April 16, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Two NATO soldiers were killed by an explosion in southern Afghanistan. ISAF did not specify the exact location of the incident. – AFP, April 16
April 16, 2008 (PAKISTAN): According to police sources, authorities killed Mullah Ismail, a senior Taliban commander from Afghanistan’s Kunar Province. Ismail, who allegedly shot down a U.S. Navy MH-47 Chinook helicopter in 2005, was killed on his way to the North-West Frontier Province. Journalists reported that Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed Ismail’s death. – CBS News, April 16
April 16, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): Authorities announced that one of the suspects involved in the April 13 bombing in Zamboanga City is Joel Salem, also known as Abu Madja, an Abu Sayyaf Group bomb expert. He has yet to be apprehended. – Sun Star, April 17
April 16, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. military released to reporters a letter from an al-Qa`ida in Iraq (AQI) operative to Abu Ayyub al-Masri (who is also identified by the alias Abu Hamza al-Muhajir), the head of AQI. The letter states that “we must always leave the enemy in psychological conflict” so that “they can never have stability.” The letter offers a number of ways to create insecurity in order to weaken the coalition in Iraq and the Iraqi government. The letter was uncovered during a March 5 raid that left one Abu Safyan dead. – CNN, April 16
April 16, 2008 (UNITED STATES): A federal judge declared a mistrial in the case of the “Liberty City Seven,” a group of six Florida men arrested in June 2006 and charged with planning to blow up buildings in the United States with the help of al-Qa`ida. It was the second time in the case that the jury had failed to reach a verdict. – AFP, April 16
April 17, 2008 (UNITED KINGDOM): A British court found Abu Izzadeen, also known as Omar Brooks, guilty of fundraising for terrorists and inciting terrorism overseas. Izzadeen became well-known in 2006 when he heckled the home secretary at the time, John Reid, during a speech in East London. He was sentenced to four and a half years. – Guardian Unlimited, April 17
April 17, 2008 (IRAQ): More than 50 people were killed after a suicide bomber attacked a funeral of two Sunni members of an Awakening Council in Albu Muhammad, a town 90 miles north of Baghdad. – AP, April 17
April 17, 2008 (THAILAND): A bomb killed one soldier in Yala Province. The soldier was part of a unit searching for suspected militants in Muang district. – Bangkok Post, April 17
April 17, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide bomber targeted a mosque in Zaranj in Nimroz Province, leaving at least 23 people dead. – Voice of America, April 17
April 17, 2008 (SOMALIA): A rocket-propelled grenade fired at an Ethiopian military convoy in Mogadishu left three soldiers dead. – Garowe Online, April 17
April 17, 2008 (GLOBAL): A new audio recording of al-Qa`ida second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri appeared on Islamist web forums, in which al-Zawahiri marked the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. “Where the American invasion stands now, after five years, is failure and defeat,” al-Zawahiri said on the 16-minute tape. “If the American forces leave, they will lose everything. And if they stay, they will bleed to death.” In addition to discussing Iraq, al-Zawahiri also denounced corruption in Muslim states: “Corruption and stealing have gotten to the point of making people hungry and preventing them from basic food. Making people hungry in Egypt…is a part of the U.S.-Zionist plan, which aims to make Muslims subservient.” – CNN, April 17; AP, April 18
April 18, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Two Dutch soldiers were killed after a roadside bomb hit their patrol in Uruzgan Province. – AP, April 19
April 18, 2008 (THAILAND): Thailand’s cabinet will extend emergency rule in Thailand’s Muslim-majority southern provinces for another three months beginning April 20. – AFP, April 17
April 19, 2008 (SOMALIA): Fighting between Ethiopian troops and Islamic insurgents in Mogadishu left nine Ethiopian soldiers, seven Islamic militants and a number of civilians dead. The bodies of four of the dead Ethiopian soldiers were dragged through the streets of the capital, according to reports. – AP, April 19; CNN, April 19
April 19, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Pakistan’s envoy to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, who went missing in February, is being held captive by Taliban fighters, according to a new video released on al-Arabiya. In the video, Azizuddin explained that “we were on our way to Afghanistan in our official car on February 11 when we were kidnapped in the region of Khyber…by the mujahidin of the Taliban.” In exchange for his release, the Taliban is demanding the release of Mullah Obaidullah—a deputy of Mullah Omar who was captured by Pakistani forces in March 2007—along with a number of other militants. – AFP, April 19; Dawn, April 20
April 19, 2008 (THAILAND): A Muslim man working for a pro-government militia was shot to death by suspected separatist fighters in Narathiwat Province. – AFP, April 19
April 19, 2008 (IRAQ): A new audiotape by al-Qa`ida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri (who is also identified by the alias Abu Hamza al-Muhajir) calls for a new month-long campaign against U.S. troops. The statement says that the mujahidin need to celebrate the fact that U.S. troop deaths have surpassed 4,000. Al-Qa`ida has called the campaign the “Attack of Righteousness.” – Reuters, April 19
April 19, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. military warned that a group of terrorists had entered Baghdad and were planning to carry out suicide attacks in the near future. One of the attacks is expected to target Baghdad’s Karkh district. – UPI, April 19
April 20, 2008 (THAILAND): Thirteen people were injured after a bomb exploded in Yala Province. The bomb was hidden in a trash can and was detonated remotely via cell phone. – AFP, April 19
April 20, 2008 (THAILAND): Militants gunned down two policemen who were guarding a local election polling station outside a mosque in Narathiwat Province. – AFP, April 19
April 21, 2008 (SOMALIA): Somali Islamic fighters took control of two towns, Guda and Dinsor, killing an unknown number of Somali government soldiers in the process. – Reuters, April 21
April 21, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): The Philippine Marines announced the creation of a new strike force—called the Marine Raiders—that will act as a rapid deployment force for use against terrorists and other groups that target national security. The initial company-sized unit will be based at the Marine Battalion Landing Team 9 in Palawan. – Manila Standard Today, April 21
April 21, 2008 (PAKISTAN): The Pakistani government released from prison Sufi Muhammad, a pro-Taliban leader who had sent thousands of men to fight against the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan. Muhammad is the founder of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat- e-Mohammadi, a group that wants to establish Shari`a law in Pakistan. Sufi Muhammad’s son-in-law is the well-known, pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah. – AP, April 21
April 21, 2008 (IRAQ): Three members of the anti-al-Qa`ida Sons of Iraq group were killed by a female suicide bomber in Ba`quba, Diyala Province. One civilian was also killed. – AFP, April 21; Los Angeles Times, April 22
April 22, 2008 (SOMALIA): Somali militias allied with the government retook the town of Guda, which had been overrun by Islamic militants on April 21. – Reuters, April 22
April 22, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): The chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced that initial DNA tests on a body suspected of being Jemaah Islamiyah operative Dulmatin were inconclusive. More DNA samples will be taken from relatives of Dulmatin in order to establish a conclusive result. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the DNA testing for the Philippines. – Philippine Inquirer, April 22
April 22, 2008 (GLOBAL): A new audiotape by al-Qa`ida second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri appeared on Islamist web forums, in which the leader criticized the Muslim community for failing to support ongoing Islamic insurgencies. “I call upon the Muslim nation to fear Allah’s question [at judgment day] about its failure to support its brothers of the mujahidin, and [urge it] not to withhold men and money, which is the mainstay of a war,” al-Zawahiri said. In addition to calling on Muslims to join Islamist insurgencies, he also criticized Hamas for considering a peace deal with Israel. Al-Zawahiri also said that “Lebanon is a Muslim frontline fort. It will have a pivotal role God willing in future battles with the Crusaders and the Jews.” – AFP, April 22
April 22, 2008 (IRAQ): A truck bomb exploded at a checkpoint near Ramadi, Anbar Province, killing two U.S. Marines and one civilian. It is suspected that al-Qa`ida in Iraq was behind the bombing. – AP, April 22
April 22, 2008 (IRAQ): A bomb attached to a car exploded after being inspected by soldiers in Mosul, Ninawa Province, leaving one Iraqi soldier dead. – Voice of America, April 22
April 22, 2008 (IRAQ): A female suicide bomber detonated her explosives near a police station in Diyala Province, killing six people, a number of whom were policemen. – Voice of America, April 22
April 22, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A group of Taliban fighters attacked a police outpost in Kunar Province. The police managed to defend the outpost, yet five officers were killed in the gunfight. A number of Taliban fighters were also killed. – CNN, April 23
April 22, 2008 (NETHERLANDS): Gerard Bouman, the head of the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service, said that the threat of terrorism is growing in the Netherlands. Bouman’s concern is based on the Netherlands’ decision to extend its involvement in Afghanistan, and the ongoing domestic debate over the role of Islam in Dutch society. – AP, April 22
April 23, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide bomber killed two police officers in Gereshk district of Helmand Province. It is believed that the bomber was targeting the police chief, yet was stopped by officers before he could reach his intended target. – CNN, April 23
April 23, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a crowded market in Spin Boldak, Kandahar Province. The explosion occurred as the bomber was being chased by police. – Reuters, April 23
April 23, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has reportedly ordered his followers not to attack Pakistani security forces and that failure to heed his order would result in public punishment. The orders, distributed in pamphlets, demanded a cease-fire in Waziristan, Tank, Gomal and Dera Ismail Khan. The statement comes after reports that the Pakistani government is brokering a peace deal with Taliban militants. – Daily Times, April 24
April 24, 2008 (THAILAND): Five Buddhist construction workers were killed by suspected Malay-Muslim separatists in Pattani Province. – Reuters, April 24
April 25, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): The Philippines withdrew another batch of soldiers from Sulu due to the improving security situation there. This has allowed the Philippines to assign the soldiers to other troubled areas where a larger security presence is needed, such as Mindanao. – GMANews.tv, April 25
April 25, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Suspected Taliban militants killed a district census director, along with his driver, in Paktia Province. – AFP, April 26
April 25, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): ISAF troops killed 15 Taliban militants in Paktia Province as they were preparing to attack a government compound. – AFP, April 26
April 25, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A car bomb exploded outside a police station in Mardan District of the North-West Frontier Province. One police officer and two civilians were killed in the blast. A spokesman for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan said that the bombing was a response to the death of Taliban commander Hafiz Saidul Haq, who was recently killed by police. – AP, April 26
April 26, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): The Taliban has revised their demand that mobile phone operators shut down service from 5 PM to 7 AM. According to a new statement, “As the nights are now shorter and the days longer, the Islamic Emirate…permits the [telephone] companies to operate from 6:30 AM until 7:00 PM in the cities and surrounding areas.” The Taliban’s original demand was made in February, as they alleged that international forces use mobile phones to track Taliban troop movements. The Taliban then conducted a series of attacks on mobile phone operators, causing some of them to abide by the Taliban decree. – Reuters, April 26
April 26, 2008 (IRAQ): A suicide car bomber detonated his explosives at an Iraqi army checkpoint in Mosul, Ninawa Province, killing three soldiers. Thirty minutes after the attack, a suicide truck bomber detonated his explosives at a separate Iraqi army checkpoint in Mosul, injuring 15 civilians. – AP, April 26
April 26, 2008 (IRAQ): An Iraqi police official told the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA that U.S. forces killed a leading al-Qa`ida commander and three of his lieutenants in an airstrike east of Samarra, Salah al-Din Province. The commander was identified as Muhammad Muzahem al-Harbouni. – UPI, April 26
April 27, 2008 (ALGERIA): Algerian newspapers reported that government security forces killed 14 al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb fighters in El Oued and Boumerdes provinces the previous week in two separate operations. – Reuters, April 27
April 27, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Taliban militants attacked a military parade in Kabul attended by Afghan President Hamid Karzai. During the attack, Karzai managed to escape unhurt but three people were killed. Since the attack, the Afghan government has claimed that al-Qa`ida was also involved. – BBC News, April 27; UPI, May 5
April 27, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Taliban militants engaged an Australian Special Forces military patrol in Uruzgan Province, leaving one soldier dead. According to the chief of Australia’s defense forces, “The commandos were involved in a deliberate assault. They were out in the open and, as they were doing their preparations, they were engaged by the Taliban. There was a heavy exchange of fire.” – AP, April 28
April 27, 2008 (IRAQ): A female suicide car bomber targeted an Iraqi security forces checkpoint in eastern Baghdad, killing at least three people. – CNN, April 27
April 29, 2008 (IRAQ): A female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a bus station near the town of Muqdadiyya, Diyala Province, killing one person. – Gulf News, April 29
April 29, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Suspected Taliban militants targeted an opium-eradication team in Nangarhar Province, killing 19 people, 12 of whom were policemen. The attack included a suicide bomber and then a subsequent firefight with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. – Voice of America, April 29
April 30, 2008 (THAILAND): Three police officers were killed after a roadside bomb exploded underneath their vehicle in Pattani Province. – Reuters, April 30
April 30, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): A Philippine military offensive in Jolo resulted in the wounding of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader Isnilon Hapilon. Hapilon, who has been identified as “the last of two surviving leaders of the Abu Sayyaf who engineered daring kidnapping raids and bombing attacks early in the decade,” was shot in the hand yet managed to flee into the jungle after the confrontation. His son, an ASG fighter, was critically wounded during the offensive. A number of other ASG fighters were killed during the operation. The U.S. government has offered a $5 million reward for Hapilon’s capture. – AFP, May 1
April 30, 2008 (YEMEN): A hand grenade or bomb exploded near the Italian Embassy in Sana`a. The Jund al-Yaman Brigades would later claim credit for the attack. There were no reported injuries. – CBC News, April 30
April 30, 2008 (UNITED STATES): Salim Ahmad Hamdan, a Yemeni detainee at Guantanamo Bay who was allegedly one of Usama bin Ladin’s drivers, refused to attend a military commission hearing. He is scheduled to be tried in May. – Washington Post, April 30
May 1, 2008 (SOMALIA): The U.S. military killed al-Qa`ida-linked commander Aden Hashi Ayro in an airstrike in Somalia. Ayro was one of the leaders of al-Shabab, an Islamist militant group active in the country. – AP, May 2
May 1, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A suicide bomber detonated his explosives at an Islamic seminary in Khyber District of the North-West Frontier Province, injuring 30 people. According to a witness report, the bomber, who was approximately 17-years-old, walked into the madrasa and then exploded. – CNN, May 1
May 1, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A Taliban leader told BBC Urdu that the cease-fire with Pakistan has allowed the Taliban to send fighters into Afghanistan to engage international forces there. – Daily Times, May 2
May 1, 2008 (IRAQ): A car bomb exploded in Baghdad as a patrol of U.S. troops was passing by, killing one U.S. soldier and at least nine Iraqis. – AP, May 2
May 1, 2008 (IRAQ): At least 31 people were killed after two suicide bombers detonated their explosives at a wedding party in Balad Ruz, Diyala Province. The first bomber was female and was disguised to appear pregnant. The second bomber detonated his explosives as emergency vehicles arrived at the scene. The U.S. military blamed al-Qa`ida in Iraq for the attack. – Voice of America, May 2; AP, May 2
May 3, 2008 (YEMEN): The Jund al-Yaman Brigades, an al-Qa`ida-linked group in Yemen, claimed responsibility for the April 30 mortar attack on the Italian Embassy in Sana`a. The statement, which was posted on Islamist web forums, said that the purpose of the attack “was to make the infidels leave the Arabian Peninsula and to avenge all Muslim victims of the worldwide crusader campaign.” – AHN, May 4
May 4, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): The Afghan government announced that al-Qa`ida was involved in the April 27 assassination attempt on President Hamid Karzai. The government also announced the arrests of two government employees who were allegedly involved in the operation, one of whom is a weapons expert. – AFP, May 5
May 4, 2008 (SOMALIA): Islamist fighters killed at least three Ethiopian soldiers during a firefight in southern Mogadishu. – AFP, May 4
May 4, 2008 (THAILAND): A bomb hidden in a garbage can exploded at the annual Red Crescent fair in Narathiwat Province, injuring 12 civilians. The bomb, which was approximately 1-2 kilograms, was detonated by a digital watch. – The Nation, May 5
May 5, 2008 (YEMEN): An appeals court judge in Yemen reduced the prison term of Bashir Muhammad Raweh Numan—a member of the al-Qa`ida-inspired Fatah al-Islam group in Lebanon—from five years in prison to two. Numan was charged by a lower court in February to five years after being found guilty of receiving military training at a Fatah al-Islam camp in Lebanon. He was not, however, charged with fighting against Lebanese troops. – AP, May 5
May 5, 2008 (IRAQ): Suspected al-Qa`ida fighters killed 10 Iraqi soldiers at a checkpoint in Diyala Province. – Reuters, May 5
May 6, 2008 (IRAQ): Pro-U.S. tribal chief Ibrahim Abdullah al-Mujamai, along with some of his family, was kidnapped by suspected al-Qa`ida operatives in Diyala Province. – AFP, May 6
May 6, 2008 (SOMALIA): An Ethiopian government soldier revealed that hundreds of Ethiopian troops have been killed fighting the ongoing Islamist insurgency in Somalia since December 2006. – AP, May 6
May 6, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A suicide bomber attacked a police checkpoint in Bannu District of the North-West Frontier Province, killing two civilians. – Reuters, May 6
May 7, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. military revealed that a suicide bomber who blew himself up in Mosul, Ninawa Province, on April 26 was identified as Abdallah Salih al-Ajmi, a Kuwaiti man who was formerly held at Guantanamo Bay. After being returned to Kuwait, al-Ajmi was released and allegedly made his way to Iraq through Syria. – Washington Post, May 8
May 7, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Two NATO soldiers were killed after an explosion hit a troop patrol in Sabari district of Khost Province. – AP, May 7
May 7, 2008 (SOMALIA): At least 23 people were killed in the village of Garsani after Islamist insurgents attacked an Ethiopian military convoy. At least 13 civilians, eight Ethiopian soldiers and two Islamist fighters were killed in the fighting. The village lies approximately 180 miles north of Mogadishu. – AFP, May 8
May 7, 2008 (SOMALIA): A roadside bomb ripped through a military convoy in Baidoa, killing eight Somali government soldiers. – Reuters, May 7
May 8, 2008 (UNITED KINGDOM): A British judge ruled that Abu Qatada, an extremist Muslim cleric who has been labeled Usama bin Ladin’s “spiritual ambassador in Europe,” be freed on bail. According to one press report, “The judge said he agreed that Qatada posed a security risk, but added that it would be overstepping the law to further jail him in the absence of a conviction or trial.” Qatada will be subject to 22-hours of house arrest each day. – UPI, May 9
May 8, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Afghan police killed six Taliban fighters in Ghor Province, including a Taliban-appointed provincial governor. – Voice of America, May 8
May 8, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide car bomber detonated his explosives near a convoy of foreign troops in Kabul. There were no casualties among the soldiers, but three civilians were wounded. – AP, May 8
May 8, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Militants marched into the Jalalabad house of well-known parliamentarian Hazrat Ali, killing his father and taking hostage three women and four children. – AFP, May 10
May 8, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Suspected Islamist militants killed a Pakistani soldier near a police station in Kabbal, a town in the Swat Valley of the North-West Frontier Province. – AP, May 8
May 9, 2008 (NIGERIA): Nigeria’s police chief warned senior security officers that al-Qa`ida may be planning a bombing campaign in the country. “The al-Qa`ida network has planned to send time bombs to Nigeria,” Inspector General Mike Okiro told his security team. No more details were released. – AFP, May 10
May 9, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Pakistani authorities and pro-Taliban militants under the leadership of Maulana Fazlullah declared a cease-fire in the North-West Frontier Province’s Swat Valley. The cease-fire is scheduled to take effect on May 10. – AP, May 9
May 9, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A suicide car bomber attempted to ram his vehicle into the Mingora police station in Swat District of the North-West Frontier Province. Police opened fire on the vehicle before it could reach its target, causing the bomber to divert course and explode 35 feet away from the building. – The News, May 11
May 9, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. military rejected claims by the Iraqi government that Iraqi forces had captured al-Qa`ida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri (who is also identified by the alias Abu Hamza al-Muhajir) on May 8. According to a U.S. military spokesperson, “Neither coalition forces nor Iraqi security forces detained or killed Abu Ayyub al-Masri. This guy [who was captured on May 8] had a similar name.” – AP, May 9
May 10, 2008 (IRAQ): The Iraqi Army, supported by approximately 10,000 Sunni tribesmen, have begun a major operation against al-Qa`ida in Mosul, Ninawa Province. The operation has been dubbed “Lion’s Roar.” – UPI, May 10
May 10, 2008 (SOMALIA): Islamist fighters ambushed a convoy carrying Somalia’s internal affairs minister, Muse Nur Amin, killing at least four government soldiers. Nur Amin managed to escape unhurt. Al-Shabab claimed credit for the operation. – Garowe Online, May 10
May 11, 2008 (ALGERIA): Press reports claim that six Algerian soldiers were ambushed and killed by al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb fighters in Medea Province. – AKI, May 13
May 11, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A new statement released by al-Qa`ida on an Islamist website claimed that a prominent operative, Abu Sulayman al-`Utaybi, was killed fighting U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan. The statement said that al-`Utaybi was killed along with another member, who was identified as Abu Dujana al-Qahtani. Both men had previously fought in Iraq, and al-`Utaybi was identified as the head of the Islamic State of Iraq’s judiciary. They were killed in Paktia Province; the date of their deaths was not provided. – Reuters, May 11
May 12, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. Air Force dropped eight bombs on an al-Qa`ida training base south of Baghdad. According to an AP report citing the U.S. military, “the area in the district of Arab Jabour was used to manufacture bombs, stash weapons caches and train and launch sniper attacks at U.S. military convoys.” – AP, May 12
May 12, 2008 (SUDAN): Hassan al-Turabi, a Sudanese Islamist leader who used to associate with Usama bin Ladin, was arrested in Khartoum on charges of fomenting a rebellion. Authorities released him without charge after 15 hours. – International Herald Tribune, May 12
May 12, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): An Afghan government official announced that a number of generals have been suspended from duty and are being questioned about possible involvement in the April 27 assassination attempt on President Hamid Karzai. – Reuters, May 12
May 12, 2008 (THAILAND): Suspected Malay-Muslim separatists killed three Muslim men in Pattani Province. – AFP, May 13
May 12, 2008 (THAILAND): Suspected Malay-Muslim separatists killed two off-duty soldiers in Narathiwat Province. The soldiers were part of a government-backed militia. – AFP, May 13
May 13, 2008 (INDIA): Eight near-simultaneous bomb blasts ripped through crowded markets in Jaipur, Rajasthan State, leaving more than 60 people dead. Home Ministry officials blamed the attack on the Islamist group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. – CNN, May 14; AFP, May 14
May 13, 2008 (IRAQ): According to a U.S. Central Command spokesperson, the reward for al-Qa`ida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri (who is also identified by the alias Abu Hamza al-Muhajir) has been cut to $100,000 from $5 million since his value is “not what it was, say, at this time last year…Our assessment has led us to believe he’s not as effective a leader on the battlefield…and because of that he’s just not as valuable to us.” Additionally, according to an AP report, “Officials said that besides denigrating al-Masri’s leadership skills, the reduction could lower his stature among potential informants who might otherwise be frightened to turn in a senior operative.” – AP, May 14
May 13, 2008 (UNITED STATES): The Pentagon dropped charges against Muhammad al-Qahtani, a Saudi citizen held at Guantanamo Bay, who was accused of being the “20th hijacker” in the September 11, 2001 attacks. – BBC News, May 13
May 14, 2008 (IRAQ): A suicide bomber detonated his explosives at a funeral service in Anbar Province, killing 20 people. – Los Angeles Times, May 15
May 14, 2008 (IRAQ): A female suicide bomber detonated her explosives near Iraqi troops south of Baghdad, killing one soldier. The bomber is believed to have been a teenager, and according to press reports it is not clear “whether the girl detonated the explosives attached to her body herself or [if] they were set off remotely.” – Los Angeles Times, May 15; The Times, May 15
May 14, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A missile strike destroyed a house in Bajaur Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The missiles, which were believed launched by an unmanned U.S. drone aircraft, targeted Taliban operatives. – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 15
May 15, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Tehrik-i-Taliban leading figure Faqir Muhammad vowed revenge against the United States for the May 14 missile strike on a suspected Taliban compound in Bajaur Agency. The leader warned, “We will avenge it by targeting America.” – AP, May 15
May 15, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide bomber concealed in a burqa exploded by police vehicles in a crowded market in Farah Province, killing 12 people. It is not clear if the bomber was male or female. – Toronto Star, May 16
May 15, 2008 (YEMEN): Al-Qa`ida in the South of the Arabian Peninsula, which is the name for an al-Qa`ida-linked group in Yemen, released an online statement threatening attacks in the Arabian Peninsula against non-Muslim foreigners. The group warned that they “stand absolved from [the rights] of any infidel who has entered the Arabian Peninsula.” – Reuters, May 15
