"There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW or P&O assets to support terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment of the potential merger. The breadth of the intelligence gaps also infer potential unknown threats against a large number of potential vulnerabilities."
Coast Guard Sounded Alarms Over Dubai Ports Deal At today's White House press briefing, Scott McClellan sought to assure the American public that the UAE's ties to terrorism had been addressed prior to the ports deal: (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060227-1.html) This was a transaction that was closely scrutinized by national security experts who are involved in these decisions and by our intelligence community. The intelligence community provided an assessment. The Department of Homeland Security also worked to make sure any national security concerns were addressed, by entering into an agreement with the company and requiring some additional security assurances before it moved forward. But this was a consensus of all the relevant departments and agencies there are some 12 altogether that are part of that Committee on Foreign Investment. But Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) today released an unclassified version of a document showing that the U.S. Coast Guard (http://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm) located in the Department of Homeland Security (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/comrel/factfile/index.htm) "cautioned the Bush administration that it was unable to determine whether a United Arab Emirates-owned company might support terrorist operations." From the document: (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/3688754.html) There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW or P&O assets to support terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment of the potential merger. The breadth of the intelligence gaps also infer potential unknown threats against a large number of potential vulnerabilities. The Bush administration's defense of the deal continues to unravel. (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PORTS_SECURITY?SITE=FLROC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT) UPDATE: Here is the Coast Guard memo. http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/terrorism/coastguardintelstmnt.html Photo: http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/02/collinscnn.jpg UPDATE: VIDEO Watch it: http://websrvr80il.audiovideoweb.com/il80web20037/ThinkProgress/2006/cnnportscoastguard.320.240.mov CNN: Now when this report part of the report was released, Chairwoman Susan Collins said she was very concerned about what it showed. Take a listen. COLLINS: On the face of it, these unclassified questions and the use of the word "intelligence gaps" that proclude an overall threat assessment of the potential merger and that it involves "potential unknown threats against a large number of potential vulnerabilities." That language is very troubling to me. -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/