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UPI Intelligence Watch

By JOHN C.K. DALY, UPI International Correspondent

WASHINGTON, May 11 (UPI) -- Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, 109 Iraqi journalists have died covering the conflict.

On May 10 the Brussels Tribunal published a report by the Iraqi Journalists' Union listing Iraqi journalists killed covering the country's unrest.

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The list took the union five months to compile.

According to the list, militias or unknown armed men killed 69 journalists. Twenty-one Iraqi journalists died in explosions or fighting, 17 were shot by U.S. forces and two were killed by Iraqi troops.

The dead include reporters working for Britain's ITN; al-Faiha newspaper; the BBC; Kurdistan Satellite Channel; Bila-Itijah weekly; CNN; Qulan TV; al-Taqiya newspaper; Itihad; Yazdeen the Kurdish newspaper Nassree; Thiraeei newspaper; the Saudi al-Jazeera newspaper; Voice of America; al-Arabiya television; Iraqi Media Net; IMN; Time magazine; ABC; al-Iraqiya television; Polish TV; al-Sabah al-Jadeed newspaper; Kerkuk weekly; Gazeta Wyborcza; Associated Press; Pressphoto; al-Huriya television; al-Sharqiya television; al-Iraq Daily; Reuters; al-Hayat al-Jadida media; German Radio; al-Nahdha newspaper; al-Mada Daily; al-Sad newspaper; Iraqiyoon news agency; Kurdistan radio; al-Sabah Daily; Kurdistan TV; al-Siyada newspaper; al-Sharqiya TV; Biladi magazine; Baghdad TV; IMN radio; al-Mirbad news channel; al-Safeer newspaper; Tallafar newspaper; al-Qadhiya Daily; al-Jumhoriya newspaper; al-Da'wa newspaper; al-Da'wa newspaper; Dijla radio; Knight-Ridder; al-Soumariya TV; al-Diyar TV; Alefba' magazine; al-Nahar; al-Risala newspaper; and al-Bilad radio, along with many freelancers.

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In the largest single incident, 12 journalists died in Arbil on Feb. 1, 2004, when the offices of the Kurdistan National Union and the Kurdistan Democratic Party were attacked.


India has arrested a former army member and charged him with espionage for Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence.

Former Lance Naik of the Corps of Signals Jan Mohd Mansoori was arrested on a tip from army intelligence unit Seema Suraksha Bal while trying to flee to Nepal six days ago and then interrogated. Indian Army officials speaking on condition of anonymity told the Press trust of India, "Vital defense documents were found on Mansoori, a resident of Araria in Bihar."

PTI reported on Wednesday that Army intelligence officials had determined that Mansoori was part of an ISI espionage network.

Mansoori joined the Indian Army in 1988. In 1995, he went to Pakistan on personal leave. Three years later he was arrested for espionage, but while being taken to Jalandhar he escaped the train transporting him and remained a fugitive for eight years.

Indian intelligence officials said that Mansoori recruited ISI agents in India. Originally, Pakistani Army deserter Ikramuddin had recruited Mansoori for the ISI, they said.

An Indian intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity told PTI, "In 1991, Ikramuddin was in the ISI espionage network in India. He was arrested in May 2002 and was recently sentenced to life imprisonment by the Kanpur the district court."

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Other ISI agents in Mansoori's network have been apprehended, although officials gave no further details.


NATO's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin, has lauded Pakistan's efforts in promoting peace and stability in the country.

Cetin is on a three-day visit to Pakistan leading a NATO delegation, the Geo News Agency reported.

In a meeting in Islamabad with Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, Cetin said that "Pakistan was a key country in the war against terrorism," adding that NATO placed high importance on maintaining close relations with Pakistan.

Kasuri responded that peace and stability in Afghanistan was a major priority for Pakistan, and assured Cetin that Pakistan would totally support Western initiatives to restore peace and stability in the country, especially given the global threat from terrorism, which requires a focused international response.

The pair agreed that the situation on the Pakistani-Afghan border required closer cooperation between authorities of the concerned countries.

During his visit, Cetin is also scheduled to meet with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.


Azerbaijan has been broadening its contacts with the West.

Russia's Regnum news agency reported Wednesday that an Azerbaijani police delegation led by Deputy Interior Minister Lt.-Gen. Asker Alekberov has been visiting Germany for the last two days.

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Alekberov's delegation has met with high-level officials of Bavaria's Interior Ministry.

A broad range of topics was discussed, including relations between the Azerbaijani and German Interior Ministries. Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry Directorate on International Cooperation head Col. Mekhrab Tukanov

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