MEMRI's News Ticker features important news items from the Arab and Muslim world, days before they are utilized by the Western media. The following are highlights from MEMRI's News Ticker from November until today:
JIHAD & TERRORISM STUDIES PROJECT
In the 8th issue of The Voice of Jihad, an Al-Qaeda leader in Saudi Arabia, Saleh Al-Aufi, calls on followers not to go to Iraq, and to instead continue the Jihad in Saudi Arabia. Three others on the Saudi 26 most wanted list write articles in the new issue, as well as two women. (http://www.page4free.biz/sout999/, 1/8/04)
A third communique attributed to the 'Islamic Bayan Movement' threatening attacks on the U.S. was published on an Islamist Web site. The communiqué, titled 'Very Urgent - From the Nation of Islam to the American People,' was published today and is dated December 21: 'We are serious in this warning. The next few days will prove to you this warning was genuine... This lying government knows well that we are capable, right now, of destroying an American city in its entirety.' (1/5/04)
Islamist sources in London say Egyptian Islamist leader Abdallah Muhammad Rajab Abd Al-Rahman, aka Ahmad Hassan Abu Al-Khir, who is in charge of Al-Qa'ida finances and the right hand man of Ayman Al-Zawahiri, has been arrested. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/29/03)
Turkish police have reported that extremists have infiltrated from Syria into Turkey and are planning to strike American, Israeli, and Western interests, or at the crowded markets during the holidays. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/24/03)
Preliminary reports indicate that Saddam maintained relationships with al-Qa'ida through the Palestinian Abu Nidal, who Saddam killed last year in an effort to conceal any evidence of such relationships. (Baghdad, 12/20/03)
The Turkish press is reported to be saying that Adnan Arsuz, who was involved in the bombings in Istanbul, received two payments from Al-Qa'ida of $50,000 through an Iranian and another $100,000 through Habib Aknas, who is still at large. (Al-Hayat, London, 12/21/03)
Al-Qa'ida published on its website, al-Nida, a book by Sheikh A'airi, whose primary theme is that the 'fall of Baghdad was preferable to Islamists than a victory by the Iraqi Ba'athists because the collapse of the Arab Ba'athism means the collapse of the Ba'athist atheistic slogans.' (Al-Hayat, London, 12/20/03)
53 French Parliamentarians have signed a petition demanding the return of six French citizens being held by the U.S. facility in Guantanamo. (AlJazeera.net, 12/18/03)
A leading Al-Qa'ida operative, Muhammad Hamdi Al-Ahdal, a.k.a. Abu 'Assem Al-Makki, who was arrested by Yemen, admitted that he was technically and financially responsible for the terrorists attacks on USS Cole and the French tanker Limburg. (Al-Ra'i Al-Aam, Kuwait, 12/17/03)
Dr. Al-Ani, a terrorism expert at Oxford University, said Al-Qa'ida has introduced strategic changes in its terrorist operations. It has permitted the killing of Muslims and Arabs, initiated the recruitment of teenagers (ages 16-17) and allowed its activists to wear women's clothing (for disguises). (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/11/03)
Swiss intelligence services have been able to record the conversations of the third most senior Al-Qa'ida leader, Khaled Al-Sheikh Muhammad, currently in American custody. Their success was attributed to the fact that Muhammad had used Swiss phone cards in multiple cellular phones. (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, 12/12/03)
About 50 parents in a Gulf country have called their newborn children 'Irhab,' which is the Arabic word for terrorism. The excuse given for the use of the name is the interpretation given by Osama bin Laden about a verse in the Koran: 'And you shall terrorize the enemies of Allah.' (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 12/10/03)
Saifu Al-Islam Al-Qaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader, told an Italian daily that the individuals who attack coalition forces are not terrorists, and that the attack on the Italian forces in Iraq was justified. (Al-Quds Al- Arabi, London, 12/3/03)
A Turkish member of the 'Front of Mujahideen for Islamic Middle East' said the terrorist acts in Istanbul were 'trivial' compared with the real 'day of slaughtering' which is forthcoming. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/1/03)
REFORM PROJECT
A prominent Saudi Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ayed Al-Qarni, spoke out about the prohibition of women drivers in Saudi Arabia saying, 'There is no definite text (either in the Qur’an or Sunnah) that bans women driving.' Sheikh Al-Qarni also said that women should be given a 'wider opportunity to participate fully in society.' (Arab News, Saudi Arabia, 1/11/04)
Saudi Arabia's Shura Council endorsed an education bill stressing moderation as a principle of Islam, and which supports 'training students to engage in dialogue.' Secretary General of the Shura Council Hamud Al-Badr said that the goal is to teach moderation is Islam 'in the philosophy of education and in curricula.' (Mid East Times, 1/11/04)
Recent statistics indicate that the scope of female participation in the commercial sector in Bahrain has reached about 30%, similar to the ratio in developed countries. (Akhbar al-Khaleej, Bahrain, 1/10/04)
Saudi Education Minister Dr. Muhammad Al-Rasheed announced that physical education classes will be introduced in girls' schools, and will be done in a way that doesn't violate Shariah. (Arab News, Saudi Arabia, 1/4/04)
Kuwait is in the process of revising its school curriculum to delete the causes of religious extremism, and encourage tolerance and respect for other religions. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/30/03)
A senior official at the IMF said unemployment rates of 12-27% in the Arab countries are the highest of the developing countries. Economic growth rates have averaged 2.6% in recent years while population growth has been at the 3% range. These countries will need to create one million new jobs annually to maintain the present level of unemployment but will need to create between 7 and 15 million new jobs to reduce unemployment. (Al-Hayat, London, 12/22/03)
In its annual report for 2002, the Arab Council for Childhood and Growth says that about 50% of Arabs over 15 are illiterate and that 10% of Arab children do not attend school. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/22/03)
The Coalition Provisional Administration in Iraq has warned mosque preachers that they will be arrested and treated as war criminals under Geneva Convention IV if they incite violence. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/14/03)
The Tunisian parliament has enacted a law treating the preaching of hate and religious or racist fanaticism as terrorist crimes. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/11/03)
Yemen's government requested the parliament to prohibit the use of mosques and other religious institutions for political and radical propaganda. (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia 12/10/03)
The Turkish teachers’ federation will sue the government for relaxing the rules about koranic studies in Turkish schools. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/6/03)
A conservative member of Iranian Majlis (parliament) accused the reformist members of being Zionists. He said: 'I am confident the Iranian people will throw these traitors into the wastebasket of history.' (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/4/03)
Dr. Abdu Aziz Al-Dakhil, the Saudi director of medical affairs, said a fine of up to 200,000 Saudi Riyals ($53,300) will be imposed on a private medical facility that did not report on AIDS treatment. Dr. Al-Dakhil expressed concern about the spread of the epidemic in Saudi Arabia which remains unreported. (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, 12/3/03)
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
At a meeting in Ramallah against USAID's requirement that organizations receiving US aid sign an agreement not to support terror organizations, the participants called for punishing organizations that have signed. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, PA, 1/6/04)
At the Fatah anniversary celebrations in Al-Ram, Arafat's political advisor Ahmad Abd Al-Rahman said in Arafat's name: 'We are not far from Jerusalem and victory… The fallen Shahids have paved the way to Jerusalem, the capital of the independent Palestinian state and the heart of the Arab and Muslim nation, and we will not concede an inch of it.' (Al-Quds, PA, 1/4/04)
A Palestinian source said that the cost of the Gaza parade marking Fatah's 39th anniversary, with shooting and fireworks, came to $750,000. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 1/1/04)
An obituary that appeared in the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam for the perpetrator of the December 25 suicide bombing in Israel, placed by the PFLP which was behind the attack, announced with pride the death of the bomber, who is said to have ascended to heaven as a martyr because he defended his homeland and the honor of his people. (Al-Ayyam, PA, 12/28/03)
Adli Sadeq, deputy to PA Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath, wrote in the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida: 'We will persecute the followers of the Americans so that they will be at the bottom of society.' (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, PA, 12/25/03)
The Arab Liberation Front of the Bethlehem District, identified with the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, stating that it 'condemned with great anger the American media fraud about the capture of the Arab Mujahid Saddam Hussein, who devoted his efforts to building Iraq… The picture of Saddam Hussein will remain a beautiful [memory] in the hearts of the warriors and free men in the world…' (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, PA, 12/23/03)
During his visit to the Al-Rashidiyya refugee camp in Lebanon, PLO Political Bureau head Farouq Al-Qaddoumi said: 'The [Palestinian] resistance is not aimed at defending the national security of the Palestinians, but at defending pan-Arab security…and the end of the Zionist entity is near.' (Al-Safir, Lebanon, 12/20/03)
Abbas Zaki, member of the Fatah Central Committee and of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told the pro-Saddam London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi that Saddam was a national hero, unlike the other Arab leaders who obey America instead of Allah, and that 'history would record all of his acts of benevolence when the U.S. loses the leadership of the world or when the Arabs feel the next oppression of the Israelis.' (Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, 12/17/03)
In an editorial, the PA daily Al-Manar printed a scathing attack on President Bush, calling him 'a stupid wild animal' who must be stopped before additional great disasters occur. (Al-Manar, PA, 12/17/03)
Ramallah owners of restaurants serving American food published an announcement in the PA daily Al-Quds stating: 'We, the owners of American restaurants in the Ramallah region, announce our desire to sell the equipment designated for the preparation of American food and/or the licensed rights of the shops.' (Al-Quds, PA, 12/7/03)
PA minister of finance Salam Fayyadh revealed that documents pertaining to business transactions by the Palestinian Oil Agency have disappeared. Fayyadh admitted there were considerable forgeries and foul play involved. (Al-Hayat, London, 12/3/03)
Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin told the London daily Al-Haqaeq: 'Any damage to American [interests] in Iraq constitutes a service to the Palestinian people and the Arab nation, because America constitutes a threat to the region as well.' (Al-Haqaeq, London, 11/25/03)
IRAQ
The Iraqi daily Al-Sabah (connected with the CPA) reports from a high-level Iraqi source that Saddam Hussein has an advanced case of lymphoma. (Al-Sabah, Baghdad, 1/8/04)
According to his interrogators, Saddam has gone through a psychological transformation in recent days. He is displaying his normal arrogance and stubbornness. All movements in his cell are monitored by video. He has been given clothing that cannot be easily torn should he decide to commit suicide.(Al-Zaman, Iraq, 1/8/04)
A wide spectrum of Iraqi political and Islamic parties in Basra agreed to join efforts in 'building the new democratic Iraq' and establishing a united front named 'The National Conference of Political Parties and Forces in Basra Province.' (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 1/7/04)
Saddam Hussein spends half of his days in prison in interrogation and the other half sleeping and cleaning his cell, including its small toilet. He was allowed to hang photographs of his two slain sons, Uday and Qusay in addition to the picture of President Bush in his cell. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 1/6/04)
The Salfite clerics in Iraq, who adhere Saudi Wahhabi Islam, threatened the Coalition Provisional Authority that further trespassing into Muslim mosques will cause the clerics to declare that Iraqis should 'kill an American and enter heaven.' (Al-Hayat, London, 1/4/04)
Saddam Hussein has refused an offer to allow one of his daughters or wives to visit him for fear they may come under pressure to reveal his numbered bank accounts (Al-Mushreq, Baghdad, 1/3/04)
11 tribal chiefs in Saddam's birthplace, Tikrit, have called for the establishment of a reconciliation committee to convince the resistance movements to cease operations against American forces. (Al-Ahram, Egypt, 12/31/03)
Coalition forces arrested the person who carried Saddam’s messages to TV stations. He was also arrested for photographing veiled individuals, allegedly Islamists, and reading statements in favor of Jihad. (Al-Shira, Baghdad, 12/31/03)
The Iraqi-American chamber of industry and commerce is organizing training courses for its members to study English, computers, and modern business practices (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/31/03)
The Russian intelligence services, which reportedly has connections with the international mafia, asked to be present during the interrogation of Saddam because of his 'mysterious relationships' with the Russian leadership. (Al-Yawm Al-Aakher, Baghdad, 12/29/03)
An Iraqi daily ridicules the Egyptian, Palestinian, and Jordanian public for supporting Saddam. It attributes this support to the loss of his largesse to the Egyptian writers, Fatah organization, and the Chairman of the Jordanian lawyers association. The paper derides Arafat as 'the incarcerated Palestinian dictator.' (Al-Shira, Baghdad, 12/12/03)
Commenting on conspiracy theories about Saddam's capture, the Iraqi daily Al-Ittihad said that every time Arab peoples are afflicted with disaster, defeats, or tragedies, it is always blamed on a Zionist, colonialist, or American imperialist conspiracy. (Al-Ittihad, Baghdad, 12/21/03)
The first contingent of 135 Japanese soldiers are due to arrive in Iraq soon. South Korea has decided to send 3000 soldiers to Iraq, subject to parliamentary approval. (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 12/17/03)
The Council of Sada (the descendants of Prophet Mohammad) has decided to withdraw membership from Saddam Hussein and said Hussein did not qualify. (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 12/17/03)
In an interview with Ziyad Tareq 'Aziz, who is the son of Iraq's former Foreign Minister's Tareq 'Aziz, it is mentioned that in his letters to his family, Tareq 'Aziz has changed his youngest son's name from Saddam to Zuhair. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/17/03)
An Iraqi paper suggests that Saddam Hussein should be interrogated in the manner he interrogated his opponents. However, 'as a courtesy to him, the torture seat should be golden, the strings by which he will be hanged from the ceiling should be of Damascene silk, and only silver clippers should be used to extract his fingernails…' (Al-Nahdha, Baghdad, 12/17/03)
Kuwait will resume full diplomatic relations with Iraq. It will be the first Arab country to do so. (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 12/10/03)
Iraq will spend $4 billion in the next four years to rehabilitate 15,000 schools and build 4,500 new schools. School neglect under Saddam caused some schools to offer three shifts daily. (Baghdad, 12/7/03)
An editorial in the daily 'Al-Ittihad,' which is published by Talabani's National Congress for Kurdistan, is titled: 'The visit of a courageous president. ' The visit, the editorial opines, confirms the U.S. commitment to the governing council, democracy in Iraq, and the fight against terrorism. (Al-Ittihad, Iraq, 11/29/03)
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia fired the director of Al-Haramain, a charitable organization. The decision was made by the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, who is the chair of al-Haramain's board of directors. No official reason was given, but the organization has been accused of financing terror activities since 9/11. (Al-Hayat, London, 1/7/04)
Muhammad Al-Masri, head of Saudi Arabia's Education Ministry's Development Department, said that Saudi religious education will not be reformed. This was in response to a petition against changing religious education, which blamed American pressure for encouraging reforms. (Saudi Gazette, Saudi Arabia, 1/4/04)
The Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has warned stores not to sell Christmas or New Years-related items, and has cautioned businesses to ensure that employees do not openly celebrate. (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, 12/28/03)
Saudi Arabia transferred $15.4 million to the PA treasury, representing its contribution for the months of October and November. This amount translates into annual payments of $92 million. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/20/03)
Dr. Turki bin Muhammad bin Saud, secretary-general of the Saudi ministry of foreign affairs, affirmed the right of his country to develop conventional weapon but said Saudi Arabia is not developing nuclear weapons (Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, 12/12/03)
Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdulaziz received Professor Anthony Cordesman, a Senior Researcher at CSIS, and his accompanying delegation. (Saudi Press Agency, 12/14/03)
Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh denied reports that Saudi Arabia plans to close the Islamic Affairs department sections of their embassy and consulates in the U.S. following revelations that they espoused extremism. (Saudi Press Agency, 12/9/03)
An editorial in a Saudi daily characterized President Bush’s visit to Baghdad as 'theatrical' and stated it would have gone unnoticed were it not for the way its was portrayed as a combination of 'Rambo, ' 'James Bond, ' and 'the priest Jesse Jackson.' (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, 12/3/03)
Majali Wahba, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset who represents the Likud Party, disclosed the close collaboration between Israel and Saudi Arabia in the fight against terrorism. Wahba has visited Saudi Arabia a number of times. (Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, 12/1/03)
EGYPT
Egyptian minister of electricity Hassan Yunis Yunis surprised Egyptian parliament by his announcement that Egypt will stop the construction of nuclear power stations to avoid Chernobyl-type accidents. (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 1/6/04)
Dr. Ali Jum'a, the mufti of Egypt, has restated a prohibition of dealing with the occupation forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Al-Yawm Al-Aakher, Baghdad, 12/11/03)
After an intensive campaign by Jewish organizations, the Alexandria Library has withdrawn the book 'Protocols of the Elder Wise Men of Zion' from its book exhibition. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/6/03)
President Mubarak of Egypt denied American pressure linking aid with democracy. He said: 'With regard to democracy, we are the state that enjoys democracy in this part of the world.' (Al-Hayat, London, 12/2/03)
In an interview with Al-Jazeera TV, Egyptian Minister of Culture Faruq Husni said: ‘[The Jews] Have control over the money and they have control over media it is very rare to find a television station or a newspaper which is not controlled by the Jews.’ (Al-Jazeera TV, Qatar, 11/22/03)
SYRIA
Syrian Interior Minister Ali Hamoud has decided to exempt Syrian citizens from obtaining an exit permit before leaving Syrian territory. (Teshreen, Syria, 1/4/04)
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq Al-Sharaa said: 'The decision [to change the Syrian regime] is not made in Washington or Tel Aviv… The Syrian opposition appearing on the Arab satellite channels couldn't run an elementary school, let alone Syria.' (Al-Hayat, London, 1/4/04)
The Syrian Ba'ath party is organizing cells of former Iraqi Ba'athists who were not identified with the Saddam regime, to merge them into existing political parties. Leading this effort is a member of the former Ba'ath party leadership, Salah Omar Al-Ali who established a movement called 'the Reform.' (Al-Shira, Baghdad, 12/31/03)
The Syrian official daily Teshreen asked: 'Has Israel returned to the game that world Zionism has been playing since the 19th century - feeding anti-Semitism, sowing hatred for Jews and their religion and hurting them, as part of the racist policy of forcing the Jews of Europe to leave their homelands and immigrate to Palestine?' (Teshreen, Syria, 12/28/03)
The daily Baghdad reports that a number of Iraqi writers called for a collective resignation from the Arab Writers Federation whose secretary general, a Syrian, denied them access to the recent meeting of the federation in Algiers. (Baghdad, Iraq, 12/28/03)
Ahmad Jarallah, editor in chief of Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyasah who last week received a booby trapped letter from Beirut, indirectly accused Syria for the action: 'We know that Lebanon is not governed by its people.' (Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, 12/14/03)
The Turkish interior minister said the primary suspect in the recent bombings in Istanbul has fled to Syria and was not among the 22 suspects handed over to Turkey by Syria recently. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/6/03)
Syria has refused to return to Iraq $250 million deposited in Syrian banks by the previous regime. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/6/03)
Iraq has demanded that Syria pay $3 billion, which is the value of Iraqi oil sold through Syria illegally by Saddam's regime. In the meantime, the first installment of $1 billion of Iraqi money in Jordanian and Lebanese banks will be given to the central bank of Iraq in a few weeks. (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 12/4/03)
The 'European Ambassador' to Damascus, Frank Hisca, said Europe is set to grant Syria the sum of 60 million pounds to 'strengthen commerce, civil society and human rights,' including funding Syrian NGOs. (Al-Hayat, London, 12/4/03)
IRAN
Gen. Muhammad Marani of the 41st division of the Iranian revolutionary Guards accused foreign rescue missions in Bam of spying. He said only 3 out of 25 mission were engaged entirely in rescue activities. (Al-Zaman, Iraq, 1/4/04)
Hussein Al-Khomeini, grandson of Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Khomeini, returned to Iran on January 2 despite assassination threats to him and his family. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 1/4/04)
Iran has appointed its charge de' affairs for Iraq. Hassan Kazimi Qummi, who had previously held the post of consul general in Herat, Afghanistan, was appointed by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, and was ratified by President Khatami. (Tehran Times, Iran, 12/23/03)
At a rally, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said: 'Today's humiliation of Saddam is the ultimate fate of all world imperialists like the U.S. and the Zionist regime... the region is better off without Saddam as the world will be better off without George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon.' (Tehran Times, Iran, 12/17/03)
Iranian president Khatami said Iran is holding 130 members of Al-Qa'ida. Those who committed crimes in Iran will be tried there, while others will be expelled to their countries of origin. (Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, 12/12/03)
Iranian radicals warned the authorities of possible violent backlash because Shirin Ebadi - the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize - appeared in public without a veil and shook hands with men. (Al-Ittihad, United Arab Emirates, 12/11/03)
Hasan Rouhani, the official in charge of Iran's nuclear program, announced that his country will build seven more nuclear reactors. He did not exclude American companies from this program. He also said that Iran will not suspend its program for enriching uranium. (Al-Hayat, London, 11/30/03)
A source in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard maintains that Imad Mughaiyya of Lebanon is behind the explosions in Istanbul. Mughaniyya has been involved in numerous terrorist activities and the U.S. is offering a $20 million reward for his capture. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 11/28/03)
LEBANON
Recent reports note that Donald Rumsfeld might recommend a U.S. strike against insurgency strongholds in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, which contain Hizbullah and Palestinian forces under the umbrella of the Syrian military. Lebanese foreign minister Jean Obeid denied the existence of terrorists and said 'we do not know what is going in the head of Rumsfeld.' (Arabicnews.com, 1/10/04)
Lebanese Minister of Public Works Najib Miqati said: 'Naturally, we are not smiling because of this [the arrest of Saddam Hussein] or applauding the U.S. army for what it does on Iraqi territory.' (Al-Safir, Lebanon, 12/17/03)
The Lebanese 'New TV' channel was shut down for two days after 'the station violated the law of televised broadcast' by criticizing Lebanese and Syrian officials by name. The Lebanese daily Al-Mustaqbal said NTV announcer Dalia Ahmad was going to the US to work for a station established by the CIA. (Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon, 12/17/03)
The U.S. has removed Lebanon from the list of states whose citizens are subject to severe restrictions at U.S. airports. (Al-Nahar, Lebanon, 12/16/03)
On December 14, Hizbullah's Al-Manar TV, while reporting on the capture of Saddam Hussein, introduced Muhammad Dalbah as their Washington, DC correspondent. (Al-Manar, Lebanon, 12/14/03)
JORDAN
The Jordanian Lawyers Association has called on the Arab Lawyers Union to establish a defense committee for Saddam Hussein. Association chairman Hussein Majali said: 'He is still the President of Iraq, because the occupation is unlawful.' (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/16/03)
Meeting in Amman, Jordan, the 'Symposium for Arab Thought' expelled a Kurdish member who referred to the American forces in Iraq as 'liberation forces.' (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, 12/10/03)
Jordan is refusing to return to Iraq $500 million of deposits made by Saddam's regime. Jordan maintains that there are pending commercial controversial contracts. (Al-Sabah, Baghdad, 12/9/03)
