The government filed criminal charges against Edward Snowden, who leaked top-secret information about NSA surveillance programs, and asked Hong Kong to detain him. Reports have emerged that the CIA and US special operations forces have been training Syrian rebels in Turkey and Jordan since November. The US is considering supplying antitank weapons to the rebels.
A spokesman for the Free Syrian Army said the rebels have recently received new weapons from Arab countries and other friendly nations, but not yet from the United States. Some opposition groups in Aleppo are reportedly using Russian-made Grad rockets to attack Syrian army bases.
Iraqi Militias Make Comeback Amid Surging Sectarian Violence
US charges Snowden with espionage
The army sealed off the area around parliament in Beirut after demonstrations by Sunni protesters. President Suleiman has asked Hezbollah to send its fighters home from Syria, and complained to the United Nations and the Arab League of violations of Lebanese territory by Syrian factions as well as by Israel. A rocket launched from northeast […]
Prime Minister Hamdallah withdrew his resignation request after lobbying efforts by President Abbas and his aides. A Hamas delegation led by Mousa Abu Marzouk left Cairo for Beirut.
Tens of thousands of Islamists demonstrated in pro-Morsi protests in Cairo. Some of the protesters were seen waving al Qaeda’s black flag. A leader in the Salafi Nour Party said it is permissible to kill Sunnis who support Bashar al Assad. Authorities reportedly thwarted the infiltration of a number of militants into the Sinai.
NYPD expands surveillance net to fight crime as well as terrorism
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon warned that his country would deport anyone who financially supports Hezbollah. Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates said earlier this month they would start limiting transactions of Hezbollah members in the Gulf area.
US secretly providing training for Syrian rebels
Spanish authorities have discovered an al Qaeda cell near Morocco that has sent dozens of fighters to Syria. The leader of al Qaeda in Spain was recently released after serving 12 years in prison for conspiracy in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Three members of a suicide assault team killed security guards at the mosque, allowing one of the bombers to detonate his vest as Shia worshipers were offering Friday prayers.
New wave of foreigners in Syrian fight
In Syrian chemical weapons claim, criticism about lack of transparency
The Sheikh of Terror
Judicial Watch obtains State Dept. images of Benghazi terror attack
The head of PET, Denmark’s secret service agency, said the agency and the government are taking measures to crack down on Danes who travel to Syria to fight with the rebels, who pose “one of the most serious security risks to the Danish society at the moment.” PET estimates that at least 65 Danes have […]
The parliament voted 91-5 to terminate the US lease agreement for Manas Transit Center in July 2014, when it runs out. US operations at the base are slowing as the Afghan war winds down, and they dropped 30% in the first quarter of this year. The legislation is expected to be signed by President Atambayev, […]
How Many Chechens Are Fighting In Syria?
An al Qaeda suicide bomber killed seven people in an attack at a vote counting center in Ramadi. Al Qaeda killed three people in an IED attack in Sharqat. Security forces captured two al Qaeda fighters at the Al Waleed crossing point with Syria.
Utah soldier finally awarded Bronze Star for service in Iraq
The sale of black market weapons in the Sinai has increased ahead of protests scheduled for June 30. Protests against President Morsi continued over the recent appointment of eight Islamists as governors. US Ambassador Anne Patterson was criticized by opposition groups for not being more supportive of their desire to protest the Morsi government.
The Opening of the Taleban Office in Qatar: A Propaganda Coup and an Angry Government
The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid, and Crisis Response warned that Syria’s refugee crisis will become the world’s worst in decades if a peace plan is not speedily adopted. She criticized further efforts to arm the rebels, and said half of the 1.7 million Syrian refugees are children, who after years of no […]
In a recent working group discussion among EU states, Bulgaria revealed that the printer used to print the fake licenses used by terrorists in the July 2012 Burgas attack belonged to a member of Hezbollah.
Supporters of Salafi jihadists in the Gaza Strip held their third public demonstration against Hamas in recent months. The protesters called for the immediate release of imprisoned Salafists.
Algeria to unify fatwas
King Abdullah II endorsed a treaty between Jordan and the UK that will allow for the deportation of extremist cleric Abu Qatada to face terrorism charges in Jordan. The Jordanian military said a group of “infiltrators” from Syria attacked a Jordanian border post yesterday; during the clash, one infiltrator was killed, and two others were […]
Syrian conflict’s sectarian shadow over Lebanon
Special Report: Syria’s Islamists seize control as moderates dither