Yearly Archives: 2012




Nigeria

The US has added Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, and Khalid al Barnawi and Abubakar Adam Kamba to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Both Barnawi and Kamba “have ties to Boko Haram and have close links to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.”


Indonesia

A court convicted Bali bomber Umar Patek on all charges and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. The al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamayah-linked terrorist, whose bombmaking contributed to the deaths of over 215 people in attacks on nightclubs and churches, was arrested in early 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a few months before the raid […]


Sweden

Sniffer dogs near the reactor of the Ringhals nuclear plant south of Gothenburg found a plastic explosive device attached to the underside of a truck used on the premises. Authorities called the device an act of sabotage and raised the threat level at nuclear facilities across the country.





Iran

Doubts Raised About US Diplomacy on Iran and Nuclear Issues





Afghanistan

A suicide bomber killed 18 Afghans in an attack on a US convoy in Khost. The Taliban killed eight civilians in an IED attack in Logar and three ISAF soldiers in an attack in the east.


Yemen

The military said an al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leader and two suicide bombers were killed in an airstrike in Baydah province. Six AQAP fighters, three soldiers, and three civilians were killed in fighting in the south.


Syria

Among Syrian rebels, a shared sense of commitment


Iran nuclear talks downgraded


Israel

Over the last three days, violence in southern Israel and Gaza has continued to escalate. Palestinians have fired up to 80 mortars and rockets into southern Israel, and Israel has conducted a series of airstrikes in Gaza, killing eight people.


Pakistan

Pakistani Taliban’s anti-US rant: ‘Peace treaty to stay intact despite polio drive ban’



Syria

The head of the UN observer mission in Syria reported that UN monitors had been fired at on multiple occasions. Although the mission has been suspended, it has not been cancelled. Government and rebel forces declared a temporary truce in Homs to allow civilians to be evacuated.


Turkey

Turkish aircraft attacked Kurdish rebels targets inside Iraq. The strike was in response to an earlier attack by Kurdish rebels that killed eight Turkish soldiers.


Iran

US, Israel developed Flame computer virus to slow Iranian nuclear efforts, officials say


Nigeria

Police and military units deployed in force in Kaduna after a curfew was imposed in the city. The curfew was put in place after violence erupted in the wake of Boko Haram suicide attacks on churches on Sunday.



Algeria

Algerian military forces engaged in a firefight with al Qaeda fighters in the Kabylia region, killing 12 militants and seizing weapons including rockets. The militants are believed to have carried out a recent attack on police barracks in Ouacifs.


France

Police shot and arrested a man who had seized four hostages at a bank not far from the home of Toulouse shooter Mohammed Merah. The unnamed suspect is said to be of North African origin. He claimed to be affiliated with al Qaeda and to be acting for religious reasons. The hostages were unharmed.




Pakistan detains al Qaeda operative tied to multiple plots

An al Qaeda operative named Naamen Meziche has been reportedly detained in Pakistan. Meziche had extensive ties to the 9/11 plotters and was part of a 2010 plot to launch Mumbai-style attacks in Europe. That plot also had significant links to al Qaeda’s Iran-based network.