1.   And he was backing Islamic militants who had begun to challenge the governments in Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, the Philippines and elsewhere.

2.   Pakistan denies backing the militants but does support the goal of separating the Indian portion of mainly Muslim Kashmir from Hindu India.

3.   Pakistan denies Indian claims that it backs the militants.

4.   A day after his appointment, Putin is summoned to the Kremlin by President Boris Yeltsin for talks on beating back Islamic militants in southern Russia.

5.   A day after his appointment, Putin was summoned to the Kremlin by President Boris Yeltsin for talks Tuesday on beating back Islamic militants in southern Russia.

6.   But he has also courted controversy by publicly backing anti-Catholic militants, saying he was defending freedom of speech.

7.   Egypt accuses Sudan of backing Islamic militants fighting to topple the Egyptian government.

8.   Egypt has long accused its southern neighbor of backing militants who have fought a three-year campaign against the government.

9.   Egypt has repeatedly accused the Sudanese government of backing Islamic militants fighting a simmering insurgency in southern Egypt.

10.   Egypt has repeatedly accused the Sudanese government of backing Islamic militants fighting an insurgency in southern Egypt.