Texas A Russian Mi-8 military transport helicopter is shot down during the fighting near Shatoy, Chechnya by Chechen rebels, resulting in the death of at least 20 Russian soldiers. (Reuters via CNN) The U.S. Pentagon says that the CIA has arrested a senior al-Qaeda operative, Abdul Hadi al Iraqi, and transferred him to the Guantanamo Bay detention center. (BBC) Saudi Arabia arrests 172 terrorist suspects in a series of raids after uncovering a plot to carry out suicide air attacks on oil and military installations. $32.4m in cash was also uncovered, as were many weapons. (BBC) Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council and top Hamas official, declares in a sermon in Sudan his desire to kill all Jews and Americans "down to the very last one." (Jerusalem Post), (Memri TV) Celebrated cellist: Mstislav Rostropovich dies aged 80.