In The News

Police Say Bali Mastermind Was a Cool Killer

November 22, 2002
Imam Samudra, who Indonesian authorities say was the mastermind behind the bombing of a nightclub in Bali, can be seen as a product of the dark side of globalization. A star student in high school, police describe him as an "architectural computer expert" and an engineer. In addition to his computer skills, he is also believed to have spent some time in Malaysia and completed terrorist...

Thaksin Dismisses 'Time' Terror Report

November 22, 2002
Governments understand the influence of international publications. A Time magazine article disclosing terrorist training bases in Thailand has riled Thai officials. "It is not acceptable that a world-standard magazine like Time would run a report that quoted only a single source. The magazine's report… is close to fiction," said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. A Royal Thai...

Al Qaeda’s New Tactics

Peter Bergen November 15, 2002
Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda’s new tactics are both broader in scope and more focused in purpose. Judging by recent attacks, more countries have been placed on Bin Laden’s hit list. The US was previously Al Qaeda’s bulls-eye, but now most of the West is on the dartboard. Although more countries are now fair game, the targets are more specific: the heart of economic well-being. As noted, Bin Laden...

Arab Journalist Certain Tape Was Made by Bin Laden

November 14, 2002
The U.S. military’s mission to catch Osama Bin Laden after the attacks of 9/11 has met with little success. Of particular interest has been the surfacing of a new audio tape in which a voice, supposedly Bin Laden’s, praises the bombing attacks in Indonesia and promises further vengeance upon the United States. The identity of the voice has been verified by Gulf officials and Muslim activists as...

As New Tape Is Evaluated, Bush Calls Qaeda Threat Real

James Risen November 14, 2002
News of the existence of an audio message claiming to be Bin Laden’s has prompted the Bush administration to once again emphasize the real danger of the Al Qaeda network. Recent events, such as the bombings in Indonesia, seem to indicate that Al Qaeda is regrouping in preparation for more attacks against the United States. For months, U.S. military experts have debated whether or not Bin Laden...

'Bin Laden' Tape Warns of New Attacks

James Drummond November 13, 2002
Al-Jazeera, the Arab-language broadcasting service which has aired recordings of Osama Bin Laden, has just released another audio recording attributed to the Al Qaeda leader. The Financial Times reports that the tape reveals ominous threats to the US-led effort to constrain Saddam Hussein: "In references to recent attacks ranging from the bombing of a Bali nightclub to the occupation of a...

Voices on Tape Portrayed as Bin Laden’s Praises Recent Attacks

David Stout November 12, 2002
Globalization has connected various societies and areas of the world, but this has not come without a heavy price. Since the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan, there has been much speculation as to whether or not Osama Bin Laden, widely thought to be the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, is still alive. The recent news of the existence of an audio message claiming to be from Bin Laden has revived...