Iran

• Russia says the sale of over $1 billion worth of some of the world's most advanced SAMs and radar is perfectly legitimate, and won't shift the regional balance. Evariste had it right: this is Osirak insurance, pure and simple.

• I don't think I've ever posted an op-ed on Winds of War, but this one is IMO vital reading: The cost of incompetence.

• The Media Line has a great video on Iran's nuclear program, provided by an Iranian opposition group.

• Iran says that there is literally not one member of al-Qaeda in the country - all 'prisoners' have been extradited.

• An Iranian C-130 has crashed in to a Tehran apartment block, killing over 130.

• Kurds and Iranian police have clashed in northern Iran after, according to the police, a local youth committed suicide after being found in possession of a few grams of hashish. No, really.

The Middle East

• Hezbollah is boosting its ties with al-Qaeda and palestinian terror groups. The Iran-backed terror gang is now thought capable of opening a military front against Israel in a regional war.

• Syrian forces have apparently clashed with terrorists in northern Syria, leaving 8 terrorists dead.

• Despite (or perhaps because of) the questioning of five Syrian officers, the substance of the Mehlis report is unlikely to be altered.

• The Muslim Brotherhood has won 19% of parliamentary seats, during an election with six deaths and hundreds of injuries.

• Abu Mazen has approved a salary from the PA to the families of suicide terrorists. Sorta related, Fatah are polling at 36.1%, while Hamas have 45.8%.

• Israeli intelligence has told Israelis to get out of the Sinai immediately, due to a heightened threat of kidnapping.

Iraq and the Gulf

• Al-Zawahiri has called for attacks on Gulf oil facilities.

• The Carnival of the Liberated is up. This week: Saddam's trial, the upcoming elections, Israelis training Pershmerga, and a lesson in Arabic.

• Saddam skipped his trial on Wednesday, while terrorists kidnapped the 8 year-old son of one of the judges' bodyguard. I expect Abu Qatada is recording his appeal for the release of Karim Salam as I type.

• Pajamas Media has an exclusive from Iraq the Model's Mohammed on the Iraqi elections.

• A suicide bomber has blown up a bus en route for Nasiriyah, killing at least thirty Iraqis.

• Joe Katzman notes al-Qaeda's diplomacy in Iraq leaves something to be desired. I'd have thought it obvious that, if you want to the co-operation of a particular tribe, you shouldn't murder that tribe's leader. A-Q haven't figured that one out yet, to their disadvantage now that Iraqis in Samarra are now co-operating with U.S. troops.

• Four of Saudi Arabia's most wanted were last seen in the Al-Kharj province, from which many terrorist attacks have been launched within the Kingdom.

• Here's an interesting development: Saudi TV - New weapon against extremism.

• According to the UN, half of Iraqis seeking asylum in Syria are Christians.

The Americas

• Saudi cash and influence may have radicalised 80% of U.S. mosques.

• Princeton U. has decided to bar a speaking event featuring three self-described former-terrorists (including Walid Shoebat), because the inclusion of the word 'terrorist' in the event's title is 'inflammatory'. Meanwhile, a less-than-reformed (though still-in-denial) ex-PLO member is due to be hired as a history professor.

• Jamestown on Radical Islam in Latin America.

• On the torture thing: Condi says the U.S. is bound by U.N. law not to use torture at all, whether abroad or at home. Dan comments here.

Europe

• Spanish PM Zapatero is 'prudently hopeful' for an ETA ceasefire, despite five bombs being placed to mark Constitution Day.

• Sweden's rising Muslim tide: a distubring look at Malmo, one of Europe's most Muslim cities.

• The Italians claim that the CIA reported a radical cleric had moved to the Balkans, even as they had kidnapped him and taken him to Egypt.

• The Danish al-Aqsa Foundation has been charged with funneling money to Hamas.

• The terrorists responsible for the murder of Theo Van Gogh watched videos of beheadings and bantered about how to slit someone's throat for 'maximum suffering', a Dutch court has heard. Much more on this landmark case here. The Syrians, by the way, have again denied that the Hofstad group's leader is in a Syrian prison.

• Fjordman postulates: did Samira Munir, a Pakistani-born Norweigan politician and outspoken critic of maltreatment of Muslim women, really commit suicide?

• French police intelligence believe the recent rioting across France was spontaneous, and not pre-planned by gangs.

Central and Western Asia

• The Indians have discovered that Lashkar-e-Taiba have infiltrated Kashmiri political parties in order to obtain identity cards, which can shield them from searches by police and military forces.

• Pakistani intelligence have discovered a joint Sipah-e-Sahaba and Lashmakr-e-Jhangvi plot to murder Shi'ite politicians.

• Had you come across Radio Free Afghanistan? I hadn't.

• At least 22 Taliban were killed by Afghan and U.S. forces on Wednesday.

• In February, Canada is due to deploy 2,000 troops to Afghanistan. The Canadian Defence department is buying up mine-resistant armoured vehicles, light artillery, UAVs, ie, the usual kit. But not only are they cutting it kinda close - they're not buying any helicopters.

• Trent comments on the Cope India 2005 exercise, in which the USAF clashed with the Indian Air Force. He has some good points about the handicaps the USAF duelled under.

Australasia and the Orient

• A Chinese newspaper says that the government will hint at full democracy for Hong Kong by 2017, in order to win democrats over to the government's election reforms.

• The Jamestown Foundation has a worthwhile summary of the terror plot thwarted in Australia last month.

• Jamestown has another interesting analysis, this time examing China's modernisation. ...the Chinese government acknowledged last week that “sudden public incidents” such as industrial accidents, social safety accidents, and natural disasters are responsible for over one million casualties and the loss of six percent of GDP every year.

• John Negroponte and Filipino intelligence officials say that Jemaah Islamiyah is still protected by elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

• North Korea is to host an international conference of journalists - no, really. Reporters Without Borders says the North Korean press is the least free in the world.

• The U.S. has delayed the purchase of 25,000 tons of food promised to North Korea as aid, because the North wants 'development assistance' instead.

Africa

• Moroccan politicians have recieved death threats from what might be an al-Qaeda group. The analyst quoted by the article says that the post-Casablanca bombing clampdown in 2003 has led to the arrest of the top-tier of Moroccan jihadis, meaning anyone can declare themselves a terrorist leader. He also mentioned that the jihadis are trying to re-organise themselves along the same lines as al-Qaeda in Iraq.

• China is now the leading supplier of arms to Sudan.

• The UN says its peace-keeping force on the Eritrea-Ethiopia are in danger, after they were told by the Eritreans to get out.

Thanks for reading! If you found something here you want to blog about yourself (and we hope you do), all we ask is that you do as we do and offer a Hat Tip hyperlink to today's "Winds of War". If you think we missed something important, use the Comments section to let us know.