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The article reports that the release of the new audiotape from Osama bin Laden is not provoking the kind of unease in security officials it once would have. The tape reveals the weakened voice of an ailing bin Laden, offering a truce and making vague intimations of future terrorist attacks. U.S. officials are hoping that the recent presumed deaths of a number of al Qaeda operatives and the thinning of the al Qaeda ranks since 9/11 will make the organization and bin Laden ineffectual.

Focuses on terrorist attacks in London, England in which subways and commuter buses were bombed on July 7, 2005. Report that the attack, which was the largest in London since World War II, killed at least 49 and injured 700; Description of the initial investigations by police and forensics experts; Claim of responsibility for the attack by a group connected to Al Qaeda, who cited retaliation for Great Britain's support of U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; Suspicion of investigators that British Moroccans tied to Al Qaeda were behind the bombings; Potential links between the bombing and London and the bombing of trains Madrid, Spain, in March, 2004; Details of Great Britain's policies in the War on Terrorism. INSET: DEADLY COMMUTE.

Discusses the role of insurgent Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi in organizing the rebel forces in Iraq to fight against U.S. troops and their Iraqi allies. How al-Zarqawi has successfully organized daily bombings, kidnappings, mass executions, and televised beheadings in Fallujah and other Iraqi cities; Consideration of how religious extremists and national resistance were two major factors in the growth of the insurgency in Iraq; Contempt expressed by al-Zarqawi for the Shi'ites and those who sympathize with the U.S. and the new Iraqi authorities; Assassination of Ayatullah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, a prominent Shi'ite leader, in an August 2003 bombing in Najaf; How al-Zarqawi has pledged his allegiance to terrorist Osama bin Ladin in various Web announcements.

Presents a look at what investigators have discovered about al-Qaeda's plans for its next big attack on the U.S. How arrests by U.S., Pakistani and British investigators has unearthed new clues about possible terrorist attack plans; Surveillance of buildings by al-Qaeda operatives inside the U.S., beginning in 2000; How the operatives kept their attack plans a secret from the U.S. government until July 2004; Why there remains cause for concern; Escalating fears that al-Qaeda may attempt another 9/11-size attack in the U.S.; Efforts of law-enforcement and intelligence agencies to find al-Qaeda sleeper cells worldwide; Worries that Osama bin Laden may have ordered another attack; Question of how many terrorists are still at large; Background on the arrest of Pakistani Musaad Aruchi, nephew of Khaldi Sheikh Mohammed; Decision of Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge to publicize the names of the targeted buildings; Security measures.

Discusses the dramatic reforms proposed by "The 9/11 Commission Report" to help thwart another terrorist attack in the United States. Questions as to whether the proposals make sense and will ever be implemented; Reaction from the White House to the report; Pressure to take action from the ten commissioners on the committee, who plan to flood congressional hearings and stump for their reforms in the heartland; Plans to release at least four additional staff-written reports on such topics as aviation, border security, and terrorist financing; Call for a single National Intelligence Director; Need for better intelligence; Suggestion that the U.S. reach out to the Islamic world through diplomacy and educational and cultural exchanges.

Focuses on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in light of the preliminary findings by the September 11 commission. Question of whether the agencies and the President George W. Bush administration are willing to change; History of the FBI; Changes that are being made by Bush; Overview of intelligence failures; Background on the CIA; Outlook for reform.

Reports that four American civilians who were members of the company Blackwater USA were murdered in Fallujah, Iraq by insurgents. Murder of Wesley Batalona, Michael Teague, Scott Helvenston, and Jerry Zovko, nonmilitary personnel who were hired by the Pentagon to provide security in Iraq; How a mob burned the dead and committed other atrocities to the bodies of the men; Efforts of members of the Iraqi security force to disperse the mob and claim the mutilated bodies; Possibility that the U.S. will give Iraqi authorities power in the form of in interim government by June 30th; Confusion regarding the identity of the killers. INSET: The Mounting Toll.

How does a civil servant who has launched a major attack on the Bush presidency protect himself from what he has unleashed? Richard Clarke, the former counterterrorism adviser to Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush--who saw al-Qaeda expand under his watch, attack U.S. interests abroad and produce the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history--knew he couldn't pin the blame on his bosses if he didn't start by apologizing himself. Clarke, who quit his job at the National Security Council a year ago, would not have survived Washington's brutal ways in the service of three Presidents if he had not been a good politician. And last week he needed all the political skills he could muster for what he was about to do--direct a missile at the very fortress that so far has protected Bush's presidential advantage in this campaign season: the perception that, for all his faults, Bush has done everything he could to keep the country safe and managed the war on terrorism well. With all the dust flying around Clarke last week, the question ofwhether Washington appropriately handled the terrorist threat tended to get lost. That question is of course the one of greatest interest to the public in the wake of 9/11. In his strongest public statement, to 60 Minutes, Clarke said Bush "ignored" the terrorist threat before 9/11. To the commission he testified, more soberly, that, for the Administration, it was an "important issue but not an urgent issue." the end, the drama produced by Clarke in Washington was not about the last terrorist attack against the U.S. but about the next one. Since it began its work in early 2003, the commission has uncovered huge failings in the national-security system, including how even a presidential order can be misunderstood down the chain of command. But these dangers got lost in a high-stakes political showdown. Unless Washington can focus on them, someone may risk having to ask forgiveness again.

Reports on the capture of an al-Qaeda terrorist, Hassan Ghul, by Kurdish security officials on the border between Iraq and Iran. How Ghul held intelligence about the role of al-Qaeda in the insurgency in Iraq; Plans of an international terrorism organization to engage in a global jihad in Iraq by creating discord between the Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims; Possibility that the document found on Ghul was prepared by al-Qaeda top operative Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi; How the jihadists will try to turn the Iraqis against U.S. occupation forces.

Examines the implications of a car bomb explosion outside a shrine in Najaf, Iraq, which killed Shiite cleric Ayatullah Mohammed Bakir al-Hakim. How this act of violence demonstrates the extraordinary complexity of the challenges facing U.S. troops in Iraq; Details of the blast; Number of dead and injured; Rescue work; Role of U.S. soldiers; Suspects, including al-Qaeda; Reactions of the U.S. George W. Bush administration; The power struggle within the Shiite leadership; Role of Muqtada al-Sadr, head of the radical Shiite organization, the Sadr Group; Denial of al-Sadr of any involvement in the attack; Intensity of the struggle for Shiite supremacy.

Looks at reasons why the war on terrorism will never end. Terror attacks which occurred in May 2003 in Saudia Arabia and Morocco; Possible connection to the terrorist organization al-Qaeda; Questions regarding the location of Osama Bin Laden; Capability of al-Qaeda to organize and carry out terrorist attacks; Concerns over where the next attacks could occur.

Discusses how events and personalities brought the United States to war in Iraq and the implications of the war with respect to U.S. relations in the Middle East. Thoughts on the United Nations relevance in the world; Discussion of anti-Americanism in the Middle East and the rest of the world; How the war with Iraq is different than all other wars in which the United States have engaged; Discussion of the roles of former President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.

Discusses precautions and preparations to take in the event of a terrorist attack on the United States. Dirty bombs, Chemical, and biological attacks which are expected to occur; Locations which may be unsafe; Precautions which should be taken; Water and food supplies that should be stored; Subway systems which are vulnerable. INSETS: WHAT TO LOOK FOR--AND WHAT TO DO;…AND ARE WE REALLY ANY SAFER THAN BEFORE?;Tale of the Tape;How to Talk to Your Kids

The article focuses on terrorist Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, who has released a new videotape. Based on interviews with insurgents who have associated with al-Zarqawi, a picture is emerging of a killer trying to recast his image as a quasi-religious leader. Al-Zarqawi wants to be perceived as a spiritual Muslim whose actions are driven by a desire to save Islam from attacks. Those who have seen al-Zarqawi say he is attempting to imitate the lifestyle of the Prophet. Yet al-Zarqawi has not lost his enthusiasm for murder or his determination to stir up civil war in Iraq. INSET: ROAD TO PERDITION.

Raises questions regarding actions Iraqi President Saddam Hussein may take if the United States does declare war against him. Possibility of Hussein retaliating; How the U.S. needs help in finding any stores of biological and chemical weapons Hussein may have hidden in Iraq; Amount of damage Hussein's weapons could do; Concerns that a war with Iraq may incite other terrorists to take action against the U.S.; Whether or not the U.S. is prepared for a biological or chemical attack.

The article focuses on the proliferation of global terrorism despite the security initiatives being made by authorities. Counterterrorist experts believe that the U.S. homeland security system is ill-equipped to stop planned attacks of suspected bombers, unlike British officials who have stopped planned attacks in London, England. U.S. President George W. Bush admits that his nation and the world is still not safe.

This article highlights certain lessons that terrorist bombings on London, England on July 7, 2005 present before the world. An investigation into the bombings provides lessons about the nature of the threat posed by al-Qaeda. European nations are at the receiving end of threats. The other lesson underscored by the London bombings is that the terrorists have adjusted to a new order. The most enduring lesson terrorism experts have learned is that terrorism can't easily be contained.

Focuses on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in light of the preliminary findings by the September 11 commission. Question of whether the agencies and the President George W. Bush administration are willing to change; History of the FBI; Changes that are being made by Bush; Overview of intelligence failures; Background on the CIA; Outlook for reform.

The article focuses on issues related to the situation of growing terrorism across the globe. The Islamist terrorist threat has managed to survive the global war waged against it. New networks of jihadists emerge faster than the U.S. and its allies can arrest or kill them. Counterterrorism experts believe that the old al-Qaeda organization commanded by Osama bin Laden may be expiring and that a new, more elusive generation of extremists has taken up the banner. INSET: Decoding the Chatter.

The article reports on the terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Turkey. Rather than being defeated by the U.S.-led war on terrorism, Islamic militants seem to be methodically widening their holy war against the U.S. and its allies. Turkey made an obvious target. The British-owned HSBC bank and the building that houses the office of the British consul general in Istanbul were the target of terrorist bombings. Politicians and experts in the U.S., Great Britain and Turkey were quick to lay the blame on the al-Qaeda group.

The article talks about the fight against terrorism in Saudi Arabia. It discusses the changes seen in Saudi kingdom after the September 11 terrorist attack in the U.S., where 15 of the hijackers are suspected to be its citizens. History and other information on Saudi Arabia are offered. Prince Abdullah started the campaign to transform its citizens from financiers to fighters of terrorism.

Examines the implications of a car bomb explosion outside a shrine in Najaf, Iraq, which killed Shiite cleric Ayatullah Mohammed Bakir al-Hakim. How this act of violence demonstrates the extraordinary complexity of the challenges facing U.S. troops in Iraq; Details of the blast; Number of dead and injured; Rescue work; Role of U.S. soldiers; Suspects, including al-Qaeda; Reactions of the U.S. George W. Bush administration; The power struggle within the Shiite leadership; Role of Muqtada al-Sadr, head of the radical Shiite organization, the Sadr Group; Denial of al-Sadr of any involvement in the attack; Intensity of the struggle for Shiite supremacy.

Discusses the death of 26-year-old U.S. businessman Nick Berg, who was murdered by terrorists in Iraq. How a video of Berg's execution was circulated on the Internet; Questions over why this communications-tower repairman was imprisoned for 13 days in Mosul and why he refused offers of help to get home; Berg's travels in Iraq; His encounters with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation; Why Berg's father Michael blames the President George W. Bush Administration for his son's death, while the U.S. military denies it ever had custody of Berg; Possibility that Berg's beheading was carried out by Al Qaeda terrorist Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi.

Offers a look at flight cancellations and security measures in the United States. Possibility of a terrorist attack and the measures taken to ensure safety; Cancellation of six Air France flights.

Offers a look on the cases of several men indicted on conspiracy charges for plotting terrorism in the U.S., including ringleader Narseal Batiste who has allegedly planned an attack on Chicago's Sears Tower. Risk posed by homegrown terrorism cases; Response of the U.S. Department of Justice on criticism that suspects seem too incompetent to carry the deeds they are accused of; Attitude of residents about the arrests of alleged terrorists.

Reports on a deadly terrorist attack in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where three explosions killed at least 88 and wounded more than 200. Efforts of terrorists to undermine President Hosni Mubarak; Views of Middle East experts and diplomats; Implications for Egypt and other pro-Western governments; Outlook for a reaction from the Egyptian government; Question of whether al-Qaeda is moving into a global operational mode.

Focuses on a progress report on the Iraqi Police Service, as concerns mount about the readiness of Iraqi troops to take over the primary combat role in the country. Concerns over the likelihood that the police have been infiltrated by terrorists; Problems with police training amid political violence and insurgency; Response of U.S. commanders to the report; How the U.S. is following the report's recommendation to turn over the vetting of recruits to the Iraqis.

Focuses on Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq and the country's deadliest terrorist. Reports that al-Zarqawi had been wounded or had already died; Question of whether al-Zarqawi's death would do much to quell the insurgency in Iraq; Views of politicians and democrats.

Reports on comments from an arrested member of Mousab al-Zarqawi's group about possible terrorists attacks in the United States. Interrogation of a top lieutenant which indicates that al-Zarqawi has thought about attacks on American soil considering "soft" targets such as movie theaters, restaurants and schools; His belief that with enough money anyone can bribe their way into the country; The route terrorists might take to enter from Mexico; Blame for the lack of attacks in the U.S. which al-Zarqawi is placing on a lack of willing martyrs; No evidence that an attack is imminent; Increased vigilance at the borders.

The article discusses an audiotape from Osama Bin Laden. In his latest audiotape pronouncement to the world, released Dec.16 on an extremist Islamic website, bin Laden largely shifted his attention from the U.S. to the Saudi royal family. He called its members "agents of infidels," praised the Dec. 6 attack on the U.S. consulate in Jidda and urged Muslims to support the insurgency in Iraq. According to one leading expert, the new tape was part of a change in emphasis in recent communications by the al-Qaeda leader and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri--an effort to speak as much to the Muslim world as to the U.S. and a paving of the theological way for what may be another major attack on the U.S. Michael Scheuer, an al-Qaeda analyst who recently retired from the CIA and once headed its bin Laden unit, tells TIME he believes that in their series of recent messages and tapes, bin Laden and al-Zawahiri have been subtly addressing criticism from some Muslim clerics that the Sept. 11 attacks violated Islamic edicts against surprise attacks.

This article discusses the futile hunt for Osama bin Laden as of 2004. It was inevitable that Democratic challenger John Kerry would sling out the questions during the debate: Where in the world is Osama bin Laden, and why hasn't the U.S. captured him? America's closest allies in the hunt seem unenthusiastic. Nearly three years after closing in on bin Laden and losing him in the Tora Bora mountains, Pakistani and Afghan intelligence officials claim that the trail is cold. The last credible sighting of the gaunt terrorist in chief was more than a year ago along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, according to a senior Pakistani intelligence official. U.S. officials refuse to comment on bin Laden intelligence, but they have long believed he is in the mountainous, lawless Pakistani border region of Waziristan. But a seven-month-long Pakistani offensive designed to flush bin Laden from Waziristan has come up empty. The U.S. has shifted its search strategy. Out of an estimated 18,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, some 5,000 are scrambling through the impossible terrain in places where bin Laden might be hiding. But most troops aren't just looking for him specifically. Instead, they are patrolling the border against incursions by Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. Rather than trek through the vast mountainous region hoping for a chance encounter, the U.S. command is now engaged in a slow but probably more effective tactic of trying to win over Pashtun villagers by digging wells and giving away tractors and generators. The hope is that someday a villager might trust the Americans enough to reveal some useful intelligence about bin Laden or other enemies.

Reports on the attitude of the U.S. President George W. Bush administration regarding Syria, a country long designated a state sponsor of terrorism. Initiation of talks by the U.S. to join Syria in controlling the frontier; Meeting between U.S. officials and Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus; Past criticism of Syria by the U.S.

Reviews "The 9/11 Commission Report," compiled by ten government commissioners who investigated the events before, during, and after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in an effort to discover whether anything could have been done to prevent them, and suggesting ways to prevent future attacks.

Comments that a majority of Americans believe that Saddam Hussein played a role in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, despite acknowledgements by the George W. Bush administration that no such evidence exists. Use of insinuation by U.S Vice-President Dick Cheney; Official White House statements; Probe by U.S. House Intelligence Committee.

Focuses on questions surrounding aid given to the September 11, 2001 hijackers by Anway al-Aulaqi, an American Muslim cleric.

Discusses reasons why the U.S. security services raised their color-coded threat gauge to a level of high orange. Suicide bombings organized by al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia and Morocco; Intelligence that indicated that Osama bin Laden's minions had entered an 'operational phase'; Active al-Qaeda agents in Iran; Cooperation of Saudi officials with U.S. officials who are searching for terrorists.

Discusses the addition of Adnan G. el-Shukrijumah to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's most wanted list. Comments from a justice department official about the number of al-Qaeda suspects in custody who identified el-Shukrijumah as dangerous; Brief background of el-Shukrijumah including training at al-Qaeda camp.

Reports that U.S. intelligence agencies are warning that Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group, may begin attacking U.S. citizens and facilities if a war with Iraq begins. Heightened concern that attacks may occur on U.S. military bases or in American gathering places in Israel and the Middle East; Condemning of U.S. ambitions to disarm Iraq by Hamas' spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin.

States that Thomas Kean is expected to ask the United States Congress for a fivefold increase in funding the panel charged with finding out why the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency were unable to stop the September 11 terrorist attacks. Problems that the commission has had, including that chairman Kean does not have the required security clearance; Reason for the increased budget.

Discusses the U.S. commission investigating pre-September 11, 2001 government lapses. Thoughts from commissioners of the panel about their plan to push for a wide-ranging probe that will include testimony from top officials of the Administration of U.S. President George W. Bush; Complaints from panelist Tim Roemer that the congressional probe suffered because officials such as Donald Rumsfeld were not questioned directly; Plans to interview officials from prior Administrations; Remarks from Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, a key architect of the legislation forming the commission.

The article provides information on the bombings in Jordan, which has raised questions relating to the spreading of terror beyond Iraq by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian who runs al-Qaeda's operations in Iraq. The attack at a wedding ceremony party outside the Philadelphia ballroom in Amman by a young suicide bomber aged 20 caused severe casualty while, another suicide bomber blew himself up in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Amman within a couple of days of the previous incident.

The article reports on the covert detention centers operated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in different parts of the world. CIA was anxious to take captured terrorists off to secret locations where its operatives could interrogate them out of the reach of the U.S. legal system and human-rights organizations. The agency continues to run similar facilities in Afghanistan and Eastern Europe. In Afghanistan, the prison was located in an old brick factory near Kabul's airport.

The article reports that Jalal Talabani, chief of the Kurdish separatist guerrillas known as the peshmerga, has emerged as the most likely successor to Saddam Hussein as the President of Iraq. Talabani plans to use the position of titular head of state to protect Kurdish interests. Talabani opined that the peshmerga must remain a force of the regional government because the Kurdish people need them as protection against terrorism and to secure the boundaries of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The article reports on the nuclear bomb threat from terrorist organizations. Al-Qaeda detonating a nuclear bomb in an American city is the ultimate nightmare scenario in the U.S. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden says that obtaining a bomb is a religious duty. Most experts believe that if Al-Qaeda were to succeed, the group would not hesitate to use it. For a basic nuclear weapon, terrorists would need about 50 kg of highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium which is difficult to manufacture.

The article discusses the implications of terrorist Osama Bin Laden's threats on the U.S. Politics and security. By the means of a videotape the terrorist warned, that the country's behavior towards the Muslim world might lead to more attacks on it. The tape released just before the 2004 Presidential elections of the country indicates towards the challenges which the new President of the country is likely to face.

The article reports that according to the independent governmental investigation on the September 11, 2001 attacks, the terrorist attack might have been even worse. It reveals that the original plot was bigger and bolder than the materialized one. The original conspiracy proposed to hijack 10 planes to target both the East and West coasts of the U.S.

Offers a look at flight cancellations and security measures in the United States. Possibility of a terrorist attack and the measures taken to ensure safety; Cancellation of six Air France flights.

The article reports on the arrest of Asian terrorism chief Hambali in 2003. For most of the past two years, he hopscotched across Asia, hiding in safe houses and eluding pursuers from several countries, including the U.S. Riduan Isamuddin, known as Hambali, al-Qaeda's top operative in Asia allegedly masterminded a string of terrorist attacks, including the October's nightclub bombings in Bali, Indonesia and the bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta.

This article discusses the futile hunt for Osama bin Laden as of 2004. It was inevitable that Democratic challenger John Kerry would sling out the questions during the debate: Where in the world is Osama bin Laden, and why hasn't the U.S. captured him? America's closest allies in the hunt seem unenthusiastic. Nearly three years after closing in on bin Laden and losing him in the Tora Bora mountains, Pakistani and Afghan intelligence officials claim that the trail is cold. The last credible sighting of the gaunt terrorist in chief was more than a year ago along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, according to a senior Pakistani intelligence official. U.S. officials refuse to comment on bin Laden intelligence, but they have long believed he is in the mountainous, lawless Pakistani border region of Waziristan. But a seven-month-long Pakistani offensive designed to flush bin Laden from Waziristan has come up empty. The U.S. has shifted its search strategy. Out of an estimated 18,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, some 5,000 are scrambling through the impossible terrain in places where bin Laden might be hiding. But most troops aren't just looking for him specifically. Instead, they are patrolling the border against incursions by Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. Rather than trek through the vast mountainous region hoping for a chance encounter, the U.S. command is now engaged in a slow but probably more effective tactic of trying to win over Pashtun villagers by digging wells and giving away tractors and generators. The hope is that someday a villager might trust the Americans enough to reveal some useful intelligence about bin Laden or other enemies.

The article discusses issues related to the findings of the commission on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. The findings of the commission that there was no evidence to show the involvement of Iraq in the attacks on the U.S. But the media portrayal of the commission's findings that there had never been any ties between Iraq and al-Qaeda, made U.S. President George W. Bush furious. He asked his staffers to check the updated assessments of the intelligence agency in this regard.