21.   Armed Islamic militants battled Libyan security forces this week in a significant challenge to the government of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, Arab officials and foreign diplomats said Saturday.

22.   Arafat ordered a crackdown on Islamic militants after the suicide bombings last year, but according to Israel, many of those rounded up have been released.

23.   Arafat reiterated his view that he would not arrest Islamic militants wanted by Israel.

24.   Arlacchi described Russian authorities as extremely worried that profits generated by Afghan opium could be used by Islamic militants to destabilize Tajikistan and other neighbors in Central Asia.

25.   As always, the dispute centers on the Muslim-dominated northern Indian state of Kashmir, where Islamic militants have stepped up their attacks on civilians.

26.   Arafat has long sought to balance Israeli and US demands to crack down on Islamic militants with the tremendous unpopularity of such measures among his own people.

27.   As it acts against Islamic militants, the Palestinian police force is increasingly viewed in the refugee camps as an Israeli proxy.

28.   At least one analyst suggested that the killings possibly point to Pakistan losing whatever control it may have had over the Islamic militants in Kashmir.

29.   At least five Islamic militants have been arrested here in seven weeks.

30.   At the White House, spokesman Ari Fleischer repeated pleas for Arafat to crack down on Islamic militants.