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Russia
Magomed Magomedov, a member of the Dagestan parliament representing the United Russia Party, was arrested for links to Islamist insurgents. A suspected insurgent was killed and four police officers were wounded in western Dagestan after two insurgents threw grenades at the officers during a special operation. The mother of Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev said neither she nor her husband will attend Dzhokar’s trial in the US.
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Iraq
Insurgents killed 22 Iraqis in a series of bombings in coffee shops and cafes in Baghdad, Baqubah, and Jbela. Al Qaeda killed a three-year-old girl in an IED attack in Madeen. Iraqi soldiers killed two suicide bombers as they attempted to attack a command center in Anbar.
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Iran
Ex-Pentagon general target of leak investigation, sources say
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Israel
Prime Minister Netanyahu said the IAF has operated in a “number of theaters” over the past year in secret operations. A senior cabinet minister said Netanyahu is ready to compromise and withdraw from over 90% of the West Bank if security concerns are met in a deal with the Palestinian leadership. Authorities announced the arrest of members of a PFLP terror cell responsible for recent shooting attacks on Israelis; the cell members may have received directions from Hezbollah.
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Egypt
A Muslim Brotherhood spokesman said that if the army and police fail to “properly” respond to attacks against the Brotherhood in upcoming protests, the Brotherhood will “utilize [the] right of self-defense.” Human Rights Watch charged the Muslim Brotherhood with promoting sectarian hatred.
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Online jihadists discuss fate of al Qaeda operative held by Saudi Arabia
Online jihadists have once again taken up the cause of Saleh al Qarawi, who is detained inside Saudi Arabia. Al Qarawi previously headed the Abdullah Azzam Brigades and reportedly operated from inside Iran. Earlier this month, the Brigades threatened Iran over its role in the Syrian conflict.
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NSA
NSA collected US email records in bulk for more than two years under Obama
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Somalia
Senior Shabaab leader Hassan Dahir Aweys was reportedly captured by pirates in Barawe. Another report indicates he will surrender to government officials and reconcile. Shabaab claimed it killed “14 enemy invaders and 23 apostate militia.”
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Turkey
Prime Minister Erdogan said only 10 to 15 percent of the militants affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have left Turkey. A police chief was killed in a clash with the PKK’s police unit, the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H), in Şırnak. Suspected PKK militants in Tunceli attacked two villages and kidnapped a construction supervisor at a military base. Two engineers kidnapped by suspected PKK militants in Bitlis were released.
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Czech Republic
A video purporting to show two Czech women who were kidnapped in Pakistan in March was given to a Czech TV station. In the video, which was dated April 16, the two women appealed for “cooperation” from the Czech Republic and the European Union to secure their release; a sign in the video said “Our Demand is only: release Dr. Aafia.” Al Qaeda-linked groups have often called for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, who is in prison in the US for opening fire on US personnel in Afghanistan.
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United Kingdom
Two Afghan detainees at the UK’s Camp Bastion in Afghanistan dropped their legal challenge to a transfer to the Afghan National Detention Facility at Bagram airbase. The UK has been trying to transfer over 80 detainees from Camp Bastion to the Afghan prison, but Defence Secretary Hammond blocked the move in November over fears the detainees would be abused. Transfers were expected to resume starting this week as the Bagram prison has been rated positively by humanitarian organizations, but seven other detainees are still seeking to prevent their transfer.
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Afghanistan
Herat governor resigns under pressure
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Afghanistan
Report: Afghanistan, leading producer and cultivator of opium in the world
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Afghanistan
Persistent Taliban Attacks Leave Peace Process Feeble
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Muhajireen Army fires on Syrian helicopter with surface-to-air missile
A fighter from the al Qaeda-linked group shot down a Syrian military helicopter with what appears to be an SAM-7. The cameraman who shot the footage may be a Westerner.
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Muhajireen Army uses BMP to launch suicide assault on Aleppo airport
The al Qaeda-linked group launched two suicide assaults against Minnigh airport. In one of the attacks, the Muhajireen Army said that most of the 15 fighters who were killed were “from the Caucasus and Azerbaijan.”
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Pakistan
Pakistan – Security lapse?: ’12 high court judges without police escorts
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Pakistan
16 Nanga Parbat attackers identified
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CIA
C.I.A. Report Finds Concerns With Ties to New York Police
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CIA
CIA report refutes Senate panel’s criticism of agency’s harsh interrogation methods
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United States
US intelligence officials say al Qaeda and other terrorist groups have already begun modifying their methods following the disclosures by NSA leaker Edward Snowden. The Army announced plans for its biggest organizational change since World War II, reducing the number of combat brigades to 33 from 45 by 2017, culling 80,000 active duty troops. The Lebanese Canadian Bank, which was involved in laundering money and sending it to Lebanon and Hezbollah, will pay $102 million to settle the US case. US military commanders have been asked to find ways to increase security assistance to Iraq and Lebanon.
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Afghanistan
The Taliban killed five members of the Afghan Local Police in Faryab and two policemen in Nangarhar. Fifty schoolgirls were poisoned in Paktia. Seventeen Taliban fighters reconciled with the government in Herat.
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Syria
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated that the Syrian conflict has now claimed over 100,000 lives, including those of at least 18,000 rebel fighters and 40,000 soldiers and pro-Assad militiamen. The activist group also said that regime forces have detained 10,000 people and rebels have captured 2,500 soldiers and loyalist militiamen.
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Africa
International Effort Seeks to Counter Jihadists in Africa
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Israel
Palestinian fighters warn of third intifada
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Germany
Germany permits Hezbollah ‘suicide bomber’ charity to operate
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Iran
State secrets: Kerry’s department downplays Iran’s role in Latin America; likely to anger Congress
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Israel
According to a new poll, 59% of Israeli Arabs say a third intifada is justified. The IDF conducted a military exercise in the Golan Heights. Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan said he does not expect much of a change from Iran following the election of Hassan Rouhani. Israeli security officials said Israel does not share the Western view that Assad has the upper hand now in the Syrian civil war.
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Egypt
Two police officers were abducted by Bedouin in the southern Sinai. During a public address, President Morsi said his government has made mistakes since taking office. A prosecutor charged nine people, including six Israelis, with spying in Egypt for Israel. At least one person was killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi in Mansoura.
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Palestinian Territories
Palestinian Islamic Jihad resumed formal contact with Hamas, following a recent suspension of ties. Jordan’s King Abdullah warned that Palestinians may launch an Arab Spring-style revolt. Israel reopened the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings with Gaza, which had been closed in response to recent rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.
