Australia has claimed a blow against a home-grown terrorist cell, with the conviction and sentencing of Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, of the Melbourne suburb of Dallas, and a group of five followers. Benbrika received a maximum term of 15 years, but two of his followers will be eligible for parole in 15 months. Justice Bernard Bongiorno said Benbrika formed the group, known as "Jemaa" for the purpose of engaging in violent jihad "The jemaah would achieve this by acts of terrible violence in this country, or perhaps elsewhere," Justice Bongiorno said.

As fighting continues unabated in Sri Lanka, Amnesty International has called upon the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to immediately declare a temporary truce and create humanitarian corridors to allow more than a quarter million trapped civilians to escape the war zone and also let food, water and medical assistance reach those civilians who cannot leave.

Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the new president of Somalia's transition government, responded Feb. 5 to the formation of a new alliance of rebel factions, asking the opposition leaders to lay down their arms and join the government. "We are requesting our brothers to work with us in restoring peace and unity," he said, adding that he is willing to open a dialogue with all opponents and would welcome their participation in government.

The US Treasury Department Feb. 4 branded the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), which is waging a low-level guerilla insurgency in the Kurdish regions of Iran, as a terrorist organization. The group is a front for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been fighting the Turkish government for 25 years, said Stuart Levey, US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Levey said PJAK's armed wing, the East Kurdistan Defense Forces, had recently been recalled to Iraqi territory on the orders of the PKK, in apparent move to bring them under greater control. (Reuters, Feb. 4)

A Turkish state prosecutor has launched an investigation into allegations that Israel's offensive in Gaza amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity, based on research of the Islamic-oriented human rights organization Mazlum-Der. The complaint filed by Mazlum-Der names 19 people including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. "We submitted the complaint against those who we could prove were in some way responsible for giving orders for the attack on Gaza," said Mazlum-Der attorney Meryem Sari.

Do you think he's planning something? From the NY Daily News, Feb. 4:

Former VP Dick Cheney warns of nuclear attack on United States under President Obama
WASHINGTON - Dick Cheney isn't finished scaring the bejesus out of America.

President Hugo Chávez condemned the Jan. 30 attack on Venezuela's main synagogue in a Feb. 5 statement—but warned it was being used to fan unrest ahead of a referendum next week on his bid for unlimited re-election. "They accuse me of being anti-Semitic. I don't hate Jews, and I call on all Venezuelan Jews not to let themselves be used," Chávez said during a military parade in Maracay.

Survival International has received reports that indigenous communities of the Sierra de Perijá in Venezuela are being threatened by Colombian rebels. Survival reports that members of the FARC, Colombia's largest rebel group, have been settling among Barí and Yukpa indigenous communities in the border area. The rebels bring in weapons and drugs, entice young people to their ranks, and squat on indigenous land.