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The CENTCOM

18 MAY 2012

AFG-PAK
Policemen among 11 Dead in Farah Attack: Pajhwok Seven government officials and four militants were killed and 13 people, including nine civilians, injured during a brazen militant attack on the governors office in western Farah province. A group of seven militants wearing border police uniforms, equipped with weapons and suicide vests, arrived in a car and shot dead the guards at the gate before forcing their way into the office. (Source: Kabul, Afghanistan; Independent; Neutral) Pakistanis Condemn US, Israeli actions against Muslims: Press TV Pakistani people protested across the country, expressing their anger at intervention in the Muslim world. Protestors chanted anti-US slogans, held placards reading Down with America and Down with Israel, and torched flags of the United States and Israel. (Source: Iran, Govt. Funded, Anti-West)

(U) AQ members inside a mosque (Arutz Sheva, 17 May 2012)

OTHER TOPICS
Amir Rejects Amendment AQ Urges Saudis Rulers AQ Encourages Westerners to Attack Irans Yemen Interference Sharing to Kick out AQ

IRAN
Iran Flouts UN Sanctions, Sends Arms to Syria: Egypt Independent Syria remains the top destination for Iranian arms shipments in violation of a UN Security Council ban on weapons exports by the Islamic Republic. A report from sanctions-monitoring experts said "Iran has continued to defy the international community through illegal arms shipments. Two of these cases involved [Syria], as were the majority of cases inspected by the Panel during its previous mandate, underscoring that Syria continues to be the central party to illicit Iranian arms transfers." (Source: Cairo, Egypt; Independent; Undetermined) Iranian Calls for 'Islamic Awakening' to Destroy Israel: Arutz Sheva An Iranian official, Hossein Shiekholeslam, called for an Islamic Awakening movement to help Palestinian Authority Arabs demolish the Zionist regime. In success of a revolution three major factors need to play effective roles, and they are the people, the leadership, and the school of thought, or ideology. If we wish success for the Palestinians, the existence of these three factors is necessary, as they existed in the case of victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. In near future the Islamic Awakening movement would also swallow the Zionist regime. (Source: Beit El, Israel; Independent; Identifies with Religious Zion)

Syria Shells Rastan al-Assad Issues Decree with Election Names 2 Killed, 5 Wounded in Tripoli Prisoner Swap between Jaafar Clan, Opposition Railways May Lease 50 Locos to Pakistan India Progress in Reducing Oil Imports Plans to Strike Iran "Ready"

IRAQ-ARABIAN PENINSULA
Maliki Vows to Pursue Militias Involved in Iraqi Killings: AK News Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki vowed to detect the Baath and al-Qaeda militias and elements involved in killing Iraqi civilians post-2003. "Iraq passed

(U) Ambassador Shapiro (Daily Star, 17 May 2012)

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over the crimes of the Baath party but the crimes that occurred after 2003 are similar to the black page of the Baath. Soon all those who committed crimes against innocent people will be punished. They should not escape punishment and say let bygones be bygones." (Source: Arbil, Kurdistan, Iraq;
Independent; Pro Kurd; Daily)

Amir Rejects Proposal to Amend Constitution: Kuwait Times The Amir has rejected a plan by Islamist MPs to amend an article in the constitution that would have made it mandatory that all laws must comply with Islamic Sharia. Islamist MPs have repeatedly tried in the past to amend article two of the constitution to make Islamic Sharia as the only source of legislation instead of being a major source of legislation. The rejection of the Amir to the proposed amendments means that it cannot go through and cannot be resubmitted during the current year.
(Source: Safat, Kuwait; Undetermined; Daily)

Qaeda Urges Saudis to Oust Ruling Family: The News Al Qaeda chief al-Zawahiri urged Saudis to rise up against Saudis ruling al-Saud family, suggesting they draw inspiration from uprisings that have deposed leaders across the Middle East and Africa. "Muslim brothers in the land of the holy mosques, a year has passed since the uprising of the Arab people...why do you still accept to be ruled by the al-Saud family? They are one of the worst corrupt governments who steal your money. (Source: Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Moderate; Politically Neutral) Al-Qaeda Guide Encourages Western Terrorists to Attack at Home: Arutz Sheva Al-Qaeda's in Yemen released a new guide, Expectations Full, for would-be Western recruits, urging Western militants thinking of traveling to join the group in Yemen to think twice before making the trip. The guide was apparently compiled by Samir Khan, the American-Saudi editor of the Inspire magazine, before his death. I strongly recommend all the brothers and sisters coming from the West to consider attacking America in its own backyard. If you're coming from the West, especially America, you might be asked by leaders of the mujahidin or those who know where you're from why you didn't partake in jihad inside your country. (Source: Beit El, Israel; Independent; Identifies with Religious Zion) Conflicting Reports on Iran's Interference in Southern Yemen: Yemen Times Iran has found in Yemen an environment for political interference because of the lack of state control. Iran is intervening in the southern region of Yemen, particularly Aden, to gain control of Yemeni waterways. They do this mainly with the cooperation of young southerners who dont belong to the Socialist Party, which ruled the south of Yemen before unification, said head of Abad Studies and Research Center, Abdusalam Mohammed. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Bi-weekly; Undetermined) Sharing Ammunition and Food to Kick out Al-Qaeda: Yemen Times The Yemeni army assisted by popular committee defense fighters continued their bombardment on AlQaeda operatives hideouts in Lawdar, killing dozens of the terrorists, and wounding others. There is considerable cooperation between the tribesmen who fight alongside the army troops and the 26 Brigade, and they are sharing ammunitions and food. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Bi-weekly; Undetermined)

PAN-AOR
Syria Shells Rebel Bastion, al-Assad Hits Out at 'Criminals': Gulf News Syrian forces sent shells crashing into Rastan, hours after President al-Assad branded the armed
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opposition as "criminals" infiltrated by al-Qaeda. "The army is trying to gradually destroy Rastan," said Abdul Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Rastan is encircled by the army and defended by the largest concentration of rebels in the country. (Source: UAE; Independent; Pro-West) President al-Assad Issues Decree Including Names of Elected Members: SANA President Bashar al-Assad issued Decree No. 169 for 2012 which includes the names of the elected members of the People's Assembly for the first legislative term for 2012. Head of the Committee, Judge al-Azzawi, said the results reflected broad representation of the Syrian people and the number of elected women in the People's Assembly reached 30. (Source: Damascus, Official Govt news agency) Two Killed, Five Wounded as Clashes Resume in Tripoli: Naharnet Two people, including a child, were killed as sniper attacks resumed in the northern city of Tripoli. Five people were wounded. The army has blocked all the roads leading to the hotspots in the city in order to protect the people in light of the return of the sniper activity. Also, assailants not affiliated to the Bab alTabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen clashes and in a white Mercedes, drove around the city while randomly opening fire. (Source: Beirut, Lebanon; English Edition of An Nahar; Liberal; Daily) Prisoner Swap Takes Place between Jaafar Clan, Syrian Opposition at Border: Naharnet A prisoner exchange took place between the Jaafar clan and Syrian opposition members. The opposition members handed over two Lebanese nationals, Khodr Husssein Khalil Jaafar and Abdullah al-Zein, who were kidnapped in the border town of Zeta. The Jaafar clan handed over 39 Syrians, including two opposition members, it had kidnapped in retaliation to the Syrian abduction. (Source:
Beirut, Lebanon; English Edition of An Nahar; Liberal; Daily)

PAN-AOI
Railways May Lease Out 50 Locos to Pakistan: Business Standard In efforts to strengthen Indo-Pak trade ties, Railway Infrastructure, Technical and Economic Services (RITES) is to provide 50 diesel locomotives on hiring basis to Pakistan. RITES will provide training facilities for Pakistan railway men. Pakistan is facing an acute shortage of locomotives as it has about 520 locomotives out of which about 450 are under repair. (Source: India; Independent; Undetermined; Daily) India Making Progress in Reducing Oil Imports from Iran: Blake: Hindustan Times "Progress is being made," on India reducing its dependence on Iranian oil, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake reported. India is making progress in this regard not because of any pressure from the US, but because of "financial and commercial considerations". "We continue to urge India to make progress and continue to reduce its import of oil from Iran. (Source: New Delhi,
India; Birla Group; Pro-Congress Party and Nationalist Policies; Daily)

Plans to Strike Iran "Ready", Says U.S. Israel Envoy: Daily Star U.S. plans for a possible military strike on Iran are ready and the option is "fully available", the U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said. "It would be preferable to resolve this diplomatically and through the use of pressure than to use military force. But that doesn't mean that option is not fully availablenot just available, but it's ready. The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it's ready." (Source: Beirut, Lebanon; Independent; Daily, Except Sunday; Neutral)
This OSINT publication contains foreign media derived entirely from open sources in and around the CENTCOM AOR.

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL

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