Monday, 22 March 2010


US warns Gulf of Aden shipping at risk of Al Qaeda bombing
DEBKAfile Special Report March 22, 2010, 1:09 PM (GMT+02:00)
Tags: Al Qaeda Gulf of Aden Shipping
Limburg oil tanker hit by al Qaeda in 2002

The US Naval Intelligence warning covers the world's busiest shipping routes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and vessels transiting the Suez Canal. DEBKAfile reports al Qaeda has enhanced its striking ability from its Yemenstrongholds. A decade after its suicides rammed the US Cole, killing 17 seamen, the Islamist terrorists are said by the US advisory to have developed sophisticated methods of attack including missiles.

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Abbas avoids US president's envoy, may boycott Arab summit
DEBKAfile Special Report
March 21, 2010, 11:13 PM (GMT+02:00)
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas

The "sprained ankle" Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas suffered from slipping over at home was very much diplomatically motivated, DEBKAfile'sMiddle East sources report. It was his pretext to stay out of the way of the US president's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, when he arrived in the region March 20 fired up to restart Palestinian-Israeli proximity peace talks before he is ready. Abbas may also duck the Arab summit opening this week.


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