Militants in Iraq storm TV station; anchor among dead

 A news anchor and four other people were killed on Monday in a suicide bombing after armed militants stormed a TV complex in Tikrit, Iraq, police said.

The violence unfolded when a car bomb exploded outside Salaheddin TV and the local offices of al Iraqiya state TV in Tikrit, a major city in Salaheddin province north of Baghdad.

Militants then stormed the offices and a suicide bomber killed five employees inside Salaheddin TV, including a female anchor and the head of its news department, police said.

At least two attackers wore explosive vests.

Security forces arrived at the scene, fought the attackers and regained control of the building, police said.

Authorities imposed a curfew on Tikrit, and Salaheddin TV stopped broadcasting until further notice.

Political and sectarian violence has plagued Iraq throughout the year, with thousands of deaths reported. Tensions have pervaded the Sunni community, which has felt marginalized by the Shiite-dominated government.

Iraq's unrest reaches world of journalism

Journalists haven't been immune from the terror. Before the latest violence, Irina Bokova, director-general of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, denounced the killings of eight journalists in Iraq this year.

"Violence against media workers undermines the ability of journalists to carry out their work freely as well as the right of citizens to receive the independent information they need," Bokova said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, a watchdog group, said in a report this month that journalists have been subjected to threats and killings. The report focused on unrest in Mosul, the religiously and ethnically diverse city in Iraq's north.

"These killings are a significant deterioration from 2012, a landmark year in which no journalists were killed for their work in Iraq for the first time since the 2003 American invasion," the report said.

"That brief reprieve was part of a larger decrease in overall political violence, but that reprieve now seems to be over. And just as the underlying causes of political violence in Iraq were never resolved, neither have the underlying drivers of violence against journalists. There are simply too many triggermen ready to silence journalists, knowing full well that there is little that can stop them."

Other violence

Violence occurred in other regions of Iraq on Monday, police said.

At least six soldiers were killed when mortar rounds landed on a military base near Baghdad.

Four people died when gunmen attacked pet stores in southern Baghdad, and three people died when a bomb exploded in an outdoor market in the northwestern part of the Iraqi capital, police said.

Three people died in shootings in Mosul, and an attack on a bus in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, left three others dead, police said.

Wanted Fugitive Ahmad Abousamra Added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List

Vincent S. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division, announced today the addition of wanted fugitive Ahmad Abousamra to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List (MWTL). The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading directly to the capture and return of Abousamra to the United States.
With the inclusion of Ahmad Abousamra, there are currently 30 individuals on the FBI’s MWTL, which was created in October 2001 to highlight individuals indicted for various acts of terrorism against the United States. The list remains a worldwide tool that assists the FBI in its efforts to apprehend alleged terrorists and bring them to justice.
Ahmad Abousamra was indicted after taking multiple trips to Pakistan and Yemen, where he allegedly attempted to obtain military training for the purpose of killing American soldiers overseas. On November 5, 2009, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Abousamra in the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, after he was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists; conspiracy to kill in a foreign country; conspiracy; and false statements. Abousamra was indicted on a total of nine charges and should be considered armed and dangerous.
“The FBI’s top priority is to protect and defend the United States against terrorist threats, both foreign and domestic,” said SAC Lisi. “The Most Wanted Terrorists List is another example of the FBI continuing to pursue those individuals accused of criminal conduct. In this case, Ahmad Abousamra advocates violent extremism and boldly promotes violence against United States citizens and military personnel.”
SAC Lisi goes on to say, “We believe the international exposure the Most Wanted Terrorists List provides will assist the FBI in Abousamra’s apprehension and his return to the United States to face justice.”
The Boston Division first announced and publicized the $50,000 reward in October 2012. It is still believed Abousamra may be living in Aleppo, Syria, with extended family, his wife, and at least one child, a daughter.
Abousamra is of Syrian descent and has dual citizenship in the United States and Syria. He was born in France on September 19, 1981, and is currently 32 years old. He is 5’11” tall and, from the time that he fled, weighed approximately 170 pounds, had a slim build, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. He speaks, reads, and writes fluently in English and Arabic. He has a college degree related to computer technology and was previously employed at a telecommunications company. He has a number of known aliases, to include Ahmad Abou-Samra, Ahmad Abou, Ahmad Abou Samira, Ahmad Samra, Ahmad Abu Samra, and Ahmad Abou Samra.

Domestic Terrorism Suspect on FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List Featured as Part of Northern California Fugitive Awareness Initiative

The FBI continues to seek the public’s help for information leading to the arrest of fugitive Daniel Andreas San Diego.
Over the years, the FBI has received numerous tips allegedly placing him in Novato, California; San Rafael, California; Santa Cruz, California; and Northampton, Massachusetts. Aside from the northern California region, he has overseas ties to Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Costa Rica, and Bolivia. If overseas, he may possess documentation allowing him residency but may not be fluent in a foreign language.
On August 28, 2003, two bombs exploded approximately one hour apart on the campus of a biotechnology corporation in Emeryville, California. Then, on September 26, 2003, one bomb strapped with nails exploded at a nutritional products corporation in Pleasanton, California.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for San Diego in October 2003. In April 2009, he was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List, making him the first domestic terrorist placed on this list. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading directly to the arrest and prosecution of San Diego. The reward can be paid confidentially.
San Diego, who was a California resident, was described in October 2003 as a white male with a light complexion, 6’0” tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Rendering of San Diego if he were to have blonde hair	Rendering of San Diego if he were to have a goatee

Age-progression photo

San Diego has several tattoos, to include a round image of burning hillsides in the center of his chest with the words "It only takes a spark" printed in a semi-circle below; burning and collapsing buildings on the sides of his abdomen and back; and a single leafless tree rising from a road in the center of his lower back. These tattoos may have been removed, significantly altered, or covered with new tattoos. Because of the unique nature of the tattoos, San Diego may be reluctant to remove his shirt, even in situations where it is the norm.
Renderings of San Diego's tattoos:



At the time of his disappearance, San Diego ate neither meat nor any food containing animal products. The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) assessed if he has maintained this discipline, people around him may notice that he avoids consuming or wearing anything made with animal products.
Several years of living as a wanted fugitive may have forced San Diego to engage in secretive behavior. BAU believes this deception may affect other areas of his life, to include being vague or contradictory about his past history, routinely using prepaid cell phones or calling cards, or often changing his e-mail address.
Because of his training in computer networking, San Diego may be known by those around him as someone to offer computer-related assistance. He may also be using his English language abilities to be teaching, translating, or part of a service industry such as tourism overseas. He is also known to cook and bake vegan and vegetarian foods and to have an interest in sailing. He may be using these skills as a form of income, specifically for cash to avoid using banks, checks, and credit cards.
San Diego should be considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information about the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is urged to contact their nearest FBI office or dial 911. The FBI can be reached 24 hours a day at 415-553-7400 in the San Francisco area. All calls are confidential. Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov.
- FBI wanted poster for Daniel Andreas San Diego