Terrorist incidents, such as this April 2003 bombing in Davao, Philippines, declined for the second year in a row, according to a U.S. State Department report released yesterday (AFP Photo/Jay Directo). International Terrorist Activity Continues to Decline, U.S. State Department Says By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — The number of international terrorist incidents continued to decline in 2003, reaching their lowest level since the late 1960s, according to an annual U.S. State Department report released yesterday (see GSN, May 1, 2003)...Full Story

U.S., U.K. Seek G-8 Assistance to Redirect Former Iraqi, Libyan WMD Scientists The United States and the United Kingdom want to use a Group of Eight effort intended to finance nonproliferation projects to help redirect Iraqi and Libyan WMD scientists to peaceful activities, the Financial Times reported today (see GSN, April 27)...Full Story

	Friday, April 30, 2004

International Terrorist Activity Continues to Decline, U.S. State Department Says By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — The number of international terrorist incidents continued to decline in 2003, reaching their lowest level since the late 1960s, according to an annual U.S. State Department report released yesterday (see GSN, May 1, 2003). Last year, a total of 190 terrorist attacks were conducted throughout the world, a slight decrease from the 198 attacks reported in 2002 and a 45-percent decrease from the 346 incidents reported in 2001, according to the report, entitled Patterns of Global Terrorism. The 2003 total represents the lowest number of terrorist incidents since 1969, the report says. The number of fatalities and casualties suffered through terrorist attacks also continued to decline last year, according to the report. In 2003, 307 people were killed and 1,593 people were injured in terrorist attacks — compared to the 725 killed and 2,013 people injured in attacks in 2002. In 2001, 3,295 fatalities occurred as a result of terrorist attacks, with the bulk of those occurring during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, according to the 2003 version of the report. This year’s terrorism report provides “clear evidence that we are prevailing in the fight” against terrorism, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said yesterday during a State Department press briefing. State Department counterterrorism coordinator Cofer Black attributed the decline in terrorist attacks to increased international cooperation against what he described as a “common scourge.” “We’re in this together. We have a commonality of interest.  We’re in the business of saving each other’s people and citizens. The accepted objective is to protect innocent men, women and children. We’re just doing a better job of it, and I think that’s reflected in these numbers,” Black said. Black also said that he expected the number of terrorist attacks to continue to decline in the future.  “It’s my view that the trend line would continue, would still be positive,” he said. Black warned, though, of the continued threat of terrorism and of that posed by al-Qaeda. “There is every indication that al-Qaeda continues to plan mass casualty attacks against American and other targets worldwide. Although the group poses as the defender of a great faith, they have hijacked Islam as a cover for their violence. Numerous Muslims have died in al-Qaeda attacks and much of the Islamic world stands with the United States in fighting this great evil,” he said. State Sponsors of Terrorism While there is evidence that state sponsorship of terrorist groups also decreased last year, the issue remains one of concern, according to the State Department.  “State sponsorship remains an unprecedented advantage for terrorists and enables them to acquire the weapons, training and logistical support they need to commit terrorist atrocities, and afterwards to enjoy safe haven and freedom from the prosecution of their crimes,” Black said. Of the seven nations listed by the State Department as sponsors of terrorism — Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Syria and Sudan — Libya and Sudan “most notably” increased their cooperation in the war on terrorism, according to the State Department report. The report noted that Libya last year provided terrorism-related intelligence to Western countries; took responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in the 1980s; and made a “historic decision” to dismantle its WMD efforts. The report also notes Sudan’s increased cooperation and information sharing, as well as its efforts to prevent terrorists from operating within its borders and to strengthen its national laws against terrorism In addition, the overthrow of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein last year eliminated a “longtime sponsor” of terrorism in the Middle East, the report says.  Yesterday’s report says that Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria continued last year to have ties to terrorist groups. “Although some in this latter group have improved their performances in some areas, most have also continued the very actions that led them to be declared state sponsors,” it says. According to the report, Iran remained last year “the most active” state sponsor of terrorism. It notes Tehran’s “mixed record” against al-Qaeda, continued support for anti-Israeli activities and destabilizing activities in post-Hussein Iraq. The State Department yesterday seemed to have a mixed view of Syria’s terrorism record. While noting Syria’s ongoing backing of several Palestinian militant organizations and efforts by Syrian officials to differentiate between terrorism “and legitimate armed resistance,” the department’s report also says that there have been no acts of terrorism against U.S. citizens in Syria in the past five years and that Damascus has cooperated with the United States against al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. In his remarks yesterday, though, Black took a harsher view against Syria, labeling Damascus as “one of the leading state sponsors of terrorism.” Earlier this week, two U.S. lawmakers publicly called on the Bush administration to implement the Syria Accountability Act, which was enacted into law late last year. The law requires a number of sanctions to be imposed against Syria for failing to end its suspect WMD activities and support for terrorism (see GSN, April 29). While the State Department has noted the progress made by Libya and Sudan in continuing to improve their records against terrorism, the two countries remain on the department’s list of terrorism sponsors. Praising Libya’s efforts, Black said yesterday that there were still “outstanding issues” that needed to be resolved before Libya could be removed from the list. U.S. President George W. Bush last year suspended the Iraq Sanctions Act, effectively waving the penalties imposed against Iraq as a state sponsor of terrorism. However, a formal government must be established before Iraq can be removed from the list, Black said. Iraq is expected to have its government by the end of June. “At that point, we can go through, with the assumption that a government takes power that renounces terrorism, shows every indication. We then begin the process of validating that and moving forward,” he said. Black also discussed yesterday North Korea’s continued presence on the list of terrorism-sponsoring countries, despite the fact that the State Department has determined that Pyongyang has not supported any terrorist attacks since the bombing of a Korean Airlines flight in 1987. Even so, Black said, several issues still needed to be resolved before Pyongyang could be removed from the list, including the issue of Japanese abductees in North Korea. “The United States has a long memory, and we will not expunge a terrorist sponsor’s record simply because time has passed. It is the North Koreans that need to assure us … they are no longer sponsoring international terrorism, that they no longer have any contacts with international terrorists, and we’ll be happy to review this issue with them when they feel clear to do so,” Black said. Back to top

U.S., U.K. Seek G-8 Assistance to Redirect Former Iraqi, Libyan WMD Scientists The United States and the United Kingdom want to use a Group of Eight effort intended to finance nonproliferation projects to help redirect Iraqi and Libyan WMD scientists to peaceful activities, the Financial Times reported today (see GSN, April 27). The United States and the United Kingdom are working on an announcement to be made at the June G-8 summit that the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction would be used to help provide peaceful jobs for Iraqi and Libyan WMD scientists, according to a senior Bush administration official. Under the Global Partnership, launched in 2002, the G-8 nations agreed to pledge $20 billion over 10 years for nonproliferation projects, primarily in Russia. “It’s not so much a question of (giving them) money as it is about what to do with the scientists,” said the U.S. official, referring to Libya. “There are enough of them on the nuclear side to worry about: would Iran or another country try to lure them? So it’s important to provide them with some activity,” the official said (Fidler/Khalaf, Financial Times, April 30). Meanwhile, U.S. efforts to redirect former Iraqi and Libyan WMD scientists need a better understanding of the number and types of scientists targeted and an improved effort to avoid organizing duplicating programs, according to a paper released yesterday by the Russian-American Nuclear Safety Advisory Council (RANSAC release, April 29). Back to top       Russia Likely to Join PSI, Japanese Source Says A Japanese government source said yesterday that Russia is expected to join the Proliferation Security Initiative — a U.S.-led international effort to block shipments of WMD-related cargo, the Daily Yomiuri reported (see GSN, April 26). The 14 initiative members are considering whether to formally admit Moscow at a meeting scheduled for late May in Poland to mark the effort’s one-year anniversary, according to the source. Russia is likely to attend the two-day meeting, the Daily Yomiuri reported (Daily Yomiuri, April 30). Back to top

Pakistan Repeats Resistance to Nuclear Inspections Pakistan said Wednesday that it would not allow any international inspections of its nuclear facilities, according to PakTribune.com (see GSN, March 29). During debate over a U.N. resolution on WMD proliferation (see GSN, April 29), Pakistani U.N. Ambassador Munir Akram said that his Islamabad would not share any information “that would negatively affect our national security programs or our national interests.” Akram also said that while Pakistan has “strong support” for nonproliferation, it would also continue to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles needed to “maintain credible minimum deterrence” with regard to regional rival India (see GSN, April 23). Such a deterrence was needed, according to Akram, because India has “embarked on major programs for nuclear weapons, missiles, antimissile and conventional arms acquisition and development” (PakTribune.com, April 29). Back to top       Iraqi Information Minister Was Involved in Attempt to Purchase Uranium Former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson said it was former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed Sahhaf who in 1999 approached an official in Niger about expanding trade and possibly buying uranium, the Washington Post reported today (see GSN, July 17, 2003). Wilson was sent by the CIA to Niger in 2002 to investigate reports of the unsuccessful Iraqi effort. In a new book, Wilson said the Nigerien official interpreted Sahhaf’s overture on trade as a possible effort to purchase uranium. Wilson also wrote that he did not learn the identity of the Iraqi official until early this year, when he spoke again with the Nigerien official. Sahhaf, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, was interviewed but not detained once the U.S. military took control of Iraq, the Post reported. “He wasn’t wanted for anything. Unfortunately, being a bad spokesman is not a crime,” a U.S. official said (Susan Schmidt, Washington Post, April 30). Back to top       Clinton Calls for U.S., India to Lead Nuclear Nonproliferation Effort U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) said yesterday that the United States and India should lead a worldwide effort to improve nuclear nonproliferation efforts and stressed the need to include Pakistan and Israel in those efforts, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, April 23). “It is an imperative and urgent task that we must include not only India but our friends in Pakistan, Israel and any other nation that we believe is willing to work with us in order to prevent rogue states like North Korea from not only obtaining nuclear weaponry but having the potential to both intimidate others and use those weapons,” said Clinton. “I hope that we are going to have a new beginning about how to define an antiproliferation agenda and that India and the United States can be the leaders of that,” she added. Clinton spoke in Washington as she and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) launched a new bipartisan group comprised of more than 30 senators dedicated to “expanding areas of agreement and candidly discussing issues of concern” between the United States and India (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, April 22). Back to top

U.S. “Hot Lab” Construction Raises Concern The unprecedented increase in construction of federally funded “hot labs” designed for research on the world’s deadliest pathogens is raising concerns about safety and security, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, April 14). Supporters say the at least 18 new or expanded high-containment laboratories are essential for deterring bioterrorism, but critics worry that the laboratories actually threaten national security by spreading knowledge of biological weapons and perhaps even setting off a new biological arms race. No one knows exactly how many public and private laboratories are already working biological agents that could be used in weapons, AP reported, but estimates reach into the hundreds. Activists in Boston have tried to stop a $168 million laboratory from being built at Boston University, fearing that an accidental release of deadly agents in an urban area could have disastrous consequences. “It doesn’t belong there,” said Kyle Loring, an attorney with Alternatives for Community and Environment. “The health and safety risks outweigh the benefits,” he added. Even some backers have expressed concern that the increased construction might not be well coordinated. “We do need these labs,” said Ken Alibek, a former top Soviet biological weapons scientist who defected to the United States in 1992. “But I’ve never seen any well-defined plan of what exactly we need, how many labs are necessary and what they should be designed to do,” he added. Those involved in new projects have defended the need for more sophisticated laboratories to combat a wide range of potential biological weapons, from exotic diseases to engineered pathogens. “We do not have the safe and effective vaccines and drugs we need,” said Rona Hirschberg of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the branch of the National Institutes of Health driving much of the laboratory construction. She added that creating diagnostic tools and vaccines are important national security priorities (Associated Press/Yahoo!News, April 30). Back to top

Al-Qaeda Operative Denies Plans for Chemical Attacks in Jordan Al-Qaeda did plan to attack Jordan’s secret service building, but the terrorist organization does not possess chemical weapons as alleged by Jordanian authorities, al-Qaeda operative Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi claimed in a recording aired today (see GSN, April 27). “Yes, there was a plot to demolish the Jordanian General Intelligence building. Jordan has turned itself into a hidden base of supplies for the occupying army in Iraq,” the voice believed to be al-Zarqawi’s said on a tape broadcast on an Islamic Internet site, the Associated Press reported.  “The (allegation) that there was a chemical bomb to kill thousands of people is a mere lie,” the voice said. “God knows, if we did possess (a chemical bomb), we wouldn’t hesitate one second to use it to hit Israeli cities such as Eilat and Tel Aviv,” the voice added (Associated Press/Washington Times, April 30). Back to top       Russia Destroys 41 Metric Tons of Lewisite Russia has disposed of 41 metric tons of the chemical weapons agent lewisite at a disposal plant near the town of Gorny, ITAR-Tass reported today (see GSN, March 4). About 3 percent of Russia’s 40,000-ton chemical weapons stockpile is stored at Gorny, according to ITAR-Tass. The Gorny stockpile is expected to be completely destroyed by 2005, ITAR-Tass reported (ITAR-Tass, April 30). Back to top       Kerry Calls for Better Security at Chemical Plants Urban chemical plants need higher levels of security and local governments need more financial assistance from the federal government to protect themselves from terrorist attacks, Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) said yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 20). “It’s wrong to ask our mayors to prevent and protect us in the war on terror and then stick you with the bill,” said Kerry, speaking in Philadelphia before the National Conference of Black Mayors. “It’s nearly 2 1/2  years after 9/11 — and the administration is still dragging its heels and we’re still fighting to secure chemical plants where a terrorist attack could be devastating,” Kerry added. Kerry said the administration’s security plans were tough in the days following Sept. 11, but softened as the chemical lobby increased contributions to the Bush re-election campaign, according to the Washington Times. The senator offered a plan to identify chemical plants where a terrorist attack would cause massive casualties; require a security force, fencing and surveillance around plants; and mandate that plants use less dangerous materials and technologies whenever possible, according the Times. Kerry’s plan is nearly identical to one President George W. Bush has called on Congress to draft, said Senator Zell Miller (D-Ga.), who is supporting Bush’s re-election bid. “Every part of the proposal is in the president’s 2003 report,” Miller said. “I don’t know if Mr. Kerry realizes he is taking the president’s ideas or not, but this certainly goes to the inadequacy of his leadership,” he added. Miller also said Kerry has blocked the president’s most vital proposals during his time in the Senate, while setting aside others and presenting them as his own (Brian DeBose, Washington Times, April 30). Back to top

U.S. Officer Tells of U.S.-Canada Missile Exercises; PM Says Missile Defense to Be Decided in Fall Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said yesterday that the decision to join the U.S. antiballistic missile defense project would be made this fall, but a U.S. military officer said that Canadian personnel have already participated in U.S. missile defense war games, CTV reported (see GSN, April 29). In addition to Martin’s announcement, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale yesterday denied reports that the Canadian government has already signed on to participate in an expanded early warning radar system with the United States. “The government’s position on ballistic missile defense is quite clear — we are absolutely opposed to the weaponization of space,” Goodale said (CTV, April 29). Meanwhile U.S. Air Force Lt.-Col. Rob Garza, an official at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, confirmed that Canadian military personnel took part in a missile defense exercise last fall, the Edmonton Journal reported. Garza also noted that the training was based on “draft” procedures, as final arrangements for such operations are not in place. Critics said Canada’s approval for the training, which stopped short of allowing Canadians to push interceptor launch buttons, contradicts officials’ claims that no decision has yet been made on whether Canada will participate in the system (David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen, April 30). Back to top       U.S. to Add Missile Defense Batteries in South Korea The U.S. and South Korean military command in Seoul announced yesterday that new U.S. missile defense batteries would be deployed in South Korea (see GSN, Nov. 20, 2003). The U.S. Eighth Army’s 35th Air Defense Brigade, equipped with Patriot Advanced Capability-2 and -3 missile interceptors, will be dispatched to South Korea, according to a press release. Two interceptor batteries are planned to be deployed at Gwangju Air Base and the brigade’s headquarters will be located at Osan Air Base, the command said (Associated Press/Times of India, April 30).   Back to top

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