"Foreign jihadis are the ones who are calling the shots. They are the ones who are behind the waves of suicide bombings, which have caused horrific civilian casualties.

VOA: standard.2009.12.23

Salem Aneizan, another Bedouin leader, said he had also heard the militants were training Jihadis in the North.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

His proposal to Mr Blair that European countries should share intelligence on jihadis who have attended training camps in Afghanistan and elsewhere was one he had long advocated.

ECONOMIST: A prime minister who is doing better than many had expected

Even Syria, which has long been accused of turning a blind eye to the infiltration of jihadis from its territory, has promised to seal its borders better, and perhaps even to expand the capacity of pipelines taking Iraqi oil to its Mediterranean ports.

ECONOMIST: Arab foreign policy