Security tightened in Germany following Al-Qaeda warning

October 2nd, 2009 LAHORE - Top US security officials have expressed concern over terrorists brewing up plots to attack America from the Pak-Afghan border area. "My greatest concern still is the ability of Al Qaeda to use Pakistan and Afghanistan as a sanctuary," The Daily Times quoted FBI Director Robert Mueller, as saying.

September 26th, 2009 FRANKFURT - Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden has issued a threat against European countries, asking them to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan, or else get ready to face Madrid and London like bombings. In a video posted on Islamic militant websites, Osama's warning, though addressed to Europeans generally, seemed to be directed at Germany, since it had both English and German subtitles and the timing coincides with the country's parliamentary elections.

September 21st, 2009 BAGHDAD - Iraqi authorities detained 52 Al Qaeda members Monday, a police source said. The source told reporters that the Al Qaeda members detained in the town of Jurf al-Sakhar, about 30 km south of Baghdad, were behind a series of terrorist attacks against Iraqi security forces as well as civilian targets.

September 18th, 2009 BERLIN - An Al Qaeda video threatening Germany with a "rude awakening" if it refuses to withdraw troops from Afghanistan has been posted on the internet, security officials said on Friday - just over a week before the country's general election. German security agents confirmed the existence of the video to DPA following reports on state television channel ARD.

September 18th, 2009 TEL AVIV - Israel's National Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Bureau has issued a terror warning for India, saying a Pakistani terror group, having close links with Al-Qaeda, is planning to carry out series of strikes across the country. "A Pakistani terror organization affiliated with al-Qaida and responsible for the attacks in Mumbai last year is planning to carry out a string of attacks throughout the Indian subcontinent," the notice issued by the bureau stated.

August 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said that even though the allied forces have challenged Al-Qaeda and its allies in Afghanistan for eight years, the Taliban- Al-Qaeda alliance has now become stronger than ever before. In an interview to The Boston Globe, Admiral Mullen said the Taliban's alliance with Osama bin Laden and other top leaders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network has become stronger than ever, highlighting that public support to the 'war on terror' in Afghanistan was 'waning'.

July 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has ruled out any negotiations with the Taliban until it lays down arms and severe all its ties with Al-Qaeda. When enquired about the statement of the Pakistan Army's spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas, that the Pakistan military can bring the Taliban to the discussion table with the United States, the US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, said such a possibility can only occur when the Taliban 'repudiates al-Qaeda publicly'.

July 10th, 2009 LONDON - What may be seen as a severe blow to Al-Qaeda, one of its ally, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) has decided to severe its ties with Osama bin Laden saying that the "indiscriminate bombings" and the "targeting of civilians" was not in accordance to its objectives. This is the first such instance when an ally of Al-Qaeda has parted ways with it due to its policy of 'indiscriminate violence.' The LIFG, which once aimed to topple Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, criticised Al-Qaeda for carrying out attacks on innocent civilians and said that such violent activities did not achieve the "aims of the group in removing oppression." Officials believe that the LIFG's back out is a great blow to Al-Qaeda which is facing a massive surge by the US led allied forces in Afghanistan at the moment.

July 3rd, 2009 BERLIN - Germany will send its advanced Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to Afghanistan to help the NATO forces in the fight against Taliban, a media report said Friday. The decision to send four AWACS to the Central Asian nation was approved by the German parliament Thursday, the Online news agency reported.

June 14th, 2009 SANAA - Yemeni police have detained a Saudi man suspected to be the main financier of Al Qaeda operations in Yemen and neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the defence ministry said Sunday. It said in a statement posted on its website that the suspect, identified as Hassan Hussein bin Alwan, was "the financier of the operations carried out by members of Al Qaeda in Yemen and Saudi Arabia".

June 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Leon Panetta said Thursday that Osama bin Laden, head of Al Qaeda terrorist network, is still in Pakistan and his capture remains the CIA's priority. "I guess one of our hopes is that as Pakistani military moves in, combined with our operations, we may have a better chance to get at him," said Panetta at the Capitol Hill.

June 4th, 2009 KARACHI - At least seven trained Al Qaeda commanders have entered Pakistan to carry out attacks on President Asif Ali Zardari and other important personalities in the country, Pakistan intelligence agencies have learnt. According to the Daily Times, a meeting between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and top al-Qaeda commanders took place in Afghanistan's Paktiya province on May 3, where it was the decided that both outfits would carry out joint terror strikes across Pakistan.

June 3rd, 2009 CAIRO - The Al Qaeda terror network has issued a statement warning US President Barack Obama he is not "welcome" in Egypt, it was revealed Wednesday, as the American leader touched down in Saudi Arabia at the start of his Middle East trip. The audio message, by the Al Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri, dubs Obama a "criminal".

April 20th, 2009 LONDON - For the first time, the jailed radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada has been linked to terrorist organisation al-Qaeda by one of the terror group's own leaders. Adil al-Abbab, revealed recently as Osama Bin Laden's head of religious affairs in Saudi Arabia, said: "Free our prisoners and the prisoners of the Muslims.

January 17th, 2009 BERLIN - Germany was urged to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in a video believed to have been made by a member of the terrorist network Al Qaeda. A German-speaker wearing a black turban and facecloth that left only his eyes visible spoke in the 30-minute video, which was posted on the internet Saturday.