Bruce Jacobs

Kyrgyz Former Neighbors Talk About Tsarnaevs, North Caucasus Ties

Following the death of one of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings and the capture of the other, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service visited the ethnic Chechen family's former hometown to unravel their peripatetic background.

U.K.: Banned Islamist Group Hizb ut-Tahrir Rejects Blair's 'Draconian Measures'

British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced tougher measures today --> /featuresarticle/2005/8/C791579D-4087-45F6-B097-E8CCCA7D398D.html to combat terrorism following the attacks in London in July. Blair specifically named the Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir as being among the groups whose activities would be banned under the new regulations. RFE/RL contacted Hizb ut-Tahrir's spokesman in London, Imran Waheed, to get his response to Blair's announcement.

Kazakhstan: Opposition Group Reappears Under New Name

The Kazakh opposition party Ak Zhol, or Bright Path, split earlier this year, divided over policy ahead of the presidential elections in 2006. Now, a splinter faction has returned to the political scene -- calling itself Naghyz Ak Zhol, or the True Bright Path. But how different is it from its predecessors?

2004 And Beyond: The Year’s Most Dramatic Stories -- In Quotes

Madrid train bombings, 11 March Dramatic and historic stories filled the news in 2004. The terrorist attacks in Madrid and Beslan, European Union expansion, the war in Iraq and the election fraud drama in Ukraine were just a few of the events that made headlines and caught listeners' ears.

Q&A With Anwar Ibrahim: 'Muslims Must Address Issues of Democracy, Poverty, Corruption'

Prague, 10 September 2004 -- The former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, is a free man after six years in prison on charges his supporters and many outside observers saw as politically motivated. His legal troubles began after the reform-minded leader clashed with then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. But Malaysia's highest court overturned the 57-year-old Anwar's conviction for sodomy last week. He is now awaiting a verdict by the same court that could overturn a corruption conviction and allow him to enter politics again. Time behind bars has not diminished Anwar's passion to see greater political reforms in his country and greater moderation in the Muslim world. Immediately after gaining his freedom earlier this month, Anwar went to Germany for surgery on a back injury he says was partly caused by a police beating. He took time out from his recovery to speak with RFE/RL correspondent Bruce Jacobs from a hospital in Munich.

9/11 Anniversary: A Day Filled With Unforgettable Events, Images (Part 1)

It has been three years since the Al-Qaeda terrorist network hijacked four passenger jets over America and used three of them to destroy New York's World Trade Center and smash into the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed after a passenger revolt foiled apparent plans to smash it into the White House or the Capitol. The 11 September 2001 attacks killed some 3,000 people from 80 countries and launched a war that continues today: the U.S.-led war on terror. That war has seen U.S.-led campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, unparalleled peacetime attention to national security in countries around the world and -- this year -- Al-Qaeda-linked attacks in places as diverse as Spain, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia. In the first part of a four-part series on how 9/11 and the war on terror have changed our lives, we recall the events of the day three years ago which so shook the world.

Saudi Arabia: Muslim Faithful Flock To Hajj, An Arduous Pilgrimage With Spiritual Rewards

Close to 2 million Muslim men and women from around the world are now taking part in the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which is a central element of their faith. One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj is a duty for every able Muslim, at least once in their lifetime. RFE/RL reports that the journey, which follows in the footsteps of Ibrahim and Muhammad, brings both spiritual rewards and physical challenges.

2003 & Beyond: The Sounds And Voices Of A Year Marked By War, Assassinations, And Nuclear Fears

U.S.: Controversial Ads Exploit Fear Of Terrorism

2002 In Review: A Year Marked By A New Currency, Old Tensions, And Expanded Alliances

U.S.: 11 September -- A Day Filled With Unforgettable Events, Images (Part 1)

NATO: U.S. Congressman Says Baltic States Unlikely To Receive Invitation In 2002

1999 In Review: Turkey's Tumultuous Year

Austria: Gains by Far Right May Change Political Landscape

Yugoslavia: Sarajevo's Transformation Yet To Become Model For Balkans