According to the BBC: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7640837.stm)

"Sudanese officials say their forces have shot and killed six of the kidnappers who abducted a group of European tourists in Egypt last week.

Two other suspected kidnappers have been taken into custody, but the tourists themselves remain in captivity in Chad, the officials say.

The hostages - 11 tourists and eight Egyptian guides - were taken on 19 September and are said to be unharmed.

They include five Germans, five Italians and a Romanian.

A spokesman for Sudan's military said that the kidnappers had been killed following a high-speed desert chase.

The spokesman, Sawarmy Khaled, said the missing Europeans, who were abducted in south-western Egypt but thought to have been taken first to Sudan and then to Chad."

MY TWO CENTS:

So the good news is the bad guys are dead. The bad news: no one knows where the hostages are. Still. I'm not one to advocate torture but when there is a life in imminent danger I think there should be exceptions allowed within certain guidelines. The old adage of "stooping to their level" or "we'd be no better than they are"; while sentiments I appreciate, only serve our enemies' purposes. The only thing worse than an enemy's hatred of you is their disdain.

Marriott Attack

With the recent horrible attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad we again see a repetition of terrorists taking advantage of a change in regime. Only a few weeks after the ousting of Musharraf the new democratic government is being tested in the worst way. Attacks like the one this week only beg the question: will we see more after the US elections?

Colombia Raid

The recent successful hostage rescue in Colombia highlights an often forgotten theater in the War on Terror, South America. In terms of numbers FARC is the largest terrorist group in the world. At one time they controlled a section of the country larger than Connecticut. They not only have small arms but their narcotics money has bought artillery, helicopters, and they even tried to buy a submarine. The raid this week shows what a little bit of luck and a lot of audacity coupled with expertise and training can accomplish.

Sorry its been a while

Sorry its been so long, been busy with real life.
IMHO Iran is a lot closer than to a nuclear capability than anyone realizes or admits. The balance of world power is about to shift.

CIA has "excellent idea" where Bin Laden Is

CIA Director Porter Goss says the Agency has an excellent idea where Osama bin Laden is, but the U.S.' respect for other countries' borders prevents any action. They believe he is in the rugged broder region of Pakistan/Afghanistan and our delicate relationship with Pakistan and President Musharraf's domestic security problems makes it difficult to operate directly.
My @.02: I thought the CIA has COVERT operative who could do things like sneak into a foreign country and get information and maybe take out a target. If I were a terrorist I would feel much better knowing the CIA is back to being the waffling pussies they were pre-9/11.

Terrorism Today, Sorry for delays, Screw Lockheed

First I'm sorry for the delay in getting anything new out. Had a lot of problems here lately.
A midday suicide bomb at a restaurant on an Iraqi military base killed 23 Iraqi soldiers and wounded 28 other people -- mostly soldiers, police say. This is the latest in the ongoing insurgency which has more and more focused on the Iraqi military and police.
My $.02: these kinds of attacks are blatant attempts to cow the few Iraqis willing to fight for the future of their country. They deserve our respect and aid now more than ever.

More and more politicians are calling for a review of procedures at the Guantanamo Bay detaining facility. Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania has challenged the Senate to define the legal positions of detainees and called the current system a "crazy quilt".
My$.02: I was hired to go to GTMO to work for ACS Defense but when the contract was bought out by Lockheed Martin they fiddled around and decided they did not need me. Now let me say I realize the problems at GTMO represent a very small minority of the guards and officials there, it only takes a couple of rotten apples to spoil the whole bunch. Look at the furor over the allegations by Newsweek in recent weeks. I don't know who Lockheed saw fit to hire instead of me, but at least I speak Arabic and understand Islam and have studied terrorism for almost ten years. Who do they have that can say the same? And does that even make them the personality type they need to deal with proud, deeply religious, people devoted to an intractable cause? Can someone explain this idiocy to me?

Blast in Pakistan Shrine

A bomb at the Bari Imam shrine in the outskirts of Islamabad has killed at least 18 and wounded many others. The shrine is near several government buildings and foreign embassies. Who set off the bomb is unclear and no groups are taking responsibility. Some 4,000 people have been killed in Pakistan via terrorist violence in the last several years.
My $.02: The fact that no one is claiming the bombing is disturbing. When they don't make a claim it only aids their efforts since police have no names to go on. The bombing was committed by a single suicide bomber who just walked into the mosque crowded with 1,000 worshipers. It may have been a lone act, but those are rare in Pakistan. The act only underlines the deep religious split in Pakistan between the 20% Shia minority, many of whom are radicalized fundamentalists the government has been keeping busy in Kashmir, and the 70% Sunni majority.