Clandestine Radio Watch #187, July 31, 2005 - "Saudi Opposition TV Resumes Broadcast; Official Mocks US Asset-Freezing, July 16, 2005":

Asia Times Online, Open season for jihadis, 27 July 2005: "Pakistan's leading monthly magazine, Herald, has published a detailed eyewitness account backed with photographs on how youths are trained in militant camps in the central region of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Mansehra. The story was so accurate that the government could not deny it, although it issued orders to 'fix' the publisher." Details of the article can be found in Herald, Back to camp. This is just a paragraph or two - you have to buy the magazine for the rest. However, I picked up this from OutlookIndia, Open For Admission: the terrorist training camps are alive and kicking in Pakistan. In fact, they're hiring, 10 July 2005 which includes photos related to the same issue:

"Almost all the major jehadi outfits have re-launched their campaigns to recruit volunteers. The most effective instrument of these groups to propagate jehadi culture are their publications (Ghazwa, Majalla, Zarb-e-Taiba, Shamsheer, Zarb-e-Momin etc) which together boast a circulation of millions and are distributed across Pakistan free of cost. These publications feature jehadi ballads, impressive interviews and profiles of young jehadis with big pictures, verses from the Quran, and letters from the readers to inspire the readers, particularly the youth."

Print publications are still extremely important, despite the many discussions about the impact of the web - it all has to be seen in context.

Asia Times Online, Indian police get mobile over porn, 28 July 2005

Asia Times Online, The new Malaysian dream, 27 July 2005

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Al-Qaeda 'kills Algerian envoys', 27 July 2005: "A group claiming to be al-Qaeda in Iraq says it has killed two Algerian diplomats, in a website statement. "

The Register, Internet has 'given Al Qaeda wings' claims BBC potboiler | 27 July 2005 pertinent review from The Register by John Lettice, which I would encourage prospective producers of similar programmes to read.

spiegel.de, Poking Fun at the Terrorists, 26 July 2005 somewhat controversial, but thought I should include it here (as always, the Disclaimer patrols this blog): "Humor has once again been in short supply following the series of violent terror attacks in London and the Middle East this month. But a new Web site bravely tries to get us to laugh about it. The site, called youblewmeupyoubastard.com, urges readers to send in pictures of themselves which could be then sent to the media in case they are ever killed in a terror attack."

spiegel.de, Let's Go Terror, 25th July 2005 well, it's been out a while, but has received more coverage recently, including this article by Yassin Musharbash: "Found recently on the Internet, the brochure is a travel guide for the jihad, a how-to for the mujahedeen. Entitled 'This is the Way to Iraq: To All Who Want to Join the Mujahedeen in the Land of Two Rivers,' the pamphlet was written by 'The Islam Doctor.' It's goal: to help would-be terrorists overcome the difficult task of sneaking into the country. It was posted on a Web site affiliated with al-Qaida."

adnki.com, Afghanistan: Arab fighters announce new leader, 27 July 2005: "Arab mujahadeen militants in Afghanistan who entered the country to fight alongside al-Qaeda and the Taliban against the forces that toppled the extremist Islamic regime, have announced that they have a new commander. The man - identified as Egyptian national Abu Khalas - will command militants fighting in the eastern region of Konar, according to the Islamic Internet site, Islammemo."

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iran body seeks suicide 'martyrs', 26 July, 2005: "An advertisement in an Iranian publication has called for people to come forward for 'martyrdom operations' against the enemies of Islam. "

BBC NEWS | Programmes | The New al-Qaeda: have your say, 26 July 2005 reaction to Peter Taylor's programme on 'Jihad.com'. Clearly, there is a link between that programme and this blog - in terms of content - and judging by the reactions there are a number of worried viewers. However, I am not in a position to comment on the programme at present - as I didn't watch it (note: BBC2W - Wales digital channel didn't show it, and that's all I can pick up!). I have had a copy made, which I will watch and discuss in due course. Understandably, the topic has picked up substantial sensationalistic media attention in the past few weeks - but has to be seen in a slightly broader perspective to some of the reports I have seen.

AP/latimes.com, Militants Say They'll Kill Abducted Envoys, 27 July 2005: "Al Qaeda in Iraq said it would kill two Algerian diplomats who had been abducted in Baghdad, and a video made public Tuesday showed the men blindfolded and in captivity. "

Reuters AlertNet - UK police arrest four in London bomb hunt, July 27 2005: "London's Metropolitian police would not comment on whether a bomber had been captured, but said one of the four men arrested in the city of Birmingham was en route to the capital for questioning at a high security detention centre."

slate.com, Say G-WOT? - Terror attacks, Taliban resurgence, suicide bombs obviously, it's time to change the slogan. July 26 05: "One question comes to mind while reading the New York Times' report today that the Bush administration has decided to change the name of its counterterrorist campaign from 'the global war on terrorism' to 'the global struggle against violent extremism': Are these guys really this clueless?"

adnki.com, Bin Laden family requests surname change, 26 July 2005 "The on-line newspaper Arabian Business reports that "the relatives of the 'sheikh of terror' no longer want to be recognised as belonging to the bin Laden family and have therefore asked to change the surname on their passports.""

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Van Gogh killer jailed for life, 26 July, 2005: "Mohammed Bouyeri, who has joint Dutch-Moroccan nationality, had made a courtroom confession and had vowed to do the same again if given the chance"

latimes.com, Al Qaeda Has Been 'Shattered' in Pakistan, Musharraf Says, July 26, 2005

Asia Times Online, Just who's emboldening terrorism?, 26 July 2005 opinion piece by Ramzy Baroud (teacher of Mass Communication at Curtin University of Technology). "One must not subscribe to the illusion that the Iraq debacle is just a temporary nuisance that can be weathered by a few billion dollars and a few thousand lives; that questioning the Bush administration's actions is not only unpatriotic, but in fact it provides the enemy with a moral boost and fuels their insurgency; that the insurgents are a bunch of disgruntled Sunnis without a cause, randomly blowing up people because they despise democracy and the spreaders of democracy for marginalizing them, and so forth."

Asharq Alawsat, Only a Third of Saudi Mosques Allowed Preaching Activities, 25 July 2005: "Dr. Tawfiq al-Sudayri, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call, and Guidance for mosques' affairs, has revealed that local and central mosques in Saudi Arabia offer annually around 1 million preaching and propagation activities, adding that just over 300,000 of them are approved and the 1 million is the total number of lessons that have not been recorded when added to the recorded ones.

"He affirmed to 'Asharq al-Awsat' that there are mosques' observers in the kingdom's various parts who go to listen to the sermons and ensure they do not contain any unsound calls or incite terrorism. He said the ministry informs the executive authorities in the kingdom's provinces if it discovers any violation so that it can take the legal measures for punishing those responsible for them."

Asharq Alawsat, PC penetration in the Middle East region to double by 2008, 24 July 2005: "PC penetration in the GCC and Levant regions is set to double by 2008. The number of PCs expected to be sold in the two regional blocs between 2003 and 2008 will be around 15 million units, according to a study by Dubai-based Madar Research Group."