Prosecutors charged a Chicago taxi driver with plotting an attack and providing material support to al Qaeda by transferring money overseas to the terror group. Raja Lahrasib Khan, a Pakistan-born US citizen, also has ties to al Qaeda leader Ilyas Kashmiri.
More than 100 Taliban fighters overran a Frontier Corps outpost, killing five troops, including a senior officer, before the military retook control of the base.
Italy – Diplomat summoned over attacks on Christians in Pakistan
Abdul Hafiz, a former Gitmo detainee, has reportedly rejoined the Taliban and is leading efforts to terrorize charities operating in Afghanistan. Hafiz was transferred to Afghanistan in December 2009 and is the first reported recidivist released by the Obama administration.
The strike targeted the Haqqani Network and is the fifth since March 16.
Pakistan – Quereshi signals new approach to Washington
Mullah Abdul Qayum Zakir is one of two top Taliban leaders designated on March 19 to replace Mullah Baradar, who was detained by Pakistan last month. Zakir was released from Guantanamo in 2007.
A judge has ruled that Mohamedou Ould Slahi should be released from Guantanamo. Slahi was a key recruiter of 9/11 point man Ramzi Binalshibh, tactical commander Mohammed Atta, and two other suicide pilots, and was a top facilitator in the failed millennium bombing plots.
One of the Taliban’s latest statements (Voice of Jihad English, and PDF at non-terrorist site) comes as a response to outgoing United Nations uber-envoy for Afghanistan Kai Eide being underwhelmed at Pakistan’s arrest of senior Taliban official Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and the subsequent wrench that it allegedly threw into backroom talks under way. This […]
The al Qaeda-linked leader sent a delegation to meet with the Afghan government. Conditions include an end to military operations and the withdrawal of “foreign fighters” after a NATO withdrawal.
The grandson of former President Rafsanjani was detained for involvement in opposition protests. Secretary of State Clinton told AIPAC that the US will not “compromise on its commitment” to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. Pakistan will investigate AQ Khan’s ties to Iran’s nuclear program.
The airstrike is the fourth in the Taliban-controlled tribal area in six days. The Taliban murdered four “US spies” in North Waziristan.
After 10 days of fighting, the two groups have signed a peace agreement. The Pakistani military claims success in Arakzai.
At least one squad of the joint Taliban-al Qaeda Shadow Army operating in Swat. In a London Times article on foreign fighters’ influence in Pakistan’s tribal areas, the author notes that the Punjabi and Arab fighters in the region are quite organized and efficient: The Arabs, regarded by locals as good, quiet tenants, paying up […]
Pakistan – Arabs throw in their lot with ‘global terrorists™ in war against the infidel
Holbrooke: US ‘gratified’ by Pakistani arrests of Taliban leaders
Former UN envoy Kai Eide said he met Taliban leaders in Afghanistan and that Pakistan’s detention of Mullah Bahadar has scuttled peace talks. Coalition and Afghan forces captured a Taliban IED facilitator and a Haqqani network commander and an undisclosed number of fighters in Helmand, Kandahar, Paktika, and Khost. An undisclosed number of Taliban fighters […]
Pakistan arrests ‘halt secret UN contacts with Taliban’
CIA director says secret attacks in Pakistan have hobbled al-Qaeda
Sadam Hussein Al Hussami, who is also known as Ghazwan al Yemeni, was a top operative in al Qaeda’s external operations network. He aided in the suicide attack on Combat Outpost Chapman, which killed seven CIA officials and a Jordanian intelligence officer.
The US launched a strike in the village of Hamzoni and another in Datta Khel, the second there in two days.
The American Civil Liberties Union has followed up its Freedom of Information Act request that was filed in January seeking information on the US Predator program. Today, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the the Defense Department, the State Department, and the Justice Department, demanding enforcement of its January request for information on the program. […]
The Indian Mujahideen, a front group for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, was behind the bombing in Pune that killed 16 people, according to India’s home minister. “The handlers are the same, the set of handlers which was involved in Mumbai,” Home Secretary Gopal Pillai said.
The Afghan government denied it was conducting talks with Mullah Baradar as he was detained in Pakistan. Coalition and Afghan forces detained a senior Taliban facilitator in Helmand and four Haqqani Network fighters in Khost. More than 1,000 police reinforcements will be sent to Kandahar. ISAF opened the Parwan PRT.
Two compounds were hit in Datta Khel, a known al Qaeda hideout.
Khalid Khawaja, the “consigliere” for the Taliban and al Qaeda, said that two of his associates met with the Pakistani Taliban leader on March 9.
Holbrooke hails Marja operation, relationship with Pakistan
Pakistan intelligence calls for Afghan border to be closed
The Yemeni military claims two top al Qaeda military leaders were killed in an airstrike yesterday. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said a top financier and military commander was killed earlier this year.
Afghanistan/Pakistan: Contractors tied to effort to track and kill militants