[osint] India Launches a SAR Satellite Risat-1
http://defense-update.com/20120427_risat-1.html http://defense-update.com/20120427_risat-1.html News Desk http://defense-update.com/author/news-desk April 27, 2012 13:21 The Indian Space Research Organization launched yesterday the second radar imagery satellite, and the first indiginously built by the country's space research organization (ISRO). The satellite named Risat-1 successfully deployed into a polar orbit at an altitude of 480 km and orbital inclination 97.552 degrees. Risat-1 has an expected life span of five years. The satellite will provide high resolution radar images, obtained in day and night and also through clouds, enabling the country to continue monitoring areas of interest during the monsoon season. The satellite was launched at 5.47 a.m. on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C19 (PSLV-C19). At around 17 minutes into the flight, PSLV-C19 delivered Risat-1 into an intermediate polar orbit at an altitude of 480 km and an orbital inclination of 97.552 degrees. Over the weekend the satellite will be elevated to its final intended orbit at an altitude of 536 km. With Thursday's launch the PSLV rocket has launched successfully 53 satellites out of 54 it carried majorly remote sensing/earth observation satellites both Indian and foreign and has been a major revenue earner for ISRO. The ISRO-made Risat-1 is the heaviest luggage so far ferried by a PSLV since 1993. India currently has 11 remote sensing and earth observation satellites in orbit, providing imagery at different resolution levels, from 500 meters to about one meter resolution. These spacecraft include the TES, Resourcesat-1, Cartosat-1, 2, 2A and 2B, IMS-1, Oceansat-2, Resourcesat-2 and Megha-Tropiques. Risat-1 joins Risat-2 in orbit, an Israeli SAR satellite launched in 2009. Both satellites carry synthetic aperture radars (SAR). Risat-1 operates in C-band while Risat-2â²s SAR works in the X-band. http://defense-update.com/20120427_risat-1.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Yemen Crisis Situation Reports: Update 137
http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/yemen-crisis-situation-reports-upda\ te-137-april-26-2012 http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/yemen-crisis-situation-reports-upd\ ate-137-april-26-2012 By Sasha Gordon http://www.criticalthreats.org/users/sgordon April 26, 2012 The Yemeni army is attempting to regain control of Zinjibar, a southern city held since last May by Ansar al Sharia, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's (AQAP) insurgent arm. Government forces and tribesmen are fighting Ansar al Sharia militants, who have been trying to regain control of Lawder, a city to the northeast of Zinjibar that sits along a main road into al Bayda governorate. The Yemeni military pushed http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/04/24/yemeni-army-fights-to-center-al\ -qaida-held-city/ into Ansar al Sharia-controlled Zinjibar and secured several areas in the city center after a six-hour battle that killed 65 militants on April 24. The military hit http://www.almotamar.net/news/98859.htm the city with airstrikes http://www.almasdaronline.com/index.php?page=newsarticle-section=1new\ s_id=31243 and artillery on April 23 before sending http://www.elaph.com/Web/news/2012/4/731585.html?entry=homepagemainmidd\ le in army and security units supported http://www.almotamar.net/news/98828.htm by civilian fighters to clear the town. Yemeni military forces moved in from multiple fronts. The 119th Infantry Brigade, approaching from the southwest, was able to secure the outlying city of al Kod. The 25th Mechanized Brigade, stationed southeast of Zinjibar, cleared the southeastern approaches to the city. The 201st Mechanized Brigade approached from the north and cleared the surrounding areas. The 39th Armored Brigade entered the city center from the east, securing http://www.26sep.net/news_details.php?sid=81218 several buildings on the morning of April 24. Forces moved cautiously once inside the city to avoid mines laid by Ansar al Sharia. Yemeni troops then moved to clear http://www.26sep.net/news_details.php?sid=81218 government buildings. The 135th Infantry Brigade has been redeployed http://www.26sep.net/news_details.php?lng=arabicsid=81214 to reinforce the troops in Zinjibar. Ansar al Sharia denied http://www.adenlife.net/news/10109.htm that the army has made any gains, while military sources say the army is poised http://yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=3SubID=5217 to retake the entire city. Yemeni forces were able to take portions of Zinjibar in July http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/yemen-crisis-situation-reports-upd\ ate-43-july-26-2011 and September http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/yemen-crisis-situation-reports-upd\ ate-67-september-13-2011 of 2011, but were ultimately unsuccessful in liberating the regional capital. An airstrike killed Mohammed Said al Umdah, an AQAP military commander, in Ma'rib governorate. The strike hit his vehicle http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/white-house-appro\ ves-broader-yemen-drone-campaign/2012/04/25/gIQA82U6hT_story.html on April 22, killing http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i14OnppTcVCzoqzNKVDK\ jyV7KEFA?docId=CNG.a86eb6b2701ce148592ac01588b748be.171 him and at least two other militants. Umdah trained http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/white-house-appro\ ves-broader-yemen-drone-campaign/2012/04/25/gIQA82U6hT_story_1.html at al Farouq camp in Afghanistan before 2001. He was convicted in 2005 for supporting the 2002 bombing of the Limburg, a French oil tanker, and escaped prison in a February 2006 jailbreak, along with future AQAP leaders Nasser al Wahayshi and Qasim al Raymi. Violence continues in Lawder in northeast Abyan governorate as tribesmen and the 111th Infantry Brigade battle Ansar al Sharia militants. Thirteen militants were killed http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i14OnppTcVCzoqzNKVDK\ jyV7KEFA?docId=CNG.a86eb6b2701ce148592ac01588b748be.171 in an artillery barrage on Ansar al Sharia positions by government forces assisted http://26sep.net/news_details.php?sid=81179 by civilian groups of government supporters called Popular Resistance Committees on April 23. Tribesmen launched http://almasdaronline.com/index.php?page=newsarticle-section=1news_id\ =31281 two more attacks on Ansar al Sharia positions outside Lawder the following day. Ansar al Sharia has been active in Lawder district since last year, and fighting has intensified around the city since militants attacked a military outpost in the area on April 9, 2012. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** FAIR USE
[osint] LeT a dangerous group but not greater than Al Qaeda: US
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/113792/let-dangerous-group-not-great\ er.html http://www.deccanherald.com/content/113792/let-dangerous-group-not-grea\ ter.html LeT a dangerous group but not greater than Al Qaeda: US Washington, Nov 18 (PTI) Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a profound dangerous group but not greater than Al Qaeda, a top US official on counter-terrorism has said. Obviously, LeT is a profoundly dangerous group and its support that it derives from doing social services is like Hamas, is like Hezbollah, and is of course of great concern, Daniel Benjamin, State Department Coordinator for Counter Terrorism said. I don't think I ever said LeT was more dangerous than al Qaeda, but it is certainly a very, very dangerous group. That is why the work that we are doing with Pakistan, aside from the law enforcement cooperation -- and we have been very supportive of Pakistan's efforts to bring Mumbai perpetrators to justice, Benjamin told reporters in response to a question He argued that it was critically important that Pakistan continue to develop its institutions and develop the ability to provide the services to its people so that other organizations with a radical agenda were not in there subverting the state. The official said that Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill was important... and of course, in the aftermath of devastating floods, it was all the more important to ensure that Pakistani people have the basic resources they need to get on with their lives, and it was not being delivered to them with an extremist message. There's been an enormous amount of money pledged, I believe something along the lines of USD 14 billion. It's being disbursed. I think this is a good-news story in the face of enormous suffering. But as your question suggests, over the long term the key is a strong state that can provide the needs for its people, he said. The State Department official said the US was delighted that many in the region were very concerned about the LeT threat and cooperating much more effectively. I mentioned Bangladesh and India, which have had a real breakthrough in this area in terms of their coordination. We are working closely with all the partners, he said, adding this kind of cooperation was sensitive. He assured that the partners were working hard to ensure that there was no future attacks. Obviously, we know how difficult this business is and how hard it is to achieve perfect success. This is very much on our screen right now and very much a matter of concern. We don't want to see LeT filling that hole in the global extremism as al Qaeda itself is diminished, Benjamin said. As the two-year anniversary of Mumbai approaches, we continue to work very closely with our interagency partners and international allies to reduce the threat from this very dangerous group. There is growing cooperation in the region to thwart LeT, especially between such critical partners as India and Bangladesh, he said. Benjamin said that very few things worry him as much as the strength and ambition of LeT, which is a truly malign presence in South Asia. The counterterrorism expert also noted that Pakistan needed to build up stronger governance institutions to prevent groups like Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which is linked to LeT, to fill a void during humanitarian crises like the recent floods. Noting that Pakistan was a frontline state, he said, Pakistan has helped the US put out of business in one way or the other more al Qaeda operatives than any other country on earth by a large margin. Pakistan has suffered grievously from militancy and I believe that Pakistan's leadership understands very well the nature of threat and the imperative to combat it and I can assure you that my view on this is the same as the President and the Secretary of State, Benjamin told reporters. Benjamin, however, noted that probably the most worrisome threat at this time came from Al Qaeda senior leadership and Al-Qaeda affiliates in Yemen following the episode of the two bombs mailed from the country to the US. Al Qaeda and its affiliates, he said, had US and Europe squarely in their sights. AQAP (Al
[osint] Pheu Thai MP surrenders on terrorism charges
ttp://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Pheu-Thai-MP-surrenders-on-terrorism\ -charges-30142581.html http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Pheu-Thai-MP-surrenders-on-terrori\ sm-charges-30142581.html Pheu Thai MP surrenders on terrorism charges Pheu Thai MP Vichian Khaokham on Thursday surrendered himself to acknowlege his charges related to terrorism triggered by the red-shirt rally from April to May. After reporting to the Department of Special Investigation, Vichian claimed parliamentary immunity to secure his temporary release. He cited his hernia surgery as reason to postpone his surrender for more than three months. DSI director general Tharit Pengdit said after notifying charges, the next step involving Vichian was to forward the investigative report for prosecution review. The Nation [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Interview with Jonathan Rose: Audit the Federal Reserve and Gold ETFs
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/83516/20101118/interview-with-jonathan-r\ ose-federal-reserve-audit-and-gold-etf-audit.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/83516/20101118/interview-with-jonathan-\ rose-federal-reserve-audit-and-gold-etf-audit.htm Interview with Jonathan Rose: Audit the Federal Reserve and Gold ETFs By Mark Hoffman | November 18, 2010 1:23 PM EST In the following interview of IBTimes with Jonathan Rose, President and CEO of Capital Gold http://www.ibtimes.com/topics/detail/240/gold/ Group, he talks about the recent cool down of the gold price, the impact of the non-results of the G-20 summit, the different mentality of investors in the U.S. and Britain regarding gold, and several other topics. IBTimes: Let us start with a comment on the sudden slump of gold prices right after the G-20 summit. Jonathan Rose: I think it will be another one of those short lived corrections, as so much demand is coming in with each move down in prices. Many people are now scared about a potential dollar collapse, and they see themselves in a very dangerous situation. That's why you see now even sophisticated daytraders or hedgefund managers, not just the general population, looking for the next big move. So I think whenever some profit-taking is going on, people come back to the table to take out bigger positions in gold. IBTimes: What do you say about Robert Zoellick's proposal for a quasi gold standard to avert an escalating Currency War? Jonathan Rose: The World Bank chief Robert Zoellick said to consider gold as an international reference point of market expectiations about inflation, deflation and future currency values, and I actually agree with him. And when people hear about it, having such a high profile figure as Zoellick saying gold should be included as a kind of hedge or reserve currency, ideally that's what other countries are on board with too. The ongoing Currency Wars, where China http://www.ibtimes.com/topics/detail/227/china/ tries to keep the value of the yuan low to achieve higher exports, and other countries are unable to agree on a solution, add to all the other economic problems we [the U.S.] have. With banks collapsing and problems further down the road, that are actually not that far in the future, such as Social Security and MediCare, it's a melting pot of problems that need to be addressed. And unfortunately the Currency or rather Trade War right now is one of them. But besides that we have other problems at hand. And the $600 billion QE2 package that was initiated just now, will it really fix everything? Or is it rather a band-aid, as they are already talking about a QE3. IBTimes: Regarding the QE2 program, some people said that it would't have any impact on inflation as it is simply too small, and also most of it would go to emerging markets or stay on the bank balance sheets. The bigger problem seems to be, that this band-aid will just delay any real solutions, and thus let the problems in the financial system grow even bigger. Jonathan Rose: Some people are maybe pro the QE2, saying yes, we really need this money to survive. But they have to realize that there were already $780 billion spent in stimulus money. And what about the $709 billion the U.S. spent on the Iraq http://www.ibtimes.com/topics/detail/246/iraq/ War, and all the other hundreds of billions dollars that G. W. Bush spent during his administration. At some point, although yes, we have to spend money, there needs to be results! If results are not to be seen soon, we can come into a situation like Greece. Debt does matter, and you cannot just keep spending out of debt. So this [crisis] was already ten years in the making, and reversing it will likewise not happen overnight. So this mess could go on for another ten years, and depending on the outcome it will be our grand-children paying for this in terms of higher taxes and less entitlements. IBTimes: How are the imbalances in the world economy, which were a big topic at the G-20 summit last week, but are still unsolved, affecting gold? Jonathan Rose: A big part of the reason that the U.S. is stagnating is the gigantic $250 billion trade imbalance with China http://www.ibtimes.com/topics/detail/227/china/ per year! This is the kind of bigger picture that people need to focus on. This
[osint] Air Force Warns Against Location Based Sites
http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/mobile/showArticle.jhtml?\ articleID=228300144subSection=News http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/mobile/showArticle.jhtml\ ?articleID=228300144subSection=News Air Force Warns Against Location Based Sites Military says careless use could disclose service members' position to enemy, compromising safety and operations. By Alison Diana http://www.informationweek.com/authors/showAuthor.jhtml;jsessionid=3N3Q\ DN2U1P4XJQE1GHPSKH4ATMY32JVN?authorID=6043 , InformationWeek http://www.informationweek.com/;jsessionid=3N3QDN2U1P4XJQE1GHPSKH4ATMY3\ 2JVN November 18, 2010 12:15 PM The U.S. Air Force is warning servicemen and women that popular geolocation services such as Facebook Places, Foursquare, Gowalla, and Loopt could inadvertently reveal their position to the enemy. More Government Insights Mitch Wagner gives us a first look at Firefox 3.5, inlcuding some of its new user interface features, privacy mode, its geolocation capability, and its new embedded video and audio functionality using HTML 5. Where the armed forces once cautioned civilians and enlistees that loose lips sink ships, today's warning extends beyond the danger of a conversation overhead in a cafe or on the street. In an admonition posted on its internal website earlier this month, the Air Force said careless use of these services by airmen can have devastating operations security and privacy implications, according to the Associated Press. In addition, the Air Force http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/security/showArticle.jht\ ml?articleID=22695 sent this message to senior commanders and asked them to spread the word out to their forces, the AP said. Discover an affordable source of continuing cost savings and operational improvements Geolocation sites can identify a user's position on a map. Military officials are concerned that the enemy could use location-based http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/web_services/showArticle.j\ html?articleID=228200660 sites' features to track troop members who have smartphones and use those networking services to attack or avoid offensive maneuvers. Facing the same dangers, next week the U.S. Army http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/mobile/showArticle.jhtml\ ?articleID=227900501 plans to send a similar message to key personnel about these location-based sites, according to the AP. Today, the U.S. military has about 95,000 troops in Afghanistan and approximately 50,000 in Iraq, reports said. Although Facebook users must check in to a location or visit the mobile Facebook site to check in, the Air Force is worried that careless service use by troops could lead to inadvertent disclosure of military members' positions. In February, the Department of Defense http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/security/showArticle.jht\ ml?articleID=228200954 released a policy memorandum http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13338 regarding the safe and effective use of Internet-based capabilities, including social networking services and other interactive web 2.0 applications. Commanders at all levels and heads of DoD components will continue to defend against malicious activity on military information networks, deny access to prohibited content sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, hate-crime related activities), and take immediate and commensurate actions, as required, to safeguard missions (e.g., temporarily limiting access to the Internet to preserve operations security or to address bandwidth constraints), the DoD said. The Pentagon has long been attempting to juggle freedom of information, freedom of speech, and protecting the nation's troops and politicians. In February 2009, Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) tweeted about what was supposed to have been a congressional delegation trip to Iraq. Just landed in Baghdad. I believe it may be first time I've had bb service in Iraq. 11th trip here, he posted. Hoekstra continued to keep constituents at home apprised of his movements around Iraq, prompting the Pentagon to reevaluate its policies. Unified communications isn't just for the big guys; it can be extremely useful for smaller companies looking to streamline operations and improve productivity. Read our report and find out more. Download it here
[osint] Scotland - Counter-terrorism probe after blast
http://news.scotsman.com/latest-national-news/Counterterrorism-probe-aft\ er-blast.6631554.jp http://news.scotsman.com/latest-national-news/Counterterrorism-probe-af\ ter-blast.6631554.jp Counter-terrorism probe after blast Police stand at the entrance to the Ross Priory at in the Garadhban forest in Gartocharn near Loch Lomond [Click on thumbnail to view image] Published Date: 18 November 2010 An explosion in a remote forest area is being investigated by counter-terrorism officers in Scotland. A member of the public reported the explosion in the Garadhban forest in Gartocharn near Loch Lomond. Police said there was damage to trees and that they suspected explosives had been involved. UK-wide agencies are helping police assess the scene. The Northern Diving Group - the Royal Navy's equivalent of the bomb disposal squad - was at the scene today. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it had been asked for assistance by Strathclyde Police. No one was injured and the public was not at risk, the force said. A source close to the investigation said counter-terrorism officers were at the scene. Chief Superintendent Calum Murray, Divisional Commander for Argyll, Bute and West Dunbartonshire, said: As you would expect, when we are dealing with a situation where we suspect that explosives may be involved, it is our immediate priority to assess the situation and to call on expertise where we think it is appropriate. By its very nature, this type of assessment and investigation is complex and does take time. I can confirm that we are currently being assisted by agencies from across the UK. I would stress that the site is secure and that there is no risk to public safety. I would ask that if anyone has seen anything suspicious in or around the area, or has any information - no matter how insignificant it may seem - that they contact the Police or Crimestoppers. All calls will, of course, be treated in the strictest of confidence. As I am sure you can understand, this is an ongoing investigation that is going to take some time to complete. We will release more information as that investigation progresses. Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2010, All Rights Reserved. * Last Updated: 18 November 2010 6:58 PM * Source: Press Association * Location: The Press Association Newsdesk http://news.scotsman.com/latest-national-news/Counterterrorism-probe-af\ ter-blast.6631554.jp [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] China's New Drones Raises Eyebrows
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870337430457562235060450055\ 6.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487033743045756223506045005\ 56.html * ASIA NEWS * NOVEMBER 18, 2010, 1:54 P.M. ET China's New Drones Raises EyebrowsBy JEREMY PAGE http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=JEREMY+PAGEbylinesearc\ h=true ZHUHAI, ChinaChina is ramping up production of unmanned aerial vehicles in an apparent bid to catch up with the U.S. and Israel in developing technology that is considered the future of military aviation. [[crt_airshow]] The Wall Street Journal A drone with missiles, CIA-style. Western defense officials and experts were surprised to see more than 25 different Chinese models of the unmanned aircraft, known as UAVs, on display at this week's Zhuhai air show in this southern Chinese city. It was a record number for a country that only unveiled its first concept UAVs at the same air show four years ago, and put a handful on display at the last one in 2008. The apparent progress in UAVs is a stark sign of China's ambition to upgrade its massive military as its global political and economic clout grows. The U.S. and Israel are the currently the world leaders in developing such pilotless drones, which have played a major role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and which analysts say could one day replace the fighter jet. This year's models in Zhuhai included several designed to fire missiles, and one powered by a jet engine, meaning it couldin theoryfly faster than the propeller-powered Predator and Reaper drones that the U.S. has used in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Exhibitors did not give precise details of which Chinese drones were fully operational, although one confirmed that the People's Liberation Army, or PLA, had deployed at least two propeller-powered reconnaissance UAVs, which featured in last year's 60th National Day parade. But the large number of UAVs on display illustrates clearly that China is investing considerable time and money in development of drone technology, and is actively promoting its products on the international market. That has implications for China's external and domestic security, as well as for many other countries, including Iran, that have sought in vain to acquire drones either for military purposes or for police surveillance and antiterrorist operations. It is of particular concern to the U.S. and Israel, whose drones are unrivalled in the world today, and could worry China's neighbors, many of which have territorial disputes with China in the East and South China Seas. China's apparent progress is likely to spur other countries, especially India and Japan, to accelerate their own UAV development or acquisition programs. U.S. anxiety about China's UAVs were highlighted in a report released Wednesday by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which was formed by Congress in 2000 to assess the national security implications of trade and economic relations with China. The PLA Air Force has deployed several types of unmanned aerial vehicles for both reconnaissance and combat purposes, the report said. In addition, China is developing a variety of medium- and high-altitude long-endurance unmanned vehicles, which when deployed, will expand the PLA Air Force's 'options for long-range reconnaissance and strike,' it said, citing an earlier Pentagon report. Military and aviation experts say China's drones are still probably several years behind U.S. and Israeli models, noting that many countries have tried and failed to develop their own UAVs. But they also said that China was catching up fast in other areas of civil and military aviation technology, thanks in large part to technology transferred by foreign aerospace companies in Chinese joint ventures. They suggested, too, that China had been helped by Israel, which sold China antiradar drones in the 1990sto the fury of the Pentagon, which has since blocked the Israelis from providing upgrades. The Chinese drone of greatest potential concern to the U.S. is the one with several missiles and a jet engine called the WJ600 which was displayed by the China Aerospace Science Industry Corp., or Casic, one of
[osint] Afghanistan troop exit hot button at Lisbon summit
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/892937--afghanistan-troop-exit-h\ ot-button-at-lisbon-summit http://www.thestar.com/business/article/892937--afghanistan-troop-exit-\ hot-button-at-lisbon-summit Afghanistan troop exit hot button at Lisbon summit Robert Burns and Slobodan Lekic The Associated Press LISBON, PORTUGALNATO is expected to set itself a 2014 target for handing over security to Afghans at a summit that starts here Friday, as the alliance's appetite for the conflict dwindles after nine years of fighting, growing European war angst, and renewed criticism by Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The allies appear to agree that the target year is realistic, but that hardly means the war is ending. The U.S. in particular is wary of giving the impression that the original aim of invading Afghanistan in 2001 to deny Al Qaeda a base from which to launch more terrorist attacks on the West will be achieved by then. Prime Minister David Cameron insisted Thursday that British troops will quit their combat role in Afghanistan by 2015, whatever the security conditions or progress made in tackling insurgents. Cameron said there wasn't time for a great strategic rethink. NATO plans to pledge an enduring partnership with Afghanistan at the two day summit in Lisbon, while admitting past mistakes. I think that, seen retrospectively, we underestimated the challenge and our operation in Afghanistan didn't have sufficient resources, and yes, that was a mistake, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Portugal's Renascenca in comments broadcast Thursday as leaders of the 28 Nato member nations headed to Lisbon. He added: We're on the right track now and that's why I'm very optimistic about our Afghanistan operation and we'll make a positive announcement in Lisbon that the handover is about to begin. The escalating war has given the alliance its biggest challenge since it was formed 61 years ago. But victory is far from assured, and a hasty pullout would seriously undermine confidence in the alliance on both sides of the Atlantic. Already, some key allies worry publicly that military force is not the best way to put Afghanistan on a track to stability. France's new defence minister, Alain Juppe, told a radio interviewer Wednesday that Afghanistan is a trap for allied troops. He added, however, that French forces will not withdraw fully until Afghan authorities have the situation in hand. Some analysts see a grimmer scenario. Success in Afghanistan is almost impossible, said Shmuel Bar, a director at the Institute of Policy and Strategy in Herzliya, Israel. If NATO is making its future contingent on victory in Afghanistan, they are not living in the real world. All they can expect to achieve are some limited aims, such as preventing the war from spilling over into Pakistan. Karzai is scheduled to address Saturday's session. He caused an international stir by demanding in a Washington Post interview last weekend that NATO reduce its military operations and stop what the military believes is a highly successful tactic night raids conducted jointly with Afghan troops against suspected Taliban leaders. NATO's senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill, said Karzai's comments were unproductive. We have different perspectives that's natural, Sedwill said. It is much better if we work those different perspectives out in private. The Lisbon meeting unfolds against the backdrop of President Barack Obama's internal review of the war strategy he announced in December 2009, which included sending 30,000 extra U.S. troops to Afghanistan to regain momentum from the Taliban. Obama is expected to finish his review by year's end and face a new Congress in January that may scrutinize his war strategy more closely following the Democrats' loss of the House and setbacks in the Senate. The NATO leaders are expected to endorse Karzai's proposal that Afghanistan take lead responsibility for security and for the development of its government institutions and economic development by the end of 2014. This process would begin in the first half of next year with an unspecified but small number of areas transferred to Afghan control. The plan would allow NATO members to
[osint] War crimes probes for Nigeria, Honduras
http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/war-crimes-probes-nigeria-honduras-3903309 http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/war-crimes-probes-nigeria-honduras-3903309\ War crimes probes for Nigeria, Honduras Published: 6:47AM Friday November 19, 2010 Source: Reuters The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor has started preliminary investigations in Nigeria and Honduras, he said, signs that the global war crimes court is widening the scope of its probes. Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told reporters in his office in The Hague that the ICC had started inquiries into events surrounding last year's coup in Honduras when the military ousted President Manuel Zelaya. He declined to give further details about the Nigerian case. The ICC is so far formally investigating five situations, all of which are in Africa: the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda. Honduras and Nigeria join a list of other countries where it is conducting preliminary examinations to determine whether it has the jurisdiction to open formal investigations. The list also includes Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and the Palestinian territories. http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/war-crimes-probes-nigeria-honduras-3903309\ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Allies say they're gaining ground in Afghanistan
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/afghanistan/2010-11-18-afghanistan-co\ alition-progress_N.htm http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/afghanistan/2010-11-18-afghanistan-c\ oalition-progress_N.htm Allies say they're gaining ground in Afghanistan By Virginia Mayo, AP A man walks by a logo printed on a wall inside the NATO summit venue in Lisbon on Thursday. Heads of State of NATO member countries gather for a two-day summit beginning on Friday, and will discuss such topics as Afghanistan and missile defense. By Jim Michaels http://content.usatoday.com/topics/reporter/Jim+Michaels , USA TODAY Coalition forces have increased the pace of military operations in Afghanistan http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Countries/Af\ ghanistanto record levels. Commanders say they are achieving successes against the Taliban http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Military+and+Par\ amilitary/Talibanas President Obama leaves for a NATO summit to discuss with allies when Afghans can handle their own security. Coalition forces dropped a record 1,000 bombs and other munitions in October, up from 660 a year earlier, according to coalition statistics. The number of Special Forces-led raids against insurgent leaders has increased sixfold over last year. We've had some significant successes in the last six weeks, said Canadian air force Lt. Col. Alex Day, deputy chief of the coalition's air operations control center. We're going to press home the advantage. The intensified activity comes just before the traditional lull in winter operations and months before the scheduled start of U.S. troop withdrawals in the summer. The winter months are historically quiet periods when insurgents retreat to sanctuaries in Pakistan http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Countries/Pa\ kistanto rest and train. Hopefully it will deal a major blow to the Taliban before they can cross back to their sanctuaries in Pakistan, said Jim Phillips, a senior research fellow at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Non-profits,+Act\ ivist+Groups/Heritage+Foundation . The number of coalition forces, which includes about 100,000 U.S. troops, is at its peak, and the White House said it will begin withdrawing forces next July. The pace of that reduction will depend on security conditions, it has said. One focus of the NATO summit is a U.S. plan to complete the transition of security to Afghan forces by the end of 2014. It's a process that begins in early 2011 with the target of completion at the end of 2014, said Lt. Gen. Doug Lute, a special assistant to the president for Afghanistan and Iraq. Sen. John McCain http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Politicians,+Government\ +Officials,+Strategists/U.S.+Senators/John+McCain , who has been critical of the July date to begin withdrawing U.S. forces, welcomes the shift in focus to 2014 because it emphasizes how long U.S. forces will be there. I think it's a significant shift in recognition of reality and conditions on the ground, McCain said. It's also a recognition that the July 2011 date was an invitation to failure. The coalition command has said it plans to press the attack against insurgents during the winter, but that will be difficult if militants leave the battlefield. They will retreat back to their safe havens to wait out the winter months, Day said. We'll try and keep the pressure on as much as possible. The impact on the Taliban may not become clear until the snows melt in the spring. We'll know more about their strength when the fighting resumes, McCain said. The heart of the coalition's counterinsurgency strategy as laid out by Gen. David Petraeus http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Military/David+Petraeus\ is to protect civilians by neutralizing the Taliban and build the legitimacy of the Afghan government. Military operations are necessary to weaken the leadership and organization of insurgent groups, the Pentagon says. Convincing the public that the Taliban is losing helps win over the population, military analysts say. Historically, Afghans tend to defect to the winning side, Phillips said. The coalition has stepped up raids
[osint] Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria have worst terrorist threat level
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15695288PageNum=0 http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15695288PageNum=0 Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria have worst terrorist threat level 18.11.2010, 20.47 PYATIGORSK, November 18 (Itar-Tass) -- The highest level of the terrorist threat in the North Caucasus is in the republics of Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria, Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said at field meeting in Pyatigorsk on Thursday. The crime situation in several regions of the North Caucasus Federal District, despite the measures being taken, remains complex and cannot but cause sound alarm, the minister said. The increased level of the terrorist threat today is observed in two territories of the NCFD - Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan. For example, in Dagestan in the current year the manifestations of terrorism showed a 40-percent increase. Shootouts have grown 20 percent and bomb attacks almost doubled. Despite the overall decline in common crimes there has been observed a sharp increase in homicides, intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, and disorderly conduct, and the number of thefts of motor vehicles nearly doubled, Nurgaliyev said. In Kabardino-Balkaria militant gangs operating underground have grown far more active. We should study the no easy situation once again. Terrorist crimes have grown five times and more, he said. According to the Russian interior minister, Kabardino-Balkaria this year saw six time more fire attacks than in the same period of last year and nearly five times more explosions. The leaders of bandit groups are increasingly focused on the incitement of interethnic conflicts and on the creation of hotbeds of tension, Nurgaliyev said. Terrorist attacks in the republic had provoked greater tensions among the Balkars with the aim to destabilize inter-ethnic relations. Hit-and-run raids by militants in the North Caucasus pursue the purpose of undermining the current government. The bandits wish to draw the maximum attention to their actions, said the interior minister. Against the background of positive results of efforts by the law enforcers for eliminating underground militants - and here I would single out the Chechen Republic - the leaders of extremist organizations rely on one-time large-scale terrorist acts, including the use of suicide bombers, Nurgaliyev said. http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15695288PageNum=0 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Canada Extends Mission in Afghanistan
http://www.truth-out.org/canada-extends-mission-afghanistan65251 http://www.truth-out.org/canada-extends-mission-afghanistan65251 Canada Extends Mission in Afghanistan Thursday 18 November 2010 by: Sandro Contenta | http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/afghanistan/101117/afghanistan-war-c\ anada-combat-mission-military Toronto, Canada - The Canadian government has backed away from a decision to pull troops out of Afghanistan next year. Few are surprised, and many are outraged. For months, U.S. officials applied discreet pressure on the Canadian government to keep troops in Afghanistan past 2011 a deadline set two years ago by a parliamentary vote. Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper made clear he would bow to the pressure, despite polls indicating a majority of Canadians want their 2,500 soldiers back home. Canadian troops have been fighting in Afghanistan since the start of the war, mostly in volatile Kandahar province. So far, 152 have been killed and more than 1,500 have been wounded. Details of the new plan are expected to be formally announced at the summit of NATO heads of state in Lisbon on Friday and Saturday. But Harper's officials have already made the gist clear. Up to 1,000 Canadian soldiers are expected to remain for a non-combat mission training Afghan National Army recruits. They'll be there until 2014 the year the United States reportedly plans to end its own combat mission http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/world/asia/15prexy.html?_r=1hpw . The American timetable indicates how difficult it would have been for the Canadian government to pull out its troops. U.S. President Barack Obama has made Afghanistan his war. He plans to start handing over security duties to the Afghan army during the next 18 to 24 months at about the time he'll be facing re-election. A well-trained Afghan army is crucial to persuading American voters that his plan to end the combat mission is realistic. Still, Harper faces a tough sell. On Monday, opposition members of Parliament threw his own words back at him, noting that in a January interview with the National Post, the prime minister stressed there would be no Canadian military presence in Afghanistan after 2011. We will not be undertaking any activities that require any kind of military presence, other than the odd guard guarding an embassy . So, it will become a strictly civilian mission, Harper said at the time. Harper is also under fire for insisting that the change of plan does not require parliamentary approval. That's only necessary for combat missions, he said. Fight the lies and misinformation; support truth! Please make a tax-deductible donation to Truthout today and keep real independent journalism strong. http://www.truth-out.org/act-now-join-truthout-movement When we're talking simply about technical or training missions, I think that is something the executive can do on its own, he told reporters last week, referring to the prime minister and his cabinet. Jack Layton, leader of the socialist New Democratic Party, has warned Canadians that Harper is trying to pull the wool over their eyes. He noted that Harper's Conservative party came to power in 2006 partly on a promise to put any military deployment to a vote of Parliament. Canada's Afghan mission was extended twice after such votes, in 2006 and 2008. Assuring that Harper's training plan will go ahead without a parliamentary vote is Michael Ignatieff, leader of the main opposition Liberal party, who has accepted Harper's argument. Harper's cabinet ministers are hinting that a non-combat role will result in fewer casualties. But government statistics note that more than 900 of the 1,500 wounded Canadians in Afghanistan were injured while not taking part in combat. Many were hit by bombs hidden on public roads, the same roads Canadian soldiers will use when training and accompanying Afghan soldiers on patrols. What also disturbs Canadians is growing evidence of shoddy treatment once wounded soldiers return home http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/woundedwarriors . Canada hasn't seen so many injured soldiers return since the Korean War. And rehab programs are
[osint] German Alert Followed Namibian Airport Scare
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/world/asia/19Germany.html?ref=world http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/world/asia/19Germany.html?ref=world German Alert Followed Namibian Airport Scare By MICHAEL SLACKMAN http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/michael_sl\ ackman/index.html?inline=nyt-per and ERIC SCHMITT http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/eric_schmi\ tt/index.html?inline=nyt-perPublished: November 18, 2010 Namibian authorities halted and searched a flight bound for Munich on Wednesday morning after luggage screeners found an untagged laptop bag containing batteries wired to a fuse and clock, a discovery made just hours before Germany http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritorie\ s/germany/index.html?inline=nyt-geoissued a rare security alert. Michaela Rehle/Reuters Passengers passed through security at Munich's airport on Thursday. On Thursday, Air Berlin said no explosives were found in the bag. A statement by the Namibia http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritorie\ s/namibia/index.html?inline=nyt-geoAirports Company said that a suspicious parcel had been found in a luggage screening area in the airport at Windhoek, Namibia's capital, at 8:50 a.m. local time Wednesday, and that as a result Air Berlin Flight 7377 was delayed and its 296 passengers and 10 crew members sent back to the terminal and asked to identify their luggage. The flight took off in mid-afternoon, but its cargo was kept for further examination, the statement said. The plane arrived in Munich early Thursday. The German Federal Criminal Police said in a statement on Thursday that a scan of the suspicious bag had revealed batteries that were connected by cable to a detonator and a running clock. A Namibian official, Lt. Gen. Sebastian Ndeitunga, told the Namibian Broadcasting Company that the laptop bag had been wrapped in plastic and was uncovered in a routine check. We are still investigating how it landed there and went through, he said. In a hastily called news conference in Berlin about four hours after the package was discovered, the German interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, announced that said the government had concrete indications of a series of attacks planned for the end of November and dispatched heavily armed police officers and bomb-sniffing dogs to train stations, airports and key landmarks. His declaration and the decision to put on a show of force on the streets represented a significant shift in Germany's counterterror strategy. Even as Britain and France went on high alert as intelligence reports of potential plots against Europe mounted and two powerful bombs hidden in air cargo shipped from Yemen were intercepted, security officials in Germany had maintained that the country's threat from terrorism was general and abstract. It holds that major warnings alarm the public while doing little to protect it in itself a sort of victory for terrorists. Mr. de Maizière did not mention the alert in Namibia a former German colony or specify the exact nature of the new information, saying only that it had emerged after the interception of the Yemen bombs, one of which had passed through a German airport. A German intelligence official said the shift was likely not so much a result of a single tip than of the buildup of reports that indicated German targets were at risk and of increased concerns about cargo security, underscored by the discovery of a small package bomb in the mail of Chancellor Angela Merkel http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/angela_mer\ kel/index.html?inline=nyt-per that had been sent from Greece. The official, speaking anonymously on security matters, said reports had been streaming in for months that teams might be heading to Germany for a Mumbai-style attack or other terrorism strikes, though without the specificity of the Saudi tip that pointed to the Yemen bombs. The situation has developed over the past weeks and months, the official said. There were new messages almost every day. The number of messages increased and concentrated on Germany. Pakistani and American officials offered dovetailing
[osint] New study delves inside a suicide bomber's mind
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11770842 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11770842 17 November 2010 Last updated at 16:51 GMT New study delves inside a suicide bomber's mind By Dave Lee BBC Science Unit Researchers say this study gives clues to how suicide attacks could be averted at the last minute Suicide bombings have become the defining act of political violence of our time. From Afghanistan to Madrid, London to Sri Lanka, they are an all pervasive presence in our political landscape and a crucial tactic employed in modern day terrorism. As the inquest into the 7/7 London bombings tries to piece together the events of that day, little research has ever been done on the minds of suicide bombers themselves. Trying to discover exactly why a suicide bomber would kill themselves to further an apparent cause is, for obvious reasons, an impossible task. But one study from Tel Aviv University http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09546550903409312 has endeavoured to find out if suicide bombers shared any noticeable personality traits or characteristics - by interviewing and analysing would-be suicide bombers. These were men who had attempted to carry out a suicide attack but had failed for a variety of reasons, including technical defects (the bomb did not go off) or capture (either on the way to the target or earlier). Some of our suicide bombers actually got to their target and pressed the switch They discovered a pattern of being unable to handle stressful situations, an inability to see the bigger picture and a tendency to be intimidated by people in positions of authority. Meanwhile, the organisers - responsible for commanding and co-ordinating suicide bombings - had bigger egos, were better equipped mentally to handle stress and, for the most part, were unwilling to consider a suicide attack themselves. Intimate access Retired professor and world-renowned terrorism expert Ariel Merari had access to 15 would-be suicide bombers being held in jail for attempted attacks relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Five of the group were sent by Hamas, five by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and five from Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. In addition to this, Professor Merari and his team interviewed the organisers of suicide attacks - all from the same groups. Alongside the organisers and failed bombers were a control group - 12 men who had been tried and jailed for various political violence activities from stone-throwing to armed assaults. The first challenge for Professor Merari's team was in convincing subjects to speak. The prisoners insisted on getting the backing of higher-ranking members of their organisation. I told them why we wanted to carry out this project, this study, explained Professor Merari on Radio 4's All in the Mind http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vy0g0 . There was real lively discussion. In the end they agreed to participate and that was indeed the key to achieving the consent of the other organisers. In recent years, global suicide attacks have increased. Between 1981 and 2000, 17 countries had been the victim of suicide attacks, compared to 32 between 2001-2008. Suicide attacks are often tied to a perception of religious fanaticism from the perpetrator. However, this latest research suggests religious significance ranked lower than other factors when the prisoners made their decision to carry out a suicide attack. Almost all of them were religious, but the suicide guys were not more religious than the control group members. The depth or intensity of religious belief was not something which distinguished them from other non-suicide terrorists. 'Afraid' Instead, Professor Merari found that national humiliation ranked higher as a reason for an attack. This was by far the clearest, strongest motivation they expressed. It is not a matter of personal suffering; they tried to avenge their communities suffering. They mentioned events that they saw on television, not events that happened to them personally. The men interviewed as part of the organisers group were, on average, older, better educated, and, perhaps predictably, unlikely to put themselves forward for suicide attacks. Nine of 14 admitted that they would
[osint] Confessions of Al-Qaeda killer
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=42575 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=42575 Confessions of Al-Qaeda killer Hitman for the terror network recalls his murderous spree at the height of Iraq's sectarian violence. Middle East Online By Ali Mohammed - Iraq Subhi Abdullah, in his own words, is a killer. He has been held in Diyala police headquarters in the provincial capital Baquba for more than two years on charges of murder and terrorism. Abdullah has been officially linked to hundreds of killings and the investigation into his dark past is still ongoing. As a self-confessed assassin for al-Qaeda during the worst of the sectarian bloodshed, Abdullah, whose name has been changed, has spoken of at times murdering ten people a week. He says his transformation from a neighbourhood labourer to a hired gun came as a result of a desire for revenge, blackmail and the prospect of earning lots of money. Abdullah's chilling story sheds light on the grim underbelly of sectarian killing that reached its height from 2006 to 2008 in Iraq's restive western governorates. If he was ever set free, Abdullah believes he would face the same fate as his victims. My life before I was a killer was about making money to feed my children. It was the same after I began working with al-Qaeda. It has always been about feeding my children, Abdullah said. But now, I know I was wrong. Abdullah was born to a poor Shia family in a rural district of Diyala province, married young and had four children. Abdullah appears unusually calm as he recalls his past although his eyes often betray deep emotion, even pain. At the beginning of 2007, my brother was killed after being kidnapped in one of the Shia districts [of Diyala]. I was determined to take revenge. I didn't have a weapon, so I joined the al-Qaeda group in my neighbourhood because they promised to help me get my revenge, Abdullah said. A few days later, according to Abdullah, operatives came to his house with information on his brother's killer. The insurgents hold on Abdullah was about to begin. They asked me if I want to kill the man myself, and, of course, I said yes right away. They gave me a gun, and drove me to one of the residential areas where security is weak. Then, they pointed out a man sitting in front of shop wearing a black dishdasha (a long robe). They said he was the man responsible for kidnapping and killing my brother. They asked me to kill him and they would provide backup, Abdullah said. Abdullah said he did as they asked, shooting the man dead. After the killing, he said he was driven away by the al-Qaeda agents and taken to meet their ringleader who, in turn, thanked Abdullah for his courage. I have learned that revenge like this should be done [legally]. I was wrong, but at the time I saw that the government could not protect its own citizens, he said, recounting the murder. Abdullah's life was forever changed by the revenge killing. A few weeks later, the same al-Qaeda operatives arrived at his home, offering money to help them kill American and Iraqi soldiers and officials. He said he soon found he had little choice. Before he had made a decision, it was revealed by the al-Qaeda leader that his first killing had been recorded on video by the other gunman at the scene. I was aware, of course, that the video tape would be used against me in case I refused. I had also closed my shop at the time and I was in bad need of money to support my family and my late brother's family. I gave my consent, and started working with them, he said. It is here that Abdullah's life began to be dominated by al-Qaeda and its constant call for the murder of security officials and Sunni supporters of the central government. At the beginning, Abdullah said he was earning 100,000 to 150,000 Iraqi dinar (85 to 128 US dollars) for each killing. When there were no murder targets, he went along with al-Qaeda insurgent gangs on kidnappings and bombings. I used to kill no less than ten people per week, but then after about six months the terrorists began to force me
[osint] Suspected treasurer of Indonesian terrorist group arrested in Java
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-86858.html http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-86858.html Suspected treasurer of Indonesian terrorist group arrested in Java JAKARTA, INDONESIA : A suspected Indonesian terrorist, believed to be a treasurer of the Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT) branch in Solo, was arrested in central Java, officials said Thursday. Toyib was arrested following his involvement with the JAT paramilitary training camp in Aceh, where Al Qaeda-linked extremists were allegedly plotting a series of attacks in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Officials said Toyib's name had been mentioned on several occasion by other suspects, while investigation revealed that he allegedly forwarded around USD 115,000 to radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir - founder of extremist Islamic organization JAT who is currently in custody and awaiting trial - to fund terrorist operations. Bashir has been linked to several terrorist plots, including the 200 Christmas Eve bombings in Christian churches, the Marriott Hotel bomb attack in 2003, and the 2002 Bali bombing. In addition, he is believed to have been funding the Aceh training camp, as well as being in charge of naming JAT leaders. Currently, there are 21 Indonesians on trial that have been accused of planning terrorist attacks and being linked to armed groups. --BNO News [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Arms seizure: Nigerias top security officials in crucial talks
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/arms-seizure-nigerias-top-security-of\ ficials-in-crucial-talks/ http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/arms-seizure-nigerias-top-security-o\ fficials-in-crucial-talks/ Arms seizure: Nigeria's top security officials in crucial talks News http://www.vanguardngr.com/category/national-news/ Nov 18, 2010 By Daniel Idonor HIGHEST level security meeting was Thursday staged behind closed doors in Aso Rock with the looming diplomatic row between Nigeria and Iran dominating the proceedings. Feelers from the crucial session however point to the fact that the Federal Government may have opted for diplomatic solution out of the emerging face-off, due to what officials considered as Iran already has more than enough diplomatic crises; and in the spirit of the group of developing nations, D-8, which both countries are key players. President Goodluck Jonathan locked in the security parley chaired the session in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the country's Armed Forces, while the National Security Adviser, NSA, Service Chiefs the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Director-General of State Security Service, SSS, and Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA, were in attendance. According to findings, the high level security session, which lasted for several hours also had Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adetokunbo Kayode, Minister of Defence and other senior government officials in attendance. A highly placed Presidency source close to the meeting confided in Vanguard that the arms dispute between Nigeria and Iran topped the agenda of the meeting. It was gathered that Ajumogobia briefed the meeting of his visit to the United Nations, UN, on the Iranian issue and the possible way of resolving the dispute diplomatically. The source however stated that the quick resolution of the matter lies entirely on how Iran handles the arms issue and noted that at the moment the government was not considering severing diplomatic relations with Iran. Iran is one of Nigeria's friendly nations and the Nigerian government is not presently thinking of cutting off diplomatic relations with Iran but the Iranian government has to reassure us that such a thing will not happen in the future, the source said. The source, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said the principal suspect in the case was still with the SSS pending the outcome of the case. Nobody concerned in this matter has escaped. It was only the diplomat involved that was allowed to return to Iran but the principal suspect is still with us, the source stated further. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/arms-seizure-nigerias-top-security-o\ fficials-in-crucial-talks/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com
[osint] The Respective Levels of Financing for Non-Profit and For-Profit Actors in Afgha
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VVOS-8BBQ8U?OpenDocument http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VVOS-8BBQ8U?OpenDocument The Respective Levels of Financing for Non-Profit and For-Profit Actors in Afghanistan's Reconstruction and Development Source: NATO Civil-Military Fusion Centre (NATO CFC) https://www.cimicweb.org/Pages/CMOwelcome.aspx Date: 18 Nov 2010 Full_Report http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagentshort\ id=VVOS-8BBQ8Ufile=Full_Report.pdf (pdf* format - 320.3 Kbytes) http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagentshorti\ d=VVOS-8BBQ8Ufile=Full_Report.pdf http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagentshort\ id=VVOS-8BBQ8Ufile=Full_Report.pdf The Issue In mid-August, Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued Presidential Decree 62, which specified that all private security companies (PSCs) operating within Afghanistan, foreign as well as domestic, would be required to disband by 17 December 2010. Soon thereafter media reports began noting the possibility that private firms and organisations involved in Afghanistanâs reconstruction, some of which utilise PSCs for protection of offices, construction sites, staff and materials, would be adversely affected. The Scotsman newspaper, for instance, reported that one firm had chartered planes to evacuate its staff in the event that the PSC ban went into effect. The issue gained momentum after 22 October, when the Washington Post cited American officials as estimating the PSC ban would affect USD 1.5 billion in United States-funded projects and would result in the loss of some 20,000 Afghan jobs associated with road and energy infrastructure construction alone. Reuters described one American company, Development Alternatives, Inc., which has already begun to wind down or cancel USD 27.2 million in projects financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Such outcomes were deferred though not resolved by President Karzaiâs recent decision to delay the effective date of the PSC ban by 90 days. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VVOS-8BBQ8U?OpenDocument [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] The Intelligence Challenge: Lessons from the Private Sector
http://blogs.hbr.org/frontline-leadership/2010/11/intelligence-failure-w\ hat-the.html http://blogs.hbr.org/frontline-leadership/2010/11/intelligence-failure-\ what-the.html The Intelligence Challenge: Lessons from the Private Sector 3:00 PM Thursday November 18, 2010 by Jake Cusack, Matt McKnight, and Renny McPherson | This post is part of an HBR Spotlight examining leadership lessons from the military http://hbr.org/special-collections/spotlights/2010/november . Since 9/11, the need for increased collaboration and information sharing within the military and intelligence communities has become a constant requirement. As Marine intelligence officers in Iraq and then as analysts at national-level security organizations, each of us has directly witnessed failures caused by weak communication and poor information sharing practices. These experiences have pushed us to look to the private sector to understand how the military can most effectively leverage innovation in information collection, management, and analysis to support the national security mission. Many of the recent HBR blogs on the subject of military leadership http://blogs.hbr.org/frontline-leadership/ show what the armed forces can teach the private sector. We fully agree with many of these arguments, but in line with Tim Kane's earlier contribution http://blogs.hbr.org/frontline-leadership/2010/11/bleeding-talent-the-u\ s-militar.html we also contend that there is much to learn from knowledge transfer in the opposite direction. We have begun to identify a few key problems facing the defense and intelligence community that we believe should be prime areas for private contribution to the public mission. The list below highlights our experiences, but is by no means an exhaustive catalog of the current challenges being encountered by defense and intelligence officials. Further, we recognize that the many excellent technology transfer efforts run by government organizations such as In-Q-Tel http://www.iqt.org/ , Army OnPoint http://www.onpoint.us/about-us/index.shtml , the Small Business Innovation Research http://www.sbir.gov/ grant program, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency http://www.darpa.mil/ have had much success both fighting these challenges and in increasing the number of technology firms (Palantir Technologies http://www.palantirtech.com/government , Endeca http://www.endeca.com/ , Keyhole http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyhole,_Inc , and others) who focus on these issues. Nonetheless, we hope that this comment might help reinvigorate and expand a dialogue around how the private sector can better work with our national security community. Here are two illustrative areas where private sector expertise is needed: Failure to Share Information The flow of intelligence information is generally poor between insular military units with overlapping mandates and between military and civilian intelligence organizations. Even knowing where to find information is tough and time-consuming. It is frustrating how often analysts who have been working on a particular region or target for long periods of time will come across new information that they did not know existed because there is minimal interaction between two different organizations. Even when information does make it across boundaries, we have seen regulatory and bureaucratic barriers cause delays of weeks to get an internal intelligence report to the people who need it. Misaligned incentives also complicate information flow. Access to information is the currency of intelligence. Both analysts and organizations are sometimes reluctant to share an insight with others not in their fiefdom because it might be replicated without credit and they could lose their perceived value (and funding). Only strong leadership can overcome a basic psychological bias: sharing often requires more work without direct personal reward. To solve these problems, the best analysts have had to recruit and develop their own human sources outside of their unit and within the American defense apparatus ironically, they do this just as a CIA case officer would strive to
[osint] Provocation of the Day: Intellectual Honesty and Terrorism Trials
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/11/provocation-of-the-d\ ay-intellectual-honesty-and-terrorism-trials/66777/ http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/11/provocation-of-the-\ day-intellectual-honesty-and-terrorism-trials/66777/ Provocation of the Day: Intellectual Honesty and Terrorism Trials Nov 18 2010, 3:07 PM ET Just a provocation, or, less provocatively, food for thought: The backlash against civilian terrorism trials, in response to the only-partial conviction http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/nyregion/19detainees.html?_r=1hp of accused embassy-bombing conspirator Ahmed Ghailani, says a lot about the conflicting desires at play in deciding where to try such accused criminals, and hints that elements of the venue debate are a sham. In selling the concept of civilian trials to the public, Attorney General Eric Holder sought to convince Americans of a civilian jury's ability to deliver convictions, citing previously accused terrorists who had been convicted by federal prosecutors in civilian courts. At a congressional hearing last November, Holder pledged to win convictions against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other alleged 9/11 conspirators: Failure is not an option, he said. These are cases that have to be won. I don't expect that we will have a contrary result. It seems to be the main concern of those who oppose civilian trials for suspected terrorists: that civilian courtrooms will not be able to deliver convictions. Complementary fears, of course, are that a trial in the U.S. would pose a security threat (or, were it to be held in Manhattan, emotionally scar the city once again), and whether it's safe to hold convicted international terrorists in domestic supermax prisons. But the warning issued by Rep. Peter King in the wake of Ghailani's only-partial conviction--that this result, in particular, reveals a lack of wisdom in civilian trials--speaks to a fear that civilian courtrooms simply can't deliver the result King, for instance, wants. Desire for the certainty of conviction, at its heart, is at odds with a desire for application of judicial process. The need to surely find someone guilty is not compatible with the need to apply the process of assessing guilt. Justice and punishment are separate but overlapping concepts. One deals with how we treat those responsible for 9/11; the other deals also with how culpability is determined and agreed upon. Complicating this essential difficulty is the fact that the man responsible for deciding where to try these accused terrorists, Holder, is simultaneously responsible for selling his decision to the public AND for securing a conviction in the end. From that conflicted role, we get a confused pairing of messages like: faith in the open American justice system, along with promises of a guilty verdict. Being responsible for a conviction, Holder can, potentially, look at the difficulties in convicting Ghailani--the why of his acquitted counts--and decide on a different process entirely. Or, he can simply look at the result. Maybe due process and full rights should not be afforded to accused international terrorists. Military tribunals would offer a judicial process that does not afford such full rights; a looser standard of evidence would be employed. But if a conviction is all we want--and if that is our only guiding measure, if the nuances of evidentiary standards go largely ignored, and if it is simply the failure to convict Ghailani on all counts, rather than the process-related difficulties of how federal prosecutors failed to secure it, that irks the critics of civilian trials for the accused mass-murder KSM--then we have to be able to admit that punishment, rather than an assessment of guilt, is at the end of the day what we're after. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/11/provocation-of-the-\ day-intellectual-honesty-and-terrorism-trials/66777/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks
[osint] Cyber terrorism is proving an uphill battle
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Cyber+terrorism+proving+uphill+b\ attle/3850531/story.html http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Cyber+terrorism+proving+uphill+\ battle/3850531/story.html Cyber terrorism is proving an uphill battle By Claudine Beaumont, The Daily Telegraph November 18, 2010 4:04 PM Mystery may surround some aspects of the latest apparent cyber attack against web users, but one thing is becoming abundantly clear - the threat of cyber terrorism is a very clear and present danger for governments and organisations around the world. While full-body scanners and military partnerships with other nations might help to protect us from the physical threat of terrorism, cyber warfare presents a unique challenge for nation states. The fluid and evolving nature of the Internet, and the rapid development of technologies, means it is near impossible to monitor precisely what is happening online, and to mitigate against all potential threats. There is growing evidence that a number of countries are dipping their toes in the waters of cyber terrorism, with what appear to be state-sanctioned hacks of websites and systems, and sophisticated attempts to breach the cyber defences of key organisations. China, for all its protestations of innocence, is a cause for particular concern. Earlier this year, Google's email servers were attacked by Chinese hackers in an effort to access the accounts of human rights activists. China has a notoriously fractious relationship with the web, attempting to censor and control access to potentially subversive websites by using the Great Firewall of China to block inappropriate web traffic, while still attempting to embrace the benefits the web brings for e-commerce and global business. Cyber terrorism need not mean infecting military computers with a virus that could launch scores of rockets; a more likely and insidious threat is to banking systems or financial services, which could be corrupted by malicious software and have a cataclysmic knock-on effect on a region's economy. There is no evidence that China Telecoms' apparent diversion of Internet traffic via its servers had any sinister edge to it. But, much in the same way as Russia sends its bombers on frequent sorties close to British airspace to probe at the country's defences and provide a show of strength, so too it is increasingly likely that hackers, whether actively sanctioned or simply not discouraged by their governments, are testing the robustness of our cyber defences. Governments and security experts face an uphill battle to keep them out. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
[osint] Wikileaks founder Julian Assange 'hiding in Britain as Swedes poised to issue ar
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/8143922/Wikileak\ s-founder-Julian-Assange-hiding-in-Britain-as-Swedes-poised-to-issue-arr\ est-warrant.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/8143922/Wikilea\ ks-founder-Julian-Assange-hiding-in-Britain-as-Swedes-poised-to-issue-ar\ rest-warrant.html Wikileaks founder Julian Assange 'hiding in Britain as Swedes poised to issue arrest warrant' Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, is thought to be hiding in Britain after Swedish prosecutors said the country would issue an international warrant for his arrest on multiple charges of rape and sexual assault. Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES By Amy Willis and Bruno Waterfield 8:57PM GMT 18 Nov 2010 The former Australian hacker faced arrest by Scotland Yard officers after a Swedish judge indicted him for rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. Mark Stephens, Mr Assange's lawyer, confirmed his presence in Britain but insisted that his precise movements and location are a matter which is kept confidential. I have been in touch with Scotland Yard and Europol today to ask if there were any charges. They said they had nothing outstanding. No public arrest warrant has been issued, but they were aware that the Swedish authorities had issued one, he said. Mr Stephens admitted that Mr Assange would find it difficult to travel to Sweden but denied he was 'hiding'. He said: The difficulty is that when Julian moves from country to country it takes a significant amount of planning. That is not to say that we don't want to meet the prosecutors. He is not in hiding because he has offered to meet them. He would offer to meet them at the Swedish Embassy or at a neutral venue. Mr Assange, 39, hit the headlines this summer after Wikileaks began to release thousands of secret Pentagon documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, security breaches that have deeply angered the American authorities and allies including Britain. A Swedish court on Thursday announced that an international warrant would be issued. It has been decided that he be detained, said Alan Camitz, a Stockholm district court judge. Marianne Ny, a Swedish sex crimes prosecutor, said: I requested his arrest so we could carry out an interrogation with Assange. That is the reason. The next step is to issue an international arrest warrant. Mr Assange has denied the allegations of sexual assault, while admitting he had encounters with the two women concerned in the charges during a visit to Sweden in August. An original demand for a warrant was dropped three months ago. In a recent interview, the open information campaigner said the charges were part of a smear campaign aimed at discrediting his website and that the US intelligence services are probably very happy now. Mr Stephens insisted that Mr Assange had done his best to discuss the charges with prosecutors. He says he happens to be in the UK at the moment but I'm happy to meet at a place of your choosing or happy to meet at Scotland Yard. We then offer a telephone interview and video conference. The prosecutors declined, he said. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/8143922/Wikilea\ ks-founder-Julian-Assange-hiding-in-Britain-as-Swedes-poised-to-issue-ar\ rest-warrant.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Economic cyber terrorism attacks forecast to rise in 2011
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/strategy/item/18878-economic-cyber-terror\ ism-at http://www.siliconrepublic.com/strategy/item/18878-economic-cyber-terro\ rism-at Economic cyber terrorism attacks forecast to rise in 2011 10.11.2010 Cyber criminals have adapted their strategies to address the social websites and sites with dynamic user-generated content. Attacks are now more blended, sophisticated, and targeted Next year could see more targeted attacks on website content as well as a new form of cyber attack that takes cyber terrorism onto the political and nationalistic stage. When it comes to dangerous web threats, the only constant is change and gone are the days of predictable attack vectors, according to the Websense 2010 Threat Report http://www.websense.com/2010threatreport . Instead, modern blended threats such as Aurora, Stuxnet http://www.siliconrepublic.com/strategy/item/17911-cyber-attack-stuxnet\ -worm , and Zeus http://www.siliconrepublic.com/strategy/item/18181-info-stealing-trojan\ s-are-n/ infiltrate organisations through a variety of co-ordinated tactics, usually a combination of two or more. Phishing, compromised websites and social networking are carefully co-ordinated to steal confidential data, because in the world of cyber crime, content equals cash. the latest tactics have now moved to a political and nationalistic stage. These conclusions are based on the analysis of Websense Security Labs researchers, who rely on their ThreatSeeker Network which every hour scans more than 40 million websites for malicious code and nearly 10 million emails for unwanted content and malicious code. The 2010 evidence and metrics suggest that cyber criminals and their blended attacks are having a field day taking advantage of security gaps left open by legacy technologies like firewalls, antivirus and simple URL blockers. Traditional defences don't work The report showcases how in today's threat landscape, legacy defences simply don't work. We all have antivirus, firewalls and proxies installed, but that isn't enough. Threats are no longer binary files delivered in attachments, they are script-based attacks and they are embedded in rich media like Flash. And many spread rapidly on the social web. Reputation filters provide zero security for threats delivered via top legitimate websites like Google, Facebook and YouTube, where 80pc of web traffic goes. Cyber criminals know that legacy technology simply looks for known information (signatures) or reputation of previously identified threats, which is why they are so successful at exploiting existing defences. Most of today's blended attacks are considered zero-day, in that they have not been previously identified. They are ever-evolving and pre-tested by cyber criminals on common anti-virus products before they are released. These threats sail through firewalls and open channels. The continued rise of organised cyber criminal gangs and the emergence of targeted advanced malware threats are the most concerning trend we've seen, said Dan Hubbard, chief technology officer, Websense. Security needs to move ahead of the attackers and focus on contextual classification in order to thwart them. Simple binary access controls and castle and moat security will not solve the complex attacks we see today. These are precisely the type of threats we have in mind when we build Websense security products. Social cyber terrorism In 2010, cyber criminals adapted their strategies to address the social websites and sites with dynamic user-generated content. Attacks are now more blended, sophisticated and targeted. Many of these attacks use new tricks and methods of delivery. Script-based attacks, blended email campaigns and SEO poisoning were all common in 2010. Even the most easily detected threats and botnets were successfully repurposed with variations that often allow them to slip through outdated defences. The majority of attacks in 2010 focused on the same thing: stealing data. Whether it is your company's sensitive financial information, your social networking or online banking credentials, that content has tremendous value, said Devin Redmond, vice-president of business development, product management and marketing, Websense.
[osint] Baghdad Christians in line of fire
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/2010/world-news/baghdad-ch\ ristians-in-line-of-fire http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/2010/world-news/baghdad-c\ hristians-in-line-of-fire Thursday, 11th November 2010 Baghdad Christians in line of fire AFP Destroyed vehicles yesterday, in a mainly Christian neighbourhood of central Baghdad, following a spate of bomb attacks on Christian homes. Photo: Ali Al Saadi/AFP A string of anti-Christian bombings has cost six more lives in the wake of a Baghdad church bloodbath, sowing panic in Iraq's 2,000-year-old minority yesterday, many of whom now want to flee. Since Tuesday evening, there have been 13 bombs and two mortar attacks on homes and shops of Christians in which a total of six people were killed and 33 injured, a defence ministry official said. A church was also damaged. The attacks come less than two weeks after 44 Christian worshippers, two priests and seven security personnel died in the seizure of the Baghdad church by Islamist gunmen and the ensuing shootout when it was stormed by troops. On November 3, Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the hostage-taking at the capital's Syrian Catholic cathedral and warned it would step up attacks on Christians. The UN Security Council said it was appalled by, and condemned in the strongest terms, the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Iraq, including today's. The campaign of violence against Christians potentially poses a threat to diversity in the Middle East, which was one of the fundamental bedrocks of stability, said British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, reading the council statement. French ambassador Gerard Araud said Al-Qaeda's bomb and shooting attacks were part of a deliberate will to destroy the Christian community. As Christians converged on their churches yesterday to seek counsel from their religious leaders, the capital's Syrian Catholic archbishop made an emotional appeal for western countries to come to their rescue. It would be criminal on the part of the international community not to take care of the security of the Christians, Athanase Matti Shaba Matoka said inside the church targeted on October 31 where he tried to console his flock. Everybody is scared, he said. People are asking who is going to protect them, how are they going to stay on in Iraq. We are trying to encourage them to stay patient. Vatican secretary of state Tarcisio Bertone described the latest attacks as very painful. The protection of Iraqi Christians is an issue that we hope... will be taken into serious consideration by the Baghdad government, Italian news agencies quoted him as saying. The scarred Syrian Catholic cathedral in the central district of Karrada has become a focus of the fears of Christian families. For the past two years now, my wife has been trying to persuade me to leave the country but I didn't agree, said 42-year-old labourer Raed Wissam from the Dora district of south Baghdad. Today, I feel sure she's right because I don't want to feel guilty if something bad happens to one of my children. Mr Wissam said he was woken up at 6 a.m. by an explosion. I ran up to the roof to see what was going on and I heard three more blasts, with three Christian homes targeted. My two children wept. Emmanuel Karim, a 27-year-old IT worker, was about to go to work from his home in Camp Sara, central Baghdad, when a bomb exploded. The apparent target was the car of his uncle, who was among those killed on October 31. Fifteen minutes later, a second bomb exploded, killing a neighbour who was trying to put out the fire in the car... He was a Muslim. He was my friend, said Mr Karim, fighting back the tears. He said the faithful were gathering at churches to try to join the Christian exodus which has been picking up pace since the 2003 invasion of now violence-plagued Iraq, where their community's roots date back two millenia. Monsignor Pius Kasha, also of the church in the hostage-taking at the end of last month, said a four-month-old baby was among three people wounded in bombings of Christian homes in Baghdad's Mansur district late on Tuesday. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/2010/world-news/baghdad-c\ hristians-in-line-of-fire [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[osint] The Tip of a Dangerous Iceberg
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/11/14/david-horowitz%E2%80%99s-archives\ -the-tip-of-a-dangerous-iceberg/ http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/11/14/david-horowitz%E2%80%99s-archive\ s-the-tip-of-a-dangerous-iceberg/ The Tip of a Dangerous Iceberg 2010 November 14 by David Horowitz http://www.newsrealblog.com/author/winniehorowitz/ Huey Newton, right, with Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale. This article originally appeared in FrontPage Magazine on April 08, 2003 http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=18855 . When I was a college radical and anti-war activist forty years ago, I was quite the intellectual and (in my estimation) cautious and sober. Though I became an editor and then co-editor of the leading radical magazine of the Sixties, Ramparts, I never threw a rock during the entire era. I never joined a radical sect and never went to Communist Cuba or North Vietnam, which were then the meccas of the radical faith. Although I was a founder of an organization called the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, I never fooled myself that the Communist state that would result from an American defeat would be a rice roots democracy, the way Tom Hayden and other leaders of the New Left movement proclaimed. Nonetheless, before the era was over, I was lured by my desire to do humanitarian good and to further the cause of social justice into working with the Black Panthers, a group of radical gangsters who in 1974 murdered a friend of mine (the mother of three children) and a dozen other individuals besides.[1] The project I had become involved in with the Panthers was building an elementary school. From the vantage of the political and cultural left, my activities with the Black Panthers were neither marginal or extreme. At the time, the Panthers were icons of the progressive intellectuals, symbolizing strong black leaders who were standing up for their oppressed community. The entire liberal culture supported them. Leading cultural figures like Garry Wills and Murray Kempton were writing praises of the Panthers in the New York Times Sunday magazine Kempton even compared their leader Huey Newton to Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther in the Times' august pages. To this day The New York Times, The Washington Post and other pillars of the American political culture, celebrate the Panthers the murderers of my friend and a dozen others as icons of the social struggle. Fortunately, the Panthers disintegrated in the early Seventies, dragged down by their criminal activities, internecine battles and the sordid brutality of their leaders, Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver. Before he died, Cleaver told a Sixty Minutes audience, If people had listened to Huey Newton and me in the Sixties, there would have been a holocaust in this country. Many radicals, among them Cleaver's most prominent promoter Los Angles Times columnist Robert Scheer looked forward to that holocaust and actively encouraged it. The Panthers were the noble savages of liberal compassion, symbols of the injustice that America was said to be inflicting on American blacks. What would have happened if the Panthers had remained intact to the present? What if they had been the arm of an international terror network whose goal was the destruction of the United States? There are such groups in America today. They are radical groups who identify with the violent jihad of Islamacist terror organizations like al-Qaeda, Hizbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas. And they have the support of a radical culture that regards America as the Great Satan, and Muslims and Arabs as the people whom America oppresses. On campuses across this country, embedded in the leadership of every radical anti-war protest group, are organizations that promote the culture of Islamic terrorism and its anti-Western, anti-Israeli and anti-American agendas. One that will serve as an example for the others is the radical Muslim Student Association (MSA). The Muslim Student Association is an organization financed by the Saudis and also by student funds at every university where it operates. The ideas and enthusiasms that it promotes
[osint] Eulogizing a life of secrets
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Eulogizing+life+secrets/3846302\ /story.html#ixzz15ejSjXLA http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Eulogizing+life+secrets/384630\ 2/story.html#ixzz15ejSjXLA Eulogizing a life of secrets Tyler Anderson, National Post Maureen Hooper, the wife of former Canadian spy Jack Hooper, pays her last respects at his funeral in Toronto on Wednesday. Comments http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/#Comments Stewart Bell, National Post · Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010 When members of Canada's intelligence community gathered at a Toronto cemetery on Wednesday to pay their respects to veteran counterterrorist Jack Hooper, a lot was left unsaid. At the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, where he was Deputy Director of Operations, Mr. Hooper took part in all the country's major counterterrorism investigations, from Air India to the Toronto 18. But how do you eulogize a life of secrets? From time to time, Mr. Hooper's name surfaced at public inquiries but much of what he did during his lengthy public service will never be known outside intelligence circles. Unfortunately we can only communicate part of the story but that's the nature of our work and we accept it, said Charles Bisson, also a former CSIS Deputy Director of Operations. Doing our work is our own gratitude; we're not expecting publicity or any type of gratitude. That's the work we do and we can't speak about many things. At the packed service at Mount Pleasant cemetery, one eulogist described how, when CSIS was planning to send people to Afghanistan, Mr. Hooper went first to check things out. A photo of Mr. Hooper holding a military assault rifle was included in the memorial's slide show. Friends and associates remembered him as an influential intelligence officer who helped guide CSIS through the turbulent years after 9/11, and on whose watch al-Qaeda and its followers never succeeded in attacking Canada. No one worked longer hours nor digged down deeper into a case, said Charles Coghlin, a former CSIS colleague and one of several current and former senior intelligence officials in attendance. I am absolutely certain that Canadians are more secure because he was one of us. Mr. Hooper collapsed and died last Friday. He was 57. He left CSIS in 2007. Since then he had lived in Peachland, B.C., with his wife Maureen, worked for Public Mobile and volunteered at True Patriot Love, a foundation that helps military families. Frank and passionate about counter-terrorism, he was the public face of CSIS for a time. At the Air India inquiry, he testified about the agency's controversial decision to destroy surveillance tapes of the suspects, and a blunt memo he wrote was released at the inquiry into the Maher Arar affair. His colleagues said that while he has been caricatured as a maverick spy, that is off the mark; while he was colourful and opinionated, he was a meticulous stickler for detail in a field where mistakes can cost lives. He was always very thorough in his work and checked everything he handled with a fine tooth comb, said a former CSIS colleague, Stewart Sweet. Mr. Hooper constantly reminded those around him that counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence are 24-hours-a-day occupations, that there can never really be any total down-time, he said. Luc Portelance, who worked with Mr. Hooper at CSIS and is now president of the Canada Border Services Agency, described him as a very intelligent individual, very rigorous ... his attention to detail was quite significant. He was a guy I had a lot of respect for in terms of his approach, his rigour, his commitment. William John Jack Hooper began his career in the RCMP in 1974. Posted to Burnaby, B.C., he joined the RCMP security service in 1981 and was assigned to various counterintelligence and counter-terrorism desks. In 1984, he was among those who left the RCMP to join the new civilian intelligence service, CSIS. A year later, Sikh extremists from B.C. bombed Air India Flight 182, killing 329 people, most of them Canadians. Preventing another such disaster became his guiding philosophy. He rose through the ranks from counter-terrorism analyst to manager of
[osint] Nigeria: Government forces and rebels resume battle over Niger Delta
http://www.afrik-news.com/article18473.html http://www.afrik-news.com/article18473.html Nigeria: Government forces and rebels resume battle over Niger Delta Thursday 18 November 2010 http://www.afrik-news.com/archives-2010-11.html / by Konye Obaji Ori http://www.afrik-news.com/writer1217.html An operation by the Nigerian Joint Task force (JTF) to enforce peace and break down rebel activity in the oil-rich Niger Delta will continue until the desired level of security and peace is achieved in the Niger Delta and the region is rid of criminal and illegal actions by the so-called militants, a top Nigerian official said after JFT rescued a total of 19 hostages including Nigerians and foreigners. Nigerian Joint Task force (JTF) enforcing peace and breaking down rebel activity in the oil-rich Niger Delta region have attacked rebel hideouts and rescued Nigerian and foreign captives. A total of 19 hostages including two French, two Americans, two Indonesians, and a Canadian were freed. We've got confirmed reports that, yes, all 19 have been reported freed. It was a JTF operation, AP quoted a security source as saying. Nigeria's main militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) had claimed responsibility for kidnapping 14 of the hostages http://www.afrik-news.com/article18451.html . The victims were captured during a recent raid on oil facilities in the Nigeria's Niger Delta region. However, there was no claim of whether ransoms were paid for any of the hostages. Fighting between rebel groups and the Nigerian military may have resumed following a statement released by MEND on Tuesday, which warned of a major operation and claimed one of its camps had come under military fire on Monday. In response, the Nigerian authorities confirmed operations were underway to hunt down the rebel militias and kidnappers. According to Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Antigha, the operation would continue until the desired level of security and peace is achieved in the Niger Delta and the region is rid of criminal and illegal actions by the so-called militants. France's foreign minister earlier confirmed that the two French nationals were freed. According to reports, those released were believed taken in three separate incidents achieved in the Niger Delta and the region is rid of criminal and illegal actions by the so-called militants. The Niger Delta continues to experience unrest as rebel groups claiming to fight for a fairer distribution of oil revenue, engage in criminal activities that have slashed oil production in Nigeria. The Nigerian government subsequently offered an amnesty deal http://www.afrik-news.com/article15957.html to the militants last year. But some analysts believe the amnesty has failed to address underlying issues of poverty and unemployment in the Niger Delta. Observers feared that militant who surrendered their weapons in exchange for stipends would eventually be replaced by others, they warned. However, the amnesty was credited with greatly reducing unrest in the region and oil production has rebounded to an estimated 2.2 million barrels per day, but there has been a new round of attacks in recent months. France's foreign minister earlier confirmed the release of its two French nationals. Michele Alliot-Marie is pleased with the release of the two Frenchmen who had been taken hostage, along with five other people, on an oil platform in Nigeria overnight November 7-8, a statement read. Canada's Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon also welcomed the news. We would like to thank everyone who worked to ensure a safe and peaceful resolution to this incident, Cannon was quoted. http://www.afrik-news.com/article18473.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has
[osint] Former CSIS boss had warned about domestic terrorism
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Former+CSIS+boss+warned+about+domestic+\ terrorism/3457833/story.html http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Former+CSIS+boss+warned+about+domestic\ +terrorism/3457833/story.html Former CSIS boss had warned about domestic terrorism Chris Wattie/Reuters Former Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director Jim Judd has warned the government not to underestimate the spectre of domestic terrorism. * Comments http://www.nationalpost.com/news/#Comments Ian MacLeod, Postmedia News · Monday, Aug. 30, 2010 OTTAWA The day after his unexpected resignation was announced last spring, Canada's former spy master warned the government not to underestimate the spectre of domestic terrorism. It has sometimes been suggested that the phenomenon of terrorism has been exaggerated in Canada in the course of this decade and especially in the post-9/11 period. In fact, a brief survey of our experience in this period might lead to a relatively different conclusion, CSIS director Jim Judd wrote in a secret April 15, 2009 memo to then-public safety minister Peter Van Loan. Five months later, RCMP and Ottawa police launched Project Samosa, the massive probe into a suspected Ottawa-based Islamist terror cell plotting a bombing campaign, culminating in the recent arrests. In a censored copy of the memo, obtained by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin under the Access to Information Act, Mr. Judd summarizes how Canadian citizens and residents had been caught and prosecuted for terrorism in Canada, the United States and other countries. An additional number of individuals the precise number cannot be accurately determined have been killed in terrorist or `insurgent' related activities outside of Canada. Within the country today, we have [word redacted] individuals currently under active investigation for terrorist or extremist-related activities. (CSIS has since said it is tracking more than 200 individuals in Canada with suspected links to as many as 50 terrorist groups.) Richard Fadden took over as head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service six weeks later and wasted little time publicly reiterating Mr. Judd's concerns. Despite a history of domestic terrorism, from Air India to the Toronto 18, Canada has a serious blind spot acknowledging that violent extremism imperils our national security, Fadden said in his first public speech, to an Ottawa security-intelligence conference. The following day, RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, speaking at the same conference, warned that despite success thwarting the Toronto 18 and Momin Khawaja terrorism plots the current threat environment remains severe, from a resurgent al-Qaeda and fugitive Tamil Tigers to nuclear technology smuggling and border concerns. Islamic radicalization of Canada's Somali community is becoming a particular national security concern, he said. Success in countering the dangers require police to take on more of a national security role and put more terrorism cases before the courts and more terrorists in jail, he said. Arrests and prosecutions would help send a strong message to the world that we are serious about prosecuting accomplices to terror. Canada hosts one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the western world. Somali-Canadians are at risk of being radicalized and recruited to fight with Islamist al-Shabaab (the youth) extremist movement in Somalia's civil war, he said. The ranks of the Somali insurgency are attracting thousands of young men who have been radicalized by the harsh reality of depravation and civil war, said Mr. Elliott. The potential follow-on threat, from a Canadian and RCMP perspective, is Somali-Canadians who travel to Somalia to fight and then return, imbued with both extremist ideology and the skills necessary to translate it into direct action. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda along with its offshoots, associates and hangers-on, and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror groups remain highly virulent to Canada, he said. As far as al-Qaida is concerned, Canada is the enemy, he said, referring to Osama bin Laden's infamous 2002 communique placing Canada and five other U.S. allies on its global hit list. Since then, there has not been a single
[osint] Former CSIS boss had warned about domestic terrorism
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Former+CSIS+boss+warned+about+domestic+\ terrorism/3457833/story.html http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Former+CSIS+boss+warned+about+domestic\ +terrorism/3457833/story.html Former CSIS boss had warned about domestic terrorism Chris Wattie/Reuters Former Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director Jim Judd has warned the government not to underestimate the spectre of domestic terrorism. * Comments http://www.nationalpost.com/news/#Comments Ian MacLeod, Postmedia News · Monday, Aug. 30, 2010 OTTAWA The day after his unexpected resignation was announced last spring, Canada's former spy master warned the government not to underestimate the spectre of domestic terrorism. It has sometimes been suggested that the phenomenon of terrorism has been exaggerated in Canada in the course of this decade and especially in the post-9/11 period. In fact, a brief survey of our experience in this period might lead to a relatively different conclusion, CSIS director Jim Judd wrote in a secret April 15, 2009 memo to then-public safety minister Peter Van Loan. Five months later, RCMP and Ottawa police launched Project Samosa, the massive probe into a suspected Ottawa-based Islamist terror cell plotting a bombing campaign, culminating in the recent arrests. In a censored copy of the memo, obtained by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin under the Access to Information Act, Mr. Judd summarizes how Canadian citizens and residents had been caught and prosecuted for terrorism in Canada, the United States and other countries. An additional number of individuals the precise number cannot be accurately determined have been killed in terrorist or `insurgent' related activities outside of Canada. Within the country today, we have [word redacted] individuals currently under active investigation for terrorist or extremist-related activities. (CSIS has since said it is tracking more than 200 individuals in Canada with suspected links to as many as 50 terrorist groups.) Richard Fadden took over as head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service six weeks later and wasted little time publicly reiterating Mr. Judd's concerns. Despite a history of domestic terrorism, from Air India to the Toronto 18, Canada has a serious blind spot acknowledging that violent extremism imperils our national security, Fadden said in his first public speech, to an Ottawa security-intelligence conference. The following day, RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, speaking at the same conference, warned that despite success thwarting the Toronto 18 and Momin Khawaja terrorism plots the current threat environment remains severe, from a resurgent al-Qaeda and fugitive Tamil Tigers to nuclear technology smuggling and border concerns. Islamic radicalization of Canada's Somali community is becoming a particular national security concern, he said. Success in countering the dangers require police to take on more of a national security role and put more terrorism cases before the courts and more terrorists in jail, he said. Arrests and prosecutions would help send a strong message to the world that we are serious about prosecuting accomplices to terror. Canada hosts one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the western world. Somali-Canadians are at risk of being radicalized and recruited to fight with Islamist al-Shabaab (the youth) extremist movement in Somalia's civil war, he said. The ranks of the Somali insurgency are attracting thousands of young men who have been radicalized by the harsh reality of depravation and civil war, said Mr. Elliott. The potential follow-on threat, from a Canadian and RCMP perspective, is Somali-Canadians who travel to Somalia to fight and then return, imbued with both extremist ideology and the skills necessary to translate it into direct action. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda along with its offshoots, associates and hangers-on, and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror groups remain highly virulent to Canada, he said. As far as al-Qaida is concerned, Canada is the enemy, he said, referring to Osama bin Laden's infamous 2002 communique placing Canada and five other U.S. allies on its global hit list. Since then, there has not been a single
[osint] Tourists banned from Big Ben over terrorism fears
http://www.themovechannel.com/news/02044896-8e4d/ http://www.themovechannel.com/news/02044896-8e4d/ Tourists banned from Big Ben over terrorism fears Wednesday, November 10, 2010 Catherine Deshayes Tourists from overseas are no longer allowed to take tours around Big Ben because of concerns over security... Foreigners hoping to learn more about one of London's most famous icons are now banned from taking the tour due to mounting fears over terrorism. Clearance checks for foreigners which were to ensure that terrorists could not target the historic clock tower became too complex and costly. British citizens are still allowed to visit Big Ben, but must apply by writing to their MP. The tour includes a trip to the top of The Great Clock, popularly known as Big Ben but it is now no longer an option for the millions of tourists who flock to the capital each year. Michael McCann, the Keeper of The Great Clock, said the policy had to change to maintain security at the iconic London monument. He said: 'We used to get a lot of foreign tourists but you have to be a British citizen now. It just got too complicated with the security checks, as you can imagine. 'We don't do public tours but you can write to your MP with a reason for wanting to see it and they arrange a tour for you. We do a tour up to three times a day which sounds a lot but there are only 16 people on a tour.' Before taking the 75-minute tour, guests have to pass through strict security checks at Portcullis House. Under the supervision of armed police, each visitor passes through a metal detector and a wall-mounted camera takes a picture of their face before being issued with a photo security pass. They are guided around the famous tower of Parliament, learning the history of the tower, the bell and how the most accurate public clock in the world works. Keeper of the Great Clock Michael McCann by the mechanism of Big Ben The tour culminates at the top of Big Ben, looking at the clock's mechanism, the clock faces, and the bell itself. A spokesman for the House of Commons confirmed the ban on foreigners but said: 'The house does not comment in detail on security matters.' He added: 'The process involves people approaching their MP and some kind of security checks take place, based on their residency in the UK.' The UK Parliament website says: 'UK residents can arrange a tour through their local MP. However, please be advised that space is extremely limited and early booking, 3-6 months in advanced, is strongly recommended. Overseas visitors cannot currently visit the tower.' http://www.themovechannel.com/news/02044896-8e4d/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[osint] British police say Yemen mail bomb could have exploded over eastern US
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/british_police_eastern_yemen_mail_\ SqS8ED8meUrBGPqfr9RNXM?CMP=OTC-rssFEEDNAME http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/british_police_eastern_yemen_mail\ _SqS8ED8meUrBGPqfr9RNXM?CMP=OTC-rssFEEDNAME = British police say Yemen mail bomb could have exploded over eastern US http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/british_police_eastern_yemen_mail\ _SqS8ED8meUrBGPqfr9RNXM NEWSCORE Last Updated: 1:19 PM, November 10, 2010 Posted: 12:11 PM, November 10, 2010 http://www.nypost.com/f/print/news/national/british_police_eastern_yeme\ n_mail_SqS8ED8meUrBGPqfr9RNXM Police in the UK said Wednesday that bombs placed on cargo planes could have detonated over the eastern seaboard of the US. On Oct. 29, two explosive-laden US-bound packages posted in Yemen were intercepted on cargo planes in the UK and Dubai. The bombs, containing the explosive PETN, were hidden in compromised printer toner cartridges and were powerful enough to have brought down an aircraft, officials said. Forensic examination has indicated that if the device had activated it would have been at 10:30hrs BST [British Summer Time] on Friday, 29 October 2010, the Metropolitan Police Service said in statement Wednesday. If the device had not been removed from the aircraft the activation could have occurred over the eastern seaboard of the US. US authorities received a tip about the explosives from Saudi Arabia the day before the packages were discovered. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the foiled plot. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Monday it would ban high risk cargo, such as toner and ink cartridges weighing over 16 ounces, from all passenger flights. The TSA has also banned air cargo from Somalia and Yemen. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/british_police_eastern_yemen_mail\ _SqS8ED8meUrBGPqfr9RNXM?CMP=OTC-rssFEEDNAME [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Terrorism threats in Indonesia worry US officials
http://topnews360.tmcnet.com/topics/associated-press/articles/2010/11/10\ /115815-terrorism-threats-indonesia-worry-us-officials.htm http://topnews360.tmcnet.com/topics/associated-press/articles/2010/11/1\ 0/115815-terrorism-threats-indonesia-worry-us-officials.htm November 10, 2010 Terrorism threats in Indonesia worry US officials By Associated Press , WASHINGTON (AP) The discovery of a militant training camp in Indonesia, along with persistent terrorist attacks there, have increased U.S. concerns that extremists are regrouping and eyeing Western targets. With President Barack Obama set to visit Indonesia on Tuesday, there's renewed attention on terrorists there who in the past year appeared to be banding together into a new alQaida influenced insurgency. The Pentagon has renewed a training program with Indonesia's special forces and bolstered military assistance. Those moves are seen as signs that the U.S. believes Indonesia needs more help tracking and rooting out insurgents particularly those who rejoin the fight once they're released from jail. http://topnews360.tmcnet.com/topics/associated-press/articles/2010/11/1\ 0/115815-terrorism-threats-indonesia-worry-us-officials.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] No Hindu can ever be a terrorist: RSS leader Mangalore,
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/111757/no-hindu-can-ever-terrorist.h\ tml http://www.deccanherald.com/content/111757/no-hindu-can-ever-terrorist.\ html No Hindu can ever be a terrorist: RSS leader Mangalore, November 10, DHNS: Veteran RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat came down heavily on Central government for using the word 'Hindu terrorism'. He said that the coinage has hurt the Hindu sentiments, thereby defaming the religion. Addressing a protest rally organised by RSS Dakshina Kannada district Unit, opposing the centre's anti-Hindu policy, at Nehru Maidan on Wednesday, Bhat said that the central government has been unnecessarily defaming RSS by calling its activities as `Hindu terrorism'. No Hindu can ever be a terrorist because there is no reason for a Hindu to be a terrorist in his own land. Congress party has coined the term `Hindu terrorism' to lure the minorities and grab their votes, he said adding that government has spent Rs 31 crore on Ajmal Kasab and has provided him a luxurious life inside the jail, while Sadhwi Prajna Singh who has been put behind the bars has been ill treated. The UPA government has been indulging in divide and rule like the Vritisher's posing a severe threat to the country. Reservation has been provided to Muslims in each and every sector. The introduction of 10 per cent reservation for Muslim youth in Indian army is unfair. This kind of resevation widen the divide between Hindus and Muslims rather than uniting them, he said. Bhat further said that RSS will never allow to build a mosque in Ayodhya at any cost. Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Vajradehi Matt said that the protest has not been organised to manifest the strength and unity of Hindus. Litterateur Erya Lakshminarayan Alva said that it is unfortunate that RSS has been tagged as a terrorist organisation. RSS never asked for power, but it has always toiled to strengthen the nation, he said. Thousands of RSS workers and members of other Hindu organisations took part in the protest. The partcipants shouted out slogans on various issues including Jammu and Kashmir autonomy, death sentence to Ajmal Kasab, conversion and terror attacks. It was decided to hand over a 23 point letter to the Deputy Commissioner, which would be forwarded to the Prime Minister. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/111757/no-hindu-can-ever-terrorist.\ html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] NJ Transit to offer terrorism awareness training
http://www.northjersey.com/news/111010_NJ_Transit_to_offer_terrorism_awa\ reness_training.html http://www.northjersey.com/news/111010_NJ_Transit_to_offer_terrorism_aw\ areness_training.html NJ Transit to offer terrorism awareness training Wednesday, November 10, 2010 The Record THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWARK About 9,500 NJ Transit workers will soon receive terrorism awareness training. The program is funded with a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Transit Security Grant Program. NJ Transit says the training is designed to teach frontline employees how to quickly recognize potential high-risk individuals through observation and assessment of their behavior. NJ Transit is the third largest transit system in the country, providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. NEWARK About 9,500 NJ Transit workers will soon receive terrorism awareness training. The program is funded with a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Transit Security Grant Program. NJ Transit says the training is designed to teach frontline employees how to quickly recognize potential high-risk individuals through observation and assessment of their behavior. NJ Transit is the third largest transit system in the country, providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. http://www.northjersey.com/news/111010_NJ_Transit_to_offer_terrorism_aw\ areness_training.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] FBI: Al-Qaeda's Yemen group not behind Dubai crash
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3982795,00.html http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3982795,00.html FBI: Al-Qaeda's Yemen group not behind Dubai crash Published: 11.10.10, 19:24 / Israel News http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3082,00.html The FBI and Homeland Security say al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen was not behind the Sept. 3 crash of a UPS cargo plane in Dubai. The militant group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for that crash last week along with taking the responsibility for the recent mail bomb plots. The FBI and Homeland Security say they do believe the group is responsible for the mail bomb plot, but add that the group falsely took credit for the Dubai crash to bolster its image, according to an internal bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. (AP) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3982795,00.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Denmark to look into rumours of espionage
http://jp.dk/uknews/article2242017.ece http://jp.dk/uknews/article2242017.ece Denmark to look into rumours of espionage Published 10.11.10 17:12 Justice Minister sceptical about the accusations Danish authorities have called for an investigation into whether espionage has been taking place on Danish soil, in response to accusations of US spying in Norway and Sweden. I have asked the Danish Security... Danish authorities have called for an investigation into whether espionage has been taking place on Danish soil, in response to accusations of US spying in Norway and Sweden. I have asked the Danish Security and Intelligence Service [PET] to ensure that no such activities have taken place here, Justice Minister Lars Barfoed told Berlingske Tidende newspaper. Barfoed clarified that he did not believe Americans have been engaging in illegal activities, but that an investigation is a necessary response to the rumours. I have no reason to believe that Americans are not complying with Danish regulations. Of course they are. It would be entirely unacceptable for a country represented here to violate Danish laws. Of course, if they were breaking the rules, we would have to take serious action. But I am sure that the Americans, and others for that matter, are not doing so. http://jp.dk/uknews/article2242017.ece [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] No charges for destroying CIA interrogation videos
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=23588 http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=23588 No charges for destroying CIA interrogation videos By The Associated Press 11.10.10 WASHINGTON A special prosecutor cleared the CIA's former top clandestine officer and others yesterday of any charges for destroying agency videotapes showing waterboarding of terror suspects, but he continued to investigate whether the harsh questioning went beyond legal boundaries. The decision not to prosecute anyone in the destruction of the videotapes came five years to the day after the CIA destroyed its cache of 92 videos of two al-Qaida operatives, Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Nashiri, being subjected to waterboarding, which evokes the sensation of drowning. The deadline for prosecuting someone under most federal laws is five years. The part of the nearly 3-year-old criminal investigation that examines whether U.S. interrogators went beyond the legal guidance given them on the rough treatment of suspects will continue, a Justice Department official said. The Associated Press reported that the official spoke on condition of anonymity because that part of the probe is still under way. CIA Director Leon Panetta said the agency welcomed the decision and that we will continue, of course, to cooperate with the Department of Justice on any other aspects of the former program that it reviews. Jose Rodriguez, who was the CIA's top clandestine officer when the tapes were destroyed, worried that the videos would be devastating to the agency if they ever surfaced and approved their destruction. Rodriguez's order was at odds with years of directives from CIA lawyers and the White House. Rodriguez's lawyer, Robert Bennett, said the department made the right decision because of the facts and the law and called his client a true patriot who only wanted to protect his people and his country. In January 2008, President George W. Bush's last attorney general, Michael Mukasey, appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney John Durham as a special prosecutor to investigate the videotape destruction. Later, President Barack Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, added the inquiry into the conduct of the harsh questioning. A team of prosecutors and FBI agents led by Durham has conducted an exhaustive investigation into the matter, said Matthew Miller, chief Justice Department spokesman. As a result of that investigation, Mr. Durham has concluded that he will not pursue criminal charges for the destruction of the interrogation videotapes, Miller said. The department's carefully phrased announcement did not rule out the possibility of charging someone with lying to investigators looking into the tape destruction. Separately, the Justice Department advised the House and Senate judiciary committees that it had reviewed newly found e-mails sent by Bush administration lawyer John Yoo and stands by a conclusion that Yoo did not commit professional misconduct in authorizing CIA interrogators to use waterboarding and other harsh tactics. The department's letter to the committees, obtained yesterday by the Associated Press, stood by the earlier finding that Yoo had merely exhibited poor judgment. CIA officers began the videotaping to show that Zubaydah was brought to a secret CIA prison in Thailand already wounded from a firefight and to prove that interrogators followed broad rules Washington had laid out. Almost as soon as taping began, top officials at agency headquarters in Langley, Va., began discussing whether to destroy the tapes, according to current and former U.S. officials and others close to the investigation. Dozens of CIA officers and contractors cycled in and out of Thailand to help with the questioning. If those videos ever surfaced, officials feared, nearly all those people could be identified. During the investigation, agency lawyers were forced to turn over long lists of documents, including classified cables from around the world. Former CIA Director Porter Goss was summoned before a grand jury, as were the agency's former top lawyer, John Rizzo, and its current station chief in London. Despite standing orders from the Bush White House not to destroy the tapes without checking
[osint] DOJ: Lawyer's recovered e-mails show no misconduct
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer_\ interrogations http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations DOJ: Lawyer's recovered e-mails show no misconduct By PETE YOST, Associated Press Pete Yost, Associated Press Tue Nov 9, 6:30 pm ET WASHINGTON The Justice Department http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations reviewed newly found e-mails sent by a Bush administration lawyer and stands by a conclusion that the attorney did not commit professional misconduct in authorizing CIA interrogators to use waterboarding and other harsh tactics, a department letter shows. The review of the additional e-mails did not alter the earlier assessment that the lawyer, John Yoo http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations , merely had exhibited poor judgment, according to the letter to the House and Senate judiciary committees. The letter was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday. The content of the newly found e-mails was not described in the letter. Department officials, however, briefed congressional staffers on the matter last Friday after making the recovered e-mails available to the two congressional committees for review, the letter said. The issue of Yoo and missing e-mails arose in one of the major lingering investigations into the counterterrorism policies http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations of former President George W. Bush's administration. Liberal Democrats had pressed for action against the former Justice Department lawyers who wrote the so-called torture memos Yoo and Jay Bybee. An initial examination by the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility found that Bybee, now a federal appellate judge http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations , and Yoo, now a law professor, had committed professional misconduct. However, the Justice Department's top career lawyer reviewed the matter and disagreed. In its report released in January, OPR investigators said they were told that most of Yoo's e-mail records had been deleted and were not recoverable, nor were some of the e-mail records of another lawyer in Yoo's office, Patrick Philbin. The department has conducted a review regarding e-mails of Yoo and Philbin that were not available to OPR during its investigation, the department's letter to Capitol Hill http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations said. Nothing in the e-mails changes the conclusion about Yoo and Bybee, who also was found by top career lawyer David Margolis to have exhibited poor judgment but not to have committed professional misconduct. The former president's new memoir, Decision Points, recalls his attitude toward harsh interrogation techniques http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations . When the CIA asked whether it could subject professed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to waterboarding, which evokes the sensation of downing, Bush's response was, Damn right, according to the memoir. The president added that the CIA interrogation program saved lives. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101109/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_lawyer\ _interrogations [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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,
[osint] French security arrests 5 terrorism suspects
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1597720.php/F\ rench-security-arrests-5-terrorism-suspects http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1597720.php/\ French-security-arrests-5-terrorism-suspects French security arrests 5 terrorism suspects Nov 9, 2010, 14:53 GMT Paris - French officials Tuesday confirmed media reports that security officers had arrested five people on terrorism suspicions. The officials confirmed a report by the broadcaster RTL in which the suspects were believed to have originated with terrorist cells in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. Two of the suspects were seized at Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday after their arrival on a flight from Egypt. The other three were arrested Tuesday morning in Paris within the framework of an investigation of terrorism cases being carried out by a court. Specific information about the allegations were not given. But according to RTL, some of the suspects were under suspicion of having made threats against Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris who is regarded as a moderate. Amid heightened anti-terrorism measures, French authorities have by government accounts arrested more than 80 terror suspects since January. Of these, some two dozen remain in custody. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1597720.php/\ French-security-arrests-5-terrorism-suspects [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] NSA Says Its Secure Dev Methods Are Publicly Known
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/10/214256/NSA-Says-Its-Secure-Dev-Me\ thods-Are-Publicly-Known?from=rss http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/10/214256/NSA-Says-Its-Secure-Dev-M\ ethods-Are-Publicly-Known?from=rss NSA Says Its Secure Dev Methods Are Publicly Known http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/10/214256/NSA-Says-Its-Secure-Dev-M\ ethods-Are-Publicly-Known on Wednesday November 10, @04:52PM Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday November 10, @04:52PM from the nothing-special dept. government http://yro.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=government security http://yro.slashdot.org/index2.pl?fhfilter=security Trailrunner7 writes Despite its reputation for secrecy and technical expertise, the National Security Agency doesn't have a set of secret coding practices or testing methods http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/nsa-our-development-methods-are-open-\ now-111010 that magically make their applications and systems bulletproof. In fact, one of the agency's top technical experts said that virtually all of the methods the NSA uses for development and information assurance are publicly known. 'Most of what we do in terms of app development and assurance is in the open literature now. Those things are known publicly now,' Neil Ziring, technical director of the NSA's Information Assurance Directorate, said in his keynote at the OWASP AppSec conference in Washington Wednesday. 'It used to be that we had some methods and practices that weren't well-known, but over time that's changed as industry has focused more on application security.' http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/10/214256/NSA-Says-Its-Secure-Dev-M\ ethods-Are-Publicly-Known?from=rss [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Turkey - Families of slain soldiers link espionage gang to Heron scandal
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-226893-101-families-of-slain-sold\ iers-link-espionage-gang-to-heron-scandal.html http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-226893-101-families-of-slain-sol\ diers-link-espionage-gang-to-heron-scandal.html Families of slain soldiers link espionage gang to Heron scandal The discovery of a conversation of two military officers who in July discussed how to protect PKK terrorists has devastated the families of soldiers killed in terrorist attacks. The families of Turkish soldiers killed in clashes with the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and their lawyers have argued that if the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had managed to shed light on scandalous phone conversations between members of the air forces in 2007, in which members discussed how to down Heron unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to protect PKK terrorists, the prostitution gang within the naval forces would have collapsed. Prosecutors have recently discovered that the gang was hoping to extract vital state security information from high-ranking officers and senior bureaucrats through blackmail to sell to foreign intelligence services. According to new evidence in the investigation, the gang has connections to two military officers who talked about downing Herons to protect PKK militants in 2007. The new evidence was found on the computer of Lt. Emrah Küçükakça during a search of the suspect's house. The document says the Heron project should be impeded. In July of this year a voice recording that was picked up by the National Intelligence Organization (MÄ°T) in 2007 when 13 soldiers died in a PKK attack on a military outpost in the village of DaÄlıca in Hakkari's Yüksekova district was made public. The phone conversation was recorded only 11 days before that attack. In the conversation, a member of the air forces asks another to down Herons to protect PKK terrorists. This case of treason, which is being investigated separately, will now be examined along with the espionage gang. The prosecutors are now looking into possible links between Küçükakça and Selçuk Çakmaklı, one of the two officers in the earlier wiretapped conversation that could be identified. The espionage gang was hoping to extract vital information about state security from high-ranking officers and senior bureaucrats by blackmailing them and to sell the information to foreign intelligence services. The gang has connections to two military officers who talked about downing Herons to protect terrorist PKK members in 2007 Martyrs and Widows' Association's Ä°zmir branch head Volkan Kaya said if the Turkish military had initiated an investigation into the Heron scandal in 2007 and found out who was behind the phone conversation in time, then the espionage gang would not have gained so much power and would have eventually collapsed. The brother of Selçuk Gürdal, who was killed in the DaÄlıca attack, noted that while he worked to find out what was behind the attack, military officers worked to cover up the issue. Military authorities wanted to silence me due to a speech I delivered on the anniversary of the DaÄlıca attack. An investigation was launched against me, he recalled. Lawyer Sinan Kılıçkaya, head of the Jurists' Union, said documents seized from the prostitution gang are mainly military projects to finish off the terrorist PKK. These are among the most strategic projects of the TSK. A group within the armed forces does not want the PKK to be finished off. Had [related authorities] fought the gangs, then the PKK would not exist today, he added. Kılıçkaya also complained that almost no serious action was taken against the scandalous Heron conversation between members of the air forces though the conversation was discovered by MÄ°T in 2007. The result is so evident. If the PKK is still alive today, then that's thanks to a number of people that betrayed the state, he stated. Colonel confesses to `Heron inaction' in voice recording In the meantime, a voice recording of Col. Ünal Atabay has shown that the military deliberately did not take action
[osint] Canada -Top spy bristles at Air India inquiry concerns about lingering problems
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/13--top-spy-bristles-at-a\ ir-india-inquiry-concerns-about-lingering-problems http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/13--top-spy-bristles-at-\ air-india-inquiry-concerns-about-lingering-problems Top spy bristles at Air India inquiry concerns about lingering problems Published On Wed Nov 10 2010 Jim Bronskill The Canadian Press OTTAWACanada's top spy bristled at a federal inquiry's finding that the intelligence community is plagued by lingering co-ordination problems. In a letter to the public safety minister, Canadian Security Intelligence Service director Dick Fadden clearly takes exception to some of former Supreme Court Justice John Major's conclusions about the 1985 Air India bombing. The Canadian Press obtained a declassified version of the secret June 29 memo from Fadden to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews under the Access to Information Act. Though several passages of the memo were withheld from release, it's evident Fadden did not agree with Major's conclusion that while co-ordination within the spy community had improved, central issues remain unresolved. Major's extensive inquiry report catalogued a litany of federal failures before and after the terrorist attack, which killed 329 people, most of them Canadians. Fadden's letter says, While we believe the findings of the commission related to the period immediately pre- and post-1985 are largely legitimate,. . . (the rest of the sentence was blacked out). Fadden says things have changed, pointing to better relations between the RCMP and CSIS, a more mature security intelligence service, and better training and resources. Most important, he adds, there is a focus on and sensitivity to terrorist threats and investigations unparalleled in history. The successful criminal prosecution of individuals engaged in terror-based activities over the past year are an example of improved co-operation in investigation and prosecution, and the priority now placed on meeting this threat. Liberal public safety critic Mark Holland said Fadden seems to be very defensive. And it would appear to me, more interested in justifying what's going on rather than taking action, Holland said Wednesday after reading the memo. He's not acknowledging that there are problems. He's not acknowledging that changes have to be made or that problems exist. There's no doubt that relations between CSIS and the RCMP have improved since 1985, said lawyer Norm Boxall, who represented many families who lost loved ones in the bombing. But that's because the starting point was so low there was tremendous room for improvement. In releasing his report last June, Major noted the federal government had long suggested that whatever weaknesses existed at the time of the terrorist attack have been fully recognized, analyzed and fixed. The commission rejects that position, he told a news conference. There remains a failure to recognize what went wrong, why, and what should be done today. He recommended new powers for the national security adviser currently a low-profile official in the Privy Council Office to supervise and coordinate intelligence activities. The adviser would essentially become a national intelligence czar, served by a deputy and a staff of representatives from key security agencies including the RCMP, CSIS, the Canada Border Services Agency and Foreign Affairs. Major also said the current practice of limiting the information CSIS provides the RCMP in order to prevent disclosure in possible criminal proceedings is misguided and results in an impoverished response to terrorist threats. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/13--top-spy-bristles-at-\ air-india-inquiry-concerns-about-lingering-problems [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the
[osint] Moscow -Secret Services Chiefs Discuss Anti-Terror Cooperation
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=541866 http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=541866 Secret Services Chiefs Discuss Anti-Terror Cooperation MOSCOW, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- The 29th session of the Council of the Directors of the Security Services (SORB) of the Commonwealth of Independent States which opens in Dushanbe on Monday, will discuss cooperation in fighting terrorism and trans-national organised crime, Russian news agency, Itar-Tass, reported. Representatives of the secret services of Germany, Spain, Italy and France, as well as the delegations of Russia's foreign intelligence service and Kazakhstan's foreign intelligence service (Syrbar) have been invited to attend the meeting as observers, the press service of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) told Itar-Tass. The participants plan to work out the measures to step up their interaction in ensuring the safety of the fuel and energy sectors of the CIS states, and map out the ways towards perfecting cooperation in stopping illegal activities in motor transportation and illegal migration, the press service said. Also, they will discuss the improvement of interaction in protecting personal data and combating cyber crime. The SORB members will coordinated the list of events of the CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre planned for 2011. The SORB session will last until November 10. -- BERNAMA http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=541866 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Macedonia Refuses to Probe Spy Claims
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-spy-file-rejected http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-spy-file-rejected 10 Nov 2010 / 16:02 Macedonia Refuses to Probe Spy Claims http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-spy-file-rejected The Lustration Commission, tasked with rooting out former spies, will not investigate a file naming an ethnic Albanian leader because it cannot vouch for its authenticity. Sinisa jakov Marusic Skopje The head of the Lustration Commission said they could not launch a probe into Ali Ahmeti based solely on photocopies of documents. Tome Adziev said they could not verify the authenticity of documents unless they were originals. The file, codenamed Ibar, is one out of four files that name high-ranking members of Ahmeti's Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, as men who formerly cooperated with the secret service in Belgrade. The Commission recently rejected two other files, Mama and Uncle, for the same reason. The forth file, Archer, was rejected because it named a figure who was not a current office-holder. The file naming Ahmeti has raised by far the most controversy in Macedonia. The DUI chief gained much of his patriotic image among ethnic Albanians from the time when he headed an Albanian guerilla insurgency during the short-lived armed conflict in Macedonia in 2001. The file allegedly says that Ahmeti worked for Yugoslav intelligence in the 1980s and later for Serbian intelligence during the era of Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s. The DUI has threatened to sue those behind the allegations, though it has not said who it believes put the files into the public domain. Three of the files were submitted to the Commission in mid-October by an Albanian university professor from the western town of Tetovo who claimed he found them in his backyard. The forth file, Ibar, appeared later that month in the pages of the daily newspaper Dnevnik. The newspaper did not reveal its source while submitting the file to the Commission. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-spy-file-rejected [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Iran to test own model of S-300 missile
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/DEF_188878.html http://www.tradearabia.com/news/DEF_188878.html Iran to test own model of S-300 missile Tehran: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 Iran has developed a version of the Russian S-300 missile and will test-fire it soon, the official news agency IRNA said, two months after Moscow cancelled a delivery of the sophisticated system to Tehran to comply with UN sanctions. The Iranian (version) of the S-300 system is undergoing field modification and will be test-fired soon, IRNA quoted Brigadier General Mohammad Hassan Mansourian, a commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, on Wednesday as saying. World powers are locked in an eight-year-old stand-off with Iran over its nuclear energy programme, which they believe will be used to develop nuclear bombs rather than be devoted to peaceful generation of electricity, as Tehran says. Some Western officials suspect Iran's development of more sophisticated missiles and some much-publicised missile tests could serve the goal of developing a deliverable nuclear weapon. The Islamic Republic denies such accusations, saying its missile development efforts are for defensive purposes only. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev banned the delivery of the high-precision S-300 air defence system to Iran in September, scuttling a tentative deal in gestation for years, saying it would violate expanded UN sanctions imposed in June over Iran's defiance of demands to curb its nuclear programme. Iranian officials said after Russia scrapped the sale that Tehran had decided to build its own model of the S-300. Buying S-300 missiles from the Russia was on the agenda to meet some of the security needs of our country, said Mansourian. But under the pretext of the (UN Security Council) resolution and due to American and Zionist pressure, Russia refused to deliver the defensive system. Pieter Wezeman, a researcher on military issues at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), said he was sceptical about Iran's ability to build its own S-300. Producing such a system is an extremely complex thing to do. These are advanced systems which only have been produced by countries with a very extensive, well-functioning arms industry with a large industrial base, Wezeman told Reuters. The United States and Israel had urged Moscow to scrap the deal, fearing Iran could use S-300s to shield nuclear facilities that they suspect are part of an atomic bomb programme. US and Israeli officials have not ruled out a pre-emptive attack to knock out Iran's nuclear sites if diplomacy fails. -Reuters http://www.tradearabia.com/news/DEF_188878.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To
[osint] N.Korea's Chief Nuke Scientist 'Held for Spying'
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/11/10/2010111000401.ht\ ml http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/11/10/2010111000401.h\ tml N.Korea's Chief Nuke Scientist 'Held for Spying' A senior researcher at North Korea's National Academy of Sciences has been arrested on espionage charges, it emerged on Tuesday. A high-level North Korean source quoted rumors that Kim So-in, who is believed to have been in charge of the North's nuclear and missile development, and his family were arrested by the State Security Department and taken to the notorious Yodok concentration camp in May. A math prodigy who received his doctorate in his early 20s, Kim was said by the state media to have been behind the supposed launch of the North's first satellite -- an event widely believed to have been a long-range ballistic missile test. The source said Kim is accused of assisting his father Kim Song-il, a researcher at the Yongbyon Nuclear Complex, in delivering top secret documents on nuclear development to a foreign agency. The security department is nervous because many senior officials in various areas are suspected of attempting to earn dollars by selling confidential information, with top secret documents about the regime's nuclear and missile development being leaked abroad, the source added. Pak Kyong-chol, an official in the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, has also recently been sent to a labor camp for spying, and Kim Won-bom, the chief of the Wonsan office of the North Korean military bureau in charge of earning hard currency, has been arrested after US$1.5 million was found at his home. And a senior official at the Kumgang bureau of the Majon Mine has been taken into custody for stashing away $100,000 after selling confidential information in conspiracy with military officers. Senior officials are trying to sell confidential information because of economic difficulties since the botched currency reform late last year and the Chinese government's recent crackdown on drug and counterfeit dollar transactions. The security services have been ordered by regime heir Kim Jong-un to look out for unusually rich senior officials, the source added. englishn...@chosun.com mailto:englishn...@chosun.com / Nov. 10, 2010 08:53 KST [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] FBI appoints new counterterrorism division chief
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/10/fbi-appoints-new-countert\ errorism-division-chief/ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/10/fbi-appoints-new-counter\ terrorism-division-chief/ FBI appoints new counterterrorism division chief By The Associated Press, Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 3:57 p.m. WASHINGTON The FBI has appointed an official who once was the agency's on-scene commander in Afghanistan as the new assistant director for the counterterrorism division at FBI headquarters. Mark F. Giuliano comes to the job after having overseen all domestic terrorism operations in the United States and having led a group of FBI personnel who supported U.S. Special Forces components in Afghanistan. Giuliano replaces James W. McJunkin, who has been named assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington field office. The office is one the bureau's largest. During an FBI career that began in 1987, McJunkin led a team of FBI personnel with the on-scene investigation of a terrorist attack against the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. The Associated Press http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/10/fbi-appoints-new-counter\ terrorism-division-chief/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Ilyas Kashmiri one of world's most dangerous men
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ilyas-Kashmiri-one-of-worlds-mo\ st-dangerous-men/articleshow/6907241.cms http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ilyas-Kashmiri-one-of-worlds-m\ ost-dangerous-men/articleshow/6907241.cms Ilyas Kashmiri one of world's most dangerous men IANS, Nov 11, 2010, 03.14pm IST WASHINGTON: Counter-terrorism officials on three continents consider Ilyas Kashmiri http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Ilyas-Kashmiri , leader of an anti-India Pakistani terror group, as one of the most dangerous men in the world, according to CNN. Kashmiri considers India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/India his number one enemy. His group was thought responsible for the bombing of a bakery popular with foreigners in Pune in 2009. But there is plenty of evidence he has ambitions beyond South Asia http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/South-Asia , the US TV channel said. He has one eye, a thick beard streaked with henna and has lost a finger. He wears thick aviator-style dark glasses, it said Wednesday citing sources. There are very few photographs of 40-something. As commander of Brigade 313, part of Harakat-ul-Jihad-Islami http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Harakat-ul-Jihad-Isla\ mi (Movement for an Islamic Holy War), he formed a close relationship with al-Qaida http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=al-Qaida in the wild frontier territory of Pakistan. Now intelligence sources on both sides of the Atlantic believe Kashmiri is trying to get teams into Europe http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Europe that would launch coordinated Mumbai-style attacks in several cities, CNN said. There are plenty of foreign fighters in the Pakistani tribal territories -- as many as 10,000 according to a Pakistani military commander. One of them, Ahmed Sidiqi http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Ahmed-Sidiqi , was detained in Kabul http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kabul last July and interrogated by US forces at the Bagram Airfield. According to European counter-terrorism sources cited by CNN, Sidiqi said he had met Kashmiri, though there is no confirmation that he did. Another man alleged to have sought out Kashmiri is Chicago http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Chicago taxi driver Raja Lahrasib Khan, who travelled to Pakistan http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Pakistan in 2008 and 2009, CNN said. He was arrested this year in the United States http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/United-States and charged with attempting to provide support to al-Qaida. Intelligence officials cited by CNN say that besides being an experienced operator, Kashmiri has also managed to navigate the often perilous waters of jihadist rivalries, attracting members of other Pakistani groups to his 313 Brigade and retaining a measure of autonomy despite pledging allegiance to al-Qaida. If Osama bin Laden is al-Qaida's spiritual leader and Egyptian cleric Ayman al Zawahiri its philosopher, Kashmiri is the organization's military brain, they say. As one US official cited by CNN put it recently, Kashmiri is the key ingredient in the bad stew of senior terrorists who are planning operations in the region and beyond. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Sunnis miss out again in new Iraqi government
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/11/10/kurdish-leader-deal-new-iraq-gov\ ernment-sealed/ http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/11/10/kurdish-leader-deal-new-iraq-go\ vernment-sealed/ Sunnis miss out again in new Iraqi government Published November 10, 2010 | Associated Press BAGHDAD The deal on a new Iraqi government appears to sideline the country's Sunni minority yet again while returning Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to power. The deal confirmed early Thursday by Massoud Barzani, president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, was hammered out after eight months of political deadlock following inconclusive elections on March 7. A Sunni-backed coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi won the most seats in the vote, but Allawi missed out on bids for both the prime minister job and the presidency. Barzani confirmed the Kurds, the bloc that came in fourth place in the election, will retain the presidency the second highest position in Iraq's political structure. Al-Maliki, whose Shiite bloc was second behind Allawi's Iraqiya, aligned months ago with a large Shiite bloc led by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Together, the coalition brought them close to a majority in the 325-seat parliament and all but ensured that Iraq's government for the next four years would continue to be dominated by conservative Shiite parties close to Iran, much like the outgoing regime. The deal reached late Wednesday reflects a significant victory for neighboring Iran, which had pushed for al-Maliki's return. One of the biggest concerns in the haggling over a new government was that the Sunnis could be politically sidelined again, fueling the sectarian tensions that underlie much of the violence in Iraq. The outlines of the new government certainly keep those concerns alive. The lack of significant roles for Allawi's Sunni-backed coalition casts doubt on whether members the Sunni population will support the new government. The minority Sunnis dominated Iraq's government under Saddam Hussein, but after he was ousted in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Shiites took power. Alongside a Sunni insurgency against the government and the foreign forces, years of Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence ensued and brought the country to the brink of civil war. Barzani said Allawi will be in charge of a new council with authority over security. But a key question going forward will be how much authority the yet-to-be-created council will actually have and whether al-Maliki will try to sideline it in an attempt to keep power until himself. Iraqiya has tried to make sure the council position has real teeth, but that remains to be seen. Iraqiya also won control of the parliament speaker position, the third most important job in Iraqi politics. But the unwieldy nature of the deal, which includes roles for all the blocs, seems to guarantee more political gridlock in the future. Barzani, whose Kurdish politicians won a significant victory by retaining the presidency, called the deal fair to all blocs. We cannot expect that any block gets everything, he said. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/11/10/kurdish-leader-deal-new-iraq-go\ vernment-sealed/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Two get 10-yr RI for plan to bomb city
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Two-get-10-yr-RI-for-plan-\ to-bomb-city-/articleshow/6904170.cms http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Two-get-10-yr-RI-for-plan\ -to-bomb-city-/articleshow/6904170.cms Two get 10-yr RI for plan to bomb city TNN, Nov 11, 2010, 04.05am IST NEW DELHI: Two Kashmiri men, alleged to be Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Lashkar-e-Toiba%20ter\ rorists , were on Wednesday sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a trial court for carrying explosives in battery-operated toys to trigger blasts on the eve of New Year in 2007 in the national capital and for facilitating terrorist activities. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh each on Shamiullah Sheikh (23) and Ali Mohd Sheikh (38) both brothers besides the jail term. The court held them guilty under various provisions of the Explosive Substances Act http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Explosive%20Substance\ s%20Act , the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Unlawful%20Activities\ %20Prevention%20Act and IPC. The prosecution, however, could not prove the charges of waging war against the country and that of being the member of banned terrorist organisation LeT. Convicts have been found in possession of IED. The prosecution has been able to prove that the convicts were carrying explosives in battery-operated toys with detonators and dry cells... The convicts were nabbed before they could drop the IED at some vantage point in densely-populated areas,'' the court noted. In its judgment, the court pointed out that the prosecution has proved that the convicts were out to carry out blasts in the capital on the New Year's day. The prosecution has been able to probe that the convicts were acting in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy so as to cause bomb blasts,'' the court said. During the arguments on sentence, defence counsel M S Khan sought leniency for the convicts on the ground that they had been in jail for four years and their father had been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir as he did not support them. Public Prosecutor Neelam Narang, on her part, sought severe punishment for the convicts saying that they were involved in terrorist activities and deserved no leniency. According to the prosecution, a team of special cell officers of Delhi Police led by inspector M C Sharma had apprehended the convicts from New Delhi Railway Station http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=New%20Delhi%20Railway\ %20Station on December 31, 2006, on a tip off received by then assistant commissioner of police Sanjeev Yadav. The police arrested them after they alighted from Andaman Express train and recovered the explosives carried in toys from Kashmir. The duo hailed from Baramullah in Jammu and Kashmir. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Two-get-10-yr-RI-for-plan\ -to-bomb-city-/articleshow/6904170.cms [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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:
[osint] Suspects held in French raids 'plotted terror attack'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11733634 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11733634 11 November 2010 Last updated at 10:23 GMT Suspects held in French raids 'plotted terror attack' Mr Hortefeux was inspecting security forces on patrol in Paris Continue reading the main story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11733634#story_continues_1 Five suspects arrested in and around Paris were French Islamists planning a terror attack, French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux has said. The five were detained on suspicion of having trained as militants in the Afghan-Pakistan border region, security sources said at the time. But Mr Hortefeux said only one of the five had visited Afghanistan while others had planned to go to Pakistan. One of the four men and one woman had been ready to die, he added. Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden warned France last month that its planned ban on the Islamic full-face veil in public places and its involvement in the war in Afghanistan justified attacks on its nationals. Mr Hortefeux said then that the country faced a real terror threat and he urged total vigilance. 'Jihadi sites' The five suspects are all French nationals, some of them of Algerian origin, and clearly belong to the radical Islamist movement, the minister told reporters. What we can say is that, over the last few days with these arrests... there was what we call a conspiracy to prepare a terror attack, he said on a visit to police and soldiers at Montparnasse railway station in Paris. The suspect who visited Afghanistan was unquestionably very familiar with jihadi internet sites, according to the minister. Mr Hortefeux went on to say that one of the suspects had been involved in an alleged plan to murder the head of the grand mosque in Paris, Dalil Boubakeur. The alleged plot to kill Mr Boubakeur was taken all the more seriously because a wave of terror attacks on France in 1995 began with the killing of an imam, the minister said. 'Permanent threat' Mr Boubakeur has been under police protection since death threats against him were reported in September. Eight people were killed and more than 100 wounded in the attacks, which were organised by Algerian Islamist militants. Alain Chouet, former chief of France's DGSE foreign intelligence service, said France faced a real and permanent threat. When we have five million Muslims in the country... if we have one in 10,000 that decides to turn to violence, that makes for a healthy reservoir, he was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11733634 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
[osint] Taliban Seek A Way Out
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/afghan/articles/2010.aspx http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/afghan/articles/2010.aspx Taliban Seek A Way Out November 11, 2010: The Taliban have been around for nearly two decades, and have become quite corrupt. This is a quite common progression for fanatic organizations. The religious angle provides a powerful, and culturally respected, tool for terrorizing those who would not do as they are told. Like other successful organized crime organizations, the Taliban have their internal squabbles, but still maintain an overall public image and public relations effort. While in the early 1990s most Taliban were out to bring (Islamic) law and order to a chaotic Afghanistan (then in its second decade of war), it's all about money now. The few real religious zealots left in their ranks are tolerated and ignored. If these fanatics interfere with money making activities, they die. Opium has made some Afghans very rich, but 90 percent of the population are either nor part of the drug culture, or are victims of it. For every Afghan that is producing drugs, or carrying a gun to protect that production, another Afghans is an addict. These addicts beat their wives and children, killing people while stealing to buy more drugs and cause more grief and mayhem than the average Taliban gunman. Most Afghans are very anti-drug. This is bad for the Taliban, which cannot exist without the drug money. In terms of popularity, the Taliban have been on a downward spiral since the late 1990s. While they were initially hailed for ending (for the most part) the civil war that followed the Russian pullout, the civil war only ended in the south, among the Pushtun factions. The non-Pushtun tribes in the north never surrendered. There's little Taliban violence in the north, and what is usually reported as Taliban activity in the north is drug related. But since the Taliban have maintained some unity, there is general enthusiasm for making some kind of peace deal with the government. This is the traditional Afghan way. If some group is organized and has a lot of weapons, you try to negotiate. The Taliban have already demonstrated a willingness to make this work, by offering to sever all ties with al Qaeda and similar groups. Their puritanical lifestyle police attitudes are already collapsing under the weight of all that money and the consumer goods it buys. That, and factionalism has given the Taliban leadership more headaches than all the foreign troops and Afghan security forces. The Taliban are also looking for a way out. Most Afghans are concerned about the economy (especially unemployment) and corruption, but the biggest problem is seen as the tribal violence. This mayhem is a part of Afghan culture, but it has been out-of-control since the late 1970s and most Afghans just want it to stop. Then there's the cultural mayhem. Since the 1970s, millions of Afghan have been exposed to a rapidly changing modern world. The medieval Afghan culture (at least outside the cities) was not prepared for this. But things like TV, cell phones, education for girls (and in general) and modern medicine have had a tremendous impact on traditional Afghan culture. The Taliban represent opposition to the modern world, and that's a battle no one has ever won. Most of Afghanistan has been enjoying peace, and growing prosperity. Because of modern communications, news of this has spread to the areas where violence is still raging. The people there (mostly in the south) are not happy with their situation. Most of the Afghan refugees caught, around the world, trying to get into Western countries, are Pushtuns from southern Afghanistan. Those left behind want help. The Taliban organization is divided on how to deal with their inability to defeat, or even hurt much, the foreign troops. NATO forces are increasingly going after drug production, especially the labs that refine the opium down into heroin and morphine. This hits the Taliban right in the wallet. Without all that drug money, the Taliban becomes
[osint] NYPD counter-terrorism department describes Awlaki as 'most dangerous man in wor
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-81319.html http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-81319.html NYPD counter-terrorism department describes Awlaki as 'most dangerous man in world' Washington, Nov. 11 : Yemen-based American-born Al-Qaeda suspect Anwar Al Awlaki has been described as 'the most dangerous man in the world' by an intelligence research specialist attached with the New York Police Department's http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-81319.html counter-terrorism division. According to Fox News, this assessment is based on Awlaki's longstanding links to terrorism, his proven track record of radicalizing Muslims, his suspected involvement in planning and encouraging attacks such as 9/11, the 7/7 and 7/21 transatlantic plots, the Fort Hood shooter, the Times Square attempted bomber, the underwear bomber and more. His ongoing propaganda campaign thru DVD's , web postings and the online magazine Inspire is also being cited as a factor for this identity. The NYPD presentation in Saudi Arabia was one of many regular briefs with private security http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-81319.html officials who are members of the SHIELD program, considered a force multiplier by NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly. Kelly has described the 7000 SHIELD participants as extra eyes and ears for police, an important part of the protection protocol involving large offices and corporations across the city where the department can quickly spread the word about watches, alerts and potential threats including mail bombs and suspicious packages. --ANI [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Better technology is vital in fight against terrorism
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_16577629 http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_16577629 Better technology is vital in fight against terrorism New airline screening machines boost security, but better technology is coming and should decrease inconveniences. By The Denver Post Posted: 11/11/2010 01:00:00 AM MST It's easy to empathize with airline pilots who are balking at airport security rules that require full body scans or invasive body pat- downs. Who among us relishes such an intrusion? But pilots know better than most just how important it is for security measures to keep up with the newest plots that terrorists are hatching to wreak havoc on the world. We all know the drill: Take off your shoes, severely limit the liquid you carry on a plane and now submit to a scan or search that leaves little modesty intact. These are intrusive measures and we hope they're not forever a part of our travel routine. But unfortunately, for now, times like these require such drastic steps and pilots ought to go through screenings, just like the rest of us. We are not persuaded by the argument that pilots don't need explosives to cause a disaster because they could simply fly a plane into the ground. They'd have to fight a co- pilot to do so, and skipping screenings would leave them more capable of carrying deadly devices or substances that a co-pilot might not have a chance of combating. Ideally, better technology will end these security nuisances. Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, recently visited with The Post's editorial board and told us she knows full well the irritation experienced by air travelers who have grown weary of the battery of security measures. She said technologies are being developed but have yet to be perfected that would enable travelers to go through security with shoes on while carrying greater amounts of liquid than currently allowed. Such advances would be a relief. Technology is a vital part of fighting terrorism. A recently deployed tool the one causing the controversy is called Advanced Imaging Technology, or AIT. It's the most effective technology the government has for detecting small, dangerous items, such as explosives, that could be concealed on passengers' bodies. These scanners deliver a very low dose of radiation to the person being screened. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an advisory saying the amount of radiation is so low, there is no need to limit the number of screenings a person can undergo in a year. The Transportation Security Administration has deployed more than 300 AIT machines at 65 airports nationwide. The goal is to have 1,000 of them in operation by the end of 2011. A USA Today/Gallup poll conducted earlier this year found 78 percent of respondents said they approved of using the machines. However, since then fears have been stoked by scientists who have raised questions about radiation exposure, saying people have different sensitivities, especially children and developing embryos. These are legitimate questions that the Obama administration needs to address quickly and fully while working to end these tedious measures. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.
[osint] Afghanistan military secrets sold for £18.87 on eBay after army officer dumped l
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328667/Afghanistan-military-sec\ rets-sold-eBay-army-officer-dumped-laptop.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328667/Afghanistan-military-se\ crets-sold-eBay-army-officer-dumped-laptop.html Afghanistan military secrets sold for £18.87 on eBay after army officer dumped laptop in a skip By Daily Mail Reporter http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=yauthornamef=Daily+Mail+\ Reporter Last updated at 10:19 AM on 11th November 2010 Security breach: Captain Robert Sugden, whose laptop was found in a skip and sold, pictured with wife Amy An Oxford-educated army officer's laptop containing military secrets was sold on the internet for £18.87 after he threw it in a skip. Captain Robert Sugden, 29, was today being investigated by MoD chiefs after the security breach which risked the lives of soldiers in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan veteran's scavenged computer, sold on eBay for `spares or repair', could have been used to deadly effect by the Taliban. Files none of which required passwords - included troop numbers, patrol details, ammunition stock lists and locations of every police command post in a Helmand town. The shocked buyer, who handed the laptop to the MoD, also found it contained hundreds of photos, along with names and other details, of locals risking their lives by joined the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army. Also stored on the Toshiba Satellite A30 laptop was a copy of the Afghan National Police's tactical handbook, giving details of every aspect of how to take on and defeat the enemy, including how to identify IED roadside bombs. The computer was used by Sandhurst-trained Cpt Sugden during seven months with the Coldstream Guards in Afghanistan. After handing it over to the MoD, the IT engineer who made the winning bid on the internet auction site told The Sun: `I couldn't believe it - the laptop could have been bought by anyone. `I realised straight away it wasn't the kind of stuff that should have been for sale on eBay. I contacted the seller to ask if he wanted a copy of the data - but he said no.' Cpt Sugden - married to barrister Amy, 27, and originally from Tanzania - is so highly thought of he was appointed assistant Queen's Equerry after his Afghanistan tour. His year in the plum role, seen as a stepping stone to higher things, ended only last month. The officer, an anti-tank platoon commander in Afghanistan, told top brass he thought the laptop's hard drive had been wiped when he dumped it. As a further precaution, he used a hammer to wreck the machine. But once the IT expert who purchased the machine opened it up, he discovered the hard drive intact and found details that could have highly valuable for terrorists. Many documents were classed as secret or restricted. The locations of police command posts was even conveniently filed under the heading `Nato Secret'. Referring to one of the bases, the report states: `Many police asleep or high on heroin'. Other documents detail corruption in the Afghan police and among local leaders. One secret file on `key personalities' details 14 senior figures in the Helmand town of Gereshk. The damning verdict on one is: `Skims money off reconstruction funds for personal gain, and has connections with narcotics trade.' Another document includes detailed backgrounds and pictures of the chiefs of police in Helmand. An MoD spokesman told Mail Online: `We take information security extremely seriously. We are now in possession of the laptop and are investigating the incident.' [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Saudi Arabia on alert for al-Qaeda attack
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-world/saudi-arabia-on-ale\ rt-for-alqaeda-attack-2010-17paw.html http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-world/saudi-arabia-on-al\ ert-for-alqaeda-attack-2010-17paw.html Saudi Arabia on alert for al-Qaeda attack November 11, 2010 - 7:14PM Jihad and International Security It deserves a wide readership AP The Interior Minister says Saudi Arabia is on alert for a possible al-Qaeda attack next week during hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage that draws millions of worshippers to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Prince Nayef did not mention any specific threat or intelligence on an attack. But when he was asked at a news conference about the possibility of an al-Qaeda strike during the hajj, he said: We don't rule out any possibility of something that disturbs the security of the pilgrims. The hajj begins on November 15 and lasts for several days. Saudi Arabia gave the West key intelligence on two mail bombs recently intercepted after they were sent on planes from neighbouring Yemen. Al-Qaeda in Yemen claimed responsibility. © 2010 AP http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/action/displayCopyrightNotice?sourceOr\ ganisation=AP [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Kurdish Leader: Deal On New Iraq Government Sealed
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131226064 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131226064 Kurdish Leader: Deal On New Iraq Government Sealed by The Associated Press November 11, 2010 The Kurdish regional president confirms that Iraqi politicians have agreed on a new government that returns Nouri al-Maliki to power and allows the Kurds to maintain the presidency. Massoud Barzani calls the deal fair to all blocs. Speaking to reporters in Baghdad on Thursday, he confirmed the broad outlines of a tentative deal hammered out Wednesday night. He said former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, the head of a Sunni-backed bloc that had been opposed to al-Maliki, would be in charge of a new council with authority over security. Allawi's Iraqiya bloc had been pushing for the council to have substantial powers but it's not yet clear whether they were successful. Iraqiya also got the job of parliament speaker. The deal breaks an eight-month impasse that paralyzed the government, encouraged insurgent attacks and rattled potential foreign investors. The Sunni-backed secular coalition, which had vehemently opposed al-Maliki, finally resigned itself to serving in his government along with the other main political groups. Finally, fortunately, it's done. It's finished. All the groups are in it, said Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman, who took part in the nearly seven hours of negotiations Wednesday following talks the previous two days. The deal involves concessions to both the Kurds and to Iraqiya. U.S. officials have worried that a government without the backing of minority Sunnis could spell a return to sectarian warfare. The White House welcomed the development. The apparent agreement to form an inclusive government is a big step forward for Iraq, said Tony Blinken, national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, the administration's point man for Iraq. All along we've said the best result would be a government that reflects the results of the elections, includes all the major blocs representing Iraq's ethnic and sectarian groups, and that does not exclude or marginalize anyone. But the return of al-Maliki to the premier's post underscores Iran's rising influence in Iraq at a time when American forces are leaving. It was Iran that engineered al-Maliki's recent endorsement by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who controls 40 seats in the new parliament. The two men, fellow Shiites, had been enemies in the past. It was unclear what role al-Sadr and his hard-line Shiite faction might play in a new government and whether al-Maliki's partnership with the Sadrists could derail pro-Western security and commercial policies. One of the leaders of the Iraqiya coalition, Saleh al-Mutlaq, blamed Iran for al-Maliki's likely return to office. The pressure of Iran was too much, he said. Lawmakers familiar with the negotiations described the general outlines of Wednesday's deal as follows: Allawi's bloc will choose the parliament speaker. It was not known who that would be, but their pick was expected to be ratified when lawmakers meet Thursday for only the second time since the March 7 election. The government will also create a new council with authority over security issues. That is intended as a concession to Allawi's coalition, which has pushed heavily for ways to reduce al-Maliki's power in exchange for offering its support. But details apparently still need to be worked out, and it was not immediately clear that Iraqiya would end up controlling the council or that it will have real authority. Allawi's bloc also won a concession to end the so-called de-Baathification law in two years, according to the Iraqiya official. The law regulates efforts to purge members of Saddam Hussein's former regime from government jobs. Sunnis detest the law because they consider it a thinly veiled attempt to keep them from power. It was uncertain what role, if any, Allawi himself would play in the government. Othman said Allawi had signed off on the deal. The Kurds, who have played the role of king-maker in Iraqi politics since the fall of Saddam, were granted their demand that President
[osint] 10th Mountain Aviation Takes over Afghan Skies
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/10th-mountain-aviation-t\ akes-over-afghan-skies.html http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/10th-mountain-aviation-\ takes-over-afghan-skies.html Thursday, November 11, 2010 10th Mountain Aviation Takes over Afghan Skies From one Falcon to another; 10th CAB takes control of RC-East aviation http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/.a/6a00e551d9d3fd8833013488df6894970\ c-popup operations BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan After several weeks of gradually taking over aviation missions in Regional Command East, the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Falcon, officially replaced the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, also known as TF Falcon, in a transfer of authority ceremony Nov. 10 at the Combined Joint Task Force - 101 Headquarters here. The 3rd CAB deployed to RC-East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November 2009. During their 12-month deployment, the 3rd CAB provided direct and general support aviation operations to RC-East and RC-Capital. They also provided humanitarian assistance to Afghan and Pakistani citizens affected by an avalanche an earthquake and devastating floods. Following the ceremony, the brigade's soldiers left to their home station of Hunter Army Air Field, Ga. It has been an honor to command TF Falcon in combat, said U.S. Army Col. Donald Galli, 3rd CAB commander, a native of Havertown, Pa. I am even more honored to have served with each and every one of the Dog Face soldiers of TF Falcon - from Falcon 7 and my battalion command teams to my aircrews; from my staff to the soldiers turning a wrench, fueling an aircraft or serving a meal. I have been humbled by my soldiers' tireless efforts and selfless service to our nation. They have proven to be the finest of Americans, the toughest of warriors and true American patriots. I thank them all for their service. The 10th CAB, constituted Aug. 21, 1965, has contributed significantly in combat from Vietnam, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the brigade has been called upon to serve during Hurricane Andrew in Florida, in Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia. To prepare for this 12-month deployment, soldiers of 10th CAB trained in Fort Carson, Colo., Whiteface, N.Y., and Fort Rucker, Ala. For the soldiers of the 10th CAB, now TF Falcon; you have an enormous challenge facing you, said U.S. Army Col. Pedro Almeida, 10th CAB commander, a native of New Bedford, Mass. You have trained hard to be here, and you have done it exceptionally well. You will face difficulties and challenges you have never confronted before, and you will prevail. I am honored and privileged to be in the same formation with you and I have the utmost confidence in your ability to get the mission done. The 10th CAB is organized by five multifunctional task forces comprised of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and medical evacuation helicopters, AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters, CH-47D Chinook helicopters, and the OH-58 Kiowa Warriors. In addition, the 10th CAB benefits from the skills of their aviation support battalion, elements of an aerial exploitation brigade TF ODIN-A, and aviation units from Czech Republic and South Korea. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/10th-mountain-aviation-\ takes-over-afghan-skies.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Kenyan court frees 17 suspected pirates arrested by US Navy for lack of evidence
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jo5oJNGE6A3\ QiYJpE9LZBy9RasZg?docId=5043815 http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jo5oJNGE6A\ 3QiYJpE9LZBy9RasZg?docId=5043815 Kenyan court frees 17 suspected pirates arrested by US Navy for lack of evidence By Tom Odula (CP) NAIROBI, Kenya A Kenyan court on Friday freed 17 Somali men detained by the U.S. Navy at sea and accused of piracy, saying the Navy didn't provide the necessary evidence to convict the suspects. The decision has left authorities in a dilemma over what to do with the Somali men since the court did not order them repatriated back to their country, the men's lawyer said. Attorney Jared Magolo said a magistrate's court in the coastal town of Mombasa ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the Somali men attacked the MV Amira, an Egyptian-flagged ship, in May 2009. Magolo said the magistrate blamed the loss of the case on the U.S. Navy, who captured the Somalis, for not providing video and photographic proof that the Navy claimed to have. Magolo said the magistrate court did not order the men repatriated to Somalia because international law prohibits extraditing a person back to a country at war. He said the police did know what to do with the Somalis since they cannot put them back in prison without orders from the court. Somali pirates usually seize ships in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest waterways, for multimillion dollar ransoms. Pirates have also increased attacks in the Indian Ocean off East Africa. Kenya is among a handful of countries that have prosecuted pirates. One of the key concerns about jailing pirates is what to do with them once their sentence is up. Kenya has previously said it is reviewing agreements with the international community to prosecute pirates from Somalia, its East African neighbour. A key concern is the security threat Somalis suspected of piracy may pose if they are acquitted or after they have served their jail term. Kenya wants other countries to share the burden of prosecuting pirates. The country currently has some 136 pirates among its 53,000 inmates. Last May the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said American sailors apprehended the 17 Somalis for allegedly attacking the Egyptian-flagged merchant ship Amira in waters off Yemen. The sailors from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg also seized eight assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher when they boarded the pirates' vessel. The Gettysburg launched the operation with the help of the Korean Destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great after pirates fired at the Motor Vessel Amira about 75 miles south of Yemen's al-Mukalla port, the Navy said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com
[osint] Judge blocks Okla. amendment banning court use of Islamic law
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/11/judge-bl\ ocks-amendment-to-okla-constitution-banning-court-use-of-islamic-law/1 http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/11/judge-b\ locks-amendment-to-okla-constitution-banning-court-use-of-islamic-law/1 Nov 08, 2010 Judge blocks Okla. amendment banning court use of Islamic law 01:10 PM A federal district judge has issued a temporary restraining order to block an amendment to the Oklahoma state constitution that would prohibit state courts from considering international or Islamic law when deciding cases. The amendment was approved by 70% of voters last Tuesday. The order today by Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange will remain in effect until a Nov. 22 hearing, the Associated Press reports. The order was sought in a lawsuit by Muneer Awad, an Oklahoma Muslim and executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Oklahoma, who argues that the amendment against sharia law demonizes his religion. (Posted by Doug Stanglin) http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/11/judge-b\ locks-amendment-to-okla-constitution-banning-court-use-of-islamic-law/1 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Illegals Say TSA Approved Flight Training
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/25655647/detail.html http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/25655647/detail.html Illegals Say TSA Approved Flight Training 3 Claim Documents Show Federal Clearance POSTED: 8:55 am EDT November 6, 2010 UPDATED: 9:12 am EDT November 6, 2010 BOSTON -- Three Brazilian nationals accused being in the country illegally while studying to be pilots at a Stow flight school said they were cleared by the federal Transportation Security Administration for flight training. The men, who agreed to talk to NewsCenter 5 under a condition of anonymity, said they came to the United States legally but now have expired visas. They said the TSA never asked them about their immigration status. I did an application for the TSA. They looked at my background and there's nothing criminal, said one. I'm not a terrorist,'' he said. The owner of the TJ Aviation Flight Academy and more than 30 students accused of being in the United States illegally received clearance to train as pilots despite strict security controls put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Each of the three showed documents from the TSA approving pilot lessons through the federal agency's alien flight student program. If I was not supposed to do it, they were supposed to block everything and not give me permission. Not just me, but others, another said. You cannot start classes without clearance from the TSA, he said. After being allowed to fly for dozens of hours each, they now risk being deported and each said they fear being stereotyped as some kind of foreign terrorists. All the people going to the school have to work hard to pay money, pay the taxes. Why should I be a terrorist? said one. TSA officials said they will review the process through which foreign nationals obtain clearance to take flight lessons and acquire pilots' licenses. TSA is responsible for checking foreign nationals who apply for flight training in the United States or with FAA-certified flight training providers anywhere in the world. TSA performs a thorough background check on each applicant at the time of application to include terrorism and other watch list matching, a criminal history check and checks for available disqualifying immigration information, TSA said in a statement. The school's owner, Thiago DeJesus, denies he is in the U.S. illegally. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Terrorized Terrorists Run For Cover
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/india/articles/20101108.aspx http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/india/articles/20101108.aspx Terrorized Terrorists Run For Cover November 8, 2010: The American UAV offensive against Islamic terrorist leaders in northwest Pakistan has driven some of the enemy to seek safely just across the border in Afghanistan. So far this year, there have been 97 U.S. missile attacks in Pakistan, compared to 53 in all of 2009 and 35 in 2008. Over 90 percent of this year's attacks have been in North Waziristan, where many Taliban and al Qaeda have long been based. The Pakistani Army has refused American requests that the area be cleared of hostile forces. Many in the Pakistani military and counter-terrorism establishment consider these Islamic terrorists as a useful tool to maintain some control in Afghanistan, and as a weapon against India. But the American missile attacks have made life increasingly risky for the terrorist leadership, and the easiest place to run to is just across the border. The American UAVs can still strike there, but the strategy appears to be to get away from the spies and informers among the tribesmen in North Waziristan. The tribes across the border are more hostile, and have a ceasefire with the Haqqani Network, which regularly moves men from North Waziristan to make attacks in Afghanistan. But the U.S. doesn't just rely on tribal informants for targeting information. There are also lots of electronic eavesdropping and sensors (various types of vidcams and special cameras) along with data mining tools. It will soon become apparent if you can run and hide. There are other problems for Haqqani, as the tribes just across the border tend to be Shia. While a minority of Pushtuns are Shia, they do not get along with Islamic radicals like al Qaeda, Taliban or Haqqani, because all three of these consider Shia heretics. While the Pakistanis refuse to attack in North Waziristan, they are still chasing down Taliban in nearby areas. Between that, and continued unrest in the southwest (Baluchistan) there are several hundred casualties a week in Pakistan, making nearly as violent as Afghanistan. Pakistan is making yet another attempt to curb rampant corruption among government officials. This time, the anti-corruption effort will be monitored by the intelligence agencies (especially ISI) to prevent corruption among the anti-corruption officials. While ISI has long harbored Islamic radical sympathizers, the radicals justify their use of violence as part of an effort to eliminate corruption. Despite that, many believe that ISI contains corruption prone Islamic radicals (which exist in large numbers). Few Pakistanis expect the new anti-corruption drive to be much more successful than previous efforts. India is also pressuring the United States, which gives Pakistan billions of dollars a year in economic and military aid, to put more pressure on the Pakistanis to stop supporting Islamic terror groups trying to carry out attacks in India. The Pakistanis deny they are doing so, but the evidence says otherwise. In eastern India (Bihar state), Maoists blew up a section of track and derailed a freight train. The Maoists have called for a nationwide protest to the visit of the U.S. president, but most Indians are celebrating the event. So the Maoists will amp up their usual violence to try and compensate for this lack of hostility. India is also pressuring Nepal to investigate claims that Nepalese Maoists (who are a large political party there, and still have a large militia) have been providing bases and combat training for Indian Maoists. November 7, 2010: In North Waziristan, the Taliban publicly executed three men accused of spying for the United States. These killings are a regular occurrence in the area, but the Americans continue to find their targets. The accusations and executions are often off the mark, which just increases local hatred for the Islamic radicals, who are basically ruling by fear. November 5, 2010: In northwest Pakistan, two mosques used by anti-Taliban militias were bombed by Islamic terrorists. Over 70 people were killed. The government supports these militia, which provide
[osint] China:The Lesson
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/china/20101107.aspx http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/china/20101107.aspx The Lesson November 7, 2010: China keeps hammering away at the U.S. over recent sales of $6 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan. While Chinese diplomacy and threats delayed the sales a few years, the deal eventually went through. China is still trying to stop it, and calls the sale a major obstacle to good relations between the U.S. and China. The eventual absorption of Taiwan is a bigger deal in China than it is in the United States, which annoys the Chinese, who see themselves simply being brushed aside by an imperious United States. At least that's how it's played in the Chinese government controlled press. Meanwhile, the free press in Japan is playing the nationalist card as well, and the Chinese don't like that. But China has caused the problem by prompting and allowing popular (nationalist) demonstrations against Japan. Now the Japanese are angry, and the media in Japan has picked up on that. The Chinese leadership is upset with this development. That's because the Japanese military is smaller, but much more professional and effective, than their Chinese counterparts. Plus, if this hate race keeps going, it could lead to Japan building nuclear weapons. This prospect frequently comes up in the Japanese media, and Japanese politicians freely admit to how possible this would be. The Chinese hate/hate relationship goes back a long way. For centuries, China basically ignored Japan, and considered them some violent malcontents living uneasily together on some islands way out in the Eastern Ocean. The only serious attempt to conquer Japan was carried out by Mongols, who were slowly swallowing most of China. The Mongols failed to take Japan (and couldn't hang onto China). The Chinese considered anything involving Japan to be a sideshow of little consequence. But then, in the mid-19th century, the Japanese decided to join the west, at least economically and militarily. China was having a hard time adjusting to the military, technical and economic superiority of the West. Not so the Japanese. For most of the last few thousand years, China had been more powerful than the West, but too far away for that to make much difference. But now the Westerners had developed new ship designs that allowed them to move large forces to East Asia. China was humbled in several small wars. The westerners, unlike the Mongols, had no interest in conquering China, they just wanted some trade deals, and no interference from China. But a suddenly modernized Japan, 130 years ago, began to threaten, and then defeat, China with its new, Western style http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/china/20101107.aspx military. Until 1945, China could only slow down, but not stop the Japanese. It took Western armies (mainly from the U.S., Russia and Britain) to finally crush the Japanese menace. China resents that as well, and the mediocre performance of Chinese forces in Korea (1950-53), on the Russian border (the 1970s) and against Vietnam (1979) has not helped. The only victory was against India in 1962, but that was a high altitude skirmish in the mountains on the Tibetan border. Nice, but not indicative of a trend. Chinese military capabilities appear to have gone downhill since then The U.S. and Japan are being more public about their joint military planning against potential Chinese military moves in the region. China has made claims on disputed islands in the region, bringing it into direct conflict with powerful neighbors like South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. Three of these nations are treaty allies of the United States, which has 70,000 troops stationed in the region. Then there's India, being threatened by China, which still claims the Tibetan border lands (now part of India) that caused the 1962 skirmish. The only major neighbor China makes nice to is Russia, which is also the only neighbor with enough nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to cripple China. The lesson is not lost on the rest of China's nervous neighbors. October 29, 2010: A Japanese destroyer successfully used its Aegis anti-missile system to intercept a ballistic
[osint] PA: Shin Bet officers met with top Hamas officials 'over coffee'
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/pa-shin-bet-officers-met-with-\ top-hamas-officials-over-coffee-1.323677 http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/pa-shin-bet-officers-met-with\ -top-hamas-officials-over-coffee-1.323677 * Published 01:03 09.11.10 * Latest update 01:03 09.11.10 PA: Shin Bet officers met with top Hamas officials 'over coffee' Senior Palestinian Authority officials say reported meeting embarrasses senior Fatah officials in Ramallah; Shin Bet refused to comment on the reports. By Avi Issacharoff http://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/avi-issacharoff-1.307 and Amos Harel http://www.haaretz.com/misc/writers/amos-harel-1.285 The Palestinian Authority complained to Israel recently that Shin Bet officers were in contact with high-level Hamas members around Jenin, senior Palestinian sources told Haaretz. Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad attending Eid el Fitr prayers in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Sept. 10, 2010. Photo by: AP The Palestinian sources said that 10 days ago a number of low ranking Shin Bet officers met with senior figures of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Among the Hamas figures was the former Hamas Prisoner Affairs minister, Wusfi Kabha, a Jenin resident; Fadil Busnak a lawyer representing mostly Hamas men, who also resides in Jenin; and A'san Zreydi, an important Hamas figure in the area and a former prisoner. Also at one of the meetings was Adnan Hader, a member of Islamic Jihad from the village of Arabe. None of the four are considered to be involved in armed resistance and are all recognized as political figures. According to the Palestinian sources, the Shin Bet officers visited the four in their homes late at night, were permitted to enter and then explained that they did not intend to arrest the four, but to talk over a cup of coffee. The Palestinian sources claimed that the questions the Shin Bet officers asked their Hamas and Islamic Jihad interlocutors were not security related, but appeared to be an attempt at having an exchange with the Islamist groups. The activists were asked about their views on the chances that peace talks would succeed, and the possibility of a peace agreement with Israel, according to the sources. The Palestinian sources said that the PA complained about the matter to GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi, because the meeting embarrassed senior Fatah officials in Ramallah, who could not understand the meaning or purpose of the meeting. However, in the past the Shin Bet have held warning meetings with senior political figures of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, in an effort to warn them against linking up to terrorist activities or the funding of militants. The Shin Bet refused to comment on the reports. A meeting between senior Hamas and Fatah figures is scheduled to take place in the coming days in Damascus, as part of an effort to reconcile the two rival groups. The meeting is meant to bridge differences over the future of the official Palestinian Authority security forces and Hamas. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/pa-shin-bet-officers-met-with\ -top-hamas-officials-over-coffee-1.323677 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Lessons from abroad Countering terrorism in Japan Part I (on culture)
http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/25/lessons-from-abroad-counter\ ing-terrorism-in-japan-part-i-on-culture/ http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/25/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-i-on-culture/ Lessons from abroad Countering terrorism in Japan Part I (on culture) http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/25/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-i-on-culture/ October 25th, 2010 - by Donovan C. Chau http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/authors/donovan-c./ Last month, I spent a fortnight conducting field research on counterterrorism in Japan. Because East Asia is often overlooked in terms of terrorism analysis (even Southeast Asia garners scant attention from but a small handful of scholars, analysts and commentators), I felt and continue to feel compelled to learn from the Japanese counterterrorism experience. Learning from like-minded liberal democracies (including the United Kingdom and Israel) benefits U.S. national security as well as the broader international security community. The focus of my efforts, thus, was to comprehend how the Japanese government counters terrorism particularly its culture, system and methods. This is the first in a three-part series. In his 1993 influential article (later published in book format), the late Samuel Huntington raised the specter of a clash of civilizations (it was originally a question, not an assertion). Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Huntington's thesis was ostensibly proven correct. The Western civilization was attacked by the Islamic civilization, causing our current international security environment. I bring this up because, of the seven or so civilizations mentioned by Huntington, the Japanese civilization stood out to me. How could it be that a geographically small country with about 127 million people (and declining) possessed its own civilization? And to what extent did this mean that the Japanese civilization dealt with security threats in its own unique manner, that is, its own strategic culture? Though this is not the forum to discuss in depth Japanese strategic culture, or the lack thereof (which requires a book, or at least a scholarly journal article, to begin with), this space does afford me the opportunity to discuss the Japanese cultural perception of terrorism as a national security threat. The history of terrorism in Japan allows us to understand better the Japanese cultural view of terrorism, or so it would seem. Well before September 2001, Japan experienced attacks of various sorts that were labeled terrorism. These comprised, initially, left-wing student radicals inspired by worldwide communism from the 1960s onward. The students organized and protested violently against the U.S.-Japan security alliance and U.S. bases in Japan (which are still targets of protest). They also protested rising student fees, the construction of Narita International Airport (which I flew into, conveniently) and other evil expressions of capitalism. Out of these left-wing student groups emerged a most infamous organization, the Japanese Red Army (Nihon Sekigun), whose members conducted terrorist attacks in Europe and the Middle East. (The Japanese Red Army must not be confused with the Red Army, Sekigun-ha, or the United Red Army, Rengo Sekigun, which was formed after elements of the Red Army merged with members of the Keihin Anti-Treaty Joint Struggle group, Keihin Ampo Kyoto.) Often forgotten, Japanese citizens actually joined the Palestinian struggle for independence, viewing their actions within the overall framework of communist revolution against global capitalism. Alongside these left-wing terrorists were right-wing nationalist elements which caught (and continue to catch) the attention of the Japanese government. Though much less has been written about them, right-wing extremists protested and used violence in support of nationalistic and patriotic causes, at times targeting specific individuals or organizations that disgraced the Emperor or Japan's imperial past. In light of this summer's tensions between Japan and China over islands in the East China Sea, right-wing groups may once again gain in prominence. Outside of these politically
[osint] Lessons from abroad Countering terrorism in Japan Part II (on the system)
http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/02/lessons-from-abroad-counter\ ing-terrorism-in-japan-part-ii-on-the-system/ http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/02/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-ii-on-the-system/ Lessons from abroad Countering terrorism in Japan Part II (on the system) http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/02/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-ii-on-the-system/ November 2nd, 2010 - by Donovan C. Chau http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/authors/donovan-c./ My first day in Japan found me at the headquarters of the National Police Agency (NPA) in the heart of Tokyo's government district around Kasumegaseki station. Though not formally designated as such, the NPA is really the lead government agency countering terrorism in Japan. The NPA serves as the headquarters element of Japan's police, performing important administrative, training, and support functions, including intelligence collection and analysis. Meanwhile, Japan's prefectural police (led by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, akin to New York's finest) span the breadth of the country and are the operational arm. From a policy perspective, my discussions with NPA officials demonstrated a clear understanding of terrorism and its potential threat to Japan (to review the threat, see Part I http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/25/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-i-on-culture/ ). Unlike America's federalized police, Japan's national police force is overseen by the National Public Safety Commission, a five-member oversight body appointed by the Prime Minister. Regional bureaus, which serve supervisory roles over prefectural police, add another layer of bureaucracy to Japan's police system, which is based on the post-World War II Police Act and its subsequent amendments. While I learned a great deal from my visit to the NPA, I was also becoming cognizant of the larger system of counterterrorism in Japan. Japan's constitution is what really provides the legal framework (some say, constraints) within which the police conduct counterterrorism. Many may be familiar with the creation of the so-called peace constitution. In the aftermath of World War II, General Douglas MacArthur led American occupation forces, civilian and military, for several years helping to shape Japan's political system, its constitution in particular. Article 9 of the constitution forswears the use of military force and prohibits Japan from maintaining a standing, offensive military. This legal abandonment of what is arguably the fundamental sovereign right of any nation-state has ramifications for counterterrorism: It imposes artificial restrictions on the use of force which has negative consequences on the country's overall security capabilities, including counterterrorism. The government takes these democratic values seriously, as is seen in the activities of its legislative and executive organs, the Diet and Cabinet Secretariat. Both play roles in shaping and influencing counterterrorism policy; however, it is the Japanese bureaucracy that does the heavy lifting. While Japan's police may be considered the central organization countering terrorism in Japan, it is by no means the only one. Just as homeland security spans across the behemoth U.S. government, counterterrorism in Japan cuts across powerful bureaucratic lines. Ostensibly coordinated by the Prime Minister through the Cabinet Secretariat, organs conducting counterterrorism in Japan include: the Ministry of Justice, which includes the Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA); the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA); the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which includes the Japan Coast Guard; the Ministry of Defense (MOD); the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare; the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. And, as a foreigner (gaijin) I undoubtedly omitted some agency or ministry that does something related to counterterrorism. Nevertheless, with this list, one gets a genuine sense of the bureaucratic politics and challenges facing the Japanese government, which are
[osint] Lessons from abroad Countering terrorism in Japan Part III (on the methods)
http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/08/lessons-from-abroad-counter\ ing-terrorism-in-japan-part-iii-on-the-methods/ http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/08/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-iii-on-the-methods/ Lessons from abroad Countering terrorism in Japan Part III (on the methods) http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/08/lessons-from-abroad-counte\ ring-terrorism-in-japan-part-iii-on-the-methods/ November 8th, 2010 - by Donovan C. Chau http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/authors/donovan-c./ When one thinks of Japan, popular American images that come to mind are affordable and reliable automobiles (I drive a Toyota Camry Hybrid), sophisticated electronics and gadgetry (I have an iPod nano), and, to those who have been there, the most advanced toilets in the world (you really have to experience them for yourself). In short, a commonly held view of this island nation-state is one of extraordinarily advanced technological wonder robots, Shinkansen (bullet trains) and all. I will be the first to admit that these and other images ran through my mind on the direct flight from LAX to Narita; I wondered how such mastery of machines translated to countering terrorism in Japan. In my first meeting in the heart of Tokyo, my fantasies and preconceived notions were thoroughly dispelled. The Japan Science and Technology Agency's Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX) http://www.ristex.jp/EN/index.html sounds about as innocuous and typically Japanese as any bureaucratic organization. Yet, as it turned out, I may have learned more at this initial meeting than I learned during my entire fortnight in the land of the Rising Sun. I was early to RISTEX and sat in a modern yet simplistic meeting room, nondescript blue-gray carpet and walls with light-beige built-in shelving. The unusually hot September morning caused difficulties for foreigners and locals alike. As it turned out, my interviewee was delayed not because of the Tokyo Metropolitan Subway (which would be unusual, indeed) but because of his normal walk, a forty minute jaunt, as opposed to the fifteen-minute ride underground. Counterterrorism in Japan, as it turns out, is more akin to the sweaty forty-minute walk than the efficient Tokyo subway system. In my discussions at RISTEX, as well as the National Police Agency (NPA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), I learned that the traditional counterterrorism approach in Japan involves encirclement, monitoring and observation, as needed. While advanced technological tools are undoubtedly used, the Japanese focus on the traditional craft of counter-espionage and counter-intelligence in their counterterrorism operations, relying on human intelligence (HUMINT) as opposed to technical intelligence. The focus on HUMINT and first-line-of-defense reveals the Japanese tendency toward prevention, especially through border control (i.e., garrisoning), in countering terrorism. Over the past fifty years, Japan has developed tactically proficient human methods of counterterrorism, so much so that Japan shares its techniques with others across East Asia (e.g., seminars with Southeast Asian security agencies). Rather than relying on high-tech solutions, Japanese counterterrorism as it turns out places much emphasis on the human element. Yet, considering the Aum Shinrikyo attacks in 1995 and left-wing terrorist incidents during the Cold War, Japan's history of counterterrorism may be criticized as decidedly deficient. Strategically, as I learned during my meetings in Tokyo, Japanese counterterrorism is sorely lacking. The decidedly non-security oriented society may be one impediment; higher education in the topics of national security and strategy as well as study of potential regions of the world of concern such as the Middle East and Africa is deficient. Moreover, the legal framework for countering terrorism is absent and even constraining (terrorists have fundamental human rights, for example). Certain security lapses have not resulted in meaningful punishments and wiretapping remains severely circumscribed for countering terrorists. What does this all mean for counterterrorism in Japan? Like most, if not all, liberal democratic
[osint] Overcoming Fear Of Spying
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htterr/articles/20101108.aspx http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htterr/articles/20101108.aspx Overcoming Fear Of Spying November 8, 2010: Even before September 11, 2001, counter-intelligence experts had discovered that it was very difficult to get agents into Islamic terrorist organizations. Since then, it's become easier. But the process is difficult, and very dangerous for those who agree to go undercover in these terrorist organizations. So far, Islamic terrorists know dozens of these agents. Two of the most prominent double agents cane from Guantanamo. Abdul Rahman, an Afghan, who was released, returned to terrorism in Pakistan and found out and killed. The another, a Saudi Arabian, was released in 2007, returned to Saudi Arabia, went through a mandatory rehabilitation course. There he was apparently recruited by Saudi intelligence. Once out of rehab, the man went to Yemen, joined the al Qaeda organization, and then got back to Saudi Arabia two months ago with all sorts of useful information. This included news of the printer toner cartridge plot that was disrupted (and failed) at the end of October. But there are apparently a lot more (perhaps hundreds) more such agents out there, and some you will have to wait a long time to find out about. Even the details of the recruiting process are top secret, in order to protect the agents recruited, and make it more difficult for the wrong people (potential double agents) to be hired. But the process tends to work best on those who have become disillusioned with Islamic radicalism. There are a lot of these men, but most simply walk away. Others wish to fight against the cause they lost faith in. All the Americans had to do was get hip to the cultural buttons, and learn how to push them. Apparently the Israelis helped with this, as the Israelis have long run extensive informant networks in Arab populations. The Israelis have a thick playbook, and the U.S. apparently got them to share. There are plenty of prospects. Every man (and some women) arrested as suspected terrorists are potential agents. There are over 500 men released from Guantanamo, along with nearly 100,000 arrested in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. For example, last year, the U.S. released over 5,000 suspected terrorists it was holding in Iraq. Since then, dozens of them have been killed carrying out terror attacks, or arrested by Iraqi police for being part of terrorist groups. Iraqi and American counter-terrorism warned that a wholesale release of American held terror suspects would get people killed. But letting all those guys (they were mostly guys, and mostly Sunni Arabs) go was the politically correct thing to do, and off they went. Several hundred Iraqis, and a few Americans, at least, have died as a result. So far. But there were also apparently some agents recruited from among those released, not just last year, but in previous years as well. It may never be known exactly how many of the released suspects returned to their murderous ways, or agreed to spy for the Americans. All of them were held because there was some evidence of involvement in terrorist activity. But the Iraqi police would not accept all the American evidence or, in many cases, did not consider it sufficient for an Iraqi arrest warrant. All this was driven by the desire to empty the U.S. prisons, without overwhelming the Iraqi justice system. Mission accomplished. However, as long as these men were in custody, recruiting attempts went forward. Many potential spies were willing to work with the Americans, but not the Iraqi government. The Americans were considered more reliable, and could get you out of Iraq (perhaps even to America) if you delivered. Guantanamo, on the other hand, is a more difficult place for recruiting. Over ten percent of the 534 terrorism suspects released from Guantanamo had returned to Islamic radical activities. This was not a big surprise, except for the extent of the recidivism. There had long been reports of men released from Guantanamo backsliding. Before the Guantanamo revelation, Saudi Arabia announced that at least 14 of the 117 Saudis released from Guantanamo Bay, have returned to
[osint] The Real New Middle East Order Part I The Twin-Pillar Strategy
http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/19/the-real-new-middle-east-or\ der-part-i-the-twin-pillar-strategy/ http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/19/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-i-the-twin-pillar-strategy/ The Real New Middle East Order Part I The Twin-Pillar Strategy http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/19/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-i-the-twin-pillar-strategy/ October 19th, 2010 - by Akram Elias http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/authors/akram-elias/ History is a Prologue The Middle East has undergone a sea change at the geostrategic level, presenting U.S. policymakers with a new set of serious challenges. Today's Middle East order is being shaped by these fundamental realities: * Egypt and Jordan are no longer key shapers of regional politics and are fast becoming irrelevant to the emerging new order in the Middle East. * Saudi Arabia today is more of a liability than an asset for the United States; while its security and stability remain a U.S. top priority, its Wahhabi identity is the source of its vulnerability. * Israel remains the most powerful regional power but has been relatively weakened by the emergence of an asymmetrical strategic environment in the region. * Iran, which had been relatively dormant from 1979 to 2004, emerged since 2005 as a new regional player to be reckoned with. Iran today projects its influence throughout the Middle East and Central Asia region of the world. * Turkey, which was for decades secular-driven and Europe focused (while being a strong ally of Israel), has in recent years built a strategy focused on the Middle East and Central Asia rather than Europe. By recapturing its Muslim identity and making it a basis for its new national security strategy, Turkey reversed its pro-Israel stance of the past and positioned itself as a new independent and engaged regional player. * Iran and Turkey are forging closer relations and fast becoming the key shapers of Muslim opinion and power (Shiite and Sunni respectively) in the region. * China, which has the ambition and long-term potential of becoming a superpower that could rival the United States in ways not even the Soviet Union could achieve in its heydays, is aggressively seeking oil and gas agreements in the Muslim dominated region of the Middle East and Central Asia. The emergence of Turkey and the entry of China as new players in the region has driven the last nail in the coffin of the old Mideast order and ushered a new era of power politics, with the Middle East and Central Asia becoming practically one, interdependent and inseparable geostrategic theater. Given this new Middle East order, what should the United States be doing to safeguard its vital and strategic interests in the region? To design a new approach to the region that would have resonance with the key players and be ultimately successful in preserving its vital interests, the United States needs to fully understand and assimilate why and how this shift has taken place in the region. I will attempt in this series to shed some light at the root developments that have caused the demise of the old Mideast order, the birth of the new order and its significant impact on U.S. strategic interests, and the viable policy options at the disposal of the United States, given the new realities of the region. The Old Mideast Order and the Containment of the Soviet Union The Cold War was the most defining phenomenon of the second half of the twentieth century. In its efforts to contain Soviet influence around the globe, the United States designed a Mideast policy aimed at denying Soviet access to that oil and gas-rich region of the world. Oil security became the most important pillar supporting U.S. policy in the Middle East with Iran as the key ally in this endeavor since 1953 under the Shah http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/387594/Mohammad-Reza-Shah-Pah\ lavi . The one event that changed fully the equation of power in the region was the1956 Suez Canal crisis, prompted by a tripartite military operation undertaken by Israel, Britain and France. Fearing Soviet penetration of the Middle East oil rich region, the United States responded to the crisis by pressuring Britain, France and Israel to withdraw. This single most important act convinced
[osint] The Real New Middle East Order Part II Oil Security at Risk
http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/21/the-real-new-middle-east-or\ der-part-ii-oil-security-at-risk/ http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/21/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-ii-oil-security-at-risk/ The Real New Middle East Order Part II Oil Security at Risk http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/21/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-ii-oil-security-at-risk/ October 21st, 2010 - by Akram Elias http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/authors/akram-elias/ In Part I of this series http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/19/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-i-the-twin-pillar-strategy/ , we discussed the emergence of a U.S. strategy towards the Middle East built on two pillars Oil Security and Israel Security and the introduction of a third pillar in support of the first two the Peace Process. In this part, we explore the impact of regional developments and U.S. actions and/or reactions on the security of oil from a U.S. strategic interest. Oil Security Pillar Shaken The region's single most important event of the last 20-plus years of the twentieth century was the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The overthrow of the Shah's government by Islamic Revolutionaries in 1979 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111944123 and its subsequent events, such as the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Teheran and the taking of American hostages, resulted in a total and complete breakdown in diplomatic relations between the United States and the newly established Islamic Republic of Iran. With the loss of Iran as its main ally to ensure oil security, the United States was presented with a difficult dilemma: how to pursue oil security in the Gulf region without resorting to direct U.S. military intervention? The root cause of this dilemma was the unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict; any increased direct military intervention on the part of the United States in the Gulf would almost immediately translate into increased pressure on Arab oil Gulf countries to break their oil neutrality vis-à-vis the United States. The only two countries in the Gulf that could possibly act as the replacement to Iran and assist the United States in safeguarding its oil security pillar were Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The invasion of Iran in 1980 by Iraq's Saddam Hussein http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm and the eight-year war that followed made it impractical for the United States to choose Iraq as a replacement to the Shah's Iran. On the other hand, in the absence of an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Saudi Arabia, which had been agreeable to a low profile American military presence on its territory, was not receptive to the idea of being the replacement of the Shah's Iran for fear of being perceived by Arab and Muslim populations in the region as a traitor to the Arab and Palestinian cause. Faced with this unpleasant reality, the United States chose to increase its military profile in the region by boosting its naval presence and pursuing military and security agreements with member countries of the newly established Gulf Cooperation Council http://www.gcc-sg.org/eng/index.php (GCC). The profile increase resulting from the enhanced American direct military presence, though problematic in the long run, was an acceptable risk for the United States to take as long as Iraq and Iran were busy fighting each other and not destabilizing the oil region. The abrupt end to the Iraq-Iran war brought about unilaterally by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1988, however, presented the United States with a new challenge in the gulf region an increasingly assertive Iraq. The invasion and occupation of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's Iraq in 1990 led the United States to construct the biggest military buildup in history with the aim of liberating Kuwait from Iraqi occupation to safeguard its oil security pillar. The liberation of Kuwait by U.S. troops necessitated a huge increase in U.S. military personnel on Saudi territory, causing an unwanted and unwelcomed reaction in the Saudi Kingdom. Liberation of Kuwait: A Missed Opportunity If there is one event in the Gulf region that could be considered the turning point for U.S. oil security interests, it is the liberation of Kuwait. Let me explain. With the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989,
[osint] The Real New Middle East Order Part III Israel Security at Risk
http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/09/the-real-new-middle-east-or\ der-part-iii-israel-security-at-risk/ http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/09/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-iii-israel-security-at-risk/ The Real New Middle East Order Part III Israel Security at Risk http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/11/09/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-iii-israel-security-at-risk/ November 9th, 2010 - by Akram Elias http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/authors/akram-elias/ In part II of this series http://securitydebrief.adfero.com/2010/10/21/the-real-new-middle-east-o\ rder-part-ii-oil-security-at-risk/ , we focused on Oil Security and the regional developments that shaped the environment leading to the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States. In this part, we will explore the root causes for the instability in the environment affecting Israel Security and shaking its foundations. 1. Israel Security: An American Strategic Asset Having learned from the Suez Canal episode with Britain and France in 1956, Israel shifted its strategic focus to bring it into alignment with the United States: containing Soviet influence in the Middle East region. From that point onward, Israel Security became the second pillar on which the United States built its Mideast policy (the first pillar being Oil Security as discussed in Part I and Part II of this series). Israel, equipped with superior American weaponry, could defeat Soviet equipped Arab armies and contain militarily Soviet expansionist desires in the Middle East. In contrast with Southeast Asia, the United States did not need to deploy its own troops to contain the Soviet Union; Israel could do it alone. In fact, the Six-Day War in 1967 clearly showed Israeli military superiority over the combined Arab armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria and enabled Israel to occupy the Arab lands of Sinai, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. From 1956 and until the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1992, Israel Security was of strategic importance to the United States. What about the Middle East Conflict? Israel's narrative of the conflict with Palestinians has always been framed as part of a larger Arab-Israeli conflict: Jewish nationalism against Arab nationalism. Arabs, having rejected the partition of Palestine in 1947, fought the establishment of the State of Israel and lost Arab lands in the 1967 war. From Israel's perspective, a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict should be based on Israel returning Arab occupied lands (not necessarily all Arab lands) in exchange for obtaining full peace with Arab countries. Palestinian refugees were in Israel's eyes Arab refugees who would then settle permanently in Arab countries as part of an Arab-Israeli peace agreement. The conflict pitted Jewish nationalism against Arab nationalism. Palestinian statehood was never part of this Israeli narrative. This Israeli prism, which was fully embraced by U.S. foreign policy makers, explains the actions undertaken by Israel and practically accepted even when not fully supported by the United States from 1967 until the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Settlement Policy Settlements in the territories occupied by Israel during the 1967 war were considered by the Israeli Government as a necessity to consolidate and reinforce the consensus among the key Israeli establishments: * Security Establishment: Given the lack of strategic geographical depth of the State of Israel, building settlements in the occupied territories enhances Israeli security. * Religious Establishment: For many religious Israeli Jews, Judea and Samaria are historically Jewish lands that must be reclaimed as quickly as possible through a proactive settlement policy. * Political Establishment: Political leaders in Israel, irrespective of their party affiliation, have, with very few exceptions, considered the settlement policy as strengthening Israel's negotiating hand in any future peace talks with the Arabs. Peace Process The Arab-Israeli conflict that erupted with the partition of Palestine and its rejection by Arabs was not in its nascent days a top priority for U.S. foreign policy-makers because it had no real impact on its Oil Security Pillar and proved to be incapable of damaging Israel Security. As explained in Part I of this series, the United States introduced the Peace Process as a necessary means to better manage its two-pillar policy in the
[osint] Afghan Forces Arrest Taliban Arms Supplier
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/afghan-forces-arrest-tal\ iban-arms-supplier.html http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/11/afghan-forces-arrest-ta\ liban-arms-supplier.html Tuesday, November 09, 2010 Afghan Forces Arrest Taliban Arms Supplier Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 VOA News NATO says Afghan security forces have arrested a suspected Taliban arms supplier at Kabul International Airport. The international security force says Afghan authorities noticed the suspect had boarded a plane Monday that had taken off for Saudi Arabia. Afghan authorities ordered the plane to return to the airport in Kabul and arrested the suspected insurgent without incident. NATO says the man was a part of the Haqqani insurgent network and was wanted for providing weapons and ammunition used in attacks against Afghan and international forces. NATO also said Afghan and international forces have captured three senior Taliban leaders. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the heart of al-Qaida remains in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Speaking during a visit to Malaysia Tuesday, Gates said al-Qaida operatives in Afghanistan and Pakistan provide guidance, priorities and legitimacy to al-Qaida affiliates in other areas such as Yemen and north Africa. But he said the United States and its strong partners have the resources and capabilities to take on the Islamist militants. Meanwhile, NATO says violence in Afghanistan has killed two of its service members. The coalition did not identify either service member. One of the victims was killed Monday in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan; the other was killed by a bomb Tuesday in the south. With more than 623 troops killed, this year has been the deadliest for international forces since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, authorities said a local official was killed in eastern Paktia province when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb. Some information in this story was provided by AFP. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Carla Bruni feared to be on al-Qaeda's hit list
http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_carla-bruni-feared-to-be-on-al-qaed\ a-s-hit-list_1464206 http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_carla-bruni-feared-to-be-on-al-qae\ da-s-hit-list_1464206 Carla Bruni feared to be on al-Qaeda's hit list Published: Tuesday, Nov 9, 2010, 12:49 IST Place: London | Agency: ANI Security around France's first lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy has been tightened up amid fears that she may be the priority target of a terrorist assassination plot. Security services believe President Nicolas Sarkozy's wife is now high up on al-Qaeda's hitlist of potential VIP victims in France, it was revealed. Fears for Bruni's safety come after Osama bin Laden issued a chilling personal threat to kill French citizens in revenge for France backing the war in Afghanistan and their new law banning the burqa. The al-Qaeda terror chief released an audio tape last week warning, It is a simple equation, if you kill, you will be killed. France's Pure People website said it had information that the Presidential Protection Team had now received further 'credible intelligence' that the threat to the couple had increased. Security has always been high around the First couple, but we have learned that it has now been heavily increased around Ms Bruni herself, the Daily Mail quoted the website as saying. There is no question of her ever going out without an armed escort and details of all her movements are being kept secret until the very last moment. Her schedule is randomly changed and even her family and friends are not being told where she is going until she arrives. From now on, neither will she travel in the same car or other means of transport as her husband, the website added. Bruni's immediate family were also being given extra security details, the website said. It added, Their movements and whereabouts are being kept secret at all times. It is inconvenient for Ms Bruni and her loved ones, but the security services believe these drastic measures are currently necessary for their safety. The security alert comes a month after France's domestic intelligence cheif Bernard Squarcini warned that the recent burqa ban had 'seriously increased' the threat of a major terrorist attack on French soil and that 'all the red lights were flashing'. http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_carla-bruni-feared-to-be-on-al-qae\ da-s-hit-list_1464206 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] Pakistani Daily: Sophisticated Terrorist Group, a Splinter of Lashkar-e-Taiba, i
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4750.htm http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4750.htm November 9, 2010 Special Dispatch No.3363 Pakistani Daily: Sophisticated Terrorist Group, a Splinter of Lashkar-e-Taiba, is Fighting in Afghanistan An investigative report in a leading Pakistani newspaper notes that a highly sophisticated terrorist organization, which allegedly split from Lashkar-e-Taiba, is reportedly fighting against U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. The report in the Lahore-based Daily Times newspaper confirmed that the U.S. and NATO troops have recently witnessed a new enemy which is not the Taliban or the Haqqani group. Following are excerpts from the report:[1] http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4750.htm#_edn1 Officials confirm the presence of a new, more modern and sophisticated Punjabi Taliban in Kunar province of Afghanistan. They are a more militant section of the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who had broken off from their mother organization and refused to take orders from LeT supremo Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. In reality, this rebellious group, which had just split from the LeT, is the old Tehreekul Mujahideen (TM) and a faction of the previously split Kairun Naas (KN) of the LeT, which had been formed by the more fanatical Ahl-e-Hadith that held the Kashmir Conference in 1990, attended by both Hafiz Saeed and Professor Sajid Mir [leading to the beginning of terrorism in Indian Kashmir]. Daily Times investigations reveal two reasons behind the split: Pakistani intelligence agencies have finally decided to split the jihadi groups as a policy to make them weaker, and Jamaatud Dawa (JD), LeT, TM, and KN split as they had become too powerful; sectarian and ideological tensions within the Ahl-e-Hadith faction about the concept of jihad, as the more fanatical group fighting in Afghanistan is more into the Arab mujahideen camp. It is to be noted that previously a faction split from the JD in 2004 when armed clashes broke out in the premises of its headquarters [at Muridke in Lahore], and the breakaway faction, KN, vowed to kill Hafiz Saeed, the JD head. Saeed had previously joined the Afghan jihad pretty late in 1987 on the insistence of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who had traditionally headed the operational part of the LeT [and Lakhvi is now under Pakistani custody for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks]. Organizational structures of the JD and LeT were severely hurt by accusations from within the JD about Hafiz Saeed's involvement in nepotism, corruption, his second marriage to a fallen comrade's widow, which became a personal issue with Prof Iqbal, a top JD council member, who himself married an underage Baltistani girl. In a series of blunders, Saeed appointed his brother-in-law, Maulana Abdul Rehman Makki, then a teacher at Medina University in Saudi Arabia, second in command of JD, which did not go down well with a lot of people, especially with Lakhvi, as it was seen as an attempt by Saeed to control the finances of JD. In 2001, Saeed also came under fire when he renamed Markaz Dawat Wal Irshad as Jamaatud Dawa, and separated it from LeT. Lakhvi disapproved of the decision then and Daily Times can confirm that he has finally fallen out with the JD chief now and is in-charge of most of JD's properties in Sindh and directly controls the Muridke centre, popularly known as 'Markaz-e-Tayyaba.' Lakhvi, said to be the mastermind behind the Mumbai attacks, has developed links with Arab militants in Pakistan, where he married his sister off with the top Al-Qaeda terrorist, Abdul Rehman Sherahi. He was the one who helped Lakhvi connect with top Al-Qaeda and Arab leaders, and heavily invested in LeT's infrastructure. It should also be taken into account that the Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith also opposed the formation of Markaz Dawat Wal Irshad (JD) because of possible Saudi support to it, which did not happen. JD was also barred from recruiting students from the Ahl-e-Hadith madrassas as they were under the control of Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith and openly supported by the Saudis. And it looks now, confirmed a former spy chief, 'that the new
[osint] Understanding Counterinsurgency Strategy
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/ISN-Insights/Detail?lng=enid\ =123528contextid734=123528contextid735=123525tabid=123525123528 http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/ISN-Insights/Detail?lng=eni\ d=123528contextid734=123528contextid735=123525tabid=123525123528 08 November 2010 Understanding Counterinsurgency Strategy Afghan and NATO troops US counterinsurgency strategy is frequently talked about but also frequently misunderstood. A better grasp of its broad-spectrum approach to warfare is warranted. By Gail Harris for ISN Insights For months, media coverage of the war in Afghanistan has focused on the failures of counterinsurgency (COIN) at the heart of US President Barack Obama's strategy shift outlined http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-address-na\ tion-way-forward-afghanistan-and-pakistan in December 2009. While criticizing the impact of COIN efforts, media outlets have simultaneously latched onto the successes of the stepped-up capture and kill techniques used in recent months. While the counterinsurgency strategy has shown little success [ ] what has turned out to work well is an approach American officials have talked much less about: counterterrorism, military-speak for the targeted killings of insurgents from Al Qaeda and the Taliban, stated http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/world/asia/01afghan.html?scp=1sq=afg\ hanistan%20strategyst=cse a recent New York Times article. This media analysis signals a general lack of understanding about COIN strategy, setting up a false dichotomy between COIN and counterterrorism. COIN is more than a 'hearts and minds' campaign; it is a military operation that also employs more traditional forms of warfare that include counterterrorism. Toward a workable definition COIN consists of three basic phases: First, neutralize or kill insurgent forces in order to provide a secure and stable environment for the host nation; second, train host nation security forces to successfully deal with external and internal threats; and, finally, turn over all aspects of security operations to the host nation. In a recent interview http://www.defense.gov/Blog_files/Blog_assets/20100804_ferrari_transcri\ pt.pdf , Colonel John Ferrari, the deputy commander for programs of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A), elaborated: COIN is a strategy of warfare which includes the full spectrum of warfare. So it includes everything from reconstruction to reintegration to building the security forces to being with the population, but it also includes killing the enemy [ ] if the insurgents or enemy doesn't want to be reconciled and they want to fight, then the military here, as part of the COIN strategy, will kill them [ ] or they can come in and be part of reconciliation. Thus, what the public and many in the media seem to misunderstand - as illustrated in the NYT excerpt above - is that killing or capturing the enemy is part of the COIN strategy. When he assumed command of NATO troops in Afghanistan in August this year, General David Petraeus put out a detailed COIN Guidance memo http://www.isaf.nato.int/images/stories/File/COMISAF-Guidance/COIN%20Gu\ idance%2001%20Aug%2010.pdf . It included 21 points, two of which - pursue the enemy relentlessly and fight hard and fight with discipline - directly address combat operations. It appears then that the stepped-up efforts to kill and capture insurgents is not so much a shift away from COIN but a shift of priorities within the COIN strategy itself. This shift itself adheres to the COIN principle http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/coin/repository/FM_3-24.pdf addressing the need to constantly adapt and change tactics, techniques and procedures as the situation requires. Thus, a shift toward more targeted killings does not mean abandoning the training of Afghan security forces, for example. Instead, the training and fielding of Afghan security force continues. The two objectives are not mutually exclusive, but instead complementary. Modest gains? The shift in COIN strategy seems to have merited some successes of late. In September while traveling with reporters, Petraeus outlined how increased counterterrorism efforts have yielded some tangible results. He stated http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/09/03/analysis-gen-petraeus-promotes-\
[osint] Piracy - An Ancient Crime Goes Modern
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cri\ me_goes_modern http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern Piracy - An Ancient Crime Goes Modern K. N. Singer http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/lf_ac/byline/2224968_piracy__an_anc\ ient_crime_goes_modern/38437430/SIG=11uusgbig/*http:/www.associatedconte\ nt.com/user/311458/k_n_singer.html K. N. Singer Mon Nov 8, 5:41 pm ET Contribute content like this. Start here http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=11kkaiovl/**http%3A/www.associatedcontent.c\ om/join/yahoonews . Piracy isn't just for Hollywood these days. Piracy has been around as long as sea trade has been around - by some accounts, piracy dates back to the 13 th century BC (Source: Wikipedia http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/lf_ac/storytext/2224968_piracy__an_\ ancient_crime_goes_modern/38437430/SIG=115re5igi/*http:/en.wikipedia.org\ /wiki/Pirate ). Modern-day piracy is a major headache for the shipping industry http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern , especially around Somalia and Nigeria, although pirate attacks around southeast Asia and South America are also not uncommon. Far from being romantic Robin Hoods of the high seas, today's pirates http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern are more akin to a sea-faring version of gangsters - with the AK-47s to prove it. How modern piracy is carried out Most of today's modern pirates use speedboats to quickly encircle large freight ships that have trouble escaping the much faster boats. Armed with shoulder-launched rockets and AKs, the pirates warn the ship's captain http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern that the ship will be blown out of the water unless the ship is turned over to the pirates. The ship's captain, usually only lightly armed and with much more at stake than the pirates, acquiesces and hands over the ship. At that point, the pirates contact the ship owners and demand a ransom in order for the release of the ship and its cargo. (Source: NPR http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/lf_ac/storytext/2224968_piracy__an_\ ancient_crime_goes_modern/38437430/SIG=11vsvtipu/*http:/www.npr.org/temp\ lates/story/story.php?storyId=97187437 ) This is when the navy sails in with white hats and saves the day, banishing the pirate scum, right? No, not quite. To the contrary, most of the time, the pirates' demands are met; a ransom is paid, and the ship and her crew are released. And the pirates move on to their next victim. Why do ship owners give in to the pirates' demands? Well, do the math: You have a ship that's worth $150 million, together with cargo that's worth another $100 million. If a pirate asks you for a one million dollar ransom, this is worth 1/250 th of the cost of your ship and your cargo, not to mention that the lives of your crew are at stake. Would you rather pay this somewhat paltry amount to the pirates, or wait for reinforcements, which might or might not be able to save your ship and your crew? Why piracy is so prevalent near Somalia Currently, most modern-day piracy occurs right off the coast of Somalia http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern . In fact, according to the International Chamber of Commerce's weekly piracy report, most of the last fifteen piracy incidents happened either in the Gulf of Aden, which is off the coast of northern Somalia http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern , or just east of Mogadishu, Somalia's capital city. There are two main reasons for Somalia being a hotbed of modern piracy: first, Somalia is a notoriously unstable nation that has been embroiled in civil war for decades. The current Somali government claims (probably rightly) that it does not have the resources to pursue the pirates (Source: NPR http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/lf_ac/storytext/2224968_piracy__an_\ ancient_crime_goes_modern/38437430/SIG=11vsvtipu/*http:/www.npr.org/temp\ lates/story/story.php?storyId=97187437 ). Second, Somalia's geographic location makes it a perfect place for pirates to pick off large ships. Because of its proximity to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20101108/lf_ac/2224968_piracy__an_ancient_cr\ ime_goes_modern ,
[osint] Netherlands unable to refuse entry to Iranians
http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-news/netherlands-unable-to-refuse-\ entry-to-iranians_108969.html http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-news/netherlands-unable-to-refuse\ -entry-to-iranians_108969.html Netherlands unable to refuse entry to Iranians 08/11/2010 RNW Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal says the Netherlands cannot refuse entry to, or freeze the bank accounts of Iranians suspected of human rights violations. However, the minister said he would call on the European Union to introduce such sanctions at some point in the future. The minister made his remarks in reaction to parliamentary questions by the Christian Union, the Christian Democrats, the conservative VVD, the Freedom Party PVV and the orthodox SGP. The five parties wanted to know whether the Netherlands could refuse entry to eight Iranians on a US black list. Mr Rosenthal says there is no legal basis for such a move in either Dutch or EU law. EU sanctions on Iranian citizens are limited to those active in the Iranian nuclear programme. This applies to Mohamed Ali Jafari, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. He has been blacklisted by the United States and is involved in Iran's controversial nuclear programme, so the EU can deny him entry and freeze his assets. The Dutch parliament wants to ban entry for Iranians guilty of serious human rights violations. The five parties have pointed to the oppression of peaceful protesters and activists after the 2009 elections. The United States has already introduced an entry ban for Iranians suspected of human rights violations. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[osint] German Foreign Minister: Irans Words Are not Enough
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/140516 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/140516 German Foreign Minister: Iran's Words Are not Enough by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu Visiting Germany Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told a press conference that Iran's words are not enough but added he still seeks a diplomatic solution over the Islamic Republic's unsupervised nuclear program. He will visit Gaza during his tour but will boycott Hamas. He also will visit the family of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. At the press conference welcoming his German counterpart, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Iran is the biggest threat in the Middle East. Not only Iran with its nuclear problem, but Iran through its proxies in its terrorist activity in all our regions, is a danger, he added. We see Iranian activities through proxies in Lebanon through Hizbullah, in the Palestinian Authority through Hamas, their deep involvement in Iraq, in Yemen, in Somalia and, of course, this threat may be the biggest threat that we are facing as a Western society, as a free society in the modern world. Foreign Minister Lieberman, in his usually frank manner, said that Germany and Israel don't have an understanding on the settlement issue, but really, it's clear for me that the settlements are not obstacles to peace . You must understand that we started with the settlement activity only after '67, and I don't remember that during 19 years, between '48 and '67, when the Arab world controlled all this territory, anybody tried to create a Palestinian state. Nevertheless, Westerwelle replied, We think it would be a wise decision to freeze these settlement activities. Westerwelle called on Israel to lift its partial blockade on exports, arguing that it strengthens the radicals and weakens the moderates and the opposite is what we should be doing. Foreign Minister Lieberman answered, We are ready to export all their [Gaza's] products to Germany, to the United States, to Japan. I'm not sure that there is a place in the market. The problem of the Gaza exports, first of all, is the problem of the market. Regarding Shalit, who has been in captivity for more than four years and whose condition is not known, the visiting Foreign Minister told reporters, We think that our Israeli friends know that they can count on us. And I do not want to comment any further because it is very important that we help the family, that we help this poor young man and that we see him as soon as possible, safe and healthy, back in the arms of his family. So please understand that I do not want to comment on anything, not in this and not in the other direction. It is just a statement of solidarity of what I want to do here, what I want to address. Westerwelle said relations with Israel are excellent, not only because ofa very special responsibility for Israel but also because we both follow democratic values, and this is what counts for the future. (IsraelNationalNews.com) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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:
[osint] UK - Islam Channel censured by Ofcom
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/08/islam-channel-ofcom http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/08/islam-channel-ofcom Islam Channel censured by Ofcom Programmes on the London-based broadcaster had advocated marital rape and violence against women * Josh Halliday http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/josh-halliday * guardian.co.uk http://www.guardian.co.uk/ , Monday 8 November 2010 15.34 GMT * Article history http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/08/islam-channel-ofcom#history\ -link-box The presenter Nazreen Nawaz on Islam Channel, which has been ruled as in breach of the broadcasting code. Ofcom http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/ofcom has ruled that Islam http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/islamChannel, a London-based broadcaster, broke the broadcasting code for advocating marital rape, violence against women and describing women who wore perfume outside of the home as prostitutes. Five programmes broadcast on the satellite TV channel were ruled to be in breach of broadcasting guidelines, the media regulator said today. Ofcom launched its investigation into the programmes, which aired in 2008 and 2009, following a report by the Quilliam thinktank http://quilliamnews.org/JI3-AMRJ-2Q5VTJ-44ZJ0-1/c.aspx that was published in March. In a programme first broadcast in April last year, Ofcom ruled that the Islam Channel host Nazreen Nawaz condoned marital rape when she said: And really the idea that a woman cannot refuse her husband's relations this is not strange to a Muslim because it is part of maintaining that strong marriage. But it shouldn't be such a big problem where the man feels he has to force himself upon the woman. The channel also broke the broadcasting code by encouraging violence against women, in a QA session on marital violence, and for labelling women who wore perfume prostitutes. The broadcaster, which was fined £30,000 by Ofcom in 2007 for a series of breaches http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/jul/31/ofcom.broadcasting , also broke impartiality regulations for broadcasting one-sided coverage of international affairs and the Middle East conflict. Ofcom remains concerned about Islam Channel's understanding and compliance processes in relation to the [broadcasting] code, the media regulator said. This is particularly the case, given that the Islam Channel has previously been fined for breaches of the code relating to due impartiality. Ofcom is so concerned it has called in the management from Islam Channel for a top-level meeting to explain and discuss its compliance processes in relation to the code. Talal Rajab, author of the original Quilliam report into Islam Channel, added: At the same time, there are encouraging signs that the channel is now making efforts to improve its output and to give greater airtime to a wider range of more mainstream Muslim voices. We stand ready to help Islam Channel further improve and diversify its output in order to avoid further problems. The Islam Channel could yet become a powerful voice for greater social harmony. The report published in March by the Quilliam thinktank had found that Islam Channel regularly promoted violent extremist views and regressive attitudes towards women. The foundation monitored the channel's output over a three-month period and a published a report in March http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/26/islam-channe\ l-intolerant-islamclaiming that Islam Channel was implicit in spreading reactionary, intolerant messages. Following the report, Ofcom requested recordings of a number of Islam Channel programmes citing the allegations raised potential issues under the broadcasting code regarding impartiality and harm and offence. In a submission to the Ofcom report, Islam Channel said that it does not condone or encourage violence towards women under any circumstances, and that it does not condone or encourage marital rape. Ofcom considered that the presenter at the time was clear that some form of physical punishment towards a woman was acceptable, in contrast to the channel's formal position. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email edi...@mediaguardian.co.uk mailto:edi...@mediaguardian.co.uk
[osint] Defamation of Religions, United Nations' failure to address the persecution of
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/29660 http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/29660 Defamation of Religions, United Nations' failure to address the persecution of Christians UN Resolution will legitimize persecution of Christians By Nathan Tabor Monday, November 8, 2010 Remember the prisoners as if you were in prison yourself Hebrews 13.3 At least 52 Iraqi Christians were killed and over 60 injured in a terrorist inspired bloodbath at Baghdad's Our Lady of Deliverance Catholic Church. U.S. special forces troops, together with Iraqi security forces, launched a deadly attempt to free the Christian being held hostage by the terrorist captors. The Al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility and threatened to exterminate Iraqi Christians. This shadowy jihad terror network justified the savagery on religious grounds, claiming that the church was an obscene nest of the polytheists [infidels] and a base for their struggle against the religion of Islam. Since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, more than half of Iraq's Christian population has been forced by targeted violence to seek refuge abroad or to live away from their homes as internally displaced people. Meanwhile, officials in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continue see Christianity as a threat to their philosophy of state control. While North Korean authorities deny imprisoning, torturing and killing Christiansin the same way they denied working on a nuclear weaponChristians living North Korea have suffered government-sanctioned persecution since the brutal communist regime came to power. The Christian human-rights group Open Doors reports that North Korea is number one on its annual World Watch List (WWL), which ranks countries by the intensity of persecution that Christians face for actively pursuing their faith. However, North Korea and Iraq are not the only countries whose Christian population are mistreated, abused and killed on a daily basis. As if the United Nations' failure to address the persecution of Christians weren't bad enough, that international body's resolution called Defamation of Religions will lay the legal ground work for a country to legalize persecution of their citizens if they believe in a different religion than the state. Such a resolution would be of great assistance to Muslim, communist and socialist nations who view the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible impediments to their political or theological goals. Few should be surprised that the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), an inter-governmental organization of 57 states with majority or significant Muslim populations, has been working for several years through the United Nations system to justify and advance the Defamation of Religions Resolution. The Resolution, introduced in the UN, seeks to criminalize words or actions that are deemed to be against a particular religion, especially against Islam. Although proponents justify the defamation of religion concept as protecting religious practice and promoting tolerance, it really promotes intolerance and human rights violations of religious freedom and freedom of speech for religious minorities in these countries. The Defamation of Religions Resolution has the effect of providing international legitimacy for national laws that punish blasphemy or otherwise ban criticism of a religion. The Muslim members of OIC are expected to propose to the UN General Assembly another defamation of religions resolution to be voted on late November/early December of this year. Now the officials at Open Doorsa Christian ministry that reaches out to those in prison, helps defend those without advocates and protects defenseless Christian familieshas initiated a campaign to halt the U.N.`s threat to religious freedom and tolerance. Called Free to Believe,its goal is to generate support against the anti-Christian U.N. resolution that will lay the legal ground work for a country to legalize persecution of their citizens if they believe in a different religion than the state. Few know of the growing violence against Christians in places like India today. Believers are cut
[osint] Failed Al Qaeda plot involved sewing bombs inside dogs
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/man_worst_fiends_in_dog_plot_\ 1h93g9Om3R6t0AGAR7XOtI http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/man_worst_fiends_in_dog_plot\ _1h93g9Om3R6t0AGAR7XOtI Failed Al Qaeda plot involved sewing bombs inside dogs http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/man_worst_fiends_in_dog_plot\ _1h93g9Om3R6t0AGAR7XOtI By BILL SANDERSON Last Updated: 11:29 AM, November 7, 2010 Posted: 9:33 PM, November 6, 2010 Al Qaeda operatives in Iraq tried to unleash deadly terror in the skies by deploying a pair of kamikaze canines on a US-bound plane, a French newspaper reports. The diabolical plot failed because the bombs were so badly stitched inside the poor pooches that they died, said the respected Paris daily Le Figaro. This case illustrates the determination of al Qaeda militants, who are trying to circumvent terrorism controls by any means, French criminologist Christophe Naudin, an aviation security expert, told the newspaper. RUH-ROH! Al Qaeda evildoers took advantage of Americans' sympathy for suffering dogs in Iraq to plant bombs in US-bound pooches -- and they would have gotten away with it, too, if not for some meddlingGIs. YEMEN MANHUNT http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/yemen_manhunt_72Um8BDxPRPMZf\ dZvO5K6O The plot unfolded two years ago, when al Qaeda bomb makers grabbed the two stray dogs off the street and surgically implanted powerful explosives and detonators in each. The dogs were then placed in kennel carriers and sent to the Baghdad airport for a flight to the US. Le Figaro didn't say what city they were headed for. It's not unusual for dogs to fly from Iraq to the US. Several animal-rescue groups work to give Iraqi dogs new US homes, and US soldiers have also adopted pooches there. It's believed al Qaeda planned for the dogs to explode in flight. But before the dogs were put aboard their plane, US soldiers working in the airport's cargo area noticed they had died -- and soon discovered the bombs stitched inside them. US intelligence agencies shared the story of the dogs' cruel fate with other Western spy agencies and distributed necropsy photos of the dogs and bombs to aviation security professionals, Le Figaro said. Also, the International Civil Aviation Organization alerted security agencies around the world of the possibility of kamikaze canine attacks. Details are still emerging of last month's terror plot in which Yemeni al Qaeda operatives stashed bombs inside computer printer cartridges, which they hoped to blow up aboard US-bound cargo jets. That plot unraveled when Muhammad bin Nayef, a Saudi prince involved in intelligence work, learned of the plan and the packages' tracking numbers and passed them on to the CIA. Just as they tried to hide bombs in dogs' bodies, al Qaeda has also tried hiding bombs inside people. Last year, an al Qaeda suicide bomber tried to assassinate bin Nayef with an explosive device hidden in his rectum like a suppository. Bin Nayef was slightly injured in the attack. bill.sander...@nypost.com mailto:bill.sander...@nypost.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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
[osint] Federal judges in Norfolk wrestle over definition of piracy
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/11/federal-courts-norfolk-wrestle-over-defi\ nition-piracy?cid=mc http://hamptonroads.com/2010/11/federal-courts-norfolk-wrestle-over-def\ inition-piracy?cid=mc Federal judges in Norfolk wrestle over definition of piracy Posted to: Crime http://hamptonroads.com/category/pilotonline.com/news/crime Military http://hamptonroads.com/category/pilotonline.com/military News http://hamptonroads.com/category/pilotonline.com/news Norfolk http://hamptonroads.com/category/norfolk [X] Click a thumbnail to view the full-size image. Buy Pilot photos here. http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/virginianp http://media.hamptonroads.com/cache/files/images/553771.jpg http://media.hamptonroads.com/cache/files/images/553781.jpg http://media.hamptonroads.com/cache/files/images/553791.jpg http://media.hamptonroads.com/cache/files/images/553801.jpg Close Gallery A suspected pirates skiff burns after being destroyed near the amphibious dock landing ship Ashland. (U.S. Navy photo) attack no. 1 The incident Shortly after midnight April 1, the Nicholas, a Norfolk-based frigate, took small-arms fire from men in a small skiff. The Nicholas returned fire and then chased down the skiff and its mother ship, capturing five Somalis. The legal case U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis upheld 14 charges of piracy and related charges. The trial begins Tuesday in Norfolk. attack no. 2 The incident Around 5 a.m. April 10, the Ashland, a Little Creek-based amphibious dock landing ship, took fire from men in a small boat. The Ashland shot back, setting fire to the skiff. Six Somalis were rescued and captured. One died. The legal case U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson ruled piracy is defined by robbery at sea, based on a Supreme Court ruling in 1820. The case was halted and the government has appealed. By Tim McGlone http://hamptonroads.com/2007/10/tim-mcglone The Virginian-Pilot © November 8, 2010 NORFOLK For the first time since the 19th century, piracy suspects will go on trial in a federal court in a case that legal experts see as precedent-setting. Already there are conflicting rulings in the cases against two groups of Somali nationals charged with attacking Navy ships off the Horn of Africa earlier this year. But only one group is now going to trial. Jury selection in that case begins Tuesday in U.S. District Court. The other group must wait for a decision by the federal appeals court or, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court. U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis last month upheld piracy and related charges in a 14-count indictment against the five Somalis charged in the April 1 attack on the Nicholas, a Norfolk-based frigate. Davis' conclusion was opposite the one reached by Judge Raymond A. Jackson, sitting two floors below Davis in the same courthouse, in August in a case involving the April 10 attack on the Ashland, based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. Jackson determined that he must interpret the piracy statute as it was meant at the time it was enacted, which was 1819. He found, citing an 1820 Supreme Court case, that piracy is defined only as robbery at sea. Since there was no robbery of the Ashland, he threw out the piracy charge. The government appealed and the case was halted. The conflicting decisions have set legal scholars abuzz. These decisions in the federal court in Norfolk have stirred up quite a bit of interest, said University of Virginia Law School professor George Rutherglen. It was last thoroughly litigated in the 19th century. Without a whole lot of precedent, the judges are reasoning from rather remote principles. The jury chosen this week will be asked to decide, for the first time in this country since 1819, whether someone is a pirate. Just after midnight on April 1, the Nicholas, while on anti-piracy patrol off the Somali coast, took fire from men in a small skiff. The Nicholas returned fire and then chased down the skiff and its mother ship, capturing five Somalis. Some of the Somalis are expected to say at the trial that they were fishermen kidnapped by the real pirates, who they say got away that day. Three boats were involved in the incident. When the Nicholas returned fire, one skiff sank while another escaped. The mother ship
[osint] UK - Freeing terrorists could cost taxpayer millions
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8116881/Freei\ ng-terrorists-could-cost-taxpayer-millions.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8116881/Free\ ing-terrorists-could-cost-taxpayer-millions.html Freeing terrorists could cost taxpayer millions The cost of supervising 46 convicted terrorists released from jail in Britain could exceed £20 million a year, it can be disclosed. Image 1 of 2 Aabid Khan (L), who recruited Britain's youngest terrorist Hammaad Munshi and his cousin and right-hand man Sultan Muhammad Photo: PA [Sohail Qureshi was jailed for preparing to commit terrorist acts in October 2006 at London's Heathrow airport as he prepared to fly to Pakistan] Image 1 of 2 Sohail Qureshi was jailed for preparing to commit terrorist acts in October 2006 at London's Heathrow airport as he prepared to fly to Pakistan Photo: REUTERS [Andy Bloxham] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/ By Andy Bloxham http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/andybloxham/ 6:23AM GMT 09 Nov 2010 Monitoring the former prisoners and ensuring compliance with a series of restrictions is likely to cost 10 times more than keeping them behind bars. The Daily Telegraph disclosed on Monday http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8116234/Fort\ y-six-dangerous-terrorists-go-free-from-jail.html that the men and women who have been either released from prison or are close to being freed pose a risk to the public. The Ministry of Justice has issued probation officers with detailed orders setting out limits to their freedom, which were set out after warnings from security officials. Although they are not identical, the licences are likely to share a number of the conditions imposed under control orders, which cost an average of around £225,000 per person a year to implement. So, if the cost of monitoring the 46 terrorists was at this level, the annual total would run to just under £10.4million. However, some estimates put the potential figure at double that. Monitoring of suspects in often done in two teams of eight to 12 officers, working 12-hour shifts, four of which count as overtime. Harry Fletcher, of the National Association of Probation Officers, said he anticipated it would cost a minimum of £10,000 per suspect per week, meaning that if all 46 convicted terrorists were monitored in this way, the annual bill would be around £24m. By contrast, the average cost of keeping a prisoner in jail is around £40,000, varying from around £8,000 for a low-security prison such as Kirkham to upwards of £60,000 for a high-security unit such as Belmarsh. The restrictions on the terrorists are understood to include bans on: using computers, associating with anyone with a criminal record, visiting certain mosques, and contacting imams who are not on the approved Government list. The conditions of the licences, which are issued individually, could also prevent them from working, which would mean they would become eligible for thousands of pounds each in benefits per year. Keeping convicted terrorists in Britain also has other costs, not least the £8m in legal fees the Government has generated in defending the relevant legislation against challenges since it was introduced. The cost comes at a time of belt-tightening in the public sector: the Home Office has been told to make cuts of 27%; several thousand police jobs will go, with thousands more among court staff and prison officers in the Ministry of Justice. Several police forces are likely to merge. Mr Fletcher, of Napo, said: It's extremely difficult to reconcile the cuts to police and probation services while terrorists are being released because they have come to the end of their sentence. A spokesman for the Prison Officers' Association said: The cost of monitoring like this can be very high: the level of intelligence and supervision required is going to be significant. A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: We do not recognise these figures. Ensuring compliance with licence conditions for terrorist offenders does not cost more or less than for other offenders of similar risk. Licence conditions should not be confused with control orders. Public
[osint] UK - 'Sexual predators': Gang of Asian men weep as they are jailed for total of
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1327056/Gang-Asian-sexual-predat\ ors-jailed-grooming-girls-young-12.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1327056/Gang-Asian-sexual-preda\ tors-jailed-grooming-girls-young-12.html'Sexual predators': Gang of Asian men weep as they are jailed for total of 32 years for abusing white girls as young as 12 By Paul Sims http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=yauthornamef=Paul+Sims Last updated at 4:54 PM on 6th November 2010 A gang of Asian `sexual predators' were jailed yesterday for abusing white girls as young as 12. The five men preyed on their victims over several months and threatened them with violence if they refused their advances. One of the men branded his victim a `white bitch' when she resisted, while a second smirked: `I've used you and abused you.' Mohsin Khan, 21, left (jailed for four years) and Razwan Razaq, 30 (jailed for 11 years) were convicted of a string of sexually related offences against girls as young as 12 Umar Razaq, 24, left (jailed for four and a half years) and Zafran Ramzan, 21 (jailed for nine years), prowled the streets looking for girls, attacking them in parks and in the back of their cars Adil Hussain, 20, was jailed for four and a half years The men, all British-born Pakistanis, attacked the four girls in play areas, parks and in the back of their cars, Sheffield Crown Court heard. They gave them gifts and introduced them to their friends. The girls were abused so frequently that after many months it `became a way of life'. The girls, who were being monitored by social services, were eventually rescued by police and removed from their homes amid growing concerns for their safety. Two of the men wept in the dock yesterday as they were jailed. Judge Peter Kelson QC told them: `I've listened to the backdrop of some of you sobbing I have to say your weeping cuts no ice with me at all. `You had what you regarded as your fun, now you will take your punishment.' The five, Umar Razaq, 24, Razwan Razaq, 30, Zafran Ramzan, 21, Adil Hussain, 20, and Mohsin Khan, 21, were found guilty of a string of sexually related offences against the girls, one aged 12, two aged 13 and one aged 16. Ramzan was found guilty of raping the 16-year-old girl in her own home, and the other four were found guilty of sexual activity with a child. Umar Razaq was jailed for four and a half years, while the judge gave Razwan Razaq 11 years. Ramzan was jailed for nine years, and Hussain and Khan both received four years. All five were placed on the sex offenders register. Three further men were cleared. The attacks took place in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, during 2008, the court was told. Khan, a mortgage adviser who owned a BMW, described his victim as a `little stick' who looked as if she had not reached puberty. Despite this he told her he loved her and would spoil her like a `princess'. During the seven-week trial the jury were told how the men drove around the streets looking for girls. The teenagers believed they were in relationships with the much older men. On one occasion Umar Razaq tried to pull the clothes off one of the 13-year-olds. When she resisted he pulled her hair and called her a `white bitch'. On another occasion Umar introduced the girl to his brother Razwan who had sex with her in his car. Afterwards he told her: `I've used you and abused you.' When Ramzan was asked by police what age he was attracted to he later replied: `As long as they are not too young and they're legal, that's it.' The authorities were alerted after some changes were noted in the behaviour of the victims and they were removed from their homes. Joyce Thacker, director of Rotherham's children and young people's services, said the girls were under child protection plans following family breakdowns or other issues with their behaviour. `When we pieced together a map of what was happening we stepped in very quickly to move these girls to a place of safety outside Rotherham,' she said. `It started off as a grooming exercise by the men who became friendly with the girls, gave them gifts and introduced them to their friends. `When they got used to being abused it just became
[osint] Gaddafi son's reporters arrested in Libya
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/gaddafi-sons-reporters-arrest\ ed-in-libya-20101109-17kqu.html http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/gaddafi-sons-reporters-arres\ ted-in-libya-20101109-17kqu.html Gaddafi son's reporters arrested in Libya November 9, 2010 AFP Libyan police have arrested 20 journalists working for titles close to the reformist son of veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi, amid a mounting backlash from conservatives, their employer said on Monday. The Oea weekly and the Libyapress news agency, both run by the Al-Ghad publishing company sponsored by Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, said that 10 of their journalists had been picked up by agents of the Internal Security Agency, among them three Tunisians and two Egyptians. A further 10 journalists working for Al-Ghad titles were rounded up in a second wave of arrests, the company said. Libyapress condemned what it called the shameful and scandalous detention of its staff and demanded their immediate release. Al-Ghad said it had been ordered to suspend publication of Oea after the state printing press produced its own version of the paper on Sunday with the slightly amended title Sabah Oea (Morning Oea) but with the same masthead and editor's name. The company said the fake government version had no connection with the real paper and condemned what it called a first in the annals of the Libyan press. The Al-Ghad titles said the arrests may have come in response to an editorial in Oea calling for a return to government of some of the leaders of the 1969 revolution that brought Gaddafi to power who have since been driven from office. The editorial said that the return of men like Abdelsalem Jalloud, currently without any public position, would help in the fight against rampant corruption. Other Libyan sources said that the security police had also been angered by the publication by Libyapress last Thursday of a report that 1980s strongman Ahmed Ibrahim had launched a campaign against the rehabilitation of political exiles, a key policy championed by Seif al-Islam. Since Oea and its sister title Quryna first hit the news stands in August 2007, the Al-Ghad titles have covered a raft of sensitive issues, including corruption, human rights and the Islamist opposition. The company already lost its television channel Al-Libiya in June last year when the government made broadcasting a state monopoly. Oea has also had to switch from being a daily to a weekly, officially for financial reasons. Long a key figure in Libya's foreign policy and an architect of the once pariah state's rapprochement with the West, Seif al-Islam has become an outspoken champion of domestic reform over the past three years. As well as greater press freedom and the return of exiles, he has advocated privatisation of big swathes of Libya's large state sector and the relaxation of restrictions on the Berber minority. © 2010 AFP http://news.smh.com.au/action/displayCopyrightNotice?sourceOrganisation\ =AFP http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/gaddafi-sons-reporters-arres\ ted-in-libya-20101109-17kqu.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: osint-dig...@yahoogroups.com osint-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *
[osint] Purported bomber warns Denmark of more attacks
Purported bomber warns Denmark of more attacks By KATARINA KRATOVAC CAIRO, Egypt (AP) A new al-Qaida video identifies the Saudi purportedly behind a suicide bombing at the Danish Embassy in Pakistan, and he is shown warning in a taped last testament that more attacks will punish Denmark over newspaper caricatures of Islam's founder. In the 55-minute video posted on the Internet late Thursday, the alleged bomber is referred to both by a nom de guerre, Abu Ghareeb al-Makki, and by his real name, Kamal Saleem Atiyyah al-Fudli al-Hathli. He appears in an explosives vest as he recounts his plan for the attack. As for my final message to the worshippers of the cross in Denmark, I tell them, Allah permitting, this isn't the first nor the last retaliation, al-Makki says. We will wipe you from the face of the Earth. The June 2 blast killed six people, including a Danish citizen. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility, saying it was carrying out Osama bin Laden's promise to exact revenge for the 2006 publication by Danish newspapers of a dozen cartoons showing the Prophet Muhammad. Islam forbids any depiction of Muhammad, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry, and the cartoons sparked riots across the Muslim world. Denmark's PET intelligence service warned last month that the country faced its worst terror threat in many years. The video also shows al-Qaida's top commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed, praising al-Makki bomber and warning of more attacks. In August, Pakistani officials said they were trying to confirm whether a suspected militant killed in fighting in the tribal Bajur area was Abu al-Yazeed, but there has been no comment since. Thursday's video did not indicate when the footage of Abu al-Yazeed was taped. The video's authenticity could not be independently verified. It was posted on an Islamic militant Web forum commonly used by al-Qaida to issue videos. Jakob Scharf, chief of the PET intelligence service, said the agency believes the bomber featured in Thursday's video very likely executed the attack in Pakistan. Associated Press writers Maamoun Youssef in Cairo, Egypt, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPsHRGnpEArRKBmgy60-UqRALV3gD930PUO80 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPsHRGnpEArRKBmgy60-UqRALV3gD930PUO8\ 0 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * 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/
[osint] Saif Al-Islam: Lockerbie Families were 'Very Greedy'
Saif Al-Islam: Lockerbie Families were 'Very Greedy' 07/09/2008 01:21:00 Photo: Saif al-Islam al-Qathafi In an interview on the same BBC2 programme, Saif al-Islam al-Qathafi, chairman of the Al-Qathafi Foundation for Human Rights accused relatives of the Lockerbie victims of being very greedy during negotiations over payouts for the deaths of their loved ones. He said that the Lockerbie families had traded with the blood of their sons and daughters during negotiations. Saif went on to say that the Libyan government had only taken responsibility for Britain's worst terrorist attack in order to get international sanctions lifted. You have to ask the families of the victims, he said. The negotiation with them, it was very terrible and very materialistic and was very greedy. They were asking for more money and more money and more money. He continued: I think they were very greedy and I think they were trading with the blood of their sons and daughters. He admitted to the program's producer Guy Smith that the Libyan government had merely accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing in order to get international sanctions lifted. Yes, we wrote a letter to the Security Council saying we are responsible for the acts of our employees... but it doesn't mean that we did it in fact. In the meantime, Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was one of the 270 people killed in the Pan Am explosion, said the compensation received by relatives could never make up for the loss of loved ones. Implying that the truth about the Lockorbie case was lost because of its politicization, Swire added that he just wished that the needs of the relatives, namely a thirst for the truth and for justice would be attended to, rather than an alleged hunger for money. http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1i=2348 http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1i=2348 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * 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/
[osint] Islam group urges forest fire jihad
Sunday, September 7, 2008 Islam group urges forest fire jihad http://www.theage.com.au/national/islam-group-urges-forest-fire-jihad-2\ 0080906-4b53.html?page=-1 * Josh Gordon * September 7, 2008 AUSTRALIA has been singled out as a target for forest jihad by a group of Islamic extremists urging Muslims to deliberately light bushfires as a weapon of terror. US intelligence channels earlier this year identified a website calling on Muslims in Australia, the US, Europe and Russia to start forest fires, claiming scholars have justified chopping down and burning the infidels' forests when they do the same to our lands. The website, posted by a group called the Al-Ikhlas Islamic Network, argues in Arabic that lighting fires is an effective form of terrorism justified in Islamic law under the eye for an eye doctrine. The posting which instructs jihadis to remember forest jihad in summer months says fires cause economic damage and pollution, tie up security agencies and can take months to extinguish so that this terror will haunt them for an extended period of time. Imagine if, after all the losses caused by such an event, a jihadist organisation were to claim responsibility for the forest fires, the website says. You can hardly begin to imagine the level of fear that would take hold of people in the United States, in Europe, in Russia and in Australia. With the nation heading into another hot, dry summer, Australian intelligence agencies are treating the possibility that bushfires could be used as a weapon of terrorism as a serious concern. Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the Federal Government remained vigilant against such threats, warning that anyone caught lighting a fire as a weapon of terror would feel the wrath of anti-terror laws. Any information that suggests a threat to Australia's interests is investigated by relevant agencies as appropriate, Mr McClelland said. Adam Dolnik, director of research at the University of Wollongong's Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention, said that bushfires (unlike suicide bombing) were generally not considered a glorious type of attack by jihadis, in keeping with a recent decline in the sophistication of terrorist operations. With attacks like bushfires, yes, it would be easy. It would be very damaging and we do see a decreasing sophistication as a part of terrorist attacks, Dr Dolnik said. In recent years, there have been quite a few attacks averted and it has become more and more difficult for groups to do something effective. Dr Dolnik said he had observed an increase in traffic on jihadi websites calling for a simplification of terrorist attacks because the more complex operations had been failing. But starting bushfires was still often regarded as less effective than other operations because governments could easily deny terrorism as the cause. The internet posting by the little-known group claimed the idea of forest fires had been attributed to imprisoned Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab Al-Suri. It said Al-Suri had urged terrorists to use sulphuric acid and petrol to start forest fires. Source: The Age http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/09/islam-group-urges-fores\ t-fire-jihad.html http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/09/islam-group-urges-fore\ st-fire-jihad.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email:
[osint] Prosecutors: German terror cell targeted Americans
Prosecutors: German terror cell targeted Americans 2008-09-05 15:34:03 - BERLIN (AP) - Terrorist attacks plotted by a German cell of an al-Qaida linked group were intended to kill as many Americans as possible, and members had looked into bombing restaurants, pubs, discos and airports, federal prosecutors said Friday. Two German converts to Islam _ Fritz Martin Gelowicz, 29, and Daniel Martin Schneider, 22 _ and Adem Yilmaz, 29, a Turk living in Germany, were all charged Tuesday with membership in a terrorist organization in the plots allegedly led by Gelowicz. No attacks were ever carried out. Another man, Attila Selek, a 23-year-old German national, was arrested in November 2007 in Turkey. Germany is seeking his extradition. A fifth suspect, identified only as Dana B., remains under investigation, said Frank Wallenta, a spokesman for federal prosecutors in Karlsruhe. He would not comment, however, on whether authorities know the whereabouts of Dana B. or whether there are other suspects. He said he could also not give the names of the suspects' defense attorneys. The suspects operated as a German cell of the radical Islamic Jihad Union _ a group the U.S. State Department says was responsible for coordinated bombings outside the U.S. and Israeli embassies in July 2004 in Uzbekistan _ according to a statement with new details on the alleged plot from the federal prosecutors' office. «The goal of those accused was to carry out bombing attacks in Germany, in particular against American citizens and American facilities to cause the greatest number of casualties,» the statement said. At least the three charged this week in Germany trained at a camp run by the Islamic Jihad Union in the border area of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the statement said. Upon their return at the end of 2006, they scouted possible targets _ including the U.S. military's base in Hanau _ and stockpiled hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide at a rented cottage in central Germany, prosecutors said. The chemicals were enough to build bombs equal to at least 410 kilograms (more than 900 pounds) of dynamite, prosecutors said. Authorities have said the bombs would have been more powerful than those that killed 191 commuters in Madrid in 2004 and 52 commuters in London in 2005. As work was being done on the bombs, Gelowicz sent Selek to Turkey to purchase triggering mechanisms, which were to be smuggled back to Germany in the soles of his shoes, prosecutors said. The group was looking at attacks in many cities, including Frankfurt, Dortmund, Duesseldorf, Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich and Ramstein _ home of a large U.S. Air Force base _ which were to be carried out before parliament voted in October, 2007, to extend Germany's commitment of troops to Afghanistan, prosecutors said. Despite their well developed plot, authorities say they were never close to reaching their goals. The cell came to the attention of law enforcement officials in 2006, when Gelowicz, Selek and Dana B. were spotted scouting the Hanau base on New Year's Eve and were put under surveillance, authorities have said. Over the next six months, they were observed gathering the chemicals, and German authorities _ acting partially on intelligence from the U.S. _ covertly swapped out all of the hydrogen peroxide with a more diluted solution that could not have been used to produce a bomb. Gelowicz, Schneider and Yilmaz all were arrested Sept. 4, 2007, in Germany and have been held ever since. Selek was arrested a month later in Turkey. During Schneider's arrest, the suspect grabbed a police officer's handgun and managed to squeeze off a shot, prosecutors said. The officer was uninjured, but Schneider faces a charge of attempted murder, which carries a possible sentence of life in prison. In addition, Schneider, Gelowicz and Yilmaz all face charges of membership in a terrorist organization, preparing bombing attacks and conspiracy to commit murder and a bombing attack _ which together carry a 10-year maximum. Wallenta said it is not yet sure when the case would go to trial. http://www.pr-inside.com/prosecutors-german-terror-cell-targeted-r790404\ .htm http://www.pr-inside.com/prosecutors-german-terror-cell-targeted-r79040\ 4.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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
[osint] Islamic Jihad to protest against Hamas
Islamic Jihad to protest against Hamas (AFP) 6 September 2008 GAZA CITY - Teachers loyal to the Islamic Jihad movement on Saturday planned to protest against both the Hamas-run government's recent sacking of civil servants and the resulting territory-wide strikes. Ahead of the demonstration, which was planned for 10:00 am (0800 GMT), Hamas summoned Mohammed Shalah -- the brother of exiled senior Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Shalah -- for questioning, a Jihad spokesman told AFP. Doctors and teachers across the isolated territory have been on strike for more than a week in protest at the Islamist-run government's firing of civil servants who belong to the Fatah party of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. The two main Palestinian movements have been bitterly divided since Hamas seized power in the impoverished territory of 1.5 million people after routing Abbas's security forces in a week of bloody street battles in June 2007. Islamic Jihad and other smaller Palestinian factions have generally remained neutral in the dispute while calling for national unity. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col=section=middleeas\ txfile=data/middleeast/2008/September/middleeast_September78.xml http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col=section=middleea\ stxfile=data/middleeast/2008/September/middleeast_September78.xml [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * 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/
[osint] Palestinian official says Iran supports Hamas and Islamic Jihad
Palestinian official says Iran supports Hamas and Islamic Jihad 2008-09-06 17:56:41 RAMALLAH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran provides support to Islamic Palestinian groups of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in West Bank and Gaza Strip, a Palestinian factional official said on Saturday. Iran supports Hamas, the Islamic Jihad movement and other Palestinian groups and this is not a secret, said Samir Ghousha, a leader from the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front. Hamas controls Gaza Strip since last year after it routed the secular Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who consolidated the Palestinian National Authority's (PNA) rule in West Bank while Hamas Islamists tightened their grip on Gaza. To support Egypt's efforts to settle the split between Gaza and WestBank, Ghousha said his movement asked Egypt to send security advisers and monitors to Gaza Strip to help reforming and restructuring the security forces there away from Hamas' criteria. Ghousha says his movement still welcomes the Egyptian proposal to send Arab forces to Gaza. But since Hamas rejects the idea, he said that Egyptian security experts may resolve the crisis among the security services. Hamas says that the security services, loyal to Abbas, tried to block its rule which was gained by winning parliamentary elections in 2006 and this has made the Islamic movement forcibly takeover the Gaza Strip. Editor: Lin Liyu http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9808258.htm http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9808258.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * 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/
[osint] India_Tasks for Zardari
Tasks for Zardari By Farhan Bokhari and Daniel Dombey Published: September 5 2008 03:00 | Last updated: September 5 2008 03:00 Less than a year ago, Asif Ali Zardari would have hardly been considered a likely candidate for high office. His image was that of a flamboyant polo-playing former businessman who had to fight allegations of corruption and shake off the nickname of Mr Ten Per Cent. But tomorrow he is widely expected to become the next president of Pakistan - a nuclear-armed state with a raging insurgency on its hands and al-Qaeda safe havens on its territory. As Pakistan's strategic importance to the west grows ever greater, he is set to become a central figure in America's war against terror. The nightmare for Washington is that Pakistan's nuclear weapons fall one day into the hands of Islamist extremists. Among its very highest priorities are preventing al-Qaeda from planning another September 11-style attack from its Pakistani base and stopping support for the Taliban in Pakistan's border regions from fatally weakening Nato's efforts in Afghanistan. But in Pakistan, where civilian power has often been constrained and where anti-American sentiment is on the rise, there may be real limits to Mr Zardari's willingness or ability to co-operate with such an agenda. The 53-year-old's unlikely rise came after the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, plunged him into the heart of Pakistani politics last December as co-chair of her Pakistani People's party, together with their 19-year-old son Bilawal. On Tuesday, Mr Zardari was reminded once more that the risks politicians face in Pakistan are far from just electoral, when shots were fired at the bullet-proof car of Yusuf Raza Gilani, prime minister. No one was hurt but the attack on the prime minister's well-protected motorcade was another pointer to how Pakistani leaders remain vulnerable to a bloody backlash by Islamic militants who oppose any government support for the US and its aims. Parliamentary elections in February, in which the PPP emerged as the biggest party, and the subsequent marginalisation of Pervez Musharraf, long Pakistan's US-backed ruler, gave Mr Zardari real power. Now the highest office in the land is his for the taking, thanks to Mr Musharraf's resignation last month under heavy pressure from the civilian politicians. The PPP does not have a majority in the federal parliament on its own. But Mr Zardari has won support from regional political parties, including a bloc of Islamists as well as independent candidates. That should net him well over half the required votes from the electoral college of 700 federal and provincial MPs. Although he will not have the authority of his late wife, the leading PPP figure for three decades, Mr Zardari is eager to emerge as a unifying figure in a country in which militancy is on the rise. Our politics is aimed at saving Pakistan from disintegration, he said in remarks published in the Pakistani press on Wednesday. His opponents see things differently. If, God forbid, Mr Zardari becomes the president, there are enough controversies over him that would make him a divisive figure to lead this country, says Mushahid Hussain, a presidential contender from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid e Azam (PML-Q), the party previously loyal to Mr Musharraf. Given the challenges we face as a country, we need national unity rather than disunity. Zardari should be the last man to become president. Nor do those who question Mr Zardari's fitness for office refer just to the past allegations of corruption - which his friends say have never been conclusively proved. In instances where he has been sentenced, there were sufficient grounds to enter an appeal in a higher court, Mr Zardari's friends add. A Financial Times investigation last month revealed he had submitted documents to a court in the UK citing psychological problems such as dementia, major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Mr Zardari used the medical diagnoses to argue successfully for the postponement of a now-defunct English High Court case in which Pakistan's government was suing him over alleged corruption. Wajid Shamsul Hasan, high commissioner to the UK and a friend of Mr Zardari, says the concerns about his psychological health are exaggerated and stem from the days when he was imprisoned in Pakistan, tortured and threatened with assassination. His doctors have declared him medically fit to run for political office and free of any symptoms, he says. Still, any leader, no matter how fit, might find it difficult to maintain a grip on Pakistan, not least because of its political instability and the still unclear dividing lines between civilian authorities and the military that has run the country for most of its 61 years as an independent state. The real fear in Washington is that this sense of instability and fragility will impede any progress, says Daniel Markey, a former US official now at the Centre on
[osint] Terrorism definition needed, says UAE
Terrorism definition needed, says UAE James Reinl, United Nations Correspondent * Last Updated: September 06. 2008 11:37PM UAE / September 6. 2008 7:37PM GMT UNITED NATIONS // The UAE declared its commitment to tackling terrorism during a UN debate on bolstering global co-operation but believes that international efforts are being hampered by a failure to determine its legal definition. A two-day General Assembly forum concluded on Friday with the adoption of a counter-terrorism resolution, but the world body's 192 members remained deeply divided over what constitutes terrorism. Despite years of discussion, there is no internationally accepted definition of terrorism, partly because of the long-standing dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. What Israel describes as terrorist attacks are seen by many in the Muslim world as the legitimate response of an occupied population to its oppressor. In this analysis, Israel is seen to perpetrate what has controversially been termed state-sponsored terrorism. During the debate, the UAE, together with other Muslim nations, raised the right of occupied populations to fight oppression, as well as arguing against associating Islam with terrorism. Anwar al Barout, chargé d'affaires of the UAE mission to the UN, said: The UAE is convinced that terrorism is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, and reiterates its commitment to implementing the UN counter-terrorism strategy. Speaking only days before the seventh anniversary of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, Mr Barout said the UAE had passed federal laws that served to criminalise illegitimate activities related to terrorism. As well as legislation to tackle cyber crime and freeze the assets of terrorist suspects, the Emirates was stepping up the battle against the illegal trafficking of guns and drugs. The UAE has introduced legislation and conducted educational initiatives to ensure all possible measures were taken against extremism, including through co-operation with Interpol, he said. But the diplomat warned that the global fight against terrorism was running into difficulties. Mr Barout said: There is no legal definition of terrorism that would distinguish between the rights of peoples to fight against aggression in occupation and terrorism per se. He also endorsed concerns expressed by many delegates from the Muslim world that terrorism had become associated in the minds of many people with Islam. We underscore again that it is impossible to link terrorism to any religion or civilisation or specific ethnic group, thereby undermining, jeopardising or instigating the undermining of religions and leading to xenophobia. The UAE's position was echoed by delegates from other Arab League and Organisation of the Islamic Conference governments, with some highlighting the lack of consensus on state-sponsored terrorism, which they argued was perpetrated by Israel. Daniel Carmon, an Israeli diplomat, reiterated his government's position on attacks carried out by militants, saying his country had been challenged from terrorism from its very beginning. Israelis and Israeli interests have been the target of terrorist attacks abroad, along our borders to the north and south, and in the very heart of the country, he told delegates at UN headquarters in Manhattan. Disagreements over the definition of terrorism have long hindered co-ordination efforts, with the General Assembly adopting the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Sept 2006 only after a year of fractious negotiations. The strategy focuses on addressing conditions that give rise to terrorism, improving states' abilities to fight the problem and ensuring that human rights and the rule of law are observed. According to Srgjan Kerim, president of the General Assembly, the strategy has improved global co-operation on intelligence-sharing, technical assistance and training and helped tighten border controls and banking systems. Mr Kerim said that by reaffirming the UN's adoption of the counter-terrorism strategy, members had risen above political differences and taken collective and practical action on a daunting and politically sensitive issue. Robert Orr, chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, said UN members had put aside their differences in order to co-operate on the genuine threats posed by terrorists. We would love to see that definition tomorrow if all member states could agree on it, said Mr Orr. But the point has been that member states themselves decided to... adopt a strategy and proceed even before a definition was adopted. Mr Orr added that there were already 13 UN conventions defining specific terrorist acts, such as hijacking, hostage-taking and bombing. It is not like the lack of a definition means that there is a Hobbesian free-flow, he said. A definition is important, but there is already a large body of international law out there.
[osint] 13 Years since Tokyo: Re-Visiting the 'Superterrorism' Debate (part I)
Volume II, Issue 2 Perspectives on Terrorism - 13 Years since Tokyo: Re-Visiting the 'Superterrorism' Debate By Adam Dolnik Introduction [1] On 20 March 1995, members of the Aum Shirikyo cult used sharpened umbrella tips to pierce plastic bags filled with sarin nerve agent onboard five trains converging at Tokyo's Kasumigaseki station. Twelve people died and 1,039 were injured in what remains the largest nonconventional terrorist attack in history. Then, only a month later, an explosives laden truck detonated in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring over 800 others in what at the time was the most lethal terrorist attack on United States soil. These two events, while unrelated, served as the catalyst for the overwhelming perception that it is no longer a question of if a mass casualty terrorist attack using chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) weapons will occur, but rather the question of when it will happen. In 2008, 13 years since these two tragic events, we are still waiting for these gory predictions of CBRN superterrorism to materialize. This article will revisit some of the core questions in the superterrorism debate, particularly in relation to recent trends, such as the apparent decentralization and de-territorialisation of the phenomenon. The debate Even in 1995, the concerns about the threat of superterrorism were not new. As far back as 1975, Brian Michael Jenkins had already asked the most important questions.[2] Many other contributions into this largely theoretical debate followed, especially in light of the heightened sense of uncertainty and vulnerability to non-state actors as the end of the Cold War neared. Originally, the discussion concentrated primarily on capabilities, where the alleged ease of acquisition of CBRN materials following the breakup of the Soviet Union, as well as the arguably more widespread availability of expertise needed for the production and weaponization of such agents. Through the acknowledgment of technical hurdles associated with the successful delivery of CBRN agents, as well as the possible motivational constraints involved in the decision of terrorist groups to use such weapons; the debate became less theoretical. Another shift in the debate was represented by the claim that the rise of a phenomenon known as the new terrorism had eroded these constraints. In other words, the experts now believe the new terrorists typically defined primarily by the religious nature of their ideology -- were not constrained by the political considerations that had traditionally led secular terrorist organizations to place limits on their violent activities. [3] The events of 1995 seemed to confirm this dire prediction. Even more importantly, 9-11 seemed to have once and for all resolved the perpetual question of whether terrorist groups would or would not be interested in causing mass casualties. Nevertheless, one question remains: why have we not witnessed another Tokyo? Lessons from the past and their implications for the future To answer the above question, it is useful to draw lessons from the history of CBRN terrorism. One of the first incidents of chemical terrorism in the post World War II environment was the 1946 poisoning of bread designated for a U.S. POW camp near Nuremburg by a group of Jewish terrorists known as Avenging Israel's Blood (DIN). The attacks, in which arsenic mixed with glue was smeared onto the bottom of 2,500-3,000 loafs of bread, succeeded in hospitalizing 207 former SS officers, but failed to kill a single person. Another noteworthy attempt was the unsuccessful 1986 plot by the apocalyptic white Christian supremacist -Covenant, Sword, and Arm of the Lord (CSA)- to poison the water supply of several large U.S. cities using a mere 30 gallons of cyanide. In June 1990, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) became the first group to use chemical agents in a guerilla campaign, when they attacked a Sri Lankan Army encampment in eastern Kiran with canisters filled with chlorine. [4] Then on 27 June 1994, the first modern act of chemical terrorism took place in Japan, when six members of Aum Shinrikyo released sarin out of a van parked in a residential neighborhood of Matsumoto, killing seven people and seriously injuring 144 others. [5] The first notable biological incident was an unsuccessful 1972 plot by a tiny environmentalist cult calling itself R.I.S.E.. This group attempted to culture large quantities of salmonella typhi and then contaminate the water supply of several large cities.[6] The first successful bioterrorist attack occurred in 1984 when the Rajneeshee cult used a causative agent, salmonella, to contaminate salad bars in a small Oregon town in an effort to influence a local election. The cult, which chose an incapacitating rather than lethal agent, succeeded in making 751 people ill, but no one died. Then in 1994 and 1995, four Minnesota men, all
[osint] 13 Years since Tokyo: Re-Visiting the 'Superterrorism' Debate (part II)
Volume II, Issue 2 Perspectives on Terrorism -13 Years since Tokyo: Re-Visiting the 'Superterrorism' Debate By Adam Dolnik Acquisition and weaponization of CBRN agents Admittedly, any analysis that seeks to address the threat of CBRN terrorism collectively as a monolithic phenomenon is inevitably too vague to be useful, given the fact that C vs. B vs. R vs. N are very disparate threats with regards to issues such as difficulty of acquisition, potential to cause significant damage, technological hurdles involved in mass production and weaponization, and challenges posed for states on the side of detection, prevention, and response. [17] In light of this limitation, it is not the ambition here to provide an exhaustive analysis, but only a general coverage of the core issues. For most CBR (but not N) agents the acquisition step is not difficult because many weapons-usable substances have legitimate uses and are therefore relatively widely available. Further, the boom of information technologies and the Internet makes the necessary know-how for successful procurement of cultures more widely available than ever before. On the other hand, the production of large quantities of a biological agent, as well as its successful weaponization (the process of producing a mass casualty capable delivery system for the acquired agent), is a much more complex and difficult endeavor than generally believed. [18] The difficulty of weaponizing chemical and biological substances varies greatly based on the agent of choice. Inflicting mass casualties with chemical and non-contagious biological agents such as anthrax or tularemia requires a high-tech delivery because every victim has to come into direct contact with the agent in order to be affected. One popular scenario for a bioterrorist attack has been the mass contamination of a city's water supply. A major difficulty of successfully perpetrating such an attack is represented by the fact that most water-borne organisms die in the presence of sunlight, ozone, or chlorine. One possibility solution would be the contamination of water post-treatment/ Such an operation would involve pumping enormous quantities of agent into the water distribution system while avoiding detection not an easy feat considering the huge quantities of agent needed and the fact that the water in the pipelines is under pressure. Assuming terrorists overcame all of the hurdles associated with contamination of a city's water supply, the chances of inflicting mass casualties are minimal, unless the agent used is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, in order to facilitate mass consumption. Despite the fact that this seems common sense, past plots and a review of dozens of terrorist chemical and biological weapons manuals demonstrate the lack of realization of this simple fact on behalf of most terrorist groups. Consider, for instance, the February 2002 plot to poison the water supply of the U.S. Embassy in Rome, which has been widely cited as evidence of al Qaida's chemical weapons capability. [19] In this case, the four Moroccan perpetrators arrested in Italy possessed 8.8 pounds of potassium ferrocyanide - enough to theoretically kill several individuals, but certainly not suitable for a water borne attack but were unsuccessful because the agent changes color significantly when mixed with water. Thus, providing ample warning to the possible target. [20] The next commonly discussed scenario is the open-air dissemination of a non- contagious agent such as bacillus antharcis (a.k.a. anthrax). Anthrax is the prototypical biological weapons agent - it is relatively easy to produce, it is extremely virulent, and the infection is not contagious, so the outbreak will not spread beyond those affected directly. Most importantly, anthrax forms rugged spores when exposed to environmental stresses, and these spores facilitate processing and weaponization. However, significant hurdles to effective open-air dissemination of anthrax exist as well. While the liquid form is relatively easy to produce, it is much more difficult to deliver effectively because it is susceptible to clumping into heavy droplets that fall to the ground instantly, providing insufficient time for the victims to inhale the agent. Conversely, the powder form is significantly less challenging to disseminate, but is much more difficult to produce; its effective dissemination requires an aerosol composed of particles between one and five microns in diameter. Production of such fine aerosol requires a sprayer system that is equipped with specialized nozzles that are not widely available. Finally, an open-air dissemination of aerosol is also highly susceptible to meteorological conditions that make targeting much less controllable. Contagious agents on the other hand, allow for a much less efficient delivery, as it is only necessary to infect a small group of people, who can then spread the disease by secondary transmission. In
[osint] Abu Yahyas Six Easy Steps for Defeating al-Qaeda
Volume I, Issue 5 Perspectives on Terrorism - Abu Yahya's Six Easy Steps for Defeating al-Qaeda By Jarret Brachman In his 10 September 2007 video release, Shaikh Abu Yahya al-Libi offered the United States several unsolicited tips for better prosecuting its `war of ideas' against al-Qaeda.[1] Although his comments brought al-Qaeda propaganda to new heights of arrogance, the fact is that Abu Yahya's recommendations are nothing short of brilliant. Policymakers who are serious about degrading the resonance of the Jihadist message, therefore, would be remiss in ignoring his strategic recommendations simply because of their source. Abu Yahya, a senior member of al-Qaeda, is one of the world's foremost experts on the strengths and vulnerabilities of the contemporary Jihadist Movement. He became a household name within the counterterrorism community when al-Qaeda began marketing him in their propaganda following his July 2005 escape from detention at Bagram air base in Afghanistan. In the past two years, Abu Yahya has become the al-Qaeda High-Command's attack dog, chastising a variety of Muslim groups for failing to follow the proper path: with the Shia, Hamas and the Saudi royal family seemingly bearing the brunt of his rage.[2] Al-Qaeda has also promoted Abu Yahya's softer side, showing him reciting poetry and informally dining with his students. He has become, in a very real sense, the Jihadist for all seasons. Abu Yahya's decision to volunteer strategic advice to the United States was neither out of goodwill nor self-destructive tendencies. Rather, his comments embodied the explosive cocktail of youth, rage, arrogance and intellect that has made him a force among supporters of the Jihadist Movement. By casually offering his enemy a more sophisticated counter-ideological strategy than the U.S. has been able to implement or articulate to date, Abu Yahya's point was clear: the U.S. lags so far behind the global Jihadist Movement in its war of ideas that al-Qaeda has little to fear any time soon. Abu Yahya's strategic plan for improving America's counter-ideology efforts centers on turning the Jihadist Movement's own weaknesses against it. He first suggests that governments interested in weakening the ideological appeal of al-Qaeda's message should focus on amplifying the cases of those ex-Jihadists (or backtrackers as he calls them) who have willingly renounced the use of armed action and recanted their previously held ideological commitments. Using retractions by senior thinkers and religious figures who already have established followings within the Jihadist Movement helps to sow seeds of doubt across the Movement and deter those on the ideological fence from joining. Although Arab governments, most notably the Saudis and the Egyptians, have successfully leveraged this approach for decades, there may be particular value in amplifying these retractions in the West. In November 2007, for instance, the legendary Egyptian Jihadist thinker, Dr. Sayyid Imam Sharif, released a book renouncing his previous commitment to the violent Jihadist ideology.[3] As could be expected given Sharif's senior stature in the Movement, the story made front-page news across the Arab world. In the English-language media, however, the story was little more than a minor blip. The media's non-coverage of such a major ideological victory against global Jihadism is due to the fact that few in the West appreciate Sayyid Imam's significance to groups like al-Qaeda. Abu Yahya suggests that the public media can play an effective role in publicizing ideological retractions, particularly by conducting interviews with those reformed scholars, publishing their articles and printing their books. The media's effort to promote the retractions helps to redirect public attention away from the role of the host government in prompting those retractions in the first place. The more distance these reformed scholars have from their host governments the more they are likely to be perceived as legitimate. Abu Yahya also recommends that the United States both fabricate stories about Jihadist mistakes and exaggerate real Jihadist mistakes whenever they are made. These may include blaming Jihadist terrorism for killing innocents, particularly women, children and the elderly. But he does not stop there. Jihadist mistakes should not simply be highlighted as being anomalous or extraordinary: rather, governments ought to characterize them as being at the core of the Jihadist methodology. In short, governments need to convince their populations that the murder of innocent people is a core part of global Jihadism. The most effective way to pursue this strategy, he contends, is to exploit mistakes made by any Jihadist group, whether they are al-Qaeda or not, by casting that action as being emblematic of the entire Jihadist Movement. Abu Yahya calls this strategy of blurring the differences between al-Qaeda and other Jihadist groups when it serves propaganda
[osint] Shift in Tactics Aims to Revive Struggling Insurgency
Shift in Tactics Aims to Revive Struggling Insurgency Al-Qaeda in Iraq Hopes A Softer Approach Will Win Back Anbar Sunnis By Amit R. Paley http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/amit+r.+paley/ Washington Post Foreign Service Friday, February 8, 2008; Page A13 BAGHDAD -- The Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/iraq.html?nav=el is telling its followers to soften their tactics in order to regain popular support in the western province of Anbar http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Anbar+Province?tid=info\ rmline , where Sunni tribes have turned against the organization and begun working with U.S. forces, according to group leaders and American intelligence officials. The new approach was outlined last month in an internal communique that orders members to avoid killing Sunni civilians who have not sympathized with the U.S.-backed tribesmen or the government. From internal documents and interviews with members of al-Qaeda in Iraq, a picture emerges of an organization in disarray but increasingly aware that its harsh policies -- such as punishing women who don't cover their heads -- have eroded its popular support. Over the past year, the group has been driven out of many of its strongholds. The group's leadership is now jettisoning some of its past tactics to refocus attacks on American troops, Sunnis cooperating closely with U.S. forces, and Iraq http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Iraq?tid=informline 's infrastructure. Dedicate yourself to fighting the true enemy only, in order to avoid opening up new fronts against the Sunni Arabs, said the Jan. 13 communique, signed by the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Abu+Ayyub+al-Masri?tid=\ informline . Do not close the door of repentance in the face of those Sunnis who turned against us, said the message, posted in Anbar mosques frequented by the group's followers. The communique does not order an end to attacks against Shiite Muslims, whom al-Qaeda in Iraq has long seen as heretics, and it was unclear whether the views of group members in Anbar would apply in parts of the country where al-Qaeda in Iraq fighters are more active. Iraqi officials have blamed the group for two bombings Feb. 1 in predominantly Shiite areas of Baghdad http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Baghdad?tid=informline that officials said killed as many as 100 people. American intelligence officials said the communique is consistent with the past leadership style of Muhajer, an Egyptian also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who took command of the group after his predecessor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in June 2006. Zarqawi did a lot of just indiscriminate killing -- it didn't matter when, where, why or how, said one senior intelligence analyst who, like others interviewed for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity under military ground rules. Masri is more picking his targets and trying to get away from the massive indiscriminate killings, because it created a big black eye for al-Qaeda in Iraq. The U.S. military http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/U.S.+Armed+Forces?tid=i\ nformline says it destroyed much of the leadership of al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2007, killing 2,400 suspected members and capturing 8,800, while pushing the group almost completely out of Baghdad and Anbar province. Although U.S. officials and their Sunni allies caution that al-Qaeda in Iraq remains dangerous and could find ways to regenerate, they assert that the group now is largely a spent force. We do not deny the difficulties we are facing right now, said Riyadh al-Ogaidi, a senior leader, or emir, of al-Qaeda in Iraq in the Garma region of eastern Anbar province. The Americans have not defeated us, but the turnaround of the Sunnis against us had made us lose a lot and suffer very painfully. 'We Made Many Mistakes' Resting on a blanket in the garden of a squat concrete house in Garma, Ogaidi lamented al-Qaeda in Iraq's reversal of fortunes over the past year. Ogaidi, 39, once traveled with 20 bodyguards in a four-vehicle convoy. But during the recent interview, he was nearly alone, wearing a white cap on his bald head and a gray dishdasha, or floor-length tunic, to disguise himself as a poor villager. We made many mistakes over the past year, including the imposition of a strict interpretation of Islamic law, he told a Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/The+Washington+Post+Com\ pany?tid=informline special correspondent. Al-Qaeda in Iraq followers broke the fingers of men who smoked, whipped those who imbibed alcohol and banned shops from selling shampoo bottles that displayed images of women -- actions that turned Sunnis against the group. Ogaidi said the total number of al-Qaeda in Iraq members across the country has plummeted from about 12,000 in June 2007 to about 3,500
[osint] Underestimating al-Sadr Again
Underestimating al-Sadr Again Monday, Feb. 11, 2008 By BRIAN BENNETT/WASHINGTON [Moqtada al-Sadr] Mehdi army members escort Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr during his visit to the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, Feb. 27, 2006. Ali Abu Shish / Reuters The six-month ceasefire that Moqtada al-Sadr called in August 2007 is set to expire at the end of February. Observers believe the freeze in operations of his Mahdi Army is a major reason for the recent security successes in Iraq; and most expected it to be extended. But recently the Sadr camp has said that it might end the ceasefire. On January 18, a spokesman for Sadr in the religious capital of Najaf issued a statement warning that the rationale for the decision to extend the freeze of the Mahdi Army is beginning to wear thin. Is the U.S. alarmed? It is not and that is alarming. Though American officials recognize the importance of Sadr's inactivity, they are now saying that the cleric's political influence in Iraq has diminished. On Thursday, the senior diplomat overseeing U.S. policy in Iraq, David Satterfield, told a room of foreign policy experts at the Middle East Institute that the 34-year-old cleric was a deeply troubled young man who is spending most of his time in Iran watching events in Iraq move beyond his ability to influence. Those are strong words about the surviving scion of a revered religious family who has proven time and again to be a thorn in the side of U.S. efforts in Iraq. Satterfield said Sadr's political influence has waned since November 2006 when the cleric made a political gamble and lost. That was when Sadr withdrew his party's ministers from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's cabinet after Maliki refused to set a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal. When the government did not collapse, Satterfield argued, the limits of al-Sadr's political power were exposed. That's when Maliki no longer felt the need to protect his biggest constituent in Parliament and gave U.S. forces the green light to enter Sadr City, the cleric's popular stronghold in north Baghdad. Ever since, Iraqi and U.S. units have been arresting commanders of the militia who have not gone underground. Satterfield is underrating the Mahdi Army's boss. I met Moqtada al-Sadr in November 2003 at his office down a narrow alleyway in Najaf. We sat on pillows on the floor and he answered my questions with short, perfunctory statements. Barely 30, he had a round face, broad shoulders and a habit of glaring at guests beneath his thick, black eyebrows. He came across as menacing yet dull. At the time, he was holding massive Friday-afternoon prayer rallies that he populated with poor workers bused in from the slums of Sadr City in Baghdad 100 miles to the north. I was hearing rumors that his followers were kidnapping and beating religious students who criticized him. The Coalition Provisional Authority was dithering about whether to arrest him on charges of killing a rival cleric the April before. To most observers, including myself, he seemed to be a thug with a lot of bluster and little substance. Then, in 2004, he launched two uprisings against the U.S. occupation. He then outmaneuvered his Shi'ite rivals in the political process and became the kingmaker who installed Maliki as Prime Minister. His militia was instrumental in carrying out thousands of reprisal killings after the February 2006 bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, bringing Iraq to the verge of all-out civil war. He was underestimated. And now it seems, the folks that matter in the Administration are making the same mistake again pointing out his shortcomings and his inability to influence events. That's a very optimistic way of looking at it, says Vali Nasr, author of The Shi'a Revival, of Satterfield's comments, Moqtada al-Sadr still commands the largest social and political movement in southern Iraq. Nasr and others believe the Mahdi Army's leader is biding his time out to develop stronger religious credentials and strengthen his control over a militia. Sadr's gameplan, it appears, extends far beyond the next year or two. The game in Iraq is not over, says Nasr, he has been beefing up his strength. In fact, the ceasefire has allowed Sadr to purge his militia forces, some of which had been hijacked by criminal gangs running lucrative kidnap-for-ransom schemes. The indiscriminate thuggery had damaged Sadr's reputation among average Iraqis. So had the perception that Sadr was an Iranian stooge. Some of elements of the Madhi Army had morphed into groups that answered directly to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and were operating beyond Sadr?s control. He has stood by as those elements have been arrested by U.S. forces. The U.S. believes Sadr has been spending most of his time in Iran. So what's he up to? He is likely in the Shi'ite religious center of Qom studying to achieve the higher rank of ayatollah, a position that would allow him to issue fatwas, and garner more respect from the
[osint] Three rebels with suspected links with Pakistan''s ISI gunned down NE India
Three rebels with suspected links with Pakistan''s ISI gunned down NE India MIL-INDIA-ASSAM-ISI Three rebels with suspected links with Pakistan's ISI gunned down NE India NEW DELHI, Feb 11 (KUNA) -- As many as three insurgents with suspected links with Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) were killed in an encounter in Goalpara district in India's Northeastern state of Assam Monday. The Indian security forces have recovered a nine mm pistol, a magazine with five rounds of ammunition, two hand-grenades, a local pistol and several documents from the slain insurgents, news agency Press Trust of India reported. The three maintained links with ISI aiming to create disturbances in India's Northeastern region, the news agency said, quoting an Assam police official. Assam is home to number of insurgent groups including outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), alleged to maintain close ties with ISI. India has also alleged that ULFA's top leadership operate from neighbouring Bangladesh. (end) dr. bs KUNA 112131 Feb 08 http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=enDSNO=1070042 http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=enDSNO=1070042 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- 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/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * 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/
