Yearly Archives: 2012





Nigeria

Police found three “high caliber time bombs” on the campus of a Kano university; less than two weeks ago, gunmen attacked Christian worship services at the university, killing 15 people. Boko Haram, which has threatened attacks on universities and the media, is suspected in the bomb plot.


United States

CIA officials who were tracking an al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula plot seized an underwear bomb before it could be used by a Yemen-based bomber. The thwarted plot involved detonating the bomb on a US-bound airliner sometime around May 2, the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death.







Afghanistan

Afghan officials claimed 20 civilians, including women and children, were killed in ISAF airstrikes in Helmand and Badghis. The Taliban killed three ISAF soldiers in an attack in the south.



Yemen

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula overran two bases in Al Koud and Dawfas, killing 32 soldiers and capturing 28 more. Tribesmen killed AQAP commander Bassam Al Sayed in Radfan in Lahj province. AQAP denied it plans on freeing a Saudi diplomat and a Swiss hostage.


Algeria

Algeria’s new Islamists won’t rock the boat


Egypt

Egypt’s generals wait in the wings as the revolution turns messy


Syria

Syria held parliamentary elections. The government called it an important step toward reform. The opposition denounced the elections as a sham and called for a boycott.


Somalia

Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a and Shabaab forces clashed in El Bur. Shabaab attacked government troops in Beledweyne. Shabaab dismissed its commander in Afmadow and arrested 15 civilians for criminal activity.




Al Qaeda

Testimony in the recent trial of New York subway bomb plotter Adis Medunjanin shed more light on the role of fugitive Canadian terrorist Ferid “Yousef” Imam, 31. Yousef conducted weapons training at an al Qaeda camp in North Waziristan that was also attended by an al Qaeda operative known as “Hamad,” a name for wanted […]




Al Qaeda

Pakistani foreign minister: ‘US should provide information on Zawahiri’s presence in Pakistan’



Taliban

Secret US program releases high-level insurgents in exchange for pledges of peace