We Won"t Hand Over Bin Laden – Taliban

Afghanistan's Taliban movement Thursday denied reports it was poised to hand over Saudi-born terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden because of U.S. pressure and the threat of imminent U.N. sanctions. Reuters Story

New GAO Report – Combating Terrorism – Chem/Bio

The General Accounting Office has released a new report entitled “Combating Terrorism: Need for Comprehensive Threat and Risk Assessments of Chemical and Biological Attacks.” The document has been archived by the TRC in PDF format and can be found here.

Armenian Gunmen Negotiate After Killing Premier

Gunmen who killed Armenia's Prime Minister Vazgen Sarksyan and other leading members of parliament in a hail of bullets were holed up in the building Thursday, negotiating with officials over dozens of hostages.Reuters Story

NY Times Article on Last Year"s Sudan Chemical Plant Bombing

The New York Times is running an article detailing the decision making process and factors involved in the decision to bomb a chemical plant in Sudan last year. The plant was believed to have ties with wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden. NY Times Article

Christian Terrorism?

Fearing a possible outburst of millennium-related violence, Israeli authorities rounded up members of two Christian groups living on the slopes of the Mount of Olives on Monday and ordered 20 of them deported. Read Article

Afghan Taliban Offer U.S. Talks Over Bin Laden

Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement offered Saturday to hold talks with the United States to settle their row over Saudi-born bombing suspect Osama bin Laden whom it refuses to hand over to Washington.
Reuters Article

FBI Calls Washington, D.C. Top Terrorist Target

A report in the Washington Post notes that Washington, D.C. has become the top terrorist target in the world according the FBI. Post Article

On another note, according to AP, the FBI has created a 50-member National Capital Domestic Response Unit would work with about a dozen other federal, state and local public safety agencies in the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and suburban Maryland in the event of a terrorist attack.

Terrorism Research Travel Grants Available

With the support of the U.S. Department of State's Research and Training Program for Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII Program), the National Research Council (NRC) will support scholars to travel to Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union for periods of two to six weeks to conduct research related to “Governance in Post-Communist Societies.” One of the three research themes is “Organized Crime, Terrorism, and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction” See their website for information on how to apply for these $4,000 – $6,000 grants. More information

Identity of EgyptAir hijacker still unknown

German police were still trying to identify a hijacker on Wednesday who seized an EgyptAir plane from Istanbul at knifepoint but gave himself up after landing at Hamburg. CNN/Reuters Earlier report from the beginning of the hijacking. CNN

Security Council says terrorists are criminals — no exceptions

Stressing that there can be no justification for terrorism, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday calling on all countries to stop providing safe havens for terrorists and to cooperate in bringing them to justice. With global terrorist activities increasing, the council declared that terrorism can threaten international peace and security and urged all nations to support 11 anti-terrorist conventions that are already part of international law. AP/CNN