W O R L D

Hillary calls Saudi Arabia a cashpoint for terrorists
London, December 5
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest source of funds for Islamist militant groups such as the Afghan Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba, but the Saudi government is reluctant to stem the flow of money, according to Hillary Clinton.

US govt staff told not to read secret cables
Washington, December 5
The Obama administration has barred federal employees not to view the secret cables and other classified US documents leaked by Wikileaks unless the workers have the required security clearance. 

Russia views Pak as ‘greatest’ potential threat
Russia views Pakistan as the "greatest" potential threat to the regional stability and has de facto imposed embargo on the sale of weapons to Islamabad, according to a secret US diplomatic cable. In his 'secret' dispatch, US Ambassador to Moscow William J Burns said Russia views Pakistan as the greatest potential threat to regional stability and Russian Foreign Minister ruling out weapons sales to Pakistan as far back as 2003.

South African leader Mbeki to mediate to end standoff

The two presidents: Laurent Gbagbo (left) and Alassane Ouattara during a meeting in Abidjan in this photo taken on November 27, 2010. — Reuters

Hillary calls Saudi Arabia a cashpoint for terrorists

London, December 5
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest source of funds for Islamist militant groups such as the Afghan Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba, but the Saudi government is reluctant to stem the flow of money, according to Hillary Clinton.

Cablegate n Hillary’s memo highlights Gulf states’ failure to block funding for Al-Qaida, Taliban and LeT n Three other Arab countries are listed as sources of militant money: Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE

“More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for Al-Qaida, the Taliban, LeT and other terrorist groups,” says a secret December 2009 paper signed by the US secretary of state.

According a report in The Guardian, Hillary memo urged US diplomats to redouble their efforts to stop Gulf money reaching extremists in Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide,” she said.

Three other Arab countries are listed as sources of militant money: Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

The cables highlight an often ignored factor in the Pakistani and Afghan conflicts: that the violence is partly bankrolled by rich, conservative donors across the Arabian Sea whose governments do little to stop them.

The problem is particularly acute in Saudi Arabia, where militants soliciting funds slip into the country disguised as holy pilgrims, set up front companies to launder funds and receive money from government-sanctioned charities.

One cable details how the Pakistani militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks, used a Saudi-based front company to fund its activities in 2005.

Meanwhile, officials with the LeT’s charity wing, Jamaat ud Dawa, travelled to Saudi Arabia seeking donations for new schools at vastly inflated costs, then siphoned off the excess money to fund militant operations.

Militants seeking donations often come during the hajj pilgrimage, “a major security loophole since pilgrims often travel with large amounts of cash and the Saudis cannot refuse them entry into Saudi Arabia”. Even a small donation can go far: LeT operates on a budget of just $5.25m a year, according to US estimates.

Saudi officials are often painted as reluctant partners. Clinton complained of the “ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist funds emanating from Saudi Arabia as a strategic priority”. The cables show how before the Mumbai attacks in 2008, Pakistani and Chinese diplomats manoeuvred hard to block UN sanctions against JuD.

US govt staff told not to read secret cables

Washington, December 5
The Obama administration has barred federal employees not to view the secret cables and other classified US documents leaked by Wikileaks unless the workers have the required security clearance. 

"Classified information, whether or not already posted on public websites or disclosed to the media, remains classified, and must be treated as such by federal employees and contractors, until it is declassified by an appropriate US Government authority," a notice said. The directive applies to both government computers and private devices that employees or contractors might have. — PTI

Russia views Pak as ‘greatest’ potential threat

Russia views Pakistan as the "greatest" potential threat to the regional stability and has de facto imposed embargo on the sale of weapons to Islamabad, according to a secret US diplomatic cable. In his 'secret' dispatch, US Ambassador to Moscow William J Burns said Russia views Pakistan as the greatest potential threat to regional stability and Russian Foreign Minister ruling out weapons sales to Pakistan as far back as 2003.

Karzai doubts credibility of leaked cables

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said he doubted the credibility of US diplomatic cables leaked this week by the Internet whistleblower WikiLeaks which portrayed him as corrupt and weak. At a news conference held on Saturday, Karzai said at least one of the incidents described in the cables could not have happened as described.

China ‘blocked’ UN sanctions on 3 Pak ultras 

China, at the apparent request of Pakistan, put a “technical hold” on an Indian request to the UN Security Council to slap sanctions on three terrorists, says a secret State Department cable of December 2009 signed off by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. China in its capacity as the permanent member of the UNSC has the veto power.

Chinese can identify persons by their gait

Chinese scientists have developed a unique biometrics device, probably for the military, that uses a person's pace to identify them covertly, according to a confidential US cable. The Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) Institute of Intelligent Machines (IIM) in Hefei has developed a biometrics device that uses a person's pace to identify them.

PayPal suspends donations to WikiLeaks

Ivory Coast has two Presidents!
South African leader Mbeki to mediate to end standoff