 3, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council says it plans to further engage its relationship with the African Union to jointly address ongoing security threats in Africa. Security Council President Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo...

Tensions could destabilize Haiti.
April 3, 2008... PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, April 3 (UPI) -- A U.N. report says tensions in Haiti could destabilize the country if leaders don't increase their efforts and engage in the political process. The United Nations is urging leaders in Haiti and the...

Israel passes Reservist Corps overhaul.
April 3, 2008... JERUSALEM, April 3 (UPI) -- A new bill has been passed in Israel overhauling the country's Reservist Corps in response to lessons learned after the recent war with Lebanon. The Reservist's Act was enacted Thursday after passing through the...

Afghan Police graduate from medical course.
April 3, 2008... KABUL, Afghanistan, April 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense officials say the first class of trauma-assistance personnel has graduated from the Afghan National Police Central Training Center. U.S. Navy hospital corpsmen from the medical embedded...

India captures a top terror ideologue.
April 4, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 4 (UPI) -- India's police force said it has captured a top member of the banned Hizbul-Mujahedin group in Jammu & Kashmir state. Police in the state arrested Abdul Khaliq Dar, a top member of the group, a state government...

India: Militants using chat rooms.
April 4, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 4 (UPI) -- India said terrorists and drug syndicates are now using Internet chat rooms and e-payment for money exchange. Enforcement agencies said they are spending more time searching the World Wide Web, as terrorists and...

U.S. general praises Iraqi national police.
April 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 4 (UPI) -- Iraqi national security forces killed seven people and arrested several others in Basra amid the praise of a U.S. military general. U.S. intelligence reports say an Iraqi national security force working under the...

Most Pentagon cyberattackers lone hackers.
April 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- The preponderance of cyberattacks against the U.S. military still comes from individual hackers, not nation-states, a senior defense official said. Robert Lentz, deputy assistant secretary for information and...

Iraq Press Roundup.
April 4, 2008... Byline: HIBA DAWOOD The Iraqi Hezbollah's Al Baynna Newspaper commented in an editorial Friday on the security situation in Iraq during February and March. The editorial with the headline "The security situation and the zero point"...

Sadr bloc stages sit-in.
April 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 4 (UPI) -- Members of the Sadrist Movement staged a peaceful sit-in Friday to protest the alleged targeting of Sadr officials by the Iraqi government. Abu Jaafar, a top official with the Sadrist party in Abu Dsheir in...

Dogs of War: Lawyers, guns and money.
April 4, 2008... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- The Pentagon recently issued a memorandum with the less-than-snappy title "Uniform Code of Military Justice Jurisdiction Over Department of Defense Civilian Employees, Department of...

UNICEF boosts mine awareness in Iraq.
April 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 4 (UPI) -- The United Nations marked the second annual international mine awareness day Friday by highlighting educational programs in Iraq. A 2006 study of Iraq categorized the country as one of the most mine-contaminated...

NIE positive on Iraqi political climate.
April 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- A U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq released to top White House officials paints a security climate in Iraq conducive to political developments. The NIE, which officials also released to key...

Spy chief's new head of public affairs.
April 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- A veteran newspaper reporter has joined the staff of Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell as his latest chief spokesman and media strategist. In a statement Thursday, McConnell said Richard...

Iraq progressing on corruption measures.(Conference notes)
April 4, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 4 (UPI) -- The U.N. Mission in Iraq said in its latest quarterly report that Iraq made progress in counter-terrorism and anti-corruption measures. UNAMI highlighted the first anti-corruption conference in Baghdad attended by...

$240 million in Internet fraud last year.
April 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- Nearly $250 million worth of individual losses from Internet fraud was reported by Americans to the FBI last year, the bureau said. The figures were released by the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a...

India to implement new maritime tracking.
April 4, 2008... BANGALORE, India, April 4 (UPI) -- Indian defense officials released plans to enhance maritime security with a satellite tracking system, reducing the threat of terrorists shipping illicit cargo. Plans are under way for a satellite-based...

IDF increases security at crossings.
April 4, 2008... JERUSALEM, April 4 (UPI) -- Israeli security forces are stepping up efforts at checkpoints and border crossings across the country to halt the transfer of prohibited substances. Officials say police and other security officials have...

U.N. pledges to increase Afghan efforts.
April 4, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, April 4 (UPI) -- Promising not to leave the Afghan people to face the Taliban alone, the United Nations has committed to stay until peace is achieved. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon acknowledged shortfalls in the United...

McConnell pushes new intelligence plan.
April 4, 2008... WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- A plan to remove barriers to communication and increase information sharing has been announced by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Officials say the new strategy calls for the removal of...

Violence threatens aid in Iraq.
April 4, 2008... AMMAN, Jordan, April 4 (UPI) -- U.N. officials say the ongoing violence in Iraq is threatening the safety of aid workers attempting to provide relief to a growing humanitarian crisis. Despite modest security gains in Iraq, U.N....

Walker's World: Bush's last summit.
April 7, 2008... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, April 7 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is not a man to wear his heart on his sleeve. He is matter of fact and businesslike, adept at concealing his emotions and sticking to the point. So the...

Analysis: It's springtime; war in the air.
April 7, 2008... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, April 7 (UPI) -- It's springtime in the Middle East once again, and that usually means that fighting season may breakout soon. Unless The current stalemate in the Middle East peace process compiled...

India: Rebels planning major strikes.
April 7, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 7 (UPI) -- India's police said Maoist rebels are planning major armed attacks in Uttar Pradesh state. State police said rebels set up new bases in the state, particularly in poverty-stricken eastern parts, and were planning...

India doesn't rule out threat from China.
April 7, 2008... NEW DELHI, April 7 (UPI) -- India said it doesn't rule out a threat from China to the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Defense Minister A.K. Antony said the government was giving top priority to improving the standard of the...

Analysis: German-Libyan security affair.
April 7, 2008... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, April 7 (UPI) -- Germany has denied media reports of official involvement in an alleged scheme to provide anti-terrorism training to Libyan security forces, with several elite policemen and an army officer...

Europe: Politician's fingerprint published.
April 7, 2008... BERLIN, April 7 (UPI) -- Germany's top security chief does not care that a hacker group protesting increased surveillance in Germany has published his fingerprint. "My fingerprint is no secret, anyone may have it. I have nothing to fear,"...

Secret NATO targets for Afghanistan.
April 7, 2008... BERLIN, April 7 (UPI) -- NATO for the first time has set concrete benchmarks for its Afghanistan mission, according to a secret document obtained by a German news magazine. The 12-page document, rubber-stamped by officials at last week's...

U.S. contacts Iran for Iraqi security plan.
April 7, 2008... TEHRAN, April 7 (UPI) -- A spokesman for the Iranian foreign minister said Monday Tehran received a request from the United States to discuss restoring peace in Iraq. The spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini, said Tehran received the request...

U.N. marks four years in Darfur.
April 7, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (UPI) -- The United Nations marked the four-year anniversary of the organization's involvement in the Darfur region of Sudan by saying the situation remains grim. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the continued...

Situation still tense after violence raids.
April 7, 2008... LES CAYES, Haiti, April 7 (UPI) -- U.N. officials say tensions remain high after violence over rising food prices and the cost of living in Haiti, stoking fears of further unrest. The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti says the situation in...

WHO gives Iraq high marks.
April 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 7 (UPI) -- The World Health Organization said its community-based initiatives in Iraq saw progress on many fronts, including the near eradication of malaria. The WHO said its community initiatives in Iraq include several...

Kurdish complex open for business.
April 7, 2008... ERBIL, Iraq, April 7 (UPI) -- With aid from the Kurdistan government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helped open a government complex less than a year after an explosion ripped it apart. A truck bomb exploded in front of the Interior...

Iraqi elders discuss peace.
April 7, 2008... BAGHDAD, April 7 (UPI) -- Iraqi tribal elders met in Baghdad Monday at a conference to develop plans to restore law and order following an upsurge in violent activity. Around 200 tribal leaders and politicians met in Baghdad Monday...

Emergency exercise under way in Israel.
April 7, 2008... JERUSALEM, April 7 (UPI) -- Israel's National Emergency Authority has begun the largest governmental emergency drill ever in the country addressing missile attack readiness. Officials say the five-day emergency exercise began Sunday...

Awakening movement growing disenfranchised.
April 7, 2008... RAMADI, Iraq, April 7 (UPI) -- The Sunni-dominated militia Sons of Iraq is a key security resource to Iraqis and Americans alike, but political turmoil threatens the longevity of the group. Tribal chiefs in Anbar province conscripted...

Rising prices threaten global stability.
April 7, 2008... UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (UPI) -- The United Nations says the surge in food prices around the world could lead to massive unrest and instability. U.N. World Food Program Executive Director Josette Sheeran says the recent escalation of...