Well Aleekat - you win the prize. The socket connector at terminal 30 for the noise suppression relay showed minute signs of corrosion. The rubber boot around the socket connector terminal was split which probably enabled it.

Hard to believe this was the culprit causing all this angst. I used dental tools to clean up the connector and then push it over slightly at the seam to get a better grip on the pin on the relay. I also applied a light coating of silver conductive grease (MG Chemicals #8463-7G) on the ID of the socket connector and on the pin of the relay. After reassembly all the no-start symptoms vanished. I drove the car for about fifteen minutes with NO issue what so ever and also turned it on and of a few times - no symptoms. As far as I can tell, the car is fixed.

The moral of the story - just because you installed a new part doesn't mean you've eliminated the root cause of the problem.