Arab Spring Provided New Breeding Ground for British Terrorists – Spy Chief
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Arab Spring has spawned a new generation of British-born terrorists after al-Qaeda lured dozens of would-be bombers abroad to train for possible attacks on the UK, the head of MI5 warned.

Jonathan Evans said the terror network has taken advantage of the unstable region, in the wake of last year’s revolutions, to spread its influence and create new bases for attacks.

British would-be jihadis are known to be receiving training in the likes of Libya and Egypt, mirroring what has already happened in the Yemen and Somalia.

And they could return to attack the UK in what is a “new and worrying development”, he said.

Mr Evans, the Director General of MI5, warned of the emerging threats in a rare speech, his first in almost two years. » | Tom Whitehead, Security Editor | Tuesday, June 25, 2012

The Storm Clouds Are Gathering Over Egypt
THE INDEPENDENT: When mass protests toppled Hosni Mubarak in February last year, Cairo's Tahrir Square swiftly became the emblem of the hopes of the Arab Spring. Sixteen months on, however – with the constitution still not written and soldiers guarding the doors of the parliament – the outlook for the Egyptian revolution is far from certain.

There were always going to be hiccups. After six decades of military rule, three of them under Mr Mubarak, dismantling the old power structures – the so-called "deep state" – could hardly be expected to run entirely smoothly. But all the signs suggest that the ruling military council is tightening its grip on power just as the time to relinquish it is approaching.

It is true that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has restated its commitment to hand control to the new President at the end of this month as planned. But on Sunday night, a bare few hours after the polls closed, the council issued a constitutional declaration granting itself both sweeping legislative and budgetary oversight and also, crucially, the final say over who will draft the constitution that will set out the President's powers. » | Leading Article | Tuesday, June 19, 2012

THE INDEPENDENT: Mubarak's 300,000-strong army of thugs remains in business despite elections – The Long View: The military has played a shrewd game – insisting Mubarak go on trial while realigning supporters to preserve their privileges » | Roberts Fisk | Monday, June 18, 2012

UAE Turns to Deportation to Silence Regime's Critics
THE INDEPENDENT: Gulf state tries to send activist to remote Comoros Islands, then offers him Thailand

The United Arab Emirates is trying to deport an activist to a country he has never set foot in, with a human rights group accusing the oil-rich state of increasingly wielding its power to grant or deny citizenship as a tool to crush any Arab Spring-style uprising.

While revolts have gripped many countries in the Middle East, the Gulf states have largely managed to escape the protests as their people enjoy the rewards of oil wealth, with well-paid state employment and benefits.

Still, there have been some signs of dissent, but these were dealt with in a swift and quiet crackdown. Members of the "UAE 5" group spent eight months in jail last year after signing a petition with more than 100 academics and other activists calling for universal suffrage. Several non-governmental organisations were dismantled. Now it seems the UAE is employing another tool to deal with dissenters. Ahmed Abdul Khaleq, one of the UAE 5 who was again detained without charge two weeks ago, called his family yesterday to tell them he was being deported to Thailand. The activist and blogger was initially told he would be sent to the Comoros Islands, off the coast of Madagascar. » | Loveday Morris | Thursday, June 07, 2012

Middle East: Too Soon for Democracy?
BBC RADIO 4: Edward Stourton explores the prospects for post-revolution government, following the Arab Spring. Elections are being held, but can voters be sure autocratic rule is in the past? »
| Monday, May 28, 2012

Listen Now »