Bush Visit To Panama

G2 Headlines
Author: Joseph Farah

© 2005 G2 Bulletin
Publishing date: 27.10.2005 21:38

Security analysts say intelligence coming from Panama City indicates a planned visit by President Bush early next month will be mired by demonstrations organized by a number of groups.

President Bush Topping the list of those planning to disturb the presidential visit are student activists, trade unionists and Panamanian nationalists. Security experts caution an eruption of violence could endanger President Bush’s entourage.

A number of Secret Service agents are reported to have begun work on a security plan to shield President Bush and leading members of his staff. Clashes between Lebanese groups based in Sidon The Lebanese Nasserite People’s Organization accused unspecified foreigners of instigating skirmishes between the group and a militant Syrian terror group Jund al-Sham In al-Taamir, The Party of Construction. Both groups use as headquarters the large lawless Palestinian Ein-al-Hilwe camp near Sidon.

The reason for this situation is the inability of Lebanese authorities to control the camp, which in addition to being the base for a variety of Palestinian militias and terror groups within the framework of the PLO or independent organizations, is the preferred site for Lebanese unofficial militias such as the NPO. In an attempt to control the situation the Lebanese gendarmerie sealed off roads leading to the camp and helped evacuate a number of wounded civilians.

Dissatisfaction among young Saudi officers The appointment of King Abdullah’s half brother, 73-year-old Prince Morqrin Bin Abdul Aziz, as head of intelligence is creating waves of anger among younger officers. They say the former military pilot is frail and suffers from lapses of memory loss. The king appointed his half brother in place of Prince Nawaf who resigned two months ago. Prince Abdul Aziz was until now the governor of the Medina province where most anti-government terror operations occur.

Turkey concerned over militant Kurdish activity in Iraq The Turkish intelligence service has prepared a report detailing militant Kurdish activities in northern Iraq. The report focused on the activities of the PKK Kurdish terrorist group. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was alarmed by the information detailing PKK activity, including activity in areas under full control of the coalition, to the point where he openly criticized U.S. policies and the policies of the Iraqi government.

Intelligence analysts believe Turkey is trying to create the right political environment to allow Turkish special forces to operate in certain areas of Iraq to prevent PKK preparations to hit targets in Turkey. Earlier dealings with the same issue created rumors of a secret agreement between the Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul and the Department of State aimed at allowing Turkish troops to “take care of dangers to Turkey from Iraq,” in return for the further use by the U.S. of the Incirlik air base.

In July 2004 Turkish demonstrators demanded to cancel National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Ankara saying the U.S. pursues Cold War policies in the Near East. They claimed lack of U.S. activity against Kurdish terrorists is based on an overall U.S. policy to support the Kurds who are Turkey’s archenemies. Germany plans to pull out troops from Bosnia-Herzegovina German Defense Minister Peter Struck said that if the crisis in the Balkans continues to gain momentum without further preventive involvement by regional governments Germany might consider pulling out her 2,740 troops attached to the NATO-led Kosovo Force, KFOR, and her 999 troops under the command of the European Union Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina, EUFOR.

According to intelligence analysts if Germany decides conditions in Kosovo require the withdrawal of German soldiers, other members of the two international forces might follow unless a new international agreement to safeguard the Balkans is reached in January 2006 at the latest. Ukraine, Bulgaria reach military agreement In a meeting between Ukrainian Minister of Defense Anatoly Gritsenko and his Bulgarian counter-part Veselin Blizakov both sides agreed to strengthen their military ties.

The meeting was held in Vilnius the capital of Lithuania where informal talks were held between the Ukraine and NATO members. The two sides pointed to the fact almost all of the Bulgarian military equipment was made either by the USSR or Russia and the Ukraine. The Ukrainians are interested in upgrading most of the equipment and want to conduct joint military drills. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfled participated in the meetings where Ukraine’s request to join NATO was also discussed.

However, Secretary Rumsfeld abruptly left Vilnius after receiving information on an unspecified matter demanding his immediate presence in Washington. Terrorist cells ready to hit western targets in Balkans Bosnia and Herzegovina security forces arrested three suspected terrorists including an 18-year-old Swedish citizen of Turkish origin and two Bosnians. Firearms, explosives and military equipment ready to be used in suicide operations were discovered in a safe house and confiscated. In addition security forces found a variety of electronic devices including a number of GPS apparatus and satellite phones.

Local authorities issued warnings to a number of west European embassies and companies informing them terror cells linked to al-Qaida were preparing a suicide attack planned to take place before Christmas. Some sources believe the targets were the U.K., the Dutch and German embassies and consulates. Thailand demands Malaysian action against separatists The Bangkok government has contacted Malaysia in an attempt to quietly reach an agreement with Thailand’s Muslim neighbor, aimed at curtailing Muslim jihadi separatists in the Thai provinces of Pattani and Yala along the Malaysian border.

The Thai security authorities believe a series of attacks on village leaders and police stations were organized by Malaysian jihadists. Of major concern to Thailand is the fact the attackers retreated with a relatively large number of small arms and ammunition taken from police stations or vehicles after almost every attack. More than 1,150 people were killed since separatist Muslim movements resurfaced in January of 2004. Salvador angry with U.S. bounty hunters Salvadoran politicians reacted sharply to the arrest of three American citizens and their Salvadorian prisoners at Comalada airport.

The three Americans were described by Salvadoran politicians as “American agents,” ignoring the fact the three were allegedly employed by the Dirty Deeds Bail Bonds Company. According to Salvadoran sources the three presented themselves as FBI agents. They tried to smuggle out of the country a 55 years old suspected sex criminal, Julio Cesar Nerio, wanted in Nevada. The Central American country has become a hot bed of crime in the region. Since January of this year 2,717 Salvadorans were assassinated.

In the small, 6.7 million nation, about half a million illegal small arms are in the hands of individuals and gangs. Police in San Salvador warned the “murder and crime epidemic will become extremely dangerous before Christmas.” There are at least 11,000 organized gang members active in the country.

G2B contributor Yoram East