April 6, 2010 - Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert E. Casey is requesting the public’s assistance in identifying the person or persons responsible for sending two letters containing a white powder substance to the Ethridge School in Garland, Texas, and John Armstrong school in Sachse, Texas.
Earlier this morning, two schools within the Garland Independent School District received letters, through the U.S. Mail, containing white powder. The Garland Police and Fire Department, along with the Sachse Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI responded to the scene. Initial field testing indicated the substance within the envelopes was not toxic and there was no threat to anyone’s health or safety. Further laboratory testing is being done in an effort to identify the substance within the envelopes. One school district employee at Ethridge School, who had been exposed to the white powder, was taken to a local hospital as precautionary measure.
The sending of threatening or hoax letters containing a white powder substance is a violation of Title 18, Section 844 (e) and is punishable for up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each letter sent.
SAC Casey has previously stated, and reminds those who may be inclined to send a letter with powder in it, that sending a hoax letter threatening imminent death and containing unknown substances is a serious crime that drains precious, limited first responder resources. Today’s mailings resulted in police, fire, and hazmat teams responding to emergency calls in two separate locations, causing anxiety, disruption, and financial costs. Threatening letters, whether they contain white powder or not, even if their threat is a hoax, will be thoroughly investigated by the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and other law enforcement agencies.
Anyone having information about who may be responsible for sending these white powder hoax letters should call the Dallas FBI office at 972-559-5000 or their local police agency.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Afghan, International Troops Capture Taliban Commander
American Forces Press Service
April 6, 2010 - Afghan and international forces last night captured several insurgents in Afghanistan, including a Taliban commander suspected in several attacks against coalition forces, military officials said.
A combined Afghan-international force captured the commander during a search of a compound southwest of Kandahar City after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The man is suspected in a prison attack and assaults on coalition forces, and is believed to be part of the Taliban's media efforts.
Combined forces captured several other militants during that search and others around the country last night.
In the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province, a combined force searched a series of compounds and detained several militants for further questioning.
In Khost, a combined force captured several militants while pursuing a Haqqani terrorist network subcommander. The force searched a compound in the Sabari district after intelligence indicated militant activity, detained the militants, and found automatic rifles, grenades, fuses, ammunition and a large amount of explosives.
In Kunduz, a combined force searched a compound northwest of Kunduz City after intelligence indicated militant activity. The force detained two suspected militants for further questioning.
No shots were fired and no Afghan civilians were harmed in those operations.
Meanwhile, Afghan and international forces are investigating two unrelated incidents of civilian deaths. Four Afghan children were wounded today during a firefight between insurgents and international troops in Kapisa province. The children were medically evacuated to an International Security Assistance Force medical facility. One of the children reportedly has died from the wounds.
It is unclear who caused the children's injuries, and the case is under investigation, military officials said.
Also, combined forces in Helmand's Nahr-e Saraj district discovered the bodies of two women, an elderly man and a child, along with four dead militants, following a prolonged battle with insurgents yesterday. The bodies were found inside a compound insurgents were using as a firing position. Coalition forces, unaware of the possible presence of civilians, directed defensive air assets against the compound, officials said.
Afghan and ISAF military officials have launched an incident assessment team to review the factors leading up to the incident.
(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)
April 6, 2010 - Afghan and international forces last night captured several insurgents in Afghanistan, including a Taliban commander suspected in several attacks against coalition forces, military officials said.
A combined Afghan-international force captured the commander during a search of a compound southwest of Kandahar City after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The man is suspected in a prison attack and assaults on coalition forces, and is believed to be part of the Taliban's media efforts.
Combined forces captured several other militants during that search and others around the country last night.
In the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province, a combined force searched a series of compounds and detained several militants for further questioning.
In Khost, a combined force captured several militants while pursuing a Haqqani terrorist network subcommander. The force searched a compound in the Sabari district after intelligence indicated militant activity, detained the militants, and found automatic rifles, grenades, fuses, ammunition and a large amount of explosives.
In Kunduz, a combined force searched a compound northwest of Kunduz City after intelligence indicated militant activity. The force detained two suspected militants for further questioning.
No shots were fired and no Afghan civilians were harmed in those operations.
Meanwhile, Afghan and international forces are investigating two unrelated incidents of civilian deaths. Four Afghan children were wounded today during a firefight between insurgents and international troops in Kapisa province. The children were medically evacuated to an International Security Assistance Force medical facility. One of the children reportedly has died from the wounds.
It is unclear who caused the children's injuries, and the case is under investigation, military officials said.
Also, combined forces in Helmand's Nahr-e Saraj district discovered the bodies of two women, an elderly man and a child, along with four dead militants, following a prolonged battle with insurgents yesterday. The bodies were found inside a compound insurgents were using as a firing position. Coalition forces, unaware of the possible presence of civilians, directed defensive air assets against the compound, officials said.
Afghan and ISAF military officials have launched an incident assessment team to review the factors leading up to the incident.
(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)
Monday, April 05, 2010
Manas Airmen move troops into Afghanistan
by Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
4/5/2010 - TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan (AFNS) -- Airmen from the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here moved approximately 50,000 multinational, U.S. and coalition troops, and the petroleum, oil and lubricants flight Airmen issued 12,500,102 gallons of jet fuel in March.
The previous record number of passengers processed in a month for the unit was 36,000 in November 2009. Now, the Transit Center is busier than ever because there are more troops passing through.
"It took a team effort from LRS Airmen," said Senior Master Sgt. Will Schwartz, the aerial port flight superintendent, who credited his team of six NCOs and an Airman, calling them "superstars."
Of course, it took help from the transportation flight Airmen as well, who moved the baggage bins and pallets, he said.
"We've had 204,000 passengers transit through since October 2009," Sergeant Schwartz said.
Processing extra servicemembers took around-the-clock work from the terminal counter, terminal yard and baggage representatives.
"The normal ops were consistently steady, but now it is truly busy," Sergeant Schwartz said. "By comparison, in December, we moved 5,388 passengers by the third week. Within our third week of March, we moved about 12,000."
Airmen 1st Class Destin Noak and Dustin Hammond pumped 1 million gallons of jet fuel in March 2010, working 12-hour shifts six days a week.
The 12-million gallon record was a team effort, but what these two guys did was an individual record, said Master Sgt. Scott Hunkins, who supervised both Airmen.
"The million gallon club (issued in one month) is a very exclusive club and is quite an accomplishment at any installation, not just Manas," he said.
"I know of only a few places that any Airman has pumped that much gas in a month," he added, noting Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia.
But there is a definite difference in how these two guys joined that club, he continued.
"At Ramstein AB and (Southwest Asia) they use hydrant servicing vehicles, or hydrant pantographs, to issue fuel to an aircraft," he explained. "With this equipment, a person can issue up to about 40,000 gallons of fuel at one time. So using this equipment makes it a lot easier to issue a million gallons. Here at Manas, we have fuel trucks that issue approximately 5,000 gallons at one time. After that, the driver must fill his truck and go back out to the aircraft. So it would take a driver several trips to equal one HSV or pantograph run.
"In order for these guys to issue a million gallons of fuel in a month, they had to take more than 200 truck runs instead of the 25 to 50 runs it would take in a HSV/pantograph."
The 18-year veteran said he has never heard of anyone reaching that milestone in a truck alone, let alone two people doing so in the same month.
"I would be willing to bet that this is the first time ever that two people pumped a million gallons of fuel in a single month using only the fuel trucks we have here," he said.
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Curtis M. Swenson, 20, of Rochester, Minn., died April 2 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the Marine Corps Base Hawaii public affairs office at 808-257-8870.
Lance Cpl. Curtis M. Swenson, 20, of Rochester, Minn., died April 2 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the Marine Corps Base Hawaii public affairs office at 808-257-8870.
Sailors in Afghanistan Celebrate 117 Years of Navy Chief Petty Officers
April 5, 2010 - KABUL, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Command (IJC) took time out of their busy schedules in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 3 to celebrate the 117th anniversary of the establishment of the rank of chief petty officer.
While the anniversary was April 1, the event April 3 brought together approximately 70 Sailors for an indoor barbeque that included burgers, hot dogs, ribs and cake.
The Sailors are part of a NATO staff of more than 1,200 personnel representing more than 40 nations, and while they are often outnumbered, Navy pride runs deep.
Master Chief Intelligence Specialist Todd Schroeder, the senior enlisted Sailor at IJC, thanked all the Navy personnel at the event.
"Sailors just get the job done; they don't say 'that's not my job,'" said Schroeder. "Most importantly, they get it done right!"
Sailors at IJC range from E-4 to O-7 service members; they are intelligence specialists, information systems technologists, mass communication specialists and a number of other ratings in between. They work on the operations' watch floor, keep the computer systems operational and perform a number of other critical missions.
Rear Adm. Paul Becker, the IJC director of intelligence, is the senior Navy officer at the IJC.
For Becker, the commitment to the mission is reflective of his personal dedication, coupled with the importance of the mission at hand. Becker and his staff are responsible for pulling together intelligence and information to better inform the operational commanders in this counterinsurgency fight.
While the majority of Navy personnel are working within their career fields, several Sailors are not. Most notably, the IJC Post Office is run by a team of Sailors, including Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Jarvis Wright, Gas System Technician (Mechanical) 3rd Class Jeremy Rodriguez, Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Marc Robles and Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Richard Bullock.
The IJC is the operational command responsible for NATO operations throughout Afghanistan and was established at the North Kabul International Airport military complex in October 2009. Currently, more than 4,500 U.S. Navy personnel are deployed to Afghanistan, with approximately 1,500 of those Sailors in country as individual augmentees.
While the anniversary was April 1, the event April 3 brought together approximately 70 Sailors for an indoor barbeque that included burgers, hot dogs, ribs and cake.
The Sailors are part of a NATO staff of more than 1,200 personnel representing more than 40 nations, and while they are often outnumbered, Navy pride runs deep.
Master Chief Intelligence Specialist Todd Schroeder, the senior enlisted Sailor at IJC, thanked all the Navy personnel at the event.
"Sailors just get the job done; they don't say 'that's not my job,'" said Schroeder. "Most importantly, they get it done right!"
Sailors at IJC range from E-4 to O-7 service members; they are intelligence specialists, information systems technologists, mass communication specialists and a number of other ratings in between. They work on the operations' watch floor, keep the computer systems operational and perform a number of other critical missions.
Rear Adm. Paul Becker, the IJC director of intelligence, is the senior Navy officer at the IJC.
For Becker, the commitment to the mission is reflective of his personal dedication, coupled with the importance of the mission at hand. Becker and his staff are responsible for pulling together intelligence and information to better inform the operational commanders in this counterinsurgency fight.
While the majority of Navy personnel are working within their career fields, several Sailors are not. Most notably, the IJC Post Office is run by a team of Sailors, including Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Jarvis Wright, Gas System Technician (Mechanical) 3rd Class Jeremy Rodriguez, Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Marc Robles and Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Richard Bullock.
The IJC is the operational command responsible for NATO operations throughout Afghanistan and was established at the North Kabul International Airport military complex in October 2009. Currently, more than 4,500 U.S. Navy personnel are deployed to Afghanistan, with approximately 1,500 of those Sailors in country as individual augmentees.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of one soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Scott W. Brunkhorst, 25, Fayetteville, N.C., died March 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0661.
Staff Sgt. Scott W. Brunkhorst, 25, Fayetteville, N.C., died March 30 in the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0661.
Threatening Deadly Violence at Abortion
Plano, Texas Man Arrested by FBI for Threatening Deadly Violence at Abortion Clinic in Dallas
April 5, 2010 - DALLAS—Erlyndon J. Lo, 27, was arrested Saturday afternoon by FBI agents at his home in Plano, Texas, on charges that he threatened to use deadly force to stop an abortion at the Southwestern Women’s Surgery Center (SWSC) in Dallas, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Lo made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Don Bush, of the Eastern District of Texas, this morning in Plano, however his detention hearing was continued to April 15, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Bush. If detained, Lo will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Texas following the hearing.
The federal complaint charges Lo with one count of using interstate commerce to communicate a threat to injure and one count of threatening force to intimidate and interfere with clients and employees of a reproductive health service in order to intimidate that facility’s clients and employees from obtaining and providing reproductive health services.
According to the complaint, at approximately 8:13 a.m. on Friday, April 2, 2010, Lo entered the U.S. District Clerk’s Office in the Plano federal courthouse and filed a document styled “Erlyndon J. Lo v. Roberts, et al. and entitled “Motion for an Immediate Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) Seeking a Preliminary and Permanent Injunction,” seeking to have the district court declare abortion illegal in the U.S. That motion stated in part:
“My life is at stake. I could be MURDERED AND KILLED as early as Friday, April 2, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. NOON in Dallas, Texas (“TX”) if you do not IMMEDIATELY GRANT MY REQUEST for in the very least a TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER!!!”
“I plan on saving at least one human life in Dallas, Texas at 12:00 p.m. at the Southwestern late-term abortion facility, 8616 Greenville Ave. at Royal Ln. (NE corner), Dallas 75243.”
“My religious beliefs include the beliefs that an individual is alive at the moment of conception, abortion is murder and is the worst murder of all murders possible because these babies are completely defenseless, and I am entitled under my religious beliefs to use deadly force if necessary to save the innocent life of another.”
“[Specific facts: ON FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010, TOMORROW, I WILL BE AT THE SOUTHWESTERN LATE-TERM ABORTION FACILITY LOCATED AT 8616 Greenville Ave. at Royal Ln. (NE corner), Dallas 75243, I will try to stop an abortion using oral words, and if words are not enough. I will use physical force if necessary, and if anyone tries to physically stop me, I will overcome that force, and if I must use deadly force to defend the innocent life of another human being, I will.”
The complaint notes that approximately three weeks prior to Lo’s filing the TRO, a male, matching his general description, went to the SWSC with a receipt, claiming that he wanted to find out if his wife had an abortion. Employees told the male that they could not give out any information about services or even whether a particular person was a patient.
The complaint further states that in the weeks prior to filing the motion for a TRO, Lo made frequent visits to the Plano courthouse, attempting to speak and speaking with members of the Court and providing his resume to courthouse staff. On a website that Lo maintains, he claims that he is a Southern Methodist University law school graduate and that he has taken the New York bar exam. His website includes an extensive discussion on abortion and references the lawsuit he filed in the Eastern District of Texas, giving its case number and stating:
“I sued John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The case is pending.”
Lo further states on his website about the case:
“JUDGE RICHARD A. SCHELL WILL BE PRESIDING. IF HE COOPERATES WITH ME, TOGETHER HE AND I WILL PERMANENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY END MURDER/ABORTION FOREVER WITHIN 1 YEAR.”
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The maximum statutory penalty, however, for using interstate commerce to communicate a threat to injure is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for threatening force to intimidate and interfere with clients and employees of a reproductive health service in order to intimidate that facility’s clients and employees from obtaining and providing reproductive health services is one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The matter is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Errin Martin.
April 5, 2010 - DALLAS—Erlyndon J. Lo, 27, was arrested Saturday afternoon by FBI agents at his home in Plano, Texas, on charges that he threatened to use deadly force to stop an abortion at the Southwestern Women’s Surgery Center (SWSC) in Dallas, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Lo made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Don Bush, of the Eastern District of Texas, this morning in Plano, however his detention hearing was continued to April 15, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Bush. If detained, Lo will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Texas following the hearing.
The federal complaint charges Lo with one count of using interstate commerce to communicate a threat to injure and one count of threatening force to intimidate and interfere with clients and employees of a reproductive health service in order to intimidate that facility’s clients and employees from obtaining and providing reproductive health services.
According to the complaint, at approximately 8:13 a.m. on Friday, April 2, 2010, Lo entered the U.S. District Clerk’s Office in the Plano federal courthouse and filed a document styled “Erlyndon J. Lo v. Roberts, et al. and entitled “Motion for an Immediate Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) Seeking a Preliminary and Permanent Injunction,” seeking to have the district court declare abortion illegal in the U.S. That motion stated in part:
“My life is at stake. I could be MURDERED AND KILLED as early as Friday, April 2, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. NOON in Dallas, Texas (“TX”) if you do not IMMEDIATELY GRANT MY REQUEST for in the very least a TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER!!!”
“I plan on saving at least one human life in Dallas, Texas at 12:00 p.m. at the Southwestern late-term abortion facility, 8616 Greenville Ave. at Royal Ln. (NE corner), Dallas 75243.”
“My religious beliefs include the beliefs that an individual is alive at the moment of conception, abortion is murder and is the worst murder of all murders possible because these babies are completely defenseless, and I am entitled under my religious beliefs to use deadly force if necessary to save the innocent life of another.”
“[Specific facts: ON FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010, TOMORROW, I WILL BE AT THE SOUTHWESTERN LATE-TERM ABORTION FACILITY LOCATED AT 8616 Greenville Ave. at Royal Ln. (NE corner), Dallas 75243, I will try to stop an abortion using oral words, and if words are not enough. I will use physical force if necessary, and if anyone tries to physically stop me, I will overcome that force, and if I must use deadly force to defend the innocent life of another human being, I will.”
The complaint notes that approximately three weeks prior to Lo’s filing the TRO, a male, matching his general description, went to the SWSC with a receipt, claiming that he wanted to find out if his wife had an abortion. Employees told the male that they could not give out any information about services or even whether a particular person was a patient.
The complaint further states that in the weeks prior to filing the motion for a TRO, Lo made frequent visits to the Plano courthouse, attempting to speak and speaking with members of the Court and providing his resume to courthouse staff. On a website that Lo maintains, he claims that he is a Southern Methodist University law school graduate and that he has taken the New York bar exam. His website includes an extensive discussion on abortion and references the lawsuit he filed in the Eastern District of Texas, giving its case number and stating:
“I sued John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The case is pending.”
Lo further states on his website about the case:
“JUDGE RICHARD A. SCHELL WILL BE PRESIDING. IF HE COOPERATES WITH ME, TOGETHER HE AND I WILL PERMANENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY END MURDER/ABORTION FOREVER WITHIN 1 YEAR.”
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The maximum statutory penalty, however, for using interstate commerce to communicate a threat to injure is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for threatening force to intimidate and interfere with clients and employees of a reproductive health service in order to intimidate that facility’s clients and employees from obtaining and providing reproductive health services is one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The matter is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Errin Martin.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
JEFF Leaves Fingerprint on Iraq
103rd Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Staff Sgt. Daniel Yarnall
04.04.2010 - A green argon-ion laser is the only light in a corner of an otherwise pitch black room as Michael Palermo, a forensic scientist, examines latent finger prints on an energy drink can. It is through latent fingerprint analysis that the Joint Expeditionary Forensic Facility, 22nd Military Police Battalion (Criminal Investigative Division) collects evidence to bring to prosecution.
In addition to their crime-solving mission, the professionals at the JEFF lab also work with the Iraqi police and Iraqi army, training them on properly collecting fingerprints and other forensic evidence for use in solving crimes and prosecution, according to Staff Sgt. Cedric Sherrod, noncommissioned officer in charge of the JEFF lab.
Ten forensic experts work at the JEFF lab, which is the center for DNA, firearm and fingerprint evidence collection at Camp Victory.
Palermo, who has more than 34 years in law enforcement, is a certified latent print examiner. He is using his experience and knowledge to aid in the partnership with the Iraqi army and police.
Palermo works one-on-one work with the Iraqis; training them on fingerprint collection and analysis and working side by side his Iraqi counterparts as they process evidence.
"We have Iraqi experts who come here to participate and train with us in the process of collecting latent print evidence," Palermo said. "We are able to direct them and help them in new techniques.
Forensic science is relatively new to the Iraqi justice system, which used to rely entirely on witness testimonies during its trials, Sherrod said. With the knowledge that has been transferred in this partnership, Iraqi law enforcement officials are now able to stay one step ahead of the criminals in their country.
"The criminals don't know to wear gloves, so their finger and palm prints are all over the evidence," he said. "This makes it that much easier for law enforcement to collect prints."
Through the guidance of Sherrod, Palermo and the other JEFF lab members, the Iraqi army and police better understand how to collect latent fingerprints and the importance of properly handling evidence to keep it from getting contaminated.
"Our goals are to better the partnership we have with our Iraqi counterparts and make sure that they understand forensics is here to help solve cases," Sherrod said.
Story by Staff Sgt. Daniel Yarnall
04.04.2010 - A green argon-ion laser is the only light in a corner of an otherwise pitch black room as Michael Palermo, a forensic scientist, examines latent finger prints on an energy drink can. It is through latent fingerprint analysis that the Joint Expeditionary Forensic Facility, 22nd Military Police Battalion (Criminal Investigative Division) collects evidence to bring to prosecution.
In addition to their crime-solving mission, the professionals at the JEFF lab also work with the Iraqi police and Iraqi army, training them on properly collecting fingerprints and other forensic evidence for use in solving crimes and prosecution, according to Staff Sgt. Cedric Sherrod, noncommissioned officer in charge of the JEFF lab.
Ten forensic experts work at the JEFF lab, which is the center for DNA, firearm and fingerprint evidence collection at Camp Victory.
Palermo, who has more than 34 years in law enforcement, is a certified latent print examiner. He is using his experience and knowledge to aid in the partnership with the Iraqi army and police.
Palermo works one-on-one work with the Iraqis; training them on fingerprint collection and analysis and working side by side his Iraqi counterparts as they process evidence.
"We have Iraqi experts who come here to participate and train with us in the process of collecting latent print evidence," Palermo said. "We are able to direct them and help them in new techniques.
Forensic science is relatively new to the Iraqi justice system, which used to rely entirely on witness testimonies during its trials, Sherrod said. With the knowledge that has been transferred in this partnership, Iraqi law enforcement officials are now able to stay one step ahead of the criminals in their country.
"The criminals don't know to wear gloves, so their finger and palm prints are all over the evidence," he said. "This makes it that much easier for law enforcement to collect prints."
Through the guidance of Sherrod, Palermo and the other JEFF lab members, the Iraqi army and police better understand how to collect latent fingerprints and the importance of properly handling evidence to keep it from getting contaminated.
"Our goals are to better the partnership we have with our Iraqi counterparts and make sure that they understand forensics is here to help solve cases," Sherrod said.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
U.S. Sues Kellogg, Brown & Root for Alleged False Claims Act Violations Over Improper Costs for Private Security in Iraq
April 3, 2010 - WASHINGTON—The United States has filed a lawsuit against Kellogg Brown & Root Services (KBR) alleging that the defense contractor violated the False Claims Act, the Justice Department announced today. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, alleges that KBR knowingly included impermissible costs for private armed security in billings to the Army under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) III contract. The LOGCAP III contract provides for civilian contractor logistical support, such as food services, transportation, laundry, and mail, for military operations in Iraq.
The government’s lawsuit alleges that some 33 KBR subcontractors, as well as the company itself, used private armed security at various times during the 2003-2006 time period. KBR allegedly violated the LOGCAP III contract by failing to obtain Army authorization for arming subcontractors and by allowing the use of private security contractors who were not registered with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. The subcontractors using private security are alleged to have also violated subcontract terms requiring travel only in military convoys. The government’s lawsuit further alleges that at the time, KBR managers considered the use of private security unacceptable and were concerned that the Army would disallow any costs for such services. KBR nonetheless charged the United States for the costs of the unauthorized services.
“Defense contractors cannot ignore their contractual obligations to the military and pass along improper charges to the United States,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “We are committed to ensuring that the Department of Defense’s rules are enforced and that funds so vital to the war effort are not misused.”
This case is being brought as part of a National Procurement Fraud Initiative. In October 2006, the Deputy Attorney General announced the formation of a National Procurement Fraud Task Force designed to promote the early detection, identification, prevention, and prosecution of procurement fraud associated with the increase in government contracting activity for national security and other government programs. The Procurement Fraud Task Force is chaired by the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division and includes the Civil Division, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community, and a number of other federal law enforcement agencies.
Along with the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation Division, and FBI participated in the investigation of this matter. This case, as well as others brought by members of the task force, demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to helping ensure the integrity of the government procurement process.
The government’s lawsuit alleges that some 33 KBR subcontractors, as well as the company itself, used private armed security at various times during the 2003-2006 time period. KBR allegedly violated the LOGCAP III contract by failing to obtain Army authorization for arming subcontractors and by allowing the use of private security contractors who were not registered with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. The subcontractors using private security are alleged to have also violated subcontract terms requiring travel only in military convoys. The government’s lawsuit further alleges that at the time, KBR managers considered the use of private security unacceptable and were concerned that the Army would disallow any costs for such services. KBR nonetheless charged the United States for the costs of the unauthorized services.
“Defense contractors cannot ignore their contractual obligations to the military and pass along improper charges to the United States,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “We are committed to ensuring that the Department of Defense’s rules are enforced and that funds so vital to the war effort are not misused.”
This case is being brought as part of a National Procurement Fraud Initiative. In October 2006, the Deputy Attorney General announced the formation of a National Procurement Fraud Task Force designed to promote the early detection, identification, prevention, and prosecution of procurement fraud associated with the increase in government contracting activity for national security and other government programs. The Procurement Fraud Task Force is chaired by the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division and includes the Civil Division, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community, and a number of other federal law enforcement agencies.
Along with the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation Division, and FBI participated in the investigation of this matter. This case, as well as others brought by members of the task force, demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to helping ensure the integrity of the government procurement process.
Undersecretary Calls Build Up in Afghanistan Critical to Success
By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
April 2, 2010 - The massive amount of equipment and supplies being sent to support troops in Afghanistan is a historic logistical effort critical to mission success there, the Defense Department's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics said today.
"I think it's fair to say that there's never been, like in these months that we're witnessing right now, as dramatic a logistics effort as we see in Afghanistan," Ashton B. Carter said during a conference on defense logistics modernization at The Center for Strategic and International Studies here.
From the ramp up of airlifts, sealifts and ground supply lines, to the building of forward operating bases, runways and tent cities, Carter said, the effort to build up and supply the plus up of troops in Afghanistan is critical to NATO's success there.
"I think it's one of the most important things I've ever seen in the defense world, transpiring in very, very few weeks and months, and it's a tremendous tribute to the logisticians in the Defense Department today that we're able to do that," he said.
Giving an overview of his office's work, Carter called Afghanistan "the most important logistics challenge of all."
"If you take a globe, spin a globe and say where is the last place you'd like to be fighting a war if you had your choice, other than Antarctica, you might well pick Afghanistan [for its] landlocked, very austere environment," he said.
To support the 30,000 additional troops President Barack Obama ordered for Afghanistan in December, the department is working to have everything in place there in the coming weeks and early summer months.
At the same time, the department is drawing down to 50,000 troops in Iraq by the end of August, and logisticians must determine where all of the equipment and supplies will go and how to get it there. Already they have reduced equipment in Iraq to about 2.2 million pieces, down from 3.4 million last summer, Carter said. Another 1.2 million pieces of equipment, he said, must go before the Aug. 31 deadline.
"This isn't like checking out of a hotel," he said. "This is like leaving a home that you've been in a while."
Carter spoke of the difficulty of dealing with what he called a Cold War-era acquisitions system, and why the system sometimes is bypassed to get equipment to troops quickly, such as the fast fielding last summer of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles and the all-terrain MRAPs.
Carter outlined the "Catch-22s" in the acquisitions system that hold up fielding: the requirement to know how many total pieces of equipment will be needed; trying to decide whether to wait for newer-model equipment; determining if the equipment fits into long-range plans; and other factors.
"Every day that you spend trying to figure out what you need, is another day you don't get the equipment in the warfighter's hands," he said.
In the case of the MRAP, the manufacturer could produce far more than the 500 or so per month that the military could accommodate in Afghanistan, Carter said. "You can't bring the vehicles in because you don't have a place to park them," he said. "You don't have a place to park them because... you have to go to Pakistan and get concrete and truck it in. So you have to have the trucks, so you have to have the parking lot for a truck.
"And around and around and around you go," he continued. "Everything is like that in Afghanistan."
Carter determined that the MRAP manufacturer still should produce the vehicles at a rate of 1,000 per month, even if the remainder were kept in the United States for training until they could be fielded.
"We don't have to figure out everything in order to get started on anything," he said of improving the flow of equipment to warfighters. "We've always been able to support the warfighter, but it's been by 'hotwiring' the system, rather than driving down an open lane."
American Forces Press Service
April 2, 2010 - The massive amount of equipment and supplies being sent to support troops in Afghanistan is a historic logistical effort critical to mission success there, the Defense Department's undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics said today.
"I think it's fair to say that there's never been, like in these months that we're witnessing right now, as dramatic a logistics effort as we see in Afghanistan," Ashton B. Carter said during a conference on defense logistics modernization at The Center for Strategic and International Studies here.
From the ramp up of airlifts, sealifts and ground supply lines, to the building of forward operating bases, runways and tent cities, Carter said, the effort to build up and supply the plus up of troops in Afghanistan is critical to NATO's success there.
"I think it's one of the most important things I've ever seen in the defense world, transpiring in very, very few weeks and months, and it's a tremendous tribute to the logisticians in the Defense Department today that we're able to do that," he said.
Giving an overview of his office's work, Carter called Afghanistan "the most important logistics challenge of all."
"If you take a globe, spin a globe and say where is the last place you'd like to be fighting a war if you had your choice, other than Antarctica, you might well pick Afghanistan [for its] landlocked, very austere environment," he said.
To support the 30,000 additional troops President Barack Obama ordered for Afghanistan in December, the department is working to have everything in place there in the coming weeks and early summer months.
At the same time, the department is drawing down to 50,000 troops in Iraq by the end of August, and logisticians must determine where all of the equipment and supplies will go and how to get it there. Already they have reduced equipment in Iraq to about 2.2 million pieces, down from 3.4 million last summer, Carter said. Another 1.2 million pieces of equipment, he said, must go before the Aug. 31 deadline.
"This isn't like checking out of a hotel," he said. "This is like leaving a home that you've been in a while."
Carter spoke of the difficulty of dealing with what he called a Cold War-era acquisitions system, and why the system sometimes is bypassed to get equipment to troops quickly, such as the fast fielding last summer of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles and the all-terrain MRAPs.
Carter outlined the "Catch-22s" in the acquisitions system that hold up fielding: the requirement to know how many total pieces of equipment will be needed; trying to decide whether to wait for newer-model equipment; determining if the equipment fits into long-range plans; and other factors.
"Every day that you spend trying to figure out what you need, is another day you don't get the equipment in the warfighter's hands," he said.
In the case of the MRAP, the manufacturer could produce far more than the 500 or so per month that the military could accommodate in Afghanistan, Carter said. "You can't bring the vehicles in because you don't have a place to park them," he said. "You don't have a place to park them because... you have to go to Pakistan and get concrete and truck it in. So you have to have the trucks, so you have to have the parking lot for a truck.
"And around and around and around you go," he continued. "Everything is like that in Afghanistan."
Carter determined that the MRAP manufacturer still should produce the vehicles at a rate of 1,000 per month, even if the remainder were kept in the United States for training until they could be fielded.
"We don't have to figure out everything in order to get started on anything," he said of improving the flow of equipment to warfighters. "We've always been able to support the warfighter, but it's been by 'hotwiring' the system, rather than driving down an open lane."
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News, April 2, 2010
ACLU blasts bioterrorism charge against HIV-positive man [MI] "The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is urging a Macomb County Circuit judge to drop a bioterrorism charge against an HIV-positive man accused of biting his neighbor. In a friend-of-the-court brief filed late Wednesday, the group claims the statute behind the state's bioterrorism law was not intended to cover an HIV-person biting another person. The group argues the charge against Clinton Township resident Daniel Allen should be dismissed because HIV is not transmitted through biting if the alleged biter isn't bleeding. No evidence has been presented to show Allen was bleeding when he allegedly bit his neighbor's lip in October 2009 during a dispute over a football. Prosecutors charged Allen with assault and later added a bioterrorism charge on claims he was trying to use the virus as a weapon. The case is being heard before Macomb Circuit Judge Peter Maceroni. [...] The ACLU says, to its knowledge, this is the first time the bioterrorism law has been used in connection with the prosecution of an HIV-positive person." (Detroit News ; 01Apr10; Christine Ferretti) http://www.detnews.com/article/20100401/METRO/4010463/1361/ACLU-blasts-bioterrorism-charge-against-HIV-positive-man
Beijing considers evacuation routes for BW attack
"The Chinese capital of Beijing has prepared a system to identify where a terrorist might release a biological agent such as anthrax [spores] to cause the greatest harm, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday. 'If you are a trained terrorist, you will want to choose a time and a location to release the toxic gas [sic] so that it can kill the maximum amount of people,' said Liu Shuhua, deputy chief of the Atmospheric Sciences Department at Peking University. 'We have pinned down all possible locations.' A terrorist in one vehicle near the Great Hall of the People could release disease material and, given wind patterns in the city, expect it to disperse over much of Tianenmen Square, according to Liu and his fellow researchers. Five-lane roadways to the east and west of the square have long been viewed as the optimum ways to flee the area during an emergency. However, the researchers prepared models that show that winds would blow the majority of anthrax spores to the east-side roadway; the material would then settle there, posing a threat to anyone trying to use that escape route. 'When such an incident happens, a security department of the government will use software and a super computer that we developed for them to determine the dispersion pattern of the toxic gas,' according to Liu." (Global Security Newswire ; 31Mar10) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100331_7035.php
Discharged soldiers sue for millions over anthrax [vaccine] experiment
"Sixty-four former IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers are suing the Defense Ministry for NIS 18 million ($4.8 million) over what they claim is damage caused to them during Anthrax vaccine experiments in the early 1990s. The experiments, which were meant to determine the efficacy of an Anthrax vaccine, were carried out in light of what was then defined at the time as the 'strategic threat of a surprise biological attack facing Israel.' Nicknamed 'Omer 2,' the experiments included 716 IDF soldiers picked out of a pool of 4,000. The lawsuit, filed with the Petah Tikva District Court, is based on the principle according to which anyone who decides to take part in an experiment must do so willingly and after considering the risks involved. As part of the lawsuit the soldiers are demanding that the state reveal the ingredients of the serum that was given to them, in addition to NIS 300,000 (about $80,000) in damages to each plaintiff for mental anguish and emotional distress resulting from the involuntary use of one's body and medical negligence." (Ynetnews; 29Mar10; Vered Luvitch) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3869416,00.html
Census employee questions safety at processing center in Jeffersonville [IN]
"Census forms are arriving at the National Processing Center in Jeffersonville by the millions. The center is providing lots of new jobs in the area, but we've discovered that some employees are afraid because of something else that's arriving in the mail. Things have changed a lot since 2000 with the threat of terrorism after 9/11, then the subsequent Anthrax scare and now we're seeing an increase in anti-government sentiment. Because of all that, the Census Processing Center is taking extra security precautions but at least one employee worries that might not be enough. [...] But a whistleblower, who is speaking on behalf of her good friend who works for the census, says they're finding much more than official government forms inside those envelopes. 'Many, many envelopes that contain material. Nasty notes. Things that are spilled onto the documents, bodily fluids in some cases, things that are powdery substance, sand. And they open then envelopes and this material will come out.'" (WHAS 11; 31Mar10) http://www.whas11.com/news/iteam/Census-employee-questions-safety-at-processing-center-in-Jeffersonville-89634492.html
Homeland Security Department renews animal disease centers
"Efforts to protect the nation from potentially catastrophic animal diseases - some of which are transmissible to humans - will continue with a $21 million package from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to Texas A&M University and Kansas State University. The monies will support the homeland security department's Center of Excellence for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense at the universities through 2016. Based at Texas A&M, the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense, or FAZD Center, has led a consortium of universities and institutions in efforts aimed at protecting American agriculture and public health since 2004. [...] Texas A&M and Kansas State researchers will focus their efforts in four areas over the next six years: - Development of vaccines to counter diseases that could cause catastrophic human illness or seriously impact the economy. - Development of rapid diagnostic methods for identification and detection of foreign animal, emerging and/or zoonotic diseases. - Development of models to simulate disease spread and impact. - Development of educational programs designed to train first responders and producers in recognition and control of these diseases." (Southwest Farm Press; 30Mar10; Kathleen Phillips) http://southwestfarmpress.com/livestock/homeland-security-animal-disease-centers-0330/
U.S. hands over laboratory facilities to Zimbabwe
"The United States government officially handed over a new, upgraded bio-safety level 2+ laboratory to the Minister of Health, Dr. Henry Madzorera. The facility will enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to offer clinical and diagnostic testing as well as research on indigenous/exotic agents which may cause serious disease after inhalation, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), typhoid (Salmonella Typhi), anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) and the H1N1 virus. Speaking after a tour of the facilities with the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray described the cooperation between the government of Zimbabwe, the private sector, and the international community as 'historic.' 'This is an historic occasion. The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare is entering into a mutually beneficial relationship with a non-traditional partner, a private research laboratory administered by the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) and Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI). This cooperation will significantly enhance Zimbabwe's testing efficiency and enable research capacity as never before,' said the U.S. Ambassador. The laboratory received US$120,000 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief for the renovation of the laboratory and the procurement of supplies. In addition, CDC trained laboratory personnel on conducting assays and quality assurance." (Zimbabwe Telegraph; 30Mar10; Tapiwa Makore)
http://www.zimtelegraph.com/?p=6749
Versar awarded $29.5 million contract by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
"Versar, Inc [...] announced today that it was awarded a five-year (base + 4 option years) contract with a ceiling value of $29.5 million from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District to support range cleanup of military munitions and explosives at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California. The NTC, located in the Mojave Desert midway between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is the only instrumented training ground in the world capable of handling brigade-sized units. As large as the State of Rhode Island, NTC conducts live 'force on force' training exercises that could involve 4,000 - 5,000 soldiers per month. A large number of munitions and explosives are expended each month across the range. Under this contract, Versar is responsible for locating, identifying, marking and disposing of a wide-variety of munitions and explosives so that NTC range operations can continue to be conducted safely and efficiently." (Fox Business; 01Apr10) http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/versar-awarded--million-contract-army-corps-engineers/
Agency seeks return of emergency alert radios given to residents near Pine Bluff Arsenal [AR]
"Residents in Grant and Jefferson counties will have to return emergency alert radios that were distributed to give early warning in case of a chemical weapons accident at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. The arsenal has completed destruction of nerve agents and is nearing full destruction of mustard gas-related weaponry. When the work is done later this year, officials will ask for the radios back. The radios were also used to provide severe weather alerts, but arsenal officials say the boxes would have to be reset weekly to continue to provide that function. There is also a planned frequency change which will make the radios unable to receive the weather signal. Officials say a Texarkana company is to collect the radios for salvage." (KFSM (Fayetteville, AR); 01Apr10) http://www.kfsm.com/news/sns-ap-ar--pbarsenal-radios,0,4151847.story
Public safety program targets gases, toxins [GA]
"Newnan Fire Department conducted Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) training on Wednesday jointly with the city of Carrollton Fire Department. [...] Newnan Fire Chief David Whitley said his department trains with Carrollton several times each year. The purpose of Wednesday's training was to keep firefighters familiarized with the equipment, particularly the unit's lab. Whitley described it as a 'chemical library' and said they use the lab to identify the substance they are dealing with in an emergency situation. [...] Newnan always has access to enough equipment to respond immediately to an emergency involving hazardous materials. They begin to assess the situation and get citizens to a safe distance while Carrollton responds with the regional Haz-Mat trailer. Firefighters are trained in incident command, which is used nationwide so that in large-scale disasters agencies can work together fluidly. Plus, as in fire situations, every scene is different, according to Whitley. Newnan doesn't encounter these type calls often, and when they do it's usually in response to chemical mistakes in an industrial environment or diesel spills in a traffic accident." (Times-Herald; 01Apr10; Elizabeth Richardson)
http://www.times-herald.com/local/Public-safety-program-targets-gases-toxins-1068078
Man exposed to mustard agent at Umatilla Chemical Depot [OR]
"Early test results are in and leaders from the Umatilla Chemical Depot do in fact believe a worker was exposed to mustard agent. The depot is still waiting to hear back from independent lab results but early indications from the CDC are positive. About two weeks ago, a worker developed a blister on his skin, which is one of the symptoms. But depot workers are confident this won't lead to any severe health issues. 'We do know that mustard agent is a known carcinogen. But then again, so is prolonged exposure to sunlight and tanning beds. At that point you get into dosage and continued exposure. The gentleman is not in any way exposed to this. It's going to be an acute event to which we expect full recovery and continuation on,' explains Greg Mahall with the Chemical Weapons Depot. The man's name has not been released. He also hasn't missed any work as a result of the exposure." (KNDO/KNDU (Kennewick, WA); 31Mar10)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=12238115
State audit faults oversight of federal grants for chemical emergencies [KY]
"For a second year, State Auditor Crit Luallen has zeroed in expenditures she deemed questionable in federal grant funds meant to help rural Laurel County prepare for chemical emergencies. Luallen's report on Tuesday -- which assessed how well Kentucky is monitoring federal money flowing into the state -- questioned nearly $30,000 in federal Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program grant funds reimbursed to Laurel County in southeastern Kentucky. The program provides funding to help a 10-county region of the state prepare for any chemical emergencies that might arise from the Blue Grass Army Depot at Richmond, which has a stockpile of chemical weapons. The audit covered the fiscal year that ended last June 30. The questionable expenditures were for equipment insurance and generator maintenance." (Courier-Journal; 30Mar10; Bruce Schreiner) http://goo.gl/hBTi
Chemical attack exercise in Zion [IL]
"'Contact! Contact! He's under the car!' yelled the gas-masked Zion police officer, part of the department's Rapid Deployment Response Team. He was hunting a 'terrorist' who had just unleashed a chemical attack Friday inside Central Middle School. It was only a drill. The yearly exercise is mandated by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, requiring local first responders and military companies to coordinate their response. [...] The area was crawling with camouflaged army reservists, and participants included the 472nd Chemical Battalion, 379th Chemical Company, a platoon from the 342nd Chemical Company (Biological Integrated Detection System), and 1171st Area Support Medical Company. Behind the school were two vehicles under camouflaged netting from the 342nd Chemical Company. The vehicles were equipped with high-tech equipment that literally sniffed the air for toxins." (Lake County News-Sun; 29Mar10; Frank Abderholden) http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/lifestyles/2125598,5_1_WA27_TRAINING_S1-100327.article
U.S. and Italy sign megaports initiative agreement to prevent smuggling of nuclear and radioactive material
"The governments of the United States and the Italian Republic have partnered to prevent the smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material through the global maritime system. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today in Rome, the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) will work with the Customs Agency of the Italian Republic under a cost-sharing arrangement to help secure cargo containers passing through several Italian ports, including Genoa and Gioia Tauro. [...] Under this cost-sharing arrangement, NNSA will work with Italian Customs to equip key ports in Italy with radiation detection equipment and an associated communications system. This specialized equipment will help to detect the presence of illicit or smuggled nuclear and other radioactive materials in cargo containers shipped through these ports. NNSA will also train the Italian officials who will operate the detection equipment." (National Nuclear Security Administration; 30Mar10) http://nnsa.energy.gov/2883.htm
Review set for major U.S. radiation detection program
"The U.S. Government Accountability Office plans to review the progress of a federal program that deploys technology at foreign seaports to detect nuclear or radiological weapons materials that could be used in an act of terrorism. The evaluation of the Megaports Initiative was requested in January by Representative Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Towns called for congressional auditors to assess whether the program had addressed recommendations of a 2005 GAO report that asserted that 'limited progress' had been made in fielding radiation sensors at high-threat seaports. Among the recommendations were a long-term plan identifying how many and which foreign ports would be equipped with portal detection systems and a better cost projection analysis for the program." (Global Security Newswire; 31Mar10; Stephanie Palla) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100330_1356.php
'Terrorist attack' on Las Vegas canceled: politics over preparedness? [NV]
"One thing is definite about this year's federal play-acting exercise to assess national emergency preparedness: A faux radioactive nuke, or 'dirty bomb,' will not be blowing up the Las Vegas Strip in May. Reminiscent of Stephen King's 'The Stand' featuring a similar cataclysmic showdown in Vegas, the preparedness exercise proved too much for many Nevadans, already battered by a poor economy and worried about a PR [public relations] nightmare. Sen. Harry Reid (D) of Nevada, in the midst of battling for the White House's healthcare reforms, wrote late last year that to 'simulate a nuclear detonation in the heart of the city would unacceptably harm the Southern Nevadan economy.' [...] Against that practical and political backdrop, the Obama administration scratched Vegas as the National Level Exercise [NLE] host city late last year. That leaves the NLE 2010, which involves 10,000 responders, still on the calendar but without a practice field: DHS has yet to publicly announce the city - or even the scenario - it plans to use in mid-May. (It usually takes upward of a year to plan an NLE exercise.)" (Christian Science Monitor; 30Mar10; Patrik Jonsson) http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0330/Terrorist-attack-on-Las-Vegas-canceled-Politics-over-preparedness
U.S.-Vietnam cooperation on civil nuclear power and nuclear security
"The United States and Vietnam have reaffirmed a common commitment to the responsible expansion of civil nuclear power and reiterated that this expansion must proceed in a manner that maximizes nuclear safety and security and minimizes proliferation risk. On March 30, 2010, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak and Vice Minister of Science and Technology Le Dinh Tien of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning cooperation in the Civil Nuclear Field. This MOU will open the door for increased cooperation in such areas as the development of human resources and safety and security infrastructure, access to reliable sources of nuclear fuel, and the management of radioactive waste and used fuel. Vietnam has demonstrated its commitment to the responsible expansion of nuclear power through careful steps taken in cooperation with the United States, among other international partners, towards the development of the robust nuclear infrastructure needed to oversee the deployment of its first nuclear power plants over the coming decades." (U.S. Department Of State; 30Mar10; Office of Spokesman) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/03/139255.htm
Focus on safety of Pak[istan]'s n[uclear]-installation
"The safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal will be high on India's agenda when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attends the Nuclear Security Summit which is in Washington from April 12 to 13. Sources said that Pakistan's participation in the summit was good as it would bring greater focus on the security of nuclear material in the region. The international community has expressed concerns about terror[ist] elements getting access to nuclear weapons in Pakistan. For India, the geographical proximity of Pakistan and cross border terrorism makes it a very real threat. India's permanent representative to the United Nations Disarmament Conference in Geneva Hamid Ali Rao in a statement to the conference pointed out this week that the threat of terrorists getting their hands on nuclear weapons is 'real.' Without referring to Pakistan, he said, 'The possibility of terrorists and extremist groups gaining access to nuclear materials is real and could have catastrophic consequences,' he said in his statement." (Economic Times; 02Apr10; Nirmala Ganapathy) http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Focus-on-safety-of-Paks-N-installation/articleshow/5753331.cms
Thailand faces up to non-proliferation challenges
"U.S. President Barack Obama issued a last minute invitation to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva recently to attend the Global Nuclear Summit in Washington DC scheduled on 12-13 April. [...] Since the crux of Obama's nuclear strategy is to secure the non-spreading of vulnerable nuclear materials and prevent acts of nuclear terrorism, Thailand's location in the continental Southeast Asia linking South and North East Asia becomes even more significant. Quite often illegal transport of components and parts of weapons of mass destruction pass through Thailand undetected. Back in June 2003, the seizure of cesium-137 in Surin was headlined in newspapers around the world as it demonstrated how this isotope, common found in medical and industrial equipment, could become an object of illicit trafficking and trading. Furthermore, Thailand has become a transit point for regional terrorist groups and the hub of illegal weapons trade. The seizure of arms shipments from North Korea in December at Don Mueang airport was a case in point. In this case, Thailand acted in compliance with relevant UN resolutions to prevent arms sales with North Korea. At the nuclear summit, Obama and Abhisit could hold a four-eye meeting to strengthen bilateral issues including the Thai-US cooperation in nuclear non-proliferation." (Nation (Thailand); 29Mar10; Kavi Chongkittavorn) http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/03/29/opinion/Thailand-faces-up-to-non-proliferation-challenges-30125790.html
U.S. embassy donates capacity-building equipment to Jordan Customs Department
"The American Embassy today presented Jordan Customs Department with a donation of equipment valued at $60,000 to deter, detect, and interdict the illicit smuggling of weapons of mass destruction, their related materials, and conventional weapons. Expressing appreciation for this contribution, Director General of Jordan Customs Department Major General Ghalib Al Sarayrah said the equipment will further boost Jordan Custom's capabilities to monitor and secure the country's borders. He also added that this significant donation demonstrates the strong and unique bilateral relationship between Jordan and the United States. The equipment was provided by the U.S. Department of State's Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program, which offers training and equipment to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, and prevent irresponsible transfers of conventional weapons." (U.S. Embassy Amman, Jordan; 31Mar10) http://jordan.usembassy.gov/pr_cb_cust_033110.html
Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland at ground-breaking ceremony for the Central Reference Laboratory
"High officials, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen: At the end of next week in Prague, the United States and the Russian Federation are expected to sign the post-START agreement that will further limit their nuclear warheads and delivery systems with stronger verification regimes, bringing the world one significant step closer to President Barack Obama's vision of ALL weapons-of-mass-destruction materials secured by 2012. What we are doing today - Kazakhstanis and Americans together - is an important element of that historic effort. Today, after long delay, we break ground to construct Kazakhstan's Central Reference Laboratory, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, which will dramatically increase the security of Kazakhstan's collections of especially dangerous pathogens and strengthen the scientific capabilities of Kazakhstani and Central Asian scientists." (United States Diplomatic Mission to Kazakhstan; 30Mar10) http://kazakhstan.usembassy.gov/tr-03-30-10.html
Terror[ism] threat low, but S. Africa has to be ready
"As if South Africa's own high crime rate and the threat of European football hooligans weren't enough, World Cup planners are also bracing for a possible terror[ist] attack. Police have staged training simulations of chemical, biological and radiation attacks. Hospital workers have worked up plans in case of mass casualties. South African intelligence agents are tapping colleagues from around the world for information about possible threats. 'Terrorism is one of the evils that plague our world today,' Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has said. 'Terrorists are prepared to kill and maim innocent people. This, we will not allow to happen on our home soil.' Big sporting events have a history of attracting those who want to draw attention to a cause or embarrass a government, and are willing to use violence to do so. [...] More recently and closer to home, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen in Angola and an assistant coach and spokesman were killed on Jan. 8, two days before the start of the African Cup of Nations football tournament. An Angolan separatist group has claimed responsibility. South Africa has no separatist movements and is no one's enemy, officials in the country stress. 'But because we are hosting 31 other nations, we cannot be complacent,' police spokesman Vish Naidoo said. 'We have prepared and planned for every eventuality.'" (USA Today; 30Mar10; Donna Bryson) http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-03-30-2307193680_x.htm
Report details progress in reducing global threat from dangerous weapons
"The annual report of the government's Global Threat Reduction Programme has been published this week recording progress made in reducing the global threat from dangerous nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical materials. The UK's Global Threat Reduction Programme forms a core part of the UK's Counter-Proliferation strategy, and delivers the UK's contribution to the Global Partnership against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction. Jointly owned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the programme was launched as a ten year initiative in 2002, with an initial focus on addressing the Cold war nuclear, chemical and biological legacies in Russia. The seventh Annual Report on the UK's Global Threat Reduction Programme, published this week, details the work that is being done to prevent the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction." (Defence Policy and Business; 30Mar10) http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/Def
encePolicyAndBusiness/ReportDetailsProgressInReducingGlobalThreatFromDangerousWeapons.htm
Pentagon security undergoing 'complete reinvention'
"Three very alert officers were able to spot and thwart a gunman at the Pentagon in March, pretty much just by looking at him and realizing something was wrong. That's impressive enough. But now officials at the Department of Defense headquarters say, 'We can always do better.' The Pentagon Force Protection Agency is taking new steps to 'protect those who protect our nation,' including a five-year, multimillion-dollar project to upgrade technology, and a separate project to make the Arlington, Va., complex more 'WMD-proof' by installing sensors that can detect biological and chemical weapons. 'Really, it's a complete reinvention of security here at the Pentagon,' said PFPA [Pentagon Force Protection Agency] Director Steven Calvery in an interview with the Associated Press." (NBC Washington; 01Apr10; Ashley E. Brown) http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Pentagon-Security-Undergoing-Complete-Reinvention-89737787.html
Alhambra [CA] opens county's newest search and rescue training facility
"When the next big quake hits, local authorities will not have to wait for hours or days for search and rescue teams to drive from other parts of the county over what likely will be a fractured transportation system. That's the idea behind a new $1.2 million Urban Search and Rescue training facility now operating at the Alhambra Fire Department. The new training center, which officials formally dedicated Tuesday, will teach local first responders how to search in deep trenches, confined spaces and collapsed buildings, Alhambra fire Chief Bruce Stedman said. [...] The Alhambra training site will be one of just two in the country to have realistic 'hydraulic building-collapse props,' the chief said. A move to upgrade the nation's emergency capabilities began after state and federal commissions found inadequacies in response and training in the wake of the 9/11 terrorists attacks, officials said. Authorities also found, based on recommendations from the state's Seismic Safety Commission, that California needs more training of specialized units capable of responding not only to quakes and natural disasters but also to hazardous materials emergencies and those involving chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, officials said." (San Gabriel Valley Tribune; 31Mar10; Daniel Tedford)
http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_14795163
MTA [Metropolitan Transportation Authority] cuts weekend surveillance at vulnerable Verrazano Bridge, Queens-Midtown Tunnel [NY]
"It's eyes wide shut at two of the city's main bridges and tunnels. The MTA has removed weekend security details from the Queens Midtown Tunnel and the Verrazano Bridge, the Daily News learned Monday, just as the Moscow bombers sent New York into a new round of terror[ism] jitters. No longer do MTA Bridges and Tunnels cops man booths at the tunnel exit or on the bridge's two tower anchorages on Saturdays and Sundays. Instead, the MTA says it has a high-tech surveillance system of cameras and monitors. Security sources familiar with the bridge and tunnel say that is a mistake. 'What if a terrorist wants to do something?' said one source. 'People walk in all the time - drunk, lost, homeless, cars going the wrong way,' the source said of the tunnel's unguarded exit. 'God forbid someone walks in and wants to plant a bomb.'" (New York Daily News; 30Mar10; Rocco Parascandola) http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/30/2010-03-30_fewer_eyes_protect_major_city_targets_mta_cuts_weekend_surveillance_at_vulnerabl.html
Responders join forces for training [Carlsbad, NM]
"In only a matter of hours, a telephone call to local emergency responders can escalate into a matter of national security. Coordinating with a specialized team from the Army National Guard, local police and firefighters ran through one such scenario in a training exercise at the Permian Basin Regional Training Center on Tuesday. 'This is to further ensure we are ready for an actual incident,' said Robert Sanchez of the Carlsbad Fire Department. He said the training exercise is designed 'to keep us refined and assure the community we're ready. It gives the citizens of Carlsbad peace of mind.' In the mock scenario, dispatch receives a report of a small boy experiencing resperatory problems. The Carlsbad Police Department [CPD] responds to find an armed man with a hostage barricaded in a fifth-floor apartment. The CPD Special Response Team storms the building, where they apprehend the gunman and locate a suspicious home-made laboratory." (Carlsbad Current-Argus; 30Mar10; Reid Wright)
http://www.currentargus.com/ci_14790014
Operation Safeguard keeps eye out for suspicious activity
"The communication between businesses and law enforcement is a part of Operation Safeguard, a statewide program that reaches out to industries that can be exploited by terrorists, telling them what to look for and which police agencies to call to report suspicious activity. Members of the state's Counter Terrorism Zone 6 -- which includes Otsego, Delaware, Chenango, Broome, Tioga, Tompkins and Cortland counties -- want to raise public awareness about the program, started in 2004. It covers more than 100 types of businesses, from beauty, military and agricultural suppliers to paintball facilities, hobby and tattoo shops, movable container companies and flight schools. Suspicious activities would include surveillance of an intended target, asking unusual questions, acquiring supplies and testing a facility's security, said state police Capt. James E. Barnes." (Press & Sun-Bulletin; 29Mar10; Jennifer Micale) http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20100326/NEWS01/3260387/1112/Operation-Safeguard-keeps-eye-out-for-suspicious-activity
Advisory panel urges renewal of U.S. biodefense efforts
"The National Biodefense Science Board today capped a hurried review by recommending that the federal government launch a major effort to better focus its activities to develop medical countermeasures (MCMs) for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, starting by choosing at least three new countermeasures for priority efforts. The recommendation was one of 23 in a 103-page report that the NBSB approved in a meeting this morning. The report is part of a comprehensive review of the national MCM efforts, ordered by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius last December. The action was prompted in part by the initially slow deliveries of vaccine for pandemic H1N1 influenza. As part of the overall review, Dr. Nicole Lurie, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response (ASPR), asked the NBSB in late January to produce a written report by today on the issues and challenges facing what is known as the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure Enterprise, or PHEMCE. The review included a workshop to review the strategic management, leadership, and accountability structure of the program." (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy; 29Mar10; Robert Roos) http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/bioprep/news/mar2610nbsb.html
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.
Beijing considers evacuation routes for BW attack
"The Chinese capital of Beijing has prepared a system to identify where a terrorist might release a biological agent such as anthrax [spores] to cause the greatest harm, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday. 'If you are a trained terrorist, you will want to choose a time and a location to release the toxic gas [sic] so that it can kill the maximum amount of people,' said Liu Shuhua, deputy chief of the Atmospheric Sciences Department at Peking University. 'We have pinned down all possible locations.' A terrorist in one vehicle near the Great Hall of the People could release disease material and, given wind patterns in the city, expect it to disperse over much of Tianenmen Square, according to Liu and his fellow researchers. Five-lane roadways to the east and west of the square have long been viewed as the optimum ways to flee the area during an emergency. However, the researchers prepared models that show that winds would blow the majority of anthrax spores to the east-side roadway; the material would then settle there, posing a threat to anyone trying to use that escape route. 'When such an incident happens, a security department of the government will use software and a super computer that we developed for them to determine the dispersion pattern of the toxic gas,' according to Liu." (Global Security Newswire ; 31Mar10) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100331_7035.php
Discharged soldiers sue for millions over anthrax [vaccine] experiment
"Sixty-four former IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers are suing the Defense Ministry for NIS 18 million ($4.8 million) over what they claim is damage caused to them during Anthrax vaccine experiments in the early 1990s. The experiments, which were meant to determine the efficacy of an Anthrax vaccine, were carried out in light of what was then defined at the time as the 'strategic threat of a surprise biological attack facing Israel.' Nicknamed 'Omer 2,' the experiments included 716 IDF soldiers picked out of a pool of 4,000. The lawsuit, filed with the Petah Tikva District Court, is based on the principle according to which anyone who decides to take part in an experiment must do so willingly and after considering the risks involved. As part of the lawsuit the soldiers are demanding that the state reveal the ingredients of the serum that was given to them, in addition to NIS 300,000 (about $80,000) in damages to each plaintiff for mental anguish and emotional distress resulting from the involuntary use of one's body and medical negligence." (Ynetnews; 29Mar10; Vered Luvitch) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3869416,00.html
Census employee questions safety at processing center in Jeffersonville [IN]
"Census forms are arriving at the National Processing Center in Jeffersonville by the millions. The center is providing lots of new jobs in the area, but we've discovered that some employees are afraid because of something else that's arriving in the mail. Things have changed a lot since 2000 with the threat of terrorism after 9/11, then the subsequent Anthrax scare and now we're seeing an increase in anti-government sentiment. Because of all that, the Census Processing Center is taking extra security precautions but at least one employee worries that might not be enough. [...] But a whistleblower, who is speaking on behalf of her good friend who works for the census, says they're finding much more than official government forms inside those envelopes. 'Many, many envelopes that contain material. Nasty notes. Things that are spilled onto the documents, bodily fluids in some cases, things that are powdery substance, sand. And they open then envelopes and this material will come out.'" (WHAS 11; 31Mar10) http://www.whas11.com/news/iteam/Census-employee-questions-safety-at-processing-center-in-Jeffersonville-89634492.html
Homeland Security Department renews animal disease centers
"Efforts to protect the nation from potentially catastrophic animal diseases - some of which are transmissible to humans - will continue with a $21 million package from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to Texas A&M University and Kansas State University. The monies will support the homeland security department's Center of Excellence for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense at the universities through 2016. Based at Texas A&M, the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense, or FAZD Center, has led a consortium of universities and institutions in efforts aimed at protecting American agriculture and public health since 2004. [...] Texas A&M and Kansas State researchers will focus their efforts in four areas over the next six years: - Development of vaccines to counter diseases that could cause catastrophic human illness or seriously impact the economy. - Development of rapid diagnostic methods for identification and detection of foreign animal, emerging and/or zoonotic diseases. - Development of models to simulate disease spread and impact. - Development of educational programs designed to train first responders and producers in recognition and control of these diseases." (Southwest Farm Press; 30Mar10; Kathleen Phillips) http://southwestfarmpress.com/livestock/homeland-security-animal-disease-centers-0330/
U.S. hands over laboratory facilities to Zimbabwe
"The United States government officially handed over a new, upgraded bio-safety level 2+ laboratory to the Minister of Health, Dr. Henry Madzorera. The facility will enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to offer clinical and diagnostic testing as well as research on indigenous/exotic agents which may cause serious disease after inhalation, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), typhoid (Salmonella Typhi), anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) and the H1N1 virus. Speaking after a tour of the facilities with the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray described the cooperation between the government of Zimbabwe, the private sector, and the international community as 'historic.' 'This is an historic occasion. The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare is entering into a mutually beneficial relationship with a non-traditional partner, a private research laboratory administered by the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) and Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI). This cooperation will significantly enhance Zimbabwe's testing efficiency and enable research capacity as never before,' said the U.S. Ambassador. The laboratory received US$120,000 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief for the renovation of the laboratory and the procurement of supplies. In addition, CDC trained laboratory personnel on conducting assays and quality assurance." (Zimbabwe Telegraph; 30Mar10; Tapiwa Makore)
http://www.zimtelegraph.com/?p=6749
Versar awarded $29.5 million contract by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
"Versar, Inc [...] announced today that it was awarded a five-year (base + 4 option years) contract with a ceiling value of $29.5 million from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District to support range cleanup of military munitions and explosives at the National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, California. The NTC, located in the Mojave Desert midway between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is the only instrumented training ground in the world capable of handling brigade-sized units. As large as the State of Rhode Island, NTC conducts live 'force on force' training exercises that could involve 4,000 - 5,000 soldiers per month. A large number of munitions and explosives are expended each month across the range. Under this contract, Versar is responsible for locating, identifying, marking and disposing of a wide-variety of munitions and explosives so that NTC range operations can continue to be conducted safely and efficiently." (Fox Business; 01Apr10) http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/versar-awarded--million-contract-army-corps-engineers/
Agency seeks return of emergency alert radios given to residents near Pine Bluff Arsenal [AR]
"Residents in Grant and Jefferson counties will have to return emergency alert radios that were distributed to give early warning in case of a chemical weapons accident at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. The arsenal has completed destruction of nerve agents and is nearing full destruction of mustard gas-related weaponry. When the work is done later this year, officials will ask for the radios back. The radios were also used to provide severe weather alerts, but arsenal officials say the boxes would have to be reset weekly to continue to provide that function. There is also a planned frequency change which will make the radios unable to receive the weather signal. Officials say a Texarkana company is to collect the radios for salvage." (KFSM (Fayetteville, AR); 01Apr10) http://www.kfsm.com/news/sns-ap-ar--pbarsenal-radios,0,4151847.story
Public safety program targets gases, toxins [GA]
"Newnan Fire Department conducted Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) training on Wednesday jointly with the city of Carrollton Fire Department. [...] Newnan Fire Chief David Whitley said his department trains with Carrollton several times each year. The purpose of Wednesday's training was to keep firefighters familiarized with the equipment, particularly the unit's lab. Whitley described it as a 'chemical library' and said they use the lab to identify the substance they are dealing with in an emergency situation. [...] Newnan always has access to enough equipment to respond immediately to an emergency involving hazardous materials. They begin to assess the situation and get citizens to a safe distance while Carrollton responds with the regional Haz-Mat trailer. Firefighters are trained in incident command, which is used nationwide so that in large-scale disasters agencies can work together fluidly. Plus, as in fire situations, every scene is different, according to Whitley. Newnan doesn't encounter these type calls often, and when they do it's usually in response to chemical mistakes in an industrial environment or diesel spills in a traffic accident." (Times-Herald; 01Apr10; Elizabeth Richardson)
http://www.times-herald.com/local/Public-safety-program-targets-gases-toxins-1068078
Man exposed to mustard agent at Umatilla Chemical Depot [OR]
"Early test results are in and leaders from the Umatilla Chemical Depot do in fact believe a worker was exposed to mustard agent. The depot is still waiting to hear back from independent lab results but early indications from the CDC are positive. About two weeks ago, a worker developed a blister on his skin, which is one of the symptoms. But depot workers are confident this won't lead to any severe health issues. 'We do know that mustard agent is a known carcinogen. But then again, so is prolonged exposure to sunlight and tanning beds. At that point you get into dosage and continued exposure. The gentleman is not in any way exposed to this. It's going to be an acute event to which we expect full recovery and continuation on,' explains Greg Mahall with the Chemical Weapons Depot. The man's name has not been released. He also hasn't missed any work as a result of the exposure." (KNDO/KNDU (Kennewick, WA); 31Mar10)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=12238115
State audit faults oversight of federal grants for chemical emergencies [KY]
"For a second year, State Auditor Crit Luallen has zeroed in expenditures she deemed questionable in federal grant funds meant to help rural Laurel County prepare for chemical emergencies. Luallen's report on Tuesday -- which assessed how well Kentucky is monitoring federal money flowing into the state -- questioned nearly $30,000 in federal Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program grant funds reimbursed to Laurel County in southeastern Kentucky. The program provides funding to help a 10-county region of the state prepare for any chemical emergencies that might arise from the Blue Grass Army Depot at Richmond, which has a stockpile of chemical weapons. The audit covered the fiscal year that ended last June 30. The questionable expenditures were for equipment insurance and generator maintenance." (Courier-Journal; 30Mar10; Bruce Schreiner) http://goo.gl/hBTi
Chemical attack exercise in Zion [IL]
"'Contact! Contact! He's under the car!' yelled the gas-masked Zion police officer, part of the department's Rapid Deployment Response Team. He was hunting a 'terrorist' who had just unleashed a chemical attack Friday inside Central Middle School. It was only a drill. The yearly exercise is mandated by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, requiring local first responders and military companies to coordinate their response. [...] The area was crawling with camouflaged army reservists, and participants included the 472nd Chemical Battalion, 379th Chemical Company, a platoon from the 342nd Chemical Company (Biological Integrated Detection System), and 1171st Area Support Medical Company. Behind the school were two vehicles under camouflaged netting from the 342nd Chemical Company. The vehicles were equipped with high-tech equipment that literally sniffed the air for toxins." (Lake County News-Sun; 29Mar10; Frank Abderholden) http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/lifestyles/2125598,5_1_WA27_TRAINING_S1-100327.article
U.S. and Italy sign megaports initiative agreement to prevent smuggling of nuclear and radioactive material
"The governments of the United States and the Italian Republic have partnered to prevent the smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material through the global maritime system. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today in Rome, the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) will work with the Customs Agency of the Italian Republic under a cost-sharing arrangement to help secure cargo containers passing through several Italian ports, including Genoa and Gioia Tauro. [...] Under this cost-sharing arrangement, NNSA will work with Italian Customs to equip key ports in Italy with radiation detection equipment and an associated communications system. This specialized equipment will help to detect the presence of illicit or smuggled nuclear and other radioactive materials in cargo containers shipped through these ports. NNSA will also train the Italian officials who will operate the detection equipment." (National Nuclear Security Administration; 30Mar10) http://nnsa.energy.gov/2883.htm
Review set for major U.S. radiation detection program
"The U.S. Government Accountability Office plans to review the progress of a federal program that deploys technology at foreign seaports to detect nuclear or radiological weapons materials that could be used in an act of terrorism. The evaluation of the Megaports Initiative was requested in January by Representative Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Towns called for congressional auditors to assess whether the program had addressed recommendations of a 2005 GAO report that asserted that 'limited progress' had been made in fielding radiation sensors at high-threat seaports. Among the recommendations were a long-term plan identifying how many and which foreign ports would be equipped with portal detection systems and a better cost projection analysis for the program." (Global Security Newswire; 31Mar10; Stephanie Palla) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100330_1356.php
'Terrorist attack' on Las Vegas canceled: politics over preparedness? [NV]
"One thing is definite about this year's federal play-acting exercise to assess national emergency preparedness: A faux radioactive nuke, or 'dirty bomb,' will not be blowing up the Las Vegas Strip in May. Reminiscent of Stephen King's 'The Stand' featuring a similar cataclysmic showdown in Vegas, the preparedness exercise proved too much for many Nevadans, already battered by a poor economy and worried about a PR [public relations] nightmare. Sen. Harry Reid (D) of Nevada, in the midst of battling for the White House's healthcare reforms, wrote late last year that to 'simulate a nuclear detonation in the heart of the city would unacceptably harm the Southern Nevadan economy.' [...] Against that practical and political backdrop, the Obama administration scratched Vegas as the National Level Exercise [NLE] host city late last year. That leaves the NLE 2010, which involves 10,000 responders, still on the calendar but without a practice field: DHS has yet to publicly announce the city - or even the scenario - it plans to use in mid-May. (It usually takes upward of a year to plan an NLE exercise.)" (Christian Science Monitor; 30Mar10; Patrik Jonsson) http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0330/Terrorist-attack-on-Las-Vegas-canceled-Politics-over-preparedness
U.S.-Vietnam cooperation on civil nuclear power and nuclear security
"The United States and Vietnam have reaffirmed a common commitment to the responsible expansion of civil nuclear power and reiterated that this expansion must proceed in a manner that maximizes nuclear safety and security and minimizes proliferation risk. On March 30, 2010, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak and Vice Minister of Science and Technology Le Dinh Tien of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning cooperation in the Civil Nuclear Field. This MOU will open the door for increased cooperation in such areas as the development of human resources and safety and security infrastructure, access to reliable sources of nuclear fuel, and the management of radioactive waste and used fuel. Vietnam has demonstrated its commitment to the responsible expansion of nuclear power through careful steps taken in cooperation with the United States, among other international partners, towards the development of the robust nuclear infrastructure needed to oversee the deployment of its first nuclear power plants over the coming decades." (U.S. Department Of State; 30Mar10; Office of Spokesman) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/03/139255.htm
Focus on safety of Pak[istan]'s n[uclear]-installation
"The safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal will be high on India's agenda when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attends the Nuclear Security Summit which is in Washington from April 12 to 13. Sources said that Pakistan's participation in the summit was good as it would bring greater focus on the security of nuclear material in the region. The international community has expressed concerns about terror[ist] elements getting access to nuclear weapons in Pakistan. For India, the geographical proximity of Pakistan and cross border terrorism makes it a very real threat. India's permanent representative to the United Nations Disarmament Conference in Geneva Hamid Ali Rao in a statement to the conference pointed out this week that the threat of terrorists getting their hands on nuclear weapons is 'real.' Without referring to Pakistan, he said, 'The possibility of terrorists and extremist groups gaining access to nuclear materials is real and could have catastrophic consequences,' he said in his statement." (Economic Times; 02Apr10; Nirmala Ganapathy) http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Focus-on-safety-of-Paks-N-installation/articleshow/5753331.cms
Thailand faces up to non-proliferation challenges
"U.S. President Barack Obama issued a last minute invitation to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva recently to attend the Global Nuclear Summit in Washington DC scheduled on 12-13 April. [...] Since the crux of Obama's nuclear strategy is to secure the non-spreading of vulnerable nuclear materials and prevent acts of nuclear terrorism, Thailand's location in the continental Southeast Asia linking South and North East Asia becomes even more significant. Quite often illegal transport of components and parts of weapons of mass destruction pass through Thailand undetected. Back in June 2003, the seizure of cesium-137 in Surin was headlined in newspapers around the world as it demonstrated how this isotope, common found in medical and industrial equipment, could become an object of illicit trafficking and trading. Furthermore, Thailand has become a transit point for regional terrorist groups and the hub of illegal weapons trade. The seizure of arms shipments from North Korea in December at Don Mueang airport was a case in point. In this case, Thailand acted in compliance with relevant UN resolutions to prevent arms sales with North Korea. At the nuclear summit, Obama and Abhisit could hold a four-eye meeting to strengthen bilateral issues including the Thai-US cooperation in nuclear non-proliferation." (Nation (Thailand); 29Mar10; Kavi Chongkittavorn) http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/03/29/opinion/Thailand-faces-up-to-non-proliferation-challenges-30125790.html
U.S. embassy donates capacity-building equipment to Jordan Customs Department
"The American Embassy today presented Jordan Customs Department with a donation of equipment valued at $60,000 to deter, detect, and interdict the illicit smuggling of weapons of mass destruction, their related materials, and conventional weapons. Expressing appreciation for this contribution, Director General of Jordan Customs Department Major General Ghalib Al Sarayrah said the equipment will further boost Jordan Custom's capabilities to monitor and secure the country's borders. He also added that this significant donation demonstrates the strong and unique bilateral relationship between Jordan and the United States. The equipment was provided by the U.S. Department of State's Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program, which offers training and equipment to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, and prevent irresponsible transfers of conventional weapons." (U.S. Embassy Amman, Jordan; 31Mar10) http://jordan.usembassy.gov/pr_cb_cust_033110.html
Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland at ground-breaking ceremony for the Central Reference Laboratory
"High officials, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen: At the end of next week in Prague, the United States and the Russian Federation are expected to sign the post-START agreement that will further limit their nuclear warheads and delivery systems with stronger verification regimes, bringing the world one significant step closer to President Barack Obama's vision of ALL weapons-of-mass-destruction materials secured by 2012. What we are doing today - Kazakhstanis and Americans together - is an important element of that historic effort. Today, after long delay, we break ground to construct Kazakhstan's Central Reference Laboratory, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, which will dramatically increase the security of Kazakhstan's collections of especially dangerous pathogens and strengthen the scientific capabilities of Kazakhstani and Central Asian scientists." (United States Diplomatic Mission to Kazakhstan; 30Mar10) http://kazakhstan.usembassy.gov/tr-03-30-10.html
Terror[ism] threat low, but S. Africa has to be ready
"As if South Africa's own high crime rate and the threat of European football hooligans weren't enough, World Cup planners are also bracing for a possible terror[ist] attack. Police have staged training simulations of chemical, biological and radiation attacks. Hospital workers have worked up plans in case of mass casualties. South African intelligence agents are tapping colleagues from around the world for information about possible threats. 'Terrorism is one of the evils that plague our world today,' Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has said. 'Terrorists are prepared to kill and maim innocent people. This, we will not allow to happen on our home soil.' Big sporting events have a history of attracting those who want to draw attention to a cause or embarrass a government, and are willing to use violence to do so. [...] More recently and closer to home, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen in Angola and an assistant coach and spokesman were killed on Jan. 8, two days before the start of the African Cup of Nations football tournament. An Angolan separatist group has claimed responsibility. South Africa has no separatist movements and is no one's enemy, officials in the country stress. 'But because we are hosting 31 other nations, we cannot be complacent,' police spokesman Vish Naidoo said. 'We have prepared and planned for every eventuality.'" (USA Today; 30Mar10; Donna Bryson) http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-03-30-2307193680_x.htm
Report details progress in reducing global threat from dangerous weapons
"The annual report of the government's Global Threat Reduction Programme has been published this week recording progress made in reducing the global threat from dangerous nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical materials. The UK's Global Threat Reduction Programme forms a core part of the UK's Counter-Proliferation strategy, and delivers the UK's contribution to the Global Partnership against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction. Jointly owned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the programme was launched as a ten year initiative in 2002, with an initial focus on addressing the Cold war nuclear, chemical and biological legacies in Russia. The seventh Annual Report on the UK's Global Threat Reduction Programme, published this week, details the work that is being done to prevent the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction." (Defence Policy and Business; 30Mar10) http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/Def
encePolicyAndBusiness/ReportDetailsProgressInReducingGlobalThreatFromDangerousWeapons.htm
Pentagon security undergoing 'complete reinvention'
"Three very alert officers were able to spot and thwart a gunman at the Pentagon in March, pretty much just by looking at him and realizing something was wrong. That's impressive enough. But now officials at the Department of Defense headquarters say, 'We can always do better.' The Pentagon Force Protection Agency is taking new steps to 'protect those who protect our nation,' including a five-year, multimillion-dollar project to upgrade technology, and a separate project to make the Arlington, Va., complex more 'WMD-proof' by installing sensors that can detect biological and chemical weapons. 'Really, it's a complete reinvention of security here at the Pentagon,' said PFPA [Pentagon Force Protection Agency] Director Steven Calvery in an interview with the Associated Press." (NBC Washington; 01Apr10; Ashley E. Brown) http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Pentagon-Security-Undergoing-Complete-Reinvention-89737787.html
Alhambra [CA] opens county's newest search and rescue training facility
"When the next big quake hits, local authorities will not have to wait for hours or days for search and rescue teams to drive from other parts of the county over what likely will be a fractured transportation system. That's the idea behind a new $1.2 million Urban Search and Rescue training facility now operating at the Alhambra Fire Department. The new training center, which officials formally dedicated Tuesday, will teach local first responders how to search in deep trenches, confined spaces and collapsed buildings, Alhambra fire Chief Bruce Stedman said. [...] The Alhambra training site will be one of just two in the country to have realistic 'hydraulic building-collapse props,' the chief said. A move to upgrade the nation's emergency capabilities began after state and federal commissions found inadequacies in response and training in the wake of the 9/11 terrorists attacks, officials said. Authorities also found, based on recommendations from the state's Seismic Safety Commission, that California needs more training of specialized units capable of responding not only to quakes and natural disasters but also to hazardous materials emergencies and those involving chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, officials said." (San Gabriel Valley Tribune; 31Mar10; Daniel Tedford)
http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_14795163
MTA [Metropolitan Transportation Authority] cuts weekend surveillance at vulnerable Verrazano Bridge, Queens-Midtown Tunnel [NY]
"It's eyes wide shut at two of the city's main bridges and tunnels. The MTA has removed weekend security details from the Queens Midtown Tunnel and the Verrazano Bridge, the Daily News learned Monday, just as the Moscow bombers sent New York into a new round of terror[ism] jitters. No longer do MTA Bridges and Tunnels cops man booths at the tunnel exit or on the bridge's two tower anchorages on Saturdays and Sundays. Instead, the MTA says it has a high-tech surveillance system of cameras and monitors. Security sources familiar with the bridge and tunnel say that is a mistake. 'What if a terrorist wants to do something?' said one source. 'People walk in all the time - drunk, lost, homeless, cars going the wrong way,' the source said of the tunnel's unguarded exit. 'God forbid someone walks in and wants to plant a bomb.'" (New York Daily News; 30Mar10; Rocco Parascandola) http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/30/2010-03-30_fewer_eyes_protect_major_city_targets_mta_cuts_weekend_surveillance_at_vulnerabl.html
Responders join forces for training [Carlsbad, NM]
"In only a matter of hours, a telephone call to local emergency responders can escalate into a matter of national security. Coordinating with a specialized team from the Army National Guard, local police and firefighters ran through one such scenario in a training exercise at the Permian Basin Regional Training Center on Tuesday. 'This is to further ensure we are ready for an actual incident,' said Robert Sanchez of the Carlsbad Fire Department. He said the training exercise is designed 'to keep us refined and assure the community we're ready. It gives the citizens of Carlsbad peace of mind.' In the mock scenario, dispatch receives a report of a small boy experiencing resperatory problems. The Carlsbad Police Department [CPD] responds to find an armed man with a hostage barricaded in a fifth-floor apartment. The CPD Special Response Team storms the building, where they apprehend the gunman and locate a suspicious home-made laboratory." (Carlsbad Current-Argus; 30Mar10; Reid Wright)
http://www.currentargus.com/ci_14790014
Operation Safeguard keeps eye out for suspicious activity
"The communication between businesses and law enforcement is a part of Operation Safeguard, a statewide program that reaches out to industries that can be exploited by terrorists, telling them what to look for and which police agencies to call to report suspicious activity. Members of the state's Counter Terrorism Zone 6 -- which includes Otsego, Delaware, Chenango, Broome, Tioga, Tompkins and Cortland counties -- want to raise public awareness about the program, started in 2004. It covers more than 100 types of businesses, from beauty, military and agricultural suppliers to paintball facilities, hobby and tattoo shops, movable container companies and flight schools. Suspicious activities would include surveillance of an intended target, asking unusual questions, acquiring supplies and testing a facility's security, said state police Capt. James E. Barnes." (Press & Sun-Bulletin; 29Mar10; Jennifer Micale) http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20100326/NEWS01/3260387/1112/Operation-Safeguard-keeps-eye-out-for-suspicious-activity
Advisory panel urges renewal of U.S. biodefense efforts
"The National Biodefense Science Board today capped a hurried review by recommending that the federal government launch a major effort to better focus its activities to develop medical countermeasures (MCMs) for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, starting by choosing at least three new countermeasures for priority efforts. The recommendation was one of 23 in a 103-page report that the NBSB approved in a meeting this morning. The report is part of a comprehensive review of the national MCM efforts, ordered by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius last December. The action was prompted in part by the initially slow deliveries of vaccine for pandemic H1N1 influenza. As part of the overall review, Dr. Nicole Lurie, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response (ASPR), asked the NBSB in late January to produce a written report by today on the issues and challenges facing what is known as the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasure Enterprise, or PHEMCE. The review included a workshop to review the strategic management, leadership, and accountability structure of the program." (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy; 29Mar10; Robert Roos) http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/bioprep/news/mar2610nbsb.html
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.
Transcom Keeps Support for Afghanistan Surge On Track
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 2, 2010 - With 60 percent of the surge force, along with their equipment and supplies, yet to be delivered to Afghanistan by President Barack Obama's August deadline, the commander charged with making it happen said he has assured commanders that everything is on track. Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, credited the close cooperation between the transportation and logistics communities as among the contributing factors why Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, will get the forces he needs, on time, and with the distribution network required to sustain them.
"I never want them to worry that we won't get the stuff through," said McNabb, referring to McChrystal and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command. "My job is to come up with options that allow us to make sure that no matter what the situation, or no matter what happens, ... we have other options so they never have to worry. And they never do worry."
To ensure mission success, McNabb is banking on a three-pronged strategy based on ground supply routes from both the north and south and delivery of troops and high-value military equipment by air.
And in a pinch, McNabb said any one of those means could handle it all.
"What I am hoping to do is have enough capacity in the south, through Pakistan, to be able to handle it all, and enough capacity from the Northern Distribution Network to handle it all," McNabb said today during a joint interview with The Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. "And if I had to do it all by air, I could do that. So that is what I push for all the time."
Ideally, McNabb hopes to limit air deliveries, which cost about 10 times more than ground deliveries, to about 20 percent of the total. But should security or weather conditions interfere with overland deliveries, he called air his "ace in the hole" to keep the troop and supply chains flowing.
Despite huge logistical challenges – mountainous terrain, limited infrastructure and the risk of attack – McNabb called surface movement a big success in supplying operations in Afghanistan.
About 80 percent of supplies bound for Afghanistan previously flowed through the Port of Karachi and up through Pakistan. That's down to about 50 percent, McNabb said, since the United States opened the Northern Distribution Network last year.
That network flows from Baltic and Caspian ports through Latvia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan into Afghanistan.
As he and Petraeus approached these countries about opening the route, McNabb said he was impressed to find broad support and an understanding of the importance of the Afghan mission in promoting regional stability. "Every one of those countries said they were glad to help," he said.
The Northern Distribution Network delivered its 10,000th container to Afghanistan yesterday, McNabb said, noting the network now handles about 30 percent of all ground supplies. Typically, the shipments consist of fuel, lumber, construction supplies and other non-military materials.
"What that has allowed us to do is move that type of equipment through the north to make room for the movement of additional forces and military equipment to Afghanistan through Pakistan," he said. "It really has paid big dividends."
McNabb downplayed news reports about the security risks of ground deliveries. Less than 1 percent of containers have been subjected to attacks or pilferage, he said. McNabb attributed such supply effectiveness to the fact that host-nation trucks and drivers are used whenever possible to make the deliveries, and that the nations involved support the mission.
"Everyone is working very hard because they understand how important those supply lines are," he said.
But to reduce convoys and helicopter deliveries, particularly to supply forward operating bases, operators on the ground are increasingly relying on airdrops, McNabb said. In 2005, 2 million pounds of equipment and supplies were airdropped in Afghanistan. In 2009, that was up to 29 million pounds. By the end of this year, it's projected to rise to 60 million pounds.
"That changes the dynamics," McNabb said, noting airdrop delivery of supplies reduces the need for convoys and frees up helicopters for other missions. "It's a huge capability for General McChrystal."
Ultimately, McNabb said the success of the transportation and logistics pipeline boils down to cooperation, teamwork and attention to detail in ensuring all the moving parts move in synch.
"Like NASCAR, you win the race in the pits," he said. "And in many cases, that's making the whole system go faster."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recognized this teamwork yesterday as he traveled to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Transcom's home base, to personally present Transcom the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
With Petraeus at his side, Gates praised Transcom for its support for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and for its humanitarian support mission following the Haiti earthquake.
American Forces Press Service
April 2, 2010 - With 60 percent of the surge force, along with their equipment and supplies, yet to be delivered to Afghanistan by President Barack Obama's August deadline, the commander charged with making it happen said he has assured commanders that everything is on track. Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, credited the close cooperation between the transportation and logistics communities as among the contributing factors why Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, will get the forces he needs, on time, and with the distribution network required to sustain them.
"I never want them to worry that we won't get the stuff through," said McNabb, referring to McChrystal and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command. "My job is to come up with options that allow us to make sure that no matter what the situation, or no matter what happens, ... we have other options so they never have to worry. And they never do worry."
To ensure mission success, McNabb is banking on a three-pronged strategy based on ground supply routes from both the north and south and delivery of troops and high-value military equipment by air.
And in a pinch, McNabb said any one of those means could handle it all.
"What I am hoping to do is have enough capacity in the south, through Pakistan, to be able to handle it all, and enough capacity from the Northern Distribution Network to handle it all," McNabb said today during a joint interview with The Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. "And if I had to do it all by air, I could do that. So that is what I push for all the time."
Ideally, McNabb hopes to limit air deliveries, which cost about 10 times more than ground deliveries, to about 20 percent of the total. But should security or weather conditions interfere with overland deliveries, he called air his "ace in the hole" to keep the troop and supply chains flowing.
Despite huge logistical challenges – mountainous terrain, limited infrastructure and the risk of attack – McNabb called surface movement a big success in supplying operations in Afghanistan.
About 80 percent of supplies bound for Afghanistan previously flowed through the Port of Karachi and up through Pakistan. That's down to about 50 percent, McNabb said, since the United States opened the Northern Distribution Network last year.
That network flows from Baltic and Caspian ports through Latvia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan into Afghanistan.
As he and Petraeus approached these countries about opening the route, McNabb said he was impressed to find broad support and an understanding of the importance of the Afghan mission in promoting regional stability. "Every one of those countries said they were glad to help," he said.
The Northern Distribution Network delivered its 10,000th container to Afghanistan yesterday, McNabb said, noting the network now handles about 30 percent of all ground supplies. Typically, the shipments consist of fuel, lumber, construction supplies and other non-military materials.
"What that has allowed us to do is move that type of equipment through the north to make room for the movement of additional forces and military equipment to Afghanistan through Pakistan," he said. "It really has paid big dividends."
McNabb downplayed news reports about the security risks of ground deliveries. Less than 1 percent of containers have been subjected to attacks or pilferage, he said. McNabb attributed such supply effectiveness to the fact that host-nation trucks and drivers are used whenever possible to make the deliveries, and that the nations involved support the mission.
"Everyone is working very hard because they understand how important those supply lines are," he said.
But to reduce convoys and helicopter deliveries, particularly to supply forward operating bases, operators on the ground are increasingly relying on airdrops, McNabb said. In 2005, 2 million pounds of equipment and supplies were airdropped in Afghanistan. In 2009, that was up to 29 million pounds. By the end of this year, it's projected to rise to 60 million pounds.
"That changes the dynamics," McNabb said, noting airdrop delivery of supplies reduces the need for convoys and frees up helicopters for other missions. "It's a huge capability for General McChrystal."
Ultimately, McNabb said the success of the transportation and logistics pipeline boils down to cooperation, teamwork and attention to detail in ensuring all the moving parts move in synch.
"Like NASCAR, you win the race in the pits," he said. "And in many cases, that's making the whole system go faster."
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recognized this teamwork yesterday as he traveled to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Transcom's home base, to personally present Transcom the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
With Petraeus at his side, Gates praised Transcom for its support for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and for its humanitarian support mission following the Haiti earthquake.
JihadJane
Women from Colorado and Pennsylvania Charged with Terrorism Violations in Superseding Indictment
April 3, 2010 - WASHINGTON—A superseding indictment unsealed this afternoon in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania charges Jamie Paulin Ramirez, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Colorado, and Colleen R. LaRose, aka “Fatima LaRose,” aka “JihadJane,” a resident of Pennsylvania, with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The superseding indictment adds Ramirez as a defendant to what was previously an indictment charging only LaRose.
The new charges were announced by David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Michael L. Levy, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and Janice K. Fedarcyk, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI in Philadelphia.
The superseding indictment charges that LaRose and Ramirez traveled to and around Europe to participate in and in support of violent jihad. According to the superseding indictment, Ramirez exchanged e-mail messages with LaRose during the summer of 2009, in which LaRose invited Ramirez to join her in Europe to attend a “training camp.” Ramirez is charged with accepting the invitation and asking to bring along her minor male child. On Sept, 12, 2009, Ramirez traveled to Europe with her child with the intent to live and train with jihadists. The day she arrived in Europe, the indictment alleges, Ramirez married an unindicted co-conspirator whom she had never before met in person.
The superseding indictment charges Ramirez, age 31, with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges against LaRose remain unchanged, and carry a maximum potential sentence of life in prison and a $1 million fine.
Ramirez was arrested this afternoon in Philadelphia after voluntarily flying to the United States from abroad.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Philadelphia, the FBI Field Division in New York, and the FBI Field Division in Denver. It is being prosecuted by Jennifer Arbittier Williams, Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Matthew F. Blue, Trial Attorney from the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The public is reminded that an indictment is an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
April 3, 2010 - WASHINGTON—A superseding indictment unsealed this afternoon in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania charges Jamie Paulin Ramirez, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Colorado, and Colleen R. LaRose, aka “Fatima LaRose,” aka “JihadJane,” a resident of Pennsylvania, with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The superseding indictment adds Ramirez as a defendant to what was previously an indictment charging only LaRose.
The new charges were announced by David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Michael L. Levy, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and Janice K. Fedarcyk, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI in Philadelphia.
The superseding indictment charges that LaRose and Ramirez traveled to and around Europe to participate in and in support of violent jihad. According to the superseding indictment, Ramirez exchanged e-mail messages with LaRose during the summer of 2009, in which LaRose invited Ramirez to join her in Europe to attend a “training camp.” Ramirez is charged with accepting the invitation and asking to bring along her minor male child. On Sept, 12, 2009, Ramirez traveled to Europe with her child with the intent to live and train with jihadists. The day she arrived in Europe, the indictment alleges, Ramirez married an unindicted co-conspirator whom she had never before met in person.
The superseding indictment charges Ramirez, age 31, with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges against LaRose remain unchanged, and carry a maximum potential sentence of life in prison and a $1 million fine.
Ramirez was arrested this afternoon in Philadelphia after voluntarily flying to the United States from abroad.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Philadelphia, the FBI Field Division in New York, and the FBI Field Division in Denver. It is being prosecuted by Jennifer Arbittier Williams, Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Matthew F. Blue, Trial Attorney from the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The public is reminded that an indictment is an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Forces Dismantle Terrorist Group in Northern Iraq
American Forces Press Service
April 2, 2010 - Iraqi security forces arrested 10 suspected terrorists yesterday, bringing to at least 22 the number of suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members apprehended or killed in northern Iraq in the past two weeks, military officials said.
Six of those captured or killed are believed to have been senior leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq operating in the northern part of the country.
The ten arrests yesterday were part of two combined security operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq in and around Mosul and Kirkuk. Both operations were conducted pursuant to warrants issued by Iraqi judges.
In a rural area about 30 miles southwest of Kirkuk, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched two residential buildings for a suspected AQI member who allegedly provides financing and vehicles to the terrorist group.
A preliminary investigation at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest two suspected criminal associates of the wanted AQI member.
In a separate operation conducted in and around Mosul, Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected AQI member believed to extort money from oil transporters and contractors to fund the terrorist group. A preliminary investigation led Iraqi soldiers to apprehend eight suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.
The ten arrests cap off several Iraqi-U.S. security operations to dismantle al-Qaida in Iraq in northern Iraq in the past two weeks. The operations resulted in the deaths or arrests of at least six suspected senior AQI leaders believed to greatly contribute to funding the terrorist group by their involvement in a highly-organized extortion and assassination ring based in Mosul.
Each operation was conducted pursuant to a court warrant.
The six captured or killed suspects include the overall AQI commander of northern Iraq, four men who head the group's funding, and a regional commander for Mosul. Without these individuals in the AQI network, it is expected that AQI's ability to operate and restructure will be severely hindered, officials said.
The overall AQI commander of northern Iraq was killed on March 18 after firing a handgun at a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors. Identified as Khalid Muhammad Hasan Shallub al-Juburi, also known as Shaykh Khalid, the man was believed responsible for distributing AQI's finances, and approving its operations and attacks.
On March 23, a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors shot and killed Abu Ahmad al-Afri, also known as Abu Marwa. It is believed that al-Afri's duties in AQI included receiving and accounting for all money collected by subordinate units of the terrorist group in northern Iraq. In addition, al-Afri has a long history of involvement in extortion to fund terrorist activities throughout northern Iraq and was arrested for these activities in 2007.
A separate security operation conducted the morning of March 24 by a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors netted the arrests of 12 people, including the suspected top three oil-extortion personalities for AQI.
In addition to managing the extortion of oil companies and small businesses throughout northern Iraq, the three are believed to have maintained close associations with the top leaders of AQI and their couriers. Since at least 2005, the suspected AQI oil minister is known to have held a variety of senior level AQI leadership positions, including commander of Haditha and Anbar province.
The suspected AQI head of Mosul was killed the afternoon of March 24 after firing a handgun at a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors. Credible intelligence indicated that Bashar Khalaf Husyan Ali al Jaburi, also known as Dhafir and Abu Huda, was heavily involved in coordinating and approving attacks and assassinations, many of which were related to AQI's extortion operations.
"The capture of all six AQI extortion and assassination-network leaders in the last two weeks will likely greatly disrupt AQI operations and prevent future attacks throughout Iraq," U.S. military officials said in a statement released yesterday. "The money collected from extortion, and the extortion of oil companies in particular, comprises the bulk of AQI's income, which is subsequently used to fund the terrorist group's deadly attacks against the Iraqi people."
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq news releases.)
April 2, 2010 - Iraqi security forces arrested 10 suspected terrorists yesterday, bringing to at least 22 the number of suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members apprehended or killed in northern Iraq in the past two weeks, military officials said.
Six of those captured or killed are believed to have been senior leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq operating in the northern part of the country.
The ten arrests yesterday were part of two combined security operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq in and around Mosul and Kirkuk. Both operations were conducted pursuant to warrants issued by Iraqi judges.
In a rural area about 30 miles southwest of Kirkuk, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched two residential buildings for a suspected AQI member who allegedly provides financing and vehicles to the terrorist group.
A preliminary investigation at the scene led Iraqi police to arrest two suspected criminal associates of the wanted AQI member.
In a separate operation conducted in and around Mosul, Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected AQI member believed to extort money from oil transporters and contractors to fund the terrorist group. A preliminary investigation led Iraqi soldiers to apprehend eight suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.
The ten arrests cap off several Iraqi-U.S. security operations to dismantle al-Qaida in Iraq in northern Iraq in the past two weeks. The operations resulted in the deaths or arrests of at least six suspected senior AQI leaders believed to greatly contribute to funding the terrorist group by their involvement in a highly-organized extortion and assassination ring based in Mosul.
Each operation was conducted pursuant to a court warrant.
The six captured or killed suspects include the overall AQI commander of northern Iraq, four men who head the group's funding, and a regional commander for Mosul. Without these individuals in the AQI network, it is expected that AQI's ability to operate and restructure will be severely hindered, officials said.
The overall AQI commander of northern Iraq was killed on March 18 after firing a handgun at a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors. Identified as Khalid Muhammad Hasan Shallub al-Juburi, also known as Shaykh Khalid, the man was believed responsible for distributing AQI's finances, and approving its operations and attacks.
On March 23, a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors shot and killed Abu Ahmad al-Afri, also known as Abu Marwa. It is believed that al-Afri's duties in AQI included receiving and accounting for all money collected by subordinate units of the terrorist group in northern Iraq. In addition, al-Afri has a long history of involvement in extortion to fund terrorist activities throughout northern Iraq and was arrested for these activities in 2007.
A separate security operation conducted the morning of March 24 by a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors netted the arrests of 12 people, including the suspected top three oil-extortion personalities for AQI.
In addition to managing the extortion of oil companies and small businesses throughout northern Iraq, the three are believed to have maintained close associations with the top leaders of AQI and their couriers. Since at least 2005, the suspected AQI oil minister is known to have held a variety of senior level AQI leadership positions, including commander of Haditha and Anbar province.
The suspected AQI head of Mosul was killed the afternoon of March 24 after firing a handgun at a combined team of Iraqi soldiers and U.S. advisors. Credible intelligence indicated that Bashar Khalaf Husyan Ali al Jaburi, also known as Dhafir and Abu Huda, was heavily involved in coordinating and approving attacks and assassinations, many of which were related to AQI's extortion operations.
"The capture of all six AQI extortion and assassination-network leaders in the last two weeks will likely greatly disrupt AQI operations and prevent future attacks throughout Iraq," U.S. military officials said in a statement released yesterday. "The money collected from extortion, and the extortion of oil companies in particular, comprises the bulk of AQI's income, which is subsequently used to fund the terrorist group's deadly attacks against the Iraqi people."
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq news releases.)
Soldiers Perform Iraq Drawdown Mission in Kuwait
By Army Spc. Jason Adolphson
1st Sustainment Brigade
April 2, 2010 - Twenty-four-hours-per-day, seven-days-per-week, soldiers are spraying, scrubbing and wiping down vehicles and equipment at the wash rack here.The wash rack serves as a tool for regular maintenance, but the water pressure has been cranked up a notch as everything passing through the camp in response to the Iraq drawdown gets a good, solid cleansing before transitioning out to other locations.
"There's a big waterfall of equipment coming out of Iraq, as we get closer to the deadline for the drawdown," said Army Maj. Bo Donohoo, 2nd Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade.
The adjoining storage area serves as a collection point for billions of dollars' worth of equipment, including mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, Donohoo said.
"Every MRAP is over $1 million and we've got about 500 here," he said. The lot also has tanks, Bradleys and Humvees, in addition to non-rolling stock items.
"The Army is a living, breathing animal," Donohoo said. "All of that theater-required equipment that has been purchased over the last eight years for Iraq is coming down here. We get it to the wash rack and get it moving."
About 500 tactical and non-tactical vehicles come through the wash rack daily. Everything coming from Iraq gets washed for maintenance purposes and agricultural inspections, said Army Staff Sgt. Jason Frye, who works at the wash rack.
A thorough cleaning, depending on the piece of equipment, can take anywhere from one to 36 hours before being sent for a U.S. military customs inspection, which checks for dirt and contaminates that can pose environmental problems, he said.
The U.S. Army Materiel Command processes all vehicles for maintenance and updates before pushing them out to other locations. Placement of the equipment varies based on the needs of the Army.
"We retrograde it back to the United States, ship it up in support of OEF, or keep it here in Kuwait as part of the Army's prepositioned stock," Donohoo said. "We get about 2,000 pieces of equipment a month and we're anticipating much more as the drawdown continues."
"A lot of people are counting on us to make this happen - all the way up to the president," he continued. "It's a big mission and it's the main effort [here] right now. I feel honored to be here."
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Hamed Organization was a criminal enterprise
Eight Area Men Sentenced on Federal Racketeering Charges Involving Conspiracy to Transfer Cash and Checks to the Palestinian Territories
ST. LOUIS, MO—The United States Attorney’s office announced today that eight members of a criminal enterprise operating out of five St. Louis area convenience stores have been sentenced on charges of federal racketeering or related charges.
As far back as 2000, the RICO conspiracy has involved bank fraud, receipt of stolen property, conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, purchasing contraband cigarettes for resale, evading reporting requirement on exporting monetary instruments, and transporting monetary instruments and funds to avoid reporting requirements.
According to plea agreements, the Hamed Organization was a criminal enterprise that operated primarily in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Members and associates of the enterprise, many who are related to each other, raise money through legal and illegal means for themselves and to transfer money to entities in the Palestinian territories.
The convenience stores were utilized to receive and sell stolen goods such as infant formula, computers, Global Positioning System devices, and cigarettes. The enterprise bought the stolen property at rates significantly below fair market retail value and sold the items through the convenience stores at a large profit.
The criminal enterprise operated out of the following area convenience stores:
Regal Food I, 4201 McRee Avenue, St. Louis; Regal Food II, 3852 Virginia Avenue, St. Louis; Ferguson Market, 9101 West Florissant Avenue, Ferguson; Prince Market, 9826 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Louis; and St. Louis Supermarket, 4331 Natural Bridge Avenue, St. Louis.
Ghandi Hisham Hamed, 32, Florissant, MO, leader of the enterprise and brother of Bassam Hamed, was sentenced today to four years of probation and fined $5000 for racketeering;
Nael Abdeljabbar, 49, Florissant, MO, was also sentenced on March 9 to three years of probation and fined $5000 for racketeering.
Bassam Hisham Hamed, 34; Florissant, MO, chief executive of the enterprise, was sentenced March 4 to three years of probation for conspiracy to structure the exportation of monetary instruments to avoid reporting requirements;
Ayoub Hisham Hamed, 28; Hazelwood, MO, brother of Bassam Hamed, was sentenced to two years of probation on March 4, for conspiracy to structure the exportation of monetary instruments to avoid reporting requirements;
Said Jarabaa, 36, Florissant, MO, leader of the enterprise, was sentenced to six months work release on March 4 for racketeering;
Suhail Jarabaa, 29, Florissant, MO, brother of Said Jarabaa, was sentenced to three years of probation March 15, for conspiracy to structure the exportation of monetary instruments to avoid reporting requirements;
Mohammed Badwan, 35, Florissant, MO, brother of Mazen, was sentenced to six months of house arrest, three years of probation, and a $5000 fine on March 15, for racketeering; and
Mazen Badwan, 37,Florissant, MO, brother of Mohammed, was sentenced to time served on March 2, for racketeering.
All eight defendants appeared before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw.
This case was investigated by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Ware, Matthew Drake and Steven Holtshouser handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s office.
ST. LOUIS, MO—The United States Attorney’s office announced today that eight members of a criminal enterprise operating out of five St. Louis area convenience stores have been sentenced on charges of federal racketeering or related charges.
As far back as 2000, the RICO conspiracy has involved bank fraud, receipt of stolen property, conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, purchasing contraband cigarettes for resale, evading reporting requirement on exporting monetary instruments, and transporting monetary instruments and funds to avoid reporting requirements.
According to plea agreements, the Hamed Organization was a criminal enterprise that operated primarily in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Members and associates of the enterprise, many who are related to each other, raise money through legal and illegal means for themselves and to transfer money to entities in the Palestinian territories.
The convenience stores were utilized to receive and sell stolen goods such as infant formula, computers, Global Positioning System devices, and cigarettes. The enterprise bought the stolen property at rates significantly below fair market retail value and sold the items through the convenience stores at a large profit.
The criminal enterprise operated out of the following area convenience stores:
Regal Food I, 4201 McRee Avenue, St. Louis; Regal Food II, 3852 Virginia Avenue, St. Louis; Ferguson Market, 9101 West Florissant Avenue, Ferguson; Prince Market, 9826 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Louis; and St. Louis Supermarket, 4331 Natural Bridge Avenue, St. Louis.
Ghandi Hisham Hamed, 32, Florissant, MO, leader of the enterprise and brother of Bassam Hamed, was sentenced today to four years of probation and fined $5000 for racketeering;
Nael Abdeljabbar, 49, Florissant, MO, was also sentenced on March 9 to three years of probation and fined $5000 for racketeering.
Bassam Hisham Hamed, 34; Florissant, MO, chief executive of the enterprise, was sentenced March 4 to three years of probation for conspiracy to structure the exportation of monetary instruments to avoid reporting requirements;
Ayoub Hisham Hamed, 28; Hazelwood, MO, brother of Bassam Hamed, was sentenced to two years of probation on March 4, for conspiracy to structure the exportation of monetary instruments to avoid reporting requirements;
Said Jarabaa, 36, Florissant, MO, leader of the enterprise, was sentenced to six months work release on March 4 for racketeering;
Suhail Jarabaa, 29, Florissant, MO, brother of Said Jarabaa, was sentenced to three years of probation March 15, for conspiracy to structure the exportation of monetary instruments to avoid reporting requirements;
Mohammed Badwan, 35, Florissant, MO, brother of Mazen, was sentenced to six months of house arrest, three years of probation, and a $5000 fine on March 15, for racketeering; and
Mazen Badwan, 37,Florissant, MO, brother of Mohammed, was sentenced to time served on March 2, for racketeering.
All eight defendants appeared before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw.
This case was investigated by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Ware, Matthew Drake and Steven Holtshouser handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Special Forces in Iraq to Remain through Drawdown
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 1, 2010 - U.S. special operations forces in Iraq will remain at current levels even as the number of American troops there is nearly halved over the next five months, the top special operations commander said today.
As the 98,000-strong force in Iraq is reduced to 50,000 by Aug. 31 in accordance with a U.S.-Iraqi agreement, roughly 4,500 special operations forces will maintain a presence there, military officials said.
"The special operations forces are not experiencing a drawdown in Iraq," said Navy Adm. Eric Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. "Supporting them is a continuing mission of the rest of the force."
Olson said his assessment of the future special operations forces footprint in Iraq was based in part on conversations with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, and Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.
"All indications, including my conversations with General Petraeus and General Odierno," he said, "is that the special operations forces will be sustained at about their current level."
While revealing no specific details about ongoing operations, Olson today provided a rare glimpse at a component of the U.S. military that typically operates in near-total secrecy. His public remarks came at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a policy think-tank based here.
In addition to direct combat and counterterrorism, special operations forces -- among them Army Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Air Force special operations personnel and Marine operators -- conduct an array of indirect missions. These include psychological operations and the training and support of paramilitary forces to help achieve U.S. aims, such as when special operations forces partnered with the Northern Alliance to undermine the Taliban in Afghanistan before the American invasion began in earnest in 2001.
"The United States Special Operations Command deliberately leans forward to ensure that proper resources and tools are being applied in these regions. We call it 'Being ahead of the sound of guns,'" said Olson, the first Navy SEAL to ascend to a four-star officer rank.
"As proud as we are of our ability to respond quickly to gunfire when it occurs," he continued, "we are at least as proud of our ability ... to prevent that sound ultimately from occurring in places that are at risk."
As of last week, he said, special operations forces were engaged in 79 countries globally, including six "at-risk" countries where danger is probable, if not imminent. The number of forces engaged around the world was about 12,000 -- about 10,000 of which were assigned to U.S. Central Command, an area of operations that includes Afghanistan, Iraq and the greater Middle East.
Based on those figures, U.S. special operations forces still represent a fraction of the overall American presence in the Central Command region. A defense official said "thousands" of special operations forces are in Afghanistan, where the number of overall U.S. troops is set to overshadow the American presence in Iraq this summer, according to military officials.
Driving the eclipse is the 30,000-troop surge President Barack Obama announced for Afghanistan in December, roughly half of which is in place, and with 18,000 of the additional forces expected to be in Afghanistan by late spring as troop levels in Iraq continue to drop. Currently, 87,000 American and 44,000 allied forces are in Afghanistan, a defense official said.
Speaking about Afghanistan, Olson expressed optimism that U.S. special operations forces are working well with their allied counterparts from NATO's International Security Assistance Force. He praised changes to the command-and-control structure at NATO that would better coordinate those operations.
"There are a few military concepts that seem to be catching on around the world: one of them is jointness, another one is special operations. And, of course we embody both," he said. Joint operations are carried out cooperatively among service branches. "Our relationships with other nations are quite good," the admiral said.
Of 58,000 total special operations personnel, 52,000 are uniformed military members, Olson said, and more than half of that uniformed force is Army Special Forces soldiers.
Roughly 20 percent of the organization comprises National Guardsmen or reservists -- down from about a third in 2005. A third of the force is composed of career special operations personnel, while two-thirds serve temporary assignments to special operations forces missions during the arc of their military tenure.
The average age of special operations servicemembers is 30, Olson added, and 70 percent of the force is married. About half of the force, he said, joined since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
American Forces Press Service
April 1, 2010 - U.S. special operations forces in Iraq will remain at current levels even as the number of American troops there is nearly halved over the next five months, the top special operations commander said today.
As the 98,000-strong force in Iraq is reduced to 50,000 by Aug. 31 in accordance with a U.S.-Iraqi agreement, roughly 4,500 special operations forces will maintain a presence there, military officials said.
"The special operations forces are not experiencing a drawdown in Iraq," said Navy Adm. Eric Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. "Supporting them is a continuing mission of the rest of the force."
Olson said his assessment of the future special operations forces footprint in Iraq was based in part on conversations with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, and Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.
"All indications, including my conversations with General Petraeus and General Odierno," he said, "is that the special operations forces will be sustained at about their current level."
While revealing no specific details about ongoing operations, Olson today provided a rare glimpse at a component of the U.S. military that typically operates in near-total secrecy. His public remarks came at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a policy think-tank based here.
In addition to direct combat and counterterrorism, special operations forces -- among them Army Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Air Force special operations personnel and Marine operators -- conduct an array of indirect missions. These include psychological operations and the training and support of paramilitary forces to help achieve U.S. aims, such as when special operations forces partnered with the Northern Alliance to undermine the Taliban in Afghanistan before the American invasion began in earnest in 2001.
"The United States Special Operations Command deliberately leans forward to ensure that proper resources and tools are being applied in these regions. We call it 'Being ahead of the sound of guns,'" said Olson, the first Navy SEAL to ascend to a four-star officer rank.
"As proud as we are of our ability to respond quickly to gunfire when it occurs," he continued, "we are at least as proud of our ability ... to prevent that sound ultimately from occurring in places that are at risk."
As of last week, he said, special operations forces were engaged in 79 countries globally, including six "at-risk" countries where danger is probable, if not imminent. The number of forces engaged around the world was about 12,000 -- about 10,000 of which were assigned to U.S. Central Command, an area of operations that includes Afghanistan, Iraq and the greater Middle East.
Based on those figures, U.S. special operations forces still represent a fraction of the overall American presence in the Central Command region. A defense official said "thousands" of special operations forces are in Afghanistan, where the number of overall U.S. troops is set to overshadow the American presence in Iraq this summer, according to military officials.
Driving the eclipse is the 30,000-troop surge President Barack Obama announced for Afghanistan in December, roughly half of which is in place, and with 18,000 of the additional forces expected to be in Afghanistan by late spring as troop levels in Iraq continue to drop. Currently, 87,000 American and 44,000 allied forces are in Afghanistan, a defense official said.
Speaking about Afghanistan, Olson expressed optimism that U.S. special operations forces are working well with their allied counterparts from NATO's International Security Assistance Force. He praised changes to the command-and-control structure at NATO that would better coordinate those operations.
"There are a few military concepts that seem to be catching on around the world: one of them is jointness, another one is special operations. And, of course we embody both," he said. Joint operations are carried out cooperatively among service branches. "Our relationships with other nations are quite good," the admiral said.
Of 58,000 total special operations personnel, 52,000 are uniformed military members, Olson said, and more than half of that uniformed force is Army Special Forces soldiers.
Roughly 20 percent of the organization comprises National Guardsmen or reservists -- down from about a third in 2005. A third of the force is composed of career special operations personnel, while two-thirds serve temporary assignments to special operations forces missions during the arc of their military tenure.
The average age of special operations servicemembers is 30, Olson added, and 70 percent of the force is married. About half of the force, he said, joined since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The 9/11 Terrorist Attack and Overseas Travel to the United States:Initial Impacts and Longer-Run Recovery
DEREKH CORNWELL AND BRYAN ROBERTS
April 1, 2010 - The terror attacks of September 11, 2001 had an immediate and substantial impact on international travel worldwide. The attacks induced substitution away from air travel generally and caused a shift in the preferences of travelers for particular destinations. The United States in particular experienced an immediate and precipitous drop in arrivals of international visitors, particularly from those flying in from overseas. The initial drop in arrivals immediately following 9/11 in part reflected widespread concern about the safety of international air travel. Economic factors most likely also played a role in reducing travel to the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. Between 2001 and 2002, for example, the global economy experienced a recession that reduced demand for air travel generally. In addition to safety concerns and deteriorating economic conditions, the perception that U.S. visa policy became more restrictive in the wake of 9/11 may also have negatively impacted arrivals. Such perceptions prompted concern within the travel industry that the United States was becoming a less attractive travel destination and was damaging its image abroad (Alden, 2008).
Although visa policy itself did not significantly change after 9/11, the security screening procedures that are part of the visa application process were standardized and intensified (Yale-Loehr et al., 2005). After the 9/11 attacks, for example, certain administrative procedures related to visa issuance and entry at the U.S. border were implemented as part of an enhanced travel security protocol. The security procedures related to visa issuance only affected visa applicants travelling to the United States and did not affect travelers from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Moreover, while travelers from VWP and non-VWP countries were exposed to the same screening procedures upon entry to the United States, some travelers from non-VWP countries were subject to an additional layer of processing. Taken together, the fact that VWP travelers are exempt from the visa issuance procedures and are not exposed to the additional entry processing that some non-VWP arrivals undergo introduces inter-country variation that can be used to test whether the new administrative procedures actually reduced travel to the United States among travelers needing a visa.
Read On
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/ois_ni_911_wp.pdf
April 1, 2010 - The terror attacks of September 11, 2001 had an immediate and substantial impact on international travel worldwide. The attacks induced substitution away from air travel generally and caused a shift in the preferences of travelers for particular destinations. The United States in particular experienced an immediate and precipitous drop in arrivals of international visitors, particularly from those flying in from overseas. The initial drop in arrivals immediately following 9/11 in part reflected widespread concern about the safety of international air travel. Economic factors most likely also played a role in reducing travel to the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. Between 2001 and 2002, for example, the global economy experienced a recession that reduced demand for air travel generally. In addition to safety concerns and deteriorating economic conditions, the perception that U.S. visa policy became more restrictive in the wake of 9/11 may also have negatively impacted arrivals. Such perceptions prompted concern within the travel industry that the United States was becoming a less attractive travel destination and was damaging its image abroad (Alden, 2008).
Although visa policy itself did not significantly change after 9/11, the security screening procedures that are part of the visa application process were standardized and intensified (Yale-Loehr et al., 2005). After the 9/11 attacks, for example, certain administrative procedures related to visa issuance and entry at the U.S. border were implemented as part of an enhanced travel security protocol. The security procedures related to visa issuance only affected visa applicants travelling to the United States and did not affect travelers from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Moreover, while travelers from VWP and non-VWP countries were exposed to the same screening procedures upon entry to the United States, some travelers from non-VWP countries were subject to an additional layer of processing. Taken together, the fact that VWP travelers are exempt from the visa issuance procedures and are not exposed to the additional entry processing that some non-VWP arrivals undergo introduces inter-country variation that can be used to test whether the new administrative procedures actually reduced travel to the United States among travelers needing a visa.
Read On
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/ois_ni_911_wp.pdf
Possessing 26 Pipe Bombs
Michael Turney Pleads Guilty to Possessing 26 Pipe Bombs
April 1, 2010 - PHOENIX—Michael Roy Turney, 62, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices, a felony offense, in federal district court in Phoenix. Turney admitted that he illegally possessed 26 pipe bombs discovered last year during a search of his Phoenix home in connection with a Phoenix Police investigation into the 2001 disappearance of Turney’s step-daughter, Alissa Turney.
“As a result of this prosecution, a dangerous man is off the streets. His self-built supply of bombs had the potential for catastrophic consequences,” said Dennis K. Burke, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “I applaud the work of ATF, FBI, and the Phoenix Police for their excellent investigation, while removing these explosive devices safely from the neighborhood.”
On December 11, 2008, the Phoenix Police Department executed a search warrant at Michael Turney’s residence located at 17218 N. 34th Street in Phoenix, Arizona. Police found 26 pipe bombs and three incendiary devices, all destructive devices. In addition, the police found two silencers. The destructive devices and silencers were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.
On March 30, 2010, Turney, admitted in court that he knowingly possessed 26 pipe bombs without registering them in the National Firearms Registration. Turney admitted that he knew it was illegal to possess the pipe bombs.
A conviction for unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a $250,000 fine or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Susan R. Bolton will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provides recommended sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Sentencing is set before Judge Bolton on June 21, 2010.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution is being handled by David A. Pimsner and Michael T. Morrissey, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
April 1, 2010 - PHOENIX—Michael Roy Turney, 62, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices, a felony offense, in federal district court in Phoenix. Turney admitted that he illegally possessed 26 pipe bombs discovered last year during a search of his Phoenix home in connection with a Phoenix Police investigation into the 2001 disappearance of Turney’s step-daughter, Alissa Turney.
“As a result of this prosecution, a dangerous man is off the streets. His self-built supply of bombs had the potential for catastrophic consequences,” said Dennis K. Burke, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “I applaud the work of ATF, FBI, and the Phoenix Police for their excellent investigation, while removing these explosive devices safely from the neighborhood.”
On December 11, 2008, the Phoenix Police Department executed a search warrant at Michael Turney’s residence located at 17218 N. 34th Street in Phoenix, Arizona. Police found 26 pipe bombs and three incendiary devices, all destructive devices. In addition, the police found two silencers. The destructive devices and silencers were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.
On March 30, 2010, Turney, admitted in court that he knowingly possessed 26 pipe bombs without registering them in the National Firearms Registration. Turney admitted that he knew it was illegal to possess the pipe bombs.
A conviction for unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a $250,000 fine or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Susan R. Bolton will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provides recommended sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Sentencing is set before Judge Bolton on June 21, 2010.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution is being handled by David A. Pimsner and Michael T. Morrissey, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: DHS Director of Strategic Sourcing Pulls Triple Efficiency Duty
April 1, 2010 - This week we’ve been talking about some of the innovative things DHS employees are doing to cut costs, save time, and change the way we do business as part of the Efficiency Review. The initiatives we’ve highlighted so far, along with every Efficiency Review initiative underway at the Department, share one trait: they have dedicated employees behind them.
Each of our 20 Department-wide initiatives has a technical lead who coordinates the nuts and bolts of the initiative to make sure it gets implemented correctly and stays on track. One such technical lead, Mike Smith, Director of Strategic Sourcing within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, has been pulling triple duty for the Efficiency Review. Mike has served as the technical lead for three separate initiatives: maximizing the use of government office space for meetings and conferences in place of renting facilities, increasing usage of DHS-wide blanket purchase agreements for office supplies and converting printers, fax machines, copiers, and scanners into all-in-one machines as replacements are needed.
Under Mike’s leadership, these initiatives are already expected to avoid $7 million in anticipated costs. “I’ve found that when you give people freedom to make a difference along with management support, they will rise to the occasion,” said Mike. “I’ve been impressed and encouraged with the creativity and responsiveness to these initiatives across the Department..”
Through the facilities initiative, Mike has helped saved the Department money by helping DHS employees find federal facilities for meetings and events in place of commercial space. Mike has also helped the Department take advantage of lower prices for office supplies by leveraging the buying power of multiple offices. Finally, through the all-in-one machines initiative, Mike has helped DHS save on maintenance costs and energy, not to mention floor space, when machines that perform just one function wear out and need to be replaced
Smith has brought his considerable knowledge and experience to bear on these initiatives, shepherding them from initial concept to across-the-board implementation. His dedication to these common-sense changes has been critical to their success, and serves as a model for employees throughout DHS to ensure the Department makes the most out of every taxpayer dollar.
Each of our 20 Department-wide initiatives has a technical lead who coordinates the nuts and bolts of the initiative to make sure it gets implemented correctly and stays on track. One such technical lead, Mike Smith, Director of Strategic Sourcing within the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, has been pulling triple duty for the Efficiency Review. Mike has served as the technical lead for three separate initiatives: maximizing the use of government office space for meetings and conferences in place of renting facilities, increasing usage of DHS-wide blanket purchase agreements for office supplies and converting printers, fax machines, copiers, and scanners into all-in-one machines as replacements are needed.
Under Mike’s leadership, these initiatives are already expected to avoid $7 million in anticipated costs. “I’ve found that when you give people freedom to make a difference along with management support, they will rise to the occasion,” said Mike. “I’ve been impressed and encouraged with the creativity and responsiveness to these initiatives across the Department..”
Through the facilities initiative, Mike has helped saved the Department money by helping DHS employees find federal facilities for meetings and events in place of commercial space. Mike has also helped the Department take advantage of lower prices for office supplies by leveraging the buying power of multiple offices. Finally, through the all-in-one machines initiative, Mike has helped DHS save on maintenance costs and energy, not to mention floor space, when machines that perform just one function wear out and need to be replaced
Smith has brought his considerable knowledge and experience to bear on these initiatives, shepherding them from initial concept to across-the-board implementation. His dedication to these common-sense changes has been critical to their success, and serves as a model for employees throughout DHS to ensure the Department makes the most out of every taxpayer dollar.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Raymond N. Pacleb, 31, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died March 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery Regiment, Wahiawa, Hawaii.
For more information media may contact the Hawaii National Guard public affairs office at 808-733-4258 or 808-779-8008.
Pfc. Raymond N. Pacleb, 31, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died March 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery Regiment, Wahiawa, Hawaii.
For more information media may contact the Hawaii National Guard public affairs office at 808-733-4258 or 808-779-8008.
Iraqis Arrest 4 Terrorism Suspects
American Forces Press Service
April 1, 2010 - Iraqi security forces yesterday arrested four suspected terrorists during a combined operation in southwestern Baghdad designed to capture a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader.
The wanted suspect is believed to have assisted in increasing the terrorist group's membership and paying its members to conduct attacks against the Iraqi government.
Preliminary questioning and evidence collected during the operation led Iraqi forces to arrest four criminal associates of the wanted man.
In other news from Iraq, a suspected terrorist was arrested March 26 by an element of the Iraqi Emergency Response Brigade during a combined security operation with U.S. advisors in Babil province.
The elite police force was operating under a court warrant charging the suspect with murder, forcing people from their homes, and planting roadside bombs targeting Iraqi army and police convoys.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq news releases.)
April 1, 2010 - Iraqi security forces yesterday arrested four suspected terrorists during a combined operation in southwestern Baghdad designed to capture a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader.
The wanted suspect is believed to have assisted in increasing the terrorist group's membership and paying its members to conduct attacks against the Iraqi government.
Preliminary questioning and evidence collected during the operation led Iraqi forces to arrest four criminal associates of the wanted man.
In other news from Iraq, a suspected terrorist was arrested March 26 by an element of the Iraqi Emergency Response Brigade during a combined security operation with U.S. advisors in Babil province.
The elite police force was operating under a court warrant charging the suspect with murder, forcing people from their homes, and planting roadside bombs targeting Iraqi army and police convoys.
(Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq news releases.)
Afghan, International Forces Kill Roadside Bomber
American Forces Press Service
April 1, 2010 - Afghan and international forces killed a roadside bomber in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
A combined force searched an area near the village of Lowy Karizac after intelligence information indicated militant activity there. The security force was threatened during the search and killed a militant known for distributing roadside bombs throughout the region.
In operations in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province in the past two days:
-- A combined patrol today found 14 fragmentation grenades, a rocket-propelled grenade round, three RPG tail fins, seven bags of ammonium nitrate and several hundred rounds of ammunition. Ammonium nitrate is a fertilizer banned by the Afghan government because it can be used to make explosives. The cache was destroyed.
-- In Marja last night, security combined force detained several suspected militants for further questioning.
-- A joint patrol found two anti-tank mines, 10 feet of detonation cord and various rounds of ammunition and seized the cache for destruction.
Also, an international patrol found six Russian-made 105 mm artillery rounds, an 82 mm mortar and some ammunition in Kabul yesterday.
No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations, officials said.
(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)
April 1, 2010 - Afghan and international forces killed a roadside bomber in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
A combined force searched an area near the village of Lowy Karizac after intelligence information indicated militant activity there. The security force was threatened during the search and killed a militant known for distributing roadside bombs throughout the region.
In operations in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province in the past two days:
-- A combined patrol today found 14 fragmentation grenades, a rocket-propelled grenade round, three RPG tail fins, seven bags of ammonium nitrate and several hundred rounds of ammunition. Ammonium nitrate is a fertilizer banned by the Afghan government because it can be used to make explosives. The cache was destroyed.
-- In Marja last night, security combined force detained several suspected militants for further questioning.
-- A joint patrol found two anti-tank mines, 10 feet of detonation cord and various rounds of ammunition and seized the cache for destruction.
Also, an international patrol found six Russian-made 105 mm artillery rounds, an 82 mm mortar and some ammunition in Kabul yesterday.
No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations, officials said.
(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)
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