From Port Security to Global Vigilance: Coast Guard's Post-9/11 Mission

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has a long history of serving not only within the nation's borders but also beyond its shores. While its primary mission has always been to protect and secure America's maritime interests domestically, the Coast Guard's role expanded significantly in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. These attacks prompted the U.S. military, including the Coast Guard, to adopt a more proactive and global approach to counterterrorism.

Following 9/11, the Coast Guard became increasingly involved in overseas missions aimed at enhancing maritime security and combating terrorism on a global scale. These missions took the Coast Guard far beyond its traditional areas of operation and required collaboration with international partners and allied nations. The Coast Guard's overseas deployments have been multifaceted, encompassing various activities such as capacity building, training, joint exercises, and operational support.

One significant aspect of the Coast Guard's overseas missions has been its participation in international training and capacity-building programs. In the years since 9/11, the Coast Guard has worked closely with partner nations around the world to enhance their maritime security capabilities and improve their ability to combat terrorism and transnational crime. This has involved providing training and technical assistance to foreign maritime law enforcement agencies, coast guards, and navies, helping them develop the skills and expertise needed to secure their maritime borders and respond effectively to security threats.

Moreover, the Coast Guard has played a crucial role in supporting U.S. military operations overseas, particularly in regions where maritime security is a priority. Coast Guard units have been deployed to various theaters of operation, including the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and Southeast Asia, to provide maritime security support, conduct port assessments, and assist in counterterrorism efforts. In these roles, Coast Guard personnel have worked alongside their counterparts from other branches of the U.S. military, as well as with partner nations, to safeguard critical maritime infrastructure, prevent the illicit movement of goods and people, and disrupt terrorist networks operating at sea.

Additionally, the Coast Guard has been actively involved in international maritime security operations aimed at combating piracy, smuggling, and other illicit activities in key maritime transit routes and chokepoints. Coast Guard cutters and aircraft have conducted patrols and surveillance operations in strategic areas such as the Gulf of Aden, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Caribbean Sea, helping to deter criminal actors and maintain maritime stability. These efforts have been conducted in coordination with multinational task forces, naval coalitions, and international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization.

Furthermore, the Coast Guard has played a vital role in supporting U.S. diplomatic and foreign policy objectives through its overseas engagements. Coast Guard vessels and personnel have participated in various joint exercises, port visits, and goodwill missions, promoting cooperation, fostering relationships, and building trust with foreign governments and maritime stakeholders. These engagements have served to strengthen alliances, enhance regional stability, and advance U.S. interests in key strategic areas around the world.

In summary, the United States Coast Guard's overseas missions have become an integral part of its post-9/11 operational paradigm, reflecting the increasingly global nature of maritime security threats and the need for a coordinated, multinational response. By leveraging its unique capabilities and expertise, the Coast Guard has made significant contributions to international efforts to combat terrorism, secure maritime borders, and promote stability and prosperity in regions of strategic importance.

International Students Learn About Anti-terrorism, Piracy

By Steve Vanderwerff, Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- International students enrolled in Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity International Training Center's (NITC) International Anti-Terrorism and Piracy (IATP) course visited Pensacola's Gulf Power to understand security measures at potential terrorist targets Aug. 11.

Nineteen students from the Bahamas, Algeria, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, South Africa and Yemen are taking the four-week course to provide them with information on the latest developments in anti-terrorism and piracy initiatives, and equip them with the skills to help develop their national and command programs addressing these issues.

"The course is designed to be a participatory learning experience that actively engages the students throughout. They'll benefit not only from the course presentations and materials, but the input of fellow students who come to the course from countries around the world," said NITC Officer in Charge Cmdr. Chris Heaney. "It's the sixth IATP course taught since the course was first offered in 2009."

The course features expert military and civilian guest speakers, numerous case studies, interactive student exercises and field trips. Between lectures the students are given the opportunity to learn more about the United States and the American way of life by taking field trips to New Orleans, regional historical sites and monuments and out-of-classroom activities that focus on IATP subjects, such as visiting United States Coast Guard activities related to Homeland Security, and a Naval Air Station Pensacola harbor tour with Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) officers to learn about port security.

"It was a good experience to see how they manage security using various technologies as the first lines of defense against threats. They also use cooperation between the Navy and Coast Guard, as well as outside contractors to protect against not only potential terrorists, but thieves or other outside influences as well," said Capt. Cezary Cierzan of the Republic of Poland Navy. "It's not done in Poland where private companies work together with the government and the military for security. It was very beneficial to see all the structure and how this issue of security is addressed here in the United States."

According to Heaney, the training enables the successful execution of the Navy's maritime strategy.

"This course is meant for all international officers and civilian equivalents detailed to government positions. However, the content is most applicable to individuals who will return to their respective countries and have direct influence in the areas of anti-terrorism and anti-piracy operations within their service, their country and their region of the world," Heaney said.

The students were funded by the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program. IMET is a State Department security assistance program, managed by the Defense Department's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), to provide professional military training and education to U.S. allies.

Last year, IMET provided training to more than 7,000 students from 130 countries.

"That is building a lot of influence," said Kay Judkins, DSCA's program policy manager. "And that is really what this program is all about: influencing minds and hearts. It's about cooperation, forming relationships and building partnership capacity."

Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) coordinates training with the Navy's learning sites, private institutions, and other training providers, depending on a client nation's training needs. More than 6,500 international students from 155 nations attend training annually at various professional military education institutions, warfare community schools, technical centers, and various training sites in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) weapons acquisitions. It also manages the NITC aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla. The school's preparatory training introduces international students to the U.S. Navy's approach to training.

Prior to becoming known as NITC, it was the International Preparatory School, established in 1985 to meet the needs of Royal Saudi Naval Forces students by providing them additional academic and physical training to enhance their success in the rigorous U.S. Navy flight program.

In 1991, NITC transitioned to the International Technical Training Preparatory School to help prepare all international students to meet the learning demands placed on them in various U.S. Navy technical training courses.

Since then, the school has evolved to include training in numerous military disciplines, both operational and administrative, and has met the needs of more than 45 countries. The school is capable of tailoring programs to meet each client country's needs.

Allen Praises Troops’ Courage, Sets ISAF Priorities

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2011 – Much work remains to secure Afghanistan’s future and eliminate violent extremists, the new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan said today in a letter to the men and women of the International Security Assistance Force.

Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen addressed the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians of ISAF, praising their courage under the most challenging conditions and setting out his priorities for unified action.

“It will be my honor to serve with you all,” Allen handwrote at the bottom of the letter, which was posted on ISAF’s website. Allen assumed command today, succeeding Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who is retiring from the Army and will be the next CIA director.

Allen said his priorities include continuing the relentless pursuit of the enemy and accelerating the work associated with developing and fielding the Afghan national security forces.

“We will accelerate our efforts to protect the population and to attack and degrade insurgent networks,” he wrote. “As we support the overall effort, we will continue to capture and kill the enemy and remove him from the field of battle through reintegration.”

Allen said ISAF will promote opportunities for stabilizing villages and establishing the Afghan local police. Working with civilian partners, he added, ISAF will help to build capacity for governance, economic development and the rule of law.

In the field, the general said, Afghan national security force formations are growing in size and confidence.

“Afghans are fighting for their country, and we must facilitate this everywhere we can,” Allen said, “seeking opportunities for Afghan leadership to step forward in their institutions and in the field.”

Other ISAF priorities include coordinating and cooperating closely with Afghan partners to support the transition to Afghan forces having responsibility for their nation’s security, and staying innovative, agile and responsive as the campaign evolves, Allen wrote.

“When we have completed the work of this campaign, Afghans will be in the lead in security across the country, securing the final phase of transition in 2014,” the general said. “They will be postured not only to prevent the return of extremism and terrorism in Afghanistan, but also to achieve Afghanistan’s long-term security requirements.”

Allen told the troops that “now is the time to be ‘all in’ as we support the prosecution of the campaign, the development and fielding of the [Afghan forces] and the process of transition.”

In addition, being good stewards of the resources nations have entrusted to ISAF to achieve its mission is the responsibility of every ISAF member, Allen wrote.

The general reminded ISAF troops of why they’re in Afghanistan.

“The Afghan people welcomed ISAF and its members into this ancient and historic land 10 years ago,” he wrote, “to help them remove a ruthless and implacable enemy while promoting conditions for a stable and peaceful future.”

Tough days remain ahead, he added, “[but] I take heart in the determination and endurance of the free men and women of the 49 nations of ISAF who stand shoulder to shoulder -- shohna ba shohna -- with our Afghan partners to see this great endeavor through to its successful completion.”

Obama Cites Military Successes in State of Union Address

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2011 – In a State of the Union address here marked by a call for renewed American innovation and cooperation, President Barack Obama pointed to the nation’s military as an example to follow.

“Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and women have left with their heads held high; American combat patrols have ended; violence is down; and a new government has been formed,” the commander in chief said.

In Afghanistan, U.S. troops have taken Taliban strongholds and trained Afghan Security Forces, and will continue to deny al Qaeda the safe-haven that served as a launching pad for 9/11, he said.

“Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency,” Obama said. “There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance.”

But U.S. and coalition efforts are strengthening Afghan capacity and building an enduring partnership with the Afghan people, he said.

“This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead. And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home,” the president said.

The nation has sent a message to all parts of the globe, Obama said: “We will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you.”

Obama credited American leadership, especially in the New Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, for curbing the global nuclear threat.

Thanks to the treaty, he said, far fewer nuclear weapons and launchers will be deployed.

“Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists,” he said.

America leads the world in the quest for freedom and security, the president said, and the nation must always remember “that the Americans who have borne the greatest burden in this struggle are the men and women who serve our country.”

The nation can repay that service, he said, “by giving them the equipment they need; by providing them with the care and benefits that they have earned; and by enlisting our veterans in the great task of building our own nation.”

American troops represent every creed, color, culture and geographical region in the nation, Obama said. And, he added, some are gay, and may now serve openly for the first time since the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law was overturned late last year.

“Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love,” he said. “And with that change, I call on all our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.”

First Lady Michelle Obama included among her guests for the address current and former military members, including Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, who received the Medal of Honor in November; Army Staff Sgt. Brian Mast, who lost both legs below the knee and suffered several other injuries in a roadside bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan; Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Nicole Mohabir, who has deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan; and Dr. Peter Rhee, a Navy veteran and former military surgeon, now director of medical trauma at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz. Rhee oversaw the treatment of victims injured in the Jan. 8 Tucson shootings, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Coast Guard: Back to Iraq

Posted by: Christopher Lagan

As a military force, the Coast Guard is often called on by our counterparts in the Department of Defense to provide mission expertise unique to our service. Over the past several years, United States Forces Iraq has called upon the port infrastructure and security skills of Coast Guardsmen as leaders of the Port Advisory Coordinating Element.

Cmdr. Brenden Kettner is currently serving as officer-in-charge of PACE on his second tour of duty in Iraq. Upon his arrival, Kettner relieved Coast Guard Cmdr. James Robertson, who had led the PACE team for the past year and was featured earlier this month as a Shipmate of the Week.

Written by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sondra-Kay Kneen, Pacific Area Public Affairs

As fellow comrades take cover, the deafening echo of gun-shots assault his ears while smoke from bombs blind in the array of sand and wind. The simulated environment is surreal to the trainees, and yet they must stay alert and ready during urban operations training at Fort Dix, N.J.

Cmdr. Brenden J. Kettner, U.S. Coast Guard, recently completed a month-long training with the Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force ahead of a one-year tour in Iraq.

 “The training I received while at Fort Dix was outstanding and really prepared me for my return to Iraq, said Kettner. “One of the reasons I joined the Coast Guard was to save lives and help people, the opportunity to become a certified Combat Life Saver aligns with our Coast Guard core mission of life saving.”

Kettner has been assigned to the United States Forces Iraq as the officer in charge, Port Advisory Coordinating Element, for his second engagement in Iraq. Kettner will be responsible for advising the Iraqi government and port authorities on improving the country’s anti-terrorism measures, especially along the Iranian border.

Kettner’s position will help improve security in the port and coordination of training with the intent to advance international ship and port facility security compliance. This will contribute to Iraq’s long term goals of trade, and developing in depth defense strategies against the real threat scenarios the country faces every day.

During Kettner’s previous assignment in Iraq, he had an opportunity to meet with both government officials in Baghdad as well as port operators in the port of Umm Qasr. There was a strong desire to improve port operations and efficiencies in the port as well as begin the process of rebuilding the governmental administration and support of Iraqi ports.

“I am back in Iraq with the experience of the Iraqi culture and a basic grasp of the language,” said Kettner. “This will help build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. I am really looking forward to seeing some of the people that I had worked with previously.”

Kettner was assigned as the International Port Security Liaison Officer to Iraq in 2007 and had the opportunity to see firsthand the challenges that needed to be overcome in transforming Iraqi ports into a gateway that could facilitate the reconstruction and revitalization of the country.

“There have been a lot of other Coast Guard men and women in the Middle East sacrificing being home with family, friends and other freedoms we take for granted,” said Kettner. “The Coast Guard’s missions out here, as the farthest deployed units in our service, are key in achieving our nation’s strategic and operational goals. Without all of us supporting each other it would be very difficult for one particular unit to succeed in their mission.”

Petraeus Cites ‘Impressive’ Progress in Letter to Troops

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2011 – Continued hard work will lead to sustained progress in Afghanistan this year, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force there told his troops in a letter dated today.

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus addressed his comments to ISAF’s soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians.

They and their Afghan counterparts “did tremendous work in 2010,” Petraeus wrote, terming their progress “impressive.”

ISAF’s core objective in Afghanistan is to ensure that country never again becomes a sanctuary for al-Qaida or other transnational extremists, Petraeus wrote. Achieving that objective requires “a comprehensive civil-military campaign” aimed at helping Afghanistan develop the ability to secure and govern itself, he added.

Additional ISAF forces, the growth of the Afghan army and police, an increase in the number of civilian partners, and the associated funding to enable it all contributed to 2010’s gains, Petraeus wrote. The effort received a boost, the general noted, when NATO leaders at the alliance’s November summit in Lisbon, Portugal, endorsed Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s goal of Afghan forces taking the security lead throughout his nation by the end of 2014.

Afghan and coalition forces increased security in Kabul, Helmand and Kandahar provinces over 2010, Petraeus wrote, and advanced security conditions in the east, west and north.

“The beginning of Afghan-led reintegration of reconcilable insurgents, and the relentless pace of targeted operations by ISAF and Afghan special operations forces” also aided security growth, Petraeus wrote.

“Now, in fact, the insurgents increasingly are responding to our operations, rather than vice-versa, and there are numerous reports of unprecedented discord among the Quetta Shura, the Taliban senior leadership body,” Petraeus noted.

Progress in Afghanistan over 2010 was not easy, Petraeus acknowledged.

“To the contrary, our successes entailed hard fighting, tough losses, and periodic setbacks. … You had to transition from intense combat to complex stability operations –- and back again –- on innumerable occasions, sometimes on the same day,” he wrote. “Your versatility, skill, determination and courage have truly been the stuff of history.”

Work ahead in 2011 will remain challenging, Petraeus told his troops.

Afghanistan and ISAF forces must extend the security “bubbles” around Kabul and in the east and west of the country, while halting and reversing insurgent advances in the north and northeast, the general wrote. ISAF must also support increased Afghan self-governance and anti-corruption efforts, he added. “We will need to pursue initiatives to ensure that our contracting and procurement activities are part of the solution rather than a continuing part of the problem,” he wrote.

Given the “skill and will” that coalition and Afghan troops have demonstrated over the past year, Petraeus wrote, he is confident they “will prove equal to the difficult tasks that lie ahead.”

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News, April 30, 2010

U.S. unlikely to respond to biological threat with nuclear strike, experts say
“The United States is not likely to use nuclear force to respond to a biological weapons threat, even though the Obama administration left open that option in its recent update to the nation’s nuclear weapons policy, experts say. ‘The notion that we are in imminent danger of confronting a scenario in which hundreds of thousands of people are dying in the streets of New York as a consequence of a biological weapons attack is fanciful,’ said Michael Moodie, a consultant who served as assistant director for multilateral affairs in the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency during the George H.W. Bush administration. Scenarios in which the United States suffers mass casualties as a result of such an event seem ‘to be taking the discussion out of the realm of reality and into one that is hypothetical and that has no meaning in the real world where this kind of exchange is just not going to happen,’ Moodie said this week in a telephone interview. ‘There are a lot of threat mongers who talk about devastating biological attacks that could kill tens of thousands, if not millions of Americans,’ according to Jonathan Tucker, a senior fellow with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. ‘But in fact, no country out there today has anything close to what the Soviet Union had in terms of mass-casualty biological warfare capability. Advances in biotechnology are unlikely to change that situation, at least for the foreseeable future.’ No terrorist group would be capable of pulling off a massive biological attack, nor would it be deterred by the threat of nuclear retaliation, he added.” (Global Security Newswire; 29Apr10; Martin Matishak) http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100429_7133.php

Foes question public stake in BU [Boston University] lab
“Opponents of the Boston University biolab project say the school should develop vaccines on the site for illnesses plaguing the community, such as cancer and AIDS, instead of agents for diseases that they say pose no public health threat to the area. Activists gathered before last night’s public meeting on the project, which was held at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, and spoke out against the facility, where scientists plan to hunt for vaccines for illnesses such as Ebola and to combat a plague. They said such research would put residents of the South End and Roxbury at risk without offering any benefits. ‘We don’t get anything out of it,’’ said Klare Allen of Roxbury Safety Net, a group opposing the lab. She added that federal officials have also not made residents aware of the risks surrounding the $192 million National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, located on Albany Street. ‘They just aren’t doing their jobs,’’ she said. Representatives from the school and the National Institutes of Health, which is providing most of the funding for the lab, said they would have no immediate comment on the activists’ proposal to develop certain vaccines. Activist Lynn Klotz, a biotechnology consultant and former Harvard professor, said that lab workers are planning to pursue a ‘one bug, one vaccine strategy’’ that will have a limited scope. ‘For example, a drug designed to cure anthrax would only cure anthrax; a drug designed to cure plague would only cure plague,’’ he said, reading from a prepared statement. ‘None of the [targeted] agents [are] a public health threat, so in the US, whatever they develop will have almost no public health value,’’ he added.” (Boston Globe; 29Apr10; Travis Andersen) http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/29/f
oes_question_public_stake_in_bu_lab/

Two arrests made in contaminated food case [FL]
“According to the allegations of the complaint, Francisca Josefina Lopez and Jorge Alexis Ochoa Lopez imported four shipments of cheese from Nicaragua between December 2009 and March 2010, with a declared value of more than $322,000. According to testing conducted by U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) district laboratory in Atlanta, Georgia, three of the four shipments were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus [...] All four shipments, totaling in excess of 170,000 pounds, were refused entry into the commerce of the United States, and were subsequently ordered destroyed or re-exported [...] a search warrant was executed at the Lacteos Factory, which revealed that the three other shipments of the cheese product had been sold to over thirty customers, despite still being on hold. It was also determined that one customer conducted independent testing of the cheese, found it to be contaminated with S. aureus and returned the product. Despite that, the cheese was repackaged and sold to other customers.” (Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; 23Apr10) http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/UCM209740?sms_ss=email

Las Vegas [NV] a natural fit for conducting epidemic study
“A multimillion-dollar research project involving UNLV [University of Nevada, Las Vegas] is aimed primarily at better protecting U.S. troops, but it is also expected to shore up the Las Vegas Valley’s defenses against epidemics and bioterrorism. UNLV Associate Professor Chris Cochran is helping lead the effort and hopes it will help hospitals and public health officials do a better job of quickly identifying the sources and pathways of influenza, E. coli and other contagious pathogens that can quickly spread through a population. Suppose Clark County health officials learned that a group of tourists who came down with the flu in Las Vegas arrived by plane the previous day from Anytown, USA. Because symptoms don’t usually appear until two or three days after infection, it’s likely the tourists contracted the virus back home. Health officials could then issue flu alerts to authorities in Anytown and to the airlines that brought the visitors to Las Vegas to help prevent a more widespread outbreak in Southern Nevada.” (Las Vegas Sun; 23Apr10; Steve Kanigher) http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/apr/23/vegas-natural-fit-epidemic-study/

Illnesses at Afghan girls’ schools prompt poisoning fears
“Seventeen-year-old Nadia considers herself lucky. She bolted when she saw three classmates at her all-girls school pass out on the afternoon of April 24. Forty-seven schoolgirls either fell unconscious or complained of nausea and dizziness that day at Khadijatul Kubra High School in Konduz. The illnesses are the latest in a series of suspected poisoning incidents at girls’ schools in the northeastern Afghan city. On April 21, 23 girls at Fatimatul Zohra High School mysteriously fell ill. On April 25, another 13 at the Sahe Darra Middle School for Girls became sick. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the outbreaks, and local authorities are still investigating their exact cause. But the Taliban’s well-known opposition to girls’ education has prompted many to accuse the group of waging a poisoning campaign. [...] Konduz Province government spokesman Mohibullah Sayedi tells RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan that local authorities are investigating the incidents, and have sent blood samples of the affected girls to Kabul to determine the cause of their sickness. He says that when the investigation was launched after girls first became sick on April 21 at Fatimatul Zohra school, pesticide poisoning was suspected.” (Radio Free Afghanistan; 26Apr10; Noor Mohammad Sahim) http://www.rferl.org/content/Illnesses_At_Afghan_Girls_Schools_Prompt_Poisoning_Fears/2024984.html

Citizens group: new weapon plan ‘flawed’ [CO]
“The regular meeting of the panel monitoring weapons destruction here started out to be part two of the ongoing discussion started Tuesday night, questioning a new Pentagon plan to use explosive technologies to destroy some of the weapons. The Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program, the Defense Department agency assigned to destroy Pueblo’s mustard agent stockpile, has been asked to come up with a way to start destruction early by bringing in devices that will use explosive technology to destroy the weapons before and maybe while the $3.6 billion water neutralization plant is in operation. Currently, water neutralization may not start until 2015 but the explosive units could be in operation by 2012. Irene Kornelly, chairwoman of the Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Committee delivered a letter to Kevin Flamm, the manager of the ACWA program, outlining the commission’s concerns and criticisms of an environmental assessment. The assessment found there would be no significant impact from the additional process. The commission’s questions center around cost, how much land will be needed and pollution concerns.” (Pueblo Chieftain ; 28Apr10; John Norton) http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_e0aa79c6-534b-11df-97c6-001cc4c03286.html

NY man splashed bleach at laundromat worker
“Police say a New York man was so enraged at a Laundromat employee who he believed had lost some of his clothes that he hit her in the face with an open bottle of bleach. Randy Stith of Hempstead was charged Wednesday with assault and possession of a dangerous weapon.” (Find Law; 29Apr10; Source: AP) http://news.findlaw.com/ap/o/1110/04-29-2010/20100429042011_43.html?DCMP=ESPcons_top

Local group preparing to take over 7,100 acres as Army shuts down W. Ind. chemical depot site [Newport, IN]
“A local group that hopes to attract businesses to the Army’s Newport Chemical Depot expects to take possession of the western Indiana site by the end of this year. The depot that for decades produced and stored the deadly VX nerve agent is scheduled to close this summer. Newport reuse authority president Jack Fenoglio says its first projects will be to update the 70-year-old water system and convert the electrical system for use by commercial and industrial companies. The group plans to open about half the depot’s 7,100 acres to potential business development. The rest will remain as open land or for agriculture use.” (Fox News WXIN; 29Apr10) http://www.fox59.com/news/sns-ap-in--newportdepot-future,0,6342336.story

Troops fine tune disaster skills at Rockingham Speedway [NC]
“North Carolina National Guard troops were tested Wednesday on how they would respond to the release of a chemical nerve agent during drill at Rockingham Speedway. ‘It’s like a novel that I hope never comes true,’ Track General Manager Robert Ingram said during a walk-through of the exercise. The scenario was a track employee was drawn to a generator outside a storage building on the backstretch, where recreational vehicles park to watch the race. During an investigation of the inside of the building, a rudimentary laboratory was found, and law enforcement was called, which in turn contacted the North Carolina National Guard for support. The 22-member Greenville-based 42nd Civil Support Team had no notice of the drill, and received a call at 4 a.m. to respond to The Rock. They brought millions of dollars worth of vehicles and equipment. The team specializes in mitigating chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats, and had been staged in Scotland County for the past several days. At the track, U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Col. Tim Murphy oversaw the exercise for the Guard, and explained the hypothetical situation: race day is tomorrow, the governor is attending functions in Southern Pines and evidence of a domestic terrorist group plot has been uncovered ‘They will be going into the suspect building to take samples and pictures - primarily to figure out what the components are, and then advise the local authorities on what steps to take,’ Murphy said. He explained there are other factors the team would consider, such as the direction and strength of the wind to determine when and where people should be evacuated.” (Richmond County Daily Journal; 29Apr10; Philip D. Brown) http://www.yourdailyjournal.com/view/full_story/7238954/article-Troops-fine-tune-disaster-skills-at-Rockingham-Speedway?instance=home_news_lead

Chem[ical] weapon monitoring suit settled [CO]
“State and Defense Department agencies reportedly have settled a lawsuit over how the Army monitors its stockpile of chemical weapons at the Pueblo Chemical Depot. Details were not available Monday because the Army had not sent back a copy of the settlement but a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said that one provision calls for the Army to close the vents on the igloos where the weapons are stored to prevent uncontrolled chemical releases to the environment and to put charcoal filters on the igloos in the near future. Previously, the Army had checked igloos on a quarterly rotation but state officials said that was not often enough and sued to require tougher rules. As an example of the cooperation between the Army and Colorado officials, state health department representatives were on hand Monday for what was a major trash day at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.” (Pueblo Chieftain ; 27Apr10; John Norton) http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_73e6ec5a-51b8-11df-a9b1-001cc4c03286.html

FDNY, Marines train for chemical attack [NY]
“The New York City Fire Department and the Marines’ Chemical Biological Incident Response Force responded to a simulated exploded bus, a subway chemical attack, a building collapse and two IED attacks, April 22. The all-day exercise was the culmination of a weeklong training evolution at FDNY Fire Academy on Randall’s Island pairing Marines and firefighters. The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF), based in Indian Head, Md., has a history with the FDNY going back to the unit’s founding in 1996. Deputy Chief and Marine veteran Raymond Downey helped develop the original training for the unit. After he died in the World Trade Center rescue effort, their training facility was named after Downey. CBIRF is never in command of an incident, instead they respond and augment at the request of local, state or federal agencies, said Col. John Pollock, CBIRF commanding officer. The Marines go to large-scale events, such as presidential visits and sporting events, so they can respond quickly in case of emergency.” (U.S. Marine Corps Division of Public Affairs; 23Apr10; Sgt. Randall A. Clinton) http://www2.marines.mil/unit/divpa/nycpa/Pages/104022-CBIRFFDNY.aspx

Govt to install radiation monitoring portals at ports
“The government has decided to install Radiation Monitor Portals (RMP) at all ports and entry points in the country amid reports that the recent radiation leak in West Delhi could have happened due to scrap brought in from outside. The decision to purchase the RMPs was taken at a high-level meeting held recently in Mumbai which was called to discuss Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for scanning and disposing of junk materials carrying radioactive waste, official sources said. The meeting was attended by officials of the department of atomic energy, prime minister’s office, home and health ministries besides representatives from various intelligence agencies and came close on the heels of radioactive leaks detected in Mayapuri industrial area of West Delhi earlier this month. In the meeting, the SOPs that were finalised on checking the junk, which is also imported at times from different countries before being sold off to scrap dealers, including installation of RMP which can monitor and detect if any radiation material is brought from outside. RMPs are designed to detect ionizing radiation penetrating out of a container. In most cases gamma radiation is detected, while in some cases neutron detection when sensitivity for nuclear material is desired.” (Daily News and Analysis; 25Apr10)
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_govt-to-install-radiation-monitoring-portals-at-ports_1375392

Raytheon awarded contract for integrated standoff inspection system
“The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $20.5 million contract to research and develop an automated system for the standoff detection and identification of shielded special nuclear material. The Integrated Standoff Inspection System, or ISIS, is an active interrogation nuclear radiation detection system that will provide the government with an accurate and reliable inspection system that is fully integrated and automated. ‘The need to effectively detect and track the movement of nuclear material increases every day,’ said Michael Del Checcolo, vice president of Engineering for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. ‘ISIS will enable our government to more effectively identify and classify nuclear materials to help prevent their unauthorized entry into this country.’“ (PR Newswire; 30Apr10) http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-awarded-contract-for-integrated-standoff-inspection-system-92083954.html

MU reactor to ditch weapons grade uranium [MO]
“The MU Research Reactor Center is laying the groundwork to switch from using weapons-grade uranium to a safer fuel as part of a national push to minimize security threats. Civilian reactors such as the one at MU have become the focus of federal security strategists working to minimize the likelihood that terrorists could attack a reactor or steal highly enriched uranium that can be used to make atomic bombs. MU is anticipating the switch to low-enriched uranium, and officials are keen on preserving its efficiency as a scientific research and pharmacy drug production facility after the fuel change. In a three-step conversion process that is likely to be replicated in other civilian reactors in the U.S., the Idaho National Lab Advanced Test Reactor is leading federal efforts to test a lower grade fuel that can provide an alternative source of power for research reactors. If test results are positive, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will certify the fuel for use by the five research reactors in the U.S., including the one at MU, that still use enriched, weapons-grade uranium. The long-term goal is to convert all 130 civilian reactors around the globe to run on the safer fuel.” (Columbia Missourian; 29Apr10; Washington Gikunju) http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/04/28/mu-reactor-braces-fuel-conversion/

Feds extend pact with Cleveland biolabs
“Cleveland BioLabs is continuing a project for the federal government that explores therapies for conditions resulting from acute radiation exposure. The company announced April 29 that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services has exercised the second and third milestone-based options on its $15.6 million, three-year contract with Cleveland BioLabs, awarded last fall. The project deals with select tasks in the advanced development of Protectan CBLB502. According to a prepared release, option two includes $1.47 million to support additional manufacturing and release of a new lot of CBLB502, as well as additional animal studies. Option three includes $460,000 to support additional good laboratory practice efficacy studies in non-human primates. All are activities necessary for completion of a biologic license application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” (Buffalo Business First; 29Apr10; Tracey Drury) http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2010/04/26/daily43.html

Dirty-bomb test for terror[ism] may aid cancer research
“With a few drops of blood, scientists are creating a way to tell who’s absorbed dangerous radiation levels, part of the government’s preparations against a terrorist attack -- and research that just might point toward new cancer care, too. Duke University’s work aims to allow rapid triage in wake of a dirty bomb explosion or other radiological emergency, to sort out who among potentially thousands of panicked people need treatment for radioactive fallout and who can go home. At the same time, it illustrates an evolving new approach to developing so-called ‘medical countermeasures’ for defense: They ought to have an everyday use, too. ‘There has to be a return on investment from this program in peacetime,’ Dr. Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness at the Health and Human Services Department, told the Associated Press. At issue: The nation’s stockpile of treatments, vaccines and tests against bioterrorism and chemical or radiological threats. Saying the arsenal isn’t growing fast enough, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ordered a major review of how to jumpstart the development of countermeasures. That process now is spurred by contracts from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, that help fund research of promising products, often with guaranteed purchase of a certain amount if the work pans out.” (Associated Press; 26Apr10; Lauran Neergaard)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jom1ZCLJ4cuC0nb9b0EmLJWJNNugD9FAUI7G3

Antiterror[ism] security ring encircles New York
“New York City’s neighboring municipalities have received equipment intended to help safeguard the area against radiological ‘dirty bomb’ attacks, Newsday reported today. Since 2007, the federal Securing the Cities program has provided 5,000 radiation sensors and other gear to counties around New York City. Other protective measures in the area include Coast Guard countermeasures, port security equipment and monitoring of local transit routes. ‘We depend on partners,’ said New York City Police Department Capt. Michael Reggio, who heads the chemical, biological and nuclear services unit within the department’s counterterrorism division. A ‘dirty bomb’ attack would use conventional explosives to disperse radioactive material over a wide area. ‘It can range from anywhere to a nuisance bomb spreading weakly radioactive stuff like uranium ... at the upper end you can imagine a scenario where you are dispersing things like cesium 137,’ said Federation of American Scientists expert Charles Ferguson. ‘If we didn’t have radiation detectors, you could drive a dirty bomb right into New York City and you wouldn’t even see it,’ said Inspector Stuart Cameron, who heads the office in charge of the Suffolk County Police Department’s radiation detection program. County officers are equipped with 400 sensor devices.” (Global Security Newswire; 26Apr10) http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100426_8742.php

Liberty RadEx drill to test national clean-up and recovery efforts after mock ‘dirty bomb’ attack [Philadelphia, PA]
“More than 700 personnel from federal, state and local agencies and the private sector are participating in a 5-day homeland security exercise that began today in Philadelphia. The exercise, called Liberty RadEx, is the largest drill of its kind sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to test the country’s capability to clean up and help communities recover from a dirty bomb terrorist attack. [...] ‘The LibertyRAD exercise marks another milestone in Philadelphia’s preparedness efforts by evaluating how federal, state and local governments will work collaboratively following a disaster with the long-term devastating consequences a dirty-bomb attack causes,’ said MaryAnn E. Tierney, deputy managing director for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management. ‘Conducting the exercise in a densely populated urban area that is home to some of our nation’s most treasured historic sites and critical infrastructure will be a valuable learning experience for all involved.’“ (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 26Apr10) http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/28c5b280d311903a8525771100525103?OpenDocument

Gimme shelter: the need for a contemporary civil defense program
“Of the 15 terrorism and natural disaster scenarios used by the Department of Homeland Security for planning purposes, the first scenario is the most feared: Terrorists detonate a 10-kiloton improvised nuclear device at ground level in the National Mall in Washington at 10 a.m. on a weekday morning. In an attempt to understand what can be done to mitigate the consequences of such an attack, I, along with Stanford graduate students Sylvie Denuit and Youngsoo Choi, constructed a detailed mathematical model of this scenario that includes the initial effects of the detonation, the radiation fallout in subsequent days, the traffic flow of vehicles exiting the city, and the behavioral responses with respect to shelter versus evacuation. (Our full study will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Risk Analysis.) [...] Our analysis suggests that there is only a tiny fraction of people who would be better off by evacuating. And we should note that these people won’t know who they are when the decision about evacuation needs to be made. Accurate plume information--the cloud can be irregularly shaped due to different wind directions at different altitudes--and travel-time estimates won’t be available, and the ability for the government to communicate to those impacted by the attack will be extremely limited, perhaps restricted to battery-powered radios. And even if the information and communication were perfect, historical data suggests that citizen compliance to a government-managed evacuation would be far from perfect. [...] Moreover, our traffic-flow calculations suggest that even if a small percentage of those who aren’t supposed to evacuate do so anyway, all of the evacuees will be stuck in traffic jams and therefore, exposed to much more radiation, especially because vehicles provide almost no protection from fallout. Thus, the only robust strategy is to advise everyone to shelter.” (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; 28Apr10; Lawrence M. Wein) http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/op-eds/gimme-shelter-the-need-contemporary-civil-defense-program

Ex-guard says Bin Laden wants to use nukes
“Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin laden has sought and wanted to use nuclear arms, former bodyguard Nasser al-Bahri said in an interview with an Arab newspaper published today. ‘Sheikh Osama used to dream of possessing nuclear weapons, and I am sure that if he were to get his hands on a nuclear weapon, he would not have hesitated to use it,’ the Yemeni guard told the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi. The United States warned earlier this month that al-Qaeda’s interest in nuclear weapons was still strong and said the risk of nuclear terrorism was serious. ‘Al-Qaeda has been engaged in the effort to acquire a nuclear weapon for over 15 years, and its interest remains strong today,’ said John Brennan, President Barack Obama’s top anti-terrorism and Homeland Security adviser. But Mr Brennan said he had ‘no indication that al-Qaeda has a nuclear weapons capability’. Bahri, who now lives in Yemen with two wives and five children, said he was ‘proud to have worked as a guard for a great personality’, saying he was instructed to kill Bin Laden if that was the only way to avoid his capture.” (News Limited; 29Apr10; Source: AFP)
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/ex-guard-says-bin-laden-wants-to-use-nukes/story-e6frfku0-1225859703802

U.S. military develops non-toxic cleaners for terrorist attacks
“The U.S. military has developed non-toxic, ultra-strength cleaners that could be used in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. The peroxide-based ‘green’ decontaminants are tough enough to get rid of nerve gas, mustard gas, radioactive isotopes and anthrax [spores], report U.S. military scientists in the American Chemistry Society’s Industrial Engineering and Chemistry Research, a bimonthly journal. The scientists say they developed ‘Decon Green’ cleaners because chlorine- and lye-based agents are potentially hazardous and can react with chemical weapons and other materials in the environment to form new toxic substances. The main ingredients in each formula are peroxides, used in household cleaners and whitening toothpaste. To bolster their efficacy, they’re mixed with bicarbonates and other non-toxic bases.” (USA Today; 29Apr10)
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/04/us-military-develops-non-toxic-cleaners-for-terrorist-attacks/1

Phila. unveals new emergency operations center in a box [Philadelphia, PA]
“As the federal government conducts an emergency simulation in town this week, the city of Philadelphia is showcasing its new emergency operations center in a box. [...] Deputy managing director for Emergency Management MaryAnn Tierney says the EOC in a box has everything one would need: ‘Laptops, so people can work, an AV system, an audio system, so people will be able to hear discussions that occur, a projector and screen so that people will be able to display either maps or other information.’ The EOC in a box was funded by a $559,000 grant from [H]omeland [S]ecurity.” (KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia; 28Apr10; Karin Phillips) http://www.kyw1060.com/pages/6914621.php

CBS always on’ digital newsstand network to conduct first street-level emergency alert test Wednesday, April 28th -- 10am - 2pm
“CBS Always On, Philadelphia’s Digital Newsstand Network, will conduct the City’s first street-level emergency alert test tomorrow, Wednesday, April 28th beginning at 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. in cooperation with Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management. An emergency test tone and message will appear on the newsstands’ news ticker and High Definition TV screens for 30 seconds at the top of each hour that day. The emergency test is being conducted in conjunction with a Homeland Security exercise called Liberty RadEx taking place in Philadelphia April 26th through 30th. In the event of a city-wide emergency, center city residents and the workforce would be able to get up-to-the-minute details and information through the CBS Always On network. The system has already been used since its installation -- to alert people to move their cars from snow emergency routes during this past winter’s record snow storm.” (Marketwire; 27Apr10) http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/CBS-Always-On-Digital-Newsstand-Network-Conduct-First-Street-Level-Emergency-Alert-Test-1154377.htm

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

Five Convicted of Plotting to Kill Soldiers at Fort Dix

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 23, 2008 - A federal jury yesterday found five men guilty of conspiracy to kill U.S. soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., but acquitted them of attempted murder. After nearly six days of deliberation, the jury rendered the guilty verdict for three brothers -- Shain, Eljvir and Dritan Duka -- and two other defendants, Mohamad Shnewer and Serdar Tatar. They face a maximum of life in prison, according to a Justice Department news release published yesterday.

Federal prosecutors said the five men, all Muslim immigrants who were arrested in Cherry Hill, N.J., in May 2007, were planning to attack Fort Dix and military personnel.

"Today's verdicts underscore the need for continued vigilance against homegrown terror threats," Assistant Attorney General Patrick Rowan stated in the release.

"While these defendants were not members of an international terrorist organization, their involvement in weapons training, their surveillance of domestic targets and their discussions of killing U.S. military personnel posed a serious threat that required the law enforcement disruption and the prosecutions upheld by the jury today," he said.

The prosecution's case was based on evidence culled from a 16-month FBI investigation that led to the apprehensions. FBI agents arrested the suspects May 7, 2007, as Dritan and Shain Duka tried to buy three AK-47 assault rifles and four semi-automatic M-16s from a confidential government witness.

"They identified their target, they did their reconnaissance, they had maps, and they were in the process of buying weapons," Jody Weiss, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Philadelphia, said a day after the arrests.

"Today we dodged a bullet," Weiss added. "In fact, when you look at the type of weapons this group was trying to purchase, we may have dodged a lot of bullets."

The FBI's investigation began January 2006 when a video store representative tipped off officials after a man brought a "disturbing" video to be converted to DVD format.

According to a court complaint described during the arrests, the video "depicted 10 young men who appeared to be in their early twenties shooting assault weapons at a firing range in a militia-like style while calling for jihad and shouting in Arabic 'Allahu Akbar,'" or God is great.

In addition, the jury viewed secretly recorded videotapes of the defendants performing small-arms training at a shooting range in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, watching training videos showing the slayings of American soldiers and depicting known foreign Islamic radicals urging jihad against the United States, the release states.

Janice K. Fedarcyk, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division, praised the video store employee-turned-whistleblower.

"Vigilance was the key to disrupting the dangerous terrorists convicted today and we are glad they are off the street," Fedarcyk states in the release.

At the time of arrest, the Duka brothers, who were born in what was then Yugoslavia, had been living in the United States illegally and operating a roofing company; Shnewar, a Jordanian-born taxi driver, and Tatar, a convenience store clerk born in Turkey, are both legal U.S. residents.

The jury found that one member of the group conducted surveillance at Fort Dix and Fort Monmouth in New Jersey, Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and the U.S. Coast Guard facility in Philadelphia. The co-conspirator obtained a detailed map of Fort Dix, where they hoped to use assault rifles to kill as many soldiers as possible, according to trial testimony and evidence.

Maritime Security

The December 5, 2008, episode of Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion on Maritime Security with author Michael Walling.

Program Date: December 5, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Maritime Security
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/12/06/Maritime-Security

About the Guest
After graduating from Montclair State College with a BA in Biology, Michael Walling served in the U.S. Coast Guard for six years as a commissioned officer and a senior petty officer. His assignments included buoy tending, search and rescue missions, drug law enforcement, and oceanographic operations in the Arctic. As part of the Boarding Party and Prize Crew teams on two cutters, Michael Walling participated in the seizures of a Panamanian drug-runner and a Cuban fishing boat. His decorations include the U.S. Coast Guard Achievement Medal (O) for counter-drug operations, the Arctic Service Medal, the Sea Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, and the USCG Cutterman's insignia.

Michael Walling is the author of Bloodstained Sea: The U.S. Coast Guard in the Battle of the Atlantic 1941-1944; an editor of the Sinbad of the Coast Guard; and, the author of Choke Points. According to the book description of Choke Points, “Stretching from the treacherous shores of Iraq to inner circles of power in Washington, DC, Choke Points leads the reader deep into the heart of the War on Terror and the real threats of attack on the U.S. This is the first book of the Fletcher Saga that stretches from the tumultuous Colonial times to the ever-dangerous present.”

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, criminal justice technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/12/06/Maritime-Security

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- November 5, 2008

U.S. snaps up [Bacillus Anthracis] scanner
“Clients included hazardous materials teams in major American cities and US defence agencies, [Andrew Rudge] said. Existing technologies and products took between 30 minutes and three days to do the same job and destroyed the sample so it could not be tested further. […] ‘It's simple to use analysis begins with the press of a single button and it returns a spores detected or no spores detected result within minutes. That saves both time and money in terms of disruptions and evacuations, because security staff get immediate feedback on whether they are dealing with a hoax or the real thing.’ [according to Veritide chief executive officer Andrew Rudge] […] There were plans to extend the Scout's detection capability to include other dangerous biological threats such as ricin.” (The Press, New Zealand; 05Nov08; Rebecca Todd) http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/4749967a6530.html

Media makes infectious diseases seem much worse
“Popular media coverage of infectious diseases makes them seem worse than they are, according to a new Canadian study. Diseases that surface frequently in the print media -like bird flu - are considered more serious than similar diseases that do not receive the same kind of coverage, such as yellow fever, according to the research. ‘The media tend to focus on rare and dramatic events,’ said Meredith Young, co-author and graduate in the department of psychology, neuroscience & behaviour, McMaster University. […] ‘Another interesting aspect of the study is when we presented factual information about the diseases along with the names of them, the media effect wasn't nearly as strong,’ said Karin Humphries a co-author [of the study].” (Microsoft News; 04Nov08; Source: Indo-Asian News Service) http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/health/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1692100

Flu clinic becomes emergency drill [Frederick County, Maryland]
“Monday's flu clinic took the form of an emergency preparedness drill, and more than 360 health department employees and a handful of other county agencies participated to help ensure the county is ready for a medical emergency. Jurisdictions are required to hold preparedness drills every year to retain their funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said Barbara Rosvold, the health department's public health preparedness and response director. For most people, a flu pandemic is the first type of medical emergency that comes to mind, but the department would activate the same response system during situations such as a smallpox outbreak or anthrax exposure. […] The drill also put to the test the department's emergency communication systems, including landlines, cell phones, TalkAbouts and 800-megahertz radios. Amateur radios were used this year for the first time; the radios proved to be the most reliable form of communication in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Rosvold said.” (Frederick News-Post; 04Nov08; Ashley Andyshak)
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1510393

Select agent, man [discusses removal of citrus greening bacteria from select agent list]
“Just in time for the $20 million citrus greening research push from the Florida Department of Citrus and the Florida Citrus Production Research Advisory Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has agreed to take the citrus greening bacteria off the federal Bioterrorism Select Agent list. […] The greening bacteria was put on the list before it became endemic in Florida precisely to prevent its introduction into the U.S.
Once it became endemic, that served no further purpose […] Effective Nov.17, all three strains of the greening bacteria will not be on the select agent list. […] Now scientists conducting greening research can expand their efforts free of the strict constraints of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002.” (Ledger; 03Nov08; Kevin Bouffard)
http://citruspulpwash.theledger.com/default.asp?item=2280985

Scientists slam FBI anthrax probe [of Bruce Ivins] “
It was an open-and-shut case, the FBI said. But three months after agents pinned the post-9/11 anthrax mailings on Army scientist Bruce Ivins - who committed suicide as the FBI closed in on him - his former colleagues have approached a lawyer to sue the feds for fingering the wrong man, The Post has learned. […] The move by the Army scientists comes on the heels of a Senate Judiciary Committee demand for an independent review of the case following a hearing with FBI Director Robert Mueller in which committee members called the bureau's case an ‘open matter.’ The bureau has named a panel of independent scientists to review the evidence against Ivins - a probe that will take six to 18 months. Sen. Patrick Leahy, a target of the 2001 anthrax attacks, said at the Judiciary Committee hearings that he doubted Ivins, who worked at Fort Detrick, Md., could have acted alone and that he believes ‘there are others who could be charged with murder.’”
(Military.com; 03Nov08; Source: New York Post) http://www.military.com/news/article/scientists-slam-fbi-anthrax-probe.html?col=1186032310810

Man [Fernando Gomez] dies from anthrax exposure [Hackney, London]
“The Health Protection Agency has announced the death of a patient who inhaled anthrax. The Agency is now carrying out an investigation to identify where the anthrax originated from. A team wearing protective clothing will carry out tests at the deceased man’s workshop in Hackney, London. […] The HPA has also been following up any contacts of the patient who may have been explosed [sic] to the anthrax spores by being in the same room as the patient, when animal skins were being prepared to be made into drums (believed to be the source of the contamination).” (OnMedica News; 04Nov08)
http://www.onmedica.com/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=8472a1ab-d054-43ae-9313-2885177a3268

How dangerous is drum making? [relating to anthrax exposure]
“A second drum maker in two years has died after apparently inhaling anthrax spores from animal skins. What are the risks of this seemingly safe job? Fernando Gomez had been in intensive care for more than a week after handling animal skins at his drum-making workshop in London. But his condition deteriorated over the weekend and the 35-year-old died from inhalation anthrax on Sunday night. Two years earlier, Christopher Norris, a craftsman from Scotland, died after inhaling anthrax. But are these cases a coincidence or a cause for alarm? In the UK, the death of Mr. Gomez is the second case in more than 30 years. Across the world, there are four other known cases since 1974 of drum makers dying from anthrax.” (BBC; 03Nov08)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7706239.stm

Expert: Egypt modernizing Army, but committed to peace
“Egypt's military is gradually doing away with dated Soviet equipment and replacing them with superior American F-16 fighter jets, Apache combat helicopters and Abrams tanks, according to arms control expert Prof. Yiftah Shapir of Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Securities Studies. […] As for unconventional weapons, Egypt may have researched and produced chemical warfare agents and stockpiled mustard and nerve agents, although this has not been confirmed. It is thought to possess 190 scud-type missiles. […] Shapir said he was not overly concerned by reports of Egyptian military drills in which Israel was the simulated enemy. ‘There is no military force other than Israel on their borders, so the drills are simulated with Israel in mind. Every Army undergoes drills and builds up plans. The Egyptian Army is looking at Israel's capabilities, not its intentions. Egypt believes Israel is fully interested in safeguarding the status quo, and Israel believes the same of Egypt. But the Egyptian military cannot ignore its next door neighbor's military and act as if it is neutral,’ Shapir said. He added that Israel, too, trained for scenarios involving the Egyptian military. ‘We can't expect things to be any different,’ he said. ‘We are not in the European Union. Before the current era, and before the world wars, European powers held drills with their neighbors in mind.’” (Jerusalem Post; 02Nov08; Yaakov Lappin) http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1225199631823&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

OPCW Director-General addresses the Sixty-Third Session of the United Nations General Assembly
“On 3 November 2008, the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter addressed the 63rd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, on the theme ‘Cooperation between the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).’ […] he gave an overview of the progress made in the destruction of declared chemical weapons. He noted that the OPCW had verified the destruction of more than 41% of the total stockpiles declared by six States Parties and that two of the six declared possessors — Albania and A State Party — had completely fulfilled their destruction obligations under the Convention. […] Director-General Pfirter also referred to the importance of developing the industry verification regime in a manner that is responsive to the need of ensuring the long term validity of the Convention’s non-proliferation objectives. […] Director-General Pfirter further drew attention to the Organisation’s international cooperation and assistance programmes, including periodic field exercises for the delivery of assistance in case of use of chemical weapons that the OPCW carries out in collaboration with the UN and other international organisations. He informed the UN General Assembly that the next such exercise is scheduled to be held in Tunisia in 2010.” (OPCW News; 04Nov08) http://www.opcw.org/news/news/article/opcw-director-general-addresses-the-sixty-third-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly/

Attorneys file suit to stop burning at Umatilla Chemical Depot
“Attorneys for the Government Accountability Project have filed a lawsuit to stop a plan by Oregon agencies to incinerate the Umatilla Chemical Depot's cache of World War Two mustard agent. The suit was filed in the Multonomah County, Ore., state circuit court by the watchdog group's attorneys on behalf of Hermiston-based GASP, the Oregon Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club and six Umatilla County and Morrow County residents. […] The Government Accountability Project, or GAP, is concerned that some of the mustard agent is contaminated with mercury and other hazardous wastes. It believes the mercury would not be fully captured by the filter systems currently in place or planned for the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. Department of Environmental Quality […] has given approval for using enhanced carbon filters for incineration of mustard gas after the department studied options. […] More than 60 percent of the chemical agent stockpile at the depot is mustard agent, according to GAP. However, the Army has identified containers contaminated with mercury and they comprise 16 percent of the total.” (Tri-City Herald; 04Nov08; Annette Cary)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1406/story/372918.html

A learning experience at mock disaster [Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky]
“Twenty-seven observers from across the country came to observe Madison County’s emergency response personnel in a mock disaster scenario. […] A ton bulk agent container filled with GB nerve agent byproducts was being transported to the depot’s demilitarization building (which, in reality, is in the process of being constructed) where it was to be destroyed. During the transport, the container was spilled and nerve agent was released. […] While workers were cleaning the spill and filtering the nerve agent vapors from the igloo, another storage igloo at the depot was struck by lightening, causing a small fire inside the igloo. […] All workers and volunteers performed very well in each scenario to make sure the community remained safe, [Carl] Richards [county EMA director] said. […] Various schools throughout Richmond and Berea participated by practicing the ‘shelter-in-place’ drill where students and faculty are to go to the closest place that can be sealed off from outside air and has few or no windows.” (Richmond Register; 30Oct08; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/homepage/local_story_304082725.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

PharmAthene initiates Phase I study of nerve agent bioscavenger
“The randomized, placebo-controlled, third-party double-blind, dose escalating Phase I clinical trial will study Protexia administered intramuscularly at one and two time points in healthy human volunteers. Approximately 32 subjects will participate in the study, comprised of healthy male and female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55 years who are willing to give informed consent and are in general good health. […] The primary endpoint of the study is an evaluation of the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of escalating single doses of Protexia given intramuscularly in healthy human volunteers. […] Protexia, which is produced in the milk of transgenic goats, is a recombinant version of human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), which has been shown to be effective in animal models in preventing toxicity from exposure to chemical nerve agents.” (Pharmaceutical Business Review;
30Oct08)
http://www.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/article_news.asp?guid=33DAABC4-56C7-4A68-BA5F-DBE60B23D339

Detecting illicit nuclear materials takes layered approach
“The nuclear threat is something we really have to pay attention to, said Mike Johnson, mission area manager for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Of all the types of terrorist attacks that could involve nuclear material, the most likely is a ‘dirty bomb' that is composed of a source of radiation surrounded by a conventional explosive such as TNT. Furthermore, Johnson said, the approach to preventing such an attack has to be layered. […] Part of DNDO's mission is to test, recommend and buy detection equipment for government agencies such as Customs and Border Patrol as well as the Coast Guard. The agency is pretty satisfied with the current state of cargo security at points of entry along the nation's borders, Johnson told an audience of Homeland Security practitioners and technology providers at the 10th annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness in Chicago last week. The DNDO's next focus will be to improve cargo screening of small private planes and yachts coming into the United States through non-points of entry.” (Government Technology; 04Nov08; Corey McKenna) http://www.govtech.com/gt/427950?topic=117680

CIA officers could face torture trial in Britain
“British officials are considering bringing criminal charges against senior CIA officers for the abduction and torture of a British resident now incarcerated at Guantanamo. […] In April 2002, Binyam Mohamed was arrested in Karachi, Pakistan after attempting to board a flight to London with a fake British passport. American authorities informed British counterparts Mohamed was plotting to build and detonate a ‘dirty bomb.’ […] Lawyers representing Mr. Mohamed have sued, on Mohamed's behalf, British intelligence forces for their part in his detention and purported torture. British judges overseeing the case and having received secret evidence, have become increasingly critical of U.S. conduct and are now considering charging American forces for their culpability in Mr. Mohamed's abuse.” (Examiner; 03Nov08; Jay McDonough) http://www.examiner.com/x-243-Progressive-Politics-Examiner~y2008m11d3-torture

Cases against detainees have thinned
“The six Algerians were scooped up in Bosnia and shuttled to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in early 2002. Days later, President Bush proclaimed in his State of the Union address that the men had been plotting to blow up the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo. The case would seem to be an easy victory for the Bush administration, which is preparing to defend the men's lengthy detentions in landmark federal court proceedings scheduled to begin this week. But the government is backpedaling. The charges of plotting to blow up the embassy have been dropped. […] The government recently also has withdrawn allegations that another detainee is linked to a high-profile ‘dirty bomb’ plot. Together, the legal moves raise questions about the government's claims over the years that it has disrupted imminent terrorism threats.” (Washington Post; 02Nov08; Del Quentin Wilber) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/01/AR2008110102018.html?hpid=topnews

The horror of U.S. depleted uranium in Iraq threatens the world
“Doctors in Iraq have estimated that birth defects have increased by 2-6 times, and 3-12 times as many children have developed cancer and leukemia since 1991. Moreover, a report published in The Lancet in 1998 said that as many as 500 children a day are dying from these sequels to war and sanctions and that the death rate for Iraqi children under 5 years of age increased from 23 per 1000 in 1989 to 166 per thousand in 1993. […] On hearing that [depleted uranium] DU had been used in the Persian Gulf in 1991, the UK Atomic Energy Authority sent the Ministry of Defense a special report on the potential damage to health and the environment. It said that it could cause half a million additional cancer deaths in Iraq over 10 years. […] Britain and America not only used DU in this year’s Iraq war, they dramatically increased its use — from a minimum of 320 tons in the previous war (1991) to a minimum-of 1500 tons in this one (2003).”
(Tehran Times; 01Nov08)
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=181303

Mercy [hospital in Roseburg, Oregon] uses grant dollars to prepare for disasters
“For the simulation exercise, Ray was a bus driver who was injured when a bomb exploded on the bus he was driving. The 48-year-old was the only patient the Umpqua Community College students had to treat, but he was involved in a mass-casualty incident, and the students had to respond accordingly. The exercise Thursday morning gave the students and Mercy Medical Center staff a chance to show state and federal Department of Human Services officials how several years of grant dollars have been used. […] The hospital has used grant funding to purchase decontamination shelters, portable ventilators, isolation gowns and chemical resistant suits, among other gear, that could be used by staff responding to various chemical exposures, from anthrax to pesticide, Bones said. The money has also purchased satellite phones and other communication equipment that would likely be needed for security and incident command in a natural disaster, she said. […] The training not only prepares the staff for local emergencies, but also provides preparation for regional and statewide emergencies, DePew said.” (News-Review; 03Nov08; Marissa Harshman) http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20081103/NEWS/810319920/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055&title=Mercy%20uses%20grant%20dollars%20to%20prepare%20for%20disasters

Canada Preparing for WMD Strikes at 2010 Olympics
“The threat of WMD attacks has long been a focus of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit, a group overseen by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The team would not reveal any of its specific preparations for such incidents, threats that it said have taken high priority since Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Olympics four years ago. […] More than 100 Canadian emergency responders and military personnel this week were briefed on potential attacks at the Olympics that could involve deadly materials such as ricin, mustard blister agent, sarin nerve agent or radiological and nuclear substances. They were also provided information on ‘multithreat detection systems’ capable of scanning for WMD ingredients across large areas.” (NTI: Global Security Newswire; 30Oct08) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20081030_6762.php

FBI investigating envelopes of white powder in Ocala [Florida]
“The FBI is investigating the mailing of several envelopes containing white powder in Marion County. […] On Monday, local fire rescue teams responded to schools, churches, libraries, a day care center, funeral home and the county elections office. All had received suspicious envelopes. Similar mailings are expected to be delivered on Tuesday. Marion County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Heather Danenhower says it appears the envelopes were sent by the same mailer, using what’s believed to be a fake Ocala return address and the name Osama bin Laden, which was misspelled.” (Ledger; 04Nov08; Source: AP)
http://www.theledger.com/article/20081104/NEWS/811040248/-1/WIRE04?Title=FBI_Investigating_Envelopes_of_White_Powder_in_Ocala

[Indy] Star locked down after letter labeled 'anthrax' arrives [Indianapolis, Indiana]
“Several hundred employees at The Indianapolis Star were locked down for more than two hours late Monday afternoon while Police and health officials investigated a mysterious envelope that arrived at the newspaper's Downtown office. The mailing, which had a return address under the name MK Publishing in Sacramento, Calif., was similar to anthrax hoax mailings that have been sent to newspapers across the country. […] Monday, representatives from the Marion County Health Department and Indianapolis Fire Department tested samples of the substance for radioactivity and toxic industrial chemicals, both of which were negative, said Jeff Larmore, manager of hazardous materials with the Health Department. The building lockdown ended about 7:15 p.m. Larmore said that because the threat was similar to others that have taken place and the substance was not released, the risk of exposure was minimal.” (Indy Star; 04Nov08; Francesca Jarosz) http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081104/NEWS02/811040380

[Florida] State senator [Evelyn Lynn, Rep., Dist. 7] victim of white powder hoax
“Sen. Evelyn Lynn [FL] is the latest victim in the white powder hoax, officials here said earlier today. Lynn received an envelope at her post office box address in Ormond Beach on Monday, but had not actually looked at it until this morning when she arrived at her Daytona Beach office, Police and fire officials said. Police investigator Jimmie Flynt said Lynn never opened the envelope, but realized something was amiss when she held it up to the light. […] Godawa said the powdery substance inside the envelope sent to Lynn was ‘non-threatening.’ Recently, white powder-filled envelopes were sent to Rep. Tom Feeney's offices in Port Orange, Orlando and Titusville. The FBI is also investigating the mailing of several envelopes containing white powder in Marion County.” (News-Journal Online; 04Nov08; Lyda Longa) http://www.news-journalonline.com/newsjournalonline/breakingnews/powder110408.htm

Patrick Swayze unhurt in Berwyn [Illinois] Police hazmat scare
“The arrival of a parcel of suspect white powder led Berwyn Police to quarantine four employees and a Comcast employee who brought the package into the station Tuesday. But Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze, who happened to be in the west suburban station house filming a movie, didn't come into contact with the powder, which Police later determined was corn starch. The incident began at 3:35 p.m., when the Comcast worker entered the Berwyn Police Department headquarters with a box that was leaking a white powder, Police Chief William Kushner said.” (Chicago Tribune; 04Nov08; Joseph Ruzich) http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/11/patrick-swayze-unhurt-in-berwyn-police-hazmat-scare.html

Letter received by The [Providence] Journal tested negative for anthrax
“Test results confirmed a package that was labeled anthrax and mailed to The Providence Journal last week was sugar, the FBI said today. test results for a similar letter received by the Newport Daily News were negative for anthrax or other biological agents, said Annemarie Beardsworth, a state Department of Health spokeswoman. The Providence Journal and Newport Daily News are among more than three dozen media outlets around the country that have received hoax letters containing packets of sugar that were labeled anthrax. A California man was arrested last week on three counts of sending hoax anthrax threats by mail. […] Keyser, 66, had already been interviewed by the FBI in January 2007 for allegedly sending a package containing a small aerosol can labeled ‘Anthrax,’ along with a compact disc, to the Sacramento News and Review newspaper, according a criminal complaint filed Thursday in federal court, the Associated Press reported.” (Providence Journal; 03Nov08; Maria Armental)
http://newsblog.projo.com/2008/11/hoax-letter-rec.html#422524

Pioneer Press [Minnesota] receives envelope labeled anthrax
“Saint Paul Police and the FBI are investigating another envelope containing a suspicious white powder labeled ‘anthrax’ that was mailed to the St. Paul Pioneer Press this weekend. […] The incident follows a string of anthrax scares at other newspapers across the country, including the Minneapolis Star Tribune. […] Pete Crum of the Saint Paul Police department says the department is working with the FBI, the Postal Inspector and the Minnesota Department of Health to test the powder. ‘The Saint Paul Police and fire responded to the Pioneer Press building. Initial tests showed it to be sugar. It will be sent on to the department of health for further testing,’ said Crum.” (Minnesota Public Radio; 02Nov08) http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/11/02/pioneer_press_envelope_labeled_anthrax/

Bail set at $25K for Calif. anthrax scare suspect
“A federal judge has set bond at $25,000 for the man suspected of mailing more than 120 hoax anthrax letters nationwide. U.S. Magistrate Kimberly Mueller said the bond for 66-year-old Marc M. Keyser must be co-signed by Keyser's sister and brother-in-law. Mueller also barred Keyser from any activities intended to draw responses to a biochemical hazard. […] ‘He appears to think he has a right to go on a mission to call attention to this issue,’ [Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin] Wagner said, referring to biohazard threats. ‘I think his motivation is to generate traffic to his Web site and sell his book.’ […] Keyser's next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 19.” (Google News; 01Nov08; Source: AP) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gOEvESecTFU0-uVQs-DC7jC19V0gD945QK7G0

CNS ChemBio-WMD terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.