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Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb using sheer fear for control in AlgeriaCAIRO -- Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb has sought to consolidate control over designated areas of Algeria.
Algerian security sources said the Al Qaida Organization has sought to dominate several areas of eastern and central Algeria. They said AQIM has intimidated farmers and businessmen to pay protection money to finance the insurgency campaign against the government in Algiers.
"They are very cruel and bold and do not fear anybody," a security source said. "When they send a warning to people, it is obeyed."
The AQIM extortion campaign was said to have helped finance insurgency attacks.
On Sept. 1, at least four people were killed and 30 others injured in an Al Qaida suicide bombing of a military convoy near the northern town of Zemouri. Later, AQIM claimed that 25 soldiers were killed.
AQIM was said to operate throughout provinces in eastern, central and southern Algeria. In Algeria's southern Sahara Desert, the sources said, the Al Qaida network controls villages near the border with Mali and Mauritania to support smuggling and attack missions.
Pro-Al Qaida, Gulf-financed Sunnis fomenting unrest in Lebanon
NICOSIA -- Lebanon is monitoring Sunni plans to increase unrest against Iran.Security sources said Sunni groups supportive of Al Qaida were being funded to foment unrest in northern Lebanon against the mullah regime in Teheran. They said the groups were preparing violent demonstrations in the Sunni city of Tripoli during the scheduled visit to Lebanon by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Oct. 13.
The sources said the Sunnis appeared to be receiving funds from Gulf Cooperation Council states and training from Egypt and Jordan for the anti-Iranian campaign. They said some of the Sunnis were also battling Hizbullah efforts to establish its own insurgency network in northern Lebanon.
Capture of towns by Yemenis galvanized Saudi military training
ABU DHABI -- Saudi Arabia has reported the acceleration of military training in wake of its war with rebels from neighboring Yemen.Officials said all arms of the Saudi military were implementing plans to intensfy combat and support training by 2011.They said the effort would stress combat skills, joint operations as well as intelligence and reconnaissance skills.
"Efforts are under way to modernize the various branches of the armed forces in the coming days," Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khaled Bin Sultan said.
Drone strikes in Pakistan, Afghanistan disrupted Euro-terror plots
U.S. intelligence officials said Al Qaida's No. 3 official was involved in planning for a major terrorist attack in Europe but the planning was disrupted by stepped-up drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.More than 10 drone strikes were carried out over the past week in remote regions of Pakistan based on intelligence reports of meetings between Al Qaida leaders and foot soldiers being prepared for the European attacks.The officials said Illyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistan special forces commando, was behind the latest terrorist attack plot and the stepped up drone strikes were aimed at killing him, although it is not clear they were successful in that objective.
Hamas agents believed in U.S. seeking dual-use components
WASHINGTON -- Hamas is believed to have sent operatives to the United States to acquire weapons for the war against Israel.Officials said authorities have been monitoring suspected Hamas agents assigned to obtain weapons and advanced dual-use equipment from the United States.
They said the weapons were being purchased through organized crime cells, sometimes in cooperation with the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah.
"It is not clear whether any sophisticated equipment has been smuggled from the United States, but there have been some serious attempts," an official said.
On Sept. 7, a Palestinian was arrested and charged with purchasing a large amount of weapons for shipment to the West Bank. The Palestinian, believed linked to Hamas, attempted to procure 300 M-16 assault rifles, 9mm pistols and Israeli-designed Uzi submachine guns.
The Palestinian, identified as Abdul Aziz Hamayel, has been detained in Miami.
A criminal complaint in U.S. federal district court asserted that Hamayel, a resident of southern Florida, had also been seeking to purchase silencers and grenades.
"Hamayel contacted the confidential source to discuss the weapons and explosives he was requesting for purchase," the complaint said.
Hamayel was said to have been working with Hamas-related cells in Jordan for the weapons shipment to the West Bank. Officials said he was arrested on Aug. 29 when he arrived in Miami on a flight that originated in Amman.
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