WASHINGTON - Even as the Obama administration says it's close to defeating al-Qaida, the size of the government's secret list of suspected terrorists who are banned from flying to or within the United States has more than doubled in the past year, The Associated Press has learned.

In the moral atlas of Cullen Murphy, the road to Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and the secret "black sites" of the war on terror begins in Montsegur, a fortress in the foothills of the Pyrenees. There, in 1244, a French army assembled at the behest of the Roman Catholic Church besieged several hundred Cathars. Their sect's heresy was dualism, a belief in both a beneficent God and an equivalent evil deity. Enticed into surrendering by the promise that their followers would be spared, the Cathars were burned alive on a pyre.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 25, 2012 - Mr. William Dokurno, NESA Center State Department Fellow, served as moderator of the first panel this afternoon of the Conference on the Proposed International Center of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE CoE) entitled "Lessons Learned and Good Practices in Curriculum Development and Training Methodologies." He introduced the role training methodologies in combating extremism.

The outcome of the uprising in Syria has the potential to revolutionize Israel's relations with her neighbors and turn the Middle East upside down for the better - if the current Syrian leader, Bashar Assad, survives. It would, however, require the type of foresight and deft diplomacy rarely seen anywhere these days, let alone in the Middle East.

The love affair between Twitter and the U.S. government is in danger of crashing as spectacularly as a celebrity relationship: with tears, disavowals, a chorus of - "I told you so"s, and, of course, lawsuits. Like the Demi Moore - Ashton Kutcher (both popular Twitterati) breakup, the reason is alleged infidelity. In Twitter's case it's worse than a claimed hot tub fling, however. The online micro-blogging tool is accused of consorting with U.S. enemies: terrorist groups.

The Soufan Group is pleased to announce that Martin Reardon has joined the strategic consultancy as a Vice-President. Mr. Reardon is a 21-year veteran of the FBI, and has extensive experience in the operational management and direction of complex counterterrorism and criminal investigations, both in the U.S. and internationally. Prior to joining the Soufan Group, Mr. Reardon served as Chief of the FBI's 24/7 Terrorist Screening Operations Center, where he oversaw the worldwide management of encounters with known and suspected terrorists.

All eyes will be on Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee, 45, as he spearheads a strategy to ensure the police connect closely with the community.

Ten years ago today the world learned that a major terrorist attack on Singapore had been thwarted. The anniversary of what would have been Southeast Asia's 9/11 is notable not only because of how Singapore foiled it, but also because of the lesson it taught neighboring countries.

Susan Sim's new book, "Making Singapore Safe," has now been released.

Speaking Ali Soufan, author, The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda, in re the fail of the CIA and FBI from the WTC 1993 onward, and especially af the Cole attack, October 2000. The warrants support the general finding of the 9/11 Commission that the failure to share specific logical information permitted the ops al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar to enter the US and prepare from July 2001.