Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Daily Number

I am going to attempt a slightly different comment less (if I can hold myself back) feature.
A more or less daily listing of casualties and/or actions in the ONE WAR, avoiding Iraq and Afghanistan where the casualties are obvious.

Five soldiers, 25 militants killed in Swat clash

* Military spokesman says Fazlullah's aide killed in action
* Helicopter gunships kill four key Taliban commanders
* NWFP info minister says use of force only recourse if state writ constantly challenged


PESHAWAR/MINGORA: Twenty-five Taliban militants and five soldiers were killed in a fierce clash in the restive Swat valley on Wednesday, the military said.

A military statement said up to 70 militants attempted to storm a checkpost in the Ucharai Sar area near Matta tehsil, about 20 kilometres from Mingora. "The attack was successfully repulsed, resulting in the death of 25 miscreants," the military said in a statement.

Two army officers and three soldiers were "martyred" in the fighting, it added. The officials included an officer, a junior commissioned officer and three other personnel, sources said.

Mindanao: four Christians killed, a fifth missing

by Santosh Digal
Yesterday an armed group ambushed a bus in Lanao del Sur, stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The group robbed passengers and then shot the men. The Philippine Church urges an accord between the government and MILF to avoid an escalation in violent attacks.

Cotabato City (AsiaNews) - Armed men stopped a mini-bus and murdered four Christian male passengers execution-style in Mindanao yesterday, while a fifth passenger is still missing.





ISLAMABAD, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A local government official was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in northwestern Pakistan's main town on Wednesday, local media reported.


Taliban re-occupy PTV booster in Bajaur

LAHORE: Local Taliban on Wednesday re-occupied a PTV booster and a levies check post in the Barang tehsil of the Bajur agency, Aaj TV reported.

According to the channel, security forces had earlier taken control of the booster compound and the check post vacated by Taliban but on Wednesday Taliban regained control. The political administration of the agency had initiated talks with Taliban through a jirga, it said. daily times monitor

Grabbed on way to seek al Qaeda cash
5:00AM Thursday July 31, 2008
Jemaah Islamiyah has been severely weakened by hundreds of arrests. Photo / AP

Jemaah Islamiyah has been severely weakened by hundreds of arrests.

Two alleged Indonesian terror leaders were headed to Iraq to seek help from al Qaeda, according to a seized laptop that indicates regional militants are cash-strapped but determined to rebuild international links, security officials say.

Abu Husna and Agus Purwantoro are reputed to be key leaders in Jemaah Islamiyah, a militant network that once accepted al Qaeda funds to carry out strikes in Southeast Asia.

The men were detained in Malaysia in March and are awaiting trial in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Two soldiers wounded in Yala bombing

YALA, July 29 (TNA) - Two soldiers were wounded in a bomb blast early Tuesday in the violence-plagued province of Yala.

Police closed the Bangnieng-Yala road in Yala municipal district after the incident.

The remote-controlled bomb was detonated as six soldiers were patrolling the area. Two were slightly wounded and rushed to hospital. The bomb was hidden at the roadside near an electric power pole.

The police gathered evidence for further investigation.

Police defuse another bomb in western India

AHMADABAD, India (AP) -- Police defused another explosive device Wednesday in western India, bringing the total number of unexploded bombs found there in the last two days to 19.

The discovery of the bombs in the diamond-polishing center of Surat on Tuesday and Wednesday came after 22 explosions tore through the nearby city of Ahmadabad over the weekend, killing 42 people and wounding 183.

Seven small blasts also shook Bangalore in the south, killing one person. Authorities initially reported two deaths there but later said the second death was not related to the attack.

Surat Police Commissioner R.M.S. Brar said the 19th bomb was discovered Wednesday morning in one of the city's markets, and police were telling people to avoid gathering in public places.

(AFP)

30 July 2008
LONDON - A Syrian national who attempted to make bombs for Al-Qaeda-style attacks was jailed for seven years by a British court Wednesday, after being found guilty of terrorism offences.

A judge in Birmingham, central England, told Hassan Tabbakh that the home-made devices could have been developed into viable bombs capable of causing death and destruction.

The 38-year-old physics graduate, who lived in the city, was convicted of "preparing for acts of terrorism" after a two-week trial.

A jury heard he had tried to make bombs using easily available materials such as fertiliser and had made handwritten notes about their design.

Judge Frank Chapman told Tabbakh he was not being punished for having Islamist beliefs or for supporting Osama bin Laden's extremist network and similar organisations. (ISN'T THAT SPECIAL)



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