November 21, 2005

Updated: Running List of Terrorists Who No Longer Present a Threat to Society

(First entries posted on 11-10-07).

Updated 1-19-06: al Qaeda's master bomb maker and chemical weapons expert killed in Pakistan

12-10-05: Iraqis Hand Over 'The Butcher,' High-Ranking Al Qaeda Member

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi citizens turned over a high-ranking Al Qaeda member known as "the Butcher" to U.S. forces in Ramadi Friday a military statement said. 

12-08-05: 22 Militants Killed in Two Afghan Clashes

KABUL, Afghanistan — Twenty-two suspected militants were killed in two clashes with Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces this week, including 13 in an attack on a cell that was believed responsible for several bombings in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said. 

12-03-05:  Al-Qaeda number three 'killed by CIA spy plane' in Pakistan

Al-Qaeda's third-ranking leader has been killed by a missile fired by an American drone in Pakistan, near the Afghan border, NBC television news reported yesterday.

Egyptian-born Abu Hamza Rabia, who is said to head al-Qaeda's international operations, was among five people killed in a blast at a house where they were hiding in North Waziristan on Thursday. President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan confirmed Rabia's death yesterday.

11-21-05: Al-Qaida Operative Nabbed Near Mexican Border:

An al-Qaida operative who was on the FBI's terrorist watch list was recently captured near the Mexican border, housed in a Texas jail and turned over to federal agents, Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, said on Friday.

"A confirmed al-Qaida terrorist, an Iraqi national, was held in the Brewster County jail," Rep. Culberson told ABC Radio host Sean Hannity. "He was captured in Mexico. This was within the last six weeks. He was turned over to the FBI."

..."In fact, one was the sheriff who incarcerated him in the Brewster County jail [and who] confirmed this as well," he explained. The same sheriff also confirmed "that this guy is on the FBI's al-Qaida list," he added.

The al-Qaida operative "had been in Mexico, living just about 60 miles east of El Paso," Rep. Culberson said. "He was captured in a little town called El Porvenir, right across from Fort Hancock."

Rep. Culberson said the detainee had been living in Mexico for up to a year, where the terrorist "was taking careful notes on the movement of people, police officers, wildlife, etc."

The Iraqi national "had apparently aggravated a neighbor in Mexico, who turned him in to Mexican authorities," he explained. Mexican officials then turned him over to the U.S. officials, who temporarily housed him in the Brewster County jail.

11-10-07: Given the frequency of reports of terrorists captured and otherwise put out of commision, it would be useful to keep a record of such events. I'll start with recent reports from Voice of America.

11/10/05 -- Top Asian Terrorist Leader Dead in Indonesia

One of Southeast Asia's most wanted terrorists has been confirmed dead after blowing himself up to avoid capture by Indonesia police.

Indonesian presidential spokesman Andi Mallerangeng says fingerprints Thursday confirmed that terrorist mastermind and explosives expert Azahari bin Husin is dead. He called it another blow against terrorism.

...Authorities say that Azahari bin Husin and two militants apparently blew themselves up Wednesday rather than surrender to an elite Indonesia police unit that had surrounded their hideout in Malang in east Java.

That's what I'm talking about. 

11/08/05 -- Australia Claims Terror Raids Foiled 'Catastrophic' Attack

Police in Australia have arrested at least 17 people including a radical Muslim cleric, in a series of counterterrorism raids in both Sydney and Melbourne. The police say stockpiles of explosives and chemicals were found and the operation prevented a large-scale attack.

I'll update this list as reports come in. Please email me or post a comment if you see a report I've missed.