Six human rights groups have issued a list of 39 people purportedly imprisoned by the United States in secret, the whereabouts of whom are unknown, and have called upon the Bush administration to suspend its policy of "disappearances." US officials defend these measures, saying that it is often essential that terrorist networks do not learn of such detentions ahead of planned operations. [NYT, June 7]

Najib Manalai, an adviser to Afghanistan’s minister of culture and youth affairs, has described the Taliban [in an interview] as a composite of different elements, "hijacked by Pakistani intelligence services and by international terrorist groups." While there exists de facto leadership, its interest is with international terrorism, rather than a national agenda. [EurasiaNet, June 6]

The Associated Press reported June 6 that hundreds of Turkish soldiers crossed into northern Iraq in pursuit of PKK guerrillas. The reports were denied by Ankara. The following day, Reuters reported that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said parliament's approval would be needed for such an incursion. "A parliament decision is necessary to launch a cross-border operation and the steps would be taken accordingly," Erdogan was quoted by state-run Anatolian agency. AP reported that Turkey's top commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said: "The Turkish soldier is not a bully of the neighborhood. There is need for political directives." However, he did say several areas near the border have been declared "temporary security zones."

Iraqi legislators passed a resolution June 5 requiring the government to seek parliamentary approval before asking the UN to extend the mandate for US-led forces in Iraq. The Sadrist-drafted resolution passed by a vote of 85 to 59. The members of parliament voted along party lines, with Sunnis joining the bloc loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr and other Shi'ite legislators at odds with the leadership. Supporters of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki opposed the resolution.

From the Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC), June 3:

Cindy: Do not say good-bye
The U.S. needs you, not the criminals and thieves

Dear Sister Cindy Sheehan, Greetings...

I have read your article ("Good-bye America... you are not the country that I love anymore"), in which you declared resignation and your plan to stay away from the arena of struggle against war and the occupation of Iraq.

From the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), June 4:

At 6:30 AM this morning, 4 June 2007, oil workers struck the pipeline company in Basra, Iraq, bringing an immediate stop to the free flow of oil products, including kerosene and gas through pipe number 42.

The Egyptian government has refused to allow human rights groups to observe the military trial of 33 leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood, undercutting the government’s claims that civilians will have a fair trial before military courts, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said in a joint press release June 4.

Mansour Dadullah, new Taliban military commander since the death of his brother Mullah Dadullah in combat last month, told AlJazeera in an exclusive interview: "Sheikh Osama bin Laden is alive and active. He's carrying out his duties. The latest proof that he is alive is that he sent me a letter of condolences after the martyrdom of my brother. He advised me to follow my brother's path... Sheikh Osama prefers not to be seen or meet anyone because if he makes himself available to the media maybe he will be facing danger."